I LOST 50LBS, surpassing my original goal to loose 20. I've never been this small; Its both scary and fun. Next I'll loose more fat and gain muscle so I can look good in a bikini. I focus and blog on other areas of my life so I can try to achieve elusive "balance" (check out http://tinyurl.com/ycd9p22 ) I'm 41--with a Real Age of 34!--a wife, mom, manager, job adviser and cat fancier. How do I fit it all in? Most days I don't; even baby steps are progress. HOW I DID IT AND MY TIPS FOR NEW ...

I LOST 50LBS, surpassing my original goal to loose 20. I've never been this small; Its both scary and fun. Next I'll loose more fat and gain muscle so I can look good in a bikini. I focus and blog on other areas of my life so I can try to achieve elusive "balance" (check out http://tinyurl.com/ycd9p22 ) I'm 41--with a Real Age of 34!--a wife, mom, manager, job adviser and cat fancier. How do I fit it all in? Most days I don't; even baby steps are progress. HOW I DID IT AND MY TIPS FOR NEW SPARKPEOPLE...


WHY I STARTED SPARKING: Photos from summer of 2007 revealed I'd become obese. Sister asked me to be in her bridal party and I decided to loose weight to look pretty for her.

HOW I LOST 50

THE FIRST 30:
On October 15, 2007 I started with an online personal coach (an old highschool friend), walking, following a low carb diet and Spark People. I told my boss, she told EVERYONE and I suddenly became accountable to DO IT. I continued for about six weeks, then I switched to the South Beach Diet -- I love veggies and grains -- released my trainer, made more Spark Friends and added an elliptical and weights to my program.

I tried that bridesmaid dress on every week. Eventually the size 16 fit... then became big so I ordered a 14... then a 12... and had it altered. I wasn't "The Fat Bridesmaid"! On April 5, 2008 I was Sister's matron of honour; I lost over 30 lbs for her, ten more than I planned for. Then I just kept on Sparking for myself!

THE BIG 4-0:
Loosing 40 pounds by my 40th birthday became my next goal. I celebrated in August, over 40 pounds lighter than when I started, and I kept going.

THE LAST 10 POUNDS:
I rang in New Years 2009 and my fifth wedding anniversary with 50 pounds GONE! I went from 165 pounds to 115. Keeping it off and toning up is the final challenge.

The big events have passed. Now I'm doing this FOR LIFE

BIKINI BOUND:
I'm 5' 2.75" and small framed. My ideal weight range is 115 to 125. I try a bikini on every week now. As of May 2009 I know I need to loose more fat and gain more muscle in order to rock a bikini. I've recently added running to my fitness program that already includes walking, an elliptical and heavy weights. Not bad for someone who used to be completely sedentary. I am playing with my diet, trying to reduce grain-based carbs and consuming more lean protein.

OUR WHOLE FAMILY EATS THE SOUTH BEACH WAY. It is compatible with the Canadian Food Guide and recommended for my hubby who has Type 1 diabetes. I love vegetarian food; it goes great with lean meats.

MY VISION: "I am comfortable wearing a bikini. I am recognized as a fit and loving woman who is committed to healthy, balanced living."

QUOTE: "In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins…not through strength but by perseverance." -- H. Jackson Brown

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ADVICE FOR NEW SPARK PEOPLE MEMBERS
(Some of these are mine, others were shared with me.)

Acknowledge to yourself what you need to change, then tell the world and be accountable. Make your food and exercise trackers public and use them. If you want it bad enough, you'll do the work. Act as if it is impossible to fail.

Don’t do anything to loose weight that you are not willing and able to do for the rest of your life.

Set your environment up for success, don't allow constant temptations in your home or your car or your work environment. Keep the right kind of snack foods in your desk, locker, purse and glove box. Then you have no excuses for choosing something “bad”.

Do get yourself some exercise equipment, but don’t put it in the basement where it will end up as a laundry hanger or in the garage where it will gather dust. Set it up in the room you frequent most. Mine is in my living room. Yes, it gets raised eyebrows from visitors, but its there for me. Its IN MY FACE every day. And I use it. If I sit at the computer, a stability ball is my chair.

Eating clean and healthy food is an investment. Eat your veggies first. Its hard to fill up on junk when your belly is full of good food.

Don’t do it alone. Find friends who have similar goals and some who have achieved what you want to achieve. Friends help. If you are struggling, be honest and call on a friend.

Don't concentrate on waiting for results. Concentrate on your program and the results will come. Focus on becoming healthier, then everything you do is progress, even when the scale won't cooperate.

Take photos of yourself with every 5 or 10 lb loss so you can see your progress. Keep a pair of “fat pants” so you can see how you are loosing. If you feel yourself about to give in to cravings, go put your bathing suit on or look at yourself naked. If you don't have a full length mirror get one. The mirror doesn't lie.

As soon as you achieve one goal, create another. Your ultimate goal should be made up of mini milestone goals along the way. Celebrate each milestone.

When you talk about your program, speak of lifestyle changes, not of a diet. You want to keep the weight off, right? Don’t preach to others about what they are doing wrong for their health. Instead, be a role model. Your actions and results will speak louder than words. Least of all, don’t judge your partner; no one likes a nag.

Don't sign up for too many teams. After a while you will find the ones that are best for you. Let the others go, or at least unsubscribe from their automatic emails. Too much time on the computer means not enough time being active.

Enjoy Spark People! It ROCKS!

Read More About PRAIRIEDAWNPAM (Updated February 4)

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