Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Hiatus!

A Very Merry Christmas to all my friends and family! I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season and spending as much time as you can with your loved ones. November and December have been busy months for me, and I'm sure for many of you as well. Needless to say, with all the hustle and bustle of the season, my exercise and healthy eating have definitely suffered. Not to worry. I am in no way giving up. Knowing how hectic this time of year would be, I decided to do my best to maintain what I've already lost and then kick it back into high gear in the new year.

This photo was taken of our choir during our performance in 2009. I'm front and center and I've definitely lost weight since then!

I apologize for not blogging lately! So much has happened recently. In November I had the privilege and the pleasure of singing with the Macy's All Star Holiday Choir during the live broadcast of the Macy's Great Tree Lighting in Atlanta, GA, on Thanksgiving evening. I auditioned and was selected in 2009 and have been invited back each year since. It is fast becoming a favorite holiday tradition of mine. Of course, I made a couple of videos to vlog my experience. Those gems will be included at the end of this blog, along with a few others. November was also the month for the new Twilight movie, Breaking Dawn Part 1, to be released. I'm a major fan, so of course I went to see it on the first weekend. Loved it and I can't wait for part 2 next year!



All decked out in my Twilightaholic t-shirt and ready to go to the movie with one of my BFFs, Natalie.

Shhhhhhhhh...The movie is about to start.

My December has been spent preparing for Christmas, which turned out to be a wonderful time spent with family. Now it is time to gear up for the year 2012. My next exercise goal is to be able to run a mile. I can walk 3-5 miles with no problem, but running it will be new for me. Also, I have to get back into the habit of journaling my food everyday. My next step with the journaling, that will bring me to the next level, will be to count calories. It's all about important baby steps that will add up to a healthy lifestyle and physical fitness. I hope all of you will continue to walk this journey with me. There is definitely strength in numbers!  Please have an excellent rest of the week and a very Happy New Year! Enjoy the videos I've attached! :)

Less Candy Equals More Fun

Halloween Fun for everyone!!!

Whoah! I just realized it's been almost a month since I last posted a blog. Well, it's been an interesting month for sure. Full of good times and struggles, but mostly good times. October got off to a great start with the Walk 2 End Alzheimer's. I continue to stay strong with the help of Josh and Alex's Track 2 Transformation boot camp on Saturday mornings. The fact that the cost has been lowered to $10 makes it that much better. Keeping up with my food journal has been the key to keeping my weight loss efforts successful. I am committed to writing everything down. No matter what. If I go crazy and eat five candy bars (no worries, I haven't) that gets journaled. I have to be honest with myself or this won't work.

Excited Trick-or-Treaters, Randy and Arianna (Spiderman and Spidergirl).

This Halloween, I dressed as FBI Technical Analyst, Penelope Garcia from the show Criminal Minds. My hubby loved my costume!

Less than two weeks ago, we celebrated Halloween. Candy candy candy...Right? WRONG! In past years, I would buy several bags of candy in preparation for Trick-or-Treaters and just to have extra candy on hand for my own personal stash. This year, I made the decision to not buy any candy. My son, Anthony, and I went out with my friend, Natalie, and my niece and nephew, Arianna and Randy. Our fun that evening was centered around getting dressed up in costumes and driving around town hunting for Halloween events. Not candy. Now, of course, the kids did collect a small amount of candy, but I was not at all tempted to indulge. My son gave me one small Tootsie Roll out of his bag. That was the extent of my Halloween feast. Therefore, I was able to lose 1.4 pounds. That's the best Treat ever! 

This was me last Halloween and about 36 pounds heavier.

Check out my latest weight loss vlog...

These Feet Were Made For Walking

October is off to a fierce start! Saturday, October 1st, I walked in my very first 5K, the Walk 2 End Alzheimer's, to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association. My hubby and kiddies walked with me and we had a blast. My son, Anthony, and I finished the walk (3.1 miles) in 59 minutes. My daughter, Madison, and Hubby were close behind us at an hour and 7 minutes. So far, I have raised $330 towards my goal of $500 for the cause, and more has been promised. Sweet!

