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.
Yay!!! So Christmas is literally right around the corner with New Years coming up as well! It’s party time . . . and you know what that means. Food. And not necessariliy the kind you should be eating. But it’s the Holidays, right? Well, here’s some good news for those that would like a special treat. you can have your cake . .make that fudge, and eat it too! This recipe is really good, and although a portion size is small, it’s really rich and enjoyable. And no candy thermometer required! The fun thing about this recipe is that it can be personalized to your taste. You could add extra cinnamon, or even cayenne if you want to make a spicy Mayan fudge. Play around with it! Watch my how-to video and let me know what you think!
So in case you haven’t heard . . . Sara Rue is Jenny Craig’s newest celebrity client! You’ve seen her most recently on Eastwick and Big Bang Theory. It was announced a little over a week ago so you can already find videos etc on the JC site. Check out this article from People Magazine that talks about how Sara has already lost 7 pounds !!! What a way to kick start the program. Anyhow, Val has said that she is super excited to mentor Sara, and I’m excited to see the process! If you want to follow her progress too, you can read her blog at http://jennycraig.com/successstories/blog/sara and follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/SaraRueForReal
So I’ve made a few recipe videos for you! Jenny Craig has so many recipes on its website and I thought it would be fun to go through them and show you how to make a few. The first video is about making a healthier version of pumpkin pie. I know my family enjoys pumpkin pie throughout the holidays! Here it is! Be sure to comment and let me know what you think!
It can be tough to stick with water at a party or after a long week of work. So what do you do? Well, one strategy is to plan ahead and instead of denying yourself a drink, make a smart choice about what to have. EatingWell Magazine put out a great article that taste tests light beers. Here are the results (I like Michelob Ultra Amber, myself):
*Nutrition information for 12-ounce bottle | ABV = alcohol by volume
Michelob ULTRA Amber ABV 5.0% 114 calories 3.7 grams carbohydrate Dark golden color and malty, sweet flavor.
Redhook Ale Brewery Slim Chance ABV 3.9% 125 calories 8.7 grams carbohydrate Refreshing and light.
Sam Adams Light ABV 4.0% 119 calories 9.6 grams carbohydrate Crisp, malty and smooth.
Shipyard Light ABV 3.9% 97 calories 7.4 grams carbohydrate Nicely balanced beer was the most mild of the batch.
New Belgium Brewing Skinny Dip ABV 4.2% 110 calories 7 grams carbohydrate Bright golden color and delicious citrus notes.
I just read this fantastic article by Rebecca Pratt, from SparkPeople. It gives you 10 reasons why you working out in the morning is the best. I have to agree, although I find that getting into the rhythm of getting up early can be challenging! When do you schedule your exercise?
“Top Ten Reasons” for getting up with the early birds to get moving:
Exercising early in the morning “jump starts” your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours! As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long—just because you exercised in the morning.
Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplinedandgood for you. (Much better than a worm!)
Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.
Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep. (If getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day seems too daunting, you can ease into it with 10 to 20 minutes at first.)
When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body’s endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because: 1. Your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.) 2. Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc. 3. Your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you’re sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up.
Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods
People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise.
Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.)
More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.
Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!
In Phylicia’s latest video blog, Phylicia took some time to talk about her success and answered questions submitted by people on the JC forums! In fact, Phylicia answered two questions from our very own Hope! Click here to see the video, and click here to submit your own question.
She looks fantastic after losing 35 pounds. She doesn’t look at all her age!
Well I’m officially 39 now and I lost 33 pounds for my birthday. I was disappointed for a solid minute during my Jenny Craig consultation and then it was all about facing forward. I’ve attached some pictures of myself wearing a size MEDIUM dress and it’s from Target. I never could have worn anything that didn’t have at least one “x” in it 33 pounds ago, so I’m incredibly proud and excited about the next 33 pounds to lose. I spent my consultation focusing on the next short term goal which is still to hit 40 pounds. I’m only 7 pounds away and I know I can do it.
I must admit I had to borrow a little of my consultant’s faith in me. Just hearing her say every week that I CAN do this and that she is 100% convinced, makes me take the leap of faith in myself. I LOVE the one on one attention. Maybe it’s because I’m an only child. I like being the focus. This journey isn’t easy so I don’t miss the days of the other program where I would sit in a large group and have to hear about solutions to problems I didn’t have. I’m glad I found the courage to walk through Jenny’s door and I’m even more proud of the courage I’ve had to stay. So much has happened in my life….loss of a baby, unraveling of a marriage, and the threat of being layed off. But you know, through all of that the skills I’ve learned on this program have taught me that no matter what I belong on the list of people to take care of. As I continue to put myself at the top of my list of priorities I continue to have more to give to others and to my job. I’ve learned you can’t give what you don’t have and because of this program I now have a LOT to give.
39 and 33 pounds lighter!
So that’s my update. It’s knocking on the door of another “first” and I always thought it was crazy to only be excited on January 1st. We have 11 others we could embrace and get pumped up about. So I’m pumped, I’m excited and just too thrilled at the possibility that THIS Christmas I could be weighing ‘1′ something. Only 10pounds away now, so it’s possible. My choices are the only thing stopping me.
We all could use a heart-healthy diet, but sometimes finding tasty recipes that are also great for your heart is challenging. Well here is a super tasty salmon recipe you can try tonight! The omega-3 fatty acids may actually lower the risk of, heart attacks and stroke.
Salmon on a Bed of Leeks
1 bunch leeks (3 to 4)
2 tsps butter or margarine
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
2 8-oz salmon fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbls grated Gruyère cheese
Trim green tops and root ends from leeks; slit vertically into quarters, leaving 1/3 inch intact at root end. Separate sections and wash under cold running water; drain well. In 10-inch sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until leeks are wilted. Stir in wine, arrange salmon on leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over salmon; cover and cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until salmon is opaque around edges and firm, and cheese is melted. Transfer to warm dinner plate with broad spatula and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings. Per serving: 286 calories, 14 grams fat
OMG! As if looking amazing in a bikini wasn’t enough, Valerie Bertinelli ran the Napa to Sonoma Wine Country half marathon last weekend. Folks, that’s 13.1 miles! And she finished in 2:12:19! This should show a lot of her critics that she really has worked hard for her success. Her trainer is trying to convince her to run a full marathon before she’s 50 next April, but Val is convinced just yet. I don’t know about you, but I am proud of Val! She never ceases to inspire. Check out this interview after she finished the race!
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.
