Weekly weigh in - week 20

I didn't do this yesterday. Not for lack of wanting to, but it just didn't happen due to my schedule.

Monday's weight: 235.7

Difference:  +2.something (I don't remember)

I did none of my goals last week. The only good things I did we're salads a couple days for lunch and two work outs. But halfway through the week I quit recording my food, for the most part. I did no food logs the weekend. In my defense, Mr. S and I were celebrating my birthday a weekend early because of our travel schedules (more on that in another post). So I was expecting a gain.

And I find myself slipping into the same thing again this week. I'm on the road again. This time is not good. I have no excuse till the weekend...my birthday weekend I'll be spending with my parents. Nothing throws off a weigh loss like momma's home cookin!

I'm not really going to set goals for this week. I would like to maintain, that's the main/biggest. I do need to get a couple workouts in, if possible. And drink more water. 

To top it all off in the struggle this week, my period is due in a day or two. Hooray for water gain! 

But, all in all, I feel good! And I've had people that know me comment that I look like I've lost weight...which is always a good thing!

PS...this is my first mobile post using a new app

The Nail Files

Once again, I find myself on the road this week. Thankfully, today I'm headed home. And I'll get there...eventually (already delayed at my connection and I've not even left my origin yet). Anyway, that's a post for another day.

Today is about my manicure:

I give you "Molly" from my May Julep Maven box!

I am in love with this red. I have been looking for the perfect red for quite some time.

I.Have.Found.IT!!!

This red isn't too dark, it isn't too light. It is the perfect shade...for me. And I am stoked that I didn't skip my box, like I was planning (I actually got the Boho Glam box instead of my normal one...but more on that at a later date).

And since I'm on my POS work laptop, I can't put the link up. But I'll let you know that I've linked with Tara and Vicki for the weekly Nail Files (see, I can make that a hyperlink, but I can't copy/past the cool button that Tara & Vicki created - POS Work laptop!).

Come share your lovely manicures with the rest of us! 

Happy Friday, y'all!

Dinner and Dessert

I went all Betty Crocker last week. I think I shocked my husband cause I am not a cook. Now, I CAN cook, I am just not a fan. And I am not a fan of experimentation in the kitchen (that's Mr S). If I'm going to spend that much time on my feet over a hot stove, I want to know it's going to be good. So if I'm going to attempt something new, it will be well researched for reviews of the recipe to see if it's worth it.

Well, I found two that I decided to try:

Broccoli & Shrimp Pasta

and

Diet Coke Cake

*links will take you to my pinterest page and from there you can find the recipes I used*

**if it wasn't almost 10 pm on Tuesday night and if I wasn't on my crappy work laptop, I'd do the recipes for you...and I may still later...but I dont' feel like typing it all out right now...sorry**

The changes I made to the pasta were using whole wheat spaghetti, pre-cooked and then frozen shrimp, steamed broccoli, and regular Italian dressing (couldn't find the brand in the recipe). Everything else was "by the book". Here's what I got:

 

It was pretty amazing, if I do say so myself. But then I'm extremely partial to just about anything with shrimp (except coconut shrimp).

On to Dessert!!

I made no changes. Many of the recipe variations I read said use two egg whites, which I did. Others did not use eggs. Somthing about the egg whites making them a little fluffier. I don't have anything to compare it too, but I will say they were pretty good. Also, this can be done in cake form or cupcake. I did cupcake as I figured it'd be easier to do my points with. Toppings are optional...I went with 1 Tablespoon Fat Free Whip Cream and Strawberries:

  

Let me just say...AH.MAA.ZING!! And husband, approved...which is always a bonus!

Both were easy and required very little prep (thank you pre-cooked shrimp and steamable broccoli).

The pasta ended up being about 4-6 points per serving (it will vary what changes you make and the size of your serving). And the Diet Coke Cake was 0 points per cupcake, but 1 point for two. Even with the Fat Free Whip Cream and Strawberries.

Happy Eating, y'all!!

Weekly Weigh In - Week 19

I really can't believe it's been 19 weeks since I started this journey. Part of me feels like I should be further along...and I probably should be. But I also know that weightloss isn't just a down hill journey. There will be some ups along the way (with regards to weight, not emotions).

