Finishing Well

MY STORY… BEYOND THE SCALE & REAL LIFE TOO

True Confessions of an Imperfect Weight Watcher Leader

____________________________________________________________________________

Happy Leap Year!  My daughter asked this morning why we have Leap Year.  At 6:45am I couldn't think of the answer but didn't want her to know that so I quickly replied "That will be a really great question to ask at school this morning don't you think?  Tonight at dinner I look forward to hearing YOU tell ME all about Leap Year!"  The really bad part is that it is now well past morning brain and I still have no idea why we have this day every four years!  LOL!  Something about the sun and the rotation...  Never fear I will google it before the kids get home!

We were talking about goals this past week in the meeting and I realized that my Fitness Goal is the same one that I usually set this time of year.  To RUN a 5k.  My daughter starts Girls on the Run today which means that I will need to run with her at her 5K later this spring.  For extra motivation we also registered for a local 5K that supports children in foster care.  At least is supposed too motivate me! 

So here I am on the last day of February thinking about this annual goal of mine and it dawned on me that I have had this goal now for the past 3 years.  Yet I have never accomplished it.  Each year I download the Couch to 5k app an 8 week program designed to get you from the couch to a 5k in about 8 weeks time.  I can make it about 6.5 weeks then I give up.  Not intentionally.  But somewhere around that time frame my life gets busy & its around here that I run a full mile without resting so now I am a know it all and no longer need the App to teach me how to get the other 2.2 miles done.  (This time I need to make this Fitness goal a Smart Goal like we talked about in the meeting)  Then the day of the race comes and I walk/run it.  I am unable to complete it the way I want.  First of all I can't because I didn't do the work.  My dream of running the entire 3.2 miles stays a dream.  Many of the runners are there to win!  Get the prize, beat their best time.  Me I show up - get a tshirt - maybe a medal, and it is really a great day.  I spend it with my daughter.  In a large family like ours, time with just one kid doesn't happen often enough.  Yet once we get home and the day is done I reflect on the fact that I didn't reach my goal.  I make excuses about how it doesn't matter since the day was so great & try to convince myself that the time together was the goal.  But I know that was just part of it.  I really wanted to run alongside her - not hold her back.  I want her to be proud of me.  I want to run the good race... train my body to endure, learn to breathe, eat right, condition.  I don't need to win.  I don't have a time to beat.  I just want to finish without resting.  I want to finish well. 

Instead the past few years I sign up and think that magically I will know how to breathe and run and keep up with my daughter and not be last. 

Is this familiar?  Do you do this with your WW journey?  Do you pay each month and really really want to "lose weight and get healthy" but have no plans of doing what it takes to actually have that happen?  You know what to do.  Most of us know don't we?  Yet we hope that knowing is enough.  We know how to track, measure, weigh, move etc. and still we choose to ignore what we know &  lay on the couch eating "junk".  That's not the end though is it.  We do nothing and expect to loose weight.  So what is it that needs to happen to turn our dreams into reality?  We need to Leap.  Take that first scary step and DO what we know needs to be done.  Look at what can get in the way and push past or plan a detour.  Tell someone (or us!) to have accountability and begin taking the first steps toward reaching our goals!  Together we can do this!

btw if you are still wondering:  It takes 365.something days for the earth to rotate around the sun.  Since it isn't a perfect 365 days we need to have Leap Year to play catch up.  Grade school science is coming back to you now isn't it ;)

WHAT'S HAPPENING:
Wednesday March 2, in Geneva -
             Struggling Member Workshop  9-10am
Thursday March 10th in South Elgin -
              App Academy  6-7pm
Saturday March 12th in North Aurora -
              App Academy  11am - 12pm

LET'S CLAP THE BIG HANDS:

Let's celebrate!  This morning we had 3 people reach their 5% goal!  I didn't have my camera ready but this week Mary H., Kendra & Sara from DeKalb all reached this health milestone!  BRAVO ladies!

TASTY TUESDAY:

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti  5sp

Since using the squash instead of pasta I made mine like an Italian meal.

