Your next emergency BFL meal is as close as the nearest WAL-MART!

Now there's a thought! I had it on the way to Hibbing, Minnesota last night as I was making my way to speak before a meeting of the American Association of University of Women. I'll get to the Wal-Mart thought in a moment...But first, I have to share with you what happened at last night's event.

The topic was supposed to be about a book on collectible pottery I wrote and published.

Needless to say....It took only a few minutes before the women wanted to know about my BFL transformation. I had talked to their group about three years and 50 pounds of fat ago. At that time I shared with them how difficult it was to be reaching fifty, being fat and being on television. I vowed at that time to find a way to get fit....Many of the women remembered that vow and had been watching me on television for signs of progress.

First a year went by, no progress, then a second year....A little progress...then came the third year and like magic I began to transform before their eyes on the nightly news.
Little wonder that they wanted me to share my "secrets" with them.

So...Last night I set aside my "standard book talk" and pulled out my before and after pictures which I carry with me at all times. I sent the pixs out into the audience....And laughed and said..."Ladies, I bet you would have never dreamed that tonight you would be looking at photos of Michelle Lee in a Bikini!"

When their laughter died down...We began and ernest talk about Heart Health, the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle and the need to find a program that's fun!

I outlined the EAS program BODY FOR LIFE, suggested they check out the Body for Life website...and have their own before pictures taken. I also had with me about 25 BFL challenge entry packets I carry with me in case of an emergency. Those packets were gone in less than a minute!

Now if I have inspired just one of those women to get more active...Make better nutritional choices and build a healthier heart... that 150 mile trip last night will have been worth every bumpy miles of a Minnesota winter highway!

Getting back to that Wal-Mart thought now....When I left home yesterday I forgot to pack enough meals to see me through the night. Luckily...There were several Wal-marts along the way. I pulled into the nearest one and headed straight to the EAS section and found my favorite Chocolate Chip Brownie nutrition bar and a low carb shake.
It was a good thing I stopped, the dinner was a Ceasar Salad without protein and a white bun. My emergency WAL-MART provisions saw me through the evening and the long drive home.

Hence the thought for the day....Your next emergency BFL meal is as close as the nearest Wal-Mart!

Winners Finish Finishers Win

At the bottom of my giant sized check from EAS/Body for Life it reads, "Winners Finish Finishers Win."

It reminds me about my false start with the Body for Life Program. The first time I tried this life altering lifestyle program I failed. During my fourth week my mother in law fell ill and she died a short time later. During this difficult time I thought that I had too much on my plate to continue a program that was so time consuming. If I were in AA that thought would be called "stinking thinking." Lucky for me I tried BFL again about five months later.

October 8, 2003 will always be my anniversary date. That was the day I started to live again. Each day after I began to grow stronger and healthier. I went on to finish four consecutive BFL Challenges.
I went from a size 14/16, fat and unhappy person to what I am today....size 6, healthy and very, very happy person able to handle what ever life has to throw at me!

Since then I have survived the death of my best friend, a breast cancer scare and other bits and pieces of anger, sadness and trauma that comes with living day to day.
Body for Life has given me the strength and endurance to handle these bumps in the road that we all experience.
Along the way I have won so very, very much. My health, my spirituality and now a title as 2004 Body for Life Grand Champion.

If I could only share one thing about this program...I'd say do it by the book, enjoy each days victories and finish that 12 weeks. It is really true--winners finish finishers win!

The Skin I'm In....

It's funny about losing weight...I at least am finding it's taking awhile before I can accept the "new" me. It seems that my brain still thinks "fat." When I look in the mirror sometimes I don't see the muscles I've been working so hard to uncover.
Instead I see the dimple in my belly, the sagging butt...the cellulite on the back of my thighs and oh, all that extra skin that used to wrap around the extra fat I once carried.

Muscle building helps address some of the extra skin issue. But it doesn't address all of it. My thought for today is "Thank God for Spandex."
That prayer could also include support panty hose, jeans with a little stretchy material and the ability to suck it up.

Until I began BFL nobody ever suggested the idea of sucking my gut in. It was one of those "girly girl" lessons never taught by my mother. A girlfriend I met at the EAS Energy Camp for Women talked about the importance of good posture and using those tummy muscles.
Its something I've been working on. Hopefully I will learn this habit and use it during every one of my walking hours.

Until I do--again I say "Thank God for Spandex."

Now getting back to the matter of seeing that old, fat body...despite the fact that it now only exists in the deep recesses of my mind.
How do we get rid of that old image? Why is it so hard to retrain the eye to accept the new vision of what we have become?
Its pretty easy for those around us to accept, compliment and enjoy the new shadow we cast. If any of you out there have found the secret to retraining the eye...I sure would like to hear from you.
And could you let me know real soon. I still have to go shopping to find that perfect Lipstick red, bikini for the Champions' for Life Cruise in May.

Have a great BFL Day. Hit those tens...and remember--change is inevitable. It's really up to us to make it either positive or negative!

Women's Expo

My Television station held a Women's Expo this past weekend. There were 100 exhibitors and thousands of women who attended to learn the latest in beauty, health, finances...and other areas of interest.

The American Heart Association and a local hospital were providing free blood pressure and blood sugar screenings. Both were amazed at the number of women who came through to have these tests. Several women learned Saturday they had dangerously high numbers and were at serious risk for heart disease. How exciting to know that our expo brought together these services and the women who need them. Maybe a life or two have been saved as a result of our tenth annual effort to education Northland women. Talk about empowering!

Our guest speaker was Jackie Kallen, one of the stars of the NBC Hit Series "The Contender." Jackie's life has been amazing....first as an entertainment journalist and then as a boxing manager. She wrote a book about her experiences in and around the world of boxing. Meg Ryan played her in the movie made about Kallen's life.

What an inspirational speaker this woman is! I had the honor of introducing her. I was just going to stay for a few minutes of her talk...because I had other duties to take care of at the expo...but once she started talking..I had to stay.
Her focus was the "art of negotiation." ((something many of us women find difficult to do.) Jackie is on the talk circuit...if you get a chance to hear this talented woman...I urge you to attend!

I also traveled to the Twin Cities on Sunday with my soon to be 19 year old son. We went to a mall...walked around for hours and he got his hair cut. We then went to dinner.
What a joy it is to be a mother of such a wonderful person. The best part of the day was having a grown up conversation with him in the car during our trip to and from the Twin Cities. We talked about art and literature....a bit about his efforts to get into the college of his choice...and life in general. As I listened to him I couldn't help wonder how I was so blessed to have such a wonderful person in my life.

As for my own personal health and fitness crusade all is well and on track. I continue to live the Body for Life program.
It was among "the" topics at our women's expo. Here in the Northland well over 60 percent of the population is overweight. Many of the women I talked with on Saturday wanted to know how I made my transformation from "fat" to "fit."

I cannot tell you how many times I explained the BFL program and wrote down the name of Bill Phillip's book and the web address for Body For Life.
This too has become a great joy in my life. To share my experience and encourage others to make their own healthy lifestyle changes.

Speaking of joys...I made my last payment for the Champions for Life cruise coming up in May. Now I just have to step up my efforts to find that perfect Lipstick red Bikini!
Living in Northern Minnesota...the land of snow and ice and very little winter sun I must now also start thinking about tanning so I won't burn during the cruise. Right now I am investigating the merits of "fake baking" to build up some color.

So that's what's been happening in my life since my last entry. I hope you are all hitting your tens and drawing closer to obtaining your Body For Life.