Three Key Healthy Foods to Eat More of..

In this quick and to-the-point video the beautiful nutritionist suggests we eat some of these three incredibly healthy foods each day. They are leafy greens, sea vegetables and flaxseeds. Have you had some of at least one of these foods today?

I had some steamed spinach with my scrambled eggs this morning, but this video reminded me that I need to stock up on some dried seaweed (my son loves it and it makes a great school lunch snack).

Going From XXXXL to Medium Size Shirt

Shawn Before Losing 140 pounds

At 205 pounds (after losing 140 pounds)

Shawn used to wear an XXXXL (4XL) shirt but now wears a medium size shirt. He's lost 140 pounds. It took him just six months to lose the first one hundred pounds. Another thirty pounds got pounded away by the end of the first year - in Janurary 2010. He got down to under two hundred pounds at one point soon after but is now wavering at a pretty happy 220 or so..

Shawn lost his weight by counting calories. He allows himself cheat days and junk food on a regular basis but says the key is to keep within your calories for most days. His exercise of choice is basketball and the gym.

He started a blog - 344Pounds.com - when he first set out to lose the weight. He sent the 'before' pic and link to all his friends and relatives. This was embarrassing for him but he felt it would be pivotal in motivating him to stick to his goal.

Check out his site, he has some very inspiring posts including some great before and after pics and his first year weekly weight loss progress chart.

There are a lot of people who like to lose weight by counting calories. I've always thought this weight loss method appeals more to women than men. (Weight Watchers is based on this, and seems to be much more popular with women than men, see some success stories on this site about Weight Watchers...) My personal opinion is that whether this is a successful long-term strategy depends a lot on the type of personality you have. For example, in my case, I'm too much of a rebel type, I could never stick to this kind of detailed regiment of watching my calorie consumption all the time. I also think you'd be much more prone to experience hunger and discomfort if you are keeping to your calorie count, but it is based on foods that are not filling and nutritional. My personal preferred route is just to stick to exceptionally healthy foods most of the time. I believe you can eat a great deal of deliciously cooked vegetables, beans and brown rice, never feel hungry and consistently lose weight. I'm the type who would much rather educate myself on the healthiest foods and focus on eating those rather than on counting calories. (See some great info about healthy food here. )

But different methods work better for different people. Congrats to Shawn! Please visit his site.

Swimming to Lose Weight - 100 Pounds Lighter Now

Matthew at Start of Weight Loss

Matthew after losing 100 pounds

Matthew weighed 469 pounds about five months ago. He's lost an incredible 104 pounds since then. He still wants to lose another 150 pounds but realizes this may take quite a bit longer.

Matthew did this by completely overhauling his diet and exercising almost every day.

His exercise of choice is swimming and his almost daily schedule includes 225 yards easy freestyle, 100 free sprint, 50 easy free, 100 butterfly sprint, 75 easy free, 100 backstroke sprint, 50 easy, 100 sprint free and 200 more yards to cool down.

I'm not sure what this means in terms of mileage and whether it would be something like a one hour workout or much more? (Please let me know in the comments).

He's limited animal products to less than 20% of his daily diet. He also cut out all sodas and now just drinks water. He's got a really good suggestion about adding nutritional yeast to your diet. Nutritional yeast has no sodium or gluten and is loaded with B vitamins. One of his favorite new meals is to use premade wheat crust, throw some tomato sauce and olive oil on it, pile it high with vegetables and then liberally top it with nutritional yeast. Bake it and you have a very nutritious pizza. He also recommends using nutritional yeast as a spaghetti sauce topper.

Congrats to you Matthew! Hope we hear another progress report soon!

Dinner on Main Street

Slickity Jim's at 19th and Main, Vancouver, Canada

I guess almost every city has a Main street. I live really close to Main and 19th, in Vancouver, Canada. About once a week I go have dinner at a nearby diner.

On my way there, I pass by two international fast food joints, one for pizza and one for fried chicken. The meals at the Slickity Jim's diner cost a couple of bucks more, but the food is so much tastier. (Not to mention that the seating and lighting/music atmosphere is infinitely nicer).

One neat thing about this place is that there's a surprise item on the menu. If you order it, (the Abstract Notion) then you are giving the chef complete discretion as to what to whip up for your dinner.

I almost always order this surprise (though i ask for gluten free..).

So the other day I did my first restaurant 'flash food' photo. I know it's very poor quality and doesn't give you an idea of the wonderful meal I enjoyed. The meal consisted of a grilled chicken breast (which was then quickly fried in an apricot, clove, herb barbecue sauce) a mixed brown rice (with olive oil, red onions, apple and hazelnuts) a boiled egg and pear and avocado slices.

