Tuesday Mornings – Part 4

I had my fourth weigh-in for my weight loss challenge. And… I was down 1.2 lbs! I’ll take it. A loss is a loss. So far, I’ve lost every week (some numbers better than others) which means I haven’t had to pay and that total number just keeps inching up! I’m only tenths away from 10 pounds. Yes!

I’ve stepped up my gym routine by trying the gym at 5:45AM! I went this morning and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be to roll my chubby ass out of bed. (The thought of 5:30 is way scarier than actually getting up.) To my surprise, the gym was just as crowded at that time of morning as it is at 6:30pm during the week. Except for one difference, the people at the gym at 5:45 seem ultra committed. I deliberately got on an elliptical next to a woman whom reminded me of Jillian from the Biggest Loser. I tried very hard to keep my pace around hers, so not to be embarrassed, and it really seemed to push me.

By 6:45 when I was leaving, all the toned, beautiful Hendersonvillians had moved out and the wrinkley white hairs had moved it. Seriously, I’m guessing the median age at 7am at the YMCA to be about 69. (Hehe.) Most of them just mosey around, drinking coffee while watching the news on the TV’s. It seems like it’s more of a social scene for them as opposed to a work out. Except for the pool area. That’s the best gathering area for the old folks. But, at least they’re there!

So another weigh-in has come and gone. I’m really hoping to get into double digits with my weigh-in next week and really hoping for the day that I can actually see and feel the difference that I’m trying to make. Size 8, here I come! J

~Jenn

Good little girls

Every year it’s a surprise to me that Christmas is around the corner. I swear it was just yesterday that I looked at my calendar in June and thought “Oh wow, Christmas is just 6 months away!” And now look. Halloween is this weekend and it’s just a free fall of Holidays for the next 6 weeks.

Does this ever happen to you?

Throughout the year you come across items that you’d think you’d like to have, but YOU don’t want to pay for it? So you remind yourself to tell mom/dad/husband/wife/etc that it would be a nice thought as a Christmas gift? And then that fleeting thought disappears and November rolls around and you can’t think of one thing that you’d like? Yes, that’s me too every year. But this year, I have a grown-up toy that I’d like. 

bodybugg in zebra print

Its the bodybugg® and is featured on The Biggest Loser. It’s a pricey lil’ widget coming in at $175 or so. (Eeeeek!) Buts its the best of the best when it comes to determining the science of calorie burning by person. I find it hard to trust what these elliptical machines say, so this is a sure fire way of understanding the amount of work I do at the gym and how that will play into my weight loss journey.

Now $175 is a lot of money for a Christmas present, so I may have to lump it into a Christmas/Birthday (ahem… February 6^th!) gift. But the cheesy (fat-free cheese) part of me thinks that my health is… wait for it… priceless. So whats $175 when you have a smoking hott body!?

I’m glad you agree.

~Jenn

Read more about the bodybugg®  http://www.24hourfitness.com/training/bodybugg/

Halloween scares me!

I have two true loves… my husband Neal and a quiet, though fiery, love affair with chocolate.

With Halloween approaching, I am having that second love shoved in my face on a daily basis. Every vendor at work seeking more business brings in baskets of candy, each one trying to out do the other. At first, some would bring in hard candies. You know… mints, caramels, etc. I have no problem passing that up. But the vendors who really care about our business bring out the big guns… for instance, Hershey’s, Snickers, Butterfingers and my two favorites – Reece’s Cups and Dove chocolates (preferably in dark chocolate.)  

There is candy everywhere I look. In the Kitchen, where I refill my 32 oz. water bottle often. In the Tech room, conveniently next to fax machine. At the front desk where I drop by often to chat with Judy, the New Orleans native, "mom" of the office who asks me every Monday if I went to mass, like every good Catholic mother should. And Sally, the red headed “tell-it-like-it-is” Grandmother and receptionist from Detroit.

I’m just waiting for them to put a lil’ bowl by the bathroom sink as an incentive to wash your hands.

It makes me a nervous wreck, but so far, so good. I haven’t had one piece of candy since I started my weight loss journey almost 3 weeks ago. But the real task is making it through Halloween next weekend.

