How a Roller Coaster Led Erin to Lose 117 Pounds

Meet Erin. She's 30 and lives in Florida. Happily engaged and recently promoted at work, she loves her life. She wakes up feeling great, rarely stops moving throughout her waking hours, and goes to sleep each night with a smile on her face. Life isn't perfect, but every day feels better than the last, she says.
 
Erin is so committed to this life that it's hard for her to remember what it was like before, when she weighed almost twice what she does now. When she had little energy to stay awake after work and all she wanted to do on her days off was sleep. When she was in excruciating pain from even the smallest physical efforts and walking around the block seemed like torture. When she looked in the mirror and didn't recognize the woman she'd become and didn't know how to change her life.
 
She wanted to marry the love of her life, raise babies together, and do all the fun things she could only watch from afar. When she moved to Florida from New Jersey, she was excited about the year-round sun, access to the beach, and all the theme parks and outdoor festivals. But most of the time, she stayed inside or came home early because she was tired and in pain. Life was passing her by, and she felt helpless. Looking back now on the day she decided to change everything, it feels like a dream—a nightmare—but she's grateful for it. Looking back, the worst day of her life was also among the best, because it was the first day of the rest of her life.
 
The harness was stuck. No matter what she did, Erin couldn't fasten the safety belt around her middle. She held her breath, sucked in her stomach, and tried wiggling in her seat. Her fiancé, JT, then tried, but to no avail. People were laughing and pointing, and the line was backing up. The roller-coaster operator came over to see what was wrong.
 
It was the day after Erin's longtime boyfriend had proposed to her, and they were at a Florida theme park to celebrate. The joy that hadn't left her face since he got down on one knee was replaced by fear and panic. Finally, it clasped.
 
Her humiliation turned to relief and then terror as the ride began. Was the harness secure? Would it hold her weight, or would she plummet to her death on what should have been a day of celebration? The ride lasted a mere three minutes, but every moment felt like an eternity. She held her breath, gripped her fiancé's hand, and prayed for it to be over. It soon was, and her giddiness returned, until they picked up the photos taken on the ride. Her stomach dropped as she looked at the woman in the photo. She knew she had gained weight, but really? That was what she looked like?
 
I look like a pillow stuffed into a wastebasket, she thought. Right then and there, she knew something had to change. She and JT wanted to start a family, but Erin asked herself, How can I take care of kids if I can't take care of myself?
 

At Sea World, the site of the fateful roller-coaster ride
After years of trying maple-syrup cleanses, all-meat fad diets, and every diet pill in the pharmacy, she was ready to lose the weight for good. No more quick fixes or searches for an instant cure.
 
This is it, she told herself. It has to be the right way. Nothing ever worked before because I didn't do it the right way.
 
"How to live a healthy life," she typed into her browser; she was not going to look into diets. SparkPeople.com popped up in her search results and she joined immediately. She got started on her new life and never looked back. Read More ›

'The Spark Solution' Challenge Starts May 13

The Spark Solution, the new book from the experts and members at SparkPeople.com, is now available! To celebrate the launch, we are hosting an exclusive one-time "Spark Solution Challenge" on the site!

From May 13-27, everyone who has purchased The Spark Solution is invited to go through the comprehensive two-week program TOGETHER for added motivation and enthusiasm. The book's authors and contributors will be offering additional support and tips ONLY in the exclusive, official Spark Solution team during the challenge. Don’t have your copy yet? It’s now available in stores and online – hurry to get your copy before May 13!

Each day will have its own thread in the team, with additional motivational resources, more tips to make meal planning and workouts a breeze, and--the best part--support from those who are going through the program right alongside you. We will also send "reminder" SparkMails throughout the two weeks to help you stay motivated. 

Who's ready to get started?

Read More ›

Great News: The Spark Solution is Now in Stores! (Help Us Spread the Word)

Today is a pretty big day here at SparkPeople. Our new book, The Spark Solution: A Comprehensive Two-Week Diet Program to Fast Track Weight Loss and Total Body Health, is officially available. WooHoo!

This isn’t our first book, but this is a major first for us: For the first time ever, we have published the very best advice, tips and tricks from our "Success Stories"--more than 100 members who've lost weight and kept it off using SparkPeople.com to accomplish their goals. These members know that how you start to lose weight is the most important indicator of long-term weight loss. They shared their struggles and successes so that you can learn from their experiences and remove the guesswork from weight loss.

