See SparkPeople Success Stories in First for Women*

By , SparkPeople Blogger
We started our Secrets of Success series on March 1 and will continue sharing one proven solution to weight loss each day through March 15. If you're hungry for more, check out the current issue of First for Women magazine (on newsstands now through March 22). The "non-diet" solution touted on the cover isn't a supplement, miracle juice or detox diet. It's 20 more secrets to weight-loss success that came directly from SparkPeople.com, now America's #1 weight-loss website, and our best-selling book, "The Spark!"

Inside the March 22, 2010, issue of First (pictured at left), you'll also find the profiles, stories and before and after photos of four amazing SparkPeople.com members who used these secrets to lose more than 100 pounds each. Each strategy is backed by research and case studies of real people just like you who are winning the battle of the bulge without resorting to the crazy diet gimmicks of the past.

Courtesy of First, we're sharing three of these tricks with you today, but you'll have to pick up the magazine to get the full story and see the amazing transformations yourself.

Tip #1 Fill up in the a.m.
"As Mom always says, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Case in point: 100 percent of SparkPeople's most successful slimmers eat breakfast without fail. The top morning-meal choice of SparkPeople members is oatmeal—it's easy to make, tastes great and provides a healthy dose of satiating fiber."

Tip #2 Stay well hydrated
The SparkPeople survey revealed that 75 percent of successful members find weight loss easier if they drink eight glasses of water daily. Indeed, studies at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City show that staying adequately hydrated reduces appetite and increases the body's fat-burning metabolic rate. Bonus: Having water instead of three sugary sodas and a glass of juice cuts daily caloric intake by about 450 calories per day—enough to trim off up to 45 pounds in one year."

Tip #3 Outsmart portion distortion
"Following the lead of SparkPeople successes by keeping a small scale and measuring cups handy can speed weight loss by 30 percent or more, say UCLA researchers.'I was a very healthy eater, but I was eating way too much food—sometimes as many as six to eight servings,' admits newly slim Vicki Theriault. 'So I studied portion sizes, practices weighing and measuring until I felt confident, then quizzed myself by dishing up food and measuring afterward to see if I'd estimated right.'"

Meet the Featured Members
Four women who each lost more than 100 pounds by using the 20 tricks shared in this story are prominently featured in the magazine complete with before and after photos, the "ah-ha" moments that triggered their weight-loss journeys, their top three tips for success and more! Chasity Schoonover (CHASITY_ANN), Ellenmary DeTore (SAMSON94), Flossie Alexander (FLORENCEOSI) and Heather Holloway (PUMPKINFACE73) have lost between 111 and 165 pounds each! Please join us in congratulating these remarkable women on their success and for being a beacon of hope to so many others by sharing their stories.

You'll learn a lot of great tips from this issue of First for Women, so be sure to pick up a copy while it's available on newsstands. Losing 100 pounds isn't something reserved for "Biggest Losers" or reality TV stars. You don't have to quit your day job, hire a personal chef or spend your life savings on a specialized program either. It's something that everyday people are doing by putting the SparkPeople plan into place, and these tips are a great way to start!

*Weight loss results will vary from person to person. No individual result should be seen as a typical result of following the SparkPeople program.