Our Halloween ritual for the past 3 years has been to meet at my in-laws house who live in an established family-neighborhood in Hendersonville. “Ballentrae” is known for having the best candy in the city. This year is no different.

(Sidenote: If you’re like me who grew up in the ghettos of Clarksville, you NEVER Trick-or-Treated in your own neighborhood. Hells no. We loaded up and drove out to Sango to beat on the doors of the rich folks. Everyone knows they give the best candy.)

Ballentrae does a wonderful job at making it a festival of sorts for the night. Most people bundle up and sit outside with a fire pit in front of them to watch all the babies go door to door. There is someone who pulls a hay ride up and down the streets. It’s an event.

My in-laws, like every abiding homeowner in that community, buy the good shit. (If not, egging ensues.) There’s no telling how much money they spend on candy for Halloween. And like a respectful daughter-in-law, I do not come empty handed. But I do come prepared. My attack plan this year is to buy candy I KNOW I won’t eat, not even when I’m desperate. (Sweet tarts, anything with caramel or malt, suckers, or anything strawberry/raspberry/lemon/orange flavored.

I’m realistic, though. I know it’s not practical to make it through that night with a lil’ sumthin sumthin. So maybe instead of 6 Reece’s cups, I’ll make it 2. (Small ones, mind you.) And later that night, if I’m really good, I’ll just treat myself to a lil’ cup of Neal instead.

Oooo yeah…. ;)

Halloween 2009. I was a leopard. He was a...??

You bite it? You write it.

One of the biggest things I learned at Weight Watchers (WW) was to write down everything you eat. Sometimes putting that proof on paper can be a real eye opener as to what you’re really consuming on a daily basis. Often times, I think people don’t even realize how much their eating.

A lot of restaurants are making calorie and fat counts really easy, by putting it on their menus. When I didn’t care what I was eating, it used to infuriate me that they did this. And I know why. Because when you don’t see the nutritional info of what you’re eating, subconsciously, it’s like it doesn’t count. But when you consider your order of a cheeseburger and fries and then see that the yummy meal will be a whopping 900+ calories, then you’re more likely to rethink your choice.

Case in point….

The husband and I had Panera for lunch over the weekend and Panera has calorie counts on EVERYTHING now! I went through a ½ soup ½ sandwich or salad phase when I worked in downtown Nashville. After some quick math I figured out that I was consuming almost 1,000 calories with creamy soups, cheesy sandwiches and the half a damn baguette they give you. With the calorie counts now, it makes it much easier to make better choices.

Yesterday I had the same deal of a  ½ soup and ½ salad meal, but this time I went with a broth based soup and a salad with light dressing and I came it at 400 calories. And I was satisfied.

My husband, whom I love and adore and am sorry for picking on, chose a full sandwich and subbed a bagel and cream cheese for his side. His whopping meal came in at 1,250 calories. OUCH!

So I’m choosing restaurants that encourage me to make better choices. Eating out and dieting can still be done and we’re given every tool to make better decisions about what we’re putting into our bodies.

So next time before you bite it, think about it.

~ Jenn

A pretty face

If there’s one thing a fat chick doesn’t want to hear its, “she has a pretty face.” We all know what that means. It’s the exact opposite of “Butter Face.” For those of you unfamiliar with this term, then go look it up on urbandictionary.com. For those of you who refuse to, due to laziness, then fine, I’ll just tell you.

Butter Face (n.) A homonym that sounds like "but her face." I.E. - To call a woman a "butter face" is to say her body is very sexy, but her face is fugly.

Sidenote: “Fugly” – That’s a good one to look up, too.

By the way, if you’re a parent of teenager, then you may want to bookmark Urban Dictionary because it’ll come in handy at some point. You’ll stay on it all night typing in phrases uttered from the mouth of your hormonal teenager, and maybe one day you’ll be called a MILF, maybe even a GILF, and all will be right with the world.

Anyways, getting back on track. When someone tells you that you have a pretty face, then its time to get on a diet. Because that’s someone’s passive aggressive way of telling you that, yes, while you do have a pretty face, your body needs some work.

