I just watched Sara Rue’s new Jenny Craig video blog, and I love her! I think she’s such an inspiration and she’s someone I can really relate to.

In her blog she talked about going off the bandwagon over vacations (or in her situation, “workcations”), and how sometimes we can be hard on ourselves with our body image, and reward systems.

I have to admit, when I feel as though I deserve a reward for my weight loss efforts, I don’t normally reward myself with a manicure, massage, going out to see a movie, etc. Instead, I reward myself with food. I splurge. I get that milkshake I’ve been dying to have, or a chocolate dessert or fries. I ultimately go off track and end up gaining that weight back that I was originally rewarding myself for losing.

Sara really opened my eyes to this, and I’ve decided I need to start finding new non-food related ways of rewarding myself for accomplishing goals.  Maybe I’ll get that full length mirror I’ve been wanting for months, or perhaps I’ll get a new nail polish that’s a fun summer color, or maybe I’ll get that egg poacher I’ve also been wanting!

What are ways you like to reward yourself? Do you tend to reward yourself with food like me? I’m all ears for suggestions for fun things to reward myself with!

Post your comments here!

30 pounds!

Wow, Jason Alexander looks absolutely fantastic. I was excited to see he reached his goal yesterday. He’s lost 30 pounds and he looks 10 year younger.  It’s great that Jenny Craig works so well for men too!

I saw Jason’s new commercial with Val and thought it was hilarious!  In honor of Jason reaching his goal I decided to dedicate this post to his pictures and new commercials and video blog!

Congratulations Jason!

• Jason and Val’s new commercial
• Jason’s video blog
• Jason on ABC News!
• People Magazine featuring Jason

Post comments here!

Jason before

Jason after

I recently read on Jenny Craig’s Facebook that they have a new spokesperson! Her name is Kelly and she’s a mom from central Oregon who’s on the Jenny At-Home program.  She’s fun and vivacious and I feel like many will be able to relate to her as a non-celebrity, mother, and at-home dieter.

She has a great blog that I’ve been following since she started the program a few weeks ago.  In her recent post she describes a moment when she and her friend were going over Jenny Craig’s eating styles and discovered (to her surprise) that she is an unconscious eater.  This means she’s completely unaware of what she’s eating.  Kelly realized when she makes packed lunches for her children she nibbles and munches on sandwich crusts and anything else she puts in those brown bags!

I can totally relate to being an unconscious eater. I’ve been known to sit at my desk at work and munch on snacks. Before I know it I’ve gone through a pack of M&Ms, candy, and other unhealthy snacks. I’ve also been known at times to be a social eater (where your eating is influenced by others). I’ll be hanging out with friends and they’ll grab snacks and start snacking, and although I’m not hungry, I’ll again find myself munching on everything in sight.

Kelly’s consultant has advised when she eats she should turn the TV off, connect with the food she’s eating and taste and savor each bite!  I’m excited to see what Kelly learns along the way during her weight loss journey on Jenny Craig. I can’t wait to see what tricks and tips she might have for the unconscious eaters out there!

What kind of eater are you?

• Uninformed Eater - need to learn about healthy eating
• Emotional Eater - eating in response to feelings
• Unconscious Eater - unaware of your eating
• Social Eater - eating influenced by others
• Balanced Eater - maintaining a healthy relationship with food

Post your comments here!

Lately at work I have been terrible at eating healthy.  There’s an enormous snack drawer loaded with the best (worst) snacks out there. Candy bars, fruit snacks, sugary bubblegum, you name it and it’s probably in there.

Needless to say I’ve been lazy too. I know I can bring in snacks from home but I can’t ever figure out what I can bring in as a healthy option, and I as a result, I often find myself steering towards the dreaded drawer as a fallback option when I “forget” to bring something.

I came across this Cooking Light article and thought, “Hey these snacks look easy and tasty!”  For someone who’s on maintenance or halfway through Jenny Craig and are looking for some snacks they can take to work (or on the go), these seem great!

