The New Year is Almost Upon Us

Today I only have to be here until noon. I have already completed the work I needed to for the day. I have to fax over time sheets to accounting but that takes about 2 seconds. I might empty trash cans today..... 

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I had made some New Year's Goals already and really plan on sticking with those and adding in some other little things. Like, I want to visit some of my family. I have cousins that are about 5 hours away that I never see and I would love to visit them. I want to go on budgeted shopping trips in St. Louis. They have a Trader Joe's after all! I want to eat at a restaurant in town that I've never been to. I've lived in this area for over 10 years and there are still local restaurants I have never tried! I want to go downtown Springfield and browse the little shops; even that creepy pawn shop that has a huge selection of porn magazines right out in the open. (You could have once found me browsing through an 80's magazine called Titanic Tits.) My husband was not amused by my lack of modesty. Haha. 

Andrew and I always used to go do a lot of outdoor activities in the summer. I don't know why we stopped, but I would very much like to get back to that again. We used to play disc golf (which I suck at), golf (which I suck at), we'd play catch with a baseball or football (that I'm OK at) and we'd go for walks. Now that he's quit one of his jobs I'm hoping that we can spend a lot more quality time with each other. 

Anyway, there are little things I would like to take the time to enjoy in 2014. 2013 flew right by (as the years seem to do anymore) and I am hoping to live more in the present. 

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Food & Exercise & Therapy:

Yesterday went really well. I stuck to what I had planned on eating and my only splurge item was a couple of crackers with cheese. I got on the scale this morning to have a peek and I was down 3.8 pounds. I guess this is working for me after all. Yay! 

I did not end up doing DDR because once I got home from seeing Linda I felt like I just needed to breathe through what we talked about and really give myself some time to relax/meditate. We discussed the memory that I was anxious about discussing and she worked me through it. I didn't think I would ever be able to look back on that memory and not feel the knot in my stomach or the incredible disappointment and dread but today I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off of me. I'm not even kidding. Some people don't believe in therapy or techniques that help, but I do and since I feel so much better about this horrible issue I know that I'm moving in the right direction. I know Andrew has even noticed a change in my mood and my demeanor. There is one more big, horrible memory I have been keeping inside since I was a child and I am finally going to face that as well. 

I know everyone has skeletons in their closet. I am finally facing mine and it is helping me move in the right direction to become healthy and happy again.

Today's Menu: 

B: Greek Yogurt, 2 HB eggs, banana, coffee with peppermint mocha creamer 

S: String Cheese, 3 Clementines 

L: Boca Burger on an english muffin, multi grain tortilla chips with salsa, santa meltie

S: Green Tea, PB pretzel bites

D: Whole Wheat Pasta with lentil sauce

Activity: DDR

I would like to try to DDR today. I also might indulge in a little bit of sparkling wine since it is New Year's Eve after all. I have to run to CVS to pick up a prescription and they sell the new Barefoot Refresh and it is AMAZING. AMAZING.

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That is all I have for today folks. Have a very safe and Happy New Year! 

If you are going out tonight, please call a cab, be the DD or have a DD. Be responsible and safe. Not only for yourself but others around you. 

ENJOY!

Another Weird Week

This time of year always makes for weird work weeks. Since the Holidays fall straight smack in the middle of the week my days are all sorts of confused. I work today until 3:00 (I have a therapist appointment at 3:30), tomorrow until noon (closing early for the Holiday), and then have Wednesday off. I will work Thursday and Friday and then get another two day weekend. Next week things will be back to normal though and hopefully it won't be so dead here at work. Hard to get motivated to go to work when you know it is going to be a long, slow day.
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Weekend Recap:
It was a nice weekend minus Andrew working on Sunday. Saturday we went grocery shopping and ran a couple other errands and then that evening we had one last Christmas celebration with Andrew's aunt and uncle. They were very generous buying us dinner and then giving us some gifts.

Andrew had just sent Dana some of the items off of my wish list on Amazon and then she threw in that adorable penguin Tervis cup! I am forever thankful for the Sigma brush and The Balm Nude'tude palette. I have a tendency to love the higher priced makeup and skin care items and really appreciate her getting that for me. She also gave me a $15 gift card to Amazon and I think I am going to get a few books for my Kindle.

I am in LOVE with the palette:

It is gorgeous. I used three of the colors this morning and used my new Sigma brush (along with some other Sigma brushes I have) and love the look I achieved. I ♥ make up. Not gonna lie. 

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Food & Fitness:
My weekend was OK when it came to food. I am still using MyFitnessPal to record my calories and exercise. I had sushi on Saturday night and Sunday I splurged on a couple of beers and some popcorn for when we watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with the Rifftrax. Absolutely HILARIOUS by the way. Andrew and I were dying laughing. I need to get more of those.... but I digress....

I used my new Heart Rate Monitor on Sunday when I did DDR and I love it. So much nicer than my old F4 that I had (and bought in like 2008....) I love the look of it, the feel and of course the color.

Since I wasn't used to the HRM yet (hitting wrong buttons, etc.) I had stopped it after burning 59 calories already so my total was 627 calories in 50 minutes. Very proud of that. DDR is intense people. I play most levels on Standard or Heavy so I get a huge calorie burn. I've been playing the game (on and off) for over 11 years and I am thankful that every time I pull it out I don't have to start over from the beginning. My favorite game is DDRMax2. The songs are fabulous (once you unlock them) and the workout mode is great. The calorie burn is almost dead on too. 

