Shrinky-Dinky

Weigh In Results . . .

2010-02-05T11:11:00.002-05:00

Down 4.7 pounds!

I'm super excited, obviously :)

This whole snow storm thing has everyone's panties in a bunch . . . so when I went to the store to buy some groceries I could hardly get through the aisles. Seriously, don't these people have jobs? It's snow, not an atom bomb.

Anyway . . . perhaps I'll make another boringish food post later . . . for now I'm just being all crazy happy about my loss.

Tomorrow is the day . . .

2010-02-04T16:15:00.004-05:00

So funny . . . Every time I post a new blog, I lose a follower. So . . . Sorry I'm so boring guys! Seriously.

I have so much school work to do tonight it isn't funny. Tomorrow morning is the big weigh in day . . . wish me luck!

I do need to mention my newest favorite snack in the whole wide world, though. Today I bought some Tofurky slices which I love because they are seriously awesome. They don't have that weird "soy" flavor or anything. I could eat it all day. Anyway, I also recently purchased a jar of Nasoya brand Dijon style Nayonaise . . . Nayonaise, you ask? Yes. No dairy, no eggs, yes awesome! This stuff seriously tastes amazing and I highly recommend it.

this:

plus this:

Equals this:

The 5% nation of casiotone . . .

2010-02-03T17:39:00.003-05:00

I realize that I haven't been posting much in terms of personal stuff here lately. I think I just needed to get back into the groove of actually posting a blog at all and I was sort of afraid that I would flake out again and look like an absent moron. So I needed some time. Needed to build up some trust.

I had been feeling pretty ugh-ish about weight loss for a while. I wanted to do it, I was pretty much paying attention, but couldn't recommit. I have a bad habit of letting those around me influence my decisions way too much. Something I definitely need to work on this time around is the fine art of saying "no." Why do I find this so hard?

I also really need to work on finding balance in my life. I know that I will never succeed with the all or nothing attitude. I can't be completely strict until I lose weight because I will inevitably gain it back. I know this. I've done it before. I need to find a way to go out to dinner with friends without A) having a panic attack beforehand or B) eating everything in sight until the kitchen staff runs away and hides for fear that I will come after them next. Alcohol is another biggie. I've just been going without, but I want to have a glass of wine now and then without the fear that it will totally screw up my next weigh in.

So, in other words, I've got some issues...

In the meantime, I've been quietly plugging along, counting points to myself, packing my lunches, planning my snacks . . . all without the help of the blogger world that I love so much. I think I needed to do it. I needed to be successful on my own, not just because I was being successful for the readers of my blog.

I still struggle with motivation for exercise. This week was rough because I was unable to go to the gym on Monday and Wednesday because my daughter was sick Monday and today I needed to observe a classroom. But I plan to be there as soon as both kids are in school on Friday morning. As for tonight - I have way too much homework for tomorrow so I'm just going to have to pass on movement for the time being. Perhaps tomorrow I will be able to get some in during the evening.

OH! Now I do remember something I wanted to ask . . . I am in desperate need of some new tunes for working out. I have a lot of singer/songwriter, indie, touchy feely crap and I need some fun fast music to listen to while on the treadmill or elliptical. One of my favorite songs for now is Viva la Vida by Coldplay - I need variety. All suggestions are welcome! :)

Until next time . . .

A daily dose of food . . .

2010-02-03T13:43:00.007-05:00

Just thought I would share my food from today . . .

Vegan Breakfast burrito from whole foods (I don't know the points value of this, so I estimated a little high 9 points)

Agave Sweetened Soy Yogurt (2 points)

Coffee with soy milk ( .5 point)

Salad - greens, arugula, corn, black eyed peas, sunflower seeds, olive oil, vinegar, broccoli, quinoa (5.5 points)

Primal Strips Thai Peanut Seitan (1 point) - i forgot to take a picture of the actual food . . . but here's the wrapper

I'm not sure what to have for dinner tonight, but i have 13 points left for the day . . . any suggestions? :)

Well I managed to do it . . .

