Why would I celebrate old clothes today? Because old clothes means “I’ve lost enough weight to start fitting back into my favorite wardrobe pieces again!”
Hooray!
Black undershirt – Shade
Gray jacket (this is the thing I fit back into!) – Target a few years ago
Black skirt-Mom’s
Black heels-Gift from my mom
Bracelet-Gift from my sister
I feel like I’m hitting my slump in my weight loss. My numbers show that meeting my goal of 135 lbs by July is close to impossible, and exercising more, changing what I eat, seems to have little to no effect. (If you’re going to make suggestions, please read my charting stats first as it gets kind of frustrating to have people telling me they did something I’m already doing and that it made them lose-5-lbs-in-one-day or what have you. 
)
It is outfits like this though, that remind me that it’s worth working toward my goal even if I’m 10 lbs shy by the time the Healthy Train deadline hits.
I was so excited I felt like spinning in circles like a little girl.
I feel like I should mention that I am wearing my Spanx in these photos, which definitely helps.
Dear Spanx,
We are best friends.
Until you ride up my crotch and cut off circulation on my upper thigh.
Someday soon I will buy this and then you won’t be able to ride down around my middle like you do now.
It’s not you it’s me.
Love,
Jenna
That husband previously told me that he didn’t like this jacket, but he has since changed his mind. When I wore this on Sunday he told me several different times that he thought I looked hot and that he really liked me in this outfit. Oh baby, makes me blush just thinking about it!
I’m going to take some Healthy Train progress pictures today. Just wait until you see the difference my weight loss has made when you see me wearing the same clothes I wore in my January pictures!
And I wanted to give a huge shout-out to the many, many people who’ve taken the time to encourage me, to tell me that they can see a difference, and to tell me that my efforts have inspired them. You have no idea how much this helps me! There are times when I want to give up, make some cookies (I haven’t baked in months!), skip my workouts, or make other choices that move me away from my goal instead of toward it, I think of all the kind things you’ve said and I change my mind. Thank you.
March 31st, 2011 on 9:11 am
Oh mama!!! You look AMAZING! Keep up the hard work because it is paying off.
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:12 am
I have been following your weight loss (way to go!) I think the single most item in your eating habits, right now, is butter cheese and cream. Asking you to cut that out, while having to cook for your family, probably isn’t possible, but what if you were to just cut out butter? Stop buying it. Stop cooking with it. I do see that you fall back on it to make something “taste good” and it takes a couple of days, but I’d bet that within a couple of days of cutting all, or both out, you’d start to taste the vegetable, etc more.
(I did this on veggies and noticed I started tasting the asparagus, etc more – try lemon juice, balsamic (which I know you use!) a little more)
I too, have the trouble of if I back bread, biscuits, I’ll slather it with butter. So I just can’t bake those anymore, or strike butter out of my kitchen entirely. Good luck!
(Also – come spring/summertime, and more veggies, etc, I think is a good opportunity to try to focus on just veggies, at an affordable price.)
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:13 am
Jenna, I don’t have any tips or tricks for you (other than weight loss is HARD and it’s so different from person to person); however, I would like to say that your spreadsheet warms my tax accountant heart. I adore a good spreadsheet and the neurotic people that appreciate them just as much as I do.
You look amazing, Jenna. Your hard work is definitely paying-off. Stay positive!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:19 am
TH is so right!!! You do look hot!! Keep up the good work, it really shows!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:23 am
Looking fabulous! Your jacket is so cute!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:27 am
You look FABULOUS Jenna! My jaw literally dropped when I saw this post, such a big change! Keep up the good work! I can’t wait to start reading about T2 someday, when you reach your goals!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:29 am
You look great! Your hard work is paying off!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:32 am
Congratulations! You look fantastic!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:32 am
I don’t comment often but wanted to congratulate you — the weight loss totally shows, and you look great! Your spreadsheet makes the engineer in me smile.
My only thought was: are you sure your calorie counts are correct for the food you eat? There are some days where your calorie count is way low (400s, 600s, etc) which made me wonder if it was correct. If it is, I’d encourage you to avoid those super-low-calorie days — your body needs fuel, even when you are dieting! Even more so now that you are running!
Good luck!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:33 am
You look absolutely fabulous, Jenna! And you look so happy which just adds to the fabulous-ness!
