Just when I got going...

Just when I thought I was getting somewhere, my period strikes. That darn menstral cycle!! I was 162 this morning, but I know that it just "puff" bloat, etc.. It will be gone soon.This is also first time... I think ever... where I didn't binge on chocolate because I am still in "no sweets mode." I am kinda excited about that, because once all this is over, I'll for suresies be under 160!I am

Those New Glasses

Here is a picture of me in the new glasses that no one noticed. ;)I was 161.00 pounds this AM! That's 5 pounds lost since my knee surgery!It feel SO GOOD getting my body back in shape! I plan to be in the 150's again by New Year's! That's just 2 pounds. I think I will reach that goal!Have a Great Day!Jess

Moving Again!

Last night I was able to do 2.06 miles in 27:00 minutes on the Precor! (218.4 calories, 3440 strides)I put in our copy of DDR Extreme 2 and put it in weight loss mode!DDR is so much fun and it is a great way to trick yourself into being active. Like I said, they even have a weight loss mode that allows you to miss like every step, and the game doesn’t end! Instead of racking up a score, it shows

But I Already Do That!

"If you stop drinking regular soda you’ll save 200 calories a day (each)! This will help you lose 20 lbs. in a year!”*Sigh* I am so tired of articles that lure me in with a promise of weight loss, but just turns out to be something like this. I want inspiration but just get frustration because all of their “tips” are things I already know or do!With a heavy heart I asked “I am already doing all

-1.25 Down in November!

Even with surgery laying me up, I lost 1.25 pounds in November! I am working hard to make sure December will be just as successful! :) I can only do what my knee can handle... and that is not much, but I am in good spirits. I am using my journal again, and really feel back on track!This is the hardest time of year for weight loss, but I've been successful before, I am sure I can do it again!

Two Weeks Without Sweets

I've gone two weeks without sugar, sweets, etc.. It's been pretty easy. I really wanted chocolate one day, and co-workers constantly tempt me with peanut butter bars, chocolates, and brownies... But I made it!In honor of my success Aaron suggested a reward - New Sexy Underthings! ( I guess they are also a reward for him! ) ;) So now I don't eat sweets, but I sure look sweet! ;)I am about

My Knee... Works!

Holy Cow!!! I can go up stairs and it doesn't hurt!!!Not only is there no post-operative pain - I no longer have the original pain of my crappy knee!!! It doesn't hurt anymore. It also no longer sound like twisting bubble wrap. (Pop-pa-pop-pop-pa-pop-pop-pop)I'm thrilled by how well my knee is doing and how quickly I'm getting better!!!! I was able to do 2 miles on my elliptical trainer the other

You're Gonna have to Face it... You're Addicted to Sugar

Here are 10 simple questions to see if you are addicted to sugar:1. If you don’t get your regular dose of sugar, are you irritable and cranky?WHY ARE TO TALKING ABOUT SUGAR!!!I AM TRYING TO KICK THE HABIT!!!HAVE YOU NO SHAME!?!?!?(Yes, I get cranky without my “fix.”)2. Have you ever tried to limit yourself saying that you would only eat one a day, or one per meal, but that one always turns into

Getting better each day!

I spent the first few days after my surgery in bed. I had my leg up on pillows with an ice pack balanced over the knee. I took the medication as directed every four hours. I was never in a lot of pain, but I figured it was taking the medicine as directed was helping with that! ;)Today I am feeling good. I'm up and about on crutches. I've stopped taking the prescription stuff, and now only use

A Week Until Surgery

Today was my pre-operation physical. There is nothing like the scale at the Doctor’s…I was 66 inches tall, and my weight (fully dressed in sneakers, jeans, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a hoodie + underthings) was 166.6 lbs. The nurse joked that 6 must be my lucky number, but I was thinking more of the apocalypse. 166.6?!? Not Cool. Argh. Using that height and weight puts my BMI in the

Making Local News!

Saturday night was "Freakfest" here in Madison. They blocked of State St. and prepared for a huge crowd. In the past there were as many as 100,000+ people that would flood the street and it would end in a riot, property damage, and ultimately tear gas and lots of arrests.This year they charged a fee to get on State Street. $5 for advanced tickets, and $7 at the gates. But if you were smart like

Moving Across the Yard & FREAKFEST!!!

Aaron and I were contacted by out landlord if we’d be interested in a larger apartment for + $30 rent.A dollar more a day and we basically get another room and double the closet space!?!?!?! ? Sweet! Hook us up!!We signed the new lease and got the keys on Monday. We’ve done a few trips, but Aaron is doing most of the work because of my knee. He is so perfect.We’ve got until Nov. 1st to get moved.

“But… My Knee!”

