A Princess Wedding

Well, it was pretty darned close. I think the only thing missing was a horse drawn carriage.

Click HERE for the photos from Ashley and Ed's wedding today! :)

Models, Models Models!

I did a photo shoot at a model casting call tonight at Sullivan's in Milwaukee. The event was hosted by Phoenix Entertainment Management. What a blast!!

Click HERE for a few of my favorite photos from the event.




I've got another wedding tomorrow, so stay tuned for some more photos! :)

Zumbariffic and Subway...

I went to the gym today and did Zumba... seriously, I LOVE it. Here are the stats for the day:

703 calories, 45% fat - Max HR = 179 (92%), Avg HR = 158 (81%)


One hour, 703 calories! I LOVE IT!

SO, I weighed in this morning at 207.4. I am on my way back down to the 205 mark (My initial weigh-in at the start of all this was 220, so I'm still not even 15 lbs down.) It gets SO frustrating! I just need to stay committed to the gym at LEAST three times a week, keep running and eat well. I'll get there, I swear. I just dreaaaam of the day I get down to 175. For some reason I keep envisioning 175 as the magic number of happiness even though a healthy BMI for me would be 155 at the very top of that range.

I'm gonna throw a party with watermelon and spring water when I hit 199. Anyone with me? HA!


Okay, also I wanted to blog about Subway. Everyone knows it's the Eat Fresh option, and it gives you the opportunity to eat out in a healthy way. SO... I want to post an "Eat This, Not That" comparison of what I could order.

12" veggie on wheat with provolone, oil/vinegar and honey mustard = 635 calories
1 bag Baked Lays = 130 calories
2 White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut cookies = 440 calories
TOTAL = 1205 calories!

OR

12" veggie on wheat with oil/vinegar and honey mustard = 535 calories
1 bag Baked Lays = 130 calories
TOTAL = 665 calories!

:)~

So, here's what I actually DID eat today:

12" veggie on wheat with provolone, oil/vinegar and honey mustard = 635 calories
1 White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut cookie = 220 calories
TOTAL = 855 calories

I got the chips too, but I'm not eating them with dinner. :) I don't know why I got the cookies (I'm gonna give two to Dan) - I need to STOP with the sugar!!! But ... considering I got 700 calories out of the way with exercising, I'm doing okay! :)

And post-workout, sorry, I just CAN'T do a 6" sub. :)
~J

Bad weekend.

Well, it was actually a GREAT weekend photography wise. Eating wise? I shoved copious amounts of salt, sugar and carbs into my face. I woke up this morning feeling like a bloated saline balloon, and my face is totally broken out.

Truly, the sugar isn't worth it. I'm not usually a sugar fiend either, but for some reason this weekend I couldn't get enough candy.

Last week I was so freakin' busy I only went to the gym twice. I ran ONCE last week. BAD! I have plans to go back and start running again tonight.

So anyways, I haven't weighed in because I know it'll be a terrible number and I will piss myself off even further. I'm gonna bust my patootie at the gym this week, eat better and see how things look next week. I just don't want to keep obsessing over the scale. It only depresses me.

~J

Sandy Toes.

I had the BEST post-wedding shoot with Heidi and Rob today. These guys officially rock my world.

Click HERE for all the phtos. :)

Origami...

I had a GREAT wedding today!

Click HERE to view the photos! :)

Mestizo Monday.

I have been slacking on my Music Monday posts... but I wanted to do one early while I'm thinking about it.

If you haven't heard of this band yet, you truly should check them out. Their name is Mestizo, and they have a very Jack Johnson/John Mayer acoustic awesomeness. They just released a new CD, and you can buy it at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/mestizo.

Plus, the guys are all cute. Seriously, aren't they just adorable? You can't beat it.



Visit their Myspace page to have a listen to their sound. I can't get enough of the song "Fade" right now. Seriously, I'm a little obsessed with it. Oh, and their song "Playin'" off of the new album might just be in my top 10 favorite songs of all time.


Oh yeah, and their website is www.mestizorocks.com.

Oh, and here's a little video montage of some photos of the band to one of their earlier songs called "Little Things" - it's a great song!

Track it!

Hey guys!

I thought I'd share a new website I found where you can track your diet and fitness. I know a lot of us use spark or Livestrong, but this one will give you another option. :)

http://www.fitclick.com



It's free and they allow you to create your own workouts or you can use the website to customize one for you. It tracks your weight, bmi and your eating as well! :) You can also look at workouts and diets created by other users if you struggle to put together your own plan. The cool thing about it is that you can change or adjust things as you go along once you figure out if it does or doesn't work well with your body, schedule or whatever! :)

~J

Heather and Brad

Today I photographed their wedding at the Boerner Botanical Gardens!

Click HERE for a few of my favorite photos from the day. :)

Boot Camp?

So, my gym offers boot camp classes. Have any of you guys taken these? I haven't. They scare the crap out of me. My super fit, gorgeous, thin, gym-workin', zumba-teachin' soon-to-be Sister in Law took a boot camp class and was sore for like, a week.

I'm just terrified to be yelled at and have to run around a big obstacle course in the pouring rain. Plus, I would have to buy some tactical pants.



Anyone have any experience with a boot camp class? I'd love to hear it.

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month

Didn't know if you guys knew, but JUNE is Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month!



June is designated as National Fruit and Vegetable Month. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), more Americans than ever -- 28 percent -- are adjusting their eating habits to achieve healthier lifestyles.

I'm thinking I need to do some kind of homage. Like... have a piece of fruit every morning and a big salad with lots of veggies for lunch every day.

Oh, wait. I'm supposed to do that already. Oops!

Maybe it's just gonna be a good reminder to do it more. :)

Clubbin' Clothes, yo.

So, I've been on a dream-clothing-internet-window-shopping binge ever since I posted about clothes I wish I could wear.

This place called Ami Clubwear has some hawt formal dresses. it's totally a site to go get your hot clubbin'clothes. None of which I could currently fit into. :( They have some cute gaucho pants, not to mention skinny pants, skirts and sweater dresses, but my fat butt won't fit into any of those right now.

This one is one I wanna wear when I get skinnier... look at the red and black! It's soooo pretty:

I just love the raffia type look - do you know what I'm saying? Red and black is totally my favorite dress-up combination of colors. Some red lipstick, black shoes, BAM!

