Stellar Fashion & Fitness

I've Moved!

2011-06-16T08:56:00.002-05:00

Come on over to my new website: Stellar Fashion and Fitness

Please change your feeds and your bookmarks 'cause I'll be posting from www.stellarfashionandfitness.com from now on!

Focused

2011-06-15T10:20:00.003-05:00

It's amazing what a difference a day makes. Today I woke up feeling good, threw on one of my favorite dresses and my magenta wedges, ready to take on the day—including eating healthfully and going to Zumba.

I armed myself with a couple healthy snacks—a ripe, juicy peach, raw almonds, and pineapple for after dinner. I'm meeting friends for lunch, but I already know I'm ordering a crunchy thai chicken salad in a wrap (love Outtakes in Homewood 'cause they don't douse everything with huge globs of dressing!) and a side of fruit. For dinner, I'll be running about from a United Way meeting, to the gym, to a friend's to work on our career goals, so I'll grab a salad from Panera.

Feels good to be focused!

Speaking of working on our career goals, you may see some changes to the blog coming soon. I want to make it more modern, more accessible, and more detailed. Eventually this will include a portfolio section with examples of my work (clips from Southern Living, WWD, etc.) and my résumé. One thing I've noticed is, when I talk to others involved in the social media world, they all have business cards with their blogs/twitter/contact info (You can follow me @bhamjen.). Soon I'll be joining these professionals in an effort to promote all I do, not just what I do at my day job.

Do you ever take time to map out goals for your career? I'm starting a checklist for things I'd like to get done. You should too!

Confession: Pre-period Gluttony

2011-06-14T13:51:00.003-05:00

It happens every month.

About one week before my period, I want to eat everything in sight. I don't crave anything in particular, like good bread or chocolate. I want to eat everything.

And a lot of times I do.

I just finished consuming far too many pieces of cheese, and far too many Tootsie Rolls, than should be consumed by someone who's trying to lose weight.

Or anyone, for that matter.

Sure, a serving of Tootsie Rolls is six small pieces at 140 calories. But did I need all six? And unlike a good piece of dark chocolate, was there any nutritional value to what I was consuming at all?

Of course not.

While I write this blog as a confession and in hopes of reigning in my pre-period snacking habit, I also know that this is something that will come and go each and every month. It doesn't last for a full week, or even more than a day or two. Usually I over-do it at one meal, and then I'm fine for the rest of the day.

In other words, it is controllable, if I allow myself to control it. I could choose to turn the other way and gorge myself, as I may have done in the past. Or, I can indulge a little, once or twice in the week leading up to my period, in a controlled and somewhat valuable way.

In other words, I could go out and buy lots of great fruit, fruit that's usually too expensive to buy every week, like pineapple and mango and strawberries and raspberries. I could buy really good, dense wheat bread, enjoyed with just a smidge of olive oil for dipping. And I could get yummy, rich dark chocolate to enjoy, one square at a time.

Indulging when the urge comes isn't terrible, if I do it in a healthy way, rather than a "let me shove whatever's around me in my mouth until I want to burst" kind of way.

Giving myself permission to dive into delicious snacks is better than beating myself up for doing so. Especially when all I've eaten is junk, instead of something that's nutritious.

Tonight, I'll stock up on a few healthy favorites in case the snack urge hits me again this week.

Thank God all the Tootsie Rolls are gone.

Work It: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-06-10T08:53:00.001-05:00

Well, hot damn!!

Date: 6/10/11
Weight: 220

Change: -2

Starting weight: 275

I'm a little surprised that I lost the 2 lbs. I was hoping to lose this week. But I did it! My workouts increased a ton this week, compared to the past few weeks. I'm not so sure my eating habits were all that stellar, but I tried to stay around 1,600-1,800 calories a day.

One thing that definitely helped was planning out my nightly meals with the BF and grocery shopping on Sunday for all the ingredients we'd need. This way we always had what we needed to cook at home and, for the most part, were less inclined to eat take out.

I'm still struggling with my lunches. I need to come up with something more interesting than turkey sandwiches because I often give into my craving to go out to lunch. Part of it is just wanting to get out of the office. And with the heat down here, eating a homemade lunch outside just isn't in the cards. Maybe I should take my lunch to the public library? Do they have places you can eat at the library? Probably not. If anyone has suggestions on where to take a homemade lunch where you won't sweat to death, let me know!

I'm off this weekend to my homestate, New Jersey, to attend my best friend's wedding. Dominika and I have known each other for about 15 years and I consider her to be like a member of my family. I can't wait to celebrate with her and all our friends!

Love you, Domka!!

Summer, Summer, Summertime

2011-06-09T20:29:00.003-05:00

I think that's, hands down, the best song Will Smith ever did. Excuse me. I meant, the artist formerly known as the Fresh Prince. Whenever I hear it, I want to be rollin' along the street by the boardwalk in Seaside Heights, where I spent many summer nights, with the windows rolled down.

But I digress. Yes, it's summertime here in Alabama. It's 90-something freakin' degrees and pretty humid every day. Hence, the first BBQ my friends scheduled for the season, in honor of Summer's birthday, was moved indoors due to the heat.

It didn't stop us from having a great time, though! And great food. I contributed by making my Aunt Nancy's sweet and tangy Appleberry Salsa served with cinnamon and sugar pita chips (I buy Stacy's).

Here's how you put it together:

Dice 2 Granny Smith apples, 2 kiwis, and 1 c. of strawberries. Mix the diced fruit together and squeeze the juice of one fresh orange on top; mix again. Add 2 tbsp. of apple jelly and 2 tbsp. of packed brown sugar; mix again. (I actually forgot the brown sugar last weekend and I didn't notice at all! It's plenty sweet without the added sugar.)

I prefer to make this fruit salsa ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge, maybe overnight, to let the juices all mingle together (that's what she said). Then serve it cold with the pita chips.

I also contributed these lovely cupcakes to the birthday party, to coordinate with the birthday cake Summer's sister, Autumn, made.

Cupcakes:

Cake:

Holy moly that's gaga-licious!

Do you get it? Autumn made an awesome Lady Gaga cake that totally impressed everyone at the party! I was in awe. My not-nearly-as-impressive cupcakes were supposed to be paws...as in "Little Monsters"...as in "just put your paws up." Get it?

Summer about to eat Gaga's face

Happy Birthday, Summer!!

Diet Staple: Blueberries

2011-06-08T14:41:00.003-05:00

source

I think I've always loved blueberries. My love dates back to hiking up Buck Mountain in upstate New York with my grandfather. At the top of the mountain, overlooking Lake George, are tons and tons of blueberry bushes. We'd pick them and eat them right there, before making the trek back down.

They're tiny, they're sweet, and most of the time, they're cheap!

OK, you may see a carton of these at your grocery store for $3 or so and think that's expensive. But think of how many you'll eat at each serving. Probably not a ton! I buy a carton each week, usually from Florida 'cause that's the closest they seem to grow around here (though I'd buy them from NJ if I could because NJ is the blueberry king!), and they last all week.

Each morning I put a 1/4 c. of blueberries on my Cheerios. I know, I know I should be eating Kashi or some such cereal. But me likes me Cheerios. I also add a 1/4 c. to my Greek yogurt, which I don't eat as often as I should, but I try to eat it every day.

Here's the fun facts, courtesy of the Blueberry Council (who knew there had to be a council on blueberries?!):

There are 80 calories in a cup of blueberries
Blueberries are a great source of Vitamin C
They're also a good source of dietary fiber (woohoo! I also loves me some fiber.)
The little blue fruit is also a good source of antioxidants

What do you put blueberries on/in?

Under a Microscope

2011-06-06T15:10:00.002-05:00

I read a blog post today on The Big Girl Blog that really touched me. Here's the passage that affected me the most:

"...once its clear that I’m losing weight (or trying to) everyone seems to have an opinion on what I should or shouldn’t be doing, eating or drinking. Suddenly everyone is a wealth of knowledge on me and my body. Almost as if they’ve been biting their tongues and now that I’ve acknowledged that I’m overweight, they’re letting out a collective sigh of relief. Its almost as if they’re saying I’m glad she’s finally doing something…I thought I was the only one who noticed!"

As a bigger girl, I feel like I've always lived my life under a microscope. It's probably all in my head, but when you carry around extra weight, especially a lot of extra weight, you feel like everyone's looking at you, judging you, monitoring what you eat, what you drink, how much your stomach jiggles and your thighs rub together.

I felt this way yesterday when I went to the pool at my new apartment complex. All I wanted was a little sun, and a little swim. I thoroughly enjoyed the hour I spent there, relaxing in the heat. But buried deep in my brain was a tiny voice saying "Look at all those skinny girls in their bikinis! They don't have cellulite on their thighs, or flabby chicken wings for arms!" Everyone else was minding their own business, drinking beers and chatting with one another, but I felt they were all looking at me, judging me in my tankini, wondering why the whale came down to swim with the beautiful people.

It's terrible, these voices in our heads. I'm sure my skinny friends do this to themselves too, even if, as a bigger girl, I can't fathom how they could think these things of themselves. Well, how can I think these things of myself?

As a bigger girl who's been trying to lose weight for the better part of a year and a half now, one of the hardest things is dealing with weight loss mentally, and what made us continue to gain weight year after year. Sure, food tastes good. I love the taste of cake and ice cream and pizza. But what makes me eat cake on a Monday afternoon, for no apparent reason? What makes me eat four slices of pizza, when two and a side salad is plenty to keep me full? And why do the glances from those around me make me feel like every bite I eat is being counted, and counted against me?

These are deeper issues that I have to address over time. Whenever I deal with stress or loneliness or anger in a healthy manner, such as talking to a friend, going for a walk, or writing out my feelings on my blog, I celebrate. I celebrate not because I skipped the cookie dough or the bread and cheese, but because I dealt with my emotions, instead of burying them with food. When I do slip up, and I eat cake at my desk on a Monday afternoon, I beat myself up and those feelings just balloon up inside me.

Being watched, whether by a friend, loved one or co-worker, is an annoying feeling because we want to feel in control of what we put in our mouth, or how hard we work out. We don't want someone else judging us if we decide to indulge in potato chips and a cupcake. Or two. But the truth is, what really matters is that we're always watching and judging ourselves. And it's those voices that we have to learn to deal with, and answer to, and turn into positive messages.

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-06-03T09:38:00.001-05:00

It seems like, lately, all my posts are weigh-ins! I need to get on the ball with writing about more than just my weight loss, or lack thereof!

Yeah, this week I'm putting up a big ol' goose egg. Bummer! I will say, though, after returning from Amal's wedding where I consumed far too many sweets...way, way too many sweets!...I'm pleased that I didn't gain any weight. If I had gotten to the gym to work out like I'd planned this week, I'm sure I would've lost a pound or two. Instead I was painting my old bedroom. It was actually a workout in itself, at least for my arms!

Date: 6/3/11
Weight: 222

Change: 0

Starting weight: 275

I will be thankful for small things, though. Like wearing pants that are a size 14!! I can't recall the last time I was a 14. Maybe middle school? Eek! That's terrible. It's fun to go into Lane Bryant and buy smaller and smaller sizes. Hopefully those small sizes will start translating into the sizes at more stores so I can get outta LB soon!

More small accomplishments? Losing inches! I haven't measured my inches since mid-April, but since then I've lost 2 inches in my waist, a 1/2 inch in my bust (yay! I don't want my boobies to go away!) and 1 inch in my thighs (thank you, squats).

So putting up a 0 for the week is annoying, but I feel good. I feel strong. And I'm ready to tackle the next week. At this point, that's how I'm approaching weight loss, week by week. This next week is a big one too. I have a birthday party for my dear friend Summer tomorrow where I will do my damnedest to eat healthfully and have just a small piece of cake. Sunday I'm taking my new Little Sister (from Big Brothers Big Sisters) to the zoo! Should be a fun time! And next week I have my evenings free for working out. Yay! Can't wait to get back into that. Then, it's Dominika's wedding on June 11! I'd really hoped to be down to 215 by then, but I think that was a bit ambitious. Now, I'm aiming for 220.

Do you prefer to look at the big picture when trying to lose weight? Or do you take it one week at a time?

"I Do" Need a Hair-do

2011-06-02T10:32:00.004-05:00

Ah, weddings. You'd think I'd be a pro at them by now. I've attended about 12 weddings, and was a bridesmaid in four. I will be maid of honor in my BFF Dominika's wedding on June 11, then I have three more weddings to attend this fall, where I will be a bridesmaid at one.

Dominika and I at her bridal shower

You'd think I'd have the wedding hair-do thing done already!

But, alas. I do not. When I'm attending a wedding, I have no idea what to do with my hair. Usually, I just wear it blown out straight or pulled back in a barrette in some fashion.

For fancy up-dos? I leave that to the experts and usually get my hair did by a stylist when I'm a bridesmaid. I loved the hairstyle I chose for my sister's wedding: a bun pulled low and to the side, with a "poof" on top. The small silver flower barrette is actually a brooch!

I want to do something different for Dominika's wedding, but I'm not sure what. My dress is pink, strapless, and very flowy and springy. I'd like to wear my hair down and I picture it being all romantical. Yes. Romantical is a word.

I think this is pretty and I like that it would give me some height in the front. I could pull it off by having the stylist curl my hair into ringlets, which would fall into soft waves by the end of the evening. #myhairdoesntholdcurl

I don't normally part my hair in the middle, but I think this style would be flattering with some volume in my hair, from the aforementioned curls. Plus, whereas the above style would require only bobby pins, this one might use a pretty clip in the back.

But even if I don't do a half up, half down style, I could pull my hair low, instead of an up-do, so that it's still down my back, which is what I'm going for. I don't want my back to be completely exposed.

How do you style your hair for weddings? Do you ever get it done professionally, or do you just wing it?

Work It: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-05-30T15:38:00.009-05:00

I didn't quite reach my goal of 220 before Amal's wedding, but I did get down to 222!

Date: 5/26/11
Weight: 222

Change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I weighed in Thursday because that afternoon I left for Texas for Amal's wedding celebration. What an amazing time! Everything was beautiful: the clothing, the decorations, the music. And the Pakistani food was so tasty! Everyone kept asking me if it was too spicy, but I love a little spice!

Amal looked beautiful for every occasion, including the dholki, the bridal shower, the mehndi, and the shaadi, or wedding ceremony. Here's a few pictures:

Amal and I at her dholki

At her beach-themed bridal shower

Amal and Fareed at their mehndi

Fareed and I

Amal and I at her wedding!

This week I'm looking forward to making my lunches and dinners. I have plans for turkey sandwiches at lunch, tilapia and a Mexican bake at dinner, plus Cheerios at breakfast and yogurt for snacks. Tomorrow I'll do two workouts: walk the treadmill in the a.m., Body Pump in the p.m. Wednesday I have Zumba after work and Thursday I think I'll go to spinning. I love spinning because I find it challenging, but I don't do it nearly often enough!

How do you eat healthfully when you travel? Or do you just take that time "off"?

Weekend Update: Grab It, Hold Onto It, Go With It!

2011-05-23T13:41:00.004-05:00

This weekend I decided to take a break...from packing/unpacking and, despite my best promises last Friday, from eating well.

Hitting the wall...

I had every intention of kicking the weekend off right with yummy spaghetti and salad Friday night. And I intended to eat healthfully until Dominika's wedding on June 11. I mean, I'll eat healthfully after that too, but that is a goal-date for losing a few more pounds. Then I'll look for the next goal-date and the next weight goal.

But this weekend? Eating right was just not going to happen. I'm not sure if it's my pending visit from Aunt Flo, or the exhaustion from all the packing/unpacking, but I didn't want to put in the effort! I did fairly well until late Sat. night when I was craving pizza, and I gave in. Then the next day I devoured a few too many of those orange candies covered in sugar. I also had French toast for lunch.

Ugh.

The good news was, I had a lot of activity planned for the weekend. A little straightening up, some laundry, a walk Friday night, some playtime with my new little (Big Bro/Big Sis newbie here!) on Sat., Zumba on Sun. I even got out of bed and went to the new apt.'s gym downstairs this morning!

And my eating is already back on track today. I just want to keep this up for the weekend, with my hopes of dropping a few more pounds before Amal's nuptials this Sat. Then Domka's will come two weeks later. Thank goodness for all these weddings! They're keeping my fitness and eating goals in check!

I want to add a little aside here. I haven't been feeling great lately. Not physically, just mentally/emotionally about myself. See...people say to me all the time: "You look great!" or "You look so tiny!" And lately I've been feeling bloated...I haven't been exercising like I was prior to the half marathon. I just haven't felt on my game! And it affects me mentally. When I eat healthfully 90% of the time (I need my 10% for my sanity!), and I exercise regularly (meaning 5-6 days a week), I feel amazing. I feel confident and sassy and much more sure of myself. When I let these things slide, I get mopey, I get weepy and that confidence slowly drains away.

I'm telling y'all this because I can feel the light at the end of the tunnel. I know I'm better than this down-in-the-dumps version of myself. I know what I need to do to feel better, and the motivation and willpower to do so is right there...I can feel it! Now I just need to grab it, hold onto it, and go with it!!

When you feel like you're hitting a brick wall, again and again, how do you pull yourself up over that wall? What motivates you to press forward?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-05-20T10:30:00.005-05:00

Thank goodness for moving!

This week I moved to a new apartment downtown and, despite my trepidation that it would be a week of eating poorly and rarely getting a work out in, I actually lost 1 lb.!

Date: 5/20/11

Weight: 223

Change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I imagine it was all the packing, unpacking, lifting, stairs, and generally being on my feet that helped me this week. Because I certainly was not on my game, diet-wise.

Dropping 1 lb. despite all my perceived hurdles has fueled me for the next couple of weeks. I have new goals, somewhat unattainable, but I'm going to reach for them anyway and see how I do.

I leave next Thursday for my friend Amal's wedding. She's a beautiful, fun, funny, supportive girl who became my fast friend when she started working at Southern Living magazine a few years ago. We've since both been laid off, ahem, I mean, moved on to better things, both met wonderful guys, and now I get to be a part of her wedding next weekend in Houston! She's Pakistani, so it will be my first Muslim wedding, and I'm really excited to experience another culture's wedding ceremony.

