I made it to 20!!!! WOOHOOOOOOOOOOO

Yesterday, I signed back up for Weight Watchers and set my lifetime goal (10 more lbs). I stepped up onto the scale apprehensive about losing weight, but silly me: I lost almost 3 more lbs and am now 140!!!! I have made it to my 20 lbs loss mark, and now I only have 10 more to go to be a WW lifetime member and reach my personal goal. I really want to get to 120, but at 130 I will look healthy and strong, and feel great, and it will be easier to maintain. I feel healthy, and I feel pretty, and I just feel wonderfully today! Breakfast was amazing, waking up next to my hubby was really nice, and maybe the sun will follow suit, and come out and play for a little while.

Saturday's are fun REV Abs days..we usually have a kickboxing bend to the workout, which is fun, and energetic. I feel so good sweating, and grumbling...lol..but really I just love getting my butt kicked.

I think people are starting to notice the change in my body too, which is a good feeling, as I have been receiving positive feedback from a lot of people. I feel great, and cannot wait to head back up to Beacon for my day off Sunday, to rest and regroup and possibly apple pick (if it does not rain).

The food is more manageable now, and I dont think that I will be going back to the huge meals that I used to eat. I like these small regular meals, and although it takes more planning, I will probably be snacking more like this when the program is finished.

Here is yesterdays food:

Lunch: Coconut Ginger Chicken with shitake mushrooms , snow peas and broccoli (double yum).
Turkey salad with chopped red onions, over fresh arugula greens

Spinach stuffed tilapia over a bed of escarole

and for breakfast today:
French toast with turkey bacon and sugar-free syrup ..YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

in a bit: Egg Salad with chopped celery.

Then I work out...come back to the apt and Duncan and I will take the pups home for some R&R. Have a fabulous weekend...

Xo

Dairy and Berries and Quinoa, oh my!!

Howdy from rainy NYC!

I have been doing the REV Abs program for almost three weeks, and I am in the groove. The workouts are getting harder, and my body still aches, but I am loving it. The food is getting more filling, and this week dairy, fruit and grains, as well as carbs/starches were added, so I feel less deprived and more full, and strong.

As of Monday, I have lost nearly 6 lbs, and 2.5 inches off of my waist. I do not know my measurements for my other areas (bust and hips) , but I am happy with the results so far.

I am not sure if I will be weighed in tomorrow..but surely will let you know. For now I will just have to have faith that it will work, and it is working.

Food today was great! I will go backwards this week:

Thursday:

Breakfast: Fresh Strawberries/Blueberries and low fat cottage cheese (finally)

Lunch: Shrimp Salad with chopped celery over mesclun greens and broccoli

Chicken pinwheels sliced and served over arugula (stuffed with aspargus and red pepper yum)

Dinner:
Turkey with sauteed red peppers and seasoned quinoa and (cauliflower)

Wednesday:

Scrambled eggs with spinach , served with turkey sausage

Turkey mini meatballs

Herbed seared chicken with roasted fennel , and cucumber slaw

Spinach salad with chopped egg, and sugar free rasp vinagrette ..very good!!

Citrus infused orange roughy served with bok choy

Tuesday:
Cinnamon zested Oatmeal yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy

Homemade chicken and cauliflower soup (phenomenal)

Lean ground turkey sauteed with mushrooms served over mashed potatoes and broccoli rabe
Edamame salad with asian veggies

I cant remember dinner (oops)

Monday:

Egg white popover

Celery sticks and chive cream cheese

Fajita chicken with peppers and onions served with homemade salsa

Buffalo chicken salad

Lime marinated turkey cutlet with black beans and broccoli

Sounds delish...and yum

Stay healthy...

XO

Saturday and Sunday flew by....

Well..(phew), I made it through another weekend without cheating!! Woohoo...although this morning when I woke up, I did start to think about those BIG NYC brunches that we used to eat!

Instead, I warmed up my asparagus,cauliflower and egg white popover (for the 2nd time this weekend) added a dab of hot sauce and ate it in front of the computer catching up on fashion news!!

