Kick Me

A Review - Nutrish

2014-08-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Ready for the "Why I am doing a review" disclaimer?

It's pretty simple. I received a sample in the mail. Ages ago, I heard about Nutrish. It's a Rachael Ray product and it's a pretty darn awesome sounding pet food. Buzzwords like "natural" and "grain-free" are associated with it and I was impressed. Except for the fact that it was a dog food and I have no dog. *sigh*

So I was THRILLED when just recently I saw a Facebook advertisement inviting me to sign up for my free sample of Rachael Ray's Nutrish for Cat!

So I did. It arrived today. Now I'll tell you what I think of it.

Why? Because that's how I roll.

It's a lovely, big package! No skimping here.

Food and coupons? Don't mind if I DO.

One of the coupons is for a wet food version of the Nutrish for cats. I used the website to locate where I can locally find these pet foods and was quite disappointed. The dry food is only available at Walmart. This is a problem since I haven't visited either location in town for nearly five years do to the absolutely infuriating parking situation at both and the random nutjob customers at both. Not that all customers are nutjobs but man, that store does seem to attract them. The wet food? Not available at all in my city.

So if I want it, I'm going to have to order on Amazon.

Not the worst thing ever. Just inconvenient.

I'm going to talk to my local grocery market about stocking the products.

The sample was enough to fill an entire food bowl!

Now, I didn't want to risk bellyaches in the kittens, as that can happen when a sudden change to diet occurs, so I just offered it to them as a snack.

I set the food bowl down on the floor and then waited and watched.

Curiosity was instantly piqued. Everyone came over to investigate the strange offering in the bowl.

Lucy liked it!

Lucy is approaching six years old and is notorious in the house for disliking all cat foods (despite loving simple people foods). After much research and sampling, that darn cat will only eat Purina Weight Loss Formula for dry food and Greenies for treats. That's it.

Until now apparently.

She waited her turn patiently and then dug right in. Definitely a winner with her!

The official result can be seen above.

I spread a bit out on the floor and it's official:

Three out of four cats tested, adored Nutrish for Cats.

Fact.

My only concern was whether the food would sit well in the bellies of the beasts.

As you can see, the cats were in full-body bliss after eating. It was like a post-Thanksgiving binge induced community nap.

Results:

We like Nutrish for Cats.

If it was easier to find in South Dakota, I'd switch my cats to it exclusively and immediately.

The ingredients are great. It's only fair that my cats eat as well as I do.

The food itself looked moist and flavorful as opposed to the dry bits most foods resemble

END DISCLAIMER: Send me stuff, I'll review it. I can't guarantee it'll be a favorable review, but it'll be honest.

A Review - Pink Zebra

2014-08-03T12:39:00.002-07:00

Ready for the "Why I am doing a review" disclaimer?

So this lady on Facebook was offering free samples of something candle related and I'm all "I love free & I love smelly, girly crap!" So I shot her my address and she swung by with what you see in the pictures below. All she asked was that I'd send her a sentence or two on Facebook detailing what I think of the products and that if it's favorable, she can use my words on her website as a testimonial. So instead, I decided to do a full blog post. Heck, I can be bought. I won't lie but I'll gladly honestly review products in exchange for... well, products. And cash. I like cash. OOH! And cake. Y'all know I love cake.

ANYWAY

Pink Zebra.

This was all tucked into a large envelope and left between my storm and wooden door.

It's one of those "have a party and make money" businesses but also offers individual sales.

Little wax beads that pack a powerful punch! Powerful!

I feel like I need to saw it again. Powerful punch!

This business has multiple products available but really seems to be competing in the same market as other companies that sell those ceramic warmer things that melt a wax product that then smell-ifies your home in a positive way.

I can attest that "Sprinkles maximize fragrance."

Although I really don't know what other companies use, I do like that the product is made from soy and paraffin. Traditional wax candles are so sooty. I actually haven't burned one in years. Plus, I have some resident cats that have me convinced that at least one of them WOULD figure out some way to burn the house down if an open flame was ever unattended for even a second.

