Get Inspired! 25 Days of Weight Loss Success Stories
Get the inspiration you need every day! With SHAPE’s 25 Days of Success Stories, you’ll see how women just like you with lives that are happy, chaotic, stressful, and amazing, often all at the same time found a way to stop gaining weight or get off the diet treadmill and lose weight once and for all.
Every day, come back to read a new success story of a real woman-not a celebrity, or someone with a whole posse of people to make it happen who took charge and got the health, life, and body she wanted.
These women shed 28, 50, or even 190 pounds and in the process, left stress, fast food, inertia, and negative thinking behind them. How did they do it? Find out what worked for them in the real world (and what didn’t!)-and how it can work for you, too.
We challenge you: Let these women fuel your own weight loss success story.
DAY 25
“I don’t just love the weight loss — I love my newfound confidence.”
Erin Potofsky: Lost 45 pounds
Erin was once an all-day grazer who enjoyed all sorts of processed foods. Discover how she learned to cut down on snacking and lose 45 pounds. >>
DAY 24
“If I ate healthfully 90 percent of the time, I could afford the occasional treat.”
Crystal Honeycutt: Lost 86 pounds
Crystal gained more than 100 pounds during her first pregnancy. As a busy new mom, she felt completely out of control but wanted to be able to get active with her son. Check out her tricks for gaining control and leaving a little room for indulgence, too. >>
DAY 23
“After my divorce, I didn’t get mad. I got fit.”
Joanne Giannini: Lost 60 pounds
After her divorce, Joanne decided to dedicate the energy she had put toward her husband to her own well-being. Find out how she transformed herself with 6 meals a day and other smart strategies. >>
DAY 22
“I Discovered I Don’t Have to Sacrifice My Health to Do My Job Well.”
Laura Leslie- Schuemann: Lost 30 pounds
Long hours at work kept Laura from getting active and eating right until she met with a weight-loss counselor and found some easy ways to fit good food and fun exercise in. Find out how she changed her habits — including her breakfast — and learned to be busy and healthy at the same time. >>
DAY 21
“Keeping weight off is nowhere near as emotionally exhausting as being overweight was.”
Missy Engel: Lost 35 pounds
Due to her weight, Missy had low self-esteem throughout high school. When she left for college, she was determined not to gain the dreaded freshman 15. Find out how she avoided college weight gain and actually lost 35 pounds. >>
DAY 20
“I can walk into a store and find my size — it feels amazing.”
Brenda Willis: Lost 140 pounds
When Brenda could no longer squeeze into a plus-size 26 she vowed to change her lifestyle. Eating every 2 hours, plus other smart shifts, helped her lose 140 pounds. Get her secrets for success. >>
DAY 19
“I decided to stop hating my body.”
Elizabeth Byrd: Lost 40 pounds
Elizabeth loved her life but hated her body. She backed out of liposuction and took her weight into her own hands, one small diet tweak at a time. Find out how small diet changes like Elizabeth’s can add up to big shifts in body and mind. >>
DAY 18
“Frozen yogurt helped me lose 85 pounds”
Heather Craig: Lost 85 pounds
Heather was scared to join a gym but got there anyway. Find out what made her cross the threshold — and how this one healthy change inspired her to make more. Find out exactly how she went from sedentary snacker to kickboxing instructor. >>
DAY 17
“If you want to change badly enough, you can do anything.”
Andrea Williams: Lost 50 pounds
Although naturally slim, 30 years of fast food and inactivity finally caught up with Andrea. When her size 4 jeans didn’t fit anymore, Andrea knew it was time to cut out the takeout and get active. Check out Andrea’s recipe for successful weight loss. >>
DAY 16
“I realized I was halfway to 500 pounds.”
Lori Kimble: Lost 105 pounds
When Lori realized she was halfway to 500 pounds she knew she had to make a change. Small adjustments to her diet gave her the courage to begin exercising. See how these simple changes improved her life — and can do the same for you. >>
DAY 15
“Smaller plates and bowls made a difference.”
Jennifer Muirhead: Lost 84 pounds
Jennifer turned a broken engagement into inspiration to get in shape — and a few kitchen changes helped her, too. Find out how she turned a difficult situation into the motivation she needed to exercise, eat right and lose 84 pounds. >>
DAY 14
“This time was different.”
