Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Reader Suggestions Galore

Alrighty!

I got a ton of comments from you guys on my last post. Thanks so much for all your opinions, input and suggestions. I did notice, however, that nobody suggested the "Amputee Diet," and I'm a little disappointed. I really believed at least SOMEONE out there had tried chopping off a leg at some point. That's, like, a guaranteed way to lose at least 30 or 40 pounds or something. Okay, I have no idea how much a leg weighs, and I guess it depends on how much YOU weigh, but you get the idea.


Today I want to start by showing you guys how the weight loss thus far has changed my face. I can't explain how happy it makes me to see CHEEKBONES! Please excuse the terrible webcam photos. ;)

August 8th, 2009 to today:


December 2008 to today:



And now I realize that I SERIOUSLY need to pluck my eyebrows. This is just disgraceful:



I also know how easy it is to skim over and read quickly through blog entries. I do it myself (guiltyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!) so I'd like to point out a few things from my last entry that apparently went unnoticed by a few of you guys. :)

1. I have worked with a personal trainer.
2. I have eaten a very, very balanced diet with all the suggested things your body needs and wants to be a fat burning, fueled machine.
3. I have done cardio heavy workouts.
4. I have done cardio plus strength training.


Yeah, I have rocked the weights, and even tried this torture device, otherwise known as "Gravity.":


I will also add that I've done a TON, TON, TON of research on nutrition. I didn't go to school for it, and I haven't worked with a nutritionist, but I know a LOT about it. I've modified and adjusted my diet with great precision (crunched the numbers, worked the ratios, tracked, tracked, tracked) and tried each type of eating plan, giving it three to five months. Low carbohydrate just works best for my body. I believe (and many of you commented) that people are all different. I don't believe in a one plan fits all idea. I do think it would be interesting to go see a nutritionist, so I'll think about that one. :)

Also, it appears that a few of you guys might have gotten the impression that I'm looking for a quickfixinstantresults type of plan. Nope... I'm just really interested in all the crazy fads people have tried. And the Diet Coke and crackers just sounds hilarious. In all seriousness, I would try this one just to say I tried it. Nobody has given me these details. I'm about to go stuff myself with saltines just to try to figure it out on my own.

So! It's time for some Q&A:

Q: Is Zumba fun?
A: Hell yeah. It's like... if you ever won a bet or proved someone wrong and did a goofy dance, it's like that, but doing it for an hour. It's a total blast!

Q: Dear sweet baby J, how did you get that perky ass just by doing Atkins?! No squats or anything??!
A: I've always had a badunkadunk. I can't explain it, but I've totally got an apple bottom.
And now, I'm going to list some reader suggestions here. I'm not going to direct link, so copy and paste / look into it at your own risk. I'm condensing the info you could find by going through the comments, but don't take these as my personal recommendation. Okay, disclaimer over.
Tracking sites:
-Nutrimirror.com
-Sparkpeople.com
-Daily Plate on Livestrong.com (I've used this, it's great.)


Programs:
-Weight Watchers
-JillianMichaels.com

-South Beach

-Medifast

-Blood Type Diet

-Crossfit

Other suggestions:
-See a nutritionist.
-Read 'Eat To Live' by Joel Furhamn

-Do the treadmill for 1/2 hour a day.
-Walk for an hour a day.

-Eat a cottage cheese and asparagus lunch. (Love this... I always have fat free cottage cheese and asparagus in my fridge. I usually boil water, then put the asparagus (with the thick bottom end cut off) in the water and boil it for about 3-5 minutes, until it's tender and easily pierced with a fork. And I love the low fat string cheeses.)

-Cut what you eat in half to shrink your stomach.

-Hide your temptation food in the trunk of your car so you have to run out in public and risk looking like a crazy person each time you really, really need to eat it. (My favorite and the funniest suggestion.)

That's it for today. Tomorrow I'm going to do a post on The Biggest Loser and their crazy crazy craziness.

Oh yeah, have I mentioned I love you guys? 'Cause I do. **smooch!**

~Jenn

36 comments:

Julie, The Wife said...

Okay, You? Made my day. Completely. You have no idea.

(sigh. sniff.)

Thanks, Ex Hot Girl. You made me sing like a guitar hummin'.

And look at you, piling up Followers like so many Medifast bar wrappers on my floor! You're riding the crazy train!

thanks again -
julie
(A Day In The Wife/Neil Diamond Freak)

Unknown said...

