Hello All!

I feel awful that it has been so long since I posted a new blog, and I have so much to talk about! I never thought that I would be able to do it, but I quit smoking!! I am still working on how to approach and handle social situations, but I cannot remember the last time I bought a pack of cigarettes. The last two times I had my carbon monoxide levels checked I was at one point, which I am extremely proud of and happy about! I have one more meeting scheduled with Sandy at the end of this month, and I am hoping if there any additional triggers I could possibly encounter, I will encounter them before our last appointment.

On October 3rd, myself and the other bloggers had our final screening. My biggest goal throughout the last twelve weeks and for the BetterU Program was to quit smoking, so I was even more excited when I learned I had lost five pounds! Not only had I lost five pounds (while quitting smoking), but I also lost an inch and a half off my waist! While these results are something to be excited about, I have to say, I was most excited about my blood pressure. For as long as I can remember, my blood pressure was always consecutively 128/80, and at the beginning of the twelve weeks it was 128/88. I was so shocked at the post screening when Stacey told me that my blood pressure was 110/64, I almost asked her to take it again! I knew my blood pressure would go down after I quit smoking, but I had no idea it would go down so much or so fast!

I hope all of you have been working hard to maintain your personal goals and that your results are beginning to show as well! Myself and the other bloggers have our final appearance with the American Heart Association tomorrow night at the Nomad Lounge. The AHA is hosting a Preview Party for NBC’s national preview of “Go Red for Women Presents: Choose to Live”, and during the national previews commercials, small segments of myself and the other bloggers will be shown. While this entire twelve week process has been very exciting, I am definitely not looking forward to anyone seeing me on TV with paper from my highlights in my hair! The Preview Party at Nomad Lounge is a public event and I hope you all will join us and help us all celebrate our new, more improved bodies and healthier life styles!

I would like to thank everyone at the American Heart Association, WOWT and Alegent, for this opportunity and for providing me with all of the tools I needed to quit smoking once and for all! I especially want to thank Sandy, Toni and Stacey with Alegent, for providing me with so much knowledge on nutrition, exercise and overall health, as well as the tools and information needed to incorporate them into my daily routine. I honestly do think I could have quit smoking without the support and guidance I received from Sandy, as well as all of my friends and family. Thank you all so much!

Don’t forget to stop by the Preview Party tomorrow night at the Nomad Lounge at 5:30!!