Former private chef Edit Whitelaw had battled unsuccessfully to keep her weight in check for more than 30 years.
The 157cm self-confessed sugar addict had tried everything in that time, from diet pills to the protein-fuelled Atkins diet, all to no avail.
The turning point finally came last year after reading about the remarkable body transformation of Silicon Valley multimillionaire Dave Asprey in his best-selling book The Bulletproof Diet.
In the latest episode of our Game Changers video and podcast series, Edit tells host Sarah Harris that she discovered the life-changing benefits of a ketogenic diet.
Ketones are small fuel molecules that are produced in the liver if you eat very few carbs, moderate amounts of protein and high levels of fat.
“Ketosis is the body using fat for fuel,” explains Edit, who was inspired to use the same weight-loss principles in her new Essentially Keto bars, a range of tasty ‘fat bombs’ high in natural fats.
“The way you start with ketosis is that it’s high fat, moderate protein and low carb protocol. And then what ends up happening is that the body retrains itself to use fat for fuel.
“Eating carbs is like paper on the fire, fat is the log on the fire, and you become a fat-burning machine.”
Edit says the spin-offs are endless, but one of the most immediate benefits is a spike in energy levels throughout the day, without any crippling slumps that might have you reaching for a sugar hit.
In partnership with long-time friend Cam Burns, Edit is also excited at the chance to fill the void in the Australian market for high-fat, low-carb snacks with their Essentially Keto.
Packed with all-natural ingredients, the cacao-based bars will sustain you for hours while you work, or play, often to the point that you won’t feel hungry enough for a meal.
“Everyone is saying, ‘Oh, I don’t do protein bars’, but they’re not like that at all; they’re a straight fatty, energy hit.”