More Inspiration

Teacher loses 120 pounds through healthy eating and exercising

MARTINSBURG, West Virginia (CNN) -- Hardly a day that goes by that you won't find Tracey Wygal working out at the gym.
The 30-year-old middle-school teacher does cardio exercise, strength trains and follows what she calls a "clean diet."
That's quite a change for a woman who tipped the scales eight years ago at 295 pounds.
Wygal first started gaining weight in her early teens. A fast-food diet and little to no exercise helped her pack on the pounds, and her weight ballooned to over 200 pounds.
"It was my first year out of college, and that number, along with being diagnosed as morbidly obese, was very frightening," remembers Wygal. "I went to several doctors, trying to get them to prescribe a weight-loss pill."
But none of her doctors would give her the quick fix she was looking for. Instead, a physician handed her a 1,600-calorie-a-day diet and told her to start moving.
At first, Wygal was shocked and refused to begin a diet that she thought was too restrictive. Even though her weight was rapidly approaching 300 pounds, she believed she had a pretty good diet and an active lifestyle. of her life.
She started by keeping track of her daily calorie intake in a food diary and soon realized that her eating was worse than she thought. I was amazed by how many calories I was eating," Wygal said. "The food diary showed me that I really needed to get my food intake under control and helped me maintain my diet realistically."
She also started exercising.
At first, Wygal says, she was too embarrassed to go to a gym, so she bought an elliptical machine and started working out 15 minutes a day in her apartment.
"It was all I could do at first. I didn't give up, though," she said. "Gradually, my endurance improved. After losing about 30 pounds, I decided to join a small gym."
Several months later, Wygal was ready to take the next step. She hired a trainer and began a short strength-training program.
That's when something clicked.
Instead of feeling intimidated, Wygal started to love her workouts and the physical changes taking shape with her body. Ready to take the next step, she joined a larger gym, began researching different workouts and got into weight training.
Over the next three years, she lost 120 pounds and dropped seven dress sizes. Wygal, who's 5 feet 10 inches tall, says the fear of gaining weight motivates her to stick to her diet and exercise regimen because she never wants to look like she did at 295 pounds.
Now comfortable with her weight, which she says fluctuates between 170 and 180 pounds, Wygal works out at least five to six days a week. She says the key to losing weight and keeping it off is being honest about what you eat, writing it down and staying consistent. She wants people to know they can do it, but there are no quick fixes or easy outs -- just hard work.
"It won't happen overnight," Wygal advises. "Know that it will take time but it is worth it in the end."

Did some running

Well, I have tried to keep increasing my jogging. In the subject I called it 'running' but am not sure an 11 minute mile counts as that.

But I got some new shoes with my old running buddy from college who was visiting last spring at a running store, so my joints don't hurt as much. I have been trying to increase my milage, or really time, and decrease my walk breaks.

Saturday was my best to date, running (jogging) 5 miles in about an hour. No joint pain the next day!

Today I did 3.5 miles. And tonight the UPS guy (we love him around here) delivered a new pair of the same style of shoe. It was getting beat up and not cushioning, and i found a great price for a replacment pair online.

I like jogging. Especially with my ipod. I switch between KC and the Sunshine Band, Devo and Catholic spiritual talks. My heartrate is definitly faster with Whip It, but I love to hear Scott Hahn and he has me looking forward to confession this weekend. ;)

That is all from here. Working off Valentines goodies... oh, and my ezcema is back. I KNOW it is the food. It is allergic, I know. this week I had girl scout cookies and lots of refined flour so plan to cut that out.

Hope you all are healhty and well!

Oh, and hello to two friends I invited here who are not going to post (so they say.. lol) but are reading.

Hi Barb and Roxanne! Love you!

Mood Altering Drugs

Well, it seems that I am not so strange for going through a funk right now. Two weeks ago I was energized and doing a form of nesting which can only be described as "extreme". Then I got a cold and the cleaning lady came and I sort of just pooped out. Yesterday was the worst. The entire morning I was exhausted and unmotivated and uncheerful and unlike myself. And for the first time I wondered about PPD and whether it can set in before you have the baby and whether I should ask about medication at my next OB visit.

After a quick nap, I thought a little about what had changed. My cold and general lack of enthusiasm about my current shape (I can see my cheeks some days) led me to stop eating some of the good foods I have stocked up on and stop exercising. Giving up desserts for Lent left me feeling deprived (I'm offering it up at the same time as I'm looking around for a good chocolate substitute). I'm not sleeping well at night. The weather has kept me from being outside and talking to friends I enjoy. I stopped drinking water.

