skinny jeans weight loss

Fall

2011-09-07T16:11:00.000-07:00

Lincoln calls Perrier "cowboy drink". You know how in the Old West cowboys were always drinking French mineral water?

I have truly missed blogging. It's always hard to start back up because I feel like I should have a clever pick up line or a lightening bolt epiphany or something super amazing to share... well, the last one is kind of true.

You see, today my oldest boy started 2nd grade. He is so darling. He loves me so much and he is just so dang happy and wholesome. It is a little melancholy to send your child back to school after playing with them and protecting them all summer, but it's also fun to share the excitement. Lincoln and I are leaving town tonight for NYC, just the two of us. It is a really poorly timed trip, but I had some sky miles that I wanted to use and he desperately misses his cousins, so we are just going for a long weekend. Dan is staying home with the babies because that's the kind of guy he is. The picture on the left is a re-enactment. Naturally, I forgot to take a picture before school.

Since I last posted... where to start! Well, Dan scored an internship w/ the Nevada State Legislature, and because they were in session he had to hurry there in May as soon as his classes ended. Lincoln still had a month left of first grade, so I stayed in Oregon with the kids for a month and we met him in Carson City in June. I was very nervous to be husbandless, but it was fine. Fun, actually.

Then we got to C C, and our apartment was SO gross. When Dan arrived he called to warn me and he said he was considering moving before I arrived. I asked, "Gross to you, or you are worried that it will be too gross for me?" I should have believed him when he said, "Too gross for me." Dan's not too... picky... so you think I would have let him relocate before we arrived, but I wanted to be tough, and besides, how bad can a place be for a few months?

Bad. It smelled like a cross between a poultry processing plant and a porta-potty after a hard living week at the state fair. At least I think that's what it smelled like. I thought maybe the smell was coming from the powder room, which looked clean, so one day I Lysoled the whole thing, even the walls, and got to scrubbing. There wasn't a smoking gun, until I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the underside of the outside of the toilet bowl, where I found the crime scene. I will spare you the details, but it was one of the more horrific experiences of my admittedly sheltered life. I haven't even told my husband about it. I just said, "I think I got it", and gave him a reassuring smile. Note to self: The next time my closet-redneck husband who wasn't even grossed out that night we had to stay at a trucker hotel that didn't even have pads on the mattresses tells me a place is too gross, believe him.

BUT! He got the job! We are back in Corvallis for the school year. He is finishing up law school and things are back to usual. We love Carson City, we have all sorts of family in the area, and we are looking forward to buying a proper house. We had a really fun summer. We spent as much time as possible NOT at home and we had a lot of time to explore Lake Tahoe, Yosemite and I even got to visit my sister in Sacramento a couple of times.

Oh, yeah! My sister had a baby. My second Gonzalez niece, bringing the niece count to a healthy 4. I am determined to be each one of their's favorite Aunt. Every time I hold little Tegan I whisper lots of cool secrets in her ear, like how she can wear lip gloss at my house whenever she wants, and if her mom ever says that the prom dress she wants is too expensive, just let me know and I will get it for her. She is so sweet and tiny and perfect. I got to be there when she was born, a very special privilege.

I checked my stats and saw that 10 people checked here today. I don't know why, but I hope that they come again.

Phoenix

2011-04-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

Meet my paparrazo. Great photographer, great guy.

I am away from my babies, once again. This week I am at a Health Coach training in Phoenix. Dan keeps sending me videos of the baby doing cute things, like playing peek a boo around the piano leg and throwing balls. He will be 1 in a month. So cute. As hard as it is to leave my kids, I am so grateful to have a fantastic job that I love, that also allows me to work from home. I would rather leave them with a dad for a couple weekends a year than in daycare every week, but it's still hard.

I have learned so much this week, and my head is swimming. I am starting a monthly e-newsletter that will be more specific info about how I help people. I don't want to spam people though, so if you would like to receive this informational and inspiring little note, please e-mail me, jacquireich@hotmail.com or ask to be my facebook friend (Jacqui Gonzalez Reich) and I will make sure that you get it.

Have a great weekend.

My Glamourest Weekend Ever

2011-02-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

Driving our Dark Silver Mustang. It was funnn!!!!!

I haven't been able to brag about my awesome weekend in Cali, because I came home to some very sick kids. It's the kind of misery where all I can do is hold them all day. I don't even try to get anything else done. I just feel so badly for them. The little two are barfing, coughing and snotting. The baby is on steroids and antibiotics, so now he has diarrhea. My little family was healthy until Graham came along, but our home has been a cesspool of disease ever since... but back to the GLAMOUR!
Here I am in the bathroom at the Grammys. We were told not to bring in cameras or phones, so we were trying to be sneaky. Dan ran me up to Portland the night before I left and I grabbed this dress off the rack. Yes, my sixth dress, but it was perfect and I loved it. If Dez sends me some better pics off her phone I will post them, I realize this one is pretty lame, considering.
All my wildest dreams came true the next day... lunch at Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills. If that doesn't mean anything to you, it's Lisa VanDerpump's restaurant. If that doesn't mean anything to you, she is the star of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. If THAT doesn't mean anything to you, well, I give up.

The food exceeded my expectations. The only bummer was that it was a little dirty, I don't think Lisa had been around in a while. Here are some of the gems overheard while we were there:

"Jill just called. She can't come in today because she is stoned."

"Can our baby get some water?" The baby was a miniature poodle... in a stroller. A poodle stroller.

And my personal favorite, the crusty older gentleman asked his astonishingly gorgeous young date, "So, what should I expect? Does lunch with you cost the same as dinner?" So, that explained it.

As fun and exciting and relaxing and wonderful as my weekend with my sister was, by Monday afternoon we were just basically talking about our kids. We missed our little boys. We were getting so homesick, that to distract ourselves we found a fetal-photo place in downtown LA and found out that my sister... IS HAVING A GIRL! It was a very exciting cherry on top of the perfect weekend.

Homesick

2011-02-05T15:40:00.000-08:00

I hate to complain about my house, because there is nothing wrong with it. It's really cute, and my husband built it so I got to pick a lot out... it's just that... I can whine for a second, right? Well, it's less than half the size of the house that we lived in when we just had 1 kid... and now we have three kids... and WHINE! The "nursery" is a pack and play on wheels that we roll into the quietest room at the moment when the baby is ready to sleep. So, when I am (unreasonably, I'll admit) feeling sorry for myself I love to go house hunting on realtor.com. I love it! This is the kitchen from my current home du jour. Please don't buy this house. I am hoping it sits on the market for a couple more years.
The problem IS (besides we don't live in the state and they are asking about 700k) the stove was ripped out. See, in the first picture there is a stove, then in the next one it is gone. I get the impression the owners went back and ripped out what they could. Jerks, messing up my kitchen.

I dream of having a fabulous home where I can host our Support Soirees. Unfortunately, the support groups fits perfectly fine in my little house. There are maybe just a half dozen of us there at best. I am telling you! You have to come. We have a great time and we come up with some great ideas. We talk each other into going on runs and share recipe ideas, too. I usually have something awesome recorded on the DVR to share, like a cooking demo or a success story. I won't be satisfied until the soirees are standing room only. Then I will HAVE to move to Nevada and buy my big house. By that time, my friends who are coming now will be hosting support soirees of their own in Corvallis and I can take my ministry to Reno. But first, I need my new kitchen. Well, first my husband needs a job, then I need a new kitchen.

Hottober

2011-02-04T13:45:00.000-08:00

One of my hobbies is studying the French Revolution. My interest started in a mild obsession with Marie Antionette, then I visited Versaille, and I haven't been the same since. I recently have become very interested in Napoleon. Every character description I have ever read of him could be describing my late father. It is uncanny. One of the craziest things those Revolutionaries did, besides lopping off all those heads, was they made up their own calender with their own months. Well, we're a little crazy, too. We are leading this nation's fitness revolution, and I have made up my own month. It's called Hottober, and this year, it falls on the Christian solar calendar, from what you might call Monday, February 14 to Sunday, March 13th. During the month of Hottober, I am inviting all of you to take your health to the next level, whatever that means to you.

This is just a challenge to live your best life for one month; body, mind and spirit. I will eat and drink right, do all 30 days of Tracy's Mothod this time, take my supplements, sleep, study my scriptures, pray and meditate every day of Hottober. My big pay off? I will run in my community's Woodstock's Spring for Kids Fun Run on Saturday, March 12th (or Hottober, 27th, actually). Some of my other friends are joining us, and you are invited, too. Oh, and maybe buy my white jeans. Dare to dream?

I realize that the first day of Hottober is Valentines Day, a traditional blow-it day in many of our minds, but this is a Revolution! Instead of bringing me a box of fresh truffles, which believe me, I would LOVE. I'm sure my husband can find something else to put in a pretty little box, and I can probably come up with a calorie-free surprise or two for him, too. This will also help you to be your best in time for Spring Break. If you want to try my program, you have just enough to call me and order your materials.P.S. Marie Antoinette was very careful with her diet. She never actually drank champagne and she very rarely ate sweets. We'll give Sofia Coppola a pass for this liberty, since her Marie Antoinette is still the best movie ever. Actually, M A's friends said she ate like a bird, and watching Louis pig out every meal seriously grossed her out. She also never said, "Let them eat cake", so neither will I.

My Thinspiration

2011-02-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

This time of year, you hear all sorts of marketing inspiring us to get bikini-ready. Does that do anything for you? It doesn't for me. Frankly, that ship has sailed, and not just because of my figure. No, I will never again wear a bikini, but I do have my holy grail item: white jeans. It is inspired by the most enduring fashion icon in the history of our country and my namesake, Jackie O. (I liked her best when she was with Ari, so that's what I call her. Jackie O. I think she was at her most authentic).

Like a bikini, white jeans are a privilege, not a right. Like a bikini, there are people who wear them who shouldn't but I don't want to be one of them. White jeans are so chic and luxurious. Come on, I have three little boys. It would take a lot of planning to make it more than 10 minutes with them still white. Much less practical than the black stretch pants I wear half the time. They are also very unflattering and visually expansive. I don't own a pair, I don't remember ever owning a pair, but this year I will. Also like a bikini, white jeans season is still a few months away, so I have some time to get ready. What is inspiring you to wellness and hotness these days? I would love to know.

Support Soiree

2011-02-01T20:27:00.001-08:00

There has been some confusion, so just so we're clear, it is every Thursday 7:30-8:30.

4718 SW Roseberry St.

Corvallis, OR 97333

Among other interesting and entertaining things we are going to discuss, we are going to watch a clip from today's Oprah with

Michael Pollen. Dang, I love that guy.

Validation

2011-01-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

I love to see in the main stream media exactly what I tell my clients. It's a good feeling. I read this in this month's Allure magazine:
Sleep deprivation is associated with increased body fat even while dieting. Ten overweight volunteers slept 8.5 hours per night in one two-week session and 5.5 hours per night in another; during the day, their diet and activity were controlled. Total weight loss was about 6.5 pounds in both cases, but when the participants got less sleep, they lost less fat mass (1.3 pounds versus 3 pounds), were hungrier, and had higher levels of the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin. This suggests that sleep deprived dieters could be more prone to cheating, says Plamen Penev, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago. They will also have a harder time keeping the weight off, because the more lean muscle people lose, the more their metabolism slows down, he says.

One of the things I teach my clients is how to get more sleep. It is a bit of an art and a science, but sleeping at night is essential for healthy weight oss. This study explains to me a lot of the reasons that my weight has come off more slowly this time around. I am getting less sleep after Graham even than I did after I had Paolo, because Paolo is still getting out of bed at night.

There's not a lot I can't control as far as my little kids goes, but there is a lot I can control.

And, when you are exhausted and have little will to live, how much will do you have to challenge yourself with a new diet? Add to it that simple carbs may pack on the pounds, but at least in the short term they pick you up. If you need help getting more sleep give me a call. I am a health coach, after all. Losing weight is just one piece of the puzzle of optimal health. A very fun and important piece, but just one piece.

Novice / Pro

2011-01-28T13:49:00.001-08:00

I made a rookie mistake and bid on too many dresses. I won five. I spent less than $130, though, because e-bay is AWESOME! Now I just have to wait for them to get here, choose one, and then find earrings and stuff. I have no idea which dress I will wear, I don't even have a favorite. I will probably just choose the one that fits the best. At least I have New Year's Eve party dresses for the rest of my life. Maybe I'm dreaming here in thinking that my husband will ever take me out on New Year's Eve, but if he does, I'll be ready. Of course, he made it clear that he won't be seen with me in the fireworks dress. He really can't see it.

My first dress arrived today. It's a nude color with white and gold beading. It isn't even a contender because, turns out an 8 in the eighties is a 4 in today's sizes. The tag says 8, which should have been roomy, but I couldn't even get my butt in it. I think that means the green dress is out, because it's a small. The fireworks one is a medium, though, so I have my fingers crossed. I got these shoes today, to wear with any of the dresses. I just think they're cool, and the five inch heal might actually create the illusion of an ankle. That and some serious spray tanning magic. Oh, and right after I bought them I gave Dan my credit cards, because I am sick in bed and I was worried that I might just shop online all day. It took me about four hours before I realized that e-bay uses pay-pal, but I am refraining.

It's amazing what's happening now that I am not cheating on my weight loss program... I have lost four pounds this week. It's also how amazing just little fudgy fudges really screw you up. I wasn't pigging out, but just one cookie or two corn chips will totally sabotage your weight loss. I spell motivation G-R-A-M-M-Y. That and the many weddings coming up this summer. What do you have to look forward to? Give me a date and a goal, and I will let you know how I can help you. Anything is possible with the right program, a good spray tan and some crazy platforms.

E-bay obsession.

2011-01-27T07:48:00.000-08:00

My sister, who is really nice and pretty and smart and cool and fun, won a trip to the Grammies, and she is bringing... ME! Of course. Do you think I am cheating on my diet? No, I AM NOT! There is a ticker on the Grammy homepage down to the second when the show starts. I'm pretending it's my babyweight-off-deadline ticker. It sort of is. This will probably be the most glamorous event of my life. Desiree is about 15 weeks preggers, which is making it particularly tricky to find a dress. I begged her to just let me style her, but she said, "After the dresses you have been bidding on, I am kind of scared".

On the day I found out she was taking me, I was just so excited to be invited that I planned on wearing a little leopard print dress that I have had forever. It's nothing fancy, but it's cute and I was planning on finding funky jewelry and making it work... but the NEXT day... I started poking around for possibilities on line. In a stroke of... INSPIRATION I decided to look for a dress on ebay. I wasn't sure what exactly I was looking for, but I ended up searching "Vintage beaded dresses". I have won two, but this is my favorite so far. I would cut off the bottom four to six inches. I know, it's crazy. I love the shoulder pads, even though I might replace them with sharper ones, but still big.

This is the dress that I really want, but the auction is ongoing. I'm a little concerned that it is out partying with the woodshed and it might be too small for me, but I am going to try.

The other dress I won is a totally dynasty dress in white and gold with some illusion netting around the chest... I'm pretty sure I was losing my mind when I bid on it, but I scored it for $40. The most I have bid on anything was $60 and the least is $5. I can't believe that I am JUST discovering the gratification of buying clothes on e-bay. A few years ago Dan surprised me with these gorgeous Chanel stilettos that he bought on E-bay because I mentioned I wanted them after we say The Devil Wears Prada. He's a pretty thoughtful guy, but that was one of his finest moments. I didn't even catch the bug then, though, because I hadn't bought them, I guess. Well, after today I am DONE! FINITO! I may open a vintage clothing store in the future.

Oh, and this morning I got an e-mail from e-bay with suggestions, four of the five dresses that they thought I might like had the words "Drag Queen" in the description. I was somehow flattered.

Day 17

2011-01-26T20:50:00.000-08:00

I am hanging in there with Tracy. I am about half way through the 30 day challenge, so here's the scoop. The Jazzercize class is really working out. I loathe leaving my house at 5:30 in the cold dark rain, but I can hang in there for a few more weeks. I want to at least attend until it is nice enough to exercise outside here. I am in the second set of exercises, which are challenging and fun. I do them while I watch the trashy reality TV that I have recorded from the night before, then it doesn't feel like I "wasting" my time.

The first week I actually gained two pounds but my clothes were fitting better. This is typical when you start an exercise program and I expected the little jump on the scale. I wish I had an explanation, but it has to be water. It isn't possible that I had gained a pound of muscle for the first two days. The second week I just lost the two pounds that I had gained, and this week I have lost two pounds. THAT MEANS... I only have 8 baby pounds left to go. Sheesh. I was 10 pounds to go for two months, so it feels great to finally be making progress, again. Of course, it felt great to eat little treats during the holidays, too, and I was really happy that I maintained my weight loss between Halloween and New years. Small victories.

If you live in Benton County, don't forget that tomorrow from 7:30 to 8:30 I am hosting our weekly Support Soiree. Feel free to stop by even if you are using another program. We will be discussing our results of THIS health assessment. Take it, it is very enlightening.

Saturday's Training

2011-01-18T11:06:00.000-08:00

Here is is Tuesday already. Wow. On Saturday I went to a HC training event in Portland with my friend, and very successful client, Dolcie. We heard from
Dr. Anderson, the author of the two of the books over there on the right. What a guy. He kept us on the edge of our seats from nine that morning until... well, I'll just speak for myself here. It went until four, but my mind started to wander around 2:30. It wasn't his fault, I'm just not used to taking notes and using my brain for hours at a time. I learned so much. In addition to Dr. Anderson, I met another Celebrity. You might recognize Denise from this year's People Magazine Half Their Size issue. When I first walked into the room of more than 1000 people, I noticed Denise because she is just so beautiful. Then, when we were doing our little "who in the room has lost the most" game, she was still standing at 150 lbs.

Now, yeah it's cool to be able to say that, but it also takes a lot of humility... and huevos, if you know what I mean. I was the biggest loser at a HC training once, and I was really embarrassed. I had tried really hard to look nice that night, but when I was the last one standing, all I thought was, "Oh my gosh, now they all know how fat I used to be." It really made me realize how superficial my clothes and makeup were because standing there with all eyes on me I felt really vulnerable, and not in a good way. Dolcie and I visited with Denise on a break. She was very sweet. Incidentally, she uses the same methods I do to lose weight, but she says, "It doesn't matter what size you are, it depends on how you feel about your body. Find something that works for you. I found this, but find what works for you." I totally agree.

That makes me think of my next point. Don't give up. Don't be hard on yourself if you are heavy, but don't give up. If everyone succeeded at the first thing that they tried then two thirds of us wouldn't be overweight. I helped a woman lose over 100 pounds last year, and her life has changed. I am so proud of her, and the gift she has given to her family. What an inspiration. You can do it, too. My client did, Denise did, and I did. You can, too.

Support Soiree

2011-01-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

This Thursday I am trying something new. Hopefully it will be successful and we will do it every week. I am going to host a client support meeting at my house from 7:30 to 8:30. Client support sounds exclusive. Everyone is welcome. We will share weight loss and fitness ideas, our successes for the week and watch a short video from a series that supports my program. I will also have a weekly mocktail. In case you didn't go to BYU, a mocktail is a nonalcoholic (and in this case zero calorie) cocktail. This week's mocktail will be a Shampayne, which is a little something I made up in honor of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. To find out how to make it you have to come to my soiree! Oh, and there will be a drawing for a fabulous prize. Hope to see you there.

Support Soiree
4718 SW Roseberry St
Thursday, 7:30 - 8:30 pm (RHOBH Finale Premier immediately to follow. Come dressed as your favorite housewife.)

My response:

2011-01-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

If you can tell me the name of the Bravolebrity I was channeling when I got dressed this morning I will give you a prize. I really will. Dan guessed right, he should be ashamed of himself.

Today I heard from a client who is discouraged. He lost eight pounds in about as many days... but still. It's hard to change bad habits, even when we are getting the results we want. I tried to encourage him. I never imagined that good nutrition could do for me what the best medical specialists in the country could not. I also didn't realize how much my bad health was impacting my joie de vivre. When we're in a slump it's hard to see the peaks, much less imagine that someday we will stand on one. Well, below is a slightly edited version of my response to him. I pass absolutely no judgement on anyone who fails at weight loss. None at all. I know that it can be very hard.

I promise that if you keep it up for another week or two things will totally change. You will get to the point where you don't care nearly as much about food, most of the time. You need to keep it up. If you quit now it will have just been a waste of time and money. Give me one more week. Just don't quit today. Make it through the day. Dan has lost almost 100 lbs with this program, and it has changed our lives. Of course I always loved him, duh, but now I can't keep my hands off of him. It's just different. He works out every day, but it's not like he's dragging himself to the gym anymore. It was like that at first, but now he just loves the way he feels. He's a totally new man. He looks and feels younger today than he did five years ago. Five years ago we got comfort and pleasure mostly from food. We planned our vacations around food, our weekends, holidays, everything around food. It's just different now. Better. Do you know why its so hard to change our lifestyles? Because we really like our lifestyles. Its so much easier in the short term to just keep doing what we are doing... to stay in bed instead of getting up to exercise, to buy snacks from the vending machine at work, to drive through the fast food restaurant for a cheap hot and tasty meal on the go... but those habits won't take us where we really want to go. Give it one more week. You can do this. Jacqui

Day 3

2011-01-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

The Jazzercise class is so much fun. Best of all, I am actually making it there, which is key. Tracy's dance aerobics vids aren't very fun and I don't have the room to move around in my house, anyway. My original plan was to do the toning exercises after class, but it turns out that I don't have enough time for that. By the time I am done with the workout the family's day is already in full swing and they need me in there. Today I did the toning at home at five, then went to class, then hurried home to get everyone out the door. Well, not everyone. I've still got the little dudes for company. This is just the way it has to be, but the early hours aren't that big of a deal. We were dealing with the Grahamster from about 3:30 on today, so most day's I don't even need an alarm clock.

Here's a link to the original explanation of the challenge, in case you have no idea what I am talking about. Oh, and my glutes are sore. I LOVE THAT!

Disclaimer:

2011-01-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of diet related blogging lately, so I just want to clarify my position a little bit. I have never tied my worth to my size. There was a time when I couldn't get my eating under control and the behavior made me feel badly about myself. I knew I was overdoing it but I couldn't stop. In the common parlance, I lacked willpower, or so I thought. Once my blood-sugars were balanced, I realized that I could stick to a program, and I realized that my overeating wasn't a character issue. This changed things for me. That's why I started this blog. I don't want other people who overeat to think that they have less willpower than a thin person. More than likely (almost surely) there are physiological reasons for their behavior.

I have never been anorexic or barfed my food up on purpose. I try to weigh myself every day, but I have never been someone who steps on the scale all day long, nor does my weight tell me what kind of day I am going to have. I have a very pragmatic and objective self image, and I want to lose weight to be healthier and to wear the latest fashions. If I had serious body image issues I wouldn't be qualified to advise other people in their own weight loss. I take my job and my hobby (this little blog) as a big responsibility.

That said! I have serious food issues, like an alcoholic has liquor issues. I will be a carboholic until the day that I die. I still want to (and occasionally do) overeat or eat the wrong foods for comfort. If you DON'T use food for comfort, then you are truly exceptional. Most of us do. So, cool! Tomorrow is the first day of the 30 day challenge... again. Good luck, me!

America's Next Great Dance Crew

2011-01-08T11:43:00.001-08:00

My entire life I have dreamed of having two little kids to strap into a double Costco cart. I love these carts. Well, this week all my wildest dreams came true. Not only did I have two little people for the cart, but they were in matching Adidas track suits. I was so happy. Happiness is... little brothers in matching outfits in double grocery carts. Perhaps you recall this desperate attempt at fulfilling the dream. It just didn't do it for me. We don't always get what we want when we want it, but persistence definitely pays off. Because of all of my fertility trials there were years when I thought Lincoln would be an only child. Some days I just take a nap with one of my kids and smell them and squeeze them the whole time. I really want to make sure that even though this is the most demanding time of my life, I also appreciate that it's the most magical time as well.

I have decided that there is no balance, only priorities. Because I love to blog and I want to stay in touch with my clients, Dan is helping out more with the boys. Right now he is out with the big boys for a walk while the baby is sleeping. I can't have it all all of the time, but from minute to minute I am trying to decide what is important and make it happen. Modern motherhood if kind of complicated. I want to shoot my TV every time some mom on a commercial says the phrase, "...on the go..." It's almost as annoying as when someone says that they are busy. We are all busy, but a lot of it is our own choice. I agreed to take on an aerobics class but I am on the fence about some cooking classes I want. Will they make me more stressed out or less so? That's the question. I guess too many opportunities in the greatest country on earth at the most liberated moment in time for women in the history of the world isn't a terrible problem to have.

Have a great weekend. I hope that through all the commotion in your days you can create the time to nurture the relationships that are blossoming all around you.

PDA ALERT!

