Tomorrow

I know tomorrow many of us will "start" our new goals, resolutions, etc and often we don't finish them. I have decided that instead of a year for the resolution I am condensing it to month goals. For starters, I will not shop for clothes the month of January. For January, February, and March I will do the TLS Slim rapid weight lose program. I will also for those months be studying and studying to take my exam to be licensed as a Social Worker for the state. I am still working on my budget and working out with my friend at the gym. I hope that this blog continues to encourage and motivate me and hopefully, you as well! Here's to the new year, may it be better then 2014!

My budget envelopes for January! 

L. 

December Budget

I realized I never did a November budget entry but I also have no clue what I bought (yes slap my on my hand for that). So here is what happened in December.

Cato's simple blue and white shirt 8 dollars

Loft embellished collar button up 

It's super on sale but I think I paid about 20

Red infinity scarf, Zulily 10

Target Sweater dress, super on sale! 15 

Cato's blazer 14

Rampage shoes from Ross 16

Target sweater, 15 (also got a purple one same price)

dress from Ross 14

Not pictured - Loft faux leather skirt 22.50, rose gold earrings and ring, Zulily 20

Total - 174.50 

Budget - 150   

So I didn't exactly stay in my budget but I did do better, sadly, than I thought. That's my December link up

Here's to next month! 

L. 

Four Christmases

You read the title right, I had four Christmases. I never fully understood what dating a guy with divorced parents meant but I completely know now. Granted, I get gifts from both his parents, but I am EXHAUSTED!!! To top it off I just got home from the last Christmas with my family. I am not going to tell you what or how much I ate. I will tell you that yesterday and today all I could think of was that I need water and really craving green things to eat. I started to Google other blogs that focus on health and fitness and pinning like crazy healthy recipes. This year I have a few goals I want to accomplish in health but I am still working towards the ones I previously made. I have a 5k in March for the local Boys and Girls Club as well as a friend running in one so we will be training together in the mornings. Working out in the mornings, while not my ideal option, means that when I get off work I am officially off. I can go home and cook or clean or just relax.

Clean eating is something I have started to really focus on. I feel so much better when I eat clean, basic foods, and I crave them. I did subscribe to Clean Eating magazine and have followed some of their two week plans. I love having my meals planned out for me it saves so much time and helps me at the grocery. I also love trying new things, such as pomegranate apple muffins (with oat flour!)  My refrigerator is full of clean foods and tomorrow will be my prep day to get ready for the week! I am over feeling sluggish and bloated from my foods.

L.

Things Leaving

To help me keep up with my closet I am going to start documenting what leaves and what comes in the closet. This will help me realize how much money I have spent and how long I keep clothes. I really do need to work on minimizing my closet and having stables not just tons of items that get worn four times a year tops. Also, I think it is important to see how my style changes and what is missing in my wardrobe, if anything. I often buy things with the store's credit card and then tell myself that I still have money for clothes for the month because I forget to take it out of my budget.

Here is what is leaving-

Target skirt, two years old, it's too small and super scratchy 

JC Penny Sweater, five years old, the sleeves are now too short

Dress from Ross. True story this dress never fit correctly but for some reason I kept it. I think I wore this dress twice. 

Old Navy shirt, four years old. I love this shirt!!! I found a hole in it in an area not easily fixed so it has to go.

Vest from Marshalls two years old. This vest is too big and true story, not worth the money to get it fixed.

Faux leather skirt, Target. I wanted a skirt like this so badly two years ago so when I found it at Target I grabbed it. Since then I realized that this skirt does not fit and has pleats. Pleats and I are not friends! 

Target olive skirt, five years old. This skirt looks old and has a tear in it. Had to go!

There's that! I will do what was brought in the house later!

L. 

How do you...