Yesterday, I had the day off from the workout to help my mom with a HUGE yard sale at the Stormville Airport...and Duncan and I brought a table, and sold some of our junk too(we made $60). It was fabulous being outside all day, but I did not expect the strong sun, and have a very bad sunburn on my arms, hands and chest (owies!).
My only weakness came at the end of the day (2pmish) when for the 6th hour of wafting sweet dough smells continued to torment me (from the Fried Dough tent across from our spot).I had had it, and kept leaving the table to "take a walk". Ugh!!

Today will be easier as I am taking the train to the city tonight, and am ready for our official weigh in, measurements and back into the swing of things tomorrow. I will report back then, (hopefully with all good news).

Food from the past couple of days:

Thursday:
Kale and sundried tomato eggwhite popover (not my fave, I dont really care for sundried tomatoes that much, and the kale is a little strong for breakfast)

Veggie burger with button mushrooms (absolutely delicious, really good veggie burger)

Tuna salad over fresh baby spinach with hardboiled egg white and crudites (yeah!!)

Balsamic chicken strips with salad (not too bad cold)

Shrimp Provencal served with escarole (absolutely wonderful, the shrimp dishes have been my fave so far)

Friday:
Popover with cauliflower and chopped asparagus (have three of these for sat, sun and mon breakfast, this is for tomorrow breakfast)

Homemade turky and veggie soup (YUM) for sunday as well

Rosemary chicken with chickory and diced tomatoes

Turkey meatballs with veggies (really wonderfully spiced and yummy!)

Saturday:

Cauliflower and asparagus popover (ate this cold at the yard sale)

Lentil salad (yummy again)

Wild Salmon Salad over mesculn

Veggie chili with chick peas and broccoli (spicy and fabulous)

Shrimp with veggies (in a wonderful faux scampi sauce)

Sunday

My 2nd asparagus popover (ugh)added hot sauce today and warmed it up.

Turkey and veggie soup (saved one for tomorrow and switched days)

The rest to be eaten tonight!!

Heading out for the train soon...

Stay well and stay healthy!! Keep on point and add some more walking this week!!

Xo

Unofficial Weigh-In today...

Hello!
So today was our first unofficial weigh-in to check our progress. Unfortunately, we could not get into the exercise room until right before class, so we had to get weighed in right after our workout, and the exercise probably affected our results. Anywhichway, I lost more weight, and weighed in at 142. WOOHOOOO!!! I have lost 18 lbs since I started my diet adventure, and 6 just in the past two weeks, I am so stoked! Now, next week, we are supposed to get more calories, so I am afraid my results may slow down a bit, but even if I lose just 1-2 lbs a week, I will be happy. Then, when I am 10-15 lbs away from my goal weight, I will join Weight Watchers, and hopefully become a lifetime member to keep me on track.

Today, I had a crap-load of food to pickup, three days worth. So I will have a big laundry list on my next blog!!! I had the most delicious meals yesterday..really yum!

Stay healthy, and have a fabulous weekend,
Xo

Getting into the rhythm of it now...

Today is a week and a half on the diet and new exercise plan, and simply put: I love it!!

My body aches in a good way..I have a blister on my left heel that will not heal, and my back is killing me, but I still love it!!

I am really adjusting to the portions, and although the 6th meal has been removed , I am not super hungry at night. I still lust after the idea of a latte at Starbucks, and I have been avoiding my friendly neightborhood Pinkberry on purpose, but my sugar cravings have abated.

Today's lunch was sooo delicious...I just have to share all the food...(really good).

Today (Wed)

Lunch:

Tofu/Veggie Chili over steamed broccoli , delish!! I added a bit of hot sauce to make it supa spicy!

Predinner:
Chicken stuffed with asparagus and zucchini, served with a cauliflower puree..this whole dish was soooo good...really excellent!! I loove cauliflower puree...it reminds me of mashed potatoes without the starch.

