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Home / Fashlete™ of the Month / Tagged: Weight Loss

Fashlete™ of the Month

This Counts

September 2011

Name: Jackie Cheney
Age: 35
Occupation: Mom, Medical Assistant at Primary Health Medical Group • Boise. ID

A few weeks ago, my sister Natalie introduced me to one of her readers, Jackie Cheney.  Natalie receives a lot of emails from men and women who have been profoundly affected by her memoir, Signs of Life.  This book deals with a universal emotion that I really wish wasn’t so universal: Grief.  That little word, a single syllable just sitting there in black and white, has the power to sink my heart to the pit of my stomach.  But the stories from women like Natalie and Jackie are ultimately about what lifts our hearts, not what makes them sink. There is a much better monosyllabic word to describe what I feel when I think about the Natalies and the Jackies of the world. It looks better in black and white and it feels better to say. That word is Hope.

Jackie lost her second son, Elam John Cheney, on May 22, 2009.  Elam was stillborn due to an abrupted placenta.  Not only was Jackie dealing with the loss of her son, she was dealing with the failure of her own body.  Jackie was able to get pregnant again but continued to be confronted with the fragileness of her body and her baby.

"There is something very defeating to have your body fail and lose your child.  I was far from a physically, mentally healthy person."

When Jackie picked up Natalie’s book, she found herself forced to live through emotions and grief that she had been ignoring for years.  But what she also found in that book and within herself was overwhelming inspiration to truly rehabilitate herself mentally and physically.  The aspect of recovery that Jackie discussed with me was the implementation of an exercise regime and goal setting.  Jackie set out to train for and complete a triathlon with her friend and constant support, Chelsi.  In our interview I asked Jackie to elaborate on her mental and physical transformation. Here are some excerpts from our talk that I hope will be helpful to others open to finding mental well-being through physical means.

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Don't Cheat On Cindy

July 2011

Name: Cindy Rhoades-Young
Age: 34
Occupation: Stay at Home Mom/Full Time College Student (graduating with her B.A. in December)

Affiliate: Practice CrossFit • Troy, OH

"For the first time in my life I actually get it and believe that there will never be a piece of pizza that will taste as good as my first pullup...Food is my fuel...not my comfort.... " -Cindy

The Beginning: Just over 47 days ago Cindy vowed to get her first pull-up.  Most of us have been there before, swinging around on an assortment of colorful rubber bands, cursing the bar, and dreaming of the day we can do Fran, Helen, or Eva RX.  In this case, it's all about Cindy (as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of: 5 pull-ups, 10 push ups, 15 air squats).  One woman.  One Goal. One WOD.  It is a wonderful coincidence that Cindy and her muse share the same name.  Ahhh yes, another CrossFit miracle.

The Challenge: Cindy's coach, Josh Bunch, suggested that she also challenge herself to a 100% pure paleo diet for the duration of her pull-up challenge (great coach).  And thus, the "Don't Cheat on Cindy Challenge" was born:  Do Cindy. Go Paleo for 47 days. Do Cindy and record your progress.  The "one woman, one goal, one WOD" aspect of this challenge lasted about a nano second.  Before she knew what she had done, Cindy's coaches were posting "DON'T CHEAT ON CINDY" signs on the walls of the box and 15 other Practice CrossFit members had signed up for her challenge.

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Transformation

January 2011

Name: Sheron Smith

Age: 59

Occupation: Owner/operator of Nana's Nest, a daycare specializing in children with special needs.

 If Sheron Smith does not inspire you to conquer your goals in 2011 then I don't know who will. Sheron is a hero (though she is so humble I doubt she would ever admit it).  I am very excited to take this opportunity to share Sheron's story with you and give her a much deserved moment in the spotlight.  

My name is Sheron Smith. I am a mother, a grandmother, a wife. Until a few years ago I was on a downhill spiral of self-destruction. I was morbidly obese and my health was quickly becoming a problem.

The realization that I needed to drastically change my life hit me quite abrupt. I stepped on the scale on August 1st, 2007 and it broke at 300 pounds. I sat on the bathroom crying mostly out of shame but also out of despair! I didn’t know what to do or where to start but at that moment I knew that if I were to continue living I needed to do something.
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