September 19, 2015 by loveablestef

Ohio Star Ball Here I Come!

Hey! It’s a surprise to me, too! I wasn’t expecting to be going there this year but an opportunity has come my way that I refuse to miss. It might be a stretch for me to make this happen but I’m determined to seize the day.

So what changed from a few days ago to now? As you may or may not know, I attended the Galaxy Dance Festival here in Scottsdale, Arizona over the last two days. I danced in the bronze Rhythm category with Ivan. We completed 2 rounds of closed dances and 1 round of open dances. We also competed in the scholarship for closed bronze which was a Best of the Best qualifier event.

Now before Thursday I did not know this Best thing even existed, much less what it was or what it meant.

But let me back up here for a moment. Before I get into all that, I want to share a bit about my experience over the past days. Because although the news I have to share is wonderful and exciting, it actually isn’t the biggest “win” I had. You see, I had many “wins” over the last few days that had absolutely nothing to do with how I placed or what my results were.

This was my first competition back in over a year. That in and of itself is a bit intimidating. When I left the scene I was doing reasonably well and I felt like people, certainly Ivan included, had expectations for me. This is wonderful in the sense that people believe in me and want to see what I can do, how I will grow and develop, what I can show, and that they are interested in me at all. On the flip side, this can easily turn into pressure, unhealthy, dysfunctional thinking, and misery through trying to strive to be something I think others want me to be, or trying to be perfect.

Okay, so during my break from the competition scene I’ve gotten myself to a much more grounded, healthy, stable place around how I think about myself and my dancing. Stepping back on to the competitive ballroom floor was testing this new way of being. I haven’t faced the nerves, the expectations, or being judged in a long time. So I’ll count it as win number one to have had the courage to brave the uncertainty of dancing in public for the purpose of being compared, judged, and ranked.

The second win was how Ivan and I danced and related to one another. We enjoyed ourselves. He gave me feedback but it didn’t descend into the negative pit of despair. We definitely had our hiccups out on the floor, we missed some areas in our open routines especially, but we never stopped dancing, we never lost connection, we made it work, and it was fun. He was pleased with how it went, even with the mis-steps, which was a relief. He told me flat-out before the competition that he had expectations for me about dancing in closed bronze, so I appreciate his honesty, but the thing is that we lucked out that our results matched his expectations. I had already resolved myself to be completely at peace with however the results panned out. I refuse to get myself in to that space of being disappointed by reality not going how I imagined it “should” go….instead I choose to accept it as it is. This made the most challenging part simply waiting to for the results! The waiting made me sick to my stomach. But a result is just a result. It is inherently meaningless. Any meaning I assign to it is created by me. I have no idea what the judges are looking at, and quite a few times results I saw in other heats and some of my own heats, I did not agree with. Oh well.

So we related well to each other, we danced well, especially for slapping together the open routines is such a short amount of time (truly they are not practiced enough which is why I screwed them up here and there), and we actually enjoyed ourselves. We went to lunch after our single dances and talked things over, noting that this is the way it can be each and every time we compete, whether there are 5 or 50 couples on the floor, because it is up to us the pressure we put on ourselves. We don’t need to go to that nasty, misery place ever again. In the end, for me, I think it is about confidence, believing in myself, doing my best, which is exactly what I did this time. I did the very best I could. I see that I have room to grow in confidence, and there are specific goals I have in regards to elevating weaker aspects of my overall game, and, with where I am right now, I left it all on the floor. Yes I did.

So that being said, sometimes the person on the floor with you is better prepared and has a better overall game. There were some confidence-boosting perks that occurred (which I will get to shortly), and there was also this situation. When I saw the girl dancing in the Latin scholarship with me (it was a 2 couple final) I knew I would be second. You know, sometimes it can be really a close call, and sometimes it’s really clear who is the superior dancer. In this case, it was clear. The cool thing was that I was cool with that, and this is no way demeaning my dancing. There is no shame in doing my best and placing second such a polished dancer. I’ll call this win number three. I mean, what a great feeling to be so happy after completely bombing my cha-cha, “losing” to this great dancer, and ripping my dress! I’m starting to be un-messable-with!

So yeah, that happened. During my closed silver Latin scholarship (um, yeah, why in Silver in Latin when I have more experience in Rhythm….that was intimidating, but how the teachers did it so I go with the flow) I got so into my cha-cha that I forgot where I was in the routine and did the second set of cross-overs before the first single one, lost connection with Kristijan, and we stood still on the floor for a moment not dancing at all. All I could do was laugh about it, and be like, meh, well, I’m still second place. So I screwed up that pretty royally and then during the Paso Doble my heel got caught in my dress and I had to do this weird kick to get it free. Well, I freed myself and then a dance later, during the Jive, I was spinning and a panel on my dress flew off across the floor! And get this – I didn’t miss a beat! For all I knew my butt was hanging out but I didn’t skip a step. How is that for irony? So as a cherry on top of the sundae, not only was I okay with my result, and okay with how I danced, but I got money for showing up! Yep, even through it was a 2 couple final they still gave me a payout, which was super nice, and combined with my Rhythm scholarship winnings, really helped a lot with the cost of things!

Yep, did you catch that? I earned first place in the closed bronze Rhythm scholarship. It was a 3 couple final. Then we danced a cha cha in the best of the best round, which was like a solo, and I won that as well….which got me an invite to compete in the Best of the Best at Ohio Star Ball….which is why I’m now going to Ohio Star Ball. Can you believe it?

I mean, granted, Galaxy was a smaller competition with a small final, but still, it’s an opportunity. Not everyone gets the chance to participate in this event and I even met Sam Soldano, the owner of Ohio, who is also a co-presenter of Galaxy, and he seemed keen to have me come.

Okay, so I won and I got my butt handed to me. I also made new friends and that was win number…well, I’ve lost count at this point. They are really adding up, aren’t they? I mean, I can’t see a single downside when it comes right down to it.

And you know what, even though all this has been beautiful and wonderful, it’s still emotional. I find myself tearing up today, for no particular reason. I’m happy. I’m satisfied. And yet dancing, especially when I put myself out there on public display, taps into something deep within. I sense that there has been a breakthrough, even if I can’t exactly put my finger on exactly what it is.

I don’t know what to name this breakthrough, all I know is that I feel clear – clearer than I’ve felt in a very long time. I know exactly what to do for the next two months. I know what to eat, how to work out, how much I want to dance. I know the consistency I want to foster. I love this time frame of 2 months – it’s enough time to make a significant difference, and yet still creates a sense of urgency, so that I show up even more alive, vibrant, strong, grounded, joyful, and grateful at Ohio, even as I rocked Galaxy exactly as I am right now.

There is something powerful about being willing to show up even when I know that I’m still in the process of developing. I acknowledge myself for being courageous. I acknowledge myself for being willing to be imperfect and to look the fool.

As you all know dance has been, and continues to be a healing experience for me. Another of the amazing gifts garnered from participating in this competition was seeing the progress I have made. I used to be 85 pounds heavier. I used to get winded after 1 samba. I used to be afraid to express myself. I used to be ashamed of my body and who I am. The evidence is clear, I am no longer who I used to be. I am no longer Biggest Girl In The Ballroom. No, I am Beautiful Girl In The Ballroom. And that’s the biggest win of all.

Gah! I am freaking sobbing writing and reading this! I couldn’t tell you why it’s all so emotional, but it is. I just feel like so much has happened, and there is so much more to come…starting with tonight! I’ve got to dry my eyes, get cleaned up, and get back for the final session. Then back to work on Sunday with a lesson with Ivan.

Stay tuned and I look forward to meeting those of you who will be at Ohio!

Love, Stef

March 12, 2015 by loveablestef

Getting Real

Howdy folks. I thought it was time for another blog post and also a lot of crap has been going through my brain and this is one great way to sort through it.

Let’s start with the dancing, that’s probably the cheeriest part. The big news is that I’m doing a showcase next Friday. The routine is still incomplete and I haven’t danced a full routine, much less in public, in many many months. Also, I only have one wardrobe option because I ended up giving my other two dresses away. Why? I vowed I am changing and I refuse to be seen in those old dresses again. I wanted to get rid of them because I wanted to send a message to my subconscious that I was serious about this vow, that there was no back door, no way out, that I have excised the choice to even step backwards and present myself as I was before. Anyways, I’m doing a cha-cha to “Boogie Shoes” because I wanted to do something fun, light, and energetic. I don’t feel too much pressure about this since it’s not a competitive setting and pretty much I just wanted to have some fun dancing. I’ve been focusing so much on the technique lately, and all my lessons are so early in the morning, that it hasn’t been as much fun, even though I do enjoy my lessons for the most part. So anyways, I’m looking forward to it and it’s also a plus because now I’ll have an open routine for if/when I dance next. Happily, my husband and parents will be in attendance and there will be a DVD.

Also in dance news, I posted it on my Facebook page, that I was a super-lucky-ducky and because Damir is friends with Andrej Skufca and Melinda Torokgyorgy, he occasionally has them coach at the studio and I got one lesson with each. Damir ended up being really sick so I was alone with them but it was absolutely wonderful. It was so helpful to see the way Melinda moved and she was able to work with me on Rumba on basic steps. We talked a lot about incorporating the upper body and arms, which basically stems from using the core, squeezing and compressing between the hips and ribs, which made it easier to coordinate the lats. It definitely elucidated some muscle memory habits I have, and it also gave me the opportunity to feel the correct postures in my body. On my lesson with Andrej, we worked on samba and it was also excellent. He helped me, again with principles of dancing on basic steps and it again elucidated how much more movement I can be generating with the body of mine, which is kind of exciting while at the same time daunting. It is also just wonderful to be in the presence of greatness, to stand beside these people, see how they are moving, and compare it to what I’m doing, and getting nudged toward what I could be doing to expand, express, and hold my space even more. Truly it was a wonderful experience and I think the best part was that I wasn’t overly intimidated. I mean, these two compete in the top competitions in the world alongside the likes of Joanna and Michael, many times in the final. I certainly have an immense amount of respect for them and look up to them. However, I didn’t feel “less than” them, even though certainly I’m less experienced and on their dance level. It was a wonderful space to be in because just a few short years ago I think I would have been so “in my head” worried about how bad I was compared to them that I would have missed being truly present with them and what they had to offer as coaches/teachers. So that’s a big win, not to mention all the other benefits I already mentioned. And this is especially wonderful in light of my body, my big, pudgy, large, non-dancer-looking body. I’m still pretty embarrassed about it in general. I’m still not proud of it, so that is a bummer and brings me to my next section…

The not-so-cheery stuff.

