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-   -   Yeeeehaaaa I did it -- I've Lost 120 lbs in 35 weeks! (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=458810)

Just Jo Mon, Mar-10-14 04:13

Yeeeehaaaa I did it -- I've Lost 120 lbs in 35 weeks for a total of 135 lbs!
 
Updates are below:

10 March 2014:
This morning's weigh in was a blessing. I made my personal goal weight of 130 lbs. Now the hard scary part begins -- maintaining it! But I have a plan:

I will increase the carbs by no more than 5 grams daily for 2 weeks. Carefully monitor the results then add another 5 grams daily until I hit my “sweet spot” (aka CCL). Like I said this is the scariest part of this entire WOE.

In the past, I'd lose the weight and say YEAH now I can go back to eating like "normal carb-eating" people -- stupid stupid. Okay I figured out I CAN'T.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update: Actually I started at this at the end of May 2013. I weighed 265 lbs and once again I played that yo yo game, eat clean 4-5 days and reward myself with crap for a job well done and lost 15 lbs btwn end May 2013 and 5 July 2013.

By 5 July I had had enough of the yo-yoing and being morbidly obese and I finally had a heart to heart with myself about being huge as a house. For some reason, "it" clicked. So from end of May 2013 to today (May 24) I have lost a total of 142 pounds . I would like to get down to 120 -- but I am not going to complain about weighing 123 lbs.

Wishing all of us continued success on our personal LC WOE journeys!

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23 August 2015 Update:

I lost a total of 151 lbs by 16 November 2014 and weighed 114 lbs. Maintained that loss until I fractured my tibia 4 April 2015. I was wheel chair bound from 4 April until 6 July 2015 and gained 4 lbs! My orthopedic surgeon was thrilled. He said most people that are sedentary for that long usually gain 20-30 lbs since patients tend to eat more than usual! Of course I was thrilled too after he told me that! Because I stayed OP 100% everyday doing the little bit of exercising he allowed me to do!

I have lost 1 of those 4 pesky pounds! So I am down to 117 lbs. I'm not worried overmuch about it! My size one pants still fit the same as do my s/m shirts! So it doesn't really bother me one iota!

Tomorrow (24 August 2015) will be my 18 month anniversary of being in maintenance! To say I am proud of myself is an understatement! I have NEVER done maintenance before! SO I wasted almost 35 years of my life playing that yo-yo off again on again, rinse repeat recycle diet game with myself!

NEVER again! I am emotional drained! I don't think I have another fight in me to battle “Fat Jo” the self-destructive carb-addicted selfish Fat bitch who destroys my good mental/emotional/physical health, self-love and self-esteem. :bash: I know I don't have the emotional fortitude to do so. It is so much easier to stay in maintenance!

I am not by any means saying maintenance is easy, losing weight is hard work, staying in maintenance is also hard work...I just have to choose which HARD work I am willing to invest in and it sure isn't going to be the hard work of losing weight again!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :agree:

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10 March 2016 Update: Two Years of Maintenance Done ~ Starting Year 3!

Wow today is officially my 2nd Anniversary in Maintenance! On this date 2 years ago, I made my goal weight of 130 lbs; as of today, I weigh 116 lbs.

I fluctuate anywhere around 115-117 lbs on any given day. But it is what it is and I ain’t complaining! Sure beats weighing 265 lbs or more any day, huh?

Nothing much has changed in my incredible LC WOL. I’m still IFing everyday and doing ultra-low carbs (no more than 5-6 a day). I eat very simply and eat only "real foods". I feel that the food I eat is simply to nourish my body, that being said, that doesn't mean I don't totally enjoy what I eat but here's one of my favorite quotes that explains it better than I can:

Quote:
A Buddhist “Before Eating” prayer that includes these words:

"By seeing this food as medicine, I will consume it without attachment or hatred, not to increase my arrogance, strength or good looks, but solely to sustain my life."

Posted by Jean (cotonpal) in thud123’s Journal on 9 Jan 2016
That's pretty much how I feel about the foods I eat.

I’m still exercising every day. And I haven’t changed ANY of the routines that I established when I re-started my life and soul changing journey on 5 July 2013 ~ my Independence Day from “Fat Jo” and all those horribly addictive, insidiously toxic, poisonous :skull: killer carb-age foods.

These three parts on "Maintenance" from the Diet Revolution 1972 edition have completed changed my life and my way of thinking about being in maintenance:

Dr. Atkins on "MAINTENANCE ~ Staying at Your Best"
Diet Revolution 1972 pg 261
Quote:
THE MAIN CHANGE THAT HAS TO BE MADE IS IN YOUR HEAD.

Success in maintaining your trim figure and your zest for living is guaranteed if you can achieve this radical change in your thinking.

