Success Story: Mary
Mary: Diet Success Story

Mary's yo-yo dieted for years. Her motivation to lose weight and become healthier was completing a trek in Nepal for Breast Cancer Care.

Success Story: Mary

Mary, Age 49, Height 5ft 5in
Start Weight 12st 3lbs
Current Weight 10st 7lbs
Goal Weight 10st 7lbs
Weight Lost 1st 10lbs
Working to Rate of Loss 1-2lb per week

Dieting History

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Often. Approximately every two years for the last 15 years, I’ve gained 1½ stone – 2 stone and lost some of it.

How being overweight has affected you…

Stopped me going out. I lived in tracksuits ‘socially’ constantly obsessed about how I looked.

"I hid behind my profession and had no social life."

Since losing weight my confidence outside work has increased enormously and I feel a more 'complete' person.

I don’t think people’s perception of me changed but I’m often seen in a professional capacity and people don’t see ‘me’.

Motivation to Diet

It is my 50th birthday this year. Realising that I have to take responsibility for my weight and accept that the menopause, underactive thyroid etc does not mean I cannot lose weight.

It just means I have to eat less than 20 years ago.

"Mainly I wanted to be fit to embark on a trek to Nepal for Breast Cancer Care in March 2006."

I completed the trek really easily, mainly thanks to the drop in weight, upping the exercise and especially to some really specific advice from fellow WLR members.

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

I read an article in Health & Fitness Magazine. I logged on for the free trial and realised within 24 hours that this was for me.

I signed up for six months minimum immediately.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I realised the importance of measuring food and exercising regularly.

"Some weeks my loss was very slow and I hit a plateau frequently."

What kept me going were the message boards. I’ve had tremendous support with diet and exercise and also personally.

When a good friend died of breast cancer many users also sponsored me for my trek.

"These ‘strangers’ have become good friends. I’m constantly amazed with messages of support and advice re: training, food etc."

From reading the boards I have bought a HRM and realised that when I exercise I am not burning calories at the rate I thought.

In a way this is a boost because it shows I’m fitter than I thought and also this is why I haven’t lost weight in the past. Although I’ve exercised I have over compensated by eating too much post work-out.

The Best of Weight Loss Resources

Food and Exercise diaries and mainly the Advice and Support message board.

I have also become addicted to ‘Caloris’ which makes me remember playing Tetris with my sons on game boy.

Mary's Dieting Tips

  • Be Honest! That scrape of butter everyday does add up. Use the site exercise calculations, not the gym machines which can be really inaccurate.
  • It is a fine balance of calories in and calories out. If you are honest it will work.
  • Go to the gym and eat anything within moderation and within your calorie allowance.
  • It does not take 3-4 weeks to gain 2 stone so it won’t take 3-4 weeks to lose it. Slow loss is permanent loss providing healthy eating principles.
  • WLR is for life not for short term weight loss.
  • Most users are experts at losing weight but not maintaining so use the site after you reach your goal.

Bonus Tip:

Whether you're planning a trip of a lifetime or simply looking for a diet - try the WLR tools for 24 hours.

Take our FREE trial »

* Note: The success stories published on Weight Loss Resources are written by WLR members, past and present, telling their own stories in their own words. As you will see if you read more than one or two of them, everyone's story is different and they have reached their success from a variety of starting points and lost weight at varying rates. Individual results may vary.

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