Me and Amal at my 30th birthday party, in 2009

So, by next Thursday, I hope to be (gulp) down to 220. That's a tall order! It's been ages since I've lost 3 lbs. in one week. But here's my plan of attack:

Get my eating under control, never going over 1,500 cal. on days I don't work out, or over 1,800 on days I do work out.
Remain active at home: there's laundry to do, more items to unpack, and a fitness center in my building. On days when I don't take a gym class, I will do 30 min. of cardio, at the very least, at my apt.'s gym.
Go to at least four gym classes this week: Zumba and Body Pump on Sunday, Body Pump again on Tuesday, and Zumba again on Wednesday.
I also need to increase my water in-take since, lucky me, Aunt Flo is coming to visit next Friday.

Do you have any tips for dealing with water retention/weight gain when you're on your period? Anything I should or should not be eating during the week before/after my period?

Breaking the Rules

2011-05-20T09:59:00.005-05:00

Yesterday I bought two pieces of clothing that, before I lost weight, I never would've worn before.

I have some pretty strict ideas about fashion. I don't always adhere to them, but some of them I'm extremely adamant about.

For example, never, ever, ever wear socks with sandals.

If at all possible, stick to 2-3 solid colors at a time. For example, let's say you have on a pink cardigan over a purple tank top with blue jeans. It's my opinion that your shoes should then either be pink, purple, or a neutral color. If you throw on, say, lime green shoes with this outfit, it may be a bit much.

Prints are different; you can wear any color that appears in the print, but don't go too crazy. If your cardigan is multi-colored, your tank top should be one of the colors in the cardi, your shoes could be another, but then your pants need to be a neutral, like blue jeans. Does that make sense? I love to see a blending of colors together, but I hate when someone just throws on every color they can possibly find in their closet!

My two new purchases (thanks to a Lane Bryant gift check: what, what?!!) broke two of my rules, which mostly pertain to plus-size girls like myself.

Rule #1: Don't wear tube tops. That bubble that appears at the top of your boob near your armpits? Not attractive.

Why I'm breaking this rule:
1) Every girl gets this "bubble," no matter what her weight.
2) Every bridesmaid dress I've worn, with the exception of one, has been strapless. So I've had to get over the "bubble."
3) I need to get rid of some nasty-looking tan lines before my friend's wedding on June 11.

Here's the top I bought, though I bought it in cobalt blue. I plan to wear it with shorts, minus the straps (they're removable!), while I hang out in the park Saturday afternoon. Tan lines, begone!Rule #2: Don't wear tops that have stretchy bands on the bottom. They accentuate the "tire" that goes around your middle section too much.

Why I'm breaking this rule:
1) I wouldn't say the tire is gone, but it's a lot less prominent than it used to be. I happen to be one of those girls who gains weight low, and all around the middle. So this "tire" effect is something I've dealt with for a long time. I'm happy to see it slowly disintegrate!
2) When searching for work-appropriate tops, that don't have to be ironed, sometimes these blousy shirts are the best option. (I hate ironing.)

I bought a top similar to this one, only mine has splashes of purple, black, and pink, instead of being floral. The band at the bottom of my top is solid black, and, surprisingly, looked pretty flattering. I think it accentuated my new shape, rather than drawing attention to a part of my shape that I don't care for.The moral of the story is: You think you have these rules for yourself for what to wear, and what not to wear. But try breaking one of them, and see how it goes! I bought both of these tops in a 14/16 ... a size I haven't purchased in a long, long time, and it was fun to try the smaller size and see that it actually fit!

For all you skinny chicks out there, the moral of the story is the same for you. Try something new! You might be pleasantly surprised.

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-05-17T15:07:00.003-05:00

I feel like my life has been turned upside down! In good ways, and in not-so-good ways. One good way: I moved this weekend! I'm now living downtown in a brand-new building with someone very close to my heart: my BF!!

I'll post pics of the new place soon.

What this move will mean for my healthy eating and exercising habits? Probably very little will change. We have such busy schedules during the week, that we'll probably eat on our own a lot. Or, if we eat together, we can always do things a little differently, if we choose. For example, since we ate out a lot this weekend because our kitchen stuff is packed away (One not-so-good-way my life was turned upside down in the past few days! I tried to make good choices...but temptation reared its ugly head several times. Blargh.), we're just doing sandwiches for dinner tonight. I plan to have carrots and fruit on the side, but there are potato chips if he wants them.

Hate that boys can eat more calories than girls. Aarrgh!

But back to my weekly weigh-in, which took place last Friday, but wasn't documented until today.

Let's have another sound effect for this post: Harumph!

Date: 5/13/11

Weight: 224

Change: +2

Starting weight: 275

I had a feeling that getting down to 222 was a fluke (Uh...hello? I had mono! Or some kind of sickness.). But I also know that traveling, attending a bridal shower and a bachelorette party, packing, volunteering...all this lead to a couple weeks of eating poorly.

My workouts were good, however! For the most part I worked out four times a week.

My goal for this week, honestly, was to just get through it! I have a couple short work trips, plus loads of unpacking and a little moving still to do. I want to prepare more meals at home this week, though, for budget reasons and I know that will help my waistline too.

When life is topsy-turvy and time runs through your hands, what do you do to make sure you eat well? Any tips on foods to eat "on-the-go?"

Boot Camp: Day 2

2011-05-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

Some of you may know from being a Facebook friend or Twitter follower that I started Boot Camp last week. I scored 6 classes for $10 with a Groupon and was really excited to do something different from my normal workout routine. I also wanted to challenge myself and oh, goodness, are these classes a challenge!

I'm working out with Romen from Firm Body Boot Camps. My first session, I had no idea what to expect. We did circuits, working on squats with kettle bells, push-ups, upper back exercises...and something else I can't remember. After about three rounds of this, I nearly threw up. I had to take a break and walk it off. The nice things is, even though Romen was encouraging in that drill sergeant way, he could also tell when I needed to back off or I'd get sick.

Later, after the nausea passed and as I was struggling with the upper back exercises, he asked me how I was doing and I told him I was disappointed. "I've lost more than 50 lbs.," I said. "I should be able to handle this." He told me that two girls in his 5:30 a.m. class, both smaller and fitter than me, were puking their guts out that morning. "So you're doing pretty good," he said.

Before going to Round 2 today, I had a fear that I would feel nauseous again. I hate a 100-calorie English muffin with 1 tbsp. of natural peanut butter about 45 minutes before class. I figured, the longer it digests, the better. And it worked. This class was tough: lots of ab work, calf raises, 10-lbs. ball slams, etc. But I didn't feel nauseous.

The hard part came at the end. We had to put our hands on the ground, kick our legs back, stand up and jump as far as we could. Then repeat across the length of basically a basketball court. I worked and worked at it, and when I looked up, I realized I was behind a lot of my classmates. And fairly far behind at that. I got this immediate flashback to elementary and middle school, hell, and high school, when I was always the last to finish sprints. Always the last at everything, really. (Except for grades...I'm a smarty pants!)

This time, though, instead of letting myself feel too defeated, I just kept going. I finished the exercises and reminded myself that I CAN do anything I put my mind to, even if it takes me longer to do it. So what? Just like when I crossed the finish line after the half marathon. It may have taken me 3 hours, but I finished.

Boot Camp: Day 3. Bring it.

My Journey Story

2011-05-11T09:40:00.003-05:00

My first car was a 1989 Honda Civic two-door, similar to this one, but mine was blue and plastered with
Dave Matthews Band stickers. It now resides in a dump somewhere in New Jersey.

In "real" life, I work as the public relations and publications manager for the Alabama Humanities Foundation. I'm really excited about an upcoming traveling exhibit we're sponsoring called "Journey Stories," in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution. It'll kick off in Jasper at the Bankhead House and Heritage Center June 25-August 7 and travel to five more sites through 2012.

The cool thing about this exhibit is it examines Americans' desire for freedom of movement...something I know well, growing up as an Air Force brat. I wrote about my own journey story on our blog: ahf.net/blog. Please read it when you get the chance!

What's your own personal journey story? Do you remember your first car? Your first train or plane ride? What do you know about your ancestors' journey to America?

2011-05-10T13:58:00.002-05:00

I'm taking a cue from one of my readers, and a blogger I love to read, and doing this fun Breaking the Ice questionnaire. I used to get these questionnaires all the time when I was on MySpace, but no one really does them on Facebook.

Side note about MySpace, one of my favorite movie quotes from "He's Just Not That Into You":
"Oh girl I don't know about that... My trampy little sister says MySpace is the new booty call."

I don't even know if MySpace exists anymore, but before I canceled my membership, that was so true!

Back to the questionnaire:

1
If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Purple. Yes, purple is my favorite color, but I also like it because it's the color of royalty and every woman should be a queen in her own mind. I also think purple goes with everything and since I can adapt to any situation and environment easily, I think it's fitting.
2
Would you ever bungee jump?
No. I like to take some risks, but I really fear the cord would snap. I just couldn't get past that.
3
What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
I worry too much. I worry about things that are out of my control and aren't worth fretting about. I make up scenarios in my head about bad things that might happen and how I might handle the situation. And most times, the worry is all for nothing!
4
What is your favorite thing about yourself?
I'm really friendly and I think that puts other people at ease and makes them feel welcome. I have a hard time when other people don't take the time to smile at you or say hello, which makes you feel out of place and that they're somehow superior to you. I hope I've never made someone feel that way!
5
What is your favorite app?
I'm a sad, lame person who doesn't have a phone that can download apps. But if I could, I would do a calorie-counting app.
6
What's the nastiest thing you've ever eaten?
I couldn't think of anything too terrible, but in my book, anything that's touched a pickle or had pickle juice seep into it is nasty! I just hate the smell of pickles and the taste. Blech!
7
What is one thing that I would not know about you at our first meeting?
I've broken my left foot four times, and I have four scars on my legs too. I broke my foot once when I was 2, falling out of the play pen, again while playing kickball while wearing Keds with no shoelaces (it was fashionable!), again playing Chinese jump rope, and lastly on my trampoline. One scar above my left knee is from a fall on the merry go round where something sharp and metal underneath cut me, two on each shin from the jump box at volleyball practice, and one from a rusty nail from an old ladder in Lake George.
8
What is your all-time favorite movie?
Sheesh. This is hard. I have to say "Love Actually" because I can watch that movie over and over and never get tired of it.
9
If you could go anywhere for one week (all expenses paid), where would you go?
I'd have to say Spain, though I've never been. I've always wanted to! It's the one place I dream of going to one day and wonder if I'll ever make it there. Scratch that. I will get there one day! I dream of the language and music and food and scenery. Muy bonita!
10
What is your favorite midnight snack?
Probably a bowl of Cheerios with skim milk. I try not to eat that late, but when I do, gotta have Cheerios.

It's All Uphill From Here

2011-05-10T11:42:00.003-05:00

At least, I hope so!

The past couple of weeks have been tough, eating-wise. I was on vacation in Florida, which meant too much eating out, too many cheese-and-crackers, too much alcohol. Then I immediately went on a business trip, which meant a repeat of Florida, minus the cheese-and-crackers.

When I got back to Alabama, I was in the middle of the aftermath of the tornado devastation (though not nearly as adversely affected by a long-shot) and had to dive head-first into editing and writing freelance assignments. Talk about stress eating! One night, I was discussing with myself the choice between a homemade salad and ordering pizza. Sadly, pizza won.

The next week was hella, hella busy, and I took no time for myself to do grocery shopping or prepare meals. Then, I was off on a plane again, for my BFF Dominika's bridal shower and bachelorette party...again, too much food, too much drinking, and while there was some exercise in the form of booty-shaking in Atlantic City, I'm not sure I could really call it a "workout" since I had a few vodka-heavy drinks in my hand at the time.

So, it's Tuesday, May 10, and I'm back home, packing my apartment up to move next week. Also preparing for a wedding weekend over Memorial Day for my good friend Amal, and Dominika's wedding on June 11.

For the next few weeks, I want to make sure I don't let the stress get the best of me. I want to stay focused on grocery shopping, preparing meals, taking my lunch to work, and working out at least 5 times a week. This has to be a part of my routine, my day-to-day responsibilities, just like showering and brushing my teeth. When I let those duties go, it's only because I'm on my death-bed with some illness. (Ew, I mean, if I let those go on a regular basis, who would want to be near me?!) I need to treat exercising and eating healthfully the same way.

Too often I let travel and extra work and lack of time come between me and the healthy habits that I've established for myself in the last year or so. I don't want to let that happen any longer. Because when I do, I gain weight. It's difficult to let myself "slide" for more than a couple of days and not gain weight. If I had let myself have more freedom in Florida, but been on track through the rest of the craziness, I might've been OK. But I didn't, and now I have to make up for that.

This week's plan is to attend boot camp Wed. morning and Fri. morning, try to attend Zumba Wed. night if I can move after boot camp that morning, and attend Zumba on Sun. afternoon. I walked 3 miles last night with my BF, so that's one workout down!

I went grocery shopping last night and I'm armed with yogurt and wheat crackers and fruit for lunch, and veggies and beans and whole wheat pasta for dinners, plus healthy choices for breakfast.

My goal was to be down to 215 by Dominika's wedding on June 11. That's a tall order in one month, when I'm sure I no longer weigh 222 after the past couple of weeks. I'll get on the scale Friday morning and see what the damage is. But I have to tell you: I'm not looking forward to what the scale will show.

But whatever it shows, it's the truth, and it's where I'm at and I just have to accept it and move on.

As Jay-Z would say: "On to the next one!!"

The Princess's New Clothes

2011-05-05T14:36:00.006-05:00

It's taken me almost a week to process Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, mostly because of other things going on in the world (Hello? My priorities are definitely: 1) the tornadoes, 2) Osama bin Laden, and 3) the royal wedding. Guess they're not the same as the national media's, but I digress.)

Oops! I meant to say: William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. My bad.

The most exciting part of the royal wedding for me was, you guessed it, the clothes. And the hats. Oh, the hats! Some were stunning. Some looked like hideous modern art perched on the tip of your head. I almost felt like I should've paid admission and clipped a metal button to my lapel to look at Princess Beatrice.

Not to mention socialite Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. I actually like her dress. I find the gloves too matchy-matchy. But the hat reminds me of some stylized paper cap that soda jerks used to where in the 50s, only sitting at a precarious angle upon her head and with feathers sticking out.

Thankfully there was plenty of stunning fashion to behold to make up for these mishaps. First, how could we not, let's start with Kate. My goodness. Is her Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen dress not the most amazing, elegant, romantic wedding dress you have ever seen?! I immediately gasped when I saw it and thought, "That's it. That's the dress we've been waiting to see!"

The train was stunning as well.

And her reception dress was also simply, elegantly beautiful. I loved, loved, loved the furry shrug too.

And her sister, Pippa, also looked exquisite.

Now, we have to give a shout out to Queen Elizabeth. I mean, come on! She's the queen! She looks so sweet in her yellow with matching bag, shoes, and gloves. And I gotta hand it to her, yellow is a popular color this year, so this queen knows her fashion.

Here's a few more of my favorites:

David and Victoria Beckham. Love Victoria's hat!

Joss Stone. The color is stunning and I love the cropped jacket with the sheath dress. Chic.

Bryony Daniels. I love the drape of her dress and the unexpected pairing of red with this fuchsia. And I'd totally wear that hat.

Miriam González-Durántez's entire outfit just screams "Sex!" to me. All she needs is sheer black hose with a black seam up the back.

Blush was very popular at the wedding, as you can see with Letizia, princess of Asturias above, and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands below. They're also both wearing sheer and lace. Trend? I think so!

What were your favorite fashions from the royal wedding? Would you consider wearing a hat like this to a wedding in the U.S.?

When Your Arse Hurts...and Tornado Relief

2011-05-04T09:44:00.006-05:00

When the muscles in your arse hurt...you stay in bed.

At least that's what I did this morning! I, sadly, skipped my second boot camp class. I can't describe the ache I feel in my hamstrings and glutes, but it's palpable. It hurt getting out of bed this morning, it hurt sitting down...excuses, excuses, I know. But I don't want to injure myself and this soreness is definitely different from any soreness I've felt from working out.

Tonight I will go to Zumba. I'm hoping a little cardio and dancing will loosen up my muscles. I'll be back at boot camp Friday morning before my flight to New Jersey leaves at 10:30. I think the main culprit were the squats while holding a kettle bell. A very, very heavy kettle bell. I have no idea what it weighed, but it was definitely heavier than I normally use! On Friday, if I have to, I just won't use a kettle bell. I'm sure the trainer will yell at me (in an encouraging way), but he'll just have to suck it.

To all my Alabama peeps, tonight I will be answering phones at the United Way, Alabama 13 Telethon for tornado relief from 10 p.m. til 2 a.m. Call in!! Actually, anyone reading this can call in! Here's the toll free #: 1-855-205HELP.

I'm so happy because my boss finally approved a free volunteer day for us to take to help with the relief efforts. I'll be serving food with Grace's Kitchen in the Pleasant Grove neighborhood next week.

How do you respond when your community is faced with some kind of disaster? I'm finding it hard to focus on other things...like eating healthfully, working out, doing my job. It just seems so trivial with the devastation that the people in my state are facing. But I know that if they could, they would carry on with their lives. It's just important to take the time to help others when we can.

Weekend Update

2011-05-02T08:29:00.003-05:00

I'm not even sure where to begin with this post...so, some random thoughts:

1. A heartfelt thanks to all our soldiers...can't believe we finally caught Osama Bin Laden. Feels like justice has finally been served.

2. I returned home from vacation in Florida on Wednesday at about 11 a.m. and during my drive to the office, noticed that traffic lights were out, and trees were down. I had no knowledge of the tornadoes that came through Alabama that morning, and until I turned on the radio, I didn't know that more serious ones were on their way. As I hunkered down in the stair well of my condo building that evening with my neighbor and her 2-year-old son, I thought, surely we'll be fine. And, thank God, we were. The tornado went just north of my neighborhood. It took my co-worker's house, it took many houses, and way too many lives. If you live in Alabama and you want to help, check your local newspapers' and TV stations' websites, or go here: uwca.org.

3. Before the craziness of the end of last week, I actually had a great vacation!! It was fun to spend time with my family, just relaxing on the beach, playing in the sand, and enjoying the warm weather in Florida. I definitely ate too much...I'm sure the scale has crept up a little, but I did try to get in my fruits and veggies, and I definitely enjoyed the seafood! Living so far away from my family is so hard...every time I see them, I'm reminded how lucky I am to have such amazing parents and such a fun sister and brother-in-law. Seeing them get to know my boyfriend has been wonderful, even though they don't get to spend as much time with him as I would like. As hard as it is to be away from some of the people I love, I know they're always there for me, and I'm always there for them. It may take a plane ride, a phone call, or an email, but we're still a family.

