So last night we had the Twitter-turned-Facebook Launch Party (which I totally loved, I didn’t feel lost after doing the hazing exercises!) and at the very end, at 9:59, this happened:
The Mamavation Moms for Campaign 15 were announced!
HOLY CRAP! I was in shock and awe for a while (after I stopped bouncing up and down) – some really amazing women I applied, and I am honored to be chosen for the campaign! You may have seen my application video where I talked a little bit about why I wanted to apply in the first place, but now that the campaign is here, I’d like to go into a little more detail.
I’ve been lurking around Mamavation since pretty soon after my first son was born. Although I’ve been at times a wallflower, others a lurker, and still others an active member, I’ve always found that the community support is amazing. I love seeing the transformations of the moms in the campaigns – they go from unsure, but dedicated to changing their lives, to these amazing women who have accomplished the feat of changing the habits not only of themselves, but also of their families. I want that – for me and for my family.
Hi! I’m Joanna
So hi, here I am! My name is Joanna (you can find me on Twitter as @way2gomom or on my blog – JustJoanna). I’m a stay at home mother to two boys and I’m also the leader of a local support group for at home mothers. I was not overly chunky growing up, but after I met my husband and started cooking for him, I totally started packing on the pounds. And then we had our first son. I started to lose weight after that (with Mamavation!), and when I was just about down to my pre-pregnancy weight, I found out I was pregnant with our second son! So now that the boys are both here, I’m ready to take some time for mom.
We’ve been working on changing our family lifestyle for a little while now. My husband has had all kinds of crazy health problems, but he’s mostly normal for now. I’ve been making baby steps to improve our food and activity level, and it’s finally happened – my husband who was once that guy in the bar – guzzling beer and choking down the bar food – is ready to have homemade, whole foods that will be fuel for his body instead of ew. Again I say, holy crap. It sort of snuck up on me, his willingness to take on the lifestyle changes completely. But now that he’s totally on board, I’m on board and luckily for me – a Mamavation Mom for Campaign 15!
So here we go! I’m looking forward to baring my soul for the next 7 weeks, kicking some butt in workout, and shedding pounds with Rebecca and Jeanae! Let’s get this party started!
So I decided to bite the bullet and go ahead with the shirtless photo. Yeah, it’s not a pretty sight. That’s why I’m here. I am confident than in 7 weeks when you see my after pictures they will be substantially more palatable. Not perfect, but an improvement. How do I know? I’ve already lost 10 pounds since applying! I had some technical difficulties with taking my scale picture (read: lack of coffee), so I had to move my scale to a new location (where I will weigh from now on!) and bonus – my weight went from 230 yesterday to 229 this morning and 228 in the new location. Woop woop! Here are my starting measurements:
- Weight – 229 – Total loss since application, 10.6 pounds!
- Bust – 43.5
- Waist – 42
- Hips – 47.5
- R Arm – 14
- L Arm – 14
- R Thigh – 26
- L Thigh – 26.5
I hope you’ll check out my food/exercise journal (and those of the other two Mamavation Moms!) and follow along with us on the #mamavation hashtag to see the awesome things we’re doing this week! Stay tuned for posts from the other Moms!
Congrats love
Welcome aboard 
Thank you so much!!! I am so happy to be here!
Congrats Joanna! I am so happy for you and can’t wait to see what’s in store for you lady!!
Thank you Lindsay! You are awesome!! I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for you too!
WOO HOO you have bigger BA**s than me my picture will be fully clothed LOL. I can’t wait to see your transformation and to go on it with you. LOVE YOU
LOL that’s me, I decided to grow a pair!
My hubby took the pictures, and when I whipped off my shirt he said, “These are going on in the Internet?” and that was it!
Congratulations!!! You are going to do AMAZING things!!!
Thanks so much Sara!!
Congratulations! You’ve already done a great job, I can’t wait to follow you through your journey as a MM!
Thanks so much Jenny! I will never be as funny as you, but I still try LOL
Great job thus far and so excited to see the rest of your journey unfold!
Thank you so much Amy! You are amazing! I’m looking forward to keeping up with your journey too!
Woo hoo! You are awesome Joanna, and you are going to rock this. It takes a lot to be so open and honest and share pictures online! I’m super proud of you and the weight loss you’ve already achieved!
Thanks so much Tiffany! If I didn’t have complete confidence that I -will- have after pics that kick the butt of these before pics, I’d never have shared these! I’m all over this weight loss thing and jumping in with both feet
Congratulations on taking the first steps of your new journey! I am so proud and happy for you!
Thanks so much Lily! You are so awesome, and I’m happy we’ve been working out together online! I am looking forward to seeing where your journey takes you too! (and reading more of your books haha)
Wow, 10 lbs. already. You’re gonna be a ball buster. Just wait.
You are a total Bookieboo Ball Busting Badass Joanna!!
Awww, thanks so much Rachel! Coming from you that means the world!
I am ALL OVER this weight loss shiz!
Congrats and can’t wait to see what all you accomplish in the 7 weeks!!!
Thanks so much April!!
I am SO SO SO happy that you are one of the next MM’s!!!! Don’t worry about your before pictures! You saw mine, I HATE THEM but love them now because it’s a daily reminder of the progress that I have made!
10 FREAKING POUNDS already!!! You are amazing! I am so excited to help you, be your mentor & cheer you on!
Love you!
xoxo – Rach
Thank you so much Rachel!! Shannon and I had a plan that I would take the most balls out pics and save them for myself – well, I did that AND these were the “decent” pics teee heee! I have total confidence that I will ROCK the after pics and make these just look like OMG progress and inspiration! And you know why? Because I’ve seen YOU do that in YOUR pics!
I am so excited for you to be my mentor too!
Love YOU!!
Welcome aboard the crazy train!
In this next 7 weeks you will laugh, growl, grunt, scream and yes, even cry. But I guarantee that on that 7th week you will look back and be amazed with your transformation, not just the one that occurs on the outside, but the inside as well!
Thanks so much Tina!
I’m looking forward to the change, but it is a little scary at times. So glad to have you and Rachel as mentors!
YOU ROCK! I am so honored to share this journey with you!
Thanks so much Jeanae! You rock too my sista from anotha mista! I am totally honored to share the journey with you and Machete too
So very exited for you! I can’t wait to see your progress!
Thanks so much Heather!!
This is awesome. So excited for you!!
Thanks Lydia! I am SUPER excited too!
You are so brave! Can’t wait to see your Transformation!!
Thanks Darcy! I can’t wait to see YOU apply again too!
Here to cheer you on and share in the journey!!!!!
Thanks so much Toni!!
Congrats. I am pretty sure you are going to do awesome.
Thanks Monica, I really hope so!
Congratulations on being chosen as a participant! I hope your first week was amazing!
Thanks so much!! It really was amazing!
Very happy you were selected and I am looking forward to watching you crush this part of your journey. xoxo
Well look at you already losing 10 lbs! You’re going to rock this! Looking forward to cheering you on throughout your journey.