Last Day

I'm done! I'm done! I'm done!

Thanks to everyone for supporting me, it has been a great journey!

Here are my results!

I lost 26 pounds, and a total of 12.5 inches through my chest, waist, and hips! I am very happy with my results, I feel like this was a great jumpstart to my weight goal! There is no turning back now, I am going all the way!

My last card/gift is from my Mom!

Thank you Mom for my luggage tag and card! I can't believe that I'll be seeing you tomorrow! I am so excited. I really appreciate all of your love and support! And thanks again for keeping my little pup! You and Johnny are the best!! Love you both soooooooo much!!!

Day 39

Bella

The sun feel glorious! 

Sometimes you've just got to relax. 

One more full day and I will be on my way home!

Today was awesome. I went to the beach on my hike but ended up sitting on the beach enjoying the view. It all started out with a sea lion laid up on the beach sun bathing! She wasn't bothered by us at all, she would stick her head up and get the sun on her neck, and then roll on her side. It was awesome. We named her Bella. Then while we were hanging out with Bella, six dolphins swam right in front of us. They were swimming right along where the waves break and as one of the big waves was coming in, we were able to see them swim through the wave. It was so cool. But wait, it doesn't end there. A few minutes later a mother and baby gray whale swim right by us! They too were close to where the waves break, and at one point the baby shot straight up out of the water. All of these events happened within an hour, I felt like I was getting my own personal show! It was such a great way to spend my morning!

Today's card is from:

Suzanne!

Thanks for sending me a card! It always feels nice to know someone is proud of you! I am looking forward to seeing you guys really soon! Love ya!

Day 38

I'm not even going to bore you with the details of my day anymore, because by now I am sure that you've got the gist. :)

Let's move on to the exciting things!

I received a package today from Lorena who was here during my first two weeks! She is so sweet! She sent me a shirt that is pink and lime green that says "Keep Austin Weird." She lives in Austin, TX if you were wondering why the shirt says that. Her note said that she wanted the people hiking behind me to have something to focus on other than the back of my neck, it's a joke between us when we were hiking buddies! Thank you Lorena, I really do love it!

Secondly, I can't believe y'all let me get through half of my last week without opening up my Week Six gift from my BFF! Shame shame!! Ok, let's see what it is!

It's a Gap gift card! WHOO HOO! Thank you guys so much, you know how much I love Gap! I can't wait to see you guys! Just a few more days! Love ya!

This next one is a doozy! I found out my friend Lesley is expecting her first child! I was so excited for her when I got the text a couple of weeks ago! Then a few days ago I received another text saying they are expecting TRIPLETS!!! I am still in shock! I couldn't be happier for her and Matt, they are going to be great parents! Please say a prayer for her to deliver three healthy babies at the end of the year!

I am going to open a card because I have just enough left to make it to the end of my trip!

Today's card is from:

Shirley!

Thank you so much for continuing to send me cards! I am so excited to get home and come back to work! You are such a sweet person, I love getting to work with you everyday! See you very soon! XOXO

Day 37

Today's hike.
Unfortunately the haze you see in the
background is smog! :(

One day closer to being home!!

I had another good day, I think it's because I am so excited to go home I am just kind of zoned out! :) We hiked at Cheeseboro today which is a meadow hike, it was a nice change of scenery from the usual canyons. The afternoon consisted of a toning class, cardio intervals, and pool. One thing that really threw off my afternoon was dinner. Everyone here knows that Tuesday's are chocolate covered strawberry nights, that may not mean much to you, but here it means everything! This is the only real dessert we get and it is something to look forward to, but today they really let me down. Supposedly we're having them on Thursday, and they better not be lying! ;)

Today's card is from:

Aunt Faye!

Thanks for sending me a card! I love to know that you are following along! It really is beautiful here, but nothing compares to being back home! I am looking forward to seeing you soon! Love and miss you!

Day 36

3,000 blog views! You guys are amazing! And yes I'm sure a thousand of them have been my Mom! ;)

Well the good news is I have bounced back from my cold! YAY! These past five days were rough, I was so ready to tackle my last two weeks and to have to sit out killed me! Yes, you read that right, I would rather be exercising six hours a day than laying in the bed!

My day went well, our hike was at Castro's Crest. After six weeks it is still one of my least favorites. The cool part was I had my picture taken at the same point I did on my first week and I got to put the pictures side by side. I think since we see our bodies everyday, sometimes we feel like they don't really change that much. It felt really good to see my progress, and be able to point out exactly where I'd lost.

Today's card is from:

Betty Jo!

Thank you BJ, I was definitely having one of those weeks! I appreciate you taking the time to send me a card! I have got Mom talked into exercising a few days a week, we'd love for you to join us! Hope to see you soon! Love ya!

Day 35

Six days to go!

I can not believe the strength of this dang cold! I went to bed last night feeling about 70% and woke up at 30%. :( I spent the entire day in my room medicating every four hours. And even though my nose and lips are completely raw, I am hoping that tomorrow I will wake up feeling back to normal. I apologize for the past few posts but when you've been confined to your room for the past four days you lead a pretty boring life.

Today's card is from:

Myrna!

Thank you Myrna for the card and note, that was so sweet of you! I appreciate you believing in me! I am looking forward to seeing you soon! XOXO

Day 34

HAPPY WEDDING DAY DRAKE AND TABITHA! LOVE YOU GUYS!

I am getting over this dang cold, but it has been rough! I treated myself to a mani/pedi this afternoon, and that always makes me feel better! The official countdown is one week!! I am so excited! Other than that, I don't have a lot going on. I plan on laying out by the pool tomorrow, and then get my game face on for this last week!

