First Week of December

Hey All!

Sorry I haven't been around to write to you, but it was Thanksgiving and then I went on my first ever business trip. I am an official adult now. Hello world!

Well it is the first of the month which means new monthly challenge. Also, it is the start of a new week so it is time for a new weekly workout list.

My monthly challenge will be an awesome jump rope challenge.

Week one: Jump rope for 1 minute a day
Week two: Jump rope for 2 minutes a day
Week three: Jump rope for 3 minutes a day
Week four: Jump rope for 4 minutes a day

Easy enough. You don't even need a jump rope. You can make your body stay in the jump rope position. This week. I have decided to try this calendar:

Monday: Running
Tuesday: Insanity
Wednesday: Running
Thursday: Insanity
Friday: Running
Saturday: Pinterest Pins

These will be including the jump rope regimen along with anything else I feel that need to be done. However, here is the kicker. I'm sick. Somehow, somewhere, someone gave me a cold. I have been trying diligently to find it off because I don't have time in my life to have a cold. It is very inconvenient. My approach to fighting this nasty cold is medicine, green tea, water, fruit, and staying in my baby pink bunny footie pajamas while watching all the Hulu and Netflix as I possibly can. So today, I will do 1 minute of jump rope and then go back to my lazy attempts at better health.

Mondays Epic Fail

I did something horrible, terrible! Completely unforgivable! Okay, maybe not those things, but I did cave into a most unhealthy craving. I ordered the mac n' cheese from Noodles and Company!! I KNOW! I fell into a cheesy noodlely pool of deliciousness and didn't get out until I was through. Oh my friends I can testify it was  so good and I will probably do it again. But, it was not a healthy decision and it became my gateway drug to further unhealthy decisions made that day. It also made me feel not so good afterwards. My instant gratification came with a price. I have eaten healthy and clean for so long, ingesting that much carb and fat at once did not sit well with me.

So, as I sat at my desk eating this bowl of childhood comfort warring between nostalgia and what I knew to be right I thought, "I'll will just hit the gym no matter how much time I had- 30 minutes is better then no minutes".   And I did. Right after work I headed towards my gym, which is the city rec center, only to find out the horrible truth! It was closed for Veteran's Day! Don't get me wrong. I fully believe in honoring our troops and our veteran's, they are what continue to make our homes safe. They deserve as much respect as we can give them. But, on a day that I ate a bowl of unhealthy mac n'cheese!? I drove away disappointed in the outcome of my day.

However, my day was not all bad. I tried to offset my unhealthy choices and now lack of exercise with frequent outbursts of dancing throughout my house followed by a very healthy dinner choice! I made a very simple turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread. There was no white fatty substance covering the bread and no cheese. I already had my feel of that food for the day thank you very much! It was paired with a few vegetables and a very small serving of dump salad.

Now remember this: yes I ate food I shouldn't have. Yes, I didn't get to do my scheduled exercise. Yes, I will probably hit another similar speed bump. But I am human. I will jump off the train to success a few times, it is not big deal. I will get back on and continue down the healthy path.  Now this doesn't mean we can't have a bowl of mac n' cheese every once in awhile, it just means that since we enjoy the food we need to look at how to make it healthier. I can look for substitute ingredients, smaller portion sizes are always a good way to go, and throwing in some green vegetables like peas and broccoli are a great way to make mac n' cheese healthy!

Week 1

Okay everybody it is Sunday November 11, 2012 and I am going to start pulling activities out of a hat. I call it my magic exercising trick! ha ha.  Okay, here it goes, drum roll please.. .. . . . . . .

Monday: Cardio- running (couch to 5k)

Tuesday: INSANITY

Wednesday: Cardio (couch to 5k) yep! I was lucky and pulled out two running slips

Thursday: Pinterest day- (good I need a break from the cardio)

Friday: Yoga day

Saturday: Free activity day ( This is my wild card day. I may choose to do a new activity or repeat one of the other ones. Who knows what I will do ;) )

So, lets get this party started. I'm excited to see how this goes, Each day is something entirely different and I am really looking forward to it. Also, when I start December, I will ad one exercise plan that I must complete in that one month. But since I am in the middle of the month it kind of defeats the purpose of a month exercise. Plus, I'm kind of OCD when it comes to start days for projects or goals.

Well, that is all I have for tonight everyone. I do have a few outfits that I could blog about, but I think I will save those for another day.

