A Fellow Traveler Request

Hey all! My Aunt Karen requested that I share a meal plan of what I've been eating over the last month. So I wrote it out to share. Now, if you're planning on trying the Skinny Switch program that I've been doing, it's important to know what your caloric intake should be because you have to tailor it to your own body and tastes. My suggested caloric intake is about 1,500 per day so on Lean Out days, I shoot for 1,200-1,300 and on Load Up days I try to get between 1,400-1,500.

It is also important for me to note that this meal plan is tailored specifically to what I like and what I generally have time to prepare. Many people will tell you to stay away from frozen foods and packaged meals because of the processing and sodium BUT for me, it's what works the best and is still proving to be successful.

So here is a three day sample of what I eat. It covers two Lean Out days and one Load Up day. The reason I didn't cover all the way to Saturday is because the rest of the week I tend to reuse the same stuff. Hey... I like what I like, right? :-)

Sunday

Breakfast: Multigrain cheerios, skim milk, apple

Snack: Light string cheese

Lunch: Turkey sandwich on wheat bread with fat free american cheese, lettuce, and tomatoe

            Reduced fat cheez-its (14 crackers)

            Celery

Snack: Light and fit yogurt

Dinner: Grilled lemon chicken, vegetable medley of broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots

Monday

Breakfast: Special K Red Berries cereal, skim milk, nectarine

Snack: Fiber One 90 calorie bar

Lunch: Smart Ones chicken rigatoni

            Broccoli and light ranch dressing

Snack: Pineapple bits

Dinner: Vegetable burger on wheat bun and fat free Fig Newtons

Tuesday

Breakfast: Egg white omelet with cheese and turkey sausage, V8 Fusion Light juice

Snack: Nutrigrain bar

Lunch: Lean Cuisine flatbread meal

            Celery

Snack: Nature Valley protein bar

Dinner: Gluten free mac and cheese with Hebrew National beef franks, cut up and mixed in

* Dessert* Skinny Cow fudge bar

Along with these kinds of meals, I've also been drinking at least 8 large cups of water every day. The idea behind the amount of water you should drink is to take your weight, divide the number in half, and that's how many ounces of water your body needs.

Hope this helps! Feel free to ask any and all questions, if you have them. I enjoy helping any way I can!

The Wind in My Sails

This process is a tough one. To go from living a basically sedentary lifestyle to an active and healthy one can be unbelievably grueling at times and some days yes, I do want to turn back. Being a couch potato and eating whatever I want is FAR easier than getting up early to work out and taking time to prepare meals and continuously saying no to people who offer me my favorite sweet treats. There are times when I want to order in food and hide and binge because it's what I used to do. That is comfortable to me. But when I feel that mindset beginning to creep up, I think about all of the things that make this process great.

1) I already feel SO much better! Getting up and working out does cut into my sleep time and I am not always excited to do it but afterwards, I feel like I did something worthwhile and my day will be better because of it. My mood has improved a good deal. I also find it easier to face the daily food temptations when I've worked out!

2) I can feel the results. So many people base their weight loss success on the numbers on the scale or the inches they measure off their waist. I don't need to see the numbers. I can feel the areas in my body that are being affected and I can feel some of my clothes getting bigger, slowly but surely! I also am having a much easier time at work, going up and down stairs and pushing kids in wheelchairs up the hallway ramp. Before I began this journey I was out of breath after a few steps. Now I'm making it all the way to the top with energy to spare, which is awesome.

3) Some people are noticing. It's only been about four weeks since I started but the people who know me well are seeing the small changes. Not always in the way you'd think. Some have noticed that my pants are slightly looser or my face is a little less round but most comment on the mood changes. I'm happier with a strong sense of purpose now and they see that and tell me how much better I seem.

4) I have an amazing support system. Not everyone is supportive. Some actually do try to bring me down with negativity or temptation but the people who are helping me with this far outweigh the bad. I get awesome messages from people who tell me they've enjoyed following my progress or offer moral support or just want to tell me they think I'm doing a good job. That, above anything else, makes me feel the best! To know that I have people who don't judge me and appreciate what I'm doing is the biggest blessing I could get through doing this. Just yesterday I got a message from my friend Will that really lifted my spirits when I was feeling tired and needed a boost. He said "I know you can do it because you're amazing and a fighter and are gonna kick butt and have people who love and support and are proud of you. So don't ever say you can't. Because you're wrong. You're Kelly Jo." I felt immensely blessed by that encouragement! Unprovoked and at just the right moment, he gave me that boost of energy I needed to get up and do my evening work out. It felt fantastic!

