SparkPeople Slideshows

Secrets of Strong Starters

  • How Did This Cake Decorator Lose 57 Pounds?

    30-year-old Heather Johnson of Jacksonville, Florida
    started at 202 pounds. See how she looks today!

  • Heather After

    Her Strong Start Secret: Stop thinking only about your weight!

    The strong starters we surveyed viewed their #1 goal as "building a strong foundation of healthy habits." A majority of false starters made losing several pounds in their first two weeks their #1 goal, which backfired.

    Heather's advice: "Don't try to overhaul every unhealthy habit at once. Take it easy with just a few healthy choices, like drinking adequate water, getting enough rest, and moving your body at least 10 minutes a day. Remember that it is a process and that quick fixes don't last. Build a strong foundation from the beginning, and then you can slowly and steadily add to it, brick by brick, and build a healthier life. Don't forget that you have support at SparkPeople and that you're not alone as you start out on your journey toward better health."

  • How Did This MBA Lose 100 Pounds and Become the Buffest Mom on the Block?

    Here's 30-year-old Roni Yonka of Winston-Salem, North Carolina at her starting weight: 220 pounds.

  • Roni After

    Her Strong Start Secret: Spend LESS time exercising!

    On average, strong starters exercised for 30 minutes during the first two weeks; false starters for 60 minutes, suggesting that false starters burned themselves out.

    Roni's advice: "For the first few weeks, I focused on making exercise a habit. I joined a gym and went for only 20 minutes at a time, but made sure it was part of my daily routine."

  • How Did She Lose 70 Pounds for Free, after Years of Paying for Weight-Loss Programs?

    Michele Swift, a 49-year-old from Willow Creek, California is pictured here at her starting weight: 224 pounds.

  • Michele After

    Her Strong Start Secret: Track Food and Calories!

    Our survey found that both strong and false starters ranked "food tracking" as the one action that made the biggest difference in their programs. 82% of strong starters tracked food every day vs. 65% of false starters, and strong starters were twice as likely to track their calories.

    Michele's advice: "The most important tools in my success were the food tracker, which I used religiously, and the community, which spurred me on each day."

  • Only in the Paperback Version of

    Learn all about these secrets and more in the all-new Strong Start Guide found only in the paperback edition of the New York Times Best Seller The Spark!
    See more motivation slideshows

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The Secrets of Strong Starters

Strong Starters lost twice the weight in their first two weeks and more than tripled their chances of reaching their goal weight. You can, too, with these NEW tips you can only find in the paperback version of The Spark. Here are three of the secrets successful members have used to reach their goals!
Start Slideshow

How Did This Cake Decorator Lose 57 Pounds?

30-year-old Heather Johnson of Jacksonville, Florida
started at 202 pounds. See how she looks today!