Week 2, Day 7

What I’ve learned:

I really am not good at keeping a journal, blog, or diary. I even have a section on my menu sheets that I made to write in daily and I don't even write there. So here is what I've been up to...I've found it's really easy to eat right when I prepare my food in advance. Every Wednesday I've been going to the grocery store and picking up my food. When I come home I cook my meat, rice’s, and cut my veggies. Then I portion everything out into little 1 cup containers (the best purchase I've ever made!). So now in the morning after I make my breakfast I pack 2 snacks and my lunch into a little cooler and away I go. Sometimes I have to pack my lunch, 1 snack, and dinner, but either way as long as everything is portioned out and ready to go I have a successful eating day.

This past weekend I learned how to make healthy choices while not at home. It's really easy, read Jackie's book it gives you great portioning tips. I found that when I order a salad at a restaurant I typically have ask for it without all of the yummy tasting stuff they put on salads like cheese, bacon, and croutons. But then I get more lettuce and veggies. I usually try to order a salad that has meat or other proteins on it…a cob salad with no blue cheese is probably my most favorite salad ever! Another reason I feel it’s easy to eat right when out of the house is because my stomach has gotten used to the small portions. I found that even when I wanted to indulge and eat a bit more of a treat meal, my body had other plans. For example I had eaten clean for 10 out of 11 days (last Wednesday I had dinner at Famous Daves…my treat meal…yummy) so I decided to have another treat. I had a root beer float with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and A&W root beer. It was so good at the time, but later that day I was not feeling so great. I’ve learned my lesson…dairy is not always my friend!

I also have learned that some foot that I thought I really liked I don’t actually like at all. I thought I loved feta cheese especially on Greek salads and Greek styled foods, well I was wrong. I love Greek dressing all over feta cheese! Well since starting Jackie’s diet I’ve also had to cut the dressing which is a hidden source of a lot of fat and tons of sugar.

What I’ve been eating:

Lots of eggs, chicken, veggies, salads, whole-grains, and fruits. My favorite way to prepare chicken other than grilling is baking the chicken with sea salt and pepper all over, in the oven for 35 minutes on 400 degrees. It’s delicious! If I’m not eating my veggies raw I like them steamed. Zucchini is awesome steamed! I hear about whole-grains a lot from people who are dieting or looking to change their lifestyle. I mostly hear that the bread is not the same as white bread…well it’s not going to be! I tried to get as far away from white bread as I could by finding a very hearty nutty bread that I couldn’t compare to white bread. I love Pepperidge Farms 100% Whole-Wheat bread…it’s so good toasted, plain, and as part of a sandwich!

All I have to say about the food I’ve been eating is read Jackie’s book with an open mind and you will be surprised how you’re relationship to food changes. I love eating clean it makes me feel so good. Read the book, follow the diet, do the workouts, and see the results!

How I’ve been working out:

Actually I haven’t been. I’ve been skating once a week for about an hour, but I’ve never looked at skating as a workout. The very first week I did Jackie’s video’s every day. I need to get back to a schedule where I would work a video each day and then run outside or at the gym. I’ve always been an all or nothing girl, but I’ve definitely changed my outlook. If I can change my diet and be successful at eating I have it all! If I can get to the gym or work a video every day I’m also successful and I have even more!

I love how I feel! I really recommend following Jackie’s plan. If you want to see the results of people who’ve worked her diet tune in to Bravo on Monday, October 25 at 10pm for the finale of Thintervention!

Week 1, Day 5 (although the day isn't over)

What I've learned:
Remember how I said it was hard to resist temptation when the people around you can eat and are eating whatever they want?! Well it's even harder when you come home from a long a stressful day at work and you're favorite doughnuts are sitting on the kitchen counter. This is sooooo not fair. However, I think I can manage one more day, because if you eat clean for 5 day's straight you are allowed 2 cheat meals. I'm saving 1 for Wednesday when my boyfriend and I go to Famous Daves for some BBQ. The other cheat meal will have to be used for breakfast tomorrow morning! I'll let you know how it goes!

