Beth Leonard, left, with trainer Joanne Blakey April 3rd is a special day for Beth Leonard. She’s celebrating her 1-year anniversary of losing and keeping off 30 pounds! Reflecting on what she accomplished, Beth felt compelled to write her personal “Ten Best Payoffs of Working Out.” She kindly agreed to share it with us.
The Ten Best Payoffs of Working Out
- Twice weekly weight training, along with daily aerobic exercise, keeps me focused and in a routine necessary to manage my eating habits and lose weight.
- My aerobic conditioning is just great! I don’t get tired when I do stuff. My energy level seems boundless.
- Improvement to my lower body strength and balance is awesome. I can work around the house and yard with much less effort. And I can do the thing I love most – hiking – with minimal effort. It’s just a lot more fun.
- I’ve lost 30 pounds. I look better and feel better. I’ve gone from a size 16 to an easy size 12. And some of my old size 10 clothes are even wearable!
- I go shopping and actually find things that fit and look good on me. Today’s fashionable “skinny & tight” clothes aren’t the “no no’s” they once were.
- I get compliments. People do notice. It makes me smile.
- I’m healthier. My blood pressure is good, my heart rate is excellent, and I rarely experience acid reflux anymore. I also sleep better. The jury is still out on the impact to my high cholesterol.
- I’m proud of myself for sticking with it. April 3 is my one year anniversary date! It took 6 months to lose the weight and I’ve maintained for 6 months. I feel the sense of achievement that comes with commitment, with challenging myself, and with competing against a weight stack or my own body to do more/better/new. I am also humbled by my own foibles – my reaction to frustration, my drive for perfection, my sometimes unrealistic expectations, and my need for control.
- Joanne Blakey, my Personal Trainer, is an attitude and lifestyle role model who continuously inspires me. She graciously, cheerfully, and encouragingly takes all my ups and downs in stride. She is gently guiding me to view Working Out not as a standalone event to be planned, completed, and measured, but as a lifetime relationship between my body and myself that will evolve and mature over time if I can just enjoy the moment and let it happen. There’s really not a finish line.
- Finally, I’ve reached my original objective. I’m ready to be a gorgeous Mother-of-the-Groom at my son’s wedding. Now, he just has to get engaged!
Beth’s Workout Schedule
• Weight training at NPPT – 1 hour/2 days a week
• Aerobic exercise like walking or biking – 1hour/4 days a week
• Something intense such as a 30-mile ride on the Silver Comet Trail or an 8 to 10 mile hike in the mountains – 2 times a month
Beth’s Secret to Success
When Beth got serious about losing weight, she became dedicated to exercising regularly, eating a well-balanced diet, and counting calories. “I measure, weigh, and record everything I eat everyday.” She found that using a computer program to track her progress was the key. “The computer visual is very helpful. Using the charts and graphs, I can literally watch the numbers fluctuate and that helps me stay focused!”
