My new prescription is hard to swallow!

Today I had a visit with my family Doctor. At my appointment, I told her I was reeeeally frustrated with my weight loss success, and I don't understand why it's taking me so long to lose weight. She asked me if I was exercising, and if so, what my intensity was. I sorta chuckled, because I felt like an old lady with a cane when I admitted that I was just walking my dog as exercise. That's not high intensity. Nor is it enough for this body to burn the fat packed on my thighs and mid-section. She says my diet isn't my issue. It's my sedentary lifestyle that's keeping me from reaching my full potential. I only went in today for a follow up on my condition called Costochondritis... an inflammation of the junctions where the upper ribs join with the cartilage that holds them to the breastbone or sternum. I did't expect to come out of her office with ANOTHER prescription!


So, my Doctor, God love her, "prescribed" me exercise 5 days per week. And we're not talking walks around my block. She wants me in my gym, using free weights. *GASP* Um, you mean, I have to go over to that section over by the mirrors where all the beefcakes and Miss Universe look-a-likes spend their time? I don't belong over THERE! Uggg. Fine. I'll take my flabby lunch lady arms over to beefcake city and swallow my pride. All in the name of losing fat cells. So, one hour at the gym it is, 5 days a week. 2 thumbs down. 


I'll be honest. Going to the gym is going to be a HUGE obstacle for me. I don't like doing it. I mean, if I had enjoyed it, I'd already be a skinny biotch right now! So, if any of you have suggestions on how you get yourselves into the gym, and when and what you do there, I'd appreciate your comments and feedback! I need all the help I can get!


Also, I should let you all know that my partner in crime "N" and I have decided that we are going to do the Weight Watchers plan on our own and save us the $40 per month. Now that we have the tools and the know-how, we are going to weigh in at one of our homes each Monday and use each other for support. So, NO, I am NOT throwing in the towel as a Fat Camper. I'm simply being frugal. Don't worry...I'm not going to throw myself into a vat of caramel or hook up a Coca Cola IV, I'm still going to be a good girl, and eat with my brain, not my cravings!

What goes up, must come down!

Well, here I am...sorry I've slacked on the posts lately! I had my week 7 weigh in on Monday, June 14....and I lost a whopping 0.2 lbs. Wowee. So not impressive. I'm ok with it, though... surprisingly. I don't know why, but I guess I've gotten to the point where if I can make it to my Fat Camp meetings to make myself accountable, I consider it a success. I DID track. I DID exercise. I DIDN'T fall off the wagon. I know I did what I was supposed to do! So...when I say that, I get the response that sometimes one bad week will take 2 weeks to creep up on you. I've also heard that exercising will actually put some weight on you at first (water retention in sore muscles, metabolism being jolted, etc, etc, etc). I'm no human body scientist...but when I'm being judged by the number on a scale, I say if it doesn't make me lose weight, it frustrates the hell out of me. So, what do I do? Continue to exercise in hopes that eventually my numbers will show the results? Or say EFF it and stop exercising and just rely on the diet alone?

UGGGG. I know this much, what goes UP must come DOWN.

Unfortunately, my swimsuit debut in Mexico is less than 30 days away and my trial run at the public pool gave me a good idea where I want to be, and where I DO NOT want to be!

Let me just say this. Public pools and I are NOT friends. 

First, I can't keep track of my kids among the sea of heads that all look the same color now that my kids are of "swimming age".

Second, I have to stand knee-deep in luke warm water that sometimes gets a little too warm for my liking (thanks little toddler boy who just peed next to me).

Lastly, let's talk about the women at the pools. And I'm not being caddy...I'm just listing what I've observed and placing titles with those observations. I know you'll all agree with me as you read this! I'm not evil, I'm honest! You can love them, hate them or feel better about yourself as you scan the pool for these mommies...you've done it! I know you have, girls!

