After following a strict Keto diet and fitness regimen, one woman lost 90 pounds in nine months.
Elena, who goes by The Stair Lady on Instagram, has taken her 12,000 followers along on a journey from being overweight to toned and fit in just a few months
Since going on the Ketogenic diet at 256 pounds in April 2017, the mother from Texas is down 90 pounds and is happier than ever at a slim 175 pounds.
Before and after: After following a strict Keto diet and fitness regimen, a woman named Elena (pictured) lost 90 pounds in nine months, naturally
Fit: Elena shares her journey on her Instagram account, The Stair Lady
Elena started the Keto diet as a last resort, after trying out a six-week fitness challenge with a Paleo diet and only managing to lost eight pounds in that period of time.
She said that after not losing that much weight she was discouraged.
‘I was very frustrated and upset and although I was a Keto skeptic I decided to jump in head first. My only regret is not doing it sooner,’ she explained.
The Keto diet is a low carb, high-fat eating plan that depletes the glycogen cells from carbohydrates, encouraging the body to burn its own fat pockets.
Ever since she started the diet, she has lost over 50 inches and a total of 89 pounds and continues to fight to stay fit. While she admitted that it wasn’t easy and was quite challenging at times, it was worth every minute.
Diets: Elena started the Keto diet as a last resort, after trying out a six week fitness challenge with a Paleo diet and only managing to lost eight pounds in that period of time
Wow: Since starting her Ketogenic diet journey in April 2017, the mother from Texas is down 90 pounds and has lost over 50 inches
What is it? The Keto diet is a low carb, high-fat eating plan that depletes the glycogen cells from carbohydrates, encouraging the body to burn its own fat pockets
Admitting that she started out slow and steady, Elena wrote, ‘My goal was to get through one day at a time. After a few weeks it started to become a habit and my goal changed to being healthy and lose weight.
‘Never did I imagine my focus shifting to becoming stronger. “What was different this time? What made you stick to it?” are some of the most common questions I get asked. The truth is, I don’t know! I think what was different this time is that I took it one day at a time.’
Aside from taking it slow, she also said that challenges she has to conquer daily include eating right, not touching her daughters’ leftovers, and going to the gym consistently.
Plus, the actual Keto diet is very strict and takes a lot of patience. Research suggests, that the Keto diet burns ten times more fat than a standard diet, even without exercise.
Slow and steady: Elena said, ‘My goal was to get through one day at a time and after a few weeks it started to become a habit and my goal changed to being healthy’
Difference: She shared a before (left) and after (right) of her legs which she lost over a total of six and a half inches from each leg since starting the keto diet
Hard: Aside from taking it slow, she (pictured) shared the challenges she has to conquer daily include eating right, not touching her daughters’ leftovers, and going to the gym consistently
Meanwhile, the actual physical challenges she faces are push-ups, planks, and burpees, as her goal is always changing.
Elena shared what made her want to start the diet and life change in the first place, writing: ‘I’ve always been a happy, yet overweight, girl but just started to get very uncomfortable with everyday tasks.
‘I also couldn’t fit in roller coaster rides anymore, even first class or business seats in an airplane was starting to get tight. One day I just couldn’t continue like that and started researching what I could do.
‘At the same time, my daughter was having issues with gluten intolerance and her Dr. suggested paleo. We started together and I joined a gym. There, I met a girl who told me about Keto.’
Tough: Elena (pictured) admitted that she needed to do something after she stopped fitting in roller coasters and even first class and economy seats on a plane
Scary: The mother has tried everything and even underwent a gastric bypass surgery, which helped her lose weight – but she gained it all back
Amazing: Elena is trying to help others who are in the same position she was and her advice: ‘Just take it one choice at a time and conquer it, you’ve got this’
Elena admitted that Keto was a last resort for her after trying out many different fad diets throughout the years, and even underwent a gastric bypass. Although she lost a ton of weight after the weight loss surgery, she gained all of it back.
While she gained all of her old weight back, since starting Keto she has maintained a healthy lifestyle, saying she’s fully ‘committed’ to her new life and has more energy than she’s ever had before.
She explained a word of advice for those who are starting the new diet and are wary.
‘It’s not easy. There’s gonna be days you don’t want to put the hard work in or you’ll want to pick up a cookie,’ she wrote. ‘One decision at a time will get you results in the long run. Just take it one choice at a time and conquer it. You’ve got this.’