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Weight Loss Maintenance
Karen Shideler
Posted Mar 29, 2010
Losing weight is the easy part, lots of people say. Keeping it off is the real challenge. Wichitans Flossie Alexander and Chasity Schoonover have been successful -- but they say it takes constant attention and dedication. Each woman has lost more than 100 pounds.
Alexander lost 165 and has kept the weight off for about four years now.
Schoonover lost 110 pounds and has kept it off for a year and a half.
Both lost the weight mostly on their own, learning about food and nutrition, then learning to make healthier choices about what they were eating.
"It wasn't just a short-term diet with short-term changes," Schoonover says.
The two were featured in a WichiTalk story in November 2008. We checked back in with them recently to see how they were doing and to get their advice.
Here are some lessons they've learned about keeping weight off:
-- They pay attention to the scale as well as to the way their clothes fit.
"I do both, because both of them lie," Alexander says.
"So true," Schoonover says, hearing that comment.
-- Each gives herself a bit of wiggle room.
Alexander, in fact, will allow herself up to 15 pounds. Schoonover takes action after three or four.
-- They both pull out their logbooks if they notice they've gained weight.
"Logging food is the most important," Alexander says. "I don't care who you are, if you've had a weight issue, you have to log your food... to get a grip on what you're eating."
-- They pay attention to labels and serving sizes.
"I read labels on everything," Schoonover says. Because she has learned so much, she can make better choices even when eating out -- she knows, for example, that some salads have more calories than a cheeseburger.
Alexander researches before going out to eat -- and knows, for example, that a roll at Logan's Roadhouse has more than 200 calories, without butter.
-- Both continue to eat the way they did while losing weight -- mostly fruits and vegetables and lean protein.
Schoonover eats several small meals throughout the day to keep her metabolism going "and I am a huge fan of water. I drink water like crazy."
-- Both exercise, though neither is a gym rat.
"I still am not a big fan of actual dedicated exercise, but I do it when I can," Schoonover says. Instead, she takes the stairs, parks away from the building, looks for other ways to add steps and plays with her new puppy "who keeps me very busy chasing him around the yard."
Alexander uses Wii Fit, walks outside when weather permits and goes to the YMCA when it doesn't. She walks about an hour every day and doesn't worry about speed. "You can't keep the same speed every single day, because you've got bad days," she says.
Alexander and Schoonover also both are members of the SparkPeople community, a free online support system at www.sparkpeople.com. Schoonover still uses it for inspiration, though she rarely posts to it; Alexander uses the site regularly, in part to encourage others. In fact, Alexander has used her experience, combined with personal trainer certification and wellness coach certification for nutrition, to start her own business. You can find out more at youcannowcoaching.com.
Though they have lots in common, Alexander and Schoonover met only recently -- for a magazine photo shoot. Their stories will be featured in the March 1 issue of First for Women magazine.
They also are featured in a SparkPeople book called "The Spark: The 28-Day Breakthrough Plan for Losing Weight, Getting Fit, and Transforming Your Life."
Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or kshideler@wichitaeagle.com.
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To see more of The Wichita Eagle, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.kansas.com.
Copyright © 2010, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.
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