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  #1   ^
Old Wed, Dec-30-15, 21:00
ReneeH20 ReneeH20 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,291
 
Plan: Dr. Westman
Stats: 280/170/170 Female 69.8 in
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default One year and 97 pounds

A year ago today - December 30, 2014 - I started my low sugar, low carb, high fat way of eating (WOE). I weighed 280.7 pounds. This morning I weighed 183.8 pounds. That's almost 97 pounds gone. I am not to goal yet, but know that I can get there in 2016. Only 13 more pounds.

A little about my story. I have not always been fat. I was always just 5-10 pounds overweight as a kid/teen. I was in the Army in my young twenties. I met my husband (the Hubs) when I got out. I gained about 10 pounds after we married. Then another 20 after the birth of my 2 kids. Work and kids had me gain up to 195 in 2001. In 2001, I did Weight Watchers at work and lost 30 pounds. I maintained comfortably for 5 years. Then in my late 30's it was like someone flipped a switched and I started gaining a ton of weight. 115 pounds in 9 years. I have always been an active person, but despite working out regularly I was still gaining weight.

I spent most of 2014 trying diet and exercise programs. My weight was effecting my activity level and I didn't like it. I didn't sleep well, had headaches, and was always tired. I started not being able to go up the stairs in our 2 story house without breathing heavy. My husband started commenting on my snoring.

In November 2014, I realized that I had to change my diet. I had been on a pretty disciplined exercise program and lost 10 pounds in a month. It returned after a week of scaling back on exercise.

I went to a presentation by my doctor and it was like the angels in the heavens started singing. My doctor has lost 80 lbs herself. As she talked about her own struggles and how foods particularly carbohydrates and sugar affected the body, there were was not a dry eye in the room. We could relate to what she was saying and I think we all felt more than a little hopeful. We were not bad, lazy people with no will power. Our bodies are carb and sugar sensitive. A lot of foods today are specifically engineered to be addicting.

In December 2014, I started working with my doctor. In addition to being over weight, I was pre-diabetic. I had extremely low in Vitamin D and was extremely anemic. No wonder it was hard for me to get the energy to work out. I also have high levels of inflammation in my body. She also diagnosed me as being sugar and carbohydrate sensitive. My body is carb addicted and will never get enough carbs, but it doesn't burn them off. It stores them as fat. She explained ketosis to me. It all made sense and I was off on my journey to health and feeling better.

I follow Dr. Eric Westman's A Low Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet Manual. I no longer eat bread, cereal, pasta, cake, cookies, or anything that is a low carb version of those. I didn't eat any fruit in the beginning, but have recently added back berries. I try to limit my carbs to under 20g a day and most of those come from lower carb veggies. I eat a green salad almost every day and can use salad dressings that have no more than 2g of sugar per serving. I eat mostly high protein, high fat. I am limited on dairy. No alcohol on this plan either.

The first week was really tough, but I managed to stay on plan from the beginning. The only exception was when we went on vacations to Las Vegas. I got it approved by my doctor to have a few low carb alcoholic drinks. I had one each day and managed to come back a few pounds lighter. I don't cheat. Sometimes I overeat plan foods, but I don't go off plan.

I am sleeping better. No longer do I snore. My iron is up as is my Vitamin D levels. My body is no longer inflammed. I have become a breakfast person and a morning person. I have so much more energy.

I know this has become a way of life for me. Once I changed my mindset things became easier for me. I don't focus on the things that I can't eat. I focus on eating things that I can eat. Steak - yummy! Bacon - yes please!

The other thing that really helped me get to this point is the support I get on the forums. It has helped to keep me accountable in the days between my monthly doctor visits. I also keep a journal here to work through any issues that come up and keep track of my progress.

I am writing this all out, because I lurked on this board for 3 months before joining. If that is you, you can do this and we are here to help you.



Me - approx 280 pounds - Aug 2014, Me - Half way to goal 225 pounds - June 2015, Me - 75% of the way to goal 197 pounds - October 2015



Me, today - Dec 30, 2015 - 183.8 pounds

Last edited by ReneeH20 : Wed, Dec-30-15 at 21:07.
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  #2   ^
Old Wed, Dec-30-15, 21:05
MickiSue MickiSue is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 8,006
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 189/148.6/145 Female 5' 5"
BF:36%/28%/25%
Progress: 92%
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Default

What a wonderful year you gave yourself, Renee!

