More About This "Contest"

Have you ever wanted something so badly that you would do almost anything to get it?

2 1/2 years ago, I was desperate.

My life then was about just surviving day to day.  Weekly chemotherapy treatments for my oldest daughter had me spinning.  Wondering what the next MRI scan would tell us.  While - at the same time, trying to keep some sense of normalcy for the craziness at home.

Worry--Guilt--Anger--Sadness--Fear

Comfort food made Bailey and I feel better.  Plus it was EASY to just go through the drive-thru on the way home from the hospital....And not-to-mention, it was "our thing"....A kind of celebration, for making it through another blast of chemo.  As long as Bailey was feeling good...I figured, why not feel good together...?

But - It was one comment made by Bailey that would go on to change everything....

The chemo bag hung over us, like a looming, dark cloud.....

We were both scarfing down the room service Chili-Cheese Fries that were delivered and watching cartoons...When Bailey looked over at me and said....

"Mommy....When I die....I want you with me."

Good grief.  I choked on my mouthful of fries....Almost unable to breathe or move.

How does someone respond to that...?  At THAT moment....I realized that I was facing TWO death sentences in that hospital room.

What was I doing to myself...?  To Bailey?

The plate of fries, that was resting on my ballooned stomach was mocking me.

I doubt that Bailey had any intention of believing I would die before her....Or the cause of that death being from obesity...She was just making a simple statement of wanting her mommy by her side, every step of the way....

But it was THAT MOMENT. THAT DAY.  That I woke up!

That next Sunday happen to be a WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE that our church began... I stepped on the scale....

Fast Forward to today....

Low-Carb/Atkins has changed my life....And brought me 117 pounds lighter!  Waking up - meant I TOOK CONTROL. I TOOK ACTION.  The 'something' I wanted so badly began to happen....It transformed me!

My excuses...Became completely worthless.  

I took on what it truly means to THRIVE....I feel it now....More than I ever have before.

Readers....I am asking a favor....

Atkins has this wonderful contest that I entered....Which means, if I win....My story will be spotlighted - for millions to see!!  I get excited just thinking about it!

What if....Someone - who faced all odds.....Who had EVERY excuse in the book.....Someone who is living with a life-long, progressive disorder SWEPT this contest!?  For ME...It's much more about winning prizes....But a CHANCE to show the world that NO MATTER what a person faces, ANYTHING is possible!

That's where YOU come in....

Please click this link (HERE) PAGE 10 (it changes)

You will NOT be spammed - or asked to sign up for anything.

If I win...I promise to do Neurofibromatosis....And all those who are dealing with this disorder proud!

Please share...and vote daily (Until August 18th)

Thank you SO much!

The Biggest Loser

I haven't watched the episode yet....But the BUZZ was too much for me to resist.  Rachel Fredrickson was my favorite from the very first episode.  We had a LOT in common-- I wasn't an athlete or anything...But we started our "journey's" at almost the same starting points.

I almost can't believe the images I am seeing.

At 5'3" and 105 pounds....Something isn't right.

Sure I see the competitiveness of the show....and In Rachel's defense-I understand the desire for the TITLE....But MAN...THIS is hard to see.  Even harder to explain to my young children, who watch this show with me....

(The SAME kids who have seen their own mother struggle with weight issues.)

I've lost 115ish pounds....But I have done it over the last 2 yrs...And I haven't done it with cameras and a million people watching me...But I get the struggle.

All my best goes out to Rachel....AND anyone struggling with weight issues.  I hope that the people in this young woman's life are there to help guide her down a HEALTHY lifestyle.  After-all...If you aren't LEARNING -- YOU AREN'T CHANGING....and changing is the only way this girl will become HEALTHY!

THRIVE ON!

(after about losing 70 pounds)

Where I am now -115 pounds

Okay Taryn Brumfitt, I Hear You!

A couple months ago, I jumped on the hot topic of Maria Kang and her "What's your excuse?" article. I wrote my own blog (which you can read HERE) and defended this mama of 3, for her attitude and hard work.

