Carrie Loses 75 Pounds

Hi There -
I love your blog, and read it frequently. It's always such a motivator to see others who have lost weight and taken their lives back. I'd like to share my story with you.

My name is Carrie Falquist, and I'm a mother, wife, artist and online weight loss group leader. In December of 2006, I found myself 230 lbs and trying out for weight loss reality shows such as NBC-TV's The Biggest Loser, and ABC-TV's new show, Fat March. During casting, I ceased all efforts to take weight off, and put on an additional 18 lbs through the 2 month process.

I received call backs, requests for more information, more photos, more video, etc from both casting companies, but at the very end, I did not make the final cut from each show. Having promised myself I would not stay fat long enough to try out next season, I banded together with other reality TV rejects to lose weight on our own. I started Reality of Weighting, which was a blog where we could all come together, share our struggles and offer support.

Support has been key for me, as I have never had to try and lose weight in the past, at least not to this extent. Up until I was 26 (1999), my body was naturally slim. I ate anything I wanted and maintained a weight of 150, which, at 5'10" is a healthy one. A horseback riding accident caused trauma to my thyroid and the result was a weight gain of 60 lbs in 4 months. Having grown up with a super metabolism, I did not know what to do with my body in that condition. Weight loss was a constant struggle, so I just stopped trying. I stayed between 220-230 for years. Until casting for The Biggest Loser and Fat March.

Fast forward to March, 2007. Reality of Weighting forms from 20 other casting hopefuls, and we promise each other "No Drama, No Whining, and NO EXCUSES." We made a vow that we weren't going to hang onto what made us fat, because we were keeping us fat.

I weighed 248 lbs at the end of March 2007 with a BMI of 36.8, and am now, in December 2007, I am a healthy 173.8 with a BMI of 24.8. My goal is to lose another 25.8 lbs and reach 100 lbs lost, and 148 lbs. I believe the group has been instrumental in my success. Not only do I have added accountability as the group's leader, but there are now over 170 members, people I can count on me to believe in myself when I falter.

Others in my group have lost 50, 70, even 90 lbs since March, and we celebrated our first annual get together in Las Vegas in October, meeting in person for the first time as well as being interviewed for a feature in a major health and fitness magazine. Several of us have appeared on local talk shows, the newspapers in our home towns and radio interviews.

My goal, through Reality of Weighting, is to spread the message of empowerment to others who feel like they need some sort of magic formula to lose weight. I want to lead people to a healthier lifestyle, and help them reach their goals without extreme measures, without tv shows, pills, surgery, etc. I've recently been invited by a previous Biggest Loser contestant to join them in coaching people online and creating healthy nutrition and exercise plans. It's an honor to be working with some of the past BL contestants as well as one of the trainers in this project. I'm always looking to meet other health minded folks, so anyone is welcome to friend me on myspace! www.myspace.com/carriefalquist.

www.carriefalquist.com
www.realityofweighting.com

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Also see Carrie's beautiful artwork here

Dropping Sugar to Beat Fatigue

A few months ago Yin Teing started trying to avoid sugar in her daily life. She says she discovered that her eating habits were contributing to increasing fatigue and yearly weight gain. She started a blog about Saying Goodbye to a Lifelong Addiction. In Goodbye Sugar she details her journey, discoveries and slip-ups to her way back to health and shedding pounds along the way.

She has only lost about 12 pounds but her clothes fit so much better since she started her eating and exercise plan. Although her main reason to change her eating and to start exercising was to beat fatigue, she says looking better in clothes is definitely a great bonus and motivation to continue.

See her story at Goodbye Sugar.

Jeremy Loses 25 Pounds

Jeremy has lost 25 pounds in about four months. He kick started the weight loss with a simple diet plan recommended by one of his coworkers. He stayed on this diet for two weeks and this really helped to lessen his appetite for big portions. Since then he's added other food to his daily eating but is still managing to lose a pound every ten days or so.

See his diet plan here.

See a good recipe for chili at the World's Healthiest Foods.

Come on now......!

Grrr.

The Company have been annoying me greatly.

However, I FINALLY received the agreement form; the document is signed and I should be very happy tomorrow.

