Friday, May 25, 2012

Quick Update!

I've had some people asking if I'm okay.  HA!  Apparently that means I've been a bad EHG and haven't updated here enough.  (Obviously.)

I'm around 175, struggling to lose and really just struggling to focus.  Chasing / eating / eating / eating - vegetarianism makes it easier to eat more bread and sugar, and I just have to get back to plant-based eating. I have been working on being more active, walking more, etc.

I have been head-first into spring with weddings and chasing, so I do apologize for the lack of updates.  :(  If you want to keep up with me otherwise, feel free to do so on Facebook or check out my photography blog for the latest work, or the new storm chasing site for the latest work & then the blog. :)


Speaking of chasing, I just got back from a trip to North Dakota, so of course I had to make sure to see Miss Marilee from The Hicks Mix.  Love that girl!  



Then, all the way back to Wisconsin chasing the storms home.



This one from a month ago, taken by my chase partner Skip Talbot.



Love,
~J

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Oh, alcohol!

Well, I'm officially taking a little break from my social drinking.  A whole evening of drinking is equivalent to a whole day's worth of food... and I love drinking!  I do think that even with my healthy eating, the drinking was keeping too many calories in my body.  I definitely like to drink, I mean, DRINK when I drink... but that really adds up those calories.  For example:

5oz Pino Grigio = 114 calories
5oz Riesling = 112 calories
1 pint Magner's Cider = 210 calories
12oz Blue Moon = 171 calories
Vodka Cranberry = ~160 calories

So.  Imagine I drink my usual 4-6 glasses of wine on a drinking night.  And keep in mind they are LARGE glasses of wine, and absolutely not 5oz glasses.  That's probably around 1,000 calories just for the alcohol.  Or, if I drink five or so ciders... that's around 1,050 calories.

Add to that, after I drink, I always want to eat.  It's easier to go to a diner and get breakfast food, or to go to Taco Bell or eat pizza or something.

Cutting out liquor for a while is a very easy way to cut calories.  :)


In other news!

I just got back from a 3500 mile, 4-day storm chase.  We had a huge cooler with tons of fruit and veg in it, and made healthy choices otherwise when we could (ie: salad & baked potato at wendy's, or subway instead of McDonald's or some other garbage.) -- I also wound up with a 12-hour flu or something after eating some shrimp / baked potato and chips & queso.

(For the photos & such, visit my storm chasing blog here:  http://www.thefaceofastorm.com/ )




I'm doing the "Photogs who Lose it" weight loss group (locally) - and in two weeks I've gone from 171.8 to 169.2.  I would like to maintain that loss, around 1 pound per week would be fine with me.  Ultimately if I could drop another 10-13 pounds and be between 155 and 159 that'd be amazing.  Here's hoping!

Love,
Jenn

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Veggie Pasta Spirals! GREAT Deal!


First of all, just a quick reminder to come "like" me over on Facebook!  While I might not post here ALL the time, I do post little tidbits, discussions, articles and deals over on the FB page. :)  https://www.facebook.com/ExHotGirl


Okay, all. Remember my spiral veggie pasta? Well, the tool I use is on Groupon today... it's normally $50 but right now it's $24!  I just wanted to share the deal with you guys, so CLICK HERE TO GET THE DEAL online!





In other news, I've been battling the sodium and overeating as usual.  Back up to 174.8 as of Friday, so I have been juicing and eating small raw meals when I feel like I need to "chew" food.  I'm probably down two pounds (much of that water weight, undoubtedly.)

I will be meeting up with some business partners for a sushi meal today so I am glad I have shrunken my stomach, hopefully I won't overdo it.  I love sushi so much, it's tough!


SO.  Enjoy the deal!  Muah!

~J



Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Oh, Kelly Clarkson.

I'll admit that I skulk around skinnyvscurvy.com - it's one of my favorite websites because I like to torture myself by looking at beautiful celebrities.  Although really, the people who run the site represent lots of various body types as beautiful and don't bash, for the most part.

Anyhoo, I had noticed in a recent commercial that Kelly Clarkson was looking fuller these days, and then I happened upon this post.  Wow, wow.



Now, I will say, the shot on the left was right after American Idol when she was SUPER popular, and I noticed she LOST weight after American Idol.  Presumably because of the pressure, stardom, touring, publicity and I'd also guess, pressure from her label.  However, the difference is still stark.

Kelly, girl, I feel you.  If you all want to know the kind of up and down roller coaster that I am used to... it's a lot like Kelly Clarkson's battle with extra weight.  Up and down.  Up and down.  SO frustrating.

Oh, but did I mention... she's an amazing singer?  And her new album is great?  Because that's true, yo.  The girl can blow.

~J

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Update...