To celebrate the release of The Spark Solution in stores, we're giving the first 1,000 people who buy the book in a store a special BONUS gift. Why are we asking you to buy in a store? We think this book has serious potential to change lives, but to do that we are asking for your help to reach the best-sellers list. When people buy our book in a store, we have a better chance of getting on the best-sellers list, and impacting even more people! Read More ›

SparkPeople on HuffPo Live Tonight at 5 EST

UPDATE: If you missed Stepfanie, you can watch the interview here.

Hi, SparkPeople! I wanted to give you a heads-up that I will be on Huffington Post Live today at 5 p.m. EST.

Tune in to watch me talk about how to break the bad habit of complaining--and why unleashing your negativity is actually bad for your brain.

I will speak with three other panelists for approximately 25-30 minutes.  Click here to listen/watch.


  Read More ›

Behind the Scenes on 'The Spark Solution' Recipe Photo Shoot

One of my favorite parts about writing a book for SparkPeople is the recipe photo shoots. Those days start early and end late, with nary a moment to rest, but it's some of the best fun I've ever had while "working."

Today I want to take you behind the scenes of the photo session we did for The Spark Solution: A Complete Two-Week Program to Fast-Track Weight Loss and Total Body Health.  (Available for pre-order now!)

Talking to the team before the day got started. It was already hot under the lights!

The book contains 70 recipes, all created by Chef Meg, plus additional tips and swaps to vary those recipes based on what's in season and your personal preferences. And all the photos are in full color! The inspiration for the recipes, which we call "Spark Swaps" is the standard American diet--and all the comfort foods we love to eat. Ours are lower in calories and fat, and quite low in sugar and sodium. All of the meals were designed to fit into a 1,500-calorie meal plan, with no more than 2,300 mg sodium a day.


Peek behind the scenes of the recipe photo shoot!
Read More ›

Brittney Lost 100 Pounds and Improved Her Health

SparkPeople member Brittney (MISSB8604) is featured on Huffington Post this week after losing 100 pounds! Find out how this self-proclaimed theater diva did it.
Check out her story here. (And check out these red-carpet worthy pics of Brittney, too.)

Way to go, Brittney! Read More ›

Learn How Bonnie and Nancy Reached Their Goals

It's a great week for SparkPeople members! Two of our inspiring Success Stories are in the news for their incredible life changes.
 
Bonnie (FLYINGB16) lost 142 pounds, and now her story is featured on FamilyCircle.com and in the latest issue of the magazine. Read part of her story here, and pick up the magazine (on newsstands now) to read more!
  
Nancy (http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=NANCYANNE55) lost 49 pounds--and is a personal trainer who's had four kids. You can read her story at Shape.com.
 
Way to go, Bonnie and Nancy! Read More ›

What's New on SparkPeople Radio

If you haven't checked out SparkPeople Radio, now's the time! We've been on the air since November, and this on-demand show is a hit. Each week, hosts Lily Hills and Karen Hudson share the latest and greatest stories to help you become healthier and happier, with interviews from SparkPeople members and experts.

We launch a new show each Tuesday morning, but this radio show is available anytime, anywhere--and you can listen to all the episodes whenever you want. No matter where you live (even outside of the US), you can always tune in to SparkPeople Radio! Plus, you get SparkPoints for tuning in. (Find details at the end of this blog or at www.sparkpeople.com/radio)

Here's what we've been talking about lately on SparkPeople Radio:

Learn to Love the Treadmill
SparkPeople fitness expert Nicole Nichols tells you how to you can learn to love (or at least tolerate) the treadmill.

Coach Nicole's New DVD
Coach Nicole is back, to share her funniest behind-the-scenes moments from the set of making her DVD. Plus, find out how you can help with her next DVD! Read More ›

Big News from SparkGuy: 'The Spark Solution' Available for Pre-Order

At SparkPeople, it's really hard to keep a secret. Our news is usually so good that we want to share it with you, our members, as soon as possible. But this secret is BIG and finally the time has come for me to share the news with you!
SparkPeople wrote another book!

