Add to Google Reader or Homepage

I'm with Mel!

Powered by FeedBurner

BlogWithIntegrity.com                          
Ajlovestolose

Promote Your Page Too

Twitter Updates...

Posting tweet...

Powered by Twitter Tools

Beer as big as your head!

And yes, folks, I drank it ALL. When I ordered it, I had no idea it would be closer to the size of a wine bottle than a beer bottle.

If you know me IRL, you know that I am not a big drinker. I probably have 2 glasses of wine and 6 beers A YEAR.

Seriously.

So to get this BIG BEER before any food came was daunting, not only because it was HUGE, but because I promised myself I would drink it all.

And I did.

Any my tummy is making the rest of my body pay for it! ;-)

After the BIG BEER, I went to Second City and watched a Skybox show Wait, Wait, It Gets Better– it was great. A friend of a friend had written 2 scenes and they were funny and awesome.

OK, I gotta get my bloated tummy to bed. I am not gonna post the picture of the Ribs bigger than my plate that I ate tonight. If you want to see that picture, checkout my twitter feed @ajlovestolose.

Burp.

 

PS: Don’t forget, MONDAY starts a week of awesome Fitbloggin giveaways!!

March 26th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Facebook Fan Page- Ajlovestolose

I set up a Facebook Fan page today– please see the box on the left sidebar if you are interested! :-)

March 23rd, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

testing

8WCG7AHXXEWH

March 11th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Blog for International Women’s Day– Equal Rights for ALL

Today is Blog For International Women’s Day. This page gives you more information on what this post is part of. This year, we are to answer one of these two questions:

–What does “equal rights for all” mean to you?
–Describe a particular organization, person, or moment in history that helped to mobilize a meaningful change in equal rights for all.
———–

I chose: –Describe a particular organization, person, or moment in history that helped to mobilize a meaningful change in equal rights for all.

Equal rights for all means a lot me. While I am (99 percent of the time) proud to be an American, developed countries like the one I call home get every advantage when it comes to disaster relief, medicine availability, medical advancements, food availability and countless other basic needs.

In the developing world, women (along with children) are the group that sadly sees the advancements last. During my 7 years working for a large international NGO, I saw a lot being done to try to even the playing field for women. Programs were created in times of famine or disaster to make sure women receive rations to feed their families– otherwise larger (and stronger) men hoarded the food. Women were shown how to create micro credit savings and loan groups to help save money without the “permission” from their fathers or husbands needed.

Women were given information — for instance that they had the right to vote in a local or national election; not told who they had to vote FOR, just that they had the right to help choose a leader– or that they had the right to a healthy pregnant and delivery, or that breastfeeding might be the best for their infant.

I learned that information is power– and that once women in the developing world receive information and they have a voice, equality makes a giant leap forward.

The organization that has made great strides for equal rights, in my mind, is CARE. Just read their What We Do statement:

CARE tackles underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change. Women are at the heart of CARE’s community-based efforts to improve basic education, prevent the spread of HIV, increase access to clean water and sanitation, expand economic opportunity and protect natural resources. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives.

To learn more about CARE, please visit www.care.org.

March 8th, 2010 | Tags: , , , | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

AJ is Sleepy

Thursdays, I am banished from my condo from 9-12 noon.

Let me back up.

I am staying with a friend during my funemployment. She has graciously let me and the cat stay with her so I can save up some money and you know, pay my car payment and eat and stuff. She has an amazing place, and I am lucky enough to benefit from it. One of the perks is indoor heated parking. Awesome, right!? My little Honda Fit has no idea what a Chicago winter is like. Another perk is weekly cleanup from a maid. I have NEVER had a maid before, and let me tell you, it is AWESOME! But….Ok, what I am about to say is gonna make me sound like the most ungrateful bi-tich in the whole world. But, really I’m not. Really.

The maid comes at 830 on Thursdays. I never want to be there while she is working one because I am in the way and two because I am freaking unemployed and should get off my butt and clean the toilet myself.

I never sleep Wednesday nights. Never. No idea why but I don’t. So Thursday mornings it is hard to pull myself out of bed and leave for like 4 hours.

The only good thing about Thursdays is that I get up and get my 2 hour workout in early.

So I really don’t have a point to this but just had to make sure I wrote it down so in 5 years I will remember that time when I was single, childless and 32 and I was bi*ching that I had to be out of the house by 830 ONE morning a week.

February 25th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Congrats @gatekepa!

I had to stop back to congratulate Kepa on his awesome interview on NZ television.

287.7 lbs down and never looking back!!

Here is the link to the video.

February 23rd, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | One comment

New (real) post soon…

I promise! Lots going on and I want to update you on the New year Fitness challenge.

SOON!

