Small Slice

A few weeks ago, I sat down in my doctor's office and got "the speech." I've heard it all before - the extra steps each day, taking the stairs, eating small meals, blah blah blah.

And the thing is? I do all that stuff. And yet I got the hairy eyeball when I told my doctor that I typically don't consume more than 1,500 calories a day, and while I do have the occasional hamburger or cookie, most of my meals are pretty well balanced and healthy.

He looked at my overflowing cup of a body and suggested a weight loss class. I wanted to cry.

Continue reading "The 300 Calorie Project" »

Posted by Jenny at 8:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I did my daily 4 mile walk/jog with no faltering and no excuses for the last 10 days!  Woo hoo!  Admittedly, I've already established the daily working out thing, but I really had to push myself to go that extra mile - and I'm so glad that I did. 

The scale hasn't budged, but my figure has changed.  My waist is smaller, my legs and butt are firm.  Firmer, I guess.  I don't know.  They look much better.  And my arms, too.  I have great energy, too.  I'm not tempted to collapse on the couch after working out...this is a huge improvement.

I also did this little number yesterday.  My side is a bit sore, and the area is tender to the touch.  I did my workout anyway - and mercifully, the bruised area isn't one that gets a lot of strain from the DVD. 

I'm feeling so victorious right now, you guys.  I feel like I really accomplished something good.  It is that darn Leslie "Feel Good" Sansone woman.  She's all positive and perky and motivating for me.  Whatever works, eh?

Fresh off of this 10 day challenge, I'm going to start again on a 10 day burst tomorrow...and this time, I'm going to journal my food on fitday.com faithfully.  I did a bunch of different online calculators, plus used my own brain, and realized that in order to really and truly lose this weight, I'm going to have to restrict my calories.  And until I REALLY get how much of certain foods I can eat without maxing out on calories for the month, I need to be sort of anal-retentive about it.

Have I mentioned that I hate counting calories?  Because I HATE IT.

Stay tuned - I'll be putting my foods in my public fitday journal starting tomorrow.  My target calorie consumption is between 1200 and 1400 calories.  10 days of accountability, plus 10 days of kicked up exercise routines. 

Who's in?  Shall we have a little contest with a prize for finishers?  Hmm?  Let's!

Track your food and your exercise minutes for the next 10 days.  You can use any of the online tools available, or jot it down on binder paper, whatever.  To be considered a finisher, you need to do at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, plus write down every bite you take.  I don't care if you actually figure out the calories. 

Our contest dates:  I'll be nice, and we'll start officially on Friday the 6th, to give everyone a chance to get set up to roll.  So, we'll go Friday the 6th to Sunday the 15th.  Leave a comment and let me know you are up for the challenge. 

Posted by Jenny at 6:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes, I take a few days away from blogging, and I come back and realize that I'm just a big whiner.  I took each and every one of your wonderful comments to heart, and I agree.  I agree, I agree, I agree.

I'm totally over-thinking, and making myself crazy in the process. 

This weekend, I made good choices with food.  I made the conscious decision to choose healthy foods in smaller than ever portions, and today?  I'm 165 pounds.  (woo!)

So, 14 pounds total down, and even though I still feel like I look the same as before, I imagine there are subtle differences.  I can't see it in photos.  I can't feel it in my clothes, at least not much.  This is the hazard of wearing mostly stretchy clothes for years.  Even my measurements are holding steady.  So much for losing inches.  I'm trying very hard not to let it bug me.

I'm embarking on a 10-day vigorous exercise challenge.  I'm doing Leslie Sansone's 10-day challenge, which is a 4 mile walk-jog DVD every day for 10 straight days, plus  I'm going to add in six days of weight training.   I might not be able to lift my arms, or stand up from a sitting position for the next week and a half, but I'm going for it. 

I'm challenging you guys to participate.   

Whatever your regular exercise is, step it up.  Add a mile to your walk.  Wear ankle weights while you put laundry away.   Do calf raises while you load the dishwasher.  Make the next ten days active - more active than you would normally be, whatever that level is.

Leave me a comment and let me know what you are doing, and how you are going to step it up.  Let's inspire each other!

This week's menu will be posted tomorrow, because I've already lifted weights today, and I think my arms might fall off if I type any more.  Heh.

Go go go!

Posted by Jenny at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Name: Denise - Sazyredneckmama

URL or homepage: Diet Diaries.com (sasyredneckgirl) Extrapounds.com (sassy girl)

Hometown: Southern IL

Turn-ons: Hearing my son laugh in his sleep at night.. Hearing Him tell me He loves me.. Catching my hubby looking at me and knowing he's been caught.