Dinner:
Turkey Marinara over chopped crunchy vegetables (i have not eaten this yet, but I am looking forward to it)

Breakfast:(tomorrow)
Pepper and chive scramble

Pre-lunch, preworkout:
Shrimp cocktail with sugar free cocktail sauce (yay!)

Now going back to Mon and Tues (so I can keep track):

Mon:
Mushroom eggwhite omelet
Raw unsalted cashews
Roasted chicken with asparagus
Turkey and veggie soup
Lemon zested orange roughy with kale

and chicken salad with chopped celery.

Tues (back to 5 meals):
Spinach, scallion and fresh basil popover
Chicken cucumber yellow pepper and basil salad
Chicken with swiss chard
Turkey burger with homemade slaw
Horseradish crusted salmon with steamed broccoli

YUM!!!

I cant wait to see how much weight I lost this week, on Friday :)


Stay well and stay healthy :)

My worst weight fear...

As you know, my worst fear right now with this plan is gaining weight. Or, at least regaining the weight that I am losing. SO you can imagine my disdain when late Sunday night Aunt Flo decides to make a visit, early!! Ugh. Knowing full well that I had a weigh in on Monday,( to make sure the weekend was not a bust), I anticipated that my weight would be up from bloating and water weight. But to tell you the truth, it really wasn't. So..I should be ok.

Today, with cramps and the usual monthly nonsense, I did not think I would get through the workout. But, I did. And it felt good. My whole shirt was soaked..all the way down to the butt, and boy was I sweaty. In a good way.

Friday , we get weighed in again..and our measurements will be taken. And starting next week we get FRUIT!!! woohoooo..although I may stay on the more strict diet if i can, since it is working.

I am officially no longer considered overweight for Weight Watchers and in just a little while will figure out my BMI!!!

Also, I will be back with my food lists so you can follow along.

Stay well and stay healthy,

Xo

Sunday Morning Check In...

I got up and took Kundalini yoga this morning. It felt good to get up early, but now I have to stretch out my food for a longer period of time, lol. I had my egg whites this am..and then met my mom at Gold's Gym in Fishkill for a very small (4 people besides me) yoga class. It felt so good to just breathe and stretch and let my muscles rest. I feel lighter today for the first time, and fortunately or unfortunately as you see it, my favorite Seven Jeans are way too big!! I guess my mom or aunt will have some nice jeans soon. That makes 2 pair this week that are on my purge list!!

I am looking forward to another hard week of workouts, and may even start auditioning before I hit the 20 lb mark, since I feel better mentally. Although I do not have much to wear, lol.

Some of the girls at Rev ABS have been talking about having a get together and bringing all of our favorite healthy recipes when this is at its conclusion. I think that it is a great idea, and definitely have some fave WW recipes.

Also, I found this one today and wanted to share, since it is one of my fave dishes:

Veggie Nacho Nibblers
Cut 2 Bell Peppers into strips, then cut the strips in half. Put on a microwaveable plate. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup low fat cheese, or soy cheese and 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper. Microwave for 1 minute or until cheese melts. (I would add salsa instead of the pepper because salsa is fat free!!!)


Sounds delish, and I am going to try it in December.

Stay well and Happy Weekend.

XO,

Saturday Night is alright for dancing?? ugh..not me!!

I am enjoying lazing around on the couch, achy muscles and all. Today, I took the train in from Beacon to take daily class, and it was really fun. It had more of a kickboxing bend to it, and although my body needs a break, it was fun to push it to its limits.

Last night I cheated on the diet for the first time, and had a green apple. Well, it is not really cheating, we were told we could have green apples since they don't have a lot of sugar in them, and since I had two in the fridge, I could not resist!!

Today I feel pretty full, and am convinced that my stomach is probably shrinking, and I won't need as much food to feel full. In any case, they added an extra serving of protein to our diets, so we have 6 meals now. WOOHOOO!!

A rundown of today's meals as well as tomorrows. There are some new foods added including a yummy veggie burger with some kind of sauce...

Saturday:

Broccoli and cauliflower egg white popover (I added a bit of hot sauce)

Balsamic chicken with carrots (ate this on the train before class, like a good little student , I am trying to eat every two hours)

Veggie Burger with a piece of grilled eggplant. Delish. Ate this a couple of hours ago.

