It's Party Time!

Friday night and the lights are low
Looking out for a place to go
Where they play the right music
Getting in the swing
You come to look for a king ...

Eh, screw looking for a king, who needs a king when you're dancing in ONEDERLAND?

Happy Friday everyone! It's finally time to dust off those dancing shoes and get this Onederland party started!

Thank you all for coming. I'd like to welcome you to the Onederland Ballroom! We're here to celebrate my big milestone of finally breaking through into the 100s. I still have a long way to go to reach my weight loss goal but I'm almost at the 1/2 way point and soon will be merely overweight instead of obese. I'm not sure if I'll ever reach "normal" as far as those BMI charts go but I've always thought normal is overrated anyway.

As you know, I hit the onederland milestone on August 27th and have been dancing around it for a month now. My weight tends to bounce up and down a few pounds each week so I wanted to be firmly planted in onederland soil before I went ahead with the big onederland celebration. I did creep up over the line last Monday but weighed in at 193.6 today so I'm pretty confident any weight fluctuations will not cross the dreaded 200 line again.

So get out on the dance floor and get your groove on, boogie down, and rock it out. Help yourself to a cocktail and some of the delicious calorie-free food and then get out on the dance floor and do the happy onederland dance with me.

I'm not sure I would have been able to do it without all the support I've received from YOU. You have no idea how much I value each and every comment I get. I'd like to show my appreciation by giving away some door prizes:

• Sportline pedometer to track those 10,000 steps a day we should all be getting
• The Complete Beck Diet for Life book
• A silver Green Bottle to remind you to drink your water
• The Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga DVD
• and a few other special surprise prizes

You don't need to link, tweet or FB anything, no hoops to jump through, just leave a comment and let me know your favorite dance song. If you want to add your best healthy living advice, you'll get a bonus entry. Your odds are winning are pretty good since I usually only have a handful of comments so be sure to let me know if you have a prize preference. I know lots of people take the weekend off from blogging so I'm going to keep the party going until next Friday when I'll pick the winners.

Since I'm out of work and funds are limited I can't be shelling out big bucks for postage so with apologies to my non-USA readers, prizes will only be shipped to addresses in the continental United States.

Thanks for coming to my Onederland Party! I'm not sure I would have made it here without all your support. I love each and every one of you for encouraging me and picking me up when I was down. It was a long and winding road but I finally made it out of the 200s and I'm so happy to be here in Onederland.

Now get out on the dance floor and DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!

You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Diggin' the dancing queen

Feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance
You can jive
Having the time of your life
See that girl
Watch that scene
Diggin' the dancing queens!

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

I love the change of seasons, well, maybe not mud season, but Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, I love them all and feel lucky to live in New England where I can enjoy the benefits of each one. I can't wait to see the mountains bursting with color in their full fall splendor. Bus loads of leaf peepers will be cruising the back roads of Vermont in just a couple of weeks but they'll all be gone by the time the snow flies. If you're in the neighborhood, get out and enjoy nature's show while it lasts. Just like 2010, it will be gone before you know it.

As of tomorrow there will only be 100 days left of 2010. Join me in the Hot 100 and let's finish out the year on a high note. The leaves are changing and so am I. Are you ready for a new season? Are you ready to see a change? I am.

End of Summer and the Hot 100 Challenge

2010 is more than half over and as of tomorrow there will only be 100 days left to this year. It's true that the older you get the quicker the years seem to pass by. It's like living your life in slow motion when you're young and think you have all the time in the world to fulfill your dreams and then years and decades fly by and you're left wondering how you got here and if you still have enough time to make your dreams come true. As long as you're still breathing, you still have time.

Have you let those healthy new year resolutions slip through the cracks of daily life or are you well on your way to living the life of a healthy person? Have you figured out what works for you or are you still struggling to get through the day without poisoning yourself with junk food. Have you been moving your body, getting your heart rate up and working up a sweat? Have you reached your goals only to learn that maintenance really is the hardest part?

Are you prepared for the holiday season with all the food pushers and the feasts being offered up at every turn? The Halloween candy is stocked on the shelves, the Thanksgiving turkeys are getting fattened up and the Christmas feasts are being planned. Are you prepared to handle that? Are you up for the challenge?

I am!

Since I had so much fun doing Biz' 1o1 Days of Summer Challenge I've decided to join South Beach Steve's Hot 100. You can check out all the details on Log My Loss here.

My three goals for the Hot 100 Challenge are:

1. Lose An Additional 15 Pounds by December 31st

I know some of you and everyone on the Biggest Loser can drop that in a couple of weeks but if you haven't caught on by now, I'm a VERY SLOW loser. I'm just trying to be realistic here and set a goal I think is attainable. My goal for the 101 Days of Summer Challenge was to lose 20 pounds and I almost made it with a total loss of 17 so since the holidays have to be factored in to this equation I think 15 is a realistic goal. I don't want to fall victim to the pressure of losing "x" amount of weight in "x" amount of days but will strive to just keep losing at my slow and steady pace and attempt to reach that goal.

