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-   -   Year 1 Report Card: I'm giving myself an A- (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=465302)

khrussva Tue, Feb-03-15 09:27

Year 1 Report Card: I'm giving myself an A-
 
I started yet another attempt at weight loss on this day one year ago. Low carb had been the only way I'd ever lost any weight on previous attempts -- so that is what I decided to do again this time. I knew how to do LC -- I think I've spent years (in total) dieting this way. But I entered this diet with one new idea... NO CHEATING, NO BREAKS, EVER. And guess what? I actually managed to do it. That was the key for me. It led me to a new place that I'd never experienced on any previous diet. I broke free from the carby junk I used to love and now love the healthy foods I am eating. I stopped dieting and changed how I eat. I'm not deprived. I no longer miss the unhealthy things I used to call food. I'm happy with what I eat everyday. My body is happy, too. And this is the result:


I started at whopping 440 pounds. I was an undiagnosed Type 2 diabetic with high blood pressure and plenty of other health problems starting to pile up. Something had to happen - or I was not going to be long for this world.


It turned out to be a pretty good year. The best ever, in fact. I've lost 147 pounds and reclaimed my life in so many ways. I also managed to get my daughter -- who inherited my genes for being a massive carb craver -- to follow this WOE and she is getting it done, too. I think I am more happy for her than I am for myself.


OK - so I picked a photo that accentuates the positive. Yes, I have plenty of bumps, bulges, and flabby parts on me that still need to go. I am down to 293 pounds and I have a long way to go on this journey. My goal is 210 -- but I'd love to get below 200 eventually. My losses have slowed down, but I'm still tweaking my plan and I'm continuing to make progress. Will I get there this year? Probably not. But I will be farther along than I am today.

I have no illusions about what I'm doing, how I got here and what will happen if I ever decide to dabble in the sweets and junk food of my past WOE. It will lead to another failure. Returning to the old way of eating is simply out of the question. What junk food is so desirable that I would trade my health and happiness for another taste? I can't think of any.

Now to give credit where credit is due, I did not do this alone. In January of 2014 I discovered this forum while looking for LC recipes, lurked for a while and then became a member. The information and experience here has proven to be extremely helpful, not to mention the many LC buddies that I've gotten to know along the way. I saw what others had done and I found the inspiration I needed to keep on going. On the flip side, I also saw plenty of examples of what not to do and have tried to learn from those mistakes. I'd never done the support thing before, but I needed help and I found it here. Thanks to all of you that have inspired me and helped me get to where I am today. I am in your debt.

I have my annual checkup in a few weeks. I am really looking forward to seeing the test results after 1 full year of eating healthy. Food has proven to be medicine -- the best kind of medicine. I've kicked diabetes in the butt and may have put my hypertension behind me as well. We'll have to see what the Doc has to say.

It appears that I've made LCHF my new WOE. Despite the fact that I live in a world filled with carb loaded sugary processed treats at every turn, I've found a way to dodge the junk and stick exclusively to foods that are good for me. I found a way to make this sustainable. As a result, my 50's are going to be my best decade since my 20's. The worm has turned for me and I'm moving in a new direction.

I've made a few mistakes along the way. Some days I have simply eaten too much LC food. I've knocked myself out of ketosis 3 times by going a little too high on the carb count. The cutoff for me appears to be around 50 total carbs. But I have not had any off-plan foods. Not even a bite. I'm still working on my plan and I'm still trying to address bad eating habits that are hindering my progress. I give myself an A- for this year. There is room for improvement and I hope to earn an A+ by the end of my second year.

Judynyc Tue, Feb-03-15 09:34

Yes!!! Great milestone, Ken! :cheer:

You are doing amazing things for yourself and it is so very impressive and inspirational. So happy for you and your daughter!! :D

Nancy LC Tue, Feb-03-15 09:46

That is so awesome! But I think you should give yourself an A+. Do you know how rare it is for someone to be able to stick to something so strictly for a year? VERY! :cheer:

khrussva Tue, Feb-03-15 09:54

Well, what choice did I have, really? When one of the motivations for starting another diet is concern for the backs of the pole bearers lifting your coffin - then you are in a pretty desperate place. That is where I was at. That desperation and the diabetes diagnoses helped me find the motivation I needed. When you back is against the wall, it is time to fight or die. I wish it hadn't taken 30 years of destructive eating to find the right motivation. But I did find it eventually and I guess that is all that matters now.

In the fall of 2013, my daughter did a semester in the UK at the University of Nottingham. The UK standards for grading are much tougher than on this side of the Atlantic. An A is a nearly impossible to attain. Only the best of the best can get an A. So by UK standards, an A- is pretty darn good. So I guess I'm using UK grading standards on this.

kassie1993 Tue, Feb-03-15 10:08

Congrats Daddy! I am very proud of you! Your update photo looks so different from how I remember seeing you in August when I left for school! Love you and I can't wait to see you in four months for my graduation!

PilotGal Tue, Feb-03-15 10:33

Quote:
Originally Posted by khrussva
I stopped dieting and changed how I eat. I'm not deprived. I no longer miss the unhealthy things I used to call food. I'm happy with what I eat everyday. My body is happy, too.

congrats on your milestone AND realizing that how you're eating is not restrictive but pleasurable, for your mind and your body!
I am so impressed with your results.
Keep up the great work and congrats to your daughter, as well. :thup:

inflammabl Tue, Feb-03-15 11:30

Quote:
Originally Posted by khrussva
I've made a few mistakes along the way.

Like what? Killed a person? After 147 pounds the only way you're going to get a "-" in my book is if you killed a person.

