Holy freaking smokes…the last couple of weeks have put me on rocket ride turbo overload!  I’ve got an adrenaline junkie streak in me no doubt, but sometimes when life kicks into surprise WHOOSH mode it’s like a rush but where the hell is my seatbelt and helmet??

I received some major kudos at work…by just doing my job! Dang and wow!  After sending out a meeting recap to a few people on one of our project teams that email somehow got forwarded to a Director and then a few notches up to our VP!  With very nice words about what I was doing.  Apparently I unknowingly hit the nail on the head on a new initiative senior leadership is working on to promote getting more ahead of the curve on certain projects.  Guess this was one of those projects! Now, I am a contractor/consultant at this job (going on one year here this week – wow), and while we are treated well as contingent workers, kudos like that are RARE.  RARE, I tell you.  It’s very much a “no news is good news” type of work environment, so I never expect to hear or read things like that!  But hey, I’ll take the compliment!

What’s going on with the Lean Eating program I started last July?  After plateau’ing with weight loss (is that a word) for a few weeks I am starting to see movement again…and in the right direction!  I’m down 29.5 lbs (13.4 kg) – !!  10 lbs lighter since Christmas time!  Holy shit I am feeling FANTASTIC!  Rockin’ confidence and sass like I haven’t in YEARS.  Being consistent and persistent with this “program” (I use “program” in quotes because it’s a lifestyle shift) is the key to success for sure.  I get up every day and read the workout I’m supposed to do, I practice the lifestyle habits, I work out 5-6 nights a week and have made incredible (but not drastic) changes in my relationship with food.  Learning what works for me – what content goes in my own personal operating manual!  People are really starting to notice.  And when I go out to eat with people I haven’t seen in a while, sometimes they’ll say “Oh, fivenineteen, you probably don’t want to share a dessert with the rest of us because of what you’re doing…”.  Or other silly assumptions like that.  Are you kidding me?  Sure, I’ll have a bite of the cake we’re ordering or a scoop of ice cream.  I don’t need a huge serving to really savor a delicious dessert, but I can have a taste if I want to…or not!

And lately, people have been seeking out my opinions on things.  Calling me the ‘voice of reason.’  WHAT??  I’m stunned!  I listen to problems and offer my perspective and viewpoint.  Empathy.  Strength.  I get this trait from my Dad actually, at risk of tooting my own horn again.

Are the changes in my body, my personality and my confidence affecting more than just my physical self?  Am I seen as happier, more outgoing…more attractive?

I think the answer is YES. No wait, I KNOW.