Success Story: Linda

Linda, Age 33, Height 5ft 1in

Start Weight	9st 10lbs
Current Weight	7st 9lbs
Goal Weight	8st
Weight Lost	2st 1lb
Working to Rate of Loss	2lbs per week

Dieting History

I haven’t tried any ‘official’ diets in the past. I have lost weight before doing it by myself… but re-gained within 2 months.

Have you dieted before and regained the weight?

My diet before wasn’t really a bad one. Always grilled food; biscuits and cakes weren’t really an issue.

It was portion sizes… a huge bowl of pasta was my main downfall, and veggies only happened with the Sunday roast; fruit was the odd narna sarnie!

On Being Overweight…

I remember last Christmas crying down the phone to my friend. She’s invited me out and I had nothing that fitted, other than my work uniform.

"I knew I couldn’t keep turning down a social life. I knew once the size 12’s were getting too tight something had to be done."

I was NOT going to buy a larger size in clothing.

I thought if I kept gaining weight I wouldn’t be able to lead an active life with my 2 children.

"I felt fat and frumpy and hid behind baggy clothes."

I went on holiday in November 2003 and took with me the holiday clothes I thought would fit. They didn’t and I had to live for a week in the same few items.

Motivation to Diet

Seeing those inches go really has motivated me more than than actual weight loss. I have lost a total of 14 inches.

I never realised I had that many spare!

• Waist 7 inch loss
• Boobies 3 inch loss
• Hips 4 inch loss

Also members on the site keep me going.

Without them I really would have failed. I also knew my confidence would grow as I lost weight; it’s a feel good thing – feel and look good.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I think I just did a search on the Internet for healthy eating and the site came up. Got to love that ‘Google Search’… it’s changed my life!

"What attracted me to the site was the fact that there are no real rules. You can eat what you like. No set meals."

I didn’t have to buy in ‘special foods.’ Just use everyday foods sensibly.

Don’t get me wrong you still need to stay within your calories. If you want to eat more you exercise to gain extra calories. It’s a healthy and natural approach to weight loss.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

Being able to use the food calorie database is very good. It’s easy to add your own product if it is not listed.

"I NEVER ate my 5 portions of fruit and veg a day before. With it there now printed in black and white it helps to remind me."

It’s great having the exercise calories worked out already for you and it kind of shows something for your efforts as well as earning extra food calories.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

Chatroom... I’m in there most nights. I’m the ‘doormat’ btw. I thought it would keep me out of the kitchen but have learnt to multi-task (works for some though).

The Food Plan is fantastic; it has helped me so much.

"I usually work at least 24 hours in advance and I can manage to stick to it as I use the foods that are readily available."

I input EVERYTHING into the food diary even the little things I’d preferred not to have eaten.

The support boards are soooo important to me. I’ve made many friends and learnt from them.

There is some good advice; you can share tips and advice and support each other on bad days and praise each other on good ones.

Linda's Diet Tips

From this site I have learnt that if you swap semi-skimmed milk to skimmed milk on your cereal you save 100 cals plus a week!!! Just messing but it’s true.

This site helps you learn about food and its nutritional value. It’s a long learning process. It’s not just about cutting down calories. You are what you eat springs to mind.

"Weigh your goods. Don’t guess. A little bit of something can actually weigh quite a bit, thus becoming calorific."

My diet has mainly consisted of 2 portions of fruit and a cereal bar in the morning. Lunch is usually pasta or potato with salad. A small evening meal. Cereal with milk at supper time. Four meals a day worked better for me.

Take up a sport of some type even if it just walking. I have taken up cycling and pondered with a few other things – tae bo, rebounding, running, ab roller, walking and a toning video or two.

Get the kids to join in; it will benefit them too! I bought a trailer bike for my 5 yr old. Ok, you're limited, but it is exercise and he really enjoyed joining in with the tae bo dvd.

Ok running was a failure. They couldn’t keep up with me! Kids will walk if there is an incentive, ie feeding the ducks or them playing in the park.

"Every little helps. We are only human. We all make mistakes!"

I have learnt to go onto maintenance cals rather than quit altogether when it's not going so well. That way I don’t feel as much of a failure.

So if you have a bad day with your food intake take a step back and try again tomorrow.

If you need to weigh yourself every day please take a light hearted approach. You will soon see how much your weight fluctuates from day to day.

Don’t be disheartened when you gain 5lbs over night because this really can happen!

"The overall picture is a true one and when your weight doesn’t seem to be moving get out the tape measure and check those inches."

Don’t go starving yourself. You’ll only end up bingeing and feeling really low. Change your rate of loss if you’re struggling.

So much easier then playing catch up all the time. You won’t be a failure. You are just listening to your body’s needs.

• You have to be patient.
• Healthy eating is a long learning process.
• It’s ok losing the weight but we want it to stay off too.

A BIG Thankies to WLR and friends on the site for changing my outlook on food and exercise.

Linda