*Epiphany - for every down you have in weight, you have an up in emotions. And for every up in weight you have a down in emotions. I'm sure there is some kind of "scientific" theory here that can be related, but it's too early and I haven't had enough coffee yet.  :)

On to the stats:

Today's Weight:  232.7
Difference:  -1.2
Total Lost To Date:  17 pounds.

I know this probably would be less if not for yesterday. We celebrated mother's day with my in-laws. And there were chips and dip. Chips and dip are probably my biggest weakness. I could, literally, sit around all day with a bag of chips and a container of Dean's Ranch Dip and be happier than a hog in slop (Southern euphanism). However, those binges are what got me where I am today. Unfortunately that means I have very little restraint with regards to chips and dip on the table. I tried to be good yesterday, and I did have some success...I didn't eat as many as I normally would. But, also unfortunately, there weren't any healthy alternatives out to pull my taste buds away (like fruit). Had I know that going in, I may have had Mr S stop for a fruit platter to "contribute" to the day.

And that leads me to today. Once again I find myself in an airport bound for someplace other than home. I have a lot of driving ahead of me today, tomorrow, and Wednesday. Which means munchies. So one of my goals this week is to find healthy alternatives to satisfy my munchie cravings when I drive.

I also brought my work out clothes. That means another goal will be attempting to get some consistency with the work outs this week. At least getting more than one in.

And, as always on these trips, making wise food choices.

Goals:
1.  Healthy, filling snacks while driving
2.  Work out at least 2-3 times this week
3.  Meal/restaurant planning for better food.

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Let's make this an amazing week!

Another Mother's Day Post

Today seems to be like Christmas, Easter, Valentine's, or any other holiday that celebrates with gifts and recognition.

Facebook was BURSTING with "Happy Mother's Day to the Best Mom" posts. Profile pictures were changed to old, faded images that were scanned or a picture of a picture to showcase mom with or with out her children.

And I completely understand. As the daughter of the best mother (no, really, she holds that title...not yours, mine!), I am all for giving the woman who means so much to each of us her due.

But I read a post this morning that brought a different topic to light, still in honor of Mother's Day. If you're familiar at all with Jenny Lawson, you know of her book, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, and her blog, thebloggess.com. If you are not familiar with her, you should be. She is crazy funny! *side note:  her blog would be rated PG-13 or R for language...so if you prefer to not read certain words, you should steer clear.*

She talked about a different group of women today. The women who want to be mom's but can't. The women who lost the chance to be a mom before they were one. The women who decided they couldn't be a mom so they let someone else be a mom their little one. The women who had horrible mothers, or no mothers at all, and are now amazing moms. And the women who don't want to be a mom and have to deal with society telling them they are wrong for not bringing life into the world (seriously though, sometimes I look at the world today and think, "I don't blame you for that decision.").

This got me thinking. I am a daughter of a women in the third category:  A woman who decided she didn't want to be a mom so she let someone else raise her daughter.

I am adopted.

I do not know my biological mom. I have no desire to know her. Call me bitter, but she lost her chance when she gave me up.

I have a real mom, even if we don't share the same blood or partial DNA.

Today I posted tribute to her on Facebook, just like everyone else. But unlike most of the people I know, mine was a different kind of tribute. If you follow me on Facebook, you've seen it already. If not, you can find it here:  facebook.com/ringsgal. (or just read below)

There are many children who start life like I did...unwanted by the woman who gave birth to them. But there was a woman (and man) who wanted me very badly, even though I wasn't her "blood". I can't imagine the heartache and pain that was gone through leading up to the call that said, "We have a little girl for you!" But I'm glad your names were on that list and that call was made to you. I may have been a blessing to you, but you have been such a blessing to me as well. I'm so proud to call you mom! I Love You! Happy Mother's Day!

So to all the women out there who got a second chance at being a mother because of someone else, Happy Mother's Day!

To those women fighting to see a dream realized, don't give up. You're dream is waiting for you. Just realize it may not be the way you originally intended, but your dream is there.

To those who have decided to not have children, good for you. You keep to your heart and what you know is right for you and your husband.

And to those of you who beat the odds of a horrible childhood, or not having a mom around, I salute you for the steps you've taken to make a difference in your child's life! I'm sure it can't be easy, but it will be worth it in the end.

