Well THIS is embarrassing....

...but in a good way, I suppose. Official before and after pics:





Start date: 2/3/07
Goal reached: 7/10/07
Total weight lost: 42.2 pounds
(yeah me!)
;)

Before's and After's....

So....Here I am, 2 weeks after hitting my goal (losing over 40 pounds), and I am STILL at my goal weight. This, after completely indulging over a weekend in NYC...including BBQ, cookies, cupcakes, and all around snack-a-licious-ness! People always ask me "So...what now? Do you get to eat whatever you want now?" Well, not exactly...I mean, that's how I got HERE:

....in the first place. This shot was taken at the beginning of February, right before I started my Jenny Craig program. I must be honest, it was the most humiliating experience I can remember, even trumping my colonoscopy in 2000...and if you've ever had one of those, you know that's quite humiliating. Woops, back to my original point....

So, people are wondering if I can just eat anything on the planet. Well, yes...in MODERATION. I have NO designs on going back to the girl you see in the picture above. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty ok with this girl:


If you go back to my very first post, one of my goals was to wear a bikini this summer...and well, I did it! This picture was taken over the weekend at Long Beach, NYC....and it was fabulous. Now, I fully realize that I am no Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model in this shot...but I must say, that for the first time in my life, I got up from my beach towel, and walked down to play in the ocean, without feeling like I had to grab an oversized t-shirt to cover myself up on the 30 foot walk. I have NEVER done that. And once I was done playing in the water, I didn't have to have someone standing at the water's edge, waiting to hand me a huge beach towel to cover me up for my way BACK. It was liberating. It was almost spiritual (as corny as that sounds)...

I'm still eating Jenny food, but I'm able to add a few more calories here and there during my maintenance phase..and honestly, after this past weekend of debauchery, I was actually looking FORWARD to my Jenny food! It's so perfectly portioned and delicious, and it brings me back to a comfortable feeling of being in control. Just because I'm at my goal weight does not mean that the journey is over...it's a lifelong journey to a happy, healthy lifestyle. And I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure the girl in black, at the top of this posting, never comes back!!

More pics to come as they're taken...and as always, if you have any questions, or if you want to know about the program, PLEASE...do NOT hesitate to contact me. Email me (laura@b95.com) or just pick up the phone and call 800-Jenny20. Or check out www.jennycraig.com....whatever you do, if you want to lose weight, and you've tried everything, LIKE I HAD, do yourself a favor: Make. It. Happen.

Why the weight???? ;)

Till next time,
~L

Guess who hit her goal today......?!?!?!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? I'm THERE! I hit my Jenny Craig goal! Better yet, I went a pound PAST my goal! I haven't weighed this little since, I don't know, Junior High? Possibly High School?

I have officially lost 40.3 pounds in 23 weeks. I have also lost 24 inches overall. When I think about it, I'm really still in awe....this means that 5 months ago, I was carrying around 4 sacks of potatoes, and 2 feet-worth of fat around my body.

Looking back, I can say with complete honesty, I NEVER thought I'd get here. NEVER. I have done every single program on the planet: pills, shakes, points, starvation, high protein, high carb, protein/carb ratio'ing...everything. All along, I was hoping for some magical secret - some quick fix - some instant gratification...after all, it took me over 30 years to develop these bad eating habits and unhealthy lifestyle, why SHOULDN'T I have immediate results?!?! (See how RIDICULOUS that sounds???)

The truth is, once you get your head in the game - and that DOES take time - you CAN do this. I have been at least 20 pounds overweight my entire life...usually more. No, I've never been 100 pounds overweight, but the pain is just the same. We are bombarded with images of perfection everywhere we look, and we can sink so low into the fake reality, that we finally get ourselves to believe we're just going to have to settle for the crappy way we feel. Some of the things that were said to me and the names that I was called in my childhood/adolescence are still VERY much there, and VERY much real. And yes, part of me wants to go to every single one of those jerks that called me "747" and "Laura Fat Laura" (those really were a couple nicknames I had...) and strut my stuff, and honestly, give them a really, really inappropriate hand gesture. But, I'm going to take solace in the fact that I have done something they will never do - I did something about it. They're probably still jerks. Maybe we'll reunite on some Maury Povich episode....hahha!

I will continue to post as I make my way through Maintenance. It won't be as often (come on now, really, how often was I regular at this anyway? hahah!), but I want to keep committed to this...for both our sake's. This is a LIFESTYLE change, not a I-lost-my-weight-now-I'm-all-better type thing.

Thank you so much for your well-wishes and support along the way...I have to say, Jenny Craig's food and personal support really made this as easy as was in THEIR power, but I also worked my butt off! It wasn't always easy or simple, and it wasn't always painless, I will admit. But where I am right now...if I could talk to myself 5 months ago, I'd tell her, "Suck it up, do the work, show up, and you CAN do this!"

Now...tell YOURSELF this, and lets get goin!

Till next time,
xoxo
~L

Short and sweet....

Ok, so it's been TOOOO long since I updated you, and I apologize for my complete negligence of this! To spare you the gory details, I'll keep it short and sweet.

Last weigh-in, I GAINED a pound. A FULL POUND. Water retention, "cheating", cocktails...whatever the reason, I was HEATED. Mainly because the week prior, I was 1.7 pounds away from my own goal. Now, I'm up to 2.7 pounds...and that might as well be 30 pounds to me. So, last Monday, I vowed to work my butt off as well as stick to my program. BUT....once again, life happens.....

A holiday right in the middle of the week, 2 events, and a kajillion more things that I had to deal with this past week, didn't exactly make for an ideal "stick to the plan" plan! I did my best, even at another work party I had to attend on Friday...Saturday I power-shopped and had lunch with some girlfriends, and unfortunately, shopping had brought me to the point of STARVATION, so EVERYTHING on the menu called my name. I didn't make a great choice, but I did only have half of what was on my plate.

Now, I have NO idea what will happen at next weigh-in, and I have what may be the most stressful week of my life ahead of me. I'm pretty good with not "emotionally eating" any more, but I'm pretty sure there will be some situations in which I won't be able to "stick to the plan" all the time. I'll do what I can, and understand that I need to be a bit easier on myself, because I've been beating the hell outta myself since last Monday. It's DEFINITELY harder to lose weight when it's 30 degrees and snowing outside. There's just too much going on during the summer, ya know? UGH!

If anyone ever tells you making a HUGE lifestyle change is always going to be easy, run and get a ruler and smack the back of their hand...because THEY'RE LYING!!!

Onward....

Till next time,
~L

Guess it's the weekends that really screw me up...

...because, determined to get to my goal this past week, I was so strict and so good about following my menu! But, as I've said before...life happens, and with life comes unexpected eating situations. And after all my hard work, I'm not about to stop "life" from happening, just because I'm wrapped up in 1.7 pounds to go.

Friday evening I joined some coworkers for a Trivia Happy Hour, and I enjoyed some of the "happy"-ness...which included skipping dinner (that was unintentional...), and a few cocktails. It was a hell of a work-week for all of us...there was much steam to be blown off!

Saturday I was determined to get back on track, so I started off with a yummy Jenny breakfast. I went out to lunch and had a really, REALLY tough time deciding what to order, because it happened to be that the minute I sat down, I was STARVING. EVERYTHING on that menu looked amazing. I settled for a turkey wrap with apple stuffing and cranberries...hey, at least there wasn't cheese and mayo all over it! However...there were some fries, and I ate some fries...some delicious, salty, greasy, crispy, fantastic fries. I must note here, that I literally left half of my wrap and about 3/4 of the fries on the plate, and that's mainly because I listened to my stomach, and waited for IT to tell me when I was full. That's something VERY important that I've learned...I actually LISTEN to my body now, instead of finishing every morsel on the plate, just because there's food in front of me. Bravo!

Saturday night was the B95 Cruise on the Dutch Apple, and again, unintentionally, I didn't eat dinner before leaving the house. I knew there would be appetizers on board, so I figured I'd just nibble on those as I mingled. Again, starving by the time they came out, I was challenged: Chicken Cordon Bleu balls, deep-fried veggie egg rolls, philo stuffed with ricotta and spinach, chicken skewers...the options were endless, and not exactly "health-conscious". I helped myself to a few, again, until my stomach said "You're all set...you can stop now..." and that's where it ended. And I only sipped on water with lemon, so no additional calories and fats from cocktails! :)

Sunday came, and after a 2 mile run, I again had lunch out...salad bar, low fat balsamic dressing, and half a veggie burger. I requested steamed broccoli instead of fries (I had had my quota of fried stuff for the week!), so once again, I did the best I could! However, beneath the "steamed" broccoli lay a suspicious oily, light-yellow liquid...You'd be amazed how difficult it is to find a restaurant that actually STEAMS their veggies and serves them straight-away. Most will end up spraying them with butter or oil, after they've been cooked. But they don't tell you that on the menu...they just say "steamed". Ahh....ya do what ya can...

I'm finishing the other half of the veggie burger for dinner, and then, it's go-time. Monday is the weigh-in, and if I actually lost 1.7 pounds this week (doubtful), I'll be at my goal weight. I'm not optimistic, but I've been surprised before. Leave it to me...it'll end up 1.5 pounds. Arrrgh!

Either way, I'll let you know! Hope you had a great weekend!
Till next time,
~L

PS....

