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The pandemic has brought about so many disruptions on quite a lot of ranges – private, monetary, emotional and bodily, to not point out well being. Many individuals reported gaining weight, others who struggled with weight points took the chance to lose undesirable kilos.
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Lydia Girges misplaced weight in the course of the pandemic, after discovering a lot success with the high-fat, low-carb Keto weight loss program – however in methods she by no means imagined. The Toronto-based younger, feminine entrepreneur, who spent years within the meals, beverage and occasions business, began the Keto program the yr COVID-19 descended, and whereas, fortunately shedding 50 kilos in the course of the worst of the pandemic, instantly discovered herself jobless, due to the virus.
Two losses in a single – weight and job – had her pivot right into a Plan B, and a profitable new profession as her personal boss.
Her new enterprise? Keto meals, particularly Keto cookies and, what began as a particular weight loss program deal with that she baked for herself, has morphed right into a nationwide meals biz referred to as Keto Kookie Co., that continues to develop every single day. A enterprise she created lower than a yr in the past.
“During the last eight months, transitioning into this new position with my firm has been extraordinarily thrilling, shifting at a fast velocity, difficult … and humbling,” stated Girges throughout a latest interview.
“I really continued to work by all of the COVID challenges, despite the fact that many occasions I used to be concerned with had been cancelled. However I skilled job loss final November. My final day of labor was Dec. 31, 2020.”
Girges says the preliminary lack of her profession in addition to her supply of earnings, “was devastating. I used to be confused – we have been experiencing a worldwide pandemic that appeared to don’t have any finish. And I questioned whether or not I’d ever have the ability to return to the work I beloved.”
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The devoted entrepreneur stated she “wanted to maintain busy,” and began to brainstorm enterprise concepts instantly that will permit her to pivot into presumably a brand new profession, definitely a brand new position.
Enter Keto: “I had been on the Keto program since 2019 and had misplaced 50 kilos. This system helped me shed extra pounds and, frankly, made me really feel nice. Though this program isn’t for everybody, it supplied me with many well being advantages I had been on the lookout for.”
Girges admits she acknowledged Keto, with all its meals necessities, “as an up and coming business in Canada,” particularly as she sourced meals she may eat. “I wished wholesome meals that have been appetizing and made you are feeling regular – and I seemed all over the place for these meals selections.”
And so it began. With cookies, that she baked for herself. Her cookies had fantastic style and texture, but made with out sugar, gluten, grain and have been GMO-free.
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One can image Girges munching on certainly one of her cookies whereas she hatched a marketing strategy with a pal’s assist to create the identical scrumptious, nutritious cookies for the plenty. “I had determined to take a leap of religion and begin a small enterprise, till the world resumed and I may return to work,” stated Lydia. “My mission was to make wholesome, natural, guilt-free cookies that have been made with easy and clear substances but in addition seemed and tasted scrumptious.”
A marketing strategy was set in place, whereas Lydia researched all issues cookies. Recipes have been examined, Instagram account was put in place, and the Keto Kookie Co., was born.
“The entire course of was achieved in over a two-week interval – over the vacations,” stated Girges, nonetheless marveling on the velocity wherein had she launched her firm. Initially, it was simply Girges taking orders, creating the cookies, setting into place a advertising plan, sourcing and shopping for the substances and juggling the funds – even delivering the cookies personally.
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To her shock, enterprise exploded as soon as phrase unfold, and orders tripled. Nicely-known meals shops, like Toronto’s iconic Summerhill meals market, got here knocking. Girges began delivery cookies nationwide. And grocery enterprise orders saved coming and coming – all inside a span of some months.
Girges couldn’t sustain on her personal, so “I discovered an expert kitchen, employed workers, together with a baker and supply particular person. I’m now on the lookout for a pastry chef.”
Even her cookie choice has grown to greater than 25 progressive flavours, with a revolving repertoire that features conventional favourites like chocolate peanut butter cup to citrusy coconut lime to a milk and cereal, to call a couple of – all adhering to the Keto program.
“This sounds a little bit loopy however COVID … gave me the chance to take a seat down with myself and say ‘why not?’ This was imagined to be a facet hustle till my work referred to as me again. Now it’s my very own firm, and all I can say is I really feel extremely lucky and blessed for having been given this chance.”
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Her future appears shiny and stuffed with promise – enterprise is booming, and Girges is trying to broaden into grocery shops and supermarkets throughout the nation.
“It’s superb what you are able to do when confronted with adversity – with me, it was shedding my job to COVID,” stated Girges. “Now, I really feel so lucky. And actually blessed.”
https://www.instagram.com/ketokookieco/https://www.facebook.com/Keto-Kookie-Co @ketokookieco; #ketocanada
Maintaining with Keto
The mad sprint for one of the best weight reduction program had tens of millions looking the net for concepts and steering. Keto, or the Ketogenic weight loss program, was probably the most fashionable searched with U.Ok.-based Jackandbeyond.com/collections declaring it probably the most searched weight reduction program, subsequent to Paleo.
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The high-fat, low carb weight loss program has been topped the most well-liked with the very best variety of Instagram hashtags,
In keeping with https://www.healthline.com, Keto is a metabolic state wherein the physique makes use of fats for gas as an alternative of carbs. “It’s a really low carb, excessive fats weight loss program that shares many similarities with the Atkins and (different) low carb diets, and includes drastically lowering carbohydrate consumption and changing it with fats. This discount in carbs places your physique right into a metabolic state referred to as ketosis,” which, provides Healthline, permits the physique to turn into “adept at burning energy for vitality.”
Have in mind, this isn’t a one-size-fits-all program, and there are numerous variations.
