Marching Our Way to a Healthy Lifestyle ~ March 2016 WISH Challenge

[SarahDisney]

What is one thing that scared you this week? Was it a misstep or off plan day? Was there a new challenge that you were scared to take on?
Please tell us about your scary moment of the week, how you reacted to it, how it affected your day, and how you overcame that scare.

My scare this week was my 9 mile run. I knew it was on the schedule ... but it was on the schedule 2 weeks ago, and it didn't happen then. That run actually turned out to be a disaster run. I was pretty terrified that I wouldn't be able to make the full distance. I had a dream last night about my run ... I had to go through a door in a wall and then through a hole in the wall to get to the path where I usually run, and it caused a lot of trouble. Plus, I left my shoes on the kitchen table. Basically, it was just a weird dream about the run and it freaked me out.
Posting about the run here helped - I don't really like to talk about my runs much these days, but I thought that telling people I was going to do this would "force" me to go out and do it. Just lacing up and going out, despite an unexpected weather forecast (it said snow, but I didn't encounter any snow), also helped a lot. Once I started, I just kept going, trying to convince myself that I could do it.
So, how did it go?
9.09 miles in 1 hour, 55 minutes
Average pace of 12:39, which is a little slower than I usually am, but I was okay with it.

Once I got that run out of the way, it definitely made it a better day. Overcoming that "scare" definitely started my week off right!

Also, checking in with a progress report of 224/875 non-running exercise minutes, for a percentage of 26%.

I know I'm behind on replies, but I'm hoping to get to them tomorrow (or possibly post-Potter ... but since the Potter marathon ends at midnight, I'll probably be headed straight to bed).
We've had a lot of good progress reports so far, but if you haven't already reported your progress, please don't forget to report it before 5 AM (Disney World time) tomorrow.
Here's a secret: I don't get up until 7:30 most days, so if you don't get in your report by 5 AM, you still may make it into the progress update

 

[ski_mom]

I lost 1.5 pounds this week, so I am at 15% of my monthly goal.

thanks!

 

[courtneybeth]

So off topic:

Purple Magic Bands are now available!

I saw on another thread and thought I'd pass it along since some of us have trips coming up soon!

 

[Flossbolna]

So off topic:

Purple Magic Bands are now available!

I saw on another thread and thought I'd pass it along since some of us have trips coming up soon!

Yes, already changed my order! I never was one of the people who desperately wanted a purple band, but then I realised that it actually is a great colour!

@courtneybeth, I am sorry that your family is throwing so much crap at you! They ought to be so proud of you getting that degree! I know we all are! Your energy and dedication to everything you do, from weight loss to running all these races is truly inspiring!

 

[4Mickeys]

What is one thing that scared you this week? Was it a misstep or off plan day? Was there a new challenge that you were scared to take on?
Please tell us about your scary moment of the week, how you reacted to it, how it affected your day, and how you overcame that scare.

Ok so I think we know my scare for the week has been healthwise - I visited a new Doctor this morning and I having some bloodwork done tomorrow to investigate. Also, my blood pressure is a bit high - so we are watching that for the next few months. This big takeaway I am taking from all of this is that I really need to make changes with food and exercise for my health as well as my vanity! I didn't go paddling this morning (it rained) but I had already cancelled until I could learn more but I have been encouraged to get exercising to lose some weight to help with the blood pressure issue. So while I freaked out a bit the other day I am feeling more reassured and in control now. So I overcame my scare with some help from friends on here, my local friends, my kids and my new Dr.

I was vague about this earlier and how it affected my mood but... this is what has scared me and caused me to feel awful. Things with my parents weren't so good this week that they basically not-so-politely told me to "F" off and they not only wouldn't come to my graduation and my graduation celebration, but they no longer wanted me in their life. They pulled the same thing nine years ago when Hubs and I got married (long story of misunderstandings that culminated with my father trying to strangle my husband when things got heated and a recliner and coffee table were sacrificed in the fight). I thought we'd reconciled and moved forward, but apparently they've made excuses on why they both couldn't attend my graduation and party.

And I should be used to disappointment by now - I've been through almost 33 years of it. So the graduation party has been canceled and my beloved friends Jason and Laura (who are like family to me) will be joining us after Jason and I walk at graduation for a fancy dinner at a place called The Hobbit. Yes, a restaurant themed like the book/movie. I'm bummed to not have the party at Disneyland Hotel's Steakhouse 55 but I cannot justify spending $80 per person to just have my husband's family there and not one person from my family. It can't be like my wedding all over again.


.... so I didn't react well to it. And I've been bummed. And mopey. But I'm starting to recover and feel more human. Getting the PR yesterday really lifted my spirits, so at least that's a step in the right direction.


I also did some damage today at Nordstrom and discovered I'm down another pant size? Size 26! (Which is crazy because I haven't really lost weight). Apparently toning muscles means that I'm shrinking. Yay. So that's how I overcame the scared feeling. Retail therapy.

I'm sorry to hear about your family Courtney - there is just no feeling like being let down by family and it is natural to want your parents to be proud of you and be there to share in celebrating this big achievement. You have your lovely Hubby there cheering you on you are lucky in that respect. Sometimes families can just suck. Be proud of yourself for graduating, I will be proud of you also - I graduated 3 years ago - so not so long and I remember that feeling. Can I ask what degree you studied in?

Also, glad you had a good retail therapy experience - yay to you for being down a size!!

Once I got that run out of the way, it definitely made it a better day. Overcoming that "scare" definitely started my week off right!

Glad to hear you overcame your scare for the week Sarah - I am also finding that I feel good the days I start with some activity.

 

[SarahDisney]

Question of the Day – Monday, March 7th:

Week 2 is here, and this week we’re celebrating the Pixar Play Parade at Disney California Adventure!

This parade, which debuted in 2008 (and went on hiatus for a short period during the major construction at DCA), features floats and characters based on Disney –Pixar films, including Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Toy Story, and Cars.

It doesn’t take a special uniform to become a Superhero – anyone can be a healthy superhero just by doing their best to take control of their eating and exercise habits. In addition to saving the world (and themselves) superheroes have a very important job – inspiring others to be super!