If you have a chronic weight problem it is essential to totally accept, fully understand that your fat is one symptom of a lifetime disease. Your metabolizing processes are and always will be abnormal. Yes, even if you get slim and stay slim!

Many medical studies have shown that the biochemical responses of a formerly overweight person, such as the excessive insulin release when carbohydrates are eaten, are still quite different from a never-over weight person. In other words, you cannot eat what normal people eat and expect to stay thin.

So say to yourself over and over until you've got it through your rebellious head:

"My tendency to be overweight is one sign of a chronic metabolic disorder. My physiology doesn't handle certain kinds of foods as slim physiologies do. I mustn't try to compare my eating habits to those of a person who has never had a weight problem. Not now. Not ever."

"I have an illness, a lifelong illness. I can't cure it, but I can CONTROL it!"

Basic to controlling it is to understand that it is a permanent condition...about which you can do a great deal. Controlling it isn't all that difficult.
Dr. Atkins on "Amount of Carbs for Maintenance"
Diet Revolution 1972 pg 263
Quote:
The best decision is probably to stay pretty much on the very low carbohydrate diet on which you lost; only now you can feel free to deviate in small ways.
Dr. Atkins on "Maintenance"
Diet Revolution 1972 pg 286
Quote:
Q. Once I get the weight off and am a normal person again, why can't I maintain this normal weight by merely eating normally?

A. Because you only look normal; inside your body is the same metabolic abnormality that made you overweight in the first place. This, by the way, is one of the key points of the whole book.
Now I completely understand that I have a chronic carb processing metabolic disorder and the only way to manage that disorder to stay 100% OP every single day!

Here's my weight loss & maintenance record as of 5 March 2016:



Wishing everyone continued success on your LC WOE journeys to better HEALTH!

My life and soul changing journey continues to Infinity & Beyond because I am a Warrior member of TEAM 5%...

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8 April 2018 Update:

Still going WARRIOR Strong on maintenance with more than 4 years under my much smaller belt. My current weight is 114 lbs. Yeah, it's not constant, it will fluctuate between 112-115 on any given day... Ain't no rhyme or reason for that except that's the way it is! Sure beats weighing pre-re-start weight!

Maintenance really hasn't been that difficult esp since I only eat OMAD and have since I re-started my journey back in 2013. Sure does take care of all my insane food related issues! :thup: It truly is a rare thing indeed if I eat more than once a day!

I truly suffer from a chronic illness called “I’m only hungry when I start putting FOOD in my mouth” syndrome!

On 10 March 2014 I said I would do this ---> "I will increase the carbs by no more than 5 grams daily for 2 weeks. Carefully monitor the results then add another 5 grams daily until I hit my “sweet spot” (aka CCL). Like I said this is the scariest part of this entire WOE."

Imma LIAR LIAR pants on fire! I never did increase my carb intake.

I still do A '72 Induction level carbs each day and that WORKS for me. I don't crave anything. The temptation to face plant into a carb-laden dish has not been on my radar in forever. I am grateful for that!

I really live by the advice Dr. A gave on pg 263; which has been quoted above about stickin' pretty close to the WOE on which I lost the original weight.

My life and soul changin' journey continues as I live the DREAM...💚

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 July 2018 Update:

Five years ago today, marks the day that changed my life forever ~ My INDEPENDENCE Day from "Fat Jo"! :clap:

I finally decided that I had had enough of “Fat Jo” and that it was time to kick her "Fat ass" to the curb for once and for all!

I was sick and tired of all the decades of destructive yo-yo dieting and I knew that I was better than that!

Eating properly was one of the things I could control WHEN and IF I decided to get my act together.

Since starting this journey 5 years ago, I've learned so much about myself and my relationship with food. I've learned to take back the POWER from foods that makes me miserably sick in mind, body and soul.

I finally had to acknowledge that I have a carb metabolic processing disorder and if I was gonna lose weight and keep it off, I had to say bye-bye to those toxic carbs forever. You know the ones...

Eating those horribly addictive, insidiously toxic, poisonous :skull: killer carb-age foods just isn't worth it. And yet I didn't want to give up those carbs for decades.

Better late than never, huh? It also explains why my weight averaged around 250-265 lbs during those decades and 293 lbs at my heaviest, right before I got divorced... [insert Heavy Sigh here!]

I've realized since I started this journey that I must remain ever vigilant about what I eat if I am to remain successful. Yes, that means weighing/measuring and monitoring every morsel I put in my mouth. No excuses ever. It's a CHOICE with every meal I eat.

Some people think it is beyond tedious to track and monitor what they eat day in and day out. That's their decision.

I, however, don't have a problem with that because that is what keeps me in the game and the best, healthiest "me" possible. Doesn't hurt either that I have OCD tendencies and that I am control freak.

Yeah, I've finally learned to control the ONE thing I have complete control over; what I EAT! It took long enough...

