Cedar Rapids woman adjusts diet, loses more than 100 pounds

Kathy Gerlach, 54, of Cedar Rapids, had struggled with her weight for a long time. 'I was thin in high school, but I thought I was fat, so I've always thought of myself as heavy even when I wasn't.'

Like many women, this mother of three put on more weight each time she was pregnant. She never thought she overate, 'but a couple more cookies mindlessly adds up.' She would try to lose weight, 'but exercise did not do it for me. Looking back, it was my diet. I had too many carbs in my system.'

In September of 2013, Gerlach, who works at Rockwell Collins, decided to tackle her weight once and for all. She started to worry when several of her friends were diagnosed with cancer. 'According to statistics, weight is a contributor,' she says.

She also started to worry that she would become diabetic. 'There's no diabetes in my family, but I was afraid it would catch up with me.'

On the recommendation of a friend, Gerlach started the Ideal Protein program, which focuses on eating protein and non-starchy vegetables and only 30 to 50 grams of carbohydrates a day. Working with Dr. Colette Murphy, a chiropractor and Ideal Protein coach, Gerlach lost more than 110 pounds in just over a year. 'Ideally, I'd like to lose 10 or 20 more pounds, but if I do, that's OK. If I don't, I'm OK where I'm at.'

Gerlach says, 'It was transformational. I'm so thankful I did it.' Her cholesterol dropped by 40 points, her blood pressure is back in the normal range and her ankles, which used to often ache, no longer hurt. 'I can't remember the last time my ankles didn't hurt. It's awesome.'

Gerlach admits the hardest part about losing weight was getting started and being mentally prepared to change her eating habits. 'I finally found a program that worked for me. I encourage anybody to find a program that works for you. Not everybody can give up the same things.'

By cutting out carbs like bread, pasta and rice, Gerlach found her grocery shopping habits also changed. 'Now when I go to the grocery store, I buy fresh veggies and produce, frozen veggies and I visit the meat counter. The rest of the store — I don't need, the prepared food. I try to stay close to the source.'

Never a big fan of vegetables, Gerlach now finds that she craves veggies. She says a low carb diet that focuses on lean protein can squash many cravings and hunger pains because the protein will make you feel full longer.

Gerlach met with her coach each week to weigh in and review what she'd eaten. The program does not involve counting calories or points, but focuses on drinking lots of water and eating several protein packets throughout the day, two cups of vegetables and a salad at lunch and dinner as well as 5 to 7 ounces of meat at dinner.

Before the program, 'I was not getting enough protein. I know that. We are all different, what diet works for me may not work for another person. But if I stayed under 30 grams of carbs a day, I would consistently lose weight. '

Gerlach says her husband and friends found it hard to believe she was able to lose 2 to 3 pounds a week without exercising more. In fact, the Ideal Protein program discourages vigorous exercise to avoid your body turning to its own muscle stores for energy. But now that she has lost almost half her body weight, 'I love riding my bike with Dave. It's easier to exercise, much easier.'

Now that she's lost so much weight, Gerlach celebrates what she calls 'little victories. I can go to the Linn-Mar auditorium, sit down in a chair and have wiggle room,' she jokes. Or in a tight parking spot, she can squeeze out of the car, if need be, where before she couldn't.

The biggest victory, perhaps, has come in buying new clothes. 'I can try something on and if I don't like it, I don't have to buy it. I have more choices. Before, if it fit and it looked kind of good, it had to be good enough because I needed something to wear.'

In fact, Gerlach is looking forward to clothes shopping for two special dresses. Two of her three daughters are out of college and engaged to be married. She is now looking forward to shopping for mother-of-the-bride dresses.

'Every day is a gift,' Gerlach says.