Talkative Tuesday

Hello all.  Happy Tuesday.  Must-Have Monday is being moved to Wednesday this week and it is Christmas/Holiday themed so be on the look out.  Today is all about things that are on my mind and that I feel like sharing.

1. I love Tuesday evenings because I am all by myself :)  My boyfriend is at work and therefore I come home, I make whatever I want to eat, go work out, come home, watch my shows, etc. I love my bf, but some personal time is great!

2. I love making a meal that is just for me and not having to worry about what he will like for one day.  Today I made a delicious, nutritious meal that was made in 3 minutes using leftovers and I LOVED IT.

Delicious organic leafy greens with my new spaghetti squash creation.

A close up of the goods.  It is NOT pasta, it is spaghetti squash and it is delicious.  I made grilled chicken breasts with chile sauce last night, so I threw some of that on top of diced tomatoes, red onion and a sprinkle of reduced fat feta-cheese. YUM!!!!

3.  Is anyone else trying to drink have of their body weight in water a day and finding it really difficult when you almost pee your pants running to your apartment?  I drank 24 oz of water from the last hour of work through my bus ride home.  When I stepped out of my car at my apt and into the cold air I thought I was going to pee on the spot.  I ran up the stairs and down the hall thinking to myself, "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't be the neighbor that pees her pants in the hallway in front of your neighbors!!!"  I made it into my apt JUST in time, but WOW that was close.

4. Does anyone else watch Glee and love it as much as I do?  I almost don't want to go work out tonight because I am so excited to watch it, but I know that I need to and I know that it will be nice to fast forward through the commercials.  Wow, I really am a Gleek.

5. Anyone know any good routines to lose the arm flab?  I know mine will get smaller as I lose weight, but there must be something I can do now to tone it up before I get to that point. 

6.  Alright, enough about me.  What is something that you are looking forward to this week that is healthy living related!?

Week Long Absence= A lot of Catching Up

Happy Sunday everyone!  How was everyone's Thanksgiving?  If you didn't have Thanksgiving how was your weekend?  At any rate did people stay on track with their weight loss goals and not over-indulge too much?  I am proud to say that I stayed on track very well while I was at home with my Mom for almost a week!  I have not been home that long since I lived at home in high school.

I have to say though... I really missed blogging, reading blogs and having access to a computer.  My mom doesn't have a computer or wi-fi which meant only checking things on my phone which meant no blogging for almost a week.  So, I missed everyone a lot and am going to try to fill you in on my crazy week all in one re-cap post rather than a bunch of smaller ones, so I hope you have a nice warm beverage and are ready to get the details.

Thanksgiving

I missed Fashion Friday and Saturday Sessions this week and I intend to do a mini version of each of them, but first I am going to tell you all about my time at home with my lovely mother.  We had 50 people at my Mom's house for Thanksgiving, which meant that we cooked, baked, cleaned, decorated and organized our little tushes off.  It was so much fun!  It was a lot a lot of work, but well worth it.  My parents recently got divorced and it has been really hard for my mom and my family because of how messy it was.  It was nice to have a holiday that was drama free and "normal" after having several years of bad holidays.  My mom cried during Grace before we ate dinner and was so thankful that so many people from the family came to celebrate Thanksgiving and to support her.  I had to fight back tears.  It was great to see my family and spend so much time together.  I forgot to take pictures, because we were so busy, but I did get one shot of two people that I love so much.

This is my wonderful GG and our family dog Gabi.

They are basically best friends as my mom drops Gabi off at GG's for "daycare" every morning while she is at work.

Every year before we eat we play a family game of football outside.  This year the crowd was smaller because it was 14 degrees outside with negative 10 degree windchill.  Brrrr.  My family played a heated Girls Vs. Boys game of Trivial Pursuit after dinner.  The boys won for the fifth year in a row.  Shoot!  It was a really close game though and we almost pulled out a win.

My mom and I also took the time to go through her extensive Christmas collection and get the house decorated.  My mom collects Santas and she has hundreds of them.  I am sad that I didn't take pictures, but I will and then I will show you how fabulous they are. She also has a lot of Santa Bears that our dog Gabi really enjoyed :)

Gabi and the Santa Bear collection.

The Feast

Another Thanksgiving tradition that I take part in every year is called the Feast.  It is a friendsgiving that we have had for 8 years.  My high school friends and I get together at my friend Hilary's house the Saturday after Thanksgiving every year to make a meal together and have some fun.  It is something that I look forward to every year and would be lost without it.  It is pretty rare for people to get together with high school friends for the same event every year, but we all try to make it a priority.

