I Have Returned...

Hello all!

So because of the hurricane, I was out of commission for a few weeks.

3 weeks without power.
4 weeks without heat.
6 weeks without hot water.

It's been a shitty fall season.

And because of that, I was unfortunately thrown of my path of healthy eating. By the time life returned to normal I was knee deep in frozen pizza and bottles of wine. All my Jenny food was spoiled, and eating healthy isn't cheap. And when you're trying to conserve it's not a good option.

I didn't eat terribly, I made smarter choices when I could, but I now feel like I could have done better. I've gained 3 pounds that just don't want to go away :-/

Nevertheless, here I am ready to start anew. I plan to get serious after the holiday (since it's totally unrealistic to start now. I'd be setting myself up for failure to be honest). It's back to the gym AND back to strictly Jenny for the next 3 months. I think I'd have a little more self control back after 3 months to eat outside food.

So until then, pass the peppermint cookies and be merry ^_^

xoxo,
Shay

A look back

I loved my college homecoming. It gave me a chance to see people, some who I hadn't seen since I graduated in 2008. So imagine their surprise when they saw me!!

Since I have been camera-less for a few years, I've relied on my phone and other people to supply me with pics of myself. So my friend finally put up her pics today, and there was one that stood out to me the most. It was a picture of me and my two best friends from college. These girls have been great supporters of my mission to get thin, and I truly love them for it.

The picture stood out so much because it was the way we were positioned. I look back at pictures from the past and we were almost always in the order of me in the middle and them flanking me on the sides.

Nutty, huh?

Things like this keep me motivated to continue. I'm hitting a year and a half on this new course in life and temptation has never been stronger. I eat regular food here and there but even on my worst day I don't eat as many calories as I used to rack up in a day.

It's a work in progress.

xoxo,

Shay

Tricky Labels

Lots of people ask me what I sub for my favorite foods. Some things come off the top of my head...

Chips = Carrot Sticks
Taco Bell Mexi-Melt = Fresca Chicken Soft taco
Vodka and Cranberry = White Zinfandel

But some things I have to do a little researching. Like...

Gatorade/Vitamin Water: VW offers a "zero" option, but other than tasting like shit, it has a whole lot of things other than electrolytes that can jack up your body.
Diet Soda: I was a BIG diet soda drinker, and then I found flavored seltzer water, no artificial sweeteners and it doesn't have a nasty aftertaste.
Kettle Cooked Chips: Just because the name is different from the others, doesn't mean it still isn't cooked in oil...go with baked.

HOWEVER
My biggest gripe this week HAS to be "Low Calorie" options at restaurants.

This past weekend was my homecoming at my alma mater Delaware State University. I had an awesome time, saw people I haven't seen in YEARS, and got to experience college as the NEW me (hint: the new me LOVES college lol). However, when it came time to eat, I looked at the menu and got pissed. I wanted something different, but everything was ridiculously fattening. Someone suggested to order a salad because "they've got to be healthy".

WRONG.
WRONG. WRONG. WRONG.

Salads at these chain restaurants are a crock of shit. Seriously.

At Applebee's the Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad , regular Size with dressing is damn near 3,000 calories.
At T.G.I.Friday's (one of the worst restaurants for a dieter) the Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad is almost 2,000 calories.
and there's more where that came from.

My advice would be to look up the calories BEFORE you order, so you don't make a lethal mistake. I prefer my salads to be 350 calories or less, but that's a little extreme for some. 500 is my absolute limit, and that includes dressing and whatnot.
oh, here I am at homecoming...

xoxo,
Shay

Life Post-Wedding

So it's happened. My BFF is officially and blissfully married, and life is going back to normal, whatever that is lol.

This whole journey to the new me started partially because of this event, so I felt a comparison was needed.

Me and BFF at her Engagement dinner, May 2012

Me and Mrs. BFF at the wedding

WOWZERS ^_^

I've maintained the same weight for the past 3 months, now I'm going to attempt to reach goal by homecoming, which is in 3 weeks. can I do it?? Hopefully without killing myself in the process lol.

Layta peeps!
Shay

No Time For Life

Soooo I haven't been on here for a minute, life has gotten seriously hectic in the last few weeks. My BFF's wedding is coming up, so it's been crunch time for last minute things, fittings, shopping, etc..

