Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | January 24th, 2012
so probably last summer/fall i totally gave up cow meat and pig meat in the house! on occasion, if we’re out to eat i might order a burger or ribs…but it’s on occasion, since we rarely eat out anymore:)
at home i’ve had to come up with alternatives. instead of pork pepperoni…we eat turkey pepperoni. instead of pork sausage, we eat delish chicken sausage (and i actually prefer it now!). and the list goes on. We’re basically chicken, turkey and fish eaters now:) haha!
anyways my uncle came to lila’s birthday party and brought us some MAINE deer meat that he obviously hunted. i grew up on deer meat and it’s actually pretty tasty! it does have a gamey taste to it, but that’s about it. so tonight we made deer cheese burgers, ha! sounds so funny to say and it was super yummy. deer meat is leaner and healthier to eat! i just wish they sold it in the grocery store because i’d eat it all the time! i also want to add that moose meet is delish too!!:)
the sour cream is fat free..but the cheese isn’t:( ha!
i’m still on the hunt for other healthy alternatives for meat!
Tags: De-Lish (Recipes):, Weight Loss
Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | January 13th, 2012
i haven’t jumped on the scale and have no plans too. the last time i did, i gained weight?!!?!?! my husband said that when starting the gym, you gain weight? hahaha! he’s probably trying to make me feel better and keep my motivation. whatever the case, i was MAD! ugh.
maybe this is the right way to weigh myself? hahahaha!
so an update with my runners knee. i took the entire week off last week and didn’t go to the gym and run. i felt the only way my knees were going to heal, is if i stopped running for a little while. well i’ve ran twice this week so far (i had school monday and my husband didn’t arrive home until 9pm on tuesday, which is when the gym closes) and my knees feel GREAT! yaaay! the right support and shoes is vital! i’m so happy to be back to running!
now my gym routine is 40 minutes cardio and 20 minutes strength training. i’m up to running 1.25 miles and plan to up that to 1.50 miles next week! i had some set backs, but excited that i continued forward:) now next week my goal is to do some crunches and other forms of work out that doesn’t involve the muscle machines. with strength training i typically work out my legs, my biggest problem area right now. i’m trying to convert those fatty thighs into muscle 
but i should probably add some crunches and other forms of work out with the arms!
my eating clean is getting better! the other night we splurged on pizza and i was so sick for the rest of the night!! my body just isn’t used to that yucky unhealthy stuff, yuck!
i’ve actually started looking forward to the gym..which is refreshing! it’s so de-stressing and i’m a people watcher 
hahaha i love to people watch and the gym is the perfect place for that!!
i haven’t noticed much of a change inches/weight wise, but i’m very patient:) takes a lot of work to get back into shape!
i was browsing the book store the other day and ran into a book about being pregnant and working out..i so wanted to buy it, but i’m a big jinx believer. i know, that’s so wrong..but i can’t help it. so if/when i do get pregnant in the future and the bean sticks around longer then 5 weeks, i’ll buy the book! i so wanted to paw through it and see the routines..gahh, can’t wait!
anyways i’ve been cooking up some yummy/clean recipes lately!! i’ll post some maybe next week if i can find some extra time :)
anyways off to bed for me! i have a long day of making wedding albums tomorrow. yaay!
Tags: Weight Loss
Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | January 6th, 2012
so the gym has been very uneventful this week. between the miscarriage and major knee problems, it’s been hard to do any cardio.
ps-i smell like old person mint;)
anyways, knee problems. i’ve had it for a few weeks and decided to take matters into my own hands.
first off i took at the shoes that i wear daily. the uggs.
apparently my facebook friends said that i probably Over-pronate- it means that you roll excessively inward (past neutral position). fun eh? i also found out at the shoe store that i have a higher than usual arch (which might seem attractive in general, it’s not so much when you run). so what does this mean? i had to take a look at my current running sneakers to see if there is support around and in the arch area. none, nadda, zip, zero. so when i was at the shoe store, my friend told me to look on the outside (near the ankle) of the sneaker and if there was a gray block area..they had good support! i had a choice between ASCIS or Sacony, and decided that the Sacony fit sooo much better on my feet. typically i wear a itty bitty size 7 shoe, but went up a half a size to make sure i had enough room for my toes to flatten out.
so now i have the proper running shoe and maybe enough support. if i don’t feel the knee problem is healing any, i can purchase an insert to actually go in the shoe and support my arch better. i may just go and spend the $24 and get some next week anyways. next on the agenda, i can’t really change how my feet hit the ground. though i’m conscious of it and i do tend to watch how other people run with their feet..i just can’t make my self run “normal”. so i decided that i’m going to lay off the running for a week, ugh and do other cardio that doesn’t involve major movement of the knees. during that rest week, i plan to exercise the muscles that support my knees. that could also be another problem.
i also decided it’s time to see a chiropractor. i’ve never been to one and i’m kinda scared actually. haha. i always think they may paralyze me or something;) but my back aches and i might be completely out of whack from having lila too. so hopefully they’ll help with the knee issuses as well. if that doesn’t work, them i’m off to the doctors to see what’s up. blah. i dislike you runners knee.
