Every time I tell this story, it's a bit different - factual, but different. Depends on my mood.
I was in the midst of quitting smoking 6 years ago and in the same fresh-air breath, met my husband, an aspiring chef. We both met our goals - me a butt-free-novice and him, the most amazing cook I'd ever met. Everthing he touched turned to food-fantasia. I weighed a mere 139 pounds when we met, and being a low-carb eater by nature, I probably would have stayed slim... except...
Between the lack of fags (can you say that here?) and the new good food (PS he was also a low-fat advocate, in retrospect I must have been sucking back an extra cup of sugar a day) he transformed me into a non-smoking, low-fat follower.
The result was enormous - some day I'll post a *before* Atkins pic of myself.
I stayed off the cigarettes, but rose to 184 pounds (I am small boned and 5'8" tall). I could bend down, but I couldn't get back up. My back hurt like never before. I kept a bottle of TUMS next in the car, in my office desk and an extra bottle replaced the KY on the nightstand
, I was a digestive mess. I looked AWFUL in my mind, - no - not just my mind - I LOOKED AWFUL - and I hated myself for being so weak.
Tried WW -what a joke - I'm sure it works for some, don't get me wrong - but I was gulping chocolate cake and pizza and then going hungry for the rest of the day.... That diet has structure but not the right kind.
I examined Richard Simmons and all his little cards. And decided it was too "Vegas". My luck was crappy.
I tried exercise only, but I'm basically lazy, so that was a washout.
Then a neighbour one day jogged past my house yelling something about eating 10 ounce T-Bones and losing 14 pounds. Wow - now THAT really appealed to the cavewoman in me.
Bought the book (DANDR) at noon that day. Had it 1/2 read by 3:00. Was eating low carb that night - never looked back. I can recognize a *sign* when I see one. Put my foot down with dh the low-fat chef. He'd need to learn some new skills to keep me... he did.
I had 40 pounds to lose. It took me 1 year 8 months and 15 days to do it. I was supposed to hit goal in October 2000 according to my calculations. It took a full year more. Though I might envy the people on boards like this who were virtually MELTING, it did me no good. My body was going to hang on to every pound it could. It wasn't *easy* but then again, it was.
I busied myself giving others lots of support and congratulations. I lost hair - handfuls of it. I finally had to cut it short until the phase passed - I learned all the right vitamins to help it grow back even better than before.
I made sure everybody on the message board I was on always got a friendly word and a hug if they needed it. Meanwhile, I suffered constipation, and learned how to deal with it. I learned how to get on the scale and deal with the letdown every single day - my longest "stall" was 5 months. The people on the boards were losing pounds and pounds every week.
I gave advice to those who were scared and defensive about Atkins-bashers. I tried to get them to feel great pity for those people who were still looking for a *cure*, while they refused (and bashed) low carb.
I dealt with my slow loss by celebrating with the succesful losers. People with more to lose than me, met their goals in less time than me. I adored them, they were my idols. I learned from every low carber I met - and I continue to do so.
Now?: I exercise - I love hiking and running. I plan my meals daily, based on the morning scale result. I hover between induction some days and up to 60 carbs other days- it's controlled believe me, not erratic or fanatical. I still take all my vitamins and try to drink all my water. I don't feel deprived, I feel lucky. Even today at work, someone called to me 'hey skinny!'.
My back doesn't hurt, my knees don't hurt, I have energy and enthusiasm. I look maaahhhhvelllous...
And I will never, never, NEVER go back.