So I made a decision. I got on the exercise bike for 1o Braxton-Hicks filled minutes. Then I had a glass of water, a spinach salad, and my vitamins. I read a funny email from a really smart friend who told me that she had forgotten how to spell the word "the". And then I got back on the bike for 10 more minutes. Last night I made slept like a baby, and this morning, I started moving furniture and shampooing carpets again.

Exercise, good food, restful sleep, friends. Those are the mood altering drugs I prefer.

The Journey

Hi all-
I just posted a comment to Leonie's last post.. about the Lent time being a bit rough for me.

It really seems to integrate the whole mind/body experience for me, and as I mentioned the 'challenges' I give myself would make me a very healthy person if I just stuck to them.. for 40 days. lol

But, as always I fail, but then God seems to put new challenges in my path.

anyway, I have had a difficult week eating and exersize-wise and found this article I enjoyed and thought you might, too.

Cindy
click here

Update - so how did you lose that weight?

Okay, people, others have asked this question - since I posted my journey.

I pust a post on my blog. I hope it encourages. It is not easy , making health and fitness changes, But it is SO worthwhile.

How are you all during Lent?

Diet Girl

I've been reading "The Amazing Advenures of Diet Girl". This is her blog.

Very inspiring. An Aussie, living in Scotland, who has lost and maintained the loss of 70 kg ( about 150 lbs).

How?

By eventually giving up diets and working on body image, eating healthfully , allowing food treats and exercising. And blogging about these things, in order to create an online community of support.

Like us. :-)

Good Health is a Noble and Holy Goal

From Pastoral Care of the Sick:

"Part of the plan laid out by God's providence as that we should fight strenuously against all sickness and carefully seek the blessings of good health, so that we may fulfill our role in human society and in the Church. Yet, we should always be prepared to fill up what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for the salvation of the world as we look forward to creation's being set free in the glory of the children of God...

The sick person is not the only one who should fight against illness. Doctors and all who are devoted in any way to caring for the sick should consider it their duty to use all means which in their judgment may help the sick, both physically and spiritually."

I read in this that beyond seeking to comfort and help restore the ill to health, that it is noble for us to seek to improve or continue ongoing good health through healthy habits such as exercise and nutrition. It is a good goal for us, as God wants us to fight against illness. And it is a good goal to help encourage others to do the same and support both physically and spiritually. :)

A quote

Of course I work out, my stress acts like aerobics. - Woody Allen

Can you imagine it? lol!

This is REAL Penance

Hello Friends,

I know I haven't posted in a while. However, on my blog I recently posted about how I am giving up sugar for Lent. What I mean by sugar is desserts and anything full of white/brown/corn sugar. So, I can have fruit and if someone makes me BBQ pork, as my friend Sara did yesterdat at her house for lunch, and the sauce has some sugar in it, that's fine. Ketchup (not that I am really into Ketchup) is fine. I think you get the gist. Today is day 3. And I have some interesting observations.

1) Since I haven't eaten obvious sugar, I am less hungry for other food, so I find I am not snacking much. Hmmm?

2) I am much clearer mentally, even though I have 2/3 pot of coffee in me. I like coffee with cream and no sugar, so the coffee hasn't suffered.

3) I am not as TIRED! (This is huge for me!)

4) I make much better food choices throughout the day,which has made me realize how often I would turn to cookies, chocolate etc...when peckish...instead of just grabbing an organge, banana, or handful of roasted almonds.

5) I am thinking about Christ's sacrifice in the dessert alot. I am 'clinging' to Him much more throughout this ordeal. Because even though I am not craving sugar (which is weird) I still mentally think about and want it. For example, when I think about how long it will be before I can have sugar again, I get panicky,think of Jesus, and He absolutely gives me the grace to just handle today, coz it's all I have.

So, I find those observations VERY interesting. Also, I added in a little more Lenten penance and that is walking on the treadmill. I only do about 30 min. Listening to Muse, in particular, helps alot. I walk while the kids play Guitar Hero 3, so that I can watch them have fun and kinda forget what I am doing. I LOATHE exercise. I wasn't always this way. When I was in my 20's I used to bike 10-15 miles per day and I swam alot (I grew up in Palm Beach county, Florida). I think parenting Ben, in particular, just made me want to lie down and sleep instead of get up and going. Mixed in with that was depression over his issues and mental exhaustion from dealing with them.

