Success Stories
By Julie Westly, CarbSmart Contributor
Posted 2/15/2003
Alicia from Alabama is 22 years old and 5' 8" tall. Alicia has been following the Atkins program for three months, and has slimmed down from her starting weight of 200 pounds to just three pounds shy of her goal weight of 150 pounds. Alicia began following Atkins wearing a size 18, but is now sporting size 10/12s. She would like to eventually wear a size 8/10.
"I started gaining weight when I was 18 years old," Alicia told me. "I guess you could say I stopped caring about what I looked like once I graduated and got out of high school. I struggled with my weight for about four years.
"Then I got pregnant. When I got pregnant, I was still overweight. I weighed 190 pounds, and ballooned up to 233 pounds by the end of my pregnancy. After having my son in September of 2001, I got down to 200 pounds, but I got pregnant again! Once again I gained more weight - up to 232 pounds - before I delivered. After having my second son in August of 2002, I got down to 199 pounds, and that's when I decided to give Atkins a try."
Like most people with weight concerns, Alicia has in the past tried various ways of dealing with her excess weight. "I've tried several things to lose weight," she told me. "I gave a try to the typical low fat-low calorie diet. It only left me feeling starved all the time. I've taken Dexitrim, but that just made me feel sick. I also tried Metabolite with it's claims to "give energy." Well, it didn't give me any energy!"
"I have been low carbing for 3 months," Alicia continued. "I've known about the Atkins approach for about a year. I just got tired of being overweight. A friend of mine had success following the Atkins program so I decided to try it."
"I really LOVE this lifestyle!" Alicia exclaimed. "I feel so much healthier. I am always satisfied with the amounts and food choices. Plus, now I exercise. I walk, and do aerobics, crunches, and other toning exercises."
"This diet really works! I feel it will be something that I will be doing for the rest of my life. I believe I will never have a problem with my weight again as long as I continue eating and following a low carb program, moving through the stages as outlined in Dr. Atkins' book.Soon I'll be in the maintenance phase!"
"I started Atkins on October 21 of 2002, weighing 200 pounds. I am now ONLY three pounds away from my goal weight of 150!! I went from a size 18 to a 10!!! In 3 months I lost 50 pounds!! I am SO much happier! Atkins really works, and I will always continue with the life maintenance phase of the program."
"Plus," Alicia laughed, "now that I've found low carb chocolates, living this lifestyle is a lot easier for me. I know I have an option to some old favorites, and I no longer feel that they have to be on my 'I'll never be able to have' list of foods."
|
