Wrapping Up the May Challenge

As I have said a few times in the past weeks, I am part of a challenge in my health coach's facebook group.  Each day had a theme and every week included a weigh in, complete with a picture of my feet on the scale that had to be posted to the group.  Talk about an accountability check...

Today was the last day of the challenge.  I went into this week leary of what my final scale number would be, as I'm feeling bloated and exhausted from my cycle - but decided to set my head right.  I have been on track all month and have been doing great.  The daily themes have kept me focused on my goals, choices and making sure I am doing everything I need to be successful in creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight.  This even included a rest day on Sundays.

Lynn, my incredible health coach, posted the following today:

“As we draw to the end of this competition I wanted to say that I am proud of each and everyone of you group wide. The support, the team spirit have all been phenomenal. I have seen real changes in you, changes that I am sure will last and shine through in your new lifestyle. This is such a great place to come to, first thing in the morning, in the evening, or even throughout the day. 

One of the keys to success is to surround yourself with others who have the same goals as you do. I believe we have accomplished that. How many of you are now aware of your daily steps? How many of you have increased your amount of water? Learned new tips or recipes? What is your take away from this last competition and what would you like to see as we move forward? 

You are all winners, welcome to your new lifestyle :)”

From others on the team I have gained some new perspective on my journey – whether it be about taking one day and one meal at a time or appreciating each day as a step in the right direction.  I have found new ideas for food and have even incorporated a few of them into my menu. 

As I move forward, I’m continuing to pay closer attention to my total steps for the day and not just taking time for a walk, run or bike ride.  I make an effort to have more steps in each day.  My water consumption continues to be high – but now I’m focusing on shaking that up a bit while still staying in the guidelines of the program.  I’ve been trying some different fruits and vegetables in my water and have a system going at home for this. 

Overall, this past month has really helped me examine why I am on this journey and what I hope to gain from it.  Of course I’m happy to see the scale reflect my hard work, but how I feel and how I carry myself is a reward that a number on the scale can’t do on its own.

Now, onto new adventures in the month of June. 

Go get ‘em, tigers!

Tuesday's Habits of Health Discussion

Habits of Health Discussion Day

Really give this some thought, don't just give answers. 

We all had unhealthy habits prior to our lifestyle change and while you are going through this journey now is a great time to reflect on those old habits. There are habits that are triggers.  There are instances like holidays that are triggers. When you find yourself in a situation that you know is a trigger for you- how will you handle it? What will your action be?

Triggers for me include my parents’ house.  Oh, there is usually an awful lot of good stuff hanging out there just waiting to be devoured.  Sometimes it’s fresh bakery on the counter.  Other days, it’s mom’s brownies.  Sometimes, it’s hiding in the refrigerator.  There is always SOMETHING there that is not on my plan and calls my name as soon as I turn the corner.

Since I am at their house at least once a week, I needed a battle plan.  First, I’ve communicated that this is a problem area for me.  Also, I come prepared.  I bring my water bottle, whatever food I’ll need for my time there and reinforcements – just in case I’m there longer or am ready to cave.  These two actions have made a world of difference in my ability to survive time at mom & dad’s while maintaining positive choices.

I admit, there are times I make a choice that isn’t in keeping 100% on plan.   When this happens, I grab the water bottle, log the decision and keep on moving forward.

This can happen when I am at a friend’s or even at work.  Temptations are all around.  I always have a few meals on hand and my water bottle – it’s my equivalent of the baby’s blanket.  It gets me through.

I’ve come a long way in avoiding temptations in the past nine months.  I can go past the neighborhood custard stand without needing to stop for a sundae.  I can go out to dinner and not have an appetizer, dinner, bread and a dessert.  I can go out with friends and skip the glass of wine or bloody mary at brunch.  These are all victories in my journey to a healthier me – and each one results in a happier me.

Go get ‘em, tigers!

Water Love

I am a girl who typically consumes anywhere from 160-200 ounces of water a day.  Every day.  

Each day as I pack my bags for school, I have six 32 ounce bottles of water in a cooler bag waiting to be stowed in the classroom fridge and consumed throughout the day.  Sure, this leads to many trips to the rest room – but that means many steps counted on my fitbit.

In an effort to add some variety to my water consumption, I’ve taken up drinking 1-2 bottles of homemade iced green tea.  This has been a great way to shake the plain H2O duldrums while ensuring I continue to get my fill of refreshing liquids.

Last week, a colleague mentioned that she had cucumber lemon water at a nearby hotel and that it was fabulous.  I’ve done lemons in water.  I’ve done cucumbers in water.  But, I’ve never done them together.  The next day, we sliced up cucumbers and lemons and added them to our water bottles.  What do you know?  That’s some good stuff!

Before getting acquainted with the cucumber lemon water, I was already on the hunt for a large pitcher with a spout to brew my green tea in.  A friend had this at a recent party and I thought, “Hmm…I need to do that for my green tea.”

