Reader Success Stories

Name: Philippa

Website Address: http://skinnylattegirl.blogspot.com

Age: 24, nearly 25

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Start Weight: 103.5kg

Current Weight: 76.5kg

Goal weight: 76kg (hoping to get to 73kg eventually)

Total Lost: 27kg

Time it has taken: 12 months

Method used: Used the WW points system at home, didn't actually join or attend meetings. After the points system became second nature to me, I eased off it a little and just made my focus healthy eating in reasonable portions and exercising reguarly.

What made you start an online blog?: I had been very inspired by a lot of

bloggers in the months leading up to my move to Melbourne in September

2005. When I moved to Melbourne I didn't really know anyone here, so

decided to start a blog in order to not only make new friends but also to

keep myself motivated as I'd reached the half way point at that stage and

was hoping that the blog would give me the motivation to get there.

What the best benefit/reward that you get from your blog: The friendships I

have made, by far. All of my close friends in Melbourne I have met through

the blog, and I've also made good friends from other parts of Australia

(and the world!). There are so many rewards though. I love getting emails

from people who read the blog, I love seeing the stat counter get higher

every day - who'd have thought there'd be so many people interested in

little old me?!

Are there any negatives/difficulties about having your blog online for the

world to see?: I haven't told my family about it, apart from one of my

sisters so that's probably the hardest thing. Another hard thing is that

sometimes there are things going on in your life that you wish you could

share but putting them on the blog means sharing it with the whole world,

which you'd rather not do! And of course you get negative comments from

time to time that drag you down a bit, but thankfully they are the

exception rather than the rule for me :)

How long would you spend working on it each week on average?: I used to

spend a lot more time on the blog than I am currently, because I now work

full time - I didn't look for work straight away when I moved to Melbourne.

Before I would spend a good two hours a day, now I maybe spend 3 to 4

hours a week on it.

Can you recommend another great blog for people to visit?: Apart from

yours Paulene?! I read so many great blogs and find them all inspiring in their own way. But there were a few blogs that I read when I first started and they are still the biggest source of inspiration for me - and they are M, Mary and Emily.

What is your favourite low fat treat/snack: WW Icecream (the rich chocolate

and berry ones are my favourites)

What is your top 3 tips for success:

- Learn to love exercise (and you will, you really will!)

- Track! But be honest with your tracking - if you cheat you aren't hurting

anyone but yourself

- NEVER NEVER EVER give up!

Do you have a favourite quote to inspire you:

"When you really want to do something, in your heart of hearts, you will

find a way. But if you don't really want to do something, you will always

find an excuse." - Pat Farmer

It's so true.

Complete these quotes:

"If I can do this YOU can too because.... I used to be a very lazy person

who never exercised, ate constantly in whatever quantities she desired, and

had very low self confidence. I never could have imagined that I could

turn my life around in just a year. We all have the power to do that.

Make up your mind that you will do it and don't give up!"

"I used to be the type of person who...never really thought about it when

she put food in her mouth. I was an emotional eater. I would eat a 2

litre tub of icecream or two family blocks of chocolate in one

sitting.....now I am the person who... goes for a run or does yoga when she

feels stressed or sad, and thinks about EVERY SINGLE THING she puts in her

mouth!! "

"My biggest inspiration/motivation is...... reading other people's success

stories and hearing about how well they are doing, and knowing that people

think that about me too! I'm no longer someone who reads about people who have lost weight and thinks "I wish I could be like that". I've done it!

(nearly!)

"Before if I had three things in my shopping trolley it would be..... Sara

Lee premium ice cream, Kettles Chips, Cadbury's Dairy Milk with Hazel Nut

.....now it's more likely to be... Tamar Valley Greek Yoghurt, lots of

delicious fresh fruit, raisin bread"

Thanks Philippa for sharing with us! :)

Name: Emily

Website Address: http://mypinkshorts.blogspot.com

Age: 28

Location: Aukland, NZ

Start Weight: 91.0kg

Current Weight: 66.0kg

Goal weight: 67kg

Total Lost: 25kg

Time it has taken: 11 months to goal and now 7 months on maintenance

Method used: Weight Watchers Points Plan.

What made you start an online blog?: I still had 5 kilos to go and was struggling a bit with my motivation as the weekly losses got smaller and smaller. I wanted the accountability and support of the online community - I had been reading blogs for several months, and wanted to be part of it.

What the best benefit/reward that you get from your blog: There are several - firstly the friendships I have made; secondly seeing my blogging friends succeed and reach their Goals and thirdly knowing that I have helped motivate and inspire others in their weight-loss journies.

Are there any negatives/difficulties about having your blog online for the

world to see?: Only worrying that someone from my "real" life will discover it. Oh, and having to confess when you've fallen off the wagon!!

