It's Hard to be Optimistic When Your Fat Pants Are Too Tight

Hilarious picture frame I got from my Grandma at Christmas playing the dice game.

Be prepared for a brutally honest post. I need to lose weight. I know I'm not fat and most people will say (because they're being nice) "you don't need to lose weight." That's very kind of you, but I do.

Again, I know I'm not fat but I have extra chub that I don't want. I'm not one of those people who can say "I'm curvy and I love it!" I don't! I want to look like this:


Not like this (cuz ew!):

Remember when Nicole was this skinny?!?! Thank God she got preggers and got healthy! Yikes!

But, like this: healthy, toned and preferably really tan!


My weight fluctuates like crazy. I would like to be back my body from Freshman year of college:

Granted I didn't drink then, that's right I didn't have a drop of alcohol until my second semester of college. I was a good little girl and listened to my mom. This probably had a huge impact on my skinniness. I realize this is a terrible picture for showing off my smaller body....but you get the idea.

I was at my heaviest shortly after J and I started dating. Hey! I was happy! It didn't help that we had tater tots and pasta sides for dinner like every night.

I've tried a million and a half times to lose weight. I've tried crazy diets, I've worked out like crazy and I've counted calories. I have found the best way for me to lose weight (and I'd venture to say for everyone to lose weight) is by working out regularly and counting calories. Duh! Weight loss is simple....burn more than you take. Diets don't work. Depriving yourself from what you want will just make you crave it more and when you give in your likely to consume twice as much as you would have if you would have just allowed yourself what you wanted. Which is why counting calories works! If you want to eat a cheeseburger, then eat a cheeseburger. But, if you're supposed to be eating 1500 calories a day and your burger is 1000 then you only have 500 calories for the rest of the day. Period. I am also a huge advocate for several small meals (and snacks) throughout the day! "Ahem"....Future Mother-In-Law!!!!! When I do this, I get GREAT results. My problem is sticking with it. I can kick ass for a couple weeks, then I fall off the wagon. I've been thinking a lot about this lately and trying to figure out why exactly I can't stick with it. Here's what I've come up with:

*Typically when I fall off it's after an event where eating is involved. For example, I was doing awesome after Thanksgiving. I lost 3 pounds in one week, was working out 4 times a week and felt GREAT! Then my birthday came! We went out to dinner several times and I wanted to EAT and enjoy it! Which I did....too much so. Then a week later was Christmas, so what was the point of sticking to the diet when Christmas was just going to throw it off again? And then, two more weeks passed by before I started up again. Those 3 pounds and more have been gained back.

*I really like food. I like to eat. This makes cutting back and cutting things out hard. I can do it, it's been 2 months since I had a pop! But, sometimes I don't want to. The key is allowing myself everything but cutting back. Have 2 pieces of pizza instead of 4. Easier said than done.

*I'm really busy. I work 3 jobs and volunteer with my sorority. A lot of times I need to eat on the run and I am just way too tired to work out. But, I know a TON of people out there are equally as busy and just make time to get to the gym and plan ahead to make sure they are eating right. This is something I need to learn to do.

*I want instant results! I often get frustrated when I don't see results fast enough and then I give up. Similarly, when I eat really good for a few days I think I can "cheat" because I've been so good. Then I cheat again the next day, and the next day and soon cheating is just eating a lot every day.

*Finally, this may sound like a cop-out but I believe it really has something to do with it, I have ADD. I got to thinking that maybe my ADD had something to do with the fact that I love to eat, constantly. For example, I love chips because one bag of chips consists of a bunch of bites, so it takes longer to eat and uses up more time. Thus, satisfying my boredom and need to be doing something for longer. And very simply, when I'm bored, I eat and when you have ADD you're bored A LOT. I found this article online which actually confirms what I am thinking, here are some of the points that stuck out to me:

"Several years ago, ADDvance Magazine, co-published and co-edited by the author and Patricia Quinn, M.D., sent readers an informal survey asking about problems of over-eating and eating disorders. The women who responded did not report a high incidence of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulemia, but did report problems with compulsive over-eating. Many women described a pattern of eating carbohydrates (sweets and starchy snacks) in the evening, not only as a means of reward, but also as a means self-calming or "self-medication."

"Dr. Fleming studied a group of 50 clients who fell into this category. They did not meet the criteria for either anorexia or bulimia, but "clearly had disturbed eating habits, with typically no regularly planned meals or snacks, and an inability to follow dietary plans for any useful length of time." (p. 412). As these clients were more carefully evaluated, it became clear that the incidence of undiagnosed ADD (ADHD) was very high. In fact, Dr. Fleming reported that approximately one third of the clients at their clinic met clinical criteria for a diagnosis of ADD (ADHD). Dr. Fleming is careful to note that this statistic does not imply that most people with ADD (ADHD) have disordered eating, but rather that there is a 'sub-population of individuals with disordered eating plays a major role in the etiology and maintenance of the disorder.'"

This is me to a T:

"Too hungry to wait: Many people with ADD (ADHD) don't pay enough attention to their hunger levels. They may become busy during the day, eating very little, and then discover that they're ravenous - resorting to fast food or high-calorie snacks because it's too hard to wait and eating something healthy." When I am hungry I am HUNGRY, so I'll often eat really fast and eat way too much to get rid of that hunger as fast as I can.

"Skip meals, then binge: Fasting and binging is another common ADD (ADHD) pattern - sort of an all or nothing approach to food. Many people mistakenly believe that it's good to skip a meal, not realizing that they are setting themselves up to overeat at the next meal."

"Don't go on a 'diet.' Many with ADD (ADHD) want "instant results" and are drawn to the most strict and radical diet plan promising a weight loss of several pounds per week. Statistics show that such plans are doomed to failure for the general population, and are even less likely to result in long-term success for those with ADD." Ummm....hello!