2010-02-02T10:09:00.003-05:00

This last weekend was probably the shittiest weekend I have had in the last few years. So much bad stuff happened, but I managed to weigh less on Monday morning than I did on Friday. No eating my pain, thank god. I'm just starting to et back into the swing of all things internet . . . so hopefully i will start commenting on blogs again soon.

Tuesday Morning Funny

2010-02-02T08:07:00.001-05:00

This isn't a video - just audio . . . and it is safe for work . . . but I find it to be so funny that I had to post it on everything internet today :)

Kombuchaaaaa, no...

2010-01-29T11:11:00.003-05:00

Has anyone had this stuff?

After going to the gym this morning, I ventured over to the Giant Eagle Market District (Which, by the way, is GE's way of trying to be cool like Whole Foods without actually being cool like Whole Foods and still charging just as much) to get a few things. I wandered over to the cold beverage section, because fun beverages are number 4 on the list of things I'm obsessed with (Numbers 1-3 are as follows: Blank books/Journals, Reusable Bottles, and reusable bags/totes/purses). Among all the tea and vitamin water was a bottle of this Kombucha stuff. I've been afraid to try it (for good reason!) but decided I should give it a go . . . especially since all the crazy hippy types are all about it.

I make my purchases and head to my car, where I open up the bottle for a drink.

I thought I was going to die.

Die.

So then I'm like . . . Jessi seriously, it can't be that bad . . . drink some more and see . . . maybe it's an acquired taste.

Yeah, no.

I ended up drinking about 1/4 of the bottle before surrendering and dumping the rest of my $3.29 down the drain.

Is it possible that I had just a bad brand? Or does this shit really suck that bad?? Anyone have other experiences?

A day in the life . . .

2010-01-28T11:58:00.003-05:00

Pittsburgh had a 2 hour delay today which royally fucked my whole schedule . . .

Normally on a Thursday I drop the kids off at school by 8:30 and then have to fight traffic in to Oakland to try to get a spot in the parking lot at the top of the hill to make it to my class at the BOTTOM of the hill by 9:30am. Also included in this time is a fair amount of dodging idiotic college students in Oakland . . . . As there are quite a few campuses in Oakland (Pitt, CMU, Carlow, etc), this becomes a huge problem. It's like frat boy frogger.

Anyway . . . because of the delay I would have been too late for my first class for it to be worth it . . . so I dropped the kids off at 10:30, came home, did pick your spot pilates, made lunch, ate lunch, and am now sitting here procrastinating. My next class is at 2pm and I need to get a shower AND print out my paper that is due today.

So - long story short - this is a quickie post . . . food today is as follows:

B - Dr. McDougall Cranberry Muesli
L - Super MoFo Salad (romaine, carrots, craisins, chickpeas, garlic croutons, olive oil, raspberry dressing), water
S - mini luna bar and pretzels
D - Boca vegan on sandwich thin, ketchup/mustard/vegan mayo, frozen organic mixed vegetables, 2 grapefruit
S - 5 dark chocolate hershey kisses

Activity:
pilates +3
steps +4

Total points consumed: 31
Points Target: 32
Activity points earned: 7

What's with the suckitude, Jessi?

2010-01-22T19:20:00.003-05:00

So it is painfully obvious that I have been NOT blogging much since like August. I have been having trouble with the restart button on my blogging life . . . however I haven't totally sucked it up. Oh I sucked, believe me, I did. But not totally. Since the beginning of the year I have been logging my food pretty faithfully in sparkpeople. . . . tracking water, exercising, following the recommended calorie range . . . and where has it gotten me? Down like 5 pounds and that's about it. And for the last 2 weeks I've been going up and down like 3 pounds? What the fuck?

It really pisses me off when this happens. I can NOT break past 260 and it is making me want to stab someone in the eyeball with a blunt object. A spoon perhaps.

So what's changed? Cheese. I have been eating cheese and some other dairy-ish things. Could that be the issue? Seriously? Or am I just fucked in some other way?

Ugh.