How long would you spend working on it each week on average?: Used to be about 20-30 mins a day, but now only about an hour a week.

Can you recommend another great blog for people to visit?: http://www.dietgirl.org/dietgirl/ has always been a favourite - the first journal I ever followed was Lyn (from Lynette's Journey to Slimsville), but she has gone offline now.

What is your favourite low fat treat/snack: Mandarins, popcorn, Lisa's pumpkin and kumara hummus on water crackers.

What is your top 3 tips for success:

* Be honest with yourself. "If you bite it, write it"

* Find a form of exercise you enjoy. You're more likely to stick to it if you have fun doing it.

* Changes that you make have to be able to work long-term. No point going to the gym twice a day or cutting out carbs if you can't keep it up for the rest of your life.

Do you have a favourite quote to inspire you:

"Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels."

Complete these quotes:

"If I can do this YOU can too because.... there is nothing special about me - I just decided one day that I was worth the effort of being healthy and slim”

"I used to be the type of person who...was lazy with cooking and exercise and didn't pay any attention to what I put in my mouth......now I am the person who...knows that it is all about balance, and I can still have my treats and indulgences but I have to make up for it with healthy eating and exercise.”

"My biggest inspiration/motivation is......seeing other real life success stories. Oh, and my size 11 jeans.”

"Before if I had three things in my shopping trolley it would be.....packet-pasta (just add milk and boil for 10 mins), white bread and frozen peas;

.....now it's more likely to be...fresh fruit and veges, cereal and a nice piece of steak or chicken.”

Thanks Emily for sharing with us! :) **Stunning Pics too!**

Name: Debbie

Website Address: none

Age: 39

Location: NSW, Australia

Start Weight: 110kg

Current Weight: 82kg

Goal weight: 65kg

Total Lost: 28kg

Time it has taken: 10 months

Biggest Clothing Size: 20aus/18us

Current Clothing Size: 14aus/12us

Method used: Juice Fasting and lot's and lot's of walking

What made you begin the journey?: I was always within the normal weight range until I gained weight in my mid-twenties after my dad passed away. Eating became my way of coping. I have spent my thirties overweight and it has had a terrible effect on my confidence. I have missed out on doing lots of things I had hoped to do because I haven't felt happy with myself. I want to start my forties next year fit and fabulous!

If it is not your first attempt what made this one different to any attempts that may have failed in the past: I'm not sure what happened but I know that I just got sick of talking about it and thinking about. It was just time to shut up and take action!

What do you do on a daily basis to ensure you success (eg how do you monitor/track or calculate the food you eat): Mostly I just try to walk as much as I can.

What exercise, if any, do you do each week/day: I try to walk everyday with occasional workouts at the gym as well.

What is your favourite low fat treat/snack: fruit

What is your top 3 tips for success:

-make exercise a habit,

-drink lots of water

-take one day at a time.

What support do you have on your journey: paulene's challenge!! :)

Do you have a favourite quote to inspire you:

'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.'

How will/did you reward yourself for getting to goal: I can't wait to buy new clothes! And I might have to shout myself a trip to visit my mom in California so she can see the new me.

What is the hardest thing you have had to change/incorporate in your life to attain success?: Giving up soft drinks and battling my lazy tendencies when it comes to exercise. Even though I actually love walking I still have to force myself to get out there. Once I'm out there I really do enjoy it.

What was the easiest thing to change: mmm... I'll have to think about that one :)

What are the top 3 changes you have notices in your body/fitness/clothing/physical capabilities etc since you begun your journey?:

*It's much easier to stand up, move around and exercise

*I have gone down 3 sizes and am excited to go shopping for clothes again

*I have so much more confidence

Complete these quotes:

"If I can do this YOU can too because.... I am just a normal person that has had more false starts than I can count.”

"I used to be the type of person who...would hide in the corner......now I am the person who...will look you in the eye.”

"My biggest inspiration/motivation is.....all the great weight loss blogs on the internet"

"Before if I had three things in my shopping trolley it would be...cheese, soft drink and sara lee ice cream.....now it's more likely to be...fruit, veggies and water"

Thanks Debbie for sharing with us! :)

Name: Suze

Website Address: none

Age: 33

Location: New Zealand

Start Weight: 114kg

Current Weight: 61.3kg

Goal weight: 62kg

Total Lost: 52.7kg

Time it has taken: On and off since November 1999. 7 years 5 months (Persistence does indeed prevail when all else fails!!)

