For those of you who thought this is my
actual opinion of my mother, shame on you. I love my mother dearly and she is about as far from being a loser as you possibly could be; until now. You see, my mother is starting our version of "The Biggest Loser" challenge.
The Coach
As her coach, mentor, dietician, and #1 fan, let me introduce myself; my name is Rebekah Rodgers. Since I was big enough to walk, I have led a fairly active/healthy lifestyle; developed a pattern of habits that cultivate healthy eating choices, active hobbies, and determination to stay fit. At 21 years old, I still maintain those habits.
But my Mother has spent the last 20+ years taking care of five kids, a house, and husband. Somewhere along the line, she neglected to take care of her own health and wellbeing. That's where we find ourselves today. She has decided to make a change
right now to save her health and live better.
The Biggest Loser Challenge
For the next 6 weeks (or however long it takes) Mom will be following the diet plan and exercise routines outlined in "
The Biggest Loser" by Cheryl Forberg (and others). In order to motivate her to stick with the program, I have decided to diet and exercise with her through all 6 weeks.
We have four charts on the fridge: water intake, diet check, exercise check, and weight progress. I also had Mom put up a picture of her goal -- herself nearly 20 years ago -- as well as a list of excuses she's made since then that got her so far away from her optimal weight.
- For water intake, we aim for 128oz of water a day in four 32oz increments.
- Our diet plan follows the 1,200-1,500 calorie balanced meals listed in the book. (Note: 5 small meals a day makes a huge difference in hunger and cravings.)
- Exercises vary each week in type and intensity but in addition to the workouts, we walk 30-45 minutes outdoors. Mom's favorite warm-up is hula hooping while listening to Country music.
We are currently on Day 2. Weight progress = -1lb
Quote of the day:
Mom: "What?? I can't run!"
Me: *rolls eyes* "If one of your children got hit by a car, would you walk to their aid or run?"
Mom: "... I guess I can run."
Lesson learned: You CAN exercise beyond what you
think you can. You'll never know your limits until you push them.
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Here's where I need your help. Mom needs all the motivation, support, encouragement, (and prayers) you can give her. Comment below and let her know you're cheering for her!
We took a trip to the clinic today and Mom's cast was removed from her left wrist! Waiting on her for an hour tested my patience and I seriously considered finding a pair of scissors and doing it myself next time. Nonetheless, we were elated that Mom was set free. This incident led to a humorous remark from the Doctor as he was giving Mom instructions for therapy:
