It's Finally Up - New Goals

I walked into Jenny Craig today and an older woman, whom I have never talked to before, came up to me and said "You look fantastic! How long have you been on Jenny Craig for?" I told her I had been on Jenny since June of last year. Although it felt fantastic being acknowledged by a stranger, I felt a little guilty because walking in today I knew I was up 3 or 4 pounds. I have really been struggling with these last 15-20 pounds. I am only living in beautiful Boulder, Colorado for 3 more weeks and then I am moving back home to Southern California. With that said, I have been putting off my weight because I want to try every good restaurant until I leave. Boulder is a Food Nation! Boulder is a great place for foodies, such as myself, which can get me into trouble sometimes. Another reason I am struggling, besides all the temptations, is that I know I will be moving home where there is ZERO temptations. The best restaurant in Westlake Village, CA is Stonefire Grill. Deep down I know that I will lose my weight so quickly when I get back that I am allowing it to cloud my judgement when it comes to losing weight and making good and healthy decisions.
While I was pondering these thoughts, the Center Director of Jenny Craig pulled me into the hallway and showed me my poster board that is finally up! If you have not been following my blog, a couple months ago Jenny Craig wanted to feature me within the store by putting up pictures and an "About Me" for my weight loss journey. Well....it's finally up!! I was so excited to see it. It was in a plastic casing and looked so professional thanks to my previous consultant, Lynn! And on top of that, two women, also on Jenny, came up and started reading it and were telling me how much they identify and how I look so good and they're so proud. I believe one of them actually called me toned??? I think that truly gave me some inspiration and makes me want to stick to some goals this week.

MY GOALS:
After talking to my new consultant today and discussing the issues I have been having we decided that I should be able to eat out! But when I eat out it's going to be "contained flexibility". I have been too constrained when it comes to eating out.....3 oz of fish with vegetables ONLY.
Now, I find myself going crazy. Like last night, I had 3 pieces of bread and butter, tomato soup, 3 oz of halibut and veggies, and 2 cocktails.
We decided I can have the cocktails, I can have the bread because I need to start learning how to eat in the real world and I never want to be super confined.
BUT, have 1 piece of bread and 1 cocktail instead.
SO, I'm going to try to eat healthy but not be so restricted. I am so close to my goal and I need to be realistic.

MY TAKE AWAY MESSAGE:
1. Eat what you want, but don't go over board.
2. Don't indulge too much and really eat for how much your stomach needs and not what your eyes need.
3. Stop eating when you're not hungry, NOT when you're full.
4. Make sure to still make the healthy choices, but don't feel restricted.
5. It's okay to get the cocktail and it's okay to have a piece of bread, but make other healthy choices with dinner and throughout your day.
6. Plan your meal before hand!

Running - challenge yourself

I have my Graffiti Run (the 5k) coming up this month on April 28th. I decided it's time to start doing some running. The 5k seems pretty casual as it is meant for all ages.....children and up! Even though I can probably walk the entire thing, I wanted to start running. In high school, I played volleyball for a couple years, so the extent of my running has never been more than the length of a volleyball court. A few days ago my roommate and I decided to go on our first run....1.5 miles. Well I wouldn't exactly call it a run....more of a jog/walk. We probably jogged about half of it and I felt really accomplished since I have never been a runner. It's so weird that in high school we were required to run a mile and now, almost being a college graduate, 1 mile seems so daunting. But then yesterday I woke up early before my Jenny Craig appointment and went on that same run and I only walked for about 2 minutes of the entire 1.5 miles. After I finish enjoying my almond milk iced mocha, I'm going to go on that same run and try to run without stopping. I can really see what an improvement a few days of running can do. I am slowly building up my stamina. 

It's also really nice because I live walking distance from the Boulder Creek, so I am able to run along the creek and end up at Red Rocks Park. A lot of people run, walk, or bike by the creek, which provides some extra motivation. So go out on a jog! Take it at your own pace. A little jog every day can make a huge difference in stamina, health, and happiness. Go out and get those endorphins! I know sometimes it's hard to get yourself to workout, but just take it one step at a time....even a 5 minute run or 30 minute power walk is good for your heart. 

