WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE

It was a hot summer day about 2 years ago… I was putting away my groceries in a supermarket parking lot minding my own business, when all of a sudden I hear the voice of a woman yell out, “Lose some weight!” At first I didn’t know for sure if I had heard her right… I couldn’t stop trying to analyze it in my head. It wasn’t until my sister told me that she usually ignores “those kinds of taunts” that I realized that I was the target. I was immediately overcome with rage… how could this person, who knows nothing about me have the audacity to ridicule me in public? Without thinking I watched where she parked and began to walk over. The only things running through my mind were the obscenities I wanted to call her. I wanted to make sure that before she opened her mouth again like this… she would think long and hard… this “big girl” was ready to give this bully the opportunity to feel the full force of her 200-some odd lbs, his woman was about to get a lesson she’d never forget!

When I finally got over to her I had began to cool off, but I still wanted to make my point. When she saw that I had come over she looked TERRIFIED! She was driving with a man and a young boy (who was slightly obese). The man she was with looked happy to see me, and immediately scolded her, “I told you” he said. I started to think about how many times she must have done things like this, she must have had a lot of confidence that I wouldn’t retaliate, or defend myself… how many times had she got away with this, how long has this gone on before some stood up for themselves? One thing for sure was, I was going to stop it here… TODAY!
I asked her why she would taunt me like she did without knowing me, and all she could do was look away and fold her arms and say over and over “I’m sorry”. I felt like a teacher, having a “you need to be nice to others” talk with a grown woman… I knew I had to do something more, but what could I do? By that time a small crowd had surrounded us, and I felt that there wasn’t any way I could be happy about where this had gone without making sure she understood that what she did should never happen again… so I got mad. I got belligerent and I got in her face. I’m embarrassed to tell you this, but I completely got down to her level… screaming obscenities got the reaction I wanted, but it wasn’t until I looked over and saw the same look of fear on the young boy’s face that I cam back to my senses… I had made my point, literally loud and clear.
The boy was my reminder that I never needed to go there, I wasn’t there to hurt anyone… I was there to make a point that what this woman did was wrong. I made that point by just walking over to her and showing her that I was not afraid of her. I had made my point before I got mean… I turned in to the same person and I know that’s not who I reall am, so I stopped and tried to get it together for the sake of this child. I know this was also a lesson for him, and I needed to make sure it ended positively.
I stopped, regained my composure and calmly told her that she better think twice before she ever does anything like this again, because it’s NOT okay. I apologized for losing my temper, and thanked her for opening my eyes as well. We both learned a lesson in tolerance that day. I learned ignorace isn’t always bliss, but leading by example as opposed anger is the best stadegy for success. I’m proving to the world that us ”Plus Size Divas” have heart, we are beautiful and a positive attitude will ALWAYS prevail… class dismissed:)

ING NYC MARATHON BOUND!

ING NYC MARATHON BOUND!

CHOP CHOP SLICE! Goes My Finger...

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!
I was on a roll… chopping away and completely dominating those veggies and the cutting board. Then all of a sudden I felt a jerk and I said ”Ouch” but there was no pain. I looked down and… OMGOODNESS! That was my finger!
Since I’m an optimist I chose to look at the following situation as:
1. Whew! Good thing my knife was sharp, it’s a clean cut.
2. Glad the kids are napping and didn’t see this.
3. Initiation for cooking 1o1 complete!

This week continued to get better, I received my new running shoes donated by Nike and ran with a new friend who pushed me further than I ever thought I could go at this point! I also got to stage (unpaid culinary internship) at a local natural and organic restaurant, Kate’s on 35th Ave. Kate’s has been around for about 25 years and is run and owned by Lynn Smith. Lynn is not a chef, but that doesn’t stop her from sharing her talents in the kitchen with the locals. I enjoyed this opportunity because the vibe was so different from the professional kitchens I had been in thus far. It’s not that it was better or I liked it more, it was just different. I learned many ways to conserve resources and run an Eco friendly cooking environment. This was great because I am definitely interested in how I can make my own home as “Green” as possible. I also learned several new health conscious recipes! I think the highlight was baking this amazing chocolate cake! (Look for the recipe below)

I am THRILLED to announce that I am officially member of TEAM FOR KIDS and I have started my fundraising efforts. Hopefully I can raise the minimum $2620.00 USD before Oct 8th! [click here to donate] It feels like it’s so far away, but I know that it will be here before I know it! I’m also excited to update you on sponsorship with the BornFit… They’ve agreed to donate running apparel for training and running events on my journey to NYC! I am so thankful to have so many amazing and inspiring women supporting me, Hybridmom.com included.