Michelle Williams: Lost 40 pounds
During Michelle’s 20s, while feeling lost in her career and love life, she took charge of one of the things she had complete control over — her weight. Find out how Michelle gained momentum to lose 40 pounds and keep it off. >>
DAY 13
“I didn’t let my fear hold me back.”
Alisha DeVille: Lost 120 pounds
Alisha worked hard to lose nearly half her body weight through healthy eating and exercise. Discover her techniques for losing and keeping the weight off and the splurges that help her stay on track. >>
DAY 12
“I want my kids to see that being healthy is fun.”
Teresa Chronopoulos: Lost 60 pounds
Teresa was so busy taking care of her family that she didn’t have time to take care of herself. But once the kids were all in school she was excited to get back in shape. Find out how this mom of 4 incorporated healthy eating and exercise into her busy life. >>
DAY 11
“Long walks helped curb my anxiety more than eating french fries did.”
Sarah Tyree: Lost 70 pounds
Sarah decided it was time to get serious about her health when her sister was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Find out what she learned from her sister’s doctors that helped her live a healthier happier life. >>
DAY 10
“I didn’t starve myself.”
Tracy Johnson: Lost 40 pounds
Tracy is proof positive that you don’t have to go to extremes to lose weight. She started off by making tweaks to her diet and slowly adding exercise. Try her tips for making small changes that have a big impact on your body. >>
DAY 9
“When I realized it took an hour to burn 500 calories, I became a lot pickier about what I ate.”
Caroline Jhingory: Lost 123 pounds
Thinking beyond the scale helped Caroline reach her weight loss goals. While she used to shy away from showing off her body, these days she’s proud to flaunt her figure. Try her confidence-boosting tip. >>
DAY 8
“Even if I’m sick of working out and eating well, I keep at it.”
Gina Bardin: Lost 76 pounds
What keeps her motivated? Gina credits her son for helping her drop the weight — and keep it off. Check out her stick-with-it strategies — and before-and-after photos. >>
DAY 7
“Dealing with how I felt inside paved the way for me to start changing how I looked on the outside.”
Johnna Stephenson: Lost 63 pounds
Johnna stopped feeding her negative feelings with food and started moving thanks to Jazzercise. While the classes were tough at first, she stuck with it and is now an instructor. Don’t miss her tips for making over your mind — and body. They’ve worked for her for seven years! >>
DAY 6
“I look at old photos to remember how I felt at different weights. Knowing how much happier I am now keeping me on track.”
Dana Bland: Lost 190 pounds
At 350 pounds, Dana was stressed, sedentary, and depressed. With the help of a support system, she went from barely being able to walk up a flight of stairs to finish a 10K. See how she lost the inertia and saw the pounds vanish. Don’t miss her “after” photo! >>
DAY 5
“Being heavier than my husband was a huge shock-I realized at that moment that I had to change my lifestyle.”
Cyndy Barnes: Lost 50 pounds
Where did she start? Giving up fast food and late-night snacking was the first step. Discover her other healthy eating strategies — including what keeps her from eating candy bars — and how she got her entire family moving (hint: it involves jumping). >>
DAY 4
“I stopped making excuses.”
Diane: Lost 159 Pounds
When Diane got married at 21, she was a fit 160 pounds, thanks to regular bike rides and a passion for running. But once she started having kids — and stopped making time to exercise — the weight began piling on. Within eight years, she had ballooned to 305 pounds. Find out how Diane started paying attention to herself and dropped 159 pounds. >>
DAY 3
“I needed to do something that made me feel good, and that meant getting healthier.”
Isabel Wolfe: Lost 38 pounds
How did she do it? As a food lover, Isabel didn’t want to cut down her portions, so she started eating smarter instead. See which diet tweaks worked for her — and don’t miss her after the photo — and how she got healthy — and happy.>>
DAY 2
“I used to think people were lying when they said they enjoyed running races.”
Meghann Anderson: Lost 28 pounds
When Meghann started her weight loss journey, she could only run two blocks — now she’s competing in marathons (and aiming to qualify for Boston)! Find out how she learned to love exercise — and left fried chicken behind.>>
DAY 1
“I was going to have to get out of my comfort zone to succeed.”
Sonya Moste: Lost 48 pounds
Find out how she got her courage up — and helped her husband get healthy, too. When the first days of cardio dance left her feeling uncoordinated and silly, find out what made her go back for more. See her before-and-after photos and get her best weight loss tips.>>
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