Turn-offs:1. People that won't look you in the eye when they are talking to you cause you are heavy!! 2. Rude people.. 3. People that don't understand that you are still a person even though you are heavy.. 4. People that are not overweight by any strength of measure that can fanagle their way into weight loss surgery.. 5.People that give up .. IF I CAN DO THIS anyoneeeeeeee can!!!!!!
(( Please dont take any of that judgemental because I dont mean this to be aimed to any person on the website.. These are turn off that I have directly been affected by in real life..))

Diet you're following: I see a nutrionist once a month.. have been since July06.. I cut out my white stuff sugar, flour, pasta, rice, and NO SWEETNER!!... Since the beginning of last year I have slowwwly lost 65ish pounds.

Exercise of choice (list as many as you like): Ski Machine.. 2 Mile Walking Dvd ( Leslie Sanson) .. Have a Bangari Dance Vidieo  I LOVE!!!!

Online weight-loss resources you use: Anything I can find...

Your motto for this challenge: I am moving this Mountain with a shovel..... (( I am the mountain and just slowly shoveling away the fat))


Name:  Mel aka ShrinkingMom

URL or homepage:  http://shrinkingmom.clubmom.com

Hometown:   Pacific Northwest

Turn-ons:  Sleeping in, Diet Coke with Lime, a stack of novels, movie theater popcorn, meek children

Turn-offs:  Slamming doors, pee on the toilet seat, raw tomatoes, C-SPAN, taxes

Diet you're following: Low-glycemic index diet (aka no more sugar, white flour, white potatoes or white rice)

Exercise of choice:  Riding recumbent exercise bike at home, walking.

Online weight-loss resources you use:  Nothing in particular other than fellow weight-loss blogs.

Your motto for this challenge:  No cookie is worth being fat forever.

Name (or online nickname): Jaimekristen

URL or homepage: n/a

Hometown (region or state is fine): Milton, NH

Turn-ons: chocolate, a really good book, spring cleaning, 50 dollar gift cards and skinny clothes that fit!

Turn-offs: cold weather, really bad books, waiting in line, traffic, and the last 5 min of a good workout when a crappy song comes on and you can't find a good one!

Diet you're following (be as specific or vague as you like): I'm doing a combo weight watchers and no milk products diet. Not exactly by choice, my son has a milk allergy and I am nursing! So no chocolate or anything with milk in it. I'm doing weight watchers flex points on my own so that way I keep myself in check.

Exercise of choice (list as many as you like): Walking outside in warm weather! But until it's warm, the elliptical machine

Online weight-loss resources you use: sparkpeople.com

Your motto for this challenge: Days go by whether or not I eat right, so why not eat right and be skinny in the end?


Name: Missy (Misheru)

URL or homepage: http://www.misheru.com

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona (originally from Idaho)

Turn-ons: massage, a man that cooks and/or does dishes, the smell of rain, running in said rain, and Arizona sunsets

Turn-offs: A man with hair on his neck, beer bellies, bad attitudes and guys who think they are smarter than they are.  Also chauvinists, and I mean that.

Diet you're following: slow-carb

Exercise of choice: running, swimming, biking, occasional aerobics/weight lifting.

Online weight-loss resources you use:  Have given up on all but used to use Selfdietplan.com

Your motto for this challenge:  I have to think about this...I'm coming up blank.

Posted by Jenny at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

...right down to the unattractive white, plucked look of my thighs.  Oh, things have been crazy here at BigSlice Central, but I'm almost caught up with my recordkeeping, and I'm determined that this week is going to be smooth sailing.

It is spring break here, and I'm actually delighted to have all three kids at home.  We've got a lot of fun, outdoor activities planned, and I'm going to make the most of the gorgeous spring weather.

What with the holiday weekend and the kids being at home, I've been surprised that I've still made time for both my yoga and at least 45 minutes of aerobic activity daily.  It is like a switch has been flipped in my head.  I'm going to give credit to all the hypno-subliminal weight loss things I've been listening to - but it could be that I've just gotten to that point.  In any case, I'll draw names from the comments on this post, and send the lucky winner a copy of a really nice weight loss subliminal CD. 

The eating, too... I stepped on the scale, and I was at 173 pounds this morning, (but I finally have my cycle thank GOD) and I expect to see the numbers start dropping again.  But somehow, I'm not having trouble with snacking as much.  The goodies just don't look as good to me as they used to, and I'm much more aware of the food that I am eating.  Could be the CDs.  Could be I'm dialed in from all the friendly competition.  Could be that I'm simply getting it after all this time...

