By KEVIN CHIRI

Publisher

LAPLACE – If getting off to a fast start means anything, then “Lisa” should do well in the first L’Observateur’s “Biggest Loser” competition.

Lisa finished the first week of the six month competition against Glennis, and reported a weight loss of eight pounds, going from 194 to 186.

“Right now I’m feeling real good about how I’ve started, and especially about staying on my schedule,” Lisa said. “I know I really can do this, and I especially want to so I’m healthier for my family. I want to be in shape to play with my daughter and do things without being out of breath.”

Lisa is on what appears to be a pretty tough dietary regiment.

She has three meals a day and only snacks on nuts or vegetables if hungry in between.

However the toughest aspect of her schedule is that she doesn’t eat anything after 7 p.m., and that can be difficult since she admits to being a night owl, staying up until near 1 a.m.

Lisa said she is trying to stay more active than before, which helps keep her mind off food.

“I’m eating much better than normal, but I admit that food is in my mind all the time. But it motivates me when I remind myself I have to talk about this in the newspaper. So I’ve tried to stay busy, which keeps me from thinking about food so much,” she remarked.

Lisa deserved some big props for passing on two big desserts in the past week. She had a family outing on Sunday, and actually made a Death By Chocolate Cake, but didn’t eat any. Then she also passed on some King Cake during Mardi Gras season.

“Yes, that was pretty tough not eating the chocolate cake,” she said with a slight laugh. “But I did it. I can tell I’m making progress when I do that.”

But is the schedule she is on going to be too tough for her to maintain long term?

“I know I have to make this a part of my lifestyle, and that is what I’m aiming for,” she answered.

Lisa made all of her weight workouts the past week, which included doubling up on her cardio, which is now providing her two hours of work, three to four times a week. She is also doing weight workouts three days a week.

But the one thing that has been difficult for her so far, she admitted, is the mental aspect of separating herself from food.

“Mentally I feel like I’m mourning the loss of food,” she said. “My body is in some kind of shock, I can tell. Sometimes that gets me discouraged since I was so used to junk food. It just makes me want to cry.”

But otherwise, she believes the stable home life she has is helping her.

“My husband has been so supportive, and is eating chicken and fish that I am making now, instead of some of the other foods we used to have. He has actually lost seven pounds himself,” she said. “And that is hard for him since he works offshore and has a lot of good food to pick from.”