Leila had been a yo-yo dieter for most of her adult life. She had tried slimming clubs, fad diets, dieticians - you name it. She would lose the weight, but then pile it all back on again after slipping into her old habits. Leila didn't like being tied to regular meetings when she was a member of a slimming club, but then she stumbled upon the eDiets online programme and found that it suited her perfectly. She could login every day at any time that suited her, even midnight!
Leila found that this helped to keep her motivated and on track, and now, a year later, she has successfully lowered her BMI from 27, which put her in the overweight category, to 23 - right in the middle of the healthy weight for height category. In the process, Leila has shed 1st 8lbs, or 10kg!
The motivation
Leila describes the two main turning points that prompted her to take action. 'I had wanted to lose the extra weight for some time and when I joined this programme, I was the heaviest I'd ever been. I was invited to a wedding last year and when I got the photos from it, I didn't like what I saw! In my head I was slim and elegant, but, in actual fact, I was far from slim! Then soon after I was at a BBQ party and a few of us were chatting about relationships and dating. One of the guests said jokingly that I'd be the perfect match for someone he knew, but that I was too "big" for him. I was horrified at being perceived as someone "big"! I'd already found your weight-loss website, so the next day I signed up!'
Always a regular gym-goer, Leila had been starting to find that her excess weight was giving her back trouble, and was also preventing her from working out properly. 'I tore my Achilles tendon, most probably due to the excess weight putting too much pressure on the joints when exercising.'
Burning calories
Now Leila is working out at the gym more than ever before! 'I think this is a major contributory factor in the overall weight-loss process. The meal plan combined with my exercise helped me to lose the weight and have enough energy to pursue a tougher fitness programme than before, which has enabled me to reshape my body and tone up. One of my friends who hadn't seen me for a long time said that my shape has completely changed, particularly my bottom and thighs, which had always been problem areas for me.'
No denial
Living in France, Leila admits that one of her weaknesses is wine. 'One thing I loved about this plan was that I could include a glass of wine each day – fantastic! If I knew I was going out, I'd save my wine allowance for that evening. Also, the meal plans were so easy to follow. Even though I'm living abroad I found that the meal plans were flexible enough so that I could swap meals around to suit the food that was available to me locally. I've made some of the recipes for guests who aren't necessarily watching their weight, and I've even been asked for the recipe afterwards! If I needed a quick lunch, rather than reaching for a fat-laden, shop-bought sandwich, I could find quick and convenient options such as soup with cheese on toast.'
Leila found the Support Central area of the site very helpful on her weight-loss journey. 'I kept to one group on the Support boards – Europe and beyond. We had a challenge last year where the residents of Northern Europe competed against those from Southern Europe. It was highly motivating and helped me to stay on track – I really wanted to help my team to win, and to be among those who had lost the most! On the other hand, I also knew that I would receive the help and support I needed if I didn't do so well. The moderator of the support board, Ann, who lives in Italy, is so inspiring and highly resourceful. Even if I didn't have time to actively participate in the discussions, I always read what was going on within the group on a daily basis. I felt part of a team and this definitely helped me to achieve my goals.'
Proud of her achievement and delighted with her healthy new diet, Leila is confident that she will be able to maintain her weight loss. 'I've managed to maintain my current weight for around four months now. I'm still hoping to lose another 2kg, but I'm not too worried about it. I feel very proud of my achievement so far and I'm particularly proud of the fact that my bottom no longer resembles that of a large horse! I've broken the habit of eating too much of the wrong foods that I love – in other words, foods with a high fat content like pizza and sauté potatoes! I still eat them, but only on special occasions and in small portions. I've got used to eating a varied but healthy diet and know how to counterbalance.'
Leila still finds the eDiets website invaluable for helping her to maintain her weight and healthy new habits. 'I know the key to success is keeping watch all the time and not slipping back into old habits. Being able to login to the site to weigh in every now and again, view my progress chart, catch up on the Support Boards and find some new recipes is an excellent way to help me achieve this!'