After 19 days of basically sitting on my growing butt, finally did something “active” last night. About 3 weeks ago I stopped working out because it triggered so much pain in my knee. But last night I did a mile on the elliptical trainer on lowest resistance. It took me about 15 minutes to do that mile at a comfortable pace. In doing so, I realized that I was just making excuses to avoid

Preview - Halloween 2007

I love Halloween! :-D This year I am going to be Cheetara from the Thundercats!It is going to be AWESOME! :-D

Knee Update

Yesterday was my knee appointment with Dr. Timothy J. Docter, MD. (Yes. My Doctor is Dr. Docter. Try not to sing the song...) I had to arrive early so they could take some x-rays. They took SOOooo many x-rays. (7!) Then Dr. Docter came in to examine me. “Can you straighten your leg for me.” (crack-snap-crunch-slurp-pop!) “Alright, let’s schedule your surgery!”

Being positive through Injuries and Setbacks

I had all of my wisdom teeth extracted last Friday. Ow. I've been in a medicated haze since then. I have not been working out, and my "diet" has mainly been chocolate ice cream. I also have an appointment to see an orthopedic doctor next Monday about my bad knees. Surgery is likely for my torn cartilage (meniscus).It is so hard to get healthy and stay healthy when your body is falling apart!!Over

People Magazine - Half Their Size Issue Update!

Good News! I have been contacted by People Magazine again and this time I PROMISE to *NOT* shave my head. ;)As you long time readers may recall, last October I was contacted by People Magazine as a candidate for their "Half Their Size" issue. I was selected, and I was going to have a photoshoot and everything... but then I kinda went and shaved my head. ;)I was asked for recent pictures. So

When it rains it pours....

I have been stress eating so much recently! This morning my weight was back up to 155.50. This takes me back to the weight I was around the start of July again! I've been "stuck" between 157 and 152 since April. I just keep zigzagging up and down between these 5 pounds. Just when I think I'm *finally* getting back under 150, SOMETHING always happens that scuttles my progress.Dr. Jeffrey

August so far...

My weight was 153.25 this morning. Last week I was on vacation AND got my period. (Not a good combo!) My calories got a bit out of control, but I stuck with my exercise and made it through!My “period puff” and vacation indulgences are burning off, and it looks like I will have another good month! YEA!Here is my weight loss graph for August so far:I started August 1st at 153.00, and I

Don't let "Fat Genes" keep you in your Fat Jeans!

At times I thought it was pointless for me to try and lose weight because I had convinced myself "Nature had made me fat." I was fat, and that was that! "You can't fight genetics!" And I had lots of overweight family members to back-up that belief. We are just plump people. That is how God made us, and we are stuck with our lot. Case Closed.While it is true that you can not change the base body

July was really good!

I lost 3.75 pounds in July!July 2007 was one of the best months I've had in a long time. :-DI'm a bit worried about the next few months... I have a week long vacation coming up soon... and I hope I can keep it together. I will also be going to San Antonio for work the 2nd week in September... AGH!I. Must. Chill. Out.I really need this vacation! ;)TODAY'S STATS:===============================

This is a treat, not a treatment!

I’ve lost 3.5 pounds so far this July. ( I weighed 153.25 this morning. ) This month has been my BEST for weight loss in a long time! :)I still have a lot of ground to make up though... I have 7 more pounds to lose to get back to the weight I was on 1/1/07. After that, I’ll need to lose another 7 to get back to my lowest weight. I am determined to get back there! Injury and complacency

Deep Fried Marshmallows

Deep Fried Marshmallows?!?!?! Yes. Thursday night / Friday morning I dreamt I was deep-frying marshmallows. I then used magic to levitate them out of the oil and float them around the kitchen, and out the window to children outside.It was such a bizarre dream, I could not help but remember it. When I told my husband about it, he is like… we should try making them!So this weekend we deep-fried

Balancing Your Energy

Think of your body as a car that operates 24 hours a day. You would never expect your car to get you from one place to the next without refueling.You also know there's no point in putting more gas in the tank than it's designed to hold. Yet that's how many of us operate our bodies! We try to run on empty for hours, then dump in more "fuel" than we can handle.Running on Empty: (muscle loss)Working

Nearly Recovered!

