top Transformation Circle! 26.5 lbs and 17 inches! Here's how she did it!!

LESLIE RUCKER

​This is what worked for me, doesn't mean it will work for you...you can't half-ass this and expect major results, but you have to recognize you will have a bad day or a bad week, and know that you CAN get through it! 

Mindset - I didn't go into this wanting to be the top person or thinking I could because that wasn't my goal. I've done things before where I have lost a lot of weight quickly, but could never keep it off. I needed to do this the right way, which may also be the slower way, but that is OK. Being healthy is a journey not a destination. Every day you need to eat, so everyday you need to make decisions. I just wanted to do something to lose weight and get healthy without putting so much pressure on myself. There is no end-date, yes the challenge is 12 weeks - but you will be in your body and making decisions about food and activity the rest of your life. So just relax, do this for you and know it doesn't happen overnight. 

Prizes - Yes, there were some amazing prizes...but I read what they were and kinda forgot about them. I wasn't doing this for the prizes offered, I wanted to do this for the prize of fitting back into all of my clothes I've outgrown, and NEEDED to do this for my health. My regular diet had become garbage x10, and when you eat like crap you will feel like crap. (I suppose this is also mindset)

Support - My boyfriend was a huge support system in terms of helping me cook and stick to the meal plans. He cooked MANY meals for me. I have a full time and part time job, so if someone offers to help you -let them! That is what our friends & families are here for in our lives. You can always return the favor - like sharing the food ;) Join the challenge with a friend or family member, and be supportive but not in competition. 

Teams - I was pretty scared about joining a team. I didn't want to let anyone down and didn't want to accountable to others. But I am so happy I joined. It ended up helping to keep me more motivated and accountable to myself. And it was nice to be able to share some inspirational things, funny and down right torturous things (ie: candy at training haha) It is another way to have support from people that are working towards the same goal. 

Meal Plans - I'll be honest I was not following the meal plans 100%. Some of the snacks, etc. were a little too hard for me to eat because I spend my days driving around QAC. BUT, I choose to eat other things we were allowed to eat and the correct portions. I also indulged when I went away for the weekend, spent a day at RennFest, etc...but I didn't go crazy. I took my point deductions and looked at how I could make up for those deductions. One day I was having the worst carb craving and instead of eating something really bad, I decided I was not eating the meal I was supposed to and made one of the breakfast sandwiches on the meal plan instead...craving gone and I didn't beat myself up. Don't be afraid to add or substitute veggies in some recipes, or add spices you like (Lol just not sugar)

Exercise - Doing something active everyday was probably the most challenging thing for me to fit into my schedule. Some days it just didn't happen, but MOST days I made it happen. Again, when you have support for this it will help a lot. Go walk the trail, take a new class at the gym...try to make it fun. I live in Ridgely, so I was blessed to have all the trails at Tuckahoe State Park or Adkins Arboretum to walk...not only was I able to get my exercise, but it was a break and felt great to be out in nature. 

Water - I'm adding this because it seemed like a lot of people had a hard time with this...I've been drinking about 4 liters of a water a day for the last 3 years because I completely gave up soda. I was drinking it morning, noonand night (terrible, I know). Having liter-sized bottles of water was an easy way to track how much I was drinking. I was able to make water a habit over time, so it can be done! Maybe it will take you longer than the challenge, but again this is only a 12 week challenge and if you want to be healthy this is a journey...

Ultimately, you need to do this challenge for yourself. Don't put too much pressure or try to be perfect, just relax a little and focus on why you wanted to do this in the first place and just try your BEST. This is 12 weeks of getting you in the right direction, but your life doesn't stop when the 12 weeks ends...so keep going :)

- Leslie Rucker, WLG Athlete

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