Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail

This is not a post about falling off the wagon, so have no fear.  This IS a post about the success of planning.  As I have mentioned in many previous blog posts, I am a planner.  I am slightly type A, I like organization and I appreciate having a plan and sticking to it.  This weekend my goal was to simply plan ahead and try to stick to it as much as possible.

Friday: I stayed well within my calorie goals for the morning and night and I reduced my amount of carbs before dinner because I knew that I was going to a pizza place with friends.  I looked at the menu before I went and decided on their special which was called, "Fresh tomato pie" and it boasted, "local tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, pecorino, basil and truffle honey."  The honey part threw me off, but I got it because she said it was drizzled and very subtle. 

I purposely chose this pizza over some other ones for a few reasons. The first one is because it didn't have a sauce base, which meant less sodium.  Tomato sauces can be really high in sodium and I try to watch that.  The second thing I did was choose a pizza without meat to keep the calories and fat down.  I am not a vegetarian at all, but forgoing the meat sometimes means I can eat more pizza.  The food was amazing and the company was even better.  After dinner we did some shopping and we stopped at McDonald's to go to the redbox.  Some of the girls went and ordered McFlurry's and I stayed by the redbox machine.  I knew that if I stood in line I would buy something that was not a good choice, so I stayed back.  When I got home I ate a 100 calorie pack of chocolate covered pretzels and was completely satisified.

Me and my 6 best friends.

Saturday:  I had a bridal shower on saturday in Stillwater, which is kind of a drive for me, but it was for a good friend and it was a lot of fun.  The decor was lovely and it was the perfect length of time at 2 hours.  I didn't eat breakfast because I knew I would eat a big lunch.  I tried to stick with mostly veggies, fruit and salad.  I did have a little of the cream cheese spread with crakers and a cupcake with half the frosting taken off.  It was a great afternoon and made me excited for my showers next year.

That night we went to dinner at a new noodle place in Uptown with some friends and I ordered the Spicy Udon noodles with lots of veggies and chicken.  It was awesome!  We went out with friends and I had a few drinks.  I wasn't planning on drinking at all, so that was a change, but I had a lot of fun and worked out extra hard on Sunday.

Gorgeous purple hued cupcakes

Sunday:  I went to visit my mom in St. Cloud and to meet with a potential "day of wedding coordinator".  We talked for 2.5 hours and it was a lot of fun.  I have most of my ideas already decided, but it was nice to talk them through with someone to see what their thoughts were.  My mom made a healthy and delicious flatbread pizza that we shared along with veggies and fruit and then we went on a very long walk.  I love spending time with my mom.  It always gets my week started out o the right foot.

My family dog Gabi.

So that is my weekend in a nutshell.  I think I did pretty well.  I got 2 full workouts in and a long walk.  I think the worst choices were maybe a cupcake and some cocktails.  So far this week everything has been trucking right along.  My close are starting to feel looser again, thank god!  I am on a roll and it feels good.  I have started to write down everything that I eat again and it is really helping.

This week's posts will feature... a post about fitness tips, what I hate about wedding's and a post about making your groceries stretch.

Wedding Season and a NSV

Hello fellow bloggers.  I hope the summer heat hasn't got you down!  It is finally not over 100 degrees in my neck of the woods and I couldn't be happier :)  I have been the energizer bunny for the past week and it will continue into September if you can believe it.  Sometimes I can't even believe it. 

On Friday night we had a wedding recpetion for our friends who got married in Jamaica in March.  It was a lot of fun!  We danced and did the photo booth (which I can't wait for at our wedding) and saw some old friends.  Saturday I had a garden party at a co-worker's house followed by a pub party at my future in-laws house.  They built and English pub in their backyard.  It is very lovely and everyone had a great time.  My family also came, so it was a nice time to have a mixing of teh two families.

This week Ron and I are interviewing wedding photographers.  There are some really talented people in the Twin Cities, so it has been hard narrowing down our list.  We met with someone yesterday whom we really like a lot, but I feel like I want to interview at least one more person to be sure.  Afterall, this is a large investment and is something that we will have and will look back on for the rest of our lives.

This weekend Ron and I are headed to Duluth for a very good friend's wedding.  I am very excited to get away on a mini trip and to spend time with friends that I haven't seen in far too long.  Wedding season is definitely in full swing and I am just trucking right along and dancing my way through each one.

Weight loss keeps coming!!  3.3 pounds down this week!  Woo-hoo.  I had a GREAT NSV moment this weekend when several people noticed my weight loss and commented that they can see my waist starting to get defined.  Haleluja!  This weight loss thing is starting to look good on me.  Literally! :)

Sorry the pictures have been sparse lately, I am fixing my camera, but it will be done this week and I promise I will give you some pictures to go along with all of my adventures!  Have a happy and healthy week! :)

Happy 4th of July... a little late.

Hello everyone.  Hope you had a great 4th of July.  Mine was very fun filled with plenty of family, friends and fireworks.  We had some friends over on Friday night for a little get-together, which was a lot of fun.  We BBQ'd during a storm which was interesting to say the least. 

I am back at work this morning and I am sun burnt and feeling like a zombie.  We got home from being up North at my sisters cabin at about 10:00 after sitting in the sun all day and swimming, helping them pick up rocks from their beach, etc.  I was pooped.  I put aloe vera on, took some ibuprofin and passed out.

I apologize for being somewhat MIA last week, however I was working extra hours to make up some lost time and getting ready for the weekend.  I announced the winners of the Target cards and then forgot to contact them, so I am doing that this morning.  I also got an award from a fellow blogger, so I need to take time to talk about that.  Plus, I need to tell you all what the 5th of July (which is today) means to me.

Robin over at the blog For the Love of Me gave me a "You Inspire Me Award".  How sweet is that?  I love it when people take the time to recognize someone that has really made an impact on their healthy journey.  It is awesome! I will take some time to pay it forward soon!  Thanks again Robin!  I really appreciate it!



The 5th of July is the day after the 4th of July.  For many people it is pretty insignificant.  It means going back to work or the end of vacation for many people.  For the last five years today has been a day of reflection for me.  A day that reminds me of new beginnings and also of shortcomings.  It reminds me of how far I went, how I fell back, how far I have since come and most importantly where I am headed. 

On July 5th, 2006 I started a weight loss program that changed my life.  I lost nearly 75 pounds in about 6 months working with a dietician, behavior specialist and personal trainer.  It was hard, EXPENSIVE and worth every penny.  I went to Italy for 6 months that January and I felt healthier and happier and ready to take on the world.

While I was in Italy I only gained 10 more pounds back, which is good considering we ate our weight in bread, pizza and pasta.  I came home wearing the same clothes that I left in and that felt really good.  In a matter of a few months that would all start to change. It was the summer that I turned 21 and we spent a lot of nights at the bars drinking and eating fast food afterwards.  It was unhealthy and the pounds slowly started to creep back on. 

I am not going to spend too much time today thinking about how I wish that I would have kept the weight off and would have kept going with the journey that started on July 5th.  I have spent a lot of personal time dwelling on this and thinking long and hard about what worked and what didn't.  I spent the better part of 3 years knowing that I made mistakes and thinking, "if only I would have kept the weight off." or"if only I could lose the weight again, that would be great."  I am done with that.  I am moving forward never forgetting about July 5th, but also not spending anymore time feeling sorry for myself about my progress.  I am just moving forward and making new progress.

TGIF and Dressing for your Size

It is finally here!  That little thing called Friday that we chase after all week!  I honestly couldn't be happier.  It has been a looooong week!

On Wednesday I went to Mall of America with my older sister Claire to help her find clothes for an upcoming weekend in Chicago with my other older sister.  She wanted to find something to wear to a play and the other girls who were going were wearing fun, trendy and dressy outfits.  Claire is a stay at home mom who takes very good care of her two boys, her house and her husband, but she doesn't really take the time to do stuff for herself. 

Claire usually wears Old Navy jeans and solid color t-shirts from Target, so she wanted to feel comfortable in what she was wearing and still look fashionable.  The other issue that Claire was having is that her body is different than it used to be and she isn't used to dressing for the body that she has.  She was afradi to shop at the, "fat girl stores".  Now, I don't love that phrase.  I think she uses it because she is embaressed about her body, but I think the most important thing that someone can do is to do, "dress for the body that you have!" This may be one of the most important things that I have ever learned.  If you are overweight you can still look nice if you dress for your body shape.  I know that we aren't all comfortable with our bodies where they are at, but I know that I personally feel better putting on jeans that fit and a nice shirt rather than baggy clothing that makes look and feel larger than I am.