So, as a reminder, no need to send me your scale photos this week - you can simply email me your current weight.

If you aren't mentioned specifically by name in the last post, don't worry, I've still got you in the contest.   I'm just too busy flapping and yapping to get the rest of the list up this morning.

I'm having issues with my spreadsheets over here, so just print out week one again, and pretend all of that is new, inspiring information. ;)  Week one is perfect, actually, because guess what?  It is time to do your measurements again. 

Leave me a comment and let me know how you are doing! 

Posted by Jenny at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

I've been working on my posture, and while it is still a struggle, I find myself pulling upright and setting my shoulders back frequently throughout the day.  The upside of all this is that I've had no back pain of any kind - and this is normally the week when I have all sorts of back issues.  Who knew?

With this new and improved posture of mine, I've noticed that my bras are sort of shot.  Seems that the girls have sort of been on a decline down my torso, and I've been cinching the straps tight, and by the end of the day, things are sort of deflated.  This isn't a good look for me. 

I pulled out one of the bras that I bought a while back that doesn't get much wear - it is black, and for some reason I've been wearing a lot of white and light colors this year. I put it on this morning and holy moly.  It is comfortable, lies flat, keeps my boobs where I put them, and actually makes me look thinner, because I'm not bulging anywhere. 

Here's your mission for today:  really take a look at your bras.  If they are shot, put 'em out to pasture and invest in a couple of new ones.  Not sure about your cup size?  Get out that measuring tape and take a gander at this explanation of how to choose your proper size.

My favorite bras have a slight racer-back design, because I have sloping shoulders.  I've been very pleased with the shape and control (ooookay.  Bring on the "I survived the BigSlice TMI attack" shirts) from "minimizer" bras.  What I can tell you without a shred of doubt is that NOTHING at Victoria's Secret works for me.  I need to shop at a comprehensive lingerie department in a department store, or in a real lingerie store.  Get a fitting.  And buy some pretty panties to match, if you are so inclined. 

I know that new lingerie can be expensive.  But seriously, good boobs make the outfit (not to mention make you look thinner, and keep the stress off of your back.) 

Still with me?  Good.  Because I've got a random exercise challenge for you.  Steph has asked that we do some tricep exercises.  So!  Grab something heavy with both hands and raise it straight up over your head.  With your elbows pointing at the ceiling. lower the object behind your head and raise it back up again.  Gimme 30 of those (or 50, if you are using a light weight)

Posted by Jenny at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

My calf muscles are burning today.  Still.  Ow!  That's a good thing, right?  I've got a TurboJam DVD queue'd up in my DVD player right now, and I'm ready to rock it out, courtesy of Carmen.  I've also received a new couple of DVDs from NetFlix, and I'm going to be trying them all week long. 

I had my four-year-old draw names for the yoga DVD - congratulations to the adorable Elizabeth.  We're going to expect a full report on your experience with this DVD.  (I'll contact you via email for your address.)

I like giveaways!  We'll have to do more of these!

I'm also conscious that I've been silent on upper body exercises thus far.  So!  Stretch your arms out, one to each side, level with your shoulder.  Gimme 50 little arm circles forward, and then 50 backwards.  Keep  your elbows slightly bent, and your shoulders down.  Don't hunch up.  And remember to breathe. 

Then go drink some more water. 

Posted by Jenny at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Attention ClubMom Digest readers - come check this entry out!

Sorry for the lack of posting this week - I've been trying to rest my sore neck and shoulder as much as humanly possible.  And it worked!  I'm healed!  I'm free to move about the cabin!

Awesome Rae suggested that we set up a 3-month Big Slice weight loss war over at Weight Loss Wars.  I think that a formalized challenge is a fantastic idea.  There is a $10 entry fee to use the site, however, and I don't think that it would be fair to ask you guys to shell out money to participate.  I'm going to see if I can't get to the nuts and bolts of their program, and replicate it here on Big Slice.

I'm feeling spunky, ready to do some trash-talking and extra laps.  More than that - I'm ready to put up some actual prizes here.  Like $50 ClubMom gift card-type prizes.

So - let's figure this out.  How do we track it?  Most pounds lost or percentage of total goal achieved?  Or do we do an exercise-based challenge and agree on minutes or distance...I need your thoughts.  Would you guys be interested in this type of intensive challenge?

Tell you what... leave me a comment telling me you are in.  I'll put together a rough schedule of events based on what I can ferret out from Weight Loss Wars and from other sources. We can go mano-a-mano or break into teams.  I think Mel with her team of Naked dieters could be some stiff competition. 

I'd like to set a start date for this as Monday, March 5th.   

