Fit Bloggin' Roomie Challenge!!

So you know I freakin ADORE these ladies, right??! Above is a picture of Tasha and Jill - my Fit Bloggin' roommates. A few weeks before Fit Bloggin', I still didn't know where I was going to stay so I jumped on Twitter and started asking around and I am so glad I did! These two girls were my long lost friends that I just hadn't met yet. We also roomed with Sue, who is super cool as well and I don't want to leave her out - I am introducing Tasha and Jill for purposes of the rest of this post!

One weekend was not nearly long enough for us to meet, decide we liked each other - A LOT - and then spend time together. I was so sad when we had to leave each other!

When we all got home, we decided that we couldn't possibly wait until Fit Bloggin' 13 to hang out again and Tasha (who lives in TX) and Jill (who lives in AL) decided that they were going to set a challenge for themselves to lose 25-30lbs by January with the reward being a trip to NJ to see ME!

But if you know ME....You know I'm a team player and there was NO way that they were heading into this challenge alone! So I told them to count me in and I would tweak a few things to fit where I am at in my journey.

 Here are the rules:

1. Drink 100+oz of water a day
2. Track every day.**
3. Workout five times a week
4. Incorporate weight lifting or resistance training into at least
three of the five workouts
5. Blog three times a week
6. Post/email measurements monthly
7. Weigh in weekly (on Tuesdays) and report either via email or on your blog**
8. DO NOT QUIT
9. Take a picture every week and either post or email so we can see progression.

** The crossed out rules are the ones that I am tweaking and replacing with two of my own to fit where I am with my journey.

# 2: I am working on not tracking every day but using all my lessons and everything I know to make healthy decisions and maintain my weight. I haven't tracked in over a week and so far, it's going really well!!

#7: In my effort to break my crazy, obsessive addiction to the scale, I am weighing in every other week and only at Weight Watchers.

REPLACEMENT RULES: 

• I gave up alcohol until I go to Vegas in January with the exception of my birthday (Nov. 5)
• I also gave up sugary desserts even in small portions - the less I eat it, the less I crave it. 

Ready. Set. GO! 

I can't wait to see my girls again and their progress!

To follow their blogs:
Jill is at My Crazy Beautiful Life
Tasha is at Lettuce Makes me Fat

Both of their blogs are being revamped a little bit but will be up and running this week!

-SJD

Somewhere in between

I'm at a weird place in life... somewhere between wanting to be better and being okay with where I'm at.

I can't really explain it....but I kinda like it. I guess because 99% of the time I am working so hard on being a better me, that it's a bit awkward feeling content and there is a fine line between being content and being complacent and may sound contradictory.

In my humble opinion:
Content is a happy feeling.
Complacent is a feeling of not caring.

I always care.

But this "content" thing is something that comes and goes. I like it when it's here. The alternative is stress and anxiety about THINGS, numbers, decisions, etc... You can be content and still want to be better though, if you ask me. I guess I just want to be better in different ways than I am used to.

I am so used to wanting to be better physically and suddenly I want to be better mentally. I want to really get in tune with Krystle and just BE!

I took a boot camp class at Fit Bloggin' and I became pretty good friends with the trainer who led the class. Her name is Erin. Erin's zest and energy for life was so inspiring. She is the epitome of being all you can be but being okay with where you are at at that day and time - every day is worth celebrating even if you are not exactly where you want to be in life. I'm so glad to be friends with someone to gives off 110% positive energy. It's refreshing!

 Can I just say that the freedom from the scale has been liberating???! I do, however, have to weigh in this week for the sake of working for Weight Watchers. Since being back from Fit Bloggin, I have been working on reading more blogs (which I tend to be pretty sucky at keeping up on!) but I was reading none other than Roni Noone's blog - the creator of Fit Bloggin - and I read a post that was titled "No judgement, just notice". (Click the link to read it). My plan when I weigh in this week, as Roni mentioned when posting that blog, is to just notice the number on the scale rather than let it define me or to base my mood around whatever it has to say. It's just a tool.

I like being me.

I like where I am at in life right here, right now. 

I'm not going to let anything change that for me. 

SJD

A Fit Bloggin' Self Realization

Several months ago I made the spur of the moment decision to attend a conference that I had never heard of 10 minutes prior. I was looking for a way to become a better blogger and possibly even start making money with blogging so I randomly signed up for Fit Bloggin' 2012. Little did I know that eight months later I would be experiencing a weekend that I will never forget. A weekend that, for me, I feel was a turning point in my journey.

