Success Story #22

Name: J. Redondo
Improvement: 3% Body Fat Reduction
Time: 3 months
Program: 2018 Total Transformation Challenge - Summer Challenge

What was your biggest challenge / obstacle (s)?
Feeling tired after work. Committing to the weekly goals but with my other activities like tennis, yoga, and aerobic dance classes I was able to reach the weekly miles and points by the Friday when we weighed in.
 
What motivated you to stay on the course?
Weighing in every Friday and seeing a small weight loss progress but the fat percentage is what I mainly lost which is a very important factor in our health status. Even though I was tired, I found the energy to go to the gym which is right here. I would go after work on many Mondays to the 1945 pm class which covered abdominal, arm and leg exercises in one hour. Then you went home ate a healthy dinner, bathed and was ready for bed. Sharing salads for lunch with Maria our ER respiratory therapist coworker who also works on Mondays and is in the challenge. She would help me stop, if I was about to eat something unhealthy like cake.
 
Did your diet change? If so, How? Please be detailed!
Yes, I really never was a fast food eater but I was more conscious of what I should be eating more and what to remove from my diet like fried foods, breads, crackers, pastries even empanadas. Finding interesting salad dressings and making different salads like those prepackaged chopped salads with kale, spinach, brussels sprouts or mixed greens with ginger Asian dressings or balsamic vinegar, olive oil and lemon, adding cheese, or tuna, or boiled eggs, cranberries, tomatoes, basil, cucumbers, carrots, etc. I would also make fruit salads, cut mango, bananas, apples, papaya, blueberries and add yogurt, you could also add granola!
 
What advice could you give to others that want the same results?
I think that once you see you can get into those clothes you liked but just didn't fit as well, it would stop me from buying a new wardrobe when those clothes are still classic and new. Just come to the challenge even if its once or twice a week, take a walk after dinner and before you know it you have added up those miles. Just at work we are walking miles per day. Just make small changes that you can handle and make interesting healthy flavorful meals you'll enjoy eating. Colorful plates will have the whole family eating their veggies, proteins and fruits for the day. Get weighed every Friday and even if its just a 1/2 a pound its progress. Drinking enough water is one of my problems so I think the hospital should have water fountains placed every where since we can't have any containers by our desks so we can stay hydrated and visitors would also like that instead of bothering staff for a cup water because they don't want to leave their loved ones.
 
How is this experience going to affect you going forward?
Losing 3% fat has motivated me to continue. I have felt stronger, more energetic and lighter as well as getting into my old clothes my friends would say to give or throw away.