As much as I didn't want to go to Weight Watcher's today and weigh in, I knew that I needed to keep my promise of reporting how my weight loss journey is going. Here are the results:
Weekly Loss/Gain: +2.0 pounds
Total Loss/Gain: -6.4
pounds
Honestly, I'm not surprised that I gained weight this past week. Every since I returned from vacation about a week and a half ago, it has been very hard for me to motivate myself to do the right things concerning losing weight. Although I know I will feel better once I start losing weight, that hasn't been enough of an incentive.
All I keep thinking about is how much I enjoy food...I love socializing around food, trying new dishes, going to new restaurants, and the list goes on and on. In the meeting today other members shared some of their food success stories and what they have been eating. As I heard each story, it just sounded like a big compromise to me. All I could think is that no matter how much they say they are enjoying what their eating, they certainly can't be enjoying it! I mean what's exciting about grilling chicken breasts and opening a can of black beans to go with them? To be me it just sounded like a means to an end, and that they are choosing to eat things because the point value might be low. I'm just not ready to compromise.
Hopefully I can turn my not so cheery attitude about my eating habits around. Right now I am just feeling so limited with my choices. This week one of my goals is to really review my Weight Watchers materials to see what options are available on their Simply Filling program. Maybe this will help me get around counting points and jump start me back into a positive direction.
If any of you have thoughts and suggestions about healthy food options to try, I would love to hear them!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Finisher's Medal
It finally arrived today...my
finisher’s medal from the Las Vegas Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon!
Some of you might remember that I walked in the Las Vegas ½ Marathon
about 6 weeks ago, and that the sponsoring company RAN OUT OF MEDALS!!!
Needless to say this was the let down of the event for me. Seriously, how do
you run out of medals? Seems pretty simple to me, but if you have 30,000 people
registered to participate in the event, you should probably order that number
of medals OR less a small percentage to account for those people who registered
yet couldn’t participate for one reason or another. Doesn’t seem like rocket
science to me.
OK, the medal is pretty cool and worth the wait. It actually
glows in the dark!
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| You can faintly see the moon and stars...pretty cool, huh?! |
And in case you’re wondering, no, I am not any kind of
competitive athlete. I registered for the ½ earlier in 2011 because it sounded
like fun to walk (not run!) the Las
Vegas Strip at night.
So for those of you who might be interested in participating
in the Las Vegas ½ Marathon, the following are some pros and cons:
1. It was GREAT to walk The Strip at night and see
it in a different way. Although I think this might have been the first and last
year for it to be scheduled at night. This event shut The Strip down from about
3 pm until midnight.
2. This event had over 45,000 participants for the
full and the half marathon. That’s a lot of people!
3. Due to the number of participants, I would
highly recommend staying at the hotel/casino that the race begins from. I
stayed at a hotel about a mile away, and it took over 2 hours to get back to
the hotel once the race was over. (And after walking 13.1 miles who wanted to
walk another mile to the hotel?) Side note: I stayed at the ARIA and I highly
recommended it!
4. If you are a marathoner and using this event to
qualify for another marathon, this might not be the one for you. The full
marathon merges into the half marathon which definitely slowed down the true
runners.
If you have other questions about the ½ marathon, please let
me know! And if you have other ½ marathons that you recommend, please let me
know that too!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Product Expiration Dates
After my trip to Sephora, my mind slowly drifted to all of the skin care and make up products that I already have. I have so many perfumes, moisturizers, lip glosses, lotions, etc. that from the outside looking in, an outsider would think that I probably don't need to purchase any additional items. And if I were really being honest, I probably don't need to purchase any skin related products for the rest of this year.
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| Some people might think this is borderline hoarding of some type but I honestly need these things! |
So, since I do have all of these items, I decided to look up what expiration dates are of products. And that's when things got a little scary. Here's what I found out:
General period after opening is:
Perfumes, perfume – up to 3 years;
Powders (including blush, eyeshadows powdery texture) – 1 to 3 years;
Foundation in a jar or a cream powder – 1 to 3 years;
Liquid tone means (in tubes or jars with dispenser) – 1 year;
Nail polish – 1 year;
Sun cosmetics – 1 year (but no more than one season);
Lipstick, lip gloss – 1 year;
Pencil (Eye, Lip) – about 1 year;
Skin care products (hydrating cosmetics, wrinkle, eye contour) in a sealed packet with the pump – about a year, in a jar – from 6 to 10 months;
Solid eyeliner and eyebrow pencil – from 6 to 8 months;
Bronzing – 6 months;
Mascara – 3-6 months;
Liquid eyeliner – from 3 to 4 months;
Natural/Organic products – up to 6 months.