...I thought you might like to see this....it's a graph from JennyCraig.com that I chart my weight on...And yes, I've strategically I've cut off the left-hand side to hide my actual weight. Hey, to us girls, some things are ALWAYS sacred... ;)



Gotta say...I love that downward slope... ;)

Shut. UP!

This morning, Ric and I were talking about how this has become an increasingly acceptable statement...kind of a "Holy Cow!" or "Are you serious?!?" type thing. Whether you like it or not, it's here to stay, and something I say at least once or twice a day...including today, to Christine, when I stepped on the scale.

Lets briefly go back to last week...it was ANOTHER crazy one! There were meetings here, events there, and everything in between. Hell, there was even a Moe's Burrito and some chips thrown in! Missing a day at the gym, I was sure I wasn't going to lose any weight this past week, but I really didn't think I GAINED any either. So I'd have to take solace in the fact that I did the best I could, given the set of circumstances, and that I'd just have to add on another week that I wouldn't get closer to my 40 pound goal.

Well, prior to stepping on the scale, I gave Christine the short version: there were a lot of unexpected situations that came up, some indiscretions on my part, and I wasn't expecting miracles. If anything, maybe a couple tenths of a pound, as I've gotten so in tune with my body over the course of the past few months, I can sometimes feel if I've lost an ounce! I stepped on the scale, and saw a number that I had to double-check....did it REALLY say that? Had I really...LOST another three pounds??? How in the hell did I manage that??? I joked with Christine and said "Shut. UP! There's no way I lost weight this week. Watch, I probably have some foreign form of typhoid fever or something that's making me lose weight..." Hey, if ya can't joke about typhoid, what can ya joke about? ;)

I digress. I am now 1.7 pounds away from my goal weight. It's still unbelievable to me. I can't believe someone called me "skinny" today. I don't know if it's a woman thing or a mental thing or a woman-mental thing, but I still see that heavier person in the mirror sometimes...actually, often. I imagine that sometime I'll see what other people see, but right now, I'll take seeing a new exciting number on the scale...I was going through some pictures from Free Money Friday, and came across this one:

I literally did not recognize myself. I literally did NOT realize that was me, until I took a closer look, as I asked "Who the hell grabbed the mic in the B95 gazebo on Friday? Wasn't I there the whole time?" Weird.

Keep goin....the journey is long, not always easy, and sometimes frustrating...but it's soooooooo worth it! I'm with ya!

Oh, and by any chance, do you ever walk into your office to find something that looks like THIS:

This is what I walked into this morning at the office. Cookies, homemade goodies, and brownies. WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO DO TO ME????

Just thought I'd share...
Till next time,
~L

Here we go again....

...with me slacking on the posting! SORRY!!! It's been a particularly busy couple of weeks...In my industry, this time of year is time to "hit the streets", so to speak, so I've just been go-go-going non stop! Finally had a few minutes to catch up with you!

Last week was, once again, a bit challenging. It's always the same at my consultations: Christine will say "Anything coming up this week that could bring some challenges?" and on Mondays, usually my week hasn't filled up yet, so I just say "Nope!" But then, more and more life happens, and unplanned events (and eating situations) show up.

Thursday was Alive at Five, so I was there "reporting" for Channel 6...those concerts always make for a long night, so planning meals is difficult. I get there around 4:15p, too early for dinner...but I don't leave until after 7p, which is pretty late for those of us who get up at 3:45am! At any rate, I ended up meeting up with some friends and going out to dinner afterwards, and by that time, I was STARVING! I did the best I could in ordering, as we were at a pub-type restaurant, with ALL of my favorites on the menu: Buffalo wings, loaded potato skins, burgers, spinach and artichoke dip....I opted for a salad with marinated, grilled steak, goat cheese, and a sweet raspberry vinaigrette. It was AWESOME. A glass of Sauvignon Blanc also made it to the table, capping off the evening.

I was feeling a little "concerned" about the late steak, but nonetheless I felt good in that I watched the portions and really didn't do too bad. Friday night, after an evening of power shopping (got a NEW pant size AND a BIKINI! It doesn't look "GREAT" just now, but it sure does look a LOT better than a year ago!), I was too tired to think about cooking, so I went out to dinner and had a DELICIOUS turkey burger and salad bar. I cut the turkey burger in half, and honestly, that was just enough for me! And the dreaded "All burgers come with fries" was combated by my saying "How about some steamed veggies instead of the fries?" Another job well done (thank you very much...).

Saturday...ooooh Saturday. Started off good...a 2.3 mile run around the neighborhood, and a bunch of errands before heading off to the Great Escape. I was hosting Wild Windy Bill's 50th Anniversary Celebration, and when I arrived, what's sprawled out in front of me but a 10 foot long sheet cake...vanilla (favorite), butter cream frosting (favorite), and a huge bowl of candy (not favorite, but I'll take it...). After a long, hot day in the sun and with the festivities, I had a piece of cake. Not just any piece of cake...a piece the size of my head. And honestly, I loved every sugary, hydrogenated oil filled bit of it. Did I feel bad about it? About 15 minutes later, you betcha...my stomach tied in knots as it tried to reject the junk I had re-introduced after so long without it! (But man oh man, was it tasty....)

I compensated the rest of the weekend with light meals and veggies, which was just fine...because in the end, on Monday, I lost another 1.2 pounds! I'm now 5.2 pounds away from my 40 pound goal. It's really unbelievable that I'm almost there. Of course, that brings with it some fears and anxiety, but that's a whole 'nother post...America's Got Talent is on, and I have an inkling "The Hoff" might have a temper tantrum, and I can't miss that.
;)

Have a great week, and stay strong!
Till next time,
~L

So what does 33.6 pounds look like?

Well, I know what it weighs...(DUH!!) but when you put it in terms of more than 3 big sacks of potatoes...that's pretty amazing.

It's also 4.48 newborns.

Or 4 gallons of water.

Or just over 39 cans of soda.

Or 7.62 chickens.

(FYI, I got those conversions from www.weirdconverter.com, in case you're wondering what you weigh in blue whales, elephants, or spider monkeys...)

I now ALSO know what 33.6 pounds LOOKS like.

It's the difference between this:


and this:


Not in size, but in "happiness"...can you see the difference?

I sure can...and I can feel it too...especially in the humiliation I feel in looking at these types of "before" pictures....can't wait to get NEW ones!!!

This was taken on my birthday, December 17, 2006:


You can bet I'll post back with another picture here NEXT December 17th...and it better be a lot better than that! In the same or better shape as I am here, right after the Freihofer's Run for Women:


Thanks for sticking with me on my journey...we're almost there...

Till next time,
~L

Well I'll be.....Guess this whole "moderation" thing works, huh?

I'll tell ya, I'm as surprised as the next guy. Throughout all my "oops"'s this past week (see post below), I still managed to lose another 2.3 pounds. This brings the total to 33.6 pounds total loss, in 18 weeks. I'm speechless. For once. Speechless.

I must say that I did practice incredible self-monitoring in everything I did this past week, and I did continue my activity plan, which I think is also another key. So between finally understanding "Everything in moderation" and a bit of exercise, I think I might have this thing figured out!

Now...the crawl continues....6.4 pounds to go....

Stay with me!
Till next time,
~L

Swing, Steak, Lobster, and a Shower

What, pray tell, could I possibly be referring to in the title of this post? A challenging food week from hell!!! It was a tough one, and while I really did my best to adhere to "moderation", I'm not expecting miracles from this week's weigh-in....

Everything was going pretty well until Thursday...I had been doing my regular workout routine, and eating exactly what I was supposed to eat. I have prepared myself for these last 8 pounds to come off at a snail's pace, but I'm also feeling quite comfortable with my new body. These 2 things combine and make a perfect recipe for allowing myself to "slip" a bit on the food portion...

So Thursday, Ric and I had to do some live shots on Channel 6 from "Alive at 5", and had to be there around 4ish...much too early for dinner. But by 6, we were both starving, so we both got chicken Caesar wraps. Yes, I asked for just a LITTLE dressing, so at least I didn't get the 1/4 cup of dressing the woman was putting on everyone else's! I felt okay with that choice, but knew it probably wasn't as "nutritionally sound" as I would have been with my beloved Jenny food!

Then, we were going to check out the new nightclub in Saratoga, "Vapor", because we had given away tickets to Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (a really fun swing band!). Upon arriving, I had a drink and played some slots (that's a whole 'nother story...). Got into Vapor, and had another drink...just enough to start making me feel "good", but GUILTY! (Again, that whole "One drink equals 100 calories and 2 fats" kept going through my mind...) I came home and was actually pretty hungry, so I snacked on some pretzels (guilt guilt guilt) and went to bed.

Friday went off without a catch, and Saturday morning I went for a 2 mile run, even though I really didn't feel like it. Saturday afternoon, I was charged with hosting some events at Albany's Losterfest! You're taking a girl who's trying to stick to a healthy eating plan and putting her in close range of New York Strip steaks and drawn butter??? AND giving her FREE MEAL TICKETS??? Challenging. To say the least. So around 6ish I went into the food tent, and got a steak. (I don't eat seafood, so at least I didn't have to worry about the drawn butter portion...) I cut it in half (it was HUGE) and ate that, a roll, and a few mouthfuls of coleslaw. Acceptable? Sure. Guilt-inducing? You betcha.