4. I just went to my first boot camp class! Man, was it tough. As in, I almost threw up! We started with jumping jacks and stretches, then moved to squats with kettle bells, lunges, push ups, other arm work, then repeat. A few times. After my third time through, I thought I was going to lose it. And even though I risked getting yelled at (not in a mean way, just in a "Hey! You can do this! Get back at it!") I took a break to walk off the nausea. We then ran a couple laps, which was not easy after all those squats and lunges, and finished up with a few more exercises before stretching again. All in all, it was a great workout, and I'm looking forward to going back on Wednesday. I bought these six classes with a Groupon, so I only have two weeks of this, but I want to make the most of it!

5. After vacationing and going away on a business trip, I definitely haven't been eating as well as I normally do. So this week it's all about getting back on track. Next weekend is my best friend's bridal shower and bachelorette party and I want to rock my party dress! So I'll be working extra hard this week and hoping to step on the scale Friday morning and bring up a good number...maybe still 222...hopefully 220!!

What are your goals for this week? How are you going to help yourself...or others?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-04-22T10:14:00.001-05:00

Score!

Date: 4/22/11

Weight: 222

Change: -4

Starting weight: 275

I just knew the scale was off last week! Very excited to have made it to my goal of 222 before my Florida vacation this weekend. Speaking of which, I'm going to do my best to make healthy eating choices and get a couple of runs in, plus lots of walking on the beach, while I'm gone. Should be a fun time! But it also shouldn't derail my progress.

Lots of work to do before I head south, so have a great Easter weekend!!

My Summer Wardrobe

2011-04-21T17:18:00.005-05:00

It's not quite summer yet in most parts of the country, but down South here, it's heatin' up. I'm also heading to Florida this weekend for a much-needed vay-cay with my BF, my sister and bro-in-law, and my parents. My amazingly kind, generous grandparents have rented us a beach house for the week! I'm only staying through Wednesday, but it'll be plenty of time to relax and have some fun in the sun.

And what will I wear down there? I needed a few new things to add to my wardrobe, so I recently went shopping. Please excuse the unmade bed, it's laundry day. Otherwise, check out the new duds:

I love casual jean shorts, and was so excited to find these cut-offs at Lane Bryant. And a size 16 fit!! Yay!! (tank top, Old Navy)

My safari look (a Jersey girl always loves an animal print!) shorts, Lane Bryant; tank top, Old Navy

I'll wear these sherbet-hued Ts with the shorts above...raspberry, lemon, and orange. Yum! All from Old Navy.

Gold sandals are amazing because they go with everything. I wore my favorite pair out last summer, so these new ones were a necessity. Target, $15.

Like I said, I love an animal print! I bought this tankini last summer at Target and it's a little roomy up top now, but still looks pretty good. I love the cut of the top—the side panels are (hopefully!) slimming.

I bought this dress for half off a couple weeks ago at Belk. The orange print is very this summer, and I loved the ruffled neckline. It'll look great with my gold sandals!

Finally, my new sailor dress! I bought this from Lucie Lu, an online plus-size retailer. The knit is very fine, so I'll probably wear spanks underneath to help it skim over my curves, ahem, belly. All I need now is a straw hat!

Bon voyage!

To Believe or Not To Believe

2011-04-19T10:05:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I just don't know when to believe the scale, and when not to. Last Friday I weighed in at 226. I thought that number was a little high because I'd exercised a TON last week, and hadn't done terribly with my meals, until Thursday night. So the night right before the weigh-in must've thrown off the scale because today I stepped on the scale and...

223!!

That's 52 lbs. lost total. I was really, really hoping to reach 222 before going to Florida this weekend, and now it looks like I may actually reach that goal.

I'm home with a fever today, and my appetite is pretty nonexistent...so while I want to reach 222, I don't want to do it because I'm sick! Then again, one of my favorite quotes from "The Devil Wears Prada" is when Emily, played by Emily Blunt, says "I'm just one stomach flu away from my goal weight."

Do you ever doubt the numbers on the scale? How do you account for random fluctuations in your weight?

Weekend Update

2011-04-18T11:14:00.002-05:00

I'm cheery again!

I'm sure some of my readers saw my blog on Friday and thought "What happened to cheery Jen?" Well, I'm still here. Sometimes it's hard to look back and see that, although you've made a lot of progress, it's been very, very slow. I think what I'm learning to focus on, and trying to teach myself, is it doesn't matter how long it takes to get there...as long as you get there. It may have taken me longer than I'd like to lose 51 lbs. But I'm there. It may have taken longer than I'd like to finish 13.1 miles. But I did. Focus on the goals that lie ahead and don't downplay your accomplishments!

That's what I tried to do this weekend, and I did a pretty good job! I haven't been feeling well; an upset stomach coupled with hot and cold flashes. I'm really, really hoping that I'm not getting sick. I will need lots of sleep this week to make sure I'm healthy for my Florida vacation on Saturday!! I worked this past Saturday at a book festival in Montgomery and I was so proud that I stopped at a Chick-Fil-A on my way there to grab a large fruit cup for a snack. It was so yummy!

At all my meals this weekend I concentrated on stopping eating when I was about 70% full. My nutritionist said that it takes about 20-30 minutes to register how full you are, so it's best to stop, talk to your dinnermates, etc., then reassess whether you're really still hungry or not. I did this this weekend, and it worked! I'm slowly learning the difference between being satisfied and stuffed.

source

The one thing I wonder about as I continue on this weight-loss journey is alcohol. I don't drink very much. Maybe 1-2 drinks a week, if that. Lately it seems I've been around alcohol more. Last week I had to Mich Ultras at a Barons baseball game. This Saturday night, because of my upset stomach, I decided not to drink at all while I was out with my friends. I know there will be some drinking in Florida this weekend, and I want to choose wisely.

Do/did you drink while you are/were trying to lose weight? What beverages did you choose?

Like a Slap Across the Face

2011-04-15T14:00:00.003-05:00

I need to wake up.

I've been floundering for 6 months.

I just put together a history of my weight loss here: Work It: Weekly Weigh-in History

It's not pretty. Sure, I've lost as much as 51 lbs., but since last September, I've been stuck gaining and losing the same few pounds over and over again.

I think I've figured this out...I think it's a combination of reigning in my "treats," adding more strength training to my workouts each week, and lowering my calorie intake for my new weight.

But, seriously? Six months? I need to focus on the positives, the races I've run in that time period, the clothes that have become to big, the inches I've lost (a couple in my hips, a couple in my bust, at least one in my waist). But I want to see that number on the scale move progressively downwards from here on out.

I want out of the 220s and I want out soon!!

Have you ever experienced this, after a dramatic weight loss, a plateau for this long? What did you do to overcome it?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-04-15T13:08:00.002-05:00

Whenever I have a bad week, weight-loss-wise, it's really difficult to admit it. Especially when I feel I've done a great job counting my calories and exercising regularly. This week is one of those weeks. I will say that I didn't eat as well as I could've last weekend (What else is new? Weekends just continue to be a major hurdle for me!) and I also went to a Barons baseball game last night where I consumed two Mich Ultras, half a soft pretzel, followed by a grilled cheese sandwich and a handful of fries. This is a major departure from how I usually eat. It's something about drinking beer that throws away any restraint I may have and makes me want lots of carbs, french fries, or pizza. Maybe it's leftover from my college days...

So, here's the damage:

Date: 4/15/11

Weight: 226

Change: +2

Starting weight: 275

Definitely not great! Now, I know this could all go away like that (imagine me snapping my fingers), just by eating healthfully for a couple days and drinking lots of water. But I still wasn't happy when that number popped up on my scale this morning.

But one thing I can be happy about this week is my workouts. I killed it this week! I went to Zumba and Body Pump on Sunday, did 30 min. on the elliptical Monday, Body Pump and Kickboxing Tuesday, Zumba on Wednesday, then spinning on Thursday. Sweet!

Next week my main focus will be getting in all my workouts, since I have to travel to Mobile Tuesday-Wednesday. I think there's a Body Pump class I can go to Tuesday morning to make up for missing it that night, and I will be back in time for Zumba Wednesday. I'm also going to add a late Kickboxing class on Monday since I'll miss it Tuesday night.

As for food, I am going to do my absolute best to stick to 1,600 calories a day. I'm going to arm myself with healthy snacks during my travels, and choose the best items to eat, no matter what restaurant I find myself at.

I was really touched by Beth's posts this week about over-indulging on the chocolate chip cookies (something I've done plenty of times!) and figuring out whether a Cheat Day is necessary for her, or a treat now and then is OK, and how to not feel guilty about it. I struggle with this a lot. I find that I do better if I have a treat or two a couple times a week, than if I have a full cheat day. But sometimes those one or two treats each week become far too many. It's a really hard balance to find for yourself, and what works for one person doesn't always work for another. I think that's true for weight loss in general. Everyone has to listen to their own bodies and be in tune with what they need physically and mentally.

I'm definitely still working on it! But I can honestly say that I'm much better off than I used to be.

My next weigh-in: 4/22/11
Goal: 224 (Ideally, I was hoping to be at 222 before heading to Florida with my family on April 23. But seeing as I've had this setback, I think 224 is more realistic.)
Challenges I'll face: Traveling to Montgomery and Mobile this weekend/next week

Do you believe in Cheat Days? When trying to lose weight and stick to a calorie limit, do you still allow yourself chocolate or a cookie, if it counts toward your daily total?

The Jerk and The Reality

2011-04-13T09:32:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I had a not-so-fun experience in the Target parking lot. I was pulling in to return some shorts (that I wore in my apt. for 10 min. and realized promptly that they were too big! Yay!) and saw a spot in the aisle next to me that was open. So I pulled around, only to have this HUGE pick-up truck stop on my left in front of the open space, preventing me from turning left into the spot. I looked at him, kinda like "Are you going to move?" then realized he'd stopped...in the middle of the aisle...to speak to someone. Normally I might just let this go, but I was in a rush and I was annoyed that he'd blocked this open space. So I gave him a dirty look and drove off, in search of another spot.

As I was getting out of my car, I see his truck pulling up and I think "Surely he's not going to speak to me."

But of course he did.

He said something to the effect of me having an attitude, to which I said, "Well, you were blocking an empty space." He replied, "No I wasn't, fatass." And drove off.

Fatass.

Wow. I don't know why, but that just hurt. I could feel the tears prickling in my eyes as I entered the store and I was steeling myself against crying, but I really, really wanted to. I wanted to cry for the girl who weighed 275 lbs. who just wanted to get the motivation to finally start losing weight. And I wanted to cry for the 224 lb. girl I am, who still has a ways to go, but has come so far only to be called a "fatass" by some jerk.

Sticks and stones and all that...say what you will, but words do hurt.

Later that evening, after telling that story to a couple friends and the BF and them reassuring me that he's clearly just an asshole, I realized that I still put too much weight on other people's impression of me. I want to scream at them: "I've lost 51 lbs.! I completed a half marathon!" But some people just want to judge other people and call others hateful names, no matter the truth or lack thereof behind them.

As I left the gym last night, after finishing a 1-hour Body Pump class, followed by a 1-hour Kickboxing class, I thought to myself that this is what it's all about. Turning negative energy into positive energy. Focusing on my accomplishments and my goals. Not letting the ugliness of some random dude get to me.

This morning I had coffee (or iced tea, rather) with Jen West, a truly inspiring woman. She's lost almost 50 lbs. and documented her weight loss by posting pictures of herself each week in a bikini. So brave! Talking to her this morning gave me such hope for my own journey; she's very realistic but also driven and determined to stick to her goals. She left me feeling encouraged and like we'd become fast friends.

These are the people I choose to surround myself with. The others, The Jerks, are just white noise.

My Style Icon: Adele

2011-04-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

If you haven't heard of British singer-songwriter Adele, it's time you have. She's an amazing singer, and her songwriting ability just inspires me, especially because she's so young. Her most recent album, 21, is named for her age. Yup, this 21-year-old artist is way more in tune with her emotions and expressive of her heartbreak than I ever was at her age!

Besides her amazing vocal talents, I think this girl has some major style.

First, check out her hair...so classy and sophisticated the way she sweeps it up, or ties it back, letting her long red hair fall in waves. Beautiful!

And I can't get over her eye makeup! The cat-eye effect is so alluring on Adele, and she knows how to accent her mouth without making it too overbearing with the smoky eye. I especially covet the smoky eye in this photo:

This sheer dress is so becoming! It hits the lights on stage perfectly, while still being slimming and cut perfectly for her shape.

Her sweater here could be a bit more fitted, but I like the cut and the texture, and how she pairs it with skinny jeans. I think more plus-size girls should try this look. A tunic or loose sweater with slim pants is very flattering, especially if you cinch your waist with a belt.

And one of my favorite looks from the Grammys. This fit-and-flare dress is beautiful and pairs so nicely with this bright green jacket. I love all the satin! Satin can be a tricky fabric for a plus-size girl to wear (or anyone, really) without some major Spanx underneath. But when cut like this dress and jacket are, it's a winner.

What other British singers/actresses do you admire for their style? I have to admit...I'm loving all things Kate Middleton right now!

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-04-08T10:01:00.004-05:00

Happy dance! Hap-hap-happy dance!!

Date: 4/8/11

Weight: 224

Change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I was hoping to post a 223, but with the way I ate last weekend, a 224 is awesome. In the days prior to the half marathon, I was definitely eating more calories per day and carb-loading like it was my job. I may have gone a bit overboard! But because I had such a good race, I think it was worth it.

This week I've been very good about eating lunches from home, except for one day, and cooking a simple meal of veggies and chicken at night. I want to carry this pattern over to next week, but make one change. I've been bringing Lean Cuisines to work for lunch and while they're great calorie-wise, I'm sure the sodium isn't doing me much good. Plus, it's processed and I try my hardest to choose fresh foods versus processed when I can. So next week I want to have ingredients on hand to build good salads for lunches. I'll probably follow my same dinner routine and try to cut back on the number of calories I eat at breakfast. This week I was ravenous at breakfast time, I think because I wasn't getting enough calories at night. It works better for me when I spread it out throughout the day.

Here's my plan:

Breakfast: 400 calories
(probably cereal with skim milk and yogurt or a banana corn muffin)
Lunch: 400-500 calories
(salad with chicken, veggies, and a light vinaigrette, plus a banana or apple and maybe some Special K crackers)
Dinner: 400 calories
(chicken or fish with veggies)
Snacks: 300-400 calories
(apple, banana, granola bar, or dark chocolate)

I tend to need a snack between lunch and dinner, and one after dinner. So if I stick with this plan, I'm looking at 1,600 calories a day, which is what I've been aiming for lately. Most days I get 1,800, but I'm trying really hard to cut that number down.

I also want to start weighing myself every Friday again. During my half marathon training I wasn't as concerned with cutting down weight as I was with running and fueling. Now I want to get those pounds off, at least 1-2 a week!

My next weigh-in: 4/15/11
Goal: 223
Challenges I'll face: The weekend, though I think I have a pretty good plan in place that includes just two meals out and I think I know where those will be, so I can control my calories. Also, a road trip to Montgomery for work on Monday. I'll come prepared with fruit and granola bars for snacks.

My workout plan this week will be:

Sunday: Zumba (1 hr.) and Body Pump (1 hr.)
Monday: Body Jam (1 hr.)
Tuesday: Body Pump (1 hr.)
Wednesday: Zumba (1 hr.)
Thursday: Run
Friday and Saturday: rest, or take light walks

I want to work a spinning class in there one day, but you can't convince me to give up my dance classes. I love them too much!!

Writing out this plan seems to help me stick to it. Do you write out your workout and meal plans for the week? How often do you stick to it? I seem to stick to it only about 50-75%! I want to get better at that. Tips and suggestions are welcome!

Orgasmic Chocolate Cake

2011-04-07T10:23:00.003-05:00

OK, OK, so I'm supposed to write about eating healthfully and fitness on this blog. But sometimes a girl needs some chocolate cake. And when that girl has a BF who loves chocolate cake, and it's his birthday, you make the damn chocolate cake and you work off the calories later.

Who can live without chocolate cake once in awhile?

Not this girl. Which is why I love this recipe. It's moist (as much as I hate that word, that's the only word to describe it), and rich, and super, super chocolate-y. Plus I got the recipe from my talented friend, Sarah Louise, who is like the next best baker and cook to Martha herself, in addition to being a super-smart MBA student at Notre Dame.

All of this is to say: Bake this cake! Stat!

Orgasmic Chocolate Cake

1 stick room temperature butter, unsalted
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 16 oz can Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup plain (all purpose) flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch-round cake pan, then line bottom with parchment paper. (I don't always do this step, and I just run a knife around the edge of the cake and it typically lifts out just fine.)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add chocolate syrup and vanilla. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Don't over beat or the cake will be tough. Pour batter into pan and bake for 40 minutes or until just set in the middle. (I sometimes have to bake the cake longer, but it will depend on your oven. Keep an eye on it!)

Ganache Topping

½ cup heavy cream
8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips

Heat the heavy cream and chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth. Place the cooled cake on a wire rack and glaze over the top and sides.

Jenni is Bi-Winning!

2011-04-04T14:01:00.008-05:00

Oh, that Charlie Sheen. He's got some doozys, doesn't he?

But I'm giving myself a W!! Actually, I'm giving myself two, and let me tell you why. First, I completed the Talladega 21000 Half Marathon yesterday in 3 hrs. and 10 min. Not bad for my first half!

Second, I have discovered a secret that I think I've known for a year now, and many people already know, but it's important to recognize it. Exercising gives you confidence. Yes, I like to run. But I also like to dance, and walk, and do strength training. Whatever form of exercise you choose, let me tell you this: Do it, and do it consistently, and challenge yourself to conquer new goals with your workouts and you will feel more amazing, more accomplished, and more sure of yourself than you ever have before.

OK, enough with the life coaching. Here's the recap:

The morning started early with the alarm ringing at 5 a.m. My friend Renee was visiting me from Chicago this weekend, so we begrudgingly got ourselves out of bed and headed out the door, making it to the track by 6:30 a.m. On the way, I fueled with half a banana, a bagel thin with natural peanut butter, water and ice tea, and, for good measure, a McDonald's biscuit. It felt like a lot of food, but I digested it well and felt good when the race started at 7:30 a.m.

