Bonnie started the Walking With a Purpose Challenge at Bose McKinney & Evans a few months ago, after some nudging. This started the journey! She is now 30 pounds down and feels like a new person! She suffered from chronic back pain, achy arms and incredible pain in her feet due to neuromas. She was going to need a second surgery on her feet. Now she swims every day at 5:00am, cooks at home, walks her dog and gets at least 10,000 steps every day! Read more for her incredible story and tips for a healthier life:
1. Tell me why you began on this health and wellness journey?
I felt horrible! I knew I deserved better, but just couldn’t make the necessary changes in my life so I just kept gaining weight and getting more and more out of shape. My grandmother lived until she was 105 yrs. old. I doubt I will live that long, but I have some great genes in my family and I felt like I was aging so quickly. The range of motion in my back was horrible. My arms always ached and I was always in incredible pain due to the neuromas in both of my feet and was possibly looking at the need to have a second surgery on both feet. I want to enjoy my retirement.
2. Did your health coach support you?
Absolutely! I’m so glad she introduced the walking and weight loss challenges because it gave me something to work toward… just the push I needed!
3. How are you feeling now?
Amazing! I have taken back control of my life. I’m exercising and eating a much healthier diet. I’m finally taking care of me…because once I started to exercise and eat right I knew I could make other changes in my life too. I was/am determined to live my best life and this challenge started all that. My back feels so much better, my arms don’t hurt and best of all my feet don’t hurt…at all.
4. What major changes have you made?
I swim 6 days a week (I get up at 4:15 a.m. to make sure to get my swimming in for the day). I’m so lucky that I have found a form of exercise that I love. I make it a point to walk my dog at least once a week (weather allowing) and I try to get at least 10,000 steps in a day. I have cut out a lot of bad carbs and sugars from my diet. I very rarely buy processed food (or dine out) and have realized that I do like to cook, especially when it’s something good for me. I make killer blueberry/chocolate chip muffins… very healthy, of course. There are SOOO MANY resources online that checking out the amazing recipes and information has become a healthy hobby for me.
5. This does become a lifestyle – do you feel like you have truly made a difference in your life?
Without question! I actually think about what food I’m eating now instead of just eating whatever I see (and that’s no joke). I recently got back from a two-week vacation and in addition to losing a pound, I still enjoyed the food I was eating, but put thought into whether or not I truly wanted something to eat. We’ve all heard it… overeating is just a way of hiding a bigger problem. That was so true for me. Now, I actually care enough about myself and my health to think about what I’m eating and how I’m staying active.
6. What other goals do you have?
I really want to start a daily practice of yoga and meditating. I know the combination of these two practices will have an even more incredible impact on my health and happiness.
7. Do you find Shelly’s seminars helpful?
Most definitely! I’m so glad she has become part of our BME family!
Coaches Notes:
Bonnie has really shown her determination and passion these last few months. The first time I spoke about the challenge, I gave Bonnie a hard time because she didn’t really want to sign up. However, she finally did and now look where she is! Bonnie was so excited when she saw how much weight she lost and noticing the pain that she no longer had. Bonnie is 30 pounds down since starting the challenge! She not only won the weight loss portion, but she has continued her journey and is eager to keep leading her new lifestyle! Her passion for swimming has grown exponentially and she feels amazing and pain-free! Bonnie is a testament of what hard work and determination can do!
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