I'm it!
Mood:  chatty
Topic: Lovely Lists

So, over at the Breathing Prosperity blog, Ophelia and Shauna have given me an interesting challenge... to list my Simply Successful Secrets (via TodayIsThatDay.com).  These secrets are the top things that I do almost every day to help me be successful in life. 

Without further ado, here they are:

1. I give thanks every day.  The first thought I have in the morning is "Thank you for another day!"  I carry a smooth, flat stone that a friend of mine gave to me in my pocket every day.  Whenever I think of it, I run my fingertips over the stone and say thanks for whatever comes into my mind.  Sometimes it is as simple as "Thanks for this stone!"

2. I exercise my body every single day.  Sometimes it's for 20 minutes, and sometimes (like last night) its for two hours.  Either way, the endorphins that flood my body given me an immense feeling of happiness.

3. I exercise my brain every day as well.  If you know me, you know that I am always into something new.  I LOVE learning, be it from books, the internet, movies, friends, etc.  Just this past year I've become fairly adept at Spanish and enjoy talking to friends every day en mi nueva lengua.  This month I am learning salsa dancing and basketball :)

4. I make time for "fluff."  Sometimes you just need to watch America's Next Top Model or read a trashy novel.  I don't consider these activities wasted time because they are relaxing.

5. I use my imagination.  Call it visualizing or creating or whatever, but I have really been enjoying visualizing my life just as I want it to be.

6. I feel joy for other's successes.  So I didn't win the Mega Millions- how great for that guy in Georgia who now gets to fish every day!

7. I blog.  Sometimes its something funny, sometimes just news-worthy, but always liberating.

8. I laugh and smile.  I am, by nature, a positive and friendly person and I love expressing that!

Now that you know my secrets, if any of you are out there reading this and haven't already participated, feel free to consider yourselves "tagged."  I won't call anyone out today specifically because all of my blogger friends are really busy these days!

Money, honey!
Mood:  lucky
Topic: Lovely Lists

Been reading this great blog called Breathing Prosperity, especially this entry.  If you follow my link there, you'll probably better understand my last post.

 Money is essential.  There's nothing wrong with wanting it.  Money can give you endless happiness if you remain grateful for it and share it with others as much as possible.  When I win the lottery (and then further invest my money to increase my prosperity), here's how Walter and I plan to share the wealth:

1. Pay off our parents' mortgages (they deserve it!)
2. Buy our own home - something modest to start, as we do not have the need yet for anything huge and ostentatious
3. Pay off our college loans/credit card debt
4. Set up trust funds for our kids (DeShaun and the other ones yet to be born)
5. Set up funds for all of our existing nieces and nephews (and those yet to be born)
6. Find exciting things to invest in- real estate, mutual funds, businesses, who knows?  The prospects are limitless!
7. Donate to needy organizations (to be determined...)
8. Travel- and take our families... I see cruises, European adventures, and a huge family trip to Disney in our futures :)

This is such a fun exercise- the world is your shopping cart!   What would you do with your lottery winnings?  Who would you help?  Can you imagine the amazing possibilities?

Things I am working on...
Mood:  loud
Topic: Lovely Lists

1. Making my list of things I want from the universe.  Have you watched The Secret yet?
2. Finally catching up on my I Love New York episodes
3. Cooking protein pancakes for the week
4. Sipping on my new favorite kind of tea, Lemon Ginger
5. Calling Walter to find out if he'll bring me home some ginger ale
6. Thinking about where I last saw the blood pressure cuff... I am still feeling woozy from the Nyquil I took last night.
7. Gazing lovingly at my new video Ipod
8. Thinking that its almost time for bed- thank god.

