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Contest Rules

OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE OR THE AGE OF MAJORITY IN THEIR STATE OF RESIDENCE, WHICHEVER IS GREATER, AS OF THE DATE OF ENTRY. VOID ELSEWHERE AND WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

1. ELIGIBILITY:
Open only to individuals who are legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, 18 years of age or older or the age of majority in their state of residence, whichever is greater. The following individuals are not eligible: employees, contractors, directors and officers of H. J. Heinz Company, L. P. ("Sponsor"), Promotion Execution Partners, Ferrara & Company, Emanate, Kick Apps, Promotion Fulfillment Partners, LLC, and each of their respective parent, subsidiaries and affiliated companies, distributors, web design, advertising, and fulfillment agencies and other individuals and entities involved in the administration, development, fulfillment and execution of this Contest (collectively, "Sponsor & Others"), and the immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling and spouse or "step" of each) and those living in the same households of each.

2. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PROMOTION:
The Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® “Share Your Story Contest” (“Contest”) starts on 7/15/09 at 6:00 P.M. ET and ends on 4/30/10 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET (“Contest Entry Period”). All entries (“Submissions”) must be uploaded to www.eatyourbest.com/community (“Contest Website”) no later than 4/30/10 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET. Please be aware that your copy, photos and videos may be publicly displayed on the Contest Website. To participate in the Contest, a community member (“Member”) as defined below must submit a blog post on the Contest Website, which may include photos, videos and copy up to 300 words in length, in which the member shares their weight loss story according to the instructions and judging criteria stated in these Official Rules. (Be sure to carefully read these Official Rules as you will be bound by them.) The twelve (12) Submissions selected by the panel of Contest judges may be posted on the Contest Website for public view. Twelve (12) Winners will receive a Flip Video Camcorder. Additionally, each Winner’s weight loss story may be featured on eatyourbest.com as a “Featured Member”.

3. TO ENTER:
To enter, a Member must go to www.eatyourbest.com/community during the Contest Entry Period, and follow the instructions to register, post his/her Submission, and click on the “Share Your Story” link. Submissions must be received no later than 4/30/10 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET or the member’s submission will not be entered into the Contest. Before uploading a Submission, each member must indicate his/her agreement that s/he has read, understands and agrees to be bound by these Official Rules. Remember: Once a Submission has been posted, it may not be changed or edited. Be sure to save your Contest Submission in its original format after uploading it to the Contest Website. Submissions become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Limit of one (1) entry per person/e-mail address. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same e-mail address. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different e-mail addresses, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant's entries and that entrant will be disqualified.

4. REPRESENTATIONS & WARRANTIES AS CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
Submitter by registering and uploading a Submission, represents and warrants that: (A) s/he has the legal capacity to enter this Contest; (B) the Submission has not been entered in or won previous contests or awards; and (C) the Submission has not been published or distributed previously in any media. Additionally, each Submitter represents and warrants that the member owns all rights and title to the Submission and all the Submission Elements. Submitter further represents and warrants that the member has obtained permission from each person whose name, image, likeness or voice ("Likeness") is included in the Submission, and that such person(s) have granted Submitter all necessary rights to use the person's Likeness as described in these rules, and that Submitter can and will make written copies of such permissions available to the Sponsor upon request. By uploading a Submission, a Submitter, irrevocably grants Sponsor and its affiliates, legal representatives, assigns, agents and licensees, the unconditional, unlimited and perpetual right and permission to reproduce, encode, store, copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, display, publicly perform, adapt, exhibit and/or otherwise use or reuse the Submitter's Submission and Submission Elements, including, but not limited to, the recording and the performances contained therein (in each case, as submitted or as edited/modified in any way by the Sponsor, in its sole discretion), as well as to use (or not use) Submitter's and the Family Members’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or statements ("Bio Information") in this Contest in any and all media without limitation, worldwide and throughout perpetuity, without additional compensation, notice to, or approval from Submitter, or any other party. Each Submitter understands and agrees that although it has granted Sponsor to use its Submission as stated hereinabove, Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may elect not to so use any said Submission. EACH SUBMITTER REPRESENTS, UNDERSTANDS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT A SUBMITTER WILL NOT BE PAID FOR OR RECEIVE ANY FORM OF COMPENSATION OR ROYALTY OTHER THAN POTENTIALLY THE PRIZES STATED HEREIN IN EXCHANGE FOR GRANTING SPONSOR THESE RIGHTS OR FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT USE OF SUCH SUBMISSION BY SPONSOR. Each Submitter waives all intellectual property rights, privacy/publicity rights or other legal or moral rights that might limit or preclude Sponsor’s use of the respective Submission and agrees not to sue or assert any claim against Sponsor & Others arising out of or connected to the use of the Submission or Bio Information. Each Submitter further agrees to indemnify and hold Sponsor & Others harmless from any and all claims, damages, expenses, costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) and liabilities (including settlements), brought or asserted by any third party against any of them due to or arising out of the respective Submission, or the Submitter's conduct in creating a Submission or other actions in connection with this Contest, including but not limited to claims for trademark infringement, copyright infringement; violation of an individual's right of publicity or right of privacy; or defamation. Each Submitter further agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor & Others from any and all claims that any advertising subsequently produced, presented, and/or prepared by or on behalf of Sponsor infringes Submitter's rights with regard to any Submission Elements, contained in the Submission. Although all Submissions will be reviewed by Sponsor before being judged, posted or published; the posting or publication of a Submission does not mean the Submission has been deemed to be in compliance with these Official Rules. Submissions that do not comply with these Official Rules or that otherwise contain prohibited or inappropriate content as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion will be disqualified and, if posted on any websites related to this Contest, removed there from.

5. CONTENT REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMISSION FORMAT:
(A) Creative Objective: The creative objective of the Submission is to create a Submission that will deliver the weight loss story of our community members, and motive other members to share their stories. (B) Content Requirements: The Submission must be a minimum of fifty (50) words and a maximum of one hundred fifty (300) words in length, including any tags, and must be primarily in English. Submission may not contain or refer to any food or beverage brands other than Weight Watchers® Smart Ones®. All Submission Elements used must be either (i) entirely original, or (ii) be in the public domain. Use of any elements, including without limitation music, audio, speech/voiceovers, video, stills, visuals, or other materials that are not original, in the public domain, or downloaded from the Web Site may result in disqualification of Submission, in Sponsor's sole discretion. A Submission must not contain, mention, refer or otherwise allude to the name or logo of any retailer, manufacturer, brand, product, person, company or character nor may it contain, mention, refer or otherwise allude to any obscene, lewd, violent, illegal, offensive, disparaging or inappropriate words, abbreviations, language, signs, products, symbols, political, personal and/or religious references or statements, (including but not limited to words or symbols that are widely considered offensive to individuals of a certain race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or socioeconomic group; must not promote alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco (or the use of any of the foregoing); or in any way reflect negatively upon the Sponsor as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. All Submissions will be reviewed before being posted or judged; however, despite a Submitter’s receipt of an email from Sponsor confirming acceptance of his/her Submission, posting of a Submission does not mean the Submission has been deemed to be in compliance with these Rules. Submissions that do not comply with these Official Rules or that otherwise contain prohibited or inappropriate content as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion at anytime during the Promotion Period, will be disqualified and will not be considered for a Prize. (C) Technical Requirements: The maximum file size for any Submission to be uploaded to the Contest Website is 100 MB, and must be provided in one of the following file formats: .flv, .avi, .mov, .mpg, wmv, .asf, .mpeg, .mp4, or .3gp.