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

Thanks to all those who shared their week 1 progress - the progress update should be posted within the next few hours!​

 

[Flossbolna]

A quick check in for Monday from my lunch break. The scale was up a little from yesterday, but still down from March 1. So that is good. Still feeling under the weather with that nasty cold though. I wish I could just be healthy again!!

After a very successful eating weekend (both days in my calorie budget and both days with healthy home made dishes with lots of veggies) I think I am on track for another great day today. Lunch was at the cafeteria with colleagues. However, on Monday we always venture out to another company's cafeteria that is open for non-employees. They are pricier than ours, but have a lot of choices and very high quality. I picked the "for health-conscious guests" fish that came with a lemon sauce and a small portion of mashed potatoes and I had a side of cooked carrots. As a toddler I supposedly loved cooked carrots, but ever since I remember I have hated cooked carrots. I have allways loved raw carrots though. Oh - and I eat peas and carrots from a tin (don't ask, maybe it is the added sugar that made those eatable to me??). Anyway, recently I have found that my palate for veggies has become much wider. I have started to add carrots to my usual dish of baked veggies (usual suspects otherwise are bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes) and really liked them baked. And during the weekend I was thinking that I ought to try cooked carrots again. So, I saw that they were offering a side of carrots at the cafeteria and jumped at the chance to try them. They were so delicious!! And I have another vegetable than can be used!! Very happy about this!

QOTD:
To be honest, there are not a lot of people in my life who need to be inspired to lose weight. Most of my friends have no weight issues at all. But the few people who have them, I always try to not get on their nerves with weight loss talk. If they bring up the subject, I am supportive and might offer some of my perspective. But I know that I can appear rather bossy in general on topics that matter to me and that is the last thing I want to appear with regard to weight loss as I think it would be not helpful at all. And also because I hated it when I was on the receiving end of unwelcome diet tips. I do hope that taking part here in the discussions on these threads is an inspiration to others here on the DIS! I know that our community here inspireses me to do more towards my own progress!

 

[Dr Gunnie]

Question of the Day – Monday, March 7th:

Week 2 is here, and this week we’re celebrating the Pixar Play Parade at Disney California Adventure!

This parade, which debuted in 2008 (and went on hiatus for a short period during the major construction at DCA), features floats and characters based on Disney –Pixar films, including Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Toy Story, and Cars.

It doesn’t take a special uniform to become a Superhero – anyone can be a healthy superhero just by doing their best to take control of their eating and exercise habits. In addition to saving the world (and themselves) superheroes have a very important job – inspiring others to be super!

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

Thanks to all those who shared their week 1 progress - the progress update should be posted within the next few hours!​

I haven't shared my weight loss with many people. I think that's what makes coming here special, because I do want to talk about it, but I don't think I'm at a place yet where I've lost enough to share. I figured once I lose 50 lbs, it will be significant enough for me to share with others - and I'm hoping to get to the magic number around the middle of April. I'm not saying losing a smaller ammount isn't significant, but for me, 50 is a good number considering where I started and it's my half way point.

My close family knows, and they are starting to see the difference which is nice. I don't want to be pushy about it because I know how much I hated when others were that way with me. I feel that the main inspiration needs to come within. I knew in early December that I was going to start in January. I knew that this was going to be different. For some reason, I was just more motivated this time.

Hope that makes sense!

 

[piglet1979]

Summing It Up Sunday – Sunday, March 6th:

Summing it up Sunday is our way to end the week reflecting on the challenges and progress of the last week.

The Headless Horseman is a very popular part of the Boo-To-You parade … but let’s not lose our heads over this challenge! We’re almost a week into the March challenge, so it’s time to evaluate how we’re doing so far.

Since we’re still talking Halloween, let’s talk about the things that scared us in our healthy journey this week.

What is one thing that scared you this week? Was it a misstep or off plan day? Was there a new challenge that you were scared to take on?
Please tell us about your scary moment of the week, how you reacted to it, how it affected your day, and how you overcame that scare.

Don’t forget – progress updates are due by 5 AM (Disney World time) tomorrow. If you haven’t already posted or sent me your progress update, please get it in by then. The first progress update will (hopefully) be posted tomorrow morning.
Thank you!​

This past week was a rough week. I had a conference with my daughters teacher. In Ohio 3rd grades have to pass a state standardized test to pass 3rd grade. They have add a other ways to pass 3rd grade (thankfully). My daughter is not a good reader and has been in the Title 1 program for a few years. The conference was to go over her test. She did not do well and did not pass. Good news is that she passed a smaller test that they do so she will go to 4th grade. So we were discussing what the plan will be. She was not in Title 1 the beginning of this year so they have put her back in. There was 1 really good upside to the test score. She scored higher then most of her class in the writing section. She was above average. We just need to work on comprehension.

The conference was on Monday and I was a little bit upset. I have been worried about this test since Kindergarten. I did not tell my daughter the truth about it. I just told her she passed and that her writing was really good but we need a little bit of work on the comprehension. I am afraid that if she knew she failed it that it will discourage her. I needed to talk to my husband about what was going on and I always talk to my mom about it. Trying to find a time to talk to them about it without her hearing was tough. I was stress eating this week because of it and did do my work outs as I had planned.

Because of the not eating too good and not working out I though I would have gained weight. To my surprise I did not and to my surprise I did not gain but I didn't lose either. I will be back at it this week and will do better. The weather here is supposed to be nice so hopefully we can get outside.

 

[piglet1979]

Ok I am going to try and upload a few pictures. These pictures are where I like to walk when I can.

These were taken on Saturday. As you can tell it wasn't too nice out. My husband and I love this area because we can take the kids. The library, a play ground, the lake and stores are all around this area. This is also right by the college in town that has some pretty old buildings. It is really a nice area. Oh, and it is right next to the metroparks as well.

 

[flvy]

@piglet1979 Is she dyslexic? This sounds so much like me when I was younger only math was an issue too because numbers are worse for me than letters. I had an IEP (individual education plan) till I was in the 6th grade, and worked with my school to get out of it. So she can work through this no problem. As a mom you can worry, but this doesn't have to be horrible at all!

 

[pjlla]

Please add me to the challenge. I am hoping to lose 5 pounds this month.

I will have to go back and read from the beginning so I can be up to speed. Good luck everyone!

