One Month Down...Five To Go!!!

You've seen the stats if you're following along, but to sum it up Aaron lost 18 lbs, went down 4% in body fat, and gained 4 lbs of lean muscle. I lost 10 lbs, went down 4% in body fat, and gained 4 lbs of lean muscle. The Jaynes' house is currently a place of joy. But it came with a price. Analyzing day by day, sure, there were some hard days. Some days were coming home to a workout after pulling a 14 hour work day. Or Isabelle and Aaron getting sick. Or taking on more managerial work running my small business. Or just having days that I didn't FEEL like doing it. But as a whole, the past four weeks flew by! I was talking with my friend Alice last night, and she pointed out that lifestyle change or not, those past four weeks would have flown by, that is what life does, right? Move way too fast? Her point was that had a decided not to make these changes, I would still be ten lbs heavier. And looking back, I could've probably said the same thing--the past four weeks were hard; I had some bad days; Some days I felt like doing nothing; We all have those days no matter what we are or are not doing in our lives. I realize that making a commitment to myself and my family didn't ensure that I wouldn't have hard days, but it did ensure that I would be a happier and healthier person along the way, and that, my friends, has indeed happened. Aaron and I are happier overall because we feel better, we look better, and we've learned that we can do hard things! And the ironic thing is that once it got going, it wasn't that hard. We adjusted to the food plans and our bodies got used to the intense workouts. And the results have been amazing, which is what made last night so incredible....
 THE FIRST CHEAT MEAL!

When we weighed in Saturday morning, we were ecstatic with our progress. Then we were pleasantly surprised when Drew told us that we could go out that night for a "cheat meal." We didn't see that one coming and we were taken aback by the idea of actually going out and eating a meal of our choice and permission to share a desert. We decided to go to The Wild Rose which is a special restaurant for me and Aaron because we go there to celebrate things like anniversaries, Valentine's Days and our we-found-out-we-were-pregnant-with-Isabelle night. The food is amazing and I'm sure, full of calories. We sat down and discussed whether or not we should order salad and appetizers. It was really cool. We were in control and we were logically able to decide that we'd rather not because we weren't looking to gorge ourselves, but looking to enjoy a yummy meal that we felt good about. We each ordered a plate. We ate the bread. We ate the fantastic spread that goes on the bread. When I felt satisfied, I stopped eating, even though there was still food on my plate. Then we picked a moderate desert to share. I will admit that we contemplated getting our own desert. But I'm glad we thought about it because it was so eye opening to realize that we didn't need our own, we were just momentarily panicking and reverting back to our old ways. We thought about it for a second and made an easy choice to share. We got a treat but we didn't go crazy. I left feeling satisfied but not overly stuffed. I left feeling happy that we enjoyed an amazing meal, but not guilty about the choices we made. It was therapeutic to say the least. Before this journey, Aaron and I ate out a lot! But last night felt different. Last night was special because it had been a month since we've enjoyed a restaurant. It also felt different because my mind and emotions have changed. I saw that as more of an enjoyable experience rather than a solution to a bad day or a way to cope with feeling down--which is often how I used to feel. When I'd come home stressed or upset, we'd go out to eat. When I was feeling down, we'd go out to eat. I'd honestly self-medicate with food. But that is changing for me. I looked forward to drinking my spinach shake this morning. I looked forward to my strawberries and sunflower seeds. I look forward to finally trying the Mexican Chicken tonight for Sunday dinner.

Life is going to go fast. Life is going to have ups and downs no matter what you are doing. So why not make lifestyle changes and wake up one morning, four weeks later, pleasantly surprised to find yourself ten lbs lighter. And then go out for a cheat meal ;) which doesn't feel like cheating at all, but an enjoyment of life.

I decided I'd give this a try.***Aaron's Entry***

So before I embark on my first attempt at blogging, let me make one thing clear... Jenny is the writer of the family!! She is much more eloquent than I am and she really has a knack for putting her feelings into words.(Plus, she has a lot fewer grammatical errors than I will undoubtedly have!) Here it goes.

