The Big Reveal!!

So, what I couldn't tell you before because I was so afraid to jinx myself was that my weight loss transformation is actually featured in an article and it's posting today! The last two months have just been surreal. I got the phone call on June 1st from Jen (you know, from our Ragnar team/Media Meld and her blog From Fat To Finish Line) that somehow, after hearing about our RR team, Ragnar Relay and Lori Weiss, a writer for the Huffington Post, had been in contact with each other and they thought my "later in life" reinvention would make a great story!

I spoke to Lori on the phone for about an hour so that she could get a good feel for my story and whether it would pass the test for her editor, 'That Girl' Marlo Thomas! (I know her as Phil Donahue's wife and the ambassador for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.) I was concerned that I'm not post 50 and my transformation began in my late 30's since the section Marlo manages is about life after 50. Lori said not to worry.

I got the phone call from Lori about a week later to say that the story was accepted and we then had to schedule a time when we could sit and talk, for about THREE HOURS!!! I thought, "What the hell do I have to talk about for 3 hours???" Wouldn't you know we wound up on the phone for 3 1/2 hours!!We talked about everything, starting from early childhood all the way up to my trip to Miami for the Ragnar Relay. I just never thought my story was all that special, but because I have no problem chiming in and "conversing" with complete strangers (namely commenting on Katie's blog!), all of these amazing things are happening! The stories of each and every one of my Ragnar team members are extraordinary because we are part of the 5% of people who have lost weight and are keeping it off. We are hoping that the documentary as well as this article will inspire others to believe in themselves and do it as well, no matter what your age.

After the phone conversation I had to get together pictures representing my life and the ups and downs of my weight. I also had to write down all of the information for each picture, like, for example, my kindergarten picture. I'm one of seven kids, and my mother was terrified that one of us would come home with lice and then the house would be infested, so she cut our hair so we ALL looked like little boys, not just our brothers! Add to that the fact that my shirt was turquoise covered in flower-filled vases atop gold end tables and you get the gist of my childhood in the 70's. Oh, and I'm chubby. FML?

I can't think for the life of me why I'm SMILING!!

So, Lori said that the picture gallery in the article can hold up to 30 pictures, so I sent 30 pictures! They can edit whatever isn't worthy, but make sure you click on all the pictures so you can see me through the years- too bad there can't be a soundtrack! I think I covered all the major milestones in my life, high school graduation, college, my wedding, the babies... Then the good stuff is covered, like my different races and finally THE MAKEOVER!!! I hope my new look meets all of your expectations since the anticipation must have been building for over a month! (NOT!)

The cherry on top of this most unbelievably decadent to-die for dessert? The Huffington Post article could make the AOL Welcome page, since they are owned by the same company. I'm on AOL daily because we have an AOL e-mail address since the dinosaur days of dial-up, (You've Got Mail!), so I click through all of the top story screens, from top world news to celebrity gossip. It's how I keep abreast of everything! Anyway, this could happen as early as tomorrow but up to a week later. Lori's last story did make it to AOL's home page, so *fingers crossed*...

About two weeks ago, Lori called to read me the article. I couldn't believe it was MY story. It brought tears to my eyes to hear what I lived the past 40 years from someone else's perspective, written so beautifully but so succinctly. My weight loss journey, the trials and tribulations, milestones and victories in less than 1400 words.

It boggles my mind that this is my life.


Head to www.huffingtonpost.com/50/ to read the article!