January | February | March | April | May | June | Trainer | Dietitian

Current Weight: 184.4 pounds

What's something new that you did this month?
"This month I joined Weight Watchers. I appreciate the added support the weekly meetings provide. I am using their food plan in combination with the concepts my nutritionist is teaching me for a comprehensive approach to losing weight."

Has your new healthy lifestyle made spending time family and friends more enjoyable in any way?
"I have much more energy. At a recent family get-together it was fun bowling, playing tennis and boxing on my son’s new Wii sports system. My husband no longer has to shovel snow from our porches and walkways now that I have taken this over to add a little more activity to my day!"

Have you had any friends, family or co-workers start getting healthy by learning from your example?
"A few of my co-workers mentioned stepping up their own exercise routines due to my influence. My husband has begun eating healthier and even prepared some healthy food for us both to share."

What kind of experience have you had taking your healthy lifestyle to work?
"I now climb the stairs when going to different floors instead of taking the elevator. I bring my own healthy snacks to work, which keeps me from eating the not-so-healthy ones in the break room. My co-workers have been very generous with their compliments on my progress and their interest in what I’m doing."

What's something that you've struggled with this month?
"Every few weeks my Westside YMCA trainer, Debbie Kennedy, changes and adds to my routine. An increase in intensity and learning to use different equipment is always a struggle for me for the first week or two. Exercise will probably be something I will always find challenging. I am proud of the commitment I’ve shown in faithfully working out at the “Y” three times a week, plus doing extra cardio at home. The changes in my body and energy level are what keep me motivated to continue."

Have you started anything new in the areas of diet of exercise?
"I have started working with free weights in addition to the Nautilus machines at the Westside YMCA. I have begun eating in accordance with the Weight Watcher food plan."

Have your goals changed at all now that you can see the weight coming off?
"My fitness goals have always revolved around easier movement in my daily activities, and that will not change. With my age (53) and past history of little exercise, it’s not my desire to run a marathon or participate in sports. I simply want to build my strength and endurance so that I am able to live my life with more energy and freedom of movement."

What has been the most rewarding part of this adventure so far?
"The work I do with my trainer, Debbie Kennedy, has been the most rewarding part and also the most difficult. Even though we have fun working together and with the staff interns at the Westside YMCA Fitness Center, Debbie is all business when it comes to keeping me on task with the routine(s) she develops for me. She is very passionate about fitness, and she is very invested in my success. She sees potential in me that I don’t even recognize myself. I have set and achieved fitness goals I never have before, and Debbie has been instrumental in the success I have experienced thus far."

Debbie Kennedy of the West Side Community YMCA on Christine

"She feels her legs getting stronger. She noticed a big change this week when she got up from the floor after playing with her dog. She used to have to use her arms to help pull her up. She also noticed at work when she gets up from her chair she can just pop right up. Christine’s strength is the result of six weeks of large muscle group strength training on the Nautilus equipment. In fact Christine has asked for Mr. Nautilus’ phone number to call and thank him personally. Since she began Christine has lost 3.8 percent body fat which is 10 pounds of fat. She has added 1 pound of muscle overall which will help revitalize her metabolism and give her the new strength and stability she is feeling. Now that her large muscles have a strong foundation we expanded her routine with free weights for arms, shoulders and stability muscles. We’ve also added the stability ball and core exercises. At age 50 Christine settled for her declining fitness level with the attitude that she may as well accept that this is just the way it is going to be. The results from cardio and aerobics classes never did what she experienced over the past six weeks with the Nautilus training. She now feels that every day functioning is so much more effortless."

Karen Giles-Smith, MS, RD Registered Dietitian on Christine

“The Lifestyle Challenge has already proven to be a wonderful experience for Christine. Christine is devoting a lot of time and effort to meet her nutrition goals and she’s already experiencing success. When we talked on the phone at the end of February, Christine’s enthusiasm was palpable. She’s having a great time. Before the Challenge began, Christine knew about nutrition. The first time we met, she gave me a detailed record of what she’d eaten the past several days. The food record showed me that Christine had already mastered the basics of healthy eating. She’d chosen a wide variety of foods from the five food groups, ate five or more fruits and vegetables each day, opted for whole grains most often, chose low-fat and fat-free dairy foods and lean proteins including beans and peas, used low fat cooking techniques, made healthy snack choices, ate breakfast daily and drank plenty of fluids including adequate water. Christine eats as healthfully, if not more healthfully, than I do! Christine knew how to eat healthfully but was missing out on the enjoyment. So, she decided to develop a healthier relationship with food and eating. I’m amazed at Christine’s self-awareness and fortitude in this area. She’s run into situations that have tested her resolve and shaken her confidence, as we all do, but she knows just what to do. She takes a “time out,” talks herself through it, put things in perspective and makes thoughtful choices.”