Weight Loss Success Stories

Triphala - A Natural Aid for Weight Loss

2015-03-24T18:55:00.002-07:00

I've been very happy with my weight for a few years now but there is something not quite right with my digestive system. I am not absorbing the nutrients and eliminating the waste as efficiently as I could be. I think I may be short on some healthy intestinal enzymes or may have accumulated some unhealthy bacteria or virus but I know something is not quite right as my stomach often makes outrageous noises and the intestines seem to move (!) after a meal and I often feel a need to (excuse me) release gas, which was never a problem I had before. This has been an ongoing thing for a few years now.

Although my weight continues to be ideal (I am middle-age and do not expect a completely flat mid section) I think my stomach is more bloated than it should ideally be. Though I eat mostly healthy, non-processed foods, I do have three bad habits which probably impact my digestive system; coffee, red wine and cigarettes. It would be good if I could quit at least one of these and see if this improves my digestive system but I can't see myself doing that anytime soon..

On hearing about my digestive ailments, a friend who is a healer and has incredible nutritional knowledge recommended I try taking Triphala powder (mixed into a glass of warm water) for a month.

I had never even heard of Triphala before but after looking it up it certainly sounds amazing and it does appear that the exceptionally leading-edge healthy people in the yoga/vegetarian circles are in the know about it and are raving about it.

This 'mild laxative' is the single most commonly prescribed herbal supplement by Ayurvedic experts. A very strong core principle of Ayurvedic medicine is that perfect digestion is the basis of all health So healing the digestive system is the first priority of Ayurvedic experts.

Triphala acts as a natural laxative. It helps cure constipation and promotes regular bowel movement. For people who have developed digestive issues, it is seen as being a very helpful and easy aide to restore health to your digestive system. But its wonders go much broader than that. It has also been shown to improve the functioning of the liver, colon, heart, to improve circulation and to be a great aid in weight loss!

So I am going to start taking a teaspoon of this powder each day and will report back in a couple of weeks to let you know how it's going and whether it's working. (Update Note: April 14th....Hi, it's been about three weeks and I can say the triphala is definitely working great for me. I've been taking about half a teaspoon in boiled water (that i've mixed and let sit for a while) each day. It has made my stomach feel a bit queasy but i definitely feel it has been eliminating toxins from my digestive system and my distended stomach is shrinking ! I feel like I've lost at least a waist size (and I've been eliminating more than usual and very nicely thankyou ;-)).

Though triphala is renowned for helping with constipation and digestion issues, I was also curious to see if there were lots of personal stories out there about triphala being effective for weight loss. Here are some interesting and encouraging snippets I found on various sites.

These people found Triphala a great help in their weight loss journey;

I've been using triphala for a couple of weeks as recommended (2 tablets twice a day); I heard about it on Dr. Oz and as an almost pure "Vata" type (with minor Pitta influence) thought, "I have to try this." I've always had IBS-like symptoms including significant bloating, and it's uncomfortable to say the least. I eat well, plenty of fruits and veggies, but still had trouble. Well, the triphala came and I tried it. Can't say I thought much about it for the first week, but I figured maybe it was normalizing things without much overt effect at first. And about a week in, presto. I suddenly saw effects, and improvements keep happening. I'm "regular," no mad dashes to the bathroom *or* constipation, and my pants fit, with bloating much less -- not completely gone, but getting there. My skin is also clearer and I look about 10 years younger. It's like I'm undergoing a deep all-over cleansing, which is actually probably what really *is* happening if my digestive system is normalizing. I plan on taking this for the rest of my life. I wish I'd heard about it years ago.

***********

I saw Triphala on Doctor Oz, he said if someone does nothing else, they will lose weight with this. He is right, it works great! It makes you not hungry, and has really stopped my evening munching.

**********

I’ve been taking triphala every night for about a year and a half… and it has done wonders. I didn’t need the weight loss – but it helped my digestion immeasurably. My secret recipe for health and happiness: Kundalini yoga, triphala (1/4 tsp in hot water… more if “necessary”), and no gluten. This has been the trifecta that has brought about mental clarity, health, strength and vitality (and a more toned mid-section). Feeling better than ever. Hope more people get onboard – ayurveda rather than pills to mask symptoms!

*********

I started taking Triphala in June/ 2013. I was 240 pounds at the time. As of December when I weighed myself I am 198. 42 pounds in six months is not bad. Most weight I have lost ever, and kept it off.. I take 1 triphala tablet when I wake up 1 hour before I eat, take 1 tablet before lunch and 1 tablet before I go to sleep at night. And drink plenty of water throughout the day.

**********

Triphala powder is a miracle medicine. My experience, I lost 3kgs in 4 weeks, my knee, ankle, finger JTS pain almost gone, inflammation reduced, BP reduced, eye sight reasonably improved (typed without glasses). I am 58 years old, I take one teaspoon at night 1 hr after dinner and I teaspoon in the morning with ample water. No problem or side effect. I feel better and fresher than before.

