TGIF

The View from my FAVORITE red chair <3

Wow, it's a nasty, chilly, rainy day out. It was the kind of morning I thought about hitting the snooze button a few dozen times. (Interesting fact, I've NEVER pushed the snooze button in my whole life. It's all or nothing with me, either get up or stay in bed). And can I just remind everyone that it is a LAW in Connecticut to have your lights on if its precipitating...man were people NOT following this law today. GREY cars that you almost cannot even see in the fog coming out of nowhere. And people were driving incredibly fast and erratically. Heard about quite a few accidents on the radio and saw a fender bender pulled off to the side. Remember all, better late than never when it comes to getting places in your car!

Today is nearly done and food has been a success. I'm eating well, tracking and drinking tons of water. And tea, because it's warm and delicious! I saw all of my patients in the morning one right after another, so I was able to come home and chart on them, call doctors and families, and effectively manage my workload! Hooray! I also lit a lovely candle from Yankee Candle called Drift Away. It smells yummy and clean, kind of like soap. But there's a hint of lilac that takes me to a very zen place. I also love the Yankee Candle Macintosh scent. The smell of crisp apples seems to make me less hunrgy, believe it or not. I'm thinking about researching candles (well, scent) and weight loss!

After my pedometer in the toilet incident I went shopping around for a new pedometer...one that goes on my wrist this time. And I found a really nice one that I purchased!



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00478K3ZS/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

Click the amazon link to read about it. It looks really cool and I'll have to wear a chest band to monitor heartrate with it. So I'm wondering what that'll be like. I'll let you know if I like it! I used a giftcard to bring down the price of this one, so it wasn't so bad. I hope it's worth the money! It got great reviews...and the chances of me dropping it in the toilet and it getting flushed are small. And did you see where it says waterproof? Yup! I'm not taking any chances this time! Because there is a chest band you have to wear, I may not bring this to Italy. I do not want to be traveling internationally with any metal band or device strapped to my chest. I think that's fairly frowned upon when travelling these days...

But I will see if the device works without the strap or possibly pack it in my bag. We shall see! I also don't want to take anything I don't have to because 1) it could end up costing me if my bag is over 50 pounds, and 2) sometimes things get lost or stolen... or flushed, so I want to be as careful as possible.

There's a little over a week until I leave for Italy and I'm so excited! Woo hoo! Cannot WAIT! I just got space bags and I'm planning on starting packing this weekend! I hope you all have a safe happy Friday and a relaxing weekend. I will try and check in over the weekend. I'm going to dinner and a movie with my dad on Sunday for my birthday so that should be fun!

Have a blessed day!

Weekend Update & Week 3 SCC Goals

I just want to start out with an apology for having made all of you listen to me rant and rave my stress at you! It's a stressful job I have and I'm taking steps to work through it all! On another note, my computer completely died...so my day started off by going to Best Buy to pick up a new one that was on sale. Sigh! Why don't they make electronics like they used to? My first laptop lasted 4 years before it died! Then I bought one that I thought was good...the cord caught fire and I had to get rid of the entire unit. That made it through my senior year of college and a year beyond that before it crapped out. Now this laptop I had only lasted a year! Now I am not rough with my computers and I really only use them for Microsoft Word, Facebook and blogging... WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?

But in any event I have a new computer and I'm still working out all the kinks!

This week of the SCC Challenge my starting weight is: 269.6
I am weighing in on WEDNESDAY which is only three days away...so I'm not sure that there's going to be any big loss, haha! That's what I get for having to postpone my WI day. Looking for staying the same or a small loss when I go!

The SCC mini goal is no sweets...now... I don't know about this one. I am not a big sweets girl. I'd honestly prefer to have salty snacks. I bought an air popper and I love to do popcorn; salt and vingear is my weakness. However I do eat skinny cow ice cream a few times a week as part of my plan...and it helps keep me on track. I think that cutting this out would be setting me up for failure. I only have a limited amount of food items at home because I do Jenny Craig! And I just went to Target YESTERDAY and bought a whole bunch of skinny cow ice cream because it was on sale and I didn't get my usual snack things because I am on a very tight budget. So I am going to bow out of this challenge for financial reasons, sorry ladies! I will do another week with no sweets to make up for it!

