SLOW DOWN!!! Operation Get Fit Link Up

Now I generally won't listen to advice people give me. I do what I want and I am very stubborn. Your tips probably would help me immensely, but please refer to the previous two sentences. This includes but is not limited to: 

If you follow me on Instagram you may know that I have teamed up with Weight Watchers to review their simple start program. Since I am only a week into the two week program, I'm not here to fully review the program just yet. What I am here to talk about today is the aha! moment I've recently had. 

So my very first Weight Watchers meeting (which was over 2 months ago and I'm still going strong, yay!) the leader was talking about "putting the fork down."

I sat there thinking: "Yeah yeah yeah. Put the fork down. Whatever. Not gonna help."

I knew that it wouldn't work for me. I would feel the same whether I ate my food in 2 seconds or took 2 hours, and that feeling was.... "I'm still hungry." So I let the leaders words go in one ear and out the other.

You know what totally sucks about changing to a healthy eating lifestyle? (P.S. I'm not saying the word diet, that is a no no! Except I just said it and now the martians are going to get me, but it was a simple misunderstanding and I'll clear that up with them when they arrive).

What SUCKS about being healthy, is that you never have that Crap. I. Am. Freaking. Stuffed Feeling. I adore that feeling. I LOVE feeling that stuffed (pun intended) crust pizza rolling around in my belly, I love picking up one last chip with cheese slathered all over it and thinking... "Is there room for this?! I don't know but I sure can't wait to find out!"

You never need to unbutton your pants, you never need to worry if that last bite is going to be the bite that leaves you paralyzed to the couch for the remainder of the day. These are not concerns when you're being healthy.

As I'm sure you guessed, and have been patiently waiting, I have a point.

The other day I was at Chipotle and ordered a burrito bowl with black beans and brown rice and chicken and salsa and lettuce and corn and fantastic deliciousness... all of that for only 12 points.

I was on my hour lunch break, and if you're anything like me you use every second of that hour lunch break that has been allotted to you. So I sat down took a couple of bites and flipped through my twitter feed. 

Then I took a few more bites, put the fork down and flipped through my Instagram feed.  After about 10 minutes of that, I took a few more bites and remembered that I was a living, breathing 27 year old who hadn't yet taken a picture of her lunch and posted it for all social media channels to see and drool over. 

So I took another bite, then positioned my fork in the bowl to make it look artsy, moved my drink to the right so that you could see the Chipotle logo and began the covert operation of taking a picture of my food and not letting everyone around me realize that is what I was doing.

I snap 18 pictures as fast as I can in hopes that one will be appealing. I take a few more bites then spend 15 minutes deciding if I want to use Walden or Amaro filter (we all know I'm going to go with Amaro every time, let's be real here). 

After the heavy hitting filter debate settles, I hit post and smile when I finally get a like and realize my hard food photography work has paid off. 

I then settle in to finish the remainder of my food, while occasionally checking to see who is jealous that I am at Chipotle. 

My hour has come to an end, I get up, throw my food away, get in the car and realize.... holy crap I am stuffed. Like full. Like uncomfortably full. Like I wanted to take my pants off. What a great feeling that was. 

How did that happen? Did I eat a ton of food? No. Did I eat unhealthy? No. Did I stay in my points? Yes. Why am I so full. 

Aha! I put the fork down. I didn't go elbows up with the burrito bowl like the barbarian I sometimes pretend to be. I put the damn fork down and look what happened. I got FULL. I was on something we aren't going to call a diet, and I got FULL. 

So, next time you sit down to eat, just try it. Put the fork down. Fidget with your phone, read through my old blog posts (just a suggestion), phone a friend, take a picture of your food, make fun of people's grammar on Facebook, look at the popular page on Instagram and speculate how that no-name 14 year old has 1.8m followers.... let me know what happens. 

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I was given a free one month membership by weight watchers and a smart phone to track my progress, but this post and these opinions are totally my own! 

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Operation Get Fit :::: Linkup

Oh my gosh y'all. I drank enough last night to kill a small elephant. And by last night I mean all day long yesterday. I don't go out and get crazy that often but when I do, it feels like I am making up for lost time! That is not good. And neither is this post today. 

I wish I was more alert at the moment. Blog panning for the loss today. But I didn't want to miss the linkup!! My friend Kristen and I joked last night about coming home and writing a blog post after going to the bar. I don't know if I'm sad that didn't happen, or relieved....

On another note, I went and weighed in at weight watchers on Friday, and I was down another 1.6 pounds! So that puts me at 12.2 total pounds lost. Whoop whoop! I have a sneaking suspicion though that I put all of that back on this weekend. 

So here is what I want to know, what drinks do you drink when you go to the bar? I like vodka sodas and miller light, but what other choices could we make for low calorie cocktails at our favorite watering holes?