Then comes Sunday...my cousin's bridal shower. I asked in advance what the food situation was going to be (IE was it a full lunch or brunch or snacks or what...), but it wasn't starting until noon, so I wasn't quite sure how to "budget calories". When I arrived, I was greeted by wafts of pastries, bacon, omelets, and everything else you can possibly imagine. I made the best choices I could (fruit, eggs...ok and 2 strips of bacon...) and enjoyed a Bloody Mary (hey, that counts as a vegetable right?). It was a nice shower, and I thought I was in the clear. Then...comes the cake. Vanilla cake layered with strawberries (favorite), butter cream frosting (favorite), vanilla ice cream (favorite). GOD, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO ME????

I indulged in dessert, but left a wall of frosting on my plate. Okay, half a wall. But a wall. I also left half the ice cream in the bowl. And I vowed to myself that since I had all my fats, proteins, fruits, starches, and (liquid) veggies in one meal, I would have to really watch my intake the rest of the day. Surprisingly, I wasn't really that hungry the rest of the day! So this evening, I helped myself to some steamed vegetables, and actually felt okay with that! Go figure!

I realize this was a long one, but I also realize I haven't posted in quite some time...so I was due for some catching up! We'll see what happens at tomorrow's weigh-in. Like I said, I'm not expecting miracles. The countdown to 8 pounds may take a little longer than I'd like, but I'd really like to get there soon...Tomorrow's another day, right?

Till next time,
~L

Just sharin' some pictures from Saturday's run....

Yes, I'm still pretty proud...here's some pics...

Here are my friends Julie (on left) and Julia (on right) with me (um...in the middle...) right before the race!


Here's me RIGHT after the race....crying like a baby! (It was a VERY emotional thing for me to not only FINISH the race, but to actually RUN the ENTIRE course!!!)


This is a VERY small part of the women lined up to begin the race. There were almost 3,000 women runners this year (and that's not counting the Fitness Walk and Kids Run participants...there were a LOT of people there! Very intimidating!)


And here's me, finally calmed down, AFTER the race. I DID IT! :)

35:14.1 - My new favorite number....

I can't believe it. I truly can't believe it. I can't tell you how many times I said that today, but it's true. I can't believe...that I RAN...the ENTIRE....5K of the Freihofer's Run for Women. My official time? You guessed it, 35:14.1. That's 35 minutes, 14.1 glorious seconds, that it took me to run 3.1 miles.

By 10am, it was about 83 degrees, 88% humidity, with no breeze in site...it was HOT. It was intimidating. It was downright scary. But at the same time, it was incredibly inspiring, as almost 3000 women - from career marathoners to amateurs like myself - joined together at the base of Madison Avenue for the 29th annual race. I knew I wasn't going to be running for time, I was merely doing it to FINISH. And as I waited for the shotgun, I told myself silently, "It's ok if you don't RUN the whole thing...you can walk some if you have to..." After all, I hate running. I loathe it. Or at least, I have in the past.

I'd like to recount the entire race for you, kilometer by kilometer, but honestly, I'm still pretty pooped, and frankly don't feel like staring at this computer screen much longer. I can tell you that there were several points through today's race that I wanted to stop running, and walk to the finish line. But I knew that if I slowed down and walked, I'd never start up again, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. So I did it. I pushed, and I pushed, and I ran every single foot of that 5K...

I realize that 3.1 miles doesn't seem like much to some people. But for me, this was like climbing Mount Everest. A year ago, I was almost 40 pounds heavier, a pack-a-day smoker, and completely sedentary. Today? I ran side by side with athletes. THIS...was pretty cool.

I may make another post this week with a bit more detail about the race...but for now, I'm off to continue my regimen of ibuprofen and water. Sure, I'm a bit sore...But it's a delightfully accomplished sore...

Thanks for all the support...this was something I'll never forget! Along with that wonderful number: 35:14.1!

Till next time,
~L

Ok, so Memorial Day hurt me a little....

Sorry, my update is 2 days late. But Tuesday's weigh-in brought the loss of almost another half-pound, so my total is now 31.2 pounds. As my gym partner recommended, we are no longer concentrating on the count UP to 40 pounds lost, but rather, the more anticipated count DOWN. 8.8 pounds, and counting. Diligently. Compulsively. Obsessively.

I say this because this week I've been "training" for the Freihofer's Run for Women, a traditional 5K race in Albany. I've never run a race in my life. I started with a quick jaunt (2.5 miles) that I told you about in the last post, and well, I don't really like running. But I committed to this race, on behalf of the radio station, so I'm not giving up. So Tuesday I did 3.1 miles (5k) on the treadmill, and despite my cursing like a sailor, I didn't die. Wednesday I did another 3.1 miles, and ALMOST died...not without a repeat of the previous day's language. Today I had to let my muscles rest a bit, so I did the elliptical machine and went home! Tomorrow, I will make my third and final date with the treadmill for another 3.1 miles, and then, it's all about hittin' the pavement on Saturday.

I have to say, I'm quite nervous about the entire ordeal. Having never run a race, and not being in the most "athletic" state, I know I'll be quite self conscious around the seasoned runners beside me. But I have a goal: to finish. I don't care if I'm the last one to cross the line, I just want to say I ran a 5K race, and finished. I'm going to push myself to actually RUN the whole time (as opposed to taking some walking breaks) but Saturday's forecast is hot and humid, two things that, in the past, have brought me close to tossing cookies after ONE mile. We'll see what happens. But I can honestly say that I'm quite amazed with the fact that I'm even ABLE to go that far on a treadmill. My first day at the gym, I could only handle 15 minutes on the elliptical. Five months ago I had pretty moderate to severe asthma, caused by years of smoking and a sedentary lifestyle. Now, I'm training for a race. My energy, my stamina, my everything...has changed. And for the better.

Wish me luck...and I hope you can come out and cheer me on! I'll be wearing bib #955 (how appropriate!), wearing a purple tank top and black running shorts.

And I'll probably be the only runner you can actually HEAR swearing up a storm. Hey...whatever it takes....

;)
Till next time,
~L

Memorial Day weekend....

Well I knew it was going to be challenging, but I made it through...relatively well!

I traveled to Western NY to see my family over the long weekend. Friday I had a home-cooked dinner with my mom outside of Rochester (she made chicken and veggies, very healthy!), so I did ok...but then, DISASTER! (Ok, not really "disaster"....just a little dramatic effect...)

I went to my brother's in Rochester where we were going to a party. As soon as we walked in, the scent of creamy, cheesy, artichoke dip filled the air - THIS was gonna be tough! Long story short, it was a very fun party. Yes, I had a few cocktails, and I enjoyed every single sip. I even had a bit of that fat-laden artichoke dip! No guilt...I was just living it up a little! I've worked really, REALLY hard for the past 4 months, and I let loose. Not like I do it all the time, but I do know that I certainly went over my calories for the day. Eh, so be it. I had a lot of fun, and really, truly enjoyed myself!

I did some more traveling Saturday, bringing me to my father's house, where it's pretty typical for me to raid the cupboards, pantry, and fridge for anything that I usually don't keep at my house. Yes, I'm in my early 30s, but it's still a treat for me to rifle through dad's goodies and pig out! HOWEVER, I refrained, because the hauntings (and quite frankly, the hangover) from Friday were still fresh in my mind. I stuck to my Jenny food, and enjoyed a long visit with my best friend.

Sunday was my dad's annual Memorial Day party, complete with a barbecue (burgers, hot dogs, sausages), salads (including macaroni!), drinks, and various other munchies. Committed gal that I am, I noticed there was no veggie tray, so I ran to the market to grab some carrots, celery, broccoli, and cucumbers. I won't lie, I did decide to have the "party food", but I certainly did watch my portions like a hawk! And I enjoyed myself again.

It was great to hear all the compliments of friends and family who hadn't seen me since Thanksgiving...they were all so proud of me and supportive and it made me feel great. Do I feel a little, teeny, tiny bit guilty today after indulging a bit? Sure. Yes I do, because I know I get weighed tomorrow and I may not have lost any weight. I honestly don't feel like I've gained any either, which is terrific. But if I happened to have put on a few more ounces, I'm ok with that too. Hey, I've been saying all along: Jenny Craig realizes that you're still going to have a LIFE, and sometimes that means "going off the plan" for a bit. But the great thing is, I have learned the TOOLS to keep me on TRACK, so I CAN still enjoy what other people are enjoying!

And hey, I can't be THAT bad...even though I was on a mini-vacation, I STILL went for a 2.5 mile run with my best friend! THAT is pretty impressive...to me, anyways! I'm going to attempt a 5K this weekend (Freihoffer's Run for Women), so I'm going to try to switch it up at the gym this week. I'm going to run more than do the elliptical...but the way my legs feel now, from using muscles I don't usually use, that will be yet another challenge to overcome! But I'm up for it!

I hope your weight-loss journey is still going well...and if you "cheated" a little bit this weekend? So what! Tomorrow's another day...you've done SO well this far...it's ok to LIVE A LITTLE!!! :)

Till next time,
~L

You're kidding, right?

Yes, once again, I had quite the pleasant surprise at Jenny Craig on Monday...this whole thing has been full of surprises: first, good food. Then, my new commitment to being active. And every once and again, I get a healthy dose of "Wait...are you serious? I really lost THAT much??" Monday was such a day. I lost another 3.7 pounds last week. My new total? 30.9 pounds. I am now officially less than 10 pounds away from my goal.

