Current Weight: Week Thirty-Six

140.4 (0)  Stayed the same this week!  So ok with that with Easter and all.

Progress Pictures: -37.6lbs

Newest progress picture!  Taken on Easter Sunday!  140.4lbs

To see it compared to the other pictures, take a look here.

Spring Fever Challenge: Week 4

My Goals:

1. Lose 8lbs!

2. Exercise 3x a week!

3. C25k program!

4. Scrapbook more!

5. Read more!

6. Continue cleaning, organizing, and purging in my home!

Positive Picture:

This is what I wore for Easter.  Its a size 10 skirt and the shirt is a Junior size large! WOO HOO! I am so thrilled!!!

What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?
I have lost a total of -1.2lbs since the start of this challenge (G1); that is a bit disappointing, but I will keep working at it!  I continued reading my book (G5).  I also listed a bunch more items on craigslist(G6).


What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?
Wearing the clothes I wore on Easter was HUGE for me!! I am not a skirt person because I have always hated how I look in them because of all the extra weight!  Now that I am getting off the poundage I feel like I can wear fun stuff and feel good about it!

Fill in the blanks:

Teaching comes naturally to me.

Exercise and eating healthy does not come naturally to me.

I wish exercise came naturally to me. 

Fun Question:  What is your favourite Easter candy? Are you allowing yourself some this year?

I love Cadbury eggs and peeps!!  (OMG, did you know they make chocolate covered peeps now????)  Yes I am allowing myself to have some easter goodies! I have learned not to deny myself things because I end up binging to fill the craving!!

Friend Makin' Monday: Today I...

Haven't participated in this in several weeks! Trying to get back on my game!!!


Join us over at All the Weigh and link up!!!


Today I felt... kind of down.  I am on vacation this week and the weather is looking rainy all week.  So much for getting to the beach and other outdoors type stuff this week.

Today I saw... 2 new episodes of Curious George.  Lucky me! DD's favorite cartoon!

Today I ate... a good solid, breakfast! Need to start my day off right!

Today I kissed... my beautiful daughter, only to have her wipe off my kiss! LOL! Crazy girl!

Today I bought... nothing, YET! I am heading to the mall a little later to use a gift card I got for Christmas at Twin's Smoke Shop.  Nope I don't smoke, but they have a ROCKING selection of K-Cups for my coffee maker!!!

Today I heard... my daughter cry when I turned off the her shows! LOL! C'mon now! TV is NOT just for her!

Today I lost... money. I am on vacation this week, but I do not get paid for it.  It's bitter-sweet!

Today I decided... I need to be grateful for what I have and live in the moment.

Today I need... a hug.

Today I wish... things in my life were so much different!

Zwani

Myspace Easter Graphics

ABCs of Me

A~Age: 34
B~Bed Size: Queen
C~Chore You Hate: Laundry!  UGH! Especially my daughters!
D~Dogs: Nope, no doggie.  
E~Eat: Anything I want! LOL! I am following the WW program to loose some poundage!
F~Favorite Color: Green
G~Gold or Silver: Both???
H~Height: 5 Feet Tall (Hey, I'm NOT short! I'm fun-sized!!!)
I~Instruments You Play: Used to play the guitar as a kid!
J~Job Title: Head Start Teacher
K~Kids: Little Miss Sunshine, who is 3 going on 15!
L~Live: NH
M~Married: Yep
N~Nickname: Jess, short for Jessica
O~Overnight Hospital Stays: Yep, a couple! Once at the age of 20 for emergency surgery and for 4 nights when my daughter was born.
P~Pet Peeve: Ignorant people
Q~Quote from a Movie: "Destiny, destiny! No escaping that for me!" -Young Frankenstein
R~Right or Left Handed: Lefty
S~Sweet Tooth: YEP!  But I love the salty stuff MORE!!!
T~Time You Wake Up: M-S 7:00 and Sunday whenever I fee like it.
U~Unusual Skill: I wouldn't call it a skill per say, but I can "lock" the knuckles nearest my finger tips on both my index fingers as well as pick things up with my feet.
V~Vegetable you Dislike: Brussel Sprouts!  :P  
W~What Makes You Late: Getting sucked into the computer and my DD!  
X~X-rays You’ve had Done: knee, ankle, teeth
Y~Yummy Food you Make: WW Potato Salad is a favorite right now, as is grilled portabello mushrooms!
Z~Zoo Animal Favorite: Gorilla 

Current Weight: Week Thirty-Four/Thirty-Five

Ok, Ok.. I have to fess up.  Last week when I WI I gained +2.0lbs (143.6).  Yuck.

