Back On Top – And 27kg Down!

Odette Dannhauser got caught up in the whirlwind of motherhood. With two small babies to care for and no time to herself, she soon found her own reflection in the mirror almost unrecognisable… that is, until she discovered the keto lifestyle.

- Caroline Petersen

‘Within two weeks, my mental clarity had improved.’

Before

‘There was just no time,’ says mother of two Odette as she reflects on the past 10 years. ‘I got married in 2012 and fell pregnant three years later. I had always been quite fit, but somewhere in between studies, working and starting a family it just kind of stopped.’

Odette was victim to the classic (and exhausting) trap many women fall into: Superwoman Syndrome. She was doing it all: working full time, building a family, being the perfect wife, making sure the house was in tip-top shape, and ensuring everyone was fed and happy.

The only one who was left unhappy was Odette herself. ‘I got the baby blues like crazy,’ she says. ‘I was down because my body wasn’t where it was supposed to be. But then I felt guilty for being down about my body. I was supposed to be happy – I had a new-born baby! But I had no energy to even walk around the block, and I had no time to focus on my own health.’

As a first-time mother, Odette felt the pressure. She started comfort-eating to soothe her emotions, and eating quick convenience meals to save time. Her weight climbed steadily. At her heaviest she weighed 81kg.