Size 12/14 to size 0!

[Momto5boys]

Hi all,
I'm 34, and after my fifth child was born the weight just wasn't coming off. Pre-children I had always been thin and fit, but each pregnancy left with me with 5-10 pounds that I hadn't lost (I had five in a 10 year span). I confess that after becoming a mom I never really dieted or regularly exercised (other than chasing children or an occasional swim or other activity). So after my last child turned three and I hadn't lost much of my post-pregnancy weight, I decided to take action!

I calculated that I needed to limit myself to 1300 calories/day in addition to at least 30 min. or more of working out daily in order to lose 1 1/2-2 pounds a week. I researched good low calorie snacks and bought a new calorie counting book. I bought new cookbooks with healthy recipes and desserts. I ordered some great hypnosis CD's that I burned onto my mp3 player. And I started working out! I actually didn't discover Cathe until I had lost about 3/4 of the weight, but she helped me break through a plateau at the end and also helped me maintain my weight loss over the past six months! I had gotten really bored with the DVD's I had and they just weren't much of a challenge at all. After my first Cathe video, I quickly ordered several more and I now have 10 that I rotate through. THEY ARE THE BEST! I do mostly cardio with weight work mixed in every other day in order to stay toned and maintain muscle.

Anyway I feel like a new woman (or my old self maybe)! I am a size 0 and in the best shape of my life. I went to my class reunion last fall and people who hadn't seen me for several years were telling me that I hadn't changed a bit and was as skinny as I was in high school! LOL (What they don't know won't hurt them!) My husband loves my figure (it helps him to bite his tongue about the $$ I've had to spend on a new wardrobe), and our whole family eats more healthy. My husband has never needed to lose weight, but he has started to work out with me....and my kids take turns running on the treadmill or jumping on the mini-trampoline while I do my Cathe workouts!

Several of my friends have gotten hooked on Cathe after seeing my results and asking me what I'm doing to stay in shape. My one request would be for a DVD to use while traveling! Something using minimal space and a resistance band or cord.

Anyway, just thought I'd share my success story. There was no tricks or pills or magic diets. Just watching my calories (nothing was off-limits...just in moderation though), eating healthier in general, pyschological support through my hypnosis CD's, and workouts that are fun and challenging to do!

[nancy156]

Congratulations!!!! I know you feel like a million dollars! What a feeling!!!

Mom to five boys? Wow....that in itself is a workout! Seriously, congratulations! I loved reading your story.

Nancy

[Maria777]

Wow, size 0???? So how many lbs did you loose total?? That's a huge change!

Congrats!

[Momto5boys]

>Wow, size 0???? So how many lbs did you loose total??
>That's a huge change!
>
>Congrats!

Thanks! I lost 57 pounds...most of it within the first five months (about 2 lbs/week). The final 15 pounds took several more months because the weight started coming off slower due to my lighter weight and reduced calorie need.

When I started out losing 2 lbs a week, I was so excited...but my brother tried to tell me that I wouldn't continue losing at that rate. Well, there's nothing like telling me that something CAN'T be done to get me determined that I will do it!!! LOL

[Jeren]

Wow, congratulations! That is quite an accomplishment!!!

[wildflower]

Can you tell me the hypnosis Cd's you purchased. I am looking for some extra support also.

Thank you

[Momto5boys]

>Can you tell me the hypnosis Cd's you purchased. I am looking
>for some extra support also.
>
>Thank you

Well, initially I was going to go to a local person that did hypnosis, but with five kids, etc. I thought it might get inconvenient (and expensive!). I researched a few different CD's available online, and ended up going with a guy that was featured on the Dateline weight loss challenge and had been in different studies, etc. The website is tomnicoli.com. I bought the full weight loss package (like 6 CD's, but I've only used the two main CD's, which you can buy cheaper as a set of two). Weight Loss 1 & 2 is the name of the set. I listened to them religiously every night before going to sleep, and still listen a few times per week just for reinforcement. I think they make a huge difference for me...I don't know how else to explain it! By themselves they can't make you magically lose weight, but they really changed my way of thinking and gave me the motivation and the ability to control my appetite. My poor husband had to listen to them at night, too (which he complained about), and although he didn't need to lose any weight (he has an active day job), he inadvertantly changed his eating habits. He used to think nothing of eating fast food for lunch, etc...now he loathes fast food! He eats WAY more fruit, salads, etc. too. And he works out with me often. It's really quite strange...I am normally a somewhat skeptical person, but I am a believer in hypnosis now! I also bought a de-stress one, too. I ended up buying a mp3 pillow thing, and plug my mp3 into it so I can turn it up and listen to it at night. (I burned the CD's to mp3). It works great! But I do think the key is listening to them every day for a few weeks and then taper off according to how you're doing. My husband doesn't listen to them anymore because of my mp3 pillow, and his new eating habits seem quite ingrained. I'm sure everyone responds differently, with some needing more or less reinforcement. Good luck, though...let me know if it helps!

[Momto5boys]

I went to the website to make sure I had the address correct, and noticed that he now has two new CD's..."sugar & sweets" and "late night snacking". I just HAD to order them because those are two of my weak spots!!! I am very good to stay within my calorie count...but those sweets just call to me sometimes! And because I eat dinner fairly early, I tend to get snacky again at night. I ordered them each individually, but I noticed that he also packaged them with Weight Loss 1 & 2 plus another CD (exercise boost I think?) as a discounted set. The original set I bought had a "Low carb" and a "no carb" (plus the exercise and subliminal), but I don't use those. He mentions exercise in the two main tapes, and I don't have any problems being motivated to work out every day (partially thanks to Cathe!), so I don't need to listen to the exercise boost CD separately. But I couldn't resist buying the two new CD's! Hmmm...wonder if he makes a hypnosis tape that will make me stop buying new hypnosis tapes, workout DVD's, new workout clothes & equipment, low-calorie cookbooks, and other things I can't resist? LOL

[Honeydew]

Hi! congrats! can you share your low cal snacks and the cookbooks you bought!
thanks!

[Momto5boys]

>Hi! congrats! can you share your low cal snacks and the
>cookbooks you bought!
>thanks!

I bought several Weight Watchers, Cooking Light, and Splenda cookbooks. I like the ones that have the nutritional facts listed. For snacks, I used a lot of those 100 calorie snack packs (South Beach cookies, etc). Kudos are also 100 calories. I also bought the 50 calorie cans of lite fruit from Sam's Club. Yogurt (80 calorie version) is a great snack. Super low-calorie snacks would be the sugar-free fudge bars (35), SmartPop popcorn (15 cal/cup),Hunts sugar-free jello (5), pretzels (5 cal each). I also baked a lot of lite desserts. I really didnt deny myself anything...just had it in moderation. One of favorite indulgences is those Lindt chocolate truffles (70 cal). They slowly melt in your mouth and fulfil my chocolate cravings! LOL