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Squash

1 pound Ground Italian Sausage

1/4 c. diced onion

1/4 c. diced green pepper

Large can of Diced Tomatoes

1/4 c. Mama Mia Marinara Seasoning (from Tastefully Simple)

Olive Oil

Season Salt, Pepper, Sea Salt, Garlic - to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Slice off one end of squash so that it stands on end.  Slice it long ways and scrape out the seeds.
3. Coat with Olive oil, season salt and sea salt.  Then place face down on a cookie sheet and cook for 40-60 minutes. Or until soft.  (My husband & I like it a little on the crunchy side so we cooked for 40 minutes.
4. In a skillet put onion and diced green peppers for about 10 minutes or until they start to soften.  Then add Italian Sausage to until browned.
5. Once meat is browned add Mama Mia seasoning, can of diced tomatoes, garlic, salt & pepper to taste.
6. Once spaghetti squash is done scrape out the insides with a fork.  This is your "noodles"
7. Top with Meat Marinara Mixture.

Since I avoided the pasta with this dish I also had a slice of garlic bread!  My husband and I shared the squash eating a half each.  The meat w/ sauce fed our family of 8.  Points were calculated for 8 servings.

                            

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 

MY STORY… BEYOND THE SCALE & REAL LIFE TOO

True Confessions of an Imperfect Weight Watcher Leader

January 11, 2016

Number of To Do Lists I have started:   2

Number of piles on my counter that I am ignoring:   5

____________________________________________________________________________

Happy New Year!  I really believe that 2016 is the year that we SHINE!  

I am really into making resolutions but at the same time I realize that this is a time that I like to reflect on what I did in the previous year and what I want to see happen this year.  Is that a resolution?  Anyway, many of you have been coming back into the meeting room (Yay) and may have heard this but since this blog is kinda my accountability I have to restate it.  You know that I had the habit of gaining 7 pounds over the holidays and how long it could take me to get it off.  This year my goal was to gain only 2.  Bad news:  I gained 3.6.  Good news is:  I know why!  and I don’t feel bad.  Am I a little disappointed?  Sure, at the same time when I re-read my last blog and saw that in order to keep the weight gain at 2 I would need to track on all the non holiday days….  I didn’t do that.  When you kinda do the program it kinda works.  Right?!  So it was no surprise that I didn’t meet my goal.  However, I also know that if I want to get it off in January guess what I have to do?  Yep!  The Program!  

Just like if we look at the above confessions.  Just because I have piles and lists of things that need to be done maybe I need to realize that if I just set a goal but have not taken any action that really that goal is just a nice little dream.  Right now it is a dream of an organized life.  One with no piles and lots of things crossed off the list.  A home with clean counters.  Let’s not stop there.  Keep pushing Jenn, you are almost to the root of it.

“Why do I want clean counters with no piles?”  I want to feel in CONTROL again.  DING DING DING!  WINNER!  

Facing my why gives me the motivation needed to take action!  If I really look at the mess like a failure - look at all I need to do but still haven’t, then sure I have just told myself that there is no way I am good enough to tackle those things.  I might as well eat a cookie and ignore the piles.  I’m no good anyway.  Have you entered the weight loss process with little to no belief that you will succeed?  So much so that it becomes very difficult to even try?  OR we can tell that negative voice in our heads to Shut Up and look at the things that I have done.  And which CAN I do today?  

Here are a few steps that will help you conquer those thoughts:

1. Never see anything as a failure but instead see it as a step towards your ultimate success.
2. Say it out loud.  When you find yourself thinking those negative thoughts practice saying them out loud.  Listen to yourself.  Would you ever say those things to your child, grandchild, the 10 year old version of yourself?  Probably not. So why would you allow yourself to be so harsh to yourself?  Now try speaking positive.  You will begin to feel the momentum of your positive intentions which can propel you towards conquering that voice!
3. Take Action!  Your inaction can allow you to be overcome with negativity.  Don’t sit by  while those thoughts fill your mind.  DO something to chase it away!
4. Flex your No Muscle.  Practice saying no.  Sometimes that negative voice is disguised like positivity.  For example, “It’s ok to have that.  It's ok to skip the gym, you can go tomorrow.”  Say No!  Maybe even practice in the mirror so that when you are faced with a real challenge you are in control and more comfortable saying “No I don’t want bread or No thank you I am not hungry now”
5. Take a compliment.  Without saying but…!  You look like you have lost weight! “Thank you BUT I still have a long way to go.  WRONG!  Just say Thank You!
6. Be Grateful.  What are you thankful for?  It may be the fact that the sun in out, that I have a roof over my head or the fact that I am able to cross “Write Blog” off one of my To - Do lists.  Either way making a list of all things that we have in our life will help us to see what we are more than enough!  

