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Introduction Text This spring I noticed I have am healthy, fit and in a good weight range. In real life I am living the 'fantasy' life I wanted/imagined I would live when I accomplished my weight and fitness goals. Achievers! Not for the powerful and famous, but for regular people who set goals and achieve them by their own determination, “The reason I exercise is for the quality of life I enjoy.” – Kenneth H. Cooper “Exercise is done against one’s wishes and maintained only because the alternative is worse.” – George A. Sheehan Each morning I fling open the curtains and start the day with a smile. I will not let things outside of my control change me in a negative way. I will choose what I do, how I feel, and I will focus on my goals. I am coming out of this better than I went in. I will get through 2021 well prepared for 2022. I am exercising daily and losing weight so I am accomplishing something important to me. Just win the day... Motivation is what get you started, habit is what keeps you going. Every choice you make has an end result. The best way to predict the future is to create it. I do 5% Challenges because I am motivated and competitive! Please join me in the next one. Healthy is not a size, it’s a lifestyle. My interim weight goals - 149 lbs a healthy BMI, 137 pounds to be in Singapore's moderate risk range. Goal Weight 125 pounds! Food - No - chips, crackers, Costco sample, or eating in a movie theater since Jan. 1 2016. My favorite snack is a thinly sliced sweet apple (40 slices from one apple) 72 calories, with cinnamon sprinkled on top. It seems to intensify the sweetness of the apple and the crunch is quite satisfying. Discovered Golden Dragon Black Bean Sauce 1 tbsp = 1 serving = 10 calories. I created my favorite new recipe 1 cup of frozen green beans cooked in the microwave, served with .5 tbsp of black bean sauce is 39 calories! It's delicious and filling. 2019 0314 - I am in a weight management program and it's recommended to have meal replacements 1 - 2 times a day for 3 - 6 months. A good meal replacement is one that has at least 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. For example, SLIM-FAST Advanced Nutrition High Protein Vanilla Cream Meal Replacement Shake has 20g Protein, 5 g Fiber and 180 Calories. I have 2 or 3 meal replacements a week, maybe I will have more as I get used to it. 2019 0427 Diet - will aim for 2 meal replacements a day (SlimStyles Meal Replacement - breakfast and lunch) 2 snacks (mid-morning and mid-afternoon), and a moderate dinner or a low calorie frozen dinner like Healthy Choice with a side of low carb vegetables. It is intended to be an autopilot diet for 30 days, so I stay within my 1200 calorie range. It is acceptable to eat like this for 3 - 6 months, so I will re-evaluate after one month. I will have a few exceptions for planned outings. May 28, 2020 started to daily YouTube exercises. Perfect Attendance! When it is healthy to be out in the world again, I will be NEVER HOME LYNN! In 2018 NEVER HOME LYNN is at the gym, dog park, or having fun with family and friends; pausing to work and prepare and eat nutritious meals. I want to be motivated, punctual, fit, and right-sized! well scheduled, highly motivated, and healthy me! These are all things I should be doing every day and will work harder to do them all. I am a 'good girl with bad habits'. I like to travel and bring home Souvenir Pounds. Fall 2018 - I chose to be involved in things I enjoy more than eating and sitting around. I want to maintain an active lifestyle with the confidence, energy, and enthusiasm to keep up with my active family and friends doing fun things - walk (Fitbit), river tube, bike ride, canoe, RV trips, music bingo, sing around the campfire, hike in the mountains, dog walk, water aerobics, play with the kids, go to movies, and travel. I had a setback in 2014 and 2018 but I will rebuild momentum. I am learning Spanish for my travels in Peru 2019! Sometimes later becomes never. Do it now. 2021 Spring 5% Challenge Exercise Commitment - I want to be stronger than I was the day before and to feel and do better. Goal - 10,000 steps a day - classified as an active lifestyle. Morning 3,000 steps Afternoon 4,000 steps Evening 3,000 steps a) Walk in the forest to the viewpoint and meander my way back b) Walk puppy, walk puppy, walk puppy c) Weekly - 2 Destination Walks 60 minutes or 5K Please join me on the Pacific Crest Trail virtual walk www.walking4fun.com I put runners, jacket, umbrella, and a hat in the trunk of the car so I am ready to walk any time. As per dietitian - Canada Food Guide - 1400 calories and follow the old Canada Food Guide 2 Fruit Servings 5 Vegetable Servings 6 Grain Servings 3 Dairy Servings 2 Protein Servings 2 Fat Servings As per Spark to lose 10 pounds in 8 weeks 1,200 - 1,550 daily calories. I used to eat so I would not get hungry, rather than eating because I WAS hungry. 