I am no nutrition expert, but I have been on a diet since early February and have lost almost 12 lbs fairly easily by following Tim Ferriss’ 4 Hour Body Plan. The key, and what I notice in your charts that is different from my diet, is LOTS of protein (and I don’t eat white carbs 6 out of 7 days). Protein boosts your resting metabolic rate, so essentially I burn more calories sitting on my bum than most people who are eating an otherwise healthy diet. I get 30g for breakfast (lots of eggs), 20g at lunch and another 20g for dinner. It took longer for my metabolism to fire up (they say this is typical for women, darn you men!), but weekend before last a switch just flipped in my body and I’ve had steady .5 – 1.8 lb daily losses for almost 2 solid weeks. To the point where I am pushing my goal date up because I think I’ll get there faster than I anticipated.
Anyway, my .02 is that I think protein really is the key – but I don’t presume that my body reacts the same way as everyone elses, so take that with a grain of salt! But if it helps you or anyone else, I wanted to put it out there.
Keep it up – you’re an inspiration! I love following your progress and I truly appreciate your openness about sharing your journey with us!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:34 am
Jenna,
You look fantastic!!! Congratulations on all your HARD work!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:35 am
You look fantastic! And what a wonderful feeling, to fit into old favorite clothing items! Yay!!!!
You will get past this slump – look at how far you’ve come already!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:44 am
You look great Jenna you really do! I’m so proud of you! (I regularly read your blog but I don’t comment much…)
I hate to give advice about weight loss because it is so different for everyone. And it is so frustrating when you reach a plateau and get stuck there. I looked at your charts and it seems as if you’re doing everything right. I suppose you could mix up your workouts a bit and see if that helps… (maybe run some intervals… mix in some faster running with your regular runs or do some hills…) Just keep challenging yourself… when your workouts start to get easy find a way to kick them up a notch…
I wonder if maybe you need to eat a little more some days? I know this seems sort of counter-intuitive, but I have heard that if you don’t consume over a certain number of calories your metabolism slows down because your body is fighting to keep those last few calories… Having days where you consume under 1200 calories might result in this… Do you end up feeling really tired on days like that? ( I can’t imagine… I would be so cranky…)
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:45 am
Jenna! You look so beautiful and I can see that all your hard work is paying off. When I saw you a few Sundays ago, I could tell that you had lost some weight too! Keep up the good work and you will achieve your goals.
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:47 am
Jenna, you look FABULOUS! Definitely can see the weight loss!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:49 am
Oh, I hate when that happens with tricks or tips. It’s strangely sad to hear that you really can’t have those quick fixes anymore, you know? I know that you’ll break on through to the other side (I have the Doors song stuck in my head now) and you look great!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:49 am
Nice work!!!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:50 am
You look fabulous!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:51 am
Oh, Jenna, you look FANTASTIC! All your hard work is so worth it!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:55 am
Jenna you really do look great! Congrats on the loss. I’ve been following along the charting (like the others above, the engineer in me really loves how you are tracking and displaying so much data) and noticed that even though you had a slump for awhile, you are down 4 lbs in the past 5 days, which is pretty great! Maybe the extra protein helped you get over that slump, or like I mentioned earlier, you’ve gained some muscle that caused a slowdown in weight loss rate but has steadied out enough (and possibly boosted your metabolism) to the point that you’re losing again.
Whatever it is, you are less than 2 lbs away from the goal weight line as of 3/30, so I do not think that reaching your goal is impossible! Keep it up – reading your progress has been so inspiring to my own healthy eating efforts
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:56 am
Your hair is such a pretty color!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:02 am
First of all you look great.
I love that jacket on you, it emphasizes a nice waist. Also what a difference from your first pictures!
On the weight matter. You are exercising quite a good bit, could it be that you are getting slimer but not loosing weight because you’re gaining muscles?
I’ve probably lost no more than a pound or so since January but I’ve definitely felt a difference in the way my clothes fit me.
Maybe you’re just hitting a plateau where you’re building muscles while burning off fat.
Also as you loose weight your matabolism won’t burn as many calories per day, and that’s normal because there is less mass to move when you exercise. So you may just be loosing a little slower. If you think of the Biggest Looser, it’s usually the same pattern, they loose a lot in the beginning and then it goes down slower.
So don’t loose hope, you’re getting there!!
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Andrea Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 11:00 am
This is precisely why it’s so important – for women especially- to build muscle. Higher muscle density revs your metabolism, meaning your basal metabolic rate will be higher.
It’s quite difficult for women to build muscle, but the best way is to lift heavy (2-3 sets of 8-10 reps, almost lifting to failure). Don’ worry – women can’t bulk up, we don’t have enough testosterone – but lifting heavy does lead to increased muscle mass and therefore increased fat loss.
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Sophia Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 2:14 pm
I totally agree with this! Weight lifting is so good, in so many ways.
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:02 am
YOU. LOOK. GREAT!!!!!! What a great outfit on you too – TH is right!
