Carol's weight loss journey
After noticing her clothes becoming tighter and with her 10th wedding anniversary and a wedding vow renewal on the horizon, Carol decided it was time to lose some weight. Five-and-a-half months after joining WeightWatchers® she’d lost 11kg and reached her goal weight. Now, having maintained her weight loss for 28 years, she says she couldn’t have done it without WW.
Carol's "Why"
“My wedding anniversary was coming up and we were having a wedding vow renewal service in the church we were married in, followed by a dinner to celebrate. I wanted to buy a new dress but nothing looked good. After getting to goal, I found a gorgeous dress but I also ended up wearing my original wedding dress because it fit! And while ‘health’ wasn’t one of my original ‘whys’, as I’ve grown older it’s definitely become my main motivation for keeping the weight off.”
Losing weight isn't about eating less food
“I used to think I had to eat less – a lot less – in order to lose weight, but WW showed me that successful weight loss isn’t about that or about starving yourself. It’s actually about eating lots of those healthier foods that keep you fuller for longer. I love that on WW you’re naturally guided towards those choices anyway because so many fresh, unprocessed, healthier foods are either ZeroPoint or low Points foods. It’s so simple.”
If chocolate or hot chips were off the menu I'd have quit
“WW works for me because I never feel deprived. I’ve followed the program for a very long time now and if I’d been told I could no longer have chocolate or hot chips I wouldn’t have continued doing it. And I probably would have put all the weight I’d lost, plus a lot extra, back on, too. I love that no food is a no-no on WW.”
Join Carol on WW
I know now that diets don't work
“They really don’t, but lifestyle changes do. Mentally that’s everything. ‘Diet’ has such a negative, short-term ring to it compared to a lifestyle change which for me, is for life. That stands me in good stead for long-term weight maintenance.”
My relationship with food has done a 180
“The biggest change to my food attitude is that I no longer eat for fun or as something to do when I’m bored. I now appreciate that food is fuel and if you put ‘good’ things into your body, you’ll get good things out of it. I go out a fair bit and I find I can fit in lots of different types of foods without worrying about not being able to stay within my Points budget, even when I eat out at a restaurant for dinner or have a glass of wine or dessert.”
You don't have to be perfect to succeed
“About a month after I joined WW my weight loss slowed down and it was then that I had a lightbulb moment that changed my life. I realised that even if I lost 100g a week I’d eventually get to goal. I also realised that I wouldn’t lose every week and might even gain weight some weeks, and that’s perfectly okay. I learned to view everything as a learning experience rather than a make-or-break situation. And I began to be kinder to myself. I became my own cheerleader. That made me feel really good about myself and my efforts, and it spurred me on. With that approach, quitting was never an option.”
I'm not a natural exerciser, but I've found the secret to staying active
“Planning ahead really helps. I put my exercise clothes and shoes in the bathroom so that I immediately get into them first thing in the morning. It means I’m in the right frame of mind to go for a walk. I also have a cross trainer that I like to exercise on for short bursts a few times a week. I do six minutes at high intensity and I remind myself that there’s something wrong if I can’t find six minutes a day, a few times a week to do that. I’m also a big believer in the value of incidental movement, so whatever I’m doing, I always take the active option. Every bit of movement adds up.”