Kristi, from X-Weighted Season 3, Talks About her Success in the National Challenge

We were thrilled when a group of past participants from X-Weighted decided they would take part in the Challenge. Kristi (username fancypants), from season 3, has stuck with the 26 week plan and although she didn’t meet the goal that XWeighted.com set for her, she is very happy with her results. We spoke with her about her experiences as part of the National Challenge…

How did you do, Kristi?

I stuck with the challenge right the way through and lost about 20 pounds. I’ve also set and then met a couple of fitness challenges over the past 26 weeks. My first fitness goal was a 5K, which I’ve done and I am actually doing another 5K next week. I also recently did the CN Tower climb again, which was my original fitness goal when I was on the show. I do that twice a year.

How did you manage to lose that 20 pounds?

I really upped the intensity of my workouts. I’ve been attending a Sunday morning Boot Camp for the past three months. That makes me behave myself on Saturday nights because I have to be there on Sunday morning! I really enjoy it, it's a lot fun.

About month ago, I hired a personal trainer, because I was going to the gym and not getting anything out of it. I’d become one of those people you see the people walking on the treadmill for an hour and they haven’t broken a sweat and they’re watching TV and reading a magazine. I got myself into a little bit of a groove like that and my workout intensity really wasn’t enough so now I realize that is not the amount of time you spent at the gym, it is the quality of time you spend there. You can spend 2 hours there and come out with no results, or you can spend a really good 45 minutes.

Now, if I don’t come out of the gym with a purple face and having to ring the sweat out of my shirt, I know I haven’t done enough. I was dawdling for a couple months, and I would tell myself well I am going to the gym all the time, but I wasn’t doing enough intensity to make a difference.

Are you disappointed that you didn’t meet your weight-loss goal?

Even though I didn’t actually meet the XWeighted.com goal for the 26 weeks, I feel good.

For a while I was worried because I was only a third of the way towards what my goal was, but I’ve been doing a lot of weights, I’ve gained muscle and my cardio fitness has improved, and I realize that I don’t have to aim for a six month goal  because I'm working out how it’s going to be for the rest of my life.

I’m doing this while still maintaining relationships and having a life. I’m figuring out how to live. I’m in a lot better place than I was even six months ago.

How did doing the National Challenge differ to being on the show?

It was very different from when I was on the show. Knowing that everyone was going to see me going through my journey added pressure and accountability - I wouldn’t even look for a pack of gum, because I’d realize it was 40 calories I just didn’t need.

When I was on the show I was single, so every night after work I would go and spend two hours at the gym exercising my butt off. Now I’ve got a boyfriend and I’m not going to spend all that time exercising because I’ve got other things in my life. I found a balance that I didn’t have for my 6 month journey on the show.

I have to do what is going to work for the rest of my life, not just for the next 6 months. The show was the best experience, and it got me on the right track but it’s not realistic to think I could do that now, given the way my life has changed. I had to be very aware of how I was doing things in order to make it work and give my life balance.

I’m still on my way to losing more, and I’m still setting goals and achieving them. There’s still more weight to come off me but I’m happy. I feel like life is perfect and I couldn’t be happier.

(Michelle from season 1 - username michelle41 - has also done great, she lost an awesome 24 pounds following the National Challenge.)