Carletta 153 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Carletta 153 pounds. After having a complete left knee replacement, she knew that her right knee would also have to be replaced if nothing changed. She decided that it was time to make her health a priority. Eating low carb brought her success in the past, so she decided to give it a try again. Check out her story.

My weight has affected most of my adult life. The highest weight I can remember reaching is 373 pounds (height: 5’8″). Even at that exact moment, I did not decide to take charge and take the necessary steps to improve my health. However, a few years later I tried low-carb dieting, began going to the gym and lost 100 pounds. I did not reach my ideal weight, and slowly but surely the majority of the weight returned. Before long, I weighed close to 300 pounds.

In November of 2015, I had to get a total knee replacement in my left knee. I knew it would be just a matter of time for my right knee, because I have no cartilage there. I also have arthritis in both my knees. The knee replacement surgery changed my life! Once the surgery was over, I knew that ultimately I had to decide how serious I was going to take my health.

I began this journey at 300 pounds. Today, I’ve gotten down to 220 pounds by following a low carb lifestyle. I have tried many diets in the past, but none worked for me except going low carb… and that only works when I stay in first stage, eating 0-20 carbs a day. I reduced the amount of red meat I eat, as well as caffeine. I dont drink carbonated drinks, but I drink lemon water every morning. Also, I recently quit smoking. My goal weight is 190 pounds.

I still struggle with traditional workouts, but I do try to stay active throughout the day by
walking my dog, counting my steps and doing specific exercises for my trouble areas. Most importantly, I try my best to stay in good spirits and surround myself with great people.

The best advice I could give is that weight loss is a lifetime commitment, a lifestyle change. It begins and ends internally. If you dont address/correct the reasons you continue to overeat and yo-yo diet, you will stay in the same vicious cycle. Take care of yourself, both physically and mentally.