Name: Anna Marinelli
Weight loss: 14 kg
Was: 81 kg
Now: 67 kg
Height: 1.76 m
Age: 36
How long it took: 20 weeks
How she did it: Group Coaching in Cheltenham, Victoria, with Sam Mitchell.
Before & Now
1. The first few kilos came off easy
I walked out of my first Group Coaching session feeling as though I’d already lost weight – because walking in was like a weight off my mind. When I joined, I was empowered to make a difference. Seeing a photo of myself made me own up to my weight. I thought I looked good the day it was taken, but when I saw it, I didn’t. My sister, who was in the photo next to me, had already lost 10 kg with Weight Watchers and she looked great. I figured if she could do it, so could I. In the first 11 weeks I lost 10 kg. The final few kilos were harder to shed than the first few: it took me another nine weeks to lose them, but I put my success down to exercising and tracking everything I ate.
“ Seeing a photo of myself made me own up to my weight. I thought I looked good the day it was taken, but when I saw it, I didn’t. ”
2. Tracking was easy
If I was dining out and couldn’t find the SmartPoints values of something, I simply wouldn’t eat it. I also made a recipes folder, which kept me on target. Each week I created a weekly meal plan. Then seven weeks later I had a complete set of meals to mix and match so I never had to start from scratch. I still use it today.
3. I’m not allergic to sweat
I used to joke and say, “I’m allergic to sweating!” I hated exercise and looked for any excuse not to do it. But after joining Weight Watchers I realised that exercise was going to be an essential part of losing weight, so I prioritised getting active. I walked in the evenings, and included more walking in my life, such as going to the shops on foot instead of driving. One day I felt like my walk wasn’t long enough – that was the day I realised I was enjoying it and wanted to exercise instead of watch TV! When I reached Goal I joined a gym and have been going ve times a week ever since, trying all sorts of activities, such as dance and high-energy classes.
4. My success was celebrated
I entered the Weight Watchers Healthies to celebrate my weight loss. It was a way of saying to myself, “I actually did this!” I never thought I’d be considered for the Awards, but I got to the semi-finals! It felt great because other people had recognised and celebrated my success, too.
“I started to feel really proud of myself – before Weight Watchers, I was never proud of myself.”
5. If feels good to inspire others
I was asked to speak at the opening of a 1 on 1 Coaching at Myer as a successful slimmer. I can’t believe I had the courage to speak to a crowd. It was surreal, amazing and empowering. And it was wonderful to hear that an audience member joined just because of my success. That moment gave me the urge to focus on maintaining for life, and I started to feel really proud of myself – before Weight Watchers, I was never proud of myself.
Anna’s weight-loss tips
Be inspired: I cut out quotes from Weight Watchers magazine and stick them to the bathroom mirror so I see them while I’m brushing my teeth.
Track your progress: Whenever I trivialised my weight loss, thinking “It’s not that much”, I’d fill a shopping bag with items representing the weight I’d lost to remind me how far I’d come.
Move to the beat: My iPod has an upbeat walking playlist to keep me striding. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor is at the top of that list!
Download tools: I use the RunKeeper app. It tracks my walks and also sends me reminders that it’s time to go for a walk.
Treat yourself: I love treating myself with food. One of my faves is 20g of blue cheese with slices of pear.
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