I will copy it here also so you guys can get a chance to read it if you don't want to go to the site ( you won't be disappointed if you do and I strongly encourage you all to explore the site)
*Article Written By Laura Williams, M.S.Ed.*
*Writer, Entrepreneur and the “Sporty Girl CEO” of GirlsGoneSporty.com*
This time will be the right time
While Girls Gone Sporty doesn't focus solely on weight loss, we do understand that to achieve a healthy, happy, active life, weight loss may be part of the picture. And, our goal as an organization is to give people the resources they need to enhance their lives in this way. So, when we received Angela's email, we rallied behind her — GGS Ambassadors sent her encouraging emails, a few brands offered to provide some amazing products (brands listed at the bottom of the page) to help get her started and we committed as a group to stand behind her and say, "You can do it!"
But we're not the heroes here. The hero is Angela herself! It takes incredible courage to ask for help and it takes incredible tenacity to react and respond the way she has. She has already signed up for her first 5k, she's blogging about her journey over at Aphalicious Bliss and she's asking questions, seeking out answers and owning the journey she has in front of her. This woman is a rock star!
She's so on fire for the road ahead that we wanted to bottle up her energy and figure out, "Why change, why now?" This is what she had to say:
Girls Gone Sporty (GGS): Can you tell me a little about your background with health and fitness?
Angela Doles (AD): When I was growing up I was always outside riding bikes and climbing trees. Then when I got into middle school, I joined the volleyball team. I had so much fun till my parents moved me to a new school and I wasn't good enough to join the high school team. So, I joined the tennis team. Much more fun than volleyball! I was doing band, tennis and working as a car hop at Sonic. Then everything fell apart. My dad got into a motorcycle wreck and I became responsible for taking care of my little brother who is seven years younger than me. Then the bad flashbacks of when I was a kid came back. Not good ones, either. So here I was, 16 years old, having to quit the tennis team, work two jobs and take care of my little brother. Then it just got worse in '04 when I married my husband. It got to the point that I couldn't leave the house at all.
GGS: Have you tried to make healthy changes in the past? What are some of the things that kept you from being successful?
AD: I have tried to lose weight lots of times. By working out and even taking diet pills and such like Phenteramine. I would lose the weight, but then after stopping, I would gain it all back. Working out never got far, as I lacked support from my spouse. I felt awful all the time and was majorly depressed and stressed.
GGS: You're so motivated and on top of things right now - what's different now? Why fight for health at this point in your life?
AD: What got me motivated to change and stay healthy is that I saw the doctor and he told me if I didn't change something, I would follow in my dad's footsteps and have a heart attack. I want to be here for a very long time with my three children.
GGS: What changes (if any) are most challenging?
AD: The changes I'm most struggling with are the at-home support and the knowledge about what changes are right and what I should stay away from. My parents were heavy and when my dad had his heart attack at 30, the only thing my mother changed about his diet was adding fish and ground turkey to the mix. Also the water intake! It is so hard to drink all the water my body needs. I think I lack the most in that department.
GGS: What changes are easier than you thought?
AD: The overall eating more fruits and veggies while cutting out the sodas and extra sugar. I switched to agave nectar and I have seen the difference.
GGS: How are you finding the motivation to keep going?
AD: The little things have been seeming to help. The emails and messages from awesome ladies in Girls Gone Sporty. My son, who is about to be four and weighs near 40 pounds. I use him as my weight (I give him piggy back rides while I walk my 20 minutes) and I kind of bounce to the beat of the bunny hop dance while humming it and then skip high three times and go "dunn dunn dunn". He busts out laughing and says "Go mommy, go! Go mommy, go!" If he only knew he was helping me lose weight!
GGS: What's your fitness schedule look like right now?AD: No matter what, Monday through Friday I walk 20 minutes to get my kids from school. Other than that, I either work out with the Wii or with YouTube with Julian Michaels and Extreme Makeover Home Edition and of course Carmin Electra's Strip Tease. Hey, it's actually fun!
GGS: Where'd you start, and what's your end goal? What are some mid-point goals you're setting up along the way?
AD: I started at 260. Not happy but it's true. I had a waist bigger than 60 inches and wearing a 26 pant. I am not happy at all about this. My end goal is to be in a size 7-9 and weigh 135-150. My mid point goal is to get under 200 pounds.
GGS: How are you planning to reward yourself for your accomplishments?
AD: I plan to reward myself by the time I get really close to my goal. I will have a few 5k's under my belt. Also, It would be a great reward to show my husband that after all these years I can look good and be worth more. That I can and will make a better life for me and my kids.
Today, about a week after first responding to our questions, Angela sent another awesome email. She reported, "The biggest thing for me is when I slid a size large Hanes shirt on, it not only fit, it was kinda loose! I am so happy right now! I accomplished so much yet so little, but I am still happy. Soon I hope to see the numbers on the scale sliding down as this weight finally says goodbye for good."
Well Angela, that weight will say goodbye for good! You're an inspiration already!
If you'd like to follow Angela's journey, check out her blog and like her Facebook page. And, be sure to check back here occasionally, too. She's thrilled to be sharing her journey with Girls Gone Sporty readers.
A big thanks!
Thank you to the companies and brands who have been generous enough to help Angela start her fitness transformation!- MPG for donating a yoga mat and ball (Check out Angela's mat review here)
- Empower for donating a Portable Pilates Studio, Medicine Ball, Kettle Bell and Waist Trimmer Belt
- Stick-E for donating two Wrist Saver Blocks
- FitterFirst for donating a Balance Board
- Sara Haley’s Sweat Unlimited™ DVD
HUGE THANK YOU TO Laura Williams, M.S.Ed. FOR THIS WONDERFUL PAGE. THIS PAGE IS COPIED FROM HER GGS PAGE AND ALL CREDIT FOR THE MAIN ARTICLE GOES TO HER! SHE IS AN AMAZING WOMAN AND I WANT TO THANK HER FOR EVERYTHING SHE HAS DONE TO HELP ME WITH THIS CURRENT JOURNEY I AM ON.
AT TIMES I KNOW I CAN BE KINDA ANNOYING ASKING SO MANY QUESTIONS AND ALL BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND ALL THE HELP YOU AND ALL THE REST OF THE AWESOME AND WONDERFUL AMBASSADORS THAT HAVE BEEN THEIR TO HELP ME TOO! YOU GUYS ARE TRULY AMAZING !!!!
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1 comments:
So awesome!!!!! I am so happy that GGS has helped you Laura rocks!!!!
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