These are just some of the reasons I know this is going to work. These are just some of the reasons I keep going every single day. Because they push me onward. I know that it can only continue to get better! So when I start to feel like I want to give in to laziness or go back to what's comfortable, I remember these things that keep me moving full speed ahead. And it's completely worth it :-)

Temptation Island

This weekend was my first major challenge. I went back to my college town of Abilene, Texas to visit family and support friends for the annual Sing Song weekend. It's sort of like homecoming except all music and theatre... my favorite! It was a fantastic time of celebrating getting to be with people I love and spending basically entire days laughing. It was also a time of temptation.

Being back in Abilene brought with it a lot of desire to go back to old habits. There are places to eat there that you cannot get anywhere else in the world and of course, all of the things I love to eat lean towards the unhealthy side. There's a reason I hit my heaviest weight when I was in college. It's because we kept such hectic schedules and ate whatever was quick and yummy. Abilene is full of places that are the epitome of quick and yummy. Another reason is that while I had a lot of fun there, I also went through my darkest time there. I had to deal with and overcome a lot of sadness while discovering who I am and who I want to be. Just being back on my old stomping grounds brought back the memory of what I went through and yeah, in some ways I did want to turn to food. In a lot of ways it was like walking back into a bar after a few weeks of sobriety.

I promised when I started this that I would be completely honest so I can't lie and say I was 100% perfect BUT overall, for my first major challenge, I think I did an excellent job. At no point did I forget my ultimate goal. Did I indulge a little? Yes. I admit to having a few slices of pizza and a full meal at a hibachi grill. But I also walked right into my favorite bakery (a Friday tradition for basically all four years of college) and didn't buy anything! That to me is completely smashing through the second obstacle that stood in my way... going back to sugar. I was able to stare my greatest food love in the face and say "You know what... I don't want to risk it". I didn't want to risk what could happen to my progress if I gave in.

The biggest thing I had to remember during this time away was that there is no shame on this journey. If I am not completely perfect the entire time, it's OK! As long as I get back on the next day and continue as best I can, I'm still doing a great job. It's not about being the best and the fastest, it's about reaching my goal at whatever point I can. So even though I wanted to shame myself for eating a few things I wouldn't on a daily basis, I have to focus on the positive that I did this weekend and remember how amazing I did as a whole. What a great end to a first challenge!

Yeah, I went to Temptation Island. I went... I saw... I conquered.

The Reverse Bucket List

I know the title may have you wondering, what the heck is she talking about? What's a reverse bucket list? Well, unlike Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, I am not ready to make my list of things to do before I "kick the bucket". I'm ready to do everything I've been missing out on once I can finally start living!

There are so many things that I've never been able to do because my weight held me back. Sometimes it was because I was afraid of injuring myself, being too heavy, or breaking something but other times it was because I thought people would judge me. I thought they might look at me and say "Why is the fat girl trying to do that?" and instead of dealing with that feeling of embarrassment, I'd just sit the fun stuff out. I even faked sick on a school ski trip once because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stay up on the skis. How lame is that?

So it's time to start making plans for the new life I'm going to live in less than a year! Once I've reached my goal weight, I want these to be my new goals that I can chase after and achieve without the fear. It's time for the girl who's barely been living to have every fulfillment she can. We only get one life... it's time for me to stop wasting it!

Here's the start to my Reverse Bucket List! I'll add more as the ideas come to me but this is all I could think of today. I know some of these may seem trivial but if you're thinking that it's probably because you've done them before. I legitimately have never done any of them. Can't wait to get started!

Shop in a regular store

Ride a rollercoaster in comfort

Wear dresses… every day

Audition for a play with confidence

Audition for a part other than character type (ingenue maybe?)

Wear shorts and sleeveless shirts in the summer

Enjoy running

Be able to throw a solid punch

Do a cartwheel

Get a piggy-back ride

Dance in a club

Do a switch leap and fouettes

Become certified to teach Zumba and Pump

Get asked on a date

Go on said date without worrying about judgment

Jump really high on a trampoline

Do a chin-up

Run a marathon

Swing dance

Win at arm-wrestling

Go bungee-jumping and sky-diving

Learn to surf

Go rock-climbing

Crowd surf

Go water-skiing

Ride a horse bareback

Have my own band and perform

Learn to belly dance

Do yoga (without sweating like a pig and gasping for air)

Ride a zip line

Go white water rafting

Wear a two-piece bathing suit

Ride a rip-cord

Ride a bike in the French countryside

Get married

Have kids

Play outside with my kids

Live a healthy life!

