It was July 2021, and Karen Westbrook Johnson, now 54, wanted to lose weight and improve her health. She was watching the Today show when she saw the features of the Start TODAY Facebook group. It seemed like a good place to get started.
“I was only working for 20 minutes a day. That was. I got into the habit and wondered if I could keep up with it. I thought I had to break up for 20 minutes, but I’m going to break up. “She said. She gradually increased her time and by the end of her first month she was walking an hour a day. A year later, she is at least 4 miles a day. And her efforts paid off.
Residents of Knoxville, Tennessee are now 25 pounds lighter, ranging from size 24 to size 16 or 18. She is also focusing on other victories as she strives not to be obsessed with the numbers displayed on her scale. “I was disappointed with the number of scales, but last year’s clothes were all too big. Last month, when I was cleaning my closet, I came across a wedding dress I hadn’t seen 19 years ago. Tried it on, and I was able to wear it, “she said.
Get a 30-day walking plan to help you lose weight and improve your mental health
She also found a 10-year-old University of Tennessee baseball uniform. “I couldn’t let go of it if it didn’t fit in. I refused to give it up. I broke it while cleaning the closet and it fit in,” she said. Told.
And after working at home for about a year, she had to wear a scrub when she returned to the office. She said, “The scrub pants were so big that I literally walked all day. I had to go out and buy all the new scrubs.”
Beyond the scale: Positive changes are manifesting in her health
Johnson used to see a doctor every three months, but now he can go every six months. According to her recent doctor’s examination, all her tests were normal for the first time in about 15 years. Her joints don’t bother her as much as she used to. “My knees don’t hurt so badly and I still don’t have much back pain. Even a small weight loss is huge. I don’t have any daily pain anymore. I can mow the entire garden without stopping. Before, I had to take a lot of breaks, “she said.
Even losing a small amount of weight is huge. I don’t have any daily pain anymore.
Karen Westbrook Johnson said
She also saw changes in her mental health. “My mood feels better and I have more energy. Previously I was able to sleep 12 hours at a time. I didn’t have the energy,” she said. “I slept while traveling, but the last two times I left town, brought training gear, walked and climbed the stairs of the hotel. Whatever it took to get it done. . “
She makes small and manageable changes and builds on them
Johnson said: Once you do that and get into the habit, you can add other things. Here are some of the changes she said she and her husband made:
- They do not store junk food or sweets in their homes.
- They stop eating at 8 pm
- They eat more fruits and vegetables.
- The size of those parts has been reduced. “I don’t like robbing myself. I can’t do without pizza, beer, and chocolate. I can eat my favorite food in moderation. I now eat a couple of times before eating a whole pizza. I’m taking it, “she said.
- They grill instead of eating fried food.
“My husband dropped 10 or 12 pounds, so I’m rubbing him a little,” she said.
She gradually changed her diet
Fast food and sweet drinks were two areas where Johnson knew she and her husband could improve. “We were big fast food eaters, so we reduced from a large value meal to a medium meal, and now we just get sandwiches,” she said. rice field.
She moved their soft drinks to the fridge in the garage, so it took more time to get them and eventually gave them up altogether at home. “If you want one, just stop and buy one. We’re paying more for it, but we want it in a way that discourages us,” she said. rice field. They replaced soft drinks and sweet tea with water and unsweetened tea. Living in the South, she said the transition from sweet to unsweetened tea was probably her biggest challenge.
She noticed that changing what she eats changed her mood. “I can completely tell if I’m eating a lot or eating junk. I can really see the difference in how my body reacts to food,” she said. ..
She is working on her training
Johnson ensures that she takes her, even if she has to be creative. In winter, when it was cold and she couldn’t get out, she walked up and down five miles in the hallway of her house. And on the last day of her vacation in New Orleans, it was poured. So instead of roaming the city as she planned, she and her husband walked all the concourses at the airport before her flight. “We walked about two miles at the airport,” she said.
And walking outdoors on a sunny day brought unexpected benefits — she got to know her neighbor better. “I meet most people at least once a week, and others go out and walk more. We cooked together,” she said.
Johnson also added Start TODAY core routines and weightlifting training to her exercises. “I like the way you can go at your own pace, and you have a little structure. Every month they send you a training plan so you don’t have to do anything other than make time.” She said. “You can start with a £ 1 or £ 2 weight, or you can start with a can if you don’t have a weight. You can change the exercises as needed.”
She is grateful for the support and friendship she found in the Start TODAY group. She became friends in the group and she met her group members in person when she visited New Orleans earlier this year.
She has ambitious but realistic goals
Johnson aims to climb Mount Leconte on Smoky Mountain this summer. To reward herself when she does it, she buys a shirt that you can only get if you hike to the top. She and her husband signed up for 10k in November, so they continued to concentrate on exercising throughout the summer. And since she has run half marathons in the past, she is looking to future full marathons.
“In just a few steps, you can get to where you want to go,” she said. “It may not be as fast as someone else, but they still take you there.”
