Continuing my Health and Fitness Journey at the Springfield Family Y

As the weather begins to turn cold, I have moved my work out back inside again. I'm doing spinning classes regularly, along with zumba, fusion, boot camp, and other indoor work outs. I enjoy working out indoors during the fall & winter months.

I am officially the Corporate Membership Associate / Membership Director for our local Y and enjoy my job a great deal. I share my journey will people daily in my community and all the benefits of being a healthy and fit person. I have been able to maintain my healthy weight for over 7 months now. I have very healthy daily habits now and look forward to living a healthy lifestyle for many years to come.

Health and Fitness Journey

It will be 2 years on January 19th 2011 since I started my health and fitness journey. 85 pounds later, feeling like I'm 20 years younger, I truly feel that I am paying it forward by teaching a weekly Weight Watchers class and becoming the Corporate Membership Associate for the Springfield Family Y.

I am passionate about health and fitness, so God has truly blessed me to pay it forward by working for both of these wonderful organizations.

When you are passionate about what you do, you never have to work another day in your life! :)

Lots of walking has really been an excellent workout

My husband Chuck and I have been doing lots of walking the last few weeks. We feel it in our legs and core. Our walks have gotten longer. We actually have been walking up to 9 miles in one day. We average 4 - 5 miles daily though. For those of you that are seeking out a healthy exercise to do that doesn't take money - walking is it. Make sure you have a good pair of walking shoes and a water bottle is helpful too. We take our boxer Josie with us on our walks. She loves it. Josie is so calm too. She also gets plenty of exercise daily. We all are still on our health and fitness journey - for life! :) I hope and pray we can continue to motivate and inspire you along your journey too.

Absolutely enjoy teaching Weight Watchers

I've been teaching Weight Watchers meetings for several weeks now and I must say, it has been very rewarding for me. I am approaching 2 years as of January 2009 since I started my journey to good health and fitness. It has been an eye opening experience in so many ways. I have been able to peal back so many layers along the way. I am a much stronger person, not only physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually too. My self-esteem is back and I help many people daily along the way.

I have so much joy and energy too! My mind also seems so much clearer too. I also sleep much better. I do not have to take any medications and I exercise daily. I thank God for giving me this opportunity to make a difference in my community.

Teaching my own weight watchers class

I am officially teaching my own weight watchers class! This is the ultimate way of paying it forward! I love helping others also get healthy and fit. Weight Watchers has given me my life back. I enjoy motivating others along their journey to good health and fitness. Thank you God for allowing me to do what you have given me. This is a wonderful gift! Thank you for providing for our family during this journey. I will continue to help others with this gift you have so graciously allowed me to have!

I love having joy, inner peace, good health, fitness, and balance in my life.

Exercise and nutrition has really changed my life

I thank God daily for being able to exercise and eat right! My journey has been incredible! I want to share my journey with others in hope that they will also be able to succeed during their journey too! :) My body actually enjoys exercise now! I sleep so well at night too! I have not had heartburn in over a year because I eat the right foods! Weight Watchers has taught me so much about portion control and nutrition! I am almost done with my leader training and am looking forward to having my own Weight Watchers Meetings! :)

Coaching a Biggest Loser Team and working for Weight Watchers

I am officially coaching a Biggest Loser Team this summer at the Springfield Family YMCA. It is called "Body Wyse". We meet every Wednesday evening from 6:45pm - 7:45pm. I am so glad to be able to "pay it forward" by doing something like this. I am also in the middle of my Leader Training for Weight Watchers. I have been traveling throughout Ohio mentoring Weight Watchers Leaders on Tuesday evenings. I has been such a joy to share my personal journey with others and motivate them along their journey! I am officially a lifetime member of Weight Watchers and have lost 85 pounds! I feel like a totally new woman now! :)

Enjoying becoming a Weight Watchers Leader

I am now training to become a Weight Watchers Leader and really enjoying it very much. I'm learning from some really awesome, caring, incredible people right now and want to help inspire others along their journey.

My husband Chuck and I also have been getting lots of daily exercise. We walk / run a 5K or 10K each and every morning! We look forward to this time together daily and our bodies are enjoying it too!

