Winning at losing: How four nurses beat the battle of the bulge

Taking It One Pound at a Time

Nothing beats hospital stress for causing unhealthy eating, and Joni Farrington, 37, knows that better than most. Not only is she a NICU nurse at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford, Ore., but she spent years in hospital waiting rooms relying on junk food from vending machines and cafeterias after two premature deliveries left a daughter, and then a son, with serious medical problems. When she topped out at 212 pounds, she ran out of excuses. “I thought, ‘You’ve got to be kidding. I’ve got to do something about this.’ I knew I was finally going to get serious.”

An Internet search turned up SparkPeople.com, an online weight-loss community. “The site had successful weight-loss stories about people like me,” she says. “I thought, ‘If they could do it, so could I.’” Farrington logged onto the free site and set up her profile. Then she started to take advantage of the site’s many weight-loss tools to create a plan that would fit into her life.

Convenience foods like pizza and boxed pasta were out, along with processed foods, high-fat mayo and cream sauces. In were chicken, fish, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and low-fat dressings and mustard. “I realized that by making the right substitutions, I could still eat my favorite foods. In my family’s favorite pasta dish, I cut back on the amount of pasta and replaced it with vegetables, and no one even noticed.” To keep her portion sizes in check, Farrington bought a food scale. “I was shocked. I was eating two or three servings at one time!”

Since the SparkPeople plan encouraged exercise, she dusted off the elliptical that was sitting in her garage and began using it while her third child napped. She also started walking around the neighborhood with a new jogging stroller. Each day Farrington added more time to her workout. It wasn’t long before she was doing 30 minutes of exercise each session.

A year later, Farrington had lost nearly 65 pounds. To reward herself, she threw out her size 16 jeans and XL scrubs and replaced them with size 10s and mediums. “I love that I no longer have to hide my body under a layer of clothing,” she says. Her next goal is a marathon. “My husband runs with me and it has become our time as a couple,” she says. “Plus, he has lost 50 pounds himself.”

One of the many lessons Farrington has learned is to take things one day at a time. “If I tell myself I have to lose 50 pounds, I get overwhelmed and quit before I even start,” she says. “But if I take it one day at a time, one pound at time, I know any goal is achievable.”

JONI FARRINGTON STATS

Pounds Lost

65

Has Kept Weight Off

One year

The Workout that Worked

Farrington invested in a heart rate monitor and downloaded free iPhone apps such as RunKeeper and Couch to 5K. She found it to be a great way to track her progress, plus she liked the instant feedback.

• Running or elliptical training: 60 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week

Snack Tact

Greek yogurt with nuts and/or dried cranberries

Smart Moves

• Use a baby spoon to eat foods like Greek yogurt or fat-free pudding. It will take longer to eat and you’ll be more satisfied.

• A healthy lifestyle means balance, which requires that you make time to exercise and eat right in the same way you find time to spend with your family.