Keto Rollercoaster: A Nutritionist's Five-Year Journey to Carb Cycling

In 2015, after the birth of her first child, Lesya Holzapfel faced a daunting challenge. Despite diligently counting calories and maintaining an intense exercise regimen—eating only 1,200 calories a day and running five miles six times per week—she couldn't shed the gained 50 pounds. This persistent weight gain left her searching for an effective solution to return to her pre-pregnancy physique.

Desperate for results, Lesya decided to try the ketogenic diet, a choice that went against her academic training as a dietitian. Holding a bachelor's in nutrition and dietetics, she had always advocated for traditional dietary methods. However, the keto diet's approach of tightly restricting carbohydrates to induce ketosis, where the body burns fat for energy instead of glucose, offered a new avenue to explore.

To Lesya's surprise, the keto diet yielded remarkable results. Within a few months, she achieved her pre-pregnancy weight, proving to herself that she had found the elusive 'golden ticket' to effective weight loss. This initial success reinforced her belief in keto as a powerful tool for shedding unwanted pounds, especially for professional women struggling with similar challenges.

However, treating keto more as a temporary diet rather than a sustainable lifestyle led to setbacks. By the time she was pregnant with her second daughter, Lesya had abandoned the keto diet and subsequently gained back 60 pounds. This significant weight regain was a frustrating reminder that without a long-term commitment, even effective diets can fail.

After five years on the keto diet, Lesya began experiencing stress-related health problems. The strict regimen was exacerbating her cortisol and adrenal issues, prompting her to reevaluate her approach to nutrition. She decided to switch to carb cycling, a method that varies carbohydrate intake to better support her body's needs, marking a pivotal change in her health journey.

Lesya's return to the keto diet was now with a focus on sustainability, creating what she calls the 'holistic clean keto lifestyle.' This approach allowed her to lose the regained 60 pounds in eight months while maintaining a balanced and long-term perspective on her diet. By integrating more carbohydrates and listening to her body's signals, she achieved healthier and more sustainable weight loss.

As a nutritionist dedicated to helping career-driven working moms, Lesya continues to advocate for keto, especially for clients with prediabetes or diabetes. However, her personal experience underscores the importance of flexibility and adapting dietary strategies based on individual health needs. She emphasizes that it's not about rigidly following a trend but about finding what works best for each person.

Lesya's journey with the ketogenic diet highlights the essential lesson of listening to one's body and being willing to adapt. Whether it's adopting keto, carb cycling, or another dietary approach, the key is to prioritize what feels right for your health goals and lifestyle. Her story serves as a testament to the importance of flexibility and personalized nutrition in achieving long-term well-being.