Read the full article HERE.

So now I'm 10 months away from my wedding and really wanting to make a permanent change. I don't want a quick fix to look great for the wedding, I want a lifestyle adjustment to help me look great and feel great forever! I'm over getting to a certain number. I don't care what I weigh....I just want to look a certain way and when I get there I'll know it.

I have a couple of things I am starting to do that will hopefully help:

*Plan! This includes packing lunches and planning meals for my day the day before as well as scheduling time to be at the gym. When I know I have a slow day I need to plan to work out.

*Change! I need to change my relationship with food. I need to get to the place where I'm eating to live not living to eat. I don't know how...I think once I see results this will become easier.

*Be realistic! I need to stop setting unrealistic goals and be honest with the fact that sometimes it will be hard and I will want to eat 45 tacos. I just need to learn to NOT...see above.

*Research! I've started reading Bethenny Frankel's "Naturally Thin" which I'm hoping will give me some tips and ideas.


What have you guys done to get the weight off and keep it off? And don't say I gave up this or I gave up that....because chances are I'm not going to be giving up anything....just cutting back.

And, if you're super busy and/or have ADD I especially want to hear from you! :)

If you're like me and you're working on your fitness...head over to Classic Puppy Love and link up with Miss Puppy Love's Fitness Friday! I am!

I'm Going to Try

I am attempting to give up pop (or soda as some of you weirdos call it). I have read so many articles lately about how terrible both regular and diet pop are for you.

Here's the problem....I LOVE Diet Mountain Dew. It started with regular Dew in high school. I kid you not I would drink six Mountain Dews a day, I was honestly addicted. When our high school changed the pop machines from Pepsi to Coke products I almost dropped out. All throughout college, I would go to the gas station and get a mini-bag of Doritios and a Mountain Dew for lunch...like almost every day. When I started dating J he convinced me to make the switch Diet Mountain Dew, which after kicking and screaming and making gagging noises I converted. I am no longer addicted but I love my Diet Dew.

I read this great article and it really motivated me to give it up. It lists "8 Ways Soda Fizzles Your Health."

pH of Soda = pH of Vinegar
For one, soda, no matter who makes it, is the most acidic beverage you can buy, with a pH of about 2.5, about the same as vinegar. Why does that matter? Acid oxidizes whatever it comes in contact with. If you put soda or vinegar on metal, it will rust it quickly.

Drink Soda, Leach Calcium
If you drink soda, which also contains high levels of phosphorous, you will leach calcium from your bones. Dr. Michael Murray from the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine concluded, “It appears that increased soft drink consumption is a major factor that contributes to osteoporosis.” Furthermore, Dr. Elson Haas, author of The Detox Diet states, “Tooth loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis can be problems, especially with a high phosphorus intake, particularly from soft drinks.”

Soda Will Dissolve your Tooth Enamel
Weak bones is just the beginning. According to Dr. James Howenstein. author of A Physician’s Guide to Natural Health Products That Work, the high sugar content of soda is awful. He states, “”In an interesting experiment the sugar from one soft drink was able to damage the white blood cells’ ability to ingest and kill bacteria for seven hours.” Dr. Marion Nestle from his book Food Politics states, “Sugar and acid in soft drinks so easily dissolve tooth enamel.”

Each Additional Soda Increases Risk for Obesity by 1.6 times
So now we’ve got weak bones, weakened immune system, and dissolving teeth. What’s next? Weight gain! Dr. Nestle also concluded, “The relationship between soft drink consumption and body weight is so strong that researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times.”

Children Who Drink Soda Break Bones More Easily
Our children aren’t safe, either. Dr. Nestle states, “Adolescents who consume soft drinks display a risk of bone fractures three to four-fold higher than those who do not.” Dr. William Duffy from the Naval Research Institute states, “The high sugar hides the acid. Children little realize they are drinking this strange mixture of phosphoric acid, sugar, caffeine, coloring, and flavoring matter.” Greg Critser from his book Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People in the World states: “A joint study by Harvard University and Boston Children’s Hospital researchers in February 2001 concluded that such excess liquid calories inhibited the ability of older children to compensate at mealtime, leading to caloric imbalance and, in time, obesity.”

Diet Soda Isn’t Any Better
For those of you with a diet soda in your hands, the news isn’t any better, in fact it’s worse! Carol Simontacchi from her book The Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry Is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children states, “One liter of an aspartame-sweetened beverage can produce about fifty-six milligrams of methanol. When several of these beverages are consumed in a short period of time (one day, perhaps), as much as two hundred fifty milligrams of methanol are dumped into the bloodstream, or thirty-two times the EPA limit.” So, you’re poisoning your body, too. And when it comes to saccharin, which is a noncaloric petroleum derivative estimated to be three hundred to five hundred times sweeter than sugar: “More than a dozen animal tests over the last thirty years have demonstrated the carcinogenic effects of saccharin in the bladder and other sites, particularly female reproductive organs, and in some instances at doses as low as the equivalent of one to two bottles of diet pop daily.” With diet soda, you’ve gone from high calories to poisonous levels of methanal and an increased chance of developing cancer. Not a very good trade.

Could Caffeine Jeopardize the Human Race?
Then there’s the caffeine. Jean Carper from her book Food: Your Miracle Medicine : How Food Can Prevent and Cure over 100 Symptoms and Problems states, “tests at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine by Roland R. Griffiths, MD, show caffeine withdrawal can strike people who drink a single cup of strongly brewed coffee or drink caffeinated soft drinks everyday. Further, Dr. Griffiths discovered that caffeine-withdrawal symptoms include not only headache, but also fatigue, mild depression, muscle pain and stiffness, flu-like feelings, nausea and vomiting. And for women: “Those consuming at least one cup of a caffeine-containing beverage per day, such as coffee, tea or soft drinks, were more prone to PMS. And the more caffeine they consumed, the more severe their PMS symptoms.” Caffeine causes withdrawal with symptoms mimicking a flu and for women it makes PMS even worse. But could caffeine really jeopardize the future of the human race? Yes! “A study on the relationship between caffeine and fertility found that… just one caffeinated soft drink per day was associated with a reduced monthly chance of conception of 50 percent.”