So I hired that guy to help me with my goals and it just didn’t work out. What I thought I was getting, and what I had actually purchased were two very different things. Initially I filled out all these forms with all these questions and I was very vulnerable with this guy, telling him everything, pretty much begging him to help me get this done once and for all. I thought I would be getting coaching, but instead, I got 2 half-hour workouts with his sister as a trainer that didn’t even push me as much as I push myself when I go to the gym on my own and I sent him emails of what I ate every day. That, plus a 20 page manifesto that was not clear and had a lot of information he never followed up on, as well as a calorie and carbohydrate limit for the day. So after a few weeks of diligently sending my menu daily, I’d get one word feedback like, “don’t drink Diet Coke” or “Don’t use too much Bragg’s Amino Acids.” And I was like, hey, I know Diet Coke isn’t like the best choice, however, it’s not the worst, either. Look at the rest of the day and how awesome I did. Thanks a lot (not!) for focusing in on the one not-so-great thing – firstly, that’s why I don’t choose it every day, it’s a once in a while (like once in a month) type choice and secondly, I am not about being perfect, and thirdly, I’m already so hard on myself, I already focus in on all my shortcomings and flaws, I don’t need this type of crap from a person who is supposed to be coaching me, ESPECIALLY since this was the only feedback for the entire day – there was NO mention of what I did well, there was no encouragement building me up….and that’s what I thought I’d be getting. I mean, great, give me feedback about not drinking Diet Coke but, like, anything else you wanna mention? So basically, I was doing this process on my own, like always, and so why I am I paying for that? I communicated my true thoughts to him, which is a pretty big deal for me to really speak my truth and to really say, “hey! This isn’t working for me!” It’s not always easy for me to declare my needs and ask for what I want but I did. And he was like, “Well maybe what you need is Life Coaching.” And that was probably the best advice he gave me. He’s right – and – based on our interactions – he’s not the coach for me.

So that’s that. And now here I am, fatty-fat-fat. At least that is how I am feeling right now. It’s so disappointing to see my body in the mirror, while at the same time, I’m about 10 pounds down and can move easier, at least it seems so. It feels like my fat tissues are thinning out, however, when I look in the mirror, I’m still as big as ever. I don’t see changes, at least not big ones, and I’m still in my same clothing.

I’m still watching my diet and doing my orange theory cardio sessions and getting to the gym twice weekly to get in some heavy weight lifting (last week I did 90 pound deadlifts, which was a personal record and I am looking to do 100 pounds this week because I felt like I could do more.) Oh – and one of the things the trainer said to me was that as I lost weight I’d lose strength, and that so doesn’t work for me. No way, Jose! I intend to continue to get stronger. That’s totally possible! Why would a trainer ever say something like that? Okay so anyways, the process continues, and it feels like it is so Goddamned slow – but what’s new? A this point it is imperative to stay consistent with the process. However, something’s got to change, I’m not sure what, because I’m committed to changing!!! But here’s the deal that’s really hanging me up right now:

I don’t want to compete until I look dramatically different. On one hand, it’s my line in the sand and I know that it will be such a boost in confidence to really make a change before I dance again. On the other hand, it’s a big bummer because how long do I not dance because I’m so hung up about my body and my appearance and miss out on something that brings me so much joy? I don’t know that there is a “right” answer to this, it’s just the crap that is swirling around in my mind.

So Damir told me he talked with Ivan the other day, and I was so excited about it. I think there is still hope we might dance together again, though I’m not attached to that particular outcome. But anyways, today I decided to send him a little text just to say I miss him and I hope everything is going great for him and Marieta. He was happy to get my text and asked me how I was and when I’d be on the dance floor. All I could say was that I don’t know and that I don’t feel ready yet….and what I didn’t say is that the biggest reason for that (besides not having completed routines lol) is because I’m still fat. Part of me was tempted to answer, “How are you?” with “Still too fat to dance with you.” Because part of me would love to dance with him, but I really want/need to be confident in myself before I do that, and to me, that means having a dramatically smaller, leaner body.

Seriously, it’s really mucking me up inside. How much do I let my adipose rule my life? But also, what about compromising on my vow? That’s really important too. The answer is seemingly simple: Just lose the weight, dork! Then you can dance and not break your vow. Well, that’s what I’ve been intending to do…and it doesn’t seem to be happening. I mean, on one side it seems like it’s happening because I feel like my body is changing, slightly, but then it doesn’t seem like it’s changing because I’m still in the same clothes and my belly seems so big right now, and I just don’t want to step on the competitive floor like this. Ugh!!!!

And my mind is so mean to me. Like today while working out I was so bummed with myself because I can’t do all that is demonstrated, and my heart rate doesn’t get below 160 even when “resting” and it’s just so hard, and I even got my heart rate up to 192 and killed myself, and it’s like still not enough. My body is so stubborn! I look around the room and I’m killing myself and so what – I still look like a slob. I sometimes go into the “It’s so unfair, pity-party, victim bullshit” for a moment or two, I’m not gonna lie. But even with all this negative Nelly going on, I mean, I’m still there. Double Ugh!!! I’m just in a bummer mood lately. I am also frustrated because it’s a choice to feel this way. I mean, I could be loving toward myself and happy with myself regardless of my weight. And yet, my happiness is very much tied up with this. I know I’d feel better about me if I were thinner. It’s so crappy!!!!! It’s so, so crappy. Like, I withhold love, acceptance, and approval of myself and I think I’ll give it to myself if I were thinner. But is that even true? It’s such a racket! Why am I stuck in this mind spiral? How do I get out of it? When is what I do enough even if it is not getting the results I want? Does that mean it is truly not enough? When is enough, enough? When do I just feel good about me and feel confident about myself just as I am? Period. Without all these requirements and conditions? I keep thinking that if I continue to monitor my diet and workout the outcome should be inevitable…but it sure doesn’t seem to be a straight line at all. Triple UGH!!!!

Just to be clear, I’m not necessarily asking you for the answers to all these questions lol (Though if you have some kind encouragement or insights, I’m open to hearing that). Mostly I’m just processing this so it gets out of me and I can move forward toward my goals and dreams. Because one thing is certain, I’m not giving up! And there are really big changes in who I used to be and who I am today – like how working out has become a habit and I have a totally different relationship with food, and like how I actually spoke up for myself and stated what wasn’t working for me and what I needed. These are all good things, and I’m still trucking, damnit! Even if the results have been disappointing to me thus far.

But speaking of goals and dreams, the showcase is a week away, then after that Damir promises me we’ll sit down and talk about “the plan.” “The plan” meaning what we will do this year. I think it will have to be flexible, but also I think to actually put something on the calendar will create a shift in urgency and make things real again. So, we’ll see.

I don’t know how “good” of a blog post this was tonight, but I do know that I can’t be the only one struggling with my body and questioning when I let it hold me back from experiencing joy in life. I can’t be the only one who struggles with self-esteem, self-appreciation, self-love. Maybe that has some value in sharing? Who knows? Thanks for humoring me.

-Stef

May 7, 2014 by loveablestef

What’s Up Buttercup?

Heya! I know I’ve been gone a while but I’m still alive and still dancing.

I guess I just don’t feel like I have all that much to share lately. There is no definite competition on the horizon and my lessons are pleasant and fun but I still feel like I have to be in better cardiovascular shape and to have lost significantly more fat before I get on the competitive floor again. Truly those are the things that are holding me back.

Thankfully Ivan is pleased with the quality of my dancing lately and even saying he’s excited to compete with me when the time comes.

I’ll be excited too. It’s just that I want to have completely transformed and I want new dresses. Period. I just don’t want to compromise on this and I’m sick of being the fat one.

So, it’s really the same old same old. Boring. Who wants to hear about that? It’s a broken record.

So I’ve not been writing.

On the up side, I feel like I’ve found my confidence in my dancing. I believe I am a good dancer and can own it. That’s a huge victory. In fact, I was even shocked today in group class as I was asked to do the one and only demonstration in Jive. Pretty cool to be recognized.

I’m still a little shy about it, and kind of try to hide and look at my fingernails between rounds of practice and stand to the sides or not in the front row. I don’t feel 100% confident nor do I feel the need to pretend I’m a diva. But there is some level of feeling like I’m somewhat competent at what I’m doing, even if there is still room for improvement.

Because, let’s face it, there’s always room for growth, with Ivan too. But, for me, the deal is, the more confident I feel, the better I dance. And being confident, for me, comes from practice, preparation, and the body-image stuff. The smaller I am, the better I feel, the easier it is to move, the more I move, the better I can cope with the physical demands. It all goes together – it’s kind of like which came first, the chicken or the egg. All parts of me from the mental to the physical and emotional are interconnected and affect one another. I can’t wait to feel so wonderful about how I look and have that reflect in my dancing. I can’t wait to actually create a “look” to present on the competitive floor. I can’t wait to really love my new dress and how it flatters me.

But all that’s old news. Now it’s about being consistent, being as active as I can, and putting in the time and effort to drive the transformation. It’s gonna take time.

Three interesting things of note have happened, though. The first was Tony Meredith came into town and I was lucky enough to get a coaching with him. He created a new Mambo routine for Ivan and I.

