Retro Saturday

This weekend I went retro. I visited a few old favorites and found some new inspiration.

Saturday morning I woke up with Bruce...and by Bruce, I mean "The Boss". I've been working out to a lot of new music lately, but this time I decided to throw on some Springsteen. There's "Pink Cadillac" and "Born to Run" and don't even get me started on his jeans. If that isn't inspiration to do more cardio, I don't know what is. What can I say? I loved it. I love him. It's nice to have new music, but you definitely can't forget your first love.

Saturday afternoon, I stumbled across an all-time favorite movie: "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". If you haven't seen this movie you need to.  The tension and chemistry between the two leading characters is phenomenal. Paul Newman is dreamy (tortured, but dreamy) and Elizabeth Taylor is amazing. As fantastic as they both are, I've always felt the real star of that movie is Elizabeth Taylor's white dress. It's hard to take your eyes off of.

Someday in the near future, after a few more rounds on the elliptical, I'm going to buy a dress just like this and if I look 1/16th as hot as her in this dress, I'll be set. I have no idea where, or to what event I'll where it, but I'm sure I'll find a party. I always do...

And finally, in a effort to embrace my inner child, I spent a few hours of my Saturday night tubing at Buck Hill with my co-workers. I haven't been tubing since I was little, so I was an accident waiting to happen. I was terrified of flying out of the tube and crash landing, but I hooked up to the tow-rope and hit the hill. My first time down was a catastrophe, I didn't know you're supposed to out your feet down at the end...so, I flew backwards into Jason. Let's just say I'm the proud owner of a size 13 boot print on my thigh. Typically, this is where I would have said "no thank you" to any more attempts but I decided to give it another go. My second attempt was a success! I may be a little banged-up, but I had some good laughs and would absolutely go again.

I had fun re-visiting old favorites. It made me realize there's so many things I want to try for the first or the second time. Here's to going retro, and re-discovering "new things".

*MUAH*

Under The Weather...

I'm snuggled on the couch with a blanket and a cup of tea, trying to get rid of the less-than-sexy cough and scratchy throat; think part Kathleen Turner, part dog bark - it's hot.

Today's workout was tough. My focus wasn't all there and my energy was low. The idea of skipping the workout was super tempting but I've got lots to do, so off I went. On the way home, I was wiped out and wondering what the heck possessed me to workout when I was feeling under the weather. Then I heard a new favorite song that reminds me of nothing but fun, and a certain potential birthday party dress that requires a more few more crunches to get into. I guess there's no days off for this girl:




I hope everyone starts working on their moves, because March is just around the corner. Here's to working hard and playing even harder (just as soon as I quit blowing my nose).

*MUAH*

Feeling Like Me Again

It's the beginning of week seven and I feel more in control of my entire person then I ever have. I'm really starting to see how this whole experience is more than just a twelve week boot camp.

Today's workout was really tough and at some points, I felt like my body was back in week one. The feeling made me think back to seven weeks ago - to sixteen pounds ago - to the "before" girl. That girl was still sassy and fabulous, but somewhere along the way, she lost part of who she was because she wasn't taking control. She lost some of her "oomph!"

I decided to go back and read my "Being a Before" post from week one. At that time, I shared with everyone what I felt were some "not so pretty" details about being overweight:

 1. It's hard to prance around in heels when you've got extra cushion for the pushin'. My little legs and feet get tired.

2. Stretch marks and cellulite are for people who've had kids, right??? Wrong. I'd love to be in a wedding or attend a special event without wearing shapewear. There's nothing sexy or comfortable about feeling like a sausage. If you've worn shapewear, you know what I mean.

3. Knowing you're the same weight (if not more) then most of your male friends doesn't exactly make you feel "petite".

4. My clothes cost more. Bigger clothes, bigger price, smaller wallet, less shopping. Boo!

5. I'm too heavy to be carried. I weigh far more then what people bench press at the gym, so I'm not trying to cause anyone injury. I know that sounds weird, but it bugs me.

