week 1

while i went to bed thinking about this blog post-- i actually had weird baby dreams. i might need to rethink the metaphor i'm using as a comparison!?!?

none the less-- here is post one of my 40 week journey. regardless of the confusion-- it is a wonderful thought to think if committed something will be dramatically different in the same time it takes to create a little person---sans stretch marks, discomfort or traditional labor pains. i'll have my own "labor" pains as i know all change comes with moments of being uncomfortable.

so lets jump in. here's how it's going to work-- i'm going to map out some of my overall goals i hope to obtain at the end of these 9 months. each week i'm going to plan out the goals i have for the week that i feel will help me work towards my end goals at a pace i can maintain.

my patterns in life have shown someone who can jump in full forth but loses steam part way through the run. for this extended journey its time to maintain a healthy stride only speeding up when i can see the finish line.

so here goes-- i'm going to list my goals. part of this first post as with any new life, i'm only able to outline them at this time. however with SMART goals, it's important to define exactly what you hope to attain with a timeline. today you get the draft and at some point, i will define them so they are measurable, but for now without any further ado...

GOALS:
*manage my $/begin savings
what does this mean?
pay off all debt that's behind right now.  follow drafted plan. once debt is caught up, follow strict budget created last october. start with small savings, eventually have diverse savings. 2-5 years from now look at investing in stock.

*feel balanced with my health/eliminate as many "bad" food choices
what does this mean?
the first part of this goal has to do with losing some weight. (per usual) this time i'd like to lose an initial 5 lbs (easy right!) then focus on the second part of this goal. eating whole grains as much as possible. eventually stop purchasing chips! (this is a big one) (i didn't say never eat them again--just don't keep them in my house). continue my marcrobiotic education--focusing on feeling a yin/yan balance everyday. this goal is also about maintaining good sleep habits.

*go to the gym regularly
what does this mean?
stay fit! these first few weeks will be about going to the gym 2-3 times per week. once i'm committing to that, then i want to permanently work out (sometimes that can be outside) for at least 3 times per week. each workout should burn at a minimum 400-500 calories, which means on non gym days outdoor activities (walking, biking, hiking etc) should burn 400-500 calories. i will plan out my weeks to incorporate gym days.

*continue to reflect on my relationship
what does this mean?
my partner is an amazing man. he makes the world a better place to live in. each day i'm happier because he's a part of my life. (that's the simple version of how i feel about him, with him) this goal is simply to maintain an awareness of my role in this relationship. my commitment. and the work i will put into it. in respect to my private partner, i won't be talking much about this goal-- other than acknowledging that it is a part of my 40 week project- but will go beyond those 40 weeks and so it is vital that i'm open to learning and understanding the unique ways this grows.


and this week:

1. go to the gym 3 times, most likely:  monday, wednesday (am) thursday (pm)
2. i will go to bed before or at 11:30pm 3-4 days out of the week
3. i will bring my checkbook to work and set up my direct deposit savings
4. i will call any past due bills
5. i will eat brown rice 4 days this week for a meal (i add stuff to it)
6. i will eat oatmeal for breakfast 3-4 days this week


see you next week.

ah ha!

i had to take a moment to live my life instead of blogging it. sometimes you have to do that. you have to break away from documenting your ever bite of food and activity and actually fully enjoy them.

anyway tonight i need to hit the hay pretty early on so i am sharing an "ah ha" moment with you. feeling full from a very yummy dinner with the neighbors, my uncomfortable self who skipped the gym, reminded myself of the numbers on the scale and went for a short walk. it was a nice walk but i wondered what "crash" diet i could do to make my confidence boost a bit to see some smaller numbers on the scale.

instead of researching crash diets, or throwing all the food away in my house, i decided to use the "perfect diet tracker" that i purchased a year ago and put in my food for the day. and there it was! a year ago i was 2lbs lighter--and an inch larger in my waist. this still wasn't much of an "ah ha" moment--so i looked some more and noticed that my Jan. 26 2009 weigh in was 5 wonderful lbs lighter BUT my measurements weren't too far off --which meant that i need to FOCUS on those 5lbs and i might stop beating myself up--still very informative but not the ah ha moment i needed.

after i finished putting all that i ate leaving out the homemade chai (it wasn't an option)-- i saw it. the bottom of my menu page turned red and it told me i went 160 calories over my target caloric intake.