*inhaling*

Plus, tomorrow school officially starts at my job, the scholars will be there bright and early in the morning, and I've been doing pre service for the past 2 weeks. Lots of changes happened at work over the summer; new staff members, new building (meaning lots and LOTS of unpacking and dust *achoo!*), and stupid summer mosquitoes *ouch*.

*exhaling*

So it goes without saying that I'm a busy bee. That does NOT mean that I'm abandoning the blog. I love this blog with all my heart, it's my baby and from what I've been told it inspires a lot of people (I love you guys!!).

I'm going to keep updating when I can this month, it looks like I will be able to get a steady rhythm again after the wedding on the 21st. SPEAKING OF WHICH my dress had to be taken down 3 sizes and hemmed up A LOT. It looks good though, can't wait to be FABULOUS on my friends big day.

Hopefully around that time I could revamp the page a little. Any thoughts?

xoxo
Shay

Adios Miami!

Soooo the Miami trip came and went.

I. Had. A BLAST!

Totally good time, but totally BAD for my eating. I had all the wrong stuff, french fries, loaded nachos, and sugery drinks (alcoholic of course). DAMAGE was done, and I gained 2 pounds from it.

Putting that behind me....now.

So moving on, I am hitting the gym running, literally, this week. I'm thinking of incorporating my 15 minute/1.5 mile run into my daily routine. Since I live blocks away from the boardwalk, I might be able to pull that off in the mornings. Anything to get rid of these last few pounds (12, but who's counting??).

I made it a point to get at least ONE picture to compare fully to my last trip to South Beach. And OF COURSE I picked the Versace House pic.

Ready?

Here it comes!

February 2011

August 2012

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!

So this is what my work has paid off too, and I'm SOOOO incredibly glad I did it!

2 Days Till Miami

So in preparation for THE trip (finally) to saucy Miami, I decided to look back at my last visit to paradise. I have to say that my smiles looked forced, and I was clearly unhappy in quite a few of them.

That all changes this time.

I can't wait to get there, and I really can't wait to get back and post pictures for you all! Got my hair ready, and even with that I can see a difference in my demeanor.

ADIOS AMIGOS! I'LL CATCH YOU WHEN I GET BACK!!

Boot Camp - Week #1

This week I intended to go to the gym for 5 straight days.

I know, wishful thinking, right?

Right.

I was good for the first 3 days; on Monday and Wednesday I did an hour on the elliptical (burning over 600 cal), my weight routine, and a dance class (which burns around 500 cal per class!). On Tuesday I ran for 15 minutes and did 30 minutes on the elliptical as well as my weight routine.

By the time I got home on Wednesday, I almost passed out...twice.

Needless to say, I probably overdid it a little bit. So I decided to abort the boot camp mission for the rest of the week :-(

Good news is I weighed myself (bad girl!) and I seem to have lost a few pounds, so the plan works, but maybe I need to cut some time out of my elliptical usage on day I have class.

Side Note: OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY TONIGHT!!!! Will be tuned in at 7:30 with healthy snacks on standby. EXCITED!!!

Miami Boot Camp

So July is passing by without much fanfare. I've pretty much flatlined with losing weight, I've been the same all month (not that theres anything wrong with that), but I have been losing inches and tightening up (good things!!).

The week of 4th of July wasn't that bad. I ate without overdoing it, and I even went to the gym on the 4th to at least start the day off right. I ate regular food and didn't blow up like I thought I would. It's just a matter of control, portion control and self control.

So as of last thursday I had 3 weeks till Miami, and I decided that I would go to the gym every weekday until then. I went the next day, I went yesterday, and I'm about to leave in a few to go today. I'm not doing a whole lot, just an hour on the elliptical, some mild weight training, and depending on the day, a dance class (only Mondays and Wednesdays).

I'm also trying to stick to solely Jenny foods for the next 2 weeks, hopefully that will assist in shedding a couple more pounds before the trip. I'm also abstaining from alcohol for that long as well. That way my tolerance will be lower and I won't need to drink so much get the desired effect (that sounds soo bad but it's the truth).

Looking forward to this weekend, I'm FINALLY going swimsuit shopping!!

CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

so heres a little something i worked on the other day. i wanted to make something that showed my progress in one fell swoop. i want to try to incorporate this into the layout of the blog somehow, but i don't feel like giving my brain that kind of workout right now lol. click the pic to make it bigger!

BBQ Time!

Finally, after a month of teetering back and forth, I've finally landed on the 11lb till goal mark. I'm super excited, and even more determined to get back into the swing of things.