Congratulations and here's to your continuing success!
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  #3   ^
Old Wed, Dec-30-15, 21:54
FatFreeMe FatFreeMe is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 5,689
 
Plan: LCHF
Stats: 262.2/247.2/204 Female 5ft 1/2 inch
BF:
Progress: 26%
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Default

Oh Renee! I'm so glad you wrote this! This is awesome...
So happy for you, and hoping against hope to follow in your footsteps!
YAYYY for Renee!
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  #4   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 05:59
thud123's Avatar
thud123 thud123 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,422
 
Plan: P:E=>1 (Q3-22)
Stats: 168/100/82 Male 182cm
BF:
Progress: 79%
Default

Awesome and WTG Renee, You look great! Thanks for posting your story and pictures.
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  #5   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 10:14
Merpig's Avatar
Merpig Merpig is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,582
 
Plan: EF/Fung IDM/keto
Stats: 375/225.4/175 Female 66.5 inches
BF:
Progress: 75%
Location: NE Florida
Default

This is cool. Even at 280 you looked good and had a nicely defined waist, like a plus sized fashion model! But of course the change to now is awesome. How lucky you were with your doctor. Most doctors give completely opposite advice if they give any at all.

Have a wonderful 2016!
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  #6   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 14:24
ReneeH20 ReneeH20 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,291
 
Plan: Dr. Westman
Stats: 280/170/170 Female 69.8 in
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MickiSue
What a wonderful year you gave yourself, Renee!

Congratulations and here's to your continuing success!


Thank you!
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  #7   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 14:30
ReneeH20 ReneeH20 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,291
 
Plan: Dr. Westman
Stats: 280/170/170 Female 69.8 in
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FatFreeMe
Oh Renee! I'm so glad you wrote this! This is awesome...
So happy for you, and hoping against hope to follow in your footsteps!
YAYYY for Renee!


Thank you. I am looking forward to reading your success story in the new year.
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  #8   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 14:31
ReneeH20 ReneeH20 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,291
 
Plan: Dr. Westman
Stats: 280/170/170 Female 69.8 in
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by thud123
Awesome and WTG Renee, You look great! Thanks for posting your story and pictures.


Thank you!
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  #9   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 14:35
ReneeH20 ReneeH20 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,291
 
Plan: Dr. Westman
Stats: 280/170/170 Female 69.8 in
BF:
Progress: 100%
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Merpig
This is cool. Even at 280 you looked good and had a nicely defined waist, like a plus sized fashion model! But of course the change to now is awesome. How lucky you were with your doctor. Most doctors give completely opposite advice if they give any at all.

Have a wonderful 2016!


Thank you! You are so sweet to say I looked like a plus sized model. I am feel extremely grateful to have found my doctor. She truly has walked in our shoes. Her practice has totally changed from OB/GYN to Obesity Medicine for women.

I keep getting letters from our health insurance company wanting me to do weight loss counseling with them. I can only imagine what they would tell me.
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  #10   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 14:52
lvin4jc lvin4jc is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 82
 
Plan: Just Low Carb
Stats: 320/250/225 Male 6'1"
BF:
Progress: 74%
Location: Rapid City, SD
Default

Very inspiring Renee, thank you for sharing and keep up the good work!

I love the way MickiSue put it "year you gave yourself" you did the work, you earned it and now you get to enjoy it!
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  #11   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 22:37
khrussva's Avatar
khrussva khrussva is offline
Say NO to Diabetes!
Posts: 8,671
 
Plan: My own - < 30 net carbs
Stats: 440/228/210 Male 5' 11"
BF:Energy Unleashed
Progress: 92%
Location: Central Virginia - USA
Default

Thanks for posting your story. You've done an amazing job with this WOE - showing everyone how to get it done. You've also been a wonderful cheerleader for a lot of people over the past year You are a true asset to this community. I wish you an even better year in 2016 and beyond.
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  #12   ^
Old Thu, Dec-31-15, 23:08
Meme#1's Avatar
Meme#1 Meme#1 is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 12,456
 
Plan: Atkins DANDR
Stats: 210/194/160 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Texas
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ReneeH20
A year ago today - December 30, 2014 - I started my low sugar, low carb, high fat way of eating (WOE). I weighed 280.7 pounds. This morning I weighed 183.8 pounds. That's almost 97 pounds gone. I am not to goal yet, but know that I can get there in 2016. Only 13 more pounds.

A little about my story. I have not always been fat. I was always just 5-10 pounds overweight as a kid/teen. I was in the Army in my young twenties. I met my husband (the Hubs) when I got out. I gained about 10 pounds after we married. Then another 20 after the birth of my 2 kids. Work and kids had me gain up to 195 in 2001. In 2001, I did Weight Watchers at work and lost 30 pounds. I maintained comfortably for 5 years. Then in my late 30's it was like someone flipped a switched and I started gaining a ton of weight. 115 pounds in 9 years. I have always been an active person, but despite working out regularly I was still gaining weight.

