Year's End and New Year's Resolutions

Can you believe that December is almost completely over? Talk about insane. It feels like just yesterday that 2010 was just beginning and we are about to be into 2011. I don't know what to say or think. Wow! On another note, I have already made it through half of the school year. My does time fly. :)

My weight loss has not been where it should be due to the holidays and just not having time or the energy to work out and do what I should. I plan on getting back on track as of Jan 1, 2011. No better time than the present to get started.

My break has been awesome. It is so nice to be off work for two solid weeks. I've spent it catching up with friends, family, and some much needed sleep. I get to help my roommate move in this week. Should be interesting.

Christmas was AMAZING! I was beyond spoiled rotten and I can't tell you how happy I have been with everything I received. My parents spoiled me beyond measure. I got a brand new HTC Windows Phone and a VIAO laptop. I am just so thankful for all they do for me and this was just icing on the cake. I enjoyed my other gifts as well. :) I can't wait to spend some of those gift cards and try out my new straightener and wear some of my new jewelry. :) I am so blessed beyond measure.

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday as well. I look forward to hearing from everyone soon. :) Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Long Time...No Post

I know its been about two weeks since my last post and I just wanted to do a brief update for everyone. Weight loss is going good...I haven't lost anymore, but I have lost some inches which is just as good, if not better as far as I'm concerned. I'll def be posting measurements prior to Thanksgiving week. :)

I'm feeling much, much, much better! Thank goodness that my medicine worked. I'm really staying away from alcohol for a LONG time just to make sure that I don't mess anything up that the medicine has helped me get better.

Tonight was "Book Fair/Grandparent Night" at GRI and I pulled a 12 hour day. I am EXHAUSTED! I have been in bed no later than 9pm for the last several days. There is so much going on at work that you barely have time to do anything that isn't a meeting, or planning, or staying after school to go to a meeting or planning. It's very stressful. I can't remember another year that I have stayed after so late.

I was notified today by the Discovery Travel Group that they would love for me to get a group of 5 students together to go to Costa Rica for 8 days! I get to travel free once 5 students pay. It's around $3500 with airfare included and we have until June to come up with the money per student. I've invited two other teachers in 4th grade to help me work it out with parents because the 3 of us REALLY want to go! How amazing would it be to travel in the rain forest? I hope it all works out.

Well I said I was going to keep this brief, so I'll do just that. I'll update as soon as I can. :) Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Much Needed Update

So I know I have not been as religious about updating as I should typically be and I could give you a million excuses, but the honest truth is that I've just been too busy and too tired to update recently. Life is coming at me fast and I'm just trying to take it as it comes. :)

For those of you who don't know, I have been having some really odd health problems this entire month. It all started with the normal sinus junk that I get every year and wound up escalating into something that I could possibly have been hospitalized for had I not had it checked out. I have contracted some sort of bacteria that has gotten into my kidneys and my stomach and it has made life the past week absolutely miserable. What I thought was sinus drainage making me feel naseated the last several weeks, was actually this bacteria. Everything came to a head on Sunday of this past week when I got home from a visit to Alabama and began throwing up and having other bathroom issues. I've been chugging pedialyte and gatorade and hardly eating anything for fear of getting any sicker.

I missed Monday of work because my temps kept flucuating between 99.5 and 103. Thankfully by Monday night my fever had broken and on Tuesday I attempted to go to work. However, I was having severe back pain that had begun on Sunday and I attributed it to having wretched so hard when I was vomiting. Turns out I have had this nasty kidney infection for a while now and was totally unaware. I left work and went to the doctor to have it checked out. He put me on two different anti-bacterial drugs and informed me that if it is no better after ten days, I may need to look into something else because it could possibly be deadly! So everyone cross your fingers that it takes care of itself. It already feels better today and I'm only on day 2 of my meds.

The doctor demanded that I stay home at least until Thursday to give the medication time to work and I'm glad I did because it has made me so tired. I do miss my students, but to be honest, I've missed my health even more. It has not been fun trying to put on a happy face and work out and do what is needing to be done while feeling like garbage.

In other news, I am currently down to a weight of 255! I can thank the stomach virus for getting me there, but I'm going to keep it off and hopefully have more off by the end of next month as well. I've been working out 4 to 5 days a week, except for the last two weeks because I've been so tired from being sick. Hopefully I can get back on my schedule on Monday of next week. I'm just trying to give myself time to get well.

Other than that, life has been wild! I'm working more than I have ever worked before and our principal is having us do all of these events, etc that require us to spend more time at school and it's a bit overwhelming. I'm trying to be positive about it, but sometimes you just want to go home after work and not worry about meetings and activities.

Austin and I are good. Just taking it day by day. He is still looking for a job and I am praying that he finds something soon. Even though he has no bills, he is always trying to help me out because of how low my pay has gotten. I never knew how much he helped until he couldn't anymore. I hope for both of our sakes he figures out something.

I hope that everyone is doing well and I am looking forward to seeing you all very soon. Ready to see my girls for the first time in months and hopefully playing catch up. Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure...

I'm a Quarter Way There...

So Friday will officially make a quarter of the school year gone! How time flies! (Thank goodness)

I know it has been a few days since I last posted and I wanted to take care of that right now. :) I'm dedicated to keeping this blog going and keeping everyone posted on progress.

So far, according to my scale, I've officially lost 15lbs, but it changes daily. (Some days it is higher and others it is lower) I'm still working out daily, although the last two weeks I've had to take a day here or there off for a variety of reasons. However, even though tomorrow is the fair, I'll be going immediately after school to work out so I can go out and enjoy the fair as well. As far as inches go, I've lost right around 24 inches from all around my body. The measurements are listed below:

Week 1 Measurements

~ Chest: 45 inches
~ Arms: 15 inches (each)
~ Thighs: 29 inches (each)
~ Hips: 54 inches
~ Waist: 48 inches
~ Start Weight: 280lbs (*Gasp*)

Week 7 Measurements

~ Chest: 40 inches (loss of 5 inches!)
~ Arms: 14 inches (loss of 2 inches for both arms!)
~ Thighs: 25 inches (loss of 8 inches for both thighs!)
~ Hips: 50 inches (4 inches lost!)
~ Waist: 43 inches (5 inches lost!)
~ Current Weight: 265lbs (*Still a gasp, but much better!)

I'm finally seeing results and it's exciting, but I hope to see more as I progress with my workouts. I'm going to have to step up my workouts to get this weight off a little faster. I have two weeks until my parents Halloween party and I need to get another 4-6 lbs off and another 4 inches off my hips and waist by then. I know that it is a lofty goal, but if I hit it hard, I can do it. I just want to look cute in my costume.

