Greenhouse

Usually once summer comes I lock myself in the house to avoid the heat, sweating, and general feelings of uncomfortableness. I really want to be more active this summer. Sports, gardening, the beach etc. . . Anything to keep me from shutting myself in. I started planting a garden and it's actually growing! I planted zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno peppers, green onions, and lettuce. I'm so excited! I bought a mini-greenhouse and right now they're growing in my kitchen.




Now I just have to prepare the garden outside. I've never really gotten that far so we will see how it goes. I just hope I don't kill them! It will be so nice to have fresh garden veggies this summer! It will help save on groceries.

Yesterday my friend Becca and I went for a walk/run (where we walked a block then ran a block). However we also ended up going out for lunch. Bad idea. We got fried calamari for an appetizer, cheeseburgers and fries, and rum and diet cokes. Oh and they brought a bread basket to the table. To keep from repeating that disastrous lunch we have decided that after we run we're going to go to one of our houses and fix a nice healthy lunch (i.e. a grilled chicken salad).

Tonight I have my orientation for Kohl's. I'm really excited about this job. I was hired in the Beauty department so I get to work with makeup! Having this job is really going to help me out, not only will we have more money, but it will give me something to do and keep me from binge eating out of boredom. An area I seriously struggle in.

Ooops I did it again

Once I again I let my whole summer, fall, and then winter slip by without losing any weight. When my husband left for his deployment I ended up falling into a dark place. Drinking, smoking, and not taking care of myself at all.

I recommitted myself to my weight loss journey in February. This time I realized that I need help. I can't do it myself, the journey is too big and I always seem to let my cravings get the best of me. I found a personal trainer who I work out with three mornings a week. Laura is the best! She pushes me to do things I never thought I would be able to do and she also gives me the constructive criticism I need. My friend and I have started running together as well. My goal is 3-4 times a week. Last week we ran on Wednesday and Thursday, but my shins started bothering me so I decided to rest. We're going to run today. I love living by the beach, I never thought I would be someone who ran on the boardwalk of the ocean front.

I've been doing really well with my workouts (not something I ever thought I would be saying!), but my eating is another story. My PT wants me eating 1,400 cals a day/6 times a day (3 meals, 2 snacks). I seem to do well in the week, but the weekends kill me!

I'm excited to be starting my new job tomorrow. Keeping busy will keep me from emotionally eating.

I'm going to use this blog to record my food and fitness. To keep myself accountable.

Peace,

Jessyka

100% Raw Transformation!

Once again I find myself having fallen off the bandwagon. I let everything else take over my life and I get carried away with life and forget to follow the goals I've set for myself. It's funny how everything seems to follow a pattern.

My husband is leaving for basic training on Tuesday. He's going to be gone for nine weeks. I'm having a really hard time dealing with this. Yesterday was our first wedding anniversary. I can't believe how everything has changed over just one year.

I've been really bad these past couple of weeks. I started Cosmetology school last month and I've gotten so caught up with school and preparing for Chris leaving, plus moving back into my parents house while he's gone. I've made a goal for while he's gone though. I've decided to go 100% raw for the entire nine weeks. I've always wanted to go 100% raw, but I've always had so many excuses and now that I won't have to cook for Chris and I won't be home all day smelling people cooking food I think it will be a lot easier to devote myself to this. I'm really excited!! I want to lose weight and be so healthy and shining that the next time I see Chris he won't even recognize me. It'll be fun!!

So Tuesday will be Day one of my 100% Raw transformation!

I'll let you know how things go. And I would love it if anyone could leave me lots and lots of encouragement!!

The Easter bunny hates me

OK. So it's Easter and with that comes three (count 'em THREE) different meals to attend. It's like a dieters worst nightmare. Right now I'm at stop number one and so far I've done pretty well. I had only one plate of food with fairly small portions. I haven't had any dessert yet, but that's the next stop and I'm kind of dreading it. So far I've been told that there's going to be chocolate cheesecake and angel food cake with strawberries. I'm taking a tray of fresh fruit and I'm going to make that my dessert. Good thing I like fruit, lol. Not only do we have all this food, but both of our parents decided we needed Easter baskets. Go figure. I think I'm going to stand outside church and hand the candy to all the children.

Last night I made buffalo wings, steamed squash and zucchini, and a big salad. I did really well. I ate the salad first (kale, leaf lettuce, fresh corn, and broccoli) so that I could feel up on greens. Then I ate the steamed veggies and finally only one chicken wing. I did have a small glass of pink catawba wine, but compared to my husband's three beers I think I did pretty well.

*Lists*

I have a confession to make.

I love to make lists. Seriously, I have a notebook full of random lists. From grocery lists to packing lists, dinner lists to what-to-do lists I've pretty much made them all. Generally though what you'll find in my notebook most often in my "weight loss list" which I have decided to post on here for everyone to see. Which is quite an accomplishment for me considering I won't even let my husband look at them . I guess I get embarrassed by all the times I've written the same thing down before only to fail before I ever even got started.

Weight loss List

1. Start an appropriate exercise regime. I would really like to start running, and eventually try kickboxing. I really, REALLY want to kickbox!

2. Cut out refined white sugar, refined starches, and soda!! Switch to whole grains (especially brown rice, lentils, barley, beans).

3. Start eating 50% raw and 50% healthy cooked foods. Eventually transitioning to 75% raw and 25% healthy cooked foods.

4. Start incorporating at least one green juice into my diet. I eventually want to do the 92 day juice feast, but not for awhile. I'm going to save that for after I've established a healthier lifestyle.

5. Drink lots of water! A no brainer, but as it stands I drink entirely to much soda and even though I've switched to diet soda I still feel like it drags me down and I want to cut it out all together.

Well there's my list and I'm going to start working on mastering one goal at a time.

Again thanks for reading!

~ Jessyka

Declaration of Change

I always feel like I'm on a merry-go-round. I realize I absolutely MUST do something about my weight, I make some healthy, necessary changes, lose a little weight, get some complements, binge and gain it all back, be miserable for a few months and . . . . well you know.

Since coming to this realization I've decided that maybe blogging about my efforts to lose weight will help take me off this merry-go-round and set me on a straight path. There are many different things I have said I'm going to try "One Day" and I think by listing them here I will be more inclined to check them off my list.

I know I am by no means the first person to blog about their weightloss attempts nor do I expect to become an internet celebrity or sensation. I will be surprised if more then ten people read this blog. But regardless if I have one person religiously following me 100th attempt (that being my husband, lol) or fifteen-hundred I am determined to do this. I am young, vibrant, fun and I deserve to feel that way and to enjoy my life with my husband. I'm tired of being ashamed of being fat, refusing to wear a swim-suit, or to go on vacation. I'm tired of going shopping and being unable to find the outfit I like in my size, or to find that that "beautiful dress" is not beautiful on me.

I really think the quote below sums up how I have lived my life up to now.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~ Marianne Williamson

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Your support is SO appreciated!

~ Jessyka