As you know, September was my month to participate in Get Up Give Back with Jason Devila and Christa Diehl. I am anxiously awaiting Jase's blog update to read how we all did, now that we've completed our challenge. In the process of waiting for the official results, I uploaded the data from my pedometer to my laptop. For the month of September, I walked a grand total of 150,199 steps. Whoa! That's 66.23 miles; 6,595 calories and 391.4 grams of fat. Go me! It's so rewarding to see how every little bit of movement adds up. I will definitely need to replace my running shoes very soon!

Quick update: I am now down 36 pounds and can wear a size 16 pair of slacks that I've been waiting 4 years to get into. Woot Woot!

Moving On: Life After The Biggest Loser Casting Experience

C'est la vie (Such is life)

It's official. You will not be seeing me on the 13th season of The Biggest Loser. The casting directors made their announcement via Twitter and Facebook, a couple of days ago, that all finalists had been selected and contacted. I was not one of those lucky individuals that received the call of a lifetime. Am I disappointed? Of course. Do I regret the experience? Absolutely not! Through my Biggest Loser experience, I have completely changed my life for the better and met some of the most amazing people.

Alex and Courtney are just two of the wonderful people I've met along my journey. Love them!

Now that I am no longer waiting to be selected, I am free to put more effort into my journey of weight loss, health and inspiration. More importantly, I will now hopefully be blessed with a paying job. Momma needs a paycheck! My plan of becoming the best me possible will continue. I am committed to finally completing my transformation. No turning back! The only help I will get from The Biggest Loser will be the extra motivation I receive from watching the show in my own living room. Even though I won't get the awesome opportunity to be on the show, I will always love it and plan to tune in every Tuesday night. Not to mention, I have a bit of a married woman crush on the new trainer, Dolvett. Ladies, can you blame me? Lol!

 My Donor Page-Walk 2 End Alzheimer's

Back to reality! Seriously, it is so amazing to look back at all I've accomplished in the past five months. Not only have I now lost 34.6 pounds (and still going), but I'm inspiring people every day to start their own journeys. Some of them have even started their own blog sites. Fab-u-lous! One of my fellow bloggers even made a window decal for me to promote my blog. How cool is that (pic below)? Next Saturday, October 1st, I will be walking in my very first 5K to support the Alzheimer's Association (link above). Currently, I have the pleasure of taking the Track 2 Transformation boot camp class every other Saturday. As soon as I have a job again, I will be at boot camp every Saturday and Zumba during the week. Look out world! Theresa is coming at ya in true beast mode (that's a good thing, by the way)!

My most awesome window decal. It rocks and looks so good on my KIA Spectra. ;)

My dear friends, it is getting late and I must get up early tomorrow for church. So, I will leave you with my latest update video and my Biggest Loser 13 audition videos, for anyone who's interested. Much love and many blessings to you all!

My official audition video for BL13.

My video of bonus clips for BL13.

My latest weight loss update video 9-22-11.

Who Is This Motivated Girl? I Like Her!

Alex Respess, me and the fabulous Courtney Crozier.

Since beginning my weight loss journey in April, I have committed myself to getting active. No more lounging on the couch and daydreaming of what could be done, but actually getting up and doing it. Surprisingly, over the past five months I have found that I actually like exercising. When I am unable to workout I feel disappointed. What is happening here? Who is this person? It's ME! I am changing for the better and I love it!

Our group shot from boot camp 9-3-11.

This past Saturday I tried out a new boot camp class called Track 2 Transformation. Alex Respess from Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition has teamed up with a personal trainer named Josh Rohr to offer this class to people in the Atlanta, GA metro area. I've included the link to their Facebook page so please check it out. T2TBootcamp Track 2 Transformation is offered every Saturday at 8:30am and 10am, and the cost is $15 per session. I not only got a great workout, but I had a lot of fun as well. Alex was very down to Earth and patient with all of us. He worked us out hard without having to be a bully. Josh Rohr was not at the class when I went, so I was not able to meet him and see what his training style is like, but I'm sure he is great. We did, however, have a special guest. Courtney Crozier, from The Biggest Loser 11, (Alex's girlfriend) was there to offer her support. Courtney is still recovering from her recent surgery, so she was unable to work out with us. She kept pacing around while we were exercising. You could tell she so wanted to join us. After the class, we took pictures and I had the delightful treat of getting to chat with Courtney. I must say that she is a total doll! Courtney is so genuinely kind and so easy to talk to. She really encouraged me. Love her!

