Success Stories
By Julie Westly, CarbSmart Contributor
Posted 12/14/2002
Paul from Scotland is 34 years old and 6’ 4" tall. Paul calls his low carb program 'PAUL'S LOW CARB DIET!' He combined several aspects from a few different low carb plans to find what worked best for his lifestyle. Paul started his low carbohydrate journey just 11 weeks ago, and he has already dropped from 251 pounds to 210 pounds; he reached his goal weight in a little less than three months! Paul used to wear a (tight!) 40-inch waist, but is now wearing a comfortable 34/36-inch waist.
“I was a professional soccer player," Paul told me. "I used to train everyday for about four or five hours. But I received a serious injury in 1996, and had to stop playing. I still trained, but the excess weight started to pile on anyway. I played part time and weighed about 210 pounds. I had played professionally at about 190 pounds. 210 pounds suited my lifestyle. I was tall, keeping fit and eating what I wanted.”
“I had a degenerative ankle problem from the injury in 1999, and I went into the hospital in February of 2002. I had a wear a plaster cast and use crutches for two months. Needless to say, I wasn't able to do any training. During my recovery period I moved to a 'nightlife hotspot' where I was a five-minute taxi ride from the bars, clubs and restaurants. We were going out to eat 4 to 5 times a week! All of this naturally added to my weight problem."
"It came to a head when I saw my brother for the first time in a while, and he called me - in his typical Scottish fraternally affectionate way - 'a fat lump.' I weighed 252 pounds. Although my height meant that I wasn't noticeably FAT, I felt it myself. It was then that I started to think about losing weight.”
“I had previously only used the Slim Fast diet system of shakes, etc., to lose weight. I also tried to exercise a lot. I had noticed that I had put a few pounds on, so I wanted to get rid of them. I lasted about one week! I quickly got sick of the shakes. They tasted powdery. I felt hungry, and a little bit sickly. Mixing the stuff made it hard. Drinking the stuff at work instead of eating real food was hard. I tended to OVERDO it at night with the 'real food' meal that I was allowed. I feel the Slim Fast system didn’t work for me because as soon as I started eating regularly again, I just put the weight right back on. If someone consumes low, low calorie, like this program proposes, then they have had it if they have some high calorie days. The weight just jumps back on.”
“I had heard about the Atkins diet, and I saw some programs about it on a satellite channel called 'Shop America' featuring a guy called Kevin Trudeau. I had always wondered about it, and had thought, 'I can do that. I like meat, etc.' Being the tight Scotsman that I am, I didn't send off for the informational packet, though!” Paul laughed.
“Then I got up one morning about 11 weeks ago, and there was no bread in the house. I was hungry, so I thought, 'I will have some bacon, eggs and a few mushrooms and try this low carb stuff for a while.' I ate sliced beef (in a prepackaged thingy) for lunch, and some mince (ground beef for you Americans) with a few veggies, tomato slices, mushrooms and onions for dinner. I started drinking black coffee with no sugar (previously I drank it white with 2 sugars, please!) and after four days I had lost about 5 pounds. I couldn't believe it! And I have stuck to low carbing ever since.”
“The worst part of this lifestyle is that I do sometimes feel hungry when I cannot get to low carb food. All the vending machines have are crisps, chocolate, etc., all the take-away shops have high carbohydrate foods. Then, of course, the bad breath in the beginning, which is apparently normal." The good part of low carbing is that I can eat loads of stuff when I do eat. To sum up: When I am at home it's OK, but when I am out low carbing is difficult."
“I am totally amazed by the results! I think I have stuck to low carbing because the results were fast and that gave me immediate encouragement. It’s not been too hard, yet not totally easy. I will stick with it with some modifications now that I am ay my goal weight, as I go out for meals occasionally and have breads and other high carbohydrate things every so often. (I have not chosen to totally cut them out.) I also find a wee glass of white wine helps!”
“People are absolutely amazed at the weight I have lost. My partner has been well impressed after initially saying, 'It's just a fad diet. It can't be good for you.' I said to her that I didn't want to eat six slices of bread and loads of chips. I still eat them, but just every so often and in moderation these days.' ('Chips' is the Scottish word for French fries NOT'crisps,' which is the Scottish word for your potato chips.)
“I have found this way of eating to be very effective. I am not following Atkins, or any other specific low carbohydrate plan. I do my own. Find out all the low carbohydrate foods you can. I never knew cheese was low carbohydrate until about my fourth week of the diet! I had always associated cheese with FAT, not PROTEIN.”
I asked Paul if he had any advice on the following subjects and this is what he said:
What about cheating?
“If you want to eat something, do it. I recently chatted with someone who said, 'I have a challenge tonight. I am going to my hubby's Christmas bash." I said, 'What challenge? Go and razz it up!' If they get back on the plan immediately, they will be back where they were in a few days before. That isn't a challenge - for me anyway. Just do it and don't feel bad about it. ENJOY IT!”
What about stalls?
“I got stuck at about 16 stone for about 5 to 6 days. I went out for a meal with my partner, and put 2 pounds. Then the weight started coming off again."
What are the most important points to remember?
“Be happy!" Paul exclaimed. "Your diet is nothing more than the way you eat; your diet is NOT be just a plan to lose weight! If you stay low carb, then you will lose weight. Drink your water and exercise a bit. (This is a good tip for ANYONE, not just low carbers.) Set mini-goals for yourself. I give myself wee targets to hit. It makes me feel better when I hit them, and gives me a real boost. My next one is 15 stone pounds."
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