2018 Goal - to change my self defeating eating behaviors once and for all. I need to be strong-minded and carry out actions that will help me become healthier and more disciplined. Each day I will remember - I used to be that way, but now I am different. 2018, 2017 battling to get back to onederland! Dec 2016 I was bouncing around 201 pounds, then a slip became a slide. No excuses, I will get back there! In 2016 in the first 3 months, I lost 32 pounds, not dieting (AKA eating sensibly). It caused my hair to thin, but happily, it came back in 2017. May 20, 2016, 199.4 pounds today! I hit onederland and thought I like it and will stay here! I have been shrinking out of my clothes. My shoes feel too lose - who knew your feet get fat too. My next goal is to weigh less than my husband. I think he weighs 184 pounds. Need to get below 179 pounds to be 'Overweight' (not obese). 100 Days of Weight Loss - The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan by Linda Spangle has been a great book to follow. I am eating the way I will eat for the rest of my life. I have learned along the way that I am an Emotional Eater so I am changing my eating habits and behaviors. I am eating less food and enjoying it more. I listened to Overeaters Anon podcasts and learned to stop eating my red light foods - appetizers, chips, crackers. Just like quitting smoking, you just stop. When I stopped eating these foods, I stopped craving them. When people eat these foods in front of me, it is the same as watching my dog eat kibble - it's her food, not mine. I am fine-tuning portion control - just one 9" plate, no seconds. For portion control, I learned 2 slices of pizza is my serving size. As I lose weight, I do not feel that I am on a diet. I am still abstinent with chips and crackers, no eating Costco samples, not eating in movie theaters since Jan. 1st 2016. ++++++++++++ In 2016 I wrote - My OA Red Light Foods - NEVER EAT THEM!!! It's a small sacrifice to give up happy hour kibble - appetizers/hors d'oeuvres, chips and crackers; to be able to lose weight without going on a 'diet'. I follow a sensible food plan and each week when I weigh in, it's like getting a present it's always a good weigh-in. Dec. 2016 I set my goal weight for the first time 126 - 140 pounds. Whew! Calories needed to maintain my weight, based on my BMR & activity level. Daily Calories - Maintain My Weight 2000, Lose Weight 1500 for 1 pound a week, with 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily 1700 Calories +++++++++++++++++++ Today I am focused - I'll do it tomorrow ends today! It's a slow process but quitting won't speed it up. I am working on my perfectionist attitude (all or nothing)! I don't have to be perfect to accomplish what I need to do today. I'm not telling you it's going to be easy - I'm telling you it's going to be worth it. - Art Williams. October 17, 2016 - Crushed my Carb Craving! Appetite in Check! My goal was to get my appetite and cravings for carbs in check. It took ONE day! My appetite is normal again and I have stopped thinking about food all the time. I am documenting this so I can come back to this any time I am struggling to get back on track. My theory is carbs beget carbs. Too many carbs make me crazy for carbs and I have to make a quick bold change to stop the cravings. I will stop eating rice, potatoes, crap and keep the bread in the freezer. I will increase my daily fiber to keep feeling full. Day 1 - Sunday I skipped breakfast, and after church, I came home and got into jammies to veg for the day, no chance of getting side-tracked. Lunch 2 pickled eggs, snack 2 dill pickles, dinner - low carb fajita with salad, and fruit, snack - dates, milk and shredded wheat. Day 2 Monday breakfast - 2 pickled eggs, lunch - brown beans on toast, dinner - chicken fajita with salad. Cup