NSPIRED
WEIGHING IN Area broker gains better health, energy from slimming down
By JOE BUTLER Photography By JOEL RINER
Though Michelle’s diet is mostly plant-based, she does allow herself meat occasionally.
T he new year is when many of us proudly announce grand plans to accomplish major improvements, such as going to the gym more, eating less, or other life- style changes. Unfortunately, study after study confirms that most of us will fail, and we’ll fail quickly. The percentage of broken resolutions can be as high as 88 percent in a recent Baylor Col- lege of Medicine survey. Often, our vows are broken even before Febru- ary rolls in. Reasons for breaking even the most well-intended resolution vary:
some realize their goals were over- ly ambitious and get discouraged quickly. Others simply aren’t ready for the mental and physical commit- ment required for lasting change. Not Michelle René. “I made a resolution at the beginning of 2023, and I’m still working on it,” said René, an associate broker with Windermere Coeur d’Alene Realty. Her wish then was to lose a lot of weight, and nearly two years later, she can proudly say mission accomplished, and maybe even more to come. In 18 months, she dropped 112 pounds from her maximum weight
of 257 pounds. “I feel like I literally lost a whole person,” René said. This effort has made her feel bet- ter. It has lowered her blood pres- sure, cholesterol, body mass index and other metrics. She’s no longer approaching the pre-diabetic ‘danger zone’ her doctor warned her about. “I even lost weight in my feet and my shoe size changed,” she said. “I didn’t know you could do that.” >> Starting simple René’s weight loss declaration kicking off 2023 wasn’t a
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