Heather Sims, 35

Heaviest weight: 156

Current weight: 121

Lost: 35 pounds

Kept it off for: 6 years

My story: After I turned 20, I put on a few pounds every year. The main reason: I ate too much — my weaknesses were chocolate and pizza. I always felt guilty afterward, but I couldn’t stop myself. I tried Slim Fast, eating fat-free foods, getting Lean Cuisine meals, doing aerobics. But nothing worked. Not a morning went by where I didn’t wake up and think, How can I get this weight off? It consumed me.

Worst moment: The first time I went to a pool party with my extended family. I didn’t want my thin sisters-in-law to see how big I’d gotten, so I changed into my swimsuit and jumped in the pool before anyone could see me. It was humiliating to be so ashamed of my own body.

Turning point: A friend told me about the Weigh Down Workshop, a faith-based diet program, so I went to a class near my old home in Marion, OH. I heard testimonials from participants, a few of whom had stayed skinny for more than 20 years. I was inspired.

How I lost it: When I was tempted to overeat, I’d pray, God, if you don’t want me to eat this, give me a way out. Then I’d find a hair in my food, or the phone would ring. Before Weigh Down, I would eat a salad and fat-free food and later make cookies “for my husband” and polish off half the dough. But now I’m free to eat whatever I want, as long as it’s in moderation. The weight came off fast — I lost about 17 pounds in a month.

Biggest payoff: Improving my relationship with God. Also, after I started the diet, I found a bunch of Cadbury eggs in a drawer. Before, I would have eaten them in one sitting. But I had stashed them away six months prior — and hadn’t thought about them since. It was monumental.

Stay-Slim Secrets
• Cut your meals in two at restaurants and put half in a to-go bag right away. If you’re really still hungry after you’ve eaten the first half, then you can start on the second.
• Indulge every once in awhile. If you want a cheeseburger, get it. Just eat it s-l-o-w-l-y, and take the time to really enjoy it.
• Avoid sugary drinks like soda and fancy coffee.

To overcome these struggles, I tried dieting and exercise, countless marriage seminars, and how to raise children books, but none of these methods taught me to look inside my own heart and put the teachings of Jesus Christ into practice through repentance and proving my repentance by my deeds. My 20's and 30's brought increasing pain from overweight, failure at all the self-help methods I tried, and depression.

I do praise God for allowing me to find a Weigh Down class and that I did persevere in these teachings!! My eyes were opened to what was really in my own heart and my life has continuously changed from that first class I took over 10 years ago now. God has healed my life in amazing ways such as losing 110 pounds and keeping it off for 5 years now, giving me the love from His Spirit to be a better wife and mother, teaching me to turn from all idleness and laziness to become a more effecient person, showing me to seek only praise from Him and not from man, and my joy in life now is getting out of myself and serving God and others!! A huge part of my testimony is that because of the changes in my own life due to the Weigh Down message, my husband and children followed, and the five of us together have lost over 350 pounds! I am so grateful to have finally found true Christianity, and my prayer is that others can find this way of truth, too.

Heather Sanchez, 36

Heaviest weight: 195

Current weight: 110

Lost: 85 pounds

Kept it off for: 12 years

My story: I grew up with four siblings, and if you didn’t inhale your food, there was no chance you’d get seconds. In college, I was a speed eater, too: I overloaded my plate with food in the cafeteria, finished it off in minutes, then went back for more. By the time I got married, things were worse. I’d stuff myself with sweets, then jump on the StairMaster. But as soon as I stepped off, I’d feel hungry again, and the cycle would start all over.

Worst moment: One time, at a restaurant near my old home in Denver, I ate so much — steak, potatoes, a big dessert — I couldn’t keep my pants buttoned up. Luckily, I was wearing a long shirt, so I could cover myself up.

Turning point: I tried every diet — but always gained the weight back. Then, in December 1995, I saw an ad in our church bulletin from the Weigh Down Workshop that said, “Are you tired of yo-yo dieting?” I thought, Yeah, I’m tired of it. So I signed up.

How I lost it: I learned that there are two types of hunger. One is real hunger in the pit of your stomach; the other is an empty feeling you think is hunger — and it’s something food can’t fill. Now I treat my body like a car and only give it fuel when it’s empty. And here’s what I was surprised to learn: I feel full even when I eat small portions.

Biggest payoff: My two children. When I was heavy, I didn’t want to have kids. I thought, I’m huge, and I’ll just get bigger. But when I lost the weight, I felt ready. Four weeks after my first child was born, I was back in my size 4 clothes.

Stay-Slim Secrets
• Serve food on saucers or salad plates, so you’re forced to dish out smaller portions.
• Remember that meals are a time to enjoy company. Put your fork down, lift up your head, and have a conversation. Get your face out of your food, so you won’t focus on it.
• Don’t give up your favorite treats. I hadn’t had chocolate or fried food in years, but Weigh Down teaches that you can have anything in small amounts. My personal trick: I freeze my chocolate, so I have to eat it slowly.