Checking In:

Tracking - Were you able to track one full day yet?

What did you learn on that day?  If tracking is a challenge for you , what got in the way?  Remember tracking is done in a variety of ways. If one doesn’t work for you don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater just try something different!  Do you have the app downloaded?  Many members love the bar code scanner.  No thinking necessary just hold the scanner over the barcode and it will automatically show you the SmartPoints value.  Now you are back in control! Knowing the points helps you make decisions for what is worth it the rest of the day! Note any questions you may have and bring them up in the meeting room, on 24/7 or during your coaching session.  Remember we have your back and are here to help!

What’s Happening…

Upcoming Workshops:

APP WORKSHOPS:

January 13 at 5pm in Geneva location

January 16 at 1:00pm in Geneva

January 23 at 11:00 in North Aurora

SUCCESS WORKSHOPS:

Are you finding it hard to adapt to the new plan?  Is change getting in the way of your success?  If so join me as we Adapt to Beyond the Scale!

January 30 at noon at the South Elgin location

Recipe:

SkinnyTaste.com Korean Chicken

                      

This was sooo good!  My family loved it.  I did make a little change due to the fact that it was so cold today.  I didn’t want to go out and use the grill so I used a grill pan to sear the chicken and then threw it all in the crockpot. Didn’t marinate in a zip lock just made the sauce in the slow cooker then added in the chicken. Super moist and easy.  I served it over rice and made some veggies.  Find this recipe on www.Skinnytaste.com Search Korean Grilled Chicken Breast.

Servings:  4 (using 4 oz. chicken breasts)

SmartPoints: 3

Quote of the Week:

by:  Steve Maraboli

This newsletter & the views shared are not affiliated with weight watchers international, inc.  It is meant to be a motivational tool.  

 Email me: beyondthescalewithjenn@mail.com     Facebook: Beyond the Scale with Jenn

R.I.P.

MY STORY… BEYOND THE SCALE & REAL LIFE TOO

True Confessions of an Imperfect Weight Watcher Leader

Nov. 16, 2015

Weight:  -.2
How many times have I felt sorry for myself today: too embarrassing to admit

____________________________________________________________

We woke up Sunday to find that the temperature inside our fridge was 69 degrees!  I am not sure when it stopped working. Last time I know it was good was when I made lunch on Friday.  Then the weekend got busy; we had funeral, b-day party and work & I guess we weren’t eating at home much.  So Sunday morning the stench and the thawed meat in the freezer meant a trip from the appliance repairman and a diagnosis of a dead fridge. 

Back up about 3 months ago- the freezer had stopped freezing and we had hired a different guy to fix it.  This man apparently put in a refurbished part, cut some corners, but got the freezer working.  I had no idea what he did.  I just knew my freezer worked and I was out a few hundred bucks.  Since the darn thing broke again I called a different company.  He comes out and tells me that I am missing a part.  That my compressor had wires that should be coming from it and for some reason they had been cut off.  Hmmm, and that the part that was previously replaced was a cheap knock off that in reality had probably killed my fridge.  I had been ripped off by a cruddy repairman.  Really?  Nothing else can be done?  Nope.  Without spending a ton of money my best option is to just start over.

Can I just whine for a minute more and tell you I had just shopped on Thursday and had to throw away a few hundred dollars’ worth of food. AHHHGGH!  Ok temper tantrum done. 

In the midst of my overwhelming morning I started to see the comparison of my refrigerator problems and my WW story.  I had been doing this journey since 2006 (or before if you count me growing up with a WW mom) and with very little change (until we were allowed fruit for zero points) and yet every so often the weight would try to creep back on.  Whenever that weight piled on I would just go back to the beginning and start fresh.  Remember week one?  I pulled out my scale, kept my tracker close, used my measuring spoons, ate off smaller plates, got in my steps, you get it right?   Went to the basics until the weight got back in check.  However, after almost ten years of this I started to make a few tweaks......  I decided I was smart enough to make repairs to the plan on my own.  Pshh WW nutrition and research teams.  I’m actually living this.  I know my body.  I am a WW leader for goodness sake. 

