Meet Old Jackie:
I started canning weight when I hit puberty. Not sure what changed with me but life was never the same from then on. I went from a very thin girl to a girl that couldn't quit gaining weight. I tried all different types of diets, from the cabbage soup diet, to low calories, weight watchers, and many others. I did well at first, but then would struggle and back came the weight and the frustration. I have known since I was in my early 20's that I had insulin resistance and Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, but I never had a doctor explain to me what was the real cause of these issues.
Last year my husband and I decided that we needed to take our health into our own hands and get the weight off. We started going to a bariatric weight loss doctor. He explained insulin resistance us, and in more depth how carbs turn to sugar and how your body processes them. With this information in hand, my husband and I started to cut our carbs to 50 grams per day.
The weight started coming off and so far this is what I have accomplished:
I have lost 12 inches around my waist, 8 inches on my hips and 6 inches in my chest. My BMI started at 39, and on my last body composition test it was at 29.8. My percent body fat went from 48.9 to 36.7. I went from a size 22 pants to a size 11-13. I still have about 15 pounds to go to hit my weight loss goal. I maintained through the holidays which is good for me. I am now getting back on track to get the rest of my weight off, and I am loving life!!
Meet Jackie Today:
What was the biggest challenge to adopting a carbohydrate-restricted or paleo diet?
Learning to cook again. My husband and I would love to eat chips and salsa. This was our main snack food. So when we decided to change our lifestyle, I had to learn to look for new ideas that we could have. We now make our own jerky, we eat nuts and lots of protein. We do still have some of our favorites that I have learned to convert to low carb. One of these is New York Style Cheesecake.
What advice (if any) would you give to someone interested in trying a carbohydrate-restricted or paleo diet? Were there any obstacles that you overcame that could help future dieters?
Stick with it! The first two weeks are the hardest. Find a partner to follow the plan with you, it sure makes it easier and you can keep each other on track. There are lots of books and websites that can help you with recipes and additional information. Do your research, it will pay off.
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