Progress/obsession.

Firstly, I haven't lost really anymore weight. I'm down 16 from December, but I've gained a crap ton of muscle. I know because work has the awesome scales that tell me I have 24% body fat, which by the way is fitness level. Me, the person who was underweight my whole life but never in shape, then gained a lot of fat, now has 76% muscle and organs. And is at a fitness level! I've gained 2 more lbs of muscle weight in just 3 weeks! It's amazing. Truly amazing, how just working out about 13 or 15 times burned enough fat to build 2 lbs of muscle. I dare say it's an obsession to work out. I feel awesome afterwards and I hate not going. Maybe not a full fledged obsession, but a strong hobby. Yeah, thats not as obsessive.

Rupert is thrilled at my hard work, too.



Just kidding, I'm sure he could care less as long as he has my love.

But with all this hard work hussy Got me a beautiful new bike with a cute little basket. Something I've always dreamed of owning. And we live just a mile or so from the local grocer. The ever hip coffee shops and adorable older neighborhood that surrounds a very expensive landmark college is just as far down the road. I want to bike everywhere now, and I'm lucky were in an established enough area that theres plenty to go to in close proximity with an abundance of character. Blah blah heres my new baby



Walmart. Yes, I got this at walmart. I don't care if its a copy, knock off, cheap, whatever. It's adorable and a smooth ride. I love it.

Of course, with more working out and all my current weight loss and toning, I've had to buy a whole new wardrobe. Well, some. I'm too cheap and broke to replace all the daggone clothes I just built my wardrobe up with :(



My jeans are falling off, super loose, and not in a flattering way. Its an uncomfortable saggy feeling. I just got all my jeans in December for $10 each. Really good quality, and target hasn't had that sale since then. I'm pissed.

But every new milestone or noticeable change in appearance awards me a cheap thrill. I got this tight new shirt (what up target! I bought stock in it, for real.) to show off my almost flat tummy but my still gigantic chest is a little embarrassing. Oh well. I also bought my fave self tanner from bath and body works. Here's both together... Look ma, I'm not a ghost in a white shirt!



So after all these teasers, I thought I'd close this out with a real picture to show off how much fat I lost in my neck, upper chest and shoulders that I'm so proud of. And a snookie poof. fist pump and gorillas and GTLs and junk ftw.



I'll post a before and after of my progress soon. When I can deal with the embarrassment of only just realizing how much pooch I had. Lame.

Relaxing in chaos.

I'm so glad to have our poang chairs together at last. Cooper is enjoying life next to me while I'm lazy.

Then I upload the picture and realize what a disaster my house appears to be. In reality, we just paired down the litter boxes to smaller ones that look better and take up less room, got a new scratch pad and my favorite purse on earth is ripped and flaking and I can't save it any longer. Since we live in an 864 sf house, the only logical place to put the trash is the one room we go to for peace, quiet and cleanliness.

Well, aside from the poop boxes. I guess the room isn't as sterile as I thought.

The room also doubles as hussy's dressing room since it houses his closet. My closet is in the bedroom, and it was a disaster. So to make up for the trashed office, I paired down and color coordinated my closet to bring more peace to the bedroom.



It was then I realized my wardrobe looks so... Neutral.



I got rid of enough clothes that I can't fit into since I lost so much weight, that I cleared the entire bottom bar! So I decided to hang my boots. Which is awesome because I basically scroll them side to side to see what shirts they go with then put together a new outfit. Why didn't I think of this before boot season is almost over? Ugh.



Now excuse me as I relax some more with my baby. And convince hussy it's time for a dump run asap.

My Nest Dressed Me.

remember that show? The one where Thom takes your favorite outfit and styles an entire room around it? I tried that. It wasn't for me, so I started styling my place with things I loved and thought look nice, and did the same on my body. We never matched, until I put this Lucas pillow from Crate & Barrel on my sofa



And used it as inspiration for this outfit



As much as I put outfits together so well, I would have never come up with the rugged chains and the wrinkley brown boots with the delicate looking purple cardi. Nor would I have paired a blue shirt under the purple. I'm a risk taker when it comes to clothes, but I'm not usually that colorful or eclectic feeling! Now? New fave outfit. There's even a splash of green in the beads on the necklace to pick up the second chartreuse pillow, because, you know, every detail counts. Even if only online universerve knows my inspiration ;)

Changes.

I know I'm a real jerk blogger to always leave everyone hanging for long periods of time, but to blog on my iPad is a real pain, and my piece of junk laptop keeps crashing. However I'm happy to report the time off has been a huge irl journey. I last posted about my new healthier habits, which kicked hiney on my test results. Well I've not only stayed on that road, but I cut out meat. I also realized how controversial it is. I had no idea people would find it so hard to believe its possible to cut out meat. I also didn't realize how much people would encourage me to just try the meat, just have a little, it won't hurt. Really, I never encouraged someone to eat meat when they were against it. Redic.

