Happy Friday: Weight Loss Transformation
Sent from reader, Dianne:
Collin, I am so very grateful to you and Ebates. This is a Happy Friday for me.
In the end of April, I embarked on a journey to take myself from unhealthy to healthy. My motivation was to save 20% on my monthly health insurance if I got into a healthy BMI range, normal A1C reading, and waist size <35”. I started at 167.2#s and I will be 61 in two days.
In May, you posted a giveaway for a $100 gift card with three choices from Ebates and of course I choose Kohl’s having just embarked on a journey that would eliminate every piece of clothing I owned. I NEVER thought I would have a chance but I also knew that if I didn’t try, I absolutely wouldn’t have a chance. You see I have always called myself the most unlucky person there is and I don’t even believe in luck and still don’t. Well miracle of all miracles which is what I do believe in, I won…one of three out of thousands of entries. You could not possibly know how important that was to me. It motivated me to get to the end of my goal.
I reached that goal on August 28th – four months to the date from when I started at 119.4#s. Total loss of 47.8#s. Then I went shopping with my Kohl’s gift card from Ebates over the Labor Day holiday weekend from the comfort of my home. With all the codes, discounts, free shipping, and of course clearance items that the end of the summer season brings, it was perfect timing yet again. Thank you Collin and Ebates for my new wardrobe to go with my new health – I will forever be grateful!
HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀
Do you have a funny, “Hip”, or unique photo to share?! Email us at happyfriday@hip2save(dot)com. Every Friday, I will post one photo, submitted by you and/or another Hip2Save reader, that gives us a glimpse into your frugal lifestyle or simply makes us smile. If your photo is published on Hip2Save, we’ll email you a $10 Amazon e-card!
great job – good for you for putting in all that hard work to give yourself such an amazing gift!
This is THE best Happy Friday post ever! Congratulations, Dianne! And kudos to Collin!
Wonderful story! So happy for your accomplishment.
Congratulations! Way to go and thanks for sharing your success!
Collin, can you ask her to share more about how she lost so much within 4 months? That might inspire me!!! So glad she won. She looks so cute in her new photo!
I agree. Please share more.
Yes, I’m interested also on how she lost the weight
We cut sugar (any added sugar…fake stuff, honey, splenda, maple syrup, agave, etc) from our diet (yes it was hard at first) and both my husband and I lost a lot of weight.
We still eat sugar on special occasions (birthdays, etc.), but even then we don’t eat nearly as much since our bodies aren’t used to it and are no longer addicted to sugar.
I must admit, the hardest part for me was eliminating sugar from my coffee 🙂
I make my own granola and use bananas to sweeten it. We get our sweet fix from fruit and don’t miss the junk we used to eat.
Once we eliminated sugar we really started reading labels and it’s amazing how much sugar is added to things that don’t need it and shouldn’t have it on the ingredient list…such as salsa.
For us it was a lifestyle change. We literally went through our cupboards and got rid of everything with sugar, including sugar 🙂
Blessings on you!
Yes, sugar is surprisingly addictive, and making the difficult change to eliminate it has so many health benefits! Kudos to you and your husband for making that change.
What an awesome story! Congratulations you look terrific!!!
Wow!!!!! That is a great post! I am so glad you won the gift card! You certainly deserved the shopping trip! One thing you didn’t tell us was your total savings. let us know after all your bargain shopping what the original prices were. That would be the cherry on top with whipped cream to your great accomplishment!
You look absolutely beautiful but more important is that you look happy happy happy!!!😊😊😊
Not to take anything away from Dianne, but I am also 61 and also started my diet in April. My motivation was my surgeon told me that he wanted me to lose weight before he did a total hip replacement on me. He talked about risks, etc. So at 237 (height 5’4″ on a good day) my primary doc prescribed me a new med called Belviq. It’s not an “upper” type med. I hate feeling jittery so this was perfect for me. I totally changed my diet to fruits, veggies, no beef, and hardly any starches, and def no sugar (okay maybe a little here and there lol). I did not exercise (and have loose skin to prove that lol). But I did have my hip operation last month and today I was 197 which is a 40 pound loss in 5 mths. My 3x’s literally just fall off me and I can wear a 16 pants and an XL top. I can shop in regular stores now. My goal is 1/2 pound/week which is achievable for me. I’d like to get to 150 and then have plastic surgery. Hahaa! JK! i feel so much better! Next week I start out-patient PT 3 times a week for 6 weeks. U look so amazing Dianne! U are my inspiration to continue on. Thanks for sharing!
Hubba Hubba! Great work- wonderful accomplishment!
Wow! She looks so much younger! Four months? I have to lose 70 lbs. It is so overwhelming! Hopefully her story can give me some motivation to stick with it!
I have a total of 75#a to loose, join me! I have found My Fitness Pal to be the best thing. It has taught me how to control portions and save my favorite foods for when it counts. I would love a weight loss friend to support. Email me ezammarrelli@hotmail.com
Ditto here. My Fitness Pal app has been a huge motivator to get me to eat better. Mostly cutting down sugar and carbs. Makes me accountable for what I eat.
Hello everybody,
I am wiping away tears because of all of these wonderful comments. I am so blessed I can hardly contain it. The is a song called “I’m drinking from my saucer, cause my cup has overflowed.” I must leave for an emergency but would love to give you any information you want. Send me an email at dianne0007@hotmail dot com and I will gladly reply. I have all of my documentation from my journey. I am a retired teacher and love to figure things out. Couponing became a hobby before Collin started her site but she became my go to spot and still is. I must pay it forward, I have so much gratitude in my heart for all of the blessings that I have.
