This story is part of a partnership with Advocate Condell Centre Club.
Melissa and Loralie have partnered with Advocate Condell Medical Center Centre Club to spend the next year working to achieve their health goals. They’ll be documenting their steps to get Movin’ and Improvin’ and be fit by 40. This is not a weight-loss series, this is a journey towards health. Read the series introduction to learn more. Today we hear from Melissa…
It’s not the number on the scale.
In the past, the most important goal was the number on the scale. It didn’t matter how I got there or how arbitrary the number was, reaching it was the goal. The number I was aiming for and the way I got there wasn’t always healthy. It’s a horrible cycle that was impossible to keep up with.
Older and smarter, I now have different goals:
- More energy and better sleep,
- Be able to keep up with a very active toddler,
- Be able to hold a 32 lb. toddler through the entire Sunday church service,
- Carry a tantrum-throwing toddler in one arm,
- Lower my cholesterol, goal is 30 points, and
- Be comfortable in her own skin.
Which is good because, with four kids and a business to run, my summer routine has been a little more one step forward, one step back, shimmy to the side and another step back. So while the number on the scale has been stagnant, the non-scale victories (NSV) have abounded, even with fewer trips to the gym. It’s been a great reminder that health is a journey and a process, not a quick fix with overnight results.
The biggest NSV has been my cholesterol. I mentioned last time that I could tell my heart was getting healthier because I watch my heart rate while I work out. I was not hitting the maximum as soon as I started and it came down much faster. Heart health has been my ultimate goal with this program, as my high cholesterol and family history put me at great risk for heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. When I started, my cholesterol was 243, I’m excited to say that I have dropped 16 points! It’s still high at 227, but it’s progress–and very good progress.
Overall, I can’t believe how much better I feel, even if I only go to the gym once a week. I used to think that while yes I had to lose a few pounds I was still relatively fit. I mean I had four kids and on most days I could hit those 10,000 on my FitBit. What I’ve learned, especially since switching to the free weight routine, is that 10,000 steps are only part of the story, a good first step, but not enough.
I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but before I would ask the kids to go get stuff for me, regularly. Now I readily bounce up and down the stairs. I would get winded if I had to go from the basement to the second floor and frequently would stop on the main floor. Laundry was a pain and I hated having to carry it all the way up from the basement. Now I do all these things without thinking about it. I can even carry the tantrum-throwing toddler up the stairs under one arm and hold him through the whole church service. I’m so much stronger now, and that is as good as the number on the scale.
So it’s not been a smooth transition to summer for my gym schedule, but I’m not letting it derail me. I can see the impact it’s having on me every day and it motivates me to take the time and make it work. It’s not about a number anymore, it’s about how I feel and what I can do.
Advocate Condell Medical Center – Centre Club is a Hospital-based health and wellness club owned by Advocate Condell Medical Center and operated by Midtown Athletic Clubs. They offer a choice of group exercise, basketball, racquetball, weight lifting, swimming, indoor track and more. They also offer various health programs, personal trainers and massage therapy.
Connect with Advocate Condell Centre Club
200 W Golf Rd, Libertyville | (847) 990-5750
AND
1405 Hunt Club Rd, Gurnee | (847) 625-4750
Find more reviews of classes and gyms at Fitness in Lake County.
Disclosure: Loralie and Melissa have received a one-year membership from Advocate Condell Centre Club in exchange for sharing their journey and progress with our readers. All thoughts and opinions belong to the writer and no further compensation was received. Some links in this story are affiliate links. Little Lake County will earn a portion of sales made through these links and use it to cover the cost of running the site. Thank you for clicking!
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