With officially 39 days until Miami, I need to step it up at the gym to get South Beach ready. I'm comfortable in a bathing suit now, but I want tone up a little more to really show off when I get there ;-) Since I have literally nothing to do during the day, the plan is to visit the gym everyday (hopefully this works out).

The big obstacle looming ahead is 4th of July and all the hooplah that goes with it, a.k.a. barbecues. I have BBQs on the 4th, the 7th (that saturday) and two BFF birthdays (the 9th and 21st). The actual 4th is slated to be really low-key since it's a wednesday, so Memorial Day weekend kind of laid the foundation for BBQ behavior for me. It's just those other days that might throw me for a loop.

Gah! How ever will I behave?? I just need to dig around my brain and find that monk-like self control I used to have and wear it as a crown (or mind controlling device).

Side note: it's flippin HOT outside! Stay cool peeps!

June - Busy City

So it's been a minute since I've posted, my sincerest apologies!

Life has gotten busier and busier as time passes on. The closer I get to this wedding and the summer, my dance card has gotten full to the point where I'm booked solid for a while. One thing I'd forgotten about the summer was ALL the BIRTHDAYS that I'd celebrate with my friends...literally one weekend after the other after the other and so on!

Fun times, but a little hectic, and something I'm definitely not used to.

Since I work in a school, I get summers off, but as the year is closing out, so is the packing and prepping for the move to our new building. Busy busy times.

However, once I get off (tomorrow is my last day till the end of August), I will be beaching it up (FINALLY), or sweating up a storm at the gym.

Shay's Summer:

This month was also a month of new photos! Here's an update of moi as of now. I haven't lost anything in 3 weeks, so I'm still down 108lbs, something that I'm still proud about, and have no issues with whatsoever. I'm going to work hard to lose these last 12 lbs, and I know I'll get there before September with the right motivation!

Memorial Day Weekend

Sooo I lost 3.5 pounds this week (thank GOD), so I lost the 2 pounds I gained and then a pound and a half (yayyyyy)!

So this weekend I made it a point to hit the beach, and this was the first time in YEARS that I have ever felt comfortable wearing a bathing suit AND short shorts. OMGGGGGGG!

sooo I took a picture of me with the bathing suit rolled up a little. DEFINITELY a big difference from the last time I wore one...

I'm still not ready for a bikini, but the progress is there! So for now its tankini time while I go to these abdominal classes at the gym. It's CRUNCH time for reals lol!

The rest of the weekend was pretty good, I drank, I ate, and I was still conscious about it. I don't think I did too much damage, and if I did create a dent, it won't be there for long :-)

Mother Nature Sucks Sometimes.

So the last two weeks have been kind of rough for me. It's had it's good points and it's bad points, but I've made it through.

(Sorry to my male readers)

I needed lots of THIS

Mother Nature has wreaked havoc on my body, and it did not result well on the scale, I gained 2 pounds last weigh in. Granted, I went the day AFTER my usual weigh in day, and I drank lots and lots of beer the day before (who goes to a Yankee game and doesn't drink? No one.)

Plus, my crimson wave was irregular, but it always was because of my weight. Now because of the loss it's regulating again. It's been really crazy, and although it finally came (thank GOD) it caused a lot of stress and worry for nothing.

For some reason, my body was (to put it nicely) blocked up. I've never had a harder time trying to use the bathroom ever. I can blame that on the crimson wave, because now that it's here, I'm good again.

Work has been really tense, stressful, and hectic. Never a good thing.

And to top that all off, my grandfather is really sick and in the hospital's ICU wing, over 1,000 miles away in Memphis, TN.

Life sucks.

But I do have high hopes for this week, since my body has decided to act right. I've got my fingers, toes, legs and arms crossed that I have a drop. If not, I'm going to go apeshit crazy.

Happy Mother's Day!!

My mom rocks.

Period.

She's been my #1 cheerleader for this lifestyle change I decided to take on exactly 12 months ago today.

Mom and Shay 2010

Everytime things got hard, she's be there to help keep me on the right path. I can't say enough how much she means to me. So this was just a little post to tell the world how my I love my mom!

Mom and Shay 2012

Battlefield Brain

First order of business, I weighed in today, lost 1.2 lbs. Yayy!

Me and my dirty UGGs lol

So, funny story about that shirt in the picture. You kinda can't tell from my pose, but it actually had small slits on the side at the hem, so my hips were exposed if I lifted my arms a little. 

