Customer Reviews

Weight Watchers Start Living, Start Losing: Inspirational Stories That Will Motivate You Now

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The books reports over sixty success cases of losing weight by various people (mostly women). When reading the stories one realizes how important is the real commitment to losing weight. Believing in yourself and your ability to succeed is very important but equally important is supporting environment. The reports are from people who lost as little weight as 20 pounds and as much as 100 pounds and more.

What I particularly like about the book is the fact that it is not a promotional book for Weight Watchers, as it also presents critical reports of people who were critical of Weight Watchers.

I think this book is indeed valuable for people struggling with weight problems as it gives the reader real accounts of real people with their successes and sometimes failures. Unlike many other books dealing with the issue, "Weight Watchers Start Living, Start Losing" does not glorify any particular diet. Being real and down to earth, it will still inspire and motivate the reader to try his own program enriched with the wisdom of over sixty others who did the program already.

There is another important title that needs to me menioned. In my opinion "Can We Live 150" is probably the best book ever published on the topic of weight control, longevity and health in general. The chapter about Obesity in that book is probably all you need to know to keep your weight in check...

I loved the stories in this book. The people who wrote their short, personal stories are so real that I actually shook my head and agreed with them while reading.
Some had 10 pounds to lose and some over 200. Most of the people in this book are maintaining as opposed to losing.
Each story has a theme that is reinforced at the end of that particular person's chapter (about 1 1/2 to 3 pages each) Also at the end of the story, there is an motivational statement from WW, giving you a helpful hint or strategy to help with your weight loss journey. These statements are very useful to any dieter, WW or not.
I attend WW meetings weekly and we always have theme each week to motivate us and give us a focus for the upcoming week. I think that if you are an online WW dieter, this book would be very useful as a weekly motivator and to give you a focus for the week.
There is so much useful and interesting information in this book that it should be a permanent addition to the library of any person losing weight. No fast fixes, just real advice from real people.

START LIVING, START LOSING - Weight Watchers
Rating: 4/5 stars

April 12, 2008


START LIVING, START LOSING is a collection of short inspirational pieces written by people who have had success with Weight Watchers and lost and kept off the weight. What I especially liked about this book is that it gave me ideas on what I was doing wrong with my own weight loss program, as well as help motivate me to change my current eating habits and try something different. A lot of the advice is common sense and obvious but I think to have it written down on paper makes it all more valid for me. Stories came from 'average every day people' to celebrities such as the Duchess of York, and the amount of weight loss varied from 10 lbs. to hundreds of pounds.

So for those who feel that they only have to lose 10 lbs. and yet feel bad that it's not what is considered conventional in terms of joining Weight Watchers (many in this book had hundreds of pounds to lose), this book will make you feel that it's all relative. It's just as hard to lose a measly 10 lbs. as it is to lose 100. It's a matter of eating right and exercising. And for those who have to lose hundreds of pounds, START LIVING, START LOSING is what can motivate you to change your bad habits and find inspiring ways to lose the weight and be healthy. It's not all about looks, but it's an issue of healthy living.

I recommend START LIVING, START LOSING to anyone trying to make a life change and wanting to lose some weight. There are a lot of great ideas in this book. It's fast reading, too, so for those who aren't big readers shouldn't be intimidated by it. Read a chapter a day, if that's what it takes.

Dieting is a big business here in the US, where every get thin quick diet or fad becomes the next big thing. The truth of it all is, if there was a quick way to be thin, I would have found it by now. Here's what I do know: WeightWatchers leads the way in sensible, successful weight loss programs. Their program is not a diet, but a way of retraining yourself about healthy ways to view food and your life-long relationship with food.

This book is broken down in several sections and each section has stories that members have written in their own words. There are sections on losing weight for health reasons, for weddings, as a group, for men, etc. Each person's story then ends with a quote and a "take-away" thought, such as: plan your meals ahead of time (to avoid temptation later), don't make a one day error become a week-long failure, etc.

I have not been a part of the WeightWatchers program, but a good friend and I started our weight loss journey together, she on the program, and me on my own. I lost a significant amount (over 40 lbs!) and have kept it off for coming up on three years. It all comes down to being accountable and planning. Although I am not on an organized plan, I do subscribe to their magazine, to follow the success stories and to keep myself on track and to continue to get good ideas for healthy eating and exercise. I especially love the success stories. If you like to read of other's successes and how you can incorporate this into your over-all fitness plan, this will probably be a book that you will find interesting. There are also areas at the end of each chapter to write-down ideas for yourself, such as in how to make healthy eating easier on the job, etc.

Good old fashioned advise here and from people who had a LOT to lose (some over 200 lbs. believe it or not). For me, a little motivation from stories like these really kept me going, and now that I have lost, I still enjoy reading and getting additional tips to keep in good shape.

If you need a little encouragement, this may be all the help you need to get the ball rolling. Do something good for yourself :)

I ordered this for my husband who is struggling to lose weight but likes filling out his weight watchers form on line each night (which is an excellent way of tracking how much you eat, and showing you where you are falling short!)
He liked it and read it, finding it encouraging. It's not deep, and you can dip in and out of it, like a magazine, but it's much better for you than a candy bar, and that's how he avoided fattening treats at the airport, he sat and read this instead!