Things to do while not blowing one's nose
Mood:  lyrical
Topic: Lovely Lists

Sometimes I even bore myself...
Mood:  chatty
Topic: Lovely Lists

Well, 'tis that time of year again.  Post- holiday remorse time.  Here are the things I have to be remorseful for this time around:

1. Eating that third piece of pumpkin cake on Christmas Eve.
2. Finishing off the whole box of Godiva dark chocolates by myself this past week
3. Not caring that James Brown died
4. Giving my son cheezits as his "vegetable" for dinner last night
5. Staying in bed these past two mornings instead of working out when I know my pants are only getting tighter.
6. Spending at least 25% more on presents than I had budgeted for myself
7. Buying the big bag of chocolate chips
8. Staring lovingly at my diamond rings on a daily basis
9. Refusing to buy the size 16 pants at TJ Max, even though they pretty much fit
10. Deciding that wearing black pants every single day is okay

Every year around this time, I start to stress about my clothing feeling tight, not going to the gym enough, feeling inflexible, my lack of spirituality, my boring menus, yada yada yada.  I'd like to say that I am now a year older, wiser, and have moved on to new worries.  Despite all of the wonderful changes that have taken place this past year, I am still concerned with basically the same stuff as last year.  These are the things that I need to get a grip on this year:

 My body - I either need to get in the shape that I want to be in and stay there, or let go of all the anxiety.  I basically vacillate between these two extremes on a daily basis, and I need to choose some sort of middle road that allows me to live in peace with myself.  That being said, I have some subgoals:

1. Lose 30 pounds by July 8th (my sister's wedding)- this will get me in the neighborhood of where I was most comfortable, and where I maintained for about 4 years of my life
2. Commit to exercise on a daily basis
3. Incorporate yoga into my weekly routine- attend a class 1x/week and try and incorporate a home practice as well.
4. Cook more often and for-the-love-of-god, cook a variety of foods!
5. Journal often to keep myself motivated

My finances - This year we have a lot of important events to plan for, especially my sister's wedding and our family trip to Europe immediately following the wedding itself.  Also, Walter and I would like to start saving for and find a multi-family property for our first house.  Subgoals:

1. Create a savings plan for the year
2. Sign up for additional shifts at work
3. Eliminate 1/2 of one credit card's worth of debt

My mind - This past year I have really dedicated myself to learning.  I have progressed very well in Spanish and this year I want to continue.  My mini-goals:

1. Enroll in Intermediate Spanish 2 this spring
2. Learn enough rudimentary Czech and Italian to make do in Europe this summer

My family - This is perhaps the biggest thing on my agenda for 2007... enlarging our family.  I need to:

1. As mentioned above, get into optimal shape for the creation of a child
2. See my OBGYN for appropriate vitamins, advice prior to conceiving (make appt. sometime in April)
3. Discuss work/child care options in advance

Well, as you can see, my mind has been going a mile a minute lately with all the new things to be accomplished this year.  It remians to be seen how well I can accomplish them.  As always, January represents a fresh beginning, a chance to wipe the slate clean, and god willing, the beginning of great things to come.

Its early for Thanksgiving, but never too late to say thanks...
Mood:  chatty
Topic: Lovely Lists

I have a family member in the hospital now fighting off the combined effects of chemo treatments and a stroke.  Visiting him , for me, has been fairly easy, as I'm very comfortable in the hospital environment, having worked in one for years.  However, when you actually see the man across the hall pass in the matter of minutes and then you come in to work and learn that someone you had just worked with the previous day coded, you never really get used to the fluctuations of life.  One minute you are alive and somewhat well, at least, and the next, well- you've passed on.

 So, embracing every day, while cheesy when written, is excrutiatingly important.  And giving thanks for what you've got, while you've got it.

Thanks for my family.  I always feel they are behind me 100%.

Thanks for Walter- he's home to me.

Thanks for DeShaun.  Because he makes me laugh and feel needed.

Thanks for all the misc.- that I have a job that stimulates me, the material possessions that allow me to have a little fun, an apartment that is warm and big enough for all my junk, two cats that "talk" to me when I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, and the invention of chocolate.

Oh, and thanks for Heroes on NBC.  Have you checked that show out?  If not, you should!  Best show I have seen in a long time.