Not my usual choice for my wardrobe.

But yesterday I went shopping with my friend. Well, she was shopping and I was looking. She came across this shirt and told me I had to try it on. I did, and I figured it would be great to wear on my Miami trip in August. 

She said "No, you can wear it now".

I brushed it off, because I just knew it wasn't true. I mean, I've lost 106 lbs, but I still have a long road ahead, right?

Wrong.

I ended up having to wear it because I was in a bind. I wasn't home, and all of my clothes that I packed were too hot for the BEAUTIFUL day outside. So I figured I'd wear it until I got home...but then I realized how good I did look in it. It took some getting used to having skin like that out, but by the end of the day I was more than comfortable in it.

Lately it's been a battle in my brain between the That Girl and Skinny Shay.

 VS

 That Girl tells me that I'm not fit enough to wear something like that. I should cover all areas, especially in the middle, since that's one of the biggest parts of me right now.

Skinny Shay tells me to rock the shit out of this shirt. She says I've worked too damn hard to not show a little skin. Sure, theres some jiggle left, but it's not a fully cropped top. Only the sides are exposed, and as far as she's concern, those parts are ready now.

That Girl says that no matter what I do, that jiggle will always be there, so to look for a bigger size, then it might be better.

Skinny Shay says the bigger size will look like a friggin tent on me, and to stop getting clothes that will be baggy on me to hide my shape. She says that at this point, I don't have too much to hide.

....and so on and so forth.

My head is a warzone, and it takes others to tell me to snap out of it, that I'm no longer That Girl, but Skinny Shay all the way.

Snack Attacks

I've been a busy bee these past few weeks.

Apparently I'm still adjusting to this new social lifestyle that I have. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I feel like I've been given a second change to enjoy life. The world is a completely different place to me now; more doors of opportunity are open and I'm jumping through with both feet!

So because of this I've been partying/hanging out a lot lately, and that's cool. The only down side to that is that when people party/hang, they might drink. And after a night of drinking, they tend to snack too. And let me tell you, it's hard to eat healthy when all of your friends want to eat nothing but high calorie goodness around you.

People say that I have the will power of a monk. I laugh, but it's kind of true and it shocks me because before I had NO will power whatsoever. And in times like these, will power is key because I have to try my best to make a good choice that I won't cry about. Because dammit I want a snack too!!

So my plan of action is to find something really low in calories. If we're at a deli, I'd look for:

• Sugar Free Jello cups
• Pop Chips/Corners
• Nature Valley Bars
• any '100 calorie' snack packs
• Clif mini bars (only 100 cals!)
• Kellogg Fruit Crisps (taste like pop tarts!!)
• Skinny Cow wafer bars
• Light yogurt (I love Chobani's Nonfat with fruit on the bottom, but Fage is good too!!)
• Mini rice cakes (like the ones from Quaker, yumm-o)

Or if I were out roaming the streets, off the top of my head I'd look for:

• Starbucks: a Grande Light Coffee Frap with nonfat milk, sugar free flavoring, and no whip is 110 cals
• McDonalds: a plain Vanilla Cone is around 150 cals
• Baskin Robbins: child size cup with one 2.5oz scoop of their BRight Choices Frozen Yogurt  is between 90-150 cals

The underlying theme is to find something low in calories, no more than 150 to calm the monster. The best thing to do is Jello, it's so low in calories (only 10 cals!!) so it's pretty harmless!

The more I think about this list, the more I'll add. Then I'll probably add them to the 'Eating Out' tab. Any suggestions out there?

And in other news, I'm an Auntie (again!!)! Here's the new love of my life:

Shooting past 100!!!!

I DID IT! OH MY GOD! SDAFDKDAJFLKJGFAKL;JGDKLFGJA!!!!!!!!!

I LOST 103 POUNDS

HOLY CRAPOLI!!!!

I seriously made a spectacle of myself today at the Jenny center. When I went to consult with Michelle, I told her that I just KNEW this week was going to be the one. She didn't waste time and we practically sprinted down the hall. When I stepped on the scale and saw the number, the world

just

stopped.
.
.
.

I was waiting for the number to go up. It didn't.
I was wondering if it was reading it right. I was.
I turned around to look at Michelle. She wasn't there.
She ran back to her office to calculate the total.

I ran from the scale to my grandmother, shaking and screaming. Somehow she knew what I was trying to say, and freaked out along with me.

