My name is Alisha Khan and I am 29 years old. I currently live in Toronto, Canada, and work as a wellness coach. After struggling with my weight and suffering from several health problems, I decided to try the low-carb, high-fat carnivorous diet and started practicing yoga.
I struggled with excess weight throughout my adolescence and well into my adult life. No matter what I tried – whether it was counting calories, cleaning, working out with a personal trainer, or even taking pills to lose weight – I would lose a little weight just to get it all back and then some.
Hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, celiac disease and fibromyalgia added even more challenges to my journey to lose weight. I felt constantly tired, inflamed and in pain with each passing day. However, no amount of caffeine, massage therapy or pain relievers made a difference.
In addition to my weight loss problems, I also struggled with mental health problems, such as anxiety attacks and severe depression due to emotional and physical trauma that I experienced in my early twenties. I tried antidepressants, therapy, talked to friends and family, but again, nothing seemed to work.
Things got better after I married the love of my life and we had our son. But after I gave birth, I suffered from postpartum depression.
When I got pregnant again, we were excited. But I lived one of the most difficult days of my life on December 23, 2019, when I miscarried my 11-week-old baby. After that, I was paralyzed.
I gave up all hope of living in a world in which my body was not defective and really did what I was meant to do. Instead, I started to accept that this was my reality and, although I hated my body, that was what I would have to deal with for the rest of my life.
Alisha Khan
But my turning point happened in January 2020, at the age of 28.
I had my heaviest weight of 213 pounds on my 5’6 ”body. One night I was playing with my son and I was so breathless that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. At that point, I realized that if I wanted to be around to see my son grow up, I needed to stop throwing me a pity party and start prioritizing my health again.
Alisha Khan
I started to revisit the profiles of people I admired on Instagram and who successfully recovered their health.
I also optimistically searched Google for ways to do this while curing and enjoying the foods I loved, like fatty steaks. That’s when I came across Kelly Hogan’s blog, “My Zero Carb Life”. She follows the carnivorous diet (a type of ketogenic diet that focuses on supplying the body with healthy animal proteins and fats). The honest way of eating seemed too good to be true, but the more I learned about zero-carbohydrate animal nutrition in the LCHF (low-carbohydrate and high-fat) community, the more I realized that this would be the key to my recovery.
Alisha Khan
I love this way of eating because it allows me to eat foods that taste amazing, while helping me lose weight, keeping me full and reducing pain symptoms.
It also helps me to practice and enjoy the many benefits of intermittent fasting. I regularly fast from dinner until lunch, or even dinner the next day, which adds up to between 16 and 24 hours.
This lifestyle allows me to focus on seeing food as fuel. Its simplicity allows me to keep my schedule busy and set aside time for the things that matter most, such as family, spirituality and community. This way of eating may not be suitable for everyone, but it works for me.
Here’s what I normally eat in a day now.
- Breakfast: Pure water, sparkling water with real electrolyte mix of unsweetened Redmond salt and black coffee while I’m fasting intermittently.
- Lunch: Pieces of meat and scrambled eggs, roast beef soup or buffalo chicken / sloppy joe chaffle sandwiches.
Alisha Khan
- Snacks: Lemon lemon Redmond Real Salt electrolytic water or coffee with sour cream, boiled eggs, tuna salad, chicken skins, smoked chicken breast with cream cheese or all-beef sausage.
- Dinner: Taco casserole, meat pizza, chicken wings, protein lasagna, grilled sirloin steak or creamy shrimp with garlic.
- Dessert: One tablespoon of Fatso peanut butter, unsweetened chocolate from Lily, ketolibriyum keto cupcakes or ANS Performance blueberry pancakes.
Alisha Khan
I tried to do 30 minutes of movement every day, whether for a brisk walk, bodyweight exercises at home or just a dance party with my son.
When I started my wellness journey, I was recovering from a fractured toe, so high impact cardio was difficult for me. Then, I discovered other ways to fit in with the movement.
Currently, as recommended by my rheumatologist, I have switched to 30 minutes of yoga five to seven days a week to better control my fibromyalgia symptoms. As I had never tried yoga before, it was difficult for me to stay still and in sync with my body, but as I continue to incorporate this practice into my life, I am seeing a great improvement in my mental and physical conditions.
Alisha Khan
These three changes made the biggest difference to my weight loss results.
- I switched to animal based nutrition and IF. This was the most significant change I made in my lifestyle and I believe that my success would not have been possible without this key component. Now that I am more aware, I cannot stress enough the importance of adequately supplying our bodies to achieve weight loss and good health. Many of us spend a lot of time and energy trying fashion after fashion and, consequently, damaging our bodies in the process.
- I started to prioritize my self-esteem and mental health. For years, I spoke to myself in a way that I would never speak to anyone. I deprived myself of the love I was giving to others and that was terribly unfair. After starting my wellness journey, I started to love myself, put myself first, eliminating toxic people and thoughts, practicing yoga and I became my biggest fan.
- I sought support and shared my story. I firmly believe that sharing my journey on social media has helped me to be responsible, consistent and has allowed me to cultivate lasting and real relationships with amazing people around the world. Whatever progress I’ve made so far, I attribute it to the grace of God, the unwavering support of my family and friends, and the inspiring, compassionate and inclusive group of inspiring people who make up the fast and low-carb communities on Instagram and Facebook.
Alisha Khan
I lost 15 pounds and over 60 inches.
I want other women who may be suffering from past trauma, mental health problems, chronic illnesses or facing challenges to lose weight, to know: Your body listens to everything your mind says. Stay positive. Be kind. Your health and appearance may fluctuate; its value is not. Be kind to your mind, support each other and share your journey with the world. You never know who you can inspire along the way.
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