I'll categorize the mommies into 5 groups:

1) The humpty dumpty mom. This is the mom that rocks a reeeeeally ugly skirted suit, resembles the shape of an egg and hasn't seen a razor or wax "down there" since 1991. She usually has the naughtiest kids in the pool and doesn't move from one spot the ENTIRE time she is there "watching" her children.
2) The sausage mom. This is the mom who thinks she looks good in the suit she is wearing...but really, not so much. She needs a good pal to tap her on the shoulder and say "honey, you look like a stuffed sausage in that suit, let's go shopping tomorrow for a better one, mmmk?". 
3) The stripper mom. This is the mom we all love to hate. She has a tramp stamp, she is amazingly golden tan head to toe in the month of May and has perfectly french manicured nails on her hands and toes. Her suit is usually a skimpy string bikini and she appears to be...ummm, "enhanced" up top.
4) The girl next door mom. This is the mom who I really can't say anything bad about. She's the one that has the cute suit on from Target, Old Navy or Lands End and yep, she's got a little cellulite and isn't perfect, but she interacts with her kids, and has confidence. A little smudged mascara or wet hair doesn't bother her.
5) The gym mom. This is the mom we all oogle over and makes us feel ashamed to wear a suit in public. Her legs are perfectly fit. Her biceps have just the perfect tone of muscle. She has no cellulite, and her abs are stretch-mark and flab free. *sigh*

So where would I put myself among these categories? Hmmm, I can attest that I've been the sausage mom at one point, but right now I'm confident in my pink vintage 50's pin up style one piece, I get in the water with my kids (gasp! I even get my hair wet) and I have cellulite, so I'll put myself in the girl next door mommy group. But....here's the thing...I don't really care what people think of me in a suit because I'm more than just a body. This is just my packaging. What's inside is what counts the most.

But I still wanna look hot. Duh!

Happy German Chocolate Cake Day!

Thanks to my favorite online newsletter, Hungry Girl, I learned that today is National German Chocolate Cake Day! And since I'm German, by marriage...I thought I'd celebrate by sharing this Fat Camp friendly German Cake recipe! Only 3 WW Points  for ONE deelish cupcake! Gooey-Good German Chocolate Cupcakes PER SERVING (1 frosted cupcake): 138 calories, 3g fat, 258mg sodium, 25.5g carbs, 1g fiber, 15g sugars, 2.5g protein -- POINTS® value 3* If you're tempted to lick raw batter from the bowl while making these, eat the other half of the Jell-O Pudding Snack instead... Ingredients: 1/4 cup light or fat-free caramel dip (like the kinds by Marzetti) 1 tbsp. finely chopped pecans 2 tbsp. shredded sweetened coconut Half a Jell-O Sugar Free Creamy Caramel or Dulce de Leche Pudding Snack 2 tbsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips Two 25-calorie packets hot cocoa mix (like Swiss Miss Diet or Nestlé Fat Free) 1 tsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated) or granulated sugar 1/8 tsp. salt Half of an 18.25-oz. box (about 1 1/2 cups) moist-style devil's food cake mix 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray; set aside. To make the frosting, combine caramel dip, pecans, coconut, and pudding in a small bowl; stir until blended. Refrigerate until ready to use. Place chocolate chips, cocoa mix, Splenda (or sugar), and salt in a tall glass. Add 1/4 cup very hot water, and stir until ingredients have dissolved. Add 3/4 cup cold water and stir. Transfer to a large bowl, and add cake mix and egg substitute. Mix batter with a whisk or fork until smooth and blended, about 2 minutes. Evenly distribute batter among the cups of the muffin pan. Bake for 15 - 18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out fairly clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely, and then top evenly with frosting. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy! MAKES 12 SERVINGS

Going GREEN

Yesterday was a very good...and green... day for me. Not only did my daily journal get filled in with every bite, lick and taste I ate, I took a nice walk and visited my first Organic Community Agriculture Share for my half bushel of vegetables (and a jar of their own honey and farm fresh eggs)! Then, I got home, and my Shaklee cleaning products (all organic, all green products) arrived! By using Shaklee, I'm saving OODLES of money, byproducts, our aquatic ecosystem and cutting down on greenhouse gas that normal cleaning products and packaging create. It's not easy being green, as Kermit the frog used to say...but it's worth it!

