Consistency, Commitment, and a Great Support System – RydeOn! U's Second and Third Place Winners Have What It Takes

-Dawn Wolfe

They are both mothers and career women who work more than eight hours a day. They've both struggled with their weight, including stints in Weight Watchers. But today, Kristie and Jenny have something else in common – they both earned huge successes during RydeOn! University, coming in at second and third place for losing the most weight all the participants in the twelve-week program.

Kristie:  During the past year, I gave up and resigned myself to the fact that I just couldn't count another point or calorie or fat gram...

When Kristie gave up on calorie and fat counting, she also resigned herself to the idea of being “borderline obese.” But then she found RydeOn!, saying that when she first tried us back in the fall “I didn't love it, but I started going regularly around the first of the year and by the time RydeOn! University started, I was 'hooked.'”

So “hooked,” in fact, that Kristie made it to every Ryde during RydeOn! U and eventually lost 15.5% of her body weight – almost thirty pounds!

Why did Kristie decide to give up on giving up?

“Shortly before RydeOn! University was announced, I had set a goal to be my healthiest ever when I turn 42 this September,” Kristie explained. “My mom died at age 42 from complications associated with autoimmune disease. It was devastating. I made a decision to honor my mom and my blessing of a fully capable, healthy body by being as healthy as I can be.”

Lots of people make the same commitment Kristie did but aren't able to follow through. Why was Kristie able to make such great strides in her health and fitness?

“The most helpful parts of RydeOn! University for me were the Brigid's blog series and tracking my progress through weekly weigh-ins and logging my RPMs and WATTS on my card. Brigid's blog was a consistent motivation with great information to keep me going, and tracking my progress at RydeOn! helped me see the mini-goals I was achieving along the way...I looked forward to weighing in and seeing my WATTS increase.”

Now that Kristie has tackled RydeOn! U with such success, she said that she has committed to three indoor cycling classes per week – and she's currently in training for her first Triathlon!

Jenny: I just wanted to keep losing weight and to do better during each class...

Unlike Kristie, our next winner, Jenny, said that she was “hooked” on RydeOn! during her first class. Like Kristie, though, Jenny was no stranger to the ups and downs of diets before coming to RydeOn!, including a stint with Weight Watchers after having her children.  And while Jenny had started jogging in 2008, she said, “...I never really followed a set routine/plan for fitness,” until starting out with RydeOn! U.

Setting and achieving goals has a way of changing a person's life, though, and it was no different for Jenny. Her first goal was to attend all thirty-six RydeOn! U classes – but as she found herself achieving that goal, she started working on improving her WATTS with each Ryde. Both then and now, Jenny has also been working on improving her running routine – and she's planning on running her first race in June. Ultimately, Jenny lost almost 10% of her body weight, or more than fourteen pounds.

Jenny said that the biggest factor in her success with RydeOn! University, “... was the consistency of the three Rydes per week along with the encouragement and motivation I received from the instructors. I liked tracking my RPMs and WATTS on the card each time so I could see my progress from Ryde to Ryde or week to week.”

While Kristie and Jenny cite slightly different aspects of the RydeOn! University as being most helpful to them, they both report that the support of their families has been a huge factor not only in their success with their “semester,” but with their ongoing health and fitness successes as well.  

Jenny, a nurse who works twelve-hour days three days a week, said that,  “Thankfully, I have a very supportive husband who encouraged me to take this time for myself and helped out with other tasks so I could do so.”  

Kristie's family has been equally wonderful. “My family has been extremely supportive,” she said, “and insure that they do what they can so I don't have to cancel any of my workouts.”

The other factor that both women cite is their commitment to working out consistently. Kristie and Jenny plan their indoor cycling classes weeks in advance to make sure they don't end up missing a class, and both have made a long-standing commitment to their own health and fitness.

According to Kristie, “The 5:45am class at RydeOn! enables me to get my exercise before work. I really can't express just how important that's been for me. My Monday morning Ryde sets the stage for the week, reinforcing that my exercise and health is a priority and done first. I feel happy and energetic the entire day, knowing that I took care of myself first, enabling me to take care of the rest of my family.”

Both of our winners are set to enjoy fabulous prizes courtesy of RydeOn! University's wonderful sponsors. Kristie will receive a massage from Voila Salon in Saline, a $50 gift card for Ann Arbor's Lululemon, and a $30 gift card from Maureen's Designs, while Jenny will enjoy a personal fitting and outfit of her choice from Lululemon. Way to go, ladies!

Are you feeling inspired by Kristie and Jenny's success? RydeOn! University is over, but you can still take advantage of Summer Camp savings to start or continue your own health and fitness journey! Just click here to purchase your 30-day, 12 Ryde card for only $105 – that's just $8.75 per Ryde!