30 for 30 - Day 9 - Jeni

Today: 1 big fat point!

I don't know what my total is anymore...

Ok, so I have officially jumped back on the bandwagon! I'm feeling awesome about the progress I'm making and I will tell you why.

First of all, Ed and I came to school for the one class I had and then went and worked out! Ed did some laps in the pool and I totally killed it on the elliptical  I really pushed myself harder and did an intensive cardio workout for 25 minutes straight! I was working up an amazing sweat and almost kept going, but I wanted to work on my core a bit more.

I went and used this crunch machine thingy (obviously I'm a professional) where you are doing a crunch motion while sitting up, but you are crunching extra weight. Don't know if that makes sense. Here's a picture...I do better with pictures, how about you?

Anyhow, after that I was feeling the burn, still working up a great sweat and feeling like a boss. So I swaggered on over to the crunch balls and as soon as I leaned back...I couldn't get myself back up. I think I exhausted my muscles cause I just couldn't even move upward at all and I looked super awkward. I don't think anyone was watching, but if they were, they got quite a show. I leaned further back on the ball and tried to pretend and do something with my legs that looked legit, then rolled off as gracefully as possible head first backwards. :) Oh Jeni...these are the moments of your life.

So, I must admit, after that workout, I was STARVING. I had only done an apple and peanut butter for breakfast and by the time I was done working out it was 2pm. No bueno! Ed and I hadn't packed a lunch either, so...we did something I haven't done in almost 2 months...we ate out! *dun dun duuunnn*

It wasn't my most glorious moment, but I did give my drink away to someone else. I can't stand how sweet soda is anymore. I had a chicken quesadilla and one little beef taco. I figured that wasn't SO bad, but looking at it now, I can tell my body did not really love that idea.

Anyhow, my day with food was good after that. I went to my friends house and made strawberry freezer jam for the first time! So yummy! We went halfsies on a huge case of strawberries, so then Ed and I made some "healthy" pancakes with strawberries on top for dinner. He also treated me to some over-medium eggs and potato wedge type things. He is such a good cook!

Overall, I felt amazing.

For my funny picture, I give you this amazing gem that pretty much sums up how I feel at the gym, every. single. time. But hey, the hope is that one day I will do even harder workouts and still not need to catch my breath as often!

Today is actually the 10th (I know, I'm a time-traveler), and so far I've been good with food and water intake, but I have 3 finals today (I just took one) and a Relief Society activity that I'm helping to run tonight. Not sure how I'm gonna fit a workout in, but I will! I'm determined to keep the momentum and keep pushing myself.

Ok, one last note that I wanted to make about how I'm seeing some actual progress.
I told you all that a HUGE wake up call for me was seeing the pictures from my first comedy show.
Well they just posted to pictures from the show we had a couple of weeks ago when we were just finishing up the "no junk food" challenge and I could SEE a difference. Let me know what you think!



The top is from the RECENT show and the bottom is from the first show.
Granted, it's not much change, but just enough to make me happy and keep me motivated!

Love you all!

Be happy and healthy!
xoxo

30 for 30 - Days 7 & 8 - Courtney

Monday: 0
Tuesday: 1
Total: 5 (I think...)

So I kinda fell off the radar over the past few days. I was still doing my best to eat healthy and work out, I just couldn't find time to blog about it. I was prepping for finals in school, and then getting my life in order while I head out of town for the week. Don't ask me how I managed to fly across the country for a friend's wedding while unemployed, I still am trying to grasp how that all came together, so I'll just chalk it up to another tender mercy <3 this is going to be a fantastic little vacation!

Monday I did pretty good about eating, but I completely spaced and forgot to work out. Then on Tuesday, I had a green smoothie in the morning, then I swept and mopped the entire house (it's all hard wood or tiles), and that took about an hour, which definitely broke a sweat, so I gave that 1/2 a point. Then my mom and grandmother rode with me on the ride to Orlando airport (3 hours south of where I live, cause the plane tickets are $200 cheaper!) and we got Subway on the way. And then running through the airport, literally albeit inconsistently (because of security) for at least 30 minutes, trying to make sure I made my flight on time - also broke a sweat, so there's my other 1/2 point. Made it with 5 minutes to spare before boarding. It was a very long evening of traveling back in time from the east coast to the west coast, but I filled the time easily.

