My Mother is The Biggest Loser

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!