GLEN:
The last month has been quite a challenge. Even though I can feel my body changing in a positive way the scale is still not showing a dramatic negative movement as quickly as I would prefer. However, I am still feeling great and continue to be amazed at the stress releif I get from working out. For now I'll continue to workout and trust that the weight loss will come in time.
Working out with a partner (my wife in this case) has been far more motivating than I could have ever imagined. On those nights that I am tempted to blow off my workout, she provides the motivation I need to just do it. The amazing part is no matter how tired or frustrated or stressed out I am before a workout, I always seem to leave the gym with more energy than I had when I got there.
The next major challenge I'm trying to prepare for is summer sports with the kids. Although I love softball, baseball, soccer, trapshooting and the plethora of other activities my kids are into, the time drain it creates can control your life. The next step for me will be to transition to a morning workout so I don't get derailed by practices and games. I'm having a hard time getting ready for a 5:30 a.m. workout schedule; but am also sure that I am not willing to give up my daily dose of weightlifting, it just feels too good.
CORI:
We survived Christmas and New Year’s and a wedding very well, just a few meals that we normally wouldn’t eat anymore, but right on track again the next day. I was telling Glen the other night, it is amazing to me how we used to live to eat, instead of eating to live, we used to eat out every chance we got, even planned vacations around where we would be eating. Now with the working out, we choose to just go home and fix dinner. If we do eat out, it is at the hospital eating their light menu selections. We feel so much better not eating the "all you can eat" buffets we used to eat at every night of the week.
I actually look forward to exercising now and really miss it if there is a night we can’t make it. Even then we just trade a Saturday for that night, and that way we work out 5 days a week. On the weekends we usually find ourselves going to the gym and walking on the treadmill, and then hitting the hot tub and pool afterwards. We are truly addicted to this lifestyle change. It has totally improved our stress level, and I even have the energy now to do things with the kids that I didn’t used to do, like playing one-on-one in basketball with my daughter. The kids are really impressed with us and both intend to start lifting in the near future. I hope this lifestyle change will stay with them and they won’t have to ever to get in shape, rather just stay in shape.
DAWN:
Cori and Glen are seeing the positive effects of exercise and proper eating. Their energy levels are increasing and stress levels are dropping. The thing that so many of us get hung up on is the weight on the scale. But, I can't wait to see some of the really important numbers, like triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure, in the future, as a result of the lifestyle change they have made! Cori is still losing fat and gained another 3 lbs of muscle. She lost another 1.5 inches in her upper torso measurement, an inch in her hips, another 2 inches in her waist, and an inch and a half in her thigh. Glen's weight on the scale is not moving much, but his body composition continues to change. He grew another inch in his bicep measurement, and widened the gap between his chest and waist measurement by another inch.
I am so excited to see the changes in their bodies, but am even more excited that they are feeling so much better, managing their stress levels, and feel enough energy to play with the kids. They are setting a great example for their kids in getting control of their health! Good job guys!!!
