Drop It in 6 Winner

Drop It in 6 Winner

For the last six months, I have really been working hard at improving my lifestyle. I joined our aquatic center here in Kirksville, Missouri. I started out just doing laps with walking and then incorporated using a kickboard. My right knee has degenerative arthritis and walking on pavement or doing Curves proved too painful. So I headed to the pool. I am 5’4″ tall and when I started, I weighed 290 lbs. I have always been athletic, in my younger days, I am now 50.

I had a semi-truck hit me head on 6 years ago and that is what started my knee problems. It accelerated the arthritis. I really enjoy how I feel in the water. The pool wanted to start up some classes and I was thrilled. I go 3-5 evenings a week to Aqua Boxing. It is wonderful. It not only got me moving, but I was able to meet some new people from our community. Then I started to also go to Pilates on the opposite evenings. Now that the warm weather has arrived, we are also doing deep water aerobics after Pilates. I now weigh 249 lbs.

I have learned to eat better and I am enjoying that. I can tell if I miss a session at the pool, I feel “stoved” up. So I am always ready to get back in that water!!! My husband says he can tell that I am moving better and feeling better. I think my job is better do the fact that I am moving better and enjoying myself. I am a Middle School/Special Services Secretary, plus I coach Middle School softball, which I am looking forward to this year since I have lost weight. I have went down in clothes size from a 28 to size 22 and my body is toning constantly. I have so much more energy.

My husband and sons tell me how proud they are and they can tell when they come to visit, that they can tell I have really toned and lost weight. It hasn’t taken the knee pain completely away but working in the water and losing weight is making it much more bearable. I have talked alot of women into coming to the classes at the pool and we have gone from when I first started, we had about 8 ladies and now some nights we have almost 30. So, it is not only benefiting me, but others and our aquatic center.

I still have a long way to go in losing weight but with the water work outs, I know in time I will reach my goal. I take each 10 lbs. one at time and I feel successful each time I lose another 10. As you can see from the picture, I had my suit on and I was on my way to the pool. Thank you for the encouragement! I hope that everyone that participated realizes how wonderful being in the water is!