think {pretty} thoughts

tuesday humor

2012-10-16T07:33:00.002-07:00

HILARIOUS.

(source)

I love a good squat, but this is where I draw the line. Core strength isn't THAT important to me.

etsy love

2012-08-29T20:15:00.002-07:00

I adore etsy. It's like pinterest projects already done for you. Or craig's list minus all the creeps. Plain and simple, etsy is like amazon...for pretty stuff.

What better way to express my love for etsy than to share my 3 favorite shops!? Feel free to express YOUR love for etsy and share your favorites shops too. I'm sure Charlie won't appreciate it since I'll just want to shop more, but I don't think he reads the comments on my blog ;)

1. Jacks & Roxanne

Okay, first of all the name alone is adorable. It reminds me of Jack and Jill...the baby j.crew. This etsy shop makes the sweetest baby and tiny kid clothes, specifically onesies with different little designs on them!!!! I have an obsession with small people and things and I'm not even going to lie and say I don't stalk baby outfits. With that being said, I'm not having baby fever nor will I be anytime soon. I just like to admire from afar and this little shop has got me hooked! They even sell a monthly-set for the first year just like Young House Love did for their little one. (stalker)

2. Lauren's Little Shop

Of course anything shabby chic calls my name and this little shop is full of handmade goodies that are just that. I absolutely LOVE the Wine Bottle wrapped in twine with the buttons to hold flowers. TOTALLY OBSESSED. I'm sure I could make that myself but I'm fairly confident it'd look like a 3rd grade sunday school project gone horribly wrong. Another pinterest-project junkie who actually makes stuff look good! (Jealous)

3. Matoto

I'm a huge fan of dainty, feminine jewelry that doesn't look like it came from a candy shop. I found this etsy shop after searching "stud earrings" because if you know me, you know I'm obsessed with stud earrings. Anything and everything stud. After looking through her product and seeing how affordable she was, I knew this was one of my new favorite shops! I absolutely adore those mini squre stud earrings pictured above. (Only $11!!!)

Go check out these shops and don't forget to tell me what etsy shops you've bought from!

new shoesies

2012-08-19T20:48:00.002-07:00

I got some new shoes this weekend. I'm super pumped about them, as I usually am about a new pair of shoes. Brooks Pure Flow. For years I've heard good things about Brooks shoes from my runner friends. They just seem so elite status to me. Well, whatever it was..it was about time I got me some of it. The brand is named after my last name anyway! Gotta represent.

Other than performance quality, I'm legitimately impressed with how cute their shoes are (and obviously that's more important). So cute in fact, I've been debating on which ones to get for months now. Yes, months! I finally settled on the purple Pure Flows because they seem like a good neutral shoe that will work great for running or any other cross training I do like lifting or cross fit.

I'm kind of obsessed with the minimalist shoes because I hate feeling like I'm wearing high heels in certain tennis shoes. Does anyone else feel 6 inches off the ground in tennis shoes? Give me the flat ones, dang. Anyway, the pure flows are the most comfortable shoes I've owned (not the flattest- those go to my new balance minimus) but I love them so far.

As soon as I get back to feeling and being 100% well, I've decided my next phase of fitness will be joining a crossfit box that's only 2 miles away from our house (it's new!). Charlie told me he'd join me....that was after I threatened to take his beer away. Permanently.

source

Have any of you ever owned Brooks before? Did you love or hate?

cherries and a froyo recipe

2012-07-18T18:42:00.008-07:00

You guys, I've been living under a rock. A big, massive boulder. I am ashamed to admit the following:

A. I had no idea that cherries are good. Those things are where it's at. What the heck Katy?

B. I had no idea you could make your own fro-yo. Like, in about 45 seconds. Again, what the heck Katy?

I've seen the light.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

TIME EATEN: .9823 seconds.

Somehow I had no clue nor seen a 'make your own froyo recipe' in all my blog stalking. (Props to that genius who created it).

I think I'm just so hooked on Blue Heaven (local fro yo shop that owns my soul) I guess I blocked out all passing recipes on pinterest and blogs. Basically what I'm saying is I failed but God is good...I've been rescued. I am now creating frozen yogurt in the comfort of my own home. And for about 59 cents. I can die happy now.

And cherries? Where have I been. I bought my first bag OF MY LIFE last week. I know where I've been..I've been stuck in my ways, only relating cherries to the awful 7-11 cherry slurpee I tried one summer in 7th grade. I just couldn't let it go.

I've decided cherries are nothing short of little (red) bombs of amazing. Currently, I eat them with almonds slivers for a mid morning snack. Fighting inflammation never tasted so good.

Here's my frozen yogurt recipe that literally makes me cry. Not dramatic, realistic.

(fyi, it's made from bananas. sorry Julie.)

homemade reese's froyo

1 large frozen banana (cut up in chunks)

1 heaping tablespoon dark chocolate cocoa powder

1 heaping tablespoon PB2 chocolate

1 tablespoon almond coconut milk

sprinkle cinnamon

Directions

1. combine all ingredients in a small food processor. blend for about 45-60 seconds until smooth.

I realize how similar this recipe is to my peanut butter chocolate pudding...but this is colder. cooler. cheaper. And, it feels like you're at pinkberry (minus the samples. and hipsters). Clearly, this is the better choice. (just ask Mesa).

live fit phase 3 review & an excercise addiction

2012-07-12T20:02:00.001-07:00

Congrats to Jill!! You won the Cents of Style give away! Shoot me an email to get your goods!

If you didn't win... I'm sorry :( I hate it and I wish everyone could win! But the good news is you get 10% off your order if you found something on the site you love. Just use the code THINKPRETTY101. It expires July 31.

and now for the long awaited recap.

Live Fit Trainer review is gonna start off like this.... I'll never have the body I think I should have with how I workout. I'm officially okay with that.

Glad I got that off my chest.

I enjoyed the live fit trainer. It's a great program. Great for beginners, great for the cheapies who don't like paying for crap, and great for people who already know a gym. It gets my stamp of approval for a gym-focused program, just like P90X gets my stamp of approval for a home-focused program.

