Success Stories
Alicia From Pennsylvania's Story
By Julie Westly, CarbSmart Contributor
Posted 1/10/2003
Alicia from Pennsylvania is 33 years old and 5' 4" tall. Alicia has been following the Atkins program since July 23, 2002, and dropped from a high weight of 234 pounds to 190 pounds. Her dress size has shrunk from a size 20 down to a size 16. Alicia's goals are to weigh 135 pounds and wear a size 10.
"Hi, my name is Alicia and I'm a carb-o-holic," Alicia began. "I have been overweight since the birth of my kids."
"I have tried every weight loss regime invented, including those horrible shakes for breakfast and lunch and then a 'sensible dinner,' Alicia told me. "All the while, I was steadily gaining weight. Then someone from a former job introduced me to Dr. Atkins' audio book. I listened to it on the ride home and stayed in my car in the driveway until it was finished! I thought Dr. Atkins sounded very convincing, but I still wasn't totally sold on low carbing."
"Then two nights later when I was unable to sleep, I saw an infomercial where they were selling videotapes and Dr. Atkins' was the star. I shot up in bed, ordered the tapes, and began the diet the very next day. Of course, my friend never did get his audiotapes back," Alicia laughed.
"My husband does most of the cooking in our house. He has always been so thin! I began watching how he ate. Without realizing it, he was adhering to the Atkins Nutritional Approach. He ate the way that I should have been eating! He never ate bread, bagels, rice, potatoes, sweets, or chips. Never! Occasionally he may have some pasta, but not often. I began to think that low carbing might not be so bad after all."
"All this made me remember my second pregnancy. I developed gestational diabetes. The nutritionist prescribed a low carb diet, which
took the disease away completely."
"So, I began. In two weeks I lost 12 pounds! I stayed on Induction beyond the initial two weeks, first because I had so much weight to lose and secondly because this was the easiest way to avoid mistakes in my carbohydrate intake. The inches came off first, ten inches in the first month! My keto strip was dark purple everyday. My keto strips were the greatest diet aid that I had at my disposal. I began quoting Dr. Atkins like a mantra."
"My lethargy was gone in a matter of days. Prior to my 'change of life style,' I'd gone through many alarm clocks. They would end up smashed against the wall or on the floor," Alicia grinned. "Now I had energy to spare, and many days I was up before the alarm clock even went off! With a husband, two children, a full time job, and being a full time student, I have found that energy is a good thing! Of course, the fact that I was maintaining a 4.0 GPA, meant that there wasn't anything that I couldn't do, including, losing weight and changing my style of eating."
"Many of my well meaning friends and family warned me that this way of eating could not be healthy. To their criticism I said, 'I'm over 200 pounds in a family whose medical history includes diabetes and heart disease; that is what is not healthy!" Although I didn't have any severe health problems, the little aches and pains disappeared when I began low carbing, and my premenstrual symptoms ceased to exist. Even better, my mood was better. I became more patient."
"The weight loss started gradually. Then one day when I was showing an apartment I spotted something shiny on the floor. When I bent down to pick it up, I found that my wedding ring had just slipped off my finger! And no one ever mentions this, but even my shoe size also changed! My feet were smaller - 0ne whole size smaller! (As if I needed a reason to go and buy more shoes.):
"Whenever I would lose my resolve I went the Atkins' Center website, the before and after pictures there were great motivation for me. I have been a good little Atkins' Dieter. I enjoy sliced pepperoni and cheese, deviled eggs, or macadamia nuts for a snack. My favorite dinner is Swedish meatballs and buffalo wing. (Yes together!)"
"My mother and husband are going to treat me to a whole new wardrobe as a result of my weight loss success, and I took all my fat clothes to the women's shelter down the street from my office. (I love that I am able to share my success in all different ways.) If anyone that comes to me and is serious about losing weightI let them borrow my Dr. Atkins video and audiotapes. And, of course, I always refer them to the Atkins' Center website and tell them that weight loss is just a mouse click away."
"I tried diet pills. There was a diet doctor in our area, and I tried the pills with a friend and lost a lot of weight, but I gained it all back once I stopped going to the doctor. I tried exercise, but would carb up for my workouts. I felt tired all the time, I fell asleep at work several days, and I was grouchy."
"I would tell a fellow lowcarbers to not cheat - not even a little Cheating is the kiss of death. Hang in there through all the stalls; you will get there! And don't forget to drink your water and take the appropriate supplements!"
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