Linda Gardner's Blog: “This Is the New Me”

Before and after

LCHF can often be a game changer turning people’s lives around. That was definitely the case for Nicki. She realized that she didn’t have to accept her overweight or go on crash diets. Instead, the recipe for success was doing the opposite of what she had been told her whole life:

The Email

Good morning!

I’d love to share my weight-loss journey.

My name is Nicki Edwards. I’m a 46 year-old woman married with four adult/teenage children. I am a romance author and also work in emergency as a nurse.

In 2012 my weight had ballooned to 84 kg (185 lbs). At 5’2″ (157 cm) that’s obese. I took up running and over the next year lost 22 kg (49 lbs). However, because I never changed my diet as soon as I stopped running (it was impossible to sustain 1-2 hours running every day!) my weight crept back on and I accepted that 84 kg (185 lbs) was “my” weight.

In January 2016 at my son’s 21st birthday, I remember thinking I just needed to learn to love my curves. But I didn’t. I felt frumpy and older than my 46 years. I weighed 90 kg (198 lbs)!

In April 2016, I started exercising again and over 9 months of hard slog and dieting (starvation and shakes) I lost 12 kg (26 lbs).

Then the game changed.

Introduced to the Diet Doctor by one of my nursing colleagues on Christmas Day I watched all the videos and read everything I could about LCHF until I knew without any doubt this medically made sense. Reading The Obesity Code was one of the best things I did.

On January 1st 2017, my husband and I got started. We followed the free two-week eating plan on the website and the weight fell off for both of us.

I couldn’t believe I was never hungry! Once a constant grazer and living on processed foods, I loved the challenge of just eating real food. I was also able to easily incorporate intermittent fasting into my daily life. Best thing I ever did was give up my Pepsi Max habit which was approximately 1 liter a day!

17 weeks later (as of today) I’ve dropped almost 18 kg (40 lbs) which makes a total of 30 kg (66 lbs) since April 2016.

My reflux is gone, as is my IBS. I also experienced headaches and took paracetamol daily. I’ve only had about four headache episodes in four months! My blood lipids are all normal and my periods are regular again.

I’ve continued to exercise 2-4 times per week but on the weeks I can’t make it to training I still experience weight loss. I’m now at goal weight and looking forward to working out what I need to eat for maintenance.

This is the new me. No longer the frumpy forties, I’m heading for the fit and fabulous fifties and beyond.

A lot of people tell me this diet is unsustainable long term. I ask how? Oh, and I tell people it’s not a diet. It’s a way of life. Why would I want to go back to being addicted to sugar and constantly bloated and heavy? This is the new me. No longer the frumpy forties, I’m heading for the fit and fabulous fifties and beyond.
Thanks, Diet Doctor. You’ve changed my life and now it’s having an amazing impact on those around me, including family and friends. When they ask my secret I tell them to check out your website and get educated.

Cheers,
Nicki

Comments

Congratulations, Nicki. Thank you for sharing your story!

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Do you want to try what Nicki has done? Sign up for our free 2-week keto low-carb challenge!

Alternatively, use our free low-carb guide, or for maximum simplicity try out our new low-carb meal planner service – it’s free to use for a month.

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PS

Do you have a success story you want to share on this blog? Send it (photos appreciated) to andreas@dietdoctor.com, and please let me know if it’s OK to publish your photo and name or if you’d rather remain anonymous.