Jodi's bridal journal (posts welcome) - I'm back!

[jodistar]

I have always been the type that is up & down the scale and when I say that I am going on a diet everyone always says "You don't need to lose any weight." However, it has always been another story with the way that my family reacts to me.

I have always been in between 120-125 but about five years ago ballooned up to 145; I then made a commitment to lose weight and got down to 105 (by the way I am only 5-"1"). I kept at this weight for a year or so...until I started working full-time and going to school full-time which always made it pretty hard to keep up a balanced diet and going to the gym. On top of that my father passed away a year ago....I didn't take that very good and the weight just started to pile on.

Now, I am happy to say I am out of school and I am back on my path to lose weight and feel better and get down at least two dress sizes...I want to look my best for a wedding that is coming up in October of 2005.

This Thursday I meet with a personal trainer at my gym to start up my routine again and next Monday I will start my diet up again.

Wish me luck!

 

[toystoryduo]

Welcome to WISH journaling!
You will find a lot of support and encouragement here! I hope your meeting with the personal trainer goes well. I have a friend who is a personal trainer and she has been giving me tips and advice for free for years. Of course, I have been asking her a lot more questions lately, so she may start charging me.

Have a great day and welcome!

Tracy

 

[jodistar]

I had my first personal trainer session tonight and it was just what I needed....I feel great, my trainer is just so inspiring!

Next Monday I start up my diet again...Still haven't weighed myself but once I feel a little bit better about myself I will! I usually tell by the way that my clothes fit.

I have signed up for another trainer session in a month, by then I should be ready for a weigh in at that point. Hopefully my DF will soon join me in these sessions; he has more of a struggle with the weight issue....It's hard to have will power around all the Italian goodies around his house (I totally understand)....I want him to do it for himself, he will just feel so much better! He's so sweet he always says how I don't need to lose weight but with the thoughts of how my mother used to say how big I was, well it has kind of left me with a feeling that I don't think that I will ever be happy with my body but I hope to one day get close.

Has anyone out there bought the Buff Brides book? I was just wondering if it was worth my while.

ohhh, my... I have to run, I have work tomorrow and it is getting late....Talk to you all very soon

 

[jodistar]

I didn't make it to the gym yesterday like I wanted; still a little bit sore from the night before. However, I am going today...I am a little bit more motivated since my session Thursday night.

I can't wait to start my diet; I shouldn't call it a diet more of a life adjustment. I will be eating a balanced meal like they suggest 3 meals and two snacks a day as well as taking multi-vitamins and exercising. This worked for me so well in the past but I stopped a year and a half ago when I was working full-time and going to school full-time--you just end up eating whatever is acessible at the time, which is usually junk food.

 

[AuroraluvsPhillip]

Good luck on your journey. Sounds like you have a sensible plan lined up. Keep journaling. We all can get inspiration and ideas from each other.

I know all about soreness. I just recently restarted up weight training at home and my quads are sore for 3 days after I do lower body sets. I know it will eventually get better.

Keep up the good work!

 

[jodistar]

Although, I am still a bit sore from the trainer session thursday night....I couldn't let that stop me today. Although I did not work on weight training I did do a bit of cardio.

I look so forward to getting healthier day by day and losing the extra weight that I gained over the past year and a half or so. The last time I approached my diet/lifestyle like this the weight just melted away in no time at all.....I hope to be as lucky this time.

Another thing that helps is the water intake......It supresses hunger. When you first start on diets, you are so used to eating whatever you want whenever you want, that the water intake is very important! It helps you so you don't overeat!

I hope to make it to the gym tomorrow and work on my legs and maybe a little bit of abs if they are feeling up to it I worked them quite hard the other night.

I wish I could post pictures to gauge my success but I do not have a digital camera...but at one point or another I will post before and after pictures.

I was reading one of the journals this morning and it was another girl (sorry don't remember her name) getting ready for a wedding and posted her pictures on her journal.....that in addition to my own commitment....was really inspiring! :thewave:

Sorry about such a long post.

 

[jodistar]

Today is bit of hard day for me emotionally....I think that really helped me at the gym today; I just let off all my steam there!

Today is such a hard day because while a lot of people are spending this day with their fathers.....this is the first year without my father; he passed away last year shortly after father's day.....Needless to say the next couple of weeks I won't quite be myself but with the gym, my journal, FI, and family I am sure I will make it through fine.

