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This has been a high energy Friday… probably the most active day I’ve had in months and it’s only halfway over! I swear from the second that my feet hit the ground this morning it’s been GO GO GO. Lots of excitement. I am looking forward to a peaceful evening to balance it all out.
There is real value in routine and structure sometimes. While my thoughts are usually preoccupied by things that excite me, my well-being very much relies on the expected. Having a plan brings me comfort. I like knowing that I am going to have a baked potato around 5:30 this evening. I like my morning routine that I follow like clockwork before going to work every day. I like that I can go to my parent’s house at certain times and my niece Lily will be there. Simple things like that bring me a lot of joy.
It’s amazing how eating really well for a few days will make you feel so much better overall. I feel lighter, my skin looks healthier, I have good energy, and I have momentum to continue forward. On top of that, I am really excited to pick up my veggie box today from Freshfully! 
I think having a variety of different fruits and vegetables will encourage me to cook more in general and be more creative with my meals. I will be sure to take lots of photos of my creations!
Work friends at a shoot for B-Metro
Meg!
I have been freaking out about my weight & eating habits of late. The scale has been swinging up a little more than usual which never fails to give me a minor panic attack. Fluctuations don’t usually bother me as much, but lately I’ve been eating more sugar than usual while at work. I recognize old patterns creeping back of knowing where certain foods are and being sneaky about eating. If I want to have a chocolate, that’s OK… I don’t need to hide it under a napkin until I get back to my office and eat it faster than I can enjoy it. I told a coworker about this recent problem last night, and she is going to help talk me down when the cravings hit. I’ve got to get back into the habit of NOT relying on simple sugars to bring my mood up fast because it’s nearly impossible to maintain that high without eating more crap. You’ve got to stop the vicious cycle before it starts. This has only been happening for the past week or so, but I want to stop before it snowballs.
Something to consider – my slight weight gain could be from muscle. While I don’t usually buy-in to the idea that it’s OK to gain weight under any circumstances, I’m willing to entertain the thought just this one time. My upper body has gained tremendous strength over the past month or so, and I can see & feel muscles that have never been visible before. I also think that I’ve done a good job of maintaining my leg strength while being injured. So, yes, it could be possible that my weight would be a little higher because of new muscle development. At least I will choose to believe that to make myself feel better. 
One last thing that was brought to my attention in the past 48 hours – that I may have been overtraining before I hurt my knee. I’m going to have to disagree on that one. I built up my workload gradually over a long period of time, and my workouts are always carefully planned in accordance with a race. I know a lot of people think less is more, and I also think there is something to that. However, it is all relative to what the end goal is. There are other people who train much, much more than me for the same race. My current knee injury was from a specific movement that triggered an injury from the past – a deep squat. I should have known better, but you can bet your socks that I won’t repeat that mistake twice. It’s not that squats are bad, it is just that I have to be extra careful of those kinds of movements. As far as overtraining goes, even though I feel strongly that it wasn’t a factor I will still keep that thought in the back of my mind. I guess you can never be too careful. All I know is that I get lots of sleep, eat well, and have virtually none of the other symptoms that come along with overtraining.
On another note – they tore down the scary old house across the street yesterday!! It’s always been an eyesore, but in some strange way I really liked how spooky it was. We even shot our Ghost Ghirls photos there a few weeks ago not knowing that it was doomed to be torn down. While I missed the demolition yesterday, Mike said that a huge crowd gathered to watch as it was being torn down. Bittersweet I guess.
Before
After
Sometimes it seems surreal that I am at a perfect weight. Every now and then in my own mind I’m still the size I used to be. I will feel like I’m having a “fat” day, only to have the scale tell me that there is no reason to worry. There are days during the week when I have meals with more calories than I’d like, but it all balances out in the end despite my concern. I still firmly believe that it’s because I’m not eating certain types of food, like fast food and empty calorie junk. If I splurge, it’s usually on chocolate in moderation. However, sweets remain dangerous territory for me as I usually want more after eating my alloted portion. I seem to have my chocolate cravings mid-afternoon while at work. Having a healthier snack option helps to take my mind off of eating things less nutritious for me.