2011-01-07T21:24:00.000-08:00

We are back, and it's always so nice to be home. Of course, Mothers are punished just for leaving town by being chained to the washer and dryer for the next two days, but now that THAT'S all straightened out, it's so nice to be home. On New Years' Eve Dan and I took advantage of the free babysitting to hit the town. Cedar Falls, Iowa, to be specific. We had noticed a fun little bistro earlier that day. We sat back, enjoyed the quiet (it was only about 5:30, we're not too crazy...) and ordered... clam cakes and sashimi? As soon as the waitress walked away, I looked at Dan and said, "We are in IOWA. What did we just do?" Sure, those are are favorite dishes in Oregon, where the tuna and crab are pulled from the ocean that day, but in Iowa? Naturally Dan was throwing up all night. We are such dorks. I couldn't find anything healthy on the menu and I got all flustered, so I just ordered the special and a salad. I wasn't planning on eating the crab cakes, but I did when I remembered that lamb is baby sheep. I didn't get much sleep while I was out of town.

It seems like most of us are glad to have our lives back. We say this every time, but we are not going to fly with the kids ever again! On the way home I realized that Graham has visited eleven states and he's only eight months old. That's way too much action. Poor little guy. I am definitely staying put, at least until this summer.

I started an aerobics class. Jazzercise. It is fun and I love the play list. It's just me and nine other ladies and a dude jammin' to the latest hits at the crack of dawn in a strip mall. I was pretty bummed that I didn't finish the Tracy Anderson 30 day challenge. Part of the problem is that I didn't have a place to do the aerobic dancing. Problem solved! I plan to go a little early and do the toning exercises before class. They keep the room extremely cold. I was shivering the entire time. Tracy says you should work out in an 80 degree room, but I would be glad if it was just 65 in there. I will try to mention it to the instructor once they get to know what a great jazzerciser I am. I don't want to be the "trouble maker" of the group. It really is freezing in there. I wore my hoodie all through the hour class and never warmed up.

So, now I have a place to exercise and dance instruction. I am eating better but I have been cheating, too. I only have ten stinkin' baby pounds left, but I quit losing weight somewhere in New Mexico, and I haven't cared enough to get back with the program. Monday I start the 30 day Challenge over, and I will take my program seriously. Now that the holiday's are over, there is so much less temptation. Ten more pounds. What's the big deal? I'll let you know how it goes.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T14:06:00.000-08:00

This year was really special. I can't believe that I had another baby. He's almost eight months old now. I am just so grateful that my family is happy and healthy, safe and warm. I am especially grateful that we are 50% through Law School. I just might make it.

I was a bad girl for a couple of months. I tried to eat right, but it's been really hard to actually lose weight lately. I finally humbled myself and called my best friend, who is also a health coach, and told her that I needed her help. She agreed to call me every night until I felt confident that I could eat right without her help. It worked! I am totally over cheating, and it's not even January 1st. I've been good for three days now, but it hasn't been easy. Have you noticed that the more crap you shove in your face the more you crave? Right. Sugar in particular throws off you blood sugars and makes you feel so hungry. Once I backed away from the sugar entirely I was pretty hungry for a couple of days, but I feel better than ever, now.

We are visiting my kids Grandparents in Iowa right now. My mother in law is an excellent cook. She is also a client, so she knows how I am supposed to eat and she has been spoiling me with scrumptious healthy dinners. I love her. It's pretty cold and boring, though, so Dan is passing the time making home-made ice-cream every day. I found myself in the candy isle of Wal-Mart almost everyday of this trip buying fixins. Dan is such a jerk.

Good luck with your resolutions. If you want to lose weight and need a little accountability, give me a call(541)936-2565. If you want to try my program but are hesitant to call me in particular, you can call my Health Coach and good friend, Tiffany, who got me back on track (360)-620-4894. Accountability really does make a magical difference, and our coaching is free to our clients. Have a great 2011.

Hello, Old Friend.

2010-12-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a friend who you haven't talked to in a while and you left it on kind of a weird note the last time you saw her? You aren't mad at her and she doesn't have a problem with you, but some time has passed and things feel awkward. You know if you just picked up the phone it would be like old times, but you're not sure what to say and another day goes by. And another. And things feel weirder with each day, until finally you get off your lazy bum and say, "Hello."

That friend is this blog. One of my REAL friends with a pulse called me and said, "Put up a family picture. Anything so I don't see that weird story every time I check!" No doubt. That was a weird story. Here you go, Penny. The most recent family picture on my computer. I have no idea who took this, especially since my camera is broken, and how did it end up on my computer? It must have been Dan's mom or dad, because I usually am more presentable for my guests. Oh, well. Isn't the baby getting big? He is pulling himself up on furniture already. He seems athletic to me, but he won't eat solids or sleep longer than three hours (probably because he won't eat solids) so I will refrain from calling him a baby genius. He is the joy of our lives and so so sweet. Paolo talks like crazy now, but he still can't make the "k" sound, so he loves to pat Graham's head and say, "Baby, sute". It's very sweet. They are going to be great friends. Lincoln is on a little adventure with his grandparents. I haven't seen him in over a week, and I really miss him.

Well, let's get down to business. How are you handling all the treats coming at you? I have been fighting just to maintain my weight loss. I read something really funny last week. It was an essay by a woman who had lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off because she changed her entire lifestyle. She points out that most people can't achieve this because we really like our present lifestyles. She says something to the effect of, "I liked laying around my house after work, I hate going to the gym after work and changing my clothes and getting all sweaty, but I do it because it's worth it". I really identify. Even though I can be amazingly disciplined with my food choices, I am pretty bad about exercising, so guess what my NY resolution is? I found a jazzercise class in town that is really early five days a week, and I AM GOING TO GO! Maybe as a goal achievement reward I will indulge in new a new leotard and leg warmers if I am consistent for an entire month. Stay tuned. American Apparel, here I come!

There was a real reason for my blog break. I had to really think about my voice. So much of the health and beauty industry is based on making women feel badly about themselves. Guilt is a powerful and lucrative marketing strategy, and to be quite honest, a cheap shot. I dream of being skinny. Not just "healthy" according to the BMI chart, but I would love to wear tiny little jeans some day, and that image really keeps me motivated. Not everyone is as narrow minded and vain as I am, though. I really hope that by discussing my goals I never make anyone else feel like they should want the same for themselves, or that I even think being "skinny" is the most important aspect of weight loss, despite this blog's title. It really is about health. All the skinny jeans in the world don't stack up to a hill of re-fried beans at Mexico Lindo next to the joy that my healthy body has brought me (i.e., Graham and Paolo... and getting off my steroid asthma meds).

Going forward I hope to inspire you to achieve YOUR OWN GOALS, not my goals, in the new year. If there is ever anything I can do to help you with that, you know where to find me.

Funny Story...

2010-11-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

I clench my teeth at night, and it's hard to know when to put my mouth guard in since I am up all the time with the baby. I have gotten lazy about it lately and I'm hardly wearing it. When I don't wear it like I should I end up killing teeth. I realize this has happened when I get an abscess, then I end up needing a root canal. This is my third one. I barely made it to the dentist on Wednesday, right before I left for Vegas. There wasn't time for the root canal before the trip, so instead I was given prescriptions for Vicodin and Penicillin.

Last night I finally told Dan about how I couldn't get well. I thought maybe I was feeling better for a while, but then I wasn't, and that after two weeks of being pretty sick and more than a week on antibiotics. I was starting to get frustrated. This morning he reminded me to take my antibiotics before I left for school, and he asked if he could bring them to me. I said, "It's OK, they're right over there". He said, "No, that's the Vicodin, your antibiotics are still in your travel case."

So, there you have it. All last week I took four VICODIN a day, instead of four Penicillin. That explains why my chest cold came back, and why my face pain was starting to return, and why I just wanted to lie around all week. Tonight I am 24 hrs clean, and I am already starting to feel like myself. Oh, and my dentist said to just finish up the antibiotics, and my cold feels like it's going away. Even though that was a really stupid mistake, it is a relief to know that there's an explanation for the way I have been feeling. I love you, Dan. Good thing someone"s looking out for me.

Blech

2010-10-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

I have been trying not to be sick for about 10 days, but I think I am. I haven't done Tracy for two days, but hopefully tomorrow I will pick up on phase 2.

Tomorrow I am in charge of Lincoln's Halloween party at school. We are doing all orange food. I will post a picture tomorrow, if my camera is working. I think he is going to be Salvador Dali (he got his beret). He wanted to be James Bond but I didn't buy him a black suit.

Have a good Friday. I hope your 30 days is going better than mine. Oh, well. That's life.

Day 9

2010-10-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

Ironically, the more I have to write, the less time I have to write it. I got home from Vegas on Sunday. It was so good to be back with my family. Vegas was a lot of work, but it was worth it. It was actually one of the most important things that I have done for myself in years. I spent all day Saturday in a visualization seminar, basically examining what I want to do with my life and why I want to do those things. That's really not giving credit to the experience, but it was great. I realized SO much about myself. So much, in fact, that I spent about two days crying, but more about that another day... maybe.

Here is one example of an unexpected result from the weekend. I realized that I am wasting a lot of energy, time and money making Lincoln study the piano. He hates it, and he hasn't made any progress in about two years. On the other hand, the first thing he does every day when he gets home from school is start to create art. This used to really annoy me. He would dig through the recycling and build robots out of the trash. He would cut up magazines and leave the papers everywhere, and he would leave scissors and markers in Paolo's reach. I was constantly annoyed by the messes he left all over. On the plane ride home, I realized I needed to cancel the piano lessons and support his art.

Yesterday I went to Michael's and bought some basic supplies. When he got home from school I showed him the poster board I had hung on the wall and I taught him how to hold a painters' pallet and mix paints. He was thrilled. I actually have a BA in Design, and it was really fun for me, too. The sun in his painting looks like a kidney bean. He said that it's a pallet, to celebrate being a painter. Today I found myself by another craft store with a few minutes to spare. I went in and bought him a child's easel, among other prizes that I will save for Christmas. Anyway. He came home from school and saw his easel. He walked all around it and then with misty little boy eyes, he looked up at me and asked, "Mom, why are you doing this?"

It was one of the sweetest moments of my entire life. I hugged him and told him that an artist needs the right tools. He kept hugging me and whispered, "I need a beret".

So there you have it. My house is so filthy, I'm hardly blogging, but my boys know they are number one.

You know what I AM doing, though? TAM! Last week I was bummed because I had gained half a pound. Then I went to Vegas. I stayed on track the whole time I was there, and guess what? I lost almost four pounds last week. FOUR POUNDS! AND! Today I was running late for school so I didn't have time to put the little guys into their double stroller like I usually do to take Lincoln to his classroom. I just put Paolo on my hip and hooked the infant carrier to my other arm. I have been in this position a time or two, but I usually put the carrier in the office with the baby in it and make Paolo walk to the room then pick the carrier back up on my way out. This morning I made it all the way to the room and back to the car with both babies awkwardly in my arms. The infant carrier is a beast, but so is Paolo. He wanted to walk but it was rainy and he was barefoot, so he arched his back both ways. I barely made it back to the car, but I made it. There is no way I could have done that a week ago.

About an hour ago I was just holding the baby and I realized that there is definition in my arms. Oh, and when I got home and hugged Dan, he kept rubbing his hands up and down my back and asking, "How much did you lose in four days? You feel so different! You're so skinny!" (I'm not skinny, but I do feel great). I love this book! I can't believe I'm already 1/3 of the way through the 30 days. Tonight at book club I am going to try to make my friends read it for next month.

P.S. This is the workshop I did on Saturday. If you ever have a chance to make it to one of these, I can not recommend it highly enough. I am totally renewed.

Day 4

2010-10-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Maybe I miss them a teensie bit.

Live from VEGAS, baby. I just had the most rare and delicious sensation come over me... boredom. I was bored for a second there. It's been years! I am all alone in my hotel room. Have been for a few hours now. As soon as I arrived I cranked up the heater, changed into my workout clothes and got my Method on. I am up to 40 reps for most of the exercises. 60ish with the crunch exercises, 30 for the arm stuff. The arm stuff looks so simple, but it's so tough! I just checked out my chicken wings in the mirror, and I am positive that in just four days they are improved. I don't work for Tracy Anderson. I know I am sounding like I do. I sent her a fan letter last year and begged for some videos for a giveaway, but she didn't respond. I'll tell you what. I just thought of this. I will personally buy the book for any new clients who sign up between now and Halloween and tell me the secret code (Tracy Anderson). My program is the perfect diet portion to the fitness of the book. Her menus are way too complicated. If you are doing the fitness portion but having trouble with the meals, give me a call and I will explain why SJW is the perfect compliment for the TAM. (541-936-2565)

I ordered a chicken Caesar from room service (hold the croutons and parmesan, dressing on the side) and it was AWESOME! It had a big slice of cucumber, tomato, redunkulous dressing and perfectly grilled chicken. I loathe those cheap chickenish foamy slices that are on most Caesar salads these days. You know, the ones with the fake grill marks? Well, this chicken had real grill marks. I am in such a good mood. You would never guess that I cried so hard when I had to drive away from my baby that my fake eyelashes came unglued. They looked pretty awesome, too. I also wore my leopard sequined shirt, because if you can't wear your leopard sequined shirt in Vegas, where can you wear it? I'm really enjoying my privacy, too. Do you have an exersaucer in your bathroom? I do. Not here, though. And it's quiet except for the sound of Elvis tunes being pumped into the marriage gazebo in the courtyard outside my room. I love Elvis.

Dan put the babies to bed without letting me tell them good night. I miss their cheeks and their arms the most. I got to hold the cutest 10 week old baby girl on the plane. Her name was McKenna. She had on jeans. I died. I showed the mom my special airplane hold for lap children so they won't hit the ceiling if there is turbulence. I hope I wasn't annoying. When I sat down in my isle seat the lady in the middle jokingly said, "Wow, I got lucky today, sitting between two little women". If she only knew.

Speaking of traveling, I posted on Everyday Health today. Lose Weight While You Travel: Yes it is possible. It's a pretty good post with some news you can use. As an added bonus there is a picture of Mesa Verde National Park that Dan took last week. I love New Mexico! Have a great weekend and love you for readin'.

Day 3

2010-10-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

I could drop Lincoln off to school in this.

Dan's home this morning so I just finished an hour uninterrupted. I'm still working my way up to the full 90 minutes. Dan went to the gym at 3:30 and came back at 5 to help me out with the kids. When he got home I was feeding the baby, but he got him back to sleep. Somehow, MIRACULOUSLY, he even got Paolo back to sleep when he tried to get up at 5:30. That was over an hour ago, and at 6:30 all of my kids are STILL sleeping. Joy. I wish I had Dan around every morning. Stupid law school.

I felt much more coordinated this morning during my workout. I followed along with the book and the DVD and I used the mirror to check my form. Since Dan's home and all, I wore my cutest work out clothes, and I think it improved my workout! Mind you, my cutest workout cloths are still pretty faded, cheap, and ugly, but it's all about changing my vision of myself. Woo hoo! I exercise like Tracy Anderson! Someday I will have cute workout clothes like her,too. She wears a lot of Stella McCartney by Adidas. I will have to check that out. Lulu Lemon is extremely cute, but an investment. I need to wait a couple more months before I take the plunge. I recently badgered a woman in the OHSU tram about the bomb sweats she had on. Naturally, they are only available at a boutique in Vancouver BC and I couldn't even source them online. Anybody out there know where I can buy Leo Star on the world wide web? Of course, she was about 22 and a size 0, so she could get away with running around in sweats. I know what I want for Christmas, now. A shopping spree at the Lulu store in Portland. And maybe a trip to Vancouver.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have some (mildly) discouraging news. In the past three days I have gained half a pound. Poo poo on that old "muscle weighs more than fat" excuse. I haven't gained enough muscle in three days for that to be the case. I might be retaining water even though I have been drinking a lot more of it. I tell my clients to weigh themselves daily but to record it weekly. In other words, pay attention to the little clues your body is sending you and make adjustments during the week, but don't get freaked out by a mid-week plateau. It's a little annoying, but it could be a lot of different things.

p.s. Speaking of kids sleeping, one of the greatest joys in my world is checking on my babies after they have fallen asleep. Last night Paolo's head was actually on his pillow, indicating he had fallen asleep right away. I guess that's the only good thing about him outgrowing his nap. Lincoln had no covers on him and he was plastered up against his wall. I think he actually got some drool on it. And the baby. I could just stare at my sleeping baby for hours. I have, too. This week I moved his crib out of our room. It was hard (for me, he didn't seem to notice), but it was time. I just love my babies when they are asleep. I wish they would do it more often.

Day 2

2010-10-19T19:23:00.000-07:00

I "slept in" until quarter 'til five again. Dang! This time the baby woke me up. I turned on the heater, fed him and snuggled him and started my stretches a little after five. Long story short, the saboteurs invaded my space about 45 minutes later and it was all over. I accomplished the stretches, the toning exercises and 10 minutes of cardio. I did the exercises with the video today, and it went much better. Even though yesterday's workout was pretty sloppy, I am still nice and sore today. I am just a little achy all over, even in my glutes. Hooray! I must have done something right.

Tracy says to watch the mirror when you work out. I have a great big floor mirror in my room, but I usually only look at myself on my way out the door. I'm not used to looking at myself exercise, and honestly, I would rather be watching the video. It is motivating, though. For someone as sweat-adverse as myself, seeing how much room for improvement I have makes me want to stick with it.

Lately some of my friends have mentioned that they are losing steam with their weight-loss and/or fitness programs. I know that for me, this whole one-month trial situation has totally gotten me back on course. We all know that traditional dieting doesn't work, and I think that sometimes we just get overwhelmed trying to stay on track for the rest of our lives. It's been nice to have a deadline.

Long term though, the key is totally changing my identity. I am not a fat person who lost weight, I am a health nut and healthy lifestyle expert who loves to cook healthy food for herself and her family. When my sister lost her weight she transformed into a crazy fitness buff, doing triathlons and running a marathon with her husband. Create a vision for yourself, and reach for that vision.

It's easier to change your result than your vision. The people who have lost weight have changed their results. The people who have maintained their weight loss have changed their vision. Did you know that hypnotism is one of the most successful long term weight loss approaches? It is! It's because through their sessions the participants allow themselves to be convinced that they no longer want certain things, not simply that they are passing up on things that they really wish that they could have. This month I am hypnotizing myself into being someone who exercises. Maybe not because I love working out, but because I love the results, and that's as good a place to start as any.

Day 1

2010-10-18T15:12:00.000-07:00

If she's plus size, count me in!

Have you seen the Simply Be catalog? It's super cute clothes in sizes 10-28. Where was this when I needed it? If you're bigger than a 10, your options are pretty limited. It's so discouraging to try to dress stylishly when you feel vulnerable about your weight in the first place and nothing in most stores even fits. I have been there. I used to dread shopping for weddings and other special occasions. Old Navy has great plus sized casual clothes, but Simply Be is much more fashion forward and the quality looks higher. I never liked Lane Bryant. I think their clothes are kind of dowdy. If you place an order, you can use my promotion code, 3089.

I got up at 4:45 AM this morning. I tried to get up at 4:00, but my pillow was particularly soft this morning. The first thing I did was close my door and crank up my space heater. I didn't think I needed to watch the instructional video that comes with the book because I have done Tracy's workouts in the past. This was a mistake. Practice the exercises the night before you start your 30 days. Tonight I am going to go over the moves with the video and tomorrow I will go back to just using the book. It took me about 45 mins to get through the stretching and toning exercises.

At 5:30 my 7 year old came in. WHY, OH WHY?! I really thought it would be one of the tiny boys. I knew that if I sent him away he would just go accidentally wake a baby up to get my attention, so I made him get in my bed and I told him to go back to sleep. Instead of sleeping he just stared at me on my towel while I tried to do my little exercises. It was extremely unsettling, so I kicked him out of my room to watch TV in the living room. What do you know? The baby woke up exactly when I turned my back on Lincoln, and he was back in my room to get me. I made a bottle and made Lincoln feed the baby as punishment for waking him up, which he denied. Tracy makes a big point about how your workout should be uninterrupted. My goal is for a less-interrupted workout. Sorry Tracy, I really don't get 90 minutes in a row to myself at any point of the day.

As I was making the bottle, I suddenly became very ill. I was standing over the sink retching, not sure if I needed to vomit or faint (I did neither). I handed the bottle to Lincoln and made it (barely) over to the couch. Ten minutes later I went and turned the heater off in my room. I think it was just the heat that made me sick, because once I cooled down I felt fine and I was off to cardio.

I followed her DVD for the cardio program, which I did twice in a row. (It's a 10 minute dance sequence, 20 minutes was all that I had time for). By that time the baby was done with his bottle, all three boys were up and my living room was sounding like a final chapter from Lord of the Flies, but IT WAS WORTH IT! I love to dance, and yeah, I kind of felt like a fool going for it in my bedroom in my PJ's while my neglected offspring pounded on the door, but it was DEFINITELY worth it. Serves them right for getting up before 6AM, anyway.

Dan gets up every day at 3:30 and goes to the gym before he commutes to school. He doesn't need much sleep, but I do. I am going to have him turn on my heater tomorrow when he leaves so that the room is warm when I start instead of blowing hot air on my face. I will start at 4 tomorrow, whatever it takes. It's just 30 days, and we can do anything for that long. Size 6, size 6, size 6, size 6...

Accountability.

2010-10-17T19:56:00.001-07:00

It's one of the reasons I started this public journal in the first place. Tomorrow I am starting Tracy's 30 day challenge, which includes stretching, exercising in an 80 degree room and a diet plan. I will stick to what I have been eating, only more precisely. Here is my 30 day challenge to myself:

1. Do Tracy's fitness program every morning.

2. Follow my diet program precisely. I need to go back to weighing and measuring my food, a habit I got out of last year when my scale broke. It's not important to do this forever, but once in a while it's good to go back to it to make sure that your portions aren't getting too big.

3. Take my supplements. By eating the way that I do, I am getting most of what I need. There are a few supplements that I should be taking, especially during weight loss, but I am inconsistent with it. Hopefully by committing to taking them for a month I will get in the habit. Some of them are pretty stinky, though.

OK. That's it. It doesn't look so bad now that it's written down. 30 days. I am less than 15 lbs away from what I weighed when I got pregnant with my baby last year. Not too bad considering that I have lost over 65 lbs since May. Sheesh.

Let me once again sing the praises of Tracy Anderson. If you work out in the gym all the time but you haven't seen results in a while, buy the book! People think that they need to train harder, but they really need to train smarter. I also love the way she talks. She says things like, we aren't entitled to a treat just because we exercise, and she forbids treats totally during the month. She also says that we can't miss a single day of the 30. "This is a kick start!" I totally need it. I told a friend that I would lend her my copy of the book after I had read it, but I can't. I will need to use it for the whole month. I'll let you know how it goes.

J

The next level:

2010-10-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Buy the book here.

I am a huge Tracy Anderson fan. I don't aspire to look like Jillian or other super-buff athletic looking trainers. I want to look toned, tiny and feminine like my good friend, Tracy. Fortunately, I have the perfect diet plan. Unfortunately, I am totally tired and lazy and I hardly ever exercise.

There you have it. I admit it, I am really slacking in the fitness department. I am at a crucial point in my weight loss journey and I need to just start a routine. I pre-ordered this book and it came weeks ago, but I haven't even cracked it. You see, I am pretty tired. Two weeks ago (about the time I started my blog-break) I totally hit a wall. I was so sleep deprived that I couldn't even look at a computer screen for more than a couple of minutes without getting a headache. My eyes constantly burned and I lagged about three seconds behind a normal conversation pace. Sorry everyone who talked to me two weeks ago... I was really lame.

Last week my sister's family and mine flew into Albuquerque and rented a 15 passenger van and we cruised around the four corners for a few days. I will tell you more about that another day, but that's another reason I haven't blogged. We stayed at Mesa Verde National Park, and we didn't even have internet or TV's in the rooms. Instead we had wild horses out our window and views for miles. It was awesome. It's the coolest place I have ever visited in the US, and you know I loved Boston. If you want an inexpensive family vacation that is equally enjoyable for children and adults, I strongly recommend New Mexico. Call me and I will be your personal vacation planner. Seriously, I can't wait to go back.

Well, I am rambling like the chatty zombie that I am, so I better wrap this up. The point is this: This week I am going to start reading this book. I will set my start date for the 30 day program when I understand what her program entails. Full on guinea-pig style. If you can get your hands on the book you can do her 30 day plan with me. I have done her DVD's enough to fully trust the wisdom of Tracy Anderson. PLEASE PLEASE join me, I need your support! I will cheer you on with your food choices, but I need you to kick my butt and get me moving.

Walk to School Next Wednesday!

2010-09-30T22:55:00.000-07:00

Here's this week's Everyday Health post. It's all about International Walk to School Day, Wednesday, October 6, 2010. Have a good one!

Getting there!

