I promised my friends over at Jenny Craig in Bellevue that I would post some of my methods for moving toward my goal weight so quickly. I’m actually at my halfway point.
When I left Inman’s Real Estate Connect in San Francisco last year, I picked up the book Skinny Bitch to read on the airplaine on the way home. Nothing says “lose some weight” like speaking on stage to over 1,000 people in the audience. There’s no way to stop people from snapping photos and posting them on the internet or podcasting presentations and putting them out on Inman TV. So losing weight became a priority before Inman’s 2008 Real Estate Connect in San Francisco for me.
What’s this have to do with Seattle and Real Estate? Lots! Truth be told, the “dirty little secret of moving to Seattle”, especially from year round warmer climate areas, is you gain weight. Just before I moved to Seattle back in 2004, Tom Leykis did a piece on the radio about his visit to Seattle and the women having the biggest butts he’d ever seen. Crude, and my butt didn’t get big, but the weather does lend itself to weight gain if you are the type that likes outdoor exercise vs. going to a gym.
When cooking, I often read five recipes for the same dish, and then make it based on a combination of them all. Same with weight loss. I integrated a bit of the Skinny Bitch principals to the Jenny Craig plan. I had been to Jenny Craig years ago after I had my three children two year’s apart, with good and lasting success until my move to Seattle. So I had no doubt that I would accomplish what I set out to do. When you are in the business of helping others achieve their goals, achieving your own goals is paramount. No room for maybe won’t.
The first week I lost 3.6 lbs and then 2.8 lbs. pretty consistently for each of the 4 other weeks. Never even a fraction of a lb. UP in that time. While I’m not a vegan, like Skinny Bitch espouses, there is very little meat in the Jenny Craig food, so that principle is somewhat covered. What I don’t do that Jenny Craig says to do and Skinny Bitch suggests, is I never eat when I am not hungry. I don’t space out the meals and my Jenny Craig friends laugh when I tell them that I pile my lunch and breakfast on top of my dinner and eat it all at once at night LOL!
My days go by so fast in real estate, that I often don’t stop to eat, though I am drinking the 64 ounces of water prescribed under the plan during the day. No one wants to drink 64 ounces of water all at once, especially before going to bed.
Moral of the story, don’t fight your natural eating patterns and don’t eat when you are not hungry. For the first 3-4 weeks I did not change my exercise activity. Some exercise, but not more than my normal. I adjusted to the 1,200 calorie per day pattern first, and that was enough to lose the initial 10 lbs or so. When the weight loss looked like it might be slowing down from the food change alone, I kicked in the exercise. I play disco music and walk around the block several times, reversing the direction each time I get back to my house. There’s a nice hill going up 1st Street and a slightly less incline coming up 2nd Street, so I go one way and then the other.
I either play The Rolling Stones Disc 2 of the Forty Licks CD set, or a walking disco tape. I’ve been doing my step exercise with Mick Jagger for years, since my Richard Simmons Sweat and Step tape got eaten. I see it is back in print while writing this post. YAY! I’m ordering that right now! I try to add a song each day (thanks Jeremy Keener for that tip) instead of counting the trips around the block. I haven’t made it through Jack, Jack, Jackie yet, which reminds me of my daughter Jackie, but it keeps me close to home in case all the water I am drinking while walking (usually 32 ounces) has an affect 🙂
Drinking the water is often the hardest part, so I did buy two things from Jenny Craig. One is their scale because I swore that the reason my weight didn’t seem to change for three years no matter what I did was the scale’s fault. I ditched the “meany scale” and bought the Body Balance Scale at Jenny Craig that records digitally in ounces, and I get weighed every morning to make sure I’m not kidding myself into thinking I’m on track if I’m not. The other is the Jenny water bottle with built in straw and water filtration system. Drinking two of those vs. throw away water bottles is better for the environment and the purple cap reminds me not to eat or drink anything that doesn’t have the Jenny Craig seal of approval.
I did take Sarah Washburn’s brother Ovid out to lunch yesterday over at the Pumphouse. But had no problem eating my Chicken Caesar salad with no dressing and a sprinkling of plain vinegar, while he downed a big burger and fries. I took one fry and put it on my plate to show that I could, but the plate went back with the salad gone and the lone french fry proudly placed in the center of the plate. When I went to the ladies room I told Ovid that if he were my friend he would hide that fry while I was away. We then removed it from its hiding place and put it on the plate as the waitress came to clear the table.
The waitress smiled, and in that smile I could see that seeing someone being steadfast in their goals, gave her a feeling that she too could achieve her goals…whatever they may be. Sometimes we stick to our goals and objectives to show others that they too…can be successful at just about anything they want to achieve. We support one another the way the ground on your property supports the structure next door. We are an interdependent society, and the ripple effect of leading by example, is an awesome and rewarding responsibility.