Phase 1, Phase 2 recaps

For about 3 minutes, I genuinely considered taking the typical sports bra and spandex bathroom before and after pictures. Don't get me wrong, I love it when other people do it (is that weird?) but me doing it is just...well, not me. I'd rather just look like a tool and snap a self portrait in the gym locker room and call it a day. Hopefully you can get the visual that I have a 6 pack. Not really. And yeah, sorry to disappoint if you're just another creep like me looking for half naked before and after pics (haha).

Taken just a couple weeks ago.

My arms got the most definition during the program because of the 3 phases and changes in lifting.

Here's my summary: I think I've officially hit my platuea. Like the forever plateau. I saw some decent changes in the beginning with my arms, but unless I start carb cycling and cutting water as if I'm prepping for a competition, that's when and where the drastic changes would've showed.

That's definitely not to say I don't have areas where I need to lose, because I have a list of areas of imperfection. But you know what? Perfection doesn't exist for me. And I never worked out for perfection, anyway.

It finally hit me after this program when I wasn't floored with my results. Since perfection doesn't exist and I've never actually exercised for it...well, I'm just going to shut up and be happy with where I am. I'm officially moving into a phase of pure maintenance. I'm really excited about it.

Plain and simple, I never want to struggle with an exercise addiction. That is complete selfishness and I know better. Therefore, my time in the live fit trainer was dang good. God taught me stuff I needed to learn in those small, subtle changes. When the changes stopped I realized....you're gonna be okay. Just the way you are. My purpose in life is far greater and I will remember that as I see my flaws, day in and day out.

Anyone else relate? After seeing your body settle to it's favorite look (if you will), it may be frustrating in the beginning, but it can also bring great freedom. This is you! Who you were made! Imperfections and all. It's always bittersweet to see first hand that we don't and can't control it all, body imperfections included. Ironically, there's freedom in it. The pressure eases and exercise becomes great instead of a life or death item on our to-do list. Just remember, being perfect is God's thunder that we're not so good at stealing.

Probably not the recap you thought you were gonna get, hmm?

cents of style giveaway!

2012-07-05T07:36:00.000-07:00

How was your 4th of July? I know mine was juuuust right. Slept til 9:30. Cleaned til I couldn't clean anymore (rare) and then headed out to the family farm to shoot (or just watch) fireworks.

When Brennan, a blog reader, emailed me one day telling about the accessories boutique she owned with her sister, I got super excited as she mentioned the idea of a giveaway! Cents of Style is an online boutique with adorable stuff and dirt cheap prices. I like! I was able to pick out these rovia flats and shipment came super fast. I like again! I'm kind of obsessed with mixing black and brown, so the shoes I grabbed were right up my alley.

Lucky for you, this is a giveaway which means free shoes, jewelry, purse...well, whatever your little heart desires. Right now my favorite items on their site are this necklace, these earrings, these sandals!

So, if you're feelin extra lucky, leave me a comment down below telling me you liked Cents of Style on Facebook!

In the mean time, check out how I wore my cute shoes. I felt 15 in my sweet neon shorts.

(top: old navy $12, shorts: old navy $17, shoes: cents of style) 

Ooops! Let's try that somewhere else :)

Yes, Charlie's beard is really that long right now. He's a drummer, what do you expect?!

Look how cute my little brother in law is after his performance in Beauty and the Beast. He was the baker man...Everybody remembers the baker man in the beginning! I personally think his eyebrows look awesome.

Winner will be selected Thursday, July 12th!

in case you were wondering...

2012-06-27T20:41:00.002-07:00

I'm not trying to go vegan juicer on you, but in case you're wondering these are the 7 most alkaline foods. This here is an awesome, very well written post on the details of each food and why it makes it in the top 7.

1. celery

2. cucumber

3. kale

4. spinach

5. broccoli

6. red pepper

7. avocado

Why Alkaline?

Alkaline foods are restorative. Yes, I just called food restorative. Nerd alert.

We are all highly acidic...It's 2012 people. I'm especially acidic since I live in Texas where it's 105 degrees in my house (AC broke last night). Anyway, it's 2012 and we're too acidic. That's just the luck of the draw for us these days, our world and food has changed. Eating more alkaline foods balances our pH. Another fact? I got a C- in high school chemistry.

The better overall pH balance, the better health we're in and better prepared to overcome (even prevent) future health issues. My small brain likes to think a good pH balance shows gym results better too (I mean, it sounds legit right?)

I have to say my favorite out of the sawesome-seven list would have to be avocado. And by avocado, I do mean guacamole from the famous Joe T Garcia's Mexican Restaurant. Okay broccoli, you come in second. Only because you require butter, salt AND you make me fart. But, I still like you.

Trader Joe's comes to Texas!

2012-06-21T08:22:00.005-07:00

Well, look who we have here..

The first! In Texas! And it's only 20 minutes away from my house.

According to the news, for the first few hours of opening day, there was a 30 minute line to check out. That sucks. I hate lines (impatient spoiled american?) so I'm glad we decided to go at 8pm that night. See why I love Texas? It's 8pm in that picture.

That would be Rachel (my bff). She saw my tweet about going to the opening of trader joe's alone because I would be an embarrassment to those with me. (I'm a pusher and a shover). She insisted on being right there by my side, as usual. (And she looked way cuter than me, as usual!) In case you were wondering, her adorable orange pleated maxi skirt (which is even better in real life!!) is from Ann Taylor Loft.

mid shop goodies

Charlie loves wine so I got some for $2.99. Rach got some awesome hydrangeas (for $5 i think!)

The Fort Worth store was significantly smaller than I expected. Not sure how the Dallas store is gonna size up when it opens, but I'll hit it up too. Gotta make my rounds! I found a lot of good stuff and most of the cool things I've read about on other blogs.

Check out my stash.

From left to (sort of) right: oat bran, smoked salmon, GF rolled oats, crunchy green beans, sundried tomato chicken, canned wild baby shrimp, diced onions, FF pizza sauce, salsa verde, fat free feta, baby zuchinni, roasted seaweed, brown rice organic rice cakes, wild salmon burgers, edamame/classic hummus, frozen organic brown rice, organic olive oil popcorn.

I'm really excited about the $3.99 gluten free oats. Cutting my oatmeal bill in half for the rest of the year ;)

I'm lazy so the diced onions appealed to me. As did the Wild Smoked salmon that was about 75% cheaper than Costco's wild smoked salmon.

Edamame hummus for Charlie, classic hummus for me!

