David Myers' journey is a testament to the power of lifestyle changes. Years of unhealthy eating habits led to a peak weight of over 350 pounds. Today, after embracing the keto diet, taking up running, and adopting other healthy habits, Myers has shed over 130 pounds. His story is one of transformation, motivation, and the importance of finding a sustainable path to wellness.
The Breaking Point
Myers, a 27-year-old high school math teacher in Turlock, California, had always been "a bigger guy." Despite reassurances from others, he never felt the need to change. The turning point came when he saw pictures of himself and realized how much he had let himself go. Weighing nearly 360 pounds, he knew it was time to make a change. "That was heartbreaking," he says. "It was then that I decided to make changes."
Early Life and Weight Gain
Looking back, Myers identifies several factors that contributed to his weight gain. As a child, with his dad working and his mom occupied, he spent much of his time playing games and eating. From about eight or nine, he was in foster care, eventually settling with a Mexican family. He recalls, "The food was incredible, and there were no restrictions for eating." This lack of boundaries, combined with a love for food, led to overeating. "Once I know something tastes good, I will not stop eating until it's gone. That package of cookies? That bag of chips? I will continue to eat until there is no more, and that did not help with the weight gain."
At 15, his mom's divorce led to even less activity and more eating. By 16, weighing around 270 pounds, he took a job at Taco Bell. Over the next few years, he continued to gain weight, reaching the mid-300s. After losing his job and home, he lived in the back of a thrift store, working for rent and subsisting on liquor store frozen burritos. "That was not helping my nutrition at all."
Eventually, a friend, Chester Moon, offered him a place to live rent-free if he returned to school. Myers credits Moon as "the reason I am successful to this day career-wise." However, his diet remained poor, consisting of "massive amounts of pasta and fried chicken." His college years were his heaviest.
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Challenges of Being Overweight
Once Myers surpassed 300 pounds, he began to experience significant challenges. "I felt awful. Getting up stairs was a struggle, getting through day-to-day tasks was miserable. I wouldn’t want to move or get up. I'd just sit around." At his heaviest, 360 pounds, he was constantly tired and taking naps.
Making a Change
Myers started his journey to better health by incorporating walking into his routine. He began walking a mile or so a day and tried to use the gym at his college. The most significant initial change was cutting out soda entirely. "I haven’t had a soda in about six years-except for the one day a year I'm allowed to."
He experimented with various diets in his early twenties, managing to drop to the 290s with small changes, but his efforts would always falter.
The Turning Point: Meeting His Wife
The most significant period of weight loss occurred after meeting his wife. "It wasn’t anything she did or said, but until then I never really thought of a future and why it mattered." When they met, he weighed 290 pounds. As their relationship grew, he realized "life is worth living." He started watching what he ate and cooking more at home to impress her.
After moving in together, they began tracking their calories. Myers started at 2000 calories a day and eventually reduced his intake to around 1685. "I track everything that goes into my body, and I measure and weigh it all."
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In January 2017, while preparing for their wedding, Myers decided to run a 5k. With his wife's support, a former cross country runner, he began training using Aaptiv. "I was mainly just running four or five times a week. I would incorporate weightlifting here and there, but mainly was just running."
Embracing the Keto Diet
In June 2018, Myers and his wife decided to try the keto diet. "Since then, I think my weight loss is primarily a result of the ketogenic diet. I've been doing keto for about a year now, and for the first time in my life, I hit my long term goal of weighing 220 pounds." While he acknowledges the benefits of keto, he emphasizes the importance of caloric restriction. "Keto has been helpful to follow, but at the end of the day, it really comes down to a caloric restriction. I've now lost more than 140 pounds. It feels unreal to have lost so much weight."
Positive Side Effects
Losing weight has had numerous positive effects on Myers' life. "I gained a massive amount of confidence." He also notes that people are more willing to take him seriously. Everyday tasks, such as getting in and out of seats and going up stairs, have become much more comfortable. His sleep quality has also improved.