These are the scent I received to sample: Warm Apple Pie, Orange Dreamsicle, & Ooey Gooey Caramel. Here are the cool things I discovered about these products:

*Just setting them in a dish will fill a room with scent

*Putting Sprinkles on a warmer guarantees that your house will fill with deliciously wonderful smells.

*You can design your own scents! I mixed the Warm Apple Pie and the Ooey Gooey Caramel Sprinkles together in a warmer and created the most wonderful Caramel Apple Pie scent.

*Bored with your old traditional candles? I had a random old candle that was allegedly "citrus" scented. A small sprinkle of the Orange Dreamsicle Sprinkles on top and it's like I have a completely new candle!

*There are wick kits available to turn your Sprinkles into your very own customized candle. I'd love to try making one with layered sprinkles of multiple scents.

Above is the business card from the Pink Zebra consultant who provided me with the samples. If you're interesting in checking it, I'm sure she'd love an email from you.

The Wrap-Up: I liked these products. Actually, more than similar products. Now, I've only had the samples for a week so it's a short-term judgment but I really think these Sprinkles are very nice and I'll definitely use them again in the future.

Hiking Gear ... Hiking Fear

2014-07-26T18:21:00.001-07:00

We're becoming real hikers.

Not to say that people who stroll up Pikes Peak aren't real hikers.

Heck, WE went on that stroll ourselves and can attest to exactly how intense it can be. (Especially via the Crags)

No, not bashing others at all. We're just starting to plan for some new hiking adventures that more closely resemble what I thought "hiker" meant as a small child.

Being raised mostly in Germany, I've been familiar with Volksmarch for pretty much my whole life. So when my husband and I decided to start hiking here in America, I just saw it as the same thing I'd always done.

You grab your trusty hiking stick.

Load up a pack with water, snacks, and emergency items.

Head out on a five, ten, or twenty kilometer hike over varying terrain.

When you're done, you reward yourself with a nice meal and maybe a medallion for your stick.

But REAL hikers... those are the stuff of my imagination and the reality of National Geographic Magazine. I now know that the "real" hikers of my childhood have many names. Thru-hikers, backpackers, trekkers, multi-day hikers, bushwhacking, and other terms are all what I'm thinking.

In my childhood, I dreamed about putting my whole life into a pack upon my back, heading out into the hills/prairies/mountains/valleys/jungles/deserts/whatever and not coming back until I found God. Not in the literal sense of course. Living off the land while being but a ghost through the terrain as I leave no trace of my passing.

I am to become my dream.

Baby steps of course, but a wonderful start.

My husband and I have begun amassing gear for our new adventure.

Most importantly, yes. Yes, that is a tent in my living room.

A girl's gotta test things out before she uses them. Gee guys!

We've got a lightweight backpacking tent that while not ideal (a tad heavy) it'll do until we can afford something a bit more portable. It's not heavy at about seven and a half pounds but heavier than I'd like. But who am I to argue with a deal? Scored it for only $25. I'll make it work.

Other than that, we've gotten a pack, eating utensils, and sleeping bag for the husband, some cooking gear, new carabiners (I'm addicted to anything that clips), some dehydrated prepackaged meals to try, a SteriPen (bought on an amazing Costco deal), a Buff headband, and mosquito nets.

I'm trying my darndest to not spend a billion dollars (since heaven knows we don't have even close) but I'd hate to go out with less than we need to comfortably survive.

Do you ever over-prepare or is it just me?

Waldeinsamkeit

2014-07-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

Waldeinsamkeit

by Ralph Waldo Emerson

I do not count the hours I spend
In wandering by the sea;
The forest is my loyal friend,
Like God it useth me.

In plains that room for shadows make
Of skirting hills to lie,
Bound in by streams which give and take
Their colors from the sky;

Or on the mountain-crest sublime,
Or down the oaken glade,
O what have I to do with time?
For this the day was made.

Cities of mortals woe-begone
Fantastic care derides,
But in the serious landscape lone
Stern benefit abides.

Sheen will tarnish, honey cloy,
And merry is only a mask of sad,
But, sober on a fund of joy,
The woods at heart are glad.

There the great Planter plants
Of fruitful worlds the grain,
And with a million spells enchants
The souls that walk in pain.

