Here is the story of how Sheryl Necochea successfully lost 42 lbs. Raised with the notion that women do not sweat, perhaps that philosophy should have changed when she majored in Women’s Studies at SDSU. By the time Sheryl graduated in 1993 her weight was so high she was diagnosed with type II diabetes. After graduating, Sheryl went on to accept a full-time position in the Communications and Computing Services Department at SDSU and soon thereafter started a family doing her best to control her blood sugars.
Years later, in December 2006, Sheryl’s began to lose her battle with her blood sugar levels. Her doctor advised a weight loss program, so she joined Weight Watchers, hoping not to need daily insulin shots. Sheryl began to lose weight. In March 2007, she attended the grand opening ceremony of the Aztec Aquaplex and, coincidentally, won a 4-month Aztec Recreation membership. It’s the Weight Watchers in combination with her ARC membership that Sheryl feels made a huge difference in her life style, her now healthy lifestyle.
Sheryl initiated her Aztec Recreation membership in June 2007 and started walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day. She knew from Weight Watchers training that a person should reach a minimum of 10,000 steps per day to maintain fitness and “bump it up to 14,000 – 16,000” to improve. In July her colleague, Joan Rettinger, became her exercise partner and Joan upped the anti as the two started to run on the treadmills; increasing their speed and endurance as the days passed. They completed their workouts at lunch breaks from the office. They also used the walk to and from the ARC as warm-up and cool-down times. In August 2007, the workout partners completed the Iron Girl 5K together.
Once Sheryl reached a high level of cardio fitness by running and walking, she began to explore other things the ARC had to offer. She started taking classes with Brook Cook in fall 2007; both water aerobics and core training. Brook’s classes are known as some of the most intense offered by the ARC, but Sheryl was not intimidated – she was challenged. Brook helped Sheryl by reminding her of how important resistance training is to her fitness regimen.
Sheryl believes that the staff at the ARC is encouraging and she has always felt comfortable. She loves the “one-stop-shopping” that the wide range of programs and facilities offer and it keeps her interested in visiting 5-6 times per week. Always an avid swimmer, Sheryl meets with a lap swim group Thursdays at the Aztec Aquaplex. She encouraged groups of colleagues to come to Kellie’s Total Toning classes Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1:00pm during the Spring. Sheryl says she will walk and run on the treadmills indoors this summer to avoid the heat and in fair weather she can walk or run around the campus in 35 minutes. “It’s all about the steps,” she says. And her mom who raised her with the notion the women don’t sweat, is now walking regularly, doing Weight Watchers, losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle.
Sheryl’s philosophy for weight loss is “The slower you lose weight the more likely you can keep it off.” She lost ¾ lb per week for total of 42 lbs at the time this article is being written. She says she has 20 pounds to reach her goal and knows she will sweat enough to get there!