Blessed Beyond Belief!!!!

So, its been awhile since I have blogged... After this past week I have to just share how truly blessed I am!! This past year has been amazing, its had its ups and downs!! But all in all it has been one of the best years ever!!!

Of course when I received that phone call that I didnt make season 3 of Extreme Weightloss I was upset, but I wasnt going to let it hold me back!! There has been a few people who have just been incredible and helped me along my way.  I keep getting told its amazing what Ive done because I didnt have cameras following me, I did it alone.  Yes, I did do it alone... kind of... I had HUGE support!!! First Jakae Francis from FIT Personal Training.. She took me on as her project, I havent paid a dime to her... She has no clue how much that means to me!! I am forever grateful!! The greatest thing is we have become more than just trainer/trainee, we have become friends!!! Its a blessing!! Another person who has been by my side since the day I got back from LA was my mom.  She has worked out with me, shopped with me, cooked with me... She has done amazing! I am soooo proud of her!

Now this goes without saying, but Chris and Heidi Powell have been amazing!! The things they have done for me have been awesome! They didnt need to reach out to me like they have, but they did!! and I am sooo grateful to be a part of their family!! I can't wait to go out to AZ to visit them soon! :)

Now of course the people I met in LA have been huge in just support and motivation, some more than others... but there is one person in particular who has been such a great person to get to know and grow our friendship.  Jacqui McCoy from Season 2 came out to LA to spend the week with us, and she is AMAZING!!! We have grown as friends over this past year and she has inspired me, and motivated me when times were tough!!! She has no clue how much she means to me!! I will forever be grateful for her!!!

Now I mentioned this last week showing me how truly blessed I am, well I went to Michigan for a filming of a reveal for the show.  I have been doing this "at home success" story all year and its getting recognized on this reveal... I was backstage, nervous, shaking.. lol.. Before I was brought out, Chris has to get makeup and he came over and gave me a hug.. Immediately I calmed down! Then the rest is history.. (you'll have to watch Alyssa's Episode to see what went down and my final weigh in - Air date - TBD).... After spending a few days in Michigan with my parents, Jakae and her boyfriend.. it was time to head home.  That weekend there was another reveal of a guy who I became pretty close with, Bob.  I wanted so bad to go up to Wisconsin to see him and others from the show.  Things just happened to work out so I could go up.  My mom and I took off and started driving north! We woke up early on Sunday to meet Bob and others at Church.. It was amazing seeing these guys!!!

After Church we went back to Bob's house for a nice lunch.  Then off to the reveal.. This one was neat, cause we stood in the back of everything and just got to watch... by the way.. BOB LOOKS AMAZING!!! After the reveal a bunch of us went to dinner.. Then back to the hotel... I had a chance to sit down and talk to someone who is such an inspiration and incredible person!!! Time flew by!!

The next morning we woke up and met Bob, Merb, Mike, Geno, and Bob's son Jordan... we sat and talked awhile then my mom and I headed back to Indiana... On the drive home I was just thinking about how incredibly blessed I really am!! Chris, Heidi, Jacqui, Extreme Weightloss.. they didnt have to do what they have done!! but they did... its an amazing feeling to know people truly care about you!!! This past week was INCREDIBLE!!!

So as I said before.. I will be featured on an episode of Extreme Weightloss this season!! Not sure on the Air Date yet.. but I am so excited to see what doors this will open.. I want to inspire, motivate, and help others!!!!

Last but not least.. if you have a dream... Go out and get it... dont let others get in your way.. No matter what!! Its YOUR life and you should be HAPPY!!! God Bless You all!!!

Life Changer~!!!

So... I have been posting on twitter, facebook, and instagram lately about my working out, eating, and just motivational stuff.  So I kinda wanted to share what was going on, a lot of people know, but some don't know what started this change!

So I have tried out numerous times for Biggest Loser... I was sitting at home one day and saw they were casting for Season 9.. I think to myself... "Hey, you would be freakin amazing on TV.. America needs a little Josh Steele in their lives!!"  So I made a video, it was a bit bootleg and hillbilly, but it must of caught someones attention!! An amazing casting director names Holland sent me an email on the Friday before the casting call saying that she would love to meet me and gave me a front of the line VIP pass.. I was like this has to be a joke, so I looked her up on facebook and sent her a message inquiring about it.  She was like no its real we would love to meet you.  So, then I called my mom and was like, "How would you like to go to Chicago tomorrow?"  So that was my start to the whole reality TV madness. 

So obviously I wasn't picked for that season, I told myself I was gonna change on my own.  Needless to say I didn't change, so I tried out again, and again, and again, and again... They kept wanting me to try and I was going far in the process but never got picked, I just figured NBC but be scared of my sexiness!! :)

So I was watching Extreme Makeover Weight loss Edition and thinking, man Chris Powell seems like the real deal.  So I went to Chicago for an interview and killed it!! Couple months later I got the big call to come out to LA... I was flown out to LA on March 24th of this year... It was the beginning of the rest of my life...

I arrived at LAX, met some other potential contestants, then hopped on the bus and headed to the Four Seasons... It was an amazing week with great people.  The first night Chris Powell came in and surprised all 35 of us... The moment I knew he was the real deal and cared was when he greeted ever single person by name... This was incredible, 35 strangers that he never met, but he knew more about us then some of our family even knows~! It was a life changing experience!

The went was full of filming, doctors, interview, working out, and fun... I met some of the most incredible people ever on the trip.  It came down to the last day and we had to weigh in... I stepped on the scale.. BAM... 26lbs lost in a week... I finally felt like I CAN DO THIS... They said game on.. Go home and lose weight, you lose weight you'll make the show!

I went home and worked out, ate right, and lost.. I had a film crew come to town and do some filming for the day... Then the call came, the one I was not wanting to hear... It was Tom, one of the producers saying that I didn't get picked... Not sure why, who knows.. but I could of let it get me down and give up, but my phone rang again... It was Chris Powell.. I could tell in his voice that he was upset, he truly cared... He told me he didn't care about the show, I was part of their family..

So I continued my journey... My mom has been one of the biggest supporters.... We workout Mon-Sat... Kickboxing on Tues and Thurs... Personal Training with Jakae Francis - F.I.T Personal Training on Saturday mornings.. then our own thing Mon, Wed, Fri...

I actually had an interview for this season of the Biggest Loser... I went to the interview 100lbs lighter than I was on my last interview.. I was asked the question... "Why do you need the biggest loser..?"  I replied.. "I dont, they need me..!"  Its true, I didnt need it, would it of been a great experience and totally boosted my weight loss?? Yes.. but I didnt need it... I've proven it.. Well I guess being 100lbs down made me more sexy than before.. cause I didnt get picked.. lol I rellized.. this is my journey.. im going to do me and be proud for doing on my own!!!

I look back just 6 short months ago... I was killing myself.. I was oblivious to it, but I have to thank the Casting Directors that have believed in me... Holland, Brandon, Kerry, and Donna... They are amazing!! Most of all I'd like to thank Chris and Heidi Powell.. two of the most amazing people I know and honored to call them family!

I still have more to go, I am down around 135-140lbs since March 24th... I have around 165lbs to go... Its gonna happen and it will be AMAZING!!

Thank you everyone who has helped motivate me and push me.. your support mean alot!!!!

I want to say... you can do it.. Don't let "can't" be in your vocabulary.. Live life for you, not anyone else.. Make sure you are happy and everything else will fall into place!!