Did the exercises. I don't think I have jumped rope in 40 years. I forgot how. Two feet? One? Oh Patrick you are going to be so sorry you let me into this program. That's what I am thinking as I'm skipping rope on the lawn out in front of the apartment buildings. Luckily I'm next to the fire station, I think, panting, so if I have a heart attack some good looking stud of a fireman will come over and save me. The last time through the 50 was tough. I did 10 at a time. With the other exercises I started to think "Oh I've just got to get through this and get it over with" but I stopped myself. No. Not this time. This time I'm going to go slow and feel it. So I don't do it perfectly. I'll do it as well as I can and feel my body - my muscles - my own weight - as I do them. I didn't try and ignore the effort but simply paid attention to what my body was experiencing. A wave of warmth has filled me now that I have finished. I feel very relaxed. This is going to be all right.

One jump at a time.

Day One

Taking the pictures. Oh my fricking God...as we Vermonter's say. What an ordeal. Setting up tripod. Finding something to wear that actually shows my enormous girth and middle aged middle. Oh my God. Then click click click and the moment of truth. I mean, I know what I look like. It's not a big surprise. But I can see that having to take a picture every week is going to be incredibly motivating. Accountability.... And hopefully if I start looking a bit more firm - there will be some pleasure at comparing this Day One lumpy body with a day 90ish not so lumpy body. I must remember that I'm lucky that everything works. And that the reason I have such a big stomach is that I had a baby - and lots of operations as a kid which kind of left me protecting my middle - over protecting it from actually having muscles.

Eating half today wasn't too hard.

I haven't done the exercises yet. I'm going to be honest about that. I'll go do them after I post this. I sent the picture and my weight - 165 and 5'7". I don't have a jump rope so I am using an extension cord. I am feeling pretty much of a mess and I guess that's a good place to start.

But out there, in bright little spots across the globe, are my companions. With their zucchinis and martinis and teaching Japanese and riding bikes through NYC and they are starting with me. We're leaping self-consciously off the cliff. Hand in hand.

Two Big bowls of popcorn. With lemon and butter and a big hunk of cheese. My "last meal" so to speak. Ate and watched movies.

It's not the first of June yet so I haven't taken my starting lineup photos yet. Can't wait for that...augh....

It's a brilliant summer day in Vermont, although the air is full of Quebec forest fire smoke.

Tomorrow begins a new adventure. Taking care of my body. My body that gives me every breath and thump of heart and fights each moment to be as healthy as possible. Now I'm going to join it - me - the decision maker - in the search for smooth sailing health.

Okay everyone. You seem like a bunch of positive, humorous, smart cookies... Let's go!!

Deb

Oh dear.

And so it begins.

I've been on a path for a while to regain my body. For the past two years I've slowly lost quite a bit of weight and slowly slowly gotten slightly in shape. but I've felt stuck in the past few months. My son works with some guys who have gone through and are going through this program. I looked at it and thought - this is for young people...oh well. We will each make the progress that we make, right? At 51 I am a bit slower to recover, to change and I have less energy. But I have more patience, hope and fortitude than ever. So those are strengths that I can use.

And I'm part of this community - 7 individual scattered around the globe who are about to step onto the same path and we will walk together for three months. Maybe stumble and sometimes fall down but we will do it together. That feels like such a gift!

Tara, Royce, Naoko, Kowhai, Jenny and Elena - and Patrick - I am already grateful for you!

Here We GO!

This is Deborah's blog. She's going to get fit right before your eyes.