The second thing is that on my last lesson Ivan and I had a grand old time just goofing around toward the end of the lesson. I put on music I enjoy and he tried to whip me around like crazy, pretending like he was “Michael Malitowski.” He tried to spin me all these directions and then he went to drag me, so I grabbed around his neck and he began to spin at the end of the drag. And I don’t know why, but it just felt like the natural thing to do, so I lifted my legs up! He spun me and I was completely off the floor. I haven’t felt like that since I was probably 8 years old. I was flying! It was truly incredible and I can’t wait to see all the cool stuff we might be able to do when I’m lighter. Because I’m strong under here! And I can’t tell you what a phobia I’ve overcome with this because even when I was in high school and 80 pounds lighter, I was terrified of how heavy I was and convinced no guy could lift me. I had to partner with this senior guy in the school musical and he even dropped me in one of the performances, proving me right in my mind! So anyways, I can fly and the possibilities are exciting.

And the third thing is that I’ve been going to Orange Theory. It’s great for me because it gets my cardio in, I’ve never burned less than 540 calories in a bout, and it keeps me interested so the time goes pretty quickly – much better than hopping on the stair machine for 45 minutes (which is tedious and boring and takes a lot of mental convincing to do). And hey, I was pretty proud of myself when I first went because I was able to hang with the crowd. Sure I might have had a higher heart rate, and maybe I wasn’t as fast as other people, but I was stronger and faster than others and I began to think, maybe I’m in better comparative shape than I thought. There is no way 6 months ago I would have been able to perform this well. It was also a pretty crappy reality check because my heart rate was so high (they track it throughout the workout). I was working really hard, ergo, I am still fat, sick and out of shape. But I was also thinking to myself during moments, “I am magnificent!” because I’m there, I’m sucking it up, I’m doing it, I’m pushing hard because that’s how things change.

And speaking of pushing hard, I had probably the most difficult and miserable hike of my life last weekend! It was way too hot out, there were thick, icky swarms of gnats that plagued us from our first steps to our last steps, and I’m fat, sick, and out of shape! My heart rate was around 174 for most of the incline during the 3.4 miles. I wanted to give up most of the time because it was so uncomfortable, and I made a pact with myself not to do that damn hike again until I’m under 200 pounds. It is so much work to move my mass uphill and people just have no idea what it’s like for us fatties. For example, my husband also tracked his workout and he burned 250 calories on the way up while I burned 3 times that amount, 750 calories. Mostly it just makes me mad and that motivates me to keep working at it. I made a pact with myself to be as active as I can this week and to get under 200 pounds once and for all. I’ve been playing with the same 10 pounds for 2 months – stupid “social events” and “real life” – like Easter, family obligations. I do great when I’m in my own little bubble during the week. Weekends and any social obligations are much more difficult. And my stupid body is so efficient if I give it any extra, it gloms onto it.

Anyways, I’m focused and fired up and while I was suffering on the peak I really concentrated on how awful it felt. I wish sometimes I could bottle that misery up so any time I even want to think about going off plan I can take a little sip of it and instantly I’ll know what choice I really want to make. I guess the next best thing is to go on miserable hikes and do horrendous workouts that feel awful so I am constantly reminded of why I want to change. For the moment it is fresh in my mind.

So that’s the deal folks. I’m still struggling with being consistent but I’m also still plugging along, I haven’t given up or given in, I’m resolved to be as active as necessary, and I’m gunning for the 199 pound mark in the next 3 weeks.

Oh, and I was sad to hear that my ballet class on Mondays will be cancelled. I have to find a substitute activity and I’m thinking yoga. But I’ll miss the ballet – the people, the exercises, the balance and leg strength it’s given me. I will be sad to lose the progress but I don’t think there is another class nearby. Yoga seems like the next best thing, maybe it will be better, who knows.

So now you are all caught up!

Until next time, Stef

April 4, 2014 by loveablestef

An Epic Vomit Story, Ham Hocks, And I’m Glad I Wore Tights! (Not Necessarily In That Order)

Boy am I glad I wore mostly-opaque black tights tonight! I’m even more glad I wore my “boy shorts” underwear. Why, you ask? Because if I hadn’t, it could have been a very embarrassing evening.

Tonight Ivan and I had a really good lesson. And afterwards Ivan was like, “This is your second good lesson. I like it. I love it. But it is your second good lesson in two months. Can you believe it?”

The truth is, he’s right. It’s been a roller coaster the past two months. Playing with the same last 10 pounds. Other life things. The long and the short of it is that I showed up for my lessons, sometimes sporadically, and it didn’t help that Ivan and Marieta had a full competition schedule. I went through the motions, but that’s about it. It’s not necessarily a “bad” thing – because there is value in repetition and showing up – but was the quality and presence there? Not like it can be. And consistency was lacking. But still, I kept going, and sometimes that’s all a person can do.

I have to say that over the last few months I’ve learned some lessons. Well, I think it is more like I’ve come to know these concepts, not as intellectual understandings, but as integrated aspects of my being. For instance, everyone always says, “it’s the journey, not the destination,” and “trust the process” and other platitudes that I usually think are total crap. And, well… I am starting to see value in “the process” even when it doesn’t look exactly like I want it to or think it should. Even when it looks exactly opposite of what I would have said I would have wanted. Like gaining weight back. But now after a week of consistency and being back on the program, I am back down and heading toward my goals again. And just knowing that not all was lost was a huge win. Instead of going into a total tailspin I talked to myself calmly, saying to myself that I know what to do, and I just need to do it. And I chose to be gentle with myself until I had the inner resources to jump back on the horse – again, another huge triumph.

Because the deal is, that I’m the one driving the bus. It’s all up to me. I get the results I get from the choices I make. And sometimes there’s a lot to juggle. And now, instead of feeling upset, put upon, indignant thinking about this, I feel empowered. It’s my choice. I DO have control over some things, like my food, my activity level. And most of all, I embraced the idea that all this is a lifestyle, not a diet. I’m in it for the long haul. If there are blips up, that’s okay, even if it is a 10 pound blip, because that’s not the final outcome. Because life is life. There are choices I make because I want to enjoy things, be social, share a meal with family or my husband, or because I’m depressed and the best way I can figure to comfort myself, nurture myself, isn’t to eat what is on my plan. And, it’s worth it. I’m done with being a black or white, absolute right or wrong, good and bad-thinking person when it comes to my journey to health. I can make any choice I want at any moment. I can choose to eat cake when I feel like the benefit outweighs the price and vice versa. That, to me, is the most empowering thing of all. I can change my mind at any moment, nothing is off limits, and I’m going to make the choices that serve me best, holistically. I love and value myself enough to do that. And, truly, most of the time the best choices are to be on plan and to engage in regular activity. And, sometimes they are not. It’s about discretion and insight.

Maybe some people don’t understand how big these wins are if they’ve never been severely overweight. Hell, I couldn’t even see them as wins until now. I had to belittle any progress I made because it was never “enough,” because I was never skinny, never even close. But from my recent experience I now believe that it’s okay to acknowledge what is going on, to see the changes that are happening. In this case they were changes I didn’t like, but then, this time around, instead of thinking I’d completely failed, that I was a total loser, that I had slipped up for a fraction of a second and screwed everything up forever, I realized I just needed to make different choices. And I also realized I’d made the choices I had for valid reasons. I simply had to own all of it, and allow it to be okay that I’d not been “perfect.” And this time, I somehow avoided the whole self-denigrating, beat-to-a-bloody-pulp punishment method and just got straight away to the next proactive step. That, my friends, is a MAJOR victory. Maybe some people don’t have to go there to learn this, but I did. And that’s why I have a little more trust in “the process” no matter how it looks. I gained wisdom, I gained a different level of confidence, I gained 10 pounds, and this week I lost 6 of them. And I understand this entire experience like I never understood it before.

And with the proactive steps I’ve been taking comes progress and results, and, for me, self-esteem. Because, let’s face it, it’s pretty obvious that how I feel reflects in my body – with weight and with dancing. So it follows that with better self-esteem, goes better dancing. And thus was the case tonight.

Amazing, isn’t it?

In summary, I’m in a pretty good place overall. Yes, my last lesson before tonight was a total bummer, but the one prior to that was just as good as the one tonight. Things are looking up. I’m heading in the right direction.

So, yes, tonight we had a good lesson. Full of connection and feeling. Full of constructive conversation and polishing. We were in sync, we laughed, he taught me a new Bulgarian phrase – my legs are “Sfvinski crack” – ham legs, when they were moving slow. And he confused me with his thick accent which was entertaining.

It happened like this: To begin the Rumba he puts his hand out and I’m to react and accept it. Then we do a slow hip roll and then we’re off doing some forward Rumba walks. Anyways, we’re to look into each other’s eyes until the moment we jet forward. It’s actually a pretty intimate, connected moment. It takes some presence. And, of course, Ivan is all about the connection, and even more about the idea that the leader leads and the follower reacts. I’m not to move until I get the “signal.” To reiterate and further explain this notion, Ivan told me that he was the man and that he was the one that “opened the driveway gate.” He said, “The man has the cold.” Well, at least, that was what it sounded like, lol.

“The man has the cold?”

“Yes, the man has the cold. Beep boop beep.” Ivan pantomimed a finger punching a keypad.

“Oh! The man has the code!”

“Yes, what you think I say? The man has the cold. You cannot open without the man cold!”

Uh huh. Right. lol. But really, he does so well with English! I laugh and it’s funny and all, but I have so much respect for how well he communicates. As a person who has been in a country that speaks a different language I understand how daunting a task it is.

But I digress. We worked mostly on Rumba and Bolero in the jam-packed studio. They were having a social dance party for half of the time we were on our lesson. But you know, I didn’t even really notice it. I was so into what we were doing, so focused on our work, it was as if we had our own separate space in an invisible bubble as we weaved in and out of the other couples. I was happy to discover a few new details to incorporate in the dances, little moments with expanded arms, exaggerated whiplash through the body, remembering to push my hips upward as I do backbends. It was a productive, joyful lesson. I was mostly on balance. Ivan told me I had never danced like I danced tonight.