2010-09-29T05:03:00.000-07:00

I have now been on plan for 14 weeks, and I am really pleased. I have lost forty pounds, which is almost three pounds a week. I feel really healthy. This is (obviously) the fastest I have ever lost the baby weight. I still have about 18 pounds to go. Don't do the math, but I had already lost some weight between the time that I came home from the hospital and the time I started the program, so basically I almost beat the world record for most weight gained for a singleton pregnancy. Wendy Williams still holds that title at 100 pounds, but I wasn't far behind.

For the record, I feel like a total goober posing for and posting these pictures. I'm a woman, after all. I just hear from so many of you who are struggling and I hope these shine a little hope on your journey.

Running to Nowhere

2010-09-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

In college, I worked a summer fighting wild land fires. I thought I would go work hard for a summer, get in shape and lose a bunch of weight, and then blow my money on a back-to-school wardrobe to show off my new physique. Essentially, I thought I was joining the Biggest Loser, but getting paid.

Despite the fact that I got in the best shape of my life, (I could do 60 push-ups in a minute!!) at the end of the summer I was as big as I was at the beginning. It made no sense to me. I worked out constantly with the fire crew. I had never worked out like that before. I had crazy endurance and muscles where I had never seen them before. It was great, but that hadn't been my goal. I wanted to be smaller.

The problem is, exercise alone won't help you lose weight. To lose one pound of fat, you have to burn up an extra 3,500 calories. So despite all the physical exercise I was doing, it wasn't enough because I was just breaking even calorie-wise. All the exercise had increased my hunger and given me a false sense of security. I felt that since I had worked out so hard, I could have a little extra at dinner. I tried to keep it healthy, but it was easy to tack on an extra 200-300 calories a day with my increased appetite. This almost neutralized the effect of the exercise. I was getting healthier, but I wasn't getting skinnier.

I would have had to run over 33 miles to burn enough calories to lose just one pound of fat!

And that is if I hadn't been eating any extra food! Of course, I wanted to lose way more than 1 lb. ---like 20 times that. No wonder I didn't get the results I was looking for!

If I had focused instead on eating healthy, balanced meals in addition to all the cardio and resistance training, think of how hot I would have looked! I would have been able to see the muscle I had developed because the thick layers of fat would have been gone! Exercise is a weight loss tool, and it provides us with many, many benefits. But it shouldn't be the only tool we use to lose the weight!

Now that I am at a healthy BMI, exercise is a great way to keep from gaining my weight back. It is a great for my mind and body and nothing feels better than a good run. But it truly is only one piece of the weight loss puzzle.

Healthy school lunches

2010-09-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

Here is this week's Everyday Health article. It's all about the school lunches that we send with our kids. I hope you enjoy it. It probably is full of typos, but I've been at this computer for so long I'm cross-eyed. Thanks for checking it out!

From Lincoln

2010-09-21T15:24:00.001-07:00

There was a funny picture of Lincoln here, but it embarrassed him and I took it down. Hey, you snooze you lose.

Just as I sat down to blog Lincoln asked me what I write about. I said, "I just help people be healthy." He rolled his eyes, which made me sad. I asked him if he thinks I have a dumb job. He said that he thinks it's nice, he just doesn't want to be a Health Coach. So we sat here for a second, then I thought I would let him give you some health advice anyway. This is what he had to say:

Here are some good foods: salmon, salad, pasta, water, protein shakes, eat good food. Work out by lifting weights and running and doing health exercises.

Doing push ups. Sit ups. And to keep healthy you can also sleep. Sleeping is a good idea.

"This is a good post, Lincoln."
"Really?"
"Yes, is there anything else?"

Moms, this is for your kids: They should bring sandwiches and juice boxes to school and they can put treats for when they are done with their lunch.

Backfire! For the record, Lincoln gets a reusable water bottle in his lunch every day... WITH WATER IN IT! Juice boxes are a very occassional treat, and speaking of treats, he rarely gets pastries or anything sweeter than fruit. Nice try, buddy.

It reminds me of the time I took him to meet the mom of my best friend from growing up. She was a Health teacher at our high school and she also taught the child development classes. Lincoln was about two and a half at the time. She got on his level and started asking him questions. "Lincoln, what do you have for breakfast?" Without missing a beat he said, "Cake, pizza, cookies, whatever I want."

Oh, that sounds good! What do you have for lunch? "Well, we mostly just go to McDonald's"

Neither statement was true, but my friend changed her line of questioning when she noticed my mortification. It was all the more profound because I was obese at the time, and his little story was entirely plausible. For the record, even when I made bad choices for myself I made sure that I had the best options for Lincoln. I guess there was a while there when I valued his health above my own, but no longer. Mommy needs her oxygen mask on before she can help you with yours, baby boys. Oh, and Lincoln, you're fired! Go play legos.

Pushing past the distractions.

2010-09-20T14:14:00.001-07:00

It was rainy. We were bored, and so on Saturday we decided to drive an hour and a half away to have dinner. There is a restaurant that we like on the coast and we thought it would be a relaxing way to spend the day with the kids. If you know my oldest son, you know that he is loud. He talks loudly, walks loudly, and when he has nothing to say and nowhere to go, he will just make weird noises. Outbursts, if you will. It drives me crazy, and it's something we work on. Unfortunately, Dan and I get used to it and sometimes we only think to correct him when we realize that we are about to blow our stacks or that other people are annoyed.

On the way home from dinner Dan and I still hadn't carried on a conversation. The whole way there we were interacting with our children of all things. During dinner we were taking turns taking kids to the restroom, keeping them quiet, and Dan ended up waiting in the car with the baby while the boys and I finished eating. Every time we started to talk on the way home, Lincoln would interrupt us with a vital need for information, as in this actual exchange:

Lincoln: Dad, which wins? Hot or cold?

Dan: In what, Lincoln.

Lincoln: In a hot or cold fight.

Dan: Cold. Usually.

Lincoln: That's what I thought!

Ok, that's just an example that comes to mind, but you get the idea. Most seven year olds are needy in this way, but silence is a life skill that must be practiced. At 5:20 I pointed to the clock on the dash and said, "You need to be quite! No talking for ten minutes. You can speak again at 5:30. If you talk before that I will start over your time." He knew I meant business, and it worked for about 20 seconds then he started to make hummy noises and grunting. So I clarified, "No noises, at all. Not even squeaks, burps, humming, nothing. Your time starts now."

You should have seen him. He tapped his fingers on his lap. His eyes bulged from his head and I could just tell that he had crucial questions and he needed answers. A couple of times we passed something along the road, and to let us know that we were missing out on a really good comment, he gestured towards it with a look of total and complete exasperation. I watched the clock at least as closely as he did. Around 5:26. He settled down and started spacing off. 5:30 came and went and he continued to pleasantly look out the window, watching the horrible weather in silence. At 5:35 I started to feel a little guilty, so I congratulated him that he had actually gone 15 minutes without talking, and I asked him if he wanted to ask me his question now. He said that he did, but unable to come up with any, he just shrugged and when back to looking at the window.

He reminded me of myself last year when I started my weight loss program. About a week after starting I went to visit my sister in California. I realized that during previous "dieting" attempts I had really been kidding myself, because I had never passed up on so much good stuff before in my life and it was KILLING me. Every time she fed the kids pizza or pancakes or someone ordered dessert after dinner, I would moan and whine and say, "I am EATING THAT on my birthday!" I had decided that I would be good until my birthday, but that I would definitely take that day off. At first I even kept a list of all the things I planned to eat on my birthday. Then I realized that I didn't need to actually write everything down, and I started making mental notes instead. About two weeks into the program I wasn't really even feeling tempted anymore. By the time my birthday rolled around, I didn't even want cake. Really! I wanted health and hotness. I guess it didn't hurt that during those five weeks I had lost more than 20 pounds. I was motivated, and nothing was going to stop me.

People always ask me what my goal weight is, but I have no idea. To me, a number on the scale is like 5:30 on the clock for Lincoln. Just because I get there, I don't need to go crazy again. It is hard at first to change your habits, especially when there is a physiological component as there is with smoking, drinking, or weight loss. The good news is that you can pick up good habits, too, and once you have, your new lifestyle becomes natural. The things we want most out of life rarely come easily, but if the reward is great enough for you and if you have the right tools, you will be successful.

If you aren't having success right now, ask yourself, "Why do I want this and what am I willing to do to get it?" If you are doing your best and you still aren't experiencing success then you probably just don't have the right tools. Keep at it. I promise that the beginning of a change is the most painful part, but you will get through it, and you won't remember what it was that was distracting you in the first place. You will look at that temptation, shrug, and move on.

Portion Control

2010-09-18T10:30:00.000-07:00

One of the most important aspects of weight loss (and maintenance) is portion control. By eating less, you immediately take in less calories.

Before beginning my quest for healthy living, portion control wasn't even on my radar. My plates were so big they didn't even fit in my cupboards. And I filled those babies at every meal. Sometimes twice.

One suggestion is to use salad plates for all meals. I do this. An added bonus to this is that I can fit more plates in my dishwasher!

Eating smaller portions is a major component of the six small meals theory. A "meal" under this philosophy will not be the size of a typical American meal. Obviously. That would get us no where. It is eating just enough to keep you fueled and your metabolism going.

We all know that this is the best way to eat. So why don't we do it? Because it can be a lot of work! As a working mom, I don't have time for a lot of fuss when it comes to food. I eat at least three of my meals at work, and I certainly don't have time to plan and measure out three portion balanced meals at 7:30 in the morning. That is why our program was so easy for me! All of the hard work was done for me. Let's see: less stress, rapid weight loss, increased energy. Seriously the best gift I ever gave myself.

If you are interested in learning more on how we manage this, give Jacqui or I a call. We can give you the specifics of our program and how easy it can be to eat smaller portions, six times a day.

Jacqui (541) 936-2565

Taneil (775) 741-5677

Healthy Eating

2010-09-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

As a teacher, I am around kids all day. And I can't help but notice that a lot of them have horrible eating habits and don't get nearly enough exercise. Many kids can't even run a lap without stopping to gasp for air. What has caused this? Most people agree that eating and exercise habits start at home. I have never met a kid who eats healthier than his parents. So if the parent has bad habits, guess what? The kid's are even worse.

I know since I have embarked on a healthier lifestyle that my family has benefited for the better. My husband did not need to lose weight, but he did need to eat more nutritionally. Once I joined this program we became much better about preparing healthy dinners and eating as a family. Our dinners usually consist of lean protein and a couple servings of veggies. Both of us feel so much better by eating this way. Our 16 month old son doesn't know any other way to eat. At a restaurant recently the waitress commented that she doesn't see too many kids who eat salmon and salad for dinner. Preston doesn't mind at all. In fact he loves it.

I have heard people say that they don't want to "punish" their family by dieting. I don't agree with this at all. I think it is about modeling healthy, lifelong habits. Sure, kids should occasionally be allowed a treat, but it should be the exception not the norm. The school where I work has an amazing partnership with the USDA. Monthly, we are provided with a variety of fruit and veggies for our students to snack on during class. Let me tell you, those students are every bit as excited to get the sliced kiwi or jicama as they are the frosted cupcakes that come on birthdays. Kids will eat fruit and veggies, it is just a matter of having accessibility to them.

As parents we are the greatest examples for our children and this is especially true when it comes to health. The sooner we can instill these habits, the better.

Exciting news!

2010-09-15T15:09:00.000-07:00

I have been invited to write a weekly column for Everyday Health. This is a new and exciting challenge for me. It's called, The Skinny: Lifestyle Tips for Health and Hotness. I was really excited that the editors let me give it such a voice-specific name because most of the official blogs are written by doctors, nurses, nutritionists and they aren't quite as silly as mine.

Let me know what you think. I don't plan to use my kid's names there, but they are my whole world, so it's hard not to. What do you think? Come up with aliai for them? Use their names in the future and just forget about it? Maybe I shouldn't even use their names here. I didn't for the whole first year, then I decided that I trust ya'll. I don't know!

Anyway, please read my article and leave comments so the editors think I am popular. Wish me luck.

School Lunch

2010-09-14T20:54:00.000-07:00

A grade school lunch totally changed the way I saw myself for the rest of my life. When I was in kindergarten my parents were barely scraping by. A couple of times a week my mom would make a big pot of beans and we ate them daily in one form or the other. It was awesome. I've always loved pintos. When I started school my mom sent me with a thermos of milk and a bean burrito. We make our bean burritos very simply, just a little bit of refried beans on a flour tortilla. I was really excited about this until the first day when the other kids started pulling out sandwiches on white bread and little snacks... in packages. I had never in my life had an individually portioned package of chips. Oh, the luxury. The incredible wealth! I was humiliated by my humble lunch. I changed tables and ate my lunch in shame.

Several days later the cafeteria was full and I had to sit with my class. I kept my hands inside my lunchbox and ripped little burrito bites off and put them in my mouth. I was blending in just fine until Seth, the most popular boy in the whole class, pointed across the table at me and said, "Hey, are you eating a burrito?"

What could I do? I just said a tiny, "Yes." My cover was blown.

"Hey guys, she has a burrito! What will you trade me for it?" I told him that it was almost gone, but that I really liked Ruffles (still do, they're my kryptonite). He said that tomorrow he would trade me his Ruffles for my burrito. Seth was a leader, and a few other boys started in with their bargains. I had never felt accepted by a group before. I remember sitting up straighter and feeling something new... I later learned that it is called confidence. I couldn't wait to get home and tell my mom what had just happened. I was so excited, but at the same time I doubted she would agree to let me just eat chips.

When I finished my story she looked me in the eyes and said, "No problem, I will just make you two burritos". How clever, imagine! The next day I ate chips from Seth and my burrito, but the demand still existed and my mom agreed to back 3 burritos from then on. Every day I got a burrito and two fancy sides. Seth actually started a fad. If you were totally radical you would bring one of the minuscule salsa packets from Taco Time, most likely retrieved from your mom's glove box. The cool boys would conspicuously put salsa all over their burrito fear-factor style and say things like, "I don't think it's hot, I like it. I LOVE salsa!"

I was going to post about healthy lunch options. Well, I sort of did because pinto beans are very low on the glycemic index meaning they provide long lasting energy. Perfect for school kids, great at room temperature (really) and not messy. I thought of this little story though, and I wanted to share it. I told it to Lincoln before he went to school this year. I told him that he is a leader and that the things he says can impact the people he is in school with for the rest of their lives. Even today I have a soft spot in my heart for my friend, Seth. He taught me the importance of being myself and that kindness and confidence can change someone's life.

Welcome, Taneil

2010-09-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

You might have noticed there is another sassy gingie contributing to this blog. My good friend and fellow health coach has joined us. Taneil let me help her get her baby weight off and she loved the program so much that now she helps her friends lose weight and achieve optimal health through the program that she used. She has the added perspective of someone who has maintained their weight for a while, I was pregnant before I really gained too much personal experience on the topic.

Taniel is an amazing woman and you will really enjoy getting to know her. She has a Masters in Education and works at a grade school helping kids with their reading. One summer she worked fighting forest fires, which is pretty astounding because she is so tiny. I can't imagine her hauling big hoses over flaming mountains, but she did. She loves a challenge.

We will be attending some upcoming health coaching conferences this fall and we look forward to reporting on the latest and greatest in the world of health and hotness. Stay tuned, it's going to be an awesome autumn.

160.0

2010-09-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Three months after I had Paolo I was still over 200 lbs. It took a lot of courage, but I allowed a teeny little friend of mine to be my Health Coach. When she asked how much I wanted to lose, I lied. I was just too embarrassed to be honest with her, or probably myself for that matter. I think I said forty pounds, but I really needed to lose almost twice that. I was just too worried she would realize how heavy I was... like she didn't have eyes, or something. Really, I wanted to lose about 55 lbs at the time. If I did, I would weight 160 lbs, which was what I weighed when I became pregnant with my first child. I imagined, fantasized about what that would mean. I would be a normal mom. Not the "hot" mom, but for once, not the "fat" mom, either.

If you've been around a while, you know that I eventually lost much more weight and smashed the goal of 160 pounds, but it's still an important benchmark for me. This week I stepped on the scale and it said, 160.0. Graham is only four months old and I already feel like myself. In the past it has taken me so much longer to get back into the groove.

Once I was watching a show about a man who had to lose hundreds of pounds. After he lost 103 lbs, he started to feel like giving up. No one had even noticed his weight loss. Can you imagine his discouragement? About that time he was fishing in Alaska and he hooked a giant fish. He fought that fish for hours, and when he finally landed it and they weighed it, guess what? That fish weighed 103 pounds. He looked at that giant animal and thought, "I can do this!" and he eventually did.

Well, seeing 160.0 (that .0 was significant to me) on the scale this week was like landing my giant Alaskan fish. I'm far from my goal, there are days when I get discouraged, but I can do this! I have the TOOLS and SUPPORT that I need. I'm not going to blow the progress that I have made just because I have so far to go.

Whether you are trying to lose hundreds of pounds or ten, YOU CAN DO THIS! Be patient with yourself, be patient with your body, and stick to the program, baby. Instead of looking forward at the challenge, reflect on your success and you will be encouraged. Have a great weekend.

Fat Jeans

2010-09-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

Last fall after I hit my goal weight, I had to go shopping. My pants were super saggy and my shirts were all stretched out. So, I bought a few things and pushed my fat clothes to the back of the closet. I wanted to keep them, just in case.

Just in case of what? I suddenly got fat again? That sounds like planning for failure. I had reached my goal, which was a very maintainable weight for me, and there was no reason to think I would be back in those sizes again. I was like the lady in the comic above, except I was holding onto clothing I NEVER wanted to fit into again.

There was comfort in keeping those clothes. It made it okay if I gained my weight back. If I did, I wouldn't have to buy clothes in a bigger size. When I came to this realization, I decided then and there to bag up all my cute, fat clothes (even the ones that still had tags on!) and take them to the Big Brothers Big Sisters bin outside the grocery store. I hope a struggling woman was able to use them to build her career wardrobe.

Getting rid of those clothes was the final push I needed to realize that I am a new person now. Going back was not an option. I know that if I have another child there will be a period afterwards where I am bigger than I am now. That's okay. It's worth it. But I will never again stay at a weight where I don't feel confident. Life is too short for that.

Oh, and I did keep one pair of jeans---just so I can occasionally try them on and relish in how big they are on me now! Haha.

Them apples

2010-09-08T20:54:00.001-07:00

In this bounteous valley that I live in the fruit often falls off the trees and rots. Apples, squash, blackberries, mint, these things are just surrounding us for free right now. Some of my friends were planning on canning apple pie filling with apples from my friend's orchard. I wanted to learn to can and apple pie is Dan's favorite, so I was in. I bought two dozen jar sets. Friday afternoon the family spent about three hours picking apples. There were bushels and bushels all around us. It was pretty amazing.

My children were in their natural habitat. They ran around the farm all afternoon. Chasing pets, eating fruit and bringing me wild flowers for my ponytail. It was quiet and the weather was cool. Dan looked hot climbing the trees for the biggest apples way up high. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. On the way home, Lincoln leaned back in his booster with a moan, relishing about his sixth apple of the day and said, "Fresh apples are SO MUCH better than the Safeway brand". So cute.

My job on Saturday was to take the washed apples and run them through a little apparatus that turned whole apples into little apple slices. After about three hours of this it occured to me that 24 quarts of apple pie filling was enough for two pies a month. I usually make about two pies a year, so I snuck over to the stacks of jars removed one of my sets. A cheer went up when they saw me loading a dozen jars into my car. We had saved ourselves about a half hours work, and less pie filling meant more cider. The men folk were running whole apples through a cider press. We ended up filling 275 jars and we made about 30 gallons of cider.

Tonight Dan gave the boys bowls of pie filling strait from the jar for dessert. I am not fooling myself that this is a healthy treat or anything, but it was a great experience to see where our food comes from. I really enjoyed canning. I plan on buying my own equipment when I have room enough to store it. I still have a dozen empty jars, though. Spaghetti sauce would be cool, or apple sauce. Canned pumpkin! Anyone in the mood for a project?

Keeping It Off

2010-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

“Am I going to gain the weight back as soon as I am off the plan?” That is the #1 question asked by potential dieters, regardless of what program they are planning to try.

No, you don’t have to. If you lose weight in a healthy way that inspires you to change your bad habits to good ones, then you will stay slim for the rest of your life. The experts say it takes 21 days to change a habit. I know that after a month on this program my habits changed completely. So much in fact, that when I met my weight loss goal, I didn’t fall back into my old habits.

One habit I have mastered is eating 6 small meals a day. This habit has been instrumental in my weight loss success because it keeps my blood sugar levels stabilized and my metabolism running at optimal levels. No more do I have the 3 pm crash that sends me to the vending machine in search of chocolaty goodness. It is amazing how much LESS I eat by eating MORE often. I am not hungry. That is key to weight loss maintenance.

Another habit is that my 6 meals are small. Let me clarify: big enough to satisfy, but small enough that I am not taking in unnecessary calories. I have learned about portion sizes and can now eyeball how much I should eat. This has caused my appetite to shrink. Even when I do blow my healthy eating on junk food, I don’t blow it as bad as I used to. One slice of pizza is plenty.

Another key to my success is that I am now familiar with the types of foods I should be eating for my 6 small meals. Some are grab-and-go type things; some are items I prepare fresh. Either way, I have learned so much about fueling my body that I can now eat foods that work to keep me at a healthy weight. I just had my one year anniversary of hitting my goal weight. I weigh less than I did in high school. And I have the tools to stay this way for the rest of my life. That is the best success story ever!

And just for fun, here are my before and after pictures!

Preston, 1 month

Preston, 6 months

Happy New Year!

2010-09-02T21:09:00.001-07:00

So, you know how the Chinese celebrate new year at some wacky time that really isn't new year? So do I! It's nice to look forward to a fresh start on January first, but I feel the spirit of renewal each September. What does hauling a big tree out of your house have to do with new beginnings? It seems more like an ending to me. On the other hand, open a plastic box that's had new crayons and unsharpened pencils in it for a couple of days and inhale. Mmm. Now, that's what starting over smells like. Clean gym shoes. Didn't it suck the years your mom ruled that your gym shoes still fit from the year before? My kids have a way cooler mom than I did .

At the end of the year last year I packed up Lincoln's school clothes because he wears a uniform. I thought I would be able to resist replacing still usable clothes. I couldn't though. As the summer wore on I convinced myself that his polos from last year were dingy and the knees in his trousers were too thin. With absolute GLEE I bought him four new pairs of navy pants and four bright white polos. He upgraded his shoes from velcro to laces for first grade. Tomorrow we will get him his gym shoes. Maybe even a new backpack. Or a new lunch box. We'll have to see how much restraint I have. I was one of the poorest kids in grade school, or at least I thought that I was. School supplies were always aplenty, though. My mom watched the sales and planned all summer to make sure her kids were prepared and confident when she sent us out the door on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. Yesterday when I was watching the charity stuffing backpacks with donated school supplies on our local news I got a little choked up.

Do you love this time of year, too? Sometimes I think that as adults we forget how wonderful Autumn is because there isn't as much to look forward to for us. I am shopping for a new pair of knee high boots, though. I dedicate about thirteen hours a week to this endeavor. There is something else to look forward to this year. I am losing weight, and I will be at my goal sometime during "the Holidays". What's my point?

Don't pack it in for the summer. Don't give up just because you're getting out your chunky sweaters and retiring your swimsuits. Just because your sundresses are going into hybernation doesn't mean your running shoes have to. This isn't the end of weight loss season, it's the beginning. If you are considering making a change in your health and fitness, think of it this way:

Between now and New years, do you want to gain five pounds (at least) or lose ten? Or twenty? Or in my case, fourty? Or would you like to lose more? Last year in four months I lost 53 pounds. There are many people who follow this blog who I know want to lose weight, and I know that I could help them. I have been wondering why they don't just call me. It would be fun, we could be losers together. When you call me I just ask you a few question, like when you started gaining weight, your health, your eating habits, what you think your short falls are, what other programs you have tried, things like that. I give you some recommendations and answer your questions. It's very friendly and pleasant. And free.

Sometimes the person is ready to start working with me and we set their program in motion that day. Sometimes they call me back a week or a year later, and sometimes they never call me back. It's no big deal. I truly enjoy hearing your stories. If you have plateaued with your weight and fitness goals I would love to help you. Then, by the time January first rolls around you will celebrate the happiest New Year ever. What on earth will your resolution possibly be? Imagine the possibilities!

Perfect eyebrows: exhibit A

2010-09-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

When we were trying to adopt we had to get letters of recommendation from our friends. In them they were asked to state our strengths and weaknesses, individually and as a family. Of course we never saw these letters, but in one of our meetings our social worker thought it would be fun to know what some of our friends had listed as our strengths. It was nice to hear these compliments, then he said, "I thought this was interesting. One of your friends said that Jacqui's greatest weakness is her inability to say, 'No'".

This caught me off guard because I have always thought of myself as a pretty empowered person. Over the years I have thought about this and I have realized that I do say no, just not soon enough. I get mad about things, or put out by the responsibilities that I have taken on, and then freak out when it all becomes too much. This little character flaw is really annoying to my husband. In the past, but less and less often these days, I would do anything and everything for him. Happily at first. Then resentfully, then angrily, until he was like, "Wo! No big deal. Just ask for help once in a while. Sheesh." or something like that.

