A Calgary woman is excited to have reached her goal weight after losing 94.25 lbs.
Donna Feddema had tried numerous diets throughout the years and had joined the not-for-profit weight-loss organization Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS). However, having her license revoked due to a diabetic low was a turning point.
“In 2017, I ended up having a diabetic low, and I lost my license. For six months I had to walk,” Feddema said.
“I walked everywhere. I walked to church, I walked to work, and in that time, I lost 26 lbs. I just left the car at home after I got my license back, and I got to my goal weight in 2018,” she said.
Adding, “Over the years, I’ve exercised, but it took this last while to finally say, ‘Ok, I can do this.’”
After Feddema was diagnosed with diabetes in 2002, she was exercising and implementing her doctor’s advice to her everyday life. However, she was overeating.
“I was always eating healthy, but I was eating more than I should have. Now I eat responsibly, and have smaller portions,” Feddema said.
“My stomach now has gotten smaller, so I don’t eat as much as I used to, and when I’m full, I push the plate away,” she said.
“I also drink a lot of water. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is, I have warm water with freshly squeezed lemon, and I drink that right away,” she added. “Throughout the day, I will drink my water with lemon or cucumber, just for a change-up.”
Now, doing a 45-minute work-out at home, going on a one-hour walk, or dancing around the kitchen is a part of the day that Feddema looks forward to and enjoys.
“I get on my treadmill, I have a bike, I have a mini gym with weights and a little trampoline, and I have the DVD workouts,” Feddema said.
“I have so much more energy now, it’s incredible how I feel. I can move and not get out of breath,” she said.
Feddema tries to work out every day in the morning.
“If I don’t then I feel sluggish,” she said.
Although Feddema has made changes to her daily life, such as eating smaller portions and exercising every day, going to family functions or restaurants can still be challenging.
When Feddema goes to family potluck dinners, she will now wait until everyone else has gotten food before she dishes herself a plate.
“I will usually wait until the end when there’s a little bit of food left, and I’m not going in and taking more than I should,” Feddema said
When Feddema goes out to dinner, now she will ask for half the portion of food or ask for a take-out container and take half the food home.
By joining TOPS, Feddema was held accountable and encouraged through the TOPS member meetings.
“We’ve got our friends that we can phone to get encouragement if we’re lagging a little bit. Just to keep us on the straight and narrow,” she said.
Adding, “If I can do it, whether it takes one year or 13 years, anybody can do it.”