I miss my dad quite a bit.....we had been through a lot together, he was an alcoholic, much of my adult life....I had checked him in and out of hospitals, he would recover and then go back to his old ways. Last year, I was the one to find him and believe me it took quite a while to take that image out of my head. It always bugged me that his family and friends have always blamed me for his disease. Needless to say I took care of him as best as I could I did his laundry and spent as much time as I could with him but it got tough a year in a half ago because I had started school full-time and I still worked full-time during the day. I guess, I still blame myself for a lot of what went on but I try not to be that rough on myself.

Anyway, I spent a good 2 hours at the gym.....cardio, legs, thighs, and buns.

Still have to go grocery shopping. I will be doing that shortly. I am hoping that my change of lifestyle (back to healthy) will help me through all of this too!

Sorry for the long post and sorry for it being such a downer.

 

[AuroraluvsPhillip]

Hi Jodi,
Don't apologize for feeling low around this time, after all, it's only been a year! I have a lot of alcoholism in my family too, my uncle hemorrhaged to death on Christmas day, 1984. He was only 42. My mom and I had to clean up the mess in the apartment he was staying in. He was my mom's only sibling so it was really tough. My mom is a "recovering" alcoholic and she's been doing well, but during my high school years and my 20's it was rough. I was the "rescuer" who came whenever, to take my mom to the ER after drunken falls, or into detox, rehab when things got out of control. So I can understand where you're coming from.

I'm glad you're making some positive changes in your health. It will be so good to feel good about yourself at your wedding. I am excited for you. One day at a time as they say!

 

[vald1977]

Hi Jodi,
I just wanted to stop by and welcome you to the Wish board. I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. It's completely understandable that this time of year would be tough for you. I hope you are able to get some comfort from your family, friends, and DF. Take care.

 

[jodistar]

First of all....I would like to thank both AuroraluvsPhillip and vald1977...For your wonderful comments. It is a comfort to know that other people are going through what I have and that people find it acceptable that I still haven't gotten over the loss.

Another good trip to the gym. Just cardio tonight and I am still sticking true with the diet.

I think people thought I was a bit strange today when I got into the salad line and took some lettuce and cucumbers and then moved to my seat and added ingredients from a container from home (it was the chicken that I weighed for lunch)...Oh well, I don't care- I am committed to lose the weight that I gained while in school.

Everyone thinks I am crazy that I even want to lose weight but I don't feel good about myself...I gained a good 5-10 pounds maybe more in the past couple of the years and I felt good about myself. I just want to get down to that size and then be able to maintain.

I haven't had the opportunity to check anyone else's posts today. I'm actually going to do that now!

 

[jodistar]

Although, I really wanted to go to the gym today (brought all of my stuff with me to work) but as the day went on the muscles in my legs were really sore, so rest tonight.....back to the gym tomorrow! I worked my legs really hard on Sunday.

I now have a walking partner too! Every other day I will be walking with a former co-worker on the beach and whatever days that I am not walking I will be going to the gym.

Still working good on the diet. It's so strange I feel like I am already loosing weight but I know that is not possible. It's only day 3!

It's so funny everyone in my fiance's family thinks that I am crazy wanting to loose weight but then again his family is Italian, I am not trying to sterotype (so no flames please), so everything is you're too thin....you need some meat on your bones are you hungry, etc. Don't get me wrong they are very sweet....they just think everyone is too thin

Pretty soon, I will be having my bridesmaids going out with me to get ideas for what dresses might suit them well. I am still looking around for my dress (although I think that I found the perfect one)....just want to look around a little bit more before I commit to anything. Everything is just so expensive.

How is everyone else doing today, are the diets going well?

I guess I should tell you what I've had today:
B- 3/4 cup Multi Grain Cherrios
1/2 banana
Snack 1: 1 cup non-fat yogurt
Lunch: Salad with 3 oz of chicken and 3 oz of Rotini noodles (weighed before cooked), with 4 Tablespoons of Light Italian dressing.
Snack 2: Luna bar
Dinner: Turkey (3 0z.) on Wheat bread.

That's it!

 

[AuroraluvsPhillip]

Sounds like you're doing a great job so far, Jodi!

People tell me I don't have to lose weight either, but I know the weight that I need to be to feel healthy. I'm tall too,so clothes hide a lot. I just say, "You don't have to look at me naked like I do."

