Los Angeles Times-a guide on weight loss

The Los Angeles Times Health section (Mondays) has been delivering some wonderful articles the past few weeks. This Monday, June 8th, the section was devoted to weight loss, and how six people lost a great deal of weight and kept it off (for at least three years). The common denominators? There are a few:

1. They keep track of their daily food intake, whether by counting calories or by keeping food journals or mental tallies.
2. Most eat only 1,200-1,700 calories a day.
3. They weigh themselves regularly.
4. They have their own reminders, rebukes, and rewards.
5. They have support from family and friends.
6. They exercised consistently and in copious amounts.
6. They leave nothing to chance!

A summary of what some of the success stories did to lose the weight and keep it off:

Heidi Harajas, who went from 234 to 169 said:

“I keep a food journal every day. I write down every single thing I eat, and that helps me immensely. I think my relationship with food will always be a struggle, but I am getting more successful about changing my mind-set. I’m eating to live, not living to eat.”

Bonnie Sheiff, who went from 180 to 127 said:

“Someone told me that you need to become a person who exercises-that’s part of my identity now. You need to think like a thin person when you eat-it’s all about portion control.”

Janelle Webb, who had a serious leg injury that put her on crutches for five months, ballooned to 254, but eventually slimmed down to 132. What worked for her?

“I really had to train myself to think, ‘Am I hungry, or am I eating out of habit or because I want something?’ I scaled back on portions and how many times I ate during the day.”

She exercises consistently, doing an hour of cardio daily and adding weights three days a week. “Without the exercise,” Webb says, “I definitely think I would be gaining weight.”

Mary Ann Wertenberger, who started dieting at age 13, maintains her weight of 172, down from 275. Her revelation:

“You have to do way more exercise than you can possibly conceive…I laugh when I hear people say you need 20 minutes a day. When I learned how much exercise I had to do, I was in shock. Not that I couldn’t do it, I just didn’t know how I had to do this for an hour, hour and a half every day. Now, it’s normal for me. And it’s not an option. It’s not like I wake up and think, ‘Am I going to exercise today?'”

Her diet? Read on…

“The main thing with my diet is I eat fruit and vegetables and whole grains, lean meats and fish. If I really want something, nothing is off limits.”

She bases her calories on a formula of eating 12 to 15 calories per pound of the desired body weight-for her that’s about 1,750 calories.

Well, I think you all get the point! I wanted to post this blog because I know how important it is to hear how others achieved their successes-how people who have lost large amounts of weight did it. I thinks it helps to constantly hear the stories of others who have lost the weight and kept it off, because the truth is, it definitely doesn’t come easy for anyone.

If you would like to read the article, let me know! :>