Lizabeth Loper: 'I write down everything I eat'

Who: Lizabeth Loper, 43

Town: Coram
Occupation: Office manager for a real estate company

Height: 5'1"
Weight before: 174 pounds (Sept. 2008)
Current weight: 133 pounds (April 2010)

Her story: In August 2008, Lizabeth Loper was in charge of her company's move to new offices. "My baby also was starting kindergarten," Loper says. " I thought I was fine with it all, but I guess I wasn't. I just didn't feel right. I didn't feel like myself. My old office was next to a walk-in clinic. I went in and asked them to take my blood pressure."

Her high number that day precipitated a visit to her doctor, who was adamant that she lose weight, with a target of 150 pounds.

The road to weight gain had hills and valleys. She was 200 pounds eight years ago after the death of son Andrew, lost 20 pounds, then gained 10. She finally settled at 174. "Until Weight Watchers, I didn't do anything," Loper says, who attends the 5:30 p.m. Wednesday meeting in Wading River. "It is a big part of my weight loss success because you get that group support and ideas about eating."

Her diet: "I can eat anything I want," Loper says of her Weight Watchers diet. "With the other weight-loss programs, you're not taught how to eat. You eat their little boxes of food." Loper says whether eating at home or attending a party, she's able to eat what everyone else eats, just not as much as she would have. "I can eat dip and chips, just not the whole bowl of dip and chips," says Loper, who finds following the tenets of Weight Watchers easy. "I write down everything I eat."

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Her exercise: "I started a couple of weeks ago walking about a mile on the treadmill," Loper says. "I also do some toning. I exercise three days a week. I feel great and don't get as tired as I used to.

Advice: "Weight loss is all about moderation and portions," Loper says. "You don't have to focus on food and dieting, just be conscious of what you eat and how much.