As I sit her on the eve of our two week weigh-in I can't help but look back at how the last two weeks have gone. Not only am I replaying the past two weeks in my mind, but I am also thinking about how I got to this point. Now I am not talking about how I got to the point of needing help to lose weight, I am referring to the fact that I swallowed my pride and admitted I needed it! If you had asked me a month ago if I considered myself a healthy person, I would have answered with a resounding...."Kinda". Jenny and I have always tried to eat healthy. We would purchase low-fat foods, we would inspect the nutrition facts looking for any signs of trouble, and we trusted that what we read on the label truly meant what it was implying. Here is the extent of my (so-called)nutritional knowledge. If it was low-calorie, low-fat, and sugar-free, well then it MUST be good for me. I rarely ever took the time to read the ingredients, and on the few occasions that I did, I felt like I was learning a new language. I never took the time to truly understand what I was putting into my body, and I learned that my laziness could have some very unpleasant effects.

The day that Jenny and I went and had our body fat tested and blood-work done was a pivotal day in my life. I mentioned before that I have always considered myself "kinda" healthy. On top of my supposed semi-healthy diet I also try to stay active. I play basketball a few times a week. Jenny and I take our daughter(Isabelle) on walks a few times a week. I also try to fit in playing hockey, or going for a run whenever I can. My point is that I would have never considered myself a slouch. One of the reasons I did these things was to give myself peace of mind that I was doing something that I thought was helping me live a healthier life. But, as I sat in that office and learned that my cholesterol levels were dangerously high, it opened my eyes! I looked over and saw Jenny and Isabelle and I instantly knew what I had to do!

I had to make a lifestyle change! (and NO, Drew didn't pay me to say that.) I vowed that day to never hear news like that again in my life. Before Jenny and I started this I had so many people asking me what my goals were during this journey. They would ask me if I was trying to reach a certain weight, or fat percentage. I would always tell them that I didn't have a goal. I would say that I just wanted to get back in shape. I learned what my goal is that day. My goal is to grow old with the love of my life. My goal is to see my children have children of their own. It is very cliche', and it seems over-simplified, but I guarantee if you ever hear that you are in danger of not accomplishing those things, you will never (like I did) take them for granted again.

Busy What? Tired Who?

Let me paint a picture for you-- woke up at 6 to get ready for work. Got to school at 7am. Taught 10th graders from 7:15 to 2:15 with a 40 minute break for lunch during which time I had at least 10 students trying to break my locked--yes kids locked--door down. Left school at 2:45 and tutored for the upcoming ACT until 5. Came home and played with the baby while trying to do laundry and clean the house until 7pm when my new employee came over so I could train him on how to tutor for the ACT. He left at 9:30 at which point I needed to watch a little "Dance Moms." But here's the annoying part--it's now 10:15 and I am exhausted and ready to crash, but nothing is ready for tomorrow. Our food isn't cooked for lunch. The blender isn't clean to use in the morning for our spinach shake. I haven't even looked at what's on our menu.

To be perfectly honest, tonight I just don't care. I know I'll care in a few minutes, but seriously this is my life. I go go go non stop and sometimes I just want someone to come along and break both my legs so that I am forced to slow down! Or rather, do nothing :)

As much as I want to be someone who can cook all my meals on Sunday and eat out of the refrigerator for the next three days, I'm just not that kind of person. Neither is Aaron. Of course we realize how much easier our lives would be if we could adhere to that important principle in this whole change, but we are who we are, and we like freshly cooked food. But I'm starting to reconsider.

I've also been sick. Like really sick and that is hard to be sick and not eat comfort food. My go to place is "Kneaders" and whenever I'm sick I say "I need Kneaders" and Aaron usually gets it for me. I also love to eat ice cream when I'm not well. It makes me feel better. Honestly it does. But I don't get any of that now. I have to be sick and eat chicken. And brocoli. And spinach. And keep working at my two jobs and raising a four month baby and try to maintain a normal marriage. And it's hard. And I feel like crying.

Everything feels crappy when you're sick, right?

The Dreaded First-Week Optimist Vs. The Scale

Have you seen that commercial where the guy gets on the scale, runs around the room three times, and gets on the scale again? Honestly expecting to lose weight? We all laugh at home when we see it, mostly because we've all been there. I call it the first week optimism.