Thank you again…everybody…Dianne
Dianne, well done on the weight loss! You are an inspiration for us all. Can you share more about how you dropped the weight? Was it a change in what you ate? Are you following a specific diet? How much are you exercising? Would love some tips on how to lose a few pounds myself.
Hey Mary! She mentioned in her post (above yours) that u could email her and she would share her story. Her email is in her post. I just emailed her. But she said she had to leave for an emergency so she may not get back to her emails for a bit. Worth waiting for. For sure!
What a great story!!!
Congratulations! You look great, and I’m sure that you feel even better!!
Melissa, I did give it to Collin but she didn’t post it for some reason. I didn’t list all the discounts but you will see what I mean:
So the final accounting looks like this:
6 pair Jeans, Capris, Shorts
5 Shirts
2 Bras
1 Shapewear Slip
Total Retail = $500.99
– $100 Gift Card
– $40 Kohl’s Cash
OOP = $9.89 That’s all I spent of my own money for a total savings of 98.0% thanks to you and Ebates
Hi Dianne!
Sorry for shortening some of your email – I was just worried that leaving in all the details would make the post a bit too long. Thanks for commenting here with the details. 🙂
Glad to give anybody anything they want. My email is dianne0007@hotmail dot com I have nothing to gain from any of this but I didn’t use or do anything extra to lose the weight. I just was determined to get healthy. I was experiencing a huge amount of back pain and spasms in my hips and ALL of that is gone. I don’t have to take any pain medication and I don’t have to wear support shoes (old lady shoes) anymore. I can wear nice things and nice shoes to show off my red painted toes that now I can reach. Thank you again from the bottom, middle, and top of my heart!!
Dianne, you did some great shopping! Thanks for including the details.
You deserve every wonderful comment you are getting. Enjoy this moment because you deserve to shine, you have earned it. Great job!
Wow!! That’s awesome!
Keep up the great work! Happy bday!
That is amazing!! Great job Dianne! You look great: healthy and happy! 🙂
Congratulations! I am also on a weight loss journey, down 40#s from my heaviest and 35#s to go. I am already getting rid of clothes that don’t fit, what an amazing feeling!
Congrats!!
I’m so happy for you!! Congratulations!!
Good job Dianne! What an awesome gift you received. 🙂
So happy for you, Dianne! I’m glad you won this contest. I always enter contests, and I’m joyful to hear you won one. You deserve it.
Congratulations! Your story is inspiring!!! I know it takes a lot of hard work. Go you!
Dianne…you are truly am inspiration!!! God bless your heart!
Way to go! Your health is one of the best investments out there!!!
Congrats!! Enjoy your new “self”!!
Congratulations 🙂 Awesome job!~
Congrats!!
Dianne u look super. I’m sure u will motivate many.
she looks great! congrats on all your hard work!
Congrats 😃 What an inspiring story. Weekend is coming n I will remember this to eat healthy at home.
Congratulations! What a fantastic achievement. Thank you for sharing your motivating story!
Congrats! You truly look amazing!
You look fabulous Dianne!!! Congrats!!
God bless you Dianne and congratulations! You should be very proud of yourself!
Congrats! You are such a inspiration!
Congratulations!!!!! you look beautiful!!!!
Yeah!!!!!!!!!! You are an inspiration!
I also did a weigh loss about 2 years ago when my baby was born, I decided that my kids needed a healthier and more mobile mom. So I lost 30 lbs and 2 yrs later I’m ready to start over and finish losing the 20 I have left to go! I am so proud of you Dianne changing your lifestyle is a hat decision and it’s hard to stick to it! U did it and you look great congrats…..uninspired me to continue losing the weight to reach my ultimate goal🎉🎉👏👏
I meant inspired me!!😊
Wow! Well done! I’m much younger and trying to lose a little bit of weight (for health) and it’s really hard…but you did it and it’s very inspiring!
AWESOME job!! You look fantastic! I began my weight loss/healthy lifestyle journey over 4 years ago and lost 35 lbs to get to my ideal weight and BMI, which I am proud to say I kept off with hard work (The journey definitely doesn’t end when you hit goal weight! Lol). I remember how exciting it was to buy new clothes and find myself fitting into sizes I never DREAMED I would fit into! Hip2Save definitely helped me be able to afford the new wardrobe with all of the savings! Congratulations, you worked hard and it so paid off, you definitely earned that shopping spree! 🙂
Congratulations on your amazing transformation!! You are truly an inspiration for all!! You look absolutely wonderful 🙂
CONGRATS! Good job, be healthy !!!
Absolutely wonderful!! Good for you!!
Dianne, I’m so amazed at what you’ve done! Way to go, girl! Collin and team, this reminds me of how precious it is that you’ve offered your talent of thriftiness to us and how many you’ve touched. I know you’ve changed my life, and I will forever, forever, forever be grateful.
You look absolutely wonderful! Hugs and congratulations. Your post proves that anything you put your mind to is possible.
Congratulations, Dianne! What a wonderful accomplishment; so happy for you!
Congrats to you! That’s AWESOME! Be proud!
Congrats, Dianne!! 🙂 You look great!