In social situations I never wanted to say no because maybe I would offend someone or seem unfriendly. I have become much much better about this in regard to my health. I now feel totally comfortable turning down food that is offered to me that I know I don't need. So, I'm communicating better with my spouse and with my friends, but I still need a lot of work in this when it comes to professional situations. For example:

Last week I went to get my nails done. The manager was doing my nails for the first time. She glanced up at me and said, "Oh, your eyebrows are messy. I wax them for you. Right after nails, wax eyebrows, then pedicure". Uh, yeah lady. I'll pass. I love thick eyebrows. Mary Kate and Ashley have perfect eyebrows. Thin brows totally age a woman. Sure, pluck underneath to create an arch, then stop in the name of all that is holy. I totally ignored her suggestion the first time, but she just didn't drop it. "It only take one minute. Your eyebrows bushy". Right. That was the look that I was going for. Then I looked at her eyebrows which it turned out were mostly plucked off and tattooed back on, further proof that she wasn't entirely in touch with current beauty trends. I warned her that I have freakishly sensitive skin, and she said, "It stay red half hour. After your pedicure you look fine".

Long story short, she kept pushing, and against my better judgement I found myself flat on my back in the waxing room staring at an unfortunate light fixture. "Really, I want a full brow. Just clean it up a little". She agreed to just "clean them up". First there were the strips underneath my eyebrows. Then down the middle. Whatever. Then across the top. No! Not over the brow! Then the worst part. The most sickening part... snip snip. I felt the scissors CUT the eyebrows that I have been watering and fertilizing since I overplucked them during the nineties. Heartsick, I agreed to get my lip waxed.

A minute later I was in the chair with a different woman who was starting my pedicure. The first lady came back to me with a surprised look on her face. "Oh, your skin is very red. You don't use cleaner on your face tonight. Maybe not tomorrow." My skin was irritated for four days. And how long will I be stuck with these emaciated old lady eyebrows?

A couple of nights later on my walk and I was ready to talk about my tramatic experience in the Salon. Emily said, "Oh yeah, she tried to get me to do it, too." What? I thought she was worried about my particularly "messy" eyebrows, like when your closest girlfriend tells you you have spinach in your teeth. I asked Emily how she got out of it and she said, "I told her, 'Heck No!'" You can say that? You can flat deny a salon manager recommended treatments? One can refuse to pay for a procedure that will make them look and feel worse? Fascinating. The power of this phrase, "Heck no". It seems so rude, but that lady was being rude for spending half an hour convincing me I was a mess.

I had decided to never go back to that salon, but my nails look really good. It's also three blocks away and they don't need an appointment. That's probably the biggest advantage. I never know when things will be under control enough around here for me to skip out for an hour or so. I have decided that I will stick with the salon, only I will actually mean no when I say it next time. This lady wasn't my new friend trying to help me out. She was trying to sell a procedure and make some money. That's her job and she's very good at it. It's my problem that I confuse boundaries in professional relationships.

To recap: It's OK to say no once in a while. If they are true friends they will understand. If you are paying someone to provide a service then be as professional as you would expect them to be. And no... I don't want your vanilla pudding. (Little joke there for my clients).

Excuses, excuses.

2010-08-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

I just got back from a brisk three mile walk with my friend, Emily. I am so lucky to have a neighbor like her. Our babies are about a week apart and she is doing my program with me. Not only did she shove aside every excuse I came up with to stay at home tonight, she made me walk an extra mile. That's a real friend.

I am doing great as far as weight loss is concerned. I'm doing better as far as fitness and toning are concerned. I'm hanging in there as far as my mother of the year application is concerned. Oh wait, the committee just threw it out. There's always next year. How do moms have more than three kids? Seriously. I know how my mom handled the four of us, but out of respect for her I will spare you the details. It's fun though, and I wouldn't change places with anyone else in the world. Except when both little kids are crying at once, then I would change places with just about anyone else in the world. I am so in love with my baby, by the way. Have I mentioned that?

So to summarize my vacation: half our party got food poisoning from Fuddruckers hamburgers, my phone was stollen and I am tediously replacing my contacts one by one, our truck broke down and Lincoln was hospitalized with a brain bleed. On his discharge papers it says, "No rough play for one year". So... was it a bad idea yesterday when he was riding his skateboard into the street head first on his stomach? Facebook is awesome. I posted his injury and the neighbors have been tattling to me regarding the reckless behavior he engages in all up and down our street. Fortunately, he thinks it's cool to rock a baseball helmet most of the time. Please don't discourage this if you see him, it's worth having my child look like a fool in the hope of preserving most remaining brain cells.

The three weeks without a scale was like a record for me, but I lost nine pounds, and on vacation! I feel like myself again. If you've given birth, then maybe you relate to how your body doesn't feel like your own for a while. It's hard to get back in the swing of things, and if you put on a lot of weight like I do, it can take years to feel like yourself. Sleep helps, too. Slowly I am coming back into my own.

Discipline

2010-08-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

During the past several months I have been falling behind in my business (see left for cutest excuse ever). During this vacation I have been trying to squeeze in all the client contacts and business training that I can. Baby Graham (Andrew calls him Graham Crapper) is getting into a schedule, which is helpful. It's been hard to get much done because I am usually alone with the kids during the day. That might change though, because Dan thinks the transmission just went out in the jeep. Ha ha. If it is, he'll be in the cabin with us for the next week or so.

Tonight I listened to a call with a business trainer named Richard Brook. It was so good I made my entourage go to bed early so I could listen to it again.

Sometimes when I talk about the weight loss success that I am having people comment on my amazing discipline. I'm not a very disciplined person, so I never really chalked my success up to discipline or willpower. If I had willpower, I probably wouldn't have gotten so large and in charge in the first place and I definitely wouldn't have gone so crazy at the end of my pregnancy. I've always suspected that there was another reason I can pass up any temptation when I am in the zone, and I got that explanation tonight.

We don't need to forbid ourselves from certain foods and hate ourselves for missing workouts. What we really need is to create a vision of the person that we want to be a year from now. Ten years from now. When we are motivated, discipline and commitment (willpower) are natural by-products. In other words, when we find out what we want and we believe we will get it, we are motivated and success is inevitable.

I know that I have found the weight loss program that is right for me. I KNOW that if I just do what I am supposed to every day, the weight will come off. I have a vision of the rewards that come with compliance to my program. I see the success of others and my own success and I get excited about it. I get so excited about it that I put really ugly pictures of myself in the public domain so that everyone else can see my success and get excited with me. I don't have discipline. Really, I don't. I only do what I really want to do 99% of the time. I am excited about my program, and so the motivation just flows. I see the same thing in my clients every day.

Richard Brook explained it all so much better than I can. In weight loss there are challenging days or weeks, but if we are excited and optimistic, we will be successful. When I was gaining weight every week during my pregnancy, it was hard to be excited about my job and I just wasn't a very good coach. Now that I am back on the wagon I am so excited to talk to my clients and my other Health Coach friends. And BLOG! Thanks for sticking around. It feels good to be... motivated again.

My entourage:

2010-08-08T21:53:00.001-07:00

Clockwise From Left: Niece Emily, Powell the dog, Lincoln, Paolo, the baby, Nephew Andrew.

I always thought that I wanted five kids, but now I know that I was meant to have three. Three naughty little boys. My favorite part of having all these kids: making them dinner and watching them eat it. My least favorite part? Loading everyone into the car.

We are here in Tahoe, and it is beautiful. I kidnapped my niece and nephew and they are hanging out with my kids for a couple of weeks. We have been spending a lot of time with family. My sister drove over from Sacramento, and when she saw me she yelled, "You only have one chin!" Sweeter words were never spoken.

I am very tired, but I just wanted to quickly drop a line to let you know that I am alive and working. I have been supporting clients all along, and it's so fun to hear about all of your success. I was talking to Marjorie the other day about how on this program you are never really "full", but you are OK. On my facebook wall she wrote:

I had an 'ah ha' moment after talking to you. When I was thin I would eat to not be hungry anymore. When I was overweight I would eat until I was full ... Thanks to you I'm remembering what thin feels like again.

She is right, there is a different sort of feeling when you are eating right, and it feels really good. My clients point helpful things out to me all the time, and it is fun to share my weight-loss journey with them.

Pit stop.

2010-07-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

I am home, briefly. We got home Wednesday morning at 2 am. We were still on East Coast time, though, so it was like we had been up all night. We pushed it hard on our trip trying to do as much every day as possible. One morning I actually woke up in the clothes I had on the day before. I was still holding the baby who was in his diaper from the night before. Amazingly he was as worn out as I was and we both just crashed. It was the first time he slept through the night. At least, I hope he slept though the night. It was a crazy time, but truly we had the most fun we have ever had as a family. It was great. We did a lot of educational things. Lincoln will have the most brown-nosing "What I did on my summer vacation" essay, ever. They probably don't write those anymore, do they? The toddler and the baby might not have gotten as much out of it, but they both liked having us all together as a family 24/7. I could tell.
Can't you just see the baby is enjoying himself? He is truly on vaca.
Here we are at Plymouth Rock on a reproduction of the Mayflower. Man, you have to teach kids EVERYTHING. "What's a pilgrim?" Really? You're almost seven! He just kept asking how the cowboys fit into the whole thing. We mentioned Indians, so why not cowboys? He didn't know anything about the first Thanksgiving story. It's possible that they don't do that in school anymore, but more likely he was pretending his hands were guns at the time or something.
Uhh, oops. I really tried to keep my kids presentable. Being "out" all the time, I was very conscientious that people cringe when they see three little boys coming their way. Add to that, we were traveling with our friends who have four small children. Seven under seven and under. They are all sweet and well-behaved, but Tiffany and I still did our best to make sure the kids looked like upright citizens. It was an uphill battle.

I wasn't on this tour. "You've toured one sub, you've toured them all". Jake didn't think that was funny. He's a submariner in the US Navy, and to him every sub is a nuanced and enthralling experience. Lincoln couldn't agree more. Dan said that Paolo wasn't posing here, he really took the opportunity to have a little nap. I love toddlers. So cute.

Even though I stayed on plan my whole trip, I was still a little nervous to come home and get on the scale. We left on the trip on my one-month anniversary and I had lost 15 lbs already. This program is designed to overcome many of the nutritional challenges that our modern environment throws at us, so it's perfect for people who have to travel a lot. Dan took us to a fantastic Lobster shack that he found online. We knew it was going to be good because there was a line when we got there fifteen minutes before opening. They served the Lobster on paper plates, another good indication. It was delicious, and I got to enjoy the yummy sea food all week while we were there.

I was only tempted twice. The first time was when Tiffany made sourdough bread. It's my favorite and she is an amazing baker. I kind of wanted to kill her, but we are still friends. It helped that she was on plan as well and didn't have the bread, either. The second time was leaving the lobster shack. There was another little shack where you could buy desert. Scrawled across the chalkboard in a casually elegant style I dubbed, "Kennedy-Ghetto", it said,

Cheesecake
Peach Cobbler
Strawberry Shortcake

That's it. Served on a paper plate with a plastic fork. Take it or leave it, and that's how you know it's good. Well, I kept walking, OF COURSE. It hurt, but not fitting into any of my cute clothes hurts more. I had faith in my little girl heart that even though I didn't have access to a scale I was making progress, and guess what? I lost another three pounds during our eight day vacation. Yes, you heard me right, I lost weight on vacation. Totally worth it.

p.s. Yes, we are wearing nautical themed matching outfits. It was the last day of the trip and I didn't know we were going to go to the shore for lobster. Cut me some slack. Dan was so ashamed.

Travels

2010-07-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

A couple days after I got back from Sacramento I found out that my Grandma was going to be in Sacramento that (last) Sunday. I never get to see my Grandma because she is 80 and it's getting hard for her to travel. My Aunts, who also live in Northern Mexico, drove her around the US to visit family for her birthday. I couldn't miss it. I flew down on Saturday afternoon and back to PDX Monday morning.

We can't go visit her because it's far too dangerous where she lives in Mexico. They live with the constant threat of violence. My Aunt, who lives near my grandma, woke up recently to find five bodies had been dumped on her lawn. My cousin was within feet of two shootings in Juarez in one week. In the first one seven people were killed, in the second one four people were killed.

I hate it that my family live in such conditions. They said that they always thought that people were crazy to live in war zones and they would just move if they were ever in that position. Now that it's happening to them, they can't leave. Their lives are there. Their jobs, homes and friends are there. They refuse to abandon their employees and the other people who count on them. They are so courageous.

I will tell you more about the Sac trip next week because I need to tell you about the dinner my Grandma cooked for us. I need to get the recipe and download the pictures to my computer. Today I am in Boston. Here is proof. Two thirds of my sons in front of a statue of Paul Revere. Boston is so much fun. The history all around you here is fascinating. I know next to nothing about the American Revolution. I know more about the French Revolution. Visiting all of these history sites has really exposed my ignorance. The site of the Boston Massacre? Just let me read this little sign... oh yes. King's chapel, Paul Revere's house, Old South Meeting House ... it all mostly rings a bell.

Getting down here was torture. The baby and I flew in from Sacramento and we rendezvoused with the rest of the fam at our gate. Two more flights and eight hours later we were in Boston, but still traveling. Hertz had rented 1500 cars that day and they were totally backed up. We had to wait for two hours to get a car. It was 3 am Eastern time before we were on the road and all three kids were going STRONG. To add to the chaos our trusty GPS couldn't work in the city because of the signal bouncing off the building or something, and we drove in circles an extra 20 minutes trying to locate our hotel.

This month is our ten year wedding anniversary, so instead of staying at the Hampton Inn like we always do, we splurged and stayed at the Liberty Hotel. They had champagne on melted ice for Dan and me waiting in our room with a bowl of fresh strawberries. Dan had mentioned it was our anniversary trip. I guess they thought we could still enjoy a little romance with three little boys in the room. Even more impressive, Lincoln and Paolo each got a teddy bear (see above). One is an inmate-bear and one is a warden bear (the hotel used to be a jail). Graham got a little travel kit of baby travel essentials. It was such a special touch to see that each guest had been given a little gift. I think I am ruined for the Hampton Inn, now.

If you want to lose weight but you travel often, CALL ME! I have little snacks prepared that I carry everywhere, and it is so easy to stay on plan while I am out of town. We went to the Barking Crab for dinner because Dan saw it on Man vs Food and thought it looked good. Unfortunately his lobster was SO tough, it must have been boiled for about 45 minutes. Fortunately, I could order off the menu like a normal person. I had a salad with grilled shrimp. It was OK, but we walked about five miles today and I was so ready for dinner.

I always get mad at my sister when she blogs that she is out of town. It is a bad security policy. I guess this week I am breaking my own rule. Please don't go rob my duplex while I am gone. The neighbors on the other side will hear you and bust a cap. If you do though, please pick up after yourselves. As you may have gathered, the boys were home without me for two days prior to our vacation and I have enough of a mess to return to.

Summertime

2010-07-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

My wee man screamed for most of the day. Trouble shooting a baby's misery is one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had. Why can't they talk? WHAT'S WRONG? We're on the same team here, baby. I WANT to help you! He was so exhausted from crying that he was crying with his eyes closed for a while. This was particularly stressful and heartbreaking because, as I've mentioned, he's a really good baby. I know that if he was so angry something was pretty wrong. Every time he actually did fall asleep, Lincoln would run through the house and wake him up. By the time he started to settle down it was 8:00. Our house was so hot. He had sweat running down his face, so we went outside and lied in the grass.

Summer is finally here. I had been so stressed out all day, but now he was his old sweet self and I could just enjoy my tiny little person in the white onesie. Speaking of little person in a white onesie, look who just joined me at quarter to ten:
Really, how can you get mad at such a cute little buddy who just won't stay in bed tonight. Look at his sweaty hair.

Today was one of those days where I got out of bed with plans and lists of things to do. Some of them got done, but most of them were brushed aside so I could nurture these little guys. For a second I had the thought, "I didn't get anything done today". Then, I had the thought, "Today was one of the most important days I will ever have. I am so blessed."

Home again.

2010-07-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Last night the boys and I got back from my sister's house in Sacramento. Dan has a final in the morning and it's really impossible to think in our house with all these little boys around. I left Wednesday morning at five a.m. We snatched the boys from their beds hoping that they wouldn't wake up completely, but of course they did. Paolo loves to get out of the house. When he realized he was being buckled into his carseat he started to chant, "Bye bye! Bye bye!"

All was fun and games until we pulled out of the driveway without their dad. The two older boys started to cry. I never tell the kids my travel plans too far in advance because they can't grasp the concept of time. If I say, "We're going to go see Aunt Desi next Wednesday", then I have to endure the countdown every five minutes until we hit the road. I informed them of our plans when I was tucking them in the night before, but I guess I failed to mention that their dad wasn't coming. Funny. They went to Reno without me last month and nary a tear was shed.

Of course, about ninety minutes into the trip the DVD player quit working. About half an hour later Lincoln puked up his chocolate protein shake (when your mom's a health coach you don't even get fast food on road trips). The low point was probably paying the hobo at the rest stop a dollar to keep an eye on the car while I ran in to pee. He seemed very trustworthy. I felt very brave and capable traveling alone with my boys, and I'm always up for an adventure.

Desiree's house is like kid paradise. She is the cutest mom. I'm a good mom, but I'm not a cute mom. Cute moms make French toast out of raisin bread and cut it into little strips. Cute mom's convert the office into a play room with little furniture and organize successful standing play-dates. Desiree does all that and keeps a fridge stocked with big bowls of cut up fresh fruit. She also has a neighborhood pool. It was so fun.

We spent a day shopping with our five sons. She has two little boys about the same ages as my two littlest guys. They were all very cooperative, which is saying a lot. Because I live in the forest, when I get around good shopping I go a little nuts. Kind of like my dog when we bring him home from the kennel. My eyes get huge, and I frantically run from place to place, not sure what I want to lick... I mean buy... the most. Retail therapy!

The boys and I took a day to visit their great-grandma in Sparks, Nevada. I actually went off plan for the first time ever. Once I start my program I never cheat. Last year I didn't cheat for five months. Nonni had just gotten back from the grocery store and she was preparing lunch for us when we got there. She had a great salad and was making us pasta with the same marinera sauce she has made her entire life. She reassured me that she left out the red-pepper flakes so that it wouldn't be too spicy for the boys. What was I going to say, "Yeah, I'm not eating carbs right now... gotta get my abs back postpartum and all..." No. You would have cheated, too. Unless you're a jerk. So I had a little pasta. I still lost two pounds last week. Only 45 more to go.

My cousin and my Aunt also joined us for lunch (both of whom have been clients of mine). After lunch we were playing that old game, "Now, who does the baby look like..." Old people love that one. Nonni went and found her box of "precious photos" and we started comparing. I think Paolo is a little clone of my dad, but we found pictures of his namesake as a little boy and the resemblance was spooky.

Nonni showed me a picture of herself as a two year old. It was in a passport from 1927. The photograph was of her mom (my children's great-great grandmother) with her three children. In addition to our Nonni, there was also a five or six year old boy and an infant on her lap. I looked up from the picture and said, "She traveled with children the same ages as my children are now". Nonni told me that after her father had settled in Nevada he sent for his family in Venice. During the trans-Atlantic journey they almost starved. Then, when they arrived in America they still had to cross our country. Nonni said that it was very scary for her mom because she didn't speak English. Yeah, I bet.

I didn't feel quite as brave, capable or adventurous anymore. I can't imagine what it must have been like to board a ship with three helpless children and few resources bound for a country unknown. She must have been a strong woman. I wonder if she wanted to kill her husband half the time. I need to get more of this story, like how the heck did she ever make it to Nevada. The descendants of the relatives that sent my children's great great grandma away from Venice on the boat in 1927 still live in the same house where our Nonni was born. I have to visit that house. When I do, I will eat so. much. pasta.

Let them eat cake

2010-06-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

...even though you can't if you want to lose weight. Yesterday we went to the lovely country wedding of our good friends Ty and Rachel. My "big" boys were co-ring bearers. Lincoln was so excited about it. Children are egocentric. They were pretty sure everyone there had shown up to see them. I haven't enjoyed myself so much in a long time. The ceremony was brief and tender. The weather couldn't have been better and it was great to be surrounded by old and new friends. Dan and I couldn't agree on his tie (no, Love, checked pants and a checked shirt and a checked tie don't "match"). Finally we found the perfect one and he remembered that it was the tie he wore with his wedding suit almost ten years ago. Ahhhh.
After the ceremony, the boys were able to chase each other around the amazing grounds. I was entirely relaxed until I realized there was a river at the bottom of the steep ravine we were seated near. My mom-brain got turned back on. My only other concern was that the boys would disrupt the reception - and they did. Paolo escaped my arms during the father-daughter dance and went up there and spun around and laughed. I was dying until the wedding party motioned to leave him. They didn't care and the bride started laughing. Rachel is not a diva, thank goodness. Paolo and Lincoln are party animals. I think Graham is shy, but maybe I'm just imposing my hopes and dreams on him. Please, one demure child. Just one. How many nuts can one family handle?

The dinner was great. There were many options on the buffet so I had Caesar salad and chicken. I picked the croutons out. I also had some green beans that were really really good. Maybe they weren't prepared with weight loss in mind, but it was a wedding, after all. The only painful part was when some well meaning person brought me a piece of white cake. I love white cake. The whiter the better. White food is so naughty and decadent and delicious. I was drooling. It didn't help that everyone was raving about the cake and that it turned out the frosting had just a touch of cream cheese in it. The temptation was almost unbearable.

I didn't cheat. I cheated in my heart, but I don't think that counts when you're talking about food. I ate no cake. I didn't even lick a fork. It was a miserable ten minutes, but I played it cool so my friends could enjoy their cake. Maybe I glared at Dan a little, I don't remember. It was the most tempted I have been since I went back on plan, but I survived.

That night when the kids were all tucked in bed, their linen suits ruined and their faces still covered with frosting and snot, I remembered I hadn't cheated. I was so happy. I passed up white wedding cake with cream cheese frosting! I hadn't convinced myself that I deserved it, or that one bite wouldn't hurt or that weddings are so infrequent... if I only eat cake at weddings it's fine! I told myself all of those things, but I couldn't quite convince myself of them. I want to make my goal and I am on track, and that is quite an accomplishment. Kind of like being married for ten years to a guy who eats white wedding cake with cream cheese frosting right in front of me.

Could you die?

2010-06-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

This is my view. My little man is on my left, snoring away while I get some neglected computer work done. I even have time to blog! The rest of the family is at a rehearsal dinner for a dear friend's wedding. I am sad to be missing it, but I have mastitis. Yesterday I thought I might die. I had a 104 degree fever all day. I just lied under the covers, in my already hot house, shaking all day long. It took me a while to figure out what was happening, then the pain started in my boosie and I figured it out. This is the first time I've had it and he's the third baby I've nursed, so I've been pretty lucky. I had my six week appointment today and she gave me some antibiotics, so maybe I'll live after all.

Is it just me, or do you find nursing is surprisingly unnatural. I've always had a very earth-mother, romantic idea of the practice. Unquestionably, it's the best thing for your baby, so why isn't it easier? My first two babies were preemies, and they had to learn how to eat while I pumped milk. I was so excited to have my full term (and then some) baby. He was the first baby that I actually got to hold after he was born. Once all the chaos had died down from the delivery, I took my little Teddy Graham and nursed him lying on my side. He latched on like a pro, and we both fell asleep.

I woke up and the baby was gone. A nurse said that he wasn't breathing and was in the nicu. I was so mad! I hurried there, and there were doctors and nurses standing around him, and they explained that he was having a hard time staying alive or something... maybe he was in shock from being suctioned out, they weren't sure. I didn't buy it. I made them give me back my baby, and I sat down and said, "Watch him nurse! He's fine." They were right though. Just like before, he latched on. Then he seemed to go to sleep. The doctor pointed out that he wasn't breathing, but told me not to wake him. He was timing it, more than 20 seconds was a problem. At 30 seconds he let me wake him. The nurse told me that when she found him he was completely gray.

Long story short, we had to stay in the hospital an extra day while they made sure he could keep up his oxygen levels. He came home on monitors, which went off whenever he held his breath for more than 20 seconds. I figured out that swaddling him made him hold his breath. I still hear him gasp while he's sleeping. Big long gulps of air as he remembers he's been born.

I wasn't allowed to nurse him for the first few days of his life. He held his breath every time. Now I can nurse, but he's always been pretty lazy at it. I usually just pump and give him the bottle. I try to nurse him before every feeding, though. Once in a while he latches on. It's weird.
I have a fantasy that he will get the hang of nursing, the mastitis will clear up and I'll be able to kick the pump to the curb and feed my baby the old fashioned way. One can dream.

Hello?

2010-06-23T22:19:00.000-07:00

Anybody there? Hello? I'm back. I hope people still check in here once in a while.

