Greta Funk is a mother of four who runs multiple 5K races each year and stays busy chasing her brood across the plains of Kansas. To look at this busy mama, all feisty 5 foot 3 of her, you’d never know that at one time, she weighed just shy of 200 pounds. Through portion control, food tracking and consistent cardio workouts, Greta has managed to shed 51 pounds and keep it off.
Through high school, Greta remembers being thin but said she noticed the pounds start to creep on when she started college. She gained the classic Freshman 15 and then once she started having babies, the pounds refused to budge. Poor eating habits added to the weight gain. “I was terrible about watching portion sizes or stopping when my brain was full,” she said.
After the birth of her fourth baby, Greta said she looked at pictures of herself and decided she didn’t like what she saw, or how she felt. She started the Weight Watchers program where she successfully lost 20 pounds but then, “got bored.” Instead of turning back to old habits, Greta simply switched up her method. Now, the My Pal Fitness app helps remind her what she’s eaten so she doesn’t go overboard. She also decided to make fruits and vegetables her go-to-foods for side dishes and snacks. “I fill my plate with those and have them for snacks instead of chips or sweets like I normally would.”
Although Greta often worked out off and on over the years, she realized she would have to adopt a different mindset and make her commitment to exercise more consistent. To fight the doldrums, she mixes up her routine using her home treadmill to run (and get ready for all those 5K races) but says she also likes the Turbo Fire DVD’s (intense cardio workout) and fitness challenges offered through Mamavation. Mamavation is a social media group that encourages support and interaction for healthy living and weight loss but does not endorse any one specific diet or exercise routine.
When I spoke to Greta about her weight loss, I asked her what her biggest triumph was. “I recently lost my love handles,” she said. “I’ve also finally (very recently) made it into the “normal/healthy” BMI category and out of the “Overweight” category that I’ve been stuck in for far too long.” Her future goals? “To get stronger, leaner and faster.”
She didn’t lose the weight fast but it did come off and stay off. That is precisely the wisdom Greta wants to impart to someone who is struggling to lose excess pounds or just beginning their journey. “Stick with something for several weeks, whatever it is you’re doing to try to lose it,” she said. “It won’t happen overnight, and if it does, it probably won’t last. Slow and steady weight loss is much healthier and easier to maintain.”
Greta may love her 5K races but with her determination, it wouldn’t surprise me to see her run a marathon some day. Great job, Greta!
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