Future Goals
Myers has set several goals for the future. "The next goal is to get under 200 pounds. I'd love to try and get into the 180s-I want to see if I can push myself that far." He is also focused on maintaining his weight loss. "Since so much of my life has now been about losing weight, I'm not sure how to just maintain."
He also wants to run a 10k. "I fell in love with running, and it's such an incredible sport. I was just able to go out and do a 4 mile run without stopping, so I'm making progress."
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Advice for Others
Myers offers advice for those starting their own weight loss journey:
- Buy a food scale: "It's what I tell everyone."
- Track your calories: "Download MyFitnessPal, find out how many calories you can eat, and create a deficit. The process of losing weight is simple: Eat less than you burn and you will lose weight. It's incredibly difficult in practice, but the process is simple."
- Focus on diet first: "Stop focusing so much on exercise: Yes, it will help, but it probably shouldn't be your first step. Weight loss truly begins in the kitchen and it is the hardest part. It helps when you realize that 30-minute run equates to just one or two donuts, and you decide it's not worth it."
- Enjoy life and be kind to yourself: "Do not be too hard on yourself, or you'll fail. You will mess up. You will have bad days. But mistakes and failures make you grow. If you are staying consistent overall, you will lose the weight and keep it off. Focus on building a better lifestyle for yourself rather than lowering the scale."
Keto Lifestyle: Mister and Missus Mojo's Story
Mister and Missus Mojo's story began in 2015 when they were introduced to the ketogenic diet. Mister Mojo lost 47 pounds in 4 months, transforming their lives. Keto was not easy for Missus Mojo initially. While Dorian's ketones were around 1.5, mine sat at 0.3. He lost weight, I languished. It took time, and I tested my glucose and ketones consistently to figure out what worked for me and what didn’t from a diet standpoint. The good news is that I eventually lost around 30 lbs., not dramatically, but over the course of a year. My maternal grandmother suffered from obesity and dementia but actually died of complications from type 2 Diabetes, having her legs amputated just prior to her death. My mom had Alzheimer’s and high blood pressure, and eventually, her heart gave out. Dad died of lung cancer. My brother has prostate cancer. Then there’s me - I’m a DES daughter, meaning my mom took DES (an artificial estrogen, diethylstilbestrol) during pregnancy to prevent miscarriage (sort of stacking the deck before I was even born), which resulted in various reproductive health issues. I was born two weeks premature, and was given a high carb formula to fatten me up, which it did - and then some. My mom was a child of the Depression and after World War II she enthusiastically embraced the innovations of the ’50s. She was a good cook, but sought the convenience of packaged, processed, frozen, and fast foods, equating them to modern marvels. She gave up butter for margarine, cream for skim milk, and tea for diet soda. And then came the ’70s. I can truly say that I was a product of the Standard American Dietary Guidelines. Mom embraced the pyramid by banishing fat and red meat while celebrating carbs and fiber. I was weaned on a cocktail of saccharine, cyclamates, and red dye #3.
I would fast for days on end, drinking only diet Dr. Pepper, fruit nectars, orange juice, and maybe some water, although I found it rather dull. I constantly dieted. My first diet was actually at age 6 when my mom removed the Fritos from my Barbie lunch pail. Since then, I must have tried every diet under the sun, including low fat (of course), the stewardess diet, the chopstick diet (had to eat everything with chopsticks), the cabbage soup diet, the Scarsdale diet, the South Beach diet, SlimFast, and funny enough, the only one that had lasting results - the Atkins diet. At age 13, I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for nearly six months. I went in weekly to have my ketones tested at the doctor’s office, and it was working. For the first time in my life, I was not fat. Unfortunately, it didn’t last - I felt I was missing out because all my friends were headed to Mickey D’s, eating french fries, burgers, milkshakes, and hot apple pies. I caved, and so the yo-yo began…up 20 lbs., down 10; up 5, down 5; up 20, down 10, up 10, up 10 more, and so on. In college, I shot up to 175 lbs. The funny thing is that no matter my weight, I still identify with that 175 pound girl. I worked out every day, lifted weights, did spin class, had a personal trainer, and was muscular, but still carrying an extra 30 pounds I couldn’t lose. I ended up having a partial hip replacement at age 49 because my hip joint was bone on bone - my body was inflamed, and my joints were a mess. Two years later, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was so confused, I thought I had been so healthy before cancer (not!), how could this happen to me?