I've found myself getting on a slippery slope because I haven't been as careful with what goes in my mouth as I should be. I'm def going to have to work on that. If I want to make my goal by my goal date, I've got to get it together and with Thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, I've got to do it fast.

Work is going alright. We've just been so busy at work I really haven't had time to be worried about anything. I am looking forward to our fall break on Monday and I know I just have to survive these last three days and 9 weeks testing and I'll be on a LONG weekend! :)

I hope everyone is doing great as well and I hope you will leave me a message and show me some love. It's so much easier to keep this up when I have support. :) Until then, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Teacher Tuesday! (Very Long)

Typically I am a happy blog writer. Life isn't crappy for me, most of the time, and I usually have something positive to talk about. However, today is a little different. I have a lot to say and so if you are worried about my being a "Negative Nancy" rubbing off on you, I suggest you close out this blog now and go read one of my other happier ones.

For those of you who have known me a long time, you know that I have wanted to be a teacher since I was in the 4th grade. I had an incredible teacher, Patricia Devine, who taught me a lot about life and a lot about myself, all while teaching me everything I could possibly ever want to know in the fourth grade. My goal in life has always been to become just like her. To teach my students as much as I possibly can, all the while having fun and helping them grow into productive members of society. However, as of late, I have pondered if I have made a wise career choice. Here are my reasons:

1. Teachers don't "teach" anymore.
~ Now don't read this statement and think to yourself, "What does she mean teachers don't teach? That's their job right?" And to all of you teachers out there reading this, I don't want you to think, "I teach, what's she talking about?" I am not saying that we aren't teaching the students things they need to know, but simply saying that we are not "teaching" the way we were taught.
Teachers used to have activities and lessons that were based on the material students should know by their fourth year in school and whether or not they got it was not strictly placed on the teachers shoulders. Parents were required to help their child at home and a teachers job was not based on what some stupid standardized test says their kids know, but what the teacher can prove their kids know.

2. Using a standardized test, written on a collegiate level, to assess students.
~ The people writing laws and creating standardized tests for schools nowadays are telling teachers that they aren't doing their jobs because the students aren't learning the required objectives as mandated by each state. And the way they assess the students learning is by giving them a comprehensive test based on these standards, which is fine except for the fact that it is written on a college level.
Let me tell you what, I am a college educated person. I spent four years working on a degree and I can write a paper that would blow your mind, but to read some of these questions that these students have to answer, I even have to go read them two or three times to get the meaning. No wonder these fourth grade students are freaking out, this test is too hard to understand. But according to the law makers, students should know the material and be able to take this test to prove that.
I can't tell you the amount of parental phone calls I get because even the parents cannot understand what on earth the practice tests are asking. I guarantee that if I could take that test and put it in language that is familiar to my students, my students could answer the questions with no problem. But no, the law makers want to make it the teachers fault if the students do poorly. That is garbage! Make the test readable!

3. People who have never taught a day in their life telling teachers how to do their jobs.
~ This is the biggest pet peeve of mine. People who have never taught a single day in their lives, telling me how to do my job. I believe that if you can make a law for schools, then you should be required to have taught at least one year in each level of education. That means you must have taught a year at the elementary, the middle, and high school level.
It is so easy for someone that has never spent a day in a classroom to stop by a teachers room and say, "This person doesn't know how to teach." or, "You should be doing it this way." It's a completely different thing for a person who has never been in a classroom to spend a day in a teachers classroom and see that there is far more going on than meets the eye.
Sure, some of the things that lawmakers have passed sound good on paper, ex: No Child Left Behind, but in reality it is just a HUGE mess that teachers have to deal with and is not good in practice. I'm a huge fan of "If it's not broke, don't fix it" and "If it doesn't work, find something else that will." (No offense to anybody who tutors through this program. It is different for you than it is for the classroom teacher. You are not held accountable for the child's success or failure. The classroom teacher is.)

4. Teaching is such an easy profession.
People who say that teachers have the easiest jobs on the planet have no idea. Teaching is the equivalent of three jobs. Not only are you responsible for making sure that your students learn, but you have to play nurse if they are sick and don't feel good, as well as playing disiplinarian to those who choose to act out. On top of your regular duties of teaching, you have to write lesson plans, discipline students, do duties, show up to events at the school, parent teacher conferences, faculty meetings, grade level planning, grade papers, Tier plans, small groups, remediation for low students, etc. Sure, I might get paid from 7:20am to 3:20pm, but I'm typically at that school from 6:45am to 5pm most days. And guess what? I don't get paid extra for all the extra stuff I do!

5. People who say, "I can do it better."
~ Well by all means, please come show me how to do it better. I can't stand when a parent tells me that I'm not teaching something correctly or they don't like how I run my classroom. By all means, if you think you can walk a day in my shoes, then please come on. I'd love to watch you do it. And if you do a great job, more props to you. Go get a degree and get your own classroom. That classroom door has MY name on it. So nobody can run MY CLASSROOM better than ME.

6. The continual cutting of teachers pay.
~ Teachers are some of the most underpaid professionals in the world. But why? If it weren't for teachers we wouldn't have electrical engineers, doctors, lawyers, dentists, astronauts, psychologists, nurses, etc. They all had to be TAUGHT how to do what they do. We should be some of the highest paid people in the country, but yet, here are teachers who are the ones that TEACH these people how to become what it is they want to become and we are all barely making enough to scrape by.
I'm a third year teacher. After they take out all of the taxes, insurance, social security, medicare, etc out of my check, I'm down over $900 off of my gross income. Because of all of the tax increases and the recession causing prices to go up, I currently make less now, as a third year teacher, than I did as a first year teacher. I MAKE LESS NOW THAN I DID WHEN I STARTED! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Who wants to work hard at a job that pays you less than what you started out making?

7. Not having updated text books.
~ This is no lie when I tell you that I am currently teaching out of the same books that I was taught out of when I was in 4th grade. We are still using the same history books, science books, english books, math books, etc that I did when I was a kid.
Seriously? I was in fourth grade in 1996 and even then, the books we were using were old and outdated. Are you telling me that I am teaching my kids out of a book that has been around over 16yrs! Why the hell can't we afford new books?

