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I had a great week, the scale just sucks

  • Posted on February 28, 2010 at 3:17 pm

WEEKLY WEIGH IN STATS

Current Weight: 196.8 lbs
Previous Weight: 194.4
Weight loss: +2.4 lbs
Weight loss in Feb: +2.2
Starting Weight: 242.6 lbs
Weight loss total: -46.8 lbs

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

I had such an awesome week!! I completed week 1 of Couch to 5K training program! I slogged in the rain, through puddles and in the snow and through the slush! I have picture proof!! I completed week 1 of Bob Greene’s 8 Week Total Body Makeover.  I am trying to get into a routine of strength training! Bob Greene is helping me get my feet wet! I worked out 6 days this past week! and I LOVED it!! I love to be outside – even though it was not the best situation for being outside! I feel like such a rockstar!! I actually want to keep training and I can’t wait to see how far I can go with this running stuff!

I feel strong!! This week was amazing and I feel strong!!

Wednesday was my birthday and I celebrated with my husband and daughter! I was blessed with gifts to help my journey. An awesome friend sent me a HRM and Big Man and kid ordered me a Wii (although I am sure they will enjoy it as much as I will) and a sports game.

**So all you Wii owners must tell me your picks for the must-have games, especially the active, get-in-shape kinds!

*image courtesy Google images*

Did you think I was just going to ignore the weigh in?

I kind of want to ignore the scale but it is part of the journey.

The scale was not kind to me but it is not the end of the world.  The scale WILL NOT be the voice that says if I had a good week or a bad week. I had a great week! I tracked everything I ate this week: the good, the bad & the ugly. I ate every single point I had coming to me: my daily points, weekly points allowance, and most of my activity points. I had ice cream cake and chinese food on my birthday. Maybe, I ate a bit too much food this week but I was constantly starving!! I don’t know what this all about but I figure it has something to do with changing up my workouts! I stayed within my points range (using allowable extras) but I was hungry a lot!

Also, Saturday morning or also known as Weigh-In day comes around and I wake up with my monthly friend! I knew I was close in time but I had no warning signs. Actually, the more I think about it the more I realize I probably had all the right signs but I missed them because of sore muscles from the new workouts. The sore muscles masked the PMS misery! Chalk another one up to workouts!!

I am not sure if using all my points, new workouts, or TOM is to blame for gain. I am not going to stress it because I had an awesome week. For the week coming up I am going to be moving on to week 2 of the C25K and Bob Greene workouts.  I will continue to track all my food but I will do it on Sparkpeople and WW etools [I will explain why in a later post].

This week I am focusing on planning! Menu planning has helped me so much! Dinners are healthy and I never have that “what are we gonna have for dinner?” moments! Because dinner is so thought out I have leftovers for lunches.  This week I am going to plan my workouts and I am going to plan every day the night before (just like my daughter has to do every night).

My menu plan is posted. Go check it out!!

My workout plan is:

Sunday: REST/clean house

Monday: Couch to 5K ~ week 2, day 1

Tuesday: Bob Greene ~ week 2, day 1 ~ Last chance tworkout ~  Leslie Sansone walking

Wednesday: Couch to 5K ~ week 2, day 2

Thursday: Bob Greene ~ week 2, day 2 ~ planks, pushups ~ Leslie Sansone walking

Friday: Couch to 5K ~ week 2, day 3

Saturday: Bob Greene ~ week 1, day 3 ~ an outside walk with the family, maybe at the bird refuge.

**I want to challenge myself to get up at 6 am with the alarm!! I am a horrible morning person but I really want to get better! This week I have decided that the best way for me to do this is to challenge myself and blog about it!

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mindful menu – week of 2.28.10

  • Posted on February 28, 2010 at 1:23 pm

Sunday:  Sunday night Spaghetti! We are not Italian but we like our Italian-style Sunday night dinners. One of the my favorite scenes from The Sopranos were the Sunday night dinners! Yes, this Jersey girl LOVES the Sopranos! I love mafia/mob/organized crime movies and shows!