Let it be known that I love to read and write, quite avidly. And one of my favorite things to read are the travel stories in the airplane magazines. I decided a couple of years ago that I want to be a travel writer, and have my adventures published in airplane magazines - I know, lofty goals, right? ;) I just lovelovelove to travel, and the idea of seeing the world, writing about it, and getting paid for it just seems like a dream job that is too good to be true! I don't think that would interfere with my dream of becoming a best-selling author in the book stories, right? Though reading was my first love, writing second and traveling third, I'm most ardent and passionate about writing, because I know there's a little aspiring author deep down inside of me, whose voice is overly anxious to be heard. So hopefully, with or without future husband in tow, I can make those dreams come true some day.

So after I soaked up every culture-filled article in the US Airways magazine, I opened the other book I brought with me (I actually brought 3 with me - a book fiend is always prepared for when boredom strikes). Many of my friends have suggested Divergent, which seemed somewhat interesting. I'll read anything under the sun at least once, but not all of the Young Adult genre is my cup of tea. I've read Harry Potter religiously, Twilight tolerably, and Hunger Games hungrily (no pun intended). I started reading the Mortal Instruments, but I couldn't get into it. I never read the Host, but the movie was fantastic, and my sister said the book was even better (isn't it always though?) and that's next on my list (it just wouldn't fit in my carry-on). So I wasn't sure how much I was going to like Divergent. I read about the 1st half of the book on the pane, and I have to admit,  I'm pretty intrigued. I loved the author's writing style, it had a very Suzanne Collins feel to it, or maybe it was just the echoes of a dystopian society. But I'm anxious to finish the book, and I'm a little put off that I didn't bring my own story writing summary so that I can pick up writing when the mood strikes. But I couldn't afford the possibility of losing it over such a long distance - what's done is done.

Anyway, there's just a little peak into Courtney's world the past few days. My math final will really be done and over with on Thursday, just enough time to enjoy my last couple days in San Diego. One of my great friends is getting married, and I'm hoping it will warm up enough to be able to enjoy the beach, but let's be real for a minute, this is the west coast we're talking about here ;)

Anyway, I hope you readers, whoever you are, have a great week, and have much more success in living healthy and being happy! :)

PS - a huge shoutout to my sister Sara Willis, who is currently serving the Lord as a missionary in Italy! Happy birthday, sissy! <3

30 for 30 Challenge - Days 7 & 8

Jeni:

You know how in dieting you hit plateaus? I haven't even lost weight and I'm feeling that way. I'm going to be seeing a doctor today about some personal issues and I think I'm going to ask him why this seems to be happening. I am more physical than I have been in at least 2 years and I'm eating much better than I have in that same time, so I just don't understand why things aren't changing.

Along with that, I had a meltdown yesterday. I don't want to talk about it too much, mostly for fear that I will ruin another day and today seems to be going alright. I've been doing really well about the miscarriage I had at the end of January, in fact a big part of that was taking control of my body again, but yesterday I just fell into some major sadness again.

It was a mixture of a lot of things, and I think a HUGE factor is PMS. It's really been bad for me my whole life. I turn into another person sometimes and I feel completely out of control of my own emotions. I mostly get irritable, but sometimes, like yesterday, I get overwhelmingly sad.

The trigger was my Finance class. We're finishing up a unit on Insurance and the last day was about Health Insurance. I didn't even know there was such a thing, but she began to explain what maternity insurance was. Fast forward through all the boring stuff and she's giving us a warning that maternity insurance isn't a good idea. She ended by saying, "If you sign up for it and don't have a baby in 9 months, you still pay for it." BOOM. I couldn't move. For me, the reference to not having a baby after 9 months just hit that nerve in my heart where Indie (that was our baby's nickname) resides. After class I told Ed I didn't feel good. He could see it in my eyes and asked me if I just felt sad. I said yes and he said he had felt that too.

I tried my best to have a good rest of the day. I had 2 more classes and I managed to really focus and participate, but in the quiet moments that would follow, I would want to curl up in a ball and cry.

I tried making plans for that night, but by the time I got home and laid on my bed, I knew I wasn't going to get up again. Ed and I talked, I cried and cried, he made me some dinner, I watched some Netflix and went to bed.

Somewhere in Ed and I's conversation he asked me to focus my attention on the Savior and His peace. I said a prayer and then Ed said on with me. It certainly brought the peace to my mind, but then my body was stressed and I had a horrible stomach ache for the rest of the night.

