Finding "Happy"

Not too long ago I remember looking into the mirror at myself and thinking, I guess I'll just have to settle for being "fat and happy"...minus the "happy." Seriously, this was a conversation I had with myself. Why? Well, because I had to keep living, if for no one else, my kids, who I knew needed me. But the kicker was, I was feeling anything but "happy." More like exhausted, frustrated, sad, depressed, trapped, hopeless, out-of-control (and did I mention exhausted?).

Now I'm no Einstein, but I do know that this is not a good place to be. Unfortunately, in many aspects of my life, change never occurs until I'm in a very dark and desperate place. "Rock bottom" is a common term I've heard used. During this time of my life I was more like buried under the rocks, with a layer of dirt on top.

I'm not the only person who has felt like this. Within the past 24 hours I've had a conversation with a twenty-something young man who stated that at his heaviest weight he "just wanted to die," as well as the concerned mom of a thirteen-year-old who is being bullied at school because of her weight issues.

I recently heard that 7 out of every 10 Americans are overweight. At the point in my life when I had this first driver's license picture taken, I was beyond overweight. I was in the category labeled obese. And in this deep, dark, lonely place called "obesity," I was one more thing--afraid.

It's been quite the journey to finally arrive where I am today (and I will forever be a work in progress). I lost 50 pounds on that unfortunate course in life too many of us experience called The Divorce Diet, only to "find" 20 of it back a few years later in my complacency.

I needed a plan, and six weeks ago started the Body-By-Vi 90-day weight loss/health challenge. So far I've lost 15 of those "found" pounds, and with only 15 more pounds to lose will be back at my high-school weight by summer. My husband, Paco has joined me on the challenge (everything is easier when you have someone by your side), and he's lost 18 pounds himself. Oh, and that twenty-something young man--he's lost 60 pounds on the challenge.

So if you're in that dark and lonely place--your buried-under-the-dirt, rock bottom--please know that you are not alone. If I can change my life by losing weight and improving my health, anyone can. Yes, it's hard, because it takes a daily, hourly, and in my case, sometimes a minute-by-minute commitment to change, but it's possible, and oh-so-worth it!

Find your "WHY?"--your motivation for change--and then go after this like your life depends on it. The health care professionals will tell you it does. I will tell you YOU'RE WORTH THE "HAPPY" THAT IT WILL BRING YOU!

I have to relate the experience of getting my "new" driver's license picture. The lady sitting behind the desk took my old license in her hand, stared at it, then looked up at me and stared some more, then looked back down at my old license, examining it even more. I was starting to feel nervous. Then she looked back up at me and said, "Girl, that it NOT you!" Then she smiled, ans told me to stand behind the line for my "New Me" picture. See that smile on my face? It lasted the remainder of the day.

For more information on the Body-by-Vi 90-day weight loss challenge go to www.tamitorero.myvi.net or email me at tamitorero@live.com .

Glorious Triumphs or Gray Twilight?

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." ~Theodore Roosevelt.

Gray twilight, huh? I know this place. It's somewhere we settle into. It's our comfortable spot--our old mattress, if you will, that after years has come to know the exact form of our body and has even conformed to our shape (or out-of-shape). Eventually this old mattress will cause us sleepless nights and a backache in the morning.

I've had many areas of gray twilight in my life. Some I've found my way out of. Others I've wandered back into. But one thing's for certain: eventually I get tired of waking up with a backache and do something about it!

I've never been afraid to "dare mighty things." When I was a kid, more than anything I wanted to be a mom. Eight has always been my lucky number, so I wanted to have 4 boys and 4 girls--crazy, I know! Well, today I'm the mother of nine--lucky me. I have 4 sons and 5 daughters (I can hear God laughing now). I love each and every one of my very unique children--they are the oxygen I breathe and the beat of my heart. Has my experience in motherhood been full of glorious triumphs? Yup, all nine of them. Has it been checkered by failure? Nearly every day in one form of another. Would I have it any other way? Never.

Five weeks ago I began to dare mighty things again. After losing 50 pounds nearly four years ago, only to gain 20 of it back this past year, I decided to not only lose the 20 pounds I'd "found," but to lose another 10 on top of it, and get in the best shape of my life. After all, the big "4-9" is next month, I'm not getting any younger, and even though 4 of my "kids" are now adults, I need to be here and healthy for them. So my husband Paco and I started in on the Body By Vi 90-day weight-loss challenge. (For more information go to www.tamitorero.myvi.net)

A week and a half into the challenge my dad passed away. Hands down, this was the most difficult time I've ever endured in my life, confirming even more so the importance of my presence in my children's lives. After a whirlwind trip to Idaho for the funeral, I found myself back home with my kids and back at work. Regardless of the still-raw emotions of losing a parent, life must go on...and it did. Yet through all of this, as well as the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the stress of work, I've managed to lose 12 pounds and Paco has lost 15 by supplementing one or two meals a day with the Visalus shakes. We still have about 7 weeks to go, but we're on track.