To mimic other posts,they are right that everyones body is different and handles dieting differently. I looked at your chart and noticed on the days your carb intake was below 100, you had a big weight loss a few days after that. I am a carb counter myself and can get away with cutting carbs/increasing protein to drop weight. I usually try to keep my numbers below 40 but maybe for you as a start cut it below 100 for a while to see if there is a boost in weight loss.
You are motivating me right now. Our weights are exactly the same and I am carrying that baby weight right now too. This might be just what I needed to jump start my weight loss!!! Keep it up girl!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:03 am
Ow oww owwwwww! Love that jacket! You look A-MAZ-ING!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:05 am
Jenna, You look amazing!! Congrats on all your hard work!
I have noticed how incredibly low your calorie count is. The thing is, our bodies are amazing. They adapt to what we do and eat. I would suggest a splurge day, and get right back on your plan. Or try a different kind of exercise for a week. Heck, do both! I think you will be amazed of the results!
Keep it up girl! You’ll get through this plateau!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:07 am
just keep pushing through and don’t get frustrated. I had two weeks where I saw no change in the scale and it was frustrated me to no end. but I just kept eating right and excercising everyday and I finally broke through the slump! It’s like my body goes a few weeks where it loses a lot of weight and then sits stagnant for a couple weeks. i just kept telling myself it was because I was gaining more muscle again because I had upded my intensity and so the weight loss muscle gain was just evening it out and so i wasn’t losing. It was probably far from the truth but it helped me to just keep pushing. so i have no scientific truths or anything but I am just saying just keep doing it, you never know what can happen! you look awesome! I have almost hit my lost 20 lb mark and when I do I am going to do a happy dance in my bathroom!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:20 am
You look fantastic, lady! Just flipped back to your beginning healthy train photos, and you have changed so much in such a short amount of time.
I wish I had the courage to buy a scale, but I get a little too obsessive (i.e. weighing myself multiple times a day and getting depressed) with them, so it’s a scary thought. Just started training for a 10k, and now this really makes me want to see the numbers change.
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:22 am
OMG! You can REALLY see your progress in these photos! Go Jenna!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:25 am
Fitting back into old clothes is one of the best feelings in the world! Yah!!!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:29 am
You look incredible! Such a huge difference! Remember your fun Dr Pepper trip right after T1 was born? You look like a different person and that was such a short time ago – amazing. Such hard work and you are making such great progress. Sorry you’re frustrated – I am STILL at the 3-minute mark on C25K and I’m frustrated with that – but hang with it. You’re looking healthy, happy, and incredibly proud of yourself – and that is a great look on you!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:32 am
I think you are doing a great job Jenna! My only concern, after looking at your tracking of food and exercise, is that you are not eating enough. Could your body possibly be going into “starvation mode” and holding onto excess weight? I know you recently made a post about eating less and listening to your body’s cues, but I just thought I would bring it up as a possible explanation.
Also, when I see a big difference in my overall body shape (and sometimes weight decreases too) is when I weight train. It makes me feel not only stronger, but helps to tone and makes my clothes fit better. Just my two cents on your progress!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:33 am
OH MY GOSH! You look AWESOME!!!! I check your food blog/charts everyday and have loved watching your progress! Keep it up girl!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:33 am
Oh my goodness! You look great and all of your hard work is most certainly paying off! Good for you!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:38 am
First of all – YOU LOOK GREAT!! Secondly, you’ve lost 20 lbs – HOORAY!!! THATS A LOT! I believe that you feel frustrated right now, but look at your chart again, you spent a month in the 170s, and are now finishing out a month in the 160s. 10lbs a month is not a plateau or stall – thats impressive, and healthy! I’m no Weight watchers specialist, but I know one thing that most people who join are surprised by is that they aren’t eating enough! It has to do with balancing what you eat, but also eating enough to keep your metabolism boosted.
Just a thought. Congrats again hottie!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:46 am
You look amazing!!!! Love that little jacket. Keep it up!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:55 am
YOU LOOK SO SKINNY! OMG!
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:56 am
Wow – you look fabulous! All your hard work is really paying off. When I get tired and want to quit toward the end of my 30 minute C25K runs, I think of you and it inspires me to finish!
The one piece of weight loss advice that I can pass along that has worked wonders for me is high intensity interval training (HIIT). It boosts the afterburn (vs. steady state cardio) and is also a fun change from just running for 30 minutes. There are a number of ways you can work HIIT into your routine (and I change it up from week to week to keep from getting bored), but really the most straightforward is to run all out (sprint) for one minute, then walk for two, and repeat for 20 minutes. By the end of those 20 minutes you should feel like you are going to die and that it would not be even close to possible to do one more interval.