Last weekend I went to NYC for my mom's birthday . . . we went to see Wicked and then to a Drag show cabaret dinner theater . . . fun times :) Their motto was "the more you drink, the prettier we look."

I worked out at the campus gym on Wednesday morning . . . treadmill, bike, upper body weights, butt curls, leg press, etc. So I know I'm doing the right things . . . pretty much . . . hopefully the scale gets the memo . . .

Sorry for my far too long absence. I'm a really shitty blog friend and I hope you all forgive me . . .

Breakfast 1/4/2010

2010-01-04T11:02:00.001-05:00

Steel cut oats with golden raisins, rice milk and agave nectar, grapefruit

501 calories down

2009-11-18T12:34:00.002-05:00

Today I moved my ass.

A few years ago I bought the Nike+ thing to go with the iPod Nano and then never used it. Today I was debating about exercising and remembered the Nike thing and decided to try it out with my iPhone.

Seriously the thing is awesome . . . AWESOME! and you can select a "power song" to play when you are feeling like dying or punching the next person you pass . . . you just push the "power song" button and it starts playing. Pretty rad stuff.

Anyway . . . I did almost 3 miles . . . burning 501 calories . . . the most exercise I've done in months . . . and I feel super awesome!

Day three of counting points and still going :)

No Risotto for YOU!

2009-11-04T10:41:00.003-05:00

Actually . . . I just didn't have time to do it after taking my daughter to the doctor, stopping at the library, voting so I can support my socialist ways, and finally getting home. Risotto is a little time-consuming.

So anyway, I just escaped my worst WORST nightmare . . . senior citizen discount day at the red, white, and blue thrift store . . . I thought I would stop and get a few things to fit me for now (there are no dressing rooms there i might add), fought the old ladies just to get my cart down the damn aisles, stood in line for like 30 MINUTES, only to get home and find that 2 of the 5 things fit me. But - two of the other things should fit soon and the last thing will never fit because I will NEVER wear tapered pants, and I can't believe I didn't realize it when I picked them up.

Anyway I thought I would share my lunch from yesterday with you - the only thing that would have made it better would be some sauerkraut . . . because I'm gross like that :)

5 points of veggie sausage awesomeness!!!!

Biggest Loser: I don't really have much to say, although I'm a little disappointed that Tracy is gone because now who will I swear and yell at during the show? Also, the Abe Lincoln drama rama weigh-in . . . totally ridiculous.

I feel like a quote out of context, witholding the rest - so i can be for you what you want to see...

2009-11-03T09:45:00.002-05:00

well here we go . . .

i'm unfortunately on the sick kid bandwagon . . . i have to take my daughter back to the doctor today for the THIRD time in two weeks. I can't even begin to describe how old this is getting.

Yesterday I didn't track points because I really had no idea and was working on about 2 hours of sleep . . . so here i am . . . day one.

Points: 30
Banana (2)
Luna Bar (3)
Balance: 25
Veggie Sausage (3)
Light bun (1)
Ketchup/Mustard/Relish (1)
Grape tomatoes (1)
Spicy Hummus (3)
Balance: 16

Dinner is going to be apple pumpkin risotto with carmelized onions from my new BUST magazine . . . I have yet to "build" the recipe in my handy dandy recipe builder . . . but plan to post about it later while watching more Biggest Loser drama. Because I just can't stay away.

Now it's time for a test . . . on what you may ask?
The sound system and phonetic alphabet which is a lot harder than you would think. Sucks.

Let me end this before I start crying out of boredom with my own boringness . . .

also - Jack Sh*t's mizard of miz story is quite entertaining . . . and it stars my favorite grumpy italian chick! Go read.

The Damage

2009-10-30T16:09:00.001-04:00

Weigh-In: 260.8
Lowest weight (August 2009): 249.9
Gained: 10.9 pounds
Total Loss: 26.2 pounds

Damn.

Day 2

2009-10-29T20:49:00.002-04:00

See? I told you I would be back.

Today is my last day of blissful ignorance. Tomorrow is show-time . . . I'll step on the scale. The evil, no-good scale.

Bets anyone?