of Ovaltine after dinner. No evening eating! Day 3 Tuesday morning I feel I have crushed it!!!! I feel in control of what I am eating. The cravings are gone. I am no longer thinking about what is in the pantry or fridge or where to go for lunch. What a relief! ++++++++++++ Previous Plans Meals - Track to Canada Food Guide - 3 Planned, Portioned, Calorie Appropriate Meals - alternating between high fiber and low carb/low fat. Target 40 grams of fiber daily, nutrition tracking, fruit with each meal and stay in 1400-1800 calorie range. My Food Plan - 1. Fiber intake a consistent 40+ grams each day. 2. Reduce intake of high calorie, high fat and low fiber foods - meat, dairy 3. Eat fiber foods at the beginning of every meal or snack. 4. Experiment with a wider variety of high-fiber foods. 5. Daily drink 8 glasses of water 6. Stop eating when I no longer feel hungry. 7. Meals planned and home-cooked. 8. Meat serving size 2.5 ounces, 2 servings/day 9. NO APPETIZERS, DESSERTS, CHIPS, CRACKERS A motivating blog to inspire me www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5898236 I'm not where I want to be but thank God I'm not where I used to be... Joyce Meyer ++++++++++ Made it to ONEDERLAND! in 8 weeks in the 5% Challenge. If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent you will keep it. May 30, 2014 - lost 10.4 pounds in 5% Challenge. Unfortunately, I gained back 30+ pounds, so in 2016 I joined Overeaters Anon so I can learn how to take off the weight and keep it off. 5% Summer Challenge - June 21, 2014 Doing the math to get my 5% weight loss in 8 weeks 10.1 pounds/8 weeks = 1.3 pounds weight loss a week 1.3 pounds X 3,500 calories in pound = 4,432 weekly calorie deficit 4,432 weekly calorie deficit/7 days = 625 daily calorie deficit Current Weight: 202.6 pounds Target Weight: 192.5 pounds By When: August 16, 2014 Daily Calorie Goal 1,450 - 1,800 Burned This Weekly Goal 3300 So with 60 minutes daily exercise (from fitness plan), and eating between 1,450 - 1,800 calories a day, I will lose 10.1 pounds in 8 weeks. 5% Motivation - Reasons to Lose Weight I want to feel strong I want to have ease of movement I want to motivate family members by my results I want DH to feel proud of me I want to wear attractive clothes I want to maintain an active lifestyle I want to shrink out of my clothes and get new clothes I want to have just one size of clothes I want to get out and do more things with friends I want to accomplish this so I can take on new goals I want to look slimmer I hit onederland and want to STAY there! I want to consider myself healthy I to improve my health I want to go down another size I want to weigh less than my husband. I want the energy and vigor to keep up with family & friends. April 5, 2014 Spring 5% 8 Week Challenge - My Goals I accomplished my weight goal! Starting Weight 208.8 Ending Weight 198.4 Lose 10.4 pounds in 8 weeks (May 31, 2014) Calorie range 1,490 - 1,840 Calories Burned Weekly Goal 3,400 Body Mass Index Obese 34.7 Target for Challenge 33.0. Need to get below 179 pounds to be 'Overweight' Hip to Waist Ratio .88 Apple Shape - Estimated Health Risk - High, need to get to .85 and below to improve the risk to moderate! That's 6" off the waist and hips. These numbers motivate me more than weigh-ins. Exercise 60 minutes daily, and eat between 1,490 - 1,840 calories a day, and I will lose 10.4 pounds in 8 weeks. For 56 days of the Challenge - I will exercise daily for a minimum of 60 minutes. I will alternate between The Full Plate Diet and South Beach Diet. Watch the calories and portion sizes! On my Team page, I will record my daily exercise and Living the Good Life Points, and on Saturdays, I will weigh in and record it. As I have time I will check in with my team and leave a comment on the Discussion Board, and read and comment on blogs. ++++++++++ "Just because the past didn't turn out as you wanted it to, doesn't mean your future can't be better than you imagined." A year from now you will wish you had started today! Enough is as good as a feast - Mary Poppins When you are ready to quit, remember why you started. Spring - Specific goals Lose 10 pounds Daily walk 10,300 steps in April, 10,400 steps in May Kettlebell exercises Daily 7 freggies Spring 5% Challenge - an exercise plan bike on Barnston Island once a week hike Water Shed Park to one of the golf courses once a week