During a shopping excursion to Target, I came upon a variety of perfect vessels for my green tea and cucumber lemon water needs.  I decided on some very cute dotted pitchers that are cheery and perfect for what I had in mind.

After getting home, washing the pitchers and then filling them with water and green tea bags and cucumber and lemon slices, I set them up on my kitchen cart, where I keep my fruit & vegetable stand.  Voila!  The perfect at-home beverage station!

I’m on my third CamelBak bottle full of cucumber lemon water and it is tasty! 

Today's Habits of Health Discussion

Today’s Habits of Health Discussion

Habits of Health Recap

What have you learned ?

This month’s experience of sticking our toes in and starting to get a taste for Dr. A.’s Habits of Health has helped me to take the time to focus on my goals and why I am on this journey. 

It is easy to say, “I want to lose weight.” It is a completely different thing to sit down and imagine a different life for myself – one at a healthy weight that includes a consistent involvement with physical activity…not just when the weather is cooperative – I am in Wisconsin, after all.

The act of sitting down, reflecting on my life, my health, my choices and planning for things to be different is so much more than ordering my Medifast meals from Take Shapefor Life and eating five of those a day plus preparing a Lean & Green.  Planning to be successful, navigating roadblocks and pot holes along the way, choosing to stay on plan, accepting slips and moving forward are all part of this journey.

Sharing my choices and my journey are also something that has been a large part of my success and is something I committed to when I recommitted to this program thirty-six days ago.  Through this blog, my participation in discussion groups and blogs on mymedifast and my two Medifast-focused facebook groups, I am sharing my journey and all aspects of this process with the people in my life and those along on this journey with me.  Having the support and encouragement of as many people around me as I can pull together has helped me to focus on my goals because I know people are watching, listening and cheering for me along the sidelines. 

What positive changes have you made this month?

It has been just over a month since I have recommitted to this journey and to my goals of health, weight loss and physical activity.  In this time, I have made a very focused effort to share my journey, take time everyday to evaluate my progress and where I may need a hand and I’ve taken a step back from my plans for an intense summer cycling program.  I am focusing on each day as its own opportunity for me to move closer to my goal, while enjoying each day as the gift it is.  This time around, I am working to appreciate the process and where each step takes me – not just on what the final portrait will look like.  

To Plan or Not to Plan...

Are you a planner or someone who just goes with the flow and lets things happen?

I have always been a planner.  There have been times when I’ve found this to be a thing that gets in the way of living.  However, when taking on a new lifestyle, planning is a key to success.

Sure, it’s easy to follow this weight-loss program without too much planning – but not planning at all is going to result in not-so-great results.

I love that I just have to open and prepare (in a few cases, open and eat) five packets a day to get most of my day’s meals ready.  That leaves my Lean & Green to plan for.  And it requires planning.  Even the five packets a day require planning.

I need to be sure that I’m stocked up on my Medifast meals and order in a timely manner so that I don’t hit that “I’m going to run out!” panic mode.  That surely wouldn’t do me much good while trying to control my food choices and make decisions that will get me to goal. 

I need to plan my Lean & Green meals so that I have plenty of vegetables and leans (beef, chicken, turkey, tuna, cheese, meatless products) on hand to create tasty meals that will keep me satisfied.

I need to think about what my day’s schedule is like so that I know if I need to have a few bars or bags of bites in my purse or if I can prepare a day of shakes to pull out of the fridge in my classroom.

Tonight, I’ve planned for the next two days.  I know that I’m going to the Brewers’ game right after school tomorrow.  I won’t have time to pick up a healthy dinner between school and the game, so I wrote down my Chipotle order and left money with my dad and he’ll have it packed up and ready to go.  I know that I’ll need one Medifast meal for at the game, so I’ll have a bar or bag of Barbecue Bites in my purse for the game.  I know I’ll need lots of water to get through the night, so I’ll have a few large bottles of water ready to go.  And, knowing that I will be the ball game late tomorrow night, I have my meals for Tuesday planned so that I don’t have to worry about them tomorrow night or early Tuesday morning – when I know I will be wanting to squeeze in as many hits of the snooze button as humanly possible.

This is planning to succeed.  This is how I’ve lost nearly 50 pounds and plan to lose a whole bunch more. 

Sure, I could leave it to chance – but then I’d be having a bratwurst with Secret Stadium Sauce and sauerkraut for dinner tomorrow – followed by a soda or a beer.  And I’d be without meals for Tuesday because I’d still hit the snooze button in the morning.

I choose to plan.  Sure, sometimes I take it a little far – but it’s a long way from the starting line to the finish line.

Go get ‘em, tigers!

Just Saying "No"

Every day I am tempted by foods.  Whether it’s the cover of the local magazine featuring a triple scoop of frozen custard or the smell of the sausages at the ballpark – there is always something catching my attention that looks as good as I know it tastes.  Sometimes, even the lunch at school can be tempting – the chicken strips this week did look awfully tasty!

I’m happy to say that in the past three days I have successfully avoided a few mighty big temptations.

