Joy: Calorie Counting Success Story
A row with her husband gave Joy the motivation to lose some
weight, get fitter and feel good about herself.
Age: 30
Height: 5' 5"
Start Weight: 10st 10lb
Current Weight: 8st 6lb
Goal Weight: 8st 10lb
Weight Lost: 2st 4lb
Working to Rate of Loss: 2lb per week
Dieting History
My downfall is chocolate and although I haven’t dieted at all
in the past, I have tried unsuccessfully to cut down on my
chocolate intake in the past.
Will power didn’t work for me, I could only manage a few days
and then I just gave in again.
I went to see hypnotherapists on two separate occasions
(about three years apart) and managed to stop eating chocolate
for about three months each time but eventually I crept back to my old habits.
Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?
I actually never really paid any attention to my weight and
never consciously tried to lose weight before. I may have lost
some during my three-month stints of going without chocolate
but I didn’t think to weigh myself at the time to find out.
How being overweight has affected you…
I never really considered myself to be overweight so it never
bothered me personally. I certainly don’t think I looked huge (I
was only 1lb over the max. recommended
BMI for my height when I
started trying to lose weight).
Having said that, in the last six months before I started
using WLR, I did notice that my clothes were too tight in
certain areas, in hot weather my thighs got sore from rubbing
together. I sweated after only slight exertion.
Something that really made me sit up and take notice though
was that my husband and I had a huge row in October (over many
things but one of the subjects that came up was my weight).
I never realised that it was a problem for him but it became
clear he didn’t
like the fact that I’d put on weight over the last few years and
was upset that he no longer found me attractive because of it.
Motivation to Diet
Well, as I never though of myself as being fat or overweight,
there was nothing to motivate me - until my husband and I had
our fight that is.
I realised that I had the power to fix this issue so I
committed to at least try and lose some weight (providing my
husband worked on some of his issues too of
course!)
I know you are not supposed to lose weight for someone
else, because then the effects may not last. But once I started
feeling an improvement in energy levels and started seeing my
body shape change it was all about me!
What my husband said provided the spark but his comments soon
became secondary. He just gave me the motivation I needed to
start me going.
Now I have lost the weight I can’t really comprehend how I let
myself slide over the years. I feel so much healthier, happier
and I’m full of energy and vitality now. I would even say I feel
five years younger.
Oh – and my husband thinks I look great now!
Discovering Weight Loss Resources
I came across WLR some years ago, I think I was just surfing
the net and found it by accident. I remember being intrigued and
signed up for the free trial just so I could use the food
database but never signed up as a full member.
Then, in October last year, my sister mentioned that she had just become a member
and it reminded me how interesting I found the site when I was
nosing around all those years ago.
I decided to sign up as a full member immediately – no free
trial – and three and a half months later here I still am.
How WLR's Calorie Counting Tools Help
WLR has really given me an insight into what I put into my
body. I find it fascinating looking at the foods in the database
and seeing what they’re made up of. I can still be really
surprised by things, even now when I feel better educated about
good foods vs. bad foods.
I’d like to think that my eating patterns have changed
permanently but I guess only time will tell. What I do know is
that working to a calorie allowance means that I have to plan
what I am going to eat for the which helps me stay in control.
The Best of Weight Loss Resources
I’ve already mentioned that I love the food diary and I
couldn’t be without that now but I also get a huge amount of
support from the other members.
The message boards are really great because they allow me to
celebrate or commiserate with fellow WLR-ers and the private
messaging facility is such a great idea. I have built up a close bond
with three other members and we’ve supported each other
throughout, giving advice where necessary and sometimes a good
kick up the backside too!
Joy's Calorie Counting Tips
I’m an all-or-nothing type so I only knew one way to achieve
my target weight and that was completely change the way I looked
at food. My way of doing things will seem harsh and maybe
unachievable to many but it worked for me…
So during the time I was losing weight, I cut out ALL
chocolate, cakes, (in fact all sugary foods), takeaways and
alcohol. I didn’t drink a huge amount to start with, maybe a
bottle of wine a week, or eat many takeaways (usually fish &
chips once every other week) but they still had to go.
Then realising there wasn’t a lot left that I would eat, I
used WLR to find out what other people ate and I used the food
diary to find out what were good and bad foods.
I even started to try new things – Satsuma’s, Shreddies,
Apricots, Pears, Cabbage, even Brussels Sprouts! All these
things I didn’t think I liked before but have now found I do.
I guess WLR just helped re-educate me so I could make the
right choices and it worked!
Oh! And the food & exercise jotter is absolutely invaluable
and I carry mine everywhere with me.
I can’t say I found losing weight particularly difficult.
Despite my all or nothing approach I didn't really struggle too
much. I won’t say that I didn’t have my moments but I stayed
focused on my goal and that really helped me.
I also found that exercise became a real life-saver.
Exercising regularly helped me to lose the weight and keep it
off but it also gives me such an energy rush that I don’t need
the fix I used to get from chocolate any more.
I’d advise anyone to make exercise a fundamental part of the
weight loss process, no matter how much or little you have time
to do. Anything is better than nothing after all! |
