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Lynda C. : Success Story
 
The day after her birthday, Lynda had a doctor's appointment for her annual physical. She had to step on the scale, which meant she could not longer deny that she wasn't just overweight- she was obese. Lynda also suffered from high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Lynda says that every time she walked down the stairs, her knees would creak. The weight was keeping her from doing the things she wanted to do. So Lynda decided to do something about it.
Lynda started walking for exercise. At first she could barely walk a 1/2 mile and would sweat profusely. She was embarrassed at her poor level of fitness. Slowly, she worked up to 4 miles each day, and now feels strong and more fit. Lynda also strength trains three times each week.
She started keeping a food diary and was shocked at how much food she was eating. Lynda would snack throughout the day, not paying attention to how many servings she would eat at a time. For example, she would eat 10 Oreo cookies, not realizing that a serving was 3 cookies. "I was eating 535 calories in just that one snack," says Lynda. "There were many of these snacks throughout the day. That was my wake up call."
Lynda did experience weight loss plateaus, and found that it was because she wasn't eating enough calories. Once she increased her calories, the weight loss started again.
Lynda relied on the Exercise and Nutrition Trackers. She had no idea how many calories she was consuming relative to how much she needed until she started tracking. Then it was easy to see how to make better choices and become healthier. She also took advantage of all of the articles and information in the Resource Centers.
Lynda’s advice to new members is to track your food. "If you’re honest, it doesn’t lie," she says.
In addition to weight loss, Lynda went from a size 18 to a size 12. Since losing the weight, Lynda has more energy. She no longer has heartburn, which she used to have on a daily basis. Although she's got 20 lbs to lose before she reaches her goal, she feels great and knows that she’s right on track!
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| Weight Before: |
226 lbs. |
| Weight After: |
185 lbs. |
Are you interested in being featured for your success? Tell your story on your SparkPage and other members can vote for you to become a " SparkPeople Motivator!"
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SparkPeople's 500-Calorie Thanksgiving Feast