I can't seem to find any clothes on their site that would fit larger than a 12, but they show sizing for XL and larger on the website. I e-mailed them to see what the deal is with that... hopefully they e-mail me back soon. I'll keep you guys updated.

Oh, and these shoes are freakin' cute... I can never find plain black ballet flats! $10! They have a few other colors... blue, white and orange too I think. They also have tons of heels.


They DO have some cute hats, scarves and jewelry too. Oi! At least us chubby girls will always have Delia's and Alloy. They always have bigger sizes available!

Congratulations to the New American Idol!!!!!

Kris Allen!

WTF?!??!?!??!

I've never been so shocked.

Well, here's to you kid:



I LOVE you, Adam! I am shocked you didn't win. You are truly a star... now hurry up and cut an album so I can buy it!!!!! <3




Tonight's Finale Recap...

Performances:
The top 13 performance of "So What" by Pink... SUCKED.

David Cook's performance was phenomenal. I freakin' love him. He's ridiculously hot and mad talented. It's official, and maybe too late for an "Idol Fan"... but I have to buy his album. ****ABC squared is getting the proceeds from the iTunes clip of David's performance tonight. Please go buy it... ABC squared is a foundation that looks for a cure for cancer.

Jason Mraz: I'm Yours is one of my favorite songs, ever. I love that Jason was on the show. I'm pissed that blonde biatch couldn't remember the damn words when she was SINGING WITH THE ARTIST WHO WROTE IT. I mean, you had one freakin' line to remember, you stupid girl!!! On a side note... Jason... really shouldn't do the goatee thing.

Fergie / Black Eyed Peas: I love Fergie, she's so beautiful, and I love the brown hair. The Black Eyed Peas performance got cut for some reason in the middle... I wonder what happened. All I can say is that the Black Eyed Peas are not nearly appealing without Fergie in there. She's got such a great voice and stage presence. I was bored until she started singing. Oh yeah, she's got great legs. I should mention that. Zow!

Carlos Santana: This was great. They did a little bit of Black Magic Woman. Plus, Carlos Santana is a legend. Oh, but then the rest of the stinky idol crew came onto the stage and everyone sang Smooth. And then Adam sang and shook around a bit in his super hot outfit. Black pants, black shirt, black suspenders and a maroon tie. Holy crap.

Megan Joy, Michael Sarver and Steve Martin! I LOVE Steve Martin. he played the banjo. Okay, Steve Martin is the shit, people. It's just too bad they put him with the stinky Megan Joy and mediocre Michael Sarver. Seriously, when Megan started "oh, owh, owhing" I wanted to stab myself in the face. Steve Martin wrote this song called "Pretty Flowers," and I feel so bad that it was slaughtered the way it was. By the way, he has a new album. It came out yesterday.

The Guys and Rod Stewart: If you want my body and you think I'm sexy... yeah, we did have the hottest top two, plus Michael and Danny. Lots of adorable guys this year. It was cute and fun. I love how even in the large groups, Adam's voice just stands out like nobody's business. Then Rod sang for awhile and it was pretty much a snoozefest for me. I've never really been a fan.

Adam and Kris with Queen: We are the Champions. Hell Yeah! This was just awesome... I love Queen. Oh yeah, and the rest of the Idol people were there too. :) I should say that I've noticed that Kris really has great pitch. But nothing can compare to the way Adam can sing with bands like Queen. He kicked ass!!!!

Duets:
Lil Rounds and Queen Latifah: Can I just say Queen Latifah looked wonderful tonight? She's lost so much weight. The duet was cool and upbeat, and I had my toes a-tappin'.

Kris Allen and Keith Urban: Alrighty. Just not my thing. Kris did a great job though.

Allison Iraheta and Cindy Lauper: I would much rather listen to Allison than Cindy any day. I'm sorry, but how long do you have to keep singing "Time after Time?" Ugh.

Danny Gokey and Lionel Richie: He sang "Hello" and was joined by Lionel for some other songs. I think there was some kind of problem between the band and their vocals, it seemed like they were off during "Just Chill." It's hilarious that Danny sang with Lionel... it was totally the cheesiest bit and Danny has a tendency to be cheesy. Seriously. I know all the Wisconsinites were goin' nuts seeing him perform again. He's a really good guy, he does have a really good voice, and I really do wish him luck. Really.

Adam Lambert and KISS: Okay, did you see... did you SEE his outfit? He's absolutely not scared of anyone at this point. He was wearing these wire shoulder pad wing things, platform boots, and glitter on his eyes. So odd, so outlandish, so glam rock. I just love him. Oh yeah, then KISS came out and performed with him. So... then the shoulder pads made more sense. Gene Simmons was looking at Adam like, "WOW." :)

Golden Idol Awards:
Outstanding Male = Nick Mitchell (Norman) -- YAY! He sang "And I am Telling You" - it was kind of his calling card song through the auditions. He's hilarious, and this was like, the best thing ever. Oh my gosh.

Best Attitude: Katrina Darrell. I hate this bitch. Oh, and she kissed Ryan right on the lips, then he said, "I was going to ask, "What's new?" but I think I know. (Fake boobs, biatch.) HA! Oh, and you still can't sing. The best part was that they asked her to sing her audition song again. After the first few verses, Kara came out behind her and showed her exactly how to really do it. Kara just out sang her, it was AWESOME! I thought it would have been hilarious if they turned Katrina's mic off completely, but she just kind of stood there for the most part and didn't sing, looked really pissed, then tried to sing over Kara. Yeah, it didn't work. Then Kara opened her dress to show a black bikini, and she looked way hotter. Okay, sorry for the crazy recap, but it was AWESOME!!!!!!!

Outstanding Female: Tatiana DelTorro. Duh. Okay, so I can't tell if the whole thing with her going nuts with the security and everything was a joke or not. I'm gonna pass on it.

~J

Adam, you're still number one to me!

Did I say it was about the health? Oh, I'm sorry.

Yeah. Of course I want to be healthy. And when I'm able to run a 5K, I'm gonna be stoked. But honestly, I just want to be able to wear this:



I have a whole bunch of outfits and types of clothes I'm just dying to get into. SRSLY.

