I am on an "Incredible Journey"
My name is Barbara, my friends call me Barb, and my journey began April 12th, 2011, when my friend Heather called me and said she was frustrated with her weight and she was going to change that, and she asked if I wanted to join her...My answer was "Yes" with no hasitation, and I haven't looked back. Basically,"I changed my mind" I was going to make a lifestyle change forever.
My weight on april 12th was two hundred seventy four pounds...how did I let this happen?
No time to think about how I let this happen, it was time to figure out how to change it. I turned to South Beach, I had done South Beach in 2007 and lost 30 plus pounds, so I knew it was what worked for me. I looked at the list of approved foods and just consentrated on that, I wouldn't eat anything that wasn't on the list. As I moved forward I worked into making sure I was getting the proper nutrition everyday. I used the how to adapt my plan option. I remember I lost 11 pounds in phase 1 (two weeks)...I was happy with that. I was on my way to better health.
On May 2nd, I joined a walking challenge, I was a "beach bunny". I knew exercise is key to weight loss as well as overall health. I wasn't sure how the challenge was going to work, but I was going to give it 110%. I took it one step at a time.
Week #1 of the walking challenge I walked 8.5 miles, it was hard for me, but I just kept telling myself, just put one foot in front of the other.
Week #2 I doubled my miles, I did 17 miles...wow I was thrilled...I was really walking now. I had to break my walks up, I would walk a few miles in the morning, a few miles at lunch, and a few miles in the evenings. I couldn't do long distance, but the miles were surely adding up.
Week #3 I walked over 20 miles, I was starting to want to challenge myself...I said "Ok...I can do 25 miles next week." At the start of this week, I did my first 5K walk with my sister (Lu-Ann) and husband (Don). Don ran, and Lu-ann and I both walked. What a sense of accomplishment.
Week #4 I did it...I did over 25 miles.
Week #5 I did over 30 miles...I was really starting to surprise myself. At the end of this week, I did my 2nd 5K walk with my sister Lu-Ann on June 5th; my husband Don also did it with us, but he ran. Don came in 2nd for his age group, and Lu-Ann and I came in 3rd for women walkers.
Week #6 I walked 34 miles (honestly that was too much for me to sustain, but I was so proud of myself).
Oh and by the way, the beach bunnies ended up winning the challenge. But more importantly, I was on the road to better health, and this is only the beginning.
That walking challenge started me well on my way to better health. After that I was just the energizer bunny that the walking challenge had created. I started climbing moutains. The first mountain I climbed was White Cap. I climbed it on June 8th (before the walking challenge ended.) I was so proud of myself for climbing that mountain, I knew I could and I did. It was just about a year ago, I organized a "cousins hike" up White Cap, but I didn't go, I used every excuse in the book why I couldn't hike it, but I am being honest now when I tell you, I didn't hike it because of my weight. I will never again let my weight keep me from hiking any mountain, or for that matter, doing anything I want to do.
I have also climbed:
Table Rock
Mt. Will
Bald Mountain
Eustis Ridge
Arethusa Falls & Frankenstein Cliffs
I hiked into Poplar Stream Falls Hut and Flagg Staff Hut (all in the same day 10 miles total)
White Cap again
White Cap a third time
Mt. Monadnock
Sunday River (Hike the River)
I have many more planned to hike before snow flies this winter. (I may even do some winter hiking on snowshoes) There is no stopping me now.
Mid June I started weight training with my bow flex. I completed 6 weeks of the fat burning plan. Now I currently (Dec 2011 thru March 2012) working out with the Supreme 90 workout program. This is changing my body more than anything else has done thus far. It is a functional workout program to help build your muscles to work together. This will help me with my everyday life as well as all my training I am doing.
I also love to bike, do Zumba, and swim actually I love doing anything that keeps me active.
In July my husband and I went Zip Lining at Sugarloaf Mountain. This was an important accomplishment because just three months before that, I was over the weight limit to be able to do this. We both loved the Zip. We are planning on doing the Twin Zip (which runs side by side each) at Sunday River when I reach the same weight as my husband. We will race down side by side....it will be a celebration for sure.
I have made a decision, when I am 50 years young, 2012 I am going to do a mini triathlon with Heather in CT.
Now I need to start training...I need to be able to swim 1/2 mile, bike 12 miles, run 3.1 miles. I am going to do this...
In August 2011, I started a c25K training program and completed it September 26th. (I am a runner!)
I have run a couple of virtual 5K's with running mate.com and I did a 5K trail race at Black Mountain and came in 3rd overall in the women and 2nd in my age group.
I am so full of life and full of engergy now. As of February 14, 2012 I have lost 75 pounds and over 40 inches, and I am not done here.
I get a lot of motivation and support from Heather (the girl who made that special call on April 12th). We are both are on our own "incredible journey's" and are having the time of our lives. We (Heather and I) are great friends, although we have never met face to face...but that will all change next August when we both complete our mini triathlon together. I also get lots of support from Southbeachdiet.com website where I interact with other "beachers" on the different message boards. I participate in many of the challenges they offer there as well. All of this together help me to build my new healthy lifestyle.
