By Carolina Diaz-Bordon
eDiets Staff Writer
Winning may not be everything, but the will to win is. For David A., the will to win his life back is exactly what drove him to lose 115 pounds. The 5-foot-9 father of two went from barely moving and weighing 315 pounds to a lean, mean, 200-pound health machine.
It would take defiant efforts and a strong partnership with eDiets and the Atkins Nutritional Approach to get him back into shape and into the world again.
"I have quite a few different reasons I decided to lose the weight," David tells eDiets. "First and foremost is my family. I have been married for 20 years and I have two children. I wanted to be around to see my kids grow, and it didn’t look like that was going to be the case."
Unfortunately, David didn’t have to look too far to see the dangerous effects that come along with excessive weight gain. Diabetes, heart attack, stroke, double bypass surgery, congestive heart failure and disability were just a few of the ways his mother, father and brother had already suffered. It was also the path he was marching down.
He knew he would be headed for serious trouble if he didn’t start making changes.
"I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired," he says. "It was enough for me to drag myself through eight hours of work every day. I would come home and go to sleep. My life consisted of sleep and work, pretty much because of the weight. I suffered a lot from chronic fatigue."
Today, David can’t wait to share his weight-loss story with the world. The 42-year-old Pennsylvanian says he never imagined he could come this far.
David had dabbled in low-fat dieting in the past, but it never took him long to fall back into his old eating patterns. That's because he didn't have structure or maintenance support. He would gain back the weight he had lost and then some.
"The eDiets'Atkins Diet plan was my second attempt to lose weight. What I liked most about Atkins is that it was not radically different from anything I was doing," David says. "I already loved to eat lean meats, chicken and fish. I just used to always eat it with a junk carb, like potato or something, but now I just have vegetables instead."
After reading up on Atkins Diet, he realized that what was actually making his stomach constantly growl for food was all the refined carbohydrates he was consuming. Those carbohydrates kept turning into sugar and then fat in his body.
"The thing that still amazes me about when I started eating the balanced Atkins Diet meals is that I can get away with just eating that plate of food and I won’t be hungry again until my next meal.
"When this actually started happening it blew my mind because I was so used to eating a big meal -- two or three plates full of food -- and being hungry two or three hours later."
While David was thrilled that he had finally found a way to conquer his hunger pangs, he was also aware that the new lifestyle would take some getting used to.
"The support groups and the challenges they give you really helped me stay motivated," he says. "I had a lot of staff members personally help me as well. I can’t tell you enough about how much the eDiets.com support has impacted me and helped me through my weight loss. Everybody has been so great."
His wife also played a big role in his success. She ended up signing up for Atkins as well, and together they helped each other through the ups and downs.
"I think one of the things that stands out in my mind is that the first week on Atkins Diet they tell you that you're going to feel a little tired because your body is detoxing all of the sugar and the bad stuff in your system and it’s working its way out," David notes.
"I had been tired for many years suffering from chronic fatigue. Well, I woke up just six days after starting the diet and I felt so good. It’s a moment I will never forget."
Since joining forces with eDiets and The Atkins Diet, this determined dieting dad’s life has done a complete 180. His once-stationary life has turned into a world of new adventures and cherished moments with his family.
"I have a life again," David raves. "I do at least 30 minutes of stationary bike a day. I have a bike path near my house and it’s simply a beautiful trail... a good 7 or 8 miles. I love going out and riding and enjoying the day.
"My life had consisted of working, watching television, sleeping and eating. That is not an exaggeration at all. The thought of having to go out and ride a bike or go hiking, I just couldn’t do it. Now, I am just enjoying life more."
This super slimmer offers this one great piece of advice to everyone struggling with weight: Don't give up, and remember that having the right mindset makes all the difference.
"Go on the Sensational Success support group, and go and look at my before and after pictures," he urges. "I put myself out there specifically because I used to be that person that was overweight thinking there was absolutely no way that I could do this. I just want to show people they can do it. I know if I did anybody can."
Are you ready to make the Atkins approach work for you? eDietsand Atkins Diethave teamed up to provide you with personalized versions of this popular weight-loss approach.
