FSJenn

Poor Chubby Hampster! Life's no fun when you are too fluffy!!

Time to put on your creative caps and help me think of a caption - I'd like to add one and make it my screen savor. Anyone got any ideas?

"Gotta lay off the pellets!" or "And in that moment, Mr. Fluffernutter decided to join a gym"

How Stinkin' Inspirational is This??!!

Good morning, Friends.

I know it's only February, but it feels like 2012 is already just flying by. As we get closer and closer to May, I need to accept that my time here is almost done. As much as I love my job and my Four Seasons Family, I must admit that living in a different state as my husband is taking its toll...

So, I am happy (and sad) to announce that my job is officially posted - we are looking for an awesome individual who desires a fun part time job in a great environment! I could go over the whole job description here, but I think I will just put the link to the official post instead...

Four Seasons Marketing and PR Specialist (actually, this is a link to all our current openings)

I don't know what's wrong with me. I can normally give or take red meat. It's not a regular part of my meals.

The past few days, though. I want it. REALLY want it! I want steak (medium-rare, please) and burgers from Meatheads and roast beef sandwiches with horseradish sauce.

Even for breakfast.

A beautiful way to prepare for the week.

So! I got this salmon at Sam's Club. Beautiful, tasty salmon. I spread it with some champagne dill mustard and baked for about 22 minutes.

It cost $21 and was so worth it. I got eight (EIGHT!!) 6oz servings of yumminess that will suit me for the week (if it lasts that long). :-)

I also baked 4 sweet potates, & oven-grilled peppers and onions to put on top of them. Voila! Add pre-packaged turkey chili and I've got another 4 meals ready to go.

Last costume, I swear!

Here is the costume for my modern/ballet piece. This dance is very pretty - very masquerade ball!

My little one is off to a slumber party tonight (and hubby isn't visiting this weekend), so it's just me and the big stoopid dog tonight. Normally, this would be a binge situation, but I decided to treat myself instead by renting the entire first season of Shameless. Guilty pleasure and none of the calories! (well, I might enjoy a gin and diet tonic or two...).

Not sharing with the dog, though. He isn't 21.

Promise not to laugh? (alright, go ahead!)

Here are my tap costumes for my recital in May. I'm down to three months to get ready to wear these ON STAGE!

IN FRONT OF PEOPLE!

INCLUDING FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CO-WORKERS!

Happy Weigh-in Wednesday!  I now weigh 230.0 lbs, which is a loss of 1.2 lbs this week. I'm still happy the scale is moving in the right direction, but I'm disappointed in myself for drinking those beers this weekend. That choice directly impacted my weight loss this week, and I know it. Stoopid beers. Stoopid Jenn!

Good morning!

I had my Weight Watchers meeting this morning. It was nice. I met a woman and saw her before photo - she looked like I do now (and you'd never believe it to see her today!). That was so inspirational.

We also did a little exercise where we designed a sandwich that we could make and take to work. They challenged us to look at what an old sandwich of ours might consist of, and to build one that was really enticing to us YET still responsible with calories and the addition of healthy fuel (meaning: food that's good for us).

My old sandwich: White bread Mayo (sometimes, extra mayo) Turkey That's it! Yummy, but not exactly healthy: Calories: 445  PointsPlus Value: 12

My designed sandwich: Sour Dough Bread (1 slice, low-cal wheat would be better, but I'm splurging here) Sliced Hard Boiled Egg Lettuce Tomato Slice 1/4 Avacado Red Onion Slice Broccoli Slaw Mix (just a bit for some crunch) Calories: 250   PointsPlus Value: 6

When I mentally picture these side by side, the designed sandwich seems much more attractive - more colors, more flavors.

It's arrived!

Look at my pretty new scale! It's an EatSmart brand (selected due to reviews on Amazon.com). When I put in the (included) batteries and set it down to calibrate, it didn't work.

WHAT???!!! Are you kidding me???!!!!!

And then I put in my own fresh batteries. Calibrated like a champ!

As many of you know, my awesome husband leans heavily on the nerdy side. I told him last night that the scale arrived and that I was going to weigh in today. He said (and I quote),

"Don't put too much on this initial reading. You can't compare measurements made with different tools. It's the delta from the same scale that counts."

awwww... can't you feel the warmth and support? :-) I stinkin' love my little nerd. Everyone should have one.

So, I got on this morning with that in mind.  The result?

231.2lbs

I'm not officially comparing or anything, but that is a good 4 lbs less than last week. **Smiles** 

I feel a renewed sense of energy today. Is it the weather (doubt it)? Is it that I'm finally shaking my cold (maybe)? Is it that I've had a couple of days on WW and therefore no crap/sugary/junk food (probably)? Whatever... I'm gonna run with it.

Good Morning.