On an unrelated note – I think I am wearing those same shoes today, only mine are candy apple red patent. Are they Soffts? I got mine at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale a couple summers ago and I love how comfy AND pretty they are!
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Jenna Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Yes that’s the brand! My mom got them for me at Nordstrom rack. I love how comfortable they are though I kind of wish mine were red like yours!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:04 am
You really look GREAT! What a fun jacket.
I started running a couple of weeks ago with some friends at night and doing that is SO much better than alone at the gym for me.
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:04 am
Jenna, you can really see progress in these photos! I’m impressed. Sorry if the pace isn’t going well now, but I know you’ll pull through. YOu look fantastic!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:05 am
Jenna, you look fantastic. I know how frustrating it is to hit a plateau. It sucks. A lot. You’ll get through it, though! In the end, an extra week or two doesn’t really mean much; you’ll have reached your goal and that will be all that matters. You’re well on your way, Lady.
As far as advice goes? Hrmph. I’d say you should definitely mix weight lifting/training into the mix. Did you know that if you’re losing weight without lifting any, a big percentage of your weight loss is muscle mass? Plus, muscles burn a lot more energy than fat so it will make you lose quicker.
I hate weight lifting. Cardio is easy (well, not really, but easier anyway) but once I started adding it to my routine, it kicked me off of my plateau. Planks, wall sits, pushups, squats and lunges are easy to do and require no equipment.
My personal trainer, as well as many sources I’ve read on the internet have suggested at least 120g of protein a day. It’s ridiculously hard to meet that line, but you might want to consider upping your intake. It’s food for your muscles : )
Really, though. Don’t beat yourself up. You’ve lost nearly 20 lbs in just over two months and that’s amazing. Two pounds per week is a good, healthy weight loss rate!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:07 am
Way to go! You are looking fabulous! I lost a lot of weight slowly over many years and the only way I broke through plateaus was to up the intensity of my work outs. Mostly cardio, some weights, but always changing to a new activity or increasing the intensity once I felt the workout starting to become really manageable. If I leave the gym exhausted/fatigued, I know I’ve pushed it.
I love hearing how your husband encourages and motivates you. So sweet of him:-) I think it’s really important for spouses to verbalize their support for each other (I appreciate it when my husband tells me when he thinks I look good….after many years, it’s important to feel noticed/sexy, don’t ya think?)
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:10 am
that’s one of the best feelings! like shopping for free. you look great, i can definitely tell you are slimming down!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:13 am
Congrats, Jenna! You look great! Good job with exercising too. You’ve really worked hard and it shows!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:28 am
Wow! You look great! Looking at your photos from January to now, you can see a HUGE change! Good job and keep it up!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:35 am
Wow,the difference between January and now is definitely noticeable, you look amazing! Well done, keep on keeping on!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:37 am
You look great Jenna! The weight loss is definitely noticeable. TH is right!
As for hitting that plateau…Ugh! The most frustrating part about weight loss!! But keep up the good work.
Perhaps it’s because you started to run more, therefore you’re hitting that plateau. I know that happened to me! To reach my desired weight goal, only had 5-7 pounds to lose.
One of the reason, I hit my plateau again this is just me, might be different for you), my body needed to adjust to my running. It took awhile before I started to lose weight again. Even though my clothe felt less tight, the number on the scale just wouldn’t budge. However after a few weeks, I started to see the numbers drop again.
Just keep doing what you’re doing now! Trust me, eventually you will see the numbers drop! Keep in mind, you’ll building muscle! And even though our minds like to play tricks on us. Muscle weighs more than fat! While you may not see the numbers drop as rapidly as before. Your clothes will definitely feel looser, which in return will keep you motivated knowing you’re doing it the right/correct and healthy way! Then bam, the numbers on the scale will drop.
For now, I would suggest not to focus on the scale, because it will frustrate you. I know it’s hard and frustrating, but I want to encourage you to keep up with good work, and perhaps step on the scale in a month again to see your weight loss.
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:37 am
Wow wow WOW!! I cannot get over your transformation since you posted your original pictures. You look smokin’ hot! Keep up all of your hard work because it’s obviously paying off!
Isn’t it crazy how quickly the weight can drop with intuitive eating?? I just love it
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:40 am
Walked up 60 flights of stairs?! You go Jenna!
I feel like I’m plateauing too, but my first step is to start tracking what I’m really doing like you are. I am probably not doing as much as I think I am. No advice from me, sorry, but you look great!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:47 am
You look fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And you look happy! Even better
So question about spanx that I can never figure out. Would you wear them over or under your LDS underthings?
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Jenna Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 12:07 pm
I wear them over, but the silkies make it so it slides all over the place. But if I wear it under my underthings I’ll have lines that the spanx could be smoothing out if I were wearing it over! I have no idea what the best arrangement is.