I’m watching SNL tonight with Betty White… Isn’t she inspiring? She put out in to the universe that she wanted to do the show, and TONIGHT! she’s living the dream! The song “Empire State of Mind” is being performed right now. I don’t listen to a lot of rap, but this song hits me so hard because NYC is where I found myself again. It was during the taping of Worst Cooks where I, came back to life. I remember looking over the city from this amazing pent house view being completely inspired by its grandeur. They say if you can make it there you can make it anywhere… and I can’t tell you how true that has proved to be! That’s why I’ve chosen the NYC Marathon… it reminds me of this extraordinary experience where I knew my life would change forever. I didn’t know how I would be changed until I got home… but I am different. I will never be the same. NYC is where Sophia, got her groove back!
PS!- check out my youtube page to see a short clip with a montage of my ”healthier me” progress leading up to now, and subscribe and stay tunned for cooking demos and videos documenting running events and training for NY!
Kate’s Chocolate Cake
15 servings
Cake Ingredients:
1/3 cup Grape Seed Oil
1 ¾ hot water
2 oz unsweetened baker’s chocolate
1 ½ cup organic unbleached white flour
½ cup organic whole wheat flour
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup natural sugar
½ cup organic apple juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup fat free yogurt or low fat butter cream
2 extra large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
Frosting Ingredients:
2 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
¼ cup of skim milk
1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp of vanilla
1 cup powder sugar
Preparation and cooking instructions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease/flour bundt cake pan
In a bowl combine white flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar and natural sugar and set aside. In another bowl combine chocolate, grape seed oil and hot water, then take these and microwave for no more than 1 minute and mix well until chocolate is dissolved. Then take hot mix and combine in to the bowl containing dry ingredients and mix well making sure there are no lumps. Next add apple juice, vanilla, fat free yogurt or butter milk, and eggs. Again mix well and then sprinkle baking soda and beat well using a wire whisk. Pour in to bundt cake pan and cook for approx 35-40 mins. (Cake is done when the batter is formed but still sticks slightly to the knife) Let cool for 10-15 mins before turning on to plate. Let rest another 5-10 minutes before applying frosting.
For the frosting take unsweetened baker’s chocolate and heat in microwave for no more than 1 min. Then add semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Add milk and vanilla and stir again till smooth. Last add powder sugar to taste (approx ¾ cup is where I like it) stir till smooth and then spread! The cake is supposed to be moist. It’s delicious! Just don’t expect the all the sugar you get in the average cake, remember it’s a healthier lower fat version… it’s CHEATING GOOD!

The Circle is Alnost Complete

As a child I went through some horrible experiences being overweight. That's why I am hoping to run the ING NYC Marathon for TEAM FOR KIDS! This charity provides free or low-cost school- and community-center based health and fitness programs to children who would most likely otherwise have no access to regular physical activity. I'm running to make sure kids have the opportunity to make an EDUCATED choice with their own nutrition and fitness habits, so that they can become healthy adults!
I've been working hard to earn money and sponsorship for the ING NYC Marathon trip, entry fees and to sign up for my charity Team for Kids. I found an AMAZING woman's sports apparel company called BornFit. ( BornFit.com) This is a company run by Mothers Lisa and Julie. During their motherhood they've discovered the need for quality (and stylish) clothing for active moms. They create products that not only made women look good, but also made them feel strong, confident and inspired. So, I contacted them in regards to sponsorship and we're working out the details. I can't wait to wear their gear. I love that they believe that all of us are BornFit.

"The beauty of being "Fit" is that it comes in all different sizes, shapes, interests and even passions. We founded BornFit on the solid belief that strong bodies produce a confident spirit which, as we all know, is sometimes challenged as a mother. But...with a confident spirit anything is possible! "- Julie and Lisa

When I read this, I knew they were the right company to support me on this journey! They are proven testimony that we can do it all while still being true to who we are first and foremost, Moms.


This week was the week my intro blog on hybridmom.com came out and it was also the week of an article in the Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_14952948 (The other person in the pic is my trainer, Jamie Atlas. You know why he's awesome? Jamie has donates his time to help me battle the bulge! I could have never gone this far without him.)
I'm about 1 month out now from my first race. It's a 10K called the Bolder Boulder, and I hear the incline of the run is KILLER! I hope I can make it with out walking. This race will give me my first look at where I am fitness wise. If I can make this run without walking I will be ahead of schedule. I want so badly to impress everyone, but I know that this run isn't about anyone but me.

All this awesomeness and I have no idea where to start with my Thank you's... my story just goes to show you that if you just try, you can make things happen. These kumbaya moments have been so great... but they also have brought pressure. I have announced my intentions to the world. By just asking, produced everything I need to succeed. I am scared. I know I'll complete this journey and I know that crossing that finish line in NYC will be like walking on air... I'm so excited it’s overwhelming sometimes. I have this giant cold sore, the first one I've ever had in my life! It's a reminder to slow down, follow my path and stick to it. I need to "keep my ducks in a row" as my Aunt Helen would say. I'm working on that, and I know that no matter what, I will rise to the occasion and prove that I can do anything... one step at a time. This unfit kid is making the circle complete... it's never too late to start the new you! I must remember that I'm doing this for me, and to show people out there that they're not a lone in feeling insecure, but I hope to show them by taking that first step, they can conquer world.

It's NOT About the Numbers!

