My name is Kelly Cossar (@thegirlwithgreenyogapants_keto), and I am 32 years old, from Waterford, Ontario. I am an event planner. I started the keto diet to support my partner, then added in virtual personal training and running, and I've lost 75 pounds.
I have struggled with my weight since I was a child. I also was always the bigger girl that played lots of sports. I was bullied a lot in my younger years, which, in turn, made me an emotional eater.
I tried every diet out there. When I hit a plateau or failed at a yo-yo diet, I would self-sabotage. Once my friends or family would take notice of my weight loss, I would fall back into my unhealthy ways. I think I would do this because I had a fear of failing.
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By 30, I hit my heaviest weight of 290 pounds. I had a family history of diabetes and knew if I didn't make a change soon it would lead to problems.
My turning point came on January 2, 2020, at the age of 31. I hated how I felt.
I knew if I didn't make a change, my weight would just continue to go up. It's almost like something finally clicked in my head, and I finally believed I would be successful this time.
I like to say the keto diet found me, but it was actually my partner who had started eating a keto diet. I decided to join him to support him and to make it easier when making meals. I never really understood keto—I just ate what he was eating. But I finally started reading and learning about keto to really understand it. I knew my body liked eating keto because I felt my best when I was in ketosis.
People always ask me, "Why keto?" It's because I never feel like I am deprived—you can make pretty much anything keto.
There are also a lot of different variations to keto. I eat mostly simple keto, which consists of a lot of whole foods that are high in fat. But it's important to find what works best for you. If I feel like sweet potatoes or some fruit, I will work my day's meals around fitting the macros for that food into my day. It's all about eating in moderation and finding balance.
Being a part of the keto community on Instagram also really helps me stay consistent. You have all these like minded people rooting you on, and I feel like I belong. They celebrate with me, encourage me, and really have kept me going throughout my whole journey.
Here’s what I eat in a day now.
- Breakfast: Keto bulletproof coffee (coffee, heavy cream, MCT oil and collagen) or protein coffee (literally by adding a scoop of protein in your coffee).
- Lunch: A mini charcuterie board with cheese, nuts, rolled up turkey, olives, and pickles or tuna salad in a bell pepper topped with Everything But The Bagel spice.
- Snacks: Dark chocolate and peanut butter fat bomb or protein bar.
- Dinner: Steak, Caesar salad, lots of real bacon, and cheese crisps or a keto egg roll in a bowl.
- Dessert: 95 percent dark chocolate, melted natural peanut butter, or keto ice cream.
I started working out with a trainer twice a week when I first started my journey. But then I broke my wrist a month in.
I had a choice to make: throw in the towel and wait for my wrist to heal, or stay consistent. The mindset I was in told me throwing in the towel wasn't an option this time, so for the first three to four months I did a lot of walks with my dog just to get my body moving. Walks then turned into runs, which then turned into a 5k run a day. Never in my life had I ran a full 5k without stopping or giving in, so it's an accomplishment I am very proud of.
Once I was cleared to start working out and lifting weights again, Ontario was in full lockdown due to COVID-19, so gyms were closed. But I didn't let that stop me. I invested in a few dumbbells, resistance bands, and kettlebells—and got to work. I did most of my workouts outside. I live in the country, so I would use the outdoors as equipment. For example, a log makes a great step, stairs are great for toe taps, and a tree is a perfect rig for a resistance band.
Currently, I am working out six days a week. I work five days a week with my trainer via Zoom, and I do a 5k run on the weekend. I use my last day as an active rest day to restart for the week ahead. Since COVID, I have really turned to workouts to destress. I step away for an hour and truly feel so much better after getting my body moving.
These three changes made the biggest difference in my weight-loss results.
- I made "consistency" my motto. One word that has really stuck with me throughout my whole weight-loss journey has been consistency. If you are consistent, you will see a changes to your mind, body, and soul. But remember, this won't happen overnight. Trust the process.
- I believed in myself. Even when others doubted me! It knew it was not going to be easy, but I promised myself it would be worth it. Always remember why you started and be prepared for curves in the road. No journey is perfect, but those curves in the road make you stronger for what lays ahead.
- I surrounded myself with support. Surround yourself with like minded people, people who want to see you succeed and hold you accountable. I had to be prepared to say no, and stick with my words. I knew I was going to have temptations, and people who would push me to cave. If I did fall off the wagon, I got right back up and back at it, as beating myself up would only set me back. My journey wasn't going to be thrown off just because of one bad day!
I have lost 75 pounds (44.75 inches) in 11 months.
If you want to see change, you have to make a change. You are 100 percent worth it. Be the person who believes in yourself and watch the changes happen. Keto gave me my life back. I have never felt more comfortable and confident with my body.