:-)

February 17th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Naked Fitness New Year Challenge- Final Totals and thoughts on the program

Well- the Naked Fitness, New Year Challenge is over. We find out the top three losers today (I don’t think I am one of them).

Below are my final stats:

  • Auditioned on January 9th for Naked Fitness
  • First (real) Weigh-in on January 16th – Gained 2lbs since audition (ouch-but I was eating everything in sight)
  • Second Weigh-in Jan 23- Lost 8lbs!
  • Third Weigh-in Jan 30- Lost 4lbs!
  • Fourth and final Weigh-in February 6th – lost 2lbs!

Total Weight-loss: 14lbs since January 16th

Inches lost- 4inches lost in my waist!

Here are my thoughts in bullet form:

  • Eating 9-11 servings of fruits and veggies, getting 80-100 grams of protein in and working out/walking 2 hours a day can be difficult – but not impossible.
  • I can treat my body with the respect it deserves AND have fun with my friends at the same time.
  • DIET SODA IS EVIL. I have been off diet soda (almost completely) since January 16th. I had about 6 sips on superbowl Sunday and about 4 sips last night. I just don’t want it or even have a taste for it anymore. I think I do, but when I try it, it just tastes bad.
  • Sleep is very much needed to keep my body moving.
  • The iPhone app “lose it” has been my savior. Entering everything I eat and my exercise keeps me on track for the day.
  • 4 inches off my waist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • I FEEL better. My body seems more in tune with itself. I still have more weight to lose, but this was an awesome start.

Here are the basics of the Naked fitness plan (from Andrea Metcalf):

• Eat 9-11 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Eat color and variety as often as possible
• Monitor and eat 25 grams of fiber daily including at least 5 grams of whole
grains meaning that 5 grams of your fiber intake is not from fruits or veggies.
• Eat 80-100 grams of protein.
• Drink water over any other beverage with every meal.
• Get at least 7 hours of sleep every day (making up hours on weekends if you
cannot sleep at least 7 hours weekdays)
• Find your breath and count five slow deep breaths every morning, lunch,
dinner and before every meal.
• Limit processed foods and be conscious of your choices each time you fuel
your precious engine.
• Drink your Elations
• eat at least 4-5 meals/snacks a day
• a meal has both protein and carbs and under 450 calories
• a snack has both protein and carbs and under 250

February 10th, 2010 | Tags: | Category: naked fitness, Uncategorized | 5 comments

Naked Fitness New Year Challenge- Update #2

Today is Day 6–VERY close to the end of the first week. Only tomorrow to go before I weigh in on Saturday afternoon.

If I am going to be 100 percent truthful–and I am– it was tough to be good.

REALLY tough.

But I REALLY did it.

Today was kind of a mixed up day. Usually I am walking at night to catch up for the day of walking that I missed due to being busy. Well, this morning I decided I was going to buck up, get up early and walk.

So I did.

I got 1 hour and 10 minutes in this morning.Before 11am. Yes I did.

PROUD OF ME!

Then I went to lunch with a former colleague hung out with a former colleague at my old office eating the lunch I packed for myself and after carefully crafted a cover letter for a job I am applying for (that, by the way, I am VERY excited about. Fingers crossed). This included 20 minutes of walking as I used the CTA. :-)

My friend N then picked me up in the rain to go to a 4:10pm showing of Leap Year*. Two things wrong with this:

  • POPCORN POPPING IS THE DEVIL’S FAVORITE SMELL.
  • Guess who forgot her daily snack at home?

I ordered an unsweetened ice tea and a large water. First time that I can remember that I watched a movie in a theater with no popcorn.

N ordered Nachos**.

Throughout the movie, the hunger thunder coming from my tummy was alarming. Thank goodness we were the only people in the theater***.I actually had a hard time following the movie a few times. I also had a hard time coming up with the right word for things my mind was so foggy. I was losing it a bit.

I was SO HUNGRY- more hungry that I had been in a long time. The meals I have been eating -while small(er than I am used to but what I should be eating)- have been filling. I have been eating around every 3 hours and have not had to really worry about a rumbly tumbly.

Today was different. I was weak and crabby.

After the movie, we were headed to Target to pick up a few things and I persuaded N to stop at Whole Foods so I could pick up a snack — Chobani Greek Yogurt.

I was supposed to have it in the morning, and I didn’t. Though it was about 6pm and I should have been eating dinner, I knew we would be atleast another 2 hours before getting home and I WAS NOT GOING TO EAT CRAP FOR DINNER.

So I got a Chobani cup, a spoon, and a handful of walnuts from the bulk area, and about 5 minutes after eating I could function like a human again. I could think again!Thank you 14 grams of protein!

