Getting myself back on track…

is about as easy as trying to get a train back on the rails! Not that easy. Life caught up with me and I just went with the flow of things and got way off track! Gained a little weight back and feel like crap!

That is life, but I am really going to try to focus hard this next month because I really want to continue losing weight and feel good about myself!

It is hard not to just give up, but I care about myself too much to give up, so I am pulling myself back together!

The worst part about starting over is the pain and suffering I will need to endure until I am on track again!

–Jena

New Hair! and 29.9

Don’t you just love new hair!?? I do, it is an instant self-esteem booster! The girls and I went to my friend Chelsea, who always does a great job!

Also, here is an update on my weight-loss journey: Since October 1st, 2009 I have lost 29.9 pounds! This is something I am very excited about! So my grand total lost since I started my new way of life in March of 2007 is 58.4 pounds lost! I am so excited that I am halfway done! The pounds are coming off a lot faster now that I am figuring things out and have an amazing friend who is a personal trainer that is helping me reach my goals! Christmas is coming, and this goose is not planning on getting fat! I hope everyone enjoys the holiday season.

–Jena

Looking forward to:

When I lose 26 more pounds I will have lost a total of 85 pounds! To get to my goal weight I will need to lose 35 more pounds after that which makes my grand total of weight loss of 120 pounds. I look forward to completing this task that I have been after for the last 2 1/2 years!

I am running in a few half marathons next year, one in January and I am also running in a 3 part race in Jan./Feb. The way it will work is I run a 5k, then 2 weeks later a 10k then 2 weeks later a 15k for a total of 30k and if I complete all 3 I get a medal. This 3 part race will be out at Saltair and it is going to be a lot of fun!

Once I complete my weight loss I would like to go to school to get my Diploma in Personal Training and Fitness so I can help others live a healthier happier life.

I have a fun year to look forward to!

-Jena

Gain Zero Results and Deep Thoughts

I want to start this post off with saying Congrats to all my friends who took my Gain Zero Challenge and maintained or Lost weight! I know at least 4 or 5 of my friends took my challenge and they all lost 1 to 2 pounds over Thanksgiving! Way to go everyone, didn’t it feel great? I have to brag, I also lost 1.5 lbs over the Holiday, even with 2 Thanksgiving dinners in a row, a really naughty breakfast and the “Big Game”. What saved me from gaining and why did I lose? I was accountable for everything I ate by keeping a food journal, and I worked out and didn’t do a lot of sitting around.

After eating Thanksgiving, I sat looking at the Plethora of food, it all looked yummy, it all was yummy, but there were only two things that I ate that were not bad for me. Turkey, and a Sweet Potato. This got me thinking about a lot of things.

In my opinion I think it is time for people to start making a change in how we as a society eat. Have Thanksgiving, but find a better, more healthful way to make it. Have social gatherings, but only serve healthful food and only one dessert option instead of 10! I want to look forward to going to a Holiday dinner, or dinner party or girls night out instead of dreading them. When I have something to go to, I have to mentally prepare myself to Just Say No to all the goodies, or only take a small portion of the naughty stuff and it is hard and I dread it. The problem is, most things I go to have more Naughty choices then Healthful ones. I just think it is time for people to realize what they are doing to themselves and others. I think we are all in the habit of making excuses, “Oh, its Thanksgiving, I am going to enjoy it!” ” It’s girls night and I am going to eat and have a good time!” . I hear those types of quotes all the time, I was one of those women saying those things! I think it is time to snap out of these bad habits and make a change!

I will end my rant by sharing my experiment. I had the opportunity to host a giant girls night out party before we went to a midnight movie. Everyone was so kind to offer to bring something. Instead of assigning them treats, I assigned them a veggie, or a veggie dip, or fruit or a fruit dip, tortilla chips and salsa. I assigned a couple people soda, because I knew some would want something other than water, and I only assigned 1 person a treat and I served a healthful homemade soup. Guess what happened? I had friends thanking me for having healthful choices at my party, they were so glad they could eat, socialize and not be tempted to buy junk at the Theater, and they all felt good the next day instead of feeling like crap because they ate healthful yummy food. This little experiment showed me that you can feed your friends and family healthy stuff, and they will appreciate it more than when you serve them junk. I think people say “I love you” with food and feel love by being fed. What better way to say I love you than with healthy options? I want that kind of love!

The only way social gatherings will change is if we start changing them. Girls nights, church activities, dinner parties and Holidays will never be the same, they will be better if we step up and make a change!

—Jena

Gain Zero Challenge!

A couple of years ago I would be using Thanksgiving as a reason to cheat and eat till I am sick! Not this year, I am going to eat and enjoy, but I am going to watch my portions, and stick to a plan. I still plan on eating 6 small meals that day and fitting in my workouts. Sure, Thanksgiving Dinner will be a little larger meal than the rest, but I am not going to go overboard!

Holidays and the Winter months are when people gain weight. Not this year, lets watch what we eat, continue to workout, and stop using Holidays and Social Gatherings as a reason to Cheat yourself of living a healthy and happy life!

