I've hesitated to put some photos up because while my weight-loss (etc) may be dramatic personally, it's doesn't seem to be dramatic objectively. Regardless, here they are...

BEFORE - 185 lbs in July 2007

AFTER 1 - 145 lbs in March 2010

I kept telling myself, "The slower it takes to lose the weight, the longer you'll maintain the weight-loss." ;)

Dear everyone on Paleo,

You are ridiculously hot.

Sincerely,

Ruby

Me at 240

at 163 LBs

Here's an image I put together for my blog's About Page. I lost about 45 lbs of the weight using a low-calorie, (mostly) whole foods approach -- but not Paleo. Toward the end, I was very hungry. Always thought about food.

I lost the last 10 lbs or so after switching to a Paleo approach and then started adding some much needed muscle mass as well.

Still thriving on Paleo, love the approach / lifestyle. Never hungry, even if I don't eat.

Okay. I totally can't resist a before and after, I haven't been Paleo that long, but it has made a difference.

First. Here's me in July 2004. 247lbs.

This is me at my first goal weight of 150. Non-paleo.

This is me at my 2nd goal weight of 136 (officially normal BMI) and Paleo for 2 months. I lost the last 14lbs and dropped my bf from 30% to 24%. I think you can see the difference.

You also get a fun view of my office bathroom! \o/

I am counting on Paleo to continue to work on my body fat and just make me healthier all the way around.

Me at 285lbs

Me at 180lbs

Today

Thorsays.blogspot.com

Here's some of the info from my Before/After post from last year (before a pain-killer screwed up my hormones and sent my fat accumulation into overdrive):

Here's a shot of me in December of 2004, after two depressing years of living on campus, subsisting on pita bread and cheese, white bread and butter (scraped on thin, cos it's "so bad for me"), grilled chicken breasts, pizza, and lite ice-cream.

After 9 months of paleo eating, I stepped out in a bikini for the first time in my life during a holiday in Thailand:

I'm still battling some hormonal imbalance, but I'm working to see the scales move back towards where they were sitting during the Thailand trip. Despite the weight gain, my health hasn't been adversely impacted since I've stayed paleo throughout. My flexibility and strength continue to improve, and even my vision is better than it was two years ago!

I know that paleo will help me achieve the health and fitness that I desire; I know too much now to ever return to my old ways!

Here's my story.

Me age 20- living SAD Vegetarian at the UIUC dorms

Me age 24- After Movnat workshop and living ~3 years paleo

This is me back in january... weighed about 285. i didn't lead a horrible lifestyle. i ate pretty much low to moderate carb but had no knowledge about omega 3s and 6s, the different types of fat and the like.

i went paleo hardcore 7/1 after doing strict low carb to carve off about 12 lbs or so... this is me last week at 240@20% bf.

my goal is to chill out at around 225-230 with about 14% bodyfat. all my lifts- which weren't too shabby to begin with- are now really good now which is crazy considering that ive dropped 45lbs. oh yeah... this is the lowest my bf's been in my life. never could drop fat % below 23% before- that was even when i was running 5 miles a day several days a week and weighing 230 in college. paleo is amazing.

Edit: Recent pic (a link to the pic i'm apparently not bright enought to paste here) link text

I started Paleo for healing purposes- after 13 years of vege/veganism (from age 10-23), I had been diagnosed with an 'incurable' immune deficiency, had stopped mentstruating, struggled with bloating and constipation, low energy, no libido, and anxiety. It's been a slow but steady healing process with a lot of trial and error. I wouldn't call this a 'before' and 'after', but more like a 'before' and 'continuing'. Here I am in 2005, vegan, 5'7", 135 lbs. Not overweight, but not very vital- Note the sickly skin coloring and belly bloat...

It took two years of Paleo to curb my regular upper-respiratory infections (due to the immune deficiency). In the past 3 years, I've only gotten sick twice! I use some herbal remedies, but no western medicine (sans one round of antibiotics). This picture is in 2010 (I'm on the left)- I had dropped underweight, to 113lbs, because I still wasn't mestruating and didn't have hormonal balance. My energy had gone thru the roof, tho, and my anxiety was no longer overwhelming!

In the past year, my hormones have regulated- it was a rather scary process over about 6 months. I literally went thru puberty again ("leave me alone! nobody understands me!!"): began menstruating regularly, gained almost 20lbs (in primarily muscle), grew a bum, went up a cup size, libido-galore, and my hair curled (seriously- I've had straight hair my whole life!). I'm learning to love my body, to love being a woman. Here I am now, at 130lbs, vigor and curls (and tequila and water...)-

To life!

I know it's a little blurry but this is after 6 months paleo. Before I was at 220-230 After was about 170, and I'm now at 160.

This is me at 290

This is me at 235. The sweat shirt makes me look eh but the hat makes it.

