AOL Success Stories - Submit Yours

I've just stumbled on a great selection of weight loss success stories at AOL's "That's Fit" website. Check it out at That's Fit: Success Stories. They have motivational stories from a diverse range of people of all age groups.

If you would like your weight loss story profiled at this AOL website, please contact Martha Edwards there. They have also put out the call to feature and link to bloggers who have weight loss success stories.

Weight Loss Success Stories on Reddit

Reddit.com is a great source of genuine weight loss success stories. The photos shown here were submitted by jxmac just seven hours ago and she has already received over 2,000 comments. She has lost 65 pounds. Check out her weight loss story and other people's comments here.

Western Food is Making the World Diabetic

Listen to this interesting 13 minute NPR audio on Diet and Diabetes, where one doctor discusses the differences he noticed between Afghan patients and the bodies of North American patients. He says;

"Typical Afghan civilians and soldiers would have been 140 pounds or so as adults. And when we operated on them, what we were aware of was the absence of any fat or any adipose tissue underneath the skin," Patterson says. "Of course, when we operated on Canadians or Americans or Europeans, what was normal was to have most of the organs encased in fat. It had a visceral potency to it when you could see it directly there."

Male Weight Loss Transformations

Check out this page, which has four inspiring stories of men losing weight. Here's an exerpt from Calle's story, he lost 136 pounds and was asked;

If someone reading this has repeatedly tried and failed to change their life for the better and they are considering giving up do you have any words of encouragement for them ?

I can only speak from my experience, I was a healthy morbidly obese person, but for how long? I used to hate pictures of myself, I was really mad when i looked myself in the mirror.

I´ve been alone for years, no girlfriend and not going out because i was ashamed of myself. If you identify with these things, well, you need to change. The best feeling in the world is when people see you on the street and make this big amazing surprised face because you are looking younger, great and healthier. Another great feeling is to fit in normal size modern clothes.

Are you demotivated? Find the reason! Take a picture of yourself every month so you will see the changes and be motivated every time. Know that you are eating to keep your body healthy and fine. Just think in long term, your body will thank you for that.

When you reach your goal, you will feel powerful, invincible, that you can achieve whatever you want in life. Let me tell you that this feeling leaves you speechless and so happy every second of your life. It will worth the fight and the sacrifices, just keep doing it and results will come.

Divorced Man Gets in Shape

Thanks much to Eli who sent in this inspiring weight loss story:

In March of 2008 I had been married for almost 18 years. For the last 5 or 6 years of my marriage, I had gained weight exponentially each year. Not only was I obese (6'1/2" 280 lbs), but I was also a heavy smoker. When I got separated from my ex-wife close to 3 years ago, I had an epiphany. I looked at myself in the mirror and couldn't believe what I was looking at. How had I allowed myself to get like that? I wanted to live a longer life for my 3 children and I wanted to be happy with myself again. These things made me take the first step into my journey of weight loss which has now become a passion for fitness.

I had yo-yo dieted for many years and tried many of the fad diets. I was "successful" in losing weight those times, but I never kept it off because I was not making a lifestyle change.. The most important change that has lead to my success is knowing to take things one day at a time. When I started on my quest, I did not join a gym and I did not exert myself enough. What I did was ask myself, "What am I willing to do NOW which will help me continue to do it for the rest of my life?" My answer then was to walk for 15 minutes each night and I made small adjustments to my horrendous eating habits. Today, I can run up to 10 miles at a 10 minute per mile pace. I also weight train 5 days per week and my bad eating moments are most people's best eating habits! I am proud to say that today I have a body fat percentage of 12%!

As soon as I started to see the weight coming off, I was motivated to continue on this path. The most challenging thing for me was changing my bad eating habits. I saw results right away. I started to lose weight after the first week and it never stopped from there.

My life has changed in many ways! I am healthier physically, mentally and emotionally. My self esteem although never low, is at an all time high. I have been the inspiration of many to start their own quest of a healthy lifestyle change and I have finally found a real life passion!

