Nearly 100 lbs lost (& 100 more to go!) - My story

I am on the brink of having lost 100 pounds.
My story is not unlike many other girls growing up. I comforted myself with food (mostly sugar) since I was a child. My mom tells me stories of how I traded a banana for a piece of candy from our next-door neighbor or the time she discovered my “stash” under my pillow in bed. From as far back as my memory can reach, I was always a chubby girl. I was teased all throughout school and carried a massive amount of shame, guilt, disappointment, and anger into my young teens and on to adulthood.

I tried nearly every diet known to man. (Curves, Weight Watchers, Slim Fast, etc.) A few of them provided results but none of them lasting. I never have been "thin" or at a healthy weight in my adult life. At the beginning of my journey in February 2013 I stood at 5’4” tall, weighed in at 350 pounds and wore a size 28. My mental and physical health were deteriorating at a fast pace. I had developed type 2 diabetes, hypertension and was taking 2-4 pills per day.

February 1st 2013 marks the day I changed my life. I started off eating a very low carbohydrate diet. I have a huge sweet tooth and was completely addicted to carbs. My husband and I had to literally remove all of the processed junk from our cupboards and fridge. Any item that was not good for my diet was removed from our home. It was the best gift I could give to myself in order to stick to the goals I laid out.

For exercise, I committed to walking every day. I found myself getting easily winded; sweating profusely, and my back and knees would start to ache. At first I could only manage to walk one block. I tried to be as active as possible doing yard work, gardening, and cleaning. Meanwhile, working hard on my mental health and accepting the changes into my life.

The challenges I faced, such as not being able to reach for a bag of chips when I wanted a snack, was new for me. Now I face the snack options of jerky, string cheese, or almonds. I started to surprise myself on how easily I could be satisfied and feel full. It didn’t take an entire fridge of food to satisfy me after all!

In my first week on my new diet I dropped 11 pounds! My motivation was soaring and my goals to be free from medications and healthy enough to start a family with my husband were starting to feel achievable.

It's been close to 9 months of sticking to my new lifestyle and the results are astounding. I grin ear to ear as I type these milestones. I never thought them to be possible to achieve!

I am currently down 90 pounds.
I am no longer considered diabetic
I no longer have hypertension
I do not take any medication
I can walk 3 miles without struggle
I currently weigh 259 and wear a size 20/22

The accomplishments and improvements are extreme given what small amount of effort it truly has taken. I'm not sure if it feels that way because I am in the routine or because I simply had reached the right frame of mind to be able to put all of the pieces together and in motion.

I do know that since eating low carb I have not succumb to any cravings and have complete control whereas prior I was hopelessly addicted to carbs. Food was my escape. I ate my emotions. I ate from boredom and out of habit. I would sit there eating one meal while already planning my next. That has all changed now. I eat for fuel and ....who am I kidding! I still eat for taste but now I know when to stop. Food no longer governs my life.

I look forward to getting out and doing things. I use to dread meeting new people and now it excites me. There is this desire inside of me to continually better myself and to make a difference in the world around me. My confidence has improved with every pound I've burned away.

I realize my journey will truly never end. I have approximately 100 more pounds to lose before I am at what a doctor or BMI calculator would deem as "healthy”, however, for now I am going to continue taking this journey of mine One Pound At A Time.

You can continue to follow my journey at: www.facebook.com/onelbatatime