EmbodySuccess
UNTIL IT BECOMES REAL...
Feb 25, 2011
30 years ago, when I was in plus sizes, our babysitter/surogate grandma gave me a refrigerator magnet that showed a jubilant blue pig in jig posture with this message on its tummy:
"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS!"
I dutifully put it on my refrigerator; but it had no effect on whether or not I stuck to whatever current diet I was on.
Flash forward to 3 years post-op: one day, as I was opening the frig I read the pig's message & thought,
"IT'S TRUE!"
It was true because now I knew in my physical being what being "thin"
[I substitute, "healthy"] feels like.
How about you?
Are you saying affirmations & clipping out magazine pictures to inspire you to stay in weight loss mode?
Ask yourself, do I really KNOW in my physical being what those affirmations & pics would feel like if they were my reality right now?
If the honest answer is, "Nope!" It's past-time you learned some new skills that WORK!
Email me for the particulars on how my EMBODY SUCCESS! coaching method WORKS!
Lauralyn
PS I made this sculpture last year to celebrate the birth of my healthy body out of the willing sacrifice of my morbidly obese body!
0 comments
"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS!"
I dutifully put it on my refrigerator; but it had no effect on whether or not I stuck to whatever current diet I was on.
Flash forward to 3 years post-op: one day, as I was opening the frig I read the pig's message & thought,
"IT'S TRUE!"
It was true because now I knew in my physical being what being "thin"
[I substitute, "healthy"] feels like.
How about you?
Are you saying affirmations & clipping out magazine pictures to inspire you to stay in weight loss mode?
Ask yourself, do I really KNOW in my physical being what those affirmations & pics would feel like if they were my reality right now?
If the honest answer is, "Nope!" It's past-time you learned some new skills that WORK!
Email me for the particulars on how my EMBODY SUCCESS! coaching method WORKS!
Lauralyn
PS I made this sculpture last year to celebrate the birth of my healthy body out of the willing sacrifice of my morbidly obese body!
8 YEARS LATER &
Feb 14, 2011
... I'm still in size 8Long jeans, haven't yo-yo'd, still pumping iron with my trainer 2x weekly for 1 hr each session!
I began teaching other post-ops my EMBODY SUCCESS method after they panic'd at how much weight they were regaining after 2+ years. Some were already scheduling surgical revisions!
Put a new album up with my Valentine photos taken by my happy spouse! ;-)
0 comments
I began teaching other post-ops my EMBODY SUCCESS method after they panic'd at how much weight they were regaining after 2+ years. Some were already scheduling surgical revisions!
Put a new album up with my Valentine photos taken by my happy spouse! ;-)
Have Grand-twins, will travel!
Mar 28, 2010
Every time I have to fly, it reinforces the permanence of finally feeling totally "at home" in my body - which is now strong, healthy and a normal size for my frame. Flying to and from NYC to spend time as a brand new Nana, both trips I shared my row with others who were normal-sized. That meant none of us felt squeezed or infringed upon; none of us had challenges getting out into the aisle to use the lavatory.
To be normal-sized is a purely physics-driven description: each human skeleton has a maximum weight-bearing load before it will begin showing permanent stress markers - rheumatroid arthritis in the knees, bulging discs collapsing in the lower back.
Normal-sized has NOTHING to do with being fashionable and everything to do with being healthy & strong.
I spent 4 days holding 12+ lbs. of newborn twins and my arms didn't get tired. I could well appreciate their mother's sense of euphoria at not having to carry them around in utero as they moved about, stretching their long legs and arms, kicking & punching the walls around them...
When I go back, I'll probably be holding16 lbs. worth of newborn twins. Time to pump it up!!
New Nana, Lauralyn, holds Anastasia (L) & Julius (R)
at 6days old. 3-20-10
0 comments
To be normal-sized is a purely physics-driven description: each human skeleton has a maximum weight-bearing load before it will begin showing permanent stress markers - rheumatroid arthritis in the knees, bulging discs collapsing in the lower back.
Normal-sized has NOTHING to do with being fashionable and everything to do with being healthy & strong.
I spent 4 days holding 12+ lbs. of newborn twins and my arms didn't get tired. I could well appreciate their mother's sense of euphoria at not having to carry them around in utero as they moved about, stretching their long legs and arms, kicking & punching the walls around them...
When I go back, I'll probably be holding16 lbs. worth of newborn twins. Time to pump it up!!
New Nana, Lauralyn, holds Anastasia (L) & Julius (R)
at 6days old. 3-20-10
I'M A GRANDMA!!!!!
