Weigh in Wednesdays: Before and After

    Reaching my life goal weight one pound at a time...

I wanted to post photos from my birthday last year and then this year- when I originally saw these photos of myself I immediately wanted to delete them but I had already started losing weight (in fact at this time last year I had actually lost 40 pounds- mostly pregnancy stuff) so I'm glad I kept them so I can the difference and how far I've come in the past year. In June 2011 I weighed around 220 and Now I'm about 170. I still have a long way to go to reach my life goal weight but I feel good, I think I'm losing weight in a way that's easy and comfortable and I'm happy. Today I wore a pair of jeans that I remember the last time wearing in 2007! I'm also glad I hung onto my old clothes!! I knew I'd do it eventually! I do an annual zoo trip with friends each year in June so here are my pics from last year and this year.

I can't believe I'm putting these on the internet. 

Also I CANNOT figure out how to get the pictures directly side by side-if anyone could help me with that I'd appreciate it!

ALSO- just fyi if you click on a photo with your mouse then it will enlarge and you can use the arrows on your keypad to view the rest.

LAST JUNE 2011-ZOO-220 LBS 

THIS JUNE 2012-ZOO-170 LBS

LAST JUNE 2011-ZOO (ugh, gross)

THIS JUNE 2012-ZOO

LAST JUNE 2011-ZOO 

THIS JUNE-2012-ZOO

LAST JUNE-2011-MY 28TH BIRTHDAY 

THIS JUNE 2012-

LAST JUNE 2011-MY 28TH BIRTHDAY

THIS JUNE 2012-29TH BIRTHDAY

LAST JUNE 2011-28TH BIRTHDAY

THIS JUNE 2012-29TH BIRTHDAY

Weigh in Wednesdays

Reaching my life goal weight one pound at a time.

Ok! I'm back to losing weight. I had to take a little time off to put forth the effort with all the other major things going on but now, I'm basically unpacked in the new house and the majority of the other issues have worked themselves out.

However, I'm glad that I did take some time off from 'diet and exercise' ( I don't really 'diet' and I always 'exercise' so really it was time off from the 'effort of losing weight') But I think many people find themselves in a situation like this where the act of 'making the effort' ceases and many view it as being permanent when it really can very easily just be a temporary hiatus. So I took about 2 months off from watching what I eat and being vigilant about exercising and I have not been juicing at all. Which is kind of like taking a vacation from work. For those of us whose weight is a never ending battle, I think from time to time it's important to just take some time to not think about and it will give you that jump start to get back into it! And ( I don't know if this is true but I think there is a lot of truth to all the things my Grandma used to say-she insisted that you would only lose weight for three months at a time-then your body would just stop so you would have to take some time off to rebut.) I believe it-kind of, I have noticed trends like that in the past.

I just weighed myself -my last post in April I was 174 and my weight today 2 months later-173!

I am ardently determined to get to 171 by next week as that will take me to my '90 lbs lost' mark. I think I can do it no problem! People who are overweight know how to lose weight better than anyone else- because we have lots of experience so I am taking a mixture of several eating and exercise habits I have tried in the past and one new one and combining them, it's a 7 step plan detailed below....

1. JUICE-- As you know- I'm an advocate of juicing. It is the best changs I've made in my life towards better health. For those of you who are unfamiliar with juicing, it is simply making your own juice with fresh fruits and veggies. Each day I take in 5-15 servings of fruits and veggies. I've written a lot about it and I think it aids in weight loss, can serve as a treatment to nearly any condition and obviously will promote better overall health.


2. NO CARBS AFTER 5H-- I think most of us do our bulk of eating carbs in the evening, I cannot affirm strongly enough how effective this is. There have been many times I have simply cut out carbohydrates after 5:00 and shed pounds so easily and quickly.

3. WALK 5 MILES/DAY-- I began walking 5 miles/day last spring and the weight started to melt off in the sun. I love vigorous exercise but I needed something I could do with my daughter in tow. Walking is easy, she gets fresh air and usually takes a nap in the stroller. 5 miles may seem like a lot and it is in the beginning but it takes less than an hour and a half and it's easy. I think people forget how simple it is to 'walk' and it is so good for you! I also like my long walks because it gives me time to think. All you need is a pair of shoes, water, sunscreen and mase.

4. DRINK TWO GLASSES OF WATER BEFORE EATING-- Again-this is very easy to do and free especially if I'm going to eat something that I prefer to indulge in i.e. pizza or sweets-I'm less likely to over indulge if I drink a bunch of water beforehand.

