Success Story: Susan

Susan, Age 37, Height 5ft 6in

Start Weight	16st 8lbs
Current Weight	10st 7lbs
Goal Weight	10st 7lbs
Weight Lost	6st 1lb - Wow!
Working to Rate of Loss	½lb - 1lb per week
Time Taken	1 year

Dieting History

I’ve tried to cut down before now, and at other times have tried calorie counting.

However with just “cutting down” I would often take out too much, end up feeling REALLY hungry, and so pig out.

"With calorie counting, I found it difficult to do the maths constantly that’s why I love WLR, it’s all done for you."

I tried Slimfast for a while too, and whilst I quite liked the taste of the shakes, I wanted something to chew on, plus I never felt full after having a shake. It also works out pretty expensively.

Another one I tried was “low fat” reading some of the low fat books. This did me more harm than good, and I believe for years I suffered many ill effects from eating too little fat.

I also tried the Hay Diet for a time, which is basically where you don’t eat protein and starch together.

I did lose weight, but I think this was probably because in cutting out starches from certain meals, you don’t make it up really with extra carbohydrates.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Oh yes! I first went on a diet at the age of 19, weighing just 9 stone 7lb.

I skipped lunch one day by mistake (was very busy one day at school) and realised I could. I then started avoiding lunch each day, lost 7lb within one week, and got down to around 8 stone 3lb.

At this point I realised I was being stupid, tried to start eating, but lost control. I started making myself sick, and the binge purge cycle of bulimia started.

I eventually managed to break this at around age 23. However, I have battled with food ever since, and the weight has gone up and up.

"A few times I’ve tried to lose, lost around half a stone to a stone, had a panic over a bad day, binged, thought “stuff it, I’ve put it ALL back on now” and given up!"

Seeing it in black and white, and being able to play with the figures (reducing my loss on a bad week) has stopped this panicking.

I have, for the first time in my life, managed to lose weight consistently without being unhealthy about it.

How being overweight has affected you…

For me this is very much a “chicken and egg” thing. I had problems with depression/bipolar affective disorder.

When I was low (and at times suicidal) I didn’t care what I looked like, and ate and ate.

The medication I was on also gave me an appetite, and I think reduced my metabolism slightly too, though that could have also been inactivity.

Everything was an effort, so I just didn’t bother. I had backache, and knee pain, and thought it was just something I would have to live with. Both have gone now.

Motivation to Diet

I had a very overweight grandmother, and I mean very overweight!

She was shorter than me, and at times in her life, her weight was not measurable on standard scales. When she died, she weighed around 17 or 18 stone, which was actually on the low side for her.

I am not sure the length of her life changed much because of this (she was around 85 years old when she died) but it did affect her quality of life.

She had awful arthritis, in both arms and legs. In her arms it was partly caused by trying to lift herself out of her chair.

She fell and broke her hip several years before she died, and after that, never got exercising again (not even walking really).

After the operation to repair her hip, the site got infected, something that happens more often in obese people.

She couldn’t use a wheelchair, her weight was carried mostly in her lower body, and they don’t make chairs that wide or they won’t fit through doorways.

She had leg ulcers, VERY painful ones, plus her legs constantly leaked fluids. She had to wear bandages, and even then the bedclothes would be disgusting after one night.

"I know I have those genes in me, and as my weight went up and up I could see me finishing up as she did."

I decided I HAD to do something.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I was searching for a diet forum online, as I wanted the support of others.

That evening I went into the chat room, asked loads of questions, and was persuaded to join by Di (Damandblast). It was the best decision I ever made.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I LOVE the site, I even carry cards round with me to give to people when they say “wow you lost weight, how did you do it?”

I love the support of other people, the food diary is so easy to use and the fact that you add in exercise and this gives you more to eat is SO motivating.

"I love the running board, the pledging thing on there motivates me so much, and it’s great to get the advice from other runners too."

There are definitely some people I would call “friends” on here, we pm fairly regularly, just for a chat really, and that is nice. I met a few of them at a 10k race I ran in recently.

Since I have lost the weight, my confidence has SO improved, plus my energy levels have increased.

"I get flirted with these days, something I must say I rather enjoy!"

I am much more active, love running, and enjoy looking good. I am under 11 stone, last time I was that was when I was 19 years old, 18 years ago now, which just amazes me.

I am also now “normal” (weight wise anyway!) when I started off at the higher end of “obese”.

I still can’t get used to the way I look, on seeing a photograph of a group of people the other day I thought, “who is that slim person there?” and then realised it was me!

"I am still shocked at times in the change in my mindset."

A few months into this, I went into Tesco, and realised that I had bought a runner’s world magazine and a melon as a treat.

It used to be a cross-stitch magazine and a big bag of Cadbury’s giant buttons.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I tend to use most areas of the site, not all the message boards, as there are too many even for me to keep up with them all!

Susan's Calorie Counting Tips

- Remember that a bad day doesn’t kill a diet! I very quickly learnt that it’s pretty impossible to gain 7lbs in one pigout!

"Even if the scales show a huge gain the next day, it’s probably water retention. If and when you fall, stand up, brush yourself off and restart the next day."

Often I didn’t try and make up the calories, or exercise like crazy. For me, that was a pattern that would not have been healthy.

- If you must weigh yourself every day (I do!) see it as a way to see how your weight goes up and down, don’t have a panic every time you “gain” a few lbs.

I learnt to see that eating too much the day before, changes in my diet (to more salty foods), time of the month and just having a shorter night could all cause me to show a gain in weight.

"See this as a life change, NOT a diet. Diets are to be started and then stopped again. I want this to last forever!"

Life includes things like Weddings, Birthdays, trips to McDonalds, meals out etc etc. I tended to allow myself “time off” at these times.

I still make healthier choices, and don’t stuff myself, but eat until full and then no more. However if I fancy a piece of that chocolate cake, I will have one! Life needs to include such luxuries.

- Include exercise, but start gently! Don’t try and spend an hour at the gym on your first day!

I started with just around 20 minutes walking a day. I then got faster at walking, and also bought a bike.

Around 2 months after I started on WLR I joined a gym, and then took up running (which I LOVE) a couple of months later.

Find exercise that you enjoy! I have done line dancing, salsa, and now running!

"I have enjoyed all 3. It’s no good spending 30 minutes on the treadmill if you hate it. You won’t keep it up. Remember again, lifestyle change, enjoy it!"

Joining WLR was the BEST decision I ever made, my life has completely changed. I just came back from holiday where I entered a 10k race.

I ran a route that a year ago I would have struggled to walk! So stop reading these things, and get on with it! You won't regret it.

I’ve decided to continue to use WLR for at least 6 months, probably a year after I hit my target so that I learn what is the right amount for me to eat to maintain.

I will also come back as soon as I hit my “weight barrier” (that will probably be 11 stone) I so do not want my weight to creep up again as before.