Let's start at the beginning... A look at my new blog... a little better organized:)

 Hello!!  If we haven't met, my name is Sophia Ayala Gettys! I'm a stay at home mother of 2 living in Colorado. My claim to "fame" if you will... ha ha... is that I am overweight and can't cook. In Jan, the Food Network aired it's first season of a new cooking competition series called "Worst Cooks in America". Unfortunately... and fortunately I was chosen out of thousands of hopefuls across the nation as one of the "Worst Cooks" I didn't win the 25000 dollar prize, but I did win. What I won was my life back! Being on a reality show isn't just about the time you're on camera it's about the time you're away from your family, the learning your limits in stressful situations... This opportunity changed my life forever! Not only do I now love to cook, I am currently pursuing a carrer in the culinary arts! I hope to be a chef one day, but for now I'm an AMAZING home cook!

While filming the show, there was a day on set that chef Beau and I had a casual chat... He asked me what I did. I told him that I was stay at home Mom... and then he said, "No, what do you do?". I told him that I was an artist. He told me that he was too... I never saw a cook as an artist until that day. As I watched him demo how to do our duck dish, it hit me all at once! The plate was his canvas, the food was the medium... then I realized that all 5 senses were used in cooking and it's like the ULTIMATE ART!

Once I realized this, it made me think back to a chat with my late Aunt Helen. My Aunt Helen had always been a driving force in my life to be a strong and ambitious woman. I've always been in to the arts and she'd always been my biggest cheerleader. All my life I had heard that we were so much alike and that made our bond very strong. Helen had made her life earnings in the food industry, with her amazingly delicious home made pasta! She did well with her pasta, it made her a self made millionaire. I didn't realize it at the time, but her pasta was her art! I remember her looking over my paintings and thinking that her critiques were just her being nice and encouraging... but now I know that it wasn't just encouragement! The woman knew what she was talking about. I wish that I would have made this connection before she passed away. If she could see me now, I know that she would be so proud!

So I've been fabulously lucky to have an amazing experience of finding myself on a reality show, and it's started a few balls rolling in my life and inspired a health kick!

When I got home from the show I started cooking, and with that alone, the lbs started to come off... but what really made the pounds fall off was my GOD SENT TRAINER Jamie Atlas in Sept. 2009! I made a plea to a local trainer to help lose weight as a charity project on his part and I started cooking everything I loved in a healthier way! I have been working out regularly and even have begun making my own recipes! I've lost 50 lbs in about 6 months and am feeling great! I was even on a local morning talk show in channel 2 (The Deuce) "The Everyday Show". It was a blast.

Yes folks, life has been good to me these days. I feel more alive than I have in a long time! As a parent (especially a stay at home mom) I don't think we get the right amount of social interaction with other adults at times... or maybe just those precious moments of getting out there and doing something for ourselves. I have began to make that a priority in my life, and I know everyday I make the right choice because my children see a stronger Mom that they can look up to. I'm definitely far from perfect, but I'm trying to be the best me I can be.

In lieu of all these adventures and new goals I have decided to take control even further! I'm just at a place where I need to do something BIG to show myself ! So I've decided to do something INSANE! I'm 29 and in Nov I will be 30, so I've got to do something that is just going to blow my mind if I accomplish it. With my new outlook on healthy eating, cooking, and fitness I have decided to do something that will compliment each of these points... and what I plan to do is... (drum roll please!) enter the.... (keep the drums coming) ING NYC MARATHON!

I know right! OMG, WTF am I thinking? Well here it is, I'm going to be 30, and I'm married, I've had my kids and I'm ready to be the me that I know that I can be. I've spent my whole life thinking things are too hard or I'm not good enough, or I don't deserve things... that girl is gone! NO MORE CRYING IN MY CHEERIOS and complaining about things I have the power to fix. I've been able to come this far, and I'm ready to take it to the next level. I will be the role model to my children that I want to be and I will be the wife I know I am... and I will be the CHANGE that I hope to make.
I will run this race for the experience, not to win... but for the opportunity to support an amazing charity and I will do it for myself. The mental fitness as well as physical fitness I will need to accomplish this will be invaluable to my life and future successes. If I can do this, I can do anything! The charity I have chosen to run for is TEAM FOR KIDS.

Team for Kids is made up of thousands of adult runners from around the world who raise funds to combat childhood obesity through New York Road Runners Youth Programs .

As a obese child and now adult I feel learning early on about health and fitness can change lives! Like I said, I want to be the change.

REDEMPTION TASTES MUCH SWEETER THAN 25,000

It's NOT over yet for me, and YOU can help me with my REDEMPTION!