Posted by Jenny at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

So, everyone - how did you do on our challenge to lose 5 pounds by the 12th? 

I fell short, landing at 166 pounds.  I'll take the three pounds lost, though, and not cry any tears over it.

A few entries ago, the gorgeous Tracy of Picture This suggested that I take a look at a couple of books about sugar addiction.  I've been waiting to read several Low-GI books (library waiting queues, a missed email and suddenly I've got another week or so before it is my turn again.  Sigh...) but I gladly picked up a copy of Potatoes, Not Prozac on Tracy's recommendation.

Whoa.

Have you ever taken one of those tests in a magazine or book that says "If you have 5 or more of these symptoms, you may actually be a monkey?" 

I really like sweet foods.
I eat a lot of sweets.
I am very fond of bread, cereal, popcorn or pasta.
I now have or have had a problem with alcohol or drugs.
One or both of my parents are/were alcoholic.
One or both of my parents are/were especially fond of sugar.
I am overweight and don't seem to be able to easily lose the extra pounds.
I continue to be depressed no matter what I do.
I often find myself overreacting to stress.
I have a history of anger that sometimes surprises even me.

I've bolded the statements that apply to me.  It seemed like uncanny timing that I picked this book up on Sunday and started reading. 

See, Saturday night, my husband and I got a little silly, and each had a few glasses of mead after the kids had gone to bed.  Mead, for those of you who don't know, is a wine made from honey. 

Sunday morning, I woke up fit to kill.  I was angry at everyone and everything.  I couldn't inhale without my exhale sounding like a growl.  It was bizarre, and frightening.

At one point, I told my husband that I had to leave the room, or I was going to start punching things.  Over nothing.  NOTHING. 

I retreated to my bedroom and cracked open this book.  And I recognized myself again and again as I turned the pages.

I put the book aside, and picked up another book by the same author- Little Sugar Addicts, focusing on children and sugar sensitivities.  Again with the Whoa.

Continue reading "A Gathering Storm" »

Posted by Jenny at 9:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

I spent the better part of Friday eating handfuls of "fun-size" candies.  Mostly of the chocolate variety.  And I was sick almost all day yesterday - stomach cramps, headache, reflux...

LEARN FROM ME!  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO EAT YOUR BODY WEIGHT IN CHEAP CANDY. 

Even if it is your birthday.  My recommendation is to stick with high quality candy.  And go easy it.

So, this morning, I'm also up two pounds - 169.  Still.  Again.  Gah.

I'm not going to dwell on that - I'm going to reveal my superfantastic arm exercise plans so that you all can follow along!

Friday, I did no exercise, unless you count lifting jumbo sized bags of halloween candy into my cart at Target. 

Saturday, I also DID NO EXERCISE, except laundry.  I can hear all the boos and catcalls from you guys.  I can also hear you saying "Wow, no exercise... this sounds like the kind of workout plan I can get behind!"

No!  That is NOT THE PLAN!  I was just testing out my theory that no exercise plus a metric crap-load of candy is a bad idea for weight loss.  AND I WAS RIGHT!  HA!

So!  On to the actual plan for sculpting my arms and er, losing some weight:

Today, I'm going to take on Mistress Krista's upper body routine from her All Dumbells, All The Time plan.  That means -

1. one-arm row
   3 sets of 10-15 reps
2. lying dumbbell press OR pushups
   3 x 10-15 (or as many pushups as you can do per set)
3. standing overhead dumbbell press
   3 x 10-15
4. lower back exercise of choice
   3 x 10-15

I'm also going to add some front raises and side raises, 3 x 10-15 reps, and a set of stomach crunches 3 x 10-15.

I'm going to do this set of weight exercises on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. 

Now, to avoid muscle fatigue from the same exercises day in and out, I'm going to use some of my workout videos/other equipment for the rest of the days of the week. 

Monday - Bellydance video (makes my poor flabby arms ache - a good thing)
Wednesday - Power Yoga video
Friday - Trampoline Jogging with hand weights or jumping rope and hula hoop.
Saturday - DAY OFF from targeted exercise

I would really like to make each Saturday a family exercise day, where we go out and have an adventure.  But regardless, I'm taking Saturday off from the arm-exercises.

I've got a good collection of weights and other equipment... but if you don't, you really don't need to run out and buy a bunch of stuff.  Krista has a great page with ideas for making your own 'heavy things' and exercises you can do to build your strength with stuff you can find around the house.

Come on now.  This should take you less than 30 minutes a day.  We can totally do this.  Right?

