40 pounds lighter! - Shirley’s story

Shirley Nicodem
Boca Raton, Florida
Age: 48
Height: 5’1”
Inches lost: bust 4; waist 5; hips 5

Biggest obstacle
Plateaus. There were a few weeks when the needle on the scale didn’t budge. Instead of feeling discouraged, I stayed on track and my weight loss restarted.
Weekly exercise program
Weight training and cardio circuits at Curves: 60-90 minutes/3 times a week; Walking: 30 minutes/4 times a week
Eating philosophy
I eat a balanced amount of fat, carbs and protein. No foods are off-limits and I enjoy everything in moderation.
What I learned
-Make exercise a habit. Working out at the same time every day makes exercise second nature.
-Get help. You don’t have to do it on your own. Enlist the help of a trainer or other professional.
-Keep things in perspective. You may look better being a little bit heavier.

When I began going through menopause at age 46, I started gaining weight, even though I was eating the same foods. During the next two years, the weight crept up and before I knew it, I had gained 40 pounds on my 5’1” frame and hit 145 pounds. I talked to my doctor about it and he said it was due to all the hormonal changes my body was going through, but I felt helpless. Not only did I feel unhealthy and out of shape, but it was getting hard for me to find clothes that fit me properly. It was time to do something.

First, I joined a gym, but since I didn’t feel comfortable joining a coed gym, I checked out a Curves branch. I loved the relaxing, encouraging environment and started going three times a week. I’m self-employed and work from home so I took a mid-afternoon break to work out. Not only did I get my exercise quotient for the day, but I also got a mental break and I came back to work refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of my day.

At the same time, I improved my eating habits. I tossed out the chips, candy and cookies and added tuna, baked chicken and salads to my diet. In just a month, I had lost 7 pounds and felt great. Every day I went to work out, I enjoyed immensely. Soon, I began to see the curve of muscle on my arm and my face wasn’t as puffy. In just nine months, I had lost 45 pounds.

After seeing my reflection in the mirror, I realized that I was actually too thin and decided to regain some weight. I upped my fat intake by including more tuna, nuts and hearthealthy olive oil in my diet. I also started weight training with dumbbells and ankle weights three times a week. Now I weigh a healthy, muscular 105 pounds. I’ve gone from a size 14 to a size 2.

People who haven’t seen me in a while are stunned and always ask me what I’ve done. I know that Curves and eating right are a way of life for me, not a quick fix.