My girlfriend, Martha Rocha, motivated me to start my Thrive Challenge after she did it herself. She started dropping pounds and went on to win a prize, along with one of her co-workers! Martha suggested I give it a try two to three months ago, and I’ve been doing it ever since. I got started by becoming more active and walking 30-45 minutes each day. Every morning before my walk, I’ll do push-ups, leg raises, sit-ups, and squats. I also do high-knees during my walks. After I started exercising more, I noticed results and felt encouraged to eat better. I decided to cut back on fast food and shifted to eating smaller portions. I started cooking at home more often and eating more vegetables. Now, my focus is on having one large meal each day with a little snack in the afternoon. I stop eating around 7:00 p.m. I used to drink one Big Gulp each day — now I’ve cut out soda completely and drink water instead. Martha and I have also cut out bread, cheese, and pasta from our diets. Since we are eating out less often, we’re spending less and building our credit score with the hope of saving for a new house.
- Since starting the Thrive Challenge, I’ve lost 21 pounds and have reduced my knee pain.
- Now that I’ve been exercising, my blood pressure has gone down from 180 to 130.
- My girlfriend and I have saved $800 in the last three months.
- I’m drinking a minimum of 40 ounces of water each day.
The biggest surprise during my Thrive Challenge is how much closer I’ve grown to my family. I now have the energy to reach out to more of my family members and stay connected with them. I encourage them to call me. Martha and I are spending more time together and putting God first. We read scripture before bed and say grace before dinner. We watch movies together at home, but also make an effort to turn off the T.V. and read more. On Saturdays, when we are off work, we plan date nights and go on walks together. Since doing my Thrive Challenge, I have a better outlook on life.
Through the Thrive Challenge, our community is making better, healthier choices, seeing big results, and winning big.
Stories from past winners, such as Alfredo Marquez, prove that every individual has the power to transform their life every day through a combination of small, healthier choices and peer-to-peer inspiration.