The diet partners in Wing's study knew each other, but weight loss support doesn't have to be one-on-one or even face-to-face. In fact, the latest trend is having a virtual buddy, one you can keep in your pocket or e-mail in the middle of the night. Here, six successful dieters talk about the buddies who helped them meet their goals—and point the way for you to imitate their success.
Dog Lover
Jill Schmidt, 41
Height/Weight: 5'4", 138 lb
Diet Buddy: Princess, a dog
Lost: 45 lb
Gained: Energy—she no longer feels sluggish in the morning or exhausted at the end of the workday
When Jill Schmidt's coworker mentioned that he knew someone who wanted to give away an 8-month-old Jack Russell terrier, this vice president of a public relations firm outside of Chicago wasn't thinking about weight loss. "Sight unseen, I said I'd take her," she recalls.
When Schmidt picked up Princess, she was horrified to discover that the puppy was malnourished and underweight. Schmidt's weight was at the other extreme. Since becoming a vegetarian 10 years earlier, she had been overdoing it on bread and cheese, and her weight had crept up to 183 pounds.
Dog and owner had one thing in common: Both had been sedentary. "Princess was kept in a cage in a basement her whole life," says Schmidt. "She had never even been on a walk. And I was a couch potato." So Schmidt's first order of business was to take Princess (and herself) for a stroll two or three times a day. "She'd stop after half a mile, and I'd pick her up and carry her back," she says.
This pattern went on for months until Schmidt was logging about 16 miles a week—half of them carrying the dog. "As Princess gained weight, I started losing it," says Schmidt.
Last summer, prompted by her initial success, she lost 30 pounds in 5 months. Schmidt made an appointment with a dietitian to help get her eating habits under control. The dietitian created a 1,200-calorie-a-day eating plan that emphasized fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Schmidt gradually went from 183 pounds 2 years ago to 138 pounds today.
Everyone has noticed Schmidt's new slimmer shape, but she got the biggest tickle from a neighbor who had seen her walking and carrying Princess. "One day he told me he'd noticed how much weight I'd lost, and said he was thinking about getting a dog for his wife."
Walking a Dog
Price: Varies.
Research results: A yearlong study at Northwestern University found that dieters who walked with their dogs lost more weight than those who didn't regularly exercise with a pet.
Pros: You'll feel obligated to walk the dog so you'll go outdoors instead of flopping on the couch.
Cons: Pets come with costs and responsibilities.
Best for: Animal lovers who don't travel often and who aren't motivated to exercise on their own.
Foodie
Lucille Kahan, 57
Height/Weight: 5'7", 144 lb
Diet Buddy: Trevose Behavior Modification Program
Lost: 35 lb
Gained: The ability to fit into vintage clothing she inherited
After living in California for 14 years, Lucille Kahan, a business manager, returned with her husband to West Chester, PA, in April 2003. "I came back fat," she says matter-of-factly of tipping the scale at 179 pounds. "When I ran into someone I knew when I was much thinner, I was embarrassed. I didn't want to lose weight to play tennis, live longer, or avoid heart disease. I just wanted to look good," she says.
Even though Kahan had tried and failed with at least half a dozen other diets, her sister suggested she sign up for the Trevose Behavior Modification Program, a no-cost, highly disciplined, member-led weight loss support group developed more than 30 years ago at the University of Pennsylvania. The university is no longer involved, but researchers continue to study the group's progress and consider it among the most successful.
Not long into her first meeting, Kahan noticed a huge difference between the Trevose approach and her previous attempts. "On other plans, I couldn't eat the foods I liked and, after awhile, I reverted to my old ways. With Trevose, absolutely nothing is forbidden. I could spend my 1,500 calories a day any way I wanted."
The catch is that members must attend every weekly meeting for the first 5 weeks and continue to achieve their weight loss goals, or they're not allowed to stay in the program. They also make a commitment to keep detailed food records and attend monthly meetings for the rest of their lives.
Though the weigh-ins motivated Kahan, the group interaction at the meetings is what kept her coming back. "My group leader told us, 'Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels.' That really stuck with me." During the meetings, she also worked on behavior modifications required by the weight loss program—a new one for each of her first 5 months. The initial challenge: not eating food at her desk, in her car, or while walking around the house.
Kahan reached her goal of 144 pounds last July. "I was ecstatic to fit into clothes that I hadn't been able to wear for years," she says. Not only was she able to resuscitate her own wardrobe, she could now wear a 1930s tailored suit her grandmother had left her. And she's still losing: Kahan even shed a pound while on vacation at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort with around-the-clock buffets.
Trevose Program
Price: Free, but only open to people who need to lose more than 20 pounds. Currently support groups are only in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Research results: Impressive. A 2000 study of 171 participants in the International Journal of Obesity found that those who stayed in the weight loss program for 2 years lost 20% of their body weight.