So I leave you with this most fantastic saying-since it really did happen to me last Christmas! and that special holiday is coming up, but also, it is a reminder to everyone that is reading my blog and those who don't, that no matter what size we are or what stage we are in our transformation, we are all sexiest enough for Santa to wrap us up and give to someone as a present.

Stuck in a Funk

I haven't been posting much because I have been doing the same thing every day! I have become bored of my workout routine and have decided to try out something new! Everyone loves new things right?! I know I do. Also, I get bored fast.  So here is what I'm going to try. Every Sunday I am posting my weekly workout routine. I will throw in 3 cardio routines, 1 random activity (my surprise card), 1 strength, and 1 pinterest group post.  I will throw several options into the hat and randomly pull them out of a hat. and then post the weekly schedule. Each day I will then go into detail about how each activity went, and what I did specifically.  I will also pick at the beginning of each month an additional daily exercise that I will need to do daily. I will also be more diligent with posting my outfits.

So, my fellow people. Let's try this out. It will work because I won't get bored. Also, if anybody has some great ideas for exercises or pin posts let me know about them. I would love to add it to my plans.

Paintball Madness

Today, I went paint balling for the first time in my life. I have been dying to go for some time now, desperately trying to convince my dad and brothers to take me with them.  My attempts have been unsuccessful, until today when I went with a group of friends. Now, if you know me, I take my sports very seriously. So, placing a loaded weapon in my hands may not be the smartest thing someone can do, but oh well, they'll learn.

I have to say I did fairly well for my first time. I played five games and out of those five I was usually one of the last few to get out. No, I didn't win and my team didn't win. I do have to give credit to the well strategically played game from the yellow team. Well, played boys, well played. Let me just remind everyone. I can only get better the longer I play.

Now, when we played girls team vs. girls team, that is where I dominated!!! It was five on five and I shot out all five. My team was a HUGE part in helping me sneak up on the others. They were determined, and aggressive! Holding our line strong and working together to tell me where each girl on the opposite team was hiding. I may have gotten the shot, but I needed that team. Good work girls! May we play such an incredible game again.

So, after having a taste of the paintball experience, I would love to try play again. Anyone up for it? I came out unscathed, no welts or bruises, just a little tired. Nothing a quick nap can't cure.

My First Outfit

So, I'm very excited to post to you my first outfit! This look is one of my favorites.  I wore a cream colored cardigan, paired with  a red ruffled tank top, black skinny jeans and black boots. At the bottom of the post I will tell you where I bought them. 

Okay, so the reason behind why I wore these things.
 Fist I will start with the jeans. I believe a pair of black jeans should be in every woman's closest. Not only are they slimming due to the black color, but they can be dressed up or down, which I'm all for versatile outfits. These jeans are ridiculously comfortable too. They feel like denim jeans, have a little bit of stretch, but always retain their shape! (At least for me they do) Also, it is a well known fact with my friends and family, I have no butt.  But when I wear these jeans, MAN do I have a FANTASTIC back side. Also, don't be afraid to buy skinny jeans. For awhile there I didn't think they would work for me,  I do love them! I even have to buy the super skinny because I have really narrow ankles! But skinny's are great. They are easy to wear boots with and I think just a fun staple to have in the wardrobe. Give it a try!

Next comes my lace ruffled top in red. I LOVE the color red. It is super flattering on my skin tone, and again, depending on the cut of the shirt it can be dressed up or down. This particular shirt has a simple, but cute razor back, so I could wear it without the cardigan, but for now I do and I will tell you why.. but when I talk about the cardigan.  What I like about this top is it has a bold yet feminine touch. The lace and shirt are super soft. Also, the ruffles help to camouflage those hard to hide places, while not adding bulk to my shape.  BUT LISTEN TO ME CLOSELY ON THIS NEXT PART!! I love lace, and I love ruffled shirts, but this is the ONLY, I repeat, ONLY ruffled shirt I own. Do not be fooled by people and style magazines when they say ruffle tops are super flattering for curvier women. THIS IS FALSE!! The RIGHT ruffled shirt can be flattering. Case in point-the one I'm wearing. But, in order to find this shirt, I tried on several different ones. From silk, to cotton, from non-lace to lace. This one worked for me. So, ladies, just because someone says ruffles are flattering, don't buy it, unless you try it on. AND if it makes you look like a box, you feel like a box, or if it doesn't make you look FABULOUS!!! DON'T BUY IT!!