Then Laura, the director of the center ran out, hugged me, and pulled out her camera to take pictures of me. My grandmother tried, but I couldn't sit still, and neither could she.

the result

Luckily Laura was able to snap a few, sans blur. I was a mess, I was trying not to cry or scream (anymore), and the other people that were waiting were looking either in shock, awe, or amusement and my display.

Didn't bother me, because I LOST OVER 100 POUNDS!!!

All the consultants and workers came out and gave me hugs, and Laura gave me a card and balloon (too cute!!).

I called my BFF and she called me a skinny bitch (hehe I love her).

GOD this feels good, I am running on pure adrenaline today, and I'm LOVING IT!

Me and my 'Congratulations' balloon...in the Jenny parking lot

Stay Tuned...

So I cheated and snuck a peek at the scale yesterday instead of waiting till Saturday like I always do. I'm trying not to get excited because all that can change within a matter of three days, so I'll save my would be celebratory post for then.

Keep your fingers crossed guys!!

Happy Easter!

Aaaah Easter.

Easter used to mean eggs, eggs EGGS for me; deviled eggs, hardboiled and colored eggs, chocolate eggs, chocolate AND peanut butter eggs (DAMN YOU REESE'S!!), chocolate bunnies, peeps (oh lord, PEEPS!) and more.

Me, circa 2010

simply put, it meant junk food and a shitload of calories.

so this year I was prepared for a battle, and i'm SO glad I was. 

these damned things were EVERYWHERE, at work, at home, at CHURCH, geez I was ready to scream! luckily, I made it through unscathed, and I was able to have Easter dinner without stuffing myself with ham and mac & cheese. I had a little, but not enough to do real damage.

to be honest, I still feel guilty about eating things that are homemade. they may not be off program, but i can't look on the back of a piece of ham for it's nutritional facts, and that scares me. my only solution to that is to just eat in moderation, which I did. 

so to ease my guilt, I plan on doing some Just Dance tonight, and tomorrow i'm going bright and early to the gym since I'm off all week. I cannot stay in the house on my ass the entire break...no matter how much I want to...

Me going to church this morning

Yo Quiero MAS Quesadillas!

We all should know by now how much I love quesadillas. It's almost illegal and immoral how much I love them. So I got the strongest craving for some last week, and I mean really strong. My mind wouldn't let me rest, so I scoured the internet for a decent recipe.

I was NOT disappointed.

Thanks to Pinterest, I found a whole slew of recipes. However it was once again my girl Hungry Girl who saved the day. And the best part of all, it's BEEFY and CHEESY! You can't go wrong with that! This weekend, I plan on eating the delicious recipe I found :-)

HG's Beefy Cheesy Quesadillas

*drool*

Calling all Mexican-food fanatics! We've got a gooey, crispy, two-cheese beefy quesadilla for you. And it's UNDER 200 CALORIES!!! Not coincidentally, our new book, Hungry Girl 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories, is in stores TODAY! Consider this recipe (straight from its pages!) a sneak "chew" of what's inside...

Ingredients:
1 large La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber tortilla
1/3 cup frozen ground-beef-style soy crumbles (like the ones by Boca andMorningstar Farms)
1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
One-half wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
1 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
1/2 tbsp. chopped scallions
1/4 tsp. dry taco seasoning mix
Optional: additional fat-free sour cream, for dipping

Directions:
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine soy crumbles, cheddar cheese, scallions, sour cream, and seasoning mix, stirring thoroughly. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir again, and set aside.

Lay tortilla flat and spread cheese wedge evenly over one half.

Bring a medium-large pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat, and lay tortilla in it with the cheesy side up. Cook for about 30 seconds. Top the cheesy tortilla half with soy crumble mixture.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the plain tortilla half over the other half, pressing down with the spatula to seal. Cook for about 1 minute, until slightly toasted on the bottom.

Flip and continue to cook for about 1 minute, until both sides are toasted. Remove from heat and cut into four triangles. Serve with sour cream for dipping, if you like. Enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: entire quesadilla
Calories: 196
Fat: 5g
Sodium: 931mg
Carbs: 25g
Fiber: 13.5g
Sugars: 2.5g
Protein: 25.5g

PointsPlus® value 5*

New Recipes Tab/Page

I've decided to make a page for all the neato recipes I find. Right now my main source is Hungry Girl (LOVE THAT BIOTCH!) but as time goes on I know I'll have a few more different sources (thanks to my obsession with Pintrest and FitSugar)

I Needza some Pizza!