water aerobics at least once a week 10,300 daily steps kettlebell ST daily Each day I push myself to do the things that keep me healthy. I hope in time it will be a compulsive habit. Rewards - every 10 pounds a day at Stanley Park to walk, picnic and rest Rules for buffet eating - mined from years of classes, reading and Sparkpeople www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=6633857 I think I invented this - espresso bean nap now - Set timer for 30 minutes - eat 3 chocolate-coated espresso beans, lay down and read for 5 minutes, listen to the audiobook, fall asleep. The caffeine kicks in and I am wide awake and refreshed in 30 minutes. January 2, 2014, restart my daily 10,000 steps streak. Why? I will not let another year go by without reaching my milestone of 199.9 pounds. I will do it! June 30, 2018 streak ended. I made my treadmill desk - $0 made with things I already had, follow the link for a picture and instructions. Hubby and I were young retirees. I am a CPA, worked as Finance Manager for a Fortune 500 company. Then my last job I was with an Exon company. www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=5128971 Challenge checklist I will weigh in weekly I will exercise daily for 60 minutes for 56 days I will lose 1 pound or more every week I will be 199 or less by May 31, 2014 I will use Nutrition Tracker - food and beverages I will follow the Full Plate Model Diet check calories and portion sizes I will post my exercise & Living the Good Life daily I will go to the gym every time hubby goes I will be strong and healthy I will check in with my team as I have time I will read and comment on blogs as I have time I will change my routine so times I am tempted to eat, I will be doing something else. Habits are crazy things, hard to make and even harder to break! You can read 'The Full Plate Diet' pdf version online for free. I tried it in August 2012 and continue to look for foods with high fiber. www.utexas.edu/student/housing/pdfs/fullplatedietbook.pdf Nutrition Tracking - When I am in tracking mode there are times I am not near my computer or am eating out and I am unsure of ingredients, so I estimate how many calories I eat. I created a grouping I called 'whoa' and it is 100 calories. So let say I ate about 500 calories. Later when I am at my computer I would enter 5 'whoa' to represent the calories. I do not try to calculate the fat, protein, etc. just 500 calories. Despite Sparking for 7 years and not quitting, I am only 30% of the way to my goal. I have to dig in and make each day count. In my "future version of Lynn" image - I eat only to live, walk daily, go to the gym 3 times a week, water aerobics 2 times a week, track all my food, and lose weight each month. Over the years I have struggled to lose weight. It has been like trying to assemble a jigsaw puzzle and there are always pieces missing. The plate model is the picture, the total picture and it works, but I lost focus with moving and other things. I am in my new home and need to get rooted and back into a routine. 'I started losing weight and realized, 'Oh, it's true what they say: Diet and exercise really work!' - Kelly Osbourne, appearing in her first bikini on the cover of Shape. Living in the moment frees you to be your best today. Start each day anew with a plan for what you will accomplish today... Kaliswalker Keep making life better today and every day!... Kaliswalker Great advice eliminate some of our negative options My 2014 Fitness Bucket List Walk 10K on Barnston Island - did it Hike to Fragrance Lake Bicycle at Black Mountain Ranch Wii Fit figure out how to use it! I love SP, and recording the food and exercise helps me. I am a CPA, so maybe it is seeing the basic math of creating a daily calorie deficit is "the plan" I needed to make it happen. I tell myself - If I feel fat, let me do it at the gym. Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life! Make them running shoes! It is a challenge to maintain consistency, but it is my key to success. The basics for me - tracking food, exercising at the gym/pool/walking, home-cooked meals, recording exercise in SP, and bed by 10 PM. Even if I haven't followed my daily routine, logging into SP is my touchstone. I am still a good person regardless of my weight or how much walking/exercise I have done. There are many positive things in my life and it's not so important to obsess about the numbers on the scale or my Fitbit. Yes, they are monitors but should not be controllers of my life. Milestones May 5 2004 200 pounds Dec 2006 Monarc transobturator sling procedure Mar2007weighed more than 242 pounds (wasn't weighing) busting out of size 20 May 2007 started walking my dog Kali Aug 2007 242 pounds at annual check-up Sept 2007started water aerobics and went off Paxil Oct 12007started exercising at YMCA gym Oct 31 2007quit smoking Nov2007husband started going to YMCA Dec 152007started South Beach diet Jan 1 2008 233 pounds Jan 92008 met online buddy Jan 242008 joined Spark People Feb 10 2008 223 pounds Mar2008 10K hiked Barnston Island, got my life back Aug 8 2008 annual checkup down 29 pounds and no longer borderline diabetic Oct 8 2008 209 pounds Feb 8 2009 SparkPeople Motivator - thank you! Mar 18 2009 Done Girl of the Day May 12 2009 Got size 14 capris to replace size 18! May 25 2009 Danced all night at the BBQ! June 1 2009 210 pounds June 17 2009 Diagnosed with breast cancer June 24 2009 Lumpectomy Sept 16 2009 Day 1 of radiation treatment Oct 8 2009 Last of 16 radiation treatments Jan 1 2010 230 pounds and started high fiber diet Feb 9 2010 Cancer check up fantastic!! Cancer-free!!! Mar 15 2010 Completed the YMCA 21 Day Challenge with hubby Mar 16 2010 Diagnosed with diverticulosis March 24 2010 Biked 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) in 58:46 minutes March 27 2010 Biked 10 miles in 42:59 minutes March 29 2010 Spark Featured Motivator of the Day - Thanks! May 1 2010 Spring 5% Challenge -10 lbs in 8 wks July 1 2010 Summer another 5% Challenge -7.6 lbs in 8 wks Oct 3 2011 Moved to the Vancouver BC area Feb 23 1013 224.1 start Winter Challenge June 1 2013 205.4 pounds lost 7.4 pounds in May June 2013 Las Vegas for 2 months 202.2 pounds Aug 25 2013 Stanley Park walked 30,000 steps! Fitbit!!! Dec 2013 lost 4.8 pounds ended the year at 205.0 Jan 02 2014 Fitbit 10,000 Daily Steps Streak Started Apr 05, 2014 208.8 pounds May 30, 2014 198.4 pounds made it to ONEDERLAND! in 8 weeks in the 5% Challenge. Lost 10.4 pounds! The first time I lost 5% in 8 weeks. June 30, 2014 10,000 Steps Day179 (Jan. 2 - last day!) Dec. 9, 2014 CPAP Jan. 9 2015 Over Eaters Anon first meeting Mar 12 2015 joined the virtual walk http://www.walking4fun.com Day 118 of 10,000 Steps Streak - April 29, 2015 Sept 2015 Start Bodysense dietician lead class Oct 2015 Start listening to Overeaters Anon free podcasts from iTunes Oct 18 2015 Start 100 Days of Weight Loss - Linda Spangle book & group Nov 18 2015 Sinus surgery Jan 1 2016 231.4 Joined Overeaters Anon. My red light foods - NO appetizers, desserts, chips, crackers Jan 2 2016 5% Winter Challenge starts Feb 10 2016 Lost 5% of my body weight in Week 6 of 8 Week 5% Challenge Feb 29 2016 5% Winter Challenge down -7.46% of my starting weight now 211.0 pounds. Lost 20 pounds this year! 205.6 pounds. Mar 26, 2016 205.6 pounds starting weight May 6, 2016 Lost 30 pounds, donated 30 pounds of clothes www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=6157615 May 20 2016 End of Spring 5% Challenge 199.4 pounds - onederland! Lost 32 pounds this year! July 13, 2016 198.0 pounds! Sept. 24 2016 201.2 pounds Fall 5% Challenge Oct. 18, 2016 Crushed my Carb Craving! Appetite in Check! November 5, 2016 100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle completed! Nov 13, 2016 RIP Kali the Wonder Dog Dec. 28, 2016 Lumpectomy, stage 0. Jan. 1, 2017 203 pounds Jan. 1, 2018 226.8 pounds Jan. 16, 2018 Stereotactic breast biopsy Mar. 1, 2018 Mastectomy Stage 1 Apr. 7, 2018 Goal 15 vegan meals/week May 28, 2018 Hamburger Lentil Vegetable Soup (almost vegan!) https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3387093&ff=1 Oct. 30, 2018 started Duolingo Spanish Nov. 1, 2018, Meatloaf recipe https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3429089 Dec. 5 2018 Medical Weight Management started Dec. 7 2018 220 pounds start Saxenda at .6 Jan. 1, 2019 216.2 Jan. 25, 2019 Fruit Salad https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3451408 Feb. 19, 2019 Coleslaw or Broccoli Salad Yogurt Dressing https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3459984 Apr. 16, 2019 Spiralized Butternut Squash 'Pasta' https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3476198&ff=1 May 11, 2019 Saxenda down to .6 June 10, 2019 Saxenda 1.2 June 17, 2019 