Hi-
tomorrow, 7/15/19, is my 16 year anniversary of starting CALP. It has been a wonderful 16 years. I did the first 6 months or so before I found this site and this community. I actively posted for 15 years, and in this last year I have not posted much and haven't been on the site a lot. I am still on CALP, and have actually lost weight this year (but I'm not changing my numbers on the site). I'm going to repost my 10 year anniversary post. It still is as true today as it was then. It's my way of stopping by, saying hi, and hopefully giving support to members who are still looking to this WOL to help change their lives. I know it changed mine! My health and quality of life has been improved so many ways by doing LC. I've had time to reflect on what has made me so successful in maintaining my weight loss on this WOL- and I come down to the following. First- I picked a plan that I could do and one that fit into my life- I could be LC and still cook and enjoy restaurants and eat dinner with my husband, family and friends. Second- I did LC for my health and focused on the immediate and long term gains in my heath. I knew this was for life- for the long haul. And finally and perhaps most importantly- I never go off my plan. I never take a holiday or or a cheat day or a stress day off plan. I always find a way to stay OP- even if I have to be flexible or have more carbs in a day then usual or have to feel a bit deprived for a while. And I have had lots and lots of stress and lots and lots of celebrations in the last 16 years. I just always stay OP. And I think that's the secret to maintaining- this is how you eat. Period. And I plan to continue to stay on low carb- even though I'm not posting here.
Be kind to each other and be kind to yourselves-
Wishing you all health, happiness and peace.
E
From 7/14/2013
hi-
tomorrow is my 10th 'planiversary' on CALP/CAHHP. I can't believe it has been 10 years! I'm going to mark the occasion by talking a bit about my experiences, and how things are for me now.
I found LC as a direct response to my continued worsening cholesterol and CRP tests. The straw that broke the camel's back was the "off the scale" CRP I had in the winter of 2003. My (then) MD wanted me to eat lower fat (Pritikin levels), double or triple my statins, and go off estrogen. He basically accused me of lying to him about my eating, saying no one who ate as low fat as I did could continue to see rising lipids.
I went home scared and angry. I had been eating low fat, and lower fat, for at least 15 years. I drank the low fat coolaide- believed it all. I said to my DH- if what I am doing is not working I can do it harder or do something different. I then started researching LC, starting with Atkins, Eades, Heller, Schwartzbein, Agatston and more. I remember telling my DH that I KNEW I was insulin resistant and had metabolic syndrome- and that was why I was fat (and getting fatter every year) and my lipids were so bad. I told him that while my kids were not home that summer, I was going to do LC. I asked him to support me and he did.
I chose CALP/CAHHP because it would fit my lifestyle and my personality. I hate measuring or weighing, I like eating and cooking unprocessed foods, and I value eating dinner as a family and going out with friends.
After 2 weeks on CALP it was a miracle. I felt "NORMAL" for the first time in 15 years. Then the weight began to melt off- like magic. And I felt great- lots of energy. Then my skin cleared up, my swollen ankles cleared up, my sleep got better- just everything felt better.
I lost the first 20 lbs by the end of August- and went to a new MD! He told me to keep doing what I was doing- but that my cholesterol was genetic.
I lost 30 lbs by December. I stayed on plan, because I felt great and I knew this was for life.
I started losing again that spring, and lost another 25 or so pounds. Plus my liver enzymes normalized (no more NASH for me!) and my CRP started going down while my trigylcerides were normal for the first time ever.
Since then I have stayed OP. I balance my RM, but admit I eat more carbs at RM now than that first year or two. It is my new normal- and I think I look better today than I did before starting CALP that July 2003.
I will always have the underlying metabolic issues, which eating LC manages. I believe I am insulin sensitive now, and also believe that a few days off plan will push me back to insulin resistance. So I STAY ON PLAN.
The people who I have met on this site, and the amazing wealth of info and resources about LC, has been incredibly important to me. Thank you!
I thank God everyday that I found LC, found CALP, and have been able to heal my life.
E
|