A Trip to NYC...

I haven't been on to blog for Celery in awhile...but I've been neglecting my own blog more, so I don't feel TOO awful about it.

Last week, I took a 2 1/2 day trip to NYC with my friend, Chip. We threw together our travel plans in 4 days, but I found the spontaneity of it enjoyable and youthful. My biggest fear while in NYC was the food. As we all know, NYC restaurants are some of the best in the world; however, Chip was on his own diet and didn't want to really indulge.

Still, we grabbed a late dinner at an Irish pub after seeing Promises, Promises Tuesday night, which consisted of an overly salty Rueben & fries. And Chip granted me my wish of finally visiting Peanut Butter & Co. in Greenwich Village...with the most delicious PB sandwich I have every had. Also, our last meal in NYC was at the Olive Garden in Times Square. So, when this past Monday hit, I was a little nervous.

What I saw during my weigh-in was even more surprising...I had lost 2 lbs.

I am thinking that all the walking we did each day paired with the healthy snack choices we made each day (nectarines & veggies at the deli up the street), really saved me. I found walking in NYC a lot different than in CHI. I enjoyed it. And we did A LOT of it...at least 5 miles a day.

Glad to see that I had lost something. And with the good feelings from the weigh-in, I ordered a new pair of walking shoes (Reebok Easy Tones) and 2 new pairs of running shoes (Nike LunarGlide & Nike FreeRun). I also ordered some yoga classes for a local studio & am starting tomorrow with my 1st "Intro to Yoga" class.

I'll be up in the *gym* (really yoga studio or outside) working on my fitness!

A GOOD Week

So it's been awhile since I've blogged. Sorry. I just haven't felt the need to say anything. That, and I've been spending a lot of time at the pool. =)

So we weighed in for the 3rd time today and after gaining back everything I lost plus some last week, I took it all back off plus some losing 5.2 lbs. I was really happy that I got the result I did because I really worked hard and stuck to my diet. I didn't starve myself, and I consciously made decisions not to eat junk food or fast food when I wanted to. I kept telling myself NO. This was really unusual to me because this was the week before my monthly mother nature visit and I'm usually ravenous in this week and eat everything I can get my hands on. So I guess I controlled my cravings with eating right and working out. A welcomed surprise since I always hated how I felt after gorging myself!!

So the challenge this week is to stay on track and continue eating right and working out. However, I have basketball camp that I run this week during the time when I was going to different classes last week, so we'll see if I can motivate myself to do some of the work myself at other times. Also, mother nature will be visiting this week, so let's hope she is kind to me and the weight loss!

Side note: I made two more really good recipes this past week. Vegetable fried rice and linguine with fresh tomatoes. Both were absolutely delicious and low cal! I love this cookbook and think it was an excellent investment!! If you ever come across the Taste of Home cookbook called Everyday Light Meals, I highly recommend it!!

Here's to another good week!!
Jenn

Truth is Perceptive

Don't change the Facebook photo. That is the person you want to be, right now you are in a rut. You have been able to tell us all your weight and we are moving past it together. Not to mention Facebook on a whole is just a pack of lies.

Most people fluff up their lives, bedazzle mediocrity or take slutty photos to make them feel better about losing their panties at the bar last weekend. Do you really think all of those "happy family" photos are really happy? Chances are Mom is on prozac and Dad has a collection of Coors Light beer cans he has built into a fort. So we lie about our current figures? I bet no one puts their actual weight on their driver's license. I was on the verge of putting my younger age on there. Life is perception.

Should the world rid itself of make up? Tanning lotion? Padded bras? I say no. As long as you are not going under the knife to change your appearance, then show off the person you want to show off.

I am not changing my photo until I am confortable taking one from the waist down.

XoXo

Another truth....

I have noticed that no matter how hard I try to keep my Facebook friends community from knowing how much weight I've gained or how different my body looks, they can always find out from your pictures?

I am afraid to change the picture on my FB, Twitter, LinkedIN & Blogspot profiles because the one I have up right now, I loev. It's from when I was at my healthiest weight a couple years ago.

Arg...I think I need to chalk up to the truth & change it.

Coming to terms with reality

The reality of my life is....Food has been an ever-present friend. My best friends are spread across IL, MO, WI, AZ & NC. It isn't easy for me to just hop in the car or take a bus to see them throughout the week. Even more difficult is to meet a cool person that you bond with like you do your best girl friends from HS & College.

So, food became a comfort pillow to lie my head. Except, when I started eating, I couldn't stop. It's sad when, instead of calling my friends to discuss a bad day, I would just come home & start noshing.

I need to get more active in things....volunteering, networking, etc. So, I made a decision a couple weeks ago that I was going to try getting back into musical theather, because I truly miss having that musical/creative outlet. I had called to make an audition appointment about a week ago for a community theater in Arlington Heights; however, ALL their audition times had been filled. So, they put me on a wait list in case of a cancellation, which I pretty much came to terms that I wouldn't be auditioning for that theater. And I started looking at other opportunities.

