I Lost 149 Pounds on the Keto Diet—and Kept It Off

Courtesy LeighAnn Sweinhart

Ever since she was ten years old, LeighAnn Sweinhart remembers being at least 50 pounds heavier than everyone around her. It didn't make sense—she ate a good diet and stayed active. Then, in her late teens, Sweinhart's doctors figured out her gain was caused by a condition that forced her body to retain pounds. And she had to gain a lot more weight before she finally found an answer.

When Sweinhart's weight began to climb at puberty, her parents assumed it was due to junk food and lack of exercise. "I knew it wasn't that," the now 33-year-old Sweinhart tells Reader's Digest. "I ate what my siblings ate and did what they did." Her parents tried multiple diets to help her lose the weight, all of them unsuccessful. When she was 19, Sweinhart made a trip to the emergency room for sudden and extreme pain in her abdomen, and it was there that she finally learned the truth: An ultrasound revealed her ovaries were covered in cysts—and one had ruptured. Watch out for these 13 medical reasons for abdominal pain.

Courtesy LeighAnn Sweinhart

When her primary physician followed up with hormone testing, it confirmed the diagnosis: Sweinhart had PCOS—polycystic ovary syndrome. The hormone disorder causes the body to produce excess androgen, a male hormone, and causes other symptoms, like facial hair, weight gain, male pattern baldness, and irregular periods. "I had noticed my hair was thinning, and I was getting facial hair. I also had migraines and my periods were irregular." Doctors prescribed Metformin for her insulin resistance—a common PCOS complication—and birth control to regulate her hormones The results were disappointing. "The medications they gave me made me sick. I tried to stick with it for a year before I finally said I was done. At 20, I was too young to live like that. I gave up on myself for a while."

Courtesy LeighAnn Sweinhart

While taking a break from medication, Sweinhart, who lives in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, began researching drastic diets and surgeries. At 289 pounds, she had reached her breaking point and was terrified she would need to buy two plane seats for herself for an upcoming trip with her husband. "Insurance wouldn't cover the gastric sleeve surgery, but I had already joined an online support group for the procedure. Many of the women in the group said their doctors put them on a ketogenic diet afterward. I began wondering if I could lose weight on it." After researching the keto diet, she decided to try it—and her husband joined her. Make sure you're aware of these things doctors want you to know before starting the keto diet.

Courtesy LeighAnn Sweinhart

The results were fast—and impressive. "Within the first two weeks, I lost 19 pounds. My symptoms—the migraines, mood swings, insulin spikes—they all went away as soon as I stopped eating sugar and committed to the diet." In the beginning, Sweinhart says she kept it simple, focusing on eating food that had less than 20 grams of carbohydrates, healthy fats, green vegetables, and healthy cuts of meat. She downloaded the Lose It! app on her phone, which she says made the diet even easier to stick with. "With the app, I can track anything I eat, and I can scan the bar code on things to keep track of exactly what I'm eating. It's too easy," she explains. Here are more unexpected health benefits of the keto diet you might experience, too.

Courtesy LeighAnn Sweinhart

Sweinhart has lost 149 pounds over the last two years and she's now half her previous size. "By the time I went on the trip with my husband, I didn't even need a seat-belt extender, much less a second seat. If you're even thinking about it, just do it. Research and learn the science behind it: The people on this diet aren't just thinner—they're healthier. Make it a goal to keep this promise to yourself." Next, find out the things everyone gets wrong about the keto diet.

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KETOGENIC Diet Explained (Must See for BEGINNERS!)肋 KETO Diet Meal Plan for FAT LOSS benefits risks

