My first second anniversary with Fla!

Nope, that wasn't a typo.  I really mean it when I say, "My first second anniversary" with Flaminia ("Fla"), my trainer.  As I explained under "The omens and the blue-haired tormentor," I met Fla on August 19, 2014, the day after I joined my gym, Total Woman.

The #1 question people ask me

Whenever I encountered someone who had lost a ton of weight, my first question was always the same, "How did you do it?"  If I had bet this would be the first question posed to me as well, I would have lost the bet.  It's usually the second question I'm asked.

Feeling sad and a bit lost

If you've been reading my blog, you know what an amazing influence Flaminia ("Fla"), my trainer, has been to me this past year.  Prior to meeting her, I lost 40 lbs. on my own in almost two years, but it wasn't until I met Fla that things really turned around for me.  Thanks to her, I've lost over 80 lbs. since we met just a little over a year ago in August 2014.

Kids in a candy store

Whenever my job sent me out of town to attend a meeting, a training class, or a seminar, it always fascinated me that I was the only one in the group not  obsessed with food.  It never failed, the number one topic among my co-workers every day was, "Where are we going to eat?"

Get help to start your healthier lifestyle

A friend recently emailed me to say she hired a nutritionist to lose weight and then added, "I know you'll disapprove because you did it on your own."  I don't know why she thought I'd disapprove because in reality I thought it was a great idea.  

Eating on the run

I don't need GPS to find fast food restaurants within a 20-mile radius of my house.  I know where all the McDonalds, Jack In The Boxes, Carl's Juniors, KFCs, Taco Bells, Del Tacos, and Burger Kings are because these places fed me weekly (sometimes daily) for many years.  Then there was Panda Express now and again as well as pizza I'd order once or twice a month.  El Pollo Loco wasn't neglected either.

Vilma the clown or the hooker?

For my birthday/weighing-in-the-100s-celebratory dinner with Flaminia ("Fla"), my trainer, a couple of weeks ago, I wore make-up for the first time in decades.  In fact, most of my friends have never seen me in make-up.  My best friend, Joyce, who's known me since I was 18 years old said, "Oh, my God, it's been so long since I've seen you dolled up, I don't think I'd recognize you!"

Awakening from my coma

One of the most notable changes recently in my thinner universe is that everything feels like a new experience, a very pleasant one at that.  In some ways I feel like I've awakened from a coma and now I'm experiencing the world again. 

Best compliment ever: who are you?

Although I received a few compliments here and there about my weight loss along the way, it wasn't until I lost about 95 lbs. that people started to really notice.  Suddenly I no longer heard, "Have you lost some weight?" and instead started hearing, "How much have you lost?!"  The reactions since have been even greater, from amazing to unbelievable.