Let it begin

So lets start with life one year ago. This picture isn't from back then, its just one of the only "before pics" I have. When you're 100+ lbs overweight...yes, 100 lbs.... you do NOT have full body shots of yourself on purpose! I have this specific picture from when I wanted to be on Biggest Loser a few years ago with my friend, Liz. As I mentioned in my last post, my world changed a bit when I did the weight loss challenge at the Sports Academy. Doing that challenge gave me the bug - showed me that I could work out & that I could chose to not be overweight. There was about a three month lapse from when that challenge ended, to when I found out about CrossFit through my friend at work. She'd been going the whole time I'd been doing my Sports Academy workouts & every morning we'd sit & talk about our workouts from the day before. So after falling off the wagon a bit, I gave in & went to CrossFit.

Going to CrossFit has been the best thing I've ever done for myself. Its seriously been such a mental & physical game changer for me in losing weight & becoming a strong, able bodied person. My brother Nathan summed it up in his last comment to me on Facebook - I was teasing about not being an athlete at all & he said, " You stopped qualifying for that status when you ran your 10th race of the summer...you are a runner, you're an athlete...get use to it."

This is SO true. I'm doing events & accomplishing things in the last 6 months that you couldn't have convinced me I'd be able to do. I still have a ways to go (45 lbs or so), but now its not so far out of reach. Now I know I can actually get there & I don't have to be on a TV show or be in a competition to be there. I can get up every morning when its still dark outside & go work my BUTT off @ my CrossFit gym - eat healthier rather than not - and I can decide to be a fit, strong person.

Strong is the new skinny.

FRIDAY& Weight Goals!

So I kind of "cheated" a bit today and did my Weight Watchers thing at 9am instead of 1pm like I usually do. Two reasons - #1 --- I knew it would be a crazy day and I might not leave the office EVER. #2 ---- I didn't want to starve (because I'm crazy/paranoid) and won't eat before I go weigh in! I'm special - I know.

GOOD NEWS though ---- I got my 25 lbs. lost hoopla thing from weight Watchers --- its a little washer thing that goes on a keychain you get when you've lost 10% of your starting body weight. My goal is to have crept over the 30lb lost mark by next weeks weigh in.

I have had several increment goals that I've been able to reach this week ----some of which are just weird, I know. First of all - I like to notice/celebrate each time I move into a different 10 lb. weight bracket (the 80's, 70's, 60's, etc.) So today I hit a bracket that I don't even REMEMBER the last time I weighed that... WOOO HOOO!

My second goal was that I was able to put my pants on while they remained zipped up and buttoned!!! HAHAH!!! Told you I'm weird!

I'm very hopeful that I can keep going on this fabulous weight loss journey. Those BIGGEST LOSER people will be so sad they didn't pick me for their show!

Famous SUPERSTAR!!!

For those of you innocent people who aren't aware yet, I am what some might call a GLORY HOG. This implies that I enjoy constant validation and feeling like I am accomplishing great & marvelous things on a daily basis. I enjoy having a happy spotlight on me when I have done something noteworthy & in STARK contrast, I absolutely hate having any attention drawn to me when I have made a mistake of any caliber.

That being said ---- this past Wednesday was definitely a glory day for me and Carter and his school. We were finally able to do the presentation for the community grant that Farmers Insurance had awarded his middle school. Within moments and in front of a crowd of over

SIX HUNDRED KIDS...we presented his school with the $2500 for new media systems. It was great to hear all the kids hollar - so excited to have new TV's in their classroom that actually work! Carter was very proud of what "he" had done and went on about how he was going to have SO many friends because of this. Well.....

fast forward 3-4 hours when all the hooplah (thats what they call it out here) has died down - Carter is realizing his 15 minutes is over & he became very distraught. He asked me - "Mom, could you get my school more money because all my popular time is already over". DANG> He is a glory hog too!!!

Anyway - its been a great thing for the school and a lot of recognition for me and the agent I work for.

On the opposite end of life - I have been doing weight watchers for 8 weeks now and am almost at the 20 lb. down mark! WOO HOO! My dream #1 is to be on Biggest Loser. My dream #2 is to be too skinny to qualify to be on Biggest Loser!

WISH ME LUCK!!!