RISING (EARLY) TO THE CHALLENGE.Byline: Heesun Wee Daily News Staff Writer Who: Carole Morrison, 33, of Canoga Park. What: Between 1993 and 1995, Morrison gave birth to two girls, gaining 75 pounds during and after the two pregnancies. Why: Although Morrison exercised moderately in between her pregnancies, she wasn't working out aggressively or often enough to shed those pounds. She also frequently ate unhealthful foods during and after her pregnancies. How: She has retooled her exercise regimen regimen /reg·i·men/ (rej´i-men) a strictly regulated scheme of diet, exercise, or other activity designed to achieve certain ends. reg·i·men n. 1. and diet. Her weight gain began with her first pregnancy in 1993. The 5-foot-5, 115-pound Morrison accumulated 65 pounds, bringing her weight up to 180, by the time her first daughter Casey, now 3, was born. After Casey's birth, Morrison regularly walked and ate healthfully health·ful adj. 1. Conducive to good health; salutary. 2. Healthy. See Usage Note at healthy. health . As a result, her weight dropped to 140 pounds. But by late 1994, Morrison was pregnant again, and her weight crept crept v. Past tense and past participle of creep. crept Verb the past of creep crept creep up, too. She weighed 190 pounds after her second daughter Mackenzie, now 1, was born in early 1995. The sight of the scale reading only 10 pounds short of 200 prompted Morrison to action. ``I just thought I would die,'' she recalled. Morrison joined a health club in Northridge. She exercised for about 45 minutes every other day, using a stair stair n. 1. A series or flight of steps; a staircase. Often used in the plural. 2. One of a flight of steps. [Middle English, from Old English climber climb·er n. 1. One that climbs, especially a person who climbs mountains. 2. Sports A device, such as a crampon, used in mountain climbing. 3. A plant that climbs. 4. and treadmill. Although she was maintaining her weight, she wasn't losing any. So she sought the advice of a stranger at the health club who was physically fit. She suggested Morrison work out longer and more often if she wanted to go beyond weight maintenance toward weight loss. She also suggested Morrison keep a daily diary of the food she ate. Now, Monday through Saturday, Morrison drags herself out of bed at 4:30 a.m., pops in the shower to wake up, leaves home at 5:15 and arrives at the health club by the time its doors open at 5:30. Meanwhile, her husband and two daughters still are asleep. ``As hard as it is for me to get up and be at the gym at that hour, it's the only way it (exercise) is going to get accomplished,'' said Morrison, who is in bed by 9 p.m. Her workouts have grown to 1-1/2-hour routines. And on scraps of paper, she keeps a diligent dil·i·gent adj. Marked by persevering, painstaking effort. See Synonyms at busy. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin d record of what she eats. ``When you see it on paper, it puts things in perspective,'' she explained. Her new perspective helps keep her focused on her improved eating habits. Instead of hamburgers, she eats vegetable burgers Burgers are hamburgers. Burgers may also refer to:
n. A thin strip of potato fried in deep fat. Often used in the plural. . Her efforts are paying off. Morrison is down to about 130 pounds. Exercise and healthful health·ful adj. 1. Conducive to good health; salutary. 2. Healthy. health  ful·ness n. eating habits now are part of her lifestyle.
``It's like brushing your teeth,'' she said. ``You've just got to do it.'' CAPTION(S): 2 Photos Photo: (1) Pregnant Morrison, with daughter Casey, in 1995. (2) Carole Morrison, pictured with Casey, works on getting backinto shape. She has lost about 60 pounds. Tina Gerson/Daily News |
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