8. Education being put on the back burner.
~ How many times a week on the news do you hear about another cut to the education budget? How many teachers are working minimal wage jobs because they lost their jobs due to pay cuts or are working second jobs to try and supplement their income because they have had to take a furlough day or other pay cut? How many laws are put into place to help these "disadvantaged children" but yet there is no funding to actually do anything to help them? How many extra curricular classes like art and music that give the kids an outlet to grow and release some tension caused by the constant strain of teachers having to teach to a state test are being cut because "there just isn't enough money?" How many more children will be at risks because class sizes are so big that a teacher can't take the time to work one on one with a child that is struggling? How many more kids are going to drop out at age 16 because they don't have someone there to push them and feel like learning a test is a waste of time? Why are there less and less people looking into teaching as a career and more and more looking into things such as nursing and computer technology? Why are more teachers leaving the field to pursue other careers because they are burned out, or tired, or frustrated, or feel like they aren't able to do their jobs because of too much red tape and paperwork?

9. Extending the school year.
~ Our current president has said that America's students do not go to school long enough. That for us to be the most powerful country in the world, our students are lacking in education. I think this is crap. Extending the school year is only going to cause more stress on teachers and students. We rely on that break of summer to recharge the batteries. I can't teach 12 months straight. It's not possible. If it comes to that, I will certainly be going back to grad school and figure out another profession. I can't do this my whole life at the rate it is going.

I'm sorry that this blog has been so long and negative. I just had an epiphany today and I realized that teachers truly are mistreated. There is so much going on in schools that nobody realizes. I just wanted to put that out there for the world to see.

I want to encourage everyone out there to write to their state representatives, senators, and even to the President himself. Tell them how you feel about education and the teachers that work so hard every day. I know that my one letter won't make a difference, but perhaps if we get several people writing, that might get some attention. And granted, I know that there are teachers out there that don't do their jobs and what they are supposed to, but don't penalize all of us that do for their mistakes.

Thank you for reading. :)

Blah...Another Monday

Today was one of those OMG days! Things just weren't the way they should have been. I actually had a student pass out from low-blood sugar and overheating. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I about had a heart attack. We had to videotape the entire school singing this "Twelve Powerful Words" song and it was HOT and only 9am. We got back in around 9:15 and on the way inside she tells me that her stomach is hurting and then begins swaying. The next thing I know I've got a student laid out on the floor and unresponsive. Needless to say, I freaked out. I managed to get a wet rag on her neck and get her woken up enough to answer some questions. The nurse and principals raced down there and she ended up going home. I won't lie when I tell you that I was terrified. Thankfully I managed to stay calm through the entire thing and get her taken care of.

Then in our planning meeting I feel like I'm still as confused about what to do with social studies as ever. Not to mention I feel like we kind of got fussed at because there was a misunderstanding. Ugh...what next?

What a Monday...

So this weekend I did some research to help assist me with some extra weight loss. I read online that if women want to lose more weight they should focus 3 days a week on weight training and some light cardio and then do heavy duty cardio 2 days a week and rest for 2 days. So therefore, I am revamping my weight loss routine to fit this. I think the change up will help me get past this wall I have hit. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Today started week 6 of the workout/diet plan and I must say, I am noticing many changes. I was so excited this morning when I was able to fit into a pair of jeans I haven't worn since college and they fit perfect! My waist is getting smaller, my legs, arms and thighs are too. It is such an amazing feeling when you start seeing these changes no matter how small they are.

I can REALLY tell in my legs. They are looking better and better by the day. Hopefully soon my arms and my abs will follow suit. I'm just going to keep pushing. I'm motivated to do this and nothing is going to stand in my way. :)

That's all for tonight...until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

10 Pounds in 5 Weeks?

So after 5 hard weeks of working out and dieting I have managed to lose, and keep off 10lbs. While it might not be what I wanted to lose in that amount of time, I have to realize that losing weight slower is actually better because you are more than likely to keep it off. I'm truly enjoying my daily workouts (5 days a week) and dieting isn't as hard as I thought it would be. However, I have spent the day online looking up ways to jump start my metabolism and some new foods to try because to be honest, the food is getting a little old.

I'm trying to reach my goal of 100lbs gone in a year and after a month of working out, having lost 10, I'm pretty sure that I will be able to do that. I've been setting mini goals and currently my goal is to lose 15lbs by October 23. I have a Halloween party to go to and I want to look cute in my costume. If I lose that 15, I'll be down 25 for 10 weeks of working out. I'm pretty sure that is attainable.

Life has been going pretty good lately. I'm just working a lot and trying to be the best teacher that I can be. I've been a little more tired than usual lately, but I think it has to do with me not sleeping the way I need to. I'll def have to work on that.

I don't have much to update on, so until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Life Recently...A Summation

Greetings Readers. I am so sorry I have been away for so long. A special apology goes out to Erin and Amber, both of whom have questioned my whereabouts and asked, "When are you planning to write another blog?" Here I am, fulfilling your wish! :)

The past two weeks have been so jam packed with things to do and illness and travel that I really haven't had much time for updates. As a matter of fact, as I write this, I am downing a bowl of frosted flakes because I am STARVING! I'm having to find time to get a bite to eat along this crazy and busy road.

Let's start where we left off...two weekends ago. As most of you read, I was gearing up for a weekend in Atlanta, GA where my friend Monique was having a ring ceremony for her marriage with her now husband Clark on Saturday. (Congrats again you guys) It was one of the most beautiful ceremonies. It took place at sunset and the colors she chose were yellow and deep blue. A beautiful combo if I do say so myself. :) Before making the trip to Atlanta though, Austin and I stopped in to stay with my friend Sara Beth, who was kind enough to let us sleep on her pull out couch so that instead of a 7hr drive, we would only have to drive 4 the next morning. (Thanks girl!) So let's see, Friday spent with Sara Beth...Saturday was the Wedding...now onto Sunday. On Sunday, my whole group of college friends that went to Moe's Wedding and the Bride and Groom, all met up for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. It was nice to share one last meal together before everyone headed their own way. Austin and I went with two of my friends Anna and Benson to the World of Coca-Cola. If you have never been, you should def check it out. Make sure to try the Coke from Italy called "Beverly"...or better yet, don't try it! It's AWFUL! Following the Coke Factory, we all headed our seperate ways home. Anna and Benson to Tupelo, and Austin and I back to Columbus to stay with Sara Beth. Since Monday was a holiday, we didn't rush to get back to Jackson. We milled around with Sara Beth and met up with my college friend Jenny at Chili's for some much needed lunch/supper before heading back to Jackson. We got back to Jackson around 10pm and headed straight to bed. We were exhausted!

..................................................................* Big Breath*................................................................................

Tuesday morning set us back into the swing of things. I headed to work bright and early on Tuesday morning having accomplished absolutely nothing that I NEEDED to accomplish. All that grading that I planned to do while we were driving was still ungraded in the back seat of my car. *Sigh* I got to school and we had a LONG day of teaching and teacher meetings.

