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Jeff (Ke7cwm) : Success Story
 
Jeff was tired all the time and had to wear sweatpants to be comfortable. Being overweight and out of shape prevented him from coaching and playing sports with his teenage son. Jeff could not run up and down a basketball court more than a few times without becoming winded and having to stop. His knees and back also hurt from carrying the extra weight.
Jeff started by tracking all of his food and staying in his recommended calorie and nutrient ranges. He also found ways to work exercise into his daily routine. Exercising consistently has helped him increase his fitness level dramatically over the last several months.
He found that his worst habits were portion distortion and not exercising. "Using SparkPeople every day gave me the tools I needed to build healthy eating habits," says Jeff. Snacking at night is no longer the problem it once was. If he chooses to have an evening snack, Jeff makes sure it's something light and healthy. He’s also given up soda, except for the occasional diet drink.
Using the calorie counter and the exercise tracker was a large part of Jeff's success. He still uses them daily to make sure he's on track. Even though he reached his goal, Jeff is still very active on the Message Boards and on his SparkTeams. "Finding people that inspired me and communicating with them regularly has also played a big role in keeping me motivated," he says.
In addition to the weight loss, Jeff has gone from a 40-42 inch waist to a 32-34. He feels great and continues to tone up with weight training and regular cardio. His cholesterol is lower and his knees and back now feel healthy and strong. Jeff's latest goal is to help his family, friends and co-workers feel and look better by encouraging them to use SparkPeople.
For Jeff, living a healthy lifestyle became more than just losing weight—it's the ability to make better choices for himself and inspire others by his actions. "Considering the way I feel and look, it was worth every ounce of energy I put in. I will never go back to being that fat and unhealthy guy," says Jeff.
Jeff recommends setting realistic goals, keeping in mind that it took a long time to become out of shape and that it will take time to get back into shape and lose the weight. Everyone will have bad days and make mistakes, but the key is to learn from them and start fresh tomorrow. Making SparkPeople a part of his daily routine has been an important part of Jeff's success.
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| Weight Before: |
268 lbs. |
| Weight After: |
196 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