But also, I'd like to make it clear, I never had THIS outfit in mind when dreaming up my "skinny wardrobe":


But regardless of how much I weigh right now... I want this shirt immediately:



All these clothes are from www.americanapparel.com :)


So... what are your wardrobe wishes for your skinny self? C'mon. I know you've got them.

Running Report

40 minutes
2.68 miles
490 calories
40% fat
Max heart rate = 174 90%
Avg heart rate = 151 78%

6 mins walking @L3.6
5 mins running @L5
6 mins walking @L3.4
3 mins running @L5
6 mins walking @L3.4
3 mins running @L5
6 mins walking @L3.2
2 mins running @L5
3 mins walking @L3.2

13 minutes running
27 minutes walking

Hellz yeah!

I can't believe I ran for 5 minutes straight right off the bat today. Makes me feel darn good. ;)~

~J

Nominated for Best Health Blog

Hey y'all!

I wanted to share that I've been nominated for "Best Health Blog" over at www.bloggerschoiceawards.com. :)



It takes a teenie tiny minute to meander over there to sign up and vote for me, but if you wouldn't mind, that would be awesome. :)

If you're feeling super cool and friendly, CLICK HERE to vote for my blog. Tee-hee! :)

You guys are the best readers. Have I told you that lately? ;)

~Jenn

So... what's the deal?

I've just been crazy lately. It's 3:23am and I'm still awake. A list of things I can't get off of my brain would include:

1. Money
2. I need to practice my off camera flash techniques
3. Wedding on Friday... see above.
4. Need lots more gear... see all of above.
5. American Idol finale is Wednesday (right?) I hope Adam Lambert wins.
6. I really miss watching the Office. When can we start watching the current season on DVD???
7. I think I might need to go to the Dentist... my tooth feels really sensitive.
8. I skipped the gym today. I totally suck.
9. I ate more sugar this weekend than I should have. For sure.
10. Feeling FAT! Should have gone to the gym.
11. Seriously, I need some money.
12. Moving soon, need to start packing and planning.
13. Need to turn this place into my new studio... need to furnish and paint.
14. Three weddings to shoot before the month is over.
15. I like mentos.
16. Definitely need some money. Need to book some work. Truly.

So... who wants to hire me for a photo shoot? Call me. Let's do it.

Also, I can't wait until the new Harry Potter comes out! When is that happening again?

Can you see why I just can't sleep sometimes? My mind is seriously all over the place.

Cookies and Dinner Mints and Cake Bars, Oh, CRAP!

Yeah, I had a wedding and two graduation parties this weekend! I ate a crapload of fruit, but I also ate a crapload of pasta salad, cookies, cake bar things and some wedding cake too. So, big chocolate covered kudos to those of you who went to a variety of festivities this weekend and didn't cave in. Me? I'm totally the "well, it's here and I'll do a tiny plate and have a little bit" kind of girl. Plus, since I don't eat any meat (other than fish) - I skip what might be a healthier wrap with turkey or something and instead the baked goods are safe for me.

It's tough to find a balance.

So! I'm heading back to the gym tonight. I'll post something about it here later! :)

Also, I've been wanting to post this video that my friend Hanlie posted. I can't wait for this movie!

Another Fat Girl Bites The Dust.

So, this ties in perfectly with my most recent post about Fat Acceptance and how I think it's fake. This is a really perfect example about what I'm saying.

You all know Mo'nique? She's fabulous and hilarious. This is the cover of a book that I bought of hers several years ago called "Skinny Women are Evil":


I read her first book. Have you read it? It's FULL of great little schnippets of Phat Power Phrases like "Sizeable Sisters," "Hefty Honeys," and "Big and Beautiful," etc.

Take another look at that photo of her cover.

Mmmmkay. Mo'nique, if you were so proud of your body in all of its delicious, jelly roll, soft squishy fatness, why were you hiding behind a huge gold chair on the cover of your book? Why on the back photo were you hiding behind your assistant?


So, now she's lost weight. Here is a little before and after for ya:




People are acting all freaked out by her weight loss. Particularly Fat Bloggers. I've seen some even threaten to take everything to do with Mo'nique off of their blogs and websites if they find out she had weight loss surgery.

Okay, first of all, it's not a surprise to me that she wanted to lose weight. I think everyone just has a "moment."

Here's a quote from her book when she was talking about Oprah's weight loss:
"...girlfriend's weight-loss antics didn't move me. It made me mad. What was wrong with representing for SIZABLE sisters? I bet that skinny girlfriend of hers, Gayle, was somewhere in the background cheering her on, too. If some shit is amiss, there's usually a skinny bitch behind it. All at once, Oprah went from being a member of the BIG and BEAUTIFUL to the skinny and skeletal. Since Miss O had abandoned us, someone else would have to champion the BIG cause."

This is what it really comes down to, y'all. Mo'nique used to say in her book, "I'm HAPPY and HEALTHY." (She likes to type a lot of words in caps for emphasis.) After you have your "Holy Shit, I can NOT be fat like this anymore" moment... this is what you'll be more likely to sound like:

Monique: “We should all want to live healthy lives because we don’t want to be in a position where there are things we can’t do and places we can’t go. My husband said to me one day, `I want you for a lifetime.' Then it clicked that my weight had become a major concern. I wanted to be around for my family."

And now that she's pissed off a bunch of Fat Folks by caring about herself... we'll just have to wait until the next Big Girl Idol takes a dive and stops eating fried food and cake all the time too.

As for me? I'm proud of you, Mo'nique. Go on wit yo bad self!


~J

Fat Acceptance?

Okay. I'm warning you that this is a long post. I checked. It's 1,389 words. But I bet you're gonna identify with one side or the other here, so just bear with me.

So, I've wandered into a few Fat Acceptance blogs over the past several months of doing my own very weight loss/weight issues/body thing blogging. It actually started with my hearing about the Anti-Gym, reading their blog, and subsequently reading the enraged comments from many Fat Acceptance individuals. It sparked my interest, of course, as I am a fat girl myself. And seriously, you can say it. I am fat. And I do appreciate the comments that I'm a "current hot girl"... but I say I'm fat... because I am. BMI of 33.9 means that I'm actually BEYOND fat. I'm OBESE. I have to lose 60 pounds in order to be considered "NORMAL." If I lose 53 pounds, I'm still considered overweight, y'all.

