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SparkPeople: Weekly Community Highlight
  Week of 4/28/2011 - Featured Blog Post

Thank You to my SparkFriends

I started my weight loss journey in October 2008, but still had the diet mentality. I lost 32 pounds only to gain 15 back, and hadn't switched over to a 'lifestyle' change yet. Then on July 12, 2010, my girlfriend came over for breakfast on my patio. I hadn't seen her for a while, and she had lost some weight. She inspired me. After she left, I immediately came into the house and started searching for helpful articles and advice online, and WHAT should appear before my eager, searching eyes? SPARKPEOPLE.COM! Yes, that's how I found this website, just a random search, but yet divinely orchestrated!

I began my journey THAT day, and it's changed my life. I longed to lose this weight! I am only 5'1 and all that extra weight not only wreaked havoc on my knees and back, but discouraged me so much, and I was a hormonal wreck! I wanted to do things right this time. I read and read article after article. I bought "The Spark" and read it and DID all the assignments--making a vision collage, creating a SparkList, joining Teams for support, tracking all my food, and being consistent with exercise.

I read something in the Spark that really had a profound effect on me called the "Tipping Point Theory". This concept has made a huge difference in my thinking. Keep doing SparkPeople even if we don't see immediate results, EVENTUALLY there will come a time when we hit what Chris calls the 'tipping point theory" and things will start happening for the positive. Example: a friend exercised on treadmill for 4 miles a day for 4 months and didn't LOSE ONE POUND, then she started losing 1 pound a day and has kept it off for over a year! We CAN'T give up! :-)) And the things we keep doing EVEN when we don't see results: Doing SparkPeople: logging on, tracking exercise and food, joining SparkTeams and being involved with Community, blogging, reading, etc.

So I embraced that concept! Everyday I told myself it didn't matter if it took me 1 year to lose a pound (well, maybe I wasn't quite THAT positive! ha!) since I was going to do this for the rest of my life. I was just going to do the right things, and let God and my body decide when it was going to 'kick in'. My metabolism was so slow, so those pounds didn't come off easily or quickly. But finally something changed! I remember not losing anything for about 6 weeks. And I was doing EVERYTHING right. It was a bit disconcerting, but I just kept doing the right things, and guess what, I started losing and losing consistently.

I now walk 21-30 miles a week. I eat a much healthier diet which has had a profound effect on my emotions. I have TONS of energy. And I'm happier than I've been in years. I just feel like a new person.

I hope this has been an encouragement to anyone struggling. It CAN be done, just don't give up!!!!

