A tale of the tape and the scale, the body, spirit and mind of Tracey Kumer-Moore (aka " Your Las Vegas Wedding Concierge") as I take a journey to Get Healthy, Get Happy and "Get My Groove Back"!
Boy, it has been a very long time since I have posted and the Not So Skinny Wedding Concierge is grateful to be back to check in.
Thank you to my Baltimore "Wedding Diva" friend Linnyette Richardson-Hall because seeing your new blog "DIVAFat to DIVAfit" (great title by the way!) about starting YOUR personal journey to health, you inspired me to come back and update my blog. YOU CAN DO IT MY FRIEND and I will be right there with you.
I am very grateful to say that since my last check-in here, I have given away 111.6 pounds! I'm going to stop using the word "lost" because that implies I had no involvement in the disappearance of the weight. Well, I'm here to tell you, I was engaged every single step of the way!
I am still using the Body Buggprogram and, for me, it works like a dream to help keep me accountable to log my food honestly every day as it counts my calories burned and steps taken so I can see results where I am doing well with food intake including the real nutritional value of the calories.
The Zumba classes and discovering this program to enjoy on my own and with my Zumba gym family is what makes working out fun for me. This and walking has been the program that has propelled my success and it propels my spirit too which has been so important.
And finally, My weight loss support group family and what I learn from all of them (and what I discover about myself) about my relationship to food has been one of the greatest gifts in my journey.
I'm grateful that I found and embraced all these tools and so incredibly grateful for all the support of friends old and new who are always there for me. Ultimately though, it is being my own best friend that will keep me on this journey.
Although the results are physical, the journey always starts with a mental shift, and a spiritual one as well I think. Our outer selves, no matter how we try and rationalize away other excuses, tell the absolute truth about how we feel about ourselves on the inside.
My insides hurt 8 months ago. My head hurt, my spirit hurt and my heart hurt. They were all gasping for air under layers of fat that I forced upon them. I not only did not love myself, I believe I actively hated myself. Why else would I abuse myself that way? I knew I had reached that proverbial "tipping point" on the scale. I had to either get living or face dying (because that is what I was doing...killing myself slowly).
BUT, thankfully...I chose to live and I AM blessed for everyday is another day that I get to enjoy this journey, stay on this path and live well.
I hope there are many people doing the same and choosing LIFE like Linnyette and I have. Although I don't know you personally, I will be rooting for you because I know how brave you are for making the choice.
I am personally stoked for 2011 for a lot of reasons but a major one is that I didn't have to make a resolution to do something about my weight and my health this year. I simply just renewed it again for another day.
To say my year was transforming would be an understatement. I went through many emotional , spiritual and physical transformations last year and the journey continues into the new year still and will for days and years to come. I entered 2011 85.2 pounds thinner and I thought I would show the change with a then and now comparison. I'm personally astounded when I look at these two images.
I would look at images of me last year (or any year I was heavy), but only passing glances. I couldn't really stand looking at myself anymore to be honest. As much as I embrace the fact I am a "curvaceous" woman, I was way past that definition; I WAS FAT and SAD and UNHEALTHY. I knew it then and now I can speak this truth and accept that I had to change or face serious consequences.
So here I am now, and for today, I am grateful to be feeling like myself again. I'm enjoying exercising, taking each day to enjoy a new way of thinking and eating and my weight goals are well in sight. But I'm not letting up for one moment. My health is improving and I have a goal this year to be able to stop taking a medication for pre-pre diabetes. That will be a great day.
What is great right now is being able to enjoy new clothes and I LOVE TO SHOP. But, here is the funny thing. I'm truthfully not enjoying it as much as I thought I would. Losing the amount of weight as I have in a matter of about 6 months is a pretty big change that takes the brain some time to catch up to. I found myself at the mall yesterday with my friend Natasha (from Write Shot) and we went to take a look at some stores.
I honestly was overwhelmed at the choice of what I could wear now and almost felt paralyzed. I'm having to re-calibrate my brain to look differently at the offerings in front of me and see clothes and imagine me in them in a new way.
So, just like I reached out for help at the beginning of this journey, I'm seeking it again now. I'm reaching out to my friends and even some professionals to help me continue the transformation into my best self in creating Tracey version 2011, while I keep working on the inner transformation day to day.
Today I AM Changing into the ME I'm MEANT TO BE! What are you today?
What could be better than dancing my tush off for a worthy cause at this time of year for some great folks? They are making sure some kids who so desperately need to be cheered up this time of year, get a smile in the form of a toy.
