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CBS 2 HD Has Fitness Tips For Plus-Size Women

Instructor Rochelle Rice Says Don't Have A Number In Mind, Just Losing Some Weight Is A Start

NEW YORK (CBS) ― So many people have had that perfect size in mind while trying to lose weight, but now there's a push to change things.

CBS 2 HD recently sat down with a woman who says we need to forget the scale and just get moving.

Meet Rochelle Rice. She is an instructor who focuses on fitness for plus-size women. She says the key is to stop obsessing about losing weight.

"If we can put that on the side for just a moment and say let's move your body first, let's get moving and let the weight management be a by-product of a movement program," Rice said.

Rice says start slowly, just one hour a week of organized activity whether it's yoga or a dance class, and find a group where you feel at home.

Michele Saunders has been working out with these ladies for years.

"They were warm and welcoming, you got so many hugs and so much support," Saunders said.

Dr. Louis Aronne is an obesity expert who tells his patients to focus on getting healthy, instead of unrealistic goals of dropping massive amounts of weight.

"It's not possible for the average person to get to their cosmetic goal to fit into a certain bathing suit or dress, but it is possible for almost everybody to get better health, by just losing a little bit of weight," Aronne said.

He says dropping just 10-15 pounds can cut your risk of developing diabetes by 60 percent, and he has three ways to get healthier right away.

First, avoid drinking sweetened beverages. Stick to water and flavored seltzers. Second, eat protein for breakfast like yogurt, cottage cheese and egg whites and, third, start walking.

Sandy Schaeffer is much healthier since learning to enjoy exercise, and has this message for others who may have given up.

"Everybody has the right to this good feeling, to this feeling of joy you get when you're body moves, the feeling of joy you get when you take the toxins out of body by sweating," Schaeffer said.

Instead of the scale, these ladies measure their success by how much they enjoy life.

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