However, tonights WI has me at: 140.4 (-3.2)!  YAHOO!! I took off the 2 and then some!!!  WOO HOO! I am so close to being in the 130's I can TASTE it!!!

Spring Fever Challenge: Week 3

My Goals:

1. Lose 8lbs!

2. Exercise 3x a week!

3. C25k program!

4. Scrapbook more!

5. Read more!

6. Continue cleaning, organizing, and purging in my home!

Positive Picture:

We have been painting like mad to get our kitchen done! It went from a yucky yellow to primer white to this lovely red!!!  The picture does NOT do it justice! It is such a striking color!

What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?

I exercised 3x this week (G2)!!!! I also began the C25k program (G3) again. I did do some reading this week, but not as much as I had been (G5).  The painting of our kitchen is part of the process to be happier with our home so I think that can count towards G6. (Not sure where I stand with weight loss as I have yet to WI as I WI on Monday evenings.)

What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?

The thing I did for myself this week was hitting the road and getting C25k going again! I really enjoy running; the stress relief and mind clearing is WONDERFUL!

Are your SFC goals your ultimate goals or steps to your ultimate goals?  Do you find it easier to set big goals or do you like making mini-goals?

My ultimate goal would be to live a happy, fulfilled life so I guess my goals here are stepping stones towards that.  I like to have a big goal set, but I need to break it down into small attainable goals to see that I am making progress.

What are some of your ultimate goals, things on your bucket list?

1. I want to take DD to Disney in FL some day and give her the whole nine yards with it; the FULL Disney experience.  2. I want to visit Ireland some day.  3. I'd love to get my Masters Degree and teach college classes.  4. To live a happy, fulfilled life.

Fun Question: If you could achieve only one more thing in your life, what would it be?

Right now I'd say my weight loss goal as that would mean I would be healthy and able to lead a happy, long life.

Couch to 5k: Take Two

I started C25k late last summer and got through Week 4, but never went on with it from there. I REALLY enjoyed running; its a great outlet for stress and helps me to think more clearly (who couldn't use more of that, right???).  I decided to restart the program as part of my goals for the Spring Fever Challenge so on Thursday of this past week I did W1D1.  It went very well and I felt great! Last time I started this program I weighed 36lbs more then I do now and its amazing what a difference the 36lbs makes when running!!  

One funny thing though - the pants I wore kept falling down every time I'd start in on a running interval!! LOL!!  So when I went out today to complete W1D2 I made sure I wore pants that had a draw string!! Made things much easier!  

For those of you who are runners, what do you do with your cell phone, keys, and water bottle when you run?? (I live in the city and head over to a paved walking/running path so I don't have to deal with traffic and what not; I have to drive to get to the pathway.)

WW American Potato Salad

I work in a building that houses a Commodity Foods program; at the end of the week they bag up the left-over produce and give it out to the families in the program I work in and if there are left-over bags beyond that the staff get to take some home.  Last week it was a bag of small yellow onions and this week was a bag of small yellow potatoes.  I was trying to figure out what to do with them all and decided potato salad would be the way to go! I searched for a WW friendly recipe and this is what I found on the WW website:

American Potato Salad
Course: side dishes
PointsPlus™ Value:    3
Servings:  8
Preparation Time:  12 min
Cooking Time:  9 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients

	2 pound(s) uncooked Yukon Gold potato(es), peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
	2 large egg(s), hard-boiled
	2 tsp apple cider vinegar
	1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt, Greek-style recommended
	1/4 cup(s) fat-free mayonnaise
	3 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
	1 1/2 tsp SPLENDA® SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
	1/2 cup(s) celery, diced
	1/3 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped

Instructions

• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are fork-tender, about 7 to 9 minutes; drain and cool slightly.
  
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using a fork, mash yolk from 1 egg with vinegar until smooth. Add yogurt, mayonnaise, relish, Splenda, salt and pepper; stir until blended.
  
• Add potatoes, celery and onion to bowl; toss to mix and coat. Chop remaining egg white and egg; gently fold into potato salad. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes

• We replaced a large amount of regular mayonnaise with some fat-free mayonnaise and creamy non-fat Greek-style yogurt.
  