All my life I've been told that being a "normal" or "a healthy size" was a number. At that point I felt a number on a scale and number in my pants that defined my image, the image that I not only owned but projected to the world. I would see myself in the mirror and immediately see my flaws, the things that set me aside from being normal... in the weight department I would have been thrilled to be considered average. Because of this stigma I bought in to the hype that I was fat. I had zero self confidence and wore the label of unworthy across my forehead every day.
Since I felt ugly I acted ugly. I was needy, shy and depressed on a daily basis. This made me the friend in all relationship situations. I had desperate crushes on several boys throughout the years and for some reason every one of them found me in the "friend zone". I always knew the reason was that I was fat, but I hoped to find one guy that could see pass the bulge and accept me for me. When I was rejected I chalked it up to them being shallow. It was always everyone else that put me in a category. There was nothing that I could do to change that, until...

In 92 I lost 60 lbs over a summer and changed my entire look! I was 125 lbs and a size 8! To this day, this is my peak... my all time best as far as those damn numbers go. I gained confidence in my new body as my classmates began to take notice of my transformation. I couldn't wait to show myself to my friends and especially my crushes! The response from everyone was great and it built my staggering confidence with a superficial shield, but unfortunately the boys never saw me in a different light. I was so confused; I didn't understand what it was about me that wasn't attractive.
As the years passed the numbers got bigger... slowly at first and by the time I was 22 I hit 200 lbs. I knew I had gained the weight but I didn't really see the change in my body. I had never had a flat tummy or thin physique so the chub just looked like it belonged there. To tell you the honest truth, lol I don't think I ever really tried to look at my body in the mirror. I didn't know what I looked like under my clothes. I steered clear of mirrors that were full length and if I happened to run in to one I'd be sure to ignore whatever I saw I didn't like.

Right around this time I found Eric. Eric was a boy that gave me a chance. Eric treated me like I had always wanted to be treated. He WANTED me... and no matter anything else about him... this is what I longed for. Eric was my first kiss, the first guy I held hands with... my first REAL date! So needless to say I was in love and our courtship was short. We married in Vegas in one of those tacky little chapels September 23rd 2010 after almost a year of dating. And yes, on my wedding night he was my first of something else... hehe ;)

So add a super low self esteem, my Scorpio jealousy and some financial stress on that love and you get me 6 years later and over 60 lbs bigger. I was cranky, sad and without friends. I hid behind my duties of being a mother and rarely left the house. I got to the point where my social interactions with adults were rarely successful and usually embarrassing messes of diarrhea of the mouth. So, I turned to the place where I always comforted and accepted. The one thing in my life that never let me down and never said I wasn't good enough... FOOD!

I didn't cook, but I could reheat with the best of them. I ate fast/boxed food on regular basis, and so did my family. I finally hit a wall one day while arguing with my 3 year old to eat her chicken nuggets. It was time for a change... I needed to get some skills first but I had no idea where to turn. Then came Worst Cooks, and it cleared the cobwebs and dust from my ego and the seeds of sincere and humble confidence were planted. I was ready for success in whatever form that may be.

So if you're reading this, you know about my most recent success in the weight loss department... drum roll please... 52 lbs down and counting! This weight loss has come from hard work and mental stamina. It has NOT been easy, but it has been truly satisfying. You also should be aware of my intent and training for the ING NC Marathon! The marathon will be the next step in my build of confidence and my new healthy lifestyle change. I'm excited to get even more focused on nutrition and learning how my body works.
This is my thought on body/image/self acceptance now...
Today numbers are far less important to me than they once were. I use the scale to document my progress but it doesn’t rule my life. My pant size is the guide to purchasing clothes and although I like to see a number that is small enough to shop in any store I have learned to just deal with it... and I think that's a key.
As time has passed in my own relationship I have learned so much about love and people. The ingredient I had been missing in my youth was self love! When I walked in to a room back then, I'd almost have a panic attack. I was ashamed of who I was, even as the thinner me I still felt deep inside that I was the fugly girl. Who wants to be around a person that has that much baggage!? I also saw that there are PLENTY of plus size women out there that have found love. That was proof to me that my weight was not the problem.
There was also a time in my life that I would cringe at the thought of shopping in a Lane Bryant or when called "Plus Size". I didn't want to accept who I was. I realize now that I don't have to own any labels; I just have to own my authenticity. I'm not concerned with anything but getting to a place where I feel healthy. I want to be able to do any physical activity with ease. I want to be able to keep up with my kids. I want to make the healthy choice without thinking and be the best me that I can be.
Finally I'd just like to urge the "un-average" folks out there to accept who you are! You don't have to be loud and proud (and you can be if you want to) but get up in front of a mirror and look at what you're working with. See that body and if you want to change, change it... if you like it! Celebrate! Do it every day that you forget why you love who you are... or what you are working for. I'm not about pro plus or pro skinny; I'm about pro you, and whoever you want to be. I support you and your decision to love yourself. The more you accept you, the easier it gets to be happy in the skin you're in!

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.