"Some days I have simply eaten too much LC food."
Oh Caca de Toro. You've lost 147 pounds.

"I've knocked myself out of ketosis 3 times by going a little too high on the carb count. The cutoff for me appears to be around 50 total carbs."
You know your carb limit too? Wow. And that's a problem? How did you plan to find it, by not hitting it three times? Three data points is the bare minimum required to know a mean and a variance. So you have a working understanding of your carb limit with the mathematically minimum number of data points. And this earns you a "-"?


"I'm still working on my plan and still trying to address bad eating habits that are hindering my progress. I give myself an A- for this year. There is room for improvement and I hope to earn an A+ by the end of my second year."
Keep Calm and Keto On.

omablue Tue, Feb-03-15 11:36

Congrats. you are an inspiration to us all!

khrussva Tue, Feb-03-15 11:54

Quote:
Originally Posted by inflammabl
Like what? Killed a person? After 147 pounds the only way you're going to get a "-" in my book is if you killed a person.

"Some days I have simply eaten too much LC food."
Oh Caca de Toro. You've lost 147 pounds.

"I've knocked myself out of ketosis 3 times by going a little too high on the carb count. The cutoff for me appears to be around 50 total carbs."
You know your carb limit too? Wow. And that's a problem? How did you plan to find it, by not hitting it three times? Three data points is the bare minimum required to know a mean and a variance. So you have a working understanding of your carb limit with the mathematically minimum number of data points. And this earns you a "-"?


"I'm still working on my plan and still trying to address bad eating habits that are hindering my progress. I give myself an A- for this year. There is room for improvement and I hope to earn an A+ by the end of my second year."
Keep Calm and Keto On.

Just setting myself up for lifelong maintenance, dude. Lose weight? I can do that. I've always been able to do that. This much in a year? Well, no. But I've lost over 50 at least half a dozen times and as much as 90 pound before. The problem has always been staying there. Clearly, something was not working. Old habits die hard and those habits need to be addressed. I've been hanging out in some JudyNYC threads a lot lately and she sets the bar pretty high. It is "do or do not - there is no try (Yoda)". I'm still shooting for the 100% "do" part. When I get to where I'm going, I want to be very well versed in how I need to be eating everyday. Only then will I be reasonably sure that I can do something that I have never done before... Keep the weight off.

Judynyc Tue, Feb-03-15 12:03

Quote:
Originally Posted by khrussva
Just setting myself up for lifelong maintenance, dude. Lose weight? I can do that. I've always been able to do that. This much in a year? Well, no. But I've lost over 50 at least half a dozen times and as much as 90 pound before. The problem has always been staying there. I've been hanging out in some JudyNYC threads a lot lately and she sets the bar pretty high. It is "do or do not - there is no try (Yoda)". I'm still shooting for the 100% "do" part. When I get to where I'm going, I want to be very well versed in how I need to be eating everyday. Only then will I be reasonably sure that I can do something that I have never done before... Keep the weight off.

As far as I'm concerned Ken, you are there in your mindset. It really is about having a change of mind.
Until I came to this web site 11 yrs ago, it was always about being on a diet. So, I yo-yo'ed for years. :rolleyes:
When I began to think, as you did, that it is more about how was I going to eat for the rest of my life than just being on another diet, did I then begin to make different choices. I also had to make some big changes in my life, like learning how to cook and stop using processed foods. No more ordering in!! :lol:

So, call it what you like A- or A+....you are there!! :agree: :thup:
If we want to change our life, we must first change our mind. :idea:

dredding Tue, Feb-03-15 12:57

So Inspirational for those starting LC
 
Wow, Congrats to you ! You give me hope. :)

inflammabl Tue, Feb-03-15 17:54

Quote:
Originally Posted by khrussva
Just setting myself up for lifelong maintenance, dude. Lose weight? I can do that. I've always been able to do that. This much in a year? Well, no. But I've lost over 50 at least half a dozen times and as much as 90 pound before. The problem has always been staying there. Clearly, something was not working. Old habits die hard and those habits need to be addressed. I've been hanging out in some JudyNYC threads a lot lately and she sets the bar pretty high. It is "do or do not - there is no try (Yoda)". I'm still shooting for the 100% "do" part. When I get to where I'm going, I want to be very well versed in how I need to be eating everyday. Only then will I be reasonably sure that I can do something that I have never done before... Keep the weight off.


It seems like you burn yourself out. There's no 100%. There's no finish line. Keep calm and keto on.

Liz53 Tue, Feb-03-15 18:30

Wow, what a transformation!

I think you are forgetting to factor in some Extra Credit for your sensitive and articulate advice especially to those just getting started.

All the best for the next 90 days - and beyond.

scrapgirl Thu, Feb-05-15 04:59

Remarkable progress!! I don't even know you IRL but I am so proud of you. You really are a shining beacon of inspiration for all of us that fight this battle to reclaim our body and our life. I just mentioned the 'zero cheat' mentality in my journal this morning and I couldn't help but notice that your Myplan graph was linear...a straight line down except for one tiny peak. I think that is a testament to your determination and it just shows what can happen if you are 100% committed. Not many pull it off as well as you have.
Thank you for putting yourself out there and for being so transparent about your journey so that others might learn from you. I can't wait to see next year's update!!!

JEY100 Thu, Feb-05-15 05:09

What an inspirational story and photo! :clap: Thank you for taking the time to write it, every person who has a long weight loss journey ahead of them needs to read this.

Congratulations to you ...and Kassie. We are looking forward to the graduation photo of two very healthy and happy people!


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