On 6 LIFE CHANGING months

I need to be better about writing more…

It has been ages since I have written for anyone to see…

I should really blog more…

All of these thoughts float in and out of my head on a regular timetable—far more frequently than I would ever admit to anyone…but most often I chalk not writing up to not having enough time, not having the right way to say what it is I want to say, or frankly—not thinking that anyone really wants to read what I have to say anyway.  I write for myself mostly I suppose, so I guess I shouldn’t care about that last part.  The last 6 months have been pretty darn dynamic though and I guess I should take a minute to pause as I have reached a pretty cool place on this latest adventure, and I have heard from quite a few people I have been HORRIBLE about staying in touch with who have expressed tremendous support and encouragement…so I guess, blog away I will…

June 16, 2012 
…is a day that changed my life in a way I never could have imagined.  RCD and I decided to go on a little “gym shopping” trip as two new (one very large and one very small) gyms were planning to open right around the corner from my office.  We started at the very large one…in presale.  Then we went to the very small one…also in presale.  The very large one had a little storefront and floor plans and hundreds of machines on the blueprint.  Two middle aged salesmen droned on about their elite club.  We walked out.  The very small one had a tent and some folding chairs in their parking lot.  It was June, it was hot, and three very excited and energetic fitness professionals explained what their gym was all about.  They talked to me about high intensity interval training, heart rate monitors, treadmills and rowing machines.  They were so excited about the construction occurring in their building and the large 18 days until open posters promised they would be ready in just over two weeks.  I was skeptical.  Nabilah and Troy told me all there was to tell me, and in the end Troy told me “I am not going to sell you on this, go ahead and think about it.  Here is my card, we will be here until 6pm.”  I left the parking lot of Orangetheory Fitness- South Tampa.  Chris and I went out to lunch…but I could not stop thinking about everything they had said.  We finished eating.  I turned around and walked back up to Troy in that parking lot and signed the agreement (in presale, with an empty shell of a building) that has changed my life.

June 28, 2012
…at 282 pounds I completed my first 60 minute HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING workout at Orangetheory.  I don’t remember it.  I don’t know if I hated life after it.  I don’t remember if it was the most challenging thing I had ever done in my life.  I know I was probably the least fit person in the room.  I know I had to modify just about EVERY exercise in the weight room.  I know my base pace on the treadmill was 3.5 miles per hour.  I know I had to come back and do this workout again!

I spent the majority of my summer (in between trips and weekends away, weddings, camp reunions and a 10 day trip to Poland with 13 teenagers) with the trainers at Orangetheory Fitness.  I participated in their weight loss challenge.  I loved walking in the door every day.  I started logging my food.  My base pace began to increase, well my incline did anyway.  I became infected with Orange pretty much.  I started to find myself missing my workouts when I was out of town for the weekend.  Incredible trainers motivated and fantastic staff greeted each one of us with a smile and help whenever needed.  I remember Aaron taking a few classes with me—though he was an OTF Coach—he practices what he preaches.  Aaron stopped his own work out to help me modify, to help make my workout more successful.  Coaches from other local OTF studios came to our new South Tampa location to make sure we got the support we needed as we began to soar (and grow at an incredible rate.)

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE, I SAW POUNDS LITERALLY FALLING OFF AND I WAS LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT.

I decided to start rewarding myself for my success.  I decided when I hit 250 pounds I was going to buy myself a custom silver necklace with a charm saying “one step at a time.”  This became my mantra on tough days in the gym… Natalie at Wearable Whispers made me a BEAUTIFUL first charm.

October 2012
Troy doesn’t remember the first conversation we had in the parking lot in June, but once again—Troy says something to me that changed my life forever.  I get out of a class at OTF and there is a message on my phone from Troy.  “We have an opportunity we would like to talk to you about, a way we think we can help you lose 50 pounds by the new year.  Give me a call back and we can talk about it.”  Troy was in the studio and we talked, he asked me to work with one of the coaches at OTF to represent the studio in a 90 day South Tampa Magazine Losing Big competition.  He said I could pick any coach and we would make it happen.  50 pounds by January.  NO WAY, well…maybe…really?  As much as I value, respect, love, adore and could not be where I am today without each and every member of the OTF-South Tampa family…it took me no time to ask Troy whether I could work with Phil Michaels.  On October 4th Phil and I began our adventure.

