bobbi+mike

chooo CHOOOO!!!!!!

How did you guys do????

Me? I lost .6 poundsBetter than a gain of .6 so whatever… I'll take itTotal weight loss is 3.6 pounds for the last 3 weeks.  I didn't work out as much as I should have because I was a wee bit sick… and then traveled again.  Not making excuses… just telling you what happened.  Bleh…

I've been watching The Biggest Loser lately…. and if you're on the Healthy Train and aren't watching it… I HIGHLY suggest you start! On Tuesday, I got all caught up by watching the episodes that I'd missed on hulu.com.  You know, when I see those guys push push pushing themselves it motivates the poopy out of me… you know… if they can do it, why the hell can't we?!

I've also been reading on twitter and facebook that MANY of you are SOOO nervous about going to a gym… they feel embarrassed… and fat… and like they don't belong there. I 1000000% get that…. when I first started going, I had my heart rate up ridiculously high before I'd even step FOOT in the place!  HELLOOOOO ANXIETY ATTACK!!!!!! So, then I started noticing that after I'd been going for a while and started getting more comfortable with it… and stopped only thinking about how ridiculous I looked… I looked around… and not only did I see a bunch of VERY fit people… but I also saw people who weren't in the best of shape… people who weren't in a healthy place in their lives… people who may have needed to be there because their lives depended on it… and it's THOSE guys who keep me motivated to keep trying.  It's THOSE guys who I want to give a high five to… it's THOSE guys who push me to not give up.  So, if you're in that position… where you feel like you're not healthy enough to go to a gym… Au contraire!  Just know that there are SO many people there who see you working your ass off and want to give you a high five! I'm not sure if any of that makes sense… Hope it does.

Oh, and speaking of Biggest Loser… I bought a BodyBugg… should get here next week.  What's a BodyBugg you ask? It's a device that "uses specialized sensors to monitor calories burned with over 90% accuracy" They wear them on that show… so, I'll let you know how that goes.

Okay, now on to you… Remember last week when I was shocked that there were 80+ before photos sent in? Well… throughout the rest of the day… we received even more… the NEW total of people competing on this healthy train? 112. ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE!!!! AYKM AYKM AYKM???!??!!? 

As you all report your weight loss… just tell me in percentage of body weight lost… And if you don't know how to figure that… I'm going to tell you nowOh, and I want your TOTAL loss since the VERY beginning :D 

Your weight lost ÷ your starting weight × 100 = % of weight lost

Let's pretend that you were 200 pounds, and you you'd lost 5 pounds… that would be: 

5 ÷ 200 = .025 × 100 = 2.5% 

Make sense?  If it doesn't… email me your numbers and I'll walk you through it

I'd tell you all my percentage lost… but that would give away my weight as I've already told you my pounds lost…. OOOOOOPS!!!! I'm a pretty open person… but sharing my weight with the world isn't something I'm 100% comfortable with

Make sure that you ALLLLLLL report it down there in the comment section, k? Just like last time… it's too hard for me to keep track of it on Facebook, comments, twitter, email, etc etc etc… so, if all of the info is in one place… I'll be able to keep up with it betterThanks guys!

ANNNNNNND Here is the list of EVERY single person who sent in a before photo…

Abra Morris
Alison Douglas
Alyssa Lang
Alyssa Sparks
Amanda Fales
Amanda Overmyer
Amber Lee
Amber Russell
Amber Vongsamphanh
Amy Genao
Amy Hathcock
Amy in Milwaukee
Amy Singleton
Andy Shaw
Angel Canary
Angela Davis
Angi Davis
Annie Varland
April Foster
Ashly Turner
Beto Moreno
Blair VanBussel
Bobbi Sheridan
Brian White
Brooke Welti
Caitlin Finn
Casey Chappell
Catie Ronquillo
Celine Combes
Chris Rivera
Cindy Corstange
Cindy Mills
Cybil New
Dan Schimpf
Dane Benton
Danielle Imhoff
David Baxter
Eddie Rodriguez
Elisabeth Jaquish-Galocy
Elissa Russell
Eloisa Mardueno
Emily Villareal
Emma Smallbone
Grant Isaac
Heather McCullah
Heidi Bartlett
Jaimie Zibrowski
Jen Dery
Jen Wilczynski
Jennifer Creed
Jessica Grieves
Jessica Parkison
Jessica Seamon
Jessica Weaver
Jill Schaefer
Jodi Pfunder
Jon Belschner
Joy Leiker
Julie Hewitt-Toohill
Kalli Herr
Karen Karki
Karen Sutton
Kat Braz
Kathryn Pierce
Katie Stasiak
Katie Wendel
Kelly Heasley
Kenny Harrison
Kevin Hebert
Kim Ilax
Kimmi Baxter
Kristen Becker
Kylene Gay
Lacey Buchorn
Laura Stoller
Leah Stafford
Leanne Stamatellos
Lindsay Hall
Lindsay Tague
Lindsey Lingenfelter
Lindsey Moreno
Lisa Rice
Lisa Scherer
Lori Thompson
Marisa Coccaro
Marissa Rodriquez
Melissa Dilling
Melissa Morris
Melissa Smith
Meredith Johns
Michelle Crabs
Michelle Schwartz
Mike Belschner
Nancy Hermann
Natalie Himebaugh
Nichole Harrison
Nicole Green
Nicole Miller
Nicole Neff
Rachel Fishback
Rachel Nielsen
Rychelle Tomlin
Sara Helman
Sara Zeiger
Sarah Bowren
Sonia Gawel
Steph Schwartz
Stephanie Homburg
Susie Davis
Tara Schields
Tobias Varland
Tracey Heppner
Tracy from Canada
Wade Carignan

Now how's THAT for accountability!? YEAHHHH! (if for some reason you sent in your photo and your name isn't on this list, let me know right away!) 