This is a TMI Alert… so don’t say I didn’t warn you! One of the most amazing things that has happened to me since losing weight is regaining the desire to wear underwear again. Gosh, I must have gone commando for years and years… all b/c I hated the way I looked and felt in panties. I especially hated the kind with elastic bands that cut into your skin, only to make you look & feel even fatter. Of course, this could have had something to do with the fact that I refused to buy my real size… so I always looked like a sausage bursting out of its casing. So at some point I decided it was better to just go without them all together. I did a similar thing with baggy clothes/pajamas. When I was bigger, I would always come home from work and immediately put on over-sized pajamas because it helped me visually hide the fact that I didn’t like my body. While I am still trying to mentally undo some of these bad habits I learned while being overweight, I am happy to report that I am now an underwear-wearer again. I even buy my real size – a large – and feel great in them. I’m never going to be the girl who wears a size small in anything, and I don’t want to be. I’m 5’10″, 32 (almost), and finally able to accept every ounce and part of my body. Hooray for self-acceptance!!! And YAY for underwear!!!
After reading about Crossfit on Triathlete.com earlier in the week, I was tempted enough to attend a local introductory 2 hour course yesterday afternoon. Crossfit is basically cross training, teaching your body a lot of different skills instead of just a few. It focuses a lot on strength and technique, building a strong fitness foundation so you can be good at practically any sport. Most of the two hours was spent doing just that – showing us how to move our bodies properly doing basic activities like running, weight lifting, squats, sit-ups and push-ups. There were all sorts of technical equipment that we didn’t touch, and the most intriguing were the gymnastics rings… you know, the kind that always seemed for the “boys”. I would L-O-V-E to be strong enough to use them, and I can only imagine how much it would improve my swimming strength. And to top it all off, the instructors were super nice & very smart. Justin & Abel are both very passionate about what they do, which makes learning from them easy and inspiring. Click here to learn more about their program called Crossfit Scars (named after Justin’s last name “Scarsella”).
Towards the end of our introductory program, they briefly touched on Crossfit’s optional eating plan which is based on the Paleo Diet, also known as Paleolithic Diet or Caveman Diet. This was the only component of the whole program that turned me off. I’ve been hearing a lot lately about the Paleo Diet, and I know enough to know that it isn’t for me. It is basically the opposite of the CarbLover Diet, which most of you know is what I used to lose my 47 pounds. On the Paleo Diet, you basically try to eat like our ancestors did by mainly consuming meats, eggs, vegetables, and limited nuts & fruits. Honestly, to me it sounds like a repackaged Atkins Diet… which I’ve had a lot of experience with in the past. It basically discourages eating any sort of grains, beans or dairy. At this point in my life I am not willing to give up a whole food group, especially when it offers significant nutritional value for my body.
I also need to realize that weight-loss is very personal. If the Paleo Diet works for someone, then they should do it. It’s not like they are asking you to eat unhealthy foods. After talking a lot about diets in general with people lately, I’ve learned that it’s a pretty sensitive subject… almost like politics and religion. Sometimes you just have to agree to disagree. All that matters is if you are healthy in the end and happy with your body. I know I am!!!
As for Crossfit (minus the diet), I definitely plan to get some one-on-one personal training time over the next few months to see what it does for my overall fitness. I think it is a great match!
Just to show how far I’ve come, please revisit my Ode to Ranch Dressing from earlier in the year by clicking here.
It’s officially Christmas vacation and I’d like to dedicate today’s post to fiber. Set to the tone of Fergalicious. Ahem.
__________________________________________
Fiber, tres, two, uno
Listen up y’all ’cause this is it
The fiber that I’m chewin’ is delicious
Fiberlicious definition
Makes your body gassy
Travels to your large intestine
Makin’ your colon sassy
So delicious
(It’s hot, hot)
So nutritious
(I like it a lot, lot)
So delicious
(They want a taste of what I got)
It’s Fiberlicious
(T-t-tasty, tasty)
Fiberlicious def-
Fiberlicious def-
Fiberlicious def-
Fiberlicious definition
Makes me feel fuller longer
It’s found in lots of whole foods
Helpin’ my body get stronger
It’s the F to the I, B, E, the R, the Fiber
And can’t no other lady eat it up like me
It’ Fiberlicious
(So delicious)
My body stay vicious
I be up in the gym
Just workin’ on my fitness
Uh-oh there’s some gas
(Shew-wee)
You better do that in pri-vate
So powerful like a rock-et
Enough to fuel you to another plan-et
It’s Fiberlicious.