Lately it seems like everywhere I turn, pizza is in my face. At work, at home, after a night of hanging out with my friends...EVERYWHERE. And it sucks because I can't have any.

So I went to Hungry Girl and searched for the perfect substitute to cure my pizza cravings. She had some good recipes, but this one takes the cake-- erm, pie. Pizza pie, that is. Here is the perfect swap for Sausage Pizza!

HG's Sausage Topped Pizza Swap

yumm-o

Ingredients:
1 frozen meatless or turkey sausage patty with about 80 calories (like the kind by Morningstar Farms or Jimmy Dean)
2 tbsp. diced bell pepper
2 tbsp. diced onion
1 stick light string cheese
1 whole-wheat or high-fiber pita with about 125 calories
2 tbsp. jarred pizza sauce
Optional toppings: garlic powder, red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set aside.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat on the stove. Add sausage patty and cook for 4 minutes.

Flip sausage patty and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Add veggies to the skillet with the sausage and cook for about 2 minutes, until sausage is hot and cooked through and veggies have slightly softened and lightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

Break string cheese into thirds and place in a blender or food processor -- blend at high speed until shredded/grated. (Or tear into pieces and roughly chop.) Set aside.

Place pita on the baking sheet. Evenly spread pizza sauce onto the pita, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Sprinkle cheese over the sauce and set aside.

Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop sausage patty. Sprinkle chopped sausage and veggies over the cheese.

Bake in the oven until hot and toasty, 10 - 12 minutes.

If you like, season to taste with garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or your guilt-free pizza toppings of choice. Enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: entire recipe
Calories: 290
Fat: 8g
Sodium: 834mg
Carbs: 33g
Fiber: 7g
Sugars: 3g
Protein: 19g

PointsPlus® value 7*

Honing in on the big 1-0-0

After last weeks depressing weigh in (I gained .6oz), I had a mini freak out. All I could think about was becoming that girl again...irrational, I know. But during my 10 month journey, I have had no gains, and only remained the same maybe 2 or 3 times.


Gaining is new territory for me, and I don't like it.


My consultant, Michelle, told me to snap out of it and to calm down, because I was still down 90+ pounds and this wasn't a big deal. The rational 'me' would have calmed down, and taken it for what it was and planned my week accordingly from there.


But that 'me' was not available. All I had was a psycho obsessive 'me' that couldn't let go of the fact that I had gained.


It may be a little gain now, but more little gains would equal a BIG gain, and then you'll become THAT GIRL again!

The Future?

I couldn't stop thinking about it. It wasn't until I looked in my progress photos a few hours later where I got my rationality and determination back. And after that, I planned my week like I always do.


I resisted temptation all week.
I stuck to my calorie goals.
I drank my water.
I went to the gym twice.


And when weigh in time came, I let out a scream!

-5.8 lbs

I had lost 5.8 pounds. I FLIPPED OUT! I could NOT believe it, and even now, 24 hours later, it's STILL sinking in. I hadn't had a drop like that since the first few months of my diet.   and that means that i'm officially at 

97 pounds lost!

I'm closing in on 100 pounds down, and I can't wait until I kick the door down on that number!

Now I know that a big drop was expected with the calorie change and gym activity that a drop would happen, but I still had my doubts. Hell, the week of the dreaded gain I did the same stuff, and look what happened. But lo and behold, I have officially entered the 180's. I'm waving 190's goodbye, never to be seen again!

In honor of saying goodbye, here's a song from Madonna!

Plateauville Resident

So it's happened, I've entered "Plateauville, Population, 1".

I can't say that I'm surprised, because I'm not. My progress has slowly, slowly been decreasing, and even though I went to the gym last week, changes like that initially cause either a pause or gain anyway. So I've got to keep my head held high and facing the future.

My consultant, Michelle, realized that I should have gotten my calories dropped from 1500 to 1200 a while ago, and that maybe that's the cause for the plateau. I hope she's right, because I have no intentions on staying in the 190's...or the 180's...or even the 170's.

Day two with 300 less calories is a little hard, I feel like a crackhead because I want to eat something, but I don't know what, and worst of all, I probably can't.

SO luckily I recieved a pick-me-up from my BFF today. She sent me a picture from her birthday last year and told me to just look at it. I opened it and, excuse my language, but my fucking jaw DROPPED into my lap.

WTAF????

