Pilar V. Blog Post
March/April 2010

Since the last time I blogged about my progress in November, I have diligently continued to exercise and power walk on a daily basis with my husband. We are currently walking a little over one hour every morning and now average somewhere around 2.75 -3 miles a day. Even though it was not easy getting out of bed from under the warm comforters in the early morning to walk in the strong wind of a thirty-degree cold snap which lasted for over two weeks, I am proud to say that it was my motivation that shoved me out of the house. I will candidly confess that the holidays were not the easiest to conquer without gaining a single pound. The scrumptious holiday temptations were everywhere and the enticing seasonal aromas filled the air, yet I did not overindulge. Although I did treat myself to some delicious meals and dessert over the holidays, I did not however, feel one single ounce of guilt. Nonetheless, I do realize that eating some high calorie meals that were also high in carbs may have had something to do with the fact that for almost one long month, I was again stuck on a plateau. The frustration of stepping on the scale and not seeing the pounds drop was quite draining on my confidence level.

The good news is that this week I am beginning to break that discouraging flat plateau. I have started to see the digits on the scale dropping again and am slowly regaining my motivation. I am ecstatic to proclaim that I have lost another 14 pounds since my last update and have managed to lose a total of 24 and a 1/2 pounds since my journey to better health started last August. Until the next blog, I will continue to pump the free weights, trot on the ThreadClimber, pedal my bike, and brisk walk for miles while putting forth maximum effort to stay on pace or perhaps surpass my weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals.

November/December 2009

Last month, I enjoyed my celebratory CAREFREE® Fresh Start New York trip that began with an amazing one-on-one session with the lovely and very knowledgeable change expert Ariane de Bonvoisin, who gave me the tools and motivation to continue on my path to a healthier lifestyle. While in NYC, I was also pampered with a great makeover and attended a beautiful reception where the top three fund recipients were honored and treated like celebrities. I returned to Miami completely invigorated, optimistic and with a new sense of self empowerment. I knew then that the funds I received would give me that extra nudge I so desperately needed to help me make my fresh start.

After my thyroid cancer surgery, I have had difficulty losing weight and continue to struggle daily with knowing what are the good carbohydrates I should be eating and which ones I should be avoiding. My doctors have told me that a slower metabolism is one of the side effects of not having a thyroid and parathyroid so I realized that I had to do something to try to speed up my metabolism so a combination of diet and exercise was my logical choice. My journey to a healthier lifestyle commenced by having several consults with a nutritionist who has helped me, as a newly diagnosed diabetic, make better food choices and is also teaching me what food group combinations work best to help me metabolize my meals quicker. Under my nutritionist's supervision, I am on my third week of a very strict, low carb, meal plan that has been cooked to meet my specific nutritional needs and is delivered to my doorsteps from Monday - Friday.

Since late August, I had been power walking with my husband for 40 minutes a day and had been stuck on a plateau for weeks only managing to lose a few pounds. By eating the right combination of foods and changing up my exercise routine, I have managed to put my metabolism on overdrive. Thanks to CAREFREE® Brand, I was also able to purchase a state-of-the art, home-fitness machine, which is a revolutionary three-in-one combination treadmill, elliptical and stair/mountain climber that helps burn calories more than two times faster than the average power walk on a treadmill. So now instead of just brisk walking for forty minutes a day, 7 days a week like I used to, I am now combining my exercise routine to include a 30 minute power walk in the park 5-6 days a week with a 15-20 minute light weights training routine 3-4 times per week and a major 15-20 minute workout on my new Treadclimber, which I do three times a week.

My healthy lifestyle change has not been easy but I am seeing the results of my hard work and dedication in the 10 and a 1/2 pounds I have lost and it is very rewarding. As Ariane would say "every change has a gift associated with it" and my gift is the gift of a healthier second chance at a new life.