Biggest Loser Resort - Day Two!!

I don't think I have the energy to describe my whole day, but I will try!

My alarm went off at 5:30 am this morning.  Our first workout begins at 6 and if we're late to a workout, the WHOLE group has to do 10 burpees for every minute you're late.  So yeah...you don't want to be late.  If you don't know what a burpee is, google it.  They suck.  I noticed once I got up that someone was outside mowing the golf course here at the resort.  IN THE DARK!  Good thing I had to be up anyway.  Here's the view from my room by the way.  So nice!

We met the head trainer, Betty, this morning at 6 and she is just pure awesome.  She's this tiny little 5 foot 1 (and a quarter...she said that was important to remember) jumping bean.  So perky, but so tough.  I love her to death and I'm so excited to be training with her all week.  I'll try to post a picture sometime this week when I can get one.  Since it was our first day, we did some dynamic stretching and then she showed us how to use every piece of cardio equipment.  There's a lot.  Most of it I will never see in my own gym, so it was great to try out some new things...like the jacob's ladder.  Again, if you don't know what it is, look it up.  It's HARD!

After an hour of trying out different machines we headed off to breakfast.  The food here is seriously amazing.  I keep forgetting to take all the pics because I'm too hungry and eat it before I remember!  After breakfast we got into the Biggest Loser vans to head off for our first outdoor workout.  We have one every morning, rain or shine.  Luckily the weather held up today, though it was COLD!  

We went to a forest reserve that had a trail loop around it.  It was beautiful.  One full loop is 1.2 miles.  Our goal was simply to go around it for 80 mins.  I was thinking hey, this will be cake.  Nope.  I turned on my C25K workouts and just kept going.  I ran as much as I could but about halfway in, I started to drag a bit.  By the end though, I had gone 6 miles and I was extremely proud of myself.  Only about 4 of us went that far and it was quite the accomplishment.  On Friday we'll do it again and see if we improve.  It was such a great inspiration, seeing people of all ages and sizes going around and around this thing.  I'm proud of our little group.  That reminds me...our group is only about 18 people, which is apparently the smallest they've ever had.  Can I just tell you how awesome that is???

After that workout, we came back to the resort and headed to our first lecture.  We had two of them today and learned a ton about nutrition, which is my biggest struggle.  The nutritionists are great.  Most of the things they talked about were things I already know, but they answered a lot of questions and really made me feel like this is something I can handle once I get home.  Hopefully they'll give us the recipes to all this amazing food!  LUNCH!  We had an amazing lunch after the lecture.  It was like a ground turkey meditteranean pita that I can't really even describe the taste of.  But it was SO GOOD.  We get about 1500 calories a day, plus small snacks..and I always feel really full.  It's great.  I was worried I'd starve.

After lunch and another class, we headed back to the gym for our 2pm workout.  It was called C3.  Everyone picked a cardio machine (I went with the elliptical because my knees needed the break) and then we did 3 mins of cardio and then 3 minutes of core/strength training.  Sounds easy right?  HAHAHAHA.  The class was only 30 mins long and I was dripping sweat all over my machine.  She had us increasing our resistance and speed constantly and then doing these insanely hard core moves in between.  It was SO great and Betty is so good at pushing us.  The most amazing thing was that Amy picked the hardest machine in the room..the Jacob's ladder.  Everyone looked at her like she was nuts.  But that woman sucked it up and lasted the WHOLE CLASS on that thing.  When I saw her after, I thought she was going to pass out cold at my feet.  Betty announced to the class that Amy was the first person to EVER use that machine in a C3 class.  I'm so so so proud of her.  I wanted a picture of her on it so we went back later after dinner to get a shot.  Isn't she a stud??

After the C3 workout, we had about 20 mins to go back to our rooms (quarter mile walk from the fitness center to our rooms I'd guess) and change into our swimsuits for a water aerobics class.  This is what we looked like in between classes.