Stay tuned friends... there's more to come!

Any Weight Loss is a Great Loss

I have now been eating healthily for a full week! So far, not only have I not cheated on my meal plan but I haven't even wanted to. That's a first! I don't think I've ever been able to complete a full week without caving to some sort of cheat. When I tried Atkins in high school, I asked my mom to hold me accountable and keep an eye on what I was eating. For those of you who don't know, Atkins keeps you away from most carbs and sugars. I remember being committed to it for about two days but by the third day I couldn't take it anymore. As soon as my family left to go do something and I was home alone, I went crazy for carbs. Mom had thrown out the bread but I was able to find a bagel in our pantry and I chowed down on that thing like I'd never eaten before. That's actually about how most of my attempts at losing weight have gone.

I've had several chances to go back to the dark side. In just one week, I've had to turn down 8 different opportunities to jump off the wagon. I'm so proud of myself! I can't lie and say that I'm super woman and felt no temptation. Believe me, when I went on a field trip with one of the students and we had lunch at Winstead's, I don't think I've ever wanted a cheeseburger and shake so much in my life! But I kept reminding myself of the goal and that nothing tastes as good as healthy feels. I sat in the middle of that restaurant and proudly ate my sack lunch of a turkey sandwich, celery, and wheat crackers. It felt great to be able to stick to something so important!

This morning, I decided to weigh in just to get a general idea of where I'm at. In exactly 6 days, I have now dropped 3 pounds! I know that most people would see that number and think that it isn't much. But this is 3 solid pounds from just changing my food choices. I haven't been working out aside from light activity at work and stretching at home, I haven't been following any specific fitness plan, I've just been eating right! To me, this is an incredible first week accomplishment! It's amazing how much better I feel just from losing that. I have more energy, I've been in better moods, and I've felt ten times more confident. This has become such an amazing part of my life, to focus on doing what's best for me and moving forward little by little to the ultimate goal which I now am certain I'll reach. I'm more motivated and excited than I've ever been!

My goal for the month is 8 lbs. by March 1st. Well... if I've managed to lose 3 in the first week, I'd say I'm on a pretty solid track to reaching that goal. 5 lbs to go in 2.5 weeks!!! This week I'm going to pick some workout dvds and decide on a plan of attack for exercise. That should really put some wind in my sails. I'll let you know how it goes!

Power of Perception

It's very strange how my brain reacts to food and my lifestyle with it. If I'm not trying to stay healthy and watch my weight, I can go a few hours without eating and not feel hungry. Then when I get around to eating my meals,  I don't pay attention to the nutritional value as long as it tastes yummy. But when I am trying to be health conscious, I'll eat breakfast (small bowl of cereal and an apple... definitely enough to sustain me) and 20 minutes later my stomach is growling and I'm feeling so hungry that I'd give anything for a bag of chips! My brain loves to play this game with me, making sticking with a meal plan so difficult. I get hungry, I crave, and I give in to it. 

Someone once told me that if you're craving, you're not really hungry. If you were hungry, you'd eat whatever your body needs as opposed to what sounds like it will taste the best. It's all in your head! That's something that I've been trying to remember in the past week as I've been going through this process. My brain is so used to doing what it wants and what makes the emotional and stress binge eater happy. It doesn't know how to react when it's faced with something new. The food choices I made before were to comfort whereas the food choices I'm making now are to heal. Naturally, my brain wants comfort and a quick fix. That's the mind of an addict talking. But the mind of a woman in rehabilitation needs a lasting healing. So I have to actively re-program my thoughts to shift into that head space.

The other night, I had finished dinner and was still under on my calorie intake. My thoughts immediately went to dessert and how much I wanted ice cream. I was craving something sweet! I didn't want to give in to this and tried to find a healthy alternative that would be within my calorie levels for the day and help get away from that feeling of need for ice cream. I decided on fat free Yoplait strawberry yogurt. Now, the way I used to eat ice cream was hard core. Straight from the bucket with a spoon, relaxing on the couch, and probably eating the entire thing in one sitting. So I tricked myself. I buy my yogurt in the larger tubs, that way I can easily measure when I'm making my snacks of fruit medleys. I got it out, got a regular kitchen spoon, and stood in the kitchen to eat. I ate three spoonfuls of this yogurt straight out of the tub as if it were strawberry ice cream. I told myself it was just as delicious and satisfying and you know what? For the first time ever, it actually was! Less than 200 calories and I didn't feel hungry afterwards.