2.25 pounds of trip weight and period puff are gone!I've been eating between 1800 - 2000 calories a day and working out.6/26/07 Elliptical - 33:41 min, 2.72 mi, 300.0 cal, 4088 strides6/28/07 Elliptical - 48:00 min, 4.03 mi, 462.0 cal, 6208 stridesI was 154.25 this morning, the same weight I was June first! Looks LikeI will break even this month. Hopefully things will continue turnaround, and I

Period + Trip = Not Good :(

Last Sunday I was in a car at this time riding down to Urban, IL for work.I worked there Monday and Tuesday from 5 AM to 6 PM in the Hospital supporting the nursing staff.Wednesday was another travel day, driving the 4 hours back to Wisconsin, then flying out toPhiladelphia! Thursday and Friday I worked at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Then yesterday, I finally got to fly home!!It's

Tough Times Ahead

I was sick on Monday and Tuesday with that same recurring throat aliment. I feel a painful tightness or a “catch” when I swallow, speak, yawn, or even turn my head the wrong way. Last month it was diagnosed as GERD, but after a month of a restricted diet, and taking medication… It’s still there!! So my doctor sent me to a specialist.The specialist x-rayed me eating barium-laced pudding and

My New "Toy"

As you may remember, I was in Physical Therapy for my tailbone a few months ago. I had been using a stationary bike for the majority of my exercise… but with my broken bootie, I couldn’t use it!My therapist recommended I try swimming, or an elliptical trainer for aerobic exercise because of my bad tailbone, and “crunchy knees.”I have very sensitive skin, so spending hours each week in a pool

Might be in People Magazine?

I was contacted by People Magazine about my weight loss!!!!It is so exciting! One of the first things they asked me though was if I was willing to pose in a bathing suit!I said "Sure, why not?" I mean, I already have 'bathing suit like" pictures on my blog!Wonder Woman - Halloween 2006"My Virtual Model" - March 2007I hope they pick me! Nothing is confirmed, but I thought I would share!!!YEA!

More GERD Information

Last week I decided it was time to contact the doctor about my symptoms (Acid reflux, nausea, throat restriction... basically, heartburn in my throat and upper chest.) after a rough couple of days. Everything I ate that can trigger GERD is in bold below. It started with a date to a Laotian Restaurant, Vientiane. (Vientiane is the capital city of Laos.) Aaron and I love hot food, and

G.E.R.D. & Identity Fraud

Some evil punter somehow got my PayPal information and ordered stuff using my account information!!!!!!!!!!!! Luckily, PayPal stopped the purchase and limited my account for protection. I am working with them to restore my account's security, but I am really upset about the felony offense committed against me.Then I get an angry e-mail from site the Felon got stuff from saying "You didn't pay

Everything is bigger in Texas…

I was worried about gaining weight while on my recent business trip to Plano, Texas. In the past I gained between 5 - 10 pounds per trip due to eating in restaurants for every meal, and not finding time to workout.This time I was very careful with what I ate. I did my best to eat as “normal” as possible. I didn’t order rich meals or stuff myself silly. I just tried to make the best choices I

Flying out of Dallas Tomorrow

We'll see how I did in Texas soon! I think I did okay, but I am so SORE and TIRED from working such crazy hours in the Hospital, and getting barely any sleep. It sucks. I know that sleep is important to good health too, and I am suffering. I will try out the Hotel's Workout facillities tonight! Should be FUN! :) I hope it stops raining so I can swim! :) (The pool is outside. :)I think I might

New Reward is on the way!

Last night we ordered my latest reward from Amazon.com!AI YORI AOSHI!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Complete Box Set!)I think I have GUSHED about how much I love this Anime before! It is a super cute lovely tale of a guy and a girl that are perfectly in love each other but have to keep it a secret. (Shhh! ;)As Children Kaoru and Aoi were engaged and the plan was for Kaoru to take over the Family Businesses.

Texas Bound and....

I will be heading to Texas for work May 4th - 10th. Business travel means eating out every meal... and that is never easy on the waistline. :) But I think that I will do all right! I am pretty much in "maintenance mode" now. I'm excited about it! My first "Go-Live" in a Hospital!OH! Cool stuff!I helped make a movie this weekend for a 48 hour Film Project! It was so much fun!! The movie

Getting smart about it! :)

I haven’t got on the scale the last few day. I got my period on Easter, and thought it would be better to wait until it was over. I know my weight spikes around this time of the month. Then you add in Easter Candy + PMS, and that can’t be a good result!I get so tired and worn-out and sore and crampy and down right horrible to be around this time of the month. Aaron is truly an Angel who

Sometimes I feel like she is out to get me...

Thursday night Aaron and I went over to my Mom's place to dye eggs with my little sister, Sammy. Becky and Lydel were there too! It was a "family thing."Some of you may remember me blogging about Sam in the past. She is only 8 years old yet she weighs nearly the same weight as me!Me, Becky, and Sammy - Jan 14, 2006While "the kids" dyed the eggs, Mom left to get a Papa Murphy's take &

Updated My Virtual Model Picture & Belly Shot.

