My St. Patrick’s Day race is this weekend and I’m excited! I have never participated in a race before and I will be running with 21,000 people! A little intimidating, huh?

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about how I got an allergy infection. To be honest, I made it an excuse to not run for a few days after I felt better. It wasn’t because I was lazy (ok, maybe a little) or didn’t want to run out of fear I’d get another infection. I made excuses simply because I was scared of the race itself.

I’ve been thinking; instead of being scared and nervous for this race, why not embrace it? After all, I decided to do this and it’s not like I was forced. I reminded myself of the reasons why I decided to sign up:

-To do something new

-Achieve a new goal

-Run a race without walking or stopping

-Support a local children’s hospital by signing up and participating

-Prove to myself I can do whatever I put my mind to

-Stop using asthma as an excuse for not running

-Jumpstart my running “career” for future races and longer distances

Another thought came to mind: Valerie. Valerie Bertinelli recently discussed in her new Jenny Craig blog and video post that she is headed to Italy on vacation, and is still committed to running the Boston marathon when she comes back. It was really motivating and inspirational because many of us (myself included) tend to put things in the way of accomplishing goals, not because we think we can’t, but because we’re scared.

I’ve been running everyday now for the past week and a half to prepare for this Sunday and I’m going to run again tonight! Wish me luck, and if anyone else is getting ready for a race or marathon I wish you luck too!

Val's turning the big 5-0!

I just read Good Housekeeping’s article about Valerie Bertinelli. I can’t believe she is almost 50; she doesn’t look it at all! I really hope I can look like that when I hit the big 5-0.

Her down-to-earth personality shined as I read about her struggles, obstacles she has overcome, family life, and accomplishments. She truly seems to be happy in her own skin now. She explained how Jenny Craig has helped many aspects of her life because she was able to understand why she had been overeating, and learn how to face the emotional problem rather than fill a void with jalapẽno cheese poppers! I recall so many times where I have eaten to solve my relationship woes, and Val is right, we have to learn different ways to deal and cope.

I loved Val’s video interview with the behind-the-scenes of her photo shoot. She looked so happy, healthy, and was embracing getting older. She talked about being grateful, learning to love and forgive. It made me realize how at any age we should be grateful for everything we have been given. She also taught me how truly important for us to forgive others, but most importantly, ourselves. If we can’t forgive ourselves how can we possibly learn to forgive others and move forward?

I thought her article was truly inspiring and put me in a great mood to kick-start my weekend! Thanks, Val!

Val's before and after!

Have you ever put motivational pictures on your fridge so you stay on track, and won’t grab that late-night pint of ice cream? I have!

I thought instead of putting a picture up to keep me from munching, I would put the Jenny Craig team up on JC Talk! This way they all act as reminders and inspiration on my online “communal fridge.”

Here are some awesome pictures to keep you  motivated along with links to Val, Sara, Nicole, and Jason’s video blogs, plus a behind-the-scenes too!

Valerie

• http://jennycraig.com/successstories/blog/valerie/100007
• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/33/3q056PjdYK8
• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/4/07NLLGW0p84

Sara

• http://jennycraig.com/successstories/blog/sara/saravlog2
• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/8/vDEb2zBBbk4

Nicole

• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/25/Wu_hBeTNfDE
• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/0/cIGp0v3liao

Jason

• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/9/fq1WC-9uh_c
• http://www.youtube.com/jennycraig#p/u/1/2DC8pE0LiJA

Behind the scenes with Valerie!

Sara in December

Sara in January

Nicole in October

Nicole in February

I’ve been trying to cook more to keep both my bank account and scale down, and let me tell you, it’s harder than I thought. It’s strange because I love to cook. I enjoy trying new recipes, foods and cuisine, and more than anything I like cooking for the people I love.

I thought it would be easy. My mindset was to go to work, get groceries after, and go home and make dinner. Simple, right? Wrong! There have been days where I got off early and going to the store afterwards was a breeze. But mostly there have been days when I get off later than usual, get stuck in traffic, weasel my way through the massive crowd at the grocery store, get stuck in more traffic, and by the time I get home am too tired to even lift a fork.