All of the snacks are 200 calories or less and are easy to plan ahead and bring in so you (or I) don’t have to sneak away to the candy drawer.  The two best snacks ideas I hadn’t considered bringing in, but sound delicious, are the mini pitas with hummus and popcorn parmesan!  I’ve realized instead of late-night snacking I can just move it earlier in my day and have the popcorn as an afternoon treat, instead of right before bed!

Who needs the candy drawer now? Not me!

Leave comments here!

Ron Treend is such an inspiration. I came across this article the other day and was completely blown away by his story.  Ron has created the ultimate bucket list.  Some of the things on his list include racing in the Delta Triathlon, riding a horse, and hiking the Grouse Grind in Vancouver

It was hard to believe three years ago none of this could have been possible for Ron because he was nearly 400 pounds.  Like many of us, Ron’s weight gradually caught up with him over the years (especially since he’s a chef) and soon enough he hit his limit.

Ron tried every diet in the book, and finally got it right when he joined Jenny Craig. His wife, Jennifer, had been on the weight loss program and lost almost 90 pounds, so Ron figured he’d give it a try.  Boy did it pay off!

He said the best lesson he took away from the program was learning portion control, not to mention having a consultant and confidant who you could go to for support.

Ron’s weight loss started to slow down after he hit the 295 mark, but that didn’t stop him.  What did he do? Started exercising!  He had small victories and eventually went from 10 minutes on a treadmill to participating in the Delta Triathlon this weekend!

Today Ron weighs 185 pounds, and has completely done a 180 on his life! The almost 50-year-old now has time to add more to his bucket list, and has definitely inspired me to keep with it, take everything a day at a time, and expand my personal bucket list!  Good luck this weekend, Ron!

Leave comments here!

I just read Valerie Bertinelli’s latest blog post on Jenny Craig.  I totally understand what she went through. When you’re on vacation you want to relax and enjoy yourself. It’s hard to keep on track and maintain (or lose).  I thought it was great how Valerie made a point to walk as much as she could and logged more than 80 miles total during her trip!

Valerie planned for possible gaining weight, and what’s better is she planned for what she would do when she got back.  I have often found myself coming back from trip, but my stomach stays on vacation.  I continue the unhealthy eating habits well beyond my time off, and end up spiraling out of control and gaining more than I did when I was on vacation.

It’s really hard to get out of the vacation mindset and I think Valerie is onto something.  If you make a game plan and decide when you get home to get back on the wagon, stay motivated, and keep your eyes on the prize, you’ll succeed like she has.

She’s staying on track with running and preparing for her marathon in a week, and I am nothing short of inspired by her determination, but above all dedication to herself and the goals she sets.  Since her trip she’s already lost those measly three pounds she put on while in Italy! Her idea of planning isn’t hard either. It’s about focus, commitment, and enthusiasm, and we can do it too!

The next time I go on a vacation I’m going to do what Valerie does, and plan, plan, plan!

I was reading comments this morning on Jenny Craig’s fanpage on Facebook and came across a male dieter who has lost 180 pounds on the program! I instantly clicked the link to read his story.

Craig comes from a family much like my own. We socialize at dinner and it is our main event of the day. Like Craig’s mom, my dad really enjoys cooking, and we learned how much we love food at a young age. Craig rarely exercised and spent most of his time watching sporting games, eating, and paid little attention to what was happening to his body.

Craig’s a longtime sports and Philadelphia Eagles fan, and his breaking point came when he realized how hard it was for him to walk back and forth from the parking lot tailgates to the games. He recognized he needed to take action and fast.

He joined Jenny Craig and lost 20 pounds in two weeks, and while continuing to lose, started to get more active as well. Craig rode his stationary bike at home while watching sporting games for a half hour or more, and as the weight continued to come off he donated his “fat” clothes and purchased a new wardrobe!

Not only did his waistline and wardrobe change, but so did Craig’s health. At a visit to the doctor he received news that his sleep apnea, high blood pressure and cholesterol (caused by being overweight) had cleared!

Craig’s life changed for the better, and through support from his family, friends, and Jenny Craig consultant, Jan, he was able to lose 180 pounds, and gain confidence and happiness.

His story was truly inspirational and encouraging. It’s so wonderful to read stories like this and see peoples’ lives have changed and grown—for the better. Congratulations, Craig! You did it!

