Today we’d like to share with you Whitney Reiter’s incredible weight loss success story. Whitney went from 207 lbs to 177lbs (30lbs loss) in just over 3 short months.
If you have a success story to share with our community, please send us a message on our contact page and let us know about it. We’d love to read your success story!
If you’re new to the ketogenic diet and looking to get started, please check our keto guide and meal plan!
Anyway, here’s Whitney’s full story:
Please tell us your story:
I am a mother three girls ages 4, 18 months, and 4 months. Three pregnancies in four years were not kind to my body! I suffered from hypothyroidism and insulin resistance due to genetics and poor diet and nothing I would try was budging the scale.
Here’s face change after the first month postpartum:
This is my 2 month progress:
and this is after 3 months:
How has your life changed since going keto?
I have SO MUCH energy. I feel amazing. I can think so clearly. I mention all this first because weight loss was my main goal and motivation. I have lost much of the weight I had hoped to, but I feel like I’ve gained so much more in how good I just feel in general!
What did you personally do in your first 10 days of keto?
I didn’t pay attention to any macros other than keeping my carbs under 20 and eating fat when I felt hungry. I incorporated a lot of liquids in between meals (bone broth, La Croix, Plexus Slim) and these items carried me until the next meal. Once I was fat adapted, I hardly even thought about food! I did intermittent fasting in a 16:8 window when I felt like I could, but I wasn’t overly strict. If I was hungry I ate, if I wasn’t, I didn’t!
Do you count and track macros strictly?
Not at all. I make sure to keep carbs to a minimum. I try to make protein a goal, but I don’t calculate it, I just feel like its intuitive what I need or don’t. I fill in the rest with fat until I feel satiated.
Do you exercise? If yes, what’s your workout routine like?
Yes. I do circuit/HIIT training 1-3x a week now. But I didn’t do anything but get a good walk in for the first 2.5 months.
Have you ever encountered a plateau? If so, how did you get over it?
Yes. I do feel I have hit one now. I am going to do an extended fasting protocol. I also do “carb ups”.
What is your WHY (your drive/motivation) to keep on track and stay focused?
My starting weight was 207 and my goal weight is 155. Seeing the 50 lbs that have been around for 4 years that I wanted to go melt off in 3 months is all the motivation I need! There are so many added benefits though. Having the energy to be with my little ones and work with them all day long makes it all worth it.
What are your favorite ingredients to prepare keto meals?
Brussels sprouts, bacon, coconut oil, MCT oil, collagen protein, salmon, Bone broth, carnitas, sauerkraut — these are most of my staples.
What are your favorite keto meals/recipes? and/or What does your meal plan look like?
BREAKFAST: Bulletproof coffee or no breakfast (IF) and Plexus Slim and Accelerator.
LUNCH: Bone broth or a good quality meat and vegetables (cooked in oil or grass-fed butter and seasoned well!), salad, chicken salad, mayo, meat and cheese (minimally processed), keto bread, a bunless burger.
DINNER: Another good quality meat choice and vegetables, sometimes breakfast for dinner.
SNACKS: I literally never feel like I need a snack (I used to snack between every meal!)
“Treats”- A piece or two of dark chocolate, occasional glass of wine, raspberries, or “keto cookies”
I drink water and La Croix all day long.
And once every 6-10 days, I’ll “carb up”. In a 4 hour window, I’ll allow myself a higher carb meal or dessert. I try to keep them cleaner like plantains, or sweet potatoes or rice, but sometimes it looks more like ice cream, fries, and a beer. This is okay in moderation, but TIMING is KEY! I’ve probably had 3 meals like this in this timeframe. I just jump right back in. Usually, after these high carb days, I don’t want/need ANYTHING to eat the next day.
In 3 months I have not eaten:
- Anything made from wheat/gluten
- Minimal dairy
- Maybe 2 sodas
Is there any book or resources that you would recommend to our readers?
The Complete Guide to Fasting by Jimmy Moore and Dr. Jason Fung
Finally, What advice would you give someone who is just starting out on keto?
Drink all the water. Get plenty of electrolytes. Understand that fat is just a filler, and not a macro that has to be reached. When your body isn’t burning ingested fat, it has time to burn the fat stores. Most importantly, DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF everyday. It will discourage you. Stick to once every week or two weeks. I have only weighed myself once a month. The way my clothes fit and the progress pictures tell me way more.
For those just starting out, my desire is you give yourself a little motivation. When I first started, the only thing that got me through was seeing the progress of other people that knew exactly where I was coming from. The time has flown by, and after becoming fat adapted, it’s really pretty easy to live this lifestyle. All this to say, if you are getting started today with no hope and no motivation because nothing has worked for you to lose weight for the last several years, know that I was in your same place only a little over three months ago.