Still on the seeds of all he made
The rose of beauty burns;
Through times that wear and forms that fade,
Immortal youth returns.

The black ducks mounting from the lake,
The pigeon in the pines,
The bittern's boom, a desert make
Which no false art refines.

Down in yon watery nook,
Where bearded mists divide,
The gray old gods whom Chaos knew,
The sires of Nature, hide.

Aloft, in secret veins of air,
Blows the sweet breath of song,
O, few to scale those uplands dare,
Though they to all belong!

See thou bring not to field or stone
The fancies found in books;
Leave authors' eyes, and fetch your own,
To brave the landscape's looks.

Oblivion here thy wisdom is,
Thy thrift, the sleep of cares;
For a proud idleness like this
Crowns all thy mean affairs.

I... I Have Discovered My Name!

2014-07-04T21:40:00.000-07:00

What am I?

Who am I?

You know how at job interviews, self reflection type events, and even those random online quizzes ask you who you are?

Those Buzzfeed type quizzes are the best though!

Which "Mean Girl are you? What color represents your true self? What food represents you? Which Muppet are you? Which city are you meant to live in? Which Hogswart house would you be sorted into?

All terribly thrilling and I'm sure... scientifically accurate.

The big thing is that they almost all ask a question where you have to pick a word that "represents you"/ That's TOUGH! If I say "pretty" does that make me vain? If I say "smart" is it because I think I'm better than everyone else? Why do I have to just be one? Isn't it possible that while I don't exceed the norm in any one are that I am indeed a bit smart, loyal, and sassy all at the same time?

Of course it's possible. Anything's possible oh ye of little faith. ;)

ANYWAY... the label for myself. I found it today. The perfect word for me.

Fond? I'm a tad more than fond of the forest. Haunter of the woods? Yep. That's me. I would haunt the heck out of almost any woods.

I'm Going on an Adventure!

2014-06-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

Nothing fancy at all.

My husband is off to Minneapolis on a business trip and I've been invited to tag along on this one.

We're renting a car thanks to his lovely company and going to make a mini vacation of it. The drive up is about four hours and we're going to make a few stops along the way.

One stop at Cabella's to check some prices on backpacking gear.

One stop at REI to check out THEIR gear.

I'm uber-excited about this since they have SO many awesome things online that I want to see and touch in person. Tents, packs, sleeping bags, and a whole bunch of other specialty stuff that I'll finally get to use next year. Why? I'll tell you about it in another post. It's late now. I still haven't packed. Oops.

One stop at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park for a few hours of hiking.

Why?

Because I'm going on an adventure!!

Let Me Introduce You to My Latest Obsession

2014-06-23T20:01:00.001-07:00

Yoga!

Specifically, sun salutation.

I love how you can make it as relaxing or an intense as you please depending upon how much you put into it.

It's pretty funny actually.

I feel like I surprise the teacher every time. Like, she expects me to be a fat chick who is incapable of balancing my body for more than a few second, stretching beyond a basic bend, or even considering doing a semi-decent plank.

I showed her!

I can bend over and put my hands flat on the floor without bending my knees.

I can do full on push-ups like it's nobody's business.

I don't huff and puff as I change between poses.

and I can do this:

Half moon pose!

I can hold it for minutes at a time.

My next goal is Crow Pose. Think I can do it?

I Hate My Scale

2014-06-18T19:26:00.000-07:00

The title of this is not some philosophical rant.

I don't hate my scale because those little numbers are simply the digital process of the machine telling me I'm fat.

I don't hate my scale because it makes me feel badly if I don't run that extra mile after a very tiring day.

I don't hate my scale because it's obviously judging me when I eat a less than highly nutritious meal.

I don't hate my scale because it makes me feel sorry every time I force it to withstand the force of all my body weight.

Oh no! I'm not talking about any of those things today when I reference hating my scale. I hate the sucker because it broke. That's right. It stopped working all together.

Do you have any idea what stepping on a scale and BREAKING IT does to self-esteem?

It destroys it. I know it's silly. Really.

The fat girl inside me though...

CRUSHED.

Yesterday Was Plain Awful...

2014-06-17T06:27:00.002-07:00

Thank goodness it's already tomorrow.

