|| 25 September 2023

Chic & Slim Success Factors

If I were as successful at making money as I have been losing weight and staying slim, I would be rich — or at least far more affluent than I am.

But while I have never earned much money from my Chic & Slim writings, I have reaped much joy and satisfaction helping other women — and a few men — have happier, more satisfying lives.

But I can only put the techniques and other information into written form and make them available. The key to success is how the reader uses my information. Some have been more successful than others.

Recently I received an email from Kimberly who, over the past 20 years, has put Chic & Slim to excellent use in her life. I want to share the email with you because it points to several factors that have shown themselves repeatedly to being key to Chic & Slim success.

Kimberly wrote:

Dear Anne, I wrote to you years ago with much gratitude for your books and website.  My name is Kimberly and I was in the middle of a move from the West Coast to the Southeastern US. You encouraged me years ago while I was pregnant with my first little one. I was anxious about the weight I was gaining in my pregnancy and was overly concerned about weight in general. My greatest wish at this time was to enjoy the whole experience but my mind would not let me. Diets and exercising to extreme had truly become my life. I was about to start my swim workout and saw this older French woman having the time of her life in aqua aerobics. I had seen her often in the locker room and heard her vibrant conversations with her friends. She was beautiful! She was strong and a pretty size and her image of being carefree with exercise and loving life stayed with me. After my swim I met you via a Google search on French women.

AnneNote: Observing chic and slim and happy French women so often has been the motivation for using Chic & Slim successfully.

Words cannot express how your books have helped me thru the years. I believe there are many women like myself who need a renewing of the mind.  I grew up with a father who was a gifted wrestler in high school.  He learned extreme self discipline that was not healthy. His thoughts on self discipline carried over into my upbringing. Loving my dad as I do, I now realize he could have used a few decades in France to learn how to love food and the joy of living. Thankfully you have been my faithful teacher and have helped me take a break from punishing workouts and crazy diets.

AnneNote: Unfortunately, many parents pass along eating habits and attitudes toward food that make it difficult to stay slim and healthy. Changing those habits and attitudes can be difficult.

I admit, there are still times, I want to run back to that old lifestyle, especially after having a baby or when a few pounds creep on. I will feel that old anxiety rise up as I research the latest diet plans or exercise gimmick. BUT I have your books strategically placed in a basket next to my reading rocking chair. I read a few pages from my teacher, Anne Barone and am calm and know that I do not want to head down that path ever again.

AnneNote: Those who keep the Chic & Slim books easily accessible and reread them when they find themselves slipping back into old eating and exercise habits report they are able to return to healthy eating and lifestyle.   

You have not only helped me, but my children as well. The last time I wrote, I had 5 little ones and now have 8. So you can understand why I have your books so close by, ready at a moments notice. I have 6 daughters and 2 boys and truly my husband is the biggest kid of all so count him in as one of the kids.  The age range is 20 - 4 years old. I love the whole experience that being said, my days are full. I am still learning how to raise a family on a daily basis...very humbling to say the least.

I think of you often with great gratitude because you came into my life at a pivotal time. That little one I was carrying is now 20 and she is lovely! She has zero hang ups with food or exercise and eats when hungry and stops when full.  The rest of the crew is following in her footsteps with this eating pattern. No one has the extreme mindset I once had and this is a miracle.  I was afraid I would pass on my bad thinking to them but I know God brought your words at the perfect time.

Thank you for all you do, Anne.  As I said before, words really cannot express how much you have helped me and now the next generation too.  Thank you for sending us beautiful pictures, book ideas, news from around the world and sharing your thoughts.

Blessings abound for you! Kimberly

Merci, Kimberly, for your kind words and for sharing how you are successfully making Chic & Slim work for you despite more serious challenges than many others have faced. Best wishes, Anne