Saxenda 1.8 June 26, 2019 198.8 Onederland!!! July 13, 2019 Blood test results - no longer borderline diabetic! July 17, 2019 199.0 pounds started Contrave (still on Saxenda) July 21, 2019 197.8 pounds my lowest weight ever on Spark! July 22, 2019 I weigh less than my husband! July 23, 2019 TOPS biggest loser down 3 pounds from last wk. Aug. 31, 2019 Summer 5% Challenge final 196.8 Sept. 19, 2019 Lost 50 pounds on Spark! Oct, 5, 2019 196.0 pounds Day Fall 5% Oct. 16, 2019 Stopped Saxenda, Started Ozempic 195.2 Dec. 24, 2019 My Song bit.ly/2oUJVC6 Dec. 31, 2019 weight 185.6 weigh 10 pounds less than hubby, 30 pounds less than my driver's licence (216 pounds). I have officially lost 57 pounds since I joined Spark 1/24/2008! Dec. 31, 2019 Last 10 weeks of year I lost 10 pounds! No gain over the holidays. 1/11/20: 184.2 Day 1 5% Winter Challenge 1/18/20 181.8 pounds 3/30/20 Home from COVID-19 cruise 5/27/20 179.6 whoo hoo! Hit the 170's! 5/28/20 178.0 BMI changed from obese to overweight @179.0 5/28/20 started 11 AM daily videochat & YouTube exercises with friends 7/13/20 Med checkup 171.8 8/19/20 168.6! Hit 160's! 10/10/20 No fast food! 10/30/20 161.4 11/19/20 159.6!!!! YAY!!! 12/29/20 started Duolingo French lessons 02/02/21 no eating when I wake up during night 03/21/21 only 3 meals a day, no snacks 165.8 pounds 03/22/21 Chunky Monkey Overnight Oats https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=3622136&ff=1 04/02/21 163.4 Day before 5% Challenge Streak Day 118 of 10,000 Steps Streak - April 29, 2015 Quotes My 2014 Mantra - It Always Seems Impossible Until It is Done... Nelson Mandela "What do you mean you're not in the mood for exercising, are you in the mood for brushing your teeth or taking a shower? Exercise is just part of a healthy life." Sept. 2014 - I lost more than 40 pounds and landed in onederland. For 6 months this year, I walked 10,000 every day and worked on daily nutrition tracking. I am ready to do it again! I love my teammates and the challenges. They motivate me and keep me going in my pursuit of better health. 2010 Fitness - Couch to 5K training - March 23 5.5K walking & Stationary Bike 1/2 marathon Mar. 24, 2010 I was a glum overworked, out of shape office worker. When I was tired or stressed I would run to the vending machines for a junk food fix. I knew without change, I would continue to gain weight and the rest of my life would be a steady decline. I had a dream where I woke up with the perfect body and I was thrilled, then frightened and sad. I knew it wouldn't stay that way. Within a week I would be overweight and out of shape again because I don't take care of my body. Some how it clicked - people who are slim and healthy take care of themselves - they eat properly and exercise. That is what I needed to do. When did I start taking better care of me? In spring 2007, the day I put my dog, Kali on her leash, turned on my audiobook, walked out the door and headed to the trail. I was doing this for me, and I was the only one who could change me. I started living in the moment. I stopped thinking of past things that made me sad and made me wish I could have a do-over in life. It was when I stopped pining for a future that might never happen. The day I put my dog Kali on her leash, I turned on my audiobook and walked out the door I was living in the moment. I was doing this for me, and I was the only one who could change me. I didn't know anyone in my real life who needed to start dieting and exercising. I was everyone's fat friend. When I joined Sparkpeople I met this wonderful community of motivated people and great information about diet and exercise. We all shared an enthusiasm to lose weight together and learn healthy lifestyle habits. I felt joy and relief to find find my tribe. I love you! First, my walks were 15 minutes and became 1.5 hours a day. I added new things slowly. A few months later I started water aerobics, then going to the gym, then I quit smoking, then started the South Beach Diet. My husband got on board with the diet and fitness so we motivate each other. I had an online support buddy, who provided accountability, encouragement, and friendship. When I started at the gym I didn't look fit, but I didn't let that stop me. The people at the gym want you to succeed, they smile in encouragement. After doing the Barnston Island 10 km hike in March 2008, I can honestly say, weight