Today is Day 1 of 67.

If you haven't read what The M.O.B. is up to... read the blog post, The M.O.B. hits MEXICO, it explains the next 67 days of my life and how I'm ramping up my goals and expectations. To hell with waiting for a New Years Resoultion... I'm doing it now. 

I don't understand the mentality of... "I'll wait until after Christmas ... to start eating bette, to get in shape"... it's just a free for all to be overindulgent over the holidays. I can dare to bet that I will have just as much fun over the holidays keeping to eating healthy... now working out ... as those who have given themselves a time out. In fact I will probably be happier because my energies levels are amazing and I know that I am staying true to my goals. I DON"T want to be overweight ANY MORE!

This is only about me. I'm not dreading the holidays for the weight I might put on because I won't put any on. I can maintain if nothing else and still enjoy Christmas cooking and a few wobbly pops. That doesn't mean that I'm going to be indulging in Christmas baking and copious amounts of booze, but it does mean I will be cooking and choosing healthy food. Healthy choices...  It's the first Christmas I'm going in stress free about what will happen. 

I don't think I've ever been so adamant about getting my shit together. ITS REALLY IMPORTANT to me. This being 50 has really opened my eyes. I DO want to age gracefully... I'm not going to let age get the best of me. I'm not one at the best of times to let anything get the best of me... this isn't any different. Bring it!

The thing that really inspires me is really the results I have seen from all ages ... men and women in the best shape of their lives. How can you not be motivated? Surround yourself with like-minded people that share the same goals. Surround yourself with those that you admire and look up to.. look to those that have achieved the same goals that you are trying to achieve. I've written a great blurb on just this in the blog post,Turkeys and Eagles, if you want some extra inspiration, take a read. If you want to achieve more...find those with that positive energy that cna drive you to your next level.

I've added this to my video channel on YouTube where every video will be posted. I can only hope that the raw footage doesn't scare you off. It is a roll out of bed real... I did put on mascara I must admit... didn't want you all running for the hills in fear. 

Let's face it... not all of us are gym rats. I don't pretend to be, I never will be ...not sure I want to be. I do realize though that I do want to be toned and get rid of these last 15 pounds. I DO want to get into a bikini at 50. And ... I want to ROCK it. Let's be real here... this isn't for how anyone else perceives how I look in a bathing suit but how I FEEL in a bathing suit...I don't need to compete with anyone... I know I'm 50... and damn proud of it. Now I just want people to go... man... she has aged well. 

AGED WELL. 

Why do we let ourselves go as we age? It's a great question. Is it because we have given up? Is it because our partners have given up? Is it because it just doesn't matter to some of us? I'm not sure what the answer is, I only know I'm not giving in to age. 

I will be posting my starting pictures and measurements, my workouts...my hurdles... trials and tribulations. In the first part of my journey, many of you joined me in the "get healthy" part of my weight loss journey... so proud of these team mates in making a decision to change their lives and do it along with me. SO PROUD of my team. Collectively... we have lost hundreds of pounds in the last 6 months. How can you not be proud? The things I have seen and been a part of have been remarkable... the best thing is ... being a part of their journey too. 

So ... PART DEUX. 

Sans mascara. 

Day 1  ... Treadmill. Thrilled I'm not dead... it's a great start. 

68 days.

In 68 days I will be sitting on the beach with the best of the best in a contest my company just ran.

Out of 2100 teams, 10 of those are will be heading to Mexico. I will be one of 60 people getting the privilege of gracing those white sand beaches. 

My team...awesome women that have worked our butts off to get there. Now, the challenge is out there... Get into a bikini. 

A BIKINI.

Bikini ... lately ... okay, in the last five years or maybe more... okay ten... bikini is not a word that is in my vocabulary. I guess it's back. I'm not kidding... we challenged ourselves to get to the next step, push harder, set the next goals. BIKINI it is. 

I decided that I'm going back to what got me to this point in the first place. YOU. My faithful followers in the M.O.B. Project. You watched me transform over several months so that I could look like a hot Mother of the Bride aka M.O.B. at my daughters wedding. I lost a total of 30 pounds and that was amazing. Truly changed my life. What helped me get there was the accountability I had to you in the Project... showing you that I was making progress... daily. YOU got me to where I am. Thank you. I know that some of you sit silently and just quietly pay attention and that's great too, I still know you're out there and you're still hedging bets on whether I can do it or not. The pressure was on then, it's back now. There were many that came out and said that they were waiting for me to pack it in, dump my goals or just not dump the weight .. I proved them wrong. Six months later I am still 30 pounds down and am the healthiest I have ever been. 

So ... Here I stand ... asking you to stand behind me once more. 

To me, this is even scarier than my last goal. Although that being said, I didn't think I could have lost 30 pounds either if you would have asked me at the beginning. Truthfully every pound that came off, I was grateful for. I didn't even have a destination weight to be honest. Losing weight to me was a necessity and I always have known that getting in shape was going to be the next step. I'e pushed myself this far, I can push myself the rest of the way. 

Into a bikini. 

The word seriously hurts my ears. 

68 days.

Starting today...I have NO CHOICE... but to get off my ass.  You see, I have been very lax over the last six months of my weight transformation ... my physical activity nearly non-existent. That is why ... although I now wear a size 8 jean, which I might add I haven't worn since 2007 but I am still FLABBY. 

Ugh. Another word I can't stand the sound of. FLABBY.... let's all say it together...FLABBY. I bet it makes you cringe as much as it does me. And trust me... it's gotta go. Mexico is the NO FLAB ZONE for this girl ... now known as the NFZ. I'm going to write it on my forehead so I am reminded constantly of my new goal.

I need to do this. For myself. To know that I can keep climbing. 

I guess the other part of this whole equation is that I hope it inspires my team and YOU... my accountability partners that if I can do this ... anyone can. Why... I actually hate working out. I think that there was only one time when I actually enjoyed it  and it was when my old boyfriend and I used to go to the gym together. His energy and perseverance helped me get there too, and we could do it together. I was in great shape and I was loving it. That's another story for the Humble Pie Chronicles I suppose. 

I have been so thrilled with the people that have come on board to help in the FLAB Fight over the last 6 months... their own successes have been amazing. I am so proud of all of my team. If they want to take the next step and join me on the next part of this journey then let's do it. I would rather have buddies with me, encouraging me to keep moving forward. 

68 days. 

The COUNTDOWN BIKINI is on! The M.O.B. is gonna 'HIT' Mexico and the NFZ with vigor. I will do the same thing that I did with my M.O.B. wedding countdown and keep everyone posted on my results. Feel free to drag me to the gym. Join me on the M.O.B. Project Facebook page as well for updates, 

68 Days to NFZ.