Today's Menu:

B: Old fashioned oats cooked in 1 c. plain almond milk, 2 T Almond Butter, banana, coffee with peppermint mocha creamer (507 Calories)

S: 2 String Cheese (100 Calories), 3 Clementines (105 Calories)

L: Huge salad with red bell pepper, carrots, roasted garlic, 2 HB eggs, and 4 T Light Ranch and a Santa Meltie (385 Calories)

S: 11 PB filled Pretzel Nuggets (150 Calories)

D: TBD

Activity: DDR - at least 600 calories burned

I am not sure what I am doing for dinner yet. I still have leftover lentil soup I really need to eat up before it goes bad. I might do that with a baked potato. If I burn 600 calories during exercise I'd have 983 calories to play with for the night. Obviously I won't use them all but I might use some of them to have a treat.

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I am looking forward to seeing Linda tonight. When we left off last Monday I had a bit of an emotional break through from a memory that I have been holding onto for years and years. I've never let myself really face that memory (obviously a bad one) and releasing all of that pent up emotion was liberating. It was something that happened my senior year of High School involving my weight issues and a boy I liked.

I have some more of those memories that we will get to as we continue to go through my timeline and there is one in particular that I don't really want to face.... but I know I have to. It is a memory that is absolutely horrid and I never told a single soul about it; not even Andrew or my best friend... and I tell her everything. This will be my first time ever letting it come to the surface and even though I know it will be in the confidence of that room with my therapist - I fear talking about it..... 

I keep thinking it is Tuesday

When you have five consecutive days off of work you get a little thrown off. Thursday was my first day back after a Christmas break and it has thrown me off something fierce. Next week will be weird too. We are closing at noon on Tuesday and then I'm off Wednesday. Andrew works on New Year's Eve from 3pm-11pm and so he'll already be awake for celebrating 2014. He also put in his two week notice yesterday! WOOHOO! His last day working nights will be on January 9. I am so excited. I know Andrew is too. He doesn't start school until the end of January so he'll get a nice break before his schedule gets a little goofy again. Even then class is only two nights a week though.
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New Year's Resolutions:
Say what?! It is that time of year when every fitness center will be packed full of new members and every weight loss site or "fad diet" will have ultimate users/sales. I don't really like to set resolutions. I basically like to build on previous goals I have been working on already for the past year. I am always working on bettering myself and doing anything that I can to improve on skills or personal goals.
So, here are my goals for 2014 in no specific order:

• Run the Lincoln Presidential Half Marathon (3rd year in a row) on April 5, 2014
• Run a sub 3:00:00 Half Marathon
• Continue living a Pescatarian lifestyle
• Work out as many demons as I can through therapy
• Get to my goal weight. That's right. By December 31, 2014 I want to be at my goal. It can be done and HAS been done.
• Be an even better wife
• Get through Baby Step 2 or close to it by the end of 2014
• Run at least 5 races
• Run a sub 11:00 mile
• Workout at least 3 times a week EVERY week. No excuses. 

I think that is good for now. Obviously a lot of those are health/fitness related but I have a couple of other things in there as well. I will do my best to revist those goals throughout the year and see where I am at. 

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Food & Stuff:

I had a binge last night. Chex Mix. Good news is that it is gone now.... bad news is that I ate it. I didn't allow myself to feel the excrutiating guilt that I normally feel afterwards. I told myself that it happened, I tried to pin point why it happened and then tried to reassure myself that I wasn't a horrible person and that I can and will do better. 

I did exercise! I played DDR until I could barely stand. Haha. I set my calorie burn goal to 600 calories and I reach it pretty fast. I need a new mat and will probably set aside some pocket money to get one soon. My new Heart Rate Monitor will be delivered today and I am very excited about it! 

Today's Menu:

B: 2 slices of wheat toast, a little bit of Parkay Spray, black tea

S: Cherry tomatoes and string cheese

L: Boca Spicy Black Bean Burger on a light english muffin, carrot sticks, WW mini bar

S: Orange, green tea

D: Red Beans and Brown rice with cilantro and lime. 

Activity: DDR with my new HRM 

I took the time to cut up red bell peppers and carrots last night. I absolutely LOVE carrot sticks... but it is my absolute least favorite vegetable to prep. I am going to the grocery store bright and early tomorrow morning and I am very excited to stock up on fresh fruits and veggies. We just got a new Aldi on the west side of town and I'm super excited since it is so close. The other one is a pain in the ass to get to. 

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I don't have any other updates. My cold sore is still pissing me off even though it is a lot smaller today and on its way out the door. It is more sore today than it was yesterday. It is kind of raw today. Yuck. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Merry Christmas & The After!

It has been awhile since I have posted. I was busy spending time with family for the wonderful Christmas holiday! I think that is why I love Christmas so much. I love being around loved ones and spending time away from work to focus on what is important in my life. I am truly blessed and loved so much. We didn't even do a gift exchange at my mom and dad's house this year. We just spent time with each other playing games and laughing. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

We celebrated Christmas with Andrew's family on Sunday evening and I got quite the bounty from Ulta:

HAPPY BECKY! 

