Onederland - The wait is over!

It's hard to put into words what tonight means to me.

15 months, 65 weekly weigh-ins and 5lbs lost. Since finishing my 1/2 IM in October 2004 I'd lost over 150lbs. Back and forth every week between 208 and 201. A pound up, 1.5 down and on and on. Through increased exercise and immobility due to my knee surgery, through 65,000 miles of air travel last year. Multiple vacations, mountains of macadamia nuts in Hawaii and streets lined with chocolate shops in Belgium, I perservered.

Every week hoping my body would finally let go and move off the plateau. I switched between CORE and Flex, I counted calories, I worked with a trainer, I spent hours in the gym and yet the needle never moved. I was so close to going under 200 I could taste it and yet the 1 on the scale remained elusive.

For those of you not indoctrinated into Weight Watchers speak, Onederland denotes that point when your weight begins with the #1. For those of us that started in the 3s or 4s, getting to see a 2 on the scale means you've reached Twoterville. Silly names I know but I remember almost to the day when I went from being in the 300s to being in the 200s. I never ever in a million years thought I'd ever reach Onederland. When I started Weight Watchers back in September 2002, it was a stretch to hope that I'd get to 230 which was my original goal. That would mean I'd lost a whopping 128.4lbs and I thought there was no way that'd be possible.

Slowly but surely the weight came off, I kept going to meetings, I passed many milestones and stood in front of our group and told my story dozens of times while getting my 10% keychain, magnets for every 25lbs lost, a certificate for losing 100lbs. Each goal reached was more special than the last, in part because of the tremendous support from my group and my leader Bobbie.

15 months. I went down two dress sizes as I waited. I started dressing in clothes that fit and ironically people who saw me every day started asking me how much more weight I'd lost. "None", I'd reply but it was gratifying to see the changes in spite of the numbers on the scale.

People who know me know I hate mediocrity. I don't like to settle, and Onederland was no different. I didn't want to tiptoe in, I wanted to make a splash which is what makes tonight so sweet.

Last week I was 203.8 and it's been months since I've lost more than 2lbs in a week so while I was hoping I'd get there tonight I wasn't counting on it. When the numbers registered on the scale Bobbie shrieked, I shrieked and I immediately had to jump back on just to double check what I had seen.

198.2

Onederland, I was there.
5.6lbs lost this week for a grand total of 160.2

After handing out the 5 and 10lb stickers, giving Bravo stickers to those who had a story to tell, Bobbie came to me and said "she saved the best Bravo sticker for last because there are no magnets or stickers for what I'd accomplished". She asked me to share in front of the group and before I left my seat I was choking up. Tonight there were a lot of new people, people who'd started in the last 6 months and many who'd seen me transform over the last 3 years, cheering me on and keeping me accountable as I tackled each challenge in my journey towards a healthy life.

Through my tears I told my story, how frustrated I was over these past 15 months with being so close and yet not seeing results. I talked about how important perserverance was and how in spite of all the obstacles this last year I never once thought about giving up and not coming back. I hope I thanked them for their tremendous support but I was so overcome with emotion, it's a blur. There were a lot of tears and cheers from the group and even a few stories about how I'd impacted others in their journeys.

There was no magic bullet, I guess it was just time. Reshaping yourself takes dedication and perserverance because eventually we all run into our own plateaus and living with them, accepting the accomplishment of maintaining and never losing sight of how far you've come is what helped me stay the course.

15 months and the wait is over. I'm at a number I haven't seen since high school and never thought I'd see again.

I remember the starting line. I remember the incredible people who refer jokingly to themselves as Team Bonnie (Pup - I'd never have made it this far without your unwavering love and support). People that have helped me get to each mile marker, encouraging me and reminding me that it's not when or even whether you make it to the finish line, it's that you had what it takes to start running.

Onederland you've got a new resident :)