I've tried similar tricks on my mind before but never quite this actively. I think the reason it's working this time around is because I'm in a really great place mentally! In the past when I tried to lose weight, it was always for some shallow reason. I wanted to do it because I thought others were judging me, or I wanted to look prettier, or I wanted to impress someone, or I felt like I had to. This time, I have something definitive to be working towards. I know that at the end of this year, I'm going to be at my goal weight if I just take it a little at a time and kick it into high gear when I get to the Biggest Loser Resort.

Before, I always wanted the diet that would work the quickest. How can I lose this much weight in this many months? Again, that's the mind of an addict. How can I do this quickly so I can impress someone and be done with it and get back to my drug? Of course I wasn't sticking to my diets! I never intended to make it a lasting life change. This time around, I'm in the proper place. I want to do this to be healthy forever. I'm not doing it for anyone else but myself. I'm healing not only my body but my mind and soul. This is something that every day I WANT to make last a lifetime. I actively pursue it as not just a goal with a stopping point but something I plan to continue after I'm at the correct weight. And that's what's working!

My lovely friend Katie and I were talking the other night about that perception of weight loss (she's jumped in to be on this journey with me, whoop whoop! Welcome aboard!). I was telling her how easy this is becoming for me because I'm not pressuring myself to hit big numbers. Any weight loss is great loss! If I can get anywhere between 5-10 pounds a month, then great and anything extra is just a bonus. We talked about how 10 months really isn't that long of a time when you think about it and when you break it down into small numbers every month, it definitely adds up to big numbers! All we have to do is focus on this month and pushing onward. One month at a time and before you know it, you're there! If we can just keep that perception in our heads of 'Hey, you know what, this is actually really simple' then it becomes simple.

I know sometimes we get discouraged because we look at a scale and see only a few pounds down. That causes a lot of people to give up! I know it's been that way for me. But if we go off of putting a few pounds at a time towards an ultimate goal, I promise you'll begin to see it differently. Go by how you feel at the end of that month, knowing you're that much lighter and healthier! Slowly but SURELY and all in the right time, we will reach our goals!

Road Block #1: Negativity

If you're a woman, at some point in your life you've probably stared in a mirror and analyzed yourself. Scratch that... if you're human, you've probably done that. Raise your hand if you've judged your own body. Mine's raised. Guilty! I used to do it constantly. I'd get dressed and stare at myself thinking 'My hips are too big, they make my butt look huge!' or 'If only I had smaller arms' or 'My stomach is sticking out too much in this shirt'. I'd stand there for long periods of time just ripping myself to shreds.

WHY? Why do we do that? What do we think will happen when we do this to ourselves? That maybe we'll feel better? I don't know about you guys but I certainly never do. If I go out with friends after that, I'm constantly concerned about what is showing that I don't want people to see. My thighs full of cellulite, my arms full of excess fat, my double chin, etc. But then there's this... why do I care? Why do I care what other people think when they see me? I know why. Because if I judge myself first, it won't hurt when others do it. Just like when I make a joke about my weight, it's to beat others to the punch. I put the voices of people I know, or sometimes strangers, inside my own head. Then maybe... just maybe... they can't hurt me if they actually think or say it.

I don't always generate these negative feelings out of nowhere. Sometimes it's because I really have heard them before. Yes, I have been 'mooed' at by someone in the past. Sounds juvenile right? I was 12. But even recently, I've overheard or been told about some truly nasty things that people have said about my body. Some have taken it so far as to say things like my jeans are too tight and show too much fat, my hips are too big, my stomach sometimes hangs over, and I always look like I'm gaining weight. A question that was also raised was if my weight problems were genetic because if so, it didn't make sense because my sister is skinny. Well... my sister is HEALTHY first and foremost, while I am not and yes! It is genetic! But is that the reason I'm at my current weight? NO! It's me having no self-control and letting negative people like that control my thoughts and opinions of myself, which drives me into my comfort: food.

No wonder people have such a hard time loving themselves! If we all took a second to appreciate the things we love about ourselves, maybe weight loss wouldn't be so difficult. Negativity is that dang flying, blue shell on Mario Kart (nerd reference? Just go with it) that someone throws at you when you're in first place. It's always going to hit you, no matter how much you try to dodge it. But the trick I'm finding is that I can continue to get back up and make it to the finish line. I may not finish first but at least I get there. Negative people will always be around to tear us down but it's up to us how we handle it. I've let other people rule my opinions of myself for far too long and it's just enough.