How do you handle eating clean and working/working out/life? I feel that daily I ask myself this. Some days I do it all well and other days I am a hot mess! Now I started thinking, what is the difference in the days? Planning. The days or weeks I plan meals, water, working out, I get it accomplished. When I wake up with a planned day I follow it, when I don't plan I spend too much money on lunch and have no snacks. I barely survive the day and when I get home I just fall over. That said I have decided to make Sunday and Wednesday "plan days." I will prepare meals, snacks, and workout plans for the next three days. I feel having two plan days a week helps break it down for me and will be able to really stay focused on my goals.

Today is Wednesday meaning I better start on the right foot! I have supper tonight planned for now. I am going to make some clean eating salads for lunch on Thursday and Friday.

the envelop system

I started to think again about budgeting the other day. Just so happened at work my co worker mentioned Dave Ramsey and his envelop system. I just Googled and found this blog with these great printable envelopes. I think it makes more sense and when I spend I have to write on the envelope where I bought something and how much. So tomorrow, because I don't have a printer so I have to be a bum at my parent's, I will print some off and start using them!

On a health note, I am fairly certain I have an intolerance to wheat. Not a major one but I have noticed it. Last week work was insane and I went with a friend to get pizza. We got it on a wheat crust (see halfway tried to stay healthy while I had a treat meal) and my stomach started to hurt about an hour or so later. I didn't think much about it until the next morning when I ate my leftovers and the same thing happened. Today I made sure to not have any wheat and my stomach has been fine! I just have to remember this so I don't eat it later. Old habits are hard to break!

L.

Week 2 new plan

Last week was the Detox week of TLS Slim. This week started me on the Rapid Weight Lose plan. It's similar to the diabetic diet, I think that is what it is called, but you can take some of TLS supplements. I haven't bought any supplements so I currently have no views on that. I have noticed that when following the plan I don't get hunger pains like I used too. I do have to watch and make sure I snack appropriately or by the end of the day I am exhausted but not hungry feeling.

The biggest challenge so far has been making sure to get snacks and drinking water!!! I am so bad about how much water I drink. I hate having to go to the bathroom all the time and when I drink water like I am supposed too I end up having to see the lady's room often (this is your TMI for the day).

Next week I will start on the educational videos they provide on their website and I'll give out feedback!

L.

Budgeting

Yesterday at my job we offered a class on finances and budgeting. Technically it was for the clients we serve but since some of us have to sit in on it your's truly felt the need to help out haha! I learned a lot. Sadly, I never really learned how to budget when I was younger. I think my parent's believed I had a lot of common sense so I would be fine. I remember one time in college my I came home for the weekend and my mom informed me I had $0.63 in my bank account. I actually got excited, looked at her and said, "Really, I have that much? I thought I only had 9 cents!" That alone should have been my major red flag. It unfortunately was not my red flag. So here I am now, years later, feeling the pressure of all my poor spending choices and all the clothes I can't wear, are messed up, or I just don't like anymore. All the food I bought but didn't eat, all the going out to eat I couldn't afford but went anyway, so much overspending without thought. The truth is I have a hard time waiting for things. I am better but not great. I read fashion blogs and all the cute things they wear and I sit and think I want that now! It's completely illogical and if I was working with a client like me I would get on to them for poor choices and not problem solving properly. I feel like a broken record, constantly saying what needs to change and seeing what needs to change, but doing nothing. Each time I try to save money something happens, like having to buy brand new tires.

I know one of my main goals is to budget and save so I am making myself get back on it. I am doing the health goal like planned and working on it. It is time to work on my mental health and financial health. Here is to a new year!

L.

Detox Week

I started the Detox with TLS Slim this week. I just need to say that Detox is HARD. NO Caffeine?????? Okay those are my main thoughts about detox! So far things are going okay. I have had a small portion of protein each day because without it I fell faint. Having to eat only vegetables and fruit is not bad since I love just about all vegetables and fruit but the no protein has been hard. After this week I will be following the Rapid Weight Lose plan with TLS and using some supplements of theirs.

On a mental health note, spending time with my family this past week for Thanksgiving was great. I enjoyed being with them and also just getting a break from work. I am trying to focus on positives but truth be told, work is beyond stressful.


L.