Yo

2009-10-28T15:15:00.002-04:00

I gained weight, I"m not really interested in going in to the "how much" right now . . . . but I think we all know that it wasn't .5 pound. Sucks. But is it really surprising considering I've been MIA for like 30 years? Obviously I've been in weight loss denial.

I was so convinced that as soon as I stopped working this would become way easier . . . nope . . . 423490827342 times harder.

This week's mini goal: Blog tomorrow and Friday, posting weight Friday morning.

Saturday, in the park

2009-09-19T10:20:00.002-04:00

252.6

Since I don't have an official weight from last weekend I'm just going to start here. I'm at work today, and it is becoming more and more clear that I am just going to need to quit for reals. My friend called me last night to see if I would be interested in bartending at her bar . . . this is something I have never done before but ALWAYS wanted to do . . . I'm going to have to talk details with her because I can't be there a whole lot - but hopefully it will work out! Yay!

I have a bunch of shit to do for school this weekend, but zero motivation. Chris is going to be away for most of the day so I think I'm taking my kids here so that I can work on stuff while they play . . . isn't this place awesome?

Exercise, as usual, is still the one thing I'm seriously lacking. I've been trying to figure out this whole not working/going to school/kid taxi schedule and it leaves me a lot less time during the day than I originally thought . . . but I need to suck it up, make a schedule, and stick to it.

ciao

Up the down staircase

2009-09-17T11:51:00.002-04:00

I'm making my way out of my self-inflicted hole.

After far too many weeks of non-progress I have decided to get back to basics for a little while. I'm not joining weight watchers again - but I'm going to start counting points . . . today. I downloaded iWatchr for my iPhone . . . which is actually a pretty rockin app . . . so check it out! It doesn't have a database or anything, but you can record foods/points for the day and it lets you easily see the day's balance, etc.

On top of that I got my shipment from Sensa yesterday. I'm still really skeptical about this stuff, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

The casual/part time work thing is really not working for me. THe paychecks aren't worth the hassle . . . I need to talk to Chris tonight but I'm pretty sure I'm going to tell them that I'm not going to do it any longer. I feel bad, but it's like this constant shadow hanging over me . . . I need to be rid of it I think.

This weekend I weighed in at around 256 (i don't remember the exact number) - today i was down to 253.6 . . . progress, no? :) Thanks for all the supporting comments on my last post . . . I'm going to get back to reading blogs today and will hopefully be able to stop being so absent.

Food today:

Breakfast: Optimum Slim with Almond milk and a banana (6 points)
Snack: Apple (1 point)
Lunch: Trader Joe's sprouted grain bread, tofurky slices, sprouts, reduced fat vegan mayo (4 points), coconut milk ice cream sandwich (2 points)
Snack: Trail mix (5 points)
Dinner: mushrooms and squash (1 point), plum (1 point), cucumber (whole-1 point), hash brown potatoes with hot sauce (5 points)
Snack: 2 Tbl natural peanut butter (5 points)
Total: 31 points

trend, anyone?

2009-09-07T10:14:00.001-04:00

Where have I been? Sucking. That's where.

Chinese food? Check.

Oreos? Check.

Cheese? Checkity check.

This was my first week of not working/first week of school/first week of school for the kids and I obviously made the most of it. I hate admitting that I failed but here I am.

My aries self needs some support here.

Freedom, at last

2009-08-30T14:50:00.004-04:00

Working for a large corporation has it's advantages and disadvantages. I've been working for one of the largest corporations on this side of Pennsylvania off and on for the past 7 years. When I first started - I was able to have my nose pierced, my hair dyed, flip flops, fun clothes . . . but as my jobs got "better" and I made more money - I had to ditch the fun stuff. Since Chris got a job - a really real teaching job - and I decided to quit working - the little things that were always part of me are now able to come back! Hooray! I'm still working for the man . . . but only while the man is sleeping - on weekends and evenings! This means no dress code. This means that I'm wearing flip flops and jeans and a funny t-shirt and my pink plastic watch and I dyed my hair reddish and I got my nose pierced! This means I'm a happy chick. :)

P.S. Chris said that there are 2 teachers at the school where he works with nose rings . . . perhaps city living isn't so bad after all! :)

Shit List

2009-08-28T10:39:00.002-04:00

Yes, I know I'm on some of yours!