I am in such a good mood. I'm just going to cut to the chase. After gaining a phenomenal amount of weight with that really long pregnancy, I have lost ten pounds in the last ten days since re-starting my program. I was so depressed after my second son because I had so much weight to lose. I didn't even know how to start. At least I know I will lose the weight and I know about how long it will take.

I haven't felt this healthy mentally or physically since I found out I was pregnant. I get really paranoid about the health of the baby and basically sabotaged my own health while I sit around being pregnant for almost ten months. It's weird, and I don't really know how to express what happens, but I know other people have similar experiences. I was watching Wendy Williams about a month ago (How you doin'?) and she said that she got pregnant with her only son after four miscarriages and was on bed rest the whole time. She gained 100 pounds (so I guess I don't hold the record) because she was so stressed out she just ate the whole time. I know the feeling. With the stress of a high-risk pregnancy, it can feel like a big stack of toaster waffles is the only fun you're allowed.

My little man is about six weeks old and my family is starting to get it's groove back. I didn't want to rip Paolo out of the crib in a few months when the baby outgrows the cradle. I wanted there to be a more gentle transition, so I redid the nursery for the two older boys. They have their own twin beds now, and Paolo loves it. I was so surprised when he climbed into it the first night, snuggled in and stayed there all night. He's better about staying in bed than Lincoln. They are so funny. Did I mention Lincoln has been a cowboy for the last month? Hat, boots, vest, holster with six shooter... ridiculous. He's dying to ride a horse. I love my boys.

I haven't blogged so many nights just because I couldn't find a picture, so I've decided just to write even if I don't have a picture. The writing is the part I really enjoy, anyway.

I hope that you are having a great summer. If you want to join me on my weight loss program, give me a call 541-936-2565. There is still plenty of time to reach your goal and still show off your bikini body at the pool. Actually, I won't be there this summer. I probably won't reach my goal until after school starts in September, but who knows. Stay tuned, you know I will tell you all about my weight loss journey. More than you ever wanted to know.

Ta DAH!

2010-05-25T20:42:00.001-07:00

danielleanthony.com

He took his time, but our newest little son was finally born on Mother's Day. Graham Stewart measured in at 8 lbs 13 oz and a lanky 22 inches long. He is the sweetest baby. He sleeps a lot and he never cries. He likes to be held, but he's chill if we need to put him down. He just looks around and takes in his new surroundings. He seems like a thoughtful little person. I preyed so hard during those ten long months of pregnancy that he would be an easy baby and my prayers were answered. The boys are really excited about their new brother. It has been a total joy and blessing to welcome the newest family member into our home.

I took a couple weeks off from life just to adjust to the new schedule and get to know Baby Graham. Now I am really excited to get back to blogging. I was so tired during the pregnancy, but I feel like my old self more and more each day. Fitness and nutrition have never been more important to me. I worry that I don't have the stamina to keep up with three little boys. I want to stay young and healthy for as long as possible so I can be an active part of their lives. Here's to new beginnings. Welcome, little Baby Graham.

P.S. The photograph was taken by my friend, Danielle Anthony. She is amazingly talented. Take a second to look at her website. She is only going to live in Oregon for a couple more months, so if you have been thinking about booking a shoot, get on it! She's amazing with kids, by the way.

You asked for it.

2010-05-08T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not "you" specifically, but my cousin did. I talked to Tiffany yesterday about all this baby nonsense and she requested a picture of me in all my overdue glory. Well, here I am. I would never leave the house in head to toe lycra, yet I will post a picture of myself in this get-up in the public domain. Curious.

You know me to shamelessly disclose my weight fluctuations and my ugly pictures. Well, guess what? No one except those with access to my medical charts will ever know how much I have gained during this pregnancy. Not even my husband. Let's just say, I wasn't going for a record, but I might have set one.

I wonder how my body will respond to my program this time around. Even though I have succeeded before, I have to admit that I am still nervous for this challenge. I have a wedding in a few weeks and I have put pressure on myself to wear a certain gray dress. I know that most of you are rolling your eyes and want to tell me not to worry about it or take it easy, but I am REALLY uncomfortable. I fantasize daily about getting back on my program, ASAP.

I will do things differently this time, mostly to make sure that my skin is as firm as possible once the weight is off. I have Tracy Anderson on my side and some great skin creams. I'm also going to try some spanx type compression garments at first. That will all make a big difference. I'm a weight-loss guinea pig, and I do it all for you. And me. Mostly for me, but for you, too. AHHHH! Be born already, child!

Confinement

2010-05-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

Buy it here.

I just finished this book. Fertility, or the lack thereof, is a motif in the story of all royal women. I know the pressure to reproduce, but these women's lives depended on it. Fortunately for Elizabeth Woodville, she produced 11 children in about 25 years. She is interesting because she is the first European commoner to rise to queen through a love-match marriage. I always enjoy Philippa Gregory's books, and this was no exception. Have you heard the mystery of the princes who were lost (killed?) while in the tower of London and there has never been an explanation? She was their mother, just for some historical context.

Back in the day, royal women were put away in a dark room for the last couple months of their pregnancy. This ritual was known as confinement. They only took their most trusted female servants. Not even their husbands were allowed near the room. Windows couldn't be opened and I just imagine how smoky, moldy and dark those old rooms must have been. I've always read about these times with a little bit of horror. The saddest story of confinement (OK, I'm writing from memory here because I'm too lazy to look this up, but if you're interested you can read this book, also by Philippa Gregory) is that of Mary I (Tudor). She was the Daughter of Henry VIII and ruled between he and Elizabeth I. She married some Spanish prince who she was totally hot for, and immediately claimed she was pregnant. Long story short, she eventually went into confinement, but a baby never came. Never ever. It is theorized that she had some sort of tumor or maybe just psychosomatic weight gain due to the pressure to secure an heir.

Anyway, after more than a YEAR in confinement, she just walked out one day and nobody said boo about it. This was Bloody Mary, after all. Her Spanish prince had always been completely indifferent to her. She never produced an heir and died miserable and alone. She actually spent most of her life miserable and alone. It's a really depressing story. But maybe confinement wasn't all that bad!

I am overdue by a week. How is it possible that I continue to expand? I'm ready to burst. I am so uncomfortable and physically distorted. I haven't taken Lincoln to school in more than a week, but I did go to church. But I left after the first hour. I try to leave the house every day, but I hope I don't run into anyone. It isn't just vanity. I expected to have the baby around the beginning of April, so I'm constantly having to explain that I'm overdue. My doctor can't even figure it out. Each week for the last month we have just laughed about how strange this all is. Locking myself up in a dark room with needlepoint and a couple of servants doesn't sound that bad. I would like to have the windows opened once in a while, though.

A very practical reason for confinement has recently occurred to me. There is no way they could have sewn fancy maternity dresses fast enough to keep up with the Queen's third trimester belly. These last few weeks have been crazy, and I'm glad I've gotten to experience a term pregnancy in my lifetime. When I was wearing size Large maternity shirts, I was pretty sure my tummy was as big as it could get. These days I just rotate a couple dresses every other day. When I ran out of clothes that fit, I just hopped in my car and bought some really long summer dresses at TJ Maxx for about $15 each. I bet those Queens of yore had little choice towards the end but to lie under a sheet in their dainties all day. That's not the kind of thing they would have written in a letter though, so I guess we'll never know.

Well, here's to all the ladies who have ever gone overdue, and here's to bringing home a healthy baby one of these days. Time for me to climb between the sheets in my dainties. Good night.

Surrounded by monkeys

2010-04-21T20:11:00.001-07:00

The boys were so wild last night. I couldn't even take it. All night my mother in law (who is saving my bacon, btw) kept saying, "Soon there will be three!" I went into my room, closed the door and looked at my new book about Spanish-Colonial architecture (beats crying). Take that, boys. I think this last month is designed to be miserable. If I was comfortable at all I would prefer to just stay pregnant indefinitely.

Dan has finals until next Friday, so it would be pretty nice of me and take one for the team and stay pregnant for another week or so. Unfortunately, today I noticed my first stretch marks. I made it through the first pregnancies unscathed because they were all preemies. Stretch marks are a small price to pay for a healthy baby, though.

Today was my 39 week appointment. No news here but I'll keep you posted.

Actual Information

2010-04-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

I stole this picture here:

I have been a little self-absorbed during this pregnancy, and the blog has been like the Jacqui show. Not that that's not my favorite show or anything, but I am looking forward to getting back to weight loss stuff. It's just not such a fun topic when I go to the doctor WEEKLY and get weighed on a mean scale just to see that I gained about twice as much as I should have... again. When does the madness stop? Maybe I shouldn't have had two dinners tonight.

Ahh! The info! The April issue of Vogue has some great health articles. I wanted to tell you about them sooner so you would have a better chance of actually picking up a copy, but I have been slacking. One of my very favorite writers, Jeffrey Steingarten (if you watch Iron Chef, he's the older surly judge who hates Mo Rocca), wrote a fantastic article on artificial sweeteners. It's called, Sweet Nothings, and if you don't have the magazine you can read it here. After explaining the history of artificial sweeteners (it's actually very interesting, like I said, he's a great writer...) he describes a university study involving rats and artificial sweeteners.
[There was] a study carried out in 2008 at Purdue University with three groups of rats. One group was fed a diet of low-fat yogurt, another fed the same yogurt diet flavored with various artificial sweeteners, and the third fed yogurt plus glucose, a mildly sweet, elemental, fully caloric sugar. The result? The rats eating artificially sweetened yogurt gained weight, while the others—even those consuming glucose—compensated for the extra calories by eating less; rats have an enviable mechanism to avoid overeating. The addition of artificial sweetener—in this case, either saccharin or Ace-K—confused the rats’ systems. The guess is that the sweetness on the tongue of an artificial sweetener “promises” that calories are about to enter the digestive system; when they don’t appear, the rats’ adjustment mechanism becomes confused. And when the experiments were over, the fatter rats were unable to lose the weight they had gained.

Ha! I knew it! Other studies have proven that people who order diet soda in a restaurant are more likely to order dessert. Mr. Steingarten then goes on to discuss the phenomena of diet sodas. I hate them. I discourage their use, and my husband keeps bringing it home. I tell my clients if they are having one a day or fewer, it's no big deal. They really do cause you to crave sweets, though. I was talking to a client last week who can trace her rapid weight gain back to a stressful time in her life when she became addicted to diet cola. Add caffeine into the mix and the soda companies can turn us into chunky junkies if we aren't paying attention.

Read the article. It's one of my all time favorites. The writer isn't a nutritionist, just a foodie. He struggles with his weight just like I do. Basically, I view "weight loss" as an opportunity to change you palate and your habits. It's not just a temporary period where we substitute real calories for fake calories and then go back to our old ways once we reach our goal or just get burned out. If you truly commit to whole foods and to changing the way you shop and cook, you can keep your weight off forever.

37 weeks and counting...

2010-04-11T17:32:00.001-07:00

Friends, I am the most pregnant I have ever been. How do you normal-pregnancy ladies do it? I usually don't know I'm pregnant until a couple months along and I've never gone to term, so I only have to endure my pregnancies for five months or so. The good news is, at this point I won't have a preemie. Hooray for my baby! The only downside is that everyone from my doctor on down expected me to have the baby by now, so the minutes pass like hours, if you know what I mean. "Boo Hoo", you're thinking. Everyone else has to be pregnant for nine months. True, but does everyone else gain as much weight as the average fourth grader weighs?

A long time ago I promised to post a 35 week picture from my pregnancy with Paolo (left). Here you go! Not my finest moment, but I'm keepin' it real. Just for kicks, here's a picture from a week ago with this pregnancy (right). You might think, "Well, she tried harder to look cute in the picture on the right, but no. I tried pretty hard in the other picture, too. I was so wasted by the time Paolo was born, no wonder he came early. It was a rough pregnancy. This one has been smooth sailing. Shame on me from complaining.

My Mother in law, the diplomat, is staying with me until I have the baby. She just saw me uploading the recent picture and said, "What month was that?" It was less than two weeks ago. "Oh my gosh, Jacqui! You have gained SO MUCH since then!" All astonishment at my hugeness. Gee, thanks. Like I said, the minutes pass like hours.

Sweet Success

2010-03-27T19:54:00.001-07:00

What I missed: my two sweet boys admiring an exhibit about scavengers.

I just got off the phone coaching some great new friends, and I am in a really good mood. I have never even met these women face to face, but we have so much in common. It's really exciting to follow along from the beginning of someone's weight loss journey. They are losing weight faster than they thought possible. I spoke with a woman tonight right after she had returned from a kid's birthday party... where she hadn't eaten any of the yum kid food. Not even cake and ice-cream. I remembered the first birthday party I went to without eating any cake. I was so worried about what people would think, but no one noticed or cared. I left that party so empowered, and I could tell that my friend was feeling the same way.

I talked to another woman about how we have both preyed to lose weight. Have you done that? I thought I was the only one who did that sort of thing until convention last year. A speaker asked a room of thousands of health coaches if they had ever preyed to lose weight and almost every hand went up. Obviously, the people in that room had found their answer, and I am so excited that I can be part of the answer to my new friend's prayer. What an honor, and so much fun. Oh, and just for the record, said client has lost twenty pounds in two and a half weeks. AMAZING!

My little sister is here visiting me with her 20 month old and four month old sons. Naturally, she is a client. She weighs less now than she did when she got pregnant with her baby. The weight has come off so quickly, that she doesn't even know how good she looks. We were on our way out to dinner and she asked if she could borrow a smaller shirt. Of course I hooked her up, and I tossed her a pair of size 8 jeans, too. She looked like a baggy elephant in her size twelves. Of course she argued with me. "Maybe I'm a ten, but these will never fit". Size denial. I see it all the time. The thing is, I skipped size ten and I have had clients skip size ten, too. I'm not sure why, but at that point some people are just losing faster than they can keep up with it, not a horrible problem.

Long story short, she's an eight. They looked great. She has some toning work to do on her belly because her baby is barely FOUR MONTHS OLD! But, she is looking so hot. I love my job.

My mental health day.

2010-03-23T15:27:00.000-07:00

I am only posting this picture because it's the only one I'm in from the past couple weeks.
It's Japanese food to celebrate St. Patty's Day.
Paolo cried every time the chef lit something on the grill, it was so cute.

I asked for privacy for Christmas. Specifically, I wanted 24 uninterrupted hours in my own home, alone. I didn't get it. Not even close. Dan and Lincoln are both out of school for Spring break this week, and when Dan asked what I had in mind, I suggested a belated Christmas miracle, and I got it! He will be back with the boys in about an hour, almost exactly 24 hours from the time he pulled out of the driveway with my cherished offspring. It's not that I don't miss them, I thought of them fondly and often. I was SO happy to be ALONE! Most mothers of small children probably appreciate privacy as the truest luxury. About two hours into their trip Dan called to ask what I do with the baby when I have to use the public restroom. "You mean when I don't have the stroller with me in a handicap stall? I hold him." He said that that would be impossible for him. I didn't point out that I am about to have a baby and I manage, but I guess I have more practice.

Here is the glamorous way I spent the past day: I did every last piece of laundry in the house, took two big bags of outgrown clothes to Good Will, organized my desk and linen closet and made returns. Dan expected me to go out to lunch or get a pedicure or something, but I can do those things with a baby on my lap. I am 35 weeks along at this point, and the nesting instinct trumps all previous uses of my time. OH! Then, last night I finally got around to watching the Netflix movie that has been on my desk all month, Grey Gardens. When was I ever going to get into that with a house full of boys?

I woke up to a STILL clean house, and just for kicks, I watched the morning news in bed while looking at a magazine. HA! You probably think my day couldn't have gone up from there, but it did. It was Lupe day. Lupe helps me out twice a month. She is the best friend money can buy. Usually, it is all she can do to get the house clean between smooching on my kids, but today when she showed up her job was mostly done and she had time to get down to the nitty gritty. I love her. I haven't been blogging because in addition to being very busy (we had several out of town guests all last week) I am just plain tired. Have I mentioned I'm not Miss Glowy Pregnancy or anything. I feel so lazy and uncreative. Thanks to my mental health day, however, I have a renewed optimism and virve. After all, it is physiologically impossible for me to remain in my current state for much longer than another month. I can handle a month more of this, then I will have another son forever, and how great of a payoff is that?

If the unpregnant me had a day to herself, she would have gotten the aforementioned pedicure, maybe even a spray tan or a haircut. For sure I would have bought myself something pretty. Not these days. I just make sure I am clean and that nothing is hanging out before I leave the house. My hairdresser special ordered a new flat iron for me, and it came in last week. It sat in the box until yesterday, when around noon, I decided to try it out on my air-dried ponytail. When I went back into the kitchen Lincoln said, "Mom, you did your hair! You look so nice!" and he gave me a hug. You know you need to step up your game when a six year old boy notices you've let yourself go. One more month. One more month.

This is cool, though! I started my weight loss journey March 9, 2009. When that date passed this year I was still two pounds less than I was on the same date last year, and I'm about to have a baby. That was a real confidence boost. I can't believe that I am healthy enough to even be blessed with this life that I am creating. We don't really understand or appreciate the health changes that can come from good nutrition. My weight gain is right on schedule with my other pregnancies, but it's more than I had hoped. I just barely started to really retain water this week. I wore my wedding ring until a few days ago, and I am wearing the same shoes. With Lincoln and Paolo, I was up a shoe size and the rings were off by twenty weeks. My asthma is still under control as well. This proves to me that I am still benefiting from the the anti-inflammatory benefits of my program, even though I have gained so much weight.

Here's to one more month. Hooray! My boys just got home! And my man. And they are all so stinky. And they brought me a present. I am going to go kiss them.

And the books go to...

2010-03-08T10:58:00.000-08:00

Whew, I'm actually nervous. Let me draw... Christa! Christa is a client who has had great success and is now in the super fun part of weight loss. The part where you are small enough that you start shrinking sizes really quickly. Christa is also a fashionista, and we really relate in our motivations (which basically consist of looking hot in designer clothes, and if we get healthy too, Bonus!) Check out her blog, enstylepedia.blogspot.com here. I totally stole this picture from her blog. Small price to pay for Dr. A's Habits of Health and the Companion Workbook. Sorry, everybody else. Better luck next time.

Chilean Sea Bass

2010-03-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

The fish is hiding under the tomato. Sorry about that. Live and learn.
And that slimy thing isn't the fish, it's a cooked onion. It's tastier than it looks.

Any white fish will work for this dinner. They used to make fish like this for me once in a while when I was a missionary in Chile, and it was probably my favorite thing. It's so quick and easy, too. Note to self: Make fresh trout this way on a camping trip this summer.

Each serving requires:
T Olive oil
6-8 oz fillet white fish of your choosing
tomato slices
white onion slices
lime
salt
pepper

Poor T olive oil on a square of tin foil. Place three or four sliced onion rounds on that. Place two or three slices of tomato on the onions. Place your rinsed and dried fish fillet on that. Squeeze on some lime, then shake on a little salt and pepper. I usually make four servings at a time. I bake them in my toaster oven on a little cookie sheet so I don't have to heat up my big oven. It usually takes about 25 mins. at 375•. You just want to make sure that your fish is flaky but not dry. It usually stays pretty moist in it's little tin foil sauna.

Have you noticed how much more likely children are to try new foods if they help in the preparation? This is a really fun dish for kids to assemble, and it can't be messed up. Lincoln loves this. Oh, and I'm sure that crusty bread is looking really good to my clients right now, but they can't have it. It was for my fetus. Have a great weekend.

Eat real food.

2010-03-04T19:10:00.001-08:00

This is what happens when the baby can reach the fruit bowl.
At least it wasn't a candy dish.

Nutritional trends come and go, but our generation has probably seen the fastest shift in what we eat than ever before. It's interesting to read about the perfect storm that has created our current nutritional catastrophe. Following WWII, the world was stuck with a surplus of nitrogen left over from bomb making. That's about the time we realized that it made excellent fertilizer, which led to huge cheap crops which have become known as monocultures. These monocultures (think soy and corn) resulted in a market for highly processed fake foods that could use these crops in all sorts of new and ingenious ways. That sort of explains how corn syrup has found it's way into almost all processed food.

At the same time it became normal for women to work outside the home, creating a demand for prepared foods. More discretionary income and less time led to the perfect environment for convenience foods and families began to eat out more than ever. Drive in diners led to the fast food revolution. Chemicals became cheaper than natural colors and flavors in foods, all of which resulted in the current obesity epidemic. This is embarrassingly oversimplified, but it points out just how complex and pervasive our dietary environment is.

Knowing that we are starting to feel badly about our weight and that the collective consciousness is becoming more concerned with our nutrition, Madison Avenue has offered a solution in what I refer to as fake food. Fake foods are foods that sound too good to be true. They are. Fat free mayo? Then what is it? Fat free brownie cookies? Sugar free sodas? Sugar free lemonade? If a fat has no fat, then what does it have? Most of the time food manufacturers rely on high fructose corn syrup to fill the void. It's cheap, satisfying, and best of all, addictive. If you think it isn't, try living without it for a week. If you're used to eating it at all, you will definitely miss it. If you have fat free key lime pie (or apple turn over or creme brulee) yogurt in your fridge, go read the label. It's probably loaded with HFC's, and it's probably causing cravings later in the day for you.

Sugar free sweets are loaded with chemicals. Maybe they cause cancer, maybe they don't. The jury is out, but many of the artificial sweeteners we use in this country have been banned in Western Europe for years. Stevia is a great calorie free sweetener because it is natural. Just realize that tasting sweetness makes you crave sweets, so keep it all in moderation.

One more thing. Beware of organic junk food. Organic Cheetos? Mac and cheese? Really? It's obviously no worse for you than the original, but all junk food is loaded with simple carbohydrates, chemicals and bad fats by definition, so just don't fool yourself. There's a time and a place for the occasional bag of Cheetos, it's just not during weight loss.

One last word on head games...

2010-03-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

Gratuitous baby cuteness.

1. Diet like a man. When men decide to go on a diet, they don't cheat. They can pass up deserts and dinners out more easily than we can because they aren't as worried about offending people. Do you ever indulge in something just because you know how hard your friend worked on baking it and you don't want to offend her? Think about it this way. How would you feel if you offered someone a brownie and they said, "Oh, it looks so amazing, but I am doing really well with my new program. I'll have to pass on it today, I don't want to mess up this good path I'm on". If you're a good friend, you would be supportive. If you were a jealous and insecure person, you would get offended. So, there you have it. If your friends respond favorably: real friend. If they make you feel bad or try to sabotage your weight loss: fake friend or just terribly insecure person. Don't take it personally.

2. Don't use your ethnic heritage as an excuse. I used to think my family pigged out every time we got together because we are Mexican, and it must be a Mexican thing. Then, I got married, and learned that Italians and Germans can GO TO TOWN, too. As a health coach, I have heard so many cultural cop-outs. Let me just tell you. If you have a strong ethnic heritage, you are very fortunate. There is healthy and naughty in every food culture. In the US, we just tend to take the very most special treats (pizza, enchiladas) and turn them into every night for dinner kind of meals. Moderation is key, but so is creativity. Sometimes when we want Mexican food, I will roast some meet in chile sauce and eat it with a salad and maybe a little guacamole. I can still enjoy the flavors I grew up with, only in a healthier low-carb way.

3. You don't deserve to cheat, you deserve to reach your goal! We've all done it. You have a super stressful day, you are probably hungry because you're "on a diet" and you cave and eat three pieces of toast. Or a huge bowl of rice crispies. Or leftover mac and cheese from your kids' lunch. The other big emotional-entitlement eating moment follows a strenuous workout. That sandwich with cheese and warm bread from the deli doesn't seem so bad, because you just burned 600 calories, and it's healthy anyway, and you have to eat lunch. Madison Avenue has spent the last 60 years trying to convince us that it is our God-given right to indulge every craving. Pay attention to your inner dialogue this week. Every time you are tempted to cheat, ask yourself if you are feeling entitled. Remind yourself that what you truly deserve is to be hotter and healthier than you've ever been before!

The Psychology Preceeds the Physiology

2010-03-02T20:49:00.000-08:00

With Miracle Baby #2 in sunnier, skinnier times.

Ask anyone who has ever lost a significant amount of weight, and chances are there was an event that just put their brain in the zone of weight loss, and they did it! I thought my ten year high school reunion would be that motivation, but I went at my highest weight ever. It just so happened to fall during the most stressful time in my life, and I couldn't get through the day without abusing food.

I lost about thirty pounds before I had Paolo. Not great, but a start and I was proud of myself. This is the event that gave me the determination to make it happen: I was walking into a video store I saw a reflection of a fat woman in the window. When I went to open the door, I realized that the fat woman on the sidewalk was me. When had this happened? I knew what the scale said. I knew what the tags in my pants said, but somehow I hadn't been ready to really do something about it until that minute. The next day I went to LA Weight loss and got started. I never cheated, and I learned a lot. It was a good program, just slow and EXTREMELY expensive.

