Winner, Winner, ChicPEA Dinner!

Shawna Wright recently won the Kansas City Weight Loss Challenge with a 25.4% body mass loss. She has literally worked her buns off over the last 12 weeks. 57 pounds less and 6 dress sizes smaller in a matter of 3 months. She didn't take a magic pill or eat cookies instead of real food. She did it right. The old fashioned way: LOTS of exercise and a healthy, portion-controlled diet! Her rock solid determination coupled with exercise advice from Fusion Fitness and public weigh-ins provided by KC Fitness Mag were the perfect combination for Shawna to win!

Shawna and I have been getting asked a lot of questions about the success of her weight loss. As I stated earlier, she did it the honest way - counting calories and exercising 2-3 times per day. She also had a lot of little tricks that helped her to focus on a healthy diet and lifestyle. 


In her words, here is how Shawna made the competition look like...CAKE!


1. Surround yourself with positive thoughts and people. There is a whole world of people that enjoy working out and eating healthy. When I was not feeling confident about myself, these were the people I would avoid. During this challenge, I developed a new appreciation for the “super fit” women. Most people that care about their own health, really care about the health of others. The excitement that surrounded my weight loss at Fusion was awesome! Don't avoid the fitness nuts. Share with them your desire to make a change in your life. People love to share advice and encouragement.

2. Eat to live, don't live to eat. Think of food as the fuel your body needs and put in healthy choices. Changing your mental perception of food can be very difficult. Even if you live to eat, try to fake it for a few weeks. You may be surprised at how delightful a grapefruit can taste. If you truly struggle and cannot get control of your diet, there are people that can help. Check out www.wellnessandwellbeingsolutions.com.

3. Calories in, calories out. If there were days I ate more calories than usual, I would have to get in an extra calorie burn. It is a proven fact that a surplus of 3,500 calories equals 1 lb of fat. Bottom line! If I am going to eat 3,500 extra calories, I better plan on spending almost 6 hrs running on the treadmill at 6 mph.

4. Eat what you like, not what you love. By choosing foods that I liked, I was able to stay within my daily calorie limit 95% of the time. When I would give in to something delicious, even a small taste, I could not stop. I love pizza. Unfortunately, having just one piece is not an option for me. I had to avoid real pizza and make my own low-cal versions on sandwich thins or pita. It was very tasty, but not to the point that I was dying for another piece.

5. Recognize trigger foods. I realized that if I ate certain foods, such as South Beach Bars or oatmeal, I would finish one serving and then move on to another, and still want another. By cutting these items out of my diet, I was able to curb these cravings.

6. Recognize triggers in your daily routine. People always talk about stress-related eating, but stress is different for everyone. Halfway through the challenge I realized that whenever the baby was extra cranky, one of the kids were in time-out, or the laundry was piled to the ceiling, I headed to the pantry in search of a snack. Once I realized I was eating in attempt to escape for a few moments, I was able to stop the habit.

7. The day is never ruined. So you ate a few extra calories than usual. Do not give up on the day with the intent to start again tomorrow. Brush your teeth, go on a walk or run and stop eating! Do not start your diet tomorrow!

8. Use the buddy system. This is one of the most important keys to success. Make sure you choose someone that will hold you accountable and will be reliable. Having someone to workout with makes all of the difference. Be a positive influence on each other and cheer each other on or be competitive and try to out-do each other!

9. Get a trainer. Tell them your goal is to lose weight and have them weigh you weekly. Having 1 or 2 hours a week where your health is the priority of someone else is priceless. Just make sure your trainer is tough and will push you to do the things you would not do on your own. The Fusion girls are as hardcore as they come. By the end of the 3 months, I really enjoyed the challenge of these sessions.

10. Utilize the gym day care. My son did not like to go. I used this excuse for years. It took a bit of bribery at first, but he actually enjoys it now. The women at Sylvester Powell Community Center childcare center are so awesome. Find a place you are comfortable with and just do it!

11. Never get comfortable with a workout. Always push yourself to a new level. If the speed you are going is getting easier, go faster. If you are able to chat during a workout, amp it up. Try something new every few weeks. This is the beauty of Fusion. You never get comfortable and your body continues to respond in a positive way.

12. It is a lifestyle, make it work for you. Make an effort to make choices that you can live with, forever. The final week of the challenge I attempted to cut carbs out of my diet. I immediately went into the short-term diet mode of thinking. “I better have these sweets tonight because I will not have any carbs for a week.” Needless to say, I crashed a few times and ended up having my smallest loss of the challenge.

We hope these tips are helpful to any of you who need a little encouragment in weight loss. Shawna now trains groups for Fusion's Weight Loss Bootcamp check out our site for information on the latest session.