6. SELECTION OF WINNERS:
Judging will commence as Submissions are received and will be completed on or around the fifteenth of each month beginning August 15, 2009 and ending May 15, 2010, at which time the highest scoring entry received as of that time will be declared the winning entry for that judging period. Two winning entries will be selected in the months of (June & July 2010). Non-winning entries from one month will be eligible to win in subsequent months, but will not be re-judged each month. Submissions will be judged by a panel of qualified judges (“Contest Judges”) comprised of Sponsor’s employees. The Contest Judges will employ the following criteria in evaluating and rating the Submissions: (i) Originality – 25%; (ii) Overall appeal – 25%; (iii) Likelihood to motivate people to use lose weight/start a healthier lifestyle -25%; and Use of key messaging – 25%. The twelve (12) Submissions that are selected based on the above criteria will be designated as the Twelve Winning Submissions. In the event of a tie in any month, the tie will be broken based on the highest score received for Criterion (i) Originality, and continuing thereafter to each other Criterion above in order, as needed to break the tie. If a tie still remains, the tied Submissions will be evaluated and ranked by a Contest Judge not previously involved in the judging. Potential Grand Prize Winners will be notified by email, phone, and/or courier within approximately five (5) business days of each drawing. The Submitters of the potential Top Twelve winners will be required to irrevocably assign and transfer to Sponsor any and all rights, title and interest in their respective Submission, including, without limitation, all copyrights, and agree to waive all moral rights in that Submission. The Submitters of the Top Twelve Winning Submissions will be required to complete, sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability Release, Copyright Assignment and, where lawful, a Publicity Release and return these properly signed documents to Sponsor in the pre-paid, pre-addressed mailer provided to Submitter within 5 days of date notice was sent or their potential winning status will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be selected. Notification of Winners status must be kept confidential until their Submissions are publicly revealed by Sponsor. All Top twelve winners are subject to verification, including without limitation, verification of eligibility, compliance with these Official Rules and completion of all required documents (described below). Additionally, the potential Winners agree that Sponsor may conduct a confidential background check as described in Rule 7 below. Entrants agree that the Sponsor has the sole right to decide all matters and disputes arising from this Contest and that all decisions of Sponsor are final and binding.

7. PRIZES: GRAND PRIZE (12):
Twelve (12) Winners will receive a flip video camera (Approximate Retail Value: $250.00). TOTAL ARV OF ALL PRIZES: $3,000. Prizes may not be redeemed for cash and they are neither transferable nor substitutable, except at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. The potential Winners may also be required to sign additional documents, as deemed necessary by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to require a potential Winner to submit to a confidential background check to confirm eligibility as a condition of awarding the Prize to help ensure that the use of any such person in advertising or publicity for the Contest will not bring Sponsor & Others into public disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule or reflect unfavorably on the Contest as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. All Prizes will be awarded provided that, in Sponsor’s good faith judgment and sole determination, there are a sufficient number of eligible and suitable Submissions. LIMIT: Only one (1) Prize per Family will be awarded.

8. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY/RELEASE/ INTERNET:
No liability or responsibility is assumed by Sponsor or Contest Parties resulting from any user's participation in or attempt to participate in the Contest or ability or inability to upload or download any information in connection with participating in the Contest. No responsibility or liability is assumed by the Sponsor or Contest Parties for technical problems or technical malfunction arising in connection with any of the following occurrences which may affect the operation of the Contest: hardware or software errors; faulty computer, telephone, cable, satellite, network, electronic, wireless or Internet connectivity or other online communication problems; errors or limitations of any Internet service providers, servers, hosts or providers; garbled, jumbled or faulty data transmissions; failure of any e-mail transmissions to be sent or received; lost, late, delayed or intercepted e-mail transmissions; inaccessibility of the Contest Website in whole or in part for any reason; traffic congestion on the Internet or the Contest Website; unauthorized human or non-human intervention of the operation of the Contest, including without limitation, unauthorized tampering, hacking, theft, virus, bugs, worms; or destruction of any aspect of the Contest, or loss, miscount, misdirection, inaccessibility or unavailability of an email account used in connection with the Contest. Sponsor & Others are not responsible for any typographical errors in the announcement of Prizes or these Official Rules, or any inaccurate or incorrect data contained in the Contest Website. The use of any robotic, automatic, macro, programmed, third party or like methods in this Contest are prohibited and the use or attempted use of such will void any attempted participation effected by such methods, may result in the cancellation, termination, or modification of the Contest and the disqualification of the individual utilizing the same. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON (S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. Use of the Contest Website is at user's own risk. Sponsor & Others are not responsible for any personal injury or property damage or losses of any kind which may be sustained to user's or any other person's computer equipment resulting from participation in the Contest, use of the Contest Website or the download of any information from the Contest Website. By participating in the Contest, the Submitter releases Sponsor & Others from any and all claims, damages or liabilities arising from or relating to participation in the Contest. By accepting a prize in the Contest, Winners agree that Sponsor & Others shall not be liable for any loss or injury resulting from participation in the Contest, or acceptance or use of any prize. Sponsor & Others are not liable in the event that any portion of the Contest is cancelled due to weather, fire, strike, acts of war or terrorism, or any other condition beyond their control (a "Force Majeure Event"). As stated above, a Submitter shall be regarded as the official representative acting on behalf of his/her Family and Family Members, is authorized to accept the Prize on behalf of the Family and Family Members, and will be the arbiter of any disputes between and/or among Family Members relating to a Submission or participation in this Contest. Sponsor & Others are not liable for any disputes between a Submitter and his/her respective Family or among Family Members as relates to a Submission or participation in this Contest. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including without limitation, infection by computer viruses, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Contest, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion to cancel, modify or terminate the Contest and proceed in a manner it deems fair and reasonable, including the selection of winners from among eligible Submissions received prior to such cancellation, modification or termination. Further, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual deemed to be (a) tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry, judging or voting process or the operation of the Contest; (b) violating the Official Rules; or (c) acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person.

9. PRIVACY POLICY:
Any personally identifiable information collected during an entrant's participation in this Promotion will be collected by Sponsor and used by Sponsor, its affiliates, agents and marketers for purposes of the proper administration and fulfillment of the Promotion as described in these Official Rules and in accordance with Sponsor's Privacy Policy as such is stated at www.heinz.com/privacy.aspx.

10. PUBLICITY RIGHTS:
By accepting a Prize, Prize Winners agree to allow Sponsor and/or Sponsor's designee the perpetual right to use their name, biographical information, photos and/or likeness, and statements for promotion, trade, commercial, advertising and publicity purposes, at any time or times, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including but not limited to on the World Wide Web and Internet, without notice, review or approval and without additional compensation except where prohibited by law.

