Commitment Equals Results

Getting in the mindset

“My name is Candi, I’m a Capricorn and I like long walks on the beach.”

Every meeting with her weight loss group started the same for Candi Smith. An introduction and a touch of humor. Adding a little levity didn’t diminish Candi’s commitment to her goal. Down 53 pounds in 19 weeks, some might say the laughter might have even helped – as did her own mindset.

“I was just ready to do it,” said Candi. “It was time.”

Life before the diet

If you ask Candi what her day looked like before she changed her lifestyle, you’d notice a pattern. Poor diet and a lack of exercise or will power.

“On my way to taking my son to school we’d stop at a gas station and eat a donut, then come to work and have coffee with umpteen pounds of creamer in it,” said Candi. “At home I would sit and do nothing. I would just watch TV and complain about being too tired.”

To Candi, this was just “the way it is.” Until things changed.

The accountability factor

“A co-worker had a lot of weight loss success and it inspired me to make a change,” said Candi, a medical receptionist at Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency. She joined the Methodist Better Living program and then started on her own weight loss journey.

Candi found a group of people who would hold her accountable – and her competitive nature kicked in.

“Now, I spend every lunch hour walking and then I go to work out after work at least four or five days a week,” said Candi. “If I’m not doing a workout I’m doing something… I’m not just sitting.”

She was not only held accountable, she was challenged and challenged others in return.

“I have a Fitbit and track my steps. Through it, I can watch the steps of my workout buddy,” said Candi. “If I see she’s falling short I text her and remind her to get moving.”

Two reasons

And if Candi needs another reminder, she finds it in her 16-year-old son.

“I did this for two reasons,” said Candi. “The first was obviously for me. The second was to have my son see me be active. He used to tell me to get out and do something. Now he sees me and he’s really proud of me and happy for me. It’s giving him some encouragement to do other things, too. Sometimes we work out together, and that’s a workout!”

No more fast food

Besides just working out, Candi is also making healthier food choices. Days that used to include stops for donuts, pizza or fast food are now focused on nutrition and the right calorie count.

“I really try to incorporate a lot of vegetables and protein,” said Candi. “My ‘go-to,’ if I had to pick just one, would be cauliflower rice. I make a mean chicken fried cauliflower rice. It’s so delicious I got my son to eat it the other night. There were no complaints.”

Not looking back

Now that Candi has both her diet and her activity levels in check, she can see the results both on the scale and in the way she feels.

“I feel amazing. I feel great,” said Candi. “I’m going to keep going because I have a little more of a goal to reach. I’m at a plateau right now but I’m not going to let it discourage me. I am not going to give up now. You always have to keep things in perspective and I’m so proud of how far I’ve come.”

If you want help on your weight loss journey, speak with the dietitians at the Methodist Center for Diabetes and Nutritional Health.