Nicole Rayta's Story

In addition to being obese, Nicole Rayta had a thyroid disease, sleep apnea, and debilitating pain and depression related to rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. “I was taking a significant amount of medication daily,” she said. “And experiencing many side effects including anemia and bone marrow suppression.” Just to function, she received regular iron infusions and cortisone shots in her joints to deal with these side effects.

Previous to keto, Rayta had tried other lifestyle changes in order to get healthy, from vegetarianism to physical therapy and exercise programs, but nothing seemed to work. Yet she reported that within weeks of starting keto there was a significant decrease in pain and depression.

Rayta’s sister-in-law introduced her to keto and Dr. Berg’s videos. At first, she had her reservations about this lifestyle. “I changed my mind after attending an endocrinology conference,” she said. “The speaker had advised, if done right, the keto way of eating could be beneficial.”

Thus began her keto journey, with the encouragement of her sister-in-law as well as support garnered from Dr. Berg’s Facebook group. Rayta said that keto “wasn’t hard” and that her old way of life was much more difficult.

Now, a year after starting keto, Rayta has lost 58 pounds (26 kg) and says she wakes up feeling rested—with mental clarity that she’s never had before. “I feel amazing, younger, sexier, happier, and healthier!” she exclaims. “My quality of life is so much better.” She has even started running again, takes zero prescription medication now, and no longer requires infusions. In fact, these days she only sees the doctor for routine checkups.

One thing Rayta took away from Dr. Berg’s videos was to keep it simple. “Eat like you live on a farm,” she advised. “This is not a diet or a trend. This is a way of life and I truly believe I am now living my best life.”

Favorite Way to Exercise: “I love to run,” said Rayta.

Favorite Keto Recipe: Cauliflower mac and cheese