Age: 39 (40 in July)
Height: 5′ 9″
Start Weight: 328 lbs
Current Weight: 223 lbs
Total Loss: 105 lbs
Start Pant Size: 32
Current Pant Size: 14
Start Top Size: 26/28
Current Top Size: Large
My struggles with my weight started when I reached puberty at 12 years old. I went from being a tall lanky girl to having curves and then steadily gained weight after that. I remember my Mom and my sister always being way smaller than me. I felt awkward and I always felt huge. I think my Mom tried to put me on every diet known to man during those years. I would lose weight, but then gain what I lost and more back.
I had my first child when I was 21 and moved out on my own. Well, that was were things went really bad. I did not have my Mom there to remind me about every piece of food I placed in my mouth. I did the shopping and basically ate what I wanted. My husband was overweight also and we both just spent the next 14 years gaining weight.
I hated myself for being so out of control, but nothing I did worked. I would buy diet books, go to meetings, start and stop everything I tried. I just did not lose fast enough and became frustrated and went right back to my old eating habits.
I always wanted to have more children and just never got pregnant, I believe my weight played a huge role in that. In 2003 I became pregnant with my son and it was a total surprise. I was over 300 lbs. How could I safely carry a baby? Well,l I managed to carry him, but my pregnancy was plagued with problems. Luckily we both made it through. After his birth I became ill within a year. I had a myriad of female issues requiring surgery. I had a hysterectomy and both ovaries removed. My abdomen would not heal on the inside and I kept getting incisional hernias requiring more surgeries. That is how I found Kimkins.
I went to a new surgeon because my problems were no longer considered gynecological and he was so mean to me. I still remember him marching me to the scale and belittling me. I was 328 lbs. He told me he would not fix the hernia until I lost weight. He told me to eat meat and veggies and come back in a month. I was humiliated and cried all the way home.
When I came home I went online and found Atkins. I knew I could not do it, I tried it in the past and the fat was to much for me. I know you figure at 328 lbs I would pretty much eat anything, but some of what my Mom taught me stuck with me. I typed low fat, low carb into my search engine and found Kimkins. I read everything and joined. I started on May 17, 2007 and lost 105 lbs before January of 2008. 105 lbs in 8 months!! The weight just kept coming off and it kept me more motivated than I had ever been on any other diet I tried.
I left the site right after that because I lost my boyfriend suddenly at the end of January and then my Mother in December of 2009. Even through all of that I kept my weight under control with what I learned at Kimkins.
All of that aside, I have had more fun in the last 2 years than I have in my entire life. I rode a roller coaster with my daughter when she was 17 for the first time in her life. I hike and bike ride. I dance! Most importantly I live. I don’t stand on the sidelines hiding anymore.
I have recently decided that I would like to finally finish my journey and make it down to the original 165 lb goal I set for myself. I came back here because I know I will have all the tools, support, and inspiration I need to get there, and really, who could ask for more?