On Thursday, there was an offer of Buffalo Wild Wings.  It was 50 cents boneless wings night.  Oh…I LOVE me some wings!!!  Instead, I threw that pork tenderloin that I just defrosted on a baking stone, sprinkled on some rosemary herb seasoning and called it a night.  No wings.  Dinner was a piece of the tenderloin and some mashed cauliflower.  Good stuff! 

Last night, on the way to my cousin’s little league game we stopped for dinner at one of the local custard/burger joints.  The choices of yummy foods there are endless.  Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fish sandwiches (oh, they do have a great fish sandwich there!), gyros, souvlaki…  I had a fresh green salad with a scoop of tuna salad on top.  And that roll that arrived with my salad, I skipped it.

Today, after running a few errands with my parents, there was an offer of Jimmy John’s.  Sure, I could have had an “unwhich” – the sandwich of my choice in a lettuce wrap.  However, I enjoy having my L&G – the “real” meal of my day – for dinner.  And, since I’ll be at a social gathering tonight, I’m planning on having it then.  So, as much as I love Jimmy John’s, I said, “No, thank you!”

Sure, it took some willpower to make these choices.  And, in many of the cases, I was ready to eat the things that were tempting me – had even said “Yes!” out loud.  But, in the end – after taking a minute or two to contemplate my choices and what the consequences would be – I made the choice that is best for me.

I make no promises about the choices I’ll make later today, tomorrow, next week or even next month.  It’s one step, one meal, one day at a time.  I may have to arm wrestle myself away from a cake or a sandwich or a tub of ice cream, but I’m getting stronger all the time!

Go get ‘em, tigers!

WHY Lose the Weight?

I just got home from a long day at school - our last Parent/Teacher Conference night of the school year.  I planned on vegging out to a dvd for a bit before getting things ready for tomorrow and crashing in bed with my nook.  But the voice in my head sent me to the blogs on mymedifast, instead.


And I am so glad!!!


I just read a blog post by a seasoned Medifaster.  One who has been there, done that, lost the weight, gained it back, lost it again and is maintaining her healthy weight, healthy lifestyle and has taken on the role of a health coach.  I read her blog daily and often find kernels of wisdom that I have packed into my toolkit of advice to carry with me on this journey.


Today's blog was about defining what you want and setting an attainable timeline for reaching said goals.  


I know that I cannot predict which day I will reach my goal weight any more than I can predict the winning lottery numbers.  However, I can set attainable goals that my choices can help move me towards and this will allow me the opportunity to have better control over how I get to my goals.  I have a time frame that I plan on arrive at my goal.  However, first I need to clarify WHY I have a goal in the first place.  Yes, there is a number that I plan for my scale to arrive at and I plan for that to happen anywhere between my 38th birthday - which is October 28th of this year - and Christmas.  


My ultimate goal is to be healthy.  To look healthy.  To feel healthy and live an active life.  I want to be able to jump on my bike and KNOW I can do what I set out to do - not be surprised by my accomplishments or have others be surprised because I don't look like someone who can bike 200+ miles in 2 days.  It's already very much a part of who I am.  Now, I'm just working on making all of the pieces of me fit the puzzle that is Jenny.

Yep! That's TWO Century Loop Stickers!

Double Century

2008 Wisconsin Bike MS

Best Dam Bike Tour

There.  Now you know.  It's out there in the wide, wide, open.  


Between now and then, there will be many milestones to celebrate and events to commemorate where I am on the journey - and plenty of photo ops!  My school's last prom, graduation, the MS Bike Tour, my 20 year high school reunion, The Dirty Girl Run with a group of friends & former colleagues, time with family and friends, and those great spontaneous moments in life that just need to be photographed.  Every day is a celebration.  A celebration of moving further from where I was and closer to where I'm going.


As I commented on the wise Medifaster's blog just a few minutes ago, "The things we pick up along the way - the things we never thought about - need to be celebrated, also. Standing taller because you feel better about yourself - taking chances you never would have before - receiving a compliment graciously - being assertive about the choices you make to improve your health, life & attitude - each size smaller - being able to walk, bike, run, move more than you could before... Each of these successes is a part of our journey and needs to be acknowledged and celebrated as a stepping stone to our goal of a healthy life."


Go get 'em, Tigers!!!

Today's Habits of Health Discussion

From my Health Coach's facebook group

For our group's May Challenge, everyday has a theme. 

Tuesday's are Habits of Health Discussion Day

Tuesdays Habits of Health Discussion

Accelerate your weight loss

Page 66 Habits of Health

1. Eat your first meal replacement within an hour of waking up.
I still struggle with starting my "eating" day early.  I've always been one to have to wait an hour or two to eat - but I'm getting closer to an hour.  If I don't, I start to feel very tired and sluggish.  As with everything, I'm a work in progress!
 