Four years later, Dorian and I found our way to the ketogenic diet. It wasn’t easy for me in the beginning. I was working a lot, and then, quite by accident, I started to skip meals. And I wasn’t hungry. And I noticed that my ketones rose, and my glucose lowered. I felt great! This “accidental” intermittent fasting (IF) was what jump-started ketosis for me. Dorian and I eventually found a mutual groove, and the ketogenic way of living came together for us. We were eating amazing food, and didn’t feel deprived - in fact, we felt great. So, what was the difference this time? It’s quite simple. So, what about this wine journey of which I speak? Well, we had honed our love of food and wine in New York City, enjoying great restaurants and wonderful wines we could afford. Then we made our way to the Napa Valley to work in the wine industry. We both ended up working at wineries as Directors of Hospitality. In my 14 years at Inglenook, I was lucky enough to work under Master Sommelier Larry Stone as well as Philippe Bascaules who is now both Director of Winemaking at Inglenook and Managing Director at Chateau Margaux in Bordeaux where he began. I received the most amazing wine education one could wish for, leading to an undying appreciation for wine. I was honored to work with an amazing team of sommeliers and wine educators. We would meet each week before work to blind taste wine. I learned about the growing, harvesting, making, and tasting of wine. I was in the process of studying for my sommelier certification when I found the keto lifestyle. OK, I thought, how’s this gonna work? As I was having a hard time with the whole keto thing, I decided to give up wine for two months to really understand what was going on with my body - not the easiest thing to do in the Napa Valley, by the way. But I did, and what I learned was important. I started to introduce wines back in slowly and tested often, finding that certain wines kicked me out of ketosis, but with other wines, I was able to remain in ketosis comfortably. I was able to find balance. In a blind tasting, you deduce what you believe the wine to be by going through a sensorial grid. I did the same thing when I would try new wines - went through the structure of the wine to figure out the sugar, the alcohol, the acidity, and if it was balanced. More importantly, did I enjoy the wine? Then I would test… typically the next morning, when my glucose would be the highest, and my ketones the lowest.
Studying for my sommelier certification was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. When I passed, I was thrilled to be awarded the Walter Clore Scholarship, an honor given to the candidate with the highest exam score for theory, blind tasting, and service. But I still wasn’t sure how this was going to work. Moving forward, it wasn’t enough for me to simply choose low alcohol wines to drink. Dorian and I wanted to have good, balanced wines. What I found interesting, was that the more I became entrenched in the keto lifestyle, the more I was able to gauge my metabolic boundaries and choose wines that fit our lifestyle. We were traveling extensively for the business at the time. When we visited a new restaurant in an area (or country) that we were not familiar with, I would first look at the wine list. Sounds simplistic, but I found that for the most part, if there was a thoughtfully assembled wine list, the food would also be good. So, this is my story. The most important thing I can say is keto is not a diet. Keto is a lifestyle, and for it to be successful, you must embrace it and find what brings you joy. If you do this, it becomes simple, and you will thrive.
Growing Up Keto
Bestselling author Kristie Sullivan teamed up with her teenage kids, Grace and Jonathan, to deliver the ultimate keto family cookbook, Growing Up Keto. This inspiring book stems from Kristie’s personal struggles with growing up obese and then finally finding the right nutritional path for herself and, eventually, her family. The keto lifestyle proved to be the right fit for Kristie, who experienced dramatic weight loss and optimized health. Above and beyond being a success story, Kristie is a busy working mom who is devoted to the health of her two children. When she saw her own daughter begin to struggle with weight just as she had as a child, Kristie committed to supporting her by providing delicious low-carb options, focusing on health instead of weight, and setting an example. With her mother’s guidance, Grace made the choice to adopt a keto lifestyle herself, and later on, Jonathan did as well.