What I ate (or plan to eat):
Breakfast-1/2 grapefruit and 1 slice whole-grain toast with butter.
Midmorning snack- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese.
Lunch-Shrimp salad.
Afternoon snack-1 large peach.
Dinner- 4 ounces chicken and 1 cup squash.

How I feel:
REALLY upset that I can't have a doughnut and it's being flaunted in my face!

Week 1, Day 4

What I've learned:
The pita's a bought didn't really work how pita's should, they fell apart. So my lunch was more of a salad with pita bread. Also I leaned that I do not like oil and vinegar dressing, I would rather eat my lettuce plain! Organic cottage cheese tastes sour to me, but I know it's better for me.

What I ate:
Breakfast-2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 slice whole-grain toast with butter, and 1/2 grapefruit.
Midmorning Snack-1 cup low-fat cottage cheese.
Lunch-Pita sandwich-2 ounces feta cheese, 2 cups romaine lettuce, 1 small tomato sliced, 1 tablespoon olive oil & vinegar dressing.
Midafternoon snack-apple.
Dinner- 4 ounces chicken, 1 sweet potato, and 1 cup steamed veggies.

How I feel:
I feel good. I'm starting to get the hang of the meal plan and how to make it work best in my schedule.

Week 1, Day 3

What I've learned:
It's very tempting to cheat when the people around you can eat whatever they want. I just have to keep telling myself that eating right will pay off big time in the end! Also breakfast today was way tooooooo much. I'm going to have to remember on day's like this to have the oatmeal for snack.

What I ate:
Breakfast- Whey protein shake and 1 cup oatmeal.
Midmorning Snack-2 table spoons almonds.
Lunch-salad with veggies and 4 ounces chicken.
Midafternoon Snack-apple and mozzarella cheese stick.
Dinner-4 ounces chicken, 1 cup steamed broccoli, and 1 baked potato.

How I feel:
I feel good. My muscles are sore from working out daily, but I know that will change from a bad thing to a good thing.

Week1, Day 2 (posted the morning after!)

What I've learned:
The whey protein shake is okay. I can really taste the protein powder and when you blend the shake it gets frothy which isn't all that yummy. Also it's large amount to drink and that's fine on days that I'm only drinking the shake for breakfast or snack, but on day 3 the menu calls for the shake and oatmeal for breakfast. I'll let you know how it turns out!
It's really easy to cheat! I was offered pizza for lunch today and even though I had packed my carefully measured meal I still gave in to the temptation. I must have will power!

What I ate:
Breakfast-Whey protein shake with spinach and mixed berries.
Midmorning snack-1 cup oatmeal and 1 ounce almonds.
Lunch-2 slices of veggie pizza (it was really good at the time!)
Dinner-Tuna salad on lettuce with tomatoes and 1 cup raspberries.

How I feel:
I feel alright. I'm really upset at my self for cheating right out of the gate. Jackie say's you should eat clean for 5 days and allow your self a cheat meal on the weekends. The way I look at it is I just gave up one of my weekend cheat meals on the second day.
My body is sore from my workout today. I did one of Jackie's time saving DVDs. Trust me when I say it was the quickest and toughest 30 minutes of the day. Tomorrow I'm going to try her circuit's DVD. I'm actually looking forward to it!

What to look forward to:
I'm going to re-read the metaphysiques chapter of Jackie's book. I'm having trouble buying into the whole idea of positive thinking when my stomach is grumbling and my arms are hurting. I need a refresher course.
Also I went to Jackie's website and they are running a special on on-line personal training. I have to see what it will cost me, but I am seriously considering getting some added support!

Week 1, Day 1

What I've learned:
I learned today that eating every 3 hours does not work for me when I work a closing shift. I feel like I have to eat my breakfast, midmorning snack, and lunch all in a very short period of time. Then I spread my afternoon snack and dinner out. I at breakfast at 8:30am, midmorning snack at 11am, lunch at 1pm, afternoon snack at 4pm, and dinner at 6:15pm. I also found that when I came home from work at 10:30pm I was starving because I am used to eating dinner when I come home form work. So that's where my "post dinner" meal comes into play. I added 1 cup of fruit, like Jackie suggests when craving something sweet after dinner. Also the 1 slice of bread was supposed to be for lunch, but I forgot to eat it...which is a good thing because it gave me an option. I can say with great certainty that when I am hungry is when I make the most bad food choices. Honestly, I was craving raw chocolate chip cookie dough before I at my post dinner snack, now I can say I feel full and satisfied.