Ahh, Italians, I'm married to one. Mr. Sabotage! Leave me alone when I'm exercising please! No I don't want pizza, don't worry I'm not starving...Yes, I ate today! And so it goes...

Keep up the great work. I haven't lost an ounce yet, but I also "feel" thinner. Hey, if it helps me psychologically, that's ok too! Once the clothes get looser, I know I'm making some progress.

Jean

 

[jodistar]

I feel so much better! I was able to go to the gym today I was only able to do cardio and abs....I wanted to work on my arms and back but no luck the gym was really busy!

Still sticking with my diet; I feel great...taking vitamins and follow my plan each day. I can't wait to start seeing the results.

 

[jodistar]

Still continuing with the plan everything is going really good. Only spent 45 minutes on cardio today....I wanted to do some research at David's Bridal. They have the perfect dress for me but I have heard so many bad things about them. So I am continuing to check out other places too!

I have had such a great day today. I got free tickets to WWE for me and my DF, actually it is more than that, my company was giving away tickets to their skybox area.....A little background for all of you....My DF and I met at a WWE event. I brought my neice and my DF was sitting infront of me (getting in the way), he had apologized and we started from there. So this Saturday I will be going into NYC to see the show at the Garden.

 

[jodistar]

Well, today I am going to Madison Square Garden. Although, I am not into WWE- just to get out of the house is a treat. I know that I am going to end up falling off the diet but I am still going to try and eat as health as I can besides it won't kill me and I will climb back on Sunday.

I still feel really good except for my allergies- I still need to schedule an appointment with an allergy doctor....I went before for shots but they really didn't work, next time I will end up just taking medication.

I am still going through the dress debate- how much to spend, where to get it,etc.

I am really happy with a dress that I found at David's Bridal but I have heard such mixed reviews on David's that I don't know if I want to invest that much time and money there. David's is the closest though and that way I can visit as much as I want and check on the status.

I am really trying not to turn into Bridezilla but I want everything perfect. It's not easy when you have my DF family already asking what kind of bridesmaid's dresses I have in mind, so I show them and now they want to go and look. Why am I troubled by this? because my wedding is a year and four months away.

Right now, I am more concerned with loosing weight and then trying on my dream dress at David's Bridal and maybe order (I won't do that until August/September) the dress.....I still want to look around for dresses more! I hope I can get down 2 more sizes.

 

[jodistar]

The end of week 1 did not go all that great mostly because of the trip to New York yesterday. I didn't cheat really bad but a little....I can't beat myself up too bad.

I started up today again and I am now back on. I probably won't go to the gym today but tomorrow, I will be right back after work.

 

[jodistar]

Sorry this is so big and not the best picture but I wanted to share. Here is a picture of me and my DF.:



<Img src="http://weddings.theknot.com/weddingwebpage/106787636056632/106787636056632_1.jpg">

 

[vald1977]

Hi Jodi,
I'll give you my opinion of David's Bridal and it's a big thumbs down. I did buy my wedding dress from them but found the staff rude and unknowledgable and the overall experience negative. I know lots of other people who have gotten their dresses through them and have had good experiences but mine was not so. I'ts hard to pass up some of their prices, though .

Sending good vibes your way to start week two . Have a great day !

 

[CheapMom]

Hi Jodi- you are so cute! Congrats on your engagement and on you decision to get fit and healthy! I just thought I would say hi and wish you luck.
PS: You can get a dress for like $99 at Davids- I could put up with a rude salesperson for that!

 

[jodistar]

Thank you Valerie and Cheap Mom for the reviews on David's Bridal and thank you for the encourangement. In a couple of weeks I will be trying on dresses at another shop Ocassions in Bethel- although I haven't ruled out David's yet.

By the end of next month I will be putting a deposit down on our reception hall. I am looking so forward to the whole thing. We are looking at October 29, 2005 at Villa Bianca in Seymour, CT. The day after we will be off on the Disneymoon

Today, I doing well on the diet. I can always bounch back from that one cheat day as long as I don't keep it going days after. I did end up coming home early today from work because I have not been feeling good....I just need rest- I haven't been getting a lot of sleep as of late.

Tomorrow, I start walking with one of my former co-workers- weather permitting of course. I have been looking forward to it. I live a block away from the beach and will be walking there.

I haven't had the chance to look at any of the other W.I.S.H. Journals today- I hope that all are doing well.

I am off to check the other journals now.