Running around like crazy... figuratively

Hello there...

I've missed you guys and this blog. I've been crazy busy the last few weeks. With ten blogs to write for NJ.COM (hey, it's fun and they are paying me!) and a script rewrite for a producer I work with and OH YEAH, a whole company (Media Meld Studios) to run (with my partners) while working our tails off to get a few very viable projects off the ground, its no wonder I'm slacking a little.

So anyway, yeah. The running, this blog, its all been kind of sorry. I've been getting to the gym and still attending WW so I'm doing OK managing my weight loss. I've experienced a few weeks of colds, toe injuries, etc.. (lots of good excuses) to keep me from really running like the rock star I know I can be.

Oh well. I'm not giving up and really, that's all any of us can promise.

Jen

PS:
If you get a chance, check out this trailer for the movie I am a producer on called, Happy On The Ground: 8 Days at GRAMMY Camp. It's an intense look at talented teens passionately working to make their musical dreams come true at a prestigious music industry camp; while dealing with the rocky future of music and the dying of music and arts education in America.



If you like the trailer, consider getting involved by supporting the film by clicking here for more information.

New Challenge 30 minutes / 30 days

Hi all -

Sorry I've been MIA -I've been blogging like a crazy person for my blogging job. It's been great and rewarding. They even asked me to take on more writing because they've been pleased with my work.  :) The downside, it leaves me with little "extra" time and this poor blog is suffering.

I've been keeping up with running. Although I haven't been running for as long as I'd like. Because it's so hot, I've really been forced to keep it on the treadmill and I get bored. So I find myself doing around 30 minutes. I'm going to sign up for that 1/2 marathon in September and its about time I start training for that... hopefully getting back on a running regime will help me to work past that "block" at around 30.

In any case, 30 minutes of exercise is still good for the heart and helping manage weight.  So with that said, I'm challenging myself to a 30 day challenge. A minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day for 30 straight days.

I'm on day 2.  So far so good!

How are you guys doing?

XO
Jen

Drive by blogging

Sorry I haven't been around - been super busy, caught a bug and have had a packed week!

Ran twice this week - and once I even broke the 3 mile mark :) Yay.  I had to slow down then, because I spiked a fever for a few days.  Feeling ready to gear up and get back on training track.

Lost another 1/2 pound at Weight Watchers this week - so things are going in the right direction.

That's all I got for now.  In the middle of date night with hubby, which due to budgetary reasons, has been reduced to sushi from Shop Rite and a $1 movie from Redbox.  Good times.

XO
Jen

Three lessons I've learned: down 4.4 this week and back on track!

Last Saturday my weigh in wasn't my greatest achievement: I was up 3.4 pounds and told you all about it.

This week, I'm down 4.4 which means I lost the gain and a pound as good measure.

This is great motivation.  I am soooo happy! Yippee.

The weight watcher / running gods have conspired to help me get my groove back, which just a few days ago, I wasn't so sure of.

Thank you, thank you universe.  I did run on Thursday which I failed to blog about for some reason and I did a lot of general running around while keeping an eye on food.  But because I was still feeling down about backtracking, I wasn't noticing or appreciating all the things I was doing right this week.  Turns out, I must've done a lot right.

Which brings me to a few valuable lessons:

1.  Never be so focused on the bad that you miss the good.
We all do this.  We beat ourselves up for "only running" x amount of miles, or the pace was only --- whatever.  Maybe you ate too much cake or blew it at dinner.  How about celebrating what you did right.  Lacing up your sneakers when you much rather had watched a marathon of The Hills, or you may've eaten too much at dinner but the rest of your day was healthy and controlled.  I did it all week and instead of feeling good about it all, I lamented about, "where was my groove," when it was there all along.

2.  Someone else is watching
Last week, after my 3.4 gain weigh-in, A woman who hadn't been at our meeting in almost 2 years came up to me.  She hadn't seen me in more than fifty pounds.  She had tears in her eyes, apparently we had joined around the same time, a few weeks in, she gave up.  She said she remembered me because I had said in a meeting early on, "no matter what, I'm coming every week."  She was doubtful that I would still be here and when she saw me, she said that I was so inspiring to her, because I did it.  Even though, I was feeling low from the gain.  She didn't see that.  She didn't see my internal struggle with feeling like a failure.  She saw me as an inspiration.  Your failing is someone else's inspiration - even if you never know it.

