Shrinking to Succeed

Another diet? Oh, great! Finding the right combination of foods to maintain a healthy lifestyle can be a life-long, and frustating, process. It has been for me. Since high school I have battled to stay at a healthy weight, for the most part losing the battle. I counted calories, I watched my fat intake, I tried diet pills, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, just about every fad diet that came onto the market.

Then came the day two years ago, I watched a news program, and it was a segment on the Dr. Atkins' Diet. That same evening on another station, another news program aired a segment on the Dr. Atkins' Diet. Neither story was negative. It caught my attention. Dr. Atkins' theory on the effects of carbohydrates was a subject I wanted to know more about. I'm not a big meat eater, never have been, and in July of 2002, low-carb diets were not yet the rage they are today. I was at a desperate point though, weighing 229 ½ pounds, the highest the scales had ever been, and I needed to find an answer. I had just gone on a low-fat, low calorie diet the year before and lost 40 pounds, and it hadn't been easy. But I hadn't stayed with it and slowly the pounds had come back on with a few added for emphasis. My self-esteem was at an all-time low. So I decided to give this low-carb diet a try. What did I have to lose? Some weight would be nice. A lot of weight would be better. So I got myself a 1973 copy of the "Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution" book.

According to the book, there were four phases to this diet. I read through the whole book before I made a decision. What the book said made sense to me. My husband and children had no problem with weight. They ate everything and still stayed slim. I cooked for them, they ate what I ate and then some, so what was the difference? I had come to my own conclusions that their bodies simply processed food differently than mine, but I had not figured out why. Dr. Atkins' book helped to clarify what could be the problem. And that was the impetus that got me to try the diet. He had validated what I already thought might be the problem.

The book said there were four phases to this diet. Since I had so much to lose (in my estimation), I stayed with the first phase for around 10 months. Between July, 2002, and July, 2003, I lost a total of approximately 85 pounds and 12 inches. I shocked myself. I wasn't hungry, I didn't have cravings, I was eating plenty and I didn't have to exercise myself to death. I loved walking and so I walked; I did a set of sit-ups every other morning and did a few arm exercises with 5-pound free weights, but I didn't have to spend hours at a health club doing exercises I didn't enjoy to lose the extra weight. This is the exercise pattern I still follow. Was this an extraordinary amount of weight to lose in that length of time? Yes, I believe it was. But I felt great, and as long as I felt good, had energy, wasn't ill, I was going to stick with it.

For the first time in my life I had found a food plan I could live with. I was satisfied with what I was eating, as well as the variety of foods. According to a recent article in The New York Times, approximately 70% of Americans are concerned about mad cow disease. I'm not a big fan of red meats anyway and I eat very little of it on the food plan I follow. Neither do I like fish, so I don't eat that either. I stick mainly with poultry and white meats, like pork. I eat pork chops, hot dogs, Italian sausage, bacon, cheeses, and eggs. But I also eat broccoli, cauliflower, the occasional yam, salads, green peppers, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc. Deserts have always been my downfall. And low-calorie sweetener containing aspertame usually leaves me with an upset stomach, an aftertaste, and unsatisfied with sweet things. Splenda has changed everything for me. It doesn't give me an upset stomach and is an artificial sweetener I can live with. Low-carb candy bars, brownies, cookies are all a part of my eating plan now, along with low-carb ice cream and, of course, whipped cream. I can make a nice sundae with a small scoop of low carb ice cream, cut up strawberries, and add whipped cream. It's great! I don't get cravings. That's not to say I don't splurge on occasion, but it is no problem going right back to my eating plan.

The worst problem I have had is having clothes that fit right. But I have always loved vintage clothes and second hand stores have become a favorite. Clothes shopping is no longer a chore, now it's an adventure.

My favorite day, I think, was the day I was able to fit my original wedding band back on my finger. It had been a good 15 years since I had been able to wear it. To me, that was my signal that I had succeeded.

In July of 2004, our first grandchild was born. As my son-in-law was deployed to Iraq, I spent five weeks with my daughter at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. My son joined us, and as luck would have it, my granddaughter was born while he was there. She was my birthday present that year. The other present was the return of my other son, from deployment in Iraq. And I was able to enjoy every minute with all three of my children and my grandchild. No huffing and puffing, and not feeling good about myself. I felt great, and my children were proud of what I had accomplished. Just as proud as I am of their accomplishments.

When my son came home to Washington in August, he wanted to visit Seattle. We walked up and down hills, a full day of sightseeing, and I kept up with him the whole time. Another achievement that made me feel good.

Just existing, in a miserable state, and huffing and puffing through life isn't living. Being able to experience and be a part of life, that's what counts. And that's what I do now.

Preliminary research done by Duke University has supported that a low-carb diet can lead to significant and sustained weight loss. For me, two years is sustained and 85 pounds sure is significant. My life has changed for the better. Sticking with a good food plan that works for me has only been the beginning. I enjoy life much more, and I'm having fun. I'm doing things I didn't think I could do. My self-confidence has risen. The world is a brighter place.

I'm not saying this is the magic food plan for everyone. I've learned that how we eat depends on the chemistry of our bodies. And each of us is different. We all burn carbohydrates differently; I look at my family and know that's the truth. I researched the diet I chose before I started, and I paid attention to how my body was reacting to what I was eating. I read the labels closely in the supermarket before I put products in the basket. I went into this never dreaming I would succeed, or that it would be as effective as it has been. But I am delighted.

Today it is much easier to find foods to eat and it is exciting to find the variety in the store. But if the variety wasn't there, I would still find a way to stick with it.

Apparently more than 10 million people follow some form of low-carb lifestyle. Is it a diet rage as all the media hype suggests? Maybe. But after 30 years of trying to find a combination that works for me, I'm finally happy and satisfied. I've been following this plan for more than two years and for the first time I don't crave foods that have a negative impact on me. And by succeeding at shrinking, who knows what else I can succeed at? The possibilities are endless.

Several sources used for this article include:

"Duke Health Brief: Low-Carb Diet Effective In Research Study." Friday, January 16, 2004. www.dukehealth.org/news/healthbrief_july02_3.asp

"Restaurant Chains, Too, Watch Their Carbs" by Julie Dunn. The New York Times, Sunday, January 4, 2004. www.nytimes.com/2004/01/04/business/yourmoney/04carb.html