To be completely honest, if in the beginning of February, you had told me I'd drop THREE pant sizes by May, I'd tell you you were not only delusional, but probably had a touch of typhoid fever. ONE pant size is great. THREE? For me, that's remarkable. I'm finally looking at styles I've wanted to wear for years...I'm finally enjoying shopping again...I'm finally enjoying walking out of the house again. It's quite amazing to feel so incredibly good, yet still be able to vividly and instantly recall those feelings of self-doubt, embarrassment, and humility. It's a delicate line, walking the blade of that double-edged sword...but I suppose both sides are part of me forever now.

Now begins the rest of the crawl...the last 9.1 pounds. I'm stickin to the plan, and with all hopes, I'll be there in the next six weeks...until then, I'm enjoying my new pants!! ;)

Thanks for all your continued support...I had a woman call me today and say I was an inspiration to her, and that she joined Jenny Craig yesterday. I can't tell you how wonderful that made me feel. YOU are an inspiration to ME!!!!

Till next time,
~L

What a great cruise!.....and then, there's the bad stuff....

Well, the Cruise to Lose was a wonderful experience. I humiliated myself (which, in my line of work is pretty much a necessity) and shared some stories about what I've done in my "fatter years"....like going through the Taco Bell drive-thru, ordering more than enough food for one person, and then when I got to the window, acting like I was on the phone and telling that (non-existent) person on the phone that I had "picked them up something to eat". Yes, true story. Unreal. I also talked about ALWAYS being the fat kid on the playground, those nasty names that Eric Mattoon and Brett Cappa called me in 6th grade (payback's a b***h, guys...KARMA...), and showed my "fat jeans" (pictures hopefully forthcoming). It was a humiliating experience, but also a "freeing" experience...empowering. And that's an experience I'd love YOU to have too!

Then, comes the emotional stuff. Some personal issues in my life have spiraled into what would normally bring "emotional eating". I feared that as some parts of my life started falling apart, some lessons I learned in this journey may fall apart too. I will admit, I did not have a nutritious Saturday night. I had a 3 hour phone date with a good friend, along with a box of Kleenex and a couple of beers. There, I said it. I drank two beers. 200 calories, 6 fats. And with every single sip, "200 calories, 6 fats" went thru my head. While I'm not thrilled with some things that I'm having to deal with, I'm also not going to beat myself up with guilt (at least, not TOO long) over going "off the program" for a couple hours. This is something you should be aware of with Jenny Craig, or any weight management program for that matter...they are well aware that despite being on a regimented program, LIFE still happens. Jobs will cause stress, hearts will be broken, schedules will be hectic - LIFE still happens. But like a wise old man once said, it's not what happens that matters, it's how you respond to it. So, I dealt with it in a certain way on Saturday night, and by Sunday afternoon, I picked up some pieces and got back on track. No more beers (today, at least), and just a few less Kleenex. But life still happens, as it always will, and it's how you respond and deal with things that ultimately make the difference. Make it a good difference this week, ok? ;)

Till next time,
~L

SHAME on me!!! (and, last call!)

I will admit, I have been feeling quite guilty for not updating this more this week...I do apologize! I have no other excuse than the typical "Been busy..." which I HATE to hear from anyone else, but it's the flat out truth!

At any rate, at last weigh-in I lost one more pound, and am now at 27.2lbs....just 12.8 pounds away from my FORTY POUND LOSS goal!!! It's so hard to believe...

I also wanted to remind you that this is the last call for reservations on the Dutch Apple for the "Cruise to Lose"...it goes down THIS SATURDAY from 12-2, and the first 130 people to call get on for FREE! We're registering to win your own Jenny program, as well as sampling Jenny food and just having a great time cruisin the Hudson! Yes, there is a bit of rain in the forecast, but the good thing is that there is plenty of covered space on the boat!! :) 463-0220...make sure you call and make your reservation by 5pm Friday!!! See you there!

If you've been joining me on your own weight-loss journey, stay strong...I've hit a slow period that I knew was going to happen...a crawl to my goal. It'll come off, I just have to be a bit more patient, which has never been a virtue of mine! But I'm sticking to it, if for no other reason than to be able to say "I DID IT!" That's so empowering! Believe in yourself, and keep going!

Till next time (which hopefully won't be this long again...),
~L

*Yawn*....it's quite early....

....but I realized I never gave the Monday weigh-in update!

Down another 1.2 pounds, bringing the total to 26.2 of me - GONE. Wearing a new (smaller size) outfit today, and feeling fabulous. I can't tell you how much it means to have someone say "Wow, you look GREAT..." I hate to sound shallow, but that is a HUGE motivating factor. I have to say, making a major life change like this just HAS to be for YOURSELF, but it sure doesn't hurt when you get positive reinforcement from others.

Been an insanely busy few days...ha, who am I kidding...a few WEEKS....so I really do apologize for not keeping up with this better. HOWEVER, I really do hope you'll join me on the Dutch Apple for the "Cruise to Lose" on May 19th...12p-2p, and it's ABSOLUTELY FREE for the first 130 people to register. We'll be sampling yummy Jenny Craig food (so you can see I'm not a liar...it's DELISH!!!), and you'll register to win a FREE Jenny membership. I'll be there, along with other Jenny participants so you can ask what THEY thought of the program (in case you're sick of hearing ME...), and you can even meet the consultants...including mine, Christine, AKA "Mama Bird", AKA "Consultant to the Stars"....or, just "Christine"...

GET ON THE BOAT! 463-0220 or www.dutchapplecruises.com. Remember, only the first 130 people get on FREE so don't miss out!

Till next time,
~L

And the award for the World's Worst Blog Poster goes to....

.....ME!

Yes, it would have to be me...I have to apologize, as I know some of you come here weekly for updates, or support, or camaraderie, or entertainment (!?)...and I have failed you! However, don't let this complete disappointment let you think I'm "off the wagon" again...I'm not!

Had an EXTREMELY long week this week, which actually made it a bit easier to really stick to the plan. On Wednesday I had the opportunity to meet Vicki Lawrence...

...here with Ric and me. She was in town for Bellevue Hospital's "Women's Night Out", which I was a part of. The entire experience - from the Expo beforehand to the dinner and presentation - was AMAZING. Not just for the "celebrity factor" of Vicki, but for the wonderful experience of all those women (and some men...FINALLY...), coming together to save Bellevue, and showing just how powerful of a force women can be when we work together! THOUSANDS of dollars were raised, and there were so many wonderful exhibitors at the Expo - from hair and makeup to health and wellness, it was all there, and all for women! How proud I was to be part of it!

BUT, and this is a BIG but (like mine...though shrinking...), there was a challenge: dinner. Prior to the event we had to RSVP with our dinner choice: chicken or vegetarian. Either was probably a safe bet, so I went with chicken. I felt relieved when I saw the vegetarian plate come out to the woman next to me: it was some kind of ravioli, doused in a cream sauce. Surely my chicken choice would be more healthful. RATS! Foiled again!

As they placed the steaming plate in front of me, I faced quite the conundrum...I was positively famished from the long day, but the breaded, sauteed, and oil/butter soaked chicken breast was, shall we say, less than a healthful selection. The veggies (carrots and 3 spears of asparagus) were also sauteed, and the steaming, creamy, gorgeous-looking mashed potatoes stared back at me and whispered "Oooh you're sooooo gonna love me...especially with this extra little pat of butter so gingerly placed on my head..."

It was all delicious (you didn't think I was gonna go hungry did you???), but I made my way around the plate with the precision of a nutritionist! I peeled the breading off, and ate half the chicken breast (it was enormous!), ate all the veggies, and even had about a quarter of the potatoes (and...I might add, they were right...). For dessert, there was a piece of berry cheesecake placed in front of each one of us. Again, do you really think I wasn't going to enjoy that with the rest of my table-mates? Well, I did...but I only had one bite. And honestly, that's all I needed. I wasn't hungry anymore, I just wanted the TASTE. I got the taste, and I was done!

I don't know if it was being in the presence of all those strong and dignified women, but I felt SO EMPOWERED that night. I had triumphed! Ok, so it was a triumph over cheesecake...it was still a triumph!!! :) I can't tell you how good it feels to finally have some control over this - over food - after all these years of being it's slave. Before, I would most certainly feel deprived - even punished - if I had attempted to sit through a dinner and watch other people wholf down 800 calories. Now, I just felt....empowered. In control. Proud.

Next weigh in is Monday...I was down 25 pounds last week. Of course, we are rapidly approaching my monthly water weight weeks. I'll admit, that does get me down. But not enough to give up that control...that pride. I'll keep you posted!

Till next time,
~L

Half-way plus 5 pounds.....

SO, FINALLY I got around a scanner, and here are some shots....the 2 on the top were taken on January 30, 2006, about a week before I started my Jenny Craig program.

The 2 on the bottom were taken on April 30, 2007...25 pounds later. My own personal goal is only 15 pounds away...

See...it really can happen...if it did for me, it can for you...I know how cliche that sounds, but it's so very, very true. I was a heavy smoker, couch potato, fast-food loving gal who never set foot in a gym. Now I'm working out 5-6 times a week (because I WANT to), and enjoying my Jenny Craig food more than most people enjoy their home-cooked meals!!!

See you on the Cruise to Lose! (See to the Right for details...)

~L

Every Ounce Counts!