I just have to think about the alternative (gain all the weight back and be unhealthy) if I don't eat properly...which isn't an OPTION for me!

I refuse to REGAIN and I don't ever wanna be "Fat Jo" [the self-destructive carb-addicted selfish FAT bitch who destroys my good emotional & physical health, self-love and self-esteem] EVER again...

Yes, totally my CHOICE...

It took a lot of work and time to get where I am today. But I will continue to fight the good fight and stay WARRIOR Strong b/c I am TOTALLY worth it!

I wanna be in the best possible health (mentally and physically) as I get older...

Eating properly & exercising are non-issues! Totally 💚 love that!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 March 2019 Update:

1826 days (= 5 years ) in Maintenance and LOVIN' every single minute of it!

Weekly wt average: 114-115 lbs

Hard to believe it's been 5 years since I made my initial goal of 130 lbs. Where has the time gone??? :daze:

I'm still eating 100% OP w OMAD and exercising daily b/c it really is great for my over-all GOOD health! :thup:

Totally 💚 my WOL!

Being morbidly overweight was Hard,
Losing Weight was Hard,
Keeping the Weight OFF is Hard... naw, NOT really b/c I know what I'd lose if I regained all the weight back... that ain't gonna happen since I am 100% in control of what I PUT in my mouth...

My life and soul changin' journey continues as I live the DREAM...

Mama Sebo Mon, Mar-10-14 05:11

Wow! Way to go! And yes, the journey begins here!

JEY100 Mon, Mar-10-14 05:15

Congratulations again! In 35 weeks! Oh my, you really are a success story...do post more about your weight loss so it will remain in one place for people to read.
There are a number of people in Dr. Westman's support group who remain around 20g TC and never more than 30 to maintain their loss. Their bodies just cannot handle more carbs without gaining and it is perfectly healthy to do so. Sounds like an excellent plan to find your CCL.

Elizellen Mon, Mar-10-14 06:10

Congratulations on your excellent progress, Jo! :thup:

Sounds like a good plan to find out if you can eat more carbs and not regain those excess pounds! :agree:

gweny70 Mon, Mar-10-14 10:01

Wow awesome and inspiring! CONGRATS!!

BrandyRed Mon, Mar-10-14 10:53

Great job.
Keeping weight off sometimes is very hard. Good days and bad days. Keeping most days low carb helps me with cravings.
I do have bad days when I eat too many carbs and then I try to have couple days with as close to zero as possible.
Some people are able to eat more carbs and keep the weight off, but for me nasty cravings go away only with very low carb.

MISSNLA Mon, Mar-10-14 14:15

Congratulations!

Just Jo Tue, Mar-11-14 04:10

Thank You All!!
 
Thank you! I really appreciate your kind words and support.

After careful consideration and thought, I have added a new twist for maintaining the weight loss. I will lose 3-5 more pounds and use that as my cushion before I increase my daily carbs 5 per day for 2-3 weeks. Evaluate the results, then add 5 more carbs a day, etc. In all the years I've done A'72 I never found out what my CCL was/is. I will this time! :)

JEY100 Tue, Mar-11-14 04:57

Great Churchill quote on other thread, where you also mentioned you can't eat certain foods. That reminds me, When adding back the 5g, also consider which food it is. If you add back 5g of cheese, is it the amount of carbs, or something about the hormonal or insulinogenic effect of dairy? What is a typical day's menu now and what do you plan to change? Only asking because I have drifted up from my goal and need to shake up things myself. Thanks,

MISSNLA Tue, Mar-11-14 08:11

Jo, have you placed your daily WOE journal anywhere? Did you limit yourself to certain kinds of foods (meats, cheese and eggs)? Also, did you incorporate excercise as well? If so, how soon did you start - did you wait the initial two week induction or start right away? Did you avoid caffeine the entire time? I'm sure you've posted this somewhere; I just admire your triumph in such a short period of time and would prefer not to reinvent the wheel when it obviously has worked so well for you! :D

esam Tue, Mar-11-14 12:24

yes, we would all like to know the road map you followed. :)

Just Jo Wed, Mar-12-14 03:13

My Journey so far...
 
Okay here’s my journey to date:
I did a lot of research this time around when I restarted A’72. I thought for like a nanosecond that I might try out weight-loss surgery. I said I thought about it for a nanosecond, realizing of course that it’s not the be all and end all of weight loss. It would still take months to drop the weight and people that have the surgery have no more than about 600 kcals daily from the research I’ve been able to find and usually it’s low carb. And I know all about low carb and their success rate after weight loss surgery in gaining back the weight is no better than any other method of trying to lose the weight. I figured I’d try A’72 again because I’m an old pro at it. My biggest struggle, of course, will be learning how to maintain and no matter which way you manage to loss weight -- maintaining it is the real goal!
With nothing to lose (except for WEIGHT) and plenty of time on my hands (I’m a school teacher, so the summer seemed perfect for my new journey) I decided to try eating 600-800 kcals a day (like the weight loss surgery people) with no more than 6 grams of carbs.