Tags: Weight Loss
Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | December 28th, 2011
so i’ve been going to the gym for THREE weeks (almost).
i’ve lost 0, yes you read that right ZERO, a BIG FAT 0! pounds. ugh.
my husband said this isn’t going to be an over night deal. true. i decided to not even jump on the scale anymore. i’m going to just concentrate eating healthier and exercising. the scale discourages me. i hate it. it’s really not so much about weight loss, but getting healthy and weight loss will come later.
i have bad news. my eating healthy has back tracked. i can’t figure out why. i knew clean eating was going to be hard, but it’s REALLY hard! i guess unhealthy eating has been a habit for so many years. i really just need to sit down and come up with easy meal plans..during the weekend, freeze them and thaw them out to eat during lunch time (lunch is my weakness when it comes to unhealthy eating). i still plan to really work hard on eating healthy in the upcoming months. it will be a very slow process, but i need to be pushed a little:)
i have good news. my exercising is improving! i’ve been faithful with going to the gym!
jogging. i decided to make jogging my MAIN cardio. i dislike exercise machines. especially tread mills. it’s a movement thing. i don’t like to be on something moving, while i’m moving. yuck. i’m not a big fan of bicycle or elliptical..well unless i’m big fat and pregnant, then i’ll use the machines. so i’m sticking with jogging. my goal is 3 miles. jog an entire 3 miles, non stop. right now i’m up to 6 times around the track non stop (12 times = a mile). i jogged two sets of 6 times around the track tonight. so in all i jogged 1 mile and fast walked 1 mile. i’d say in about two-three weeks i will be jogging 2 sets of 12 laps! eeks!
but i ran into the “dieing” part of jogging. literally. when i first started jogging, i would jog 3 times around and by the time the 2nd lap came..i wanted to die. it hurt to breathe. my chest hurt (partly because i need a sports bra BAD). i was all red. i hurt so bad all over. then i started having right knee problems, and i still have them. blah. anyways with “dieing” while jogging and knee problems i decided to get my googling on. i found a few video’s about the proper way to jog. basically you need to keep your core “tight” or maybe sturdy is a good word. and keep your shoulders and upper body relaxed. head up. but they said jogging shouldn’t hurt, it should be fun and relaxing. so tonight, i just relaxed, paced myself and just listen to my music. it was FUN! i couldn’t believe the difference! i jogged 6 laps and wanted to continue! but i knew that if i did, i would be a hurting unit tomorrow. pace, pace, pace is important.
the video is a little silly. HA! i can’t believe the news did a story on how to jog. i giggled a little while watching it. but it was still helpful!
click HERE to head over to my pinterest and watch the video.
and click HERE for some stretching techniques. these were super helpful!
oh and if you want to just head over to my DIET/EXERCISE on pinterest and check it out:) haha! i pin things in that category all the time!
i currently do cardio the first half of my visit and then the second half is weight training. right now i use the machines and hate them. i want to do free weights amongst other exercises (ie crunches) instead of the machines. i need to get a routine down and find other exercising/free weights techniques first! my husband knows his weight lifting, and i kinda wish we both could do the gym together so he could help me. boo. once i have a good routine down with some new stuff, i promise to blog about it! but i need to get my research on first!