************
I bought this after watching an episode of Dr. Oz where he had a guest on who spoke about ayurvedic medicine. She suggested taking this, drinking ala tea, switching the dinner meal with the lunch meal, curry powder and massage. I bought this and took 2 pills every night for a month, drank ala tea (16 oz water, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, and 1 tsp coriander seeds boiled for 5 minutes) for about a week I kept forgetting to drink it , and switched the lunch and dinner meals and lost 11 pounds in 1 month without exercise or dieting. In fact I thought I would gain weight because I had been eating fast food for the 3rd week while having work done on the kitchen. (Chili fries, burgers, fried zucchini, etc.) This was the easiest way to lose weight since it is effortless.

***********

Weight Loss Success for Morgan

2015-03-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Morgan is 5'6" tall. In the before photo she weighs about 225 and in the after pic she is at 135 pounds.

Morgan was over 100 pounds above her ideal weight after years of adding pounds in high school and university. When she finished University she was at her heaviest weight ever, at about 250 pounds.

It took her about two years to lose 115 pounds and she has maintained her current weight of 135 for over three years now.

Congrats to Morgan. Thanks much for your inspiring story!

I initially began with small changes (changing unhealthy go to’s with more nutritious options).. a huge part of my weight loss was fueled by being unhappy and being uncomfortable in my own skin.

I was never a heavy child, I was quite the opposite, underweight most of my life and spent my time doing competitive dance and swim. As I got older my dedication to the sports diminished and I became more concerned with hanging out with my friends and other teenagery things.

Because the exercise shift was so massive and my eating remained the same within the 4 years of high school I gained 65 lbs and an additional 40 lbs once university food became incorporated into my diet. I had never been so heavy before.

I was insecure, none of my clothes fit, I was bigger than all of my friends and people began making fat jokes when they thought I was out of hearing range. Enough was enough. One day after I finished my last exam and was getting ready to start my new summer job, I decided that school was over, exams were done; it was time for a change. What’s better to work on than my happiness?

I dug up an old weight watchers book from the depths of my basement dating back to high school (the first time I attempted to loose the excess weight.) and the journey began. The first year I lost 80 pounds through just diet shift- I used weight watchers to help me monitor my eating choices and keep my diet balanced and my habits healthy (I come from a long line of eating disorders on my mothers side of the family; 3 generations of models… go figure) The remaining weight came off in my second year as I slowly incorporated regular exercise into my routine as well.

Through my weightless journey I developed a better relationship with food and exercise, but in that I also developed a better relationship with myself. In those two years I learned how to love myself again. Not because I was thin, but because I was taking care of myself, nourishing my body and claiming back as my own.

Weight loss is hard, and it doesn't happen overnight, but that doesn't mean it won’t happen. Take it day by day and don't beat yourself up for the little binges or bad days. Progress is progress- just keep moving forward.

Permanent Weight Loss - No Going Back to Fat

2015-03-23T07:46:00.000-07:00

Tammi used to weigh 275 pounds and we wrote about her weight loss success three years ago. Check out her before pic and story here.

She has just commented on that post to let us know that it's been three years and she has kept the weight off!

Hey, I'm the Tammi in this story. I just wanted to give an update because I know people often wonder if people in these stories keep off their weight. Well, not only have I kept off my weight but I am now an ACE certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach and I own my own studio! I am actually helping people get in the best shape of their lives for a full-time job! I feel so blessed and my hope is to spread the gift of health to as many people as I can while I am on this earth. Good luck to everyone! It's hard but it's SO SO unbelievably worth it!

Flattering Plus Size Tops

2015-03-22T21:14:00.001-07:00

Hi all, I'm back after a long time away from this blog and will be posting a couple of great weight loss stories this week.

In the meantime I've been enjoying selecting some of the tops and tee shirts for spring and summer that I think are the most flattering and attractive in plus sizes. These tops all feature some kind of embellishment or unique style. Not your average t-shirts! Check them out and let me know if you agree this is a great selection.

Embellished Floral Striped Capelet $49

This solid tank has a beautiful floral striped mesh sheer overlay.

Painterly Floral Striped Tee $49

A flattering tee with dolman sleeves and a slimming fun floral print at the center front.

Tie Dye Tulip Hem Hi Lo Tee $41

This is a cute layered knit tee with a tulip-hem at the front and a scooped neckline.

Sleeveless Lace-Yoke Button-Front $17.99

This is a dressy crepe blouse with a feminine lacy trim on sale now at Just My Size for only $17.99.

Mixed Diamond Keyhole Top $34

These colors are beautiful, black, turquouise and green mixed in a diamond print. The scooped neckline has a black trim and a keyhole at the yoke.