Maria Kang is not your TYPICAL mom.  She is surrounded by health resources...and has dedicated her life to physical fitness.  It works for HER.

SHE still had to put in the work....to make a CHOICE every day.  And what I love about her is that she calls other women out, with no holding back, and I am sure there will certainly be others she inspires. But not everyone has a trainer...or a gym...or the time...or, quite frankly, the discipline. I certainly don't - not to Maria's level at least.

For years, I was FILLED with excuses.  A list that could stretch across a football field and into the bleachers. And ALL of my excuses were legitimate, and excusable excuses. I'd lost weight before, and right after I got to my lowest, I ended up pregnant - imagine that. Two kids later, armed with every legitimate excuse I could find, I found myself weighing more than a LINEMAN on a pro-football team!

(Minus the bulging muscles)

I WAS THE ONE CHOOSING UNHEALTHY OVER HEALTHY!

I made no effort to change, and even figured I deserved to be unhealthy.

And this was Maria Kangs point.  She isn't saying women need to look like her to be healthy.  Even when she supposedly "bullies", she's just telling women that the power to DO SOMETHING is THEIRS, as is the power to DO NOTHING.  AND DOING SOMETHING isn't about getting at 2%  body fat, or having a 6-pack, or some number on a scale. It's just DOING SOMETHING!  Something MORE than what they are doing.

Over the last 2 yrs, I have come to realize something.  I absolutely HATE my body.  Even while I can see my "ideal weight" in the distance.  I still have my Jelly Belly, a daily reminder of the SIX awesome kids, and their large heads, I have housed over the years, and on top of all that, I STILL have my tumors.

Losing over 100 pounds has been great.  I've worked VERY hard to do it, and I'm proud of it, but here's the thing....

(I'm a work in progress, so bear with me...)

Who am I looking up to? Who am I holding up on a pedestal to compare myself to?

This has a point....I promise.

I've since run across another mom.  A mom with a more...Let's say realistic point of view. Check her out here -Taryn Brumfitt hysterically drives the point home.  She also refers to Maria Kang, but in a different way. She got me to thinking, and, as you can tell, to writing. She focuses more on being fit 'enough', and balancing her time between herself and her children. That's a goal I can get behind. My kids need me, and while they need me healthy, certainly, if I'm always at the gym working on those six-pack abs, what does it matter how healthy I am, in my absence?

She's also less about the gym and weights approach than she is about aerobic exercise, being active, and being realistic about her eating. I love the "GET OFF THE COUCH...and MOVE" approach. Though I kickbox, and will be joining Planet Fitness later today (if only to get access to a treadmill and bike), I am much more of a "Let-me-help-you-off-the-couch-and hold-your-feet-while-you-do-some-sit-ups" type of girl.  I don't do HARDCORE and really hate the in-your-face Drill Sergeant type motivation. Though if it was Dolvett, I might soften on that...(*wink wink*)

After re-reading Maria Kangs post, I get her.  I get her message.  I even agree with her - to a point.  But reality is that women NEED real-life role models.

LOVING your body doesn't mean that body has to be perfect.

After all, MY reality is FAR different than Maria Kang's reality. I can relate with Taryn MUCH more than Maria, which means I am finding myself SMACK-DAB-IN-THE-MIDDLE.

I have come to realize that it's Okay to NOT have six-pack abs.  It's Okay to have a kid-created Jelly Belly...And enjoy a trip (or two) around the buffet counters - even ones with a chocolate fountain.

In a world where beauty is typically defined by Victoria Secret models, I needed a serious reality check. Thanks to Taryn Brumfitt AND Maria Kang, I got it.

I know for certain that I will NEVER look like Kang, or ANY of the Victoria Secret models....EVEN with plastic surgery....AND EVEN with 8 hours in a gym, locked-in with a top notch personal trainer.

