Helen's Slimming Success

Helen set herself a goal to be slim, healthy and energetic for her children and attractive for herself and her husband.

Slimming History

As a teenager I lived on Ryvita and salad during the day and huge binges on toast at night.

I never really believed a diet would work for me. I thought I was just born fat (or fatter than my sister and my mum) and would always stay that way.

Then my friend lost four stone with Weight Watchers and I thought 'If she can do it, so can I!' So I tried a sort of DIY Weight Watchers points system.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

I lost a stone in four months on that diet and realised I could do it: but then I got pregnant again and put it all back on! I did try hard to eat sensibly, but what with breastfeeding and everything it's difficult to stay in control.

How being overweight has affected you…

I was a pretty miserable teenager, at least partly because I felt fat and unattractive. I'm happier with my body now than I ever have been.

Puberty hit me hard. I got stretch marks on my hips and breasts when they sprang out of nowhere age 13, and I never really came to terms with the curves of femininity. I also went from a very active lifestyle at a school I loved to consciously rejecting sport at a very sporty school that I hated. So I probably did put on a bit of weight.

I was probably 11 ½ stone at my heaviest, before I got pregnant for the first time, and I definitely had less energy, confidence and enthusiasm.

A decade of fashion passed me by. I didn't feel happy wearing strappy tops or short skirts; as for swimming and bikinis, you've got to be joking!

Slimming Motivation

After I slimmed the first time, I felt great and was determined to lose it for good after the second pregnancy.

When I started on WLR I was still breast-feeding, so I had to be fairly careful, but I found the milk supply stayed fine as long as I stuck to 1lb loss.

I wanted to be slim, healthy and energetic for my children, and attractive for myself and my husband!

I've enjoyed throwing out all my fat clothes and gradually building up a new wardrobe. It's lovely to enjoy clothes shopping for the first time in my life and to feel confident in my own body.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

First time round, I googled 'calorie counter' and did the free trial. This time I decided to take it all more seriously, so joined up and joined in.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I've learnt loads from WLR.

First time round I didn't do any extra exercise. The amounts I thought I would earn from exercise seemed so small as not to be worth it. This time exercise made all the difference. When I got down to 1200 calories, I could only manage by exercising every day!

I've started to really enjoy exercise and I learnt that it is worth making the time for it, because it makes you feel so much better. I intend to carry on exercising regularly for the rest of my life.

I've also learnt a lot about balancing my diet. I was shocked to find that I didn't eat enough fruit and vegetables, and I still find it a struggle. I was also not drinking enough.

I also learnt loads about good and bad types of food, food that fills you up and stop you having cravings, and good fats, like avocados, nuts and fish. I now eat fish at least twice a week.

I will never again go back to lashings of butter on everything (makes my skin feel very strange) and I will never unthinkingly drink full sugar cordial. It has become a treat, rather than an everyday staple.

I'm also trying to eat low GI food and I always have a salad with my sandwiches now! In fact, I have cravings for salad and fish!

I learnt loads from the message boards and the support has been fantastic, not just for weight loss, but for everything!

This has been a difficult time of my life (two young children, a full-time job and weekly commuting) and the WLR community has kept me sane.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I joined to use the calorie counter and food diary. I didn't think I'd use the exercise diary or the message boards, but in fact I've used both a lot.

After Christmas when I started maintaining, I carried on using the food diary for a month or so, but I've now been getting by without it for a few months. I'm just addicted to the maintainers' board now!

I particularly liked being able to calorie count my recipes, because I love cooking and eat different things all the time. I hated being stuck with ready meals or very simple food. I've also found lots of good recipes on the site!

Helen's Slimming Tips

• Exercise
• Drink loads of water/tea/green tea/low sugar cordial
• Don't panic if you have a bad meal/day; you can always make up for it
• save calories for nights out etc (use the history function)
• Don't worry if you don't lose for a week or so; I had a very irregular pattern (no loss, no loss, lose four pounds!)
• Just keep going!
• Don't underestimate the challenge of maintaining: this is a lifestyle change, so you've got to find things you can stick with for good

For anyone who is too busy to eat properly and/or too busy to exercise: make time, because it's worth it, and will make everything else in your life better.

More information

WLR Members are renowned for offering support, advice, help and friendship to all those on the Message Boards in Members Forum.

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