Latetest Goals
Mood:  energetic
Topic: Lovely Lists

1. I will lose 20 pounds of fat (get down to 173)

2. I will eat 6 clean meals/day and minimize my free days to a couple free treats

3. I will do 30 minutes cardio daily for my HEALTH

4. I will fit into all my jeans in my closet

5. I will cook a few new foods a week, to avoid boredom :)

6. I will work on making my relationship with my new husband a top priority- by planning date nights, special dinners together, etc.

The latest...
Mood:  spacey
Topic: Lovely Lists

1. This past weekend I worked both days, made some presents for my bridesmaids, and put together all of the wedding programs with the help of Walter and DeShaun.  Several late nights the past few days have left me feeling so limp and bedraggled to the point that:

2. I have a rotten, nasty sore throat and a fever.  I came home an hour early from work today and crashed for an hour, falling asleep to the dulcet sounds of Judge Judy.

3. Perhaps unwisely, I tried swimming laps today with my friend Nancy... that was interesting!  Tough, but I did 13-14 laps, all different styles.  Felt fairly normal in my bathing suit- probably because it was just Nancy and 3-4 smelly old men.  A definate repeatable activity.

Day by day, hour by hour... that's how I'm making it through.

Ups, Downs, and All Arounds
Mood:  chillin'
Topic: Lovely Lists

Honestly, its been a very hectic past few weeks.  My days are a blur of waking, eating, working, working out, running errands, maybe cooking, decompressing in front of the TV, and sleeping yet again.  Every now and then I might take a deep breath. 

On a fitness note, since this is primarily a fitness blog, I'm doing adequate.  My weight has been going up and down a couple pounds, but hasn't yet gone below 186 (much to my occasional frustration).  I've worked out almost every day since the beginning of January, but only 3 days last week, which left me feeling rather blah.  There has been so much wedding stuff to think about and do, that despite my best intentions to get up every morning and get in a good sweat session, mostly I lay in bed and reset the alarm.  It doesn't help that its 80 degrees in the rest of the house (even worse when you forget to turn off the oven- WHOOPS!) when you wake up...

I know I'm in for a rude awakening when I hit my honeymoon.  Nothing to do?  I'll probably get sick, which is what happened last time I planned a Caribbean vacation.  I had a heinous cold that left me limply draped on the hotel bed.  My counterattack this time?

Multivitamins, a new pair of running shoes for morning walks/jogs, and a complete avoidance of salad when on St. Thomas.  Nothing like the runs to ruin a beach day...

Things on my mind lately
Mood:  special
Topic: Lovely Lists
1. When I went to Six Flags this past weekend and DeShaun and I traipsed all over in our bathing suits, I realized that comparatively speaking, I was thin. You won't believe how much of this I saw:



Very tiny bathing suits barely covering peoples nether regions. It was not pretty.

2. I also noticed several GROWN ASS women checking out my 12 year old son. A few cute girls his age too. I need to buy a chastity belt for him. Do they have those for guys?

3. Everywhere I go, I look at people's rings and compare them to mine. There are alot of nice rings out there!

4. I can make it through the day without chocolate. This is a major breakthrough for me.

5. My favorite part of the day is working out with Nancy and Kathy. Laughing is the main activity. Yesterday this girl came up to us out of the blue and introduced herself as the fitness director's fiance, who was "right over there if you need help." It was only weird because we have been working out there a long time and know where everything is and how it works. I had a good laugh at myself for my inflated ego, because I immediately thought, "Do I look like I need help?"

6. Skirts are my friends. Shorts still aren't. The styles of shorts that are prevalent this year do NOTHING for me. They are either these weird to-the-knee-tight-through-the-thigh things or daisy dukes. I may have to look in the local Kohl's, which specializes in "Mom" clothes.

7. I am getting married in 1 month. Mind-blowing stuff.

10 Random Things I Have Learned the Hard Way
Mood:  cheeky
Topic: Lovely Lists
Inspired by a bowl of Fiber One at 9:30 last night:


1. Never eat Fiber one at night. Best reserved for the morning, when you can fully process it, and certain odors do not disturn your neauty sleep. Last night it took a match and a dab of Vick's under the nose to put me into R.E.M.