I have to honestly say that I don't remember looking like this in these pictures. I keep telling myself that if I did, I'd have done something about it then and there. But as I scrolled through the pictures of the past, I have concluded that I must have been wearing some slimming glasses or something, because they all look like this.

I wanted to cry.

But before I did, I realized that although it's shocking to look at me in my former body, I have to find comfort in the fact that I am no longer that person, and I will try my damndest to not be her ever again.

Marching to the Gym

Soo I feel that I have begun to plateau. I'm having small losses, which is great, but I want bigger drops to secure my size for the summer. I want to be a solid 12 by August, so I have to get my ass to the gym!!

I decided to get serious the other day and signed up for one. I have my schedule all planned out so I'll be doing Zumba classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays, Dance Fusion and Butt/Abs Blast classes on Wednesday, and Cycling on Thursdays. Fridays I'll do yoga at home, and Sundays I'll veg out. Before each class, I'll do the treadmill or elliptical for 45 minutes to get my heart going, and a little extra cardio.

OO picture update! This is me at a banquet I volunteered for last week.

Weigh In Update

Went to weigh in today, lost 1.6lbs this week for a total of

93lbs down!!!

I'm honing in on 100lbs lost, and I'm so damn psyched to reach that! Words can't describe how it feels to get this far in my journey. Really. Whenever I try, I end up rambling and sounding like an ass.

All I can say is that this is the first time in over a decade where I'm 100% happy with myself and my appearance, and I can't wait for the warm weather! I'm wearing cute shorts, cute dresses, bathing suits, you name it!

Yea, I totally plan on wearing this in Miami in August :-)

Being overweight for the majority of my life took the pleasure out of a lot of things for me, and I have made it my mission to get that back this year, and the following years to come.

The Not-So-Dreaded Fitting

So this past weekend, my BFF/Bride-to-be scheduled a search/fitting for all the bridesmaid dresses.

I know, time flies right?

So around mid summer last year we were in a bridal boutique looking for her dress, and we saw that they also happened to have bridesmaid dresses. So she wanted me to try some on just to get a feel of what she wanted for us. The sizes went all the way up to 16 (I was a nice 18 at that time), so most dresses couldn't even get up my thighs, let alone zip up. So we decided to save the try-ons for a few months later, which brings us to the present.

We all (the Bride, Bridesmaids, and Myself) saw this movie together lol

Now out of all the bridesmaids (theres 5 of us) only 2 people, myself included, are thick women. I'm the thickest. SO even though I've lost so much, I initially feared that it wouldn't be enough, and nothing would look good on me. Again.

Well I was wrong.

Once we started trying dresses on, I was giddy as hell inside when I realized that the dresses could go all the way up and partially zip up. Made my day :-)

In the end we picked our dresses (can't wait to wear them for the big day!) and we ALL look fab in them. Of course my dress is a little different because I'm the MOH (maid of honor) and my BBF bride wants me to stand out. In the past I would have hated to be the one to stand out, but for the first time in a long time it's something that I'm excited about.

My First Video!!

Ok, so it's a little long, and I was one glass of wine in....but you get the point ;-)

Here's me on my take on the Jenny Craig program so far!!

A Whole New World

So weighed in yesterday, lost 1lb! Yayyyy!!!

This weekend was a very full one for me. It's been like that a lot lately and I'm still trying to get a hold on the fact that my life is 100% completely different than it was a year ago.

Me in front of Gianni Versace's house, February 2011

Last February, my friends and I went on a cruise to the Bahamas. I had fun, but I wasn't 100% happy the entire time. I was uncomfortable in my bathing suit, and my legs got chaffed from walking. Midway through the trip I didn't want to do anything but stay in my room and eat my anger away. I actually did that the 3rd night there.

Sad, I know.

That trip was in the middle of a time period where I was pretty much unhappy with myself. I simply didn't want to go out in public anymore, and I rarely did for things other than work. Only when my friends would drag me out would I present myself, this trip included.

Fast forward 12 months.....

I was talking with my Jenny consultant Michelle, and I told her how I feel like I've been reborn and given a second chance at enjoying the life I was given. I am doing and experiencing things I either wouldn't or couldn't in the past because of my size and/or self esteem.

I go out almost every weekend. I dance, drink a little, and have a good time. I truly enjoy myself and whoever I'm with. And the time I spend worrying about how I look has dropped 1000%. I'm just confident that I look good and that's that.