So, I took Claire to Forever 21 Plus and she got a few pairs of really cute skinny jeans.  We then ventured to Torrid and she proceeded to try on the entire store.  It was a good chance for her to see what looks good on her body.  She hadn't really tried on clothing in her new size before and she was slowly starting to gain soem confidence as I and the lady from the store told her how great she looked.  She really did look great in all of the clothes and I got to thinking about how we are all comfortable or uncomfortable at different sizes.  For example Claire was wearing size 14-16.  I thought to myself, "I would be THRILLED to be wearing a 14-16!"  She was clearly having a hard time adjusting to it.  I could see that she was skeptical about wearing skinny jeans or leggings and some of the more form fitting tops.  I knew that if I looked like she did in some of the clothing that I would be strutting my stuff all around town.

It is hard to be uncomfortable in your own skin no matter what size you are.  It is important for me to know that everyone's comfort size is different and all that matter is that I get to mine.  I know that I will lose this weight and be more and more comfortable in my own skin.  My sister even said I can borrow the clothes she bought as soon as I am that size.  It is just another thing to look forward to.  I have never been able to share clothes with anyone in my life, so getting to swap clothes with anyone would feel amazing.  So, long story short is work towards getting to your comfortable size, but until you do dress what you have and feel great in your own skin!  :)

P.S.  I am also down 2.2 pounds this week and I am wearing a dress that used to be too tight today without Spanx because I don't need to suck in my gut that is slowly starting to disappear!  Oh, the small things in life :)

This is my new dress from shopping. It is super flattering and a whole size smaller!

The tale of the downward scale and a house

No, the downward scale is not a new yoga move.  The downward scale is a new movement in my household.  You see, I watch what I eat, I exercise a lot and I add the stress of (work, buying a house and planning a wedding) and somehow that is the precise equation required for weight loss. 

Week of March 13th... Loss of 2.3 lbs
Week of March 20th... Loss of 1.5 lbs (despite being on vacation)
Week of March 27th... Loss of 3.0 lbs

I have been working my butt off at the gym, I have been watching every morsel that I eat and I have also been crazy busy, moving non stop and just busy with life.  Sometimes when you make the right choices and you just follow the rules you find that you are almost 7 pounds down in 3 weeks, your pants don't fit and you are one step closer to being a healthier, smaller you! 

I just wanted to update you all on my progress.  I hope you are all finding yourselves healthy and successful.  My only regret right now is not making enough time for blogging and reading other's blogs.  It is something that I really enjoy, but life has been major hectic right now.  I have to admit that I am beyond happy to be back in the swing of things and to be reporting losses.  It makes me feel like I have a whole new lease on life.

In other news we found the house of our dreams, put in an offer, got the offer accepted and had the inspection completed in the past week.  So, I apologize that my posts are not as frequent, but until life settles down I am not going to be able to commit to posting everyday.  I will post some pictures later of the house (we close on May 2nd... fingers crossed that all goes well) and also show you what new, exciting things I have been eating!

I hope all the best for all of you and I hope you understand that my absence is temporary and is not for lack of trying! :)

Missing in Action

Hello fellow bloggers...  Did you miss me?  I missed you!!  I am sure many of you are thinking that I couldn't possibly have been sick for two weeks.  Well, you're right, I was not so sick that I couldn't blog for two weeks.  I was however sick off and on and just when I was getting better it would get worse and last weekend I spent four days on the couch with strep throat and I literally didn't move from my 1000 sgaure foot apartment.  So, after a long hiatus from the blog world and a terrible sick streak I am happy to be back blogging and catching up with all of you!

I must say that one of the best parts of being disconnected from the blogworld was the chance to just live a more simply life for awhile.  I think I spent more time away from the computer and TV than I have in years.  I spent time relaxing, reading, planning, finding new recipes and just spending some time with Ron.  I am happy that I took some time for myself to get healthy and prepare for the big challenges that are ahead of me.

The big challenges for me are losing weight, buying a house, planning a wedding and applying to grad school.  Yikes!  When I type that all out I get anxious just thinking about how much I have to do still.  I am beyond excited to be getting married to my best friend in 591 days, but I feel like that is coming so fast!  I know, most of you are probably laughing at this.  It is like 18 months away, what is the big deal?  The big deal is that I feel like it is crunch time.  I feel like I need to really chip away at this weight loss thing and record some successful weight loss numbers.  Sometimes I watch shows like, "I Used to be Fat" or other weight loss shows and I think... OMG, they lost 60 pounds in like 3 or 4 months, why can't I do that?  I know that I can do a lot more than I have been doing.  This isn't to say that I have been a complete failure by any means.  I am still down 40 pounds from last year at this time, so that is great, but it is only a small stepping stone.  It is not nearly where I wanted to be or where I know I could be at this point, so I really need to prioritize my weight loss and make it one of my main priorities right now.

