My husband Ed has worked for Walmart for 20-odd years and he was the Thrive Challenge’s 100th Winner. In 2015, he and I started the Thrive Challenge together to lose weight and get healthy again. I lost 56 pounds, Ed lost 30 pounds, and we gained so much more energy. Over the years, I’ve been able to go from a size 4X down to an XL.
My more recent Thrive Challenge journeys have been about mental health.
Last year, I started having serious anxiety attacks and issues with my health that seemed massive. The Thrive Challenge has been here for me as I work through overcoming my fears and anxieties. Ed and I are walking again and I’m working out at home. I’m getting my bearings back — I feel great again. Three times a week I’m powerlifting and training.
We’ve changed our diet over the years.
Ed and I are pescatarians — no chicken, no beef — just fish. We don’t eat dairy, either. I have smoothies for breakfast and lunch. Everything we eat is home cooked and we eat organic as much as possible. What I hadn’t realized is that when you change your diet, you have to be aware of all the implications. I found I was deficient in calcium and vitamin D. You have to level up with vitamins and supplements.
I have always loved that the Thrive Challenge doesn’t judge by how we look.
It’s not just about prizes, either. The Thrive Challenge is here for us to better our lives. The Thrive Challenge community has helped me get back on track with better choices. That support is one of my greatest joys. It’s taken a while but I’m being proactive — I think that’s important for everyone. Love yourself enough to make better choices and stick with it!
—Nicole Royster, Walmart Customer; Newnan, GA; Thrive Challenge Winner
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