Rachel – 75lbs in 26 Weeks
Overweight for years and weighing over 16 stones, I was a size 22 when I started with Howard’s Way on 10th September 2007. By 3rd March 2008, I lost in excess of 5 stone, am now a size 12 and have kept the weight off for over 6 months! With many other diet and exercise regimes, I had never succeeded and ALWAYS ended up putting any lost weight back on. After my Mother had a heart attack, I became conscious of the health risks of being overweight; I realised I had to do something about it.
A friend had lost her weight with ‘Howard’s Way’ and I was really impressed with how well she did. On a ‘girls night out’, I felt so uncomfortable and self conscious that next morning, I decided I must try what had worked for my friend and I called ‘Howard's Way’. I wasn’t sure I could stick to it, but my Locum assured me that almost everyone feels the same way and yet goes on to lose 3 stones plus. So I thought: “Well, if others can do it. so can I!” With Howard's Way, there are no choices to make about food except which flavours you are going to have.
This helped me get through the first week without a hitch and, the whole time I was dieting, without angst. What really made the difference for me with this diet, though, was the SUPPORT: feeling ‘PART OF SOMETHING’! Being in a Group with others, meeting each week, all doing the same thing, all losing a similar amount, we all supported each other and, of course, there was the caring, dedicated Howard’s Way Locum, who become our Mentor (she could give us the answer to EVERY question we could ever think to ask), always ‘there’ at the end of the phone should we ever need her. Absolute Magic!
That, coupled with the knowledge that they seemed to care MORE about OUR overall health than their diet, was very reassuring. I dieted throughout Christmas and was fine. I joined in with my family in every thing we did and, while they ate Christmas dinner, I had my Bar, then got on with the rest of the day. Dinner was such a small part of the day that I hardly even noticed and, even on Christmas Day, my Locum was just a phone call away. Since losing weight, I have so much energy! I used to get bad indigestion most of the time when eating but not now. I was also prone to migraines before doing the diet, but once I started Howard’s Way, THEY STOPPED!
You have to change your lifestyle to keep your weight off. With ‘Howard’s Way’, you have 6 months of maintenance when you finish dieting. The classes advise how to keep your weight down and which foods to avoid; they are invaluable in keeping me focused. Even after a holiday in the States, my weight stayed off; I am so pleased with my progress so far!