Biggest Clothing Size: 24 (NZ)

Current Clothing Size: 10 - 12 (NZ)

Method used: Weight Watchers Points Plan

What made you begin the journey?: I was on a day tramp with my first class as a new teacher at a school camp when we had to get past a particularly muddy part of the track. All the children and parents were scrambling around it by holding onto a branch protruding from the side of the track - they had safely made it through when I came round, grabbed onto the same branch and it couldn't hold my weight and I went tumbling down the bank. Not a good look in front of my class and parents! Added to this I was last back with another parent and child who were as slow as me and there was another parent who on our return kept saying how glad he was he didn't have to walk back in and rescue us as he wasn't sure how he would get us out (the other person was a larger lady too) - he said he could just roll us out or float us down the river. This was his idea of a joke but for me was embarrassing and was the last straw. I'd had enough and was determined once and for all to lose weight and to make this parent eat his words!!

If it is not your first attempt what made this one different to any attempts that may have failed in the past: My mind, heart and soul was in it 100% this time. I wanted nothing more in my life than to lose my excess weight. I also had the support of the Weight Watchers programme which fitted my lifestyle perfectly. I also found motivation and inspiration in reading people's online blogs and in the success stories in my favourite two magazines "Slimming and Health" and "Weight Watchers". For me the biggest battle was won when I believed I could do it and strove to keep a positive attitude.

What do you do on a daily basis to ensure you success (eg how do you monitor/track or calculate the food you eat): Initially for about the first 4 months I totally changed my eating habits - I did all the usual things such as cut out margarine, change from Coke to Diet Coke (that was probably the hardest thing of all!!!), use trim milk, low fat poducts of everything and started eating breakfast and making lunch instead of buying a pie, chips, muffin and coke from the local diary. I also stopped fatty takeaways allowing myself this once a week. I lost 12 kg doing this before I plateaued and then one day while in the grocery store I noticed the Weight Watchers magazine. I bought this and enrolled in the At Home programme because I lived in a small rural area not close to any meetings. From this point on I faithfully tracked and stuck to points and had lost 38 kg at the end of my first year of healthy living. Although I have taken a long time to lose the last 14 kg (after a few up and downs on the old scales) tracking and counting points has been my key to success on a daily basis for monitoring what I eat. I just find it so easy. I don't write anything down now after all this time but each day I keep track of points in my head mentally.

What exercise, if any, do you do each week/day: Each day now I go to Curves gym and I either go for a walk outside or if weather is bad a run on my treadmill as well. Morning and Evening are my exercise times - about 40 mins each session.

What is your favourite low fat treat/snack: There's so many!!! Natural Fat free Licorice, Weight Watchers biscuits and ice cream, rice crackers, Pinky Bars and I am so jealous of you Aussies who have that yummy Nestle diet chocolate mousse - I've managed to stow away a few pottles when I've visited Aussie.

What is your top 3 tips for success: Believe in yourself; find exercise you love and enjoy doing; find inspiration and support either through blogs, family, friends, slimming clubs etc.

What support do you have on your journey: Support and encouragement of family and friends; the support of Weight Watchers leaders and members.

Do you have a favourite quote to inspire you: Success is not a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice.

How will/did you reward yourself for getting to goal: At this stage I plan on buying a charm bracelet with a charm for every 5 kg that I've lost. One word of advice - reward yourself often along the way as well - you deserve it!

What is the hardest thing you have had to change/incorporate in your life to attain success?: Apart from changing from Coke to Diet Coke (thank God for Coke Zero it's a life saver!) the hardest thing would be putting myself first and learning to be quite selfish in terms of getting in my daily exercise and refusing food offered to me by friends etc who say "come on one won't hurt you". Learning to put myself and what I want first has been hard when at times it hasn't been what others have wanted or expected.

What was the easiest thing to change: I didn't really have much trouble with changing my food - I just found better replacements for things to ensure I didn't feel deprived - eg rice crackers instead of chips, coke zero instead of coke, weight watchers biscuits and ice cream instead of 'normal' varieties, pinky bars for my chocolate fix etc.

What are the top 3 changes you have notices in your body/fitness/clothing/physical capabilities etc since you begun your journey?:

I can now run 5km without stopping on my treadmill; I have dropped at least 7 clothes sizes; I do have a collar bone after all!!!

Complete these quotes:

"If I can do this YOU can too because.... I am living proof that it doesn't matter how long it takes you will get there if you stick at it - after all even though it's good to have an end to the journey, in the end it is the journey itself and what you discover and learn on the way that matters”

"I used to be the type of person who...would eat utter rubbish and do no exercise ......now I am the person who...tracks and counts points and exercises twice a day.”

"My biggest inspiration/motivation is.....reading online blogs and that I've been asked to be a Weight Watchers leader when I finish maintenance.”

"Before if I had three things in my shopping trolley it would be...coke, mallowpuffs and chips.....now it's more likely to be...coke zero; low fat yoghurt, biscuits, muesli bars etc; fruit/vege"

Thanks Suze for sharing with us! :)