Next weigh in is on October 23rd…

I'm SOOO incredibly excited and proudLet's kick this fat in the ass!

LOVE!!!!

~bobbi

PS. remember if you twitter about the healthy train to be sure to add the #healthytrain hash tag.  Also, don't forget about our healthy train group on Facebook

So, there are still more "before" photos coming in as we speak… but as of right now, we're up to 86… I'm completely blown away by that. Speechless actually.  The strength and courage that you all have for sending photos of yourselves… wow.  The stories I read with each photo… people sobbing as they wrote them, yet so excited to turn over a new leaf…. to start this new chapter… For many it seemed that sharing these photos was exactly what they needed to get started… just SHOWING it to someone other than themselves made them feel accountable and renewed.  

Here are a few anonymous quotes from some of the emails I received:

• "I'm mortified to send you this pic. You know how everyone in the world views themselves as bigger than they actually are? Well I don't. I have the exact opposite problem. I have no idea how overweight I am. And now I can't decide if I want to cry or puke as I send you this photo. (probably both.)"
• "Nothing else could have motivated me at this point, we work A TON of hours and are always exhausted and ready for carry-out dinners, so thanks for the motivation."
• "I have battled this silly weight for as long as I can remember and am finally going to get fit and win the session!!" 
• "My dad had a heart attack in January at 51 years of age, and the doctors told him that plaque has been building in his heart for 25 years. Since I'm 26, I figure that means I'm at risk RIGHT NOW for having to pay serious consequences later in life, and I want to be healthy. "
• "As painful as it is to send you these photos, I am doing it.  I have failed sooooo many times before, I am scared."
• "Getting this body was hard work — it took 13 years of pregnancies, breastfeeding, celebrations, traumas, and drive-through dinners  — not all at the same time, but still.  Hard work.  But I'm ready to throw it all away :)"
• "I have always been too afraid before to join and also unwilling to really make a change. Well life has changed, I want kids and I need to be healthy before that occurs, not just for any kids that may come but for myself."
• "I really cannot tell you what you've done for me – you are my biggest motivation. I really can't explain it, but this healthy train and the possibility of a photo session with you seem to have been what I really truly needed to get this started – I've only been trying for a YEAR!"
• "Taking these pictures really opened my eyes about how I've totally let myself go!! It's so sad but I'm psyched to see what kind of difference we can make doing this."
• "My fear of failure cannot win out over my self-loathing of my body so here we go."

This isn't a "weigh-in" week… though, you're more than welcome to if you'd like.I've lost .8 pounds this week… making my total weight loss 3 pounds… and am quite pleased with that! You know, when people lose less than a pound… they seem disappointed with that… this isn't something that happens overnight… it's not supposed to! So slow down… and be happy with every 0.1 pounds that we do lose! (I have to keep reminding myself of that DAILY!)

Okay, a few reminders:

1. if you haven't joined our healthy train Facebook group… do it!  If you have any questions about weight loss, diet and exercise… usually someone has been there to answer.Even my trainer has joined the group to answer fitness questions… she's so great! Actually… if there are any nutrition/weight loss experts to answer those sorts of questions… we'd LOVE to have you! 
2. If you're a twitterer… and you tweet about the healthy train.. be sure to add the #healthytrain hashtag… makes it easier for all of us to read about what everyone else is up to
3. you're all hot tamales… and I'm ridiculously proud of EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUUUUU!!!!!!!

Love love love!

~bobbi

PS. Just as an FYI, we weigh-in every other week… the only reason I'm updating on the healthy train today is because of the before photo extension… so, in the future… you'll only be hearing from me every other week… which technically is NEXT week!So, see you here on Friday!!!!

:::EDITED TO ADD:::

I've gotten a few more photos…. and want to share a few more anonymous quotes:

• "I've always been heavy but after getting married and struggling through financial issues and personal issues that seem to come with being newly weds, I've piled the weight on. I hate life this way. And it's time… to change and take back life."
• "Okay, Healthy Train. I am totally onboard. I have GOT to get back to my wedding weight … about 25 pounds ago. Too long I’ve been consoling myself with the fact that I’m STILL down a lot from my heaviest weight ever. Not good enough. Not anymore."
• "In my mind I still think my body is what it was in high school, but whenever I see myself in a mirror it's like a kick to the stomach when I see that it's definitely not the case…"
• "I just want us both to get better, not just for our health, but so we can be more successful with our photography business."
• "I would absolutely love to have a photo session with you and I'm hoping that will be enough to motivate me. Even if I don't "win" the grand prize :), it will be worth it just to feel like my old self again. For so long, I've been telling myself that it doesn't matter what's on the outside. But, I want to look good… and there is nothing wrong with that!"

Okay… that's allLOVE!!!!!