2. Don’t over exercise. If you haven't been exercising don’t start now. Wait three weeks then you can begin to add activity to your schedule as you learn Habits of Motion that are sustainable over time.
After my second week back on the program, I started walking 4-5 times a week.  Then, I got myself a fitbit!  I'm walking at least 6 days a week and aiming for 10,000 steps a day.  Some days, it's quite a bit higher.  Of course, there's a few days that I don't quite get there.  Something to work towards!

3. Be sure to have all five meal replacements with your lean and green every day. Eat slowly and use a straw for liquids.

One of the things I really focus on is evenly spacing out my meals during the day.  Sometimes, life at work catches me off guard and I miss my 4th meal.  When this happens, my L&G (dinner) becomes meal #4 and my last two meals are my Medifast meals.  I usually feel like I'm getting a double dessert on these days...the silver lining!

4. Drink half your body weight in ounces of water. Tea and Crystal Light count.

You can bet that I'm getting at least this much water in everyday!  I try to aim for 1/2 of my water being pure water - no additions.  The rest is a mix of unsweetened, home-brewed green tea and Crystal Light (which I dilute the daylights out of).  Gotta have my water!!!

5. Measure your lean and green portions.

I weigh every part of my L&G meals.  Sure, I'm guilty of a little extra L or G every once in a while, but not more than once a week - and it's no more than 1/4 cup of a Green or 1 oz. of a Lean.  Weighing is more accurate than measuring cups.  The Vegetable Conversion Chart is a great tool to keep in the kitchen for a guide to weighing your Green servings.  I have mine in page protectors clipped to the side of my fridge for handy reference!

6. Keep your daily carbohydrate level between 85-100 grams. 85 is optimal.

YES!!!  Some days I'm under that 85, but usually I'm right in that range.  I try to keep it a little different so that I keep my body guessing.  This also helps me make sure that I vary my L&G meals.  It's terribly easy to get in a rut of eating the same tasty L&G for a few days in a row.  I track all of my meals on myfitnesspal and that tracks my calories, carbs, fat & protein for easy checking and daily meal planning.

7. Take advantage of all the support that you can-including support calls.

You bet!!!  Early on in my program, I did weekly phone check-ins with my health coach.  As my needs changed, I did more email check-ins and am now an active participant in her facebook group for clients.  I've found my health coach to be a great source of support, information and encouragement through every step of this journey!

8. Keep a daily journal

I keep track of my day and progress a few ways.  1. I log all of my meals & water on myfitnesspal, along with my weight.  2. My weight & activity is tracked on my fitbit dashboard. 4. I participate in the discussion boards on mymedifast everday.  5. I reflect on my journey daily through this blog.  I also share this blog on my mymedifast blog!  6. I record all of this EVERY DAY in my daily planner.  Check out the picture!

9. Review your goal and secondary choices every day.

I plan my meals the night before, log them in on myfitnesspal and prepare them.  This way, I know my nutritional needs are being met, I'm prepared for the next day and am ready to continue making decisions that are best for my health.  Waking up and having this part done is a big step towards having a great day!

10. Have no more than two approved snacks every day if needed.

Yes!  I always have dill pickle spears on hand - even in the mini-fridge in my classroom.  And, if you know me, you know I've ALWAYS got some sugar-free gum on hand.  Did you see the newest Extra Dessert Sensations flavor?  Ooh...I just picked up a pack this weekend!!!

11. Don’t add extra carbs.

No way!  This can really be a challenge when out to eat, at a social event, and, for me, especially at a Brewers' game.  Having a plan and having a healthy & approved snack in my bag has been my key to staying away from the extra carbs.  I'm not perfect, and I have my slips - but 99.9% of the time, I'm keeping it on program!

12. Dont drink alcohol.

This is a slippery slope for many.  I've never been a big drinker, so I can abstain from alcohol without even having to think about it.  If I want something a little special, a diet soda or a few limes in my water do the trick! 

Name some activities that you can do around the house or office when you feel stress or cravings

• Clean
• Scrub the bathroom
• Closet Cleanout - Very rewarding!!!
• Knit
• Read
• Visit mymedifast discussion boards or blogs
• Check-in with my two TSFL/Medifast groups on facebook
• Hooping to my iPod with my weighted hoops
• Dance to the music
• Take out the recycling - the empty MF boxes added up!
• Update my blog!

 List some healthy snacks

• Dill pickle spears
• Sugar-free gum
• Celery Sticks
• Sugar-Free Jello
• Almonds

...be sure to measure/count these! And don't forget to enter them in your log!!!

 List some healthy fats

• Canola, flaxseed, walnut or olive oil
• Green olives
• Low carbohydrate salad dressing
• Trans-fat-free margarine

...be sure to measure/count these! And don't forget to enter them in your log!!!

Trader Joe's Meatless Meatballs

Boca/Morning Star Farms burgers

Eggs, egg whites, Egg Beaters

Tofu

Cottage Cheese

List some meatless options

...be sure to measure/count these! And don't forget to enter them in your log!!!
 
 Wishing you all a great day of achieving your goals!  See you tomorrow!