I had made a wish list on Amazon for people to get an idea of some things I might like for Christmas. I had no idea that I would get as much as I did! I wanted that Marc Jacobs perfume SO BADLY and I almost cried when I opened it. It isn't cheap and I am so thankful that they were kind enough to get it for me. Then I got some Essie polish and of course, Philosophy soaps and a face cream. I then used some of my Christmas money to get the Purity face wash that I wanted and I also picked up some Urban Decay make up setting spray and Benefit The Pore-fessional primer. 

There is another thing I got for Christmas with my money. I got some Bellami hair extensions. Why you ask? Because I got 6 inches of my hair cut off!!!

SIX INCHES GONE.

I was so tired of my hair taking forever to dry and it being so unhealthy at the ends and honestly, short hair is flattering to my face. However, I miss having long hair. Therefore, I did a lot of research on some good extensions that are easy to use and now I will have the best of both worlds! There are quite a few people on YouTube that I watch that use Bellami's and they look gorgeous. I only got the 19" ones that weren't as thick since I already have ridiculously thick hair! 

Oh, and I got something else for Christmas:

WTF is that all about?!!??! Cold Sores SUCK ASS. This one is huge and it hurts so freaking bad. I could cry. It will probably be one of those that lasts for a couple of weeks too. And yes, I have Abreva and I apply it with Q-tips. Nice picture huh? 

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Food & Stuff:

You all know how this is going to go. Blah blah, I ate too much, blah blah, I felt like garbage, blah blah, it was Christmas, blah blah. 

This is what my family does for Christmas. We just get a bunch of finger foods (not pictured: Meatballs & little weenies), and snack all day. We also drink sparkling wine and beer. So, I've felt kind of crappy the past couple of days but the good thing is I only ate crappy on Tuesday and part of Wednesday. I didn't make the entire month bad..... even though it could have been. When I weigh myself on Saturday it is going to be interesting..... 

I am no longer doing WeightWatchers and it is only because of the money involved. I love WW. I will always love WW and someday hope to go back to it, however, Andrew is quitting his second job to go back to school and that second job really provided us with a lot of "fun" income. We were able to live a pretty spoiled lifestyle having that extra money coming in. Now that he will no longer get that extra $1,000 a month we will have to cut back in certain areas. I told him I could do without my monthly WW subscription and I revamped my MyFitnessPal account. WeightWatchers is basically calorie counting but easier and more fun (in my opinion). It will take me awhile to get used to finding the calories for everything instead of PointsPlus but I have been doing OK. 

I also dusted off this oldie but goodie out of mom and dad's basement and plan on doing this every night with some weights worked in: 

Yeah! Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)!!! 

I have loved DDR since I was about 19 years old and DDRMaxx2 is my favorite as far as songs and Workout mode options. I have about 8 games but this is the one I play the most. Andrew and I plugged it all in last night and since I live on the ground floor I won't piss off any neighbors with my jumping. I lost a LOT of weight when I was a teenager and played this daily. My hope is to kick start my fitness with this fun game and start running/training for my half on January 12. I have the Hal Higdon app and that is when it says I need to start training. DDR is just so fun and it burns so many calories. I got a new Polar HRM to wear while I play to be accurate with my calorie counting and that should be delivered on Saturday. I had a Polar F4 but alas.... it died. I found a new one on Amazon for $50 and got it to replace my dead one. 

I am so looking forward to playing this tonight!

Today's Menu:

B: 2 HB eggs, black tea, 1 c chex mix

S: String Cheese and cherry tomatoes

L: Subway veggie flatbread

S: Orange

D: TBD - we have quite a few leftovers and I just need to piece something together. It will consist of veggies and brown rice probably.... 

Activity: DDR! 

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This post has gone on long enough. I leave you with this: 

So precious!

Just Putting This Out There

I know that I have said before that I am blissfully ignorant and would like to stay that way when it comes to certain political debates and opinions. However, I would like to say something. I have been seeing a lot of posts on Facebook (of course) about the Duck Dynasty issue and his comments about the LGBT community. I don't watch that show, I have no idea what it is about nor do I care. The guy made some really ridiculous comments about the homosexual community; he wasn't the first, he won't be the last. The thing that bothers me the most about all of this is the people that are like "Well, he's a conservative Christian. Of course he thinks that." or "What do you expect from a republican?" SERIOUSLY? You're just a as bad as him by classifying one group of people for doing or thinking something different from you.
I usually vote republican, I have been a member of a Lutheran church most of my life and am now a member of my husband's Methodist church. I DO NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH THE LGBT COMMUNITY. I have a ton of homosexual friends who I love dearly. My doctor is a lesbian and I wouldn't trust anyone else to take care of me the way she does. I know plenty of gay people who are married and in happy relationships; but apparently by some people's opinions since I tend to be more on the conservative side and go to church then I am a terrible human being. FUCK YOU. Again, you are just as bad as every other ignorant idiot stereotyping another group of people for something.


This is all I am blogging today because I am seriously irritated.

To all of my gay friends: I love you dearly and you know that. I have stood by you, been your friend, and supported your decisions in life. Keep on doing what you need to in life to find happiness and love. I will never think any differently about this issue.

