Leavin' on a Jet Plane...

December is a busy month for most people. We have holidays and spend time with families. There are parties to celebrate, and a New Year to prepare for.

This year in addition to the feasting and family time, I'm flying to Vegas and then to visit my friends for New Years.

What is going to happen with my diet? How will I manage to ensure that I'm maintaining my (very new!) good habits while I'm away from my own home? What will I do?

Well, one thing I know for sure: I'm sticking to it!

It's easy to be gluten free when I know how bad I feel when I'm not! And as for ensuring that I have my 90 for Life supplements -- that's easy too! I'm just packing them up to go with me the way I pack my toiletries.

It's all just part of my life now.

I know that to some people -- OK, they're my family and friends! -- it all seems so complicated. And I have realized that there's no challenge to it at all.

It's really easy to make those healthier choices when I am aware of the consequences of bad choices:

• my life would be shortened
• my health would suffer
• my quality of life would decline
• I would continue to be fat and face the health consequences of obesity

This all makes it really easy.

People have said to me, "what do you eat if you can't have bread?" Well, duh, I don't have bread, but there are amazing gluten free alternatives that taste just fine toasted. There's even gluten free pizza in most of the mainstream menus.

Restaurants are easy too: avoid the toast/bread, have salad dressings on the side, nothing fried. Those fancy garlic mashed potatoes are marvelous with a little butter - no gravy, of course. Poached or scrambled eggs for breakfast, salad for lunch, meat/fish/chicken with vegetables and potatoes for dinner.

Life is good.

I'm sure I can manage some really good choices and enjoy life as I fly away for the holidays!

I'm in the Top Ten!

I'm not a rock star, but I've followed top ten lists since I was a kid. I listened to the popular music and wondered what the stars were doing.

Last night I was attending a performance of Handel's Messiah -- I love the music! I know the alto part reasonably well, since I've sung it as a chorister. I even learned some of the solos when I was taking voice lessons. At this time I mostly limit my singing to the shower, but I certainly hum along!

And, oh my gosh, during the intermission of the performance I got on the Get Skinny call, and Vanessa was making announcements of the Get Skinny Contest winners!

The idea of evening entering a contest, much less one for weight loss, is a real challenge for me. I'm so used to losing at contests that I rarely even buy a lottery ticket for charity!

This time I thought the contest would be a good way to keep me accountable and keep me thinking of my long term health. So I entered.

The photos that go with my monthly reports here are some of the same photos I submit with my contest entry - not pretty, but certainly real!

With my history I was entering so that I would hold myself to maintain my commitment.

And Vanessa read the names of those in the top ten -- and I heard my name!

I'm in the Top Ten! Woo hoo!

More than ever, I'm committed to persisting. Just watch me...

I've got a long way to go. I'm in it for the "long haul." This process will continue over the next month, next year, and I'll keep on maintaining my health and my new slender physique!

I'm in the Top Ten!

Starting My Second Month

A month has passed on my new health and weight loss regimen.

To recap the history:

• in late September I was introduced to information about Dr. Wallach, and was immediately convinced that his information is accurate, complete and practical for everyone. He "filled in the gaps" in my understanding about how our bodies use nutrition and how much!
• by mid-October I was gluten free. I tested a small amount of gluten (a small piece of my niece's birthday cake), and it was immediately clear to me that gluten was a major culprit in keeping my body fat.
• with the Youngevity products and gluten free, by the end of October I was feeling incredible energy and good health. I was motivated to look for a way to lose weight!
• what perfect timing! The announcement of the "Get Skinny Contest" was the kick start I needed.

December 1st, 2011

On November 30th I was down 9 pounds from my starting weight of 292.2lb!!

Today, December 1st, I'm continuing the program and I'm down another pound.

My jeans are starting to look baggy... they feel loose.

The process of accountability -- writing down my weight every day -- keeps me focused on the end result. In the past I would have focused on the number, and my disappointment that it didn't magically shift to the number it "should" be.

Now, however, I am clear that as I continue to support my body with the Youngevity healthy nutrition appropriate to my body weight, I will continue to reduce -- naturally!!

WOW!