Friday, March 4, 2011

We all Love Prizes!

I love my pedometer! Don’t know why, but it motivates me to move more than anything I have used before. I lost my good one in January at Round Top and finally bought another one about three weeks ago. I put off opening the new one because I so hoped I could find the one I lost. Lo and behold, I was digging around in my computer bag on Monday of this week and there it was in the bottom of one of the compartments. It was like Christmas!

I have worn it every day this week and I nearly killed my dog, Meathead, last night walking and walking to get the steps I needed to finish the day. At my FP4H class on Tuesday we challenged our class to exercise 5 days before our next meeting and for all who do it, we will put the names in a basket and draw one name for a great prize!

Speaking of prizes, we started giving prizes when we started this session for turning in your tracker each week. Every week we drew a name from the basket of those who turned in a tracker and by last week our class had lost the most weight (78.5 lbs.) of any of our classes.

Two things stand out here; we all need something to motivate us and we all love prizes!

Carole Lewis

We do all love prizes, so let's see if we can give one away! Post a comment to Carole's blog and I'll randomly draw a name from all posts and give you your own pedometer!

Shameless Plug - If you're looking for prizes for your class, visit the accessories area of our online store: www.firstplace4health.com/store

25 comments:

  1. I love your dog's name. Meathead! LOL. I had a cat named Fleaz, once :) Giving prizes is a great incentive to start new, healthy habits. I personally have a horrid time of remembering to bring my Live it tracker in. I am sure my leader wants to give me a spankin'! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Our First Place group participated in a church-wide mission fair last weekend. We call ourselves The Grace-Full Losers. We showcased First Place materials and offered Craisins and almonds in little cups as a snack. We are looking for someone to start another First Place class during the daytime at our church in Shreveport, LA, Grace Community UMC. A friend and I lead the group. We have each lost 15 pounds since October 1. The other have lost varying amounts. It's our spiritual closeness that has benefitted us all the most. Our meetings are very casual, which we all appreciate! Love that First Place 4 health!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Our group has a prize for the top three biggest losers of each session. We also give away a book mark after 5 pound of weight loss and then members can put a start on the back of it for each additional 5 pounds lost.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We just started doing First Place at my church this year. It has been a rocky start thanks to snow and ice that caused us to cancel several times. The Thursday group really got hit as it always seemed to snow on Wednesday!! But we have persevered and gotten the (snow)ball rolling. LOL. I have never thought of myself as a leader, but the position fell to me our women's ministry started the group and I am chairman. But I am glad I'm leading as it has forced me to be obedient to the program as I want to be a good example to the classes. So far, since Mid-January I have lost 10 pounds. And I am so proud of the classes--this past week we had 7 that weighed and lost a total of 15.2 pounds!! Most of the members turn in trackers every week--but a couple have been lagging--I reminded them that I can only help if I can see what they are eating and where they are lacking in balance. That helped and now they all are turning them in. We love First Place and we are working hard to make our bodies healthy for God's service.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love my pedometer too, my husband I both wear ours everyday and try to get in our steps. I even got two of my co-workers to start wearing a pedometer and I got them to start parking at the far end of the parking lot to get more steps in. I love FP4H! I have lost 9lbs so far, I'm calling this my year of change! One year to make life long changes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I am a new leader, just started our group at my church. I really feel like God has led me to start FP4H as I probably have the most to lose in the class.
    I love getting the ideas in the
    FP4H Blog. Prizes are a great idea. I am going to purchase some prizes from the FP4H website and give them out as you suggest. Anything that helps keep it fun and interesting and motivating. Thanks again!

    Belinda

    ReplyDelete
  7. Our fp4h group of 7 has lost over 58 lbs. since mid-January. My favorite part is memorizing the Scriptures.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This IS the day that the Lord has made I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks for all your great comments. It inspires me to know that you and your groups are doing well. I have been leading a FP4H group for almost 30 years and it is, without a doubt, the most rewarding ministry in the world. I guess since we have admitted we have one problem in common, like controlling the food we eat, it is easier to admit we have other needs as well. The prayer support of our FP4H friends like you is what keeps our staff going. Have a blessed weekend! Love, Carole

    ReplyDelete
  10. Our little group is looking for a way to support and motivate.... I love your quote " we all need something to motivate us and we all love prizes!" We'll have to come up with some "prizes" to get us going! Thanks for the on-going ideas!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Carole,
    I appreciate the remarks you posted about your pedometer. I decided that I really didn't need my pedometer this session because by now I should know whether or not I have walked enough....right? So I deliberately left mine sitting on my dresser and I now realize that little tool was such an incentive to me. I am in week two and I know that I am falling short on my steps daily. Who would have thought such a small device could be such a motivator? I am proudly wearing mine again today after reading your post. Thanks for shaking me out of my stupor.
    Jeane Smithhart
    Brandon, MS

    ReplyDelete
  12. I found a gem of a book of weight loss tips with a generous sprinkling of Christian perspective -"Dieting in Real Life: 101 Tips and Inspiration for a Healthier You", by Ellyn Sanna. I think it is out of print, but I was able to find one online. Here's one gem: "We ask the blessing before we eat...but we forget that God wants to bless us while we eat. We pack in enormous, unneeded quantities of food - and all the while we miss the true savor of what we are consuming" (Gwyneth Gavin).