loss is just a bonus. I feel like I have my life back. By April 2008, I had myself in good enough shape to get hired temporarily by the post office. I was thrilled to have accomplished that. It wasn't until I got home that first day that I realized what confidence I had in my physical abilities. I never doubted I could do the work. It was like getting paid to exercise and it helped me build abdominal muscles, which never existed before. I am living the good life and I know there are a lot of fun things in the future. It is in every day we live, all else is memories or dreams. My utmost desire is to have happy healthy lives for dearest husband and myself, and family - EGRAMMY Don't stumble over something behind you - TULLY46 Maybe we just need to get too busy. Too busy for junk food. Too busy to sit on the couch with the potato chips. Too busy because our days are filled with work, kids, healthy meals, and exercise. What if we eliminate some of our negative options? - REBECCATKD 'Breathe, believe, and battle.' Breathe be in the moment. Believe have faith that you can rise above it. Battle you gotta be prepared to go for as long as it takes." coach Troy Tanner "Begin with that most frightening of all things, a clean slate. And then look, every day, at the choices you are making, and when you ask yourself why you are making them, find this answer: Because they are what I want, or wish for. Because they reflect who and what I am... Anna Quindlen We can be our own worst enemies - we find fault with what we do or don't do. We worry about things that may or may not happen. Happiness is living in the moment, freeing ourselves to be our best and be happy NOW! Kaliswalker Dress for Success - Wear your 'best' exercise clothes, regardless of where you exercise. If you have only one good outfit wash it more often if needed. Get rid of the old ripped faded baggy clothes and wear something that feels and looks goods and makes you feel like an athlete. Kaliswalker You can never make the same mistake twice because the second time you make it, it's not a mistake, it's a choice... Steven Dunn You can never go back and have a re-do, nor will you live long enough to make amends for everything - that is the human condition. We do our best and when we know better we do better. As always, I remain optimistic! I hope you are too! MOSTMOM1 You will never plow a field if you only turn it over in your mind... Irish Proverb When the shape of your body no longer matches the shape of your beliefs, the weight disappears. ~~~ Geneene Roth Exercise in the morning before your brain figures out what you are doing - SparkPeople Discipline is the bridge between a goal and an accomplishment! "Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after another." Walter Elliot "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." - Jim Ryun As with any journey, who you travel with can be more important than your destination... unknown Nike ~ "If you went running when you first started thinking about it, you'd be back by now." "Someone who is busier than you is running right now." "The road to hell is paved with couches." "It's easier to sleep than run. That's why sleeping isn't an Olympic sport." "One of the main causes of failure is giving up what you want most for what you want now." - Jessie Ahroni The caterpillar does all the work but the butterfly gets all the publicity. George Carlin The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt until they are too strong to be broken. - Samuel Johnson We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. Maya Angelou "When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place." ~ Unknown Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. - Harriet Beecher Stowe The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails... William Arthur Ward Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. - Lou Holtz You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. - Christopher Robin to Pooh "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." ~ Lou Holtz Never deprive anyone of hope; it could be the only thing the person owns. ~ Unknown eat until you feel about 80% full and then stop. It's an eating method used by people on the island of Okinawa, Japan to help them stay slim and trim We all have a whoops day. It's what you do the day after that counts... Kaliswalker "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not." by Thomas Huxley. Self-discipline is the key to personal greatness. Eating high calories at a 'special meal' will follow me home and hop on the scale with me... Kaliswalker When you try something new you risk failure. You may be lacking the confidence to try something new, but put in the effort and you will be so proud of yourself... Kaliswalker That which I cannot do now is my aspiration, not my defeat... ~Indygirl The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline... unknown You don't have to have the fastest engine.....you just need to stay on the track and you will get there...... - JOAN_OF_SPARK We take a peek at the big picture and acknowledge the mountains to climb and distance to travel. Then, we take that first step forward. Then the next. Then the next... WAUSUP ...what I sense as the amount of difficulty is not correct, and it is lower, and it is OK to go for it. So, I just focused on the first step, which was about choice. Let's start, and see what happens ... HAKAPES Creating a new habit is difficult - it entails doing something consciously, as consistently as possible, breaking old bonds between a trigger and your old habit and creating a new bond between a trigger and your new habit. It's not easy. - Zen Habits Focus - If you want to make good use of your time, you've got to know what's most important do it first and give it all you got. “Let go of what’s gone.” ~Jules Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not. Self-discipline is the key to personal greatness - by Thomas Huxley Dress for Success - Wear your 'best' exercise clothes, regardless of where you exercise. If you have only one good outfit wash it more often if needed. Get rid of the old ripped faded baggy clothes and wear something that feels and looks goods and makes you feel like an athlete. - Kaliswalker Remember - Some people in your life need to be loved from a distance. www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/messageboard.asp?imparent=43859468&imboard=4 Feb. 8th, 2010 I read how MT-MOONCHASER described me. KALISWALKER - From the far north (Canada), she was successfully losing weight and becoming healthier when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery and completed her other treatments and is now back to her exercise and eating plan for health. Please love yourself as you are and think of losing weight as something you do along the way... Kaliswalker Each day is a gift to make of it what we want... Kaliswalker You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh With love and affection to all of my Spark Friends. I love you and wish you all the best on your way to better health.

At 149 pounds I have a healthy weight status, not overweight obese. I can be content even if my weight loss is slow, as I am so pleased with the increase in my strength and how my clothes fit. I feel I am accomplishing something important. I don't need to see a change on the scales to keep doing what I am doing - though of course we know how happy we are when we see the changes. I want to be consistent with my good habits, and good results will come from that. On The Biggest Loser I saw a man's body scan - a before and after. After he lost some weight, his lungs could expand to twice the size they were before because there was more space in his chest. I have asthma so learning that was so inspiring. I want to be the Biggest Loser!

Exercise - water aerobics, hiking and walking my dog Kali. I am highly motivated but need online support to keep it fresh. Diet - changes but have done South Beach, Full Plate, USDA My Plate. I am in in bed by 10 PM. I will not reward myself with food for staying up late.

I live in Canada, travel, play cards, hike and make new friends.

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm."... Sir Winston Churchill "Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in. Forget them as soon as you can." Ralph Waldo Emerson "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

Add a Link Happy Sparker Lynn 'A good girl with bad habits' Achievers! Not for the powerful and famous, but for regular people who set goals and achieve them by their own determination, Greater Vancouver, BC Canada 2021 Spring 5% Challenge Community <link>www.sparkpeople.com/myspark/groups_individual.asp?gid=71959</link>
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