DIS Unplugged WISHers

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<marquee><font color=red>I'm a huggin' fool</marqu
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Sep 2, 2006
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Hi Everyone,

Over the past 2 years we've seen this board, (The DIS Unplugged) grow. I've heard a few people call this board a "catch all" for all of the other discussion forums on the DIS. I find that comment strikingly accurrate. So much so, another great example has emerged. The title of this thread says it all; "WISHers".

As many of you may know there is another discussion forum on the DIS called W.I.S.H. I'm not exactly sure of the full story behind the W.I.S.H board, but as you will learn its all about attempting to keep DISers healthy and fit through working with each other by accomplishing specific goals. A great concept because trying to stay healthy and fit alone is extremely difficult.
Here is a link to the W.I.S.H. board
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=59
And here's a link to one of Dave Parfitt's blogs about the Expedition Everest Challenge and some WISHers.
http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/08/20/expedition-everest-challenge-september-26-2009/

Many of the regular posters to this board may not know it, but we are part of the W.I.S.H story. Some of us have participated in the W.I.S.H story in different ways:
Dave Parfitt (Mouse Skywalker) writes blogs about the Disney Endurance Series and helped lead us through the Muddy Buddy in May of 2009.
http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/05/19/view-from-the-mud-pit-muddy-buddy-orlando-2009/
And Kathy Werling blogged about the Muddy Buddy as well.
http://www.disunplugged.com/2009/05/09/men-muscles-mud-the-adventures-of-six-dirty-disers/
Paul Lunny (launchpad11b) has also lead through example by telling (and showing) us the importance of staying active.

Many of us who used to be overweight, like myself, have been very fortunate to be a part of this board. Because we've kept in close contact, we've not only been able to shed pounds, but we've been able to do something even harder....Keep it off. Many of my close, personal friends on this board were in the same situation as me. Friends like Don (dpuck1998), Chris (crazydisneyman), Todd (jeangor), and even Dave at one point were overweight or not in shape, but through this board and our close contact we've managed to change our lives for the better. We've made health and fitness part of our everyday lives.

The purpose of this thread was not to "blow our own horns" or "pat ourselves on the back" but to bring to light what has happened right here on the DIS Unplugged board over the past 2 years. When special and unique circumstances happen they should be brought to light for the benefit of everyone. Additionally, there are many opportunities discussed on the DIS Unplugged board where you can participate in an endurance race. I know of some threads out there now discussing the 2010 Muddy Buddy and the Wine & Dine Half Marathon. I even remember one DISer who started a thread about his weight loss quest and continually updated us on his progress each week. A great idea considering we are here to support each other.

I would encourage you to become part of our story. participate in a Disney endurance or local community race; even if its just walking/running a 5K. Those races are just as fun as full or half marathons. Join our discussion threads when we are talking about races, exercising, or just keeping fit. We are all here to encourage one another. You would be surprised how keeping in contact with friends on these boards keeps you focused on the task at hand. Whether it's running, walking, or going to the gym every little bit helps.

As many of you are aware this is a very dynamic community. It's amazing what's been accomplished over the years. This is just another example of how the DIS can affect your life in a positive way.

Please tell us your story in this thread or on the Unplugged board. Tell us what you'd like to accomplish and what goals you have in mind. You can even post if you are interested in running in one of the Disney endurance races. Who knows, you may find another DISer interested as well and become partners or supporters. Maybe your motivation is for other health reasons. Either way, we'd love to hear your story. Just remember, every long journey starts with a first step and the DIS is a great place at not only providing that first step, but keeping you moving along the way. :)
 
I participate on the WISH boards quite a bit. My story isn't really all that inspiring but here it is.

I had to work my way through college. The job I had at the time had a mandatory minimum of 48 hours a week. I took between 12 and 18 credit hours per semester. I also lived at the time with my grandma. The combination of limited time and daily grandma food contrived to make me a bit out of shape and overweight.

When I graduated I got promoted within the company which necessitated a move to the Tampa area of FL. Going from the ridiculous schedule to a 40 hour work week freed up a lot of time and I decided I needed to get back into shape. I decided to look into how to eat healthier and started to exorcise at the gym in my apartment complex. I also started rollerblading every day from one office to the other (I had to be at two different offices every day that were about 3 miles apart) instead of driving.