However, at one point we were doing the beginning of the Bolero where Ivan runs up to me and puts his hands on my legs and I’m supposed to react, as he says, like “he’s the prince,” and I’m being “touched for the very first time.” And that I’m supposed to enjoy it, or, at least look like I enjoy it, and he started raising his hands upwards and my skirt was raised with them, up, up, up….until you could see about 2 inches of my underwear! OMG!!!!

There is no other context in which this would be okay in public!

And even so, when it happened I was like, 1) thinking internally that I’d made an excellent wardrobe choice and 2) yelling at Ivan that I didn’t want to show everyone all my cookies even as he was saying to me, “It’s okay! If you love it everybody gonna love it!”

Oh what a wild life I lead!

But I do want to acknowledge that I’ve come a long way. Because even though I don’t want to necessarily regularly show my underwear in public, I wasn’t totally mortified. That may sound strange, but listen, I’ve developed some level of comfort with my body and that is an EXCEPTIONALLY good thing. Also, I dress in the boy shorts and with tights or leggings because I have developes in some of my routines so I want to make sure I’m appropriately covered for those. I have to be comfortable to do those kind of moves. Anyways, I was prepared (I mean, I don’t even own a g-string, but if I did, and had worn it tonight, it would have been a TOTALLY different story!) and better than that, the wardrobe mishap didn’t freak me out.

So that little episode was, ahem, entertaining, but even more entertaining was Ivan’s epic vomit story, a play in two acts. He told me the first part a long time ago when we were reminiscing about New Year’s Eve. Apparently one New Year’s, Ivan got blasted. So blasted that he was going to be sick on the drive home. He begged Marieta to stop, she urged him to hold on for just a little while longer. He tried to roll down the window…and blew chunks. Everywhere. Inside. Outside. All over.

The next morning he awoke, knowing he was blitzed but not quite remembering the events of the previous evening.

He showered. He got ready for the day. He got into the car.

The miasma of dried stomach contents curled his nose hairs.

He looked around. He saw the salad he’d eaten. Chunks of the chicken. Red peppers.

It was epic. Thus ends act one.

Apparently two weekends ago Ivan had a repeat performance. Let’s call it act two. It was hilarious hearing about it from Ivan, with all his over-the-top expressions, funny accent, and wild gesticulations. He went to a party at his friend’s house and got hosed. Marieta drove him home. This time, he claims, he didn’t even have the energy to warn her or to request that she stop so he could be sick. He struggled with massive effort to lower the window. This time, he says, he “had learned from his previous experience” and so, he stuck his head out the window, his neck extended gracefully long like “a giraffe.”

He saw a car approaching. The headlights were about to pass him in the next lane. “It was amazing!” he said. “One minute I see the lights, the next they are gone!” Covered in his vomit, the light from the headlamps was drowned out. He sprayed vehemently all along the outside of his car.

Once again he awoke the next morning, knowing he was hungover, and took a shower, prepared for the day, not quite remembering the exact events of the previous night.

“You’d better go check the car,” said Marieta.

“Why?” Inquired our hero, “Did the ‘check engine’ light come on? Is there something wrong with the tires?”

“You’d better go check the car,” she repeated once again, exasperated.

He checked the car. As he approached the side and accounted for most of the Technicolor specks of food (from where is come these carrots? He queried), so did his neighbor appear.

“Looks like you had an exciting night,” said the neighbor.

Ivan procured his garden hose.

He cleaned the car, but apparently, as he told me tonight, even after the cleaning, his mom, who is visiting from Bulgaria, opened the window and found a layer of slime that he’d missed.

“Good thing I sold the van,” he proclaimed on the lesson.

Who is the poor soul who purchased it, I wonder. Alas, they will never know the full extent of its storied history. And, that, my friends, is probably a good thing.

The End.

February 11, 2014 by loveablestef

Calculus Of The Body

Hello lovelies!

It’s hard to sit down and write a blog post when you are obsessed with the Olympics! Seriously – they are so addicting. And it’s so interesting watching them this year, because my perspective is different from it was before. I’m a competitor myself these days and especially watching the figure skating I see so many similarities. I’d never really considered the mindset necessary for performance, especially under pressure, and you may think it’s odd but I swear I’m learning by watching these athletes. Because, well, guess what, I’m an athlete too. I think that’s been one of the biggest changes in how I think of myself as I’ve been on this journey – I see myself and own the fact that I’m a dancer, an artist, an athlete and these were not identities I’d proclaim before. But I had no context for how to be an effective competitor prior to ballroom dancing so it’s been a learning curve!

So anyways, I was laughing because my mom asked me if I was watching the Ice Dancing and of course I was and she was all, “Can you imagine doing all those things on skates?” And I was like, “Um, no. It’s hard enough on dry land in heels!”

Okay, so before I get any further in this post, I have some news. Today I finally, finally, frickin’ finally hit 100 pounds gone from my highest weight. It’s taken years. It’s a milestone. I’m glad about it. And, I’m totally focused on where I’m going. Because the truth is, I still have about 75 pounds more to go. Next stop, under 200 pounds. I’ve decided to set milestones along the way. The one after that will be 180 pounds because then I will be officially “overweight” instead of “obese” according to my BMI. Finally, I have an idea that my goal weight will be around 140 pounds. That’s not set in stone. I’m actually more concerned with achieving a body fat percentage of 20% or less even if it is at a higher (or lower) weight because that is the body fat of an athlete.

So anyways, go me. I’ve done some calculus on my body. I say that because if you know how calculus works, it’s taking a curve and cutting it up into infinitesimally small sections to find a sum total. Well, that’s how losing weight works too. It’s the sum of a ton of tiny efforts taken consistently over time that will eventually create a sum total effect. Day in and day out. Every meal, every workout, every bite. If I stray, even a little, my body is such an efficient machine, it will not give anything up. I have to be on it like no kidding. So I am.

Okay, so now I bet you are wondering what is going on with my dancing seeing as I’ve not posted about myself in a while with the month of guest posts. Well, things are going pretty well. The deal is the biggest issue is losing the weight. Ivan and I agree that it’s the bigger problem than my actual dancing. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty to work on – but I have a good base and the aspect that will give me the most bang for my buck, that will change how I move the most, isn’t learning new steps or changing small details (which are also very important), but rather it’s getting the weight off. With being lighter I’ll automatically be able to move more, have more energy and stamina, and will have more confidence.

I really believe that’s probably the biggest aspect of all – feeling good about myself. When I feel good I dance better. Period. I hold my body differently. I stand up. I project. I fill the music.

So anyways, right now we are kind of in a holding pattern. It’s actually good in lots of ways. I’ve cut back on the number of lessons I take weekly because I’m at the gym more often and again, the priority is to get smaller and lighter. My activities have to reflect that priority. Still, I see him about 2 times weekly, sometimes for a double lesson. And we are going over our routines. I’m glad about it. Because my American Rhythm open routines were pretty new – there’s still a lot to clean up and polish. Not to mention just making things automatic in my muscle memory so that I can add more embellishments as time goes on. So I’m happy to do lots of repetition and just be with Ivan on my lesson.

He never fails to entertain. Not only is he funny as hell, but I also feel so blessed to get to work with Ivan. Let me tell you some of the funny stuff first, then I’ll tell you why I’m so glad he’s my partner.

Okay, so the funny stuff is because he’s Bulgarian. He had a charity event here locally called Dancing With The Stars to raise money for the Kidney Foundation and he told me he had to go home and “paint his hair.” Haha! He meant dye it. Also, when I was doing my “signature” Bolero move I was all, “God Ivan! It’s a feat!” and he was all like, “What you talking about? Feet?” It’s different but difficult to explain.

Okay, now the mushy stuff. Ivan’s amazing. I love how he isn’t just about technique. I love how he is about connection and expression. I love how he wants me to be present and to live the dance. I love that he can see that inside me and wants to share it with me. I love how he wants to build a partnership with me (and with each of his students/partners) and that it has the space to breathe and be unique. It’s like, who else could I do this work with? Of all the other dance teachers in the area, there is maybe one other person who I could maybe work with, who I think would possibly be a fit. I feel so blessed to be with Ivan. There’s no one like him.

So one thing he’s been saying lately when I have a moment where I am too much in my head about something rather than being present with him in a dance is, “You forget with who you are dancing.” And that’s a shame. I don’t want to miss one second of it, you know?

So one thing that has been really great on our last lesson was working on connection. We took the time to slow down, and go through moves piece by piece so we could discover when there are gaps, places where I let go, where I’m off-balance. It was so wonderful. It was an opportunity for me to get my bearings, him to get his, and the for us to come together and sort of merge into one unit, moving together. It’s pretty much the optimal, ideal situation when dancing. It requires presence and sensitivity and flexibility and openness, vulnerability and the ability to tap into the magic “action-reaction” of connection. And it requires me to be in the flow, to be relaxed, and that’s usually not the space I’m in before a competition.

But I did have one competition where I was brimming with confidence and relaxed, so I know it’s possible. I think the biggest thing was just feeling prepared and ready going into it, that I’d prepared myself properly and I knew what I was doing, and that I had been moving forward consistently prior to the competition, that I was in a good space for the time that had elapsed since the previous event. So that’s what I’m working toward during this time. As I’m getting this weight off, getting my body into shape, I’m working on the connection, the partnership, really knowing my body and my choreography, and I’m so satisfied about it. It’s actually been great to be working out outside of my lessons on my cardio because I feel like it’s totally okay to working on less intense aspects of dancing, that there isn’t so much pressure just to do rounds, so we can spend the time on things we can only work on together. Increasing my cardiovascular capacity isn’t one of them.