I also got roasted seaweed strips... They taste like seaweed 100% (I drank kelp in the past for better thyroid function). They aren't disgusting though! Just...different.

I bought crunchy green beans...now those are good! But I won't buy them again because they're pretty processed with multiple oils and the nutrition stats are quite surprising (4.5g of fat?!). I bought this package of sun-dried tomato chicken tenders and fell in love. I cooked them up real nice (??) and put them on top of a cauliflower pizza crust (recipe) with the FF feta and FF pizza sauce. Haven't had pizza in FOREVER!!

Salsa Verde...delish. Fat Free feta (never bought feta, but I took the plunge) pretty good, but organic popcorn with olive oil was very simple and bland, not what you expect. Kinda sad about that one.

The uncured turkey bacon is freaking phenomenal. It's the most delicious turkey bacon I've ever had. I basically swore off turkey bacon a while ago because of how disgusting and proccessed it is. This stuff is totally clean and 1.5grams of fat for 2 strips. Delicious on every level and I want to buy in bulk.

I heard the frozen mac n cheese was to die for, so I got Charlie some! Plus Salami, tortilla chips and ravioli. He has expensive taste.

What are your favorite trader joe's products?

Makeover Monday?

2012-06-18T10:38:00.000-07:00

it's Monday!

Excited to be bringing some fun blog posts to the table over the next week or so! (remember I'm not so good at the everyday thing, but I try! I promise!) Here are some posts coming up to look forward to:

Trader Joe's comes to Texas.
Live Fit Phase 3 recap.
7 most alkaline foods.
a TBD Scrumptions Recipe. (capitalized for deliciousness)
An outfit post. (what?!)

Muscle Monday is taking a rest day. It's Makeover Monday!
I'm getting all you updated on our house! (pun).

First things first, we are completely up-to-date on our kitchen appliances! What up 2012! It's always fun to save for something and then see it right there in front of you. I've been stalking/comparing/watching prices of three different stores (Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy) for MONTHS, but didn't take the plunge until Memorial Day- lowest prices I've seen. We bought a dishwasher + new oven in stainless steel from Best Buy to match our fridge. Pictures to come. It's a beautiful sight.

Now onto my latest project. Yes, that's what we'll call it.

About 2 months ago, I went to a flea market in Arlington, the city where I grew up. The city is not loaded with flea markets or vintage furniture shops by any means, but it does have a few markets lingering here and there. Clothes thrifting= not my specialty. Home thrifting= different story.

(holding a small treasure from that day- a window mirror!)

So while I was shopping that Saturday, I met a lady who set up shop for the afternoon. Adoooorable, adorable girl. Barista at Starbucks, single mom, loves to paint stain sand crackle...everything. I bought this full size mirror from her ($20!) which was BRIGHT yellow. She offered to change the color if I didn't like it, free of charge! WHAT?! So accommodating. We collaborated and settled on a martha stewart crackle blue and I dig it.

Next up I started admiring a huge dresser she had redone completely...it was BRIGHT teal and an awesome combination between rugged, modern and vintage. Only problem? I don't have any teal in our house and wasn't really planning on it adding any either. It just wouldn't look right! She also had a beautiful bright red dresser with very similar additions (vintage hardware, rough around the edges). Believe it or not, this woman is not on pinterest!

We went back and forth talking, she kept offering to repaint either dresser...free of charge! I told her no way, that both were beautiful and I am about THIS close to taking one home just because. She then told me that she lives less than a mile away and has a brand new dresser she hasn't even started working on yet. She invited me back to her place (we totally clicked, by the way) and I jumped at the chance. Off we went. Yes, she left her shop. She had a friend there helping her sell, so it was all good.

how cute is she? she took some before pictures for me!

A very basic, traditional Thomasville dresser.

During...

(sanding, staining, priming for the shabby chic look)

and....

AFTER!

She scuffed it up for me a little bit, just the way I like it :)

She would text me just about every day (took her 7 days) pictures of different handles she had (she was STOCKED!). I finally settled on these and adore them.

PINCH ME!

I love it! It fits RIGHT in!

more common sense

2012-06-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

Oh yes, just sitting here about to deliver a blog post full of common sense. So profound, the things I bring to the table.

Let me just touch base about this little thing called "not seeing the results" or maybe it's "not seeing results anymore." You living in that world right now?

Two things and two things only.

1. Like, really and truly, it actually takes time.

Freakin fantastic, right?

If you're getting after it like there's no tomorrow, one day you will show it. Are you going to be ticked off that you can't tell in 6 days? Because you're probably not going to be able to tell in 6 days. I hate it for you (and for me too!). There are the occasional individuals who have disgusting results in an unfair amount of time- but that's not me and that's probably not you either. If you don't quit, you'll get results. Eventually. One day. Just stick it out.

2. Don't follow a cookie cutter approach.

You are not her. I despise cookie cutter fitness diets. Like with each day that passes, each day I live my life more dedicated to being fit, the more I loathe the same clean eating diet I see across the internet. Yes, the basics are incredibly effective (lean meats + emphasis on cruciferous vegetables/fruit + complex carbs) but at the same token...is the way you eat gonna come from a scratch piece of paper full of info you found online? Think simply. Think for you. So what if 1/4 a cup of oatmeal (plus that protein!) doesn't keep you full until your next meal. Well then, what the heck are you upset about? Eat more. You're not an alien. Play around with it and see results...then nail it down and watch your pants fall down. (what?)

Only I know my body. I know what I respond best to (not enough carbs? too many nuts? BAD combo) and I encourage you to put your glasses on and do the same. Examine your own responses to foods. Not the cookie cutters diet. Relax a little bit, follow a simple way of clean eating (lean meats + veggies/fuits + complex carbs), investigate your responses....it'll all work out.

Don't you just feel worlds smarter?

supplement stack

2012-06-12T07:19:00.002-07:00

Protein Powder
BCAA's
Probiotic

When I first started working out, I was such a nerd. I kept hearing of products people in the fitness industry suggested and obviously, I was curious. Products doesn't mean hydroxycut. Products mean vitamins, proteins and aminos. And so, the research began.

My first purchase was the protein. Scared out of my girly am-i-gonna-look-jacked mind, I did it. I bought the lean shake from GNC.