Hey all of you fabulous people!

If you saw this week's show you know that I was eliminated:( I was devasted when Chef Beau traded me, and then I just fell apart on Chef Anne's team. It was so hard to re-live that moment... but that moment made me who I am today! So I'm thankful for every second of it!

I know that at one point of another I've asked most of you in advance to help me spread word of things so that I could gain as much momentum as possible for a future with the Food Network. This is the time to do that, we need to "strike while the iron is hot" as they say. Since the show I have worked hard on learning to cook and revamp my lifestyle! I have learned to become a pretty good home cook and I have ALSO LOST 40 LBs by eating healthy home cooked meals and working out with local Denver trainer Jamie Atlas!

I'm going to start staging (working as an unpaid intern/I look at it as free school:) at the end of the month with Denver's 09 Top Chef Alex Seildel at Fruiton and also at OVEN! OVEN is owned by Chef Beau's good friend! He's set that up for me, and I can't wait to get in these kitchens and just SOAK UP THE GREATNESS!

So what I'm asking is for you to do is:
Please cut and paste the letter below to a FB message and email and then mass fwd it to everyone you know!

I want to reach out to as many people as I can! I appreciate every single one of you for your time and I hope that you will be able to help, no matter how big or small the contribution, ANYTHING will be awesome. Thanks so much for being a part of my page and for cheering me on, this expirience has truely been life changing... and I plan to live and BE that change:)

XOXO
Sophia Ayala Gettys
Here's the letter to cut and paste, it goes from "Hi!" all the way to "Thanks for your support":

-------------------------------------------------------

Hi!

So just wanted to let you know my friend Sophia Ayala Gettys is on the new series called Worst Cooks in America on the Food Network! Sophia wants to continue cooking and working with the network, and in order to do that she must prove her popularity with viewers. SO... we're starting a Letter Campaign. All you have to do is click on this link
http://www.foodnetwork.com/contact-us/package/index.html
and write a little message about how'd you like to see more of her.
example:

Dear FN,

I really like Sophia on Worst Cooks, and I hear she's lost a lot of weight since the show and working in restaurants? Is this true? I want an update and would love to see more of her in the future.

How about a reunion show?

Thanks
Your Name
Here are some clips of Sophia here
Check out her youtube Video Diary, she's lost 40lbs!
http://youtube.com/user/sophiagettys
You can friend her on youtube, myspace, facebook and twitter too!
Sophia and I both THANK YOU for your support!
PLEASE FWD TO ANYONE YOU KNOW THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HELPING TO SPREAD THE WORD!

The Best Me I Can Be and LIVING THE CHANGE to BE THE CHANGE!

First I want to THANK YOU ALL SOO MUCH for your support and kind words!! I am touched it warms my heart to know you all care and enjoyed the show! It was so much fun, and I am totally bitten by the culinary bug!
I have a pretty hefty favor to ask of you all. I am really interested in continuing a relationship with the Food Network, and as we all know to do that they have to like me... and YOU the public has to like me.
So what I ask from you all, is your help with a email campaign! I will post the link to a page where you can leave the network your feedback. When you write them I would love it, if you would PLEASE tell them that you would like to see more of me:)
Here's the link to write in!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/contact-us/package/index.html
I have pitched 8 spin off series to the network, (per scripps request to have first dibs on my ideas) and I think with the knowledge that people would like to see more, they will be more apt to look in to my submissions.
Since the show I have been working hard to gain as much culinary expirience as possible! I wasn't able to talk about the expirience so it was hard get in to the professional kitchens till recently:) But what I have done is work from home! I have been revamping ALL of my favorite recipies in to more healthier versions for me and the family! From enchiladas to chicken and dumplins! As of yet they are healthier but not as lean as I can probably get them. That's where continued learning and expirience will come in to play!
With all this homecooking I've done well with weight loss! I started off slow and then began working with trainer Jamie Atlas in the fall... this combination of eating healthy and working out has lead to 40 lbs of weight loss! I can't tell you how shocked I am with how well I've done! haha... I was seriously to the point of a gastric bypass or lapband surgery... and it all turned around when I just gave it that last try.

I can't wait to perfect my methods and to pass all my knowledge on, I never thought I would be encouraging others get healthy but I am! I'm not trying to get to a certain size or weight, I'm just trying to get healthy and feel good in my own skin. For the first time in a LONG time I feel good about who I am. It's all because of this show. This life changing opportunity that has been my catalys to be the best version of me that I can be!
I want to work in the culinary and fitness industries and help others succeed as I have! So if I'm living the change, I'll BE the change!