(Fiber, tres, two, uno)
So delicious
(It’s yum, yum)
So nutritious
(I like it a lot, lot)
So delicious
(They want a taste of what I got)
It’s Fiberlicious
Hold hold hold hold hold up, check it out
Yummy, yummy, yummy
If you want to be like me
Honey, get some patience
Maybe then you’ll get a taste
Of my tasty, tasty
It’ll be laced with dairy
It’s so tasty, tasty
It’ll make you gassy
T, to the A, to the S-T-E-Y, Fiber so tasty
T, to the A, to the S-T-E-Y, Fiber so tasty
D, to the E, to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S
To the D, to the E, to the, to the, to the
Hit it JWii!
So delicious
(Ay, ay, ay, ay)
So nutritious
(Ay, ay, ay, ay)
So delicious
(Ay, ay, ay, ay)
It’s Fiberlicious, t-t-tasty, tasty
T, to the A, to the S-T-E-Y, fiber is tasty
T, to the A, to the S-T-E-Y, fiber is tasty
T, to the A, to the S-T-E-Y, fiber is tasty
T, to the A, to the, to the, to the, to the
(Fiber, tres, two, uno)
To the D, to the E, to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S
To the D, to the E, to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S
To the D, to the E, to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S
To the D, to the E, to the, to the, to the, to the, to the…
Thanks for letting me vent during my impromptu post last night. I feel much better this morning after a good night’s sleep. All of the concerns that I mentioned are very valid, but sometimes at night things get amplified in my mind. I am sure that happens to a lot of people, because nighttime is the hardest time to keep your emotions in-check. I am proud to report that I made it through, and writing that post helped me a great deal. I have also come to find that the day after my weekly long run is when I feel the most exhaustion. But today… I feel GREAT!
Turns out I have misplaced my LiveStrong bracelet, so my friend Sarah at work is bringing me another one this morning. I just need that subtle reminder on my body to get me through the multiple pecan pies and sweet potato casseroles over the next few days. But, I am still letting myself have that one piece of pie if I can manage everything else in moderation.
While lying in bed last night, I realized that a lot of my issues have to do with control. I need to be 100% control, if I’m not, I tend to let it get completely out of hand. For example – my office at work is super clean. All of my papers are in perfect angles to my desk, and there is no dust or trash in sight. On the opposite side of the spectrum is my bathroom. I have clothes everywhere and make-up scatters my counter top. Jennifer at work would have nothing to do with that, but Jennifer at home could give a rat’s butt. I’ve noticed that my food & eating patterns fluctuate between those two extremes. It’s never somewhere in between. Maybe I need to learn to relax a little and lose some of the obsession with being perfect all of the time. I am in need of balance. But one thing is for sure – there is no question that I’m on the right path. Now that I’m in this new phase called “maintenance”, it just requires a new mindset. One that I look forward to attaining!
Some good news – I got a lot of writing done last night! I am still participating in NaNoWriMo, but on my own terms. I feel much more comfortable with my new deadlines, and I am making some serious progress. This book is going to rock your socks off.
Here are some fun photos from our Ball at work this past Saturday night. One is of Mike and I, then the other is of me and my sister Rachel. It was so wonderful!
Did I say that I was excited about Thanksgiving? Well, I still am… but I’m also completely terrified of the food. I am starting to notice that I’m becoming a little too carefree at meals and with snacks. I’m not overeating, but I am eating a little more than I should. I hate to express any sort of weakness, because it makes it that much more real. I put up a confident front for myself sometimes more than anything… because if I believe it, then that’s all that matters.
I know I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately and things have been going at a rapid pace. In the past, this has spelled disaster and a downward spiral that I couldn’t control. So I’ve been trying to find the origin of these negative thoughts.
1. I have increased my exercise time & intensity a great deal in the past month or so. I might be falling into the trap of thinking that doing more means getting to eat a little more. I know this is bad logic.