This has become my mantra every Monday, as it is for many people who insist on COMPLETELY emptying their bladder right before a weigh in! I only wish I could have also cried or sweat out an extra tenth of a pound in the restroom, because I lost .9 lb this week....but the cool thing is, that brings my total to an even 25 pounds lost! I can't say how amazed I am....well I guess I can...I'm AMAZED!

What's even more amazing is seeing how much participating in this program has changed my life, without it imposing any insane cult-like regimens or them having to plant a chip in my brain or anything (at least, I don't THINK they did...). During my weekly consultation, I was explaining to Christine that after lunch last week, I really, REALLY wanted a piece of chocolate, or at least something sweet. Sure, I could have gone against my better judgment and snacked from the remains of my Easter basket stashed in the fridge (my dear old grandma still sends me one every year!), but instead, I opted for some fresh, red seedless grapes...and ya know what? It actually satiated my craving for something SWEET! I NEVER ate fruit before...NEVER. I just didn't "get" anything from it, as far as satisfaction goes. Now I'm making these choices and feeling AMAZING about it...

I saw our Grand Prize winner, Karen McCaffrey, at Jenny today...I literally almost didn't recognize her! She's down over 22 pounds in about 8 weeks...she looks amazing. We got to chatting about how this really has become a lifestyle change, NOT a diet. This is something we both want to do the rest of our lives. I'm so happy for her...

Oh, and I have to come clean, since now I've gotten the chance to "confess" to Christine...I went "off the wagon" a few times this weekend. This past Friday, I had to be in Kinderhook for a wine tasting event at 3:30, and it lasted till 7pm. Just because of the schedule of my day, I didn't get a chance to eat lunch before I left. Naturally, I was STARVING by the time I got to the event. I snacked on some cheese and crackers, and found myself monitoring every calorie that went into my mouth. (This is not a Jenny Craig thing, this is my own obsessive-compulsive thing!!!) I also had a few sips of wine. Afterwards, I met some coworkers out, and had 2 full glasses of wine over the course of a couple hours. I felt guilty, yes, but I also took solace in the fact that I didn't have the calories from lunch, OR dinner (since I was still out), OR a dessert. I don't advise this method one bit...it's just the way things went down. But I was still quite proud of myself for making the decision to closely monitor everything. And the next day, I got right back on the wagon.

Sunday I did the March of Dimes WalkAmerica 3 mile charity walk, and unbeknown st to me, there was CATERING waiting for us when we completed the walk! This included delicious BBQ chicken, hot dogs, chicken Caesar salad, chips, and a variety of other snacks....another challenge, as of course I didn't have access to a microwave at High Rock Park in Saratoga! I didn't have any Jenny food with me, so I made the best choices I could (hey, I just got done walking 3 miles...I deserved to enjoy!). I had a small bowl of salad with a few pieces of chicken on it, and much to my surprise, I actually felt satisfied by that...I didn't need to scarf down my usual 2 hot dogs and 2 little bags of chips! Weehoo!

Ok, Dancing With The Stars is on, and I have to devote some quality time with it...This week on the morning show, we're talking to both Cheryl Burke (Ian Ziering's dance partner), as well as Apolo Ohno....who is...well...smokin hot. :)

Till next time,
~L

Cruise to Lose!

Just a quick post today, to let you know about a GREAT cruise we've got planned for MAY 19th! (MARK THE CALENDAR!!!)

Join me on the Cruise to Lose on May 19th from 12-2 aboard the Dutch Apple cruise lines! I'll be on hand to talk to you about my success with Jenny Craig, and you'll be able to hear from other Jenny Craig participants, and see how it can work for you! Plus you'll have a chance to sample some of Jenny's yummy food! (THIS is worth it!!)

One lucky cruiser will be awarded a grand prize: A FREE Jenny Craig Rewards Program (approx. $500 value), as well as a FREE week's worth of food with a food purchase of three weeks! That's 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners, and 7 snacks/desserts!

Hurry! The first 130 people to register will board the boat for FREE!!!

Call 463-0220 or visit www.dutchapplecruises.com

See you there!!!
~L

Wait....w'wait....WHAT did you just say???

That's pretty much what I was saying to Christine today, after stepping on the scale and seeing that, after a water week from hell, I had lost another 4.9 pounds, bringing my grand total to 24.1 pounds lost. This means I am 1.5 pounds LESS than I was when I graduated college in 1997. This also means I'm a little over 15 pounds away from my GOAL. G O A L. WHAT??

Honestly, it's so hard to believe, because I have NEVER stuck with something this long..and it hasn't even been that long! 10 weeks. That's it. I'm FAR from what you would call "patient"...and in the past, if I didn't see a DRAMATIC loss in the first 2 weeks, I threw in the towel. This has been a completely different experience though.

What makes it different? The one-on-one support, the nutrition, the REALISTIC approach...I can't tell you how much THAT means! Anything that promises you immediate and rapid weight-loss (shakes, pills, crash diets, fads, high carbs, low carbs, whatever) is garbage. Sure, you may loose weight...you may loose a TON of it in just a few weeks. But, let me ask you...can you live like that the rest of your life? Can you go to your favorite restaurant and say "Yes, I'll have lemon water, some salad, and a giant protein shake. That's it."? YOU WILL GAIN THE WEIGHT BACK. You WILL. Not you "might". You WILL. Why? Because you've done NOTHING to change the way your live your life. Jenny Craig is not a DIET....it's a lifestyle change, and you have to be ready to commit to that in order to make a difference. I don't mean commit to Jenny Craig, I mean commit to ANY kind of weight-loss plan. Trust me, it's not always easy. It's not always simple. It's actually kind of terrifying, especially if you had the kind of relationship with food that I had: A bad one. A controlling one. A losing-battle one.

I'm about to make some lunch so this will be brief...but I want to leave you with two things that have kept me going, and that may help you motivate if you haven't started yet...or may help you keep on your program:

1. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
2. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

That's my little brain-nugget for you today...enjoy...it was fat-free and had no calories... ;)

Till next time,
~L

I'm now a different kind of "Regular"

Going to be a quick post tonight, because I've been staring at this computer screen for the better part of the past four hours, and I'm about to start eating the keyboard. But I had to share this...

Funniest thing happened today. I had an extremely busy day, loaded with meetings and appointments, and that made me get to the gym a little later than usual. Honestly, I was so beat by the time I was on my way, I almost turned around and headed home to take a nap! But I persevered...I'm committed...and I wasn't about to try to come up with a creative excuse for Christine as to why I didn't work out today. "I didn't feel like it" just doesn't fly anymore.

So, I walk into the reception area, where I have to give my member ID number...and the guy behind the counter says "Wow, you're here later than normal today, huh?" I was totally caught off guard. I looked around behind me, because surely he was talking to someone else...have I been so regular at the gym that the EMPLOYEES actually notice what time I usually go? From hating - I mean HATING - working out, to being "a regular" at the gym...THIS is weird!!! Don't get me wrong, I still don't LOVE it...I still hate the out-of-breath, sweaty, uncomfortable, ugly-looking aspects of it....I still don't get that "runner's high" endorphin rush everyone talks about. But I AM committed...and THAT is AMAZING. Again, it's not like I'm giving up 2 hours a day to go pump iron like some obsessive crazy person...I go, I change, I do 30 minutes on the elliptical, I go home. That's it. And for now, that's enough. Hey, it was enough for the guy at the gym to notice I'm "a regular"...before now, the only place I've ever been considered "a regular" at was somewhere you can get a burger, a basket of fried love, and a beer... any time of day! Haha!

I'm really hoping to drop another 2 pounds this week, but I'll take ANY loss after this past week's water problem. I'm just going to keep at it...cross your fingers for me....

Till next time,
~L

Reason #438 Why Men Have it Better....

...Three words: Water Weight Gain.

This phenomenon is something every woman, whether dieting or not, is all too familiar with. On the converse, it's something men never have - and never will - have to worry about, take into consideration, or even understand. But us gals? We all carry this Beast of Burden every single month.

So, yes, this is the problem that presented itself at today's weigh-in. Now, I've still lost my 20 pounds, which is AWESOME. I'm still quite proud of that. However, it can get a bit discouraging when you've done everything right, worked your butt off, and don't see a loss. But, we've now established a pattern:

Week One: 2-3 pound loss
Week Two: ~2 pound loss
Week Three: around a pound loss
Week Four: Nada. Nothin. Zero. Zilch. Sometimes a quarter of a pound GAIN.

This is very much a pattern we can see on my weight graphing, and apparently, it's pretty common. Those of you who are on this weight-loss journey with me may have seen similar patterns; the woman in the waiting area of Jenny Craig today said she looses every other week, and nothing happens during the weeks in between. She said she fights PMS (join the club!) and menopause (not quite yet for me, thank you...) and all the other hormonal things we women have to go through.

So, if you're seeing this pattern too, you're not alone. This, in and of itself, is my ONLY comfort in these non-losing weeks, because it can get incredibly frustrating. However, I'm not going to change a thing...I'm going to stick to my menu, and continue my new active lifestyle (holy moly, I worked out SIX TIMES last week! SIX!!! Am I INSANE???).

So, I am sorry to report, no major loss this week. Actually no loss at all. But by next week, if I follow my pattern, I'll make up for it, and will have a much more chipper post.