After years of success, the Sullivan family brings you a first-of-its-kind cookbook dedicated to young adults, teens, kids, and-you guessed it-their parents! Growing Up Keto combines the Sullivans’ heartwarming family narrative with a practical, safe, and kid-friendly approach to adopting a low-carb, ketogenic lifestyle. The recipes featured in the book were created with the health needs and tastes of kids and teens in mind. Some are so simple that youngsters can take over in the kitchen with little or no help from Mom or Dad. There are also recipes for celebrations with extended family and friends and meals that parents and kids can cook together, making even simple weeknight dinners more fun. Kristie also includes useful tools and information for parents of kids who eat keto, such as tips and tricks for surviving sleepovers, camp, and other social activities that involve food as well as a guide to helping kids make independent and informed choices for a lifetime of healthy eating.
Growing Up Keto is complete with breakfasts, including quick morning meals; lunches, including handy tips on packing for school and overnight trips; main dishes, including celebratory meals; and, of course, classic desserts that kids love. With plenty of options for a wide range of palates, Kristie, Grace, and Jonathan leave nothing out. Kids and adults alike will feel satisfied, happy, and healthy!
Intermittent Fasting and Keto
Growing up I always heard “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”! What I’ve learned… it’s the most important meal of the day to get RIGHT… and that means you can skip it too!
How does Intermittent fasting work? What are some of the benefits? And can you have coffee while you’re fasting? Check out these short videos to find out why and how we incorporate intermittent fasting into our Keto and Low Carb Lifestyles.
I-Fast Kit: We have found that intermittent fasting can be life changing… but not always easy for the average person. That’s where our 5 Day I-Fast comes in! We drink Ketones, electrolytes and Keto Protein to get the MOST out of 5 days of intermittent fasting. Plus meal plans, guided support and more. Want step by step instructions on intermittent fasting while optimizing with Ketones and Keto Protein? Compressing your eating window also has some benefits regardless of your diet. You stop eating those unhealthy snacks before bed. You stop adding that sugary creamer from the grocery store or stopping at the coffee shop for a carb-laden latte. You skip the 600 calorie muffin from the bakery. When you decrease the number of times you spike your blood sugar during the day (and even permanently remove those extra carbs), your fat will start to melt off!
When you break your fast, don’t reach for cereal and sugary coffee. Instead, choose protein (like eggs or our Keto Oatmeal) and coffee made with heavy whipping cream and keto sweetener. Or, choose something like our Keto Kreme. My favorite? I-Fast Kit: We add in our 5 Day Intermittent Fasting Kit with Ketones to keep you energized and cravings-free during your morning fasting hours. Then you’ll optimize your fast even more by breaking your fast with Keto Protein.
IF stands for Intermittent Fasting16/8 : The first number is how many hours you fast. The second is your eating window. For example 20/4 would be a 20 hour fast with 4 hours of time for meals.
Our goal for our non-eating time is to fuel ourselves with things that won’t cause a rise in blood glucose or an insulin response. However, we also don’t want to starve muscle. The goal of most fasts is to lose fat and increase muscle for healthy metabolism!
What is the best length of time to fast? You’ll want to make sure you can still get the appropriate calories and macros during your eating window. While some small calorie restriction can be helpful on intermittent fasting days, long term calorie restriction will harm your metabolism.
I-Fast Kit: We add in Keto NAT and electrolytes while fasting. Keto NAT helps with cravings and energy during your non-eating window while the electrolytes keep you hydrated.
Our keto Protein has a moderate amount of protein plus MCTs and ketones. It doesn’t cause an insulin response AND helps preserve muscle. This makes it perfect to drink when you’re fasting, or as a snack during your eating window!
