20 Random Facts About Me

Since it is a new year, I wanted to jump on this tag that has been circulating around YouTube and Instagram. Here are 20 random facts about me!

1. I am an only child
2. I will graduate from college in May with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Mass Communications, Concentration in Public Relations and a Minor in General Business
3. I am afraid / hate spiders (or most bugs / critters for that matter, but I like caterpillars, especially when they curl up in a ball, I know ... weird, right?)
4. I love raccoons and think they are the cutest things
5. I have a dog and a horse (side note, my family has always owned horses. When I came home from the hospital as a baby, a horse was probably looking at me.)
6. I love being in the pool, but cannot swim
7. I fractured my finger playing varsity softball in high school which required surgery and having pins put in
8. I am an American Cancer Society Relay for Life Committee member
9. I was a Marketing and Communications intern for the American Heart Association (Fall 2013)
10. I started this blog in January 2013 as a way to chronicle my weight loss journey
11. In 2013 I lost 20 pounds!!!!
12. I hate speaking in front of small groups of people, but love speaking in front of large groups of people
13. I want to travel to all 50 states one day (I'm making decent progress)
14. I am obsessed with Nikes, addicted to Instagram and can't go a day without watching YouTube videos
15. I wish I knew sign language
16. My favorite colors are Navy and Gray
17. My favorite movies are Clue and A Christmas Story (I have the collector popcorn tin, cookie cutters, pens and notepads) 
18. I am always hungry (and say it multiple times throughout the day)
19. My mom is my biggest supporter and one of my best friends
20. I come from an amazing family full of successful people and I cannot wait to be the next one embarking on success!

Pounds Lost, Pounds Left to Lose Jars

I am very excited for today's post because it is a DIY project and it is one that I have been wanting to complete for months. If you have read the title, you know today's post features weight loss progress jars.


For this project I used:

Supplies I Used

• Ribbon (any size you like)
• A Sharpie permanent marker and a pencil
• A Bath and Body Works gift / hang tag (for tracing purposes)
• Marbles (for progress purposes)
• Scissors
• A hot glue gun
• 2 jars (I used Bath and Body Works candle jars, removing any left over wax beforehand)
• A hole punch
• Thick paper (for the labels)

Here are the steps I took to create these jars. If you are pretty crafty, you will probably be able to cut some steps in half (step one specifically) or cut some steps out all together.

Steps 3 and 4

1. First, I removed any leftover wax from the candle jars. I did put one candle in the freezer for about an hour before taking it out and letting it rest for about 5 minutes. I then used a sharp knife to carve four sections that I was then able to then pop out. For the second candle, I simply cut the wax out, skipping the freezing portion. 
2. I let the jars soak overnight in dish detergent before washing them in the morning and letting them drain. 
3. I took a thick piece of paper and used a leftover Bath and Body Works Christmas hang tag to trace the shape before cutting it out. This will serve as the labels for the jars indicating which one shows weight lost to date and which one shows weight left to lose. 
4. Using the hole punch, I punched a hole at the end of the tag and threaded the ribbon through the hole.
5. I made sure the jars were dry both inside and out before taking my hot glue gun and adhering the ribbon to the jars. I placed the ribbon about a half an inch to an inch away from the top of each jar, but I am sure placing the ribbon in the middle will look nice as well. 
6. The last step was filling each jar with the marbles!

Step 5

Step 6 (Finished Project)

There are 20 marbles in the pounds lost jar, indicating the pounds I lost during 2013. There are 43 marbles in the pounds left to lose jar indicating the weight I have left to lose.

Side note, I found some motivational print outs on Trendy TreeHouse that I may go back and add to some of the marbles. If so, a few larger marbles will be necessary. 

An Extensive Update

When I started blogging at the beginning of the year, I told myself that I would use this space to chronicle my journey. That included the good, bad and in between. For awhile, I was a 'daily' blogger. Then I started having trouble finding topics to discuss, so I became an 'every other day' blogger. Then time caught up with me and I quickly became a 'once a week' blogger. Finally, the semester hit like bag a bricks and I became a 'no longer have the energy to post' blogger.

Although the semester is finally over, I still feel physically drained. It's almost as if someone has run over me with their vehicle several times and I cannot pull myself off of the pavement.