Offical kick off for summer - Memorial Day weekend

Well our Memorial Day weekend was simply awesome! I was able to entertain family and friends at our pool all weekend long! I also had the opportunity to run a 5K with our neighbor's girlfriend from Wisconsin! She is a spinning instructor and will be running with me again when she comes to town! I start training for Weight Watcher Leader course this weekend (June 5th) I am really excited about having my own Weight Watchers meeting.

My homework for the week - find out nutritional info @ bakery

This week my homework from weight watchers was to check with our local bakery (that shall remain nameless) and see if they are releasing nutritional information. I called one of their newest locations on the north end of town and spoke with a manager. She said that the State of Ohio has made guidelines which is going to make them have to release this information - however they do not have it ready yet. They are building a new production plant and the nutritional information has been put on the "back burner" for now. Also - she told me that all of their baked goods are deep fried in shortening and that there were no healthy choices at all. She was very honest with me. She did not try to "sugar coat" anything about their baked goods and how they are made. She said that there are no healthy choice items to choose from on their menu. This actually makes it easier for me to avoid foods like this when I have learned how to make healthy recipes to substitute the unhealthy choices. Remember - You do have choices in life as to what you put inside your body. Remember that with each choice that you make. Was it a good one? Was it a choice that you needed to make - or wanted to make? Will this choice affect your health? How will it make you feel in the long run?

Getting closer to summer - no cover up this year!!!

Wow - I can hardly believe that summer is almost here. We are planning for our first summer holiday - Memorial Day weekend. That is the kick off for pool season too! I am going to be ready for my swim suit season and summer clothes too. Working out daily and eating healthy has really paid off. I love looking at my shadow now. It is so small! Wearing small size clothes is so amazing! I was at Dick's Sporting Goods store yesterday looking at size small running clothes. Wow - those are always the size that is left on the rack when the sales start too! The feeling that a size small gives me is way better than the taste of unhealthy food and how that makes me feel. My journey to health and fitness has been one full of learning. I am disciplined, proactive, patient, and understanding. Running has really helped my mind. I respect runners so much now that I understand what is involved. Runners have a lot of depth and compassion too. They really care about people.

Successful Weekend and weigh in today

I had a successful Mother's Day weekend. I was able to run a 5K on Saturday and Sunday. Then ran a 10K on Monday. Weighed in at Weight Watchers Monday evening and am still 2 pounds under goal weight! :) That tells me that I can still maintain a healthy weight even after a holiday weekend! :) Exercise and making the right choices is key! :)

Our grandson Josh had his 2nd birthday party on Saturday. I had a piece of his birthday cake and 2 pieces of vege pizza. I still did very well at weigh in because I ate proper portions and exercised. I am so thankful that I understand my body and what it needs vs. when I used to give in to everything I thought I wanted. Discipline and knowledge are awesome!

Had an awesome Mother's Day Weekend

Chuck's mom and sister Penny came to stay with us for Mother's Day weekend. Also 2 of our nephews - Tucker (age 5) and Tanner (age 4). We all had a very active weekend. We worked on getting the pool ready for the upcoming summer season. We also celebrated our grandson Josh's 2nd birthday by having a nice party at Jamie and Shawn's house. I also ran a 5k Saturday and Sunday. The weather was cold this weekend. Friday was actually 83 degrees. I bundled up when I ran over the weekend. Penny was able to walk both days with Chuck. She is doing so well with her health. We are so proud of her for walking again. It has been years. I'm really glad that Chuck, Jamie (our daughter) and I are paying it forward and helping others get healthy.

82 degrees - very good day to work out OUTSIDE

Chuck and I completed our 5K this morning! I will probably push mow the grass later on this afternoon. You can burn over 500 calories per hour push mowing people! Get off the riding mower this year and use that push mower.
Chuck and I both had a bowl of oatmeal this morning. Oatmeal is such a good breakfast. We add fat free cottage cheese, peanut butter, a little light margerine, and splenda to ours. Also fruit is good too! (we like bananas in ours but we didn't have any today)

Weight Watchers Training and work out today! :)

My second Weight Watchers training today went very well. My mentor is really awesome! She has been with Weight Watchers since 1974 and is very good at what she does. She taught me quite a bit today. I was very fortunate to work with someone like her that is very thorough.