It was a delicious and very filling meal but I'm quite sure it was under 700 calories. (The chef guessed less than 650 calories).

So this place is tiny, and easy to miss if you are walking by. I wonder how many of the people eating their deep fried factory chicken/deep crust gluten pizza at the fast food joints nearby even realize that this place exists as a startlingly better option..

If you have a favorite regular restaurant in your city, would love to hear about it below!

Obese to Super Fit in One Year

Brian at 345 pounds

Brian at 175 pounds

Thanks much to Brian for submitting his story. Brian weighed 345 pounds in April of last year. Today he weighs 175 pounds! It's an amazing achievement. 

To start off, i can't ever remember where weight wasn't an issue for me. I've always been bigger, overweight, doctors and parents telling me that i should look towards losing weight. For whatever reason, i didn't think it was that serious. 

Even as a bigger kid, i was able to be active in sports, fit myself (and stomach) into desks and chairs, practically living life as a "normal" person. My parents often reminded me that i am still gaining weight and look bigger. Just as every other overweight person who is in denial, i never stepped on a scale unless it was required through something like a physical at the doctor's office. 

The day came that i realized that as much as i tried to fool myself, i could no longer consider my weight as normal. I stepped onto the balance board for Wii Fit, a game designed for people to lose weight, only to come to the conclusion that i was not allowed to play the game because i surpassed the 330lb limit that is designed by the software. Not being able to play a video game, now that is definitely NOT normal. 

This event triggered my journey towards weight loss. In April of 2011, i took the first steps in losing weight by finally addressing the major cause towards my weight, my diet. I began researching and looking and obsessing about how to lose weight, weight loss success stories, and the keys to losing weight. I began to change my diet and starting to seriously start looking at calories, nutrition, and activity. I started pushing myself towards taking things one step at a time with the simple goal of wanting to become "normal". 

At this point in time, i have lost close to 170lbs. I still have some more work to do but a lot of my focus has now shifted towards keeping my fitness up while trying to build muscle and tone up. I want to continue to challenge myself, continue to push myself in doing things i never dreamed of doing, leading me to make the decision to challenge myself through entering a half marathon. 

I recently submitted a brief story about my weight loss story as well as the struggles of one of my closest family members and friends to attack the challenge of this half marathon together. My essay was selected as a finalist and i need some help for people to vote for my essay to make this dream happen! 

Please vote for my essay as it truly means a lot to me! (Update: Essay contest has closed now..)

Thanks!

 

Losing Pain and 60 Pounds

Congrats to Teri who lost sixty pounds seven years ago and has maintained this weight loss since then. 

She says she used to be a yo-yo dieter all her life and had tried many diets. 

"I had a stressful career, and my position required excessive travel.  I was home on average of three days a month, and mostly I wined and dined for a living (sounds tough, doesn't it?).  When the weight creeps on at five pounds a year, it doesn't seem so bad.  At least not until the 10th year.....

My life as I knew it came to a halt when a suicidal deer ran into the side of my car in November 2004.  I had severe neck and back injuries, and spent the next four months in either my bed or a hospital bed.  Between the myriad of medications and the desire for only "odorless, silent comfort food", that catered pity-party was good for another 10-20 pounds.

When I was finally out of bed, I had the restriction of only being allowed to drive one mile round trip. There was a Weight Watchers meeting 1/4 mile from my house. The Saturday morning I went, I sat in the parking lot and watched the people go into the Church, and watched them come out. I didn't get out of the car. The next week, I went in and joined. That was in April of 2005.

I'd love to say my journey was effortless, without a speed bump or detour, but not true. The first eight months were great - I think I had a loss most every week, and in nine months I had lost 45 pounds. Then I hit a plateau (or was it a mesa), and I did the +.2, -.2 shuffle for the next 3 months.  

As frustrating as that was, I kept trying to remind myself that this was the way I was going to be eating for the rest of my life, and chose to view it as "premature maintenance".  The real issue was that I was unable to exercise (I was barely able to move).  

My doctor sent me for Aquatic Physical Therapy, which over time evolved into water-walking, then water aerobics.  I talk about it in Let's Get Physical.  Once I started to exercise, I didn't lose that much more weight, but I lost three sizes!  As I've been known to say to my members, "items in the overhead shift during flight", and I was thrilled to put some of my "items" back where they belonged.