Yesterday was plain awful again. Tornadoes, hail, and tons of flooding here in South Dakota.

Scary, scary stuff.

Restart

2014-06-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've got some goals.

Are they achievable? Definitely. For me? Ehhhhh... not so sure. So I'll keep those close for now. Regardless, the goal is to be in the best shape of my life by September 7th.

I need increased endurance.

I'd like to be lighter.

I need to not injure myself doing something stupid like overdoing it.

Pretty easy? I hope so.

New goals = new foods for me. I love food. Really. I just don't understand those people that just eat to live. Food can be delicious so why would anyone only intake what they needed? I can't do it.

Lunch for the week!

Inspired by those "Suddenly Salad" pastas, I made my own.

One box of cooked Barilla gluten-free rotini mixed with half a bottle of Bolthouse Farms brand cilantro avocado dressing (SO GOOD!), a large grilled chicken breast all diced up, chopped fire roasted red pepper, and a sprinkle of Romano cheese for some zing.

It's a major win!

I had to stop sampling it before I ate too much and didn't have enough for lunch.

Vacation Recap

2014-06-15T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just got back from summer vacation in the lovely Black Hills of South Dakota.

Days filled with fresh air, sunshine, and constant hiking.

Or first hike was a little jaunt on the Presidential Trail that let us walk right along the rock field directly beneath those famous faces.

Then we walked the Deerfield Trail from Silver City until sunset finally forced us to turn back.

Day 2 was taken up with the two hour drive into Wyoming to visit Devils Tower. We did the Tower Loop Trail. It was pretty amazing to see all the different views as we circled the monument and went up to the boulder field. Plus, there were miles of prairie dog villages. I'm always amused by the little guys.

Day 3 started with a hike in Custer State Park. We took Trail #4 to Little Devils Tower because why not? We hit up the big guy the day before, might as well do the junior. Lots of switchbacks, some minor rock scrambles, and the best was sitting at the top in the sunshine while watching and hearing a thunderstorm rage on the next mountain over.

Day 4 was a trip up to Spearfish Canyon. I've been meaning to make this hike for years and it was worth the wait. We hiked up to Roughlock Falls along the lower canyon ridge and everything about it was gorgeous. Well, almost everything. I got to be a bit of a jerk when I informed a woman about the error of her ways when she attempted to leave with a chipmunk she had lured into her purse with crackers. Idiots.

Still in Spearfish Canyon, we did a quick stop to view the Bridal Veil Falls.

And a trip to the Hills wouldn't be complete without seeing a few buffalo. We saw tons of wildlife. Chipmunks, prairie dogs, woodchucks, beaver, a coyote, buffalo, wild turkey, wild burros, and a whole bunch of fish and birds.

One of Those Days...

2014-01-30T13:45:00.000-08:00

DISCLAIMER: I started this post last night and simply chose to ponder the implications of my post prior to completing it.

You know those days?

The ones where you wake up and already know the day is going to suck? Like you thought for a moment that the day was gonna be great and then you looked into the mirror in the bathroom and realize that you have a monster pimple right on the edge of your nose or lip and it's so huge it's practically waving at you? Then you drive to work and in the process you spill coffee, get stuck behind the slowest person on Earth, and hit every single red light? Then you pull out your packed lunch only to discover that a bad food choice was made and nothing ends up reheating well? And then you make the supremely stupid decision to challenge the Fates, God, Mother Nature, WHOMEVER... to bring it on because you're too strong to be taken down by silly first-world problems...

Fate called my bluff.

A good friend lost his father today.

Yeah, that kind of day. I've just had one.

The worst part? I feel like a complete and total jerk. Like, logically I know I have my life to live but how can I continue debating between whether or not chicken tortilla soup is the right choice for dinner when there are REAL problems, pain, decisions, and situations in the world?

I think I now know how we continue on. Well, I know how I continue on at least. You can make your own choices. We all own a little bit of freedom.

We are all free to live in our own heads. Spending our quiet time daydreaming of some amazing and magical separate reality. To worry about yourself does not exclusively mean that you don't worry about others. It just means that you were listening to the in flight instructions regarding emergencies and know that you are supposed to see to your own well-being before assisting others with theirs.