I really wanted to run but couldn't go more then a mile without feeling like I was going to cough up a lung. I managed to lose the fat I gained in college and became a much better eater. Finally, one of my friends talked me into doing a 5K. I thought why not and trained for it. I finished my first ever 5K in February 2005. It was the 5K that is run as part of the Gasparilla Marathon weekend. I was hooked. I ran for the next 5 months and then moved back home. I had no desire to do anything longer then a 5K but after a while figured...why not a 10K. The cycle repeated itself for a half marathon and finally last October I did my first full.

Unfortunately I was already back in Ohio when I decided I was going to do a half marathon which would be the 2006 WDW half. I still had my pass from living down there which was good until Feb 2006 so I already had park tickets and used it to justify going down for the run.

I started listening to the podcast in early 2008. I think had just returned form my second WDW half in Jan 2008 and I am pretty sure I found the WISH boards with a "Disney running" Google search.

I will be doing the Wine & Dine half in October and the WDW full this coming January.

Ok, that's all I got.
 
I've been doing Weight Watchers for over a year now, but I've had some backslides because I've overindulged on three vacations in a row. The good news is that I've still kept off the majority of what I lost. This year I'm going to concentrate on getting back what I lost and continuing on until I reach goal.

If that's a year or two from now, no problem. It's not a race, but a journey!
 
I just got involved with the WISH boards recently. I'm a fan of the Biggest Loser show and found the WISH Biggest Loser challenge and signed up. I've already lost 10 pounds!! I didn't even realize how much I'd lost until our team leader PM'd me and told me that I'd hit that milestone!! I knew I was seeing a change in my body and how my clothes fit-but WOW.

I've been a swimmer my whole life (pools, NOT LAKES) but as I've gotten older I've gotten away from it and gained a lot of weight. Through the WISH board I've not only gotten the motivation to get back to swim practice, but I've also joined a group of folks doing the Couch to 5k running program! I'm in Week 5 and the support I've gotten from that thread has been amazing. I'm doing the ESPN 5k this weekend and I'm going to do the Mickey Halloween run in October. I can't wait to see the difference between the two and how much I will have improved between now and then!

I'm glad you started this thread, because lives are literally being changed because of the WISH board, and because of the DIS boards. This is a great opportunity for those of us who are experiencing those changes to thank Pete and everyone involved for giving us this wonderful place.

For those of you who want to live a healthier lifestyle-PLEASE come over and try out the WISH boards. The support and friendship you'll find there will really help you!
 

I'm mostly a lurker over at WISH, but I definately credit them with changing my couch potato ways. Less than 2 years ago I couldn't run a mile. I saw the couch 25K thread and was inspired. I always knew about the Disney races, but reading posts over on WISH made them seem do able. In the last 1.5 years I've done Expedition Everest 5K , TOT 13K, Muddy Buddy (with the very kind loan of a bicycle from a WISHer), WDW 1/2 marathon, DL 1/2 marathon, and WDW full marathon. I will be signing up for the Wine & Dine 1/2 and the Goofy in 2011. I guess I'm living proof that the internet doesn't lead to a more sedentary life. :thumbsup2
 
I am a VERY active member of WISH!

In fact, there are 8 of us DISers who met on a WISH thread 2 years ago and in 9 DAYS we are heading down to WDW to run the Princess Half Marathon together! (And I plan to blog about it for the DisUnplugged!) We are all so excited to finally get together, celebrate our successes and compete in the Half Marathon.

Me, my story isn't all that inspiring, but I will share it just the same. In my 20s, I was very thin and fit--an aerobics instructor in fact. Then, beginning at 30, I had 3 kids in 3 years. I just didn't give my body a chance to bounce back between pregnancies. So an extra 10 pounds from the first baby quickly became 20 after the second and 30 after the third. Of course, with 3 very young children, I didn't make the time to work out or eat right. So, those 30-ish pounds just stayed on. And at 5'2", 30 pounds really looks like a lot.

After taking a family trip to WDW, I was back home looking at our photos of the trip. And I saw this one picture of me with Figment and I was horrified. How had I let this go on for so long? So that day I went to the WISH forums, found the thread I mentioned above, and the rest is history. That was just about 2 years ago. And since that time, I have lost the weight, done 3 Half Marathons and 2 triathlons. And in all honesty, I owe it all to WISH! I still have about 7-8 pounds to lose and will focus on that once I get through the upcoming race, but at least I am comfortable in my skin again.

