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June 2008 at 260 lbs, dancing with my students. I'm in black with the blue hip scarf.
52 pounds gone! June 2009
My pottery work - Textured pitcher. See more at http://lablanchepoterie.com
I have 41 pics in my gallery
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Flab Free by 50!
Hello SparkWorld,
I'm an active woman with a very full life! I'm a ceramic artist and teacher and a belly dance instructor. This winter I'm teaching 5 classes weekly in the Ottawa/Gatineau, Canada area.
I love walking, weight lifting, hiking, swimming, kayaking and Wii Sports, and of course, dancing! I also like to hang out with my man, my kitty, a good book, home design magazines and my girlfriends.
I started my weight loss journey many years ago in ...
Hello SparkWorld,
I'm an active woman with a very full life! I'm a ceramic artist and teacher and a belly dance instructor. This winter I'm teaching 5 classes weekly in the Ottawa/Gatineau, Canada area.
I love walking, weight lifting, hiking, swimming, kayaking and Wii Sports, and of course, dancing! I also like to hang out with my man, my kitty, a good book, home design magazines and my girlfriends.
I started my weight loss journey many years ago in 1995 and did very well just by stepping up my physical activity. Over the next 2 years I would drop my dress size from a 26 to an 18.
I lost a few more pounds after that, but it was slow going. I almost fit into a size 16 pants, but then in 2002, at the age of 41 and going through the first stages of peri-menopause, I moved east to live in the countryside with my new love. It was a huge change that was stressful in many ways.
I tried working out at home, but lacked the skills and information I needed to be effective. There was a gym in the next town, but I didn't know that until 2004. By then I had gained back an enormous amount of weight (I can tell from an old photo), but since I neglected to weigh myself or have a doctor weigh me for many, many years, I didn't realize that I'd gained that much. I guess that's what you get for wearing stretchy pants!!
When I found the gym, I joined and I lost weight, but who knows how much? I still didn't weigh myself. The ladies at the gym were impressed with my progress and they said I'd lost quite a bit. My gym life was sporadic and in late 2005 I stopped going. I began again in 2006 and was pretty good about attending until an injury to my achilles in April 2007 had me walking with a cane and then in physiotherapy for months.
In 2008, I was feeling every pound that I had on my body. I was tired, irritable, felt thick in the middle and was depressed. My size 20 jeans were so tight I have no idea how I managed to squeeze into them. I do remember lots of jumping and pulling and not being able to breathe while sitting. I'm sure I could've easily fit into a 22.
I found Spark quite accidentally (was it really an accident? The Universe works in mysterious ways!) and joined right away. I started using the fantastic tools here like the Nutrition Tracker, and saw right away where I was going wrong. It wasn't all about working out! It's about eating too...or in this case NOT eating so much.
It was plain to see that I was eating for two, but I had no idea! It seemed to me that everyone ate about the same amount as I did, so why was I fat? Then I looked around and noticed that many, many people are fat. Some are morbidly obese and it doesn't actually take much weight to qualify for that category. Scary!
Facing my later mid-life with these extra pounds made my knees hurt, my back ache and my mind worry. My mother was diagnosed with Type II diabetes about two years ago, and I felt that that would also be my fate, not to mention arthritis (both my parents have it), varicose veins and a host of other health issues that I would rather skip altogether.
I've learned so much about nutrition, fitness and wellness from Spark People. I've met some amazing people who are on their way to changing their lives one pound at a time! I hope you will stick around and get it done here at Spark with us. As you probably know by now, there is no magic pill. It's simple math. Burn more than you eat. Eat well. Seek balance. Just have fun doing it and it won't be that bad. I promise!
SO! The count down is set! I'm looking forward to 50 in just 12 months and have set my goal to be flab free and fabulous by 50!
You can see my pottery work here:
http://lablanchepoterie.com
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My Weight Loss Progress:
| Pounds lost: 67.0 |
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Interact with HIPPICHICK1
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Recent Blogs:
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Profile
Member Since: 7/22/2008
SparkPoints: 44266
SparkAmerica Minutes: 39656
My Goals:
My goals are to be as healthy as I can be, enjoy life to the fullest and help people along the way.
My Program:
Weekly weigh-ins to check progress
Counting calories - it works!
Being active on most days by choosing something fun to do.
Strength training is key!
I have DETERMINATION to be healthy, happy, flexible and more attractive than ever!
Personal Information:
Weight my first day on Spark - 260 lbs.
Starting Measurements:
Neck 16.5
Bust 46.5
Under bust 40
Waist 46.5
Hips 53.5
January 29/10
Weight - 193
Neck 14.5
Bust 42.5
Under bust 35
Waist 39.5
Hips 46
Other Information:
Currently Reading -
"The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck. I've read this book before and highly recommend it. I will then read "Sons" and "A House Divided" which are the other two in the trilogy by Pearl S. Buck.
Currently Listening -
New belly dance mix, Chris Whitley and Lucinda Williams.
Current Favorite Cardio Activities - Walking in the deep snow, Belly dancing, Wii Resort Sword Fighting.
My Wii High Scores-
Boxing 1977
Tennis 1770
Golf 579 (just started)
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Just Sparkin' by to say HI! 
and wish you a great day walking in the cold. (You have more energy than any other three people.)