And I have to say it’s been helping. I can get thorough so much more so much more comfortably now that I torture myself on the stair machine regularly during the week. I definitely notice a difference in my endurance.

I think that’s all the news that’s news! Oh, except that tomorrow, Tuesday, Dance Advantage is running a story on me! That’s pretty awesome 🙂 – go check it out.

December 24, 2013 by loveablestef

Back To Real Life…And Beyond

There is always a bit of a transition coming back down to earth after a competition. But I must say, the pace has not lessened one iota since I’ve been home. I was right back to ballet Monday evening the day after I got home, and the rest of my week went as planned with work outs at the gym, Inna’s class, the eating plan, and fitting in some dance lessons with Ivan. Actually, there was even more activity this week because it was Imperial’s annual showcase/masquerade gala Friday night, and over at EuroRhythm Saturday morning after my double lesson with Ivan I was blessed to have attended a workshop with Latin couple Andrej Skufca & Melinda Torokgyorgy, who, according to DanceSportInfo.net are positioned 5 in the world and 1 in Slovenia.

It’s honestly been a very, very good week. I’m am clear and focused and determined. This feels really wonderful and like I have some forward momentum propelling me towards my goals. There is a fire in my belly that hasn’t been there before to power me. And I’m so grateful for all the experiences I’ve had, even the difficult ones, for they have brought me to this point.

Earlier in the week I had a nice lesson with Ivan where we focused on American Rhythm technique. I love getting back to the basics and still feel like I have so much work to do to truly demonstrate the proper movements. Especially since I do bronze, I want to be clear, prescise, and spot on with the basics. For me, the more clear and detailed and specific I can be, the more that I know what I am doing, the more confident I feel and the better I dance. I am happy we are taking some steps back to see the bigger picture and re-align. This includes finding our connection, which was the bigger issue we worked on today and Saturday. For certain Ivan and I felt disjointed at Holiday, like we were not dancing together. Well, Saturday morning, it was better. It was more about the energy and connecting properly and that always feels so much nicer and generates/allows more dancing and expression.

And we had some time to communicate and talk about how we both showed up on the dancefloor and at the competition. We discussed better ways to handle things and lessons to learn from the mistakes I made. It is such an all-around journey with opportunities for growth on all levels. And as much as I’ve grown, there is still so much more inside me. And I was actually happy when I felt uncomfortable on the lesson because it was out of my comfort zone.

It’s all tied to confidence. Confidence that I know what I am doing physically. Confidence in myself, which for me is tethered to my body and body image. Confidence in my connection to Ivan. I feel like everything will change as the fat suit comes off. For certain I will feel more beautiful, it will be easier to move, it will be less taxing, and that is why it is my primary focus at the moment, even as I continue to devour as much information about dancing as I can.

So it was a good lesson Saturday morning and we cleared the air and all that, and still it is difficult. We are two different people and sometimes we are not on the same page. It’s a challenge to come together and make it work. But I love it, and we know it’s possible. Again, on both sides of the equation, it depends more on how we feel about ourselves as a couple and what we are presenting than anything else.

So anyways, Friday I was able to attend the showcase at Imperial which was pretty fun and wonderful. But I ended up leaving early before the professional show because it was getting so late. They played a lot of games which were fun but I knew I needed to get some sleep for my big day the next morning.

So after my lesson with Ivan, I made my way to the workshop and it was awesome. It was awesome to be in the presence of these professionals. They shared so much information that my head was spinning! It was amazing to just watch them move which was a lesson in itself. They also gave specific corrections to specific people, which I thought was really wonderful. I even got one on my Samba! Woo!

We started with Rumba and the biggest takeaway I had was that the front foot is actually parallel when doing Rumba walks. It is the back foot, leg, and hip that rotate outward to create the Latin position which is turned out. I never, ever would have thought that, however, it made more biomechanical sense, and freed the hips, and I felt so much more stable walking that way. Also important was the timing. They got so specific 1 and 2 and 3 and a 4 ah! Each count = a specific movement. I am truly learning to love counting, and as Andrej said, there is something really beautiful about being exactly on the beat, not a little behind or ahead. My impression was that the extra counting made the music and movement more gooey, stretching it longer, and it again made so much sense for the release/recoil which propels the next movement, usually a step forward. They talked about torsion around the spine, especially in the upper body, which I find pretty difficult to execute. I wish I could just stand side-by-side with Melinda and do the steps over and over with specific corrections. Latin technique is just as detailed as ballet, if not more so, in my opinion. And the more I learn, the more I see how important it is to be aware and accountable for each and every little ticky-tah of movement. It’s mind-altering.

After a little break we changed to Samba. The biggest takeaway for me here was the importance of both the footwork, which involves a lot of ankle, foot, and calf strength, as well as the forward crunch/scooping of the hips forward to create the bounce. Again, when broken down, it makes more biomechanical sense, but these are details I’d never think of. From what Andrej shared you are supposed to actually begin to lift your heel even while your leg is bent during a whisk to create the movement of the back leg and when done correctly it actually causes the back leg to be placed in the right spot. It also allows a person to squeeze a tiny bit of extra movement forward into the hips to increase range of motion. Whomever sat down and figured all this out was a genius. I am very impressed with how clearly Andrej and Melinda were able to express concepts and ideas and how detailed they were.

In fact, they shared so much information, there is no way I absorbed it all! So I made up my mind to just focus on one or two tidbits in each dance and to work on those in the future.

So that brings us to Sunday which didn’t involve any dancing but does involve an interesting personal revelation about how very, very far I’ve come. You see, one of my friends from high school came into town with his adorable fat-cheeked baby and new wife and we met up to catch up. We had a wonderful visit but of course he asked about all this ballroom stuff he’s seeing on Facebook. And I realized, perhaps he didn’t know I danced in high school. He didn’t have a clue.

How strange!! It was a big part of my life, but I never really shared it. I danced outside of school hours and wasn’t confident enough to proclaim that I was a dancer. Here was this person who knew me since 7th grade, who I was next to in practically every class because of our last names and alphabetical seating, and he had no idea I danced during all that time. I am sad for the 12-16 year-old me. Sad, because I was so insecure about sharing who I was. On the flip side, I’m pretty amazed at myself because here I am now, blogging about and sharing my journey, broadcasting it to the world, all while having a body that is far from ideal and much worse than it was back in high school when I hated it even more than I do now! Actually, things have shifted around that issue as well. I’m finally, finally finding some peace in my relationship with my body. I am even grateful for all it has done and continues to do for me. And I had this weird revelation on my lesson with Ivan on Saturday. This may perhaps be a tangent off into La La land but bear with me. This is how I understand it.

I believe that dancing involves enregies. I think most people would agree it certainly involves emotional energies, which are invisible but very real. Well, anyways, when I dance with Ivan we throw and catch different energies toward one another. Well we were doing a Mambo, which involves a lot of booty shaking, and Ivan was being all interested in my ample, womanly behind, and I realized, my butt liked it! LOL! It really did. It was all happy and proud and I thought, wow, I should really take advantage of this and let my body parts enjoy this energy and attention. I mean, if I can’t give it to them, maybe this will help.

So anyways, those were some interesting realizations and now my wooojy woo tangent is complete.

And all that leaves to talk about is my lesson this morning. It was awesome. I found my mojo once again. No fear, just moving, just letting my body do what it wants to do, feeling the music, feeling good about being me. And Ivan got goosebumps and he loved the lesson and we both felt good. Even better than that was working on our connection. We had great communication around the connection and found a new one. It allows both of us to be more accountable for ourselves. Ivan realized the importance of backing off and even letting me fail so we can find the right placement for both of us. I desperately need the feedback of when I am using him too much or too little but I can’t get that if he always takes care of me (and Marieta) and neglects himself. And when it works like this, it is so nice, it feels so good! And Ivan was all, you dance the best when you just feel, why ever dance any other way? And yeah, he’s right. It’s meant to enjoy. Not to get all caught up in the right and wrong ways of doing things, – at the core dancing is actually not about “doing” anything – it’s really about “being” – being loving, and joyful, and open to sharing, connecting, growing, and evolving.

I’m energized and focused and excited about the coming year. And I want to thank you, dear readers and supporters for the part you play in that. You encourage me more than you will ever know. I appreciate you and I’m grateful to get to share my journey with you. A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone. Cheers to us all as we embrace the new year! I have a feeling it’s going to be very sparkly!

November 13, 2013 by loveablestef

Confouding Bolero

The Holiday competition is officially less than a month away, and I’m beginning to freak.

Th truth is, I have a lot of work ahead of me and I’m not entirely sure I will be able to get myself really ready in time. I mean, I always feel that way, but this time around, even more so. It’s good to stretch and feel the pressure to a point – it stimulates growth. And, also, I have big concerns about not disappointing Ivan. I have concerns about showing something new, better, and different and evolving. And I don’t feel like we’ve had the time to hash out all the details that make a routine pop. We haven’t really danced them all full out, much less completed them in a row where cardio really comes into play. In fact, we are still putting together the final routine, the Bolero, and for whatever reason, I’m really struggling to remember the order of the steps. Everything is fuzzy and bounces off my brain and I can’t remember ever having this much trouble learning a new routine.

That plus my body is pretty much in the same place as it was at the last competition. I have basically maintained but haven’t significantly shrunk. I am okay with this because I made whatever choices I’ve made over the past month or so but I also know that I will feel more confident the closer I am to a healthy, normal size. I know I will move easier and dance better the smaller and lighter I am. The good news is that I have a month and I have a new eating plan in place. The other good news is that I’m focused and clear on what I need to do over the next 30 days in terms of transforming as much as I can.

