73 Pounds And Counting
 

I am still 90 pounds from my goal but I thought I'd write my experience here with the hope of offering some encouragement to someone contemplating this way of eating.

My mother was way ahead of her time, jumping on the low-fat bandwagon in the 'sixties. She started me on a low-fat diet when I was five. Even as a very small child I was only allowed to have nonfat milk. By the time I was in sixth grade I had developed a bad problem with hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). My hands shook badly and I was tired all the time.

The solution offered by doctors and nutritionists was to eat lots of "complex carbohydrates": apples, juice, bread, potatoes, etc. They also recommended frequent snacking. I did what was considered to be medically sound and religiously consumed a low-fat diet of complex carbohydrates. To prevent severe bouts of hypoglycemia I never went more than a couple of hours without shoving something in my mouth. Some of the severe drops in blood sugar could be avoided by constantly feeding but I still felt tired most of the time.

I was always told that I was a fat child and I believed that I was fat. Oddly, I now look back at photographs from my childhood through my preteen years and I simply cannot see it. Nonetheless, I was always on a diet. And as the years went by I did get big. I reached 226 lbs. at 17 years old.

I became an expert dieter, reading every sensible diet book printed. I tried them all -- all the ones that were considered medically sound anyway. That is, all the low-fat diets. I reached 304 lbs. at 22 years old. My weight finally leveled out at 267 lbs. where it stayed for the next decade of low-fat dieting coupled with moderate exercise.

It finally hit me like a ton of bricks one day while reading an anti-diet article: This doesn't work! I couldn't believe how stupid I had been for decades of dieting and gaining. I had accepted the principles of low-fat dieting blindly. I had never questioned the low-fat doctrine of the medical establishment even though I knew that I had followed faithfully without success. What an idiot!

So I gave up and decided to accept myself as a healthy overweight woman. That didn't quite work either.

Next I became an enthusiast for aerobic exercise without dieting. I was surprised to find that I didn't have to curl up in a ball for an hour after exercise, shaking from low blood sugar if I was eating some fat and protein. Getting off caffeine eliminated nearly all the severe hypoglycemic episodes. But I wasn't losing any weight and I was exhausted all the time.

I then decided to approach my weight problem as a behavioral issue. I read a dozen books and tried their methods which basically amounted to periods of fasting. Not eating made me even more listless.

After reading copies of Atkins and Protein Power I decided to try low-carb dieting. The books made sense. They explained my experience with low-fat dieting and it sounded like I might finally surmount my problems with hypoglycemia.

But I had no idea what an extreme reaction I would have to this way of eating. I lost 35 lbs. in two months and felt better than I ever thought possible. I suddenly had energy beyond my imagination. Before the low-carb diet I was usually sprawled in a semi-reclined position, quietly observing the world around me without participating. Now I found myself sitting up straight or leaning forward and engaging in conversations. I became one of those people who wag a foot incessantly. Prior to the low-carb woe I napped daily. It used to take every bit of strength I could muster to haul myself off to bed at night. Now I couldn't imagine wanting to sleep during the day and I was fully awake all day long, for the first time ever.

Then I began a seven month stall. In retrospect, I understand what happened. I didn't at the time. I was living in a situation where 95% of the meals I was eating were prepared by someone who was opposed to my new high-fat, high-protein, low-carb way of eating. The meals looked low-carb and when I asked questions about the food I got the answers I was looking for. But I think there was a bit of sabotage going on there. And I was eating lots of Atkins and Biochem low-carb bars without knowing about hidden carbs. I consumed too much wine, cheese and too many nuts also.

I still felt great but became exasperated about not losing weight and began slowly adding carbs back into my diet, fatalistically thinking that the scheme just didn't work as a weight-reduction program.

A year later my diet had degenerated to lots of fat and carbs with a only moderate amount of protein mixed in: the worst possible combination. I ballooned to 313 lbs. and I was exhausted all over again. So I decided last June to go back on Atkins/Protien Power just to regain my energy. I knew it didn't work as a weight-loss plan but would do it anyway, just for the energy boost.

I was surprised again at how easy it is to feel fully awake all day. And I was wrong about its efficacy as a weight-loss program. In seven months of preparing low-carb meals myself I've lost 73 pounds. Painlessly. My food cravings are gone and I feel like I can do this endlessly. Somehow this diet has killed my appetite and I no longer think about food all day long.

It's not a subtle change in my case. It's a night-and-day difference. I feel like one of those patients in the movie Awakenings who has just woken after decades of being in a catatonic state.

What a fantastic story, Allison. Thank you for posting that. I'm sure it WILL help a lot of people. Not only because you've been so successful, but because you took the time and trouble to tell us your history. I'm sure there are a lot of people who will relate to what you've been through.

