Success Story: Dick

AKA "Dick" on Weight Loss Resources

Dieting History

None

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

No

Motivation to Diet

Prior to losing weight I used to get a bit puffed when walking fast or reasonably active in the garden for example, or swimming a few lengths.

Getting out of the bath was an effort.

My reflection in the wardrobe mirror was less then comforting when I remembered how I used to appear, admittedly some 35 years ago.

I disliked intensely the so called “beer Belly” that I had developed although I don’t drink very often.

I was interested in meeting the challenge to lose weight and whether I could muster the requisite determination. However the main motivation was essentially on health grounds i.e. breathing problems and the suggestion of my doctor to lose a little weight.

Benefits

Since losing the weight self-esteem is much improved. Swimming now regularly 26+ lengths with very little effort and much faster through the water, and limited only by the time available rather than lack of puff. Have noticed how easy it is now getting out of the bath or a low armchair, particularly pleased about that.

Overall, some vitality has been restored. Previously it was very difficult to see where my chest stopped and my waist started. It is very nice to regain a waistline. Trousers do not need constantly hitching up (that is on the one pair at the moment that fits reasonably well.)

Reactions

Since losing the weight other people’s reactions have on occasion been quite amusing in that the positive comment was inversely proportional to their size. The plumper types were saying “You look a bit scrawny” and the thinner ones “Fantastic improvement.” “Baggy pants” and “You don’t look very cuddly” came from (as might be expected) the youngest generation. One comment was “You look ill, rather gaunt, have you overdone it?”

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

Selected from searching on Google.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I found WLR to be of considerable help. In fact without it and the excellent database I am certain I would not have achieved the target weight. Phone calls were always answered promptly, with courtesy and even when the subject matter was of a more delicate nature I always obtained the information I required. Somewhat unusually these days emails were replied to very quickly.

The first week I lost the planned two pounds very easily and this did surprise me. I did not expect it to be that easy.

Just stopping the obvious items like crisps, cheese, pork pies and sausage rolls enabled compliance to the programmed calorie count.

Like a lot of people I was not really aware of the calorie potential of various foods. This was where the food database really helped. (Still can’t believe the calories in Peanuts.) The calculations are done automatically and after a few days I was entering data from a meal in a matter of a few minutes.

As time passed I found it quite amazing at the ease at which the pounds came off, and the way that chest, waist and hip measurements were decreasing.

This became a major boost to morale on the weekly weighing days in providing an incentive to continue. After about a month I decided to see what my target loss of 28 lbs actually represents. I filled a large bucket with two gallons of water and added house bricks to obtain 28lbs on the scales. Now I knew exactly what that weight meant especially after carrying it around the garden a few times. Next was to gain a better understanding of calories.

A packet of crisps at 147 calories takes one hour of pedalling on my Ergometer (exercise bike with accurate readouts) I had no trouble avoiding crisps after that.

I find that the Omron Pedometer to be a useful and accurate device which compares favourably to the Ergometer readouts.

After three months I was within four pounds of the target weight and went on holiday for a week. It soon became apparent that assessing restaurant meals is difficult, and despite considerable exercise, and carefully updating the WLR database via an internet café a gain of two pounds occurred. This setback added three weeks to the target day.

Having started on the 3rd April 2006 I reached my target on the 7th August 2006.

I now had to maintain this weight. Not easy, I was not hungry, and was thoroughly conditioned into the habit of eating a specific amount. A change of diet, back on crisps, peanuts, cheese and the odd meal out enabled me to reach the calorie requirement for maintaining weight. After a period of what I call dietary inertia my weight has remained steady on the target. To date three months after completion of the diet my weight is stable at 11st 8lbs. Occasionally a gain of one or two pounds is easily sorted by cutting back slightly on meal quantity the next day. I weigh myself every day to enable action on these minor deviations.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

Mainly I used the food diary and only occasionally read the message boards to obtain specific information. If this could not be found then I phoned/emailed the WLR team. Found the “Search” facility very useful.

Dick's Calorie Counting Tips

As I am retired I found it easy to access the computer after each meal but nonetheless found it essential to:

• Keep a note book on the weight and type of food consumed.
• Try not to get behind with updating the database. Use an internet café if away on holiday.
• Purchase a reliable pedometer.
• Adjust the amount of exercise to compensate for exceeding the calorie allowance.
• For me a twenty minute steady walk burns off 70 calories. You soon learn to watch your intake.
• Exercise is vital. In my opinion I do not think it is possible to keep to the calorie allowance without it.
• If affordable get an exercise bike with calorie and heart rate readout, but check with your doctor on your own particular maximum pulse during this activity. Walking takes some beating but is not inviting on dark winter nights, whereas the exercise bike is in the warm and dry.
• Swimming really eats the calories.
• Use the “Favourites” table in the database. This can save a lot of repetitive keying.

The weekly measurements I found were very important in that together with the weight loss gave a positive indication of progress. 

When I started mine were Chest 42” waist 41” hips 41” BMI 28.0 and body fat 17.6% and now 37, 33, 35, 24 and 17.6%.

Dick's Vital Statistics

	Before	Now
Weight	13st 8lb	11st 8lb
BMI	28.0	24.0
Body Fat	17.6%	17.6%
Chest	42"	37"
Waist	41"	33"
Hips	41"	35"