So, what am I doing about it?  I have set aside $600 for a personal trainer to whip me into shape.  Ha, okay so maybe not whip me into shape, but get me started and motivated again.  I want someone to teach me new things to do and new ways to work out my body. I am really excited for my first session tomorrow and I am even more excited to start seeing major results again.  I requested a male trainer this time because the last female that I had try to call me, "hunny" and "sweetie" and I am not at all into that.  I want someone to push me in a productive way.  No, I don't want someone to be mean and hurtful, but I want someone to give me tough love and that extra push that I need sometimes.  I also am going to to meet with my nutritionist again starting in March through the spring season to get some more ideas from her as well.  She always introduces me to new food, new meal plans and ways to be healthy and mindful of my body and what I eat.

So, anyway, sorry for the long hiatus, I am alive and well and happy to report no gains.  I managed to maintain my weight for the past three weeks, which I am not completely thrilled about, but it is better than a gain and for being sick and pretty much not moving too much I am okay with it.  Three weeks until I board the plane for sunny Florida and I am hoping to be 50 pounds less than when I boarded the plane for Hawaii last year!  Yea! :)

I am

101 Followers, My Ups and Downs, Photos

Hello everyone!  Hope you're all having a happy and healthy week so far. I just wanted to take a moment to say a HUGE Thank You to all of my followers who read my blog everyday and who always give me great feedbacks and comments.  I honestly think that this journey would be ten times harder without all of your support, so thanks for sticking with me!


If you read my blog and you want me to look at your blog leave a comment with a link to your blog on it, so that I can check it out and maybe follow you on your journey as well.  At the beginning of blogging I was always looking for new blogs, but I stopped and focused on my blog and catching up with other blogs that I read, but I am always looking for a few new reads to add to my dashboard. :)


I hope some of you enjoyed the wedding post earlier today!?  I am going to be updating you all on my wedding and my weight loss journey to get into my wedding dress.  I want this blog to be about losing weight and being healthy, but it is also about me and my life and right now my life consists of losing weight, finding a grad school, buying our first house and planning a wedding.  I hope you don't mind having some of my real life sprinkled in along with the weight loss.


So, today I was looking at my photos on my computer trying to find some new ones to post on my blog and I started to look at some older photos from 2007.  This is the year that I went to Italy.  I was at my thinnest weight as an adult while I was in Italy and I look at the pictures and I am green with envy.  I want to look like that again.  I honestly scrolled through all of the photos and thought, wow.  I look really good in these pictures.  I had so much energy and looked so happy!


I need to explain part of this because I am happy right now.  I am in love and have friends and family around me and a great job.  So, I am definitely not miserable or depressed.  I am however, as happy as I can be while I am overweight.  This may sound like a bold statement.  It is true though, I am generally a positive person and I look for the good in others and try to find the positive in most situations.  I would like to think that I seem very happy even though I really want to change my body.


In fact, my future mother in law told me at Christmas that after she read my blog she was shocked that I was unhappy being overweight.  She explained that she thought that I was confident and comfortable with my body and that she never guessed that I wanted to change my body.  I sure had her fooled.  In all honesty I think I wear fat well.  It is not to say that I look good at the weight I am in, but rather that I come off as being okay with being overweight.  She said that she thought I was extremely happy with my life and with my weight because of the way I carried myself and the fact that I would wear my swimsuit and short skirts and appear to love my body.


This is a problem for me.  I don't want to be comfortable being overweight.  I think being comfortable being fat or appearing to be comfortable with my weight is as harmful to my health as actually being overweight.  You see, if I am overweight and I look like I am okay with it and everyone else thinks that I am okay with it then I am more likely to stay that way or to fall back into that pattern.  I don't want fat to feel comfortable.  I don't want sweatpants to hide my bulge.  I don't want jeans in a range of sizes so if one pair is to tight I can just move up.  I don't want to be the highest number at the plus size store.  I don't want to be the fat girl who is okay with being fat.


I long to be the girl who left the U.S. and moved to Italy for 6 months.  To feel great in my body even if it wasn't my ideal weight.  I want people to think of me as more than just the bubbly, funny and entertaining overweight girl.  I want my personality to shine and my looks to match it.  I want to shop wherever I want to and have many options.  I want to look at a smiling picture of myself and know that I was happy and not just posing for the camera.  I want to be free of my fat once and for all.