We had a blast! Can't wait to do the class again!

Boot camp was a great way to start the month of September! I am also participating in a fitness challenge to raise money for charity. My friend, Jase Davila, started a project in August call Get Up Give Back. Each month he selects two Twitter friends to commit to exercising as many days as they can during the month that they are assigned. For each day the friend reports their exercise to Jase, he pays $2.50 to the charity of the friends choice. At the end of the month Jase tallies up the days of exercise and donates the total amount to the predetermined charities. Which ever charity earns the highest amount, Jase will match it to double the donation. My friend Christa Diehl and I will be the participants for September. I have chosen the Alzheimer Association for my charity. We are gonna rock this!

The most awesome Jase Davila. Give Up Give Back!

At the conclusion of the Get Up Give Back challenge, I will be walking in a 5k on October 1st to support the Alzheimer's Association. I've included the link to my donation page, if anyone wants to join the cause. Walk To End Alzheimer's-Theresa's Page

As you can see, I am definitely keeping myself busy while waiting to hear if I get selected for The Biggest Loser 13. My journey has kicked into high gear and I am truly transforming; physically and mentally. I am no longer the same person I was five months ago. I'm staying on this path to health and fitness. No turning back!

From April to September: 32 pounds lighter and noticably smaller.

Hoping For The Call Of A Life Time



This is me waiting for my call. Good times!

The last casting call for The Biggest Loser, Season 13, wrapped up last Saturday, August 27th, in Los Angeles. Several of my Twitter Friends attended this call and they all reported having the time of their lives. I was unsuccessful in my attempts to FedEx myself to Beverly Hills, so I settled for living vicariously through the Tweets of my Girls. Thanks for the shared memories!

Now that the casting calls are complete and the call back calls have been made, the home video round begins. The casting directors have all committed to watching every last video that has been submitted. Good luck! Meanwhile, thousands of Biggest Loser Hopefuls, like me, are waiting in anticipation for that life-changing call from the casting team.

This can be a very stressful time in the casting process. It's not easy being glued to your phone and computer, while simultaneously checking your voicemail, email, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube accounts; in hopes that the "Golden Ticket" of messages will finally come. Talk about multi-tasking! Plus, most of us have jobs, families, friends, etc...that need attention as well.

The best thing to do during this waiting period is to stay positive. Remember that we've done everything we can do at this point. The ball is totally in the court of the casting directors now. If I am given a chance to be on The Biggest Loser, I will be beyond thrilled! However, if the call never comes I will of course be disappointed, but I've already made up my mind to not be devastated.
I know that I'm worth it and I am determined to this! With or without The Biggest Loser, I am going to lose this weight and be the best me I can possibly be. With all that said...Biggest Loser, please call me! What? I'm still in it to win it! OXOXO

The Biggest Loser 13 Casting Call: What An Amazing Adventure!

This is my time to shine! I am worth it!

My day started with a jolt on Saturday. I had planned to wake up at 2am and leave my house around 4am to pick up my friend, Natalie, and head up to The Biggest Loser casting call. Well, that all changed when my husband called me from work at 4am and woke me up. Oops! Apparently, I turned my alarm off in my sleep. Nice! I hopped out of bed and gave myself a little pep talk and prayed so I wouldn't freak out about running late. By 5:30am I was showered, all dolled up and ready to wow the casting directors.

Check out all the BL13 Hopefuls! Good luck to the casting team!

One of my best friends, Natalie, agreed to come with me and be my line buddy. After picking her up, we arrived in downtown Atlanta around 6:30am. As we drove by the Hard Rock Cafe, the line was already around the corner and halfway down the block. We quickly found a parking place and hiked back to the Hard Rock. As soon as Natalie and I set up camp in line, I took off to explore. My main agenda at this point was to find my friend Misty, who is one of my Twitter Friends. She and her husband, Jeromy, drove from Alabama to attend the Atlanta casting call. We were meeting face to face for the first time. So exciting!

Me and my Twitta Sista, Misty.

Me with Misty and her hubby, Jeromy.

Misty and Jeromy arrived around 7am and I let them cut in line, of course. I told them if anyone asks, Misty is my sister. Well, she is my Twitter Sister so it wouldn't have been completely false. ;) Meeting these two was definitely one of the highlights of my day. It was as if we'd known each other all our lives. They are such a cute couple and so much fun to be around.

