Diet & Fitness 

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The key to successful dieting

Motivation is crucial when you're trying to stick to a diet, which is why at iVillage we love hearing your Tesco Diets success stories. Share your success by passing on your tips and become an inspiration to other dieters

Hazel beats the baby weight
Hazel is the mother of two beautiful young children and is happily settled with her partner. To many people, her life may appear idyllic, but the one area where she has experienced a constant struggle is with maintaining a healthy weight.

Like lots of women, Hazel's post-pregnancy weight fluctuated wildly. In despair, she decided to regain control of her expanding waistline and joined the Tesco Diets healthy online Glycemic Index (GI) plan.

'I lost three stone while pregnant in 2005. By the time my daughter was nine months old I was piling the weight back on and well on my way to my pre-pregnancy weight of 15 stone 11 lbs so I decided the time had come to join the online plan. I have not looked back since.'

In just under nine months Hazel has achieved an amazing 4 stone 10 lbs loss and her BMI has reduced from an obese BMI of 34 to a normal one of 23. At her original weight she was at an increased risk of many diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Now her weight loss means she has managed to significantly improve her health and perhaps even lengthen her life span.

The yo-yoing pattern of detoxing and overeating have been replaced with eating habits that are both healthy and easy to maintain. 'I eat salads served with unprocessed foods and meals cooked from scratch. I have a glass of water now in place of the fizzy drinks and my alcohol intake has also been vastly reduced.'

Exercise is another contributory element to Hazel's success. 'Since starting the plan I have increased my activity levels steadily. I love doing my exercise DVDs and cycling on my exercise bike, it is a great time to read! I try to exercise for eight hours per week and will do five hours each week once I hit my target.'

Gone are the days of feeling paranoid that people are staring at her larger frame, now the only looks Hazel's model-like size 12 figure gets are those of admiration and envy. 'I always felt like people were looking at me, in reality I am sure they weren't, but that was how I felt. I could never get nice tops and had very few flattering clothes. Now I have hundreds!'

And the aspects of her body she is most pleased with? 'I can show off my arms now without feeling embarrassed by their size. I have very toned shoulders which I love and I am really pleased with the way I can see my collarbone now.'

Motivation is the driving force required to reach your target and Hazel certainly has that in abundance.

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