Chicken salad with chopped celery over greens! YUM!

Sesame crusted scallops with snap peas.

and the snack for the train ride home was a curried tofu salad , which I was delish!

Tomorrow, is my first day off from the workout since we started, but I am taking an 11 am yoga class with my mom..and then running a couple of miles, so my body can rest, but also keep the metabolism going.

Tomorrow's food:

Farmers scramble with farm fresh vegetables

White fish salad

Roasted turkey sliced over fresh baby spinach salad

Balsamic chicken strips

Coriander dusted chicken with broccoli rabe.

Sounds good to me, though I miss my sushi badly!

I also stopped at a cute new store on 5th ave on the way home after class, and treated myself to a new adorable workout tee. I will find the site and share it with you tomorrow. Have a good night, and stay healthy!

XO

Aching muscles and a newfound lust for milk products??

I never thought that much about yogurt. I mean , it tastes good. I love it with fresh berries, and especially frozen yogurt. Pinkberry anyone? I did not realize how much I missed it until today. Day 4 without milk products of any kind. Until tonight. Much to my surprise, I opened one of my meal portions tonight, turkey chili with broccoli on the side, and there was a tiny container of some kind of cheese. Soy maybe?? Who cares...I put it in the microwave, melted it a tiny bit on the chili and the broccoli and it was delicious. Now all night I am having fantasies of frozen yogurt, soy milk shakes, nonfat ww shakes anything milky...lol.

Today was a particularly hard day. Besides it being September 11, which always puts me in a somber, sad mood anyway, my muscles ached, and I did not think I could make it through the exercises. Today they were revved up a bit faster, and harder..and wow did I hurt at the end of it all. But, thankfully, I did have time to go to the steam room after!! Woohoo...

Tonight , checking in at midnight, my legs are less achy and although I did slip a bit and make a Senseo (oooh i need a coffee every once in a while) I feel good.

I know tomorrow will be difficult, but I am excited. The workout makes me feel good , and I look forward to finding out what the meals will be.

Today :

Marinated Asian chicken kabob with sugar-free peanut sauce, and boy how delicious the peanut taste was. I ate every drop of the sauce.

Seasoned Baked Tilapia with steamed kale.

Turkey Chili over chopped broccoli with a side of soy cheddar. YUM CHHHEEESE!!!

I am saving my last snack for an early lunch tomorrow because I am meeting my friend, D for a lunch in the park!! I can't wait to see her :)

Breakfast tomorrow will be: asparagus and shrimp egg white omelet. Yum again..hehehehe.

Until tomorrow, stay healthy and have fun.

XO,

Checking in the Night of "Day 3"

I am totally exhausted between the workout, and recording my Harlequin vampire book in two days. It was a fun read, but I am glad to concentrate solely on the workout tomorrow and explore the new gym. I may try to sneak in my camera tomorrow for some photos :)

So I am going to give you a rundown of the diet for the first 3 days, and the basic exercises. Basically, each day we concentrate on a new area, or type of workout, aerobic or anareobic. After three days of squats, jumping jacks, weight training, plank position, etc my butt hurts, my quads are sore, and my abs ache every time i take a good breath. It is a good burn, and I am really conscious of how my body feels now. I really love the workout, even if my clothes get soaked, and I feel gross halfway through..lol.

I took my first epsom salt bath this morning, and will be taking another one tomorrow, my muscles really felt better after, and hopefully they will start to adapt to this workout regime.

Food for the first 3 days :(Keep in mind that I do not eat red meat, or pork)

Day 1:

Chopped zucchini and cauliflower egg-white omelet
All white chicken salad with chopped celery
Turkey burger with homemade coleslaw
Cucumber salad with fresh bell peppers and red onion
Orange roughy Provencal with artichokes and capers , serverd over escarole

Day 2:

Egg whites with chopped asparagus and roaster peppers (frittata style)
Unsalted raw macadamia nuts
South American seasoned chicken with broccoli rabe
Homemade veggie soup
Baked salmon with spinach and mushrooms

Day 3:

Egg white scramble with chopped broccoli and salsa
Tuna and cucumber salad in vinagrette
Argentine salmon over arugula
Raw almonds
Lemon thyme chicken with string beans and fennel


Yum to most everything. I especially love the way the fish has been prepared, as well as the greens.