Drew warned us not to weigh ourselves until our official weigh in. No. Actually he told us NOT to do it. We devised a plan to hide the scale, knowing full well I'd want to jump on it every morning. Our intentions were for Aaron to hide it, but things got busy--partly because I've been working so much this week and party because preparing healthy foods and exercising takes time.

I got home from work today and Aaron confessed he'd gotten on the scale. Who would've thought he'd be the one to crack. He told me Drew said that the scale wouldn't be accurate because of water weight fluxuation. I didn't think it was fair that he got to see his progress thus far, leaving me to wonder if I too had lost anything. (He did lose weight but it doesn't matter how much because apparently it isn't that accurate, right?) So I basically made Aaron let me get on the scale. Stupid move Jenny. Stupid move. I don't know what I was expecting after four and a half days of healthy food choices and two days of exercise. I think because I feel so much better about myself this week--because I'm on the road to change--that I naturally would go down on the scale. And yes, I was down but I had this optimistic, unrealistic, crazy idea that I'd be down a lot! After just four days--

I started freaking out in my mind, which soon turned into freaking out to Aaron about all the scariness of it all. 'What if I do everything right and it doesn't work?' 'What if I am stuck like this?'

I hate the scale for this reason. It pretty much robbed me of the natural high I've been riding all week; I have felt, for the most part, amazing--amazing because I'm doing something about being overweight. And one stupid number on the scale psyched me out. I eventually got over it and did tonight's workout.

Lesson learned. Do not get on the scale in between major weigh-ins. It is not worth the emotional punch in the stomach.

First-Week Optimist--0 The Scale--1

Oh and sorry Drew. That won't happen again!

The Morning After....Day one that is

Not gonna lie. Day one was hard for me--Harder for me than for Aaron. I had a headache a few hours into the day. Apparently this is normal for anyone cutting out processed foods, sugars, caffeine, etc. I didn't have tons of energy because I felt hungry. So with what felt like a black hole in my stomach and a hammer inside my head, I needed to really evaluate why I was doing this. Yes--Day one I had to have a serious talk with myself and consider all the reasons why I was doing this. Here is the list I came up with:

• I want to wear my wedding ring. It's true, it's true. My fingers are too fat for it. I desperately want to put it on again.
• I want to have another baby sooner than later--yes even with all the complications we faced last time, Aaron and I both want another one. But I want to be healthy before I go through another pregnancy.
• Isabelle- Isabelle motivates me because I want to play soccer with her in a few years. I want to take her on long walks. I want to have energy to work all day and then come home and still have energy to give her the attention she needs and deserves.
• I want to wear my clothes again. I love my clothes, but nothing, not one thing I own fits me. I mostly wear Aaron's T-shirts because I have nothing to wear.
• And finally, I want to feel good about myself both inside and out. Believe it or not, I really like who I am--skinny or fat--I am a confident person and have always been. But, being overweight does start to take its toll on my overall happiness. It does affect my life overall.

After reassessing exactly why I agreed to do this, I felt a lot more at peace. Still hungry? Yes. Headache present? You betcha! But I also have a renewed sense of excitement as I look forward to all of my motivations coming to fruition. My advice to those following along at home--spend some serious time remembering WHY you are doing whatever it is you are trying to do. It makes all the difference in the world.

The First BIG, and very PUBLIC journey

How could I not start journaling this? For those of you who don't know, Aaron and I followed Drew Manning, a personal trainer, on his unique journey as he intentionally gained 75 lbs in an attempt to empathize with his overweight clients. Cool idea right? We continued to follow him as lost those 75 lbs over the course of 6 months. (for more details and shocking before, during, and after pictures, visit www.fit2fat2fit.com)

When Drew posted that he was accepting applications for his next journey--choosing a family to help lose weight the same way he had--we both toyed with the idea of applying. We would lose weight! But It would be very public.... We would be motivated to finally get back into shape! But It would be difficult. In the end, we decided to apply.

Now our journey begins--We were chosen as the lucky family. So I ask the question once again: How could I not journal this? With so many people supporting us, I wanted a way to inform people about how we are doing--not just on the scale, but emotionally. I feel like enough people battle weight loss, but the battle is so layered. We face what feels like endless challenges: emotional eating, fatigue, saboteurs, lack of time, patience to endure long term changes, etc. Hopefully my journey can be a realistic insight to those of you following along.