My workouts have become nonexistent in a way. If I can get myself to pull up Nike Training Club and actually workout, I know it will be a good day (or in my case, a good night since that is when I tend to workout). The only problem, I have to get myself to actually get my weights and tablet so I can workout. I am not sure why it takes me so long to "get in the mood" to workout because I know that once I am done, my mind is finally clear, I feel good and I know that I am getting back into my workout groove.

Then there comes the issue of eating. The night before Thanksgiving, I ended up catching some type of cold (or perhaps it was a sinus infection, I am not quite sure), something that hasn't happened in nearly two years. On Thanksgiving, I literally felt like I was down for the count. I stayed medicated around the clock, but food and exercise were the last things on my mind. Five days and numerous boxes of medication later (they were never full boxes, I just cleaned up my medicine cabinet) my voice decided it wanted to get weak and my nasal congestion decided it wanted to get worse. Unfortunately for me, I had two presentations back to back. One where I had to take a break from my 3 minute portion to cough as loud as I possibly could and the other where it felt like I was straining for the entire room to hear me.

My voice eventually got stronger and my nasal congestion decided to linger around for another week but during this entire ordeal, my appetite decide it wanted to leave. In the span of a week, I lost 1.2 pounds from not eating proper meals. Any other time I would have rejoiced to see that loss but I knew I was doing damage to my body because I didn't feel like eating.

I have since gained that 1.2 pounds back (plus some) which I never thought I would be happy about but I am because I finally had an appetite again.

Fast forward to today, where I have not worked out once since December began, constantly feel hungry (although it seems that I eat all day long, I must be eating the wrong things) and feel like I have no energy. Therefore, starting tomorrow evening, I am giving myself a week to get back to working out and eating properly so by the time Christmas rolls around, I am back to my old self.

I have no excuse why I can't or won't be successful this week. I have new training cables, plenty of free weights, open space and MyFitnessPal which equals a recipe for success. I owe myself this Christmas gift because I have come too far on this journey to turn around.

October Update

It is hard to believe that October has come and gone, 2013 is truly flying by. I'm here to give my October update, which probably won't be much of an update at all.

In September, I fell of the wagon...hard. It is like I lost all motivation to be on this journey. I told myself, as I always do, that October was going to be my month. October came and 28 days passed before I committed to this journey once again.

I am an emotional eater and earlier in the month it seems like everything that could be dumped on me, mainly schoolwork, was dumped on me. It is like I was buried under an avalanche of tests, projects and more! Tuesday, was the first day I have had where I could come home and actually relax (which really meant I could come home and watch QVC) but it is also the day I decided to pick up the October issue of Fitness magazine that had been sitting on my ottoman and actually complete a workout.

Not only was I impressed with the workout which featured Jeanette Jenkins, I finally figured out why celebrities want her as their personal trainer, she knows her stuff (not to mention, she re-tweeted me; talk about excited). On paper, the workout looks like a breeze, but once you get into it, it is one of the most intense workouts I have experienced from a magazine.

For the past five days my eating has actually been better. I am logging everything that I am eating or drinking and have avoided sweets. If I am craving a soda, I go with a diet one, although that is very rare. It wasn't until today that I discovered I can eat a mini piece of candy and be as satisfied as I would if I ate the entire bar.

The last 5 days have been more successful than this entire month has but that just serves as my motivation for November. I realized that I haven't updated my measurements in a while, so that and a goals for November post are currently on my list. Hopefully November will be successful in terms of weight loss, life and school work. I only have one more month in this semester and I am ready to bring it!

Honesty

I have to say that honesty is a trait that a value highly. As much as I value it, there are times when it comes from the people close to you that it really stings.

Up until a month ago, I was logging regularly on MyFitnessPal. Some unexpected events occurred and my logging to a back seat. I have really struggled with getting back into the habit of logging everything that I eat and every exercise that I complete. But, I know that in order to be successful, I have to get back into what I was doing.

Yesterday, I happened to state (in front of my main supporter) that I couldn't get the numbers on the scale to go down. Their response, 'well you have been hitting the breads kind of hard'. Talk about an eye opener.