You must notice that there is no sugar on this diet so far, and very low carb content. One of the hardest times/things for me to give up is my late night pretzel or popcorn fix. I really do love the weight watchers one point bars to end the night too, so I am used to something sweet. Also, giving up cereal , and yogurt with fruit is really really hard.

I hope I start to see the work on my body soon. You will be the first to know.

Stay well, eat healthy and feel good.

XO,

First Day of REV ABS, I made it through....

I am so excited to share with you the first day of my REV ABS program. The weekend went by in a blur, I was so focused on Monday and getting started. I got to the gym a couple minutes early, and the first thing we did was get our photos taken for our gym id's. Ugh, another "before" photo as far as I am concerned.

Then we were weighed again (I opted for my shoes and clothes on, so I weighed more), and then led to the large workout room to meet everyone, and especially our amazing trainer, Brett!

We were given a motivational speech, introduced to everyone involved and eventually we got our mats and began a hardcore 30 minute workout. Usually, it will be an hour, but because of the intros, we ran out of time.

Right away, I knew I was going to get my butt kicked. I love feeling my muscles ache, and the sweat pour down my face. Absolutely love it. We did circuits of several ab, back and cardio exercises, and I felt great when the half hour was over. I will tell you more in detail when I memorize the names of everything. For now, I know I have to perfect my plank to the point where I can lift a leg in back, or an arm in front and still maintain balance and tightness of the abs.

After our intro class, we lined up for another polaroid for Brett, so he can learn our names, and then our "lunchboxes".

I am sure like me, you would like to know what was inside my box??? Well, I will tell you. 5 meals. Small, portioned. Not sweet, not very salty. Delicious, protein based meals. And the snacks? Not what I expected..not protein bars, or apples with peanut butter. In fact, no fruit at all. Which worries me in the bathroom dep't. Ugh. Lets not go there.

By now, you may have the idea that I like sweets. And well I do. Even just a sweet taste in my mouth. Well, that is going to change. Because, nothing in the box is sweet.

Here is what was in it. 5 Tupperware containers with numbers on them. #3 is the one I ate first, as #1 and #2 are for tomorrow before class. #3 was a turkey burger (no bun) on a bed of lettuce (sauce on the side) and a side of homemade vinegar based coleslaw. It was pretty good, actually. I love turkey burgers, and eat them all of the time anyway, so this was a good choice for me. I put a bit of sauce on the burger, and warmed it up. YUM!

Then, I had more water. Water is key to any diet plan, or exercise regime, and I really try to always have some by my side, either in bottle or glass. I refill my bottles from my Brita, and I am good to go.

After class, and getting our food, I headed over to the Sports Authority and bought myself some new kicks, some pretty black Nikes for class. And some push up bars. I used a GC that I won from a sweepstake, so only had to shell out $11. woohooo..

Then, I met my friend M at the NYSC (I may give my membership up), to catch up on her life, and did a slow walk on the treadmill climber thing, burning just 250 calories. I don't want to tire my body in the beginning , or burn through too many of the calories for the diet. THAT is not the point. Mostly, I just wanted to catch up with her,and make it a social thing.

Back at home, I prepared my "snack" #1 for the night, and am eating it as I write this. It is a delicious Cucumber salad with fresh bell peppers and red onion. It is small, but yummy, and already I feel fuller. Is that a word? More full?? Whatevs...

I am psyched for dinner: Orange roughy Provencal, with artichokes and capers served over a bed of escarole. I can't wait for fish. I looove fish.

This will be my first night without a WW bar (peanut butter, choc rasp, or oatmeal) to finish off the meal with something sweet so I hope by hiding them, and clearing out pretty much everything else I will not stray. I WILL be strong...