Floral Pleat Front Tank $55

This coral flral print has pintuck pleats down the center in the front. Refreshingly summery.

Plus size knit sleeveless 2fer top $37

This is a slimming look with a solid knit black tank underneath a coral watercolor abstract print open style blouse.

So what do you think? Do you have a favorite or two here and do you agree this is a great selection of flattering styles for plus sizes?

Weight Loss Success Stories - A Free iOS app

2014-12-05T14:24:00.002-08:00

Weight Loss Success Stories App

Hi all, if you are here to get inspired with weight loss stories by real people, you might like to know I've just released an app of the best stories from this blog. The free app has inspirational stories from men and women as well as links to the truly best and most helpful weight loss videos on YouTube.

And there are lots of smart tips about the weight loss process, nothing scammy or sensational, just the best way to lose weight with healthy eating and exercise. There's also a section on how to choose the most slimming clothes for your body type and a selection of beautiful clothing and accessories that you can browse and purchase if you choose.

Hope you will relax on your couch this weekend and get inspired! Here are a few screenshots from the app;

Read the true stories of people who succeeded in losing excess weight

Watch the best weight loss video stories and healthy tips for losing the weight

Check out fashion ideas for flattering outfits and accessories

Get the best tips for flattering clothing styles

This app is free and you can get it here: Weight Loss Success Stories App ....

but I am also giving away promo codes to our paid motivational apps this weekend. I have fifty codes to give away so if you are also interested in downloading our inspirational virtual weight loss apps, email me and I will send you the promo code for these apps.

Virtual Motivation for Women - see how you look as you lose weight

Visual Motivation for Men - see how you look as you lose weight

Please tell me if you want the male or female version of this app or both. I can make this offer good until Monday December 8th or until the promo codes run out. I will post here if I run out of codes. Thanks and cheers!

New Joy After Weight Loss

2013-10-31T18:41:00.001-07:00

Hailey before (2009)

Hailey after losing 130 pounds

Hailey is a very happy young woman these days. She has succeeded in losing 130 pounds. She feels so good in her new life and she's offered her story to encourage people who are justing starting out in their journey to get fit. Hope you enjoy.

Three and a half years ago, I was 20 years old and weighed 287 pounds. I had always been the person that everyone turned to, the confident and the support system. I had a really hard time putting myself first and talking about my own pain with friends and family who often felt so comfortable divulging what they were going through to me. I turned to food as means of letting out how I was feeling. I used to hide food from my family, do separate grocery shops and eat in my room It took me a long time to realize how harmful this was and how I really felt about my life and my size. I tried to convince myself that I enjoyed my body. I had boyfriends who liked me but I still found it a challenge to look in the mirror.

In 2010, after a break-up with my long-term boyfriend and after attending my cousins wedding (seeing pictures of myself in a dress) I decided to weigh myself and work on things. I started changing how much food and what type of food I was eating and began slowly working up. Walking, some light weights and eventually started becoming more comfortable with pushing my body.

Today, my life is completely different I have lost over 130 pounds, have an amazing man in my life, have been fortunate to have great jobs in the counselling field and am now preparing to move to Whitehorse YT with my partner to start a new chapter of our life together.

Health and fitness means so much to me. I eat clean, I work out several times a week and I feel great about where I am now.

I would love to have my story posted and have the chance to help others with these struggles as I know how hard it can be to get started but how good it feels once you have.

Losing 110 Pounds in One Year

2013-04-29T12:49:00.000-07:00

Rishi Lost 110 Pounds in One Year

Rishi had been overweight all his life until age 25. Both his parents were also overweight. When he was in his early 20's he watched his father undergo triple bypass surgery. But at this time he was still not worried about his own obesity. He continued to eat lots of junk food and did not exercise. It was only when he turned 25 and got a serious health scare that he decided to change his lifestyle.

He ended up in the emergency ward of the hospital and was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He was given medications to lower these readings. At that point he decided to embark on a journey towards better health. He started walking daily and gave up sugar and fried foods. He made vegetables, lentils and fruits the mainstay of his daily meals. Within one year he had lost 110 pounds!

Rishi has maintained his health for over a decade now! He has written a detailed story about his life before and after losing weight. It's very motivational, check it out at Weight Loss Glory.

Rishi at 265 pounds

One Year Later, Rishi at 155 pounds

New Year - New Inspiration to Lose Weight!

2013-01-07T11:46:00.001-08:00

Mike after extreme weight loss

Hi everyone, I haven't posted any stories for quite a while. But wanted to get back to it and here is a very joyous and inspirational video to help you in your New Year's resolutions and motivation!

Mike lost over 350 pounds. He lost it in a very short time (in his first 17 months of weight loss, he lost 330 pounds). He was obese all his young life but at the age of 20 a big switch went off (after a car accident) and he completely transformed his lifestyle.