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Operation Get Fit: Linkup #3

If you fall off the wagon, just get back on. Don't stress. All is not lost. Don't wait until Monday to climb back on the wagon. Don't even wait until dinner to climb on the wagon. Climb back on right now and grab yourself a big glass of water. It's ok, we aren't perfect.

And guess what, if you end up skipping that wagon ride for dinner, then breakfast the next morning, then lunch and dinner the next day, well wagon rides depart all day every day, and you determine the wagon's schedule.

This may sound like a silly analogy, but it's true. If you screw up, just fix it. You know how to control your eating habits. 

Last week I fell off the wagon. I don't want to say I cheated or broke my diet, that sounds too harsh. I intentionally jumped off the wagon, actually, because it was my dang birthday weekend and I didn't want to eat a cauliflower birthday cake. I just kept telling myself, no worries, do what you want right now, but Wednesday morning, you get right back on track, don't let anything stop you! And I didn't. On Wednesday I had my iced coffee with non fat milk and my little breakfast bar and I was right back to being focused on healthy eating. 

I think that is something you need to remember during the holiday season. Treat yourself, but don't sabotage yourself. The longer you stay away, the farther away the wagon travels and the more difficult is to chase down that damn wagon. 

Those who wander are not always lost.

Progress: 

Weight Loss Progress To Date: Down 10.2 pounds

Weeks On Plan: 4

Weekends without falling off the wagon: 3

Weeks spent at the gym: 4

Off to Turbo Kick today before spending my Sunday working, what are you going to do to get out and get exercise today? I'm not sure what it is doing in your neck of the woods, but we have a beautiful sunshiny day here in Dallas, get out and enjoy it! 

Here are some inspirational / humorous words I've found around the Pinterest machine for you this week!

 

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Operation Get Fit - Linkup #2

It's weight loss Sunday around here! Every other Sunday I'll be hosting a linkup for anyone who wants to come play. You can discuss progress you've made, goals you've set for yourself, troubles you've been having, whatever the heck you want! It is very very informal and meant to be a platform for everyone to show support for one another! 

I've had two weigh-ins at weight watchers thus far, and lost 6.6 pounds. I honestly don't have much to report yet, I haven't lost enough to redeem any of my goal prizes, but I will tell you, I am so focused it isn't funny. I haven't cheated on the plan even once. Not even on a Saturday watching Vols football! 

I actually went out and bought a veggie tray, threw away the ranch in the middle, and ate the entire thing during the last Vol football game, to keep from eating chips and salsa. I figure, you gotta do what you gotta do to stay focused right? 

I've also gotten back into doing Turbo Kick class regularly, and let me tell you, it is definitely not as easy as it once was. Sure I remember the moves, so I'm not lost, but I need to stop for a lot more water breaks than I once needed! That is just more motivation for me to get better. 

So I'll leave you with my tip for everyone for this week. You know how so many people recommend pinning motivational pictures of girls with really fit bodies on Pinterest? Well, I've actually found that pinning funnier, sarcastic images is way better. Pinning a girl that I'll probably never look like, yeah, that doesn't help me. Making me laugh not only burns calories (duh, laughing is my cardio) but makes this whole journey a little easier to take. 

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Tunics and Leggings

How long can one girl get away with Tunics and Leggings? Tunics, high-low shirts and long billowy tops are really cute. So many pretty, feminine styles to choose from. Oh who am I kidding, I love them because they COVER MY HUGE ASSet.

So tunic length shirts came back in style a few years ago, and now leggings are of course popular and look so chic. So, you are telling me that I can get away with stretch pants and a glorified night gown every day at work? Dear Fashion Gods, please don't let this trend go out of style because, until I lose this 26 year old baby weight, I will not have anything in my closet I am comfortable wearing to work.

I've always been so self conscious when it comes to my body, particularly my butt. I like to think that the long tunic covers up what I want no one to see, so when someone makes a comment about how I've got a Kardashian booty, I am oddly surprised.

But, how did you notice that? I am wearing a shirt that is three sizes too big and could double as a tent for the next time I try my hand at camping.

You'll never see me in tight clothing. I'm always dressing for around my body.

I think when you start a weight loss journey, it is important to set goals for yourself that aren't just about the number staring back at you when you step on the scale. So here are my non-scale victories I want to achieve:

1. I want to take a picture and not have to spend a minute and a half moving my head around so that my face is at a flattering angle for the camera. An angle I don't feel fat in.  

2. I don't want to make the photographer take my picture 47 different times

3. I don't want to have to crop my images so that my fat arm isn't in the picture when I post it

4. I want to feel confident wearing shorts

5. I want my boots to fit like this.... instead of the "zipper won't zip up all the way" fit I currently have.

6. I want to buy a pair of pants from Forever 21. Not because I particularly love their pants, but because they don't make pants big enough to fit my big booty, never have. 