2. Never weigh yourself until you are SURE you have lost weight. For instance, its pure folly to weigh-in after a BFL-style free day. Or the day before your period. Or anytime when not buck naked and post-shit.

3. There will always be someone thinner and better-looking than you. So just live with it.

4. There will never be a time at the gym that you do not encounter a dirty old man who stinks of the lovely combo of B.O., cigarettes, and booze. This man will inevitably choose the treadmill next to yours. Every time.

5. Never buy a whole watermelon from Stop and Shop. Seemingly random, but the last three watermelons I've bought there have been seeded (when supposed to be seedless), mealy, or liquid. Yes, liquid.

6. On the liquid theme, it is possible to open up a steamed lobster to find only liquid inside. I swear- it happened once to my brother.

7. Everyone has a bridezilla in them. Ask my mother.

8. Cottage cheese and chicken will be repulsive to you after 6 straight months of eating them every single day.

9. No matter how thin you get, you will never be completely satisfied. It's the American way.

10. There is nothing better than going home and venting to your mom. Even if you can't wait to get out of the house and be a grown-up, you'll still wish you could go home when things get tough.

Just call me James Bond
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Lovely Lists

You scored as James Bond, Agent 007. James Bond is MI6's best agent, a suave, sophisticated super spy with charm, cunning, and a license's to kill. He doesn't care about rules or regulations and somewhat amoral. He does care about saving humanity though, as well as the beautiful women who fill his world. Bond has expensive tastes, a wide knowledge of many subjects, and his usually armed with a clever gadget and an appropriate one-liner. James Bond, Agent 007 71% Lara Croft 71% Maximus 67% Captain Jack Sparrow 63% The Terminator 50% Indiana Jones 46% El Zorro 46% Batman, the Dark Knight 46% Neo, the "One" 42% William Wallace 38% The Amazing Spider-Man 25% Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

gotta love 'em :)
Mood:  cheeky
Topic: Lovely Lists

More about your favorite blogger
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Lovely Lists
I am: tall and luscious :)

I want: to run without anything jiggling!

I hate: throwing up. Especially after eating soe particularly delicious ice cream.

I miss: seeing my sister and my parents every day

I fear: spiders! Especially hairy ones!

I hear: everyone's opinions, and am not afraid to share my own

I wonder: when we'll see a female president.

I regret: not playing a sport when I was younger. I have a natural love for them, but no skill!

I sing: along to my Ipod in the morning while working out on my Precor. It probably sounds horrid.

I am not always: patient. I have little patience for people who make me wait.

I make with my hands: the best cookies in the world :)

I write: neatly, just like my mother.

I need: a vacation, deperately!

I start: lots of hobbies, like jewelry making, kick boxing, yoga, and drop them after a month or two. I usually pick them up again at a later date.

I finish: my dessert every time!

I tag Tink!

Fun stuff
Mood:  chatty
Topic: Lovely Lists

25 Things...
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Lovely Lists
you probably already know about me, but what the hell, I'll tell you again.

1. I was born in Beverly, MA and have lived in MA my whole life, but do not have a Boston accent, thank god. I think Boston accents sound ignorant.

2. I am slightly embarrassed by my middle name, which is Johansen. Its a family name, Norwegian in origin.

3. I have many nicknames, most of which are embarrassing. Jame, James (not too bad), Jakey (getting slightly worse), kitty, and baby girl (Walt's nicknames, cute but truly embarrassing in mixed company). All of these are redeemed by "MeMe," which is what my nephew Vernell calls me.

4. I love baking, and will bake constantly when I am stressed. I usually do not eat what I have baked, though, because its usually SUPER unhealthy.

5. I am getting married in exactly 86 days. This simultaneously thrills me and scares the shit out of me. I'm not entirely comfortable with being center stage.

6. When I was little, I wanted to be a dancer, a teacher, and a physical therapist. I didn't decide about the physical therapy thing until high school, though.

