Success Story: Emma

Emma, Age 19, Height 5ft 8in

Start Weight	13st (and more, but unknown)
Current Weight	10st 3lbs
Goal Weight	10st 3lbs
Weight Lost	2st 11lbs
Working to Rate of Loss	2lbs per week, with some maintaining periods

Dieting History

The Zone, briefly, but I never really got the rules straight as I just heard them through a friend; I didn’t lose any noticeable weight, so gave up quickly.

I also tried Atkins, until I found out it can be dangerous for anyone with a family history of colon cancer.

I did the first phases of the South Beach Diet quite successfully but gave up soon after due to the cost and obscurity of ingredients demanded for, as well as moving away from home where meals would be cooked for me.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Yes, but because I never really monitored my weight it fluctuated with the sports season.

"I would lose some weight when playing basketball or volleyball, but would eat loads when I came home from training and got into that habit: so put it all back on (and more) in between seasons."

Also, just as I had become more aware of the need to eat healthily, I contracted glandular fever causing me to lose, and then gain a lot back as I ate more but couldn’t exercise for a long period of time.

I lost again in the summer before university (2004) but leaving home made nutrition a problem as I had always depended on my mother’s cooking.

By Christmas 2004 I was the heaviest I know of (though I didn’t weigh myself back then.)

How being overweight has affected you…

Being young, it always made me feel somewhat excluded, even if that wasn’t the case.

Being in a room full of skinny people just made me feel extremely self- conscious and embarrassed by my weight. It also made me feel as if I weren’t good enough to be liked (either in friendship or otherwise.)

The fundamental insecurity caused me to be hesitant to speak out about my opinions and really be myself.

"I was the only really overweight one of my friends, so if we decided to do something like canoeing I always felt as if I would make the boat capsize."

It also caused me to distance myself from people—even my family and friends—because I thought I wouldn’t meet expectations, whether my own or someone else’s.

Motivation to Diet

To feel better about myself and boost my confidence, and to feel healthy.

"I’ve always enjoyed sports but felt frustrated by my inability to keep up with everyone else involved, even when I was putting in all the effort I could."

It sounds shallow, but also to attract boys/men - not that I didn’t get attention when I was bigger - but I never felt like they should like me.

I also wanted to get into a healthy mind frame to be able to help those around me, and, in the long run, when I have children I want them to be healthy as well and not have to deal with weight and the problems it brings like I did.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I was searching for a calorie counter (I had only just discovered calorie counting!) and it came up on Google. I signed up for a free trial, and was hooked right away.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

It’s so nice to have everything in one place.

The plain facts of calorie contents of foods and how much is burnt through exercise, along with expert advice from the dietitian Juliette Kellow and the thoughts and opinions of people going through the same thing.

"With WLR I don’t get the sense of depravity I always got while attempting to control my weight before; I know I can have a treat every day if I want it, as long as I earn and account for it."

It’s also invaluable to see how healthily or balanced I am eating; whether I get enough fruit and veg, or protein, or if my sodium intake is too high.

In fact, I’ve become so interested by fitness and nutrition, I’m considering training to be a personal trainer and/or nutritionist.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I use the food and exercise diaries religiously, - inputting every little nibble as well as meals.

I regularly look through (and occasionally post on) the boards, where people always have great ideas and advice, even if it’s not related to weight management.

The calorie history is so useful as well.

Sometimes it's hard to stay within your calorie allowance for one day, or maybe its too hard to eat all you’re allowed in one day - if you step back and look at it from a week-long point of view it helps put things in perspective.

Emma's Calorie Counting Tips

As it’s been said countless times before, being completely honest with the diary is the best thing you can do.

Also I find that underestimating your activity level (at least at first) is a good way to figure it out.

I find it much easier to input yourself as very sedentary and add every activity you do during the day, as moving around is so dependent on what is demanded of that day.

It’s also really important to invest in a pair of kitchen scales—a lot of times you don’t even realise how much you’ve gotten used to eating!

Exercising regularly is a given, but unfortunately due to busy schedules not everyone can get around to it.

When I don’t have any way to get to a gym I just walk as much as possible, or take my iPod with me, and (if I’m in a private place like a hotel room) dance.

"Getting in at least 30 minutes of any activity every day really helps your health generally, as well as losing weight." 

Choosing something you enjoy rather than something that feels like a chore to do means that you can stick with it.

Also, trying a variety can help you find something you really enjoy, as well as training your body in different ways to help you achieve better overall health.

Support and knowing what’s within healthy range are also key.

"If I hadn’t had my mother and boyfriend behind me I couldn’t have gotten this far—and I would have inevitably gone under a healthy weight for my bone structure, as I tend to get obsessive."

Keep in mind that airbrushed models and celebrities are, for the most part, grossly underweight or at least unhealthy, and that they are flawed just like everyone else, they just have make up artists and stylists making it look otherwise.