Miraculously, I found pistachios in this holiday cookie mix at the office. Jeeminy Christmas! I mindlessly bit into a homemade cookie, began chewing, noticed the feeling of a Pavlovian sugar euphoria beginning to surge, spit the cookie out, and stepped away from the counter. Oy. Constant struggle against sugar. But, I triumphed this time! Of course, all I can think about are these pretzels as the day goes on. Oy! Is it 5:00 yet???

Another batch of holiday cookies and candy has arrived. Ugghh! I mindlessly started to eat a piece of candy as soon as I saw it, chewed it up a little, realized what I was doing, then spit it out before swallowing all those sugar and fat calories!! As long as I don't see it, I don't even think about it. But when I SEE enemy foods I automatically want them!! Crap! Now my wacky addicted brain is going to obsess about the goodies in the staff room ALL day long, now that I know they are there. This is perhaps my biggest food challenge. How does one turn off the lusting brain and stop it from obsessing over sugar???? I did eat candy yesterday, so the relapse has me craving more!!!! Now I gotta wait three days for the craving to subside. I'm so screwed with this holiday season!! So hard to stay on task. But dammit, one day at a time, right!? For me, it's also one candy-laden
staff room visit at a time!!

408 calorie candy splurge at office holiday party! Oy. Sugar.

"Water. Drink the water" --EVP on a recent episode of "Ghost Adventures." It's actually good advice really! Hey! Look at this! MolarTron got a retweet by lead ghost investigator Zak Bagans a while ago! It was so cool! My phone blew up with retweets and favorites and new followers! Thanks Zak! Now if I will only drink the water! Gotta get the water down. Very very important, true?

Lookie!! The camera likes me again! Even at 51 years old! I'm really happy! And that sugar craving went away finally. And you have seen all the holiday cookies at the office today. Oy!!!! Hey! Happy Hanukkah! No latkas for me this year!

Did you know that I used to be a professional plus-size model? When I see a photo like this, I feel really confident and attractive. I'm thinking of maybe ringing up my old agents in Florida when I get down to a size 16. What the hell? Why not, right??! Nothing to lose! Ok, well, I have forty more pounds to lose.

My Aunt Barbara told me, "You're getting your face back!" My mom keeps calling me "Skinny" now every time she sees me! I'm down 41 pounds.
Now the challenge is to drop ten more pounds and get my ass back in the gym. I'm going for an apple bottom. I never had a nice ass, or a flat stomach, so I'm going for it. I gotta experience living and feeling like a fit person before 12-21-12. Not really sure what's gonna happen then, but I got a short bucket list just in case: go out on one last fantastic date! Eat whatever I want on Christmas day (oh wait! That will be after the 21st, if we are alive), and have a tight ass. Ok. I think it can be done.

I am dying to stick my finger in the icing!! This is what I have to face every day at the office: sugar. The enemy. I have a headache from detoxing off the sugar I had yesterday. My addiction and cravings for it are in overdrive....can't....have....sugar....ever....again!! Arrrrrggghhh!!! I'm gonna beat this addiction, dammit!!! I have to leave the staff room NOW! Where's my waterrrrrr??? ok, one more whiff...but does even smelling this enemy fuel the cravings? Maybe I need to just walk away, leave it alone, get the heck away....retreat! Pull back! Step away from the cupcakes!!!

This Sugar addiction is very strong. I am craving sugar terribly right now. I've been sucking down sugarfree Popsicles in the hopes that I will trick my brain into feeling satisfied. Today it's not going so well, because I have to work now! I did have sugar yesterday, only 8 g, but still…

Wow! Amazing results to show you!! My scrubs are so big now! I can fit your leg AND mine in the pants!! Lol. Goodbye 40 pounds of fat!!

Ya think it's time to either shop or see a seamstress or WHAT???!!! Lol.

Well Jeeeminy Christmas! I made it through the Thanksgiving holiday/Mom's 75th birthday weekend blast, but I took a lot of measured food hits. Measured at first. Sugar bombs pummeled me for four days straight, and my body took numerous bangs and jolts. My will to resist was broken in two bites of pecan pie, and by the first half hour I was sucked in and under the spell of sweet glorious sugar. Ahhh! My head cleared. I felt a surge of energy and alertness awaken each of my cells. Sugar! My seductive Mistress. Yes, come to me. All the sudden I had to have more. And more. Pie. Cakes. Cookies. Fruit. Potatoes. Miraculously, I avoided the breads. However, the breading in stuffing and on chicken tenders was mistakenly not off limits. I devoured sugar, salt, & fat.
Then I passed out. Six hours later, I woke up in a funky milky haze. Cough cough. Uggggh. Thar be milk in these pastries! Arrrrggghhhh!!!!