Today's card is from:

My step-dad Johnny!

Thank you Johnny for your prayers! I am so thankful to have you in my life, you have been a blessing for Mom and me. I love you very much and can't wait to see you!

Day 33

8 days...8 days....8 DAYS!!!!

I am feeling a little bit better. My throat is still sore but I feel like in the next day or so I should be back to normal. I am going stir crazy in this cabin, and I am finding out just how crappy daytime television is.

I am really missing be at home right now, because tomorrow my brother-in-law is getting married! I just talked to Drew and he was at the rehearsal dinner. I know that the wedding is going to be beautiful and wish I could be there! But I am so excited to come back home and have a sister-in-law! :)

Today's card is from:

Debra Lincoln!!

Thank you Debra, I loved the note! You are such a sweet person, and I feel very blessed to call you a friend! I am looking forward to seeing you soon! XOXO

Day 32

Here's how my day has gone...

*cough* *cough* *sniffle* *cough* *sniffle* *sniffle* *cough*

I can not believe this has happened! I am so frustrated with my body, I took the entire day off and rested. Unfortunately, I don't feel any better! As of how I feel right now, I may be sitting out tomorrow too. :( I want to say 'thank you' to my Mom for talking to me last night and reassuring me that it was okay to take a day off. In my brain, I kept feeling like if I didn't work out today I was slacking. But, I honestly believe over exerting myself right now would only make things worse. I still have one full week to work hard, but right now I just need to focus on getting better. So thank you Mom, I really did need the reassurance that I was making the right decision.

A card from my friends and family always brightens my day! So today's card is from...

Rhealee and Trevor!

You guys are so sweet! Thank you for the card! I am looking forward to coming back and hanging out, y'all are such a fun couple! See you very soon! XOXO

Day 31

Bird of Paradise flower

Wild Parrots

Ten days to go, and I've got a cold...I am officially falling apart.

I don't know where this cold came from, but I am fighting it hard! I would love to have some orange juice but unfortunately there are no juices here. I made it through the majority of my day, I hiked at Solstice Canyon which is surprisingly becoming one of my favorite hikes. Then I went to stretch. After lunch I was beginning to feel sluggish, so I came back to the room and laid down. I got up for my 2:30 class feeling like crap but thought I would at least attempt it. After spending that class feeling weak and clammy I decided to opt out of my last two classes. I came back to my room and cried out of frustration. This is not how I was wanting my last two weeks to go, and I am not sure what else I can do. Please say a prayer that this cold goes away and that I am able to finish my last week and a half here strong. I have come so far to not finish at my full potential.


I have been waiting to open tonight's card since I saw it had "do not open until April 6th" written on it, so here it goes!

It's from Phyllis!

Thank you Phyllis, I love Suzy Zoo cards! I really appreciate your support and I think you are amazing! I am looking forward to seeing you soon! :)

Day 30

Hello Hello! 11 days to go!

All in all, I had a pretty good day. My hike was at Newton Canyon, which if you'll remember from my first posts it almost killed me. Today was a different story, I owned that hike! The hill that I felt was never ending, didn't seem to be nearly a long. That is my favorite part about being here, conquering something that five weeks ago made me want to cry.

I am still having some issues with my left ankle. I have been working with the chiropractor but I can't seem to get rid of the tenderness.The smart thing to do would be to rest it for a couple of days but I can't. I am stuck on what to do next, I start the morning off fine, but by the end of the hike I am ready to get back and ice it. I am really wanting to match my first three weeks weight loss, so taking it easy is not an option. But then I am wondering if I am doing more damage by staying on it. Ugh.

Moving on...

Today's card is from my Mom!

Thank you Mommy, I love you so much! There is no way I could do this without your support! You are the best Mom in the whole wide world, and I can't wait to get back and give you a BIG HUG! I love you!!

Day 29

Monday is over! 12 days to go! :)

I had a good day, I have decided these last two weeks I am going to double up on my cardio classes. Today's double cardio was Circuit Training, it was tough, but I enjoy that class. I'm not sure if I've every explained Circuit but you spend the class going back and forth between cardio and strength training, since you are constantly moving to different things the class seems to go by fast. Other than that, my day was the same old same old.

Today's card is from:

Aunt Robyn and Uncle Jeff!

Thank you both for the card! Like I've said before, I love when I have mail at the front desk! I hope everything is going well back home, and that you're keeping Uncle Jeff in line! I am looking forward to being back home and seeing everyone! Thanks again! XOXO

Day 28

I can see the end in sight! I am 13 days from being back home with everyone that I am missing like crazy!
I am really hoping to push through some barriers this week, and focus on reaching my goal. I am feeling really good about these next two weeks, and honestly can't believe what I've already accomplished!

Today I spent the entire day relaxing. I got up for breakfast but kept my PJ's on because I knew I was going to get right back under the covers when I got finished. I read for a little bit, took a nap, and then it was time for dinner. There are a lot of new people here this week, and I am really hoping they have a good energy. I have learned that the newbies can either make the atmosphere motivating, or can kill it with negativity. Last week's group was awesome, so there is some high expectations riding on this week's.

It's time to open my Week 5 gift, since technically my week starts on Sunday!

Awe, it's a magnet with a saying about being friends forever! Thank you Erin and Carlea, I love it! It will definitely be going on the fridge and probably holding up a picture of Carlea! I can't wait to be back home either, I am missing you guys so much! And I am looking forward to going shopping too! Love you both!

Day 27

This has been a great day!