I will admit that I have let some of my old habits creep back into my life, which was never a good thing. Truth be told, I have been hitting the breads (and other carbs) very hard. To have someone actually mention that is what I was dong (from their observations alone) was pretty hurtful. It wasn't necessarily their comment that hurt me, it was the fact that their comment made me realize I was hurting my body by reverting to my old ways.

I tell myself time and time again that today is going to be the day that I begin working out again. Then their comes the main excuse,  'everything is picking up in the semester and I rarely have time to myself'. That alone should tell me that I have to make time for myself, no matter how much work I am buried under. Even if it is just 30 minutes a day, that is enough time to get in some type of exercise.

I downloaded a few apps from Zen Labs, LLC this past week and since they can be done indoors (the push-up trainer for example), I figured I would start there and then as the semester calms down (hopefully very very soon, a little over 1 month left!), I will be able to get back outside and start C25K over.

All of these ideas and plans sound great in my head and they are things that I want to do. I just hope I can start committing to what I blog about.

My Fall Fashion Picks

I've said it numerous times, Fall is my favorite time of the year! I love sweaters, scarves, boots and more. But, there are times when some of the latest trends are not made for all body shapes and sizes. I search and search for things that work well for me and when I find them, I purchase multiples.

Here are some of my Fall fashion picks that I hope to capture in pictures as the season gets underway. Each of these pieces pair well with others, are extremely comfortable and compliment all body types.

1. The Liz Claiborne Denim Henley pairs well with just about anything. I paired it with a pair of khaki pants earlier this week but can't wait to pair it with skinny jeans or black pants. A denim shirt is something that can be dressed up or kept casual.

2. These A.N.A. boots are my favorite fashion item so far. I never thought I would go with boots that had laces and zipped up but I suppose my tastes have changed. I love wearing these with boot cut jeans. I tried to pair them with skinny jeans and they made my legs look funny, it may have been the particular pants but I will be trying these with skinny jeans again.

3. Because of my height, my skinny jeans are always paired with boots (whether tall or short). I haven't specified any brand of skinny jeans because all of my jeans come from J.C. Penney or Old Navy. Both retailers have a pretty good range of sizes and the jeans fit well (meaning, you don't have to wiggle to get everything in).

4. I love these Mossimo Ankle Boots because they are easy to slip on and the taupe color goes well with jeans or any pair of dress pants. I like the fact that I can wear these boots to the office, to class and when out with the horses; they are that versatile.

5. I normally don't rotate my handbag any more than seasonally. I am known for taking the largest (and heaviest) handbag in my family but I decided to lighten things up for Fall. This seasons handbag is the Large Pocket Satchel from Dooney and Bourke. I was skeptical once I got home with my purchase because I am so used to having a larger bag, but I think this one will surprise me (and my shoulder will thank me later).

These are five of my fashion pics that will definitely be put to use this season. As I add to my collection, I will post updates.

Burnout

burnout [noun]: the condition of someone who has become very physically and emotionally tired after doing a difficult job for a long time.

For me, the definition says it all; I am burned out. I don't know when it happened, but it did and I don't think there is any turning back now.

There are times when I like to sit back and examine my life thus far, I try not to go back too far, maybe a few years or so. In doing this, I can see how things have (or in some instances, have not changed). When I was a freshman in college my approach to life changed. I was blessed to be able to go to college and I was blessed to have a support system at home that was rooting for me.

I remember how excited I was for my classes during that first semester that I even surprised myself. I remember taking a History of Jazz class and being one of two students who constantly answered every single question asked. The more classes I began to take, the less questions I answered.

Today, as a senior in college, I have yet to answer a question in any of my classes this semester. It's not that I don't know the answers, I answer the question in my head correctly no sooner than the professor asks it, I am just too tired to do much of anything (yes, even answer a simple question).

It's the same for weight loss. I started this year on a good note. I was going to the gym, logging everyday and eating healthier. I was starting to see some real progress. Then, life started to get busy. I stopped going to the gym, even going as far as cancelling my gym membership (best decision that I made this year I believe) and I started to fall off of the wagon. I was sneaking in a little too much "cheat food" then catching myself and eating healthier again. This was a steady process; on the wagon, off the wagon, on and off until I took a break from logging for a week.

I would log one or two meals, but never my largest meal. I was eating honey buns like they were the last food on earth and I gained about 4 pounds. That next week, I worked my butt off and lost 3 of those pounds and each week following I continued to either lose a pound or a few ounces.