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Lauren Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 4:03 pm
Hi, I’ve been a lurker for awhile, but I thought I would comment on this. Silkies DO NOT work under spanx. I highly recommend mesh or 100% cotton bottoms (make sure its the 100% cotton – they shrink in the wash best) for spanx. I always wear spanx when I wear a skirt – it makes everything look nicer and if you move your leg funny when wearing a knee-length skirt, people don’t see a bunch of white (my mom once got asked if her leg was bandaged – that took some explaining).
Additionally, I’ve noticed lots of comments on your calorie intake. I’ll be a registered dietitian in a few months so I thought I’d put in my two cents. Some people have commented that calorie intake on some days is as low as 400-600 kcals (I don’t follow your food blog…no time for that in addition to this one), which is extremely low. Very low calorie diets are not sustainable methods of weight loss and only work for a short time. Additionally, if you aren’t giving you body enough fuel, it tries to build up more fat stores each time you eat, thus slowing your metabolism and fat burning potential. Skipping meals is never recommended (no idea if you do this or not). I definitely agree with your eating philosophies, but I just thought I’d reiterate that eating nutrient dense, whole foods that you like is the best way to create a diet that is sustainable for you in the long term. Allow yourself to eat sweets once in awhile. Restricting yourself too much now won’t benefit you in the future. Anyways, that’s my bit, hope it helps.
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Lauren Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Oh and congrats on the weight loss you’ve already achieved! You look great!
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:52 am
You look amazing. The end.
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:53 am
Jenna, you look GREAT! Even if you don’t reach your goal this summer, you look so good!! and you’ll get there eventually.
As for weight loss plateaus… you have to just keep pushing through. It sounds like you’re attacking it from so many angles and even if it seems stalled now, it will probably pick up soon.
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March 31st, 2011 on 11:56 am
Oh the plateau! Almost takes the wind out of your sails, no? My suggestions:
-change up your workouts; try something new or alter what you’re already doing <-this confuses your body and often is the push to get you over the plateau
-strength train; your body will burn more fuel faster with more muscle (even doing body weight exercises like pushups, squats, lunges and dips count)
-add 50-100 calories to your day (I know you are intuitively eating, but if your body doesn't have enough fuel it will hold on to everything and the scale won't budge.)
Good luck! You look great! Keep up the hard work!
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March 31st, 2011 on 12:11 pm
You are looking awesome girl! Congrats on fitting back into clothes. Best feeling EVER!
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March 31st, 2011 on 12:19 pm
Jenna, you look awesome!! Keep up the great work – it’s paying off in spades!
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March 31st, 2011 on 12:26 pm
I don’t normally comment but wanted you to know that you look fabulous! Great job on the weight loss! I think everyone hits a plateau on the weight loss train, just don’t let it discourage you because you look great! Keep up the good work
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March 31st, 2011 on 12:30 pm
You look great and congrats on the loss!
Looking at your calorie intake–it’s simply not enough. The absolute bare minimum a SEDENTARY (which you are not, since you’re exercising and chasing a toddler) woman should eat is 1200, and the last two days you haven’t even hit 1100!
It seems counterintuitive, but eating as low as you are right now is going to do nothing but send your metabolism into the toilet. Which means that down the road, you’ll just have to eat less and less and less to maintain your weight, and that’s no good. (Trust me. I’ve been there.)
You have to put gas in the tank to make it run, and you have to put food in your body to make it burn. When you don’t eat enough, your body thinks you’re starving, and will hold on to fat for dear life. The trick is finding that sweet spot where you are losing, but still eating enough to keep your metabolism on fire.
For what it’s worth, I am closer to my goal weight than you and have lost steadily since the beginning of the year eating 1700-2000 calories a day.
I’d definitely recommend checking out the Fat 2 Fit Podcast at http://www.fat2fitradio.com/–listen to the little clips on their homepage to hear their philosophy. It works! I promise!
(Sorry for the novel! But I am passionate about making sure women do not make the same mistakes I did when I was losing a lot of weight.)
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March 31st, 2011 on 12:56 pm
TH is totally right–you DO look hot!! I love the outfit, and you look amazing!
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March 31st, 2011 on 1:09 pm
You look GREAT!!! Losing weight is hard work and you should be proud of yourself. You look AWESOME!!
Gives me a lot of hope…I am pregnant and worried about the weight gain. I know I can look great again with some work. Way to go!
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March 31st, 2011 on 1:27 pm
Don’t put too much emphasis on your weight. You could still be losing fat but gaining muscle! Just judge it by how you feel and how you look in clothes! Your weight loss is very inspirational!
