Mary - Momma in the Middle of the Mission
Conway, AR
31 years old
Starting Weight: 201
Current Weight: 166
Goal Weight: 150 - This is my first goal! It will be the smallest I've been in years. I'm anxious to see how I feel at 150; I think I'll want to go further!!
What finally made you decide to start with PNP? At the first of 2007 I started on a weight loss quest. I began eating according to the South Beach Diet and started starving myself of carbs. I found myself feeling deprived and unsatisfied with each meal. I knew if this weight loss quest was going to work this time I had to find a program that didn't leave me feeling deprived all the time.
What type diet did you follow along with PNP? None really. I really just follow Corinne's recommendations of eating as clean as I can, eat lots of fruits and veggies, lean protein and good carbs. Eating every 2-3 hours is key for me because it allows me to never feel ravaged to the point of binging. This is key for keeping me on plan and eating healthy!
Why did you choose this diet? I too have tried just about every diet and diet-quick-fix you can think of. They all worked to one degree or another for a short period of time. I was simply using them as a means to drop the weight quickly and then resumed my old, bad eating ways. I was looking for a lifestyle change, one that I could stick to, that was realistic and would really fit into my life. That is what PNP does for me! It just fits!
How long did it take to get to your current physique? I started with Corinne in March 2007. I'm currently 35lbs down and definitely still on my mission - A true WORK IN PROGRESS!
What is a typical workout week like for you? 4-5 days working out in my "home gym". I follow a 3-day strength training plan designed by Corinne and include 4-5 routines of cardio in addition each week. My favorites are Corinne's combo Elliptical Cardio Sculpt routines. They break up the cardio with some strength training and keep my heart rate elevated for the entire workout. What Corinne has taught me is that some of the best exercise workouts come from chasing my 2 small kids! I'm now able to jog along side a bicycling 4-year old for 30+ minutes. I like to throw in some bonus cardio of those types of workouts each week because that's just plain FUN!
What is a typical daily menu? Breakfast: Fiber One and Banana; Morning snack: Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe protein bar and strawberries; Lunch: Either a salad with chicken or turkey or a wrap with veggies and chicken or turkey both would be paired with a fruit cup; Afternoon snack: Peanuts and raisins; Dinner: Dinner salad, steamed broccoli and either baked fish, chicken or sirloin; Post workout / evening snack: Peanut butter and milk or a protein shake
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome or are still overcoming? My personality is one that likes to do things all-out. I'm an all or nothing kind of girl. For me eating healthy and exercising was always difficult because I'd go all out, change everything up and BURN OUT. Most of the time this behavior has and still does lead to sabotage. I have been more successful this time because I started slow, didn't make too many changes all at once and gave my body and mind time to get used to this new lifestyle. It's a daily struggle for me though because at times when I fall off-plan (which I definitely do!!) the sabotage thinking sneaks back in and urges me to just continue down the path of bad eating, sedentary lifestyle. I have to remind myself that each meal and workout counts and how I react to those meals and workouts affects the next.
How did you keep yourself motivated? Talking to my PNP friends! This community is inspiring, we share our successes and our not so-successful-times as well. We are there to pick each other up or pat each other on the back. I've found that surrounding myself with like-minded women (and a couple of dudes) keeps me focused on my goals. I don't feel so alienated in this journey because I know that there are other Phatties just like me, going through the exact same struggles and wins that I can lean on. We set goals frequently and we check in on one another for the progress we've made on those goals! It keeps me focused on my Phitness!!
What is your #1 Super-Secret Tip to success? Journaling has been key for me! But in addition to that I've learned so much about how what I eat affects my ability to endure a kick-booty workout! All the times before I tried to start an exercise program I found that I was always so tired and felt like each workout was a chore that I could barely complete. I was sluggish completing each workout and found myself dreading the exercise because I knew I wouldn't be able to do it. Now that I'm eating the PNP way my workouts are more fueled! I have more energy to complete them and it's made ALL the difference. I actually look forward to my exercise time now!
Do you think it will be easy to fall back into your old lifestyle pattern? How do you prevent this from happening? Yes, for me it would be very easy. I can't fool myself into thinking that I'm a reformed fat girl because at this point in my journey I still have to be so diligent. I said it above, but I daily remind myself how important each meal and each workout is. The way I combat "falling back into my old ways" is by planning EVERYTHING. Knowing what to expect and having my plan each day for each meal and exercise routine makes this lifestyle stick for me!
What's your favorite aspect of being with PNP? The support - the other PNP'ers - and Corinne! I've learned so many tips, how to use some great tools to fit meal planning and exercise into my life and made some great friends along this journey so far. It doesn't get much better than that!