I'm just seeing the world through a whole new pair of eyes, you know? I was never really into dating in the past (I could count all my boyfriends on one hand), and now I'm going on dates, meeting new people, and it's fun.

I've never had a Valentine before, so I wonder if that'll change this year (it's in two days, I kinda doubt it lol).

Looking Back

Every now and then I feel tempted to eat something not program appropriate. I'm only human. This past sunday was no exception.

Now every Super Bowl Sunday (SBS) for the last few years, my family and I go to Dave and Busters because my mom enters into a pool, they rent out the billiards section and provide free food and drinks. THey also have their own cash bar, which is also nice. I've loved SBS for the last few years because of this....

...and I dreaded it this year because of it.

I initially planned on sneaking some Jenny approved food in, but then changed my mind because I figured it wasn't that serious. I could probably do what I did on the major holidays and make a small plate of everything. But then I realized what I'd be making a small plate of:

pizza bites
chicken tenders
mini BBQ ribs
hot wings
nachos

None of these things were good options, except maybe for the wings because they weren't breaded. SO I was essentially stuck with these options, unless I ordered from the D & B menu, which isn't better either. I chose to have 3 hot wings, a mini rib, and a pizza bite. and felt like crap afterwards.

Luckily for me I didn't eat my jenny snack just in case something like this came up, that way I didn't just demolish my calorie count. I'm sure I went over (I also had 2 Bud Lights), but I've been trying to counteract it all week by staying on top of my water and exercise.

So in times like these I like to look back in my old pictures to get a boost of motivation and a reminder of why I need to stick to the program and stay the course. This morning I put on a shirt that I haven't worn for a while. I remembered I had a picture with this shirt in my laptop and decided to take a trip down memory lane...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand now I'm back on track lol. I wish I could show you guys this staff picture I took with this shirt. The camera guy stuck me dead center and facing front. I was a big cheetah print space in the middle of all these people...I hated that picture. Now I can wear this shirt as a dress with some leggings.

I feel better now.

Weigh In Saturday - FINALLY!

Sooo I am officially 

UNDER 200 POUNDS!!!!

Yayyyyyyy!

I mean, I just made it, but it's there! And it's not going back up (I hope)! I haven't been this weight since Junior High, so it's a surreal time for me right now. I'm also glad that my birthday celebrations didn't have me tipping the scale the other direction. I was so worried about that, and I spent all week trying to do the best to counteract my partying. I guzzled water like air, and I zumba-ed my ass off. Luckily my birthday comes once a year, and I don't have to go through such measures on a regular basis. 

Some of my friends' birthdays are coming up, and I'm not going as hard as I did for my birthday. I'll stick with either a glass of wine or rum/jack and diet coke, and I'll be good.

Another cool thing that happened to me was that my consultant Michelle read my blog! 

And she loved it ^_^

She loved it so much, that she forwarded it to my Jenny center's program director, who also loved it and she asked me to give them my before and after pics to be put up in the center. Yayy!!

Stay strong, fellow Foodies!

The Birthday Blitz

Soooo my birthday was pretty great. It really was one of the best birthdays I've ever had. 25 is a real milestone, and I'm so happy that I was able to bring it in HAPPY and HEALTHY!!

The day of my actual birthday, Friday (January 20th), was filled with being serenaded by 350 children. Yes, as I walked the halls, I would be stopped so the children could sing to me. It was the sweetest thing ever. The best was when my own third grade class sang to me when I walked in.

My students gave me gifts, although I'm convinced one of them is trying to sabatoge me, because for Christmas and now my birthday, she has given me a box of Russell Stouffer's chocolates...which I discreetly gave away before I could open them.

After work, I went to the bar with my co workers and had some wine. I didn't overdo it, and I had a good time. Then I went home...

Now my mom didn't have enough time to make my no harm chicken parm, so I had a Jenny dinner. Then came the cake and presents...

Making a wish...

They know me well lol

A yummy and sorta healthy bday snack

...and so I went out a little more with my co worker and had a blast.

My mom was unable to find all the ingredients for my cake, so she still made my strawberry cake, and I had a sliver of it. I didn't even finish it, but I can still say I had some. I'm glad to say that I did not fall into temptation and devour a 3 inch slice :-)

The next day was party time, and boy did I have a ball!

I have never gotten or been offered so many free drinks before, the attention I got that night was really unprecedented. I was super confident and super secure with myself enough to let go and truly enjoy myself. I hope to have more birthdays like this in the future.