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Tom (Wildstar67) : Success Story
 
Tom knew his extra weight was holding him back from doing things he wanted to do. He wasn't comfortable in social settings, hated to shop for clothes and didn't hang any mirrors in his house. "Sounds a bit drastic, but I hated to look at myself," says Tom. He also had digestive problems from eating unhealthy foods and back problems from being overweight.
Tom tracked everything he ate and used the Nutrition Tracker to plan his meals in advance. For example, if breakfast and lunch were heavy on protein, he would plan a dinner that balanced out the rest of his needs. He used to love foods like pasta and rice. Even though these foods weren't "bad" for him, Tom found better foods to eat instead (like brown rice instead of white). He also cut out all sodas and fattening condiments like mayonnaise. Now he uses healthier options like hummus to add flavor to his foods.
Although he was pretty strict with his eating habits, Tom did give himself a break on occasion. He thought it was important to be able to enjoy the foods he loved (in moderation, of course). He also used this strategy to break through weight loss plateaus. Tom says he'd hit a plateau every 10 pounds or so. Going off of the plan for a few days seemed to shock his body into losing again. At first he was fearful of staying off the plan, but now he has confidence and knows that he can get right back on track.
Tom read at least one new article each day. He found a lot of good advice about proper nutrition and healthy living in the Resource Center. Of particular interest were the articles about eating healthy while dining out, since he frequently eats away from home. "I now feel confident that I can go into restaurants and find the right foods. I feel empowered to control my body," says Tom.
Tom used the Message Boards on a daily basis and also joined a few SparkTeams. He wishes he would have found them sooner, but plans to stay active in his Teams as he moves into maintenance mode.
Tom has lost about 10 inches from his waist and says his old clothes no longer fit. He has more energy and gets a kick out of people telling him how great he looks.
Tom recommends following the plan that SparkPeople provides, because it works well if you let it. He believes that tracking what you eat is essential and it's also important to measure your progress in some way, whether weighing yourself, tracking your BMI, etc. Tom says not to look at SparkPeople as a "diet", but rather as a way of living.
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| Weight Before: |
251 lbs. |
| Weight After: |
185 lbs. |
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SparkPeople's 500-Calorie Thanksgiving Feast