Pretty sure my favorite question for a few months there was, "what kind of protein do you use?!"

Surprisingly I didn't blow up. Surprisingly I saw some benefits to this added shake. And so, when I ran out I researched for a cleaner protein with less additives and I have been drinking protein ever since! I still love to ask people what they use though ;)

Currently, my favorite protein powders are.... (in this order, taste + results)

Jay Robb's Vanilla (whey).
Vega Sport Chocolate (pea and brown rice protein).
Only Protein Vanilla (whey).
Sunwarrior Classic Vanilla or Chocolate (brown rice and pea protein).

I am sensitive to dairy and I can honestly say Jay Robb's had little affect on me. I think very highly of the brand Only Protein (grass fed, organic cows) but noticed a small reaction to their whey, so it's not my first choice. I prefer whey over plant-based proteins which is why I continue to buy them despite said sensitivity.

My recommendation is this: if you struggle with insulin resistance, high blood sugar or stubborn belly fat.. stick to a plant-based pea/brown rice protein for your post-workout shake. The benefit to these vegan proteins is there is no insulin spike. You really want to avoid sudden spikes in insulin, one of the biggest reasons for not being able to lose stubborn stomach fat. I am the opposite, however, and struggle with lower blood sugar. My body and muscles respond best to whey.

The next product I'm loving are BCAA's. Branched Chain Amino Acids. Our body can be a little frustrating sometimes; slow at building muscle and burning fat, but quick to gain fat and lose muscle. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein in our bodies, they maintain that muscle! And not in a bodybuilder way either. Ladies, don't be afraid of this one. However, it can surely be attained through foods, namely meats and dairy.

I've been using Dymatize Recoup for a few weeks now and really like it! Before that I was using Fit Mixer Amino which tastes delicious but has 25 calories and 5g of carbs, 4g of sugar. Considering I use BCAA's twice a day (sometimes 3 times a day), that's an extra 50+ calories just for a drink!

BCAA's control hunger cravings, maintain muscle, stabalize blood sugar and provide a small energy boost. Often times they contain glutamine..an amino acid that helps our bodies recover from our workout. An excellent addition to any supplement considering l-glutamine in our bodies is lowered up to 50% after a hard work out!

Next up...Probiotics. Changed my life. Having a healthy gut is such integral part to our health. Fat loss too (did you know that?!). Our metabolism and our digestion are best friends. They need each other, and we need to replenish the healthy bacteria that is lost through impure foods (cough SUGAR cough). One reason why I don't support protein shakes as a "meal replacer" is because of the heavy role digestion plays in firing up our metabolism. It doesn't take energy to digest a shake. It takes hours to digest a small meal of chicken and broccoli. Shakes as meals is not a sustainable way of life and isn't good for your gut.

My favorite probiotic: Udo's Choice Super 8. Ab-so-lutely LOVE it.

Clean Supplement Brands I support: Udo's Choice, Garden of Life, Country Life, Barlean's.

Other supplements I have taken or do take: B vitamins, EFA's, Chromium, Zinc

What's your favorite protein powder? Do you use BCAA's or probiotics?

playing catch up- Austin + Mesa

2012-06-05T06:22:00.002-07:00

Ahhh. Two weeks has come and gone! What the heck. I even had my birthday and didn't blog about it. See how ashamed I am? Like, I can't even look at you.

Or... maybe I just wanted you to read my reese's pudding post 14 times until you actually went to the store, bought all the stuff, and made it. Yes, that's definitely it.

FYI FYI FYI FYI TRADER JOE'S OPENING IN 9 DAYS BY MY HOUSE FYI FYI FYI FYI

If you follow me on twitter, I'm sure you're well aware (I think I went overboard) that last weekend we went to Austin. This was probably the best weekend I've had in a long time, aside from Memorial Day (now that was a dang good weekend). Austin is my kind of city, full of relaxed people who just want to sit outside and eat. Yes, that sounds identical to life in Spain and makes me miss it! And if we're gonna to talk about Austin food? Eating clean (and eating delicious!) in Austin is probably the easiest task known to man. I had a good weekend.

shrimp and asparagus egg white omelet. SO SO GOOD.

We pretty much went to all the hot spots (food, of course) and my favorite thing I ate all weekend was from Mozart's coffee shop. This coffee shop overlooks Lake Travis with a stunning view and patio. I decided to indulge in a Double Cappucino Gelato since I'm not huge into coffee (hypocrite! coffee gelato?!) and I just need to say that I about fell off the balcony IN TO THE LAKE. Too good for words guys. I have no idea who spoke what to me during those 10 minutes because I wasn't even slightly listening.

Many thanks to Georgia for letting us stay at her condo! Can I just pack up her kitchen in my bag and take it home with me?

If you follow me on instagram, Mesa makes an appearance in your face almost everyday. I post him a lot (am I that girl already?). But it's been a while since he's made it on the blog, so here's a little update for the non instatwitters.

He's 50 lbs.

He's 5 months old.

He's a baby horse.

He's freaking sweet as can be.

His paws are still disproportionate to his body. (i'm thinking he'd wear a size 15 shoe)

He humps my friends. (he knows a pretty girl when he sees one).

He yawns. A LOT.

He's a horrible running partner (he needs driver's ed. homeboy can't stay in his lane!)

Everytime he's in public I gets asked 1) if he's a great dane 2) what 'color' he is

Great Dane's are where it's at, people.

I'll be a better blogger this week :)

reese's pudding

2012-05-17T13:11:00.001-07:00

Prepare thyself.

For the reese's pudding.

It could even be reese's ice cream if you're patient.

The sign says it all, really. Us two, we fell in love.

I recently purchased my first bottle of PB2. I was never anti PB2, I'm just too lazy to create my own peanut butter, especially not knowing how it's gonna taste in the end. With pudding, there's never a doubt how it's gonna taste in the end. #realgood

Even though pudding isn't the cleanest of foods, it's a dang good dessert if you're in fat loss mode. I use it from time to time, licking the bowl every time.

My thoughts? What if... I mixed those two powders together. And what if...I used almond milk instead of regular milk? Yes those are good thoughts.

So I did just that. I was tempted to add protein powder, but why would I ruin something so perfect? Didn't even go there.