Okay, just to get that out of the way and cleared up for everyone.

So, I visited a few of these blogs and websites and it just didn't vibe with me. Now, I seriously don't care what people fight for or blog about. People can blog about how fat needs to be another thing that just "is," like skinny, blonde, brunette, whatever. They can say that fat people are not lazy or unhealthy. There is no obesity epidemic in this country. Americans, as a group, are not slobbish, disgusting, over-eating, pie grubbing, meat sucking, gravy swimming sloths... they're just normal folks and are beautiful, valuable, and should be thought of as normal human beings. That's fine and dandy.

But then they decide to talk about how ridiculous us fat girls who want to be skinny are.

I am ridiculous for wanting to fit into a size 8 jeans. Because I think about it, because I have pictures of my skinny self on my fridge to motivate me, because I keep the thoughts of people calling me a fat fuck in my brain when I want to order cheesy bread. I'm obviously weak and I don't have enough self love, and I've been brainwashed by the media and the entertainment industry.

What the hell? I mean, seriously. Shouldn't "Fat Acceptance" not be only about society accepting fat people as "normal," but also about Fat Love Folks accepting fellow fatties however they happen to be?

My friend Kate put this as her status on Facebook the other day and I asked if I could borrow it for my blog: "Self-loathing is not a fucking character-builder. It doesn’t make you stronger. It doesn’t make you better. It’s just an ever-deepening, creepy-ass trap; a trap that is a huge moneymaker for corporations that do not have and never will have good intentions. You’re not disgusting. You’re not freakish. You’re not ugly. And you’re never going to be perfect. And holy shit, that is so okay."


She told me that the true credit goes to the gal over at Casual Blasphemies. I immediately went over and checked her stuff out. You should go. She's a BRILLIANT writer, and she makes me laugh my ass off.

But I digress. Here's the thing. I like the quote, and I feel it and sorta get it and all that. But what qualifies as self loathing? And ... how can I really dig that quote and not agree with it at the same time? I mean, I don't know if I would say I'm "self loathing." I also wouldn't say that it's a "virtue." But I also think those people who act like they've got their shit together when they don't... are just FULL of shit. Isn't it a virtue to know you've got some work to do? And at what point does KNOWING you need to kick your ass into gear and being pissed, angry, sad or whatever you feel about it turn into self loathing? And wait. Why is that bad again?

I, for one, do not feel comfortable in my fatness. I hate my body most days. I cringe and yell at Dan when he touches my stomach, and I punch him when he tries to pick me up. (*note: After a recent comment, I suppose this could look bad. Take the words "yell" and "punch" and put them in a play wrestling scenario. Carry on.) I hate how full my face is. I refuse to wear a skirt above my knees. I can be feeling good about myself and my working out, and kinda sorta feeling thinner than usual... and then immediately be brought back to ground zero of desperation for losing weight if I hear ANY kind of comment about my being "heavy." I can eat veggie thin crust pizza with no cheese and immediately feel like a failure, and want to go work out for an hour. I can actually work out for two hours like I did today, and be mad at myself because I went home when I didn't fully feel exhausted. (I could have done more, pushed myself harder, CHEESE AND CRACKERS, I'm so lazy.) I wish to Zeus that I would wake up tomorrow weighing 150 pounds. If I could cut off a toe to be the right weight forever, I would probably do it. Actually, if I woke up underweight, that would even be okay with me. As long as it meant I didn't have to work my white dimply ass into another pair of size 16 jeans.

I LOVE how I feel when I'm at a healthier weight. Oops, sorry. I mean "lower" weight. I am not supposed to say "healthier" because fat does not equal unhealthy. Are they being serious when they say that? Umm, yes it usually does. I don't just have fat around my stomach and hips, thighs and chicken wing flab arms, but it's also around my heart and my liver. My body stresses carrying this much weight. Just because I've gotten used to it and I can run a little and do Zumba for an hour without falling over does NOT mean that I'm healthy.

SO, I'm sorry. I'm holding on to every bit of disgust I have for my body because it's my prerogative to. And if I don't, I won't find the motivation to get up every day and try to make the right choices for the body I want to have. If I fall into my own version of "Fat Acceptance," first of all, it'll be fake. (Didn't I have that three years ago when I got into this mess of chub?) Then, I'll sink slowly into the abyss of pizza, pasta, greasy takeout, donuts and an even greasier face, just because I "accept my fatness" or because I'm suddenly "big and beautiful."

I can't get mad at Subway for telling me to Eat Fresh instead of McFattify myself, or call Jenny Craig a bitch, or tell Weight Watchers to go watch something else because yes, it's STILL A DIET... because there are people who need these things to live healthier lives. People have achieved success with it. Yeah, maybe they paid money for it. But guess what? Some of us need help to achieve our goals. And some of us do have "weight loss" or "healthier body" or "no more diabetes" or "knees that don't fucking hurt every day" as a goal. Why are we not allowed to be pissed that we're fat? Why are we not allowed to do something about it?!


As far as I'm concerned... wait for it... it's OKAY to NOT LIKE BEING FAT.


I know that these bloggers talk a lot about how they drink Diet Soda, and they like salad too, and that they are active, and still fat. Okay, well... I'm sorry, but for 95% of fat folks out there, their fatness is not beyond their control, and that's just the way it is. It just does NOT make sense in my brain. And I'm willing to bet that if these fat folks woke up tomorrow and magically were size sixes, they would do the Sherman Klump / Buddy Love scream of "I'M THIN!!!!! I'M THIN!!!!!" and then would run to the store and ask for an array of ALL SPANDEX outfits to try on. Seriously.


/end rant

~Jenn

1112 Calories... BURNED!

So, I've been to the gym 4 days in a row this week. That's, like, a record.

In taking a day off from the running/walking thing, I did Zumba at 6, then Gravity at 7. If anyone doesn't remember what Gravity is, I posted about it here.

So, I was wearing my nifty Polar F6 watch to keep track of my calories and all... it's awesome.

60 minutes of Zumba + 45 minutes of Gravity = 1112 calories burned!!!!!!!!!!!

Hellz yeah.



Also, thanks everyone for the tips on my running calves/shins problem. I just bought some great running shoes (Asics 2140's.), so I know that it's not the shoes. I definitely wanted to make sure I approached it right. I think I was just too zealous about it.