My goal:

So I am still maintaining my weight around 147 pounds and I have been really struggling losing that last 15-17 pounds, so I can get down to 130. I took a little 3 week break from the gym because of exams and spring break, but this week's goal is to get down to the lowest I have ever been on the Jenny Craig scale....146 pounds. I am going back to the gym this week and I'm going to try and wake up early for a morning jog if the weather allows it. Unfortunately, I think we might be getting some snow this week, so I might have to take a few day break from the jogging. 

Update:

Also, I just changed consultants at Jenny Craig and I think they are finally going to feature me within the store that I was talking about a couple months ago! I turned in my before and after picture to my new consultant as well as an About Me page, so we shall see.... I would still like to take a picture and post it on here. 

I also want to thank all my friends, family, and boyfriend for the support through my weight loss journey. It is still not over, but I think a good support system is honestly what gets me through the harder times. Special shout out for my boyfriend being my biggest cheerleader and his mom for losing 10 pounds on Weight Watchers! Congratulations Susan, keep up the good work :) 

Post Delay - last 18

Sorry, it has been a long time since I've posted on here! I have been super swamped with midterms and other school work. Another reason I haven't posted recently is because I was not really sure what to write. I have pretty much maintained my weight for the last couple months. I only have 18 more pounds to lose and it doesn't seem that far away, but I find it to be the most difficult. Recently, I have been really into finding good happy hours and while I'm out drinking or eating, I find myself making the excuse that I only have 18 more pounds left to lose. I may not be making the best decisions. After losing 50, 18 doesn't seem that bad. I would not say that I've lost motivation, but I'm definitely not as strict as I have been for the past 50 pounds. At Jenny Craig my consultant keeps saying that it's good that I am learning how to maintain, but I am tired of maintaining and want to see results! I am very happy with my body while my clothes are on, but what about my beach summer body? I still want to lose those 18 pounds before summer so I can wear a bikini. I have been looking on Victoria's Secret to find a cute bikini. I can't decide if I want to spend over $50 for inspiration and then (hopefully) fitting in it by summer. 

I am currently visiting my boyfriend in Washington DC for spring break and it is not easy for eating! I have to say, I am still a foodie and enjoy good food and we have definitely been eating delicious meals. I've discovered that when I crave food, it is never junk food, but a good meal instead! I never want to be one of those people who drop a diet because they're on vacation, so I'm trying to still get what I want by splitting or fitting a salad into my day. It's nice because I am making my own breakfast with just non-fat greek yogurt and fruit. At least one meal is on my own. When he came to visit me in Boulder, we ate out almost all meals! 

Here's how my eating has gone so far: 

Yesterday: We went to Baked and Wired, which is an awesome cupcake shop and we split one. Then we went to Founding Farmers for dinner where I got a delicious cocktail, 2 bacon wrapped dates (split appetizer), and a salad with free vegetables, chicken, and dressing on the side.

Today: Non-fat greek yogurt and banana for breakfast, an apple and whole wheat tortilla wrap with avocado, hummus, and tomatoes for lunch. Beer, french onion soup and muscles for dinner at Granville Moores. 

My choices have not been horrible, but I think I can do better. When I get back to school, it's going to be time to crack down: eat healthy and go back to the gym 5 days a week. 

Here's the bikini I am debating on buying :)

Graffiti Run - 5k

I have officially signed up for my first 5k! What better way to inspire me to run than to do it with my 3 roommates! We all agreed rather than run, we would do a slow jog. This is a huge step for me because I cannot run for more than 2 minutes. But I thought I should challenge myself and try it. Who knows, maybe I will get into the whole running thing. 

This particular 5k is called the graffiti run and what basically happens is that everyone wears white and while you run, colorful powder is being thrown at you. By the time the race is done, you are covered in graffiti! Luckily when I signed up, I noticed kids can do it too! How hard can it be? The 5k takes place at the end of April in Denver at an amusement park! My roommates and I decided to make our team name "The Fresh Princesses of Bouldair"....get it?!! Like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air? I probably should start training or running before the 5k comes around. This is just another inspiration to get in shape. We decided we're going to customize tank tops for our team. I cannot wait!