Getting in the pool felt so good, but as expected...water aerobics is a LOT harder than most people think before they've tried it.  We were doing 7 minutes cardio stretches with some strength training in between.  It was tough!!!  Amy and I both got wicked cramps that had us screaming lol.  My feet and shins...and her calves.  Stupid cramps!!!  We did awesome though and Erin (the trainer) was great.  I'll definitely have to try out more water workouts once I get home.

We FINALLY got to shower after the pool workout, though it was the fastest one I've ever taken.  But 3 workouts and 3 workout outfits later, I HAD to have one lol.  Then we headed to dinner.  The dinner wasn't my favorite, but we got chocolate covered strawberries for dessert and that was worth everything by itself lol.  

It was so nice to get to sit and talk with Hannah and Olivia so much today and to get to workout alongside them.  They are as motivating as you'd imagine and they are as incredible in real life as they are on tv and in their videos.  They definitely push me to work even harder through my workouts.  I love love love this whole amazing experience.  But hey, it's only been one day right?  Apparently they call Wednesday "Weepy Wednesday".  Talk to me again after that.

I got back to my room and plugged in my armband.  As expected, I had some amazing stats today.  I'm really proud of it.  I get the feeling tomorrow will be even more intense.  Our morning outdoor workout....is in a stadium.  Enough said.  Goodnight!

Biggest Loser Resort - Day One!!!!!

I cannot stop smiling.  I'm sure that once I've had my first workout, that will change but today...I cannot stop smiling.

I had an early flight out of Salt Lake this morning, and being so excited about my trip, I was up at 3am. Needless to say it's been a long day.  I took the opportunity to spend an hour snuggling my babies who cried about me leaving them.  I feel so loved!  I landed in Chicago to quite the downpour of rain, but it wasn't going to dampen my spirits.  I got off the plane and saw Amy, finally getting to meet her for the first time. That sweet, crazy lady had stayed long after her own flight arrived to wait for me so that we could meet and travel to the resort together.  I can't believe today was the first time I've ever met her in person.  It feels like we've known one another for years.  I'm so grateful for her friendship.

We caught our shuttle to the resort and were lucky to make it there alive, the way this guy drove.  He took up two lanes and drove like a maniac.  But we managed to get there eventually.

As we walked into the reception area, we were greeted by a very familiar face!!

Mark from Season 10 of the Biggest Loser!  He runs the program here and he is just pure AWESOME.  He gave us the tour and got us hooked up with Symphony (one of the trainers here) for our initial health assessment.  Here's where I stand as we get started (keep in mind this was fully clothed and after a day of traveling and having eaten out the night before lol.  My actual weight is probably a good 7 lbs lower than this, but this is the official numbers:

Weight: 237.7
Lean Body Mass - 140lbs
Body fat mass - 97.7lbs
Body Mass Index - 34.1
Percentage of body fat - 41.1%

It will be interesting to see where things stand come Sunday morning!

We finally got settled into our rooms (mine seems to have had a window left open during the rain and has a bit of a musty smell to it now but I'll live).  And then we headed to dinner.  I was curious how the food here would taste seeing as how it is being tailored to our diet and is all super healthy.  WOW it was amazing.  We had a salad bar first, which was of course delicious, but the best part was when they brought out the main course.  Chicken masala.  For UNDER 400 calories we had this delicious chicken and peas drenched in the same basic sauce you get in any Indian restaurant.  I've never loved peas more.  The curry flavored sauce was absolutely amazing.  And then we got a cookie for dessert!  It was only 138 cals and it was pretty big.  It took me a while to eat and was so good.  When they told us we get dessert every night, I couldn't believe it haha.  I'm sure we'll burn it off in the first few minutes tomorrow.