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March 31st, 2011 on 2:09 pm
You look amazing! You have the prettiest hair, I wish I could get mine to grow that long while still staying healthy and shiny.
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March 31st, 2011 on 2:26 pm
Wow!! The difference in the pictures is so striking! Congrats Jenna!
I would heartily, enthusiastically, jumping up and down-ing-ly
second the suggestions of weight training. Muscles burn more calories at a resting state, they look great, and it’s a nice thing to throw into the mix when you’re running.
I’ve had friends that have lost substantial amounts of weight- one of them has lost over 100 pounds, all on her own, with diet and exercise and no trainer, she rocks- and they have both said that lifting weights really helped re-distribute everything and burn extra calories. Plus, lifting weights is just plain good for you- weight bearing exercises are especially nice for women when it comes to bone health, here’s a link- http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/fcs/bb/exercise.html
I love Self.com because they have hundreds of at home workouts, listed by body part, with videos, pictures, and text descriptions- http://www.self.com/fitness/workouts/. If you did a 30 min full body weight/strength session three times a week (maybe on opposite days of C25K) I think you’d start to notice huge changes. It’s a bit of “anec-data”, but when I was in Japan, I gained about 15-20 pounds. I lost all of it in 8 weeks doing weight/strength exercises almost exclusively- I did cardio maybe once or twice a week, max. But I did strength/weight training 6 days a week for about an hour. Lastly, I’m including things like lunges, pushups, squats, planks, etc. in strength training, it doesn’t all have to involved weights.
Good luck!
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March 31st, 2011 on 2:33 pm
Hi Jenna, congrats on the weight loss! Recently I started the 4-Hour body from Tim Ferriss (http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/) (search “slow carb diet”). Honestly, I only wanted to lose 7-10 lbs, but those were the stubborn lbs that just wouldn’t come off in the past 5 years despite working out (including training for a half marathon). Basically the diet calls for at least 20g protein at each meal, eliminating white carbs, and cheating (eating whatever the heck you want) once a week, all the while without counting calories.
He also makes a good argument for eating breakfast within an hour of waking up, preferably within 30 min of waking up to get your metabolism going. I think it’s worth trying, but just my thought. Good luck!
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Charmaine Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:26 pm
I’m just going to jump in and say that Tim Ferriss is a life hacker (a really good one) and that following Slow Carb doesn’t do justice to the actual philosophy he hacked, which is Primal/Paleo… so I’d recommend looking that up instead. In 4 Hour Body (it’s a good book, but there are graphic depictions of stimulating female genitalia in the sex section, so you might want to skip it), Ferriss makes the argument for carbs and their role in insulin responses that cause weight gain. He advises that you eat copious amounts of meat, legumes and vegetables while limiting your “white” carb intake (ALL grains) but binging on them and everything else once a week… this is a psychological trick to keep you on track (e.g. you don’t have to stop eating chocolate croissants, just limit it to 1/wk), but it also stokes your body to continue losing weight (more scientific explanation that i can’t remember). It works, but it’s kind of faddish in its approach.
I’ve looked through your food diary archives and calories/macronutrient breakdown chart, along with your exercise regimen…
Jenna.. Your progress has been amazing and you look beautiful. I am positive you can lose 30lbs in 16 weeks. And I believe you can do it in a way that continues to be environmentally and ethically responsible, which is something I know you strive for. I think suggestions that you cut your fat intake are misguided (since I think you also saw the article on civil eats re: fat fallacy), but I also know that you are also trying to limit your protein intake per bittman, pollan and others who are advocating for semi-vegetarianism with an emphasis on “whole grains” and lots of plants. When I joined TWLC, I was also experimenting with a more primal way of eating (having been vegan for several years, then strict vegetarian until this past December). My focus is on eating heaps of entirely local and chemical-free vegetables along with sustainably raised, pastured meat from local farmers. Something that you can continue to do with both your meat/vegetable CSAs. I do not skimp on fat (in fact, I save all fat drippings and cook with them; can’t remember the last time I used olive oil), and otherwise buy pastured butter from grass-fed cows. However, I have almost entirely eliminated grains (this includes “whole grains” like whole wheat, corn, brown rice, quinoa, amaranth and other vegetarian staples) and legumes like soy, black beans, pintos, peanuts, etc. My husband and I have seen our body composition change drastically in the last two months without a TON of exercise. Some might call this “low carb”, and Pollan will argue that this is yet one more grievous example of nutritionism … but I disagree and am now inclined to believe that agricultural products and the purpose behind them do not constitute real food. (the correlation between government subsidized grains and the USDA recommendations for them is very relevant). This, of course, is a cultural conundrum… especially when you look at the historical significance of mainstays like bread (“staff of life”) and corn.