I Was the Pillsbury Dough Girl

I know that I have lost almost 50 pounds since starting my weight loss journey with Take Shape for Life/Medifast.  I know that the changes are visible.  I know that I am making steps towards a healthier life and weight.


What I didn't know is that just nine months ago, and for sometime before that, I was the Pillsbury Dough Girl!


Really.  Nobody told me.  Nobody said, "Jen, steer clear of the donuts, custard, cake, bread, pizza..."  None of it.


I just got back home from a short walk to Mom & Dad K.'s to drop off some things for them.  I had a brisk walk there, listening to my iPod.  I even got beeped at, from behind, by my friend Sharon - the same one who called me "skinny" the other day (thanks, Sharon!).  I had a nice chat with Mom & Dad.  Then, as I was about to leave, my mom said, "Did you see the pictures I got?"  Uhm...no, I hadn't.


So, I'm standing in front of her gigantic mirror, admiring the changes that are very clear in this fitted yoga pants, and she pulls out a handful of pictures and hands them to me.  My first fear is that they were going to include the wasband.  They were pics from a family wedding from last spring.  She quickly said, "Oh, no...I want you to see something."  I flipped through pictures of family and extended family, everyone looking lovely and happy - even mom who just had a double knee replacement less than a month before.  Then, I saw it.  The Pillsbury Dough Girl was standing in the picture wearing my dress and jewelry.  A dress and jewelry that I was very proud of.  A great find.  Fabulously coordinated.  Seriously, it was the Pillsbury Dough Girl standing next to my dad.


Oh, I was horrified.  Sad.  Shocked.  Stunned.


I just kept looking from the picture to the mirror and back again.  I couldn't quite believe it.


I will be getting my hands on that picture so that I can do a side-by-side comparison.  Oh...you bet I will.  I just couldn't bring it with me because I had no purse or bag.

I can't wait to share it with you - because it's amazing.


Before I handed the pictures back, my mom said, "I just wanted you to see how far you've come."

Not a Baked Good in Sight

If you know me or my family you know that we like food.  We like to eat it, cook it, bake it, share it, read about it...  You get the picture.


Anything that is an occasion includes a meal.  It's your birthday - there's dinner and cake.  It's the Fourth of July - there's grilling and some patriotic-themed dessert.  It's Easter - there's ham and strawberry shortcake. It's Thanksgiving - there's turkey and pumpkin pie.


Today is Mother's Day and there was a beef tenderloin, potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms and zucchini - all of it was done on the grill.  And it was all delicious.  There was no fresh bakery bread.  I didn't spy a cake or brownies.  There were not any Sunday donuts to be found.  


I think I have experienced a first in my family's history of celebrations.  A meal without a dessert.


Thank you, Mom & Dad!  You made this day so much easier.  So, I indulged in a quarter-half cup more veggies than I should have.  There was nothing including chocolate to tempt me, so today it was the zucchini and asparagus.  What a treat to not have to navigate my way past the baked goods.  THANK YOU!


And, Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there.  

A Booster Shot

When I was little, I was NOT a fan of getting shots.  Sure, there was a cute, cartoon Band-Aid at the end and a lollipop, but those needles were long and it just plain hurt.


These days, I'm not afraid, I'm fascinated.  You want to stick a needle in my arm?  Go for it!  You want to stick a needle in my arm and take my blood?  Heck yeah!  I'm there!  And, please don't cover the entry site with gauze, I want to see what's going on!


It's been a while since I've had a shot, but last night I had another kind of shot.  That kind that gives you the psychological boost right where you need it.


My mom's best friend came up to me and said, "When I saw you from behind, I almost didn't know it was you - you're getting so skinny!"


Ha!  Thank you!  I took that compliment and stuck it in my pocket to absorb later.


Now, skinny has not been a word anyone would use to describe me - not since somewhere around age 11 or 12.  But, I knew what she was getting at.  I was wearing my version of skinny jeans - a pair of pants I bought seven years ago and have worn exactly three times.  They didn't fit - not by a long shot - when I bought them.  But they were only $10 and they were NICE pants.  I wasn't returning them.  Like any woman, I would hold on to them and "someday" I would be able to wear them.


That ever-illusive someday has happened three times.  Once in October of 2006.  Oh, I remember it well.  Then, in January of this year I pulled them out because they were the perfect pants for the awesome Calvin Klein top I got at the outlet.  And, yesterday when I needed a put-together outfit that didn't yell funeral or fun - but was just the right outfit, I pulled out the perfect navy pants and the beautiful Calvin Klein top.  I knew the top would be okay.  It's one of those that will fit at a variety of sizes - but it looks GREAT now.  The pants...I was worried.  I had a back-up pair in mind.  I didn't even pull out the back-up pair, though.  I pulled out the navy wonder pants.  I looked at them.  I held them up against me.  And then...I tried them on.  Miracle or miracles, they fit perfectly.


So, when in the middle of a funeral I received the booster shot of all booster shots, I floated out of myself, and looked down - at my rear view of course - and said, "Yes! I am looking good!"


