Wasatch County Biggest Loser!

I have heard the stories of people who lost weight without the help of surgeries, reality tv shows, special products, etc. But I never thought I would be one of them. Until now.

On April 2, 2011, Scott and I started in a competition that we hoped would be a kickstart to a better, healthier lifestyle. The Fit Stop in Heber City put together their own Biggest Loser competition to get the community motivated and healthy. Even the creators of this program were shocked at the results! Who knew that in 10 weeks, 35 people could lose a total of 1,029 lbs??? How cool is THAT!?!?

35 contestants were chosen - all different ages, sizes and personalities. We were put into teams of 5 and given some of the most amazing trainers that exist in this world. We had two weekly team workouts, full access the the gym and rec center, and weigh ins every Saturday. Scott and I were put on different teams, due to our opposite work schedules, which actually turned out to be a really great thing.

Scott was put on the orange team, with 3 AWESOME girls and one, well, not so awesome guy. Their trainer is one of the most experienced and qualified trainers around. Scott's trainer teaches a Dynamics class that I attend every Monday and it never fails to kick my trash. Scott loved every minute of his workouts with his trainer and it showed.

SCOTT LOST 58 LBS IN 10 WEEKS!!! He ended up winning third place overall!!!!

Check out that skinny boy!!

My team and my trainer turned out to be the PERFECT combination of friendship and motivation. Every woman on my team is a very special and unique person, with incredible strength!! We worked together like a charm, motivating each other to do our best during our workouts. My trainer, who hails all the way from across the pond (Manchester, England) is one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privelage of meeting. When I first met Juliette, all 101 lbs of her, I knew I was in for a real treat. She is a little spitfire, with a personality that is way too big for her tiny little body! But she showed me something that no one in my life ever has: That I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to. Juliette saw things in me that I couldn't see in myself. She pushed me in the gentlest, most comforting way to break through my limitations and accomplish greatness. I owe her so much. She will never know just how much she has affected my life for the greater. I am excited to be able to spend every Wednesday night at her kickboxing class, as well as Saturday morning soccer games!

In 10 weeks, I lost a total of 27 lbs. AND I RAN A 5k!!!

Let me tell you something about this 5k. My sister, Amy and I decided to run it together. She could have run ahead of me, and gotten a great time, but she stuck with me, and I am SO glad she did. People have always told me that there comes a point in your run where your body kind of just, well, clicks on, and you no longer feel tired or out of breath, but you can just RUN! I had never experienced that until today. Amy would set little goals for me - she would say, "Let's just run to the mailbox and then walk for a bit". So we'd run to the mailbox and then we'd walk, briskly of course! For the first 1.5 miles, that's how it went. After we passed the halfway point, we began to run again. She set another goal for us, another mailbox, and as we approached it, my body changed. My breathing became smooth and even. My leg muscles loosened up. My mind cleared. And I knew that I would finish this race without walking. I would run the rest of the way. And you know what? I did. I ran that full mile and a half without a second thought. I felt like I was floating. I don't remember ever feeling so good. As I rounded the corner toward the finish line, I saw my parents, Scottie, and all my new friends that I've made in the past week, standing there cheering me on. Amy told me to sprint to the end, so I did. When I crossed that line, I was overcome with emotion. I had accomplished something - something I never thought I could EVER do. Now I know that 3.2 miles doesn't REALLY seem like that much, but for someone like me, who's been overweight my whole life, who's never been able to run for longer than a minute at a time, this was HUGE.

That moment will stick with me forever. It will continually give me strength to do things that I never thought I could do. When I'm struggling with something in the future, I will look back at today and KNOW that I can do anything that I put my mind to.

Today was a wonderful day. These past 10 weeks have been nothing short of amazing. And now I have a clear picture in my head of how my future will be. No more sitting around at home wondering what it would be like to be healthy and fit. No more feeling those jealous pangs when I see beautiful, thin women shopping at normal clothing stores at the mall. No more worrying about needing a seatbelt extender on an airplane. No more having to request tables at restaurants because the booths are too small. No more feeling uncomfortable through a movie because I am too large for the seat. No more stares from people who are secretly thankful they don't look like me. And more importantly, no more fears of what medical ailment I'll fall victim to due to my unhealthy weight. My life will be carefree, healthy and full of joy!

To all the people that have been there for me through all of this: THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! You never realize just how important it is to have support until you start to do something you think you won't be able to do. To my teammates: You are AMAZING and I am so thankful I was able to spend such a wonderful 10 weeks with you - and I look forward to many days together at the gym! To my trainer: Thank you isn't not NEARLY enough - you've given me hope, you've given me life, you've given me dedication, and above all, you've given me heart. There is a very special mansion for you in Heaven - I submitted the request the day you taught me that I COULD do 5 more pullups...

