What I Learned…

This is it! I’m in the final week of the Get Well Challenge! It’s been a great three months, and I’ve had so much fun with the challenges, and I’m thankful that Ellwood Thompson gave me the opportunity to participate!

I lost a little weight, I lowered my body fat a bit, and I learned a lot along the way.

1. Sometimes, you’ve got to face the numbers

Let’s just get over the obvious- no one likes stepping on a scale. I realize that this is not for everyone. For some, it’s best if they manage their weight by how their clothes fit. For me, the number really helps. Plus, it was cool getting an actual body fat assessment! And the people at the wellness center were quick to answer questions, and help me reach my goal. Did I make it all the way? Nope. But I’m going in the right direction!

Sorry for the foot picture. Is that gross? Maybe. (Probably.) But the whole electrode body fat thing was so cool to me.

2. Tracking your food can be hard

I liked meeting with the dietician. It was helpful that she was a vegetarian (so we could skip the whole “how do you get your protein” conversation) and she gave me ideas for some lower carb vegetarian meals. I tried to keep track of my daily eats, but I definitely had days where I… *forgot*… to track some things. But hey, I did alright.

I recently switched from using the Daily Plate app, to using the app compatible with my Body Media band. Both are great, and even though it can be a lot of work to track everything, I will say it’s the best way to stay focused on your goal! I didn’t do a perfect job, but it really does make you more aware of what you’re eating!

3. Get a support system!

One of the best parts of the challenges was having a group of people to support me! Ellwood Thompson set up a Facebook group for us to connect, and I made some new friends throughout the challenge! Sometimes, just knowing we were all going to our weigh-in was enough encouragement 😉 But you don’t need an “official” group to have a support system. Get a few co-workers on board! (Hey Conor, I’m going to keep making you take those walks at lunch with me.)

Sometimes it was Jillian Michael’s with my roommate, sometimes it was a group fitness class, occasionally it was a run with friends, but whatever it was, working out with other people makes a sweat session 10x more fun. It’s a fact. Try it.

So did I accomplish my goals? Kind of.

I don’t think I got exactly where I want to be, but I did learn a lot of great tools to continue on a healthy path! I’m going to keep on tracking my food, keep on working out, and keep on trying new ways to keep myself from getting bored 😉 And it’s not about the destination… it’s about the journey… right? Something like that.

What have you learned recently?