So how are we supposed to stay healthy by not eating out, and have enough strength and motivation to make dinner each night after a long day of work? I realized I had to strategize and come up with a plan. After much thought and take out (oops), I figured out what works best for me.

Sundays I plan my meals with my family or boyfriend (whoever) and come up with what we want to eat. If you’ve reached your halfway point with Jenny or have just met your goal and are starting to make more of your own meals, this is a great plan! You can get everything you need for a week’s worth of dinners in advance.

When I watched Nicole Sullivan’s recent video blog on Jenny Craig’s website I thought, “Wow, I know exactly how you feel! I’m excited about sitting as a family and eating together too!” It’s amazing how many families (whether it’s a couple or a family of eight) go through these same dilemmas. All it takes is sitting down and deciding that dinner time is family time and you can make it happen!

This can also be a fun way to interact with your family when deciding what meals you want during the week. If you’re on Jenny Craig you can make meals exciting by making a homemade version of what you’ll be having for dinner for the rest of your family! That way you are all eating the same kind of meal!

It’s also a great way to teach children good eating habits. By showing your children sitting at the table as a family is important, it builds a healthy habit. Children also learn the importance of eating healthy and nutritious food when they see you are making healthy choices with your Jenny meals, when you go to the grocery store together, help in the kitchen, and enjoy meals as a family!

So what’s on your plate tonight?

Are allergies bugging you as much as they are me? This past week was a nightmare. Although I absolutely love spring, when the seasons start to shift from winter, my allergies go crazy from all the budding flowers and pollen.

I made the big mistake of going on a run after work and a block after I started, realized I should turn around. But did I? Of course not. I finished my three mile run then came back with swollen eyes, a stuffed up nose, and an inflamed throat. Thank you, pollen!

As a result I have been sneezing and blowing my nose for the past week. Of course I put running outside and training for my race on hold as to not make it worse. I decided I’d take my workouts inside. It’s also important to build muscle when training for a race rather than just running alone.

As for the market, I went on Sunday morning and LOVED it; I can’t wait to go again! The best part was when I stopped by a honey stand and discovered how raw honey can help allergies, obesity, and insomnia amongst others. Local raw honey helps your allergies because the bees get nectar from local flowers, which helps you build immunity to the flowers and pollen in your area. Check out these interesting articles I found from howstuffworks.com and EatingWell magazine about how honey can help allergies!

If you get local raw honey from your local markets you are not only helping your allergies but your farmers as well. It’s a win, win situation! I’ve been adding this honey to my tea and in the morning either on my banana or replace butter and jam on my toast with it. You can also add it to your dinner, like with this honey-soy broiled salmon recipe Remember not to eat too much honey. It does contain sugar so you’ll want to limit yourself to three tablespoons a day. I must say, after trying local honey I will never go back to the store bought kind. It tastes more fresh and floral, and knowing that it was made locally instead of on a conveyer belt helps too.

Maybe Winnie the Pooh was onto something!

So as I previously pledged, I’m going to participate in the local St. Patrick’s Day race. I officially signed up this morning (eek!), and now I have to stick with it! I’m going to have to figure out a good routine to either get up early or run after work to train. I have a little less than a month so wish me luck and I’ll keep you posted! If you’re interested in finding a local race or marathon check out Cool Running’s website and find what’s coming up in your area!

In the meantime, since today starts my “no eating after dinner” vow for the next 46 days (April 3^rd seems so far away!) I’ve been trying to think of other ways I can get excited and enthusiastic besides late-night snacking while watching the Olympics.

I’ve decided I’m going to replace a bad habit with a good one. I absolutely LOVE to cook, although I do prefer baking! Since I can’t (correction, won’t) eat late at night, I’m going to make phenomenal dinners so I won’t have the desire or the stomach space to eat late.

