Super success for Jo!
Kellie Collins How many of you have ever said “I’ve tried every diet known to man and none of them work for me”? Well, that’s what Jo, our latest Success Story was saying until she discovered us, and registered for the Low-Carb Plan.
Last summer, at 14 st 5 lbs, Jo was at her heaviest ever weight. She started following the Low-Carb Plan by herself and lost just over 1.5 st before discovering us. When she registered, Jo was 12 st 7 lbs, giving her a BMI of 30. Now at a svelte 9 st 10 lbs and a BMI of 23, she’s feeling fabulous!
As with many of our Success stories, it was seeing photos of herself that prompted Jo to lose weight for good. “My turning point came before I actually began dieting. Friends of ours got married in July 2003, and when I saw myself in the wedding photos. I was horrified! As usual, I took the illogical route of comfort eating to get over my distress at being so large, which only compounded the problem.”
Jo was browsing the internet one day looking for low-carb tips and discovered our website. She knew it was perfect for her and joined up. “It was somewhere I could go where people wouldn’t get bored with me talking about food and weight all the time, somewhere to turn to when things got difficult and I lost my motivation, and somewhere with new recipe ideas and peer support.”
Before starting the Low-Carb Plan, Jo’s weight had been starting to cause her some problems. “Where do I start?! We live in a small village in Ireland, having moved here from the UK a few years ago. There are no outsize clothes shops so most of the time I wore men’s fleeces and shirts. We have four dogs and I found myself out of breath trying to walk them. My social confidence fell apart and I started having a drink before meeting anyone, just to give myself a bit of courage (which didn’t help with the weight!). I felt old, ugly, unfit, and above all else, stupid! It was as though my lack of self-control was on display for everyone to see and comment on. Walking past groups of teenagers on the street was an ordeal - I never heard any adverse comments, but I was always worried there would be some.”
Things seemed to go from bad to worse for Jo. “I stopped horse-riding because I thought I might squash the horse, I was too embarrassed to be seen out on my bike, and as for swimming – forget it! Of course this lack of exercise didn’t help either –it was a vicious circle.”
Now Jo says her new figure has given her new-found confidence and a sense of achievement. “I can buy clothes from normal shops, I don’t get out of breath when walking, I love getting dressed up and going out, and I’ve now got the confidence to go the hairdressers on a regular basis. I even get my nails done every few weeks! Before losing the weight, I would have felt as though I wasn’t entitled to do anything for ME! It was as though it was a waste of time to try to dress up the bulk. Also, when I eat out now, I no longer feel as though people are looking at me and what I’m eating, and passing judgement – I feel like I’ve rejoined the human race!”
Following the Low-Carb Plan meant a few big dietary changes for Jo. “I’ve broken difficult habits – those of eating rice, bread and pasta. It used to be so easy to grab a sandwich but now I don’t even think about it. I’m delighted that I’ve discovered fish in a big way – I used to hate it! Now most of my meals are fish based, and I’m even working on writing a fish recipe leaflet which I want to offer to our local fishmonger to distribute to his customers.”
“The Low-Carb Plan has revolutionised the way I look at eating, and I don’t feel at all deprived or restricted. I get eggs from my own chickens and I grow my own leafy vegetables to accompany all meals. I’m lucky enough to be able to buy organic lamb and free range, nitrate-free bacon locally. It’s been so great to find a diet plan that lets me indulge my foodie passions!”
Jo’s husband has been very supportive of her over the last year. “He’s delighted for me and compliments me all the time, and when he takes me out for dinner, he makes sure there are low carb choices on the menu that I can eat. He doesn’t complain that I don’t cook the way I used to (although I still make Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes for him most Sundays!) and he encourages me if I’m feeling fed up with the restrictions of the Low-Carb Plan, which does happen occasionally.”
Her husband isn’t the only one who’s proud of Jo’s achievement. “My father is too – he was always so sad about me putting on weight because he’s seen me thin, and knew what a difference it made to my appearance. I love going back to the UK to see him, his face lights up now because I look so good. In the village where we live, I can’t go out without someone commenting on my weight loss. A few months ago I modelled for a charity fashion show – the thought of me modelling something a year ago would have been laughable! Two of my friends have even been inspired by my weight loss to have a go themselves – I’ve never been an inspiration to anyone before. It’s a great feeling.”
The Support Boards on the site were also invaluable to Jo. “The support boards were my lifeline and I made some really good friends there. I’ve even a met a couple of them in real life! It was so good to find a group who understood how I felt without me having to spell it out. The accountability of having to weigh in also helped to keep me on track, and the meal plans were great inspiration when I couldn’t decide what to eat.”
Jo is very confident about maintaining her weight loss. “I feel that the Low-Carb way of eating was made for me. I don’t get cravings for carbohydrates very often, and if I do, there’s usually a low carb version I can indulge in if necessary. I know my body feels better on the inside (as well as looking better on the outside) when I eat the low carb way. If for some reason I have to eat something high-carb, I don’t really enjoy it, and that for me is a miracle in itself! Before the Low-Carb Plan, if I was dieting, I was always looking forward to the end of the diet. But now I truly believe I will be eating this way for the rest of my life!”
And Jo’s final tip – “If anyone’s thinking about trying the Low-Carb Plan, just go for it!"
