Entries for the 'Steph' Category

Who am I kidding? It will never be over. For the rest of my life I will have to be aware of what I put into my mouth or how much exercise I've done. It's the nature of the beast. The contest is over but my healthy lifestyle is just beginning really. 3 months isn't really that long in the grand scheme of things.

Yesterday was our final weigh-in for the contest. Everyone did so well! Except for the occasional passing by at the gym or Relay for Life, we (the contestants) haven't really seen each other. It was SO fun to see everyone and how FANTASTIC everyone looked! The change has been amazing!

In the end, having lost the most pounds (42) and inches (52) I was 'crowned' the winner! Yay!!!

I REALLLLY wanted to post the before and after pics of me and of the group that MRC took but I haven't received them yet. I will post as soon as I get them!

This was such an incredible opportunity. I am SOO grateful for Catherine and Martha for choosing me to participate. It has been an life changing experience. I feel happier and healthier. And I look DANG good!! (or so my husband tells me!)

Now, time for a very badly needed haircut!

So many of you have asked what I won. Well, here's the scoop:

• 3 additional months free at the gym (Fort Smith Athletic Club)
• Photo session for the fam with Raye Law
• 4 sessions at Malibu Day Spa (which includes the badly needed haircut)
• $50 gift card to Newport News or Spiegel
• One admission to Pink on the Links (part of the Fort Smith Classic) and T-shirt
• Metabolic Research Center cookbook (which I managed to go 3 months without and now am glad I have one!)
• Arbonne gift bag including Shampoo, Conditioner, and Body Cleanser and numerous samples
• 4 FortSmithMoms.com Snap Caps (for soda cans to make them like bottles)
• 2 bags of M&M's (thanks, Martha!)
• 5 cards for buy one get one free cookies at Great American Cookies (once again, thanks, Martha!)
• and finally, I got my life back!!!

This has been a lot of work AND a lot of fun!

Six more weeks of stabilization and a year of maintenance should be just what I need.

I'M 40 LBS LIGHTER!!

I never thought this possible. Ever. I had only hoped. Never imagined it really happening. And yet, here I am 40 lbs lighter and happier than I've been in years.

What a great gift from Fort Smith Moms. What a great gift that I've given myself. The gift of life. I have my life back. Thank you.

I'm FINALLY at a healthy BMI for the first time in a LONG time!! I used the BMI calculator on WebMD when I first started this thing and I was at 31.... that is considered 'obese', people! Obese sounds like such an awful word! Yet, that's what I was!

I used the calculator again on Friday after my weigh-in and I was at 25.2 which is right on the line between 'overweight' and 'healthy'... this was great! After my weigh-in today I was down 2 more lbs and my BMI is at 24.2!!!!! This is fantastic! I feel great! For the first time since having my first kiddo I am in a healthy range!

A friend of mine who has done MRC before (but is preggers right now) said something to me the other day that I will forever remember.... "Success is the greatest motivator." IT'S SO TRUE! I'm motivated by my own success!! I can do this.... I've proven it!!!

Something else that I never thought I could do was become a runner.... I didn't want to. I have TERRIBLE memories of being on the Jr. High track team and running the mile relay. I hated it. I had absolutely NO endurance whatsoever! At a meet I actually quit half way through my leg of the relay... quit.... stopped... I didn't walk or try to keep going... I quit. Boy was my coach ticked! He encouraged me to do the long jump.

Well, I can proudly say that I am officially a runner! More like a jogger. I go to the track at 6:15 AM three days a week and run with my friend Amy. In an effort to help another friend get motivated in the healthy living department I stupidly agreed to run a 5k with her in the fall... what was I thinking?! THREE MILES!!! I must be insane. So far, I'm enjoying it! Amy and I are using a training schedule to get us ready and I'm burning WAY more calories than walking on the treadmill at the gym. I haven't been there in two weeks. I do need to get some strength training under my belt but I'm just trying to focus on one thing at a time right now.

And, for any of you out there that are mothers to pre-teen girlies.... I've inquired about starting a Girls on the Run program here in Ft. Smith!!! Go here to read about it!

Two more weeks in the competition!!! Peace out!!!

So, I 'cheated' (or as they say at MRC.... ate Off Plan) for the first time in almost 10 weeks!

My family went to Branson (basically just Silver Dollar City) this weekend for my daughter's birthday and Mother's Day. Before I went I had tossed around the idea of having some funnel cake and Culver's frozen custard. Why? Because I love those things! I finally decided that it was worth it to me but I would only have a very small amount. And then stop. And that's exactly what I did.

I bought a funnel cake at SDC and cut it like a pie into 8 small pieces. I had one. And I was satisfied. I didn't want anymore. It was the perfect size.

Before we left to come home we went to Culver's Frozen Custard.... which I LOVE! I had a chicken salad and a mini scoop of chocolate frozen custard. I shared it with my 2 year old but truthfully, I ate most of it. Still.... I was happy with the little scoop. It satisfied my craving and I was happy.

Do I feel guilt? Not one bit. I didn't 'cheat' because I lost control and I didn't go on a binge. I think because I was able to have a choice and control the amounts I had no guilt. Curiosity? Yes. VERY curious how my weigh-in would turn out on Monday morning.

Drum roll, please...... DOWN 2LBS!!!

I couldn't believe it! I was truly shocked. I would've been very happy to have just maintained my weight but to be down was such a treat!! I guess it was from all the excercise! I walked that whole park pushing a stroller with at least one kid in it at all times for two straight days AND I went running Monday morning.

So, there you have it.

I reassured Danny at MRC that there was no way I was letting this experience be an excuse to do it again! Game on! Just 3 more weeks left in the contest!

At my weigh-in yesterday I was down another 3.5 lbs! And after measurement I was down a total of 42.5 inches! 7 in my waist! I just think this is incredible... almost too good to be true. But it is true. I will have to be extra careful once I've reached my goal weight not to put it all back on. Thank goodness MRC has a maintenance program too so they help you with that!

So, some of the things that have been going through my head lately: almost daily I want a peanut butter sandwich. Not 6 sandwiches.... just 1. I'm tired of cooking all the time. Just once I'd like to order a pizza. I'd like to have a bowl of bran flakes every once and a while for a snack. Not Captain Crunch... just bran flakes. Cher at MRC reminded me yesterday that I can have those things I just have to decide if it's worth it for my weight loss efforts. After my weigh-in I decided it's not... I can wait a few more weeks!

As of tomorrow, I will have been on this life-changing journey for 8 weeks... what a difference 8 weeks and some protein jello can make!