11. GENERAL:
By entering this Contest, participants agree to abide by and accept these Official Rules. Participants waive any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules. In no event will more Prizes be awarded than are stated in these Official Rules. In the event that due to technical, mechanical or other errors, there are more potential Prize Winners than are stated in these Official Rules, a random drawing among the claimants will be held to determine the Game Prize Winners. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner based on an email address, the winning entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at time of entry. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, on-line service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. The interpretation of these Official Rules shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Any and all disputes will be resolved individually, without resort to class action, in the appropriate courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania exclusively, and subject to the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Should there be a conflict between the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and any other laws, the conflict will be resolved in favor of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. All federal, state, and local laws apply. Void in PR and where prohibited by law.

12. WINNERS LIST:
For a list of the Grand Prize Winners, visit www.eatyourbest.com/community, by 5/30/10.

These Weight Watchers Smart Ones “Share Your Story Contest” Rules may not be re-printed or republished in whole or in part without the prior written consent of H.J. Heinz Company, L.P.

Sponsor: H. J. Heinz Company, L.P. 357 6th Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 ©2009

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Most Recent Blog Posts

Bridgette Wilson - The Journey
- From: bridge92
- Description:
  
  Long as I could remember. I was the “cute, but chubby” girl. In the first grade, I weighed 90 pounds!! I was the one that adults would say, “She has such a pretty face, if only she could lose a little weight…..”
  
  Fast food was my obsession. I loved French fries…..they were everything. I never met a French fry I didn’t like. When I was in Middle school, every Friday Mom treated us to somewhere special. I would get off the bus and no matter what had happened that day, I knew we were going to go and eat later that evening. There was a place where I grew up in Houston, called “Master Burger”. They had small orders of fries: four for 25 cent with a coupon. I would get the Master Burger with Cheese and four orders of fries and sometimes onion rings as well. I would eat it all!!
  
  College was where I had my first wake up call to do something about my weight. One of my mother’s friends was into fitness and losing weight. She recommended I try Slim-Fast. I did it for about two weeks and lost 14 pounds. I was hooked. So, then I started exercising, watching what I ate and really giving it my all. I went from 194 to 130!! I was wearing a size 8 and thought I was the queen of the world. But the part I didn’t learn was HOW to eat and WHAT to do after the diet is over.   I was finally thinner, but very unhealthy. I realized that you can’t live on shakes for the rest of your life. So, before long, I put the weight back on and was heavier than when I first started out.
  
  In spite of my weight challenges over the years, I met a wonderful man in the fall of 1997. Shawn and I were married on May 20, 2000.   On our wedding day, I weighed 175, which I had accomplished to fit into my wedding dress. Before I got pregnant, I had swarmed up to 210 pounds. We had our daughter in 2004, which surprisingly, I only gained 30 pounds, so that took me to about 240 pounds. After Kayla was born, I dropped 25 pounds just like that. I thought to myself, hey, let’s try losing some more. So, I did finally get down to 188 and was feeling pretty good. I got on a 1500 calorie diet plan on my own. I exercised and was feeling pretty good about my accomplishment. But then, the yo-yo dieting started all over again for me. I returned to my old habits and the weight returned as well. I was back up to 215 pounds.
  
  A job offer came to me in November 2006. We moved to Austin, TX. I continued with my bad eating habits, rebelling on being healthy. I tried to convince myself that since I keep going back to the 200 pound range, maybe this is just where I was meant to remain.
  
  Finally, my turning point came. I had to get self-employment insurance because my consulting firm was not going to be able to provide group insurance to the Texas employees. So, that meant every consultant for my company working in Texas had to get their own insurance. Once the agent found out how much I weighed, they put me in a high risk category, which meant my rate changed so drastically. This was the wakeup call I needed.
  
  On December 28, 2006, I started my weight loss journey, weighing 215 pounds.   For once in my life, I realized, it was an addiction with me and fatty foods. I didn’t want to go back this time, but go forward. I didn’t need to be skinny, just healthy. I started changing the way I was eating and got into exercise. After a year, I got to my ultimate goal of losing 92 pounds!
  
  I have been maintaining my weight loss (between 121-124) since March 2008, which is over a year and half. I am now a size 4-6 Petite in pants and skirts and small in tops! I use to be a size 22W pants and XXL in tops. This makes shopping so much easier and more fun now!
  
  But the three things that are the key to my success are:
  - You must make it a lifestyle change.
  - You can not return to old habits.
  - You must do it for YOU.
  I have learned to find sensible alternatives and still get the same satisfaction as the high fat foods gave me.   Some people want to challenge me to see if I will stick to my new way of eating. I use this as a tool to make me stronger. I have adopted a new way of thinking and along with it came a new life.
  
  Before I go out to a restaurant, I research online for calorie and fat counts. I know what to order before I get there. I only eat out twice a month, and I make Smart Ones part of my lunch menu at least 3 times a week!
  I have learned on my journey that you must plan or you will fail. I have finally learned that I am a food addict and I have to be aware of that or I will end up back in the plus-size department.   But with a little planning ahead, I believe I will make it this time.
  The surprising conclusion is that I don’t even like the way those fatting foods made me feel. I know that I didn’t like the way they made me look.   So, do I miss it?? Not one bit, because when I look in a mirror, I am so grateful to God for helping me to find a new life.
- Blog post
- 3 weeks ago
- Views: 649
- Not yet rated
Autumn Lost 40Ibs!
- From: autumnleaves
- Description:
  
  After my first born (1999) I had great intentions of getting the weight off, but it just never happened. I kept telling myself that I’m going to have another baby so why work hard to get the weight off I was just going to put it back on… A few years went by before I gave birth to my second child in 2004. By then I had gained an extra 40ibs. I felt beautiful and big and I thought I loved my life. By 2006, I had put on another 10ibs and I noticed my health starting to change. I couldn’t walk around the block without losing my breath, I couldn’t run around with my kids at the park, and I started getting sick more frequently. It was a doctor’s visit and a friend that changed my life…
  In 2006, I had another typically cold during the winter months that lead me in an urgent care facility. While there it was brought to my attention that my blood-pressure what so high that if I didn’t do something about it my kids wouldn’t have a mother in a five years. This was heart breaking to hear those words. I asked what I should do and they told me to lose weight and start working out. I knew the years of saying I need to get the weight off would catch up to me, I just didn’t realize it would happen so quickly.
  It took a few weeks to sink in and as I started talking about it to a friend of mine at work she asked me to join weight watchers with her. I really toggled over the idea wondering if a program could really change my life. She really encouraged me to just check things out and said she would 100% support me if I joined, she was going to join. That next week I decided to make the change and join the journey.
  My journey started in 2007 I call it a journey because it was an adventure of ups and downs. I attended weekly weight watchers meetings and worked out three or more days a week. During our meetings we were able to discuss recipes, the best tasting SmartOnes and ways to conquer hunger. I also owe a lot of my success to my friend, she committed to supporting me 100% and she meant every word of it. We were buddies the entire way, we called, texted and emailed each other during moments of weakness and moments of success. I credit my success to great meals, fun workouts and to a supportive friend.
  I joined weight watchers in 2007 and have been a lifetime member since March of 2009. I’m still keeping it off!
  Name: Autumn
  Age: 28
  Height: 5’3”
  Was: 189ibs
  Lost: 40ibs
  Weight: 148ibs
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
- Views: 693
- Not yet rated
I never thought it was possibl
- From: jodi821
- Description:
  