The upcoming week is busy and will be full of stress. And next weekend I am going away with my mom for my birthday! My birthday is on January 25th but she asked if I wanted to do a girl's weekend with her for my birthday and we're going to a quaint historic inn in Massachusetts. There will be temptations but we're doing a 17 mile walking tour that should hopefully solve any issues! I'll update you on the trip as we get closer ;)

Let's look at last weeks goals.

NSV:
1) I will watch 1 movie start to finish. - Finally saw Easy A, haha that was cute!



2) I will buy a new pair of weigh in pants. (Mine are too big and almost fall off my butt)Bought some at Target online. They've shipped out!



3) I will try on a pair of jeans in my closet that were too small last month. Maybe they will fit? Will post picture. - Going to do this one tomorrow hopefully!



Exercise:

1) I will do the 30 Day Shred 2x - 1/2 - Plan on doing this Saturday morning

2) Do Weight Loss Yoga 2x- 0/2

3) Do Exercise Bike for 20 minutes- 2/2

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY!
2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY!

3) I will try 1 new recipe and post it on my blog (I think I have one in mind!) - Check back tonight!!


Exercise goals...major, major fail. I am not happy at all. However! That does not mean I'm giving up. I just need to reevaluate my goals for next week.


So let's look at WEEK 3 GOALS!


NSV:


1) I will do 2 minutes of deep breathing each day to help with stress relief.


2) I will organize and print out the papers that I will need for going to Italy in February.


3) I will do one thing just for me, haven't decided if it'll be a haircut, mani/pedi or something else!


Exercise Goals:


1) Exercise Bike for 20 Minutes 3x


2) Wear Pedometer Every Day and Track Miles


3) Do Exercise DVD 2x this week


Nutrition:


1) I will track religiously on Sparkpeople.Com


2) I will drink at least 80oz water daily


3) I will make good choices when going out to eat!


So here are some goals! Lets see if we can make this week awesome!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Okay...

I have had just about the worst day. Today was supposed to be my day off. Well I worked from 8am-3pm...and some of you may be saying, oh well that's not so bad. At leaast you're getting paid. Um no. I'm not. I didn't get paid AT ALL because I'm a salaried employee, not an hourly employee. So pretty much I had to work my entire damn day off with absolutely no compensation. At all. I had to deal with crap ALL day...everyone had a damn emergency and kept calling me about it. And I care too much about my patients and their families to just not do anything or "pass the buck" onto someone who won't get it done. No. No way.

But then it leaves me in a tough place because I got absolutely no time for myself today. I was supposed to go to Jenny Craig and get my food, I was supposed to check things off my blog list... and now I feel stressed and sick. And what does my boss say to piss me off even further? Oh, you volunteered for this...did I? Or did I volunteer to do you  favor that's blown up in my face. You better believe I'm never doing this again. EVER.

Sorry, vent over.


On a positive note, I tried on those jeans in my closet that I bought. They are a size 18/20 and they didn't fit last month when I tried them on...

HOORAY! THEY FIT!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad news? I hate the cut. They are low rise and I hate low rise jeans... the back actually gaps open, you could stick your whole hand in there. So in some ways I guess the pants are too big for me... but in every other place they fit well. I think I'm going to return them though, like I said, I hate the cut.

Still planning on doing my recipe tonight however I needed to get out some of my anger in blogland before I even thought about taking some me time. And I haven't cooked it yet so if it really sucks, I'm not going to post it haha. But look for that later this evening!!!

NSV:
1) I will watch 1 movie start to finish. - Finally saw Easy A, haha that was cute!

2) I will buy a new pair of weigh in pants. (Mine are too big and almost fall off my butt)Bought some at Target online. They've shipped out!

3) I will try on a pair of jeans in my closet that were too small last month. Maybe they will fit? Will post picture. - Going to do this one tomorrow hopefully!



Exercise:

1) I will do the 30 Day Shred 2x - 1/2 - Plan on doing this Saturday morning

2) Do Weight Loss Yoga 2x- 0/2

3) Do Exercise Bike for 20 minutes- 1/2

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY! 4/7

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY! 3/7 - Working on this one

3) I will try 1 new recipe and post it on my blog (I think I have one in mind!) - Check back tonight!!

Weigh in Eve: Postponed.