WELCOME! Happy to have you with us!

Hi Everyone!

Checking in! Love all the costumes. I once dressed as Snow White, but it was before digital cameras and I don't have a picture. I actually really liked that costume, too!

I've never been to Disney at Halloween. I've only been at two times a year - Spring Break (once) and Summer (mostly). But I've love to go someday! We usually go to Disney for a couple of days and then take a cruise out of FL somewhere to get a little more bang for our airfare buck and we just can't do that during the school year.

This week I lost 3.8 lbs. That's awesome for the challenge, but I'm not thrilled with myself with how I got there. I had lunchtime appointments three times this week and instead of fitting in a healthy lunch, I just skipped it. I did have a snack at around 3pm a couple of days, but I should have pre-planned and worked in lunch. As a result of skipping lunch, my calories were abnormally low - hence the weightloss. It's not healthy long term, so while I'm thrilled with the weightloss (because it put be over 75lbs lost total), my excitement is tempered with how i got there.

But that's OK - tomorrow starts a new week.

As a Saturday woohoo - I manage an academic creative problem solving team for my daughter and they had their regional competition today and came in 1st place! On to State on 4/16/16!

For the challenge, I'm at 38% for the month.

Great job on being down nearly 4 pounds!! WOOHOO! And HUGE congrats to your daughter and her team (and their manager ) !

Thanks, guys!



So ... I don't celebrate Halloween at all, so I've never dressed up. I did once dress up as Mickey Mouse for a friend's costume party (I was probably 13 or 14). I don't have any pictures, but I still have the shorts I wore.

About a year and a half ago I really got into the DisneyBound thing, so I do have some DisneyBound pictures from park trips. I don't get as into it as some people, so they may not be instantly recognizable, but I still have fun with it.
A not-great Goofy:


Ariel: (I'm not looking at the camera in this one)


Anna's Coronation Dress: (my sister is Sorcerer Mickey)


Anna (Race Outfit for the Frozen 5K):

Dory:

By our last trip I had kinda given up on the DisneyBound thing (I ran out of easy ideas and didn't want to go shopping), so I did more character-inspired touches, like wearing the necklace I had made for the Anna outfit one day, or wearing a headband I made inspired by Dumbo ... or wearing one of my many (okay, two) Minnie Mouse shirts. I did do DisneyBounds for the race outfits, though.
5K - Nemo:

10K - Dumbo:

If it looks wet in this picture ... that's because it was. Running a 10K in the rain is not always so much fun (although it was still some fun because ... Disney).

Whenever there's chocolate, I eat it all and then try not to feel bad about it.
I love chocolate, and I will never give up chocolate. I just try not too have too much at once, and then I try not to beat myself up when I do have more than planned.
It doesn't always work.

LOVE all the pictures! Thanks for sharing!! And.....MMMMM chocolate!

Hi all,
This is not my first WISH challenge but I always seem to fall off the wagon.

This month my goal is to complete 4 workouts a week.

I have started the CIZE program and have been pretty much on track (2 days at legoland this week, but that was hours and miles of walking!).

Welcome back!!

Summing It Up Sunday – Sunday, March 6th:

Summing it up Sunday is our way to end the week reflecting on the challenges and progress of the last week.


The Headless Horseman is a very popular part of the Boo-To-You parade … but let’s not lose our heads over this challenge! We’re almost a week into the March challenge, so it’s time to evaluate how we’re doing so far.

Since we’re still talking Halloween, let’s talk about the things that scared us in our healthy journey this week.

What is one thing that scared you this week? Was it a misstep or off plan day? Was there a new challenge that you were scared to take on?
Please tell us about your scary moment of the week, how you reacted to it, how it affected your day, and how you overcame that scare.

Don’t forget – progress updates are due by 5 AM (Disney World time) tomorrow. If you haven’t already posted or sent me your progress update, please get it in by then. The first progress update will (hopefully) be posted tomorrow morning.
Thank you!​

Sorry I didn't get on here yesterday. I drove DD out of town to a SCUBA convention and thought I'd find time and wi-fi to do replies on my Ipad, but alas.... I squandered my time at the thrift store!

What scared me this past week? ....hmmmmm....well.... nothing pops to mind..... but for the UPCOMING week, I am a bit scared. DD is on Spring Break, but has to work on campus from Tues-Saturday so I drive her back sometime today.... PLUS she has an interview in Boston Thursday that I will be driving her to..... PLUS we have a robotics fundraiser Tuesday that I will be manning most of the day.... PLUS I have a training at school on Wednesday to prepare to proctor some more standardized testing.... PLUS I started my new 24/7 chat coach position with WW this week (early mornings and evenings). It is going to be a bit of a crazy week and I will have to STAY STRONG so that my eating doesn't end up all over the place!!

Thanks for adding me!

A little about myself: I'm a sarcastic mom to three little minions. I have been losing weight verrry gradually over the last year. I am at constant war with my inner child who just wants a small bit of chocolate ( or small pound of ice cream or tiny bag of chips....)

I fee like controlling my eating can be a minute to minute struggle- especially at night. I have to constantly remind myself that food is not what I need. Does anyone else feel that way?? And even when I am eating and say that's enough, I still go beyond that.

I just rejoined weight watchers yesterday for round 2. If I am not accountable to anyone then it seems I make more allowances. I read something asking if you could pay some magical amount to lose weight, would you? So this is my way of paying that in small doses each month.

I am looking to steadily lose weight with small changes and develop new habits that can truly last.

I'm scared of a lot of things but mostly how easy it is to gain weight. You have five on days and one bad night can really do some damage. The key for me to remember that it's ok to have a bad night as long as I don't throw in the towel completely. I have worked too hard to go back now.

WOOHOO for another WW in the group!! Love that statement that I bolded!

I was vague about this earlier and how it affected my mood but... this is what has scared me and caused me to feel awful. Things with my parents weren't so good this week that they basically not-so-politely told me to "F" off and they not only wouldn't come to my graduation and my graduation celebration, but they no longer wanted me in their life. They pulled the same thing nine years ago when Hubs and I got married (long story of misunderstandings that culminated with my father trying to strangle my husband when things got heated and a recliner and coffee table were sacrificed in the fight). I thought we'd reconciled and moved forward, but apparently they've made excuses on why they both couldn't attend my graduation and party.

