Before/After
Here are a few "Before and After" pics throughout my weightloss journey. And although I am not finished, I know that I have come a very long way from my highest weight. Which was 400 lbs. Some of you may have seen these pictures before if you follow me on my Facebook page, "LowCarberista's Carb Conscious Community" or on my Instagram account @LowCarberista.
I have set my final goal to be one I believe to be attainable. And that is to hit my goal weight of 160 lbs. by the end of 2019. I'll be keeping you updated to help hold myself accountable. I feel it is what is needed for me at this point to hit my last goal. I've already lost 187 lbs to date but I have 53 more pounds to go. I actually made that goal when I first started many years ago. Once I hit that weight, I have decided that I will re-evaluate where I am at after talking to my doctor. I am very fortunate that my current doctor is Keto/Low Carb friendly and extremely supportive. She is a real gem! *Update* I have had a 20 lb weight gain due to "forced" errors. All my doing, of course. A very long holiday stretch with my hubby. It was a great time but not counting macros, (too many calories and fat) eating too much dairy and diet soda, has caused the weight gain. I've been there before. You just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move forward. I'll do what I know works. Following my personal macros and cutting way back on the low carb foods that cause inflammation. And of course, no cheat or treat meals.
The picture above on the left was me at my heaviest. The picture on the right was taken many years after. I've lost even quite a bit more weight from the picture on the right. Believe me, I know my hair on the left wasn't flattering. But it had grown out after chemo and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it being that short. I was just thrilled that it actually grew back! I was really afraid that it wouldn't.
Honestly, this seems like a lifetime ago compared to where I am at right now. My diabetes has been reversed, no more high blood pressure, acid reflux, fibromyalgia, back and neck pain just to name a few. By the time that the picture above of me in the pink shirt was taken I had already lost a bit of weight. Although not enough yet to reverse the diabetes and high blood pressure. But, after my initial weightloss happened (68lbs) my arthritis, neck and back pain had reduced considerably. And the acid reflux was noticably better.
The picture above on the left was taken of me right after my second cancer. I had Uterine Cancer first then was diagnosed with Breast Cancer about 2 years later. I had finished up with the surgeries, chemo and radiation. Unfortunately, I did go on to gain more weight. I actually hit my heaviest weight after having cancer. At this point I was seriously metabolically destroyed. I didn't start a keto/low carb diet until a couple of years later. The picture of me on the right was taken only a few months ago. Me at 213 lbs.
The black and white pic above, if I remember right, was taken in 2016.
It's hard to believe but this picture above was only taken a few months after the black and white picture above it. This is an example of what dramatic changes happen quickly when you cut out the low carb foods that stall you and bring those carbs down to 20 total carbs a day. Big changes happen real quickly.
I keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race, but if I am to be honest, I would say that it can become frustrating at times. I have definitely had big losses over the years. And I do feel as if my final weightloss goal is within my reach. But many times my weightloss has stalled for long periods of time. Due to many different factors. Eating foods that even though they are low carb foods, they stall my weightloss or seriously slow it down, stress, not getting 8 hours of sleep, eating maintenace level carbs instead of eating fat loss level (10 to 20 a day) carbs and letting one too many "special occassions" like holidays take me off program. However, I have always gotten right back to a low carb way of eating and the weight starts to come off again.
I do want to mention that my longest stall (and boy oh boy was it long) was due to something that I know is pretty controversial in the low carb/keto community. And it took some tweaking to find out what was causing the stall. But since I have lived it I feel that it's important to mention it. Calories do matter. Even on a keto diet. Yes, fat intake also matters. Even if you are only eating 20 carbs a day. I was taking in too much fat to bring about any weightloss. Even though my carb intake was on point. I have never been on a low fat diet to lose any of the 187 lbs I have lost. However, once I lowered my fat intake a bit while staying at 20 carbs a day, I have noticed that I no longer stall. The only stalls I have encountered are self inflicted ones.
In the beginning weightloss was the most important aspect to me. But now, fast forward over a decade later, and there is something much more important to me. And that is making sure that I never have to revisit those words again, "Janet, you have cancer". Over the years, through my own research I have learned the roll that sugar, carbs, glucose, all play in getting cancer. After the breast cancer I was give a 5 years survival rate and told that I would live long enough to get cancer again. So what motivates me when I get off course? Or what motivates me to keep at this low carb way of eating? Fear. Yes, fear! Fear of cancer, fear of diabetes returning, fear of high blood pressure, more surgeries, chemo, and the memory of enduring weeks of radiation treatments.
