You are currently browsing the weekly weigh-in category

192.4

  • Posted on March 4, 2010 at 6:16 pm

State testing is finally OVER!! I miss my students. I was with my juniors but none of my other classes. I miss teaching. State testing sucks!!

Rant over!!

The one good thing about testing was the extra quiet time! While the kids were testing I had to be quiet and not distract the kids. Anyone who knows me knows I don’t do well when I am supposed to be quiet. I can’t sit still! Or if I am sitting still I have a laptop with me and 25 tabs and tweetdeck open. Since I couldn’t do any of that I did a little thinking and writing.

I blogged on Tuesday about breaking up with Weight Watchers. I have thought a lot about that decision and I am really happy about it. I am ready for a shake up! I am confident in myself!! I will ask for help! I know I am not alone!! I have made great strides in the exercise area!!

I can do this!!

No better time than the present!

Yesterday morning I woke up and I stepped on the scale to get my home scale number. I will be doing weekly weigh ins but I am switching it up to Wednesday mornings.

192.4

That is the number. It is just a number. See ya next Wednesday.

I am wondering if I should also take measurements….I am always so bad at measurements…what do you think about measurements? Do you take your measurements? How often?

Much Love Until the next time, J

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 tworkoutLeslie 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!

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

Week in Review

  • Posted on January 24, 2010 at 8:38 pm

Starting weight: 242.6

Last week’s weight: 198

This week’s weight: 193.6

This week’s change: -4.4

Total change:  -49.0

Before I tell you about my week, I have to reflect a bit about the number on the scale. I am not ruled by the number on the scale but it is a piece of the puzzle or game. Losing weight is just like putting a puzzle together – each person must create their own puzzle. I am working hard to find the pieces that best fit my puzzle. Part of the puzzle is the number on the scale and part of the puzzle is measurements. I finally took new measurements and there were actual changes between November and now. I have heard every option for how often to measure and I am not sure how often I will measure but probably not every week. Do you measure? How often?

Another piece of my puzzle has been setting reasonable goals. I admit I have not always been the best goal-setter.  I usually just kind of bulldoze my way through. No real planning just one day at a time. I joined two challenges this year (Perfect 10 and Rethink Your Shrink) that have been helping me set small reasonable and attainable goals.

My BIG goals are outlined in my week 3, Perfect 10 update. You can also find a list of last week’s workouts.

My smaller goals, I will discuss here:

1.  drink 80 oz of water daily I am great about this Monday – Friday. I don’t know why since I barely drink any water during the school day. 5/7

2. take multi vitamin and glucosamine every day I am horrible about this but I am getting better. 5/7

3. make time for workout As you can see if you check out my Perfect 10 update, I worked out a lot last week. I was a bit lazy the last two days but I am very happy with the progress I have made in the workout area. I look forward to working out even if I bitch about it before hand. I love that @ShrinkingJeans leads Biggest Loser commercial break workouts. I love how sweaty I get Walking at Home or on the treadmill. I love that my arms are starting to feel “tight” and I LOVE that I am getting stronger and tighter! I will continue to workout because I finally get it! I really LOVE that I found a workout I LOVE!!

Another piece of the puzzle is FOOD! Ya’ll know how much I love food. All food!! Good food, good-for-you food, healthy food, and just plain junk food. I have learned that some foods have no place in my healthy life plan and I know there are foods that if they were off limits I would rebel and binge on. No foods are off limit. Moderation. I have learned menu planning is essential to my weight & wallet management. I am planning healthy meals full of lean meats and yummy vegetables. I also allow treats and occasional “cheat” days but I don’t call them that. I have always managed to stay within my points and now that I am adding all the workouts in I am ok with some higher points splurge days.

Another piece of the puzzle is accountability! I NEED lots of accountability!! I tried ditching my meetings and just using WW online….I lost and gained the same 5 pounds the entire 4 months. I went back to my meetings and did a little better but then Christmas came and we went away and I did not track and I gained back a few pounds. I found a group of Moms on the same journey.  #Mamavation is an awesome motivational community of moms in various stages of the healthy journey.  The mamavation ladies are all just so sweet and supportive!

Now, on the other side of the coin I found the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans…how could I not check out a group of chicks with a blog titled that?!?! and they are a riot – super supportive & encouraging and not afraid to YELL at me to get my ass moving! I love how sarcastic, snarky and down right brutal their love can be – they are the best!