And I should be used to disappointment by now - I've been through almost 33 years of it. So the graduation party has been canceled and my beloved friends Jason and Laura (who are like family to me) will be joining us after Jason and I walk at graduation for a fancy dinner at a place called The Hobbit. Yes, a restaurant themed like the book/movie. I'm bummed to not have the party at Disneyland Hotel's Steakhouse 55 but I cannot justify spending $80 per person to just have my husband's family there and not one person from my family. It can't be like my wedding all over again.

.... so I didn't react well to it. And I've been bummed. And mopey. But I'm starting to recover and feel more human. Getting the PR yesterday really lifted my spirits, so at least that's a step in the right direction.

I also did some damage today at Nordstrom and discovered I'm down another pant size? Size 26! (Which is crazy because I haven't really lost weight). Apparently toning muscles means that I'm shrinking. Yay. So that's how I overcame the scared feeling. Retail therapy.

Thanks for the heads up - I needed an excuse to sit in front of the tv while doing laundry. I'll watch these things all the time even though I own like 3 boxed sets in various formats.

First of all......, , I am SO sorry to hear you are going through this personal crisis. Nothing I can say or do to make it better, I'm sure, but PLEASE be assured that I am praying for you. Wishing we could hold a big WISH party for you!! Hold your head high at your graduation, be proud of your accomplishments, and know that you are loved.

I would totally figure out a way to come to your graduation celebration!!!! I just wanted to say that, I understand how you feel, to a point... That's how my DH's family is to him, and have been basically his whole life. His whole family left our wedding early, literally without speaking to me, and his parents were the only ones who spoke to him and they barely said two words to him that whole night... When it finally came up later, they told us that we didn't give them a good enough reason to stay. The whole thing was devastating to both of us, and we still haven't recovered from it. The holidays were hell because it was still super fresh. I especially hate what it does to him. So, I totally get what you're going through, and I super hate it for you, but know that you have non-blood family that are CRAZY PROUD of you, and I would totally come to your graduation celebration! I'm so glad that you have Jason and Laura, too - y'all are going to have an amazing celebration!! And CONGRATS on being down yet again! WOOOOOOOOO!!

@SarahDisney I'm checking in with 0% this week. Sigh. But there are groceries in the house again so hopefully this week will go better.

I'm sorry that you are also going through family issues. It makes me so sad for you.

My scare this week was my 9 mile run. I knew it was on the schedule ... but it was on the schedule 2 weeks ago, and it didn't happen then. That run actually turned out to be a disaster run. I was pretty terrified that I wouldn't be able to make the full distance. I had a dream last night about my run ... I had to go through a door in a wall and then through a hole in the wall to get to the path where I usually run, and it caused a lot of trouble. Plus, I left my shoes on the kitchen table. Basically, it was just a weird dream about the run and it freaked me out.
Posting about the run here helped - I don't really like to talk about my runs much these days, but I thought that telling people I was going to do this would "force" me to go out and do it. Just lacing up and going out, despite an unexpected weather forecast (it said snow, but I didn't encounter any snow), also helped a lot. Once I started, I just kept going, trying to convince myself that I could do it.
So, how did it go?
9.09 miles in 1 hour, 55 minutes
Average pace of 12:39, which is a little slower than I usually am, but I was okay with it.

Once I got that run out of the way, it definitely made it a better day. Overcoming that "scare" definitely started my week off right!

Also, checking in with a progress report of 224/875 non-running exercise minutes, for a percentage of 26%.

I know I'm behind on replies, but I'm hoping to get to them tomorrow (or possibly post-Potter ... but since the Potter marathon ends at midnight, I'll probably be headed straight to bed).
We've had a lot of good progress reports so far, but if you haven't already reported your progress, please don't forget to report it before 5 AM (Disney World time) tomorrow.
Here's a secret: I don't get up until 7:30 most days, so if you don't get in your report by 5 AM, you still may make it into the progress update

WOOHOO on that great run!! WHOOPPPSS>>>> I don't think I posted my actual progress because as we all know, I am mathematically challenged and I don't know how to figure out percentages very well. Please be forgiving and give me a few more minutes!

Ok so I think we know my scare for the week has been healthwise - I visited a new Doctor this morning and I having some bloodwork done tomorrow to investigate. Also, my blood pressure is a bit high - so we are watching that for the next few months. This big takeaway I am taking from all of this is that I really need to make changes with food and exercise for my health as well as my vanity! I didn't go paddling this morning (it rained) but I had already cancelled until I could learn more but I have been encouraged to get exercising to lose some weight to help with the blood pressure issue. So while I freaked out a bit the other day I am feeling more reassured and in control now. So I overcame my scare with some help from friends on here, my local friends, my kids and my new Dr.

I'm sorry to hear about your family Courtney - there is just no feeling like being let down by family and it is natural to want your parents to be proud of you and be there to share in celebrating this big achievement. You have your lovely Hubby there cheering you on you are lucky in that respect. Sometimes families can just suck. Be proud of yourself for graduating, I will be proud of you also - I graduated 3 years ago - so not so long and I remember that feeling. Can I ask what degree you studied in?

Also, glad you had a good retail therapy experience - yay to you for being down a size!!


Glad to hear you overcame your scare for the week Sarah - I am also finding that I feel good the days I start with some activity.

GLAD you are feeling better!!!

Question of the Day – Monday, March 7th:

Week 2 is here, and this week we’re celebrating the Pixar Play Parade at Disney California Adventure!


This parade, which debuted in 2008 (and went on hiatus for a short period during the major construction at DCA), features floats and characters based on Disney –Pixar films, including Monsters, Inc., The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Toy Story, and Cars.


It doesn’t take a special uniform to become a Superhero – anyone can be a healthy superhero just by doing their best to take control of their eating and exercise habits. In addition to saving the world (and themselves) superheroes have a very important job – inspiring others to be super!