If All That Wasn’t Enough Watch Out for a Asthma and a Rash
And finally there’s the preservative used in soda. Dr. Marcia Zimmerman, author of The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution : A Drug-Free 30 Day Plan states, “Sodium benzoate Sodium benzoate is used as a preservative (microbial control) in foods, including soft drinks, fruit juices, margarine, confections, pickles, and jams. Sodium preservatives add sodium to the diet and reduce the availability of potassium. Some reported reactions to sodium benzoate include recurring urticaria (rash), asthma, and eczema.”

http://waterforlifeusa.com/blog/uncategorized/8-ways-soda-fizzles-your-health/

I haven't had a pop since last Wednesday, it was our anniversary and I had a Diet Coke and decided it would be my last. Plus, I figured it would be a good marker to keep track of how long I have gone without drinking pop.  I know this isn't going to be easy, it's already been hard. But, my body deserves a break.

What about you? Any of you non-pop drinkers?

Getting Over the Shock

Before I get to The Bachelorette recap I need to share something really serious with all of you. A couple of weeks ago I went and saw a movie with my little sister, Kara. Before the movie there was a preview for the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie, Inception (which I'm counting the days until). During the preview the following conversation took place (please brace yourselves):

Kara: Is that the guy from Titanic?

Me: Yes, that's Leo he is the hottest man on the planet. 

Kara: Oh, I've never seen Titanic

I took a moment. Took some deep breaths. Counted to five and then as calmly as I could said: "WHAT?!" Most girls my age went through the Titanic obsession and I was no different. Well, maybe a little different because my obsession seemed to be more severe than most of my friends. Oh yes, I was one of those girls who saw the movie 6 times in the theater, I had Leo plastered ALL OVER my walls, I even got a bootleg VHS copy of the movie to fill the void during that wretched time between theater and video release. The fact that my thirteen-year-old sister, my own blood hadn't seen this movie was enough to make me feel faint (well, not quite but I was pretty worked up). There and there we decided that Monday, June 28th would be the day that her life changed. So yesterday, right when I was done with work I threw on some sweatpants and went to my dad's to spend a breathtaking three hours and fourteen minutes with my baby sister. It was just as good as the first four thousand times I saw it and Kara loved it. Once the credits were rolling and Celine was singing she looked over at me and said, "that was intense." I wiped the tears from my years and replied, "I know." It was a great bonding experience and an even greater way to spend my afternoon.

swoon!

OK, so one other thing before I go to to town about The Bachelorette. Aubrey from High-Heeled Love introduced me to this super cool website! It's called Daily Mile. This website allows you to keep track of your workouts, stay motivated and share your success. It's really cool and will be a great tool in helping me train for the 5k and hit that 500 mile mark before 2010 is over. If you check out the right side of my blog, under my button (which you should all "grab" by the way) you can check out what I've been doing to train. If this doesn't keep me accountable...I don't know what will!

Alright, thanks for being so patient. Time to get down to business....THE BACHELORETTE

Justin---not shocking he was the one with a girlfriend. I thought it was really stupid that they had Chris come tell Ali that an old cast mate had news and then she just happens to be with Justin's girlfriend. Seems like they took a couple of unnecessary steps there. I will say, the way Ali handled the situation made me like her more, which is good because she was really starting to irritate me. Anyone else a little bummed we didn't get to see "Rated R" olive oil wrestle in his boot?

Craig---again, not shocking he went home. He seems like a really nice and genuine guy but it took him 6 weeks to get some one-on-one time and they didn't even kiss. Pretty obvious he was the one out of the four to get the boot.

Frank---one of the main things that is really bugging me about Ali is how much she likes Frank. It makes me question her judgment! How on earth can you make out with this weasel looking weirdo when you have hotness like Chris and Roberto hanging around? Also, I'm really annoyed that they showed such revealing previews...we know she meats Frank's family and then chooses him to go to Tahiti and he leaves! Where's the element of surprise ABC? I feel like I don't even need to watch, but we all know that I will.

Kirk---he's fine. Not my fave, nice guy, OK looking. I don't really have much feeling for him one way or the other. 

Roberto---still hot. Very, very hot.

Ty---was it just me or was Ty shockingly sexy in that episode? I really like him and he's passed Kirk in my book. 

 My boy. Still my fave....please tell me you all saw and loved his sneakers with his suit! AND, he's so damn funny. I was cracking up at him during the olive oil wrestling. Did anyone else notice that during the preview he was the only one without a voice over during the Tahiti scenes? Please tell me this means Ali lets him go allowing him to become the next Bachelor and find a girl who has real hair and doesn't whine and squeak at the same time. (I said I liked her more for the Justin thing...she still has her flaws.)

Did you watch? What did you think of the episode? Who's your front runner? Make sure you head over to Jen's blog and link up for:

My picks are pretty obvious:

MY FAVE:                               MY TOOL:

Have a great day everyone!!! 

What Have I Gotten Myself In to?

One of the goals on my 30 Before 30 list is to run a 5k. Luckily, my BB wants to do this as well, so I have a partner in crime. We decided on the August 1st Challenge Cancer 5k in St. Paul. Neither one of us has ever run a 5k, so this could be interesting.

First, I want to thank a couple of people who sponsored me so that I could donate more to Challenge Cancer than just my entry fee.

My Grandma & Grandpa K!

My boy!

