SUCCESS STORY / Autumn Bausch, 29: From 230 pounds to 155 pounds
Former weight: 230 pounds
Current weight: 155 pounds
Pounds lost: 75 pounds
Height: 5 feet 11 inches
Age: 29 years
How long she's kept it off: Started in April and reached her current weight in November.
Personal life: "My husband and I have been together nine years and married for seven years," said Bausch, whose husband, John, appeared in Success Story in February. "We have a daughter who is 6. I will be starting classes soon, pursuing a radiology degree. I do a lot of customizing crafting." Her designs are on Instagram at lady_bausch_designs, and she lives in Columbus.
Turning point: "I went in for a normal doctor's visit. … We're coming home from the beach, it was my doctor's nurse and she was calling with the results. … 'Your cholesterol is higher than we'd like it to be — it's not bad, but it's not normal. We're going to put you on a medicine to lower it, and you need to go on a low-carb diet.' I had it on speaker phone, and my husband heard the entire conversation. He said: 'I guess you're doing Atkins,' (www.atkins.com). I asked, 'Will you be my support buddy?' He said, 'Yes, I will do whatever I can to help you.' "
Diet plan: Breakfast is bacon, eggs, low-carb pancakes or a low-carb meal replacement shake. For lunch and dinner, she scours Pinterest for low-carb recipes.
Exercise routine: She exercises three to four times per week. "When I was initially first into the diet, I did a lot of cardio. … Now, I do heavy weightlifting with my husband. I've been doing that about a month. … I have a pacemaker. I've had it since age 17. Because of certain restrictions, I can't do bench press exercises. … My husband switches it around to using dumbbells."
Biggest challenge: "The biggest challenge was the mental mind-set … starting the process. … We had the keto flu, where you are pretty much rewiring how your body works. Instead of your body using carbohydrates for energy, your body is using fat. You feel pretty crummy for a week."
How life has changed: "I was always an outgoing person. Once I put on the weight, I kind of quit going out. I didn't want people to see me being overweight. … My 10-year high school reunion was in 2016. I skipped going because I didn't want to be seen that way. … I feel like maybe now I've kind of gotten my confidence back. I'm more outgoing. I am more back to my old self. I have more energy. We're doing more stuff together as a family. … I think my relationship with my husband has improved a good bit. … Just having someone to go through it with you was the most helpful thing — neither one of us wanted to let each other down."
Share Your Success: Have you lost weight successfully with a healthy lifestyle change? If you would like to share your story with our readers, please include your email address, a daytime phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks, ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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