Success Stories
By Julie Westly, CarbSmart Contributor
Posted 4/19/2002
Gerald and Linda from New York have both reached their goal weights by following a low carbohydrate lifestyle. Gerald follows the Atkins program, and Linda, who started with Atkins and then switched to CAD (The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet), is now back to Atkins.
Gerald is 52, 5' 10" tall and has lost 55 pounds, going from his high weight of 205 pounds down to 150 pounds. Linda is 58, 5' 1" tall, and has dropped 32 pounds, going from 132 pounds down to 100 pounds.
"In December of 1998," Gerald said, "I decided I had to do something about my weight and my health. I weighed 205 pounds, my cholesterol was too high (257), my HDL was too low (34), and my triglycerides were too high (415). I was taking medication for hypertension. I had just read Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution, and it seemed to promise the world. Nevertheless, I decided to try it. It took a year of on and off low carbing, but I finally realized my goal weight of 150 pounds a year later."
"I went off some of the year because I had to have major back surgery, which turned out very well. I knew that to maintain that weight loss this way of eating would have to be permanent, so I continued to low carb. I have been successfully maintaining my loss for the past two years. All total, I have been low carbing a little over three years."
Here is a comparison of Gerald's blood lipid levels:
| | Before Low Carbing | After Low Carbing |
| Date | 11/15/96 | 10/03/2000 |
| Total Cholesterol | 257 | 205 |
| LDL | 140 | 79 |
| HDL | 34 | 114 |
| Triglycerides | 415 | 61 |
"Also," Gerald added, "I was able to cut my hypertension medication in half. I hope in the future to be able to cut it out entirely. I was really happy in what I was able to achieve. I lost 55 pounds and was able to dramatically improve my blood lipid levels. My wife, Linda, has been low carbing for the same period of time. She has not only lost weight but improved her blood lipid levels as well."
"I had never been on a diet for weight loss before low carbing," Gerald continued, "but I had tried several times to lower my cholesterol through dietary means and had failed miserably. Low carbing is the only way of eating that has brought down my cholesterol and triglycerides!"
"What I like about this way of eating is that I am rarely hungry. Fat is very filling, and I eat lots of it. The only fats that I avoid are the trans-fats. I plan to stick to this way of eating the rest of my life."
"I began my low carb life style three years and four months ago," Linda told me. "I had lost weight on the Atkins plan back in the 1970's. I lost 14 pounds in two weeks, and got back down to 100 pounds. My problem was that I thought of it as a diet and not a lifestyle, and I went back to my old eating habits. Needless to say, over the years, I gained it back and then some!"
"When I was 155 pounds, I went on a low fat, low calorie plan and lost 15 pounds. I was hungry all the time and I felt just awful! My all-time high size was 14P when I weighed 155 pounds; at 132 pounds (after losing the weight with a low fat, low calorie plan) I wore a size 12P."
"On top of the excess weight, my blood lipid levels were very high in spite of the low fat diet. I attribute that to good old genetics. My former physician wanted to put me on a cholesterol-lowing medication. Working in the medical profession for many years, I knew what those medications can do to a person's liver and refused. It was back to low carb for me."
"I started with the Atkins program, switched to CAD (The Carbohydrate Addict's Diet), (Andrew, I would insert the link to the book here) then back to Atkins again. I never felt deprived and lost the cravings after a month or so. I have never looked back! I lost the excess weight and have been maintaining my weight between 100 and 105 pounds for over years. Now I wear a size 3/4 P!"
"My lipid levels now put me at one half the average risk for heart disease, CVA and diabetes. My new physician and cardiologist are very happy and strongly recommend this way of life to many of their patients.
Here is a comparison of Linda's blood lipid levels:
| | Before Low Carbing | After Low Carbing |
| Total Cholesterol | 285 | 238 |
| LDL | 189 | 149 |
| HDL | 34 | 92 |
| Triglycerides | 415 | 42 |
"I never feel deprived or hungry, and I don't miss any of those high carbohydrate foods that put me at risk for heart disease, CVA, and diabetes. I think everyone should follow this wonderful and healthy way of eating for life!"
"Lots of people over the past three years have told me how very unhealthythis way of eating is. I just carry copies of my blood work and strut my stuff. I couldn't care less what those idiots think. And now I have many of them asking me all about low carbing. I've even converted a few!"
In closing, I asked Gerald and Linda if they had any advice to offer low carbers.
Linda said, "DON'T EVER CHEAT! It isn't worth going back and forth to induction and having ridding yourself of those nasty carb demons over and over again. As far as stalls? Just wait them out. If you are doing the program by the book, the stalls will eventually end. The most important thing is to READ, READ, READ, and READ THE BOOK. Search out many low carb sites for information. STAY AWAY from legal treats until you are maintaining, and even then go easy on them. Drink your body weight in ounces of water and take the recommended supplements!"
Gerald added, "Drink lots of water, be patient, learn as much as possible by reading different low carb books, and don't get discouraged if you fall off the wagon. It happens to all of us. And it helps a lot to join a support group online. Linda and I both enjoy a number of online low carbohydrate support groups and web sites."
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