Operation Transformation: Part Two

Tara and Nolan outside the Edge

And so it was decided: Let there be a competition!


Although I didn’t expect the emotions that would be involved with this process, I welcomed them. I’d been handed an opportunity to change my life on a silver platter; I wasn’t going to waste it!

I was nervous and excited and scared all at the same time. I had a million “what if” questions running through my brain; the largest and most overwhelming being what if I fail? I had to open myself up to a world of people (literally hundreds of Star 92.9 morning show listeners) and allow myself to be vulnerable. But I was willing to do it, merely for the slim chance that I could help or inspire one person by sharing my experience.

Meeting everyone

It was a waiting game the weekend before we started…Waiting for Monday morning at 6:30 am to get there… Waiting to meet the other contestants… Waiting to see who I’d be paired up with for a personal trainer… Waiting to do a live interview (what the heck is that like?!)… Waiting to figure out how to go from Couch Potato to Work Out Queen…Let’s just say I didn’t sleep the night before.

Tara, Danika, Lynnette and I

I had my clothes picked out the night before like it was the first day of school. There were three alarm clocks set so that there wasn’t any possible way for me to oversleep (I didn’t really think it was going to be a problem considering I’d barely slept since the day before the finalist were announced. It was odd, that feeling of anticipation. I went from calm to giddy to nervous all within seconds of each other. Do you know what it’s like to hear someone on the radio talking about you and saying your name? Weird, that’s for sure!

I was ready though, to go on this journey and change my life.

Talking with Nolan

The day went by in a blink of an eye! I was awake before my 3, yes three, alarms went off that morning. I finished my shower, was dressed, groomed and out of the house and on my way to the Edge in Essex Jct, VT within 20 minutes. (Now that’s a record for me, maybe I was a little excited.) I listened to the delightful morning show hosts, Nolan and Tara, on my way there in the car. Every time they mentioned my name or announced the trainers as they came in, I swear the butterflies in my stomach stirred up and tickled me. To make matters worse, my GPS led me to the Edge location across the street from where I was supposed to be and got me a little panicked. Tara and Nolan started announcing the first contestants arriving at the gym.

Yes, they brought us Dunkin' Donuts

After I finally figured out that I was supposed to be across the street, it was time to take those few steps out of the car and into the gym. Yikes! When I walked in, I must have looked a little scared because the front desk person piped up right away and asked if I was there for the Biggest Loser contest. I think I managed to get out an “uh huh” and she pointed me in the right direction. As I walked into the gym, Nolan and Tara were Live on the air, giving a play by play of the competition and revving their audience up to support us. I introduced myself and I must say how lucky I was that it was Nolan and Tara who were going on this journey with us. Nolan was sweet and goofy, and immediately put me at ease. And, Tara was lovely and kind and seemed just as happy that I was there as I was. Man, did we score!

Lynnette and Nolan

When everyone had finally arrived, they interviewed each of us on the air, just asking us a little bit about our story and why we had wanted to be a part of this competition. They also introduced all the trainers and give their background as well. Finally around 8:00 am they put all of the trainer’s names in a hat and let us each draw one to see who we would be paired with for the competition. I got Lynnette Davis. Delightful! I could tell just from the hour and a half I’d been in her presence that she was spunky and full if energy. And, I didn’t think she’d have any problem calling me on my stubbornness. Plus, she could obviously kick my butt if she wanted to!

Lynnette with Nolan and Tara

I got to spend a little time one-on-one with Lynnette, and we put together a game plan. She gave me a starting place for food, suggesting snacks and breakfast/lunch/dinner options based on a Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. She asked me to keep a food log that she could look over and made me promise to get in at least 30 minutes of activity a day while I was away from. (Honestly, at that point I thought 30 minutes was asking a lot but I humored her and said I’d try.) She took me on a tour of the facility and got a class schedule and marked off the ones she thought I could start with.

Lynnette and I, ready to go

Then, Lynnette showed me a picture of herself from about 8 years prior, more than 125lbs heaver right after the birth of her second daughter. She’d been right where I was. And she knew how to crawl out from under the overwhelming feelings associated with struggling with one’s weight: the loss of control, the disappointment, and the hopelessness.  Then, Lynnette took me to meet one of her clients who happened to be working out that morning while we were there. Lynnette had helped her lose 85 pounds in the last year. There was proof right in front of me that I could trust her to help me.

The Trainers

Eventually, Nolan and Tara wanted to weight us in. (We all knew this was coming, as dreaded as it was.) I weighed in at 185.2, which actually was 7 lbs lighter that I was at the doctor’s office two weeks before, not that I care to admit it. I’d been working on my own to limit my portions and add activity any way I could. Lynnette was confident that this was the last time I’d see that number, and I believed her.

The Contestants

At 9:00 am Dave Eaton, Star 92.9’s official photographer, came and took our pictures with our trainers and group photos with our awesome hosts, Nolan and Tara.

It was such a neat experience to watch the morning show team work their magic, to meet the other contestants and trainers and to have an amazing amount of support just handed to us. We were given an 8 week membership to the Edge, two 1 hour sessions with our personal trainer a week, and $10 a day for the 8 weeks in Subway gift cards to help with our food selections. I really can’t express how thankful I was for such an amazing opportunity. I was ready to take what I’d been given and run.

Run as far and as fast as I could…

<3, Betsey

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become. ~ Unknown

Note: All pictures were taken by Dave Eaton