Comments on Julie Goodnight On the Road: Five Pound Challenge Update

Julie, Sandy Denarski just started a new blog for...

2009-08-21T09:02:51.943-06:00

Julie,

Sandy Denarski just started a new blog for Horse & Rider magazine regarding weight loss and fitness. Sandy had an article in H&R years ago and lost a significant amount of weight and renewed her "horse life." She is very specific about what kinds of foods and exercise work well for her, and her approach is very natural. She inspires as she writes in a style horse people can really relate to. According to H&R, her blog will provide lots of tips and tricks for people wanting or needing to lose weight.

Hi Julie, Great going on the weight loss and exerc...

2009-08-12T15:31:27.679-06:00

Hi Julie,
Great going on the weight loss and exercise. My sister who lives in PA and I (I live in AZ) are on Weight Watchers (WW) and we both have lost at least 10 lbs. She's really into running and walking. I'm just getting started on walking since I have been inactive for a while. There are a lot of good tips from WW on how to lose but one thing I wasn't aware of that I learned last week was that if you are losing weight you usually not losing inches and vice versa, when you are losing inches you are not losing weight.

If you can write everything down that you eat and assign a nutritional value to it (calories, fats, etc.) you would see what you are eating. They did a study on people writing down what they ate and the most successful dieters are writers!

Also, when you are traveling and eating in restaurants, don't hesitate to ask for low calorie versions, butter and salad dressing on the side. They put a LOT of high calorie stuff in food, you would be amazed. Don't be embarrassed to ask. One trick I learned that really works, if you cannot get a fat free or low calorie dressing, use your fork and dip your fork into the dressing and then stab your salad. You will be amazed at how much dressing is left when you are done. GOOD LUCK and you're doing great!
Janet Baca

I signed on for the 5 pound challenge earlier this...

2009-08-10T15:21:19.467-06:00

I signed on for the 5 pound challenge earlier this summer and I must tell you of my lifestyle change that has come of it. It all began when I saw a recent picture of myself...I was not happy to see the 189 lb gal that stood next to her horse. No wonder my asthma was giving me fits. The farthest distance I could run was to the fridge and back...and it was beginning to show!
My mother was also very concerned about the amount of belly fat that had overtaken my mid-section. She suggested that I try Medical Weight Loss as she has been on the program for years. So, I bit the bullet. I went in to see the doctor and after an exam and bloodwork learned that I was a perfect candidate for not only type 2 diabetes, but also heart disease. (See what a lifetime of iced coffee and cupcakes REALLY does to you????) After the loss of my father in August of 08, I was not about to follow him so quickly.
I began the program on June 16, 2009 and to date, have lost not only pounds, but INCHES! I went from 189 lbs to 172 lbs from June 16-August 7, 2009. The Wrangler sizes are coming down and I feel better than I have in many, many years.
How did I do it? By learning that water is my friend and eating a balanced meal that is measured out and placed throughout my day. It was hard in the beginning, but I now have the hang of eating fresh veggies, full meals, never eating fruit past 6 pm and drinking over 60 oz of water per day.
Thank you for your inspiration! I have found the old me buried under all of those pounds. Even my horse is happy!;) So, best of luck to all those folks out there trying to get healthy. Keep up the good work, it is so very worth it!

Julie, Its great that you are doing more to get in...

2009-08-07T12:24:25.331-06:00

Julie,
Its great that you are doing more to get in shape. I think its important for everyone to realize, though, its the amount of fat on your body, that the number of pounds on that are showing on the scale. As you said, you can see and feel the difference in your body, even though the pounds aren't coming off on the scale. There is a simple type of non-invasive test you can take, called a Bio Impedence Analysis. This test takes just a few minutes, tests the electical resistance of your tissues, and provides alot of info. It will tell you how much fat you carry, how much lean tissue, how much water, where it is located (inside/outside the cells) Just a thought.