7. Kids are naturally drawn to me. When I enter a room full of them, I become an instant jungle gym. I love kids and want to have 2 or 3 of my own in the next 2-3 years.

8. I love 80s movies, especially ones with dancing in them like Footloose, Flashdance, and Girls Just Want to Have Fun.

9. I also love 80s music, and have so many 80s mix CDs I could DJ for weeks in clubs never playing the same song twice.

10. I have never liked my hair style. Whenever its long I want it short, and vice versa. Although, I have always liked its color, which is strawberry blond.

11. The things I am most insecure about are my thighs (I almost never wear shorts) and my feet, because my two big toenails are really ugly. One fell off last year and grew back kind of funny, and the other has been infected with a fungus since high school! No matter what treatment I try, it never heals. The things I am most secure about are my face and skin. I think I have lovely blue eyes and almost never break out.

12. I go shopping too often and have the credit card bills to show for it.

13. I used to have a huge crush on Doogie Howser, MD. There's no accounting for taste when you are 11 years old.

14. My oldest friend is Tara, who I met when I was 3. My sister is the next oldest- she was born when I was 4.

15. I have this horrible habit of mis-hearing what people say and always thinking people are saying sexual things to me when they aren't. I became friends with my best friend Jaime when she innocently asked to be my partner for a school project and I thought she meant partner of another sort!

16. I dream all the time. Very vividly. I used to journal my dreams, but now I just tell Walter and we laugh about them the next morning. The other day I dreamt about a 4 year old giving birth to a Barbie.

17. I once dated a guy about 3 inches shorter than me. I bought a very poofy dress for junior prom so I could crouch down in the pictures.

18. I have had my belly button pierced since 2002. Now I'm dying to get a tattoo- of a cute black cat!

19. I am a Scorpio, but don't think I entirely fit the supposed Scorpio profile (moody, bitchy, secretive, jealous? Not me at all... at least I don't THINK so).

20. My favorite type of dog in the whole world is the Golden retriever. My parents have one called Honey, and she is the stupidest, sweetest dog in the world. She also weighs about 120 pounds and have arthritis everywhere.

21. I already have favorite names picked out for my future children: Mia, Norah, Olivia for girls and Isaac, Xavier, and Mekhi for boys. No, I am not planning on having 6 kids.

22. I fell in love with Walter almost immediately after starting to date him. I said, "I love you" first. It took some guts, let me tell you!

23. I love new age stuff like yoga, ayurvedic medicine, and chakras.

24. I secretly want to see what the Playboy Mansion's "Grotto" is like.

25. I hate scary movies and have never "seen dead people." Thank God.

Day one- FabOO!
Mood:  flirty
Topic: Lovely Lists
Water units- 16 (so far)

Cookie/candy/sweets units: 0!

Food:

M1- Go Lean crunch (ran out of time this morning!)
M2- cottage cheese and pineapple
M3- chicken, potato, broccoli
M4- shake
M5- bar
M6- chicken, apple

Number of mentally handicapped people frantically waving at me each time they passed me on the track that winds around the workout area- 1

Number of ugly old men hitting on me in the gym- 2

Number of men who walked over to my section of the gym to work out near me (when it had previously been deserted)- 8

Number of men who walked away when I walked away- 6

Number of times I worried that my nipples were showing through my tank top- 4

Number of times I giggled about all of this- 5

Percentage of time I felt creeped out at the gym, yet oddly flattered- 80%

Doing well, and not so well
Mood:  on fire
Topic: Lovely Lists
Since I started (or should I say, RE-started) BFL again this Janurary, I have lost about 15 pounds and maybe 4-5% body fat. I'm getting lots of positive comments lately and feel much, much better about how I fit in my clothes in general.

I have been extremely dedicated in the gym- logging in at least a half hour of cardio 6 days out of the week with an additional bit of cardio and/or strengthe training workout 3 days a week. My strength has increased alot, and my whole body is firming up noticeably.