In view of this I have been busy. I got DS a new winter coat as his has lost its oompf... I don't know but its like the duck down evaporated in the cupboard over the summer.

So I got him a coat, some of those bibbed ski trousers that are warm and toasty, thermal undies, and a pair of cool fleece lined boots. I bought DH a pair of snowboarding pants to keep him warm too. I have still got to get myself something, but I don't know what yet. I think I will have to go back to the shop and buy myself some but I know I will never wear them again. I dunno. I will have to see if the lined trousers I bought from eBay turn up and are good enough.

DS also got a hair cut and it looks super smart. They thinned it all out with those funny scissors and it looks amazing. Poor DS. He has soooooo much hair! Its actually too much because it makes it all stick up in a bouffant! But it looks cute as a button now. Yay. He is back to having the beautiful 1950's boy hair cut that I love.

Went out with Mimi this afternoon and we had a cool time. Lovely long chat, but no one was about today...? Very queer I thought. I think we passed one woman in an hour. I thought this time of year things should be buzzing...

I have had a weird eating day...

I had a Muller corner at about 4pm and then we had dinner at 6pm.
I managed 1/4 cheese and onion quiche, 1 duchess potato and some salad (lettuce, tomato, chick peas, garden peas and dressing)

Not a lot for 1 day huh. I was still full from yesterday I think.

Right, now I am off to bed to catch up on some well needed reading because DH is away tonight. Cup of hot chocolate, book, the whole bed to myself and no snoring! A rare treat!

Holidays And Diabetes: Six Tips For Enjoying Season’s Treats

Tired of Dieting and Losing the Battle?Learn how to increase your metabolismwhile eating pretty much anything you want.Check out our top rated weight loss plan.Check out this video on Contolling diabetes:Diabetes and Diet Holidays And Diabetes: Six Tips For Enjoying Season’s TreatsThe holiday season spanning November to January is a special time for many. Whenever you celebrate Thanksgiving,

BLACK WEDNESDAY

Exactly 10 months since banding.
4 weeks since re surgery

Weight this morning: 17 stone 5 pounds - 243lbs

CRAP

I feel gutted.

When you think you have lost more and find out its not true... its wrenching.

But hey, this blog is real man!
I have know idea how the scales read such different results but they were obviously wrong last time.

Today has been random.

I have booked a holiday to Hungary again. We are going on 24th January for 5 nights. Thought it would be good to go somewhere and my friends are coming too. It was really really cheap, so what the heck.

We also insured our German guest on our car and she took it for a spin. The first and the last one... She hit a wall. Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

So my NEW car is down at the body shop being touched up can you believe. Little dent and some scrapes. Bummer. She felt terrible about it. I felt terrible for her too. I couldn't care less about the car to be honest, I just hope she doesn't feel bad. She doesn't want to drive in England any more. I can understand that. Its a real shock for her.

Ho hum... what a day.

I wanted to thank Tina ... for your comments. Thanks honey :o)

*Update at 11:45pm*

We just got back from bowling and dinner. We had a cool time, and went to the Chinese afterwards for all you can eat. Yeah! HA HA.

I was sick in the toilets!! Oh MY!
I am so glad that happened. I am really feeling it now.

I was a bit naughty though as I felt full after the starter, but had 2.5 duck pancakes and a tablespoon of noodles and about 5 prawns in tempura batter and sweet and sour sauce.

If I had not had a drink with my meal, I could not have eaten this much, but I was following every couple of mouthfuls with a swig of juice because I wanted to eat the Chinese so bad.

I wont do that again. Its so obvious that it really helps the food go down. Its just cheating.

I have also booked my fill with Dr Chris De Bruyne in London on 17th January.

Which Habit is Your #1?

Thanks much to everyone who answered the first poll. The results are surprising, I'll sum them up when the poll is finished.

Now for the second poll, I'm wondering if most people share the same habit in terms of what is keeping them from losing weight faster.

If you were to state only one habit that was MOST responsible for you not being able to reach your goal weight, what would it be?

It will be interesting to see whether a couple of habits really stand out with the majority of readers. Please consider your answer to be as honest as possible.

(Don't worry about the reasons why you have this habit, we can go into this later.)

I'm leaving this poll open for just six days. The poster above is Kitchen - cupboard.