To some, losing weight might seem like a daunting task. After all, you can see the pounds pile up from one day to the next and it seems like you will never reach your goal. But don’t be disheartened, because weight loss is not impossible for everyone. Even if you have tried before and failed, there is always a way to get the weight off.
Losing weight is one of the most difficult goals to achieve in this society. We are surrounded by advertisements that claim to have the “perfect” weight loss method, but the truth is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
I have been trying to lose weight for years, but always managed to gain weight back. I was in a meeting at work and a colleague told me she had lost 60 pounds, and I asked her how she did it. She said, “It really wasn’t that hard, I just ate less, worked out more, and NOTHING was as hard as I thought it was going to be.” I was so impressed with how easy she said it was that I decided to try it myself.. Read more about weight loss success stories 2023 and let us know what you think.
Hite, Adele
You may have already read a number of guides and articles written by Adele Hite, PhD and RD, the website’s principal writer, if you’re a frequent visitor. She covers every element of the ketogenic and low-carb lifestyle. She does, however, have a personal tale to share.
Adele, 56, began following a low-carb diet in 1999. “It wasn’t named ‘keto’ back then,” she says. Instead, she went on a low-carb diet dubbed “Protein Power,” which was created by Drs. Mike and Mary Dan Eades.
Adele, like many low-carbers, was inspired to alter her diet and eliminate carbs by a variety of reasons. However, she was preoccupied at the time with her battle to lose weight after the birth of her third child.
She’d also been informed she had pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension, which she couldn’t get rid of until she lost weight.
Adele is still low carb almost two decades later. “I lost almost 60 pounds (27 kilograms), but more significantly, my pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension diagnoses vanished and never reappeared,” she adds.
I lost a lot of weight, almost 60 pounds (27 kilograms), but more significantly, my pre-diabetes and pre-hypertension diagnoses disappeared and never reappeared.
Adele discusses her inspirational low-carb journey, as well as her top three low-carb recommendations that she believes every new low-carber should attempt. For length and clarity, this interview has been gently modified.
How Did You Find Out About Keto?
Adele: An unpleasant experience with my doctor gave me my first indication that there was an alternative way of thinking about diet. After the birth of my third child, I tried to lose weight in the same manner that many other people do: by decreasing dietary fat and keeping track of calories in and out.
Despite being very rigorous with my food and exercise, I did not lose much weight and eventually started to gain it back. I assumed something was amiss with me – maybe my thyroid? As a result, I went to see my family doctor.
My thyroid was OK, he said, but I needed to eat less and exercise more! I was so angry that I started crying. The doctor rushed out of the room, and his physician assistant (PA) came in to calm me down. That was a life-changing experience for me.
The PA suggested, in hushed tones, that I shouldn’t worry too much about losing weight since it was the carbohydrates that I didn’t need. And he warned me that if I was going to exercise as much as I was, I needed to make sure I was getting enough protein.
So, How Did You Get Started With Keto?
Adele: Following that day at the doctor’s office, I spent a few months rummaging through the shelves of the University of North Carolina Health Sciences Library. My youngest was still a toddler at the time. I’d take out the old nutrition textbooks and try to study as much as I could before he woke up, while he slept in his pram.
“Body fat is stored energy,” I continued reading, and “carbohydrates are mainly for energy.” So, why do I need to consume ‘energy’ when I already have enough stored on my backside? I also read a lot about the importance of protein in maintaining excellent health. That topic resurfaced again and again.
However, I was still perplexed. “Americans consume too much protein,” everyone remarked, so how could I not be getting enough? And I’d always heard that carbohydrates are essential for a balanced diet, so I didn’t believe it would be wise to drastically decrease them.
Later, while spending time with my kids in the library, I came across a stack of books, one of which caught my eye: Protein Power. I began to read it and came across the following sentence: ‘The real quantity of carbohydrate needed for humans is zero.’ This book, authored by two physicians, stated everything I had been scared to believe. Of course, I took the book out of the library, began following the instructions in it, and never looked back.