Pros: Doesn't eliminate any food; focuses on lifetime maintenance. (In fact, check out 7 Forbidden Foods You Should Eat.)
Cons: Requires you to keep detailed records and follow the group's rules. If you don't meet monthly weight goals, you're out of the program. Only one relapse allowed each year.
Best for: People who realize that a diet isn't going to be a quick fix but a permanent change that requires continual vigilance. Also for those who don't mind adhering to rules.
Chat Room Cheerleader
Alicia Wilson, 35
Height/Weight: 5'8", 184 lb
Diet Buddy: eDiets.com
Lost: 63 lb
Gained: The ability to jog, and the confidence to do it in public
Two years ago, Alicia Wilson's 4-year-old daughters made an announcement that motivated her to take action. "They told me they wanted to be fat, just like me," recalls Wilson, a stay-at-home mom who weighed nearly 265 pounds at the time. "They were being affectionate, but my heart sank. I didn't want my kids to grow up with the same low self-esteem I had."
However, during that period, Wilson was slowly losing weight without really trying. Since moving with her family from California to Grandfield, OK, a year earlier, she had dropped 20 pounds. The farming community of 900 people doesn't have a single fast-food restaurant, so her burger-and-fries habit had suddenly become history. But there was one real drawback to the change of address: The town doesn't have a single weight loss support group, either.
Wilson found a compromise in eDiets.com, a weight loss Web site with 247,000 subscribers as of March 2005. In October 2003, Wilson logged on, selecting the eDiets plan from the more than 15 options, ranging from Atkins to vegetarian. Within minutes of entering her height, weight (then 247 pounds), and 60-pound weight loss goal, she received a week's worth of 2,200-calorie menus, shopping lists, and a workout schedule. Today she walks or jogs 40 minutes 3 or 4 days a week, and strength-trains 3 or 4 days a week. At the end of each week, Wilson logs in her weight on eDiets.com, which adjusts her daily calorie level (she's now at 1,600) and provides new menus. (Interested in boosting your walk to a run? Try our beginner-friendly training program!)
The aspect of eDiets.com that has helped Wilson the most is the 24-7 chat room. Being able to check in with someone at the very moment she's struggling with temptation has made all the difference in her weight loss. "One night early on, I was in a chat room at midnight trying to stop myself from eating leftover pizza," recalls Wilson. "Talking to other members about everything from celebrity gossip to shopping took my mind off food." Wilson has augmented the member support with e-mails and phone calls to the Web site's diet and fitness experts, who are available by phone 13 hours every day.
The greatest benefit of Wilson's "Net loss" is her relationship with her daughters, who now want to be fit, too. "They often ask, 'Mom, can you come bounce on the trampoline with us?' and I say, 'Let's go!'"
eDiets.com
Price: About $8 per week.
Research results: Mixed. One in-house, 2-year study of 244 members found that everyone had lost weight at 6 months no matter how often they went online, but those who checked in most often lost the most weight. An independent study published last year by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania comparing eDiets.com with a diet manual found that participants following the book were slightly more successful. However, those who interacted with eDiets.com did so only minimally.
Pros: Around-the-clock nutrition and fitness chat rooms; meal plans tailored to your food preferences; fitness plans adjusted to your exercise level; frequent e-mails with recipes, shopping lists, news, and tips. (Love the idea of daily, delicious recipes? Sign up for our Recipe of the Day newsletter.)
Cons: You may not receive weight loss support from the same person each time.
Best for: People who don't live near a weight loss support group, travel a lot, appreciate anonymity, or sometimes need middle-of-the-night advice.
Gadget Gurus
Kris and Mike Turgeon, 40 and 46
Heights/Weights: 5'7", 155 lb; 5'8", 160 lb, respectively
Diet Buddies: Palm PDAs
Lost: 55 lb each
Gained: The willpower to limit late-night eating
Financial analyst Mike Turgeon was reading the Providence Journal in early 2004 when he ran across an ad looking for candidates for a weight loss study. "Even though I had never been on a diet before, the ad immediately caught my attention because at 215 pounds, I was the heaviest I'd been in my life," says Mike, blaming the lifestyle change that followed his marriage to Kris. Big dinners, complete with appetizer, dessert, and wine, had become a daily splurge for the couple.
Mike learned that the research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, would examine the use of a Palm with nutrition software, a pedometer, and a Web-based support and weight loss education program. Being a guy who loves gadgets and numbers, he signed up.
But a few days into the program, he quit. "The change in my diet caused chaos between myself and Kris, who was overweight, too, so I sent the Palm back," he admits. Deborah Tate, PhD, lead researcher, had another thought. "She told me that if Kris purchased her own Palm, she could use the software—though Kris's results couldn't be counted in the final tally," says Mike. The couple went right to an electronics store.
