I am excited that I participated in Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less… 
because, after 15 lessons, I can definitely confirm my statement in my pre-program blog: Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less IS an authentic “life style changing program!”
Before the program began, my husband took a BEFORE photo (those of you who followed my blogs – “A Participant’s View”, may recall that I had two BEFORE photos…the one posted here is my “real one,” not the one where I stuck out my gut).
During Lesson 1, I articulated the following SMART GOAL:
By the end of this program – November 20th- I will have lost 12 pounds and firmed my tummy up enough from sit-ups and other exercise so that I will fit nicely into a size 10 black dress that has been languishing in my closet for 2 years. I plan to wear the dress to a holiday party at the business school the first week of December.
My AFTER photo, taken 15 weeks later and – as much as possible— in the same pose and same clothes (I had packed the exact clothes away for the winter) – shows me 17.2 pounds lighter and, 3 inches smaller around my waist. And the first photo in this blog shows me in my size 10 dress, which I am definitely going to wear at the holiday party at the business school on December 7th!
I am still not at my ideal weight – the telltale rolls at my waist attest to that fact. But – because I have stepped up my exercise and feel so-o-o-o much better than I did 15 weeks ago, I am not deflated by the fact that I am not “there” yet. In fact, I am elated that I am where I am, and poised to keep on going down, and continuing to feel great, for the rest of my life!!!
I owe much of my success in these 15 weeks to my instructor Rachel. She made it clear from Day One, that Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less is about changing my life style to be healthier and happier and not just about losing weight over a 15-week period. Each week, she guided us so that we could tailor the program’s messages to our bodies, our habits, our lives. She shared thoughts with us in a way that encouraged us to share with each other; our chats each week were “fast and furious,” full of answers to Rachel’s questions, tips to each other, and lots of cheers and kudos. Rachel – and my classmates — felt more like “friends on the same path” rather than instructor and classmates.
As important as my instructor and my classmates were to my getting where I am now on my journey to being healthier and happier and thinner, my buddy is my ticket to long-term success. Hats off to the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less program administrators to stressing the importance of having a buddy, who would watch out for me and for whom I would do the same. If it were not for my buddy, I would be a bit panicked right now, wondering if I can keep on keeping on and truly make my new ways my true ways. But, because my buddy has agreed to keep on keeping on with me, I feel just as optimistic about my future as I did at the outset of the program, if not more so!
Both my buddy and I have agreed to help each other Keep on Going Down, until we reach normal, healthy weights. And then, we will help each other Keep On Keeping On – staying within a couple pounds of our ideal weight, exercising daily, and doing strength training at least 3 times a week.
For now, we have agreed to:
- Participate in the ESMMWL Holiday Challenge
- Continue to Track Calories (I use My Fitness App and she uses the Fit Bit App)
- Complete our Ongoing Buddy Log, which we have set up much like the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less Personal Record and Tracker pages
- Share our Ongoing Buddy Log with others: Use this link to get to our Record and Goals page, and our first week’s Tracker – follow the instructions on the first page to set up your own, and Keep on Keeping On – Being Healthier, Stronger, and Happier!
- Cheer Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less. Hip Hip Hooray!