I join all kinds of challenges! Challenges keep the whole  journey new. I am not always the best challenge participant. Not  the challenge’s fault…but I lack follow through some times. I get all excited but don’t always finish what I start. I am currently involved in two challenges: Perfect 10 and Rething Your Shrink. I liked these two challenges and since the principals behind the challenges were so similar I felt (and still do) comfortable participating in both challenges.

Twitter is the best motivation!! I tweet to inspire and motivate as well as be inspired and be motivated! My twitter peeps are my friends. My twitter peeps know all the answers to all the questions I have!! My twitter peeps don’t let me get away with sulking or not working out! I may be addicted to Twitter but I swear it has huge benefits!

I rambled and rambled! This was a good week – mentally and on the scale. I am finding the perfect balance for me. I am finding what is right and works best for me. This has to be my journey, my way!! I have been traveling on this journey to health for over a year now and it really has been the last 3 weeks that I can honestly say, “I get it!!”


Did I tell you that Twenty Ten is the Year of JEN?!?!

Join me in making 2010 the best year!

Week in Review

  • Posted on January 17, 2010 at 12:59 pm

I am a day late on my Saturday weigh in and I am sorry. I was busy most of the day yesterday and when I wasn’t busy I sort of lazed out big time!

At WW meeting I stepped on scale, here is what happened:

WW lady: “2 pounds”

Me: “wow, I lost 2 pounds”

WW lady: “no, up 2 pounds”

Me: “wow, I gained 2 pounds, really?”

I decided to chat it up with my leader before the meeting,

Me: “Stephanie (my leader’s name) should I be concerned with being up 2 pounds? I tracked, stayed within my points and worked out. I even worked out this morning and late last night.”

Stephanie: “you tracked?”

Me: “yes”

Stephanie: “Everything?”

Me: “yes”

Stephanie: “Well that is a success! You worked out…that is a success! You are here…that is a success!!”

I have been thinking about this conversation since then…it is all I could think about!

And damn it, I may have gained this week but it was a great week. Ok, to be fair…it started off slow but ended with a bang.  My workouts and weekly goals are recapped here on my Perfect 10, week 2 update. I am so tired of being a slave to the scale. I had a great week and the scale will not dictate whether or not I had a good week. My Perfect 10 update includes my BIG goals but here is where I post my smaller weekly goals:

1. drink 80 oz of water daily I did this 6/7 days

2. take multi vitamin and glucosamine every day I remembered 4/7 days. I MUST get better at taking my vitamins.

3. make time for workouts I totally made time for me and my workouts!! I worked out 5/7 days and on the other 2 I did enough around the house to be “moving”!

On Tuesday I had an absolute meltdown! I can’t even tell you exactly what happened. I said something to Big Man and he gave me some look and I got all snappy. I snapped at him he snapped at me and I burst into tears. I must tell you all that me and the Big Man never fight! NEVER! Our friends think we are weird because as crazy as it sounds we actually like each other…and we don’t believe that fighting is productive ~ definitely stems from how we both grew up and the last relationship we were prior to meeting each other!  Sorry for the ramble here – but I really love the big dummy! Anyway, I cried and cried and it took a little bit to stop. I can’t exactly explain what started it or what “it” was even really about. I was left feeling very tired after the tears ended.

Later that night, I tweeted about my meltdown and I was hit back with many similar stories from my friends. When I talked with my WW girls, I again heard similar stories from this week. Something must be in the air.  I was also tweeted back by @debroby and she told me that at the start of a new fitness regime it was normal to have freakouts!! REALLY?!!? This is normal. huh?!?! @mizfitonline has said this very thing before.

What does this freakout mean? Well, later that night I saw my girls at @shrinkingjeans tweeting Last Chance workouts during Biggest Loser commercials. I do not watch Biggest Loser but I needed to jump into the action. I did a few exercises and lots of tweeting with my friends @shrinkingjeans, @lissjoy, @girlsworld, @fabfattieShan, and @footdr69 !! I needed that time and I did indeed begin to feel better. Wednesday came around and I worked out and felt awesome. I even bumped it up a bit ~ while doing my walking workout I did the middle mile twice!!

I also walked on Thursday.

Friday we ordered Chinese for dinner. I ordered chicken & shrimp with veggies (steamed with sauce on side). I didn’t eat any rice but I did eat a few steamed dumplings.  I drank a ton of water after dinner to try and combat the sodium. I walked on the treadmill for an hour (at 3.0 mph) and worked up quite a sweat.

