Success Story: Sally

AKA "PsychoPrincess" on Weight Loss Resources

Dieting History

Nothing specific. Never joined a club or followed a particular diet. But I've had several phases of being really good, eating less and exercising more. I have been vegetarian since I was 16, that's the only 'diet' I stick to!

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Yes! Aged 21 I was up to about 14st. Got down to about 11st.5lb and relaxed. Went back up to about 13st, got back down to about 11st. Then relaxed again and I reckon I must have been 12st for the last 2-3 years, although I never checked! I was 12st at the end of Jan 2006, which is when I started this time. I started using WLR in March.

How being overweight has affected you…

Luckily I am a very up-beat, positive, optimistic person who rarely gets down about stuff, so I wouldn't say that weighing more ever stopped me from going out or doing stuff. But I did have loads of nights out when I would try on every outfit I owned, look in the mirror, think I looked fat, and end up going out in something a bit drab feeling a bit down.

I also find that eating is my reaction to everything. If I am annoyed or miserable I just want to eat everything in the house, then go out and buy more, and eat that as well!!! Once I start it's kind of like, well the damage is done, and I may as well keep going!

When I was losing weight my friends were initially supportive, but after the first 1.5 stones kind of turned on me a bit and really started on 'Don't lose any more, you're too thin, you'll make yourself ill, I don't want you to get any thinner'. It really annoyed me because I was still above my ideal weight range and was certainly not underweight! They said things like you've never been this thin, please stay the same as you've always been, and I'd think, why should I stay a bit overweight, just because I've always been a bit overweight in the past and that's what you're comfortable with? Anyway, now I'm maintaining, they seem to have got used to the new me!

Motivation to Diet

Again nothing specific, other than a nagging at the back of my mind that I would like to look slim, and that I knew really that I was a bit chunky! I recently bought my first ever bikini, which although wasn't something I'd thought about, is definitely something I'm chuffed about. I also fit into size 10 jeans from New Look which I am thrilled about!

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

In January when I decided to do something about losing weight I searched the internet for a calorie counter and ta daa!!

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

People who know me are stunned when they see me eat now. Last year I wouldn't have eaten salad or fruit if you paid me. I always left side salads on restaurant plates. I would pick it out of burgers, and never ate fruit. Now I actually won't eat lunch or dinner unless it's accompanied by a dinner plate full of salad (usually iceberg lettuce, red cabbage and spinach). I also always eat breakfast now, which is something I had never done before. I also have a tin of fruit cocktail nearly every day, which is something else I wouldn't have eaten if you paid me a year ago!

I have always loved eating. It's probably my favourite thing in the world to do. But before I was just eating rubbish, and although I thought I was enjoying it, looking back it was not great. Now I prepare most of my food from scratch. If I want beanburgers or vegeburgers I make them from scratch and in Chilli and Curry I tend to use vegetables rather than meat substitutes now. It's got to the point now where I look at the frozen readymade stuff and think - I'd rather not eat it!

This may sound peculiar, but since using WLR I have rediscovered my love of baking. The calories are all counted so you need to make every one count. So why waste a few hundred on some rubbishy little chocolate bar or packaged cake filled with preservatives, when you could make something delicious from scratch. I make a different cake or batch of biscuits every few days. As soon as they're gone, I make something else. I have never had such a variety of lovely things to eat as I have this year, but all the calories are accounted for and it's great! I have made my first ever-baked cheesecake, treacle tart and carrot cakes recently!!!

When I started using WLR I was just having smaller portions of what I normally had before to stay within calories. I stuck to 1100 for over 4 months without lapsing!. This meant that my meals were painfully small. That is why I forced myself to start having salad with dinner, to fill the plate up a bit. Over the months the salad has now become the biggest part of the meal! I guess what I have really learned is what foods are low in calories so that I can still have lots of food, rather than having tiny portions of high calorie stuff.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I fill in my food diary every day. My favourite part of the site is entering your own recipes. In the food diary at WLR you can access three recipe sections: My Recipes, WLR Recipes and Members Recipes. I have bought a lot of books about cake making recently. And if I want to try one I can put it in the recipe and experiment with cutting it into different portions to see if it is feasible within calories! Also for dinner dishes as well. I love my recipes and post them on the food forum a lot.

I look at the forums every day whenever I sit at the computer. I love reading them, and I really feel responsible now to give positive vibes and advice to people, who are still losing weight, because I got some brilliant advice and support when I was losing.

Sally's Calorie Counting Tips

Only the obvious:

• Always fill in the food diary, and always be totally honest
• Remember that you can eat anything you like as long as it's within calories. If you want a cake - have it!
• Remember that just a modest amount of exercise (e.g. a 1-hour walk) can earn enough calories for a lovely treat!
• Always have breakfast!
• Read the forums, and if you have any questions, or just need a friendly voice telling you that it'll be OK, then post it, we're all here to help!
• Remember that weight loss is an ongoing journey that takes time. The human body is not a machine that runs like clockwork. There will be weeks when despite sticking to your calories and being good the weight doesn't shift, or even creep up. Try not to stress, stay positive, and look at the big picture. OK, these 7 days haven't shown a loss, but over the weeks / months there has been - big picture!

Just to say that it does work, and if you are determined you can achieve everything you want. If you have a few bad days or weeks, don’t worry, it's never too late to draw a line under it and start again.

Possibly the thing I am most proud of is introducing my dad to WLR. He had a heart valve replacement operation in March and was told he needed to lose at least 2 stone. When I visited him in my I had just reached maintenance. He was really impressed with my weight and I showed him the site. He signed up and 10 weeks on he has already lost over 2 stone and is on his way to a weight he never thought possible. He rings me up every week raving on about what he's had to eat, and how many calories he's earnt through exercise. It's given him a whole new lease of life. He's always telling me how much he loves the site. I'm very, very proud! His user name is LittleJohn.

More Information:

Like Sally you can use the tools of WLR to adopt and experiment with your favourite recipes to make them healthier and contain less calories.

Sally's Vital Statistics

	Before	Now
Weight	12st	9st 2lb