though i’ve lost nada pounds, i will keep going. when i get up to running 3 miles everyday/every other day and eating a bit healthier, the pounds will shed off. and if i get pregnant in the mean time, i still plan to do the gym 110%! i went to the gym during the last 20 weeks while pregnant with lila! i didn’t work out as hard, though i think back and wish i did! no one warned me about the pushing!!! why? i still wonder why everyone get’s caught up in the pain, when pushing is by far the hardest part of the entire labor! i remember with lila, i pushed an hour and it felt like i jogged 20 miles non stop! wowza! next baby, i’m going to work out BIG time and be fully prepared to PUSH PUSH PUSH and not feel like i’m going to die in the process! hahahaha!:)
Tags: Weight Loss
Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | December 14th, 2011
i decided that i’m horrible with diets…just HORRIBLE! i like to eat and eat yummy (unhealthy) stuff. i tend to not eat my 3 meals a day and just snack on chips, cookies and anything else my tummy desires:) and i think that’s where my weight gain kicked in. so i stopped stocking up my cupboards with unhealthy food and toned down my snacking some. though i still have a snack between my meals, it’s HEALTHY snacks! the next thing i did was to make sure that soda doesn’t enter out house hold..ever again. i won’t lie, i will enjoy a canned pepsi once in a very blue moon or if we go out to eat (which is also once in a blue moon..ha!). my new eating habits are not to quit soda and unhealthy snacks/meals completely..but to minimize them! man, i like to go to pizza hut once every few months or enjoy chinese food! also if i tell myself NO to something, i’ll want it even more. it’s human nature:) along with stopping soda and unhealthy snacks, i decided our house hold is going to eat “clean!” what is this eating clean i’m speaking of? click HERE to find out! that link pretty much explains what eating clean is..and how to do it. it is a bit overwhelming and i’m a horrible cook..so this is pretty much a lifestyle change for my family. so no more oreos, hot pockets, salt n vinegar chips (sigh) and etc. i also kicked beef and most pork out of my diet for the last month too.i miss a grilled steak with A1 sauce:) haha! it’s baby steps in the jackson house hold. i must revise my shopping list and go through all my current food..but i think it will be worth it in the end! and since i’m battling PCOS, i think that changing my food/diet and exercising (loosing a few lbs) will help:) i also found this WEBSITE with yummy eating clean recipes! and i’m still on the search for more. i’m also going to try to purchase local and organic products as well…almost forgot that:)
anyways the gym went well last night. i go at 7pm, because apparently the YMCA is hopping at 4-6pm and there isn’t a parking spot available..let alone if there is any equipment free in the gym! 7pm is perfect. the track was empty and the equipment was pretty much empty as well. i did the running/walking routine last night and worked on my legs (which HURT today). today is my day off from the gym, so i plan to rest a little.
this morning i made asparagus, eggs and a little bit of cheese. i’ve been reading about eating egg whites instead of the entire egg..i guess i’ll be picking those up this weekend!
Tags: Weight Loss
Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | December 12th, 2011
so it’s time. i’ve reached my highest all time weight in the 26 years i’ve been roaming the earth! ugh. i can’t stand it. my weight bugs me every single day. yuck. it’s time to do something about it. finally! i mentioned in a earlier post that the YMCA gave us a scholarship and is going to pay half of our membership, yes! so there’s no excuse to NOT go to the gym and i also got the scholarship to bring lila to the therapy pool and work on PT with her. so here’s my plan!
eat clean. healthy. starting tomorrow morning! i was talking to another mommy friend who just ran a bagillion mile marathon a few weeks ago. 20 some odd miles?! holy cow! so she was the first person i ran too, to get some advice on jogging. she referred me to this SITE! basically it’s a running routine. i was a pretty good jogger in high school and i know that you can’t just jump on the track and run 3 miles..doesn’t work that way. you must pace yourself, slowly. so i ran into this site and it gives you a 9 week work out (3 times per week) to get up to running 3 miles! yes! i will also be adding in strength training in my target areas (legs, butt and arms) in the mix as well…and i need to find a website with a training to work with as well.
eating healthy. my worst habit ever is to eat yummy unhealthy food. i think the process will be a long one. it won’t come over night and i will indulge in a chocolate cake once in a while. i don’t want unhealthy food to be completely out of distance…but definitely going to eliminate most of it! i’m a out of sight out of mind type of gal when it comes to food! but that’s the next step along with exercise.
so here’s my stats. i debated blogging it. i’m a bit scared or even embarrassed! haha! as most of you know…i’m short, very short. 5’1″. ugh. petite. for being 5’1″, i would love my weight anywhere from 115lbs to 125lbs. i do NOT want my weight any lower then 115lbs. i’ve been 105lbs once in the summer of 2005 and i looked sick. yuck. i don’t plan to become all muscle either. just fit and healthy. i don’t have any plans on getting rid of my butt either! hahaha! well maybe a little and toning it as well haha! ok. taking a deep breath. i’m 145lbs today. wow. so this means i have 25lbs to loose! i mentioned that i typically gain weight FAST, but i can loose it fast too. i know if i keep to my diet and exercising, i can loose it pretty fast. but keeping with it is the MAJOR thing! my pants size is 10. i want to get down to size 5 or 7. i have a big butt and hips..so getting below size 5/7 is probably NOT going to happen! i’ll just deal with the waist being huge and the butt part of the pants being tight. my life story.