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

Thanks to all those who shared their week 1 progress - the progress update should be posted within the next few hours!​

LOVE this question!! As a WW "success story" I like to think that I inspire people to realize that truly ANYONE can do this! I tell my members frequently that I AM NOTHING SPECIAL! I have no special powers, no "extra" will power, no "bag of tricks"..... if I can do this, ANYONE can!! And it doesn't take EXTREMES! I didn't go on a year-long juice fast..... I didn't become a tri-athlete or female body builder......I didn't discover that I have a LOVE of exercise rotfl: ) or that I would rather eat celery than ice cream!

Honestly, if I had to pick out one "super power" that made me successful is that I am a fairly decent PLANNER.....not to say that this cannot be done on the fly, because it can. But being a PLANNER definitely makes it easier.

I'd like to think that I inspired DH to lose weight, although I know he WANTED to.... but needed a "bump" to get him going in the right direction (he had a bad accident and ended up with his mouth wired shut for about 8 weeks.... instant diet!!). I lost ALL of my weight with the odds stacked against me as he continued to eat and drink and eat and drink whatever he wanted and continued to be very sedentary and continued to gain weight. So anyone who says that they CANNOT lose weight because of their __________________ (fill in the blank with kids or spouse or parent) get ZERO sympathy from me! Sorry if that is harsh!

I also have a sister-in-law and niece who lost weight about 2 years ago with WW and hit their goals and looks wonderful! They have TOLD me that I inspire them....

I've also had WW members who just cannot BELIEVE that the "before" picture is actually me and they have TOLD me that it inspires them!

My biggest suggestion is to LEAD BY EXAMPLE! People who are overweight KNOW they are overweight.... you don't need to tell them or remind them! But when they see you having success and are ready to talk about it, be ready to help THEM be successful!!

I haven't shared my weight loss with many people. I think that's what makes coming here special, because I do want to talk about it, but I don't think I'm at a place yet where I've lost enough to share. I figured once I lose 50 lbs, it will be significant enough for me to share with others - and I'm hoping to get to the magic number around the middle of April. I'm not saying losing a smaller ammount isn't significant, but for me, 50 is a good number considering where I started and it's my half way point.

My close family knows, and they are starting to see the difference which is nice. I don't want to be pushy about it because I know how much I hated when others were that way with me. I feel that the main inspiration needs to come within. I knew in early December that I was going to start in January. I knew that this was going to be different. For some reason, I was just more motivated this time.

Hope that makes sense!

WOOHOO on KNOWING it is going to work this time!

**************************************

Good morning friends! I actually tried to pop onto the DIS about 4:30 this morning when I was up for my 24/7 chat shift..... but apparently the DIS was asleep!!

First shift went well.... but it was super quiet and I was concerned at first that my connection wasn't working properly. But I did end up with two calls! I was definitely able to help one person (it was pretty much a technical question) and the other person kind of walked away before I thought we were finished. We discussed some suggestions to help her situation and I think she was satisfied with the "solution" we came up with, but there was no real "closure" of the conversation. Guess I'll need to get used to that!

Need to drive DD back to school today, but I have a 24/7 shift later tonight.... still trying to figure out the logistics. BBL to chat...............P

 

[Flossbolna]

Good morning friends! I actually tried to pop onto the DIS about 4:30 this morning when I was up for my 24/7 chat shift..... but apparently the DIS was asleep!!

Yes, the DIS closes down from 4am to about 5:15am EST (sometimes back at 5am, sometimes as late as 5:30am) every day. I know this because for me it is between 10am and 11:15am. Which would be a nice time for a short coffee break with the DIS...

 

[pjlla]

REPORTING in 27.5% progress this week toward March goal ...................P

 

[pjlla]

Yes, the DIS closes down from 4am to about 5:15am EST (sometimes back at 5am, sometimes as late as 5:30am) every day. I know this because for me it is between 10am and 11:15am. Which would be a nice time for a short coffee break with the DIS...

I had no idea! Rats! I figured that is where I would spend my "downtime" between calls when I have an early morning shift..............P

 

[SarahDisney]

Ok, so my week ended with a pleasant surprise. I stepped on the scale and am down 0.6 kg (about 1.3 pounds). Don't ask me how and why, but I take it and am at 30%!!!!

Yay for a better progress report than you were expecting!

I now also had two good days in a row with staying in my calorie limits. This afternoon at my parents I could not resist the cookies, but the damage was not too horrible. So, I am very pleased with myself. If I could just get rid of the rest of that cold so that I feel fit enough for a run again. Went for a nice walk instead today and enjoyed seeing the first daffodils and crocuses coming out. If just the weather were a bit warmer, things would pop out so quickly, I can't wait to see green again!

Awesome job staying within your calories! And even if you can't run right now, a nice walk is always a great way to get some exercise!
But yeah, some green would be nice

I fee like controlling my eating can be a minute to minute struggle- especially at night. I have to constantly remind myself that food is not what I need. Does anyone else feel that way?? And even when I am eating and say that's enough, I still go beyond that.

I think a lot of us feel that way. Sometimes it's hard to identify when you're actually hungry or you're feeling something else but trying to identify it as hungry.
And I definitely get the eating after you say its enough thing - I do that a lot (which is why I had three servings of chinese food last week when I was full after 1).

I just rejoined weight watchers yesterday for round 2. If I am not accountable to anyone then it seems I make more allowances. I read something asking if you could pay some magical amount to lose weight, would you? So this is my way of paying that in small doses each month.

A number of the people on this thread are WW members and really find that it helps them. So if you have any questions abut it, feel free to ask!

I am looking to steadily lose weight with small changes and develop new habits that can truly last.

I think this is the most important part - small changes and lasting habits.
I feel so sad when I hear people say that they want to make big changes right away - those often don't last. I think you've definitely got the right idea and you're taking steps in the right direction!

Week 1: 10% to goal

I thought I was doing well this week until I wanted a cheat lunch. Which was fine, until our schedule went to heck and we ended up eating out AGAIN this weekend. I should have made better decisions at the restaurant but I didn't. But silver linings, I have three more weeks to get to it and make up for it. I did tell DH that we will go for a bike ride this evening so as long as I can pull him away from House of Cards, we will get in some light exercise too!

It may not be what you were hoping for, but some progress is better than no progress!
It's good that you know you could have made better decisions, and hopefully that will motivate you to make better decisions for the rest of the month!