Well, well, well.  Damn I've been gone a long time again.  I suck at this blogging thing lately!

Things have been extremely, unseasonably busy for me this winter.  I have been doing a lot of fashion shoots, and even had a storm chase a few days ago.  I have updated my storm website, you can visit it here:

www.thefaceofastorm.com

I also now have my fine art tornado prints for sale here:

Jennifer Brindley Fine Art








My weight has been steady around 170-173 I would guess.  I haven't been on the freaking treadmill in over a month, which I hope to get back on this week.  My month of March seems MUCH more open and less busy than last month was.  I also just got back from a trip to Denver, which involved less healthy eating... but I have been able to maintain a mostly vegetarian diet (not including fish/sushi on occasion.)

I look forward to getting back to my healthier routine.  It's an ebb and flow, isn't it?  :)

~J

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Running Report

Oh, holy crap.  I haven't told you people.

I got a treadmill and I'm running again.  Can I tell you how much EASIER it is now that:

1.  I don't weigh 225 pounds... the extra weight off has made it so much easier at the start.
2.  I have a treadmill in my freaking basement, where it's cool, where it's right down the stairs and I don't have to get up and drive anywhere.

((You can see my entries from before, back in May 2009, when I started running but was heavier.  The numbers are pretty darn different.))


Yeah.  So, I'm on day two of running (day off for a much needed massage yesterday!) - and I am really excited to keep up on it.  Here is my report! :)

(PS, this "run" is much more a "jog," but I'm basically brand new to running / walking / exercise at this point.  I haven't been active in a long time, so I'm building up my strength slowly.)  :)


Day 2:  2.11 miles in 45m.
5m - walk - 2.8
9m - run - 3.4
5m - walk - 3.0
6m - run - 3.4
5m - walk - 3.0
4m - run - 3.6
5m - walk - 2.8
5m - walk - 3.0 (incline of 3)
1m - walk - 2.6 (incline of .5)
TOTAL = 45m
(ran 19m, walked 26m)
Estimated calories burned:  370


Day 1:  unknown miles in 35m.
2m - walk - 2.8
8m - run - 3.6
4m - walk - 3.0
4m - run - 3.6
5m - walk - 2.8
3m - run - 3.4
5m - walk - 2.6
TOTAL = 31m
(ran 15m, walked 16m)
Estimated calories burned:  224


On another note, I'm using the Lose it! app.  If anyone wants to be buddies on there, let me know.  I might not be perfect at tracking my food every day, but I will be weighing in at the very least. :)


Also, I should probably attempt to find my Polar watch / heart rate monitor.  It'll give me far better calculations on burned calories.  Or, I could wear my bodybugg... Decisions, decisions.

~J

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Fed Up.

This is me after the holidays.




It's the truth.  I was previously down to around 161-163 pounds and progressing really nicely.  Then Thanksgiving and Christmas happened and I lost my shit.  I don't know how much I weigh right now but I'm right back in my fat pants (meaning my comfortably loose jeans are now tight fitting) and I'm seriously annoyed at myself.  I'd GUESS I'm around 173-175.  (yikes.)

*edit:  Weighed in the morning of 1/9/12 and I am actually 169.6.  The last weigh-in I had was 11/18/11 at 161.8.  So, in 7 weeks I gained nearly 8 pounds.  Damn, you, chocolate M&M's!



I was lookin' pretty good, doing some karaoke with friends and being confused by this old fangled thing...


Then, Thanksgiving - this is me with my adorable niece...


Then, out to eat, sniffing up a delicious vegetarian dish from a cool restaurant in Chicago:



Hosted a party for all the WI Pro Photographers and hanging out with my mentor, Dave Jackson:



Air guitar on the dance floor:



Beckoning someone to come limbo with us... (yes that is an outfit change.)



Overall good times:



Then came lots of food, sugar, cramming everything into my face, and suddenly I see the New Years Even photos, and I want to die.




So, it's back on track AGAIN.  We actually got a treadmill today which has been long overdue.  It'll arrive in the next few days and will be right downstairs so I can use it every day.  I'm going to give running another try.  I actually haven't done it since I was 220-ish pounds, so I am thinking it'll be a lot easier.

We also got a punching bag.  We all know that will get used, mkay?


So.  I'm sorry for sucking at updating and I'll be back now for a while.  I have lots of fun recipes for you - I still am juicing and I got a dehydrator for Christmas so there are tons of fun things with that as well.  I'm still vegetarian (except for sushi) and am trying again to go closer to a vegan route, cutting dairy out of my diet as well.

I'd like to be back down to my 160 lbs (ish) by Chaser Con in February, and by the time Chasing season starts (end of march / early april) I'd like to be able to comfortably run 2 - 3 miles.  :)


Love,
~Jenn