Posted by Jenny at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

ClubMom is offering 50 ClubMom points to members who sign up to receive our MomBlogs email digest!  Get BigSlice and excerpts from all your other favorite ClubMom Bloggers in one tidy little email.  If you're not already a ClubMom member,You can join up and enter to win 5 days at the beach for you and two friends..If you win, you can totally take me!  I'll make you look extra svelte!  If you're already signed up, then click over here to select which blogs you want in your email.  You just better click "Big Slice" is all I'm saying.  I'll KNOW.  And!  You get 50 points, which, hey, is FREE POINTS. 

If you're already getting the email - thank you!  Go click on a few new blogs, too!

Posted by Jenny at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

I spent most of yesterday laying on my couch, trying to keep my kids happy.  Yes, I had all three kids home sick.  My husband made sure we were stocked up on kleenex and orange juice, and headed off to work, leaving me to fend for myself.

I was practically narcoleptic.  I'd stand up to pour a glass of juice for one of the kids, and then I'd have to quickly lay back down before I passed out in front of the fridge.  I'd go to the bedroom to grab another blanket, and wake up drooling five minutes later, face down on my bed.  We watched about 9,000 hours of television, and drank 9,000 gallons of juice, and the kids ate some frozen mac and cheese for dinner.

I still can't muster up the energy to eat more than a bite or two.  So naturally, I stepped on the scale this morning* and was happy to see that I've broken my plateau, and I am now 170 pounds!  WOOO!

Continue reading "Month of Motivation - Round 2" »

Posted by Jenny at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Kim called me out, and we agreed to settle this challenge, once and for all.   We drove across town in our minivans, and prepared the troops for a full-scale assult on Pump It Up - The Inflatable Party Place.

We almost had the place to ourselves, and we stalked in, dropped our shoes and purses and began jumping like maniacs.  Kim is a screamer, too, so we made more noise than our kids, leaping around and acting like total fools.  It was so fun.  So, so fun.

We did the obstacle course, and ran laps in the basketball court, and although I know I said I wasn't ready for video yet, behold:  I "invented" a "trick" - meaning I made friends with gravity, and worked some Jazz Hands into the equation.

See Me Roll on Vimeo
This Could Go Really Great, Or Really, Really Bad on Vimeo

I'll have the album up soon - but I have to say that this challenge was really fun, and a great workout.

Posted by Jenny at 2:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

Hooray for haiku!  You guys are hilarious.  I'll decide on prizes shortly - believe me when I tell you that your sense of humor is very, very welcome today.

So, I tried to make a video of my awesome new moves from Cardio Striptease.  Just... no.  Then, I tried to make a video of my awesome hula hoop technique, and believe me when I say the internet is just not ready for that.  Just. Not.

I've been doing "really well" this month, with a overall loss of 6 pounds and daily workouts, and I know that I feel better and move better - but it isn't happening fast enough.  I'm not seeing any difference, even though I'm feeling it, and I'm angry about it. 

I know all the right things to tell myself.  I'm building muscle.  I didn't gain it all overnight.  My body will never be the same as it was before kids.  Slow and steady weight loss is the healthy way to reduce.  Choosing whole, healthy foods instead of processed, mystery 'foods' is better for my entire family.  Daily exercise can take weeks to make a visable difference.

I just wish my outside appearance matched my inside identity.  I wish there was a fast-forward button.  My virtual model looks awesome at 130 pounds.  I'm months away from that weight at this rate, and while I'm celebrating every little half-pound on the scale, I'm feeling overwhelmed by the idea of 50 pounds.

Well, that and the visual of me hula hooping vigorously.  *Shudder*

So, as I approach the end of my Month of Motivation, I do feel like I've made progress.  I've learned that I'm not a runner, at least not yet.  I'm able to laugh myself sick while doing virtually any aerobic activity.  My family prefers simple meals, and they are starting to enjoy my cooking, now that I've taken it down a notch.  I'm a better person when I exercise daily.  I believe that the weight will come off, and that it will take good old-fashioned hard work and eating common sense to get it off.

Hi!  I still have a long way to go, but I'm down five pounds from my starting weight, and I'm posing like a superheroine .  Because really, even though I'm not ready to show you video of my hula exploits just yet, I bet you in the right outfit, five pounds from now, you won't be able to stop me.   

Stop with the hoop, Jenny.  We all know you can do it, Jenny. 

My next goal - 3 pounds lost by Wednesday, July 26th.  I can do this.  I will do this.  Because I can't stop throwing myself in front of cameras.

Posted by Jenny at 7:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

Oh my... I don't know the last time I laughed so hard in my entire life.  Seriously. 