I think there is a difference between eating when you’re hungry and starving yourself. I do not believe the calorie deficit you’re running is sustainable … you can find a number of articles citing that a calorie is not a calorie is not a calorie. The source of your carbs are usually simple (coming from yummy veggies), but it does spike from time to time with grains (whole wheat bread, et al). A great amount of fat, but your protein intake is beginning to taper off… as a former veggie, I hated hearing this and actually endeavored to severely limit my protein just to make a point. This is your choice to make, but … I think you should look more critically at this and read counterarguments (not of the bodybuilding variety). I likely eat about as much meat as you did about a month ago… still a fistful or less at every meal, but supplemented solely with vegetables. Intuitive eating comes a lot easier since I am full off of fat calories and eat when I am hungry (I also practice intermittent fasting by skipping breakfasts, and it doesn’t kill me). Regarding your exercise, I think you are doing great and easing into it well… but the primary pillars of Fitness include: strength training, cardiovascular conditioning and flexibility. You’re working on the last two, but I think you could incorporate more load-bearing exercises (pushups, squats are easy bodyweight things you can do anywhere) into your routine, when you’re ready.
I searched your archives but didn’t see any mention of Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Controversial-Science/dp/1400033462/ref=tmm_pap_title_0). I think you would appreciate it.. He also did a talk in 2008 that can be viewed online here: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4362041487661765149&hl=en#
Now, I’m going to push Submit and hope that this is taken well because I mean it with the best intentions — I want you to win Healthy Train AND TWLC
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Jenna Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 6:10 am
Charmaine this comment was awesome! It’s so nice to get advice from someone who has taken the time to look at my situation instead of spouting off random advice.
I do have one other factor in my life that complicates things a little bit, which is the Word of Wisdom that I believe comes from God and teaches that grains are the staff of life, but I definitely think that I could eat more vegetables, more legumes, and less wheat (that darn homemade bread!).
I have Good Calories Bad Calories on my to-read list, and I plan to get to it soon, but I’ll request it at the library ASAP now that I’ve read your comment.
And I actually have a strength training routine that a friend gave me that I’ve been working on, but I’ve been slacking on doing it. I need to buckle down and get back to it.
Thanks again!
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March 31st, 2011 on 2:34 pm
I think it’s sometimes easy to stop seeing the changes in yourself because you look at yourself in the mirror everyday. Having said that, OMG GIRL LOOK AT YOU!
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March 31st, 2011 on 2:40 pm
You look GREAT! Congrats on fitting back into a wardrobe item – I bet that it is an amazing feeling!!
You have definitely inspired me to push harder and not give in so easily. Maybe I need to start charting and do a picture food diary to help keep me accountable!
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March 31st, 2011 on 2:56 pm
Looking AMAZING, girl.
(Love the jacket.)
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March 31st, 2011 on 3:28 pm
I didn’t have a chance to tell you this, but you really did look great on Sunday!
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March 31st, 2011 on 3:38 pm
You look fantastic! TH is right, you’re a hottie!
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March 31st, 2011 on 3:47 pm
Jenna, you look absolutely FANTASTIC!
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March 31st, 2011 on 4:28 pm
I don’t have a magical tip, but do have a question. Do you take measurements? It could be that you are building muscle which will show in inches not in lbs. I gain muscle very easily so I track by measurements as well so I don’t get discouraged by the lack of movement on the scale. Just a thought
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Jessica Reply:
March 31st, 2011 at 7:16 pm
I thought of this too… doesn’t muscle weigh more than fat (density-wise)? I’ve always heard that, but I don’t know if it’s a myth or not.
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March 31st, 2011 on 4:32 pm
Love your ode to Spanx. You look wonderful Congrats on your weight loss progress. Keep at it, you will get past your plateau and reach your goal. Love the outfit. You look happy and that’s what matters most.
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March 31st, 2011 on 5:37 pm
You are looking GREAT, Jenna!! I looked at the first picture before reading any text, and thought “WOW!” So congratulations!
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March 31st, 2011 on 6:38 pm
You look awesome!! I can totally tell a difference even from the last weight loss update. Just in time for warmer weather and shorter hemlines, good for you!!
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March 31st, 2011 on 6:44 pm
first reaction: OH WOW!! She looks great!
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March 31st, 2011 on 6:59 pm
Jenna, you look wonderful! Your confidence definitely shows.
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March 31st, 2011 on 7:17 pm
you look fantastic! congrats! you are a huge inspiration!!!
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March 31st, 2011 on 7:37 pm
Jenna! You look absolutely amazing. I can really see the change! And you just *seem* happier in these photos. Congratulations and keep working hard!