Monday:  Chili-rubbed Pork chops (new recipe from Food Network magazine) with a mexican rice dish (rice with corn, beans, salsa, and enchilada sauce)

Tuesday: Bubbles and Squeak! Big Man is crazing a St. Patty’s meal and I hate ham and cabbage! I like cabbage but not all boiled and soggy…eww! Bubbles & Squeak sounds like the best of both worlds! and I really like the name!

Wednesday: Breakfast for Dinner!! Another family favorite!! Since it is a karate night (and also a C25K training day for me) breakfast is the perfect option! The kid has requested Cream Chipped Beef – not my fave but I will make it for her!!

Thursday: Pizza CheeseSteaks! I love homemade cheesesteaks! They are quickly becoming a family favorite! The best part is we really like my version better than take-out so we refuse to order cheesesteaks anymore. I know cheesesteaks are not exactly healthy but my version is extremely low in fat (compared to the original) and I use LF cheese (or laughing cow) and LOADS of veggies! Oven fries are a definite part of this meal!! I use potatoes, PAM, salt & pepper! Simple and yummy!

Friday:  Cajun Marinated Shrimp & Steak (Big Man has come around to my way of thinking! We are sharing a nice steak!) with a potato & pepper hash.

Menu planning has become part of my weekend routine. Big Man and I usually sit on Sunday with a cup of coffee and the weekly sales ads. This week, we have a very tight budget! Basically, we need to spend as little as possible. The freezer and the pantry are well stocked so it was not too hard planning-wise. All that is really needed at the grocery is cat & laundry supplies. And of course the trip to the produce store ~ must keep up with loads of veg and fruit!

Menu planning has helped me and my family in so many ways!! If you are not planning, why the heck not?!?! Try it!! Try it right now!! Try it for one week and you will be hooked!! Not sure how to start? Start here at my girl , Jenna’s place!! She has links to all kinds of menu planners. Read through some menus, get some ideas, menu plan for one week then come and tell me how it went!!

much love, Jen

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perfect 10 – crazy eights

  • Posted on February 26, 2010 at 8:31 pm

How did I work my goals this week?

1. Lose 5 pounds per month – I think I am only down .2 for the month of February but we will see what happens on the scale tomorrow. I have decided that I don’t really care what the scales says. Yes, I am curious but I will not let the number on the scale determine the success or failure of my week.  I am really embracing non-scale victories.  While I have finally set an ultimate weight loss goal of 100 pounds, I have decided to not set specific time sensitive weight loss goals. I will get to my goal weight! I am ok if it takes longer than I want it.

2. Walk 15 miles each week - I wound up with 10 of 15 miles this week. But I started and completed Week 1 of Couch to 5K yesterday! Go check it out if you haven’t!! There are pictures!! I am still grinning ear to ear knowing I finished week 1!!

3. Strength train 3x each week, every week -I also completed week 1 of the Bob Green 8 week total Body Makeover dvd that I won from Shrinking Jeans. I threw in 2 walking dvds and a yoga workout courtesy of exerciseTV.


4. find and prepare one new healthy recipe (or food) -Mission accomplished! I actually made 2 new recipes this week. A Pot Roast recipe I found on allrecipe.com and a Roasted Garlic Chicken recipe that was in this month’s Food Network magazine.


What you don’t know about Jen…..


I am camera shy! I prefer to be behind the camera. I love taking pictures and I hate my picture! I have always been like but it goes even deeper. I am a teacher so I should be fine standing in front of a group of people and talk like a normal person. I CAN’T!  I stand in front of rooms full of teenagers and i am not nervous at all. Change it to grown ups and I get all blabbers. I can’t remember what I am talking about or what I already have said. I am ok, if we are all sitting around chatting.  It’s not the talking to people that bothers me, I think it is being the center of attention that makes me nervous.  Those who know me in real life cannot understand this from me! It makes no sense! I am very outgoing and personable!

