Briana Culberson Opens Up About Staying on the Keto Diet While Pregnant

Vicki Gunvalson's daughter showed off her 37-week baby bump, saying this "by far [her] healthiest pregnancy yet."

By Zoey Washington Nov 4, 2020, 3:15 PM ET

Photo: Ryan Culberson/Instagram

Briana Culberson and her husband, Ryan, are counting down the days until they can welcome their third baby to their brood. The Real Housewives of Orange County alum has shared the secrets to maintaining her Keto-friendly diet while pregnant since announcing that she was expecting. And now, at 37 weeks pregnant, she's opening up on Instagram about how she's made this "by far [her] healthiest pregnancy yet."

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On November 3, Briana snapped a quick mirror selfie to flaunt her adorable growing baby bump. Vicki Gunvalson's daughter wore a classic, white tee and her go-to pair of black leggings with a pair of shearling slippers to show off her bump.

In her caption, Briana opened up about remaining on the Keto diet while pregnant. "I have a lot of health problems including lupus and a clotting disorder among other medical diagnoses," Briana explains in her November 3 Instagram post. "My team of doctors have all told me that it is healthy for ME to continue the ketogenic diet throughout this pregnancy. This is my 6th pregnancy, we have had 3 miscarriages. This is by far my healthiest pregnancy yet."

View this post on Instagram
3ï¸â£7ï¸â£ weeks today I get daily questions about my pregnancy and if Iâve stayed strict keto. I will first start off by saying yes Iâm a nurse but Iâm wonât give out medical advice over Instagram. Everybody is unique and everyoneâs health is different. I have a lot of health problems including lupus and a clotting disorder, among other medical diagnoses and am followed by a team of doctors at a university medical center that work well and communicate with one another. Ask your doctor if keto is right for you and your pregnancy journey. My team of doctors have all told me that it is healthy for ME to continue the ketogenic diet throughout this pregnancy. This is my 6th pregnancy, we have had 3 miscarriages. This is by far my healthiest pregnancy yet. With my other 2 boys I gained way too much weight than Iâm comfortable with sharing, itâs embarrassing. I had the whole âIâm eating for 2 mindsetâ and âIâll just lose the weight after the babyâ, although it never happened. Iâve only gained 30 lbs this pregnancy and have only bought 1 pair of maternity pants and 1 pair of maternity shorts. Other than that I am still in my same clothing I was in prior to my pregnancy at my lowest weight. Ryan and I have been keto for almost 3 years. Itâs become a lifestyle and we donât stress over counting macros or calories. We donât track anything other than our ketone levels using a keto mojo blood ketone meter. We aim to stay under 20g net carbs per day just by using mental math. For me personally I donât want to obsess about what Iâm eating or track too much because I will become consumed by it. I do my best to eat the healthiest i can at every meal. Focus on low carb/low sugar, eat veggies with every meal, and avoid processed foods. Yes every meal isnât perfect and Iâm not perfect, but Iâm doing the best I can and Iâve never been healthier! This account is intended to share how the keto diet has helped our family and our health. It is not a place for negative comments or judgment, there is plenty of other places for that in the internet.
A post shared by Keto Culbersons (@ketoculbersons) on Nov 3, 2020 at 11:56am PST

Briana shared that her struggles to shed pounds after her first two children are what led her to embrace a Keto lifestyle. "With my other 2 boys I gained way too much weight than I’m comfortable with sharing, it’s embarrassing...I’ve only gained 30 lbs this pregnancy and have only bought 1 pair of maternity pants and 1 pair of maternity shorts. Other than that I am still in my same clothing I was in prior to my pregnancy at my lowest weight."

"Ryan and I have been keto for almost 3 years," she said. "It’s become a lifestyle and we don’t stress over counting macros or calories. We aim to stay under 20g net carbs per day just by using mental math. For me personally I don’t want to obsess about what I’m eating or track too much because I will become consumed by it."

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Any health-related information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, or before embarking on any diet, exercise, or wellness program.