I hit my goal in June of 2006 and Lifetime in August. I was ecstatic. I was a different person. I was in a lot less pain (and I attribute that to not carrying the weight equivalent of a 7-year-old on my back and neck every day).  What I didn't know then was that I had not only lost 60 pounds, but I would be looking back seven years later and not have found it again."

Thanks much to Teri for this very inspiring story! She has since become a Weight Watchers leader and finds it the most rewarding job she's ever had. See her blog at Weight Weight Don't Tell Me. 

How Much Weight Do You Want to Lose?

Thanks to everyone who has sent their weight loss stories for posting here. I've been getting some really inspiring stories from people who've lost a lot of weight - typically over a 100 pounds. There are none in my mailbox now so please send me yours if you have one to share! (Please note though, that I'm not interested in promoting any special diet products; just real stories about lifestyle changes..)

HOW MANY POUNDS DO YOU WANT TO LOSE?

But I'm also hoping to hear from some people who need to lose just 10 or 20 pounds. Often those ten or twenty pounds away from ideal weight is the hardest weight to shed. It's not clear how many of the readers who drop by here are in this category of having less than twenty pounds to lose. The last time I asked was a few years ago. I got 462 responses. At that time 40% of readers said they wanted to lose 30 pounds or less, so it seems there are a lot of people who would want to read about this type of weight loss achievement. It's not as extreme or dramatic as losing over 100 pounds but it can be difficult to do.

I'd love to take another poll to ask:  How many pounds do YOU want to lose? But the blogger poll tool is broken so if you'd like to comment instead below, please do!

Losing Belly Fat with Rolfing?

Last week I met up with a friend I hadn't seen for a few months. She looked fantastic and had obviously lost weight, especially around her stomach area.  

She was never much overweight before but was carrying extra weight around her belly in the past.   

I expected her to tell me she had started some new regular fitness regimen. But instead she gleefully explained that 'rolfing' had led her to finally lose this belly fat. She's had some digestion related problems for many years and has tried many different things to cure this, but she said rolfing is finally what did it for her.

Rolfing is a unique type of body work sort of like massage but not to be confused with massage;

Where massage works all soft tissues,Rolfers focus their work on a layer called fascia, the sheathing membrane that covers muscles, tendons, and organs. This fascia, like a girdle, gives shape and length to soft tissue.

She said her rolfer had told her that intestines are like sausages ;-). They have a casing around them and over time and with stress or lifestyle habits, etc., these casings become hardened and blockages occur. It's like the intestines freeze and no longer function efficiently. 

She had attended ten sessions (one per week for ten weeks) and she said the rolfer worked on her abdominal area and 'thawed' her intestines. The result seems miraculous to her, her digestion is much improved now, she moves lightly and gracefully and has effortlessly lost weight. 

Well this inspired me very much. I've got some problems with sluggish digestion too and even though my weight is now quite ideal, i do have a little belly bulge at the grand age of 50. I'm pretty sure I will try at least one session with this rolfer. 

But I wanted to throw this question out there, has anyone else attended a series of rolfing sessions and also experienced a bonus benefit of weight loss, and especially around the belly?

Low Carb Lifestyle Leads to Dramatic Weight Loss

Dan before at 340 pounds and after at 182 pounds

Thanks much to Dan for submitting his story; 

The sudden death of my wife of 37 years from diet related causes changed my life. I knew I had to make a change or I would be next. For the sake of my children still at home I began to study.

I began living a low carb high fat lifestyle two and a half years ago. I’ve lost 158 pounds, my type 2 diabetes is gone along with a heart condition. I feel great. I’m 6 foot tall and now weigh 182 pounds, that’s down from 340 pounds.

If I can do it you can do it. Read my blog for my story: danmoffett.blogspot.com

Also check out his first few blog posts which are loaded with extremely useful information and resources, including links to some very excellent podcasts you can listen to: Drop wheat and sugar.. 

Losing 50 Pounds on the Atkins Diet

Kristine, age 21, is elated that she's lost about 50 pounds. Two years ago she weighed 174 pounds and was wearing black clothes everyday to look thinner. Her mood was bad and she often felt fatigued.

That's when she decided to try the low-carb Atkins diet. The Atkins diet doesn't ask you to count calories or watch your portions. It does severely restrict your carbohydrate intake. She was able to eat all the protein she wanted and never felt hungry.

The pounds started dropping off and when the weight loss started to plateau, she also added exercise. Now, two years later she weighs 125 pounds and in the best shape of her life. She feels very joyful to be so healthy now. See her page on Atkins weight loss here.