Random Thoughts

This was an awesome week! Setting my ultimate weight loss goal was actually quite freeing. I started and completed the first week of the Couch to 5K training program. I may not be setting any records but I kind of am!! A record for me!! I swore I wanted nothing to do with running! Now, I am looking forward to next week’s training!

I am feeling stronger (physically and mentally) than I have in a very long time!!


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SLOGGIN’

  • Posted on February 25, 2010 at 9:06 pm

Last week, I did the unthinkable!! and I did it without even a second thought!!

What did I do, you ask?!?!

I

SIGNED

UP

FOR

THE

NEW BALANCE 5k AT FITBLOGGIN

OMFG!!!

I will stop using caps now!!

I have not run a mile since high school and that was forever ago!

I tried running earlier in this journey and failed miserably!

What the heck was I thinking?!?

Who the heck knows what got into my crazy head but I did it and I sought out to train for this newest challenge of mine! I am such a challenge junkie!

So, Sunday I layered up and went out for Day 1 of the Couch to 5K training program!

‘Then Tuesday it rained all day!!

I went out in it anyway for Day 2!!

And today it snowed!!

I went out in it anyway for Day 3!!!

Please enjoy a photo journey of today’s SLOGGER event!!

This pike path runs one block from my road and runs through 4 towns.

Since my town’s school had school, that section was plowed!! Pretty, isnt it?!?!

I am not good at self-portraits but here is the before training pic!

Sorry about the glare but do you see those 3 green check marks?!?!

I complete the first week of the Couch to 5K!!

Do I look sweaty?!?

I certainly felt sweaty!!

and stinkin’ proud!!

How are my fellow Couch to 5Kers?!?!

and those of you awesome runners….can you suggest how I prevent or relieve shin soreness?

Thanks for all  the support, love and encouragement!!

Days left til Fitbloggin 10!!

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just another manic monday

  • Posted on February 21, 2010 at 11:43 pm

Manic Monday

Click the link!! You know you want to!! Click and watch the Bangles!! I promise it will make your Monday!!

WEEKLY WEIGH IN STATS

Current Weight: 194.4
Previous Weight: 196.8 lbs
Weight loss: -2.4 lbs
Weight loss in Feb: -0.2 lbs
Starting Weight: 242.6 lbs
Weight loss total: -48.2 lbs

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:

The week started off with such promise! After snow days and chest colds hampering me I was hopeful that I would get back to consistent working out.  Big Man and I went out of town on Monday to see an awesome concert. I was in the car for over two hours but I think I made up for it with a half hour in the hotel pool and 3 hours of hippie wigglin’ (I don’t know what else you call the dancing one does at a Dead show).  I did not have my Gruve (it is currently broken and I have been slacking on sending it to be fixed but tomorrow it will go to FedEx) but my pedometer racked up 11,000 + steps while I was at the show.

Tuesday morning I woke up to a text from my mother. The kid had been up 3 times to puke! Oh joy! We drove home in very limited visibility due to snow. I spent the day lounging with a very sick kid. I always know she is sick if she is super clingy and if she takes a nap willingly. I swear the kid thinks naps are evil!

Wednesday I woke up and got ready for work like normal. I left the kid sleeping with daddy on duty. I drive 3 miles to get to work! In the time it took me to drive to work, mind you it is 3 miles away, I was feeling nauseous and overheated! I got into school ans lasted about 20 minutes before I was sent home. As I was walking to my car, the bus arrived. Don’tcha know I slipped on damn ice and went down quick and hard! Did I mention I did this in front of a bus of my students?!?!

Thursday and Friday I was feeling better and made it to work. I wasn’t 100% but well enough to be in school. Fridays at my school are workplace readiness days. We don’t necessarily teach academics. One of new classes started this Friday and I am super super excited about this class. I am teaching a Girls Essential Skills/Self-Esteem Building/Fitness Class.  Our first day was awesome!! We started some self-esteem building exercises. I am looking forward to how this works.

