My dentist told me they couldn’t remove a tooth because of my weight. It was the wake-up call I needed to lose 100 pounds.

The fear helped me stick to my guns. I doubled down on my efforts to lose weight. I did intermittent fasting — only eating between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. — and dropped all carbohydrates four days a week.

After a while, I found that two high-protein, high-fat meals kept me full all day. I’d make dishes such as chicken thighs with sauteed vegetables and cream. They were delicious and satisfying.

I exercised by taking 10,000 steps a day and going to the gym two to four times a week, mostly for strength training.

People started noticing and encouraging me. I became more enthusiastic as the weight came off. To my delight, I went past a size 12 and a size 8 and settled at a size 6. By mid-September 2021, a year after the surgery, I’d lost 100 pounds.

It felt fantastic. I no longer had to take medication for reflux esophagitis, which I’d had on repeat prescription for many years.

I regained some of the weight and lost it again

I kept up the regimen for nearly two years. Then, in July 2023, I spent five weeks on a solo vacation in southern France. I’d had a stressful few months at work, got complacent, and found it hard to resist the food.

Soon, I started eating an excess of things like French bread and custard slices, and my old habits came back. In March this year, I was beginning to burst out of size 8. I’d put on over 20 pounds. “Hold on a sec, Carol,” I thought. “It’s time to get back to the plan.”

I now weigh 138 pounds — to be honest, when I see photos, I think my face looked a bit drawn when I was eight pounds lighter — and my body feels just right. I’m at goal, comfortable in my skin.

I’m not a killjoy when it comes to living my life. I still go out for dinner and drink cocktails. I eat cake. I don’t deny myself anything, but I’m much more mindful about taking care of myself.

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