At the end of dinner came the part I've been waiting 3 months for.  Olivia, Hannah and Ben (Olivia's hubby) walked in.  I managed to resist the urge to scream and fan my face while crying.  That alone earned me a cookie.  Once they'd eaten, Hannah came over to introduce herself to me and we just sat and talked for a while.  It was like talking to someone I've known forever.  Obviously I feel that way because I watched them both on Biggest Loser and have followed their blogs/vlogs and twitter, etc.  But still haha.  And then as we all headed to the conference room for orientation, I got to meet Olivia.  She gave me the biggest hug and I just felt so unbelievably happy.  And holy cow is she tall!  Well both of them are, but for some reason I was sure she was shorter haha. I am truly blessed to have this opportunity and am so grateful to the both of them for getting me here.

In orientation, Mark ran us through the schedule and what goes on while we're here.  It's going to be hard work.  They call Wednesday "Weepy Wednesday" if that's any clue haha.  But I cannot wait to get started.  We went around the room and everyone introduced themselves (there's only 18 people here...can you believe that???)  Olivia introduced me as their "special guest" and told everyone that I'd won the trip here and that them being here was part of the prize.  I'm sure I blushed 10 shades of red, but who cares.  I was sitting next to Olivia Ward!!! *fans self*  I took my turn to introduce myself and told everyone a bit about my journey...how watching the sisters on BL11 had inspired and motivated me to finally start my own journey and how this week will get me on  my way towards losing the last 60-70lbs.  There are some amazing people here with some really great stories and I look forward to getting to know them all over the course of the week.  I know I'm going to go home with so many new and amazing friends.

After orientation we just hung out and chatted a bit before heading back to our rooms.  We have MANDATORY workouts at 6am every day so I definitely need some sleep.  This is going to be an amazing week.  I am so grateful to my husband, Nathan, for taking the time off work to take care of the kids so that I could come and experience this.  It truly is the most amazing thing I could ever ask for and I intend to soak up every single second.  Until tomorrow!

In preparation...

CHICAGO BABY!!  I can't believe it's almost here.  It feels like forever ago that I won that trip to the Biggest Loser resort.  I never thought the trip would actually come!  I leave this Sunday and come back the following Sunday.  I'm feeling quite the mix of emotions about it.  Of course I'm excited beyond words. I get to spend a week working on myself at a wonderful resort...for FREE.  I also get to meet one of my best friends for the first time!  I'm so excited to finally meet Amy after all the support she's given me during my weight loss journey.  It's so weird to think we've never met in person.  We talk every day!  I also get to meet two of my idols...Olivia Ward and Hannah Curlee from season 11 of Biggest Loser.  I'm terrified that I will go all fan girl on them and cry and act like I'm seeing Elvis, but whatever lol.  I'm allowed to be excited! They helped to jump start my weight loss as much as anything and I want to thank them in person.

The other most dominant feeling that I'm experiencing is fear.  A lot of fear.  I've received calls from the resort to talk about my trip and have been reminded that I will be working out 5-7 hours a day.  A DAY!!!  And that I should bring enough workout clothes to plan for such.  I'm used to working out almost every day but nothing even close to what I know I will be doing there. And it terrifies me.  It really does.

To prepare for this trip, I started changing up my routine a couple weeks ago.  I added some strength classes to my weekly workouts and I went to my very first spin class. Olivia teaches spin for a living and I get the feeling she'll be teaching in Chicago.  I don't want to miss that.  Spin has always scared me for some reason, but after one class I was in love with it.  It was a great change from my regular routine and I look forward to doing more of it in the future.

I also started doing double workouts a few days a week.  I'd go to my regular zumba class in the morning then another class at night, whether it were spin or bosu bootcamp (bosu balls are those half balls that you balance on.  VERY hard work!) or just another zumba class. That's been really tough.  The more I do it, the easier it's gotten, but I still find myself feeling tired all day when I do doubles.  Imagine doing triples or quadruples!