Duration: 08:29 3 days ago

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Wondering what is the ketogenic diet? In the Ketogenic Diet explained you will find everything about how to start your own keto diet meal plan for fat loss. You'll learn keto benefits, risks, and the myths. This is an excellent ketogenic shredding diet for beginners. 🔥 FREE 6 Week Challenge: https://gravitychallenges.com/home65d4f?utm_source=ytube&utm_term=explained You've been hearing quite a lot about the ketogenic diet. It's become one of the most popular diets around and a lot of people are now starting to switch over to keto. So in today's video I'm gonna give you guys a full unbiased explanation of the ketogenic diet. I want you to understand how it works, how to create your own keto diet meal plan from scratch, and both its positives and its negatives which believe it or not an unbiased explanation of keto is rare to come by due the fact that throughout all of history there have always been those people that would turn a diet almost into a religion or a cult. Thus ha ppened before with Atkins, the South beach diet, And this is happening right now with the ketogenic diet. This ultimately leads to a lot of misconceptions about the diet so there are a lot of things that people are doing plain wrong and you may be making the same mistakes. Let's start with purpose what's the purpose of the ketogenic diet. The goal is to Force the body into a process known as ketosis where fats are predominately burned and used for energy rather than carbohydrates. Macros for the keto diet can vary from plan to plan but you can expect to have anywhere from 60 to 75 percent of calories from fat sometimes even more. Then 15 to 30 percent of calories coming from protein, ans 5 to 10 percent of calories coming from carbs. The most common recommended ketogenic macro split is 20 percent protein 75 percent fat and only 5 percent carbohydrates. This is referred to as the standard ketogenic diet. There is also the cyclical ketogenic diet where you would cycle five days of ket o with two days of high carbs. Then you also have the targeted ketogenic diet where you're allowed to have carbs before or after your workouts. And last but not least we have the high-protein ketogenic diet where fat drops down to 60 percent and protein jumps all the way up to 35 percent. Regardless of which ketogenic approach you take the purpose Remains the Same. By drastically reducing carbs and replacing them with healthy fats your body goes into a metabolic state known as ketosis. Now it kills me when certain "Experts" claim that the ketogenic diet isnt a low-carb diet. KILLS ME! If 5 to 10 percent of your total daily calories are coming from carbs and that's not a low-carb diet I don't know what is. Keto is a form of low-carb dieting just like Atkins is a form of low-carb dieting. For the people that treat keto like a religion I can't wait to read your comments. Either way when you're in ketosis your body becomes very very good at burning fat for energy. Fats will be turned in to ketones in your liver and those ketones will supply energy to your body and your brain. To put it simply your body becomes better at using fat for energy... not only the fat that you eat but also the fat thats stored on your body. One of the ways that it does this is by keeping insulin levels low. Insulin is a fat storage hormone that is released to help shuttle energy from the food you eat into your cells. The ketogenic diet is known to be one of the best ways besides fasting to drop your insulin levels lower. And low insulin levels are associated with fat loss. However there is a misconception out there that your insulin levels will only go up from carbohydrates. Protein will also spike your insulin levels and if you eat enough fats in one sitting especially the wrong ones like trans fats that can spike your insulin levels as well. A lot of people that do the ketogenic diet just go absolutely overboard with the unhealthy foods that they pack into their plan. Sure macro wise a b unch of cheese mayo and bacon will fit into a 75 percent fat allowance. However for your health these foods are not always the best option. Again occasionally having Foods like this as a treat on the keto diet is perfectly fine however from day to day your 75 percent fat allowance is meant to be used on healthy sources of fats such as avocados coconut oil whole eggs olive oil grass fed butter, nuts and seeds and the fat found in unprocessed meat such as beef Buffalo salmon chicken thighs ground turkey or pork just to name a few. Sources of fat with oleic acid have been shown to be really effective at dropping insulin levels as well. You'll find oleic acid in olive oil and avocados as well as in many other sources. Due to the fact that this diet is so high in fat and moderately high in protein it's very easy to feel full on this plan.

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Jenna Jameson Shares How She Maintains Keto on Vacation While Comparing Dramatic Before-and-After Bikini Pics

Jenna Jameson not only tells her followers that the Ketogenic diet works for her — she shows them. The former adult entertainer has lost 80 pounds by following the diet, and she uses frequent side-by-side bikini pictures to show how eating high-fat, low-carb foods has transformed her. 

In her most recent snaps, the Keto queen showed a side-by-side photo of herself in the same cut-out swimwear. She used the photos as a jumping-off point to share how she sticks to her diet while on vacation. (Previously, she'd posted about how she navigates the holidays without veering from her plan.) 