I did have some exciting things happen during this otherwise bleh week of sickies:

  • The class I mentioned above started and went extremely well. The girls are “into” the class! A few of the girls even asked me if I would stay with them after school to work out in the gym (our school is very small so we do not have the gym facilities of a traditional high school)
  • I set my ultimate weight goal this week!! After reading @amerrylife ’s blog this week where she set an awesome super big goal , I decided that I also wanted to lose a total of 100 pounds. I have been himming and hawing about what my ultimate goal will be! I think my vagueness has only hindered me. 100 is a nice even number and I am almost half way there!
  • I decided to sign up for the FitBloggin’ New Balance 5K! TO RUN this 5K! I am not a runner but I want to challenge myself to try this!! My goal for this 5K is to just finish the dang thing and run half! I started the Couch to 5K training program today.
  • I was named Teacher of the Year for my school

I am looking forward to the week ahead! I have new workout goals!

  • couch to 5K training with @FitinmyHeart, @damanlovett, @JeepJenn, @priorfatgirl, and @amerrylife [IF you are training with me and I didn't list you please hit me up in comments ~ I want to make a list (with links) for all me fellow SLOGGERS in training!!
  • Start Bob Greene training with @fitinmyheart [this is a dvd with an 8 week total body makeover plan] Monday (tomorrow) will be week 1, day 1.

I will also work on:

  • drinking 8 glasses of water every day
  • remembering to take vitamins every day
  • stretching every night before bed!
  • track! track! track!!

Oh life is good!! I am feeling better! The family seems to be over the sickies! I am ready to take on the world!! At least, for the next week!


much love, Jen

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mindful menu – week of 2.21.2010

  • Posted on February 21, 2010 at 12:55 pm

Sunday: Braised Beef with Barley minus the peas, adding a side of green beans

Monday:  Meatloaf & mashed potatoes and spinach

Tuesday: Ham and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts with a side of broccoli and egg noodles

Wednesday: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Tacos ~ the kid’s request. It is after all a school day and we have responsibilities! The kid has karate so we are making something easy and quick! After dinner and the stinky karate kid showers I think we will go get Friendly’s Sundaes instead of birthday cake!

Thursday:  Roasted Garlic Chicken (Food Network mag page 88) with mashed potatoes

Friday: Make our Own PIZZAs!! I have been seeing this item on many of my fellow planners menus over the past few weeks and I have to have them!!

Now, I am off to make a list for the grocery store. I hope you are all taking advantage of menu planning. It has been a huge help to me and my sanity!! It can help you too!! Just hop over to Jenna’s blog and check it out!!

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Perfect 10 – week 7 update

  • Posted on February 19, 2010 at 7:48 pm

This may be my shortest Perfect 10 Update!

I have not weighed in this week but I will let you know how February ends up!

I have not had many traditional workouts this week.

I finally got out of the funk of the chest cold last week and started working out again. This week the kid got walloped with a stomach bug that she happily shared with me. All along I have been battling my skeletal issues (my alignments gets out of whack easily sometimes and my hips can be up to a half inch off). Did I mention that on Wednesday, I attempted to go to work but was sick so I got sent home? I was walking to my car as the bus was dropping off the students and I slipped on some ice and hit hard! Both knees have lovely purple bruises! Tonight my hip is causing a bit of inflammation and as I am typing this post, I am sitting on the couch on a heating pad.

I did try a new recipe! It was not so good to me but the husband loved it! We made a purple cabbage (shredded), green apple (peeled, cored & cut up) with vinegar and seasonings in the crockpot. I prefer crunchier cabbage!

You don’t know….

when I was in high school I was a cheerleader! Yep, I cheered for basketball and I also sang the Star Spangled Banner at most games.

PS~~Sorry for such a crappy post! It has been a kind of crappy week

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run Jen run

  • Posted on February 16, 2010 at 7:25 pm

All of the sudden I have so much to write about.