One thing that's kind of thrown a wrench in my preparation is that my gym decided to close from Sept. 3-12 for maintenance.  They've never closed for that long a period before and it freaked me out.  I'm really missing my classes, but it's also helped me to realize that I really am in a good place right now.  I've still worked out almost every single day and I'm still on track.  Being without my fitness classes has not been the end of the world and I haven't gained 20 lbs in the process.  I restarted the Couch 2 5K program for the third time and it's been great to get out running again.  My foot has gotten a bit sore again from the plantar fasciitis, but not so bad that I've quit running yet.  It's felt great to do 4-5 mile workouts and not feel like I'm dying.  I don't think I'll ever be a marathon runner or anything, but this is still progress :)

The thing that has really saved me the most is my awesome zumba instructor, Dee.  She is also a personal trainer.  Normally she doesn't have room for extra clients, but with the aquatic center not holding classes for 2 weeks, she has had room to work with me a few times and it's been a huge wake up call for me!  She's had me doing pilates, which I've never done before.  And man is that stuff hard.  I told her I really want to work on my core and boy have we worked on it.  We've both had a bit of a laugh at how weak my abs are during some of the insane exercises she's had me doing, but she's really pushed me and I love it.  After our first workout together I was sore for 3 days.  It sucked, but I needed that.  I needed that "I worked so hard I'll feel it for days" feeling.  After our second workout yesterday, the soreness is much less...but she pushed me so hard yesterday I actually felt nauseous (nauseated?).  I have never in my life vomited after a workout. I think if it's ever going to happen, it will happen in Chicago.

So yeah, I'm terrified and nervous and excited and I cannot wait to go.  I know it will be the hardest thing I've ever done, but I can't wait to see how it changes me.  I've been on a plateau for 3 months now and I'm ready to get off.  This will be just the kick in the butt that I need and I'm ready for it.  I'm as prepared as I will ever be.

Back to "normal"...

*deep sigh*  Ahhh, life is FINALLY getting back to normal.  We're in our new house (YAY!) and have cleaned out and re-rented our old apartment.  Life is good and less stressful and I can finally get back into a normal routine.

During the last 3 weeks, life has been so chaotic between closing on our new house, packing, moving, decorating/painting, unpacking and everything else going on...that I pretty much went completely off the rails of the lifestyle I've been living for the past year and a half.  I had no time for the gym for nearly two weeks and our eating was done wherever we could grab a bite, whenever we could grab it.  Not healthy.  Jilly's Losers season 7 had literally JUST started (I didn't want everyone to have to take a break from it just because I was busy) and I had to excuse myself from the first two weigh-ins due to all the craziness.  I didn't realize how much accountability had been keeping me in line until I wasn't weighing in.  On the one hand it was nice because I didn't feel pressure to be perfect and I didn't feel guilty when I ate something I shouldn't.  But at the same time....I didn't feel pressure and I didn't feel guilty.  That was badddddd.

That group of mine is how I lost 100 lbs.  That group is what's going to help me lose the rest.  And if I don't weigh in EVERY week...I'll never get there.  In a way it's frustrating.  I start to think I'm all done changing and I have the hang of this and I don't need help anymore....and then life throws a curveball and I realize just how much I still rely on the help and motivation of other people!  I think I will always need that support and that accountability and I'm grateful that I have it.

Last week I finally found the time for a couple classes at the gym and it felt AMAZING.  I worked hard and pushed myself and I was grateful that it didn't feel like my first time all over again.  I didn't think I would miss working out so much but it really is an addiction and one that I'm grateful to have. Now if only I could break my addiction to yummy fatty foods and sugar.  But hey...I gotta have something to burn off right?

Zumba is still my favorite workout by far...but the class that I usually attend was starting to become a little too easy.  So I've started to kick things up a notch again.  On Tuesdays, I've started going to a step class instead of zumba and it KICKS MY ASS.  Seriously.  I only use one riser under the step because my knees won't have it any higher, but man.  It's tough.  Last week our instructor broke up the sets with some strength training as well and I thought I was going to die.  But when I felt that...I was GRATEFUL!  It'd been a while since I had a workout that felt like it was going to kill me and I know that's when I'm progressing.  Working out should be hard.  And when it's not...Plateau time baby!

