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Samantha: Lost over 100 Pounds and Made a Lifestyle Change for Her Growing Family

The fundamentals of the McDougall Program are simple yet often difficult to implement. Star McDougallers have either adopted the Program themselves by learning from our website and books or joining one of our programs. For personalized help, learn more about the 12-Day McDougall Program. For questions on whether a change in diet can help your ailment, learn more about our consultations.
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Four years ago, when my first son was born, I was 274 pounds. I started drinking Atkins shakes and eating cheese, bacon, eggs and meat in hopes to lose the massive recent weight gain. A few years prior, I had lost 40 pounds following a different diet. Nothing was taking the weight off this time. My doctor even suggested I was not telling the whole truth about my eating because she didn’t believe a “no/low carb diet wouldn’t do the trick”. I was even walking about 2-3 hours a day!

My heart broke and devastation ran through me when my body wasn’t producing enough milk to feed my son. I felt that formula was poison, and I had failed as a mother. I knew I needed to make a change. I immediately began to look for the healthiest diet on the planet. Using formula would only be for one year and I vowed to make sure he ate health promoting foods from there on out. Childhood diabetes was my biggest fear for my baby’s future, and all of the research I read and watched showed that parents must lead by example, which meant I had to make the change too. 

When the Starch Solution popped up on Instagram I laughed and thought it was too good to be true. Eat my favorite foods and lose weight? Nothing else had worked so I figured I would give it a try. Within two weeks, 12 days to be exact, I had lost about 10 pounds, my post baby depression was finally lifting and I began to feel like myself again. Four years and a second child later, I am still 100 pounds lighter. My weight gain for baby number two was only 20 pounds and that came off two months after he was born.

Today, I am still losing weight – slower, but still losing. I have shifted my eating toward all whole foods (maximum weight loss) and away from pastas and breads. I am the only person I know who has lost such a huge amount of weight and kept it off. I have led such a happy and positive life with this simple change that my husband, mom and sister have also transitioned their lifestyles to the Starch Solution after seeing how much it benefited me mentally and physically. 

I cannot thank Dr. McDougall enough. You have forever shaped the outcome of my family’s life and I wish there was more I could do or say to show my appreciation. Many blessings.