Welcome to my website!
I am so excited you are joining me in the keto, low-carb, and anti-inflammatory lifestyle. Whether you are a newbie starting with low-carb, sugar free recipes or a seasoned keto pro in eliminating gluten and using omega-3 fats, my website has everything you are looking for to improve your health and happiness no matter where your starting point.
Wait! A Dietitian Who Follows Keto?
Yes, my name is Shelly Marie Redmond. I am a dietitian, and I follow keto. I am also gluten free. My cholesterol is normal. I am on ZERO medications. The food guide pyramid nearly killed me. Buckle up as I take you on my journey.
How It All Started?
Born and raised on the bayou, food was my middle name. I didn’t do cheer, I didn’t do athletics, I did 4-H. When I was 12 years old, I won my first cooking contest in my parish wide 4-H competition. I knew right there I wanted to be in the business of food.
College Days.
Ready to start a food empire, I received a Bachelor’s Degree in nutrition from Nicholls State University and completed my dietetic internship and Master’s Degree from Louisiana Tech University. I was ready to take on the world. But…..
Things Started Going Wrong…
I spent my days educating at the VA Medical Center in Shreveport, Louisiana. Many of my patients would come to me frustrated saying ‘I am following everything you are saying, but not losing weight?’ Instead of listening, I would review with them the lovely Food Guide Pyramid. Frustrated, they would leave the office with a sad handout that stressed ‘everything in moderation’ instead of ‘here is what you should do.’ I should have listened….cause it will bite me later….
Hello Mommyhood….and Fat….
I’m a little person (I just hit 5 feet tall. My oldest child is taller than me.) After the birth of my first child, I gained only 25 pounds and was back into my jeans and heels 6 weeks after giving birth (by then I had left the VA). Then….came child #2. With this child, I gained 80 pounds (that is not a misprint) and was a little upset (cause I didn’t go wild with food), but thought to myself, ‘I will lose it once the baby is born.’ My son was born, and I took out the trusty food guide pyramid handout, followed it to a tee, and NOTHING HAPPENED. I was still 40 pounds overweight PLUS new ‘things’ started happening. I got pimples, my feet HURT, and I was…fat. I did EVERYTHING I was taught in school. Nothing. Zero. Zilch. Happened. I knew exactly how my VA patients felt.
The Day that Changed EVERYTHING
Driving back from a visit to my parents, a sudden sharp PAIN hit the top of my head that made me scream. Thinking I was dying, I yelled at my husband to bring me to the ER. With his direct voice (he is a physical therapist), he stated, ‘That is a migraine.’ The pain brought me to tears. 3 days later, after vowing to never have that pain and sick of being ‘fluffy,’ I knew a change was needed.
Introducing the Low-Carb, Low-Glycemic, Sugar-Free Lifestyle
I dove into research of hormone imbalance and migraines, with all signs pointing to keto (the scariest word for dietitians). I decided to keep my change secret and go low carb and low glycemic for fear my profession would disown me. In 3 weeks, I dropped 10 pounds. In a year, I dropped 25 pounds. While I was carrying an extra 15 pounds, I did not look bad and wasn’t overly stressed about it. I carry my weight pretty well (yes, I am a curvy gal), but my feet still hurt and my hormones were still a little off (can we say insane periods?).
Transitioning to Anti-Inflammatory, Gluten-Free Keto
I knew that switching over to gluten-free and keto would stop the pain and arthritis, but I never realized how quickly I would drop the final 15 pounds. I was terrified to go keto out of fear of heart health and colleague gossip, but I decided this was my body, my life. I did keto my way. I vowed ONLY to eat omega-3 fats (olive oil, avocado oil) with occasional butter (Kerry Gold) and cheese. I refused to do keto in the fraternity boy fashion of dunking everything in ranch dressing and drinking MCT like it is going out of style. The result is a body I love (!), a healthy body (my C-reative protein and cholesterol are both NORMAL), and food my family loves. (Remember, I am from Louisiana. I am not going to cook plain garbage).
Awards I Won Along the Way
I am a little outspoken on this lifestyle and others have noticed in a positive way. In 2016, I was named to the 40 Under 40 Class by the Shreveport YPI and Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, I was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award at my alma mater, Nicholls State University.
What this Site is About:
- Easy, simple, and delicious low-carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, keto recipes you and the family will love.
- Tips and tricks on using the Instant Pot, Air Fryer, and Ninja foodi in keto, low carb, and anti-inflammatory cooking.
- The science behind low carb and keto eating including meal planning tips and recipes for weight loss, PCOS, Insulin Resistance, Pre-diabetes, Diabetes, and Migraines.
- A friendly and welcoming atmosphere to newbies starting on cutting sugar to those advanced needed new gluten-free cooking techniques.