Sunday, SUNDAY, Sunday!!!

2014-01-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

Totally a football day today.

So diet or not.. it's football day. And football demands football food.

What is football food you ask?

It's delicious. It's at least slightly greasy. It's American comfort food.

Now, football food is bad for you. Ninety-nine percent of it is swimming in grease or heavily processed goodness. Like the beloved Velveeta plus Rotel combo. Classic.

I have no idea what goes into that alleged food product, but I suspect it is either made by the gods or some underground crime syndicate looking to create a new, edible drug.

Anyway.. PIZZA for dinner!

Now, pizza is usually pretty much crap when you look at it nutritionally. Especially for those of us with a gluten issue of any kind.

Pro-tip: Hell's Kitchen Pizza in Manitou Springs, CO has excellent G.F. pizza. Only them. Everyone else can only pull off a "meh" pizza or a "guess I'll eat it because they upcharged me $5 to make it GF".

Tonight's dinner and the pizza bell without actually being pizza. It's got a bit of greasy deliciousness but still manages to add some healthy parts from the ol' food pyramid in. I'm going to need to research the food pyramid after posting this. I just realized that I have NO idea what the current one looks like or if it's even a pyramid anymore. I could get behind a "Food Sphere". Just sounds fun.

Pizza Bake

INGREDIENTS

Shredded meat of 1 small spaghetti squash
1 lb browned Italian sausage
1 C pizza sauce
4 eggs
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
Italian seasoning/salt/pepper to taste
Turkey pepperoni (as much or little as you like)
Shredded mozzarella (as much or little as you like)

DIRECTIONS

Mix eggs, squash, pizza sauce, and seasoning in a medium bowl until combined.
Add most of peppers, onions, and sausage to mix (reserving some of each as topping)
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, bake at 400F for 35 minutes.
When done baking, top with remaining peppers, onions, & sausage.
Sprinkle cheese on top and then layer as much pepperoni as you like on top.
Broil until cheese is melted and pepperoni begins crisping (about 5 minutes)

Saturday Brunch

2014-01-04T10:37:00.001-08:00

We're bracing for some frigid weather. No, not frigid. Deadly cold.

Like, freeze and die if you decide to hang out outside.

So of course, we'll be leaving the house to fight through the grocery store chaos. I discovered a severe grocery list deficiency that simply must be rectified. I'm out of cauliflower. In my #FirstWorldProblems mindset... it's desperate. I have three recipes on the week's meal plan that call for the ingredient.

But before we venture out on a Saturday, it's brunch time!

I love brunch. Today's was simple but delish. Not the prettiest meal ever but absolutely tasty and healthy(ish).

Fresh squeezed juice:

1 Cara cara orange
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
1 Navel orange

Sausage:

Johnsonville breakfast sausage

Paleo pumpkin pancakes

2 ripe bananas, 6 large eggs, 1/2 C pumpkin puree, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients well in a food processor until smooth
Cook on 350F griddle/pan being careful when flipping as pancakes are thin and delicate.

I Saw the Sign

2014-01-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

If you believe in superstition, fate, or a whole bunch of magical stuff...

Today I received a sign.

And yes, I nearly broke out in song when I realized that I saw the sign.
It opened up my eyes... I saw the sign!

Great! Now that's stuck in my head again.

Confession time: I love fortune cookies.
Any fortune cookies. Novelty, inedible, chocolate, filled, crocheted, giant.. doesn't matter.
I adore the cute little things and the mysteries they tend to hold.

Life is kinda like those little cookies. Forrest Gump would like you to think otherwise but I disagree with him.

I feel like fortune cookies are always exactly what you need. Sure, sometimes they're too dry or too sweet or not sweet enough or stale or too crisp or already broken. And that sucks. But sometimes they are the perfect palate cleanser after a meal or a much needed sweet that you just remembered you didn't eat after the last Chinese food dinner (BONUS!).

Some desserts or treats are made with a special ingredient: LOVE.

Fortune cookies generally are not. A lot of them are made in factories in N. Jersey and Brooklyn. Very few little, old, rosy cheeked grandmothers are involved in the baking process. But you know what special ingredient they manage to include that can often be in terribly short supply?

