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July 09, 2009 04:24 pm

Too Much To Lose: Motivation

Motivation The older I get, the harder it is to lose weight and get motivated to discover a healthier lifestyle. A busy schedule that is full of stress too often leads me on a path that ends at the vending machine, ready for that sugar high that will get me through another few hours of work. A commitment to a healthier lifestyle begins with finding those motivating factors that will sustain you through those late-night cravings or the feeling that a few doughnut holes will provide a deserving reward to the end of a day while watching a little television. What are the things that motivate you? For me, a healthier body would be nice, thank you, for starters. Finding relief from muscles that ache constantly and a feeling of overwhelming tiredness and depression that seem to be a reflection of my busy life form which I cannot escape would be a boon. But enough with these thoughts that it would be good for me. What are my real motivating factors? For starters, I want to look decent in a swimsuit when I take my soon-to-be 3-year-old for swimming lessons next summer, and just be able to keep up with him in daily play with a back that is not screaming in pain. You can add to the list through the comments section on this story. Your ideas may be the motivating factor behind someone else's decision to change their lifestyle. And if you are involved in a weight loss regimen, be sure to check out e-loseit.com and log in your successes. Let's get motivated.

October 17, 2009 01:35 pm

Local women make the decision to pursue healthier lifestyle habits

Saturday morning, 62-year-old Nellie Catlett joined 2,000 youths at a statewide Assembly of God youth convention and a night of fun at Celebration Station.
It was an experience she never will forget and one she almost chose to walk away from for good, saying she just couldn’t keep up with the young ones anymore.
“I almost had talked myself into the fact that I could just stay where I was at as far as my weight was concerned because of my age,” she said.
Then she went on vacation this summer and watched life parade by as she stood unable to participate.
She saw women with gray hair hiking and doing activities she, herself, longed to do, and she knew things had to change.
“Boy,” she said, “what an eye-opener.”
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Bonnie Vculek, a mother and doting grandmother of three granddaughters, had lost 40 pounds in nearly two years when she realized it wasn’t enough — she needed to change her lifestyle.
The revelation came last spring when she was lying on a emergency room bed listening to a doctor tell her she had suffered a heart attack.
“I just thought I’d changed it enough, and I hadn’t,” she said. “It frightened me enough that I thought if I didn’t change what I’m doing I wouldn’t see my granddaughters enough.”
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As spring and summer turn into fall, both women are working hard — not at losing weight but changing their lifestyles to be more active, more healthy. In doing that, they are dropping the pounds and feeling better than they have in a long time.
It’s a “lifestyle thing,” Catlett said, and Vculek agrees.
“You have to reteach yourself,” she said. “It’s not going to be anything that is easy, but you just have to get to the point in your life that you want to change (your lifestyle).”
Both women started their lifestyle changes with visits to doctors.
While Catlett was not experiencing any physical problems because of her weight, she knew with the strain she was placing on her body that might not last, and she wanted to make sure she was healthy and would remain that way through any diet and exercise regiment.
Vculek was forced to take this road with her physicians, but she consults trainers, as well, to keep herself focused and disciplined.
From there, it was a matter of beginning those changes that slowly will reveal healthier lifestyles, they said.
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Snacking is over, Vculek said, and her days of chowing down on salty foods and red meat are gone, as well. She will take a few bites of her husband’s steak — he refused to give it up totally — every now and then to satisfy the cravings, but both of them are eating more vegetables and fruits these days.
Catlett stays away from carbohydrates.
“No bread, no potatoes, no pasta.”
Another lesson learned was walking away from their plates, whether they were empty or not. Both women had the same tale to relate:
“My mother always taught me to clean my plate.”
But as the world turns faster, there is no time for leisurely eating that proves better for the digestive system.
Both women now leave food on their plates and will make or order less to begin with, they said.
“It’s a mindset, Catlett said. “I just had to change my mind about what I was going to eat and what I wasn’t going to eat.”
Other weapons in their weight loss/lifestyle change arsenal are doctor-supervised weight loss supplements for Catlett and a vitamin regimen for Vculek.
As the pounds come off, exercise is a treat, because their bodies respond to their changing lifestyles with more energy.
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As one grows older, Vculek said, metabolism slows, and the need for a lifestyle change is the result of years of abuse to the body through overeating, stress and less physical activity.
It didn’t happen overnight, and it is not something cured that quickly either.
Another lesson to be learned from their decision is patience, and while that might be a hard pill to swallow it has its rewards.
“I think the slower the weight comes off the longer lasting it’s going to stay off,” Catlett said.
The motivation and the desire are there, lodestones to pull them back on a track not always easy to follow.
“I want to be able to interact with my kids at church better,” said Catlett, who works regularly with the youth of her church.
She also has a 3-year-old granddaughter to keep up with, she said.
Catlett said she wants to enjoy swimming and walking again. She wants to be one of those go-getter women she saw hiking and walking on her summer vacation.
She’ll know when she’s reached her target, she said, “when I can lean over and tie my shoes without running out of breath.”
Vculek also has motivators in her grandchildren and active lifestyle. She teaches and is a professional photographer, lines of work that keep her hopping.
She also is facing another knee surgery, something she is hoping to avoid with her healthier lifestyle.
“The doctor told me for every pound that you lose it’s five pounds of pressure off your knees,” Vculek said.
She also has participated in the citywide campaign to lose weight through the E-Lose It program. At e-loseit.com, participants can interact with others through motivating forums, keep track of weight lost and swap recipes and healthy tips.
When asked what her dream weight would be, Vculek said she is shooting for 140, the weight she was at when she first met her husband.
If she does, she said, she’s got a promise from him to take her to Hawaii.
Now that, she said, is motivation.