Average Women's Size in 2012

Here's a couple of interesting infographics I saw today on In Your Face. The average woman's dress size in 2012 is size 14, average height is 5'4 and average weight is 164 pounds. (This is for adult women over the age of 20)

Teen Loses 100 Pounds in Ten Months

Charles before weight loss

Charles after weight loss

Charles is a teenager, age 16, who became determined to lose weight 14 months ago. At that point he weighed 285 pounds. Within ten months of starting, he had succeeded in losing 100 pounds! Three months later he had lost another 15 pounds to reach his goal weight of 170 pounds. (He is 6'0 tall.)

Charles did this with amazing tenacity and has completely changed his life around. Here is his hugely inspiring story;

Since the age of five, I loved chicken nuggets, fries, pizza and Chinese food. My love for fast foods and large portions were two of the most significant factors that impacted my weight drastically.

I didn't want to listen to my parent’s concern for me to eat healthy foods. Almost everyday, I desired fried foods that were high in calories and fats. When going to restaurants, I would only order foods such as pepperoni pizza, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cheeseburgers without even glancing at the other options on the menu. I also led a sedentary life and played video games or on the computer. I was gaining huge amounts of weight per year. 

In May 2011, I went to the doctor for my physical and my weight had peaked at its highest – 285 pounds! My doctor explained to me that if I didn't do something about my weight, I would have an increased chance of developing heart disease and diabetes later in life, as well as a decreased life expectancy. My mother had diabetes and took insulin 4 times a day. My grandfather had died from atherosclerosis.

I ran out of breath while walking up the steps and during physical education, always came in last, which resulted in taunts from others. Also, I could never wear “cool” clothes for kids my age, and had to wear men’s XXL shirts and huge baggy pants. I was ashamed to be seen in public. In school, I was degraded and ridiculed with hurtful comments and jeers from students. This lowered my self-esteem immensely. I was extremely devastated and didn't want to go to school or talk to anyone. 

One day after getting up from bed, I couldn't breathe. I felt as if I was going to die. I prayed to God to help me and it was then that I decided to make a serious effort to lose weight and become healthy. 

My mom had a workout video called “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” by fitness guru Richard Simmons. It was basically dancing and exercising to great music. It was fun and made me feel good. I read on the internet about healthy eating and devised a menu for myself. 

After checking with my physician, I began to eat well-balanced meals which consisted of more protein, less carbs/fats, and I also counted calories. I completely avoided white bread and sugar. Instead, I ate low cal/carb wheat bread and used Equal. I hated salads before, but now I loved it and dressed it up with fresh veggies and low cal dressing. Diet sodas were permanently replaced by bottles of water. 

The first few months were not easy; I battled the temptation of food and just a short walk on the treadmill made me run out of breath. However, I remained focused on my goal and I worked harder each day. 

I began running one mile with strain, and after 5 months and 50 lbs less, I was running 5 to 7 miles per day. I started doing muscle toning basics and athletic style cardio workouts using videos which had a definite boot camp attitude. 

In 10 months, I was 185 lbs, I had lost 100 lbs. 

It has now become a habit for me to eat healthy and on a timely basis. I do not eat dinner beyond 7:00PM. If I get hungry at night, I have sugar-free, fat-free Jello or an Atkins bar. In addition to running, I love playing basketball, and doing strength and weight conditioning. 

After thirteen months, at 170 lbs, I have lost a total of 115 lbs and maintained my weight.

I understand the plight of teens who suffer from obesity and the emotional and physical strain associated with it. I want to tell them to believe in themselves and do their weight loss regimen a little at a time. Also to never lose faith in themselves or let anyone bring them down by telling them that they can’t do it. Have faith, stay focused, it will take hard work and determination, but the rewards will be great. Thank you, Charles Haines

Getting in Top Shape after Losing 110 Pounds

Adrian lost 110 pounds in one year.

She's 5'4" and weighed 230 pounds three years ago. She lost all the weight in one year and has kept it off since then, for the last two years.

These days she is training for a second marathon. She finished her first marathon just two months ago.

Now she has a chance to win a cover model contest for Women's Running Magazine!

 Please see her inspirational website at ChaseFear.com. She would be so thrilled to win this contest.

You can vote for her here.

with your vote, this could be Adrian..

Losing the First 40 Pounds in Four Months

Don wants to weigh 210 pounds again.

He has been overweight for over 25 years.

Four months ago he weighed 365 pounds. That's when he set his goal to lose the weight and to bike an average of 100 miles a week. He has lost 40 pounds since then.