  My name is Jodi, I am 38 yrs old and I am from Columbus, Ohio. In 2004 I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, and had to have my thyroid removed. After 2 surgeries and several radio-active iodine treatments I am nearly cancer free. I'm not sure how long I had been living with a poorly functioning thyroid. Since that time I have been taking my synthroid and had hoped that would help with my weight problems, unfortunatly over the years I had developed poor eating habits and the weight was still coming on.
  On November 6, 2008 I joined Weight Watcher's with a friend. I was hesitent and skeptical. I went in with a positive attitude and my eye on the prize. I had tried most of the "new" fad diets and over the counter methods and nothing worked. I was so nervous at the first meeting, I felt sick. I was afraid I was going to fail and wondered what was I doing there? I listened and I learned. I went home with the feeling, I think I can do this !! It all seemed easy enough and doable. The weeks passed and the weight was coming off. I was excited and with the excitement came determination. This really is working !!
  Weight Watchers taught me how to eat right, get motivated and stay focued. In the past with other diets it always felt like you have to give up all thing taboo. WW allows you to still have the thing you want but in moderation. I don't think my success would be possible without the SmartOnes products. I work full time and have 2 kids so life can be hectic at times. Planning a WW friendly meal for the whole family is often not possible. I love that I can make a salad and pop in a SmartOnes dinner without the worry of how many points is this? SmartOnes I couldn't have done it without you !!!
  It is now the beginning of October 2009 and I have lost a total of 114.4 lbs using the weight watchers plan and eating SmartOnes. Thank You I am eternally greatful !!!
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
- Views: 1021
- Not yet rated
Living My Dream
- From: ckushner
- Description:
  
  I'd been a life member of Weight Watchers when I was in my 20's in the 1970's but lost my focus and yo-yoed for some time. In my 30's, I'd started exercising and stablized my weight. Unfortunately, the level where I stablized was higher than I really wanted to be. By my mid-forties, I was exercising, eating reasonably, but I was eating too much. Five years ago, at age 54, my 18 year old daughter wanted to lose some weight for her senior prom. I knew that Weight Watchers was the only way to go and agreed to start attending the meetings with her. She lost five pounds for the prom, but gained it back when she went to college. On the other hand, I found the program fit my needs perfectly. While I originally wanted to lose 10 pounds, with my roller-blading, cycling, snowshoeing, skiing, and lifting weights, the pounds melted away. I ultimately lost about 20 pounds! I ended up at a weight I had only dreamed of. All at once, clothes seemed attractive, I felt amazingly strong and healthy, and I had a higher level of confidence in everything I took on. Keeping the weight off has required a continued focus on healthy eating and exercise, but it is quite doable. I'm a real booster for the program. In fact, when a new staff member joined my office, she joined Weight Watchers. She's lost more than 90 pounds and is now a leader. Today, there are two other Weight Watchers in my office. Added to that, our employer now offers Weight Watcher classes onsite, and there are healthy options served in our cafeteria, often with point counts provided. I'll be 60 on my next birthday, and I feel great about aging. I wouldn't want to go back to my younger self. This is who I want to be!
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
- Views: 312
- Not yet rated
my journey
- From: kymberlee
- Description:
  
  Where do I begin? I feel like weight has been an issue in my life since I've been 10 years old. I have always struggled with it and it seems like such a part of me that it's all I have ever thought about. I'm not going to sit here and say I was trying to hide pain with food, I had a wonderful, turmoil filled, average upbringing and will not blame my parents or peer pressure for my weight issues. I simply love food. I love the way it makes me feel, I love the different textures and tastes, and for the way it brings family together. I just have a problem with knowing when enough is enough. I love food so much, and want to be able to eat what I want when I want that parts of me go into denial mode and before I know it, I have 50 or more pounds to lose. I enjoy my way up to a certain point, then realize I need to do something for my health and for myself. To help me on my quest, I have gone to the weight watchers point system. It has been a God send. I am still able to enjoy the foods I love without going overboard or feeling guilty about it. All I can say is I have lost these 50 stubborn pounds and have never felt deprived or like I was on a diet. Thank you so much weight watchers for your point system, and for your food. I will forever be grateful.....
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
- Views: 311
- Not yet rated
Planning Ahead
- From: thewwchick
- Description:
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  Hi. My name is Heather, and I’m a foodaholic. My foodaholism is what got me to Weight Watchers, where I was able to learn the skills it takes to lose weight and keep it off. I lost 80 pounds with Weight Watchers back in 2002, and have managed to keep it off ever since. That’s 7 ½ years for anyone counting!
  
  Obviously, I love to eat. I also love to cook. Even though I have a passion for anything culinary related, having Smart Ones in the freezer is very important to me. I consider these little frozen treasures a tool that helps me keep the 80 pounds off. I rely heavily on the structure Weight Watchers provides, and that includes meal planning. However, there are days where things come up, and I just don’t get dinner or lunch made. I pop a Smart Ones in the microwave, add a little salad to go with it, and viola – a delish meal is ready! Part of meal planning includes having Plan B in your back pocket, ready to use at any given moment, and that’s for sure what Smart Ones provide for me. I’ll also admit, the Santa Fe Rice and Beans is sometimes planned into my menu because I love it so much. Even my children love “Smart Ones night” (the mac ‘n cheese meal is their favorite).
- Blog post
- 1 month ago
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Weight Loss Sucess - You Can D
- From: SM21
- Description:
  
