72.2

Yup...down a kilo. This despite being shoved into the throes of temptation on two, count them TWO, separate occasions in the past 72 hours. One, big ole' BBQ with friends including backyard games. Two, dinner for dear friends here last night.

And yet I resisted...alcohol AND dessert. I even threw out the rest of the cake after they left and didn't do the "1 scoop for you, 1 scoop for me" as I dolled out ice cream. I have 8 days to go before I board that plane and damn it, I want to reach my goal. Still not sharing what that is though as I don't want to jinx it.

Just eating like I'm on Induction, which I guess means that I am. Exercise pants are getting a little looser and despite a 2-day hiatus, I was butt and ab-blasting again after our company left last night.

On that note, it was the first time I was actually able to have a proper conversation with a friend that I've known for over 10 years. She speaks very little English you see. And yet, my husband and I are the Godparents for their 2nd born. We have a history of working with her husband and they actually flew from Sweden for our wedding 8 years ago. My Swedish is far less than steller but it was enough for me to understand what she was saying and take a long-ass time to respond :-)

So yay me this week!

Weigh-in Wednesday (on Saturday?): Week 5 of 10

Hi team. Sorry I've been MIA but this summer schedule is hectic to say the least. If you call hectic spending nearly everyday from 11ish till 4ish at the local pool drowining in chlorine and then house-wifing it for the remainder of the time while simultaneously trying to cram some actual work, work in. But it's been a blessing spending so much time with the little man. Speaking of time, I can't believe it's only 5 weeks until I get my toes back on Montenegrin soil!

Also sorry about throwing my WAJ commitment out the window but i seriously don't have the time (or haven't made the time). But I've been doing well. I am still hovering in low 73 territory with perhaps 1 day of cheating a week. I do need to break that number and will persevere with renewed energy this week. I am not feeling bad about this stalemate only because I have been regularly "doing my exercises" every night. Except for last night when I opted out and opted in to an ice cream bar instead...ha!

I smell like chlorine. I reek of it actually. I cannot imagine what it's doing to my skin and hair though I am trying to exfoliate and expensive shampoo myself from top to bottom to avoid any long term damage. Look at the chemical concoction I'll marinate myself in to keep the little man smiling. Am I a great Mom or what? ha!

Well that's all for now. I'm sure I'll be back to regular blogging once summer's officially over. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my time "off".

Hope you're all doing great and the sun is shining wherever you are. xo

Bathing Beauties & WAJ

So I've spent the past two days at our local watering hole, the kind that has two outdoor pools and double that inside. My sanity for the summer is a summer pass for the fam. We're actually headed there soon so had better keep this post short.

For the past 2 days I've worn a one-piece I.could.be.training.for.the.Olympics Speedo-type suit in a sea of bikinis. I stick out and for all the wrong reasons. I just cannot bring myself to uhmm "blend in" with my I.had.a.baby.(4.years.ago) belly and other flabby parts. But in my very aware state these past few days, I've noticed something. I have not seen a perfect body there. And I've been looking. Wow, she's gorgeous...varicose veins. I wish I had her chest...washboard ASS. She had a baby 6 months ago?... Cellulite. It's been a fun flaw finding mission. Nice eh? Yes, the girl that looks like she might have broken some kind of world record...when she was young and fit of course and wearing a suit 3 sizes smaller...is judging you to make herself feel better for feeling bad.

So today, I bit the bullet and realizing that there are way fatter fatties than this fatty, I squeezed myself into a bikini and sauntered my pale jellybelly, sunburnt shoulders and nasty burn lines poolside without a care in the world. Seriously. Judging by many of those I'm judging, who are they to judge?

It's amazing how much another 1.5-2 day carb fest has set me back. Seems like weight piles on in equal proportions to the bad foods I'm consuming....urghhh. 1 step forward and 2 back. But at least I know now that I just plain can't cheat without suffering the consequences. But again, after 2 days off the exercise, a pancake here an ice cream bar there, I got back down on all fours and started reblasting that butt.

So WAJ
Yesterday: Can't remember but it was good.
Today
Brekky: 2 hard boiled eggs
Snack: Apple + a morsel of little man's ice cream. minor infraction in the grand scheme of things.
Lunch:  Leftover hamburgers from the night before. Cold.
Dinner: Fried Baloney + salad! YUM.
Exercise: Butt blaster and Ab workout x 2. Gonna try to tack on some legs tonight too.