Jenna Jameson Gets Real About Surviving the Holidays on Keto

"Alrighty... let's talk #keto on vacation," Jameson wrote. "It's not easy. Not because there is a shortage of perfect #ketofoods .... but because it's ingrained in our brains that vacation is for letting go! I'm guilty. I had a plate of fries, fish tacos, tortilla soup and a churro stuffed with ice cream. I'm sure my scale has shifted... but not to the point that it should effect my mood or ultimate progress. Moral of this story, don't deprive yourself... enjoy life... but don't stray to far."

And for a little motivation to avoid temptation, she left this visual: 

For more opinions on the Keto diet (some of which are very different from Jameson's opinion!) keep scrolling: 

Celebrities Weigh in on the Keto Diet: Who Loves It, and Who Thinks It's "Dumb?"

The Feast is Bravo's digital destination serving culinary inspiration and essential food news. Like us on Facebook and visit daily for diet and wellness trends, kitchen hacks and tools — and the buzziest celebrity, chef, and restaurant happenings you need to know about right now.

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Al Roker Reveals He Dropped 40 lbs. On Keto Diet & Shares His Meal Plan – See Before & After Pics

Looking good, Al Roker! The 'Today' weatherman and co-host has slimmed down since switching to the keto diet, and claims that he's lost forty pounds in about six months!

Since September 2018, Al Roker, 64, has been on the keto diet and the results have been phenomenal. The high-fat, low-carb program – which has earned praise from such celebs as LeBron James, Vanessa Hudgens, and both Kourtney and Kim Kardashian – has helped the once rotund Today show weather forecaster shed some major weight. "I've lost about forty pounds," Al said on the March 4 episode of Today, much to the amazement of Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb. On top of that, his cholesterol levels – a common concern with the keto diet – are fine and dandy.

"Yeah, my cholesterol, just had it checked out a few weeks ago, everything's good," he said. When Savannah, who was once on the diet ("You and I were keto partners for a while, and then I broke up with keto") said that she struggled with sweets, Al had a suggestion. "You know what I do? I have two pieces of Trader Joe's dark chocolate every night right before I go to bed. Or sometimes, if we're out to dinner, I ask them to bring be a bowl of whipped cream." If that doesn't sound too outlandish, Al shares his meal plan on Instagram, including "meatza," aka a dough-less pizza.

At his heaviest, Al Roker weighed 340 pounds, according to Good Housekeeping. His weight got that high because of a combination of "not feeling worthy," he said in 2013, along with being worried he "wasn't as good as he thought he was," and that he just "really liked food." However, as he wrote in his memoir, Never Goin' Back: Winning The Weight Loss Battle For Good, Al made a promise to his dying father, Albert Lincoln Roker, Sr., that he'd drop the weight. "I don't know if you've ever had to make a deathbed promise to someone you love, but if you have, you know the kind of guilt and massive responsibility I felt in that moment."

Left: Al at the beginning of 2018. Right: Al at the end of the year, after three months on Keto.

Al underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2002, and though he lost more than 100 pounds, he revealed in a 2013 interview that it had unexpected – and embarrassing – consequences. "I probably went off and ate something I wasn't supposed, and as I'm walking to the [White House] press room, I realized, 'I have to pass a little gas here,' " he began. "And I thought, 'Who's going to know?' Only, a little something extra came out… I pooped my pants."

When his mother was hospitalized in 2011, he slipped off his diet and gained up to 40 pounds. "I consoled myself with food. I got blindsided and, I think, to a ­certain extent, I got cocky." Thankfully, he's been able to shed the weight, thanks to keto. The diet aims to have a person get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbohydrates, according to WebMD. When a person eats less than 50 grams of carb a day, the body breaks down protein and fat for energy – putting a person into ketosis. When done right, it can help a person lose weight, though WebMD notes that it's a "short term" diet focused on weight loss than the pursuit of health benefits.

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Jenna Jameson Just Shared A Before-And-After Swimsuit Pic After Taking A Break From The Keto Diet

From Women's Health

Jenna Jameson revealed that she "let go" of her keto diet a bit while on vacation in Mexico.

Jenna says she's likely gained a few pounds during her Mexican vacation, but not enough to "affect [her] mood."

Jenna says she's eaten fries, fish tacos, and churros while on vacation.

