Seeking Weight Loss Stories

Hi C.. I'm a full time working mother of 2 girls, ages 14 and 8. My job is a food buyer at a specialty food distributor, more specifically the candy buyer. So at any given time, my office is filled with boxes of candy and cookies, a chocolate lovers dream, but for someone who wants to lose weight, it can be condisdered a nightmare. In december, I decided I wanted to lose weight, but work was my biggest obstacle. The candy doesn't bother me so much any more because after looking at it for months, I grew sick of it but the temptation is always right there. I also run errands on my lunch and either skip eating lunch or eat bad things to save time. So I sent an email to my co workers asking if they wanted to go in on a biggest loser challenge of our own, watching the finale in december realy inspired me, and I thought there had to be others that had the same time problems as me, we could help each other. To my surprise, I had 25 (8 men and 17 women) people in my office (which is almost half) responded yes, I thought I would be lucky if we got 5 people. So we are two weeks into it, and combined we have lost 174 pounds. There are people who just want to lose a few pounds for bathing suit season, there are some who want to make healty life style changes, and there are others who are doing this for health reasons, diabetes, blood pressure, etc. We split into teams, we have weigh ins every Monday, there's someone in almost every department in the challenge so the support system is pretty large, no one is on their own. Some of the girls have started a walking club on lunch hours, and I have registered our group with the biggest loser million pound challenge and we have a web page that tracks our progess. I contacted some of our vendors that supply healthy foods and they have been able to send samples for all of us to try. The contest is going on through March so we'll see how much we lose collectivly and surprisingly it's been a lot of fun.

Hi C. my name is B. and I started with a Wellness Company November of 2006 and in February of 2007 I started their vitamins and in a month I found my Diabbetes, Asthma and Allergies started getting better. I started losing weight and started watching what I ate cutting back on the Carbohydrates evedentally there was something I was doing right because now January of 2008 I have lost about 30 pounds. I do use their bars which are a patented nutritious bar that turns Fat into Fuel these bars help minimize the effects of adenosine which is a chemical that can slow the conversion of fat to energy, The Protein Shake delivers Protein which your muscles need everyday I use this because I am over 35 years old and they say that over 35 years you lose 1% of muscle mass each year. I use the Sport drink which is similar to Gatorade but only has 3 grams of sugar where others have around 33 grams of sugar which is great for my Diabetes. And now I am using the CraveBlocking shakes and Bars which have a CraveBlocker that reduces my hunger cravings to support healthy weight loss. I use their cereals, crackers which have a lot less sugar. The best part is I haven't felt this well in years. I haven's even been sick in over a year. I owe so much to this company. I strive to keep up the great work and keep off the weight! Any questions please contact me!!

B. R
###-###-#### or
____@____.com

I have debated for a few days about answering this request, and finally just decided to be proud and do it. I am a 35 year old mom of 3 (aged 3, 4 and 5), and I have had type 1 diabetes for 29 years. I have lost 38 lbs in the last year, by changing my diet and exercising. I started out by walking on the treadmill and my goal was 3 miles. I now jog 5.5 miles every day that I can (when errands or child care don't get in the way). I try to eat almost the same thing, or the same type of thing for breakfast and lunch everyday. For supper I just eat whatever I prepare. I have cut all snacking during the day out, however, I allow myself a treat at bedtime (most of the time it is a bowl of ice cream!) I just haven't been able to give that up yet. I believe that moderation is the key, and I try not to limit my food choices, I just don't eat a lot of anything anymore. I also joined an exercise class that meets on Tues and Thurs evening.
I try hard not to miss that class, and I love it. I have went from weighing 182.5 to 144.5. My jeans size has gone from a tight 18 to a loose 10 (I even own a size 8 that fits perfectly!) I would love to lose 20 more lbs, but would be happy with 10, however I seem to have hit a plateau. I am continuing to try to break through it though!

Well, after having my second child I joined Weight Watchers. I was breast feeding and I walked with my daughter in a sling almost 4 miles 5 days a week. In about 6 months I was down 40 pounds and went from a 16-18 to a 12. I stopped drink Mountain Dew, I was addicted, learned to control my portions and decided that I would rather eat fruit than candy. Plus I had so much more energy eating healthy.

Hi C.,

When I was in my early 30's I got pregnant with my son (who is now 7)and gained around 50 some pounds. I also gained that much with my daughter (I was only 18). With her I shed the extra weight right away. With my son and the age I was instead of losing the weight, I kept gaining. I got up to around 170-175. I was a soda addict. I would open one right when I woke up and would end up drinking around 4 or 5 a day. My son got into sports and I started buying bottled water for him during his games. I decided that bottled water wasn't that bad (compared to faucet water) and started drinking that instead of soda. I dropped 20 pounds almost instantly and now I am down a total of 30-35 pounds. I am finally able to wear the same size clothing I was in before I had my son!!!

I've decided that the only way I am ever going to have success with weight loss (and maintenance) is to follow a low carb way of life. This is not a diet to lose weight - this is a healthy change for myself once and for all.

Twice in the past, I've "done" Atkins - the first time, I lost 30 lbs. in 4 months, the second time I lost 20 lbs. in 6 months - yes, it's harder to lose each time you "do" it and then return to an "all you can eat" diet. So I started January 14th on a total whim - something in me has finally made the mental leap to stick to it. I know now that eating everything I want - pizza, cheese steaks, deep fried foods, french fries, etc. - is the reason I am still wearing a size 18/20! And while I *knew* that before, I lacked the motivation to just walk away from it all - until now.
This year, I will be 34 years old. I've been overweight for almost 14 years (since the birth of my first son) and I am so tired of it! I'm tired of feeling self-concious when taking my kids to the pool or even attending their activities. I am tired of feeling winded when I walk up the stairs and never having energy to do anything more than sit on the couch.
My mantra - something which has FINALLY struck a chord in my head - is that "Carbs are my enemy". Every single day, I repeat this to myself and it's enabled me to follow Atkins to a "T" (and, actually, I often have fewer than 20g of carbs per day - 20's the max on induction). In the past, when doing Atkins, it felt like every single day was a struggle to avoid carbs. I felt like they were my friend, calling out to me, begging to be eaten or like I was missing out on something by not indulging. Those previous weight losses were extremely hard!! Now, I find nothing difficult about it. I eat all day long if I'm hungry and keep losing weight. I know that I get just as full on a chicken salad as I would on a Big Mac, so why not choose the one which will lead me toward better health?

So, talk to me in a year - January 14, 2009 is my goal date for reaching my goal weight (135 lbs - maybe less!). Five pounds down, forty-five to go!

I started weight watchers in September after seeing my doctor for bloodwork that showed a cholesterol level of 220. I never had high cholesterol before as I was active duty Navy and within body mass standards.

I gained over 50 pounds in my pregnancy and, when my son turned 1 the end of August, I weighed 190 pounds.

My doctor told me to work on my diet and exercise and return in 3 months so we could redo the lab work.

I joined Weight Watchers in September weighing 187 pounds. Three months later I was 165 (currently 163 which is very close to a BMI less than 25)
FYI: BMI 26 and over is considered overweight; BMI of 25 is the normal weight high. For me 160 is my 25!!!

Those last blood results came in and my cholesterol is down to 140 - quite a difference, hah? I've lost 24 pounds as well!