I look forward to what the future will bring- I should be at my goal weight by this time next year. That will be a total weight loss of 144 lbs. It's a ways to go, but I'm already on the road!


My awesome team before the 5k!


The best trainer in the WORLD!



Scottie and I after finishing the 5k

Life Update of 2011

It was recently brought to my attention that I haven't updated my blog for a while. I didnt realize until tonight, however, that it hasn't been until December. And let me just tell you that a LOT can happen in 5 months. So here is a new update from Warnerland.

Scott:

Scottie went back to school in February and obtained his CNA license. He got two jobs, and is doing really well at them! He works for Danville Services, which is a group home for adults with mental and physical disabilities. He also works as an in-home health care CNA for Salus Homecare. And just recently he got a new client. You may or may not heard of Dale, the wrestler from Wasatch High School who had his neck broken during a practice. It's been a huge deal for this community, and the whole city has rallied around him. Scott started caring for Dale this week. He really likes it, and it's a great opportunity for him. Dale's support page can be found here.

Alison:

I also have a new job. On May 2, I returned to work for the Division of Child & Family Services as a CPS worker. (Child Protective Services) After two years of advertising sales, it's a huge breath of fresh air to return to my field of study. And if you know me at all, you know that I LOVED my job at DCFS when I worked there in 2008. It's only been two weeks, but so far I REALLY like my co-workers and I really like CPS. I did permanency before (in-home/long term work) but now I will be doing the initial investigations. I'm really excited about it and I hope I will be there for a really, really long time!

I will be going back to school in July to finish my LPC. I decided to switch programs in February after spending a few months in an internship. School counseling is not for me. I realized I needed to go where my true passion is - so I switched to the Mental Health counseling program. I'm excited about it. It's two + years more of school, but I will be SO much happier!

Together:

We moved into a house (an actual house) in February. It's really nice to live in a home that's separate from other people's homes!! It needs a lot of work. We painted almost every room, installed some new light fixtures, plumbing fixtures, etc. It still needs a lot more, such as new carpet, new hardwood floors and other small, cosmetic things, but we have a while to do that.

We have also been participating in the Wasatch County Biggest Loser competition. Check out the blog here

The competition started April 2. It goes until June 11, so we are about half way through. So far Scott has lost 35 lbs, and I have lost 16! Our trainers are AWESOME, and it's been a really incredible experience! I love seeing the little changes, like clothing fitting a teeny bit better, and seeing how my habits have changed. Sure I still mess up from time to time, but what matters is that I'm learning how to live a better, healthier life. I'm excited to see how things will be a year from now!

I think that's all the updating I have to do - of course many other things have taken place, such as the amazing cruise I went on with my sister and my best friend (which was SO MUCH FUN) but that's another blog for another time!

Seat Belt Belts by Ali

Before my mission, to make a little extra money, I used to make seat belt belts and sell them online. Recently a friend of mine from Wisconsin, who I happened to give one of my belts to, asked me to make her some for Christmas. I was so excited to have a hobby again (other than Facebook and Netflix) that I made lots more than what she requested! I am so excited to be doing these again. I know it's getting a little late to get them made for Christmas, but I will be selling them again online (Facebook, Ebay and possibly Amazon). However, for my friends I will take special orders and give a fabulous discount! If you or anyone you know would like one of my belts, let me know and I'll get one made for them! You can find the full gallery on Facebook, but here are a few pictures to give you an idea of what they look like.








Now let me tell you something about these belts - each buckle is hand picked by me from the junk yard, and I personally cut each one from the old car/truck. (Okay, Scott helps with this part...). I scrub each buckle with a toothbrush and super awesome cleaner to make sure there is no grease/oil/dirt, etc because you never know where these buckles have been! Not to mention that they only put these kinds of buckles in cars and trucks throughout the 70's and 80's. Then they started making them plastic like the ones we have now. Then I hand pick the belt material, the strap adjuster, and I mix and match until I find the right buckle for the material. I then hand sew (with my mother's 33 year old sewing machine) each buckle in place. I have my father and my husband strength test each belt (which is absolutely photo worthy - I'll have to get one of them next time). The strength test consists of Scott hold one end and my dad holding another, while they try to pull each other over. Each belt has withstood this test so far. This way you KNOW they're durable!

Spread the word, if you like. I know they are kind of cheesy, but they're fun.