Crossfit FTMFW!

Keep doing what you do, you are awesome.

M said...

I have to ask, did you do that torture machine called "Gravity" because of your connection to John Mayer? :)

Try the apple and cereal diet. For 3 months, I would eat 2 bowls of cereal a day, and if I was out of cereal, I would eat an apple. I lost soooo much weight. But in addition, my skin became this horrible yellow as did the corner of my eyes. I was skinny but extremely unhealthy and miserable.

OK, Im off to listen to some John Mayer.

Carly said...

I'm happy you're happy to see your cheekbones, but you look pretty beautiful in those before pictures as well!

I'm curious - with the cottage cheese and asparagus lunch...what do you do with the asparagus? Eat it raw? Steam it? Microwave it?

Dan Brindley said...

My 2 cents is become a vegetarian... I lost over 20 lbs and I wasn't even trying to lose weight. btw: I'm doing it very healthy (which is easier than you might think) :)

P.S. You rock Jenn!!!!!!!!!!!!!

agirlsolostinGod said...

try the curves diet! I've seen ladies lose hundreds of pounds, and they have a low carb version that is proven to be healthy for your body. (having fun reading your posts. :D)

Annabelle said...

Those are some pretty amazing ideas. I can't believe some of the things people are willing to do to drop a few pounds quickly. Sad thing, it always come back...with interest. I do love your blog. It is incredible that you put your journey out there for all to read. We have the opportunity to laugh with you (and maybe at you sometimes), cry with you and succeed with you. Thank you.

Stephanie Dahl said...

Interesting stuff! I am new to your blog and didn't get to put in my two cents, so I'll try now. I found what worked for me is: no soda, ONE treat a day (as in ONE regular-sized-not-giant cookie or ONE tall -aka small- frappuccino), no eating after dinner, three meals a day and one snack. What I ate for meals didn't seem to matter as long as it was a reasonable portion. And I tried to eat to nourish my body and not just to fill my tummy.

Tonja +Jere + Kids said...

to me you look beautiful



For me, I dropped alot of weight by eating small portions of food five times a day. I also drank lots of water and limited sodas.

Didn't eat after 7pm

That is what worked for me, oh yeah and an hour at the gym on the Ride a glide and the stair stepper then did free weights and stretched before and after workout.

It worked, gained muscle and lost weight

Runnergirl said...

Cheekbones are awesome!

I am totally with you on the everyone finds something that works for them thing. Like I said, I've tried personal trainers and nutritionists, done masses of research myself etc. What works best for me - the combo of WeightWatchers and exercise, but I have to admit I gave up on the weights as I used to do them regularly and noticed absolutely no toning whatsoever!

You're looking great though, and what you are doing is clearly working for you - I don't believe in quick fixes (just as well, as I've been doing WW on and off for 11 years now!!!)

You're an inspiration - and it's great to find someone who can keep their sense of humour throughout it all.

Anonymous said...

You look phenomenal! I can't wait until the top half of my face it bigger than the bottom (like cheekbones instead of double chin haha). Thanks for all the info also! I'm getting knee surgery on Monday, but can't wait to start workin it after that. You're inspiring!

Michelle Tressa said...

OMG, you look AMAZING!! Quite the transformation. You're beautiful anyways. ;) But in all seriousness... that badunkadunk... you are blessed. (sigh)

Quincifer said...

What on earth is that machine?! It looks like the conveyor belt to hell...
Check you with the face definition! You can totally tell the difference between your pictures, yay! :)

carla said...

wow. the gravity looks pretty...torturous. never tried it.

and the eyebrows.
le sigh :)
I neeeed an eyebrowintervention yet fear if I relinquish control Ill emerge from a salon needing to draw them on.

this is all about me and my brows right? :)


MizFit

InnerMedley said...

You look great...but you were pretty before too.

Keep it up! You're inspiring. :)

rachaelgking said...

Oh, sorry. Did you not mean for there to be tongue in that smooch?

...My bad.

Karen Marchetti said...

Just recently found your blog -- LOVE IT! You go girl - in the same boat here, but not making your progress at all! An amazing difference in the glow of your eyes! Keep it up!

Apryl said...

Hey I just started reading your blog and I feel your pain. I myself am a perpetual "fluctuator" I always feel I can start to do good when I can stay motivated and find the time and the money, but let's be serious, who has those? And more over, both at the same time??