Here are my before and after pics:

FatFigment.jpg
DSCF5702.jpg
 
Thanks for starting this thread! I started a journal on the WISH Journals sub-forum in December 2009.

I've been overweight most of my life. When I was in college, I lost 75 pounds. I felt great! After keeping the weight off for a couple of years, I started gaining it back. I gained 30 to 40 pounds after starting an office job and several more after my mom had a stroke. After she passed away, I turned to food and gained quite a bit of weight. Since college, I've gained 134 pounds. That was a difficult number for me to swallow, and it felt overwhelming to start the process of losing weight.

I decided to start a journal after planning a trip to Disney World (for February of 2010). The trip gave me motivation to start walking and eating healthy. I was encouraged by the amount of support received. When posting my ups and downs, someone was always there for support.

While at my trip to Disney, I noticed how great my feet felt compared to the last time. It was definitely a perk of walking everyday. Since the trip is over, I now have to get back to work on my journal! Thanks to the WISH forum, I have almost made it to one of my mini-goals!
 
My story is that it is thanks to the Podcast Cruise - and the incredible group of friends I made on that trip - that got me back to Weight Watchers and serious about it for the first time in my life.

I came back from that cruise wanting to be a better friend. And that started with being a better ME.

No journey is complete without bumps in the road, but today I hit the 28# loss mark, and that'll be doubled by PCC Todd.0. :goodvibes
 
Well, I guess I should jump in too. I'm in the Princess Half group that Erika mentioned, but I will be there in 7 days! :cool1: I found encouragement and support in this group of ladies. Along with that, many of us have become friends. It is rare that we go very long without talking.

My story isn't all that impressive. I've had some struggles, but I can at least say that I'm getting there. After the half, I will begin training for a tri. I never would have dreamed that. I can't wait to reach this goal.
 
Wow! These are some great stories. Keep them coming everyone.

Erika - Those before and after pictures say it all. Congratulations to you.
 
Actually, I found the Disboards and the podcast due to WISH. My family are Disneyphiles, but I had happily used another Disney website for years and never even knew this place existed. Imagine that! In that time, we ran three Disney Half Marathons. So, when the email came regarding Expedition Everest, the best information I could find on the topic was from Dave Parfitt's blog which, of course, led to the WISH board and then the podcast. Although I have peeked into the boards for a while and was immediately hooked on the podcast, I only registered a couple of days ago. Since we have a short trip to Disney coming up, I thought this would be a perfect time to join in this great group.

Fitness wise, I run a little bit, do a few classes at the gym, and use at home fitness DVD's liberally - sometimes while listening to the podcast! When I get sloppy with my eating, I use the Weight Watchers online tools to get back on track. I have been doing that for the last few months, but my real goal for the year is to get stronger and to reduce my body fat in proportion to my muscle mass. If my running improved a little in the meantime, all the better. So far so good!

I hope to join in on the WISH board's threads as I become more comfortable with how everything works. I am interested in doing other Disney fitness events, including the Muddy Buddy and maybe some other running events. So I will use the board for advice on these. In the meantime, I will just be inspired by all of the great stories and learn from everyone's tips!
 
Thanks for starting this thread Aaron. I have not said much here or on facebook but I joined the WISH board in late December. The BL9 thread was posted here on the podcast board and I figured what the heck let me check it out. Then I also joined the C25K program thread because my husbands P90X was just to hard for me. Like PeterPan09 (sorry I should know your name by now but you dont have a siggy) both threads have given me great inspiration and support. I will say it here now but I didnt want to brag on the podcast board or facebook. I have changed so much in 2 months. I can run 2 miles straight (25 min). I could hardly go 1 min when I started. Everyone who has met me knows I am not a little girl.:rotfl: I have lost 18 pounds. I owe it all the WISH and the DIS. I love running who would have ever known. It is becomming addicting for me. I would have never even started if it was not for the WISH board. So come on over and join us. It is an awesome place to be.:goodvibes
 
Another active WISH-er here...I have a journal that helps me keep track of my progress.