I have added two new pages to my blog at the top.  One is called Heavy and one is called Light.  There are many pictures of me at both times in my life.  I really want to put them out there for me as a reminder, but also for all of you so you can see my ups and downs through photos and see what I am working towards.  The heavy section features me at the heaviest weight and they are difficult for me to look at.  They remind me of where I came from and where I never want to be again.  The light section features me at my thinnest and is a reminder of what I am striving for.


I also want to start sharing some music related stuff with you because music is a HUGE part of my life.  So, I will tell you my 5 favorite work out songs.  They are all ones that make me really push myself.  The music is a mix of pop, hip hop and rap.  The one in bold below features some foul language, so if you're not into that skip that one.


1. Mark Ronson & The Business International- Bang Bang Bang
2. Calabria 2006- Enur featuring Natasha
3. Major Tom-Shiny Toy Guns
4. Play Your Part (Part 2)- Girl Talk
5. Black Eyed Peas- The Time

Weight Update

Woke up this morning stepped on the scale.  Down 3 pounds.  Loving life.  Off to meet the fiance's grandma for lunch and then back to post my SS, recipe reviews and show you what I did with all of those bananas. :)

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.

Beyond frustrated, annoyed and insulted

So, I didn't work yesterday because it was Veteran's Day and now today there is basically no one at work because a lot of people took the day off.  One of my co-workers is leaving in a week and someone brought cake in and everyone was in the break room eating it and I came in to fill my water bottle and one of my co-workers said, "aren't you going to have cake?"  I just said, "no, no cake for me." One of the other girls explained that I was eating healthy and wouldn't eat cake.  Then my co-worker who the cake is for asked me why I was eating healthy and I said, "to lose weight and be more healthy."  She said, "you should just get gastric bypass with the amount of weight that you have to lose!"

 I want to be perfectly clear before I state how I felt about this.  I think that every person has a different weight loss journey.  Some people get the lap band or gastric bypass and it works wonders for them.  Some choose Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc.  Some go the old fashioned way and change their diet and exercise.  The bottom line is that it is a personal CHOICE.  It is not something that anyone but you can decide and what is right for one person is not always what is right for the next person.  I was insulted and frustrated and annoyed with this comment because i think it is rude to imply that someone can't succeed at something on their own.  I was even more mad that this person thinks that they know what is better for me than I do!? Uhh, well I know I said that this journey would not always be easy and it isn't.  It is a lot of hard work and dedication.  It is looking at people like my co-worker who doubt me and fueling the fire and making me push myself even harder. 

Well, today's post was going to be fashion related and it still might be later, but for now I needed to vent my frustrations and move on from this because I refuse to let it ruin my entire day.  It may have ruined 30 minutes of my life and made me shed a few tears, but the only thing it will do from now on is empower me to continue making the changes I have made and know that I am doing the right thing for me.  Also, thanks to my very best friend and great boyfriend for listening to the initial aftermath of this, which was probably not as easy as reading this post.

I've been tagged!

The wonderful Tim at Fat.Boy.Thin has 'tagged' me in his blog.

I am supposed to answer 4 questions that he’s given me. Then I create 4 new questions and tag 4 other bloggers.  I must not have read this part well because I answered the same ones that he answered and the ones that he gave me.  Oh well...

Before we start I have to also say that I have been slacking on my blogging, but NOT on my weight loss journey.  I will be posting pictures, new posts, etc this weekend and am hoping to get back on the blogging track.


The Questions

1. Name the furthest place you’ve ever been from home.

The most amazing, wonderful and beautiful place on Earth.  None other than Italy!  I spent 6 months living in Florence, Italy and it was the best time of my life.  I have been trying to save money to go back there some time in the near future.  I can almost taste the delicious wine and gelato now... :)

2.What is the most physically demanding thing you’ve ever done?

Hike through Cinque Terre in Italy.  You hike up and down the coast of 5 beautiful cities along the Mediterranean sea.  It was quite challenging as every time you climb up the giant, steep hills you are reminded that you have to do it again and again until you get to the final city.  It was breathtakingly beautiful and an extremely good workout.

3. How long have you been blogging and what was your initial reason for starting?

 I have been blogging for almost a month and I started because I wanted to keep a journal of my life and weight loss journey and I am much faster at typing than I am at writing.  I also wanted to meet other people who were trying to lose weigth and change their lives to gather inspiration from them along the way.  I think that the blogging community is an amazing resource and something that has really helped me along this journey.

