Okay, I’m back…it’s been a while. I haven’t worked out very much. I haven’t counted my calories. I’ve over eaten. I’ve eaten lots of chocolate. I’m afraid of the scale.
But I’m back. I worked out today with the cycle class and did 20 min on the stairmaster. I’m going to count my calories today and I’m going to keep working out and being active. And this time next year, I will be less than 200 lbs. And what a day that will be. I can’t wait!
1 challenge pounds
BY KAREN SHIDELER
The
LOOKING AND FEELING TRIMMER, WICHITALK'S WEIGHT-LOSS CHALLENGE TEAM MEMBERS SAY THEY'LL CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS
They're disappointed -- and delighted. They missed their combined goal by nearly 50 pounds -- but they say that without the WichiTalk Weight-Loss Challenge, they wouldn't have lost the 107 ½ pounds they did. Their faces and bodies definitely show the results of their efforts. In September, WichiTalk introduced six Wichitans who agreed to go public with their three-month effort to lose weight. They set their own goals and decided what approach to use.
This is the final report on the group, just in time to help you think about the pitfalls and successes ahead if losing weight is one of your New Year's resolutions. Watch for more advice to help you along, beginning in the Jan. 2 WichiTalk.
The first advice from our team members: Enlist a friend or two. All six said being part of a group made it easier to stick with their efforts, even though they got together only twice -- at the beginning and the end.
Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or kshideler@wichitaeagle.com.
Tom Allen
Bio: Age 43. Married with three children. Teacher and coach at
Goal: 40 pounds. Lost 10.
Weekends and the "battle with snacks" kept him from losing more. He has begun to work out and hopes to continue to "improve my health at a slow and steady pace."
His advice: "Most important is to find a way to motivate yourself, and work to be a better you."
Jamie Goltz
Bio: Age 23. Married. Does secretarial-clerical work for Army National Guard.
Goal: 25 to 30 pounds. Lost 30, in part because she got sick.
With her doctor's permission, she wants to continue losing a pound here and there as her pregnancy progresses. Her baby is due in May, and her doctor told her that the heavier she is, the harder it will be to deliver.
Her advice: Go with what you believe in, and don't try to overdo it. Read labels and watch portion sizes.
Toni Harden
Bio: Age 46. Single with two children.
Goal: 20 to 30 pounds. Lost 11.
She will continue to work out daily and to try to lose more, by counting calories and watching fat intake. "Working out first thing in the morning seems to be the best for me."
Her advice: Plan before you eat. Take the extra time to plan your meals for the whole week, and plan snacks, too.
Crystal Iseman
Bio: Age 26. Married, three children. Stay-at-home mom, day-care provider and college student.
Goal: 25 pounds. Lost 18 ½.
Losing weight was easy at first -- as time went on, not gaining became reason to celebrate. "I have realized that I am doing much better just losing a pound or so a week, so it doesn't feel like I am depriving myself."
Her advice: Find a weight-loss buddy. Take a few days off if you're getting burned out -- but don't overdo it. Focus on size instead of the scale: "Size can change quite a bit without the scale moving much, because of working out." Enlist the support of your spouse, friends and family.
Andrea McClellan
Bio: Age 31. Married with two children. Stay-at-home mom.
Goal: 25 pounds. Lost 15.
"I am doing it right this time around." The weight is staying off, and "If it takes me two more months to slowly reach my goal, that is fine with me." As a result of losing weight, she's using her inhaler less often for her asthma. "How awesome is that?"
Her advice: Set your mind to it. Only you can be in charge of the weight loss. Listen to the voice in the back of your head that says, "Don't eat that! What about all the hard work you did today?" Don't listen when it says, "Boy, I sure would like to eat that last piece of pie." At the drive-through, get a kids' meal with apples instead of fries (skip the dipping sauce) and give the toy to someone special -- yourself!
Ken Rawson
Bio: Age 30. Married with three children. Director of student ministries at
Goal: 15 pounds. Lost 23.
Waking up early to work out was tough. Keeping a food journal and counting calories was inconvenient. But it worked. He has signed up for the KSN/Play It Again Sports Biggest Loser Competition (see box) and will keep doing what he has been doing.
His advice: Get involved with a group or friend, and join a message board. Keep a food log. Count calories. Get a workout DVD. Get off the couch: "Anything that you do is better than nothing." You may not lose as much as the people on TV, but "the feeling of fitting in my clothes, moving my belt another notch, feeling great, living a healthier life for my kids and sweet wife, and watching the man on the inside slowly emerge from the man on the outside have been the greatest rewards so far."
Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or kshideler@wichitaeagle.com.