My pup (I think daddy may have lent her the money!)

Ok, now let me tell you the history of me and running. I don't like it therefore I don't do it. It's hard. I have been trying my whole life not to run and now here I am registered to run over 3 miles. You know in high school how you have to run the mile twice a year...well I barely ever did that. I used every excuse in and not found in the book. One time I told my gym teacher I had a dance competition that weekend and didn't want to be sore or risk injury, I was on a competitive dance team but we certainly did not have a competition. Another time I pretended to fall down the stairs on the way to the track and "sprain my ankle." It would much rather embarass myself falling down the stairs than I would coming in last in the mile...especially when all the boys in the class finished in like minutes and then just got to sit there and watch me struggle.

One of my favorite high school stories has to do with the mile. I had made up excuse after excuse and had finally run out....I was set to make up the mile with three other girls during the soccer week of gym class. Me and the other girls walked down to the track with a timer...we were instructed to time ourselves. One of us (and I swear it wasn't me) suggested we just walk around the track once and then multiply the time by 4...brilliant! And that's what we did. Well, turns out another gym teacher was spying on us and was a big fat tattle tale. My mom received a phone call that, as she tells it, went something like this:

Gym teacher: "Mrs. K...your daughter was caught cheating on a test."
My Mom: "What? That doesn't seem like something she would do."
Gym teacher: "Yes, Mrs. K. Kristin was caught cheating on the mile."
My mom (holding back laughter): Ok....I will talk to her.

My did talk to me....and she was not surprised I "cheated" on this test and thought it was riducious this damn gym teacher was so worked up about it. This is why I love my mom.

This past year I've been getting more into running...just because it's good for me. I still don't enjoy it but hope maybe one day I'll get to the point where I do. The furthest I've ever run, however is 1.57 miles and I've only run a full mile less than 10 times. Needless to say, I'm in trouble. PLUS, it turns out running outside in infinitely more difficult than running on a treadmill. So, to help me out I took a recommendation from a friend and checked out this Five Week 5k Training Program from the Runner's World website.

I got pretty excited thinking this could really help. 6 days a week is a lot, but I need to do this if I want to survive this 5k. I pulled out the calendar and counted back 5 weeks from August 1st and was completely shocked and panicked when I found out it's TODAY! I will be running a 5k five weeks from today!

WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF IN TO?

Weigh In and Wishful Wednesday

Yes! Success! I restarted this weight loss/get in shape/get healthy plan on Friday and since I have already lost 1.8 pounds! Wahoo! On top of that I get to cross 19.73 miles off of my 500 mile goal!!! I am super excited and super proud of myself---even though my legs fee like complete moosh! That’s right, moosh! On Monday I even beat a personal record! Now, this may not sound like much but for someone who hates running, never tries to run and has a personal record of 1.2 miles without stopping 1.59 miles is a HUGE deal! I don’t know where it came from, but it felt great. I tried to run this morning and made it just barely over half a mile and my legs gave out on me. My friend Carolyn and I have also decided to commit to running a 5k then end of June. This way, hopefully, we can keep each other on track while training AND more importantly have a running buddy during the race!

I have also decided to start a 12 week program to help me lose these last pounds and get healthy. The program is called Transitions Lifestyle and the basis of the program is education, which is exactly what I need. I don’t need a crash diet or to spend all my time counting calories or points. I need something that will teach me how to be healthy and stay healthy. They pride themselves on teaching you how to eat not what you can or cannot eat. Like I said, the program is 12 weeks and each week is a different lesson teaching you how different foods affect your body and how your body breaks down those foods. I will have a coach and meet with a group once a week.  I have agreed to have the meetings here at Coffee Buzz to give us some exposure AND because of it my coach is hooking me up with the program for next to nothing! The only scary part is the first week is a cleanse! Luckily, I love fruits and veggies but it’s going to be tough. We’re planning on starting June 1^st, so be looking for updates on this program. I’m excited to get started!

So, some of my favorite blogs (Life in the Fulmer Lane, Life, Love & Puppyprints, and The Seattle Smith's) play a little blog game called "Wishful Wednesday" each week and I decided since "Weigh In Wednesday" is definitely my least exciting post of the week, I would play along and add some fun into my Wednesdays! So...

Bedrooms!

To be honest, I got pretty stressed out by this topic. First of all, Coffee Buzz's air conditioning is broken so it is about 95 degrees in here, so any kind of thinking/decision making is incredibly difficult for me as I am sweating through my brain. Second of all, I kept trying to find a picture of what I wished I could make my bedroom look like, which I realize is not the point! The point is to find a bedroom that I would never create for myself but WISH (key word here) I could have. Now you all know full well that I'm not just going to post one picture. So here are some I wish I had....

LOVE! This would be perfect in a downtown loft! Total girl! This would be a wishful pre-J bedroom.

How serene and gorgeous and beautiful is this? I could never have this in MN though! There is nothing worse than trying to sleep with the sound of a mosquito buzzing around your head! But I love this nonetheless. 

Leave it to Nicki Hilton to create my total dream bedroom! If you know me at all you know that my color palette doesn't extend much past black and white (you should see Coffee Buzz!) I love this! I am super into gray walls right now and I think a lighter slate gray would go really great with this room. I'm sure J would feel right at home in here! ha!

This one is a more realistic idea of what I would want. Like I said, I'm in to gray and I LOVE the teal accents.

I really love the bookshelves instead of night stands! How fun!And...more gray!

Only thing I like about this one is the amazing headboard and the wall color. 

And I love this one for the rug, bench & pillows and of course the chandelier. If you read this: Lights. Chandelier. Action, than you know I am obsessed with chandeliers!

So there you have it! My far fetched Wishful Bedrooms and my maybe someday Wishfuls! Go check out the other blogs I mentioned to see some more amazing bedrooms! And check out The Seattle Smith's if you want to play along!