And I’m taking on a big challenge in terms of my goals. We are doing open scholarship (I think) in Rhythm. I’m really a closed bronze girl. I’ve had some success at that level, but never at a large comp. I really don’t expect much especially with it being my first stab at the open scholarship. I mean, we’ve done some open heats but even those I’ve always considered as for experience. But life is short. Why not dance what I love if Ivan thinks I’m ready? Why not put myself out there and get the experience. We just want to feel good doing it. The best would be to feel strong and confident with how we dance and then let go of the outcome. I just don’t know that I have the time to feel comfortable with the routines. For me, the better I feel I know the routines the easier it is to let go. Otherwise I am in my head.

In any case, I danced with Ivan on Saturday and we hashed out the Bolero routine. On Sunday I didn’t feel well and didn’t have a lesson and Monday morning and evening I had other commitments. Luckily, I had today off (though I work Saturday) so I booked a double lesson and we got right back to work on the Bolero. We also had some time to review the Rumba and miraculously we actually remembered the order for that dance so at least it is getting better, though I get nervous with all the tricks and such and we haven’t really done it in its entirety full out.

But either way, I had a lot of fun on my lesson. It was just funny. For one, I totally fell flat on my ass. No, I wasn’t doing anything difficult – not during a spin or a balance or anything impressive. No, I just caught the side of my shoe on a slight crack in the floorboards, and bam! I went down. Ivan doubled over laughing at me. I was laughing too and just like, “well, I haven’t fallen in a while. I guess I was due.” And I was thankful that I wasn’t injured.

And we were just laughing because of how we both kept blanking on the steps of the routine. Absolute baffoonery!

And then Ivan invented this part in the Bolero where I’m supposed to grab his face and pull it toward mine so we are forehead to forehead, nose to nose. And this was very funny to me (though when Marieta does it is amazing).

And I was also lucky because Marieta was there too so she helped me see how to do a few steps. I also noticed that she seemed to have some slight difficulties with the same areas I have had in the dance that are just awkward. The thing is that I don’t have enough experience, nor do I know alternatives to suggest so I just do what Ivan tells me. But when Marieta has a stumble in the same place, I can agree with her that it is awkward and a change gets made. That was pretty validating, actually.

I swear I learn so much from watching Marieta. There is just a different way she moves as a female than Ivan does even when he is teaching me to do the girl part. The biggest thing I notice is how much more free she is with her entire body and emotions. She was feeling pretty feisty this morning, and was kind of annoyed with Ivan, so she let that come across in her dancing. It was animalistic. As Ivan says, it was really dancing like a woman, not “high school virgin.” I still feel pretty awkward about the “sexy” stuff, even as much as I’ve already come out of my shell, Marieta puts me to shame. She could seriously set the room on fire. But anyways, it was instructive to observe her. I watch her and see how much she moves her hips and that there is a lot of movement through the entire body. There is complete commitment to the moment and the expression. She is fearless and bold. She moves a hell of a lot more than I do. I can work with that. I can see what I’m aiming to evolve into (my own personal version of it) and the biggest obstacles are knowing the steps and feeling comfortable with every nuance of the routine so that I am not stuck in my head, and confidence to really “go there” 100% no holding back because of the stories I make up in my head that I can’t do that because of how my body looks.

After my lesson was a treat as well. I’m so bummed because Ivan did this freestyle dance to Blurred Lines and it was epic! He was shaking his booty and just going loco. I thought I was videoing it but I hit the wrong button. I did, however, catch Ivan doing this awesome pose with Marieta – Felipe Telona does it a lot. But then Ivan fell onto Marieta. Which was funny. And it is nice to see how human my idols are. It reminds me of this story I read somewhere about a person who lived next door to a professional cellist. The musician was a virtuoso but the neighbor heard how the cellist struggled, messed up, played phrases over and over and over. We usually only see the final polished product presented on stage but rarely do we observe all the work, trials, failures, and efforts put into that performance. If nothing else, Ivan and Marieta are authentic people. They are amazing dancers, I think, and I love watching them. And then on days like today where I have the fortune and time to sit a bit and watch, I see the stops and starts, the mess ups, and I feel better about my process.

September 16, 2013 by loveablestef

I Am A Beautiful Rockstar

My oh my. It has been a whirlwind the past couple of days at the Galaxy Dance Festival here in Phoenix. I remember why I love participating in these extravagant events as I reflect on the experience which totally encompassed the full gambit of human emotions from elation to depression and everything in between – not to mention nerves! Competitions are a spectacle to behold, and an amazing way to gain a wealth of information in a short period of time. I’m always immensely glad I do competitions after the fact and this time was no exception – I always learn, I gain experience and exposure, and I generally have a good time.

The victories were many this time around. In fact, I’m hard pressed to think of any negative outcomes. It was just a very special time and I’m feeling incredibly blessed, grateful, and more determined than ever to push toward my goals and dreams with dancing. After the competition, the things I previously considered impossible seem within the reach of a mere mortal like myself, if I apply myself and work diligently and consistently. I am inspired and hopeful and generally feeling pretty good about myself and where I am at.

First off, I got to dance. Secondly, I got to dance with Ivan, my favorite partner who I look up to so very much. Furthermore, I got to dance in public, in front of an audience, and I got to receive feedback about my performance in the form of heat results and audience engagement. My parents and mother-in-law came to watch, and it was even more special was that my dad came because, well, he’s not a big dance fan. He walked out of a performance of Swan Lake once at Gammage Hall hee hee hee. Even so, I think he was genuinely impressed with what he saw – as he put it, “it was worth the price of admission,” to see me dance, which was a great compliment considering the steep entry fee for the evening session! The one very funny thing, I thought, was that I pointed out to my parents how my body should look and the kind of costume I should be wearing to really compete with the high-level folks – basically a bikini but dressed up, you know? Well both my mom and my dad were basically like, “I don’t care how slim you get! Don’t EVER wear that!?” Ha ha ha! I’m an adult woman and if I do ever manage to sculpt my body to the point I could wear one of those costumes, you’d better believe I will let it ALL hang out! LOL! I don’t think I’ll ever really be THAT comfortable, but, still, I was laughing inside. I guess my family is pretty conservative and I guess I’ve gotten a little desensitized with living in the ballroom world. In any case, that choice is years off so not an issue to worry about at this time.

Also, being my hometown, I had lots of outstanding support while dancing on the floor. Many cheered for me and Ivan and I can’t tell you how much that helps me dance and perform. I feel supported and like people actually want to see what I going to share. It makes me feel more secure and less vulnerable which frees me up to let go and just emote and dance.

I placed very well, which is always a nice outcome. I placed first in both Latin and Rhythm closed Bronze scholarships and did extremely well in single dances as well.

Better than that was that Ivan was quite pleased with my dancing on Thursday night during Rhythm. That honestly meant more to me than the actual placement because I think it is the first time he’s been happy with pretty much everything I did. He said he really enjoyed dancing with me and that he even felt like he was “on another planet” that it wasn’t just “dancing the same stupid syllabus steps” or going through the motions. We were in sync and “on” and it felt great – every single step, in unison, connected. Latin was fraught with more slight mishaps but we still did well overall, though it was difficult to live up to Ivan’s expectations from the previous day when we did so well. Anyways, I’m sure he’ll have things to share with me about how to improve on our next lesson, but until then I’m going to enjoy and bask in our nice results. I’m choosing to enjoy the victories instead of dwelling on our perceived shortcomings.

Beyond that, I had some other extremely special and memorable moments during the course of the competition. I ran into Bree Watson in the ladies dressing room. If you don’t know who she is, she dances with Decho Kraev and they are the National Rhythm champions. Anyways, she knew my name! (“Stefanie, right?”) Not only that, she told me she really enjoyed my dancing. After recovering from the shock of this statement I told her how star-struck I was and asked her for a photo. She not only kindly obliged but also gave me a hug. It was a Twilight Zone moment in which I thought maybe I had been transported into an alternate universe but, yeah, that was awesome.

And can you believe there was more?! But there was. Ron Montez was one of the judges and I’ve had some coachings with him in the past so he kinda sorta knows who I am – I also attended his dance camp at the beginning of the year. In any case, as I went up to receive my placements he told me that I “looked so hot out there.” And then he touched the left side of my face and told me “You are so beautiful.”

I seriously almost started bawling out there on the floor but I held it together! It was such a powerful moment becuase he’s seen me before. He saw me when I was much bigger and he can see the progress I’ve made. I think that has to be somewhat impactful when you know the back story of a person. It was an intimate moment, like in a bubble outside of time and space amid the chaotic circus of the ballroom competition and it touched me to my core. I mean, it is so hard for me to think of myself as “hot” or “sexy” because I’m so hung up about my body issues/image but I put it aside in my head when I’m performing and just dance how I feel inside as best as I can. And yet that is the female role I’m to portray doing all these spicy Latin/Rhythm dances. When he said that, though, I believed him, and I began to believe that it was true. I began to believe I can do this – really, really do this. It was a boost in confidence in who I am in a way I’ve never allowed myself to feel before. More than that, I saw Ron later and he basically told me that I have a spark inside, that many people saw and commented on it, and that people would pay a million dollars to have it, but they can’t because you can’t buy it. And it was so honest and authentic and from the heart and I begin to accept that I have something special to offer and that drives me even more to work and fight to develop myself and my potential. After this Ron took off saying jokingly that he’d already given me too many compliments and I agreed, laughing and saying that he should get away while he could. But I tell you I feel so blessed that he took an interest and cared enough to share this with me. Truly, it’s a life changer.

I also really enjoyed having other students along for the ride. I am so proud, in particular, of one of Ivan’s new students who did Galaxy as her first competition. I consider it an act of courage to put yourself out there and participate in a big way like this and she did so great. It was really fun to kind of take her under my wing as best I could and help her have the best experience possible. I think she enjoyed it and is possibly interested in doing more competitions. Either way, I loved her company, as well as Ivan’s other two darling students. I hope we do more comps together. It’s fun, and also, I’m not gonna lie, it took some of the pressure off of me! It was more spread around to all of us which was pretty nice.

