Learn from Others' Success

Starting a new weight loss program and sticking to it can be overwhelming, but following in the footsteps of other successful weight loss achievers helps you learn from their successes and challenges.
Apr 20, 2004 09:14 AM EDT

I have been coaching and working with Barbara-Ann for the past five weeks. She has been using the Christian Post health Weight Loss Program and has already lost 13 pounds.

Many people starting a weight loss program are skeptical, and Barbara-Ann was no exception.

“I had a hard time believing that the program would work for me and for my family,” she said. “I had tried so many weight loss programs—including the ‘I can do it on my own at home’ diet and nothing really worked or kept me motivated.”

When Barbara-Ann realized the Christian Post health Weight Loss Program encompassed attitude-enhancing techniques, her belief in the program grew, for she knew the impact having a positive mental attitude would have on her success. Starting a weight loss program with a negative attitude will ultimately bring you negative results. Begin with the glass half full; have 100% belief that you can reach your goal and your belief won’t let you down.


Staying motivated

Starting a weight loss program is only the beginning of the fight—staying motivated to stick to the program will be your next challenge. Barbara-Ann has stuck to the program for six weeks and plans to stick with it for the rest of her life. You can borrow some of the techniques that have helped her find success.

Review your goals daily: Review your goals every day—even two or three times daily if you can. Reviewing your goals impresses your desired results into your subconscious mind and your mind will then go to work to make it happen. The more you remind your subconscious mind of the results you are seeking, the sooner you will achieve them.

“At first I thought ‘what will it really do to look at my goals on a daily basis?’ but I have found that by doing this I am closer to achieving them,” said Barbara-Ann. “My goals are set up in realistic steps that are achievable. When I have achieved a goal I am proud of myself and that motivates me to strive for the next goal. Secondly, reaching a goal entices me to set higher challenges for myself.”

Read testimonials of other successful individuals: Reading about the success of others can motivate you to take action. “At the beginning of the program I would print out the testimonials from other clients who used the Christian Post health program to get a full understanding of what it entailed,” said Barbara-Ann.


Think positive: Staying positive throughout your journey is vital to success. The SPTS Daily Life Improvement Checklist is helping people stay positive and motivated on the Christian Post health Weight Loss program and as a result, they are achieving amazing results. As Zig Ziglar says, “Positive thinking won't let you do everything. But it will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.”

“I read very positive books and listen to motivational CDs”, said Barbara-Ann. “In the past, I used to wake up in the morning and before leaving the house I would look in the mirror and say something negative to myself and then get upset when things did not go well throughout the day. Now, I say something positive to myself that I either read or listened to and go along my day. I have a positive thought on my screensaver at work. Another technique that I use is a dream board that I have in the family room on the wall that I and my family can look at to keep us focused.”


It takes two (or more): Having support from family and friends can keep you on track and help you stay motivated. The Christian Post health program encompasses the entire family, as getting healthy together can be a wonderful, life-changing experience. As Barbara-Ann said, “There is no question that having support from my family has made it so much easier. I see so many positive changes in both myself and the rest of the family that it has changed our lives for the better forever. It has been a lifestyle change that has been so easy to do and as Winnie-the-Pooh says, ‘Life is so much easier with two.’”

You will be happy to know that not only has Barbara-Ann lost 13 pounds, her husband has lost 13 pounds and their son has lost 8 pounds.

Fallen of the wagon?

If you give in to a not-so-healthy temptation, don’t despair—pick yourself back up and carry on with the program. Barbara-Ann also believes that if you do fall of the wagon, you should just get right back on and don’t look back with any regrets.

“I am a realistic person and do fall off the wagon. When I eat something that is not part of the plan I still enjoy it but find that I did not actually miss it as much as I thought I would, and then I refocus again,” she said “I will not sit there and punish myself. I will, however, write this point and the circumstances around it in my journal, and then get on with life. I will push myself a little harder with the next set of exercises I do or walk a couple of extra blocks next time I walk in the neighborhood.”