No Title 1007

Supplement to “How to Stick to Fitness Resolutions”

We asked our readers to share their fitness success stories and tips. Here are more excellent ways to help you stick to your fitness resolutions:

Friends for Life
In 1998, my friend and I decided it was time to get fit. After going to a dress shop and being told by the clerk that I would have to go to the plus size to find my dress, that was all I needed to start my fitness quest.

My friend and I started walking each morning at about 5:30. After walking for several weeks, we had not lost one pound, but we had not changed our eating habits at all. At this point, we begin to eat healthier and the weight came off slowly. After a few months, we added weight training at a local gym. This is when the weight began to come off! We worked out three mornings a week and drank lots of water. We had lots of energy, plus we began to feel good about ourselves.

After we had walked together for several months, we entered a 10K run. We began to train on a training schedule. We were able to compete in the race. Well, that is just the beginning! We continue to run. We get up at 3:30 in the morning and run. Three days a week we do weight training and five days a week we run. We have done several runs and have done very well on each one, but the greatest of all was our first marathon in Chicago in 2001. It was painful and for a long time we said we would never do another one, but we have gotten over that. Without a doubt this has been the greatest fitness high we could ever have. I had so many blisters I could not wear my shoes, but I was proud of each one! My friend and I have now bought the fitness gym and are still going strong.

My tips for anyone to get fit and stay that way are to find a dedicated friend to work out with you, eat six small meals a day, and most of all cheat once in a while, but then get back on track. Also, love what you do to get fit: biking, swimming, running, whatever you do. Last but not least, always reward yourself for your accomplishments, small or great!
Tammy Asberry
Byrdstown, Tennessee

Commitment=Success
My fitness tip to success for maintaining physical fitness is commitment. Being committed is a must to any task worthwhile; physical fitness is no exception. Several ways to exercise fitness are in easy reach, as walking, bicycling, videos, gym classes, and aerobics to stay physically fit.
Teresia Harris, Reynolds Station
Kenergy cooperative

Baby Steps to Fitness
At 180-plus pounds, I realized that I had really gone overboard. I knew that my sedentary lifestyle and compulsive eating had to change. I cut back on calories, exercised moderately, and vowed to keep on the move. Now at 130 pounds, I feel fabulous. Fitness success truly begins with baby steps. Move it! And lose it!
Crystal Hutchison, Russellville
Pennyrile Electric Cooperative

My 50 Fitness Tips
1. exercise; 2. walking; 3. bike riding; 4. swimming; 5. boxing; 6. cycling; 7. yoga; 8. Pilates; 9. stairs; 10. stretches for 10-15 minutes; 11. running; 12. jumping; 13. shape; 14. size; 15. body building; 16. measurements; 17. water; 18. food; 19. aerobic workout; 20. YMCA; 21. dancing; 22. jogging; 23. weights; 24. indoor track; 25. outdoor track; 26. nutrition bars; 27. sports; 28. warm-up for 5-10 minutes; 29. ramp up, 5-6 times a week; 30. exercise equipment; 31. hike; 32. play ball; 33. agility activities; 34. exercise every week; 35. push-ups; 36. aquatic class; 37. small weights/big weights; 38. Swiss balls 39. jumping jacks; 40. sit-ups; 41. horseback riding; 42. bull riding; 43. blood pressure; 44. cooling down; 45. glycemic; 46. twist; 47. eat right; 48. lifestyle; 49. Olympic athletic; 50. doctor approved.
Melissa Marie Erkenbrecher, Irvine
Jackson Energy Cooperative

Get Moving!
My success story began January 2004 when five friends and I began the Get Moving Kentucky! program. Walking, using the video, and dancing with my husband one night each weekend, I have lost 20 pounds. I feel healthier and have fun by sticking with a routine. So “just move people.”
Paula Winchester, Hartford
Warren RECC

Walk the Dog
My fitness tip is simple—WALK THE DOG! My Vizsla (a type of pointer), Tezia, knows when I pick up the leash that we get to exercise together. It’s a great way to start my day and she loves it. Her long legs push me to go faster, thus building strength and endurance.
Betsy Baxter, Nicholasville
Blue Grass Energy Cooperative

Walk and Raise Money for Charity
My office workers walk at least a mile a day. We have a walking trail to raise money for charities in Kentucky. On Tuesday and Thursday, we make our walk a trip to a farmer’s market to purchase fresh vegetables in season and apples in the fall. It is working.
Wanda Atha, Frankfort

Positive Self Talk
Have a positive mental attitude. Focus on becoming healthy and strong rather than on appearance alone. Develop an exercise mantra using positive self-talk: “I’m strong, I’m powerful. I’m focused on success.” Celebrate successes such as an increase in stamina, sleeping better, or having a willingness to try a new activity.
Lori Thoburn, Morning View
Owen Electric Cooperative

Fitness Advice from the Stars
Named for Marilyn Monroe, I’ve always sought fitness advice from stars. Elizabeth Taylor: eat low calorie three weeks, take a day off, repeat. Dolly Parton: small portions. Marie Osmond: moderation.