Pre race, morning glow

I was excited to see fellow Birmingham blogger Stephen at the starting line. I'd read that he was going to walk the marathon and was so inspired! He was chatting with some friends, though, so I didn't interrupt him to say hi. I was trying to get "in the zone" and once the Black Eyed Peas started bumpin' on my Nano, I was good to go. I ran the first 6 miles (around the track and out to the surrounding grounds and countryside) without stopping to walk! I was feeling really proud of myself. Next we went up under the grandstands where it was, thankfully, shaded because the sun was up and it was starting to get warm. I loved running under the stands and up above the steep embankments on the turns of the track. What a view! By miles 7 and 8, my feet were starting to tire a bit, so I started to walk/run between miles 8 and 11. When I passed that 11 mile marker, I couldn't believe it! I was about to pass my longest distance yet. I was getting really tired, my calves were tight and my feet were sore. I stopped to stretch for a minute and kept on going.

Rounding the track and heading toward mile 13, I was overwhelmed. I mean, WTF? Had I really just run 13 miles? And where the F was the finish line?! I was aching to see that banner yelling FINISH to me like the sweet sound of the angels. Finally it came into view and I broke out of my steady walk into a slow jog...

And I made it!! I crossed the finish line and was handed my first-ever medal. What a feeling! I could barely process it. I hugged my friend Renee and my man before sitting down to consume as much liquid as possible. Strangely, I wasn't hungry at all.

This race was amazing!! I loved the location and the track. It got a little hot toward the end, being exposed to the sun with no tree cover. But it was worth it. I felt surprisingly good afterward and didn't even eat anything until we got back to Birmingham, where I promptly scarfed down four pecan pancakes. And bacon. Sorry I'm not sorry.

I think I finally feel like a runner. All that whining about how I walk/run and being worried about my knees just feels like a thing of the past. I ran 13.1 miles. Me. The girl who weighs 225 lbs. and last year weighed 275 lbs. and could barely run a mile. I did it!! Usually a milestone like this makes me cry. I think of all the sweat and tears and time I put into getting where I am, and I let it all loose. Now, I did cry last night (one of those nasty, ugly cries) and I think I whined to Jermaine that "my feet huuurrrt," but it was more about being tired and sore and just exhausted. A little ice on my knees and ankles, a little TLC, and I was much better.

This time, there's no tears. This time there's only pride. Today I went to a shop during lunch and bought myself a 13.1 magnet for my car. Putting that magnet on my bumper produced such a feeling of elation, I can't even describe it.

13.1

I've come a long way.

Diet Staple: Bananas

2011-04-01T13:39:00.004-05:00

I eat bananas. More because I know I should, not because I particularly like them. In fact, when I was younger, I wouldn't touch 'em.

Bananas have grown on me, though, partly because they're a relatively cheap fruit. But mostly because of their nutritional value. Bananas are a great source of vitamin C, carbohydrates, and fiber...but really, it's all about the potassium. Potassium helps maintain fluid balance. Whenever someone says, "My muscles are tight, I don't feel like running today." The response is always "Eat a banana." And there's good reason for that. According to some website online that's definitely reliable, but now I can't remember where I found this quote: "Potassium is also an essential mineral for protein synthesis and the building of muscle because it stimulates nerve impulses for muscle contraction"

Sounds good to me! Especially as I've been running a lot lately, to get ready for the half marathon that's this Sunday, I've been eating a banana a day. Most of the time I eat one straight up. But recently I tried a new concoction that I love: take one individual serving of Greek yogurt, one banana, and any other fruit you have on hand, toss it in a blender. Eat with a tablespoon of granola on top. Yum! This has been a go-to breakfast of mine for a couple of weeks now.

My other favorite way to eat bananas isn't exactly as nutritious as the smoothie above, but since I love muffins, I was stoked to find this recipe for 199-calorie corn-banana muffins.

1 box Jiffy corn mix
1/2 c. skim milk
1 mushy banana

Mix until well-blended, pour into 6 muffin cups, bake at 350 for about 22 minutes. Serve them on a plate decorated with Mardi Gras beads, if you're cool like me.

How do you eat your bananas? What other fruits or vegetables do you eat because you think you "should," though you don't particularly like them?

Are You Watching? "Top Chef All Stars"

2011-03-29T14:56:00.003-05:00

This season has been so addicting!! I seriously can't stop talking about it. From Paula Deen to Elmo, the guests have been great, the competition tough, and the trash-talking hilarious.

Tomorrow is the season finale and I'm so, so stoked. If Richard Blais doesn't win, I will seriously flip (FLIP, get it?) my sh*t!! I was disappointed to see Antonia go last week, but I had to admit, although begrudgingly, that Mike really does deserve to compete against Richard.

But Richard better scorch his ass!!

Do you ever watch "Top Chef?" Does anyone else have a serious girl-crush on Padma? Or a major thing for Tom Colicchio?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in & Weekend Update

2011-03-28T15:33:00.003-05:00

I don't think I was supposed to weigh in this past Friday, but I did it anyway.

Date: 3/25/11

Weight: 225

Change: -1

Starting weight: 275

Sweet! Love seeing that I'm 50 lbs. down! I had reached this goal last year, and then slowly added on about 9 lbs. between my sister's wedding and the holidays. Luckily all of that is gone now! Unfortunately, I did some damage this weekend while visiting family in Massachusetts. There were a lot of libations at a party for my sister's birthday, there was also cheese (yeah, yeah...the stuff I "gave up" for Lent), and chocolate, and airport food. Ugh.

But today's Monday and I'm in the zone, preparing for Sunday's half marathon (also known as, that thing Jen won't stop talking about a thousand times a day). Tonight I want to get in some cleaning, a short run, a small dinner, lots of water, and a grocery store trip for bananas (look for a post soon on this Diet Staple!) whole wheat pasta, and spinach.

Tomorrow I'm thinking some upper body-strength training sounds good, followed by Zumba on Wednesday, and other than some light walking, I'm resting up for Sunday for the rest of the week.

To all my runners out there: How do you prepare for a big race? More sleep? More water? More carbs and bananas? I need your tips!

My next weigh-in: 4/8/11
Goal: 223
Challenges I'll face: A couple lunches out with friends, plus a breakfast out with a friend. Must look at the menus to prepare!

Gotta Have: Shirt dresses & Sheaths

2011-03-23T11:27:00.004-05:00

All of these need to get in my wardrobe now.

From Lane Bryant. But check NY&Co., Macy's, The Gap and Banana, all stores who I'm sure will carry similar styles. If they're smart.

Every year for the past few years I've purchased a new shirt dress. They're so versatile. You can dress them up with heels and the right jewelry. And they're perfect, perfect for work. The have the stylized, put-together look that you just can't get for work with a regular sundress. Same goes for a sheath...they're just so sophisticated and Jackie-O.

This year, go for orange or a bright pattern.

What I Discovered on My Longest Run to Date

2011-03-22T22:13:00.004-05:00

Two hours ago, I finished an 11-mile run. It took me longer than I expected, about three hours, with more walking than I'd hoped.

But enough whining and justifying and complaining. I ran 11 miles, bitches.

I'm really proud of myself because up until this point, I was doubtful about the half marathon on April 3. Now, while I'm still nervous, I know I can complete it. Maybe not in the three hours I'd hoped, but I will finish.

When you spend three hours with yourself, you discover a lot of things. Some good, some bad. Here's my list for What I Discovered on My Longest Run to Date.

1. No matter how cute the shoes are, never wear heels the day you plan to run 11 miles. Duh, right? I wore a cute, springy dress to work today with my cute, lime-green heels. And not a tall heel either, but still heels. That probably explains the foot-cramping I experienced from miles 6-11.

2. Eating dairy too close to your run will result in bad stomach vibes. For some reason, this is obvious for me on race days. While I generally begin my day with a bowl of Cheerios, I never eat them on race days because I know the milk won't sit well. Why I decided to eat some Oikos yogurt one hour before my run today is beyond me.

3. You must have an amazing playlist when it's your only source of entertainment for three hours. I especially like tracks that come out of nowhere and majorly pump me up, like Luda's "Get Back" (Sum 41 remix), Jay-Z's "99 Problems," En Vogue's "Free Your Mind," and Chris Brown's "Yeah 3X." I also like The Killers and Bon Jovi.

4. Those snacks you hear runners talk about like shot bloks and caffeine jelly beans are no joke. I tried Jelly Belly's Sports Beans today and really enjoyed them. At mile 6-ish I ate a bag (100 cal.) and felt a kick of energy. Maybe it's all in my head, but it worked.

5. That gritty feeling all over my face, arms and legs isn't from sand or dirt blowing on me, it's salt coming out of my pores. Just, ew.

6. It's not just bullshit when athletes say that exercise is a great stress reliever. On a day like today when a million things were piled on me at work, and my perspective on my career was feeling pretty low, this run wiped that all away. I was left feeling that if I can do this, as corny and cliche as it sounds, I really can do anything.

7. Not enough can be said about finding the best fitting sports bra. Today I wore one that was too big. I mistakenly asked for XXL sports bras for Christmas. They're just not tight enough. A loose sports bra results in droopy boobs and too much bounce. 'Nuff said.

8. Also in the undergarments department, the right underwear is key. I recently bought several pairs of cotton, high-cut briefs. They're cute and girly and not as "granny" as regular briefs. But still. They're basic underoos. And they've been a gift from heaven while running. Today I stupidly chose to wear some silky satiny things and ended up pulling my underwear out of my ass a gazillion times.

9. During a run, when you're tired and running out of steam, yelling expletives does help. Just be careful there aren't too many people around. I got a few strange looks today.

10. Finally, while I run this same trail often, it wasn't until today that I discovered the best fuel for a long run is to run past the building where you used to work until the bastards, ahem, management, laid you off. It's like giving them the finger with every step on the pavement.

Weekend Update

2011-03-21T15:48:00.002-05:00

I've been getting down about myself lately about my lack of weight loss. I've been feeling that, since last fall, I've been stuck around the same number and I just can't get past 226.

Then I took a look at my weight from January 'til now. Truth is, I packed on the pounds over the holidays. I had worked my way back up to 234. I'm now 8 lbs. below that. In 9 weeks, I lost 8 lbs. In my book, that's a good pace.

Moral is: Stop beating yourself up! Usually we're a lot harder on ourselves than we really need to be. Sure, would I prefer that I was at 217, 8 lbs. lower than my lowest point? Absolutely. But weight fluctuations are going to happen, especially around the holidays. In the past, a set back like that would've had me diving in the deep end (in a pool filled with French fries, pizza, candy, and cookies). But this time around I was able to identify the issue, work to correct it, and not give up!

Not giving up is what my weight-loss journey is all about. I may fail, I may gain weight back, I may eat too many cookies in some people's book, but this is my journey and I consider it a life-long effort to be a healthier person overall. This is not a diet, or a fad.

This weekend, I did give up something I shouldn't have: exercise. I don't know what my problem was, but that 10-mile training run I was supposed to do? Yeah. Just wasn't feeling it. Now it's Monday and I can't wait to get out there. I'm itching to run. I have a meeting tonight, otherwise I'd be heading out right after work. So the run will happen tomorrow, Zumba on Wed., and maybe some weight training Thurs. evening.

I did have a busy weekend, though! Friday night was the BF's birthday and we celebrated with tasty burgers at Mugshots. If you're ever going to splurge for a burger while you're watching your calories, do it at Mugshots or Flip. They're the only two places where the calories are worth the extra running you'll have to do to make up for it.

Saturday started with a nice walk through the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (I guess I did a little exercise this weekend!). I'm amazed that so many flowers are in bloom! The lilacs just burst to life this weekend. Everywhere I drive smells so sweet now. Then we went to a movie (Battle L.A. If you like aliens-invading-Earth-and-cute-guys-blowing-them-up type movies, go.), followed by a homemade dinner á la me (lean, organic steaks, roasted potatoes, green beans) and an evening out at the Wine Loft. Sunday was lunch at V Richards and pedicures with Shilpa, followed by a raging allergy-induced headache, a salad from Panera, and lots and lots of Wii. A great weekend all around!

My major indulgences this weekend, besides the burger, were Hershey kisses and birthday cake. But I had only a couple tiny, tiny slivers of cake. But I definitely had one-too-many Hershey kisses.

Do you ever pop food into your mouth mindlessly? How do you make yourself eat mindfully?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-03-18T10:45:00.002-05:00

I'm exactly where I thought I'd be this week.

Date: 3/18/11

Weight: 226

Change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I'd hoped for that 225 really, really badly, but when I was honest with myself about how I ate last weekend, coupled with the cranberry & vodka and beers I drank in honor of St. Patrick's Day last night, I knew the scale wasn't going to cooperate with me this morning.

But I'm pleased to be down a pound from my last official weigh-in! I have one week until I visit my fam in Massachusetts and I'm determined to be down to 225 before I set foot on that plane.

Today is the BF's birthday (Happy Birthday, handsome!), so we'll celebrate tonight with burgers at Mugshots (Planning to ditch half the bun and maybe I can order salad instead of fries? hmmm...) and a little homemade chocolate cake (recipe coming soon!). If I can let tonight be my only indulgence this weekend, I think I can "behave" for the rest of the weekend.

As for sweat hours, I plan to do my 10-mile training run Sat. morning, followed by Zumba on Sun. afternoon. Then a short 3 miles Mon. afternoon, rest day Tues., Zumba Wed. (or another possible rest day), followed by 11 miles Thurs. afternoon.

I had to get that last long run in before my trip!

I was so moved by some of the comments I received on Facebook and in person about the last post I wrote. It's amazing to know that people have such confidence in me! The race is going to be awesome, no matter how much I run, walk, or crawl! I am feeling really good about it, and about where my weight is right now. I want to see that number move down, but I also know that it will happen in time. Losing a half pound a week, or so, is just fine at this point. I've already lost 49...the rest will come off with a little work and perseverance.

I Would Walk [Run] 500 Miles

2011-03-16T14:56:00.005-05:00

OK...maybe not 500. But I'd run/walk 13.

I wonder if one day I'll be able to say that I've officially "run" a half marathon, versus run/walk? In my mind, since I'm running more than half of it (I'm hoping, HOPING to only walk a total of 3 miles...but we'll see...), then I'm RUNNING a half marathon. But for some reason, whenever the race comes up (which it does a lot because I can't stop thinking/talking about it), I feel like I have to clarify. "Oh, remember, I do walk some when I run." As if, for some reason, running/walking a half marathon isn't impressive enough. It's like I have to downplay it so it doesn't seem so crazy.

See, to me, doing a half marathon doesn't feel crazy at all. I mean, maybe it did a little at first, but as I completed my 9-mile training run last Saturday, it didn't feel crazy at all. Sure, my legs were sore, I had to walk more of that 9-mile run than I wanted to, but I felt like I could've carried on. I could've done another 4 miles if I had to. And on April 3, I will have to.

I think what does seem crazy to me is this: This time last year I was preparing for my first 5k. It was the Rumpshaker, a race I will sadly have to miss this year because I'm going to visit my sister and new brother-in-law (and parents too!) in Massachusetts. Honestly, I'm not that sad. I can't wait to see the fam. But the Rumpshaker last year was a big deal for me. I was determined not just to finish, but to run the whole thing. And I did it!! It was seriously one of the proudest moments of my life.

I can only imagine what completing the half marathon is going to feel like. My amazingly supportive boyfriend will be waiting for me at the finish line with my good friend Renee, who's visiting me from Chicago. We were roomies while at grad school at Northwestern and she saw some of my bad habits: too much pizza, too little exercise. Especially when we went to Paris and London to study abroad, man oh man did I indulge in wine and good food! I'm excited for her to see the "new" me...even if I do still have that wine and good food now and then.

Whether I run the whole thing, which I won't, or stop to walk even more than 3 miles of it, finishing that half marathon is going to be an awesome, awesome accomplishment. Each time I run, like I will this Saturday for my 10-mile training run, I think to myself "Just imagine yourself crossing the finish line at Talladega. On your FEET, not in a race car."

source

It does the trick.

Weekend Update

2011-03-14T14:49:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure how I did this weekend.

I had a healthy meal Friday night (I think chicken fajitas with veggies, sans the sour cream, with a side of black beans is pretty healthy! Especially when prepared at home, or by my good friend Marilyn and her husband.) Saturday wasn't bad...Cheerios for breakfast, eggs for lunch, but I did have a hamburger and French fries for dinner. It was a small burger and small fries, though. Could've been worse (and most other weekends, it has been).

Sunday was more my downfall. I had a healthy breakfast: Cheerios and a banana. But followed that with pizza for lunch (it's my day to eat cheese!). And I made homemade pulled pork for dinner, which I ate on a bun. No sides. I did have strawberries, and a small brownie (oops!) for dessert.

The thing with the weekends is this: I don't eat a TON at every meal, and I don't eat snacks, but what I do eat at each meal isn't great. Especially compared to my veggie-heavy, fruit-heavy, protein-heavy weekday meals.

Still, as unhealthy as my weekend may seem to y'all, it really is a vast improvement on what I used to eat on the weekends: loads more pizza, loads more candy.

So, I'm trying!

I had one really good workout: a 9-mile run. I'm so happy I finished! But I walked more than I would've liked. I think it's a consequence of being sick the week before and not running like I regularly do. Hopefully next week's 10-mile run will be faster. I decided to switch my "rest" day from Monday to Sunday because the legs were still sore. So today I'm heading to Body Jam after work.

My goal for next weekend: incorporate more veggies into each meal. Add 'em to my eggs, eat 'em on the side of my main entree, eat a big ol' salad for lunch. I think this will help, a lot.

What's your favorite treat on the weekend? Do you eat more junk food on the weekends too?

Trading Cheese for Sweets

2011-03-14T14:40:00.005-05:00

source

I don't do it intentionally. In fact, I don't even consciously think about it. But somehow, by giving up cheese for Lent, I'm replacing it with sweets.

I think having a good sweet or two a week is no big deal, even when you're trying to lose weight. If I forbade myself from eating a brownie, or a cookie, or a bit of ice cream all the time while trying to lose weight, I'd binge. One cookie. One brownie. One serving of ice cream. That's fine. The difference is I'm not eating 6 cookies, or half a tray of brownies or a whole pint of ice cream like I used to.

Problem is, when I do have too many treats in a week, I'm not helping myself any.

And losing cheese has been hard. I've already failed twice, completely unknowingly. I had cheese on some fajitas that I ate at my friend Marilyn's place Friday night...I didn't mean to...it's just how the chicken was prepared. No biggie! But then I ordered eggs the next morning when I was out to breakfast, and completely forgot until they were almost gone that, duh! These have cheese on them!