I'm very sorry for being absent for the past few weeks. I was on vacation and today is my last day of official full time work so I have been preparing for that. I've also been sucked in to a series of books that will not be named. And I haven't been able to stop reading long enough to do anything else!!!! My farm at farmville is dead, the animals probably ate each other . . . but most of all Sarah is probably going to swim across the atlantic to personally kick my ass.

I'm sorry Sarah!!!!

So - I'm posting pics of the wonderful box from Miss Sarah here today. Videos still to come :)

Backstory: Long Long ago in a land far away, Sarah and I decided that we would exchange fun stuff from our respective countries. Sarah, being the crazy Tuna Helper fan that she is, requested items of that sort. I requested chocolate and vinegar. Weird? Maybe. Awesome? Hell yes!!!!

So back in the day I mailed my package to England. Approximately a week later Sarah received it and vlogged about it . . . still I waited. Days passed, then weeks, then months. Still no box. Finally, Sarah (beacuse she is that awesome) sent me another box. This time using fedex.

So one day Chris is at home. The fedex package is to be delivered . . . nervous!!! He goes for a walk and the effing fedex guy comes while he's gone. Seriously? Now we have to go the whole way to the malls of moria just to get it. But - I've been waiting forever . . . what's another few hours? After Chris called me at work to give me the news I hung up . . . sad, but excited.

Five minutes later. My phone rings.

Chris is laughing hysterically. I'm like, dude wtf is wrong with you? He said - remember how i told you that if she sent another box the first one would come?

I said "you are effing KIDDING ME!"

Chris: Nope

Me: OMG

Chris: it's pretty sad looking

Me: Sarah is going to SHIT!

Chris: haha

so i got double the gifts on the same day! What a way to end a yucky day of work! :)

Included was a disgusting amount of chocolate, some syrupy stuff that i haven't quite figured out yet, pickle relishy jelly stuff, and VINEGAR. LITERS OF VINEGAR!!!!

So, without further ado . . . I present the contents of the box.

Thanks so much Sarah . . . you made my whole month :)

PS: the instructions on the bottom of the first box totally explain why i didn't get it right away . . . but make the wait TOTALLY worth it :)

A brand new look!

2009-08-12T16:08:00.002-04:00

I've had some pretty crappy stuff going on . . . and because retail therapy is out of the question - a makeover instead!!!

Mack Attack's hubby did me a BIG favor by helping me set up tabs and stuff for this blog AND a fancy schmancy new layout - I'm excited to fill the space with more information and recipes and stuff . . . so tell me - what do you want to know about me? What would you like to see here? Anything? Nothing?

Operation Fat Blaster

2009-08-11T13:08:00.002-04:00

So I've been a pretty crappy blogger lately - haven't really been updating that much. Haven't been commenting that much. Sorry. I've been feeling a little frustrated. I still lost that pound this week so I really can't bitch too much. But physically I've been feeling pretty shitty. My exercise buddy is away this week and that put a damper on my away from home exercise, and I've just been tired and blech. What to do?

I'm going to make myself a star chart. Yes, I need to go back to preschool. I want to track when I exercise and stick with my foods . . . So today I am off to the drug store on my lunch!

Do any of you do this at home? Suggestions? Anyone want to send me pretty stickers?

Saturday Weigh In

2009-08-08T10:42:00.002-04:00

251.0

GD - I'm bummed . . . only 1 pound gone . . . but I know, I know, I really shouldn't complain. I still lost a pound, right?

Tonight Chris' band has a show - my goal? Don't drink too much beer! This shouldn't be a huge problem, because this place is highly overpriced.

Chris acts like a freak

2009-08-07T23:40:00.004-04:00

I was messing with my computer . . . and this happened . . . he's like the child that has to be in EVERY picture at the party