WEEK 11...Nikki meets a goal and opens up about the mental challenges of getting fit.

Why all the talk about Lifestyle?  What does any of this have to do with me wanting to lose weight?  Can’t I just drop my calories and exercise and lose those extra pounds?  If it were only that simple, a large percentage of the country wouldn’t be overweight and spending billions to find a miracle supplement.  Nutrition and exercise are absolutely key when seeking weight loss but the missing component that is often ignored is the busy lifestyle that has supported the weight gain in the first place.  Because our bodies are made up of hormones - when we are stressed, not sleeping, not eating right – this can put our bodies into “fat storing” mode, not “fat burning” mode – which cause more cravings, emotional eating and stress – which keeps us in this viscous unproductive cycle.  How do we get out of it?  Take an inventory of your lifestyle, determine what you can change, and most importantly…focus on leading a “healthy, fit lifestyle – not just the weight loss.

Nutritional Homework
Congratulations to Nikki as she has lost 25 pounds!  She has reached an important goal that is continuing to inspire her weight loss.  She also has a rewards system in place with her husband to celebrate these goals during her weight loss journey.  I have asked Nikki to incorporate a little more variety in her lunches as she is eating a lot of sandwiches on the go.  I would recommend a healthy balance between sandwiches, wraps, salads and leftovers (healthy dinners you have prepared earlier in the week).  She is trying a protein powder drink which she will mix-up in a shaker cup post workout when she is on the go – good job Nikki!!!

Exercise Homework
I am starting to see some changes with Nikki’s fitness level… she is performing exercises with more ease and strength every week, showing that consistency and perseverance pays off.  This week we added an alternating squat-n-press (which utilizes more core), a wall toss (which elevates heart rate) and added more weight to her chest press as she is now perfecting her form.

Nikki’s Comments
Slowly but surely, I’m seeing positive changes with my body – halleluiah! My clothes are fitting differently and it makes me excited to keep going to see even bigger results! I’m continuing to follow Jodi’s direction, challenging myself a bit more each week with both nutrition and fitness.  Variety is key, so I don’t get bored eating the same foods or too comfortable with my work-outs.
I’m not sure I’ll ever feel fully “comfortable” in a gym setting but I am settling into a routine at the Y. I do feel more equipped – I have a plan from Jodi so I know what I need to accomplish each day. I walk in with a sense of purpose and I do my best to blend in with the crowd, even though some days I feel self-conscious like I’m in the Sesame Street game “one of these things is not like the others”. I cannot hide my weight problem anywhere I go, but in the gym, it feels magnified. I know it’s only my own insecurities talking – and for the most part, everyone is concentrating on their own work-out and not paying attention to how I look. But then I also know how my own thoughts drift while exercising and I do notice others.

I’ve said many times that this experience is as much of a mental journey as a physical journey – and this is an area that I have to be deliberate to use my observations of others as inspiration and motivation instead of mere comparisons. That’s tough. But beyond any jealousy or feelings of inadequacy, I am in awe of the drive and discipline of the girl who looks like she stepped straight out of a fitness magazine, or the senior citizen who can hop on the machine next to me and easily pass my speed, or the child in the wheelchair having a ball racing around the track with his friend. I find myself silently cheering for others who are really pushing themselves hard. And I have an unspoken camaraderie with others who are overweight and bravely stepped out of their comfort zone to be in the gym. So I’ll go again tomorrow, crank up my music and do my best to look like a natural, and I hope that you are silently cheering me on.