-Nov 21– I played a platform paddle match, in an away game, a few towns away from home .  After we won, we went into the paddle hut (as the game is played outside all winter), in order to wait for the other women on our team to finish their matches. As we were talking about the match, I said to the women who lost, “don’t be down, you should know that you at least just burned 810 calories!” ( I had my Body Bugg on which calculates how many calories you are burning during the day). They asked how I knew, then I told them about the body bugg on my arm and hand, and proceeded to tell all of these people, whom I didn’t really know, all about Dr. Oz’s Transformation Nation Challenge… I have never met some of them before, and my captain was my partner that day. I was so hesitant at first, but then they were asking all kinds of questions about the changes I was making and all that I had learned from WW and Dr. Oz,,,,,when I was finished they said, “ I don’t even know you, but I really think you will win! You are so excited and you are putting it out into the world.. you can really do it”

I drove home with my Captain, who is such a special lady. She is very athletic and very fit,  and she is someone who doesn’t look like she has ever had a weight problem. But…..she proceeded to tell me how proud she was of me, she believed in me totally and really believed that I could win the whole thing! She said, again, “you are telling people and putting it out in the world and sharing the journey, and that will make all the difference.”

I have always been a private person about diets and weight loss, always feeling that people, especially family would say, or think, “Oh, Wendy, you’re on another diet?”… so whenever I try, I do it secretly and never tell anyone, which adds to the shame and defeat before I even start. Isolating myself from everyone, instead of asking for help and accountability. This is the FIRST TIME that I have truly realized how important it is to tell everyone, pass on what is working, and to be humble and vulnerable and ASK for help.

I cannot believe how many people are pulling for me, through phone calls, conversations, emails. What a blessing!

I still get choked up when I think of my captain saying how proud she is of me. This is becoming an amazing journey day by day, sometimes even moment by moment, and I am so thankful to everyone supporting, encouraging and believing in me….. family, friends, acquaintances and even strangers!