Rather than just going to the grocery store and roaming the aisles for inspiration I decided visiting local farmers’ markets would be more fun! Not only are there awesome fruits and veggies that you can sample, but some of the stands offer free recipes as well! It’s a great way to get out with friends or family, and be a part of the community and get fresh produce. I found a great website where you can look up your local farmers’ markets, so rather than lounge around all weekend I’m going to hit up my local farmers’ markets! I’m excited to see what I can find, taste, and take back to create my next masterpiece! Who needs late-night snacks now?!

In honor of Mardi Gras starting tomorrow I thought I’d look into cooking a classic Cajun style dinner. Cajun food is absolutely delicious, but can pack on calories with butter and starch.

Thus I went on a mission to find a healthy dish. I finally came across a Cooking Light recipe that looks out of this world. The best part is not only is it healthy, but other New Orleans recipes are included as well!

So what the heck, lets try out a few! My top picks to make are the Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage, and for my sweet tooth I’ll make the Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. Both recipes are under 500 calories a serving, which is awesome! This may seem like a splurge, but if you plan ahead you can enjoy a special meal and keep on track.

Speaking of Mardi Gras, is anyone giving something up for Lent this year? I decided to challenge myself. After going back and forth trying to figure out whether or not I actually wanted to commit, I’ve decided no more eating after dinner. I’m going WAY out of my comfort zone. It will most definitely be hard to give up late night chips, popcorn, and dessert, but I think I can do it!

If anyone has advice besides locking my cabinets and refrigerator or placing an alarm system in my kitchen to keep me away from snacking, I’m all ears! For those of you who are also going to give something up this week, good luck! I’ll let you know how it went in April (eek that sounds far away); I should probably pick up a late-night hobby for the next 46 days!

I must admit, when I started hearing about doctors recommending drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day I wasn’t fazed. I am without a doubt, the biggest water drinker I know. To keep up with my water trends, over the years I have gone from trendy athletic water bottles to the newest, Klean Kanteen.

Needless to say, although I think of myself as a water expert, I was fascinated when I came across this water article on Oprah. Although I know the 8 glasses a day rule, I never really knew the logic behind why our bodies actually need and crave water. There’s got to be a reason why our bodies are comprised of 60% of water, eh? I also discovered our bodies can actually give us signs and signals for as to when we need water when we are dehydrated, need energy, or to aid in digestion.

The article ends with a challenge that is something we all can try. For a week when you start to get thirsty, go for water rather than coffee, soda, or juice and pay attention to how your body and mood feels after. You might start noticing you don’t need that caffeine fix or morning cup of orange juice to you get you going. Water can give you the boost you need without the calories!

Perhaps they were onto something when they deemed water the elixir of life!

Way to go, Valerie!

As we spring forward into the new year it’s important to also focus on our bodies as well as food. Let’s face it; some of us haven’t hit the pavement or the treadmills in quite some time (if at all) and tend to put exercise at the bottom of our lists.

Whether you’re getting outside or staying in the gym, it’s important to remember the best approach for your body.

Check out this article I recently read from Shape Magazine that gives great running tips for beginners and pros. As someone who is not always the most enthusiastic about jogging, this article really helped me realize some of the things I have been doing wrong, as well as how I can better myself when I hit the ground running!

In fact, after watching Val’s half-marathon video blog I was inspired to get out there and see what I’m capable of. I’ve decided to do a local St. Patrick’s Day race. I’m starting small with a 5k (3.1 miles), and see where I can take myself from there! Whether it’s walking, run-walking, or full on sprinting, let’s continue to challenge ourselves this year like Val has!

Wow! It seems like JC has really upped the celebrity action! First it was Nicole, then Sara and now Jason Alexander! First off, Nicole and Sara are both doing great and are on track, I know some people are afraid they won’t see as much of them. That’s not the case. Jenny Craig hasn’t had a male spokesperson since Baron Davis, so Jason is filling big shoes

I’ve always loved his work and am really happy to see that he’s taking the necessary steps to get healthy. He talks about it with Valerie Bertinelli here in this video.

It should be a fun Journey!

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