By the way, I did do a little "retail therapy" this weekend, and found a store who's sizes sometimes run a little big. There is nothing better than trying on "your" size and finding that it's too big, even if you KNOW full well that it's just because the sizes run big. I don't care, I had to buy a size I haven't seen since the late '90's. I can't directly endorse the store, so try to work with me here: it's "aged branch of the military"....try to work on that one, kids. (If you really need help, shoot me an email laura@b95.com) But they're my new best friends, for their sizing faux pas, and I'm going to wear those pants inside-out tomorrow. ;)

Till next time,
~L

Hmm....Something's different...Have you lost weight?

Ever heard this one?

Ever been able to say "Why, yes! Yes I have!"

Well, until recently...neither had I. It was certainly nice to hear that something was different about me, but it was even more frustrating to say "No, I haven't lost any weight...In fact I've probably gained some...but, well, I guess maybe I don't wear this color that often..." or whatever came to mind at the time.

For the first time in a long - I mean, L O N G - time, coworkers and friends are starting to say "Wow...you're losing weight, aren't you..." And for the first time, I'm able to say "Yes, I've lost 20 pounds." Its so amazing, I almost feel like I'm lying sometimes. But then I look at the label on my new size of pants, or at my gym bag that always packed and ready in my car, or at my healthy snacks of fruit or veggies, and I know I'm not...I'm on my weigh...and on my way! (Had to play on some words here...this post is far to "serious" in tone at this point...)

Today at the gym, I stepped on the scale in the locker room. This is something I would have NEVER done before unless I was 100% sure that NO ONE else was in the locker room, and that there was NO CHANCE of anyone entering the locker room for the duration of the time it took me to gently tap that annoying little slider to the proper weight. In fact, the very sound of that antique doctor's office-style scale often reminded me of the "clink CLANK" noise of jail cell bars slamming shut...I assume the terror of knowing my weight was only slightly less severe than the thought of being locked in an 8x8 cell. (Drama, anyone?)

However, today, there was sufficiently less "clink" than there was "CLANK", as I had moved down an entire increment (you know how those types of scales require you to move the blocks in 50 pound sections). The humility of moving it UP from the previous skinny-mini that stepped on it was not unlike the sinking feeling you have when you realize you've had an 8 inch trail of toilet paper stuck to the back of your shoe. Today...Pay dirt. I "clanked" DOWN to one whole increment lower. TAKE THAT, MIMBO'S! (see previous posts for mimbo definition...)

So, yes, something IS different...it's my weight. It's my health. It's my size. It's my clothes. It's the damn increment on the scale from hell. It's a whole lotta things...and it's pretty gosh darn cool. Water weight gain (which I KNOW is coming) or not, I'm getting progressively smaller, and that's all I ever wanted when I made this investment...

Weekend's almost here, and after my first 20 pounds, that means 2 things: a celebratory glass of Pinot Grigio, and more importantly, some serious shopping. Look out Gabbiano...and MasterCard...

Till next time,
~L

PS I do plan on putting up a "half-way" photo soon....just have to get one scanned...stay tuned!

Lousy sixth of a pound....

....that's the only thing between me and twenty pounds lost! Don't get me wrong, I'll still take 19.4 lbs any day (like today)...but, again, leave it to me to be just a fraction away from where I really want to be....

However, this is still quite a success...almost 20 pounds in 9 weeks. Really doesn't seem that bad, does it? I've definitely learned that there is no "quick fix", and there is no secret formula of a certain amount of carbs within 20 minutes of a certain amount of proteins or any of that other fad stuff. Calories in vs. calories out. That's it. Now that's math even I can understand!

Since I'm at my half-way point, I get to start trying out some "meals on my own", which admittedly, is scary. It's normal to be a little nervous about going off the Jenny Craig food...I feel like a baby bird about to take her first shot at flying! Of course, Mama Bird (Christine) will be right there to help me on my way...we carefully planned out a day's worth of non-JC food, and it's great to see I STILL won't be deprived. I even got creative and have a grilled cheese sandwich worked in there! Balance, moderation, and sensible choices, and I should be good to go!

The real challenge is tackling this water weight issue that I feel right around the corner. I've been upping my water even more - today I drank a liter and a half between 6am and 1pm! Lets hope it works this time around...last month was very disappointing...but also motivating!

I've got quite the busy week coming up, including cooking a birthday dinner (which I feel quite confident about since I know what choices to make) for a special someone, so I'll try my best to keep the blog up...

Here's to another pound-losing week!
Till next time,
~L

I'm Almost Speechless....(almost)....

...and anyone who knows me knows my being speechless would take either an act of God or something really, really special...and this time around, I'll give credit to the latter.

I had another great week. At Monday's weigh-in, I had dropped another 2.3 pounds, bringing my grand total to 18.6 pounds in 8 weeks. I literally wouldn't believe it unless I saw it right there in front of me on the scale.

I caught up with our grand prize winner, Karen McCaffrey of Delmar...she's doing GREAT too...down 16 pounds! And the thing is, we both said the same things:
1. I can't believe how easy this is, and
2. On any other plan, I would have given up by now.

It's true...once you make the decision to commit to this new lifestyle, active and healthy, eating healthy and making good choices, well it really just all falls into place.

Sure, there are some UNBELIEVABLY tough times that come and go...like on weekends when everyone else is scarfing diner breakfasts (which I LOVE), having a few cocktails (which I certainly don't mind), and laying around completely sedentary (which I'm also a big fan of). Every now and again, I kind of miss that stuff. But then again, I need to remind myself that it's not like I'll never have a combination omelet with a side of bacon again...and I've already proved that enjoying a delicious glass of Pinot Grigio does not spell disaster! Everything in moderation is one thing, but a BIG difference is staying active...something I've NEVER been good at...until now.

Typically, I take Sundays and Mondays "off" from working out, but this Monday, I heard a little voice in the back of my head that said "Ya know....you don't HAVE to take today off..." and I ended up throwing in a challenging DVD workout at home.

Me. Working out when I didn't really "have" to. What is happening to me?? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, JENNY CRAIG???

Whatever it is...I like it. Thank you...

Till next time,
~L

Another weekend, another pound or two (hopefully...)

Hi there...not much new to report this evening, but wanted to be good and at least post once this weekend!

I had a good week, workout-wise (not a word...oh well). I went Tuesday thru Friday, as I am trying to normally do, and then even got up early and went on Saturday morning. The great thing is that I'm not KILLING myself at the gym...I go, I change, I do 30 minutes on the elliptical, I change, I leave. That's it! I'm not a big fan of the whole "pumping iron" portion of the gym...I'll leave that to what my gym partner and I have coined "Mimbo's"...

...Mimbos are are the male version of the bimbo: these are the guys that walk around with BULGING muscles (FYI, guys, if you can't put your arms down, that's not real sexy...), sleeveless shirts, shorts that are, shall we say, a little too "revealing", and those terrible bacteria-infested fingerless gloves. These are also the men that grunt insatiably as their "lifting"...guys, if it's so heavy that you sound like a woman in natural childbirth, it's probably too heavy. They also tend to have their cell phones clipped to their weight-belts, just to look a little more important. Their hair is typically over-gelled, and I've even seen one eating a protein bar, WHILE lifting. This just can't be good. Anyways, those are "mimbo's", and they are my source of entertainment for 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Now you know.

I've really been trying to up my water intake too, as I have successfully weened myself out of my Diet Pepsi addiction. Sure, I still have one (or so...) a day, but not the gargantuan size I usually got. Just a regular old 12 ouncer...And I bought a liter-size bottle of water that I keep refilling, so I really know that every day, I'm at least having 2 liters of water.

This weekend was not great food-wise, I have to admit. I never really eat everything I'm supposed to on the weekends, because my schedule is just so completely different. I get to sleep past 4am, which is a plus, and then the day isn't nearly as structured as my weekday routine. Then throw in a bit of emotional turbulence, and things get even more "un-routine" (again, not a word...oh well...). I used to stuff my face like crazy if I was emotional. Now, it's like I have trained myself so well NOT to be an "emotional eater", that while I'm emotional, I forget to eat. But instead, I shop.

This losing weight thing? Yeah...definitely affecting my credit. I bought another pair of pants today, in a new size...and I didn't have the "mushroom effect" (refer to my 2nd or 3rd post for an explanation of that phenomenon). So with new pants, I needed new shoes...and with new shoes, I needed new "unmentionables"...and with new those, I needed new gym clothes....it's a terrible, vicious cycle...and I'm pretty OK with it. Retail Therapy works for me, and as they say, "If it ain't broke..."

So, big weigh-in tomorrow...I'll keep you posted!

Oh, and I got a BARGAIN on a new pair of running shoes....If you'd like to know where, shoot me an email (laura@b95.com). The lawyers would have a fit if I endorsed a sporting goods store...but it was a STEAL, and I have to share bargain info! It's part of the shop-a-holic code of conduct... :)

Till next time,
~L

And the results are......

I'm back baby!

After a disappointing week last weigh-in, I was even MORE motivated to stick to the program. Nothing tickles me more than when I step on that scale, look at Christine, and see her eyes light up as she says "WOW...you did such a good joooooooob.....you're down another ____ pounds!" Last week, there was no lit eyes, there was no "WOW", there was just a "Ok...that's not so bad...", followed by my own mental temper tantrum. BUT....

THIS week, redemption! Down another 2.5 pounds, bringing my grand total to 16.3 pounds GONE.

