I am dreaming of the day that I can write a blog with a million !!!!!!!!!!’s  that says I’ve lost the 100 pounds I’ve set out to loose…but right now, this isn’t that post. I don’t have any bad news, although I don’t have anything particularly exciting to share either. I’ve been working hard, changed up my workouts, continuing to eat healthy and yet, the scale hasn’t changed dramatically…..ahh so it’s the reality of my journey. It’s not all rainbows and butterflies but I’m not giving up. I’ve recently been getting up at 5am to go to a bootcamp class in an effort to change my workout routine/intensity. I really enjoy the class and although it is early, I feel great for there rest of the day. I keep telling myself that I’m gaining muscle so that is why the number on the scale hasn’t changed, but inside of my “fat girl mind”, it’s hard to rationalize it. I *KNOW* that’s whats happening, but I would be lying if I said that I’m not frustrated. And if I hear one more person say “but muscles weights more than fat”, I’m going to go nuts.  It’s not ALLLLL entirely frustrating because as I mentioned before, my quality of life has drastically changed and I will never take that for granted EVER again, it’s just hard to keep yourself motivated when you know you are working so hard, being so diligent and yet you see no drastic results. I KNOW I’ll get there and this will all be worth it, but I’m just trying to keep it real! I’m banking on the whole ” the longer it takes to come off-the easier it is to KEEP off”. haha! But overall, I can’t complain, I mean comparing myself to where I started, I’ve come a long way in 14 months.

So what’s new over hurrrr……

If you follow me on Instagram (jenmcken), you may have already seen some of these 🙂

 I love, is when unhealthy people give you advice on how to become healthy. Someone asks you how things are going and you mention that you’re at a plateau and that it’s becoming frustrating and that you’re just trying to push thru it….they begin to offer advice to you on how you “should be doing it”.  I once had a women holding a cigarette in one hand telling me (between puffs) how I should be doing XYZ. I wish I could have seen my face. It probably looked like this **blink blink* <slight smile> **blink blink* .

You want to know what else is frustrating? Recently I had a small injury during my workouts-nothing that prevented me from working out -but my hands started to go numb. The short version is that I was in the plank position and when I stood up, my hands were numb and tingly and stayed that way for a good two weeks. After going to the doctors and chiropractor my physician sent me to a specialist who ultimately did a nerve conduction study. The doctor didn’t know anything about my weight loss journey and it was the very first time I had ever met him. After telling me my results were totally fine (and making me feel like I was going crazy and/or lying to him), he mentioned that maybe if I lost another 30 pounds my problem would go away. He went on to tell me how the carpel tunnel in women’s wrists are smaller than mens and that having any access fat on the body it could deposit in the wrists which would cause the tunnel to be EVEN SMALLER than it already was which in-turn would make my hand go numb…ok that makes sense but then he goes on to say, “it’s really easy, all you have to do is eat less and exercise more”. It’s REALLY EASY he said, I wanted to punch him. He stood there with is huge biceps and toned body all full of himself the whole entire appointment and then tells me it’s SO EASY to loose weight. I just blinked…..and I thought, YOU HAVE NO IDEA! If you could have felt and seen how cocky he was, I thought to myself, I know he’s a specialist with nerves and probably never sees patience about weight loss like physicians might, but I can totally see how people are intimated to go to the doctors for the fear of being judged. I finally told him that I had already lost roughly 80 pounds and he said, “well then, see you know how easy it is?” *face palm*

I can see how people get confused and frustrated with what diet to follow. Every other day there is an article that says, eat fruit, don’t eat fruit, fruit gives you cancer, eat meat, meat gives you cancer, milk and cheese are spawns of the devil, no eat only vegetables, oh wait, are they gluten free? Should I juice them…but not with fruit, it gives you cancer……you catch my drift! I mean, going into the grocery store is like a war zone and things are designed to make you purchase on impulse….but watch out, it might give you cancer or the side effects could be vision loss, diarrhea, brain tumor or death. Dunnn dunnn dunnnnnnnn. But seriously, there are so many fad diets that it’s overwhelming to people.

Totally random: I noticed since last year that my nails are so much stronger. I use to have brittle nails and could never have pretty nails because I looked like I had man hands…but since I’ve cut out all the junk, I have long, womanly nails! Who am I?!

Swimsuit shopping……oh man, I can’t wait to say that I “had so much fun swim suit shopping”…yep, TOTALLLY not ready to say that yet! None of my old ones fit…and Greg and I have been wanting to go on vacation to somewhere where there would be sun and sand so it was inevitable that I would have to buy one. So off I went in search of something. It was depressing…but alas I found one that is “do-able” and several sizes smaller than last years which is always nice. I spent many days searching for one because it was February and there aren’t a whole lot of places to go in Feb to purchase a swim suit, so my options were limited. I can’t do the online shopping crap, I have to be able to try it on right then and there…..but I was so excited that I found one that “will do for now”, came home and was ready to hit “purchase now” on the vacation we had picked out……..only to realize that Greg’s passport was expired! oh sweet mother of jesus!

We recently made our annual trip down to Seven Springs with the family and some friends to go snow tubing….it’s so much fun!! This year, was even better, I didn’t get winded walking the short distance back to the conveyer belt! haha! I posted a picture earlier in the year of how my snow pants no longer fit, so I had to wear several pairs of pants and thank god it was one of the warmer days of the winter we had. It was also so much easier to get off the tube…..it was hilarious watching me last year I”m sure. I bet someone took video of me trying to essentially roll out of the tube secretively because I KNOW it was hilarious to watch! This year, I could just stand right up! Ohh the little things in life!

I took my little sister shopping several weeks ago for her winter formal/valentine’s day dance. Being surrounded by all the dresses it inspired me to go home and dig out some of my old dresses. I found the bridesmaid’s dress that I wore in my best friend Nicole’s wedding several years ago. I can’t believe it……I just can’t believe it! I remember feeling so gross in that dress standing next to all of her other gorgeous friends so to see this was an instant boost of motivation.

And one last thing, I have to take a minute to brag. Are you ready?  I went to Red Lobster a few weeks ago and didn’t eat a single one of the biscuits. <HUGE DEAL!!!!>

So there ya have it folks, nothing too major to report but I’m still chipping away diligently!

And if you’re interested, here are the other blog posts that I’ve written regarding my journey! I hope you find just a little bit of inspiration in them! 🙂

Big Macs, Whoppers and Diet Coke

Bye Bye 50 Pounds

What No One Tells You

 Silver Sneakers, Halloween Shopping and the “Secret Code” | Weight Loss Journey

I will lose 100 pounds!

You Are The Sum of Every Choice You Make

It Was Bound To Happen

Seat Belts, Swimmies and Oreos