In both 2006 and 2007, I entered the T-Tapp 60-Day Challenge, a contest that requires entrants to submit photos of themselves at the beginning, middle, and end of the 60-day period, and to write an essay about the experience. To my great surprise (considering that my essay was primarily about how little I'd exercised) this year I was named a winner in the "Less to Lose with Health Improvement" category.
I'm not lying! It's true!
My prize was to attend the October retreat in Safety Harbor, Florida, where I spent three days doing intense workouts led by Teresa Tapp. (Also: getting a massage and enjoying the spa facilities, hanging out with friends, eating, drinking. Not sleeping, but how else could I cram everything into three days?) Like the other contest winners, I got to have a photo shoot -- completed with professional makeup and hair, and with a real live fashion photographer -- to show off my new and improved shape in workout wear.
I'm not shy, and I'm pretty seriously vain, so I thought it great fun to do the photo shoot. I laughed and smiled and joked with the photographer and generally made a ham of myself. Apparently my attitude worked; Teresa loved the photos, and said that she thought she could get me into a fitness magazine. Maybe even the cover of a fitness magazine. I smiled even bigger, and my head grew enormous, but I told myself that it was flattering just that she wanted me to model as a success story for her workout. I didn't think it would actually happen, and I didn't tell anyone about the possibility. Well, I told my husband, and my mom, but that doesn't count. After I got home, I forgot about it.
Last Monday, the phone rang at about six in the evening. "It's Telemarketer Hour," I thought to myself, and I didn't stop my little boy from answering the phone. He talked to the person on the other end of the line for a minute or two before my husband took the phone away from him and hit "end." The phone rang again, and this time my husband answered. "It's Teresa Tapp," he said, handing the phone to me. I was stunned, and not a small amount embarrassed that my son had been nattering nonsense to my fitness guru. I might have been ever so slightly incoherent on the phone; I know I didn't say much beyond repeating "sure!" and "great!" (I am more eloquent on the Internet than on the phone. It's taken me years to overcome my phone ineptitude.) I do know that I agreed to fly down to Florida to do a photo shoot for FitBody Women's Fitness magazine.
I spent Monday afternoon frantically shopping for a new workout outfit for the shoot. (I wound up with this top and this pair of pants, as well as the jacket that you can almost kinda see the model wearing in the pants picture. I did not, however, follow the model's lead and wear silver platform shoes with the outfit. I like silver platform shoes more than the average girl, but even I don't consider them appropriate workout footwear.) On Tuesday morning, I awoke to grey, cold, rainy weather, which was delightful, because I knew that I'd be in Florida by lunchtime.
I'm running out of time, so I'm going to cut this particular entry short. I'll be back soon with more of the tale. In the meantime, leave me a comment to say hi, will you? Or tell me you hate me, as long as you mean it in a loving way. I'm cool with that.
Hi, Summer!
Posted by: CJ | 16 November 2007 at 06:50 PM
WOWIE WOW WOW! I'm so glad your fabulousness is being acknowledged by a national glossy publication. I can't wait to see the feature. GOOOOOOO MA.HOT.MA! (That's what you should have called this blog...lol)
Posted by: Ninotchka | 16 November 2007 at 07:13 PM
Hi! And happy New Blog! Speaking of "fabulous," the picture of you absolutely is.
Posted by: mayberry | 16 November 2007 at 09:02 PM
Hey there. OK I cannot wait to see this magazine. Oh and if I can actually post to you on this blog, I'll be happy.
Posted by: Jenn | 16 November 2007 at 10:41 PM
You know, I've yet to buy a copy of FitBody, but THIS will get me to buy one. When will this issue come out?
I'm still envious even of your pre-T-Tapp sizes, despite knowing about bone structure (I'm a twig at a six) and all. But then, right now, I'm fighting to keep my hips *down* to 46 inches through this pregnancy. DOWN to 46 inches. Yikes.
Posted by: Allison | 17 November 2007 at 10:07 AM
This IS fabulous!
Yay you...I must buy this magazine.
Posted by: ~JJ! | 17 November 2007 at 02:08 PM
Wheee! How exciting for you! Fitness magazine AND a fab new blog! Are you keeping the old one, too, or migrating completely?
Posted by: FishyGirl | 17 November 2007 at 11:46 PM