Success Story: Michelle
| Start Weight | Was 10½st but was 9st 8lbs when joining wlr |
|---|---|
| Current Weight | 8st 6lbs |
| Goal Weight | 8st 2lbs |
| Weight Lost | 1st 2lbs |
| Working to Rate of Loss | 2lbs per week |
Slimming History
- Slimming World
- Atkins
- Cabbage Soup (yuck!)
Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?
Yes. My weight has been up and down since I had my first baby in 1987.
At my heaviest I have been 11 st and my lightest 7½ st.
How being overweight has affected you…
Even when I am only a few pounds overweight, because I am so short it really shows and I feel insecure.
I try to make myself invisible because I don’t want people to notice that I am fat.
"I also know that a lot of how I feel is really absurd but when I am not happy with my weight I feel like all my life is going wrong."
I am now at a stage in my life where I just want to be healthy and I feel like I am close to that.
I am more confident and cheerful and people are reacting to me more positively at work.
I don’t know if that is because my attitude has changed or my body! I would like to believe it is because of my attitude.
Motivation to Lose Weight
My mother is 10st overweight and now has diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and I have the same build as her. I don’t want to be in her position in the future.
She is severely disabled because of her weight.
I want to be active all my life and I want a long life so I can be there for any future grandchildren.
My mother can’t even get out of a chair, let alone play with her grandchildren.
Discovering Weight Loss Resources
Reading Zest magazine. I have always been interested in being healthy and I read all the magazines – Shape, Zest, Women’s Health, Personal Trainer.
Sometimes I think if I spent less time reading about being healthy and actually doing it I might be on to a winner.
How Weight Loss Resources Helps
I really benefit from food planning. If I know what I am going to eat for the day I very rarely eat something that isn’t on my list.
"On the weeks I don’t fill in my diary in advance I don’t lose weight because I didn’t use the diary."
Advice and information is great. I really didn’t realise that my primrose oil supplements needed to be included until Rachael Reynolds told me.
I had been stuck at the same weight for 4 weeks. By the way she is an absolute star and should be made ‘Official Support Godmother.’
The Best of Weight Loss Resources
My main area is the food and exercise diaries. I don’t often have time to look at the boards but if I had more time I would use them a lot more.
Michelle's Slimming Tips
Because I can see what I am eating in black and white I am making better decisions about food.
I know I can eat two apples instead of 1 bag of crisps and I will feel fuller.
So my main tip is use the database daily and pre-plan for the day. I often have cals left and if they aren’t enough for a certain treat, I do stair climbing for 10 minutes at work or at home.
"I always squeeze in extra exercise so I can have a chocolate treat everyday. Preplanning makes that possible."
And even if you don’t want to ask other people for support try to read the boards a couple of times a week. You tend to learn something relevant to you and your slimming from other people’s questions and answers.
I had a really bad neck injury in June last year and had to stop exercise completely. At the time I was close to my target weight and was training to be a gym instructor.
By January this year I had put on over a stone and was feeling depressed, fat and like I had nothing to look forward to.
I joined WLR and started walking the long way round to work everyday (I didn’t really want to walk, I didn’t consider it proper exercise. was missing running, cycling and gym work).
"I now leave the house an hour earlier than I need to so I can have a proper power walk."
I am fitter and more toned now than when I was pushing myself at the gym. I have no regular injuries (which I always had).
My hubby has now started to come with me; his asthma has improved dramatically.
"So my main offer of support is ‘Just walk.’ It really can help."
I might not be at my ideal weight yet but I feel so much happier. I no longer feel depressed and I can see my goal in sight.>
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Lots of people like Michelle have achieved their slimming success using the tools, information and support that WLR has to offer. But don't take our word for it – take a free trial and see for yourself!
* 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.
