Mornings

I am not not NOT a morning person. So anything I can do to lesson stress in the morning and be on time for work, ahem, I will do. I found an egg cooker, Dash, to make my eggs in the morning. Best invention ever. I just peel and go with fruit or yogurt. I also sometimes get my coffee ready the night before so I just turn a button and walk on, or in my case, shuffle on.

I also try to have my outfit for the day out and ready to go. That doesn't always happen but when I do have it out it makes a huge difference. Staying organized is vital to being on time and I suck at it! I think that must be why I am drawn to slightly OCD people, I know in the long run it will help me. My poor boyfriend hates coming to my house, I think he sees a bleak future full of clothes on the floor ha!

Any other tips for in the morning?

L.

New App!

Ok so I follow Putting Me Together  and , besides just loving her style and how she really reworks her closet like how I wish I did, she also did a post about an app that allows you to see your closet. She uses one for an Iphone but I have a droid so I downloaded My Dressing. I downloaded it last night so I have only put a few items on it. I took a cue from Audrey and placed my clothes on a white blanket so the background will be the same. After taking the picture you use your finger and crop the picture. Then just store it under its category, shoes, pants, etc. I'll have to do an update about the app once I start really using it but so far I am really excited! I have clothes in two closets so this will help me rework my clothes and, hopefully, save money in the long run!


L.

Being Sick

I rarely get sick, seriously in the past three years I have been sick twice. Once, food poisoning, and once with a sinus infection. That said when I do get sick I have the hardest time admitting it and staying home. On Wednesday I was sick. I went in to work anyway and work was so stressful that it truly made me worse. My co workers all told me to go home. I took a nap and still went to sleep at about 9 pm. The next day my boss asked if I was okay and I said I was better. He said that you have to take care of yourself, that matters more then this job. It really hit me because I often put so much of me into the job I add stress to my life and that probably contributed to my sickness. I took sick leave and I took today off from work. It was great I spent time with a friend, shopped, and kept my phone on silent so I had no worries, at least for a small period of time.

We all need mental health days we just don't always take them. I think that as adults we forget we also need time outs, step away from the issue(s) and relax, unwind, or whatever you need to do to get past it, legally of course. It may not completely go away but it may get better or make you feel better about it so you can handle situations in life better and with confidence.

  


L.

Shopping

I feel the need to be honest. Not shopping when you are a shopaholic is very very hard. I really feel like it is an addiction for me. I did buy a long ivory tunic and a fur vest, both items I have wanted for months and could not find anywhere. Then of course I did find them and thought "I swore off shopping but..." then insert some excuse here. I am working on it and I hope that I will realize I can in fact get a hold of my spending and shopping.

Another issue for me is my weight. Not being the size I was but still having the same wardrobe is frustrating. I am, of course, working on this but trying to shop your closet when nothing fits just makes your day that much worse.

L.

Cereal

The other day I was at the grocery store and something was telling me to eat cereal. I went and looked at the "healthy" cereals and those have tons of sugar and carbs. Therefore, I left sad and still really wanting cereal! I went home logged on my bloglovin and wouldn't you know it another blogger read my mind!!!

hellonatural.com posted about detox breakfast cereals. She gave two options, one with grains one without. I did without and put pumpkin seeds, walnuts, strawberries, and blueberries. Oh and some cinnamon because I just like it! It was very good!!!! Plus it took care of my craving of cereal.

L. 

Label Reading

Yesterday I decided to google no sugar and found this blog. I read around and found that you are supposed to take the amount of carbs in a product minus the fiber and that is your true amount of carbs! HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS??? That said I went to my kitchen and started investigating...


Item number one-

 
Total carbs 23 grams, fiber less then one



Total carbs 18 grams, fiber 1

 

Total carbs 27, fiber 4

So even though this all is "good" food it is also very high in carbs. That said starting tomorrow I will be taking these out of my diet and really focusing on true healthy foods. Less carbs and sugars more vegetables and meats.

L.

Staying strong

This week I worked out only twice. I felt bad about it but I was working so much I truly needed the sleep. Last night I worked about four hours later then I was supposed to due to a semi crisis. This morning I just wanted sleep. I know that I technically need to work out and move but sometimes you just need sleep and true rest. I also am going to get my nails done later today as a "yea! you survived the week" treat. You do what you need to do ha!

Since I have Monday off from work I am going to plan out some better clean eating meals to help me not go out to eat as much. I have been more then I realized and more then I budgeted for the month. I also am going to find a way to workout each morning no matter the lack of sleep!

How's everybody else doing?

L.

