Guest Post: Cris Goode's "Year 2 Change" Weight Loss Initiative

Cris Goode is a blogger from the Midwest who posts on her blogs GOODEness Gracious and As GOODe As It Gets.

About a year ago, I had a very unfortunate encounter with a cupcake and I knew something had to change. I was 100 pounds overweight and gaining, so targeting weight-loss as an objective was key for me. For the next six months, I struggled to drop the weight... not really finding a plan that worked for me. While I did manage to lose and maintain a 19 lb loss, I could feel myself backsliding fast.

Then my husband and I had a light bulb moment and Year 2 Change was born. Year 2 Change is a challenge anyone can take at any time of the year and is simply a commitment to take one year to change one thing for your family forever. At its core, Year 2 Change isn't about being perfect: it's about trying over and over again.

The results of adopting a change mentality have been real. Six months into Year 2 Change, our family has already experienced a transformation. I have lost a total of 53 lbs since that cupcake incident and dropped four pants sizes, all by getting up each day and getting back at it.

Due to the simplicity of Year 2 Change, I don't think there's any reason it couldn't work for others. Is there something inside of you that would like to tell the voice that says “it is what it is” that it isn’t over just quite yet? If you're interested in dropping the pounds while living the hectic life of a busy parent, here are some of my tips:

Ignorance isn't bliss

If you don't know where to start on your journey of change, start with nutrition labels. There are great mobile apps like Lose It that allow you to log your calorie counts right from your smartphone while also helping you keep track of the calories you burn. The tools on Lose It help you set weight loss goals and provide assistance on what you need to do to get there. Additionally, accessories like Fitbits and WiFi Scales work with Lose It to calculate activity levels and update your weight automatically within the program.

Choose inconvenience

Whether it’s parking in the spot furthest from your destination (within reason!) or leaving that favorite comfort food at the store until you absolutely need it, inconvenience can be your best friend. On the bright side, choosing inconvenience—like choosing less popular parking spots—will help you burn more calories and avoid fighting anyone for the prime spot. ;)

Have your cake and eat it too

One strategy that has helped my family stay on track these past six months is taking one day a week to enjoy foods that we have been craving that week by going out to our favorite restaurant or fixing our favorite dessert. This has helped us stay focused the six other days of the week.

Just keep swimming

I didn't realize it at the beginning, but Year 2 Change isn't only about losing weight. Instead, the initiative is about the commitment to get back up and dust yourself off after you fall down. Taking a whole year to change something is a big commitment and also a gracious one. Sure, we all love to see those numbers drop, but unless we get back up and try again after tripping up, the numbers won't mean anything in the long term.

Is this your year to change?

We'd love to have you join us! Verizon has been an amazing advocate in our Year 2 Change efforts by offering us the best technology to lose this weight for GOODe. In fact, next week we are going to offer a fantastic technology giveaway from Verizon to one lucky reader! So tune in to As Goode As It Gets and join me on Twitter and Instagram by using the #Year2Change hashtag to find out how you can win. You can also join the Year 2 Change Facebook Page, Pinterest Inspiration Page and new Google+ Community.

Good luck to everyone who chooses 2013 as a Year 2 Change!

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