I needed that inspiration. Thank you! If you can do it …so can I.
Email me privately, Monika and I’d be more than happy to share the actual details and offer daily encouragement.
can I also – please?
Goodness Ardell! Now you got me looking at this tire in front of me and thinking I want to be a Skinny Bastard. .>)
As a man with short arms, it is ironic that losing the tummy lets me sit closer to the table.
The light is on you now and with hard work you soon will not be casting a shadow.
BTW. I found public speaking a lot harder when heavy. I don’t know why but, an extra 10lbs on stage seems like a hundred.
andy! You have to ask?! You can come on over and say “What the heck are you doing girl?!” LOL. You live close enough to knock on my door.
Larry,
On stage was not too bad. I carry my extra pounds from the waist up. I never get a big butt or thunder thighs 🙂 So all of the extra pounds show in my face and upper torso. When the camera is face only, I shudder at the result. The good part of that is it is easier to lose weight from your face than your hips and butt. Or so I am told by those who carry their weight in the lower torso regions.
I am now the same weight that I was when I moved to Seattle, but I’m going to keep going for another 15 or more pounds. By having a long term goal of Inman Connect in July, instead of a short term one, I’m hoping to get back to my “wedding weight” from 1983, since I plan to marry Kim in 2009.
We all know women are at their lowest weight even on their wedding day(s) 🙂 Those photos last forever.
“I plan to marry Kim” made me chuckle. Does Kim know? .>)
Larry,
This thread is about me achieving my goals 🙂 I’ll get ready for months ahead of time and stand at the altar. We can podcast it and see if he shows up if you like.
Ardell:
Re: Kim – No malice intended.
Just being my cheeky self about the million details involved in planning/goal setting in order to have the plan succeed.
As for the podcast. Could be a first.
Actually my first husband stood at the altar waiting for me for over an hour. The wedding was supposed to start at 2 P.M and the photographer took a picture of the groom and best man standing at the clock at 2:00. My Mom wanted a second picture showing them at the exact same spot but it being 3:30 p.m., but the photographer wouldn’t do it. I wish he had. That would be quite funny today…funnier than it was at the time 🙂
I was in the Church the whole time from before 2:00, but had left my flower bougquet home and the person we sent to get them was from out of town and got lost. Of course this was before cell phones and GPS systems
To Monika and Andy and anyone else interested in the weight loss issues, the big trick is to fill yourself with free foods, and not in between the meals, but with them.
Most green things are free foods that can be eaten with no limit. Lettuce of all kinds, broccoli, green beans, etc… Pretty much if it’s green, it can be eaten with no limit.
At lunch I fill the plate with lettuce, a whole head if needed…two even Larry 🙂 Then take your 300 calorie lunch, it can be a Lean Cuisine or a Smart Ones or whatever, and put it ON TOP of the lettuce. HUGE plate of food to eat. If your lunch entre has a sauce, you don’t even need salad dressing. Eat some lettuce with each bite of food and it’s very tasty with no dressing at all.
Do the same at dinner, except with steamed vegetables and a dinner calorie entre. Huge plate of veggies with food on top like a topping. If you get hungry again later you can eat more lettuce of veggies. All you want, day or night.
No starvation diets and no portion controlling of the free foods.
Larry,
Remember the old line from Love Story “love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Same logic applies for blogging “blogging means never having to say no malice intended.” Malice posters are like drive by shooters they hit the wrong person for no good reason and you can spot them a mile a way. You are obviously not a malice poster.
Ardell,
While that may be true and I appreciate what you are saying and the compliment, I always like to make sure everybody is on the same page. English has so many nuances.
Since you will be podcasting the nuptuals you better not be late for this one. .>)
I expect this one to be much less formal. I don’t think Kim will stand for being put into a “monkey suit”. I’ll be taking advices from our readers regarding where we should have the wedding. Likely an outdoor affair in Summer.
How about on a boat? That way for sure you can’t be late. .>)
I’d offer mine and even do the cooking – steak, shrimp with all the fixings. But, if the guest list is more than two people I’m out as it can only have PFD’s for five.
Boats are out. I can’t swim and life vests do not make appropriate wedding gear 🙂
Oh crap…now I feel bad. Jay and I just came home from a Chinese New Year celebration…I over ate and had 2 scorpion bowls. Ardell…I was very bad!
Monika,
I never feel bad about being bad on a weekend 🙂 One of the two days is OK, but hopefully only once every 3 -4 weeks.
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