2. Couch to 5K

I'm not giving up on this even though my bad knee isn't always happy about it. I really WANT to be a runner but I'm not sure my body is willing to take the abuse. I may be the last person to cross that 5K finish line but I'm going to do it.

3. Build More Muscles

I must confess I struggle to get in the weight room more than a couple of times a week and even when I do I'm just pushing through it, going through the motions and doing the bare minimum so I can say I did it but I don't love it. I need to get my head in the weight room, slow down and try to enjoy it instead of just getting it over with.

What can you accomplish in the next 100 days? Join the Hot 100 Challenge and set some goals to finish out 2010 strong. Don't you want to feel good about making progress when the new year rolls around?

There's a gorgeous full Harvest Moon out there tonight even though I'm sweating like it's still the middle of July I know these hot days are numbered. Here in the northern hemisphere the Summer of 2010 will officially be over at 11:09 p.m. EDT (0309 GMT Sept. 23). Fall in New England can be magical when spectacular bursts of the most amazing colors get splashed over the mountains and the giddiness I feel knowing that a blanket of fresh white snow will soon follow.

Where will you be at the end of 2010? Closer or farther away from your goals? Don't waste another second of your life wishing you could get healthy, just wishing your life away. Make the choice right now, not Monday, not after the holidays, RIGHT NOW!

Losing Streak Ends

I knew it was bound to happen eventually because all streaks must come to an end. I've showed a loss or maintained for the last seven weigh ins but today's showed a 0.4 pound gain from last week. I can't say I'm surprised. It was a really stressful week with the local primary election on Tuesday so I missed a few workouts and have been eating out more than usual so I'm glad it was only a 0.4 pound gain.


I've been able to stay in onederland but just barely which is why I haven't sent out invitations to the big onederland dance yet. I want to make sure I'm firmly planted in onederland soil before I go and make a big deal out of it. I've been hovering around that 200 pound line too long and it's stressing me out. I have to get as far away from that line as possible so I'm going to kick it up a notch so I don't have to worry about leaving onederland ever again. I like it here and don't ever want to leave.

I don't plan on doing anything too crazy or different, just increasing the intensity of my workouts and keeping my snacks and treats to a minimum so I can plant my roots in this fertile onederland soil. It's so much better here than on the other side of that line, I never want to leave it again.

It's fall here in the northeast so I'm looking forward to getting out and enjoying the crisp fall air and maybe taking some foliage photos. I hope you all have a great weekend. Anything exciting going on in your neck of the woods?

Biggest Loser Inspiring a Nation

I've already told you about my love/hate relationship with The Biggest Loser but I have to admit I'm really excited about the upcoming 10th season. I was there when it all started for the black team.* I'll never forget the day Jillian kicked my ass and I burned my pearly white skin to a crisp. My thighs recovered quicker than the sunburn. I have the film footage to prove I did those 500 steps right along with Brendan and Fredo.

I'm sure the guys on the black team and every one of those contestants lost at least 100 pounds in the same time it took me to lose a mere 20 but I'm ok with that. I've lost weight quickly many times over the years but was never able to keep it off. This time I'm all about slow and steady weight loss. I didn't have to weigh in in front of the nation in a bra or have Jillian break me down and make me cry. I'm an ugly crier and I'm sure she would have had me sobbing every single day.


*if you pause the video at 00:59 you can see me in the top right corner on the edge of the frame in a pink tank top.

Would you ever want to be on a reality show? Do you get inspired by the Biggest Loser? I'm very happy to say I no longer qualify to be on the show since you have to be at least 100 pounds overweight. Maybe by the time season 11 rolls around I'll be at my goal. Unlike the Biggest Loser, I'm rockin' slow and steady ...

Moment of Silence

As long as we live, we will never forget what happened nine years ago today.

Peace out.

101 Days of Summer Challenge Finale

Happy Labor Day! It seems like Memorial Day was just yesterday when I joined Biz' 101 Days of Summer Challenge with this post and now it's over. Where did the summer go? There's a chill in the air, the leaves are starting to turn colors and before we know it the snow will be flying (I can't wait).

Let's see how much progress I made during the 101 Days of Summer Challenge:

1. Lose 20 Pounds by Labor Day

Challenge Starting Weight on Memorial Day: 215
Week 1: 212.3 (-2.7)
Week 2: 211.6 (-0.7)
Week 3: 211.6 (-0.0)
Week 4: 207.9 (-3.7)
Week 5: 207.9 (-0.0)
Week 6: 209.2 (+1.3)
Week 7: 207.2 (-2.0)
Week 8: 206.4 (-0.8)
Week 9: 207.0 (+0.6)
Week 10: 206.1 (-0.9)
Week 11: 202.2 (-3.9)
Week 12: 201.3 (-0.9)
Week 13: 200.2 (-1.1)
Week 14: 198.9 (-1.3)

Week 15: 198.0 (-0.9)

Total Loss: 17 POUNDS

WOW! 17 pounds gone in 15 weeks - WOOHOO! That's a little over a pound a week which is about right for me these days. I refuse to sprint to the finish line because that never worked for me before. This time I'm all about slow and steady and it's working so I'm not going to mess with it. It will definitely take me longer than most to reach my ultimate goal but I'm determined to keep it off this time and if doing it at a snail's pace is what it takes, that's what I'm going to do.