The Spark Solution is a two-week diet program to jump-start weight loss and total body health. The idea behind it is simple: Why waste time experimenting with weight-loss tactics that don't work? With The Spark Solution, you could spend the next two weeks jump-starting your weight loss and setting yourself up for long-term success. Whether you want to lose 10, 50, or 100 pounds, this book will set you up for a lifetime of healthy living by helping change the way you think about weight loss and setting goals that you'll stick with.
 
With The Spark Solution, you'll get:

• A three-part plan to make over your mindset and optimize your metabolism while building momentum that will allow you to reach your weight-loss goals
   
• 14 days of 1,500-calorie eating plans, with three easy, delicious meals a day plus two snacks--packed with foods that will keep you satisfied  while helping you burn calories
   
• A program based on research into what worked for our most successful members--and what didn't work for those who gave up early on
   
• A custom workout plan from Coach Nicole that helps you maximize your efforts--without spending hours in the gym
   
• Dozens of delicious and filling ALL-NEW SparkSwaps recipes (created by Chef Meg) that are ready in 30 minutes or less
   
• Daily motivation to keep your enthusiasm high, tips from people who've lost weight and kept it off, plus the latest research in nutrition and goal setting distilled into simple actions that will help you reconsider how you think about healthy living

And it's from the SparkPeople experts you know and trust. The book was written by our head dietitian Becky Hand and editorial director Stepfanie Romine, but it was really a team effort. I wrote the introduction. Coach Nicole developed the workout plan. Chef Meg created the recipes. Coach Dean contributed to the motivation section. And all of you contributed in some way. We surveyed our most successful members to find out what worked and what didn't--and that became the basis of the program our experts created for the book. You are "The Spark Solution"!

The Spark Solution will be releasing on May 7 in both hardcover and e-book versions, but you can get over $45 in FREE gifts (including 500 SparkPoints) by pre-ordering your copy today! Read More ›

Losing 178 Pounds 'Saved My Life'!

It's a great week for SparkPeople's Success Stories! Our members have been featured in two major magazines. First, we shared Megen's story, and today we have news about Pam Holmes (MAGGIEROSEBOWL), who started her weight loss journey at 328 pounds and 58 years old.  Just over a year later, she hit her goal of 160, then kept going.  Now she's at 150 pounds!

According to Pam, who has also been featured on the Today show, less is more.  She has much more energy and the freedom to do whatever she wants, including substitute teaching, which she previously shied away while obese from for fear of ridicule.  She did it all with the help of SparkPeople, which she calls "a lifesaver." 

You can read more about her journey in this week’s issue of Woman’s World, which will be on the newsstands through Wednesday, February 27!

Way to go, Pam!
Read More ›

Tune in to SparkPeople Radio for Weight-Loss Support

If you haven't checked out SparkPeople Radio, now's the time! We've been on the air just since November, but this on-demand show is already a hit. Each week, hosts Lily Hills and Karen Hudson share the latest and greatest stories to help you become healthier and happier, with interviews from SparkPeople members and experts.

We launch a new show each Tuesday morning, but this radio show is available anytime, anywhere--and you can listen to all the episodes whenever you want. No matter where you live (even outside of the US), you can always tune in to SparkPeople Radio! Plus, you get SparkPoints for tuning in. (Find details at the end of this blog or at www.sparkpeople.com/radio)

Here's what we've been talking about lately on SparkPeople Radio:

Worst New Year's Resolutions
SparkPeople sure does love New Year's resolutions, but not all goals are created equal. Find out which goals aren't worth setting, and how to ensure you'll stick with your resolutions all year long.

Your Guilty Pleasure Foods
After SparkPeople Dietitian Becky Hand wrote about her love of Ho-Hos while mourning the demise of Hostess confections, Lily and Karen decided it was time to divulge their own guilty pleasure foods. Tune in to find out why you shouldn't feel guilty after all.
 
Fitness Gadgets: Gimmicks or the Real Deal?
Did you get a fitness gadget this holiday season? Thinking of buying new equipment to get in shape for 2013? Don't spend a single cent until you learn how to spot a gimmick. Read More ›

Listen Up! The Latest and Greatest from SparkPeople Radio

Thanks for making the first month of SparkPeople Radio such a successful one! If you've been listening regularly, thank you! (And please share your feedback with us.) If you haven't tuned in yet, what are you waiting for?