Losing Weight Before the Wedding

Sparkly_81 has lost 80 pounds in 13 months. In a discussion forum she says;

Last Jan I was feeling really down about being overweight. I was also was getting married and being a bridesmaid for my sister. I was really not confident at all about looking good and decided I had to do something about it. So I set about calorie counting and getting into fitness. 13 months later I have lost 80lbs. This takes me into the normal BMI range (I know; don't listen to BMI, but as a fat, relatively unactive woman it was probably quite accurate and psychologically this is a big milestone for me). I am working out regularly. I am pretty close to the point I can do a few pull-ups and I can run without killing myself.

She's had 130 people comment on her progress. See her workout and fitness details here.

A Weight Loss Motivation App for the iPad

Thanks to Adriana for giving us 25 free copies to hand out. Here is the scoop;

This app helps you visualize your weight loss. It's great motivation for losing weight!

You begin personalizing the model by setting your current height and weight as well as your heaviest weight and your goal weight.

Keep a track record of your weight loss and visualize how you'll look when you reach your next lower weight goal.

Your model is based on BMI calculations so she will look different for women who weigh the same but are different heights.

See the Weight Loss Virtual Model on the iPad (or on iPhone/iTouch here).

As of today (January 6th) we have 25 free apps (for the iPad version only) available to the first people that email support.psmedia@gmail.com and ask for their promo code for the "Weight Loss Virtual Model for iPad". Email now to get your free app! (Update January 9th: We still have free copies left.)

Bracelets for Every Pound Lost

Kelley sent me the following email;

Hi there,
I found your website and wanted to share my weight loss story with you.

The photo I'm sending you is a picture of me after I lost 72 lbs. along with the before photo. It’s hard to believe but I did it. I'm also sending photos of the PoundPuncher Bracelets that I created during my weight loss. It's explained in the story. Thank you for taking the time to read my story.

My story begins in 2005 after the birth of my second child. Like all mothers I fell into the everyday routine of taking care of everyone except me. I kept putting on weight, felt depressed, and didn’t know what to do. In 2008, a friend asked me if I wanted to enter a local weight loss competition with her. Even though I didn’t want to I knew I needed to. I began eating wisely, exercising, and losing weight. After the competition was over I still had a lot of weight to lose. I wanted to change, feel alive again, be a happy person, and be there for my kids and husband. You can have all the support in the world but it's all up to you to make good choices in life.

I needed something to remind me all the time to NEVER give up and to be proud of the hard work that I had accomplished. I was determined to get to that dream. I knew I needed to stay focused and MOTIVATED to continue to lose weight, but how? I came up with an idea …..a bracelet. I had my husband create a bracelet that I had visualized. It tracked my weight loss and reminded me to make healthy choices when reaching for food. It was my daily "reminder" to keep going! I had lost 39 ½ lbs. in the competition and continued until I had lost 72 lbs. I felt the need to create more bracelets to help those on the same path, in order to give them hope and motivation. I had never created anything like this before and had no business experience, but I felt I needed to do this. Since then, I launched a website and have sold bracelets in a few stores and on-line. I’m thrilled to know that I was right about following my instincts.

Very few people know my story or how the bracelet helped me conquer the weight loss battle. I wear my bracelet everyday. It reminds me to be PROUD and to stay on the healthy road of happiness.

Thanks again and God Bless,

Kelley Davis


Check out her website and bracelets at poundpuncher.com.

A Motivational Weight Loss Story Video

Ryan lost 135 pounds in 13 months with diet and exercise. He went from 308 pounds to 173.

Someone had told him he could change a habit in 21 days. Within 21 days he had lost 18 pounds. This motivated him to keep going. Within five months he lost 100 pounds. He gets up at 4:45am each morning to exercise. See his very motivational video here.
Check out his story at his website Ryan in Boise.

Jogging to Lose Weight

Ben is six foot tall and used to weigh 360 pounds. Within 10 months of starting his goal to lose weight he was down to 220 pounds. Check out his inspiring story at his site. Here is an excerpt;

My name is Ben Davis. On December 25th, 2008, I decided to get my life together. I weighed 360 pounds and was a miserable person.

