(Photo credit: @blackketogirl instagram)
WOW! When you look at the beautiful Kendra side-by-side with her old picture just a few years ago, you can’t help but to see how a major transformation both inside and out. Her smile exudes confidence, which is why we picked her to be featured for our #TransformationTuesday series.
According to her website, BlackKetoGirl, Kendra, has struggled with losing weight and keeping it off for most of her life. After trying every fad diet known to man, some successfully, and others unsuccessfully, she was determined to find something that would combat her fluctuating weight once and for all. Though some diets have proven to help her lose weight, none gave her long-term, incredible results like the ketogenic diet.
For the last nine years, fitness and health have been her passion, and she’s been fortunate enough to create a business that has changed thousands of lives. After losing 120 pounds and keeping it off, she is living proof that following a ketogenic regimen will give you life-changing, mind-blowing results. Now, she wants to help you achieve the same victory!
(Photo credit: @blackketogirl instagram)
Black Keto Girl is passionate about living a ketogenic lifestyle and finds inspiration through people like you, who are eager to make changes. With the support, passion, and knowledge provided by Kendra, coupled with your drive, commitment, and willingness to change, success is inevitable.
“It was rough, but worth it,” confesses Kendra on one of her many motivational instagram posts. “Not only was I sick physically, I was sick mentally too. I was and still am, a food addict.”
“This has been a journey to which I carry zero regrets. One thing I’ve learned is, you have to be extremely gentle to yourself in the process. The only opinion that matters is yours. Keto has not only transformed my food addiction, but it has helped me coach over 2,000 women who were just like me. We have children, reversing hormones and healing our mind, body and soul. It’s so much more than weight loss.”
(Photo credit: @blackketogirl instagram)
If you too want to start the Keto diet like Kendra, here are a few pointers:
The main point to start a keto diet plan or low carb diet is:
- Restrict your carbs – This is very important! Restrict to less than 20g net carbs per day for a keto diet (some people can get away with under 30g). For a low carb diet, aim for under 50g net carbs per day, though some variations limit to somewhere between 50-100g per day (mostly if you are more active).
Get the carb limit down and you’re most of the way there! But to ensure your success, here are some additional tips for getting started on a keto diet or low carb diet:
- Limit your protein intake – A keto diet or low carb diet is not necessarily a high protein diet. Low carb is generally higher in protein than keto, but be careful with both. High protein diets can stress the kidneys, and besides, excess protein converts to glucose. Make your protein intake a goal to meet each day, but more than that is not better.
- Use fat to your advantage – Both keto and low carb are high fat diets. Fat is our source of energy as well as satiety. The key to understand is that fat is a… lever on a low carb or keto diet. Carbs and protein stay constant, and fat is the one you increase or decrease (push the lever up or down) to gain or lose weight, respectively. So if your goal is weight loss, eat enough fat to be satisfied, but there’s no need to “get your fats in” once you’re satisfied.
- Water, water, and more water – This is especially crucial on a low carb or keto diet. Why? When you eat carbohydrates, your body stores the extra as glycogen in the liver, where they are bound to water molecules. Eating low carb depletes this glycogen, which allows you to burn fat – but it also means you are storing less water, making it easier to get dehydrated. Instead of the traditional recommendation of 8 cups of water per day, aim for 16 cups when following a low carb lifestyle.
- Keep your electrolytes up – The major electrolytes in our bodies are sodium, potassium and magnesium. Because a low carb diet (especially a keto diet!) reduces the amount of water you store, this can flush out electrolytes and make you feel sick (called “keto flu”). This is temporary, but you can avoid or eliminate it by salting your food liberally, drinking broth (especially bone broth), and eating pickled vegetables. Some people also choose to take supplements for electrolytes, but it’s best to first consult a doctor that understands and supports keto/low carb lifestyles.
- Eat only when you are hungry – Get out of the mindset that you need to eat 4-6 meals per day or constantly snack. Eating too frequently on a keto or low carb diet is not necessary, and can affect weight loss. Eat when you’re hungry, but if you aren’t, don’t. Eating fewer carbs will make this much easier, as it naturally suppresses appetite.
- Eat whole foods – No, not the store, you’d end up spending all your money, lol. Remember that eating natural or whole foods is technically not 100% required to restrict carbohydrates, eating processed foods will not help you get rid of cravings or be good for your body. Check the section below for more on what low carb foods are best.
- Don’t forget to exercise – This is not required for a low carb diet, but recommended. You’ll feel better, improve your health, and if your goal is weight loss, it will happen faster!
(Photo credit: @blackketogirl instagram)
For more about Kendra, check her out on social media at @blackketogirl and on her website, blackketogirl.com