Well, Tuesday night is generally weigh in eve. I get ready to go to Jenny Craig on Wednesday and weigh in. This week, I'm swamped at work. I have a bunch of patients who are VERY high acuity and require a ton of nursing intervention. Putting another nurse in here would be like throwing them in the deep end of the ocean in their underwear. It would be impossible for them to figure out...therefore, I'm stuck seeing them on my day off. I have a regular visit, a resumption of care and an admission of a patient who I've care for before. Not to mention I contacted my Jenny Craig center and they can't accomedate me for a quick visit in the morning to weigh in and get food... and I really don't wnat to work all day, eat my meals and THEN weigh in. That wouldn't be an accurate representation of my weight at all.

So what I did was I moved my weigh in/getting food to this Saturday at 8:45am. So therefore, you're going to see that I don't update my weight until then. Boo. But like the cartoon says! I didn't fail...I just have to postpone my success!

So work is stressful, I'm very crampy and waiting for Aunt Flow's visit. Yuck. Really wish she would stay home...but then again I've been regular for a few months so I'm hoping this isn't things going in the wrong direction again. I'm going to be trying to make the most of my """""day off""""" (yes notice allll the quotes) and cross some things off my to-do list. I'm really slacking on my exercise goals. I've got a horrible headache I can't shake and I did so much running around today, I don't feel like doing anything. Maybe I can kick myself into doing some exercise later. Update: I felt like a lazy lump so I did 20 minutes on my bike and told myself to stop whining.

Update on the goals for the day!


NSV:
1) I will watch 1 movie start to finish. - Finally saw Easy A, haha that was cute!

2) I will buy a new pair of weigh in pants. (Mine are too big and almost fall off my butt) Bought some at Target online. They've shipped out!

3) I will try on a pair of jeans in my closet that were too small last month. Maybe they will fit? Will post picture. - Going to do this one tomorrow hopefully!
Exercise:

1) I will do the 30 Day Shred 2x - 1/2

2) Do Weight Loss Yoga 2x- 0/2

3) Do Exercise Bike for 20 minutes- 1/2

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY! 3/7

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY! 3/7

3) I will try 1 new recipe and post it on my blog (I think I have one in mind!) - Still planning this for Wednesday. ;)

Monday, Monday

Once again its Monday...but as Mondays go, this one was pretty good! It's been pleasantly busy for me. I've had to do a lot of case management on my patients but hey, I'm a case manager! What did I expect!? Haha. And BONUS, no one has screamed at me today :D Hooray! Although it is only 3:30...maybe I shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch. It's been a stressful few weeks for me and I'm ready to have things settle down!

I need to do some exercise today but I'm really sore from the 30 Day Shred...and my head is pounding. I may take a break today. I always get one break day. So maybe this is going to be it. I'm really feeling headachy and nauseous...Aunt Flow is a day late (chance of pregnancy: 0. Chance of Immaculate Conception Part II: Slightly higher than chance of pregnancy) so that could definitely be why!

And one thing that helps me relax is crossing things off lists. Like for example crossing things off my SCC list!

I thought the challenge to eat things with your nondominant hand was funny...because I'm an oddball who does this all the time. I write with my right hand but I eat, throw a ball, paint my nails, etc with my LEFT hand. I switch back and forth easily with eating. No problemo! I would definitely not say I'm ambidexterous...because I can't write with my left hand. It looks like a 3 year old wrote it...but I guess as a nurse I've learned that I need to use BOTH hands equally, haha! You can never have enough hands, that's for sure!


NSV:
1) I will watch 1 movie start to finish.  - Finally saw Easy A, haha that was cute!

2) I will buy a new pair of weigh in pants. (Mine are too big and almost fall off my butt)  Bought some at Target online. They've shipped out!

3) I will try on a pair of jeans in my closet that were too small last month. Maybe they will fit? Will post picture.

Exercise:

1) I will do the 30 Day Shred 2x - 1st time done 1/8/12
2) Do Weight Loss Yoga 2x
3) Do Exercise Bike for 20 minutes 2x

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY! 2/7

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY! 2/7

3) I will try 1 new recipe and post it on my blog (I think I have one in mind!) - Look for this on Wednesday <3

SCC Week 2 Goals!

Hi everyone!

