By Stephanie McGarrigle

I was going to die an early, miserable death, and there seemed to be nothing I could do to stop that from happening. My babies were only one and three years old. I had recently been hospitalized as a result of a medically unprovoked DVT (blood clot) in my leg, which led subsequently to severe, bi-lateral pulmonary embolisms. I could not see through the thick fog overlaying me.

Inflamed beyond belief, with drastically reduced and undiagnosed loss of mobility, I was incapable of putting on my knee-high compression stockings. In chronic pain, I somehow physically and metaphorically WOKE UP on Monday, September 25, 2017, weighed myself (330lbs) and was ready to feel better.

Throughout my lifetime, I was crippled - suffocated - by obesity. I do not recall being anything but very overweight or obese since about 7th grade. The possibility of being a healthy weight, in my mind, seemed absolutely absurd and far-fetched.

I quickly stumbled into a world that talked about low-carb, high-fat eating; ketosis; and both intermittent and extended fasting. My life changed forever. Fasting in and of itself was not foreign to me in the religious context, but I had not considered what sort of impact it might have and the vital role it could (and would) play in the future of my health and wellness.

Surprisingly, I rapidly slid into a comfortable and natural intermittent fasting lifestyle, coupled with perfecting a ketogenic diet and saw immediate changes in my health. Within 14 days, there was a significant return of mobility, the pain was ceasing, the bloat was disappearing, and - BONUS - I lost 30lbs in the first two months! By the end of month three, I had dropped 50lbs and was increasing my functional mobility at the gym! Amazing!

I incorporated some longer fasts (72hrs, 120hrs, and even 168hrs) into my life, and continued to feel better and better in an unusually fast time.

The good news is that I was able to get off of prescription drugs for anxiety, sinuses, reflux (I was medicated since age 12 for GERD), hormone pills, you name it - off of six drugs out of seven. Currently, I am still on a blood thinner because of the clots, but by the end of nine months of keto/fasting, ALL of my blood work was impeccable, and my physician commended my efforts.

By the time I reached my first health anniversary of incorporating fasting and keto into my life, my weight loss reached 150lbs. I have never felt healthier in my entire adult, let alone adolescent, life!

Since the end of September 2018, I have been able to maintain my weight loss. I will always rely on various approaches to fasting, both intermittent and extended, paired with eating low-carb, high-healthy-fat foods, to maintain and continually improve my overall internal and external health.

I am so thankful I accidentally stumbled upon Dr. Jason Fung via the Diet Doctor website back in 2017 and then purchased The Obesity Code and The Complete Guide to Fasting because I have literally been transformed by the wisdom imparted there.

I will continue spreading the word about the powerful effects of fasting and keto online via my Facebook and Instagram accounts, and I thank you for allowing me the opportunity, through this venue, to share a glimpse into my journey.