I'm Just Gonna Leave This Right Here...

Whoa!

What I'm Trying to Figure Out

Day 22 of 31

What am I trying to figure out?

What am I NOT trying to figure out?!?!  There are so many things going on in my life that I'm trying to figure out what to do or how to do it.  Right now, the main things is what career I'm going to complete until I decide to retire.  I'm a librarian.  I went to grad school for library and information science.  I spent butt loads of money on my education and now librarianship is a dying career.  I haven't been able to find a job in 5 years as a Librarian.  So, I had to go back to the drawing board and just do SOMETHING.  I decided to go with medical coding and billing/health administration.  It's a growing occupation and there's always going to be somebody sick.  Even President Obama mentioned medical coding in his state of the union address 2 days ago.  So, I'm trying to figure out medical terminology, anatomy, codes, billing procedures, Medicare and Medicaid insurance.  It's ALOT harder than what I was thinking it was.  But, I'm still trucking.  Wish me luck!  My goal is to be CPC certified by the end of the year.

Workout Routine

Day 21 of 30

My workout Routine

My workout routine between January 19th and May 19th is my Piyo and Shakeology Beachbody Challenge.

I recently signed up to become a beachbody coach and I picked this as my Challenge pack. Chalene Johnson (Piyo) is a wonderful motivator and very inspiring.

I usually exercise in the afternoon.  Due to arthritis in my feet and peroneal tendonitis, I have a hard time walking, let alone exercising in the AM.  After walking around a few hours, my tootsie feel much better.

I work part time as a pet sitter/dog walker while in the process of working on a new career and I am usually busiest during lunchtime.  After my pet visits during the day, I come home, have a banana and do my Piyo.  If I haven't gotten my steps in for the day, I usually visit our apartment gym later in the evening around 7PM.  I have to get my steps in!  If I don't, I feel awful the next day.

After my Piyo Challenge, I'm going to try Les Mills PUMP.  If anyone is interested in trying a challenge pack with me, please let me know.  I am loving the beachbody program.  The workouts are hard, but I love that they ALWAYS have someone doing modifications in the videos.  There is also a huge amount of support.

Best Thing to Happen this Year

Day 20 of 30

The best thing that happened this year was...

I flew on a plane without a seatbelt extender.  I know it sounds trivial to some but I couldn't believe how excited I was!  I almost got the flight attendant to take a picture but I decided against it.  I didn't always need an extender but within the past 5 years, anytime I flew, I needed one.  I promised myself I wasn't going to fly again until I knew I was smaller to be comfortable in the airplane seat.  The last time I flew and didn't need one was on my honeymoon 5 years ago.  I knew that I was 20 pounds lighter than that but I was still a little nervous.  What a great feeling!  It was always so embarrassing to ask the flight attendant for the extender.  Never again!!!

Top Ten Favorite Foods

Day 19 of 31

My Top Ten Favorite Foods

1.  Pizza
2.  Turkey burger ( i don't eat red meat )
3.  Hot, buttery popcorn
4.  Peeps
5.  bananas with peanut butter
6.  banana nut muffins from my local bakery
7.  cucumbers
8.  anything chocolate and mint combined
9.  salted caramel
10.  My Shakeology (specifically the chocolate flavored)

pic courtesty of www.mysanfranciscokitchen.com

Where Have I Traveled

Day 18 of 31...

Where I've traveled

I haven't been to many places, although there are a ton of places I want to travel to.  I've never been out of the country and I really want to travel through Europe.

I have been all up and down the East Coast...Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virgina, West Virginia, Washington, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut.

I have visited California...I went to Los Angeles, visited Disneyland, Universal, took a tour of Dreamworks studio, which was UHmazing (I have a friend who is a graphic artist there)!  But, that's about it.  I'm dying to go somewhere new and exciting!

Here I am in Hollywood...

And here I am at Dreamworks studio with Po from Kung Fu Panda.  Pictured with me is my friend Billy, who actually worked on the movie.  *Note...I was at my heaviest here. :(  Can't wait to go back smaller.  I'm really hoping for a visit this year!

What's in My Makeup Bag

Day 18 of 31

My makeup bag consists of mostly bareMinerals make up.  I used to wear Clinique but decided to switch it up a little.

