"The biggest difference is that last year at this time, I wanted to lose weight. This year I AM losing weight and I know without doubt that I will continue."
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Imagine dreading an airplane flight because you might not fit in the seat - or because you need to ask the attendant for a seatbelt extender. Perhaps you've had this experience. Tammy S. did, but now she's conquered almost a third of her weight loss goal of 140 pounds after six months on SparkPeople and is back to flying without any buckling assistance!
Tammy planted the seeds of weight loss motivation after reading SparkPeople’s regular email quotes. Finding small inspirations from the quotes led her to more actively browse the SparkPeople website and eventually join the online weight loss class.
Tammy is no different than many of us - she's tried the usual pills, powders, and shakes to try to lose weight. She even would have considered surgery as a way to lose weight if it had been an affordable option. After trying and failing so many times, she became apathetic and ate whatever without caring. Her body rarely experienced the nourishment of fruits or vegetables. She didn't participate in any type of exercise program. Her fitness level was so low; climbing two flights of stairs left her short of breath. She might have counted golf as exercise, but she chose to ride the cart rather than walking the course.
Finally, after six months of receiving SparkPeople's email quotes, something started clicking. Tammy took the big step to commit to SparkPeople's online weight loss class. She credits many factors for her success, such as the program's weekly activity packets. She also found immediate success in the Fast Break, a gradual introduction of a healthy habit that motivates you to lose weight later on, such as eating one fruit and one vegetable every day for two weeks. "It was helpful for me to think about why I wanted to lose weight, not just that I wanted to," said Tammy. Even small steps in success, such as getting up with the first sound of the morning alarm rather than hitting the snooze button, were a sign of momentum. "By the time 2 weeks had gone by, I realized I had more energy and enthusiasm by getting up right away rather than taking those few extra snooze minutes," she said.
In the past six months, Tammy has been able to reduce her soda pop consumption from a six-pack a day to less than a six-pack a month. She more consciously chooses how much snack food she allows in the house and she guarantees her body fruits and vegetables every day. Her changes in nutritional habits have motivated her to improve her fitness level. She has joined a gym, conveniently located near her work, and goes about 3 times per week for cardio and strength training. So far, she has lost 40 pounds!
Tammy is now a champion of the criss-cross effect, that is, her continued success in weight loss goals has overflowed into goal achievement in other areas of her life. Two leaders of her company asked her to speak at a national conference in front of over 200 people. Also, she's been credited with substantial growth this year for the area of business that she manages. She's accomplished her goals of improving personal organization and planning and in turn gains confidence with each achievement. She feels that her confidence has also been a positive influence on her sons and she is better able to help them grow as individuals.
With 100 pounds still to lose, Tammy taps into any system of support or encouragement that will spur her to continue her success. For example, she compares where she is today to where she was a year ago. Last year’s holiday party found her buying a size 3X outfit. This year, she was able to fit into an XL and looks forward to the new choices of clothes she can buy. Last year, she felt constantly exhausted and emotionally drained from the usual stresses of work, home, and holiday business. She drank tons of caffeine, lots of sugar, and gained 10 pounds between Halloween and New Years.
This year she is happily aware of more powerful physical charges as she faces the same hectic responsibilities of life. While she still sometimes indulges in sweets, she recognizes the limit she has set and stops when she reaches it. Tammy is proud to claim, “The biggest difference is that last year at this time, I wanted to lose weight. This year I AM losing weight and I know without doubt that I will continue.”
SparkPeople tips and message boards offer her continued encouragement. She has joined a few of the challenges that other members have set and enjoys keeping in contact with other SparkPeople members. She plans to repeat the activities from the 12-week online weight loss program and reminds herself of the useful motivational concepts that have critically influenced her over the last six months. Tammy gave us a big thank you and told us, “Please know that you and your staff are really, truly touching lives!” We have confidence that Tammy will keep achieving the new goals she has set for herself and have a 2004 that’s even better than 2003.
SparkPeople members across the globe will gather and wear SparkPeople T-shirts for the first Show Your Spark Day on January 16, 2009! Place your order today to ensure your shirt arrives on time!
Start on your way toward eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day with this delicious stir-fry, flavored with traditional Chinese spices and a touch of sesame oil. The combination of broccoli and red peppers contributes over 100% of the daily requirement of vitamin C.
Show Your Spark with a SparkPeople T-Shirt!