Also thrilling was meeting some readers of the blog! Not to mention the new friends I met while dancing in the competition. And it was awesome of my new trainer to come and see me dance! I can’t believe she made the trip and paid the entry fee but she is cool like that and actually cares about my goals and my progress. I appreciate her so much after all the duds I had to get through to get to her.

Of course watching the pros and even the amateur and Rising Star divisions was fabulous as well. I especially enjoyed watching Ivan and Marieta (of course!) who danced really, really well, I thought, and placed 4th from a semi-final losing out to Bree and Decho, the Perzhu’s and Yuki. I found Peter and Alexandra Perzhu especially mesmerizing to watch – they danced like hot taffy, never stopping, and it was gorgeous. Latin was also super exciting – I couldn’t keep my eyes off Roman Kutskyy and Anna Kovalova. Holy hell! How is it possible to move like that?! And I loved rooting for Roman Italyankin and his partner Tatiana who placed fourth from a semifinal because they are awesome and because I met Roman at Desert Classic and he is a genuinely spectacular person. He was kind enough to let me chat with him and his adorable student at the after-party and I just really enjoyed that so much.

And today I attended the American style congress with classes taught by Toni Redpath, Linda Dean, Tony Meredith, Ron Montez, and Marianne Nicole. You will not believe what happened. Truly, I hardly can! During Toni Redpath’s class I drew unintentional attention to myself because my practice shoe caught on one of the metal seams between the floor sections and I made a loud noise when I stepped to catch my balance. Everyone looked up and Toni saw me. Although it was one of my klutzier moments, it was totally worth it because she looked at me and said, “You are a rockstar!” and commented that my dancing was “unreal.” I thought it was uncanny that she chose the word Rockstar as that is my unofficial nickname, at least with my nutritionist. I told her she just made my entire life by saying that (because, um, if you don’t know who Toni Redpath is then you are just not alive! OMG!!!!) It was completely unexpected and I am flabbergasted even still. All I can say is, wow! And I am more motivated than ever to continue to develop myself.

It is a bit of an understatement to say that I had a really great competition. I had moments of more and less confidence, and moments of more and less self-doubt. I had moments of more stress and less stress, moments when i was “on” and hit my choreography, and moments when I was not “with it” and missed connections, steps, and had balance bobbles. I had moments when I was more on balance than ever before like in my Bolero. It was, as always, a roller coaster ride but it certainly ended on a high note. I’m interested to see Ivan’s take on the event. I’m thinking he’ll say that overall it was pretty good, though some parts were “fucked up” like during our Latin scholarship he said 50% good cha cha, he liked the samba, but Rumba was “fucked up,” but that we should build on the good things, keep on with the consistency I’ve maintained during the past few months of lessons, and push forward. But damn, when I get a comment from a judge I just happen to see in passing who is talking with friends I know, and he says “from beginning to end you danced every measure” I hear that as saying that I filled the music, and I feel proud, acknowledged, and validated. To me, in my mind, I hear that as saying my spirit expanded and inhabited my body each second… what an accomplishment that is!

The next goal for me, in my mind, is to do a big comp, and soon, for the experience more than anything as I suspect my nerves will be even more of a factor at a larger competition as well as navigating the logistics of such an event, and also to work on finishing open routines for the Rhythm category. Eventually I want to be on the floor with the “big dogs,” as Ivan puts it, and hold my own – to look like I belong there beside those dancers. For now, I am the level that I am at. There is much to be proud of and I want to enjoy my recent accomplishments even if I know there is so much yet work to be done. I’m going to bask in this glory for just the rest of the afternoon and then it is back to the real world for me! And time to dive head first right back into the hard work that will propel me forward. I know Ivan will keep me grounded so no worries about getting a big head lol! He’ll be sure to help me remain humble which is just as it should be.

I’m excited for the future. I feel so validated and I can’t express how humbling and wonderful and awesome it is – especially after I gave up being a dancer because I felt like I didn’t fit the profile. But ballroom has a space for everyone and I’m coming into my own as a performer and dancer. That is due with big, big, thanks to Ivan and Marieta both. They have poured so much into me and I just want to absorb it all like a sponge! I love dancing ballroom so very much (can you tell?) and it really shines through. I dance with feeling and others are drawn into my performance. I’m coming to own this is one of my greatest strengths. It reminds me of Fik-Shun on So You Think You Can Dance – I may not be the best dancer, but I have a ton of heart, and sometimes that trumps perfect technique. Confidence is probably my biggest hang up, still, which is a little bit insane after the experiences I had this week. I am determined to relax into and trust myself, as well as my partner, Ivan, and I think this can only accelerate my growth. In any case, after this competition, I feel that I’m 100% in my purpose, and that, my friends, is a very good place to be. I don’t think I could be more grateful or satisfied. What an amazing few days. This will be one of the experiences I re-live when I’m in heaven.

September 6, 2013 by loveablestef

Headspace (A Stream-of-consciousness Ramble)

So two nights ago I had a dream that I was at a ballroom competition and I took a photo with Yulia Zagoruchenko but then I was waiting to pick it up but I had to leave it behind because I was late getting onto the dance floor.

Last time I couldn’t get my fishnets on correctly and could only find one heel.

Yeah, so my unconscious knows what is coming up in six days (cue ominous music) – that’s right – my next dance competition.

Time to put on the fake nails, the fake tan, and practice my dance moves one last time.

But more importantly, for me, I feel, is to get myself in the right headspace.

I’ve not done a whole lot of competitions, and they are far from old hat for me yet. I learn so much every time I participate in one and I still have a lot to learn. Especially about bigger competitions. I’ve yet to go to a really big one like Emerald or Ohio or Nationals and I want to do that, I really do. But I want to do it when I feel like I have a fighting chance, and I don’t think that is the case just yet.

But also, I can reflect upon how far I’ve come, especially when another of Ivan’s students is boldly choosing to get out there in six days for her very first competition and I’m talking with her about the experience. And I’m not just talking about having an inkling of what to expect – about the logistics, how things work, what to bring, and all that. I’m talking about being in a smaller body, being at a different level of dancing, and feeling that the little seeds of confidence I littered upon my heart when I began this endeavor are finally beginning to sprout but aren’t in full bloom just yet.

It’s no secret, I suppose, especially with the blog, that I struggle with self-confidence. But the weird thing is that I almost feel like it’s even harder now for me than it was 80 pounds ago. I guess back then I just knew that I was so huge and that I felt like I had to be a really, really respectable level dancer to even brave going out on the floor to not make a complete ass out of myself. But I pretty much resigned myself to the idea that I’d never be anything really special, that I could never actually ever be a champion. These days, I’m still generally the biggest girl out there, but I have also grown and changed and people have seen a bit of my journey. I think I’m a little more known and seen as a good dancer and performer. Most importantly Ivan now sees me as a serious dancer and competitor. I barely dare to believe what is possible for me. Sometimes a lot of what comes up for me is fear. Fear that I am not good enough and never will be. Fear that my body is gross and will never look like it needs to in order to be the competitor I want to be.

But enough of that crap! Haven’t I tortured myself enough with all this? Haven’t I worked my butt off to be where I am right now, even if it is not where I’d ultimately like to be? The biggest battle, it’s not the food, it’s not even the working out (even though I can drag my feet with both aspects sometimes), no, the biggest battle is believing I am capable of this. It is believing that I’m worth it. Believing that I could, in this lifetime, have a body fat percentage less than 20%. That it actually is possible to get into a dress I love, in a body I love, or maybe even wear a bathing suit in public. It’s changing my belief about what’s possible for me. In essence it is moving something which I have always held in the column of “impossible” to the column of “possible.”

People think I have so much confidence, and I think to a certain extent I project that on that dancefloor, probably because I do perform and get out there. Like my new trainer was all “Girl you have balls to get out there” when she saw Ivan’s other student who also works out at my gym and is a typical sized woman for the ballroom game. But I still have a lot of self-doubt and I just can’t seem to shake it sometimes.

And so I feel more pressure than I used to. This is pressure I put on myself, but also Ivan increasingly puts it on me as well. It’s a good thing but it also makes me a little queasy. It’s a good thing because I’m being pushed and I’m fighting for my spot on the floor. And yeah maybe I’m not the person who will have worked the hardest in the entire world, but I have worked damn hard, and there is still so much work to do, but it’s a valiant fight and maybe it will be recognized. But the risk is, maybe it won’t. Maybe it will never be fully appreciated and maybe it will come down to a shit deal like not having the tightest, sexiest body. And do you see the kind of headspace I have? It is a veritable merry-go-round of talking myself up, giving myself a pep talk, and feeling like I’m still lacking something. It’s about walking that fine line between being vulnerable but then being strong and centered and dancing like I own that floor….even if that feels like a stretch. But the sick game is that I will never really have a finish line to say “I’ve arrived” or “completed.” Because results are only results and subjective and each and every competition is a very different experience, sometimes against very different competitors. And I know I show up differently to each one, sometimes showing up differently on different days, or even for single dances. And sometimes I stack up ahead of the same competitor who beat my butt the last time I saw her. It can be a total mind@#*! if you know what I mean.

I’ve got to learn to stop apologizing for who and how I am, for the choices I made in the past and the choices I’m making now. I’ve got to learn to love myself and believe in myself. Seriously! Sometimes I get all co-dependent and down and feel bad about me when Ivan’s telling me all the shit I have to fix, which is like every 10 seconds sometimes as we are working through a routine, and it’s hard and I worry that I will never be able to make it better but what I really need to do is be all, “Ivan thanks for the feedback. I’ll do my best but I feel great and nothing you say is going to change that because I rock.” And I just want to good about me and how I’m dancing.

So all this post is just to say I’m going through the normal stuff before a competition, for me that is. There is the compulsory weirdo anxiety dream and the self-doubt that creeps in and the physical preparation. And, screw that. No negative voices are allowed in my head from this moment on. The decision is made. This is no time to be timid or hold back. I’m consciously and deliberately preparing myself mentally. I’m going to rock it. Why? Because I am awesome. The end.