I  shop by that statement. If I don't love it, if I sit there debating over it, I'm never going to wear it. Don't be pulled in by your best friend, your mom, or even your boyfriend when they tell you it looks good. If you don't feel awesome when wearing it, you will regret it.

Okay, sorry, I got a little off tangent. Back to the cream cardigan. This cardigan, is a nice soft neutral cream color, short sleeve and a soft cotton. It is very light and does not button up. It gathers nicely in front and down next to my hips as you can see. The way it sits on me and accents my shirt make me appear a little leaner than I really am.It emphasizes my hidden hourglass figure ;) What is great about this cardigan, is I can pair it will different colors, and several different belt looks. (Which those looks will come later)

So, that is what I wore, my hair was nothing special; just crazy curly. But now I will list where I bought the stuff. WARNING: I buy A LOT of my clothes at RUE 21.

Ruffled Lace Shirt Red: Walmart $10
Cream Cardigan: Rue 21   $3
Black Jeans: Rue 21  $12 (They were part of Rue 21's buy a pair of jeans get one half off)
Black Slouchy Boots: Payless Shoes  GIFT

YUMMY IN MY TUMMY

What I ate was almost perfect. I cheated in a few areas, but nothing to crazy. I'm going to give you a nice menu version of what I ate today:

Breakfast:

1 egg

1/4 cup egg whites

2 small corn tortillas

dash of cheese

hot sauce

Make breakfast tacos!!

First, warm up the tortillas using a flat top and canola oil spray. Next, scramble the eggs. Toss in the tortillas sprinkle with cheese and hot sauce! Easy, delicious and the eggs are a great source of protein for an after work out breakfast. 

Drink:

 

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 thing of light yogurt ( I did cherry flavor today, but you can do pina colada, orange etc.)

1 tsp. vanilla protein shake 

Water

(Blend together and enjoy!)

Lunch:

1 Lean pocket

Banana

Dinner: Chicken Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

1 cup of Spaghetti Squash

Light Sweet Tomato Basil sauce

1/2 Chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces. 

Red Pepper Flakes

Pepper

Garlic Powder 

Garlic (for squash)

Butter (for squash)

Season Salt

Baked Asparagus.

Dessert:

1/2 cup of Chocolate Moose Track ice cream ( I know. I was naughty ssshhhh)

Cooking spaghetti squash is extremely easy. I have a great microwave method that frees up your time to worry about the other stuff. 

First, cut your squash in half and remove the inner seeds. Do NOT cut the skin in any other way. Also, cutting the squash is very hard. So get a really good knife and use your muscles.

Once you have it cut and cleaned out place one half  in a tight fitting dish cut side face-up. You don't want your squash moving around. Next, fill it with 1/2 cup water, then place the other have back on cut side down. You should have put the squash back together. 

Place in the microwave on high power between 10 to 25 minutes. Depending on the size of your squash. The way you can tell if it is done, when you touch it, it should be soft and the color should be a vibrant translucent  color. 

Lastly, drain whatever water is left, scrape with a fork, toss with butter, Parmesan cheese, garlic, or anything else you want or leave it plain.

Top with spaghetti sauce and enjoy!

For the chicken, I just tossed it with some red pepper flakes, garlic, and season salt. Cooked it till done and then added the sauce. 

Now is the really really good stuff!!! My asparagus has turned the most veggie hating people into mindless, asparagus craving fiends!! A.K.A my very very picky friends. (You know who you are, and you know I love you any way ;) ). 

 

First, you need to buy the slim asparagus. The fat stalks are nasty!!

Next wash and cut the ends of the stalk. 

Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 min. at 400 F.  Enjoy!!

OFF TO A GREAT START

Well, today wasn't the best day to show you any outfits, because today is laundry day. So I will be lounging around in my sweaty workout clothes while doing house chores and laundry. :s Better luck tomorrow.

Today however has started off on the somewhat right foot today. To be honest, all I wanted to do was lay in my bed curled in the fetal position praying for the womanly pains to go away!! But, I talked myself through it. I'm not going to get where I need to be if I let the pain an the oh so convincing persuasions of my bed keep me from the gym.  I crawled out, threw on my workout clothes, didn't even bother doing my hair (I'm going to get gross and sweaty any way) and went to the gym.

Today I did the elliptical for 1 hour. I usually run or do something else a little more strenous, but I tore the meniscus lining of my right knee, so until further notice, all workouts need to be low impact.  But anyway, back to the elliptical. I did it for 1 hour interval training. My intervals were low 4 and a high 12. I kept a steady pace of 110 strides per minute.  I pretty much wanted to cry, and again curl in the fetal position, due to the pain I was feeling. However, I did it. I worked through it and I couldn't have been more proud!

