Success Story: Joy

Joy, Age 30, Height 5ft 5in

Start Weight	10st 10lbs
Current Weight	8st 6lbs
Goal Weight	8st 10lbs
Weight Lost	2st 4lbs
Working to Rate of Loss	2lbs per week

Dieting History

My downfall is chocolate and although I haven’t dieted at all in the past, I have tried unsuccessfully to cut down on my chocolate intake in the past.

"Will power didn’t work for me, I could only manage a few days and then I just gave in again."

I went to see hypnotherapists on two separate occasions (about three years apart) and managed to stop eating chocolate for about three months each time but eventually I crept back to my old habits.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

I actually never really paid any attention to my weight and never consciously tried to lose weight before.

I may have lost some during my three-month stints of going without chocolate but I didn’t think to weigh myself at the time to find out.

How being overweight has affected you…

I never really considered myself to be overweight so it never bothered me personally.

I certainly don’t think I looked huge (I was only 1lb over the max. recommended BMI for my height when I started trying to lose weight).

"Having said that, in the last six months before I started using WLR, I did notice that my clothes were too tight in certain areas, in hot weather my thighs got sore from rubbing together."

I sweated after only slight exertion.

Something that really made me sit up and take notice though was that my husband and I had a huge row in October (over many things but one of the subjects that came up was my weight).

I never realised that it was a problem for him but it became clear he didn’t like the fact that I’d put on weight over the last few years and was upset that he no longer found me attractive because of it.

Motivation to Diet

Well, as I never though of myself as being fat or overweight, there was nothing to motivate me - until my husband and I had our fight that is.

I realised that I had the power to fix this issue so I committed to at least try and lose some weight (providing my husband worked on some of his issues too of course!)

I know you are not supposed to lose weight for someone else, because then the effects may not last.

"But once I started feeling an improvement in energy levels and started seeing my body shape change it was all about me!"

What my husband said provided the spark but his comments soon became secondary. He just gave me the motivation I needed to start me going.

Now I have lost the weight I can’t really comprehend how I let myself slide over the years.

I feel so much healthier, happier and I’m full of energy and vitality now. I would even say I feel five years younger.

Oh – and my husband thinks I look great now!

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I came across WLR some years ago, I think I was just surfing the net and found it by accident.

I remember being intrigued and signed up for the free trial just so I could use the food database but never signed up as a full member.

Then, in October last year, my sister mentioned that she had just become a member and it reminded me how interesting I found the site when I was nosing around all those years ago.

I decided to sign up as a full member immediately – no free trial – and three and a half months later here I still am.

How WLR's Calorie Counting Tools Help

WLR has really given me an insight into what I put into my body. I find it fascinating looking at the foods in the database and seeing what they’re made up of.

"I can still be really surprised by things, even now when I feel better educated about good foods vs. bad foods."

I’d like to think that my eating patterns have changed permanently but I guess only time will tell.

What I do know is that working to a calorie allowance means that I have to plan what I am going to eat for the which helps me stay in control.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I’ve already mentioned that I love the food diary and I couldn’t be without that now but I also get a huge amount of support from the other members.

The message boards are really great because they allow me to celebrate or commiserate with fellow WLR-ers and the private messaging facility is such a great idea.

I have built up a close bond with three other members and we’ve supported each other throughout, giving advice where necessary and sometimes a good kick up the backside too!

Joy's Calorie Counting Tips

I’m an all-or-nothing type so I only knew one way to achieve my target weight and that was completely change the way I looked at food.

My way of doing things will seem harsh and maybe unachievable to many but it worked for me…

"So during the time I was losing weight, I cut out ALL chocolate, cakes, (in fact all sugary foods), takeaways and alcohol."

I didn’t drink a huge amount to start with, maybe a bottle of wine a week, or eat many takeaways (usually fish & chips once every other week) but they still had to go.

Then realising there wasn’t a lot left that I would eat, I used WLR to find out what other people ate and I used the food diary to find out what were good and bad foods.

I even started to try new things – Satsuma’s, Shreddies, Apricots, Pears, Cabbage, even Brussels Sprouts! All these things I didn’t think I liked before but have now found I do.

"I guess WLR just helped re-educate me so I could make the right choices and it worked!"

Oh! And the food & exercise jotter is absolutely invaluable and I carry mine everywhere with me.

I can’t say I found losing weight particularly difficult. Despite my all or nothing approach I didn't really struggle too much.

I won’t say that I didn’t have my moments but I stayed focused on my goal and that really helped me.

"I also found that exercise became a real life-saver."

Exercising regularly helped me to lose the weight and keep it off but it also gives me such an energy rush that I don’t need the fix I used to get from chocolate any more.

I’d advise anyone to make exercise a fundamental part of the weight loss process, no matter how much or little you have time to do. Anything is better than nothing after all!