  • I was going to blog a “Tuesday Confession” (I have been a bad girl)
  • I was gonna tell you about the concert I went to last night (which was freaking amazing, btw)
  • Those posts will have to wait, this one has to be written

So, you may remember me mentioning Fitbloggin. If you are a twitter friend, you are probably sick of me mentioning #Fitbloggin!! Well, I am super excited for Fitbloggin. I am a bit nervous as well. I am nervous for a few reasons: traveling alone, meeting all you awesome people for the first time, falling on my clutzy face in front of all you awesome people, and now running a 5K.

I am only half serious about being nervous! The travel will be fine! It is not a long drive to Baltimore (only about 3 hours) but I am used to traveling with Big Man.  I am clutzy; I know it and I have told you all it so many times that you know it! I am ok with being clutzy! It is part of my charm!! I am learning to be “unapologetically myself” <~~ gotta love the Miz! If I fall, I will pick myself up and make a wise crack…cuz ya know it is kind of funny!

Did you all notice that I wrote running up there?!?!

Yep, I may have lost my mind!! I signed up to run in the New Balance (my go to sneaker choice)  sponsored Fitbloggin 5K. I read an email about the 5K and I just signed up!! I did not think of the logistice, I just signed up! That was last night! Very late last night, after 3 hours of dancing at Further (see info at www.dead.net) I logged in to check my email and quickly signed up for the 5K.

I tweeted a bunch about anxiety over running and was overwhelmed by my fave tweethearts!! They (@PhatBFF, @footdr69, @fabfattieShan, @JeepJenn, @rebeccamuba, @Loser_for_Life, @reallifeadv, @foodiemcbody, @kyratx & @damanlovett ~~> I really hope I did not miss anyone) told me:

  • “GO FOR IT”
  • YOU CAN DO IT
  • I WILL BE CHEERING YOU ON
  • I WILL HANG WITH YOU
  • I BELIEVE IN YOU

WOW!!

Just WOW!!

I am blown away by the love and support and encouragement!! You all ROCK!! I told Big Man about this and he said to me, “we can go to Mainland’s (local high school) track together and I will walk while you train.

ummmm DOUBLE WOW!!

I LOVE Big Man! He has been super supportive of everything I have done from the day we met. He encourage me while I finished school. We got engaged, I moved in and he financially supported me and my daughter while I finished school. He has been awesome about my weight loss but very slow with his own and I worry because he is diabetic (type 2) and on medication (not shots yet). I want Big Man to lose weight but only so he is healthy and stays around forever. I really love love the big lug! THIS IS HUGE!! He wants to start walking more regularly and this is the perfect time! I am just as excited about Big Man wanting to walk with me as I am to start something new.

Ya’ll know I love a good challenge!! I am challenging myself to start and complete the Couch to 5K program (to the best  of my ability)!! My first “running” goal will be to run at least half of the New Balance/Fitbloggin 5K.  I am also going to figure out when the end of the 9-week Couch to 5K training program is and I will sign up for a 5K that weekend. I will update you as I go!!

**I am still looking for sponsors for Fitbloggin10. If you are looking to sponsor a blogger please email me at jeninreallife@yahoo.com **

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mindful menu – week of 2.14.10

  • Posted on February 14, 2010 at 5:05 pm

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!

I hope you all spent an awesome day with the ones you love!

and now back to your regularly scheduled program:

I love my menu plans and this week it is crucial to plan. To be honest, it is crucial for me to plan my menus every week. I do better with a plan of attack for most things.

On the menu this week:

Sunday ~ the husband is grilling up a fantastic Porterhouse steak and I will make some sides; fried leeks & shallots, brussel sprouts, potatoes and a salad…I have heard rumors of some local cherry wine. AND, big man bought some sugar free fixins for sundaes!!!

Monday ~ the big man and I are off to a concert in PA.