I am so very blessed that I have the ability and strength to give in this way.
Hanging with some cute fire fighters didn't hurt either!!;)
The awesome instructors, Megan, Krystal and Allison, pumped up the energy and kept us going for 2 hours!
While there, I tweeted that I was at the "Zumba-thin" (thanks auto-correct for that one)! But, in truth, it really was a "Zumba-thin-thon" and it was a blast!
Thank you UNLV and thank you Megan for making this all come together. You ROCK!
Today, I AM sharing my passion for Zumba and a great cause! What are you today?
Your Not So Skinny Wedding Concierge is back from my trip home to Toronto, Canada and it was great to see family and friends. Even the weather was pretty decent as well with beautiful autumn weather turning the trees all their beautiful colors.
Anyway, with a lot of praying, walking and sticking to program I made it through 10 days that included some Bar Mitzvah parties, shmoozing and dinners/lunches with friends as well as surviving being rear-ended on the QEW highway (we can thank my very heavy suitcase in the trunk for softening the blow).
I managed to still exercise with walking and getting to a Zumba class as well as find a Toronto meeting for "My Group" which was a lot of fun.
It was good for me to learn that I can still go on vacation but that does not have to mean throwing all the routine out the window to sabotage myself. I think vacation allows you to have more time and freedom to give yourself the opportunity to take even better care. That is a cool little revelation, isn't it?
Anyway, it's good to be back in my current home of Las Vegas and happy to report a weight loss as of today of 62.2. pounds! WHOOT! I'm on track to my goals and for today...
This is 104 Sticks of Butter-I have lost 206.4 of these!!
Hello Friends, W0w, I can't believe September is almost over and it has been a busy one and I have also been remiss at keeping up with my diary here. I need to make a commitment to getting back to that!
Anyway, all is good with Your Not So Skinny Wedding Concierge and I have been keeping up with the foot work (literally) and doing a lot of walking although I need to get back to the Zumba class (which will be tomorrow at 10am).
It is all paying off and I am happy to report today that I have lost 51.6 pounds!! WHOOT!
That, by the "weigh", is equal to 206.4 sticks of butter! That may sound funny but when I think of it, that is 206.4 sticks of butter that isn't harming my health any more and that DOES FEEL GOOD.
I made a commitment to only weigh myself once a week now because getting on the scale every day was driving me crazy. It is helping with my program but I do confess I look forward to Wednesdays just a little bit more now.
Another thing I find interesting is before I started this journey (actually 90 days ago today!!), is seeing how my calendar was pretty sparse of things to do and now it is filled with exercise and meeting appointments and more. It's the sign of a "full and lived life" and that is what this journey of mine is also about; getting my life back.
Speaking of "sticks of butter", when I was doing a Googlesearch to find the picture above, I discovered Jennifer who is on her own inspirational weight loss journey and writes a blog called..."80 Sticks of Butter". How cool is that?!! Jennifer you are now on my blog roll (1 kind of roll I am happy to keep with me) and rooting for you too!
Today I AM 206.4 Sticks of Butter thinner and Enjoying Life! What are YOU Today?
Tonight begins the holiest days of the Jewish New Year withRosh Hashana (Head of the Year) celebrating the birth of the world; 5771 years young to be exact:)
I wanted to share this fantastic video of the call of the Shofar (Rams Horn) that is the "Call to Action/An Alarm Clock to wake us from our "Spiritual Slumber" It is soul stirring to me for sure.
It's a celebration of renewal for the earth, for mankind and a chance to get back to basics and rediscover what is working, what needs to be fixed, take inventory, make amends (to our higher power, ourselves and others) and to try and live a better life as better people for ourselves, our loved ones and for the sake of our world we call "home".
It's a time of hope and renewed spirit, a call to action and to hope we /I have and will be able to do enough good in the eyes of my higher power to allow him to bless me and those I love with another year to celebrate life with good health, sweetness, good fortune (however that may materialize) and inscribe me in "The Book of Life".
I have had quite a summer of blessings that I know have been gifts from G-d for recognizing the footwork I have begun for myself to better myself and today, on this birthday of the world,
I AM Celebrating Life in all it's forms and I AM Thankful to "Him" for mine.
May you all have a happy, healthy, joyous, fortunate and "Naturally Sweet" New Year.
Feeling very grateful today and saw this video from Aish.com in my in-box today and it just filled me up and wanted to share with all of you. Today "I AM" a Child of G-d. What are YOU Today?
Tracey, February 2011
