Don't Worry, Be Happy.

It's been almost month since I last checked in and it's been a wild ride. So here goes...

The good news is I'm not allergic to dairy (yay for butter!) but the bad news is I'm going to need a little more than some Tums to solve my tummy ache.

My lack of energy and awful tummy pains brought me to my doctor. My doctor found a fibroid (a non-cancerous tumor) on my uterus. It's a common condition that tons of women deal with and is usually be resolved with a quick office visit. Unfortunately my case is not so simple. The fibroid is large and in a complicated spot, so I'll have to have open abdominal surgery to remove it and repair the damage it's done. So, after the 26th of August it'll be six solid weeks of rest for this girl.

Am I scared? Yep. Am I tough? Yep. Will I get through this and get right back to losing the 19 pounds that are standing in the way of my first big weight loss goal? Yep. And most importantly, will I feel better after all this is done? Yep.

I have an amazing family and group of friends. I feel loved and blessed and ready to go, and in the mean time I'm going to keep up with the healthy eating and exercise, because I've lost 45 pounds (yay for 45 pounds!) but I have more to go and I'm ready to be healthy on the inside too.

Well enough of that serious stuff...no need to worry, here's what's been keeping me happy:

Kiss Print Skirts and Little Black Tanks Tops

My Husband's "Peter Griffin" Laugh

Hilarious Parties with Hilarious Boys

Toes in the Sand

Chubby-Cheeked Baby Cheerleaders

Smiling Puppies

And Of Course...

*MUAH*

Temptation

"I generally avoid temptation unless I can't resist it." - Mae West

Staying on track is serious business. I've got vices and I'm certainly not going to pretend that I've suddenly acquired an iron-clad willpower. So what does one do to keep one's self in check? Here's what helping me stay focused this week:

Dessert
I've got a major sweet tooth. My tummy always thinks there's room for dessert but that doesn't go so well with the nutrition plan. Enter my newest find: Temptations by Jello - Strawberry Cheesecake. These are delicious and help to avoid a spontaneous Cheesecake Factory visit. Yum!

Shopping
I could shop all day, every day. I particularly enjoy shopping with other people's money so if you have any spare money laying around just waiting to be spent, let me know because I'd be happy to take it off your hands...
Anyways, as fabulous as a good shopping trip can be, it's an expensive habit (and nobody likes a big pile of debt) so I'm in constant search of the elusive "good bargain" but it's got to be good quality and uber cute.  My newest favorite find is Len. It's Len Druskin's outlet store and it's chock-full of cute clothes, jewelry, purses and shoes (I've still gotta shop people). It's the perfect place for a former "Galleria" girl, who's working on a budget...and who the hell isn't on a budget these days?

http://www.shoplen.com/

It's been a crazy week and it's easy to lose focus when you're in the middle of chaos. In an effort to keep the food and exercise in order, my newest source of motivation will be taking up prime real estate on my refrigerator door:

As you see I've got some work to do, so I better start with some beauty rest!

*MUAH*

A Dose of Perspective

Sometimes life is hard and sometimes life is easy-breezy. Sometimes life is neat and sometimes life is oh so messy.

I've been messy lately...and whiny...and lazy. I've been wrapped up in the comings and goings of not-so- important things and seem to have lost my focus and with it, my perspective.

I've been bouncing up and down between the same three pounds for a month because I've lost my focus. I haven't blogged in nearly a month because I've lost my focus. Quality time with my husband and family? I'm absorbed in my own nonsense and there went my focus. Finding the sunshine in a cloudy day? There's that focus again. Little things started to seem big and big things started to seem unbearable. Excuses started to get in the way. Life started to get "messy" and "overwhelming" and then things on my to-do list were getting shelved.

Well this weekend I was given a healthy dose of perspective. I heard very sad news about a very young person who lost their life to cancer. Gone like that. Nothing I have going on is that overwhelming, not even close.

Complaining seems to be an epidemic these days, and here's the truth - we all have a lot to look forward to and a lot to get done. So I'm going to do myself a favor, pull myself up by the my bootstraps and dig my focus out of that pile of negativity. Time to get back to business...starting with a trip on elliptical and a snuggle with my adorable fluffy pup and my favorite blue-eyed boy.