I gave myself a little "retail therapy" and went shopping on Sunday, and actually bought a NEW SIZE...a size I haven't seen in well over three years. And instead of automatically grabbing the "large" size for tops, I went for the "medium", just on a bet with myself..."I'll pile up my basket with mediums, just to give it a shot in the dressing room...if they don't fit, they don't fit, and I go back and grab the large, and I'll be on my way."

But the mediums fit...mostly...Ok, some of them just automatically went back. But I didn't find myself saying the usual "That'll never fit"...instead I said, "Next time..." And that felt great.

So I promised myself a goal...after I get to my half-way point (20 pounds, just 3.7 pounds away), I get to go on a shopping spree. (Sunday was just "therapy", that was no spree...I can do MUCH more damage than I did on Sunday...) And since I'm so close, I treated myself to something else today, just as an extra motivator: a wonderful massage at my favorite day spa. It's really amazing what losing weight can do to my credit card...but it's a warm fuzzy all around...

My goal THIS week is to work out even harder and try to get to that 3.7 pounds. I realize it's not only not HEALTHY for me to lose that much in a week, it's probably not realistic. I'll settle for 2. That will only make me work that much harder next week!

Look out bathing suits, I'm on my way...

Till next time,
~L

PS Did everyone see the ATROCITY that was tonight's American Idol? It's only 1/2 way over and I'm SOOO disappointed! But it's not enough to make me go on the "Starvation for Sanjaya diet"....I'll stick with Jenny Craig, thank you very much... ;)

Update on a few things.....

I know, I know...I'm sorry! I've been SO bad about updating this...but the reason behind it isn't laziness or lack of drive; it's more so because this whole healthy-living lifestyle is now PART of my life! It's so second nature right now, I'm not even thinking about the fact that I'm doing something MAJOR and making a BIG change...it's starting to sink in (finally!)!! So, here's an update on what's been goin on...

1. "I fall down, go boom."
Wednesday morning I was feeling particularly sassy, so I donned my cute cowboy boots for the first time since last Spring. They pulled my entire outfit together, despite having a slightly higher heel than I was used to during the months of snow. Obviously, I'm up at 4am, which means it's still dark out when I walk my dog. Long story short, I turned a corner, caught my heel in a pothole that was too dark to see, and I went DOWN. I mean a full-fledged wipe out, landing with ALL my body weight on my left knee. Now I already have a pretty good case of osteoarthritis in my knees, but my left knee was my "good" knee...not anymore! As I lie motionless, in so much pain that I was convinced I'd be there till the sun came up when someone finally discovered me, one of the first thoughts that went through my mind was "Now I'm not going to be able to go to the gym today..." What? ME? I'm in severe pain, 4:30am, lying in a puddle, dog leash in one hand and a bag of dog "stuff" in the other, and I'm upset about not being able to work out????? Normally I'd say "YES! Now I don't have to go to the gym!" but not this time...further proof that this really has become a part of my life, something I never thought would happen!

So, I did have to take the day off at the gym, because my knee began to swell to three times its normal size, and it was pretty wobbly. I didn't want to risk further injuring myself to the point where I'd miss MORE than a day at the gym. Today, 3 days later, it's not quite as swollen, but it has changed to a lovely shade of navy blue with speckles of green and yellow, peppered by tiny little dots of dried blood from where my skin was shaved off by my jeans hitting the pavement. It's really pretty....The good news is, I got back to the gym on Friday, and even though it was a bit sore, it's work-out-able...I even got in another 30 minutes on Saturday....

2. "Please RSVP so we know how much PIZZA to order..."
I am a member of the marketing committee for the Animal Protective Foundation in Schenectady County, and our first big meeting was Thursday night. The email clearly stated there would be a surprise guest on the panel: pizza. Almost automatically, my brain started playing "Danger! Danger, Will Rogers! Danger!" with sounds of cruise-liner warning horns. First I'm crippled and can't go to the gym, now the temptation of 5 different kinds of pizzas in an enclosed space?!?! I went into "planning mode", and selected a Jenny Craig meal I could bring with me; crisis averted. Everyone ooh'd and aah'd as I walked in with a delicious serving of Pasta Fagioli while they stuffed their faces with greasy, sausage-lined pizza! There was a BEAUTIFUL homemade salad available too, with sprouts, field greens, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts, peas, and feta cheese...so I helped myself to a big plate! The really tempting part was the plates of jelly beans that were strategically arranged in front of each table...but I let my friend Patrick take care of those...as I watched him mindlessly pop the beans in his mouth, one after another, I kept leaning over and whispering, "Ya know, that makes like 14 jelly beans in the last 7 minutes....any idea how many calories and how much sugar are in those bad boys?" LOL! I was just giving him a hard time, but yes, it made me feel "better than him" for a minute...LOL!

3. "Water weight BE GONE!"

My next weigh-in is tomorrow (Monday), and I am definitely feeling better on the "bloated" issue I had last week. My joints are back to regular size (except my left knee, of course), my pants are fitting a bit better again, and my chest is no longer in competition with hot water bottles (women, you know what I'm talking about). So I'm anxious to see if the no-pounds-lost-Monday from last week will be banished in to another "TAKE THAT!" blog entry...Wish me luck!

Till next time,
~L

Stupid water....

DISCLAIMER: For my male readers, you may want to just skip this entry altogether. It will have several lady-problem references, which will leave you A) running scared, B) scratching your head saying "Whaaaaa?", C) blushing, D) most or all of the above. Thank you.

So today I had a rather frustrating weigh-in, but one to be expected I suppose. As soon as I got up this morning, I knew there was trouble...my jeans didn't fit right, my joints were wobbly, my back ached, and my "chest area" felt like giant water balloons filled past capacity and about to burst at any minute...painful. I was retaining water like a camel...a BIG camel.

Despite not having gone out to dinner, not having ONE SINGLE GUINNESS on St. Patty's Day, working out 5 times, AND sticking strictly to my Jenny plan, I didn't lose one ounce. As a matter of fact, I gained .2! It wasn't exactly "devastating", because I had already experienced a 1/2-pound week...but it certainly wasn't encouraging. Christine explained to me that some clients will gain POUNDS during the time before..."the time"....and I only gained a lousy .2....but still, I felt cheated. DAMN YOU, MOTHER NATURE!!! (or whomever I need to damn for this phenomenon).

It's times like these I really DON'T like being a woman. Men don't get bloated and stop fitting in to their clothes for a week, they just drink another beer and pass the chips! Then again, in their defense, they do have to put up with us bitching about the fact, so I guess in the long run, it's all a wash.

WOMEN ONLY: We all know that was a bunch of crap to make them feel better....after all, they do serve some purpose...not sure what that is...but I digress...

EVERYBODY NOW: So, I'm slightly disappointed, but certainly not going to change anything. I'm going to drink more water and work out as much as I have planned: at least 4 days this week. If I don't lose any poundage next week, heads will roll.

(just kidding, but you know what i mean...)

Till next time,
~L

Ya know that Daniel Powder song...?

...Its called "Bad Day"...you know it, it was used every time someone got booted off American Idol last year. It's a catchy little tune...Today, it was an "ear worm" for me - that's when a song gets in your head and no matter what you do, you cannot stop singing it in your head, over and over and over...However, my version had different words. "Ya had a fat day, you're gaining a pound. Ya work out so hard but when ya look around, you're surrounded by thin, I mean really really thin, college-aged blondes....." Well, I don't remember exactly, but that's pretty much how it went....

I was feeling pretty good this morning, actually, because I fit into a pair of jeans I haven't worn in over 2 years. This was a major accomplishment, because as you probably know, jeans are not very forgiving. Score one for my self-esteem!

Then, things changed. I've been really good about working out lately...I'm even starting to make it a regular part of my day, like lunch. (heheh!) Well, as I was walking into the locker room today, by some strange freak of nature, every single person I passed was not only 23, but also model-thin, model-beautiful, and model-in shape - men and women. I felt fat. Really fat. I realize this may not be the perception of those around me, but this is how I felt. It was a kick in the gut...literally. Self-esteem one, self-belief zero.

I know full-well that I'm doing a great job on my program, even ABOVE average. And as I said in my very first post, there's going to be some highs and some lows through this journey...and I vowed to share them all with you. I know I've lost almost 15 pounds, I know that I'm doing something healthy for me, I know that I will certainly bounce back from this. But today, for whatever reason, I kept telling myself, "I'll never be thin." Almost like a "Why bother...?" type feeling. Depressing isn't it?

I also know that any time something like this happens, help is a phone call away...if not from friends or family, then from the 24/7 staff at Jenny Craig, who are there for these such instances. But hey, I'm a stubborn Sagittarius...can't help it...

In today's society of instant gratification, unfortunately I have fallen victim to having a very low tolerance for anything that takes longer than 20 minutes. I know the healthy body that I want, and when I began this journey, I had a clear picture of that in my head. It's still there, but somehow it got buried behind 32 years of assuming I could not have that body. I know this is not true...the fact is, I am on my WAY to having that body. All the Jenny Craig cd's I listen to have a recurring theme: "Stop beating yourself up!" I should probably listen to those again...

Anyways, if you're also trying to lose weight right now, and you've had similar feelings, I'm just putting this out there so you know you're not alone...I've just chosen to make my feelings public on the world wide web. (Mental note: re-think offers to share self-deprecating humor in the future...)

STAY STRONG....It certainly isn't always easy, but this time around it's got to be different!