It was scary to me that I instantly turned to candy ( Reese eggs that I purchased for Easter baskets) on Monday when I needed something to keep me awake after my night shift. I know better! Plus, it wasn't just one! Going back for a third egg, I stopped myself. I've been losing so slowly this winter, so I want to redouble my efforts and get this weight loss going again. Made the decision to eat fruits, veggies, and lean protein the rest of the week and lost a little over a pound.

It's definitely scary that you reached for the candy, but it's good that you realized it's a bad thing and you tooks steps to have a better rest of the week!

Sarah that is a great picture of the Headless Horseman. I took mine on Oct 29th and it is very dark but I love it.

Thanks, but I can't take the credit - I found it online. Your picture looks great!

What scared me this week is the amount of work we needed to do for the musical this week and whether we were getting certain pieces from the 3rd costumer. She has not been in the thick of things this week. I was there every night last week making sure that the kids have at least something to wear. I finally saw the dress she was supposed to be decorating and there is still a lot of work to do on it besides all the stuff for the barbershop quartet that she is working on. I have some things to do tomorrow but I will be there for 4 hours tomorrow night.

I have dipped into the chocolate bag at least once each night but that was it. I really did try to contain my snacking so I felt good about that. Another person just sent me pictures of all the hats she has worked on and they look spectacular. There is a lot to do but we will get it done by Thursday night.

Oh wow, that definitely sounds scary! Hopefully you can get everything done, and great job containing the snacking - you don't have to be perfect about it, just try your best!

I was vague about this earlier and how it affected my mood but... this is what has scared me and caused me to feel awful. Things with my parents weren't so good this week that they basically not-so-politely told me to "F" off and they not only wouldn't come to my graduation and my graduation celebration, but they no longer wanted me in their life. They pulled the same thing nine years ago when Hubs and I got married (long story of misunderstandings that culminated with my father trying to strangle my husband when things got heated and a recliner and coffee table were sacrificed in the fight). I thought we'd reconciled and moved forward, but apparently they've made excuses on why they both couldn't attend my graduation and party.

And I should be used to disappointment by now - I've been through almost 33 years of it. So the graduation party has been canceled and my beloved friends Jason and Laura (who are like family to me) will be joining us after Jason and I walk at graduation for a fancy dinner at a place called The Hobbit. Yes, a restaurant themed like the book/movie. I'm bummed to not have the party at Disneyland Hotel's Steakhouse 55 but I cannot justify spending $80 per person to just have my husband's family there and not one person from my family. It can't be like my wedding all over again.


.... so I didn't react well to it. And I've been bummed. And mopey. But I'm starting to recover and feel more human. Getting the PR yesterday really lifted my spirits, so at least that's a step in the right direction.

I don't think there's much I can say here other than that you're awesome and I'm sorry that your family doesn't see that.
It's totally understandable why you're struggling right now. But it's awesome that you have friends who want to celebrate with you, and I know we're all super excited to see pictures from your graduation!! And I kinda want to see pictures from this Hobbit restaurant too ... not that I'm a LOTR fan, but I'm super curious about this place.

I also did some damage today at Nordstrom and discovered I'm down another pant size? Size 26! (Which is crazy because I haven't really lost weight). Apparently toning muscles means that I'm shrinking. Yay. So that's how I overcame the scared feeling. Retail therapy.

Retail therapy is wonderful, especially when it shows that you're making progress. Yay!

Thanks for the heads up - I needed an excuse to sit in front of the tv while doing laundry. I'll watch these things all the time even though I own like 3 boxed sets in various formats.

So, here's what conversations in my house are like on Harry Potter Weekends:
Me: It's Harry Potter Weekend!
Someone else: They have one every few months
Me: But I love Harry Potter Weekend!
Someone else: You have all the movies on DVD.
Me: But I love Harry Potter Weekend!

I love Harry Potter Weekends on TV, but they definitely kill my productivity.

@SarahDisney I'm checking in with 0% this week. Sigh. But there are groceries in the house again so hopefully this week will go better.

I hope having groceries around helps this week go better!
Remember - we're all rooting for you and we know you can do this!

I don't really have a favorite walking/running place yet - all my workouts have been either at the weight room at school or here in my basement. Hopefully with the weather getting warmer I'll find a nicer spot, but for now, this is where the magic happens.

All you really need is some good equipment and a decent TV, and it looks like you've got that
I hope when the weather gets better you can find a great place to exercise outside - walking or running outside is definitely a different experience than the treadmill.

I lost 1.5 pounds this week, so I am at 15% of my monthly goal.

thanks!

Congrats on making progress this week!

So off topic:

Purple Magic Bands are now available!

I saw on another thread and thought I'd pass it along since some of us have trips coming up soon!

I was so excited when I saw this! Even though I have no idea if/when I'm going back (stupid financial stuff ... why can't Disney World be free?), I'm already planning to get purple on my next trip.

Ok so I think we know my scare for the week has been healthwise - I visited a new Doctor this morning and I having some bloodwork done tomorrow to investigate. Also, my blood pressure is a bit high - so we are watching that for the next few months. This big takeaway I am taking from all of this is that I really need to make changes with food and exercise for my health as well as my vanity! I didn't go paddling this morning (it rained) but I had already cancelled until I could learn more but I have been encouraged to get exercising to lose some weight to help with the blood pressure issue. So while I freaked out a bit the other day I am feeling more reassured and in control now. So I overcame my scare with some help from friends on here, my local friends, my kids and my new Dr.

Health scares are definitely a big deal, but I'm glad you were able to get through it okay.
And I think you're definitely taking steps in the right direction and hopefully you'll see the health benefits soon!

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

I had a journal on here last year where I shared my running and weight loss progress. At first it was just because I like talking about myself, but people seemed to really respond to it and I thought it was really nice that people understood what I was going through, cared about my progress, and found inspiration from what I was saying. I never thought that anyone would care about or be inspired by my journey, and it was really nice to see that reading about my struggles helped others. I decided to stop with the journal a few months ago because it was becoming a little too much work for me, but I really learned a lot from that journal about why it's important for me to share my struggles.
Since then, mostly I've been trying to share on these threads. I've thought about starting a blog, but right now I'm not sure that it's the right move for me. But I think that sharing my journey here has been a great help for me, I've really appreciated the opportunity to gain insight from what others here are going through, and I'm hoping that some of you can also gain some insight from what I've shared.

After a very successful eating weekend (both days in my calorie budget and both days with healthy home made dishes with lots of veggies) I think I am on track for another great day today. Lunch was at the cafeteria with colleagues. However, on Monday we always venture out to another company's cafeteria that is open for non-employees. They are pricier than ours, but have a lot of choices and very high quality. I picked the "for health-conscious guests" fish that came with a lemon sauce and a small portion of mashed potatoes and I had a side of cooked carrots. As a toddler I supposedly loved cooked carrots, but ever since I remember I have hated cooked carrots. I have allways loved raw carrots though. Oh - and I eat peas and carrots from a tin (don't ask, maybe it is the added sugar that made those eatable to me??). Anyway, recently I have found that my palate for veggies has become much wider. I have started to add carrots to my usual dish of baked veggies (usual suspects otherwise are bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes) and really liked them baked. And during the weekend I was thinking that I ought to try cooked carrots again. So, I saw that they were offering a side of carrots at the cafeteria and jumped at the chance to try them. They were so delicious!! And I have another vegetable than can be used!! Very happy about this!

Yay for a healthy lunch and for discovering more vegetables that you like!

To be honest, there are not a lot of people in my life who need to be inspired to lose weight. Most of my friends have no weight issues at all. But the few people who have them, I always try to not get on their nerves with weight loss talk. If they bring up the subject, I am supportive and might offer some of my perspective. But I know that I can appear rather bossy in general on topics that matter to me and that is the last thing I want to appear with regard to weight loss as I think it would be not helpful at all. And also because I hated it when I was on the receiving end of unwelcome diet tips. I do hope that taking part here in the discussions on these threads is an inspiration to others here on the DIS! I know that our community here inspireses me to do more towards my own progress!

I think it can definitely be a hard topic to discuss without sounding bossy. There's definitely a lot that we can all learn from each other (and even sometimes people who don't want/need to lose weight can learn things about being healthy from those who are trying to lose weight), but it can be hard to say it in a way that sounds helpful and not condescending. I think it's great that you try to be supportive, and I know that everyone here appreciates your participation in the challenges and sharing parts of your life with us!

I haven't shared my weight loss with many people. I think that's what makes coming here special, because I do want to talk about it, but I don't think I'm at a place yet where I've lost enough to share. I figured once I lose 50 lbs, it will be significant enough for me to share with others - and I'm hoping to get to the magic number around the middle of April. I'm not saying losing a smaller ammount isn't significant, but for me, 50 is a good number considering where I started and it's my half way point.

My close family knows, and they are starting to see the difference which is nice. I don't want to be pushy about it because I know how much I hated when others were that way with me. I feel that the main inspiration needs to come within. I knew in early December that I was going to start in January. I knew that this was going to be different. For some reason, I was just more motivated this time.

Hope that makes sense!

Deciding when to share is definitely a very personal thing. I think it's great that you focus on getting inspiration from within, and feeling motivated is always the best first step!
We're all glad you're here sharing your journey with us, and I think that once you're ready to share with others, people will be very happy for the progress you've made!

This past week was a rough week. I had a conference with my daughters teacher. In Ohio 3rd grades have to pass a state standardized test to pass 3rd grade. They have add a other ways to pass 3rd grade (thankfully). My daughter is not a good reader and has been in the Title 1 program for a few years. The conference was to go over her test. She did not do well and did not pass. Good news is that she passed a smaller test that they do so she will go to 4th grade. So we were discussing what the plan will be. She was not in Title 1 the beginning of this year so they have put her back in. There was 1 really good upside to the test score. She scored higher then most of her class in the writing section. She was above average. We just need to work on comprehension.

The conference was on Monday and I was a little bit upset. I have been worried about this test since Kindergarten. I did not tell my daughter the truth about it. I just told her she passed and that her writing was really good but we need a little bit of work on the comprehension. I am afraid that if she knew she failed it that it will discourage her. I needed to talk to my husband about what was going on and I always talk to my mom about it. Trying to find a time to talk to them about it without her hearing was tough. I was stress eating this week because of it and did do my work outs as I had planned.

Because of the not eating too good and not working out I though I would have gained weight. To my surprise I did not and to my surprise I did not gain but I didn't lose either. I will be back at it this week and will do better. The weather here is supposed to be nice so hopefully we can get outside.

Sorry to hear about your daughter's test scores, but I'm glad she's moving on to 4th grade! I know a lot of parents hate the standardized tests because they don't always reflect what the students have learned, and it can be discouraging when a kid doesn't do very well but has still made a lot of progress (my father's an educator, so I can go on and on about these things sometimes).
Hopefully this week is a better week and you can get in some great workouts (and hopefully not stress eat)!

These were taken on Saturday. As you can tell it wasn't too nice out. My husband and I love this area because we can take the kids. The library, a play ground, the lake and stores are all around this area. This is also right by the college in town that has some pretty old buildings. It is really a nice area. Oh, and it is right next to the metroparks as well.

That looks like a beautiful place to walk, even with all the snow there!

What scared me this past week? ....hmmmmm....well.... nothing pops to mind..... but for the UPCOMING week, I am a bit scared. DD is on Spring Break, but has to work on campus from Tues-Saturday so I drive her back sometime today.... PLUS she has an interview in Boston Thursday that I will be driving her to..... PLUS we have a robotics fundraiser Tuesday that I will be manning most of the day.... PLUS I have a training at school on Wednesday to prepare to proctor some more standardized testing.... PLUS I started my new 24/7 chat coach position with WW this week (early mornings and evenings). It is going to be a bit of a crazy week and I will have to STAY STRONG so that my eating doesn't end up all over the place!!

Definitely sounds like a hectic week coming up - but I know you can stay strong, stick to plan as much as you can, and come out of the week feeling awesome!

LOVE this question!! As a WW "success story" I like to think that I inspire people to realize that truly ANYONE can do this! I tell my members frequently that I AM NOTHING SPECIAL! I have no special powers, no "extra" will power, no "bag of tricks"..... if I can do this, ANYONE can!! And it doesn't take EXTREMES! I didn't go on a year-long juice fast..... I didn't become a tri-athlete or female body builder......I didn't discover that I have a LOVE of exercise rotfl: ) or that I would rather eat celery than ice cream!