Sure I have a long way to go until I'm at my goal, but every day I am getting closer.  Every day I am making choices that will help me get there a little sooner. 


Thank you, Mrs. C. for the booster!!!

Eating With Friends

I frequently have the opportunity to spend my lunch hour and the occasional social outing with colleagues.  And, of course there are times when I do the same with friends and family.  With the loose summer schedule just around the corner, these opportunities are going to quickly pile up.


These days, I am either enjoying one of my five-a-day Medifast meals, my Lean & Green meal for the day, or sipping on water.  


There were times when it felt weird to be doing something "different" than the rest of the crowd, but I feel differently about that now.  I am making the choice to do what is best for me.  I am good with that and go into these situations not even thinking much about it.   


Somewhere along the line, I got to thinking, "What are they thinking?"  Do the people around me think I'm just the crazy woman eating food that mostly comes in space packets?  Are they thinking that I'm judging them?  If I'm only sipping water, do they think I'm starving myself?  


It can be a strange thing being the kid who's doing her own thing.  Go ahead, sing the "Sesame Street" song in your head - I am!


Yep, I am often eating food that comes in space packets - though by the time they see me with it, it's either mixed up in my little Medifast/Take Shape for Life cup or in an insulated cup.  No, I am not starving myself.  As a matter of fact, I'm not even hungry unless I push the limits with when I need to eat.  And, I am not judging anyone.  If you know me, you know that I LOVE FOOD.  All food.  Ice cream, donuts, cake, frozen custard, butter burgers, fried cheese curds, lasagna, garlic bread, chocolate, pancakes, muffins, cookies, ham, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes...you get the picture.  And, those things will someday make an appearance passing my lips - on rare occasions.  But, that day is not today.  It is not tomorrow.  It was not yesterday.  


These are my choices regarding food and taking care of me.  I love the people around me and want to spend time socializing and catching up with them.  If it's time for me to eat, I'm going to eat.  If it's time for them to eat, I want them to eat.  And to eat what they want. And if you have something that I can be okay choosing to eat, you can bet I'm going to want some, ask for some, and go ahead and have some.  


Yep, I had a pickle today.  I skipped the brownies.  That's my choice.  And, it's now almost three hours later and I am not regretting that choice.


Eat on, friends.  I'll be at the table with you!  And, if you're coming here, I'll even cook for you!

Let Them Eat Cake!

Oh, I love cake.  I love ice cream.  I love frozen custard.  I love donuts.  Yep, love it all!  It's tasty and delicious and yummy and just some of the best tasting stuff I can think of.


But, it is not going to help me to reach my goal of a healthy weight and the active lifestyle that I enjoy - so it will have to wait.

Someday, not to far from now, I will be able to incorporate these things back into my life as once-in-a-while special treats.  That day is not today.  And it was not yesterday.


Speaking of yesterday...  While sitting at lunch yesterday, my colleague Ben came up to me and said, "You have to go to the office.  There's pistachio cake."  I looked at him - probably as if he's lost his ever-loving mind - and said, "No, I'm not going to have cake."  His response: "It's Temptation Tuesday!"


Apparently, some of my colleagues are playing the game in this Biggest Loser contest.


I did not go to the office and I did not eat cake.


Today, while chatting with some colleagues, I looked away for a second, turned my head back and saw a box of bakery-fresh ho-ho-like delights in front of me.  Directly in front of me.  


I didn't eat the ho-ho-like delights, either.


Tonight when I got home, I was greeted with the newest issue of Milwaukee Magazine in my mailbox.  Haven't seen it, yet?  There is a triple scoop cake cone on the cover...of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry frozen custard...from Kopp's - on the cover!


Oh my!


Well, world...you can throw all the temptations at me you'd like.  I walked past the peanut squares my dad had sitting on the counter last weekend.  I didn't eat the cake yesterday.  I didn't eat the ho-ho-like delights today.  And, I didn't drive to Kopps...or Leon's (it's much closer - and I think, better!) tonight to indulge in some of Milwaukee's best commodity - frozen custard.  That's right.  I'm on a path and I'm not stopping.  Not until I reach my end point.


You kids can all enjoy these tasty and delightful treats.  I'll see you there later.  Save me some ice water and fresh veggies.  


Thanks!
Jenny

Changing Up My Maniacal Cycling Habit

This is a hard one for me.  I have been mulling over how I'm going to approach cycling this summer - now that I have my health back, the bike is ready and I am ready...

I've already started riding and am going out about 3 times a week for the past 2 weeks.  It would be very easy for me to just keep up with the training calendar that I've ALWAYS used to train for the bike tour (it's a training schedule to prepare for a century - 100+ mile - ride). 

However, I REALLY want to stick with 5&1 (not even 4&2) until I get to goal.  And, if that's the plan - the most I can ride is 45 minutes.  This is a MAJOR change in how I do things.  It will also mean that I will not be riding the miles I usually do for the bike tour...100+ one day and 75 or 100+ the second day.  There's just no way I can accomplish that with this caloric intake. 