3.  Slip ups and Set backs are simply times to reflect and learn something - Not a time to quit
I know this isn't radically new and I've said it before but it's worth reiterating.  A "never give up" attitude is a must.  Set-backs, hills, bumps in the road, getting lost -- all a part of the journey.  Whether you lose your way for just a meal or even a month, there's always a way to get moving forward again.  Our set backs need to be viewed as great opportunities that we learn and grow from, that will eventually propel us to greater heights instead of a reason to quit.

XO
Jen

How will I get my groove back?

Haven't done anything this week in the way of exercising and I'm kind of "sloppily" doing Weight Watchers.  Pretty half assed to be honest.

The troubling thing is, I feel like I'm losing my mojo here.

I could've went to the gym and did weights and the bike but I kind of am leaning on the uncomfortable foot as an excuse.

Not sure what my problemo is but it blows.

Tomorrow I see the foot doc.  Hopefully I'll get my groove back.  What do you guys do when motivation wanes?? Anybody remember what the hell Stella did to get her groove back?  I need something.  Anything.  Help!!

XO

Jen

PS:  You have to admit the cartoon is kind of funny at least...

Got nothing... running on empty and empty on running

Oh man - it's been a tough few weeks.  Just wanted to update you since I haven't blogged in a few days.

That $%^&@!! toe nail injury really set me back.  It took me a while to get back and just when I thought I was ready to really run again, that foot is weirdly achey all over. The arch, ankle and heel feels strained and my hip is bothering me.  I must've been walking/running on it wrong to compensate for the dumb toenail or something.  All I know is it hurts to walk and I'm afraid to run because I don't want to really damage anything.

UGH!

I'm trying to remain motivated and all this non-running is such bad news for my momentum.

I go see a new foot doc on Thursday, hopefully he'll have some news.

So that's it.  I'm empty.  I'm hoping to get a fill on running again soon.  How are you people all doing??

XO
Jen

I gained 3.4 pounds and it's all good

So, as predicted, my weight watcher weigh-in was a slight horror.  Up 3.4 pounds since my last visit.

But I'm OK with it.  Besides my Latino food festivities of yesterday, what else could I expect?  In the last 3 weeks, I've:

started a new writing job

moved to a new home and town

traveled to Los Angeles

lost a freakin' toe nail

lost time training thanks to said toe nail

continued to work full time at launching a media business

worked all last weekend at a freelance job 

continued to deal with a deadline over my head for an important writing project

and (deep breath)

not to mention the day to day of raising a toddler, taking care of my home, etc...

I have to tell you, I'm cutting myself a fricken break.  Why would I beat myself up and not celebrate that I've ONLY gained 3.4 pounds!  If I was chatting with a friend (instead of myself)  I would tell her, she was doing well.  So, I'm celebrating that, I've fallen but I am getting back up again.  I'm celebrating that if I've learned anything over these last 3 years of Weight Watchin' that some weeks there'll be good weigh ins and some weeks there'll be bad ones, because that's life.  I am reminding myself that once in a while we'll fall but it's not the end of the journey.  In fact it's a big part of it.

It's in our greatest "mistakes" we learn the most about ourselves.  About perseverance, about what we are made of.  This is where we grow... (even though I wish I wasn't growing so literally!) 

I sometimes think we get it wrong in the WW meetings.  They give stars and applause to the people who've lost weight, who's in the throes of smooth sailing.  That's all find and good.  It is well deserved.  But I think we should celebrate the times that we aren't sailing so smoothly.  We're down a first mate, the waters are rough, we're being battered and bruised, yet -- still make it through?  

I've decided to wear my 3.4 gain like a badge of honor - just until I can take those pounds off and get my next shiny star.

  

XO

Jen

PS:  I'm giving up the countdown in the entry title- it's too annoying and it's too far away to be interesting, I think.