I’d like to start first with a public ‘thanks’ to my friend Angela for not only being a loyal friend and client, but for her support and reminder to write about my journey.  It truly is part of a healing and transformation process, whether it’s public or private.  I have a handful of readers now and am so grateful you’re with me on this adventure of self discovery.

First things, first.  As of today, I’m approaching 27 pounds lost since the end of July.  I believe the inspiration to begin this journey, once and for all, came from a series of events that began with the death of my grandmother in 2007, my grandfather in 2010 and now my closest aunt in July.  Obesity leading to diabetes, cancer, and emphysema are the known causes contributing to the demise of my grandparents.  My aunt, however, fell asleep at 48 and didn’t wake up.  Autopsy reports are still non-conclusive, yet we fear it was a conflict of medications she was prescribed for a number of mood, intestinal and sleep symptoms.

The week following her funeral and markedly the beginning of this crazy journey, I weighed in at 204 pounds.  Whew!  I said it, publicly.  How liberating.  I realized at some point in the fog of mourning another loss of a family member that I’m the next generation.  It’s up to me to break a family curse of health problems.  If not me, who?  And at that time, I was certainly no picture of health or healthy choices.  So, I began practicing what I know and preach:  listen to your body, everything in moderation and focus on balance, in all areas of life.

After months of journaling, counseling, attending meet-ups and keeping a food diary by way of a handy program called LoseIt, I’ve continued to stay on track without self deprivation.  Upon stepping off the scale last Friday and realizing my total loss, I cried.  It was as if I was mourning the loss of a 26-pound toddler I had nurtured physically, emotionally and spiritually for 35 years.  So many thoughts and feelings of happiness, sadness, fear and even a little guilt for feeling happy washed over me.  Somehow, getting rid of those habits and thought patterns formed by those who I loved as a child, and still do today, seems cruel.

I’m not sure what ‘clicked’ physiologically, but I feel the spiritual love, support and challenge from my family members who have died these last four years.  It’s their continued guidance and my intuitive ability to listen that’s keeping me so well-navigated and provided for along this transformation.  Creatively, only a small percentage of my inspired ideas are manifest.  However, one of the projects is complete and I’d like to dedicate it to two members of my family – my aunt Bonny who has recently lost more than 100 pounds and is now beating cancer and my late Aunt Tammy, who would be dancing her ass of to this song, written by me and my musician friend, Dan Maple, who performed and produced it along with backup vocals by Heather Volz.  I thought it would be appropriate to release it today, the day before Thanksgiving. If you listen to it, I hope you’ll think about Portion Control when filling your dinner plate tomorrow.

On that note, I’m going to close as I think of the many, many people and experiences I have to be grateful for.  Thank you for reading and I wish you all a day of warmth and love tomorrow.

Until next time….

Benefiting the iBody Charitable Fund

Oh!  One last thing,  I would love to have your support for an event I’m personally coordinating with the help of dear friend and colleague of mine, Denee’ Hughes.  It’s the first ever iBody Community Wellness Fair and it will be a fundraiser benefiting the charitable fund my husband and I set up to help financially support local wellness programs and non-profit organizations.  We hope you’ll join us at this incredible event.  That song I was talking about up above will be performed live!  Plus, we’ll have a special guest appearance from the Ozarks Jubiliee’s Bob Mondy.  The event is on Facebook, too.

Now, I’m really going to bed.  I’m running in the Turkey Trot tomorrow morning, wearing a beard.  😉