I figured you would like this question.
You're definitely a great success story and a great example of how an "ordinary" person can take charge of their health!

My biggest suggestion is to LEAD BY EXAMPLE! People who are overweight KNOW they are overweight.... you don't need to tell them or remind them! But when they see you having success and are ready to talk about it, be ready to help THEM be successful!!

I love this! The best way to teach is to do - let others see what you're doing and let that help them discover that they can do it too!

REPORTING in 27.5% progress this week toward March goal ...................P

Congrats on the progress!

---

Hello, all!
So, here was my morning:
Scheduled: wake up around 7:15-7:30ish, do some light back stretches, come here and post the QOTD, do a 25 minute Pilates video, eat breakfast, take care of a few things off my to-do list, do replies and the progress update on here
Actual: woke up at 6:15, got out of bed around 8, got an email from my dad saying that I had to take care of a problem we're having with the cable, posted the QOTD, dealt with the cable box, and now I'm doing replies on here while eating breakfast. It's 10:30 and I'm at least an hour behind schedule. I love Mondays.

I'm not as annoyed about the to-do list stuff being pushed off, because none of that was time-dependent, but I'm not thrilled that I felt like I had to skip the Pilates video.
But, I refocused, reorganized my to-do list ... and you guys won't get your progress update until I do my Pilates video. I'm using the thread as an incentive to get my exercise done.

Anyway ... I hope you're all having better mornings than I am!

 

[flvy]

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

Thanks to all those who shared their week 1 progress - the progress update should be posted within the next few hours!​

I don't share my story because I'm still kind of reconciling the parts of it. I talked about it in the running thread a little bit, but that's the closest I've come.

When I decided to work on my health it was a very casual decision. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and it took about 9/10 months for me to realize that I have to give this process 100%. I've felt like I've been at the beginning of this process for a year now which can be amazingly frustrating. I've dealt with a lot of high stress situations in the last year between my personal life and work. Getting out of bed some days is a huge issue for me never mind making sure I eat properly, and go for my training runs. The last few days I've been basically paralyzed by anxiety and fear because big change is coming and this month is going to be terrible until it does. It'll be bad even right after it does as well. I guess my ability to crawl out of that time and time again is how I can inspire. I'm finally making progress with myself which is amazing, and I'm making progress with my running too. Now I just need to get my food in on this success party.

I'm so bad with my feelings and talking about them, but I know a lot of us have opened up about depression issues and have come through that. I see that, and that inspires me. All of you guys always have my support and ear whenever you need it.

 

[Lady Marie]

@courtneybeth I am so sorry to hear about that knowing from here all the hard work that's gone into your degree and the excitement that has been mounting for your graduation. I echo everyone else who says we are proud and think you're amazing!
(Also, I'm with @SarahDisney and would be quite interested to see pictures of this Hobbit place as well. That sounds fun!)

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

:-/ I don't feel like I've accomplished enough to be inspiring by any stretch. But as someone else said before, I feel like this group is an inspiration for me for sure! Just hearing about day to day challenges and how everyone strives to over come and be a healthier person from it really helps me feel not alone in the journey.

 

[DVCFan1994]

Hi Everyone! So sorry I have been MIA. First, my kids and I were al sick. Then, we went away and were busy all day everyday. I was reading posts yesterday on the drive home, but man, you were all chatty Too much for me to reply to everything, especially from my iPhone in the car.

I am home and getting back on track today. I was very good with my eating choices, while away, but I had a cocktail or two more than I should

I am happy to report I did lose 1 pound last week, which I am okay with, because I exercised less than I hoped due to my cold. So I am down 16.67%

Question of the Day – Monday, March 7th:

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?

Thanks to all those who shared their week 1 progress - the progress update should be posted within the next few hours!​

I feel like my weight loss journey is something sort of just for me. There is not a lot in my life that is mine alone, so its sort of my "me" project. I don't think of it as inspirational, so I have never thought of it as something sharing to inspire others. The one thing I can say, is that my taking up running, and doing half marathons got a few other people to do it. Mostly, because I think they knew if I could do it, they could do it. My sister says I inspire her, but I think that is backwards, because she asked me to do the PHM with her, not the other way around

Edited.
Somehow I hit reply before I was ready.

@flvy - hope you get to enjoy some of this weeks lovely weather coming our way.

I am looking forward to taking on this weeks challenge @SarahDisney, great idea. The weather should cooperate nicely, we are expecting a high of 70 here in my part of MA on Wednesday. Yay! I did a really tough weight workout today, so I will not run tomorrow, my legs are too cooked. I'll make sure to post of picture of my favorite run area, I wish I had one from a few weeks ago. I run by a reservoir, and there is a pair of swans that return every winter. Makes my run to see them. I have a swan thing

@courtneybeth, families really suck sometimes. It is horrible your family spoke to you that way. We are super proud of you. Finishing your MBA is a ton of work, and the fact you did that while working on your running is amazing. Enjoy your celebration, you deserve it. Sometimes families are not worth the trouble, and friends become a better "family" for us. And congratulations on the PR! Awesome

 

[PoohBelle]

What part of your journey to a healthier life do you feel can inspire others? What do you do to share this inspiration? Do you share your story at Weight Watchers meetings or on a blog? Do you try to inspire friends and family to follow in your footsteps and begin their own healthy journey? If you’re not currently doing anything to inspire others, have you thought about taking that step and sharing your journey?​

I'm not sure much of my story is very inspiring yet. I've been trying to lose weight since I was in junior high and have never been at a very healthy weight.

If I had to pick something, it would be my running. I started about 2 and half years ago. I tried the couch to 5k program and when I started I could just barely make the last few 30 second runs and my miles were between 18-19 minutes a piece. Now I can run (well, jog) 10-16 minutes at a time and my miles are consistently under 16 minutes. I had been 15 minute and under miles for a while, but then I got lazy for a couple weeks. Today I had a really hard time with my 10 mile run, but I'm hopeful that when my body readjust to running for long periods of time my mile times will improve again.