Sanni’s weight loss success through calorie-counting, exercise, and blogging

January 13 2007

Sanni

-City & country: Duisburg, Germany
-Age: 32
-Weight before diet: 118 kg (260 lbs) BMI: 40.7
-Weight now: 69.5 kg (153 lbs) BMI: 23.9
-Target weight: 57 kg (125 lbs) BMI: 19.6

Sanni gained a lot of weight during her pregnancy but most of it is just a memory now, thanks to a combination of low-calorie food and exercise. Read on to learn how Sanni crafted a weight loss method that fits into her lifestyle and how she uses her blog as a motivation for exercise.
 
-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program?
I wanted to get back to my former self – I nearly doubled my weight during pregnancy. Okay, the doctor’s diagnosis was “heavy pregnancy gestosis” – but, to be honest, I also discovered my sweet tooth (and the sour, and the salty, and and and…) while I was pregnant.

-What type of weight loss program are you following?
A mostly mathematical one (monitoring my daily calories) and some exercise.

-Why did you choose this weight loss program?
It is the easiest way for me. I am on the go very often – so it is a bit difficult for me to follow a prescribed diet or food plan.

-How long have you been on your weight loss program?
Since April 2006 – shortly after I gave birth to my little son.

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to help you lose weight and stay fit?
I exercise for comments. If you leave a comment on my blog, Coffee2Go, I will exercise for one minute the next morning. So I have a daily dose of about 60 minutes of running or aerobics or (baby-)yoga.

-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming?
Eating on the run.

-How do you keep yourself motivated?
Refrigerator magnets and small pants. =)
There are two photos that I placed on my fridge: one “before” picture (57kg) and one “after” (118kg) picture. Also, I did not get rid of my small clothes. There is always a smaller pair of jeans waiting for me.

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers?
1.) Drink fewer sodas. Drinking a 44 oz. soda is equivalent (in terms of sugar) to eating an entire chocolate cake. Plus, carbonated beverages leach the calcium from your bones.
2.) Eat breakfast. You need to start your metabolism if you ever want to lose weight. But:
Try a high-fiber cereal with fresh fruit and skim milk in the morning instead of bagels or muffins.
3.) Have a look at the hidden fat in food (e.g.: It does not make sense to eat a healthy fresh salad in combination with a regular dressing in order to lose weight).
4.) Never give up – even if your weight loss is stagnating. There will always be such periods.
If you feel frustrated: jump into one of your “big size” jeans and have a look at what you have lost already.
5.) Water! Drink as much water as you can – at least 80 oz. a day.
6.) Choose healthy snacks, such as fruit, a handful of nuts or a low-fat yogurt between meals to keep yourself from getting too hungry.
7.) In a restaurant: Start with a soup or mixed green salad, both of which will contribute to fullness, and follow with an appetizer rather than a full-size entree.
8.) Incorporate exercise daily, even if it is just walking to work or taking the stairs.
9.) Don’t weigh yourself daily – once a week is enough to see a motivating result.
10.) Munch on fresh vegetables with low-calorie condiments to make them taste great and to satisfy the need to crunch.

-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?
I don’t think I will fall back into my old lifestyle. The “after” picture will remain on my fridge… and I’m going to keep one of my big-sized jeans.

-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helps or inspires you to lose weight?
1.) Flip This Body (http://flipthisbody.blogspot.com) - Julie attempts to flip her body in less than a year. Very motivating.
2.) Hungry Girl (http://www.hungry-girl.com) – daily tips and tricks to get rid of your hunger.
3.) My own blog, Coffee2go (http://coffee2go.blogspot.com) – I have embedded a weight loss ticker showing my actual weight loss… and I love looking at my comments to see how many friendly bloggers are getting me running.