I have:

bareMinerals:
a kabuki brush
prime time foundation primer
ready Foundation
Eyeshadow "The Magic Word" with presto and abracadabra colors
Moxie Lipstick "Breakaway"
Lash Domination volumizing mascara
Marvelous Moxie lipgloss "Hypnotist"

Then, I have:
an Eyebrow and Eyeline "comb"
eyeshadow brush
and Wet'nWild eyeliner in BlackBlack

My Two Favorite Recipes

My absolute favorite recipe, because I like it and my husband actually likes it.  He is such a PICKY eater!  Grrr!

Weight Watchers Pizza Casserole

I found this recipe at:  Recipe-Diaries

Ingredients from food.com

Servings: 10

Calories 254.3 | Fat: 8.4 g | Carbs: 24.5g | Fiber 1.9 g | Protein 19.7g

Points Plus: 6

1 lb ground lean turkey sausage
1 medium onion , chopped
1 clove garlic , minced
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
8 ounces rotini pasta , cooked and drained
2 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese (20 oz)
32 slices of turkey pepperoni

Directions:

1.  Brown ground beef, onion, garlic and seasoning in oil.
2 .Drain.
3.  Stir in pasta, spaghetti sauce and 2 cups cheese.
4. Place mixture in 2 greased 9x13x2 inch baking pans or 4 square pans.
5.  Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
6.  Top with pepperoni.
7.  Cover and freeze up to 3 months.
8.  To cook now: Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until heated through.
9. To bake frozen casserole: Thaw in refrigerator overnight and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, till hot.

My second recipe (just for me, because the husband doesn't like seafood) is:

Tin Foil Salmon with Asparagus

Servings:  4

Points Plus:  Appx: 5ish

Calories 207.2g | Fat: 6.4 g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber 2,6 g | Protein 31.6g  (all approximate)

4 sheets aluminum foil, wrap (12-inch by 18-inch)
4 (5 ounce) salmon fillets
1 lb asparagus
1 fresh lemon or lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper
seasoning salt
lemon wedge (to garnish)
Note:  I usually brush a little olive oil on top of fillets
Note:  Sometimes I just bake the salmon and cook green beans separately instead of asparagus)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.  Snap the ends off asparagus spears (they will break where tender) and divide into 4 equal portions.
3.  Spray the center of each foil sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
4.  Place one salmon fillet in the center of each sheet, top with a serving of the asparagus and drizzle with lemon juice.
5.  Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and salt or seasoning blend as desired.
6.  Bring up the sides of foil and fold top over twice.
7.  Seal ends, leaving room for air to circulate inside the packet.
8.  Place packets on a cookie sheet and cook in oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until salmon is opaque.
9.  Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
10.  Please use caution when opening the foil packs, as the steam is very hot.

Things I Collect

Day 14 of 31

What do I collect?

I'm very close to becoming a hoarder.  It could come at any time. I love collecting:

cross stitch kits
cross stitch floss
anything with skulls
plants
anything Disney related (especially the Haunted Mansion)
anything weird or macabre
movie posters
sneakers

The one thing coming between me and a hoarder is that there is a method to the madness.  I have a place for everything.  It may not be the neatest collection, but I'm not blocking hallways or having to climb over boxes to get to the bathroom.  :)

Blog Name Meaning

Day 13

The meaning behind my blog name:

Jana's New Chapter

It is just what it says.  A new chapter, a new chapter of my life.  For so long, I did the same thing over and over again.  I followed the sheep and did what everyone else was.  Finally, I figured out that I wasn't happy with the way my life was going and decided to make some changes.  I didn't want to be overweight anymore, I didn't want to be unhealthy, ashamed of what I looked like, depressed because I got so out of breath doing any physical activity.  So, I changed it.  I'm still working on the next chapter.  I can't wait to see how it ends.

This Girl Can

A friend of mine from my WWsendthelove group posted this video today.  I am absolutely in love with it.  For a long time, I was always worried about my "jiggle" when I exercised.  I could care less now.  We're all in this together and we can do this!

What Inspires Me

Day 12

What Inspires Me

I think the number one thing that inspires are people who have been on the same journey as me and have lost tons of weight and have changed their lives forever.  I love looking at their before and after pictures and learning more about them and how they have lost all their weight naturally.  My family also inspires me.  Especially my mom and my brother.  My mom is such a great person - she is the caretaker of two people (my grandmother and my brother).  She's such a strong woman who has been a single mom for 32 years.  She never remarried and all she has ever done is take care of us.  She's strong, dependable, nurturing, smart, and sooo many more things.  She's taught me so much.  So, I'm doing this for her!

