We are down to one. Philip Martin has officially withdrawn but Teri Shaw has the hammer down and is pushing for the finish. Teri, City Park Recreation Coordinator, hasn’t had a slack week all year and the results so far prove it.

Teri thought October was likely to be a challenging month. She said, “This month has come with the stress that I suspected. Very busy with a lot going on, so my success has truly been meeting my weight loss goal, and not succumbing to the stress. I added an extra mile to my Thursday runs and that 4th mile has been fun.”

She also suspected another issue might try to interfere. Teri said, “This month, I had to figure out how to balance my workouts while dealing with severe allergies. The fall of the year is the worst for me. I prefer to do my runs outside, but I had to be mindful of my health and keep my outdoor exposure to a minimum. That has not been fun but being aware and taking the necessary precautions has made it bearable.”

One of my favorite things is that other workout regulars have begun to voice their approval of Teri’s success. I get a big kick out of it because no past participant in the Post wellness program has been as consistent.

Teri said, “Honestly this has really been a bit of a challenge. I don’t take compliments too well. But when I stop and think about my journey, I have to take those compliments with pride. This has been progress to be proud of and I hope others can be motivated by my results. So, to anyone that thinks it is too hard to improve yourself, just take it one day at a time. Before you know it, you will be eligible for ‘Superstar’ status too.”

I asked Teri what she had in mind for something new in November. We regularly discuss new things to try. She said, “I’m on the home stretch to finishing out an awesome year. I don’t want to change much, but it would be nice to go on a hike. This is something I have not done, so I’ll have to start looking at some local areas and gather some friends.”
Teri has a tightknit family and two teen daughters who appreciate their mom’s effort.

She said, “My girls are thrilled with my success. They encourage me more than they know. I first wanted to be healthy to keep up with them. Most days they can barely keep up with me! I’m able to use my success to encourage my girls to keep active and we talk about the long term benefits. I was an athlete before, then fell off the bandwagon. Just start moving.”

One improvement with regular workouts for Teri was unexpected. She said, “Sleeping well had not been a major issue prior to working out. But I would tire out easily or feel super sluggish. Before this program, I would try to turn in early because I was tired, even if I didn’t go right to sleep. I just wanted to lay down. Getting in shape allows me to be more productive and alert longer in the day.”

Teri concluded, “This journey has taught me to be selfish, and I’m good with that. Most times everyone and their things would come before mine which wasn’t always the best. Not anymore. I’m okay with putting some of my things first and if I choose not to, I make sure Io prepare for that and it is short term. We just have to make time for ourselves, especially when health is so important.”For October, Teri dropped another 6.5 pounds. Her total weight loss for the year so far is 57 pounds. She has two exciting months remaining.

See you back here at the end of November.