October 18, 2009 12:06 am

E-Lose It users lose over a ton

Since a communitywide effort to lose weight kicked off in July, members of E-Lose It have lost a ton of weight, literally, and are close to doubling that effort.
The latest statistics at the program’s Web site — e-loseit.com — show 790 participants have lost 3,714 pounds, which averages to about 5 pounds each.
But one does not have to be a member of the program to enjoy the benefits of the site, said Tawny Dotson, Web site administrator for E-Lose It.
The site sees a lot of activity, as anyone can share in the blogs, recipes and weight loss tools available.
Dotson said those choosing to register now will receive a free two-week membership to the YMCA, and registrants can participate in the community forums, receive bi-weekly tips and track their workouts online. Registration is free.
E-Lose It is patterned after an Oklahoma City campaign that launched in 2007. About 10 communities, including Tulsa, have adopted the Oklahoma City program nationwide.
It is not, however, a goal to see which city can lose the most weight overall, but to set forth an example of healthy lifestyles that can inspire others.
“I think that the inevitable goal is more of a cultural change rather than a short-term ef-fort,” Dotson said.
The future of the program is being found in the Enid schools, as staff and students are taking part in a challenge to become more active, said Amber Graham Fitzgerald, EPS director of school and community relations.
As an E-Lose It sponsor, the school system is promoting 60 minutes of exercise a day — 30 minutes through physical education classes, 15 minutes at recess and 15 minutes at home.
“One of the things we are really focusing on ... is the many ways you can get physical fitness that can be fun,” she said, adding jumping rope or walking with family are examples.
It also encourages family time, Fitzgerald said.
Students and parents sign Hour of Power pledge cards if they want to become involved, she said, and she has heard nothing negative about the program.
The schools add up their pledges, and physical education teachers keep track of the time spent in exercise.
Monthly prizes are given to the schools with the most time logged in for physical activity.
“We really wanted to do something where there would be flexibility,” Fitzgerald said of the program.
Their Play 60 a Day allows for participation across the board every month, and while some may not be able to focus 100 percent of the time, others may pick up their activities during that time, so the participation level remains high.
“We decided the best way (to participate) was to get students to understand it can be fun,” Fitzgerald said, “and the only way to do that is to let them be involved.”
That is the overall philosophy of the E-Lose It program, as organizers hope the interactive Web site will keep it fun and provide a method of accountability, no matter what age one gets started.

October 18, 2009 12:04 am

Cooking that keeps you healthy

Try out an E-Lose It recipe
and tell us about it!

Readers can find a number of healthy recipes on the E-Lose It Web site at www.E-Loseit.com.
Readers are invited to try any of these recipes and let us know how you liked it and what the cost was to make it. We will publish local accounts of these recipes each Wednesday as we receive them.

Marinated Ribeye

This is a nice ribeye meal martinated in herbs and fresh garlic. It’s flavorful and easy to prepare. I didn’t find all the fresh spices, so I used bottled spices as a substitute.