I am now down to 224 but do not have an updated picture. EDIT: weighted in at 223 this afternoon:

EDIT 2: Weighted in at 208 3/1/11 - Do I look healthier?

Edit 3: Up 5 pounds (213) but down one pant size (size 33).

Gluten Belly

Paleo Belly

November 2009 and November 2010

I lost about 20 pounds of fat and gained about 10 pounds of muscle. I guess I was never that fat, but I certainly feel much more fit now.

Paleo for Life

I don't have pre/post body shots, but the weight definitely came off in my face. Furthermore, my hair and skin look a lot better than they used to--in the first picture, I'm wearing foundation and lipstick. In the second picture, I'm wearing neither.

1: Pre-paleo, a couple of years ago. 2: Today, 11 months paleo.

I went from about 165 down to 132-135 (varies during the day) in maybe four months. I am rarely hungry.

Still have more belly fat than seems natural considering how lean I am elsewhere but I'm hoping it'll go away or redistribute eventually. 11% BF according to the scale.

Sorry about the chopped head ;)

Personally I don't feel much different on a paleo diet than I did on the SAD except for not having to eat as frequently. And of course it's nice to have less fat to carry around.

Here's my story! Major life changes happened in 2006 and I ended up going from about 155 lbs to 175 lbs over a few months, then that kept creeping up to about 184 lbs late spring of 2010. Those years were very stressful (moving to another country, wedding, grad school, starting a business) and I tried to do the low carb thing a few times but could never stick with it.

It was tough because I used to do nude and ahem other alternative modelling and was very comfortable with my body, but here I was feeling like a lump, low energy, just not seeming like "myself" anymore. But I was so busy and focused that I didn't really care and didn't know how I could possibly ever have the energy or interest in "working out" (the way I thought you were supposed to lose weight at the time).

My stepson got into paleo via crossfit in 2009 and then my husband started in January 2010 and lost 20 or so lbs seemingly effortlessly over the next few months... so I jumped on board in June 2010.

The initial month or so had some tough cravings -- I didn't think in a million years I'd be able to completely give up pasta, bread, etc. but I rediscovered saturated fat and re-learned cooking with these new paleo principles, and suddenly it was an exciting and delicious new challenge. Other than the first couple of weeks, I've never felt like I've been suffering or depriving myself of what I wanted to eat. I have a fitbit and tracked food for at least a couple of months through their site so I could understand what I was eating.

The last six months have seen some refinement in my approach... at first it was mostly to kill the sugar, obvious grains/potatoes/legumes, up the meat, and adjust supplements. Then I started understanding the whole omega thing, and became more concerned with the oils and quality of meat I was using -- both for the sake of my own health, and the planet's. Then the sleep and blue light thing. Now I also use less sweeteners, minimize the frankenpaleo baking, avoid gluten like a celiac, sleep with blackout curtains, drink a mug of coffee with half a cup of heavy cream in the late morning, and usually only eat twice a day.

I can now proudly say that after 6 months I am a full on paleo nerd, telling people about it everywhere I go. It has caused me to challenge everything I assumed about diet, the products we use, the way we live... through this community I've also stopped using shampoo and other detergents, factory farmed ingredients, grain-based cat food, and as of this weekend, hormonal birth control. I have my arsenal of cheats, like occasional fries, GF baked goods, or peanut butter... but I'm happy with the balance.

My tastes have changed, I'm exploring previously-unthinkable foods, and through this newfound energy, finally getting seriously back into an art form I used to love -- bellydance.

So far I've lost 2 dress sizes, 26 lbs (down to 158), and over 5" off my waist. The waist was pretty dramatic -- snug shirts fitting over my stomach was the most sudden change.

The weight loss definitely slowed down over the past couple of months. I'm at a point where I'm really happy with my body again and am not shooting for any specific number, but I suspect another 5-10 lbs might happen when all is said and done, especially if I add in some planned strength training this year.

And now... pics!

BEFORE

My wedding in 2008 -- just the face, but you can see it

2007

AFTER

Warming up with my bellydance troupe

I am not exactly an "after" yet. I am still learning and adjusting. I have my weaknesses and can no way claim to be 100%. I'm hovering around 90%. I feel great, though. And I am SO close to where I want to be that i already feel like I've won. I love living this way! I started at 158 and am currently at 130.

Okay okay, I'll bite too. Though it isn't a complete "after" yet. I'm at my mid-point. I've stalled a bit in the last 3 or 4 months, as my "20%" cheats has turned more into "40-50%". But I'm doing the 30 day challenge, hoping to get refocused.

I started in February 2010, with high blood pressure, on meds, and weighed 215. Since then I've dropped to 185, and have stopped needing high blood pressure meds, as my blood pressure has returned to normal. Yay!

And I look forward to posting even better "after" photos shortly!