7. I don't want to dread Summer.

8. I don't want to dread the beach.

9. I don't want to feel sad anymore when I look in my closet. I want to feel like there is a world of possibilities in that closet, rather than racks of clothes that look like crap on me.

So those are my non-scale victories I want to achieve. And I'm going to. We are going to!  

What are your non-scale goals? 

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When Life Hands You Pounds You Don't Need

I stepped on the scale Monday morning and I saw a number that I had never seen before in my life. Actually, if you subtracted 10 from the number showing on my scale, I'd never seen that number before either. What have I done? 30 pounds. I've gained 30 pounds since I moved to Dallas. Ok, so that confession didn't feel very good at all. 

When I saw that number staring back at me I hit the bathroom floor in tears. What have I done?! 

Living in Knoxville and working out 3 or more days per week, to now living in Dallas and have been to the gym a total of 3 TIMES. Not 3 times per week, just 3 times. Moving to a new city all by yourself is not easy. Making friends is insanely difficult. I don't want to say I've been depressed since I moved to Dallas, that isn't the case, but there have been times where I've been so sad it hurts. I tell myself, "I don't have anyone here to impress, who cares if I order this large stuffed crust pizza all for myself?" 

I won't say that I turn to food for comfort, I don't think that is accurate. I turn to food for entertainment. I turn to shopping for entertainment. I turn to a bottle of wine and take out for entertainment when I don't have Friday night plans. Saturday night plans. Sunday night plans. Monday night plans... you get the picture. 

The point of this post is not for people to start thinking I'm depressed. I'm fine! I love Dallas and I'm slowly but surely making new friends. Thank God for blog land sending me Helene! I'm just missing my best friend in Knoxville, Lisa who was always my gym buddy forcing me to go to the gym with her. I'm missing my sorority sisters and roommates being across the hall. Why is there no match.com for friendships? Riddle me that? 

I know I'm getting off topic, but you guys said you wanted more of my "face" and I want to do this post right, even if no one reads it. For the first time on this blog, I truly feel like I'm writing a post for no one else but myself.  I want to do a weight loss post. I want to find motivation to lose weight. I've lost my motivation mojo. 

I'm not changing to a weight loss blog. I'm not going to blog about qunioa. You won't see any recipes for skinny lasagna on here. I won't be posting pictures of the treadmill readout, nor will I be offering tips on the proper form for a lunge. What I am going to do though is start posting monthly progress reports on various Sundays. Maybe even a linkup if anyone would want to join! I know myself, I won't stick to it on my own, but I will stick to it if I put it out there. I will stick to it if I know that everyone in blog land knows I'm trying to lose weight. I'm way too competitive, publicly failing at something is a personal form of embarrassment up there with peeing in your pants on the first day of school. 

Last night I went to a weight watchers meeting. I wanted to ask the teacher if I could leave early the minute I stepped in the class because it was all old people discussing the number of points in cranberry sauce. How is this relevant to me? Where was J.Hud? It would be so cool if weight watchers did age based meetings *suggestion cup!*. I don't have the same temptations that a 73 year old woman has. I travel for work with all men, I party, I drink, I get hungover sometimes and want to eat all the things. Just the thought of Cranberry sauce makes me wanna vom. I think weight watchers, the program itself will work and I'm pumped to get started, but the meetings, I just don't know about these meetings. I had to think of something more motivating....

Here is how I am going to accomplish my weight loss goals by combining my love of shopping and my desire to be skinny! I'm not an expert, I'm not pretending to be an expert. I'm just a girl with a blog, photoshop skills and a sense of what works and what doesn't work for me. 

Step One: Admit your Weaknesses

My name is Sarah and I'm addicted to eating, drinking and spending money.

Step Two: You are now officially on a shopping freeze.

(Excluded from MY shopping freeze are the following items: bills, booze, small ticket entertainment like going to the movies, dining out, grocery store, anything the pups need, misc supplies) 

So anything else (i.e. clothes, purses, sports tickets) you can't buy, you gotta earn it! 

Step Three: Make yourself a wish list. These are items you really want and these items will be your reward for when you accomplish different milestone goals. 

Step Four: You are going to start saving for items on your wish list! Each time you accomplish a task on your list, you drop the appropriate dollar amount in the piggy bank. You can either use an actual piggy bank, or if you don't ever have cash, like me, you can use the Smarty Pig app.

So now you need to determine how much expendable income you have and can dedicate. I'm not Dave Ramsey, I'm not going to recommend dollar amounts for your budget, but what I will do is show you what my point system looks like!

Step Four: Determine what your goals are. Each time you hit one of those goals, you can use the money in the piggy bank to purchase something off your wish list!