Tuesday ~ since we are not sure what  time we will get home it will be a soup and sandwich kind of night. Big Man made an awesome batch of potato & leek soup last the other night that will be perfect.

Wednesday ~ Roasted Chicken and veg

Thursday ~ Homemade Cheesesteaks, oven fries and a slaw of some sorts.

Friday ~ Pork Cutlets with a Cabbage side dish….a new recipe from a slowcooker cookbook I forgot I had!

Ok, folks this is a super short post! It is Valentine’s Day and I am off to spend it with my loves!

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The Shrink I did Rethink

  • Posted on February 14, 2010 at 1:53 pm

Rethink Your Shrink!

The Shrink I did Rethink

I have this post written in my head but I have been having the hardest time actually writing! I am not sure why. I have been in a bit of a funk since we got all this snow. I am tired of winter, tired of snow….and the weatherman says we might get more on Monday and possibly more again on Saturday. I am OVER this snow stuff!! I love my home – it is my favorite place on the planet but even I need to be able to get out of my house once in a while!

Snow rant over!

The Monday ProjectMy friends at Shrinking Jeans posted this assignment as a final project:

Rethink Your Shrink is coming to an end! Are you ready? Did you rethink? And moreover, did you shrink?  What happened over the past 7 weeks? Did you move more? Did you find victories? Did you find non-scale victories? Did you do something you’ve never done before? (And in a good way?) How much did you lose? How much did you gain in knowledge and preparation? How did you do when you had an off-week? Did you fall off? Did you get back up? Where did you find motivation? Did you like this challenge? How did you do?

On Saturday, January 2nd I weighed in at 204 pounds and yesterday, February 13th I weighed in at 196.8, which is a gain this week of 2.2 ~ thank you sickness and then snow storm but a loss of 7.2 pounds over the course of the 7 errrr 6 weeks of this awesome challenge! I don’t think I shrank but I grew in so many ways during this challenge.

I am also involved in the Perfect 10 challenge and the Mamavation; what can I say?!?! I love challenges and I love the support system from my online peeps! I have met some awesome people during these challenges! I have participated and continue to participate in many challenges! Rethink your Shrink has been unlike any other challenge and I think that is why it has meant so much to me that I am sad it is over.

I finally had my a-ha moment! I woke up and realized that I have been half-assing this weight loss thing! I was not putting my whole heart into it and I have now vowed that 20-10 will be the year of JEN and I am embracing myself and my journey. I have made working out a priority. I have found workouts I LOVE and I have learned that I have to do what works best for me and not what everyone else is doing. I have a problem with that, I get caught up in other people’s excitement. Example, everyone was doing the 30 Day Shred and I had to have that!! I finally received it and I almost killed myself trying to get through it – it was a killer on my knees!! but everyone kept tweeting and blogging about it and I tried to finish…what the hell was I thinking. I do not have to be like anyone else! I am not ashamed of my walking dvd workouts and I think my knees are thankful: they are getting stronger, I am getting stronger and I am doing it my way!

I finally get it!!!

This is my life, my journey and I have to do it my way!!!

I have grown and I continue to grow and learn. I am finding my way and I am finally having fun doing it! I am not blogging as often but when I blog I enjoy it! I workout and I am enjoying it! I am spending more time with my family. I am finding myself getting more organized and less cluttered which is definitely helping my weight loss journey. I know, it sounds crazy but it true!

The last week was a bit crazy with being trapped in the house with the snow immediately following a bout of sickness! Even though my eating was not awesome, I did get back to working out this week 4 days in a row!! I had actually started to miss my workouts and I am so glad I pushed myself to get back at it! I loved when I needed it, I had a ton of support and ass-kicking!!

The past 6-7 weeks I have really stepped up my physical game and I have bulldozed through mental blocks and I feel stronger and more confident than ever.  I am stronger, physically and mentally! I am more confident and satisfied with myself. I am not perfect and I am ok with that!!

I will continue to fight for my health and greatness!!

Thanks hookers, ya’ll throw a great challenge!!

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