How many pounds have you lost?
      Tom: 40
     Peggy: 20

How long did it take you to lose the weight?
      Tom: about a year and a half
      Peggy: about 6 months

What health risks or medications have been reduced or eliminated?
      Tom: none
      Peggy: none that pre-existed

What motivated you to lose weight?
      Tom: This was a joint decision but most of all, I didn't like what I saw in the mirror. We have a bathroom that has mirrors at right angles and I could catch a glimpse of my profile in the side mirror.
      Peggy: Better health, better physical appearance

What were your previous weight loss efforts like? How is this one different?
      Tom: I tried the Atkins diet for several months and hated it. It got to the point that I hated to think about the food and I practically quit eating and felt miserable.
      Peggy: none

How did you feel losing weight?
      Tom: With the encouragement from Fran and Peggy, it made me feel like I was doing my body some good. The check-ins with Fran was a powerful motivation because I didn't want to show up weighing more than the last time.
      Peggy: It wasn't bad. It was just a matter of making up my mind that this was important to me and then making it a priority.

How have your family and friends reacted?
      Tom: I have gotten some comments like: You better quit losing weight or you will get too skinny. You are looking really good, how were you able to do it, etc.
      Peggy: Friends are surprised, my sister is jealous

What eating changes have helped you the most?
      Tom: I sometimes like to eat a greasy hamburger or some junk food. When I do that I either give up something all day so I can eat that or rationalize that giving up these other foods for the sake of a hamburger isn't worth it.
      Peggy: Since I eat fast food all the time, I have become aware of calories at fast food places and have learned to choose those that I like that happen to be lower in calories.

What physical activity changes have helped you the most?
      Tom: I have been playing racquetball on the average of 3 times a week. When we don't play, I will just take off walking around the campus or down the street for a while.
      Peggy: I didn't really make any physical activity changes.

What is your current physical activity like?
      Tom: I still play racquetball when time permits (usually three times a week). When the weather is tolerable I will work in the yard hauling mulch around plants and since we have over a acre of land I will mow it with a push mower (not self-propelled) If I need the walking exercise anyway, I might as well get it while I am getting something accomplished.
      Peggy: I go to the gym approximately 3 times a week. Beyond that, I climb two flights of stairs multiple times a day, as well as walk between buildings.

What tips do you have for others?
      Tom: If you don't really want to sacrifice a little then you will not succeed. When you rationalize a deliberate slip then pretty soon it becomes too common and you fall off the wagon. The only person you need to answer to is yourself. If you are seeing Fran and you report your calorie counts to her you might as well be truthful with yourself first and then with your records. You can fool Fran but you are only lying to yourself by fudging you records. I hope the word "fudging" doesn't make you hungry.
      Peggy: Like everything else in life, it is a matter of choices. What is important to you and what sacrifices are you willing to make, and make the things that matter to you a priority.

What’s your favorite low-calorie snack food?
      Tom: I have found that Pretzels are one of the better snacks because you can eat a lot and still not get a lot of calories. I think it is 48 pretzels for 100 calories. I call this big-food-calories because you get a lot of food for relatively few calories. Fruit is another way to get a rather large portion of food with relatively few calories. I will bring several pieces of fruit to work and use that as my lunch.
      Peggy: For snacking, I have learned to buy the $.25 candies rather than the big bars. Although not a snack food, I have learned that I really Wendy's chili. I still eat it regularly.

This whole weight loss program is really the same as a bank account. Unlike a bank account that never seems to have enough money in it, the body always seems to have too much fat. I found that being totally honest in your calorie record keeping and exercise records you can predict to within a half pound what you will have lost or gained. If your records are accurate your balance sheet will be a true indication of what you have lost or gained. It is purely mathematics when you get down to it.

More Stories:
Tracy Solomon
Mike Fitzner
Doug Nelson
Bridget Banic
Nick and Kirsten Voinis
Margo Smith
Peggy Dickens and Tom Krueger
Susan Scarlett
Myra Leo
Ellen Kashdan
Marty Brown
Donna MacDonnell