Women try various methods to lose weight

JAKARTA (JP): In an effort to attract the opposite sex and to be as slim as friends, people have tried all sorts of ways to lose weight. Some have turned out slim and happy, while others were less fortunate.

Sugiarti, 25, a resident of Cirebon, West Java, entered a slimming program at a clinic in her hometown two years ago, when she was single. She was 55 kilograms and 152 centimeters high.

"It wasn't easy listening to relatives and friends advise me to lose weight, because they said men prefer slim girls.

"I tried to lose weight by dieting and drinking traditional Jamu (herbal medicine). Because both were not effective, I entered a slimming program frequently advertised in newspapers and magazines. I joined the program for three weeks and quit, because I couldn't bear being hungry. The calorie pattern was a major hurdle for me," she said.

Sugiarti, who is now married to a Singaporean and lives in the island state, does not care any more about dieting and slimming, although she is now 60 kilograms.

"My husband weighs about 70 kilograms, so what's wrong if I'm 10 kilograms less?" she said.

Idjah, 20, a resident of Kuningan, West Java, seems to have inherited being overweight from her mother. She was always the largest girl in her class.

"My parents were proud of my health ... but when I passed senior high school and took a computer course in Bandung, I noticed my classmates were all slimmer than myself.

"I wrote to my mother, saying that I wanted to be slim like many other girls in college ... A few months later I fell sick, and the doctor said I suffered a stomach-related disease. I went home to rest for a couple of months. I was pale and tired, and my weight dropped significantly.

"I had taken a traditional jamu to reduce weight ... It's a horrible topic to talk about."

Niniek Soedarjo, a 49-year-old housewife, said she had tried several methods to regain her normal weight after giving birth to her third child, but in vain.

"I've tried everything -- from acupuncture to slimming cream. Nothing works for me."

"People say I'm not that fat. But I just wanted to look as good as I used to," she said.

Fortunately, she was never sick due to slimming treatments.

"I don't want to join any programs now. I just skip dinner and fast every Monday and Thursday ... I'm not getting as slim as I wanted, but at least I'm not as fat as I was before."

Riri V., 27, a post-graduate student in Washington, said she used to be very fat and was always ashamed to date.

"My friends always got boyfriends easily, and I didn't dare to find one. I tried my own diet program from health magazines. I skipped dinner, avoided rice, and exercised at a fitness center three to four times a week."

She even hung a miniskirt in her bedroom for motivation.

"I told myself that someday, I have to wear that skirt," she said.

After dieting and exercising for almost five years, Riri managed to reduce her weight by about 20 kilograms.

"I had to sacrifice a lot to reach the ideal weight. While my friends ate nice meals in front of me, I only ate crackers. Since I've succeeded in reducing my weight, I don't want to gain it back again."

I. Laksmi, a 35-year-old employee, said she never believes in any instant slimming businesses.

"I can only lose weight by dieting," she said.

Laksmi had to change her diet when she got a scholarship in Europe.

"I can't stand the food there. I only ate once or twice a day because the food tasted awful ... When I returned, I couldn't eat oily food like Padang food. I could only eat vegetables or fruit."

"After giving birth to my second child, my weight increased but it was still ideal ... I managed to reduce my weight by about 10 kilograms in one year.

"It took time, but I was forced to change my meal pattern," she said. (team)