I really think I've had a problem with running and walking too many days in a row. So, I think the break will be great! We'll see how I'm doing tomorrow! :)

Also, a lot of you have lovingly recommended running outside. The tough thing about that... is that I don't live in the best neighborhood to do that. I would get a running partner, but I think it'd be hard to find someone who is at my level and committed enough to do it three times a week. Plus, I don't really know people here.

I'm gonna stick to the treadmill and just be sure to stretch before and after the workout, and only do it every other day until my legs get stronger. :)~

~J

Don't Just Do It.

So... I went to the gym today to do a little run/walking and then go to Zumba at 6. Well, apparently I have my schedule all messed up and Zumba is at FIVE on Wednesdays, ant at 6 on Thursdays. So, I showed up about 20 minutes into the Zumba class and decided to just run/walk instead.

I walked at L3.6 for the usual 6 minutes and then planned to run my 3 minutes at L5. I got to 2 minutes and my shins and calves were killing me. I decided to do a slower warm up, thinking that would help. I went ahead and went back down to L3.4 to walk for another 6 minutes. My legs still hurt but I thought "Don't be a wuss, Jenn" and I tried to run again. I ran 1 minute and my shins and calves were hurting so much that I had to go back down to L3. They still were killing me, so I stepped off of the treadmill belt onto the sides and just stood there for a minute. I went back on and walked for about 6 more minutes. I was feeling a little better, so I ran for 1.5 minutes again, and this time did it at L5.2. I was thinking maybe the slow jog was worse for me than a little faster of a run. But, at 1.5 minutes I was in pain again so I just went down to L3 and walked. I slowed it down to 2.7 and cooled down.

Overall I was only on the treadmill for 30 minutes, and I probably only burned around 300 calories. I had my heart monitor and watch but I forgot to start recording my workout time. I did it about 1/2 way through and it said I burned around 150 calories, so double that I figure is about right.

I've read from a few runners online that one day between running is the perfect amount of time for your body to recover from the run. Today was my 3rd day in a row of running and walking. I just enjoy it so much that I kept wanting to do it. I guess I am pushing my body too hard. It's not about my heart rate or my lungs... it's my shins and calves.

I don't have shin splints -- I mean, I can walk just fine tonight and it only took me about an hour after the gym today to recover to normal. I am skipping running/walking tomorrow. I'm going to do Zumba at 6, then Gravity at 7. That's two hours of working out! Then I'm going to do my run/walk on Friday and see how I feel.

Anyone else have this problem with running? Or did you when you first started?

I guess sometimes too much enthusiasm can be a bad thing. :/

~J

Kick Assness and Krav.

So, I thought I'd share a video that always inspires me to work harder, be stronger and kick more ass in general. (Andrew, you'll appreciate this.)

If anyone has either heard of Krav Maga or seen the movie "Enough" - you'll know what's coming.

If anyone has thought about taking self defense classes and getting fit in the mean time... Krav Maga. Look it up and go take a class or two in your area. I guarantee you'll feel amazing and want to do it more. It's REALLY hard, so if you're extremely overweight, it might be very difficult for you. Most classes will allow you to sit out if you need to, take a break when you need to... but it's hard to do that when people are screaming at you, "HIT HARDER! FIGHT! FIGHT!!!" It's too inspirational to try to keep fighting. It was the HARDEST workout I've ever had. It's harder than any video I've ever done or any class I've ever taken. I would end up with the pass-outs, the pukes or the runs after every class. That said, it'd definitely whoop your ass Biggest Loser style. I want to take more classes after I lose another 30-40 lbs to get myself ripped.

And I know Andrew will comment here and say "Go do it NOW!" But I'm not going to dude. Running is my big love thing right now, yo. :)

Anyways, enjoy the video! It is inspiring to see a strong woman, yeh?




And I figured I should share a video of what a beginners (Level 1) class in Krav looks like. This is a video I found on YouTube, and it's pretty much exactly what the classes were. Oh, except it doesn't show the beginning of the class where they run you ragged with running, crawling, jumping, side stepping and human wheelbarrow drills until you're exhausted. Then you fight.

And after having said that, this still might not look "that" hard. Believe me. It's exhausting. And when you're hitting those pads, it's with ALL your strength. And once you feel like you just can't hit that f*king bag anymore... they will yell and yell, "KEEP FIGHTING!!!!!"

It's the toughest ass kicking workout ever.

What are your Goals?

And I don't mean weight loss goals.

My good buddy Monica over at Confessions of a + Sized Girl posted a blog HERE about goals. I love this and I'm doing it.

So what are your goals? And again, make the list as if you are at your weight loss goal already! At least one thing that you hope to accomplish by the December 31st this year.

1. Run a 5K.
2. Wear a dress cut above my knees without feeling ashamed and gross.
3. Crack a gross income of 50K for my first year of being a Pro Photographer.
4. Learn how to do basic Pin Up hair and makeup styling.
5. Be able to regularly maintain a clean home, clean dishes, clean laundry.

Alrighty! I'll honestly say I'm most excited and nervous about the first goal there. And now I wanna hear yours! :)

~J

Running Report

Hey guys!

So, I went to the gym to do a little running again today! I didn't do a full hour because I got to the gym around 6:15 and The Biggest Loser is on at 7. I mean, I have my priorities. ;)


Here are the numbers:

Walk 6 mins @L3.6
Run 3 mins @L5
Walk 6 mins @L3.4
Run 3 mins @L5
Walk 6 mins @L3.4
Run 3 mins @L5
Walk 6 mins @L3.4
Run 2 mins @L5
Walk 5 mins @L3.4-2.6 (for cool down)

Totals:

Running time = 11 mins
Walking time = 29 mins
Distance = 2.56 miles
Time = 40 minutes
Calories burned = 436* (35% fat)
Max heart rate = 181 (93%)
Average heart rate = 151 (78%)


SO! This is awesome. Yesterday I did an hour, and only 10 minutes of running. Today I did 11 minutes of running out of 40 minutes total. It's just fabulous. Now, my shins hurt tonight, but I knew I could do more. Today I just pushed for 3 minutes for each running section because I KNEW I could do it. It got tough after the 2 minute mark, but I just kept looking at the time and saying to myself, "Jenn, only 40 seconds, that's nothing. Only 20 seconds. Only 5 seconds!" And then it was over before I knew it.