I used to use this site called FatSecret.com

It was helpful to me, more like a peer counseling site of hits and misses, when I actually had the where-with-all to use it.

I also used to bust my butt at the gym and do Zumba...when I had the time. Now I too find myself watching monthly as my bank account slowly deducts that gym payment I have no time to use. *sigh*

I try to eat decently, well at least for lunch, but am not a breakfast eater. So alas, I too am in limbo.

I just use cleavage as a diversionary tactic. Then the eyes don't travel below to the damage caused by child rearing ;-)

Nανєєη said...

looks like you have definitely done your research .. a lot of it !

Dazza said...

Congratulations my dear. Having been a thigh-rubber (my thighs rubbing against each other when I walked, not rubbing other people's)myself, I love fat-loss success stories.

You are one fah-neeee lady!

Andrea said...

I'm a new follower, but I have to tell you I am mesmerized! I'm catching up on all your past blogs, and want you to know I LOVE reading your posts! You look great. Keep up the hard work!

Andrea said...

I'm a new follower to your blog, but I just had to tell you I am mesmerized! I am catching up on your older posts and enjoying "getting to know you." You look great. Keep up the hard work!

Anonymous said...

I did forget to compliment your bottom. I'm very sad that my duff will never be so rounded. My butt, in all it's fatness, is flat.

My sister has the J-Lo booty and I'm sad I got the shaft.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the Blogs of Note mention and your weight loss. YOu look amazing! i'm so glad I founf your blog. I'm on my plateu after losing 26 lbs on Jenny Craig. Can't wait to read more! :)

Unknown said...

Figuring out how your nutrition effects you is definitely the biggest part of the equation,I have seen people work out for years, eat crap and look the same, so kudos on that. And your bum does look very nice btw. I would say that it is great to be blessed with a good looking body part that actually gets checked out, I mean when was the last time someone said "hey check out the eyes on that one..." exactly. So to all of us who were blessed with a round appley badakuda....mn whoop whoop!

Keep up the good work!

The Pugmother said...

Roller derby could add some more fun to the workout and diet thing.

Amanda said...

Yay cheekbones! And I totally agree with you on Zumba...I definitely only do it by myself because I get super self-conscious when someone watched me look like a total ass that I can't keep a rhythm with those crazy Latinos!

Sharon said...

Congratulations on all your hard work!

Have you thought of trying out pole dance classes? I've been doing it for the last 2+ years, and it's an amazing strength/conditioning workout! I don't do it to lose weight, but I am stronger than I've ever been in my life, and a lot of women in my school have expressed that it's changed their bodies too. I tried it out for a laugh, but it's so much fun, I was instantly hooked! If you have a studio (never at a gym, it's not the same), definitely try it out!

My school is: www.sfactor.com

Good luck!

Sara said...

One of my friends completly cut out carbs and some other stuff and he has lost a ton of weight but he doesnt look healty at all and I am worried about him. As long as you are doing it safely you should be fine.

I get the not really exersizing thing, a recent study by a university in England (I forget which one) actually proved there isnt always a coralation between working out and weight loss, they said it has more to do with what you eat. But I also think its important to be phyiscialy active, you just have to find something that you love to do. Like me, I love frisbe, yoga and horseback riding. But I hate running, so I dont do it. Find something you love.

Lisa said...

I feel inspired after reading your blog this past week!
Look at how far you've come!!

Ashleigh said...

You look great! Keep it up! And I totally got your last post...Frankly, "eat a balanced diet and exercise" just isn't funny. "Diet coke and saltines??" Noe that's funny! It all about the punchline, baby!

(^_^) ♥ said...

Hiya! i totally get the cheekbone thing, when I first noticed that I could see my collarbone again i did what could only be described as an ants in my pants dance! It's the little triumphs. Keep at it, you're truly inspiring. (^_^) ♥

Ragdah said...

a very amazing blog, your still a hottie girl.. your beautiful =)

Frannie said...

Seeing the photos of your face made me really happy. I consider myself to have a big head and fat face (no pictures posted yet, but I'll get on that someday), and I have a silly fear that I will lose weight, and my head will still be huge. Seeing your photos was a nice reminder that it, too, shall shrink.

I'm a new reader, but loving your blog, fyi!

bluenotes said...

Hahahaaa the "tempation food int he car of your trunk" thing killssss me! so clever

jodib said...

You are doing so well. You must keep at it. I love readingyour post, keeps me so motivated!