Go You Chicken Fat Go! (An old song from gym class.)

Thanks to acwardell, you too can now listen to Go You Chicken Fat Go.

Here's the link: 

http://www.clubcourtyard.com/ChickenFat.html

Maybe this song will sound familiar to you too from gym class years ago.  My dog got me up so I checked my email.  It's 4:00 AM and I am dying laughing listening to this song again! 

Why am I so tired?

Why am I so tired?  I'm eating lots of veggies, trying to drink lots of water and on Saturday and Sunday I was on the elliptical for 1 hour and 1.5 hours.  I feel like I haven't been sleeping well.  Meaning that I'm waking up often during the night. Anyone else having this issue? Maybe it's just the new job? 

Speaking of my new job, I had coffee with one of my friends from my former job and felt really bad for her.  She looked like she was on the verge of crying and looked stressed and tired.  (I think I used to look like that too!  I was so emotional when I worked there - the pressure is so unhealthy.)  I even encouraged her to go talk to a counselor.  She is such a kind person and is being taken advantage of at work.  I hope I helped her out a little bit.  I think that she just needed to hear that going to a counselor does not mean that you are psycho or that you are a failure. 

What really hit me is that when I worked there, everything seemed so important.  I didn't want to let anyone down and worked long hours.  For what?  At the time it seemed like the right thing to do - the culture there teaches you that.  But the minute I walked out that door, I didn't really think about it again.  Amazing.  It really shows how important it is to live your life!  Live it for you!  (I'm saying this for me more than for you.  )  Sometimes I need to repeat it to myself over and over and over and over...... 

What are you yearning for?

When I was doing the Jenny Craig touchstones DVD, she asks a great question.  What are you yearning for?  This made me think about the things that I don't do and why I don't do them.  I've realized that this is a key to true happiness that I supress with food.  Some of the reasons why I don't do them is SO lame.  I'd love to hear what you are yearning for. 

I yearn for:

• Getting together with my friends more often.  Why I don't do it?  First, I don't have a ton of friends mainly because I'm married and for some crazy reason feel like I need to be at home next to my husband.  He's not up for much usually so I don't know what is stopping me!  It's time I become more social and have more fun!
• Going to more art museums.  Why don't I do it?  It's tough to get my husband to come into SF after work.  (I work in SF, he works at home.) It looks like I should combine my friends with this activity!
• Finding/going to church again.  Why don't I?  This one is a bit more complicated.  Part of it is because I am just confused about organized religion right now.  Also, I used to belong to a great church but have moved a bit to far away from it.  I haven't made the time to do the research and check out some places.  Finally, My dh isn't really interested so that means that it is more time for me to be away.  (Back to the crazy notion that I need to be with him!)
• Being in a relationship where I can be me 100% of the time.  Yeah.  Can you see a theme here?  This is a long story which I am too tired for tonight.  I'm married to a Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde.  I never know which one I am going to get.  Luckily, he's been in a sweet Dr. Jekyll mode since I've been on Jenny Craig. 

I'm too sleepy to finish this tonight.  To be continued.....

Someday I'll write a book on losing weight for a woman with ADD.

About a year ago, I discovered that I have ADD (ADHD).  I had absolutely no idea.  Partly, because I'm not the hyperactive type.  Instead, I am "Inattentive" ADD.  They missed alot of us in school because it is more common in girls and we are the "dreamers" instead of the kids running around bouncing off of the walls.

I was a great student but always had to study harder than my friends.  I could only do my homework late at night when it was quiet. Study Hall?  Forget about it.  In the work world, I get bored very easily.  I need jobs where I am on the run, creating, developing, inspiring, changing, etc.  (I'm sure you get the idea.)    Never been good at keeping my things organized, not a good housekeeper, meal planner, etc. There are just so many other things that are so much more fun!

Anyway, I was under a huge amount of stress a year ago from work and my marriage.  I was feeling like I was failing at absolutely everything.  I started taking some of those online tests and discovered that I had ADD.  I went to a doctor, got tested and yep - what do you know?  It's me.

Anyway, after that long intro, what I really wanted to share is that I've learned so much about myself since then and about my weight issues which may help you too.  This is why I say that I will write a book someday.

Just a few things I've learned so far......(Not that I have the magic formula yet!)  :(

1.  "Dieting" = menu planning at its finest.  This is HARD work for anyone let alone someone who has ADD.   We may do our best to plan out our meals for the week but then having the discipline to make it happen is tough.  So - I LOVE Jenny Craig because it is all set up for me.  Done!

2.  Exercise = I finally had to admit to myself that I hate the gym.  The treadmill, elliptical, etc. drive me CRAZY.  It may seem odd because you would think I would love to move.  What the issue for me is that there isn't enough mental stimulation for me.  Here is what I've learned - increase my stimilation to maximum levels!  For instance, right now I am at home on our elliptical trainer with the TV on and surfing the internet  / writing this blog.  (My dh hooked up a laptop onto our elliptical.)  Is that crazy or what?  Seriously, this is the only way that I can stay on this thing for more than 20 minutes.

3.  Planning / scheduling - I have to write it out and plan my day ahead of time.  If I don't do this every day, I am lost.  Routines are crucial.