Both Kris, who weighed 210 pounds, and Mike followed the study's strict protocol: They met with scientists who weighed them and determined their initial calorie level (1,600 daily for Mike; 1,500 for Kris). Using their Palms as food diaries, the couple recorded every morsel they ate. The software calculated the calories and grams of fat they'd consumed and let them know what remained in their daily allowances.
"I could record what I ate while at a business lunch, and no one could tell what I was doing," says Mike. Kris, who has an interior design business, adds, "When Mike came home from work, we'd check our Palms to see how many calories and fat grams we had left and decide what to have for dinner." Before bed, they entered their step counts, aiming for at least 10,000.
Once a week, Mike logged on to the Internet for an expert-led chat with other study participants, with Kris by his side. The diet partners' chat not only churned out practical advice—like what to do when you feel hungry and how to keep a healthy pantry—but it also gave them encouragement. "I responded so much better to this virtual discussion than I would have in a face-to-face meeting, where I'd always feared that I was going to be lectured," says Kris.
Although the study involving the Turgeons ended, they still keep their Palms within reach. "Using it doesn't allow you to talk yourself into having another serving of something because you think you have calories and fat grams to spare. Plus, I'm more likely to be honest about what I'm eating with the Palm than I ever was with Mike or myself," says Kris.
Palm PDA with Nutrition Software
Price: $100 and up for the Palm, depending on the model; $30 and up for the software. Research results:Won't be in until next year, though preliminary data looks promising.
Pros: Discreet, convenient way to keep track of calorie counts and fat grams consumed.
Cons: No professional weight loss counselor to check in with on a regular basis. (The government study using the Palm was done in conjunction with Web-based support and a modified version of BalanceLog software.)
Best for: Tech-savvy dieters who have a hard time keeping a written tally of what they eat.
9-to-5 Snacker
Dana Page, 29
Height/Weight: 5'3", 132 lb
Diet Buddy: Weight Watchers
Lost: 64 lb
Gained: The freedom to dine at her favorite restaurants
What could be worse for an overweight person than having a desk job? For Dana Page, it was being employed by a financial services company where food seemed to be everywhere. "There was a café serving sandwiches, fries, and chicken fingers, and vending machines filled with candy and soda. Plus, people brought in goodies from home to share," says Page, who gained at least 20 pounds, reaching 196 pounds, after 6 years with the company.
But about 2 years ago, two co-workers she enjoyed having lunch with decided that they wanted to join the Weight Watchers meetings starting in the office building. "I really didn't want to do it," Page says. "But because I enjoyed having lunch with my friends every day, I signed up, too."
In September 2003, Page began following the Weight Watchers Flex Points plan, starting with 26 points daily. (Each point is roughly 50 calories.) Most days, she and her friends skipped the café food and brought their own lunches from home. For her, consistency helped, and she often packed the same thing: a turkey sandwich, applesauce, carrots, baked chips, and a lollipop. Learning how to plan weight loss meals and snacks and how to recognize when she was full helped Page stay on track, but she also credits her colleagues' support. "I had a group of people who were rooting for me," she says. (We're guessing Page also avoided the 15 worst things for your lunch bag.)
With the group's encouragement, Page learned to make better choices when eating out and control what she consumed at lunch by brown-bagging it and not relying on vending-machine cuisine. After about 18 months, Page reached her goal weight of 141 pounds and became a lifetime Weight Watchers member, meaning she no longer has to pay for the meetings as long as she doesn't exceed her goal weight by more than 2 pounds and weighs in once a month. By April, she had lost 9 more pounds.
Recently, Page, who is single, left her job to go to graduate school and started attending a Weight Watchers group near her home in Delaware. "One of the beauties of the plan is that you can move from group to group quite easily," she says. "Although I had some trepidation about switching groups, after attending the first few meetings, I'm confident that I can maintain my success."
Weight Watchers
Price: Varies by location, but averages $11 per week plus a one-time registration fee of $15 to $30. After you reach your goal weight and maintain it for 6 weeks, meetings are free as long as you don't gain more than 2 pounds.
Research results: A 2003 study of 423 women and men published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that Weight Watchers members lost up to three times as much weight as those who tried to diet on their own.
Pros: It's the original diet partners system, with 46,000 meeting locations in 30 countries, making it easy to find one when you're in a new area. Its two plans offer greater flexibility: Using the Flex Points plan, you keep track of "points" in foods so as not to exceed your limit. On the Core plan, you eat what you need to feel satisfied from a "core list" of foods.
Cons: You give up some privacy—members who lose specified amounts are acknowledged for their success at the group meetings.
Best for: Social dieters who don't mind sharing their personal experiences in front of a group.
