174.0 So Much Younger

I just returned from getting my hair colored. I've been going to the same hair stylist for at least five years now so she's seem me at my largest and she's seen me about once a month since I started losing weight. So of course today I had to tell her about my TV appearance tomorrow that will probably last about 3 and a half minutes! But here's what she said that really pleased me. "Not only do you look a lot thinner, YOU ARE SO MUCH YOUNGER!"

Losing weight for me hasn't been all about how I look, although that has certainly been a big part of it. But I do feel younger, and I know I'm healthier. I no longer need drugs for high cholesterol, my blood pressure is quite low, and I'm no longer a risk for diabetes. I wonder what I'll say tomorrow and what I'll be asked.

I probably won't post anything on this blog tomorrow because after the TV appearance I'm off to a big dinner event. So check back on Friday, and wish me luck.

173.8 Reality vs Something Magical

First I want to thank those who posted comments in response to yesterday's post. I really appreciate the support and caring reflected in the comments.

Well, my weight popped up again, a little. But I had a little wine and ate a little low calorie, low salt popcorn and there you have it. What I have to understand is that I have to pay attention, all the time.

I was out to lunch (some might say I'm always out to lunch!) today with some friends and shocking as it may seem, the conversation turned to weight issues. Actually, I didn't bring it up and I try not to bring that topic of conversation up when I am with my friends. But anyway, what I heard myself saying and I know to be true is that slender healthy women are always watching what they eat and that's why they are slender and healthy. It's a no-brainer except for those of us who think that something magical has happened in their lives so they don't have to pay attention.

After lunch I headed over to my nail place and had, as my daughters say, a mani and a pedi. I can't possibly be on TV without doing that:). Yes, I am getting excited! Thursday is the big day.

173.8 At Last!

You know, you never know. I know I have used that line in several of my posts, and again it has become extremely appropriate. When I started this amazing weight loss adventure back in February of 2008, and when I started my blog in August of 2009, I wasn't planning on being on TV. But Jennifer Scott (www.jscotthypnosis.com) received a call from our local ABC station to talk about her work with hypnosis. She's invited me to appear with her on the program Smart Family in about a week.

What's really funny to me is that all my life I have been waiting to be discovered. At UCLA I was very quiet and never told anyone that, as I walked the streets around the campus, I was waiting, expecting to be discovered.:) How and why I was worthy of being discovered was never made clear to me, but it was an active dream of mine. Since that didn't happen then, I gave up on that dream and although it's been a joke between Jeff and me, I rarely have thought about my desire to be discovered way back then.

So now when I'm 68 years old, I finally get to appear on TV. Am I nervous? OMG yes! Am I excited? Of course. And, I have to seriously lose a couple more pounds. Over the past few days I have increased my water drastically because I haven't been feeling very well, and look what happened. So I'm pushing the water and doing all the right things, and hope to be looking good and sounding somewhat articulate on the big day.

175.4 Spelling Bee TV

This morning the spelling bee that Jeff has been working on for 2 months now was featured on a local TV program. He found out yesterday morning that it would be filmed today, and that he needed to get at least 12 folks, preferably in costume, to participate. I went along as a morale booster since I was the only one from my team that was available. A great moment was when a real bee decided to swoop around Jeff and the interviewer, Yetta. No, this was not planned! Here's the site to see the TV interview. Jeff did a great job planning this and talking about it today on TV along with the rowdy fun spellers!

http://www.azfamily.com/good-morning-arizona/

So I'm thinking about today and how I probably would not have participated if I hadn't lost that weight! And, I would have missed out on so much fun. And, very few people involved even knew that I had been heavier so it wasn't about them. It was about me and how I feel about myself versus how I used to feel. I used to hide and miss out.

I have to remember these things as I continue to make peace with food and with myself.