I'm allowing myself cheese on Sundays.

But that doesn't mean I get to eat a brownie every other day.

So, this week's goal, as silly as it sounds to you crazy-sugar-hatas out there who never eat sweets and for whom this isn't a problem: two sweets a week.

That's right. One cookie tomorrow and one cookie the next day = no cookies until the following week starts. Or however it works out. I always count the calories in my sweets and work them into my daily allowance. But, still, I want to learn to cut down on my sweets.

And not devour them just because I can't have cheese 'til Easter!

Scale Update

2011-03-11T11:37:00.003-06:00

nydailynews.com

OK, OK...so I'm not supposed to weigh-in again 'til next Friday. But I felt good this morning so I jumped on the scale anyway!

226!!!!

I can feel that 225 coming...

Gotta Have: Cargo Crops

2011-03-09T14:05:00.002-06:00

I want this to be my new outfit:

Target, $21.99

Target, $24.99

How do you feel about cargo pants? I think I like them cropped, with a wedge sandal, the best. If you wear them at the right length, right under your knee, you could also go with a flat sandal. But wear them any longer than that and your legs may look a tad too stumpy.

I used to have these cargo pants from H&M that I loved. I wish I'd never thrown them away! They became to small...but now I think they'd fit again! I think cargos are a casual way to look chic during the summer, if you pair them with the right top. A nice, fitted T, a patterned shirt like the one pictured above, and you look put together. Don't go for anything too baggy on top, or you'll look sloppy. Pair with cute accessories, and maybe a braid?

Sounds like summer to me!

Spread the Love

2011-03-08T14:18:00.003-06:00

operationbeautiful.com

To my Birmingham friends: Have you noticed the "You Are Beautiful" graffiti around town?

Love it.

To my outside-Birmingham friends: Have you seen these signs around your town?

Operation Beautiful recently posted a video with a Peter Hollens' version of Gaga's "Born This Way." Check it out: http://tinyurl.com/6eq3qpg

I think this movement is tres important and teaches us all, and hopefully the young and impressionable girls that I remember oh-so-well, that we're all beautiful. Remember that phase in junior high school? Or, for me, it probably stretched on to college as well. I was chubby/fat, I was breaking out, not sure what to do with my life, not sure who I really was. I let everything that other people said bother me and I took it to heart. That time of my life was really rough, and I think a dose of self-confidence was all I needed. I needed to believe in myself.

Now, even though I feel much, much more confident than I did back then, seeing those "You Are Beautiful" signs still pumps me up and makes me smile. Because you know what? I am beautiful.

And so are you.

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-03-08T09:17:00.002-06:00

Well, it's not what I had hoped for:

Date: 3/8/11

Weight: 227

Weekly Change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I'm happy to see that the number moved down from my previous weigh-in. But I'm also disappointed because it's been more than two weeks since that previous weigh-in and losing 1 lb. just seems, honestly, like bullshit to me.

Granted, I've been sick and unable to work out for the past 4-5 days. It's also still "that time of the month" for me. But, still, I was hoping for more progress.

As bummed as I was when I stepped on the scale this morning, my mood lifted a little when I read this article from SparkPeople about "Measuring Progress Without the Scale." I've done a lot of that lately—from keeping an eye on my measurements since January, to bringing 11 dresses to a consignment shop last week because they are too big for me now.

So, while I know success isn't always going to come with lower numbers on the scale, I must say that I'm disappointed. I need to really examine what I'm doing now that's so different from what I was doing at the beginning of last year, that's causing me to not lose weight as regularly.

One thing I know I haven't done enough of lately is strength training. I'm trying to add ab work and upper body strength training back into my workout schedule a few days a week. Once the half marathon is over, I will add Body Pump classes back in a couple days a week for all over strength training.

It's defeating, these plateaus and walls that I feel like I'm running against and can't get over. But unlike in the past, I don't want to give up. I just need something to kick-start my progress again!

Weekend Update

2011-03-07T14:27:00.005-06:00

My friends Kavitha, Denise and I do this almost every Monday: We give each other a "Weekend Update" on basically what we did the past weekend. Probably sounds tedious to some, but we love hearing about what the others have been up to. For me, being in Alabama, it makes me feel closer to my girls up in the Northeast.

Because weekends are the hardest days of my week, when it comes to eating healthfully, I'm going to try to do a weekly "Weekend Update" to review how well I did during the past weekend resisting consuming too many treats, and getting my sweat hours in.

Most weekends, exercising is no problem. Two weekends ago, I ran 7 miles on Sat., attended a 1-hr. Zumba class on Sun., then walked a couple miles with my BF at Railroad Park. Not bad!

This weekend I did nothing. But I am sick, so I'm not upset about it. When your chest is congested, running 8 miles just ain't gonna happen.

I did do pretty well with my eating, though! I stayed within my calorie range pretty much every day, despite having two treats this weekend:

These Sweet Moment Bites by Pillsbury.

pillsbury.com

Three of these brownie bites are 180 calories. To me, that's not bad for a little after-dinner treat. I just won't have these every night!

And pancakes.

myrecipes.com

The BF and I looove to make pancakes once a weekend. Actually, he does all the work. I burn pancakes, so I stay far away from the skillet! I figure that two pancakes, with light syrup, is probably around 500 calories. A little high for breakfast, but it's only once a week. In the future, I'd like to bring fruit with me to add to the top to make them more nutritious, and help me cut down on the syrup.

It's my theory that if I don't allow myself to have a brownie bite, or a pancake, once in awhile, that I will slip up really badly and binge on all kinds of junk food. I know, because I've done it before. What works for me is to have a few treats every week. I realized this a couple weeks ago when a friend mentioned that maybe limiting myself too much on the weekdays is causing me to over-do it on the weekends. She suggested that maybe I need more of a balance throughout the whole week. And I think she's right.

Of course, the proof will come when I step on the scale tomorrow morning for my late weekly weigh-in. Did I really do OK this weekend? Or do even a few treats each week/weekend mess up my weight-loss?

What treats do you have on the weekends that you don't have during the week? Do you think allowing yourself a treat day or a few treats on the weekend help or hinder your weight-loss efforts?

You Make Me Ee-iilll

2011-03-05T14:16:00.010-06:00

I live in Alabama now, but it's not the first time I've lived in the South. Between the ages of 1 and 7, I lived in North Carolina while my father was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Raleigh. When I was in first grade there, my teacher was Mrs. Best. According to my mother, it was Mrs. Best who loved to use the word "ill." I would come home saying "You make me ee-iilll" in my best Southern accent, making the one word about three to four syllables. This phrase has become a running joke in my family and still makes us laugh today.

Well, I'm not laughing right now. Because I'm back in the South and there is one thing that's making me "ee-iilll" ... these guys:

Courtesy of southernliving.com

Sure, these flowering trees are beautiful. I love a Southern spring: the dogwoods, the magnolia trees, the daffodils and tulips. They're all gorgeous and make me smile on my drives around town.

But they also drive my sinuses crazy. I have terrible, terrible allergies and have had all my life, no matter what area of the country I've lived in. It used to manifest itself with a runny nose and stomach ache. In California, I was asthmatic. Now, for the first time, it's settling in my chest, causing me to cough and be just a little wheezy.

All of this, in turn, is affecting my running. The half marathon is April 3. I was supposed to run 8 miles yesterday. It didn't happen. I'm hoping, and praying, that my lung capacity is back to normal by Tues. afternoon so I can get the 8 miles in and get back on track. I'll also weigh in on Tues., since I was in bed moaning about how miserable I felt (I'm a big baby when I'm sick, can't you tell?) and didn't step on the scale.

But for now, I'll take my Mucinex and my Zyrtec and my Flonase and pray that this is the last time I feel "ee-iilll" for the rest of spring!

Do you have allergy problems? How do you handle them? Do you understand the difference between allergies and sinus problems? Because I don't! It all seems the same to me.

Stellar Fashionista's Oscars Review

2011-03-01T13:19:00.005-06:00

I had a fun time watching the Oscars Sunday night because I flipped between that and other shows, like "Amazing Race" and "Iron Chef."

But one thing always grabs my attention, besides the last 10 minutes of the award show: the red carpet. The commentary is usually annoying to me (Robin Roberts on the red carpet? Eh. Ryan Seacrest? More my style!) so I like to watch it on silent and critique the outfits myself. This wasn't really happening at the BF's place, but I did get a chance to name my favorites and my "What was she thinking?" picks.

All these photos are from style.com (a bomb-ass website) that did a fabulous job rounding up all the looks at the Academy Awards.

Best Dressed
Natalie won Best Actress, and I'm sure she deserved it (I need to see Black Swan!), but she definitely won Best Dressed, in my eyes. This dress is stunning on her! I love the color, the neckline, the earrings, the hair. She did it right. Props to Rodarte!

Best Dressed Runner-up #1
Sandra in Vera Wang. Breath-taking.

Best Dressed Runner-up #2
Jennifer Hudson in this shockingly beautiful and bright Versace.

Best Dressed Runner-up #3
Love the simplicity of Reese's Armani dress, but especially love the hair. Southern bouffant done right.

Best Dressed Runner-up #4Mila in Elie Saab...the color makes me feel all springy and it's so airy and romantic! Swoon.

Best Dressed Runner-up #5
My boyfriend commented that Amy looks like a disco ball. In my eyes, there ain't nothin' wrong with that! I love the deep, rich blue of this L'Wren Scott gown and the green jewels make her eyes pop.

And one extra award for: Best Dressed CoupleOr shall we say: Hottest Couple That Made You Feel a Little Steamy? Damn! Camila Alves and Matthew McConaughey are smokin'!

And now, for the Worst Dressed Awards. You know, sometimes women try so hard to be unique, to make a statement and they just, well, they get it wrong. I've been there. But, thankfully, I never had millions of people watching.

Worst Dressed #1
Oh, Scarlett. With your figure, do you really want to bind it up in a lace doily? A reddish-pink lace doily? I know lace is in, but this YSL dress is just too much for me. Especially with the train.

Worst Dressed #2
Oprah, I love you. I'm a huge, huge fan. I love your talk show, I'm inspired by you, and I love that you're a curvy lady who rocks some awesome clothes. But this Zac Posen dress doesn't do your awesome figure justice. One word: boobage. The boobs are just too confined! You need something a little shaplier, something that lets those puppies breathe!

Worst Dressed #3
Attention Marisa: Your vintage Charles James is throwing up around your feet. That is all.

Worst Dressed #4
Remember that white tape that has the little lines going through it that sticks to stuff like glue. Yup, that's what Armani used to make Celine's dress.

Worst Dressed #5
I know you played Queen Elizabeth I, Cate, but do you have to wear a shield on your chest to prove it? Givenchy knows better.

What were your bests and worsts from the Oscars? Rumor has it that James Franco was high...I kinda think he was? What did you think of his and Anne's performance?

Scaling Back

2011-02-24T12:28:00.002-06:00

I've decided to take a break from the scale.

Not permanently, but I think weighing myself every Friday is starting to mess with my head.

Earlier this week I wrote to a couple good friends that I was disappointed with my weight loss during the last few months. Sure, I've almost lost all the weight I slowly gained back (about 9 lbs. total) from my sister's wedding through New Year's. But that still puts me right where I was in October: almost 50 lbs. down.

Almost!

I'm so tired of saying that word. "How much weight have you lost?" Almost 50 lbs.

The thing is...I've almost lost 50 lbs. and that's a HUGE accomplishment. I should be proud...I AM proud. And I need to stop beating myself up. Here's what I know: each week, each day, I strive to eat healthfully. I think about what I eat before I put it in my mouth. I'm conscious of the calories I put in, and the calories I burn. I try to exercise every day, or at least 5 days out of the week (rest days are important!).

I've come a long way in the past year and one month and it's time I acknowledge that instead of berating myself whenever I step on the scale. My weight fluctuates depending on how much salt I eat, what I've eaten the previous day, and especially during certain times of the month.

So, I'm weighing myself every two weeks from now on. I'm going to try really, really hard not to hop on the scale in between these Fridays. And I'm going to try and concentrate on being healthy: eating well, exercising plenty, drinking lots of water and sleeping 8 hours a night. I still have my goals, I still want to see that scale move down, down down...I just don't want to be as overly obsessed with that number each and every day.

Next weigh in: Friday, March 4.
Goal for March 4: 225 lbs.

How Jenni Got Her Groove Back

2011-02-23T17:01:00.001-06:00

I hadn't run in awhile.

Too long, actually. Following my 10-mile race, I just wasn't feeling it. And my amazing, encouraging, inspiring running partner, Summer, was injured, which left me with one option if I didn't want to run outside, after dark, alone (which I didn't): the track at the gym.

Ugh. Double ugh.

When I first started running, doing 3-4 miles on the track at my gym seemed fine. But then I started running outside, and running longer distances. Now I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a fork than run more than 3 miles inside on the track.

And don't even get me started on the treadmill.

But all along, in the past month when I wasn't running very regularly, I was thinking about running. I was thinking about it, preparing for it (Hello, new sneakers! Thanks, Mom and Dad!!) and kinda salivating over it.

The thing is, I've come to love running. But I also fear it. The 10-mile race was so darn amazing. I had one of the best runs I've ever had. You'd think that would inspire me to run, run some more! But no, it didn't. It made me nervous that my next run would suck. It made me scared that I wouldn't be able to run as far. I dreaded having to walk more than run.

But finally, last week, I got my mojo back. Besides having new kicks to break in, the weather has been gorgeous. And it's staying lighter out after work. Hence, I'm running again, and I'm loving it.

Last week, I ran 3 miles on Tues., 4.5 on Thurs., and 4 on Sat. I had some iPod malfunctions that prevented me from tracking my run Sat., when I was supposed to do 6 miles. So I did the 6 last night, and it felt amazing! I ran 4 miles flat without stopping to walk. I haven't done that in awhile! (Maybe ever?) I think my speed was at about 13:30 per mile. About my average, really. I did stop to walk some during the 5th and 6th mile, so I'm happy with that.

Why all the juice to go running lately? Well...I'm signing up for my first half marathon! I haven't laid down the cash, yet, but I will next week when the next paycheck comes.

Talledega 21000. April 3. 13.1 miles.

Lace 'em up!!

Comfort-Food Soup

2011-02-18T15:12:00.001-06:00

So this week it's in the 60s...sometimes 70s. And it's glorious. But last week? Last week was still chilly and I was sick. So sick that I missed two full days of work. That NEVER happens.

I'd been staring at this Cooking Light recipe for White Bean Soup with Kale and Chorizo for weeks and finally, last week, thought: What better time to make this rich, comforting soup than now? So I invited some girlfriends over and set about making the soup.

Here are the main ingredients:

Now, the recipe I'm using actually calls for chorizo. I couldn't find chorizo, so I went with chicken sausage instead. Otherwise, I followed the directions:

2 oz. chicken sausage, chopped
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups of low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
2 (15 oz.) cans of white beans (I used Navy beans because they're what I could find)
4 cups of chopped kale (I found it bagged and already chopped! Yay!)
Black pepper

From Cooking Light:

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chorizo [sausage] to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add onion and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender.

2. While onions cook, pour broth into a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 3 minutes. Add hot broth and beans to pan; bring to a boil. Partially mash beans with potato masher. Stir in kale and 1/2 teaspoon pepper; cook over medium heat 6 minutes.

Yum!

Each 1 1/4 c. serving has just 235 calories! Sweet! (That's based on the recipe with chorizo. I'm assuming with chicken sausage there are fewer calories, but I counted it as 235 to be cautious.) My friend Summer brought her awesome beer bread over to share while we had two servings of soup. And I still had leftovers!

Not only did I have leftover soup, but I had leftover kale (lots of it!) and sausage too. So this week I used those leftovers, sauteed and combined with garlic, some red pepper flakes, and 2 oz. of whole wheat pasta, drizzled with 1 tsp. of olive oil. Stretch those ingredients and that dollar, girl!

What's your favorite comfort food? Where do you turn to find low-calorie recipes?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-02-18T08:08:00.005-06:00

This post should be titled: When Valentine's Day Attacks.

Date: 2/18/11

Weight: 228

Weekly Change: +1

Starting weight: 275

Alright, so it's just 1 lb. And I did have a lovely Valentine's Day weekend! I certainly didn't try to deflect any sweets...no, no, I indulged in cupcakes and ice cream and chocolates. Once in awhile, I have no problem doing so and I don't feel guilty about it. I just wish I had picked one day...as opposed to two or three!

But I'm still on track to get down to 225 by the end of February. One week and a few days to go...think I can drop 3 lbs.? I do!!

I have plans for one treat meal this weekend: Mugshots with le boyfriend. I'm planning to cook us a nice meal of whole wheat pasta, chicken sausage, and marinara one night, and I will plan another healthy meal for the third night this weekend (3-day weekend!). So as long as I can control my sweet tooth, I think I'm in it to win it!

See these cupcakes? I didn't eat them all. I gave some to my good friends Erin and Shilpa, and some to the BF.

Here's the beautiful roses he bought me!

Us at Railroad Park on Monday afternoon...it was in the 60s!

Diet Staple: Online Menus

2011-02-16T15:38:00.004-06:00

For me, the hardest part of dieting is eating out. I know I'll never completely accurately measure my foods when I eat at a restaurant, but as often as possible, I try to come close.

The easiest way to do this, I've found, is to know where you're going to eat ahead of time, check out the online menu, and calculate your calories as close to perfect as you can. To calculate calories, I generally use calorieking.com or sparkpeople.com (which is where I track my calories online every day...or at least every weekday).

Other than simply using Google to find a restaurant's online menu on their own website, I often find urbanspoon.com very helpful.

For example, tomorrow I am meeting two lovely friends for lunch at Over Easy in Birmingham. It's a relatively new breakfast spot, but they also serve lunch items or, thankfully, breakfast all day. I love breakfast!!

I found Over Easy's menu on urbanspoon.com and searched for what I knew I would want to eat, and what I could calculate fairly easily calorie-wise. Tomorrow I will have the Healthy Egg Breakfast including Egg Beaters (120 calories for a full cup), turkey sausage (about 120 calories for 2 patties), fresh fruit (about 60 calories) and whole wheat toast (about 200 calories) = a total of 500 calories. Since I try to eat about 500 calories or less per meal, plus a 100 calorie snack, that puts me right within my range for lunch. I will try to eat less than 500 calories at breakfast so I can fit in a 100 calorie, or slightly more, snack some time during the afternoon or after dinner.