Dedicated

I live 6.3 miles from where I work (according to Google Maps). I am lucky enough to be able to drive all back roads to get to my office and deal with three stop lights that are usually in my favor. I walk out of my door at 7:40 and get to work before 8:00. It is wonderful living so close to work. Since I started working here last May I have noticed something about my morning commute. I drive by a really nice bike path and some little neighborhoods and every morning, EVERY morning, there is a man that power walks. From what I have seen, I assume he walks from his house to the bike path, walks some of the path, and then walks home. This man has made this a part of his daily routine and it is a habit. Again, he does it every morning. It does not matter what it is doing outside. Downpour of rain, freezing cold temps, snow, ice, he's like the damn mailman. Judging from his characteristics I would say this man is over 65 years old as well. All I think to myself as I drive by him every day is, "Why can I not develop a habit like that?" Oh wait, I COULD. My mind is notorious for making up wonderful excuses though. Like:

• "He's probably retired and doesn't have to be anywhere in the morning." 
• "He probably doesn't have a puppy."
• "He lives so close by that it is easy for him to get to the bike path." 
• "He probably lives alone and is bored." 

Basically saying that I am somehow busier than him when in reality I am probably not. I COULD get up before work and go for a walk. I COULD lock Walter up in his cage to take care of my exercise needs. I COULD get to a bike path very quickly because I LIVE CLOSE TO ONE ALSO... like, ridiculously close. It is just up the street. Just because I have a husband doesn't mean I can't leave him alone as well to go exercise or invite him to go with me for crying out loud. Andrew never says no to exercise when I ask him. 

It just amazes me how easily my mind finds ways to justify my laziness and inability to focus on developing good habits. One thing I definitely want to work on with my therapist. 

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WeightWatchers & Food:

Yesteday was bad news. I have been having the munchies really, really badly. I couldn't figure out why and then I looked at my pill pack of birth control and realized the monster is just around the corner. I need to pay better attention to that so I can work harder to fight off random food consumption. Things I ate that weren't planned? Gourmet butter popcorn, ketlle corn, cupcake, candy and a heaping pile of noodles for dinner. I mean a heaping pile... it is kind of ridiculous how many noodles I can eat. I need to stop cooking the entire box OR if I do I need to section them out into single servings right away so I don't go overboard. Needless to say I felt like absolute garbage when I went to bed last night. 

I overslept this morning but it did not keep me from making some French Silk Pie Oatmeal for breakfast. 

*This picture belongs to Lauren at The Oatmeal Artist

I did not have time to snap a picture of mine because I was running so behind. I just threw mine in a bowl, threw a lid on it and ran out the door. I ate it here at work and it was delicious. 

Today's Menu:

B: French Silk Pie Oatmeal(8), coffee with peppermint mocha creamer(1)

S: String Cheese (3)

L: We are having a work lunch for the Holidays and food is being catered in. The main dish is sliced turkey so I will not partake in that, however, I will eat whatever veggies and sides I can without going crazy. I also have some cilantro lime cauliflower rice (2) in the fridge if I need something healthier. 

S: Apple (0)

D: Boca burger (3), english muffin (3), red beans and rice (4)

Depending on how many points I use during lunch might sway my dinner choice. I may just do a boca burger with no "bun" and some of my spicy buffalo cauliflower bites. I'm having a hankering for some wine too.... I might have to have a glass of my Pinto Grigio with dinner.... mmmm....

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Christmas is getting closer and closer. I wish I had and endless supply of money so I could buy more gifts for people. I am one of those types of people that really cares less what I get. I just want to give, give, give! Nothing would make me happier than showing up at my family's house on Christmas with my arms loaded down with gifts galore! Unfortunately, Christmas is on a budget as well and I cannot do that. 

One day.... one day when I am debt free and building wealth I will be the best Christmas gift giver EVER. 

One Week Away!

Only one week until Christmas folks! Craziness! We are celebrating on Sunday night with Andrew's family and then my family on Christmas Day. Our office is closing at noon on Tuesday and I plan on heading to Taylorville after I have lunch with Andrew. Unfortunately he works 3pm-11pm on Christmas Eve and we both decided I should go be with family instead of sitting at home by myself all night. Sunday night is going to be interesting because none of my in-laws have food issues/weight problems so it is always a bunch of food that is not WW friendly and I always have to be extra mindful of my decisions. Plus, now that I'm not eating meat it will probably be best for me to eat before I go and just have a few of the sides so Grandma-in-law isn't offended. She does make an excellent Jell-O/Applesauce concoction that I adore....
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WeightWatchers & Food:
Yesterday went kind of according to plan. I ended up having my PB&J yogurt with lunch instead of dinner and then for dinner I had cauliflower lime rice with my tilapia and then spicy buffalo cauliflower bites with some light ranch for an evening snack.
And OMG.

This is my new favorite thing in the world. I am going to buy a head of cauliflower every week so I can make this. I cannot even describe how delicious this recipe is. If you love buffalo wings (like I do) and never really eat them because of the PP values... then make this. The texture is perfect and the taste is wonderful. I used Gina's suggestion of getting Frank's Buffalo Sauce and it is very tasty. This is going to be a staple in my house.

Today's Menu:
B: Orange dreamsicle overnight oats, coffee w/peppermint mocha creamer

Yummy.