For those of you who know me personally, I've been not only embarking on a new weight-friendly lifestyle, but an earth and critter-friendly lifestyle, as well. It's amazing to think what I was so naive to my whole life, and how my eyes are opened to a new way of thinking just because I was exposed to a glimpse of what our food industry has turned our human consumption into. It's a total garbage dump if you ask me.

When I was young, I couldn't STAND red meat. I'd chew a hunk of steak for 25 minutes and store it in my cheek like a chipmunk before asking if I could be excused from the dinner table to use the bathroom....where I'd proceed to spit out what was in my mouth and flush. At 25 years old, I ate my first piece of quality meat (filet mignon) thanks to my first pregnancy craving. Since then, I've eaten a burger here and there, and a bite of italian beef when the urge arises...but you'll never see a giant slab of charred cow on my plate.

My hubs pokes a little fun at me when I get on my soapbox about eating organic foods, using earth friendly cleaning products and eating ONLY organic happy chickens that are raised in a pasture versus a dark glorified shed. I admit I do get a bit preachy about my newfound beliefs, and it isn't because I think my way of eating is right, and yours is wrong...I just think we all deserve to know that there is a CHOICE we can all make when we are picking our cleaning products, dairy, produce and meats.

Our food industry is a dirty, political monster...and the way our "mainstream" food is chemically treated and/or raised/grown is sickening (your fast food hamburger is "cleansed" with ammonia before it's packaged and sent to the establishment). Every time you purchase a franchised, plant-driven food or cleaning item...you're telling that company you agree with their standards and you want more of it. The more organic things that you purchase means the more streamlined and less costly it will be. I know you think of cost when you shop. I know what you mean! I used to buy the less expensive meats, dairy, fruits and veggies. I, too, am on a budget. But when I did my research on how the products I was buying was made/grown...I changed my tune. We should be spending MORE on our food. GOOD FOOD. We have one body, and we should treat it well!

Also... I saw that if my dad/stepmom and I shared a full summer of organic fruits and veggies from a local organic farm, it was just under $300 each for 5 MONTHS of weekly shares. I spend about $65 a WEEK on produce at my grocery store. I'm actually SAVING money by doing this, and supporting our local farmers, too! I'm just sayin'!


I might just be one person trying to make a difference, but I hope somehow you all see that by all of us making just small differences, our bodies and planet can improve. Think about making ONE small change today....recycle your trash if you don't already...choose organic yogurt this next time you shop...try a new cleaning product like Shaklee...any one little thing...it all adds up!

When you drop a pebble into water, it's just a tiny pebble added to many under the surface, but the ripple it makes continues on, and on, and on....

Just think about it....

psst: here's the link to the local organic farm I'm going to. If you live in northern Illinois, check it out!

http://www.tempelfarms.com/organicfarm.html

Piece of cake!

Some of you may have remembered one of my first blog posts where I discussed Michael Pollan's "Food Rules". These rules really have stuck with me, and I thought it was a good time to re-post them again!

The one rule that really sticks with me is about the junk food! I made a deelish chocolate cake myself last night with one box of Duncan Hines devil's food cake mix and a can of Coke Zero. Ok, maybe it's not organic, and didn't follow the rules below 100% (these items were made in a plant) but it's also not a Hostess Cupcake which is what I really wanted! Those are loaded with preservatives and a bunch of other crap. And did my homemade junk food taste good? HELL YEAH! It honestly didn't taste any different than a cake with eggs and oil! Try it yourself, you'll see! It's easy! Here's the recipe:

Take one can of any 12 ounce diet soda and any cake mix. I did Coke Zero and Devils Food. Mix until blended. Pour into greased/floured pan. Follow the same directions on the package for baking.Tah-dah! Top with Cool Whip Free or add sugar free pudding and Cool Whip free for a twist!

For my WW pals: 1/12 of a cake (that's a big slice, people!) as prepared above is just 4 points without a topping. The old-fashioned egg and oil version is 7 points for 1/12 of the cake without topping.


Enjoy these "rules"! Oh! I'm excited about making a visit to my local CSA farm for my organic veggies tonight!

From "Food Rules":

#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.

#36 Don't eat breakfast cereals that change the color of the milk.

This should go without saying. Such cereals are highly processed and full of refined carbohydrates as well as chemical additives. 