  My successful weight loss journey began when I joined Weight Watchers in October 2005. Although I weighed in at 249 lbs my weight had actually peaked at 276 lbs at a previous WW class many years ago. I knew that my health was in jeopardy and if I was going to do it this would be the time. As much as I wanted to look better my ultimate reason for joining was to be healthy. I had recently been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea although I know I had had it for many years. I was on multiple blood pressure medications and had even been hospitalized for severe hypertension. My dad and my grandfather both had adult onset diabetes and I knew I was next in line. I also have degenerative disc disease and have back pain every day. Being a Registered Nurse I knew the complications of these diseases and felt that I had better do something if I wanted to enjoy a long healthy life. I was 52 when I joined this WW class. What led me to this class was someone I had met in a support group meeting for sleep apnea. We began to talk one evening after the meeting and I told her that I knew I needed to lose weight but didn't know how as I had tried everything - even the crazy things. I had been heavy for the majority of my adult life. She told me that she had lost over 200 lbs and that I should come to her WW meeting on Saturday morning. I couldn't imagine getting up so early to go to a WW class on a Saturday! I will forever be indebted to Jane.
  That Saturday I walked into the class and I never looked back. My leader had lost a huge amount of weight herself and had kept it off for many years. She was smart, compassionate, caring and funny. As I went each and every Saturday I soon discovered that the room of about 50 regular WW's were caring and supportive and had a large amount of "big" losers and life time members. I never missed a meeting as that became my life line. I learned so much from not only my leader but from all of the other members. We became and still are to this day one big family. In June of 2006 I reached my doctor's and my goal of 165 and had lost 84 lbs. After maintaing my weight for quite a while I decided to continue to try and lose weight (with my doctor's blessing) and reached WW's goal of 146 in May 2008 totaling 103 lbs in this class and 130 lbs from my highest WW weight. I have learned that maintenance is not staying at one exact weight as weight fluctuates but ultimately it is about maintaining your weight. I no longer get upset when I weigh in (which I choose to do weekly even though the requirement for life time members is monthly) and the scale goes up because I know by following program it will go back down.
  I now live a healthy lifestyle. I exercise five days a week and actually enjoy it! I think the key to exercise is finding something that you actually like to do. I also find any excuse I can to walk to where I am going and always use the stairs. It's the little things that help me be successful. I always have my points finder with me and always read labels before I purchase anything. Maybe occasionally I miss the way I use to eat but I never miss the way I felt after I ate so much. I find on WW I can eat anything. It's all about moderation and making your points work for you.
  Health wise I am very fortunate as my sleep apnea is gone. That is not always the case for other medical reasons but it is in my case. I am off all my blood pressure medications. My blood sugars are completely normal and I no longer am in a high risk category for diabetes. Most of all I don't live with the terrible back pain that I use to on a daily basis.
  It has been over four years now that I have kept my weight off and been a life time member of WW. I still go to "my" class every Saturday morning. Being able to walk and move and do things that I couldn't do before is wonderful. I now have two one year old grandsons that I am able to sit on the floor and play with. Being successful is all about moderation. You can eat anything on Weight Watchers and still be successful.
  The compliments from people are nice and wearing clothes you like are great but most of all having your health and looking forward to living a long healthy life feels so good.
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
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Weight Loss Success
- From: jrs1980
- Description:
  
  In August of 2004, I was about to turn 24 years old. I was 375 lbs and very unhappy. I did not have a college education, and I worked the graveyard shift at a local hospital. I ate out of vendint machines and slept all day, avoiding working out. When I turned 24, I decided that I needed to make a change. I began working out slowly and eating healthier, thanks to Weight Watchers. With a healthier diet and regualr exercise plan, I began to slowly see the difference in my appearance. Now, 5 years later, I am down to 205 lbs, a 170 lbs difference. I love Weight Watchers products, and Weight Watchers Smart Ones are great. I'm a new man, thanks to a new plan which included Weight Watchers.
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 342
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My Weight Loss Journey
- From: cspliedt
- Description:
  
  Hi! My name is Corinne Spliedt and I have been a lifetime member for about 20 months. I had always been fit, exercising three times a week, since I was 30 years old. It wasn’t until I reached age 40 that the weight started creeping up. When I turned 40, I gained 5 lbs which translated to increasing by 2 sizes. I thought there was something wrong with me so I mentioned it at my physical. My doctor replied that I had to “eat less and exercise more”. I was infuriated! Didn’t he know that I exercised faithfully and I thought I ate healthy foods?
  
  Each year I packed on more pounds until I went from a size 8 to a 14 and had gained 35 lbs. I was devastated when I tried on my fall wardrobe and could not zip up a single pair of pants. That was my turning point as well as seeing my picture in my daughter’s wedding photos. I did not like what I saw.
  
  It was very difficult to walk in the door to our local Weight Watchers facility. I was very nervous and embarrassed until I looked around and noticed members of my community, co-workers, parishioners, and people from school. I was not alone. Everyone struggles with their weight but not everyone does something positive to overcome the problem. I was a bit confused and overwhelmed initially by the points plan, but as each week went by, it became easier until it just became part of my daily routine.
  
  The biggest lesson I learned from Weight Watchers is to look at the fat and fiber content and portion sizes. This is what caused my weight gain in the first place. I didn’t look at these things and I was not diligent on determining whether something was healthy just because it had low fat, sugar-free, or diet on the package. It was a real eye opener to see the nutrition information of my favorite dishes at local restaurants. I subscribe to HungryGirl.com which gives me a great deal of helpful information regarding food products and motivational ideas. I also know how to order when I eat out by eliminating certain items, mainly deep fried foods, creamy sauces, butter, ordering sauces on the side, and going on-line prior to the meal and look up the lowest fat menu items. It’s called being prepared.
  
  Each day for lunch I would have a Smart Ones entrée because not only did I enjoy them but it was easy to track the point value. I keep a box of Fiber One bars in my car and one bar in my purse in case of a snack attack. I have a 48 oz. water bottle with me at all times. I have only missed 2 meetings since I joined in October 2007 due to vacations, and I believe this has kept me on track. The meetings give you ideas, support, and the opportunity to utilize the Weight Watchers products to keep you going. I make sure to include fruits and vegetables in each meal or snack. I snack on low calorie items that are recommended by WW or HG. This has been a lifesaver for me as I tend to snack when I get bored.
  
  I have more energy now and I weigh the same as when I got married 27 years ago. I am 50 years old, and I feel much younger and vital than I did when I was 40. Since I’ve been unemployed I’ve increased my exercise regimen from three to six times a week at a gym, and do stretches and use a weighted hula-hoop for 15 minutes every other day to keep my body strong. I now enjoy exercising instead of feeling that I “have to do it because I ate too much the night before”. I went down to a size 4 and still have a hard time believing that I accomplished my goal and have maintained it for this long.
  
  I encourage anyone who thinks that it is too hard to lose weight to try Weight Watchers and have an open mind. It will not happen overnight, but you will see a transformation if you continue attending the meetings and following the healthy food guidelines. I went from 165 to 130 lbs., and lost 32 inches total.
  
  Thank you for the opportunity to share my story.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Corinne A. Spliedt
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
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I'm Living It!!
- From: cherylandres
- Description:
  
  Back in December 2007, my weight was the highest it had ever been and it was really affecting my health. Falling asleep in a couple meetings was a concern, but when I fell asleep at the wheel, and scared the pants off my daughter, I decided it was time to see the doctor. She ordered a sleep study and they found I had severe sleep apnea, which of course increased my risk for cardio and pulmonary problems. They prescribed a CPap machine, which was pure torture! I felt trapped, muzzled! But it was the impetus I needed to get serious about my weight.
  In January 2008, I joined Weight Watchers. I'm just barely 5'4" tall and weighed in at 357.8 pounds! I was doing quite well and lost about 60 pounds. Then I had a bit of a relapse last fall. Since I had all the tools and knowledge, I thought I could do it on my own. Within three months I gained 10 pounds and realized that I needed the support and accountability of the program. I returned to Weight Watchers in January 2009.
  Since I began this journey way back in 08, I have lost a total of 106.6 pounds! I'm about half-way to my goal weight of 137.8. I'm looking great and feeling even better! My sleep apnea isn't gone yet, but it is improving. They cut my air pressure level in half after losing 50 pounds and my doctor expects they'll be able to lower it again now. We're hoping that soon, I won't need it at all!
  I've learned a lot over the past year and a half. I know how to eat, and more importantly, what triggers me to eat when I'm not hungry. I've learned that sweat is NOT the enemy and that exercise can be fun! Most important of all though, is that I've changed my life and my healthy choices are affecting the lives of my children and those around me. My oldest daughter joined Weight Watchers and has lost 30 pounds so far! A co-worker joined and has lost over 50 pounds! I'm so proud of them and so happy to have been able to make a little bit of a difference in their lives!
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 241
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down 145 pounds After picture
- From: Spastic5466
- Description:
  