Mar 15, 2010
Our son, Zachary, and his bride of 11 years, Mitsu, birthed twins this past
Sat. in NYC! They had to move up the C-section 6 days, so I wasn't able
to be with my Mom when she became a Great grandmother.
But I'll see them this Thursday!
Mitsu delivered over 12 lbs. of babies and she had become diabetic
during the pregnancy, tested her blood sugar levels like a hawk and
maintained a healthy weight throughout.
Zach lost a lot of weight over the past year, going to the gym, working out
with a trainer, walking to work (crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to his Wall St. office) & eating healthy.
Sunday, during a phone call, he told me how glad he was to be handling
the stress of feeding (formula supplementing Mitsu) & changing twins
round the clock in a stronger, healthier body.
I'm so happy & proud of both of them.
So here's some pics. Say "Hi!" to Anastasia, 6lbs. 2oz. and her
seconds-younger brother, Julius, 6 lbs. 1oz!
Papa, Anastasia (L) & Julius (under Mitsu's hand) 3/14/10
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Sat. in NYC! They had to move up the C-section 6 days, so I wasn't able
to be with my Mom when she became a Great grandmother.
But I'll see them this Thursday!
Mitsu delivered over 12 lbs. of babies and she had become diabetic
during the pregnancy, tested her blood sugar levels like a hawk and
maintained a healthy weight throughout.
Zach lost a lot of weight over the past year, going to the gym, working out
with a trainer, walking to work (crossing the Brooklyn Bridge to his Wall St. office) & eating healthy.
Sunday, during a phone call, he told me how glad he was to be handling
the stress of feeding (formula supplementing Mitsu) & changing twins
round the clock in a stronger, healthier body.
I'm so happy & proud of both of them.
So here's some pics. Say "Hi!" to Anastasia, 6lbs. 2oz. and her
seconds-younger brother, Julius, 6 lbs. 1oz!
Papa, Anastasia (L) & Julius (under Mitsu's hand) 3/14/10
How I Spent My 7th WLS Anniversary!
Feb 15, 2010
Saturday, Feb. 13th, was the 7th anniversary of my RNY and the events of the day reinforced my method of staying happily fit in my size 8 jeans...
Technically, Saturday was simply listed in my agenda as a "TRAVEL DAY."
After spending 11 days in NYC helping my Mom get out of the hospital and settled back into her apartment with enough aftercare support programs in place, I was finally returning to Atlanta & my supportive "spice," Jim.
The schedule was daunting: fly USAirways from LaGuardia into Ronald Reagan Airport (aka, "National" for those of us of a certain age) and, in 50 min. switch to a Delta flight to Atlanta. USAir lands in terminal C; Delta flies out of terminal B.
I checked my suitcase and my carryon "wheely," had alllll my small electronics and probably tilted the scales at 30-35 lbs.
USAir landed precisely on time (it IS a NYC-DC hourly shuttle), and, as I sprinted up the breezeway I asked their gate attendant how to get to Delta:
"Shuttle bus between gates 36-38!" she shouted as I blew past. I'm race-walking down the concourse and see the gate numbers but no signage for a shuttle bus so I swerve left up to the desk where some airline attendant was standing around with no one to take care of. "Shuttle Bus to Delta?" I announced well ahead of reaching her. "FOLLOW ME! " she ordered; and, I did. she took me around her station to a hidden line of 2 other passengers facing the wall of windows and an emergency exit door. Less than a minute later the door opened and we were gestured to exit. Suddenly, I'm in freezing temps on a metal emergency staircase covered with sand to obscure the icy patches, lugging my wheely down to the tarmac and into a waiting shuttle bus. Less than two min. later we got to repeat the process in reverse: carrying the wheely UP another metal staircase into another concourse. I'm race-walking through this new concourse looking for DELTA and not seeing any Delta flights listed on the monitors I glance at. Turns out that's because I'm STILL in terminal C, just another part. But I can race-walk to Delta's B terminal location and I do.
However, my flight # & destination is not listed on their departures monitor!
I run up to a Delta official with my boarding pass in hand. "I think your flight's been canceled and you need to get on that line," she says, pointing to a line of about 35 unhappy travelers. "I think before I go stand on that line you should confirm whether or not my flight has been canceled," I respond. She does. I do.
I call Jim from the line to tell him about the Delta cancellation and asking him to go online to see what my options are to fly into "nearby" airports like Macon, Columbia, SC or Greenville/Spartanburg. I am NOT going to sleep in the airport. The skies are crystal-clear both in DC & Atlanta. Delta's saying the reason it's canceled ALL FLIGHTS to that entire region of the country is due to "the weather." "WHAT! ARE THEY CRAZY! WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO KID!" Jim yells into my now-deaf right ear. By the time I reach the counter, I can tell the hapless attendant that I'm canceling my Delta ticket to grab AIR TRAN which, amazingly enough, is apparently willing to throw caution to the winds and fly to and from Atlanta this same afternoon & evening!