#39 Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.

There is nothing wrong with eating sweets, fried foods, pastries, even drinking soda every now and then, but food manufacturers have made eating these formerly expensive and hard-to-make treats so cheap and easy that we're eating them every day. The french fry did not become America's most popular vegetable until industry took over the jobs of washing, peeling, cutting, and frying the potatoes -- and cleaning up the mess. If you made all the french fries you ate, you would eat them much less often, if only because they're so much work. The same holds true for fried chicken, chips, cakes, pies, and ice cream. Enjoy these treats as often as you're willing to prepare them -- chances are good it won't be every day. 

#47 Eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.

For many of us, eating has surprisingly little to do with hunger. We eat out of boredom, for entertainment, to comfort or reward ourselves. Try to be aware of why you're eating, and ask yourself if you're really hungry -- before you eat and then again along the way. (One old wive's test: If you're not hungry enough to eat an apple, then you're not hungry.) Food is a costly antidepressant.

#58 Do all your eating at a table.

No, a desk is not a table. If we eat while we're working, or while watching TV or driving, we eat mindlessly -- and as a result eat a lot more than we would if we were eating at a table, paying attention to what we're doing. This phenomenon can be tested (and put to good use): Place a child in front of a television set and place a bowl of fresh vegetables in front of him or her. The child will eat everything in the bowl, often even vegetables that he or she doesn't ordinarily touch, without noticing what's going on. Which suggests an exception to the rule: When eating somewhere other than at a table, stick to fruits and vegetables. 

Week 6 woes

I just don't get it. Why can't week 6 and I be friends? EVERY time I enroll in Fat Camp, week 6 serves me a big ole crap sandwich! My week 6 plate of poo was a 0.8lb gain over 2 weeks. What the @#!&?

During the past 2 weeks, I've walked/jogged 2-4 miles A DAY with my dog, Jake. I had some moments of weakness (okay, chocolate covered raisins, Snowcaps, Jr Mints and Butterfinger ice cream pie) and I forgot to track for 4 days, but I didn't hold the local chocolate shop hostage or live in a bag of chips. My intake was still mindful. I ate fruits, veggies, made better choices at BBQs and didn't get so full I had to unbutton my pants!

*sigh*

Had I eaten my weight in rocky road ice cream, or took a bath in Pringles, I'd be ok with my poor weigh in results. My foot fell off the path for a few days of ignorance. Wow. If just a teeny bit of ignorance poses a gain, I'm convinced I can't fall off this tightrope I'm walking again! There's no safety net. If I fall, I break my neck. The end!

The lady that weighed me in saw my shoulders slump and face droop in displeasure as she wrote +0.8 in my book. She asked what struggles or challenges I had that resulted in my gain. I blurted out "chocolate covered raisins"! And we laughed...then I proceeded to explain that I started daily walks/jogs 2 weeks ago so I am disturbed by my gain. Even if I ate a few things I shouldn't have, and went over points a few days, I didn't expect a GAIN!?!? She suggested I start taking body measurements! AHA! I already did! And I professed my joy in the 8.5 inches I lost since I became a Fat Camper! I'm still not sure I understand how you can lose inches but not pounds, but she said it was good, and to not be discouraged by the small gain.

BUT NOW I FEEL LIKE I WASTED 2 WEEKS! 

I was supposed to lose 3 pounds over 2 weeks!

My partner in crime, "N" and I made a deal not to dip into our "pleasure points" this week. On the WW plan, you get 35 extra points per week to use however you want...on one day for dinner, over 7 days, etc. We've both used them up every week. Our little experiment we're conducting will determine if using these are better or worse for us. Stay tuned to see how that goes!

For now, I'm going to drown my sorrows in my Crystal Light Raspberry Green Tea. It's a new week. Time to move on and be a big loser!

Unpacking more than summer clothes. Buh-bye inches!

It's amazing what going through last summer season's packed away clothes can do for you. I had many feelings as I finally unpacked and swapped the spring/summer clothes into our closets and dressers in exchange for the cold weather duds.

Guilt: How did I get THIS many pairs of flip flops/sandals? And does one person really need 22 tank tops? 