3 days. I must detox from sugar for three days. Oyyy.

33 pounds of fat LOST with Medifast, dieting, and swimming!

Well, it's official!  I'm down 33 pounds as of a week ago, which means I am likely down a bit more than 33 pounds of cold hard FAT!  Yeee hawww!!

Here are the pool pics I took when I started on August 23, 2012:

 

And here I am November 9, 2012, about 33 pounds less.  I can definitely see the loss in my arms, neck, face, and stomach.  My legs are more tone with all the swimming!  Can you tell I have lost some of the "bloat?"  I have about 70 more pounds to go.  

Hi! I'm here in San Francisco for work! What a challenge to be in this glorious city with restaurants on every corner. There are so many restaurants here that if you ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner at a different restaurant each time, you STILL would never eat at all these restaurants!!

This trip, I am not eating my way through this town. Instead, I am eating only proteins and veggies in restaurants.

I pack my lunch in a thermos, and walk the streets with cereals & ready-made shakes in my knapsack. So far so good. My clothes are getting super loose and when I get back to Ohio I'm going to have to get new scrubs!

Here's the view from The Cheesecake Factory at Macys! Everyone is partying, eating, drinking, walking, and enjoying the heat wave!

I'm heading to California today, and check out this seat belt on the plane!!! Last time I flew I had to get a seat belt extender because the seat belt was way too tight. This is a huge sweet milestone! Yay!

I'm down 26.4 pounds and what a difference! It was much easier to tie my shoes after the security checkpoint, too.

As for the food challenge for the next 12 days, I'm on it! I had to pack an extra suitcase to fit all the food in so I can take it all with me! I also packed a thermos so I can take a warm lunch to work next week.

My Ready-Made shake got confiscated at security. They said it's over the size limit for liquids. Oh well, I packed plenty of cereal for the ride so I'm ready for anything!!!

Up up and awaaaay!

I'm on the left! I'm 1/4 of the way to my goal! Go Bucks!

GAME DAY! OSU vs. NEBRASKA!

only

So many food challenges today. I'm drinking tea and water but that's a drag because there are nasty porta-potties only! Yuck.

I do have to say that I am feeling the weight loss! I feel great! Lots of energy, and as long as I eat protein soon (grilling salmon and saying NO to hotdogs!), I'll be in good shape! I added a bit of chicken to the chicken soup to give me that extra protein. Ok, I'm workin' it !!

Potluck at Ohio Dental Family Center, 5180 E. Main St., Columbus, Ohio 43213

Today we had a huge potluck at work. I didn't eat a thing, just like I didn't eat the fries at "M!" I'm on a roll!

At "M" at Miranova. It's my niece's first day on her first job! I'm so proud of her! And check out those fries!! Omg! Real potatoes!

The night before Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year

The night before the Jewish Holidays began, I had to go to a family dinner and face many food challenges.

My niece came out to the car to talk with me before I went in to face the food buffets, the desserts, and all the people!  My sister-in-law and brother hosted almost 40 people for dinner!!

The food was fantastic!  Matzoh ball soup, my mom's chopped liver....at dessert time I brought out my soy crisp snacks and had a huge cup of hot tea!  I made it through the night and only had a little too much protein and fat.  NO SUGAR!  Whoo hooo!!

Acid Reflux, Ulcerative Colitis, & Nexium

I had acid reflux when I began the program, but it was fairly under control.  I did read in the literature that a potential side effect of Take Shape For Life could be acid reflux!  So, mentally I was ready for it.  However, the degree of acid that flared at the 3 week mark was stunning!  I was coughing, waking up congested, and my throat hurt in general.  I had to see the doctor, who put me back on Nexium.  As usual, I promptly got an itchy rash on my legs from the Nexium!  OY!!!   Well, the rash is the lesser of the two evils I suppose, so onward ho with the "little purple pill!" 

The great news is that me and my ulcerative colitis are doing well.  No flares at all being on Medifast, thank G-d.  I have to admit I was a little worried about a possible colitis reaction to the change in food intake.  I am thinking that with the massive reduction in food volume, fat intake, and elimination of alcohol all together, it must be helping me in more ways than just weight loss.  I had a colonoscopy in June before I started, so I knew my bowels were going into it with just a little bit of inflammation.  So far so good!  As long as I don't eat too many pistachios, I feel great!!! 

MolarTron, Ronald McDonald, Free To Be a Kid Day, Hits 105.5, and Medifast!

