Editor’s note: Every so often, we feature a column titled “Coach’s Corner,” wherein we put the spotlight on our coaches so that you, dear reader, can get a better idea of who they are and why they do what they do. Check back soon to see which of our coaches we talk to next!
Once Taryn Baacke makes a decision, she goes all-in. This soon-to-be wife and mother of a blended family with four children (and multiple pets!) doesn’t slow down, and never gives in.
Working as a medical illustrator, Taryn spends her work days designing the illustrations for her employer’s medical software, as well as running user research tests to make sure their app is as user-friendly as possible. She has an MFA in Medical Illustration, and a BA in Marine Biology. Taryn loves the ocean, and also has several certifications for scuba diving and rescue diving.
Like many people, Taryn was unhappy with her figure fairly early on. She began her first diet at nineteen, and like many of us, she ran through the gamut of programs. “Whole30, Nutrisystem South Beach, Atkins, Medifast, Paleo… you name it, I’ve tried it!” She told me that the only diet she had ever seen any real success with was the Atkin, low-carb protocol.
Although she had lost some weight after her son was born, dieting made Taryn miserable. Once she tired of the protocol, she re-gained her weight, plus some. Before she knew it, she was pregnant again, with her daughter this time, and losing weight became an ever-increasing, and ever-elusive struggle.
Soon after, Taryn’s world was turned upside down by divorce, and suddenly this accomplished young mother found herself raising two children alone. To compound her problems, she suffered serious gallbladder troubles, resulting in surgery and a complete removal of the organ.
In 2015, Taryn reached another turning point in her life. “I felt fat and unhappy, and was single again. I saw pictures of myself at my kids’ birthday parties, and was horrified at how I looked. Something had to change.”
“I had really only had success with Atkins in the past,” she told me. “I started researching it again, and in my search I came across keto. I did quite a bit of reading, and decided to try it!”
Never one for half-measures, Taryn told me she “jumped in, head first,” started keto, and then hired a trainer at the gym two days later. “I was sore and tired, but I powered through it.” Her efforts paid off pretty immediately. Taryn saw a twenty-pound loss in her first month, and a ten pound loss the month following.
Taryn has now lived a dedicated Ketogenic lifestyle for three years. In her first year-and-a-half of keto living, she lost over one hundred pounds and another hundred inches. Weight loss wasn’t the only benefit she experienced. Taryn had long suffered with daily headaches and migraines, as well as sciatica, and had some sketchy bloodwork. After making the lifestyle change, she no longer suffers from any of those pains, and her bloodwork is all completely normal. Even though she has no gallbladder, she reports her digestion is perfect. “It’s so much better than it ever was with carbs!” she says.
At one point in her journey, she found the Ketovangelist website and blog during a web search, and immediately joined our Facebook groups. “I just started learning as much as I could, and participating in the discussions.” Soon after, she became an administrator in the Ketogenic Success Facebook group. As the community grew, and we expanded out into more specialized groups, Taryn, with her dedication to weight lifting and gym experience, was a natural choice to become an administrator in The Ketogenic Athlete group.
About a year ago, Taryn was asked to consider becoming a Ketovangelist Lifestyle Coach, and the rest, as they say, is history! Taryn was very quickly brought into the coaching fold, and with great success. With a mind and a career geared toward making science understandable, she’s a natural at helping others grasp the technical underpinnings of the Ketogenic lifestyle. And with her natural inclination to go full-tilt, she is a passionate advocate of and for her clients, and encourages them to do just as she did and “dive right in!”
If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, and looking to go head first into your new lifestyle, Taryn Baacke is here to tell you it can be done, and you will succeed. We here at Ketovangelist are thrilled to have Taryn’s drive and tenacity on our team!
Be sure to follow Taryn’s progress on her Keto Taryn Facebook page, and check out her available coaching services at Ketovangelist Coaching.