Coming to you live from Connecticut is my Week 2 SCC goals! I got up a bit late this morning (9am) and I decided to get a jumpstart on my week two goals. It was kind of a good thing I got up late because I decided to do 30 Day Shred with the horrible Jillian Michaels. And I didn't want my neighbors downstairs to pitch a fit while all 271.2 pounds of me does jumping jacks...yikes. I got up and drank a big glass of water, put on some workout clothes and my sneakers and SHREDDED IT OUT!!!! Followed by a very huffy and puffy shower. I then ate my Jenny Craig Apples and Cinnoman waffles and drank two MORE glasses of water.

Then I sat down to read some blogs and thought about my goals for the next week. As we know:

Starting Weight: 271.2
Target Weight: 240

I weigh in on Wednesdays so this number will change midweek ;) I do NOT have a scale at home. This is because I drive myself batshit crazy weighing myself every day and then I get frustrated when I see the scale go up and down. It's better for me not to have one, believe me.

Okay so here are my goals for the week:


NSV:
1) I will watch 1 movie start to finish.
2) I will buy a new pair of weigh in pants. (Mine are too big and almost fall off my butt)
3) I will try on a pair of jeans in my closet that were too small last month. Maybe they will fit? Will post picture.

Exercise:

1) I will do the 30 Day Shred 2x - 1st time done 1/8/12
2) Do Weight Loss Yoga 2x
3) Do Exercise Bike for 20 minutes 2x

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY!
2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY!
3) I will try 1 new recipe and post it on my blog (I think I have one in mind!)

There are my goals for the week! Can't wait to see what everyone else has planned!

Friday from the Fiery Pits of Hell

Today was...awful.

There is just no getting around it. People were so rude and mean to me, I had to work so late, and when I came home all I wanted to do was eat my feelings. It was awful. I was rummaging through drawers for pizza menus and feeling like a hungry bear when I realized...I don't want pizza. I want to feel better. And stuffing my pie hole with a pizza isn't going to make it better. Not to mention I'll feel worse when I look at the scale.

So what did I do? I got my Jenny Craig Salisbury Steak and put it in the microwave. And I ate that for dinner! I feel better now. I am relaxing, I'm drinking some water (getting in those 10 glasses! I just made it yesterday!) and watching TV. I got my exercise in today for sure...running up and down the stairs 12 times anyone? Followed by walking around the buildings. I wish I'd had time to do more...and now that I'm home I'm so exhausted I can hardly move. But the exercise bike may be in my future.

My dress arrived today!!! It's SO CUTE!! I didn't even attempt to try it on because I don't want to mess it but man is it cute! I cannot wait to fit into it! And I'm on my way! I had another serving of the Kashi pizza for lunch today and it was awesome. Tasted amazing! And for  breakfast I had my Jenny Craig breakfast stuffed sandwich. Yum yum! For a special treat I'm going to have a Skinny Cow caramel cone for dessert. HOORAY!

Tomorrow I have a CPR training class and then am going to stop by and see some friends. The weekend looks blissfully quiet though, yay!

NSV:

1) I will not let any one tempt me with leftover holiday goodies. - Not even close to being tempted.

2) I will take time to read a magazine cover to cover without any interruptions.

3) I will take down all of the Christmas and Hannukah decorations and put them away.

Exercise:

1) I will exercise for at least 20 minutes each day. - 5 Days Down

2) I will work up the courage to try the 30 Day Shred

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY! - 5 Days Down

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY! - 5 Days Down

3) I will do at least 2 meals on my own on my Jenny Craig program.

Weigh in Wednesday!

Well today is weigh in day and the official start weight for the SCC Challenge!!! Over the Christmas holiday and in the post holiday eating craze, I gained 7 pounds and I was 277.9, still lower than the picture update I put up...but it wasn't a happy number. I've been dancing with 277 for way too long. WAY TOO LONG! This week I had some struggles with temptation but my official weight in weight today is...

Drumroll Please...

271.2!!!!!!

This is not the lowest I've hit on Jenny Craig, which my consultant constantly reminds me of...but it's a starting point. So today I set my SCC goal. I thought long and hard about this goal and what I want to do with it. I want to be realistic but I also want to challenge myself. That's what this is about, right!?

Starting Weight: 271.2
Target Weight: 240

That is a goal of a little over 2.5 pounds a week which I think is appropriate and acceptable. It'll be hard when I go to Italy but I know my sister and I are going to be doing a TON of walking!! And if I'm losing more than that...which I think I might after yesterday's workout...I'll tinker with it. I also bought myself a very special article of clothing that I'm hoping might fit...