And this is my goal.

I don’t want to just be that chubby girl with a pretty face. (And a nice rack, might I add.) I want the whole package. And that’s what I’m working towards. And whether or not I reach my ultimate goal, I always have this to hold on to…

‘Tis better to be the fat girl with a pretty face than to be a Butter Face any day. ‘Cuz you can’t change ugly. Well, without a hefty price tag.   

~ Jenn

Tuesday Mornings

As I’ve mentioned, the work weigh-in for the Biggest Loser Challenge is every Tuesday morning. It’s an exciting time, yet a dreaded event in the same sense. I would love to check my blood pressure as I inch closer to the scale, because I can literally feel the blood pumping through my veins. I get very nervous because I know the work I’ve done throughout the last week. I know my calorie counts and I know the effort I’ve put in at the gym. Its just a matter of my body agreeing.

With a weigh-in last week of 7.2, I was even more nervous this week. I know 7.2 is excessive. The pessimist side of me was saying “its just water weight. Next week will really show.” The shyer, more optimistic side of me says, “Way to go fat girl! That’s a pound a day!”

Today weigh-in was a measly .2 pounds less. But a loss is a loss and I’ll take it. For a 2 weeks period, I’ve lost nearly 7 ½ pounds which is still a great number.

I still have some changes to make on my diet and this week I’m entering in strength training into my gym routine. Hopefully my body has adjusted to this sudden change in diet and exercise and it will really pay off next week.

I don’t want to shoot myself in the foot, but I’m hoping to make it an even 10 pound loss by next Tuesday. We’ll see. Stay tuned.

~ Jenn

FALLin’ for exercise…

For those of you living in middle Tennesse, you know that this Summer was brutal, and now Fall has been a big tease! One day we have highs in the low 70’s and then last few days we’re back in the mid-80’s. It’s ridiculous. I’m ready for Summer to see its way out, because I don’t like sweating. Well, “glistening,” because Southern women don’t sweat.  

While I’ve been complaining of the recent heat wave, some days have been really nice. By sun set, it’s even more comfortable, and that’s made outside activities a little more enjoyable.

In the recent weeks, my husband has been working a few more day shifts and so we’ve had our evenings together. If you dont know him, Neal is a very active guy. He’s also very creative. These two attributes have given us outlets to try new sports and activities, and most of them are FREE, which is even better.

In the last few weeks, we’ve tried our hand at disc golf. Hendersonville has Saundersville Park with 18 holes of disc golf, so we stopped by our local disc golf shop and bought used discs ($3 each) and headed down to the park. It’s a beautiful park surrounded on one side by Old Hickory Lake and tons of mature trees everywhere. We played about 15 holes of disc golf until we got to one where you had to throw the disc across a portion of the lake. Needless to say, one amateur, who shall remain nameless, lost us $3 and one beautiful purple disc.

We’ve also picked up tennis. (Some better than others.) And my recent favorite, plain ole’ Frisbee throwing. It doesn’t sound like much exercise, so we make it into that. We do drills, long runs, jumps, etc. It’s a great workout!

Over the weekend, I tried my first corn maze. It was awesome! We went at 7pm, so we bundled up and brought flashlights. Shuckle’s Corn Maze (http://www.shucklescornmaze.com/) is a 6 acre maze in Hendersonville. They’ve added on to the activities over the years with games, hay rides, concessions, etc. We went with an intention to not only have fun, but to MOVE too! We walked the maze for over and hour, until we got to the end. I really wish I had worn my pedometer, because there’s no telling how many miles we walked.

Jenn & Neal at Shuckle's Corn Maze... just being corny!

If you’ve never been to a corn maze, then you should definitely try it out! Its great family fun and you work out without even noticing it. So grab a partner and head out to your local corn maze for a lil' Fall fun and maybe even a little exercise, too!

~Jenn

I can cook a mean bowl of cereal!

Probably my biggest downfall of being a wife is that I cant/don’t cook. I mean, I keep our married life “spicy,” if you know what I mean, it just ain’t in the kitchen. (And that’s probably why my husband doesn’t complain much.) TMI? Mmm, perhaps.