Want to hear about the progress? Well, Saturday night I was out for a fantastic sweetheart's surprise graduation party (congrats again Miss Manda!) and I decided to spiffy up for the occasion. What I can tell you is: the heels replaced the flats, sexy lace tights replaced the not-so-sexy shapewear, and the dress was new and smaller. I may not be "petite" quite yet and I'm still too heavy to be carried, but I'll get there. Just look how far I've come in seven weeks?

I'm starting to feel like me again, and I think some of that "oomph" may be back.

*MUAH*

Dance Party!

Last week I was feeling under the weather and my cardio suffered. I should of sucked it up, but who wants to hit the elliptical with Kleenex shoved up their nose?!? This week I'm back in business and need to hit the cardio hard (this is where my trainer starts smiling because he realizes I was paying attention tonight). I need to kick it up a notch.

This Christmas, I got an itunes gift card from a certain thoughtful hunny and I realized I have yet to put it to use. New music sounds like the perfect way to get my butt moving (quite literally).  So, I've started a workout music "wish list". First on the list? Who's That Chick? by David Guetta featuring Rihanna. Listen to this song and tell me you don't want to dance around like a nut. What's on your ipod? Anything new you just have to share? I'm taking any and all suggestions. I'll shake my money maker to just about anything; except death metal - no thanks!







On a side note...I won a award this week - the "Stylish Blogger Award" (thanks Truly!) A condition of accepting the award is listing 7 personal things about yourself and nominating other new blogs for the award. 

1. I'm obsessed with pink. I love it, I can't get enough of it. I wish I had a pink car...
2. I'm Scottish and Norwegian. I like the Scottish part. The Norwegian part is goofy. 
3. I'm terrified of sharks, scary movies, blood and losing someone I love.
4. I can't get blood drawn sitting up, I pass out.
5. I love my husband's relationship with his friends. It reminds me of "Stand By Me".
6. I absolutely love shooting my bow. I can wait to take more lessons this year. 
7. I've had panic attacks since High School. I've learned how to manage them and I'm proud of myself, because I never knew how brave I was. 


So there's my list of 7 things and I'm on the lookout for new and stylish blogs to give this honor to. Stay tuned!


*MUAH*

Finding New Favorites at Week Six

Well, here we are - six weeks in and feeling good. Tonight was the official "halftime"of our 12-week boot camp. We weighed in (just like every Tuesday night) but this Tuesday was different, because we had measurements taken. All I can say is thank you Jesus! The inches are coming off and so are the pounds. I'm down 14.5 pounds and can feel every ounce. Love, love, love!  Birthday dress, here I come!

These past six weeks have taught me to try new things. I haven't loved everything, but that's okay, because I certainly haven't hated everything either. This weekend I discovered some new favorites I thought I would share:


*Gluten-Free Blueberry Pancakes
My gorgeous friend Ashleigh has gotten herself quite slim and trim in these past few years. She's a talented cook and is diligent about proper nutrition. In her journey to fabulousness, she's found that a gluten-free lifestyle has helped keep her body in tune.
Last week we planned a Sunday outing to our Mecca (see below listed store) with a stop for breakfast first (because every girl needs fuel before she power-shops). Ashleigh's breakfast suggestion was "The Original Pancake House". Now even though this sounds sinful, they offer egg white omelets and gluten-free options, so I thought I'd give it a try.
If you haven't had a blueberry gluten-free pancakes with blueberry compote, go find one...now. The taste was great and I didn't have that overstuffed, guilty feeling when I was done with my breakfast treat. I may not be 100% gluten-free, but I'm certainly going to try more gluten-free options. Two thumbs up from this girl.


*The Container Store - http://www.containerstore.com/welcome.htm
I'm pretty sure when I die, my heaven will have a "Container Store" on one of it's corners. This place has everything you could ever want to organize your existence. If you feel the least bit in disarray, this is your place. Check it out and if you don't want to go alone, I'll go with you - because who doesn't need another shoe tree?!?