All I have to do is race from terminal "B" to terminal "A." Fortunately for public safety, NO ONE was going to or from that location and AirTran was the first ticket counter I came to. "I need a seat on your next non-stop to Atlanta," I say with something between urgency and hysteria. "Do you have any luggage to check?" "No, just this carry-on." "Well, I can get you on the 4 o'clock. It's been delayed. But you have to hurry!" "SOLD!" I said, dropping down my credit card & driver's license!
I ran down the corridor to SECURITY - one line, only a mother carrying a baby and trying to manage a 3-yr. old with stroller, etc. I kick off my rain boots, pulling my left hamstring muscle in the process. BANH! The screener sees something suspicious in my shoulder bag. "Do I have permission to look in your bag?" "ABSOLUTELY!" She peers into the black hole that is my shoulder bag and triumphantly seizes a half-empty water bottle.* "No liquids in excess of __!" she reminds me as she ceremoniously carries the criminal evidence to a large garbage can and drops it like a bomb. Satisfied, they let me re-assemble myself and run on. I get to the AirTran gate and rush past a line of expectant ticketholders to show the gatekeeper my "ZONE 1" boarding pass. She points to my place in line and seconds later we're heading down the breezeway.
*And the label on the bottle promised me it was, "SMART WATER!"
Thanks to AIR TRAN, I had 2 hours to regain my energy.
For what? So that I could stand on line at Delta's Atlanta airport BAGGAGE CLAIM office and then another 15 min. standing at the counter as their personnel figured out how best to code my claim. By now, the back of my 2 sweaters are soaked in sweat cause it's easier to wear the raincoat with the heavy zip-in lining than carry it.
Back out into the freezing air for the shuttlebus to off-airport parking and the sweat is turning to ice as I race-walk to the outdoor covered bus stops. I rang my doorbell at 9:15PM. I'd left my Mom's upper Westside apartment at 11:30AM. In that time I'd had: 2 apples, one protein bar, 2 in-flight packages of biscuits and coffee & water.
And I thought to myself, as I collapsed into a chair: "Could I have done this on Feb. 12, 2003?" Nope! And that's why it's so easy for me to choose this healthy way of living in my body year after year after year - 7, to be exact! And counting!
1 comment
Technically, Saturday was simply listed in my agenda as a "TRAVEL DAY."
After spending 11 days in NYC helping my Mom get out of the hospital and settled back into her apartment with enough aftercare support programs in place, I was finally returning to Atlanta & my supportive "spice," Jim.
The schedule was daunting: fly USAirways from LaGuardia into Ronald Reagan Airport (aka, "National" for those of us of a certain age) and, in 50 min. switch to a Delta flight to Atlanta. USAir lands in terminal C; Delta flies out of terminal B.
I checked my suitcase and my carryon "wheely," had alllll my small electronics and probably tilted the scales at 30-35 lbs.
USAir landed precisely on time (it IS a NYC-DC hourly shuttle), and, as I sprinted up the breezeway I asked their gate attendant how to get to Delta:
"Shuttle bus between gates 36-38!" she shouted as I blew past. I'm race-walking down the concourse and see the gate numbers but no signage for a shuttle bus so I swerve left up to the desk where some airline attendant was standing around with no one to take care of. "Shuttle Bus to Delta?" I announced well ahead of reaching her. "FOLLOW ME! " she ordered; and, I did. she took me around her station to a hidden line of 2 other passengers facing the wall of windows and an emergency exit door. Less than a minute later the door opened and we were gestured to exit. Suddenly, I'm in freezing temps on a metal emergency staircase covered with sand to obscure the icy patches, lugging my wheely down to the tarmac and into a waiting shuttle bus. Less than two min. later we got to repeat the process in reverse: carrying the wheely UP another metal staircase into another concourse. I'm race-walking through this new concourse looking for DELTA and not seeing any Delta flights listed on the monitors I glance at. Turns out that's because I'm STILL in terminal C, just another part. But I can race-walk to Delta's B terminal location and I do.
However, my flight # & destination is not listed on their departures monitor!
I run up to a Delta official with my boarding pass in hand. "I think your flight's been canceled and you need to get on that line," she says, pointing to a line of about 35 unhappy travelers. "I think before I go stand on that line you should confirm whether or not my flight has been canceled," I respond. She does. I do.