2. I have stopped counting my calories as much. For the past few weeks instead of counting every single calorie every single day, I’ve cut back to doing it maybe 4 to 5 days a week. And I’ve been lax some of those days by not counting a popsicle here or a popsicle there. I’m going to get back into the habit because it brings me peace.
3. I could be worrying for no freakin’ reason… it’s not like I’ve gained any weight back. It’s more than likely a wave of temporary anxiety. My husband has pointed out on more than one occasion that it’s nearly impossible for me not to worry about something at any given point in time. Since all of these bigger things have passed, I’ve shifted my negative energy to my weight.
I’m sure if I go back through my blog that I would find days where I have felt similar to the way I do right at this moment. I just need to take a deep breath, calm the eff down and get a grip.
I remembered this evening while going through this minor panic that I haven’t been wearing my LiveStrong bracelet for the past few weeks. I am going to wear that sucker again every day through the holidays to remind me of my inner strength & potential. I will not be afraid of food. I will not let anxiety take over my spirit. Life is too short to waste precious energy on worthless internal dialog and self sabotage.
As of this moment, I am releasing the turkey demon – go gobble up someone else’s tree.
Vero is a very important person in my life. I’ve known her for years, but in the past 4 months we’ve become especially close. It all started one afternoon when I visited her gallery to purchase a birthday gift for someone. She told me she had been reading my blog, and then our conversation went straight to exercise. We made a date to ride bikes together the very next morning. I was a little nervous about spending one-on-one time with her… would she think I was cool? Would I be interesting enough to talk to for a whole hour? In my mind, she was the hippest of the hip.
Turns out that Vero has no idea how cool she is. She is a modest and giving person, always willing to share everything in her life.
Vero and I are now full-on running buddies. We try to run together as often as we can each week, and we both bring our own unique gifts to the relationship. She pushes me to be a faster & better runner, while I encouraged her to enter her first road race (the Vulcan 10k on November 6). She is the first person that I have ever wanted to talk to while running… in the past exercise was a solo gig for me. Having conversation with someone you like makes the time go by so much faster. Plus, I feel like I am able to go farther because she is there. I look forward to running because of Vero.
Here are some random questions that I asked Vero to answer for this blog post!
Where are you from?
I am from a town called Braine-l’Alleud located in Wallonia, the French speaking part of Belgium. It’s just minutes South of Brussels.
What do you miss about Belgium?
I miss my family, my friends, Liege waffles (nothing to do with Americanized “Belgian” waffles), Summer months on the Flemish coast, bicycle lanes and public transportation.
Why did you decide to move to the United States?
In 1996, I was 25 and I was fed up with the job market in Belgium, I worked in creative advertising at the time and it was shark land. I don’t care much for that atmosphere. Belgium is also pretty depressing when it comes to its climate, unless you like cloudy skies and rain 3/4 of the year. My mood improved a lot when I moved under the Southern skies.
Why Alabama?
The weather, the amazing people, the green spaces, the laid back attitude (although sometimes it gets to me), the cheap cost of living which allowed me to become an artist and own my own gallery.
What are some of your favorite foods?
Greek Yogurt! I was raised on it like Americans are on Peanut Butter. We call it “Fromage Blanc” over there and it makes a mean (and low fat) pie! Also: Vegetarian Moussaka, the vegetarian grape leaves and humus sandwich from Makarios, Frozen yogurt, Indian food, and all vegetables except for collard greens.
Does having a running partner benefit you in any way?
Oh yes! You make me run longer (because it’s not boring) and force me to get up before dawn, which I never thought I would do. And I look forward to it! Another thing I would have never done is run a race. Everything is so much easier with someone to motivate you. Especially someone as motivated as Louise!
(That is my middle name, Jennifer Louise West)
Do you like to listen to anything on your solo runs?
I rarely listen to music, although if I do it will be in French, I love Zaz right now. Street jazz female vocal, it’s fabulous! Like a modern Edith Piaf. But I love listening to language learning podcasts, I am such a multitasker. Makes me feel like I don’t waste my time. I am brushing up on my Spanish with “Showtime Spanish” and learning tid bits of Russian, Italian, Japanese just for fun. I also love to learn random new things with “Things You Should Know” and I love real stories and listen to real stories told live without notes on “The Moth”. All the above is on iTunes and free.