Here's what you need:

1 box of fat free, sugar free chocolate pudding (2 oz box, the largest one)

2 tablespoons chocolate PB2 (dry)

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Almond Milk +protein

If you want to go the extra mile, chia seeds are a nice addition. Done it.

I won't insult you by giving instructions on making instant pudding. Just do what you're supposed to do and add those extras in for a good time. I think I'm more excited for you to try this than you are.

Genius Tip: if you're patient, freeze it for 30 minutes. When it comes out, it'll be like ice cream. REESE'S ICE CREAM. Top it with pb2whipcream. (cool whip, whole foods brand because it doesn't have hydrogenated oils, mixed with powdered PB2).

only 5 minutes to heaven, hunny.

if you think this looks gross then we can't be friends anymore.

Fail Better.

2012-05-15T10:37:00.002-07:00

Fact 1: This is about food. I've been dying to write about it for several weeks.

Fact 2: My blog has never been big on comments. I'd like your comments on this one.

Fact 3: Analogies are my thing. It's just what I do.

I look at my relationship with food very similar to the way I look at my relationship (sometimes lack thereof) with God. Track with me on this one.

source

I've always told myself this one thing. My relationship with God is like a marathon. If you know me, I don't run marathons. I don't like distance running. I like sprints. I am an instant gratification aficionado and sprints/short distances do it for me. Whatever feeling I crave, I want it to happen IN that moment, both on the road (or treadmill) and definitely in life. It's usually an insecurity issue. I am a woman!

Back to my life statement: My relationship with God is like a marathon. I am constantly feeling like I have to be in this all out sprint ALL THE TIME in order to "have it right" with Him. Well, thankfully, the only way to "have it right" with God is not the speed at which I chase him, but in the moment when I found him. Absolutely nothing else. From there my race began and I'm running next to no one. I like that since running with people is no-go for me.

So, if I decide to walk toward God for a little while instead of run, Does this make me not a runner? No, it does not. It means that I am lacking in heart strength, need a break to be human and grow before I can go again. Does this make me a bad runner? No, it does not. Every runner rests be it before, during, or after the race. God doesn't expect perfect from me, that's His thunder that I'm not so good at stealing.

So what does ALL this have to do with food?

This means I look at food similar. My relationship with food is a fact of life: I have one. We all have one. I eat it, every day...three times a day...so to ignore the relationship, especially when I've "struggled" with it in the past, is ignorance.

I mentioned above I don't get tons of comments like most healthy living blogs. If I cared, I would've stopped blogging. Instead, I appreciate more the emails and messages I get about problems with food, balance, motivation and everything in between. I see a common issue of feeling like a failure.

Fail Better?

Yes, fail better. That's what I do with God and that's what I do with food.

This isn't a mind blowing concept: I dust off and learn from the fail. I then aim to fail better, surprisingly, without even trying. It's a subconscious thing.

So what if you "cheated so bad" you could be a blimp? I hate that word, cheat. So what if you have a binge session (or sessions) on accident. LEARN!!!!! There is no perfection! Learn and fail better next time!

With healthy eating, it's not a sprint. It's a marathon. It has taken me years to develop the way I eat and I'm nowhere near a stopping point. You grow in knowledge, you learn the foods, you experience the new life one day at a time. If there was a Ph.D in healthy (specifically fat loss) eating, nobody would have it, not even you. You can breathe again.

Same goes for God. As I work through the SAME struggles that keep coming back up month after month, year after year...(side note: struggle is a pretty word for sin in my humble opinion)... each time I allow the struggle to win, I dust off my failing self and start walking again. Behavior modification doesn't work, Jesus does. I press on to fail way a little better, a little less next time. There is no future perfection that I always picture achieving. There would be no Jesus.

So to wrap this beast up...blowing it is a part of life.

My Philosophy: cool my dramatic jets and fail better next time.

long overdue outfits i actually wore

2012-05-11T21:07:00.002-07:00

It's true, I still dress myself from time to time. I even have pictures to prove it. If there was an award for being behind in life, I would own that beast. These are slightly ancient. Also, I like how it's May and we still haven't done our taxes. (KIDDING).

dress: charming charlie's $30, cardigan: jcrew outlet $30, jellies: burberry (gift)

I apologize for the zoom on crack here. Necklace details folks.

I was in a bracelet stage. They were all lost in the move, I'm pretty sure.

And a shout out to my husband who's in Minnesota this weekend doing his drum thing. He's such a talented drummer (and would never tell you that) and has been traveling a lot more, doing what he loves. SO happy to support his passion for music!

There he is in his little "incubator" we like to call it! He prefers playing behind a drum shield for better sound and feedback. Sometimes he sends me videos of him playing and I'll guess what song the band is doing! #cutemarriedstuff

our humble abode (well, part of it)

2012-05-04T06:16:00.003-07:00

Fact: this post has been in the unpublished list for weeks. Why? Because I'm slightly lunatical. A new word, use it.

I am 75% done with our living room. After tonight when I pick up another piece of furniture, it will put me at 95% done. Does anyone want to come over and have a party to celebrate? The party stays in the living room, thank you.

So...welcome to our humble abode! Please keep this in mind: Katy Can't Paint. Like, it's an actual issue. A personal defect, if you will. Many thanks to my grandparents, in their upper 70's, who painted our living room. Can we just not even go there?

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Let's address the changes and the cost.
For the ones I love (you) I'm all about revealing private financial information.

Popcorn ceiling. Sure, we had that. Had it removed. I like bubbles (it's my favorite word in spanish, burbuja! so cute!) but not enough to have it above my head. It cost $1000 and we used Abraham, the adorable Mexican man I used for painting our kitchen cabinets.We'll get there some day friends.

Sidenote: How I was able to take halfway decent pictures of this house, well I'm just beside myself! You all know my serious lack of photography skills. Another personal defect. I'm seeing a trend here?

Floors. If you'll adjust your eyes to notice, our carpet before was green. Like, green green. ACTUAL GREEN. We replaced them with a really dark (not laminate, but not wood) type of flooring called luxury vinyl tile. I really recommend this, I can't TELL YOU how many people compliment our floors. We purchased it from a local flooring store here in town for a about $1900 and it was installed by local contractors used in Charlie's family. It put our floor total around $2200 (YIKES!). We saved for that one people!!

