I struggled with weight for most of my life - but the keto diet is the one thing that finally worked

I've always loved vegetables and conventionally "healthy" things, but admittedly, the majority of my diet was made up of quick, easy foods that came from boxes or were heavy on carbs but low on the nutritional scale.

With keto — while there are no real restrictions on what you can and can't eat as long as it falls within your macros (the amount of calories, carbs, protein, fat, etc. you should be eating per day) — the general idea is to start eating foods that are what they say they are instead of options that are made up of a long list of ingredients you can't pronounce.

That means lots of fresh veggies, lean and fatty meats, eggs, cheese, and even butter. Fruit has also become part of my diet in moderation, though I stick with low-sugar varieties like raspberries and blueberries over higher carb options, such as pineapples and bananas.

As I mentioned previously, the ketogenic diet definitely isn’t for everyone, and there have been times that it wasn't even for me. Given that it’s somewhat restrictive, it can be difficult to maintain while eating out, on vacation, with small children, and/or a full-time job.

While I’ve spent stints doing the Whole30, the paleo diet, and more general "clean eating," I always come back to keto to reset my body and mind and get back on track when my nutrition seems like it’s veering out of control.

In order to keep myself accountable, I started an Instagram account for my meal photos pretty early on. By including the hashtags used by the keto and LCHF (low carb high fat) community with my posts, such as #keto and #lowcarb, I soon gained followers who were on a similar journey to health.

It’s an incredibly supportive community with so many success stories, and being part of it keeps me inspired and motivated.

I'm not someone who believes in miracle cures. While keto was intriguing to me from the beginning, I wanted to learn more about the actual science behind the approach to see if it was right for me.

I've spent hours poring over studies, reading books by keto pioneers such as Gary Taubes and Robert Lustig, and researching to ensure that I was making the best decision possible. Now, I’m more knowledgeable and feel more empowered about my health.

Obesity and its related health problems run in my family, so I was hopeful about the keto diet’s potential to lower my risk of conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Before starting keto, my blood pressure was high (though I wasn't taking medication), and I was heading toward a pre-diabetic state.

Once I cut out sugar and replaced it with real, wholesome foods high in nutritional value, both my blood sugar and blood pressure returned to the lower end of normal levels, and I’ve never felt better.

Since I'd tried and failed to lose weight before, actually seeing results was a huge confidence boost. I was proud of myself for following through and sticking to a healthier lifestyle. It was less about the number on the scale and more about how good I felt about being committed to changing my life and my health for the better.

I deserved better than how I'd been treating my body, and I was finally acting like it. My only regret is that I didn't discover the keto diet sooner.