Keto Journey: Belgian model Nathalie Fransen

Hey Nathalie, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Nathalie and I am a 32 year old living in Antwerp -Belgium. I have been a model for about 13 years now and work all over Europe. In the first 4 years of my modelling career, I modelled besides my study at the University of Antwerp. After graduating in Economics, I wondered what it would be like to work full-time as a model and decided to try for a year. Since then I never looked back and still love my job to this day.

That’s awesome! So many years! And how long have you been on Keto?

I decided to give it a go in march I believe, and tried for 2 weeks but then got hit by a severe Keto flu. We left on holiday to the US in April and I decided to just have a good time but my acid reflux was sooooo bad during our trip. After returning, I flipped the switch and decided to go in well prepared and have been in ketosis ever since.

Keto flu can be a bummer sometimes…. but glad to hear you are on your journey. How did you hear about it and what motivated you to start this woe?

My best friend and colleague @Lauramay007 was already fasting at that time and gravitated naturally towards a more ketogenic lifestyle. I ate a vegan high-carb low-fat diet and she persuaded me to do a total 180 and try the Keto lifestyle for my health. HCLF was very bad for me digestion-wise and I was battling severe acid reflux for about 2 years. I can't thank her enough for opening my eyes and pushing me towards a healthier lifestyle. All that sugar wasn't doing me any good even if it was mostly from fruits. We also have an instagram together where we share food ideas and tips and tricks on Keto and fasting called @We_eat_no_sugar.  

 

I’m so sorry you had such a bad experience, but luckily you found a woe that fits you. And do you follow strict Keto or not so strict?

Until this moment, I have been super strict because I wanted to get fat-adapted and reap the benefits of ketosis. Now I see that I quickly go back into ketosis after an occasional carby meal so I am becoming less strict and want to try a more intuitive approach. I also read that doing small carb ups with healthy carbs can be good for you as a woman to ensure that menstrual cycles stay in order, according to the book Keto for woman by Leanne Vogel. I also do intermittent fasting and sometimes a 24h fast (no hunger because of fat adaptation). You can always check the benefits of fasting by reading The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Fung.

Thanks for the tips! Haven’t read the last one yet. And what has changed for you since you started?

No more acid reflux!!! What a life changer :). I have diabetes MODY II and I also noticed lower blood-sugars in the morning and throughout the day. My digestion also improved dramatically.

And have you experienced any challenges? How did you deal with it?

Yes, I experienced the Keto flu on the first try. Be sure to stay hydrated during transitioning and supplement with electrolytes. I also have a magnesium deficiency (which already exists for about 50% of the population due to the poor state of our soil) so on Keto you reaaaaally have to supplement your electrolytes ( Sodium- magnesium - potassium) Dr. Eric Berg has a lot of good videos regarding this topic.

Electrolytes are very important, it’s the best solution to avoid the flu!

As a model do you travel a lot? Are you able to stay Keto? What are your tips and tricks for the travellers out there?

Yes I find it's fairly easy to stay Keto during travel or onset. I usually bring my own snacks and a fatty salad in a Tupperware. If I am working abroad, I usually skip breakfast and fast until lunch. Then I have a fatty low carb meal with the team in a restaurant or I bring my own lunch to the set. It's also quite easy to find Keto snacks in the supermarket. My favourites are small portables cheeses, cherry tomatoes, nuts and seeds or some kind of charcuterie (deli meats). And last but not least I ALWAYS bring some bars of Keto Cacao. They are super high fat and low carb and they have saved me many times on set.

Funky Fat Foods is to the rescue! We’re so glad! :) Besides when travelling, what do you usually eat on a normal day?

I usually have about 2 meals and a snack. (1800kcal to 2000kcal daily) Example: Meal 1: big salad (8 cups of greens and or herbs) with some veggies and organic bacon bits and goat cheese with olive oil + Keto Cacao bar or some cheese and nuts Meal 2: Organic salmon with broccoli and some butter (and sometimes some Alpro unsweetened yoghurt with berries and stevia and some pumpkin seeds) You can check some meal ideas on our instagram @we_eat_no_sugar

Do you have an all-time favourite Keto food and/or recipe? One you could just eat every day!

For sure these Keto brownies! I always make these for a party so I can have a sweet treat.

Do you have a favorite Funky Fat Foods flavor?

OMG, I am so in love with your new flavours! My all-time favourite is the white chocolate bar. SO good. I have one every day :)

Thanks, Nathalie so much for sharing your story.
 

Don't forget to use the #highfatstory on Instagram if you also want to share your journey with us!

 

Other blogs you might enjoy:

• Keto and carb-cycling
• Science Writer and World Traveller Kristi Storoschuk