October 4, 2012
…weigh in day 1 for South Tampa Mag… 245 pounds.  I had already dropped 37 pounds in 3 months with OTF.  I had to hit a plateau soon.  I was TERRIFIED I would not be able to sustain the significant loss I had seen over another 90 days.  

Phil had more confidence in me some days then I had in myself.  As we progressed through the challenge we modified my food choices.  I started to know I could sustain this.  I started making my Shakeology shakes every morning for breakfast—man did that make an incredible difference.  I had a lot of travel this fall too.  Phil worked with me through the weekends.  We prepared plans, I packed snacks.  I skipped youth group meals and brought my own lunches and dinners.  I was enjoying the outcome more than I could enjoy sweets, pizza or fast food EVER!  At some point during late October or early November Phil told me I needed to up my speed and stop relying on the incline on the treadmill…WHAT?  I forgot to mention I started all of this with a broken 5th Metatarsal—(THANKS MATT AND ASHLEY’S AWESOME WEDDING PARTY!)  I was afraid of the soreness…I was afraid of getting hurt.  Gradually I increased to a 4-4.5…wow!

Thanksgiving morning I completed a 5k for the first time without ANY walking…I ran the entire thing, beginning to end.  I heard Phil in my head...once you increase your speed--you don't slow down.  36 minutes and 37 seconds--a PR by at least 8-10 minutes.  As I am writing this I realize I have not processed any of the on an emotional level at all.  I am not sure when I will…I am not sure IF I will…that remains to be seen.

December 12, 2012
…mid-point weigh in.  31.5 pounds down.  I am still enjoying every single work out at Orangetheory.  Even on the early morning-up before the sun-man is Annesley chipper (and rare for me) at 6:15am workouts…I have fun every single time I am in the gym and maybe Troy wasn’t so crazy—maybe I could actually lose 50 pounds by our final weigh in.

Phil helped me strategize for 7 days in a hotel for Winter Regional.  He brought in several of the other trainers in the gym to offer recommendations for our continued success.  We added extra cardio and some additional protein and water.  Every step along the way I felt so much love and support and encouragement from the ENTIRE STAFF of OTF.  From Jessica and Corey and Brian and Justin and Wendy behind the desk when I walked in the door to each and every Coach in the studio.  Nabilah and Annesley with SERIOUSLY STEALTHY workouts in the mornings.  Jeff reminding me to listen to my  body and chill a bit when I was sore and tired.  Phil dancing around the studio through his own foot injury, singing and sharing lots of “YEAH BUDDY” exclamations.  138 Orangetheory Fitness classes later we arrived at final weigh-in day for our South Tampa Magazine challenge.

January 16, 2013
…Tuesday night at 11pm I received a text from Phil that he had a few surprises for me.  I had a 7:30 am workout on the books…but he had additional plans.  Terry (an incredible and innovative businessman and the REASON OTF came to the Tampa Bay area) coordinated a little splurge of an experience for me…he helped keep my mind occupied while we waited for our 4:30pm weigh in.  Getting Phil and Terry’s feedback on clothes for the final picture might have been my favorite part of the day!  And then we were off…Phil and I went to USF Health at TGH for my final weigh in…

AS OF YESTERDAY AT 4:30 PM I HAVE LOST 90 POUNDS WITH ORANGETHEORY FITNESS
(I cannot WAIT to be able to say "I have lost 100 pounds at OTF!  I am sure it is not too far off!)

Yes, during our 90 day challenge Phil and the OTF team helped me lose 53pounds!

Like I said earlier—I have not processed a lot of this emotionally yet.  I thought when the scale read 1xx for the first time I would have more emotion about it.  When it displayed 199.8 I did have an “I can put that on facebook” moment—but in reality, my first thought was OKAY…what’s next?

I ordered my third charm for my necklace—it says “Enjoy the Journey” and Natalie shipped it from Wearable Whispers the day after I ordered it…maybe it will get here before our celebration on Friday night at Fire!  Come join us at 7pm…let’s celebrate…it will be fun!  And truly--I cannot tell you how much I am ENJOYING THIS JOURNEY!

I don’t know what is next…I have set another 25lb goal…and then we will see how I feel at 175.  We’ll see how this new body performs for 99 Problems in the Spring WAKA Breaker league…that’s for sure.

I was well over 200 pounds in middle school and I just don’t know what a healthy adult weight will be for me…but I do know I love where I am.  I love how I got here…I LOVE where I am going.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE CONTINUED SUPPORT!

For now,

LM