The best advice? An 80-year- old said: “Stress before you dress.” She is more fit exercising upon arising.
Marilyn Loy Turner, Columbia
Taylor County RECC

Keep an Open Mind
Don’t have a “set in stone” routine. Exercise shouldn’t be another job. It should be fun! Your workout should be like a talk with an old friend: a share and learn experience. Never discard what is suggested because it’s other than what you’re doing. Try it!
Desiree Coop, Monticello
South Kentucky RECC

Never Sit When…
Never sit when you can stand
Put on a smile and give a hand
Hang your clothes out on the line
Touch your toes and feel just fine
Just pace yourself and do all you can
Never sit when you can stand
Jan Taylor, Oak Hill, Ohio
South Kentucky RECC

Walking With the Dog
I had a ruptured disc back in ’93 and my spine is all messed up. Just a few months, ago I started walking with my dog in the morning and evening for about 1/2 hour. Wow! After two months I really do feel better. More energy, clear mind, and more positive.
Catherine Tognoni, St. Louis, Missouri

Elimination Techniques
Try to eliminate fast food, junk food, and soft drinks from your diet! If you have access to Insight digital cable, there are exercise videos listed under the “Mag Rack” feature. You have your choice of Personal Trainer, Pilates, or Yoga, and there are several different types of workouts within each category. The workouts range anywhere from 10-40 minutes to accompany your lifestyle. It works just like a VHS tape or DVD so you can work out to your own schedule.
Tonya Shaw, Mt. Washington
Salt River Electric

Exercise isn’t Expensive
Getting in Shape Doesn’t Have to be Costly! After several years of working out with nothing more than a video tape and a pair of hand weights, I was asked, during childbirth, if I was an athlete. “No,” I replied, “I just exercise regularly!” Dedication and discipline do more than costly equipment.
Sheila Burns, Harrodsburg
Inter-County Energy Cooperative

Variety is the Spice of Life
Don’t let yourself get stuck in a rut. If you’re getting bored with your workout, try something new or invite someone new to join you. The more you enjoy it, the more likely you are to stick with it!
Anne Eckert, Louisville

Daily Plan
Try to work out at least 3-4 times a week using weights and cardio. I use The Firm videos. They really work if you stay committed. Also, don’t eat anything after 7:00 p.m. (I believe it turns to fat while you sleep!)
Deena Oliver, Gracey
Pennyrile Electric Cooperative

Weekly Plan
Plan a weekly wellness routine. Write it down and make a schedule so that it fits into each day. I like to keep mine diversified with different workouts and times, so I don’t get burned out with one particular workout or schedule. Once established, you can begin to set goals.
Chuck Downs, Berea

Weight Watchers Plan
I lost 56 pounds by going to Weight Watchers and following the program carefully. Drink lots of water, put your food on smaller plates, get out and move, and eat to live, not live to eat!
Mary Crum, Lebanon
Inter-County Energy Cooperative

Morning Power Walk
I love to power walk early in the morning, from 7-7:30. It allows me some quiet time, as well as gets me pumped and ready for the day. I feel better and know that I am helping myself physically.
Sherry Osborne, London, Kentucky
Jackson Energy Cooperative

When the Baby is Asleep
I have a toddler and there just never seemed to be any time to work out, except for chasing him. I decided the best way to get around this was to do a few exercises while he’s asleep, either before waking in the morning or during nap time. I also bike Bernheim Forest.
Rhonda Lockwood, Elizabethtown
Nolin Rural Electric

Every Day is my Motto
A 15-minute power walk with a co-worker gives an energy boost. I row on the Ohio River, walk, walk my dogs, do Pilates, weight train, and ski for health. No wiggly arms for me. Do something every day!
Becky Sharp, Shepherdsville
South Kentucky RECC

Amazing Water
Drink water and lots of it. I was formerly addicted to Dr Pepper. I simply changed my drink of choice and I have lost weight, feel younger, and my skin looks healthier. I have more energy, get more done…and all by drinking water.
Kaye Simmons, Russellville
Pennyrile Electric Cooperative