I started off this morning with a hike at Solstice Canyon. The hike was a lot more fun today because my friend Danielle, who is leaving tomorrow :(, joined us! Also, Rebecca who was here a few weeks ago met us too! So it was a more relaxed hike, just enjoying each other's company. After the hike, all I had to do was go to stretch, and then my day was through!

I just got back from getting a hydrating facial, my skin feels amazing! Now it is on to dinner, and relaxing! On a sad note today, my friend Noelle is on here way back to Chicago. :( Luckily she has made sure that I am taken care of! ;)

What really made my day great was getting two gifts in the mail!

My sweet little husband sent me a letter and a picture of him on his bike in his underwear! I would put it on here but I don't want to get everyone all excited. :) He wrote me a sweet letter telling me that he is proud of me, and that makes me feel better than words can describe!

My other gift was actually from Rilo, I guess he felt bad after reading that Rambo had sent me flowers. ;) Rilo wrote me a sweet note too, telling me how much he missed me. Rilo's gift was a painting of himself, it was even signed!

So thank you to Drew and Rilo for making my day! I love you both very very much and can't wait to be back home!

Day 26

The hike's name was no lie.
Here is Ocean View. 

TGIF!!

Only two more weeks to go! I get giddy just thinking about being home! :)

It was another hot day today, but since there is low humidity here, it was still bearable. I hiked at new hike today called Ocean View. It probably sounds peaceful but do not be fooled! This hike has officially been inducted into my top three least favorite hikes! The inclines on this hike were pretty steep and we went up for over an hour. I just kept telling myself I am going to have a nice butt from all of the incline! :)  We saw a rattlesnake today, he was right on the side of the trail. One of the hiking guides heard him and stopped to check him out, I was brave and came up to see him too. He was probably 4-5ft long and a couple of inches thick. He wasn't bothered by us, we watched him work his way up into the bushes and he never rattled his tail.

On Friday's we have a class called Cardio Disco Jam. The class is just a fun way to let go and dance to some disco music. Today was a special day though, because my friend Noelle bought glasses with disco balls hanging from the sides, and disco ball necklaces for the whole class! Then she, I and four other people dressed up like the Village People. I was the Indian, and even had a feather head dress! We had so much fun, especially leading the class in YMCA! Luckily the camera woman was in there, so I will have this on DVD for us to watch when I get back.

Today's card is from....

Grace Morris!

Thank you Grace for the card, I love getting mail! I am proud of my success here as well! I am so glad to hear that you are following along and are enjoying the pictures. It is absolutely beautiful out here, but nothing beats being back home! I hope all is well and look forward to seeing you soon!

Day 25

Well, today didn't go as planned...

I ended up on bed rest with an elevated ankle/heel. I have been having some problems with what feels like knots in the bottoms of my heels, and today my left side decided to really flare up. I felt like it was best to take the afternoon to rest, and see if the tension could work itself out. So far so good, I feel a lot better and am able to put pressure back on it when I am walking now.

All that being said, I had a great hike today. It was very challenging, but the progress I have made over these four weeks is amazing. Our group only had 5 people in it today, and I kind of enjoyed it. It was like our own private hike, because we all stayed separated a little bit. One of the hiking guides and I found out we like some of the same bands and had a good conversation about bands the other one should try out. It really help take my mind off the fact I was climbing up a huge incline.

Today's card is from....

My Mommy!

Thank you Mom! I am so excited that it is almost time to come home. I am also very proud of you, you have done so great on your journey too! You are the best, and I am so thankful for the awesome relationship that we have! Thank you so much for all of the things you do for me, especially keeping my high maintenance dog while I'm gone! LOVE YOU!! XOXO

Day 24

What a great day!

I had a nice hike at the beach today, even if I was hit by a wave when I wasn't looking! Luckily, it was a warm day and I dried quickly. I saw my first celebrity today, Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was running on the beach today. So there's that. After the hike, I had stretch which is always so relaxing! :) The cardio today was mountain class and kickboxing, two of the harder classes but they went well!

Now on to what made really my day!

I order some new shirts from Gap that I saw had been delivered, so I went to the front desk to pick them up. So I walk in, and I see this beautiful bouquet of flowers. I was thinking to myself how pretty they were and I wished they were for me. So I told the girl that I should have a package and she got it for me, and as I was turning away, she pointed to the flowers and said those are for you too! I was so excited!! So thank you Mom, Johnny, Maxx, and Rambo for my beautiful flowers, I love them so much, and I am missing y'all like CRAZY!

But wait, the great day doesn't stop there!

My friend Noelle, who is leaving me on Saturday, came to dinner with a gift for me! She knows an author in Chicago who has a few books out that she thought I would enjoying reading so she bought me the first two books! She even wrote on the inside cover and dated it. I am really looking forward to reading them! Thank you Noelle, I am going to miss your bitterness and snide remarks, my day just won't feel the same! ;) But seriously, I really have enjoyed getting to know you and am going to miss you! Drew and I will be coming to Chicago soon to visit though!

So since I have been showered with gifts today, I am not going to open a card tonight. Although, I received three cards in the mail today! You guys have been so supportive, and I am forever grateful. The cards, text, and phone calls really have made this an enjoyable experience. THANK YOU!

My beautiful flowers! 

Day 23

Tuesday's gone with the wind! 

Tough day today, lots of calorie burning, which is what I am here for! I made it through my hike with the faster group, and I was able to stay close to the middle which made me happy. We went to Castro's Crest, which is one of my least favorite hikes, but I was able to get through it faster today than the other two times I've hiked it. 

I haven't been sleeping well, I'm not sure what's going on. It has finally caught up with me, so I am going to keep this post short. 

