Gratitudes of My Low Carb Lifestyle

Aug 2014 - 45 lb loss

Feb 2013 before low carb

GRATITUDES

I have been reading a lot of gratitudes lately of my friends.  I've been asked to participate in gratitude chain letter like activities.  I never was one for chain letters, so it's always hard for me to get to started.   Gratitudes though are a reminder to us all to be grateful and humble for whatever aspect of our life has turned out better than it likely could have. 

I have had the great fortune of finding a way to control my weight in the last year and half.   In a country where most people are actually overweight and obese.  Of those over age 20; 69% of the population according to the Center for Disease Control fall in the overweight and obese category.

I'd like to personally congratulate the 31% who aren't, including myself for making it, because I am sure at one point or another, many were on the other side of this equation.  Guess what, I'm not good at math so I'll stop there with the data.   Short story...a lot of people should be trying to do whatever they can to not be overweight and obese.  I know there are many reasons, medically and emotionally for weight gain and loss.  I know there are many different ways to take it off and keep it off.   This is just my personal success and I'm trying to help all those out there who haven't yet decided which route they want to go to see my example through this blog.

So, my gratitudes of a low carb lifestyle are:

1. I'm grateful, I made changes to my lifestyle and didn't go on a diet.

2. I love being in control of what I eat, when I eat and how I eat.

3. I'm very happy that my ankles no longer swell at night!

4. It's amazing to me that I have broken my sweet tooth.  I can't even walk into a traditional grocery store without being overwhelmed by the smell of processed sugars, needless to say walking by a candy store prompts immediate nausea. - Quadruple Gratitude!

5. I am extremely happy that I didn't invest a lot in diet trends and pre-packaged foods, or supplements though I did try one and it failed miserably...oh marketing.

6. I'm proud of myself for not doing anything extreme.  I never fasted, or only drank things or just did a soup.  I did it with real food, over real time and I kept to realistic exercise which for me is hiking (very grateful for Pine Mountain)

, walking, the occasional aqua - aerobics class.  I am a believer of +10,000 steps a day.

7. I'm doubly grateful to see and know I can keep up this lifestyle and enjoy food, enjoy making food for others and sharing and helping others who want to make a lifestyle change too.

8. I am grateful for the looks on my friends and families faces when they see me after a long time.  For the comments of my children, that they too are still in wonder at how and where did my shape go?

9. I'm still excited by the day the doctor updated my health file from overweight to normal.  I still remember the nurses question:  "Is this right, was this the right weight?"  "Were you trying to lose weight?"  YES!  "Well, Congratulations, it doesn't happen very often."

10. I'm grateful for YOU, that you read this.  That maybe it will help you or help you, help others.

Happy Carb Counting!