My Bucket List

Day 11

My Bucket List

1.  I'd love to find a job that I love.  I loved being a librarian but it's SO difficult to find a job that I'm trying to start a new career and help my husband more financially.

2.  Visit all 50 states

3.  Take a train trip around Europe

4.  Visit Bucharest and Dracula's castle

5.  Visit Africa and do charity work

6.  Hot air balloon ride

7.  Learn Spanish

8.  Buy a home

9.  Reach my healthy weight range

I'm very simple.  I don't want much - Just a few "simple" things.

If I Won the Lottery

Day 10

If I won the lottery, I would...

1.  Pay off my stupid student loan, first and foremost!
2.  Move back South!  I love the area we live in, but my family is back in SC and I want to be closer to them.  I secretly keep hoping my husband gets transferred back south. ;)
3.  Buy a house
4.  Pay off any debt my mom has
5.  Buy my mom a house
6,  Adopt another animal
7.  Buy a new car
8.  I'd donate alot to animal adoption charities
9.  Save and invest!
10.  Splurge a little

Timeline of My Day

Day Nine:

So...

I'm a part time pet sitter, changing careers.  I'm a librarian by trade, but haven't been able to find work as one in 5 years!  I worked from home as a consultant for 5 years and was "let go" in January.  The Librarian profession is a dying career I'm afraid, so I've decided to change careers and am switching to medical coding and billing.  I'm hoping that this will help me get a great career and possibly get me into a medical library.

I usually wake up around 7:30 and I study until around 11AM.  That's when I'm most busy walking dogs during the weekday.  After I get home, I have some lunch and then I exercise.  I then spend the rest of the day studying and working on Beachbody coaching which I love.  My days can be very tedious but "it is what it is" for now.  I'm hoping it changes soon.  Very boring!  I know!

What's in My Fridge

Day 8

What's in My Fridge?  Definitely nothing special

ALOT of condiments!
Minute Maid Juice for my husband
Water bottles galore
Diet Dr. Pepper
Brummel and Brown Yogurt spread
Leftover Chicken Noodle soup
Leftover Buffalo Wings for my husband
WW Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Cucumbers
Lettuce
Grape Tomatoes
Dill
Pizza Sauce
Lemon Juice
Yogurts in the bottom drawer

What do you see/want to see when you look in the mirror

Day Seven:

When I look in the mirror, I see a work in progress.  I used to see an unhappy, depressed, tired woman.  After realizing that I was the only one who could change this outlook, I try to look in the mirror and appreciate who I've become on my healthy living journey.  Of course I still see the imperfections, the double chin, the chubby face, and the pale skin.  However, I've learned to accept these traits and know that they make me who I am.  I also see pretty green eyes, a cute smile, and rosy cheeks.  In a year from now, I'd love to look and be 100 percent happy about my reflection.  But as a work in progress, there's always something that can be improved.

5 Rules for the Game of Life

Someone recently introduced me to Brendon Burchard. I love his enthusiasm and positivity. If you have some time, please take a look and Take Charge!

What's In My Bag

Day 6

What's in my bag!

I usually have a bag full of junk.  I got a cute new bag for Christmas and it's actually clean right now.  So, here's what's in there.

A pen
My wallet
Some tissues (I've had the crud)
My weight watchers calculator (I recently canceled my account and have become a beachbody coach.  But, I'm still counting points)
Pepto Bismol and Dramamine (I have HORRIBLE motion sickness and keep those two meds on me at all times!)

What's in your bag?

My Top Ten Workout Songs

Day Five:
My Top Ten Favorite Workout Songs for now

If you'd like you can follow my faves at the link below on Spotify:

Alt Walking Music 

1.  I'm Only Joking by Kongos

2.  Hysteria by Muse

3.  Yellow Flicker Beat by Lorde

4.  Disparate Youth by Santigold

5.  Default by Django Django

6.  Sleepyhead by Passion Pit

7.  Ways to Go by Grouplove

8.  Get Some by Lykke Li

9.  The City by The 1975

10.  Black Out Days by Phantogram

Why I Started My Weight Loss Journey

Day Four

The main reason I started this journey is to become the healthiest version of myself that I could be.  My family has a host of health issues along with obesity affecting their lives.  There is heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and numerous other health concerns just on one side of my family.  After being diagnosed with PCOS and arthritis in my foot, I decided I didn't want to have to deal with that and the other genetic health issues that so many of my beloved family has to deal with.  After a few set backs, I realized that I needed to fully commit to a brand new healthy lifestyle and not just a diet.  That was a year ago and I haven't looked back yet.  I've lost 75 pounds total and have become the healthiest I have been in a long time.  I'm looking forward to see what I can accomplish in the future.

