OMG!!! I DID IT! :o)

First of all, I have to say a BIG Thank You to everyone for all of the “loser vibes”, encouragement & warm fuzzies... you guys are all really REALLY special to me... I could feel you all surrounding me as I stepped up to the scale this morning. :o)

Well… I walked into the weigh-in booth where Michelle, my leader, was weighing & I said “this is my week!” & she says “I know, I was thinking about that this morning, this is the day you are here!” & I said “No, this is MY week!!” :o) I hesitated getting on the scale… why in the world was I so nervous? It’s crazy!!! I stepped up… saying to my self “199, 199, PLEASE 199!” & there it was… 199!!! OMG! I just stood there & looked @ that number & I started to shake… put my hands up to my face & just bawled, right then & there, still on the scale!! What a girl, huh? :o) Michelle gave me a big hug & said she was so excited for me! She knew how big this was for me. She asked me if it would be okay if I shared WHY it was so big w/ the whole group… that most people wouldn’t be open about their weight, but that she knew there are members who would really be inspired by me opening up about it & I said “sure… I had been thinking about that”

It was funny… as I turned to leave the booth, Michelle says really loudly “hey guys, those are tears of joy!” LOL! I’m sure some would think I was upset, seeing me walk out w/ teary eyes & a red face. :o)

There are several ladies that I have gotten friendly w/ over the last few months, two of whom are lifetime members who both lost over 100lbs each & they are so encouraging, just like you guys are… they were waiting to hear how it went & were all smiles when I walked over to sit down. Oh, it’s just so nice to have that personal connection w/ people who know what this is all about, you know? Who realize how big this is to all of us & who are just waiting to give you a big hug or pat you on the back & tell you how proud they are of you. WOW!

There was a new girl sitting next to me & she said “I don’t know what you’ve done, but congratulations!” :o) I laughed & told her what I had done… introduced myself & chatted w/ her for a while. She said she has 110 lbs to lose & I told her that when I started out I had 125 lbs to lose & had lost 66 lbs in the last year. It feels really good to let those who have a lot of weight to lose see that it can be done… that it just take lots of patience.

Anyways… the meeting was great...Michelle had us turn to a neighbor that we didn’t know & share w/ them what we did this week that we’re proud about, so I turned to a girl I hadn’t seen before & talked to her. She has been doing WW for a month now, must be over 300 lbs & has lost 11 lbs. So, there again, I really felt the need to open up to her & let her know how far I had come, just so she could be hopeful for her future. I like making these connections. This is one reason I really feel the need to go to meetings... I mean, I get so much out of being a part of GoaD each & every day... I know I would more than likely be fine w/out going to meetings, but just making those personal connections w/ others, I feel a responsibility to being there, you know? I want to continue to be someone that those w/ a lot of weight can look at & see themselves in me. Even those w/out as much to lose, I know it’s a struggle for them, too... overwhelming, too... but those who have ALOT to lose need to see those great successes, like the 2 ladies who have lost over 100 lbs! It’s really encouraging to have them there each week.

ANYWAYS... when Michelle got to the awards, she left me till last & said “there is one person here who cried when she got on this scale today, but they were tears of joy! … Julie… do you want to share how much you’ve lost?” & I told them… “66 lbs” & Michelle said “it’s not the 66 lbs that made her cry, though... I asked her if she would be willing to share w/ you guys why” & she looked at me to share & I couldn’t even talk!! LOL! Tears were welling up again, what a surprise… but I finally choked out “this is the first time since 1990 that I’ve been under 200 lbs!” It’s funny to think about it now... hearing the Oohs & Wows & people catching their breath... but at the time, I think I was hyper focused on just breathing & not losing it completely! She asked me what I am doing differently & I said “EVERYTHING!! But mainly I just changed my HEAD! I have always been a WW failure ... it’s not hard to be one, anyone can fail w/ WW... but I think that WW is the only program out there that will also help me succeed. My 1 year WW Anniversary was last month & it’s been great! I know that this is my life & I always look for the positive. I’m not perfect, far from it, but I always know where I am going & I always make my next step a positive one.” It always blows me away when someone from behind me reaches up & rubs my shoulder to make a personal connection & to give me that silent “I’m proud of you”. Lots of congratulations as I was leaving, too... that’s just cool, huh? :o)

Anyways (I say that a lot, don’t I? LOL!!)...

OMG, I DO know how to go on (& on & on), don’t I? I don’t know... I guess just really enjoy relaying the emotion behind my BIG emotional experiences here. LOL!!

Okay... I have to be done!! :o)

AGAIN... THANK YOU guys, SO MUCH for all of the incredible support & encouragement these last several weeks... I am so SO proud to be a part of such a great support system & an awesome bunch of LOSERS!! :o) I hope you’re not tired of hearing me say this... I am pretty sure I would’ve been okay if I were doing this on my own... but I know for a fact that I am THRIVING because of all of you!! We’re changing lives here, you know??


xxoxoxooxo... Julie


Oh yeah, I bawled all the way home, too! LOL! :o)