I was given the prompt of "What has been the biggest change in me since I started the contest." This got me thinking about my journey up to this point. I have started losing weight before the actual N-H contest began, and I am at about 20 pounds. It has been a very hard journey for me, and the last 3-week weigh in was the hardest, as I only lost 0.6 pounds. Although this is a temporary setback, I find it to be new motivation to succeed to get close to my goal weight. I have about 30 pounds to go.

 

If I were to answer the prompt directly, I would say that my view of exercise and motivation has changed for the better. As a science teacher and high school coach, I know how to work out, and what exercises to do, but it is a long way from theory to practice. I found that getting in a routine each day is a trick for me that works. Tony Horton and P90X gives me the structure that I need to improve. As he says "just keep on pushing play" and "do you best, and forget the rest". These are both mantras that resonated with me, and made me successful.

 

I still have a way to go, but I am happy with how it is progressing. I am not going to win the contest, but I am becoming a healthier and more active person - and I appreciate and thank Laura and the News-Herald for that. It sure is hard work!