Calorie Counting and Determination Spell Success for Doug

At 5’7” and 185 pounds, Doug was bordering on obese, according to his Body Mass Index (BMI). Although Doug’s wife had always encouraged him to try and eat a healthier diet he never really made the effort. However, after the holidays he ran across a flyer in his office promoting this online dieting program, which looked appealing. At 53, he decided it was now or never, so he logged on and never looked back! Find your BMI with our BMI Calculator

Doug found that with the online weight loss program, something “clicked” and he became an avid calorie counter. The thought of early retirement also encouraged Doug toward his goal of a healthier weight. He didn’t want to face a retirement that he couldn’t enjoy because he felt uncomfortable, and he wanted to reduce his risk of developing certain diseases as a result of being overweight.

So, Doug started counting calories. He also started an exercise program and used the Get Moving Calculator to determine how many calories he had burned through various activities. He started out by walking for about one mile, which then turned into a three-mile walk. As he gained stamina he would run for a few minutes and then walk, alternating along the way. Today, he can and does run about three miles. Doug adds, “When I first started out, I couldn’t run up the driveway. But because of the increased strength and stamina from my exercise routine, chores around the house – such as carrying wood to the basement – have become much easier.”

But Doug’s not the only one who is happy about his weight loss. Doug’s doctor is also extremely pleased because his blood pressure has dropped as well as his cholesterol levels. And, Doug says the feedback from friends and family has been wonderful as well. “When people notice that you have lost 5-10 pounds, it really encourages you to keep going,” said Doug. The constant contact and support from the Web site, through newsletters and emails, also helped Doug focus on his goals. And, as he lost weight he monitored his progress and updated his profile. “It was great to see the number of pounds lost and how it changed my BMI – that was certainly motivating.”

Doug says he never felt deprived when using online dieting. “The program just made sense and put everything together for me. I started to eat smarter. I now understand that exercise means you need and can eat more calories. I also realized that you can eat a lot more vegetables for the same amount of calories as a small portion of a higher fat food.”

Today, Doug reads labels before purchasing anything and is able to estimate the number of calories consumed. It seems like Doug went from junk food junkie to calorie counting junkie! And, he’s confident that he will be able to maintain this weight loss (especially since he has already done so for almost a year now). He plans to continue to count calories and watch what he eats.

Determination, exercise and counting calories were the recipe for success for Doug. He’s lost a total of 35 pounds (going from 185 pounds to 150 pounds) and trimmed his waist from 36 inches to 32 inches. And, his BMI has dropped from 29 (considered overweight) to 23 (considered normal weight). Now those are some numbers worth counting! Congratulations, Doug!