I get this question all the time! Usually it’s asking what you can drink, such as bulletproof or fat coffee or Ketones. Dr. Ryan Lowery, the co-author of The Ketogenic Bible, has some great info on this topic if you want to go in depth. When you add fat to your coffee or tea, you technically break your fast because of the calories. However, a more important question is “What’s your outcome?”. In general we find that the goal is to deepen your level of Ketosis and avoid an insulin response to aid in fat loss and muscle gain. This goal is to manage blood glucose numbers, allow for fat burning and giving you the benefits of ketosis.
Have you been told to make sure to eat in the morning or before you work out? Otherwise where will your energy come from?! Next time you hear this, you can point to your thighs, waist or rear end! I promise, you have enough “energy” you carry around with you!
We recommend moving your body during your fasting window to deepen your level of Ketosis and burn some of that unwanted fat! Remember, your workout can be as simple as a 15 minute walk around your block, vacuuming your living room with vigor, or an hour long HIIT workout! Do what’s right for you.
I-Fast Kit: Drinking your Keto NAT during your fasting window helps with protein synthesis…basically helps your muscles grow. We also add in the only Keto protein available that has Protein, Ketones and MCT. This is SO important because more muscles leads to a healthier metabolism which leads to long term weight loss (or maintenance)!. Ketones also gives you the energy you need to fuel your workout without adding calories or unnecessary pre-workouts or carb-filled protein shakes. Make sure you drink your electrolytes as well!
The answer is…it’s up to you! If you only want to do it twice a week, awesome! 5-7 days a week, wonderful! Anywhere in between, also great! Figure out what feels best and works well for you.
However, remember that the goal is not long term calorie restriction. The goal is to manage your blood glucose numbers to repair your metabolism… and to cut out those unhealthy snacks you may have eaten before bed! Switching your routine up here and there is also a great idea - fasting different days, different lengths, and even times of day (skip dinner rather than breakfast).
I-Fast Kit: In general we fast 5 days a week. Most of our customers will drink Ketones during their normal intermittent fast in the morning. A second Ketone drink in the afternoon is optional. Then we’ll do more focused intermittent fasting weeks once or twice a month using our I-Fast kits.
Yes! Prüvit’s Keto NAT are identical to the ketones your body produces while you’re fasting or in Ketosis nutritionally. Drinking these effective (bio identical) Ketone without added fats, will optimize your fast for greater results. We drink Ketones to amplify what your body is already doing - which means more energy, focus, and mood during your fast! Pruvit has truly optimized Intermittent fasting through the use of their 5 Day Intermittent Fasting Kit.
Neil Dudley of Pederson's Farms: A Career Forged in Bacon
Neil Dudley, the VP of Business Development at Pederson's Farms, shares his story of how he got involved in the bacon business. According to Dudley, the president of Pederson’s Farms is my best friend since kindergarten. He got hired, real short story, in a year’s time, was promoted to president. At that time, I was rodeoing and working back on the ranch with my dad. He called me and said, “Hey, you want to come work over here at this bacon company?” Which was totally news to me. I mean, I was like, when did you even start working there? Because we weren’t really in touch throughout that time. And he is like, “Oh, about a year ago. And I’m now president. I was thinking I just call somebody I could trust.” So that’s 20 years ago now. It’s really kind of crazy how sometimes your career happens when you’re not even watching.
From QA tech to VP of Sales to his current role, he's been involved in every aspect of the company. He emphasizes the importance of quality and safety in food production, noting that Americans often take for granted the safety of their food supply.
Dudley also discusses the evolution of sales and marketing, particularly in the agriculture and ranching sectors. He notes that while many in that industry are traditionalist, companies that embrace modern marketing techniques like podcasting and social media have seen significant success. He also hosts the Cowboy Perspective podcast, where he shares insights from his upbringing on a ranch and how they apply to business.
Pederson's Farms primarily focuses on pork-based products, with a commitment to raising pigs and producing bacon in-house. Dudley highlights the company's dedication to humane treatment of animals and sustainable practices.