Active Low-Carber Forums
Atkins diet and low carb discussion provided free for information only, not as medical advice.
Home Plans Tips Recipes Tools Stories Studies Products
Active Low-Carber Forums
A sugar-free zone


Welcome to the Active Low-Carber Forums.
Support for Atkins diet, Protein Power, Neanderthin (Paleo Diet), CAD/CALP, Dr. Bernstein Diabetes Solution and any other healthy low-carb diet or plan, all are welcome in our lowcarb community. Forget starvation and fad diets -- join the healthy eating crowd! You may register by clicking here, it's free!

Go Back   Active Low-Carber Forums > Main Low-Carb Diets Forums & Support > Success Stories
User Name
Password
FAQ Members Calendar Mark Forums Read Search Gallery My P.L.A.N. Survey


Reply
 
View comments Article tools
KarenB's Avatar
KarenB KarenB is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 922
The Other Side of 175
Posted by KarenB
Posted Wed, Feb-13-02
Plan: Trim-Wise: LifeForce International
Stats: 213/209/150
BF:32%/??/ 21%
Progress: 6%
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Cool The Other Side of 175

Now, 175 might sound like a lot to some of you reading. It might sound like waif-thin to others of you. But this is a real benchmark for me.

See, the last time I weighed 175 lbs I was all of about 14 years old and a freshman in high school. It was all uphill from there, so to speak. By the time I graduated I was close to 200, and once I got to college, well, all bets were off. I don't remember exactly what the scale read then, but on the day I got married (a year after I graduated) I was at 208. And no, I still wasn't done "growing."

I won't iterate all the fluctuations or all the failed diets. Let's just say it started before I was 14, when my mom decided I needed to lose about 40lbs (she was right, I did) and put me on the dreaded restricted-calorie plan. Just me, not herself or my dad. I got to have my measured portions and plain foods while they had whatever they liked, as much of what they liked, as often as they liked. I did lose the 40lbs. I went from 180 to 140 for *one day.* I wore a beautiful size 14 (which is now probably a 10, with the "vanity sizing" we have nowadays) dress to church that day, and when I came home, I hung it in the closet. It stayed there. I never, ever wore it again. I started to EAT. The cycle continued for decades.

Finally, last spring (April Fool's Day, actually--something serendipitous about that, I think!) I decided to Do Something. I'm not sure what the galvanizing incident was. Perhaps it had to do with my little girl, who the December before had remarked to me about a picture in a magazine, in an ad for some weight-loss scheme. "Mama, is that you?" No, I said, that's not me. "But you're fat like her!"

She will *never* know what that did to me. When I was alone that night I just lay in bed and cried. I had a steady fellow, true, but I knew he wasn't going to be The One--we just really enjoyed each other's company. I mentioned this to him not long after, when I had started rather half-heartedly to count fat grams and fiber as I had learned in my quasi-successful stint in WW a few years ago. He knew I was struggling, and he was behind me all the way. "Whatever you decide to do, you let me know if I can help. Even if it's just to say 'good going, keep it up' or hug you if you need it."

Anyway, I fiddled around with counting fat grams and fiber grams for a couple of months, but my heart wasn't really in it. It had worked for a while before, but ultimately I didn't really *learn* anything from the experience. Then one day I was buying some vitamins and mineral supplements at the local drugstore when I saw a copy of Dr. Atkins's "Age-Defying Diet." Well, being on the far side of 40 already, that caught my eye. I read the entire thing that night and decided that low-carb was the way for me. The section about "Syndrome X" struck a deep, deep chord. That was ME he was writing about.

The next day--April Fool's Day, 2001--I began low-carbing. I told my fellow about it, and he looked at me a little oddly but kept his word to be supportive. I didn't say a thing to anyone at work, or any of my friends. I had tried so many times to lose weight and never did for any length of time, I wasn't about to go around touting this as The Last Time and then fail again.

So here I am, 10 months later. I have lost 45 lbs and 15 inches. I'm wearing size 14s now, instead of the 18-20s I was in when I began. (At my heaviest I wore a 24-26. I managed to lose some of that weight with Herbalife, but gained a portion of it back when I quit using their products for financial reasons.) I expect I'll be in a 12 by the time I reach goal, which is only 25 lbs away now.

No, I'm not done. But that doesn't make this any less of a success story!
Article tools
Show Printable Version Show Printable Version
Email this Page Email this Page
Success Photos
Before
Not uploaded yet
In-Progress
Not uploaded yet
After
Not uploaded yet
Reply

  #2  
by goingfor60 on Fri, Feb-15-02, 21:01
Default Motivation

Without the right motivation nothing would have worked.

Now look how far you've come, continue to look forward and definately dont look back.

Well done...

Shannon
Reply With Quote

12 comments [read all comments]


Article tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
help--stomach pain in left side! livingintn Newbies' Questions 5 Thu, Aug-07-03 10:02
"Managing Weight Gain as a Side Effect of Some Antidepressants" gotbeer LC Research/Media 7 Wed, Jul-30-03 13:41
side dishes in receip sec. if your staying under 20, besides broc.and green beans? Lacey O Newbies' Questions 5 Fri, Jul-11-03 12:28
What Side effects are normal... tracysev General Low-Carb 7 Fri, Oct-12-01 12:41
A Sit-Down Workout fern2340 Beginner/Low Intensity 2 Thu, Aug-16-01 06:21


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 15:57.


Copyright © 2000-2024 Active Low-Carber Forums @ forum.lowcarber.org
Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.