[/caption][caption id="attachment_7507" align="alignright" width="420" caption="Brooke now"]
[/caption]In her own words...
Many people who are successful at adding exercise into their lifestyles do it by teaming up with a friend. They enlist a friend to go to the gym, join a group class, or train for marathon. During my first visit to H3, I began thinking of who could support me in my wellness journey and how teamwork might work for me.
Returning home, I signed up everyone I encountered for my “team.” For the first time in trying to improve my health and lose weight, I shared my goals with everyone I knew, from close friends and family to business acquaintances. People watching to see if I would succeed fueled my competitive nature and ensured I would stay on track. It also set expectations for business lunch meetings and evenings with friends. With a few moments of conversation to express my intentions, I had a team working with me and cheering for me. It certainly kept me honest on more than one occasion.
This tactic also encouraged friends and colleagues to invite me to exercise with them. Prior to H3, I was uncomfortable with group exercise classes. I was concerned that everyone would see that I was out of shape and have two left feet, or that I would cause others to make mistakes. H3 gave me the confidence to say yes when a colleague invited me to join her in a Zumba class. I still have two left feet (it’s genetic!), but I have a great workout, and I laugh through most of the class. It is the workout I look forward to each week. Plus, it added more people to my team.
Suddenly, my team went from encouraging me to praising me. It felt like I had “won” when I returned to H3 six months after my first visit and I was 30 pounds lighter. I was feeling great. I had accomplished something that for years had seemed impossible.
During this visit, I heard about H3@HomeCoaching. While I thought it sounded like a good idea for others, I was doing just fine on my own—until...
A few weeks later, the idea that I had “won” turned into a plateau. That’s when I realized my team needed a coach. After reviewing the profiles and thinking about my definition of success, I drafted Coach Linda.
Coach Linda is instrumental in helping me captain my team. Each week when she calls, I know I can say anything. She listens without judgment. She challenges me to challenge myself.
I have heard people say, in regard to overweight individuals, “just put down the fork.” Weight loss and a healthy lifestyle are so much more than just putting down the fork. Coach Linda motivates me to tackle new strategies. In the months since she joined my team, I have walked a half-marathon, lost 20 more pounds, started dating again, learned to say no when I don’t care to do something, joined a running club, and found my confidence again. The thinner version of me is easily visible to friends and family, but the healthier me is the real winner.
For more Sharing Success stories, visit the H3 @ Home page on H3Daily!
Great story and so very well put. I agree 10000% with getting many people on your team. It helps when you are struggling. The @Home coaching ROCKS!
ReplyDeleteBrooke...an excellent journey for you! I love your comment about putting down the fork...yep, we would all be in our goal weight range if it was that simple. :-) It is a constant effort, however, well worth it. Congratulations and wishing you continued success!
ReplyDeleteTrev