Listen, Jenna Jameson may be the keto queen (nickname given to her by me, ofc), but let's be honest, she's still human-and that means even she indulges on vacation.

Case in point: Jenna's currently in Mexico, and she revealed in a new Instagram post (showing a before-and-after shot of herself in the same swimsuit) saying that staying keto while on vacation hasn't been easy.

Here's why: "Not because there is a shortage of perfect #ketofoods .... but because it's ingrained in our brains that vacation is for letting go," Jenna wrote.

But Jenna says she did "let go" a bit-which is totally okay. "I had a plate of fries, fish tacos, tortilla soup, and a churro stuffed with ice cream," she wrote. "I'm sure my scale has shifted... but not to the point that it should affect my mood or ultimate progress." And, she says, fellow keto followers shouldn't be afraid to do the same here and there.

Back in September, she shared a photo on Instagram of herself seated behind tons of yummy-looking food with this caption: "When I have a cheat meal, I go IIIIIIN! Israeli style!"

Still, Jenna made it pretty clear that she tends to stay the keto course in her day-to-day life. For her, that means intermittent fasting and eating a steady diet of avocado, eggs, and cheese for breakfast, along with tons of lean meats and salads for her following meals

"Moral of this story, don't deprive yourself," she wrote in her latest post. "Enjoy life... but don't stray [too] far."

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What's the Difference Between Clean Keto and Dirty Keto?

What's the Difference Between Dirty Keto Foods and Clean Keto Foods? Top Navigation Close View image

What's the Difference Between Clean Keto and Dirty Keto?

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Sherri Shepherd Flaunts 30-Pound Weight Loss From Keto Diet With Shirtless Before and After Pics

Based on her current eating habits, it's hard to believe that Sherri Shepherd ever consumed nearly 70 sugar packets each day. (Yes, day.) For the past year or so, the actress has been a staunch devotee of the Keto diet; as such, she sticks to meals that are high in fat and low in carbs. She's also kicked sugar to the curb. The results? Keep scrolling, and let Sherri herself show you. 

In a recent Instagram post, Shepherd did something she's never done before. "I have never shared what my body looks like with no clothes on, but I wanted to share with you what I looked like 10 months ago and the progress I've made since April 2018," she wrote. She posted images that showed her wearing spandex pants and a bra top all those months ago, juxtaposed with a photo of her wearing a similar getup after her weight loss. 

Eddie Judge Critiques Keto Dieters as Just a "Bunch of People Jumping on the Bandwagon"

Shepherd's caption continued: "I went off #sugar #coldturkey in Mar 2018 and starred #keto appx June/July 2018. My weight last year I believe was 189 (too tired to look for the scale pics) and now I go back and forth between 159-161lbs. My waistline was 47" and it is now 35" (Lord on my wishlist is 29" waist ... 27" if you're in a good mood.)" 

Al Roker Claps Back at the Dietician Who Criticized Him for Doing "Sad" Keto

All jokes aside, the actress added in a heartfelt note to her followers: " just want to encourage you to take one step towards your health... then another... then another... small changes everyday (more water... more sleep... exercise... meditation... prayer... forgiveness... less sugar... less carbs...) yield big #results in one year. I am really putting my fat belly out there for ridicule but I am passionate about wanting YOU to feel better... find your purpose and get past fear. I want so much for you to experience #freedom ... to get your #joyback... to feel #confidence that you can Conquer the world! If I can do it YOU can too! Love you."

Cynthia Bailey Is Doing the Keto Diet to Get her Body "Snatched" Before the RHOA Reunion

Take a look at Shepherd's striking before-and-after images, blow. 

 

Jenna Jameson, another deeply devoted fan of Keto, also posts frequent before-and-after photos of herself to show how the diet has worked. Take a look at her transformation by clicking here.

And here's everything celebs have said — both very good and very bad — about Keto:

Celebrities Weigh in on the Keto Diet: Who Loves It, and Who Thinks It's "Dumb?"

The Feast is Bravo's digital destination serving culinary inspiration and essential food news. Like us on Facebook and visit daily for diet and wellness trends, kitchen hacks and tools — and the buzziest celebrity, chef, and restaurant happenings you need to know about right now.

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