The Winner of the How do You Celebrate Success Contest Was Dawn Brell from Sioux City, SD

How do YOU Celebrate Success?

Sounds like a simple question but for those of us who have experienced massive weight loss — especially through weight-loss surgery — celebrating our successes is a challenge.

Our old selves celebrated with food. Birthdays, holidays, weddings, milestones — all have food accompaniments!

But in this new life, where we’re trying so hard to disconnect food from emotion, we can’t turn to food (at least not all the time). So how do we mark life’s important moments?

That’s what I’m challenging you to ask yourself. How do YOU celebrate success?

Two years ago, my father passed away. He was one of the biggest champions in my weight loss journey. To help cope with his death I began running. It wasn’t easy at first. I could barely get around the block! But recently, I’m proud to report that I ran my first half marathon — a personal 13.1 miles! — in honor of my dad on Father’s Day.

That’s how I celebrate success. Accomplishing that 13.1 mile run was one of the greatest triumphs in my life and it reminded me that who I am now is not who I was before.

Now I want to do it again, this time I want to do an official 13.1 Half-Marathon and cross a finish line and I want to help someone else do it as well. I want to extend the invitation for one of you to experience the awesome sense of empowerment and achievement that finishing 13.1 miles in celebration of your success brings!

That’s why one of you will win a trip to run with me in the Tinkerbell Half Marathon at Disneyland in Anaheim, CA January 17-19, 2014. Your trip will include: Airfare, Hotel Accommodations, Ground Transportation, Race Entry Fees and a one day pass to Disneyland Amusement Park. ( You will need to provide your own food. )

“What? Pandora, I can’t run a half-marathon!”

Sure you can! And I’m going to help you! With the help of my knowledgable friends at Pace Setter Athletics; I’ll provide the training schedule and the motivation if you provide the desire. Here’s how you enter to win:

Tell me how YOU celebrate success in a non-food oriented manner by submitting a written essay (1,000 words or less) or a video essay (5 minutes or less). Entries must be received by 11:59pm Thursday July 4, 2013.

You may enter by sending your essay, video or link to video (if you upload it to your YouTube channel) to Pandora@desperatelyseekingslender.com. Please use the subject line “How Do You Celebrate Success” in your email.

Judging will take place between July 5 – July 7, 2013. The winner will be announced July 8, 2013.

Email with entry must include your name, address, and a telephone number so that you can be reached on July 8th to get race registration information.

YOU MUST “Like” All of the Sponsors Facebook Pages and the [Desperately Seeking Slender Facebook Fan Page] to be eligible to enter. Links are provided below.

By submitting an entry, you are acknowledging that you have read, understand and agree to the [ Contest Rules and Regulations ]