    ReplyDelete
  13. This morning I really didn’t want to exercise but we challenged our class to exercise 5 days this week and today was only day 4 with the weekend coming. So……I put on my workout duds and my trusty pedometer and headed for the treadmill at the church. There was not one person in the workout room when I got there but I got on the treadmill and set it for one hour because I planned to go really slow for my 3 miles. After one mile, I was feeling better and decided that I wanted to finish the 3 miles sooner than 1 hour so I increased my speed and before you knew it I had 3.25 miles finished and right at 8,000 steps on my pedometer and it was only 9 a.m. I did decide to not go late again though as I miss my early morning buddies. One thing I know for sure, 80% of life is just showing up! If we just show up, whether we feel like it or not, we will finish because God honors our decision to try.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Can I tell you how much I LOVE FP4H?????? God has show his faithfulness to me in so many ways through this program!! But the best is in showing me that I CAN get off my duff & exercise. I had an extremely sedentary lifestyle & my weight has reflected that. During my first session of FP4H I lost 21.5lbs without exercising. I am now in my second session and am extremely determined to walk, walk, walk.
    Let me explain why. On December 21, I lost my beautiful step-daughter Cindy to Cystic Fibrosis. She was 25 years old & had battled CF her entire life. Through God's mercy & our incredible church family, my husband Steve and I are healing.
    God also placed an opportunity before us to use Cindy's passing to help others. We found out about a "Great Strides" Walk that is being held in our area in May. Great Strides is a national CF fundraiser which promotes awareness of the disease. I decided that I wanted to do this walk for Cindy, so I jumped in with both feet (so to speak) as a team captain. Now mind you, I've NEVER, EVER done a fundraising walk before, but I was bound & determined to do this one!!
    God has used this walk to help those with CF, but he's also using it to help me!! In order to get in shape to do this walk, I'm having to train. So I made a plan. I decided that during the first week of this FP4H session I would walk 4000 steps per day for the entire week. I wore my pedometer & off I went.
    Week #2, I walked 5000 steps per day for the week.
    Week #3, I walked 6000 steps per day for the week.
    Now we are in Week #4, and I am hoofing 7000 steps per day!!!
    Not only am I thrilled with this accomplishment, but I'm feeling great!! I have so much more energy & I've lost 9.5 lbs in this session!!! God is so good!!! I praise Him every morning for what He is doing in my life and I pray that each & every member in my FP4H class receives the same blessings that I have been!!! Thank you Lord & thank you FP4H!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Should I admit that when I first glanced at your post I thought the title was "We all love pizzas!"?

    ReplyDelete
  16. I tryed wearing a pedometer. It worked fine on my steps I walked, but not steps on the eliptical. But, I have discovery Zumba and I'm loving it. I could do it every day!

    ReplyDelete
  17. My group has discovered the Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home DVDs are a great way to exercise apart and together to keep us motivated. We walk together on meeting nights, then text each other during the week when we get our miles in. It's proved to be a great combination to keep us on track - we are seeing results, too! More balance in our lives in all areas and pounds coming off, too!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have been in First Place for just over a year now. It is a beautiful ministry that has changed my life.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Our First Place group dissolved over a year ago and I like this blog to get more regular encouragement. I appreciate this ministry. Thanks for all you do.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi! I am so happy to say I just ordered my member's kit today, and will be joining FP4H at my church. It starts March 17th, so please pray for everyone who will be joining. I can't wait to read more of your blog!

    christina elkins

    ReplyDelete
  21. I started First Place almost two years ago when we moved to a new town and then when we moved back to our hometown last May I found there are not any groups here. What I decided to do was to email my weights and tracker to my leader so I can still do this long-distance with my old group.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I am the leader of a group that has essentially the same members for almost three years. Thanks for the ideas about prizes. I can't wait to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Carol, Just wanted you know that I did fill out the index card Give God a year. It stuck with me when you said Saturday Feb 26th in Roseville that if you don't fill it out tonight you'll never do it. When I got home I put it on the kitchen table where I do my studies and looked at it everyday and your words keep coming up and when I woke up Wednesday morning after my hubby left for work I did it, struggled but did not want to go to FP4H meeting that night and say "Carol was right I didn't do it". Thank you for being honest and saying the right words to get me going. Lori Blackwell

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am a leader of a group that just started in January. I cannot say enough good things about this program. I'm loving being a leader. I've already raided the FP4H website for giveaways and we love them!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Last session we started giving a "Balance Buck" (which looks like Monopoly money!) for each time a member (1) comes to class, (2) says their memory verse, (3) turns in their completed Tracker, (4) loses weight, (5) completes the week of Bible study, (6) meets their personal activity goal for the week, and (7) meets the homework challenge for the week. So you can earn multiple Bucks each week, and if it's been a crazy week and it was all you could do to just make it to class, at least you get a Buck to celebrate that! Then at the Victory celebration we held an auction where members could use all the Bucks they had accumulated to bid on prizes that they wanted...gift card to our church bookstore; FP4H gear like hats, bags, books, etc.; fitness equipment like a balance ball and pedometer; donated jewelry; and the grand prize of a spa gift certificate! Everyone really got into the bidding, and some even saved their leftover Bucks to use for this session's auction!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your feedback!