Journey to health

Leslie and BJ Harris had discussed focusing on their health and fitness goals for some time. In May, they took the plunge with a weight loss challenge by local business Piece of Cake Nutrition. But their journey became about much more than just losing weight: They wound up adapting to a lifestyle of healthy living and eating, becoming more active as a family, and feeling more energetic.

“We realized we are in our mid-30s now and it's just going to get harder the longer we wait,” Leslie said. “And we want to be better role models for our daughter, Quorynn.”

The couple also felt like they owed it to their late daughter, Delylah, who died as an infant and didn’t have the opportunity to live a healthy life.

“We were given that opportunity and should take advantage of it,” Leslie said.

Their strategies:

• They started eating a high protein diet
• They cut back on bread, pasta, potatoes, and sweets.
• They logged everything onto a "My Fitness Pal" app.
• They evaluated their meal logs and made changes to areas that needed work, like more fruits and vegetables and whole grains. When they took a road trip, they packed their own healthy snacks so they weren't tempted to stop at a convenient store for packaged items.
• They began exercising more as well, with BJ getting up in the mornings to work out and Leslie returning to teaching Zumba classes on a regular basis after a 5-year hiatus.
• They started walking more as a family and swimming in their pool together.
• They started cooking at home a lot more, which enabled BJ to grill meat and veggies, which he enjoys doing. It also began saving the family money when they turned away from fast food.
• Leslie began going on regular bike rides with Quorynn, which she loves.

“It helped that we had each other to rely on and keep each other accountable,” Leslie said. “The weight loss challenge was also a great motivator. BJ likes competition so that helped!”

The couple created a "Healthier Harrises" Facebook page to also add accountability and encourage others to join them in a healthier lifestyle.

“We have a long way to go before we get to where we want to be,” she said. “I'm proud of myself for getting up in front of people to instruct them in Zumba even though I know I would still be considered heavy. But I just remind myself that I'm dancing it off! We both have more confidence and feel better overall from taking better care of ourselves.”

“We all know what we SHOULD be doing, but a lot of us go for the easy way out. We still do at times, too. But once you start leading a healthier lifestyle, you start feeling much better and looking at things differently. It's amazing how great you feel when you take better care of yourself,” Leslie said. “No one cares about you more than you!”

Do you have someone to nominate for our Spotlight? We're looking for active people of all ages and backgrounds who exhibit healthy behaviors that could serve as inspiration or motivation for others. Email us at [email protected] with "Spotlight" in the subject line.