Vanessa Lost 161 Pounds: a Success Story

I Lost 161LBS: See My Super Success!

From eDiets

Are you struggling to lose 10 pounds? Well, imagine then having to lose 10 pounds 16 consecutive times!

That's right, 160 pounds, the weight of an average person and a female bighorn sheep. Impossible? Not according to Vanessa F. -- this week's featured success story.

Since joining eDiets, Vanessa has made the stunning transformation from frumpy to fabulous. Her weight has plunged from 311 to 150 pounds, and instead of squeezing into size 26 clothes she's now slipping her 5-foot-10 frame into slender size 7s.

Vanessa, an online merchandiser, was no stranger to dieting. Starting at age 12, she had tried virtually every diet known to woman (and man). From the Cabbage Soup Diet to the 3-Day Diet, nothing was too quirky or offbeat for this desperate dieter. While the weight would often come off quickly, Vanessa would gain back on every pound -- and then some.

Vanessa was the victim of yo-yo dieting and more than double her healthy weight. A big part of the problem: her struggle with emotional eating. After the birth of son Joshua, now 5, her weight woes only worsened.

"If I was happy, I'd celebrate by going out to eat," the Canadian says from her office in Quebec. "If I had a horrible day, I would indulge. My life revolved around food. But it doesn't anymore."

Having had her fill of diets, Vanessa knew she needed a major lifestyle overhaul. The bad habits had to go. Skipping two important meals -- lunch and dinner -- hadn't been her only downfall. When she did eat, it was fattening fast food from McDonald's and Burger King. Vanessa was at the point she never wanted to say diet again, but she desperately needed to lose weight.

Then, while taking a quiz online, she stumbled upon an ad for eDiets and decided to pay us a visit. The yummy menus, the individualized shopping lists and the support boards caught her eye. These were the tools she had lacked for so long. With nothing to lose but weight, Vanessa signed up.

"It was like a Weight Watchers meeting from home, but even better," she raves. "The meals were planned out. I didn't have to think about what I was going to eat, which is very hard. When you're an overeater, you put so much into the thought process about what you're going to eat.

"eDiets helped me change my thought process. When I think about what I'm going to eat, a rice cake or fruit comes to mind. Before, I never ate fruit and vegetables. When I want chips, I go for the Baked Lays. I got used to eating that way. Now, it's my lifestyle... and I didn't have to omit anything."

At first, following the plan was a challenge for Vanessa. It wasn't just a matter of changing her diet; she needed to change her mind. As the days went by, she got into a routine that guaranteed success. She would keep a copy of her weekly meal plan and check the meals off as she ate them. She read the newsletters religiously and soon began receiving support on the bulletin boards from other eDiets. members

It was a recipe for success. Vanessa was soon seeing the pounds melt away at a healthy rate of two per week. It was the biggest obstacle she had ever overcome. What surprised her the most was how well eDiets fit her life -- she didn't have to stop living while she was losing.

"I can go out to dinner and eat Chinese," she notes. "I'm so used to having stir-fry that I don't want the General Tao's Chicken. I work in an office, where they have Danishes every morning. But I realize if I put that Danish in my stomach, I won't be able to digest it. I'd rather have fruit that makes me feel light and lively, not junk that I won't be able to digest."

Once she got rolling with her diet program, Vanessa became serious about a fitness plan, too. She started slow by taking walks with a few friends. From there, she joined a women's gym. She even enlisted a personal trainer to keep her on the right track.

She refused to let the extra pounds weigh her down. The moment she hit 20 pounds down, Vanessa began Tae Bo classes. Today, physical activity is a key element in her life. Vanessa somehow finds the time to do Tae Bo on Mondays and Wednesdays, Power Turbo on Tuesdays and Thursdays, aerobics once a week, weight training with her trainer once a week, and yoga or Pilates once a week.

All her hard work has paid off. Vanessa is in the best physical shape of her life, and she's more confident than ever before.

Vanessa admits there was a mental transition she had to make, especially when men's feelings toward her turned from "Hey, Bubba" to "Hey, Baby!"

"I had always been a happy-go-lucky person. I hated the fact I was overweight. I hated myself for it. But I'm OK with it now. I keep a picture of myself on the fridge to remind me that's what I looked like before.

"I am still the same person inside; I just look very different on the outside. I'm completely comfortable with myself."

Take action and start today on your quest for a leaner, tighter body. eDiets has 24 effective diet plans so no matter your preferences, we can custom-design your plan and get you on the road to a new you! Click here and fill out a free diet profile