S: String Cheese, grapefruit
L: Lentil Soup (minus the chicken), spicy buffalo cauliflower bites with 2 T light ranch, banana
S: Cilantro lime cauliflower rice
D: Boca Burger on a light english muffin, a veggie of some sort, 1/2 c. rice and beans

I have never done overnight oats before but I am going to be doing it more often. It is so easy and so nice in the morning. All I have to do is take it out of the fridge, throw it in a bowl and heat it. The one I had this morning was so creamy and the fresh orange in there was a wonderful touch. I used almond milk and Chobani vanilla yogurt in mine.

I really want to try this one next. Does that not look amazing?!

8 Days Until Christmas

It freaks me out how quickly a year goes by the older I get. I've been working with my therapist on a timeline of my life and remembering the month of December as a kid is so different than it is now. I remember this month DRAGGING. One, because I couldn't wait until the 2 weeks I got off from school and two, because Christmas was always fun at our house when I was a child regardless of presents. I have a lot of very wonderful memories with my brothers. Being too excited to sleep the night before, waking up way too early and praying that mom and dad would get up so we could open the presents, the food, family (cousins, aunts and uncles)... it was all wonderful. I think that is still why I love Christmas so much even now. I have such pleasant memories and it is always a special time for me even though family has moved apart and we have gotten older. If you are more of a "Bah Humbug" about Christmas that is fine (or if you don't even celebrate it that is fine), it is just a time of year I love and it makes me very happy.
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WeightWatchers & Food:
I had the munchies BAD yesterday. It was one of those days that if there would have been tons of food around, I would have eaten it. Luckily for me, my wonderful coworker Debi brought in Christmas goodie baskets for the office staff and I was ecstatic:

FRUIT!

Being on WeightWatchers and being mindful of what I eat made this gift even more special. Debi even said that since you can never know a person's dietary preferences she figures she can't go wrong with fruit. She is 100% correct and I dug into my basket right away. I had a pear that was delicious and today I have a pear and a grapefruit. I love grapefruit but never pick it up at the store. I don't know why... it is just one of those things I never plop on my list. 

I had a bad food night last night even though I know it could have been worse. Mom and Dad were at the apartment and I just ordered pizza for us. I got myself a thin crust cheese pizza (no sauce) and mom and dad got a taco pizza. I ate 3 slices... I really could have been OK with 2.... but I counted and moved on. As is the motto of WW. 

Today's Menu:

B: Old Fashioned Oats with 1/2 T Almond Butter, HB egg, Grapefruit, Black Tea

S: Green tea, string cheese

L: Tuscan White Bean & Roasted Garlic Soup, Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Pear

S: 1/2 c Red Beans and Brown Rice 

D: Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, Tilapia, PB&J Yogurt

Activity: I might try and go to the fitness center if Walter is behaving himself

I am trying the red beans and rice idea for an afternoon snack because I am always STARVING when I get off of work. I want to see if something heavier will help with that. I cooked up my beans and rice with roasted garlic, cilantro and lime juice. So good and refreshing! I love adding lime juice and cilantro to things. 

As of today I have eaten a Pescetarian Diet for 12 days and I feel fantastic. I cannot even describe how great I feel. I had Salmon on the 13th and tonight I will have tilapia and that is the only meat I will have consumed. My energy levels seem to be better and I just feel good. 

Oh! And I have discovered this blog and am IN LOVE. Hence the choice for oatmeal this morning. I need to run to the store and get a few more staple items to make some of the recipes she has. My problem with oatmeal is I always get bored with it but with her site I think that would be impossible! I cannot wait to try some of her ideas!

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I don't really have anything else to update. Things with my therapist are going great and we are uncovering a lot of things that I never dealt with as a child. I find it interesting to realize that I never talked to anyone about how I was bullied in school (for my weight) and my parents didn't even have a clue. I have been holding on to a lot of negative memories and it feels almost liberating to get everything out in the open. I am excited to continue my self discovery through my timeline and am looking forward to seeing my therapist next Monday. It is like I'm excited to dig into my past and face all of these demons once and for all. It may seem all cliché to some of you but guess what? Talking through all of this stuff with someone is amazing. I love it. 

Weigh In, New Recipe & Birchbox Goodies

Happy Monday everyone! Since I don't blog over the weekend, we are just going to backtrack by day for this entry.

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Friday:
I received my December Birchbox and I was so excited! It really is so fun opening them up to see what goodies they send.

Top Left: Number 4 Non Aerosol Hairspray
Top Right: Chuao Chocopod in Honeycomb flavor
Bottom Left: Color Club Nail Polish in Dark 'N Stormy
Botton Right: 29 Cosmetics Skincare Sampler

Top: Salt of the Earth Whipped Body Crème in Cabernet & Neroili
Bottom: Salt of the Earth Aroma Salt in White Ginger










I've used everything and LOVE everything. Would I purchase any of the products? Yes. The nail polish and the whipped body crème for sure. The skincare sampler is $175 for the entire collection so... no... it is nice, but just as a sampler. The chocolate was delicious too. If you buy the Assorted Chocopod 8-Piece Gift Set it is $9.95. It is expensive for chocolate but it is very delicious!

And here is what the nail polish looks like on:

I do like it a lot. I will get quite a few uses out of that tiny little sample bottle. I love nail polish. 

