Welcome to dietwatch

Liz

Have you ever thought that if you had to start over AGAIN you’d just give up? I did. I was so tired of starting over I didn’t think I could do it. Beginning a new diet regimen, starting a new exercise routine to lose weight, losing a few pounds, only to lose interest, get busy, and then gain those pounds back again. Over and over. This had become a way of life for me.

When I saw the pictures from my son’s 2005 high school graduation, I realized that the weight I’d gained over the previous two years wasn’t just on the scale—it was actually THERE in the picture, in full view. I was at the highest weight I’d been since my graduate had been born! Startled by what I saw, I decided that I needed to make a real change. I didn’t want to start over once again. This time I wanted to really succeed for good. So I decided to go back to DietWatch where I had been successful in the past. And I am so glad I did!

Let me tell you a few things about myself: My name is Liz, or englz to my friends on the Friends Board (formerly known as the Over 30 Board). I’m a 43 year old mother of two college-aged sons, pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. Although I have been struggling with my weight my whole life, I had been successful in keeping my weight down for several years, until I got laid off from my first engineering job in 2001.

That was a difficult time for me and I gained a lot of weight during that year. Just when I got laid off and was truly miserable, I found DietWatch and found great support on the Friends board. I began posting everyday, logging my food and exercise. Under the influence of the friends I’d made, I started running 5K and 10K races. I lost some weight and discovered that I loved running for more than just weight control.

When I decided to go back to school to pursue my doctorate, time was tight, so I stopped posting and logging. My weight was stable for a while, but started creeping up again. I knew what I had to do. Go back to find my friends and recapture those habits that had made me successful before. Using the tools available for planning meals, logging calories in versus calories out, and posting my plan on the Friends board, I lost 20 pounds. And I don’t want to stop now!

I can’t emphasize enough how the unwavering support that’s available through the message boards has helped me to succeed. There are many sources of information and tools to help you with weight loss on the web and in real life. But for me, nothing provides the motivation and accountability that my friends on the Friends board provide. This is especially true when it comes to exercise.

Due to a knee injury, I had given up running, but I missed it. Teaming up with some friends on the board, we worked on the Couch to 5K Training Program, and slowly I began to run again. Everyone on the board cheered us on as we worked through the program. After I finished training for that, I began working towards running a big local 15K race a couple of months later. I had a blast running that race. I achieved my time goal, and it convinced me to work towards pursuing a long time, secret goal I’ve had. I wanted to participate in a triathlon!

The board encouraged me as I wrote about my training and preparations. At the same time I was preparing for that I was also getting ready for my younger son to graduate high school. Two days after he graduated, I ran my first triathlon, and placed 3rd in the female novice category. And the two girls that beat me were 20 and 25 years old! When I got the pictures back from graduation, I liked how I looked. Not just a little thinner, but happier and more at ease with myself, and so much better than the pictures from two years earlier.

I have to thank DietWatch and my friends on the Friends board for providing the environment and the tools that enabled me to pursue my goals both in weight loss and fitness. I couldn't have done it without them. Now I exercise because I love it— running, spinning, biking, swimming, weight training and yoga, and not just to lose weight.

I learned that maintaining weight loss and fitness are not acquired in a 12 week program. They come from lifestyle choices and behavioral changes that become a way of life. Thanks to DietWatch—with their support I won’t ever have to start over again.

Dushka

Last week I reached my most recent goal! Using the DietWatch system, I first lost 30 pounds over the course of a year, then maintained that loss for about a year, and finally lost another 10 over the last six months. This is the most success I’ve had with anything I’ve tried—and I’ve tried plenty. You know the drill.

I was an odd-shaped child—slender limbs but with a stubborn little paunch poking out around my tummy area. I always had a taste for sweet snacks, and I ate plenty of them, but I was very active and that kept me from ballooning. At 5’4”, I was slim as a teenager, but panicked one summer when my weight went over 120 pounds, and I tried my first stupid diet: grapefruit and boiled eggs for two weeks (remember that one?). Together with jogging two miles daily, that worked to take off those pesky 6 pounds, and from there I unwisely slipped into a pattern of skipping meals to keep my weight down.

