By Kim Droze
eDiets Managing Editor
Billi O. knows a thing or two about losing
weight. She also knows more than a little about regaining the weight
she lost!
Eventually, her weight hit the 305-pound mark. The frustrated
45-year-old showed no signs of forever parting ways with the extra
pounds. Then the number on the scale started getting to Billi. Also, there
was
a warm weather cruise just ahead on the horizon. So last spring Billi
made a vow to get to a healthier weight. After a few short months her
resolution once again fizzled. That was when she realized she couldnt
do it alone. Nine months later, the determined dieter is 85 pounds lighter at
220.
Although shes only halfway to her goal, her resolve remains intact.
That in itself is a major accomplishment for Billi, who admits that in
the past she usually quit about 8 months or 80 pounds into her diets. I usually figure I can do it by myself, she tells eDiets. Ill
think
Ive done it this far and Ill do the rest by myself. But then I start
backsliding and I have a bite of this and a bite of that. Then
eventually the weight all comes back on. Thats
not the case this time around. When Billi joined eDiets last
May, she had more than 15 personalized meal plans to choose from.
Because she had lost weight onthe Atkins Nutritional Approach in the
past, she decided to try her hand at low-carb living one more time. The
decision proved a smart move for 5'7" Billi. Thanks to the awesome eDiets support, Billi's love of breads,
pastas,
donuts and anything that wasnt good for her eased. Billi now had all
the tools she needed at her fingertips. There were customized menus,
shopping lists and recipes laid out for her. Every week she would
receive a new menu when she weighed in. As the weeks went by, she got
healthy low-carb eating down to a science and relied less on the
foolproof menus. I know what I can eat," she says. "In the beginning, it was helpful
to
have the menus to know what was allowed and what wasnt allowed. I knew
there were limits to what I could have. It was a big help. Luckily, I
like to eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch. Dinner is where I
vary, which is where I use the recipes. Food is no longer the center of Billis universe. Shes not thinking
about dinner while still eating breakfast. Instead of living to eat,
she eats to live. Her new motto: Nothing tastes as good as thin
feels. Its a thought thats never far from her mind as she eats
healthily and exercises regularly. Losing weight with Atkins Diet I know it works," she says. "I know I can do it. I dont let things
tempt me. When I go out to eat, I look at the menu. I dont look at the
stuff I cant have. I look at the stuff I can have. There are so many
things I can have like a big burger without the bun and a salad. I can
enjoy regular dressing. I dont have to eat the low-fat or fat-free
stuff. Since linking up with eDiets,
Billi has been an avid member of the support groups. Her two favorite
places to join in and share insights: the Christians Praying Thin and
the Advice About Atkins boards. Billi says its been a blessing to have
a support group that focuses on such a big part of her life --
spirituality. Billi points out that she and her board mates discuss more than
weight
issues. They also discuss the things in their lives that affect how or
why they eat. Along her journey to wellness she's also found plenty of
support from eDiets spiritual counselor Dr. Matthew Anderson and his
inspirational book The Prayer Diet. On the Atkins board, she has the luxury of bouncing recipes, ideas,
successes and failures off her low-carb peers. Being a part of an online
weight loss community If I do something Im not supposed to, I have to tell those ladies,
and I dont like to tell them I did bad things," she says. "If I didnt
have the support boards, I could have said nobody will know if I eat
this or that. I would have been doing this on my own and nobody would
have cared. But these people do care and theyve been really supportive
and cheered me on all the way. Patience is the virtue thats kept Billi going over the past nine
months. She's come to accept hitting a plateau every four months. The
scale may not budge, but she can still measure her progress in inches
lost. Billi just keeps in mind that the weight didnt come on overnight
so it wont come off overnight. Since dropping the 85 pounds, Billi has gone from wearing size 30s
to
size 18s. She can now purchase extra-large clothing in regular
departments instead of shopping solely in the plus-sized stores. By the
time her cruise rolls around this March, she hopes to be down a full
100 pounds. But an even bigger event will be her wedding in August. That's when
she also plans to be at her goal weight. I have 7 months and 70 pounds to put me at about where I want to
be,
says the bubbly bride to be. It takes a lot of determination and baby
steps. If I decided that I wanted to lose weight now for my cruise in
March, I wouldnt have been able to do it. Its not leaping tall
buildings in one day. You have to take it one day at a time. Are you ready to take that all-important first step to becoming
the
next Atkins success? To get started with your own eDiets-personalized
plan, eDiets
For decades, Billie played the high-low game, watching the numbers on
the scale go up, then down.... then right back up again! Whether
pregnancy or poor eating habits were to blame, all her hard work would
sooner or later go to waist.
Last May Billi took a major step toward a healthier future -- she became
a member of eDiets. It's been all uphill, down scale from there.
I love the southwestern pork chops. There are other things Ive found
that are good ideas. When I get bored, I hop on eDiets and find
something a little different.
hasnt left her feeling deprived. She can still dine out at restaurants
and stick to her plan. Instead of overdoing it, she looks for healthy
choices that wont expand her waistline.
gives Billi the accountability she
needs.
and fill out a free diet profile.