Wall color: we used a shade of gray from Martha Stewart's paint at Home Depot. I don't remember the name right now! I'm sorry! Email me if you're dying to know.

Fireplace: We painted the mantle white and removed the "sitting area" at the bottom, as I like to call it. We still need to paint the unfinished bottom.

Blinds: We had brown, wooden blinds...remember?? They totolly didn't look right and so we were gifted by my grandparents with white blinds for the living room and the kitchen window. They give all their grandkids house warming gifts and this was ours.

Mantle: The mirrors were a gift from Crate and Barrel. I registered for those mirrors when I was engaged and never found a place for them. They no longer carry them (I love the gold/silver contrast) but here is a similar one in just the square. (One is square, two are rectangular). The birdcage was a project I blogged about here, the little doves were a sporadic purchase from Home Goods (oh how I'm good at sporadic Home Goods purchases!) and last but not least, my favorite piece...the roses. This was an absolute gem of a purchase! $18! And they're huge in person! They were on the clearance rack at Home Goods for so cheap because they were damaged a little bit. There was a tiny piece missing from a "petal" and I said screw it, I'm buying it anyway! It's not even the slightest bit noticeable.

If you don't remember from this post, I touch on my coffee table, my side table, pillows, etc.

And just for fun, here's a sneak peak of our kitchen.

Phase 2 recap

2012-05-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a big time blog stalker between the hours of 7am-8am and around lunch time. I eat my food and read about people's lives. #creepy. Is this your blog stalking time too? Sadly, I haven't read a single blog this week because I haven't had a free second with work! What the heck is going on in peoples lives! Tragic.

So, my (very sorry) belated Phase 2 recap of the Live Fit Trainer is here. Bam.

Phase 2 was good. Really good. It was good to add some Cardio in for an extra heart pump (I sure missed that!) and I also loved the variations in exercises and change of overall pace.

I averaged about 3-4 cardio sessions a week during this phase. I mainly stuck with the stairmaster, keeping my heart rate in between 157-165. For the weights, I enjoyed the supersets and the high weight/low rep approach. This is definitely my style.

As far as noticeable body changes during Phase 2, there weren't much. The muscle added to my body during Phase 1 brought about (what was to me) noticeable fat loss. Again, I didn't have lots to lose, but my body responds very well to weight lifting and during Phase 2, I felt like I was just seeing results from Phase 1. Does this make sense?

Phase 2 was way more fun than Phase 1. Phase 3, I'm less than impressed (shocking! I know!)

I'm going to save my measurements for the end of Phase 3. I have a feeling there were no changes during this last round, so I'm just going to pipe down and be a patient, patient woman. A true test for this girl.

I matched a little too much that day at the gym, huh? Majority of the time when I workout, I wear Lululemon and thought I'd address why. Let's state the obvious- this brand is VERY expensive and VERY trendy. The coveted "lulu". I see it as an elephant in the room for fitness junkies, if you wear lulu you're cool. You really work out. I kind of hate that part of it. Like the Nieman's of fitness clothes! So why do I have so much?

First of all, the only full price items I own were gifts (wunder unders and a super amazing red power dance tank that I might request being buried in because I'm obsessed). I'm true to my sale-girl self and buy things I love, but only on markdown. Full price? I'm out. Point #2... I don't wear it to be that girl either, I actually love all the technical pieces they have for different workouts and I buy accordingly. Although I find myself shaking my head at their prices most days, I also shake my head at how often I'm in workout clothes, therefore I invest in a decent supply from a decent brand. I don't take it too seriously, that's for sure.

What I'm wearing in the pic...Wild Lime cool racerback tank with wunder unders and my newest shoes, these new balance's. The bag is called Still Groovy bag in Tree Frog Camo print. The bag's been a big hit and I get comments on it at the gym at least once a day! I had no idea it was that cute! Ha. I just liked the size and pockets. Those shorts up north are paris pink speed shorts. They cry summer 2012.

Oh hey do you like our home addition? Home depot my friends, HOME DEPOT.

I'm curious as to how many people did Phase 1 or 2 and which one you liked better?

What's your favorite lululemon piece?

sweet deal

2012-04-28T13:03:00.001-07:00

So, the other day, I curled a 30 pound dumbbell. Straight up 30 pounds. Like, three-zero. Not zero-three, or negative thirty, or thirteen. Like three plus a zero at the end. It REALLY freaked me out.

This picture is from a few months back right before we moved into the house. I was probably using 15 pound dumbbells for most curls. People ask me what pound weights I use for different exercises since I preach a lift heavy style of working out.

In this case, I decided to just freaking step up my game and grabbed a 30 pounder and BAM...it went sky high. Then of course I dropped it and made sure my grunt was heard by all.

This is my flexing face and it is absolutely hideous. Charlie agrees.

Jamie Eason's live fit trainer has changed my arms more than anything else. I will be doing a post on how Phase 2 went on Muscle Monday. On to Phase 3 it is!

A-Z survey

2012-04-27T12:11:00.001-07:00

I love reading surveys about other people. I thought this survey would be fun! Thanks for the idea, Teri!

(oh, happy Friday by the way!)

A is for age: 23 (almost 24!)

B is for breakfast today: 1/2 cup GF oats whipped with 3 egg whites.

C is for currently craving: froyo. always froyo.

D is for dinner tonight: tilapia or omelette.

E is for favorite type of exercise: HIIT on the stairs

F is for an irrational fear: seeing someone dislocate their kneecap.

G is for gross food: beets. VOMIT.

H is for hometown: Arlington, TX

I is for something important: the way I treat people is VERY important to me

J is for current favorite jam: blackberry

K is for kids: my man Mesa.

L is for current location: an uncomfortable chair in my office.

M is for the most recent way you spent money: bought Charlie a plane ticket to Minnesota for a Drum conference.

N is for something you need: a trip to Mexico

O is for dream occupation: Something stressless.

P is for pet peeve: making fun of people

Q is for a quote: "Humility is the disposition of a person who knows they are more sinful than they could dare imagine, but in the gospel are more loved than they dare dream"

R is for random fact about you: I'm a lot more quiet than I used to be.

S is for favorite healthy snack: this smoothie :)

T is for favorite treat: warm brownies. multiple.

U is for something that makes you unique: I was born with Spinabifida.

V is for favorite vegetable: kale chips

W is for today’s workout: THIS.

