I started this diet in June.  In August, I reached my goal weight of 135 lbs.  Now it is November and I have kept the weight off (and without exercise-HA!) Not only do I feel good, I LOOK GOOD!  I went from a size 14 to a size 6!

Don’t I look great?  I had to purchase a whole new wardrobe and last weekend I started to purge all those size 10-14 clothes.  It felt great.  With a new wardrobe, people are really noticing the weight loss. That and I am actually purchasing clothes that cling to my body instead of hiding my body. What a new experience.

As for my menu, I have reintroduced very few carbs into my monthly diet because every time I have a carb I am disappointed at the lack of flavor and the 2 lb instant weight gain. (My husband thinks I am crazy, but when I step on a scale after eating a carb I am 2 lbs heavier.)  I have only had pasta a few times and I just don’t have the love for it as I did.  Crazy talk, right?

Now we are heading into the real test: Holiday Feasts.  I feel confident about going into the holidays because I just don’t look at food the same way.  I went to a Halloween party and it was an impressive spread of food, mostly consisting of carbs.  I picked the healthiest of the foods, which was not easy.  There were a lot of dips and what do you usually dip with?  Crackers, bread, chips.  But I enjoyed all of the dips (in small quantities) by using veggies as my dippers.  Cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes.

As for the cakes, pies, cookies, chocolates, fudge, and other holiday goodies, I feel good about this feat as well.  I have come up with the idea of only eating the things I can’t live without experiencing.  For example, Peninsula Grill has a coconut cake that is over $100.  You can purchase a slice for $10.  To me, since the opportunity came along for me to share a slice of this TO DIE FOR coconut cake, this was a worthy item for me to experience and enjoy.  A Little Debbie’s cake, in my humble opinion, is not really a worthy item.  (I am reminded of an episode of Seinfeld when Elaine judges her suitors on whether or not they are “spongeworthy.”)  So I guess I am looking at all foods I could put into my mouth and judge them to be “weight-gain worthy.”

I guess what I am trying to say is that really this whole diet was a mindset change on my relationship with food.  I was never hungry on this diet, nor did I feel like what I was eating was boring or tasteless.  I feel I know my body better and know what I can eat and what I cannot eat to stay within my goal weight.  And I know if I really need to, I can always incorporate EXERCISE.

I have succeeded in my goal.  I don’t think I would have had it not been for the help and knowledge of Tiffany Jackson, ND.  Thank you Tiffany.  My life is forever changed.

(Oh, and my husband has loss 20 lbs, too—and he seems to be keeping it off as well.)