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Success of the Month: Jill's update
In March last year I wrote about Jill, who at 51 years of age had been a member of her local diet club for 10 years.Before she read my book The Don't Go Hungry Diet, Jill would try to follow her diet's allowance no matter what, to the point of often feeling hungry. Inevitably however, Jill would break out and eat more than her diet's rations allowed, leading her to feel like a failure, eat even more and gain back the few kilos she'd lost.
After talking with me early last year, Jill decided that instead of forcing her body to comply with her diet's rigid allowance even when she felt hungry, she would continue to follow her diet but would allow herself to eat more if she really felt like it.
Four weeks after deciding to stop steamrollering over her body's survival instincts, Jill had lost 1.2 kilos and 2 cm from her waist. Last month I had the pleasure of receiving the following update from Jill, which she has kindly allowed me to share with you.
Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 14:38:19
To: Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis
Subject: Birthdays and looking good
Hi Amanda - you may remember me - Jill - I wrote to you on a number of occasions last year as I tried to put the ideas in your book into practice, whilst still following the weight watchers program that I have followed for years.
Well here we are, maybe 12 months since I last emailed you and I almost thought your letter this month was addressed to me - I too had a birthday, just two days ago and I feel great!!!! I just turned 53. In the last 17 months, since reading your book, I have lost 7 kilos and kept it off!!!
My understanding of "lowering the set point" of my weight has really helped me. When I first contacted you, my set point was 76.6 kilos. Through following your ideas, loosely sticking to my weight watchers program (not counting too strictly) and leading two health challenges with colleagues, I gradually lost 7 kilos. But I did stop in between and allow my weight to settle. First it settled at around 73 kilos, then it settled at around 71 kilos, and now it is very firmly settled at around 69.5 kilos, which is where I have been for 5 months now.
I am not dieting, just monitoring my hunger and of course, eating healthy foods and exercising.
I too have read "Fit and Firm Forever" and thought it a great book, although unlike you, I am not challenged where fitness is concerned. Exercise has been a part of my life since I was about 21 years old, but I became really serious about it when I was about 33 years of age. I have been running, walking and doing weights and resistance exercises with my own little supply of exercise gear at home for a while now, and at 53 I feel fabulous.
It has not, however, been without the motivation I obtain from reading books such as yours and of course, Paula's. I guess my main reason for writing is to let you know that your research and ideas have really helped me change the way I think about my body and how it works. The "set point" idea has been one of the most valuable. I had always thought my set point was 72 kilos. And here I am, easily maintaining 69.5 kilos as my set point, with very little effort.
Thanks for your monthly newsletter and congratulations on turning 40!
Kind regards,
Jill
What our readers say...
"What I loved the most about Amanda's weight loss program is that it was so simple and so totally different to all the weight loss programs I have tried over the past 20+ years. I did not have to count points, weigh food or only eat specific foods. I travel a lot and dine out a lot with clients so eating specific foods, weighing food and counting points does not work for me. Amanda's consulting program helped me see my weight loss journey as exciting and positive. Amanda's consulting helped me fine tune how to go about changing my eating and exercise habits so I could lose weight almost effortlessly. I lost 5.3 kilos in 16 weeks and have kept if off now for over 6 months. I am still quite stunned about how easy it has all been. I have been trying to lose this weight for over 15 years. Also I know without any doubt that the weight I have lost is permanently lost as I have permanently changed my habits. I have had several people (including my husband) say I look 10 years younger. Not only do I look 10 years younger but I feel it too. Thank you Amanda and I am so glad I "found" you PS: I threw out all the trousers in my wardrobe that are now too big for me. There is no going back!"