Ryan Shand's Story

Ryan Shand researched keto to confirm the notion that it was a bad idea. He was surprised. After watching 80 of Dr. Berg’s videos in one sitting, he decided to give keto and IF a go in August of 2017.

At 32 years old, Shand was sitting on 315 pounds (143 kg) after trying dozens of diets to no avail. Embarrassed to be seen in public, moody and unhappy in every respect, and diagnosed with pre-diabetes, he heard his doctor say that he’d have trouble surviving much past 35 without a lifestyle change. But it wasn’t until he was starting to outgrow a size 7XL that he decided to take charge of his weight.

“I was struggling to keep up with my two small children,” he said. “I was tired all the time no matter how much I slept. I knew I needed to do something.”

He started his journey slowly, substituting lettuce for hot fries and wraps for bread rolls. He began jogging (which he had enjoyed in his fitter days) and one mile became two, then three; once he joined his local parkrun, things really took off. “The local running community has been amazing,” said Shand. “The folks there are so encouraging and supportive to people of all ages and abilities.”

Due to these changes alone, Shand lost 33 pounds (15 kg) over three months. Then he found Dr. Berg’s videos. Thanks to their enlightening content, he was hooked. He learned about metabolic pathways, about becoming fat adapted, about how to best utilize stored body fat and how to look after his adrenals. He wished that he’d started sooner.

In spite of the support of his family and friends, it was tough to stay encouraged. Losing so much weight takes time and having patience is essential. But even when he wasn’t seeing immediate results, he never thought of giving up. “Once I found that I had the drive and passion for healthy living, it became the only thing I wanted to focus my energy on and teach others,” Shand said.

Now, he is much happier and has a “ton of self-confidence” when he looks in the mirror. He can buy “normal-sized” clothes and he feels energized all the time. Since he started keto and IF, Shand has lost an incredible 185 pounds (84 kg).

“Anyone can do this,” he says. “I am not a ‘special’ person in any way. I'm just your average-Joe guy, so anyone can do what I'm doing and achieve what I've achieved. If you're sitting there and you're in a similar position to what I was and you actually want to make a difference—you can do it.”

Favorite Way to Exercise: Shand loves to run long distances.

Favorite Keto Recipe: “Fat bombs! The simplest one for me is choc-nut butter blocks,” Shand says. “It’s coconut oil, almond butter, organic cacao powder, stevia. Microwave and stir into a liquid paste, put into molds and freeze. Makes a great keto fat bomb—and only a few minutes to prepare.”