I've also started attending the Saturday zumba class which is infinitely harder than my Monday and Thursday class.  My weekday zumba class is more for the older population and I absolutely love it...but it's gotten so much easier that I've had to start using weights during every song and jumping during the moves just to get my heart rate up.  So on Saturdays I get to experience a different teacher every week and the routines are 10 times harder so that I don't have to kick them up myself.  It's great!  Now if only I could get myself back into the weight room.  I haven't lifted weights in a month or two (other than the small amounts of toning we do in my classes) and I know I need to.  But I don't wannnnnnnnnnnnnnna! :)

Anyway...it feels good to be Monday.  That sounds weird to say, but I feel like it's the first week I've had in a while where it will be a normal week and where I'll have more control over things.  It's time to burn off the 8 lbs I've gained over the last month.  It shouldn't be too hard right?  I've done it before.  I can do this.  I don't need any help.  Oh wait....

Crash and burn...and move on.

Crash and burn...or at least that's what it feels like.

I can't really pinpoint one specific thing that sent me off the proverbial rails.  I can guess at several, however.

- I had family in town for over a week which meant a change in my usual routine
- I hadn't eaten out or had soda/sugar in weeks and allowing myself to do those things after so long, triggered an unhappy chemical reaction within me that made me crave it WAYYYYY too much
- We've been working towards closing on our new house and packing up our apartment
- Jilly's Losers season 6 ended and I had "a week off"
- Nathan was working in SLC for the week, so he was home by dinnertime, which he usually isn't.

All of those things, as well as others I'm sure, piled up over a few weeks time to create a perfect storm of horrible horrible choices and food obsession.

I finished season 6 of Jilly's Losers at 227.2lbs for a total loss of 103.4lbs since I began this crazy ass journey.  I pushed harder this season than I had in ages.  I didn't have a single gain and I went hardcore on the challenges..not to mention restricting my diet more than I ever had.  That was great for the number on the scale and the inches on my waist, sure...but mentally, I had no idea I was just pushing myself towards the ledge.

The last day of the season, I was VERY close to the weight I needed to be to lose my 6%, so I did a double workout that morning.  I took my very first step class and then stretched for 20 mins before going to my usual zumba class.  Without properly hydrating, I was exhausted and barely survived the 2 1/2 hours at the gym.  I came home and weighed and barely reached my goal, but then I could almost physically feel the stress and the weight I'd been carrying...cause my will to crumble beneath those 227.2 lbs.  I was ravenous for food and I wanted Zupas.  I hadn't had it in a LONG time and I had earned it dammit!  I got a sandwich, some soup and a brownie.  As I ate, I got full quickly.  It happens when you shrink.  But I ignored it.  I kept going until every bite was gone (though I saved the brownie for later in the day).  I kept within my calorie limit for the day and while my stomach wasn't happy with me, I didn't feel guilty about it.  It was my first "cheat meal" in what felt like forever and I had no guilt.

Before I knew it, that "cheat meal" had become a cheat week.  That first meal lit a hunger within me that I could not seem to fill no matter what I ate.  I hadn't felt urges or cravings...really at all...for 3-4 weeks and suddenly it was as if I was going to die without some carne asada fries from Betos.  Seriously.  Every single day I would wake up feeling sick to my stomach.  My lovely friend the food hangover.  And every single day I would resolve that that day would be the day I broke the cycle.  Every single day started well with a good, healthy breakfast and a workout (most days)...but by dinner time I had NO will power.  None.

What was wrong with me!!!!  Things hadn't been this hard in I don't know how long.  I could physically feel depression seeping in.  I could feel my desire to lose weight slowly fading.  I very much did not give a !$@# what I put in my mouth at that point.  I was very frustrated and disappointed in myself.  I couldn't seem to get back on track no matter what I did.  A track that I've practically lived on for the last 2 years.

