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!

I Start My Diet Over Every Day - I'M SUCH A LOSER!

Special thanks to my dear friend Regandy for the following post. She really hit the nail on the head this time!

"I start over every day.

Every day is a NEW opportunity. Every day is another clean slate. Every day! I have NOT been perfect with this way of eating... HEY I HAVEN'T BEEN PERFECT AT LIFE EITHER!! But I'm still living.. and I'm still trying.

I have binged. I have stalled. I have whined. I have pushed. I have cheered. I have cried. I have jumped for joy.

I have had some awesome perfect days. I have had some "squeaky" days. I've had some REBELLIOUS days! hahaha

I AM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT THAT I HAVE STARTED OVER MORE TIMES THAN I CAN COUNT ON BOTH HANDS. That is the key. I REFUSE to give up. I REFUSE to think about what I did yesterday or last weekend. I try very hard to keep looking forward.

AND....

The weaker days are getting fewer and fewer... farther and farther between them. Would you beat your child for not walking perfectly within the first months of learning? Would you use as strong a language with a beginner "reader" as you would for yourself for not doing it perfectly? Would you toss out your child for not brushing their teeth because you have told them at least a dozen times what to do? I THINK NOT! Give yourself a break!!!

If you struggle with "perfection" -- determine to be ONE OF "THOSE" PEOPLE ....... start over every morning. I love a new day!



New day = new chance to get it right."

Christin's Great Hollywood Adventure...

Wow… that’s about all I can say right now about these last few days. This program has done so much to change my life in so many ways. I think when you get right down to it… it’s changed not only my life, but that of my family, friends, and those around me too.

I am so privileged and blessed to be able to represent this way of eating in the manner that I have been selected. Woman’s World magazine and all those who put my trip together this week have been amazing. I have NEVER in my life been so pampered and primped and pawed over! I LOVED IT!!!! So here is my account now for my friends and those who are wanting to know my Cinderella story of your everyday average housewife from Texas turned Hollywood model for the day!

My trip began in Houston TX early Monday morning… I was accompanied by my wonderfully supportive husband on this whirlwind adventure. We arrived at the airport early to attempt at a seat change because of my recent knee surgery we were hoping to get bumped up…. Didn’t happen… this flight was booked solid. So we boarded and took our place on the last row of the airplane. Not the most choice spot, but I was too excited about what was to come to really mind.

When we arrived in LA the chauffeur was there to pick us up in a nice Lincoln Business Class limo which took us straight over to the photo-shoot in the Media District of Melrose. When we went into the studio we were introduced to the “team.” Makeup, hair, creative director, stylist, photographer, they were all there. Rested for a few minutes and then whisked off to begin the transformation process. From plain ole’ me to… “Ahbsolutely Fahbulus dahling….!!!!”

Soooo you know in the movies where they show a photo shoot and the model says crazy things to make her face look right? Loud music playing and lots of lights and “give me attitude” talk from the photographer. I was so taken aback!!! That really is the way they do it! I had to stop myself so many times from laughing. But all in all, it was an amazing experience. They even let me keep 2 of the outfits!

We took a taxi from the shoot to the hotel and got checked in. We were given a beautiful suite very near Malibu and Hollywood Blvd. We quickly got changed and decided to head out and get some touring done. Headed from there to Hollywood Blvd to take in the sights… Kodak Theater, Mann Chinese Theater, Walk of Stars, whirlwind… but we saw it all!

After our quick tour of Hollywood we went to dinner at Kama Shiro restaurant overlooking the LA skyline. We literally watched the sunset over LA with the “HOLLYWOOD” sign overlooking us. It was beautiful. Oh… and my dear sweet husband tried eel for the first time. Yes we are no longer country… we have arrived and are experiencing the high life at last!

After dinner my dear friend Ana and her husband picked us up from the restaurant and we went to have coffee over at Universal Studios! We talked a long time and walked around Universal taking in some of the sights… after Universal they took us on a driving tour of some of the other sights we had yet to see that day. Culminating with pictures on beautiful Rodeo Dr. Although it was closed, it was still incredible to see and at least learn about all the different things that happen in a day in sunny CA.

It was sad to see such a wonderful trip come to an end, but then all good things do don’t they? It just gives me something AWESOME to look forward to. Don’t know when, but I am definitely going back. California is everything that I imagined it to be and more. Yes there are downsides to everywhere, every town, but I still wanted to see more. This experience brings new a whole new meaning to the phrase “California or BUST!”

NEW Before/After pics!

Editor's Note: Please not 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.

Here are some of my new before/after pics!!! Not quite to my goal yet, but I am loving this so much!

This is about 240 at Christmas 2005:

September 2006 (no real change in weight):



AFTER - I have lost almost 90lbs now!!!!

Finding the New Me

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.

I attended my first weight loss support group meeting when I was 10 years old. Not because I was made to go, but because I thought I needed it. You know those people who struggle their ENTIRE life with their weight? Hello... my name is Christin and I am a habitual "yo-yo dieter." Can I get an AMEN? When I was even as young as 8 or 9, I was very aware that my friends were all smaller than me. Now if you ask me... no child should have that hanging over their head all the time. All throughout my pre-teens and through even the teenage years I would look at others and compensate for my over indulgence by thinking "at least I'm not as big as this person or that person..." Looking back, I could have gone one of 3 ways. Either I was going to become anorexic, bulimic or I would become a comfort eater. Seeing as I LOVED food so much... there was no way I was giving it up totally... I thought, maybe I'll just eat what I like then throw it up. No can do... unfortunately my body has a visible reaction to hurling that put bulimia out of the picture too. That left me at comfort eating.

