The staff at Surgical Bariatrics Northwest read her column and very generously gave us an amazing consolation prize - twelve weeks all expenses paid in their medically supervised Optifit non-surgical weight loss program. It was an amazing three months of hard work and self-discovery. I succeeded in losing 42 pounds!
I still have A LOT to lose, but I am well on my way thanks to the wonderful head start I believe I attracted to myself by boldly taking positive action and working hard to maintain a positive mindset.
After about two months on the program, Marie, the Operating Principal at my real estate office, asked me if I would agree to be a model in the Women's Council of Realtors spring fashion show in April. She thought that since I am working on physically transforming, it might be a good venue for me to show off my progress. I laughed out loud. Seriously? I am short and fat. I have a touch or arthritis in my knees and a bunion on my foot - I wobble when I walk! Not exactly the profile of a fashion model! But then I thought, boldly and positively, that it would be good motivation to stay the course with my fitness goals, so I agreed.
A few weeks later, I came to find out that it is so much more than a fashion show. I had no idea! The dozen or so models spend three months working with a certified fashion consultant. Think of What Not To Wear, Clinton and Stacy! We will have a facial & make-up makeover, a hair makeover, a session with Linda in our closets going through our clothes. Learn colors, styles, accessories, all correct for our different body types. She will shop with us for our show outfits and even make sure we are fitted correctly for new bras! Geeze Louise!
I feel like I did when Kerri and I were gifted with the Optifit program - like I have won a certain kind of lottery! I found out at today's "class" that I need to wear my tops higher to make my short legs look longer. I actually started to hyperventilate when she hiked up my top to demonstrate to the others. I have spent decades under the delusion that longer tops helped camouflage my out-of-proportion, pear-shaped bottom half. It's going to take some mental readjustment. The class unanimously agreed with her that I looked taller and thinner with a shorter top, or I wouldn't believe it. I also learned that I'm not 5'4", I'm 5'2.5". And that I can't touch my hair - cut or color - between now and my makeover, 2+ months from now! Which means a couple months of bad hair days, with gray sideburns and a skunk stripe down the top of my head. Uh oh.
I might not have snagged a spot on The Biggest Loser, but I certainly feel like a winner! I'm a little nervous, but mostly excited, and very grateful for the amazing opportunity to be worked over by a pro.
P.S. Just this past week, Patricia in my office took me aside and said she noticed that I am walking so much better. Not so wobbly. Forty-two pounds off of my arthritic knees and gimpy foot have made a huge difference! I should be able to get another 40 pounds off by April and sashay down that runway with a spring in my step! ◦
Janna, isn't it funny the roads we end up on. And so many times, despite what we may think, the road we end up on is so much better than the road we tried to turn down.
ReplyDeleteYou go girl! I can hardly wait to see those pictures.