Mike didn't follow any specific diet. He just started eating what he knew was healthy (and not processed food) and began walking... Check out this very inspirational two minute video of his before and after pics;

He provides this FAQ on his youtube video page;

1) What diet plan did you do?

I didn't follow any "mainstream diet". I just used common sense and consumed things that are widely accepted as healthy like fruits and vegetables, whole grains (oats, not processed whole grains like in cereals), lean sources of protein such as fish and poultry and overall cut out junk food and soda entirely--yes, cold turkey. Eat less calories than you burn and you WILL lose weight and make it a habit to look at the nutritional facts of food that you eat, being educated is over half the battle.

2) What kind of training did you do?

I didn't have access to a gym or a trainer so again I did what instinctively came natural and walked everywhere. I skipped going out to eat with my friends to go for a walk and met up with them after and I was that much better off for it. I walked everyday no matter what, adding distance as the walk got easier. After I lost the bulk of the weight I took up lifting weights in hopes to build muscle mass and fill out my skin.

3) What surgeries did you have done/do you have any problems with loose skin??

I did not have any bypass or gastric surgery or any weight loss surgery at all for that matter. I lost all the weight entirely on my own. Naturally I have loose skin all over my body. After losing the bulk of the weight I had man boobs and a very large skirt of skin which I was fortunate enough to have removed by surgery and that was covered by my medical insurance. Mine was a severe case, this is not typical from what I hear.

He also has a highly recommended longer video detailing his weight loss journey here. Mike has managed to keep the weight off for years now and only gets happier and fitter each year. Amazing feat and change of life!

Three Key Healthy Foods to Eat More of..

2012-09-17T17:17:00.001-07:00

In this quick and to-the-point video the beautiful nutritionist suggests we eat some of these three incredibly healthy foods each day. They are leafy greens, sea vegetables and flaxseeds. Have you had some of at least one of these foods today?

I had some steamed spinach with my scrambled eggs this morning, but this video reminded me that I need to stock up on some dried seaweed (my son loves it and it makes a great school lunch snack).

Going From XXXXL to Medium Size Shirt

2012-09-15T20:11:00.000-07:00

Shawn Before Losing 140 pounds

At 205 pounds (after losing 140 pounds)

Shawn used to wear an XXXXL (4XL) shirt but now wears a medium size shirt. He's lost 140 pounds. It took him just six months to lose the first one hundred pounds. Another thirty pounds got pounded away by the end of the first year - in Janurary 2010. He got down to under two hundred pounds at one point soon after but is now wavering at a pretty happy 220 or so..

Shawn lost his weight by counting calories. He allows himself cheat days and junk food on a regular basis but says the key is to keep within your calories for most days. His exercise of choice is basketball and the gym.

He started a blog - 344Pounds.com - when he first set out to lose the weight. He sent the 'before' pic and link to all his friends and relatives. This was embarrassing for him but he felt it would be pivotal in motivating him to stick to his goal.

Check out his site, he has some very inspiring posts including some great before and after pics and his first year weekly weight loss progress chart.

There are a lot of people who like to lose weight by counting calories. I've always thought this weight loss method appeals more to women than men. (Weight Watchers is based on this, and seems to be much more popular with women than men, see some success stories on this site about Weight Watchers...) My personal opinion is that whether this is a successful long-term strategy depends a lot on the type of personality you have. For example, in my case, I'm too much of a rebel type, I could never stick to this kind of detailed regiment of watching my calorie consumption all the time. I also think you'd be much more prone to experience hunger and discomfort if you are keeping to your calorie count, but it is based on foods that are not filling and nutritional. My personal preferred route is just to stick to exceptionally healthy foods most of the time. I believe you can eat a great deal of deliciously cooked vegetables, beans and brown rice, never feel hungry and consistently lose weight. I'm the type who would much rather educate myself on the healthiest foods and focus on eating those rather than on counting calories. (See some great info about healthy food here. )

But different methods work better for different people. Congrats to Shawn! Please visit his site.

Swimming to Lose Weight - 100 Pounds Lighter Now

2012-09-09T16:44:00.000-07:00

Matthew at Start of Weight Loss

Matthew after losing 100 pounds

Matthew weighed 469 pounds about five months ago. He's lost an incredible 104 pounds since then. He still wants to lose another 150 pounds but realizes this may take quite a bit longer.

Matthew did this by completely overhauling his diet and exercising almost every day.

His exercise of choice is swimming and his almost daily schedule includes 225 yards easy freestyle, 100 free sprint, 50 easy free, 100 butterfly sprint, 75 easy free, 100 backstroke sprint, 50 easy, 100 sprint free and 200 more yards to cool down.

I'm not sure what this means in terms of mileage and whether it would be something like a one hour workout or much more? (Please let me know in the comments).

