Fat-Jackie may have won the battle, but skinny-me will win the war!

It's been pert' near three weeks since I last posted... unfortunately, my failure to blog is representative of my lack luster dieting efforts.  It's far easier to eat that slice of pizza when you're not preaching to everyone about how you're trying to lose weight!  GAGA almighty, I guess I'm that chick that needs everyone watching me, checking up on me in order to accomplish a 40lb feat of this sort.  It's funny, though, that I sometimes find myself put off by the fact that people try to keep me in check... I'm annoyed when I hear things like, "Aren't you on a diet?", "GAGAcise lately?" or "Is that fourth drink really necessary?".  In reality, I have all but begged for this sort of attention.  By proclaiming my intentions and shouting my progress (or lack there of) out loud, I am absolutely setting myself up for critique, advice and even badgering.  And I don't mean to sound ungrateful... I'm actually incredibly thankful for those of you keeping me accountable.  Would I be as succesful without feeling the need to prove myself to so many?!  Absolutely not.  As much as this health revolution is a personal voyage, keeping this blog is the ulitmate act of accountability.  When you read, I feel pressure to stay on track.  For this, I thank you.  And while I may seem irked by your "surveillance" or advice, I thank you for that too.  Lecture me, question me, scold me all you want... after all, I'm asking for it!   But I should warn you, doing so at certain times of the month could be hazardous to your health...

I've officially been "asking for it" for about three and a half months now.  In fact, the Pledge of Glory celebrated it's three month anniversary on November 8th.  In these three months, I've varied from incredibly well behaved to equally as ill behaved.  Maybe it's the late-night, unnecessary Qdoba "fourth meal" talking, but sometimes I feel there have been as many days ruled by fat-Jackie as there have been those dictated by healthy-me.  But, now 21.4lbs lighter (down from 221.6 to 200.2), I think healthy-me is in fact winning the war.  I met a man recently who put on about 100lbs after he quit playing football for UW.  He has since gone from that hefty 350lbs to a healthy, juiced 250 (we'll call this former Badger "Joe")... he told me that he and his former fat-self struggle daily.  While healthy Joe insists upon eating a veggie fajita, the fat Joe of yesteryear is inside longing for a double cheeseburger.  I've been unhealthy virutally my entire life... at least as long as I've been old enough to make my own diet decisions.  Like Joe, I cannot expect to completely transform into healthy-Jackie without occassionally hearing from (and giving into) fat-Jackie.  She lives within... and always will.

Anyway, I thought after three months I ought to post some updated semi-nude photos.  Like I said before, I'm down roughly 21.4lbs.  With that being said, I'd like to think the new photos are a little easier on the eyes. See for yourself...

                    At 221.6lbs.  Buzz's girlfriend... woof. 

My Christmas gift to y'all!  Haha. Looking thinner

through the shoulders and chest, perhaps?

Legs as comically skinny as ever!

                  The Pledge of (221.6lb) Glory.

                    Looking slightly more glorious
    (and hopefully a little less flabulous) at 200.2 lbs.

                  Is it me or is my back-fat frowning?!

      20lbs later, my back-fat is looking less "unhappy" --
            my proudest Pledge accomplisment yet!


Sure enough, this Thursday is Thanksgiving!!!  I'm planning to do a mini-fast of sorts these next three days so I can enjoy this glutonous holiday in (semi) good conscience.  It's not like I can really eat that much anyway.  Seriously, if I eat too much these days I feel drunk... honest to GAGA.  At work the other day I ate two helpings of grilled squash burried in a delcious red sauce.  I was all buzzed upon returning from break, and I told my friend Tony I got "squash wasted."  To which he said, "Dude, you got squashed!"  I got "squashed"  again at work yesterday, as we had a pre-Thanksgiving feast of sorts.  This involved me eating far too much turkey, stuffing and frozen veggie medley.  When I returned from break, my co-workers wanted to know why I was all red in the face.  Once again, I was food wasted.  Such an odd sensation!   

Well, I suppose I should address The Hauser Sister 10lb Thanksgiving Challenge.  For me, getting under 200lbs means meeting this challenge.  Last time I checked, I was 200.2... and this was after a night of drinking and a few days of bad eating.  So, I would like to think that I'll indeed be under 200lbs come Thursday.  Now, after Thursday is another story!  Despite the Pledge of Glory, I will be enjoying Thanksgiving the only way I know how...

As for the other Hauser sisters... well, I just spoke with Liz yesterday and it seems she's shed about 7lbs in the last month or so!  I know how hard losing 7lbs can be, so I'm incredibly proud of her progress!!!  This feat is especially impressive as she devotes much time and energy to her under-paid and under-appreciated profession of teaching (recall Walker!).  I haven't had a chance to ask Kassie about her Hauser Sister 10lb Thanksgiving Challenge efforts, but I'm sure she's made great progress as well.  And even if she hasn't, I'm extremely proud of her most recent accomplishment.  On her 26th birthday, Kassie presented her thesis topic to a panel of advisors who were to decide whether she should proceed with this particular topic.  After giving a 10 minute presentation, the panel interrogated her for almost 90 minutes.  They then deliberated for just 10 minutes before officially approving her topic.  While her specific subject is failing me, I do know it involves Alaska and climate change.  Nevertheless, Kassie said the whole ordeal was one of the most difficult things she's had to do.  I was lucky enough to talk to her almost immediately after, and it was pretty clear this was also one of the most satisfying moments of her life. 

Here's hoping y'all are anticipating Thanksgiving festivities even half as fantastic as mine!  And here's to my mother and fabulous aunts who each year prepare an insane feast for 20+ food-loving Tjoflat giants!  Erik and Kassie, you will be sorely missed at this year's gathering... but at least we won't have to serve Tofurkey again!  Nor lie to you about the green bean casserole being made with cream of mushroom soup (pretty sure we've always made it with cream of chicken anyway). 

"The cultural fixation on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty but an obsession about female obedience." -- Naomi Wolf

Upon reading this quote, I question whether my health revolution truly is a journey of personal improvement or merely an effort to conform to the absurb physical expecations of our media-infected society.  But who am I kidding?!  Even if I get down to my desired weight of 180lbs, I'll still be far from ideal by our culture's standards.  Being 6 feet tall and "big-boned," I guess I'm forever disobedient.  But in passing this quote along to me, my wise friend Paul noted, "A little disobedience is a good thing, don't you think?"

Love. Peace. GAGAerobics.

Jackie