I woke up at 7:30 (ridiculously early for a Saturday) to get ready for a walk with my girlfriend, Tammey. She was at my house by 8 and we walked for an hour and almost 3 miles. It was cold but we were moving and talking and the time went by quickly.  We haven’t walked together in forever and it was nice…even though it was cold. Ya’ll know how much I hate being cold!! After our walk I had a banana and some water and headed to my WW meeting. I stepped on that scale and gained 2 pounds. ugh! Not what I was hoping to see but a good learning experience. This weigh-in really taught me to not rely on the scale.

After WW meeting, I went home to eat something more substantial than a banana. Then it was off to the Red Cross to give blood. I have not donated since I was in high school…in 1996!! My daughter went with me and snapped some pictures!

**I chose to give blood because it is what I have to give! I am not a rich woman but I have plenty of blood and I am healthy!! If you are healthy, please consider going to the Red Cross to give blood!

**I am going to go back again March 13, 2010! That is the next time I am allowed to go back and I will give blood every 6-8 weeks, it is the least I can do! Who is with me??

One final note: I will not be using my previous Saturday Scale Time anymore. I will instead give a week in review every week after I attend my WW meeting.  I do not want to focus on the scale as the most important tool!! My success will not be determined to a number on a scale!! I will continue to weigh in at my WW meetings because I think I should….what are your thoughts about the scale?

much love!!

Jen

Saturday Scale Time

  • Posted on January 9, 2010 at 5:01 pm

Last week’s #: 204.0

This week’s #: 196.0

HOLY CRAP!! I lost 8 pounds!! This is totaly awesome! In one week I have lost all but .6 pounds of the 8.6 I gained since the saturday before Christmas.

Lesson learned: I need my routine!! I went in to the holidays with the intention of being “good” but I wound up going a wee bit overboard and lounging around lazily way  too much!

Last night I posted my Perfect 10 update and there you can find my workouts for the week.

We had Outback curbside take away last Saturday and Sunday there was a frozen pizza incident.

Monday

breakfast – oatmeal with banana & sugar free syrup

snack – apple and hardboil egg

Lunch –  tilapia with brussel sprouts, acorn squash and 1/2 cup brown rice

Dinner – grilled chicken with butternut squash, asparagus and a BIG salad

snack – berries

Tuesday:

Breakfast, snack, and lunch same as Monday

Dinner – Grilled chicken with red peppers, steamed broccoli and a BIG salad

snack – a nice mix of berries, apples, and tangerine

Wednesday:

breakfast – oatmeal with banana and sugar free syrup

snack – apple and a hardboiled egh

lunch – grilled chicken, butternut squash and 1/2 cup of brown rice

dinner – Salmon, spaghetti squash with marinara and a BIG salad

snack – hardboiled eggs, 1/2 apple

Thursday:

breakfast, snack and lunch – same as Monday

Dinner - Grilled Chicken with grilled zucchini, spaghetti squash with marinar and a BIG salad

snack: apple

Friday:

same breakfast

snack – apple

Lunch – grilled chicken with brown rice, broccoli and red peppers

Dinner – Hubby wanted to order out – he got a stromboli and I ordered grilled chicken, sauteed spinach and a large tossed salad.

snack – fiber one oats & chocolate bar

This was a great week! I worked out! I ate great! I felt great! This week coming up will be just as awesome!!

I thought I would be bored of my food options and maybe I need a bit more variety I am ecstatic about the results. Not only did I lose 8 pounds but I feel amazing. I know that eating well is helping me to feel this awesome. I will splurge a bit  this weekend. I will add some variety this weekend but Monday – Friday I will eat the same way I did this week. My family enjoyed it for the most part but they are willing to do it again!

My Rethink My Shrink Goals are:

1. drink 80 oz of water daily I did this 5/7 days

2. take multi vitamin and glucosamine every day I remembered 5/7 days

3. make time for workouts I totally made time for me and my workouts!! I worked out all 5 work days!

 

This week was very successful!  How was your week?

 

 

Saturday Scream (I mean Scale) Time

  • Posted on January 2, 2010 at 3:50 pm

As you know, Saturday always starts with a weigh-in! Well, I weighed in alright and I am NOT happy! WARNING: I cannot be positive but I am sure there will be some (if not a lot) of cursing in this post!

I was already planning on switching up the structure of Saturday Scale Time and I still am…after my rant!

I knew I was going to gain this week! I am not making excuses at all! I ate way too much food and way too many not-healthy options. I did not exercise very much, if at all! I lazed away this school vacation and I needed it!

I knew I was gonna gain!

But, I went to my Weight Watchers meeting! I knew I needed to know that number and move forward!