Last weekend I had a MolarTron gig in Sidney, Ohio!  "Free To Be a Kid Day!" with DJ Joe Laber from Hits 105.5.  What a blast!  The Little Caesar "Pizza! Pizza!" guy was there!  But the social highlight:  We got to meet Ronald McDonald!  He wasn't permitted to take a photo with all the mascots because, as Ronald informed me, "I'm an icon, not a mascot!"

And boy did some of those folks who came to my booth need some dental health education.  Sadly, I saw a lot of bombed out mouths, full of decay.  But luckily, I was there to remind them to brush 2 times a day for 2 minutes, and to floss every day.   

MOLARTRON TO THE RESCUE!  Check out these Plaque-Fighters!

We love our CORN in Ohio.  Boo hoo for me....no roasted corn.  I LOVE roasted corn!

I managed the food sitch pretty well.  I made some Medifast chili in advance and had it nearby in a Thermos.  I also packed some Medifast cereal for the ride home, a soy crisp snack, and I was golden!
Check me out!  The bloat is gone!  I've lost 18 pounds!  Whooo hooooo!!!  It's great motivation to see myself in this photo!  Onward ho.  

Navigating through a Mexican Restaurant! Mi Mexico!

So my brother and his kids LOVE a Mexican restaurant called Mi Mexico.  I wanted to spend time with everyone, so I decided to attempt to go to my first Mexican restaurant since beginning Take Shape for Life.  OY!  The CHIPS!!!  Double Oy!  I love chips.  I adore chips.  I love tortillas. Guacamole.  All the fattening stuff I absolutely cannot have!!!!  But...I could have a little salsa!  And I can have three celery stalks as a snack.  So I planned ahead and brought along some celery! I also brought along some Medifast cereal to crunch on while everyone else was crunching on CHIPPPSS!!!

Mo Jo Flo and BIRTHDAY CAAAAKE!!

GIMME A BREAK! 

It was a Saturday night a few weeks ago when Mo Jo Flo played at The Venue, which is an R&B BAR.  Naturally, the people who sat next to us were celebrating a birthday, and the cake was glaring at me all night. IN A BAR!  I was like, "NO WAY!"

Ohio Dental Association (ODA), belly fat, smoking, & inflammation

I'm at the Ohio Dental Association annual session in Columbus, Ohio.  While visiting the Table Clinics, I met a very nice dental hygiene instructor from Cincinnati.  She and her associate educated me on belly fat and inflammation!  Who knew!  Just another reason to lose weight.

And here's some info about smoking (and just another reason to quit)!

I LOST 11 POUNDS!!! Bittersweet on the heels of a friend's death the other day.

On Tuesday I weighed in at the doctor's office, and I have lost 11 pounds!!  Whoo hooo!  I would do a video blog about it but a friend of mine, Kim, passed away on Tuesday and I have been a bit out of sorts.

Under the stress of her death, I have been pretty good with the food.  I've been indulging a little too much in sugar-free popsicles (15 calories each) and staying away from buffets of food.  Not sure how I will handle the viewing and funeral coming up but for now it's one hour at a time for me.  I am so sad.  It is taking all my effort to sit with my feelings and not drown them out with overeating.  I figure if popsicles are doing the trick, then bring them on.

Last night I had four popsicles during a binge, equaling 60 additional calories.  I guess I should be grateful that it wasn't 6000 calories wolfing down cakes, pie, and other empty calorie treats.

That's something!

Kimmie would be proud!  

Dinner Discussion About Making Changes in Our Lives

On Sunday night after the pool, I had dinner with some friends.  Jennifer expressed her concern about me changing my life with TAKE SHAPE FOR LIFE, and would I still be the same ole fun Suzi she has grown to know and love?!  

And then there was the discussion about flabby arms!  I got a lesson on how to wave from the car during parades now that I am older and my "Hadassah Arms" are getting worse!  Hopefully soon, I'll have "Michelle Obama Arms!"  hahahah!

Sunday, Sunday...SWIM TIME!

Now how's this for a self-photo?!  Hahahah!  I really know my angles because I for sure don't look THIS good yet!!  It's all about the angles, people!!!!

MolarTron, HOT TIMES FEST, Children's Parade, & Babysitting!

BABYSITTING CHALLENGE:

The 12 year old girl you are babysitting constantly places fattening foods in your face, tempting you to eat it.

In the morning on Saturday I had a MolarTron gig at the HOT TIMES FESTIVAL.  We were in the Children's Parade down Main Street, and the 12 year old girl was in the MolarTron costume!  I paid her ten bucks to wave at the people as we drove by.  She did a great job!  It was MolarTron's very first parade!!

                                                         Go MolarTron!  Shake your groove thang!

So fun hanging with the Po Po and Super Heroes at the HOT TIMES FEST!

                                                                      Later that night....