Ingredients
• 1 pound beef ribeye, deeply pierced (2 ribeyes, 1.23 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped (prepared spice)
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (prepared spice)
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped (prepared spice)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
In a large resealable bag, combine beef, herbs and garlic. Marinate in refrigerator at least three hours or overnight. Grill until desired doneness is reached.
Nutritional information: Per serving – 264 calories; 19g fat (64.4% calories from fat); 22g protein, 1g carbohydrates; 0g dietary fiber; 48mg cholesterol; 80mg sodium.

Cost to prepare:
Ribeyes (2) $12.29
Lemons .40
Garlic cloves .45
Rosemary $2.99
Basil .99
Oregano .99

I served three with this meal at a cost of $6.03 per meal. I also will use the spices for a number of other recipes. I also served with a tomato, avacado and cucumber salad.

Got a favorite E-Lose It recipe? Please send us your exepriences with your favorite healthy recipe. Don’ forget to tell readers how much each ingredient cost and cost per serving. Send to life@enid news.com. Include a name and phone number.

July 28, 2009 09:26 pm

E-Lose It campaign kicks off locally

A new community program is inviting Enid-area residents to take personal responsibility for living a healthier lifestyle.
Wednesday afternoon brought the kickoff of the weight reduction program E-Lose It. The program kicked off at Denny Price Family YMCA with 100 people in attendance.

E-Lose It is patterned after Oklahoma City’s OKC Million campaign. Since Oklahoma City launched the initial program in 2007, Tulsa and now Enid also have launched similar campaigns. About 10 communities nationwide have adopted the Oklahoma City program.
Local businessman and former NBA player Brent Price is local spokesman for the program.
Price said he has three reasons for being the spokesman: the children of the community, the community and his own health after losing his father, for whom Enid’s YMCA was na-med.
“Nine years ago yesterday, I lost my father right up there in the gym to a heart attack,” he said.
Price said he knows being spokesman for the program will have the community’s eyes on him.
“As I think back on my basketball career in college and in the NBA, my best games were when I was under pressure, with my back against the wall and there is nothing like being the spokesperson for a weight-loss program for pressure,” Price said.
He said he has taken a little teasing after agreeing to be spokesman for E-Lose It.
“I’ve had to take some ribbing from my family and friends,” he said. “They know I am a Dr Pepper addict. I am working through it.”
Oklahoma City Ma-yor Mick Cornett made an appearance at Wed-nesday’s kickoff. Cornett said after the beginning of the OKC Million Campaign, he realized Oklahoma City residents were watching everything he put in his mouth, but he also couldn’t go anywhere without hearing a success story.
“I can’t go to a speaking engagement without someone coming up and telling me their personal story,” he said.
Cornett introduced one of the Okla-homa City campaign’s success stories, Laura Mitchell.
“About 33 years ago I joined Weight Watchers and lost about 70 pounds and kept it off for about 10 years,” she said. “My health went down and I had surgery.”
Mitchell gained the weight back, and her doctors told her she had to start eating better and losing weight, so she did. As of Wednesday, Mitchell had lost 100.4 pounds.
“The more you exercise the more energy you will have,” she said.
Price introduced his friend and inspirational success story, Stan Ralstin. Price said when he met Ralstin about seven years ago, Ralstin weighed about 280 pounds. Ralstin has lost 115 pounds.
“It took 14 months, and I have had it off for 15 months,” Ralstin said.
Price said he hopes the program will be a long-term commitment for the community.
“We don’t want this to be a big splash and disappear,” he said. “We want it to continue. We want it to take off like a wildfire.”
The program will be Web site-based, in which participants can log in, track their progress and get advice and information on losing weight, healthy eating and fitness. All the information submitted to the Web site is personal and confidential.
The goal is for the community to lose 50,000 pounds collectively.
Local sponsors of E-Lose It are Enid News & Eagle, Eagle Marketing, Enid Public Schools, city of Enid, StarTek, Advance Food Co. Health and Wellness Center, Chisholm Trail Broadcasting, Autry Technology Center and Denny Price Family YMCA.

July 08, 2009 10:45 pm

SIGN UP for E-Lose It

E-Lose It is a new community campaign to bring awareness to how to reduce weight and live a healthier lifestyle.

To sign up to participate in the program, log on to the Web site at www.E-Loseit.com.

You can register and track your progress! Let's make Enid healthier, one pound at a time!

July 09, 2009 09:06 am