I'm currently down 34 pounds and am running in my first 1/2 marathon shortly (Disney of course!)...who would have thought that I'd have come this far. I certainly didn't think I would have - but now I have a WISH journal to go back through and really see how I've progressed - and have made some new friends in the process.

I've lurked on DisBoards for a few years, but this year I finally started talking more thanks to DisUnplugged and WISH.
 
Aaron, what a great post. I wish that I could post an inspirational story when it comes to weight loss, but my weight is my biggest failure in life. I went to visit a doctor, and he told me that when I want to snack have a cucumber instead of chips. Well, I'm not completely stupid. I KNOW I should have a cucumber instead of a bag of chips, but I just can't seem to make myself eat that cucumber. I have been a little overweight ever since I was ready to get married. An aunt told me that I would be a much better person and happier if I lost a little weight before the wedding. To her, me being overweight was something to gossip about. I got in trouble for what I called her.

I have successfuly lost weight twice. The first time was with a friend, and I lost 40 pounds. She failed. I succeeded. I didn't want to let her down. She let me down, though, by not showing up to work-out and by cheating with the eating. So, when it came time to her wanting to try again, I couldn't do it again, because I knew it would matter if I let her down.

The second time was a small amount, but I have kept it off.

But, to me, the worst thing about losing weight is failing at it. My mom is a chronic dieter. She has been up and down more times than I can count. I don't want to be her. I've tried C25K, and while I did get to week 6, I believe, it bothered my knees, and I decided for my healthy I need to lose weight first and then try that again.

I am joining a new gym on Monday and I'm hoping that that will be a good jump start. I need to be a better example for my children. And, I really love my husband, and he deserves to be married to a better me. So, thanks for the inspiration. I hope one day I can post my story. :)
 
I love the WISH board!

I am doing my very first half marathon at Disney next Sunday (Princess Half) and finally really believe I can do it!

I am going to be mostly walking and have a LONG way to go before most of the world would consider me "healthy" - but at least I am out there working on it!

I need to do more with my diet to go with the exercise. I find the exercise makes me hungry! :rolleyes1

Thanks for starting this thread! Hopefully more folks will be inspired to hang out on the WISH board. :)
 
Cool thread Aaron. All of you who have gotten into shape are a real inspiration. I can honestly say, I'm not sure I would be able to do what you did. I'm forced to stay in shape due to my profession. Without that motivator, who knows. Keep it up guys. :thumbsup2
 
I don't participate in the WISH board but my weight loss is directly related to Disney. So here is my story.

At the beginning January 2006 we booked our first family trip to Disney. At that time I weighed 262.50 pounds. About 4-5 days after I booked that trip I started worrying about several things. The top two items were fitting into the airplane seat without needing a seatbelt extender and I also worried about fitting onto the rides. Within days of booking that vacation I joined Weight Watchers. When we went on vacation in March 2006 I was down 20 pounds. I didn't need a seatbelt extender and I fit into all the rides just fine.

When we went back to Disney in March 2007 I weighed 145 pounds. That first trip back to Disney as a family is what motivated me to lose my weight and I have kept it off since. If it weren't for that initial trip I don't know what would have motivated me to lose the weight.

My husband is now loosely following Weight Watchers and is down 25 pounds with 20 pounds to go. We are both working on getting and staying healthy. In the last 6 months I have started going to the gym 4 days a week and 2 of those days I work with a personal trainer.

Knowing that other people on this board (Dave and Nikki that I can name off the top of my head) help me remember that I'm not in this journey alone and that I'm not the only one who has been there. It's nice to know that! As of today I weigh 144 pounds and continue to keep the weight off.
 
Many of you know my story with weight. I lost 119 pounds and have kept it off for two years this March. The WISH forums were always helpful to visit. To me, it isn't hard to lose weight; it's more challenging to keep it off. I'm committed to it though and so far things are going well.

Congrats to all of you on your journey!

Suzette --- We have so much more in common than I realized. I weighed 264 when I first began losing weight. I'm now at 147. :)
 
I'm amazed at some of the stories everyone has posted. I feel like I could pull some aspects of each story and relate it to my story. Maybe, in some way, we all think alike in some respects. One thing we all have in common for sure is we all love the theme parks. :goodvibes

Keep the stories coming.
 


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