Weigh In Wednesday

I'm going to make this short because frankly I'm sick of talking about it. I lost 3 pounds!!! Wahoo! I also went 10.29 miles, which is pretty good considering I was a sad sack for the better part of this week.

17.34 pounds to go...
372.03 miles to go...

Sun Kissed Glow

It’s no secret that I am Tanorexic (a rare syndrome where an individual appears to have a physical and/or psychological addiction to sunbathing or the use of tanning beds.) This definition might be a little extreme for me, because I truly do not have a syndrome and definitely do not have an addiction, but I do really like to be tan and the feeling of getting tan. I’m Greek, and this olive skin of mine just looks better with a little color on it. I figure I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs and drink an appropriate amount, so if tanning is my vice….it could be worse. Of course, it is common knowledge that overexposure to UV rays can be extremely bad for you so it’s very important to tan safely and I am well aware of that.

In college and again for a while last year, I worked for Planet Beach, a global Tanning Salon and Spa. Planet Beach is serious about their tanning and are committed to tanning education for their employees and customers. I actually had to go through and pass a very extensive online course in order to get the job. I am proud to say I am a Graduate of Planet Beach University. As silly as it sounds the course taught me a lot and has allowed me to safely manage my minor tanning addiction and help others with their tanning endeavors.

Quick plug for Planet Beach, if you’re tanning anywhere else…stop! Seriously, go to PB. I have been to A LOT of different tanning salons and PB has the best beds by far and none. You can also be SURE that the employees are well trained on the science of tanning, skin care and all of their products. AND, Planet Beach has recently re-branded themselves into what they call a “Contempo Spa.” Basically, they offer products and services that will not only help you get tan but will reverse the negative effects it has on your skin. For example, they have a “Hydration Station” which might be the most amazing thing I’ve ever done. You lay in a bed that combines steam and infrared light which releases a vitamin-rich mixture through the steam that reaches 180 degrees! The steam opens and cleans your pores and allows the vitamin mixture to penetrate the skin. This amazing invention increases the elasticity and collagen in your skin. It’s like getting a facial but for your entire body. AND, if you do it right before tanning it allows your lotion to go on really smooth and really penetrate your skin and increases the results and length of your tan. SO amazing and so good for you skin!

Here’s some basic information about tanning before I give you some tips! There are two types of UV rays…UVA and UVB. UVA rays are the long-wave rays, you’re almost never safe from UVA rays because they can go through windows, clothing, windshields, clouds, etc. So even if you’re inside you are being exposed to UVA rays and this is also why it’s important to use sunscreen even on cloudy days! In the tanning world these are considered the “Bronzing Rays” so the light that will give you a more brown and bronzed color. UVB rays are the short-waves, and are considered the “Burning Rays.” UVB are they rays that touch the bottom layer of skin and produce melanin, which is the brown pigment in your skin. By penetrating this layer and producing the melanin the UVB creates a tan and a defense against UV radiation (burning).

So, here are some tanning tips from a former professional:

The absolute most important thing is to NOT overexpose your skin. Whether you are tanning indoors or outdoors you need to be aware of the length of time you are exposed and the protection you are using. *Sidebar: don’t ever wear sunscreen in a tanning bed. There are agents in sunscreen that breakdown the enamel in the bed and eventually ruin it. If you don’t want to burn in a tanning bad go for less time! BUT, when you’re outside ABOSLUTELY use sunscreen!

Next, it is crucial to “Build a Base.” This means producing and building that melanin in your skin. For indoor tanning, start in a bed that has a higher ratio of UVB rays than UVA rays as that is what builds the melanin (just ask the employee about the ratio, they should know the answer. If they don’t, get the hell out of there and go to Planet Beach!) Now, because you’re in a bed with more UVB you need to be wary of overexposure, so start small. People always want instant gratification but if you start slow your skin will be healthier and darker in the long run. Slow and steady wins the race. If you’re really fair skinned I’d start as low as 5 minutes. As long as you don’t burn you can slowly increase your time each time you tan. Then once you have that base built move into the beds that have more UVA, those bronzing rays. You’ve taken the time to produce your melanin and now those UVA rays can give it that nice bronzed color you’re looking for! It’s also important to remember to rotate the beds you use. If you’ve worked your way up to the highest level bed make sure to visit the lower level beds too, otherwise your tan will plateau. You need to revisit the lower level UVB bed to continue to produce melanin, otherwise you’re tan will stay the same and you’ll no longer see results. When you’re building a base outdoors, it’s as simple as using sunscreen. Start the summer out with SPF 30 or 15 and decrease as your base builds. If you burn, you will peel. When you’re done peeling you skin will be the color it was before you started, so DON’T BURN! It hurts, it’s bad for your skin and it’s bad for your tan!

Lastly, use tanning lotions! I know when you go to a tanning salon it seems like the girls are just trying to make a sale, but what a lot of them don’t explain well is that lotion is crucial to your tan! First of all, it hydrates your skin. I highly recommend exfoliating at home and then adding your tanning lotion, this removes all that dead skin and dead skin does not tan! Lotions also contain a variety of vitamins and minerals the can increase the color and the life of your tan. These vitamins and minerals can also help reduce the negative effects of tanning. A lot of lotions today have anti-aging chemicals in them as well as collagen boosters. It’s super important to get a lotion that is paraben free and all natural. Surprise, surprise I recommend going to Planet Beach to get your lotion! Even if you’re not going to take my advice and tan there at least get your lotion there! They have great paraben free and all natural products! The lotion I use “Divine Wisdom” which has orange juice in it to really gives my skin that vitamin C it needs and it never gets the tight feeling you can feel while tanning! Plus it smells great! You get great results with tanning lotions outdoors too! Just mix it with your sunscreen so that you don’t overexpose and are still getting the vitamins and nutrients from the lotion!

