Success Story: Laura

Laura, Age 29, Height 5ft 3in

Start Weight	9st 7½lbs
Current Weight	8st ½lb
Goal Weight	8st ½lb
Weight Lost	1st 7lbs
Working to Rate of Loss	2lbs per week to start with

Dieting History

To be honest I haven’t managed to stick to any other diets in the past.

I tried to count calories and reduce my fatty food intake myself with no luck.

I also looked at Weight Watchers but thought the points system was awkward to work out, membership was more expensive and I didn’t have the motivation to go to the meetings.

With WLR, I only have to go to the bathroom for weigh ins!!!

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Not really. My weight hasn’t really yo-yoed, just increased! I think it started when I moved out of my parent’s home in 2002.

"I was always slim but as I started buying my own food, I was eating what I wanted, when I wanted."

My weight had increased gradually over the past 3½ years.

How being overweight has affected you…

I would really hate going clothes shopping. I remembered a time when I would take a size 10 and 12 into the changing rooms and more often than not the size 10 would fit.

Now I was taking size 12 and 14 in and even the 14 would be tight!

"I started buying more clothes out of my catalogues so I didn’t have to go out."

Also when going out for a meal or a drink I would wear a baggy jumper or top and jeans to cover my lumps and bumps.

I would be embarrassed to get undressed in front of my boyfriend even though I know he loves me whatever weight I am. I’ve told him he can buy me new underwear for my new figure!

I think I was just really fed up of how I looked and generally unhappy.

Motivation to Diet

I wanted to be able to go out whether it be out on an evening or just to the shops and be confident about myself and the way I looked.

"As the weight started to come off people would comment on how well I was doing."

Comments like that certainly give you more motivation. I also kept looking at my holiday photos from last year. I really didn’t want to be that weight this year.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

It was quite by accident. I was on the Internet and doing a search on the calorie content of certain foods.

Up popped WLR. I did two three-day trials and couldn’t believe how much information was available.

The database of foods is huge and you can easily add to it if the item isn’t on there.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

The advice from other members on the message boards are a great help and source of information.

If you have a query someone is bound to know the answer. One of the things this website flagged up was how big my portion sizes of food had become.

I would feel bloated at the end of my evening meal because I would have piled my food high on my plate.

"When I started weighing my portions I would still be full at the end of my meal but not bursting at the seams!"

Also I am eating a lot more fruit and vegetables. I used to snack a lot but now when I’m peckish especially if I don’t have calories to spare I will have fruit instead.

Snacks, crisps and chocolate are certainly spending more time in the cupboard these days.

I have also started eating my evening meal earlier in the day. Used to be 8-9pm but now it’s more like 7-7:30pm. This has stopped me snacking before my meal.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

I mainly use the food diary. I really like being able to plan my meals in advance and seeing if I can fit any treats in.

I also read the message boards a lot but I don’t always have a chance to post myself as I am usually at work.

I like looking at my results at the end of each week.

"I can see what my average fruit and vegetable intake is and also looking at the graphs, especially if they are heading in the down direction!"

The nutrition information is handy as well although I’m always high in the carbs and low in the fat.

Laura's Dieting Tips

I know many people have said this before but filling in your food diary is a must.

Even on a bad day because at least you know where you stand and you can try and make it up.

That’s why I weigh in on a Friday morning. If I’m naughty over the weekend I have a few days to redeem myself.

Also if you are used to snacking at certain times of the day, don’t cut that out if it’s difficult.

"I used to have a packet of crisps or chocolate bar in the afternoon but I swapped if for fruit or a low calorie snack bar."

I really didn’t think I would be able to lose the weight before I found WLR.

I’m not really into exercise and have no will power for strict diets like Atkins diet. I had even resigned myself to the fact I was going to stay that size and bought about 4-5 pairs of trousers in size 14.

Let’s just say that they were a waste of money and are now gathering dust in the bottom of a drawer somewhere.

Now I have to buy a load more but in smaller sizes!