Here is the facebook gallery: Seat Belt Belts by Ali

Giving Thanks!

Tomorrow is the day where we gather together with our families, fill our bellies full of turkey, stuffing, potatoes and pie, and reflect on the things we are thankful for. So in honor of Thanksgiving, I am dedicating this post to things I am forever thankful for.

1. My husband, Scott.

Granted life is never perfect. But it is often a little sweeter with Scott around. He is SO good to help out around the house (with little to no griping...most days), he is a fantastic cook, and most importantly: he makes me feel special and beautiful. Scott is a wonderful man that puts my feelings before his, and will go to the end of the world for me if he thought it would make me happy. I am so lucky to have found my soul mate.

2. My faith.

This past week I attended the funeral of my best friend's 42 day old baby. I have been to more funerals in my life than I would have liked, but this one touched my heart in a way I never thought possible. I have always had a strong belief in what happens when we die, but when you see a sweet little innocent baby pass away, it makes it really easy to question things. I have done a lot of thinking this past week, and I have come to the conclusion that everything I have believed about the afterlife, and God's plan, are all very true. I know that my dear friend will be with her sweet son again. I know that she'll have the chance to raise him and care for him. Granted it doesn't make the void and the heart wrenching pain go away. Not at all. But it certainly instills hope that make times like these a little more bearable. If you would like to read the story of this incredible baby's life, you can find it at my friend's blog here

3. My family.

Ever since I was little, I always considered my family members my best friends. Given the choice, I would often pick staying home with my family rather than go out with friends. We have always had so much fun together - whether it be on a road trip to Disneyland or celebrating Christmas by the traditions of a random country. I was so happy to move home to Heber, where I could be closer to my parents - for Sunday dinners and London Rummy, for birthday celebrations and singing together around the grand piano. I love my family so much. My parents are my heroes and my sisters are my best friends. It's fantastic.

4. Employment

Most of you know that exactly two years ago today I was laid off from the one job I ever felt I was really great at - working for DCFS as a social worker. I was absolutely devastated and I fell into a ridiculous depression. I was out of work for 8 months. A good friend of mine got me a job selling advertising over the phone for a local phone book company. I took it reluctantly, knowing that something better would come along shortly but I needed the money. Little did I know that this job would become the something better. A year and a half later, I have been promoted, I feel like I am very successful, and I really enjoy what I do. It's been a huge blessing in my life, and I am so glad I have been able to find fulfillment in something that I never would have looked at before. Sometimes our lives take very different turns than what we thought they would.

5. Education.

While I can't be as thankful for the amount of student loans I have accumulated over the past 2 1/2 years, I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity I have to live where I live, to have the abilities I have, and that I have been able to attend graduate school. I will be graduating in 5 months with my Masters degree in School Counseling, and regardless of whether or not there will be jobs available, I am so thankful that I have the education I have. Because when I die, it will be all I can take with me - memories and knowledge. If I find a job as a school counselor, that's great. If I don't, I am totally content to stay at my job and see where it takes me in life.

AND FINALLY....

6. Black Friday.

Because it's awesome.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING MY FRIENDS!!!

P.S. - I'm incredibly thankful for you.

A Little Support Goes a Long Way!!

After the last Biggest Loser audition, when Scott and I got close again but didn't quite make the show, we had decided we wouldn't audition again. It's really discouraging seeing other people (that end up kind of sucking on the show) getting picked over us, and we figured if we were meant to be on the show, we would have been picked already.

HOWEVER...

I learned not too long ago that most of the people who have ended up on the show have auditioned multiple times. And 9 times out of 10, they have shown the casting directors what amazing support they have from their friends and family members.

One of my best friends, Schuyler Whitaker, created a page on facebook for this very purpose. She has been our biggest fan since the first time we auditioned, and I have been so grateful that there have been people in our lives that want to see us make it on the show so we can FINALLY start living the lives we feel like we deserve. If you've ever been overweight, you know what a struggle it is. The ranch would be a huge jumpstart to our healthy lifestyle, and seriously, who wouldn't want to see Scott on national TV? He's SO hilarious!



PLEASE become a fan of the page. And please write something on the wall, just stating why you think we should be on the show. And if you are really feeling saucy, please make a short 1 minute video stating who you are, how you know us and why you think we would be good on the show. We really appreciate any and all support. We're going to give it one more shot. And if we don't make it, it still helps to know we have lots of support from loved ones that will help us make the necessary changes we need to make. So please, join the page. Invite your friends - even if they don't know us, we appreciate as much support as we can get!