I hope this helps! Happy Summer and Safe Tanning!!!!!!!!

Must Have

Alright ladies, I'm going to let you in on one of my beauty secrets...you didn't think lack of sleep and stress were my only tricks, did you?

Aside from my bronzer and mascara, this is the one make up product I couldn't live without. I don't know how I made it through my first 24 yearS! Seriously, this is the greatest products of all time.....

Photo Finish Foundation Primer from Smashbox!

If you haven't used Smashbox products before, I highly recommend you check them out! Smashbox was actually started by two brothers who are the grandson's of Max Factor (we've all heard of him, right?), they started a photo studio (called Smashbox) in 1991. From there, their business grew into a make up line designed for the perfecting needs of a photo shoot. Their products are all animal cruelty free, earth friendly and are non-irritating, clinically tested, allergy tested, dermatologist tested and made with good-for-your-skin ingredients. The majority of the products are also gluten-free.

I use their amazing Bronze Lights bronzer, the "Brazilian Bronze" eye shadow and of course the Photo Finish Foundation Primer! The Photo Finish is by far my favorite! Here's the product break down from the website:

Create a perfect canvas for foundation application with this silky, lightweight blend of vitamins A & E, grape seed extract and green tea. Worn alone or under foundation to increase its longevity, our best-selling primer helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and pores for flawless skin with a velvety-smooth finish. In a new square airless pump for freshness to the last drop.

Oil-free!

Winner of Best of Sephora Award for Best Primer, one of Marie Claire's "25 Products That Will Change Your Life", & an InStyle Best Beauty Buy. 

It truly does prime your skin for the rest of your make up. My foundation goes on so smooth and even and lasts FOREVER! Honestly, at the end of a 13 hour work day of running around, steaming milk, and cleaning my make up still looks fresh.  LOVE IT!

Channeling My Inner SunShine

Those of you who know me well know that I love TV, especially reality TV. One of the show’s on the top of my MUST WATCH list is “The Biggest Loser.” The show takes severely overweight contestants and gives them medical advice, nutritional advice and two no-nonsense Personal Trainers. The contestants compete against each other in physical and temptation challenges each week, but the main challenge is to lose weight. Each week the contestants are weighed and the people with the lowest percentage of weight loss are sent home. The show is often faulted for bring somewhat unrealistic, because 99.99% of people trying to lose weight do not get to do so in this “failing is not an option” circumstance with all of these amazing resources. I however, think it is amazing. It gives this handful of people the opportunity to change their lives and for many of them save their lives, while inspiring others. This show truly is inspiring and motivating. Watching the mentally, physically and emotionally grueling things these people are put through really proves you can achieve anything if you work hard enough.

My favorite contestant of all time is on this current season’s show, her name is SunShine. She came on the show with her father O’Neal. As the two biggest members of their family, SunShine and O’Neal have a special bond, one that enables both of them and caused them to become extremely unhealthy. SIDEBAR: They’re from Minneapolis which makes me love them even more! SunShine is 24 years-old (just one year younger than me) she has never had a boyfriend, never been kissed and has never felt good about herself. Watching her on this Biggest Loser journey has been truly inspirational. She has lost 80 pounds in 12 weeks, but the real changes are emotional. She had a tough conversation with her dad this past episode telling him that he can finally let go; that she is, for the first time in her life, truly happy and that she is finally realizing and feeling like she is beautiful. Talk about water works, I was crying like a baby. But what truly inspires me is her determination, she came to the show to lose weight, become healthy and change her life and she is not going to leave without accomplishing that. She is always giving every work out 110% and when she’s not pushing herself she is pushing an encouraging her dad and the other contestants. I know it’s crazy, but I feel like I know her and I am so proud whenever I see her win a challenge or kill it on the scale. I need to look to SunShine for inspiration in my own life; inspiration to not only be healthier and push myself but to believe in myself, be more confident and to really push encourage those close to me.

 You get 'em girl! And if you ever need a Sugar Free Vanilla, Skim Latte...I got the best one in town!

Weigh In Wednesday

I’m in pain. I had another session with my trainer yesterday and he absolutely murdered me. He asked me what I wanted to work on and I made the grave mistake of saying, “You tell me, I need to work on everything.” His response: “Ok, then we’ll work on EV-ER-Y-THING.”  And that we did. I was lunging squatting, lifting weights, doing circuits with push-ups and dumbbells, crunches, planks…I did it all. It’s without a doubt the best workout I’ve ever had, but today every muscle in my body hurts. Add on top of that, I got a massage yesterday.

SIDEBAR: I had the BEST massage I’ve ever had at Sa Bel SalonSpa in Uptown. Go there; ask for Sara, you won’t regret it.

As all you massage-getters know it’s relaxing and amazing but can also really hurt. I had a few pretty sizable kinks in my neck and shoulder area. She worked them out for me and still managed to give me an amazingly relaxing and stress-reducing massage. However, today my upper back is super sore.

As for the whole weight loss thing….there’s an issue with my scale. I gained a pound this week. I’m not using the scale as an excuse because let’s face it; I definitely was not counting calories on Easter Sunday. BUT, the past three weeks I’ve been bouncing around within a three pound margin and I know this for sure because I snuck in a couple of weigh ins in between Wednesdays. So, I am officially moving my scale into the kitchen this afternoon. Our bathroom floor is super tiny tiles which make it impossible for the scale to lie flat, possibly altering the results; our kitchen is flat and will hopefully work better. On top of that I really need to be strict about my calories and really up my cardio.

I went 10.23 miles this week, which I’m not thrilled about BUT on Monday night I officially crossed off my first 100 miles! It felt great! I did the math and figured out in order to reach my goal I need to go at least 11 miles a week, so from here on out anything below that is unacceptable.