I get to open my gift tonight! 

Week 4's gift is.....

It's a book of jokes! Erin thought I might be missing Drew and she knows how much I love his jokes! ;) Thank you Erin and Carlea! I love it! 

Here is Drew showing off his mad dancing skills, I can only hope he passes them on to our children one day! :) 

Day 22

The hike ended at a waterfall today!
The guides said that it is usually just a trickle of water.
So this is one good thing that came from the rain.

It's a new week! Only two more to go after this one! I was so excited when I looked down at my countdown and it said 18 days! :)

Today was a good day, I felt back to my normal routine and energy level. On Monday we are assessed during our hikes to determine if we are with a group of people going our same pace. Since I've been here, I have been in Van 4, which is an intermediate hiker group. I found out tonight that I am being moved to Van 6 which is on a more advanced hiker level. I am a little nervous, because I hate the thought of being last. I am just going to do the best I can and if I get through the hike I will consider that a victory!

Today's card is from...

Kelly Sue!!

Thank you Kelly, I loved the card! I kept opening it up so I could here "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" again and again! I am so glad to know that I have your support, and I really appreciate the comments you've left for me on here! I can't wait to get back home to see you! I am so proud of you for graduating in May! Let me know when the party is! ;) Love love love you lots!

Day 21

♫♫ OHHHHH, WE'RE HALF WAY THERE! OHHHH OH, LIVIN ON A PRAYER! ♫♫


It feels so good knowing I am on the back side of my stay! I booked my flight and will actually be coming home Saturday night rather than Sunday! :) 


I know you all are anxiously waiting to know how much weight I've lost. ;) Drumroll please.......16 POUNDS! I am very pleased with my progress, it is right on par with what I was hoping for. I now have that extra boost of motivation to push myself for the next three weeks, and hopefully I will be able to match that weight loss at the end of my stay! 


Today's card is from:


Debbie!


Thanks for the talking card! I love Hoops and Yo-Yo! I loved that they were prepared to smooth out my rough spots, but I am going to get a massage tonight just incase they missed any! :) Thanks again and see you soon! XOXO

Day 20

This is where we would normally cross
but as you can see the water
was running a little fast. 

This is part of the ruins of the mansion.
This was their garden where they would
go and pray to Mary. 

Well tomorrow is my official half way point! I am weighing in at 8:30 and am very anxious! I am hoping to be pleasantly surprised by the results, but plan on keeping a positive attitude no matter what. I knew coming here wasn't a solution to my weight loss problem, there was no way I could come back and be cured and at my goal weight. It is going to be a tough road when I get home because I know I still have a lot to lose, but as positive as my experience here has been, it will also be my motivation to keep a healthy lifestyle. If I would have just made better choices, I could be at home right now enjoying time with Drew, my family, and friends. 

Today was a half day, so my only workout was my hike. On Saturday's you have a couple of hikes to choose from, and this week I chose Solstice Canyon. The reason I chose this hike is because it's a loop instead of an in and out, but that was not the case today. The hike starts out with about a 40 minute incline, then it levels out and you work your way down the other side to the ruins of a mansion built in the 1900's. Today's problem was because there had been so much rain the river we have to cross to continue the hike was too high to safely make it across. So you know what that means, we had to turn around and go back up the mountain! :( I was able to keep a pretty fast pace but once I got back to the other side there was still enough time to go back up the trail a little and then turn around to finally go to the van. Needless to say, I ended up with a much more intense Saturday hike than I had originally intended! 

Today's card is from:

My in-laws Lysa and Bill! 

Thank you guys for the sweet card! I am happy to know that you guys are behind me 100%, but then again you always are! :) I am so thankful to have y'all in my life. Lysa words can't begin to describe how grateful I am to have your son as my husband. I am completely blessed to know that I have found my one and only, and I promise to take good care of him. Speaking of taking care of him, thank y'all for going up to BG and taking him out to dinner, I know he appreciates the company. I am looking forward to seeing y'all in a few weeks! Also, I am ready to try out my new golf clubs when I get back! Love y'all! 

Day 19

This is not part of the resort, but it stands on top
of a hill that over looks us. I see
it every night when I walk
back to my room.

And I'm back! Sorry about yesterday, I was really just having a bad day. I feel like the weather played a big part in my bad mood. During the previous weeks, I was able to hang out by the pool and socialize, but this week my routine was go to class, go to my room, go to lunch, go to my room..etc. So I do apologize, because I am trying to keep my experience here a positive one.

Today was a nice day, the sun was out and the classes went by fast. I didn't hike again because it rained so much yesterday. If you choose not to hike, you have to spend a couple of hours in the gym. I used my time today to do intervals on the treadmill, strength training(pumping iron), and crunches. No matter how hard I work, I still can't seem to get the same calorie burn as I do on the hikes. But since it has been sunny today, I am hiking tomorrow for sure!

I just love getting mail, and today I received two cards! I opened them both since I didn't open one last night! :)

So thank you, Shirley Gregory and Rhonda Eakes! I am so grateful for your continued support!

Rhonda-I would love to re-introduce myself to you when I get back! ;)
Shirley-I miss the office! I am looking forward to coming home and getting back to our normal routine!

The video shows you how Drew is occupying his time without me. Silly boys.

The controls are a little off, hover your mouse over the first set of 0.00 and the play button should turn red. Just click while still over the numbers. 

Day 18

This weather is killing me. I have had my first bad day. I lacked motivation to push myself today, and it showed in my calorie burning. I am ready for this week to be over so I can be on the back side of my six weeks. I am sorry to be grumpy, but it's just been one of those days. I am not going to open a card tonight because those cards were written to encourage me, and I not sure right now that I could appreciate it.