Favorite Motivational Quote

Day 3

So there it is.  This is one of my favorite quotes.  When I was at my heaviest and had the epiphany that I needed to do something about my health, I saw this quote.  I really was making myself miserable, sad, depressed.  Now, I'm trying to put as much effort or even more into becoming a better me.  I will never go back to that old Jana.

Where I Want to Be 3 Months From Now

Day 2:  Where do I want to be in 3 months?

Three months from now, I would love to be at least 15 pounds lighter.  I also want to look back at my calendar and see that I've worked out at least 5 days a week.  (I put start stickers on my calendar to show I've exercised)  Another thing that I'm working on is having a regular weekday schedule.  I've worked from home the past 5 years and also pet sitting part time.  So, my schedule is a little off kilter.  I really need to work on this.   Financially, I'd like to have saved some money.  I signed up to become a beachbody coach and I'm hoping that by the end of March, I'll have made a little bit of extra cash.  I'm trying to be extremely frugal this year.  :)

31 Day Blog Challenge

Thanks to my WWsendthelove group, we're doing a 31 Day Challenge, so here goes:

Day 1

I'm Jana.
I'm a librarian by trade, I love animals, cross stitching, halloween, and horror.  I'm a little bit on the geeky side.  I've always had weight issues.  I recently reached my highest weight and decided I had to do something to become healthier.  I started weight watchers and am now 75 pounds lighter.  For the last two months I have been incorporating Beachbody programs into my lifestyle and absolutely love the support I get from the health groups.

Now for the fun part.

20 Facts About Me:

1.  I have a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science.  I only worked as a Librarian for 1 year after I graduated until I had to move out of state (SC) with my husband after he was transferred.  I now work as a Pet Sitter while I'm in the process of changing careers into the Health Administration/Medicial Coding/Billing field.

2.  I love reading.  Lately, I haven't had as much time as I'd like to read recreationally.  It's all textbooks for right now.

3.  I am a Southern girl living up north.  I'm originally from South Carolina, but have lived in New York for 3 years and now live outside of Philadelphia.  I want to move back South SOOO bad!

4.  I currently cancelled my WW membership and am going to try and do it on my own.  I have all the tools and know what to do.

5.  I just signed up to become a Beachbody coach.  Although I have not reached my goal, I want to help people who are struggling with their weight like I am.

6.  I really wanted to go to mortuary school – I’m fascinated by the human body and am afraid I missed my calling.

7. I have OCD. I really do. I count things and twist/pull my hair although not as bad as I used to. I actually had a bald spot at one time.

8. I love animals!

9.  I have extreme empathy. I feel other’s feelings. If I see someone crying, I start crying. If I see someone embarrassed, I become embarrassed. It’s really weird

10. I have arthritis, chronic ankle instability, and peroneal tendonitis in my feet, especially my left one. I am always worried about falling for no reason and have to watch where I’m stepping constantly. It also make walking long distances especially difficult. I am in pain quite a bit and sometimes it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. It also makes working out difficult.

11. I have been married for almost 5 years; we met online.

12.  I grew up in the church but do not go anymore. I don’t believe in organized religion.

13. I’ve never really been sure if I wanted kids or not. They say if you’re not sure to not have any – my choice however is pretty much taken away from me since I have PCOS. I don’t want to try fertility drugs or anything like that – thankfully, my husband feels the same way. I knew this when we got married – we were both on the fence about kids.
14. I love Halloween, horror, gore, goth, the macabre, anything dark and scary!

15. I grew up in the South and miss it terribly.

16. I have three tattoos, however one has been lasered and I’m trying to figure out a cover up for it.

17. I HATE drama/dramatic people…they’re my biggest pet peeve.

18. I grew up in a single parent home. My dad left when I was four and my brother was 3 months. I still saw him regularly but it wasn’t the same

19. My mom is my best friend and confidant. I seriously don’t know what I would do without her.

20. I like to collect things and I’m always scared I’m going to become a hoarder. ;)