I came out of this weekend learning a little about blogging and A LOT about myself. I thought I had this covered. I lost the weight...I have the page... I tell people daily how to overcome X, Y, and Z.

I must be 100% happy, I mean why wouldn't I be?

When I surrounded myself with 300 other people facing their own struggles and their own journeys, celebrating their own victories, crying their own tears, overcoming their own fears, I could feel all the pain...

the struggle,
the joy,
the success,
the fear,
the hope.

I let my guard down to a place where it's never been. I actually looked inside of myself and I asked myself a question to which I was surprised of the answer.

***Allow me to preface the following with: I do LOVE me. I know I am worthy and I love the person that I am becoming. But I have much more growing to do as I get to know the NEW me***

I asked myself, "Are you truly happy right here, right now at this point on your journey?"

My answer wasn't a flat out "Yes". It wasn't a simple "No" either. Hence, my surprise. I thought I was truly happy!!

This realization came in one of the sessions at Fit Bloggin'. It was a discussion on self acceptance. I was the first one to offer to speak.
 
I told them about my post a little while back about "Keeping up with the Jones's" . I talked about how I had learned to accept myself without comparing myself to others on this journey. I gave my speech and then one of the moderators asked me something to the tune of "So has this made a significant impact on your journey?" .

Which really made me think: DO I ACCEPT MYSELF FOR WHO I AM??! ......seriously???

I started to think about how many times a day I comment about the skin on my stomach, how big my thighs are, how big my calves are, how I preface my strong biceps by shaking and pointing out my flabby triceps, how I complain about 1-5 pounds, and the list goes on. I've stopped comparing myself to those around me but have I stopped comparing myself to.....myself?

And then it hit me - I have NOT fully accepted myself and at this point - right here, right now, I was not FULLY happy. I am more critical of myself NOW than before I lost the weight. I nit-pick - specifically when it comes to the scale!

.......HOWEVER........

and there is ALWAYS a "however".....

I don't plan to stay here. Which is why I mentioned yesterday on Facebook that changes ARE coming. I will introduce the changes as they come, as I always share my good times and bad (Not that this is a "bad time...just an "AHA" moment).

As I told my honey this last night, in his infinite wisdom, he made a good analogy. He said:

"It's like when your house is really junky and you clean it all up, fold the clothes, mop the floors, scrub the bathrooms, then all of a sudden you feel like you didn't do enough because the dust on top of the cabinets wasn't cleaned. Even though before you did ALL of the above, you never even noticed the dust." 

Truth? Truth.

Much more to come regarding Fit Bloggin' and all that I took home with me in lessons, goodies, and friendships.

I'm a work in progress. 

SJD.

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

The time has come. The Skinny Jeans Dreams shirts are ready for pre-ordering!

Here is how it's going to work: 

From today, 9/15/2012 through 9/30/12, I will be taking pre orders (with payment). After that time period, you will get your shirts in approximately two weeks. I appreciate your patience in advance for those who purchase right away. My reason for doing this is so that everybody can order exactly the style and the size that they want and so that I am not left with stock on sizes that weren't ordered.

I will be taking orders via PayPal. If you don't have an account, it's very simple to set one up if you go to paypal.com. I will walk you through the payment steps in one moment.

Shirt styles are available in men or women's, sizes XS-3XL.

Shirt Specs: 

Adult Softstyle 100% Cotton T-Shirt 

• preshrunk 100% cotton jersey
• 4.5-oz.
• seamless double-needle 7/8" collar
• taped neck and shoulders
• rolled forward shoulders 
• WOMEN'S Style: Same features as above with slightly adjusted feminine tapered fit with side-seamed construction 

 PRICE: $16.95/ea 
SHIPPING: 
 United States: $3.00 anywhere in the US. 
 International: Before placing your order, please email me with your location @ skinnyjeansdreams@gmail.com with the subject line "SJD SHIRT" 


Let's get down to the nitty gritty: 

 To place your order, go to PayPal.com. If you don't have an account, you can link your debit/credit card to PayPal so that you can pay that way. PayPal is the safest way to pay online. Once you're there follow these steps: 