HOPE.

I received a little hope today.

Whether that little slip of paper contains some sage truth from the beyond or merely a randomized message meant to fill the four million fortune cookies mass produced each day doesn't matter.

What matters is that I read that little slip and my first thought wasn't regarding the generic nature of the fortune. My first thought was "Darn straight I do!"

I have the ability to accomplish great things.

January 1st - It doesn't get more "Day 1" than this...

2014-01-01T17:31:00.002-08:00

You ready to do this?

No really! Are you ready? Because I'm only barely ready. I seriously need you. I don't care if you think you'll just bring me down. You won't. I've been quite successful the last few years at bringing myself down all by my lonesome.

I'm not gonna let that happen anymore.

So don't worry. If I can't hurt me, you can't hurt me.

We can just support each other.

Maybe virtually cuddle when times get rough.

Do a long-distance happy dance when things totally rock!

Just be totally weird with you!

I'm also a fan of using my belly like a drum set.

I'm pretty darn talented.

Um.. yeah... That's a little true too.

Anyway...

Hi.

I like you.

and... um...

Oh yeah!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm going to try to start this year off right. By right I mean that I'm going to keep doing what I've been successfully doing, add in a few things that might be a great health boost, and try to stay on track with my exercise and food plans.

No more of this just because I have a long day on my feet and rack up 8 miles at work:

It's so tempting sometimes!

Only this is allowed:

I don't think I'll have too much of a problem since I DO know I need to be in shape for some of the trips planned during this season's hiking season. It's not gonna be an easy one. I foresee many switchbacks and sore feet.

I HAVE PROOF THAT I'M READY FOR THE NEW YEAR!

LOOK!

I DID A MEAL PLAN!

That's not the amazing part, the amazing part is that I did it early.

The recipes are all tested previously by myself or trusted others, don't have a smidge of gluten anywhere (as I've resolved to not torture myself this year), and are hearty but not as meat-heavy (in general) as a lot of gluten-free diets seem to be.

Until tomorrow....

Worse than the plague, natural disasters, and hormonal skin...

2013-06-19T10:47:00.001-07:00

Well.. not really. But due to my unreasonable body hatred, I feel sick to my gut on an equal level with thoughts of plague, disasters, and waking up to find the skin on your face has become a horrific, hormonal mess a la stereotypical teenager.

What's got me sick?

SWIMSUIT SHOPPING.

Did you feel it? That twisting in the pit of your stomach?

I'm all about people feeling good in the body they have. I will not judge you for your swimwear choice provided you keep everything legally required to be covered, covered, and don't stick your boobs right in my husbands face (you skank). BUT. Remember. I hate my body. That nagging voice is still there. That fat chick telling me:

I'll look ridiculous
Nobody wants to see that
Someone will make you feel ashamed
Fat people should dress for their size
They're all gonna laugh at you

How do I deal with that?

I want to look cute and be able to wear a bikini so badly but I'll likely go for a full coverage/slimming/flaw hiding one piece yet again.

Weight Shaming

2013-03-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

Where the hell do we get off?

No really? Who died and made Americans the final word on what is right and proper? Who told us we had to regulate the world?

We are so darn opinionated and eager to fix the lives of other people. But who made us the boy scouts of the universe? If we don't like it, it must be wrong. That's the impression I get from acts like cutting french fries from kid's meals at fast food places, regulating how many ounces of soda is "too much", and blatant weight shaming. Both under and over weight people get it but the fat shaming is ridiculous. Even in jest, it can hurt. People think that's a good thing because it "motivates to change." Well damnit! Maybe I don't want to change! But I will. Because America makes it hard to feel beautiful when everything seems to be saying otherwise.

Have you seen something about weight that's really gotten to you? Wanna vent?

There are a Lot of Liars

2013-03-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Scales lie.

*They can lead you to believe that all your hard work was for nothing since you gained instead of lost. It rarely mentions that a handful of muscle, being much denser than fat, weighs more. It doesn't mention that when you overdid it in the gym/dance/treadmill activity, your muscles got hurt so your brain sent a protective layer of water bloat to cushion the area until it repairs itself.

