Memorial Day Challenge Goal...

I wanted to be down 90lbs. by Memorial Day. I think I'm on the right track. I have 4.9 lbs. to go and 2 weeks to do it. I am confident that if I keep it up at the gym, plus all the extra exercise I've been doing at home - that I can do it. If I get be down -90lbs. by Memorial Day, I think that puts me on a good track to be down -100 before I'm married!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) And more than anything else I want to hit my wedding goal by wedding day! Currently that is 25.5lbs. in a little less than 3 months...

Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Curves Report for April...

I received 2 Curves Reports tonight... The first is my month in review for April... the 2nd is my overall report from January 2007 - when I re-joined Curves! Check out my lbs. and inches disapearing... VERY motivating for me to get those attendance numbers UP (btw, that's the ONLY area of this report where you hope to see the arrow pointing UP!!) ;)

April report:

Overall Report:

My Hero... My Vinny!

BEFORES (2004-05):

AFTERS (2006-present):

Vinny lost 113 lbs. in less than a year (more like 9 - 10 months) on weight watchers... he is my hero. i could not post all the things i have and not give a shout out to the man who is my daily inspiration!!!!

Love you, baby! :)

Ode to the gym...

Oh, gym...
My friend, my foe.
I love thee, I hate thee...
I ask, "why don't I just go?"

Excuses, excuses.
They keep me from you.
But when we connect,
My true feelings shine through.

To go, or not to go...
That is the question I ask.
Then more of those excuses...
Why don't the endorphins last?!

OK -- I was at the gym tonight and was busting my butt. Sweating, working hard, feeling good, totally feeling the calories flying off my body - wondering all the while why I try to talk myself out to going so often. One of the trainers even came by and told me what I good job I was doing and how she could tell I was giving it all I had. It felt awesome -- definetely those endorphins they want about!!!! :)

I wish I had the willpower to make myself go everyday. I wish I had the motivation to get my ass out of bed earlier and work out before school. I wish I had the energy, time, etc.. etc.. to stretch or do yogo before bed.

BUT DO I??????????

Most of the time, no.

Why?

I DO NOT KNOW!

It is frustrating to me that I cannot find it within myself after all I've accomplished so far to "JUST DO IT" (go Nike) but I find it so difficult. I wish I was one of those people who could say "I LOVE TO EXERCISE!" or "I LOVE TO GO TO THE GYM!" -- but I am SO not that person. If there was a magic pill I could take and sit back and prop my feet up and grade some papers while I got a workout --- I would totally take it! haha --- although I like feeling good about myself and proud of myself for working out, I do not like it. I do not LOOK FORWARD to running in place, on a treadmill, on the eliptical, lifting weights, stretching, sit-ups, machines, etc.. etc.. -- NOPE! Not a single one of those.

So, in conclusion --- if anyone has any bottled up ambition or motivation - send it my way! :) In the meantime, I will continue to be proud of myself for the positive changes I do make and hopefully the results will continue to speak for themselves and I will continue to want to see them! That wedding dress in the back of my mind is CERTAINLY motivation enough, one would think!!! :)

Meeting real life Inspirations...

Many of my friends know I belong to a support group of people who have a LOT of weight to lose, like myself. I've belonged to this website since October of 2006. With respect for the privacy of these people, as well as myself (just because I've posted WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too many personal things on that website --- not to mention my weekly weigh ins right there for the world to see) I am not mentioning what the name of this website is... HOWEVER, I do want to share that within the last few months, I've had the opportunity to meet some of the online friends I've made. These people are some of the most supportive, encouraging, motivating, INSPIRING people one could know... So here are my photos with these WONDERFUL shrinking people!!!!

What a bunch of "losers" they are!!! hehehe

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Me and Terri (met 3 times!):

.....San Antonio, Texas................... Crystal City, VA................... Alexandria, VA.........
......October, 2007 .........................February, 2008......................... April, 2008..............

** Terri has lost over 60 lbs. and within the last 2 years, has become one of my very best friends!!!!!!!! She has been there for me since day 1 and I couldn't imagine walking this journey without her. She and I are forever friends, that's for sure!!!! ((she's the only person invited to my wedding that was on the guest list before I physically MET in person! hahaha -- but we talked online and on the phone so frequently that it was weird to say we hadn't "met" before October of last year!! haha)) I LOVE THIS GIRL!!!!

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Me and Paul:

Alexandria, VA ~ April, 2008

** Paul is one of my heros --- he has lost 198 lbs. --- YES, almost 200lbs! OMG! Is he now YOUR hero???? When I met him - and put my arms around him - I couldn't get over how LITTLE he was!!!! This man used to be a BIG GUY! He was always handsome, but look at him now!!!!! He is freaking adorable!

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Paul, me, Terri, and Jess P.:

Alexandria, VA ~ April, 2008
** Jess P. (all the way to the right) is another one of my personal heros --- she has lost 134 lbs. --- and in a little LESS than a year!!!!!!! She wears a body bug and works out 6 days a week. She's a true gym rat now! :) I admire her, am envious of her, and really really really respect her!

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Me and Ralph:

Baltimore, MD ~ April, 2008 (yesterday!)

** Ralph is yet another one of my personal heros --- he has lost 151 lbs. He has been the one to pick me up when I felt like crap and was at a total stand still with my weight loss efforts. He is truly one of the most genuinely kind and caring people I've ever met! I love my Ralph!!!

THE BIGGEST LOSER IS A WOMAN!!!!!!!

"The Biggest Loser" finale was last night!!!!!!!!!!!!


It was so exciting that a woman finally won!!! And Ali really really really deserved to win, too! She kicked ass at the gym and really tore it up against those big bad boys. The really cool thing about Ali is that she was actually voted off in the 4th episode of the show this season - but then was given a chance to come back bc she lost the most of any other woman who had previously been voted off. She lost 112 lbs!!!! (99 pounds on campus and then lost 13 more at home). Ali is SUCH an inspiration and her determination and ambition are certainly admirable! :) I would love to bottle that up and sell it! haha ((if not DRINK it up myself!!!))

Here's Ali befores/afters:

and just a quick shout out to another AWESOME competitor this year who I really really respected bc she kicked the boys' asses in challenges SO many times!!!!!! :) GO BRITTANY!! (and she looked SO awesome at the finale!)

80 lbs. down!!

omg! omg! omg! omg! omg!

I HIT -80 lbs. this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited!!

What a cool thing to hit 80 lbs. down on the day of our FIRST official wedding event - in preparation for our wedding on 8.8.08!!!!!!!!! (Gotta love those 8's!!!) hehe ;)

-30 to wedding goal (about 3.5 months left!)... I'm starting to think IT IS WITHIN IN MY REACH! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Team Bride is ready for KICKBALL against Team Groom: