Get outside help
“I hired a trainer.”
Dawn Denyar, 49, Kentville, N.S.
Lost 26 pounds
One year and counting
In her late forties, Denyar began to deeply resent her up-and-down affair with the scale. “I kept thinking, I want to take care of myself; my kids are grown; I have arthritis in my knees; and I don’t want to feel crappy when I’m 50,” says the personal banking officer. “I finally said to myself, ‘I can’t do this alone. Diet alone isn’t working.’” So just over a year ago she hired a personal trainer, began exercising regularly and cut back on her portion sizes. The result: Twenty-six pounds have vanished. Even better, her knees don’t hurt nearly as much. Having a helper to work through plateaus, keep her motivated and help inject variety into her exercise routine has made all the difference. Most surprising to Denyar: “It’s been the easiest year of my life.
Why it works Seeking outside help could be just the boost you need. A recent study by the University of Kansas Medical Center published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that weight-loss maintenance can be adversely affected by how difficult you think it’s going to be. In other words, the lower your expectations about how much work is involved, the better the long-term outcome. Denyar adds that thanks to her trainer, “keeping it off doesn’t feel like work. I can keep doing this for the rest of my life.”
“I learned to love the journey.”
Gabriella Minnes Brandes, 53, Vancouver
Lost 55 pounds
Five years and counting
Minnes Brandes mourned the loss of her mother for one year before she decided to address her lifelong weight issues. Two years of therapy combined with diet and exercise gradually melted away 20 pounds. In 2006, she hired a dietitian, and lost another 35 pounds. She maintains her weight now by exercising at least one hour every day, often more, with a variety of activities including hitting a gym, taking fitness classes and running. “I love it. And I used to hate exercise. No, I really, really hated exercise.” The difference? Minnes Brandes eventually realized that she gets out of fitness exactly what she puts into it — a degree of control the University of British Columbia faculty of education teacher wasn’t going to get from her students (another subsequent realization).
More important, Minnes Brandes acknowledged early on that her decision to deal with her weight was central to how she wanted to tackle her life. In the past, Minnes Brandes “freaked out” every time she hit a plateau (usually after 15 pounds) and gave up. But now, being in control of her body and mind is simply part of the journey. “I don’t see myself as maintaining now. I see myself as living now. It’s a different perspective. I suppose it’s how normal people are with their weight. I don’t see me reaching anything other than loving the journey.”
Why it works There’s no real surprise here. As Freedhoff says, “You better like the way you’re losing it, or it’s not going to stay off.”
Feeling inspired? Check out our Boot camp fitness slideshow, find out which foods can help your hot flashes, or share your own story about your weight or fitness goals in our View from her section.
