Alaine never had the knowledge she needed to assist her with weight loss, but after joining Weight Watchers, she is a walking success! Not only did she achieve her Goal weight but she was named the SA State Finalist in the 2007 Slimmer of the Year competition!
Name: Alaine
Age: 20
Height: 1.66 m
Was: 100.8 kg
Lost: 38.8 kg
Weight: 62 kg
Alaine's challenge
Ever since the second grade I have known I was 'the big girl' and was never spared the teasing that goes along with it. A lack of knowledge regarding nutrition and exercise left me unaware that my weight gain could be fixed and no one ever really told me where to go for help.
I hated shopping for clothes and looking at myself in the mirror but I didn't have the will or support to change. I had tried to diet only once before but it only lasted one month because I didn't record what I ate or how much exercise I did. For these reasons, I didn't get the results I wanted and so gave up.
The turning point
Reaching 100kg was a milestone for me, but definitely in a negative way. I knew my health was at risk because as a young girl I shouldn't have been gasping for breath after a 10 minute walk. If I didn't do something soon I was just going to get bigger and there was no doubt I was setting myself up for a life of health problems.
After being on the Weight Watchers program and attending the Meetings, it's amazing how much my mentality has changed. Prior to joining I was simply living to eat, whatever and whenever. Whether it was 2 litres of soft drink each day or takeaway 3 nights a week, I would look forward to eating unhealthily. Now I like to say that I eat to live and only do so when I'm hungry and the options are healthy. Instead of all that soft drink I make sure I have 2 litres of water and I eat heaps of veggies as well. I honestly never thought I would say this but I actually enjoy healthy food!
Prior to joining Weight Watchers hours used to pass and I would have done nothing but sit in front of the television or computer. Not having a routine meant there was nothing to keep me moving so doing minimal activity just seemed like the better option. After realising this I decided to get a second job – and this definitely kick-started my routine. Now I exercise almost every day, whether it's jogging for 30 minutes or walking for an hour.
The weekly Meetings were fantastic because they held me accountable on the scales for the choices I made each week. The support from my Leader and her invaluable one-liners kept me going from week to week – nothing tastes as good as being slim feels!
The future
The Army is something I always wanted to be a part of and Weight Watchers helped me achieve my dream by teaching me how to set small achievable goals and meet them by a time frame. I have received a 6 year contract from the Army and after 18 months of training at the Royal Military College, they'll pay for me to get my university degree. I have direction, confidence and a career because of my experience with Weight Watchers. I can't wait for the challenges that await me!
Alaine's top tips
Set yourself achievable goals. My main goal was to reach 70kg by the beginning of 2007 and I did it! My New Year's resolution was to put myself first and it is going to stay that way.
Don't underestimate the importance of exercise. I used the Weight Watchers Move-o-Meter™ to help me figure out how much exercise I was doing and how much more needed to be done.
Make sure you have a plan. Not having direction was one of my downfalls and one of the reasons for my weight gain. It was important for me to know what I was going to eat and how much exercise I needed to do otherwise it is too easy to slip up.
Join Weight Watchers Online today.
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