Meet Jeanne: 70 pounds lost and a reversal of her autoimmune condition

Jeanne and her husband followed what is generally accepted to be a healthy diet: no processed foods, no sugary beverages and lots of fruits and vegetables.

Still dissatisfied with her weight and health, Jeanne decided it would be worthwhile trying low carb eating after hearing about it from a friend. Not only was low-carb dieting effective at helping Jeanne lose 70 pounds (31 kilograms), it also helped her manage Hashimoto’s thyroiditis – an autoimmune condition.

Diet Doctor was so thrilled with her progress that when traveling through Sweden with her husband they stopped by our offices in Stockholm to say hi and thank the Diet Doctor team personally.

“My success will be even greater if my story helps even one other person lead a healthier lifestyle and achieve goals they hadn’t been able to do in decades (like me!). That would make my success that much sweeter!”

Here is Jeanne’s story. I asked: Can you introduce yourself and tell me where/when did you first hear about Diet Doctor and make the decision to follow a low carb/keto lifestyle? For an answer: JEANNE lives in Kentucky in the US
Diet Doctor was introduced to me by a friend in July 2019. My daughter convinced me to give it a go; she encouraged me by telling me “Mom, anything can happen in two weeks”. So I did!

Did You Experience Health or Weight Challenges Prior to Switching to Low Carb or Keto Dieting?

mes yes! after my third child was born I experienced weight gain due to Hashimoto’s disease which caused hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland).

Before embarking on this lifestyle transformation, what were you eating typically?
We did not follow a traditional American diet of processed food products; rather we focused on whole-foods diet that featured fruit and grains as staples.

Breakfast consisted of whole-grain cereal with oatmeal, fruit and yogurt with granola for breakfast; lunch or dinner would consist of home-cooked meals like pasta dishes with beans & rice or meat served alongside veggies accompanied by either potato, pasta or rice side dishes.

As children, my family ate whole-grain bread, cereal and pasta because we believed it to be healthier. My mother made delicious mac and cheese from scratch — something which seemed much healthier to me than what’s popularly consumed here in America.

As my diet consisted of what would be considered healthy choices, I accepted that being overweight was part of living with Hashimoto’s.

What Diet Doctor recipes or resources have helped you?
Many aspects have proven helpful; visual guides, recipes and community support were top three contributors.

My go-to meals include:

Harvest pumpkin sausage soup, keto mozzarella-stuffed meatballs, low carb banana blueberry pancakes and Italian keto chicken parmesan with cabbage pasta are just a few recipes Greg loves so that I can still cook for two and make healthy dishes at the same time!

Diet Doctor offers some innovative higher-satiety resources and meal plans, which I find particularly enjoyable. One thing I particularly appreciate about Diet Doctor’s recipes is the serving size. If you enjoy leftovers like me, making four servings at once allows for delicious leftovers the following day! If that doesn’t float your boat just choose your serving size accordingly. We are very eager to explore more high-satisfying resources!

What does your daily eating and fasting routine look like now? With my keto diet and learning to listen to my body, I have come to find that just one meal a day can satisfy me completely.

My previous way of eating would leave me hungry several hours later, prompting me to eat larger portions at each subsequent meal in the hopes of remaining satisfied for longer. It became an endless cycle of eating until I became uncomfortably full, only to become hungry again shortly thereafter.

Now my typical day of eating includes starting my day with coffee made with coconut oil, butter, and stevia that keeps me satisfied until mid-afternoon. For lunch I typically snack on cheese with ham or roast beef as an afternoon treat or sometimes have leftovers from last night’s dinner for lunch before we prepare a Diet Doctor recipe together for dinner – I am amazed at how food affects my body! Now rarely am I hungry. It has made an enormous difference!

What has changed about your health or weight?
Since changing my eating habits, my weight has fallen by 70 pounds (31 kilograms), energy has increased greatly, Hashimoto’s Disease reversed itself and I no longer need thyroid hormone medication; lab results show normal values. Due to my new approach to eating, it appears as though my body has healed itself of an autoimmune disease; joint pain has subsided and sleep quality has greatly improved!

What have been some of your biggest lessons during your journey? Its My greatest realization has been that a low carb, high fat diet can actually benefit my body more. After two months on this diet I went from feeling constantly hungry to never needing snacks again!

I can tell when I have consumed too many carbs because four hours after, my stomach starts growling with hunger!

So while I may occasionally indulge in high carb meals or days, now that I understand my body better and am aware of its needs I can adjust my diet to compensate. My relationship with food has transformed since learning more about its impact.

What are your top three tips for people starting low-carb? Jeanne with Andreas during her Stockholm visit.

Stick with the system – it works!

Good fats can be beneficial.

This lifestyle change should not be seen as a diet; embrace it! Your future self will thank you!!

Final thoughts or takeaway?
Switching to low carb/high fat eating has proven transformative for me!

Your body will heal itself, giving you more energy, and along the way you’ll experience many non-scale victories such as discovering cheekbones and collar bones, or realizing climbing stairs is easier.

At first, the thought of never again eating bread, pasta and other high carb foods seemed daunting and impossible. Now that I’ve successfully broken free from eating high-carb food and being constantly hungry, I no longer miss them as they know exactly how my body will respond when exposed to them – similar to lactose intolerance: once consumed you know exactly what will happen and so opting not to consume is easier.

I’ve come to love being active again; my overall health has greatly improved over the last decade. Making healthier food choices starts right from your next meal!

Though change can be daunting, its rewards make it worth your while!

Congratulations Jeanne! It was truly our pleasure meeting you and sharing in your story. Thanks for being part of Diet Doctor team.

Anne Mullens