"Weight Watchers Start Living, Start Losing" has over sixty stories from men and women who successfully lost weight. Although some of the essayists are well known, most of them are ordinary people who needed to lose weight for one reason or another. The book covers four major themes throughout the stories: 1) I Need to Change; 2) I Can do it; 3) I Need to Create a Supportive Environment; and 4) I Changed My Life. The chapters in the book cover issues such as changing your relationship with food; how your family affects your eating habits and dieting; body-image issues; eating and work; embracing challenge; seeking good health; life-altering transitions like being a new bride or mother; men's journey to weight loss; and the power of team work. At the end of each story there is a quote from the story and a thing called "Take-Away" that highlights the helpful hints in the story. At the end of each chapter there is a small journaling space where you answer questions and write lists to help reinforce what you learned in the chapter.

I liked "Weight Watchers, Start Living, Start Loving" for a number of reasons. For one thing, while most of the essays do mention Weight Watchers (both on and off-line) and the POINTS system, the book isn't used to push Weight Watchers. In fact, some of the essays don't mention Weight Watchers at all. While some of the people in the book have lost a lost of weight (over 100 pounds) other people needed to lose as little as twenty pounds but still struggled to take the weight off. Also, most of the people mention how exercise is as important as dieting while trying to lose weight. The stories also mention that it is important to set small goals for weight loss (trying to focus on losing five pounds instead of fifty) because it takes time to lose weight and it can be frustrating to see the pounds come off slowly. The stories also don't make Weight Watchers seem like a miracle cure - several essays mention that the author "failed" Weight Watchers at one point or another before sticking to it. The essays are all well done and feel like the author is sitting in front of you telling their story. While the celebrity stories were interesting, I especially enjoyed the stories from "ordinary" people. All of the essays were interesting to read especially the motivations for weight loss - whether it was because of health issues; self-esteem issues; a new job; getting married; or running a race in honor of a deceased loved one.

"Weight Watchers, Start Living, Start Losing" is an inspirational book to read.

This book largely consists of chapters written by 70 different people who have lost weight with the help of Weight Watchers. However, the book isn't about the Weight Watchers program. Instead, each person profiles their personal situation - how or why they gained weight and then how they lost it. Included are "take-away" tips for both the mind and body.

I recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with weight loss or wonders how other people have been successful losing weight. Who better to hear it from than those who have done it themselves? I found the book to be both a source of motivation and a wealth of information, particularly in the way of tips. As most anyone who has lost weight will tell you, maintaining weight loss is the most difficult. Even if you've already lost weight, this book would be helpful from an informational and inspirational standpoint.

As I've learned, much about losing weight and keeping it off is mental and I read this book to help get and keep me in the right mindset as I start the new year in a positive way to lose the extra 3 pounds I gained over the holidays and to get those stubborn last 10 off - and to keep them off. Easy, fast and enjoyable reading that can be read in large "bites" or small nibbles - very positive.

Start Living, Start Losing is a compilation of stories from people who have lost weight using the Weight Watchers program. As a Weight Watchers member, I can say that--even though the program works--it can be hard to stick with sometimes, particularly when you hit a plateau. This book is inspirational in that it tells the stories of other members who have been through the highs and lows that come with attempting to lose weight, and who managed to overcome these obstacles and triumph despite them. If you aren't into hearing how other people lost the weight, or what inspired them, this collection might not be for you. However, if you're the type of person who enjoys hearing that other people have struggled and what they did to get through the hard times and lost the weight, this collection is something you'll enjoy.

I have read just about every diet book ever written. In fact, I consider myself somewhat of a diet scientist. I can explain in detail why (or why not) many different diet plans work. Despite this, people will fail over and over because something most diet books don't address is the emotional side of eating.

This book includes over 60 short, 2-3 pages success stories written by weight watchers members in their own words. The stories are grouped into various categories such as, "Family Matters", "New Brides, New Moms", "Working Nine to Five", "It's a Guy Thing", and many more. I believe that most people will be able to closely identify with one or more of the categories.

Each person sets up their story with when their weight battle began, when their moment of inspiration to start Weight Watchers occurred, how they felt at meetings/after meetings/doing ww online, and closes with how the weight change has impacted their life. Tidbits of their obstacles and how they overcame them are interspersed with great advise for anyone wanting to live a healthy life.

Throughout the book people share their insights and wisdoms that helped them to become successful with their weight battle. My favorite was when someone called their food "a bowl of calories". Wow, it's hard to look at food the same after you read this book.

I can see this book being used as a wonderful tool to keep dieters and members of weight watchers on track by being able to read a short success story in just a few minutes and knowing that they can do it too. This book is an easy read in 3 evenings, or readers could read an inspirational story or two a day while applying the wisdom gleaned from these weight loss success stories.

When I turned thirty, I joined Weight Watchers. At my lowest, I had lost of 90 lbs. Except, once I dipped below 200 I went crazy, thinking I could go back to my old habits. Oops! I can't. Now, I'm trying to find ways to remotivate myself and get back on track. So this book came at the right time.

Whether you're looking at losing weight, needing to find motivation, or simply looking for some inspiring stories, this book has it. Taking weight loss stories from a variety of individuals from all walks of life, I found this book to be a very worthwhile reading.

Those who are struggling to lose weight will find themselves smiling and nodding with some of the sentiments, and I found that I was not the only person to "go crazy" after reaching a major milestone. It's given me the inspiration to recommit.

2008 will be my year! And if you read this book, you'll believe it can be yours too.