However, this being Lent. I figure why not do something I loathe as a sacrifice for Christ. hopefully, through my dying to self, he can resurrect something good in me, by the time we all celebrate His resurrection.

~Peace,
Rachel

Fitness by Genotype

I thought I'd share these ideas from a newsletter I received, based on The Genotype Diet. The idea Dr. D'Adamo has is that different types of people are better suited to different types of exercise, and this list gives each type of few ideas to try.

Set a Fitness Goal

If incorporating exercise into your life is a tricky challenge, perhaps you need a little push. Try these physical activity goals for one week to see if they help you get moving.

Hunter: As a Hunter, you require intense daily activity to maintain your top level of fitness and health. For your goal, dedicate about 45 minutes a day to vigorous walking. When you feel that famous Hunter energy burst kick in, step it up to a run. Just keep the pace brisk so you don't lose interest.

Gatherer: A good fitness goal for a Gatherer is to alternate hatha yoga with aerobics every day for six days. Get DVDs or find classes at your health club. And take one day off for rest to avoid burnout.

Teacher: Teachers can keep their metabolism in balance by participating in 40 minutes of activity at least four to five days a week. Aim to balance tai chi workouts with alternating days of resistance training this week to see how you feel — you'll probably have tons of energy for your two days off!

Explorer: Alternate days of Pilates and aerobics classes for four to five days this week. Be sure you sweat out the toxins for an effective workout. This goal will keep you fit and cleansed — see for yourself!

Warrior: Warm up to a fitness routine with four days of stretching and strengthening exercises this week, Warrior. Try 30 to 40 minutes of hatha yoga on two days, and light resistance training on the other two.

Nomad: On three days this week, take a vigorous walk. Once you have that down, boost your efforts by carrying 2-pound weights along with you on two additional walks. If this goal seems too easy, next week boost your weight level to 3 to 5 pounds, according to your fitness level.

My Journey

Six years ago. Health problems and depression. And I gained weight.

I went from thin to obese.

I was a chubby child ( and my mother had me on constant diets), an anorexic teen, an always dieting, always working out young mum, then an overweight and finally depressed obese person.

I got help for my depression. And for my health.

Over the last six years, I have worked on healthy eating ( again) and have come to love working out ~ again.

So, here I am today ~ a work in progress. Still chubby but not as ,well , fat, as I was. I've lost well over 30 kg - well over 66 lbs.

Cindy asked us to share our fitness journeys. This is mine in a in a nutshell.

I feel very brave sharing these pics . I forgot how it used to be. I feel sad that I am no longer the thin person I was. But happy I am no longer obese. Yet I live in fear, every day, of going back there. Of getting fat and depressed.

It's a mind thing, as well as a physical journey.

A February Challenge

Something for us to think about. I mean, fitness is a mental and spiritual thing, as well as physical , isn't it?

BILLY BLANKS' FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

This month, let's do a "love" challenge, instead of a physical one. Each day of the month, let's do something for the ones we love, and yes, that includes yourself. Write down each new thing that you will do every day to show someone your love, and to show you that you love yourself. You can even do something for your pet, or maybe an organization that you love.

Get creative.

Cindy did it :)

Ok, OK, Cindy's post inspired me to give you all an update.
There really isn't much to write in this particular season of my life. We have been busy with a lot of family funerals(2 in 6 weeks, a 2 day drive one way-ugh), family visits(both going to and people coming--the guest room sheets get changed more than ours:), dh working 7am to 8-9pm, and the holidays. Trying to get the kids back to a good place for homeschool to work, get them sleeping again, etc.
BUT--I WAS in my little basement "gym" before all this started and for about 3-4 weeks I was exercising pretty much every day. Walking, and starting to jog, on the treadmill. Some work with weights. Stretching--oh, do I need that! The Pilate's video. It was good :) IF I can exercise the diet follows, as I feel so good in my skin, I don't want to ruin it :)
Right now, the mind is willing but the body just isn't there yet. I want to stay in bed in the am. So, right now I am being kind to myself and I am staying in bed most mornings. I'll be back. It is a season. I continue to walk the dog in the woods on the weekend when dh is home snoozing with the kids in the am. We have started going to a homeschool gym day and last week I played football with the boys--I was so sore. This week a few of us Mom's played some b-ball with the girls. That worked better than football. I miss our neighborhood walks, and waves, but Cindy is right--it is so COLD here in Ohio. It has been hard to drag the kids out. The dog is fine :)
So, I am still here. I am still inspired by you all. I just had nothing exciting to report. I will be back.
Anne