Last week he posted this on his blog;

"I am a half pound from my official “40 pounds lost” day! It has been a little bit of a culture shock.

Don on Day One, Four Months Ago

I can get in and out of my car easier. I am now wearing 3X shirts instead of 4X. I’m ready to buy a new belt…I’m on the last hole! 


When I hear people talking about getting in shape, I smile inside knowing that I am riding my bike 20 miles every day. I remember when I needed to lose 155lbs!! Now it’s only 115lbs! I know you’re laughing…Only 115lbs I say. But it is great to know that things are changing." 

Please check out his blog - 210 Again - and encourage him on his journey. He has made a couple of inspiring short videos - one from the first day and one after 100 days.

 Congrats on your fabulous progress Don!

160 Pounds of Butter Lighter Now

 

Jough recently reflected on his four years of "clean livin'". He made the decision to lose weight four years ago when he weighed 451 pounds. He has successfully lost 163 pounds since then, although there have been many plateaus along the way. He's now at 287 pounds, and would like to ideally reach 200.

He's lost the weight so far by aiming to stick to a 2000 calories a day diet and by exercising regularly. He does two miles on his treadmill most mornings. Check out his wonderful blog at Clean Livin'.

When Jough lost his first 50 pounds in 12 weeks, he posted this pic on his blog. It's 26 pounds of 1-pound slabs of butter. It was unbelievable to him that he could lose '50 pounds of butter' in such a short time.

Check out his milestone blog post about his journey so far.

How to Reduce Bloating

Poached asparagus

Thanks to Tom Corson-Knowles for submitting this guest post about ways to reduce bloating.

Feeling bloated?

Honestly, bloating has got to be one of the most uncomfortable feelings you can have, especially if it's chronic. Some people have been bloated for so long, they forget what it feels like to be normal!

But here's the deal - bloating is not normal. It's a sign that there's something going on with your body and it usually stems from poor digestion which, of course, is all about what you eat!

There are two categories of foods you need to know about to overcome bloating once and for all. First, there's the foods to avoid. These foods can cause bloating or make it worse. Second, there are the foods to add to your diet - these foods help aid good digestion and help your body rebalance the gut ecology, which is crucial to good digestion and getting rid of the symtoms.

Foods To Avoid

A lot of people who are chronically bloated have some kind of food intolerance. The most common are dairy and/or lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and sensitivities to processed foods and artificial food additives.

The first thing I would do to get rid of bloating is to cut out all dairy products for two weeks. After 14 days, you'll be able to find out pretty quickly whether it's the dairy that's causing the problem or not. And, trust me, it's much better for your health to limit your intake of dairy products in the first place. In fact, cutting out dairy is one of the first things that anyone should do when trying to naturally treat digestive disorders.

If you cut out dairy and nothing's improved, it's time to cut out the second most common food intolerance - gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and a few other grains that causes bad reactions for many peoples' immune systems, and one of those reactions happens to be bloating. Yes, I know, it's hard to go on a gluten free diet - at first. But trust me, it's worth it! Most people will notice a HUGE difference in their health and energy levels after just cutting out gluten from their diets for 3 or 4 days. Trust me, you will love how you feel!

Another big mistake people make is drinking soda pop and carbonated beverages. These can cause bloating as well as a myriad of other digestive and health issues. Other common foods that make bloating worse are things like processed foods - chips, crackers, cookies, etc. and foods with a lot of white table salt.

Foods To Eat

Now here's the good stuff - the foods to focus on eating. These foods help rebalance your body's digestive system and get rid of your digestive problems once and for all.

Foods loaded with probiotics and prebiotics are the best! Everyone's heard about yogurt, but I find cultured vegetables like sauerkraut or kimchi work best for probiotic enhancement. This is because your body not only needs the probiotics (the good bacteria) that help your immune and gut function, but these bacteria need the prebiotics (the roughage from vegetables and produce) to function properly. Just eating yogurt and taking probiotic supplements won't do much if those good germs don't have the right kind of food for them - which is plant roughage.

Asparagus can also be a great food to eat for bloating because it helps fight water retention. Bananas are also great as their high potassium content helps flush out excess sodium from the body.

About The Author: Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of the Authentic Health Coaching show, the #1 Alternative Health Podcast show on Podomatic. Tom blogs regularly about healthy eating, natural weight loss and how to live a healthier lifestyle.

In Superb Shape After Four Pregnancies

Dani a few months after her third birth, at 187 pounds - and a few months after giving birth to her fourth child.

