Maintenance Success!!! (so far so good!)

This last week was the 4 month maintenance anniversary of my 100lb weight loss. I have learned so much about myself / my eating habits / my mentality regarding weight loss over the last few months it makes my head spin. But, to celebrate and reward myself for 4 months successful maintenance, I finally did something I've been wanting to do for a long time. I CUT MY HAIR!!!! Not only that, but colored and highlighted too! Check out the new doo y'all -

Here it is straightened (btw, I'm w/ one of my best friends in the whole world here.. I've known this girl since I was 4 years old!!!):



Here it is curled! (taken this AM):



I am finding this to be an adventure that only parallels my weight loss journey. I am so excited to share what have learned every day with others knowing that they too can achieve permanent weight loss success just like I did. One of the other main questions that is repeatedly asked of me is about maintenance. So I wanted to share with you some things that I am learning.

Keeping the weight off is the mark of true accomplishment. By setting a structure around your personalized diet program and incorporating healthy eating habits, you can make your new slim self a permanent way of life. There will always be things around us that are tempting and desirous. When you learn how to deal with those issues before they arise you can succeed at permanent weight control. Honor your history and where you came from. Respect the fact that there will be those things that may need to be permanently omitted from your diet. For me, that includes all white breads/flours, white rice, white pasta, and refined sugars (for the staples on my diet, and now diet = WAY OF LIFE!). At the same time, THOROUGHLY ENJOY your new life and the things that you can partake in.

When you recognize that while you may not be able to have your favorite cake once a week anymore, you may find that if you set a specific occasion in which to enjoy 1 piece, and contain yourself to that 1 piece, you can find contentment and enjoyment in that moment. Learn to look forward to and anticipate those special occasions. Then, after the moment has passed, look back with delight and complete satisfaction that you DO NOT have to have more, but you can look forward to the next occasion with joy. When you approach food situations with a plan of attack already in place, you can with confidence and clarity enable yourself for success.

Know your triggers! Learn what foods are difficult for you to resist over-using and create healthier substitutes. While it may be difficult for you to resist containing yourself to just 1 cookie, you may be able to be completely satisfied with 1 small cup of Low Fat Low Carb yogurt with a sprinkle of cocoa added for a chocolate flavor or some fresh fruit. By substituting lower carb healthy alternatives you will not only feel better about yourself, but you will be content knowing that you are finally living the healthy lifestyle that you strive for.

So what am I eating now?? Well... my day consists of around 1400-1500 calories and on average 60-70g cbs which is what I am primarily watching still. I have 1-2 servings of a high fiber lower carb grain product (Ezekiel Bread, GG Scandinavian Crisp Bread, LC tortillas, Fiber One cereal, etc...) 1-2 servings of fruit (most of the time it's berries or melons because they have higher antioxidants and lower carb) or nuts, and the majority of my diet is made up though of as much of the LC green veggies I like and normal portions of lean proteins still. I still prefer egg substitute or egg whites to whole eggs. I still trim all the fat off of my meat before eating it (for the most part). I also enjoy normal portions of LC LF dairy products too; LF sour cream, LF cream cheese, LF cottage cheese, LF shredded cheeses, LC yogurts, and even the occasional LC Ice Cream (!!*gasp*!!).

You mean you can actually eat good and maintain that loss??? YEP!!! The key that I have learned is being VERY attentive to what my body is telling me. Learning that and to eat in moderation is one of the greatest things that I think I learned from my journey. The lesson that I have now been working on for the last month has been to eat "normal" without measuring and weighing everything and going by what I KNOW to be a correct portion size. As you can see from my pics.... doing good so far!!! :)

That about wraps it up for me for now! I am working on few projects that I hope to share with you all very soon... but for now... wish me luck in my endeavors! :)

Mentality of a Stall

I've been assisting people on their weight loss journeys now for several months since I lost 100lbs. One thing that I have seen on a regular recurring basis is the question about what to do when you hit a stall. People as me all the time... did you? What did you do? Let's face it. The reality is that we ALL will hit stalls in our journeys. Whether it is 1 day or 5 or 7. It happens. This is part of dieting that we have to accept. Our bodies have to take a break and re-adjust. The key is - what do you do when you stall? This is the question of the ages I guess. But probably one of the hardest that those who are actively dieting have the hardest time with.

In the past... if I would hit a stall I would eventually give up and quit my diet. But why? Did I feel it wasn't working for me anymore? If a stall is inevitable at one point or another then why did I give up? Handling a stall is really a 2 part process as far as I can see.