So! I think I'll stick with this setup for the next week or so and see how I feel. More and more I just feel REALLY good, and I can't wait to go back to the gym to run more. :)

~J

No Excuses.

If I'm ever feeling full of excuses, I'm gonna watch this video.

Then get off of my ass and go work out.

xoxo
~Jenn

Running Report

Woo-hoo!

Sorry I haven't had one for a few days... I suck and I'm lazy.

So, here is the haps for tonight! I get to the gym and choose a treadmill next to this guy who is running at quite a fast pace... he'd been on the treadmill for about 12 minutes and was running at level 9.5, which is really fast. Yes, I look at other people's numbers.

I'll get back to him in a minute.

My breakdown looked like this tonight:

6 mins walking @ L3.6
2 mins running @ L5
6 mins walking @ L3.6
3 mins running @ L5
6 mins walking @ L3.6
2 mins running @ L5
6 mins walking @ L3.5
2 mins running @ L5
6 mins walking @ L3.5
1 min running @ L5
20 mins walking from L3.7-L2.8 (last 5 for cooldown)

Running time = 10 mins
Walking time = 50 mins
Distance = 3.56 miles
Time = 1 hour
Calories burned = 653* (40% fat)
Max heart rate = 180 (93%)
Average heart rate = 151 (78%)

*Calories burned are measured by a heart rate monitor I wear. (Polar F6). The treadmill said I burned 400 calories, so it's good for me to see I'm actually working harder than the machine thinks.


Okay, so the guy next to me ran for 30 minutes total. He did 3.4 miles in 21 minutes. Oh, and he was like, 60 years old. And he got his heart rate down to 90 in about 1-2 minutes while he was stretching on the treadmill when he was done. Dude, my heart rate is 90 when I walk leisurely from the car to the door of the gym. By the time I hit the locker room my heart rate is around 112. He's in fantastic shape. Or I'm just in really, really pathetic shape.

He is my inspiration. This guy kicked my ass and totally ran a 5K (just over 3.1 miles) in 20 minutes.

Sheesh!

You Inspire Me...

Now, I know we've all done shout outs, badges and buttons to our favorite bloggers, the ones who make us laugh and all... but I think I need to recognize those bloggers I go to in times of serious trouble.

LAZINESS.

There are some of you out there who really, really inspire me to get my big, cushy tushy moving when I feel lazy and think "Nah, I'll work out tomorrow."

1. All the gals over at the Tweetwalker Clubhouse. You guys inspire me to run and walk, and seriously, you all rule.

2. Mike Zume over at Zumewalk.com - your constant walking and helpful tips remind me to get moving!

3. 4oz - Hold the Mayo, Extra Cheese. This is a place to read about all the sore muscles and inner battles you can get your hands on. She helps me to remember that everyone is human, and we make our choices and carve our paths each and every day.

4. Wonder Woman. She's doing the C25K program, and it's just really nice to have someone else out there who is torturing themselves too. :)

5. Fat Bridesmaid. Though she might not be one to post about working out every day... she hosts the Biggest Loser live blog which is hugely inspirational to me, and she shares her struggles and hopes about fitness right there along with the rest of us mere mortals. :)

For all of you... thank you!:



I would suggest giving this little badass button to anyone who inspires you to workout or be active more! I won't say you have to give it to five people... just anyone who inspires you to ... move it, move it! :)

~~Jenn

Mother's Day Generations

I did this shot today with Dan's Grandmother, Mother, Sister and baby Niece. They wanted to do a shot with the hands of all the ladies in the four generations. :) <3



~J

Jealous...

I did a shoot today with Shani, who is my height (5'6") and weighs 120 lbs. Seriously, she looked awesome. I actually weigh 90 pounds more than this woman. That's just crazy to me. (sigh.)

Anyhoo! If you want to check out the photos from the shoot, click HERE. :)

Calves of Jello.

So... I did a pre-wedding site consultation with a Bride yesterday. The location for their portraits is lake side, and it's at the bottom of this HUGE staircase going down to the lake. A million steps.

So, we walked down, then walked all around, then to this big winding path that went back up this huge hill to where we parked on the other side. I was wearing flip flops. I was sweating, hot and disgusting by the time we got up to the top. I was panting and like, "God, I'm SO out of shape!" to her.

My ass and legs hurt last night. Today, my calves feel like I was doing jumping jacks for an hour and then climbed Pikes Peak.

Yeah, I'm a sissy wuss crap face, and I'm out of shape.

So, I skipped the gym today and I plan to go tomorrow. I wish you guys were here with me! We'd be an unstoppable workout team.

Staircase Wit

This is for ALL of us who have been yelled at, made fun of, or had some ass face say some shitty thing to us about our weight.



I love you guys.

<3 J

Mandii

Check out a few of my favorite images from the shoot tonight with Mandii! :) We did a little bit of Marilyn Monroe inspired stuff. This particular shot makes me so happy... I think it really is Marilyn-ish. :)



Click HERE for more photos.

~Jenn

Picture Yourself Thinner

There's been a rep e-mailing a bunch of us weight loss bloggers about the website Picture Yourself Thinner. I thought I'd try my own. I gave myself a serious case of weird bobble head, and my arms look thinner than I think they've ever been. I might have gone too far, but I still want to be a 6/8. Oh, and my boobs will NEVER stay that big - they really shrink to SMALL boobies when I lose weight. So anyway. Yeah. Hilarious. ;)

:)

It's Heartbreak Warfare.

Mayer Wednesday. Wait, WHAT? Yeah, It's my blog and I do what I wanna.

Naw, in all reality, guys... I saw this video - Mr. Mayer posted it something like 8 minutes ago, and I have to confess, I'm a psycho internet addicted, blog feeding frenzy freak.

I'm sharing it. He's doing a series of videos about the writing and production process of his new album, which is being completely written and done in this house he bought. Seeing John at the piano almost made me pee a little.

This is a little quote of what John says at the end of the video over some audio of one of his new songs (Heartbreak Warfare):

"This is who I am. This is the next step in the story of who I am. There's nothing better than that in the whole world, and I have to make myself go to sleep so I can do it again tomorrow."