He's limited animal products to less than 20% of his daily diet. He also cut out all sodas and now just drinks water. He's got a really good suggestion about adding nutritional yeast to your diet. Nutritional yeast has no sodium or gluten and is loaded with B vitamins. One of his favorite new meals is to use premade wheat crust, throw some tomato sauce and olive oil on it, pile it high with vegetables and then liberally top it with nutritional yeast. Bake it and you have a very nutritious pizza. He also recommends using nutritional yeast as a spaghetti sauce topper.

Congrats to you Matthew! Hope we hear another progress report soon!

Obese to Super Fit in One Year

2012-08-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

Brian at 345 pounds

Brian at 175 pounds

Thanks much to Brian for submitting his story. Brian weighed 345 pounds in April of last year. Today he weighs 175 pounds! It's an amazing achievement.

To start off, i can't ever remember where weight wasn't an issue for me. I've always been bigger, overweight, doctors and parents telling me that i should look towards losing weight. For whatever reason, i didn't think it was that serious.

Even as a bigger kid, i was able to be active in sports, fit myself (and stomach) into desks and chairs, practically living life as a "normal" person. My parents often reminded me that i am still gaining weight and look bigger. Just as every other overweight person who is in denial, i never stepped on a scale unless it was required through something like a physical at the doctor's office.

The day came that i realized that as much as i tried to fool myself, i could no longer consider my weight as normal. I stepped onto the balance board for Wii Fit, a game designed for people to lose weight, only to come to the conclusion that i was not allowed to play the game because i surpassed the 330lb limit that is designed by the software. Not being able to play a video game, now that is definitely NOT normal.

This event triggered my journey towards weight loss. In April of 2011, i took the first steps in losing weight by finally addressing the major cause towards my weight, my diet. I began researching and looking and obsessing about how to lose weight, weight loss success stories, and the keys to losing weight. I began to change my diet and starting to seriously start looking at calories, nutrition, and activity. I started pushing myself towards taking things one step at a time with the simple goal of wanting to become "normal".

At this point in time, i have lost close to 170lbs. I still have some more work to do but a lot of my focus has now shifted towards keeping my fitness up while trying to build muscle and tone up. I want to continue to challenge myself, continue to push myself in doing things i never dreamed of doing, leading me to make the decision to challenge myself through entering a half marathon.

I recently submitted a brief story about my weight loss story as well as the struggles of one of my closest family members and friends to attack the challenge of this half marathon together. My essay was selected as a finalist and i need some help for people to vote for my essay to make this dream happen!

Please vote for my essay as it truly means a lot to me! (Update: Essay contest has closed now..)

Thanks!

Losing Pain and 60 Pounds

2012-08-29T08:30:00.002-07:00

Congrats to Teri who lost sixty pounds seven years ago and has maintained this weight loss since then.

She says she used to be a yo-yo dieter all her life and had tried many diets.

"I had a stressful career, and my position required excessive travel. I was home on average of three days a month, and mostly I wined and dined for a living (sounds tough, doesn't it?). When the weight creeps on at five pounds a year, it doesn't seem so bad. At least not until the 10th year.....

My life as I knew it came to a halt when a suicidal deer ran into the side of my car in November 2004. I had severe neck and back injuries, and spent the next four months in either my bed or a hospital bed. Between the myriad of medications and the desire for only "odorless, silent comfort food", that catered pity-party was good for another 10-20 pounds.

When I was finally out of bed, I had the restriction of only being allowed to drive one mile round trip. There was a Weight Watchers meeting 1/4 mile from my house. The Saturday morning I went, I sat in the parking lot and watched the people go into the Church, and watched them come out. I didn't get out of the car. The next week, I went in and joined. That was in April of 2005.

I'd love to say my journey was effortless, without a speed bump or detour, but not true. The first eight months were great - I think I had a loss most every week, and in nine months I had lost 45 pounds. Then I hit a plateau (or was it a mesa), and I did the +.2, -.2 shuffle for the next 3 months.

As frustrating as that was, I kept trying to remind myself that this was the way I was going to be eating for the rest of my life, and chose to view it as "premature maintenance". The real issue was that I was unable to exercise (I was barely able to move).

My doctor sent me for Aquatic Physical Therapy, which over time evolved into water-walking, then water aerobics. I talk about it in Let's Get Physical. Once I started to exercise, I didn't lose that much more weight, but I lost three sizes! As I've been known to say to my members, "items in the overhead shift during flight", and I was thrilled to put some of my "items" back where they belonged.

I hit my goal in June of 2006 and Lifetime in August. I was ecstatic. I was a different person. I was in a lot less pain (and I attribute that to not carrying the weight equivalent of a 7-year-old on my back and neck every day). What I didn't know then was that I had not only lost 60 pounds, but I would be looking back seven years later and not have found it again."

