Success Story: Steve

WLR Member Steve123, Age 46, Height 5ft 8in

	Start	Current
Weight	14st 2lbs	11st 13lbs

Weight Loss History

My mother was a serial dieter so calorie counting and dieting has been around me for a long time.

But I would never join a "club" like, for example, Weight Watchers, it's just not my thing. In the past, I have counted calories to lose weight but have never tried or wanted to try specialised diets.

Have you lost weight before and regained the weight?

Yes! About 15 years ago, I lost quite a lot of weight and put it all and more back on again.

I would say it's my biggest "fear" that I will lose weight and put even more back on yet again.

But people close to me say that this time, I won't, because I have the support of this web site. In the past, I have counted calories using books/magazines with no on-line support.

I am a computer-type-person and this site suits me fine! I don't like face-to-face diets; I prefer distance learning!

How being overweight has affected you…

In a nutshell, I feel better not carrying the extra 2 stone around. I'm one of those people who are very comfortable in their own skin…..EXCEPT being overweight. That is my motivation.

The way I look at it is that you should accept everything about yourself that you can't change.

For example, I suppose I'd like to be 6 feet tall ideally but I'm 5'8 and that's the way it is! But being overweight is not the same thing. It's self-inflicted.

I have watched American chat shows boasting about "big is beautiful". Well, I just don't feel the same way. I have no problem about other people being overweight but it's not what I want for myself.

My Body Mass Index tells me that 11'7 is at the top end of a sensible weight for me and that's what I'm striving for.

If I succeed, I will be lighter than I've been for 20 years, how good does that sound?!

Friends and colleagues have commented on my weight loss in a very positive manner but I don't like people making comments much. I think that THAT part of me is fairly unusual.

I really don't like compliments about my weight….basically, because it's none of their damned business!

I feel better in myself and that's all that counts. I don't lose weight for other people. Well, I could write ten more pages on this question but I'll save you the pain of reading it!

Motivation to Lose Weight

Health is always on my mind, especially now 40 has been and gone and 50 is looming.

But I would say that vanity plays a large part too… not superficial vanity but just the feel-good factor of being able to buy some new clothes and not dwelling on the waist size!

I wear 34 inch jeans now and I've thrown out all my old ones in a cunning attempt to never, ever return to size 38 or even 40.

I stay in hotels regularly and they usually have large mirrors. What I used to see wasn't good but now I'm much happier.

I'm a stubborn person by nature and when I decide to do something, I do it. It's when I take my foot off the pedal that worries me!

Discovering Weight Loss Resources

Surprisingly, because I loathe any programmes about celebrities, I just happened to see the end of Celebrity Fit (or was it Fat) club and I thought I ought to do something about my weight, which had recently topped 14 stone.

I typed the name of the programme into a search engine, found WLR and took up the free trial.

I felt immediately that this was the site for me to lose weight.

Not intrusive, that was important to me. I needed the resources but I didn't need a nanny or a new social life.

How Weight Loss Resources Helps

I would say the food diary is the most help. It focuses the mind and calculates how many calories you have left daily in order to lose weight.

I think that the way this site encourages you to exercise by giving you extra calories is an excellent idea.

I have a mathematical type of brain and even if I'm one calorie over, I exercise to stay within the limit!

That's when I'm counting calories. I ought to add that I'm a great believer in maintaining some weeks and losing the next.

Also, I never count calories from Friday pm until Sunday am because that's my "party time!" Like many blokes, my downfall in the past has been lager!

Luckily, I'm not a sweet-toothed person, although I am a member of the Hotel Chocolate Club! (Don't ask!) I was "normal" weight until I discovered lager at 17 and then I gradually put on weight.

In fact, the more I think about it, I'm incredibly impressed with what I've achieved in terms of weight loss and that is down to my own determination and the support of weightlossresources.co.uk.

But I still need my weekends and, guys, IT CAN BE DONE! I'm nosey enough to read the message boards from time to time but I don't post much……somehow, it's a female domain, which is fine.

I use the goals section to remind myself of what I'm trying to achieve.

I set fairly short-term goals, so that I can succeed rather than "lose 3 stone" type goals, which are too far in the future. I also message someone most days, which helps the motivation. (Thanks, Carolouise!)

Steve's Tips for Losing Weight

I would like to encourage blokes to sign up for this site. £9 a month is 4 pints, guys! I also think that it is important to build in "maintain" times or even expect weight-gain times during Christmas or a major holiday.

I put half a stone on during the Summer but stayed calm and lost it again and more during September/October.

That's the beauty of this site; it doesn't give up on you. It's always there as a resource as long as you need it.

Everyone's nice and it serves you, rather than ranting and raving at you. But you have to have goals… achievable, realistic goals.

Think carefully about your targets, because those you don't attain will eat away at your willpower.

For example, I have decided to try to maintain during December and Christmas, because weight loss is unrealistic for me during that time, so why beat myself up over it?!

The important thing is knowing that you'll get back into the routine (inputting calories used alongside those recommended to lose or maintain weight) in the near future.

I think it is a good idea to buy some new clothes when you are down a size or two.

That way, you are reminded of what you have achieved and not to go back to old sizes. Chuck out the old stuff or give it away, whatever.

Always like yourself, nobody else will if YOU don't. Always remember that this site is your friend and servant, not your master.

What I mean by that is that YOU must have the determination and willpower to succeed, this site cannot do that for you.

It will support you in your goals and dreams, that's all… but it is brilliant at supporting you, so if you have the will, this site will help you on your way…

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