Now you know what I love. So go get yourself some blueberry pancakes and organize a closet, or do yourself a favor and get out and try something new.

*MUAH*

A little of this and absolutely none of that!

It's amazing how deceiving packaging on food can be. Portion sizes and labels really mean nothing, unless you know exactly what you're looking for. Just because something says "Low Fat" or "Diet" or doesn't mean it's a healthy choice.

Here's a shocking little detail...last week I went to brunch and had a small caramel roll as an indulgence (about 1/2 the size of my palm). It was homemade and delicious. When my food log came back I saw it had 310 calories, 11 grams of fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat. It was an indulgence, but I felt okay about it. What I did not feel okay with, was the two (that's right two) Andes mints I had after dinner which had 157 calories, 9.7 grams of fat and 8.2 grams of saturated fat. Those two little unimportant mints had twice the saturated fat of my decedent caramel roll. Eeek!

This just goes to show you how important it is to read the labels on everything! Ignore the packaging and "healthy catch-phrases" manufactures put on their products - and above all, just because something looks small, doesn't mean it's not loaded with scary things. It should be against the law for chocolate after-dinner mints to have more fat than a caramel roll. Seriously.

In an effort to avoid any more scary run-ins with unruly, fat-laden mints, I'm reading the book "Eat This, Not That -Supermarket Survival Guide". One of my boot camp buddies was sweet enough to let me borrow her copy for a few days, to do a little research. Boy, did I learn a few things. The book compares everything from popcorn to pastries. What brands to try and what brands to avoid like the plague.

 I've also tried to do most of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's. The labels have ingredients you can actually read, it's cost effective and the food is really yummy. Which brings me to my new love this week: Trader Joe's Roasted Garlic Hummus with Whole Wheat Pita Bread - Delish!

I never thought I'd like hummus, but this stuff is amazing! It's creamy and just garlicky enough to satisfy your craving (minus the extra garlic dragon breath) . If you haven't tried it, you should!

*MUAH*

The banishment of the "later" pants.

I took the weekend off to spend some quality time with my hubby and spend a little time organizing my closet. The quality time with the hubby was great (sushi and movies make for a fantastic date) and the organizing of my closet went pretty well too.

What prompted the whole thing? Well, the quality time with the husband is pretty self explanatory. If you've met my husband, you'd know why I like spending time with him. The organizing my closet part, came about last Friday...

Friday morning, I got dressed in a hurry and ran out the door. It wasn't until I reached work, that I realized I had on very poorly fitting jeans. Now, before anyone gets too excited, this isn't a "Biggest Loser" moment where I can fit a whole extra leg's worth of space in one side of my pants. However, the waist had a little bit more give than I'd prefer, the legs were baggy and the rear end was a disaster. It wasn't pretty.

I made it through the work day, disaster jeans and all, and ran home to change before we went out for the night. As I was going through my closet to pick out something new- I realized I had hung the saggy, baggy disaster pants back in my closet, to save for "later". Later? When was there going to be a later to wear these suckers? The goal of this lifestyle change is to not to look or feel the way I have in the past. I knew what I had to do...

Saturday morning I tore through my closet. I was amazed at how many items I had saved for "later". They were just as pathetic looking as the excuses I had packed up with them - "Maybe I should keep this one in case I gain a few pounds..." or "Maybe I could alter these jeans..." and my personal favorite "I could use this for maternity clothes someday, right?" So faster than you can say "cupcake", I packed up the items for consignment, and gave them the boot.

I've made the decision to officially banish the "later" pants and any other nonsense items from my closet. I don't need a pile of ill-fitting clothes second-guessing my success. It's out with the old and in with the new. Losing weight and gaining closet.

No diets here!

I write down everything I eat and drink. I've been doing this for four weeks as a part of my boot camp program. Every Thursday, we get a dietary analysis from our trainer breaking down calories, carbs, fats and proteins.  It gives us a gage of what to increase and decrease to achieve success.

