#feedyourmission with Maria from @mariaemmerich

Good Morning Keto fam!

Next up on #feedyourmission, Maria! 

Q: How long have you been on a keto diet?

A: About 20 years

Q: What first sparked your interest in Keto, and how long did it take you to fully make the diet switch?

A: I struggled with food and weight throughout adolescence and into adulthood. I am very passionate about helping people heal their body through food because the medical field has failed me and my family numerous times. When I was a young teenager I suffered with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).

As an overweight 16-year-old, I lacked energy and didn’t know why. After a visit to my doctor, I was told I had PCOS and walked away with a prescription to an acid blocker and an antidepressant — not the answer I was looking for. That same week, my dog was losing patches of her hair. “The veterinarian asked, ‘What are you feeding her?’ It was like a lightbulb went off for me. I went home and immediately changed my own diet too.

I started limiting carbohydrates and adapting a nutrient-rich diet, now know as the ketogenic diet. Seeing results, I decided to pursue a degree in nutrition and exercise physiology.

Q: How has switching to Keto made you feel: Physically? Mentally?

A: I feels amazing! I feel younger now that I did 20 years ago! It is a joke that I am the energizer bunny and I eat basically a carnivore diet!

Q: How do you push through the plateaus?

A: It took me 10 years to lose 60 pounds, but I love food and I will always love food. I just eat keto foods. I stayed the course because I felt so much better AND I feel like I do not need to cheat because I allow myself keto ice cream everyday!

Q: Tips for staying on diet while traveling: do you avoid restaurants? Do you bring your own snacks everywhere you go? Other useful tips?

A: I travel all the time! I just spoke in Italy and had a great time eating while there. It is quite easy. There are always eggs, meats and cheeses offered for breakfast. They also made zoodles instead of noodles for our pasta dishes. I prefer to make my own food though so if I can I get a hotel with a kitchen and stop at a grocery store. Way cheaper than eating out too! But if you can't do that, I often get a burger on a large salad. Steak or fish is always great too! I focus on the adventure of the new city I am exploring and know that when I get home I have delicious food and keto ice cream waiting for me! I also always always have Mission Meats sticks packed in my carry on! No lie!

Q: What made you decide to build your own keto community?

A: At the young age of 17, I met my husband, Craig and I really just wanted to be a mom. But because I had PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome), we looked into adoption. Just as we were making headway and getting excited about the possibility of becoming parents, Craig, an electrical engineer, lost his job. We lost every penny. We lost our house, our cars, everything. We would go on dates to the library and stay at my parents’ rustic Northwoods Wisconsin cabin with no TV nor internet. That’s when I started writing. What started as a cathartic stress-reliever quickly turned into something more. My friend told me, “You need to start a blog. Write down your recipes and put them in a cookbook and raise money for your adoption.” That's when it all started and it immediately blew up and people loved my recipes! I feel very blessed!

Q: Where can we find your books?

Thanks for reading, folks! You can find more on Maria here. And of course, questions are always appreciated! 

Cass Cleave
Mission Meats