  I started this journey 11/05 It took me awhile to lose I am a slow loser but that is ok because they say the slower it comes off the easier it is to keep it off. I was at 264 ++ I could not even tie my own shoe. I told my husband I wanted to get the surgery and he said no way. I was on a lot of medication for all types of things I have arthritis and could barley walk. I told him fine I am trying on my own one more time and this time it worked. I have been taken off 7 medications now my arthritis is under control and I am so much heathier.The main things I have learned is to take one day at a time. We are only human and unfortunately we will be doing this our whole life. So we are going to have ups and downs. If you have a bad meal that's fine do not say to yourself ok I blew lunch I might as well not exercise today or I will eat whatever the rest of the day. It is only one meal. Also the same goes if you have a bad day then next day pick yourself up and dust yourself off and continue. I weighed almost 300 pounds and I always used to think about how much weight I had to lose and I would get discouraged so I started only thinking about 10 pounds at a time and then it started working for me. Hear are some of the things that work for me. I bring my lunch and morning and after noon snacks to work with me. I pack it up in the morning and bring it with me so there is no excuse that I do not have the right things with me. I also cook up a bunch of recipes from the site and from low calorie books and I freeze them into serving size portions so If I am running late and can not cook I have no excuse I just take something out of the freezer and I just have to heat it up. Make sure you write everything down you are eating and make sure you are doing some exercise I started out 30 min 3 days a week now I do at least 60min to 90 mins 6 days a week and most days I do more then that. After awhile things will start to get easier. I also just recently started a new gym I used to go to a gym, with a circuit training and only two cardio machines. Now the gym I go to is a full size one that has 4 different cardio machines triple the amount of machines and they have classes and it is great. And because of the change I am getting more tone and losing more inches and I am now in a size 6 and 122 pounds.
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 414
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A Journey worth every effort
- From: krisnturner
- Description:
  
  86 pounds! That is what the final count of pounds lost was for me! Of course it was a journey and took me 15 months of dedication and will to do it....but it was worth the end results!
  October 2007 I saw myself in the mirror and was disgusted! I could not beleive how big I had gotten. I had quit looking in the mirror, had quit being in pictures, and had quit caring. Well, that all changed one day. I called a friend who I had watched lose 100 pounds and asked her if I could attend her meeting with her. Of course I could...so that Wednesday in October I attended my first Weight Watcher meeting. There was so much inspiration and motivation at that meeting that there was no turning back. I joined that day! Now, I had not been on scale in quite awhile and had no idea how much I weighed. I stepped on the scale and began my journey at 238 pounds. I immedietly started counting points on everything. When I would eat it was not longer: "Oh, that sandwich was good!" It was, "Oh, that sandwich is 8 points!" I became what my mother called me....a Weight Watcher Nazi! For the next 15 months I stayed dedicated and would watch the weight come off. I couldn't always see it, but everyone around me could. I continued to make smart choices in what I was eating and watching my portion controls. That is one thing that was the hardest for me. I did not realize how much I was actually eating! When I would have something to eat, I would eat what was given to me or eat until I felt full. I never measured or weighed anything until that October. I bought a scale for food and weighed or measured everything that I would eat. The weight started litterally falling off of me. There were some weeks that I would have a slight gain or not lose as much as I had hoped to lose but I stuck with it. I always tracked what I was eating also. It made it so much easier to see what I had actually taken in and would keep me in contol. My motto became....if you bite it, write it! 15 months after starting my journey at 238 pounds I had finally reached my goal. I had lost 86 pounds! I look better, feel better and am all around a better person. I am always looking to inspire someone to lose weight and get told all the time I am a huge inspiration! I never knew it was so much fun to be healthy and skinny! I can do more with my kids, I don't get tired as easily as I used to, and I can ride rollar coasters and actually not get stuck in them!!! I have been maintaining my weight now for 8 months and plan to stay the way I am. I will never go back to being big again! The journey was all worth it in the end!
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 219
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my weight loss success
- From: desautell
- Description:
  
  WHY I DID IT: I was always the fat girl, the one who was picked last for everything in school. When I graduated high school, I married a year later and had two children by age 23. Taking care of two little ones, there was never any time for me. I ate fast food, and the weight just kept piling on. I made several attempts to get healthy. When my youngest was 3, I joined Weight Watchers. I worked hard at it and lost 86 pounds, but when my marriage fell apart and I became a single mom, I made poor food choices, went out to eat all the time, and the weight came right back on and then some. I just kept on eating junk food and didn't care how I looked. I developed high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. My doctor told me that I'd better do something or I'd be dead by the time I was 60. Then a new man came into my life, and he asked me to marry him. I wanted to lose 50 pounds before the wedding, which I did. But after the wedding I went right back to my old ways of eating. At 38, I became a grandmother and my granddaughter has been such a wonderful joy to me, but I continued eating poorly, dining at McDonald's and Burger King for breakfast and lunch. I was probably eating more than 5,000 calories a day at that point and washing it all down with Diet Coke. At dinnertime I would eat, then I would also snack all night long. I had gained so much weight that I was at the heaviest I had ever been 242 pounds. Then one day when my granddaughter was 3, she looked at me and said, "Memere, why can't you go and play at the park with me, like the other kids' grandmothers?" I then decided that I wanted to live and be healthy. I needed to be here for her. HOW I DID IT: I started working for Cybex in Medway, which makes exercise equipment. And in November 2007, I went back to Weight Watchers. Our CEO at Cybex paid half of the membership. Donna Gill, an employee of Cybex in Medway, lost 90 pounds thanks to hard work, support from her boss and a strict diet before her weight loss.
  Since then, I have lost a total of 90 pounds. I hit the gym five days a week and work out early in the morning at Planet Fitness in Woonsocket, R.I., or in the company gym during lunch time. The company gym has treadmills, arc trainers, bikes and strength equipment. I generally walk on the treadmill, setting it at a steep incline, for 35 to 40 minutes and then I'll use the arc trainer for 10 minutes. With a steep incline you can burn just as many calories walking as if you were running. I also do strength training. Most days I'm in the gym at 5 a.m. My husband thinks I'm nuts. I attend Weight Watchers meetings once a week on Saturdays in North Smithfield, R.I. The support group and leader help keep me motivated. SECRET TIP: Sometimes I sleep in shorts and a T-shirt so I can just get up, put on my sneakers and go. HURDLES: I gave pizza up for a year. At Weight Watchers, they call it a "red light" food. I couldn't eat just two pieces I'd eat th whole thing. Now I can eat just two pieces and fit it into my Weight Watchers plan. The holidays are the toughest because you never know what someone is going to have at their house if you're visiting. Now I eat something small at home so I can eat just a little when I go out. Often I make my own holiday meals and invite people to my house instead. I'll make a sweet potato for myself rather than eat mashed potatoes. I adjust desserts to make them low-sugar and low-fat. When I go out to eat, to Medway Cafe or Applebees for instance, I'll have a grilled chicken salad and ask them to put the dressing on the side. Or, I'll have fish, baked potato and broccoli. GOING THE DISTANCE: Today, I no longer have diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. I no longer take medication of any kind, when before I was taking pills for everything. I went from a size 22 to a size 8/10. I have about 10 pounds to go to reach my goal, which my doctor and I have decided is a good weight for me. If it had not been for Weight Watchers and the support group that we have, I don't know if I could have done it. I have to say that I have made the best lifestyle change I could have Donna Gill, a Blackstone resident who works at Cybex in Medway, before her weight loss.
  ever made. The look in the eyes of my granddaughter, who is now 5, when she tells me how much she loves the new Memere, is priceless, and I would not change that for anything. BEST ADVICE: Don't give up. And if you have a bad day, get back on track the next. "If you always do what you always did, you're always going to get what you always got," my Weight Watchers leader used to say. She's absolutely right.
  http://www.milforddailynews.com/lifestyle/columnists/x269050010/MY-DIET-STORY-Grandma-find-motivation-in-granddaughters-eyes
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 257
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I lost 148 pounds
- From: teepy917
- Description:
  
