Wednesday, March 25, 2020
These mothers and daughters, friends, and sisters prove it's all about the buddy system. Want more inspiration? Check out our favorite weight-loss secrets from real women.
Shedding pounds is hard, but having a partner makes it easier and a lot more fun. These six women lost 251 pounds by working together—check out their amazing results and best tips.
FRIENDS: LAURA AVON, 44 AND SUSIE COSTELLO, 47
Laura and Susie, both from the Jersey shore, lost 30 and 20 pounds by walking together five times a week, preplanning meals using a prepared-food program, and doing a motivation check-in for the weekend.
Walking and talking: "We do a 1.6-mile loop around the local reservoir and talk about everything from relationships to parenting," Susie says. "We mix up the time of day, depending on the weather and work schedules. If we're feeling ambitious, we'll do two loops, a four-mile walk along a local boardwalk, or a five-mile loop around a different reservoir. And we always high-five before or after the walk to celebrate our progress."
Food fix: "I used to eat a lot of fast food, and I had no discipline with portions (I'd down a bag of potato chips while watching a movie)," Susie says. "My confidence was gone, and my energy was at an all-time low. One day in the spring of 2015, I looked in the mirror and said, "I have to do something." So I tried Nutrisystem to help me reset my portions. Each month, I purchased the prepackaged meals at Walmart. Now I eat oatmeal, egg whites, a banana with almond butter, salads, grilled chicken, beans, avocado, broth-based soups, and zucchini noodles. I feel like I'm finally in control, because I've learned how to make smart choices."
Partners in health: "We call each other every Friday to discuss our weekend plans and how we're going to stay on track," Susie says. "We text each other inspirational quotes once a week, like 'Stay patient and trust your journey.'"
MOTHER-DAUGHTER: JANE DENT, 62 AND SARAH GALLAGHER, 35
Jane and Sarah from Leonardtown, MD lost 45 and 36 pounds by tracking their food intake using an app, attending weekly support meetings, and moving more by putting exercise atop their to-do lists.
Figuring out a food philosophy: "My weight was up and down for 10 years, and I could never find a permanent solution," Sarah says. "It felt like a roller coaster. I liked the idea of eating what I wanted yet being smart about it. With Weight Watchers, you just have to track your food, which seemed reasonable. When I saw how many points certain foods were, I thought, Do I want to eat that?"
A family affair: "Every Saturday at 8:30 a.m., Sarah, my husband Tony—he's lost 25 pounds—and I go to a local support meeting where we weigh in, get tips on how to overcome struggles, and celebrate people's victories," Jane says.
Moving more to stress less: "I've learned to exercise instead of eating when I'm stressed," Sarah says. "I've started walking two to three miles outside two to three times a week. The fresh air instantly puts me in a good mood, and I think of it as time to unplug. Now I put exercise on my to-do list just like any task—it's about committing to myself. My mom bought a Fitbit and aims for 10,000 steps per day."
SISTERS: ROSALYN LONG, 41 AND RHONDA HOWARD, 36
Sisters Rosalyn, from Alpharetta, GA, and Rhonda, from Woodstock, Georgia, lost 55 and 65 pounds by going to a local gym with a variety of fitness classes, enrolling in mini challenges to ignite their competitive fires, and swap junk food for nutrient-rich pantry options.
On the same page: "One day in January 2016, I saw a picture of myself from a family gathering and thought, 'what has happened here?' Rosalyn had steadily gained weight after our grandmother passed away in 2013, so we both came to the realization that it was time to change," Rhonda says.
Creating competition: "We joined Life Time Fitness and enrolled in the gym's 60-Day Challenge, a competition that encouraged us to commit to healthy changes and slim down in 60 days," Rosalyn says. "We each lost about 10 pounds in the first challenge, so we signed up for another. We felt competitive against others, but always thought of ourselves as a team."
Ditching the freebies: "I used to be an extreme couponer, and that meant I bought a lot of junk," Rhonda says. "Once I started working out, my whole mindset changed. The healthier food (like vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds) is more satisfying and keeps me full. And I ended up saving money when I stopped couponing. Now I cook often. One of my favorite meals to make is quinoa, Brussels sprouts, and black beans."