This year was our smallest attendance to date with only 10 people attending (we are usually close to 20) but it was still a lot of fun.  We have a strict no significant others can come unless you are engaged or married.  Some people don't like it, but rules are rules and they are not to be broken.  Ron was not allowed to come since we are not engaged or married, but that is okay with me because we see each other all the time and we don't want to break the rules.

My group of girl friends from high school minus Brooke.

Jen, Hilary, me, Stacie and Kelsey.

Our Feast of food. All of the usual Thanksgiving goodness.

10 Feasters ready for some food and fun.

Expressing our thanks for one another, our families and having health and happiness.

Fashion Friday: A Black Friday Fashion Finds Feature

Alright, so I may have gone black friday shopping this year for the second year in a row and loved it.  We didn't go at 3 am, but we did go when we woke up and we did get a lot of good deals. My wonderful boyfriend accompanied me even though we wasn't exactly thrilled with the thought.  So, what did I get you might ask.  Well I got some toys for my nephews and niece, some things for Ron, my Mom, my siblings, my GG and well maybe a couple of things for me :)

I was going to organize it all to show you, but for the sake of time I am just showing you the massive pile that I now get to wrap!

Hello purple my favorite color.  Hello beautiful zipper detail.  Hello flats that are cute and comfortable. I am in love. Kenneth Cole Slip My Mind CK in Passion.

Another view of my new flats and also a peek at my new We Love Colors tights in Maroon.  If you know me you know that I love tights.  I love this pop of color (maybe not with the purple shoes) and these tights come in like 29 colors and are very affordable.  I will say that I am an apple shape meaning that I am bigger in my middle and I have relatively smaller legs and thighs.  I would probably have ordered these a size or two smaller because they kind of gather at points on my legs because there is too much fabric.  If you are bigger in the legs you should probably just follow the guidelines listed on their website. 

Next Up... Hello lover.  My obsession when it comes to shoes it wedges.  I love these slate grey wedges.  They are super comfortable and inexpensive.  They look great with skinny jeans or with We Love Colors tights. They are from Target and are the brand Merona and called Myka.

Hello holiday hotness. You need to get these wedges from Target.

Saturday Sessions

I am once again a day late with this post, my apologies.  This is going to be a very quick, abbreviated version of the SS.  

1. Make it a holiDAY and not a holi-week or longer.
SUCCESS!!  I made it a holiday and not anything more than that.  I made a plan and stuck to it and it paid off.  I didn't over-indulge and I only ate items that I get once a year.  I had one glass of wine which was my first drink in almost 8 weeks and it was wonderful.  I am going to really buckle down for the rest of the year to get some optimal results by New Year's.
2. Start keeping track of my mood more often. 
I did okay with this, but definitely room for improvement.  I need to keep better track of this whether it is mentally or physically on a piece of paper. I stopped myself from buying a candy bar when I was really hungry at the grocery store and realized that I was just really hungry and didn't really want a candy bar.

New Goals

1. Attend an hour long fitness class 6 days this week.

I have mentally said to myself that I was going to do this for the past few weeks, but I have fell short, so I am saying it out loud to all of you in hopes that I keep up with my promise.  I have all of the schedules printed out I just need to make going a HIGH priority.

2. Get all of my holiday decorations out and Christmas presents wrapped.

Not every goal needs to be weight loss/fitness related.  This is something that is important to me this week and I know that my month is jam packed, so getting all of this done sooner than later will be best.

Must-Have Monday-Sandwiches

Monday, Monday. I am kind of excited to see you because you are kind of like Thursday to me this week.  It is time for another edition of MHM and this week I have decided to tell you all a little bit about my sandwich obsession.  I just love sandwiches.  All kinds from cold to toasty warm and everything in between.  My favorite sandwich in the world comes from a deli in my hometown called Bo-Diddley's and it is a turkey sandwich on a delicious 12 grain sub-type bread and I honestly am lucky that it is no where near me know or I would be starting this weight loss journey at least 100 pounds heavier than I am today.  So, today's MHM is focused on the delicious and often underrated sandwich.  My favorite "healthy" sandwich items.  I am also adding some pictures because I feel like I don't do it enough and it is something I am going to work on.





Pepperidge Farm Deli-Flats I love this bread.  I really do.  I usually like bread when it is thicker and has more substance to it (which means more carbs) but this bread makes me not even miss the higher calorie kind.  They have several kinds all around 100 calories and containing fiber and all of the good stuff you want in a bread.  If I am having a traditional sandwich this is my go-to bread.  It never disappoints me.  I also use it to make peanut butter toast on the weekend.