4. What is the best thing that’s happened to you in 2010?

Deciding to take back control of my life, weight and general health and well-being.  I have never had more energy or drive in life than I have now and I am bound and determined to be successful long-term this time.

5. What is the most embarrassing mp3/song you own but absolutely love?

Too many to choose just one.  I have a lot of music in my collection and there is a substantial amount of music that could be considered embarassing.  I actually have a playlist on i-tunes called cheestastic, which contains songs that would probably fit the embarassing bill.  I am going to select Wilson Phillips, "Hold on." and Black Eyed Peas, "My Humps."

6. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be and be and why?

Honestly, back to Italy.  I am obsessed and in love with everything about this beautiful country.  If I had to pick somewhere that I have never been I would say Thailand.

7. What's the best thing about writing a blog?

Looking back and seeing your progress and the people who let you know that something you have said or done is inspirational to them.

8. What's the funniest joke you know?

I am not really a big fan of pre-fabricated jokes.  I am more of the quick wit and sarcasm on the fly.


Tag... You're It

Stacy at Stacy's Weight Loss Blog
Erica at Erica:Journey of  Fat Girl
Rachel at Watch Me Loose It
Christina at I am Sick of Being as Big as a House

The new Questions1.  What is your favorite thing about the holiday season?

2. What is your top 5 favorite artists of all time?

3.  Who are the inspirations in your life?

4. What is one thing you wish you would have known when you were younger?

Things I have learned this weekend

1. When going out to lunch with friends one must ask the server about 10 questions about how a dish is prepared before ordering.  Case in point I ordered a bruschetta chicken salad this weekend and the ingredients were: romaine lettuce, spinach, rotisserie chicken, diced tomatoes with a light balsamic glaze and bread.  I asked for the dressing on the side, no bread and wanted to make sure the tomatoes were not drizzled with butter or salt.  The dish came out and it was COVERED in parmesan cheese.  The bread was there, but I gave it to my friends immediately.  It took me about 10 minutes to get the majority of the parmesan cheese off of the dish before I could start eating it. It was very good, but I have learned my lesson that I need to ask more questions about the food that I am ordering.

2. I need to have a better plan in tact for weekends when I have a jam packed schedule.  I am trying to eat every 3 hours or so to keep my metabolism going.  This is generally breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner and occasionally a snack after dinner if I have worked out.  Well this weekend I had a lot going on and I didn't enough snacks with me, so I found myself very hungry and slightly crabby.  I didn't make poor choices, but I need to work on being more prepared and having my snacks on hand at all times.

3. Having support is extremely helpful to lose weight.  I feel like I am standing on the rooftops telling everyone what I am doing and what my plan is so that the people around me understand how important this is to me and so that they can hold me accountable.  Ultimately, I am accountable to myself as this is my journey, but it is nice to let people know so that I don't find myself thinking it is okay to have a cheat day every weekend.

4. I need to re-train myself to cook.  I grew up eating comfort foods. We ate a diet of meat, potatoes and a vegetable, which wasn't totally un-healthy, but it could have been a lot more healthy.  I love to cook and I need to get some new recipes in my collection so that I feel like I have options and am not just eating the same thing over and over again.

5. I need to keep my purse closed at all times.  I lost my digital camera for about a half a day, but it has been found and I am beyond thankful.  I guess Ron was right when he told me about 50 times that I need to start closing my purse, so I don't lose things.

6. I attended an EXCELLENT weight loss seminar and I learned for every 6 grams of carbohydrates you consume it is the equal of 1 tsp of sugar as far as your body is concerned.  YIKES!  So at the beginning of this journey I bought some frozen meals that we all know about and think isn't too bad for us, and while it isn't worse than getting fast food it is still not the best option.  Two of the three that I chose had 71 grams of carbohydrates in them.  That is a lot of sugar!  I will be donating those to someone at work.  I also learned that eating whole foods is better than boxed, processed crap (okay, I already knew that, but I learned just how bad it is for us and I am trying to do everything I can to buy all natural, organic and whole foods when I can.

7.  I learned that I am not alone in this journey.  Almost everyone who I spoke this weekend about my weight loss journey told me something that they have been working on as well or things that are difficult for them.  This is everyone from my very thin friends to people who also attended the seminar.  It is nice to know that other people are struggling with their weight and body images as well and that I am not alone.