Now you may be thinking, "1 hour on the elliptical that is a long time." Yes, but it is worth it. I then went to the weight room and grabbed a mat.  I did a few stretches and then got back to work.
Thanks to Pinterest, I cam across a month long program for ab workouts that totally kick my trash

I know it says Mean Abs June. But this workout can be adapted for any month. Heck I'm doing it for October.  Listen up though, this workout gets intense, don't feel like you need to do exactly what the day says, if you need to repeat a day a couple more times, because you know it will continue to give you a workout, that is great! Keep it up! Right now I'm on day 12, and let me tell you, I feel the burn! After I do that, I work my arms out a little more. I do some of the machines- 4 sets of 12 reps. I'll try and mark these down better next time. 

So, that was my morning, it was about 1.5 hours of wonderful, bettering me time.  But, check back later tonight and I will post the foods I ate todayt!

WRITER'S BLOCK

Sooo, I know I haven't written in forever. Reason being- I couldn't figure out the direction I wanted to go. Well everyone, I have figured it out.

I'm going to write about fitness and eating well I know, I know. It sounds like just another fitness blog. We all have seen them, read them, and tried them. BUT! I'm putting a twist to it. Any guess what it could be. I'll give you a few hints. When people become more fit, drop those pounds and gain that lean muscle, what happens to their clothes??? Many people will stick to wearing baggy sweats, hoodies and t-shirts until they hit their goal. But why wait?! Why can't we look fabulous now! Without spending extra money and constantly having to buy new clothes.  So, has anyone guessed what I'm going to write about? Yes! NO! Maybe?  Okay, I wont keep you waiting any longer:

In this blog I will not only tell you the exercises I do, the food I eat, and the constant battling for delicious but OH SO NOT good for me food, but I will show you (or attempt to show you) how to wear your cute clothes differently while still loosing weight. I will try not to buy clothes while throughout this journey, pants being the exemption. (A girl can't walk around with a saggy bottom now can she?) So, let's hope this works. Let's hope I stay on top of it and everything looks good.

Lastly, I'm letting everyone know, I'm not a fashionista, I don't spend a lot of money on clothes, and I'm not into designers.  I'm not afraid to lounge out in sweats and a t-shirt either. There is nothing wrong with it! I would go CRAZY if I couldn't wear my lazy clothes every once in awhile, AND I have natural curly hair, so it will most likely be in its wild and bodacious form. No, this blog is simple. Affordable cute clothes, nothing to crazy in style, but tips and tricks to keep you looking AMAZING without having to buy a new wardrobe every two months or so.

So, until we reach my goal together, be prepared for my journey, have patience with me and let's look GORGEOUS! :D

My Grandpa Pipkin

I know I haven't posted in awhile.  My family just lost a much loved member of the family. My grandpa passed away at the end of April. The month before was filled with family members taking turns sitting at his bedside or gathering together at his bedside to tell family adventures, all of course including grandpa. Though he couldn't participate in the stories, or in most cases, defend himself we all knew he could here us. Every once in awhile there would be a smile on his face.

The month before was filled with family gatherings, funeral preparations, and time to process what happened and to come to terms with it.  I miss my grandpa terribly

.

He was the man who taught me to not take myself to seriously; that everyone is a friend, and life is meant for us to work hard, play hard, and love everyone with a fierce passion.  I love you grandpa with all of my heart. Your goofy sense of humor, love for children, and gappy smile will be missed.

Homemade Pretzel Bites

Now I know I'm on a life changing journey, but a girl has to have a little treat every once in awhile. Here is my go to treat. It is a little time consuming but so worth the extra elbow grease needed to make these babies.  I can't take credit for coming up with these. They came from another blog http://une-bonne-vie.blogspot.com that I found on Pinterest. Yes, Pinterest. What can I say I'm obsessed with it.

I am going to give you the recipe. It comes straight from the blog; with one or two changes that I made.


Pretzel Bites




For the dough: 
1 1/4 cups warm water (70-80 degrees F)
3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (Here I use bread flour, it gave it a better texture)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
Pinch of granulated sugar   (Splenda works well too)


For the bath: 
2 quarts water
1/2 cup baking soda


For the finish: 
coarse salt
1/2 cup cinnamon-sugar mixture 
a few tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

I normally use just the salt, and table salt works just as well.  If you want to make it a little healthier, use warm olive oil. It is so good! 