  I joined Weight Watchers February 16, 2004 at the weight of 294.6 pounds. I reached goal in January 2007 with a loss of over 148 pounds. I have been at Lifetime since March 2007 and continue to go to weekly Weight Watchers meetings on Monday nights. I have been eating Smart Ones dinners during the whole losing phase of my weight loss and continue to eat them on occasions. My clothes size went from a tight 24 to a 4-6, sometimes even a 2!!! Weight Watchers is a program that really works as I am living proof of it. The program and the products makes it easier to live a healthier lifestyle without denying yourself delicious food....
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 337
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Living my Best Life
- From: levanduski00
- Description:
  
  I have struggled with weight my entire life. I have done every “fad” diet out there looking for the miracle cure to free me from my fat prison. Like so many others, I was looking for the easy way out. I never understood why this was happening to me and why I couldn’t catch a break. It never occurred to me that I was doing it to myself.
  I always thought, “If I could just magically wake up at my goal weight, I could easily maintain it.” With that belief, I seriously researched gastric bypass surgery. In hindsight, it’s the one time in my life that I was grateful to not have the funds to support that whim.
  After I passed 265 for the second time in my life, I stopped looking at the scale during my ob/gyn checkups at the doctor’s office. I honestly have no idea where I peaked with my second pregnancy. Frankly, I don’t really want to know. After our son was born, my weight came down into the 240’s. I stayed there for months. My gelatinous body repelled me. I kept saying, “I have to go on a diet” but did not feel the motivation to make a change. I believed that “diet” meant “deprivation” and I just wasn’t about to give up on my sweets just yet.
  We moved again to California…land of opportunity. Words have never rung so true. I found an opportunity to answer a casting call from the Discovery Health channel. They were looking for people who need to lose anywhere between 30-100 pounds and take on a lifestyle makeover. That fit me perfectly. I went on the interview and miraculously, got the gig! I was going to be on TV!
  That's when fear set in. I was going to share my weight issues with the world, raw and open for everyone to judge. I met Bob Greene as a part of the show and he changed my life. He has really instilled in me the tools I need to truly live my best life. I am not on a diet. I am living a healthy lifestyle.
  I never exercised before. Ever. Now I am at the gym 5-6 days a week for at least 90 minutes. I have signed up for my first 5K. Exercise is non-negotiable for me. It’s a part of who I am now.
  Nutritionally, I make the best decisions of my life. I used to make what was creamy, fatty, cheesy, etc. Now I long to taste the real flavors of food, without them being disguised. I used to snack all day long rather than eat meals with appropriate snacks. All that has changed. I often ate Weight Watchers Smart Ones with a salad for my lunch! It was a fast, delicious way to satisfy my hunger!
  I am proud to say that I am now 165 pounds. I have 20 pounds to go to reach my goal. Since I’m not really sure where my weight was to start, I use the beginning weight of 238 pounds. That’s where I was when I answered the casting call. I have lost 73 pounds and counting! I have gone from a size 20 to a size 10 and lost countless inches!
  I am now pursuing a career in motivational speaking. So many friends and family members have asked me for advice and encouragement in their own goals. I feel as though I have something to share and want to help others feel as great as I do!
  I documented my weight loss journey with Bob and the Discovery Health channel on my blog, www.jlevanduski.blogspot.com. I am hoping to start web casting to help others and really need the Flip video camera to reach another goal. Thank you for reading my story!!
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 274
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Weight Watchers helped me lose
- From: stilhumbl
- Description:
  
  I was in my hometown newspaper; the Tampa Tribune. All I've ever wanted to do was share this with everyone and get people motivated to make positive lifestyle changes for the sake of their health.
  
  This is a link to the article http://bit.ly/13uBfh
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 258
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Sassy Cassie's Size Six
- From: mamacassie2000
- Description:
  
  So you know how everyone says...the more kids you have the harder it is to lose the weight!!! Well that applied to me, a mother of three. BC (before children) I could just lose ten pounds with barely blinking an eye. Well when I had my first daughter, I lost my mama-weight within the first months. With my second daughter, it was about two months to lose all the mama-weight. Well then four years later I had my son and gained about forty-five pounds. Well that mama-weight was not too easy to get rid of!!! All my friends are older than me and would always give me the "everything goes downhill when your thirty" speech. I was going to be thirty in less than two years and I knew I needed to do something. So what did I do, I joined Weight Watchers! It was very hard for me to think that I needed to go to meetings, sit there and listen like I was at Saturday school or something. But it was not like that at all!!! There actually were people there just like me...mothers whom needed that extra boost to get them going! I would go to my Saturday meetings religiously and if I lost that week, I’d go get a treat at the local coffee shop . After seven months of watching my food intake, doing the points thing and weighing in...I did it...I lost 25 pounds! I worked so hard and it finally showed when people would come up and say...WOW...you look fabulous! It was an awesome feeling. And guess what...I will be thirty in the middle of October this year and I feel better than I did ten years ago! I went from a size 14 to a size 6! Do it for yourself...not for anyone else!
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 276
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I'm Never Joining Weight Watch
- From: Doingthis4Chris
- Description:
  