This is why online menus have become a diet staple for me! I love eating out, but I also love planning ahead so I'm not scouring the menu saying "Oh no! What can I eat that won't make me gain 10 lbs.?!" Online menus and these calorie-counting tools are definitely a lifesaver.

How do you plan for meals out of the house? What precautions do you take to ensure the calories stay within your projections (such as asking items to be cooked without butter, etc.)?

I Feel Pretty

2011-02-16T14:48:00.002-06:00

Why am I telling you this? Well, because today I like my hair. The color of my eyes looks pretty, I love how my shirt is fitting, and my smile looks bright.

I'm not telling you this to brag, I'm telling you this because it's an unusual feeling, as I'm sure it is for all of you at times. For those who know me well, I'm always smiling. I mostly think very positively about everything: my job, my relationships, my weight-loss journey. I have a fairly cheery outlook about life in general.

But there are other days. Days when I feel sluggish or I don't care to put much effort into my hair or makeup or outfit. Strange for someone who loves fashion, huh? But those days I just feel blah. I feel less-than-stellar and I want to throw in the towel and give up on eating healthfully and exercising regularly.

Thankfully, those days are few and far between for me. As I said, I'm generally a positive person. But because those down-in-the-dumps days do exist, as I'm sure they do for you, I think the days when we do feel pretty should be celebrated! Take joy in your positive body image when you feel it. Get dolled up, even if it's just to go to the grocery store. Smile at strangers and tell your co-workers a happy "Hello!"

These feel-good days are something to take advantage of because, when they do come around, they're the best feeling in the world.

Work It: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-02-14T10:04:00.003-06:00

Same ol' thang.

Date: 2/11/11

Weight: 227

Weekly change: 0

Starting weight: 275

I'm not surprised that I had a big ol' goose egg this week. I wasn't too careful with what I ate last weekend, and upon getting sick on Tuesday, my workouts were not the greatest or very plentiful last week.

This weekend wasn't much better, and I'm still pretty sick, so the workouts haven't happened at all. I'm hoping to get a bit of a walk in today, and go running tomorrow night. Really, really hoping my cold/sinus infection goes away for good soon so I can really work out the way I like to.

As for food? Well, it's Valentine's Day. So you know what that means! Chocolate and decadent meals and lots of dessert. And I certainly haven't said, no, thanks, a bite is good enough for me! So I don't have a lot of confidence going into this Friday's weigh-in, but I do know how to get back on track, and how to take whatever damage Valentine's has done right back off.

I mean, seriously, dieting definitely has its rewards. But a girl's gotta splurge on Valentine's Day! (In moderation, of course!)

Gotta Have: Lace

2011-02-10T21:30:00.000-06:00

Lace shirts, lace skirts, lace dresses...lace will be everywhere this spring!

One of my favorite fashion sources, style.com, did a great spread on the lace trend. Look at these dresses!

Romantic and sweet.

Oscar de la Renta

Naughty and sensual.

Zac Posen

How can you and I wear lace from day to day this spring? Check it out.

This sweet little top from Lane Bryant could be paired under a blazer and worn to work, or worn with great-fitting jeans and heels for a night out.

Lane Bryant's DKNY brand, $50

This tunic looks so comfortable! I'd like it best paired with skinny jeans or leggings and a skinny, patent-leather belt.

Lane Bryant, $25

I love this top from Target because it has just a hint of lace detail. Great for dressing up for a night out, or pairing with a pencil skirt and jacket at work.

Target, $23

Speaking of pencil skirts, how awesome is this one?! Look closely—it's all lace! I'd save this one for cocktails or a fancy date.

Target, $25

And this little lace top is perfect for layering. I think it'd look so cute over a tank, under a spring jacket, with jeans and Converse sneakers.

Target, $7

What trends are you looking forward to wearing this spring? What's your favorite pre-spring layering look?

Diet Staple: Kiwi

2011-02-08T13:39:00.003-06:00

I decided to try a new series of posts called Diet Staple. Basically, this will be anything I choose to eat that helps me along my journey to lose weight. This could be a fruit, as today's choice is, or a meal, etc.

I chose kiwi today because it's a fruit that I love and I eat often because, let's face it, it's cheap. I can usually buy 2 for a $1 or something ridiculous like that. Plus, I love the color, and the sweet, sweet taste. The only annoying thing is having to cart a knife to work in my lunch bag in order to peel it. But it's worth it and only takes a second.

What's the nutritional value of a kiwi? Well, that little fruit holds more good-for-you things than I'd realized. According to usda.gov, kiwi is a good source of vitamin C and fiber. It's also a good source of potassium, and as a girl who has to begrudgingly eat her bananas, that's good to know!

What fruits do you eat when you need something on the sweet side? What are some of your Diet Staples?

Work It: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-02-04T10:47:00.003-06:00

Ah, holla!

Date: 02/04/11

Weight: 227

Weekly change: -2

Starting weight: 275

I'm getting so close to that 50 lbs. lost mark again! Yeah, again. Shizz happens. But this time I'm going PAST that 50 lbs. lost mark. Fo sho.

Whatever I'm doing right now, it's working. One thing that's really working for me is preparing a big meal that I can divide up over a number of days. Last week it was a 3-bean chili. This week I think I want some kind of soup. The best tactic for me is, buy everything I need Sun., stick it all in a crockpot Mon. morning, and then divide it into individual servings to take to lunch or have for dinner for the rest of the week.

How do you prepare for your week ahead? Any tips on preparing to eat healthfully?

These Boots Are Made for Struttin'

2011-02-04T09:26:00.003-06:00

Damn, these are hot!

I put these on and I just feel sassy. And sexy. And, like, hey, look at how ridiculously awesome my boots are.

Amazing part is, they were a present.

From my boyfriend.

He knew I wanted a pair of purple boots, but the pair I had tried on with him present was sold out in my size. So he actually hunted around for a similar pair. And found these! At Charming Charlie.

I'm a lucky girl.

I like to wear them with leggings or tights and dresses, or they look great with skinny jeans too.

Do you have a wild pair of shoes that you love?

Reason #6 Why Weight Loss Rocks

2011-02-02T10:21:00.003-06:00

#6—Moving your belt one notch tighter.

I woke up way, way too early this morning for my first meeting with the Steering Committee of the Young Leaders Society of United Way Central Alabama. I thought "Jen, you should wear something professional and stylish." So I chose my purple silky blouse, that's more tunic-like, that I cinch with my wide black belt with studs on it. Kinda like this one:

Carrie in Sex and the City, the movie

I put on the belt, secured it in the usual notch, and, slip! There went the belt! Hmmm...maybe...could I...move the belt one notch tighter?!

Yup!!

One small victory for weight loss, one big victory for the self-esteem of yours truly.

3-Bean "So You Can Manhandle the Other Meat" Chili

2011-01-31T22:14:00.005-06:00

I know I've posted a chili recipe here before.

Deal with it.

The thing is, when you put together the cold weather of January, a huge sporting event like the Superbowl, and what will undoubtedly be a lot of beer drinking, you just need a steamy, spicy bowl of chili.

I give you my 3-bean "So You Can Manhandle the Other Meat" Chili.

I know, I know. This is supposed to be a recipe for Rachel's Project Tasteless: The Please Let Me Infiltrate the Man Cave Challenge.

And men like meat.

Well, trust me, this chili tastes as hearty and meaty as any chili that actually has meat in it. Serve it with a side of cornbread, corn chips, shredded cheese, and a little sour cream, and your man won't even miss the meat. In fact, maybe it'll give you both a little more room to fill up on some other "meat" after the game.

Here's what you do:

The morning of Superbowl Sunday, dice one yellow onion, one red bell pepper, and a couple cloves of garlic. Put the veg in your crockpot, along with:

1 large can of diced tomatoes (like, the big heifer can)

1 can of red kidney beans (less sodium)

1 can of garbanzo beans (less sodium)

2 cans of black beans (less sodium)

2 tbsp. of chili powder

1 tsp. + a pinch of cumin

If you want a little more heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or some jalapeños. Then set the crockpot on low and cook away until it's game time!

I made this chili tonight and divided into 5 servings, 1-1/2 c. per serving (a pretty large serving!), for a total of 313 calories each. Not too shabby, eh?

Served in my pretty bowl from Anthropologie.

Feel free to add other veggies or green bell peppers. It's kind of a free for all!

And, as I said, your man will be so into the game, and the meat-handling post-game, that he won't notice there's no meat in the chili!

Enjoy!

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-01-28T08:02:00.002-06:00

Can I get a whoop-whoop?!!!

Date: 01/28/11

Weight: 229

Weekly change: -4

Starting weight: 275

I had a really great week, needless to say! Of course, a lot of that weight loss is due to the stomach bug I had last weekend. Having very little appetite really helps keep the calorie count down!

But since I started feeling better, I've been trying to decrease the number of calories I eat each day. This week I ate, on average, between 1,500-1,600 calories a day. That's a couple hundred calories less than what I was aiming for last year.

I also succeeded in my two goals from last week: drinking more water and resisting treats over the weekend. Resisting treats was easy 'cause, well, I didn't want to eat much at all. And I just tried to choose water over tea or other drinks.

For next week I'm going to:

1. Cook a healthy dish I've never cooked before.

2. Bring my lunch to work at least 3 days next week.

Do you find setting a goal for yourself for each week is easier to manage than saying: "I'm always going to do such-and-such"?

Fashionably Fit

2011-01-25T13:36:00.004-06:00

One of the hardest things about being a plus-size girl and also trying to work out every day is finding cute clothes to sweat in.

I wrote about this not too long ago here, but I'm writing about it again because I'm bored with my workout clothes. I don't have a lot of extra cash to spend on workout clothes, but I'm in need of one or two new things, probably shirts, to spice up my workouts.

I know, ridiculous that I need clothes to spice up my workouts right?

Well, that's just how this Stellar Fashionista rolls.

I found some good news on Skinny Emmie's blog today: Old Navy has come out with dry wicking shirts for plus-sizes!! Holla!! Seriously, though, it's about time. I have two dry wicking shirts that are XLs and they are only to be worn under another t-shirt. I would never go out in public with just those shirts on and nothing else. But I also only dress that way on really cold run days, or really cold race days.

So what to wear for regular workouts? Check it:

Old Navy Moisture Wick, about $17

Old Navy boot-cut yoga pants, about $22. I wear these all the time! So, so comfortable.

Old Navy cargo capris, about $26. Not sure why the shorter pants are cheaper
than the longer ones?Maybe because they have pockets?
Anyway, for girls who aren't quite ready for short-shorts, these capris will do just fine.

And, your basic tee, 2 for $12.50 each. Old Navy does a great job with t-shirts, methinks. I love a deep vee.
Nothin' wrong with workin' out with a little cleavage, even if it's just the sports bra you're showing off!

Happy sweating!!

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-01-21T06:20:00.002-06:00

A successful week!

Date: 01/21/11

Weight: 233

Weekly change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I had a much better week this week than last. I need to work on a couple of things, though:

1. Drink more water every day.

2. Keep working on resisting treats over the weekend.

I did better last weekend than I had in the past, but I did have two desserts, when one was really enough. I'm working on it, but I need to work on it harder! I'd like to lose 2 lbs. next week, but I will be happy with 1.

Where do you find recipes for desserts that are lower in calorie per serving? Are there other ways you enjoy something sweet without sabotaging your healthy eating habits?

The Goal

2011-01-19T16:21:00.000-06:00

My goal?

This dress:

How hot is this little number?

I saw this dress a month ago and just fell in love with it. It hugs my curves in all the right ways. J thought so too. But I was trying to be practical. I mean, who needs a strapless red dress, really? Right?

Here's what it looks like on an actual body.

Apparently I do because I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. And, yesterday I found it on sale for $25. With the leftovers of my gift card (thanks, Mom and Dad!) I was able to get the dress for $8. $8!!

Here's the thing. The dress runs small. So I bought an 18 anyway and have decided to get in this dress, with any luck, by J's birthday (March 18). That's two months away. Let's hope I can do this!

Do you ever use clothes as a motivator? When's the last time you fit into something you were dying to wear again (or for the first time)?

10

2011-01-18T20:56:00.007-06:00

Yup, I'm a 10.

A 10-mile runner, that is!

Racing fast toward the finish line!

Crossing the finish line with Summer!

This is a post I should've written a couple weeks ago, after my Jan. 8 10-mile Red Nose Run. But I think I needed some time for reflection.

Summer and I nearing the end.

I still can't believe it went as well as it did because after the 10k, I literally almost fainted. I waited too long to eat and almost passed out in line at the Pancake House. But this time I felt great afterwards! However, the first three miles...oof...they were tough! I'm not sure why, maybe I was just getting into the run, getting used to the cold, or afraid of what I was in for. But somewhere around mile 5 I really started feeling good. Around then I saw J and Summer's boyfriend along the trail and we stopped for some water.

Stopping to drink water and stretch a couple times really helped. When we finally reached mile 8 I was so stoked that the last 2 miles felt super easy, even if I was running very slow by that point.

Running the last few miles with Summer at my side

The hardest part of the race was watching Summer limp at the end because I knew she was in a lot of pain. She really inspired me with her determination to push forward and complete the race, even though her foot was really sore. I am so thankful that she ran the race with me—I couldn't have done it without her! Now I hope we can both recover well.

As for what's next? Who knows?! I was ready to sign up for my first half marathon the moment the 10-mile race was over. Then I saw the price. Why are half marathons so expensive?!?! So now I'm waiting a few months, probably until April, to save up the money and train the right way.

13 miles—I'm coming for ya!

It's a New Year

2011-01-15T11:04:00.003-06:00

How awesome is this dress?

This year for New Year's Eve, J and I were both sick. So instead of partying it up in Birmingham, we chilled at home. The next day, though, we were feeling better so we got dressed up and went to one of our favorite special treat restaurants: J Alexander's.

The thing about J Alexander's is their service is always impeccable, the food is unfailingly tasty, and they start off each meal with a basket of these:

Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth croissants.

J had the filet with a ridiculously large baked potato.

I had the pork tenderloin (best. pork. EVER!) and a yummy baked mac 'n' cheese.

We followed it all up with this: Powerful Stuff

It's basically an ice cream cake layered with Snickers and crushed Oreos, drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. To. Die. For.

Clearly I wasn't worried about my calorie intake on NYE! It's one of those traditions my mom passed down to me: Eat lots of treats on NYE so that on Jan. 1, you can start watching your weight again.

Hahaha...gotta love the logic!

But seriously, it was a fun night, spent with a wonderful man, and it definitely rang in my new year in the right way! Happy 2011!!

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2011-01-14T08:28:00.003-06:00

I was dreading this. After eating poorly and overindulging during Christmas and, let's face it, at least a week or so before and after the holidays (see next post on New Year's Eve!), I knew the scale would have a number for me that I wouldn't like.

So I avoided it for a couple of weeks while I tried to get back on track and, for the most part, I am. I had a few slip-ups last weekend during the snow/ice storm that brought Birmingham to a screeching hault. I did, however, run 10 miles last Sat. morning (more on that later).

The verdict is in:

Date: 01/14/11

Weight: 234

Weekly change: +3

Starting weight: 275

Obviously, there's work to be done. Ever since I started tracking my weight on this blog, I really haven't done so well! But I think that's more a function of being at this point where I've gained back some of the weight I had previously lost and I'm trying to push past that and start working my way down again. The blog isn't making me fatter!

Food is!

I have such a weakness for sweets and breads, it's ridiculous. Like, seriously ridiculous. Today I am going to take a good hard look at my food diary from early last year. That's when I was having the most success at losing weight. I want to start mimicking those meals as much as possible. I have already started ramping up my workouts — doing two hours on Mondays, two hours on Wednesdays, and at least an hour 4 other days a week, giving myself one day off. Hopefully that will be enough! I also want to start eating just 1,500-1,600 calories a day, bringing it down from 1,700-1,800 where I was most of last year.

I hope this helps! I am telling you this now: My goal is to lose 9 lbs. (all the weight I've gained back from my lowest point of 225) by the end of February. That's 6 weeks. I really think I can do it if I resist the urge to splurge, and I keep my butt in the gym!

How do you jump back from set backs? Weight loss or otherwise?

The Big Snow & The Big Apple

2011-01-13T14:13:00.005-06:00

Let's travel back in time a bit, shall we?

Let's travel to a far away land called New Jersey.

Btw, this isn't my parents' house! This is some inn

we had dinner at on Christmas Eve.

J and I arrived Christmas Eve on time and with no travel issues! Amazing! We spent a lovely Christmas Day opening gifts and feasting on goodies (too much crackers & cheese! not enough thumbprint cookies!) and chillin' with these two goofballs:

Thank goodness my sister Karen and her new husband Justin were around because boy did we need some entertainment when the two feet of snow came through on Sunday. Luckily, though he was raised a southern boy, J enjoyed the snow...or at least the snow blower!

I think maybe I'll have to get him a leaf blower one day, since our snow rarely (if ever) gets this deep down South.

We made it out of the house one day, our last day up North, and headed for NYC (in New Yooooork! Concrete jungle where dreams are made of...oh, hush. You know you wanna sing it too!).

We met up with my longtime BFF Dominika, aka Domka, and her fiance, Cory, to tour the major sites: Times Square, Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the windows at Macy's. It was cold and snowy and slushy, but we had a great time!

And we made it back to 'Bama in one piece. What a great Christmas Vacation! I wish I was still there...

Running for Rewards

2011-01-07T14:25:00.002-06:00

I just ate a few bites of the best chocolate cake I have ever had (it's from Olexa's in Mountain Brook Village if you needs to get you some).

I did this knowing one thing: I will run/walk 10 miles on Saturday.

Yup, that's right. I haven't blogged in more than a week and I come at you with that zinger.

10 miles!

My longest race yet. And the reason I'm eating the chocolate cake? Well, I want to use food as a reward for a race for the last time this weekend.

You see, even throughout this last year, as I've lost about 45 lbs., I still rewarded myself almost exclusively with food. For some reason, it seems justifiable to me to eat pizza or pancakes because I ran a race, or went to the gym 6 times one week.

Theoretically, I can eat more because I burned more and I probably won't see a negative result on the scale from it. But that's only in theory. Because lately I have noticed that these "rewards," the "freedom" I give myself on the weekends, is adding up. It's causing me to plateau and not push past having lost just 45 lbs., to losing 55 lbs. and more.

