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A year and a half ago, Monica Wood of Richmond, Kentucky looked at herself in the dressing room mirror and decided it was time to make some changes. A 43-year-old middle school special education teacher began gaining weight 20 years before she was pregnant with her daughter. She watched her own weight slowly build up — until she was 225 pounds.
At that point, Wood decided to prioritize his health. “I felt devastated,” she said. “It’s about time,” she thought. I put it off. Starting today, we need to make this happen. ”
Today she weighs 147 pounds and has noticed many benefits with weight loss. Her worrisome blood pressure and cholesterol levels have come down. “I was adopted by my aunt and uncle, so I don’t know much about my family history, but I do know that on my paternal side, most people don’t live into their 50s or 60s. I feel better about my future and how it will probably look compared to other family members.
She feels better physically and mentally. “If you want to go hiking, it’s easier. You don’t wake up anymore when you run,” she said. “And I have confidence in myself. I feel better in my clothes and I feel better about myself.”
To lose weight, she changed how she exercised and what she ate. This is how she does it.
She found a fitness routine she enjoys
Wood had joined a gym in the past, but never stayed there. “I showed up for a month and said we were going to make changes, but then we didn’t proceed,” she said. Did you think you could get started?” She started taking martial arts classes like kicks, jumps and Krav Maga, as well as fitness kickboxing classes.
“It was a new hobby and a way to be responsible without going to the boring gym. I used it as a way to get fit and it helped me lose weight. I wanted to get better,” she said. rice field. Her commitment to improvement has paid off and she now has a brown belt.
Wood also took another look at running. She ran track in high school, but stopped running when she went to college and started again later. I ran several times, but I never lost weight because I thought I could eat whatever I wanted while running. No—but I loved it,” she said.
She started losing weight and decided to try running again. “Her weight loss has improved her running a lot. Now I have an Age Group Award at a local race and just finished my first marathon,” she said. rice field.
she remained calorie deficient
Wood realized that losing weight required an honest look at what she was eating. After doing some research, she could learn to maintain a calorie deficit. So, I decided to track my food intake. She used the free version of Lose It! app. “You enter the weight you want to lose, and it sets the amount based on your goals and how much you exercise,” she said. It’s all gone.”
She started with a baseline of 1200 calories per day and calories burned through exercise. “It was tough at first, so the trick was finding foods that were low in calories and filling. I thought a lot at the grocery store and did a lot of research on food. I had to be strategic about my food and what I could match with those calories. did,” she said.
She also targeted 120 grams of protein per day.
Wood said he lost the weight quickly at first, but the last 15 pounds or so were difficult to lose. “I had small goals. First I got to 220, then I got under 200, then I got to 190. Every time I hit a goal, I set a new goal. I hit my goal within nine months and I’ve maintained since then,” she said.
I no longer log everything I eat, but will resume when I need to. “If I start to go off track, I’ll put the app back on and start using it for a few weeks to take responsibility again,” she said.
Here’s what she eats on a typical day.
- breakfast: Protein bar or protein coffee shake for school days.100-calorie English muffins with eggs, avocado, spinach, and pico de gallo on weekends
- lunch: Leftover shredded turkey and spinach served with protein shake or protein yogurt
- dinner: chicken or turkey and vegetables
“Vegetables help fill you up without taking in a lot of calories,” she said.
she connects with others online
Wood participated in the Start TODAY Walking Challenge in September to share her 1.5-year journey to losing weight and improving health. She relies on her group to motivate others’ journeys, to inspire others’ journeys, and to celebrate their successes.
she said: No matter where I am on my journey to health, it’s always a work in progress and I love the motivation from a group that continues to make lifestyle changes. ”
