When Ryan first shared his 60-pound (27 kilo) weight loss and much-improved health with Diet Doctor in August 2019 he said he'd found it the "easiest and simplest lifestyle change."
Three years later that still remains true! He wanted to update us on his continued progress and add fresh photos to document the continuation of his inspiring journey.
"I've gotten into even better shape since the last time we spoke," Ryan told us.
In fact, he's lost more weight (85 pounds, or 38 kilos in total), gained more muscle, and still enjoys his simple keto meals. What's more, he's taking up running and completed a half marathon.
"It was by far the greatest thing I have ever accomplished. Pre-keto Ryan would never have even attempted to do this."
What's more, his impressive transformation even inspired his own doctor to try the diet, too.
Here's an update of Ryan's story, which has been condensed and edited.
What's your name, age, and where do you live?
I'm Ryan. I am 34, and I live in Winnipeg, Canada.
Summarize your keto journey
I was always a scrawny kid. But I had a huge growth spurt in my teens, from 5'2" to 6'5" (157 cm to 188 cm) that came with a huge appetite. But the time I was 20 I weighed 300 pounds (136 kilos). That weight wasn't helped by partying, alcohol, junk food, alcohol, and never being active.
In my 20s I tried many diets, but the results never lasted. I would lose weight with a lot of hard work, counting calories, exercising, and limiting fat, but once I started partying, eating chips and junk food again, it all came back.
In September 2018 I decided to start the keto diet, right around my 31st birthday.
As I said in my 2019 story, I found it simple and easy to do. Compared to other diets, which always felt hard and not right, keto feels "right".
I said back then and it is still true: I have NEVER had so much energy on a diet.
What's happened to you since you told us your story.
Since the last time we spoke, I started to run, and I trained for, and ran, my first ever half marathon.
Thanks to keto, the extra energy allowed me to quickly train for the run. I was able to run the half-marathon within three months of training.
It was by far the greatest thing I have ever accomplished. Pre-keto Ryan would never have even attempted to do this. I can't wait to accomplish my next half marathon later this year, as well as run many others!
I've also lost even more weight. I now stay around the 215-pound range now which I find is the healthy range for my height.
It also appears that I have gained more muscle just by eating the same diet that I ate in my original story. It is probably because of the increased protein I am eating.
What does a typical day of eating look like for you?
I still eat the exact same foods daily, because I am still not sick of it. In my original story, I gave the exact breakdown of the meals, macros, and calories. My daily total is still around 1950 calories, with 126 grams of fat, 139 grams of protein, and under 20 grams of carbs
I am still eating pretty much the same thing because it works for me. Since I work the overnight shift, I typically eat these meals between 12 am and 8 am. I have included intermittent fasting into my lifestyle and I feel the IF has vastly improved my energy levels and overall health.
My typical day of eating
First meal
Two lean burger patties with avocado mayo. And on the side a blend of one cup of frozen broccoli and cauliflower with a quarter cup of cheddar cheese, two slices of bacon and avocado.
Second meal
Two chicken/turkey sausages with avocado mayo.
End of the day
Low carb vanilla protein shake with plain non-sweetened yogurt and some zero-calorie caramel sweetener.
It is very simple and it works for me.
How is your health?
It continues to be excellent. As I detailed in my original story, I improved my blood sugar, cured my heart palpitations, and lowered my resting heart rate. I no longer have stiff joints and I have deep, restful sleep. I rarely get headaches anymore and if I do I drink a bit of saltwater.
My blood work, as my doctor says, is beyond perfect! Also, my doctor is actually following a keto diet and he himself has lost 30 pounds. He thanks me for making him a believer!
Final thoughts?
Anyone can do this diet, and change their lives forever because it changed mine, that's for sure!
Thanks for the update, Ryan. We love to hear about continued progress from people like you who've found the keto diet transformative and easy to stick to, even after a number of years.
Your previous history with yo-yo dieting, but then finding that keto was easy and sustainable, shows that on the right eating plan, weight loss can be maintained and health improved. Congratulations.
~ Anne Mullens
