Summer polls: 'If it had chocolate in it, I would eat it'

A trimmer Kris Nicholson. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey. For poll results, click on 'More pictures' below.

Most people are happy with their weight, even though an overwhelming majority think they are on the heavy side, a Herald-DigiPoll survey shows.

The nationwide pre-Christmas poll found 64 per cent of respondents happy with their weight, even though 87 per cent believed they were overweight. But it appears there's no harm in losing a few kilos, as 76 per cent said they were doing.

Weight Watchers programme manager Karen Church said attitude was just as important as diet and exercise in losing weight.

"Some are exercising already, so they need to change their eating habits. Some of them aren't exercising at all, so they need to add that element. But we emphasise that they need to change all three areas; their eating, their exercise and their attitude and behaviour."

It is important that food is not used to manage feelings, she said.

Despite a rise in obesity levels, Ms Church said there were no figures to indicate that their average client was getting bigger, although more teenagers - and their parents - were approaching them.

Its recent survey found the majority of those who were unsuccessful in losing weight said it was because they did not want it badly enough, or were unable to give up bad habits.

Papakura woman Kris Nicholson speaks from experience when she says the most important factor in losing weight - and keeping it off - is the right mindset.

Ms Nicholson shed 53kg over 10 months through a combination of healthy eating and exercise, and now weighs in at 84.5kg - well within her healthy weight range.

"You've got to do it for yourself. I've lost weight before, but nowhere near this much. I always tried to do it for other people and it always came straight back on again."

But the 34-year-old would still like to lose a "couple more kilos", although friends and family tell her she's at her right weight.

"I think I'm one of those people that will always be unhappy with what I weigh. But as long as I'm within my healthy weight range, I'm not too bad."

The catalyst for permanent change came from reading an article about former True Bliss star Jo Cotton's weight loss.

"I thought if she can do it, I can do it."

Giving up junk food and takeaways was not too difficult, but chocolates were - and still are - a temptation.

"If it had chocolate in it, I would eat it. I couldn't leave it alone."

She lives by the mantra of "everything in moderation", applying that to chocolates, and has returned to Weight Watchers as a leader, helping others lose weight and live healthily.

But there are days when Ms Nicholson still has to adjust to her new self. A friend described it as having a "fat brain".

"I catch a glimpse of myself in the shop window or something, and think, 'bloody hell, who's that?' It still surprises me to see this person looking back at me in the mirror when I've been so used to looking one way all my life.

"If I could help one person who was very overweight lose the weight, then I'll be so happy. The change it's made in me is amazing."