Start Date:
Feb 4, 2008
Start Weight: 265 lbs

Goal Date:
April 27, 2008
Goal Weight: 220 lbs

Hi Everyone,

Now that my photos have finally arrived, I thought I would drop a note to say thank you to everyone who supported me while I dropped 35 pounds to prepare from my cruise with Richard Simmons and to fit into a harness that would let me zip through the canopy.

The Richard Simmons’ birthday cruise ranks right up there with my first child, my wedding day, and the day I received my B.A. degree.  Maybe even tops the list!

I have to first tell you that although Carlene and I stuck with our one-on-one Boot Camp to the end, there were a few days when I wanted to quit.  When I signed in to record my weight and saw the log with Carlene form, I sometimes would stare at it with my fingers on the keys wanting so badly to type the words, “I quit!”  I cursed myself for having made an agreement with the devil..  LOL.  Then I would think of all of you who were watching and waiting to see me succeed. You kept me there, pushing every day, giving me the courage to get up when I didn’t think I could, and keeping my mind on that cruise and the zip line I coveted. In the end, it was all worth it and for this I owe you my undying gratitude.

I was thrilled to be with Richard everyday, to learn from him, to laugh with him, and to exercise with him.  Several of us got to help lead exercise class, and when it was my turn I was ecstatic to be able to keep up with him.  I was fit, and it felt good.  He noticed that I was keeping up and called out to me what we were going to do for example, “eight cha cha’s or four celebrates.”  I felt like I was part of his team. 

Having made arrangements ahead of time, my waiter brought me fruit smoothies for breakfasts.  Every morning the comments at my table began to fly because I was only having fruit.  I let the comments pass because I have the secret to health and to living life!   

The ship was huge, and I got lost everyday.  I think I did more walking on that ship trying to find my room than I ever did while exercising for Carlene.  I woke up at 5 am and dressed into my walking clothes by flashlight not wishing to disturb my roommate.  I did laps on the track up on the highest deck in the dark listening to U2’s Bono.  Not a soul around but me.  Everyone else must have been drunk or sleeping.  Ha ha.  It was the perfect time to explore the ship.

I got to ride a dolphin!  How cool is that?  I got belly to belly and gently held its fins while it swam around the pool.  I would have never tried this before being too embarrassed by the way I looked in a bathing suit.  I would have missed out on an almost spiritual experience being one with the dolphin.  

And guess what?  I got to zip line!  I could barely sleep the night before for fear of missing the jeep ride into the jungle.  I jumped out of bed and got my morning hug from Richard before heading out.  We met our guides and they harnessed us up with ten pounds of equipment and metal clips.  There was a 20 minute walk to the first platform with a lot of climbing, and it was hard for me.  I’m glad for the three hours of exercise Carlene forced on me otherwise I would not have been able to complete that walk.  I was able to keep up with the group.

Having to step off the first platform took nerves of steel, but I let myself go, and flew!  Too fast.  Funny what goes through your mind at times like these.  I remembered my college physics class and the effect of mass on gravity.  The larger the mass, the faster you go.  AaaaCK!  Break, break, break.  I stopped myself dead center and had to be rescued by one of the guides. 

I decided to forego the breaks for the second attempt and slammed into the third platform too hard.  I thought it was because I was fat that I could not do this right.  However in watching others I saw that they too had problems with breaking, speed, and pulling themselves onto the platforms.  Toward the end, zip lining became the thrilling adventure I had hoped it would be.  I would do it again in a heartbeat!

If I get to do it again my training will have to include taking the stairs up two at a time and upper thigh strength training.  The reason why is that the hike back to the jeep was long, hot, dusty, and uphill with steps.  Not ordinary steps, but pieces of wood pushed into the dirt to help with traction for climbing upward.  They were spaced like stairs would be two at a time.

I’m glad I did it.  I was afraid and did it anyway. Not afraid of the heights or hanging on a zip line, but afraid that me, the fat girl, was making more work for the guides and slowing down the group.  It was my biggest concern and stopped me from fully enjoying the whole thing until the end when I saw that my struggles with it were just like everyone else’s.  Of course I couldn’t have done it without the hell Carlene put me through.  What was I thinking?

The cruise and the zip line taught me that I don’t have to be afraid because of my weight.  I can go after my dreams and accomplish them.  I don’t have to wait to be perfectly thin or ultra fit to do things I want to do, but I have to be willing to work hard to get to the point that I can do them without feeling like the fat girl who holds up the line.

Thanks again Carlene, and to all the women who gave me much needed encouragement. I’ve already paid for next year’s cruise.  Grin. And, I have not gained back the weight I lost before the cruise. Double grin!

Cheri

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