I fulfilled a life long dream and ran in a beauty pageant at 47!!! I WON!!! I am the 2007 Woman Louisiana Honeybee Festival Queen and I will travel around my state promoting our cause at other festivals for the next year. I would not have imagined it ever. Here are my before pics from March and now. I felt so beautiful that day.:whoo:

Our cause is to promote and support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I feel like it is such a good cause and I can't wait to go to the hospital and meet with the children.

Jeanie:clap2:

Well, I went to my first festival this weekend as a new queen and I had such a hard time!!! Now, you would think if I had the courage to run for queen then I'd have the confidence to wear the crown. I was good until people started staring at me and whispering. I started all the negative self-talk like, "look at her...she's so fat...she's so old...who does she think she is..." I wanted to run and cry. But instead I turned to my old friend, food. I've been binging ever since. This is why I stayed fat before. I didn't like people looking at me. I really thought I had moved past this. But obviously I didn't. I really want to enjoy being queen and be proud wearing the crown. But I'm on a downward spiral. It is embarrasing to admit this to you because it took so much courage for me to even run in the pageant. Jeanie:think

Jeanie, I'm sorry you are feeling down. F all those people that want to look down on you, you are beautiful and you deserved to win and your cause is amazing. You can get through this! :::Big Hugs:::

Thanks for the vote of confidence Amber!

Hey there Jeanie :hug:

I know you didn't ask for advice, but I'm gonna give some anyway.

Hold your head HIGH, put on the biggest smile you have! If you see someone whisper...say "Hi, how are you today? It's great to see you!". Remember, YOU are Queen! Even if you don't "feel like it", pretend you 'feel like it'. Eventually, you'll see what the judges at the pageant saw. And you'll realize that the 'whisperers' are dealing with their own issues, so talking about you makes them feel better about themselves.

Now, stop that bingeing...make your next meal a healthy choice...NO beating yourself up and 'punishing yourself' by skipping meals. We all have our weak moments, you're not alone. We all understand, because we all had the same 'best friend' you did. So, hang in there sister and keep being good to yourself

Musicalmomma,

I LOVE IT!! That was great advise! I will try that. I have another event on Saturday. Great! Thanks!!!

Hi Jaz

I just found this a was going to post a WOOOO HOOOOO!!! OMG look at you girl!!!!!! ( which I still feel!!!)

Then I read the 2nd page and though good grief can you not see how DDG you are!!!

Dont let the nasty spiteful people win hon , even if you were a size 0 there will always be some smart arse with attitude who has a hurtful thing to say, every time you binge you are letting the hateful ones win!

Ditto what musical said, hon you WON that contest and if they chose you they did it for a reason!!!

Have faith in yourself hon, just look at what you have acheived already, who would have thought that a side effect of the band could be you being able to support this cause and do so much good!!

( bet the ones that you saw couldnt be bothered to get off their lazy asses and step up to the plate like you did)

Love and a HUGE hug

Nina x

Thanks Nina. That's why I posted what was going on to be able to get support and words of wisdom from all of you. I will hold my head up high this Sat. when I wear my crown again. And yes, I am so proud to support the cause of St. Jude's. Jeanie

Hi Jaz,

I think you look so pretty! If I seen you coming down the hallway at the hospital, I would whisper with whomever I were with too and tell my sidekick the same. I'm sure they would agree.

You look amazing!!! congratulations and good luck !!!

Jaz, you are completely amazing. I wouldn't have had the guts to do it. Your cause is great and you look beautiful, so don't let people that have axes to grind get you down. That's their problem, not yours. Like someone else said, they are the type of people who would have something nasty to say about a 20 year-old who was a size 0.

I decided a long time ago that I am NOT a mind-reader. And since I don't really know what they're thinking, why not imagine that they're thinking GOOD things about me? I mean, really, I'm the one who is putting words to their thoughts so why not good words?

Try it! When you get used to it, you find that there is love and support everywhere you go!