Melynda Findlay Shamie
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Images: An Hour in Mount ProspectSep 20, 2015 1:00 am - My assignment was to spend one hour — no more, no less — roaming around Mount Prospect, photographing things that caught my eye. I photographed the obvious and the obscu...
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Children starting to work with personal trainersJun 15, 2013 1:00 am - Brian Peters actually smiles when he talks about pushing hundreds of pounds across the floor using a heavy sled during his workouts. “It’s kind of horrible, but it’s rea...
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Determined Fittest Loser participant turns life aroundMay 16, 2013 12:55 pm - On a recent day off from work, I accidentally walked 12 miles. You read that right: 12 miles. Accidentally. I had some errands to run; when I returned home, the weather...
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She's savoring 'incredible, life-changing gift'May 06, 2013 5:00 am - It's hard to believe how much things have changed since I started the Fittest Loser journey three months ago. Back then, I weighed 249 pounds. Exercising meant walking t...
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Becoming fit has been a real educationApr 29, 2013 6:05 am - During Fittest Loser boot camp on a recent Saturday morning, I did a whole bunch of sit-ups. I didn’t keep count, but I’m pretty sure it was probably about 76 kajillion....
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Sacrificing certainly no fun, but it's worth itApr 22, 2013 5:00 am - A friend of mine — who lives out of state but has been keeping up with my progress by reading my columns — asked me a funny question the other day about my Fittest Loser...
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She has a new-found love — spinachApr 15, 2013 5:00 am - There was very nearly a food emergency at my house last week. While I was at work one night, I got a troubling text message from the boyfriend, who was picking up a few ...
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Show of support 'both wonderful and humbling'Apr 08, 2013 5:00 am - If it takes a village to raise a child, then I'm pretty sure it takes a small city to lose weight and get fit. Or at least it certainly has in my case. Let me assure you...
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Being klutzy no longer a reason to avoid gymApr 01, 2013 5:00 am - To paraphrase one of my favorite fictional characters of all time — GOB Bluth from “Arrested Development” — I've (maybe) made a huge mistake. My boyfriend, Brian, and I ...
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There are healthy ways to cope with life stressMar 25, 2013 6:00 am - The past few weeks have been a little stressful. It's been a stressful time for a whole variety of reasons, but none that are earth-shattering or tragic. Just the usual ...