Thanks much to Teri for this very inspiring story! She has since become a Weight Watchers leader and finds it the most rewarding job she's ever had. See her blog at Weight Weight Don't Tell Me.

How Much Weight Do You Want to Lose?

2012-08-09T17:46:00.001-07:00

HOW MANY POUNDS DO YOU WANT TO LOSE?

But I'm also hoping to hear from some people who need to lose just 10 or 20 pounds. Often those ten or twenty pounds away from ideal weight is the hardest weight to shed. It's not clear how many of the readers who drop by here are in this category of having less than twenty pounds to lose. The last time I asked was a few years ago. I got 462 responses. At that time 40% of readers said they wanted to lose 30 pounds or less, so it seems there are a lot of people who would want to read about this type of weight loss achievement. It's not as extreme or dramatic as losing over 100 pounds but it can be difficult to do.

I'd love to take another poll to ask: How many pounds do YOU want to lose? But the blogger poll tool is broken so if you'd like to comment instead below, please do!

Losing Belly Fat with Rolfing?

2012-08-06T07:35:00.001-07:00

Last week I met up with a friend I hadn't seen for a few months. She looked fantastic and had obviously lost weight, especially around her stomach area.

She was never much overweight before but was carrying extra weight around her belly in the past.

I expected her to tell me she had started some new regular fitness regimen. But instead she gleefully explained that 'rolfing' had led her to finally lose this belly fat. She's had some digestion related problems for many years and has tried many different things to cure this, but she said rolfing is finally what did it for her.

Rolfing is a unique type of body work sort of like massage but not to be confused with massage;

Where massage works all soft tissues,Rolfers focus their work on a layer called fascia, the sheathing membrane that covers muscles, tendons, and organs. This fascia, like a girdle, gives shape and length to soft tissue.

She said her rolfer had told her that intestines are like sausages ;-). They have a casing around them and over time and with stress or lifestyle habits, etc., these casings become hardened and blockages occur. It's like the intestines freeze and no longer function efficiently.

She had attended ten sessions (one per week for ten weeks) and she said the rolfer worked on her abdominal area and 'thawed' her intestines. The result seems miraculous to her, her digestion is much improved now, she moves lightly and gracefully and has effortlessly lost weight.

Well this inspired me very much. I've got some problems with sluggish digestion too and even though my weight is now quite ideal, i do have a little belly bulge at the grand age of 50. I'm pretty sure I will try at least one session with this rolfer.

But I wanted to throw this question out there, has anyone else attended a series of rolfing sessions and also experienced a bonus benefit of weight loss, and especially around the belly?

Low Carb Lifestyle Leads to Dramatic Weight Loss

2012-07-26T10:51:00.000-07:00

Dan before at 340 pounds and after at 182 pounds

Thanks much to Dan for submitting his story;

The sudden death of my wife of 37 years from diet related causes changed my life. I knew I had to make a change or I would be next. For the sake of my children still at home I began to study.

I began living a low carb high fat lifestyle two and a half years ago. I’ve lost 158 pounds, my type 2 diabetes is gone along with a heart condition. I feel great. I’m 6 foot tall and now weigh 182 pounds, that’s down from 340 pounds.

If I can do it you can do it. Read my blog for my story: danmoffett.blogspot.com

Also check out his first few blog posts which are loaded with extremely useful information and resources, including links to some very excellent podcasts you can listen to: Drop wheat and sugar..

Losing 50 Pounds on the Atkins Diet

2012-07-21T13:43:00.000-07:00

Kristine, age 21, is elated that she's lost about 50 pounds. Two years ago she weighed 174 pounds and was wearing black clothes everyday to look thinner. Her mood was bad and she often felt fatigued.

That's when she decided to try the low-carb Atkins diet. The Atkins diet doesn't ask you to count calories or watch your portions. It does severely restrict your carbohydrate intake. She was able to eat all the protein she wanted and never felt hungry.

The pounds started dropping off and when the weight loss started to plateau, she also added exercise. Now, two years later she weighs 125 pounds and in the best shape of her life. She feels very joyful to be so healthy now. See her page on Atkins weight loss here.

Average Women's Size in 2012

2012-07-17T13:06:00.003-07:00

Here's a couple of interesting infographics I saw today on In Your Face. The average woman's dress size in 2012 is size 14, average height is 5'4 and average weight is 164 pounds. (This is for adult women over the age of 20)

Teen Loses 100 Pounds in Ten Months

2012-07-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

Charles before weight loss

Charles after weight loss

Charles is a teenager, age 16, who became determined to lose weight 14 months ago. At that point he weighed 285 pounds. Within ten months of starting, he had succeeded in losing 100 pounds! Three months later he had lost another 15 pounds to reach his goal weight of 170 pounds. (He is 6'0 tall.)