Thanks again so much for your support!
Sincerely,

Sophia Ayala Gettys

SophiaAyalaGettys@gmail.com

Why Culinary school?

Hey all! Well I know some of you are wondering where this all came from and some might not care... but I want talk a little about what is and has been going on in my head.
Why Culinary school?
I cannot tell you what went on in my head during the my time on Worst Cooks in America because if I talk about what I was feeling, it could reveal things that are off limits right now. I can't talk about things because I signed a $750,000 non disclosure agreement that I am terrified to break! lol So, my close friends... like you Sophie cold never understand where I am in my life right now. I've had a ton of time to process what I went through and I'm still doing that. Now that the show is about to come out all kinds of pent up and almost forgotten feelings are coming back. It's been intense and scary to think about what is going to be shown. I am about to be judged by every person that sees the show and I’m preparing for that. There are already people that don't like me, and I have to tell you... I don't care:) Where I was while filming the show is a whole other story:) This experience not only taught me culinary skills, it pushed me to my limits mentally and emotionally. I am a stronger person because of it. I am definitely a different person because of it.
All my life I've kind of liked that I didn't know how to cook. I never had to cook and I thought I was getting away with something. But, as time passed I started gaining weight and I was realizing all the bad habits I was passing to Lala and Gabe. That is when I realized that I needed to do something. So when I saw the posting for auditions on craigslist I thought... ha, that could work. And that's it. I went in for 2 in person auditions and then a few months later BAM, you're going to NY to learn to cook! Haha, I was like WOW, what the hell am I getting myself in to! I arrived in NYC and got in a cab, and as I went through the city couldn't believe that this was really happening. People don't get to do things like this, even people that LIVE to cook don't get to go to NYC and get to train with some of the top chefs in the nation. Right then is when I knew this was going to change my life.
When the show started I wanted to be the best. I am super competitive, but after a while I realized this show wasn't about that... haha because nobody was the best! So it was really hard for me to get over that. When I got home, I was like... OMG, did this really happen? I started regreting so many things, and wishing that I could do it all over again.
Once I got home and started cooking, it was like a fire was lit inside me. Food tasted different, haha or maybe I should say I actually tasted it! I wasn't eating because I was bored or because I had a bad day, I was eating because I wanted to experience the flavors and smells and practice my cuts and keep all that I learned fresh in my head! I had a new relationship with food! I couldn't get enough of it. I am to the point where I can't wait for 3pm, because I want to get started! I stated using fresh herbs and experimenting, it was so much fun!
Then I started losing weight. This was insane to me. I was actually doing what I said I wanted to do! So I went in to see my Dr and talked about calories and what I could do to get healthier. Then I met Jamie in Sept and started working out! From there it just was like a title wave! 34 lbs later I like how I feel and how I've got here. I don't want it to ever end. This is my life now, I love to cook. I also really want to help other people see that cooking can be easy.
I am an artist first and foremost! I love to act, and I LOVE to write, paint, sculpt and draw. I don't care what my canvas is, I don't care what my tools are, or what medium I have to work with, I love it all. I have passion for creation and expression. I think that's also why this career makes so much sense to me.
Finally, there is a personal reason why I want to pursue this as a career... and that's because of my Aunt Helen Hostettler. Helen was my friend, confidant, and teacher. All my life I have been compared to her, and told that I remind people of her. We're both sassy, ambitious and lovers of art. When I was little, Helen gave my parents money for me to go to art class, she saw a drawing I made as a kid and wanted me to stick with it. I didn't until years later when I moved to CA. When I got there she encouraged me to get back in to it and I started to, slowly. I remember her critiques, she really looked at them and gave me feedback.
I laugh now, because at that time I didn't realize that she knew what she was talking about. I never saw Helen as an artist... untill I was on this show. I was talking to Chef Beau one day and I told him I was an artist... he said, "So am I". I looked at him and then it hit me. The plate was my canvas and the food was my paint, the knives were my brushes... OMG, this WAS art! The more and more I learned, the better I understood what i was learning. And the more and more I wished that I could hug my Aunt and tell her that I was sorry for ever doubting her creative eye!

Helen always wanted me to succeed, no matter how insane my idea... she would help me figure out how to go about obtaining what I wanted. Jan 2006, both my Uncle Bernie and Aunt Helen died in a car accident while driving to Las Vegas, NV. I was devastated at the time, but NOTHING could have prepared me for the longing I feel now. I wish I could tell her all the things that I have done and doing...