By Wednesday I really started feeling awful. I had some really bad sinus stuff going on. Even though I felt bad, I still had to go to meetings from 1-4, not to mention dealing with students from 7-12. All in all a pretty crappy day for me.

When I woke up on Thursday morning, I quite literally could not get up out of bed. I felt like a sledgehammer had hit me. I called in sick, but still had to go in long enough to set up my classroom for a sub. I spent the remainder of the day either sleeping or cleaning house in between naps.

Friday I returned to school and much to my dismay my sub left me a bad note. However, after some investigation I found that the sub was to blame for the behavior. She did not follow my lesson plans, nor did she take my students to the restroom. It was ridiculous. After school let out on Friday, I headed to my apartment and packed my bag. Once Austin got to Byram, we left and headed to see my family in Alabama.

Saturday was so much fun. We spent the day with my parents and then went to my God-Daughter Daveney's birthday party. It was amazing! I was so happy to get to spend it with her and her family.

Sunday we drove home and just chilled in the pool and went to bed around 11pm. It was so nice just to relax and do nothing.

........................................................................* Mini Breath*.......................................................................

So all of that leads us to today. Today was pretty good. Just very busy. I feel so behind in my lessons and can't seem to catch up. I have so much I need to be doing, but I just don't feel like I have time to squeeze it in. My students and I work from the time we come in the door until the time they leave at 3:20. Then I get to work some more. There are just not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that I need to get accomplished.

For those of you who have been wondering how my diet is going, it is going pretty well. I'm down a total of 10lbs. I have been working out religiously (except last week due to illness) and am going to continue my workout sessions today. As a matter of fact, I am typing this prior to my session today. :)

Following my workout I will be grading/filing/sorting/etc papers and getting my desk fixed from where my sub tried to "help" me by cleaning up my desk area. I have a lot to do and not enough time to do it. I promise an update again soon. Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Totally "Grown-Up" Tuesday...

I am 24yrs old and there are still days that I wake up and ask myself, "Am I really living on my own? Am I really paying my own bills? Am I really a grown-up?" And shockingly enough, the answer is YES! The sad part is, no matter how old I get, I'm always worried that I'll still feel 18yrs old. I'll always hope Mom and Dad are going to be there to save the day when something goes wrong, and that money comes in as quickly as I can spend it. Unfortunatly that is not the case anymore. Believe it or not, I'm an adult and I need to embrace it.

Today is day 16 on my diet and exercise plan. I thought I was doing pretty good until I got light headed and had to stop exercising. I guess I've been pushing too hard. I just REALLY want to drop those last 4lbs this week. Heck, I'll even settle for the 2 to drop me down to 10lbs lost. I'm going to have to focus and keep pushing, but maybe dial it down a notch.

We got paid at work today and as quick as the money came in, it was gone. After bills and the pay cut that all the teachers took this month, its going to be a struggle to make ends meet. I'm glad Mom and Dad are going to be helping me this month. At least I'll have groceries and such.

Well it's getting late and I'm tired. I'll post again as soon as I can. Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ Raspberry Cereal Bar

Lunch
~ Turkey Sandwich with Mayo
~ 1 Pickle
~ Cheese Cube
~ Chocolate Chip Granola Bar

Dinner
~ Pork Chop
~ 1 cup Brocolli/Cauliflower Combo w/ Cheese
~ Cheese Cube

Total Points: 18pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 20 Minutes Bike
~ 5 Minutes Treadmill
~ 15 Minutes Eliptical
~ 10 Minutes Weight Training

Move Along Monday...

Today is officially Day 15 of my diet and exercise plan and I can honestly say with all certainty that I am actually finding it easier and easier to stay on it. Not to mention, I have lost 8lbs! Only 4 more lbs to go this week and I'll be at my 3 week goal of 12lbs!!!!!!!!

Weight Watchers is AMAZING! The food is great because I can basically eat anything that I want to as long as I account for it, AND I have great friends that I work out with every day that help keep me motivated and inspired to push myself harder and further than I EVER thought imaginable.

Take today for example. According to my workout chart, I was scheduled to move to Level 3 on the Treadmill today. Level 1, piece of cake. Level 2, a little tough. Level 3, HELL ON EARTH! The incline on that thing is killer. I actually had to slow it down for a few minutes to give my legs a break because they were dying. However, my friend Anna Leigh saw me struggling and in all of her awesomeness pushed herself onto level 3 as well and made me stick it out with her. And guess what, I did and it wasn't that bad.

After we finished on the treadmill I was ready to call it a night, but she convinced me to go ahead and do 20 minutes on the eliptical and she would do 20 on the bike. Level 2 on the eliptical is like Level 3 on the treadmill, HELL ON EARTH. But you know what? I stuck it out the entire 20 minutes without stopping or resting and after it was over and done with, I felt better than I had all day. Yay for friends and motivation!

I've spent the majority of the afternoon calling parents for "Postive Phone Calls", which is something new that our principal says we have to do. I'm a little late getting started, but I called 11 parents today. Too bad that I only got to talk to 4. I left a message on two others, got hung up on by a parent, and the rest wouldn't accept a blocked call so I'll have to try again tomorrow from the school's phone. I'm really trying to make this the best year ever! Hopefully it will be.

Well I've got 4 more stacks of papers to grade and I want to get as much as I can done before this massive storm that is coming hits. Until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

***EDIT***
So I just finished grading over 200 papers. I forgot how much work it is to be self contained in a classroom. I'm curious if someone wants so part time work as a paper grader...haha! I'll cook dinner for you! :)

Breakfast
~ Sausage Biscuit from McDonald's with Strawberry Jam (Student brought it to me)

Lunch
~ 3oz Pork Roast
~ 1 Red Potatoe
~ 2 Large Carrots

Dinner
~ Chicken Breast stuffed with Cream Cheese, Sausage, and Bacon
~ Baked Beans
~ Biscuit with Strawberry Jelly

Total Points: 32pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 Minutes Treadmill (Fat Burning Setting)
~ 20 Minutes Eliptical (Fat Burning Setting)

Satisfactory Sunday

Ah, I love lazy Sundays. Days when there is nothing to do, but just relax. Today Austin and I slept in. I slept until around 11am and he slept until 1pm. While he slept, I cleaned up the house and washed all of the clothes. After he got up, we decided to go see the movie Vampires Suck. It was pretty hilarious. Following the movie we got some "lupper" at Cracker Barrell and came back to the house to relax.

I chose to go workout for an hour while Austin opted to stay upstairs and play on Facebook. LOL! After my workout we went to the pool for about 45 minutes. We are currently cooking dinner and boy oh boy does it smell delicious! As late as it is, I'm still hungry and ready to eat something. Good thing that I have points left from the day and earned some more back working out. :) I'm chugging down two glasses of water so that I don't eat as much.

