Celeste, pictured in her before and after photos, displaying her weight loss success story
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Celeste’s Weight Loss Success Story

Celeste is new to the Eat Like a Bear community, but she is not new to me. Celeste is my teenage diet buddy. We went on many crazy diets over 30 years ago and never managed to get beyond “chunky.” We had been out of touch for years when I saw a pending request in the Facebook group for one “Celeste McIntyre” and wondered if it could possibly be her.

I expect she got quite a surprise when she joined Facebook in late 2019 and found my personal profile. She scrambled to the Bear group, began her diet on January 2, 2020, is down 100 pounds over her high weight, and is looking to join the class of “half my size” cases in the community. When she does, we have one heck of a teenage photo to recreate. This is Celeste’s weight loss success story.

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Celeste’s Motivations and Past Diets

‪My core motivation to lose weight was I had a desperate desire to live, and ‬I felt like I was committing suicide by food. I had also suffered from chronic swelling in my ankles from many surgeries, and I was in an out of a wheelchair for several years while having the surgeries. I was fairly healthy otherwise. ‬

‪In the past when I tried dieting, I was frustrated by the inability to stick to it after losing some weight.‬ But after seeing ‪Amanda’s success, and that there was no cost involved, ‬I decided to try the Eat Like a Bear approach.

The Eat Like a Bear Approach was Different

Celeste, pictured in her before and after photos, displaying her weight loss success story

‪I ate a gigantic salad consisting of greens (kale, cabbage, lettuce), veggies (cucumber and tomatoes), protein (chicken, shrimp, beef, eggs), fats (green olives, cheese, avocado, nuts), apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and spices, and I drank bone broth and Spindrift Sparkling water.

I ate my huge salad in the evenings. I almost always ate one meal a day, but I did do some 47:1 fasting.‬ ‪It was just so easy to not have to weigh and measure the food. I felt like it was a decadent treat to eat two avocados! Eating one meal a day was so freeing. ‬

A New Life‪

‪I don’t think I really thought the Eat Like a Bear approach was working until I reached the 65-pound loss and decided I was going to continue. I knew then it was working and that I could do this forever. ‬

‪Now that I’ve lost weight, I can get up off the floor by myself. Car seatbelts fit! I fit in an airplane seat comfortably and do not need a seatbelt extension! I can walk down an aisle and not have my body bump into people. People no longer jump to get out of my way in fear of being toppled by my body. I can stand on my tiptoes! Not only can I walk, but I can hike uphill! I bought a wet suit right off the rack and can carry my own scuba tanks. I can shop in clothing stores for regular-size people. And our grocery bill had plummeted.

Tips for Newcomers

Don’t try to make food behave. Don’t try to make dangerous foods fit the framework. Give up dangerous foods. Decide that you are worth eating a really big salad every day. If you need to focus on something, focus on eating the most nutrient-dense foods in your salad.‬

7 Comments

  1. Well, Celeste, I am so happy for you, and so happy that you are so open about your accomplishment! I am inspired to keep my movement and adventure changes going, and I know that means getting serious about my weight loss.

    I was going to lurk and read for a bit on theELAB Facebook page. But then Friday night I put my foot down wrong and did something to my "good" ankle while watering a tomato. Pain!! Seriously! How crazy is that! I was awake most of the night, and sat around with an ice pack on it yesterday and today.

    I just finished telling Mike what I'm about to do and how it would affect us. He immediately volunteered to grab greens and avocados for me at the store! "Make a list!" he said. So I did. And it starts..

    Thank you for being a good friend, and now a mentor. Your cooking always inspired me, and now your incredible 180 inspires me even more!

  2. You look beautiful. Your story is inspirational. I have a LOT of weight to lose, a shocking amount actually. It’s pretty daunting. Thank you for the salad tips. I haven’t seen anyone mention spinach for salad or broccoli in place of cauliflower, but I’m sure I’ll find that out. Anyway, congrats!

  3. Celeste you are beautiful. The first time I met you I thought you were beautiful and now you are just plain breathtaking. I am so excited to see your success and it tells me I can do this too. I've me and know 3 people who have lost a tremendous amount of weight and they all look so healthy. I'm in!

  4. Hi Barbara! So awesome that you personally know several people with wonderful testimonials, including Celeste! This is my first-time seeing Celeste’s story…Way to Go, Celeste! I live in Maple Valley, WA…and plan to be yet Another WA success and shootin’ for Century Bear status! Wish me Success!

    Barbara, we’re in 2022 now, can you update me…us, I sure would love to know how you’re doing! 🙂

    BEARing Best Wishes,
    DIANE

  5. Congratulations. Do all ELB participants spend the rest of their lives eating OMD? Or do you gradually go back to eating 2-3 sensible meals a day once you’ve reached your goal weight?

    1. Just like there are all sorts of variations in implementation, there’s variation in maintenance. I rarely eat three meals in a day these days. It’s just easier for me to eat fewer.

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