Hayleys' Calorie Counting Success

Hayley, Age 25, Height 5ft 4in

Start Weight	12st
Current Weight	9st
Goal Weight	9st
Weight Lost	3st
Working to Rate of Loss	1lb per week

About Hayley

I work in an office job where I sit at a computer all day. Our office has a charity tuck shop and whenever I feel myself getting bored I immediately think of food!

Having a desk full of treats behind me is too tempting. I do have to take clients out as part of my role and I also like to go out each Friday for a few drinks.

"However after the stress of the week it is never just a few drinks!"

At the moment I’m living with friends and our house is close to several shops and take aways.

I can think of at least 10 restaurants within a five-minute walk of the house.

It is so tempting to pig out especially when I see my housemates do so. As part of a houseshare there is always the dreaded food thief lurking and so buying food in advance to plan menus is very difficult!

Dieting History

• Special K cereal diet a few times
• Calorie counting but no exercise
• Month long detox diets

The cereal diet made me grumpy the whole time. I was so miserable and hungry for the two weeks.

Most days I felt like I was going to pass out through dizziness. The weight shifted - about 6 pounds in two weeks but it soon piled back on and it wasn’t worth the hassle.

I tried the Carol Vorderman detox when she first lost all the weight.

I was a student at the time so maybe I wouldn’t notice it so much now but it was so expensive and very difficult.

I was constantly thinking about what I was allowed to eat and in most instances it was nothing!

"Calorie counting on my own was my most successful diet attempt until wlr."

I did quite well on my own and lost nearly 1½ stone in a year. It was difficult to maintain because I couldn’t always be sure of my calories and I think I was sometimes going under the figure I should be doing because I often felt faint in the first few months.

I did this without doing exercise so I found I was hungry a lot of the time.

For a lot of my meals in the beginning I was eating ready meals as I thought it would be easier to keep track of the calories this way. The weight crept back on once I went travelling and no longer had the convenience of ready meals!

How being overweight has affected you…

I have always been very self-conscious.

"I think that will stay with me for a long time. I refrained from doing activities with my friends and family because I was embarrassed I wouldn’t be fit enough."

I avoided cameras like the plague and became depressed very easily. I constantly look at people and compare myself to them.

Motivation to Diet

To be healthy and happy!

"I get a huge confidence boost from feeling fit and looking better and I didn’t want to wreck my body with anymore junk!"

I wanted to be able to run without being scared of it like I was all the way through those dreaded P.E lessons at school.

I was worried that I was wasting my youth looking frumpy and I wanted to feel good around other people my age when I go out.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

wlr takes the effort out of calculating calories. It has encouraged me to be fit not just slim as it shows me how many calories I can earn through being active!

The Members Forum message boards give amazing support.

"They become addictive sometimes but it’s brilliant to have all these friends in the same boat and who won’t get bored of talking about fat!"

I can’t recommend wlr highly enough!

I’ve never felt so great or gotten so many compliments. It allows for failure from time to time and you can track bad periods or see how to make up for them later on.

It is educational and helps you to make the right choices even when you can’t access the site for help!

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I use the food diary every day and I love the exercise diary, as I’d never work out the calories myself. The message boards are my favourite.

Why do you think wlr has helped you lose weight where other diets have failed?

wlr allows me to have bad days and shows me what I need to do to redeem myself.

I can read in the Members Forum that other people have the same stumbling blocks as me and it encourages me not to give up.

"It is 24 hour support and any area of healthy eating that has baffled me in the past is now clear thanks to the help team who are fantastic in answering any queries."

wlr has a huge amount of information that really helps open your eyes to the mistakes you might be making when you try to lose weight on your own.

Hayley's Calorie Counting Tips

Work out your calories over the week. If you are anything like me (a binge eater) you will still need to have bad days.

Averaging it out over the week the best solution for me – use the Calories History report in your Food Diary.

Weigh everything, use the advice available to you and do exercise.

You can lose weight without exercise but it’s much tougher…and why wouldn’t you want a lovely toned body and a healthy heart!

I read on the message boards a great comment “you never regret NOT eating something!” I think of that every time I get the munchies!

Lifestyle Changes

I am much more confident now.

I am so much happier in general and I get the best feeling when I can wear something that would have looked hideous on me before!

I’m more active through choice not necessity and I love every minute of my new life!

Diet Changes

I eat all the foods I always did, just smaller quantities. In the case of cheese, I eat it very rarely but never buy it for myself anymore because I can’t bring myself to put rations on it!

Typical Dinner

Before: Massive portion of meatballs and pasta with enormous amounts of cheese, followed by cheese and crackers and wine.

Now: Sizzled sea bass with Asian veg, a little ice cream or custard as a treat.

Exercise Changes

From no exercise to cycling to work, swimming three times a week, running and exercise classes several times a week.

Any Major Changes?

I am doing more of the things I enjoy and finding more time for myself. I am finally taking part in things I never thought I could.