Tomorrow I will tell you all about breakfast, and snack #2, which I will be eating tomorrow,as it is already 9 pm and I will have the fish at 10ish, before I head to sleep at 1.

Also tomorrow, I head to Audible.com at 5pm to record a vampire book , so I wont be checking in right away, if I am exhausted. Until then, stay healthy.

Xo,

The Photo Shoot...

 Yesterday afternoon I had the photo shoot and first testimonial video for REV Abs. I walked in and from the very first second was amazed at how organized the entire shoot was. All of the   participants were handed a plastic bag for our outfits, and a clipboard to check each activity along the way.

First, I was led upstairs to pick out a sports outfit. Although I brought my own, (I have to confess) my idea of a workout outfit is black pants and a black t-shirt, or a dark colored tee, not the colorful choices that were hanging on the racks. Since I had cute (although a bit too small, and definitely not for public consumption)black with pink piping American Apparel daisy duke like cotton shorts of my own, we picked out a matching pink Nike sports bra from the wardrobe rack. Adorned with a black silky robe (again, such a colorful choice I brought from home) I tiptoed downstairs to get my outfit approved before heading into hair and makeup. I had put on my own makeup at home, since an email I received said to "come ready". My brows were penciled in a bit, my lipstick toned down, and my hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

Then, finally, I was ready for my before shots and stepped up to the pink tape on the floor. With the unflattering bright lights, and bare white wall behind me , how great could I look? UGH. I guess the worse I look before, the better I look after right?

Next, on to the jean portion of the photos. I picked out my size, and the jeans didn't produce enough of a muffin top, so I was told to put on a size smaller. I actually liked the tighter jean anyway, but hated the way my skin puffed over the side. More photos, and this time the movie camera moved in and I was asked questions about why I wanted to do the program, and what I wanted to get out of it. Of course I want nice abs, to lose weight, feel attractive and be proud of my body rather than hiding it with layers of fabric. I answered honestly and proudly of being picked and doing this!!

After the video portion, I changed back into the workout shorts for my measurements, which unfortunately I don't have copies of. I guess I will get a copy when the program is over, and I will find out how many inches I lose etc.. I did hear my bust size, which surprised me. I am a 38. And all of this time, I have been wearing 36dd bras :) OOPS!

I chatted a while with the program leaders and they answered my questions truthfully. I wanted to know if I could eat out in restaurants at all, and have Pinkberry once in a while, and they really do not want me to stray from the food supplied. I hope they have peanut butter energy bars once in a while. Boy, I am going to miss peanut butter.

On the way out, they gave me Omega 3 pills and a big bottle of chocolate protein powder, which we will start using after the first 2 weeks. Also, they handed out informational packets so I have a little more info on the entire program.

The abs instructor is Brett Hoebel and the leaders are Mike and Rachel.

I am so excited to start on Monday, but before I do I am having some pizza and ice-cream..they will be part of my Last Supper before I begin. (I know, naughty!).

I will keep you posted. Eat well and have fun and enjoy your weekend,
XO

Checking In Before the "Before" Shoot.

I am heading out in a few minutes to the photo studio on 18th st, for the "before" photo shoot for REV ABS. I am nervous, especially if they choose the bikini from my outfit choices. I am bringing too tight jeans (their request), some cute workout shorts that I wont wear in public, and 3 bikinis from my past. I can't wait, but at the same time , I am super nervous, and a slight bit nauseous. EW! Let you know how it goes later tonight!
XO,

Purging!

So last night I made a list of all the things I needed to do to prepare myself for this new regime.

Slowly, I have been going through my clothes, and picking out items that are already too big (Bye Bye double digits, I am a size 8 now). One of the benefits of losing a large amount of weight will be the new clothes..OH I CANT WAIT!!! Mentally, I have already pictured myself in skinny Seven jeans, some skyscraper heels and new silk dresses, and a brand new suit. Something black. And pinstriped. Sexy, like Lipstick Jungle sexy!!

