I have followed the slimming world plan successfully. Other than this, I have tried eating less carbohydrate based foods with limited success. I also went through a period of eating lots of Ryvitas…

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

For many years I kept my weight under control purely via exercise, by running. I was a very keen runner, doing around 40-50 miles per week. I could eat more or less anything I liked and I would just burn it off.

I picked up an injury and had to stop the running altogether for a few years, the weight gradually built up until I was nearly 16 stone and my blood pressure started getting a little problematic.

I tried the slimming world plan, which did work. I liked this plan, as I was able to eat plenty of food, so didn’t have to feel hungry. Having said that, it was quite restrictive in that I had to keep a close track on types of food, i.e. red day or green day. I lost 2 stone through this diet and felt much better. Although it worked, once I stopped being so disciplined, and mixed all types of food again, I gradually put most of the weight back on again!

Apart from this, I have tried just ‘eating less’, but have never really been successful in losing weight consistently. The trouble is that, even if you eat less, it’s all about the calorific value – I know that now thanks to WLR :-)

How being overweight has affected you…

Being overweight makes me feel less happy, even a little annoyed at times. I really hate having to go and buy the next size up in clothes, it is really awful having to accept that you outgrown your clothes. :-(

I always feel self-conscious about being overweight. I try to wear clothes that are good at concealing my size.

Most importantly for me, I can feel the additional stress/pressure my body is under when I get past a certain weight. I know that my blood pressure raises and I do find it harder to motivate myself to do things, take exercise etc. This really is hard for me, as I have been very fit in the past, running the London Marathon in 1996 & 1997.

I find that I am more tired more of the time when I am very overweight. When my weight is lower and I am exercising I am much brighter and able to deal with life’s challenges much more easily.

Motivation to Diet

I love running and have started to re-discover the pleasure of it. This form of exercise is very hard when you are carrying a lot of extra weight. I know how good it feels to be at the right weight, how healthy and bright you can be. I feel so much better about myself when I am not too overweight. Already, having reached my halfway point, I feel so good about my body and about my fitness.

I feel more motivated than when I lost weight using slimming world, as I know that the WLR calorie counting system is ‘for keeps’ and will enable me to consistently control my weight for the rest of my life.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I saw an advert for the Calorie, Carb & Fat Bible and thought it sounded useful, so I bought a copy. I felt really at home with the style of the writing and the friendly encouraging advice and I started to add up my calories etc. I was soon looking at the WLR website and immediately signed up for the 3 day trial. I knew instinctively that WLR was right for me. I could see that the simple layout and the way it made calorie counting so easy and so much more accurate would enable me to control my weight. Before the 3 days were up, I was hooked.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I love the way the WLR system works with food and exercise in harmony. This has led me to exercise more regularly as well as keep a record of my food. I feel a little guilty if I can’t input any form of exercise for the day, even a short walk will do!

I am also constantly encouraged and motivated by reading about other members’ experiences with this system too. The forums are great. They really do encourage me and I also find myself posting comments when I can help others.

I set out to lose 1lb per week, as I felt that I would not be able to cope with a 1000-calorie deficit per day. This has proved just right for me, enabling me to be active with my running and gym too. The weight has gradually come off, at the expected rate of 1lb per week on average. So far I have lost 18lb in around 18 weeks. There have been some weeks where I have stuck at the same weight as the previous week and this can be frustrating, but sticking at it has worked in the end. The support of the forums was really good at those times.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I use the food diary and the exercise diary every day, at least once. I feel quite lost when I have to work away from home and can’t access a computer! I also look at the Nutrition Profile and the History Report, which helps me to stay focussed. It’s great to be able to see the whole week’s data, or several weeks.

I look at the forums each day, mainly to read the comments. I particularly like the runners and the fitness & exercise boards, as well as the advice & support board. I’m really looking forward to getting onto the maintainers board. :-)

John's Calorie Counting Tips

For me, the most important advice I can offer is to be brutally honest with your inputs on the food and exercise diaries. If you don’t record these as accurately as you can, the system will not be able to help you lose or maintain weight.

It is easy to underestimate the weight or quantity of food, or to not enter that ‘little biscuit’ you had with a coffee at the Café! Try to err on the safe side. Put everything in, all drinks such as tea & coffee with milk etc.

Also, the calories burned for exercise is not always as much as you may think. I use a Heart Rate Monitor (which deducts the base rate) to give me a more accurate idea. The machines in the gym certainly give you a very misleading value for calories burned and these figures need to be halved at least.

Don’t go without meals to save the calories for later. This tends to lead to becoming so hungry that you will eat the wrong foods. You really do need to plan your day.

Use the forums; they really do help, particularly at the sticking points.

Do some exercise to buy more calories! A walk each day can really help.