A Weight Loss Journey to Becoming My Better HALF

My Weight Loss Journey to Health

It has been almost 2 full years now that I have been on a journey.

In July of 2015, I was feeling terrible.  I was so overweight that walking even short distances was painful.  By that I mean that it was even hard for me to walk around a grocery store.  My feet and legs were ALWAYS swollen.  I had eaten myself into a diabetic diagnosis, my blood pressure was high, and daily tasks of managing my household would be exhausting.

I simply was NOT enjoying my life!!!

I honestly felt like if I didn’t do something to lose a few pounds, I wasn’t going to be around to see the next 5 years.  Back then the idea of even losing a few pounds was GINORMOUS!!  My goal at that point was to get back under 300 pounds (there I said it).  I don’t even remember when my weight crept up as high as it was, I think it was a slow process over the years of just not taking care of me.

I remember, I actually had to start thinking of it by breaking the amount down into 5 pound chunks,  looking at the bigger picture my brain would start to short circuit LOL!

Over the years, I would use  “comfort foods” to self medicate and push emotions down.  I would put my kids to bed and then go and eat a bag (and I’m talking the entire bag) of potato chips almost every night.  During the day I was busy and did not take care of myself or eat properly, often times I didn’t eat anything until supper when I had to feed the kids.

The combination of eating so much junk and living a very stress filled life caused my blood sugars to start climbing higher and higher until finally I had to go on medication to control it.  My blood pressure climbed along with my sugars up to a level that was no longer normal and I had to be medicated for that as well.

In July of 2015, I decided that I was going to try eating low carb.  I always had brief success when I tried the “Atkins” diet in the past, but I never stuck to it for more than a few weeks.

The thing was I felt like if I didn’t drop weight quickly in the beginning I would have given up (again) and gained even more weight.

I did some research and decided to try what a friend and mentor of mine was doing.  She always made it look so easy.  All you have to do is keep your NET Carbs under 20 a day she would say.

Hmmm…. that doesn’t sound that hard!

My mom was my low carb buddy, she and I together joined a group that my friend Lynn Terry hosts called the 90 Day Low Carb Challenge and we started counting carbs, not calories.

I started my journey on August 3, 2015.  My mother joined me soon after as a support.  She now tells me that she didn’t think this would last for more than a week or two as did any other “eating plan” that I tried in the past.

So bit by bit and week by week I started the plan.  I kept track of what I was eating through MyFitnessPal, and the weight actually started dropping off!  In the beginning it was almost like it was melting away.  Which is really good because otherwise I would have given up for sure.

I went back this morning and looked through all of my MyFitnessPal check-ins, and it really impressed me, lol… In my first week eating LCHF, I lost 8.5 pounds, in the first 4 weeks I lost a full 20.8 pounds.

Three of my favorite and everyday things back in those days (and still today):

1. 1. 1. 1. Pecans and Cheese – This was my favorite snack food.  Pecans are one of the best nuts because they are high in fat and not as high in carbs.  Paring it with cheese, just makes for a quick and easy snack.  In fact, I had it the other day with my grandson.  I really enjoy the Cracker Barrel Herb and Garlic cheese with pecans.

         A post shared by Heather (@athomewithheather) on Jul 5, 2017 at 10:19am PDT

      2. 1. 2. Coconut Oil. I put coconut oil in my coffee in the morning. It is a great energy that burns very steadily in your system, and give an energy boost in the morning.  I get Omega Nutrition Coconut Oil because the lady at the health food store said it had a very neutral smell, and was a good quality. I’ve just always gone with that brand
         2. 3. Spitz Sunflower Seeds. I had to have SOMETHING to replace the craving for late night snacks. Sunflower seeds are a good salty treat, but they are good for you!!  This worked for me and since that day I have not bought another bag of potato chips for my own consumption.

         Two events from that time really stick in my memory.

         The first was my grandson.  He was not due to arrive until mid-October, but decided to make an appearance in mid-September.  My daughter had to have an emergency C section as little baby D was breech.

         She wanted and needed me to be in the operating room with her.  I know without at doubt, that if I hadn’t lost 28.5 pounds up to that point, there would have been absolutely NO WAY for me to get into the scrubs that were required for me to be in the OR to watch the birth of my grandson!

         The second event that really sticks out for me was a trip I had scheduled to take to Florida.  It was for a seminar, and I had missed all the previous events making excuses but really, it was because I knew I was in no shape to fly or be that far away from home.  The trip was at the end of October, and I remember that I was seriously afraid that I would not fit in the airplane seat.

         I worked really hard, and by the time I had to go I had lost a full 40 pounds!!  It was a tight squeeze, and a bit of an uncomfortable ride, but I FIT!!!

         After those two events, I knew I could do this, and I knew that I WOULD DO THIS!!

         This was just the first few months of this amazing and wonderful life changing journey that I have been on over the past two years.

         It is a journey to becoming my BETTER HALF….

         But Christmas was coming, could I avoid all the carby traditions that have become such a Hallmark of our family Christmas? Stay tuned for part 2 of the journey.

       

       

      Talk soon,

      

       

       

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