Kraft Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Garden Veggie Cream Cheese I use 1 tablespoon of this on my sandwich and it makes a world of a difference.  It is a way to jazz up a sandwich without adding a ton of guilty toppings like mayo or full fat cream cheese.  It adds a nice flavor without being over the top.

Columbus Reduced Sodium Turkey Breast I buy this turkey at Trader Joe's and I really like it.  It is really good for being lower in sodium and it is not slimy or a weird color.  I am VERY picky about my lunch meat and I really enjoy this product.  I need to sample some of their other food items, but this is the only reduced sodium option that TJ's sells.

Minnesota's Bushel Boy Tomato  Buying local items when I cam is really important to me.  I know that many of you don't live in or near Minnesota, so this item is probably no use to you, but I think everyone can appreciate buying local ingredients.  I lived in Italy for 6 months and ate some of the best tomatoes that the world has to offer, so I must say I am kind of a tomato snob.  These tomatoes are just as good as any of the ones that I ate there.  Support local farmers and eat local produce when you can.  It is likely more fresh and less expensive than other available produce. 

Red onion- I add onions to pretty much anything and everything.  Much like garlic, I think it adds a lot. 

Cucumbers- So good, so fresh, so crunchy.  I can eat them plain or on something.  I love cucumbers. 

Banana Peppers- Last, but CERTAINLY not least.  My new favorite sandwich topping is banana 

peppers. I can't get enough!!  I rinse them at home before I eat them to get some of the sodium off that is i

in the juice in the jar.

Now you know how to make my favorite sandwich made at home.

What I order at Subway

6 inch 9 grain Turkey sub.  Lots of lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, green pepper, banana peppers and a shake of parmesan cheese.  No sauces, just the good stuff listed above. 

My inner thoughts on blast

Happy Sunday!  Tomorrow it is back to work.  I am actually excited about this.  Which is weird, I love the weekend, but I only have to work 1.5 days this week and then I am off for the rest of the week for Thanksgiving.  I love Thanksgiving and I love hosting and planning holiday events and this year my Mom and I are hosting Thanksgiving at her house.  My mother is a fabulous cook and baker and a great hostess and party planner.  I would like to think that I inherited these traits.  I am not quite as expert as she is, but I would say that I am advanced in my party planning abilities.

I am excited and also nervous.  I am anxious and relaxed.  Who am I kidding?  I am like a chicken with my head cut off.  Not only am I planning this event with 45 people and making a pie for the first time from scratch including the crust.  I am also in the middle of a lifestyle change.  I am like over-analyzing, over-planning, triple checking, making a list and checking it twice.  You see, in my normal environment that I am in complete control of I am great.  I have gotten this healthy living, eating, breathing, sleeping and exercising thing down to a science.  When I am a fish out of water?  I am likely to flop around like a state fair carnival booth prize winning goldfish in a first-graders bedroom. No, I won't be.  I CAN'T be out of control.  I am in control of myself, my actions, my body.  BLAH. If I have lost some of you with this tirade I don't blame you at all. In fact if you are off reading another blog that is not nearly so full of anxiety I also don't blame you.

I just spent $106.77 at the grocery store buying groceries for the next two weeks of my life including the pecan pie and sweet potatoes that I am making.  I bought a lot of amazing new products that I am dying to try and some tried and true items that I can't live without (see tomorrow's post on Must-have items).  I just spent the better part of an hour washing, cutting and bagging up my food for the week and making  pile in the fridge of items for work for Monday and Tuesday and a pile of stuff to take to my Mom's with me. I have planned every meal, I have planned every work out.  This may seem crazy, but for me it has to be this way right now.  I can't allow myself to just go home, where it is comfortable and my mom makes homemade deliciousness out of the oven all day and there is no gym membership and think that my new jeans that I can now buckle and wear without turning blue in the face from cutting off my circulation will fit.  You see, I have done great so far.  I am 45 pounds down since October 2nd and I am proud of it.  I have lost weight in places that I didn't think was possible.  I have tried classes that I swore were too hard for me.  I have gone to happy hour and ordered nothing deep fried and had a water.  I have not had a drop of alcohol or soda for 7 weeks.  My body is sharp, cleansed, getting healthy and getting fit.  I have come too far to go back.  I have seen some small successes and dreamt of greater ones.  I have lost 45 pounds and I will not gain one pound back.  Not this holiday or the next.  I am in control and I make my own decisions. I will eat in moderation, I will not go back for seconds and I will stay on track and make it to the end of this journey. I am not a fish out of water.  I am Nemo finding my own way in a sometimes scary and unpredictable world.