Our brains lie.

*Have you ever seen a person out in public wearing something ridiculously wrong for their body? Like a 400lb woman wearing day-glo pink spandex with a fluffy sweater that looked liked she killed Chewbacca? Know why she likely wore that outfit? She thought she looked GOOD! It's the same mechanism that causes a girl you may think looks perfect, to think she's grossly fat.

Our loved ones and friends lie.

*Good friends love you no matter what. But it's their love for you that causes them to blatantly lie to your face. I've known a person or two to behave otherwise but most people when confronted with the "does this make me look fat?" question, would never just say "yes." Not wanting to hurt you they suggest that maybe that outfit just isn't your color or that the pockets are cut weird and therefore it looks odd.

You know what doesn't lie regularly?

Our clothes.

If your clothes don't fit. There is a problem. Sure, it could just be temporary. Maybe all those salty foods or gluten or alcohol over the weekend are causing you to bloat for a bit. No big deal, but you notice the problem because your pants don't fit quite right.

Moral of the story: Listen to your pants. The others all lie.

Very Expensive Urine

2013-01-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

During an episode of The Big Bang Theory, Sheldon finds himself grocery shopping in the company of Penny. Sheldon is along to purchase a multitude of eggs for use in an at home culinary experiment. While shopping, Penny begins loading up on bottles of various vitamins and supplements. Hilarity ensues.

Generally speaking, I totally agree with Sheldon. Heck, I just generally agree with him. I use to be of the mind that I didn't need any kind of a vitamin. I trusted the sun's warming rays, the food I ate, my exercise, and my body to produce everything I could possibly need. Turns out, that method doesn't work for everyone. So here I am. Enjoying the benefits of weight loss thanks to finding a nutritional balance that my body deems appropriate to lose weight. I've discovered that when I feed my body what it needs, it treats me better. Novel thought huh? I never said I was swift of mind.

Weight loss update:

I have lost 24% of my total body weight. Can you believe that crap? I can't. Still can't see it either. I think my brain is gonna explode when I finally get below 200. It's gonna be amazing.

Anyway, here are my daily ingredients for expensive urine.

Pretty huh? The only vitamin/supplement not shown is my niacin tablet but that's for cholesterol regulation since my last physical showed my numbers a tad high. I talked to my doctor, and this is what we came up with. You should talk to yours.

What we have here is (from top to bottom)

Nature Made Adult Gummies Vitamin D3 - No sun = low D, this helps.
Nature Made Adult Gummies Fish Oil - For cholesterol to support a healthy heart.
Nature Made Adult Gummies B Complex - Helps produce energy from food eaten.
Nature Made Adult Gummies Coq10 - Antioxidant important in energy production.
Nature Made Adult Gummies Calcium - For strong bones.
GNC Women's Prenatal Formula with Iron - A multi-vitamin.
Diurex Water Pills - Cut the bloat from accident gluten ingestion.

So there you have it. Turns out, vitamins were just the boost I needed to break through a major plateau. Weight loss even seems easier this time. Maybe I was missing those few key ingredients to make my urine expensive enough.

Quick Post

2013-01-13T16:22:00.002-08:00

Hi!

It's Sunday night. Therefore I'm super busy doing all the house chores that I put off all weekend until now. Yeah, kinda important to have groceries, clean clothes, and my weekly schedule printed up.

I'll have a good post for you in a day or so. Already have the workings of it in my head. Topic: Vitamins.

Until then, a quick share of the 370 calories snack I made this evening. It's the most delicious and simple snack recipe I've made at home. BONUS: It tastes like it's bad for you.

1 serving of white corn chips
1.5 oz of cheddar shredded
a sprinkle of cumin
2 oz of pico de gallo
2 T of sour cream

How to Cope?

2013-01-12T20:32:00.000-08:00

For me, weight loss is all about routine.

When I'm successful it's because I find something that works and then repeat the process over and over as long as I get results. When I fail it's never because of a single thing. It's because I keep doing the wrong things over and over again. Not rocket science. So it's no surprise that things start to go wrong for me in the world of weight loss when schedules are involved.

