A way of life…

What an inspiring story from challenger Brwnidgal. Her story resembles that of so many women and moms out there, and her solution for weight loss and healthy living is something everyone can take on. Sounds like Chef Devin inspired her to get in to the kitchen a long time ago!

Twenty years ago, I moved back to Texas and started medical school. At first, I thought the new dryer was just shrinking my pants…then I saw pictures. Needless to say, it wasn’t the dryer. I had no idea how to go about losing the weight that I’d gained; up until that point, I had eaten whatever I wanted and never gained weight. I turned to Weight Watchers (this was in the pre-points era). The plan was structured around eating plain things. Plain grilled chicken. Plain toast. There wasn’t really a way to “count” extras…or recipes. It did work, though; I reached my goal weight and became a lifetime member.

I believed that eating healthy should be a way of life, not a diet–even back then. The problem was that I loved food, and I really couldn’t just eat plain food forever. I kept the weight off for probably about 8 years, but I gained some back when my lifestyle changed for various reasons. Each time, I went back to Weight Watchers and was able to lose the weight. I realize that, just by doing that, I may have been the exception. But, ultimately, I went back to my bad habits; I just liked food too much to give up all the stuff I loved and craved.

I gained A LOT of weight with each of my pregnancies. During my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I found out the risks of developing Type II Diabetes were staggering, especially if I didn’t lose the excess weight. I have two beautiful children, and I have every intention of being healthy enough to enjoy their childhood.

I joined Weight Watchers a week after I delivered. At first, it was the same deal. It worked, but I feared that it would not be a long term solution…that despite the mantra that it is a “way of life not a diet”, I would not be able to live like that long-term.

I started to incorporate some eating habits that I had acquired while following the diabetic diet (combining protein with every carb I ate). And, then I found Devin Alexander’s cookbooks.

Suddenly, it was a whole new world. My weight loss journey stopped being MY weight loss journey, and it truly became a quest to be healthy. My family has come on this journey with me–my husband, my daughters, and even my step-son when he comes to stay with us.

We rejoice in the fact that we can eat fabulous food while being healthy. We NEVER feel deprived. In fact, more than a few times, my husband has pronounced our meals “better than what you could get in a restaurant”. My step-son was told by his doctor that he has a weight problem, and he was put on a diet of sorts. Then, he came here and raved about every meal I cooked. He could not believe he could eat like this, and still meet his “healthy” goals.

We rarely eat out any more, partly because it’s hard to do with two toddlers, but mostly because we like the food we can cook at home better than what we can eat out. So far, I lost the 33 pounds I needed to in order to get to my “goal” weight. I have maintained that weight loss for more than 6 months now. I don’t even think or worry about going back to my old habits…why would I?