Who is Sandi and how did she get to be such a know it all ketogenic coach?
Here’s the Short Version
I’m a mom of two grown children, grandma to an awesome little boy, and a wife. We have three big unruly dogs.
I am a seven year breast cancer survivor.
I’m a photographer by day, and also a part time caregiver to my 95 year old grandmother who lives next door.
I love to travel in our camper when we have the time. There’s a LOT to see out in this big beautiful world!
In conclusion, I’m busy! As are most of us.
However, I did manage to find time to lose 120 pounds and in addition became a Certified Ketogenic Coach and a Certified Intermittent Fasting Coach. I am also working on continuing my education by becoming certified in the Primal Living Program.
Here’s the long version.
My History
Every fitness journey is different. I began mine in my mid-40s. I was sick of being fat, tired, and run down. Being heavy my whole life, I was always looking for a diet that would work. Of course, the next great fad diet would solve all of my problems. Right? Not only did they not work long term, but also caused me to gain more after I quit. At 40 years old I found myself tired, suffering from hypertension, hypothyroidism and to top it off I was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was one long year! After I finished treatment I could taste food again! Therefore, I ate a lot of unhealthy food. Bread, potato chips, pasta and potatoes were my favorites. My go-to food was a big bowl of mashed potatoes with green beans. Fresh baked bread was my downfall. I could never say no to it. Quick frozen meals were my standard dinner for the family since we were all busy with other activities. As you can imagine, I gained quite a bit after finishing my treatment.
Turning Point
December of 2015, I saw a picture of me at Christmas and it shocked me. I was 265 pounds on three different high blood pressure pills. My bloodwork showed that I was pre-diabetic. Honestly, I had no clue how I got there. My husband had been doing a low carb diet and it didn’t seem too bad. He was having some results, so I figured I’d give it a try. Jan 1, 2016 is when I started taking control of what I put in my mouth. First, I downloaded an app to track what I ate. Next I learned about macros and how to apply them to my diet. Then I decided that I would track everything that went into my mouth. In other words, I planned ahead so I could see what the macros were before I actually put it in my mouth. The results were amazing! The best part about it was that the food was good! More amazing than that is that I was not hungry!
Low Carb to Keto
Once I started seeing results, that was enough motivation to keep me going! As I did more research, I found more benefits to keto. I started walking. When the weather turned and it got cold, I joined the gym and walked on the treadmill. I was by no stretch of the imagination turning into a gym rat. I was eliminating sugar from my diet and I was not minding it one bit! At the end of 2017 I had lost 50 pounds. Half way there! Enter the ketogenic way of eating. Somewhere along the way I had found keto. Because of all the other benefits I started experiencing, my new goal was to now get off all of my pills! Who wants to take pills the rest of their life? Not this girl! I decided from here on out I was not going to be filling my body with processed foods and chemicals.
Feeling Great!
At the end of 2017 I was down 97 pounds. So close to 100! I was thrilled with 97! My daughter got married at the end of December and it felt great not to be hiding in the back for the pictures. I was happy to be in them! By late 2018 I was down 120 pounds from my start weight. My doctor too me off all of my blood pressure pills. Equally important, my A1c dropped to 4.9 from 7.1. I am no longer pre-diabetic. To sum it up, I felt terrific! Clearly, investing in yourself should be a priority for everyone. There are days that I don’t feel like cooking and days I don’t feel like prepping, but I am prepared for that. Yes, I’m prepared for NOT prepping! I can teach that to you; how to be ready to combat any roadblock that you feel may come on.
How I Became a Ketogenic Coach
As you start to make changes, and people can really notice the changes. First, they ask what you are doing. After a while, they start asking HOW to do what you are doing. I am always more than happy to share what I knew. The research and science behind this way of living intrigued me. It was fascinating to me! After that, I decided that I really wanted to help others, and most importantly, give them the knowledge to regain their lives along with the power to be happier. The next thing I knew, I was signing up for a class to get myself certified! I chose the Ketogenic Living 101 program because it is the first ketogenic Coach Certification Approved for CEU Credits. From there I also took a course in Intermittent Fasting and got certified in that. I am currently working towards my certification in Primal Living.
Clean Keto
While there are many people that follow the ketogenic diet that do shakes instead of meals and allow themselves to eat anything they want as long as it stays within their macros, that is NOT the way I practice it. This is typically called “Dirty Keto” or “Lazy Keto”. Yes, there are keto coaches out there that teach this way, because the ketogenic state will occur if your carbs are kept low enough. I do not advocate sugar free products, diet sodas and artificial sweeteners. I feel that as a coach, it’s MY JOB to teach you to eat the cleanest way possible. Ultimately, I should guide you to make this a LIFESTYLE CHANGE that is totally sustainable. Eventually you will be able to live the healthiest life possible and make decisions in how you want to eat that works for YOUR way of life. In addition, it makes no sense to go through the efforts of trying to eat clean or be healthy only to “reward” yourself with sugary drinks and treats. There ARE better options! I can show you them.
My Network
I’ve become part of a network of Ketogenic Living Coaches. Together with these coaches, our network provides us with an awesome pool of information! We have gone on retreats together, written a cookbook together, moderate a few ketogenic facebook groups together, and stay current with the latest information being put out in the ketogenic world. They are a wealth of knowledge! In conclusion, they help me to be a better coach, able to serve you better!
Looking for More Information?
If you’re interested or would like more information, just send me an email! I’d love to share the Ketogenic way of life with you! Without a doubt, you can change your life!
Legal Stuff
Sandi Korshnak is a Ketogenic Living Certified Coach and does not dispense medical advice nor prescribe treatment. Rather, she provides education to enhance her knowledge of health as it relates to foods, behaviors associated with eating, and exercise. While nutritional support can be an important complement to your medical care, please understand that ketogenic nutrition counseling is NOT a substitute for the diagnosis, treatment, or care of disease by a medical professional. Most importantly, I do NOT pretend to be a doctor. Please ALWAYS check with your doctor before starting any new diet.