What's In My Carry On / Carry On Only

I'm a big fan of traveling. At my previous job, I used to travel every weekend during 7-9 months of the year. And I'm not just excited about the destination when I travel. I'm excited for the pit stops, the airports, the hotel rooms, and even the packing process. There's something strangely satisfying in getting all of your important belongings for the next 3-7 days into your carry-on luggage.


During my many travels, I've discovered tips and tricks to traveling relatively lightly. I decided it would be fun to share some of those ideas with you in a video. I hope you enjoy it!

I'm Back!

Sorry for the time off! I still have been working on my health and weight loss. I just haven't been able to update my blog or YouTube channel. Earlier this week I uploaded a new video. Here it is:

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone is having a great Halloween! Did you have any trick-or-treaters? Our neighborhood usually doesn't have many but we had about 10 tonight!

Today I posted this 80s inspired look that I recently wore to a Halloween 5K. In the video, I show the nails, makeup, hair, and outfit I wore to the race. I'm happy to say that this look is sweatproof! The costume was very easy to run in and the makeup looked just as good at the end of the race as it did at the beginning.



Happy Halloween!

Weekly Weigh In (Oct 26)

I just realized I never updated this blog with Saturday's weigh in! However, I did post a video on my YouTube channel. This last week had a lot of ups and down. Hear about them here:

Halloween 5K!

Happy Saturday! My husband and I ran a 5K. My amazing husband placed 1st in his age group and I improved my previous time by 4 minutes! Since it was a Halloween 5K, dressing up in costumes was encouraged. My husband's costume was "Running from the Law" and I went in an 80s inspired costume.

We had a blast and the organization running the 5K gave out the cutest shirts to the runners. I was in a sorority in college so I am a sucker for a cute t-shirt. I would say 50% of my interest in running races is due to the t-shirts. ;)

Weigh In Videos for Oct 13 & Oct 20

Well, hello there! I've been a little MIA but my computer is back and I'm ready to start posting regularly again. I actually posted a video last week that I forgot to create a post for on this blog. You can see that video right here:



I also posted a video today with my Weekly Weigh In from Saturday. Here I discuss my progress last week, my husband's half marathon race, my 5K preparation, and my new favorite snack.



I'm so happy to be back! Even though I have had some trouble with uploading videos lately, I have been able to keep losing weight. In the past, I would have let the struggles with my computer negatively impact my diet and fitness. So, I'm hoping this is a new me! Thanks for your support!

Weigh In Video Will Be Late This Weekend! (But Weigh In Numbers Are Below!)

Today has been a rough day! Last night, my computer randomly turned off when it was fully charged and I haven't been able to get the darn thing to turn back on since. I took it to my local computer store today and after initial diagnostics, they have to keep the computer for a few days to figure out what's wrong. So, my weigh in video will be late this week. However, I did weigh in this morning so I can at least post it here.

Last week, I weighed in at 170.4 pounds. Today I weighed in at 169.0 pounds.

I'm so close to my DietBet goal I can taste it! My DietBet goal is 168.6 pounds. The final weigh in for the DietBet is Monday. So, I have a little time to get that extra weight off.

I might be able to edit and upload on my husband's computer but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to see. I just don't have it in me today. Thanks for understanding!

One Size Down!

It's frustrating when you hit a plateau. It's even more frustrating when the plateau holds you in that awkward spot where your clothes are starting to get baggy but the next size down is just a little too tight. When you hit that spot, it's disappointing because you feel like nothing fits quite right. When you hit that spot, you start to lose confidence. When you hit that spot, you start to give up.

I've been stuck in a size 14 for a while. A while...that's a massive understatement. I've been stuck in a size 14 for about 2 years. Every once in a blue moon I would dip in my weight and be able to fit into a size 12 for a week or two. Then it would be back to the dreaded size 14. I know that for some body types a size 14 might be perfectly healthy. But I'm only 5'4" so a size 14 is not a healthy goal for me.

When you hit a plateau, it's important to remember to stay strong. Keep up with all of the nutritious choices your making. Stick to your workout plan. Don't let temptation and laziness get to you. If your goal is reasonable and attainable, ignore the doubts that come with the plateau and keep working.

This week, I'm happy to say I'm down to a size 12! It happened unexpectedly. I have been wearing a size 14 for so long, I pretty much assumed a smaller size wouldn't fit. We had a dress down day at work and I wanted to wear jeans that would fit into my grey boots. My size 14 jeans were too baggy. So, I thought, "Well, they probably won't fit but I'll try on a size 12 and see what happens."

