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
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