1. Log in 
2. Click the tab that says "Send Money" 
3. In the first box where it says "To", ENTER: skinnyjeansdreams@gmail.com 
4. In the "Amount" box, if you live in the US you will enter $19.95 (shirt + Shipping). If you're outside of the US, enter whatever amount we discussed prior to you placing the order. 
5. Click the circle titled "Goods" 
6. On the next page, scroll down until you see "payment method" and "Shipping address" 
7. Make sure both of these ^ are correct and that is the address you want me to ship to. 
8. Scroll down
9. In the "Subject Line" please enter either "MEN" or "WOMEN" as your choice of style shirt 
10. In the "Message" section please enter your desired size. Options: XS-3XL 

*NOTE: If you are ordering more than one shirt:  Note both sizes in the message. Add another $16.95 for the shirt but only add $1 additional per shirt. Example: If you are ordering two shirts- $33.90 + $4.00 shipping. Three shirts - 50.85 + $5.00 shipping. Make sense? 

If you have any questions at all, email me at skinnyjeansdreams@gmail.com. 

I thank you all for being part of my life and part of my journey!!! Love you guys!!

 

Busy week ahead!

Busy, busy week coming up, ending with the most exciting part - FIT BLOGGIN'!!! I am hoping that this experience will help to reenergize my blog. Since I started my Facebook page, I have gotten pretty relaxed when it comes to blogging. 

My up coming week is going to be busy from Sunday to Sunday. Tomorrow I am hanging out with family and friends and heading to the Seafood Festival then celebrating with my fam for my sister's birthday.

Monday I have meetings all day, a work event at night, and going to buy my baby sister her first LEGAL drink!

Tuesday I have a work event all day.

Wednesday I am heading to Maryland for work.

Thursday night starts FitBloggin' !!!

Friday I get to try CrossFit followed by a 2nd workout later in the morning then a day packed with Blogging awesomeness!

Saturday I am trying out a trampoline fitness class followed by Zumba and another big blogging-fun day.

Sunday early morning 5K Fun run then finally heading home to relax!

If you want to see my whole FitBloggin schedule click here!

It's going to be busy. It's going to be fun. It's going to be AWESOME!


My challenge is going to come in the way of food but my plan is to stick to power foods, limit carbs where I can, and be MINDFUL!

I apologize ahead of time for the lack of FB posts but I hope to be back with lots of blogging goodness when I get home!! Stay tuned!

It's that time of year again!! LOSE WEIGHT. FIGHT HUNGER!

It's that time of year again!!! Weight Watchers' LOSE FOR GOOD!! Check out last year's Lose For Good photo shoot of myself here. And read more about Lose For Good 2011 here. And you can't forget the tiny little fact that last year, I won $5,000 from Weight Watchers after winning the Lose for Good Story of You Contest - read HERE!

My collage I made last year :-)

Sooo 2012 is upon us and it's time for 2012 Lose For Good campaign. "Good for you. Good for all" Over the past four years, WW has donated $4 million through this campaign that works with organizations to make sure no kid grows up hungry either here in the states or internationally.

This year, Weight Watchers is doing things a little differently with a one day open house event at a center near you..

SEPTEMBER 15 - SAVE THE DATE!.. 

Now, I can't speak for everyone's open houses but I happen to be working the open house in my area - EHT, NJ if you're wondering!! If you're reading this and you're in the area - you better be there!!!!!

Our open house in Egg Harbor Twp will include the following and then some:

• Every attendee, member or not, will be entered into a raffle for prizes 
• Special offers for new members signing up on 9/15 
• Prizes for members who bring a friend that decides to sign up 
• Food station with WW samples, WW recipes, and demos 
• Electronics demo 
• Games and prizes! 
• Guest speakers - and not just those who have lost a ton of weight but those who have had their lives changed thanks to WW 
• Tilton Fitness will be offering a prize for a lucky guest 
• Obstacle course that will challenge members to carry the weight that they lost 
•  And last but CERTAINLY not least, a food drive! Bring nonperishable food to be donated to the local food bank. Less pounds for us - more pounds for them. 

***NOTE: You do not have to be a current WW member to be in attendance!

I am sooooo excited to be a part of this special day and I hope that 1) Those of you in this area will join me and 2) Those of you NOT in this area will log on to weightwatchers.com/openhouse and find an open house near you.

If you would like to join me and need directions to the EHT center, just email me at skinnyjeansdreams@gmail.com . I really hope to see you all there and to hear about your experiences elsewhere!

LOSE WEIGHT. 

FIGHT HUNGER. 

LOSE FOR GOOD!