Woman claims ‘dirty keto diet lifestyle’ helped her lose 90 pounds in 1 year

Working hard has always been important to Ashley Gartley, who opened her own hair salon at age 19, but her dedication and work ethic came at a price. For years, Ms. Gartley sacrificed her own health for her own career and watched her scales keep going up and her clothes keep getting tighter.

Gartley, now 23, rarely ate anything while busy at work, only gorging on fast food as soon as he got home after a shift. She said her days were so chaotic that she had zero opportunities to train. newsweek She “put business first.” [her] personal health. ”

But in January 2023, as Gartley, from Toronto, Canada, weighed 270 pounds and wore US size 16 clothes, she realized she could no longer continue this unhealthy lifestyle. She had tried several fad diets in the past, but none of them worked. But in 2023, she took on the challenge of getting her figure back and making it last.

“After opening a salon and making sure it was a success, I decided it was finally time to put the same effort into myself that I had put into my business. “I worked hard to create a balance between my personal life and my work life,” said Gartley, owner of Ashley Beauty, “to prepare meals, socialize, spend time with family, and exercise.” newsweek.

“In order to lose weight, I decided to completely change my lifestyle. This was a more sustainable approach and did not result in immediate weight loss, but gradual change with healthier habits. I went on.”

What is “Dirty Keto”?

Her daily routine used to be to not eat for hours and eat fast food or a quick meal at the end of the day. But Gartley replaced that with a high-protein diet, packed with vegetables and minimal sugar.

She still gets some carbs, but not as many as before. That’s why she calls it the “dirty keto lifestyle.” According to the website WebMD, the keto diet is effective for short-term weight loss, as it involves lowering your carbohydrate intake to less than 50 grams per day and has immediate effects within the first three to six months. However, long-term effects cannot be expected. Regular health benefits.

Hannah Sutter, keto expert and founder of Natural Ketosis, says: newsweek “When you reduce your carbohydrate intake to less than 50g per day, your body automatically turns to fat for energy.”

That’s why a low-carb diet (in other words, a keto diet) “ensures you burn excess body fat for energy while feeling full and eating delicious whole foods,” she said. .”

The keto diet can certainly be difficult to stick to, so Gartley has adopted a more relaxed approach that allows her to enjoy other foods “in moderation.”

“I stick to a high-protein diet with lots of vegetables and low carbohydrates. I also minimize fruit to reduce my sugar intake. I don’t stick to a certain number of calories per day or limit my food intake. I never cut it completely,” she said. .

By monitoring her diet, Gartley has become more conscious of what she puts into her body without completely restricting it. That’s why nutritionist Sarah Herrington believes her weight loss was so successful.

Herrington said. newsweek Sticking to a dirty keto diet, like Gartley did, means you can cut down on the unhealthy elements while still getting the “food satisfaction” of pleasurable eating.

“Dirty Keto includes a number of highly palatable foods, such as bacon, steak, and cheese, allowing you to incorporate fun foods as you try to lose weight,” Herrington said. . “The keto diet focuses on fats and proteins, which are much more satiating than carbohydrates, which means you can feel fuller with fewer calories.

“When you completely cut out certain foods for long periods of time, you run into problems, just like Gartley did when he binge-eaten after restricting his diet all day. Combined with the high protein intake and the keto diet’s unique muscle-preserving properties, Eating healthy and exercising can help you lose weight.”

But the keto diet doesn’t work for everyone

While the dirty keto diet worked for Gartley, Herrington, whose Brio Medical offers a holistic and sustainable nutritional counseling approach, points out that it doesn’t work for everyone.

“The most important thing is to find an eating pattern that suits you, your lifestyle, and your preferences, not just the eating patterns that others have had success with,” she said.

In fact, you should consider your health before starting a diet, and many nutritionists specifically warn against keto diets. newsweek We previously spoke to Ashley Kitchens, a registered dietitian based in North Carolina, who explained that while carbohydrates are often demonized in dietary culture, they are “not the enemy” and should be eliminated. I explained that it was not.

She continued: “I do not recommend low-carbohydrate diets. Low-carbohydrate diets are not sustainable, appropriate, or safe, especially in the long term. People tend to lose weight quickly due to water loss, so at first Low-carbohydrate diets are appealing, but low-carb diets are not a long-term solution to weight loss.”

But it’s not just her diet that has been overhauled, Gartley also started a new exercise regimen in January 2023 to lose even more weight.

“I do Pilates three times a week, and then I also do cardio or HIIT (high-intensity interval training) sessions three times a week,” Gartley said.

“I started noticing a difference within the first four weeks. I was losing about 4 to 5 pounds a week, and after the first few months I was losing 2 to 3 pounds a week. Now I’m closer to less than a pound.” It takes a week to get close to your goal weight. ”

People trying to lose weight may expect to see results quickly, but consistency is considered the best way to ensure that the weight is maintained. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people who lose about 1 to 2 pounds per week are more likely to maintain that weight loss than people who lose weight rapidly.

Share her weight loss journey on TikTok

After losing 90 pounds in one year and changing her lifestyle, Gartley began sharing her success story on TikTok (@ashleey.gertley) to inspire others to put their health first. I urged. A post she shared in December showing her monthly weight changes went viral on TikTok with over 6.8 million views and over 696,900 likes.

Gartley said: “I recorded the whole trip with little snippets of how I looked and felt, but I never expected the video to become so popular.So many people have reached out to me. People asked me how I was able to do that.” Do this. “

Gartley, who currently weighs 180 pounds, has turned her attention to reducing her body fat percentage and gaining muscle, which could bring her weight down to about 160 pounds. But it’s not just her physical changes that have encouraged the 23-year-old, she’s also learned a lot about her mental strength.

“I learned that self-discipline means self-love,” she says. “It’s no longer a question of whether I can do something, but whether I have the strength to be disciplined enough to do it. To fuel your body with better nutrition, you need to be disciplined. You have to. It’s not easy, but you have to remember why you’re doing it.”

Since sharing a post about making herself a “first priority” on TikTok, Gartley has received more than 3,300 comments of support and praise. One comment read: “The difference between January and March alone is insane!”

Another replied: “You should be proud of yourself.”

Another TikTok user commented: “You are an inspiration and a reminder that these changes don’t happen overnight.”

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