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Introduction Text I am 5'9" tall, so people really notice me when I walk into a room! I would much rather have them notice a tall, slender person than a tall heavyset one! Working out regularly is also helping me to maintain muscle strength that I am in danger of losing due to my battle with MS. My page is tinted orange, 'cause that's the color of MS Awareness! Help find a cure! *************************************** Update 3/5/09: It's here - 1 YEAR since I reached my goal weight of 150 pounds with the help of Spark. And where am I today? 141.4!!!!! WooHoo! 35-26-37 (not exactly Barbie, but not too bad considering where I started!) *************************************** Update 12/6/08: Now that I have an article about my success in the new Walking Guide, people often ask for more information about how I reached my goal. Other than walking, what I did...So, here's the answer... Quite simply, I stuck with my program every day for 8 months, making healthy choices one meal at a time! I logged into Spark every day, stayed involved with my teams, and even was a team leader for a while, helping to encourage others! I feel that helped me a lot, because while I was so involved in helping others I really felt like I couldn't consider going off-track! I entered everything I ate into the food tracker (except the 1 or 2 cups of coffee I drank; I made a decision at the beginning that I was just not going to include my daily coffee!) I ate a very well-balanced diet, around 1200 calories a day, every day for 8 months. I drank LOTS of water every day, generally 10 - 12 cups daily. I exercised a lot, usually 7 days a week, although in varying intensities. Yoga/stretching every day, because that helps my MS, and I generally used my Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds dvd's every day too, but I varied the length of the walks, doing anywhere from 3 - 6 miles a day. Some days I also used other dvd's like my Belly-Butt-Thighs from Prevention Fitness or their 3-2-1 Fitness workout. I used 3 pound dumbbells in each hand when I walked (sometimes 5 pounds for a mile), so I got in some mild strength training every day too. My workouts usually took about 2 hours in total - yup, that long, but only about half that time was really intense cardio. These days I no longer have to weigh and measure everything...I eyeball it mostly, and keep a rough count of my intake in my head...I still try to drink plenty of water, watch my sodium, and eat a balanced diet. I still workout a few times a week, and try to overall make healthy choices! I get on the scale daily, and keep my weight within a range from 143 - 147. This morning, 9 months after reaching my original goal, I weighed in at 144. I'd call that a Spark People Success Story! If I could do it YOU can too! ********************************* Update 8/6/08: Happy One-Year Anniversary to Me! Well, I have gotten down to 142, then go back to 144, but my husband says 144 is low enough!!! So, maybe I'll settle for my 62-pound loss and just continue to work on toning! Either way, I've been weight-stable since April, and loving the new me! I have truly made a lifestyle change - I work out 3 -4 times a week because I LIKE to, and make healthy food choices almost all the time because I feel better when I do! Thank you Spark People! Thank you Spark Friends! ********************************* Update 7/16/08: Now only 3 weeks away from my one-year anniversary on Spark, I have decided to try to drop just a few more pounds! I am now UNDER 144, and will try to get down to 140, so I can "float" from 140 - 144! In the meantime, I continue to feel awesome about my new slim and trim shape! Thank you SparkPeople! Thank you SparkFriends! ********************************* Update 4/1/08: I have lost an additional 6 pounds, giving myself some "wiggle room", and actually am even happier at this somewhat lower weight! DH agrees - 144 seems really good - so although I reached the goal I had set for myself on March 5th, I have continued to lose weight and tone up and feel even better! ********************************* Note - If you get a note from me, you might notice that it is signed with {{{sweaty hugs}}}...that's because most of working out is done with a wide variety of Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds dvd's....Leslie refers to us as "Sisters in Sweat", so I like to close my messages on Spark with {{{sweaty hugs}}} ********************************

My original goal was to lose 46 pounds between August 6, 2007 (when I actually started to USE this site) and my 49th birthday - March 18, 2008. I reached THAT goal in December, so I decided to keep going for another 10 pounds! I'm so glad I did! I feel great! I haven't been this thin since before I got pregnant with my daughter, and she turned 23 in January 2008!

First of all, I now eat to live, not live to eat! I still enjoy food, but it is no longer my primary focus! I have been in maintenance mode since April 2008. I continue to workout about 3 times a week and still use the same workouts that I used to lose weight - my favorites are Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds (a wide variety of her dvd's, 3 - 5 miles at a time), plus Gaiam AM/PM Yoga and Prevention Fitness Systems 3-2-1 Workout and Express Workout for Belly, Butt and Thighs. I use 3 or 5 pound dumbbells in all my workouts, and "pump it up" when I can. I still try to visit my friends on SparkPeople daily, and certainly still drink LOTS of water!

I was introduced to SparkPeople in January of 2007, but did not begin to use the site (and really try to lose weight) until August 6, 2007 - the first day of my NEW life! Now it an invaluable tool, and a daily resource!



Add a Link Judi in CT (weekends in VT) height 5'9" SW on 8/6/07: 206 lbs GW 150 - - ACHIEVED 3/5/08 revised goal weight 144 - achieved 4/1/08 Maintenance: 141 - 147 The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. See my article in the Walking Guide: "I Walked Off 60 Pounds in the Comfort of My Home" <link>www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1212</link>
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