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Saturday:

We got a lot of snow/sleet on Friday night into Saturday so the morning was spent at home trying to keep warm. Andrew had 3 piano tunings he was supposed to do but 2 called off due to the amount of snow and the church wasn't until 2:00 in the afternoon so he kept that one. 

Saturday Weigh In:

Weigh In: +3.9

Total Lost: 7.6

Pounds to Lose: 93.4

Remember how the week before I had that stomach bug and lost 11.1? Yeah, I'm not surprised by this gain at all and in fact I am quite happy because I really didn't do too bad at all. Only gaining about 4 of that 11 back? I think I did pretty damn good. 

I tried a new recipe for lunch and I am in love with it and will probably make it again in the future. Of course it is from Gina's Site. This was the recipe. 

Tuscan White Bean & Roasted Garlic Soup:

Absolutely to die for delicious. Seriously. I could eat this every day and it is super filling. 

Andrew and I planned on going to Red Robin for dinner on Saturday so I was sure to save up some points for that. I did end up going in the negative (because of beer and a peppermint mocha from Starbucks) but I have already earned 5 APs for this week and just need to earn 13 more to be in the black again. 

I ended up joining Andrew for his church tuning too. 

It wasn't the best piano in the world but after he was done with it I got to play a couple of songs on it and then we left. Even though the quality of sound wasn't the best, he did do an excellent job tuning it!

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Sunday:

Lazy day. Super lazy day minus going to the fitness center and having dinner with Andrew's parents at a local pub. I was really frustrated at the fitness center because I couldn't get my foot pod to sync up with my Garmin. I finally realized the battery must be dead and sure enough as soon as I got back to the apartment and changed the battery it found the pod just fine. *sigh* Technology is a pain sometimes. I had to go by the results of the treadmill which I know aren't always accurate but it was OK. I was on there fore 36 minutes and earned 4 APs.

We watched a lot of Christmas movies this weekend which was wonderful. Andrew's work schedule is going to start getting really crazy this week so I was glad to have the two days to spend with him. We watched The original cartoon Grinch, Christmas Vacation, The Muppets Christmas Carol and Rudolph. Some of my favorites. I really love The Muppets Christmas Carol. I used to watch that one a lot when I was younger. I'm just sad that certain versions of that movie cut out the "When Love is Gone" scene. I like that song but understand that children grew restless during it so they cut it out of some versions. The version we have doesn't have it. Sad face. 

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Well, that was all the excitment from my weekend. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

And so does Walter:

He's getting SO BIG

Why Have I Never Roasted Garlic Before?

Seriously!? As much as I like to cook and try new things it baffles my mind that I have never in my life roasted garlic. I found a soup recipe that I want to try and it calls for roasted garlic. Well, the way that Gina does it requires taking apart the garlic before roasting it and I hate working with garlic. So, I found this page that gave a really simple way to roast garlic. Basically idiot proof.

It is so good and the garlic is so soft. I have a ton of it now and plan on using it for multiple things. Especially in pasta. YUM. 

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New Recipe:

Last night I made this recipe of Chicken and Lentil Soup. I did not put chicken in it though and rebuilt it in my WW recipe builder and it is 4P+ a serving. 

I've always wanted to make lentil soup and finally had my chance. It smelled SO good and tasted just as wonderful. The cilantro really adds something special to this soup. Because of Gina's site I have been using cilantro in things I never thought to before and have been pleasantly surprised by how good things can be with it. 

Now, the reason I didn't add chicken was because ever since being sick the thought of meat makes me ill. If you put a piece of chicken in front of me right now and asked me to eat it I would probably dry heave or puke. No joke. I was talking to Anna yesterday about her dietary preferences because I know she doesn't eat meat, except for fish, and she explained that she is a Pescetarian. Basically the definition is: "Pescetarianism is the practice of a diet that includes seafood, but not the flesh of other animals. A pescetarian diet typically shares many of its components with a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet and includes vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, beans, eggs, dairy, and insect byproducts (such as honey, carmine, orshellac), but unlike a vegetarian diet it also includes fish and shellfish." (Wikipedia) It can also be spelled Pescatarian. 

I am thinking I want to kind of adopt this way of eating just because of how I'm feeling right now towards any other meat. It is easy enough to make recipes meatless these days and also, I still love fish and want to be able to enjoy that from time to time. Luckily for me my husband isn't a huge meat eater either so it will be easy to adjust to the changes. Plus, my grocery trip last night was cheaper that usual because of my lack of purchasing meat products. The only thing Andrew really won't give up is bacon. Haha. He loves his morning bacon on the weekends. 

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WeightWatchers & Stuff:

Things are still going OK. I think I am in the negative a little bit though due to my peppermint candy obsession. I need to scale back on that a little bit. 

Today's Menu:

B: 3 HB Eggs, 1 c FF milk, coffee

S: String Cheese

L: Lentil Soup, Spicy Black Bean burger on a light english muffin, WW mini bar

S: 6 oz Chobani yogurt, 1 T PB and 1 T Jelly mixed in

D: 5 oz Salmon and broccoli

Activity: Nothing

Springfield, IL is in a winter advisory for this evening going into tomorrow and I feel like it is the type of night to cuddle up on the couch with my husband and the dogs and just enjoy the warmth of the apartment. 

