Operation ‘Have I lost my mind?’

Well the cat is out of the bag. You now all know that I have applied for Operation Transformation. For those of you who don’t know Operation Transformation is a show that helps people loose weight and get healthy. Simple eh? Well if it was simple I wouldn’t be looking for help from a television show would I?

So the process began with a very lengthy application form. It tried to delve deep into your innards to get to the root of why it is you lead an unhealthy lifestyle. This is not a form that you would fill in while you fried an egg. It was detailed and required thought. It’s ok I sat as I filled it in just to avoid any rush of blood to the head. I suppose the length of the form has two purposes. One is to make you think and the other is to see how much effort you are willing to put in. If it wasn’t for my handsome debonaire friend with boyish good looks (remember him) goading me and daring me I would have never finished the form.

So sent that off and thought well that was depressing and all for nothing because no more will come of it. Low and behold I got a phone call. Chatted away and I can remember very little of what was said and then another call to say someone was coming to see me. Helen came and we chatted for an hour or so all filmed but promised never to be shown on tv which is just as well because the camera was totally at the wrong angle for my lumps and bumps. Believe it or not the next call I got was to say I was one of the finalists. Down to the last 20 people with a one in four chance of leading the country in our struggle to beat the bulge. WHHHHHAAAAAATTTTT???????

Our Assessment Day arrived. I had to be at the Sportslink in Santry for 7 am so they put me up in a Hotel for the night. I never stayed in a hotel by myself. Was a total waste of a king size bed I know that much. I arrived to the sports complex at 6:40 the second person there. I met Ross a gorgeous specimen of a man and we chatted away and I felt totally at ease. We were brought up for breakfast. No sausage or rashers to be found. Fruit and porridge were the order of the day……….delicious………

Next trauma, the fitness test, into the pool we were all about to go. 20 overweight strangers all stripped of our clothes and our dignity. We lined up like we were about to be shot. Ross was in front of me and takes off his shirt. He was as brown as a model off a sun tan lotion advertisement. I looked golf ball behind him…. all white dimply and round!!! This was going great. No time to think about that now I had to try and swim without getting my hair wet. 250 meters done and dusted. I walked and swam and I actually enjoyed it. My hair? Dry of course. I wore two swim caps. Can’t wait to see how that looks on the television. Not to mention the huge goggles.

Then we were off into The Circle of Truth. We stood for 3 1/2 hours listening to the stories that everyone shared and to say it was harrowing is no word of a lie. One ladies story will never leave me. Claire went in one Monday morning to wake her 15 year old for school to find he had passed away in the night.  It’s beyond my ability to even imagine what that must be like. If I don’t see Claire as a leader I will be very surprised. It was a humbling room and an experience I will never forget.

They fed us then. Thank the lord. We all had a chance to just kind of chill for a while and we all needed it. The Ray D’arcy show was next and it was great to see how behind the scenes works. The minister for health was also there. Another fine specimen of a man. The afternoon was filled with interviews with the experts, the doc, the dietitian and the fitness trainer as well as the producers.

I’m sitting here writing this and really it all feels a bit surreal. I’ve gotten this far and I’m petrified. I’m not afraid that I’ll get picked. I’m afraid that I won’t. I’ve now gone public with my desire to loose weight. People who I hardly know are messaging me on Facebook to offer support ( it was only one person but people sounds better ) and if I don’t get picked then what?

Next week every day from Tuesday on, Ray will reveal on his show who the five leaders will be. None of us know until Kathryn Thomas arrives at your door or not as the case may be. So listen in and see if I’m am chosen if you do you’ll find out the exact same time as I will!

Wish me Luck

Thanks for reading

Ellen