Don’t hide under the covers this winter – make a pledge to achieve your weight-loss goals. Meet four motivated individuals who tried different techniques and watched the weight drop off.
Winter dormancy has descended and sliding wearily out of bed for that early morning jog suddenly seems like a super-human mission. Despite good intentions, it is all too easy to slip back into your pyjamas and make some dents in the sofa cushions for a few more inactive hours of TV gazing and chocolate grazing.
This may sound all too familiar, but as dietitian Dr Sue Shepherd explains, the battle of the winter bulge may sometimes be due to causes unrelated to bad food choices and lack of exercise. “A minority of people are affected by a condition called seasonal affective disorder, meaning they tend to sleep more, have reduced energy and may feel low in winter months.”
To diet or detox? Eat low-carb or high-protein? There are as many different methods to winter weight loss as there are reasons for its initial gain, and finding the one that works for you may seem as arduous as that pre-dawn trot. “As the saying ‘horses for courses’ goes, not all weight-loss methods appeal to every individual,” says Shepherd, who recommends investigating different nutritionally sound approaches until you find the one that feels right for you. It’s worth a shot, as keeping the weight off in winter means springing back into summer!
Cathy Mitchell joined Weight Watchers and shed 26 kilograms
Before: 101kg & After: 76kg
Working in the health industry didn’t give Cathy Mitchell, 33, a free ticket to optimum weight and wellbeing. Until last year, the medical receptionist tipped the scales at 101 kilos.
Cathy’s flings with weight-loss methods saw her drift closer towards confusion and further from her goal weight.
“Not understanding the best way to lose weight and keep it off was my biggest downfall,” says Cathy, who has slimmed down to a svelte 75 kilos during a year with Weight Watchers and its ProPoints plan.
She has had an abundance of support to keep the wind in her sails, including colleagues who also jumped aboard the Weight Watchers wagon. And as Cathy discovered, the beauty is that there are no extreme measures. “How can you not enjoy little ‘guilty pleasures’ every now and then? ProPoints isn’t a diet but a sustainable, healthier lifestyle,” she says.
Cathy’s tips for finding balance:
Michelle and Matt Clifford joined Lite n’ Easy and lost a total of 85 kilograms
Michelle, Before: 112kg & After: 76.4kg
Matt, Before: 131.2kg & After: 80kg
Michelle Clifford, 30, is ecstatic: she has just bought her first pair of size 12 jeans since she was 16, which is a huge achievement considering merely two years ago she was a size 24 and shared a combined weight of more than 243 kilograms with husband Matt, 35.
“Matt and I have never been what you call thin; however, in recent years we got a little carried away and became ignorant to the limitations excess weight was placing on our lives,” says Michelle, who admits their waistlines grew with the increased comfort of their courtship. “I often teased that it was Michelle’s fault I gained so much weight, because I got so comfortable in our relationship and no longer needed to impress the ladies,” jokes Matt.
But Matt’s dangerous weight gain was no laughing matter, resulting in life-threatening health problems and a brutal rejection from life insurance. However, these became a blessing in disguise, as it triggered a lifelong transformation for the pair who joined Lite n’ Easy in mid-winter 2009.
Michelle and Matt identified that their biggest battles of the bulge had stemmed from juggling home life with hectic workloads. Michelle’s demanding job as an executive assistant and Matt slogging out long hours as a sales representative meant their weary working days had often ended with fatty fast-foods. Matt’s suggestion to sign up for Lite n’ Easy’s healthy home-delivered meals provided the perfect solution. “The convenience of having all of our food delivered, portion-controlled and packed was not only ideal for our busy lifestyles, but also saved us a considerable amount of money,” says a now fighting-fit Michelle.
The Cliffords achieved a combined loss of 85 kilograms. Thanks to a little healthy competition and a lot of mutual support, the duo has renewed confidence and zest for life… and no doubt, Matt’s long-awaited life insurance policy!
Michelle and matt’s tips for weight-loss success:
Sally Pengelly followed the Dukan Diet and lost 34 kilograms
Before: 105kg & After: 71kg
When Brisbane mother of two Sally Pengelly, 29, saw advertisements of French nutritionist Dr Pierre Dukan’s diet, she was doubtful, but seeing 105kg appear on the scales made her take the plunge.
Winter 2010 marked the beginning of Sally’s 34-kilo weight loss, as she entered the Dukan Diet’s “attack phase”, which forbade processed foods and focused on select sources of protein. She had withdrawals, but losing six kilos in 10 days made it worthwhile. For the next six months, she sustained the second stage (cruise phase), despite the challenge of alternating protein and vegetable days with purely protein days. “This was when the most transformation occurred,” says a proud Sally.
A further 27 kilos lighter, Sally began this year in the diet’s consolidation phase, meaning certain foods could be reintroduced to prepare her for a future of nutritional balance.
Sally recommends Dr Dukan’s book, The Dukan Diet (Hodder & Stoughton, 2010). “Remember: if you fall off the wagon, just jump straight back on. It’s that easy!
The Dukan Diet’s four phases