I Won 2nd Place In the 2010 IsaBody Challenge!

Celebration was FANTASTIC and not just because I was a finalist in the IsaBody Challenge!  I came in 2nd place (winning $2,000 cash plus the free trip to Celebration in San Diego). Here I am on stage when it was announced. Oralia won the $5,000 (I am happy for her, she lost 127lbs since she started the challenge, avoiding gastric bypass).

Nancy, my best friend from college, and her friend (now my friend Jeannine) all went and we had a blast. We met up with Dale, Dr J, Dave and lots of other friends from the Albany area. There were so many inspirational stories - here is one you HAVE TO WATCH, it is an amazing story about the transformation of a young woman, Angela Lovelace, with Down Syndrome. Angela was at Celebration and I was so impressed by her love of life.

I am already planning on attending the 2011 Celebration (again scheduled for San Diego) and am going to bring my whole family as there is so much to do out there (Legoland, SeaWorld, even Disney).

There is just too much to post here but I am even MORE excited about growing a business with this company. Lots of new products were introduced with some more blockbusters planned for the future!

Best of all, I got to meet and talk to John Anderson (I just couldn't believe I was standing next to him - the genius who formulated the first Isagenix products).  I am pictured here with Dale (my walking buddy and mentor) and Jeannine (my new friend from Long Island).  So much to tell, we actually sat with Dr Paul Anderson, the person who formulated my favorite IsaDelight dark chocolates (no relation to John Anderson). These people are my celebrity crushes because they are incredibly smart and have changed thousands of peoples' lives (including mine).

Leaving tomorrow for CELEBRATION!!

I am leaving Friday morning to go to Celebration in San Diego. Should be packing right now but I was just appreciating my sister and all the beautiful clothes she let me borrow. We are the same size now (that has not happened since we were in high school and she used to steal my clothes, haha). 

God bless my wonderful husband - thanks to him my car won't blow up on the way to the airport! He asked me if there was anything he could do to help me and I mentioned that my oil light had been flickering on and off. Well, I apparently had NO oil in my car so a blown engine was imminent (how scary)!

Before and After (down 69lbs in 24 weeks)

Here is my Isagenix before and after photo that I submitted for the contest. I am glad that the IsaBody photo shoot and interview, etc. is all on Saturday because then I can just relax and enjoy myself until they announce the winners on Monday afternoon.  Here is a link to the web page with the 2010 finalists, look for me under Women 35-49 (I just made the cut-off as I am 49). A dear woman, Jean Faber, is in the 50+ group and I am rooting for her to win her category and win the $10,000!

Countdown to Celebration/IsaBody Finals - time for new lip stick

I am in RI now at my mom's house while my kids are in camp. I got back on track with a shake day on Monday (all shakes and raw food as snacks) then I did a cleanse day yesterday while I was shopping. On my mom's scale it showed I lost 4.5lbs this morning (since Monday).  I am not celebrating yet because I will have to see it on my own scale to believe it.

I am in the IsaBody Challenge Finals (click on the W 35-49 to see my before and after photos).  Isagenix is flying me and a friend (Nancy - a college friend from F.I.T. who also loves Isagenix and what it has done for her and her family) to San Diego on Aug. 20. The next day I am getting my official "after" photos taken by a photographer and filming later in the day. Since I basically just wear cherry Chapstick and no make-up I knew it was time to get some professional help.

There was only one place I even considered going for make-up advice - the MAC counter at Nordstrom.  Here is a photo of all the lipstick choices - insane, right?  Just seeing this makes me anxious - there is NO WAY I could EVER choose a lip stick on my own, much less the right shade of foundation. But I knew that 1. MAC is a company that has something for everyone; 2. MAC-trained girls love make-up and are some of the the best at what they do and 3. Nordstrom's superior customer service would mean that I was going to get the help I needed! 