8.  I learned the importance of being more positive and less negative towards myself.  I consider myself a pretty positive person and I think that I come off that way to my family and friends.  I am not so kind to myself and need to work on my relationship with myself a little more during this journey.  As one of the speakers this weekend said, I am so sick of people saying, "I hate my body.  I hate everything about it.  Why is it that you HATE your body?  Does it not function for you?  Does it not let you live another day?  Does it not let you enjoy your senses and breath in and out?  Don't hate your body.  Just have certain things that you want to work on."  So, I am going to try and be my biggest cheerleader.  I am the only one who can control my weight loss journey and it won't help to beat myself up the entire way.

Permanent Weight Loss

WARNING: This is a long post, I apologize.  I promise they won't all be this long. :)

This afternoon I was browsing some sites online looking for some inspiration for meals,
workouts and just healthy living tips in general and I found an article that I really like on
  Eating Well website which is about tips for permanent weight loss.  This whole thing
that I am working on is not a diet.  A diet is often times  most of the time a temporary
thing.  This is a lifestyle change and is something that I want to be permanent.  A way of
 life, something that I do daily without even thinking about it because it is as habitual as
 brushing my teeth and taking a shower.  I know that this website often uses the word
diet, which is probably because for some people it is just that, but for me it is something
much different.

I read this article several times today to soak it all in and that is when I decided I wanted
 to blog about it and to discuss out loud where I think I fall for each of these steps.  My
 comments follow each step in the purple font.  Make sure you check out the full article
 on the website that is linked above.

Step 1. Make Sure You’re Ready for Change

Of course you want to lose weight—that’s why you are reading this—but in order to make a
 life plan you can stick with, you must be ready—truly ready—to make the commitment.
Losing weight will take some time and effort, and it will require you to make some sacrifices.
(If it were easy, everyone would be thin!) The first step is to make sure you’re ready to get
started. Read more.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read this was, "is anyone ever ready
 for this?"  I know that seems awfully pessimistic, but it is not supposed to sound that 
way.  What I mean is making changes in your life is hard, having willpower is hard, 
working out is hard, BUT being fat is really hard, so what it comes down to is 
choosing your "hard".  I have chosen the "hard" that is committing to change my 
eating habits and lifestyle (not being a lazy blob) to benefit my health. 

Step 2. Set Goals

The next step on your weight-loss journey is to decide what kind of weight loss makes
sense for you. Weigh in, assess your eating habits and make a game plan. That will
 include long-term goals and more immediate goals too. Read more.

When I read this step I was very encouraged because this is one of the first things
 that I did.  When I sat down and made a list of my goals I became even more
 committed to this and even more driven to lose this weight that weighs me down.  
I have made some personal goals that I have not shared and I have made some
 goals that are outlined on the pages of this blog so that others can see what I am
 working towards. I do need to make some smaller goals and also some NON FOOD
 rewards that I can look forward to along this journey.  

Step 3. Track Yourself

Self-awareness is self-motivation: by keeping track of your behavior, you motivate
yourself to change because you become more accountable. Track yourself with a food
diary and exercise log—some of the most powerful tools for managing your weight.
Read more.

I am tracking my every step and every morsel that goes into my mouth.  I have
an exercise/weight lifting log as well as the wonderful resources at The Daily Plate
to help me track my calories and keep my sodium, fat and carbohydrate levels 
consistent.   

Step 4. Eat Mindfully

Healthy eating means getting a variety of foods in moderation—not making any food
forbidden, but not going overboard on those rich foods that were once
special-occasion indulgences. Eat mindfully by knowing the foods that make weight
loss easier, and understanding key healthy-eating principles. Read more.

I remember when I started a weight loss journey 4 years ago that I reward 
weight loss with food that I missed.  I am not doing that.  I am allowing myself 
anything that I want in moderation.  If I say NO fries all I will want is fries, fries, 
fries, BUT on that same note it is important to watch my daily intakes and still 
stay on track with my calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrates.  I can't justify 
french fries today, a little bit of chinese tomorrow, mexican food this weekend.  
It is moderation AND frequency that matter. 

Step 5. Commit to Move More

Exercise makes weight loss much easier—but more important, people who move
more are more likely to keep the pounds off. No matter where you’re at now, you
can become “an exercise person.” Read more.

I can honestly say that this is the hardest part for me.  I have all the willpower
in the world to avoid cakes, fried food, etc, but when it comes to working out
I just plain don't LOVE it.  I have come to the realization that I LIKE working out, 
which is actually a huge step for me. As my brother in law Mike said today you 
will eventually love it once you see some more results and get used to working
out often.  I am sure he is right, but for now I LIKE the thought of doing it, but
I must say I LOVE how I feel afterwards. 