  Garnish with chopped dill, red onion and/or chives. For a change of pace, substitute 1-inch red potato chunks for the Yukon Gold potatoes.

It was super easy to make and soooooooo GOOD! I added a 1/2 tsp of paprika to give it a kick.  I did not add the entire amount of egg required either; just the egg yolk. This is certainly a recipe I will hang on to and use often! 

Spring Fever Challenge: Week 2

Sorry this is soooooooooo LATE! We lost our internet connection on Monday and didn't get it back til Wednesday and today is the first bit of down time I've had to blog!

My Goals:

1. Lose 8lbs!

2. Exercise 3x a week!

3. C25k program!

4. Scrapbook more!

5. Read more!

6. Continue cleaning, organizing, and purging in my home!

Positive Picture:

What have you done this past week to help you achieve your goals?

I completed reading a book and began another one (G5).  I am reading the Sookie Stackhouse series and LOVE IT!  I am on book 4.  I exercised 4x this week (G2); so proud of myself! Not all traditional type exercise, but still exercise! I also worked on throwing away some more stuff from my basement that I haven't used in a VERY long time (G6).

What did you do this past week to make you feel good about yourself?

This is going to sound sad, but I am not really good at this!  Doing things that make me feel good about myself are few and far between these days. I need to get better about this!

Is your mindset future-oriented or living in the now? How does this impact you when you are working towards a goal?

Normally, I would think towards the future, but right now I am in survival mode so I can only think of living in the now.  It really depends on the goal on how my mindset is; I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but its the truth!

Is there someone in your {real} life that inspires you to strive for the best?

My mum! She is a very strong woman and she never ceases to amaze me with all she does!

Fun Question of the Week: Do you read blogs on the individual websites or via Google Reader?

I read on the individual websites, but I want to check out google reader!

Two Hundred Sit-Ups: W1D1

Set 1: 9

Set 2: 9

Set 3: 6

Set 4: 6

Set 5: 9

--------

Total: 39

Two Hundred Sit-Ups

Have you heard of this program yet?  At the end of following this six week program, I am supposed to be able to do 200 sit-ups in one sitting.  Now, what they call sit-ups, I would more call a crunch, but that is just fine with me! I really need to work on strengthening my core; I know this will help with running as well as belly flab (which thanks to my poor eating habits and carrying my beautiful daughter for 9 lovely months, I have plenty of).

I did the initial test tonight (completed 20 sit-ups) and starting tomorrow I will begin Week 1 Day 1.  Once you get your initial number, there are charts you follow each week to help you achieve the goal of 200 consecutive sit-ups at the end of the 6 weeks!

Wish me luck!!!

Whats on YOUR iPod?

I am getting ready to get back to C25k and I am looking for some music to keep me pumped and going!  What's on your iPod these days?  I am looking for songs that are up beat and motivating!!!  Any ideas would be GREAT!

Current Weight: Week Thirty-Three

141.6 (-.4)

I would have liked more on the scale, but I'll take it!!!!  It's down!!!

Spring Fever Challenge: Start Up!

What are your goals for the Spring Fever Challenge? Why did you choose them?

1. Lose 8lbs!  If I lose the 8 by the end of this challenge I will down to 134lbs! YAHOO!! That will put me super close to my ultimate goal of 128lbs!

2. Exercise 3x a week! I know exercise is the KEY to my losing weight!  

3. Start the C25k program again and work towards completing it. I started working on this program last summer and made it only through the 4th week.  I am going to try again!!!  

4. Scrapbook more! I am so far behind on my scrapping and its just depressing me!!!  

5. Read more! I love to read and find it very relaxing.  I need some stress relievers in my life and reading is a great way!
6. Continue cleaning, organizing, and purging in my home!  I made great progress with this in the Winter Challenge and I am so motivated to keep working at it!

What is your plan of action to make them happen?

I am just going to give them my all and try my best! That's all I can do!

What does this challenge mean to you?

The last challenge we did over the winter was a great anchor for me!!!  I am hoping this one will serve the same purpose as well!!!

Fun Question of the Week: Let's  get to know each other! What is something most people (er... fellow bloggers) don't know about you?

Hmmm... what to share? What to share?  I was born in California, but moved with my family to New England when I was 11; we dealt with a very large earth quake in CA and my dad decided he had enough fun!  Hehe...  My family is originally from New England, but they moved out there for health reasons of my grandfather.