5. EAT SOMETHING EVERY HOUR FROM 9-5-- I personally have no interest in sitting down and eating a meal, I am a snacker- so it finally dawned on me- just snack! Make that my 'diet', snacking-just plan to snack instead of eating the three quintessential meals each day AND snacking. I also have added sweets into my meal plan because the reality is that I want to eat chocolate every single day...so I'm going to, and you know what I've lost 88 pounds eating whatever I want! The idea behind eating something small every hour is that it's like regulated snacking so it doesn't get out of control. And if the snack of choice is something like chips then I just have one serving.

6. SUCK ON HARD CANDIES WHEN AS NEEDED-- As a 'snacker' I think food or eating rather, is more of a habit than anything else. Like when I used to smoke I'd ALWAYS light a cigarette every time I got on the phone now when I'm on the phone I just pace all over the house. You know how 'doodlers' say they have to keep they're hands busy all the time-well some people have to keep they're mouths busy- not a second of the day goes by where I am not either talking, drinking something, chewing on ice, grinding my teeth, applying chapstick or sucking on hard candies. I know personally they're are many times I've eaten something when I wasn't even hungry. Occasionally I will stop myself and say 'why am I even eating this?' and throw it in the garbage. By sucking on hard candies it satisfies the mouth in lieu of eating a high calorie food something.

7. SIT UPS-- Well I wish I had the time to do two hours of aerobics every day in order to tone up but I don't.... so at this time in my life it seems my mommy tummy is the fattest part of my body and will not go away! So I'm going to being focusing on that for now by just doing sit ups throughout the day when I think about it, when my daughter's watching cartoons or when I'm playing on the floor. Nothing I'm going to stress about it, just do whatever I can.

I'd love hear some of your weight loss secrets that you swear by and maybe I'll even add it to my 'routine'!

My 29th Birthday

Today was my 29th Birthday-this has nothing to do with my life list necessarily but I especially like to post about holidays and celebrations because I think it's important to really give these days your all, look your best, indulge in all your favorite things, and be with those you love the most. Earlier this week I had an idea to try to do a life list item each day. I did try but I was so busy I couldn't really focus on it but I did do a zillion things to my house, which is all part of 'MAKING MY HOME MY SANCTUARY' so I was working on it.

How I spent my day...

Yesterday my husband and I did go out for drinks which I totally needed...but don't want again for a long time.

I woke up and realized that my daughter had not even one diaper to wear, and I had taken the car seat out yesterday. I was not looking forward to trying to figure out how to get it back in, get myself dressed, get her dressed and rush out the door. Luckily my dad called and was in the area and offered to pick up a pack of diapers so it was nice to have a visit from him and my step mom this morning.

Then I took my daughter for a walk in my favorite little town, it ended up being about and hour and a half walk, and it was nearly 90 degrees. Then, my husband took our daughter out to run errands while I picked up the house and got ready for our company. While waiting I met some of our neighbors.

My mom, brother and step dad were coming over as well as this Brazilian family of four I met few weeks ago. I met them at the playground at our former apartment complex - they hardly speak English, in fact the kids do not speak any English at all, and I am in love with this family!! And my daughter is enamored with the two children and they also just adore her. We were spending A LOT of time together before we moved and now I feel bad that she doesn't have her buddies to play with so I invited them over tonight. And it was just darling to watch her glow with her friends around, and show them all her new toys and areas of the house, it was really sweet. The poor little girl though, got a splinter on her hand while she was here and then I smashed her finger in the door. 

My family really enjoyed meeting the Brazilians and I'm sure they enjoyed meeting my family as we are practically the only people they know in this country! It was a good day- just a really good day.... but I have to say that of all my Birthdays I kind felt like this one was the most low key and the least fussed over, which is ok, I didn't feel entitled to anything really big anyhow as I've had so many great strokes of luck lately- I had said I didn't want a party on my 30th- I changed my mind- I want a HUMONGOUS party! 

Gifts....

My husband got me a gift certificate for a massage which I have been dying for!!!  

My brother got me two large, beautiful house plants.

My Aunt gave me custom made stamps- I'll take a picture -they are so cool!

My mom gave cashola- I have been saving for a certain life list item that I will pick up on Sunday !!!!
My sister left me a message with a whole slew of people singing Happy Birthday to me-it was so sweet!
My house.
AND THE BEST GIFT EVER....A few days ago my baby started calling me 'MOMMY' instead of just 'Mama'  ---I've been impatiently anticipating this since the moment she was born! And it's WONDERFUL!!!