I am Kristi Hopkins.  100 plus lbs down, and in my smallest jean size since junior high!! I still have jiggly thighs and that well-earned JELLY BELLY. Thanks to Nuerofibromatosis, I have tumors all over my body, as well as birth marks, freckles (what my 6 year daughter says "God's Kisses"), and I am FAR from what the world would call physically perfect.

I am ME. Imperfect.  But....Awesomely and Wonderfully made by God.  My challenge in December was to look in the mirror every morning and tell myself how much I loved my body. It was difficult. It occasionally led to tears. It's a challenge I will carry into 2014, until I get it right, and start truly loving my body again. All of it, for what God intended it to be - to embrace ALL of the imperfections that make up who I am.

To be that Thriving Girl - to Thrive with NF, with my kids, with my husband, with my life.

After all...Isn't that the whole point of THRIVING?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May 2014 bring you closer to your Thriving Life than ever before!

Low Carb Diet and Neurofibromatosis?

This is an opinion based blog post.  

All results are varied and unique to you.

Please seek a doctors advice before beginning a diet / exercise program. 

Winter 2011 

(200-something pounds)

I started 2012 out FAT.  Well....I've always technically been fat...But when I stepped on the scale in February, I didn't have a pregnancy to blame for the number that came up on the scale.

Our church began the F.A.S.T. program - So my weight was now a matter of public records and I couldn't have felt more ashamed.  Thoughts of Middle School came flooding back.  My gym teacher had everyone step on the scale- for "PHYSICAL FITNESS MONTH".

All the girls peeking their heads to get a look at how much everyone weighed....And I was first in line. 

"God - Save me from this torture!"

I was laughed at.  I was called every fat name in the book....And now that the other girls knew my actual weight....I was called "Buck-Fifty", which thankfully, not everyone understood.

20 years later...

I was MUCH MORE than "buck-fifty", and I had excused my weight on anything I could find...KIDS, STRESS and even having Neurofibromatosis.  I've lost and gained weight many times and felt awesome when I'd shed the pounds...I even got a my lowest point ever, just before I found out I was pregnant with my now 7 yr old son.... But the pounds always came back and so did the excuses.

Growing up, my weight has been like a coat of armor--It protected me from boys liking me...It made it so my bumps weren't so obvious...So, in my own little way, I actually preferred being fat.  And as an adult, it had become accepted...Normal.

It wasn't until I became a mother, that I realized how much being fat was affecting everything in my life.  And when that number popped up on the scale in February 2012, I was hit with the realization, that my armor MUST come off, if I was ever going to be truly happy.

I began with seeing my doctor....And when THAT scale, confirmed what the other scale said....I KNEW it was time to change my life!  I had a physical and blood work done, and was given the "OK" to begin my new life!

That day...My husband and I began low-carbing. 

I have researched low-carb diets and tumor growth and have found conflicting information, so I decided to keep track myself and note any differences with my current tumors and/or growth of new ones.

Here's what I found.  Low-carbing has had NO SIGNIFICANT affect on my NF.  If anything, my tumors actually seem smaller than they were BEFORE the diet.

Here's another cool side affect of Low-carbing....

I've lost more than 70 pounds!

Fall 2012

Down 70+ pounds!

I can't express how much better I feel...I have joined a gym and get there as often as my busy life will allow me....And I am DONE with excuses.  I am DONE with wearing armor.

If I am going to SPEAK a THRIVING attitude....I am going to LIVE a THRIVING attitude!

I still have about 25-30 more pounds to lose...And it's happening. :)

If you want to THRIVE....You have to get up and JUST DO IT!  You can't give excuses, because there will ALWAYS be a 'good reason' for not doing something.

Typical Day

Breakfast- 2-3 Eggs with Salsa and a sprinkle of cheese

Lunch- Spinach salad with tuna, hard boiled egg and a low carb ranch dressing, broccoli, and a sprinkle of cheese

Dinner- Chicken breast with skin, side salad, hard boiled egg 

Exercise

Depends on the day

Walking to and from the school- Twice a day

Gym 30 min on treadmill

Kettle Bells-100

Weights

Bike 20 min