#TeamFranco 2015

Today is bittersweet for me.  A year ago I logged in here and told you about my first day.  How I was going to change.  How I was going to lose 100 pounds in a year.  How I wanted to change my life.  How I wanted to get better.  Be better.  I didn’t really understand what I’d have to do to really get there.  I didn’t know that some people would instantly jump into the corner and fight for me and with me.  I didn’t know that some people would get into the ring and fight against me, ridicule me, and bet against me.  They’s smile at you and then hope you fall flat on your face.

It took me almost a year to realize that they weren’t really betting against me.  They had already lost the bet to change themselves.  They just wanted to pull me onto their team, into their darkness..  And that’s okay you are going to have that.  So I decided to start my own team. #teamfranco and no I am not that snotty that I need my own team.  I just needed/need a little hope.

I was talking to my friend Valerie after the Thanksgiving.  She’s been working out, eating great, just kicking ass and gets to Thanksgiving dinner..  she eats like everyone..  I mean it is FRESH turkey.  We love that shit.  But they are watching…  and then she gets beaten up by family members that she’s too skinny, eat a sandwich, eat more…    All that fun stuff.  If you are fat.. they’ll say you are a slob, you have no self control, you let yourself go.  If you are skinny, or god forbid, FIT.  Then you should eat a sandwich.  So I was driving home from my show in Jersey that night and decided to get a few T-Shirts made for my team..  my trainers, family and people around me that have been reading my blog, following my progress, and especially the ones on similar journeys like I have been on. I wanted them to know that I appreciated them.  That as much as they were there for me, I’ll be there for them.   I was going to hold on to them till I hit my big goal and then thought about it and didn’t want to wait. I wanted my support team to get a little surprise.  I wanted them to know that we were in this together.

So with that #TeamFranco has been born.  And I have more good following me and encouraging then bad.  You really just have to realize that the people who are going to shoot negativity at you are really just negative about themselves and they are projecting.  Use it to motivate you.  To rise up.

I have not hit my goal yet.  Infact, I am 15 pounds from it today.  And I am bummed about it.  But I also know what I’ve changed just since the new year.  I worked out and walked on New Year’s Eve.  Played a sold out show at Parx Casino and got up the next morning and hit boot camp.  On Sunday, after playing a wedding in Allentown, Got up and did a speed and agility conditioning class and then boot camp, I got up and did it again on Monday and then waked 2.5 miles.

This morning I got up and walked and then headed to boot camp and will probably do a sculpt and tone class tonight as well.  I have kept my calories in check and my water intake high.  Started watching my protein and carbs a little better.  Ironically to get over this plateau I am upping my activity and my food, or at least getting close to the calories I am supposed to get.

So what about the goal?  Because of the swelling that is still always in my legs, Friday’s seem to be the best day to weight in.  So I’ll do that and use those as my official numbers.  Try to remember that I was out of commission and in a depression when I broke my elbow in August too.  So giving myself a few days won’t hurt anyone.  I’ll write to you on Friday.  I want to answer some questions for newer readers about what I am doing, apps, I use etc.  They are the unseen #teamfranco members.  I’ll also tell you more about my team, the trainers etc.  Some of the people behind me.

Do you want to be on #teamfranco?  You already are.  You are reading this and care enough to get through my babble.

But as bummed out as I am lets just review a few fast facts:

• I have lost 85lbs.
• I went from a tight 4x shirt to a loose 2x almost xl.
• I went from a tight size 60 jean to a 44 waist.
• I went from a size 60 tuxedo to a 50
• My sweats were 5xl last winter and they are 2xl and loose this year.
• I do fit in most chairs with arms now as well as movie theater seats as well as the Wells Fargo center and Tower.
• For the first time in 5 years I have a real winter jacket.  I have 3 North Faces now.
• I probably spend more time walking and at the gym then I do on Facebook too 🙂

If the goal takes me a few more weeks, then so be it.  But I will get the goal, and then I’ll make much smaller ones. But first we’ll get to 311, then we’ll get to 300 and then we’ll see what happens.

I feel good, I look okay and although stressed and frustrated at times, I am happier than I have been in a long time.

Thank you for being on this journey with me for a year now.  #hello2015

You are loved.