Maria, my MAC make-up artist at Nordstrom

I was not disappointed! Maria, pictured here with me, was fantastic and was soooo patient with me. Whenever I put on lipstick with any color I just think I look like a clown. But she didn't give up on me and it turned out her very first choice - Viva Glam V - was right-on, all it needed was a liner. Then she helped me with a foundation. I am using the IsaDermix line now and LOVE it but my skin tone is uneven from being in the sun so I wanted some light foundation to even it out. Then she completed the look with eye make-up. I probably don't look like I have any make-up on in this photo, which is OK because I still want to look natural.

I love meeting people who are great at what they do (like Maria) - she knew her products inside and out and she wanted me to be happy with the end result!  It is clear to me that people get best results when they have caring people helping them that know and love the products. That is what Isagenix is all about (except I don't have retail space at Nordstrom).  I had knowledgeable people there to guide me along with the products and now I am doing the same. I am inspired to achieve the level of knowledge and customer service of someone like Maria. This method of buying products (be it make-up or nutritional food) from someone who is passionate about the products and likes helping people beats purchasing stuff off-the-shelf  anytime!  Now it's on to find some new clothes...

I AM AN ISABODY FINALIST!!!

I got the most EXCITING call today from the Isagenix Sales Team - yes the whole team!!  I am an IsaBody Finalist!!!!!  I started crying because it means so much to me to go to Celebration and meet some of the people I've heard and read about. What is IsaBody? Click to link to past IsaBody winners.

I just can't believe how much my life and the lives of others has changed since that day in my Dr's office when I mentioned I was trying to get healthier and the receptionist told me great things about Isagenix.  I've already called back that receptionist to thank her for saying something. And I've also thanked the nurse there for giving me Dr J's business card. What if they were afraid to tell me? I keep that in mind if I am ever afraid to talk to someone about it.

So when I started this blog days before I even got the products I had NO way of knowing how many great things would happen along the way besides my weight loss. While so many wonderful things have happened already, I know this whole journey with Isagenix is just beginning...

YIKES - the IsaBody Challenge Deadline is 6 Weeks Away!!!

I got a little bit of a shock when I checked on the status of my 2010 IsaBody Challenge entry - I was thinking I had until April 17th but (correctly) they define 6 months as 24 weeks so my deadline is April 6. That is only 6 weeks away!!!

I have to take my "after" photos on or before April 6. My actual "before" photo is not the one on this site, I have on the black leggings and a sports bra so it doesn't disguise the fat like this one.

My goal was to get to 75lbs by the challenge but now that I only have 6 weeks left I am not sure if that's doable. I have lost 55 as of yesterday so I would need another 20 in the remaining 6 weeks (that's 3lbs/week and I don't know if I can do that). However, I feel I can do 15lbs in the 6 weeks which would make a total of 70. 

Joe Beury, pictured here, is Dr J's dad and he was a 2008 IsaBody Challenge winner in the 60+ age category.  I ate dinner last night with Joe, his wife Rosemary and some others after an Isagenix seminar we attended in Albany. Joe and his wife are great inspirations and such good people.  Joe has been very encoraging to me in my quest to win the IsaBody Challenge.  Click here to see results/stories from last year's winners.

Maybe I'll win $5,000

Isagenix has a weight loss challenge each year based on your own 24-week period. I started mine on Oct 20 (registered on the site) and had to take before photos including one with a newspaper to prove the start date. At the end I'll have to take the after photos. I bought a few sports bras and a pair of black stretch leggings so you can imagine how "good" my before pictures look - all the better to show the comparison after 6 months using Isagenix products.

They don't just pick winners based on total weight loss, you have to write a short essay to say how you've changed your life.

My coach, Dr. J's dad Joe (who I mentioned I met at his office) won in 2008 in his age category! He is pictured among the finalists on the web site CLICK HERE to view (click on 2008 tab then scroll down, look for "Joe B." on his motorcycle).

So that's another thing motivating me... I am really competitive and like to win!