Spring semester classes are starting once again and just like always, I'm feeling overwhelmed. My orderly world of:

Eat at 9am
Exercise/work
Eat at 11am
Chores/work
Eat at 2pm
Errands/work
Eat at 4pm
Make dinner
Eat at 7pm
Watch a little tv

...it's all going to be turned on its head come Monday.

I've gotta start packing foods/snacks to go again. I've gotta shift workouts to late in the day. I've got to meal plan everything instead of just dinners. I've got to hope the added stress doesn't knock me back to my fattest days when I'd skip breakfast, often lunch, and then just eat a small dinner because my stomach had shrunk so much from lack of food.

I've done this before many times and gotten through. I still worry though. That's just my nature. While there is nothing wrong with a soda or candy bar once in a while, will I start picking it up as a habit between classes? Will not being a morning person cause me to oversleep and not have time to pack my lunch? Will I just fail?

I don't ask myself these things to be negative. I'm one of those people that always likes to be prepared. If I can recognize potential problems before they arise, perhaps I'll be better prepare to battle them then.

Let's Talk "Biggest Loser"

2013-01-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Alright. No spoilers here so don't fret.

This show makes me feel great about myself in that motivational way that is they can do it, I can do it. But it also makes me feel oh so very bad about myself.

I've been working so hard on improving my self image. SO HARD. And then I see these contestants. Some of which have very similar weights as I currently do and I think "Oh my God. Is that how I look?" Once again, "Are people just being nice to me by not telling me what a blob I look?" Here are the female contestants that are close-ish in weight to me.

Only 13 pounds heavier than me.

Only 10 pounds heavier than me.

Only 20 pounds heavier than me.

Only 18 pounds heavier than me.

I just don't get it. What is wrong in my head? My body before I started losing weight was likely just as bad as the contestants but now I look at the group photo and think "I am WAY fitter and thinner than those guys." But the damn numbers. The numbers say that's not quite true.

New Year - New Me

2013-01-06T09:11:00.001-08:00

I really want to do this.

Hell, I AM doing this.

As each new year comes, I find that so many people want to make huge changes to their lives. They make lists. I refuse to make a list of resolutions this year. Every year it's the same old thing for me and I think for most people.

Lose weight
Eat healthier
Exercise more

People make this list and then fail. Then I don't know about you, but then I feel crappy about myself. Not only am I a fat and out of shape person but I'm a big failure on top of it all. [sarcasm font] Well that sounds good for the self-esteem. [/sarcasm font] So this year, instead of looking forward I shall be looking back. I think everyone needs to. What have you done in the previous year that you were not sure you could accomplish?

Now what am I'm proud of?

Look at that! If I lost 63.5 pounds, what's to stop me from loosing 57.5?

Nothing.

Yeah, you already know I lost 50+.

This accomplishment had less to do with weight and more with self-image.

It was a really big deal for me to put a picture of myself on the internet.

I climbed a mountain.
Not just a metaphorical one.

The view was worth the near asthma attack due to switchbacks.

All these things worked last year to create a new me. I'm a work in progress. I can only work hard and hope that a year from now I am just as pleased with my actions of the past year.

Sunday Update and a Cup of Tea

2012-12-02T17:28:00.001-08:00

Rest day today. All I did was a 30 minute walk on the treadmill. Thank God! My quads are screaming at me every time I go down the stairs. Not up, just down and I look really pitiful doing it. I also strained one of the muscles in my armpit so my ability to be pathetic knows no bounds apparently.

Yesterday was the start of a thirty day exercise challenge I'm doing with a fine group of ladies I know. My goal is to participate in thirty minutes of aerobic activity each day, even if it's only walking. So far, so good! Of course, it's only day two. So time will tell. I'm really hoping I can stay on track this week. It's the last week of classes before finals and although I'm sitting pretty well as far as grades go, I always stress out.

In other news; I'm taking up tea.

Just a test run to begin with since I do love these seasonal teas but really know very little about them. I've heard loose leaf tends to be healthier, green tea is healthier than black, and have no idea where white tea ranks. All I know is that I want something tasty, something that is a tad sweet so I don't feel the urge to add sweetener, and something that'll make me feel good.