Trouble with the Curvy

 Vacation is officially over. What a depressing way to start my first post in 13 days huh? Its ok though because vacation may be over but this is a short week and it looks more and more like the weekend is going to be amazing. Weekends are a lot like mini vacations at the end of every week. See what I did there? I turned depressing into amazing. My specialty... So many adventures have crossed my path since the last time I put some thoughts to digital paper. I went on the best road trip with Ben and I know we really dig each other because we didn't even fight after being stuck in a car together for a total of about 30 hours. A good 12-14 of those hours were consecutive... I think that is the real measure of whether a relationship is going to work out or not. Can you stick two people in a car together for hours on end and if they still like each other at the end, they can find a way to make anything work. At least that's what I like to think. The Stephen Kellogg Family BBQ wa...

...when things are not going well. Unfortunately for this post, I feel like things are going extremely well and I'm so excited! The week of vacation is finally here! We embark on Thursday night for the Stephen Kellogg Family BBQ! He doesn't care we aren't family by blood and I will happily pretend for the weekend that we are! The suspense is really getting to me though... I feel like a kid on the Monday before Christmas vacation and the teacher really wants me to learn something but I just can't! I'm too stoked for what I'm waiting for...I realized today that I have not been grocery shopping in about 3 weeks. I really stocked up the last time so this is the first time I've run out of yogurts for breakfast and lean cuisines for lunch. The last couple of weeks seem like they have me off my routine anyway but I've noticed something else too. When we order out for lunch or get something at home for dinner for take out, I'm not over doing it. It doesn...

One year ago today I wrote my first Trouble with the Curvy entry. I said I was on the brink of something smaller and with 365 days of hard work (that's at least 19% accurate) I am not on the brink anymore. Let's celebrate with a heartfelt song from Fred Flintstone: Thanks Fred <3 Means a lot Dude! When I started this journey I was 212lbs. Today I am 178lbs. That is a grand annual total of 34lbs. I have 3 more pounds to go to reach my first weight goal! I think I'm going to nail it :) This past year was all about making changes to my life for the better. When I look back I don't feel like I sacrificed anything at all. A few less crispy chickens from Burger King and a little more walking and shaking my tail made a huge difference. This year was about making good choices and knowing that I really wanted to actually accomplish something. Losing weight and keeping it off is friggin' hard. Especially when you are a lover of all things you can eat... well most...

Last week was really weird. Ben worked late every night and, in theory, that should have given me plenty of time to write my blog. That's not how it worked though. Instead I got up early, walked each morning, then did Zumba twice, then walked in the evenings and got down to 176lbs at my lowest weigh in. I also didn't eat a formal dinner any night last week because it wasn't an occasion like it usually is. It made me realize that I like the art of sitting and breaking bread with someone more than just indulging in actual food. I think there is something to that and weight loss success or failure but I haven't quite figured out how I can use that to improve my progress. When I am thrown off my routine I am ecstatic to know it doesn't seem to effect my workout schedule. If anything, it motivated me to work out even more. I figured if I can't hang out with my favorite person I might as well do something active. It did not do my blog writing any favors though. The...

Today is kind of a milestone. I have finally broken into the 170's. I have 4 more pounds to go before I reach my vacation goal of 175! As a reward for my progress I broke down and bought a new bathing suit. I saw one I really liked and I couldn't help but get it. For the first time ever I will feel completely comfortable in a bath suit! This is pretty huge. It is one thing to feel comfortable in your own skin but feeling comfortable in a bathing suit is a whole different ball game. I'm not a fan of the string bikini kind of suit (and that wouldn't change even if I weighed 110lbs). I am simply not the kind of girl that will run around in her underwear so why would the fact that it is made for the water make a difference? I prefer something with a little more coverage. Traditional bathing suit bottoms are glorified underwear and I would never feel comfortable parading around a swimming hole like that. The suit I found is more like a pair of shorts. They don't hug ...

I have come to learn from doing this blog that I don't do stress well. When I'm stressed I'm not myself and I'm pretty miserable to be around. Yesterday, with a research paper staring me down, I let myself get worked up and stress got the better of me. On my last day of a wonderful 3 day weekend, I was... well... a shrew. I don't think I'm alone though. I think we all have our moments that we look back on and feel a deep shame for being so absolutely ridiculous. Certainly sometimes it is warranted but, for me, when I get like that I'm usually being pretty absurd.... like "How come you're not reading my mind and just do what I think you should be doing?!" I should also note that I'm one of those people that when I'm all pissy I can't help but slam things around. Anything I touch, I touch with force. I'm not proud of that but I can't seem to help myself. Luckily for me, the love of my life has the patience of a saint. In m...

Last week I wrote about how I needed some help in the willpower department. Many thanks to Theresa Beauchamp and Jen Porto for their advice and feedback. They both provided some really helpful things that changed my way of actually looking at willpower. First, I would never, ever, punch someone in the face for any reason (Cuz I'm a lovah not a fightah) but I did wonder if the way I characterized meditation may have been a little closed minded. I didn't mean that I don't value meditation just that I don't feel like I have time for that "feel good" stuff that doesn't actually help me do anything but waste more time. As Theresa pointed out, you can't knock it until you try it because you may be surprised. The article she recommends was pretty enlightening. It discusses taking some time to think about your food.. even just the first bite... and making the experience mindful however you see fit. As I was reading it I realized I kind of do that already witho...