Tomorrow is my meeting/weigh in day. I always say I am going to sleep in on the weekends and go to the 9:00 meeting but my body hates me and is usually awake by 7:00 so I just go to the 7:30 meeting. I don't know what to expect. I had my 11.1 pound loss from the previous week after being ill but I don't count that as a serious loss because it wasn't. It was a fluke of me being ill. Bascially I want to go off of the weigh in before last weeks to judge my actual loss/gain. 

I guess we will see! 

Obsessed with Peppermint

I think I have a problem. I am ridiculously obsessed with peppermint. I had posted about my Philosophy Peppermint Stick body wash and lip gloss in this post. It is the most amazing product ever and each time I fill my loufa with that soap I am in heaven. I also purchased Chapstick that is called candy cane. It is wonderful. I love chapsticks and balms that make my lips tingle when I first put it on and the candy cane one does just that. (So does the Sweet Mint eos balm. YUM.) I also discovered this candle from Avon that smells so amazing I had to buy 3 more of them. They also have a peppermint bubble bath I am trying so hard not to buy since I already have a collection of Avon bubbles.

As you all know I signed up for Birchbox  and received my first box. The second one is on its way and I am very excited about it! However, after I received my first box I got an email from Birchbox saying that they were sorry for what was in my first box. They said that there were items in there that didn't fit the beauty profile that I filled out and they gave me a $10 gift certificate to buy something in the store. I found that to be very strange considering I loved everything in the box but was also really impressed with their customer service and willingness to fix an issue I didn't even complain about! I used that $10 certificate to purchase some Peppermint Bark. I received it yesterday but didn't get into it until I got home because my stomach has still been wonky.

I think it is some of the best peppermint bark I have ever had. I took the smallest piece I could find to try it out and it was amazing. The flavors were wonderful and there was just enough peppermint crunch to it. I normally would not spend $14.50 on that small amount of peppermint bark but since I had the certificate I splurged and only had to pay the $4.50. I believe my shipping was free.... anyway, my obsession with all things peppermint right now is just kind of silly and I love this time of year for making it so easy to find such wonderful peppermint things.
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WeightWatchers & Food:
I'm still unable to eat a lot. I really am not complaining about that to be honest but it is getting kind of irritating that I can only handle certain foods and I seem to get heartburn way more frequently than I used to. I know my body is still kind of getting back to normal after the torture it went through but I wish it would get back to a semi normal state. I've eaten nothing but rice, noodles, crackers, bread/toast..... bland foods. Also, the thought of meat makes me feel ill. I wasn't a huge meat eater to begin with but I always ate chicken, ground turkey, lean ground beef, a steak here and there..... but now the thought of eating any of those things makes me nauseous. If I didn't know any better I would think I was pregnant. (Trust me. I KNOW I'm not.) The thought of fish doesn't seem to bother me though so I think I'm going to be a meatless eater for awhile, minus fish, and see how that goes. Maybe I won't be so grossed out by it in another couple of weeks or so but who knows. Not wanting meat has made some interesting meal choices lately. Like... this:

1 package of Easy Mac and cauliflower. 6PP

That was my dinner last night. I stood in the kitchen and just stared blankly at the food we had and nothing sounded good. Then my eyes passed over the Easy Mac and I didn't even hesitate. I had 19 points left for dinner and I knew I wouldn't eat 19 points worth of mac and cheese. (Even though I probably have in the past. lol) So, I threw that together, boiled up the cauliflower and then mixed it all in a bowl and ate it. I was completely satisfied and full when I was done and didn't think about food the rest of the night. 

Today's Menu:

B: Toast, coffee, milk

S: String Cheese

L: Easy Mac and Cauliflower

S: Pudding Cup

D: TBD - maybe Easy Mac and broccoli. Ha! 

Activity: Nada

I'm still feeling really tired right now. Last night I ran errands and tonight I need to go to the store to pick up a few things. The nights I do my errands I don't really work out. I know that's horrible - but I still just don't feel right. 

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I don't have much else to update. It is quiet at work right now because people don't move this time of year and I am thankful for that. Unfortunately for Andrew this is a super busy time of year for piano tunings and he has been running around like crazy tuning at churches and people's houses to get ready for Christmas celebrations. Good month for income, bad month for relaxation. Haha. 

Hello World

Gastroenteritis - that is what I had starting Friday morning at 1:30am and continuing into Saturday. Luckily for me the vomiting stopped around 12:30pm on Friday and I was able to keep clear liquids down. I had a lot of ice, water, and Diet 7Up. There is a GIANT misconception about this being the flu. It is not the flu. It is a stomach bug. It could have been something I ate, it could have been someone I work with, who knows. I was just unlucky enough to get it. I was MISERABLE. This is a sickness I do not wish on my worst enemy. Nobody should have to puke from both ends of their body.... just saying. Haha.
While I was sick I had some guardians watching over me:

Mom and dad had the dogs since I couldn't take them outside and Andrew was working. Therefore, it was up to the cats to make sure I was well taken care of. Aren't they sweet?

Enough about that disgusting-ness that was my weekend.
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Blog Giveaway Winner:

ANNA! You win my dear. I will need your address to send you your goodie.
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Saturday Weigh In:
This is going to crack all of you up. Remember, stomach virus all day Friday....