So, this morning, I decided to finally break it on down to the Jeff Costa Cardio Strip Tease Vol 1 DVD, that has been languishing on top of my entertainment cabinet since, oh, May.

Man, I didn't even make it through the opening credits without snickering like an eight-year-old. 

I mean, first of all, the guy who leads the class is Jeff Costa.  He apparently taught Carmen Electra, and she has gone on to Cardio Strip Tease her way through several DVDs.  So we can all acknowledge that he is The Man with CST.  But:

I don't know what I was expecting.  He was certainly fun to watch, and easy to follow, and he has a certain, campy appeal.  I just...

Yeah, I laughed my head off. 

And then I immediately thought to myself:  If I keep this up until BlogHer, I'm going to clean the dance floor with Y's aerobic dancing hiney.  But then I thought, no, she'll still win, but we'll have all sorts of damaging photo evidence from our CST vs. Aerobic Dance throwdown.  Either way, it's comedy gold, waiting to happen.

I have to say, the moves were easy to pick up, fun, and when performed by the darling girls on the DVD, really sexy.  On me, not so much.  First of all, none of the dancers they used were particularly, um, endowed in the boobs.  They shimmied, and it was cute.  I shimmied, and the neighbor's fence was knocked over. 

But still, I worked up a sweat, did a lot of hair tossing, pelvic-thrusted while saying "uh! uh!" and a few other choice moves, some of which I may attempt to capture on video for you, because I love you all just that much.  Jeff, The Man, says at the end of the video that I am clearly looking and feeling so much sexier, and you know, he's totally right.  I'm planning on walking exclusively using the burlesque walk from now on.  Because I'm hot - all from one little session of CST.

I will say that this is not a good DVD to attempt with the kids around... it's a little suggestive, but not obscene.  I'd be curious to hear from any of you that have tried Carmen Electra's DVDs.

So, Amy - although I was unable to find a local gym that offered this particular class, I worked it out.  And it was hilarious.  Thanks for the challenge!

Up next?  Belly Dance, and the Pump It Up with Toddlers Challenge with Dog-Crap Analogy Kim!

Posted by Jenny at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBacks (0)

Month of Motivation - Week Two!

How did everyone do with the short-term goals you set for yourself last week?  Let's hear it!

As for me...

*hanging my head in shame*

I totally, totally blew it.  Instead of following my menu plan and my workout schedule, I ate not one but two fast food hamburgers on Saturday, skipped breakfast both days, and in general, snacked my way through the weekend.

I did, however, go for a 5-mile power walk on Saturday morning, and spent Sunday rearranging furniture.  My limbs are pleasantly sore today, so I know I got a good workout.

So, what happened over here?  I'll be blunt.  I got my period.  I didn't plan ahead for comfort foods that would be appealing to me, and not blow my healthy eating.  It happens every month - I have two or three days that are just awful, appetite-wise.  Lesson learned - plan for even smaller meals, more frequently on those couple of days, to ward off the snacking.

The good news is that despite the bloating, which normally sends my weight up a full three or four pounds - I'm currently exactly the same as I was on Friday - 176.8 pounds.  I'll have to check at the end of the week and see if the numbers have budged.

By the way, is it REALLY necessary for my scale to report that extra .8 pound?  Really?  Because I would be happy if it just rounded up or down.  Preferably down. 

I'm due for a filler grocery run, and a new menu.  I"ll be back later this afternoon with my menu and shopping list for this week.  The goal this week is to economize while still getting a balanced variety of foods. 

Posted by Jenny at 8:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

On Friday, I announced my intention to spend the next 30 days moving (much) more - an hour a day, plus iron-clad resolve in the three balanced meals and NO SNACKS territory.  I'm going to record all three meals in my SmallSlice album.  For 30 days, I can do anything.  And here's the thing - so can you.

Then it dawned on me that Saturday is a stupid day to officially start anything - for group purposes, that is.  So, I've already got the ball rolling over here, but let's call Monday, June 26, 2006 our official Month of Motivation starting block.

Why 30 days?  Well, I've heard that it takes about that long to form a new habit.  Or maybe break an old habit.  Whatever.  I'm all about breaking the old and building the new, and I figure 30 days of consistent activity will do the trick.  This doesn't mean that I won't have a off day here or there.  But I'm going to hang onto this wagon with my fingernails, and keep swinging myself back on. 

Want to play along?  Leave a comment, and let me know what your goal is for this month.  Mine?  Lose 10 pounds before BlogHer. 

If you don't currently have a blog - you don't need one to participate.  However, it can be an easy, fun way to keep yourself honest and allow others to offer encouragement.  Typepad offers a free 30-day trial, or you can sign up for a free blog at www.blogspot.com. 