It would also mean an adjustment in some of my other summer activities - cycling-wise.  I ride at least twice a week with my two best friends - once for a weekly women's ride on Tuesdays - about 90 minutes-2 hours and then our long rides on Saturdays/Sundays (one day/week).  They know I'm back on the program, but probably not what it means in terms of changing up my training. 

This is a major reigning in of my maniac running/cycling natural tendencies...but I really need to stick with this plan.

If I stick with 5&1 and limit my activity to the guidelines, I will be able to do so much more by the end of the year - I need to keep my eyes on the prize...not the mileage!!!

This Week's Habits of Health Discussion

It's Tuesday and that means it's Habits of Health Discussion day in my health coach's facebook group. 

Today's challenge: The Habits of Health

Exercise- Visualize and write down how you'll feel when you're at your healthy weight and living the Habits of Health. Picture where you want to be three months from now….maybe riding a bike with your children, dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, feeling great full of energy. The sun is shining, and life is good! Now write down your thoughts.

-See what's happening in your imagination
-Be specific and vivid in your description

Three Months from now
Three months from now I will be riding in my fourth Bike MS Wisconsin: Best Dam Bike Tour.  In the past, I have always been at a higher weight during the bike tour (where I am right now or higher - gasp!).  This year, I will be at least 25 lbs. lighter than I've ever been for the Bike Tour.  I will also be celebrating my 20 year high school reunion.  For this event, I will weigh less than I did most of my high school career.  And, I will be running the Dirty Girl Run with a team of friends.  This will be my first time doing this event.  By the time I participate in these events, I will likely be at my lowest weight since...MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!

Six Months from now
In six months, I hope to be at my goal weight or within 10 lbs. of that.  I will be preparing or already in transition.  Having met this goal, I will be able to increase my activity, as my daily food intake will be different from what it is now on the Medifast 5&1 plan.  I can't wait!  I will diversify my physical training to incorporate more strength training and to continue running and cylcing - something I've always struggled to maintain over the cold Wisconsin winter months.

One year from now
In one year I hope to have been at goal and maintaining for close to (or just over) six months.  I will be done with the transition phase of the Medifast program and will be working on maintaining my goal weight through healthy food choices, six small meals a day and regular exercise.  I look forward to running and cycling without the challenges and obstacles presented by carrying extra weight.  I would love to be planning for - or perhaps already completed - a half marathon.  It's always been a goal.  If that goes well, I'd like to aim for a marathon.  I've already completed four century rides, but would love to do one at a healthy weight!  I will be graduating with my Masters of Education in Reading Education and looking forward to a career transition from high school English teacher to reading teacher. 

Jenny's Getting Her Groove Back

First, my loss for week # 3 was 5 lbs.


Then, my loss for The Biggest Loser contest at work was 6 lbs.


When I got home from a trek to mom & dad's, Fitbit emailed me that I'd earned my first 50 miles badge.  And I wasn't even done with my walking - I had to go out for my "real" walk.


And when I got home from the "real" walk, Fitbit emailed me again because I'd earned my first 10,000 steps badge.

This was at 8:09 pm - I've still got a few hours left in me for the day!

Veggie Roasting Sunday

What do you do on Sunday after buying a table-full of produce on Saturday?  You clean, prep and cook, cook, cook!


I know that if I don't address fresh veggies immediately, they will not be fresh for long and too many will be compost-bound.  Not acceptable!  


This morning I started with cleaning up the brown mushrooms from the farmers market and then letting them take a happy soak in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a bit of fresh ground sea salt and black pepper.  I then decided that I had too many bell peppers sitting there to not use some today, so a few of them got diced up and added to the happy bath...along with a bit of the scallions.  After the veggies were sufficiently flavored, they went onto the foil-lined baking stone in the oven to roast.


Then the house started smelling like something tasty.  I peeked in on my veggies and saw the pile of fresh zucchini.  They just looked up at me as if they were missing out on the fun.  So, the mandolin came out, the zucchini were quickly and evenly sliced and waited in a similar bath of happiness for the mushrooms to be done.  


Before getting to the Sunday cleaning and preparing to head to mom & dad's for dinner, the zucchini hit the oven for a good roasting through.  


Dinner is now done and was quickly consumed.  Grilled salmon, asparagus, roasted potatoes (for mom & dad), and the roasted mushrooms, peppers and scallions were DELICIOUS!  I didn't even slow down enough to grab my phone and snap a picture...my apologies.


When I get home, I'm going to finish up my roasting with the remaining peppers and tomatoes.  They will then go to the freezer for whatever use I find for them...the fridge is stocked with roasted veggies for a few days.

Stuffed Bella Caps

Tonight's dinner - after an afternoon of shopping and a great haul of fresh produce and meats - turned out to be Stuffed Bella Caps.  


It started without a recipe and evolved into a tasty dinner that I will be repeating sometime in the future, much to my tummy's happiness.


The starring players...

