On weight loss and health

I thought I’d share what I recently submitted to my local Curves fitness center when they were looking for motivational stories. Maybe you’re interested, too.

My Curves photo 

I joined Curves in March 2004, feeling frustrated with my general lack of fitness and the forty pounds I’d gained in my adult years. Although I certainly achieved strength and stamina from my workouts, I didn’t make much headway with my weight. It fluctuated by several pounds for the next year and a half.

In the fall of 2005, I had a severe flare-up of arthritis in my neck and left shoulder. I hadn’t known before this that I even had three damaged discs in my neck. I settled in for several months of sheer survival, just trying to get through each day with the constant pain and headaches. I felt like a jar with its lid screwed on at an angle. My only desire was that someone would unscrew my head and put it back on again, straight. During those months I got virtually no exercise but it didn’t stop me from eating. Although I’ve always enjoyed healthy food, I was eating too much and making poor choices. Christmas baking didn’t help.

Finally the pain subsided and I began to take an interest in things again. I came back to Curves in January. It took nearly a week to recuperate from that first visit, and then I came again. In February I managed twice a week and began to wander outside for walks when the weather was decent.

On my March 10 weigh-in, I got a huge shock. I had gained ten pounds over my fluctuating average, and all my inches were the largest they had ever been. Seeing those numbers was like a wave of ice water. It was time to deal with things. Past time.

Two prongs, I decided. Exercise and diet. I committed myself to Curves three times a week, either before work or at noon hour, depending on my husband’s work schedule. And every single day that I wasn’t at Curves, I would go for a minimum two mile power walk. Without fail.

Secondly, I began tracking my food intake. The first huge change was upping my fruit and vegetable intake until I was achieving an average of 8-10 servings daily. I’d only been averaging three before. The second thing was to get a copy of the Glycemic Index Diet book and follow it.

It has been a challenging 11 weeks since March 10. I have lost 22 pounds from that shocking day (13 1/2 in the first month alone), and my inches are all at their smallest recorded numbers. I have more energy, stamina and optimism than I can ever remember having before. I am very grateful to God for this second chance at life and at health.