So here's what I'm starting to do: For every negative comment I think about myself (whether I invented it or heard someone say it) I'm giving myself two positive thoughts in exchange. "My hips are too big" now becomes "I love my hourglass shape that a lot of people wish for" and "I'm gonna have a heck of a lot easier time when I have kids!" Ha ha. I mean seriously, wide hips are nothing to be ashamed of! I'm going to stop throwing myself a pity-party anytime I feel judged because ya know what? The only opinion that matters is mine. Only I can allow myself to be torn down and only I can be the one to build back up. If I'm going to succeed in this year of weight loss, I'm going to need to let go of those emotional bricks that have been holding me down. So this is the first big step in that aspect of the journey. Bye bye negativity and bye bye to anyone who stands in the way of me and my quest to health.

Road block #1... psshh... please. Come at me bro!

Prepping for the Journey

About 2 years ago I heard about a meal plan called the Skinny Switch Secret by Rob Nevins. I'd spoken with a few people who'd found success with it and liked the easiness of staying on it because of how well it fit into their lives. I gave it a try and in two months I was down about 40 pounds. That's averaging 5 pounds a week! I wasn't doing any special exercise except for staying active. At the time, I worked at Disney World and anyone who's done that can tell you... you never sit down. In a 12 hour day, you'd get two 30 minute breaks but it takes 10 minutes just to get up and down the stairs to the break area so it's not much time to rest. Once you're back up in the parks it's constant standing, moving, lifting, and don't even think about leaning to rest on something. Disney cast members should always be full of energy... you lean, you die. (Joke... love you BBB!) So yes, I was keeping my body engaged all throughout the day but it's something that can be done at any job. I eventually had to stop Skinny Switch because I simply did not have the storage space. I lived in a small apartment with 5 other girls and they can tell you that trying to find your own fridge space became like War of the Worlds. Not pretty. Anyway, the food is what made it such a great plan for me and what I intend to try again on this quest. Here's how it works:

The "secret" to Skinny Switch is to vary your caloric intake from day to day. You have two "Lean Out" days and then one "Load Up" day to keep your metabolism from getting set into a rhythm where it'll stop working as hard.

A Lean Out day is, obviously, where you have your lean foods. Lots of light proteins like turkey or almonds, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables.
A sample Lean Out day menu:
Breakfast: Special K cereal w/ skim milk

Lunch: Turkey sandwich.

- Multigrain bread (45 calories a slice), reduced fat/low sodium turkey, fat free american cheese, lettuce, and lite mayo. Side of reduced fat Wheat Thins crackers

Snack #1: Strawberries and blackberries over yogurt (4 strawberries cut up, 10 blackberries)

Snack #2: String cheese and carrots

Dinner: Grilled chicken and vegetable medley

A Load Up day is where you can put all of your heavier proteins like beef and chicken, carbohydrates, and yes, even sugar, if you must. Now, it's important to remember that Load Up days are NOT cheat days. It's not an opportunity to go grab whatever you've been craving. But, it provides you the option of having something slightly heavier, if you so choose.

A sample Load Up day menu:

Breakfast: Sausage, egg, and cheese Lean Pocket w/ V8 Fusion juice

Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (still reduced fat or fat fee on multigrain bread) w/ fruit medley

Snack #1: Reduced fat Cheez-Its

Snack #2: Granola bar

Dinner: Steak w/ potatoes and salad w/ fat free dressing

     *Dessert (optional): Skinny Cow ice cream bar

So that's the general idea of what I'm going to be eating throughout this process to make a lasting lifestyle change. It's not for everyone but I find that it works really well for me. When I tried it before, I was still being health conscious without being so restrictive that I felt like my body wasn't getting the calories it needed to keep my energy up. Each day is still under the recommended 1500 calorie plan, it just is a bit more varied, which I like. I don't enjoy being bound to salads every day! This gives the freedom to tailor the meal plan to my tastes and it works!

Now I'm off to make my shopping list and plan my meals for the week! Ready to get going on this quest!

Step One: Admitting You Have a Problem

(Blogging is such a foreign concept to me so if you're jumping in on this journey with me, excuse my lack of knowledge in this area!)