In my early twenties, I got into terrific shape. I discovered the joys of eating salad, and I was going to dance classes five days a week. That let me get away with always having my pie, cake, or ice cream for dessert. But I paid for it later. At 26 I had my first real weight problem. I had been working my first office job and taking on freelance projects on the side. There was no time to get to dance class. I did nothing but work, eat takeout till I burst, and fall asleep watching TV. I could feel my clothing getting tighter, squeezing me until I was miserably uncomfortable. When I finally stepped on the scale, I saw that I was close to 140 pounds. This time I figured SlimFast would do the trick, and it did. I lost 20 pounds within a couple of months. Then a family situation blew up, and so did I, gaining 30 pounds before 6 months passed and hitting 151 pounds . What I didn’t realize then, but learned from Lisa Drayer’s articles on DietWatch, was that by losing weight so quickly, I lost more muscle, bone, and organ tissue than I would have by doing the right thing and taking it slower. That’s one reason the weight piled back on with lightning speed. The other reason is that I was still looking for a quick fix rather than a way to make permanent improvements in my habits and choices.

Over the next decade, I gained and lost the same 15 pounds over and over again, even becoming a lifetime member of Jenny Craig along the way. The counselor there emphasized the importance of keeping a food journal, which I did—for about 2 weeks. It was just too much of a pain in the neck to carry around a little notebook and jot down everything I put in my mouth. During all these years, I never stopped exercising, but it doesn’t help much if I’m eating 3,000 calories, burning maybe 2,000 without exercise and burning an extra 400 (if that much) with intense, sweaty, heart-pounding running on the treadmill. Of course, before I discovered DietWatch, I had no way to know really how much I was eating (probably more than I realized) and how much I was burning (probably less than I guessed).

Eventually I kind of gave up control and allowed myself to hit my maximum of 168 pounds and 42% body fat (according to my digital scale). I started panicking again—I really didn't want to get to 170 pounds—and then in Prevention magazine I saw a ray of hope. There was a piece describing the special interactive tools of a Web site called DietWatch.com. I was impressed by all the graphs and progress reports DietWatch offered, and my instincts told me this was something I could use and even have some fun with. I took the “tour” and when I saw the Food Diary with its huge database, I was hooked. That was a lifesaver. For the first time ever, it gave me an easier way to stick with measuring portions and entering them almost every day faithfully (and honestly, because I’ve decided I don’t want to cheat on myself anymore). It also helps me keep up optimum nutrition levels. At a glance, I see if I'm getting enough calcium, protein, and fiber, and if I'm keeping fats and carbs under control. Little by little I started making changes in portion sizes, in the kind of food I chose, even in the frequency of meals. My colleagues at the office kid me about the fruit, yogurt, and smoked turkey snacks I lug in every day, but I’m having the last laugh as I’m getting trim and they’re complaining more about their weight. Like I said earlier, it took me a year to lose the first 30 pounds, but almost three years after starting, I’ve been able to maintain the fat loss and even do better.

So now here I am. I've lost 40 pounds (10” from my waist), I’m down to 30% body fat, I can fit into a pair of shorts I had in high school, and I feel absolutely wonderful! Because of this program, I'm eating more fruits and vegetables than ever before and less junk food than ever before, yet it still lets me be flexible (I still have my cake from time to time —after my veggies). This is something I can keep doing for the rest of my life, and it’s going to be a healthier one because of it. Thank you, DietWatch!

Nora

I'm Nora, a 39-year-old stay-at-home mom with four young children. I've lost 36 pounds in four months on DietWatch. Maybe my story can help you.

I weighed 168 pounds and I was struggling trying to lose weight by myself. Six years ago I was in great shape. And then the weight slowly creeped up on me. I was fed up with feeling overweight and yearned to be in great shape again.

I knew I needed a plan, so I did an Internet search on nutrition and that's how I discovered DietWatch.com. I thought that working on my fitness goals with the support of an online service would be a perfect fit for me, and it was. I feel as though I've had amazing success.