Helen was a cook. She traveled around Italy and learned how to make pasta. She started a business from her home, and sold it to local grocery stores. Soon the demand was so big that she was able to open a cafe type shop... and eventually she opened a factory! Helen became a self made millionaire by following her passion for pasta! She loved food, and became known for her confidence in the kitchen. Helen retired in the 90's because things got to big... she wanted to have her hand in the creation of her work from start to finish, and soon things just became too much and she sold her shop and closed the factory. She made her dream a reality, so she understood my passion... she was an artist too.

I cannot tell you how much I miss her, but when I cook... I feel here all around me. She's with me in the kitchen. I want be successful to honor her memory. Helen is a part of every meal. I can almost hear her telling me stop as I start getting out of control and too creative! haha... It might be all in my head, but even if it is... it's all I have left

 Aunt Helen and Uncle Bernie Hostettler

XOXO

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT

I was walking in to this strip mall store... when I walked in I realized it was a bank... and then as I was realizing where I was, I looked at the people's faces in the room... and they were terrified.  Then this man with dreads turn towards me and I realize he has a gun... my movement startles him and he just shoots.  He didn't aim he didn't say a word.  His eyes were filled with desperation and as fast as I heard the shot I felt warmth running down my neck.  I knew I was shot.  I held my throat and everything began to slow down.  I couldn't hear anything but my own breathing.  It was so loud... it slowed with each inhale.  I knew that if I passed out I may not wake up... so I started to accept my fate.  I knew that I was going to die.  I must have fallen to the floor by this time because as I try to keep breathing and keep my eyes open and fight the impending darkness that is taking over... I want to cry, but I can't.  I can't speak... I can't cry I can't move.  Then it's black... I wait and all of a sudden I feel like I'm in a vaccum and BAM!  My eyes open.  I'm awake... it was a dream.

I looked up what this could mean and I found out that it symbolizes disconnection from head and heart.  The gun shot signifies struggle with emotions... haha it's so right on!  I've been dealing with some TOTALLY un-needed drama with school... ART class of all things.  I can't believe that the class that was supposed to save me, was apart of the plan to tear me down.  OKay, there wasn't a plan, but I just never expected it.  It's such a long story I don't want to go in to it, but what I do want to say is that I am glad that it's over and I am MORE than ready to move forward with my life and it's completely soured my passion for studio art! HA

In other news, I have been having the greatest time watching the videos on the Food Network website!  It's like re-living the whole expirience with highlights on the fun parts:)  If you haven't seen the site recently check it out!  They have audition tapes up!  Lala steals the show!  I can't believe it was only a ear ago she was that little!  Gabe was only 6 months!  Wow, times flies.  Here's the site link!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/worst-cooks-in-america/index.html

I'm excited to tell you, that tomorrow I will be staging at FRUITION in down town Denver on Monday.  If you don't know what staging means, it's when you work with chef or restaurant to learn new techniques and cuisine.  FRUITION is owned by chef Alex Seidel and he is a young guy who really has it put together.  I loved his attitude, he's not about fame or fortuen, he's just about the food.  He was completely open to give me the opportunity to learn, as long as I was willing to step up and take it!  So, I am!  I will have my first day of staging on Monday!  With hopefully more days to come!

Working out with Jamie Atlas has been going well, he's such sincerely genuine person.  I am so thankful that I met him.  My friend Nichol has come with me this last week, and it was fun!  I had fun seeing where I was in comparison to another person that I wasn't intimidated by.  Nichol is really nice and was a great support! So, I just have to keep on the ball, cause Jan 3rd is coming up quick! 

OMG! Gabe just took off his diaper and it's full of POOPOOOO! Time to start potty training! lol  Back to being a Mom!

Thanks for reading:)
Sophia

Overwhelmed and Overheated=Space Cadet Fifi

Wow, so I'm on the ride of my life.  All of a sudden I went from good at nothing, to... well I THINK I might be getting some recognitions for my art work!

It's been a hell of a few weeks!  I can't seem to stop the tears, and I want to! I really am completely emotionally exhausted.  My art pieces that I have worked on for the entire semester have been destroyed... by me.  Well kinda... it's a long story but in short, I was treated unfairly by being the insuspecting loser on a deal that I didn't have any control over.  Now it's all fixed because I made a big stink and I have to stop being stubburn and be satistfied even though I am sooo ready to just move on. Can we say DRAMA... haha that should be my middle name! 