BEFORE:

AFTER/MID-WAY:

UPDATE! I got a bit lost over the last 6 months, and have wandered away from Paleo (though it always lived in my heart, just not in my food). And it cost me. I gained almost all the weight back (minus maybe 5 pounds). I learned a lot, and it really highlighted why Paleo is so amazing. But, thought I would put a new before picture up, to be honest about the journey. I hope to put another new after photo up before to long! One thing, this time I'm a lot more serious about it - I've realized that an occasional cheat is like heroin to me, it can really take me the wrong way. So I've been hyper aware of what I'm eating.

I'm REALLY not happy about this photo, but am excited to be back.

BEFORE PART 2:

AFTER 1 Month Paleo (I just couldn't leave that last picture dangling there)

Before paleo I was pretty muscular, and considered trying my hand as the token Indian in natural bodybuilding contests. Several failed joint surgeries later, all the muscle is gone and I've got a bit of a paunch hiding under my suit. However, paleo is helping to recompose my body, and I can't wait to look fit again without a shirt on (but sleeker this time around).

April 2006 - April 2010 lost 50+ lbs doing Intermittent Fasting and increasing weightlifting and mild cardio - Yes, I was stuck at that composition for about a year and half.

April 2010 Switched to EVOLUTIONARY-BASED Eating

April 2010 -January 2011 Dropped 21lbs and 4% bodyfat

Here are the pics, from worst point to NOW.

April, 2006 260lbs 46 inches BF% Unknown

April 1st, 2010 216lbs 33.8%BF

December 31st, 2010 195lbs 30%BF

I'm just 14 days into a 3 month run of Scott Sonnon's TACFIT Warrior, and I can feel my abs even if you can't see them yet.

THEN, I was an XXL for my shirts and an XL for the pants. NOW, I'm down to a large for my shirts and down to a size 34/medium for my pants.

Big thanks to Scott Sonnon and Steven Barnes for helping me get my head and body working together again, and big thanks to Kurt Harris and Rob Wolf for getting my food right.

Day 14 of TACFIT Warrior, and I can feel the changes underneath the skin, and know that they will show through my ever thinning layer of fat SOON.

My short-term physical goal is to actually see my abs this spring, I think I last saw them in my teens.

I'll come back and add a newer photo to this post at the end of February. March 3rd, 2011

UPDATE: July 2011 in the ADK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adirondack_Park

October 2011: I'm flatter in front and have less inner thigh wibble... but I don;t think there is enough change to merit a new photo.. Feeling Great and strong, tho!!!!

November 2011: Grok shirt and all!

A more proper set of before and after photos. On the left is me at a pool party in late August about 6 weeks before starting Paleo. On the right is me at the Polar Bear Swim yesterday in Coney Island. 35 pounds down in just under 3 months of Paleo dieting. I'm excited to see where I'm at 6 months from now.

Edited in June 2011 so you guys can enjoy the awesome and funny video of that Polar Bear Swim: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sT0_NHtEAFQ

By the way, those six months have passed and I'm disappointingly still around the same weight as I was in January but I haven't been super strict with the food intake. Also I think there's been some fat loss and muscle gain so I'm not sweating it much. Still feeling great compared to pre-paleo.

The picture on the left is me in early 2010 (topped of at 189). The right is a couple weeks ago (hover between 157 - 160).

Pre Paleo - 178# Despite non-stop gym workouts for years I thought I was a "Hard Gainer"

Post Paleo - 195# Can add and drop muscle mass at will now.

Please excuse cave-hair.

• Me in Sept. 09 pre-Gluten-free/pre-paleo living at 180lbs~

• Me in April 2010 on serious Paleo/Primal lard binge since January at about 160lbs. There is a new hole in that belt and I need new jeans. I'll update if my abs ever decide to show up.

I guess I should note that beyond pictures, my life has changed dramatically since adopting Paleo. I figured out I had a gluten intolerance which I never would have if I never took up Paleo/Primal living. I now spend much less time in the bathroom which is pretty exciting news (haha). GERD is also pretty much non-existant without grains although sometimes it comes back with large quanities of salmon, tuna or Barleans fish oil (I take Nordic Naturals now and do not get acid reflux from it.) My cholesterol ratios are a lot better than before. My body fat has been significantly reduced. Also I am hoping that perhaps now all that time I've spent in the gym might actually do something with my body actually digesting nutrients now.

This is me at New Years 2010 and 2011, but I've been on paleo itself for only 6.5 months (started in June 2010). I'm down 70 pounds in that time.

I was so inspired by everyone else's progress that I thought I would share mine. When I started Paleo I was sure that I would never get rid of my belly. It turns out what I thought was Battle Scars from my two pregnancies was actually Wheat Belly. In 5 weeks I have lost 15 pounds with nothing but diet change and 1-2 long walks a week. I feel great and can't wait to see what kind of transformations the future holds.