Why is living a healthy lifestyle important to you?
We only have one body, and now that I’m about to hit 40 I realize how important being in good health is. Life is too short to spend it uncomfortably if you can do something about it.
Vero also owns a gallery called Naked Art which she opened in 1998, and you can ready more about it by clicking here.
Vero and I on September 12, 2010
I love my weekend routines these days: Doing something fun in the evenings in the cool fall air, waking up early the next morning for a long run with Vero, coming home & taking a nice hot shower, writing in my blog, then maybe going back to bed for an hour or two. This afternoon we are going to a fun lindy hop swing lesson/potluck party… should be interesting!!! 
Video is mandatory. Tonight is a Mad Men themed party downtown that we also plan to attend, though I really don’t have an outfit to wear. Time to go dig through the closet to see what I can find!
OK, I am now completely infatuated with authentic Chinese food. I took Mike to Mr. Chen’s for the first time last night and I am pretty sure he now feels the same way. It is unfortunate that they don’t offer a brown rice option instead of white, but besides that it is really easy to order healthy food off of their menu. I ordered the seafood & tofu bowl and it was FANTASTIC. Warning for the faint of heart: there was a lot of unusual seafood in this dish, most of which I couldn’t identify. But it was SUPER GOOD.
During our run this morning Vero made a funny observation that I am sure most of you can relate to. Do you ever feel like you have a “good you” on one shoulder, then a “bad you” on the other? They always seem to start fighting when you are trying to order dinner, or deciding whether or not to exercise. It usually goes something like this:
“Bad You”: Jennifer, you have been so good this week! Maybe you should order something especially yummy tonight as a reward. After all, you are going to be running 6 miles tomorrow!
“Good You”: Hold up, hold up. This is EXACTLY the reason you shouldn’t order the beef cooked in oil… there are no rewards, only planned eating. And you didn’t plan to eat a 2,000 calorie dinner.
“Bad You”: Seriously, lighten up a little. What… you are going to burn like 5,000 calories in the morning? It’s no big deal!
“Good You”: That food is turning to fat long before you hit the pavement in the morning…
“Bad You”: …hey, maybe we should order a few beers too! After all, it is Saturday night! It’s just liquid anyway.
“Good You”: Listen here, Bad You, I am going to kick your ass from here to next Wednesday if you don’t SHUT IT.
“Bad You”: Can we at least have some pork pot stickers first? Fighting’s gotta at least burn that many calories.
And it goes on from there. What I have learned is this… what you should do is somewhere in the middle. As long as you plan for it, then there is nothing wrong with having fun every once in a while. And I am happy to report that that’s exactly what I did.
Sorry for the delayed post today. I got up super early to take some photos for a work event and just got home. Speaking of events, most of you attend a handful each week – from birthdays, to sports & work functions. It is really hard to stick with any diet when someone is shoving a hamburger & french fries in your face. Especially when it seems like you have no other option.
This is where being prepared kicks in. You have no one to blame but yourself if you aren’t. It’s easy to pack high fiber snacks full of resistant starches that will keep you fuller longer (thanks CarbLovers!). Anything from fruit (especially an apple or banana) to a Fiber One bar will do the trick. You can eat smaller “meals” more frequently until you get back in your eating routine. Here is what will happen if you don’t: you will eat that hamburger & mound of french fries and then feel like crap immediately afterwards (emotionally & physically). Is it worth it? No. Sure, everyone deserves a snack or a “free” meal every now and then, but the name of the game is to PLAN. You have to be in control at all times.
Say you get stuck in a situation where you didn’t expect to be without your normal food options. This is not an excuse to give up and eat a whole plate of garbage. Practice portion control. Know what is in the food you are eating. Start using a calorie counter so you can make educated choices. There are tons of free ones out there and most have apps for your smartphone.
Off the topic of food, I am completely worn out. I hope to catch up on my work & rest this week while still finding the time to develop the outline for my book. My goal for tomorrow is to post some deadlines for myself. It is so easy to get caught up in life and delay projects that aren’t bringing you immediate gratification. I have to keep reminding myself that being creative is what keeps me alive & moving!!!
These kinds of "snacks" leave you wanting more.
The lunch served at the event I attended today.