If you are interested in the graffiti run, check this site for information and other locations!

http://www.thegraffitirun.com/

Weekly Goal 2/18 - superfoods

This past week was a really tough week for me. I recently have been feeling kind of stuck in my weight loss. I have pretty much been maintaing for a solid month now, give or take a couple. When I weighed in the week, I was up .4. Not a big deal right? I've just been feeling really disappointed in myself because the night before I weighed in at Jenny, I went to happy hour at a local Boulder bar, West End Tavern, and binged on delicious yam chips with guacamole. Now, I should know better because chips are my weakness and once they're in front of me, they are going to magically disappear! I can't even keep them in my apartment. Anyway, I was super upset with myself for the .4 gain and I have now realized I don't want the numbers and weight to control my life, I want to control my weight. After talking to my weight loss consultant, she decided a good idea for me is to write down everyday what my goal is and why I'm losing weight (doesn't matter if it is different everyday). I am also still waiting on my poster in Jenny Craig to go up!

My Goal: 

1. My goal this week is as well as writing down everything I eat, I'm going to write a daily goal and reason why I'm losing weight. I'll take a picture and post is when it is all done.

2. I usually weigh myself every single day and since I don't want the weight to control me, I'm not going to weigh myself once this week. I'm going to wait until the weigh in at Jenny Craig on Saturday. I've been told I should not weigh myself everyday anyway. 

3. I want to cut back on eating out. I recently have been going out to eat a lot. This is going to be difficult because my roommate's parents are here visiting and they want to take us out to dinner. So lets say, I'll cut back 2 nights of eating out. 

My Nutrition Class:

So last week, we learned about Superfoods! I thought it was interesting so I wanted to share!

Why they're healthy:

1. high concentration of critical nutrients (a lot of nutrients per calorie)

2. low in calories

3. reverse the effects of major diseases (reduce inflammation, protect against heart disease, reduce cancer risk, protect against toxins = ACT AS A MEDICINE WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS)

Here are some specific superfoods I learned about:

1. Acai - contains amino acids and Omega 3 fatty acids

2. Barley - high in fiber, niacin, and vitamin A, low glycemic index (GI) (good for people with diabetes)

3. Beans and Lentils - high in Omega 3, fiber, protein, low GI

4. Hot Peppers - antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, good for heart health

5. Sweet Potatoes - high in vitamin C, A, potassium, fiber

6. Mangos - 1 c. = 100% vitamin C, 1/3 vitamin A, potassium, fiber, folic acid (prevents spina bifida)

7. Broccoli - vitamin C, K

8. Leafy Greens (kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip greens) - vitamin A, C, K, folate, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, lutein (promotes eye health), fiber

9. Cinnamon - lowers blood glucose, triglycerides, LDLs, cholesterol, antibacterial, brain health/memory

10. Garlic - vitamin B6, C, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory

11. Oats - fiber, protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, thiamin, antiviral, lowers cholesterol

12. Chia Seeds - high in protein

13. Flaxseeds - high in Omega 3

14. Lingon Berries (in Nordic countries)

15. Quinoa - has 9 essential amino acids, high minerals/vitamins

16. Red Wine

17. Curry

18. Mustard

19. Turmeric - helps with chronic inflammation

20. Green Tea - silences cancer cells

21. Coffee 

22. And my favorite......Dark Chocolate - inhibits blood clots, reduces chronic inflammation, smooth blood vessels, antioxidant

**My Nutrition professor challenged us to try and eat 5 superfoods a day! I would try this challenge if I wasn't on Jenny Craig.....so now I am challenging you. Try to eat any of these 5 superfoods a day!

My Weekly Goal 2/11 - valentines day

To address last week's goal, I lost my 2 pounds! It was all about mind power this week: I went to the gym, ate well, and kept working hard. Sometimes you know what to do, you just have to set your mind to it. And after setting my mind to it for 8 months, my pants are a bit too big. I have gone from a size 16 to size 9. My goal is to go down 1 or 2 more pant sizes. I actually was able to wear a shirt that I haven't worn in 4 years! I have a "when I lose weight" drawer and slowly but surely I'm starting to wear the clothes again. I actually lost too much weight to wear my old jeans, which is a true accomplishment. Remember, every little bit counts!

