In the Beginning:

I have lost almost 70 lbs over the last two years.  As I try and answer the question that everyone asks (namely, how did you do it?) I find that the answer becomes complex and long-winded.  Finally, I decided that there are so many people interested in my success at weight reduction and that there are so many points to be made, that I should start a blog and post as many points as I can remember over a period of time.  This way many people can benefit from what I have learned over the last two years. 

So here I go.
January 2009, I weighed 255 lbs.  It came as a total surprise when I ended up in the hospital in August of 2009 with the diagnosis of diabetes keto-acidosis.  While it is true that most adult onset diabetes is Type 2, I am Type 1, meaning my pancreas does not make any insulin, so I have to take multiple insulin shots every day.  My medical coverage is through the Kaiser system in the mid-Atlantic region (DC).  I was hospitalized while I was in San Diego.  The first thing we experienced was that the ambulance took me straight to the Kaiser hospital 10 miles away.  The second thing we experienced was how seamless the Kaiser system was.  There was no paperwork to do.  All Kalpana had to do was to sign a couple of prefilled forms to transfer benefits from Kaiser Mid-Atlantic to Kaiser Southern California.  That’s it!  We have never again had to sign a piece of paper from Kaiser again in two years.  The third and most important thing was that after I went home the Kaiser staff made sure that I attended certain classes meant for diabetics.  They also kept reminding me until I made the appointment to attend the classes and thereafter they made sure that I actually attended the classes with my wife, Kalpana.  Most of what I am going to be describing in this blog I learned from attending 6 hours of those classes.  I believe that without that training I could have never achieved the weight loss that I have achieved.

Disclaimer:
Please note that I am not a doctor.  I am not giving medical advice.  All I am doing is describing my experiences and discoveries.  What I have learned and discovered works for me but may not work for others.

Before and After:
That being said, I’ll begin with my before and after pictures.  The picture on the left is from April 2008 when I weighed 255 lbs.  The picture on the right is my picture from November 2010 at 189 lbs.  I am continuing to lose weight at an extremely slow rate of about one pound over a period of six months.  At the time of publishing this blog I weigh 187 lbs.

BEFORE

AFTER

Weight Goal:

My weight was 198 lbs. in 1970 when I left India for the U.S.  I am 6’ 2” tall and the weight of 198 lbs. had stayed with me for many years and suited me quite well.  With the abundance that America offers I started gaining weight and reached 255 lbs.  My goal in 2009 was to reach the weight 198 lbs; however, my daily affirmations included a phrase about reaching “my ideal weight”.  Based on the outcome, I guess my “ideal weight” is 187 lbs. or less.

How I did it:

In short, I did it by counting carbs (carbohydrates).  I also did it through discipline, focus, single-mindedness of purpose, and dedication.  It was not hard work.  In fact it was quite easy.  More than requiring a change in lifestyle, it required a change in my thinking.  I had to change my views on various things especially about different foods and eating habits.  I will describe all of that in detail as I continue to write this blog.