That's as far as I've gotten so far.  If anyone else is in my situation and wants to share what you've learned - I'd love to hear it!   

Yeah! 6.2 lbs lost in 2 weeks!

I am THRILLED!  When I stepped on that scale today and Angel, my "angel" of a JC counselor rang the bell I was jumping up and down!  I just can't believe how easy this has been!  I was a little worried because I did have 2 martini's last night after work but boy did those taste good after a long week.    They must think I'm nutty there because anytime they ring the bell for anyone, I clap.  Hey, we have to support one another - right?

My  dh said that he could see my waist appearing again.  I'm still not really feeling it in my clothing but I am seeing it in my face.  Boy does that feel good!

Okay, I"ll settle down now.  Just had to share!

Thanks to ALL of you for your great support.  This is THE best supportive site I've been on.

I dare you to put that bag of Snickers in front of me!

I was in a training class today and they were passing around the bag of mini snickers.  In the past there would have been no way I could have resisted grabbing a few of them out of the bag but guess what?  I didn't have one!  I knew that I could have one of them but I just didn't want it.  Whoo hoo.  Now, that's a great feeling!

I wish that my clothes were feeling looser than they are.  I cheated and jumped on the scale this morning and I've lost 6 pounds so far.  I know.  I'm impatient. 

I love Jenny Craig Lemon Cake!

I just had to proclaim my love for this fabulous product.  Yum!  Yum!  Yum!  It is my husband's birthday tonight and I bought him a piece of white cake with white frosting.  It's what he wanted.  I think that without my JC Lemon Cake I would have given in to eating the refrigerator trying to make up for the fact that I didn't have a piece for myself.  Whew!  God Bless Jenny Craig!

Why I'm Here.

I really wanted this to be my first post but I didn't dedicate time to write my intro so here it is...

I've been on the weight loss journey since the 3rd grade.  I didn't realize that I was "chubbier" than any other kids until they started calling me names.  I'll never forget the confusion and hurt I felt when another MEAN little girl told the rest of the kids while we were playing kick ball that I didn't mind being called The Good Year Blimp.  Thinking more about it - she asked me if I minded.  Of course, being a little girl who didn't know better - I just wanted to be liked so I said that it was okay and that I didn't mind.  I knew that it was wrong but it didn't matter.  I was different.  The teasing continued and I still hear it in my head.  I'm sure I'm not alone in this experience.  Kids can be such so cruel. :(   It was the worst shopping in the chubby section at Sears - or was it Wards?

Somehow I figured out that if I was great at everything else - being involved in every activity in school, good grades, fun, wore makeup, kept up on the fashions - people would maybe forget about the part of me that I disliked so much.  It seemed to work okay for me and I did slim down in highschool because I was in sports, etc.

I never really dated in highschool because I was too shy and embarrassed about my body.  When I got to college, I became more comfortable with guys because I lived on a co-ed floor in the dorm.  (Thank goodness!)  I began to feel better about myself and then somehow I went downhill again.  I had an eating disorder for about 4 years.  During this week time for me I met the man who I thought was the love of my life but unfortunately he hated my body more than I did.  He was extremely controlling and monitored what I ate and how much I exercised every day.  Finally, a friend pointed out to me that this was NOT normal.  I got stronger and things fell apart.  I left him and moved myself out to CA to change my life.

There's a part 2 to the story but that's enough of my own personal drama for today.  I'm on here because I need somewhere to write.  I love the format of this site and hope that I might find a few friends here along the way.  :)  Life isn't easy for any of us but at least we can stick together and cheer each other on! 

It's the best that I have been!

I am so thrilled that I have been doing such a good job of staying OP.  I think that it is a combination of things that have been helping.

1.  The great structure of the JC program.  I don't have to think about it and there are no choices.  Eat what's on the program.  It's that easy.

2.  The Touchstones Training from JC has also been incredibly helpful.  My greatest issue is what's in my head and I love how the Touchstones training helps you work through that.

3.  New job / New surroundings - I think this change has also helped me.  There are no vending machines either so I have to go out for food.  If I don't bring it with me then I don't eat it.  Also, I've been so busy that I don't have alot of time to think about food.

4.  Preparing meals - I'm not preparing meals for my dh because he is kind of doing JC with me.  By that I mean that he is doing Healthy Choice meals so I don't have to cook.  This is awesome to not have to be around food that I am preparing.  That pressure is gone.

Of course, I still have a very long way to go but at least I am feeling more successful than I have for a long time.  My cravings have decreased for emotional binges so that is great too.  I need to figure out my exercise routine because that is an area that I'm not doing so well on.  I think that I need to take a similar approach by taking baby steps to help get me there.  Just 30 minutes 4 times a week to start and then work up from there. 

A good day!

Yesterday was a good day for me.  I stayed on my plan despite the fact that I attended a fabulous cocktail party.  I was able to maintain control and wasn't even feeling that hungry.  Love that!  I ate when I got home and that worked out just fine.  I'm giving myself a pat on the back for yesterday.  I need to get some exercise today.  I'm thinking a walk at lunch would be good.   More later.