  OK ...let me explain. I'm never joining Weight Watcher's again, because I'm never quitting again. I know that I need to be at meetings and work the program. Now, for a bit of background on my weight loss journey.
  My first time at Weight Watcher's was in 1973. I was at a large get together and noticed that an acquaintance of mine was 'melting away'. I desperately needed to 'melt' a bit myself. I was about 185 pounds at the time. I'd seen her off and on for months, and wanted to know what she was doing. She looked wonderful! She told me that she'd been attending Weight Watcher's meetings and had lost about 40 pounds. Well, I went to the next Weight Watcher's meeting with her. We worked the program together, and we had such fun trying to figure out ways to incorporate liver into our diets. The program in 1973 was remarkably different. The list of foods that we could choose from was nothing compared to the foods that we couldn't eat, but we got results! I was down 50 pounds in about 6 months. I was young so my goal weight was lower than it is now. 125 pounds ...I thought (and so did she) that "we can do this on our own now!" WRONG! We both quit Weight Watcher's and we both gained weight ...lots and lots of weight, and it came back with a frenzy!
  The second time around was about 2 years later. The program had changed a bit, but the food choices were still very narrow. I was not quite 200 pounds and my friend was probably about the same weight as I was. Together, we joined again. We were both successful. We lost lots and we lost fast. Once again, we made the mistake of thinking that we could do it without going to meetings. It took me years to figure it out. ...why? I don't know!
  Over the years, I tried lots of different things to lose weight. I tried counting calories, the banana diet, the grapefruit diet, the egg diet, the spinach diet and more. I always knew that what works for me is Weight Watchers.
  When I was in my late 40's, I went to the Dr and weighed in at 266 pounds! I was horrified! The Dr talked to me about trying Fen Phen. He gave me information that show how successful the diet drug was. Well, that was something that I'd heard others were trying, with wonderful results but I decided that I'd research it first. I did, and what I found out scared me! I went back to the Dr and told him that I wasn't going to go on this 'diet' pill and gave him the information that I'd found online. He scoffed at me and said, "Well then, you're just stupid! Here's something that works, and you're not even willing to give it a try!" I was stunned at his attitude but not stunned enough to just take it! I replied, "Well, maybe you Drs just want to kill off all the fat people so you won't have to treat them anymore! I know what to do, and I'm going to do it. By the way, you're fired!" I walked out of the office. Who needs a Dr like that?
  The next day, I joined Weight Watchers for the last time! I have to say, the program is the best in the world! It's healthy and reasonable. In a year, I'd lost 70 pounds, and by the end of the second year, I was down 100.2 pounds and became a lifetime member. I got (from my wonderful new Dr) a 'weight goal waiver'. He said that I'd be fine at 175 pounds. I got down to 166.8. I was in size 10's and so happy with myself. I was able to maintain my weight for quite awhile. About 3 years ago, there was a tragedy in my family. My sister died suddenly and it devastated me ...and of course, I turned to food. I know that it doesn't solve anything, but at the time I didn't care. I just wanted to fill that void with food. I gained back about 38 pounds. BUT ...I haven't quit going to class, and I'm not going to. The support I get from my class is awesome! My leader is the best. I've been shown nothing but kindness and patience ...after all, "life happens". I'm losing again. I have about 26 pounds to get back down to my goal, and I will do it because I'm never joining again!
  October 20, 2009
  I recently tried Smart Ones Artisan Creation Flatbread Sandwiches & the Artisan Creation Pizzas. My husband and I decided that we'd have them again. They were satisfying and tasty.
  I would highly recommend the Ice Cream Sundae's if you have a chocolate craving. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and the Peanut Butter ones are sooooo good!
  Well, I'm losing again, and happy about it. I'll keep you posted on my progress.
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
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My weight loss story
- From: kraftyladyincali
- Description:
  
  I reached my highest "non pregnant" weight of 323 after I had my last child. Shortly afterwards, my father at the age of 58 had a stroke and adult onset diabetes. As soon as I got the call that he was in the hospital, that very NIGHT I signed up for weight watchers. So far, I've lost 80 lbs with weight watchers, eating healthy, tracking all my foods, and exercise. I did, however, hit a plateau...for 11 months! But, the good news is, I WILL NEVER give up..not till I hit my goal weight, and even then, I know I'll be fighting this battle my whole life. A month ago, my old boss at Curves, found me on facebook. She saw that I lost 80 lbs, and was always posting healthy meals on my facebook page, and posting good recipes, and motivating all my friends. She sent me a message asking me to come back to work for her and teach the weight management class on Thursday nights. I was so sooo excited, because Curves always helped me stay on track. We're acctually ENCOURAGED to work out while we're working, so our members see us trying to better ourselves as well. So, even though I've got a long ways to go before I hit my goal weight, I know that I'm getting back on track and will reach my goal. No more plateaus, my head is in the game!
  Jill Brush
  
  ps-the picture I uploaded is of me, after losing 80 lbs, out on a 2 mile walk around my neighborhood. I like to post my exercise on my facebook page for my friends...cause it motivates them to get off their hineys and exercise too!
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 225
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90 Lbs gone!
- From: lindseylu8
- Description:
  
  After Losing 90 lbs Before losing 90 lbs
  I was overweight all my life, I remember being bigger than the other kids in kindergarten even. My weight eventually escalated to 235 lbs., that's when I stopped weighing myself. Having never been a healthy weight, I felt helpless. I finally decided it was time to make a change. I started with my eating habits; cut out deep fried foods, fast foods, and high fat meats, cheeses, and dairy. I also started adding in more fresh fruits and vegetables and cutting out processed foods. This diet change helped but I knew I needed to add exercise in to lose weight, gain muscle, and get healthy and fit.
  
  I started with a gym membership but was only focusing on cardio. I wasn’t getting the results I wanted so I quit the gym and started using exercise DVDs. I decided I needed to start incorporating strength training into my workouts and stop killing myself with cardio, cardio, cardio. Women sometimes shy away from using weights, but I’m telling you-you will not get the results you want without combining them with your cardio! Not only did the at-home-workouts tone and tighten my body, they helped me lose pounds and inches in all the right spots! I have been working out to at home for years and am still seeing improvements in my body and health.
  
  I found that exercise DVDs are definitely for me! I love that I no longer have to dread the gym and hate the Stairmaster. The cost and time savings from not having a gym membership really add up! Taking into account the gym membership, workout clothes, gas, and my time- it just makes sense for me.
  
  I am a true believer in finding what works for you-be it a gym membership, exercise dvds, or walking your dog. You have to love what you do or you won’t keep doing it. It has to be a lifestyle change-fad diets or quick fix exercise crazes will not work. There is no magic bullet-hard work pays off in the end.
  
  I have lost inches off my waistline (and every other part of my body) and gained muscle definition I have never had before. I have gone from a size 23/ 24 to a size 8, dropping 95 pounds.
  Exercise Program:
  I aim for 360 minutes of exercise per week-typically 60 minutes six days per week. I do three days of strength work and three days of cardio.
  On my strength days I like to add in cardio intervals to keep my heart rate up and help me burn more calories.
  For my cardio days I enjoy floor and step aerobics or jumping on my mini trampoline.
  Maintenance Tips:
  1. Do the exercises you enjoy-you won’t stick with something that you don’t like.
  2. Keep the mentality that this is a lifestyle change. Scheduling a daily workout is as important as any other appointment you have.
  3. Indulge in healthy versions of your favorite unhealthy foods. It will keep you from feeling deprived and will keep you on track.
  Diet:
  I choose healthy alternatives when eating out, baked or grilled chicken, fish, or lean cuts of beef. I avoid deep fried foods, mayonnaise and mayonnaise based dressings, unhealthy oils, full fat dairy products, high calorie snacks and desserts. I eat three servings of fresh fruit and four servings of fresh vegetables per day. I avoid white rice, pasta, and bread; instead opting for whole grains. Leaving cheese off sandwiches and pizza is a great calorie saver! I don’t deprive myself, if I really want something I find a healthier version of that food. That way I will feel satisfied and won’t derail my diet.
- Blog post
- 2 months ago
- Views: 367
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