Ps. Dear Sweden: In North America, we have these barriers between the inside and outside world called S-C-R-E-E-N-S. They are made of some kind of light meshy metal full of teeny, tiny holes. They are meant to let the air in while keeping the bugs out. Look them up.

Some randomness and WAJ

Hubby took little man swimming this weekend, some daddy and son time away from Mom. I got caught up on work and they splished and splashed. As hubby finished shimmying little man's head through his shirt hole, little man looked up at him and stated, "Daddy, you're a nice boy." Then he gave him a big hug. Hubby welled up recounting this heartwarming exchange to me later that day.

Little man and I were in the park the other day making sand shapes in the box when a neighbour boy the same age arrived with his Farmor (Father's Mother, a.k.a Grandma) and little sister. While he went to shoot hoops (his Dad happens to be the coach for the men's bball team here in Uppsala), little man went about his business of stomping on my sand critters. After a few minutes, I asked him, "Why don't you go over and see if Pontus wants to hop on the trampoline?" He looked over at him, then at me and replied, "Mommy, he doesn't like to talk." Alrighty then.

Evidence that I rarely wear make-up: "Mommy, your eyes are black and pretty." Thanks.

"Mommy, what's an iganimation?"

Hubby took the train to Gothenburg (Göteborg) Tuesday night as he had meetings there on Wednesday. As he made his way down the aisle to his seat on the train home, he noticed a woman was having a terrible time with her seat. He stopped to help her fix it and continued on his merry way, famished.  After back to back meetings, he didn't have time for lunch so decided to pick up a sandwich, some wine and a chocolate bar in the food car. As he went to pay with his debit card, the cashier informed him that "Sorry sir, we only take Visa or cash" (of which he had neither). He pointed out that he could pay with a debit card on the train for a ticket if he wanted to but he realized there was nothing she could do about it so embarassed, he returned everything from where he got it and went back to his seat.

A few minutes later, a woman appeared next to his chair. It was the same woman who had been sitting next to the woman whose chair he helped fix. She handed him a cinnamon bun and a can of coke and said, "Please don't say anything. I felt bad for you. You seem like a gentleman. Please take this. I'm sorry it's not wine though." My husband, clearly humbled, said "Thank you." She left abruptly. He saved that can of coke. It's sitting on his desk upstairs.

About once every 6 months, I buy a baggie of hair ties. At the end of these 6 months, the only one left has expanded to the size of a saucer, eventually snaps under the weight of my hair mass and I end up with pencils in my head until I go searching through the house for an old one. Which I never find. Then I buy another baggie and start the over.

On a related note, I have big feet. Size 10 or 40 or however you're measuring. I do not dig ditches for a living or run 5k everyday. In fact, I spend the majority of my days on my ass. Yet, somehow, I'm sitting on said ass with my feet up and hubby exclaims, "How the hell is there a hole in your sock that stretches from your big toe to your ankle? And how the hell do you not notice it?"

On a related note, don't any of you wonder what it is I do for a living? Was thinking about this the other day. How I don't think I ever actually TOLD any of you. Well maybe I did, sorta. I'm not keeping it from you. It's not like I'm running a drug ring or a porn site. I'm "a writer". Not THAT kind of writer (cue a post from Mon on this subject). I'm a copywriter. Actually, I'm more than that. I'm a PR/Marketing guru. I just like the copywriting part best. I can't count the number of websites, press releases, brochures, business plans, ads, speeches, EMAILS, etc. I've written in these past 13 years. Mainly high-tech stuff but have dabbled in lots of other stuff. If you're selling it, I'm writing it.

On a completely UNRELATED note, 2 more sleeps till the big royal wedding here in Sweden. Crown Princess Victoria (she's beautiful, but did you expect anything less?) is marrying some Daniel dude. It's a HUGE deal. Can't wait to tune in on Saturday as I won't be making the trek to the big city for the mayhem.

Speaking of Swedes, I get such a kick out of them when it's Sunny and Warm. They will plunk themselves down by the river...river bed, hunk of concrete, park bench, and suntan away. Or they lean up against buildings with their faces to the sun. Or they grab a beach chair/blanket, find a field (proximity to water not important), strip down to their skivvies and bake. I guess it's because fine weather is a rare occurance in these parts. Not sure. But where I'm from, suntanning is reserved for the beach or poolside. And the water needs to be water one can safely swim in.

