I knew we had two good participants for 2019 right away. They are interesting and making good things happen. Teri Shaw, Parks and Recreation Coordinator, and Philip Martin, Chick-fil-A general manager and pastor, had a great month. Here’s the recap.

Addressing what is working and not working, Teri said, “Being consistent with my workouts has worked. I am doing some form of exercise five days a week for at least 45 to 60 minutes. I allow myself one rest day per week, it is up to how my body feels whether I take it or not. Most weeks, I do it so my body and even my mind can rest. What is not working for me…I am not drinking enough water. I’m going to set alerts on my phone to remind me to DRINK UP!”

Philip said, “The key for me is portion control. Even as busy and active as I am, when I can’t pre-plan meals, I can at least control how much I eat. Also, I really enjoy exercising again. I’ve enjoyed the time investing in my health and running plus getting back into the things physically that I’ve always enjoyed. What has not worked is for me is meal prep and getting sleep. The biggest by far is lack of sleep, so we are currently making changes to ensure that increases dramatically. With just an hour of free time on an average day to spend time with my family, I don’t want that time solely focused on meal prepping.”

I asked for the one best reason that each is off to a good start. Teri said, “I wanted the change. I was ready to feel different and done with tired and overweight. Complaining didn’t help but the first few pounds lost made such a difference in how I felt.”

Philip said, “I decided I was tired of being tired. Bad decisions with food and exercise brought me to the heaviest and most unhealthy time in my life. Good decisions now will benefit not only me but I will have much more energy when I can spend time with my children.”

An example of how into it they are, Teri said, “I have been tracking calories old school style, using a pen and paper log. If eating familiar foods, I have a pretty good idea of the calories. If I stray too many days from tracking, I’ll find myself over or under eating.”

Philip consistently uses the MyFitnessPal app, tracking exercise, food and water against his daily goals. He said, “It’s great having all that information in my pocket with me for the accountability factor. I’m also competing with my daughter through our Apple Watch activity app. It’s a fun way for her to help keep me accountable.”

Teri has really enjoyed the variety of classes offered at The Forum, specifically the spin class, Zumba, kettle bell and the metabolic effect.
She said, “All offer a fun dynamic to working out, especially how welcoming the instructors and other participants have been. In each class, someone has noticed that I’m ‘new’ and will offer words of encouragement, a smile or we share a look that simply says this was a tough workout, but I’ll be back!”

Philip has not taken classes yet but wants to become stronger and build a more flexible core which would help in strengthening his back in order to alleviate back issues.

When asked about family involvement, Teri said, “My husband Tim has been very supportive, asking about my workouts and celebrating each mile stone, whether another pound lost, proper water intake, bringing ice for my foot or just simple encouragement. I haven’t wiped my kitchen clean of temptations, but learned to eat in moderation, earning snacks by working out and mindful of my calorie limit.”

Philip added, “My family is very supportive. My daughter Avery has been my sidekick. My son Jaxson and I spend time on the basketball court where its hard for me to keep up. He reminds me I’m getting old. My wif, Amber is amazing and supports me in everything I do.”

For April, Teri wants another five pound weight loss and more miles on the road, after being derailed by a bout of plantar fasciitis in March. She wants to complete a steady two mile jog/run. Philip wants to lose six pounds and build a stronger core to alleviate those back issues.
Bottom line, Teri has dropped 23 pounds so far and Philip has left 21 behind. Teri lost seven and Philip six in March. Pretty darn cool! We will see you back here at the end of April.