HI! I'm Kelly Jo Scott and I am addicted to food. Not just any food... unhealthy food. It's like I can't get enough. I could be completely stuffed with a greasy, fattening dinner and if you put a brownie down in front of me I'd still eat it! It's taken me years to realize it but I now have to come clean and admit that yes, I am a food junkie. Now that I've discovered my problem, I have to put myself into rehab to learn how to control this addiction.

Now you may laugh at that idea of "food rehab" but this kind of addiction is a very real issue! One that I know countless amounts of people struggle with every day. And it's the trickiest to solve. Unlike other addictions, food is something that you are faced with multiple times a day. Not only is it socially acceptable for someone to come up and offer this drug to you, it's encouraged. "It's your birthday, eat this cake!" "You did something great, I baked you these cookies!" "Hey, it's Tuesday, why not have pie?!". I seriously feel like I spend multiple hours a week trying to resist food that someone is kindly and generously offering me. The world would be so much easier if I could just rid it of everything unhealthy but that's not life. And it's not the world's fault that I can't control my portions, it's mine. I have to take responsibility for myself and my actions because when it comes down to it (even though I do need the support and help of others) I'm the only one who can make the necessary changes.

SO... with that in mind, a few months ago I took my first steps towards checking myself into a rehab for my addiction and laziness. I got an email from the Biggest Loser Resort about a contest they were holding to find 10 people who would win a full month's stay at their location in Malibu. At first, I have to admit, I thought that it wasn't worth trying for because there was just no way I'd win. I'd been discouraged so many times by failed attempts at things like that, I didn't want to put myself through it. But something in the back of my head kept bringing the thought up again and again. I couldn't let it go. Finally, I decided "What have I got to lose?" and I submitted a 2 minute video to the Biggest Loser Resort's 2012 Year of You Contest. I also entered an essay and form to give them more information about myself. A week later the voting opened and the actual contest began.

I went absolutely all out for this thing. I tried everything I could think of to scrounge up votes, with the help of a friend and fellow-contestant. We called news stations, sent emails, begged friends (and sometimes strangers) via facebook or twitter, and had our friends and families doing the same. After two weeks of intense chaos and stress, the Resort announced the Top 30 as based on the public votes. Much to my shock and joy, I had made it on to the next round. Then it was time to wait another two weeks for a panel of judges from the Biggest Loser to decide who the lucky 10 would be. Obviously, this was the most agonizing two weeks of my life. At first I was somewhat calm. I thought I'd just sit back and leave it all up to God... whatever happens, happens and His plan will unfold as it's meant to. But of course, the closer the 31st got, the more I began to sweat. Was my entry good enough? Did I show enough personalty? WHAT exactly were they looking for in the winners? Did I deserve it at least as much as the other 29 finalists? I was afraid the judges wouldn't see that.

But they did :-) On Tuesday, January 31st at 1:20 pm, after days of excruciating worry and talking myself off an emotional ledge several times, I got the phone call of a lifetime. They had actually selected me to be one of the 10 winners and I would get to go to the Fitness Ridge Resort in Malibu for a MONTH! Whaaaaat?!?!?? I was so emotional and overwhelmed with excitement and gratitude! I still can't believe that it's real and it's going to happen. They're going to be the change that I need and help me turn my life around. It's an unbelievable opportunity and I'm so thankful to have won.

Now all of this is to say that I'm doing this blog because I don't get to go to the Resort until December of 2012. That's a full 10 months from now! Of course I'm thrilled to be going at all but the idea of waiting to start this process when I'm so amped up today is scary. I don't want to lose this motivation that I'm feeling right now, in this moment! So I thought that if I could get the ball rolling and commit myself to documenting it at least once a week, then I'd keep my motivation going. When you're putting your goals and progress out there to share with friends and family, it gives you something to work towards. Slowly but surely. So... at the end of every month between now and December, when I get to ship out for my incredible month with the Biggest Loser, I'll  update my progress. In the off time I'll share what I'm doing as far as eating habits and exercise go (things that can fit between three jobs) and as I move forward I'll be able to see how I'm doing. Hopefully by this time next year, a full 12 months, I'll be at or around my goal weight.This is me taking a stand for a new life! If you want to share in it, I'd love to have you along for the ride! Lets do this. I'm holding nothing back. No secrets and no more shame!

Starting weight as of February 2012: 296 lbs.
Goal weight by February of 2013: 170 lbs.

Goal #1: 8 lbs. down by March 1st. Ready, set, GO!