When we registered for our wedding, the thought of kitchen utensils and appliances overwhelmed me. Half of the stuff we registered for was forced upon me by my mother because she insisted that I can and will cook.  Mr. Harris and I will celebrate our one year wedding anniversary on November 28^th, and almost a year later, half of those shiny Kitchen items are packed neatly in the Kitchen. Some are still in their boxes with a shiny hope of one day living the life of a true Kitchen basic.  I’m not worrying much about it until those chubby-cheeked Catholic babies come along.

I say that, but I do have a silent longing to be at least a decent cook. My mom is one of the best cooks I’ve ever known. She knows recipes by heart and they taste just as good years later. She can take 4 ingredients, and under pressure, create a masterpiece.

My Grandmal (that’s how I spell it) is a true, Southern, cook. Gravy, salt and all. And I love it. She has concocted my most favorite meal of all time…

- Baked Steak with home-made brown gravy (with lil’ pieces of remaining beef.)

- Homemade mashed potatoes. (Not runny, not too lumpy.)

- Something green I put on my plate for good measure.

- Sister Schubert rolls (because none compare)

- Real sweet tea, extra sweet.

- And for dessert, cranberry-apple pie with home-made crusts served with freshly made ice cream.

O….M….G. DELISH! I’m almost salivating as I write this.

And me? Well, I can cook up one mean bowl of cereal. Milk and all, baby! Sometimes I like to mix it up by adding… *gasp * frozen blueberries!

But this is a goal of mine. To be come a better cook. It’s not easy with a husband that works evenings, and me working till 5:30 every day. But I’m working on it. Starting with this crock pot. I’ve been given lots of “easy” recipes to try with minimal amounts of touching raw meats. (The thought of raw chicken makes me vomit in my mouth a lil.) I’ve tried a few of said recipes and so far, so good. But now comes the worry of cooking great meals that are good for you, too.  And that’s easier said then done.

You’re probably wondering how this ties in with my weight-loss journey. Well, simple enough, a sista’s gots to eat! That’s how!

~Jenn

Shake! Shake Shake! Shake yo booty!

Who doesn’t like to shake their booty every now and then? Even if you refuse to do it in public, you can’t fool me, I know you do it at home.

Did you know that 96.4%* of Americans dance naked in front of their mirror? I believe it. I’ve been doing it since I knew what naked was. (Or nekked as we say in the South.) I used to dance naked around my house, until my neighbors started sending the HOA letters and they made me go back inside. But I digress.

For people who aren’t afraid to shake their booty’s, then there’s a work out just for you! It’s called ZUMBA! By now, most of you have tried it, or at the very least have heard of it. But every now and then I’m surprised that when I mention it, people ask what it is.

I guess by definition, Zumba is a Latin infused dance fitness class. There’s a lil rumba, salsa, cha-cha, reggae, and more. I’ve tried it all over the mid-state and I’ve had several different teachers, and no teacher’s style is the same. Some are strictly Latin songs, some combine it with hip-hop. (Pitbull is a recent favorite of some!) Zumba has become widely popular these days and has a booming retail business. (FYI – if you ever want to order any Zumba ensemble, order bigger than you normally wear. My fat ass learned the hard way.)

The great thing about the growing popularity of Zumba is that everyone can do it now. Personally, my favorite class is the Wednesday night class at the Hendersonville Y, taught by Jamie. We’ve been appropriately named the “Wednesday Nasties” because we get nas-tay, hey hey! There are teens, middle aged women, seniors, and yes, even men. They always stand in the back because they “don’t want to be seen.” I think we know what this means. They get the best view from the back. The men who aren’t brave enough to attend just gawk through the windows. I’m not sure which is worse.

It goes without saying that this ain’t yo Grandma’s fitness class!

We get down! We bump. We grind. We get nasty. All the Y. Who would have imagined?! It’s a cardio-packed hour and when you leave, you feel like you’ve really worked out. I kind of forget that I’m even exercising when I Zumba, because I like to booty dance at home for fun.

