How I lost 20kg (50lb's) and kept it off

I followed a strict 6 week regime of eating only natural and healthy foods. I cut out all sugar, flour, dairy products and yeast products. This was the best thing I could ever have done for my body. It gave me a really good clean out and set the scene for some dramtic weight loss.

If you have ever tried to do this it is hard. There is such a limited range of foods to choose from and almost every food has to be made from scratch. The only thing I could buy from a fast food place or restaurant was chicken and rice or some sushi and I would sometimes walk into a bakery and see there was absolutely nothing I could eat. It meant planning ahead for every meal including the family gatherings and it also meant being tired at times. My family remember me as being very difficult because I always had to have special meals. Luckily I love chicken because I ate it up to five times a week.

I lost a few pounds during this time but it was after the six weeks was up and my body was well and truly clean that I noticed the biggest weight loss. With my new clean system and a healthy diet free of most sugar and dairy products I was losing weight quite fast. I put back some whoe wheat in my diet and still lost weight. It was an awesome time. Having a lovely clean system is excellent and there is no feeling like it.

It was a whole year before I started eating sugar again and that gave my body a huge break from refined carbohydrates. I noticed a remarkable improvement in the health of my body and also my teeth. My biggest weight loss was in the three months after my detox diet, when it all came off rather quickly. The next six months over winter my weight loss slowed and then hit a plateau. I assume it was because it was winter and I was eating a lot of starchy foods like sweetcorn and potatoes for lunch. I was happy because previous efforts at losing weight had always been followed by a quick gain and I was able to stay motivated because I was so much more energetic and healthy.

Even in the bitter cold of a Wellington winter I went out every night and exercised. I chose three things I really liked so I could rotate them. If I wasn't walking the streets, I was bouncing on the trampoline or shooting baskets in our yard. I got myself an MP3 player and loaded it with great motivating music like latin and pop dance songs. Sometimes I played self improvement tapes and worked out until they finished. I was very motivated by the improvement I saw in my health and fitness each day.

Other times when I have lost weight, I have bounced straight back up to an even higher weight as soon as I stopped dieting. By cleaning out my body it didn't seem to need to put it all back on the minute I ate another cake. Keeping it off has been easy but there are three small changes I have made that really help keep it off.

If I am going to eat something I make sure I enjoy it. I take time to eat if I can and savour my meals.

I walk every day and take the opportunity for any fun that comes my way. I ride a motorbike, I play tennis when I can and I get out and about and explore.

I am still studying to find out what my body likes and what it doesn't like. Salads give me energy and I benefit from a good high fibre breakfast.

Good luck with your weight loss. It's difficult but worth it. I am much more confident and active and happy.

Best Wishes

Nikki