Now, I'm not giving up pizza or chocolate cake forever. I just want to learn to reward myself in other ways. I want to learn to take more time for myself, or go to a movie, or buy a new workout shirt or pair of pants. I need to stay motivated, and rewards do help me stay motivated, but I want to move past the point where food, where chocolate cake, is my reward.

I guess you could say this is my new year's resolution. But, really, it's just another step I'm taking toward making real changes in my lifestyle that lead me to being a healthier, happier person.

So, after my race tomorrow, I may have a lovely pancake breakfast with my boyfriend. That, coupled with my bites of chocolate cake today, will be reward enough for completing the Red Nose Run 10-mile race. But after that, it's time to look inside me for those rewards, and not inside my belly.

How do you reward yourself for weight loss? What are some ways you can reward yourself without spending money or using food?

Christmas Comes Early

2010-12-23T13:10:00.004-06:00

...or at least a few presents do!

The BF and I decided to open a couple gifts we got for each other last weekend since we're traveling to New Jersey soon for Christmas with my fam. I had a couple things I knew I couldn't fit in my suitcase (um, hello? I have to pack options!).

A couple weeks prior we decorated my small Christmas tree at his place. Cute, huh? I don't have many ornaments, so I need to start collecting more. Maybe next year I'll get a full-size tree!

We spent "Our Christmas Day" at the movies for a double feature: The Tourist, which was OK but not fabulous, and Tron on the IMAX 3-D theater. Tron was pretty awesome! And so are we in these 3-D glasses.

3-D glasses over regular glasses. Hot.

Later that night we exchanged our gifts that were too-big-to-fly-to-Jersey.

Apparently he said something funny!

I so needed a new toaster oven! Seriously, my old one is NAS-TY!!

And J got a new winter coat! I'm hoping he won't freeze to death up North!

At least his beard will keep him warm!

What are you hoping to get for Christmas? Did you buy anything to give someone that you just can't wait for them to open?

Copy Desk Christmas

2010-12-23T12:57:00.003-06:00

Four years ago this January I moved to a little city called Birmingham. I wasn't sure what I'd gotten myself into. Here I was, thousands of miles away from my family and friends, in a Southern town that was completely foreign to me.

Luckily, I found some of the most gracious, kind-hearted, welcoming people here. And a few of those people are none other than the most talented, intelligent, and, let's face it, anal people ever to grace the Copy Desk of Southern Living magazine.

Every Christmas it became a tradition to have a Christmas lunch at Paula's house. The best part about this lunch? The Bourbon Spritzer, without a doubt. (1 can frozen limeade, thawed; 1 cup bourbon; 1 (2 liter) bottle chilled ginger ale) Paula's an excellent cook and had such a warm, cozy home for all of us to gather.

This year, a few members of that Copy Desk no longer work at Southern Living. Some by choice, some not so much (me), but whatever the reason, we're all still a tight-knit group.

So this year I had the ladies over to my place for chili and cornbread, plus some amazing red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting baked by the lovely JoAnn.

Stephanie brought me these napkins. See what Copy Desk nerds we are?
Only we would find cocktail napkins with a misspelled Santa Claus hilarious!
(I won those cute ornaments at Steph's ornament swap party the weekend prior!)

My grampa's chili.

The lovely ladies! Minus Katie, who joined us with her adorable (entertaining and hilarious!) son later.

Merry Christmas, y'all!!

5 Reasons Why Weight Loss Rocks

2010-12-17T09:19:00.005-06:00

As I near the end of 2010, I'm looking back at what I've accomplished this year and realizing that what matters most are the little things. So, I'm going to begin a new series of posts celebrating the little changes that have occurred, or will occur, as a result of my weight loss.

This isn't so much about losing the weight itself, as appreciating the fact that I'm getting healthy, and honestly, happier than I've ever been.

So, here, 5 Reasons Why Weight Loss Rocks

#5 — That ring that used to only fit on my ring finger is now too big and must be worn on my middle finger.

#4 — Being able to buy clothes at Old Navy, and even some at NY&Co., for the first time in years and years.

T-shirt, NY&Co.

#3 — Going up stairs and not getting winded.

#2 — Choosing to go up stairs at all, when there's the option of taking an elevator.

#1 — Running 4 races in 2010: two 5ks, one 8k, and one 10k!!

What are 5 great things that weight loss has brought you? Or, what are 5 things you're thankful for as 2010 comes to a close?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2010-12-17T08:36:00.002-06:00

After not weighing in last week, due to Aunt Flo and other issues, I was happy stepping on the scale today! Last week the scale said a number I really, really didn't like (235) and I knew it just couldn't be accurate.

Well, today the scale was my friend!

Date: 12/317/10

Weight: 231

Weekly change: -1

Starting weight: 275

I think I did really, really well eating healthfully this week. I stayed within my 1,700 calorie limit, or lower, every day. I think getting only 1,500-1,600 calories a day will be the key to my continued weight loss in the new year.

I was running around like mad this week, from a road trip to Huntsville, to a Christmas play at a friend's school, so I only worked out on Wed. (Body Step and Zumba) and Thurs. (a 7-mile run with Summer, in the rain!). I am super-proud of myself for that run! It's my longest distance yet and, despite wanting to give up on the whole thing due to the rain, we were determined and we finished in record time! (Not sure of our exact time, but our miles were faster than usual for us!)

So this weekend I am focused on eating healthfully and staying within my calorie limit, while looking forward to next week. I intend to eat well right up until Christmas Eve day. Then, I'm just going to do the best I can. I'm going to try to make good choices and allow myself a few treats. I mean, my mom makes the best thumbprint cookies in the world, so I'll definitely indulge in a few!!

What are you looking forward to eating over the Christmas weekend? Are you going to try to get some exercise in too?

Seriously, Oprah?! Or, How to Wear Sequins.

2010-12-14T11:30:00.005-06:00

How ridiculous are these boots?

I mean, come on Oprah, I enjoyed many items on your Favorite Things list for 2010. Such as Jay-Z's new book, these Nike sneakers, the new Black Eyed Peas CD, and this thing that's supposed to save your herbs.

But sequined Uggs? UGH!!! No, no, no. Just, don't. Please. Refrain from covering the most awkward looking shoes ever, next to Crocs, with sequins.

That being said, there are plenty of awesome ways to wear sequins, and this holiday season, you really must.

A sequined tank under a boyfriend blazer or cozy cardi? Definitely!

Lane Bryant, also in purple (!) and black, $35

This hot sequined dress that I encouraged my friend Shilpa to buy for New Year's Eve in Italy? Definitely!

The Limited, $82

A little shine in your hair? Why not?

From becomegorgeous.com

You can even wear sequins on your feet. Just NOT in the form of Uggs!!

White House Black Market, $98

Have a sparkly holiday!!

Thinking in Orange

2010-12-10T13:21:00.004-06:00

This morning I ate a clementine for the first time this season.

It was sweet, and juicy, and exactly what I needed to perk me up, and get me out of my funk.

You see, I'm skipping "Work It: Weekly Weigh-in" this week. Well, I weighed myself, but I'm unhappy with the number.

Yes, I had that major breakdown earlier this week. But mostly, I'm calling a timeout due to my visit from Aunt Flo.

Do you see major fluctuations in your weight at this time of the month? I do. The scale jumped up big time and, after all my major workouts, even despite the slip ups in what I've eaten, I know this number is untrue. Or, at least, it's too much of a fluctuation for it to be really accurate.

So I'm skipping the weigh-in, and trying not to freak out. Instead, I'm going to focus on the positives, or "Think in Orange" — bright and cheery and sweet:

1. Monday I attended both Body Jam and Body Pump, followed by a 3-mile run Tuesday, and Body Step and Zumba on Wednesday. I have a nice walk planned in Railroad Park for Saturday afternoon (if it's not raining) and Sunday I am planning a run outside. I may even walk the mall tonight before I go babysit!

2. I did eat within my calorie range, or very close to it, on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and I will try to today, despite the holiday party at work.

3. I spent a lot of great time with friends this week! Lunch with Rahkia on Monday, lunch with Summer on Tuesday, and a fun Tacky Christmas Sweater Karaoke Holiday Party on Wednesday night.

All in all, not a bad week! Remember: it's easy to get off track this time of year, but it's really just important not to go overboard, keep working out like a madwoman(man), and Think in Orange!! The positives will outweigh (no pun intended) all!!

Do you ever take a break from weighing yourself? How else do you keep track of your progress, besides the number on the scale?

Gaining Perspective

2010-12-08T10:54:00.003-06:00

Sometimes you have the intention to do everything right.

And sometimes you just fail.

But what I'm having to realize is that's OK. I'm not perfect. I think I've accepted this in a lot of areas of my life: I'm not the perfect employee, friend, girlfriend, sister, daughter, or volunteer. What I can't help beating myself up about is when I fail at eating well.

Yes, I may have eaten "perfectly" last week. I may have stuck to my calorie range and worked out every single day. But this week. Oh this week is different. Workouts? No problem. I killed Body Jam and Body Pump Monday night, followed by a 3-mile run on Tuesday. Perfect.

But then, oh then I decided, much like I was possessed, that upon leaving Walmart where Rahkia and I shopped for ugly Christmas sweaters for tonight's karaoke extravaganza, that I had to have Chik-fil-A. Now, granted, I've been obsessing about getting Chik-fil-A for weeks. Weeks! And I had yet to give in. But last night was the night. And it tasted so, so good.

Had I stopped there, that would've been OK. I could've lived with myself. But then I decided I had to have a GIANT bowl of Cheerios. Why? Because the chicken nuggets and fries weren't enough? Makes no sense to me either.

And then, THEN I topped it all off with a large serving of chocolate pudding (even if it was fat-free, sugar-free, it was still unnecessary) sprinkled with chocolate chips.

Why do I tell you this? Why, when this is supposed to be a "Fashion & Fitness" blog and I moan and complain every time I hit the scale and it reads 230 (AGAIN!!) do I admit that I gorged on this crazy meal?

Because I'm human. Because we all fail from time to time. And because I know these types of failures don't define me.

I confessed this setback to my BFF Kavi today and took comfort in her words of wisdom: "I have been reading your blogs, and I can tell you're really frustrated w/ the weight thing. Just remember that the more you lose, the harder it will be to lose more — but it's not your fault, so don't be mad at yourself. You really are putting forth tremendous effort, and it is worth it, even if you're not seeing the quick results that you're used to."

That's what I need to keep in mind! Whenever I skip a workout, whenever I indulge in far too many treats in one day, I need to remember that 90% of the time, I eat well and I work out regularly. In the past, I may have spent a month really watching what I eat and really working out several days a week. Then months would go by when the effort was minimal.

This year I have put in more effort each and every week than I probably had throughout the rest of my life! Every week I'm at the gym at least 3 times, usually more. And every week I generally eat well, except for the weekends when I'm a little less strict. All in all, it hasn't been a bad year. I've lost and kept off 45 lbs. I brought my cholesterol and sugar levels back to the healthy ranges. I've run two 5ks, an 8k and a 10k. And that's what I need to focus on.

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2010-12-03T11:08:00.002-06:00

As you can probably imagine, I'm not too thrilled today. On one hand, I've lost 2 lbs. this week since I stepped on the scale Monday morning to see the damage Thanksgiving had done (234! gasp!). On the other hand, I'm up 2 lbs. from my last weigh-in...so that's not good!

Date: 12/3/10

Weight: 232

Weekly change: +2

Starting weight: 275

Luckily I've had a great week, eating-wise and exercise-wise. I've worked out every day, Mon.-Thurs., and plan to get an hour in tonight before bringing chicken enchiladas to my BF (he's a lucky dog, isn't he?). I told him last weekend that I am going back to my One Treat Meal a Week Rule, and so far I've stuck to that! I ate a little over my 1,700-calories-a-day allotment each day this week, but only by 100 calories or less. So next week should be even better!

This weekend I am cooking dinner tonight, having my treat meal Sat. night, and cooking another good dinner Sun. My only pitfalls will be breakfast. I love going out to breakfast on the weekends, and while that usually means I skip lunch, I'm still not sure I'm staying in my 1,700 calories range because I don't count them all up on the weekends. I'm going to try to change that this weekend!

New goal: Lose 4-5 lbs. by Dec. 21, my next check-in with my doctor. It'd be great to be at 228 or 227 and say, "Look, doc, I'm down almost 50 lbs.!" Then I just want to hit 225 again before I leave for Christmas on Dec. 24.

Are you trying to lose weight now, or just trying to maintain? Have you already started thinking about what you'll do different come Jan. 1?

(En)Lightened Pumpkin Bread

2010-12-01T11:24:00.000-06:00

I seem to be obsessed with pumpkin lately! I really can't get enough. But today I was thinking about the giant can of pumpkin in my fridge and decided to do something with it besides putting a 1/4 c. in my oatmeal each morning.

Introducing: Cooking Light's Pumpkin Bread, with a tweak or two.

I used their recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, but omitted the chocolate chips, bringing the calories per slice to 132. The recipe yields two loaves of bread, at 16 slices per loaf.

Here's what you need:

2 c. sugar

2 c. canned pumpkin

1/2 c. canola oil

1/2 c. fat-free vanilla pudding (I used instant (sugar-free, fat-free) and made it 5 min. before making the bread)

4 large egg whites

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

3 cups all-purpose flour

Mix together the first 5 ingredients with a whisk. Then add the next three, plus a 1 tsp. of ground nutmeg, if you desire (I made this addition to the Cooking Light recipe and I think it tastes great!). Gradually stir in the flour using the whisk, making sure not to stir too much.

Pour the batter evenly into two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans, coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 min. I used a wooden skewer to check that the middle was baked through.

I love how moist this bread is! (Even though I kinda hate the word "moist.") I think it's the pudding that makes the difference. The crust, though, is slightly crunchy and chewy. Perfecto!

What other quick breads do you like to make? I'm craving some sort of apple spice bread...is there such a thing?!

Vest & Belt Combo

2010-11-30T09:12:00.000-06:00

Have you seen this look around?

I honestly was inspired to put this outfit together after seeing Jason's girlfriend Nadria wear similar ensembles. She always looks so pulled together and trendy!

I wasn't sure if the way this outfit breaks up, shirt, then vest, then belt, would look good on me, a girl with plenty o' curves. But I think it's pretty flattering!

Describe your favorite belted outfit. Are you into wearing vests now?

Workout Gear 101

2010-11-29T21:23:00.004-06:00

When packing my gym bag each night, or morning as the case may be, there are a number of things I always have with me:

socks

sneakers

pants/shorts

sports bra

knee brace

Nano w/ armband

hair tie

deodorant

And, of course, a T-shirt.

Unless I, for some unknown reason, pack two extra sports bras instead of a T-shirt.

Then I end up wearing this to my Body Jam class instead:

The cami I wore under my cardigan at work today. WTF?!!

So tonight, I skipped Body Pump after Body Jam out of pure embarrassment. I'm glad I got that one hour in, though. Tomorrow I'll hit Body Pump and then run the indoor track at the gym.

That'll teach me to pack my bag first thing in the morning, when still half asleep!

A Southern Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T20:18:00.009-06:00

This year was my first Thanksgiving away from my family. Even when I was interning abroad in England, my parents, sister and two of my best friends came to visit over the Thanksgiving weekend.

Me, Kavitha and Denise, Thanksgiving weekend 2006

Me, Mom, Dad and Karen at our Thanksgiving dinner, that

should've included turkey, but the restaurant ran out!

Luckily for me, I had a great family to spend the holiday with! The BF invited me to dinner at his brother Mike's house. My first Southern Thanksgiving!

Tai & Mike

I filled up on a small plate of mac 'n' cheese, turkey, collard greens and stuffing, plus a bite of J's sweet potato pie, at his aunt's house first. Then we headed to Mike and Tai's for round 2. I was pleasantly full by the end of the night, but not overly stuffed, which was perfect!

Fried chicken, stuffing, cornbread, mac 'n' cheese, and candied yams!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with lots to be thankful for! I know I did!

Comfort Foods

2010-11-24T10:54:00.005-06:00

Tomorrow we'll all be filling our bellies with the best of comfort foods: stuffing (or dressing, for my Southern friends), candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy. I can already feel my pants getting tighter!

Or, that may be from the foods I've indulged in in the past couple weeks. It's something about November, the chill in the air (though it hasn't been that chilly in da South), that makes me want warm, hearty food on my plate.

Enter, my very first success in making real, Southern-style mac 'n cheese. Or as close to it as this Yankee can get.

Served with chicken from Publix (seriously, their tenders are the biz-omb!)
and a Hawaiian roll (or whatever they're called...the packaged kind in the deli? Also the biz-omb!)

I used this recipe on my former boss's blog, Let's Eat Tonight, and substituted Colby & Jack cheeses for Gouda 'cause, let's face it, the BF and I just aren't that fancy. Or I was broke. Either way, it worked and it was super-creamy, super-cheesy, and the leftovers were enjoyed for days!

Last weekend I made an impromptu meal for the BF and I: meatballs! I love meatballs and I never really use a recipe to make them.

Here's what I did: I put about 1 lb. of ground beef in a bowl with one egg, a handful (or so) of breadcrumbs (the kind from a jar...I know, I know...fresh would be better, but I was in a time pinch!), a dash of salt, pepper, and oregano, plus a pinch of minced garlic. I rolled the meat into small balls after mixing lightly with my hands and placed them in some hot olive oil in a frying pan. Using thongs [edit: tongs. Clearly I meant tongs.], I rotated the meatballs until they were browned on all four sides and developed a sort of "crust," making sure that they cooked all the way through.

Meanwhile, I made whole wheat pasta with plenty of salt in the water. I poured tomato sauce over the meatballs, added a bit more salt, pepper, and oregano, brought the whole mess to a simmer, and threw in the drained pasta. And that's it! Surprisingly, the meatballs came out very juicy; my meatballs usually tend to be pretty dry. I was pleased!

Besides all the trimmings for Turkey Day, what other comfort foods are you craving right now? I know I'd kill for a bowl of my mom's potato soup. What other soups, stews, etc., do you make this time of year?

Gotta Have: Gray Boots

2010-11-23T16:22:00.003-06:00

Is it gray or grey?

I always go with the "a."

Either way, gray boots are a must this season. Gray shoes in general were in last year, but this year, it's all about the boots. They're everywhere!

I've been trying to find high boots, that come up to my knees, but I honestly don't want to search around for the extended calf sizes. Such a pain!

