Peggy From Georgia’s Low Carb Success Story

Success Stories

Peggy from Georgia is 43 years old and is 5′ 7″ tall. She has lost 46 pounds to date following the Atkins program. Peggy began low carbing in July of 2001 weighing 224 pounds and wearing a size 24. Now, at 178, she is nicely in size 16s. Her goal is around the corner; she would like to weigh 158 and wear a size 12.

“I was never real big,” Peggy told me. “But I remember my mother putting me on diets when I was young, perhaps when I was 12 or 13 years old. ”

“I have been to Weight Watchers twice after the birth of each of my children, once in 1988 and again in 1992. Additionally, I exercised and used the Denise Austin exercise tapes. I lost 60 pounds each time, only to gain it back – plus more.”

“I tried Metabolife, but didn’t care for the ma haung that was in it.”

“I tried Meridia and did not like it. It was very expensive and my insurance no longer covered it.”

“I have tried Phenteramine, but did not like that “speedy,” nervous feeling. I already had anxiety attacks.”

“I have tried Xenical, and sometimes I still take it when on Atkins, maybe once a week.”

“All of these attempts to lose were aimed at getting rid of my post-baby fat. Each attempt lasted about a year. I thought the Weight Watchers meetings were boring. The weight loss was all right, and I felt better about myself for the results I had. Writing down what I ate and marking off the boxes and exchanges as I used them were what made Weight Watchers hard for me. I quit and went back to my old way of eating both times.”

“I was depressed and on medication. I was complaining to my sister and she told me to try cutting carbs out of my diet. She said I would feel much better. I gave it a shot. After just five days my pants fit better and I felt more energetic! I just kept up this way of eating and my pants size continued to dwindle! I did not weigh myself on the scales much until I had dropped more weight.”

“I go to the doctor each month for my weight loss and myanxiety. He did not agree with me doing the Atkins program. He told me to count calories. He said it was the “only” way, and gave me a diet sheet to fill out. The next month when I came back I had eggs, cheese, meat, nuts, etc., on my sheet. He looked at it, hand it back and again tell me to count calories. I kept losing each month and never showed him another one of my menus sheets. He just stopped commenting on HOW I was losing and just said I was ‘doing good’.”

“I have know about low carbing for about 5 years. My brother lost with great success and kept it off using this way of eating. My sister also lost a lot. Her husband’s cholesterol went down from eating low carb. They all follow the Atkins plan.”

“The only bad parts of this way of eating for me have been some constipation (the reason I still occasionally use the Xenical), and some leg cramps at night. I am taking multivitamins, liquid minerals, potassium tablets, and drink diet tonic water with quinine if I have it. That usually does the trick.”

“I am fully satisfied all the time, never hungry. I love low carb bars for breakfast along with my eggs, although I limit my bars to two a week. I just plain feel better with all the carbs out of my system. It’s the easiest thing I have ever done. I can lose the rest of my weight and go on maintenance like my brother and sister have done!”

“Everyone at work knows I follow a low carb way of eating. I tell them about it and type up things for them to follow. They try it and don’t make it through the first two weeks! I have just started telling them that I follow the Atkins plan, and that they need to read the book like I did!”

“The most important thing to remember is to keep your carbohydrate consumption to between 20 and 30 grams a day. Don’t weigh yourself too often; just go by the way your clothes look and fit. If you cheat, do it within an hour time frame and the very NEXT meal, eat low carb again. (This is much like the way Hellers’ reward meal is laid out.)”

“Do remember that a stall is actually a very long period of time. No weight loss for three weeks is NOT a stall. I would have a week or two or more with no loss, but would never change anything I did. It eventually broke and the loss started again. Remember this is a way of life, not a diet!”

I look forward to Peggy giving us an update and pictures when she reaches her goal. She is well on her way! Congratulations, Peggy!