I feel like this will past, the weather for next week is looking a lot better, and I have a 80 minute massage to look forward to on Sunday night. I apologize for the short and negative post. Thanks again for all of you following along. Here's hoping tomorrow is a better day.

Day 17

This was about half way through our hike.
If you look in the middle of the pic you
can see our white van. 

Even when you are feeling like you want to die,
you really can't beat the views. 

It was a rainy rainy Wednesday! :(

I don't have much to talk about tonight, I am just glad to be on the back side of this week. We had kickboxing class today, and sometimes that class is a really good aggression releaser. My friend Noelle offered to be my partner today, but after class she said I would have to find a new one. I guess my punches got a little rough! ;) I am getting really anxious about weighing in on Sunday, I came out here with a number goal that I would like to reach. After being here, I have tried to tell myself not to get wrapped up in the number and just go by how I am feeling and how my clothes are fitting. It's not really working, I want to reach my goal! That's about all the info I have for the day.

Today's card is from:

Maurelle!

Thank you for the sweet card, I am definitely trying to show them that us Southern girls are tough! I hope that you are making it through lunch without me! ;) Tell Rachel I said "thank you" for her support as well! I feel a Mother/Daughter trip in our near future! XOXO

Day 16

One side of the hike had snow
covered mountains in the distance.

The other side had the beach. 

Oh happy day, I just had my first chiropractic appointment! I don't know why I have never gone before, I love to have my back popped, and this was a regular back popping times 10! I even let him pop my neck (sorry Mom), and who knew it could pop so much! At the end he had me bend over and touch my toes and I could actually do it! I am excited to see if I am able to perform better tomorrow. 

Fitness wise, today went well. I had a new hike today called Zuma Reverse, which consisted of going up for about two miles and then down a half mile or so. It was an in and out hike so we got to go back the way we came. I was one of the stronger hikers today, but then again I should be considering I have been here three weeks! ;) I am still amazed at some of the hills I am able to make it up, I just turn on my music and try to drift off to thoughts of being back home! 

The weather here has been cold, so I have been avoiding the pool classes. I doubled up on cardio intervals and it was tough. Cardio intervals is a series of 8 thirty second intervals where you take it up a notch in speed or a notch in incline. Once you get to the 8th interval you stay there for one minute and then work you way back down in thirty second intervals. When you get back to your starting point, you have a couple of minutes to recover and then you do two/three sprints. After that, you start all over. I really pushed it today, and was able to burn almost 900 calories between the two classes, and that made me feel great! Today's total calorie burn was 3,616. 

On to today's card:

Aunt Faye!

Thank you for sending me a card, I love getting mail! I appreciate your love and support! I am very determined and I know exactly who I get that from! :) I know that he is watching over me, and that really helps motivate me. I believe that he would be proud of me making this decision to better my life. I miss him so much, but I still feel such a strong connection/energy around me, I know he's not far away. Thanks again for the card! Love you! 

Day 15

Dining Room

Week three has officially begun!

Today was a good day, Monday's are always interesting around here because the new people are running around like crazy trying to figure out where to go. After being here for three weeks, it's hard to even remember the anxiousness of being new, but I try to make an effort to talk to the new people and make them feel a little more comfortable.

I chose not to hike today because it rained so much yesterday. It turned out to be a great decision, I saw a lot of people come back soaked and covered in mud! Yuck!

Now on to my week three gift from my BFF!

It is a plaque with a stand that has a poem about us being friends! It is super cute! Thank you Erin and Carlea, I love it! Only a few more weeks until I'm home!! Love y'all!

Today's card is from:

OMG! It's from my nephew Garrett!

Garrett colored me a picture of Mickey Mouse! I love it so much, it is definitely going on the fridge when I get home! Kendra, please give Garrett a big hug and kiss from me, and tell him that I love and miss him very much! And do the same for Benji, I love and miss him too!

Day 14

Sunny California was not sunny at all today! And the day was just all around hectic.

Andrea and I hired a driver to go sightseeing, but we didn't see much. Along with the rain, the marathon runners help shut down most of LA's roads, it was insane. From the resort to the mall we wanted to go to shouldn't have taken over an hour, but it ended up taking us three. When we finally arrived, we had just two hours to sit down to eat and shop. Needless to say, our trip was pretty uneventful. The only sightseeing (if you can even call it that) we were able to do was Marilyn Monroe's gravesite.

I am looking forward to starting Week 3. Like I said earlier, I can feel my body getting stronger and my curves are coming back! ;) I am weighing in on Sunday and I'm anxious to see my results. Even if the number is not what I was hoping for, I am not going to let it get me down. I know that I am doing the best thing possible for my body and my future. Thanks again to all of you encouraging me, I couldn't do it without your love and support.

Today's card is from:

Debbie Halcomb!

Thank you Debbie for the card. Yes, I am definitely my mother's child, and we tend to be pretty head strong! ;) I really appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you when I get back!

Day 13

Lorena, Me, Andrea, and Danielle

Short post! I spent the first half of the morning working out and the last half relaxing!

Tonight we had a "graduation" ceremony for the guest who are leaving. :( I just wanted to let Andrea and Lorena know how much I'm going to miss them!!

Lorena, I will make it to Austin City Limits one day, and I am taking you up on your offer to show me around town!

Andrea, we always have a great time when we're together! I am going to miss you and all of our fun talks! I will see you at Easter! Love you!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend! Tomorrow, Andrea and I are heading to LA! I hope to have some pics to share!

