Halfway through weight loss challenge

MAT-SU — At the halfway point of the 12-week Trim to Win weight loss challenge, Frontiersman marketing and sales director Robin Minard continues to share her experiences with the Mat-Su Valley.

She’s off on a Caribbean cruise, and talks about the potential for falling off the fitness wagon in her last blog entry, posted below.

Follow Minard and other Trim to Winners online at frontiersman.com, and click the “Trim to Win” button on the front page.

Now I’m getting it!

(Feb. 15)

“As I promised myself, I made it to the gym last night! I had briefly considered running outside, but it was pretty windy and cold, so went to AT&T (Sports Center) instead thinking I’d do weights. Once I got there, I decided to walk around the track a few times to warm up, but then realized jogging would be more fun. I ended up doing a mile with several walk breaks, but mostly jogging. It felt great! Exercise really is addicting, in the very best sense of the word.”

Workouts and

buffets — an odd

combo (Feb. 21)

“So, I used to hate Pilates, but then along came Jenni. She is my trainer at the AT&T Sports Center, and no matter what type of exercise we are doing, she seems to work in Pilates techniques. The result? Better posture and a flatter stomach. You can’t really complain about that, can you? Last Wednesday, and then again on Saturday, Jenni took me through workouts that included walking to warm up, followed by strength training focusing on either arms, legs, shoulders or back. You know how they say, ‘I hurt muscles I didn’t even know I had?’ Well, that’s me these days. I’ve always struggled with combining diet and exercise. I am usually really good at one or the other, but rarely do I manage both at the same time. Unfortunately, that is happening again. I’m loving the exercise and not paying enough attention to what I am (over)eating. Still, I feel really good these days. My husband and I leave Wednesday for a trip to visit my parents in Florida and then on a Caribbean cruise. So there are German potato pancakes and endless buffets on the horizon. I plan to hit the gym at least every other day and hopefully maintain my weight. If anyone has any good vacation weight loss strategies, I’d love to hear them!”