Since the diagnosis of Late Stage Lyme about 3 years ago (I will explain relevance of this later), I packed on some pounds. I was able to hide it a while, I am pretty tall, then I realised that I only had one or two pairs of pants I could wear. I had work uniforms from when I was pregnant, and those were the only ones I could wear. It all came to a head in March, Easter to be exact, when I realised I had NOTHING I could wear. Zilch. It hit me like a ton of bricks, something had to give.
I finally decided on a low-carb diet. Note, I didn't say "no carb" diet, I never would have kept to it.
The Lyme keeps me worn to a frazzle. Exhausted all the time, I turned to Energy Drinks. At work, as I guzzled #2, someone grabbed the can and said, "Hmmm. 24 grams of carbs. Per serving. And...there are two servings per can." Holy cow!
And so began the journey.
The changes I made were simple. Changing from regular pasta to the newer carb balance pasta, the low carb version of energy drinks, cutting out anything "white," as in bread, milk, rice, potato, so forth. Instead, I went to low carb version of wraps instead of bread (where the fiber balances out the carbs?) My favorite is the All Out wraps. I can eat all the protein I want...eggs, cheese, meat of any kind. On my less stringent diet, I even eat some breaded things, like breaded chicken breast, for instance. I can load up a wrap with all the meat I want, slather mayo (0 grams of carbs!)(ok, so I eat 1 white thing) or mustard, eat my fill and not be hungry. Meats grabbed for a snack, or make lunchmeat roll ups (be careful of sodium etc in processed meats) at less than 1 gram of carb a piece. I dress up my wraps with melted cheese and so forth, evena passable pizza. What did I notice?
When you cut carbs, you automatically cut calories. That simple. Carb=Sugar=Calories. When you lower carbs and balance properly, you increase fiber. I also noticed that not all reported low-fat foods are low carb. I became an avid label reader. I am not fooled by "whole wheat" versions of bread...they have as much fat and carbs as the white bread. Also, there is NO such thing as a low carb potato chip
.
I allow myself one splurgy type meal every 10 days or so. I have to allow myself this or I would not do the plan, that simple. My stomach gets full rather quickly now, so two slices of pizza fills me where I used to be able to eat a half a pizza myself!
A few weeks back, I hit the dreaded wall. No matter what I did, no more weight was coming off. Instead of dieting even more, I began to eat normally for a few days. Then, I picked up the diet at square one...and the wieght melted off again.
I still eat sugar in my coffee (one spoon instead of two), creamers in coffee (one instead of two!). I love to eat popcorn with my DD while we watch a movie. I happily indulge in the "no no's" of the low carb fruit world, believing there are good carbs vs bad carbs. I do NOT go insane, and that is the secret of longevity with any diet plan.
This past work week, I wore my husband's work pants for the first time in a year or more. I tucked my shirt inside them. I had to belt them at the waist. (My DH works for the same Fire Department as I do so our uniforms are the same). I got flirted with at the store several times, and had numerous co-workers flirt with/compliment me/ogle me when they thought I wasn't looking
. I feel reborn, and confident again, and years younger.
I wonder if I had been even stricter and followed up with an excercise program (all I ever do is work, care for the kid, clean the house...and fall into bed) where I would be? No matter, I am where I WANT to be. Maybe another 10-15 pounds loss will be good. I was able to buy a few new things without being in the Plus Sizes. In fact, when I wear the big stuff, it looks unflattering on me now. I am wearing a pair of shorts I haven't had on in over a year or more as I type this. My body is bathing suit worthy...not bikini worthy, but bathing-suit-in-public worthy.
!!
If you have tried everything and nothing seems to work, try a modified low carb diet and see how it works. Don't go nuts, just use common sense. Once you start to read the labels, it all becomes clear. I actually do not have a current weight, I don't use a scale. I judge by how my clothes fit. I do know that I started at 195, was down to 170 a month ago, not sure where I am now.
Anyhow, this is my story, I didn't spend a ton of money on any weight loss programs, I modfied my own diet and factored in the ocassional "splurge." Lots of water to cleanse. Every one that has ever tried this that I know personally lost significant amounts of weight.
Remember, slow and steady wins the race.
Good luck on your journeys.
Finding the program/routine that works for YOU and makes you HAPPY is the only way to lose..and keep it off. Each of us needs to find 1)a real reason that makes sense to us for losing the weight; and 2)a way to do it that's POSITIVE and doesn't involve feeling deprived. 
(and a lot of luck - Wisconsin Ann)