The picture of me in the pose of a "My Virtual Model" was taken over a year ago. (March 24th, 2006 to be exact.) Time for an update!I also said that I wanted to add a more current picture of what my belly looks like, so I killed two birds with one stone! Tah-dah! You can really see the difference in my thighs! :-DNote the lack of "loose skin," and what's that below my

"I Wish Someone Would Do Something About How Fat I Am"

The title of this post is from a t-shirt I saw in “The Onion.”This shirt pokes fun at the idea that people don’t take responsibility for their own health.Even though it is supposed to be "funny," it really hit home with me. For so many years I just WISHED I weighed less, but I never did anything more than that.“God! I wish I was thinner! SIGH! (Mope, mope, eat more junk food…)” I even hoped I’

Greif and Stress

ACK! It’s been a while since I had a new entry here. Things have been so sad and stressful recently. On March 12th my cousin’s wife gave birth to a son who only lived for 90 minutes. The Funeral was last Friday. It was so touching and heartbreaking.My work has also been really stressful the last few weeks. I don’t seem to have any free time! (This is apparent by the lack of updates.) ;) Keeping

My Bootie is Better!

My tailbone has been given a clean bill of health! It will always be twisted to the right, but it no longer hurts. :-) I have a follow-up appointment on March 26th, but if I am still doing well by then, I can cancel it. :-) Woo!The weight I gained in February is being really stubborn! I was 149.25 this morning. It has taken me 12 days to lose a pound. If I keep at this rate it will take about 4

My "Skinny Jeans" are now my "Fat Pants"

The tight sexy jeans I used to squeeze myself into for a hot night out on the town are now the pants I wear when my period puff strikes. It is exciting! I am trying to focus on HOW COOL it is that the jeans I nearly had to lay down to zip up are now my "fat pants..." But it is so hard to do when my weight has spiked up so high...With my busted bootie, I have not been working out as much this

Happy Birthday to ME! :-D

Today is my 29th Birthday! :-D People keep asking me if this is my "Last Birthday." God I hope not! I am not going to do any "29 and holding stuff."I'm looking forward to what I can accomplish before I reach 30. :)We'll just have to wait and see what this year brings. :-)Cheers,Jess

I can't sit on that, I'll break it!!

It is so hard to get my head wrapped around the idea that I am a healthy size now.The other day a co-worker offered me a folding chair to sit on. It was one of those tiny ones that in the past would have flattened if I had tried to sit on it.I thought, "Oh GOD! I can’t sit on that, I’ll break it!!!"And I said just that. "I'm sorry, I think I'll break it."Then he gave me this look like… what

FAQ ASAP!

I finished the FAQ! You can navigate to it via the "Jess Link!" on theleft, or by clicking here!

More Before Pictures!

I added a few more pictures to my Before Pictures Section! I also plan to make a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page soon to answer things like: "Do you have loose skin?""How old are you?""How tall are you?" etc...I am going to enjoy my last few hours of weekend-ness!Cheers!Jess!

You Need Physical Therapy Because You Are Thin...

Last Monday I went to the Physical Therapist for the first time for my bad butt. She assessed my body and made me bend in all sorts of ways in the "comfort" of a hospital gown and my underwear.Her conclusion: My body does not know how to be thin!!!She said that my abs are good, which is something she always checks if there are lower back / butt troubles. It's just my butt and lower back are

This is the Plateau that Never Ends...

It just goes on and on my friends...My weight has been "145-ish" for over a year now. The first time I was under 145 was October 27, 2005. Since then I've had spikes as high as 152 (post Maui) and dips as low as 139.50 (then I stopped eating artificial sweeteners...). But over all in 2006 my weight was basically 145-ish.As you can see in my weight loss chart - I lost nearly 50 pounds in 2004,

My New "Carrot"

As you may know... the real key to my weight loss success has been self-bribery. Human beings are "hard-wired" to avoid pain and seek pleasure, so I've tapped into these 'primal instincts' to help achieve my fitness goals! :)Exercise is often perceived as "pain." It's this horrible, sweaty, laborious chore that you have to, but really just want to avoid! So I dangle a "carrot" in front of myself

Booty Boo-Boo

I will be going to Physical Therapy soon for my coccyx. It's an old injury to my tail bone that has become inflamed. It's been bothering me for nearly a year now. IT HURTS SO MUCH!!! The first time I went to my Doctor for it, she gave me a shot and things felt better for awhile. Then a few months later it flared back up again, so I went back in for my sore booty. Now the shot doesn't

Defying the experts, by just a tiny bit.

I wanted to "defy the experts" by losing weight over the Holidays. Well, I did it, but just barely. I've lost a quarter pound since Thanksgiving. I worked SO HARD for that quarter pound too!!! ;)Just when I started making progress, a party or my period would hit the reset button. Why is it so EASY to gain fat and so hard to lose it!?! ARGH!Okay, that wasn't just a whiny rhetorical question,