I finally made it to my goal this time after I had Paolo, but the "event" was a little less dramatic. I was still obese when I became pregnant and I didn't feel like myself. Not only was it the pits to gain so much weight with the pregnancy, but I was generally unhealthy the entire time. I was on bed rest for about ten weeks of it, off and on. I have talked to people with REAL health problems, and even though I have never had a life threatening illness or a debilitating injury, I empathize with the distress of being at the mercy of your physical body. The whole time I lied in that bed feeling just... toxic... I kept thinking, "When I have a healthy baby, I am never going to take my body for granted again".

At that time, I had never heard the term optimal health, but that was what I was craving. I didn't expect to cure my asthma (but I did), cure my depression (which I didn't even realize I was still suffering from), or to reach my college weight (but I did). The last think I expected was to ever be blessed with another miracle pregnancy. Is is still a miracle baby when you're on your third? I feel so lucky that I discovered the tools that would work for me just as I was becoming healthy enough to truly get back on my feet.

So, are you there? Maybe you just realized that your fat pants are snug. Maybe you have been sick, and you are ready to feel well again. This time of year is also motivating because we have spring break in a couple of weeks. Family reunions coming up, class reunions, swimming lessons, wedding, graduations... it goes on and on.

Weight loss is in your head. When you're ready, you'll know it. Sometimes people ask me a million questions about how I can help them and then chicken out and try another program, or decide they aren't ready to change their lives at that time. If you've tried again and again to lose weight on your own, maybe I have the tools and support that can help you make it this time. You are more than welcome to call me for a consultation, whether or not you are seriously considering becoming an official client. I am so passionate about weight loss because I think every woman in America will struggle with their weight at some point in their life. It affects your physical and psychological health, and I have been much happier I found a program that works for me.

Habits of Health

2010-03-01T04:05:00.000-08:00

It's my first ever give-away. I feel like a budding Oprah. I used this book in my presentation. It's a fabulous resource for anyone trying to lose weight or just plain get healthy. Dr. A's Habits of Health: The Path to Permanent Weight Control and Optimal Health was written for anyone at all who is trying to navigate their way through the health and nutrition information out there and become (my words not his) hotter and healthier. It has valuable information for men and women, sick and well, young and old.

The author, Dr. Anderson, is the co-founder of the program that I use to coach my clients. He refers to our current health care system as "sick care" because that's when we see doctors in this country, usually when we're already sick. Most of the worst cases he saw in his practice were the results of obesity. He has changed the focus of his career to curing obesity in our country. Truly. He wants to cure obesity. How's that for a project? His goal for each of us is to achieve our personal "optimal health" and he has dedicated his life to making the tools to do so accessible to all of us. Dr. Anderson spoke several times at the convention I went to last July. He is totally passionate about helping us all achieve optimal health. Every time I heard him I went away inspired to take better care of myself and my family.

But wait... there's more! Habits of Health has an available companion guide and workbook. I am including Living a Longer Healthier Life in this give away. The two books retail for $52.90 if you bought them separately on Amazon.com. (Note to clients: you can buy the two books with your next order from our website for $39.95 and avoid shipping costs).

Next Monday I will draw a name at random from the names of people who commented during the week. If you can't figure out how to leave a comment just give me a call and I will put your name in the drawing. It took me about a year to successfully leave my first blog comment, so don't feel bad if it won't work for you.

I have a regret about my class, so if you were there, this is for you. I was very careful, paranoid almost, not to mention that I used meal replacements when I lost my weight last year. I didn't mention that I use meal replacements with my clients, either. I didn't want to seem like I was trying to sell something. I wish I had at least mentioned it in the interest of full disclosure, because the meal replacements really are magical. You can lose weight without them, just not as quickly and it will be much more complicated. I worry that women will think I am just amazingly organized and disciplined and that they can't stick to a diet like I did. That's the only reason I wish I had mentioned it. The principles are the same either way, and this book and the companion workbook will help you achieve optimal health and get hot and healthy, whether you're a client of mine or not.

Good luck. I look forward to hearing from you.

Course Correction

2010-02-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who came to my class yesterday. I have never taught a class before, but I have thrown lots of little parties, and it's sort of the same sort of pressure. What if no one comes? What if it's not fun (or in this case, informative). Our time is so valuable, I really wanted to leave people with news they can use and just as importantly, a feeling that they can lose weight.

Because of my lack of experience, I took way too long in the first class. I was worried about filling the full forty minutes, but really I could have talked for twice that long. I get so excited when I talk about weight loss. The next class was almost worse because I tried so hard to get through my slides that the whole thing was sort of a blur. Some of my stronger concepts got muddled. Fortunately, I listed this blog on the bottom of my handouts, so hopefully people who are interested will check in. Over the next couple of weeks I am going to break down the ideas that were in the presentation in more detail.

In the meantime, don't be hard on yourself. When you start reducing your carbs you can plan on being temporarily hungry. It takes time to detox from all the simple energy sources that we are used to consuming, and also your stomach needs to shrink. Stick to the six small meal idea that I presented for a week, hungry or not. If you're still hungry after a week, add a few calories back in little by little. Just make sure they are high protein calories. Veggies are great, too. I am always just an e-mail or a phone call away. I would love to hear from you.

Protein Burgers

2010-02-26T10:35:00.001-08:00

Mmmm. So, here are the specifics for my clients. It's good advice for anyone else, as well.
Cooked weight of your protein: 5 oz for ground beef, 7 oz of 98% lean meat such as buffalo or turkey. Count a tablespoon of mayo or a couple slices of avocado as your fat. A couple pickles, a tomato slice, a couple onion slices, mustard and lots of lettuce. It is so crunchy and good, you'll never miss the bun.

You might miss the ketchup, but that's a sacrifice that you've got to learn to make. Ketchup is one of the most delicious things in my fridge. I love it, but I don't partake. It's loaded with HFCs. When I discovered this a few years ago, I went to the co-op and bought healthy ketchup. Yeah, it was nasty. The corn syrup is what gives it that smooth glossy texture we love, and without it it's just pointless. I've learned to live with salsa on my scrambled eggs.

I hate those commercials where the cool mom asks the snotty mom, "What's wrong with corn syrup? It's natural, made from corn." Well, I guess you could make the same argument about the ethenol that goes in our gas, but I wouldn't want to eat that.

If you want to read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the corn industry, read Michael Pollen's The Omnivore's Dilemma, or as I call it, The book so nice, I bought it twice. I lent it out and lost it, so I bought it again. It's not just great information, it's a page turner, which I can't say about many food-genre books. Enjoy your protein burgers. Oh, and Mr. Pollen would want me to remind you to buy grass fed beef. Why? Read the book.

The boys

2010-02-25T17:48:00.001-08:00

My boys keep vandalizing my decorations. At least Lincoln doesn't put his mangled apple back in the bowl. The big fruit bowl in the kitchen was full, so I thought it would be cute to put the apples here, but an hour later, this is what is left. Don't worry, they won't be wasted. We eat some pretty questionable produce around here. Speaking of fruit, the boys just split an entire cantaloupe. It was a big one, too. Most kids love melon.

Speaking of feeding my babies, on Saturday morning we woke up to sunshine and we couldn't wait to get out of the house. Dan and I thought it would be fun to take the kids out for breakfast. It was not. It was torture. Misery. Paolo has a special knack for turning most public dining experiences into hostage situations. By the time we made it to the restaurant it was already after nine, and he is used to eating before eight. I hadn't realized how hungry he would be and he didn't realize that food wouldn't just magically appear in front of him if he screamed (like it does at home). There were two men trying to have a business brunch across the isle from us. I could overhear their conversation which was peppered with words like "operations" and "outsourced". Why oh why weren't we seated in outer darkness like we are in most restaurants? When their food arrived before ours, Paolo just couldn't take it. He turned around and yelled, "Ahhhhhhhhh" over and over again, begging them to share.

Five minutes later our food arrived, and ten minutes after that we were out of there. On the way out, Lincoln and I tried to clean up the floor under the table, a mess which actually required a hazmat crew. I think we will try eating breakfast out again in 2012. We're really looking forward to 2012, let me tell you.

There was another casualty from the Saturday Breakfast at Elmers: Dan's healthy food choices streak ended. He discovered a culinary delicacy that he just can't get enough of. It's called a Dutch Baby, and it's his new favorite thing. It's sort of like a giant baked crepe, and has absolutely no nutritional value. Fortunately for me, I can only bake one at a time and they take a half hour, so I have still never had one. He's been doing so good lately, too. I'm pretty sure this Dutch Baby obsession is just a phase, and if I ignore it, it will go away.

I have been really busy lately preparing my class about diet myths for the Women's Conference this weekend. It's a pretty fun multi-media presentation. I just hope the technology works out. I have never done anything like this before in my life, but I have enjoyed the challenge. If you are in Corvallis this weekend, I am teaching my class at the Mormon church on Harrison at 9:40 and again at 11:40. In the coming weeks I will break down the class topics here on my blog, so if you can't make it you can still benefit from my wisdom. Ha. It's going to be pretty humbling to stand in front of all my friends feeling... whaleish... and telling them all how to be skinny. I'm the first to admit I've exploited the "get out of jail free" card that comes with being pregnant. The psychology of inevitable weight gain is just too much for me to ignore when I really want a big bowl of cereal that I totally don't need. Whew. Two more months.

It's not all bad, though. We actually eat pretty healthily, and I've been remembering to take pictures of my dinner once in a while. Lincoln thinks it's the weirdest ritual, and I can't really argue with that. "Wait you guys, don't cut into that, I have to find the camera". So, tomorrow it's the long anticipated return of Foodie Friday. These are suggestions more than recipes, but I hope they help.

Happy Valentines Day

2010-02-14T16:49:00.000-08:00

Remember after Christmas when we all had to purge our homes of junk and reboot our diets? Then, along came the great conversation heart crisis of 2010. I threw away the remainder of the candies a week ago. When I noticed that most of the good colors were gone but I was still absentmindedly eating the whites and yellows, they had to go. The last hurdle was Lincoln's school party. I always want them to have fun, but not just show up with a bunch of sweets. The teacher planned a cakewalk, which is how they earned their cupcakes. I love watching the kids play. They are so cute, I die. I have as much fun as the kids. I also made them little fruit salads with red fruit. The salads were mostly overlooked by the kindergartners (who were busy licking the frosting off their cupcakes) but my baby ate four cups. I usually just give kids water to drink, and even though it's not a lot of fun, that's what they got. Juice isn't much better for kids than punch or soda. The only negative was that a few cupcakes made their way back home after the party. The next morning the last of the cupcakes also met their fate in the trash can.

I can't believe that I didn't blog all week. I am excited to hear that a friend of mine who started the program about eight days ago has already lost fifteen pounds. That's extremely good for a woman. She has struggled and found success over the years. I hope that this is the last time she has to get the weight off. I have high hopes for her. Also, my husband interviewed with the Marines last week and came home inspired to lose a few more pounds. He never quite made his goal, but it will only take him about a month to finish up. He has just been too stressed out with school to think about it until now. This is good news for me. He doesn't bring home tons of junk, but there are a few things in the house I could live without, so hopefully over the next month we will get back on track. Unfortunately, in preparing to start the program he brought home all sorts of diet soda. I hate even having the stuff under my roof, but it helps him in the beginning, so I am letting it slide. I guess the fridge is half his, anyway.

It quit raining again for a few minutes, so we sent Lincoln back outside with the dog. Are you noticing a pattern of neglect here? It always starts out the same. They go outside to play and Dan and I snuggle on the couch and get into a show. Today as a special bonus the baby spent about an hour engrossed in the coasters from the coffee table. I think he thought they were off limits. If you have kids then you know the double edged sword of quiet kids. You don't actually notice the silence at first, you notice how relaxed you are, then you think, "It's too quiet". Then you get off the couch and find your six year old covered head to toe in mud, the deck and lawn destroyed, and you think, "I hate Oregon in the winter". Well, that's what I think, anyway. Most every day between October and June. Happy Valentines Day to me. Dan threw him in the shower, clothes and all, which wasn't the punishment we had hoped it would be. "HA! This is SO cool!"

I hope you got some good lovin' today.

Finding Balance

2010-02-07T17:05:00.001-08:00

Every week I look forward to church on Sunday. It's great to be able to surround myself with so many dynamic, fun and diverse women. Some of my church friends would be my friends under many different circumstances, but I also have friends whom I never would have met otherwise. The doctrine of the Gospel is important and all, but I think as often as not it's the great community that I have there that gets me out of bed on Sunday morning. I don't think there's really anything wrong with that.

The classes were all really good today, but my friend and neighbor pointed something out that stuck with me. She has a lot of guilt about her short comings as a mother, which breaks my heart. Every mother I know deals with guilt at some point, but it must be really hard not to beat yourself up when your adult children are making choices that you see are bringing them pain. In a nutshell, her thought was that we can't expect our children to be obedient if we ourselves are disobedient (at least that's what I took from it, she may have intended a different message). At church we are instructed to live a certain way in our homes. She pointed out that our children are receiving the same guidance that we are at church (you know, things like prey, read the scriptures, spend quality time together as a family), and if we go home and ignore that guidance, it sends mixed messages.

During the three hours that I was at church, it seems like I heard about eight thousand suggestions of things that I could be doing better. I also noted about three things that I am doing well. It's not like they just tell us what to do and throw us to the wolves, either. The ladies have organized Scripture study classes, cooking classes, quilting groups. There are charity opportunities, amazing guest speakers all month ( I can think of three really great events just off the top of my head). Then there are the more casual social opportunities. Things like the book club (a monthly highlight for me), playgroups for our children, ladies nights, and if we're lucky, the occasional Pampered Chef, Scentsy Candle, Skinny Jeans Weight loss, or whatever other opportunity to support the entrepreneurial among us.

I love it all and I never want to miss a thing, but I have to. The basic struggle of our very privileged and opportunity-filled circumstance is that of finding balance in our lives. A couple years ago, the Apostle Dallin H. Oaks gave a sermon to our church about how we just can't do it all, nor are we expected to. It was titled, Good, Better, Best. We need to learn to say, "No" to the lesser of the good options in order to get the things out of life that are truly important to us.

It's about priorities. If we don't decide what truly matters and go for it, we can become distracted and lose everything. Over the past year I saw many people lose their jobs, and I heard a few of those people express relief. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me". They had let their lives become consumed with their schedules and their careers, and before they knew it, they were totally overwhelmed and weren't enjoying the things that they had been working so hard for in the first place. Now would be a good time for me to reevaluate my values and set priorities because I don't want to look back on this marvelous time of my life with regrets.

On a lighter note, here's a picture of a worm obstacle course that my son built this afternoon. I could hear him out there talking to the dog, and I said to my husband, "I wish he had a closer sibling so he wasn't such a lonely kid". Like a dad, Dan said, "He's not lonely". Then Lincoln poked his head in and said, "Dad, I was wishing I had a friend to play with, then I met these worms and made them a track. They are having so much fun racing. Come see this!" A mother knows her boys' heart. Those tiny black squiggles between his hands are the worms. I was expecting fatter specimens with a little more personality perhaps, but who am I to judge my son's friends? They seem like perfectly nice... worms.Have a great week.

Baby, baby, baby.

2010-02-05T19:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had my 28 week appointment. I got to drink that delicious orangy carbonated corn syrup to see if I would go into a diabetic coma or something. All my labs came back just fine. I have been really worried lately because I can't feel the baby kick very often. I occasionally feel a tiny flutter, but nothing like I would expect to feel at this point. I have been driving Dan crazy because last week I was alternately panicked or relieved about ten times a day. "Dan, I'm sure somethings wrong. I haven't felt anything for hours". "Should we go to the doctor?" "Oh, wait, I think I just felt him."

After I heard his strong and beautiful heartbeat, I brought my concern up to my doctor. She looked at my ultrasound for about ten seconds then said that the placenta was right on my belly. So, the baby's been kicking the placenta. I'm sure this explains it, because when I do feel kicking it's either really low or on the side. I am finally to the point where I have a doctor appointment scheduled bi-monthly. That is good news to someone as paranoid as I am. Worrying is SO helpful. I should do more of it. My husband finds it really attractive, too. I recommend brooding all day about things you have no control over it. It's awesome. I intend to continue cultivating this habit.

Today I was really tired. The baby took a two hour nap, then I tried to convince him that hanging out on my bed with me and calmly playing with toys is really fun. He was into it for a while, then he came at me with a die cast toy plane (aka: Baby Brass Knuckles) in his hand and punched me in the mouth. It really hurt. I saw little cartoon birdies. I put my hand over my mouth and just stared at him in shock. I realized my lip was bleeding and it all started to throb, then he reached up and smacked me across the face. Hard. He was... er... corrected... for that one. Doesn't he look harmless? Fortunately my injury just looks like a swollen red zit on the top of my lip. Fortunately?

In about three months I will have two babies! I am not qualified for this experience. My sister, Desiree, was staying with me this week and I would hear her up with her baby in the middle of the night. Her boys are the exact same age span that mine will be. She makes it all look easy, but she even admits that it would be hard to do it all with a school age kiddo. Oh, well, people do it all the time.

Desiree and my sister in law are both currently clients. They each had babies recently and I am enviously watching them melt away. They both lost about ten pounds in the first two weeks, then with adjustments to the nursing schedule and such their weight loss has slowed down this week. Desiree is frustrated because of she hasn't lost a size even though she has lost about thirteen pounds. This is why anyone trying to lose weight needs to weigh themselves daily! Even if you think you aren't losing, you ARE. The bigger you are, the more weight needs to come off to lose a size. It took me about 23 lbs to go from a 16 to a 14 and another 16 or so to get to a 12.

The good news it it only takes about five or six pounds to go from an eight to a six. If you have found a program that works for you without being hungry (it is possible and I don't want anyone to be hungry) then just keep the faith and stick to it. It will pay off. Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day. Don't let it turn into a bad week. Think of Ruby, losing 100 pounds a year for three years. That's perseverance, and she still has a long way to go. Think of me, losing 100 pounds last year, then gaining most of it back this year. OK, just think of Ruby.

Oh. My. GOSH!

2010-02-04T19:32:00.000-08:00

Did you see Ruby on Oprah yesterday? I heard that she was going to be on, so when things were winding down last night I sat down to watch it with my sister and my husband. OK, so Dan wasn't watching Oprah, merely in the same room as women watching Oprah. I think he would want that clarified. I've been following her weight loss journey since she debuted two seasons ago. At her heaviest she weighed over 600 pounds. Her Style Network reality show is going on Season 3 now. The first season she showed what life is really like for the supersized among us. Some parts were really painful to watch, but I totally fell in love with her spirit. Actually, she gives me the courage to post some of the pictures that I do. I've realized it's worth a little humility if I can help someone or inspire someone like Ruby has inspired me.

Anyway, finally it's her turn to be interviewed and Oprah says, "Come on out, RRRUUUUBBBBYYY!!!" and out comes Ruby, almost 300 lbs lighter and wearing JEANS! She has never been able to wear jeans in her entire adult life. Much to my sister and Dan's... amusement? horror? I started screaming and yelling. I don't remember what, but it was along the lines of, "Oh my gosh, she's in jeans! She looks so good! Look at her, she's doing it!" And then I started to cry. Yeah, I cry when people lose weight. Not "Biggest Loser" weight loss, but real authentic diet and exercise weight loss. Ruby has been working out with a trainer, and last I heard was eating prepared meals to get the weight off. I am so proud of her.

There were three points made in the interview that were really important. Firstly, Oprah repeatedly pointed out that if you weigh over 600 pounds, your real problem is more than just food. You are dealing with other things. Right. I don't know what your "bigger problem indicator" weight is, but I've decided mine is about 160. My weight could easily fluctuate between 130 and 150 if I wasn't careful, but I think if I ever go past 160 again it will either mean that I am in a health crisis, or I am indulging in some serious and prolonged emotional eating. Ruby has been seeing doctors and counselors along the way. During the last season and in the upcoming season they really focus on the demons that caused her to seek comfort in food for all of those years.

Ruby also VERY VERY bravely showed us her excess skin. This led to a discussion of the guilt she feels about the way she abused her body for years and years. She said that at this point her choice is between the flab or scars. Bless her heart. I too have guilt for the time I took my body for granted and let myself get as heavy as I was. Fortunately I don't need the reconstruction that she will have to have, but sometimes when I look at those old pictures I can't believe that I let my body become such a poor representation of my soul. Which brings me to the third point.

Ruby kept saying that even though she was gaining and gaining, she didn't think she had any emotional problems because she was "always really happy". I related to this because I am a pretty positive person, too. At about the time I was pregnant with Paolo, I realized that there is a real difference between being cheerful and being happy. I think it occurred to me because as I realized that I actually might go home from the hospital with a BABY, I started to feel truly happy for the first time in years. Happy in my heart and my soul. I felt the difference even though I don't think other people could notice it at first. Now that I am a happy person (whew!), I know that before I was just cheerful. Of course, the people who were really close to me weren't fooled, but I'm glad that they stuck around anyway.

Congratulations, Ruby. Thanks so much for putting yourself out there. Thanks for proving the Skinny Jeans has NOTHING to do with the number on a tag, and everything to do with feeling hot and healthy at any size. You rocked those babies! Oh, and I totally noticed the fat engagement ring. Lucky guy.

Alive and Kickin'

2010-02-03T09:52:00.001-08:00

For the past couple of days people have been calling me to make sure that I'm still alive and pregnant. Indeed, I am both. Dan surprised me by really trying to get me to blog lately. I didn't know he payed much attention to this little hobby of mine, but he knows I enjoy it. Maybe he thinks not blogging is a symptom of something bigger. Honestly, I was just feeling kind of lazy and unworthy of offering much in the way of encouragement, or as I put it to Dan, "I'm fat and I eat candy".

The fat thing goes without saying, and really, I should go without saying it. Being pregnant is a miracle and a blessing, and the weight is a small price to pay for the privilege of creating life. Dan likes to say, "If you feel fat now, you should remember what you looked like with Paolo. Man! Whew. You were huge!" etc. etc. Thanks, Lovie. You know just what a girl wants to hear.

About the candy... Conversation Hearts are my favorite thing. I can't get enough of their chalky goodness. I buy Necco Wafers on road trips that take place outside of the month of February. So, against my better judgment I bought some and put them in a trifle dish, up high, behind glass. Paolo has the cutest baby talk ever, complete with totally convincing inflection and gesticulation. He knows where the candy is kept, and several times a day he points to the dish and says, "Gling? Eeb boo lala momma?" "Oh, would you like a treat?" And he nods and says, "Wooboo blee blee gaga." So, I hand him one, I eat about four... or five, and we do it again a couple of hours later. That's entertainment around these parts. I should know better than to bring junk like that home.

Tomorrow I am officially 28 weeks pregnant, and I'm feeling really well. Dan took really good care of me all weekend and I am trying to avoid over-exerting myself. As of today I have gained 43 pounds. Pretty awesome. Out of the blue yesterday, my six year old said, "Mom, you're really good at growing babies. You should grow ten babies". I try to remind him how lucky he is to have two brothers to play with and two more waiting for him in heaven. I am truly flattered that he thinks I am good at growing babies, because it's really not my thing. Even if I have my baby tomorrow, he will most likely be fine. 28 weeks is the number I always shoot for and I am hugely relieved to have made it this far.

Thanks, sixteen people who are still checking in. I love you!

My week.

2010-01-22T18:42:00.000-08:00

I know I said I would tell you all I learned about exercise and dieting, and I will eventually. It's been a really weird week. First of all, I have started cramping. It's two months later than it started with my last baby, but they still told me not to continue with the prenatal fitness class. This really took the wind out of my sails. It's hard to keep perspective sometimes. I know it's just three or four (hopefully more than two...) more months left of this pregnancy and then I can work out as much as I want. At least I'm not on bedrest. At least I have access to health care and food and water and shelter, all of the things that we are suddenly so grateful for these days.

I wish I was a glowy, pleasant pregnant woman, but I don't feel like I am. I'm pretty tired. When I started cramping last week, I got out a book and looked up preterm labor risks. High on the list is becoming pregnant the same year you give birth. Oops. Try not to do this. It seems obvious, now! I very surprisingly became pregnant with Paolo just six months after having the twins, and I unexpectedly became pregnant with this little guy when Paolo was just eight months old. Under the best of circumstances that's a lot of use and abuse on one uterus, but I'm high risk to begin with, so this was really bad planning. In spite of all that, I am enjoying the healthiest and easiest pregnancy of the three, so I really can't complain. I'm sure it has a lot to do with the fact that for the first time ever I actually was healthy when I became pregnant.

OK. So, there you have it. Even after my awesome Saturday last week I was too lazy to post all week. I couldn't find a picture, either. It has been really fun to coach my clients this week. They are all doing really well. I learn something everyday. I am really looking forward to joining them. Have I mentioned that lately? Have a great weekend!

I'm pumped!

