Nancy Moshier, RN, had a lifelong struggle with her weight. She would try different diets, lose a few pounds and then ultimately regain the weight.

Moshier still remembers the day she and her husband, Ron, ran into an old friend who once had been overweight. At first, they didn’t recognize him.

“He was 70 years old and he had lost 65 pounds,” Moshier said. “He used to have a huge abdomen and now he has a flat stomach. He looked like a completely different person.”

Moshier asked about his weight loss secret and discovered her friend had quickly and safely lost the weight by adhering to the Atkins diet plan.

Feeling that she had nothing left to lose, except excess pounds, Moshier and her husband embarked on a low-carb lifestyle change. Today, she is more than 130 pounds lighter, feels better than ever and has a new career as the author of a series of low-carb cookbooks.

Like many nurses, Moshier often started off the new year with intentions to make a dramatic lifestyle change. Although most people who undertake such efforts are sincere, it’s not uncommon for people to revert to their bad habits by Super Bowl weekend.

“I think my secret was that I didn’t look at this as a diet, but as a complete lifestyle change,” said Moshier, who dropped the weight over two years and has kept it off for almost six.

A former critical care nurse, Moshier initially had concerns about the Atkins diet. She had heard rumors that the diet caused kidney problems, but after intense research was unable to find any solid information to back the rumors.

“After I had been on the Atkins plan for four years, I made an appointment to undergo kidney function tests to prove the rumors weren’t true,” Moshier said. “The test showed that my kidneys are in perfect condition.”

Moshier also lowered her cholesterol, cut her blood pressure medication in half and now boasts the energy of a teenager.

Although it took her two years to meet her weight-loss goal, Moshier never considered giving up.

“At one point, I had a plateau where I only lost three pounds over the course of five months,” Moshier said. “I did drop two dress sizes during that time, and I knew that if I stayed on track, the pounds would ultimately disappear.”

A gourmet cook, Moshier created many of her own low-carb recipes while she was losing the weight. A friend encouraged her to turn the recipes into a cookbook, which resulted in Eat Yourself Thin Like I Did: A Quick and Easy Low Carb Cookbook. She later wrote Eat Yourself Thin With Fabulous Desserts.

“The dessert cookbook is a tribute to my husband, Ron, who didn’t think he could eat anything sweet on a low-carb diet,” Moshier said. “He lost 80 pounds and was relieved that he didn’t have to give up his sweet tooth.”

Today, Moshier’s low-carb lifestyle has become a lucrative career. Her books are sold in major bookstores, and she will appear on the QVC shopping network Feb. 21 at midnight (EST) to introduce her products to viewers across the country. She is also in the process of writing another cookbook that will include low-carb, make-ahead recipes for busy people.

She believes her cookbooks are successful because they appeal to everyday people with average cooking skills.

“They feature the kinds of meals that people are used to eating,” Moshier said. “All of the recipes are quick, easy, down-home recipes that readers can make with their family and friends.”

Kicking the habit

Joan Wiley, RN, had smoked cigarettes since age 16. Although she had tried many times to quit, she had never been successful.

In 1985, after resolving to kick her habit for good, she found herself smoking her husband’s cigarette butts.

“I remember thinking how pathetic this was and how I really needed to quit for good,” Wiley said.

That day, she quit cold turkey and, while admitting it wasn’t easy, she hasn’t picked up a cigarette in 20 years.

“Quitting smoking was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I knew I had to do it for my health,” said Wiley, who works at The James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University.

Today, she draws upon her experiences as she talks to patients who would like to kick the tobacco habit.

“Patients can relate to me as a former smoker so it doesn’t come across as a lecture,” Wiley said. “I tell them how much better I feel and how much better food tastes.”

Wiley credits her success with lifestyle modifications. Because she used to smoke while chatting on the phone, she limited her phone conversations. She also smoked late in the evening, so for the first several months after quitting, she went to bed early.

She also motivated her husband to quit smoking, and admits she hasn’t craved a cigarette in years.

“I find the odor of cigarettes nauseating,” Wiley said. “I no longer have any desire to smoke.”

Getting fit

Like many nurses, Stacey Kelly, LPN, wanted to incorporate exercise into her busy lifestyle and lose some pounds. But after a long shift working in the oncology unit of Scottsdale (Ariz.) Healthcare Osborn, it was often just easier to go home and spend the evening relaxing.

Last spring, nurses at her hospital were required to attend a workshop that offered tips on how to alleviate stress and improve overall health.

The content of the seminar inspired Kelly and several of her colleagues to join a local Curves gym. They agreed that the gym’s 30-minute workouts were doable even with a busy schedule. Kelly now exercises two to three times a week.

“I think that since we all joined Curves, we help motivate each other,” she said. “We check in with each other on a regular basis and offer encouragement.”

Kelly now looks forward to her workouts, and thinks that adopting a regular exercise regimen has helped her to become a better nurse.

“I think that if nurses take better care of themselves, they are better prepared to care for their patients,” Kelly said. “I know I handle stress better and have more a lot more energy.”

Eat right

Nancy Moshier’s cookbooks can be found at local and online booksellers. You also can sample recipes at her Web site, www.low-carb-cookbooks.com.

Maple Pecan Pie

Nancy serves this dessert frequently to company, mostly non-low-carbers, and they are crazy about it. It’s great topped with sweetened whipped cream—just be sure to count the extra carbs.

1 Vanilla Cookie Crust, baked 10 minutes and cooled

Filling:
1 cup Splenda sweetener
1 cup sugar-free maple syrup (0 carbs, be sure to read the label, some say sugar-free but have a lot of carbs)
2 tbl butter, softened
1½ tsp liquid Sweet’N Low sweetener
1½ tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup pecan halves

In a medium saucepan mix Splenda, syrup, butter, and Sweet’N Low until thoroughly combined. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, remove from heat, pour into a plastic bowl and cool until barely warm. You can speed this step up by placing in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. When syrup mixture is barely warm add eggs and vanilla extract and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle pecans evenly in the bottom of the crust. Pour filling carefully over pecans. Bake about 30 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on a rack. When completely cool, refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into 8 equal servings. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Note: Sweetened whipped cream. Make sure to count the added carbs. Eight servings at 6.8 grams carbs each.

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