And then this morning, I heard the same thing twice.  One of my very best friends, Amy, told me that the most important thing to do right now is to just ...move on.  She told me not to let it get me down anymore. She reassured me that I have the ability to turn this around quickly.  I knew she was right, but I was still wanting to kick myself.  And then I picked up the book I've been reading the past week...  "Fit2Fat2Fit".  Within a page or two, Drew Manning was saying the same thing.  "Move on."  We are human.  We make mistakes.  We cheat on our diets, we skip days at the gym.  But if we spend all our time beating ourselves up over something that's done and over with...it will only make it worse and make the downward spiral last even longer.  "Move on," he said.  Just let it go.

So I did.  I couldn't go to the gym this morning as I always do on Mondays due to my daughters having their annual well child visits at the Dr.'s, but I made sure to start my day with LOTS of water and ate a good balanced breakfast and lunch.  Nathan's back to his normal work schedule this week and Jilly's Losers season 7 starts tomorrow.  I'm sure I'm up 10 lbs from where I was last week, but I also know that most of that is water weight.  There is no way I ate 35000 extra calories.  I counted.

So I'm going to start over.  I'm going to breathe.  I'm going to sweat.  I'm going to drown myself in water. And I'm going to move on.

Alternative forms of exercise...

I absolutely loved having my parents around this past week.  I may be at the gym 5-6 days a week, but in my normal every day life...my days are pretty boring and I don't get in much more activity/steps than I do while at the gym.  But when my parents are around it's a whole other ball game and I love it!

I still got in a few zumba workouts because let's face it...I'm obsessed.  I even got my mom to come with me, which was great!  You can tell she used to teach aerobics as she picked it up really quickly.  Not to mention having her next to me pushed me harder so I could "show off" a bit haha.  But the calorie burn didn't stop after we left the gym most days!

The thing my parents love the most about Florida (I think) is the fact that they can golf year round.  They are both AMAZING golfers and have been giving me lessons over the past couple of years.  Losing weight (especially in the...AHEM...chest area) has really helped to make the game easier, not to mention less tiring and a lot more fun!  My sisters haven't gotten much into the game, but I absolutely love it and wish I could go more often.  So my mom and I got up at 5:30 one morning and walked 9 holes at Schneiter's Bluff in West Point.  It was absolutely beautiful out and even though I didn't play well (I stopped keeping score after the 4th hole when my back/hip started screaming at me) I still had a blast.  I'll never understand how people can sit for hours and WATCH it on television, but I've quickly grown to love playing.  And it's a great workout!!

Then on the 5th of July, while we were all still down in the Provo area, we went for a gorgeous hike up to Stewart Falls, which is on the back side of Mt. Timpanogos.  We were supposed to be hiking with a bunch of extended family, but after being up late on the 4th, no one else showed but us!  We groaned about having to drag our kids out of bed after only 5 hours of sleep but it was so worth it.  I hadn't done that hike since I was 17 and I'm so glad I got to take my kids.  The hike wasn't easy by any means, but it wasn't so tough that I was hating it the whole way either.  And the falls were beautiful!!  The kids loved dancing in the water and my dad even decided to climb to the top of the waterfall.  Crazy man!  We were sure he was going to fall to his death, but luckily he lived to tell us what he saw at the top.

Yesterday was the day my daddy had to fly home, but not without giving me another lesson at the driving range.  We spent a good hour going over every aspect of my swing and I think we finally managed to figure out why I can hit the ball well, but it always goes to the right!!  The man should give golf lessons, seriously.  By the end, I was able to get in a really great drive or two...and they even went straight!  My goal is to one day beat my parents at 9 holes.  I'll need a lot more practice though.

It really was such a great week and I'm glad that it was so busy!  God knows I ate more than I have in weeks while they were here and I'm already back on track to burn it all off...but it was worth every calorie!

I need to try and get in more alternative forms of exercise.  I love my zumba classes, but I know I should mix it up.  I think I may try a step class in the next couple of weeks and I have a 5K coming up on the 24th so perhaps I should see how my foot handles running now that I've given it some time off!  I could use some more suggestions though.  Not going to wait for another plateau to hit before I change things up!