In the spirit of taking this one meal and one activity at a time, I will be giving away daily prizes to commenters - and I'm planning a weekly contest to keep us all on track.  Check back tomorrow for details. 

Posted by Jenny at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBacks (1)

Over on the list of challenges thrown down by readers - I've got a half-marathon listed.  Right now, that sounds laughable, because I'm not a running type of girl.  I'm soft and squishy.  I'm like a stuffed animal, not a taut, muscled road-warrior.  Heck, with my current hair cut, I can't even get all the layers back into a ponytail. 

Well, get ready for this:  my sister offered to help motivate and train with me for an upcoming half-marathon.  And I said yes.

Let's allow that to sink in for a minute.  The first thing I did was order some pink running shoes from Zappos.  Carmen just got some super-cute running shoes, and she's doing 5Ks, and she has 6 kids, so if Carmen can run, surely I can run.  Right?  If only for the pink shoes?

Here is my public declaration.  I am going to train for and run a half-marathon that will take place on October 7th.  My 34th birthday is on October 6th.  I already ran, flapping and squealing to Grace, who offered sane training tips and guidance as I give this a go.  Based on her recommendations, I'll be following her man Hal Higdon's Novice 5K training program, and if I survive that, I'll continue on with Hal's Novice Half-Marathon program.  Day One, Week One is tomorrow. 

The course my sister chose for us is insane - both in beauty and hills.  I might die in the attempt.  I will be lucky to finish in the six hour time frame.  I have visions of my bleaching bones on the side of the trail, clad in pink sneakers, empty eye sockets leering at the other participants.  Or, you know, I could actually complete the training, and complete the run, and have something to brag about as I start my mid-thirties. 

The fun starts in the morning.  I've got a run-walk planned, and, more importantly, I've got some cute new outfits to wear.  I fear they'll never make a real athlete out of me, but I'm doing this.

Oh my God.  I'm doing this.

Posted by Jenny at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

I weighed in. (Duh duh dun.)  Here we are in week four and I'm...

179.  Whoooopie. 

So, let's recap for all you newcomers who are just dropping by for the first time.  I started at 179.  I promptly gained two pounds.  181.  Sheesh.

Then!  I lost A POUND.  As in one. A single pound.  But it was "that time" of the month, so okay, I stayed away from the scale.  Until today.

I'm back where I started, folks.  That number better start going down, or I'm going to have to do something drastic.  Like, um, something.  Drastic.  Or something.

I'm trying to keep a good attitude here.  I'm cooking healthy meals for myself and my family. I've cut way down on my portions, and I'm exercising and having fun.  For example, today at my three-year-old's Orff class, I spent an hour shaking my booty with a silver streamer-clad shaker in each hand.  I stomped and jumped and twirled.  I rocked that class. 

I was doing my patented train move at one point.  It goes like this: Chugga chugga chugga chugga ding ding. I used to bust this one out when I was a toddler apparently.  You sort of groove along, moving your hands at your sides like you are running and shrugging your shoulders and then when you get to the ding ding part?  You kick out to one side.  Twice.  Once for each ding.  Oh yeah, that is some fancy stuff.  I impressed all the toddlers. I think I missed my calling as a choreographer.

I just want some instant results, and I'm not getting them, damn it.  Tomorrow morning, I'm picking up my marathon-running, opera-singing, black-belt-in-tae-kwon-shut-yo-mouth sister after I drop the two big kids at school, and we're storming the opening of the Athleta factory warehouse sale.  I'm fixin' to get some new skorts, and maybe some tank tops that wick, because I am not the delicate flower I would like to pretend, and sweat is icky. 

Oh, and people, I need some help.  I was IN LOVE with Bliss Spa's antiperspirant "Underarmy" and now it is discontinued and I want to weep giant crocodile tears.  I need a good antiperspirant, because a deodorant alone doesn't thrill me.  Help me find a good one for my sensitive underarms, I beg of you.

Let's talk for a minute about skorts.  How I love skorts!  They hide a multitude of sins.  Specifically, the sins wrought by my chubby thighs seizing the hems of any shorts I put on and inching them step by step up into my crotch.  This leaves me taking two steps and then hopping awkwardly, hoping to dislodge the bunched up fabric.  Chugga chugga chugga chugga ding ding! So not cute.

