Doing her own thing: Shauna's weight loss adventures

-City & country: Edinburgh, Scotland
-Age: 29
-Weight before diet: 351 lb
-Weight now: 174 lb
-Target weight: 175 lb

It isn't surprising that someone who writes a blog called "The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl" would have quite a few weight loss tips to share, and Shauna does just that here. Along with exercise and good eating habits, she found that a mindset change and a bit of patience have led her to not only her target weight but to a healthier lifestyle that she plans to maintain for life.

-What finally made you decide to start with a weight loss program?
I was 23 years old and finally realised life was passing me by. Somehow I'd reached the point where I was busting out of the biggest size in the shops and my weight was holding me back, both physically and mentally. I was struggling with depression and not really living, more like just treading water. It was around Christmas of 2000 that I thought, "Something has to change."

-What type of weight loss program are you following?
These days I'm doing my own thing. In 2001 I started out with Weight Watchers which was helpful at first but after a year I got bored with all the ladies who'd ask how many calories were in cough medicine or said they'd gained weight because they'd worn heavier socks that week. I follow a basic plan of healthy, non-processed foods with room for my favourite treats.

-Why did you choose this weight loss program?
I finally realised that in the long term, it's impossible to stick to somebody else's plan religiously. So I decided to go my own way. The key has been figuring out what I am willing to stick to; what is flexible and what fits into my life.

-How long have you been on your weight loss program?
I started out in January 2001 and it took until August 2006 to lose half my body weight. I ended up deciding to maintain this weight and have remained there since.

-What kinds of physical activities do you like doing to help you lose weight and stay fit?
I started out with walking to the end of the block and back and over time became a bit of a fitness dork. Currently I'm into weight training, canoeing, cycling, yoga, and hillwalking.

-What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming?
The biggest obstacle was simply not giving up on what seemed like a monumental and impossible task. It took me such a long time and I screwed up so often along the way. I would get frustrated by obstacles like moving, new jobs, new relationships and wished life would stop getting in the way of weight loss. But I had to learn to be patient, and that you can't just put everything on hold to lose weight, you have to work around it. Once I chilled out the whole process became much easier!

The other obstacle I struggled with was obsessiveness. I tend to take an "all or nothing" approach at times, so I had to curb my perfectionist streak and not punish myself with bingeing if I fell off the wagon. Earlier this year I realised I'd become obsessed with losing The Last Ten Pounds, so I gave up the dieting mentality and scale fixation and have been happy ever since. I'm not obsessing over numbers and calories anymore, rather just making healthy choices by instinct. I only wish I'd figured out this was possible years earlier :)

-How do you keep yourself motivated?
I don't really think weight loss is a question of motivation. For me it's been about setting up my life and changing my habits so it's simply easier for me to do the healthy thing than not do the healthy thing. Things like planning my meals a week in advance, treating exercise like an appointment instead of an option, and always having a pantry full of healthy foods. For me it's about patience, realistic expectations, and having non-scale goals in mind to keep myself positive - like the training for a 5k race or learning a new sport. That keeps me in a healthy, happy frame of mind so I feel less inclined to go on a chocolate bender :)

-Do you have any weight loss tips for our readers?
Be patient and be kind to yourself. Try and look beyond "calories in, calories out" and figure out your reasons for overeating. It wasn't until I forgave myself for getting so unhealthy in the first place that I really started getting anywhere.

Also, don't try and change everything at once! Just pick one little thing and start from there – e.g., a 20-minute walk, three times a week. When you've mastered that new habit, add another one. It's easier to approach weight loss in terms of baby steps accumulating over time, rather than expecting perfection and punishing yourself if you get off track.

-Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening?
I lost the majority of my weight in the first two years, and have kept it all that off for over four-and-a-half years now, so I don't see myself falling back into my old patterns. My weight does fluctuate, so I allow myself about a 10lb threshold before the alarm bells start going off! Or if my jeans get tight I swing into action.

My new habits are so ingrained now. I still overdo it now and then, but the key for me is listening to my body when it's screaming at me to stop! These days this happens after a small chocolate bar, whereas in the old days that wouldn't happen until half a kilo of chocolate or a whole pint of ice cream :)

-Do you have a favorite Web site or blog that helps or inspires you to lose weight?
I read dozens and dozens of blogs and I depend on them all for inspiration and laughs, so I'm reluctant to single anyone out! But among my most cherished reads are:
 + Marla at Someday Is Now - http://nowissomeday.blogspot.com/
 + Meg at I Am That Girl Now - http://iamthatgirlnow.blogspot.com/
 + Kathryn at iDiet - http://idiet.wordpress.com/
 + Erin and Minx, Redux - http://minxredux.blogspot.com/

My blog is The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl - http://www.dietgirl.org