August 26, 2013 by loveablestef

Clean Eating, Challenge, Change, Consistency, Commitment

I am extremely grateful to find myself in a most clear, determined, and single-minded space after a week laden with emotional turmoil (as well as a little bit of humor.) As I continue this journey, which in my mind began three years ago, I am surprised and delighted with how much more quickly I can get through “the muck” back into a neutral or even positive mental place. Back when I was at my largest, it could days or even weeks of staying stuck, wallowing in my despair, anguish, anger, or resentment. I’d done a lot of work internally before I was ready to accept the help of a nutritionist and though my external results have been frustratingly slow (in my mind, at least), the deep roots of new coping skills and healthy tools I’ve cultivated continue to serve me well as I chip, chip, chip away at my own personal face of Mount Rushmore. Dang I wish I had some stinking dynamite!

Another reason I’ve been able to switch so quickly out of overwhelm and sadness, I believe, has been the support I am now able to receive from “my team.” No one officially signed up to be on my “team” – it’s just my own idea of people who are helping me get to where I want to go. This includes, of course, first and foremost, my awesome nutritionist, Chelle, owner of Recipe For Fitness, who wrote an amazing response to my Dear Body Letter. Seriously, go read Chelle’s blog post! I totally believe she’s got my back and that she’ll stick it out with me until I’m done. She’s the “coach” of my team….maybe I should get her a whistle! 🙂

My “team” also includes, Ivan, he’d be the artistic director (hee hee), as well as my new trainer, Allison, who is so much better than my previous gal. I finally feel like I have a trainer who actually cares about me and my progress, and I appreciate it so much, especially with all the crap I’ve had to go through with trainers recently! Plus she, herself, trains as a MMA fighter, has 12 years of personal training experience, and is generally just a pretty awesome person.

And beyond that, I also consider you readers as part of my team. You encourage me and inspire me to keep going, even when the going gets tough. Fitocracy, a social media platform that is kinda like Facebook for people into fitness, is another resource I’ve used that is a postitive, encouraging outlet – you can find me under “loveablestef” if you ever decide to join.

Finally, many times I have people supporting me and encouraging me that I don’t even know! Like Tabitha – I’ve never met her, but she took the time to write me a powerful letter which helped me move forward, and from the feedback I’ve received, I’m not the only one she helped.

I must admit, however, that even though I understand and believe what Tabitha/my body had to say, I am still in slight resistance to certain portions of it. Rather than considering this a bad thing, I think having a little resistance is good, because it means I’m on the edge pushing against a limitation. Soon enough things will shift and I will have grown. If I had absolutely no resistance, then I’d already be done with the portion of “the work” she suggests and wouldn’t be any challenge! But, yeah, that’s not the case.

For instance, I still have a hard time swallowing the idea that my body is on my side. I’ve lived for 27 years considering my body to be a problem. It has never been a beautiful body in my eyes and it is frustratingly stubborn. It is limited in many ways and can’t do all the things I want or expect it to do. I experience it as being untrustworthy and I think of it as something that is sub-par and needs to be fixed but that it is so messed up that it’s a lost cause. Confusingly, it is also an ally in many regards, the most important of which are that it allows me to dance and to walk in this world, and sometimes it surprises me doing things beyond my expectations. Clearly my relationship with my body isn’t 100% in alignment, but I have faith that it can be.

I am also frustrated with the idea my body put forth about having to get internal affairs in order before seeing outward change. I feel like, egad! Haven’t I already done somuch?! I have been working at it for three years to get internal affairs in order but still I wait, wait, wait for the outside to match with the inside (yeah, it’s a little victim-y, I know. I’ll get over it). I am dumbfounded time and again at how very different my internal image of who I am and how I see myself in a fit, healthy body, and the reality of my current obese body are. It is beyond words the amount of internal work I’ve done and annoying that there is still more to go! Plus it is just plain incongruent with the external state of affairs. Like, last week I was eating my fish, brown rice, and asparagus, all portioned and measured, cooked clean after 90 minutes of ballet and I’m thinking to myself, “A person who eats this dinner doesn’t have a body like mine.” But I do.

I’m also in resistance to my body’s message to push and push hard. It’s not because I won’t or don’t push hard already, it’s because I’m sick of hearing it and I’m sick of having to dig down deep just to make it through Latin class with Inna or Mountain climbers with Allison, or planks on a ball with Chelle, or doing the stairstepper with asthma and my heart rate at 175 and me wanting to quit, having to talk myself into each and every step. I admit that here and there I am finally, finally, noticing small changes in the ability to do more. But again, I think it is good to be a little in resistance because it means I’m butting up against my limits and my job is to notice them and burst beyond them. Trust me, it is not in my nature to not push! If my trainer has a weight too low or I don’t feel like I’m being challenged enough I speak up! Usually, though, it’s the other edge I experience – the one where I’m being challenged beyond my perceived capacity – the place where I panic and get emotional and have to fight. I don’t enjoy that fight but again, discovering (finally, after hearing about it for so long) how to channel and transmute my negative feelings into pushing myself, has been a step forward. It may still suck at times, like when I was on my last set of mountain climber burpee thingies and Allison was like, “Go at your own pace. We can modify if you need to,” And I was like, “No!” and got I emotional, angry, teary-eyed, and grunted and groaned but I banged those bitches out, using that emotional angst instead of letting it defeat me. And there have even been moments when I’ve been up for more, that internally a desire to push myself a bit harder when working out on my own bubbled up from somewhere. Again, progress, but not the tangible, visual kind I want to see with a smaller butt, gut, and bat wings, with muscle definition and tone, seeing the definition of muscle working under the skin.

I am also in resistance to the idea that I shouldn’t use the scale. This is because I absolutely, as part of my goals, want and need to be lighter. If that means at some point I lose some muscle, so be it. To be the dancer I want to become I must be smaller, more compact, lean, and weigh significantly less. Period. I cannot stand the idea of living the rest of my life obese, over 200 pounds! Yes, I’m open to the possibility that I will look fantastic at a higher weight than most my competitors who weigh like 110 pounds, but I’m not willing to weigh over 200 pounds. This shit needs to come off. Anyways, for the sake of sanity and also to see a more complete picture, not just the one told by the scale, I’m considering getting some measurements in a Bod Pod, the gold standard for body composition testing.

As for the rest of the letter from my body, I’m totally on board with it. As you can see from the title of my post, especially for the days leading up to Galaxy, (and beyond I hope) I’m in RockStar mode. I am a clean-eating, ready-for-challenge, changing, consistent, and committed woman. This is how I am showing up in my life right now, ready to demolish this portion of the journey set before me. Like no kidding. Because I am hungry, starving, ravenous, for dramatic, transformational change in my body. I have been for a while. I’m so ready for new clothes, ones that I actually like! There is no going back and I still want more, so very much more.

To that end, I’ve made a little sign for myself that I’m hanging above my work computer so I will be staring at it for 8 hours a day to continually reinforce my committment. I have to say, however, that the decision has already strongly been made in my mind. Chelle created a new plan with lower calories and I’m following it to the letter. We also renegotiated a work out plan with cardio and weights. I’ve already been hungrier than before but thanks to the internal work I’ve already done, I’m able to weather it well. On other plans, more geared toward cultivating a healthy lifestyle, I felt over-full or would get hungry maybe once or twice near time to the next meal time. This time around, I get hungry 5 or 6 times before the next time to eat, most especially earlier in the day, but I have the skills to handle it. I can tolerate a few signals from my body where three years ago I would never even allow myself to get hungry, and if I did it was binge time. It may not be completely comfortable to experience a little hunger but I don’t care! I’m committed. And it’s a normal physiological function. I have 17 days now in which to make as much a change as possible before I step onto the ballroom again. I would rather accept the pain of discipline now than suffer the pain of regret at Galaxy, and I know that being in integrity with this plan will give me the best chance of feeling like I am awesome when it’s time to dance.

Already I’ve had these little victories like yesterday I went to visit a friend and stayed longer than I anticipated so I was quite late for dinner and really hungry. But did I grab the first most convenient thing? No! I grabbed a cucumber, a totally free food on my plan, quickly cut some slices, and nibbled on them as I prepared my dinner. To me that was proving to myself just how very committed I am. No straying from the plan even when things don’t go perfectly. No excuses!

I also made a point to steer clear of my husband’s Fantasy Football draft party. We had over 20 men at our house, eating pizza, drinking beer and other hard libations and I didn’t even want to be around it so I volunteered to housesit for my in-laws. Truth be told, I wasn’t even tempted with the debauchery before me! In years past this would have been as irresistible as a siren’s call and laced with a dose of guilt, remorse, and recovery the following day. And I was even more pleased with my decision when I saw how annihilated my husband and his buds were the next morning.

In addition, I’ve already talked about how I’m going to handle an upcomming trip with my husband. We have a kitchen where we are staying so first priority the morning after we arrive will be to get groceries and cook! I’ll bring my breakfast along with me. He knows I’m not going to bend at this time with the eating, even though we will be around many restaurants and bars. It won’t be like this forever, but for now this is the way it has to be.

So now I guess the biggest struggle isn’t the eating, or even the exercise since I’m clear on what I’m accountable for with that, but rather the biggest battle is waiting patiently and having faith that this change I’m seeking in my body will actually happen. I still don’t entirely trust that it is possible for me to have a gorgeous body, one that I love and would be proud to show off. I still feel like I will be pudgy and that I am not ever really going to be lean. But I do believe it can be better and I know I will not to back. The only path is to push forward. I wish it were happening faster, oh God do I ever! But since I have no fairy godmother to instantly transform my adipose into thin air, I’ll have to burn it off myself.

Beautiful Girl In The Ballroom

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Category Archives: Body Image/Self-esteem