Fitness Journey
My success story is a modest one, but I’m still pretty proud of it. I am currently in my mid-20s and a regular half-marathoner, but I can vividly remember being a very unathletic kid who dreaded the one-mile fitness test in middle school. As I finished my fifth mini-marathon this past year (an achievement I would have never thought possible before befriending a runner in college), I couldn’t help but smile and think about the one fitness tip that had let to my success: enjoy the journey, don’t just seek out a destination. As with much of life, you must enjoy the journey—the daily workouts—if you are to achieve your goals. Find ways to love your workouts, to avoid seeing them as a chore. Lifelong fitness is not a destination, it is a journey.
Katie Eckert, Goshen
Pennyrile Electric Cooperative

80/20 Rule
Keep a journal: foods eaten, times to exercise. Eat healthy 80 percent of the time, have snacks 20 percent. Pick a cheat day so you don’t feel deprived of foods you enjoy. Drink water, do cardio 30 minutes six days a week, strength-train three days a week. Rest when feeling tired or sore.
Sandra Currens, Harrodsburg

Buddy System
My fitness tip is to use the buddy system. I work out with a friend because I always have someone to motivate me to go to the gym and to push myself as hard as possible while I am there.
Benjamin Mason, California, Kentucky
Owen Electric Cooperative

Lower Sugar & Starch
Cutting sugars/starches has been the best way for me to lose weight, with walking as an extra boost to your energy and fitness level.
Lori Choate, Hopkinsville
Pennyrile Electric Cooperative

Exercise First
Exercise should be a natural part of your daily routine. You have to make up your mind that it isn’t something you do when you get some extra time. Once you start, it will be natural to you, the benefits of exercise are unlimited!!
Wanda Sulfridge, Williamsburg
Cumberland Valley Electric

Water With Every Meal
Drink a glass of water before every meal. When you start craving those afternoon snacks, reach for a bottle of water. It fools your stomach into thinking it’s full. It also flushes your body out and hydrates it, so you feel better and look better.
Jimmie Morrow, Monticello
South Kentucky RECC

Vary Your Exercise
Do different activities so you don’t get bored with exercising. Trying new things is fun and challenging, and keeps you from getting burned out on certain exercises. Also, trying new things can work muscles that your normal exercises don’t work!
Sabrina Mason, California, Kentucky
Owen Electric Cooperative

Chart Your Exercise & Food
My fitness tip is to record everything that you do. I printed out two blank calendars: in one I write down all of the exercise that I do on any particular day, and in the other I write down the food I eat. Knowing exactly what I am doing keeps me accountable to myself and also helps me to realize my weaknesses.
Jessica Mason, California, Kentucky
Owen Electric Cooperative

Exercise at Lunch
I work out at lunch at Physical Fitness for Women. The tip I have found that helps me the most to keep going back is to find a TV show that you look forward to watching on your lunch break or sometime during the day. I watch the show and walk on the treadmill. This keeps me from eating out a lot and I take my lunch.
Jill Moore, Alvaton
Warren RECC

Do it for Yourself!
My fitness tip is: “Do it for yourself.” I have been running for more than 16 years. I have found running for me to be as good for the mind as the body. It is amazing how answers to issues come to me as I run.
Jerome Skees, Glendale
Nolin RECC

Start Small
Exercise should be for overall health, not just for weight loss. Start out small, and at least once a day think of something really good to inspire you and keep you motivated. A healthy mind and attitude will go along quite well with your new healthy body.
Tricia Callahan, Annville
Jackson Energy Cooperative

Share with a Friend
I am 53 years old. I started jogging with my neighbor Tonya Stewart in 1998. We have three different 3-5-mile routes that we walk/jog six mornings a week. The key to a successful exercise routine is to share your commitment with a friend. On those mornings that you hesitate to get out of bed, the thought of your exercise buddy waiting for you will spur you on.
Judy Waddell, Bowling Green
Warren Rural Electric

Just Do It—Water
One thing that really helped me succeed at my fitness goal was merely drinking water in place of sodas and juice. Even when going out to eat, I ordered water. After just a few weeks, I couldn’t even stand the sugary taste of soda. Just that simple exchange helped in my losing 42 pounds in six months and maintaining my new weight.
Jamie Wandle, Willisburg
Salt River Electric Cooperative

Video Exercise
Before I knew it, I was considered obese. A friend of mine gave me the Walk Away the Pounds video. You can work your way up a little at a time. It is very encouraging and makes you feel good no matter your pace. Costs about $8 at Wal-Mart.
Glinda Ison, Olive Hill
Grayson RECC

To read the Kentucky Living January 2005 feature that goes along with this supplement, click here: How to Stick to Fitness Resolutions