The only solution I've found is to either always wear long pants, or wear shorts and suffer.  I mean, I could wear a skirt, but (I can't believe I'm saying this, sigh) my thighs chafe if I walk too much and sweat.  That is, until I discovered the almighty skort.  My favorites have a spandex-y bike short built in under the skirt, which halts the thigh action.  But even with a regular pair of shorts underneath a skirt, who can tell you've got half a yard of fabric balled up in your bidness.   Who knows?  Who cares?  You're walking weird, but still looking jaunty because your skort has you covered. 

So I'm off on a mission for cheap skort deals, and I've been given the green light to shop in the Barbie-sized clothes to try and find some very specific cuts and colors and fabrics for my buddy Mir, who is doing the Boston 3-day pretty quick here.  Between Mir's darling, baby-sized dimensions and my petite sister, I am going to have a great time pawing through the S selections, before I wander over to the XL racks. 

I've got my camera back up and running, and I've posted the last few dinners in the Small Slice album over there to the left.  I need to step up and do some of these fitness challenges.  Which, by the way, I'm still accepting new challenges.   Leave me a comment with a double-dog-dare to do something you'd not only like to read about, but you'd love to see a photo essay on.  I'm going to start knocking these out this weekend.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid. 

I'm building a "team" of fellow diet and exercise hot mamas to have some fun.  If you want to join up, send me an email and I'll add your link.  The more the merrier!  Be sure to pop over and say hello to Mel at The Amazing Shrinking Mom - she's doing fantastic on her diet, and inspires me daily.

Posted by Jenny at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0)

Early this week, my friend Kim threw down yet another challenge.  We are supposed to be walking both to drop our kids off at school, and again to pick them up in the afternoon.  It's a mile each way, making it a four mile day if we do both drop-offs and pick-ups.

Yesterday, we did four miles.  Well, actually Kim did four miles.  I did four plus, because I have a three- year-old who thinks that dashing away from me toward the street is the height of hilarity.  So I get regular sprints with added stress built into my daily walks.   Fun, I tell you!

Our daughters have this thing about horses.  As I was struggling to shove the stroller through our front gate, I heard a shrill "Neeeeeigh!" coming from across the street.  My daughter threw back her head and gave her best whinny back.  Our neighbors love these tribal greetings at quarter to eight in the morning. 

Tra la la!

Anyway, so we got the kids to school, and turned around for home.  Once we got home, I ran inside and changed into my riding tights and boots and grabbed my helmet for my horseback riding lesson.  Tossing the three-year-old into her car seat, I raced off to my parents house to drop her off so I can have my lesson.

At the barn, I couldn't find the saddle I used last lesson, so I grabbed another one.  Once I mounted, the poor horse was not having any of this.  He was all "Look, lady.  It's bad enough that I've got to carry your 179 pounds on my back, but this saddle pinches (or something) and you better get off before I MAKE YOU GET OFF."  Yay for quick dismounts!  I was two seconds away from playing rodeo, and let me tell you, that was not part of the plan today.

Once we fixed the saddle situation, we got down to business, and I bruised my butt all up with the stand up sit down trot trot trot business.  I'm happy to report that I didn't feel like such a dork this time.  However, I assure you that I still looked plenty dorky, bouncing around the arena with a fist full of mane and a big loony grin on my face.  I felt like doing that whinny that the girls do to greet each other. 

After picking my daughter up, I raced home in time to catch Kim on the walk back to school, thereby forfeiting any chance for lunch.  At the park between pickup times, we let the kids play on the sand.  Feeling cocky, I walked over to the monkey bars and grabbed ahold of the first rung.  Once, twice, three times, I moved my hands to the next rung, and then I dropped down, yelling "ow, ow, ow."

Kim walked over and looked me up and down and snorted before spitting in her hands and grabbing the first rung.  She almost made it all the way across and really stuck the landing.  Okay, she didn't actually spit in her hands, but she did give me the stink-eye. 

Well, I couldn't just let that stand.  I mean, come on.  So I went and grabbed the bar, and made it one space before dropping and complaining some more.  Then Kim called her daughter over and made her watch while she did almost the whole monkey bars again.  Show-off!  I bet she can't lift her arms tomorrow.   Before I knew it, Kim had goaded another of the moms into giving it  a try.  She failed after four swings.  You know what this means?  Kim is hiding some superhuman strength in her arms.  And also, GAME ON, TOOTS. 

To console myself, I wandered over to the tire swing and sat down, promptly wedging my butt in the hole and getting whapped in the head with the chain.  I turned the tire swing over to the kids, and wandered over to lick my wounds on the regular swings, where I sat my daughter on my lap and discovered that trying to swing while holding a three-year-old works your thigh muscles. 

Are you guys working it?  I want to hear what you guys are up to!

Posted by Jenny at 8:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)