Dorothy's Story: A Woman on a Mission

Agent makes a case for slow, steady weight loss

3 min read

As an agent for a state Bureau of Investigation, Dorothy found her size was starting to interfere with her ability to perform her job. She was also tired of squeezing into booths and chairs that did not fit her size 18W body. Once and for all, she intended to change her life.

Her friends advised her to start keeping a diet journal. She was looking for one online when she stumbled across the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic -- where she got much more than a journal.

Dorothy started the WLC program in November 2003, weighing 217 pounds. Since then, she's whittled her 5'7" frame past her goal weight of 158 pounds to 146 pounds, and she's eight dress sizes smaller. As you might imagine, the 56-year-old feels "marvelous."

Still, the Kentucky resident admits the going wasn't easy at first. In her first few months on the Weight Loss Clinic plan, she lost just 5 pounds.

"Then I realized my stubbornness was getting in the way of my success and if I wanted to lose weight, I needed to take advantage of all of the features of the WLC," she says.

So she got serious. She started reading the articles on the WLC site, became active on the community boards, and let the program help her. And she found that weight loss became much easier.

Dorothy's favorite aspect of the Weight Loss Clinic is its philosophy of making slow, steady changes. She recognized that her eating habits needed to be overhauled, but the idea of totally changing her diet seemed overwhelming.

"I knew I had bad eating habits and used food whenever I was bored, but I also accepted that I had to take small steps to make the healthy changes permanent," she recalls. "The plan made it easy, never asking too much of me, and over time, I have developed much better habits."

She no longer snacks constantly or uses food as an amusement. Instead, she eats lots more fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean meats -- and she enjoys every bite.

"I love the flexibility of my eating plan and the ability to design my own menus, select the foods I love, and ability to move foods around to meet my changing schedule," Dorothy says.

Finding the right way to fit in fitness is another key to weight loss success, Dorothy says. Her personal fitness formula includes regular workouts at Curves gym, along with walking, bike riding, and doing stretching exercises at home.

"Showing up in a class is what works for me," she says. "Otherwise, I have a hard time getting motivated to get my exercise."

Dorothy recommends the following tips to help fellow WLC members lose weight and keep it off:

  • Visit the community boards as often as you can and get involved with your fellow dieters.
  • Don't expect overnight change. Losing weight is slow and gradual.
  • Read the articles on the WLC site. They offer very helpful advice.
  • Learn to read food labels so you understand exactly what you are buying.
  • Don't overreact when you hit weight loss plateaus. Instead, power past them. Think of a plateau as a normal part of the weight loss process.

Losing weight has been an uplifting experience for Dorothy, who plans on sticking with the WLC program to help her maintain her svelte new figure.

Eating healthfully and getting regular physical activity have become second nature. And shopping for clothes has never been more fun, now that she searches in the size 10 racks!

Dorothy believes the Weight Loss Clinic has given her the keys to unlock the mystery of permanent weight loss.

"Joining the WLC has been the best investment I have ever made with my money, time, and energy because it really, really works," she says.

Name:Dorothy Howard
Age:56
Height:5'7"

Lost: 71 pounds in 15 months on the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic Plan