Diet Success Story - Amy

Diet success story about Amy. Amy started weight watchers 5 years ago so she is a veteran that is on maintenance and has been for a while.

Teaching herself how to maintain her new weight is Amy's proudest achievement.

In December 2000, Amy weighed 168.4 pounds. The 5'5" 25-year-old said to her mother, "I'm tired of being overweight. Let's join Weight Watchers meetings." Having her mother as a buddy helped spur Amy on. After just four months following the POINTS® Weight-Loss System, she'd lost 29 pounds! Amy recalls, "The biggest hurdle was maintenance, until I figured out how to stay on plan." Here's how she did it.

WeightWatchers.com: So how have you kept the weight off?
Amy: Whenever I'm tempted to go overboard I ask myself, "Is it worth it?" Or else I go running. It's vitally important to continue attending meetings and weighing in. What helps the most is remembering why I joined in the first place and how much I enjoy being at my current weight.

WeightWatchers.com: You mentioned running. What role did exercise play in the weight loss?
Amy: I went from doing nothing to walking with my mom to jogging to running two miles every day. I never joined a gym. The key is to find an exercise you enjoy.

WeightWatchers.com: Are there "tricks" that help you keep on track?
Amy: I use a lot of substitutions. I drink water instead of soda, and eat whole wheat rather than white or rye bread. I've actually learned to beat a cookie craving by having broccoli with fat-free dressing.

WeightWatchers.com: Are there particular times of day that are hardest for you?
Amy: I like to indulge myself at dinner, so I save the majority of my POINTS values for that meal.

Amy's Tips:

Make changes you can keep forever. Don't eliminate a food you know you'll continue to crave. Work it into your POINTS Budget.

It's not about eating as little as possible but eating what your body needs. Eating too little slows down your metabolism.

Keep tracking POINTS values even after you've reached goal. It's way too easy to increase your portion sizes if you don't.