Anxiety

I have had anxiety issues for the past year due to work and schoolwork. When I graduated it got better since I was no longer working full time and doing 16 hours field placement. However, since starting this job the anxiety has come back and has come back swinging! It has been so bad I was contemplating going to the doctor for medicine. Last week was when I started my TLS Slim Rapid weight lose plan. At the beginning of the week I still had anxiety, I almost passed out in a meeting, but as the week went my anxious feelings became less and less. Yesterday I had NO anxious feelings and today I had a few but just barely (and today was one of my most stressful days at work.) All this to say that when people say sugar i.e. processed sugar and foods add to anxiety and depression, they know what they are talking about. I often am the type of person who has to experience things in order for it to really sink in. This goes especially with if I don't want to give something up like cupcakes. Losing the anxious feelings has not only made me feel better but has upped my self confidence. For the first time in months I feel that I can do this job and that I am knowledgeable. I still am stressed but it feels manageable.

 So if you too are trying to eat better or have anxiety issues I am here to tell you to try no sugar and you will feel and see the difference!

with happiness and health,

L.

How's it going?

I meant to come on here earlier in the week but work decided to up my caseload and I had to work late pretty much every day this week! Here is a recap of the week.
Day one, I didn't eat my snacks like I should, mainly because of work, however, I did manage to eat right all day and work out in the morning.

My food prep corner! 

Day Two I went to early morning yoga, 6 am, and it was awesome! I loved it. I never thought I would be a person to wake up before six and want to but I did. I have noticed that working out in the morning, while somewhat challenging, makes my day so so much better. I also went to body toning and abs after work and well I was really sore.

The moon greeting me as I came back home from yoga

Day three I had one slight slight "cheat" - I had some red wine last night. Which I counted as my fruit serving. I also did not work out because the night before I did the body toning class and could not feel my legs.

Day four I did my morning workout and then yoga that evening. I cooked for my boyfriend and I after that and he really enjoyed the red cabbage with bell peppers, onions, and garlic. See simple is awesome!

Friday I went out with some friends but I ate really well before we went! I have missed karaoke and it was so much fun to just sing, from my chair, and hang with friends! Now of course I am paying for that late night but whatever that is what Saturdays are for. I hope if you are also trying to eat clean this post was encouraging! I have already noticed such a difference in how I feel.

L.

Total truth

Granted I don't have any pictures up here of me but this is still a slightly hard post. I also realize that to stay true to the plan and to my life goals I have to post this. So, even if nobody really reads this blog I am going to post. Here are my pics of me now, my before, and I hope that I will see a difference by the end of the month!

L. 

What's stopping you?

You ever talk to a friend and they are telling you some issue they are having and as they speak you hear them say the answer to get out of the issue? Don't you just want to yell "Hey, you know what to do you just told me!!! What's stopping you?" That is exactly how I feel with myself lately. I know not to eat such and such and why I shouldn't eat it but then I do anyway. Or, I know my body is really craving water but I get a half sweet half unsweet tea instead. So all this really got my thinking today, what is stopping me? What is stopping me from eating healthy and losing weight every day? I am planning on starting Monday with TLS slim with some co workers but I know me well enough to know I am a cheater. Here is what I think stops me-

1. Lack of planning. Once I start a better eating plan I often do really good at first then forget to get groceries or something and end up cheating out of "necessity"

2. Time management. I guess this goes along with planning but it's more focused on time management for working out. I used to workout in the evenings and that was fine but lately when I get off work I am drained from stress/anxiety and all I can think of is going home. Again, starting Monday a gym friend and I will be going to the gym early to get it in.

3. Not being able to really see the end results. I look at before and after pictures of others, and of myself in the past and I love seeing the differences but lately for me it is so hard to picture. I also think that I say to myself, you have lost and gained before, what will be different this time?

These are my areas, hope I will make myself stronger in the following weeks!

L.

Vitamins

I am not in any way saying which vitamins for you to get on or any type of vitamin to buy this is simply my journey with vitamins. I have started taking Isotonix vitamins the past couple of weeks. It's so easy to just drink them with water and be done with it. I know taking pill form vitamins are easy but for me they end up leaving a gross taste in my mouth. I just went and looked at my pill vitamins, I found one that expired in 2012 and another in 2013. I realized that maybe I had a hard time taking them, besides previous stated reasons, because I couldn't feel the difference taking them. I probably did not stick with it long enough for it to build up in my system but with Isotonix I have already felt the difference! I then checked with my aunt who is a pharmacist about it and she stated that when it is a powder form of vitamins it is absorbed faster so instead of waiting two weeks to feel the difference you wait just about 2-3 days. For me that's enough of a reason to switch.

L.