I'm not sharing this to be a Debbie-downer, but I told you all how I want nothing else than to be honest with you. Yesterday I didn't exercise, and by the end of the day I was in a "eat all the things" mood that probably contributed to my stomach ache.

I also share this so you will know how much I believe in Christ and his peace. I am grateful for a loving Husband who points me to God and not to earthly remedies. I am also grateful that sleep and time can heal, and that today is a NEW day. Ed and I plan on going to my ONE class today and then to the gym. I'm excited, since Ed and I have never gone together. I doubt he'll stay right next to me, but it's still nice to know he'll be there with me.

I love you all and hope that you had a better yesterday than I did, but also that when you have a roadblock, a bump, a plateau, that you will find support wherever you can to get through.

If you find that you have no one else, please leave us a message on our facebook page, or comment here on this blog. We want you to succeed and you should never feel alone in this journey of health and happiness.

Have a good NEW day, loves!
xoxo

30 for 30 Challenge - Day 5 & 6

Courtney:

Day 5 - 1
Day 6 - 0
Total - 1

Well we somehow completely missed Friday, but it was a good day! I actually went on 2 long walks, one with my nephew, and one in the mall getting a bazillion job applications. And had some pretty healthy foods along with my green smoothies, so I'm not complaining.

Today was a different story though. I weighed myself this morning, and the scale told me my weight hadn't budged. I tried to maintain a good attitude and have a healthy day, I had green smoothies and plans to go walking, but then I bombed a math test (to prep for my final on Monday). So when my mom brought home pizza and ice cream for while the guys were gone during Priesthood session of General Conference (it's a Mormon thing) I gave in, and chilled out while watching a chick flick with my mom and sister.

So since we're not working out tomorrow, I guess I'll just be starting again on Monday. I also have a a job interview (I really need this one too!!!!!), a few of my finals, and I'll be packing for a trip to SD, so I'm going to try my very best to stay on top of everything, but I can't make any promises. Hope you guys have a great relaxing weekend!!

Jeni:

Day 5: 0
Day 6: 0

Total: ??

So, I promise I'm still doing this challenge, but let me explain myself...
I had a mission reunion in Utah this weekend that we decided to go to the night before. I had no time to plan and when you fail to plan, you (say it with me) plan to fail.

I'm not gonna get too down about it, because I know that I'm committed to these changes. It's just time to focus on planning out the next couple of weeks and make sure I keep up my end of the deal.

Also, this weekend has just been such a positive, that I think I needed to not worry or think too much about everything I was eating or doing...and obviously a lot of that doing was driving (4 hours there and back). In any case, I'm happy I went to Utah and I'm very happy to be home now.

This coming week is finals (woof!) and then we get a whole week off! Then the next week is a new semester with an 18 credit course-load AND try-outs for "The Humor Code" our comedy troupe.

I'm gonna sit down with the husband soon and make some solid plans for exercising and eating well during those stressful transitions.

Wish me luck please! I know Courtney and I both need your prayers, thoughts and good vibes!

If you haven't seen it yet, please look at the YouTube video I made for us on our last post.


The funny picture of the day is brought to you by Mother Nature. It might be TMI, but during all this other madness, I'm also expecting some awesome PMS. Woohoo! Like I said...I need your loves! :)

Thanks for reading y'all...I love love love you all!

30 for 30 Challenge - Day 4

Courtney -
Today: 0
Total: 3

If I'm being super honest, I did absolutely nothing today. Even my eating wasn't that great. Thank goodness for starting over and a new day tomorrow right?? Today I was busy with catching up on homework in preparation for finals next week (that might be all you hear about for the next few days, from the both of us!!) and then hanging out with my nieces. We walked to the park by my house and I tossed a tennis ball around for them to practice hitting, but again, they got more of a work out than I did. I had a tonic this morning, pizza for lunch, and a green smoothie for dinner, so that wasn't very well balanced at all either.

All I know about tomorrow is that it will include a job interview (fingers, toes and all other extremities crossed!!!) and an afternoon at the fair with my fam. I'm gonna have to throw in a little workout video in there somewhere. But hopefully y'all had better luck than I did today!

And in light of General Conference coming up this weekend (so excited!!!) here is a little motivation, for me more than anyone else. Happy weekend, people!!