So... do you feel that way about what you do every day? I do. And if you don't... I really hope you find that kind of happiness in your life soon. 'Cause there truly isn't anything better than that.

...Well, except maybe mint chocolate chip ice cream.



Please enjoy.

Running Report

So... I love my new watch.

I did 35 minutes on the treadmill and burned 341 calories.

6 min walking L36
2 min running L52
6 min walking L38
2 min running L50
6 min walking L36
2 min running L50
6 min walking L35
5 min slow walk cooldown

I then did Zumba for an hour and burned 607 calories.

I worked out for a total of 1 hour 40 minutes and burned 948 calories today! WOO HOO!

My motivation was that I usually go in, work out for a little bit, then go home. Why? Because I'm tired? No. Because I "did what I came to do." I remembered that Tara did 6... SIX hours in the gym. Surely I can do 1.5 hours.

<3 Jenn

Super Blog Love!

Twooooo big hearts and a hug to Ashley over at The Opposite of Thin for giving me some blog love and this super cool looking award!



She gave me the best and sweetest shout out too:



So! It's now my turn to pass it along to five awesome bloggers. It's always tough because there are so many of you who are just FABULOUS, but I have to narrow it down, so here it goes:

1. Monica over at Confessions of a + Sized Girl. I freaking LOVE this girl. She's honest and you can find her blogging about everything from our beloved Biggest Loser to a hilarious bike ride to her boyfriend eating bad food in front of her. It's just comforting, funny and relatable.

2. Fat Bridesmaid. Or as those of us who know and love her have come to call her... "FB." :) She runs a liveblog for The Biggest Loser, which is huge and awesome, 'cause I need people to cry with while I'm watching Tara finish a marathon in under 5 hours! Also, FB is starting the C25K (Couch to 5K) program with me, and soon we'll be running and leaving everyone in the dust! :)

3. Kate is Losing It. This girl is really funny. She also is kicking butt at her weight loss. I wish I could lose like this woman! She's got a new reward system, and it involves shoes. I might have to try that. ;)

4. A Little Less Crystal. She's great - though she's been sick lately (I hope you feel better!) - She's awesome about sharing her goals, progress and setbacks.

5. Mike over at Zumewalk.com. This guy ROCKS. I'm sure I've mentioned it before. Especially for you folks who want to start walking 'cause you aren't quite able to start running yet? This is your guy. He posts TONS of great info about losing weight, running, walking, and even features some of my recipes sometimes when I post them. :) He also does some kick ass giveaways and I was soooo lucky to win an iPod from him! Get thee to his blog, bookmark it and comment regularly. :)


Now, the five of you should (if you want to) tape the award up on your blog somewhere. Pass it along to 5 fellow super bloggers, and comment on their blog to let them know how lucky they are today! When you present your Super Blogger awards, link back to the super blogger who gave it to you.

Don't believe the magazines.

Please. Because it's WAY too easy for them to do this kind of thing. And they do it EVERY SINGLE TIME. Changing this beautiful girl's entire image took me a measly 10 minutes. Seriously, it's ridiculous. This is why I do NOT photoshop anyone's image when I do portraits. I'll clone out a few pimples if they show up, or perhaps brighten up someone's eyes, but I refuse to change the way their bodies look. I won't distort you. It's just wrong.



You're beautiful the way you are. The fictional characters you see in magazines are NOT REAL.

<3<3

Jenn

PS... In a celebration of REAL women... As you saw earlier, I'm involved in a great prize package for the very special Mother who wins. Please come by the site, read the three touching nominations, and vote for the one you think should win! :)

You can read and vote here.

American Idol - Top 4 Performances

I'm not blogging it. Biggest loser is way too important.

Sorry.

St. Luke's School

I did some school photos for St. Luke's school this morning! The kids were so wonderful, and the staff was super helpful. It's a shame the school is closing down, but the experience really was a nice one. :)

Now, I'm not your typical "stuffy" photographer (as I hope you all know by now.) ...So I had to put my own little "Jenn" twist on the shoot, and at LEAST let these Catholic kids have some funny face and goofy shot moments in front of the camera. :)

Click HERE to see a few of my favorites from the day!


:)

Slap your troubles away...

With the slap-chop. This is HILARIOUS - and super awesome candy coated thanks to my brother for sending it to me.

AWESOMENESS.

Mraz Monday

I've decided to roll with a variety of Artists with M names. :)

Please enjoy this awesome performance of "I'm Yours" - the audio is off from the video, but trust me, it's worth it. :) Plus there's a little bit of interview here if you like Mr. Mraz as much as I do. He's ahhhhdorable. :)

New Duds for a New Day

So... my running crazy has inspired me to get new stuff!

And let me tell you, I feel better about myself in some new clothes than I have in a long time. Brand new running shoes (these are a MUST), new pants, and a new watch with a heart monitor!





Ready to get TOUGH!




LOVE the pants and the shoes... The shoes are Asics 2140's.










The watch is a Polar F6. It rocks:





The new tattoo:



And now I'm a runnin' fool!




Oh, by the way, as I'm SO excited to run tonight... I couldn't get my car out of PARK. Dan got it to go once, and we parked it at his Mom's house (no rules there on which side of the street to park on...) -- I swear, Milwaukee is bad for my car.

I'm gonna SHRED tonight. I haven't for awhile, so I'm sure I'll be dying later. I'll let you know how it goes. :) <3

Jenn

I am a Sexy Biatch.

I don't know why I'm making such a big fuss. I clearly already have a body like Britney Spears.

Running Report

Okay, so I just got back from the gym and I would like to give y'all a little report on the running stuffs.


So, as a brief reminder, this is what I'm supposed to be doing for the first week:

Week one: Walk for 6 minutes, then jog at an easy pace for 1 minute. Repeat 3 times. Aim for three sessions with that same sequence for week one.

That equals 21 minutes. (7 minutes x 3 repetitions.)


Well, this is what I did: (L== level, and I was at an incline of .5 just to get started. I started not knowing what level felt fast or slow... 27 is pretty slow... I wanted to walk at a fast pace when walking, instead of reverting to a stroll feeling walk. The beat I walked to was the beat of "If U Seek Amy.")