2010-01-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

Wow, I'm really pale. It is January in Oregon and all, but that's just sad. There must be a Photoshop bronzing filter or something. Maybe I should take a Photoshop class. Alas, I spent Saturday in Portland doing health coach training. Photoshop can wait. It was so motivating, I wish you all could have gone. Actually, you could have. I had to pay, but guests are welcome to join us for free. I'll be sure to invite you next time. Sorry about that. I went with a couple of friends who are also health coaches. It was so nice to get out, but I was feeling really preggers by the end of the day. Who thought sitting around taking notes could be so taxing?

The classes all looked so good, it was hard to choose. In the past Tiffany (my HC friend) and I have taken different classes and shared notes afterward, but I've realized it just isn't the same as actually going to the class. It was more fun to stick together, too. I divided my day between a class about how I can be a better coach and a class specifically about exercising during weight loss. I'll hop back on my exercise soap box tomorrow, because I was totally validated. The thing I realized in the health coaching class is that I need to take it a lot more seriously.

I am really social, and I just like to talk to my clients. I call them when I think of it and I answer questions. I help them stick to the program freestyle, but I have not been very consistent with my coaching protocol. There is a lot more that I could be doing, and I am glad to have the little kick in the pants that I get from hearing how other coaches support their clients. I totally believe that client support is crucial to long term success. Actually, it's crucial to short term success, too. The first time I tried this program on my own it was without a coach and I only lasted four days. The next week I started over with a health coach and I made it all the way to my goal. Let someone help you. It really will make all the difference.

Like always, they had three large group meetings at the beginning, the middle and the end. I was too tired and hungry to attend the last one, but like always, the conference started out with some amazing weight loss stories. There were a dozen people in the room who had lost over 100 pounds. They talked about coming off depression meds and c-pap machines, snowboarding with their kids and feeling more outgoing. One woman said the was off 41 units of insulin. I don't know what that means. I don't know if she meant a day, a week, but that's a lot! As someone who is currently taking prescription medications, I know what it means for your survival (or at the very least quality of life) to depend on expensive, side-effect laden medication. It's the pits. I'm looking forward to no longer needing my inhalers and hormone supplements after I have the baby. It's so freeing to shake off pharmaceutical dependence, and it is more possible than I ever imagined.

That afternoon I heard a man quote Wayne Gretsky, a personal hero of mine. Just kidding. I'm sure he's a nice man and all, but I know nothing about hockey. Anyway, the quote goes something like this, "You will miss 100% of the shots you don't take". I love that. I can tell you about all of my clients who are having success, but they aren't you. If you want to be hotter and healthier this year and you would like a little support, just give me a call and we can talk about it. It's worth a shot.

Oh, and maybe I missed my delicious baby a teensy bit.

Have you seen this woman?

2010-01-15T17:22:00.001-08:00

AP Image sourced from the Anchorage Daily News

Last night I found the story of Crista Brelsford. She was in Haiti with her brother and some others working with a literacy program when the earthquake hit. Long story short, she was miraculously saved from the building, her brother made a tourniquet for her smashed leg with an electrical cord, and she was motorcycled to basic triage in Haiti. She was eventually flown to Miami where her left foot was amputated.

When I read her story, I was totally taken with her positive attitude. She knows first hand the poverty and tragedy in that country, but she is strong and optimistic. This morning I saw Matt Lauer interview her on Today, and she seemed completely unconcerned about losing her foot. She recounted her own story simply and kept bringing things back to how grateful she is to be alive and how much help the Haitian people need. She's the kind of role-model our young girls need. She's really smart and pretty, and she uses her gifts for good. For one day at least our news covered a young woman who is actually relevant and inspiring. Hooray! Less Heidi gag-me Montag and more Crista Brelsford.

Today I tried out text donating, and it's so cool. Here are some suggestions from CBS.com
Text Donations
To make an automatic $10 donation to the Red Cross text "HAITI" to 90999; the money will be charged directly to your cell phone bill.

To donate $5 via your cellphone to Wyclef Jean's grassroots organization text "Yele" to 501501.

You can text HAITI to 25383 to give $5 to the International Rescue Committee.

What's Needed
Experts say whatever you do, don’t donate anything but money. Under no circumstances should you mail care packages, toys, food or clothes.

Have a good weekend. Tomorrow I'm spending the day with grown-ups! I have a health coach training meeting in Portland. I am really excited, and that baby pulling on my leg at this very moment and yelling at me? I'm not going to miss him AT ALL.

Kicking and screaming

2010-01-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Buy me.
I am awesome.

Tonight my friend, Kelsea is DRAGGING me to a pre-natal fitness class. I don't want to be fit, I just want to lie here and gestate in peace. That's what friends are for, though. We were due the same week with our last children, and surprise surprise, we are due the same week this time around.

I had an OB appointment today, and I tried to coax my doctor into some sort of warning about the aerobics class, but she was really supportive of it. "No, you look fine. Go ahead." "Are you sure? With my history and all?" "Just listen to your body. You'll feel better up and about than you ever will on the couch... not to say you sit on the couch all day or anything." What was your first clue? And besides, sitting on the couch feels really good. I have a really cozy couch. I love my doctor, and she is careful with me, so FINE! I'm going.

A big reason I became a health coach and started this blog was for the accountability. Ninety something percent of all successful weight-losers gain it all back and more. I really don't want to join that majority and I don't have to with the new tools I have. I recommend things here that I have found useful, and my friend from my son's school keeps asking me if I am doing the Tracy Anderson video. I should be, it's not too much and it would be the best thing for my muscle tone a flexibility at this point. I'm just really lazy these days. Blame it on the progesterone injections. Well, thanks to Melora, I am going to start back with the Mat Workout tomorrow.

I love my girlfriends for kicking my butt. It's just not the same coming from my husband. He is a dear, though. He is so supportive of the class that he is hurrying home from school to wrangle the boys all evening (my class is half an hour away). I know he will be tired, but ha ha! He has to go to Karate class with them. Maybe Thursday nights with my prenatal peeps won't be so bad.

Happiness

2010-01-13T18:45:00.000-08:00

Image courtesy Danielle Anthony Photography

I have been working on this post for two days. Yesterday morning they were discussing this book on the Today show. They mentioned that one of the things that psychiatrists say makes people happier is making their bed in the morning. My living space opens up directly onto my bedroom so I see my bed all day long. I know that it makes me happier when it looks tidy in there. They said that when you make your bed in the morning you also start your day with a sense of accomplishment. I never really thought about that, but it is sort of true. Small victories, I guess.

Then later I was watching Oprah and they were doing makeovers. If you saw it then you were probably as amazed as I was. I'm not a big fan of the TV makeover because the message comes across that these people weren't good enough the way they were, and that makes me sad. Of course, Oprah totally did an amazing job, and the women looked like themselves only polished and fabulous. They just glowed. One of the women in her forties said that it was hard for herself to get cute in the morning because she worked from home and there were days when she didn't see another person. The gurus who had just redone her closet pointed at her and said in unison, "Get cute for YOU!" Isn't that what I've been saying all along? Yes, yes, YES! Now, if I can only follow that advice.

So, last night I went to bed thinking about my two new mantras, "Always make your bed" and "Get cute for you". The true secrets of happiness. Then the first thing I saw this morning was the devastation in Haiti. My heart is broken for that country and those people. They had so very little to begin with, and now it all seems so hopeless. When I see the images of people stuck under rubble, just waiting to be dug out I think, "They need water." Then the journalist explains for the hundredth time that there is no water. The Red Cross ran out of all of their supplies this afternoon after only having their feet on the ground for a couple of hours. My life, my problems, it all seemed so small.

I thought all day about what I can do to help, and there isn't much. I can donate money. I can prey, but in the big scheme of things I'm just one person. At least my heart is filled with appreciation for my cozy home, health and the food and water that my family usually takes for granted. I am so blessed. The very least I can do is take care of myself and my family, take care of my home and possessions and take care of the people around me. So yes. Tomorrow I will make my bed. I will do my best to look nice. It may not seem like much, but little things like that show appreciation for the blessings we have, and when we take care of ourselves we are prepared to help meet the needs of others.

Serenity NOW!

2010-01-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

Isn't it kind of annoying that blogs always show people at their best? Well, not here, folks. Here I am at my worst. Well, maybe not my worst, but a disaster for sure. Dan came home to total chaos. It all started with a trip to the grocery store that inspired a few projects. Like, baking bread. Dan has been begging for hot wheat bread and I thought I had time to pull it off to celebrate the new semester. I only bake bread a couple of times a year and the last time I did his stupid beast of a dog ate two of the three loaves off the cooling rack. Anyway, this was my first go at it in the new house.
I couldn't find a piece to the wheat grinder and while I was down on the floor pulling things out of the cupboard, the baby got in on the action. He went to the drawers and started throwing things over his shoulder as fast as he could grab them. It took ten minutes to find the part, but the baby thinks I'm pretty cool now. When I was almost done grinding the wheat I spilt some unground kernels (or whatever they're called) into the wheat and had to spend ten minutes sifting it all. That's when Dan came home and started documenting my mess. Perfect timing, at least he picked my boy up from school so I didn't have to leave. I got the wheat sifted and measured on my scale and added it to everything else, when I realized that my scale is broken. I have no idea how much flour I used, but whatever. We ate it.

The pay off was that when it was all said and done I had a cute box full of dinner and warm bread along with celebratory Martinelis for my friend who just brought her baby home from the hospital. It looked so cute, I grabbed my camera thinking, "I should post this, it looks so good!" But Dan had taken the battery out of the camera to charge it in some undisclosed location so no cute picture. All you get is the crazy.

Reading blogs can give me the occasional inferiority complex. I like to be inspired by the amazing things women with a similar family, background and resources can do. I just have to remind myself that we all have different talents and that comparing ourselves to others is always destructive. I'm glad the battery wasn't in the camera, because it would have been totally obnoxious to post my cute gift. It wasn't supposed to be about me, it was supposed to be about my friend and her new baby. Still though, it was really cute.

This is relevant to your weight loss journey (if you are on one. If not, good for you, too! Please stick around. All are welcome). First of all, don't let yourself get overwhelmed. I was doing several things at once today, all badly. I should have just made the bread, then moved onto the next thing. If you are a client of mine, your priority is the DIET. Weight loss is 90% what we put in our mouths. Exercize will be a natural progression as you become more healthy. If you're not a client of mine and you are trying to lose weight, then let me guess. You are killing yourself at the gym and depriving yourself all day and maybe you lost two pounds last week. This week you will lose one pound and next week you will lose none. I see it all the time. Diet, diet, diet. If you need help in that department, give me a call.

The other lesson? Don't compare yourself to other women. My friend Nikki (who is also very hot, don't get me wrong) has a totally hot pro-volleyball player sister (the white-bikini on the beach kind). One day I joked about being friends with someone so hot, and Nikki said, " I don't judge the genetically gifted. It's not their fault". Well said. Good for your friends who make it look easy. Maybe it is and maybe it isn't, but my point is, it shouldn't even matter. We're all just doing our best.

Keep up the good work. Almost everyone I have talked to in the past week has mentioned how hard 2009 was for them and their family. I can't think of one family who hasn't experienced job loss, or who doesn't at least feel insecure in the job they have. Hang in there. New year, new you. Baby just broke a big glass jar at my feet. Ttyl, peeps.

For once in my life...

2010-01-10T19:02:00.000-08:00

2009 was the best year of my life. The whole year felt like I was climbing out of a big whole. My Dad used to make a big deal about "attitude". He grew up in the worst situation I have ever heard anyone personally tell of, but he didn't care. He just saw opportunity and happiness everywhere he looked. He loved this country, he loved his family, he loved his life. The cards were definitely against him, but he defeated them and achieved great success in his too short 47 years of life.

My sibs and I grew up in a household that put a great emphasis on choices. We had lots of mantras that have kind of become a joke. "Winners find ways", anyone? My dad was from Mexico, and one of the words he always had trouble with was, "results". He would get really serious if we were whining or falling short, and he would say, "I don't want excuses, I want RISOOLTS!" Ahh dad, I miss you.

This week I was singing in my car (it sounded really good) to my second favorite Stevie song, For Once In My Life. I was just loving my life when I came to the second verse.

For once in my life I won't let sorrow hurt me
Not like it hurt me before
For once, I have something I know won't desert me
I'm not alone anymore

For once, I can say, this is mine, you can't take it
As long as I know I have love, I can make it
For once in my life, I have someone who needs me.

I just started crying. Hard! What the heck? I realized: that basically sums up my happiness. For a few years there I was totally stunted by trying to avoid sorrow, which I failed at anyway. Happiness isn't the absence of trials, it's finding the strength to survive them. Bad things will continue to happen, hopefully infrequently. But, I won't let sorrow hurt me, not like it's hurt me before.

The other part is living for someone else, and I definitely have someone who needs me, and it feels great. About half way through the break I got really annoyed with my husband. I felt like a single mom all last semester and I expected him to sweep me off my feet be sweeping the floors or something during the month he had off. Why I set myself up for the letdown, I have no idea. Dan's a wonderful person, but he doesn't even know how to help around the house. For example, since he's been home here are a few quotes. "Has the bag in the Diaper Genie ever been changed?" "Do we have a broom?" "Do we still have that pot you make soup in?" I also got him to admit that he has never in his life cleaned a bathroom. An hour later he came back claiming a distinct memory of cleaning a bathroom in Indiana once, but he's imagining things.

The point is, I got in this funk where I forgot how lucky I am to have him in my life. I compared him to other husbands who... clean things and know what qualifies as baby pajamas. I don't think until I was singing that song I realized how lucky I am to have someone who needs me. Lots of someones. Thanks for the reminder, Stevie. I can be really self-absorbed.

Today I feel great, despite the fact that I had to try on about five things for church today before I finally squeezed my girth into this dress. I even got to wear the cute little headband that Dan surprised me with last semester. When we got home, my son said, "Mom, you look cute today". Sons are the most validating creatures on earth. Every mommy should have at least one. I said, "How sweet! Will you please take a picture of me for my blog, then?" He's pretty good for a six year old. My point is this. If you are reading this, you probably live in a first world country. You have a computer, or at least have access to one. You have at least one friend in the world, and if you don't let me know. I'm taking new friends right now.

I hope you didn't spend 2009 in a hole. If you did, my prayer for you is that in 2010 you can find the strength to climb out of it. People need you, and until we get past ourselves, we never know how much. I'm sounding pretty optimistic! Stay tuned. With all these pregnancy hormones the self-loathing is right around the corner. Have a great week, and thanks for checking in.

Fresh starts.

2010-01-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

I'm just posting this picture because it's the only picture I took of myself over the entire break. I knew my pants were getting tight, but when I saw this, I thought, "Wow, I am Large and In Charge!" If you are one of those pregnant ladies whose arms, legs and face stay pretty much the same but your belly gets big, well, I hate you. Dan and I call them basketball ladies because they look like they just squeezed a basketball under their baby tee. Barf barf barf!!!! My face, legs, hands, it all gets fat when I am pregnant, but I'm not bitter or anything. I'm just trying to keep my eyes on the prize, and the reward couldn't be better than a baby. Babies beat all.

The other people in the picture are my brother Casey, my sister Desiree, and the youngest, Levi. It was the first time we have all been together since Levi got home from his mission in Chile almost two years ago. We were in California to see my little nephew be blessed in our church. Desiree just had a baby at the end of November, and she started my program this week. She has already lost about five pounds. The next time you see her she will be all skinny again. There is hope to at least this one indignity of child bearing. We can lose the weight in a timely fashion. I wish I had had this tool during the five years of yo yo dieting that followed the birth of my first son.

I have so many new clients who are just getting started. Congratulations! Everyone is doing really well so far. Yesterday one of my new friends said, " I think this is it. I have tried everything else, but I really just feel like... this is it!" Well, it was for me, and I think it will be for you, too. I have really enjoyed the new friends I have made through referrals from my old clients and people who have contacted me through this blog. It can be isolating to be a stay at home mom, and this job has brought so much purpose and fun to my life.

If you didn't make your goal last year (or are just getting back on the wagon after the holiday free for all), congratulations to you, too! You are going to be totally hot this summer. Summer is when it really counts, and we all (myself included) can make drastic improvements in our health and our physical appearance before we have to shed the layers we have been hiding in this winter.

Maybe I need to start a new family tradition of spending Christmas on a tropical beach. Then there would be no way I would slack over the holidays. That's it. New Zealand, 2010. Who's with me?

Ready!

2009-12-30T04:37:00.000-08:00

I was preparing my baby's healthy lunch while he sat in his little seat watching me. While my back was turned he grabbed the last (really big) piece of apple pie from the dish and started eating it like a sandwich. It was so cute, I let him go for it. There have been so many yummy treats around this month. I wish it was as cute when I shove pie in my face. Somehow it just isn't. Enjoy it now, baby.

There is a Special K commercial on TV now that I love. It shows a really ugly cookie with one bite out of it on a plate next to a cup of tea. Someone throws the cookie in the fire and the voice says something like, "When you're ready, you'll know". I love that ad. Their diet is totally stupid, though, so don't do it. Cold cereal all day? Do you know how hungry you would be? That's just dumb and unhealthy. It's still a funny ad though. The next time you see it, pretend it's an ad for my program.

You're feeling ready to throw your cookies on the fire, aren't you? If you see one more treat, you'll gag. Great! Go through your kitchen (house?) and toss the junk. This isn't wasting. Do you know what's wasting? Putting it in your body and hurting your health. If things are unopened you could donate them. Just don't keep junk around.

It's not too late to call me. If you want 2010 to be the year you become permanently hot and healthy, give me a call. I want this for you, and you can do it. I made my goal last year, and after this baby is born I'll do it again. This is the easiest, fastest, healthiest way to lose weight that I have ever found, and I'm not alone. Last night I was in a meeting with a prominent doctor and a gym owner who are now health coaches for the same program.

A message to my clients who are starting this week: Good luck! I am SO excited for you. You are going to lose weight every single day. Don't forget to drink lots of water, and we will definitely be in touch. Let's get healthy. And hot.

News!

2009-12-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

Well, my last post was so dumb that I deleted it. This is a big deal because I leave dumb posts up all the time. Sure it was up for a week, but it had to go. I have been freaking out because I am gaining so much weight with my pregnancy. I hate being so hungry, but like my sister pointed out, I'M PREGNANT! I always gain way more than I should with my babies. I just thought things would be different this time. They actually aren't. I've actually gained exactly as much with this baby as I did with my other two sons. Bummer! At least I started at a healthy weight.

I also swell more than most people. The good news is that my shoes and wedding ring still fit. When I was weighed at the doctor last month, I almost cried. My doctor swears I didn't set a record, but I think she just didn't want me to start crying. I asked if they were going to take my picture for their wall of shame, but she denied having such a thing. ECK, whatever.

More good news: this is a really healthy pregnancy. I am not cramping or spotting like I did with other pregnancies, and I have been cleared to exercise. Nothing fancy, but I can start going for walks and such. Today we walked about a mile and I felt great. Not just fine, GREAT! It was the first time I have done more than vacuum my house in about three months. The weather was sprinkly and about 50 degrees. We took the kids and the dog on the trail outside our house and I just kept saying, "I feel so healthy!" to my husband. I need to be grateful for this unexpected blessing that is my pregnancy, and less worried about the weight. After all, I do know how to get it off!

AND! The biggest news of all. It's a boy! I had a hard time picturing myself as the mother of three little boys at first. I think I was really expecting this baby to be a girl. It took me a few hours to get used to the idea, but I am so excited. Sons always love their moms. It's fun to be the queen of my castle and the princess, too. When I need to get my prissy fix on, I can always go shopping for my nieces. It's going to be so rowdy around here, though. Boys are loud, especially my boys. Famously so.

Have a great Christmas. You only have a few more days to call me if you want to start my program on January first. So far I have a handful of friends who are going for it. If your planning on making weight loss your New Year's resolution, let me help you and you won't have to do it again next year.

Are you who you want to be?

2009-12-11T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking, "I wonder if this time I'll lose the baby weight?"

My mom had a saying, "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always be who you've always been". A version of this idea has been attributed to everyone from Anthony Robbins to Dr. Seuss. I have no idea where my mom picked it up, but I remember her saying it in High School. At the time, it wasn't really a warning, more like a guarantee. I was pretty type-A back then, and for the most part my hard work was rewarded. I took my health and fitness very seriously and was always healthy and fit. Life was easy.

The first time I took the phrase as a warning was when I became engaged. At the time I was horrible with my money. In college I ran up huge credit card bills even though I didn't have a job. If I had to choose between eating and buying a coat that I had been visiting in the store all season which was finally on sale, it was the coat every time. Of course, if I got hungry enough, I could always sell plasma. Somehow my parents found out I was doing that and they flipped out, but they didn't bail me out. I didn't ask them to, either, by the way.

I was totally at ease with my reputation as a spend-thrift until the reality of being married set in. The last thing I wanted to do was put Dan and myself in any position to need help from my parents. Overnight I became captain budget. Something just clicked, and I changed. After being married for a year we were even able to buy a tiny house. My mom said my dad was a little disappointed that we hadn't gone to him for help. The success I felt by our accomplishment made all of our sacrifices seem so small.

Since my first son was born, I had faced the reality that once again, I didn't like who I had become and it was time for another change. My identity as a fit and healthy young woman had been lost to a reality of obesity and disease. For years I wondered if the rewards of good health would be worth all that I would give up. Food had become my friend, and just like running up credit cards I had no way of paying, I had made a habit of overindulging to cope with the stresses in my life.

Looking back, there were two HUGE points that I didn't believe, but which are absolutely true.

First: I wasn't giving up that much. My system was so out of whack that yes, I was tremendously hungry physically, not just emotionally. I had no idea that there was a program out there that would give me the power to control and then illiminate the constant hunger that was driving my life. The realization that there was a solution to what I expected to be a lifetime struggle is why I became a health coach. I know that there are many many people in this predicament. I know that they think that they are less disciplined and weaker than thin people. I am on a missions to give those people back the control that will replace the cravings.

Second: I could have my college body back! OK, granted it's a little bit different, but in some ways it's actually better. All that running I was doing gave me a bulky lower body that always bothered me. This time around I trained more strategically and things shaped up better than I had expected. I think if I had really believed that I would fit into a four and a six and look great, I might have had the motivation to make changes sooner. If you really can't imagine yourself at your dream weight, then borrow my vision. When I ask new clients what their weight-loss goal is, they say something like, "I would really like to lose X pounds" then I say, "How much would you like to lose if I had a magic wand?" After a pause they usually confess that they would like to lose about twice the original number. I did that. I told my health coach that I wanted to weigh 160, but in my heart I would die to weigh 130.

I write these posts for me. To keep myself on track and accountable. I am so glad that I can help others, but honestly, I will be on the weight-loss/maintenance journey for the rest of my life. I now understand why alcoholics who haven't had a drink in thirty years say that they are alcoholic. Tomorrow I will explain what this all has to do with me now. Today I will just ask myself, "Do I want to be what I've always been, because if I do, I can just keep doing what I've always done". I know what I want my answer to be. I just need to find the vision to create my reality.

Hoosier Sushi

2009-12-10T07:33:00.001-08:00

When I was living in Indiana, my best Hoosier buddy, Maleaha, brought these to an office party. They look so wrong, but they taste SO right! It's just a little dill pickle spread with lite cream cheese and wrapped in ham. As far as appetizers go, it could be worse. There were 36 little sushis on this tray, and here are the stats for the entire tray:

300 Calories
7 Carbs
15 Grams of fat

That's fewer than half a gram of fat, one fourth of a carb and 10 calories each. I accidentally bought honey ham, but you could shop around and buy a leaner ham or even fat free cream cheese.

There's good news for my clients. You can eat these! You can actually have about a dozen. The cream cheese counts as a fat, the pickles count as a snack and the ham counts as one gram of your daily protein. So, give these little babies a try. I know they look kind of fear-factor, but they are tasty and fun to bring to a party. They are also inexpensive and you can mingle with something (other than raw veggies) on your plate, guilt-free! Make these, I dare you.

Meet Powell.

2009-12-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

This is our dog, another great Danielle Anthony pic. His name is Powell. Have you heard that you should never make a big decision within six months of a tragedy? I totally agree with that... NOW! We found this guy and drove six hours to pick him up the week we lost the twins. We might not get to bring home our babies, but no one's going to stop us from bringing home a bird dog! Some logic. Grief messes with your head.

We had been researching breeds for a long time, and to our credit, I still think that theoretically, a pudelpointer is the best breed for our family. Because I have asthma we have to choose a hypoalergenic breed, so our choices are limited. My husband likes him because he is from a sub-class called versatile hunting dog. Basically he can point, retrieve and track, whatever that means. Powell is so sweet, but he's rude. He stinks and runs away. He licks the baby's face, chews up toys and eats off the counters. Best of all! He's taken a fancy to pooping in the garage. That was the last straw. I hit my limit, and called my husband telling him how much I hate "his" dog, and insisting we get rid of him. Dan called my bluff, and found Powell a new home.