Remorse: Those cute black shorts in size 10 USED to fit me 3 summers ago. 

Excitement: There's that slimming black sundress I can look good in even during, ahem, THAT time of the month!

With every inch of my body scared to even attempt to try on any of these articles of summer apparel... I pulled out the white cropped pants hoping to wear them to brunch on Sunday. Over the knee they went. Oh my God, they made it past the thunder thighs! Really? I don't have to suck in my gutt to button them? Wait! The button didn't go flying off, and they're secured! I did it! They fit! *sigh of relief*

Now I'm excited! So, of course, I have to try something else on from the summer storage bin. Hello cute white striped square neck shirt. I've missed you. On it goes. I do the test to make sure it fits...and...the shirt didn't creep up when I took in a breath!

This outfit was purchased in the summer of 2007. Back then, it fit perfectly. I rocked a good tan, and looked fantabulous. I was still more heavy than I'd like to be, but my son was just 2, so I figured the baby weight was still taking it's time to come off. Ha. Ha. Ha. Yeeeah. Not really.

In 2008...I took the white cropped pants out of the storage bin, put them on. Cried. Put them back in the storage bin.

In 2009...the shirt came out... I laughed when I put it on (think Michelin Man) I hung it back up in my closet, swore I'd lose weight and wear it...didn't happen... and the pants never even made it out of the summer storage bin due to my crying fit last summer.

June 6th 2010...it fits and it's like new again! 

Nice butt, eh?

See they fit!

Ok, I'm not Gisele Bundchen, and I have a long way to go, still... but *damn* it felt good all over to be able to wear this outfit (fitting me) again! 

Back on April 19th, 2010 when I decided to embark on my new lifestyle change, my hubs measured my body parts. Part curiosity, part need to get motivated (I'm a numbers gal), I had to know my dimensions! My thighs, my hips, my biceps...the whole shebang were measured. I wanted to see if anything had changed from then til now. I asked my hubs take my measurements again this morning...sure I ask the guy to change out the laundry and he doesn't hear that, but as you can imagine, he didn't ignore this request. Ok, ok...Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself!

Drumroll, please...


1.75" gone from my hips
1.25" gone from my thighs
1.50" gone from my waist
1.50" gone from my boobs (yay/boo)
0.50" gone from my biceps

That's 8.5 inches that have melted away from my body in 7 weeks! I wonder where it went? Oh, I don't care...as long as it's not on me anymore!

Tonight: Weigh-in #6!

I'm skeptical about tonight's weigh in results! I don't think I did so good without last Monday's meeting and I hit the chocolate covered raisins AGAIN (Dammit). Uggg. You play, you pay! But I need my meetings, it's clear this is working when done as prescribed! Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to Fat Camp I go...

Even if the scale has a number I don't like looking back at me, I know one thing...I'm 8.5 inches less of Jess!

The 80/20 rule

So, I sat at my table this morning eating my organic oatmeal and pumpkin concoction reading my Redbook magazine. First, I read through all the "How to make your sex life sizzle" articles, then I stumbled upon a page about how to simplify your eating habits with one simple rule! My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree! Please, fill me in with this secret! I MUST know!

Here's the gist: You should eat 80% healthy (and by healthy they don't mean Lean Cuisine's and Skinny Cow Ice Cream bars) and 20% of what you crave or like to indulge in. Hmm. Seems easy enough, doesn't it? I'm really not very good at math, so this could be a handicap for me. Let's see...ok...so if I eat my oatmeal for breakfast, an apple for snack, lunch is my flat-out chicken wrap...enter another snack...mmm, yogurt and berries...then dinner can be KFC? That doesn't seem right, does it? Is that my 20% naughty portion? Or does KFC warrant more b/c it's fried (and probably grade D chicken, too)? Note: I would never eat KFC, this is simply for example here.

These "simple" rules confuse me. What is 20% to me could be 40% to the experts. I just don't know! Again, my theory that being chubby and eating mindlessly is far easier than planning and being healthy about your food intake. But I don't wanna be chubby. I wanna be smokin' hot! I'm journaling and exercising...and sticking to my Fat Camp plan!