1 min walking @ L27, 2 min walking @ L30, 3 min walking @ L32

2 min running @ L45

5 min walking @ L37

4 min running @ L47

6 min walking @ L37

3 min running @ L47

5 min walking @ L35

1.5 min running @ L47

5.5 min walking @ L37, 1 min walking @ L35, 1 min walking @ L32

So... that's 40 minutes on the treadmill, 2.2 miles, and a HELL of a lot more running than I thought I'd be doing! I was supposed to do 21 minutes on the treadmill with only 3 of them being running minutes. Today, instead, I did 40 minutes on the treadmill, with 10.5 of them being running minutes.

Holy crap. I think I can do this.


Now, for you treadmill runners... does the world look like you're on one of those airport moving walkways when you get off? 'Cause I felt WEIRD when I stopped. I can totally see how someone could fall on their face after doing a workout now.

Speaking of which, I've been dying to share this clip with you guys! Has anyone seen "The Mirror Has Two Faces"??? It's one of my FAVORITE movies. This is the only clip I can find of the scene I want. You don't need to watch the whole thing. Just watch it from 5:00 - it's one of my favorite workout montages. HA!

(Now, I swear to Google there is a part in this montage where she's really cycling on the bike HARD and then she gets off, and her legs are so wobbly that she falls down. But it's not in this clip! Anyone? Tell me I'm not crazy. Or is it a different movie?)

I just realized that it's Bridget Jones' Diary - and I can't find the clip online. :)



**grin**

Also, someone asked what gym I go to. I'm in Milwaukee, and I go to Elite Fitness. They have a few locations - I go to Highlander Elite, which is off of Lilly Road and Burliegh. It's kind of pricey (around $80/month) but they have EVERYTHING, and they're very, very clean, super friendly, have tons of classes, every piece of equipment you could ask for, televisions on every treadmill, bike and elliptical, and two pools, not to mention a crapload of tennis and racquetball courts, spin classes, Gravity, Zumba, Pilates, Pump, Yoga and a slew of social events, live music, childcare, karate classes and way more. :) If anyone wants to come JOIN... I would love to have a running partner. :)

~J

I Want to Be a Runner.

Have I ever mentioned this? It's true. And recently I just can't stop thinking about it. I used to go for little runs a long time ago when I lived at my parents house. I took women's athletic weight training in high school and they forced us to do a mile run every Friday. I HATED that run, and felt like I was gonna puke at the end of each one.

I just wish I could be a smooth, fabulous runner like all the smooth, fabulous runners out there.

I don't know if any of you saw The Biggest Loser, Train the Trainer episode 17? But... there was a clip of Tara running on the treadmill at the beginning, with Jillian behind her, holding a band around her waist for resistance. (Note: that would kill me.) -- But then they showed Tara after, and she was FLYING on that treadmill. I want to be that.


Okay, in case anyone doesn't know, as of Tuesday, this girl has lost 121 pounds in 17 weeks. I haven't even lost TWENTY pounds in that much time. She's literally lost 106 more pounds than me. And that in LESS time! If anything is a sign that I'm a big, fat, lazy, ridiculous girl, THAT is. Even though I "know" the Biggest Loser method is extreme... why can't I just GO TO THE GYM and work out for long periods of time every day? I have the schedule to accommodate it. I pay for the membership. WHAT is my freaking PROBLEM??

I SUCK.

I read this on OK Magazine's website:

Integral to Tara's dramatic weight loss is her "6-Mile Workout," which consists of: Jogging 3 miles, doing 20 push-ups, jogging another mile, then another set of push-ups, another mile, more push-ups, one last mile and then one final round of push-ups. We're losing weight just thinking about it!

I'm even inspired by how she looks in a t-shirt and spandex workout pants!




So, how to BEGIN running? I sure as heck can't go to the gym today and run five miles. I'd collapse or puke, or have a fit of diarrhea on the treadmilll.

So, I found a website with a good "beginner's guide to running."

Anyone else want to start running with me? Here's the plan:

1. Get clearance from your doctor. (Does anyone actually do this? I've NEVER done this before starting to work out or change my diet. But you're apparently supposed to, so I'll copy and paste it here.)

2. Getting the right running shoes for your foot type is crucial for comfort and injury prevention. Visit a running store to get expert advice on buying the right running shoes. (I need to do this. Right now I just have my regular workout shoes but I WILL be getting real, picked for me, running shoes.)

3. Before you start your workouts, make sure you warm up properly by walking for 5-10 minutes. You should always end your workout with a cooldown.

4. Week one: Walk for 6 minutes, then jog at an easy pace for 1 minute. Repeat 3 times. Aim for three sessions with that same sequence for week one.

5. Week two: Walk for 5 minutes, then jog for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Aim to do three sessions in week two.

6. Week three: Walk for 3 minutes, then jog for 4 minutes. Repeat 4 times. Aim for four sessions in week three.

7. Week four: Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 5 minutes. Repeat 4 times. Shoot for four of those sessions in week four.

8. Week five: Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 8 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Do four of those sessions in week five.

9. Week six: Walk for 2 minutes, then jog for 9 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Try to do four sessions for week six.

10. Week seven: Walk for 1 minute, then jog for 11 minutes. Repeat 3 times. Do four sessions this week.

11. Week eight: Congratulations on making it to week eight! For your first run this week, try walking for 5 minutes to begin and end the workout, and run for 20 minutes in between. By the end of the week, try to run for 30 minutes without stopping.

Aim to run for 30 minutes four times a week, and you'll notice that your stamina and fitness will continue to improve. Soon you'll be ready to run your first 5K!



So... who's with me for the next 8 weeks?

John Krasinski

...Has definitely made it into my top five.

Holy adorable. This look he gives, the half side smile thing? KILLS. Me.

I'm obsessed.

Book Giveaway: The Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl!

Enter here for a chance to win the book! :)


YOU NEED TO PUT YOUR INFO INTO THE BOX BELOW TO ENTER!! :)

It's a tool I use for giveaways to keep the entries and winner selection fair, so if you don't enter your info into this box, you're NOT entered. Comments won't get you into the giveaway! :)

Cuppycake!

This is how I feel about Dan. So I played it for him. Then he told me the kid looked like the Devil.

I think it's hilarious and awesome.

More Film from Cabo and San Diego!

Come check out my most recent post of photos (film) from my trip to California and Cabo! :)

Click here for the photos.