Here’s a link to his inspiring story: http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/03/29/craigs-love-of-sports-helped-him-shed-half-his-weight/

I love carbs. Bread, pasta, cookies, cake, and pie. You name it, and I will eat it. Lately, however, there have been many diets, trends, and nutritional advice to steer clear from these foods I love so dearly. All I seem to see and hear is low-carb this and low-carb that. Enough already!

It’s hard for me to wrap not eating carbs around my brain (and my stomach). I’ve tried no carb and low-carb diets before, and it seems like the second you eat a crouton all the weight comes right back on. No, I don’t sit and eat a bucket of croutons and then pretend like I don’t know how the weight came back. For me, it’s hard to cut something out of my diet for a period of time and reintroduce it without my body freaking out.

I recently read an article from Jenny Craig that discusses carb-phobia and if you should avoid carbs. According to a new survey discussed in the article, apparently the low-carb craze might be coming to an end. So many Americans have tried (and failed) with low-carb diets that they are beginning to search for something different and realistic.

When consumers were asked what they look for in products when they go to the store, only one-third of the people even considered carbs. Most people look at the calorie count, total fat content, and calories from fat.

When thinking about moving away from low-carb diets, merely think about upping your fruit and veggie intake and eating carbs after. When you do have them, consider whole-grains, brown rice, and healthier carbs.

In fact, this article says the key to weight loss is simply calories. Who knew it could be so simple? When you retrain yourself to think about calories, you can still eat what you want, as long as it stays within your calorie “budget.” Jenny Craig focuses on this. They determine how many calories a client needs a day in order to lose weight, and still allow for plenty of favorites: pasta, cake, and bread!

This article put any low-carb demons I had to rest. It’s reassuring to know if you want to lose weight you don’t have to say goodbye to carbs, you just have to learn how to fit it into your budget! Carb-tastic!

Way to go, Nicole!

Wow! I can’t believe how great Nicole Sullivan looks! In case you didn’t know, she just completed her goal of losing 35 pounds on Jenny Craig! She wanted to get rid of the weight she gained from her pregnancy, and boy does she look fantastic!

I’ve been following her blog on Jenny Craig and was so excited for her when I saw this she finished this past week! She looks phenomenal in that swimming suit, and she inspires me so I can stand up proud (and without a cover-up on) in my bikini when summer comes!

Watch her new commercial!

Check out her latest video blog!

Congrats Nicole!

Nicole Before (after her pregnancy)

Nicole After!

Nicole's in People Magazine!

Quinoa-stuffed red bell peppers

Last night was my night for making dinner. Dinner is always a struggle for me. Although I love to cook, some days you just don’t feel like going to the store after work, and slaving away in the kitchen when you could plop on the couch and watch TV instead.

Alas, I decided to ignore the TV calling my name. I got my creative juices flowing and thought about what I could make for my boyfriend and his dad (who is gluten and dairy intolerant). Talk about a challenge, eh?

I decided instead of thinking of dinner as an annoyance, I’d think of it as relaxing instead. I wasn’t sure how this was going to happen because sometimes while cooking I get anxious and think, “Will I have everything ready at the same time? Will everyone like it? Is it completely gluten and dairy-free?” With all the questions rolling around in my head I can end up frustrated, stressed and moody.

So what did I do to change cooking from stressful to stress-free? I planned. On my lunch break I found an awesome (gluten-free) recipe for quinoa stuffed red bell peppers from Shape magazine and thought I’d pair it with rosemary and lemon chicken. This would be a great MOYM for JCers; they’re only 237 calories a serving, and are super filling! What did I do about dairy you ask? I simply left one of the red bell peppers without cheese before popping it in the oven. Presto!

My cooking experience was just how I had planned: relaxing. I got organized and everything came out at the same time! It’s incredible when you put your mind to something and decide, “Hey, I’m going to make this a fun experience and even though I’ve never made this dish before, it’s going to be an adventure!”

Everyone ended up loving the dinner, which made me feel like a success! From now on I’m going to try using cooking dinner as a relaxing activity after work. It’s better than sitting in front of TV with a bag of chips waiting for your delivery to arrive, and you burn a few calories in the process!