Another challenge
Play It Again Sports and KSN are partnering for their version of
-- Karen Shideler
Well, today is the last day of the Eagle’s weight loss challenge. Here is the update I sent Karen.
From: Ken Rawson
Sent: Monday,
To: 'Karen Shideler'
Subject: RE: See you Monday!
Karen!!! While I am probably not going to end up as the winner, I just wanted to again, thank you for this opportunity! I don’t think I’d be 29 pounds lighter without your help! Thanks so much!
See below for the answers to the questions. And thanks again!
Ken
From: Karen Shideler
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 1:27 PM
To: Ken Rawson;
Subject: See you Monday!
Gang,
I'm getting ready to leave the office for an out-of-town conference but will be back in plenty of time to see you at the Y on Monday -- Central Y, pix at 6:30 p.m. SHARP (if I have my way). I'll try to be there by 6.
PLEASE WEAR something you couldn't before or something you just feel great in. We decided boxy red T-shirts wouldn't be the best way to show off the new you!
Here's your homework. I'd love for you to e-mail me your responses sometime Monday or bring a printout with you. If not, you get to stay after class to chat with me!
1. How much did you lose? (Weigh anytime Monday for the final number). How did that compare with your goal?
[Ken Rawson] I lost a total of 23 pounds. I gained three pounds during the Thanksgiving holiday and lost those three pounds last week. So I’m still at 23. My goal was 15 so I feel great that I made my goal. I wish I would have treated this more seriously and really tried to lose as much as I could have. But losing weight is really so difficult!
2. How hard was it to lose weight? Did being part of this group make it harder or easier? Why?
[Ken Rawson] Waking up every morning at
3. Where do you go from here? Are you going to try to lose more, maintain what you've lost, or dig into something you've denied yourself for the past three months? What have you learned about what you need to do? (See Ken's blog, below)
[Ken Rawson] As previously noted I’ve joined the YMCA’s
4. What advice do you have for readers? This is the part I'd really like you to focus on, because this wrapup will also have sort of a "here's help for making your own New Year's resolutions" feel to it.
[Ken Rawson] 1. Join the Biggest loser challenge with KSN and Play it Again Sports. Just don’t lose as much weight as me so I can win the money. My sweet wife and I would like to adopt a baby and could really use that $5,000. So if you join, please sabotage yourself for my sake. I’ll really appreciate it.
2. Get involved with a group or find a friend to do this with. I’ve been doing a cycling class on Tuesdays and Thursdays with the Y and more times than they probably know, their encouragement, camaraderie, and friendship has been the motivation I needed to go workout.
3. Keep a food log and count your calories. Whenever I don’t do this, I slip up. I’ll eat stuff without thinking about it and I’ll eat bad stuff that won’t help me achieve my goal.
4. Get a workout DVD. Sure I look like a dork and I feel like a complete idiot doing exercise videos at home, but after I lose 400 calories and am a sweaty mess, I’m feeling pretty dang good!
5. Join a message board on the internet. Two message boards that I check out are http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showforum=19 and http://boards.webmd.com/webx?50@103.ya6QaGyAP2D.3@.5987f41f. The first one is for the tv show The Biggest Loser and the second one is from WebMD. You’d be amazed at the stories out there of people who have really lost weight and become healthy. It’s so encouraging!!!
6. Get off the couch. Really. Just do something. Anything that you do is better than doing nothing. If you lose one measly pound a week, after a year, it looks pretty good! Take the stairs instead of the elevator, eat an orange instead of a bag of chips, skip the bread at Carabba’s, build a snowman with your kids, play with your spouse, whatever!
5. Anything else?
[Ken Rawson] While losing 23 pounds has not been as earth shattering as the people on the TV show “The Biggest Loser” the feeling of fitting in my clothes, moving my belt another notch, feeling great, living a healthier life for my kids and sweet wife, and watching the man on the inside slowly emerge from the man on the outside have been the greatest rewards so far. Thank you for taking a chance on this story and giving me an opportunity to not just share my life with other people, but providing the impetus of change that was so needed.
You rock!
Ken
If you haven't looked at Ken's blog lately, check it out. I especially liked this paragraph:
The bad news: Last time I weighed in, I was at 259. Today I am 262. That sucks. I wasn’t planning on gaining weight back. But I only worked out 3 times and I didn’t count my calories and I ate when stressed. I know better. If I don’t count calories, if I don’t physically write it down, I can’t control myself. And when I’m stressed, I need better methods of relief. I’m amazed at how weak willed I am and how easily I’ll go back to my fat self if I don’t take this seriously.
I don't see Ken as weak-willed at all -- and I am delighted at the insight he has about the necessity to take health seriously, and about what he needs to do to get there.
You all have been awesome. Thanks for all your help -- and see you Monday!
Karen