Anywho, dinner is almost done and I'll be heading to bed soon. Until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ None

Lunch/Supper
~ 2 oz Roast Beef
~ 2 Carrots
~ 1 Small Red Potatoe
~ 1/2 Ear Corn on the Cob

Dinner
~ Butterfly Chicken Breast stuffed with Cream Cheese and Sausage
~ Baked Beans
~ 1 Slice Garlic Bread
~ "Cocaine Dip" with Tortilla Chips

Total Points: 28pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 Minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burning Setting)
~ 20 Minutes on Eliptical (Fat Burning Setting)
~ 10 Minutes on Weights

Saavy Saturday

Today was the LAZIEST day I've had in a long time. I slept until noon, got up and ate lunch, watched tv for a little while, took another nap until 7, got up, ate dinner, went to the pool, rented two movies, and then headed back to bed...LOL.

I really enjoy lazy days like that. It is so nice just to have time to relax and do nothing. I get so tired over the course of the week and sometimes I just need to recharge. So glad I had an opportunity to do that.

Not much to say now, except ta ta. I will update again tomorrow! :) Until then, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Food Diary
I ate so much junk yesterday because it was convenient that I can't even remember. So instead of posting a food diary, I'm going to just let you know that I am well into my flex points. LOL!

Fantastic Friday

OMG! Don't you just LOVE my background? I totally have to give it up to one of my best friends, Brittany Marten aka: Hofo, and her awesome web design company, Peachy Keen Blog Designs. She took what I had in my head and put it onto my page! You should all look her up! She is amazing! Thank you Hofo!!!!!!!!!!

Today was a pretty decent day. Nothing super stellar to discuss with the exception of receiving my evaluation on email today. It was SOOOOO nice. He loved everything I have been doing. And the best part was, "I wish I could take a picture of what is going on in your classroom and give it to every teacher in this school." That totally made my Friday. :)

I can't chat long because I'm about to head to the gym for my final weekly workout. I know, Friday afternoon right? Oh well, gives me an excuse to gain back some WW points so that I can eat something extra and maybe have an adult beverage or two. :) Anyway, that's all for now. I'll update the food diary later tonight! Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure.

Breakfast
~ Bowl of Frosted Flakes (Kroger Brand) with 2% milk

Lunch
~ 1 Porkchop
~ 1/2 cup Brocolli w/ Cheese
~ 1/4 cup Corn
~ 1 Sugar Free Orange Jello

Dinner
~ 4 Fried Chicken Fingers
~ 3 Baked Chicken Fingers
~ 5 Chicken Wings
~ 1/2 cup Black Eyed Peas
~ 1/2 cup Green Beans
~ 1/2 cup "Cocaine" Dip (Cream Cheese, Sausage, Tomatoes)
~ 2 oz Chips

Late Nite
~ Cream Cheese with Hot Pepper Jelly and Ritz
~ 2 Vodka Drinks
~ 3 Beers

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 Minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burn Setting)

Terrific Thursday

Thank you weight loss gods! I've lost 6lbs as of today...woot woot! You have no idea how happy that makes me!!!!!! Just last night I was upset because the scale said I weighed more than I started out at...it turns out that perhaps I wasn't reading my scale right. Oh well, it still makes my day by far!


As if my day couldn't get any better after my moment of glory this morning, my principal tells everyone in a meeting how amazing my room is as far as lesson plans matching my objectives and agenda on the board. He also complimented the lesson he observed me on. He said another teacher took 37 minutes with a worksheet to review what only took me 9 minutes with no pencil and paper. And the best part was, my kids got it! And then he informed everyone that my students have a routine and it is obvious! Oh thank you LORD!!!!!! I have been working so hard and I am so grateful that it is getting noticed. Thank you Lord for allowing me to do the things that I am doing. :)


This evening around 6 I am heading down to the clubhouse to enter and see if I win one of the 4 cruises that our apartment complex is giving away. Austin said that if I win that cruise that he is swinging by to take me to Lousinana to buy a lottery ticket. LOL! If I win it, I will be surprised. But who knows. Maybe my luck won't run out yet. :) ***EDIT*** We will find out Monday who won the cruises...keep your fingers crossed for me! :)

I actually surprised myself today at the gym. I have been trying so hard to make 20 minutes on level two on the eliptical and today I did it! :) I was so excited! I am going to keep pushing myself every day. I want to get that body that I have been dreaming of.

I'm actually starting to notice that I am getting more of an hourglass shape. My fat rolls, which will probably be the death of me, are actually starting to go down and I can actually look down and see my feet instead of my stomach. This may sound terrible, but its such a boost to my ego...haha!

I want to take a second and congratulate my friends Monique and Clark Hilton on tying the knot today! I can't wait to attend the ring ceremony next weekend! :)

Anyway, that is all for now. Until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure! :)

Breakfast
~ Homemade Southwestern Omelet

Lunch
~ PB&J Sandwich on Wheat Bread
~ Granola Bar
~ Cheese Cube
~ 1 Small Pickle

Dinner
~ 1 Pork Chop
~ 1 Cup Broccoli with Cheese
~ 1/4 Cup Corn cut from Cob
~ 1 Slice Garlic Bread

Total Points: 24pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 20 Minutes on Eliptical (Fat Burn Setting)
~10 Minutes on Weights

What the Hell Wednesday...

So, I think my scale is broken. It told me I weighed more this morning than I did before I started working out. I know they say muscle weighs more than fat, but damn...However, I am noticing that I'm losing inches around the middle and other areas. So I guess not losing the pounds isn't that big of a deal.

Today was just one of those days where you feel like you didn't accomplish anything you wanted to. My kids were out of it and that put me in a bad mood and I took it out on some kids who probably didn't deserve it. I did apologize, but I still felt bad. Ugh! I am so happy I have some sort of outlet to release that stress. If I didn't, I think I would explode.

Working out today was an amazing release. As soon as my feet hit the treadmill and other equipment, I could feel my stress melting away. Not to mention, getting to converse with good friends while we worked out. I'm coming to depend on that time more and more.

I came home and just felt crummy so I took about a two hour nap. When I woke up I was in a much better mood, so I'm guessing just being exhausted from the long days and late nights finally caught up with me. I'll have to work on being in bed before 11pm.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. Until then, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ Chocolate Covered Granola Bar

Lunch
~ Tomato and Bacon Sandwich with Mayo
~ 2 Small Pickles
~ 1 Cheese Cube
~ 1/4 cup fruit (Grapes)

Dinner
~ 1/2 Chicken Breast
~ 1/2 cup Mixed Veggies with Cheese

Total Points: 25pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 Minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 10 Minutes on Eliptical (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 15 Minutes on Weight Lifting Equipment

Tolerable Tuesday...