Portabella Mushroom Caps

Ground Turkey

Diced Bell Peppers

Chopped Green Onions

Shredded Cheese

...add in a few shakes of black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and 3 cloves of garlic.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cook the turkey in a pan until not-quite cooked.
• While turkey is cooking, take care of the mushrooms and prep veggies:
• Clean out mushroom caps, a spoon and paper towel are all you need to make quick work of this.
• Arrange mushroom caps on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet.  I line my baking stone with foil and eliminate any messy clean-up.
• Dice peppers and green onions.
• Drain liquid from pan.
• Return to pan with turkey to stove and add the seasoning.  
• Add in diced peppers and onions and cook until turkey is cooked through.
• Once the turkey mixture is done, spoon into mushroom caps and sprinkle with cheese.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
• Enjoy a tasty and healthy meal!

Medifast followers: I made this recipe to serve 2 full Lean & Green meals.  The turkey was a little shy of a full serving of lean, the small amount of cheese made up the difference.  The mushroom caps equaled 2 greens and the peppers & onions made up the remaining green.

If you are not following a specific diet plan, go ahead and zest this up to your liking.  I'd recommend something like a simple tomato sauce with the turkey & vegetable stuffing.  

Happy Cinco de Produce!

Happy Cinco de Mayo, Friends!


I spent my afternoon on an expedition to stock up for some tasty lean & green meals with my mom and dad.


We started at the West Allis Farmers' Market.  It was opening day for the season and today presently mostly plants - herbs, vegetables and beautiful floral varieties.  I was able to pick up a few pounds of fresh spinach and some beautiful mushrooms.  


Next was a trip to the fabulous Metcalfe's Sentry for some items from their amazing meat case.  I just packed up some chicken breasts, ground turkey, boneless pork chops and ground lamb.  Not to shabby for a quick run-in on a Saturday afternoon.


Finally, we took our maiden voyage into Pete's Fruit Market.  Oh...it was everything I thought it would be and then some.  I left there with a bucket of tomatoes, another bucket of bell peppers, a bunch of green onions, a head of romaine lettuce and some zucchini.  All for just over $11!

Now, I must decide...what's for dinner?

A KISS Weekend

My delightful group of Super Sexy MFers (Medifasters) has taken a new approach to weekends.  No longer is it the days of Martini Fridays, Sangria Saturdays and Bloody Mary Sundays.  We've grown up and gained some focus somewhere along our collective journey.  These days, we have KISS weekends - Keep It Simple, Sexies!


No snacks, no extra condiments, simple lean & green meals and lots of water and green tea.  We're sticking to the simplest form of following the Medifast program - wherever we are on that journey - as a form of maintaining our focus over what could be challenging weekends full of tempting smells, delicious drinks and divine dining.


After the success of last weekend, I've kept at the KISS approach.  I haven't stopped. Today marks day eight of my KISS journey.  I'm down over 4 pounds from where I was last Friday.  My official weigh in is Monday.  It's also the day I weigh in for the Biggest Loser contest at work AND the day I weigh in for the May challenge in my health coach's facebook group.

Shaking Up Routines

Throughout the course of my journey with Medifast, I've been loyal to a few food items.  While some tempting new foods were introduced somewhere along the way, I kept on with what I was doing and pretended that those new items weren't there.


Not any more.


If I'm going to follow this path to the not-at-all-bitter end, I am going to need to shake things up every once in a while and try something new.  


When the FedEx delivery arrived at my door today, it didn't just bring a few weeks of food to my door - it brought Brownies and Chocolate Chip Soft Back and BBQ Bites and Blueberry Oatmeal and Calorie Burn Cappuccino (which, my sources tell me tastes very different & much better than the run-of-the-mill Cappuccino I've been using since September).  These are the items I am trying for the first time.  Of course, the Peanut Butter Soft Serve, Chocolate & Vanilla Appetite Suppressant Shakes, and some Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks were in the mix - but I have been thinking about these new items since I adjusted my order last Friday.

Ah...lots of choices!!!

I am a creature of habit.  I know this.  I could go weeks with the exact same menu and never shake my head.  Of course, somewhere in there I would need to be able to toss in a few squirts of Sriracha, some shakes of crushed red pepper flakes or a splash or five of Frank's Red Hot.  Otherwise, I like predictability.


But, I get that from following the program I've embarked on.  I know if I do, I will lose a few pounds a week.  I know if I drink the amount of water I usually do (160+ ounces a day, if you need to know), I will feel good and hydrated and not have a thirst or "need" for something else.  I know if I shake the dust off of my tail-feathers and get outside for some exercise, that I will feel refreshed and that my body will thank me by firming up, sleeping well and being strong.


Oh, and rolling with the punches - that's another of those life lessons that I'm continuing to get my fair share of practice with.  After last night's Cauliflower Pizza/Quiche episode, I held it together and celebrated that I've made something new.  Tonight for dinner, I had that Cauliflower Quiche - finished off just as the Pizza recipe suggests.  And, you know what - it was DELICIOUS!