Charles did this with amazing tenacity and has completely changed his life around. Here is his hugely inspiring story;

Since the age of five, I loved chicken nuggets, fries, pizza and Chinese food. My love for fast foods and large portions were two of the most significant factors that impacted my weight drastically.

I didn't want to listen to my parent’s concern for me to eat healthy foods. Almost everyday, I desired fried foods that were high in calories and fats. When going to restaurants, I would only order foods such as pepperoni pizza, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and cheeseburgers without even glancing at the other options on the menu. I also led a sedentary life and played video games or on the computer. I was gaining huge amounts of weight per year.

In May 2011, I went to the doctor for my physical and my weight had peaked at its highest – 285 pounds! My doctor explained to me that if I didn't do something about my weight, I would have an increased chance of developing heart disease and diabetes later in life, as well as a decreased life expectancy. My mother had diabetes and took insulin 4 times a day. My grandfather had died from atherosclerosis.

I ran out of breath while walking up the steps and during physical education, always came in last, which resulted in taunts from others. Also, I could never wear “cool” clothes for kids my age, and had to wear men’s XXL shirts and huge baggy pants. I was ashamed to be seen in public. In school, I was degraded and ridiculed with hurtful comments and jeers from students. This lowered my self-esteem immensely. I was extremely devastated and didn't want to go to school or talk to anyone.

One day after getting up from bed, I couldn't breathe. I felt as if I was going to die. I prayed to God to help me and it was then that I decided to make a serious effort to lose weight and become healthy.

My mom had a workout video called “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” by fitness guru Richard Simmons. It was basically dancing and exercising to great music. It was fun and made me feel good. I read on the internet about healthy eating and devised a menu for myself.

After checking with my physician, I began to eat well-balanced meals which consisted of more protein, less carbs/fats, and I also counted calories. I completely avoided white bread and sugar. Instead, I ate low cal/carb wheat bread and used Equal. I hated salads before, but now I loved it and dressed it up with fresh veggies and low cal dressing. Diet sodas were permanently replaced by bottles of water.

The first few months were not easy; I battled the temptation of food and just a short walk on the treadmill made me run out of breath. However, I remained focused on my goal and I worked harder each day.

I began running one mile with strain, and after 5 months and 50 lbs less, I was running 5 to 7 miles per day. I started doing muscle toning basics and athletic style cardio workouts using videos which had a definite boot camp attitude.

In 10 months, I was 185 lbs, I had lost 100 lbs.

It has now become a habit for me to eat healthy and on a timely basis. I do not eat dinner beyond 7:00PM. If I get hungry at night, I have sugar-free, fat-free Jello or an Atkins bar. In addition to running, I love playing basketball, and doing strength and weight conditioning.

After thirteen months, at 170 lbs, I have lost a total of 115 lbs and maintained my weight.

I understand the plight of teens who suffer from obesity and the emotional and physical strain associated with it. I want to tell them to believe in themselves and do their weight loss regimen a little at a time. Also to never lose faith in themselves or let anyone bring them down by telling them that they can’t do it. Have faith, stay focused, it will take hard work and determination, but the rewards will be great. Thank you, Charles Haines

Getting in Top Shape after Losing 110 Pounds

2012-07-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Adrian lost 110 pounds in one year.

She's 5'4" and weighed 230 pounds three years ago. She lost all the weight in one year and has kept it off since then, for the last two years.

These days she is training for a second marathon. She finished her first marathon just two months ago.

Now she has a chance to win a cover model contest for Women's Running Magazine!

Please see her inspirational website at ChaseFear.com. She would be so thrilled to win this contest.

You can vote for her here.

with your vote, this could be Adrian..

Losing the First 40 Pounds in Four Months

2012-07-03T17:19:00.000-07:00

Don wants to weigh 210 pounds again.

He has been overweight for over 25 years.

Four months ago he weighed 365 pounds. That's when he set his goal to lose the weight and to bike an average of 100 miles a week. He has lost 40 pounds since then.

Last week he posted this on his blog;

"I am a half pound from my official “40 pounds lost” day! It has been a little bit of a culture shock.

Don on Day One, Four Months Ago

I can get in and out of my car easier. I am now wearing 3X shirts instead of 4X. I’m ready to buy a new belt…I’m on the last hole!

When I hear people talking about getting in shape, I smile inside knowing that I am riding my bike 20 miles every day. I remember when I needed to lose 155lbs!! Now it’s only 115lbs! I know you’re laughing…Only 115lbs I say. But it is great to know that things are changing."

Please check out his blog - 210 Again - and encourage him on his journey. He has made a couple of inspiring short videos - one from the first day and one after 100 days.

Congrats on your fabulous progress Don!

