Kate's low-carb weight loss method: Her journey to better health

October 15 2007

Kate Welch

City & country: Montreal, Canada
Age: 24
Weight before diet: 200lbs
Weight now: 175 (lowest weight: 155)
Target weight: 158

A low-carbohydrate diet, exercise, and motivation are the key components of Kate's weight loss method and lifestyle change. Low-carb is her way of eating and she plans to stick with it for life. She shares some of the difficulties of leading this kind of lifestyle, as well as the personal joys and rewards she has experienced because of it.

-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program?
I decided I had to start when none of my clothes fit! Honestly, I know that scale numbers aren't the be-all and end-all of weight loss, but seeing the number "200" really kicked me into gear. That was my wake-up call. I also just felt frumpy, fat, and unfit and didn't want to carry on wearing baggy jeans and sweatshirts forever. My self-esteem was also plummeting along with the rise in weight, and it just got to a tipping point where I had to do something.

-What type of weight loss program are you following?
I'm following a low-carb diet. I'm currently using a variation of the Thin So Fast book by Dr. Micheal Eades, which is a precursor to the Dr. Eades' Protein Power series. For maintenance I'll stick with Protein Power.

My current day looks like this:
Breakfast: Black coffee and protein shake
Mid-morning: Protein shake
Lunch (late): 8-12 oz. protein and a salad, low-carb chocolate cake with cream
Dinner: Two protein shakes
Snacks (if any): Chai tea with sugar free cinnamon dolce syrup and half-and-half

When I transition to maintenance I will probably stick with the protein shake for breakfast (it's so convenient) but do a real, chewable dinner!

-Why did you choose this weight loss program?
I chose low-carb because it tastes delicious and I truly believe it's the healthiest way to live. To me, there are lots and lots of reasons why our bodies need fat - absorption of nutrients and vitamins, improving digestion, strengthening cell linings, helping with sleep and mental clarity. I can't think of a single good thing that comes from sugar and refined carbs, so it makes sense to me to cut them out.

I want to eat nutritionally dense food, like meat and fish and eggs and nuts, not nutrient-empty junk.

I can't say it often enough - eating fat doesn't make you fat. When you eat fat, the body doesn't store it as fat. When you eat sugar, the body does store it as fat. We have this really weird conception that just because something feels fatty, like butter, or a ribeye, it's going to go straight to making fat on your own body. Scientifically speaking, that's just plain wrong, and not the way the body metabolizes food.

-How long have you been on your weight loss program?
Four years

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to help you lose weight and stay fit?
I go to the gym when I feel like it and lift weights. I walk a lot - living in a city helps with that. I do think diet is a bigger piece of the pie than exercise, however.

-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming?
My most difficult obstacle is the anti-social aspect of low-carb. We are a sugar-crazed, grain-loopy society. Everywhere you go, the food on offer is generally something high-carb. This has a lot to do with carbs simply being cheaper - I mean, compare the cost of a veggie tray or cheese plate with a box of donuts. I also love traveling, and sticking to low-carb in other countries is a challenge for me. This isn't to say it can't be done - I mean, there are often way better options in Europe where the focus on food quality seems to be higher. However, I always want to try new stuff, and can't resist European chocolate either!

I'm currently re-losing the weight I gained on my honeymoon, which is why I'm back on the weight-loss phase rather than maintenance. This has been a surprisingly hard struggle for me. I mean, I've been low-carbing for so long, it feels like second-nature, but getting back in good habits has taken me longer than I expected. I'm finding that difficult.

-How do you keep yourself motivated?
I reward myself - but not with food. I have a little chart with boxes for diet, exercise, and vitamins and I check them off day by day. If I do really well for a week, I'll spend maybe $5-10 on a treat: a book, clothes, hair accessories, something like that. Or I set aside some peaceful time, to read, soak in a bubble bath, watch a movie. I laugh at myself sometimes for this, and it does feel a bit silly, but it really works. I'm training my brain to enjoy healthy living.

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers?
I think you should find a diet you really enjoy. There's no silver bullet, no one diet that will shoot you to your goal weight and then let you eat whatever you want.

Low carb gets a bad rap sometimes because "you gain all the weight back as soon as you go off it". Well, yeah! Of course you do - and it's the same story with any diet.

It's a choice for life, so pick something you can live with.

Also, I think it's really important to get a balance between pushing and motivating yourself, and being too harsh with yourself. I think trying to motivate yourself by being vicious about your own appearance and self-hating because you're overweight will ultimately backfire. If you get too down on yourself, you won't be in a good mental place to make healthy choices.

-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?
Oh my gosh, yes! I just did! I thought I would take two weeks "off" for my honeymoon, and that turned into nearly six weeks. It's pretty scary, and made me realize how addictive sugar can be. I think I've learned a valuable lesson though, which is that I can't take consecutive days off.

One of the ways I stop myself derailing completely is to read old journal entries from when I was at my highest weight. I sounded so unhappy and fed up with my body, and I know I don't want to feel like that again. I also like to look at how far I've come and think about how much healthier I feel now, and I want to stay that way.

-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helps or inspires you to lose weight?
My blog is The Steaks Are High (http://www.thesteaksarehigh.com)

Dr. Michael Eades' blog is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the Protein Power method (http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/)

Jimmy Moore has been a fantastic inspiration to me (http://livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com/)

The Active Low Carber Forums are great for community support (http://forum.lowcarber.org/index.php?)

And the Meat & Eggers For Life are the sweetest people around (http://meatandeggersforlife.myfreeforum.org/index.php)