Jeni:

Today: 0
Total: 2.5

Well, I know we're always saying how we are the same person, but today that could not be more true.

I had a LOOOOONG day...and it did not include eating well OR working out :(

What it did include was finalizing some exciting new features of this blog!

And lots and lots of finals prep, school requirements, and homework...yay!?

OK, so here's a funny picture...which is painfully true and the place I totally bombed today...I gave in to the 6 oreos still left in the cupboard. The good news? They aren't there anymore! :)

So, I'm hesitant all of a sudden to post this, but I made a video today that I hope is a first of many.

It's a little intro to me and what Courtney and I are doing, with a little bit of my recent struggles and how they have become my motivation.

Be kind, I'm new to editing and video making in general...and yes, this was in my car...good acoustics? Nope, just busy!
Love you all!
Be healthy and happy...and always remember tomorrow is a new day!
xoxo

30 for 30 Challenge - Day 3

Jeni:

My first workout of the Month!

Today: 1
Total: 2.5

Today was wonderful!

Had a whole wheat bagel in the morning and small meals the rest of the day. Did wonderful on calories and went to the gym tonight!

Overall, I'm just trying to stay pumped about this whole journey. I had a couple of days where I was feeling kind of low, but I just need to remember that this is gonna take time...patience has never been a virtue of mine.

A little action shot...

I heard something today that really hit me hard, "You always need to love your body. Even if you are overweight and trying to get healthy, the body you have now is gonna get you there." WOW! So true.

Sweating...like a boss ;)

A big part of this journey has already taught me to appreciate the gift of my body. Heavenly Father gave it to me. It's unlike any other. I need to realize that it's the only one I get, so treat it right!

Today for exercise, I intended to go to my favorite Zumba instructor's class, but it was cancelled and there won't be anymore classes this semester :( So I went to the gym instead. My friend didn't really feel it, so she said she would stretch while I worked out. I committed to do a solid 15 minutes on the elliptical (I want to work my way up) and then do the circuit area with all sorts of weight machines for the other 15 minutes.

I was just winding down to 15 minutes on the elliptical when my favorite Imagine Dragons song came on in the gym, so I just pumped it through the last 4 minutes.
Then the machines had me working up a good sweat and my arms were hurting, but I just couldn't stop. It just really caught hold of me tonight. I love feeling like my body can do anything.

I ended with a good stretching session and some jumping jacks!

So another exciting announcement is that there is officially a facebook page for "Besties with Breasties". We'd love for you to "Like" our page and we'll try and keep some fun updates going for you!
https://www.facebook.com/BestiesWithBreasties

I'm posting some random pictures of my work-outs. I'm gonna try and keep taking pics to stay accountable and track any progress I see.
My instagram name is jenidominga, feel free to follow me!

Ok, onto my funny picture for today! This is how I'm feeling this week...yes, finals are upon us! Next week are all the final tests, but this week there are lots of writing assignments, study groups, etc. etc.

I took a music listening test today and just bombed it...I was so tired and totally second guessed myself :( I felt like Kel in this picture for sure.

But life is good. I feel good. I hope you are all feeling good too!

Be happy and healthy, my loves!
xoxo



Courtney:
Today - 1
Total - 3

Today wasn't as good as my past 2 days, in regards to food. I forgot to take the tonic, and I didn't feel like I had as much energy today. But I still got my "work out" in - I did some stretching and then went on a long walk, which definitely breaks a sweat in this Florida humidity. And over the past few weeks and months of making these changes, my body notices a difference, because my score muscles are becoming stronger, and I know that as long as I stretch, the stiffness goes away. That being said,  I don't know if being unemployed can be seen as a blessing, but while I haven't been working, I've been able to really look at who I am when I'm not a student, outside of school. My role as a student is important, but I'm also a sister, a daughter, a writer, a woman, and I've just been able to refine those roles, and dig deeper into knowing myself. That includes knowing my body and taking care of it. But I've come to love my long walks. Whether I'm walking down a busy road listening to music, or taking a stroll down my favorite River Road, long walks give me time to think, ponder, and reflect on important things that I may be concerned or stressed about, things I need to plan or prepare for, or just quiet time to appreciate life and enjoy the beauty of nature. So I'm oddly grateful for this time of my life, even if it isn't the most ideal life situation - I guess refiner's fires really do end up making us better people.

