One of the most important pieces to this SUCCESSFUL journey, (I confidently say "successful" because I truly believe this time it is happening), is the fitness resort I stayed at for two months in 2013 and the one I stayed at for two weeks in October 2014. The resort is currently going through a name change so I am not sure how to refer to it. For the purpose of this blog, I will refer to it as "The fitness resort." It is my understanding that they will have a new name this week and I will let you know when I find out.
How did I get to go to a WONDERFUL FITNESS RESORT!!??? I am not rich, parents are not rich and this was a VERY EXPENSIVE and AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL PLACE!! A little background...
Towards the end of my second year of teaching, knowing I passed BTSA, and no pink slip...the summer of 2013 was going to be the start of my weight loss journey, NO MORE EXCUSES!! I looked into the weight loss surgery again for the third time and again, I really didn't have the support of my family....they were just so scared of the possible side effects and in the past I have never been able to lose the weight in order to have the surgery. That's when I started looking at "fitness resorts" to help me lose the weight so I could get the surgery. I think my family saw the desperate situation I was in. My father did the most wonderful and GENEROUS thing....he said that he liked the "fitness resort" idea and pulled money out of his retirement to pay for me to go the entire summer, which was two months. His thinking was that I would go and lose weight and continue to do it on my own without getting the surgery. I was so happy! I told him that "if" I ever got married, he would not have to pay for a dime because of the expense of this resort. The last day of school, the summer of 2013, was a Thursday and my parents and I were heading to Malibu, CA that Sunday to check me in. I googled the place, saw videos, testimonials, etc., but I truly had no idea what was to come.
Monday morning, 6am very healthy breakfast, 7am on a van to take us to a two hour assessment hike,...WHAT!!!!??? Brand new camelpack on, sunscreen, hat, etc. CHECK!! One issue...I was not able to stand unassisted for more than a few minutes and by some MIRACULOUS effort I was going to spend two hours on my feet and HIKING up a hill?! No way!! I was absolutely going to DIE on that hill. Two plus hours later, many tears, cursing under my breath, this is what happened...vans left to return all the other guests back to the resort because they ALL finished....myself and a few hiking guides stayed behind because I was still on the hill. They were encouraging me to finish and fight past the pain and emotions. I was the only guest left on that hill. It was clear that I was completely out of shape and struggling hard. I HAD NO BUSINESS BEING HERE...is all I kept saying. No way was I going to finish this hike and then complete a total of 3-4 more hours of exercise that the resort program had planned. My parents, family, friends, co-workers are all going to be let down, I was going to let myself down. There was literally NO WAY I WILL SURVIVE THIS!!! I could go on and on about all the details of true survival that I experienced. I ended up staying, of course. I knew I was not going to lose 280 plus pounds in two months but what I needed from this experience was HOPE. What I found was hope, confidence, strength, friends and a feeling of being ALIVE again. The thing about this place that I did not do but I did the second time I went in October 2014, is attend all the lecture classes that help you learn about nutrition, teach you about emotional eating, discover why you got to this place, etc. Instead, I took those class times to rest in between exercise classes. When I went back in October 2014, I promised myself that I would attend all those classes.
So what happened to me after coming back from two months at the fitness resort in 2013? Well...I lost 50 pounds then I kept it going for a couple months afterwards, losing a total of 95 pounds. I had moved into my own place, got a new puppy, and started working out with Adam again. During December 2013, I stopped working out at 5:15 in the morning, made excuses, or for whatever reason, I stopped living a lifestyle that I was enjoying and I don't know WHY!! But what followed was worse...I was letting all the money earned by blood, sweat and tears from my parents go to waste. I could hardly face them with every pound I gained. I did not gain it all back. The summer of 2014, one of the guests I met in Malibu intervened and gifted me (although, I am going to pay him back), two weeks in October. He was so impressed with my workout and progress that he was so saddened to hear that I had lost my way. Like I said, I went to EVERY lecture at the fitness resort this time. This place works!!! I even threatened the owners that I was going to become a squatter and never leave!! I fell in LOVE with this place and it has given me the tools needed to continue. I even found the courage to take this journey public because of my experience there. Thank you for providing a fitness paradise for the mind, body and soul, where I was able to rediscover myself!! Michelle, Cameron, Sharon, Tracy, Robyn, Tiffany, Cera, Sione, Jennifer, Emily, Chef Sam, Ivana, Victoria, Cameron, Micaela, Jake, Selena, JR, Dorothy, TJ, there are so many more that I am running out of space, THANK YOU!!!
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