It took Sue Avery, who started out at 332 lbs, 16 months to lose 151 pounds.
Now fit and fabulous, Avery feels better than ever. “Overall, it has been a good year and losing the weight has given me a sense of empowerment (can-do attitude) that I never would have expected,” she says. So what are you waiting for? Listen up and you will be on your way to a new attitude and a new you.
Months after losing her weight, Avery still manages to practice healthy eating habits. “I do fluctuate between 175 and 180,” she said. “The Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday was a challenge but I find that if I take the time to think about what foods I am reaching for and why; this short pause helps me to make the right choices.”
Like Avery, set realistic goals for yourself to avoid feeling overwhelmed and defeated by your plans to lose weight. Start small by changing one thing about your lifestyle and/or diet over time.
Avery, who went from a size 26 to 10, made exercise a priority. Even with a busy schedule, get creative and make time for a daily work-out.
By walking around the neighborhood or on a treadmill, Avery was able to shed the pounds. For 10 or 15 minutes, take a stroll in the park or instead of driving to the nearby store, become environment-friendly and use those legs to keep fit.
When choosing to dine out, find restaurants that will accommodate your healthy eating habits. Take your commitment a step further and look at menus online before deciding on a place to eat.
Encouraged by easy changes, Avery chose to cut cheese and mayonnaise from her sandwiches. Every week, try eliminating an unhealthy habit and find healthier foods that are just as tasty.
“Dietary changes made a huge difference for Avery,” says Marisa Moore, R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. “If you cut just 100 calories a day, you can lose ten pounds in a year.” Because it’s difficult to judge calories when you eat out, Moore suggests monitoring portion size and starting meals with a broth-based soup to feel satisfied on fewer calories.