And to my wonderful mother, who truly is the best mom in the WHOLE. WORLD. Happy Mother's Day (from the best daughter in the whole world).

XOXO

Posting Issues

Mr S has started his own "blog". There is a site that he found that he likes to use. I'm not going to share the link, just yet, as this is his thing...and this is mine.

Mr S and I do a lot together. I mean, I travel every other week. So the time we're in the same town at the same town is usually spent in each other's company, in some capacity. Because of this, when he finds something he enjoys, I try to give him space. I think one of the things that helps a relationship is each person having their own things, as well as time/events/hobbies with each other.

So his site is his. And while I do have access to it via my own site on their "servers", I will also still be here more than there.

However, all this has ignited a tiny little green monster inside me.

I am jealous that my husband has stuff to talk/write about. I mean, he's posting 3-4 times a day. And he has WAY more "connections" than I do followers. And he's only been at it for 3 weeks!

In reality, he's only telling stories I've heard before. He talks about his days in Tech Support. He talks about family stories. He talks about cooking experiences. He just seems to have more to talk about than me. Maybe not really, but it just seems that way.

So to all the bloggers out there that follow me...how did you start?
Did you just do random stuff on a daily basis until you found your "mojo"?
Did you have a theme?
What worked for you? What didn't?

I know what worked for you may or may not work for me. And I'm not looking to copy anyone. Just looking for some insight.

And for my readers, is there anything you'd like to see me talk about more? Talk about less? Feel free to go back through my past posts and see what you liked, or didn't, and tell me what you'd like to see more of.

And I will try to be more interesting...or at least post more, in general.

XOXO

Spa Day

Monday I had my first spa experience. Women…if you have not done this yet, I highly encourage you to book yourself some time at a spa. Men…if you love your women, do this for them. Don't just do it once. Do this for your lady multiple times during the time you are together - Birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day (if it applies), Valentine's Day, Anniversaries, or just whenever because you love her!

I'm not talking the little massage parlor where you go in, strip, get your massage, get dressed, and then leave (although, on a limited budget, these are still pretty spectacular). I'm talking the full experience:  fluffy robe, slippers, sauna options, hot tub options, and whatever service you're having done!

My in-laws got me a day spa discounted massage or facial (my choice) at one of the local wineries in town for Christmas. It expires in three weeks, so I figured it was time to use it.

I have never had the spa experience before. I've had massages, but like the ones I mentioned above. They were nice, don't get wrong. I walked out feeling amazing and relaxed.

However, I don't know if I will ever go back to that. Everyone was very nice. I was given a robe and "slippers" (more like jelly shoes, but they got the job done), then shown around the women's locker room. There were showers (with shampoo, conditioner, and body wash provided) with towels available. They provided hair dryers and combs if you needed them. There were two saunas - a dry one and a steam room. And there was a lovely hot tub/whirlpool (whatever you prefer to call it). 

If you purchase a 50 minute service, or longer, you have access to all these wonderful things, along with the pool and cabanas (for a price…pool is free) all day. ALL DAY!! 

Now, I read that on my voucher, but didn't really think that would be the case. So I showed up an hour before my appointment. And sure enough, I had run of the place (with in reason). However, today was a rainy day so there was no pool visit for me. But I did decide I was going to use the hot tub after my service.

Now, I've had massages before but never a facial. So that's what I went with this time. It was amazing! To just lay and relax and be pampered is such an amazing experience. I really don't know how to describe all of it. You'll just need to experience it for yourself. I will tell you that part of my experience was Moroccan oil treatment for my hair. My hair now smells amazing and I don't want to wash it anytime soon!

And after, I enjoyed the hot tub and rinsed off in the shower (which had 5 different jets). My voucher also came with a complimentary glass of champagne or wine (I did the wine), truffles, and a bottle of White Zinfandel to take home.

I got there at 2 pm and left about 4:30 pm. Had the day been more sunny and less overcast, I may have tried to stay longer and enjoyed pool side and a late lunch (which I could also have ordered while waiting upstairs for my facial). But I'm not one to sit around when there's nothing to do, even if it supposed to be a relaxing day. But next time I will be more prepared for a longer day of poolside lunch and maybe a sauna sit.