My Goal:

My goal this weeks is all about Valentine's Day! I know when you go on vacation or there's a holiday or birthday, it is really easy to go crazy! This week, I am going to dinner with my roommate and my goal is to still eat healthy. It's mind over matter and all about self control. We have already decided that we're going to split! We're going to get a small side salad to split with the dressing on the side and get the Lobster. Lobster really is not bad if you do not have the butter. Planning ahead is a huge part!

MY HINTS:
1. Plan ahead- if you know what you're getting ahead of time, you're more likely to stick to the healthier option
2. Always split- splitting with someone is always a great idea
3. Stick to wine, beer, or champagne- every little calorie counts
4. Don't eat the chocolates- eat some carrots before going to dinner and that way you'll eat less of the invisible fats in the restaurant (Did you know....people consume most fat at restaurants because they are unaware of how their food is prepared. This is anything like extra butter, oil, sugar etc.)
5. Get a salad first- instead of eating the salad with your meal, fill up on the vegetables
6. Stray away from creamy sauces, extra cheese, and the bread basket on the table
7. Don't be afraid to ask for substitutions or alterations to your meal

Just today was my friend's 23rd birthday! I looked up the menu to the restaurant we went to and ordered a portobello mushroom sandwich and asked specifically for no cheese. Instead of fries I got a garden salad with a vinaigrette dressing on the side. When my food came, I instantly took off the top pieces of bread. It had delicious roasted red peppers, a little mayo, portobello, and 1/2 the bread. Alterations! Just by making these little adjustments, you can cut the caloric intake in half!

My Weekly Goal 2/4 - fab ab february

Just to remind you all, last week my goal was to make 2 of my own breakfasts and lunches. That was very successful!

DAY 1 USING JENNY CRAIG "MY DAYS":
breakfast: 3/4 c. kashi go lean cereal, splash of almond milk, and 3 slices of lean turkey bacon, and grapes
lunch: mini pizza (1 english muffin, 1/4 c. reduced fat shredded cheese, 2 tbsp. marinara sauce) and carrots.

DAY 2 ON MY OWN:
breakfast: non-fat blueberry acai greek yogurt with 1 tbsp granola, and an apple
lunch: portobello mushroom sandwich (on a 100 calorie bagel thin with 1/8 avocado, grilled onions and spinach) and carrots

However, when I weighed in at Jenny Craig this week, I was up almost 2 pounds. Why? Well I was snacking on olives and not making healthy decisions with alcohol. When I should have been getting wine and beer, I was getting Dirty Shirley's and mixed drinks with different kinds of juices. I realized I do not want to make a big deal over the 2 pounds because of how far I have come, but I don't want to dismiss it either. I need to own up to the 2 pounds because then it's going to be "Oh, it was just 2 pounds this week" and "Oh, it's just 2 pounds another week" and that will definitely add up! When I found out that I was up 2 pounds, I texted one of my best friend's moms (who is on Weight Watchers and struggling with losing weight) and we decided to make a goal together. I felt like it would be good to text each other every day and keep each other in check. It is always a lot easier to lose weight when you have someone doing it with you! So I have many goals for this week. . .

MY GOAL:
1. I want to go back down 2 pounds! (But how am I going to do it?)
2. I'm going to go back to making good choices when it comes to alcohol
3. I'm going to snack only on non-starchy vegetables
4. I'm going to continue the 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches on my own
5. I'm going to continue going to the gym (I may not be able to get the full 5 days in because I have an exam in my nutrition class this week)
6. I'm going to do "Fab Ab February '13" and "February 2013 Squat Challenge"

Here's the schedule for "Fab Ab February '13" and "February 2013 Squat Challenge"!!! (Includes: sit-ups, push-ups, planks, and squats)
Challenge yourself and get a nice lifted booty and strong abs! I want to thank my friend from the gym for showing me this and we'll see if it works by the end of the month!

MY HINTS:

My Jenny Craig consultant just told me about Extra Dessert Delights sugar-free gum. I bought a couple of packs and they are great when you want something sweet. Just pop a piece of gum in! I bought Mint Chocolate Chip and it totally tastes like thin mints and I just bought Lemon Square flavor today! There are a few other flavors as well. Check this site for all the flavors!

http://www.extragum.com