Well, this is not the typical success story we read about here. Dani has never really had a weight issue.

She has four children age six and younger! She is 38 years old and has an incredible body after four pregnancies.

How does she do it? Mostly she eats very healthy foods. She also exercises.

She's just started a blog about food and fitness. I found her pics of healthy food really inspiring, hope you enjoy them too.

 See her (very new) blog at fitness, food and style

Losing 50 Pounds and Keeping it Off

Shira at age 25, 175 pounds

Shira at age 45, 125 pounds

When Shira was 25 years old she weighed 175 pounds and felt she was about 50 pounds overweight given her height of 5'4".

She went on to lose the weight starting from the inside out through jornaling, positive self-talk and visualization in addition to lots of exercise and eating better.

What is doubly wonderful about her story is that she has successfully maintained this weight loss for twenty years. At age 45 she still weighs 125.

Check out her website at The Lighter Perspective. Congrats Shira!

Success With Mega Weight Loss

Jeffrey at 425 pounds

Five years later, Jeffrey at 175 pounds

Jeffrey (at 175 pounds) with his wife

Jeffrey got up to his highest weight of over 425 pounds five years ago when he was 42 years old. He had never been an overweight child or youth but had started piling on the weight at age 23.

Five years ago his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and they feared that their children might soon become orphans. That's when Jeffrey became determined to lose weight. He made changes in the foods he ate but did not exercise for another two years. He did not weigh himself but after two years he felt confident enough to join the gym at his work. Since then he's been working out on a regular basis.

Now at age 47, he feels fabulous and much younger, his wife is back to good health and life is fantastic! Check out the great video about him below from a Joy Fit Club TV segment;

Losing Weight: From Size 20 to Size 8

Stacy at size 18-20, 245 pounds

Stacy at size 8

Thanks much to Stacy for sending in this story of true determination and success. She has lost 100 pounds and has gone from size 18-20 to size 8. 


Hi my name is Stacy Langston, I am 27 years old and living proof that plain old diet and exercise work if you stick to it. 


I've tried all the diets out there, cleansing, Nutrisystem, diet pills, I even had my colon cleansed to help push the extra weight out. Of course I lost weight, but eventually I got bored and discouraged so I stopped; I gained everything back. Yo-yo dieting about sums it up.

Since January 2011 I have lost a total of 97 pounds. I went from a size 18-20 and now my size 8 pants are sliding off!!! I'm currently working on the last 10 pounds. I have been over weight my entire life. I now weigh what I weighed in 8th grade. Please read my story I'm eager to share my success with you.

Ive had weight issues since puberty. I started gaining and gaining, eating and eating, I was depressed, lonely, and found comfort in the foods that were always there for me. My peers, teachers, and even church leaders would make comments about my weight. I tried to not let it bother me but it did. I was so sad and upset I almost dropped out of school in my senior year. I had friends yes but nothing felt better than curling up on my bed or my best friends bed as we ditched school indulging in fast food and ice cream. After getting suspended from school for not attending I went to an adult high school so I could save my chances of graduating. I had no friends and the depression grew.

My mother took me to my physician after school was over who put me on anti depressants and a weight loss pill; at the age of 18 I weighed a whooping 260 pounds. I struggled with my weight for years after that and my inner demons of constantly putting myself down. I moved to Jersey in 2004 to be a nanny (I was born and raised in Southern Utah) I joined a gym a few years later, lost 40 pounds! I was so proud of myself but would get discouraged as I watched all the other thin girls at the gym. They made me feel like a big whale when I went to work out, after about 20 minutes I would put myself down so much I'd leave the gym and hit Mc Donalds. I ballooned up again to 240.

In 2007 my coworkers had a biggest loser competition. I did pretty good. After receiving free food from nutrisystem and a guide I lost about 40 pounds, it taught me how to eat and learn portion control. But once again my old eating habits would sneak their way in and I'd gain everything back.

In the summer of 2010 my current employer and her assistant lost a ton of weight, they looked amazing and I was totally convinced if these women in their late 30's who had demanding jobs and families to take care of could lose weight then there is NO EXCUSE for myself. So when New Years came along I set a resolution to finally become healthy.

I started my diet weighing 245 pounds. At first it was hard to get into the routine. I started following the nutrisystem guide I had done a few years back, just not eating their food. I struggled but would somehow fight those inner demons and push myself to eat healthy. There were days when I would throw myself to the ground in hysterics saying "I cant do this I cant do this," but there was always my coworkers and family members by my side to cheer me on and give me support, my boss even threw away cookies I had in my hands during teacher appreciation week.

