As the Diet Turns

My Personal Diet History - For the record, this is a brief overview of my health issues, weight history and the many trial and errors with diets of all kinds starting over 35 years ago when my goal was to lose 5 to 10 lbs, which led to a top weight at one point of over 300 lbs.

Childhood: never overweight. Diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 2, hospitalized and in bed for several months, age 6 spent 1 year in hospital confined to bed with leg casts on, age 7 to 11 spent 4 years in leg braces and very little activity allowed.

Age 14 (1969) - early teens: Weight 125 to 130 lbs Goal 120 lbs
Tried to lose 5-10 lbs. Stopped eating as much as possible and self induced vomiting if I did. This phase didn’t last very long - only a few months.

Age 18: Weight 155 lbs Goal 120 lbs
Tried not eating much and Atkins - didn’t work.

Through my 20’s: Weight 155-165 lbs Goal 130 lbs
Hysterectomy for cervial cancer age 20. Starved for many years, tried several diets, would lose some (5 to 10 lbs) and gain back a bit more. Gave up.

Through most of my 30’s: Weight 185 lbs Goal 130 lbs
Used diet pills from doctor for several years, very little food but I wasn’t hungry.

Age 37 - Sept. 1, 1991: Weight 155 lbs Goal 135 lbs
Finally made it to 155 lbs for my wedding Sept. 1, 1991 by increasing diet pills and less food. After wedding stopped diet pills, tried Atkins, Weight Watchers, Soup Diet, Rice House Diet, and many others.

Nov. 2001: 210 lbs Goal 135 lbs
Diagnosed with hypothyroidism, started Levoxyl 50 mcg. Continued trying various diets on and off, but nothing worked. Told by the doctor I would never lose weight and that I should just give up (however, whenever I went for an appointment and was weighed by the nurse she would constantly tell me I was getting fatter).

Early 2003: Weight 285 lbs Goal 135 lbs
Started a diet I created by strictly counting calories (800 - 900 calories a day or less when possible) and moderate exercise 3 times a week. Physically I had been feeling tottally exhausted and ravenously hungryalmost constantly for the past couple years, but determined to lose the weight no matter what I had to do.

Jan. 2005: Weight fluctuated between 180 - 190 lbs for a few months; I went to a nutritionist, she approved of my diet of 800 - 900 calories but wanted me to add a little fat (equivalent of .5 per meal or the amount in 1 egg). Kept trying, but gained back a few pounds and had to starve for weeks to lose it. Goal: 135 lbs.

By Mid-2005: Weight 250+ lbs Took a break from dieting for about three months, gained back over 70 lbs - gave up, continued to gain.

March 2006: Weight 290+ lbs
New doctor - she retested me and I was told I did NOT have hypothyrodism (never did), set new goal weight that was healthier for me, taken off medication (felt a LOT better within the first week), had my diet plan approved by doctor (800 - 900 calories daily, light exercise 3 times a week increase over time). Discussed possibility of gastric bypass surgery. She was willing to work with me and help me lose weight, but wanted to address other health concerns first.

April 2006: Weight 310 lbs, Goal 140 lb (new weight goal set by doctor)
Scale used: doctor type scale in ladies room at work, afternoon, fully dressed. I always said I’d just jump off a bridge if I ever went over 300 lbs. Well that day arrived; luckily no bridges were close by.

Reweighed myself day one of healthy eating plan (May 1, 2006) for the “official” start weight: 293.5.

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