My first 5 goals for the 5 items on my wish list:

10 Pounds Lost

12 straight weeks at the gym (Tracked via Four Square)

10% body weight lost

7 straight days without a single cheat meal

15% body weight lost

Has anyone else hit the wall, like me?
 Do you want to play along?

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5 Tips To Staying Healthy During the Summer Months

I'm as much doing this blog post for me to remember, hey, just because you have a cookout Thursday night doesn't mean that your whole week is pig out week. I sometimes think that it is ok to blow my healthy eating habits all week long if I know I have an event with limited food selection one day that week. HELLO stupid thinking.

I hate that I have such an all or nothing approach to the healthy lifestyle. My caloric consumption varies so much from day to day that I give a new meaning to the term swing dieter. One day I bet I'll only consume 900 calories then the next day 2900 calories because I'm so flipping hungry from the 900 calorie day.

My friend Lisa and I spent last past year working out religiously 2-4 times per week doing fun classes like Turbo Kick and Zumba. Upon moving to Dallas I lost my workout buddy, and clearly my motivation for keeping fit. By some grace of God, I have not gained too much weight since I moved here, but I have lost muscle and that makes me feel terrible about myself.

I'm waking up this Tuesday morning and saying, GET IT TOGETHER SARAH.

I'm not an expert, I'm not a nutritionist, I'm not skinny, I'm not pretending to know it all. I'm just an every-girl that struggles. But I'm an every-girl that knows what works, and what doesn't work. Here are my tips and tricks for staying focused and fit during the hot, event-filled Summer months, and well, really any time of year!

1. Utilize your iPhone: Track, track, track, then track some more. The best app I have on my phone is My Fitness Pal. I just went through and friended as many random people as possible so I have people cheering me on, and vice versa. Who cares if I don't know them, in fact, that may even make it better because I can be more honest! I update my weight every monday, and when I lose weight, it gets announced in my "news feed" (and all my friends start to congratulate me on my weight loss!) Whoo! Friends or strangers, encouragement and congrats are always fun to receive.

2. MOVE: Move somehow. Do something. During the summer, don't stress out about not being in the gym for an hour. Do a 30 minute spin class instead of an hour of turbo kick. Do 15 minutes of abs. Walk the dog for longer than normal. Go to Zumba instead of spin if you just can't fathom being on a bike for 45 minutes. I know that is so hard for me sometimes. Run around in circles in your apartment... regardless, just move, then you can have more wine!


3. Fear the most common misconceptions: Tip: When at a restaurant, let the server know that you have an allergy to butter and oils. Restaurants take allergies very seriously and I assure you there will be no butter or oil on your food. Will your food taste as good? No, but you will look fab in your bathing suit.

Yes I know vinaigrette is spelled wrong, but I didn't save the file and this post took me long enough to write already.

4. Take Pictures: Pregnant women take pictures of their belly growing and post it on Facebook every week. Well, take similar pictures and watch yourself shrink. I try and pick the worst possible outfit that makes me look super heavy on day 1 of a health overhaul. My go to is usually this purple bathing suit. Nothing is more revealing, or makes you want to lose weight more than a bathing suit. I update my picture each week to see my progress! I don't post them on Facebook, OBVIOUSLY! Don't nobody wanna see that. If nothing else, your before and after could make you (and your blog) a Pinterest sensation.

..... and I've clearly lost my mind for posting that. Hey turbo kick, how ya doing? We clearly need to hang out soon.

5. Don't live an all or nothing lifestyle: If you mess up at a catered work lunch, don't dwell, your day is not shot. Eat a salad for dinner! Those who wander are not lost! This is the one I have the hardest time with, hands down.

And the same goes for treating yourself. If I were to say to myself, "Self, you may never have chips and salsa or sweet treats again, if you want to be thin" what do you think self would then go do? Eat a bag of chips and salsa with birthday cake remix from Cold Stone on top.

I was lucky enough to have Fruttare ask me to review their frozen fruit bars.

Content provided in partnership with Fruttare.

I loved this product because first and foremost, it was totally delicious. I tried a box of both the strawberry and the mango. The mango was hands down my favorite. In the 109 (yes I said 109) degree weather, it is so hard to get cooled off. It's easy to turn to high sugar sodas or ice cream. This is the best alternative to refreshing yourself without totally ruining your healthy day.

Content provided in partnership with Fruttare.

The best part is that the bars I tried, mango and strawberry, are only 60 calories!! YES, 60! You could even have two, feel like you are totally indulging, but you've only consumed the amount of calories you would burn off in a 30 minute casual walk.

And the best part is Fruttare gave me a coupon for a free box of frozen fruit bars for one lucky reader to try! Just to make this deal even sweeter (pun of course intended) I'm going to throw in ESPN sized ad space too. All you have to do is comment and leave me a tip you use to stay healthy in the summer months. I'll use random.org to pick the winner. You have until Thursday at 5:00pmCST to enter!

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