Thirty and Fabulous!

According to what I have read, at thirty you are flirty, dirty and nerdy but most of all...fabulous!  So yes, I think thirty may really be the new twenty and I am finally feeling like in time I may be able to accept that I am now thirty.

Yesterday was my thirtieth birthday and it was wonderful.  I treated myself off-plan at a lunch date with my parents, sister, daughter and nephew.  Then I went to see a chick-flick with my amazing sister (child-free)!  All of that was followed up but yet another Biggest Loser training session, weigh-ins and measurements.

For the first time ever, I had the chance to train with Pedro.  I was feeling very frustrated at the beginning and not sure I would like his style.  I eventually settled in and had one of the most intense workouts since starting the program.  Pedro is like a machine, there really is no stopping for water, to ease the pain or to breathe!  My only frustration by the end was that with the sets of exercises he gave us, he didn't seem to leave enough time for us to complete them all (which I really wanted to be able to accomplish).  I felt a bit rushed from one set to the next.  Pedro has been training for an ironman so clearly he is used to doing everything much quicker than most of us!  I managed to get most of the exercises in and I am very proud of that accomplishment.

After the workout we had to weigh-in.  Because I had a few treats on Sunday and yesterday, I was not expecting much on the scale.  I figured I would just be lucky if it didn't go up!  I was completely blown away when I realized I had lost another 3.4 lbs. That brings me to a total weight loss of 22.6 lbs (which is 7.37% of my total starting weight) in just 5 weeks.  That has bumped me back into 4th place after falling into 6th place two weeks ago!

We finished off the session with measurements and I have taken back my title as the one having lost the most inches to date...43.75 inches.  I am so pleased, and so are my clothes!  It really was the icing on my birthday cake!!

After our session I stayed for an info session about the next Biggest Loser Ottawa #3.  I am applying again because my goal is to lose 150 lbs and I still have a long way to go.  If I am accepted, I will really need all of your help again to try and win my spot based on votes on my video.  When that becomes available I will let you know so that you and everyone you know can begin voting!  The person who won this time had well over 600 votes and I had just over 400.  But this time I will hopefully have a bit more time to aquire the votes to win! 

Tonight was an amazing night out at a restaurant and we got to go in style via limosine!  We learned lots of great tips and tricks for eating out and had a delicious, healthy meal.  The best part was the company I was in.  We had so much fun laughing and a great time was had by all.  I even got to try out both limos because I hitched a ride one way with half of the group and then hopped in the other one our way back.  Everyone is so much fun and I will genuinly miss all of these precious moments in a few months.  But, I believe, many of these friendships will be here to stay so we can continue to drive each other crazy and push each other until we all reach our goals. 

Here is a photo of one of the limos (they were twins).  I know several people took photos of all of us throughout the night so when I get a few I will share them with you!

Stay tuned because this leg of my journey is only half over.  I still have 6 more weeks to go, a make-over in my near future and a whole new journey ahead.

Goodnight and God bless!

I Am Blessed

I had a long and wonderful weekend this weekend.  I spent most of Friday relaxing and getting caught up on some well needed rest.  Of course, that rest pretty much went out the window after another brutal workout Saturday morning with Chantalle...

Our training session on Saturday consisted of what Chantalle called her "Butt & Gut" workout.  Yes, it was as awful as it sounds!  By the time we were done the crunches, lifts, planks, etc I didn't think I'd ever be able to peel myself off of that mat again.  Miraculously, I managed to but only because I had plans on Sunday that I didn't want to cancel! 

Yesterday was my day for celebration and fun!  I spent some well deserved time with family and friends to celebrate my upcoming birthday.  It was more than I ever could have asked for.  For the most part I stayed on plan very well because I had given my mother my requests for dinner and dessert, both of which were recipes on my plan.  Everyone loved the ginger-honey chicken, spicy spaghetti squash and double fudge brownies (made with black beans).  Who knew healthy eating could taste so good?!  Kathy Smart did!

I'm not going to pretend that I was perfect though because I did have a snack in the afternoon of hummus on grain crackers (on plan) and bruchetta on garlic crackers (not on plan).  The treat was wonderful and it may have been more than I should have had, but it was less than I would have had!  My other cheat (which I decided I very much deserved) was a couple of my favorite beverages.  Let me tell you, they taste even better when you know you shouldn't be having them!  All in all, I think it was a very successful day considering that I could have really blown it.  The weigh-in tomorrow may not be as great as I'd like, but I'm okay with it this week because I'll make up for it next week.

Now, onto my other news...

A year ago, after my sister went to Las Vegas for her 30th birthday and I heard about a few of my other friends doing the same, I decided I needed to make a plan for myself.  I knew there was no way I'd manage to fly to Vegas for mine but I wanted to do something exciting.  I told my mother what I wanted to do for my 30th birthday and as it turns out, she was the only person in my family who had any interest in doing it with me.  As time crept closer the possibility seemed to vanish but I was hoping I could still do something I'd remember for a long time. 

Yesterday as I was opening my birthday presents, I received some really amazing, and very touching gifts: a new wardrobe (now that my old one doesn't seem to fit!), a gorgeous leather bench to help me climb into my new bed (unfortunately this new plan hasn't helped me grow any taller), and a donation to the International Autoimmune Arthritis Movement in my name (which helps to educate people about the difference between autoimmune arthritis and the arthritis most people think of).  Those were incredible and I really couldn't have asked for better, more thoughtful gifts. 

Then I opened the gift from my parents and I began to cry.  I was speechless.  It was a piece of paper telling me that beyond my wildest dreams, my 30th birthday wish is coming true.  I'm going up in a hot air balloon, for a sunset champagne flight, with my mom!!!  It was originally planned for the trip to fall exactly on my birthday, but then The Biggest Loser happened.  With the training, weigh-ins and measurements all happening tomorrow there was no way they could make the ride happen too.  So instead the trip is planned for next Monday, the first official day of my summer vacation.  I cannot imagine a better way to celebrate the start of summer, my journey, or my 30th birthday!  This is going to be a summer that I will never forget.

May God bless each of you as He has blessed me.