I would see a thinner person, get depressed, and grab a candy bar. Then get upset that I gave in to my compulsion and eat an extra piece of bread or a little bigger slice of cake. Cookies were good too. Whatever was within my sights that sounded good at the moment of compulsion or needed comfort I'd grab. That wasn't the worst of it though, I was ashamed of myself, so there were many times that I would hide to eat my indulgence. After all, with a very popular brother in basketball and a sister in gymnastics and both in great shape, how could I let on that I had a problem? As if hiding while stuffing my face would make the calories and fat somehow disappear. I guess I was under the delusion that my increasing size would not be enough of a give away.

I wish I could say that I wised up as I got older, but the compulsion just shifted gears. I was still a whole hearted comfort eater. But for some reason the hiding seemed to become a moot point. So I took my habits into the open, unabashedly displaying my gross enjoyment of the culinary arts. Somehow in the midst of all of this a wonderful man who could look past my addiction married me. YES! Now I don't even have to worry about attracting anyone! I'm set!!! Then something happened….

Somehow something inside of me started to feel that it was time to give up my old ways and turn over a new leaf. So I spent WAY TOO MUCH money on an all out weight-loss campaign. I lost a lot of weight and I felt great. I was happy with my new look, my husband was happy too. I got pregnant. Now I had an excuse to eat what I wanted to because of course the baby needed it! Then my life fell apart. Those of you who know me know the entire story which will take an entire separate blog to go into, but the important part of this particular one is that we ended up losing that baby.

Of course I was devastated. Although I had not gained all the weight back that I lost, I was already in the downward spiral of bad eating habits again. I had not made the mental transformation that I have discovered is vital to successful sustained weight-loss. So here I was again, on the destructive path to obesity once again. I got pregnant again not that much longer after the first one and this time everything was good to go. I actually gained 70 pounds that pregnancy. I was amazed at how fast it all adds up plus baby! At the end of the pregnancy I was at a new all time high. That's ok…. it'll all come off once I have the baby right? WRONG. I was totally baffled at after having an 8lb baby how could I only lose 5?

I thought I was happy. I had a husband and a baby and everything seemed to be good! 2 years later I had only lost about 20 lbs from the 70 that I had gained. And here I was pregnant again. I did better with this pregnancy though, only gained 30. But ummmm…. Wait a minute… that means NEW HIGH. After that baby I did lose about 20 again (that seems to be my post pregnancy number). Went on with my life… seemingly happy, but still secretly full of discontent and angst against those in my life who were so thin and attractive. I seemed to have a vision problem as well. Although I knew in my head I was overweight every time I looked in the mirror, I just didn't see it. I have heard of people having distorted realities regarding their weight. Like an anorexic person seeing fat on their body when there is none. I seemed to have the opposite fantasy.

Truth be told, I guess I was just scared. I was so deep in the way that I had lived my life, eating whatever and however I wanted that it terrified me to think of changing they way I viewed things. I have come to the realization though that true change begins in the mind. I wanted the body, and mentally I viewed myself as having the body. But, just like any addiction, you have to admit you have a problem before you can do anything about it. I had to say to myself "Christin, you are fat. You are severely overweight, and you must change your lifestyle if you want to be there for your husband and children long term." You will never achieve long term success if you do not change your ideas and mindset about nutrition and weight-loss. Yes, we all want to see quick results. That's what motivates us and keeps us going when things slow down or you are craving just that little piece of chocolate (my weakness). But I had to be willing to accept even slow results if that meant making a better tomorrow for me and my family.

Once I came to the understanding with myself that I had to accept whatever came in order to achieve the results that I wanted (a better, healthier body for me that I wasn't ashamed of, and a future with their mother for my children). I began to do my research on what diet program would be the best for me that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg to get in on as well. I had LONG dreaded low carb diets. I LOVE bread, potatoes, starches… you name it, if it had carbs, I was all about it. But, in my new mindset I knew that sacrifices must be made. I also had to assure myself that the sacrifices that I would be making now would be worth it long term, because I wasn't saying farewell to those things permanently, just temporarily until I could learn to integrate them back into my life in a healthy manner.

I knew that low carb diets were the ones that had the quickest results (again with the quick thing I know, but for someone that is overweight, you need results fast right?). If you too are overweight, you know what I mean about results. I looked all over for what would be the best option for me. I really couldn't stand all the fat that was allowed with some low carb diets. My dad did that and although he lost weight, his cholesterol went through the roof and he put it right back on. I learned about myself that I needed structure and a "list" of what I can and can't eat. These other low-carb/calorie diets that are out there are way too open about all your options. For me, the more options, the more chances for me to over do it.

So here I was, I knew I needed Low Carb, Low Fat, and restricted so that I knew what was ok and what wasn't. Then I found it. After doing searches for those criteria, one name kept popping up over and over. Kimkins. I decided to take the plunge and give it a try. WOW. First month I lost 30 pounds…. Surely there must be something wrong here… is this even possible??? The next month I lost another 20! I am VERY HAPPY to say that after 4 months on the program I have lost 80 pounds!!!!!! I have even taken the next step in my new way of life and begun training to run in my first 5K ever! And, in January of next year my goal is to run in a half marathon!

So this is me. Learning to love the new me. Learning to make a better life for myself. Committing before myself, my family, and now the world to never allow food to take control of me again. Committing to set a good example for those who look up to me. Committing to give my children and husband a future. Committing to be happy, inside and out.


Hello, my name is Christin, and I am no longer a yo-yo dieter.

Before:



After: