This Woman Lost 77 Pounds By Eating More Fat. Here’s How It Works.

Candy Spiegel was ready to give up her weight loss battle—until a revolutionary new way of eating changed everything. This is her story.

               

               

By  Erica Sanders-Foege, Prevention

I've struggled with my weight since fourth grade. It's a familiar story, but I tried every diet. I even enrolled in a supervised weight loss program when I was in my 30s, only to be told that I was a slow loser. The counselor asked me if I was filling out the forms correctly because my numbers hardly moved!

[post_ads]I was humiliated, so I just gave up and stopped dieting altogether. Over the next 15 years, the pounds packed on. I got to a point where I could barely move. I would unload the dishwasher and get so tired that I'd have to sit down. Even walking for just 5 minutes wiped me out for hours.

At 45, I had high blood pressure, was prediabetic, and weighed 298 pounds. I told myself that if I didn't do something to lose the weight, I could end up in a wheelchair.

Then, last January, I discovered Prevention's new diet book, The Fat Cell Solution by David Ludwig, MD, PhD, a Harvard-trained endocrinologist. He described how the carbs and sugar we eat tell our bodies to store fat. This sends our insulin on a roller coaster ride, which ultimately causes us to feel constant hunger and gain weight like crazy. When I read this, I thought it described me to a T.

When we eat the right combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrate, however, we signal our bodies to use the energy in our fat cells, not add to it. Eating lots of healthy fats—found in nuts, avocados, oils, and many sauces (hello, whole milk!)—and less protein and carbs actually retrains your fat cells to release excess calories. 

I began to lose weight immediately, and my cravings started to subside after the second day. In my first year on the plan, I lost 77 pounds! Besides incorporating more healthy fats into my daily diet, here are 3 ways I slayed the weight loss beast: 

1. Eliminate as many obstacles as possible.
Since my new plan involved eating twice as much fat as carbohydrates, I cleared out my pantry of processed foods like white pasta, flour, and sugar. I started a daily journal that tracked my sleep and stress levels—two things that can impede weight loss. 

Then I shopped for fresh vegetables, healthy animal protein like chicken and beef, and cooked healthy meals. If I keep my fridge and pantry full of these items on a weekly basis, I don't find myself reaching for treats. 

My go-to recipe is this Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping:

Shepherd's Pie with Cauliflower Topping

 

SERVES 6

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes

1 sm to med head cauliflower, cut into large pieces (about 4 to 6 c)
1 lg onion, quartered
2 cloves garlic
1 medium fennel bulb (or substitute 4 small carrots), cut into large pieces
1 tsp + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil or butter
8 oz sliced button or cremini mushrooms
1½ lb 90% lean ground beef
1¼ tsp salt
⅛ tsp + ¼ tsp ground black pepper
6 oz canned tomato paste
Dash of cayenne (optional)

1¾ c cooked cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed

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1. PLACE cauliflower in pot and add water just to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook until tender, 10 minutes.

2. HEAT oven to 375°F.

3. PLACE onion, garlic, and fennel in food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

4. HEAT 1 tsp of the olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture, mushrooms, beef, ½ tsp of the salt, and ⅛ tsp of the pepper. Cook, stirring often, until beef is browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

5. STIR tomato paste and ½ cup water together and add to skillet. Add cayenne (if using) and remove from heat.

6. DRAIN cauliflower, return it to pot, and add remaining 2 Tbsp oil, ¾ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and beans. Puree with immersion blender until smooth.

7. TRANSFER beef mixture to a 12" x 9" inch baking dish (or six individual 4" ramekins). Top with cauliflower mixture. Bake until casserole is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

8. SERVE immediately. Cool and refrigerate or freeze extra portions. Reheat assembled pies in 375°F oven until warm throughout, 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Variations
For a vegetarian version, substitute crumbled tempeh for the beef, increase water to 1 cup, and reduce salt by ½ tsp or to taste.

You can also substitute ground turkey or ground lamb for the beef.

NUTRITION (per serving): 400 cal, 32 g pro, 31 g carb, 8 g fiber, 17 g fat

2. Set short-term goals.
In my mind, I was going to need 3 years to lose all the weight—about 175 pounds. Instead of the half a pound a week weight loss I had expected, I ended up losing 2 to 3 pounds a week. 

I knew I had a long way to go, though, so I set short-term, attainable goals that didn't revolve around the number on the scale. 

For instance, I set a goal to ride a bike again—even if it was just around the block. By Memorial Day, I was back on a bike. By the fall, I could finish a 16-mile ride, no problem.

These short-term goals are most effective at keeping me active from day to day—something I had never been able to do befor. Exercise is now something I want to do, not something I have to do.

[post_ads]And that's important, since even as little as 15 minutes of physical activity increases levels of feelings like enthusiasm, pride, happiness, and excitement, according to a study in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology. A number on a scale could never do that. 

Next up: kayaking! 

3. Get right back on the wagon if you fall off.
By changing the way I eat, I don't think about food usually until I'm really hungry nowadays. The higher percentage of healthy fats in my diet fuel me for longer periods, so I'm not constantly reaching for snacks. 

With this past holiday season, though, I found it harder to avoid sugar. So I let myself indulge a few times. The rationale was simple: If I didn't prive myself, I'd be less likely to binge later on. But it didn’t work. In addition to gaining a few pounds, I felt tired immediately, and I suffered brain fog.

After the holidays, it was right back to my original plan of eating the right fat, protein, and carbohydrate ratios, and I was back on track in a day. I’m so glad to have dropped those few extra pounds already.

I continue to lose weight, and after a year, I'm down to 221 pounds. Even better, I've cut my blood pressure medication in half and I am no longer prediabetic. 

I realize it may take me awhile to reach my goal weight of 125, but this change really works for me. I'm no longer focused on food. I now know how to pay attention to what my body is telling me. I'll be perfectly happy if I get to my goal in 3 years, but I have a feeling it will be sooner.

Break the cycle of hunger and lose the weight for good with The Fat Cell Solution from Prevention. It's backed by decades of research and hundreds of test success stories just like Candy's. 

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