Meet Jannelle Giacomo – the Super Momma behind the YouTube Channel Glow with Keto.
She is a wife, work-from-home mom of 2, and entrepreneur. She usually starts her day at 4:15 AM with a Miracle Morning and ends it late with a hot cup of tea. “I am one of the most energetic people I know and swear that I have more hours in my day than 24!” Jannelle proudly claimed. She is beyond grateful that she gets to be with her little ones at home while helping others revitalize their lives with the Keto lifestyle.
Prior to Keto, Jannelle and her husband had been following Paleo for a few months prior to her pregnancy. During her pregnancy, she gained a substantial amount of weight. After giving birth, she began researching and watching documentaries on healthy living. She shared, “I really wanted a lifestyle that would all around make me the healthiest I could be so that I could be the best me for myself and my growing family. It became so important to me to set a healthy example for my children from the start. I knew that I wanted my children to see that their Mom made healthy living a priority.”
She eventually decided to go with the Ketogenic lifestyle after numerous hours of research. However, she kept putting it off. Until one day, a client came in and asked when she’s due even though was already three months postpartum! She immediately began Keto the next day and went on to lose 80 lbs.
Aside from losing weight, Jannelle also happily shared other benefits to eating Keto. Below are some of the results that she gained from it:
- As much energy as my 3 yr old!
- No longer experience symptoms of Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
- Significant Reduction in Chronic Migraines
- I do not experience any brain fog – even after hours of working. I’m sharp as a tack!
- I have lost 80 lbs twice! After each pregnancy and kept it off
- No cravings for carbs or sugar-filled foods – I can make anything I’d like in a keto version
Like many other success stories, Jannelle also faced challenges and setbacks in her Keto journey. She admitted that she has fallen down what she calls a “lazy Keto rabbit hole.” “What I mean by that is there are so many keto substitutes for junk food and treats out there now that it is so easy to overindulge and not realize it or think the food is “safe” because it’s “keto”,” Jannelle explained. She incorporated too many of these treats into her diet which resulted in a plateau that lasted for three months. She finally got back on track when she went back to eating basics and whole, nourishing foods that left her satisfied.
One of Jannelle’s go-to Keto meals is scrambled eggs with 1-2 tbsp of mayo. She also likes bacon or sausage and her favorite veggie is broccoli. One of her favorite dinners is a big juicy burger grilled medium topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, and an over-easy egg. When she’s craving for something sweet, she likes to make her two-ingredient pancake recipe, a favorite of her YouTube subscribers! She also adds pink Himalayan salt to most of her meals.
One of the mistakes that Jannelle sees other people commit while on Keto is focusing on the word “can’t.” “Whether it’s telling yourself you “can’t” have something, or when offered a high carb food, telling the person offering it that you “can’t” have that. Our thoughts are where everything begins for us. If we are telling ourselves, we “can’t” have something, subconsciously we are perceiving this as a punishment rather than what the reality is – we are making the choice to treat our bodies with the kindness it deserves!” Jannelle shared. Another mistake is not drinking enough water or relying on diet sodas for liquids. According to her, some sweeteners in those diet sodas can knock one out of Ketosis.
Here are Jannelle’s Top 3 pieces of advice for Keto newbies:
- If your goal is fat loss, buy a food scale! I understand that it can be tedious to measure your food but it can really help to keep you on track. I have found large differences in serving sizes vs the serving size in grams on nutrition labels. For example, if a label says a serving is 2 pieces or 28g, go by the 28g. The 2 pieces you choose could measure out to 40g which is much more than the 28g the nutrition label is based on.
- Drink a good quality bouillon every day, especially when you are beginning. It helps with the “keto flu” because it replenishes lost sodium. Water isn’t enough on keto, you need enough sodium too!
- Plan ahead for temptations! If you are going to a birthday party and they are going to have your favorite chocolate cake, make keto chocolate cupcakes and bring them with you to share! This way you can indulge guilt-free and share with others too! If you’re uncomfortable doing that, make them anyway and leave them at home. This way you know they are there and you can resist the urge to cheat because you know your keto cake is waiting at home! Remember, Keto food isn’t “diet food”, it’s full fat deliciousness!