Oh...and speaking of smokin' hot (No, I won't be bringing up Ryan Reynolds AGAIN my dear friend "CJ") I finally got my new workout DVD and used it! I'm so proud of myself--I didn't stick in on the shelf with the other collection of workout DVDs I've accumulated over the years! Someone posted a blog comment to try Hit It! Fitness DVD, a kickboxing routine (and by the way, the instructor is local! See the link below). Whoah, momma! It kicked my ass! In fact, you know how sometimes people work out so hard they barf? Yep, that was me? 44 minutes into the 50 minute workout...I horked. So it must be good!

www.hit-itfitness.com

Only in my dreams?

After my week 4 "high" I'm hitting my week 6 "low". Someone call the waaaahmbulance, I'm feeling whiney about my new lifestyle today.

I feel like stepping off the path for just a day can throw me into a tail spin. Why is it SO fricken hard to lose weight? WHYYYY???

"I'll be right there, Ryan...just finishing up putting on the cellulite cream, honey!"

I keep having these dreams (like real dreams when I'm sleeping) that I'm HOT. Tan, skinny, long blond hair, toned and irresistible. Even Ryan Reynolds can't keep his hands off me! He can't help but throw me up against the wall and kiss me til I can't breathe. *sigh* Then my alarm clock goes off, and I begrudgingly turn it off and shuffle to the bathroom where I catch a glance of myself in my oversized t-shirt and underwear with my hair in a messy ponytail, smudged mascara around my eyes and those pesky extra pounds all over me. Yeah, I'm a real prize. No wonder my husband doesn't wake up til I'm put together and alive! I'm no dream girl at 7am!

One of my pals, I'll call her "CJ" asked me this in a recent conversation:

Would you rather be perfectly thin and happy with your body without a personality, talent or sense of humor or would you take who you are WITH your personality, talent and sense of humor? Hmm...a perfect body, but empty inside? It's tempting...but I think I'll pass.

As much as I yearn for a perfect body, I like who I am. I think most of my friends and family would agree I'm a fun person who enjoys life. If these extra pounds would just disappear, I feel like I could be Jess version 2.0....me, with a few enhancements!

So as I count down til my bedtime to snap into dream mode and await my dream boy Ryan Reynolds to sweep me off my tiny, toned, sexy feet again...I guess I'll keep my Fred Flinstone feet planted on the ground here in reality and keep plugging away at my lifestyle change.

I just wish it wasn't so hard to be here in reality...will I ever be skinny again, or is it only in my dreams?

I'm losing it!

Last night, I watched the premier of Jillian Michael's new reality show "Losing it". Did anyone else? This is where she lights a fire under lazy, overweight and unhealthy people's asses to get them motivated to take care of themselves. What I wouldn't give to have my own Jillian Michaels...

But I don't have her here at my house to scream at me and slap my hand every time I reach for chocolate covered raisins or a second helping of noodles. She isn't up with me at 6:00am telling me that I need to wake up and throw my running shoes on to hit the gym. This is the part that I struggle with, motivation to MOVE. I think about it, I buy DVDs and watch shows about weight loss to get tips and inspiration. Hey, if a 300lb woman can run 2 miles, so can I, right? The eating more healthy part of my lifestyle change has totally clicked with me. And even though I slip up (Hello, Butterfinger Ice Cream pie), I know I am still a whole heck of a lot better today than I was 6 months ago! But my weight loss would DOUBLE every week if I just started using my gym membership or take an hour to complete one of the 1,000 fitness DVDs I've purchased. So what gives?

I set a "realistic" fitness goal last week...to walk my new dog Jake 1-2 miles twice a day. He needs it as much as I do! And because I'm doing it more for HIM than ME, it's getting done. So the question is...why can't I put myself first in line? Why can't I say "Jess, you're gonna hit the gym Mon, Weds, Fri and run 25 mins Tues, Thurs, Sat and take Sunday off." It's so easy to help someone else, isn't it?


I'm perplexed with myself. What is it going to take to get ME in motion? I'm enjoying my twice-a-day brisk "wogs" with Jake. I just know I can do more. For me.

http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/06/02/losing-it-with-jillian-six-week-slim-down/