What I ate:
Breakfast: 2 whole-wheat tortilla's with 1 scrambled egg and 1 tablespoon salsa each.
Midmorning snack-1 cup cottage cheese and a pear.
Lunch-salad with tomatoes and 2 tablespoons dressing and 4 ounces baked chicken.
Afternoon snack-1 banana.
Dinner-4 ounces grilled chicken, 1 sweet potato, and 1 cup steamed broccoli.
*Post dinner snack-1 slice whole-wheat bread and 1 cup raspberries.

How I feel:
I felt like I was eating too much until after dinner. I feel motivated to be successful at the plan.

What to look forward to:
Tomorrow is Week 1, Day 2 and I will be adding circuit training to my daily routine!

It's A Plan

Today I started making my plan. I’ve updated my goals and I’m more motivated than ever before. To start I made a week of menus and food journals and printed them. I’ve made an exercise journal too that I can take to the gym with me to record my cardio and my circuit exercise.  After putting together a simple 3 ring binder with dated tabs to keep track of my menus and journals, I typed up my new goals.

Here’s the update: I’m going to lose 35 lbs by December 25, 2010. That’s Christmas and what greater gift to me than a healthier more fit more trim body! In losing the weight I will also be closer to a normal/healthy BMI and will fit into the clothing that I already own much better. Heck, I might even have to go out and shop for new clothes which is probably one of my most favorite things to do! I also feel like achieving this weight loss goal will improve my overall health and with any luck it will cure some of my back and joint problems. Once I printed my goals I put them in a sheet protector at the front of my binder so I’ll see them every time I open the binder! I’m thinking of putting inspirational quotes on the front…chase the burn!

 I also typed out and printed my body stats and left spaces for a half-way measurement and measurements when I reach my deadline. Here they are: Chest 41.5 inches, waist 35, and hips 45.5. I also included my current weight and BMI on the sheet. Then I made spaces for a halfway weigh in and measurements as well as weight and measurements at my deadline. Ewww, I hate that word “deadline”. I really think it’s a negative word. Let’s a different word…..like goal line….I like that! It’s definitely more positive. December 25, 2010 is my goal line. I will lose 35lbs by Christmas! Part of Jackie’s plan is called “metaphysiques” which is based on the principle the “like attracts like”. Positive thoughts will help get me through this change. I will be happy, I will be healthy. I feel good after working out, I feel good when I eat right. I can do this!

Some may ask “Why did you change your goal?” Well its simple really…baby steps. My original goal that I really didn’t say out loud is 63 pounds (that will put me at my lowest adult weight as well as a normal/healthy BMI). And don’t get me wrong I totally think that is achievable on Jackie’s plan, but I’m nervous. I’m horribly afraid of failing at something that is so important to me.  My back injury in late September really drove my fears home. Therefore, I’ve cut my goal in half as well as my goal line. Instead of 6 months I reduced my goal line to 3 months.  I know that I can do this and stick to the plan. I will see short team results of my long term goals.  Once I have reached my first goal it will be simple to ramp up my workout intensity and continue to eat clean to achieve the remainder of my goal.

Also I think when you tell people you want to lose 35 lbs they are more supportive and easily get on board with your plans. If you tell them you want to lose 63 lbs they are skeptical. I am looking for and need all the support I can get. I’m very fortunate to have a very loving boyfriend who doesn’t need me to change, but will support my efforts. During the jump start he helped me cut fruits and veggies up and put them into proper portions as well as not tempting me with my vise foods like pizza and Mac’ & cheese!

On the other hand when I tell people I’ve lost 35 lbs they’ll be happy for me, but when I get to tell them I’ve lost 63 lbs they’ll be impressed and excited. I mean 63 lbs is a child! How impressive is that?! I’m motivated to be successful, I’m motivated to make the change, and I’m motivated to be thin and trim!

