Keto In The City began with an anonymous Instagram account I created (@ketointhecity_) about 4 years ago. I started the page because I suffer from 2 autoimmune disorders and decided to start living a more anti-inflammatory lifestyle through the ketogenic diet. I didn’t want to censor myself, so I didn’t tell my friends or coworkers about the page for quite awhile. I needed a place where I could stay accountable and also share my love for cooking, which is a creative outlet of mine.
Within a couple months I had more “friends” on my food page than on my personal Instagram. I never imagine the community of people I would connect with over food! It was inspiring and kept me on track with my new healthier lifestyle. About 6 months later it seemed more practical to write out recipes on a blog than in IG captions, so I started ketointhecity.com. 6 months after that, a book publisher reached out to me and asked me if I had ever considered writing a cookbook?! I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and I actually stopped her more than once to make sure I was understanding correctly. I signed on to write the book because I figured if nothing else it would be pretty cool to be able to say I was a published author. I fully expected that just my parents and my friends would buy a copy.
The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook released to the world in January 2018 and to my surprise, it became a huge success. To date, the book has sold almost 500,000 copies and has been printed in a handful of languages to be sold around the world. I could have never imagined that the easy recipes from my little kitchen would be sold in bookstores all over the world. Due to the success I then went on to write 3 more cookbooks over the course of the last 2 years and have now sold over a 1 million cookbooks filled with low carb and keto-friendly recipes.
I’ve worked with dozens of brands on social collaborations, I’ve spoken at medical conferences, my recipes have been on the cover of magazines- all from a side project I started to try and optimize my own health. I’m proud, but also amazed, at what Keto In The City has become. None of it was planned from the beginning, but I am someone who enthusiastically embraces new challenges and opportunities. I know for sure, that my career in the crazy world of advertising has prepared me for that. My side project has made me a better creative. It has allowed me to create my own brand and collaborate with brands in a totally different way. But most importantly it has connected me with hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people I never would have before.