I'm learning how to fuel my body and it feels amazing. I've spent so much time mistreating my tummy by filing it with the wrong things or not filing it at all. My weight skyrocketed, my energy level was low and my metabolism was DOA. All that is changing, and it's because of the changes I've made to my diet:

*No more fast food. Yes, McDonald's and I are still broken up.

*Switched from white to whole grains. I didn't have to quit eating bread and pasta - I just started eating  healthier versions and better portions. You need carbs to live and fuel your body. This was the best news I think I've ever heard. Tears of joy people, tears of joy.

*I started a love affair with fruit and vegetables.

*Water, water, water, water. Did I mention I drink a lot of water?

*Reading the labels before I eat it. I need more calories and carbs and less fat and protein than I thought. Now I know what to look for on labels. Yay me!

I could buy into a fad diet and eat nothing but broccoli and grapefruits and I would lose tons of weight and do it quickly, but then I would gain it all back the moment I did anything differently - and I didn't sign up for that. I'm not worried about being a certain size on a certain date. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and the weight will come off - the right way. No more damaging diets, as a matter of fact...no diets at all! I want to be a healthy, happy wife, daughter, sister, friend and one day - a happy healthy mother.

I'm going to grab a few cutie clementines (my new favorite after dinner treats!) and cuddle up with my real life cuties on the couch.

*MUAH*

Four Weeks. Ten Pounds. What's Up!

I began my boot camp workout journey four weeks ago. My starting weight was 255.7 pounds. Today, I stepped on the scale and it read 245.0 pounds (on the dot!) - 10.7 pounds gone.

I can feel the muscles under the marshmallow. My clothes are fitting better. My posture has improved. I even wore a cute dress to work today, with no Spanks. Victory!

I know there will be days when my weight may go up. That there may be days when I feel motivation slipping or give in to temptation. I vow to make those days few and get right back on track. Mostly because this feeling of accomplishment is amazing and I wouldn't trade it for 10 red velvet cupcakes!

So what have I learned in these past few weeks? It's not just about the cardio and nutrition log. It's about taking time to take care of yourself - body and soul. It's amazing how bogged down we get with everyday life. How often do you take time for yourself? When was the last time you hit the elliptical or tried a yoga class? How about the last time you savored a meal? As a matter of fact, when was the last time you called your mother or had a heart-to-heart with your best friend? Taking time out in the day to recharge yourself is the key to a happier, healthier body - and I've got four weeks of research to back it up.

So off you go, do something nice for your body. You have my permission. Better yet - that's an order :)

*MUAH*

Fresh Start

I love January 1st. Always full of such promise. This year is going to be different. This is going to be the year where promises and resolutions become everyday habits. I'm taking steps to organize my life (body and soul) and it feels amazing.

Every week this adventure has me looking for things to keep me balanced and busy. Here are my new loves for this week:

"Just Dance 2"
If you have a Wii, go and get this game.  It has a "Just Sweat" mode that gets your body moving and heart rate up. When the elliptical gets a little bland, this game saves the day. Watch out Moose Country, I'm brushing up on my dances moves with the help of Donna Summer and Rihanna.

"Naked Mighty Mango 100% Juice Smoothies"
Last week, my nutrition assessment blew me out of the water. I learned that good carbs are my friends and I need more of them. Enter "Naked Smoothies" - filling, full of natural fruit, high on carbs and low on fat.  Split these bad boys in two and they make for an awesome snack that satisfies a sweet tooth.

"Food Network's How To Boil Water - Life Beyond Takeout"
I am NOT a cook. I don't like to cook, but that doesn't mean I don't need to learn how. Eating healthy and controlling spending requires making meals at home. It's time for me to suck it up and learn how.  
My fantastic best friend Ashleigh let me borrow her "first cookbook" that taught her the basics of cooking. If her current dishes are any indication, I should memorize this book. I've already skimmed through it and can feel a trip to Trader Joe's coming on.

That's what I found this week. Thanks to everyone for sharing their exercise tips and recipes - please keep them coming! The weight is coming off slowly, and every one's support is making the difference.

Enjoy your first day of 2011 - *MUAH*