Well, yesterday, I got a phone call from the theater company that there had been a cancellation & I was up for audition tomorrow (today, Tues 6/8) @ 8:10pm. I immediately went into audition mode, picked my song, edited my resume and searched for a musical theater monologue. I'm not good at memorizing lines. But instead of eating all night in stress, I went for a walk, calmed down & rehearsed the song a bit before bed.

I'm just nervous about the audition, because I am quite visibly NOT the body type for stage anymore. And if I want to start performing again, I need to have a better body, endurance & overall health. It's depressing to realize that the weight gain might affect their overall idea of me in consideration for their principal parts.

But I'm hoping getting more involved will bring better mental and physical health benefits to my life.

Meltdown

Hello, my name is Liz and I just had a meltdown after seeing our groceries. My fiance is a chocoholic. He ate an entire box of Fannie Mae pixies yesterday. We are in week three and I am already imagining people as giant cookies. I have a mixture of wanting to punch them and wanting to eat them. This can not be healthy.

I know there are those 100 calorie packs, but they are not satisfying. When I eat them, I just lie to myself and say they were filling The only way they would be appetizing is if I dipped them in a tub of frosting before eating them. I feel like I need to start a club: Phat Kids of America. Our symbol would be a tub of frosting with a spoon sticking out encircled by bedazzled jewels.

I need a hobby something to get my mind off of food. My old hobby of baking is doing nothing for my waistline. I can not fit into any of my clothes. I was thinking that working out might be a hobby but I realized I hate it.

I am sitting here in a post-meltdown shame wondering how I am going to show my face outside of my room. My dog witnessed the whole thing and I could tell that even he was embarrassed for me.

Any hobby suggestions? I am between making clothes for my dog or paper mache hats.


xoxo

Emotional Food

Hello ladies! Long time, no blog. I just got back from Rio where I spent the last few days at Tim's grandfather's funeral. It was a tough few days, but more than anything I felt like my life was put on hold. I know that sounds a bit selfish, but I just realized how easy it is for life to get in the way.

When we were at the hospital last weekend, there were no healthy options. Hospitals push simple quick food. They are like McDonald's with less flavor. Throughout all of the chaos of the week, I realized a few things: 1) I can make quick healthy food and 2) I can make healthy choices when I am out eating.

One other thing I realized is that we are trained that food and emotions are interconnected. To show sympathy, people brought food. Generally you do not have time to cook when you are grieving, so it is welcoming. Yet all the food is quite fattening. Not a single person brought fruit to the visitation or funeral. I had "Tater-Tot Casserole". Who knew that even existed?

I have some to realize that food makes people feel better and the fattier the better. I am not alone in the world when I turn to face a sandwich and smile. Just because I am not alone, does not mean I am going to let this keep going. I am going to put these past few days behind me and just take a step forward. If there is anything that this has taught me, is that my body is on loan to me, and well I want it to look damn good. So good night for now ladies. MUAH!

Out with School, In with Summer

Well it has finally arrived! The end of the school year which means the end of lunches in the teachers' lounge and all of the different temptations that come with it. While I'll miss my lunchtime company (we were a pretty fun group), I won't missing having to stare down the different treats my mouth is watering for or having the angel on one shoulder and devil on the other having a heated debate over what to eat or not eat. I am looking forward to starting my new workout routine and doing it at the time I want, not when I have to.

So here's to summer and the freedom it brings to do what I want when I want to and to feeling more in control of my life!

I've also made a deal with myself that I can't go to the pool unless I have worked out that morning. So hopefully, I'll be getting as thin as I do tan this summer!!

Jenn

Battle of the Bloat

Since the holiday weekend's food stuffing competition, I have been feeling bloated beyond belief. I'm pretty sure it's from the fatty & highly preserved (salty) foods as well as lack of water.

Some experts say if you are not hydrated enough, the body retains weight. I recently read an article that if you properly take in 10-12 cups of water a day, you could lose up to 5 lbs that first week of full hydration. Not sure about that....but I'm going to try watering myself like a thirsty little flower.

I need to start taking in more veggies this week to make up for the 2 days this weekend/Monday when my meals were more so based on my favorites vs. meals based on fueling my body. I need to get off my ascot and work out tonight when I'm back from all my work stuff.

The hardest part for me has been the exercise!!!

Relief

Relief from the heat is my theme of this week. As I close down my classroom, I am actually looking forward to the next several weeks to do some teaching and staying focused on the competition. One week has gone by, I feel like I have done fairly well. Of course I would love for it to be easier and require less motivation. But, like every other obstacle in life, I must fight through it and look at the prize in the end. Not only are we all fighting the heat, but fighting our selves as well. I know we have all done a fantabulous job this week and will continue to motivate each other the next 11 weeks!

Let me give you all a "physical challenge" for this week. In your workouts, try something new! Join a class, try a new video, or just a new machine at the gym.

p.s.

"Wipeout" is a great show.. this blind date edition is hilarious:)

~Bri