's motd Thurs July 12, 2012 - 64th Birthday

[Guest guest]

JULY 12, 1948

Thursday, 12 July 2012

Oh my, what a day it was! My precious

mother, Shirley, had been carrying me for about the

usual nine

months. (I'm sure she must have had cravings

for a few more shrimp po-boys and French fries while

she was carrying me, too! LOL.)

You know, every birthday, I think about my mother and

what a big job it must have been carrying her two

sons, Lenny and me. Did you ever think like that?

You moms out there know...it's a big, special and

important job and I salute all

of you. We remind you every Mother's Day and I

hope you remind your

own mother of

how special she is to you....everyday!

Today is the special day God and my mother

made just for me.

But today is the special day God and my mother made

just for me. 64 years ago today, the two of them

brought me into this world and, I'm telling you, I was

ready for my very first buffet...the day I was

born! LOL.

But seriously, you all know my story. It's very much

like many of yours. I started out the early years of

my life literally addicted to food. So addicted, in

fact, I ended up very obese. And, I wonder, had I

continued to eat the way I used to, would I

even be here today celebrating my 64th

birthday?

Well, thank goodness, I came to my senses about my

health, how much I ate and...lost that weight.

But even better, I've spent my entire adult life

teaching others, like you, that you can lose the

weight you need to lose and become healthy, too. My

goodness. As of today, I've been at this four

decades...that's40 years, for those of you

keeping count.

This morning, I'm sitting here thinking how

lucky I am.

This morning, I'm sitting here thinking how lucky I

am. I mean, not just for having lost the weight. But

for what losing the weight has meant for my life. At

64 years-old, I still get to be silly and do as many

outrageous things as when I was a kid. (I used to

drive my folks crazy with my antics but boy...did

we ever laugh!) And I'm so lucky because

today, I have all of you to

make laugh! And...I love it!

I'm so lucky that after 39 years, I still have my

exercise studio, Slimmons, here in Los Angeles. I get

to make my friends laugh at my club every time I

teach. And, thanks to all of my travels, I get to

make people laugh when I'm on the road teaching at a

convention, a college or a health fair.

What I do for a living keeps me so busy and, as you

might imagine, there's no way I could do all that I do

alone. I have so many wonderful and special people

who work with me everyday to make Slimmons and my web

site special. I have a manager who's more like a

brother to me. Then I have my true brother, Lenny and

his wonderful wife, who are so incredibly

special to me. I also have two more "sisters" who

keep my home running smoothly. And of course, there's

my precious Hattie, who loves me unconditionally and

she gets all of that love, and more,

right back from me!

I turned 64 today and I have to say, I'm as

full of energy now as when I was 14!

So, let me ask you again, how lucky am I, huh? I

turned 64 today and I have to say, I'm as full of

energy now as when I was 14! Only difference is, 50

years later, I've made peace with my weight. And

because I have, I'm

in excellent health. I still get to

teach my classes at Slimmons. I can still put in a

solid workout at home in my gym and...get this. When

I was in my hometown, New Orleans, a couple of weeks

ago, I was up at 6:15AM for an hour-long walk around

our romantic French Quarter. Oh, so many happy

thoughts flooded my mind as I walked around those

streets filled with childhood memories.

Tonight, we'll have a little party for me at Slimmons

but the BIG party

will be at Slimmons on Saturday. We're gonna

have many, MINI-cupcakes.

(And okay, everybody, you can only have just one! LOL.)

Even though it's my birthday,

I'll be thinking about all of you today.

You know, even though it's my birthday, I'll

be thinking about all of you today. Why?

Well, with all of the other people I thanked for

making my life so special, I saved my biggest thanks

for all of you. Because, thanks to you and your

friendship, I have to ask you, one more time how lucky

am I? No, wait. Instead, I need to say

something else. I'm not "lucky" to have all of you as

special friends in my life...

I AM BLESSED!

Love,