Spark Spotlight: Lisa (1EVIL_ANGEL)

By , SparkPeople Blogger
At SparkPeople, we love helping people accomplish big goals—but we believe it's equally important to celebrate the small successes along the way. Each week in the Spark Spotlight, we'll check in with a featured member about his or her proudest moments, biggest challenges and advice for others on living, thinking and feeling healthier. We hope these quick snapshots will help motivate you to keep moving steadily toward your own goals, week by week.
 
This Week's Spotlight: Lisa (1EVIL_ANGEL)
Age: 30
Location: Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
 
Small Success of the Week
 
Lisa recently posted in the Community Goal Feed about how great she was feeling now that she has quit smoking for one full month. Even better, she's still going strong with breaking that old habit!

What's your overall goal? 
 
My overall goal is to be healthier for myself and for my children. I have asthma, so smoking was very much a huge part of my problems. Quitting smoking has already made a difference in my overall health and my ability to play more with my children without taking breaks or needing my inhaler. I am also down 25 pounds of my 50 pounds goal, so I am excited to be heading in the right direction. 

How is SparkPeople helping you get there? 
 
SparkPeople has so much to offer, but my favorite things are the recipes, which take away the stress and the guesswork. The little rewards you get when you hit a goal don't seem like much, but they're a nice boost. I [also] like that I can sync my activity tracker to SparkPeople, but the biggest one is the support from the team and the other members who are going through the same things. Reaching goals and staying focused is so much easier with a good support system! 

What's your biggest challenge right now? 
 
My biggest challenge at the moment is that I am still having some cravings for the cigarettes, even after a month. I distract myself by creating activities for my children or coloring (adult coloring books are great). I just try to keep my hands and my mind busy. I also struggle with my water intake. The SparkPeople water tracker helps to remind me to drink my water throughout the day.

What advice do you have for someone who just joined SparkPeople today?
 
My advice would be to start small, set attainable goals and take your time. Once you have hit that goal, add another, then another. Use all of the tools SparkPeople has to offer and engage with the community—they will support you! 

Want to be the next small success we spotlight? Share your successes on the goal feed or in the comments below, and you might be the next person we contact!