I call Jim from the line to tell him about the Delta cancellation and asking him to go online to see what my options are to fly into "nearby" airports like Macon, Columbia, SC or Greenville/Spartanburg. I am NOT going to sleep in the airport. The skies are crystal-clear both in DC & Atlanta. Delta's saying the reason it's canceled ALL FLIGHTS to that entire region of the country is due to "the weather." "WHAT! ARE THEY CRAZY! WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO KID!" Jim yells into my now-deaf right ear. By the time I reach the counter, I can tell the hapless attendant that I'm canceling my Delta ticket to grab AIR TRAN which, amazingly enough, is apparently willing to throw caution to the winds and fly to and from Atlanta this same afternoon & evening!
All I have to do is race from terminal "B" to terminal "A." Fortunately for public safety, NO ONE was going to or from that location and AirTran was the first ticket counter I came to. "I need a seat on your next non-stop to Atlanta," I say with something between urgency and hysteria. "Do you have any luggage to check?" "No, just this carry-on." "Well, I can get you on the 4 o'clock. It's been delayed. But you have to hurry!" "SOLD!" I said, dropping down my credit card & driver's license!
I ran down the corridor to SECURITY - one line, only a mother carrying a baby and trying to manage a 3-yr. old with stroller, etc. I kick off my rain boots, pulling my left hamstring muscle in the process. BANH! The screener sees something suspicious in my shoulder bag. "Do I have permission to look in your bag?" "ABSOLUTELY!" She peers into the black hole that is my shoulder bag and triumphantly seizes a half-empty water bottle.* "No liquids in excess of __!" she reminds me as she ceremoniously carries the criminal evidence to a large garbage can and drops it like a bomb. Satisfied, they let me re-assemble myself and run on. I get to the AirTran gate and rush past a line of expectant ticketholders to show the gatekeeper my "ZONE 1" boarding pass. She points to my place in line and seconds later we're heading down the breezeway.
*And the label on the bottle promised me it was, "SMART WATER!"
Thanks to AIR TRAN, I had 2 hours to regain my energy.
For what? So that I could stand on line at Delta's Atlanta airport BAGGAGE CLAIM office and then another 15 min. standing at the counter as their personnel figured out how best to code my claim. By now, the back of my 2 sweaters are soaked in sweat cause it's easier to wear the raincoat with the heavy zip-in lining than carry it.
Back out into the freezing air for the shuttlebus to off-airport parking and the sweat is turning to ice as I race-walk to the outdoor covered bus stops. I rang my doorbell at 9:15PM. I'd left my Mom's upper Westside apartment at 11:30AM. In that time I'd had: 2 apples, one protein bar, 2 in-flight packages of biscuits and coffee & water.
And I thought to myself, as I collapsed into a chair: "Could I have done this on Feb. 12, 2003?" Nope! And that's why it's so easy for me to choose this healthy way of living in my body year after year after year - 7, to be exact! And counting!
ATL OPEN CASTING CALL WINNERS IN TBL'S NEW SEASON!
Jan 09, 2010
I was given exclusive, inside access to NBC-TV's Atlanta Open Casting Call for the new season that premiered last week. My story appears online in the August Issue of ORACLE 20/20 Magazine.
Photographer: Lauralyn Bellamy, photo (c)2009 Lauralyn Bellamy
I spotted Sherry & Ashley as they came out of their interview with these grins on their faces. The mother-daughter duo are from KNOXVILLE, TN and this was their 2nd try-out. Last season, they went to an open casting call and even made it to the local call-backs, but not to the ranch.
They had that "it" factor that TV producers look for - expressive, natural, outgoing and a spunkiness that is irresistable!
Not only did they"make it to The Ranch," (20 couples did) they made the final cut to appear on THIS season's "THE BIGGEST LOSER - COUPLES." And, they survived the first week!
Sherry's 51 and daughter, Ashley's 26 and the "biggest" woman on the program. At their first week weigh-in, they came in 4th place in % of body wt lost. They're the HOT PINK team - duh! And the camera frequently went to them for reaction shots - double-duh!
Good luck, gals! I'm thrilled for you both!
Love,
Lauralyn
4min. of ECSTATICALLY HAPPY DANCING
Jan 05, 2010
LEARN THE OPRAH DANCE BY WATCHING IT ON MY BLOG.
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I FOUND THE MISSING PHOTO!
Jan 02, 2010
My very first post-op CHRISTMAS portrait was taken 12/24/03 at Atlanta Unity Church, where I was minister of pastoral care! 
I was about 7 weeks shy of my 1 yr. anniversary and totally accepting that I'd reached my goal: being a size 12. After all, I had "big bones."