Then I started jogging.
Then did a 5K.
The pounds started falling off.
I ran a 10K.
And a sprint triathlon.
Then I did a half-marathon.
I kept losing weight.
And kept running.
Then I did a full marathon.
I decided to keep going.
Then I did an Ironman.

If you want to do something with your life, if you really want to do it, just do it. I promise that you can. You just have to do it. And when you do, you’ll be happier for it.

Inspirational Weight Loss Video

Here's a very inspirational story of a woman who recently lost over 100 pounds in less than ten months. She initially weighed 266 pounds. In the before photo here, she weighed 255 pounds last August. In the 'after' photo she weighs 145 pounds by May.

Check out her very beautiful and inspirational video where she shows her weight loss progress over one year.

Treadmill Success Story

Janet used to weigh 337 pounds. She bought a treadmill and initially just walked on it for five minutes a day. She increased the time gradually. By the time the treadmill gave out she had put 3,000 miles on it over two years and had lost 100 pounds. She was eager to buy another one.

But then she plateaued and wanted to try weight loss surgery. (She is only 5'1") Her doctor suggested she first try the Medifast diet for one month. She ended up doing this for 12 months and losing another 120 pounds.

Read her inspiring story and see her 'after' photo here.

Late Night Junk Food Snacking

Check out this fun video. Anita Renfroe parodies Carrie Underwood's video for those who want to reconsider the next trip to the fridge.

Alcohol and Weight Loss

Here is the very fit Scooby guy, age 49, who lectures us about how much alcohol can hinder your effort to lose weight, get fit, and build a ripped body. He's funny, check him out;

A Treadmill Weight Loss Story

Thanks much to Caroline Jhingory who submitted this post about her weight loss story. See her site at myspace; I Lost 122 Pounds. and her before and after pics at Facebook.


What's your weight/fitness story?

I was 5’2 in height and 273lb the year before starting high school at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.

Over the last eight years, now at 29 years old and still around 5’2ish, I have lost and maintained a 123lb weight loss without gastric bypass surgery, any commercial diet programs or fad diets.

I attribute my weight loss success to strengthening my faith, determination, patience…and a treadmill.

Exercise has been the central tool in my transformation, but it’s still only one part of the puzzle towards health. I significantly changed how I eat; altering my relationship to food and eating. Again, I adhere to no specific diet. I practice mindful eating, remaining disciplined and limiting my intake of carbohydrates, sugar, dairy products and caffeine..

What was your turning point and/or "Ah-ha!" moment?

There was no major incident that caused me to have an “aha moment” really. One day I was home visiting from college. And I just said to myself “I had enough!” Enough of wearing body girdles to fit into certain outfits, enough of being the girl that guys never acknowledged. Overall being obese had caused me to miss out on enjoying simple things in life: I had not worn a bathing suit since I was 9 years old, was never able to ride a roller coaster because the safety bar did not fit over my stomach, and did not have my first boyfriend until graduate school.

How has losing weight/being healthy & fit changed your life?

Outside of all the superficial stuff of being able to wear cute clothes and a guy or two noticing me, my weight loss has made me more driven all around. Losing 123lbs has made me feel as if no obstacle is too big whether its school, work-related or family-related. Life has taught me that God is never gonna give me more than I am capable of handling.

How often do you exercise?

My key to success was learning to replace an unhealthy addiction: mindless eating while sitting in front of the television, with a healthy addiction: hitting the gym everyday. “I eat everyday, so I workout everyday,” is my number one fitness tip when giving advice to others.

What is your favorite workout?

For 60 minutes, I love to do a combined high speed and high incline walk on the treadmill while listening to music and/or watching a mindless reality show on the built in televisions. It really makes me feel like I’m challenging myself and using every muscle in my body to pull myself up on the incline. I also enjoy riding my bike through downtown DC and to the World War II Memorial at night.

What 5 food items are "must haves" in your kitchen?

