What exactly is ELFF? Who is Carmen?

During my yearly checkup in December of 2005, I had to step on the scale.  I didn't want to - I knew that I'd gained a bit of weight.  I'd had my fifth and sixth children 15 months apart, and the pregnancies had taken quite a toll on my body.  When I stepped on the scale, though, I was stunned to see that the nurse had to move the weight up an entire notch.  I weighed 206 pounds. My New Year's resolution for 2006 had to be a lifestyle change.  The direction that I was moving in was, literally, going to kill me if I didn't change. I took a hard look at my daily intake of food, and my daily (lack of) exercise.  I had a friend who had lost quite a bit of weight using the Fat Fallacy diet, and I looked at it, but I didn't think it was the right diet for me.  Family members had used Atkins and were happy, but it didn't fit my life either.  My brother in law used the cabbage soup diet, and that DEFINITELY wasn't for me.  I didn't have money to join a gym, Curves wouldn't work because I had little kids home with me, and my lack of money meant that Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers were out.  So I decided to try what I have seen affectionately called the ELFF diet.  Why, you may ask, is it called the ELFF diet?  It's very simple.  ELFF stands for:

Eat Less Fatty Foods.

Sad, but true.  I had to be able to cook for my family, and make foods that everyone would be able to eat.  I just had to eat less of it.  I also had to make several changes in my diet and start an exercise habit.  This blog is my story of losing 75+ pounds and trying to keep it off.  I hope it will help you.

Here's what I looked like before:

And after is located on the sidebar.

Comments

[stephanie]

can you post some b4 and after pictures so we can see how much you have changed?

[chel]

Carmen, you look great! I've been reading you blog for quite a while now. I've been busy with stuff for the last little while and haven't been reading anything lately. BUT 60 POUNDS?!?!? that's crazy! I can't believe I've missed that much of my laptop time, lol.
Owlhaven have mentioed this site and I'm happy to see that you are using your talent of writing for good and not evil, lol. Great job Carmen! You are an inspiration to many:-)
Chel

[Leticia]

Look forward to reading more of your advice... Very inspirational.

[Jen]

Carmen,

Me and two of my friends have gotten serious about losing weight. I have lost about 10 pds and feel good about it.

I saw your blog over at Owlhaven and I was so encouraged with your words. I look forward to reading more. Thanks for sharing!!

Jen

[Belinda]

I can't believe how much we have in common over this issue. Except that your childrearing commitments are multiplied by SIX. Holy frijoles.

Good job.

[A]

Hey there,

I came over from Mel's blog and I'm glad I did -- My starting weight is about the same as yours (minus any kids, how sad!) and I'm wanting to lose about the same amount.

Thankyou for being a great inspiration, I'll be back!

[Sue]

Hello,
Incredible Shrinkin Mom sent me. Good for you! Keep it up, and keep blogging. It is fun to read your story.

[Kim]

Incredible Shrinking Mom sent me your way also. I am 7 months pregnant, but have been overweight for decades and now have the motivation to do something bout it. I think you might help me stick to that!
Great stuff here! Thanks.

[Jeanne]

Neat site! I found you on Owlhaven and just in the nick of time. I have five kids and have gained 10 lbs/kid (maybe 12 now). Sad thing is that the last 2 are adopted. With kid #6 on the way home from China I really need to get serious about losing weight. I hope you have archives about maintaining motivation, b/c that is my pitfall.

Thanks for trying to inspire us to be healthy!

[Elizabeth]

Hey gorgeous! You are such an inspiration to me. I think with you as a friend, I might actually be able to lose weight!

[amy]

I admire you so much! Thank you for sharing the story. I have actually been trying to lose weight- not a lot- for about 3 years now. I realized this week (new concept!) that I want to lose weight more than I want to eat. I think before I really did not believe that. Sometimes it is just that you have to want it more than you want food. That is tough, but necessary. Thanks for the kick in the pants!

[Mariah]

Hello, I found you through Mel at Incredible Shrinking Mom, and I'm glad I did! I love the way you write, and I love the inspiration. I need to lose 60 pounds. I've had more false starts than I can count, and I very much need to do this. I'm starting a new exercise plan tomorrow. Really, I am. (I read your post about excuses, and this isn't one! Really!!) Today I had to be at the doctor's office all morning, and I MUCH prefer to exercise in the morning. If I don't do it in the morning the day gets going faster than I can keep up and I never get to it. So...tomorrow is the day. Brisk walking to start, working up to jogging. I haven't yet worked out an eating plan that I can live with, but I'm thinking about that one. When I was in my 20's I lost 50 pounds by counting fat grams, and I'm thinking of doing it that way again. Seems to be the only thing I can stick with. I gained it back because I got depressed and stopped caring about myself, but that's behind me and I'm ready for this. So write on, and we'll all read on! And thanks for sharing your story.