Around 8:30am the casting staff began passing out applications and stapling our photos for us. The applications were numbered so I could see that I was number 112th in line (I wonder how many people actually showed up? I'm guessing more than the 200 they were expecting.). By 9am they began letting the BL13 Hopefuls in the door, in groups of eight at a time. The excitement and anxiety was slowly bubbling up inside of me. I did my best to remain calm and enjoy the moment. As we were patiently waiting and inching our way towards the front of the line, I began overhearing stories from other Hopefuls, that had just completed their interviews. They were saying you basically had to have a major sob story to even be considered. As if I wasn't already nervous enough! I may not have a tear-inducing story to tell, but I happen to think my life is interesting enough and, darn it, I'm worth it!

Me and Courtney.

Misty and Courtney.

Courtney and Jeromy.

Just when I was on the verge of doubting myself, an angel appeared. That angel was Courtney Crozier, from The Biggest Loser, Season 11. She is just as amazing in person as she is on television. Everyone wanted a chance to talk to her, give her a hug, take pictures, etc. One woman was driving down the street, and when she spotted Courtney she quickly parked her car (most likely illegally) and ran over to meet her idol. Courtney was so gracious and patient with everyone she met. When I originally applied to be on Biggest Loser, Season 12, Courtney is the one that inspired me to get off the couch and start my weight loss journey with or without the show. It was such an honor to be able to tell her, in person, what an inspiration she is to me. We even managed to take pictures with her fabulousness! Love it!

Courtney chatting it up with some BL13 Hopefuls.

Everyone was so excited to meet Courtney. Recognize the handsome young man standing across from her in this photo? Yes, it's her boyfriend, Alex, from Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition.

By 11am we finally reached the door and were ushered into the holding area where they put us in groups of eight and gave us the pep talk. Woooooooo hooooo! After the talk and run down of rules and regulations, our group was allowed past a heavy red velvet curtain into the interview room. Standing at the table waiting for us was the awesomely beautiful Brittany Aberle from The Biggest Loser, Season 5. Since her time at the ranch, Brittany has become a casting director, helping others to realize their dreams.

It was a true honor to be interviewed by Brittany! She definitely knows what it's like to be in our place!

Brittany had us all sit down at the table and proceeded with our group interview. It went so fast! I think we had five minutes, at the most, with her. We went around the table stating our names, ages and occupations and then we only had one question to answer..."After all the seasons of The Biggest Loser, why now? Why do we want to lose weight now?" I wanted Brittany to know that I have already started my weight loss journey and that I'm ready now, more than ever to be a serious contender on The Biggest Loser. Not sure if all of that came across, but I did my best in the time I had. After our time was up everyone was leaving, but I made sure to have a picture taken with the amazing Brittany and Misty. :)

I didn't receive an immediate call back that day, but I haven't lost hope. Currently, I'm in the process of adding the finishing touches to my audition video and will be submitting that very soon. In the live interview you have so little time to make that connection and lasting impression with the casting director. The video gives you the chance to really show who you are and why you deserve to be chosen. You also have 20 minutes, instead of 20 seconds to express yourself. :) Below, I have included a video of my casting call experience. Enjoy and see you on the ranch!

Fabulous Trip to the Cape and Weight Loss Too

Me enjoying some relaxation time at the beach. Yeeeesssss!

As many of you may know, I spent the past week in Falmouth, Massachusetts. My cousin, Marissa, married a wonderful man named Joshua on July 30th. We attended the wedding and had a fabulous family vacation. I believe we may have been in one of the few locations not affected by the crazy heat wave that's been attacking the Mid-west and East Coast this summer. The temperature highs were in the 70s and low 80s all week. Simply beautiful!

The kiddies explore.

Marissa and Josh prepare to say their vows.

Jemel and I enjoying each other's company on the dance floor, at Marissa and Josh's rehearsal reception.

Considering I was out of town for eleven days, I was unable to weigh myself. I did indulge a little when eating with the family, but I didn't get out of control and I walked almost everyday. I started the family Starbucks walk in the morning. It was a huge hit and so much fun to exercise with my loved ones. By the end of the week I walked 20 miles. Yay me!

Dad and I enjoying our walk to Starbucks.