DAMN YOU DANIEL POWDER!!!!
;)

Till next time,
~L

Take THAT, 1/2-pound-week!

Don't have much energy to write this minute, with this incredible illness plaguing my weakened body (sniff sniff, feel sorry for me) but needed to share this with you. My most recent weigh-in resulted in another 3.1 lbs, bringing my total to 14.2 pounds GONE! I literally cannot believe this...especially since I went out to dinner AGAIN this past Friday....ya know, if anyone ever told you diet an exercise wasn't the only safe way to lose weight, they're lying. I'm still not a huge fan of exercise, but being less than 6 pounds away from my half-way point sure is making me like it a little more...

Back to "big red", my red leather sofa, that when I'm sick, seems to wrap itself around me in loving goodness....

I'll be on the mend in no time, and ready to hit the gym again! :)

Ta,
~L

Comfort Food: Neither comfort, nor food....

Saturday morning I woke up with a BLARING sore throat...the kind that resides on one side of your throat, and every swallow brings lightning-like pain to not only that side of the throat, but also to every glad that is situated on that side of your body. I knew something was coming.

I had to work on the air from 6a to 9a, and by the end of my shift I was still feeling "off", but since I was up that early on a Saturday, and the gym was literally right around the corner, I forced myself to go. And after 30 minutes of sweating on the elliptical machine, it was nap time.

I came home and napped, sleeping better than I ever slept in my life...but then I woke up, and it was all over: I was sick. The sore throat pain had morphed into severe pain, and brought along some friends: stuffy nose and body aches. Immediately, 2 words came to mind: comfort food.

I realized, even in my sicky-haze, that bad/junk food has had a big place in every part of my life, even when it SHOULDN'T be there. When you're sick, you should probably focus on foods that are HEALTHY for you, and all I ever focused on was "junk" factor. I craved pizza, fries, burgers, and macaroni and cheese...but wait, I can have macaroni and cheese and still follow my Jenny Craig plan! A more clever plan has never been devised (at least in my illness-induced thought process at the time).

I immediately cooked the ooey gooey delicious JC macaroni and cheese and doused it in my favorite hot sauce: Frank's. The hot sauce cleared up my nose (for a bit), and the mac and cheese made me feel comforted and soothed, without having eaten 500 grams of fat and 39372 calories. I was gonna be ok....another crisis averted....

So it's back to the couch for me, where I've spent the majority of my weekend, nursing whatever this thing is. It's a shame that this happened to plague me when the weather was actually decent enough to take a nice long walk outside...hopefully we're out of the woods weather-wise and we can look forward to a streak of nicer weather...I'm about all set with the negative temperatures...

Next weigh-in is tomorrow...hope I can pull myself from the couch to make it! :)

Till next time,
~L

I AM IRON MAN!!!! (...er, woman...)

Well, not much exciting to report today, but thought I'd share that I am complete awe of the fact that I've worked out almost every day this week! If you're a regular reader (and why wouldn't you be...hehehe), you know how much I DETEST working out...the sweating, the heaving breath, the not-sitting-in-front-of-the-tv thing...but I made a commitment to myself (and to Christine!) that I'd try just a little harder to boost my activity level this week. What I am enjoying is seeing the digital readout on the elliptical machine that says the distance I've gone and the calories burned: today, 4.2 miles and 450 miles!

One BIG benefit is I've noticed I'm sleeping a lot more soundly - no doubt because my weak and previously inactive body is saying "Um...yeah...WHAT? What are you DOING to me???" Either way, sleep is ALWAYS a good thing...

All I can say is Monday's weigh-in better bring some amazing results, or someone's quest for ONE glass of Pinot Grigio may turn into more of a mission...

:)

Till next time,
~L

Update: What Do You Mean, "It'll be different every week"?????

I do apologize for not posting with my Monday weigh-in...but I had to finish beating myself up and doing some self-loathing for only losing half a pound last week...and once again Consultant Christine came to the rescue.

First things first, yes, I DID still lose last week, albeit a lousy half a pound (sorry Christine, there I go beating myself up again...bad Laura, BAD LAURA!), so that's a positive...at least I'm moving in the right direction (down!). So my total loss is now 11.1 pounds in 4 weeks. Hey...I kinda like the sound of that!

So, of course I was hellbent on convincing myself that going out to dinner and having a glass of wine damned me into eternal half-pound-weeks...but Christine and I went over my menu selections, and I did everything right: Even though I was out to dinner at a very nice restaurant, I made healthy choices and was WELL within my calorie range, even WITH my delicious glass of Pinot Grigio! Christine explained to me that the body is a complicated machine (boy don't I know it...) and that some weeks it's going to lose a bunch, some weeks it's going to be a little less. We figured out my average weight loss for the past 4 weeks, and I'm at 2.775 pounds per week (but who's counting...ANAL RETENTIVE, MUCH??). This is far above and beyond the anticipated 1 to 1.5 pounds per week that JC figured for me, so overall, I'm actually doing very well. Yes, I know I should be cheering and jumping up and down at my follow-thru, but I'm still a little sore from beating myself up....

...and from working out! I'm on a roll, here, people!!! In anticipation of my dinner on Saturday, I did a DVD on Saturday morning. In anticipation of being over my calorie limit (which I wasn't), I did another DVD on Sunday night. In anticipation of getting bored with my current DVDs, I bought some resistance bands with a DVD set from Jenny Craig, and did that workout Monday evening. And in anticipation of me lying on my couch for the next 5 days as a result of all this pumping iron, I went to the gym (that I've been paying a membership on for four months...) today and did 30 minutes and 4.2 miles on the elliptical machine. Go me, go me, it's my birthday...

NOW, time for dinner....Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken...mmmm its sooo good....don't be jealous... ;)

Till next time,
~L

Food, Glorious Foooood....(and wine...)

Well, I made it. I went out to dinner, made great choices, and enjoyed a DELICIOUS glass of wine. And after about 24 hours of torturing myself with asking "Did I do the right thing????" (Irish Catholic guilt comin' up again), I finally feel OK with it!

There were about 17 of us at one table, which meant as soon as I sat down, I automatically thought about the 16 other entrees on the table that I'd inevitably be eying. My date and I were the last two to arrive, so the first round of drinks had already come out...hey, look over there, a huge glass of red wine....oh look at that, a bottle of my favorite beer...oh check that out, a beautifully mixed cocktail...and my two favorites down at the opposite end of the table? They had a BOTTLE of PINOT GRIGIO. But I had a plan in place, so I felt totally fine ordering a diet soda and sipping on lemon water. I was going to have a glass of Pinot, but I wanted to pace myself so I'd really, REALLY enjoy it. So I enjoyed conversation, and a diet soda.

First course: salad. Not just salad...salad BAR, which means macaroni and potato salads, cheeses, and loads and loads of BREAD!! But, I was great...I was like a seasoned CPA at tax time...I knew just what to do! I loaded up on my favorite salad veggies, and low and behold, there was FAT FREE Ranch Dressing (only 60 calories per packet!) RIGHT ON THE SALAD BAR! It was like they KNEW I was coming! Yeah me!

Second course: NO SECOND COURSE! For once, I was actually satiated with my salad, and had absolutely NO need to order an appetizere or soup. THIS...was a first for me...in 2 ways: it was a first I didn't order an app, and it was a first that I felt satisfied after SALAD at a restaurant!

Third course: Entree. I ordered Garlic Chicken, which was grilled chicken breast with tomatos, green onions, roasted garlic cloves, and swiss cheese. And all I had to do was ask them to leave off the cheese, and I was golden! I also ordered a plain baked potato (who would have thought I wouldn't miss my usual butter/sour cream/salt combo I usually caked on???), and a double order of steamed veggies, which was asparagus and broccoli...my two favorite veggies to steam! A little lemon on each, and I was delighted! The portion of the chicken was enormous. Easily enough for 2 people. So, following my guidelines of the meat being the size of a man's hand, I cheerfully took the additional amounts and slid them over to my date's plate! And get this....after all my chicken and garlic, and only HALF of my baked potato, I was FULL! I didn't even need all my veggies (though I did eat about half of them too..they were really really good!).

Fourth course: I had my glass of wine. I relished it. I sipped it languidly as though it were my last meal. After four weeks of no alcohol whatsoever, boy did that taste good....

Fifth course: Well, it was 2 people's birthdays, so you KNOW the night wouldn't be complete without all the waitstaff getting together and bringing 2 HUGE pieces of chocolately goodness to the table, while singinging embarrassingly loud...and then, the pass-around. The birthday boy and the birthday girl both take their respective bites, and the dishes make their way around the table. Luckily, they stopped 2 people in front of me...but honestly, I would have been totally fine with staring this beast down and not giving in!

I left the restaurant feeling satisfied, NOT STUFFED, like I usually would. I felt good, I felt healthy, and I felt confident. For about 10 minutes.

Then all the questions came into my head: was the garlic that was roasted SLATHERED in oil before going in the oven? Did they marinate the chicken before grilling it? Was the glass of wine too big? Should I ever eat anything, ever again???

I got over that quickly...well, by the next day. It's my own mind playing tricks on me. But it DID motivate me to work out another time this week! I guess everything does have it's purpose....

So, I'm hoping my Monday weigh-in is not disappointing, though I don't feel it will be. Time will tell...I'll let you know...

I'm off for my 2 hours of Sunday night TV...oh how I love my TV...calorie free!! :)

Till next time,
~L