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Toni (Catalya) : Success Story
 
Toni and her husband decided they'd like to have another baby, but during both of her previous pregnancies Toni had problems with gestational diabetes, acid reflux, and high blood pressure. She knew these health issues were related to being overweight, and that she needed to get her weight down into the healthy range before trying to conceive again. "I gained way too much weight with my first, didn't lose any before getting pregnant with my second, and then was devastated when even my maternity clothes weren't fitting," she says. Toni gave herself one year to get her weight down to less than 180 pounds.
Before joining SparkPeople, Toni says her big problems were "portion control and what I was eating...a lot of fast food, boxed and frozen dinners, too many sweets, and just way too much of everything," She knew she needed to develop new eating strategies and habits to break out of this pattern. "SparkPeople has given me the tools to have a healthier lifestyle," she says. SparkPeople's resources have made it possible for her to watch calorie intake, make sure she's meeting her nutritional needs by eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole foods, and avoid too much sodium in her diet.
Toni also knew she needed to add exercise to her daily schedule. Just making it up the stairs to her office left her completely winded. She resolved to get in a 30-60 minute workout 3-5 days per week.
"The Message Boards and SparkTeams have been a big help," Toni says. "It's great to pop on every day and get a dose of motivation to keep going. I love the emails as well and it really helps for it to be in my face at all times, to keep me on the path." She found lots of great exercise recommendations from other members, and now includes Tae Bo, strength training, high intensity aerobic videos, walking and jogging in her regular workouts. "I hated Tae Bo and HIIT aerobics at first," Toni says, "because I couldn't get through and it seemed so hard." Now, she's amazed at how much she's progressed in her workouts.
Toni is now able to wear size 10/12 instead of 18/20, and no longer avoids going to new places or trying new things because she's self-conscious about her weight. She's not afraid of the scale anymore, and no longer goes through family photos to throw away the ones with her in them. Most importantly, eating healthy and regular exercise have become priorities in her life- just as important as brushing her teeth every day.
Toni's advice to others is to take your time looking through the whole site, learning where all the tools and resources are so you can use them to your advantage. And be sure to ask questions! "Everyone on here is so willing to help out with anything you need," says Toni.
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| Weight Before: |
230 lbs. |
| Weight After: |
166 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