My brother, Sean, chillin' at Starbucks, during one of our walks.

Well, I weighed in today (one day early, since I will be at the Biggest Loser casting call tomorrow) and I now weigh 238.6 pounds. I am down 3.2 for a total loss of 29.2 pounds. Almost 30 lost and I am now in the 230s. Woo hoo!

I'm going to keep this post short today. I have to get to bed early in preparation for the Biggest Loser casting call tomorrow. I'm nervous and excited and, of course, I will be blogging all about my experience. Wish me luck! :)

The Biggest Loser Is Coming To Town!

To say my week did not quite go as planned, would be a slight understatement. Don't get me wrong, I still had a great week, I just had to surf a few waves along the way. We had a garage sale on Saturday so my whole week leading up to this was completely consumed with preparations. The only exercise I managed to squeeze in was my 2-mile walk on Monday. Believe it or not, I really missed being able to workout. Wow! Did I just say that? I'm really starting to like this new and improved Theresa! Alright, back to my week. Tuesday began normally. Unfortunately, lighting struck our house that afternoon and damaged our television, my son's XBox360 and worst of all, my laptop. O-M-G!!! My whole life is on that computer. My photos, videos for Biggest Loser and my spreadsheet for paying bills, just to name a few. I am praying my data can be recovered!

On a more positive and awesome note...Last week, The Biggest Loser Casting Team released the list of cities and dates of the live casting calls for Season 13. For anyone who is interested, or knows someone who is interested in being a contestant, I have posted the official BL13 poster below and the list of cities, dates and venues at the end of this post. As you can see, the fabulous Olivia Ward (BL11 Winner) is featured. Fabulousness personified!

I will be attending the casting call in Atlanta, GA, August 6th, at the Hard Rock Cafe. I am so excited that The Biggest Loser Casting Team chose to come to my area! When I applied for Season 12 in March, there were no casting calls close enough for me to attend so I submitted a video. Now I will have the added advantage of meeting the casting team in person. I have already pre-registered on the new BL13Casting web site: http://www.thebiggestlosercasting.com/. Even though it's not a requirement, since I will be at the casting call, I am currently collecting video clips for my next awesome audition video (which I hope to recover from my laptop). The casting directors really want a chance to get to see who you are. I plan to give them as much material as they need. Of course, I will be documenting my experience at the casting call so be on the lookout for that post.

Currently, I am getting prepared for our upcoming family vacation. We are going to Cape Cod, MA this Friday and will be there until July 31st. My cousin is getting married on the 30th and we will all be attending. One of my short-term goals was to lose as much weight as I can before the wedding. I have to say I'm very proud of my self! This past week, for all it's "waves" and lack of exercise, I lost 1.6 pounds for a total of 26. As of Saturday morning, I weigh 241.8 pounds. This means I met my 25% goal and I'm extremely close to my goal of getting into the 230's. All of my jeans are now "denim sweatpants" and my dress pants are now "sweat slacks." Thankfully, this week I will get to do some much needed clothes shopping. Yay me!

Well, I am most definitely looking forward to working out on the beach all next week and then going to the casting call on August 6th. My new life on this journey is awesome, and I am so thankful for my many blessings and all of the awesome people God has put in my path! I can't wait to share my next adventure with all of you!

Open Casting Calls, Biggest Loser 13

Open casting calls are coming to a city near you! Come and meet The Biggest Loser Casting Team for your best chance to be on the show! Please check back frequently for updated information at http://www.thebiggestlosercasting.com/.

Saturday, July 30

Austin10am-6pmThe Long Center for the Performing Arts701 West Riverside DriveAustin, TX 78704 

NY Tri-State Area10am-6pmNewark Beth Israel Medical Center201 Lyons Avenue at Osborne TerraceNewark, NJ 07112

Detroit, MI10am-6pmGardner-White Furniture45300 Hayes RoadMacomb, MI 48044-3846

Saturday, August 6

Charlotte, NC10am-6pmPlanet Fitness10215-B University City Blvd.(Located in the Back Creek Shopping Center)Charlotte, NC 28213

Washington, DC10am-6pmPrince George's Sports and Learning Complex8001 Sheriff RoadLandover, MD 20785