So, my challenge is to weigh yourself Thursday Morning and then the following Thursday, weigh yourself again. I hope you all maintained your weight or even lost a little! Think of how happy you will feel if you accomplish this small goal and how happy you will feel when your pants still fit

Have a Happy, Healthy Week Peeps!

–Jena

New Moon and New Me!

Tonight I am having a party at my house, between 25-40 peeps are coming to have a great time before we go see New Moon at Midnight! Woo Hoo, I am so excited!!!! Thanks everyone for being crazy with me!

And other good news: I have lost 21.8 lbs since October 1st!
I feel great!

–Jena

13.4 lbs lost in 4 weeks!

I started training with my friend Brynnly on October 1st 2009, and so far I have lost 13.4 lbs! I am so excited! I love the food menus she gives us and I don’t feel deprived of any food or hungry and if I do get hungry, I eat and it is okay!! The workouts are great, they kick my butt and I like it. I am feeling great and the best part is, today I slipped on a new pair of jeans that didn’t fit 4 weeks ago!

I am so glad I have Brynnly to help me through these winter/holiday months.

If you are out there thinking, there is no way I could do this, I challenge you to Change your Mind and say You CAN, that is the first step towards success!

-Jena

Back on Track

I decided it is time to get myself back on track with my weight loss goals. I can keep myself motivated for the most part, but it is hard to keep going because it is such a long process. So, I wanted to do something different. I didn’t want to join a gym because I have everything I need at home, I like running and exercising outside, and I would rather spend the money somewhere else. I am not a fan of extreme diets, they don’t work, they don’t stick. I am a fan of eating better and exercising more so I decided to hire a personal trainer. Lucky for me, I have a good friend that lives close by who is an amazing trainer and nutritionist who teaches in a group setting. My first session with her and my group was last night and it was just what I am looking for. She gives us the tools we need to be successful if we are willing to do the work and follow her plan. She weighs us and does our measurements once a week. I know that with her help I can get rid of the weight, I am so excited!

I think I may start a side blog to keep track of my progress.

-Jena

Check Out My Makeover

Please go check out my friend Chelsea’s Website:
http://suburbanheresy.blogspot.com/She did my biggest loser makeover today, and there are some great before and after photos of me!
Thanks girl, I feel and look amazing!

Riverton Biggest Loser Contest

For the last 12 weeks I have been participating in the Biggest Loser Contest for Riverton City.

I don’t know the final results yet, but, I think that I still have a slight chance for 3rd place!

It has been a fun experience, and a stressful experience. I decided that I enjoy losing weight a lot more when I am not in a contest!

I lost 19.6 pounds in 12 weeks, 14 1/2 of that Body Fat!

I just want to say, that, if you set your mind to do something, you can and will succeed! 

-Jena

I am, the biggest loser, seriously….

Ok, so I am not a loser as in “I am Lame, or Pathetic” well… at least I hope not   

Anyways, some of you may or may not know that I have been trying to lose weight for a little over a year now. It has been coming off slow, but with a lot of dicipline and hard work, it is coming off. From last August(2007) up until July(2008) I lost approx. 30 or more lbs(I didn’t weigh at first), 8 of that came back. It didn’t matter how much I worked out, how many miles I ran, how healthy the food I ate, I HIT A HUGE WALL!

The wall made me decided to try something new. When I hit my goal, I will explain it all, so for now, I will say, what I am doing is working, and I have never felt better. I have energy, I am not tired( more than just being Mom tired), I am losing weight. So since July 20th 2008, the week before Moab started 1st grade, I have lost another 24 lbs!

I am so excited, it feels great to get over that wall, I have hit a  couple small walls, one lame wall last week, but I kicked them over quick!

I am looking forward to watching Biggest Loser this fall. I have always said, if I were on that show, I would win because when I set my mind to do something, I do it. The problem with being on the show is being away from my family. My solution is to lose the weight with my family by my side. It is not easy, I walk, run or bike 2-4 miles a day, I don’t snack, I eat small meals. I have gone to at least 6 social events where there is food everywhere, because food is a huge part of life, and it is Everywhere!Living at a ranch with a doctor and personal trainers and no kids or husbands distracting would make it a lot easier to focus, but I love my hubby and my two girls too much to leave them for 4 months, because like I said, I would win, and I would be gone for 4 months!

Anyways, there you have it. I am the biggest loser in my own universe.

—Jena

Walking off the weight…

So since Moab started school, I had to quit going to the gym. Well instead of the gym I walk Moab to school and home everyday, which is 4 miles a day.

Two weeks of school and I have lost almost 5 pounds. The inches are coming off, and I am feeling great. Other than having Bronchitis, I finally feel like I am making some progress again on losing weight.

I also have made some new friends walking to school. I haved lived here for 5 months now, its about time I make some friends. I have Moab to thank for the friends, since she is Miss Social, she has made a lot of friends at school, and I have become friends with the parents of her friends.

—Jeena