So I tweaked, cut some corners, took out the parts I didn’t want to do and tried it my way.   The Jenn version of W.W.  Some weeks my way worked.  Some weeks my way didn’t do anything but make me gain weight (those weeks were never my fault) How crazy am I that I thought I was smarter than a company that has been successful for 52 years!  Smarter than a research team of medical nutritionists? OMG! I realized I was the Crappy Repairman!  I am that guy that came to my house this summer.  I put in a cheap alternative, removed a part I didn’t think I needed anymore and felt pretty proud of myself.  For a while anyway.  Pretty soon the tricks started to fail and my manipulations got so tired that there was nothing else to do but give up and start over.  The gimmicks were dead. 

I can complain and I can whine but the bottom line is I need to fix what I broke. I may not like it but heck I know that when I kinda do the program it kinda works.  And when I work the program it really works.  So WHY do I try to fight it?   

It’s time to fire the Crappy Repairman and get to work.  R.I.P. “Jenn’s Version of WW” Anyone else with me? 

NOVEMBER Theme:  HEALTHY HOLIDAYS

Last Week:    SUPERMARKET SMARTS

What new shopping strategy did you choose?  How did it go in the supermarket? 

This Week:   THE GREAT PLATE

After having conquered the supermarket, we are now going to find ways to get us to and away from the Thanksgiving dinner table. Feeling relaxed, in control and proud of our choices!  At this food focused event (or events) a little advanced planning and a few Points Plus calculations can do wonders!  Let's leave the holiday still feeling proud or our health & weight loss goals.

What’s Happening…

ON SALE THIS WEEK: 

Fitness equipment: $9.95

STRUGGLING MEMBER WORKSHOPS:

This month we are looking at how we can PLAN TO SUCCEED.  How come we leave our meetings ramped up and ready for a successful week then mid-way through just throw in the towel?  Sound familiar?  If so join us as we strive together to develop a plan for overcoming those “bad days” that throw us off the wagon!

·         In South Elgin = Nov. 21, 11:30-12:30pm

Quote of the Week:

By Anne Ricci

                        

This newsletter is and the views shared are not affiliated with weight watchers international, inc.  It is meant to be a motivational tool.

Still on the fence

MY STORY… BEYOND THE SCALE & REAL LIFE TOO

True Confessions of an Imperfect Weight Watcher Leader

Nov. 4, 2015

Weight:  -1.2
Number of days I ate Halloween Candy: 4
Number of days I ate candy I don’t like:  4!

____________________________________________________________

Last week I was so determined to pick a side of the fence (read last week’s blog if that doesn’t make sense) and stay in a highly motivated state that would continue to lead me to success, but that determination waned.  Specifically since Halloween.  Which is why I lost weight from last week but, unfortunately I didn’t make it past that.  Does that make me a failure?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Here’s what I am learning.  Just because we say were going to do something doesn’t mean that we will be able to do IT 100% perfect all the time.  I had been on the fence for so long that it was pretty comfy there.  I knew how to “do my version” of WW from that spot atop the fence.  I could choose one side for a day or two as long as I hopped over to the other side for the other 5 days of the week.  Do you relate to this?  Eating whatever we want – feeling like a quote normal person and not tracking a bit of it!  Maybe that meant we walked a little more or took a class at the gym but the weight would be ok.  Then all of a sudden “My Plan” stopped working!  What the heck happened?!?  Ohhh, that’s right.  I had manipulated the program so long doing it MY WAY that I forgot what the program really required to be successful. 

When I started WW all those years ago I was excited and ready for a change.  I wanted success!  I stayed for my orientation for new members and left a little confused but I understood a few basic things I needed to do before the next weeks meeting.  I used my understanding of the program and followed it in its simplest state.  The longer I attended meetings the more I learned and eventually I felt confident in how all the parts worked together.  Slowly I was adding more and more to what my plan looked like.  Sounds good right?  But this is also the time when I get cocky and think I can do this on my own.  I can take the weekends off.  I can eat out and not look up points.  This is when I started gaining weight and not losing as easily as when I began.  This is when the motivation starts to dwindle and I decide that WW is no longer working.  Have you thought those thoughts with me?  Do you relate?  Guess what?  The program works when I work it.  I don’t have to be perfect but I have to be willing to make changes in order to see the changes I want.  How crazy am I to think I can continue doing what is not working and still think I can get the success I want? 