~Mariah~ (an American in Spain)

[Mary Jo Koch]

Hi, I just discovered your great blog. You have inspired me to try to lose about 40 pounds. I just started a blog, Living Until 96.

[Pieces]

Carmen, I will be interested in hearing your tips and your wisdom. I lost a lot of weight with WW but 10 pounds have crept back on--mostly because I had to stop exercising because of an injury. I don't want to count points my whole life and want to work on maintaining without it. I'll be back to learn from you!

[Pieces]

FYI, it appears that there is something wrong with your blog feed. Bloglines couldn't find it. Thanks!

[MsShad]

I'm also inspired. Because of that damn Excuses post. I've lost 50 pounds last year, but have slacked off thru the winter. Hate the cold and wet, so I don't walk like I used to.

It's Spring now, and I've got to start walking again. I started exercising at Curves too, but quit after I didn't lose anything for 4 months. Now I've joined Snap, it's about 4 blocks away, open 24/7, and the only thing missing is a doggie daycare, ha.

But I'm starting tomorrow, and today I'll gather a bag for working out, the pedometer, heart rate thingy, etc. And the I will put it by the front door. I will wake up at 7 or 7:30am, get up, pee the dogs, get dressed, do the meds and bathroom stuff, and then walk out the door. Gasp! Walking without my dogs! It'll crush them.

I'll link your blog in mine later on today. Have to write something and I'm blank.

[Melissa]

Carmen, I've been reading your other blog for a while now. While not having kids I love to read your stories. As mentioned above you are an inspiration. So far I've lost about 40 pounds in a year walking, aquasize and now I've joined Curves to switch it up with their 30 minute track. Keep up the good work and I'll totally be back.

[Student Nurse Nancy]

Carmen, you look amazing! Congratulations on your weightloss! We emailed a bit about my struggles to start weight loss and I've finally done it. 8 pounds and counting!

I've also started a weight loss blog, more to deal with my emotional eating issues than tips or anything. Swing by when you get the chance.

Lastly, how/where did you get that cool picture of the jeans at the top of your blog? How do you do that?

[peach]

Here from Mary at Owlhaven. Won't be my last visit. Looking forward to learning more thru the archives when I have a big chunk of time. Thanks for inspiring all of us who need to be healthier!

[Laura]

I wish I could warn young mothers about the dangers of flahhhhby skin when they are eating away, happily thinking of the day they give birth and they will magically lose all that "baby fat" and fit into their old jeans. Sigh. I wish I could tell them, "Just go ahead and put away all of your fitted shirts, non-elastic pants, and forget about sleaveless shirts, unless you plan to wear a cardigan or hoodie over them!". I wish I could go back and warn myself, but it's too late, I am dealing with it. I run every day (except weekends) and I don't eat too much bread or sugar anymore and I lost about 50 lbs as well. I think I am supposed to be this weight and I'm pretty happy here, but it would be nice to have "magic surgery" where there are no side-effects and I could still have more children...you know, the "flop-over belly fix-it and the arm-flap tuck" surgeries that we all secretly dream about. Good job on this blog!

[Laura]

I did address my weight-loss on my blog here
http://laurathecrazymama.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-am-skinny.html
If you are interested in reading a short post about it, also, it's good to see the "before" shot (ew)

[Laura]

I did address my weight-loss on my blog here
http://laurathecrazymama.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-am-skinny.html
If you are interested in reading a short post about it, also, it's good to see the "before" shot (ew)

[mary]

Hey, can you recommend a good pedometer? I had one that stunk and want a GOOD one!

Thanks, Mary
(who is trying to eat less b/c she is a fatty!)

[paige]

Hi Carmen,

I'm a regular reader at MTTSM and I'm so loving your new blog. Where you don't want to get on your bike, I love mine...and I HATE to run! I've followed your weightloss journey and you've done it the only way it really works...eat less, move more.

So many people ask me how I lost my weight and when I tell them "the ELF diet", they look intrigued. Then I tell them that ELF stands for "Eat Less Food" and then add some exercise and they walk away, disgusted that I don't have a magic bullet answer for them.

I'm looking forward to reading more on this blog and I've blogrolled you on my site.

[Natalie]

Hi Carmen,
I've been reading your MTTSM blog for quite a while now, and have added this blog to my "must read" list.

Thanks for being such an inspiration!