So check your local Y, gym, and even churches! It takes a class or two to get the hang of it, so bring a friend if it makes you feel better. But the most important part is that you MOVE! And if dancing makes that time go by faster, then this is the perfect fit for you!

~Jenn

*Did you know that 47.9% of statistics are made up?

But how, Jenn?!

Okay, several of yall have asked how I’m trying to win this battle of the bulge. Well, I’m starting small and within reason.

A few weeks ago, I started visiting my friendly gym more often than I was. I had been going to my regular Wednesday Zumba class, but I started spreading out my scope of gym activities. I’ve tried a spin class, which is a literal pain in my ass. I’ve also tried a Sports Conditioning class which involves a lot of running, squats, push-ups and the like.

I like classes because I’m less likely to leave in the middle of one if I’m tired. It keeps me accountable to stay the full hour. It also helps that I have a gym buddy, Lindsey. I know if she’s going, then I’m more likely to go because I don’t want her to judge me. J

Last week, I picked up the elliptical machine. That machine helped me to lose my college weight several years back. It’s hard to stay on it for the 45 minutes to an hour, so I strategically plan when I go. I try to go when one of my favorite 1-hour shows are on. Like most gyms these days, ours has private TVs at every cardio machine. I plug in my lil’ head set and watch. During commercials, I change to a selective work-out playlist on my iPod and really step up my intensity. Then when the show returns, I continue watching.

The diet part, honestly, has been the hardest part. Like I mentioned before, my adoring husband loves to eat. And one of these days when I meet lil’ baby Jesus, I’m going to ask him why he forgot to give me a metabolism like Neal’s, or any of those skinny biotches I’ve known along the way. (No offense, if you’re a naturally skinny biotch reading this. Much Love!)

But last week, I dramatically changed my eating habits. I still eat out with Neal, but I’ve swapped my chicken McNuggets to chicken salads. My tuna subs to turkey subs. Full flavored dressings to lite. I’ve completely taken out fried foods, even though the smell of fries is music to my thighs! I’m trying to eat more fresh foods such as veggies and fruits. My favorite fast-food place is Wendy’s because I adore their apple chicken pecan salad. Pair that with a tater, and it’s a fine meal!

All these small changes, I feel, will bring great results, with time. And that’s probably the hardest, in reality. Knowing that I won’t wake up and miraculously put on size 6 next week. I’ve seen several friends starve themselves, try these low-carb diets, and some inject themselves with God knows what. (Horse urine and human growth hormones, for one. Yes, you heard me right. Horse piss!) But what I know works is exercise, eating right and most of all patience.

I leave you with this.

One of my favorite parts of the gym is when I leave it. Honestly. I don’t like sweating. I’d rather be on the couch catching up with my DVR. But when I leave the Y, I know that I’ve done something to help myself.

The YMCA, where I attend, has this basket of “Vitamins for the Soul.” It’s a basket of tiny slips with paper with printed bible verses or appropriate quotes. I grab one every time, and I swear, in that little piece of colored paper, God speaks to me.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

I think that says it all.

~Jenn

The verdict is in...

Well, I had my first official weigh-in this morning and after one week, I lost… (drumroll please)….. 7.2 pounds!!!!

Holy sweet Mother of God! I am praising the lil’ baby Jesus!

Let me tell you, the thought of weighing in has plagued my mind for days. I dreamt about it several times and every time I put food to my mouth, the thought of that scale was staring me in my chubby face. I just prayed that I would at least loose something, so I could keep myself motivated to take this challenge seriously. So needless to say, I am thrilled with this start!

Like I mentioned before, I am a fan of NBC’s Biggest Loser show. If you watch it, then you know that contestants always lose an exorbitant amount of weight after the first week. Realistically, I know 7.2 will not be a reoccurring number, but that puts me half-way to my goal of 15 pounds in 10 weeks. I think it’s safe to bump that number up a bit. So I am now aiming for a goal of 20 pounds by the end of this challenge. They say the healthy weight loss per week is 2 pounds. With 9 weeks remaining and already 7.2 pounds down, it’s completely doable. (That’s what he said.)