I spent most of 2014 trying diet and exercise programs. My weight was effecting my activity level and I didn't like it. I didn't sleep well, had headaches, and was always tired. I started not being able to go up the stairs in our 2 story house without breathing heavy. My husband started commenting on my snoring.

In November 2014, I realized that I had to change my diet. I had been on a pretty disciplined exercise program and lost 10 pounds in a month. It returned after a week of scaling back on exercise.

I went to a presentation by my doctor and it was like the angels in the heavens started singing. My doctor has lost 80 lbs herself. As she talked about her own struggles and how foods particularly carbohydrates and sugar affected the body, there were was not a dry eye in the room. We could relate to what she was saying and I think we all felt more than a little hopeful. We were not bad, lazy people with no will power. Our bodies are carb and sugar sensitive. A lot of foods today are specifically engineered to be addicting.

In December 2014, I started working with my doctor. In addition to being over weight, I was pre-diabetic. I had extremely low in Vitamin D and was extremely anemic. No wonder it was hard for me to get the energy to work out. I also have high levels of inflammation in my body. She also diagnosed me as being sugar and carbohydrate sensitive. My body is carb addicted and will never get enough carbs, but it doesn't burn them off. It stores them as fat. She explained ketosis to me. It all made sense and I was off on my journey to health and feeling better.

I follow Dr. Eric Westman's A Low Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet Manual. I no longer eat bread, cereal, pasta, cake, cookies, or anything that is a low carb version of those. I didn't eat any fruit in the beginning, but have recently added back berries. I try to limit my carbs to under 20g a day and most of those come from lower carb veggies. I eat a green salad almost every day and can use salad dressings that have no more than 2g of sugar per serving. I eat mostly high protein, high fat. I am limited on dairy. No alcohol on this plan either.

The first week was really tough, but I managed to stay on plan from the beginning. The only exception was when we went on vacations to Las Vegas. I got it approved by my doctor to have a few low carb alcoholic drinks. I had one each day and managed to come back a few pounds lighter. I don't cheat. Sometimes I overeat plan foods, but I don't go off plan.

I am sleeping better. No longer do I snore. My iron is up as is my Vitamin D levels. My body is no longer inflammed. I have become a breakfast person and a morning person. I have so much more energy.

I know this has become a way of life for me. Once I changed my mindset things became easier for me. I don't focus on the things that I can't eat. I focus on eating things that I can eat. Steak - yummy! Bacon - yes please!

The other thing that really helped me get to this point is the support I get on the forums. It has helped to keep me accountable in the days between my monthly doctor visits. I also keep a journal here to work through any issues that come up and keep track of my progress.

I am writing this all out, because I lurked on this board for 3 months before joining. If that is you, you can do this and we are here to help you.



Me - approx 280 pounds - Aug 2014, Me - Half way to goal 225 pounds - June 2015, Me - 75% of the way to goal 197 pounds - October 2015



Me, today - Dec 30, 2015 - 183.8 pounds


Way to go Renee
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  #13   ^
Old Fri, Jan-01-16, 05:00
JEY100's Avatar
JEY100 JEY100 is online now
Posts: 13,370
 
Plan: P:E/DDF
Stats: 225/150/169 Female 5' 9"
BF:45%/28%/25%
Progress: 134%
Location: NC
Default

Awesome success very inspiring story.
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  #14   ^
Old Fri, Jan-01-16, 05:40
leemack's Avatar
leemack leemack is offline
NEVER GIVING UP!
Posts: 5,030
 
Plan: no sugar/grains LCHF IF
Stats: 478/354/200 Female 5' 9"
BF:excessive!!
Progress: 45%
Location: UK
Default

Congrats Renee on your success!! Totally amazing and very inspirational
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  #15   ^
Old Fri, Jan-01-16, 05:59
Just Jo's Avatar
Just Jo Just Jo is offline
A'72 Lifer Hard Core
Posts: 15,566
 
Plan: A'72 Induction Lifer + IF
Stats: 265/114/130 Female 5'4"
BF:Not so much now!
Progress: 112%
Location: South Central New Mexico
Default

WOW HUGE Congrats Renee! Your story is so inspiring and motivating!

What a truly terrific way to start the New Year: 13 lbs to goal! Woot! Woot!

HAPPY NEW: YEAR!

Wishing you and yours all the blessings the New Year brings!

Keep Fighting the Good Hard Fight because YOU are SO Worth it!
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