What more could I expect. I was happy to shop in regular department stores for a women's Medium/size 12. Who knew the journey would continue through size 10 to rest happily at size 8 (Christmas 2005).
Anyway, I found that FIRST Christmas miracle photo & wanted to share my happiness with all y'all!
Happy 2010!
Lauralyn
0 comments
I was about 7 weeks shy of my 1 yr. anniversary and totally accepting that I'd reached my goal: being a size 12. After all, I had "big bones."
What more could I expect. I was happy to shop in regular department stores for a women's Medium/size 12. Who knew the journey would continue through size 10 to rest happily at size 8 (Christmas 2005).Anyway, I found that FIRST Christmas miracle photo & wanted to share my happiness with all y'all!
Happy 2010!
Lauralyn
The Spirits of Christmas "Before" & "After"
Dec 30, 2009
NEWEST PHOTO ALBUM JUST UPLOADED!
Christmas Eve 2002 would be, I knew, my last trapped in a heavy body. My surgery date was set: Feb. 13, 2003. I've just put together a quick documentary album of my journey back into my body.
I have not yo-yo'd at all since my surgery date.
It is such a thrill to "be at home" in a healthy, strong body.
To guide other life-long dieters into this new way of living is what motivated me to create Embody Success coaching!
Enjoy!
And whether you're pre-op, newbie, or post-op starting to gain it back - if you don't learn how to overcome the relentless SELF-SABOTAGE behaviors that have doomed all previous weight-loss efforts, I guarantee most of you will gain back a significant % within 3-4 yrs. post-op. I just saw CARNIE WILSON - the poster girl for RNY in 2002 - on a 2009 TV show and she's a plus-size, again.
IT IS NOT INEVITABLE IF YOU'VE LEARNED HOW TO SHUT DOWN YOUR SELF-SABOTAGE MACHINERY!
Contact me!
1 comment
Christmas Eve 2002 would be, I knew, my last trapped in a heavy body. My surgery date was set: Feb. 13, 2003. I've just put together a quick documentary album of my journey back into my body.
I have not yo-yo'd at all since my surgery date.
It is such a thrill to "be at home" in a healthy, strong body.
To guide other life-long dieters into this new way of living is what motivated me to create Embody Success coaching!
Enjoy!
And whether you're pre-op, newbie, or post-op starting to gain it back - if you don't learn how to overcome the relentless SELF-SABOTAGE behaviors that have doomed all previous weight-loss efforts, I guarantee most of you will gain back a significant % within 3-4 yrs. post-op. I just saw CARNIE WILSON - the poster girl for RNY in 2002 - on a 2009 TV show and she's a plus-size, again.
IT IS NOT INEVITABLE IF YOU'VE LEARNED HOW TO SHUT DOWN YOUR SELF-SABOTAGE MACHINERY!
Contact me!
Christmas 2009 - I'm Still an Asterisk!!!
Dec 30, 2009
It's on alllll advertisements for weight loss products and programs when they show off the "Before" & "After" photos and testimonials...
It's not prominently displayed, so you have to look for it, but it's there: the asterisk that says ~
"*Results not typical."
Anyone who loses 75% of their goal weight loss and keeps it off for more than 4years is atypical; most people gain back their weightloss in that time if they haven't used surgery; and, at the alarming rate recisions are being performed - so are we!
But not me! So, I'm an asterisk.
Want to know more about how I did it? Read my articles or email me!
Turn it around in 2010!
Love,
Lauralyn
PS Here's my Christmas 09 pic in size 8-long jeans. Compare with my album, here, of Christmas "Before & After" pics going back to 2002!
0 comments
It's not prominently displayed, so you have to look for it, but it's there: the asterisk that says ~
"*Results not typical."
Anyone who loses 75% of their goal weight loss and keeps it off for more than 4years is atypical; most people gain back their weightloss in that time if they haven't used surgery; and, at the alarming rate recisions are being performed - so are we!
But not me! So, I'm an asterisk.
Want to know more about how I did it? Read my articles or email me!
Turn it around in 2010!
Love,
Lauralyn
PS Here's my Christmas 09 pic in size 8-long jeans. Compare with my album, here, of Christmas "Before & After" pics going back to 2002!
About Me
Roswell, GA
Location
Surgery
02/13/2003
Surgery Date
Dec 28, 2002
Member Since
Before & After
rollover to see after photo
[L] 2/10/03 Pre-Op with surgery buddy, [R] 2/13/04 Checking in, withhubby!
280 LBS.lbs
Labor Day 2004 in WHITE size 10 slacks!!
