Denver? Nebraska? Yeah...

Just a quickie update!

I'm in York, Nebraska right now.  I was in Denver yesterday morning.  I'll be back in Denver tomorrow.  That's right... I'm squeezin' in a little March storm chasing!

You all know my good friend Tony Laubach - well, when he's not busy kicking ass on Storm Chasers, sometimes I can bribe him to take me chasing because we've been friends for something ridiculous like 10 years.

One of the first (or the first?) chase I did with him years ago:

So, I'll keep you posted with any purty pictures I get of structure, and hopefully a tornado. :)  This is the Tornado threat Convective Outlook.  I know 10% doesn't actually SOUND like it's a good chance, but it actually is.  We were sitting on 2% yesterday and wanting to stab someone for our bad luck.  Today looks MUCH better.

In the mean-time, I'm also looking at restructuring my eating plan to be more similar to that of Beth over at The BETH Approach.  I know I don't react well to sugar & starch... or is it that I'm actually lactose allergic/intolerant?  Or do I have issues with soy?  I know I have hormonal problems because of my acne.  So... I am considering cutting out soy, then dairy (and staying off of sugar?) -- It's all overwhelming and there has been a big bunch of friends on Facebook giving me advice.  I just feel like I shouldn't eat ANYTHING now, and it's freaking me out.

Thoughts?

~J

To answer your questions...

A quick note...

I'm getting a lot of e-mails from some of you guys who are wondering where Julia's blog went.  I'll go ahead and clarify here for those of you who missed it:  She's taking a break, perhaps indefinitely.

No, I don't know why.
Yes, we know each other in real life, but I haven't seen her in a while.
She's doing what she needs to do, for her.
If anything changes, it'll be up to her to tell you guys if she wants to.
I am glad you all love her as much as as I do.

So, I hope you understand when I ask you all not to e-mail and ask me about her.  I miss her as much as, if not more, than you all do.

~Jenn

No more chips and dips and crap foods...

Soooo, last night I pretty much had it with myself.  I said to Dan, "Honey, no more sugar for me.  And, no more chips and dips and crap foods."  He said, "Okay."  :)  

Yesterday I probably ate around ... Oh, goodness.  No idea how many calories in sugar.  Over the last week I probably ate 1/2 a pan of brownies, 1/2 cup or more of peanut M&M's, half a sleeve of thin mints... I've just been pounding down sugar.  Tons of it.  Plus, super high sodium foods.  We went to Olive Garden yesterday for dinner - did soup & salad, I had 2 breadsticks, two bowls of salad (I LOVE their salad,) and a bowl of minestrone and the chili type soup.  Oh, and two margaritas.  (500 calories alone right there.)  -- I've been going out and drinking 2-4 pint glasses of cider each time, too.  Oh, yeah.  Cider is about 290 calories a serving.  

Pasta I had when I met up with a friend for lunch:

Yep.  Complete with coffee and a cannoli:

Me, with a champagne as big as my head.  I had three or four of these as Dan and I played Clue and The Game of Life on the Xbox 360.  I love the drinkies, but I'm giving up for a while.  Liquid calories are SO not worth it, you guys.  Seriously.  For the reals.

No wonder I'm gaining weight.  I'm done with it, you guys.  I don't want to creep my way back up!  ...I'm already creeping up.  I need to go back down now.  My  body feels sore and swollen and uncomfortable, and I SQUEEZED into my skinny jeans last night - it wasn't good, or pretty.

The Damage:

Current measurements:

Weight: 173.6 (EEK!) +12 lbs

Chest: 38 (+1")

Waist: 31.5 (+2.5")

Hips: 40.5 (+1.5")

I was looking at my measurements / weight chart from last summer, and apparently I actually got down to 157.6.  Now, that sounds awesome right about now.  These were my numbers, and are now my new mini-goal:

Weight Mini (re)-Goal:  157.6

Bust:  37"

Waist:  28"

Hips:  37.5"

I'm also super motivated and inspired by my good friend Beth over at the BETH approach.  She and I had at one point been almost identical in our weight loss / journey / sizes / pounds dropped.  The difference?  She's stayed true to a lifestyle change, while I've caved in to emotional eating.  :(  BOO!  She recently hit a low of 152 pounds, and I'm so proud of her, and super, super jealous.  So, it was the last straw for me last night.

No more bad foods.  Moving around more.  Getting back on track.  Again.

~J

Hiatus: Not so intentional...

Hey all!

Well, as we notice many of our beloved bloggers have been taking breaks (if indefinitely,) - rest assured that at this moment, my absence is purely busy self and lazy self.  I do miss checking in, but I've not been very connected here lately.

+8 or so pounds since WPPI.  You know, the last post with tons of really unhealthy food?  The eating has continued.  Yesterday was my first day of healthier eating - a big salad for lunch and our favorite stir fry for dinner.  But, those efforts were thwarted by the mass consumption of champagne.  At least I was able to circumvent the giant bag of M&M's Dan has been eating, and the remaining Paczki's, and have at least one day without super high levels of sugar in me.

I've also been going through a lot of personal growth / emotional issues / stress / anxiety since quitting smoking.  I don't want to blame what I'm going through with this + food on that, but the timing sure seems to be right.  I don't have cigarettes to quell my emotional stress anymore... I am working on figuring out an option that isn't "food," or "cry a lot," or "feel so scared I want to puke."  Deep breaths seem to help on a very short term basis... but I'm struggling to figure out what else to do.

If you're ever wondering where I am or what I'm up to, you can creep on me over at my Photography blog, or add me on Facebook.  (Or, my Ex Hot Girl Facebook is there, too.  Sometimes I post there and I don't post here.)  And while we're at it, do me a solid and "like" my Photography FB page.  It's cute, I promise.  :)

So, just wanted to pop in to say... I'm always around, just not always here.

A few recent shoots:

A February engagement session.  Nuts, but beautiful.

A promotional shoot with a local musician / artist.  What a blast she was!  (click here for the full shoot)

A quickie headshot session with Lilu of the Southified Masshole when she came to visit us in Wisconsin!  In case you're not sure who that is, she's the one who started the awesomely bad TMI Thursday!
(Click here to visit her post about that.)

Lots of headshot sessions:

Aaaand, a wonderful maternity session with my Sister-in law, her husband and their adorable little girl.

Click here for the full shoot!

I lurve you guys.

~J