I bought it and THEN read the reviews...which could be a problem because a lot of people say this dress runs small. I'm in an XL now and this dress is a large but I'm thinking it might not fit until I'm much smaller (if at all, I do have a larger bust). But anyway, I would love to fit in this dress!!!! AT SOME POINT! It may be a goal dress and not just the SCC dress but...I am going to try it!

Cute huh?

Okay so...update on my goals for the week. What have I accomplished so far? Ummm well... let's just say I did a little more than take Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred off the DVD rack. The proof is in the pudding...I think mine is cherry. I worked out SO hard and today I am SO sore. I think I'm going to do my exercise bike today and some yoga...no 30 Day Shred for me today or I might break.

This is my WHAT DID I DO!? face...I also could barely take a picture because my hands were sweaty. WIN!

NSV:

1) I will not let any one tempt me with leftover holiday goodies. - So far so good!

2) I will take time to read a magazine cover to cover without any interruptions.

3) I will take down all of the Christmas and Hannukah decorations and put them away.

Exercise:

1) I will exercise for at least 20 minutes each day. - 3 Days Down

2) I will work up the courage to try the 30 Day Shred

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY! - 3 Days Down

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY! - 3 days Down

3) I will do at least 2 meals on my own on my Jenny Craig program. - In Progress

Weigh In Eve

Hi all!

I'm working on my goals for this week's Spring Chick Challenge...and it has been a bit of a challenge. I can report happily that yesterday and today I've logged all my food into Sparkpeople and I've done my 20 minutes of exercise! I joined in on the Official January Jumpstart Workout Challenge and they have a TON of short but great videos online to do. I REALLY reccomend it! Check it out! I did the lower legs one. WOOF that was a 9 minute workout but it felt like I had worked out for hours!

I also got all the holiday decorations down and put the box down into the basement for storage. It looks really empty in here. I bought my condo over a year ago and I have SOME things...but I need to buckle down and get things in shape in my house!

Today I actually took the 30 day shred off the DVD rack...and I want to do it today. Tomorrow is weigh in day and I'm praying for a loss. I got off track over the weekend because of the holiday. And I wouldn't be suprised if I maintained or even went up a little bit. But I was good the week before and I've been following my plan perfectly for a couple days. Maybe my butt could help a sista out and lose a LITTLE something!?

Alright here's the official upate for today! Let's see what I can accomplish! Tomorrow will be my official weigh in and starting point for the Skinny Chick Challenge and from there I will set my weight loss goal. This is going to be hard because I'm going to Italy for 2 weeks to visit my sister February 5-18. I'll really need to step up my game!!!

Updates:



NSV:

1) I will not let any one tempt me with leftover holiday goodies. - So far so good!

2) I will take time to read a magazine cover to cover without any interruptions.


3) I will take down all of the Christmas and Hannukah decorations and put them away.

Exercise:

1) I will exercise for at least 20 minutes each day. - 2 Days Down

2) I will work up the courage to try the 30 Day Shred - Took it off the Shelf, Today is the day!?

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY! - 2 Days Down

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY! - 2 Days Down

3) I will do at least 2 meals on my own on my Jenny Craig program. - In Progress

Spring Chick Challenge!

I need a challenge to get my buns moving...because I have been super unmotivated today. I ate a rally great breakfast and headed off to work. But for lunch...I had a leftover piece of cheesecake in the fridge and I ate it. Oh, I charted it on Sparkpeople of course and I factored it into my daily allowance...but that was so many calories that I could've used elsewhere. But with the rest of my choices today, the cheesecake was fine. I'm setting my goals for this week!!

If you want to join Real Chicks Getting Fit click on this name and go do it! I think you have until tomorrow to sign up!!

NSV:

1) I will not let any one tempt me with leftover holiday goodies.
2) I will take time to read a magazine cover to cover without any interruptions.
3) I will take down all of the Christmas and Hannukah decorations and put them away.

Exercise:

1) I will exercise for at least 20 minutes each day.
2) I will work up the courage to try the 30 Day Shred

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY!
2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY!
3) I will do at least 2 meals on my own on my Jenny Craig program.

I can do it! Watch me soar!