They fit perfectly. They weren't even tight! I had been doubting myself so much that I wouldn't have even given those jeans a try if it wasn't for dress down day.

That's my sweet dog in the bottom of the picture. He always comes and lays on the mat in the bathroom when I put on makeup and get ready for work.

Weigh In #5, DietBet, and Vanilla Chai Protein Powder

It's time for weigh in #5 in my Lose Weight or Donate Challenge. Last week, it put a polka dot skirt up for potential donation. Check out the video below to see if I reached my goal and can keep the polka dot skirt. I'll also discuss the DietBet I'm currently doing and my search for the perfect protein powder.

Walking

My dogs, like most dogs on our planet, love walks. When my dogs think there's even the possibility of a walk, they follow me around, wag their tails like crazy, and jump in the air. When I put on my sneakers and grab their leashes, my dogs lose their minds.

I tried to take a picture of the dogs before a morning walk and they were so excited, this is what I got.

To tell you the truth, I'm pretty excited to go for the walk too.

Not only am I getting a quick workout in before the workday, I also get a little time to relax and prepare for the day. I don't always value the importance of relaxation but there's something about clearing your head before you start a stressful day. It seems to make the day go by more quickly.

Happy Walking!

Weigh in #4, Skinny Pop, and Peanut Butter Chews

I hope everyone had a great week! I was unfortunately pretty sick this week. So, I will admit that I did not accomplish much as far as diet and exercise is concerned. However, you can hear all about it in my new YouTube video. Enjoy!

Weigh In # 3, Jillian Michael's DVD, and DietBet

It's time for Weigh In #3. This week up for potential donation were my mint green jeans. Check out my YouTube weigh in (below) to see if I was successful this week. I also discuss a Jillian Michael's DVD I've had in my exercise DVD collection for a while and how I was finally able to make it all the way through the workout with out stopping.



Have a great week!

I'm starting a DietBet!

That's right! I'm betting that this month I can lose at least 4% of my weight. DietBet is a website where you can bet with friends (or your friends on the Internet) that you can lose 4% of your body weight in 4 weeks. So, late last night, I started a pitch to my husband on why we both need to join a DietBet. He loves betting games so it wasn't a hard sell.

Obviously, I'm trying to lose weight and be more healthy. I've got a long way to go and 4% of my body weight is around 7 pounds. So, it makes sense for me to participate in a bet like this. My husband is a healthy man but he's training for another half marathon. He'll be using this DietBet to lose the little bit of extra weight he has in the hopes that this will make him slightly faster in his upcoming race.

If you've seen my recent weigh in video (Weigh in #2), you know that I have recently been obsessed with the MyFitspiration YouTube channel. MyFitspiration, for those that don't know, is hosted by two women who competed in Biggest Loser Season 11. I love their videos! Yesterday, while struggling with my run at the gym, I pulled up their video about going the extra mile on my phone and I swear it gave me the encouragement to keep going.

The ladies from MyFitspiration, Olivia and Hannah, have hosted a few DietBets before and they are starting a new DietBet tomorrow. This is my first DietBet so I will say that I am not an expert on this website in any way. Also, I would recommend that if you are interested in participating in a DietBet, please make sure to research the website, read the rules, etc. on your own so that you know exactly what you're getting into. Also, just so you know, I'm not affiliated with MyFitspiration or DietBet. I'm just excited to try something new.

To join a game on DietBet, you submit a photo of your weight and a full body picture of yourself. I'm including mine below so you can see an example. DietBet has you right a secret word on an index card to prove you weighed yourself that day. So, that's why this picture says TURNIP.

Here's my full body photo. It's early in the morning and we just quickly snapped pictures of ourselves so I have no makeup on! Also, do you love our 1950s style bathroom? We have not gotten to that home project yet.

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Weigh in #2

I'm happy to say that the first week of my weight loss challenge has been a success. In the video below, I discuss how the week went, how much weight I lost, and next week's article up for possible donation. I've gotten a lot of helpful encouragement this week by watching videos from MyFitSpiration. You can watch their videos at http://myfitspiration.com/

Weigh In #1

It's time for my first weigh in. I'll be honest that I was nervous to put my weight out there but it's the first step in making a real change. Here's the video I posted with my beginning weight. I also talk about the article of clothing up for this week. If I don't lose the weight, I'll have to donate the dress!

Weight Loss Challenge: Lose Weight or Donate!

Hello!

I am new to the blogging community as well as the YouTube community. However, I thought it would be great motivation to put my weight loss journey out there. Here's to keeping myself accountable and sticking with my new lifestyle (Be Happy, Be Healthy)!