Whew! What a day! I got evaluated today by our head principal. You want to talk about a nervous lady, that was certainly me today! About 45 minutes before our lunch wave came, my principal comes in and sits down in the back of my room and proceeds to observe me transition from Math to Language Arts. I'll be honest, I thought I did an okay job, but you never know what someone else is going to see themselves. My kids did forget themselves for a minute or two, but we got back on task and at the end of it all I received a "Happy Note" telling me I did a good job and that he loved how I assessed my students without pencil and paper. It made me smile.


I did luck out because not 5 minutes after he left my classroom, one of my students had a cell phone in their backpack and it went off. I got the pleasure of confiscating it and sending a note home to the parent. I'm waiting to get a cussing out from this particular parent because yesterday I took up the little girls calculator. Seeing a pattern are we? Hmmm...


I've got to get up earlier! I almost didn't have lunch today because I didn't get up quick enough to actually pack a decent one. Or better yet, I've got to get back into the habit of fixing it the night before. That actually might be a better solution.

My foot is KILLING me. I got a mosquito bite while at the lake on my foot and apparently in my sleep I somehow rubbed all the skin off of that part of my foot so it has been oozing (gross, I know) and bleeding. Working out has been a little difficult with it because I keep busting it open. Hopefully it will get better soon. Regardless, I am still working out.

I really feel like I have a lot to say, but tonight I'm just too tired. So until tomorrow, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bar

Lunch
~ Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bar
~ Cheese Cube
~ 1/2 cup fruit (Strawberries)

Afternoon Snack
~ 1 Twinkie

Dinner
~ 1/2 Chicken Breast
~ 1/2 cup Mixed Vegetables
~ 1 small Baked Potato with Butter/Salt/Pepper/Seasoning
~ 1/2 cups Grapes

Late Nite
~ 1 cup Frosted Mini Wheats (Kroger Brand) with 2% Milk

Total Points: 28pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 20 Minutes on Bike (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 30 Minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 10 Minutes on Eliptical (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 1 Hr in the Pool

Much Better Monday...

Today was a MUCH better beginning to my week. My talk I had with my students (most of them anyway) must have been pretty convincing because I had little to no disruptions today. The ones who decided to talk and not follow directions however, did receive checks today and at the end of the day when I wrote those in their planners, I saw some disappointed faces. I even had one or two cry. I think the worst thing of the whole day was when one of my little girls got mad at me because I took her calculator. Granted, I had already told her we would not be using them for Math, but she took it upon herself to work on her classwork with it (adding and subtracting 5 digit numbers) and was not showing me any work. I took it and locked it in my cabinet in my classroom. Well then she put her fingers in her ears because she didn't want to hear a word I said, followed by balling up the note to her mother that I was sending. Needless to say, she not only got a Not Following Directions for having the calculator, but she also received a Disrespectful check too.

My 3 principals came in today while we were doing reading in class. I continued my lesson as if they weren't even there, but I was noticing how our head principal was pointing out things in my room and on my lesson plans. I started to get nervous but there was smiling and nodding, so I'm guessing he liked something he was seeing. Following his visit, I received an email that told all the teachers they had to have certain things posted. Thankfully I have all of that done. We are going to be under scrutiny tomorrow and Wednesday because we have principals from all over the district coming in to check out how we work. Hopefully we will make a good score. Myself especially. I love what I do, but its so nerve wracking to have a complete stranger trying to tell you if they think you are a good teacher or a bad one.

Weight Watchers is going GREAT! I did use some of my flex "cheat" points over the weekend, but that's okay. That is what they are there for. I didn't do it too bad. The "liquid bread" that I consumed did take up a large part of those points though. I started back hard core today so that I wouldn't be off and ruin all the work I have already done. 4lbs lost folks!!!!!!!!!

I'm finding that my stamina is building weekly as I'm working out. I couldn't believe it when I stayed on the eliptical for 20 whole minutes on Thursday night. I didn't even realize it had been that long. Having friends to work out with is doing wonders for me. :) They keep me accountable and make me want to push myself even further. I even have ladies at work trying to join me on my weight loss goals. They don't want to lose the same amount I do, but they do want to try to lose a little bit and get back in shape. I used to always tease that "round is a shape", but lately it isn't the shape I want to be. I'm looking for more of an hourglass approach. ;)

I hope everyone has had a Marvelous Monday! Until then, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ Raspberry Cereal Bar
~ 1 Cheese Cube

Lunch
~ 1 Small Wendy's Chili
~ 1 Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger

Dinner
~ 1 Wendy's Double Stack with Cheese

Late Nite
~ Bowl of Cereal with 2% milk

Total Points for Day: 36pts (8pts over budget...take from flex points for this week)

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burning Setting)
~ 20 minutes on Eliptical (Fat Burning Setting)
~ 15 minutes on Weight Machines (3 reps of 10 per machine)

Fab Friday, Sunny Saturday, and Sleepy Sunday

This weekend flew by. It always seems that the weekend goes by so much faster when you are having fun! Here is my weekend in summation:

Friday
Went to work all day. My students and I had that "Behavior" talk. We are going to nip all these problems in the bud before they get to be too extreme.

After work, some ladies I work with and I went to Applebees in Clinton for dinner and drinks and then a few of us followed it up with seeing "Eat, Pray, Love". The movie was AWESOME! Def worth the money to go.

After I got home, my cousin Katie drove down from Hattiesburg and she and I drove to Lake Chotard for a weekend spent on the Mississippi River. We got to the cabin around 1am and went on and turned in after saying hello to everyone.

Saturday
I woke up around 6am....thanks school time schedule...and started getting everything ready to go out on the boats on Saturday morning. Everyone finally got up around 11 and we all headed down to the sandbar.

We spent all day on the sandbar having ourselves a blast. My friend Sara Beth drove up and got to spend the day with us! It was pretty cool. I enjoyed having her and Katie with me.

Saturday evening as we were leaving the sandbar we noticed a boat that had run up on the ground and so we had to tow them back to shore. They were so happy, even when the crazy carp kept jumping into their boats. I was so happy that none jumped into the boat I was in. I probably would have had a heart attack.

When we got back to the cabin, some of us went to the tavern and the rest just hung out around the cabin. I was one of the cabin folks since Katie was underaged. We all spent the rest of the night enjoying each others company.

Sunday

This morning I woke up around 9 and started cleaning up the cabin and outside. Let's just say we had made a pretty big mess. It took me about an hour to get all the trash and such together and get everything put away. But the cabin looked perfect and all everyone else would have to do is get their stuff together to head home.