In the months to follow I came across a book from the Biggest Loser. It had a calorie guide and suggestions to keep a food journal. So I bought myself a notebook and started counting those calories. I became excited about trying new fruits, veggies, and meals. The weight began flying off.

I started adding some exercise into my diet and more and more pounds were being shed. I was waking up every morning at 5 am so I could work out at home to numerous dvds. I did (and still do) yoga, Zumba, cardio, and even strength training all in the comfort of my living room. By the end of December 2011 I lost a total of 75 pounds. Not seeing my family since December 2010, they were completely shocked about my weight loss and made me feel so good and happy with myself.

May 2012 I am so close to my weight loss goal ten pounds to go!!! I am so proud of myself and have never in my life worked for something so hard like this. I didn't think I could ever reach this goal I set for myself and am shocked from my determination to reach it. Not only has my recent success helped me look good, but now I feel good. I don't hide my personality as much as I had in the past. I feel beautiful and confident. I'm finally starting to truly love myself, that's what its about right? My work has inspired me so much I would love to go back to school to study nutrition so I can help people loose weight the healthy natural way. I would love to coach people to work out, make meal plans, and encourage them to keep going.

Diet and exercise do work, you just have to stick with it I am living proof. Its hard work but totally worth it, don't you want to look in the mirror and say "I'm healthy, happy, beautiful, and strong, look what I accomplished."??? Surgeries, pills, and fad diets are replacing the real way to lose weight, wouldn't you want to feel this feeling of accomplishment? I surely do, I am committed to my new life style 100 percent and will never again go back to my old habits, I cant just throw this work away. Its not about looking good but looking at yourself from the inside and finding who you are. I believed in my self and I want everyone to!

Thanks for taking the time to read my success story and I hope to be somewhat of an inspiration, here's to a long healthy life!!!!

Extreme Weight Loss Without Surgery

Thanks much to Ben for sending in this story. Ben is 6'3" and weighed 560 pounds at his heaviest. He was refused gastric bypass surgery because of the health risks but has succeeded in losing over 200 pounds on his own since then. 

I just wanted to share my story, but I am still a work in progress!  I'm 34 years old and stand 6'3 I have always been a big boy! All my adult life, including childhood I have dealt with weight issues.

Like everyone else that ever had weight problems I denied I was that bad or that big, even with the border line type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, with all the Drs warnings, and such I ignored them all. I wasn't that big and no one told me what to eat, through the years.

 I tried diets and I would do them for few months and I would double my weight back that I lost and I did this for years! I was told by my physician that bariatric surgery was the only way I could get my weight off, (at that time i weighed around 420lb) but I didn't have the money and insurance didn't want to help me out on it, so that was a no go.

Fast forward a little and about two years ago, I hurt my back while I was at work, I learned at that time that I would have to have surgery. All the physical therapy and injections in my back didn't work, I knew that surgery would be risky because I was overweight, but I was left with no other options. Drs didn't want to touch me because I was such a health risk, finally after several drs one said he could help me!

So he scheduled a surgery but I would have to pass all the pre surgery physicals first, well at that time I thought I was weighing around 470lb, "again with all the denying" so when I weighed in I was a staggering in at over 560lb and it could been more than that because I really couldn't get accurate weight because I was so heavy! So I flunked the weight part, and then I learned my blood work was horrible because of a fatty liver!

So, at this time, the Dr. had to cancel my surgery. The Dr. told me that bad news and told me that if I didn't get my weight off somehow that my back was gonna cripple me and then I would probably be immobile and dead within 2 years. I knew I was in bad shape because I couldn't even walk to Wal-Mart, because I was out of breath. But here I was in my early 30s and I'm being told I would never see 40 and or be in a wheel chair!

That day was the lowest absolute worst day of my life I hit rock bottom all my years of ignoring my weight and denying myself caught up with me! I felt so ashamed and humiliated! I couldn't have gastric bypass to fix my weight issues! What was I to do? After about a couple days feeling sorry for myself I picked myself up and went down to our local YMCA! There I began a weight journey that has changed my whole life!

I started counting my calories I would only allow myself 1400 a day and I would keep a journal of everything I ate and drank. I would go to the gym 5-6 times a week and I had to start with water aerobics because I didn't have the energy to do more, I took baby steps. And more and more the weight would come off! The more I saw the disappearance the more determined I became.