Let me ask you something: Are you stuck in a gray twilight? Are you comfortable there, or is your back starting to ache? I challenge you today to dare mighty things. Life is full of glorious triumphs just waiting for the opportunity to happen. What is your choice?

My "WHY?"

Let me introduce myself...

My name is Tami Torero. I'm the mother of nine children (seven I gave birth to and two who came along a little later and stole my heart as well). I've been married to my "Latin Lover," Paco, (who I first met when I was a high-school exchange student in Peru) for a little over three years now. We have two adorable grandsons, two crazy dogs, and a house that is never quiet, dull, or without dirty dishes in the sink.

I'm a bakery manager for a retail grocery chain and work 50 hours a week. In that rare spare moment of at-home time when I'm not helping someone with spelling words or passed out in my bed, I like to write. I have eight published novels (all but one written in a former life as a stay-at-home mom), and many more half-written manuscripts on my hard drive. When I grow up, I'd just really like to be J.K. Rowling.

I've started this blog because I'm about to take on an exciting new challenge in my life and I figure what better way to stay motivated in this challenge than to chronicle my progress and basically commit myself online to all my friends and the cyber universe by declaring my goals, intentions, and motivation. And since there is only one direction in my life--FORWARD--failure isn't an option!

So what the heck am I doing? What is this big challenge?

Lemme 'splain...

FIRST: I'm starting a 90-day weight loss challenge. I plan on losing 30 pounds in the next 90 days. Just watch me!

SECOND: I'm encouraging others to join me in this 90-day challenge, and in doing so, share the possibility of better health and happiness, or even the opportunity to achieve financial rewards as well. (Can you say, free BMW?). Oh, and there's so much more...

I know, I know. I can hear you now. "But Tami, you just lost a bunch of weight a few years back." Yup, yup...I did. Back in 2009 I lost a whopping 50 pounds--that's half of a high school freshman (referring to the mass of a cute little freshman living at my house). That was a huge accomplishment in my life, and I was able to keep all but five pounds of the weight off for the better part of two years...until I was promoted to bakery manager. That's when my stress level increased significantly, and once again food became my comfort. Can you say, "Someone pass a donut?" In the past year I've packed on another fifteen pounds. It. Has. To. Stop! NOW!! 'Nuf said.

So how are things different now, allowing me to lose weight?

Well, I'm still a bakery manager (and I thank God every day for this job which allows me to pay my bills), and actually I'm heading into our biggest, busiest and most stressful season of the year--Christmas. Am I crazy? Masochistic? Delusional? I suppose you can debate that amongst yourselves, but here's the one thing I KNOW...

I AM MOTIVATED!

My motivation is my "WHY?"--the fuel empowering me to achieve my dreams and goals. It's not until you define your motivation that you can then reach within (and without) to find the strength necessary to achieve your goal. Not only do I have a fantastic and scientifically proven weight loss plan, but I have my "WHY?"

• My kids--they deserve a healthy mom who isn't continuously exhausted, cranky, or stressed out! And oh, how I crave to have more time to spend in my children's lives. I will have this again. Soon!
• My husband--we are doing the 90-day weight-loss challenge together. We've both gained stress-related weight, and together we will conquer this challenge. Not only that, but my sweet husband was at the top of his career as an insurance executive in Peru, and gave all of this up to come here to the US and be with me. I love him so much for this, and I'd love for him to live "The American Dream" at its finest--entrepreneurship! Not every country has the amazing opportunities available here with a little hard work, resourcefulness, and determination.
• Myself--I must fulfill my potential (back to that J.K. Rowling thing) but it's a little difficult to achieve without the energy (due to my excess weight) or time to write (due to my busy work schedule). But my time to write is coming... And hey, isn't that what I'm doing right now?

I hope you'll check in now and again over the next 90 days to see how we're doing. I'll be posting our progress, as well as thoughts, frustrations, insights and useful tips. Better yet, WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US? Ask yourself this question: What do I have to lose? Or maybe, "How much do I need to lose?" Then email me! Also, please feel free to share this blog with others who you feel have a desire to lose weight or might just need a little weight-loss motivation. We're all in this together!

Happy Holidays!