The Big One-100 lbs Lost Celebration: BTI's First Giveaway!

Hello again!

So first off thanks to all of your lovely congratulations on my last post. I truly have the best readers around and I am so grateful :)

Now, sit back and relax, because this one might get a little lengthy.

In celebration of losing 100 lbs, I decided a while back that I wanted to host a special giveaway on the blog. I really didn't think that I would hit that milestone this week, so I'm still a little shocked :)

On to the first part of the giveaway. One reader will win a fabulous Summer Glo Variety Pack from Glo Bakery! In case you don't know, Glo Bakery offers healthy, natural, organic baked goods. The pack will include a random mix of various bars that the bakery offers. Check out the website to see some of the different flavours :)

Also, check out Glo Bakery's owner, Angela's blog, Oh She Glows. OSG was one of the first blogs that I ever read. I love Angela's story of changing her life around to pursue her passions and her happiness. I feel like I'm trying to do the same thing with my health journey and that's just one of the many reasons why I love Angela's blog. So check it out :)

The second part of this celebratory post is another giveaway. This second giveaway will be a $100 donation from me to one of the international organizations that I love. The winner of the Summer Glo Variety Pack also gets to choose which charity the donation will go to :)

I wanted to include this donation in the giveaway for a couple of reasons. First, it just makes sense to support such wonderful groups :) Second, these organizations and the work that they do have really contributed to my journey for better health.

Let me explain :) Before this attempt to lose weight and find health, I was stuck in a deep and dark rut. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, and I really believed that I would be stuck at 340 lbs (or more) for good. I was unhappy and I was confused, just coasting by. Then, in my second year of university I took an amazing course on international development, in which I was introduced to the global issues and problems that I now want my work to deal with. That course blew my whole world open. I began to search for organizations and groups that were working on these issues. Once I figured out that I wanted to go into aid work, my whole mindset changed. I knew that if I wanted to pursue this kind of work, I had to get my health in check. I had to change.

Now, when I'm struggling to make healthy choices, when I don't want to get off the couch and work on my fitness, I remember that if I want to follow my passion and find my own happiness, I have to get and stay healthy to do the work that I believe I am supposed to be doing.

So...it is only fitting that I give a little thanks to one of these organizations. Part of me feels like they really saved my life :)

I've narrowed it down to 5 options (hello nearly impossible task!):

• Free the Children
• UNICEF
• UNHCR
• World Food Program
• International Rescue Committee

If you're not familiar with all of the amazing work that these groups do then just click on the links and head on over to their websites.

So the way this will work is as follows. There are a couple of ways to enter the giveaway (I'm totally stealing these from what I see on other blogs lol):

• Follow the blog and leave me a comment on this post saying that you follow (if you already are a follower just say that in the comment).
• Post about this giveaway on your blog or on Twitter and leave me a comment on this post with a link.
• Leave a separate comment on this post telling me about the best thing you ever did for your health and happiness.

So that's 3 ways to enter. Now, this is very important, on each comment that you leave, include whichever of the 5 groups above that you think I should send the donation to.

Make sense? I hope so :)

Fine print: The giveaway is open to Canadian and US residents. You have until next Friday, July 30 to enter. I will randomly pick a winner the next day.

Lastly, thank you all so much for reading and commenting. You all have been unbelievable and I never could have expected such an amazing community of support. I am very lucky and very thankful :)

Have a great day everyone!