Today

I am so excited today to finally have my molds done for my braces! I have had this appointment and canceled it nearly nine times with the same orthodontist but it's today, I'm going and I have the money for it. I could have braces on by this time next month and actually have straight teeth my 30th Birthday!
Many people have told me they don't think I need braces...well, I think they're just being polite. Also, I don't show anyone unflattering pictures- and I have plenty! Once my braces are on I'll show them, usually I know the right way to pose myself so they don't look so terrible but occasionally I forget.

The recital was ALMOST perfect! I wanted to fly under the radar...that did not happen, by the end of our dance EVERYONE knew exactly who we were! I can't wait to share the story and pictures this weekend! Fellow life listers- do you ever do something and then add it your list afterwards because it was such a big accomplishment you feel like it must go on the list? Well that's how I feel about this. I did have 'take Polynesian dance classes' on my list but not perform it on stage! Now that I've done it I have to put it on the list, in many ways it was a big deal and I'm really proud of me and my daughter.

My Birthday week, I just decided this morning that every day this week I will do one LIFE LIST item for my birthday - or at least begin a LIFE LIST item. So today is get the impressions for my braces! I got think come up with something fun for tomorrow!

Hula Recital Today

Today my daughter and I are performing in our first Polynesian Dance Recital. I'm totally nervous, oddly enough it's not so much about my dance as I am terrified that my one year old will run right off the stage due to her lack of dept perception, start screaming and kicking me on stage or that she will push the other dancers ( I don't where she got this from but she only does it at hula class-she loves to push hula dancers!). I was worried about messing up but then I thought-if I screw up...so what? I've only been doing this for eight weeks after all! My great wish would be that I dance perfectly, remember to smile, that I have enough people keeping their eye on my 1 year old to where I can just dance for two minutes, and presumably my baby  looks so unbelievably adorable in her outfit that no one notices me anyhow, and that she is her fun, smiley self and dances around on the stage. Dear Lord, please let this happen today.
         I have thought about backing out of this so many times, including just last night but in the end this is something I will have to share with my daughter forever and that's priceless. And if terrible things happen...well, that's the beginning of a great story to tell.
            I have also decided to remove an item from my list BUY HULA DVD'S AND WATCH THEM EVERYDAY FOR 100 DAYS. This is unnecessary as we are going to continue with our hula classes, the second class begins in two weeks.
            I will have my full review, pictures and maybe even a video for you next Saturday of our Hula Recital....please send my baby good, positive energy and thoughts today!!

This week, I will also return with WEIGH IN WEDNESDAYS and it's my Birthday week and I just decided the perfect way to spend my favorite narcissistic day of the year. I've missed writing and I have so much to share with you and now that I'm moved into our new house and unpacked I will have some more time to do so.

LIFE LIST: SNEAK INTO A STRANGER'S WEDDING

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.” 

                                                –Dr Seuss 

When: Winter 1999


Where: Novi, Michigan at a banquet center


Why I wanted to do this:  I was 16 years old and I was with my friends Shannon and Dwayne. We were going to a teenage night club. It was terrible, there was hardly anyone there, so after a half hour we decided to leave. Across the street there was a wedding reception going on at a banquet center. We knew our next move.


Cost: free!


How I paid for it: n/a


What would I do differently? I guess nothing. We didn't do it to be rude, we just did it to say we 'crashed a wedding'. We will always have that memory and the couple will too!


Will I do it again? Hhhmmmmm....at the initial thought of this I didn't think I would have the guts to do it again however now that I have had a wedding, been to many and worked in the wedding industry- I think I could pull it off without a hitch. With that being said, I'm glad we did it but I doubt I will ever do this again...maybe I am a real adult after all.


Make a good gift/surprise? No! Like I would not put a friend in the car and say 'I've got a surprise for you!'


Something I would recommend? Well, I always encourage people to go after their desires whatever they may be....although this one is a precarious situation. If you have always wanted to crash a wedding and you are a person who wants to do it just for the novelty of it and a fun story- here are my recommendations; be well dressed, polite, take a gift, do not eat, only get one drink, absolutely do not get drunk or go in drunk, don't make a scene, and mingle! DO NOT do this if you are looking for a free meal and free drinks-that's just assinine.


Was it life changing? Yea, I think every time you do something that's really uncomfortable it makes you a little more brave...or daring rather.

