Sparkpeople Success Story
Web Site Diet Support Contributes to Weight Loss Results
One woman's weight loss journey and how Sparkpeople helped her lose weight through support and healthy lifestyle changes.
Like many women, Linda Shellhorn of Tampa, FL tried many diets before she discovered Sparkpeople and used their resources to lose weight and become a success story.
Sparkpeople is a free Web site with countless resources to help people develop healthy lifestyle habits and lose weight.
When Linda joined Sparkpeople she weighed more than 225 pounds. The changes in her diet, fitness, support and overall health helped her to lose 65 pounds. She’s lost 55.75 inches and at least 6 dress sizes (going from a size 20 to a size 8.)
Though Linda doesn’t consider herself a success story yet because she is still on her journey and would like to lose an additional 20 pounds to reach her final goal, she has successfully changed her lifestyle to make weight loss possible after many failed attempts to lose weight with fad diets and support programs.
Losing 65 pounds changed Linda. “My energy level is so high now, I’m thinking more clearly, I look dramatically better, I now LIKE to exercise and feel so much better consuming a healthy diet and eliminating most all processed foods,” she said.
Linda is most excited about wearing “normal” size clothes (as opposed to plus size clothing), finding relief from a chronic medical condition and lowered her BMI level to the “normal” range after being in the “obese” category. She looks forward to reaching her weight loss goal, fitting into a size 4, working out in a fitness bra and shorts and wearing a bikini on the beach.
To get these fantastic results, Linda used Sparkpeople to set goals for herself. “I have set goals all along the way and my weight long term goals have extended longer than my previous goal dates, but that is okay. I keep working at them, changing the date as necessary, and have seen the results.” It is this attitude that allowed her to lose the weight and stay on her journey until she reaches her goal. She also sets cardio goals by increasing speed, distance and time.
By using Sparkpeople, Linda was able to find the support she needed to lose weight. “I use Sparkpeople, which is my real daily support and I’ve found a couple teams I truly relate to where we share our thoughts, triumphs and shortcomings,” she said.
In addition to the friends she’s met through Sparkpeople, Linda found support from her doctor, Dan Stein, a few friends who are always working on their weight loss goals and she inspired her husband to lose weight as well.
Linda continues to rely on Sparkpeople for support as she enters the final leg of her weight loss journey and enters the maintenance phase. She has achieved great weight loss results and is an inspiring success story.