Wednesday/Thursday WAJ
Brekky: Egg salad/Apple
Lunch: Tuna salad/Some grocery store bought salad with garlic dressing and hardboiled egg
Dinner: The absolute worst store bought hamburgers EVER (I had to throw the last one out)/Kebab + salad
Exercise: None on Wednesday night because I had a conference call at 8:00pm and hubby arrived home from a night away in Gothenburg (but for the record, I knew I wouldn't be able to and I was bummed about it / Butt Blaster, Ab workout and OUCH!!!
Comments: 72.6.....c'mon ME!

Weigh-in Wednesday: Week 2 of 10

Can I get a "woo-hoo"? I did it. I stepped on the scale this morning and I cracked it. Not the scale but the 73...officially into 72 territory now. And "officially" means not 72.9 or 72.8 but 72.7. And I'll take it!

And I have the WAJs and all of you to thank! This week, my goal will be to crack the 72.5, inching closer to a steady 72. This exercise thing has been a pain in the ass. Literally. You try that Butt Blaster workout. I triple dog dare ya! With a total of about 20 minutes of ass and belly exercises a day for the past 8 days, I can see already that I'm less winded, less sweaty and a little less jiggly. So I need to add on some leg exercises and will be cruising sparkpeople.com for a short leg workout. These short burst workouts really work for me because I have a short attention span to begin with.

The upcoming weekend brings two things: 1. My first time out alone with hubby in God knows how long (well, since Christmas anyway) and 2. For a big birthday bash for a friend of ours turning the big 4-0. I am sooo excited (I know, kinda sad eh?) and equally petrified. There will lots of food and lots of booze. And when I start drinking, I start eating. I am going to program myself to only reach for MEAT but because this is a monumental occasion, I WILL be having some drinks. Need your help on this one though. Calling all Swedes: In Canada, they have low-carb coolers or at least they did five years ago. Do they have them here? And if not, what type of booze do you recommend for the low-carb committed me?

You'll notice we're at Week 2 of 10. Week 10 is August 11, exactly one week before I'm headed to Montenegro and the day I plan to pick up the season's first bikini. E-Gads! Will you see my hot bod plastered on a billboard near you at that time? But you will see my "she looks good for 33" body on this blog. The one with the little pouch at the front, a bit of cellulite at the back and two deflated balloons up top. Finished off with the white topping that is my skin. Nothing a little surgery won't fix. Kidding. Or not. ha!

Anyway, thanks again everyone for sharing your successes and struggles and for cheering me on. I know it's a little early to get THIS excited but damn it, I'm proud of me for the exercise part at least!

Mon/Tues WAJ

Mood: Surviving
Food:
Brekky: Leftover meatballs/Egg salad
Lunch: Leftover meatballs/Tuna salad
Supper: Fried Baloney + green salad (my favourite, seriously and no I don't care how it's made and no, I don't spell it "balogna")/Greek salad with tuna (cuz I forgot to defrost some meat)
Snacks: Apple/Apple + 1/4 of a Dora the Explorer cookie + a teaspoon (ok a tablespoon) of Peanut Butter
Fitness:
Butt Blaster and 15-minute ab work-out x 2! Need to find a leg exercise session to round these out though. Get rid of the inner thigh flab...

Comments: Truth be told, it's been a week + 1 day since my commitment and I ain't feelin' much skinnier. I think the culprit might be the mystery meat I've been consuming + the sauces. But other than that, I've been pretty much stickin' to it. Wish me luck for weigh-in tomorrow. Please, please,please let me head into 72ish territory...P.L.E.A.S.E!

Wednesday WAJ

Mood: Hopeful

Menu:
Brekkie: Leftover hamburgers (sans buns of course) scarfed down by the kitchen sink with bernaise sauce residue cuz the hamburgers were steaming hot out of micro
Lunch: at like 4:30pm. Egg salad (1 M&M on the car ride home before egg salad)

Dinner: Low-carb meal at the Max hamburger franchise with half a side salad and 5 fries dipped in, you guessed it, bernaise sauce. And one and a half nuggets with the breading peeled off and 1 onion ring with the breading,cuz well, it was an onion ring!
Fitness:  40-minute power walk through mosquito infested woodland with walking buddy who told me the mosquitoes were biting because I wasn't walking fast enough!

Comments: I was teetering folks. I gotta be honest. After a long ass day in Stockholm and a shitload of rushing around this evening, I was ready to give my sore abs a rest tonight, ready for any excuse really. And then I saw Michelle's comment on my previous WAJ and suited up. Only to get a text from walking buddy. I.can't.feel.my.legs. Today was not a standard day in the life of "moi" but I managed. I did it. Golf claps please.

