Heather’s Transformation

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When I first moved here 14 years ago, Forti-fy team member Heather Kemerly lived right around the corner from me. I was like a stray puppy that ended up at her door several times a day via phone – constantly saying, “Can you help me?!”   I had just given birth to my 8th child and she had just given birth to her 9th (she added 4 more over the years). And even in all that busyness, this is a woman who taught me all about canning, sewing, cooking, the best places for just about anything, the best natural way to heal about anything, the cheapest place to buy anything and the hardiest camper I have ever met. Rain, shine, snow. We have always shared a passion for all things health and nutrition!

Here she shares how she has found a way to optimal health, starting with a recent post she made on Facebook:

My eating style currently is best described as clean keto with intermittent fasting. I have a carb up day once a week or so, depending on what is going on in my life at the time and how I am feeling. When I say carb up, I mean good higher starch carbs like sweet potatoes, potatoes, or even cauliflower pretzels (which have cassava flour in them). On these days I may eat 100-150 grams of carbs. I fast every day for anywhere from 13-16 hours and usually twice a month I do a 24 hour fast. I started eating according to the the Trim Healthy Mama plan in 2013 and lost 50 pounds. I had a few pregnancies/miscarriages in the years after that where I put up to 20 back on and then would take it back off. I still use many thm recipes (and principles) as they have become our favorites and I love many of their products.

.Keto Asian slaw with blackened chicken thighs and avacados

Roast beef, caulifflower mushroom riscotto,  roasted broccoli

I have battled migraines since I was 13. In January of 2019 I bought a program/book called Metabolic Factor by Jonny Bowden hoping to take off the final pounds I was stalled at. This involved me taking out grains and dairy except on carb up day. The weight did come off, but even better than that was that my migraines left! Praise the Lord, after 36 years I learned that gluten was the root of them. This caused me to continue to research further into many of the books Jonny Bowden had in his footnotes and beyond.

Seeing the way certain foods have affected my family members ability to learn, their behavior and general feelings of wellness has caused me to look at food differently. Food truly is our medicine OR it is a food-like-disease-causing-substance (thanks to Jimmy Moore for that processed food name). I now listen carefully to what my body is telling me after I eat, and adjust accordingly.

I eat dairy, but not a lot. I eat some grains, but mostly as a special occasion food. I try to avoid gluten except for an occasional European waffle when I run to United Coffee or a donut when I run to a donut shop.

I am not perfect, there are days I eat too much of even good food or have too many celebrations too close together (big family birthday struggles). I have learned though, to make my healthy keto/thm version of all the yummies for holidays and birthdays…and weddings, graduations and births of grandchildren!

In 2018, I had three daughters get married, one graduate, and another give birth!

I do have an Instagram account where I post my meals and most workouts if you would like to get some ideas for creating your own health-packed meals!

@betweenawalkandahardpace

Keto Biscuits and Gravy.

Parmesean Flounder and Green Bean Fries

Double Chocolate Pumkin Spice Muffins

Keto German Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Keto Rootbeer Floats

BLTE Lettuce Boats

2 Comments

  1. LDrake
    LDrake on October 29, 2019 at 1:09 pm

    Thank you for this inspiring article! I am addicted to sugar! I have gone off of it in the past, but have gotten lazy and would like to do this again. I am also interested in looking into IF. I have not heard of that before.

    And if you are willing to share recipes from the above photos, I would love to try them.

    Thank you! 🙂

  2. Ann Forti
    Ann Forti on October 29, 2019 at 2:51 pm

    Luella, Donna, will be talking all about Intermittent Fasting tomorrow! For now, check out the Intermittent fasting Tab on our website under “Eating LifeStyles”, where Donna shares all the basics. Some of Heather’s recipes come from the THM cookbooks that you can find the links to on the THM tab, also under our “Eating Lifestyles.” Heather is compiling a list of all her favorite recipe websites. BTW – Sugar is my issue as well. I have been inspired by Donna, Heather and Trisch!