1) It is the opportunity to re-evaluate what I am doing. Have I changed anything in the last week that could be cause for upset within my losing process? Many times I would be able to look back over my food diary and pinpoint where I had changed things up which in turn caused my loss speed to slow down. This is how I learned some very important lessons about not messing with what works!

2) A choice has to be made between 2 REAL FACTS. I can do one of 2 things. That's it. No other options! I can either stick to my plan, or I can go off of it and give up. WHAT?! Give up is an option? It is the only other option. You either stick to your program or you don't. It's that simple. So then you have to determine what happens with each option.

As far as I can see that part is simple too. If you stick to your program you WILL lose again. You cannot sustain a low cal/carb/fat diet and NOT lose. It's simple math! If you need to maintain 3500 calories to maintain 1 lbs and you are consuming less than that, then you will lose! If you go off of your program.... you will gain. Period. End of story. Most people when they go off of plan due to a stall simply return to their previous eating habits. It was these eating habits that got us fat in the first place, so what is the point of returning to them?

We then complain that this plan or that one didn't work for us because WE made the choice to go off. This is the crucial time when really we need to buckle down, re-evaluate and if it truly is a stall, get tough. Show your body that you WILL NOT give in to it's pitiful cries for comfort foods. You know what is best for you.. not those fat cells that are withering away - screaming the whole time.... "I'm melting... I'm melting" OK Wicked Witch fat... it's your time... now scoot!

Membership Explosion! and Inspiration

Well it's been 2 full weeks since the magazine debut. And what a time it has been. I never in my wildest dreams expected such an incredible response. I guess in my head I knew that millions of people would be reading about the program and seeing my face every time the went to the grocery store, but it never really sunk in until I saw the membership at Kimkins EXPLODE!! Holy Cow! Our cozy little community jumped from around 3000 in membership to over 24000!!! That's over 21K new members in the last 2 weeks!

I have received countless emails and notes informing me that they have joined because they found my story in the magazine inspirational. Each one special and touching in their own way. Every day I sit in amazement reading my messages and emails in awe. Can it really be true that the Lord has used me to touch so many? And how many more will still find inspiration in my story? Well, I'm here to say, if anything, these people have inspired me.

Part of what makes maintenance so hard I think is not seeing the scale going down every day. When we get into the losing mode, sometimes it's hard to watch the scale remain still and realize that it is perfectly normal for it to stay that way. Even fluxuate up and down 5 pounds or so. It can be an emotional roller-coaster. I find it very difficult sometimes not to want to see the scale shooting back down.. but I know in my heart that I am where I need to be so it doesn't need to go any further.

This is why I LOVE the Kimkins community. I posted on Friday that I was feeling down because my weight had fluxuated up due to being out of town at my sister's wedding. I am so touched that the supportive response that I got back from all my Kimkins friends.

In February of next year we will be cruising to Cozumel, Mexico! Please stop by and read all about it. I am so flattered that she has asked me to come along to help and even speak a little to our friends that attend with us. I'd love to meet you too so please come by, check it out, and sign up! It promises to be such a good time and I know personally for me, I cannot WAIT to meet some of these fantastic people that I have grown to know and love through this program.


Editor's Note: Please note that the Kimkins Diet has been proven to be a dangerous Very Low Calorie Diet. Please see my article HERE for further information regarding new developments about this program and my decision to step away.

Making Waves - Radio Waves that is!!!

I was contacted this evening by a radio talk show in Springfield Illinois. The host had read the article and wants to speak with me on a live radio interview tomorrow morning (6/4) at 10:10AM Central time (11:10 eastern, 8:10 Pacific and 9:10 mountain). I am so excited about this opportunity. The Lord is so good to me! I would love to have all my fellow Low Carb fans join me and listen in! The interview will be broadcast live over streaming audio so log on to hear it!!!!

The website is: www.wmay.com and just click on the listen live link at the top!!!

Wish me luck!!!!

I'M ON THE COVER OF A NATIONAL MAGAZINE!!!!!

I know that in my post a month or so ago I said that the entire process was sureal... but man oh man....

I received my pre-copy of Woman's World today and there grinning back at me with the biggest smile was.... ME!!!!

I still can't believe that I am on the cover of a NATIONAL magazine! Here is a preview of the cover (and yeah... you'll have to buy it to read the whole article). But thanks again to everyone that made this a reality. I never knew such a thing was even ever a possibility for me.

I give you.... Woman's World:




Editor's Note: Please note that the Kimkins Diet has been proven to be a dangerous Very Low Calorie Diet. Please see my article HERE for further information regarding new developments about this program and my decision to step away.