The story:
We pulled into the parking lot of the reception and sat in the car for a while observing and devising a plan. The plan was that we would walk in and pretend we were using the pay phone and then from there just waltz onto the dance floor. Fortunately at this point in our lives we had all had extensive military training and therefore we were certain that this was the most stealthy way to infiltrate a group of people undetected.We dilly dallied for quiet a while in the car and then finally said 'let's just do this' and we walked in. We pretended to use the payphone as previously agreed. Given that pay phones are practically nonexistent these days I'm sure the practice of wedding crashing has died with them, clearly a faux payphone call was the absolute best method of entering a venue to which you were not invited.   Shannon got in line for the bar to get us some pop and Dwayne and I hopped on the dance floor and danced right next to the Bride and Groom! I told the bride she looked pretty. We even danced to three songs! Then I struck up a conversation with a guest, Doug whom I later used as our alibi. After about 30 minutes a groomsman politely asked us to leave and we did quietly. We weren't menaces, we didn't cost them any money, or cause a scene or anything. It was harmless and how many people can say they've crashed a wedding? Seriously though...have any of you ever crashed a wedding? I'd love for you to post your stories below if so!

Big, big life changes

"Gotta keep busy or the voices or the voices start telling me to do wild things"

I'm still alive!!! I haven't had a moment to catch my breath in the past month or two- there have been some SIGNIFICANT changes in my life, some mind blowing, some overwhelming, some disheartening- and what better way to share some of them with you than with a list! One thing is for sure- my life has changed...actually I feel like I've lived an entire lifetime in the past 8 months so many thing have happened. Here are some of changes in just the past few weeks....

1. One reason I didn't have the time to write was that Joel was in Missouri for a month and it is exhausting being the only parent- at the end of the day I had enough energy to pick up and zone out for a few mins and then it was off to bed- I notice when I am the only one here I sleep A LOT more than I usually do.

2. We bought a house!!! We found this house in January and we just found out just about 2 weeks ago that our offer was approved-It's been INCREDIBLY stressful!!! The house is great, it doesn't need hardly anything but I am very particular and want to do a million things to it. But the best thing about this house is where it is...I have always dreamed of buying a house in this town and now I have one-right in the downtown area-it's perfect!! We've already closed and are mostly moved in. I have a lot to say about the subject and think it deserves it's own post-

3.The day before our offer was approved I received the most exciting email imaginable. I know I've mentioned that I had a book idea and was in the process of taking the necessary steps to land a literary agent, and just a few weeks ago a lit agent asked me for my book proposal! All I will say is that it is a travel book, I'm not telling anyone what it is about because it hasn't been done before. It doesn't necessarily mean anything will come of it, but it gives me a little hope that it's a good idea and it was just an amazing feeling. So...

4. I had to finish my book proposal and send it in. It was a ton of work and I spent a long time working on it and I am pleased and proud to say that I have not only completed it but it has officially been submitted.

5. I mentioned that my daughter and I began a Polynesian Dance class which we've been attending once a week for the past 2 months AND we are performing in a recital June 9th!!!!! What do I get myself into?!

6. We are in the process of packing and moving which is labor intensive and if you have a toddler it is a living nightmare. I feel like it's turning me into a crazy person.

7. I've mentioned that I had some problems with my family, well some relationships have gotten better and some have become much much worse. It has been so hard on me. I just want to lay my head down at night and not have these negative issues with the people I love the most weighing on my mind that make me sad.

8. But even more good news....I'm starting my own business, I have wanted to for a long time now, and I guess I don't really know why I had not. Yet I have received the kick in the pants that I needed. This is only thanks to my life changing friend Toni who ardently recommended my 'talents' to a friend of hers who is getting married in September and I am doing the flowers. Floral designing is something that I had fallen into years ago by dumb luck but I LOVE it, I have the greatest time, it's fun, and creative and there is no better work environment than one surround by flowers. I'm really excited. I'm going to start slow, I have so much going on right now which is fine. I have had some beautiful work experiences as a floral designer and the reward is tremendously fulfilling to make such beautiful things for peoples most special days.

9. I almost forgot- I am so so so excited about this....finally after 15 years of VERY serious consideration....I am finally going to fix my grossly disfigured teeth!! I hate them. This is something that bothers me every day, every time I look at a picture of myself, and makes me so unhappy with myself. I have seen several dentists about this since I was a teen but have always been too concerned with either the cost, discomfort or the idea of being an adult with braces- but every year that goes by I wish I would have done it because it would be over already! 5 years ago I met with an orthodontist and have made and canceled close to 20 appointments but now I finally feel ready. Totally ready to just do it, get it over with and be comfortable with myself. I ought to have them on by the middle of July....if all goes well :)

10. I've come up with the best idea!!!! Maybe I'll save something for later....

This year thus far has been such a rough road but I feel... well, this is how I really feel- like a mountain lion shredded my knitted sweater vest and the tears are delicately and swiftly being sown back together turning it into a silk Versace blouse.