Using DietWatch's accessible tools, I log everything that I eat and all the exercise that I do. It gives me a clear picture of where I am with calories and nutrition. I also actively participate in the discussion boards and I know that this has really helped me to stay focused and motivated. The support, friendship and entertainment on the discussion boards is phenomenal. Plus, there’s always access to a dietitian for specific nutrition concerns.

Before joining DietWatch I didn't realize how much I was overeating. I would finish what the kids didn't eat. I would eat too much when I was hungry and I would eat when I wasn't hungry. Plus, I would eat at night when the rest of the family was asleep. I thought that because I ate healthy food (for the most part) I shouldn’t be overweight . It seems funny now, but I truly believed that after a while the extra pounds would go away all by themselves. What I didn’t see was a very simple fact: I was overeating!

I thought I understood nutrition labels on food, but I hadn’t made the connection with balancing carbohydrates, fiber, protein, fat, and more. DietWatch.com makes this important information crystal clear and easy to find, in the food diary log, with charts and graphs for tracking, and the ongoing input over days, weeks, and months.

Logging my food in the DietWatch food diary helps me control what goes in my mouth. Plus, I find that logging my exercise has motivated me to find more and more opportunities to exercise. I lost an average of nine pounds a month and it feels like magic!

This has been an amazing journey for me, and one that I worked hard on. I weigh 132 pounds now and have two more pounds to go for my initial goal. I may want to lose a few more pounds after that, but I can already fit into my old size 6 clothes and squeeze into my size 4s!

My dramatically different looks can be seen on the outside, but greater changes have taken place on the inside. Today I feel happy, confident, and energetic. The feelings on the inside start changing with the first pound. I probably didn’t look much different to others even after losing ten pounds, but I sure did feel different.

My energy level is much higher and I enjoy playing around with the kids. I’m able to run again and I love it. My husband is enjoying my weight loss too.

Ironically, limiting what I eat has helped me gain control and I don't feel restricted. I can eat whatever I want as long as it fits in my calorie/balance plan. If I do overdo it one day, the impact is minimal because most days I make the right choices and everything balances out. Special occasions such as birthdays and holidays don't ruin a long term weight loss plan.

Now that I know more about nutrition and food portions, I can use this to help me everyday. I will continue to log my food and exercise, participate in the discussion boards, and I’ll be back with an update on reaching my final goal. It will be a pleasure to share how I’m able to maintain my weight loss.

This weight loss journey has been a turning point in my life. It has given me a strong desire to reach out to people and share my experience. Believe me, if I can do it, so can you!

Cherie

I can't tell you enough how much DietWatch has meant to my weight loss and fitness success. I know I couldn't have gotten where I am without it.

My name is Cherie (a.k.a., hansolo11) and I'm 44 years old. I have been married to a wonderful man for 25 years and we have six daughters. As a stay-at-home mom, I found it very easy to slip into a lazy routine and not worry too much about my appearance. I also had daylong access to food. As 40 approached, I realized that I didn't have to live that way. I wanted to take control and become fit and active.

I joined DietWatch right before my 40th birthday. I had already lost about 10 pounds on my own, but I knew I needed help and support. When I found DietWatch and saw all that the site had to offer, I knew it would be a perfect fit for me. I loved having access to the menu planner and the progress graphs.

I lost another 22 pounds by my birthday! That year I felt healthier and stronger than ever. However, the weight began to creep back, and I stopped using DietWatch altogether.

I didn't like what I had become. I had regained so much weight that I was at my heaviest non-pregnant weight ever. I rejoined DietWatch and plugged all my food into the meal planner. That started keeping me honest again! I also found a home on the Friends community discussion board.

I loved the daily accountability of the board, and the warm support I received. I also realized that there’s a lot more to losing weight than counting calories, and decided to get serious about exercise. Several of the "regulars" on the board were runners, which inspired me. So I started slowly; incredibly, I found I could run without pain! One year later, I ran my first 5K in the Race for the Cure in honor of my mother and sister who are both breast cancer survivors. And I loved it!

Since then, I have taken up step aerobics, spinning, and weight training. I have lost 33 pounds, but more importantly, I feel fit and active again. I have also gained a whole community of friends on the Friends board. Thanks, guys! You're the best!