AH HA! so i am eating too much.

despite my love affair with food i think i know how to fix that. and thus operation shut your mouth starts tomorrow. its water and chewing gum each day, stealing "breaks" to get in a quick ten minute walk or sprint up the stairs.

i can do this.

i am the only motivation i need.

life happens

when life happens sometimes things like blog entries don't get updated so often.

also when life happens and your new job feeds you free lunch and yummy homemade desserts diets get cheated on.

i've been so very bad. and have enjoyed every bite!

NEED to jump back on track! help me get there with your updates.

with peace...jps

week one weigh in

i'm pretty hungry but always forget to weigh in before eating so today i remembered and am happy!

Before Diet
149lb-150lb (holiday bonus weight!!)
(sadly i didn't do any measurements)

After week one
and the scale says 144.2
I won't post bust measurements, as it's always just going to be a small bust ;) lol
Waist 26.5in
H 36.5in
Thighs 21in (be kind folks this is one of my target areas) (and of course hardest place to lose weight for women)
Arms 9 in

This is def. one of the first and most public ways i've announced my progress but i'm trying to provide honesty for the motivation you've all given me. i have a "diet tracker", which when used frequently is another great tool for staying fit, well i've gone back and forth with it, however i did try to update my weight every now and again.

i was actually at 144 in Aug of 2008, with some of the same measurments, however my thighs were .5in bigger and my hips were a whole 1 inch bigger! so i'm feeling really good about the measurements.

which of course give me reason to stick to the "I" Diet (as it's called in the book) and see myself applying a lot of it's tips into future eating habits.

that being said, i'm ready for some high fiber cereal,granola and fruit for breakfast.

happy monday.

You only think you are hungry...

i'm sorry that you are reading my thoughts again as I'm sure at this point you're more excited about hearing from Justin. nonetheless blogs don't write themselves and unlike his unemployed friend over here, justin has a life.

so i'm doing it. i'm starting a diet. i think i mentioned the last diet i did was South Beach with my mom about 5 years ago. i learned a lot from South Beach so I never thought a diet was necessarily the thing i needed as i had altered a lot of what and how i ate.

but something that happens when you embark on something new, is you are awarded the beginning stages. the most fun of everything. the new year, a new job and a new diet. you get the exciting feelings of starting something good and for all you know, lasting.

i might not be gearing up for my inauguration speech marking the beginning of changing a whole nation, but i'm gearing up to change my world. change my habits. change my breakfasts, lunches, dinners and hopefully in two months pants size.

the start of a race. the purchase of something new. the purchase of something new and big; a car, a computer, a house. the birth of a child. a new engagement. the first day of training at a job that pays a salary that is very new and exciting for you. the first date, with for once a great guy.

always so promising and so exciting. usually coming at times when most needed, pushing us towards a change in a path that might have started to look worn. and we, often welcome the change when it's on our own accord.

these are the reasons it was time to start a new diet. and as predicted, i'm pretty excited. i've read most of the introduction and agreed with the author page after page, the feeling of visiting with a friend at a coffee shop nodding through each others' stories. yes- you understand how i'm feeling!

the food choices almost require very little shopping which makes me feel good about the things i'm already eating. i'm excited that it's an 8 week diet. 2 months. easy. and the no alcohol phase is only 2 weeks. i'm excited that Dr. Susan Roberts (the author) hasn't yelled at me for not working out and even told me i dont' have to work out to lose.

now- i love working out and got new gym clothes for christmas, so once i brush this "the gym is how far away and it's how cold out?" funk off my shoulders i'm sure the workouts will help the world seem so much more beautiful on so many levels.

so here are the stats. and yes, i'm about to admit my actual weight.very scary moment here since i almost never talk about how much i actually weigh, just how much i'd like to weigh. but how can i compete with justin and make you realize that this is totally possible and make me actually commit to something other than cleaning if i don't face the truth?

currently at 149lbs. (i'm 5'7 for any of you math wizards calculating my BMI out there-- don't stress, i'll post that here next) would like to be 130lbs. i would like to tone my thighs and buns (who doesn't right?) and increase my visible abs from 4 to 6 including my obliques.

stay tuned, for pictures. (yes very scary) and measurments. i'll talk to justin and maybe we'll come up with a format for reporting that to one another.

after finishing the rest of the cape cod chips with sour cream and onion dip(yes i finished that too) last night, i think i've almost cleaned out the accessible crap foods in the fridge and am probably ready to start tomorrow.

any personal inspirational quotes you'd like to share? or pictures of you eating dough boys at the fair?