Costco’s Kirkland Organic Salt-Free Seasoning – Sure it is healthy, but I have just never been a fan of salty food.
Economy size bag of frozen chicken breasts. – I think of chicken breasts as my “chameleon food.” I can make them adapt too almost any dish and they are a convenient source of lean protein.
Frozen veggies such as cauliflower, spinach and bell peppers – Being that I am a single lady and feeding only me, fresh veggies tend to spoil very quickly. Frozen veggies of course last longer, are usually already chopped and cheaper!
Leak-proof Tupperware – I am a creation of convenience. On Sunday, I typically cook my lunches and dinners for the week and put them in Tupperware. That way I always have healthy food ready that I can just pop in the microwave.

Bottled water, water, water and more water – Living in Washington, DC there has been way too much controversy on drinking the tap water here. Water keeps me well hydrated for my workouts and lubricates my joints for tough workouts as well.


What is your favorite motivational/inspirational quote?

Those who can truly be accounted brave are those who best know the meaning of what is sweet in life and what is terrible, and then go out, undeterred, to meet what is to come. -- Pericles .... (a gift from Tulane Professor Cinda Lanza, when I was having a really bad day)


How do you find balance in your life?

My faith, exercise and travel have become my therapy.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

It would be expected that losing 123lbs is my greatest accomplishment. However, my greatest accomplishment is coming to peace with the car accident death of my two teenage cousins and absence of my father after my parents’ divorce. For many years, I was angry at the world and God about these two things. I dealt with my anger by vacuuming in Hot Pockets and Hostess cupcakes. Perhaps my real “aha moment” was reaching a place of forgiveness.


What do you love most about your body?

I love and admire my body’s stamina when I am at the gym. The amount of physical activity I am able to do always shocks me. Even still I ask myself where did this come from?!?!

Best compliment?

A cardiologist looking at a sonogram of my heart, told me that I have the heart and heart rate of a marathon runner!

What are the last 5 songs played on your iPod?


Chuck Baby - Chuck Brown
Again - Faith Evans
Keep Hope Alive - Crystal Method
On to the Next One - Jay-Z
Triumph - Wu-tang Clan


What weight loss/fitness tools do you use that you rely on in your weight loss/fit life journey?

Good, comfortable and affordable workout clothes from discount designer stores like Marshalls and Ross. You really can find the durable sweat resistant workout clothes there for half the price. For me, having cute fitness clothes, motivates me to workout.

My IPOD and Black Berry! A few weeks ago an intern at work showed me how to stream music through my Black Berry so it’s a stand in for my IPOD from time to time.


I am a member of many online wellness and fitness communities. Discussing health and wellness with individuals from all over the world keeps me motivated and most of all EDUCATED on adhering to a health lifestyle.

I Lose It - A New Weight Loss iPhone App

If you have an iPhone or iTouch, check out this new version of the virtual weight loss model. It's only 99 cents in the store - Virtual Weight Loss App

Bad Mood Foods

Brandon, age 22, was not overweight but he suffered from depression, low energy, exhaustion and panic attacks for two years. He was on anti-depressants plus going to therapy but these were not helping.

All the while, his diet was never examined. Breakfast was several cans of Mountain Dew, a high-caffeine soda. He ate pizza, chips, French fries and candy throughout the day, and dinners were often Hot Pockets and snack foods.

"I was never overweight, so diet was never something I thought about. I was not eating any fresh fruits or vegetables," he said.

Check out the intereresting article about how food affects mood.

The Joy of Losing 300 Pounds

Jerome, age 47, is a few pounds short of his goal of losing 300 pounds. When he reaches his goal weight he plans on getting certified as a personal trainer. Check out his blog and story at Watch Me Lose 300 Pounds.

Success with Determination

David has lost an astounding 230 pounds. He used to weigh over 420 and now weighs about 180. He started his determined weight loss journey in March 2008. It's been a lot of exercise and a big change in eating habits. See his story at This Little Piggy Went to the Gym.

Just Do It - Another Very Inspiring Story

Aren't these amazing before and after pics? Lindsay has lost 117 pounds. She peaked out at 289 pounds after giving birth to her third child. It took her 2 years to lose the weight. She plateaued for a few years after that but is now determined to lose another 15 pounds. Check out her very inspiring story here.