I am compelled to write down my thoughts as to what I have been seeing and hearing recently in the media. As you know I am a huge fan of Dancing With The Stars and I am so excited to share with you that I am going this Monday to a live taping courtesy of the fantastic Tom Bergeron. A BIG shout out to Tom. What has become so disturbing to me is the resurgence by the media of defining a woman by her weight. Does the size of someone’s dress equal the size of her spirit? When did the number on the scale define how a woman values her own self worth as she steps out into her day? As a fitness professional and someone who has had her own battles with weight on both sides of the spectrum (high 170 and low 110) I know how dangerous this negative feedback can be, not only to the psyche but also within the world. Nothing weighs or hurts more than negative commentary on how someone looks. A casual comment to me over 25 years ago from a choreographer sent me into a downward spiral of eating disorders that lasted over 5 years. Along with the many pounds I lost I also lost five of the most valuable years of my life. I am sure that the stars of DWTS have a much stronger sense of self than I did at 20. However the fact that the media is even discussing how many pounds a star has put on over the summer, versus the incredible talent and inspiration she/they share with millions of viewers every week is a pure mystery to me. It came to a head today when I picked up a copy of “People”. I do admit to peeking into the lives of celebrityville every so often. Although I have managed to whittle my bad habit down to one magazine a month. January 1st it is cold turkey baby. So inside there is a story about Tara Ried, who now has to live with a disfigured body due to bad plastic surgery. This is someone who weighs just over 100lbs and has been called fat by the media. WHAT ARE WE DOING! The one great and amazing thing that has come from this is my renewed sense of purpose of how I should be living my life. You will be seeing a shift in the updates page. I want us to rise up together and once and for all celebrate the gift of our health and incredible bodies. I am not saying do not lose weight. However I do want you to question the motivation behind this goal. If it is to improve your health and quality of life than you must make this a priority. However if it is to fit into what the media is telling us we should look like, let’s think again and again and again if need be. I am not perfect by any means. I have weeks when I am eating to fuel my body and nourish my spirit. Then there are the lapses in between when I eat in response to an emotion. I invite all of us this Halloween to pick up a piece of chocolate, unwrap the shiny cover, place it on the tip our tongue and savor each and every delightful moment WITHOUT guilt. If we cannot begin with Halloween, then girls we have a long way to go. Wherever you are on your journey, just remember you are not alone. Never forget that you are so much bigger and magnificent than the size of your jeans.

I guess in some way it is good that I have been so busy. The not so good thing is that I have been a little behind on updating my lifestyle page and so I hope in advance you will accept my apologies for my random and sporadic updates. The end of summer has been busy and exciting for me. Firstly I celebrated my 45th birthday. Yes, I am truly middle aged and so happy to be here. Any of you who have read “About Petra” know that the other option was not a good one. So I celebrate every second of my 45 years with appreciation and gratitude. My birthday fell during one of my favorite conventions – DCAC in Washington. What a treat to have 100 people sing “Happy Birthday” and of course my dear friend and fellow presenter Lisa Wheeler made sure I had my birthday cake and candles to blow out. Right after this I did a photo shoot for a new magazine that launched last month. I found out a week prior that the amazing Nigel Barker from Americas Next Top Model was to be the photographer !!!!!! I have to say I was a little star struck, however Nigel was so warm and genuine that he made sure to put me right at ease. As soon as I can figure how to upload pictures I will post a couple from that glorious day. The magazine is called Spry and it is an insert to local papers around the country. I am honored to be featured on the cover and profiled in the October issue. I just received my copies and I must admit it is pretty overwhelming to see myself on the cover of a magazine that is going to be distributed to millions of households throughout America. If you receive a local paper keep your eyes peeled as there is a strong chance you will be receiving Spry.  My goal for the rest of this year is to be more consistent with updating my lifestyle page. I am also going to figure out how to upload pictures so I can share some of my fondest memories with you, both from my work and also behind the scenes. I thank you for your support and I truly value every single letter, e mail and vote of confidence in my work. With that said – remember to VOTE. See you sooner than later – I promise!