Day 12

View from the top of Today's hike. 

Hello Hello!

Not much going on today, I am just so glad that it's FRIDAY! That means at lunch tomorrow I will officially be done with week 2! This post is going to be short because I am ready to relax and catch up on some of my shows! ;)

All in all the day went well, no major victories to report, other than I made it through another day. Tomorrow I am skipping the hike and doing cardio blast in the gym. I am feeling a bit burnt out on the hiking but it is such a good calorie burner! My goal for next week is to attempt some of the bonus hills throughout the hikes, they are usually pretty steep and very easy to say "no" to. My calorie burning has already started to drop because my body is getting used to the exercising, this means I am going to have to start pushing harder.

Today's card is from:

Lesley!

Thank you Lesley for the sweet card! I will try to keep telling myself "I'm Fabulous" when the going gets tough! I miss you too and can't wait to get back home and hang out! See you soon! XOXO

Day 11

View from today's hike.
The lighter color green are vineyards. 

Our trail.

Happy St. Partrick's Day!

Thursday is over and done with, and that feels great. Today we went on a new hike at Latigo Canyon. We spent the whole first half climbing up and then at the top we turned around and went back down. You would think that going down would be easy, but because some parts are so steep your stomach ends up getting a work out because it's trying to keep your body balanced.

Thursday is a tough cardio day because of two classes, treading and ball works. Treading is a 5,4,3,2,1 class, meaning 5 minutes pushing your limits, 5 minutes rest. Then it goes to 4 minutes hard, 4 minutes rest and so on. The objective is the lower the amount of time the harder you should be pushing. So today I started with the 5 minutes at 4 mph on the treadmill and every time we went down in time I bumped it up one notch in mph. When we got to the 1 minute set I decided to run at a 5.5 mph and was able to get though it with minimal pain. Then came the three "surprise" 1 minute sprints, since I don't feel comfortable sprinting on a treadmill I kept it at the 5.5 mph, but I did all three!

Ball works is all about working with the big exercise balls. Last week it felt more like an abs class because we were leaning off the ball lifting weights and working our core. Today's class brought back memories. Things that I loved as a kid didn't seem to be as fun as an adult. We spent a lot of the class sprinting while dribbling the ball, and that brought back memories of middle school basketball. Then we threw the ball up in the air and caught it, you'd be surprised how fast the ball gets heavy. Lastly, Andrea and I partnered and passed the ball back and forth for a while. It may not sound like much but my arms got a workout!


Today's card is from:

Dawn Ho!

Thank you Dawn, I really appreciate your support! You understand the reasons that I am doing this! I am so happy for you and Richard, and I am looking forward to seeing you and your baby bump when I get back! Take care!

Day 10

He's kind of hard to see, but there is a porpoise in
this picture. 

I just thought this was a pretty picture
to share. We walk all the way to the tip in the
distance. 

I have officially made it to double digit days!

Things went well today. Our hike was at the beach, which is absolutely gorgeous, so it's hard to get caught up in the pain! I was able to make it up the stairs portion a lot easier than last week, so that felt great. At one point we were walking on the beach and a FOX news helicopter flew over us twice and my first thought was "oh my gosh there's been another earthquake and a tsunami is heading this way, and look at the idiots on the beach"! Luckily I was wrong, and the hike went fine! :)

It's really hard to believe that this week is almost over, I hope it keeps going by this fast! Andrea is leaving on Sunday, so I will have to find a new workout partner! :( Since her flight isn't leaving until Monday, we are spending Sunday out and about around LA. I'm looking forward to seeing a new city.

Today's card is from:

Mary Lee and Al!

Thank you so much for the card full of sunshine! I loved the quote. I hear that y'all are on vacation in Florida, so I hope you're having a great time! :) Love you guys!

Here is the quote from Mary Lee's card:

"Encouragement has never filled a flat tire. Encouragement has never made a car payment nor fixed a broken washing machine. But encouragement from another gives us the strength to do what we feel we cannot, hold on when we feel like we cannot hold on, and try what we might not dare to try. Encouragement. Doesn't sound like much but it's everything." ...Sharon Mahoe

Day 9

Set where Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman was filmed.
This is at Paramount Ranch. 

Thanks to everyone following along, I surpassed 1000 hits today! :) Hope you aren't finding me boring yet!

Today was a good day, I pushed myself and it felt good. The hike was back at Newton Canyon, and I'm not sure if you remember my post from last week but I really struggled with it. Today I was able to make it though the entire hike while only stopping once! I was so proud of myself! It is the weirdest feeling conquering something that 7 days ago made me want to die. The cardio classes today were tough, but I was able to walk faster on the treadmill, and even ran a couple of times.

On to today's card:

Kendra!

Thank you Kendra for the sweet letter! I am so happy knowing that you all are behind me 100%. I love being your sister-in-law and an aunt to those sweet boys! I can't wait to get back so we can all hang out again, I'm feeling some Super Mario Brothers real soon! Please give Shoog and Benji a big hug and kiss from me! See y'all soon! Love ya!

Day 8

My Cabin

Hello Hello! Let me start by saying that there is a huge difference in the way I feel tonight compared to last Monday! I am feeling my body getting stronger and I'm able to push myself a little further every day. I am not about to say that it is getting easier but it is getting more manageable. I am starting to notice my thighs sliming up, and my double chin is starting to fade away! YAY! 

I have met some great people here, and that really helps the time go by. I'm still missing everyone like crazy though, but I know when I get back we are all going to have so much fun! I would like to say a special thanks to Drew, he has been so encouraging and supportive, there is no way I could have done this without him. This weekend he was nice enough to go get my dog Rambo, who he dislikes very much, and take him back to the house with him while Mom and Johnny were out of town. So THANK YOU DREW, I LOVE YOU! 

