Three-Fourths a Julie

Four years ago, January 1, 2013, I began a journey to lose half my body weight (thus the name of this blog: Half a Julie). I started at 306 pounds. In the first 9 months, I lost about 70 pounds. My weight went as low as about 235, but I settled around 245. I still was not finished, but we experienced the loss of my father-in-law to cancer. I also started--and completed--graduate school while working full time. But I needed to get moving again, and I knew I needed to get moving again.  I've been working again since the first week of January. Today, I reached the halfway point.  If you look under the Current Statistics heading. I have lost 78.2 pounds, and I have 78.2 pounds to go.  I'm halfway to half a Julie!  That makes me 3/4 of a Julie!  I've lost 25% of my body weight.

On January 2, 2017, I weighed in at 249. I had maintained an almost 60 pound loss.  I had my last Diet Coke shortly after midnight on New Year's Day.  On January 5th, my husband and I started the ketogenic diet. I have attempted low carb diets before but have never succeeded for long.  This way of eating seems to be working for me. My blood sugars have been low. I have had plenty of energy, and I am not hungry.

There are plenty of websites out there with descriptions of a ketogenic diet, but the basic is idea is I get the majority of my calories from healthy fats (such as coconut, olives; avocado; and butter); I eat protein in moderation; and I eat less than 20 carbs a day. I avoid grains and sugars. I don't count calories or obsess about foods. And it's working.  I am down more than 20 pounds since the first of the year.

This picture shows when I started and yesterday.

Where I really notice the difference is in profile.  4 years ago and this week.

Last year and this week.