Weight loss is not easy – this statement will probably resonate to a lot of people who have been struggling for years to shed a few pounds or a good chunk of weight. Not only that, but once you have lost the weight, how do you plan to maintain it? Diets come and go, with some being very popular for one reason or another.
Here is my story and how I combined the Keto diet along with the 2 Week Diet to help me lose 80lbs and 9 dress sizes in less than one year.
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| Me on the right at my heaviest, 210lbs |
I am a mother to a beautiful daughter. I am 5’1”, and at my heaviest, I weighed over 210lbs, which put me into the extremely obese category!! The Keto diet, along with the 2 Week Diet, worked so well that I lost too much weight! I went as low as 118lbs, which worried many of my family members.
Today my current weight is 130lbs. I am happier than ever, I can now take my daughter to mini hiking trips, fun runs and anything else that involves us doing exercise together. We have found that this not only keeps us in shape, but it has given us terrific bonding experiences.
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| I lost weight for my beautiful daughter |
The Beginning
I was a chubby kid. Ever since I can remember I’ve been overweight. Here in my country, a healthy kid is defined as having chubby cheeks, a cute little belly and flabby arms. My eating habits were not healthy. Rice is a staple food in my country and I am very used to having it with every meal. I would consume 2-3 cups of rice per meal, along with some fried meat, usually chicken or pork.
That’s 1,000 calories in one sitting, just to satisfy my hunger.
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| Chubby teenager |
Everything was fine, until I became a very self- conscious teenager. As we all know, it’s in our teenage years that we start being picky about what we wear and what image we want to show to the world. I had a few crushes in school, but I knew that, with the way I looked (I was really overweight), no boy would ever look at me the way they looked at skinny or even curvy girls.
Like most women, I tried a lot of diets. Everything from eating nothing but veggies (that lasted only a few days), to starving myself by eating just crackers, to measuring every bite of food I ate, to trying different kinds of juice cleanses that promise to “detox” your body and supposedly help you lose weight. Guess what? Some would work, but the moment I stopped, the weight came back.
These diets and eating habits continued until my late 20’s. At that time, I was getting desperate for something that would actually work.
The Realization
The day I realized that I was unhealthy and completely unsatisfied with how I looked, was when I needed to attend my best friend’s wedding and I had nothing to wear. Not only that, but when I tried to go shopping for a dress, none of the stores had anything that would fit! To make matters worse, the reception was held at an outside garden which required some walking to get to. I was so heavy that just 5 minutes into the walk, I was already exhausted!
After the wedding, I saw photos of myself and I was not happy! I couldn’t believe that fat girl in the pictures was really me! It was at that moment that I decided that I had to make changes to my diet and start living a healthy lifestyle for myself and my child.
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| The realization that I was unhealthy and unsatisfied with how I looked |
A friend recommended that I check out a diet that she saw on Facebook. I remember asking her, “Is this diet going to force me to eat like a bird again”? I was so accustomed to diets promising weight loss if you ate less that this is what I came to expect. Once I read more about the Keto diet, I was convinced enough to try it.
The Keto Diet
What exactly is the Keto diet? The keto diet is known as a low carb diet. When you eat carbohydrates, your body makes insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is designed to store fat (among other things). Your body will use the carbs in your diet for energy and then store whatever you didn’t need as fat. When you stop eating carbs, the liver turns that stored fat into something called ketones as energy.
This means your stored fat will be used for energy, rather than your body storing fat! This diet goes by other names, including the ketogenic diet, low carb diet, low carb high fat (LCHF), and oftentimes, simply “the keto plan”.
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| No more excuses |
The Journey
Overall, my diet journey was tough. I say “tough” because there are a lot of tempting foods! Imagine going to an event where some of your favorite foods are served and you can’t eat most of the goodies served on your plate! With continuous exercise and my low carb diet, I lost a total of 80 pounds and was able to wear extra small shirt without feeling insecure!
Losing weight is half the battle. The other half is maintaining that weight. For the most part, I’ve stopped drinking sugary drinks (Other than on rare occasions), eliminated chips (I tried to snack on healthy options that are allowed on the diet) and started making the right food choices. I also made it a goal each week to have Sunday as my cheat day if I eat properly the other 6 days of the week. By the way, a cheat day does not mean stuffing your face with all the foods you love, but eating them in moderation.
I think the main reason that I have succeeded this time when I had failed so many other times in the past is that a low carb/ keto diet allowed me to eat to satiety. I didn’t feel hungry for the most part. While there were days when I was hungrier than others, I never felt like I was starving, like I often did on the other diets. To keep me from ever returning to my former self I used the 5lb rule suggested by the 2 Week Diet.
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| Transformation complete, 130lbs |
Success
After losing so much weight, I feel more confident. That confidence has radiated to my work, my personal life and how I look at life in general, because I gained a more positive outlook. My bloat was eliminated, and my skin is glowing! I can now climb stairs and walk long distances without feeling tired. I was able to join a 5-kilometer fun run, and for the first time, I wasn’t that tired walking long distances. I joined several fitness classes (Zumba, yoga, Crossfit) just to keep everything exciting and fresh.
Start With a Goal In Mind Now
Ask yourself; What is it that you want to achieve? This is a question that only you can answer. Do you want to lose weight for health reasons? Do you want to fit into your old clothes again? Start with a goal in mind. Believe me, my motivation to lose weight was a powerful one and it helped keep me strong when I wanted to eat chocolates or binge like crazy on a cheat day. It doesn't matter if you want to lose only a few pounds or go all out for a full-blown transformation. If you want some real motivation, browse online for before and after photos of people who have succeeded on their weight loss journey.
You can also join some of the weight loss forums, communities, or groups that have the same goals as you. You will find many of these on Facebook and other social media outlets. Groups can help you stay motivated and gain new friends. You can share recipes, work out tips, as well as find support when you have those inevitable bad days (Let’s face it, we all have them).
Overall, change will only happen when you decide you want to change, set goals, follow through and accomplish them through hard work and dedication. I wish you good luck on your weight loss journey and I hope my story has inspired you to reach your own goals. If I can do it, you can too!
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