The good news is, I'm down 16 lbs. The bad news is, people judge that too.I thought I was uncomfortably chubby in areas. now I feel almost perfect, and people are more worried than congratulatory. I guess I shouldn't express my excitement so much when I lose about a lb a week, which was attributed to super hard work and strict dietary plans. Oh well, no more pity party here. It's MY blog and I feel awesome! I'm comfortable working out, wearing clothes, and taking self portraits! I just wish everyone could have this much freedom and energy and happiness.

Which leads me to changes at home too. I've been eyeballing a shelf over my desk and that cute yellow flower target pillow that everyone in blog universe owns. I've wanted to turn the picture over the fireplace vertical. I've wanted to decorate my coffee table with books and flowers and a catch all tray or something. So I did it all. In one night. I also hung my curtain rods wider to let more light in, and brought down a second poang chair from the attic for my fat cat Cooper to sit in one beside me. Those such small changes, mostly cheap or free,made me happier than ever.

Oh and I dyed my hair very blonde. All in all, I'd say on top of the world. :)

Wait loss.

Every year around new years at my gym, which is pretty much only 3 now, i dread the slew of people who flood the machines in hopes of finally losing those stubborn pounds they've had since... Well, last new years. It sounds awful, because it is. I feel bad when people have awesome goals they had the nerve to work towards, then a few weeks later, I never see them again. About a month later the gym is back to empty, and I gladly and sadly have my machines back at my disposal.

Now, let's set the records straight here. I haven't been "skinny" since I was 21. I've been "normal" and "average" but not skinny. It's not that big of a deal to me, because I spent most of my life underweight, getting in trouble at work for not dressing professionally because it was my fault they don't make women's business clothes in something lower than size 0. It was such a frustrating time in my life, and I welcomed the 20 pounds I amassed when I moved into a home with a gentleman who cooked bomb home cooked meals. Who would have thought fast food kept me skinny and home cooked got me fat? Well, whatever the case, I gained weight. 20 lbs sounds like a lot, but I went from 89 to 109. I decided to try to lose some fat and tone down in december of 08.

I kept eating until I was full, drinking soda, and chomping on junk all day long. I worked out, I had definition and strength, but I also had fat on top of it. Here's the kicker: I work at a health lab. I got my results, and they still didn't scare me into changing completely, though it was a start. The kicker was winning that xbox kinect. And seeing my fat rolls on the infrared looking picture dancing/laughing back at me. Really, that's all it took.

I cut out soda, chocolate, bread, most cheese some dairy, and stuck to a strict vegetable, fruit, nut and tuna diet. On the first day I lost 3 pounds. Over the next two weeks, I was down 10. I eventually plateaued, and have held steady since. I know this isn't what I normally post about, but I feel so much healthier now, and I've been more active as a result. Which does pertain to the blog, because thats what i've spent all my time working on! I decided to take a break to meet my goal. Which wasn't an actual pound goal, but a feel better goal.

I don't own scales, so I made a deal with myself that I had to go to the gym in order to weigh myself, and it actually worked! In order to see my progress, I have to go make more. I'm happy to report after all that hard work, I got updated test results. I went from mostly yellows and reds in my cholesterol and particle areas to all green! My doctors and specialists at work were so impressed, which was the cherry on top. Well, mostly. The comments I get from people who noticed how good I look after just a month are the best. I haven't been as perfect sticking to it as I was at the beginning, but it's still steady. Right now I'm actually home sick, which sucks major, but I'm trying to stay good even though all I want is warm comfort food.

Maybe one day I'll get the nerve to post the difference in how I look. The highest I got was 120, which wasn't that bad. But it was still a huge difference from the 110 I am now. But hey, it's Thursday, thriftiness should be ensuing... So guess what? Eating healthier is way cheaper than not! It only costs about $125 a month to eat natural foods! No high fructose corn syrup, only slightly processed, or not at all, healthy goodness. I just wish I could encourage more people to follow suit. I used to think it was deprivation to eat only healthy. Now I know I was depriving myself by not eating healthy. Here is what my lunch looks like now:



It's so simple.



Lettuce, 1 strawberry, mandarin oranges, black olives, fat free raspberry vinaigrette, and a dash of those planters nut-trition things with dried cranberries, walnuts and dark chocolate covered peanuts. It took 5 minutes to prepare, and cost about a buck to make. I just rotate ingredients around in each salad. Sometimes I dump more fruit, sometimes I keep it simple with just oranges and walnuts. Rarely, I keep it all veggies. I'm just a big fruity person.

So i hope you feel encouraged to try a healthier lifestyle. Maybe I'll post more about it to show what else I learn to live simpler and healthier :) it won't happen overnight, but it's a fun journey.