An Update From PJ From Illinois’ Low Carb Success Story

Last November featured PJ’s journey for “Success Stories.” (https://www.carbsmart.com/pjillinois.html) At that time PJ had lost 140 pounds, dropping from a high weight of 313 pounds down to 191 pounds. Today, just 18 months from her low carbohydrate start date, PJ is a mere 4 pounds from her goal weight of 150! I thought it was time for an update on her progress, here is what she had to say.

“I am now in a size 10 or a medium. I am not at goal yet – I still have 4 pounds to go – but I am discovering that now it is time that I need to lift weights to TONE, TONE, TONE. The number on the scale is not everything! I am much healthier than I was 18 months ago, and now it is time to get in shape. I walk at least 1.5 miles, and sometimes up to 6 miles a day. I hope to start weight training soon.”

“People who I meet now will never know the ‘fat’ person I was. To them, I am a reasonably thin person. They don’t prejudge me based on my appearance. Instead, I have the chance to make an impression based on who I am and what I believe. I like finally having that level playing field! Too many people are judged only by their appearance in our society. This is the ‘main thing’ I feel, for me, that has changed.”

“People are funny. Most people seem to be genuinely happy for me, but there are those who sit and wait for me to fail… and I am not going to! Most people still try to get me to just have a piece of cake or a cookie, saying that one bite won’t hurt. I tell them that I really am addicted to carbohydrates much like an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol, and ask them if they would insist that an alcoholic have just one drink.”

“There are no struggles. After 18 months, this way of eating has become a way of life. I don’t think about cheating or eating foods I should not be eating. I no longer crave sugary foods. I love the foods I eat, and I eat a lot of different foods. Maintenance has turned out to be pretty easy. I just found that if I add a few low carbohydrate snacks during the day, I maintain without problems.”

“The hardest thing for me being so close to goal is that I still want to lose 20 more pounds, and those around me keep telling me that I don’t see just how thin I really am and that I don’t need to lose any more weight. But in my mind, they don’t see me as I stand there without clothes, fresh out of the shower, to see that I really do need to lose what I feel are ‘a few more pounds’.”

“Being nearly at goal was more than I ever thought was possible. I believed that normal people could not lose almost 150 pounds without pills or surgery. I never ever would have believed that eliminating sugar could have such a wonderful affect on my whole life!”

“Yes, I have changed mentally. I can no longer blame things on my weight. I have to take responsibility. On the positive side, I no longer dread walking on the roadway or going to the movies. I fit in all seats. I can ride roller coasters. I can sit in an airplane seat and have room to spare. I can go to a sporting event or to the movies and sit in the seat without worrying if the arm rests will dig into my sides. I even sit down and gleefully slide from arm rest to arm rest because I more than fit into the seat! It is small ‘victories’ like these that I find so much pleasure in now.”

“Yes, things have changed for me since my pre-low carb days. I no longer go out in public and feel like the fattest person in the group. I can buy clothes from most stores because I no longer need plus sizes. As I mentioned, I enjoy shows, concerts, and sporting events, and I can now enjoy them thoroughly because I fit in the chairs. I don’t have to avoid amusement parks because I fit in all the ride seats with room to spare, and I don’t have to worry about whether or not the ride was meant for someone my weight.”

“I stay away from trigger foods. I really don’t want them at all any more, so this is an easy part of the diet for me. Trigger foods for me would be things with hidden sugars. I can tell when something has sugar in it now, my body gets a warm feeling inside. At that point, I know I have to exercise to burn up those nasty carbohydrate calories. Sugars haven’t always affected me this way. I thought chips and snack foods were my only triggers. I had no idea that sugar had such an affect on my system! The only foods I have added since nearly reaching goal are occasional Pure Delite Chocolate bars, Schwan’s sugar free ice cream, and macadamia nuts (which are ‘funky’ on Somersizing).”

“I had to give up soda…. even diet soda. It seems to spike my insulin and causes stalls. I had to give up caffeine as well. I follow the Somersizing plan as it is designed and find it works great for me.”

“For me, staying on this way of eating is so easy because the food is great tasting and very filling and satisfying. I believe that my weight loss success has come about through planning. Planning is a key element! I find new recipes to make for dinner almost every night. I plan a week’s meals at a time so that when I come home from work, I know what to fix for dinner. I find things to make that are special and serve as treats so that nothing gets boring, and I experiment with food a lot. I have found so many great new foods and recipes.”

“If I were to give any words of wisdom, my advice would be:”

• Commit to yourself. No one controls what you put in your mouth except yourself.
• Once you give up sugar for 5 days or so, the cravings go away.
• Stay legal! Cheating is not worth being stalled for several days – or weeks!
• Plan ahead!
• Cook real foods, and enjoy the foods you eat.
• Realize that a year from today, you will be one year older. You cannot change that, but you can change how you look and what you weigh. The time is ticking away regardless of your decision to diet…so why not give it a try?”
• Commit for one month. See what happens. Take measurements, record your weight, and then stay legal. At the end of one month, if you can’t see reasons to stay motivated, then try something else. We are all different and we all have to find what works for us.

Great job PJ, we will check back with you in a year or so!