So I think I'm going to get these, once the budget allows:

Target, $39.99

What boots are you wearing right now? What boots do you want? Do you dig gray as much as I do?

Work it: Weekly Weigh-in

2010-11-19T14:58:00.002-06:00

Well, sometimes no change is good change. I had a crazy week. From cleaning out my totaled car in the pouring rain (thanks to my BF for the help!), to traveling to Mobile for two days, it was a whirlwind, that's for sure!

I never eat well when I travel. I read blogs, like Kath's, and these girls always pack healthy snacks, in case they're stuck in a teeny, tiny Alabama town like Monroeville where a meat 'n three is all there is. I need to learn to do the same because this is what happened to me on Tuesday and I certainly indulged in chicken 'n dumplings and mac 'n cheese (is it a prerequisite at meat 'n threes that all the food has an "n" in it?). The food was heavenly, but it didn't do much good in bringing me closer to 225 before Christmas.

Date: 11/19/10

Weight: 230

Weekly change: 0

Starting weight: 275

Hopefully I'm starting next week off in the right way — I ran 5 miles with Summer last night, and I'm planning a good workout at the gym tonight. I'm hoping to get a good hour of exercise in tomorrow and Sunday too. Now all I have to do is keep my will power strong when it comes to food!

Goal for next week: lose 1-2 pounds.

What are your goals for next week? Do you find it easier to take bigger goals one week, day, etc., at a time?

Blushing Booty

2010-11-19T14:53:00.003-06:00

What is it about the holidays that makes me want to buy red underthings?

I'm not talking about a negligee with puffs of cotton to make it looks "Santa-esque." Just nice, sexy red underwear, like these:

3 for $29 at Lane Bryant

5 for $29 at Lane Bryant

I think it's all Dominika's fault (my best friend since high school). She once told me that it's a tradition to wear red panties on New Year's Eve because it will bring you good luck for the coming year.

What if I wear them now through NYE? Will that help even more?!

Work It: Weekly Weigh-in

2010-11-12T08:45:00.003-06:00

It's Friday, time for the weekly weigh-in. I'm not happy, but I know it's because I missed a big workout this week (due to the car accident) and I made some poor food choices. I'll chalk it up to cravings due to my oncoming period...but I still had choices to make, and this week, I chose poorly more often than not.

Date: 11/12/10

Weight: 230

Weekly change: +2

Starting weight: 275

So, I've got some work to do this week. I don't want to let my lack of transportation derail me this weekend, so I'm going to try and walk/run when/where I can. It's so hard now that it gets dark at 5 p.m.! But I'm gonna work it, and I'm gonna have a different result next week.

All it takes is motivation and willpower. I've got the motivation...hopefully the willpower will come too.

When Workouts Become Car Accidents

2010-11-11T13:12:00.003-06:00

Yup, that's what happened to me last night. I was so proud of myself on Monday for going to Body Jam (a great dance class that left me breathless) followed by Body Pump (that left me with sore chest muscles), that I decided on Wednesday I'd attend not only my usual Zumba class, but I'd go to Body Step before.

Until I got in a car accident on the way to the gym.

Some guy decided to take a left turn right into my car.

Gee. Thanks, dude.

Soreness in my left shoulder and arm, plus pain in my chest from where the seat belt did its job, left me unable to work out last night.

It's amazing how a year ago, I would've been thankful for any excuse that got me out of a workout. Possibly even a car accident, since I wasn't really hurt.

This time I was pissed. I feel like my whole workout routine has been thrown off! Especially since I'm without a car until Monday, when I get a rental. But I'm determined to make the best of it. Perhaps the BF and I will go for a long walk tomorrow evening, and I'll follow it up with a run on Sat. and hopefully bum a ride from him to Zumba on Sun.

This accident may derail my workouts for a couple of days, but I won't let it ruin my before-Christmas goal of getting back down to 225 ... or lower.

As for my car...pictures to come...trust me, it doesn't look good.

VULCAAAANNN!!! The 10k, that is.

2010-11-09T19:10:00.006-06:00

When my sister and her friend Katie visited Birmingham in March, they screamed at the top of their lungs "Vulcaaannn!!!" every time we saw The God of Metal's steel bottom from various vantage points around Magic City.

So, when I told Karen I was running the Vulcan 10k last weekend, she suggested I sound their battle cry every time I wanted to quit, or every time I felt any pain, during the 6.2 mile run.

Before the race

Game faces for Summer and I

Well, it worked. Around mile 3, my thighs were just killing me. I don't know if it was because I'd reached the hillier part of the course, or because of the 30-ish degree weather, but my thighs were just tight. So I yelled "Vulcaaannn!!" and kept on going.

When I reached 20th Ave., I looked up at the statue and cheered loudly, just as my left calf and hamstring started to cramp up. Right then I passed my BF and Summer's BF. Their cheers and smiles made me smile, and pushed me on.

Before I knew it, I had completed my first 10k.

6.2 miles. Done!

It was such a great feeling! I actually teared up after crossing the finish line because I just kept thinking, "Wow, at this time last year I could barely run a mile, much less 6.2!"

Now, granted, I did walk a little. Particularly when I got to the incline near the golf course off Highland. But I finished in 1 hour and 20 minutes — and all I wanted was to finish in 1 hour and 30 minutes. So I'm happy with my 13-minute miles. I'm just happy with my fitness level overall! It's getting better with each race. How can I ask for more?!

After, Summer and I celebrated with some free Powerade Zero (me) and beer (her), followed by the Pancake House with our boyfriends. Pecan pancakes and bacon: Get in my belly! Check out Summer's blog for more pics.

As for me, my 2010 running season is over and I'm already thinking about 2011. What's up first? The Red Nose Run on January 8, maybe? Anybody wanna run with me?

Just let me lace up my sneakers...I'm ready to go!

Aunt Flo Blues

2010-11-09T09:15:00.001-06:00

Counting calories during the days before you get your period sucks.

That is all.

Work it: November

2010-11-05T14:29:00.002-05:00

I'm a list maker. I love to make lists for nearly everything: what needs to get done at work, grocery shopping, what errands I need to run, what I'm going to pack for a trip, etc.

I make lists in my head all the time for goals I'd like to reach too, but I rarely write them down. I think writing them down makes me feel like they have to happen. And leaves me feeling guilty if they don't.

Well, it's time to change that attitude. I have some goals for this month, and I want to get started off on the right foot. So here goes!

Continue working on losing the extra pounds put on from too much wedding/birthday celebrating.
I've never done a "weekly weigh-in" post on this blog, but I'm going to, starting now. I think it will help keep me motivated. I'm down from 230 to 228 (yay!), but I want to get back to 225 before December. And, really, I'd like to hit 220 before the end of the year.

Date: 11/5/10
Weight: 228
Weekly change: -2
Starting weight: 275

So, there you have it. Let the weekly weigh-ins begin! And, to make that end-of-the-year goal happen, here are my workout plans:

1. Run twice a week. I'm nearing what I'd consider the end of my 2010 running season (the 10k is tomorrow!), but I really want to gear up for spring by continuing to increase my mileage. So, I'm aiming for one 4-mile run each week, plus a long run, like 6 miles or more.

2. Go to Zumba or Crunk Fitness 2-3 times a week. This is my favorite kind of cardio — dancing! I'm sure I'll throw in days of just elliptical training too, but besides running, dancing is my favorite way to work out.

3. Do 3 days of strength training per week. This is huge for me. I usually do it once, if I'm lucky. But this week I've hit the weights, particularly for my upper body and thighs, and I feel awesome! Throwing some core work in there will be key.

As for the eating part of this equation, that brings me to my second set of goals.

Bring down the calorie intake!
I've been tripping up a lot here lately. I was sticking to 1,500-1,700 calories a day. Now I'm nearing more like 1,700-1,800 ... and some days more. I want to bring that range back down again, and here's how I'm going to do it.

1. Bring my lunch! I ate out every. day. this. week. Ridiculous! From now on, I can only allow myself 1-2 lunches out each week. I have to have them in there for networking purposes, but most of the time, bringing my lunch, or simply going home for lunch, is going to be healthier. And cheaper too.

2. Spread out the contents of my meals. I tend to eat everything all at once. Then I'm left really full, instead of just satisfied. (Ah, that problem again!) I need to eat less at each meal, and save something like a piece of fruit or yogurt for a snack in between meals. It's worked for me in the past, time to bring it back into rotation.

3. Cook more on weekends. I think I've been doing a pretty good job of this lately, and I just need to do it even more. It's not that I don't like to cook on weekends, I'm just not always sure what to cook. So I will be looking for recipes. If you have suggestions, especially for someone with a BF who doesn't like too many veggies, let me know!

Finally, my last goal is about saving money.
I'm a spender; no way around that. But Christmas is around the corner so not only do I need the dinero for gifts, I'm also taking a trip home, so spending money is needed too. My goal is to set aside $20 a week from now until Christmas that is "untouchable." That is, it's saved for gifts/spending money, and I'll just have to go without that $10 bottle of lotion from Bath & Body Works or the $10 jar of Sarabeth's jam.

I know January is usually goal-making time, but why not start now? No one made it a rule that the holiday season has to be the time when all your motivation and determination goes to hell. What would you like to accomplish before 2011 gets here?

Revelations

2010-11-01T19:52:00.005-05:00

Ah, a food revelation. Usually I have them at places outside of my own home. Like the first time I had a Caesar salad at Wegman's, or eating a chocolate chip cookie at Outtakes in Homewood.

But recently, I've had two food revelations in my very own kitchen!

The first came last week when I tried a variation of Rachel's Butternut Squash Pizza. I invited my friends Summer and Reagan to try out the recipe, and they came armed with ricotta, basil, and thyme (and dill for the green beans we served on the side).

First we spread the pizza dough (courtesy of the pizza counter at Whole Foods) on a pan over a little olive oil and cornmeal. Then we dabbed a little olive oil on top and pre-cooked it a bit. Next we spread out the ricotta, some minced garlic (I'd just use as much as you'd like!), caramelized onions, thawed butternut squash (I used the frozen kind for ease!), and a sprinkle of the herbs.

Delish! Great teamwork, don't you think? See Summer's blog for more photos.

I only have this pre-cooked one.

The reason this pizza was such a revelation for me is because I've never made homemade pizza that didn't have two things: tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. It was fun to make something different and realize that it could be just as tasty!

And speaking of trying something different, tonight I tried to lighten up my go-to weeknight meal. I love throwing together a little whole wheat pasta, some spinach (and pretty much any veggie I have on hand), beans of some sort and sprinkle on a little taco seasoning and cheese. Tex-Mex Pasta, if you will.

Well, tonight I made Pumpkin Tex-Mex Pasta. Yup!

I combined the following:

1/2 c. pumpkin

1/2 c. black beans (rinsed and drained)

2 c. of spinach (it cooks down so much!)

1/2 packet of taco seasoning

2/3 c. whole wheat pasta (cooked until al dente)

It was fabulous! I didn't miss the cheese at all! I didn't really taste the pumpkin, but the hint of it was there. I think this would taste even better with some onion and red pepper.

I'm planning to stock up on pumpkin now, while it's so easy to find in stores!

Have you tried any foods lately that made you say "Wow!" What other substitutes do you like to make to change up ordinary foods or lower calories/fat?

Caliente!

2010-11-01T11:49:00.005-05:00

I'm a red-head!

This post is coming a bit late for those who know me well, but I had to write about going red because it's something I've wanted to do for a long time.

I don't know what it is about red-heads...

The fabulously voluptuous Christina Hendricks (I admit, I totally have a crush on her)

The funny Amy Adams

The adorable Isla Fisher

And me!

A little darker red than the others, but I'm loving it.

If you could dye your hair any color, what would it be? Any other beauty "shocker" that you'd love to try but are nervous to?

Mix it up!!

2010-10-20T21:03:00.006-05:00

A couple months ago at my sister's shower, she opened these fun, colorful mixing bowls from Crate & Barrel.

Well, I decided that I had to have them too, whether I was getting married or not.

Behold, the cutest mixing bowls ever!

Thanks for the birthday present, Mom and Dad!

The first thing I plan to make in these bowls? Rachel's Sexy Biscuits and Gravy. I've never made handmade biscuits, or sausage gravy, but her recipe seems fairly simple.

What kitchen gadgets do you have to have? Where do you like to shop for kitchen accessories?

Women Warriors!!

2010-10-18T21:22:00.007-05:00

Thanks to my friend Rahkia, I conquered something big this weekend.

I went zip-lining!

We travelled to Historic Banning Mills in Georgia for the Canopy Tour, which consisted of a series of zip-lines and suspension bridges.

Let me tell you, I've never felt such crazy adrenaline, or shook from fear so much, as I did last Saturday! But it was so worth it.

You see, about a year ago, when I still worked at Southern Living magazine, some co-workers took on this challenge for a story. I thought it sounded like such a cool adventure. But, at the time, I weighed too much to join in.

The weight requirement for women is under 250. I was at 275. Well, now at about 225, I decided the weekend of my 31st birthday would be the perfect time to celebrate by taking on the zip-line!

I will admit, I didn't finish the whole course. After 10 zip lines, including one that was 1,000 feet long and 20 stories high, I chickened out at the wire bridge. It was a bridge. Made of wire. With two wires to hold onto. Now, for some reason, my brain could not get past this fact and remember that I was attached by a harness, a harness that carried me 1,000 feet through the air, over tree tops and a stream, and did not let me fall. It was something about scooting along a wire with what seemed to be my two huge feet. I just couldn't do it. Thankfully, I have a very supportive friend who decided she didn't need to go any farther either.

Can you see that structure waaaay up there? That's where we leapt from!

This was a ground landing, right near the guide, who was waiting to help catch us.

Nevertheless, the zip-lining was stellar. Absolutely worth the nerves and the fear. Try it sometime!!

What scary thing have you conquered recently? What other adventures are on your "Bucket List?"

Grampa's Chili

2010-10-18T21:06:00.006-05:00

My favorite chili recipe is super-simple, and super-tasty and it come from one of my favorite people in the world, my Grampa Sage. He is funny, supportive, and extremely intelligent. Almost intimidatingly so. But he can talk to you about almost any subject. And listen closely. Trust me, you'll learn something.

Grampa's Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cans diced tomatoes (I use the kind with Zesty Chiles)

1 can kidney beans (I use another can of black beans as well, both with low sodium)

1 bell pepper (any color)

1 clove garlic (I use 2-3, or a little garlic salt if I don't have fresh garlic)

1 tbsp. chili powder (I use 2 tbsp. because I like it spicier)

1 tsp. cumin

Brown the lean ground beef with the chopped onion. Add in remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 1 hour. Or, put the beef, onion, and remaining ingredients in a crockpot and simmer on low for as long as you need.

I did this for Summer's Chili and Pumpkin Carving Party recently and it worked out great! She made a white chicken chili that was the shizz. She also made pumpkin poblano muffins, which she should post the recipe for soon!

Mmm...pumpkiny, spicy goodness.

Happy Fall!!

The Wedding

2010-10-18T20:53:00.008-05:00

Well, it's been a week since my sister got married, and I still can't believe how beautiful it was!

Her wedding was in Newport, Rhode Island, on 10-10-10.

Here's a few snapshots:

The beautiful bride in her bridal suite, prior to the ceremony.

Walking down the aisle with our dad.

My favorite color! Luckily, it's my sister's too. I loved the sashes

and she had a flower pin with feathers made to hold the sash

on the dress. My hair was pretty awesome too—small bump,

then curled and gathered low and to the side. The hairdresserasked me:

"How big do you want the bump?" I said, "Not as big as Snooki's."

Me and the BF, Jermaine. We had a blast!

Best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Beit!!

Satisfied, Not Stuffed

2010-10-15T10:57:00.005-05:00

I've been having a hard time, this week especially, staying within my calorie limit each day. My limit since I started this lifestyle change has been 1,700 calories a day. Usually this is fine for the weekdays, and I go outside of that a bit on the weekends.

This used to work for me, as far as the weight-loss goes. But I think something has to change. I read one of the "Biggest Loser" books on the airplane last weekend, and I found that for where my weight is now (about 230 lbs. Yes, I've gained about 5 lbs. Not sure if this is because of eating poorly while I was away for Karen's wedding last weekend (I had at least three bowls of clam chowder, birthday cake, wedding cake, chicken fingers, etc.), or because it's "that" time of the month, but hopefully those 5 lbs. will drop off soon) I should be eating 1,610 calories a day.

This Tuesday I seriously tried to stick to that limit. And I failed. And I failed on Wednesday and Thursday. Now, I didn't go above 2,000 calories on any of those days. But that's just not good enough if I'm still trying to drop pounds.

And I am. I'm not giving up!

So, today is the start of my birthday weekend. Tomorrow I will be climbing ladders, crossing bridges, and zip-lining in Georgia with my good friend Rahkia. God willing I don't die! haha. The rest of the weekend I don't have major exercise plans, but I think a nice long walk would be good on Sunday. As for eating, I'm not going to limit myself too much because it's my birthday. But I'm not going to go crazy either.

Monday, I will refocus. Monday I will get on my running program again: 4 miles Monday, 4 miles Tuesday, 6 miles Thursday or Friday. A little Zumba on Wednesday. Weight training on Tuesday and Thursday.

Monday I will also eat only 1,610 calories. That's it. No more "justifying!" No more "but I'm hungry!" I need to figure out the right combo of carbs, protein, fruits and veggies that keeps me satisfied, but not stuffed.

That's been my #1 downfall when it comes to this lifestyle change: Learning to eat until I'm satisfied, and not stuffed.

A lot of blogs and articles I've read talk about "intuitive eating," where you stop counting calories and you just intuitively know, "Hey, I've had enough to eat, so I'm going to stop eating." I'm not there yet. I still need to measure food and count calories. But I do need to learn to listen to my body and know when I'm hungry, thirsty, and satisfied.

How do you deal with a set back like this? What helps you register when you're satisfied?

Are you watching? "Modern Family"

2010-10-14T14:13:00.004-05:00

Last night's episode of "Modern Family" was one of the funniest I've seen. Maybe ever. This show is hysterical.
And I'm still addicted to Chris Meloni. Ahem. I mean "Law & Order: SVU."

Yum

I'm also still hooked on "Gossip Girl." Every time they show Blair with her Tiffany key necklace, I look down at the one hanging around my neck and think "I'm so much cooler than you, Blair Waldorf. I had that necklace before you did."

What are you watching this season? Any new shows that I need to plug into?