160 Pounds of Butter Lighter Now

2012-07-02T16:53:00.003-07:00

Jough recently reflected on his four years of "clean livin'". He made the decision to lose weight four years ago when he weighed 451 pounds. He has successfully lost 163 pounds since then, although there have been many plateaus along the way. He's now at 287 pounds, and would like to ideally reach 200.

He's lost the weight so far by aiming to stick to a 2000 calories a day diet and by exercising regularly. He does two miles on his treadmill most mornings. Check out his wonderful blog at Clean Livin'.

When Jough lost his first 50 pounds in 12 weeks, he posted this pic on his blog. It's 26 pounds of 1-pound slabs of butter. It was unbelievable to him that he could lose '50 pounds of butter' in such a short time.

Check out his milestone blog post about his journey so far.

How to Reduce Bloating

2012-06-30T16:19:00.001-07:00

Poached asparagus

Thanks to Tom Corson-Knowles for submitting this guest post about ways to reduce bloating.

Feeling bloated?

Honestly, bloating has got to be one of the most uncomfortable feelings you can have, especially if it's chronic. Some people have been bloated for so long, they forget what it feels like to be normal!

But here's the deal - bloating is not normal. It's a sign that there's something going on with your body and it usually stems from poor digestion which, of course, is all about what you eat!

There are two categories of foods you need to know about to overcome bloating once and for all. First, there's the foods to avoid. These foods can cause bloating or make it worse. Second, there are the foods to add to your diet - these foods help aid good digestion and help your body rebalance the gut ecology, which is crucial to good digestion and getting rid of the symtoms.

Foods To Avoid

A lot of people who are chronically bloated have some kind of food intolerance. The most common are dairy and/or lactose intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, and sensitivities to processed foods and artificial food additives.

The first thing I would do to get rid of bloating is to cut out all dairy products for two weeks. After 14 days, you'll be able to find out pretty quickly whether it's the dairy that's causing the problem or not. And, trust me, it's much better for your health to limit your intake of dairy products in the first place. In fact, cutting out dairy is one of the first things that anyone should do when trying to naturally treat digestive disorders.

If you cut out dairy and nothing's improved, it's time to cut out the second most common food intolerance - gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and a few other grains that causes bad reactions for many peoples' immune systems, and one of those reactions happens to be bloating. Yes, I know, it's hard to go on a gluten free diet - at first. But trust me, it's worth it! Most people will notice a HUGE difference in their health and energy levels after just cutting out gluten from their diets for 3 or 4 days. Trust me, you will love how you feel!

Another big mistake people make is drinking soda pop and carbonated beverages. These can cause bloating as well as a myriad of other digestive and health issues. Other common foods that make bloating worse are things like processed foods - chips, crackers, cookies, etc. and foods with a lot of white table salt.

Foods To Eat

Now here's the good stuff - the foods to focus on eating. These foods help rebalance your body's digestive system and get rid of your digestive problems once and for all.

Foods loaded with probiotics and prebiotics are the best! Everyone's heard about yogurt, but I find cultured vegetables like sauerkraut or kimchi work best for probiotic enhancement. This is because your body not only needs the probiotics (the good bacteria) that help your immune and gut function, but these bacteria need the prebiotics (the roughage from vegetables and produce) to function properly. Just eating yogurt and taking probiotic supplements won't do much if those good germs don't have the right kind of food for them - which is plant roughage.

Asparagus can also be a great food to eat for bloating because it helps fight water retention. Bananas are also great as their high potassium content helps flush out excess sodium from the body.

About The Author: Tom Corson-Knowles is the founder of the Authentic Health Coaching show, the #1 Alternative Health Podcast show on Podomatic. Tom blogs regularly about healthy eating, natural weight loss and how to live a healthier lifestyle.

In Superb Shape After Four Pregnancies

2012-06-16T20:56:00.001-07:00

Dani a few months after her third birth, at 187 pounds - and a few months after giving birth to her fourth child.

Well, this is not the typical success story we read about here. Dani has never really had a weight issue.

She has four children age six and younger! She is 38 years old and has an incredible body after four pregnancies.

How does she do it? Mostly she eats very healthy foods. She also exercises.

She's just started a blog about food and fitness. I found her pics of healthy food really inspiring, hope you enjoy them too.

See her (very new) blog at fitness, food and style

Losing 50 Pounds and Keeping it Off

2012-06-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

Shira at age 25, 175 pounds

Shira at age 45, 125 pounds

When Shira was 25 years old she weighed 175 pounds and felt she was about 50 pounds overweight given her height of 5'4".

She went on to lose the weight starting from the inside out through jornaling, positive self-talk and visualization in addition to lots of exercise and eating better.

What is doubly wonderful about her story is that she has successfully maintained this weight loss for twenty years. At age 45 she still weighs 125.

Check out her website at The Lighter Perspective. Congrats Shira!