My body has fully recovered from my 1/2 marathon (3 days ago) I decided today to take a spinning class and do an EFX work out. Tomorrow morning I will run a 5K! :) I had a whey protein shake after my work out today and also a peanut butter sandwich on 100% whole wheat. Protein after my work outs really help me a great deal!

I had an awesome vege pizza tonight on 100% peta. Very tasty indeed! Popcorn for snack (good carb) Also small cup of bean soup. Protein really fills me up too! :) Also a cup of sugar free chocolate milk (skim)

I had my first weight watchers training this morning!

My first Weight Watchers training went very well this morning! I mentored at a meeting on Derr Road in Springfield. This is a very active group. Lots of members were there. I met 2 wonderful receptionists and the leader was awesome! :) I then went to the Springfield Family Y and took the lunch spinning class, then 40 minutes on the EFX. Now back at the house! Laid out on my awesome pool deck that my dear sweet husband made for me! YAY!

Ok - time to hop in the shower and head to my next weight watchers training class this evening! Talk to you all soon! :) Continue on with your own health and fitness journeys and keep on living your dreams!! LIVE WITH PASSION!!! :)

I begin a new journey today - Weight Watchers training

It felt so good to sleep last night knowing that I have finally reached my goal weight by losing 84.2 pounds on weight watchers. I new chapter of my journey starts today. I begin training for weight watchers. I have 2 meetings to mentor today. After I mentor 4 meetings, I will become a receptionist and will help get people registered and weighed in at weight watchers meetings. Then I am going to continue with more training to become a Leader! I want to continue to inspire and motivate others along their journey to good health and fitness! :)

I reached my weight watchers lifetime goal tonight!

Well I have finally decided to declare my lifetime goal at weight watchers tonight! I have officially lost 84.2 pounds on the plan and wear a size 8 (small clothes) I actually took weights and a bar bell to my class tonight and showed the class what it is like to lift this much weight! I will NEVER again have to carry that burden of weight on my shoulders! I have shed those pounds for life and want to share my success with the world! :) Thank you God, family, friends, and everyone that has supported me on this incredible journey to fitness and health! I am so happy!

Walked 4 miles this morning

I had intended to walk a 5K this morning - however Chuck and I got to the halfway point - and he asked me if I could go further. My body felt great - so we both decided to walk 4 miles. We both feel awesome. Chuck has really been doing well with his back. He has lost a total of 96 pounds and is in the best shape he has ever felt in MANY years!

It means so much to have a loyal, faithful work out buddy. That way you have a sense of commitment not only to your buddy, but to yourself. Be true to yourself and to your word.

I decided to go ahead and walk today

Body is feeling great! I only needed one recovery day (yesterday) from my 1/2 marathon. I'm going to walk an early morning 5K with hubby Chuck. Hips and butt feel better today. Nourished myself well yesterday. I'm looking forward to a good weigh in at Weight Watchers tonight. We have so many family members that have also joined. Sounds like they all had a great week too. Chuck has been working very hard on our new pool deck. We are going to go ahead and shock the pool this week - just in case it is warm enough to get in on Mother's Day!

Weight Watchers has been awesome

My daughter Jamie and I decided to join Weight Watchers on January 19, 2009. Since they, we have both lost a total of 82 pounds and feel like new women! We both were wearing a size 20. Jamie got down to a size 6 and I am in a size 8. I haven't been this size in over 12 years. I am much healthier now too because I've learned about portion control, foods that are healthy and what my body really needs. I exercise daily too and feel years younger! I am so thankful to have become a healthy and fit person. I hope my journey to health and fitness can help others become in better shape too.

I ran my first 1/2 marathon on May 1, 2010

I ran my first 1/2 marathon on May 1, 2010. I completed 13.1 miles in 2:49. I feel great! Today is recovery day. I was actually hungry today but not yesterday. I took a 2 hour nap today. I am going to take another recovery day tomorrow and then run a 5K on Tuesday.