Now for today's card

Becky Jennings!

Thank you Becky for the "perky" card! ;) I appreciate your support and encouraging words. Looking forward to seeing you soon! 

Also, today I get to open my week two gift from my BFF Erin!

Drumroll please.......

It's a devotional! It looks really cool, it is called Movie Lover's Devotional. It takes all kinds of different movies and shows us how to learn a life lesson from it! Thank you Erin and Carlea, I am looking forward to reading it! Bowling Green only has to be lonely for 33 more days! :) 

One more thing, a special note for my sweet niece Fallon. Thank you for my message, I am so happy to know that you are following along! I can't wait to get back home, so I can get Drew and Jacob back in line. While I'm gone, you're the boss, if they start getting out of hand you are going to have to put your foot down! If it gets too bad, tell Momma J and she can handle it! ;) LaLa loves you very much!! 

Day 7

Today was such a relaxing day, I did everything I said I would! :) I did manage to fit some laundry into my busy day. Tonight we met all of the new people, so I am officially not a newbie anymore! I didn't take a pics today, I just used my free time to focus on relaxing.

Today's card is from

Rhonda Eakes!

Thank you, Rhonda for the sweet card and your thoughts and prayers. I feel I am in the best place I can be to keep a healthy mindset, which means when I get back I won't be able to indulge on your cakes as often as I used too! See you soon!

Here goes week 2!

Day 6

Hey Guys! Short post tonight! Today was a half day with just a hike and a stretch class. This afternoon one of our new friends, Rebecca, offered to drive us to Santa Monica. We had such a great time, we went to the Santa Monica Pier and then to a shopping promenade. The pier was a really cool experience, Andrea and I rode the roller coaster, it was just like being a kid again! I have a few more pics from the day but can't figure out how to get them on a slideshow so they don't take up a lot of room.

I decided to open two cards today!

Thank You Shirley and Barbara Gregory for my cards! I am so happy knowing that y'all are following along. Shirley-keep holding down the fort while I'm gone! ;) Barbara-I see you, me, Gran Gran and a shopping trip soon! :)

Tomorrow is a day of totally relaxation! I plan on reading my book in a lounge chair by the pool! Also, 42 new guest are arriving tomorrow, how exciting!

Nighty night!

Day 5

Look Mom, I don't have my hands around a man! ;)

Today's view

First off let me say how sad I am about the devastation in Japan, I can't begin to imagine what they are going through. Please keep your thoughts and prayers with them as they try pick of the pieces.

I know some of you were probably worried about whether or not I was affected by the tsunami, I wasn't. There was a tsunami advisory out for the most part of the morning, but where I am staying is about 1700ft above sea level, so my daily activities were not changed.

Today we hiked at Castro Crest. One guy summed it up perfectly, "Has anything that begins with Castro ever ended well?" Let me tell you, it was by far the worst hike to date. The hike was over six miles, and it went down, down, down, and then up, up, up twice. One thing that made this hike difficult were the different terrains, I am still learning my footing so I was pretty slow coming back out of the canyon.

Best part of the day: IT'S FRIDAY!! I HAVE MADE IT THROUGH MY 1ST WEEK!

Tomorrow, I have a hike at Paramount Ranch, which is owned by Paramount Studios. There is a Western Town and some other props along the hike, so I am pretty excited to see that. The word around "town" is the day before yesterday they were filming True Blood right behind us. I don't watch the show, but I know a lot of people around here really wanted to catch a glimpse of some of the actors. For all of you watching the Bachelor, it is filmed right up the road!

One of my new friends, Rebecca has offered to drive some of us to the Santa Monica Pier tomorrow after the hike. She lives in West Hollywood, so she is more familiar with things to do around here. Be prepared, tomorrow's post will feature lots of pictures! :)

Now for today's card:

Betty Jo!

Thank you, Betty Jo for the funny card. I believe it is right about the 99% perspiration! Thanks for believing in me, I am looking forward to getting home and seeing everyone too! Maybe we can meet up at the pool for some laps when I get back! Love ya!

Day 4

Today's Hike

Today's Hike

And I'm back! Sorry about yesterday, I think all of the hard work I've been putting my body through finally caught up with me last night!

Today has been a good day, I started the day out with a hike at Solstice Canyon. This hike began with about a 1.5 mile trek up the side of a mountain, winding back and forth, back and forth. The best part about this hike, it was a loop rather than having to go back the way you just came.

I honestly can't believe tomorrow is Friday! I have almost made it through my first week and it feels nice to look back on all of the things I've accomplished in a short amount of time! On Sunday more guests will be arriving, so I won't be a newbie anymore, although I will say everyone has been super supportive of making us feel welcomed.

Now for today's card:

Carol Ann!

Thank you Carol Ann for such a sweet card! I feel like I've made a step in the right direction and if that makes me brave, I'll take it! :)

See you all tomorrow!

Day 3

I'm sorry for this post but I am completely exhausted. Day 3 was a difficult day for me. Here are some pictures from my hike. I promise to write more tomorrow!

Sam who is one of the trainers here, but was actually a contestant on The Biggest Loser a few seasons ago.
He's lost over 150 pounds!

View from today's hike

Shipwrecked boat that no one will claim.

Today's hike. This is about the half way point of the hike.
We walked all the way to the tip sticking out, and then all the way back. 

Day 2

Resting Point of the Hike

View of today's hike, the darker blue is the ocean. 

