Fiona's Weight Loss Success

Fiona, Age 44, Height 5ft 1in

Start Weight	10st
Current Weight	7st 11lbs
Goal Weight	8st
Weight Lost	2st 3lbs
Working to Rate of Loss	2lbs a week and then 1lb a week
Time Taken	5 months

About Fiona

Before I started to lose weight I took little or no exercise, apart from occasional country walks.

I don’t drink, but I do smoke. I love good food and eating out, as and when we can afford it, hence the weight gain. We also used to have take-out food at least 3 times a month.

I am married to David, with 2 sons aged 19 and 21. Prior to joining WLR, my husband lost several stone using a six week no carb diet.

"There was no way I wanted to join him as the diet was too restrictive and I am uncomfortable about cutting out whole food groups."

My eldest son works out a lot and has taken part in strongman competitions. His encouragement about exercise has been invaluable.

All three of them have been very supportive. The boys have had the odd moan about all the “diet food” in the fridge though.

"Seeing my husband lose weight made me more aware of the weight I had put on in the last few years."

Until six years ago I had a pony, but riding and taking care of her meant that I rarely had to worry about my weight and it was usually pretty stable at around 8 stone.

At one point several years ago, I was on medication that made me very hungry and my weight soared to 11 stone. Once I was off the medication my weight returned to normal.

 

I don’t think that I have a food addiction but I have certainly used food to change the way that I feel,  ice cream in times of crisis, chocolate when I feel low, meals out to celebrate or to treat myself etc.

I work in a garden centre and I am on my feet most of the day, especially during spring and summer when we can be extremely busy.

Sadly, we have a fabulous coffee shop selling Panini’s and home made cakes. I was a sucker for a melted cheese Panini, and not always very organised about making a healthy lunch.

I work alternate weekends which can make getting to the gym a bit tricky during some weeks.

What diets have you tried in the past?

I never really had to diet before, but I was certain that I wanted to lose this weight healthily, and not do anything faddy as I find the idea of cutting out whole food groups ridiculous.

Tell us how your weight has affected your lifestyle and other people’s reactions:

I stopped feeling comfortable in my clothes and no longer recognised the woman in the mirror. I still went out with my friends but I felt old and frumpy.

What has been your main motivation to lose weight?

I should say something wholesome, like wanting to be healthier and fitter, but actually it was looking in the mirror and realising I looked six months pregnant, a nasty shock!

Which tools and resources do you use regularly on WLR? Which tools do you find invaluable?

• Logging what I was eating was a revelation! I had no idea how much was a healthy amount to be eating. I certainly had no idea how much I was overeating by either!
• The forum, and in particular, the ‘Nightly Nag’ on the Off Topic Members Board have been incredibly helpful.
• The other people on the site are supportive and knowledgeable. Any time I have been really stuck, or had a technical question, the Helpteam were very efficient in replying and again, very helpful.

Try WLR's tools for yourself

Weight loss is easy with the tools in WLR. You can use the information on Weight Loss Resources to count how many calories you need to consume each day and how many you are actually eating. Try it free for 24 hours.

Have you purchased or used any products or fitness equipment that has helped you with your goals?

I bought the ‘30 day Shred’ DVD which I have done twice! It is possibly the most horrendous workout ever.

I know many other people have found it very useful, but I prefer the gym.

Why do you think WLR has helped you lose weight where other diets have failed?

It is so comprehensive. WLR takes the hassle out of calorie counting and helps me correctly allow for my exercise calories. Apart from when I was briefly on 1100 calories, this has not felt like a diet. I love the way WLR stresses that this is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

Have you struggled at points in your weight loss journey?  Experienced a weight loss plateau?

I struggled on 1100 calories. I found it too restrictive, it felt like a diet and my weight loss slowed down, it was just not for me.

"I adjusted my rate of loss to give me more calories and felt much better about things. The weight loss improved too."

I have stayed the same a couple of times and the advice on the forum was invaluable. I was told to hang in there, and my body would catch up eventually, it worked!

Since losing weight can you give some examples of how your life has changed?

I am fitter, stronger and healthier! I feel much better about how I look, and feel more confident in what I wear.

"Self confidence and self esteem come from inside, but they are a lot easier to find when the outside is looking good."

I have much less back pain, which was an issue before I lost weight.

What exercise routines have you adopted?

I love the gym, I never ever thought I would say that. The only exercise I have ever taken in the past was to do with my pony, because I was passionate about that.

I never thought going to a gym would be so much fun. I work out twice a week at a local body building gym, Unique Physique in Haslemere, if anyone is interested. 

"The place is primarily full of BIG blokes. I am over 40, no one even notices me and that is just the way I like it."

Some of the guys are supportive and ask how I am getting on, and they are very good about changing the weights and handles that I can’t reach!

It is really nice to work out in a friendly, non competitive environment with no lycra clad ‘yummy mummies’. When I first started, I was horrified at how weak and unfit I had become, I am much better now though.

I also try and get a walk in on my weekends off. I bought a bike back in the summer and have really enjoyed that. I am a fair-weather cyclist, and it is in the shed for the winter.

What do you love about your body now?

I love the fact that my back pain is so much less.

The gym owner gave me exercises that would strengthen my back and core muscles, without aggravating an old injury.

"I love that I can wear skinny jeans again, without looking like an explosion in a sausage factory."

Oh, and I have much smaller boobs. After a lifetime of being busty it is great to buy pretty little bras.

	Before	After
BMI	26.6	20.6
Chest	37in	34in
Waist	35in	30in
Hips	36in	33in
Body Fat	27.4%	22.9%

Fiona’s Tips

I have had to watch out not to obsess about food and weight loss. Calorie counting is not the be all and end all of everything. Being an addictive and obsessive personality, I have had to be very careful about this, accept that some days, life gets in the way of weight loss, and that is ok.

• Take it one day at a time. If one day doesn’t go too well, start again, it’s not the end of the world.
• Find exercise you like. There is nothing worse than slogging away at an exercise you hate, and you won’t keep it up anyway.
• I really would recommend a good “blokey” gym. The guys are so focused on what they are doing, they won’t pay any attention to what you are doing, (unless you happen to get stuck in a piece of gym equipment like I did, then they do giggle a bit).
• When I first started exercising I couldn’t do much and constantly reminded myself that ANY exercise however little, was better than what I was doing before, none.