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March 31st, 2011 on 8:28 pm
Wow Jenna, your hard work is paying off. You look fantastic!
I noticed in your spreadsheet , you mentioned doing yoga several times. Have you tried hot yoga? When I hit a plateau in my weight loss, a friend suggested taking a hot yoga class with her and it was just what I needed to get myself going again. I take 2-5 classes a week, and this new form of exercise (and relaxation/meditation) is what I have to thank for a steady .4 lb weight loss/day.
Keep up the amazing work!
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March 31st, 2011 on 8:45 pm
Without a doubt you can tell that you’ve lost a ton of weight. AWESOME job!!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:12 pm
Wow you look great!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:14 pm
You look incredible and are SUCH an inspiration!!! Good job!!
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March 31st, 2011 on 9:40 pm
looking at your stats chart you have a couple of super low days, as we probably all do. When I last got really fit my yoga instrutor friend taught me what she called “The Reg” I swear I got super fit super fast doing it. You start doing 10 push-ups, 10 crunches, 10 squats then you do 9 of each, 8 etc all the way down to 1. You end up doing 55 of each. I could do all the cardio in the world but it was the weight training that really made the pounds come off.
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March 31st, 2011 on 10:53 pm
Jenna,
Oh my goodness!!! You look AMAZING!!!! (And I never comment on blogs to say that, because, I dunno, it feels a little weird to have a stranger commenting on your appearance, you know?,) but I just had to!
I literally took a double take at these photos! You look so skinny, so stylish, so awesome! I can’t believe what a difference in just a few months. It’s really testament to how hard you’ve worked, and how focused you’ve been. It’s really inspiring. Way to go! You should be really proud of yourself.
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April 1st, 2011 on 1:56 am
You are looking teeny tiny and just plain fabulous. Such an inspiraton Jenna!
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April 1st, 2011 on 6:19 am
LOVE the jacket! And you look great. Your face shows it (your smile) as much as your body.
I think a different show would be more flattering – something without a mary jane strap – the strap interrupts your line and a flat or regular pump I think would elongate your legs even more. I personally don’t like kitten heels but fashion is individual!
I know many others have chimed in on your diet / workouts and I’ll just add to the chorus of Lift More Weights! I just love how it makes me feel and the definition is soooo nice! I get very excited when I can flex muscles in the gym mirror! Don’t be afraid to bulk up, that’s a total myth. Only using light weights is also a myth, switch up between lighter weights / higher reps and heavier ones / fewer reps and you’ll get more strenght gains over time.
Keep it up Girlfriend!
Maybe a new set of measurements will help keep you motivated when teh scale seems to be letting you down?
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April 1st, 2011 on 8:19 am
Jenna!!! CELEBRATION, LADY!! So awesome to see how far you have come.
There are a lot of comments here that are encouraging new diet techniques or strength training or interval training… hoping that you are seeing that they are all coming from a place of support and encouragement. I know some could be read as know-it-all or pedantic or nosy, but I genuinely think people are just so excited to contribute to your success in some way. There are so many paths to successful weight loss – and it works differently for different people.
Your perseverance is laudable. GO YOU~!
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Sophia Reply:
April 1st, 2011 at 9:23 am
I agree that I don’t think any of the comments were nosy or know-it-all, and Jenna’s success *is* pretty amazing
I also think more people than usual are making suggestions since, from the tone of the post (talking about hitting a slump, giving boundaries for making suggestions, etc.) it seemed like Jenna was open to a bit of brainstorming for ways to mix things up to overcome her “slump”.
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April 1st, 2011 on 8:54 am
You look great!!
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April 1st, 2011 on 11:42 am
First of all, you look amazing!
Second, I wanted to second, third, fourth or whatever the recommendation to add weights/resistance training into your routine. I hesitate to recommend diet advice because I know everyone is different, and I think you’ve found something that works for you. Everyone can benefit from building lean muscle, though. It’ll help with bone health, metabolism, calorie burn, shape, etc; so it’s definitely something to consider adding to the routine. Just my two cents.
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April 2nd, 2011 on 10:27 pm
You look amazing, Jenna! You are such an inspiration. You’ll be at your goal weight in no time!
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April 4th, 2011 on 5:21 pm
You look amazing! Gorgeous girl!
Are you pre-baby weight? You look it.
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April 5th, 2011 on 7:35 am
Whoa girl – you look fabulous!!! I can really see a difference, and the outfit is totally cute! Yay!
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April 5th, 2011 on 7:28 pm
jenna-you look fantastic. well done with all your hard work
keep it up! you’re all ready for swimsuit season!
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