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Dec 29

Fitness Journey – Cleveland Daily Banner

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By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG

Some of the most common new years resolutions people make each year involve eating healthier, exercising more and losing weight.

Though not everyone who sets out to reach a big fitness or weight-loss goal will be successful, local couple Terry and Shaye Ammons said it is possible to reach big goals.

Rather than waiting until Jan. 1 to get started, Terry set out to make some major lifestyle changes on June 1.

After many years of yo-yo dieting and being an insulin-dependent diabetic, this year was my breakthrough, Terry said. I started June 1 at 245 pounds. I am down to 187 and no longer on insulin or the handful of pills I was taking daily.

Terry, 46, has lost 58 pounds and counting.

Though she did not want or need to lose as much weight, Shaye, later joined him in his efforts. Shaye, 37, ended up losing 30 pounds herself.

The couple started a diet plan which involved purchasing special diet food mainly protein bars and each eating one lean and green meal per day. They drastically cut their calorie intake, which helped them shed the pounds.

We had to give all our clothes away, Shaye said with a laugh. None of them fit anymore.

Though an organized diet plan helped them get started, they said the habits they started are what really helped them lose the weight and begin to keep it off.

The focus on figuring out what it meant to cook lean and green meals with lean meats and vegetables changed how they did their grocery shopping. They no longer bought junk food regularly, instead replacing it with healthier options.

The plan also had them eating multiple small meals per day instead of two or three big ones. They also increased their water intake. Both measures were meant to help their energy and metabolism.

What they were doing also changed how they viewed eating out and indulging in junk food. Though there are many tempting treats available during the holiday season, months of healthy eating made it a strong habit.

You find the longer you get in the train of thought about [healthy eating], the less you want all the junk you used to have, Shaye said.

They also began gradually working out more and building up their physical stamina. Terry said he started as a total couch potato. Shaye did not really work out either.

However, both started walking, then jogging, then running. Terry now tries to go on 5-mile runs three days per week. Shaye attends 5 a.m. boot camp workout classes at the Cleveland Family YMCA.

They also have run 5k races together, including two Thanksgiving races. They took a special trip to Maine to celebrate their 20th anniversary and successfully hiked the notoriously difficult Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park.

My weight was a lifelong struggle for me, Terry said. I dont want to say that what we did to lose weight was easy, but I was definitely ready for a real change. I now have so much more energy and feel so much better.

Terry said his main reason for starting the diet was to improve his health. Because of his weight, he had dealt with Type 2 diabetes and was having to give himself five insulin shots per day. He also had problems like gastroesophageal reflux disease, which caused him to have heartburn daily.

Terry said his key to successful weight loss was to keep reminding himself of his goals. Though there were days when he cheated on his diet, he got himself back on track.

I think you have to accept going into something like this that youre going to have a bad day or two, Terry said. Cheating may derail your diet, but you can get back into it. You have to accept it and move on.

Both also recommend finding a friend or loved one to serve as an accountability partner. Better yet, they advise finding someone who is trying to eat or work out in a similar manner.

Doing it together made it a lot easier for me. I think it was the same way for my wife, Terry said.

Though they were happy with the diet plan they followed, they stressed one does not need to start a specific diet plan to begin making healthier choices. They explained its all about replacing any unhealthy habits with healthy ones.

Tamara Whitworth, a personal trainer at the Cleveland Family YMCA, did not work with the couple. However, she said those who are successful in reaching their fitness and weight-loss goals all tend to have something in common: good habits.

Whether that habit is always eating a healthy meal at a certain time or doing certain workouts on certain days, Whitworth said the key is to make at least one healthy habit and stick to it.

Whitworth said it can be tempting to give up on a certain habit if you are not successful at first. For example, someone trying to work out more regularly might skip a day or two.

You can pick things up and do better the next day, Whitworth stressed. Even if you make a mistake, you can still get back on track. It just takes you continuing to do that over and over.

Read more here:
Fitness Journey - Cleveland Daily Banner

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