When I enrolled in college I wasn’t shocked that I had homework or needed to study before exams.  When I started working I wasn’t surprised that there were rules I needed to follow in order for my boss & coworkers to think I was a valuable asset to the team.  Why then do I fight the fact that losing weight is hard?  That in order to keep my weight off, to stay happy, healthy and confident in THIS body I may – just may, have to put in an effort! 

At the beginning of this blog I asked if I was a failure.  I have decided NO.  If I am willing to learn from even the worst of weeks then I am on the right track.  If I stayed sitting on that fence then I answer in a different way, but failing is not determined by one decision, one action or even one candy bar.  Come along with me this week as I become a private investigator of my life.  I will be looking to see when it is that I am derailed from my goals.  Is it the same challenge week after week or is it a daily challenge?  What behavior is keeping me on the fence?  Is it out of Habit? Comfort?  Do I tend to self-sabotage?  Once we find the answers to these questions we can take steps toward change.   Don’t let me kid you.  Change is hard.  Learning something new can be challenging.  Making a new habit takes time and effort but I have come to the realization that I am worth it!  I want to get off the fence no matter how weird it feels.  I may not be able to do it alone.  I may need to ask you for help and accountability.  But I am done whining about where I am; if I am unwilling to try & change it.  What about you?

Let’s Clap the Big Hands!

Celebrate the Scale & those Non Scale Victories too!

I want to recognize the 80+ people that came to the Weight Watcher 5K!

Many of our walkers!

This past Sunday we had men, women, children and dogs come walk with us in Geneva!  I was overwhelmed with the large number of you that gave up your Sunday afternoon to do something good for your health!  It may or may not help the scale this week but I think we can all attest that we felt great when we finished.  The sun was shining.  We were choosing health and activity over sitting on the couch!  Yay!  Many members also donated their left over Halloween candy.  42 pounds of candy will be sent to our service men and women. 

It was such a great success that we will be adding another walk in the spring.

Great job everyone

Keep celebrating with us!  Your accomplishments matter!  Whether Scale related or Beyond!

(if you’d like to share your success, let me know you’d like to be added in the blog)

NOVEMBER Theme:  HEALTHY HOLIDAYS

Last Week:    MAKE YOUR WORLD PLAN FRIENDLY

Our lives are rich & exciting AND full of obstacles!  Knowing exactly where our biggest challenges are allows us to strategize ways to overcome them.  What Ah Ha moments did you have this week?  Did you have to make changes to your environment at all?  Finding ways to overcome our daily environments now will set us up for control during the holiday months. 

This Week:   BE NUTRITION SAVVY

We are continuing the Nutrition 101 series by exploring healthier alternatives & tasty food swaps that remain satisfying while reducing our daily consumption of saturated fats and added sugars!  This is one meeting you will not want to miss with the holidays around the corner! 

 TECH TIP:

   We are updating our website!  Over the next few weeks several changes will begin to trickle in.  Stay on the look out! 

What’s Happening…

ON SALE THIS WEEK: 

Fitness equipment: $9.95

Water enhancers:  $1 off

STRUGGLING MEMBER WORKSHOPS:

This month we are looking at how we can PLAN TO SUCCEED.  How come we leave our meetings ramped up and ready for a successful week then mid-way through just throw in the towel?  Sound familiar?  If so join us as we strive together to develop a plan for overcoming those “bad days” that throw us off the wagon!

·         In N. Aurora = Nov. 14, 11:00am - 12:00pm

·         In South Elgin = Nov. 21, 11:30-12:30pm

Recipe:

SUPER VEGGIE MINESTRONE  

Click on the link below to open this tasty W.W. recipe!  In line with this weeks meeting topic here is a recipe with less saturated fats and added sugars!  A quick and easy way to add protein would be to add some beans (like garbanzo) or some chicken breast.  Both would add only a few extra points per serving and would give an extra satisfying punch! 

PPV:  3

Super Veggie Minestrone Soup

Quote of the Week:

                       

This newsletter is and the views shared are not affiliated with weight watchers international, inc.  It is meant to be a motivational tool.