22 months later here I am still determined! I've lost well over 200lbs by going to gym 5-6 days a week for hour and half a day, and by counting calories and that being around 1400 or less a day, and I would allow myself one cheat day a week. I don't allow myself to go crazy on my cheat days. My blood work is now all stable and I am having surgery in 4 weeks.

All I know is if I can do it anybody can do it. I had the word SACRIFICE & DEDICATION tattoo on my forearm to let me know everyday that I can do it. Even though i still have a ways to go, I know I found the tools to continue success because this is forever, not just a fad thing anymore!!

Thank you for letting me share my story and I hope I can help inspire others... P.S. At my heaviest I was over 560lb now I'm around 350 and "counting" went from size "58" waist to size "44" here few pics from my heaviest to just last week.. Ben Stanton

An Inspiring Weight Loss Video (for Men)

Okay, you gotta see this video. It's five minutes long and incredibly inspiring.

Not only did Arthur lose 140 pounds in ten months but he is now able to run, whereas for 15 years his doctors told him he'd never be able to walk unassisted again.

Losing 157 Pounds and Getting Super Fit

Hi all, sorry about the long hiatus. I haven't posted here in six weeks but have received several excellent weight loss stories which i will post over the next couple of weeks.


Here's Heather's story. It's incredibly inspirational. Be sure to check out her short video highlighting lots of before and after pics along her journey.


Heather used to weigh 315 pounds. She is 5'7". She has since lost half her body weight over the past four years. Here is her story;

Heather at 315 pounds

Hi Isadora, 
I stumbled across your blog and have really enjoyed reading all the success stories! I have a weight loss success story I'd LOVE to share with your readers. 


In 2007 I weighed over 315 pounds which was a little much on my 5'7" frame. Over 4+ years I've slowly lost over half my body weight (157 pounds!) through diet and exercise. 


In 2009 I decided I needed an event to keep me motivated to work out and lose the weight. So I signed up for a sprint triathlon and completed it even though it was difficult at 250 pounds! I fell in love with triathlons after completing that race. 

Heather after losing 157 pounds

Since then I've completed 1 10k, 2 half marathons, 4 sprint triathlons, 3 olympic distance triathlons,  3 half-Ironman triathlons and 2 full Ironmans. 

Right now my quest is to win a slot in the 2012 World Championship Ironman in Kona. The Ironman folks are giving away 8 slots to inspirational athletes who best embody their mantra "Anything is Possible". 


I've uploaded a 90 second video here that talks about my journey. 
Heather's Story in a 1.5 minute video 






Please do check out this video. You won't regret it. It's super inspiring, thanks much to Heather for this story.

Losing 20 Inches Around the Hips

Rachel has lost 130 pounds. In the before pic here she weighed 277 pounds. In the after pic she weighs 150 and has since dropped another couple of pounds. Her hips used to be 57" and are now 36". Check out her detailed measurements below. What an incredible transformation!

Rachel achieved her goal over two years with the help of therapy, blogging and Weight Watchers. See her site at Reshaping Rachel.












MEASUREMENTS TRACKER

Starting (10/8/09):
Chest: 47"
Waist: 47"
Midriff: 49"
Hips: "57
Butt/Thighs: 55"
Thigh: 32"
Arm: 16"
Neck: 15.75"
Calves: 18" and 18.5"

Current (4/19/12):
Chest: 34" (-13")
Waist: 30.75" (-16.25")
Midriff: 30" (-19")
Hips: 36" (-21")
Butt/Thighs: 39" (-16")
Thighs: 22.5" (-9.5")
Arm: 11" (-4")
Neck: 12.5" (-3.25")
Calves: 13.5" (-5")

Losing 100 Pounds in 4 Months

Wow! Check out Edwin's story. He was determined to lose 100 pounds and achieved this in four months. This kind of rapid weight loss is not usually recommended but he took the drastic route.

He did not diet, in the sense of counting calories, but made a drastic life-style change. He chose a high protein eating plan and removed most wheat from his diet. He cut out all pasta, breads, crackers and tortillas but continued to eat some whole grain cereals plus lots of vegetables and fruits. He completely removed sodas and juices from his daily consumption and now only drinks water.

Re exercise, he started out walking 45 minutes a day but soon moved on to jogging.

Check out his brief but to the point success story!

Also see other people's comments about Drinking Water to Lose Weight.

Update April 19: A comment below questions whether this is a true story and suggests it may be a scam. At first I was wondering if there might be something to this because it is such a dramatic and unusual feat to lose 100 pounds in 4 months. But I'm completely convinced Edwin is sincere. See his new post showing the typical meals that led to the weight loss.