I have some proud news to report. As I mentioned a couple of months ago, I was allowed to half my high blood pressure medication - a very AWESOME direct result of all the hard work I've been doing in the gym. I've been checking it regularly and I'm so pumped to tell you my blood pressure is doing extremely well with the half dose. I feel comfortable going back to my Doctor and requesting that I go off the meds completely! :-)

In addition to this stellar result of training/exercising regularly, here are some other benefits I've come to enjoy: I have more energy overall  I can go up stairs (even TWO flights) without getting winded I find myself less emotionally "reactive" to life's minor challenges I am sleeping more soundly and waking more refreshed I am actually beginning to feel baby muscles - I'm especially proud of the ones on my upper arms! I actually feel powerful sometimes. That sounds like a small thing, but it makes a HUGE difference in my self-confidence!

But there is something exercise alone CAN'T do. We've all heard it, but I guess I needed to learn this lesson first-hand...

Exercise alone can not make a me lose weight - I MUST make changes in my nutrition!

I've been struggling since the holidays. I feel that I need more structure. Please don't get me wrong - our Dietitian Brie is incredible and great at helping me learn to modify things. But she can't live with me and cook for me.

I'm feeling the desire to have support by those who have been (are currently are) where I am now. People who emotionally eat and who have perhaps lost and regained. People who understand the daily struggle - and the energy it takes to face food repeatedly throughout the day.

So, I went back to researching different "Diets" (GOD! I HATE that word!) Here is what I decided to look for based on my knowledge of nutrition (what Brie has taught me) and my diet history.

Real foods may be purchased and eaten. I'm not interested in living off boxed meals. The isolation from friends and family is counter-productive.

A sensible, steady weight loss must be the focus. No "VLCD" (very low calorie diet) is a lifestyle I can maintain.

No food can be "off limits". I need to learn how to eat FOR LIFE! And life will provide all types of foods in all kinds of situations. I need the tools and the habits that will allow me to live with this and still maintain a healthy weight.

I need group support. I've got a great group supporting me for my exercise habits - and that has made all the difference. I need that same type of support as I make these nutritional changes.

So after careful consideration, I decided to attend a Weight Watchers meeting. I liked many things about it. I liked how the "meeting leaders" are people who have been where I am now. I like that while people weighed in private, those that hit their goals (no matter how small) were celebrated with the group. I liked the give and take of ideas and the smiles of understanding when a person talked about a tough situation.

Of course there would be some negatives: I'm still not quite sure how points is really all that different than calories - and I don't like the WW food tracker as much as "My Fitness Pal" (love that app!). In the end I decided to sleep on it...

And then I slept on it another night...

And then I decided to go ahead and sign up.

Good Morning!

The "Live Healthy America" 100 Day Challenge begins today!! I've got my team of nine recording their minutes of activity. I know that Monday, Wednesday and Fridays are good because I train or have Boot Camp. Thursday is likewise good because I have two dance classes. I'll need to squeeze in some activity on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. Even 20 minutes would add up to an additional hour each week!

It's not too late to sign up for the challenge! Get a team together (2-9 people) and sign up at www.livehealthyamerica.org. You'll need your team members' emails and t-shirt sizes to sign up. Cost is $20. FOUR SEASONS MEMBERS: Sign up under code LHIFSA!

I'm off to send a motivational email to my team. If you'd like in on any of those emails, comment below with your email address or email me directly at [email protected].

Another day, another opportunity to keep moving forward...

I purchased a new scale last night - it's one thing to get discouraged from actual weight gain, it's completely another to get discouraged 'cause your scale is wonky. After 12 or so years, it's time to get a new one. I'll let you know when it arrives and what I think of it.

Boot Camp this morning went great. My heart rate went up and stayed up and I had a good laugh as well. When I arrived, I was sluggish and not in the mood, but after class my spirits were higher and I felt more powerful.

Good afternoon.

I woke up feeling a little bit better this morning. It's another day and I'm just going to keep moving forward.

Jesse kindly (but sternly) let me know that I have not been recording my food NOR have I been wearing my bodybugg.

He's right. I know what we are doing here works; but I need to be committed to the whole process, not just exercising hard then ignoring the rest of what I need to do.

So, we arrived back from Georgia last night. Eating wasn't spot on, but I believed I kept it (somewhat) in check. Let's just say, I didn't go crazy...

...and then I go to weigh-in today.

First: my scale didn't work. I stepped on it but it didn't light up. I did it again - still no reaction. I picked it up, shook it and set it down again. It finally turned on.

Second: the scale then showed a 6 POUND WEIGHT GAIN!!!

I simply dissolved into tears. It doesn't matter how hard Jesse and I work if I can't get my food in order. I think I'm doing okay but I'm simply not. It's disheartening enough to make me want to go back to that ridiculous eat nothing but three shakes each day diet or (GASP) reconsider that Lap-Band surgery I took off the table just a few short month ago.