I gained 6 fucking pounds this week!

Really!!

6 fucking pounds!!

Last week I gained 2.6!!

In two weeks I gained 8.6 FUCKING pounds!!


How is that even fucking possible!?!?

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK

I FUCKED UP!!

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK

AAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!

I stayed for my WW meeting! I wanted to run and hide and scream and cry!! The last thing I wanted to do was come and write about this weigh it!! I didn’t want to tell anyone, especially you!!

Ok, to be honest, it is 3pm and my meeting was over and I was home by noon! I did hide a little bit! I twittered and read blogs! There are some amazingly awesome people with a great gift for writing a blog that I swear was meant just for me! Well, today I set off to read some inspiration.

I would like to thank all of my fellow weight watchers (no matter where you are in the journey or what program you work)! I also want to thank two friends, who also blog about weight loss!! Your words helped me this morning! I could have very easily wallowed in self pity and self loathing but your posts made me really think!

  • Steve, of Log my Loss and the Perfect 10, wrote about New Year’s Day and it got me thinking. I didn’t really track yesterday and I did not work out. At first, I thought I was already a failure but then I kept thinking: I ate rather well and I drank lots of water.  and I organized myself! I set up schedules and made it so my health came first. I am so ADD and I know that if I plan and schedule I will be successful. I also know that if I don’t finish some cleaning projects (de-Christmasing for one) I will not be able to concentrate! Plus, I needed to get the tree down to get to my treadmill!
  • My girl Shannon, aka the Fabulous Fattie, had a perfect post today about the New Year’s Fairy! OMG, Shannon is too dang cute so go read her blog!! The one thing about her post that sticks out the most (beside the cute fairy – who was pretty darn cute!) is this quote, “Make sure you do your part to make your resolution become reality.  All it comes down to is our choices.  Day by day making the right choices working towards our goals.” Thanks Shannon!! I will remember the little things!! I am going to make sure I do my part to be successful this year!

I learned a lot in 2009! I learned about healthy living and I learned about living! I still have much to learn but I am so ready for the ride!!

2010 (pronounced twenty ten) is the YEAR OF JEN!!!

2010 is the YEAR OF JEN!!

It is going to be my year! I am going to apply all the good stuff I have learned!! I have set reasonable goals! I WILL be successful!

Yesterday, I made several calendars to use as a schedule for the next 4 weeks. I scheduled my workouts, my chores, and my blog and lesson plan times. I will stick with this schedule for the next 4 weeks. I will evaluate at that point but I can see this will be a huge improvement for my time management! I may not have the time to tweet as much but I will be blogging more regularly. I know I will feel way less stressed if this all works out the way I hope it will!

Tonight I am going to the grocery store (we usually go on Saturdays so this is nothing new) but I will be getting supplies.  While I am still following my Weight Watchers, I am going to take a little detour and eat a certain way for the next few weeks. I am basically going to be eating grilled fish or chicken and tons of veggies plus oatmeal and fruits. It is not far off but I am going to really focus on healthy, un-processed foods. I will continue to drink my coffee with sugar-free french vanilla but I am going to slowly cut back! I feel like this is just the cleanse I need! I need to purge all the holiday gunk out of me!!

I think I have told you all everything!! I will take my measurements tonight – It has been like 2 months since I have done those and I figure now is as good as anytime!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!! Thanks for listening to me rant and rave today!! We all have bad days but I feel much better now!!

On a bloggy note:

Saturday’s format will be a bit different. I will still give you my new numbers but I will also give you an update of my Rethink your Shrink goals.  (Perfect 10 will get updated on Fridays, usually in the afternoon)

Saturday Scale Time and sooo much more

  • Posted on December 26, 2009 at 12:57 pm

I warn you and apologize in advance! This post slipped away from me!! I rambled but I needed to tell you some stuff! I needed to get some of the gunk out of my head!

Thank you for reading my blog and being awesome FRIENDS!! Thank you for allowing me to be ME and to learn what the hell it means to be Jen!

Last week: 195.4 {actually this was from 2 weeks ago}

This week: 198

Change this week: +2.6

You may have noticed that Saturday Scale Time did not happen last week! You can thank the wonderful snow storm! I found at today, that I was not the only one who did not make it to WW last week!! In fact, WW canceled the meeting and closed the building!

I must admit that going to my WW meeting was not the first thing on my mind when I climbed out of bed this morning! I had one hell of a belly and head ache!!! I truly think I had a sugar hangover. I love Christmas and part of my traditions include certain foods. We have made somethings healthier but I truly believe in enjoying certain things certain ways and I do not feel guilty about that!

