Big NSV - working on a rose float

I worked for the last several months making sure a rose float was completed in time for the Pasadena Rose Parade.  It was extremely stressful work that - the hardest I have ever done - and up until about 4 or 5 months ago, I would not have been able to do such work at 275 lbs.

The fact that I was able to do the job, enjoy it, and still come out healthy and happy has been a terrific acheivement for me.  The fact that I worked with so many wonderful, beautiful people and won an award for our float entry, made it all that more special.

The minor unfortunate part of the process was my inability to even want to eat during the "crunch" week after Christmas.  I had to fight this to make sure I had both nutrition and fluids.  Hard to think that something would ever make me not only forget about eating, but also not want to.  However I did manage to eat my minimum proteins and take all my supplements, including that for extra energy (power greens saved my life!)

So of course the result AFTER New Years was that I wanted to eat everything in sight!  To a degree, I gave in to a certain amount of extra carb intake because I knew my body was not just craving it, but needing it, along with the proteins.  I did not eat more in volume at one time, but more throughout the day. None of it was was pasta or rice, but some bread and potatoes.

The end result was not any over all weight gain, but simply the replacement of the 5-6 pounds I dropped the week before.  Big lesson there!

I have since normalized, although some of the carb cravings are coming back.  So far, knowing that I am a carb addict, I am keeping perspective and not answering these cravings in the same way I did last week.  Last week was repair, this week is back-on-track!

I am listening, o' body of mine - thanks for hanging in there and working hard for me!

Monique

PS - Here is a pic of the float!

 Beautiful Float!!
 I love the Rose Parade and hope to get there someday.

And congrats on getting back on track...

Thank you!  Parade is fun, but my heart goes out to those that tough it out on the street overnight.  Word of warning - it gets cold!

Awesome float, Monique!...and great NSV too. 

Thank you Jolena!  It was goods times.

I love it!!! I've always wanted to take a vacation to work on a rosebowl parade float. 

We do have people who come from other states to work on the float.  Some come to see family, and then the whole family comes down. 

A huge thank-you to you Monique and all the others that make that parade so spectacular!!
I love it, love it, love it!

I'm glad you're back on track too!

Thank you for that!  We had an average of 300 volunteers per day come by.  A lot of man hours just in the week after Christmas!

Hi Monique,

Good job! Float work is very labor intensive and sure makes you proud when you see the finished product in the parade. My son worked as a volunteer at Fiesta floats.