In a small glass container, warm the water. Sprinkle yeast on top. Add a pinch of sugar. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. (You should be able to see a bit of foam at the top.)


In a large bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Whisk together. When yeast mixture is ready, pour it into the flour and mix with a wooden spoon. When a dough seems to be forming, remove it from the bowl and place on a lightly-floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth and springs back when you poke it. (This should take approximately 10 minutes. Don't give up too early. The dough will not taste as good as it is meant to be if you wimp out. Remember, knead with your arms and not your wrists.) Trust these words. My arms killed after kneading. 


When you finish kneading, place the dough in a large, lightly-greased (with cooking spray or oil) bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Put the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise until it has doubled (about 1 hour).


Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.


When the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into four pieces. Roll each piece into a 18-inch to 20-inch long rope. Using scissors, cut each rope into 2-inch pieces. (It's not a big deal if they're not all perfectly the same. I had a few odd ones and they survived.) Set pieces aside and let them rest for 5 minutes.


While the pieces are resting, in a medium pot, bring the water and baking soda to a boil. Drop the dough pieces into the water, no more than five at a time. Boil them for 10 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen towel.


Place boiled dough pieces on two lightly-greased baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes. (They will brown-up nicely at the very end of the baking process. Don't be like me and remove half of your batch a bit too early.)I noticed with every batch I put in the bites baked faster. So I learned with my oven to decrease the cook time with each batch. Remove them from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Brush pieces with melted butter and sprinkle with salt or dip them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. These would also be delicious with a warm cheese sauce or even some plain, old peanut butter. Enjoy!


These are such a huge hit with my family that I have to double the entire recipe just so I can have a few. This is a really good  recipe to get the kids involved or little siblings and friends to help. They can help you roll and cut the pieces as well as butter and sprinkle the finished product. They can also help you eat them  :)

No Go

So, I had a job interview today.  It went well and they really liked me, but unfortunately I didn't get it. :( You know why?. . . . I don't speak Spanish! Ugh, very upset because I could have very well grown up speaking Spanish. I mean my last name is Mexican. Well, all my co-workers will be happy to not see me go, especially my boss, who looked really upset when I told him this morning that I could potentially be leaving soon.  But I really do need a new job. I currently work 45 minutes away from my home and the way gas prices are going, I really can't afford to continue to make the drive.  So, those who follow me, and have been kind enough to read me rant about my predicament, if any of you know of some job close to where I live please let me know. I would greatly appreciate a helping hand. :)

Well, my search continues. I will continue to fill out applications and stalk job posting websites. (I'm serious that I get on ksl at least once a day)

First glance into my fitness

Some of you may know, but most of you won't that I am on this life changing journey to find my inner skinny! I call it my Buddha Life Changing Excursion.  Now, I have been doing this for a couple of months now and I have already lost 15lbs.!!! Which for me is a complete miracle! I'm hoping to use this blog to show you my progress and update with new recipes and exercise quotes along with the workouts that I do or where to get them.

Today's workout was a courtesy to my main man Mr. Shaun T!  If you don't know who this is you are missing out.  He is a fitness genius!  He has workout programs that work better "for me" then any other workout I have  tried.  He was on Dr. Oz the other morning and showed the world is Miracle 15 minute workout.  Now, I have been doing his Insanity program (which is not for the faint of heart and for quitters) Many people have told me that they tend to throw up when doing it. But if you can stick to it, I can guarantee amazing results!  Now, for those who don't want to get into Insanity just yet, the Dr. Oz special 15 minute workout works just a good.  I couple it with a couple it with a different daily ab workout and arm exercises, which I will post at a later date. Here is the link to the fifteen minute workout. www.doctoroz.com/videos/shaun-ts-miracle-15-minute-workout

I am not endorsed to say anything about Shaun T and his products, they are my own opinions and I am not responsible for any injury or results that happen if used. :) Just putting in just in case.

Joining the Blogging World

So  I have finally decided to join the world of bloggers. I figured if my 14 year old baby sister could do it so could I!  The real challenge will be for me to remember to update this baby.

When thinking about what to blog I thought of several different things; my life outside college, my journey to a skinnier me, food, crafts, and planning my trip to Germany. But I really could think of one particular thing. So, I'm going to do it all!

I hope everyone enjoys it, so lets get started!