Wedding Dress Success: They Lost 274 Pounds!
By REDBOOK
They fell in love. They got married. They gained some weight. Hey, it happens. But a few short months ago, these readers joined REDBOOK's Wedding Dress Challenge and lost it all. Get inspired by the success stories of our 12 incredible shrinking women-and one brave guy-who lost weight and got back into their wedding dresses.
As magazine editors, we've attempted group fitness challenges before. A few of the most motivated women usually have success, while others lose much less or drop out. We can honestly say we've never seen results like this. Every featured participant in our four-month Wedding Dress Challenge met her goal to fit back into her wedding dress -- in fact, at the final photo shoot we had to take inthree of the dresses. What made the difference? Having a tangible,reasonablegoal. At some point in their adult lives, these women had fit into those white gowns -- and they gave themselves plenty of time to get back there. Following in their footsteps is simple: Pick something you were able to wear at a "happy" weight, take some of our ladies' real-world advice, thenget the same tools that helped them!
Wileeta McGee
Age: 35
Wedding day weight: 156 lbs
Starting weight: 193 lbs
Lost: 21 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Planning meals in advance; cardio and strength training three times a week
"I set mini goals. I told myself, 'Just five pounds a month.' And for the first two weeks, I went to Jenny Craig to learn about portion sizes. Now, instead of family time centering around big dinners, we do other things, like ride our bikes. My husband lost 22 pounds too."
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Shira Paletz Schulman
Age: 38
Wedding day weight: 140 lbs
Starting weight: 155 lbs
Lost: 17 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Scheduling workouts in advance; cutting out refined carbs
"I couldn't just assume I'd get my workouts in; I had to schedule them. My husband and I sit down on Sunday nights and look at the week ahead. Eating less and cutting down on carbs was also key. I haven't been this weight since college!"
Marcella Wilson
Age: 40
Wedding day weight: 140 lbs
Starting weight: 180 lbs
Lost: 18 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Making healthy food swaps; exercising five days a week
"Doing a DVD like Ramona Braganza's 3-2-1 Method first thing in the morning gets my spirit up. I also love running with my iPod, letting my mind wander as I listen to music. For my diet, I limited carbs to one serving a day. I'm an ice cream addict, but I traded it for Greek yogurt with honey, and I love it!"
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Savannah Stevenson
Age: 34
Wedding day weight: 145 lbs
Starting weight: 175 lbs
Lost: 21 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Running to work five days a week; eating mostly gluten-free
"Before becoming a mom, I could eat whatever I wanted and tell myself, 'I'll run 10 miles later to burn it off.' Not possible with a new baby and a demanding job! I cut back on gluten: foods like cake and bread. And I learned that exercise doesn't need to be Herculean, just consistent."
Patricia Potts
Age: 45
Wedding day weight: 134 lbs
Starting weight: 160 lbs
Lost: 21 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Working out four times a week; cutting down on sugar
"It can be hard to find the time to exercise, sure, but I've learned there are ways to sneak it in: I take the stairs at work instead of the elevator, I'll do calf lifts while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store. I keep a set of dumbbells on my desk, and I'll do some biceps curls while I'm checking email. I made changes to my diet, too: I used to sweeten my tea with six packets of sugar! I dropped a packet a week until I was down to one. I've also cut down portions for my family--except for whole veggies."
Related: How To Keep Your Bride Body for Good
Heather Bennett
Age: 37
Wedding day weight: 138 lbs
Starting weight: 168 lbs
Lost: 21 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Enlisting support; eating fewer carbs
"When I tried to lose weight before, I kept it a secret. This time, I told everyone: my husband, my coworkers, my babysitter. I needed their support as much as I needed my nutritionist and trainer at Gold's Gym. I cut down on pasta and wine, but I didn't eliminate them. Hey, I'm in a wine-of-the-month club!"
Elsa Cordoba
Age: 31
Wedding day weight: 138 lbs
Starting weight: 156 lbs
Lost: 18 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Weight Watchers; hitting Zumba classes or the gym three times a week
"I'd tried to diet before, eating all sorts of stuff I thought I should be eating and never feeling satisfied, and I was unsuccessful. So I decided to try Weight Watchers. The best part about it was that I could still eat all the things I like, even my favorite food in the world--fried plantains--as long as I counted it toward my 'points' for the day. Little by little, the weight came off. My wedding dress is actually too big!"
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Jim Balducci
Age: 35
Wedding day weight: 230 lbs
Starting weight: 250 lbs
Lost: 27 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Hitting the gym five days a week; eating smaller portions
"I have so much energy after a workout--that's what keeps me waking up at 5:20 a.m. to exercise before work. Portion control was the hardest part for me--I used to think nothing of having a few slices of pizza for a snack! Now I have yogurt instead. I like being a healthier role model for my daughter."
Elaine Keating-Brown
Age: 38
Wedding day weight: 133 lbs
Starting weight: 158 lbs
Lost: 20 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Becoming a runner; lifting weights twice a week; counting calories
"I recruited a friend to run with me. I always thought it would be too difficult, but it's actually quite fun. I try to stick to 1,200 calories a day, but I haven't given up chocolate."
Christine Saenz
Age: 38
Wedding day weight: 150 lbs
Starting weight: 178 lbs
Lost: 20 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Eating breakfast; cardio and strength training two to three times each a week
"It may sound funny, but the key to my weight loss has been eating regularly, and more of the right foods. Before the Wedding Dress Challenge, I wouldn't eat anything until 3, then I'd grab a bagel. My husband kept telling me I needed to eat, but I wouldn't listen; I had to hear it from the challenge nutritionist, Stephanie Middleberg! It turns out that not eating can slow your metabolism--who knew?"
Related: 16 Ways to Lose Weight Faster
Brooke McDonald
Age: 41
Wedding day weight: 147 lbs
Starting weight: 170 lbs
Lost: 16 pounds
WHAT WORKED: Strength training twice a week; running three times a week; paying attention to food choices
"I discovered that not letting myself get too hungry is key, especially since when I'm starving all I reach for is sugar. I've become a lot more conscious about what I eat. I have a busy life with marriage, little kids, work. But if one day doesn't go so well, I try again the next."
Alisa Laventure Age: 33
Wedding day weight: 121 lbs
Starting weight: 139 lbs
Lost: 21 pounds
WHAT WORKED: Walking 30 minutes a day; weight and interval training three to five days a week;
making healthy food choices
"I didn't diet, but I began watching my portions and walking every morning. Once the weight started coming off, I began to feel more confidence in my body, and it snowballed. Today I have a deeper sense of pride and self-esteem."
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Lisa Barksdale
Age: 42
Wedding day weight: 145 lbs
Starting weight: 200 lbs
Lost: 31 Pounds
WHAT WORKED: Working out six days a week; logging every bite
"Keeping a food diary was key. If my scale wasn't budging, I could look back at what I'd eaten that week and make tweaks accordingly. When I want to splurge, I ask myself: Is it worth it? I still have sweets sometimes, but now I know that just a bite can satisfy me. I also found out that the number on the scale isn't everything. I'm still about 15 pounds away from my goal weight, but I feel amazing!"
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