Time to make my grocery list and head over to Whole Foods!

Starting Over

So it's been a while since I last posted, here's the update. I finished reading Jackie Warner's book This is Why You're Fat (and how to get thin forever). I am more motivated than ever to succeed at her famous plan and workouts. I've been watching Thintervention on Bravo every Monday night to see how others go through the program. I've noticed some of the people on the show struggle more than others and what each participant is doing to get the results their trying to reach. One of the most important things I learned when finishing Jackie's book is that you must set realistic and achievable goals. With no goals you can easily give up when you don't see results. So tonight while watching Beauty and The Beast on newly released DVD I am setting my goals. I've done some research to ensure that my goals can be realistic and achievable. I currently have a body mass index or BMI of about 32 which is considered obese, so you can clearly see why I have decided to have my own thintervention. BMI is just a fancy way of saying body fat, or maybe that's just a polite way of explaining. The BMI of a normal weight person is between 18.5-24.9. BMI is calculated by entering your weight and height into a formula that results in your BMI. I just "googled" BMI calculator and found several options all of which came up with the same number for my BMI. Based on my BMI I need to loose about 7 points which for me equates to nearly 50 pounds. To most people that sounds like quite the task and I most certainly put myself in the category of most people. So I'm going to tailor my goals in a way that will be easily achievable on Jackie's plan.


Here are my goals:
I am going to loose 30 pounds by Christmas. I will do this by eating according to Jackie's plan and completing each workout. I will eat clean and do each exercise until muscle failure to build muscle and burn fat.


I will reduce my BMI to 24.9. This will make me healthy and trim.


Each week I will feel better and look better in all of my clothing because I will be eating clean and working out according to the plan.


Here is how I'm going to achieve my goal:
Each day I will plan out my meals. Breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. Each day will be carefully planned according to Jackie's plan. I will prepare my food for each day in advance which will make it easier to eat clean.

I will also plan my workouts to fit into my schedule. All I need is 20 minutes of intense cardio at the gym and so space on my living room floor to do my circuit routine.

I will get support from the people who I love. They will see this positive change in my lifestyle and encourage me to keep going.

I will "chase the burn".

Day 7: Falling Off The Wagon Is An Understatement

Today was not a good day for me...food or otherwise. On Thursday morning I woke up with a pain the the middle of my back. As an athlete I am not stranger to pain or even back pain for that matter. I figured I just slept on it wrong and tomorrow I'd feel better. Today is Sunday and I don't feel better in fact I feel much worse. In a nutshell I cannot find a comfortable position sitting, standing, or lying down and it's nearly impossible to breathe fully. Tomorrow morning I'll be calling my chiropractor and setting and appointment as soon as I can. With that being said don't judge my food journal.

Food Journal Day 7:
Lunch @ 11:45-McDonalds double cheese burger, medium fries, and medium orange HC, and my supplement.
Dinner @ 4:45pm-Pasta with meat sauce and a venti black iced tea no sugar from starbucks.
Snack @ 8:15pm-Better Made BBQ Potato chips.

Like I said...I had a really bad day. I missed everything that was good for me. It's hard to focus on this when breathing is a problem. Let's hope I can resume the plan tomorrow.

Day 6: Finding a new routine.

Food Journal Day 6:
Breakfast @ 10am-Oatmeal, 2 eggs with cheese, whey protein shake, and supplements.
Lunch @ 1:45pm-Veggie Sammi from Quzinoes and 1 litter of water.
Dinner @ 7pm-Cobb salad without blue cheese and no dressing, sweet potato fries, and 8 oz. of iced tea.
Evening Snack 11:30pm-Cheese Pizza lunchable.

Today was my first day of practice with the team I'm going to be skating with this year. Today I practiced from 2pm-10pm with a break for dinner from 6:15pm-8pm. This was the first time that I wasn't able to eat when I wanted to, therefore I missed my regular mid-morning snack and afternoon snack. I do feel very pleased that I was able to fit in everything except my 2 servings of fruit. Now that I know how a day of practice will work I feel confident that I can pack food and eat closer to when I should and close to what I should.