Step 6. Get Support

Losing weight is challenging—we can’t expect to do it alone. As you make your way
through losing weight, you’ll need to cultivate a network of friends, family, co-workers,
professionals and like-minded dieters.Read more.

I have told pretty much everyone I know about my plans (except for my Mom, but 
that will come as soon as results start to show up).  I have sent my sisters
subscriptions to my blog, I have told my co-workers, my boyfriend, other family
members, etc.  I want people to know that I am working towards something and
I want them to see how committed I am.  I also have paid for six personal training
and six nutrition classes with a registered dietician.

Step 7. Have a Long-Term Plan

As you reach your weight-loss goals, you’re ready for the final step: creating a long-term
strategy that will help your successes stick for good. Read more.

This one is definitely still a work in progress.  I am attending a conference this
weekend and have plans to tap into all of the resources that I can to make this 
a PERMANENT lifestyle and not something that will find me back at this same
terrible spot in years to come. I'm heading to the gym in building to get some
cardio in and then calling it a night.

The EatingWell Diet. Copyright 2007 by Eating Well, Inc. Published by The
Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091. 

My first Award!

I feel so lucky to have gotten this award from a fellow blogger, Kelly from Life in the Fat Lane.  I love reading her blog because she is so honest about her weight loss journey.  I think it is important for me in my journey to read thoughts from someone who says it like it is and doesn't try to make weight loss seem like it is all sunshine and daises, because as we all know too well, sometimes it is anything but!  Thanks again Kelly!

Weight Update... The good and the bad

Happy Tuesday!

I have been so busy the last few days that I haven't even had time to blog, but i'm back.  So, there were some victories this weekend and some areas that need improvement.  I kept up with my eating habits friday night and saturday morning with no problem, but when we got to Ron's brother's birthday party things went downhill.  Let's just say that even the most organized people struggle at times especially when you are at the mercy of someone else's cooking and don't want to offend them!  So, we got there and Ron's mom had created a spread of everything his little brother wanted to eat for his birthday, which was, GULP.... seven cheese macaroni and cheese, breaded and fried chicken tenders, roasted asparagus over warm spinach and bacon salad with cake.  YIKES!!!!  I didn't know what to do. I should have told her before I came that I was eating healthy, what was I thinking!?  I couldn't be rude now and say no, but I have been working so hard and don't want to cheat today!!  Well, I ate the smallest portions of each thing that I could without being rude and then I told his mom of my new weight loss journey in hopes that I can avoid situations like this in the future!

On to some good news... I am down 13 pounds in two weeks!!  I am so happy, mostly because I have done it the right way, the healthy way and I committed to keeping it off.  My friends came over on Sunday and we baked cookies and I didn't eat a single one and they also ate pizza and chips with dip and I ate salad, veggies, fruit and healthy chili.  I am proud of my willpower and ready to keep up the good fight!

Temptation

Originally Posted 7/15/2010 10:53 AM CDT

It feels like the temptation gets less and less everyday.  On the first two days I found that my mouth was salivating thinking about french fries or sweets.  Last night I had a delicious dinner and for dessert I had some refreshing watermelon slices.  It was satisfying and I didn't even think about other tempting sweets.

My brother-in law has lost over 100 pounds in a little over a year and he looks and feels great.  I think one of the biggest things that I took from his weight loss journey was that the time is going to to pass either way, whether I do something about it or not.  He was right.  A year later he is 100 pounds lighter and I am essentially the same.  This is a HUGE motivation for me right now.  In a year I can have a whole new body and a better outlook on life.

Sometimes I find myself fantasizing about being able to wear certain clothing or shopping in certain stores.  I always find myself saying, "Oh, I can't wait until I can wear that someday."  It was as though I know that I am going to be skinny someday and I am just pro-longing the inevitible.  I imagine myself in my friend's wedding and hopefully as a bride myself someday and when I think about these events I am thin, happy and healthy.  It's like I know how I want my future to be, but I wasn't doing anything about it.  It feels so good to be commiting to a healthy lifestyle and to just feel better.  I want to be the person that I invision myself being and not the unhealthy person that has literally weighed me down for such a long time.

I hope everyone is doing well in their weight loss journey.  I am so thankful for this site and all of the people that I have met so far.  I know that we can all meet our goals one day at a time.  Just think, the time will pass one way or another, so why not let it pass while you lose weight and feel great?!