Success Stories
By Julie Westly, CarbSmart Contributor
Posted 9/20/03
Marcia is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and follows CAHHP (Carbohydrate Addict's Healthy Heart Program). Marcia has been a controlled carbohydrate eater since December 1, 2000. She is 5' tall and has dropped from a high weight of 250 pounds and size 24 down to 156 pounds and size 12. Marcia is well on her way to her goal of weighing 125 pounds.
"I have had trouble with weight since I was six years old," Marcia began. "Growing up, my mother harassed me about my weight. We didn't understand the relationship between carbohydrates and insulin over production then. I used to hide food to eat so she wouldn't get angry with me."
"As a junior and senior in high school, I lost weight by starving. I was always having cravings, but looked good weighing 99 pounds when I was 18 years old," Marcia smiled.
"When I started college, I gained 15 pounds every year for the next three years. I got married and finished college. I would go on a diet, lose some, and gain it all back."
"At 25, I had my son and gained 50 pounds while I was pregnant. I weighed about 175 pounds after having my daughter. I continued to try to diet but would only gain any weight I lost back - and more."
"I tried Weight Watchers twice because my sister reached her weight loss goal following it. I lost 25 pounds in six months the first try, and 35 pounds in nine months the second. However, Weight Watchers drove me crazy with cravings. I'd always get to the point where I could lose no more, then, of course, came the embarrassment of weigh-ins when I'd lost none or gained even when I'd been doing everything according to plan. The cost was also prohibitive."
"The good points of Weight Watchers for me, were the weekly support meetings. I had a friend to go with. The support, recipes, information, and cookbooks, I enjoyed. But, all that wasn't worth the loss of my self esteem because I kept failing."
"I followed the Richard Simmons program for about a year," Marcia continued. "In that time period I probably lost about 35 to 40 pounds, but I was constantly thinking about food. What can I eat today to fit into my cards? What can I have next? What will I eat tomorrow? The cravings I had drove me crazy just like before, and I could not live not feeding them. What could I do? I gained weight eating low fat! I finally just gave up," Marcia sighed.
"I'd known about low carbohydrate eating since way back when Atkins was first advertised. I knew that Atkins would work (I'd tried it before), but I had not been able to stay on it more than four months at a time without bingeing and giving up."
"Two and a half years ago I was diagnosed with diabetes because of diabetic neuropathy of my toes. I immediately started eating low carbohydrate, but knew that following the Atkins diet all the time was not going to be possible for me. A friend (newly diabetic diagnosed) gave me the CAHHP book. I read it and started following it instead."
"I lost 25 pounds the first two months, 25 in the next four, 25 more in the next six. The rest came off in the following months. I have been stuck for a while now, but only because I have not been balancing my food intake correctly, and because I need to be more careful with amounts of cheese that I eat."
"I have not had high carbohydrate foods anytime other than the reward meal since I started. I know I can live this way for the rest of my life, without getting frustrated at failure to the point I don't continue. With this plan, I know that if I want a high carbohydrate food I can have it at my next reward meal as long as it is in balance with the other foods I eat then. I can live with putting it off until the next day."
"I am also enjoying being craving free. No urges to binge. No eating until I'm stuffed, still not being satisfied with the food, but still wanting more. I can have what I want. I just have to balance it. I have to have the high carbohydrate foods in the reward meal. I don't feel guilty about cake, ice cream, cookies, or fruit because with this plan, I can balance them into the reward meal. I have learned that for me, pasta, potatoes, rice, cold cereal, and bread are not 'carb worthy.' I like a little granola with plain yogurt!"
"Once I lost the first 50 pounds, I started walking. I walk three to four miles, six to seven days a week now. I ended up with a dog because of the kids and the dog is always ready to go walking with me no matter how early in the morning it is. It's good company."
Marcia has enjoyed some very impressive health benefits as well!
"My blood sugars are wonderful," she beamed "My cholesterol dropped from 286 on medication to 160. My doctor has since taken me off the medication. My triglycerides dropped dramatically, too. My LDL and HDL cholesterol levels are great. I'm off the medication for diabetes, and my blood pressure is wonderful."
"Everyone thinks my weight loss is wonderful. I have great coworkers who understand the program and work around it with me. My husband has not as in tune to 'programs,' though. It embarrasses him for me to ask for special changes in menus when we eat out. But the rest of the family is thrilled and are willing work around it."
I asked Marcia if she had any words of wisdom for our readers regarding:
What about cheating?
"Don't ever cheat. It is harder to get back on because of the 'just this one time mentality.' Also, it slows the loss down."
What should someone do about stalls?
"Wait it out. Check your foods for trigger foods that bother you but maybe not some one else. The "I got to have this" foods are clueing you they are triggers. Check to see if some of your foods have hidden carbs in them."
What are the most important things for a low carber to remember?
"Follow the program and it will work for you."
Marcia enjoys two of her favorite support groups at on the web. "CAFriends is the BEST support!" she said "800 members that really help you when you have a problem. It's exclusively for people who are following on of the Carbohydrate Addicts controlled carb eating programs by Drs. Richard and Rachel Heller."
"Another favorite group of mine is Low Carb Diet Support, which is a Christian support group for low carbers. Any low carb diet program follower is welcome there."
You can find Marcia at MyCAFriends by clicking this link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyCAFriends/
Or you can contact her Christian support group for information on joining by sending an email to: locarb_diet_support@welovegod.org
We will do a follow up on Marcia when she is at goal, so be watching!
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