This radio show is available anytime, anywhere, and you can listen to all the episodes whenever you want. No matter where you live, you can always tune in to SparkPeople Radio! We launch a new episode each Tuesday--and you get SparkPoints for tuning in. (Find details at the end of this blog or at www.sparkpeople.com/radio)

Here's what we've been talking about on SparkPeople Radio in the last few weeks: Read More ›

Listen While You Spark with Our New Radio Show

As you might have seen--or heard--by now, SparkPeople has launched our own radio show!

We're excited to share with you SparkPeople Radio, a premium on-demand radio show that lets you listen to our latest and greatest content anytime! This is unlike anything we've done before, though we have done radio interviews in the past. This time, we have our OWN SHOW, designed with you in mind! WooHoo!

Here's what people are saying so far:

"I listened yesterday and LOVED it. I am addicted to podcasts, so this one will definitely go on my playlist. Thanks."

"I'm excited about this! The SparkCoach videos have really been helping me to keep motivated every day and my daily work commute is just about an hour long. It'd be perfect to stick this broadcast on my iPod and listen on my way to work.
Cool idea! I look forward to the 10 minute segments (good call on that, I'd never be able to do the full hour at once)."

"I tried this last night. I love their upbeat talk and information! Thank you SP."

"I had never been very interested in talk radio as most "talk shows" cover very dull topics, are filled with trivial nonsense, or have such monotone, dry commentators that I can't keep the peepers open.

NOT SO WITH SPARKRADIO!!! I really enjoy listening to Lily and Karen - what great ladies!!! I have a little over an hour commute - just the perfect time to fit in a show (or most of one at least).

I love that the episodes are broken into smaller segments for the times that I don't get to hear the entire show, I can just pick up at the last segment. The downside, now I want more than once a week programming - the upside, at least as a digital version I won't be wearing out the tape re-listening to my favorites!! ;-)

Lily and Karen -- Welcome!!! Thanks for being so positive, energetic, sincere, and enthusiastic while presenting relevant, important topics!!

SparkPeople -- Thank you for adding such a wonderful element to your great program!!!"

About the Show
We have paired with some of the best in the business--this is a partnership with ERN (Entertainment Radio Network), where we are working with veteran TV and radio host Alan Taylor and the former head of ABC Radio, John McConnell, who launched ESPN radio! Plus, we have brought on two fantastic hosts who are also SparkPeople members.

Best friends, authors and empowerment experts Lily Hills (above, right) and Karen Hudson (above, left) are the energetic and inspiring hosts of SparkPeople Radio—and SparkPeople members. This lively duo delivers a weekly mental tune-up as they bring you an hour of SparkPeople Radio that is enlightening, empowering, and entertaining. Learn more about Lily and Karen (those links go to their SparkPages, so leave them some comments!). They are fun!

Here's a quick video that they taped to share with all of you: Read More ›

Share Your Stories with the dailySpark

Hi, dailySpark Readers!

We're starting a new feature on the blog. We want to hear from more of you and share your stories! In the coming weeks and months, we'll be covering the topics below. If you have a tip, a story, or a piece of advice that might be of interest to the SparkPeople community, share it below or email editor (at) dailySpark (dot) com with the subject line: share your story. You can also suggest more story ideas, too. We want to hear from you!
Here are some of the topics we're working on: Read More ›

Help SparkPeople Win a Members' Choice Award

We have some great news, and it could lead to even better news if we can enlist your help! 
 
SparkPeople has been named a finalist in the OMMA Awards (Online Media, Marketing & Advertising).  Winning would bring great national exposure among key influencers in the media and therefore be a terrific way to Spread the Spark and help more people get healthy and happy and reach their goals.  
 
We are a finalist in the Website Excellence Group within the "Social Networking (excluding Facebook and MySpace)" category.  The winner of that category will be chosen by judges, but there’s a much bigger prize at stake that we hope will be chosen by YOU: a Members’ Choice Award, which is decided by voters who are fans of finalists’ sites. 
 
If SparkPeople is sparking YOU to lead a healthier, happier life and reach your goals, or generally brightening your days, we would love for you to express your support by voting to make SparkPeople a Members’ Choice Award winner! Read More ›