I'm still trying to work around some red tape in the realm of tvland and hope that I am taken as seriously there as I am in my art classes:)  But of course I am not expecting anything... just waiting and trying to be patient.  I'm not good at patience.  So this is a big challenge.  A challenge I thought was over more than a year ago, but now I see due to contractual agreements I am owned for another year... alas I hope they like me and let me work more... 

I've been going around town looking for a school.  I want to do culinary arts, but I also want to have somthing else in the mix so that I can have good job opportunity just in case things don't work out the way I hope.  They say you should never have a plan to fall back on when you're aspiring to be apart of any arts related industry... cause you'll fall back... but I have kids and a family... I need to feel like I have  covered all my bases covered.  I need to be and feel like I am a good, put together Mom.

Weight loss wise, things have hit another wall and I'm dying inside!  I'm addicted to the feeling of losing the weight!  I have to fine tune things so that I can keep the momentum!

Well that's all for now!  Untill next time!
XOXO
Sophia Ayala Gettys

I never knew this is what I'd do it kinda just fell in my lap...

Hey all!
My name is Sophia Ayala Gettys! I'm a 29 year old mother of 2! I am an aspiring actress/artist/writer and CHEF! Okay so I'm officially tell you that I'm on Food Network's WORST COOKS IN AMERICA! I'm so excited to see what comes from this AMAZING opportunity!

WORST COOKS PREMIERS

JAN 3 2010 @ 10 PM EST

Click on the link below for teaser!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/worst-cooks-in-america/index.html

I want to cook! I want to get back in a kitchen with fresh proteins and veggies with bright beautiful colors and CREATE! It's been so LONG! that I have had to keep this all a secret and I can't believe it's almost here!

I've been sitting in front of this computer for days working as hard as I can to promote myself and the show... who knows if that 1 person who could change my life will watch it and my dreams of success will become a reality!

I have always wanted to be an actress... well I've always loved performance. At about 5 I remember telling my Mom that I wanted to meet every person on this earth. My Mom said that I could never do that, because there are so many people in this world I would die before I would meet EVERY person... let along the millions of new people born everyday! I didn't care about why I couldn't, my mind started thinking of how I could make it happen.

My little mind was concocting a plan to get the media involved and make it happen! That's just the way I think... I always think BIG... I always draw big, sculpt big, I have a big personality and I am a big woman... That's just who I am, and who I always will be.
I know I'll always be a PLUS SIZE DIVA, but I have started a new weight loss journey to be a healthier version of me. I enlisted the help of local Denver trainer Jamie Atlas and in the past 2 months I have lost almost 30 pounds with just DIET and EXERCISE! I would have never thought this would be possible with out surgery... but I'm doing it and there are no cuts or stitches needed! And if feels AMAZING! You can check out my Video Diary documenting my weight loss in youtube.com! Here's the link http://www.youtube.com/user/sophiagettys

I have always had this need to connect with people, anyone... I want to know them and for them to know me. I think that's why the arts are so interesting for me. In acting your showing emotion. You're connecting to a character and showing to the audience that you feel this emotion... and usually you're connecting to an emotion that you have felt. In drawing and painting and sculpting you can portray what you feel instead of writing words, and writing words is always another way... I like it too. But I never knew cooking could have the same effect.

Cooking is about all the senses! Taste, touch, smell, look, hearing! ALL OF THEM and it and you can tell your story with words in the menu, smells, colors, taste and presentation... and you don't have to be a professional for people to appreciate your work.... no gallery is needed... no stage. Just a hungry belly and bowl or plate. I never saw cooking as an art, but it's a more attainable art than I've ever known.

After learning all of this on Worst Cooks in America... I was on fire! I have prayed for God to lead me in the direction he wants me to go, and I got what I asked for, I just didn't realize it till recently... I had the opportunity to work with some of the best chefs in the world... and I have a relationship with a network that can combine both my passions... performance and cooking! I will have my own show one day... maybe not right away, but I am prepared to work as hard as I can for the rest of my life! It's cooking or acting... and with the success of either one I will sell my art:) It's a plan... not a realistic one but I'm putting it out there in to the universe:)

My Aunt Helen is one of my heroes... she was a self made millionaire and she did it by learning how to make homemade pasta from scratch! She traveled all around Italy to perfect her recipe and started selling it from her home first... and eventually to grocery stores until she was so successful she opened her own restaurant and pasta factory! Helen was ambitious and passionate and beautiful... and I can only hope that I will be blessed with the same success. If she was here now, I would be at her house learning the tricks of the trade... but she passed a few years ago. And after her passing I became a stronger and more focused woman. I want to dedicate my successes to her memory.

Thanks for reading!

XOXO
Sophia Ayala Gettys