Personal life: “I live in Atlanta,” Kathryn LaTour said. “I live with two of my sisters. ... I am a longtime widow, no children. I had two retail stores. When I sold the stores, I had to figure out the next thing, so I went into residential real estate. Now, I spend a lot of time volunteering.”
The lifestyle change: During last year’s lockdown, LaTour had a life-changing conversation — with herself. “I was sitting around here with nothing to do and no place to go, and I had plenty of time to think. I said to myself: ‘There’s nothing wrong with you — you’re perfectly healthy. You’re going to live at least another five years unless you get hit by a bus and maybe even 10 years. You’re going to spend those years sitting in a recliner unless you get off your butt.’ I don’t have any knee or hip problems. ... It’s just genes, but it’s a blessing. I worried about how long was I going to be able to get away with this unhealthy lifestyle. I ate every junk food in the world. ... I was overweight and I knew it was time for a lifestyle change.”
Moving and grooving: “I felt like I needed to get up and get moving. I saw wellness coach Jacynta Harb’s (sparkleanewyou.com) name in this column. I knew I couldn’t do it on my own, I needed a coach and someone I could be accountable to. ... She has a way of challenging me without nagging. Now I exercise. I have lost 50 pounds, and I feel a lot better.”
Kathryn’s how-tos:
- I started eating healthy: “I started incorporating lots of vegetable and fruits into my diet. ... I don’t dislike fruits and vegetables — I was just lazy and wasn’t eating them.”
- I got out of the recliner: “I now belong to a gym.” She works out three times weekly walking the indoor track, using a treadmill or a stationary bicycle. Once a week she does personal training with Harb where she completes 80 squats in increments of 20. “If you’re doing squats, it works your core because you have to hold it in.”
- I increased my self-esteem: “The more successful I was the more motivated I was. I was feeling pretty proud of myself. Actually, that is the greatest benefit to the whole thing ― yes, I feel healthier, but I love myself now, even though I am not quite finished. If you love yourself, you love the world.”
Biggest challenge: “The temptations are greater now. My social life has picked up a great deal. I’ve done some traveling. ... When I don’t want to go to the gym, I say to myself, ‘You’ve got to get up!’ If you’re going to progress — you’ve got to do the work.”
Biggest change: “I love life. ... I am more energetic. ... I get off that treadmill and I think you should have done this 40 years ago, but I didn’t ― I’m doing it now and that’s good.”
Kathryn’s top tips:
- Stay focused on the want: “You’ve got to really want it for yourself. You’ve got to stay focused on that want. ... I’ve lost weight at least a thousand times. ... Now, I work at it.”
- Get a coach: “I decided I was going to spend the money on it. During the lockdown, I couldn’t spend any money anyway, might as well spend it on this.”
- Book your motivation: “I booked a trip to Europe for next year. It’s going to be a lot of walking. That was another of my reminders when I wanted to be lazy.”
Seeking reader’s stories of lifestyle changes: We’re looking for your stories of changes in health habits that are leading to successful lifestyle changes. We want your before and after photos, plus your step-by-step suggestions and how-tos in case we want to try them, too. While The Atlanta Journal-Constitution does not endorse any specific programs, we include names and links for the benefit of readers who want further information. If you would like to share your story of a change in health habits, please contact reporter Michelle C. Brooks and include your email address, phone number, and before and after photos (by mail or JPEG), and contact us at: Success Stories, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 223 Perimeter Center Parkway, Atlanta, GA, 30346-1301; or email Michelle C. Brooks directly at: ajcsuccessstories@gmail.com.
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