"Stay Active and Eat Healthy"
Please sign my GuestBook......
My weight on april 12th was two hundred seventy four pounds...how did I let this happen?
No time to think about how I let this happen, it was time to figure out how to change it. I turned to South Beach, I had done South Beach in 2007 and lost 30 plus pounds, so I knew it was what worked for me. I looked at the list of approved foods and just consentrated on that, I wouldn't eat anything that wasn't on the list. As I moved forward I worked into making sure I was getting the proper nutrition everyday. I used the how to adapt my plan option. I remember I lost 11 pounds in phase 1 (two weeks)...I was happy with that. I was on my way to better health.
On May 2nd, I joined a walking challenge, I was a "beach bunny". I knew exercise is key to weight loss as well as overall health. I wasn't sure how the challenge was going to work, but I was going to give it 110%. I took it one step at a time.
Week #1 of the walking challenge I walked 8.5 miles, it was hard for me, but I just kept telling myself, just put one foot in front of the other.
Week #2 I doubled my miles, I did 17 miles...wow I was thrilled...I was really walking now. I had to break my walks up, I would walk a few miles in the morning, a few miles at lunch, and a few miles in the evenings. I couldn't do long distance, but the miles were surely adding up.
Week #3 I walked over 20 miles, I was starting to want to challenge myself...I said "Ok...I can do 25 miles next week." At the start of this week, I did my first 5K walk with my sister (Lu-Ann) and husband (Don). Don ran, and Lu-ann and I both walked. What a sense of accomplishment.
Week #4 I did it...I did over 25 miles.
Week #5 I did over 30 miles...I was really starting to surprise myself. At the end of this week, I did my 2nd 5K walk with my sister Lu-Ann on June 5th; my husband Don also did it with us, but he ran. Don came in 2nd for his age group, and Lu-Ann and I came in 3rd for women walkers.
Week #6 I walked 34 miles (honestly that was too much for me to sustain, but I was so proud of myself).
Oh and by the way, the beach bunnies ended up winning the challenge. But more importantly, I was on the road to better health, and this is only the beginning.
That walking challenge started me well on my way to better health. After that I was just the energizer bunny that the walking challenge had created. I started climbing moutains. The first mountain I climbed was White Cap. I climbed it on June 8th (before the walking challenge ended.) I was so proud of myself for climbing that mountain, I knew I could and I did. It was just about a year ago, I organized a "cousins hike" up White Cap, but I didn't go, I used every excuse in the book why I couldn't hike it, but I am being honest now when I tell you, I didn't hike it because of my weight. I will never again let my weight keep me from hiking any mountain, or for that matter, doing anything I want to do.
I have also climbed:
Table Rock
Mt. Will
Bald Mountain
Eustis Ridge
Arethusa Falls & Frankenstein Cliffs
I hiked into Poplar Stream Falls Hut and Flagg Staff Hut (all in the same day 10 miles total)
White Cap again
White Cap a third time
Mt. Monadnock
Sunday River (Hike the River)
I have many more planned to hike before snow flies this winter. (I may even do some winter hiking on snowshoes) There is no stopping me now.
Mid June I started weight training with my bow flex. I completed 6 weeks of the fat burning plan. Now I currently (Dec 2011 thru March 2012) working out with the Supreme 90 workout program. This is changing my body more than anything else has done thus far. It is a functional workout program to help build your muscles to work together. This will help me with my everyday life as well as all my training I am doing.
I also love to bike, do Zumba, and swim actually I love doing anything that keeps me active.
In July my husband and I went Zip Lining at Sugarloaf Mountain. This was an important accomplishment because just three months before that, I was over the weight limit to be able to do this. We both loved the Zip. We are planning on doing the Twin Zip (which runs side by side each) at Sunday River when I reach the same weight as my husband. We will race down side by side....it will be a celebration for sure.
I have made a decision, when I am 50 years young, 2012 I am going to do a mini triathlon with Heather in CT.
Now I need to start training...I need to be able to swim 1/2 mile, bike 12 miles, run 3.1 miles. I am going to do this...
In August 2011, I started a c25K training program and completed it September 26th. (I am a runner!)
I have run a couple of virtual 5K's with running mate.com and I did a 5K trail race at Black Mountain and came in 3rd overall in the women and 2nd in my age group.
I am so full of life and full of engergy now. As of February 14, 2012 I have lost 75 pounds and over 40 inches, and I am not done here.
I get a lot of motivation and support from Heather (the girl who made that special call on April 12th). We are both are on our own "incredible journey's" and are having the time of our lives. We (Heather and I) are great friends, although we have never met face to face...but that will all change next August when we both complete our mini triathlon together. I also get lots of support from Southbeachdiet.com website where I interact with other "beachers" on the different message boards. I participate in many of the challenges they offer there as well. All of this together help me to build my new healthy lifestyle.
"Stay Active and Eat Healthy"
Please sign my GuestBook......