My first major cleanse, or purge, came in the form of gathering up all the "junk" that has been cluttering our pantry. Hubby claims we didn't have much "junk", but I took a photo to prove otherwise:




Where did all that candy come from?? Halloween Past? Secret Craving Stashes?

Closeup:



Hubby is going to hide the box, and hopefully the junk is gone for good!!!

The second thing I put on my list, was to note my favorite foods and have small tastes of them. I especially love sweets, so strawberry pancakes, Pinkberry, Soft ice cream, Muffins and Pizza top the list. It will be difficult to completely give them up for life, so I need to find substitutions, or ways to incorporate the foods in a healthy way. Already, I have fallen for Lean Cuisines french bread pizza, and their butternut squash ravioli. YUM!

The third, is that I do not want to ignore my friends, or social activities because I cannot partake in partying. I still want to go to happy hour, fashion events, and parties, and need to figure out how to avoid naughty happy hour foods, and alcohol. I have given alcohol up entirely for the time being, and to tell you the truth it is not that much of a sacrifice. I have never been a big drinker, but do appreciate a good sour apple martini, or pomegranate drink once in a while. This may be a permanent decision, I am not sure yet.

I am sure the list will get longer on changed behaviors, and life choices. For now, I am just taking this one day at a time. Having a clean house, empty of junk will help immensely!!

XO,
Zoe

Welcome to my Rollercoaster!! Hop in, Buckle up...

Joining the ride? Good. I just buckled myself in, and I am raring to go. Ready to take the world by storm. Prove that curvy,healthy women can be strong, not SKINNY, but strong! I am ready to be strong. And hey, since I am on this kick, I thought I would share. But there are soooo many questions..hmmmm where shall I start???

How did i get here? That is a good question. Sure it took time. Temptation. A little bit of laziness, a lot of comfortability. At the end of the day, my once well toned and curvacious body had become zaftig. Which is a nice way of saying I put on a whole bunch of weight. How much? At my heaviest, I weighed in at 160. (See photo)




This past last spring at I-CON. I tried to hide it with kimono dresses. But it is in there. Believe me, it is IN there.



Mind you, I was always a petite 5'4" girl. Back when I was studying dance, hanging out with my friends in clubs (dancing), single(not eating out in restaurants, unless on dates), and running around trying to get my career in order.

5'4" and 110. I weighed myself everyday in college. I had a weight chart next to my scale in my bedroom, and I weighed in everyday. I enjoyed being @107. But if I hit 110, I didnt eat for a day or two. Hey! I was young and stupid. And my metabolism was through the roof.

Now, I am quite a bit older. Married. Happy? Yes, I am blissful, but not with my appearance, or the way my skinny jeans fit. Or , should I say don't fit. So, I am embarking on an adventure.

Why am I blogging about it? Well.. I consider myself average. Pretty, yes, I am pretty, but pretty average. And maybe this blog will inspire women like me. Average women, who need a kick in the butt, some inspiration to lose 10,15 or 20 lbs. Not huge amounts, but just enough to feel tired, worn-out and well, less than average.

And I have the opportunity of a lifetime. I have been chosen to represent a new exercise program called REV ABS. I will be working on this new program for 3 months. Sept 8 ,2008-Dec 15 2008. I have three months to get my butt in gear. And my abs. The details?

Friday, I will find out how many details I can blog about this new program. I can tell you this. It includes a membership to a beautiful, exclusive gym in Midtown Manhattan:

The Sports Club LA 3 meals a day, 2 snacks and an hour a day with the trainer in a small group setting. If I can't lose weight with controlled food, and constant exercise, then when and how can I?? I do my "before " photos on Friday. If I can post one here, I will let you know. Otherwise, I will just add a recent photo that is accurate.

Just keep in mind,I weigh 146 lbs. I have lost 13 lbs on my own, by going to the gym and following the Weight Watchers principles. I want to lose 26 more. 26. That is a lot for my petite frame,but I am determined. And I need your support..and I want to support you.

Here we gooooooooooooooooooooooooo , it might be a bumpy ride, but I am ready and willing. And, determined.

XO,
Zoe