JUST DO IT

Before Picture (Winter 2012) 

We basically have the coolest people in our midst. Here's another one: Heather Smith. She described her weight loss story to me. I hope it inspires you to be the best you can be!

It all started Freshman year. Let's be honest, freshman year is awesome, but hard not to gain weight. Heather described her freshman year as exciting because you can do what you want! That included late night Wendy's runs, socializing over food not activities, and forgetting to buy groceries (which led to more quick restaurant runs).

Her First 5k (Summer 2012) 

Heather noticed she was always wearing sweats because she couldn't fit into her clothes. Because she recognized her habits weren't so great, she started making some changes.

Gym & Exercise. She started going to the gym every day with her mom right at 4pm. Why is this good? Because she was held accountable. She and her mom thought, "You have to go so that I go!" (Find a fitness pal. Seriously, it works.)

Trainer. She still wasn't losing weight, so she started working with a trainer, Chessa. Through the trainer, Heather learned different workouts, confidence in the gym, and how to be motivated! Her trainer would count reps for her, and really be focused on HER. Her trainer set a goal for Heather to run a 5k by the end of last summer (2012). Even though Heather hated running, she was able to do it!

ROTC & Air Force. One day, she was talking to her sister, and they talked about the Air Force and the ROTC program. Heather's sister mentioned one of the benefits was she lost some weight in this program. This talk, along with talking to her military dad, encouraged her to join the ROTC program. Heather loved it! The moral and values. The set regulations that people abide by. The pride in her uniform.

She was losing weight now not just for herself, but for the ROTC. She couldn't be contracted until she was under weight regulation. What a motivation! It was a ton of work, including 2 a-days at the gym.

Meeting weight regulation was a long process, about a year long journey. However, this semester she made it and got her uniform and name tags!


Afterwards, one of the hardest decisions of her life was deciding to drop out of the ROTC. Even though she had learned so much, she realized it wasn't for her. She mentioned there might have been some divine intervention here because she later had a major surgery removing painful gall stones. With this surgery, it would have been a huge setback in the ROTC program (multiple tests, absences, etc.).

Support. One thing that was prevalent throughout Heather's whole story is SUPPORT. It started with support from a loving mother. Then, it progressed into the support of her whole family. They helped her with gym memberships and Nutrisystem. Her dad and sister also encouraged her in her decision to do the military. She gained a valuable friend through her trainer, Chessa. Trust me, Heather LOVES Chessa! I really admire that relationship! Then, Heather already had amazingly supportive friends and  roommates, who ran races with her, encouraged healthy behaviors, and were just there for her.

Heather after losing 50 lbs (Christmas 2012)

Future Goals. Heather's future goals include maintaining weight right now. Not letting herself go, but taking a break from losing weight. She wants to lose more weight in the future, but slowly.

Advice. Okay, this was my FAVORITE thing to talk about with Heather because I think we can all learn something here:

1. Don't justify. Don't tell yourself "I deserve this" or "I haven't had this in a while." NO! "You're NOT going to miss out," Heather said. 
2. At the same time, don't shut yourself down. Telling yourself "Don't eat that"...you're going to want it! You can have that food, but you have to trust yourself and your willpower. 
3. Use appliances and groceries. Use those Magic Bullets, George Foremans', etc. This ties back into what Courtney said: Buy things that you have to prepare. 
4. Use Apps. If you have an iPhone or other smart phone, use your apps! Write down what you eat and also your weight. 
5. Take pictures. If you're a visual person, take before/after pictures. Take pictures of your AWESOME grocery choices, nutritious meals, workout plans, treadmill measurements, etc. 
6. Goals should be written down and seen. Heather put hers right above her bed, so she would look at them every night before she went to bed. 
7. Be active all the time. Even when you're watching TV...do some abs! 
8. Don't blame your environment. Period. 
9. Do activities you love! Heather didn't like running so much, but she found other activities she likes. Also, even though Heather is pretty competitive--her roommate Megan laughed and agreed to this--she didn't focus on having the best time. Just as long as she was doing something.
10. Use your support system. Have them hold you accountable. Set goals with them. Her roommates participated in Lent with her.
11. Set a deadline. A guy at my work told me that "Goals are dreams with deadlines."
12. Set a routine. Setting a specific time each day to exercise, esp. with someone, will greatly enhance your efficacy. 
13. Run outside. So true. So much better than indoors! 
14. Watch out for alluring restaurant coupons. Heather and Megan realized they wouldn't eat out so much if they didn't know about all the discounted meals! They started just throwing away the coupons, so they wouldn't consider them. And trust me, you'll save money buying produce and such rather than eating out. 
15. Chocolate milk after workout. It's the perfect balance of protein, calcium, and other nutrients needed to replenish your stores after burning energy. 
16. FiberOne or small snack while cooking. If you're super hungry, eat a little something before you cook your meal. Sometimes you feel so hungry that you don't want to wait for a prepared meal! 
17. Water bottle before a meal. I've recently been doing this, and you feel so much better! You feel more naturally full! 
18. Variety in exercise and food. This will keep it interesting, and you'll be more likely to stick to your healthy and active lifestyle. 
19. Don't be afraid to spend some $. If you're really serious about this, you will probably have some expenses. Whether that be a gym membership, a ski resort pass, a watch, a weight loss program, running shoes, a tennis racket, a bike, etc., recognize what you are willing to spend your money on. This way you can still budget wisely!
20. JUST DO IT. Don't keep telling yourself, "I need to lose weight" or "I need to eat better" or "I need to be more fit." JUST DO IT!