BODY-
A friend of mine just recently introduced me to a new weight loss website called http://www.sparkpeople.com/. Over the last year or so I have put on a few extra pounds. Being a single mother, going back to college and working a full time night job has taken its toll on my body. Their never seems to be enough time in the day to accomplish all my regular tasks, let alone find time to exercise. My sleeping patterns have become erratic, with little 2-3 hour naps being taken in between classes and work. I have on more than a few occasions opted for the easier "fast food", rather than making a more time consuming healthier meal. During my work hours from 7 pm-7am, the only things open are 7-11 and fast food restaurants, so Wendy's usually ends up as lunch. When I finally do get a day off, it's spent sleeping, spending time with my family, or trying to catch up on housework or homework.
I finally reached an all time high. Things had to change. What started off as a few extra pounds slowly began to become something extremely unhealthy for me. My blood pressure was beginning to go up, my feet were starting to swell, and I was becoming out of breathe after simple tasks. The last straw came when I had to go buy all new clothes because none of what I had would fit anymore. I didn't want this weight to become something permanent I would keep with me. I've never had to worry about these issues before, so this change really scared me. When a friend recommended this site, I was a bit skeptical. Another weight loss gimmick, another weight loss website. I've seen them all, but I decided to check it out.
I was very pleasantly surprised. You have to sign up and become a member, however, membership is free. You fill out a brief questionairre, which goes over your current weight and goal weight and the amount of time you would like to lose it. It gives you your BMI and what is healthy for your sex and height. You are also asked to input other goals you would like to accomplish. I chose to work out for 30 minutes of cardio, 3 times per week as one of my goals. It has a nutrition tracker that you input your daily food intake, or you can opt to follow along on their recommended diet which will help you to lose the weight you have chosen.
They have newsletters you can sign up for that goes along with your particular interests. The newsletters can be sent to your email or phone. They also have an app that is downloadable to your phone. It allows you to input the foods you consume, on the spot. It also allows you to input your physical activity. They have an area on the website to input physical activity as well. They have recommended workouts or you can input your own excercises. It will automatically figure out your calories burned. The site is filled with information, from recipes to exercise demonstrations, to informative and inspirational stories and videos.
The component I feel is so helpful on this site is the interaction between the other members, as well as the accountability of the website itself. I found myself not wanting to eat certain foods, knowing that I would have to record them into my diary of foods. I also felt obligated to complete the excercises scheduled on my calandar. The times I did forgot to record the food I had consumed, I was sent a text message asking if that was really all I had ate for the day? I think this is a great site for someone who is serious about losing weight. It has many ways of motivating and helping the individual with accomplishing their goals. I would definately recommend it. I know it has helped me.
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