Atlanta, GA9am-5pmHard Rock Cafe215 Peachtree Street NortheastAtlanta, GA 30303 

Saturday, August 13

St. Louis, MO10am-6pmChesterfield Mall291 Chesterfield Mall(at the intersection of Highway 40 and Clarkson Rd)Chesterfield, MO 63017-4811

Salt Lake City, UT9am-5pmKSL 5 TV55 North 300 WestSalt Lake City, UT 84180

Phoenix, AZ10am-6pmSuperstition Springs Center6555 E. Southern Ave.Mesa, AZ 85206

Saturday, August 20

Chicago, IL10am-6pmChicago Home Fitness2070 North Clybourn AvenueChicago, IL 60614

Dallas, TX10am-6pmGilley’s Dallas1135 South Lamar StreetDallas, TX 75215-1036

Orlando, FLTBA

Saturday, August 27

Los Angeles, CA
10am-4pmCitadel Outlets100 Citadel DriveLos Angeles, CA 90040

If you cannot attend an open casting call, be sure to submit an application and videotape submission. CLICK HERE for details.
*YOU DO NOT NEED A VIDEOTAPE IN ORDER TO ATTEND AN OPEN CASTING CALL. IF YOU MADE ONE PRIOR TO THE OPEN CASTING CALL, PLEASE DO NOT BRING IT WITH YOU - MAIL OR EMAIL IT PER THE INSTRUCTIONS.
*YOU DO NOT NEED TO BRING AN APPLICATION TO THE OPEN CASTING. WE WILL BE PROVIDING SHORTER CASTING CALL APPLICATIONS.
*Applicants must be at least 18 years of age
*Applicants must be a lawful U.S. resident

13 Just Might Be My Lucky Number

Three months ago I embarked on an amazing journey, when I applied to be a contestant on the 12th season of The Biggest Loser reality show. I had finally reached that place in my mind and heart that said it was time to put a serious effort into getting healthy, and breaking free from morbid obesity. The chances of me being selected to be on the show were extremely slim, so I made a promise to myself to start my weight loss journey before they made the casting decisions. When I was not selected I was able to continue on my own. The friends I met on Twitter during the casting process, and continue to meet, have been a phenomenal help, with their constant encouragement and advice.

On that note...it's time to try again. The Biggest Loser will be releasing information soon on auditions for season 13. I'm going for it, so I've been busy collecting video clips, writing my blog and making myself known on the Internet. This time I'll be a lot harder to overlook!

At the start of my journey, I weighed 267.8 pounds and I barely exercised. After making the discussion to lose weight on my own, I was determined to make big changes in myself. The first step was to remove all junk food and candy from my home. The next was to purchase a journal to write down everything I eat, all of my exercise and to celebrate my successes. After that I went grocery shopping for lean proteins, fruits, veggies and whole grains. I began trying out new recipes and my family became my guinea pigs. Exercise was almost non-existent in my life so I started slow at first. I started going to the park every other day and walking a mile. I was experiencing a lot of pain in my right foot; in the arch, heel and Achilles tendon areas. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to exercise anymore, and that would be devastating to my goals. My next move was to make an appointment with my doctor. I found out that I had Plantar Fasciitis (a.k.a. Heel Spur). She gave me a whole list of stretches to do everyday that would help my foot and get me back on track. With the help of these stretches and a Dr. Scholl's insert, I was able to continue walking and I am now up to 4 miles every other day. I am also doing aerobic workouts on the days I don't go to the track. I make sure to have a rest day 1-2 days a week to allow my muscles to recuperate.  When I'm on that track, walking further than I ever have and listening to my favorite songs, I feel so empowered! I know I can do this and I'm ready for the Biggest Loser Ranch!

Today I weigh 243.4 pounds and my body is starting to transform. My clothes are getting baggy and my muscles are getting bigger. I'm so excited about my new future! Before, when I was preparing for The Biggest Loser 12, I was seriously doubtful of my physical ability to do the show. Now, I'm so much stronger and all the more determined to be one of the next contestants on The Biggest Loser 13! It's my time and I will succeed!

My latest update video is below. Enjoy!

I Will Cry No More! Bullies Be Gone!

Too often, I hear horrible stories of my friends being made to feel less than human by some random jerk with a rude comment about being fat. I, too, have fallen prey to these (for lack of a better word) bullies. My personal experience began in elementary school. In third grade the boys called my best friend and I "Crockett and Tubbs" (from Miami Vice). My friend had been given an unfortunate short and curly perm that made her dark hair look like an Afro and I was chubby (hence, the name Tubbs belonged to me).