Every year on Christmas we go to my mom’s house for our non-Italian take on the Feast of Seven Fishes! OMG! Calamari and shrimp and crab (jumbo Lump) and Ahi and Alaskan Salmon and Scallops and more crab (Kind Crab Claws)! Last year, we turned it into Seven Fishes Tapas! The appetizers are so yummy and plentiful that we are so full that dinner is almost a waste! This year we only had appetizers and it was perfect!!

Christmas is MY holiday. I do not go crazy with decorations or anything like that! When I was a kid I hated any holiday!! My parents were divorced and the schlepping from one family to the next and all that anxiety in between ruined most of the experience for me. When Q was a baby and I left her sperm donor and came home to my family, the holidays were almost as bad as when I was a kid. I schlepped me and my kid all over the place and I hated it!! When I met Big Man he changed everything about holidays! We were a new family and he helped me make traditions to enjoy the holiday. Our first Christmas together was 6 years ago but our first Christmas living all together was the next year. That Christmas, 5 years ago, changed everything for me! We did not leave our house but invited everyone to “pop” in anytime during the day. I prepared buffet-style, easy picky foods and casseroles so everyone could eat but I didn’t have to spend all day cooking. I have gotten much better at cooking and my meals have evolved but this is how we spend every Christmas now!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!

The food has gotten healthier! But the tradition is there!

This year, I made chocolate chip cookies at 9:30pm on Christmas Eve. I know I have a problem with cookies!! ESPECIALLY, fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies!! I cannot control myself! I had a ton of cookies (enough to gain 2.6 lbs)!! A TON OF cookies I ate yesterday! And they were so yummy!!

And then…

I woke up with a belly ache and a head ache!! I swear I had a chocolate chip hangover!!

But…

I went to my WW meeting anyway! and I gained 2.6 pounds! Phew!! I thought I was gonna gain about 7 pounds.

and this is where I confess…

I have not been tracking and I have not really been working out! I have been a slacker! But, I went to my WW meeting anyway!!

It may sound crazy, but I think those cookies were good for me! I think waking up feeling lousy was good for me!! I know going to my WW meeting was good for me!!

I am feeling very reflective!! I am also feeling very much in need of some change! Earlier I tweeted it out about taking some time away from blogging and I was hit back with the sweetest and most supportive tweets:

  1. PatBarone

    *@bwJen What a great time of year to retreat, play and plan next year! I did a mini retreat for myself Dec.23 to plan next year! about 1 hour ago from web

  2. Kat LowFatKat

    @bwJen Heck no! Your blog, your journey. You should take all the time you need! We read bc we like you, not bc you owe us content! :D about 1 hour ago from UberTwitter in reply to bwJen

  3. Jenna Borum chivetalker

    @bwJen morning, friend! Hope you had a lovely Christmas! Taking a break is necessary sometimes to refocus. :-) about 1 hour ago from web in reply to bwJen

  4. Complicated Mama ComplicatedMama

    @bwJen absolutely not.. I did the same a few weeks ago, sometimes a break is good. about 1 hour ago from web in reply to bwJen

  5. Britt Miller brimil

    @bwJen absolutely not! that sounds like a good idea actually about 1 hour ago from web in reply to bwJen

  6. Fitarella Fitarella

    @bwJen NOT AT ALL! take time for yourself and figure out what YOU need about 1 hour ago from TweetDeck in reply to bwJen

  7. Debra debroby

    @bwJen NO. Actually perfect time to do so. Many fewer readers/less activity this week than any other all year. about 1 hour ago from web in reply to bwJen

I will be taking a little trip to the Poconos tomorrow! Me, the Big Man and the karate kid will hit the road sometime before noon and it shouldn’t take up longer than 3 hours to get to our cabin.  We will be home Wednesday night! I cannot wait for 3 nights in a cabin in the mountains with my favorite peeps! I need to get away from everything and (with permission from my tweethearts) I am also going to step back from blogging this week. I need time for reflection and refocus and change!

Stay tuned!! I will be back very very soon!! [There will be a Mindful Menu plan posted tomorrow]

Saturday Scale Time

  • Posted on December 12, 2009 at 11:59 pm

Last week: 195.6

This week: 195.4

Change this week: -0.2

Change since 11/8/08: -47.2

Change since back @ WW (10/10/09): -4.o

Summary of week: In the last two months I have lost 4 pounds. That is 2 pounds per month.  I would like to see more movement on the scale but I am also ecstatic that the scale is still moving.  In fact, I am on a losing streak – I have lost for the last 5 weeks.  School has been busy. Home has been busy. and I have made excuses for not working out.