Day 5: Mixed feelings

Food Journal Day 5:
Breakfast @ 8:15am-oatmeal, 600ml of water, and supplements. (I ran out of bananas...sad!)
Mid-morning snack @ 10:30am-1 cup bell peppers with ranch dressing, 3 pizza hut bread sticks with pizza sauce, and 300 ml of water.
Lunch @ 2pm-salad with grape tomatoes and cucumber with balsamic dressing, 600 ml of water, and 1/2 cup of blueberries.
Afternoon Snack @ 4:45pm- peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat bread, whole apple, and 300 ml of water.
Dinner @ 9pm-bbq ribs and onion rings, vodka soda with lime, 8 oz of water.
Treat @ 11:20pm-box of juju bees during Resident Evil 4 in 3D.

Today I missed the whey protein shake and two eggs. After 5 days of this plan I feel fairly confident that I can carry on for the additional 9 days I have left of the jump start plan. I've learned that it is easier when I prepare my food in advance. If I bring my groceries home from the store and put them away in the cupboard and fridge I forget about all my healthy options when I'm hungry for a snack. However, if I prepare (cleaning, portioning, etc.) my food before putting it away when I'm hungry for a snack it's just as easy to grab something healthy as it would be to grab and unhealthy snack.

Day 4: I'm getting the hang of this!

Food Journal Day 4:
Breakfast-oatmeal with sliced whole banana, 2 eggs scrambled, whey protein shake, and supplements.
Mid-morning Snack-pretzels, a juicy juice box, and some candy corn!
Lunch-baby spring green salad with bell peppers and olive oil greek dressing. Cottage cheese and 600 ml of water.
Afternoon Snack-celery with peanut butter and an apple with 300 ml of water.
Dinner-chicken mac and cheese with carrots and broccoli mixed in and 300 ml of water to drink.

Today was a great day! I ate 2 whole fruits, 3 cups of veggies, 2 eggs, 1 cup of oatmeal, all my supplements, and drank 2 litters of water. I did the entire days worth of jump start and I feel a fantastic sense of accomplishment. Now I just have to keep up the good work!

Day 3: Easier Said Than Done

Wednesday was not a good day of eating for me. I slept in late missing breakfast and mid-morning snack which makes it much harder to get in all the foods I'm supposed to be adding to my diet. Eating five times a day gives your body continues fuel and feelings of being full instead of binging three times a day. I found it much easier to eat my "regular" foods today when I was at home instead of at work. When I work I'll pack a lunch and two snacks full of all the healthy foods I'm supposed to eat and only eat those, plus I'll drink nearly two litters of water. When I'm at home there are other options like mac' and cheese that I would normally gravitate towards. I'm happy that I'm still in the two week jump-start which allows me to continue to eat the crap I normally eat, but I did feel a little guilty that I didn't get in all my required foods today.

Food Journal Day 3:
Lunch-Macaroni and cheese with cottage cheese and ketchup. I drank about 8 oz. of water.
Afternoon Snack-2 cups of bell peppers with ranch dressing and a cherry 7-up.
Dinner-Tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich. I drank about 8 oz. of water.

Today I didn't eat 2 servings of fruit, oatmeal, my supplements, and eggs. I didn't drink nearly enough water either.

Day 2: Better Posted Late Than Never

Food Journal Day 2:
Breakfast-Whole Banana, Luna Bar, 600 ml of water, and supplements.
Mid-morning snack-side salad with 1 cup of veggies (tomato's and cucumbers) and 2 tlb spoons of balsamic dressing.
Lunch-sweet and sour chicken and fried rice, 1 cup of fruit (blueberries and raspberries), 600 ml of water, and 2 hard boiled eggs.
Afternoon snack-half a box of juju bees.
Dinner-turkey burgers with cheese (no bun), whole wheat macaroni salad (with onions, celery, and hard boiled eggs, and 1 tbl spoon of light miracle whip), sautéed onions and bell peppers, turkey stove top stuffing, and two glasses of milk.


Today I missed oatmeal and whey protein shake.


Notes: I am finding it hard to continue to eat my "regular" foods. I feel like I have to go out of my way to eat things that I would eat if I wasn't following this plan. I'm starting to wonder if that is all part of the two week jump start plan?!