Last night I was super worn out from my workout and my massage and it was cold and rainy so I was craving some soup. I hate buying soup from the grocery store because it’s always either in a can or a bag. Buying soup from a restaurant can be a mystery calorie wise and can also be super high in. So I decided to try my hand at creating my own soup recipe. It turned out great! 

RAINY DAY VEGETARIAN WILD RICE SOUP

Ingredients:

*1 carrot

*2 celery stalks

*1 can Vegetable Broth

*1 can “Healthy Harvest” Cream of Mushroom soup (lower in fat and sodium)

*1/4 onion

*1 cup Wild Rice (I recommend Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Medley)

*2 tablespoons Low Sodium Soy sauce

Instructions:

*Chop onion, celery and carrot 

*Add veggies, rice and 1/2 can of Vegetable Broth to saucepan bring to a boil and then simmer until the vegetables become soft (about 10 minutes)

  *Add Cream of Mushroom Soup, remaining 1/2 of the Vegetable Broth and the Soy Sauce and stir until well mixed and completely heated. Add salt and pepper to taste!

This makes one enormous serving, perfect for a meal by it's self or you could split it up and eat it with a sandwich! The entire bowl is only 450 calories!

19.6 pounds to go

399.52 miles to go

Weigh In Wednesday

I'm pretty pleased with this week...down 2 pounds from last week. I do, however, need to kick up my mileage! I only went 9.28 miles this week. If I want to hit my goal before swimsuit weather I'll need to lose 2 pounds every week for the next 9 weeks which would bring me to June 2nd...it'll be tough but I think I can do it!

On another note, yesterday was sheer amazingness. I had the day off! My first day off! Here's how I spent it:

I slept in until 9:00am, which was amazing on it's own. Then I got up and enjoyed an extremely delicious and extremely healthy breakfast with my puppy. I say with my puppy because she literally sits at the table and watches me eat.

I had a bowl of Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal with Silk Light Soy Milk, 3 slices of Jennie-O Extra Lean Turkey Bacon and a Banana! So yummy, only 340 calories and kept me full for a long time. 

Then we headed over to Coffee Buzz to visit Jason and walk the Cedar Lake Trail, which was great! We went 4.26 miles! After our walk I headed straight to LA Fitness for my personal training session. Since I had just walked over 4 miles I kindly asked if we could focus on arms & abs thinking it would be an easier session...WRONG! He kicked my ass! It felt great but boy was it hard! My arms felt like jelly the rest of the day. 

After my workouts, I headed home to shower and watch the most recent episode of Project Runway which has been burning a hole in my DVR since last Thursday. I was sad to see Anthony go, but it was time. 

Then I headed to Sa Bel SalonSpa in Uptown to take advantage of a free hair cut I had.  I wasn't very impressed with the decor or atmosphere of the salon but Sara gave me an awesome haircut and the best blow out I've ever had! And, let's face it, the price was right! While in Uptown I couldn't resist heading over to Heartbreaker (one of my favorite stores). I found a couple of plain black shirts that I can wear to work, a cute new top and some cute black jean style leggings, which I'll probably rock to the Chelsea Handler show this weekend. AND, the most exciting part...I found an awesome pair of new sunglasses! I am notorious for losing my sunglasses and I am also very picky about  my sunglasses, which often poses a major problem for me: I'm constantly looking for some and can never find ones I like. Well I found some great ones, and the best part...? THEY WERE $5.00! 

Next, I had a couple of errands to run...a return at Target, a stop at Ulta for some make-up and a run to Papyrus for some much needed "Thank You" cards. I had some time to kill at the Galleria and "accidentally" found myself perusing the Coach store and fell madly in love with this bag: 

 

Let me just tell you that this picture does not do it justice! Now if I could just find a way to scrounge up an extra $600 this bad boy will be mine! 

To end the night I met these two:

Christina & Libby, my two best friends in the whole wide world. Every month or so we meet for dinner at our favorite restaurant Big Bowl. We don't even have to look at the menu, we all get the same thing and it's the same every time. We get the "Create Your Own Stir-fry bar!" It's so yummy, you choose from a list of sauces and meet choices then like a salad bar go up and choose your own veggies! This time I got grilled chicken instead of the breaded sesame chicken, light on the cooking oil and no rice to cut down on those calories! It was still just as delicious and besides the sauce a very healthy option. As always, we had a complete blast. 

I must say I couldn't have asked for a better day off. Now back to the grind....

18.6 pounds to go

409.75 miles to go

Weigh In Wednesday

This week I lost 1.4 pounds, which I'm actually not that mad about. I ate out Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights and though I made decent choices, it's never as good as eating at home where I can really regulate the calories. I definitely could have amped up my exercise this week but I did cross another 13.13 miles off--5.39 of which came from a wonderful walk with the pooch yesterday morning. Next week I'm going to get back in to my weekly sessions with my Personal Trainer which should help a ton.

On a similar note, I'm sure a lot of you have heard about the study that came out today. I read about it in the Star Tribune and then saw it again on the Today Show. This study is saying that woman over 40 need to get an hour of moderate exercise every day, seven days a week to MAINTAIN their shape. The study mentioned that women tend to gain 1-1.5 pounds each year, which means when I'm 45 I'll be 20-30 pounds heavier than I am now! Yikes! The study does not, however, take in to account calorie intake. It's pretty interesting...take a look "An hour a day keeps the weight away?"

What do you think?

20.2 pounds to go
419.03 miles to go

Weigh In Wednesday

My body hates me.

