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Wendy (Milly61) : Success Story
 
With her weight at 204 pounds, Wendy had type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. She suffered from frequent headaches, fatigue and leg pain, and she felt that her weight was stopping her from doing many things she wanted to do. In fact, she was so uncomfortable about her weight that she often declined social invitations and avoided going out in public. She had scheduled a trip overseas to visit her sister for the holidays, but was afraid that her weight and poor health would ruin it.
Wendy resolved not to let that happen, and set her sights on losing 50 pounds and improving her health before her trip. She also made a list of other things she wanted to try but had put off due to her weight, including: learning to run, horse trekking, wall climbing, and shopping in more trendy places.
Wendy knew that with her diabetes, she had to manage her sweet tooth and love of carbs, especially breads, pasta, and rice. But when she started at SparkPeople, she was still having problems being consistent with this, and also used eating to handle stress. A bad day at work would find her checking out the bakeries on the way home, and often she would stop to get pastries for herself and her husband. But she would eat hers in the car, eat his when she got home, and then hide the evidence.
Wendy's first strategy was to learn new methods of coping with stress. Exercise quickly became her main weapon for battling stress, along with listening to music, and calling or visiting a friend. She began her program at SparkPeople by making room for an hour of exercise each day, beginning with walking, and working her way up to running, high intensity aerobics, and circuit weight training as her fitness improved.
Wendy also made good use of the nutrition and exercise trackers to find the right combination of calories in and out. "I do best when I keep my calorie intake higher (low fat and good food, no junk) and exercise intensely, burning around 3000-4000 calories per week," says Wendy. "I love the feeling of being strong and healthy and every day I celebrate how far I've come."
Wendy still tracks her eating and exercise, keeping her commitment to exercise an hour a day. She loves reading the Success Stories of other members, and is proud to become one herself. She especially appreciates the SparkTeams she's joined and the great people she's met on the site. "I run my own team now, too, and that has been an important part of my personal development- making myself responsible and accountable to others….It's been a wonderful experience, I wouldn't have missed it for the world."
Wendy has reached her goal weight, dropping from 204 pounds to 150 in time for her trip to visit her sister, and has her health problems under control. She is much happier with her body and with her life: "I set goals now and I achieve them, that was something I never did. I am strong and healthy, and I really enjoy food now, without any associated guilt; it's very liberating."
Wendy's advice to anyone starting out:
Set achievable goals and celebrate when you reach them.
Be consistent in always getting back up when you fall, just keep going.
Be honest with yourself and others, no more hiding.
Get excited, find what motivates you.
Visualize where you want to be and remember how far you've come.
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| Weight Before: |
204 lbs. |
| Weight After: |
150 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