Triple digits...and I don't mean the weather!

Today has been a very emotional and very incredible day.  Over the past couple of weeks I've been slowly inching towards this huge milestone...at a pace that would irritate a turtle.  But someone must've had a chat with my scale about behaving and today it finally rewarded me with a number that I've been waiting for for a very long time.

How many girls do you know who will post a picture of their weight online!!! haha.  I've gotten over my shyness of it and now this is a number that makes me SO happy.  With this number on the scale, I have now lost 100.4 lbs total.  That's almost both of my daughters combined!!!  My mother heard me scream from upstairs as I realized I'd finally hit that milestone.  I'm glad someone was home to celebrate with me :)

My parents are in town visiting and they had promised me that if I hit 100 lbs before/during their stay...that my mom would take me shopping for new clothes (which I need...badly.  I'm rocking the homey G look for sure with all my baggy pants!)  So of course, that added to my excitement.  Who doesn't like new clothes?  Honestly...I never used to.  I always hated clothes shopping because it just made me feel fat and ugly and bad about myself.  But today it was just FUN!

Remember those jeans I bought myself when I passed 250 lbs and how I was so excited because they were a size 20?  Today I came home with all size 18's and even a size 16 skirt!!!  The girls at the store were probably thinking my mom and I were nuts hugging each other and giggling.  I was just so freaking happy.  My parents are amazing.  They have been so supportive through all of this and I am truly blessed to have them.  Though next time I need to gag my mother so she doesn't tell everyone we meet how much weight I've lost :P hahaha.

You know what else is cool?  I'm now "light enough" (HA!) that my husband walked up to me and picked me up the other day!  Just grabbed me and hoisted me up!  I was like WHOA!  PUT ME DOWN!  YOU'LL HURT YOURSELF!  I've never had a man pick me up before.  Ever.  And it scared the crap out of me.  And then it just became another thing that made me happy.  It's funny how the littlest things can feel like such a big deal when you've spent most of your life as big as I was.

I don't want to sound like some pretentious actor accepting an Oscar, but I really do have to thank people who have helped me to get this far and who I know will help me lose the rest of the weight that I have to lose. (100 lbs is great, but I still have a long way to go).  My amazing husband Nathan has sacrificed nonstop for this journey of mine.  He's suffered through the changes in my diet (and the contents of our fridge) and suffered through all my emotional ups and downs as the scale has fought me for every pound.  I am grateful to have a husband who encourages and supports me in this.  I love him so much.  Even my kids are adjusting to the health changes in our house and they've been such troopers!  My 13 year old has had to babysit his sisters more than he'd like to just so that I can go to the gym.  I should probably start paying him for that huh? haha.    My sisters have also been extremely supportive and have been my cheerleaders through all of this, but especially Heidi.  She is my own personal Jillian Michaels and without her help, I'd probably still be on that year long plateau.  She helped me figure out what needed to change and she pushed me when I didn't want to move forward anymore.  Thank you Heidi Goo :)

But honestly, the people who have helped me the most are my family of Jilly's Losers.  Especially Angie and Amy who have literally kept me in check every single day and picked me up when I fell off the wagon.  But the group as a whole....members past and present...is what has kept me from giving up and kept me reaching towards new goals.  I can only hope that I have helped them as much as they have helped me.  I never thought that starting a little weight loss group could make such a difference when I had tried every other diet in the world.  But it turned out to be the thing that flipped the switch in my brain and for almost 2 years now, the family I've made within...has been my inspiration.

I can hear the music playing to tell me my time is up, but there are so many people in my life who have played their role in this long, exhausting journey and that's overwhelming to me.  I never knew so many people cared.  It's very humbling.

Next goal...heading into One-derland.  I haven't been below 200 lbs since I first met my husband in 1999 and I would LOVE to be there again.  And I finally realize that it's possible and completely within my reach.  Man life is good!!!