Living Vibrantly!

I started a low-carb, low-calorie way of life back on October 23, 2006.

I’ve lost 130 pounds thus far – going from a tight size 24 (I should have been wearing a 26 pant and I wore a 3X Women’s shirt) to currently being in a size 14 jeans and a Misses X-Large shirt. I still have a journey to get to my goal weight as I also continue to struggle from time to time. Right now, I am in a bit of a struggle – adjusting to working outside of the home has proven to be a little hard. But I still feel good and I look a lot better than I used to.

I’ve gained a lot of confidence through this life change and I feel so much more in control of my future. When I started this back in 2006 – I felt lost and like I was dying a slow death. I was actually interviewed for a position of sorts with a Christian group and was told by the leader of the group that my weight was a sin and I had to fix that to be in a leader position. That threw me for a loop for quite some time. I let her words almost destroy me. I quietly pulled away from life, as I didn’t want anyone to know how much that hurt me. I was already insecure – she just hit that final nail into my heart.

My personal opinion is that weight is caused by many different things – overeating, genetics, and even your family history plays a part as to how your body works. Had you seen what I ate – you would think I was a pretty healthy person overall. I wasn’t a binge eater, closet eater, junk food connoisseur – none of those things! If anything most of the time I was starving myself all to try to be thin and acceptable to the general public. My weight did not show that though; nothing I did worked.

I was a very lonely person for many years. No one sees you when you are overweight like that. Then, when I finally made an effort to get out and meet people and then later to be told that something you were struggling with made you unworthy as a Christian as well – my heart just dropped and I think I all but disappeared from life – I holed up in my home and didn’t want anyone to see me anymore.

Then, in October, my uncle died from heart failure. Now, he was an uncle via marriage – so his health wasn’t something that should have affected me deeply. I really liked him – he was funny and never, ever put on airs – you either liked him or you didn’t and he didn’t care either way. I was so sad to learn his heart failed him. We lost him too early.

That’s when it hit me – my great-grandparents, and my grandma had dealt with diabetes – it affected the way they lived and I think diabetes took my grandma from us before she should have gone. Cancer is also a concern in my family and high blood pressure, etc…etc… so I had to get real about what was going on with me. Somehow, someway, I had to find the answer. I also finally realized I wasn’t living life – I was hiding from it and I was sick and tired of it! I had to do something and while I really never thought low-carb would be the answer – this has worked far better than I ever thought it would. In fact, I actually paused the diet for some time as I was losing so quickly. I was concerned about loose skin – I wanted to give my body time to catch up to the new me. Now that I have tightened up a little bit, I am ready to start moving down to my goal. So I am back on the weight loss track. To stop the loss, I increased protein and fat intake…NOT carbs!

Here are my “Before and Current” pictures in case you missed it previously.

The first picture shows me 40 pounds down – this is not my heaviest – I haven’t yet found a picture of myself at my heaviest…If I do, I will update this of course! The middle picture is 68 pounds down and the current picture is 78 pounds down. I am now at 114 down, so I should do another picture soon – but the loss isn’t showing in my face quite as much any longer! When I get to goal I will do a full body shot too!

I can’t believe how much better I feel and how life is so different now – I am saddened to know and realize all the time I wasted living through others, but when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I think the Lord wanted me to see both sides of the coin – I was thin for half my life; when I started having children, my body completely changed and I lived the life of an overweight woman – now I feel God knows I am ready to help others and that I have a story to share.

I have lived both sides and while I am a bit battered from living the heavy side – it gives me compassion for those that still need to begin their journey and it really makes me want to reach out and let others know – NO MATTER WHAT SIZE YOU ARE – You are beautiful and worthwhile – God loves us no matter what and we MUST live our lives to the fullest from beginning to end – no matter what crosses we are given to bear in life – there is always a reason for everything that happens. Live the ups, and live the downs. You’ll come out stronger on the other side – and usually with a lesson or a message to share.

I let others opinions affect me and how I lived my life – and I can’t tell you how much I regret that now. Things I can’t change and that will affect me forever, all because I allowed the opinion of others make me strive to become invisible – as much as I possibly could. I didn’t think anyone could like or love a fat woman – and I didn’t know how to change that view of myself. Low-carb finally gave me back my body, my self-esteem and my life as a whole – so I will shout it from the rooftops!

Should everyone do low-carb?

No – I don’t think so, but if the low-fat, vegetarian or any other diet has not worked for you and you truly gave it your all – I believe this is something you should definitely try!

I look forward to blogging about what I am doing and how my shape continues to change as I get closer and closer to my goal.

Stay tuned…

Have a blessed day!

Kiki Vogel