What has been the most gratifying aspect of adopting a low-carb lifestyle?
Adele: For me, the most gratifying aspect is that as I grew older, I didn’t — and still don’t — feel the need to “slow down.” I returned to graduate school at the age of 46, began a PhD program at the age of 50, and began a new, fast-paced career at the age of 55. I hardly had enough energy to get through a day before I began eating this way in my forties. I simply don’t feel like that anymore.
Have you persuaded anybody in your circle to adopt a low-carb lifestyle?
Adele: Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you In his 60s, my father was diagnosed with full-blown diabetes. His doctor gave him two options: he either start taking metformin or cut down on sugar and carbohydrates in his diet.
My father knew I accomplished it, so he thought he could do it too! That was all. I gave him some suggestions — and, more significantly, a glucometer — and that was it. His diabetes never got any worse. He was never on any kind of diabetic medication. In reality, after approximately a year, his HbA1c level returned to normal and remained stable.
What has been the most difficult aspect of adhering to a low-carb diet? Is there anything you miss?
Adele: It used to be a lot more difficult. I had to prepare low-carb cookies and crackers from scratch if I wanted to eat them. We had a limited number of non-caloric sweeteners on hand, and they didn’t function or taste very well. And there are now a plethora of low-carb baking and culinary items easily accessible.
I used to have to crush almond flour myself in my food processor if I wanted to use it. I can now get large quantities of it at Costco.
Restaurants have also become considerably more welcoming. When I order a burger without a bread, no one bats an eye. I don’t get many opportunities to “miss” meals that I like. I can create low-carb versions of nearly all of these!
What are your top three keto recommendations for someone who is just getting started?
- Sugars and carbohydrates should be consumed in moderation. You may go cold turkey or go slowly (like the six steps down carb mountain), but the most essential ‘tip’ is to start slowly.
- Every day, get enough protein. Protein items were plentiful when I first began eating low carb — and I think Dr. Westman still gives similar advise in his clinic today. Atkins did it this way. You were free to consume as much protein as you desired. Nobody was scared of eating too much protein back then, and I don’t believe it’s a particularly well-founded worry now.
- Only add fat as required. Today’s “keto” diet makes it seem that consuming as much fat as possible is the most essential aspect of the diet. It isn’t the case. This ‘fat can’t make you fat’ mentality with the ‘new wave keto’ is identical to the ‘carbs can’t make you fat’ mentality with the low-fat diet fad. It’s incomprehensible to me.
What do you like most about working for?
Adele: What is my favorite aspect of working with? I have no idea where to begin. I like working with the individuals I do, and I believe in the purpose of our business. What could be more motivating than giving people all around the globe the finest information available about how to improve their health on a daily basis?
Adele has more to say:
This week’s edition of the Podcast features Adele, so don’t miss it!
Are you ready to reduce weight for good?
Our 10-week program will assist you in losing weight in a healthy and long-term manner.
Sign up right now!
When I was thirty, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I had always been overweight. Over the years, I came to terms with the fact that I would have to take care of myself. I would have to be the one to eat healthier, exercise more, and diet more. Fourteen years later, I am happy to report that I have lost over 50 pounds.. Read more about 20 pound weight loss before and after pictures and let us know what you think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 60 pound weight loss a lot?
It is not a lot, but it is a significant amount of weight.
How do you jumpstart weight loss after 60?
There are many ways to lose weight. Some people find that a low-carb diet is the best way for them. Others might find that they need to exercise more or change their eating habits.
What are some inspirational weight loss stories?
There are many inspirational weight loss stories. Some of these include the following: 1) A man who lost 100 pounds in a year by eating only one meal a day and exercising for an hour each day. 2) An obese woman who was able to lose over 200 pounds in six months after she began running on a treadmill every day. 3) A woman who lost over 100 pounds in just three months by walking around her neighborhood for 30 minutes each morning.
