We actually had a tie for 2nd place in the Shine in 49 Contest and tomorrow will feature our other hardworking winner! Today’s Featured 2nd Place winner is…..
Name: Lara Braddy (Nebraska Lara)
Age: 41
Number of Children: 0 human, 1 chocolate lab, Jake who I love like my kid!
Why did you enter the Shine in 49 contest by BuffMother?
I needed a positive change in my life and this contest was the jumpstart I needed. For the past 10 years I was not taking care of myself, unhappy, and very out of shape. Considering I have always taken pride in my appearance, I’m not sure how my weight and unhealthy lifestyle got this out of control. I’ve been hanging around the BuffMother Rally Room for about a year now and have gotten to know some pretty amazing women. These are the women I look up to and want to be like. My Dad used to tell me to hang around people you want to be like – I’m finally getting what he means.
What tactics did you use to stay focused and engaged for the entire 49 days?
Accountability & Encouraging my teammates: I made it a habit to stay accountable by posting in the Rally Room pretty much every day. My goal was to stay positive and encourage other ladies during the contest. It’s really amazing what blogging and encouraging does for your spirits!
Tracking Eats: I tracked everything I ate for the first half of the contest to get in the habit of portion control and sticking to healthy, unprocessed foods. I gave up artificial and regular sugars with exception to incidentals here and there. When I felt I was getting off course a bit, I would go right back to tracking my food to get back on track. Overall though, I would say that my eating habits were pretty stellar during the contest. I had some serious willpower in the beginning, and then later on, it felt easy to resist all the junk.
Consistent Workouts: I didn’t follow the workout plans 100% but my goal was to establish consistency with my workouts at least 5 times a week. On Sunday, I would plan all my workouts for the week .They didn’t always happen because of a Birthday, or niece’s dance recital here and there but for the most part, I really did well sticking to my plan. I did a combination of exercises including Michelle’s weekly workout plans, new cardio classes (kickboxing, Zumba, Body Burn, Yoga and some running (ugh!).
Truth Hammers: YES YOU CAN! JUST DO IT, STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!
Motivational Posters, Facebook, Pinterest: I made it a point to “Like” as many fitness icons, positive, healthy eating pages as possible. This way, every time I’m on Facebook or Pinterest (which is a lot!), I get new ideas and have a constant reminder of getting healthy and fit! I think I stole most of these from Brenda, Michelle and Crystal!
How do you feel about your success?
I feel AMAZING and my Confidence is higher now than I can ever remember! I feel like I can do anything now if I set my mind to it! The fact that I stuck to this contest for 49 days was a huge triumph for me. I have struggled all my life to stay focused on goals. I have always been an all or nothing kind of a person and if it didn’t come easy, I gave up. I’m not that person anymore. Something has changed in my mind and body during this contest and I WANT to keep going. I want to be that person who other people look at and say, “Wow, I want to be like her”. I want to be someone that my friends and family can look up to.
What obstacles do you have to overcome to attain your goals?
Having no patience. It’s easy to look at your body in the mirror and say, “It’s just not fixable!” The 49 day period gave me the patience to ultimately say, “YES IT IS!” Making slow adjustments was key for me in my short-term success and accepting that looking like I want to is not going to happen overnight but it will happen with short-term goals.
What would you like to tell the world about BuffMother?
BuffMother’s are women I look up to. They are successful, goal-driven, motivated and beautiful, both inside and out. They motivate, give advice freely, and make you believe in yourself. A year ago, I could have very well given up on myself, but now I am looking ahead in my life to see what personal challenges I can take on next. I am excited to keep going!
Can I have your permission to post your entry online?
Yes, Absolutely!
Stats:
Height= 69.5″
Weight- Start 218.6. End 206.0
Overall Lost- 10″ and 12.6 pounds!
Amazing job Lara, keep up the good work!!
Michelle
Love this girl! She is a great encouragement to me!
she is a sweet soul!!