And I will be dropping hints to the hubs about a spa visit for my birthday at the end of the month. Maybe a spa package of some sort - maybe a mix of a facial and/or massage and a mani/pedi. You know, something that requires I take the full day!

Again, if you haven't done this already, I highly recommend you pamper yourself!

Subscription Box Share - April's Goodies

As some/most of you know, I do two boxes a month:  Julep and Birchbox.

Apparently I had a little lapse in the month assigned to my Julep box and posted April's box for the March share (see this post). So I'm going to skip my Julep info. I will, however, tell you that for $19.99 a month you get two Julep polishes and some other goodie. Everything is along a theme. May, for example, had a "Roaring Twenties" theme in honor of the movie "The Great Gatsby" coming out this summer. You fill out a short survey and are assigned a "type" (I'm classic with a twist). Each month you have the option to keep your "type" box or select another. For an additional cost, you can also add on colors from the other boxes if you'd like. So, check out this link for more info and see if you might like Julep. This ends the pitch portion of this post.

On to the good stuff!

My April Birchbox:

* Mirenesse: Glossy Kiss Lipstick - Launching exclusively in the Bircbox shop, this user-friendly lip pencil is a goof-proof way to score a high-impact pout.
* Oribe:  Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Color - Give your color-treated locks some well deserved attention with the protective hone-infused formula
*SKIN&Co Roma:  Clensing Body Gel with Olive & Sicilian Orange Extracts - You won't be albe to go back to regular soap after trying this freshly scented, antioxidant-packed shower gel from Rome.
* Supergoop!:  Advanced SPF 40 Anti-Aging Eye Cream - At last:  an eye cream with serious sun protection. Plus the innovative formula has oat peptide complex to firm skin.
*(Extra) Kusmi Tea Paris:  Wellness Essentials - Get in touch with your inner Zen master with these mood-enhancing whole-leaf brews.

I have to say, not overly impressed this month! It may be time to redo my survey with them. I tried the lipstick...on my hand. Because it is orange:

This is not a color I would wear!

I haven't tried the rest yet, mainly because I'd forgotten. However, I'll be taking the body wash with me on my next trip. Not a fan of the Supergoop! product, just by name alone. I prefer a simple routine in my daily make up applications. The eye cream would just add an extra step I'm not interested in adding. And I am not a tea drinker. Mr S will be consuming the Kusmi, if he wants it.

I'm hoping my May box will be better.

However, if you're interested in trying out Birchbox for yourself, feel free to use this link!

I've linked up for this post with Neely, Katie, and Meg:



Come check out what some of the others have gotten. You may decide to give a subscription box a chance!

Weekly Weigh In - Week 18 (You win some, you lose some)

This week was not a good week for me! I struggled with food. And I didn't record ANYTHING most of the week.

Today's Weigh In:  333.9
Difference since last week:  +2

What didn't work for me was not keeping track of what I ate all week. Had I done that, I probably wouldn't have eaten some of the things I did...like the "hostess" chocolate cupcakes on Monday and Wednesday (one on each day - probably worth about 10 points each, but not sure), or the bag of Smart Food White Cheddar Popcorn I consumed over the week. See...just not a good week.

And this week...we have no food in the house! I have some money before payday on Friday. I'll be getting a few things, but not much. So it should be interesting to see how it pans out this week.

Then I'm gone for almost two and a half weeks straight! Tack on to the end of that by birthday. It's kind of a busy month around here.

I need to work on staying focused on my goal. I should already be past the 20 pound mark by now. And I'm annoyed with myself for not doing any better at keeping up with things so that I could be.

But I can do this. And I will do this! I'm tired of being unhealthy. This is a change that I need to make and I need to focus.

And I need to WORK OUT! I really think if I could just get on the treadmill or the bike or the elliptical a few days a week (at least 30 minutes each/combined), I wouldn't be holding steady at the 15 pounds lost mark. I think a 3-day a week work out would really go a long ways in helping me get healthy and get the weight off. And it would help add a good habit to my life!

So my goals this week:
1.  FOOD!
2.  WORK OUT!
3.  WATER - drink more!

 

 Found this website (where the two above pictures are from). I'll probably be using them more in my future posts...they have some great stuff!!

It's a new week...Make the best of it! No looking back...only looking forward!