Caroline jumps for joy at her success!
Caroline felt she would never muster up the motivation to stick to a diet due to years of unsuccessful weight loss attempts. Her dieting history was dismal; she would lose 1 or 2 stone, but gain it all back again as soon as she returned to her “normal” eating pattern. “I have tried lots of diets, but never lost more than 2 stone on any of them. My weight would plateau, and then I would give up and return to the chocolate.”
Like most woman who decide to join our online Gi plan, Caroline had lots of different reasons for wanting to lose weight. Years of feeling self conscious about her weight and not being as active or healthy as a lady of her age should be, convinced her to take a proactive step in getting her weight under control and improving her quality of life. “I felt ugly, and I snored terribly when I was bigger. My relationships were affected by my lack of confidence.”
Reminiscing with a friend about days gone by when she used to enjoy a really active life with her horses persuaded Caroline to start horse riding again, however she realised that it was no mean feat for her horse Thomas to deal with her larger size.
“I began horse jumping again after a 21 year gap, but it seemed unfair to expect Thomas to carry my weight over jumps. I also found it really difficult to mount Thomas and I was regularly breathless while riding. I knew keeping physically fit would be much easier if I lost some weight.”
In a mere 6 months Caroline achieved a formidable 4 stone 11 lbs weight loss and managed to reduce her BMI from an obese 34 to an ideal one of 22. Last year the only shops that could cater for her size 20 frame were plus size stores, now with a svelte size 10 figure she can give willowy young women a run for their money in the style stakes.
“I hated buying clothes; they had elastic waists and were really frumpy. I hated having to go to larger ladies shops. It was virtually impossible to find a competition jacket to wear on Thomas before losing weight. Now I am back in the jacket I wore over 20 years ago. My legs are so much thinner and shapelier I can fit into the riding boots I had as a teenager too!”
Not only does she look fabulous but her health and confidence have also experienced a make over. “It is so hard to describe the difference losing weight has made to me. I have so much energy and feel revitalised. I am more resistant to infections and bugs since I started eating healthier foods. My skin is much better than before, I always had spots and blemishes-now they are a rarity!”
Secret binges on junk food were her downfall, now she no longer needs to feel ashamed of letting people see what she is eating, her diet is balanced and a perfect example of how one can overcome the dreaded chocolate addiction. “I ate lots of fatty foods, chocolate, crisps and biscuits. I can’t really remember just how naughty I was but I have vivid memories of eating in secret so that nobody could see just how bad my diet was.”
Many people think “dogs are man’s best friends” but in Caroline’s case Thomas was the companion she needed to help her exercise her way to a fitter and leaner physique. Exercise became a huge part of her weight loss effort and now that she has regained her former fitness she is determined to stay active.
“When we went on our skiing holidays, I was always exhausted and I found all the physical activity really tough, as a result I came up with loads of excuses not to venture to the slopes. Last year when we went skiing I was the first one up and I skied all day. I never felt tired and just loved every minute of it.”
These days Caroline has an action packed day ranging from the occasional ski lesson, to a few hours of horse riding, to walking her 3 dogs. With this type of training regime the Olympics must be around the corner!
There is no big secret behind her tremendous weight loss. She maintained self restraint and a constant positive attitude throughout her diet which meant she rarely had a disappointing weigh in. The good habits she picked up are still an important part of her maintenance plan.
“The best tip I found on the website was to weigh everything, when portion sizes inadvertently creep up people tend to plateau. I stuck and still stick rigidly to portion control; as a result I have never once had a week with no weight loss. When I go on holiday I always take a scales with me so that I can keep track of my portions, once you are in the habit of doing this it becomes routine.”
The success Caroline had with our online Gi plan would have been impossible without her constant focus and motivation. “I think you will only lose weight if you do it for yourself. If you really want to lose the weight then don’t let anything knock you of course.”
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