Then, life became busy once again and I stopped logging all together and found that it was hard to pick back up. I haven't exercised like I want to (I would have been done with C25K by now if I had stuck it out) but no matter how busy my schedule gets, there are still 24 hours in a day.

I have been logging pretty regularly for the past week. Yes, I missed one day but MyFitnessPal lets you know how many days you have been logging and today I hit my 5th day. I plan on working out again in the near future, as soon as this rain (which I absolutely love) moves on to other areas.

I don't think I will ever fully recover from being burned out. While there are things that I can do to help this recovery process, I know that if I don't keep busy, I will start reverting to my old habits; which is never good.

Right now, I can only take it a day at a time and try my hardest to take a few minutes each day for myself to do something I enjoy. I also have to look at the fact that this is just college, I haven't even begun to experience burnout in the working world.

My Mountain Mentality

There are times when I really know how to complain. I mean I can go on and on about things until I think my point has been achieved.

I spend so much time complaining over certain things that I never spend time looking at how blessed I am or even relaxing.

It seems like there is never enough time in the day to set aside for relaxation. If I do, I end up falling behind in my work and if I don't I am left exhausted and unable to focus on simple tasks.

This past weekend I vowed that I would take some time to relax in the mountains, although I knew that I would be taking along my books to complete my classwork. All in all, I had a pretty relaxing weekend, until it came time to travel back and I was left with fatigue.

Being in the mountains is not only peaceful but it gives you a sense that you are on top of the world. It allows you to escape what it bothering you, if only for a minute. Walking down to the river and actually thinking about your problems floating away can do a person wonders.

The moral of this story is something that I need to finally do. I need to stop stressing about every small thing that goes wrong and start realizing how blessed I am to make it through these small challenges.

I stress the fact that I am tired, but I am blessed to still be here.

I'm too concerned with the fact that I want this and that, but there are people who have been furloughed and don't know when their next pay check may come in so they can provide for their family.

I complain because my car and I aren't on good terms, I blessed to have a car that even moves.
There are so many times when I complain about what I don't have when I should be thankful for the things I do have. The same goes with relaxing. I won't have the opportunity to live this day again and I truly need to learn how to take my "mountain mentality" and transfer it to my "everyday life" mentality.

I never take the time to let all of my wants, wishes, concerns, etc. float down the river like I did this weekend. This weekend wasn't about what material item I wanted, what grade I wish I made on an exam or how close fall break was. This weekend was spent being thankful for all that I have.

The Search for Fall Boots

I have said it once and I will say it again, possibly several times, maybe even a hundred. I LOVE FALL! I am not sure what it is exactly, whether it is the changing of the leaves or the weather but it is my favorite season by far.

It is the only season where I seem to fully embrace my body and clothe it in something other than yoga capris and t-shirts.

As you can imagine, one of the things I enjoy most about fall are the clothing choices. Sweaters, skinny jeans and boots. To be honest, I also love a good pair of sweat pants and a hoodie. The only dilemma that I run in to is when I can't find some of my favorite clothing choices in my size. One may automatically think that I am talking about those sweaters or skinny jeans, but I am actually talking about boots.

The dilemma isn't that I can't find them in my shoe size, I can't find the right boot to adjust to my calves. I have a nice pair of slip on boots that have no problem going over my calves, but there was a time when they had a problem staying flat on the ground (i.e., I ended up on the ground twice in the same day).

Then a nice pair of boots once existed that actually zipped up and over my calves. The only problem with those were the fact that the one inch rubber heel seemed like it was deflating with every step. Who has a pair of boots where the heel seems to deflate then re-inflate, then deflate and re-inflate.

Lastly, there were a pair of boots where the heel did not seem to deflate then re-inflate but the only problem with those is the fact that I think the zipper might be screaming when it is approaching my calf. Don't get me wrong, they do zip all the way up when I am not tucking my jeans into them, but they could fit better. When it comes to tucking those jeans in, the zipper doesn't even stand a chance and a pair of long socks come into the mix to cover up the unzipped area.

My greatest wish for this Fall is to find a pair of boots that zip up comfortably over my calves when my jeans are tucked in to them and when they aren't. Once I find those, I feel that my boot collection will be complete... (for about a month or so).