Day 1: Addition before subtraction

Today I started the plan from This is Why You're Fat (and how to get this forever) by Jackie Wagner. I've decided to share with you a few things that I've learned from the book so that you will better understand why I'm eating and doing all these different things. But I really recommend that if you're interested in following the plan that you buy Jackie Wagner's book. I found my copy at Barnes & Noble.The first two weeks of Jackie's plan is about adding certain foods to begin to balance hormones. Basically you continue to eat the foods you ate before starting the plan, but now you add in fruits, vegetable, eggs, oatmeal, 3 liters of water with lemon juice, whey protein shakes, herbal teas, and a handful of supplements. This is the first "diet" I've ever done where you get to add food to your daily intake. I've also never been so excited to start and actually complete a diet plan as much as I am about this!

What I've learned so far...In the first chapter of The Book (This is Why You're Fat) Jackie explains that being fat is not your fault, but staying fat is. She explains that the food we eat is unbalancing our hormones natural desire to stay balanced and keep us thin. There are three hormones make humans thin and four that make us fat. Human Growth Hormone, Testosterone, and Progesterone make us thin, but Insulin, Estrogen, Cortisol, and Leptin make us fat. By following Jackie's plan I hope to balance out my hormones to become naturally thin.

In the second chapter Jackie explains that Americans are "Sugar Addicts". Deep down inside we all know that sugar is bad for us, but it "feels" sooooo good when we eat it. Sugar seems to cause almost everything bad that can happen to the internal workings of a human body. Sugars are linked to a number of cancers and diseases...I don't know about you but eating sugar isn't worth it! This chapter really is the most important chapter in Jackie's book because she breaks down a lot of misconceptions about sugar. The most important thing I learned about sugar is that there is no escaping sugar, it's every where! Look at nutrition facts on processed food packages and staying clear of foods that have 6 grams of sugar or more. I was surprised that some of my favorite "healthy" and fat-free foods had anywhere between 12 to 24 grams of sugar. That knowledge put me off those foods for sure!

Part of the plan is to keep a food journal, so I'll add that into my blog too!

Food Journal Day 1:

Breakfast-Whole Banana, Chocolate Nut Brownie Luna Bar, and my supplements including a multi-vitamin. I also drank nearly 600 ml of water.

Mid-Morning Snack-Breakfast Burrito w/ eggs, cheese, sausage, onions, and bell peppers. I also ate two hardboiled eggs and drank about 300 ml of water.

Lunch-Cheese Pizza Lunchable, carrots and ranch, a whole kiwi, and 600 ml of water.

Afternoon Snack-Whole apple, multi-grain crackers and peanut butter, and 300 ml of water.

Dinner-Papa Johns Pizza and Ice tea.

So today I wasn't able to eat a second full cup of vegetables or the oatmeal and I didn't drink the whey protein shake. I'm a little disappointed that I missed three really simple things, but with all change comes a learning curve. I'm so excited to get balanced and get thin.

In other great news...Tonight is the first episode of Thintervention on Barvo...everyone tune in at 10pm!

That's What She Said: My Own Thintervention

I was reading Womens Health Magazine (I randomly picked it up in the Target checkout lane...I don't normally read health-centric material) a few weeks ago. In the magazine there was a little blurb about a new book by Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Expert Jackie Wagner. The book is called This Is Why You're Fat (and How to Get Thin Forever). Instantly I was intrigued. I was impressed that someone who'd never met me could possible tell ME why I am fat. So naturally the impulse shopper in me couldn't resist running out to the book store and buying the book. I figured if I read the first five pages and thought it was totally off-base (like Skinny Bitch) I would just return it to the book store. Really boring and long story short...I loved what I read in the first five pages that I read the whole first chapter right away. What I learned from that first chapter has changed the way I look at food for the rest of my life.

I've decided that I'm going to go through with Jackie's plan and blog about it here. I've never been really good at writing in a journal, but I'm on the computer everyday so heres hoping it works! Each day I'll write my "Food Journal" and a few of my thoughts about the plan and my progress. I can't wait to see where this lifestyle change leads me!