First of all, I was right, the number the scale showed was low. I re-weighed myself on Thursday because I've had this problem before--if the scale isn't perfectly centered on the bathroom tiles it doesn't weigh properly. So, the new number to lose is 21, boo.
Last week, immediately after I started this new fitness quest I was rudely awakened in the middle of the night to a brutal calf cramp. I have had calf cramps before but this one was unlike anything I've ever felt before. The cramps were on and off for nearly two hours. The pain was excruciating. I was up almost the entire night trying to stretch it, chugging water and walking on it. Once I finally did lay down I was so worried about another cramp that I couldn’t sleep. My muscle was super tight and super sore for a few days. I’ve done a lot of reading on calf cramps since and found that most common causes of cramps are dehydration and a lack of potassium. So, I’ve upped my water game. I’m trying to drink as much water as humanly possible throughout the day, in that way the cramp helped me because this was one of my goals anyways. I’m also being mindful of eating potassium rich foods; bananas, avocados, broccoli, etc.
Once I got over the pain of the cramp I started walking/running again, and low and behold the shin splints that have haunted me in the past returned. I’ve always had problems with shin splints, especially when I’m not active for a while and start up again. They hurt but they don’t prevent me from working out, just make it less enjoyable.
Monday was my first bodyworks class with Megan and Abby. It started well. It’s a weight class with some step-aerobic cardio worked in. It wasn’t quite as intense as I was expecting, which I guess is good and bad. About 25 minutes into the class I started to get a really bad side ache. Again, this is something that happens to me a lot but it usually goes away pretty quickly if I just work through it. Not this one. I got to the point where I was curled over, grasping my stomach and having to make a quick getaway to the locker room to toss my cookies. Not cool. I was not only embarrassed but I felt like complete crap.
I think my body is rebelling. I’ve been putting it through a lot these past few weeks. I’m on a completely new sleep schedule, I’m standing between 8 and 12 hours a day and I’m working out more than I have in years. I don’t know if I should take a day or two off and let it rest or just push through it so my body knows this time around I mean business. Well, this morning my decision was made for me.
In the past week I’ve gained 0.6 pounds. I nearly started to cry. The first week is supposed to be the big drop, the week where the pounds just fly off because it’s not used to the diet or added activity. Well not my angry body, I gained. Part of me just wanted to grab an entire pizza and eat it in bed but instead I’m going to push my body even more and even harder. It’s on.
The only positive this week: I walked 15.84 miles! I’ve got 432.16 to go!

First Walk of the Year

People always say that you're more likely achieve your weight loss goals if you do it with someone else, lucky for me one of my favorite friends has some extra winter weight to shed as well.

My dog, Bailey, has been cooped up all winter trying to expunge all of her puppy energy within the walls of our townhouse. Today was the first day of the week that it wasn’t raining and the first day of the week that I had a chance to sleep in. So, Bailey and I went for our first walk of the year. We normally walk a dog path in a huge park, called Highlands, right by our house but with my 500 mile goal I needed to walk a path that I could keep track of mileage on. We walked a huge loop near our house which ended up being 4.5 miles! I am also super excited because I found an app on my phone that can keep track of your time and distance on a walk/run using the GPS already in the phone, so next time Bailey and I can walk our usual trail.
Thanks to some Coffee Buzz patrons I found out that there is a path behind the shop that runs all the way to Lake Calhoun, which is one of my favorite places to take the pooch in the summer. I cannot wait to explore the path and get to the lake. I’ll need to take a few more neighborhood walk before we can take that venture, however. Bailey has only been through one summer of walking and she was only a baby, so I am going to need to re-teach her some walking on a leash manners.
This morning got me so excited for Summer, I love the quality time I get with Bailey on our walks and I love how happy she is before, during and after even more. That 500 mile mark is looking closer in sight now that my little buddy and I are able to walk together!

Weigh In Wednesday

Spring is approaching here in Minnesota. The past week or so we have reached temperatures in the 40's so naturally Minnesotans are pulling out their trendiest "Winter's over but it's not quite Spring" outfits. For example, people will wear jeans and sweatshirts with flip-flops OR they'll pair a nice thick sweater with a pair of shorts. Being as I completely and utterly hate winter I could not be more thrilled to see the snow melting, but it makes me realize that in just a few short months it will be Summer, and summer means bathing suit! This summer I am also lucky enough to be in two weddings and have a trip to New York City planned. Throughout the cold winter months and the stress of getting Coffee Buzz opened I have packed on a few unwanted pounds. The past few years I have been trying to get back down to my high school weight. I've gotten close a few times but haven't quite hit it. Now that I have started this new venture of owning my own business I think it's time to tackle some personal goals, such as getting to that weight. What I'm really trying to accomplish is a lifestyle change--healthier eating habits, working out on a regular basis, drinking more water, etc. I also cpoied a friend of mine and made a New Year's resolution to walk/run 500 miles in the year 2010. So, I've come up with a plan that I'm calling "Weigh In Wednesdays." Every Wednesday I'll take to my blog to track how much weight I've lost and how many miles I've gone. This will not only hold me accountable but all you committed readers can follow along and maybe set your own personal goals to share!

So, I weighed myself this morning and was surprised that the number wasn't as high as I thought it was going to be! My goal is to lose 19 pounds. I started tracking my miles at the beginning of the year when I had time to go to the gym every day. With Coffee Buzz opening it's harder to get to the gym, but I need to try. To-date I have gone 52 miles so far, so I have 448 miles to go!

In the past, I have found the most effective way for me to lose weight is to count calories, luckily I have an app. on my phone that makes it super easy, it's called Calorie Counter. It has a database full of different foods, different brands and different restaurants. So every time I eat something I find it or enter it into Calorie Counter and it subtracts it from my total daily allowed calories. It also have an exercise diary where I can keep track of my workouts and my calories burned. It's awesome! I am also super excited because me and three friends who all belong to LA Fitness have decided to take a class together every Monday night. It will be great because they can hold me accountable and it will be more fun to do it with them!

And so the journey begins....wish me luck!