So maybe you have decided that you need to make big changes in your health, eating habits and lifestyle? I promise you that no matter how slow it goes, that each pound loss will bring you closer and closer to your goals. No matter what your goals are. I not only got my life back. I received a new and better one in it's place and I'm not even finished yet. And I've acheived it one hard fought messy ounce at a time!
I have set my final goal to be one I believe to be attainable. And that is to hit my goal weight of 160 lbs. by the end of 2019. I'll be keeping you updated to help hold myself accountable. I feel it is what is needed for me at this point to hit my last goal. I've already lost 187 lbs to date but I have 53 more pounds to go. I actually made that goal when I first started many years ago. Once I hit that weight, I have decided that I will re-evaluate where I am at after talking to my doctor. I am very fortunate that my current doctor is Keto/Low Carb friendly and extremely supportive. She is a real gem! *Update* I have had a 20 lb weight gain due to "forced" errors. All my doing, of course. A very long holiday stretch with my hubby. It was a great time but not counting macros, (too many calories and fat) eating too much dairy and diet soda, has caused the weight gain. I've been there before. You just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and move forward. I'll do what I know works. Following my personal macros and cutting way back on the low carb foods that cause inflammation. And of course, no cheat or treat meals.
The picture above on the left was me at my heaviest. The picture on the right was taken many years after. I've lost even quite a bit more weight from the picture on the right. Believe me, I know my hair on the left wasn't flattering. But it had grown out after chemo and I wasn't quite sure what to do with it being that short. I was just thrilled that it actually grew back! I was really afraid that it wouldn't.
The picture above on the left was taken of me right after my second cancer. I had Uterine Cancer first then was diagnosed with Breast Cancer about 2 years later. I had finished up with the surgeries, chemo and radiation. Unfortunately, I did go on to gain more weight. I actually hit my heaviest weight after having cancer. At this point I was seriously metabolically destroyed. I didn't start a keto/low carb diet until a couple of years later. The picture of me on the right was taken only a few months ago. Me at 213 lbs.
The black and white pic above, if I remember right, was taken in 2016.
It's hard to believe but this picture above was only taken a few months after the black and white picture above it. This is an example of what dramatic changes happen quickly when you cut out the low carb foods that stall you and bring those carbs down to 20 total carbs a day. Big changes happen real quickly.
I keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race, but if I am to be honest, I would say that it can become frustrating at times. I have definitely had big losses over the years. And I do feel as if my final weightloss goal is within my reach. But many times my weightloss has stalled for long periods of time. Due to many different factors. Eating foods that even though they are low carb foods, they stall my weightloss or seriously slow it down, stress, not getting 8 hours of sleep, eating maintenace level carbs instead of eating fat loss level (10 to 20 a day) carbs and letting one too many "special occassions" like holidays take me off program. However, I have always gotten right back to a low carb way of eating and the weight starts to come off again.
I do want to mention that my longest stall (and boy oh boy was it long) was due to something that I know is pretty controversial in the low carb/keto community. And it took some tweaking to find out what was causing the stall. But since I have lived it I feel that it's important to mention it. Calories do matter. Even on a keto diet. Yes, fat intake also matters. Even if you are only eating 20 carbs a day. I was taking in too much fat to bring about any weightloss. Even though my carb intake was on point. I have never been on a low fat diet to lose any of the 187 lbs I have lost. However, once I lowered my fat intake a bit while staying at 20 carbs a day, I have noticed that I no longer stall. The only stalls I have encountered are self inflicted ones.
In the beginning weightloss was the most important aspect to me. But now, fast forward over a decade later, and there is something much more important to me. And that is making sure that I never have to revisit those words again, "Janet, you have cancer". Over the years, through my own research I have learned the roll that sugar, carbs, glucose, all play in getting cancer. After the breast cancer I was give a 5 years survival rate and told that I would live long enough to get cancer again. So what motivates me when I get off course? Or what motivates me to keep at this low carb way of eating? Fear. Yes, fear! Fear of cancer, fear of diabetes returning, fear of high blood pressure, more surgeries, chemo, and the memory of enduring weeks of radiation treatments.
So maybe you have decided that you need to make big changes in your health, eating habits and lifestyle? I promise you that no matter how slow it goes, that each pound loss will bring you closer and closer to your goals. No matter what your goals are. I not only got my life back. I received a new and better one in it's place and I'm not even finished yet. And I've acheived it one hard fought messy ounce at a time!