And I'm not a runner - yet. My chiropractor said no running, so I won't, at least until I strengthen my core muscles more, and become more physically prepared for it. Until then, I'm going to walk the soles off my shoes, all over this town. Because I can :) and when I do become a runner, I'm going to do a Disney marathon. Someday!!!!! Because a goal that isn't written down is just a wish. So keep track of those goals, people! And plan little baby steps to help you achieve them :) YOU CAN DO IT!!! Or from a not-so-popular Disney Channel Original Movie, I tell you in Spanish - SI SE PUEDE!!!!! ;)

30 for 30 Challenge - Day 2

Courtney
Day One: 1
Day Two: 1
Total Points: 2

So let me just tell you about the past 2 days because they have been crazy experiences to say the least.

My mother is a health nut. She has been for as long as I can remember. We rarely go to the doctor (only for emergencies) because she can fix us up with herbs and natural methods. We affectionately call her the Witch Doctor ;) Anyway, she's tried this thing called an Apple Cider Vinegar tonic (16 oz water + 2 tsp ACV) and if you sip it before every meal, it's supposed to help curb your appetite, boost your metabolism and heal whatever ails you! She's told me about it before, and she's lost weight from it too, so I decided to add it to my schedule, just for this week, to give it a try.


Also, I'm going to put in a plug for doTerra Essential Oils. The way that herbs can heal you naturally, essential oils have the same effect, only it comes from 100% concentrate, so it's much stronger. Anyway, they have all kinds - lavender to help you sleep, peppermint to help with nasseau and headaches, things like that. They also have special blends, like Deep Blue for sore muscles, On Guard to keep from getting sick, etc. And there's one blend called Slim N Sassy, that I've been trying to figure out how to use - it's also a way to boost your metabolism and curb your cravings, so I've been adding 1 or 2 drops to my green smoothies, which I am still doing twice a day, along with healthy snacks in between, and whatever mom makes for dinner.


AND I HAVE NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE. Now, that's not completely true, because I still have bad lower back pain, and after my very long walk yesterday, I've had a cramp in my calf. But not only have I lost all cravings for chocolate and fast food (which is HUGE), I have also had a huge increase of energy, which was demonstrated today as I spent 4 hours working in our family garden - shoveling, raking, pulling weeds, etc. And that being said, as all of these changes have boosted my metabolism immensely, I have now become hungry ALL THE TIME. I try to keep it at 2/3 hour increments, so I don't gorge myself in one sitting. But this changes are so huge and exciting! I'm trying to keep myself from weighing in. I know what I weighed at the beginning of the week, and so I'm going to weigh myself again on Monday. Fingers crossed!

Jeni:

Day 1: 1/2 Point
Day 2: 1 Point
Total: 1.5 Points

Oh hello there...this is me, right now...
sitting in my undies, on my bed, avoiding the last remnant of homework, husband sleeping next to me, freshly showered after an awesome work out tonight, and quite hungry.

On the first day of this challenge, I didn't plan well and the day escaped me...I had a sick husband, did laundry, made dinner, had FHE with another couple and a full school day (7:45-4:15), soooo the most moving I did was dancing around the kitchen as I cooked. I did do enough to break a sweat, though...so I gave myself a half point.

Tonight, I went to the school to do zumba, but my friend and I didn't love the instructor, so we just went to the gym instead...HOLY MOLY!! Courtney, you NEED to move here ASAP...this place is amaaaaaazing. All sorts of machines, weights, stations, balls, etc. Classes in the corners going on that you can just jump in on, all different shapes and sizes of student in there...it was really neat.

I did about 30 minutes total of cardio on ellipticals (multiple because there was more than one kind and it took a while to find one I liked), and then my friend, Rachelle and I used the circuit training area to do all the machine weights.

I felt SO good. I was really working up a sweat!

That's about all I've got...sorry this is so brief...onto my funny picture...which is just a video...that I'm in...yes, it's my comedy troupe!! :D 

Like I said y'all, this was a BIG wake up call for me...I seriously look huge in this and it makes me sad. I'm not down on myself about it, I just know I need to take control and change it.

As a quick P.S., I had my last visit with a counselor today for the miscarriage. You can check my other blog for details tomorrow :)edwardandjeni.blogspot.com

Love you guys! 
Be happy and healthy!
xoxo