Diabetes Awareness Month: I chose low carb over weight loss surgery and lost 14 stone

A woman on the brink of undergoing major weight loss surgery lost 14 stone by adopting a whole new approach to eating.
Debra Arck said at her heaviest she was 27 stone, miserable and experiencing heart problems. As her health began to deteriorate further she decided enough was enough and joined the award-winning Low Carb Program.
She now weighs 13 stone, her vertigo has improved and her joint pain has significantly subsided.
Debra had been scheduled to have bariatric surgery two years ago but cancelled last minute. She instead made a pledge to change her lifestyle and her relationship with food.
She’d previously been given standard dietary advice although when she suggested going low carb to her doctor she said “he wasn’t so sure”.
“I found out about the Low Carb Program a couple of years ago, but I’d known about the low carb diet for a long time before. My mother followed a similar diet and lost weight and I’d also heard about the diet from a colleague.
“However, I don’t think I was emotionally ready to change at the time and it’s only in the past few years I’ve been fully committed.”
Debra joined the program and saw instant benefits. “I was shocked at how I didn’t feel hungry. Not just the physical hunger but I found that my cravings also reduced. I had a choice and I found that I was choosing not to eat the high carb foods that I once wanted.”
Debra lost just over 14 stone and the weight loss has helped with her joints; her knee pain has disappeared, and she no longer has any problems with her hearts.
Now her two sons are also following a low carb diet and are also reaping the benefits.
For those who are thinking about joining the pioneering approach, Debra said the key is to “realise that everyone is on their own journey and not to compare your progress to someone else’s. Everyone experiences the same struggles and you should be proud of your progress whether you’ve lost 5 pounds or 5 stone.”
You can read Debra’s full story here.
Diabetes.co.uk is showcasing a diabetes community success story every day in November to mark Diabetes Awareness Month. To read the case studies which have been featured so far, visit our News section.
Additionally, follow the Diabetes Awareness Month campaigns we are running on Twitter and Facebook and use the hashtag #StrongerTogether.