Lyndi From Georgia’s Low Carb Success Story

Success Stories

Lyndi from Georgia is 38 years old and 6′ tall. She has been following the Atkins program since January 19, 2002, and has lost 41 pounds to date. Lyndi started her journey weighing 304 pounds and wearing a size 26. She now weighs 264 pounds and is wearing a size 22! Although Lyndi is unsure of her goal size, she is working toward a goal weight of 180 pounds.

“Ever since I was six years old I have struggled with my weight,” she said, “and I have tried for 32 years to find a diet or way of eating that would help me control of my weight.”

Not unlike most of us who have struggled with our weight, Lyndi, too, has tried several times to diet and lose her excessweight.

“I tried eating low fat several different times to lose the weight. Each time, I gave it the old college try, only to have the same results. I was hungry, hungry, hungry….. all the time, and never satisfied.”

“I also gave Weight Watchers a try, although I was only on it for about a month. I didn’t like having to go to a meeting every week, getting weighed in front of everyone else, and then having to pay for the humiliation!”

“Still trying to find the solution to my weight problem, I gave the grapefruit diet a shot. I made it about two weeks and am honestly surprised it lasted that long, as I really hate grapefruit! To this day, I cannot stomach the smell, and have NEVER eaten another grapefruit since this dismal diet attempt!”

“Next I tried the cabbage soup diet, again, making it for about two weeks. I did lose weight, but was bored with the lack of variety I was allowed to eat on any given day.”

“Then there was my one week try with the 800-calorie-a-day diet. Yes, I lost weight, but I was starving all the time. I couldn’t stop thinking about food! When I finally did get to eat, it was such a tiny amount and often just a salad. It just became impossible to follow.”

“I tried the Slim Fast program for about two weeks. I really missed eating real food. I soon figured out that this was NOT the diet for me. I could not eat a ‘reasonable’ evening meal. I was so hungry from drinking those two meal shakes throughout the day that I would sit down to eat and NEVER be satisfied with the portions defined in that ‘sensible’ meal allowed just
once a day.”

“One of my longer lasting attempts at weight loss was using Dexatrim. I managed to stay on this plan for nearly three months. I lost my appetite at first, but didn’t lose any significant weight. I tried Dexatrim when the low fat ‘everything’ exploded in the supermarkets. I didn’t realize I couldn’t eat a whole box of Snack Wells and still not lose weight.”

“Also on my list of attempts was my try with Metabolife. My appetite was so increased while taking this that I knew it wasn’t helping at all. I took my remaining supply and gave it to a coworker who swears by it for an energy boost.”

“My longest attempt at weight loss was with taking Phenteramine. After six months, I had lost about 50 pounds. Unfortunately, its effect started to diminish after that, and I was right back to my old eating habits. I didn’t encounter any negative side effects, and did get a lot done around the house because I had so much energy, though,” Lyndi laughed, “but as soon as the effects of the drug wore off, I put the weight back on and then some. Luckily, I did not use the Phen Phen mix, simply the Phenteramine, so I wasn’t terribly concerned wit the heart complications that we have seen and heard about with the Phen Phen combinations.”

“I used Meridia for one month and found that it didn’t help curb my appetite or desire to eat at all. After the first month, I was no longer willing to invest in a drug that had virtually no effect on me. I quit taking it and continued to gain weight.”

“I also gave Jazzercise a try. I did it not only to lose weight but to tone up. I Jazzercised for about four months and then got lazy. I toned up, lost weight and had so much extra energy. It was easy to do once I got there. The hard part was motivating myself to get into the car and driving myself to the Jazzercise facility!”

“I had heard about low carbing from a colleague a few years ago. When she explained no potatoes, no bread, no milk, no fruit, I shook my head and said this diet is NOT for me. I kick myself now for not starting this way of eating two years ago!”

“I was totally disgusted with my weight. I was heavier than I had ever been. Nothing was working, and I was feeling out of control. I figured I had never tried low carbing before, so, why not?”

“There are both good and bad parts to low carbing for me. The best part of this lifestyle is that I don’t have to count calories. I know that someday I may have to, but for now I don’t. I get to eat steak and seafood. I can eat rich sauces if I want to. Generally, I keep it simple. I am eating less and less processed and prepackaged foods and that has to be a good thing!

“The bad part is that, yes, I miss some of the things I used to eat. Potatoes, a midnight bowl of cereal, chocolate, and ice cream. All the junk! Most days it isn’t hard and the cravings are not there. However, one week a month (TOM) I am almost out of control again with the old cravings.”

“But,” Lyndi continued, “I have managed to lose weight and be satisfied with my food intake. In other diets, it meant sacrificing one for the other. Not with low carbing! I definitely see myself sticking with this way of eating. Some situations will make it harder to stick to plan than others, but if I fall off the wagon (and I have), I plan to get right back on.”

“Initially, when I began low carbing, I was extremely constipated. Once I made some modifications, it all worked itself out. I am still, at times not at my mental best. I have started taking some 5HTP to counteract this. I found myself a bit depressed after the initial high from the weight loss and going into ketosis. I am not as sharp mentally as I was prior to starting the eating plan and that is probably the biggest concern I have right now. My job entails a lot of little details and fine points. I have forgotten things and had trouble staying focused on my projects, but I expect the 5HTP will correct this.”

“Initially I received lots of negative feedback from uninformed people. Things like, ‘You can only stay on that diet for a very short period of time,’ ‘The high fat diet isn’t healthy,’ and ‘It just doesn’t make sense because the FDA says you must eat low fat!’ Now, however, everyone notices my weight loss and tells me how great I look.”

Lyndi offered some advice to her fellow low carbers:

“Low carbing is not a quick fix. This is a way of eating for the rest of your life. If you go back to eating all those carby foods, the weight is going to come right back on! Drink lots of water, don’t forget to take your dietary supplements, be patient through your stalls, and don’t cheat! If you do, get back on plan ASAP and find out what your triggers are so that you can avoid them in the future!”

I look forward to sharing updates on Lyndi’s progress with you and hope in the near future she will be sending some photos for us to see also! Go get ’em Lyndi, so we can include them in the next update!!