Tuesday WAJ

Mood: Motivated


Menu:

Brekkie: Egg salad

Lunch: Tuna salad with cukes & red onion

Dinner: Three homemade burgers with bernaise sauce (sauce is super high in fat at 77ish grams/100 grams but surprisingly low in carbs at 2.5/100 grams). Swedes eat this sauce with their steak. Me, I'd eat it by the spoonful if it wasn't so rich.

Fitness:
Bust Blasting Work-Out (6 minutes): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YBnm2ZJNCM&NR=1

Ab Work-Out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YI0cxuNcq8&feature=channel

Comments: I was a bit worried about today when I got a call from my friend asking me to come and see her daughter's performace at 6:30pm. Not only would I miss putting the little guy down (I can't count on 1 hand how many times I've missed THAT) but it would throw my whole nightly routine outta whack and give me a good excuse to bypass the butt eliminating exercises. Well friends, I gave myself a pep talk and here I am...sweaty and in pain. You may have watched the videos and are thinking: Oh please..what on earth could she be complaining about...it's like a grand total of 20 minutes? Well, try it. I dare ya.

Weigh-in Wednesday (on Thurs.): Week 4 of 5

Oh God. I really need to step up my game. Still at 73.1 and desperately hoping to crack that ugly 3 and high tail it into 2 territory this week.

Did I tell you about my new love affair with apples? Yup, I allow myself an apple a day, I guess to keep the doctor away. Let's forget the 5 M&Ms I just inhaled, they don't count. Nothing to see here...So, Fiji apples from Australia! They're uber expensive (as far as apples go) and they're wrapped in some kind of non-enviro friendly styrofoam netting...but damn, they're tasty. And another apple splurge...some kind of Israeli apple...delish.

Exercise is still my enemy. It doesn't help that instead of power-walking last night, Neighbour Friend and I decided to hit the newest grocery store in town...I know Hy...I promised you 6 walks. Let's make tomorrow morning #1,shall we?

Been a little stressed lately:
- Trying to figure out if/when/where vacation in Montenegro will happen this summer.
- Trying to figure out what to do with the little man/work when he's off daycare for 6 weeks this summer.
- Trying to figure out why it is I'm putting my foot in my mouth lately.
- Trying to figure out...bills...
- Trying to figure out what our future holds in the midst of too much hard work and not enough play and if it's even worth it anymore...
And really, REALLY missing our family back home lately, especially not knowing when we'll be seeing any of them again.

So...a little on the sad side these days. But besides those 5 M&Ms, I gotta say, been doing good with the food. Have been following Michelle's advice and forcing myself to eat breakfast, which I think has helped immensely.

Lots of love to all of you, Jenn

Weigh-in Wednesday: Week 9 of 10 or 9 of 15?

Can't believe we're a week away and I'm at 74 (down .6 from my usual, despite a long weekend of wine consumption and a bowl of pasta). But I'm happy because the past 2 weeks have seen me enter the world of exercise thanks to the new neighbour friend.

She is relentless. A walk with her is 1 hour of torture. And if I didn't have her to spur me on? I'd be out for 30 minutes at half pace and wondering why my butt didn't feel tighter. So Thank God for Peppy her!

I am shaping up and it's forcing me to be all the more regimented with my eating habits so yay! Ok, except when we have company and I am forced to make the one thing I'm really good at making, pasta sauce, and am then forced to eat actual pasta with the sauce cuz I didn't make enough meatballs and I would look stupid eating just a bowl of tomato sauce.

We received a request from Den to prolong Weigh-In Wednesday. To be fair to the sanctity of this weekly blog carnival-type thingy and to be fair to those of us who want more time, I have decided in my infinite wisdom to be fair and extend Weigh-In Wednesday by an additional 5 weeks. See? Fair is 50/50. An additional 10 weeks would be unfair to the sanctity. But 5 weeks? 5 weeks is fair to sanctity and to us losers ("losers" referring to weight loss, not the kids that get relentlessly picked on in school, poor kids).

Oh and 5 weeks is perfectly timed for bikini season!

So, next week will be Week 10 of 10 and the following week we'll start at Week 1 of 5. OR, we could make this Week 9 of 15? Nah....

Let's ROCK IT Ladies.