Austin and I cleaned out the boats around 10:30 and then around noon Katie and I got on the road to head back to Jackson so that she could get her car and head to Hattiesburg. All in all, it has been a very fun weekend, but I'm so happy to be home where I can take a super hot shower and a nap. Both of which I'm really looking forward to.

Until then...this is Jana off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
Friday
~ Banana
~ Cheese Cube

Saturday
~ Banana Nut Muffin

Sunday
~ Nothing

Lunch
Friday
~ Fiesta Quesadilla
~ 1 cup fruit (Grapes)
Saturday
~ 11 Beers (Over course of day)
~ Turkey Sandwich (Bread and Turkey Only)
~ Doritos (Small Bag)
~ 1 Coke
~ 1 Sprite
Sunday
~ 2 cups Whole Grain Dirty Rice
~ 1 cup Orange Juice
~ Cheese Cube

Dinner
Friday
~ Applebees Weight Watchers Meal
***Steak and Portabellos***
~ Perfect Margarita
~ 1 Sprite

Saturday
~ Hamburger
~ 1 cup Homemade Mac n Cheese
~ 1 piece Cookie Cake

Sunday
~ 10 Piece Wendy's Chicken Nugget
~ 1 baked potatoe
~ 1 Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger

Total Points
Friday- 27
Saturday- 50 (Used Flex Points for week)
Sunday- 35 (Used Remaining Flex Points)

Tough Thursday...

Today was a pretty decent day. My students acted up just a bit, but were much better than they have been. I'm hoping that next week they will have it all together.

Spent the day teaching Math, Reading, Social Studies and Language Arts. It was pretty fulfilling because I feel like I actually did something today! Yay for feeling productive!

Worked out with Anna Leigh and Kelly tonight. Felt better than I have the entire week! Can you believe that I actually stayed on the eliptical for 20 minutes? Hopefully by the end of the month, I can manage an hour. We'll have to wait and see though.

Nothing much else to post. Today was pretty uneventful. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow because not only is Katie coming into town and we're going to the lake, but some friends and I are doing dinner and drinks at Applebees followed by "Eat, Pray, Love" at the movies. Going to be a fun night. Until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure!

Breakfast
~ Raspberry Cereal Bar
~ Banana

Total Points: 3

Lunch
~ 1 baked pork chop
~ 1/2 cup Squash
~ 1 cup Whole Grain Dirty Rice
~ 1/2 cup fruit (Strawberries and Grapes)
~ Cheese Cube

Total Points: 9

Dinner
~ Cheese Omelet
~ 2 Slices Tomato
~ 3 Slices Turkey Bacon

Total Points: 8

Late Nite
~ 1 lite beer
~ 1/2 cup White Wine
~ 10 Wendy's Chicken Nuggets

Total Points: 14

Total Points for Day: 34

Whatever Wednesday...

Today was a MUCH better day than yesterday. I woke up at 4:30 to a sky full of rain so I decided to go ahead and go back to bed. No sense in trying to walk to the gym in a torrential downpour. I slept like I hadn't in a LONG time. It was a nice change. I got up at 6:15 and was still able to be at work before 7am. I won't make a habit of this, but it's nice to know that I can.

My students were a little bit better for me today, but they were NOT good for their special class teacher. I'm going to have to have a little talk with them and set them straight. I can't let them start running the classroom this early or I'll never make it through the year.

I'm finding that I am really looking forward to working out with my friends every afternoon. It is the BEST stress reliever I have found in a long time and I actually count down the time until we atually get to go. I really hope that I keep up all this working out because I like the way it feels. I don't want to fizzle out after two or three weeks of it. I'm def going to need some extra motivation. Hopefully my friends will continue to be supportive and help me stay on track.

I found a sudden boost of energy when I got home from work today (must be all this exercise giving it to me) and managed to get my kitchen clean and all of my clothes washed. I even tackled the Guest room and got it cleaned up. Tomorrow I'm focusing on my room and the bathrooms and living room. I'm trying to get my house cleaned up before my cousin Katie comes to visit! I'm so stoked about seeing her! She just started at Southern Mississippi and I can't believe she is only an hour and a half away! It will be so great to see her on the weekends.

Heading to the Lake this weekend for Ashley's birthday. It will be nice to take a mini-vacation. Anything to get out of Jackson for a few days!

I'm glad today was a better day. Hopefully tomorrow will be just as good. This is Jana, off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ Blueberry Cereal Bar
~ 1 Cheese Cube
~ 1/4 cup Smoothie

Total Points: 5

Lunch
~ Weight Watchers Ready to Eat Snack
***Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla***
~ 1 cup fruit (Grapes)
~ Chocolate Chip Granola Bar
~ 1 Cheese Cube

Total Points: 10

Dinner
~ 1 cup Whole Grain Dirty Rice
~ 1 Baked Porkchop
~ 1/2 cup Squash
~ 1 Slice Toasted Bread with Garlic
~ 1 Cup Salad with Dressing and Bacon Bits

Total Points: 10

Late Nite
~ 2 Beers Poolside

Total Points: 4

Total Points for Day: 29

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~ 30 minutes on Treadmill (Weight Loss Setting)
~ 10 minutes on Eliptical (Weight Loss Setting)
~ 20 minutes Weight Training
~ 1 hr in Pool (Swimming)

Total in Minutes: 60
Total Calories Burned: 550

Terrible Tuesday...

Today has been a pretty bad day. It all started when I did not get up when my alarm went off. I must have been in that stage between asleep and awake because I turned it off! Not only did I miss my morning workout, but I was worried about being late for work. Thankfully I managed to get there on time.
Then, as if my body knew I was already upset, I got one of the worst migraines I have had in a while. I am talking, any light and sound about knocked me to my knees. Thankfully again, I had some meds in my purse I was able to take to head it off.
Well, it didn't end there. Today my 4th graders decided they didn't need to listen to instructions on a project so I had 3 or 4 who did it wrong. Then the same kids proceeded to disrupt my classroom the rest of the day because I gave them a check for not following directions. That's alright though because they are stuck with me for the rest of the school year.

I am feeling a little overwhelmed with everything at work right now. I have never taught self-contained so it is a new experience. I feel like I don't have enough time to do everything that I want to do. Hopefully soon I will get into a routine and will become accustomed to this insane lifestyle. :)

Weight Watchers is going good. I actually haven't been all that hungry today. The food I have eaten has really filled me up to the point where I don't want to eat anything else. :) I hope this trend continues. I can't afford to get back to the place where I was. For all of you wanting to know my food for the day, you can see it below. Until later, this is Jana off to find another adventure...