It's a beautiful success story -- good luck on the rest of your journey. I don't think I've seen a Journal for you; I hope you'll start one. Not only will we want to steal your meal ideas, but we'll want to read the end of the story.

WOW!

First let me say that I admire your courage and strength! Your story is what this section is all about. To share with others our low carb travels and successes.

Thank you so much for taking the time to write it out ;) I am sure that last 90 pounds will be just as easy to lose for you as the first 73 have been. You have such a great attitude and determination.

Congrats on your success so far and I look forward to being there when you hit that last milestone ;)

*hugs*

Thanks for the support
 

I just found this site a few days ago and can't tell you how happy I am to find others who are going through the same thing. I've been doing this solo and have just gotten a second wind of inspiration from all of you.

As for a journal, I didn't really think of it before, but maybe I should.

Agonycat: I really do think the next 90 pounds will be relatively easy. After all, it hasn't been hard yet. I seem to have tapped into something that is exactly right for me in this woe.

Great story!! Thanks for sharing it!!

How about an update?

Marlaine

Awesome story. I enjoyed reading it. I've fallen off the low carb wagon this last week..and I'm tired and fatigued already.
I went shopping today to get started again.
I don't know what makes me go off.
Good luck to you...and I hope you keep us posted.

Wow Allison...
 

You have come so very far! I can't wait to watch you bloom into the high energy person you are becoming!

Keep up the excellent work. Thank you so much for sharing.

Beth

Alison,

Thank you for taking the time to share your story & successes thus far. I'll be looking in your journal for updates!

Your story gives us all hope, especially those of us who have stalled for quite some time (me). Looks like you found what works for you and have been quite successful, I can't wait to see the before and after pics.

Congratulations on the new you!

Update: 87 down, 76 to go
 

Thanks to all of you for your kind words of support. :) I wasn't planning to update for a while but since you asked, here it is.

When I posted this, I hadn't weighed myself for a while and when I did the weight was probably off a bit. Yesterday I was at the doctor's office and weighed in at 226 -- a landmark weight for me. It was my highest weight in high school and I thought it was the end of the world. Now I couldn't be happier to be here. 226! Woohooo!

These are my most recent observations on the effects of this way of eating:

- I feel completely content and happy. It's not because of the weight loss, I think it probably has to do with stable blood sugar, maybe stabilized hormone levels, maybe improved seratonin levels. I'm embarrassed to admit that I've been a bit moody in the past. (Not extremely moody, just a bit moody.) Perhaps it had a more physical, chemical origin than I ever realized. I'm now more emotionally stable than I've ever been.

- I have had no further problem with sleepiness. This alertness is what brought me back to low-carb eating, and this is what will keep me here.

- All my carb cravings are gone. This is new since December. Until January I was using a bit of artificial sweetener and it kept the cravings for sweet things going.

- My tastes have changed. Many things that I never considered sweet (celery and other vegetables, red wine) now taste sweet to me. Actually, I think this side-effect is kind of weird. I liked red wine. Now it all tastes like someone dumped sugar in it. Oh well.

- I'm wearing a size 20, even some 18s! In June I could scarely squeeze in a size 26. (The department stores and donation centers in my neighborhood should be very happy. For the past seven months I've been buying and donating enough to counteract the bad economy.)

- My face is definitely thinner. My arms and hands are more slender and feminine. I'm beginning to see my collarbones. Those nasty, horrible pudges of fat above the backs of my knees are completely gone! :D

- My knees creak less when climbing stairs.

At this point I simply can't see turning back. I have no temptation to stop doing what I'm doing. Really. It's not willpower. It just works for me. When I originally started Atkins I had no intention of making it a lifetime change. But I seem to have stumbled on to something that's exactly right for me.

Someday soon I'll write a detailed post about what I'm doing differently this time from last time. I've only made small changes but have had dramatically different results.

Allison

Wonderful reading....
 

Allison.... just visiting some of your threads.... I am amazed at your success. This is wonderful and I hope the next leg of the journey goes well for you. You have many friends on this site and everyone cares how you do. Keep us posted....

Wow...what a great story. I am so happy for you.

It's not about willpower
 

Allison,

I know just what you mean when you say it's not about willpower. When I found this WOL and it resonated so strongly with me--made me feel so much better, never mind *look* so much better--"dieting" ceased to be a concern. "Diets" require willpower, because they're all about deprivation. A WOL is just that--LIVING!

Many kudos to you for your success so far, and best bright wishes to you for those to come!

so proud
 

Allison, i'm so excited for you!bless your heart, you have come so far!!!!!!want to keep hearing about YOUR SUCESS!!!!! I'm so excited about this new way of eating!!!!!!I feel so much better after reading your story!!!!!!!! :spin:

Allison, I truly enjoyed reading your story....your success is a win for us all, I know how wonderful you feel about yourself. That is quite an accomplishment. Bless you and hope you enjoy trying on new clothes!