Today was a blur, yesterday feels like a week ago. We were all placed in our new hiking groups for the week and I was put in an intermediate hiker group. Our hike was at Newton Canyon just down the road form the resort, it was tough, and that is putting it nicely. Imagine the hike as a "V", going down is okay but coming back up is extremely tough. Now imagine making it to the end of the trail, only to be told going back the way you came is the only way out! The last stretch I wanted to give up and stop but my body miraculously kept trucking forward.

Highlight of the day: My new Polar watch said I burned 4,523 calories today! I started it at 6am and turned it off at 5:30pm. I was very excited to see the results, and I hope to keep burning that many everyday. I know that with time it will get harder to burn so many, but by then I'll be up for the challenge! ;)

Good news, everyone! I can receive mail here!! Use this address:

Megann Thompson
C/O The Biggest Loser Resort
327 Latigo Canyon Rd
Malibu, CA 90265


I look forward to seeing what you send me! :)


And now for today's card:


Aunt Suzanne!


Thank you so much for my letter, you made me cry! But that's okay sometimes it feels good to just let go. I know that Daddy would be proud too. I haven't shared this yet, but when I was at the airport walking to my terminal my emotions were all over the place, it was the first time I had doubted my decision. I was just walking along thinking I wish I had some reassurance that I had made the right decision, and then right on cue "I just called to say I love you came on." I bursted into tears, but I couldn't help but smile because I know that he is watching over me everyday, and he would want this for me. So thank you for my card, and the reassurance that you believe in me as well! Love you! 


Oh, one last thing, here are some pictures of my room! 

Day 1

One of our hiking guides, Colter. 

The view from the highest point on today's hike. 

Well I have made it through the first day! YAY ME!!

I am not going to try and sugar coat it, it was hard. Today's exercise consisted of a 4 mile hike, and four cardio classes. I will say though, as I am sitting here I feel a since of accomplishment, I am proud of myself for getting through it all. My body is achy but I am hoping stretch class in the morning will work out any kinks.

The atmosphere here is amazing! The trainers, staff and other guest are all friendly and supportive. I have been placed in the "Purple" group and am slowly getting to know everyone. It's so easy to walk in to a class though and strike up a conversation because you are both there for the same reasons.

It didn't take long for me to make my first purchase in the gift store! :) I bought a Polar watch and heart rate monitor. It is really cool, you just start it first thing in the morning and it keeps up with how many calories you burn in that day. A lady had one on today it she'd had already burned 3500 calories and we still had one cardio class left! I am pumped to see how many calories I burn tomorrow. Oh the fun fact for the day: It takes burning 3500 calories to lose 1 pound. Let that sink in....

Now for the fun part! Today's card wasn't randomly pulled from the pile, because this one has a gift attached! My BFF Erin gave my six gifts with each of them labeled which week I could open it. She was very strict about not opening any gift early! ;) This weeks gift was a journal so that I can have an actually keepsake from my journey. The gift came with a sweet card from Erin and my "niece" Carlea. Thank you Erin! I love it! I can't wait to get back home so we can pick up our Saturday night date night! Love ya! Kiss that sweet baby for me!

That's all she wrote for tonight, see you tomorrow!

A Very Very Long Day

Andrea and I at LAX

Hello All!

I am finally settled in to my room! After a long day of traveling, I am completely exhausted, so this post will probably not be too terribly long because I have to be up at 5:30.

The day got off to a good start, I said goodbye to Drew with just a few tears shed and was very surprised at how fast I made it through security. My flight ended up being delayed an hour but all in all was a good smooth flight. But then comes the shuttle ride from the airport to Fitness Ridge. I went with Prime Time Shuttles, and they were there within 15 minutes of my landing which was very nice. I chose to share a shuttle because it was the cheapest. I thought "sharing" meant people going to the same location as me. Not true. There were three other people on the shuttle with me, and "sharing" meant people riding on the same shuttle in the same general direction of where I was going. So to travel 40 miles from LAX to Fitness Ridge took oh about 2 hours! Given traffic and stoplight played a part but still I think I might upgrade to a private ride on my way home so I know that I will get to the airport on time! :)

I have gotten everything unpacked and put in its place, that always makes me feel good. I sure some people will think I am crazy for all of the things I brought to make it feel like home, but this is my "home" for the next six weeks and I plan on feeling comfortable in my room!

I would like to say "Thank You" to everyone who gave me a card. I am so excited to read them. I thought it would be fun to read one a day and post on here who it's from. So today's card comes from......

Aunt Mary!

Thank you Mary for the encouraging words! I appreciate your support and I can promise you that I would never listen to Charles! ;)

Time to hit the sack. I will post more pictures tomorrow!

The Day Before...

I must admit, I am starting to get nervous. I am racking my brain trying to think of every possible thing I need to pack, while trying to spend as much time as I can with the people I love. Last night my sweet husband, Drew, threw me a going away party, above is a picture of some of the people who came. (For those who don't know me, I am in the purple shirt, and my husband is in the blue.) It is because of these friends, Drew, and our family that I KNOW I CAN DO THIS!

I posted a link on Facebook's Fitness Ridge group page, and was very surprised at the responses I got, encouraging words from people already out there, to people going out the same day as me! I am really excited to meet all of the new people who are going through the same struggles I am.

My flight leaves tomorrow at 11am, and arrives at LAX around 2. I am hoping that traffic won't be to hectic and I can get to Fitness Ridge around 3:30.

For everyone following from the Fitness Ridge page, I look forward to meeting you, and to my friends and family I am saying goodbye to, I will miss y'all so much!

Here goes nothing!