BETH KOLODEY

What brought you to Milestone?  
I came to Milestone in January of 2015.  I had severe plantar fasciitis and bone marrow edema in my heel bone; my doctor wanted me to do water exercise.  I began with classes in the therapy pool and moved to the lap pool for classes by summer.  I had also had a TIA (mini stroke) in May of 2014, so I wanted to improve my health.  I also have been overweight since 10th grade and wanted to get in good physical shape before menopause and my 50s.

What exercise activities do you participate in at Milestone?  
I do Deep Water classes with Vickie, Aqua Boot Camp with Beth, the exercise bike (no impact on my feet), and yoga classes with Matt.  I also do strength training.  I come every weekday morning at 6:30 and also come on weekends (but later).  I have made regular exercise a priority in my life and miss it if I have another commitment!  

Results:  
I decided in November to work on my weight as well as my other health.  I began HMR the week before Thanksgiving and have followed Phase I since then.  I have lost 27 lbs. as well as 3 clothing sizes.  Just since January, I have lost 8 inches! (I was afraid to measure myself before then!)  My blood pressure and cholesterol have dropped well within the healthy range, and I am able to do many activities I could not do before.  Finally, my plantar fasciitis has virtually disappeared and I am signed up for the Cystic Fibrosis Walk in May to fundraise in honor of one of my students!  

Notable Staff Members that have helped you:
Chuck Bent in HMR has been crucial for my weight loss journey, but Vickie, Beth, and Matt have helped me want to consistently come to their classes.  They have all inspired me and helped me move through some of the harder times in this journey.  

Main reason you wanted to get in shape/motivation factors:
I wanted to get into shape to help me age better.  I would love to get off of most of my medications and to be as fit as I can be.  I never want to have another TIA, stroke, or heart attack; I also want to reduce inflammation to help my arthritis.  Losing weight has helped my feet which alone improves my daily life immeasurably.  I will say that improving health and abilities are very motivating, but so is losing weight and fitting into clothing sizes I never have been able to wear in my adult life.  I feel like I have gained strength and look better because I have combined regular exercise and weight loss for a better body than I expected at 49!

Tell us more about your HMR journey.
I am finishing Phase I and moving into Phase II.  I started the week before Thanksgiving and stayed “in the box” over the holidays and through January and February.  I feel more confident in my ability to keep these changes in my lifestyle than I have on any other weight loss plan.  I think HMR is so educational for the participants and Chuck is very motivating.  I am a vegetarian and have been able to follow the plan easily.  The shakes are delicious and my favorite part, but I love the unlimited fruits and vegetables, too.  The required physical activity keeps me on track with my exercise, too!

Other information/miscellaneous:
First, I won a Fitbit at Milestone with the summer contest and that has kept me motivated with information.  In addition, my new size is great, and people are really noticing the difference!  I posted a picture on Facebook this week and my daughter couldn’t believe it.  She lives in NC and hasn’t been home since Christmas, so I hope she will really be surprised when I visit her in April!