*MUAH*

Dear Sarah...

Dear Sarah,

This is your last week of boot camp. Final weigh-in and fitness assessment are next Tuesday. You've worked for months, losing weight and learning how to live - but it's time for new adventure. So here's a little advice for the next chapter...

*Don't forget to eat your fruits and veggies. They make you happy...and less chubby.
*Set new goals and work with everything you've got to make them happen.
*Don't be too hard on yourself. You've got work to do, but you've also got a lot to be proud of. Nobody's perfect kid, nobody.

*Don't forget where you were...

*Or how far you've come...

*Or where you want to be...

 

 

*Be bold. Because you've already posted a picture of yourself on the Internet in swimsuit, so there's not much left to hide.

*Don't forget to blog. Share your stories - your successes and failures, because you'll have some of both and writing about them helps figure it all out.

*Do want you can. Everyone else and everything else will sort itself out.


You've come a long way babe. I'm excited to see what you do next... XOXO, Sarah

Must Love Sweat

Never say never. That's what I've learned. I never thought I'd like exercise and I never thought I'd like to sweat. Well, I was wrong. Never say never...

I've been working my butt off for nearly six months. Every pound and inch I've lost I've had to fight for. I've cried, laughed, screamed, smiled, failed and succeeded my way through nearly forty pounds.  It's never been easy, but it's always been worth it.

I've only got a few more weeks left of boot camp so I've been busy trying new foods like greek yogurt (which I love and can't go a day without) and new workout routines like Zumba - watch out Shakira - and Cardio Kickboxing - watch out world, I'm a uncoordinated kicking machine. If you haven't tried any or all  of the above listed items you've got to.  Seriously, I'll even try them with you.

I'm learning to love new adventures and with the new adventures I've got a few milestones to report:

*I can bear the thought of wearing shorts in public.

*I can eat a blueberry muffin without gaining five pounds or  thinking about gaining five pounds. 

*I can now wear a size 18 jean. Which is four sizes smaller than I was sporting six months ago. Love!

*I can now feel a bicep. I can't really see it yet, but I can feel it, so I know it's there...and that's a good start.


Lots of things to be proud of. Lots of things to work hard for.  Lots of things to look forward to. 

*MUAH*

Yum! And Other Good Things.

Yum!

Boca Original Chick'n
When I'm hankering for fast food (particularly the forbidden McDonald's chicken nugget) I turn to these puppies. They're half the fat of a regular chicken patty and when you crisp them up in the oven, they're pretty tasty. Its not a deep fried piece of chicken, but it'll do.

Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt
These suckers have no fat and are only 70 calories per bar. Go out and buy some to share with your friends...or keep them all to your self. I'm not judging. They're pretty darn good.

Other Good Things

1. Having your pants taken in, buying a smaller dress size and a new development this week! Having your wedding ring taken down a size or two. Yay for skinny fingers!

2. Feeling muscles in my arms, for the first time EVER. Calm down...there's no gun show, but there is definitely some muscle happening in there somewhere.

3. Trying new things. This week: gluten-free brownies and Zumba class. Wish me luck!

4. Compliments when you least expect them. I got a few today and either I was wearing one hell of a dress, or all my hard work is paying off.  Come to think of it, maybe it's both.


*MUAH*

Sassy Dress Season

Warm weather is finally upon us. The windows are open, the sun is shining, and the sandals are out. Pool time, bonfires and cocktails on the patio are here! I love this time of year. There's so much fun on the agenda and so many reason to buy something new to wear. That's right, thus begins sassy dress season!

At the top of the warm weather festivities for us this year, is a Maxey Family Wedding. If you know me, and you know my in-laws, then you know these people take their party planning seriously. They throw a damn good shindig; which means there's one thing left for me to do; find something to wear!

So online shopping  I went, and here's what I found:



Love, love, love!

I've got the dress on order and a little over six weeks to tone up and slim down to do this little number justice. I'm declaring this: "Sassy Red Dress Challenge 2011". After weeks of feeling blah, this is just the motivation I need to reboot my body. It's hardcore workouts and healthy eating full speed. No more slacking, it's "Sassy Red Dress Challenge 2011" or bust!

*MUAH*