***EDIT***

So after I posted this, I took about an hour nap and then proceeded to go to the gym. I spent an hour at the gym working out to music and now I feel much better. Sometimes all it takes to make a day better is something as small as working out or being with good friends. I am so thankful for the people who make my life so wonderful. I know I don't say it often enough, but THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! I love you guys!

Breakfast
~ Apple and Cinnamon Cereal Bar- 2pts
~ Banana- 1pt

Total Points: 3pts

Lunch
~ Weight Watchers Ready to Eat Meal- 4pts
***Fettucini Alfredo with Brocolli***
~ 1/2 cup mixed fruit (Strawberries and Grapes)- 2pts
~ Chocolate Covered Granola Bar- 2pts

Total Points: 8pts

Dinner
~ Weight Watchers Snack Meal- 4pts
***Chicken and Cheese Quesadilla***
~ 1 Cheese Block- 2pts
~ Strawberry and Banana Smoothie with 2% milk- 5pts

Total Points: 11

Late Nite
~ 1 cup Frosted Flakes (Kroger Brand)-3pts
~ 1/2 cup 2% milk-2pts

Total Points: 5

Points for Day: 27pts

Exercise
Morning
~ None
Evening
~40 Minutes Treadmill (30 Fat Buring Workout/10 Free-running)
~ 30 Minutes of Weight Training

Just Another Manic Monday...

Monday's are never my favorite day. Monday to me always mean my longest workday of the week. Monday's are a teachers most dreaded day. Not only does it mean we have to deal with calming kids down after their crazy weekends, but we also have to deal with making copies, parent complaints, lesson plans, faculty meetings, and etc. It's a LOT to do in one day.

Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job and wouldn't change it for anything, but something has got to give. How about we move the faculty meetings to another day, or perhaps maybe a parent can give me two seconds to breath before sending me ANOTHER note about the same thing over and over again. I'm not Super Woman, nor do I pretend to be.

But the real reason I dread Monday's is because of those dreaded words, "I'm starting my diet back on Monday". How many of us have actually said these words? Show of hands? Well if you knew me, you'd know that I am the queen of diets. I actually have tried just about everything out there. I've done Sugar Busters where "Sugar is BAD!". I've done South Beach Diet where you have to only eat certain foods on certain days. I've tried the heart diet, and the diebetic diet, the 4 Day diet, and the Atkins diet (which did work, but you immediatly gain back your weight as soon as you stop it) and am currently trying "Weight Watchers".

Weight Watchers is a diet in which you count "points". Each food you eat has a certain point value. The higher the points, the less of it you should really eat. For example: I can eat a honey bun in the morning for 7pts OR I can eat a cup of frosted mini wheats with a half cup milk, a banana, and a glass of orange juice for right around 8pts. It's about making good choices to make a healthier you. And believe me when I say, it really does work. I've lost right around 30lbs since I started it. However, as of late I have not been a good girl and I have made some pretty crappy food choices, so sadly I gained back ten pounds. However, that is all about to change!

A lady I work with is doing Weight Watchers too so we have decided to become "Food Buddies". What that means is that we monitor what the other eats while at school. For example: today was a co-workers birthday and we were offered a cupcake. We could have taken the cupcake and eaten it and been off on our points, but instead we enjoyed some mixed fruit and saved our points for a bigger dinner. It's all about working together for the common good. (That being our waist lines!)

I also managed to talk two other ladies that I work with to start a workout group with me. We have all agreed to work out every evening together for at least an hour. I took it upon myself to add a morning routine so that I can feel like I'm getting cardio and weight training in without killing myself. So I get up around 4:15am Mon-Fri and go to the gym until 5:30 or so. (They are asleep) Then I go to work all day, come home and eat dinner, and then go to the gym with them at 6pm every evening Mon-Thurs. It's a lot of work to make sure that I get up and stay awake, but it will be so worth it. My goal is to drop 100lbs within the next year. My goal from now until my 25th birthday in February is 50lbs. :) The best part is that the goal is attainable as long as I lose around 1 and a half to 2lbs every week. (Which is a healthy amount according to my doctor!)

I know some people don't care to know anything about Weight Watchers or me dieting...again, but if that is the case, you can just get off of this page now. For those of you who want to keep finding out new stuff, stay tuned. I'll update my food and exercise log daily...or weekly if I get too busy and can't get on the computer. Just be on the lookout.

This is Jana, off to find another adventure...

Breakfast
~ 1 cup Frosted Mini Wheats Cereal (Kroger Brand)
~ 1/2 cup 2% Milk
~ 1 cup Orange Juice
~ 1/2 half cup of Strawberries sliced (Not Scrawberries)

Total Points: 7

Lunch
***BLT***
~ 2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread
~ 1 Tablespoon Mayo
~ 1 Cup Lettuce
~ 2 Slices Tomato
~ 3 Slices Turkey Bacon Cooked
~ 1 Small Cheese Pack (Individual Wrapped Cheese Stick)
~ 1 cup fruit sliced (Banana/Strawberry/Grape)

Total Points: 11

Dinner
~ 1 Weight Watchers Ready to Eat Meal
***Sante Fe Beans and Rice***

Total Points: 6

Late Nite
~ 3 Lite Beers

Total Points: 6

Total for Day: 30pts

Exercise Morning
~ 30 Minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 10 Minutes on Eliptical

Total Calories Burned: 400

Exercise Evening
~ 30 Minutes on Treadmill (Fat Burn Setting)
~ 30 Minutes of Weight Training
~ 1 Hr Swim in the Pool

Total Calories Burned: 600

Total for Day: 1,000 Calories!!!!

Just Your Average, Everyday Girl

...Where to Begin?

I'm Jana. I'm 24. I've been dating Austin for 4yrs. I'm a 4th grade teacher. I laugh too loud. I'm the most tender-hearted person you have ever met. I enjoy the simple joys of just being surrounded by the people that I care about. I like to go out, but prefer to stay in. I'm an icecream addict. I work out 5 to 7 days a week, but I'm not in shape. I have only one or two really close friends. I'm worried that I'll never reach a half of what my potential is. I feel like I get left out of things because I'm not one of the "married people". I wish I had a closer relationship with God. I miss my Pawpaw more than anyone in the world. I listen to everyone's problems, but usually keep mine bottled inside because I don't want to bother anyone with them. I enjoy smiling at strangers just to see their reactions. I have a favorite pair of jeans that I ALWAYS wear. I feel self conscious because I will never be the cutest girl in a room. I miss college and the people I met there. I wish I had the courage to say half of the things that I feel. I don't want to settle for anything less than everything. :)