i start the gym tomorrow. i would love to get up at 5AM and get to the GYM by 5:30AM and be home before my husband leaves for work at 6:30AM ish…but i’m so NOT a morning person. but i know deep down inside i would feel better if i exercised in the morning. jump start my metabolism and feel more energy during the day..but we’ll see. they say it’s best to work out with in 3 hours before 6pm or with in 3 hours after 6pm.in any case, it doesn’t matter when you work out..as long as you do! hehe!
ok. my first workout picture. to bad there isn’t a baby in that belly..to justify looking BLAH! haha! i didn’t do a side profile..because my weight gain is in my arms, face, legs, hips and maybe a little in the but. not so much waist.
and i understand..i’m pretty brave to start this diet before the yummy christmas FOOD! i’ll get through it. some how. haha! i plan to update everyone once a week with what’s working, what’s not working and weight loss (if there is any). i wanna be healthy..and at a healthy weight again! and the irony in these pictures..fat girl wearing skinny jeans. bahaha!
Tags: Weight Loss
Posted by: Sierra Kristen Photography | November 2nd, 2011
it’s time for a diet. i stopped nursing lila last month and the weight is catching up on me! darn! so it’s time, time to get back down to my high school weight! so if my scale and calculations are correct, i have 18lbs to get to my happy (i love taking pictures of myself) weight. if you noticed on my blog, there isn’t many pictures of me because i’m FAT! yuck! so it’s time to quit soda, throw the junk food away, eat my 3 meals a day with healthy snacks in between…along with my wii fit!
i would like to get down to my “skinny” weight by the time lila is 1. that’s january 25th to reach my goal! the thing with my body is, i put on weight fast and i can loose it fast..so it wouldn’t surprise me if i lost 18lbs before january! i want to get healthy, loose weight and looking good before i get pregnant for the second time (wayy into the future btw:)…i would like to my starting pregnancy weight lower then i was with lila!
so as of today, i’m at 18lbs. no more soda, no more snacking and more exercising! i hope to keep the bloggie updated on my weight loss and any techniques i decided to do!:)
i plan to use my myfitnesspal.com to keep track of everything!
here goes nothing!
xoxo
Tags: Weight Loss
Posted by: Ali Walker Photography | August 19th, 2010
Remember when I said I was going to make this place more personal?
Well, this is one of those posts.
I went to the doctor earlier this week for a routine checkup. It had been about a year since I was last year. I arrived on time, was weighed, and was seated in the exam room, waiting patiently for Doc to see me after the nurse had confirmed that my blood pressure was just dandy. The doc, who I really like for his gentle, no-nonsense demeanor, walked in and sat down.
“How are things?”
“Oh, fine.”
“I see you’ve gained some weight since you were in last year.”
*gulp*
And at this point I broke down and sobbed. Up until this point, I had trying to pretend that I really hadn’t gained much. But my doctor bringing this up right away was like getting my head abruptly yanked out of the sand. Facts are facts and a medical professional was confronting the fact that I have been gaining some unnecessary poundage.
For some, gaining weight is a good thing. I’ve never been in that position. No, my body is happiest existing in the pleasantly chubby realm and has been since I was a preteen. Since moving to Walla Walla, I’ve added some 20 pounds to my small-boned, 5′4″ frame. That was on top of some extra chub I already had.
I don’t know why I’m talking about this here; probably because it’s weighing heavily on my mind (no pun intended). I’m 35 years old. I’m not getting any younger and it’s a funny thing how controlling one’s weight gets more and more difficult as one grows older. Those pesky metabolic slow downs, you know.
I’m terrified of gaining any more weight and I’m not happy with where my body is now (neither is my doctor), so clearly I’m going to have to make some changes.
I’ve got a big container full of single-digit sized clothes I fit into three years ago before I started my ascent into the double-digit-sized clothes I’m now resigned to wear. I desperately want to get back into those. But I know from past experience that if I make this process all about my looks, I get resentful and rebel.
For me, It has to be about getting healthy. About focusing on positive change. About finding new activities to do with friends that don’t always involve food and wine. About moving more. About more fresh fruits and veggies and less simple carbs. About feeling good and approaching the experience focused on the positive (what I CAN do and CAN have) instead of the negative. About being gentle and loving to myself.
In other words, it’s can’t be driven by all the loathesome feelings I have towards my body as it is now because there’s nothing productive or positive about that.
I’m still mulling on my rules and boundaries for this process, but I am going to try to keep it simple (eat less, move more, and be kind to myself).
I’m getting my healthy train on.
I can do this.
Tags: Better Choices, Fatographer to Fitographer, healthy train, p90X, Personal, Weight Loss