What do I eat:
Coffee with International Delight Liquid Coffee Cream 2 T. = 40 kcals & 2g carbs
One bag (5-6 oz) Butter Lettuce type salad, with homemade garlic vinaigrette dressing = 80 kcals & 4g carbs
So I get my other kcals from:
Tuna, Baked Chicken Breast or Broiled Cod
I take 2 multi-vitamins, calcium and potassium

Sounds pretty boring, but I love it -- I know the night before what I am going to eat the next day and that seems to satisfy me and any cravings.
I averaged 756 kcals daily and 6g carbs from July 5 to Jan 1, 2014 and lost 100lbs by 23 Dec.

On Jan 1, I decided I needed to up my kcals. So every week I’d add 50 kcals daily. I try to do 1200 kcals daily but it’s difficult to eat that much food and I still only have 6 carbs daily. I added the one thing I missed most and that was pork rinds. On average, I do about 1100 kcals daily. Some days I do 1200 other days 900, it depends how hungry I am.

Activity:
I exercise every weekday morning for 2 - 2.5 hours. I have a stationary bike that I’ve rigged with my computer keyboard so that if I have to be on the computer, I have to peddle. Being a school teacher, I do a lot of lesson planning etc on the computer. And now that I’ve found all of you -- I peddle as I blog. LOL I’m an early riser so I do this before I go to work in the am.
On the weekends, I can log up to 4 hours depending how much work I have. Okay, I’m not sweating bullets as I peddle, but I am peddling constantly for 1 hour at a time (my behind needs a break every hour). I also weight train every other day for 15 mins. I have a Galaxy Gear watch (goes with the cell phone) and I track how many miles I walk as I teach -- I rarely sit at school (I teach Guitar, Family and Consumer Sciences “Home Ec for those of my generation” and Technology). I can log around 5 miles each day just at school.

So that’s how I got to my 120 pound loss. I've charted my monthly weight loss, so as of March 5 (Month 8) I weighed 133, as you know I've lost 3 more pounds. From size 24 pants (3XL tops) to size 6 (M/L tops).

There's something really weird -- in my mind's eye I'm still "Fat Jo" -- I don't see myself as thin -- maybe that's helping me to stay with this WOL and WOE, I don't know...



I have a motto that I live by that I call SEAL:
Stay Committed 100%
Eat & Exercise Properly
Accept the things I cannot control & change the things I can.
Live my life to be Successful!


“Success is not Final. Failure is not Fatal.
It’s the Courage to Continue that Counts.” Winston Churchill

MISSNLA Wed, Mar-12-14 05:22

You're a winner, Jo! Thanks for sharing this with us - it confirms that I am on the right track and can now look forward to seeing my results soon. :yay: I will definitely use this as motivation on my journey to a healthier lifestyle overall. :thup:

Just Jo Thu, Mar-13-14 04:27

Quote:
Originally Posted by MISSNLA
You're a winner, Jo! Thanks for sharing this with us - it confirms that I am on the right track and can now look forward to seeing my results soon. :yay: I will definitely use this as motivation on my journey to a healthier lifestyle overall. :thup:


Thanks for the kind words missnla!! This really is a journey and not something I want to give up. I've tried this WOE countless time and lost literally 100s of lbs over the years -- gained them all back. Couple of things are so different this time around:

1) I use to think that once I lost the weight, I could go back to eating like other carb-eating people -- after all these years, I know that isn't going to happen because I'm a carboholic! (You can't change what you don't acknowledge!)

2) I never ever tried to figure out what my CCL was so that I could maintain the weight loss -- this time I will! I want to lose about 3-5 more lbs so that I have "wiggle room" as I slowly increase the carbs (5 per day for 2 weeks, then evaluate the results before I add 5 more)

3) I use to box up my fat clothes for later. Then it HIT me, Holy Hannah I was giving myself permission to GAIN the weight back! That was so stupid. I didn't have enough confidence in myself to keep it off -- NOT THIS TIME. I donated everything to a charity thrift store once it didn't fit.

4) I keep meticulous records of my exercising and eating (I weight and measure EVERYTHING - cuz I'm a bit OCD like that).

5) I know what I am going to eat well before I get hungry - no chances of poor food choices or excuses and I always have plenty of "my" food in the frig.

6) I write daily in a journal where I express my thoughts & feelings, etc

Wow didn't realize there was more than a 'couple" of things... Sorry if it's TMI -- and there are probably more... :p

“Success is not Final. Failure is not Fatal.
It’s the Courage to Continue that Counts.” Winston Churchill

Susann Thu, Mar-13-14 07:01

Good job!!


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