Hot 100 Update: I made too many excuses this week. I have nothing to say for myself! I was extremely half-assed about working out this week. I know what happened…the weather changed and got cold – almost wintery – and I went into hibernation mode. Menu planning has kept me eating wonderful nutritious foods but all the planning in the world can’t drag my ass out of bed.  I am however, doing great on other goal areas – I am getting more organized and as I get more organized I find planning and scheduling is my biggest helper.  I always knew making exercise a priority and actually exercising regularly would (and is) the hardest part of the weight loss journey. I am still unsure why I resist exercise so much – I know that I feel better when I workout but I do not push myself to actually do them. That is going to change. BY THE END OF THE YEAR!! I still have 19 day!

Goals for the week ahead:

  • I know what has to be done!! It is time to do it!!
  • Track every day
  • Workout consistently!
  • Walk 15 miles
  • Try Tae Bo
  • add 10 minute yogo or pilates 3x per week

Thoughts for the week ahead: Tony, aka the antiJared, blogged about the Brilliance of Day 1 - Go read it!! Trust me! I found myself agreeing with a lot Tony “said” in this post. Day 1 when I joined Weight Watchers I was on my “best behavior” and everything was so fresh and exciting and I wanted to be so good at the “new rules.” Week 1 was such a positive week. I am going to keep Day 1 and Week 1 in my mind every day!

There is so much to be done with less than two weeks til Christmas. I have bunches of cleaning to get done tomorrow so we can put out tree up tomorrow or Monday night. Tomorrow will be busy – cleaning and lesson plans and cooking.  Big Man and I are going to surprise  the kid with a Christmas Get-Away. We rented a cabin in the Poconos – we will head up there on Sunday after Christmas and hang out in the mountains for 3 nights! I can’t wait but there is much to prepare between now and then. LOTS to prepare between now and Christmas!! I will get exercise in – no matter how busy life gets!!

Saturday Scale Time

  • Posted on December 5, 2009 at 10:04 pm

Last week: 197.2

This week: 195.6

Change this week: -1.6

Change since 11/8/08: 47.0
Change since back @ WW (10/10/09): -3.8

Summary of week: I had the worst cramps and bloating the week! I was miserable and bitchy for most of the week! I did not exercise all that much :( and my body felt it when I got back on the horse (or treadmill as it is). When I finally had it in me to get on the treadmill I decided to sweat out all the evils from my body. I can’t raise the speed much faster than 3 mph – I am not a runner and I am not a speed walker and I am ok with that! This week I learned that I absolutely LOVE inclines! I think it was boredom that had me hitting the incline. Boredom and a side of grumpiness topped with annoyance at everything! It was a very hard, in a I-hate-being-a-girl kind of way, week!! I am so glad it is over and even happier that I only deal with really bad TOM weeks once in a blue moon! Let a new week begin!!

Hot 100 Update: I did not hit one goal this week! I did not workout with any consistency. I did not do any squats! I did not track anything! I was conscious of what I put in my mouth and I made wise and healthy food choices. That was hard at times this past week but I made it through without the aid of brownies! Don’t ask me how but I did it without one single brownie!

Goals for the week ahead:

  • get into the habit of daily stretching (maybe in the form of a short yoga or pilates class)
  • 50 squats every day
  • 10 miles (with lots of hills/inclines)
  • in bed by 11 pm on work nights
  • get things ready for work the night before (I tell the kid to do this; she picks out her outfit, packs her lunch & gets bag ready ~  I am thinking I should do the same)

Thoughts for the week ahead: I am going to monitor my time – really see what I do all day. I know I waste a lot of time and I know I have to and I want to stop wasting time. I also know that I spend way too much time online! I also know with Christmas so close I have lots of extra “stuff” to get done. Tomorrow I am going to a Girls Only Brunch, the 18th is our Staff Party. I have to decorate the house and get prepared for Christmas day. I am not going to get too far ahead of myself but I do want to be prepared for everything coming up because if I don’t do well if I don’t plan ahead!

How are you planning for the holidays?

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes
8 visitors online now
8 guests, 0 members
Max visitors today: 8 at 03:12 am EST
This month: 43 at 03-04-2010 12:28 am EST
This year: 43 at 03-04-2010 12:28 am EST
All time: 43 at 03-04-2010 12:28 am EST