Weigh In: -11.1
Total Lost: 11.5
Pounds to Lose: 89.5

Yeah, gastroenteritis... the new detox diet.

This coming Saturday should be interesting when I go weigh in. It will most likely be a gain. This last weigh in I did at home because I did not want to infect anybody with what I had. Thank God my husband did not get it.
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Other WeightWatchers Stuff:

So, my eating and tracking is going great so far. Again, because of my inability to eat much food and it only being mostly carbs. I incorporated some vegetables yesterday and regretted it immediately. I'll get there soon but my body isn't ready for them just yet apparently.

I am back at work today and I packed a Progresso Chicken Soup for lunch today and we will see how that sits on my stomach. I have that and saltine crackers. I also have a pudding cup and a couple of cheese sticks. That is the extent of my food adventures today. For dinner tonight I think I might swing by a Chinese place and just get a giant thing of steamed rice. I'm obsessed with steamed white rice right now.
Whatever my body wants....
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I really don't have anything else to update. It isn't like I did anything exciting over the weekend. I didn't try any new recipes and I didn't go for any winter time runs. Haha. I was a sloth this weekend. A sick sloth.

And I am still exhausted and cannot wait to go home and go to bed.

Not In the Mood

I'm really not in the mood to blog today.
Walter was a terror last night. He pooped SO MUCH.
My own fault.... I need to get them on a better feeding schedule, etc.
However, I was up from 1-3 cleaning up a stinky puppy and stinky puppy poop.

I binge ate again last night. I counted everything... I still did it though and felt horrible shame afterwards. As usual.

I am going tonight to buy Walter a new crate. I think a different style/surrounding will help my predicament.

I am doing Simply Filling today. I just don't want to count points. Thank you Weight Watchers for making this an option. It REALLY helps.

Menu:
B: 2 HB eggs, banana, milk, coffee
S: None
L: Baked Chicken Breast, brown rice, butternut squash
S: 2 cheese sticks (if I'm hungry and I have to count 3P+ for those)
D: TBD, probably a taco salad with lean ground beef, beans and lots of salsa and lettuce
Activity: I don't know. I just don't know.

I want to go see Rifftrax Live tonight in the theater. I will probably have to go alone because I can't talk anybody into going to it with me and Andrew works.

I'm tired and frumpy. Wah. Woe is me. My life is hard. It is my pitty party. Ok, I'm done.

Had An Episode Last Night

This happened yesterday:

I had an episode around 7:00 P.M. I had already taken the dogs for a walk, cleaned up the apartment, cooked and ate dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, did meal prep, ran to CVS to get my prescriptions, ran to the ATM to deposit a check, brushed and groomed Walter a little bit and still had a small binge. It put me up to 54 Points and I am now in the negative. This also happened:

I am technically only -7 now for the week. Those points will be easy enough to make up before Saturday. I am just sad that even though I was that busy all night... I still found the time to eat things I did not plan for and did not need. It was the first time this week that it happened though and I am proud of that at least. 

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Today's Menu:

B: 2 HB Eggs, 2 Pancakes, 1/8 c SF Syrup, 1 c FF milk, coffee (10P+)

S: (2) Cheese Sticks, Banana (3P+)

L: Progresso Light Chicken Corn Chowder, Chobani Flip Nutty for Nana, WW Mini Bar (12P+)

S: Green Tea and 100 Calorie Pack of Natural Almonds (3P+)

D: Chicken Breast, Butternut Squash, Brown Rice (9P+)

Activity: Walk or Run a mile

I will have 3P+ left after all of that for an evening snack if I choose to have one. Right now I'm really obsessed with Candy Canes, just regular old peppermint ones. They are 2P+ each and I never want to eat anything after them because my breath is so nice and fresh! Haha. 

I have also been doing this thing around 8:00 at night that if my ActiveLink says that I haven't gotten to 100% yet then I just start moving around the apartment. Last night I just did laps around the living room, kitchen, and bedroom. We only have a 1 bedroom apartment that is barely 900 sq feet. Imagine me trying to walk around in it. Haha. The dogs find it to be very entertaining though and it wears them out! It is my goal to at least hit 100% every day. No matter what. 

I'm doing pretty well on the Skinny Snowman Challenge but could be better! I am still enjoying it very much. 

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Doctor's Visit/Diagnosis:

I think I have complained on here before about how badly I have been wheezing. Well, I finally got in to see my doctor and she said I sounded asthmatic on my right side. It isn't horrible but she prescribed me a couple of inhalers to puff on throughout the day. I am supposed to do them quite frequently for a couple of weeks until I feel more regulated and can exercise without an issue and then just go down to an as needed basis. If at that time I use them more than twice a week then I have to go back and see her for testing and a different approach. I started to use them last night and this morning and I can already feel a HUGE difference. I think this will be my fix. My doctor wants to make sure I will be OK for my half marathon in April though and I am supposed to call her if I have any kind of wheezing when I run. 

I also got my annual flu shot and now my arm is sore. Like I did a strength work out. Weirdest feeling when you only have it in one arm and not the other! 

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Lastly - Don't forget about my Giveaway!!!!
So far Anna is the winner because she's the only one who has entered. Katie left me an author to read but politely asked not to be entered. So, thanks to both of you for the book suggestions!