Age: 40
Height: 5' 7"
Start Weight: 19st 11lb
Current Weight: 9st 7lb
Goal Weight: 10st
Weight Lost: 10st 4lb
Working to Rate of Loss: 1 Pound a week
Weight Loss History
I was slim as a child (probably underweight if anything) but
since getting married found it the licence to eat. It never
really bothered my husband John how much I weighed. In 2000 I
was diagnosed with having Hodgkin's Disease (cancer) and put on
about six stones with the effects of steroid treatment. Most
people lose weight with cancer - trust me to gain!
I tried "Slimming Club of Great Britain" in 1992. I lost a
couple of stone but regained it all as I wasn't educated enough
in the diet. I wouldn't hang around for the talks, preferring to
go out for a meal with my husband after being weighed!
Have you lost weight before
and regained the weight?
I tried Weight Watchers a couple of times found that the
system was a bit complicated with the points system. I never knew
exactly what I had had to eat. Regained all the weight I had
lost plus some!
How being overweight has affected you…
I felt depressed about my size and had no confidence, felt
fat and frumpy and wanted to have a nice wardrobe of clothes in
a lot smaller size. Being big also stopped me from exercising
for fear of injuring myself or breaking a piece of equipment at
a gym by being too big for it. It also stopped me from flying as
I felt too fat to get in the chair on the plane.
Motivation to Lose Weight
I made a list of reasons as I was rapidly approaching the big
four O. I didn't want to be fat and forty. Wanted to improve my
health too and have more energy. Also to improve my self esteem.
Have a new wardrobe full of clothes in more fashionable styles.
To have more self respect and gain more respect from other
people.
Discovering Weight Loss Resources
After losing some weight on my own using a calorie-controlled
diet I needed to find the calories in something. I decided to go
on the Internet to look for that. I did a search for the number
of calories in it and Weight Loss Resources was the first site to
be listed. I fell in love with the site immediately. I signed up
for full membership before my free trial was up. We went on
holiday the first week and I actually gained weight my first
week but I wasn't disheartened for I knew that WLR would help.
How Weight Loss Resources Helps
I am eating far more healthily, but if I do want something
"naughty" I will allow for it in my calories for the day. For
sake of argument if I want chocolate or chips I will calculate
the calories for that and allow myself it. I don't feel as if I
am denying myself anything that way. Although I have a long way
to go I am confident I can lose the remainder of my weight with
the aid of WLR.
The Best of Weight Loss Resources
I use the food diary on a daily basis and always check the
message boards. Occasionally I can be found in the chat room.
Laura's Tips for Losing Weight
Enter everything that goes in your mouth during the day. If
you haven't got a very good memory use the jotters and write it
down. I find these useful for when I'm away in my caravan. I can
then enter everything I've eaten once I have Internet access
again.
Use the food plan feature to plan ahead. I can see at a
glance from the favourite food what I need to cut down on (in my
case I love my carbs!) But I try to level them out and can judge
by looking at the nutritional profile what I need to adjust to
make my chart look nice and balanced.
Weigh everything. It is very important as we tend not to
judge very well and under estimate the size of the portion.
Try to only weigh yourself once a week even though it is
tempting to have a "sneak preview". Remember that weight does
fluctuate during the week (even during the day) especially after
eating something with a high salt content for example Chinese.
Don't beat yourself up over a bad day - resolve to get back
on track tomorrow.
Invest in a pedometer and try to do as many steps as possible
during the day.
You will know this already, but drink lots of water
(personally I'm not keen on tap water but I drink bottled
flavoured water which is more calories) It helps fill you up and
can keep your skin looking clear too. Sometimes you can mistake
thirst for hunger too.
Try cleaning your teeth if you are hungry. Chocolate hasn't
quite got the same appeal after brushing with Sensodyne!
Don't just use the scales, arm yourself with a tape measure
and watch those inches shrink!
Sign up for the challenges and post your progress on the
special challenge boards.
Join the online community. There is always someone online to
give some advice or have a moan or laugh with. There is support
24 hours a day on all sorts of issues not just weight loss/food.
I find sticking a wedding invitation or holiday photograph of
destinations I want to visit in a prominent place in the
kitchen. This is a bit more subtle than a fat photograph of
yourself and reminds you when you are tempted to eat something.
Buy yourself a copy of the Calorie, Carb and Fat Bible from
WLR's sister site Diet and Fitness Resources for when you have
no computer access. Alternatively print out your favourites list
from the website and take a food jotter with you to keep track
whilst away.
Last but by no means least I would like to thank everyone on
WLR who has given me support, in particular Jeniren.
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