My name is Kinsie Romero (@gymmademermaid), and I am 33 years old. I live in central California, and I am an ex-hairstylist turned stay-at-home mom. I decided I needed a lifestyle change after being diagnosed with hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia. By following the keto diet and adding cardio and strength training to my fitness routine, I lost 95 pounds.
My weight had been going up and down since I was a teen. When I was 16, my dad passed away suddenly, and I started using food more to cope. I joined my first weight-loss meeting senior year of high school and dropped more than 40 pounds. When I was in cosmetology school, my bad food habit got worse. I met my now husband, and continued my unhealthy relationship with food. Over two years, I gained 85 pounds. On my wedding day, I weighed 240 pounds.
When I was 25, I decided I wanted to lose weight, but it wouldn’t budge. That’s when I went to my doctor and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I became pregnant with my son shortly after, and I lost 50 pounds over a year and a half postpartum. I found out that I was pregnant again. I put all the weight back on and then some. At 29 years old, I was struggling to get out of bed. At my heaviest in May 2019, I weighed almost 284 pounds.
At the same time, I began getting sick all the time with bronchitis and pneumonia. I developed headaches, anxiety, depression, and joint, muscle, and nerve pain. I saw my doctor, and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I was offered very little help, and my lack of health became the catalyst that made me determined to help myself.
In September 2019, I committed myself to keto.
It took me a while to become serious about it, and it wasn’t until April 2020 when clarity hit me during lockdown. I knew I didn’t want to be sick, sad, or in pain anymore, and that nothing was going to change unless I did the work. I was tired of all my excuses, and I knew I had to buckle down and become committed to my diet and regular exercise.
Story continues
Up until this point I had tried what seems like every diet available, and nothing felt sustainable. I started with “dirty keto,” which is keto including all the store-bought snacks. But I couldn’t stop…