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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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!

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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

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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!

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This topic really comes from my personal struggle with people who used to be very close to me, but after catching them in SO many lies I finally got the courage to eliminate them from my life. BUT lately I’ve realized that when you point 1 finger at someone else there are 3 pointed back at you.

There are some common “lies” that I tell myself or have told myself along this journey and the more I expose the lies the healthier I become. So my challenge to myself and to all of you if you wish to take it is to tell the TRUTH…to come clean.

Here are some of my little “lies” that I can still tell myself that I need to dig up and throw out of my life:

1. I tell myself there’s something wrong with me when I deviate. I can go into deep analysis. TRUTH: I’m human and imperfect and have had years of using food to cope so I slip sometimes so what. Just move on.

2. I can start to doubt my ability to go all the way to my goal weight. TRUTH: Doubt doesn’t mean don’t. In other words I can move forward and still doubt. It’s just a feeling/emotion it’s not a fact

So those are just 2 of the lies I need to throw out of my life. How about you?

Here’s to our own personal truths. A life of integrity starts with keeping promises to the person we spend the most time with….ourselves.

Here we go….. Hope

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On my second flight yesterday, there was this little girl who just kept staring at me. I wondered what she was thinking as she smiled so innocently at me. It took me back to her age and the thoughts I used to have when I’d see women like me…dressed in a suit, seemingly going “places”, and wondering just what life had waiting ahead. Then this quote came to me that I think applies to our journey:

“We must give up the life we had planned to have the life waiting for us”

Childhood dreams sometimes come true and then sometimes not. For some of us, we are living lives VERY different than what we imagined for ourselves. BUT the innocence on that little girls face made me see it from a new perspective. Even though some dreams haven’t come true and some may be lost forever, there is still a lot WAITING for me and all of you on the OTHER side of our goal weight.

Can you just imagine for a minute what’s waiting for us when we step into our lives at our goal weight?
*reduced risk of all kinds of diseases
*increased longevity and/or quality of life
*improved energy
*more consistent state of mind (drastic reduction in self loathing over weight)
*new hobbies
*looking in the mirror and feelin’ HOT
*increased self esteem and self respect
*new clothes and lots of options for places to shop
*new friends who share our new lifestyle habits (working out, kayaking, hiking, running, etc)

The list goes on and on and each of you will have a customized list of all that’s waiting for you.

I personally want to challenge myself to feel okay with where I am. In some aspects, my life may not be what I planned but I’m EXCITED about what giving up those plans could mean for me and anxious to see what’s WAITING on the other side. So that’s my challenge and that’s what I offer to you….Are you willing to give up some of what you planned to go for what’s waiting for you? Are you willing to let the possibilities of what STILL CAN HAPPEN in your life be the driving force to go for what you want today?

Here we go……

Hope

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