Heck, I even bought really cute underwear today at Vicky's!

However, something still remains out of control- and that is my eating. I still am having a little snack here, a little snack there, and instead of seeing real changes in my clothes and the scale, I'm maintaining pretty much what I've lost- but just barely.

That being said, I have an action plan.

1. Daily morning cardio

45 minutes on Mon, Wed, Fri and Sunday
30 minutes on Tues, Thurs
Saturdays- 30-60 min depending on my work schedule

2. Whenever I go home to Mom and Dad's (where the outdoor running is MUCH preferable to near me), and I will run each morning I am there to keep my "outdoor legs" fresh. Even though I didn't run my race this past Saturday (it was rained out as far as I'm concerned), I have another I'm running in July.

3. I will eat clean all week including one of the weekend days. I will not eat the office candy or cookies or any of the other crap. I will make a better effort to keep all my healthy go-to foods stocked, especially the pancakes, which I am sometimes too lazy to cook.

4. On my "off" day, I will try and eat as healthy as possible, but choose foods that I wouldn't normally eat during the week. I will stay away from anything too fatty, because I felt really ill this weekend and do not want to repeat the sensation.

5. I'm going to re-institute my "clothing item of the week," in which I post the image of a favorite piece of clothing that I don't feel 100% confortable in just yet, then later on down the line, post the picture of me rocking it!

Sooo... without further ado, here is my (TA-DA!!!!)

OUTFIT OF THE WEEK:



I have this hanging on my wall for a reason. I want to walk on the beach with my cute miniskirt (size 10, Gap, never worn) and my tropical print bikini (size 12, Tommy Hil, worn in privacy of bedroom only) hand in hand with Walt and blissfully happy.

Ahh....

Again with the food
Mood:  rushed
Topic: Lovely Lists
But this time its stuff I'm actually eating!

Today went something like this:

Wake up 6 a.m.
Discover that the lilacs my dad picked for me are on the ground
Curse at my cats
Remember that my son is sleeping- Oops!
Clean up the mess from the lilacs
Start a load of laundry including the soaking wet tablecloth
Jump on the Precor for a 30 minute cardio session
Scramble to get showered, changed, contacts in, breakfast made, lunch put together, and out the door.
Arrive at 8:08- of course, when I punch in, if I do so by 8:07 I am not docked the extra 15 minutes. Figures.
Eat eggbeaters with spinach and feta, and oatmeal
Run around all morning until 10:30 when I shovel in a bar.
Run around again until noon.
Shovel in chicken, spinach, and potatoes
Run around until 2:30, when I munch on protein pancakes while writing lots of notes. Very productive!
Leave work, rush to gym, do 30 minutes of cardio followed by intense UBWO.
Go tanning- burn the shit out of my skin, but not as bad as last time.
Head over to the grocery store, then BJs, then go home to FINALLY eat.
Last meal wolfed down: salad with cottage cheese, apple, and two graham crackers with PB thinly spread on them.

Deep breath... and here I am typing this!

Cals taken in: 1626
39% carbs, 37% protein, 24% fat, 24 grams fiber

Cals out- with that day, who knows?

Here were the lilacs before the cats killed them:

Yes, she likes her fiber....
Mood:  mischievious
Topic: Lovely Lists
Today went down like this:

Meal 1: egg beaters with mushrooms and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese with oatmeal

Meal 2: shake

Meal 3: salad with chicken, sprinkle of feta, and a really yummy Golden Delicious apple

Meal 4: shake (again- tomorrow I'm going to try to eat REAL food more often) --oh and (blush) about 20 mini jellybeans

Meal 5: cottage cheese, pineapple, 25 pistachios, 1/2 cup Fiber one mixed with 1/4 cup of GoLean Crunch (for its wonderfully sugary flavor!)

Totals:
Cals 1532
Protein 32%, Carb 41%, Fat 26%, Fiber 32 grams!

20 minute HIIT running on treadmill today= ~450 calories according to my heart rate monitor

Woo hoo!!!