Hello & Welcome
We are the Brill Family and we are excited to meet you!
It is an honor that you have found your way to this space, and I hope you find the inspiration that you are searching for here. It is overwhelmingly exciting to have you as a part of my journey. My name Is Karen and I will be the voice behind this blog, and the creator of all the recipes.
Before I tell you about my life today- I want to tell you a little more about the road that led me here. From as far back as I can remember I have been conscious of my weight. I never wore a two-piece bathing suit- not even as a child. I have weighed over 200 pounds since I was a teen, and the scale has topped at 300 pounds two times in my life.
Being fat has never been a title that I was comfortable carrying, but it has inevitably been my reality.
I have been a:
Cross-fitter, eaten Paleo, tried Vegan, and have made multiple attempts to be a Vegetarian.
I have tried to eat:
Clean, done Weight Watchers, and of course, counted calories.
All of this and then some, and still remained unsuccessful at controlling my weight.
I want to clarify something very important. We are not talking about needing to lose a little weight, we’re talking about me the woman who has shed over 100 pounds. None of these formulas worked for me, and if you want my theory as to why?
I believe that my body lacks the ability to be metabolically flexible
If I combine two fuel sources, my body will happily store the excess energy as fat for a rainy day. I am not a Dr. so who knows how accurate that is, but this theory has completed my life long puzzle of weight loss struggles.
Fast forward to life as a new mom of my sweet baby girl Lennyn: IT WAS HARD! People know that there is no way to prepare for what life will be like as a new parent, but we had struggles that I never saw coming. Long story short, life happened and I found myself right back at my heaviest weight ever. I tried to convince myself that I was comfortable with my weight. Truth is I was not okay, and finally admitting that to myself has been one of the biggest blessings.
More about our families keto journey:
In January of 2018 I had enough, and so had my husband Ben. We were looking for a drastic change. Sometimes you just need the pendulum to swing so far in the opposite direction.
This is where we stumbled across Keto. I never intended for our relationship with Keto to be long term. Life is so easy to break down into three categories for me: you have your reasons, seasons, and your lifetime. My reason was — that I needed to shed some weight fast, and eating this way was only going to be for a season. Jokes on me because Keto is forever.
The benefits from this way of life have been undeniable
The weight that we have lost has been a symptom for us. The many other benefits from this way of eating are the most profound. I was an impatient mom who didn’t have the energy to keep up with my vivacious daughter. I have found mental clarity, limitless energy, and very little anxiety since eliminating sugar and carbs which were obviously so toxic to my body. My husband has experienced increased athletic performance, mental clarity, and consistent energy. There is nothing in the world that could ever make us trade any of that in, especially not food.
My journey over the last year has been one of growth, trials, but most importantly a tremendous amount of success. Saying goodbye forever to over 100 pounds has made me feel lighter emotionally then it ever could physically. I recognize that I am capable of amazing things — and that alone is worth it all.
I celebrate not being on a diet daily. We have chosen a lifestyle that works for our family. Watching Lennyn grow up with a healthy relationship with food has been more gratifying than I ever imagined. I celebrate my husband and all his success (he has also lost 100 pounds), and I count my blessings that he was willing to make this change right alongside me. It is a family affair for us, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!
So you see, I am different. We are different. Keto has helped us to become better.
I may not be to the finish line, but I am one step closer every single day.