Christmas Card 2010

Pretty Patterned Ornaments Holiday

Christmas cards and holiday thank you cards by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Saturday Sessions

So, it is only two hours away from not being Saturday anymore, but I was determined to get this post in when it was actually Saturday.  This week has been extremely crazy for me.  I have had something going on every day this week and I have something planned every day of every weekend until January 3rd.  As much as I love having plans with friends and family it can be hard when you don't have any breaks to relax on the weekend.  Tomorrow I have no plans except for grocery shopping, working out and relaxing.  I have my laundry all done and I am nearly ready for the holiday week.


Recap of last weeks goals...


1. Change up my work-out routines.  As my brother-in-law calls it, muscle confusion. 
I think this went pretty well.  I made it to Soul Grooves, Zumba and Hip-Hop this week and mixed some cardio in there.  I am going to buy Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred to take to my Mom's house with me next week since I will not have access to a gym and we are supposed to have the coldest Thanksgiving weather in 21 years here in Minnesnowta. I still have not tried Deep Water, the MIXX or strictly strength at the gym and I really want to, so although I did mix it up this week there is still room for improvement.


2. Organize my closet, try on clothes and get rid of what doesn't fit.
I have started bags to go to the good-will and bags of clothes to hopefully give away or maybe sell for cheap.  I just really want the clothes to go to someone who will use them and maybe someone who is also in the process of losing weight and just needs something to wear until they make it to the next milestone.  I also got a little OCD with organizing my closet.  See photo proof below.

This is my T-shirt collection organized from ROYGBIV. I know, very over the top.

These are the clothes that fit me now, small amount, but I have a lot to look forward to...

This side of the closet is clothes that will soon fit me even though most of them are old.  I will wear them to get down even lower :) Some of the clothes on the far right if the picture are ones that are already too big!  Such a great feeling!

Jeans and pants that do not currently fit, but are organized by the next size I will be in all the way down to 4 sizes smaller than I am now.  I am really excited to just keep moving down the ladder. 


New Goals 


1. Make it a holiDAY and not a holi-week or longer.
Sarah at Fat Little Legs posted earlier this week about not letting your holiday turn into a holi-month or holi-year and I thought that was great.  I think it is important that people eat things that they are craving to a certain extent.  I think if you completely say everything is off limits you will fall off the wagon and gain all the weight back that you lost and then some.  I also think that some things are worth splurging a little bit on and some are not.  I think that too often around the holidays people take a holiday and turn it into a holi-month of bad eating.  It is a vicious cycle and it is not good for your waistline. I plan on eating some things that I never get, but still in smaller portions than I normally would.  I also plan on exercising heavily before the big meal and getting right back on track the next day.


1. Start keeping track of my mood more often. 
A lot of people say that our behaviors are a directly related to our mood and I could not agree more.  I think that people's actions correspond with their mood and more specifically that there is a reason why we eat poorly, over indulge, make excuses and don't work out.  I am trying to pin-point my mood and emotions throughout the day and week to see what kind of triggers I have to start thinking about a cheat day, or not going to the gym.  I want to spend this next week focusing on my mood and how that effects my eating and exercising habits. 

Fashion Friday is Tardy

Sorry once again for not being prompt with my Friday post, but life has been crazy busy lately.  This week's fashion focus is on athletic wear.  I know that it may be hard to believe, but athletic clothing doesn't have to be over-sized and unflattering.  It can be comfortable and colorful.  There are many sites that have athletic clothing, but there are three that I really like, so I am going to showcase them.

Athleta- This site is awesome!  They have athletic clothing for every sport imaginable.  From warm weather to cold weather and everything in between.  You can shop by type of clothing or by sport which I really like.  You can also shop by size and they have extended sizes, so it was great for me. Some of the items I really liked are showcased below.


Short Sleeve Boytom Tee $39.  I love this color!



Hitch Skirt Capri $69.  I think this is fun for zumba or other dance classes.



Kickbooty Pant $79.  The kind of pant that makes your booty look good :)




UnderAmour- Also has a large selection, you can search by type of clothing or type of sport.  Does not have extended sizes.  Their clothing is very comfortable and made very well.  It is a little less expensive than Athleta.

Women's PIP UA Full Form Zip Hooded Jacket $49.99.  Other colors available.  Perfect for winter. 

Women's UA Form Knee Length Short $39.99