X is for X-rays you’ve had: Since January? Small intestine, large intestine, pancreas, liver, kidneys, spleen, gall bladder, stomach, esophagus, and small intestine (again and again and again).

Y is for yesterday’s highlight: no traffic :)

Z is for your time zone: CST

muscle monday: the split squat on crack.

2012-04-23T08:23:00.006-07:00

I want you to know my leg secret.

The move I do in almost every leg workout.

The move that makes me cry a little harder inside with each rep.

The move that leaves me worthless for days.

I know these are so 2011 but I like vintage things.

The Split Squat on Crack.

For flashback purposes, here's my video example of a basic split squat.

There are two new variations on this move I made up in this little head of mine, so don't just look at the pictures! Read the description because pictures don't exist.

Move #1: Feelin Confident

You know the flat benches you do about 500 other exercises on? Well, grab them both because you're gonna need them. You're doing the split squat ON TOP of both benches. Being 8 feet tall looks really good on you.

pretend the other leg is on another bench.

The benefit of standing on top of both is exactly what I was talking about here. When you work a muscle it needs both squeezing and extension. I'm illiterate, I'm aware. In personal training terms, squeezing would be flexion. Many thanks to dictionary.com for the help.

Move #2: Feelin Strong

Back to the ground (and bench) you go. Now you're going to do a regular old elevated split squat with your barbell overhead. That's right, overhead...the whole time. It takes balance and core strength, but really makes your shoulders AND your quads scream have mercy. I enjoy angry muscles.

Don't forget to have the back leg ON THE BENCH, even though it's not pictured. This is my own variation and I love it so much more!

source

Kiss your cellulite goodbye.
I'll take a kiss too because this will make you very happy.
Have Fun and Happy Monday!

jimmy kimmel live + homemade almond milk

2012-04-18T06:30:00.007-07:00

If you like to stay up and watch late night TV, you should watch one of my cousins on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight! (you can see the video here)

Georgia is an author, chef, blogger, and soon to be reality show star. I've mentioned her a couple times on the blog before, but most importantly, she is the reason why I started blogging. She's really inspiring.

My favorite recipe on her blog is Homemade Almond Milk. Domestic goddessness, right there.

(photo from Georgia's blog)

I loooove her food philosophy. Close your vegan eyes and ears. She hunts her own food. In Seven jeans and adorable boots that I'd wear any day. Then she goes home and makes the entire meal from scratch. Isn't that kind of hot?

(georgia in the middle, picture from this post)

If you're interested in her latest book:

Or her first book:

Her blog, or her face, then watch her tonight on TV.

Ten Things Tuesday.

2012-04-17T06:50:00.017-07:00

Who cares to read 10 pointless facts about me?

Probably just my Papaw (hi!)

1. I started out college as a Vocal Performance major. I used to sing a lot, mainly leading worship and singing harmonies. I still do it once every once in a while, but decided I wanted to pursue my passion for Psychology and changed my major. I heart singing.

2. The second day (read that again...second) day on my new job, a plumber came to fix a small leak on a toilet and ended up flooding the majority of our 210,000 square foot building. I was in charge and responsible for this $100,000 remodel, start to finish. I'm never going into the remodeling business.

3. My sister and I use to make videos (with a real 1990's video camera) telling stories using our beanie babies. All 300 of them. My favorite was the Otter.

4. In high school, I loved Kate Spade (still do). I never did buy any of her purses since they were too expensive for my allowance. For Christmas, Kevin bought me a black target purse and taped a piece of white paper that said "Kate Spade New York".

5. One time I rode a four-wheeler in the woods of Arkansas for 6 solid hours. 6 HOURS.

6. I have genuphobia.

7. Foods I haven't eaten since I was 15? Cheese, White Bread, Real Ice Cream, Snickers/Reese's/Twix (my old favorites). Stop judging me.

8. Charlie doesn't have a sense of smell. Yes, he can taste but he's never been able to smell. It's really nice most of the time :)

9. I use to smile all the time when I would walk around the gym (I smile a lot)(and I'm just really happy to be there) until a girl told me it looks like I'm trying to pick up guys. It freaked me out. Now I walk around looking really pissed all the time. HA. (where's the happy medium?!)

10. I dig the beach. Everything about it.

muscle monday: yoga for the non yogi.

2012-04-15T00:40:00.018-07:00

Yoga for the non-yogi..

Have I lost you yet?

Do you ever feel like you're just not the yoga type? You missed that train somewhere along the way? Or maybe you tried to like yoga but found it to be pointless in every-single-way.

Or.....maybe you straight up think it's just too weird and too bendy. Yes, bendy. Let's be honest here, sometimes I think it's just too weird and too bendy also.

Yoga can definitely be cooky. Let's take "Ohm's" for starters. We all know the Ohm. It's that noise you make when you're sitting indian style having a moment with your soul.

Then there's the bowing and Namasteing. That one doesn't bother me so much since Namaste is a real word used in real languages. Languages I find to be beautiful and fascinating. No harm in this one.

Other than it's few quirks, yoga is an awesome physical experience.

It makes the inflexible, flexible. It makes the weak, strong. It makes the impatient, patient.

It brings rest when rest is due. It offers a challenge when you need that too.

Yoga has been something I practice since high school, even though I'm not an all-out yogi. I don't wear beads, or go on a juice fast every month, or have memberships to multiple studios. For me, it's a much needed mental and physical break from pounding it out on the treadmill or the pushing and pulling of weights. My favorite is hot power vinyasa flow. Yoga really can be for everybody, even if you don't particularly care to have intimate moments honoring the light inside you.

Again with my non-certified-nor-reliable 5 reasons list. I love them.

5 Reasons Why the Non-Yogi should be a Yogi

1. It tones your shoulders.

2. It tones your legs.

3. It tones your abs.

4. three words: active rest day.

5. Some people need to take a chill pill. That people is me.

5 Ways to Love Yoga

1. Don't compete. No one's looking.

2. Close your eyes more. Yes, it's weird at first.

3. Stop judging the instructor and her weird yoga-vocabulary

4. Breathe. Deep.

5. Don't take yourself too seriously.

I may love love LOVE yoga, but that doesn't mean I hum myself to sleep at night or tell my friends Namaste when I leave the room. Yoga has taught me to chill the heck out. And I'm dang flexible now, which is pretty cool too.

the good ol' ACV and live fit update

2012-04-03T06:26:00.016-07:00

I resurrected my habit of drinking apple cider vinegar as of last week. I absolutely love it. Am I a sick freak or what?