Before we part ways, I just want to say THANK YOU to those that have sent me nice words of encouragement and have commented on my blog and Facebook statuses. Your support is very much appreciated. For anyone who has ever struggled with weight, it’s never an easy road. But through outlets such as Facebook, texts, emails, etc, it makes the journey that much better knowing you have friends and family on your side. So for that, I think yall!

~Jenn

The Biggest Loser

So you may wonder what I’m doing differently to win this weight loss journey.

Well, last Tuesday, my office decided to start a version of its own “Biggest Loser.” Being a fan of the show, I thought this could be the accountability to lose weight that I was looking for. So I joined.

Here are the rules…

- Its $10 up front to join the 10-week challenge.

- You weigh in every Tuesday morning.

- If you maintain or lose, great! If you gain .2 (increments of the work scale) or more, you pay $2. If you decide not to weigh in, you pay $2.

- All these funds are kept in a pot. The weights are monitored by one person only who has been sworn to secrecy or a beating shall ensue. At the end of the challenge, the person with the greatest percent of weight loss wins the entire pot.

Last year, the pot was over $300. We’re hoping to have a similar amount this year.

My short-term goal for the duration of the challenge is to lose 15 pounds. Anything more is a bonus. My long-term goal is to lose 50 pounds. That seems like a lot when I actually put it in writing, but considering my voluptuous (and quite busty, might I add) build, its completely reasonable.

I’m using this work challenge as my “Weight Watchers” type of program. I’ve had great success with WW in the past. After I graduated from college in 2004, I joined WW in Atlanta and lost 30 pounds. It felt like it just fell off. Now, I’m finding it’s a lot harder to lose. Being close to 30 might have something to do with it, but I think having a husband with the metabolism of a high school track runner and who loves to eat, is what really makes it hard. Love has done some funny things to my body.

In Atlanta, it was just me. I worked a lot and came home to myself. And this cat. Who wasn’t very supportive. (A high-five every now and then would’ve been nice. It’s the least she could have done since I fed her fat ass every day.) I worked in a luxury hotel in Buckhead and I walked my ass off (literally) every day. I wore a pedometer and on one of my busiest days, I walked the equivalent of a marathon. After a long day, I would come home, head back to the gym and then back to my cozy apartment where my cat would seemingly mock me as I microwaved a Lean Cuisine. I didn’t have a lot of friends and my boyfriend at the time was two states away. I had no one to answer to except for the inner skinny girl calling to me.

Now 6 years later, I’m in the best place of my life. I have a truly supportive husband who makes me fall more in love with him every day. I have a job that came out of no where, that is a perfect fit for me. I live in a beautiful city that I adore. We have THE life – a loving family, a house with two spare rooms that one day we want to fill with beautiful, Irish, chubby cheeked babies and a Goldendoodle. To start.

So here’s to weight loss. Because you have to start somewhere.

~Jenn

Come one, come all...

Back when Myspace was cool, I blogged like it was going out of style. Years later, I don’t have the Myspace account anymore, but I did save my blogs. Looking back, most were just ramblings of a passive aggressive 20-something finding her way in love and life. It’s really interesting to watch my growth over the years of writing. I went from a recent college grad, living alone in Atlanta, to a slave of the corporate world back in middle Tennessee. My love life had its ups and downs, but through it all, I found blogging to be a cathartic way of working through some of that angst in a creative, witty and yes, sometimes, bitchy way.

So here I am. Years later. Facebook is now my vice. The love life is perfect in every way. No more angst, but still passive-aggressive with an occasional bitchy side. (I think we all have our days.) I’ve gone from worrying about career choices to bigger decisions as a married unit. But one thing remains – a desire to be a healthier, fit Jenn.

Hence the start of this blog.

Years back, I attended a Catholic women’s conference with my mom. The speaker that year said something that I have saved in the back of my day planner and refer to every now and then.

         “God’s Dream for me is to become a better version of myself.”

It struck me, because while I have grown intensely content with my life, I know there is always something that could use a little more... shine. So now I’m focusing on my journey of weight-loss with an overall desire to become more fit and healthy.

So here's to brushing off my dusty blogging skills, to document this journey that will hopefully lead me to a brighter better version of myself….