Archive for February, 2012
“I wish I’d started Curves Complete sooner!”
I love success!!!
4 more pounds gone this week and I love feeling good!
My only regret since beginning this challenge has been that I did not start it sooner!
I am averaging over 10K steps each day and really challenging myself to find new ways to add more steps to everyday activities. Instead of my old way of trying to save steps; leaving items at the top of the stairs and making one trip down, I am making multiple trips. I’ve added riding an exercise bike to my routine.
Since I sit all day at work, it’s hard for me to add more steps there, but I am using the “other” restroom instead of the closest one and trying to take longer paths to different departments.
Every little bit helps and I know every additional step is another step closer to my goal.
“You have to follow the plan, not make up your own meals!”
Last week, I didn’t lose any weight, but I didn’t gain any, either.
After talking with my coach, I found out I was not supposed to make up my own meals.
This week, I ate the meals the way I was supposed to. I found some pretty good meals that I enjoyed.
But the most exciting thing is that I lost 2 pounds!!
This is one of the reasons I’m glad I joined Curves Complete.
I never would have figured this out on my own. I took what my coach said, and I listened.
And my reward was 2 pounds gone!
That makes a total of 16 pounds and 16 inches lost! Yay me!
“Finally! Results!”
Hi, Kristen Blaker here again!
Well, this week has been one of the most satisfying yet!
I have been struggling with the numbers on the scale for 6 weeks now and I have finally seen some results!
I stepped on the scale at my weekly check in and was down 7 pounds!!!!
This was very exciting for me and also encouraged me to keep it up.
This has taken away a lot of the frustrations I have been feeling.
Fingers crossed for good news next week!
“Do you really know how active you are?
Who knew a pedometer could be so valuable?
When I was told I would be getting a new pedometer as part of my Curves Complete package, I was not impressed. I really thought I didn’t need one and it was just another example as to how “techie” our world was becoming. I readily accepted my coach’s offer to program it for me. Just one less thing to worry about, I thought. Plus, I was at that point convinced I probably wouldn’t even use it.
At first it was awkward to wear, but now I don’t even notice I have it on. My eye opener came on the very first day. I had always thought of myself as an active adult. Not an athlete, but one who didn’t just sit on the couch. I was a teacher my entire working life, so that in my mind was an active career.
Boy was I wrong.
On the first day of wearing my pedometer, I found that the entire Curves circuit only adds about 2,500 steps to our day. Standing, while better than sitting, is not the same as walking! To get anywhere close to 10,000 steps I have to go to Curves plus take a very lengthy walk around several blocks, and then not sit for every commercial, but run in place as well as jog around my house. In other words I have to be actively moving most of my day. A great aha moment here!
I now actively seek the information my pedometer provides me. I am constantly checking it to see how many steps I still need before I reach my goal for the day. And if I haven’t reached it, I know I can always jog during a few commercials on TV.
Who knew such a little appliance could wield so much power?
“Being sick didn’t stop me from losing 16 pounds in five weeks!”
This is me yelling. I’VE LOST 16 POUNDS IN FIVE WEEKS!!!!
That was a shout for joy by the way.
I wish you could see me dancing around too (actually it’s not very pretty). But believe me, it’s lovely to do the happy-dance off the scale. I always thought the scale was the work of the devil, but I’m starting to believe the scale at my Curves has found God.
And I’m grateful.
I kept my eyes tightly shut as I weighed in this week for fear of the face my Curves coach would be making after she weighed me. To my delight, her grin was wide. I was surprised. I have been sick for over a week and have been feeling really run down. But I didn’t let myself off the hook.
Even though I didn’t have the biggest appetite, I still followed my menus. Even though I wanted to just plop down on the couch after work, I made sure I got my workouts and my steps in.
No excuses.
And it worked.
I’m not ever going to be excited to get on the scale, but currently I’m not as worried about being burned by it.
“I’m finding my cues and defeating them!”
I lost another pound this week! After losing 23 lbs on Curves Complete the first time, this second time on the plan I have been averaging a weight loss of about 1½ lbs each week.
Watching this week’s videos gave me the motivation to work on my cues.
I’ve found grading to be one of my biggest cues. I teach at a local college and I have a stack of midterm booklets two inches thick to grade. While I grade, I eat – chips, cookies, candy, whatever I can find. Yesterday I cut an extra large bowl of crunchy, colorful vegetables and munched on those. I was surprised, they did the trick!
Another cue for me is talking to my children on the phone. As soon as the phone rings I answer and immediately go to the cupboard or fridge for something to eat. This week I concentrated on walking from one end of my home to the other for the entire conversation. It kept my hand out of the cookie jar and increased my steps!
My final cue is soda. I’ve discovered I don’t really even like soda, but just the sight of it makes me think I need a can. Sweetening a glass of freshly brewed iced tea with a touch of sugar-free lemonade is just as good.
These new ideas have worked for me this week, so they are going to become my new healthy habits!
“My coach showed me what 5 lbs. of fat looks like. WOW!”
Hi, Martha Chapman here again.
This CAN be a new lifestyle! I have lost 5 pounds of body fat.
I thought to myself ok….5 pounds, no big deal.
Then my coach showed me what 5 pounds of body fat looks like! WOW!
I can eat plenty of food, exercise 4 days a week and lose 5 pounds of FAT! YEA!!
Thank you Curves Complete Program
“My blood sugar is lower; I enjoy exercising; I feel SO MUCH better!”
Hi, Alicia Contreras here again.
This week I realized something. A couple of weeks ago, when I was struggling with some health problems, I realized that not only did I NEED to be here at Curves, but that I really WANT to be here.
I have found a new love, and it’s Curves. I truly enjoy coming here, meeting with my coach, talking about what I’m doing good, and what I need to improve on.
I get so much support here, and most important, I really enjoy exercising. I never ever thought that I would feel that way. If you would have asked me 6 months ago, for me to do this, I would think it was absolutely impossible.
I was thinking I was going to give up and die, but something inside wasn’t ready to give up and my coach, my new friends, and all of my new Curves family made sure I knew that giving up was not an option.
I truly know now that I do matter and people really do like me, and I have the determination to live.
So, I am going to put in the work, and lose this weight one pound at a time. And, show not only myself, but everyone else, who truly feels like they can’t change, that it is possible. You just have to want it for yourself.
I am so thankful for Curves, it really was my saving grace.
“I am shrinking nicely!”
Hello Curves Sisters, Joanne McEwan here again!
Wow, I am shrinking nicely. I have lost 11.5 lbs, 5 3/4″, 0.7% body fat and my steps are averaging 8000-9000. I am now needing to walk everyday.
Optimism is a very strong skill to have in life. I am starting to become overwhelmed with all the wonderful changes in my body after a seven year journey of illness and medication.
I realize I need to change my expectations of the past in order in to accept my new healthy reality now. Resetting my thinking (I just can’t do it because I am too tired or I have no energy) to more new ones (wow, I did not know I can do this much) has been very surprising for me.
Curves Complete has been a major health makeover for me so much so that other people around me are now starting to seriously make changes in their lifestyle.
I am truly a success in more ways than I could believe.
Be Strong Together!