Oops. Suddenly I felt really guilty. My parents always gave our pets away about the time we were starting to love them. We're all still pretty bitter about Paco. Paco was a horrible husky that my dad brought home from the ski slopes as a puppy. He was an outside dog, but my mom still couldn't endure his reign of terror. He was always running off, chewing through lawn furniture and digging up her flower beds. When I told my little brother that we have to get rid of Powell, he said, "You can't. I am still so mad that mom gave away Paco. I used to make her drive me down the street where his new family lived so I could catch a glimpse of him."

Ergggg. Mother's guilt. Thanks, Levi. So, I told Dan we could keep the dog, but the plot thickens. To make a long story short, I ended up agreeing to take MORE responsibility for the beast. And wouldn't you know it, he got sick yesterday, so I took him to the vet, and I am giving him his meds and have taken over his new (complicated) feeding schedule. I am a saint. A SAINT! Well, not so saintly that I will allow Powell to sleep on my big-boy's bed. That campaing has been ongoing for about six months, and if it weren't for the shedding and the smell I might consider it. My son insists that he doesn't get nightmares if the dog sleeps on his bed. Am I being manipulated, or should I just give up and allow it?

Rumor has it that having a pet actually improves your health. I'm not sure how chasing a dog around my neighborhood in my slippers in twenty degree weather while the baby is screaming in his crib alone in the house actually reduces my stress. I think they should say, "having an obedient pet reduces stress". Powell does have some redeeming qualities, even beyond his really cute face. For one thing, I feel much safer walking or jogging on the trails by my house with my big loyal dog at my side. I also feel much safer when Dan is gone knowing that my four legged security system is on the prowl. So, I blew it. The dog was as good as gone, and I invited him back in! Saint Jacqui. Protector of rude, stinky dogs.

Greetings from the 150's.

2009-12-08T17:00:00.000-08:00

I weigh the exact same in these two pictures. The picture on the left was taken in July. I had lost 80 lbs and was feeling HOT! The picture on the right ( by Danielle Anthony) was taken just over a week ago. So, why is it that these days when I get ready I feel so sloppy? Not only is the scale the same, but I have the best excuse ever! Here's the other weird thing. The pants on the left are an eight and the pants on the right are a six. I can't button them up anymore, but they sort of fit last week!

It's funny. You just feel SO GOOD about yourself when you are in control and you can feel your health improving. It truly isn't about the scale, but about how you're treating your body. Because I have high-risk pregnancies, I can't exercise at all, and I REALLY miss it. I got a new stroller today, and I wish I could go strolling. That's really saying something, because it's only about twenty degrees outside.

Do you want to know a secret? The less you weigh, the faster your sizes go down when you're losing. I'll put it this way. It took me about 20 pounds to go from a 16 to a 14, then another 15 or twenty to fit into a twelve. Then, by the time I went shopping in July for my size ten pants, I was already in an eight. Before I knew it, I was in a six. A SIX! For the first time since college. Now when my teeny friends ask me for help losing five pounds, I get it. When you're small five pounds can mean the difference between a two and a four (Boo hoo, right?)

I am just passing this observation on for those of you who have a lot to lose. Don't get discouraged if you stay in the same clothes longer than you expected. Keep it up, and you will see amazing results. Exponentially amazing results. ALSO. Don't expect people to compliment your weight loss. Weight is a totally taboo topic. I was at a birthday party this weekend with a client who has very rapidly lost forty pounds this fall. Saturday was the first time I had seen her since she started the program, and I hugged and congratulated her. Then the ice was broken and all of the other guests started in, "What have you been doing?" "You look fantastic, I just didn't want to say anything". Her results are absolutely remarkable, but people worry that if they tell you you look great now, it's like saying you were fat before. We're really courteous these days.

I went to K-Mart today because the maternity pants I ordered on the internet are way too big still. I couldn't find anything. I even considered the elastic-waist jeans that great-grandmas wear, but I think I will just belt the maternity pants for a couple of weeks. By that time they should fit just right!

The War at Home

2009-12-06T12:57:00.001-08:00

It's so important for children to start the day with protein and fiber. Vitamins and minerals don't hurt, either, but it's not worth it if they're getting them from sugary cereals. I have blogged before about the great pancake controversy. I'm not sure of pancakes are a necessary part of childhood. They are the worst idea! Especially when we cover them with high-fructose corn syrup, which I'll admit, I love. Real maple syrup just isn't the same.

When I was in Utah my cousin made the BEST pancakes I have ever had. She used a mix, it's available at Smith's in Utah, and it has 16 different grains. The batter didn't look very good (sorry, Tiff) but they turned out light, flakey and so rich with all the warm grain flavors. She even put blueberries in them. Topped with Adam's peanut butter and drizzled them with honey, they were amazing. They even contained fiber and protein. Not exactly the comfort-food idea of a pancake like the ones I grew up with, but better. I couldn't track down the mix before I left Utah, but my brother is going to buy it for me for Christmas.

Most good fathers have a signature pancake recipe. My dad diced fresh apples into whole-wheat Krust-eez mix. Sort of nutritious. They could have been worse. Like my husbands recipe, for instance. He recently decided that no pancake is complete without a big handful of butterscotch chips. Dan thinks the fact that the baby will eat two large pancakes is evidence of their deliciousness. Seriously, it looks like child-abuse to me. At least he doesn't put syrup on the baby's pancakes. He and my other son put butter and syrup on theirs. Dan made me try them, and it was just way too much. I love waffle cones and s'mores, so it's not like I don't appreciate a good sugar-rush now and then. These babies are just ridiculous, though.

Have a great Sunday. It's so cute to see Dan in the kitchen spoiling my sons. It's what the weekend's all about, and I don't think once a month will cause type two diabetes anytime soon. I cook for the boys the other six days of the week, after all.

Resolving.

2009-12-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

We were on a road trip this summer when it hit me. "OH MY GOSH, DAN! For the first time since I was nine my New Year's Resolution isn't to lose weight!" I lost almost 100 pounds this year. I was filled with the desire to become a better person, not just a thinner one. Should I read more? Drive better? Serve my fellow man?

Isn't life ironic? Two weeks later I found out that I am pregnant. Of course, with the pregnancy I have gained a few back, but what could be better than a healthy pregnancy? So, after much thinking, I have decided to help my fellow (wo)man. I resolve to help ten people start my program on January first. That means that I need to find those ten people this month so that on January first we can kick off the year right!

If you begin each year with guilt about not losing the weight during the previous year, it's time to get off that train! Give me a call sometime this month. In about ten minutes I can give you a really good idea of the success you can expect on my program. I currently have clients who need to lose as little as five pounds and as much as 150 lbs. If your weight bothers you and is holding you back, it's time to move on. Let's get there together. There has been some concern about the cost of my program. It costs about $280 a month, but that includes almost all of the food you will eat that month, so really it's a cost neutral program. If the sticker shock still is scaring you away, then ask for it for Christmas. Health and hotness is the gift that keeps on giving.

You can do it! I will help you. This will be the last year you will ever start your resolution with the work "LOSE", and why should you, when you have so much to gain? Together, you will succeed. I did it, and I can show you how.

P.S. Meet my photographer. Danielle Anthony is a true treasure, and if you live in Corvallis you have to book her. You can still get a great image for your Christmas cards if you hurry!

Later is now.

2009-11-30T12:23:00.000-08:00

I just discovered a new show. It's called Hoarders, and it's on A&E. I've seen three episodes this morning because they're running a marathon. Wow. It's pretty depressing. A hoarder is a person who is compelled to collect and keep things, even when they have no room for them, or the items are unsafe or unsanitary. It's really frustrating to watch these people agonizingly sort through piles in their home as they separate "trash from treasure", as one woman put it. Seriously? It's all trash! Throw it away. Get on with life. These people are trading in their health and relationships for the comfort they find in acquiring and saving stuff.

It's easy to pass judgment, but really, I can identify with their reasoning. You hear the hoarders make lots of excuses like, "I don't want to be wasteful" or "I might need it later". One lady even said, "when the family leaves me, this stuff will all still be here". She meant that as a good thing. The specific behavior is different, but the psychology isn't so different from the impulses I felt when I was over eating.

When we indulge ourselves, through shopping or eating in these examples, there is instant gratification. If you have kids, maybe you eat off their plates after they have left the table. I would never make myself mac and cheese, but hey, I don't want to waste theirs. Or, you've had a stressful day, you deserve cheesecake. The food we grew up with is called, "comfort food" for a reason. A really good reason. It makes us feel secure, brings back nice memories, comforts us.

I took the kids out of state for Thanksgiving so my husband could spend the entire break studying for his first ever law school finals. I was glad that I was leaving all of the Thanksgiving left-overs behind. This last week I realized that Thanksgiving dinner is sort-of a scape goat for our bad eating, but it really isn't that big of a problem. After all, you can't pack on five pounds at one meal. The real problems are the pies and treats that linger, day after day. AND, just as the remains of Thanksgiving are thinning out the Christmas treats start to roll in. What's a girl to do?

First of all, I issue a challenge. If there is pie left in your house, throw it away. Right now. Go to your fridge, and throw that delicious pumpkin-y/apple-y/mince-meaty whatever! goodness down the garbage disposal. It feels like you're wasting, but just like finishing your kids food, what is the real waste? Getting rid of something in the trash, or turning your own body into a trashcan?

It is easy to see the problems of the hoarders as they talk about not wanting to be wasteful. You want to say, "but you're wasting the best years of your life clinging to that mess!" I sort of did that to myself through my diet. I spent (wasted is WAY too strong a word) nine years obese, unhealthy, and socially stunted because I chose food over people, including myself. I get it, but we can change any habit if we want to badly enough.

There was a counselor on the last episode of Hoarders I watched. His mother was a hoarder who felt so helpless with her situation that she took her own life. As opposed to many of the other hoarding-counselors, he doesn't let his clients store things in cardboard or rubber-made boxes to sort later. His motto is, "Later is now". No boxes. Throw it away, or put it away. That's my new motto. I love it. It really applies to my eating habits now that I'm pregnant. It's much easier to justify overeating and deserts because I'm gaining anyway, but it's the most important time ever to take proper care of myself. The next time I think, "I'll just lose it after the baby is born", I will say, "Later is now!"

My clients are so amazing. I signed up seven people in November. Seven of my friends decided that the holidays is their perfect time to start losing weight. I am so excited for them. After all, you can gain 10 pounds between Halloween and New Years, or you can lose ten pounds between now and New Years. Later is now!

P.S. The above is a picture of my boys at Costco this weekend. I was cracking up because my six year old thought it would be cool to ride in the cart with his brother. Costco is a great place to avoid if you're a hoarder or an over eater, both potential consequences of a Costco-trip. Please shop responsibly.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T12:50:00.001-08:00

Just remember, it's about gratitude, not gluttony. I wonder when we made that shift? I know my mother in law would say it was the sixties, she says everything went downhill in the sixties. Anyway, it's not too hard to eat a good meal at Thanksgiving. Roasted white meat turkey is delicious and nutritious. Load up on veggies and lean meat and then just taste anything else that looks good.

You'll do great.

By the way, I am so thankful for all of my clients. Weight-loss coaching started out as a hobby. I was just so excited to share my success and what I had learned with my friends, but it has grown into more. It is a real job now, one that I really value and enjoy. Thanks, clients, for trusting me to help you with your health and for referring your friends to me. It makes me feel so thrilled to know that your success has brought more people to greater health and happiness.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Extreme Makeover: Man Edition

2009-11-23T18:11:00.000-08:00

These are two of the men in my life. The guy on the left is my husband, Dan. The guy on the right is my friend, Chris. Last year this time they each had big bushy beards and an extra 50 pounds. Here are their stories:

Dan and I started the program together this spring. In the first two weeks I lost 11 pounds, he lost 20. He went off of the official program at that time because he was happy with his success. Over the course of the summer he lost ten more pounds. Basically this was a result of his wife turning into a health coach. I am grocery shopping better, eating out less and preparing healthy dinners. As I was nearing my goal, he went back on the program for two more weeks and lost twenty more pounds. He has maintained his 50 pound loss all fall while in law school.

Even though Dan experienced the success he desired, HE WAS A REALLY NAUGHTY CLIENT! Something about not liking being coached by his wife and doing things HIS way. Something like that. Basically, I get my clients to the point where their bodies are using their fat stores for energy. If you go on and off the program you may still lose weight, but you are also burning muscle, and who wants that? Less muscle means a slower motabolism, less energy and a flabbier physique. Now I will tell you about my star client.

Chris started the program on September 9th, right at the beginning of the school year. He teaches math at our high school and it really worked for his busy lifestyle. Even though he hasn't been able to work out like he would have liked, Chris has lost an amazing fifty pounds, and he is really toned (in guys is it called "ripped?"). Because he stayed true to the program for the last ten weeks, his body effectively used his fat for energy, leaving the lean muscle.

Think about it. These guys, and myself, used to carry around an extra fifty pounds with us everywhere we went. That's like doing light weights with every single movement. If you lose weight strategically, you won't be flabby and doughy when you reach your goal, but you can be lean. The trick is high protein and making sure that you are burning your own fat and not muscle. I am trained to identify the difference in my clients, and I really appreciate it when they follow the program, because then they succeed in the most healthy way possible.

Chris, you look great. Dan you are SO HOT! Cat growly noise, scratch scratch.

Maternity time?

2009-11-21T10:46:00.000-08:00

Maternity clothes are now in order. Contrary to popular belief, I hate going shopping. I love cyber-shopping. I just hate trying on clothes. A shopping trip is on today's agenda because I didn't plan ahead for my Thanksgiving travels and I have no idea what size I am, anyway. Lately I've been rocking either the belted dress over skinny jeans look or the total slob in sweats look. I probably won't be posting that last one. The total slob look made about twice as many appearances as the above look this week, so I need to get my head out of the sand and go buy some clothes.

I love Old Navy for maternity clothes. They don't last very long, but hey, you don't need them to. I gave away all of my maternity clothes after Paolo was born because I expected it to be my last pregnancy. They would be way too big for me now, anyway.

Old Navy also has really cute and trendy big-girl clothes. I would love to be a stylist for a company that makes plus-sized clothing. Even in places like Lane Bryant, the clothes fit only one type of Big Girl, a very busty one. The prices in Lane Bryant seem to outpace the quality of the garments, probably because it is so hard to find larger sizes in the first place. Gap has started carrying larger sizes in the past few years, which is helpful. If you are bigger than a size 14 and looking for formal wear, GOOD LUCK! There is a huge void in this market, but Nordstrom and Dillard's and other larger clothing stores have started carrying up to a size 18.

I have had friends who wouldn't spend money on themselves because they were overweight. This is common in women who are still trying to lose weight post-pregnancy. I think it's MORE important to pay attention to your appearance when you are less-secure about your body. When I had an occasion and was...obese... I was extra careful to plan my wardrobe and make-up. It is like my armor. To this day... but just more so when I was heavy.

I'm not worried about my pregnancy weight, though, just for the record. I am just getting past that awkward muffin-top phase where I didn't quite look pregnant. I love to push my belly out and look like the fertility goddess that I am. Of course, it doesn't hurt that my husband is totally supportive of my, er, expansion. He has also been supportive of my personal spending. There were even times when I refused to spend money on my big butt and he went shopping for me.

If you aren't at your ideal weight and are having trouble finding clothes that flatter, I am willing to help. Corvallis, Oregon has excellent shopping... no it doesn't. I'm about to drive half an hour just to find an Old Navy, and if that doesn't break your heart, you're made of stone. Seriously though, let's go shopping and do (healthy) lunch. Like the ads say, "You're worth it!"

UPDATE! I just got back from Old Navy, and I retract my endorsement. The store I went to didn't carry maternity clothes, which wasn't such a big deal. I got a pair of low-rise pants in the next size up and since most of the shirts were empire waisted anyway, a couple of them in the next size up. The quality was lower than I remember and the whole place was a zoo. Super messy and busy, not that I was expecting a boutique experience or anything. To add insult to unjury, I ended up spending about twice what I expected to spend. I think the cute matchy kid's Christmas outfits got me in the end. My fashionista buddies have reccomended Target for my future maternity-fashion needs, so when I am busting out of today's purchases (next month?) I will try there. Thanks for the tip!

Faith and Hope.

2009-11-20T11:00:00.000-08:00

I am a very humble (paranoid?) pregnant lady. I never quite beleive I'm bringing home a baby, until I'm actually being pushed needlessly, in a wheelchair towards my car with a baby in my arms. Well, once I beleived it. When I was pregnant with my older son, I was as excited as most first time moms. We called the family as soon as we found out we were pregnant, we picked out names, we went to birthing classes. Then at 32 weeks my water broke. I didn't start labor for four more days. The silver lining was that my mom was able to travel from Oregon to Indiana and coach me through my natural labor. She had the courtesy to slip out for the actual birth so that Dan and I could share that sacred moment between the two of us. I held my baby for a split second, and then he was whisked off to the NICU for a couple of weeks where he learned big-boy skills, like breathing and sucking.

Miraculously, he came home nursing, and without monitors. Because I was able to stay pregnant for those four days in the hospital, he received daily steroid medication for his lungs in utero. Large babies run on both sides of our family, so he was a a relatively chunky five pounds. Things could have been much harder on our little guy. We didn't take much time to wonder why he had come early, or why it had taken me almost a year to conceive him. We were just happy to be a real family.

When we felt ready for a second child, I was pretty patient. I didn't expect to become pregnant right away. My patience started wearing thin as months turned into years, and with the exception of an early miscarriage, I was unable to conceive. We were working on our adoption papers, but put them on hold while we did a round of IVF. It was successful, sort of. We were able to harvest one good egg (most women get more like a dozen...) and that embryo became a baby... then it split and became two babies. Identical twins. I had never felt more special in my life.

It wasn't a good pregnancy. There were obvious attachment problems, constant bleeding and cramping. Then at 16 weeks, my waters broke. First in one sack, then in the ER the other sack burst. It was all over. I gave birth to my still born sons Sunday, September 2nd, 2007. I had been told during the IVF procedure that I was incapable of conceiving or baring children on my own. "But I have a son" I pointed out. My doctors just shrugged, "Yeah, we'd say he's a little fluke... er... miracle". So with that in mind, my husband and I sat in that hospital room completely hopeless. I looked up at my doctor, and in one of the saddest moments of my life I said, "I'm not good at this". "No", she said, and putting my hand on my shin she said "but you are a good person".

I nodded and thought, "Of course. Right. I didn't will this tragedy. No one did. I'm a good person." Then I went home. I was overcome with inadequacy. I had to tell my son that the babies were in heaven. We had to tell our friends, go to the funeral home, and to add insult to injury, my milk came in three days later. It was awful, and I became convinced that I was pretty worthless. I had let everyone down. Even at the time I knew that this wasn't a rational thought, but it still kept creeping into my head, "That lady bagging your groceries. Last month you told her you were expecting twins and now you're not even pregnant. You've really let her down". "You're friends were so excited to have a shower for you and help with the babies. You've really let them down". Cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, I had failed everyone, especially the babies.

I just kept reminding myself what the doctor had told me. I was a good person. I am a good person. Why had she told me that? She hadn't even met me before that day. Maybe I park in the handicapped spaces and take tips off tables in restaurants. She had no idea who I was! But, for some reason, I believed her, and I made those words my mantra.

We went back to our adoption papers, grateful to at least know our path. At one point we were even pretty sure that we had been chosen for a placement and met the birth mom, but it wasn't to be. Then, just six months after losing our twins, I found out that I was pregnant. My sister, who I was visiting in California, actually made me take a test because I was constantly complaining about being exhausted, sick, every single pregnancy symptom in the book. Even though the test was positive, I threw it away and wouldn't believe it. I lied to my sister about the result. I kept it all from my husband, but a couple days later, I made myself take the other test. I called my husband with the results and cried.

I had been diagnosed with pPROM. A condition that makes it unlikely that I will ever carry my children to term. I didn't have the strength to suffer another loss. I became depressed and morbid. Every week I would check the viability statistics for preemies of that gestational age. Eventually, I started believing I was pregnant, and at about 28 weeks I actually started letting myself believe I would bring home a baby! My mother-in-law painted a room and we set up a crib. I carried my little man past 16 weeks, then past 32, all the way to 36 weeks, my personal best. (With that pregnancy and with this one I have weekly hormone injections which seem to help me). A week later we brought him home. Four months later I set him down for the first time in his entire life, and who can blame me for spoiling him? He really made us wait!

So, now I have a horribly spoiled year old and I am four months pregnant, naturally and unexpectedly, once again. I have learned that God is in charge of my life, and that if I live it with hope and faith, I will find happiness. The first tri-mester of this pregnancy was a hard time for me. I had a hard time dealing with daily life, I was so obsessed with my pregnancy. There was a month where I didn't blog once. It was from the time I realized I was pregnant until the time I was able to accept it. Isn't it weird that being blessed with the very thing I want most in this life makes me a horribly depressed mess? I know it has a lot to do with hormones as well, so I try to go easy on myself and not be scared.

Hope and faith can't live in the same heart as fear. Fear casts out hope and faith. My story is personal to me, but we are all scared of something. I am sharing this with you, because I know some people who need to lose a lot of weight. Maybe even more than 100 pounds. It's a scary place. I've been there, too. I am privileged to help some of these people on their weight loss journeys, and I am so happy for them that they have gotten past their own fears and faithfully embraced hope. Hope is like the dream, what do you really want for yourself? For your family? Faith is the courage to take that first step, and every step after it.

Thankfully, the fear is gone from my heart. It left last week at my 16 week appointment. I heard that little heartbeat and thought, "Little baby, welcome to our family". Hope. Faith. I am a good person, and so are you.

The Scale: It's only a tool.

2009-11-19T12:17:00.000-08:00

I really want my clients to weigh themselves every day. I was raised by a "naturally thin" mother. She definitely had genetics on her side, but every morning of her life she weighed in. If she had gained a pound or two she would be very careful with her diet until she was back where she wanted to be. Daily weigh-ins are a well-known habit of the slim, and I fully agree that they are an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

I have clients who won't weigh themselves. I have clients who don't own a scale. I even have a client who won't let her doctor tell her what she weighs. Weight is only a number, but it's a leading indicator of our current and future health. It's also a leading indicator of our expanding back side, the scale will go up weeks before your pants-size needs to.

Sure, it was great weighing in every day this year while I was steadily losing weight, but now that I'm pregnant... it's not so fun. I was doing really well at first! In the first 12 weeks I only gained eight pounds (seriously, for me this is a small miracle). I was still eating frequent small healthy meals, my blood sugars were balanced, and because I was a little nauseated I had a pretty weak appetite. My doctor even praised my slow weight-gain. THEN... last month happened.

My appetite came back with a vengeance, and it wanted to make up for lost time. I started indulging in sweets (super hard not to when you will inevitably gain weight anyway, right?) and I packed my scale up for the big move. Yup. It was boxed up for a couple of weeks. Last week was my sixteen week doctor appointment. I warned the nurse that I had been naughty and I was sure I had gained too much weight. I was right. Eight more pounds, in ONE month! I started eating better, andfinally my cravings are starting to taper off. Indulging cravings just leads to more cravings, by the way.

Dan unpacked the scale a couple of days ago, but I kept... forgetting... to weigh in, until today. I was actually a pound less than when I packed it up a couple of weeks ago. So, I have officially gained a pound a week, a stat I can live with, if not embrace. I plan to continue with the daily weigh-ins throughout the pregnancy and after, because denial is a major factor in weight-gain, ESPECIALLY pregnancy weight gain. I think maybe half of the 17 pounds I have gained is actual baby -weight, the rest is good old-fashioned emotional eating weight. The scale is a tool for diagnostic purposes only, not a fortune teller of the day to come. "Oh, you gained two pounds, you're a bad person. Have a BAD day" or "You haven't gained in five days, what a good little mommy, I'm so proud of you. Have a nice day". No. The scale is an inanimate object and incapable of passing judgment. Pregnant or not, don't be too hard on yourself, no matter what it says.

Oh, and how about this picture? Marjorie was my room-mate at BYU, and the fun we had might have been against the Honor Code. She has always had a very healthy body image, and a very French take on diet and exercise. As in... she does neither. She liked sports and dancing, she was in good shape, she was just way too cool to go to a gym or anything like that. Also, I never knew Marjorie to diet per-se, but I never really knew her to pig-out, either. She usually ate small portions of quality food (or occasionally SPAM, that's right, I'm calling you out). One time we were driving in my car and trying to decide where to eat. She pointed to the McDonalds and said, "Hey, you want to go to town on a twenty piece?" It was totally absurd to imagine that we could eat twenty chicken-nuggets, and I thought it was so funny coming from her little self, that it's now one of my favorite sayings. My younger brother and I say that phrase whenever we are out and hungry. So silly!

So, here's the message. Love your body. Respect your body. Never go to town on a twenty piece, and don't live in denial of the results your lifestyle choices are having on your body. Weigh yourself daily. Even during the holidays. Even when your pregnant. It's a good habit, and it will make a difference in the longs run. Oh, and just for fun, here's one more pregnant pin-up. Thanks for sharing, Marjarine. I love you.