Thank you so much!

Here is the link

Sick.

When I was 19 years old, I had my tonsils removed. It was for the best, since I had gotten strep throat so many times in my life that my tonsils were permanently swollen. I was excited to have them gone so I could live my life without ever having to deal with strep, sore throats or anything of that nature ever again.

The week I got them out was the most painful week of my entire life. I don't know if you have had your tonsils out, but if you haven't, let me just tell you what it's like. Well, on second thought, I won't. Because I don't want to scare anyone. But just know that it is incredibly painful. The pain doesn't go away for a good two weeks. Talking, eating, drinking, sleeping, breathing...it's all nigh unto impossible without searing pain. However, I survived, although I whined constantly.

Here I am, nearly 10 years later, experiencing the exact same pain. How, you ask? Simply put - the virus from hell. This is no ordinary cold virus. This is an evil, masterminding virus who clearly has one intention: my misery. It's a lovely marriage of bronchitis and laryngitis mixed with a little bit of sinus pain and deep coughing. Throw in some fatigue, a low fever, ear aches and a nose that won't stop running, and you've got the perfect recipe for one miserable human being.

I'm not happy at all.

You don't realize just how much you use your voice until it's gone. I depend on my voice to do my job. I also never realized just how often strangers talk to me on a daily basis. People are everywhere. I had people talk to me at the gas station, the store, the pharmacy, the parking lot, you name it, someone was talking to me. And all I could do is smile and nod like a perfect idiot.

How thankful I am to have a voice - to have the ability to speak. I can't imagine living like this forever. And when I'm healthy again, I will forever be thankful for the days that I live without sickness. I know it's all part of our mortal experience, and I can see why. You can't fully appreciate the good things without experiencing the bad.

The cherry on top is that Scottie is sick, too. Poor thing. But it is true that misery loves company - we've been able to spend a little more time together this week, which has been nice, even though we've both felt like death. How's that for a silver lining?

NEVER Forget to say THANKS!

Last night as I got into the little Mazda 3 they've given me to drive (while my poor Sebring gets a makeover after being rear-ended last week) I knew the next hour of my life would be interesting. Snowflakes fell softly from the sky, gently coating the earth below.

Sounds nice, right?

It wasn't.

The minute I got onto the freeway in Salt Lake, heading toward I-80 to head up Parley's, the snow started to fall faster. And there was more. And then more. Because I was unsure how this Mazda would do in the snow, and because I'm already a HUGE baby when it comes to driving in this weather, I said the most heartfelt prayer I could say with my knuckles turning white on the steering wheel and my eyes wide open.

As I made my way up the first hill of Parley's, I knew I was in for a rough ride. All I could see in front of me was snow flurries - bouncing off the headlights and across the windshield. I couldn't see if there were cars in front of me. I couldn't see if I was on the road. For all I knew, I was driving through a field or down a ski slope. I was SCARED.

I finally figured out that if I turn off my headlights and keep my running lights on, I could actually decipher where I was and whether or not i was on the road. As I headed up the next hill, I switched off my lights and attached my eyes to the back end of a semi truck. Did I care that people wondered what I was doing? No. Because they couldn't see me anyway, right? But I could SEE! The scariest part of all was coming down the hill toward Park City/Kimball Junction. On a normal day, without snow, I can end up going close to 90 mph before I realize how fast I am flying down that hill. Last night, however, I was barely going over 40, and it felt like I was cruising. There was one point where I was sure I was going over the side of the road - my wheels were slipping, I was absolutely out of control. But then, miraculously, I found my bearings and got back into the lane. Right then and there I thanked God for rumble strips - otherwise I would have ended up in the median FOR SURE.

When the time came that I could finally let go of the steering wheel, my arms started to shake. No, convulse, rather. I had been holding on to the wheel so tightly, that all my muscles had contracted. All the blood had drained from my hands. And it was the weirdest feeling in the world. I made it home, and as I pulled into my garage, I couldn't help but think about how out of control we really are in life. Things will happen. We will go through crappy situations - car wrecks and job losses and losing loved ones and being totally poor - but it's how we handle those situations that make us who we are. Could I have been in a horrible accident last night? Absolutely. But I wasn't. And that's when we turn to give thanks for the GREAT things that happen in life.

It's trivial, sure. Who contemplates life over a snowy drive home? Well I sure did. And as I made my way from the garage to my home, I looked up into the sky and poured out thankfulness and gratitude to the only one that had things in control.

May we always remember to say thanks - because it's prayer that makes you humble,
but it's gratitude that makes you whole.