I thought I was being a bit ambitious with my goal of 20 pounds in 101 days but I came really close to meeting it. Even though I didn't quite make the goal I broke through the 100s and I'm only 3 pounds away from it so I'm calling this one a success.

2. Hit the gym HARD

Success! I'm finally getting my money's worth out of a gym membership. The staff at the gym know my name and will say "see you tomorrow" when I leave. I've developed a very close personal relationship with the elliptical and we're best buddies now even if it tries to kick my a$$ every single day. I'm tough now, I can take it.

3. C25K program

I never really made it past the first week of the program but have been doing more running on the treadmill than ever before. I'm not ready to run a 5K yet but I'm still working on it.

4. Lift Weights at Least 2x Per Week

I'm starting to see muscles pop in my arms and that is giving me more incentive to keep hitting the weights. I've been making an effort to pump the iron before my cardio so I don't give myself an excuse to skip it after sweating out 60-70 minutes on the elliptical.

5. Get Movin' on the Weekends Away

I have to admit that being away at camp makes me want to sit by the campfire or just relax with a good book but I've been making more of an effort to go for a walk, take a hike, or take my bike for a spin. Now that the cooler weather is here it will be easier to get out there and not feel like I'm trying to swim through all the humidity.

6. Limit Nighttime Snacking

This was really hard. I've been better with my snack choices and limiting the amount of food I eat after dinner but I'd like to get to a point where I don't HAVE TO HAVE something sweet after dinner especially when I'm not really hungry, I just want sweet.

Overall I think I did pretty well with the challenge. I can't wait to see how much more progress I can make in the next 101 days. That should bring us right around Christmas. If I can lose at least another 17 pounds by then I'll be merely OVERWEIGHT and can leave OBESITY behind for good.

September always feels like the start of a new year to me and since it's the last month before the eating holidays begin (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year), I'm going to kick it into high gear and continue to work even harder on these same goals.

Thanks to Biz and all the other challengers who made this challenge so much fun.

How did you do? Did you meet your goals? What's the plan for the next 101 days?

Happy Labor Day everyone! Rock on!

The Pity Party is Over

If you read my last post you know I had a bit of a meltdown yesterday after seeing pictures of myself taken over the weekend. I can't believe how quickly I could go from feeling excited and proud of myself for breaking through to the 100s to being frustrated, disgusted and depressed by the sight of my image caught on film.

I need to focus on how far I've come, not how far I still have to go. I'm working out, I'm feeling stronger, I'm eating better, I'm not stress eating, I'm not eating to stuff my emotions down, I'm not binging and I'm finally losing weight.

I think I should take some progress photos and try to get over my photo phobia or at least be able to look at the pictures and see how far I've come and stop focusing on how far I still have to go.

It's time for me to snap out of it and move on. I'm heading to the gym now to work up a sweat and try to get myself firmly planted in onederland soil.

Thanks for picking me up while I was down. You guys are the BEST! This pity party is officially over. It's time to rock on!

Say Cheese ;)

Have you ever looked at a photo and asked "who is that girl?" only to realize it's you? I always hated having my picture taken and as the pounds piled on I dreaded it even more and would groan and run if someone dared to point a camera in my direction. I'm a photographer so I'm usually the one behind the lens but on those rare occasions when I'm forced to stand and say "cheese" all I can think about is how fat I'm going to look in these pictures (and how much I love cheese).

I don't know why I'm always shocked when I see pictures of myself. I look in the mirror at home and at the gym and I've been feeling better about the image being reflected back at me but as soon as I see a picture I think "oh, I have that same top as that girl," or "that can't possibly be me, can it?" Half the time I don't even recognize myself. Are all the mirrors in my house fun house mirrors that make me look thinner than I am? Does the camera add 50 pounds to everyone or is it just me?

I've lost over 40 pounds so far, fitting into clothes I haven't been able to squeeze into in years and I've been feeling good about the progress I've made until I saw myself in some pictures from the weekend and now I just want to cry. I've come so far but still have a very long way to go before I'm able to look at myself in a picture and not cringe. I can't imagine how I would have felt had I not lost those 40 pounds but I'm certainly not happy where I am right now.

I've still got a long way to go. I guess it's time to get my ass to the gym and start working off the next 40+ pounds. I wonder if I'll recognize myself in pictures when I get to my goal or will I still be asking "who is that girl?"