I am a sick freak.

(picture used from this post)

Apple Cider Vinegar tastes like....well, vinegar. It's disgusting upon first drink. Please, give it grace. We all need it anyway (grace that is).

A couple good posts about ACV, here, here and here.
Of course, there's also wikipedia if you're interested in a more challenging read.

Reasons why I drink Apple Cider Vinegar?

1. Bloat reducer.
Bloating is a natural part of eating. It happens. This tones it down a notch.
2. Natural detoxification
I love that this stuff is just plain good for your insides. It promotes a healthy pH balance, which obviously I don't know much about since I practically failed chemistry, but I do know we need all the help we can get with high acidity levels in our bodies due to our chemically laden foods. THAT was a mouthful.
3. Immune system builder
As much as I love sleeping in, I'd rather be doing that on a Saturday feeling good than on a Tuesday feeling like death. Thanks for the help, ACV.
4. Promotes digestion
Apparently, I'm "crapping my pants all day" according to a recent comment I received and while I hate to burst people's bubble, that my friend is very, very false. I'm glad that's not one of my issues. Moving on, ACV promotes healthy digestion and regularity. It is not a laxative, by any means, it simply keeps things moving in the right direction. We like.

5. Supposedly you lose weight
I didn't research this extensively, but I've read countless times that it helps reduce overall belly fat. I have absolutely no idea if this is true though. All I know is fitness models swear by it during competition prep.

If you can muster up the balls to mix 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in your water a day, I'd highly recommend it. You can give yourself a pat on that healthy little back of yours!

Live Fit Week 6

I am officially half way done with the live fit trainer. I am elated! It's going so well! First of all, during Phase 1, I saw zero fat loss results (but yes to muscle building results as previously mentioned). Phase 2 has been good to re-introduce the cardio and have been seeing some great changes in just the first week! I refuse to take half naked body mirror pictures (or yet, at least) (ugh not looking forward to that possibility) but here are my results so far.

Live Fit Phase 1 Results
Biceps: - .5inches
Waist: -0 inches
Weight: -0 lbs
Calves: -1 inch (I have man calves, they need to die)

Live Fit Phase 2 Results
Biceps: -0 inches (arms are getting more toned!)
Waist: -1.5inches (!!!!)
Weight: -4lbs
Calves: -.5inches (this is good. very good.)

So far I've had a handful of people contact me saying they have started the Live Fit Trainer this week. Here are my tips.... push through Phase 1 and do it right (no matter how much you like or dislike it), Phase 2 becomes a lot more enjoyable for those who like a good heart pump. I know I do!

Tonight I start week 7, Day 43. Take a peek at the workout if you're curious.

live fit trainer.

2012-03-28T06:11:00.025-07:00

Mesa is great, by the way. Thanks for asking.

He sits on my butt. Takes showers with me. Kisses my face all the time. I guess we're kind of in love. It's disgusting, really.

And yes, I am shopping on my phone. You do it too.

I hate to be that girl with an annoying amount of dog pictures but Mesa is different. He's special.

I think my heart just exploded.

Moving on.....

It's true.

source

I started jamie eason's free 12 week program, live fit trainer.

I actually started it a few weeks ago and waited to blog about it until now. Why do I do these things to you? Because I'm a jerk. I've actually completed Phase 1 as of this week, but we'll get to that later. Promise!

In case you're out of the loop on this live fit trainer madness, it's a free training online program that includes 12 weeks of workouts and diet...step by step, day by day. It was created by Jamie Eason, basically the most famous fitness model. I really like her a lot.

This program is in 3 phases. The diet is that of a clean eating lifestyle. You know I'm a fan!

Phase 1: Muscle Building
no cardio, just lifting weights (4 day split), heavy focus on changing diet.

Phase 2: Muscle Building + Cardio
cardio is introduced, weight lifting increases to a 6 day split with super sets, continued emphasis on clean eating.

Phase 3: Fat Burning
cardio + hiit, includes more circuit style training, carb cycling is available for those who are interested in "cutting"

People I think would like the Live Fit Trainer:
people who have no idea how to workout (teaches you a lot of great exercises!)
people who tend to jump from machine to machine never knowing how to have a really good lifting session
people who tend to stick with cardio but know they need to hit the weights more
people who are lifting veterans and need a routine change

Since I've been feeling a little better, this program was a great fit. I knew that starting off with a program that didn't have cardio for a few weeks would be smart. That way, I can take some time off from that aspect of my routine (I had gotten a little too carried away with cardio after my tri) (NOT good...) and I was excited about eliminating it for a time.

I literally JUST finished Phase 1. Here are my thoughts.

Phase 1:source

The three days of rest + no cardio threw me for a loop. No cardio rule for the first 4 weeks, no problem. But three days of "rest?" too? That was something I really wasn't used to and didn't like because the workouts weren't exhausting to me. I cut it down to 2 days of rest just because I'm an absolute rebel and needed the rush.

My biceps and quads got super toned over phase 1. I feel like a meathead telling you that, but what else am I supposed to say? It's true. My arms are like rocks and my quads are so much tighter. Should I describe it one more time?

Anyways. Phase One was the opposite of intense for me. It'd been a very long time since I just walked in a gym, lifted weights, then gone home. Phase 1 workouts never (ever!!!) lasted more than 45 minutes. That was pretty freaking sweet, not going to lie. Even though I liked it, not breaking bucket loads of sweat left me feeling confused and lazy. I think I need a counseling session.

I lifted heavy and followed the workouts according to plan, with the exception of my rest day rebellion. My body was so accustomed to the intensity of HIIT multiple times a week that this has been a bit of a change.

I was pleased with Phase 1. My abs aren't chiseled, I'm not 12% body fat, and my inner thighs can still shake it like a salt shaker, but overall I think I'm on the right track. My diet is pretty bangin' I must say. I've been super intentional about it all and you better believe, if you hand me a brownie right now I'll be forced to slap you silly. I'm on a roll. (I still appreciate the thought!)

On to Phase 2!