Pickleball Helped Two Women: Pickleball has helped Middle Georgia residents Sherri Bracewell and Carla Cox lose weight and improve their health. Bracewell has lost over 90 pounds, while Cox has shed more than 50. Both credit the sport, along with better eating habits, for their success in achieving a healthier lifestyle.
A Life-Changing Fitness Journey
Bracewell started playing pickleball after seeing herself in photos and deciding to make a change.
“I was overweight; I didn’t feel it. But after looking at myself in a couple of pickleball pictures, I told my husband, I think it’s time for me to do a health journey. And I was past my two hundreds, and it took two years, a lot of hard work, watching what I ate, meal prepping a lot, and a lot of pickleball six days a week. And I told myself I had a goal, just fifty pounds.” – (Bracewell)
She set an initial goal of losing 50 pounds, but her dedication to meal prepping and playing pickleball six days a week helped her surpass that target. Her husband encouraged her to try the sport, even buying her gear to get started.
“He said if I buy you a pink paddle, a pink outfit, will you play pickleball? So, I said, mmm, okay. And he brought me all the things, and we played our first tournament in the Cherry Blossom three years ago. We lost, of course, but that’s what started me off.” – (Bracewell)
More Than Just the Numbers
Bracewell said she no longer focuses on the scale but instead on how she feels.
“I just don’t look at the scale anymore, because the scale’s just a number. I feel better, I think that’s the thing, and there’s going to be ups and downs. Eat the cake if you want it, go out and enjoy it. Don’t restrict yourself, enjoy it.” – (Bracewell)
Cox, who also lost weight through pickleball, emphasized the importance of diet changes.
“I did connect with a friend who had used a plan—an eating plan on how to eat right to lose weight. So, I watched and contacted them, and they coached me on this plan on how to eat correctly. And it just changed my life.” – (cox)
A New Passion for Fitness
Cox said losing weight became more challenging with age, and she knew she had to do more than just adjust her diet.
“And when I got on the court, you know I was nowhere near where I wanted to be. But it gave me such a passion, and it made me want to do it more and feel better. So, it just motivated me more, and that was the start of pickleball for me.” – (cox)
She encourages others to take the first step in their own fitness journeys.
“It was a progression—of starting to feel better, started walking, started pickleball, started going to the gym, started getting back to tennis. It’s a daily thing. Your journey will never end, it is your journey. But the biggest part of that is you started it.” – (cox)
News in Brief: Pickleball Helped Two Women
Two Middle Georgia women, Sherri Bracewell and Carla Cox, have lost over 90 and 50 pounds, respectively, thanks to pickleball and improved eating habits. They credit the sport for boosting their health and motivation. Both emphasize the importance of enjoying the journey and taking small steps toward a healthier lifestyle.
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