Success Story: Liz

Liz, Age 26, Height 5ft 4in

Start Weight	13st
Current Weight	9st 4lbs
Goal Weight	roughly 9st
Weight Lost	3st 10lbs
Working to Rate of Loss	1lbs per week

Weight Loss History

Atkins diet - eurgh that was so horrible, I only lasted a week.

Weight Watchers - was ok but a bit too money oriented for me. I got sick of hearing about their products.

Slimming World - I did lose a bit of weight on this but it was so silly at times. I ended up walking round Leicester for 2 hours (with an increasingly annoyed man) trying to find a pub with something suitable for me to eat.

By the time I found somewhere, I could probably have eaten anything I liked without a problem! I also hated the "quantity over quality" attitude it seemed to promote. How was I ever to learn sensible eating like that?

Slimfast - again I didn't last very long. I was far too hungry all the time and it led to bingeing.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Oh yes, lots! The sad part of my tale is I started the weight loss thing when I was very slim - slimmer than I am now - but at the time I thought I was such a fatty.

I would lose a bit of weight through starvation dieting and then crack and stuff myself until I put much more weight on than I lost. I did this many times. I was so silly really.

I remember getting down to 10 stone after getting to 11 and a half and being very pleased.

However I soon returned to old ways and very quickly shot to 13 stone. I was devastated when I realised I was then classified as obese.

"I didn't bother trying again for a long while. Getting back to 10 stone seemed too big a hill to climb and what was the point? I'd just gain it all back anyway."

I was very miserable although I tried to pretend I was happy with my size.

How being overweight has affected you…

I’m naturally a quite shy person anyway but I lost all my confidence. I felt ridiculous, like a big fat joke.

Quite often, when getting ready to go out with my friends, I’d desperately rummage through all my clothes, trying to find something to hide my figure and make myself look pretty. I would most times end up in tears.

When I was trying to lose weight once at university, I joined a yoga class. Everyone there was lean and lithe and graceful.

I felt huge. I tried to do a shoulderstand with the rest of the class and couldn’t so the teacher gave me an easier posture to try but this happened in front of everyone.

"I felt humiliated. I felt that everyone was laughing at “that disgusting fat pig who can’t even do a shoulderstand”."

I can only remember one incident where another person deliberately made me feel bad about my weight. Someone, after seeing me for the first time in a while, said “good grief, haven’t you let yourself go?”.

But quite often I would hide myself away, assuming that even though people weren’t saying anything, they were certainly thinking badly of me!

If a bloke showed any interest in me I would assume he was insane, just messing about or even playing a cruel joke.

Motivation to Lose Weight

I was very miserable at my biggest and then when my partner of the time left me. I was so upset that I literally couldn't eat for a few weeks.

"Suddenly people were complimenting me on my weight loss and saying how good I was looking. I finally started to think “Hey I can do this!”."

I knew it was unhealthy to continue as I was so I started to count calories and the more I lost, the more motivated I became.

I read lots of success stories and positive weight loss articles to keep me going when things weren’t going so well.

At the moment it’s hard to stay motivated enough to lose the last bit. I am certainly motivated to not put any back on but I’m fairly happy as I am.

"I would like to be a bit leaner and fitter though and have changed my focus slightly to exercising."

I do tend to like strappy dresses and some rather hippyish clothes which always look better on leaner people. Hopefully that’ll motivate me to lose the last few pounds for this summer!

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I was looking for the calorie content of some food on the internet and WLR came up.

I was skeptical about spending even more money on losing weight than I already had but I did the 3 day trial and thought it was a very useful tool.

It wasn't telling me what I could or couldn't eat, just something to help me keep track and I liked that.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

After lots and lots of trial and even more error, I have found that only calorie counting works for me.

"WLR makes counting calories really simple and quick which is what made me sign up in the first place."

Since then I have noticed other benefits. The message boards are a good source of advice and motivation and sometimes just a place to vent when things aren’t going so well.

It’s good to be able to talk to people who are going through similar experiences and they can often help me see sides of a problem that I’ve never considered before.

"I also love the articles and one thing that really impresses me is that WLR doesn’t just focus on weight loss but on all aspects of health and healthy eating."

I got so tired with other plans because they always seemed to be promoting low-fat stuff, some of which was pumped full of suspicious chemicals.

Didn’t really sit well with me as I want all of me to be healthy, not just slim!

One amazing thing is that I’ve joined and left WLR a few times now depending on finances and/or motivation and all those times I wasn’t a member I didn’t gain any of the weight I’d lost back again.

"I just stayed the same until I was ready to join again and lose more weight."

I think this is down to the good habits and long-term healthy eating attitude that WLR has helped to instill in me. It’s not a fad diet so I don’t slip back into all my old habits when I leave.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I use most of the site these days.

When I first started, I tended only to use the diary and read the articles.

Now I use the message boards a lot, and sometimes go into the chatrooms and do the puzzles!

Liz's Calorie Counting Tips

Use the diary as much as you can and be honest! It’s always tempting to neglect to put in one or two small items.

"I’m always doing it myself which is probably why I’m finding it hard to shift the last few pounds! We’re only cheating ourselves in the long term though."

Try to be realistic about the goals you set for yourself. For example, there’s no way I can manage on 1100 calories a day and I usually don’t have time to exercise to earn many calories consistently so I have to accept that I’m not going to lose 2lb a week like some amazing people can do!

Attitude plays a very big part in weight loss. It's very important to be positive and believe in yourself.

OK noone’s going to wake up every day feeling fantastic and, even now after losing all this weight, I still get “fat and ugly” days but I find it’s important to not let those days bring me down and make me think “oh what’s the point” – that’s one slippery spiral I do not want to encounter again!

"I found it helpful to write down precisely what I wanted and the reasons that I wanted them and to read it regularly when the going got tough."

Not just “I want to lose weight” but more specific things like “I want to look great in summer dresses”, “I want to be able to play sports with my friends without getting embarrassed” - things that really motivate and spur me on!

Another thing I would advise is to try lots of new things. Healthy eating and losing weight doesn’t have to be all lettuce, lentils and cabbage soup.

"If you’re feeling deprived or bored of what you’re eating then it’s going to be a pretty miserable time."

If you’re eating lots of new exciting things then it won’t feel so difficult. If you like to cook then invest in a couple of new cookbooks or use some of the recipes in the fantastic recipe section.

Also leave some room for some old favourites. If you really love chocolate then you’re just going to feel bad if you forbid yourself from eating it.

Instead save some calories and have a bit every so often and really savour it. I’ve found it to be much more enjoyable that way