Me in the third grade. BTW...I look nothing like Detective Tubbs. He was the one with the Afro. I guess the boys weren't too smart, but they sure thought they were so clever.

Fourth grade was my toughest year and most damaging to my fragile self-esteem. This was when I came face to face with creatures called "Mean Girls." For whatever reason, the leader of this group did not like me. She was one of the two most popular girls in our class and we went to a small Catholic School, so there weren't many kids to choose from for friendship. I had my small group of close friends and we would look out for each other. Well, this girl (we'll call her Queen Bee) started a secret girls' club and started inviting all the girls in our class, including my friends, to join. When the club was completely full of members, I was the one and only girl in our class that was left out. I couldn't blame my friends for joining. For once in their lives they belonged. The whole ordeal may have lasted a couple of months, but to me it was an eternity of solitude. I must have looked so sad and pathetic wandering around the playground all by self every day at recess. Being shunned is one of the most terrible feelings a person can experience.

Me as a singing firefly in our Christmas musical (fourth grade). The Mean Girls also made fun of my singing, so I went for several years thinking I couldn't sing. Thankfully, I had the best choir teacher ever, my Junior and Senior years in high school. He broke down the wall I had built up and started the process of bringing out my singing voice. Now I love to sing and I'm a vocalist on our praise team at church.

Fifth grade was completely different. I had my friends back, I got the teacher I wanted and life was good. Also, Queen Bee had a different teacher than me, so I didn't have to be around her much.

The fifth grade me playing with my friends. My BFF is giving me a piggy-back ride.

The following year, my best friend transferred to a new school, so I was on my own once again. I still had other friends that I got along with, but there's nothing like having your BFF with you. Sixth grade would have been decent, if not for a "Mean Girl" in the grade ahead of me. I was in that awkward in between stage of adolescence when it looked like I had mosquito bites on my chest. My mom didn't think I was quite ready for a bra. This girl decided to nickname me "Bra-less Girl." Just what I needed. Anytime she saw me she felt the need to say something mean to me and got her friends to join in. I didn't even know her.

Me in sixth grade. We were performing a skit for a Girl Scout event. I'm the damsel in distress with the stick of dynamite in my mouth.

I finally transferred to public school in seventh grade. Junior High and High School were great for me. I was still chubby, but I had gotten into playing softball and had a fairly athletic build. I made all kinds of great friends and life was good once more. Please know that I hold no animosity whatsoever towards the bullies from my childhood. They were just kids and most have completely changed in their adulthood. I'm even Facebook friends with some. The adults who continue to bully, on the other hand, should know better!

Me in ninth grade. This was my 15th birthday.

The first time I experienced a random act of rudeness as an adult was when I was nine months pregnant with my son. I had gained 46 pounds and was swollen from being at the end of my pregnancy. This man I was sitting next to on the bus looked at me and said, "It must be hard to be so fat!" I couldn't believe I had just heard such a rude comment, so I simply told him that I was pregnant. His response was, "So, you're still fat!" I tried my best not to cry until he was gone. My husband was with me at the time, but hadn't heard that conversation. I knew Jemel would have punched the guy in the face, so I didn't tell him until he asked why I was crying.

Anthony on board, Summer 1998. Wow we looked young!

I've also encountered negative feedback in my career, due to my weight. It's like when people see an overweight person, they automatically label that person as lazy. I've gotten that from more than one employer. They perceive me as a lazy worker, so I have to bust my behind to try not to appear lazy. I end up getting burned out and lose all motivation to do my job. My performance suffers and then I really do look lazy.

It's unfortunate that we can allow normal people, that are no better than anyone, to have such power over us. One snide remark can completely ruin our day. My daughter told me this weekend that she is being bullied by the boys and older kids at her summer camp. Will this vicious cycle never end? Well, I refuse to cry anymore over rude and ignorant people!  I am more motivated to change my life now, than any other time in my entire life. I am going to change the world, starting with me, one pound at a time! Bullies be gone!

On a much more positive note, this week was a really great week! Check out my latest weight loss update video! I finally met my first short-term goal! Yay!