This morning I woke up early, butterflies in my stomach, wondering how Olivia Ward did her final weigh-in, in front of millions of people. My family was still sleeping, I checked the computer, and at exactly the perfect time, as it was such an emotional morning knowing that this was the final day of this Transformation Nation Challenge, a few encouraging emails came through from friends who knew what a big morning this was. Part of me wished that some of us in the challenge would have taped walking through our final mornings, sharing all that was going through our minds. I didn’t realize how emotional this day would actually be.

I took my bag of clothes the change into after the weigh in, along with my binder for ww, and drove over, praying the entire drive… praising God for what He has done so far, and continuing to place this entire journey in His hands. I went very very early in order to weigh in alone.  I wanted Jen, the woman who has been weighing me in most of the weeks to do this final big weigh in, (she is the woman who encouraged me each time I  would plateau or gain a pound, saying that, “there is no “plan B”, you are going to stick to plan A, and as you continue to do everything right, the weight WILL come off”.)

I walked down the hall and shouted, “it’s the final weigh in!”. I dropped my bags, ran to change into my light clothes, then got ready to step on the scale. My heart was pounding, my knees were weak, my hands were sweating… Jen had the official Dr. Oz paperwork in front of her, and when she wrote down the number, I saw a number that was beyond my wildest dreams…I started trying to calculate the loss for the week, and when she finished with the calculator, she said, “you lost 5.2 pounds!”…I just broke down and cried, and tried to catch my breath, and just said, “Only God!, Only God could pull out a number like that for my final week!” WOW!!!! What an incredible ending for this challenge!! It still takes my breath away as I type this.

We filled out all of the Dr. Oz paperwork, I took a picture with Jen and with the paperwork and a sign that I quickly made that said, “Dr. Oz Final Weigh in 4/7/12  Lost 47.0 pounds!”…. My total loss is 57.0 from September, as I lost the first 10 pounds when I put on the “Just 10” bracelet from the Dr. Oz show and began the journey.
I changed my clothes, went to sit in the WW meeting and couldn’t wait until Elyse, the leader arrived, to share the amazing news with her, along with the entire group. I know with all my hear, and was able to share this morning, that I never could have done this without all of them. The meeting was about having “anchors” in our lives in order to help us overcome obstacles, and to stay on the weight loss journey successfully….anchors which include people, items that remind us to stay on course, sayings, scriptures, etc.

When I think of all of the anchors that I have been blessed with during this journey, they would fill pages! My family, friends, even strangers who have now become friends through this…all of the encouraging emails, scriptures, stories shared…those who have joined me in getting fit and using every opportunity to spur each other on, and a strengthened faith in this journey with a relationship that anchors it all!

I sit here adding to a journal that started last October, and I am in total awe of all that has “transformed” in my life, and occurred in this challenge. When I finish this entry, I will be putting my final numbers in the Dr. Oz Transformation Nation Challenge website and will then hit “send”. Then, starting Monday there will by many people working on and deciding who will be chosen as finalists…first cut is down to 200 people, next cut is down to 50 and then down to the final 10. There will be a 400 word essay which I have to write, along with some interviews to get through.

I just want to be able to share from my heart with whomever is reading my info or hearing my story, and to be able to give them even just a glimpse of this amazing journey that I have been blessed to walk through. I also want to thank them for creating the challenge, because although I always dreamed of being on The Biggest Loser, I know that I could never have left my family for that length of time, especially with ailing parents who really depend on me. Although the weight doesn’t come off as fast as it does on the BL,(which every day I wish it did), it is the right way to do it and the healthy way to do it, one pound, sometimes one ounce at a time. And, although it would be nice to be on a ranch, and have losing weight as my only job, without any distractions, that is not something that I could do right now, so being able to accomplish all of this, balancing it with everyday life, although very very hard at times…has been amazing..thanks to the support of family and friends, and even strangers!

So, as I am placed on your heart and minds in the next few days, please pray that I am chosen as one of the final 10 at this point. I truly still believe in a GREAT God who can do GREAT things. He is the author and finisher of our faith…. and I’m praying that He will bring me to the ultimate finish…. to be standing next to Dr. Oz on the final show when he announces the winner!  Thanks again for all of your prayers, encouragement and love. Happy Easter!