When we got home from Target, I immediately threw a 6oz fillet Mignon on the grill along with 2 chicken breasts for tomorrow. Broccoli and asparagus (1/2 cup each) went in the microwave to steam and 15 minutes later I had a wonderful ON MEAL PLAN dinner.

It was tasty, fantastic and hit the spot.

I am not sure what I will be eating next week– the meal plan is a tiny bit late due to Andrea’s schedule, but I hope to see it tomorrow (especially since I am kinda tired of what we have been eating this week and hope we get to incorporate a few more complex carbs this week – like sweet potatoes.)

So other than today, I have been “good” and stayed on plan. I have walked 2 hours or more 5 of the 6 days.

Do I feel any different yet? Not really, other than the blisters on my feet. :-)

I am trying to mitigate my weigh in on Saturday. I am VERY WORRIED that I will either stay the same or lose a very small amount of weight this first week and be discouraged. The way I keep myself from getting my hopes up is to not think about the excitement I will have if I lose 10 lbs. I reign myself in an HOPE AMONG HOPE that I lose 2lbs.

That way, when I lose 5lbs, I am not disappointed.

I am concerned that I treat myself this way and won’t let myself get excited until I know the final outcome. But I know where it comes from:  I have had quite a few hard life lessons that have taught me to be overly cautious when it comes to “dreams” coming true.  I am trying to figure out a compromise in my head– any ideas please let me know.

Onward and upward- I still have 30 minutes left to walk today– I need to get crackin!

—-

*Movie was Meh. Typical ro-com with a predictable ending. Better to wait for the rental.

**I told her to order whatever she wanted after she protested. Why does she have to feel deprived?

***4:10pm, ro-com, and see asterisk #1.

January 22nd, 2010 | Tags: , | Category: naked fitness, Uncategorized | One comment

AJ auditioned and MADE IT!!

The past few weeks have flown by. I have been really bad at blogging – I have been seduced by the iPhone and by Twitter.

But I am back baby!

And I have some awesome amazing news!!

Last Saturday, I auditioned for a new fitness and nutrition program called “Naked Fitness-New Year Challenge”*. Over 200 people auditioned for just 35 spots—

And Wednesday I found out that I WAS CHOSEN AS ONE OF THE 35 LUCKY PEOPLE!!!!

I attended the first day of the program this morning– which ws kind of crazy and I will tell you why.

I actually live just a few blocks from the building where we meet, but today I drove in from Iowa. I was there with my mom (who is visiting from CA) visiting my grandparents. We had driven down Friday, and I left my mom this morning and drive back to Chicago, then back this afternoon. 6 plus hours in the car. Fun times.

But you know what? I did it for the program. I am tired but I am happy I drove up.

The program is a 1200 calorie a day eating plan (based in part on the Zone Diet) and a muscle alignment routine/workout. Also, I need to walk 2 hours a day. While the walking part seems a bit daunting, I think I can do it.

Just no walking today- I spent WAAAAY too much time in the car. I started the meals today.

I had plain Greek yogurt and blueberries and 3.5 walnuts for breakfast, an apple and flavored Greek yogurt for a snack, a salad with baked chicken, red pepper and Italian dressing for lunch and baked chicken, green beans and broccoli for dinner. Oh, and a banana before breakfast the morning. I am also drinking Elations joint drink every day to help with joint pain. Everyone on the program are drinking them. More on the drink later when I am on a computer and not typing on the iPhone.

I am surprisingly satisfied tonight. I am allowed tea water and coffee so I may grab a hot tea later if I get thirsty.

I am so excited to be a part of this program because it seems like everything I do to try to lose weight lately (bootcamp, eating better etc) isn’t working!! I actually gained 5lbs last month!! :(

The trainer who designed the program, Andrea Metcalf, is well-known in Chicago and is also a contributor on Oprah.com. She seems very down to earth and her program has really worked— she just helped a man lose 100lbs in 90 days. The program we are doing is the precursor to her new book/workout video coming out in Jan 2011. MUCH more about that later I am sure.

While I don’t have 100lbs to lose, I do have a significant amount to drop. I hope this program will help me learn how to make better food choices. My weightloss goal for the next 30 days (the length of the challenge) is to lose 20lbs.

I think my goal is doable. No, I KNOW my goal is doable.

We are being filmed and interviewed for news spots and segments on the show “Better”, a Meredith Publication television show that happens to run everywhere else but Chicago. I am sure I will have video to post at some point.

Ok, I gotta pay attention to the family– just wanted to share my exciting awesome good news!!!!!!

More tomorrow!!!

*before anyone asks, no, I don’t need to be naked to participate. :) lol

January 16th, 2010 | Tags: , , | Category: Uncategorized | 3 comments
« Newer Entries  
  Older Entries »