Perfumes, perfume – up to 3 years;
Powders (including blush, eyeshadows powdery texture) – 1 to 3 years;
Foundation in a jar or a cream powder – 1 to 3 years;
Liquid tone means (in tubes or jars with dispenser) – 1 year;
Nail polish – 1 year;
Sun cosmetics – 1 year (but no more than one season);
Lipstick, lip gloss – 1 year;
Pencil (Eye, Lip) – about 1 year;
Skin care products (hydrating cosmetics, wrinkle, eye contour) in a sealed packet with the pump – about a year, in a jar – from 6 to 10 months;
Solid eyeliner and eyebrow pencil – from 6 to 8 months;
Bronzing – 6 months;
Mascara – 3-6 months;
Liquid eyeliner – from 3 to 4 months;
Natural/Organic products – up to 6 months.
Yikes!
I decided to look up the expiration of a few items, and let’s just say that I will need to throw some items away. Like yesterday. And there are some items that will be expiring within the next six months.
I also learned that some items have a PAO (period after opening) date. I had always seen a symbol like a jar printed on some products, with an ‘18M’ printed inside the symbol. This means the product is good for 18 months after it has been opened. But of course if the product expiration date occurs first, then that might prevail. To be honest, trying to decipher some of this stuff started to give me a headache (and I’m sure you might be getting one too right about now). So here’s a link to the site that I used to get information AND it has a product calculator on it: http://checkcosmetic.net/
I have a feeling that I won’t be the only person throwing away some items…
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Ah, Sephora
Today I made a long overdue trip to Sephora – the make-up, skincare, lotion and
potion wonderland. For me, Sephora is one stop shopping for anything beauty
related. And the best part is that I can test whatever I want to purchase before
I actually make the purchase. (Well, today the best part was probably that I
had a Sephora gift card that was burning a hole in my pocket) Which brings me
to today’s testing excursion…nail polish!
I like it because it is a neutral color that should go with
just about anything that I am wearing. And to me, it is kind of grayish with a
purplish undertone to it (and then again, I could be becoming colorblind) which
seems to be pretty popular right now. (I am happy to announce that Sephora
lists the color as ‘opaque dark smoke with a hint of purple’, so I wasn’t too
far off with my description of the color!)
For the most part, I don’t have a nail polish collection at
home. I get mani’s and pedi’s on a regular basis and I typically select a color
from the salon that I go to. Couple of problems with that: 1) I tend to wear
the same colors over and over again and 2) if I chip a nail I don’t have the
color at home to do a quick touch up. So today I decided that I would find a
signature color to wear for the rest of the winter months. After trying on
about 15 different colors (thankfully there was a wonderful and conditioning
nail polish remover handy), I finally landed on a Sephora
for OPI color named ‘Metro Chic’.
Other purchases for the day were a new blush brush and Urban
Decay eye primer. (Since I have spoken about this amazing product before, I’ll
have to later this week!) And the second best part of the Sephora excursion was
that after using my gift card, it only cost me $1.42…winning!!!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Friday the 13th Update
A few days ago I posted that I received my first ever mammogram. The following is the message that I received from my OB/GYN today:
So see, great things can happen on Friday the 13th!
I hope you are doing well! I am happy to
inform you that your mammogram is within normal limits. Please continue yearly
screening.
So see, great things can happen on Friday the 13th!
Friday the 13th
This morning when I awoke, I quickly learned from a morning show that today is Friday the 13th. I've been on vacation for the past two weeks, and I honeslty have no idea what the current date it. I'm still having trouble remembering that it is 2012. (Although I do know that Monday is 'doomsday' - the day my vacation officially ends. Sigh)
Not only is today Friday the 13th, there will actually be three Friday the 13th dates this year AND they are 13 weeks apart from one another. (Just in case you want to mark your calendar, the next dates are April 13th and July 13th)
And since I've mentioned the number '13' seven times already, that might have some people even more spooked out. Well guess what? You're not alone! People who have an aversion to the number 13 are known to have triskaidekaphobia. And people who have a fear of actually saying 'Friday the 13th' are known as having paraskevidekatriaphobia. (And I thought I had problems?!)
So, all of this probably way more than you wanted to know about Friday the 13th. I'm certain many of you are more like 'T.G.I.F'! Enjoy the day and have a great weekend!
Not only is today Friday the 13th, there will actually be three Friday the 13th dates this year AND they are 13 weeks apart from one another. (Just in case you want to mark your calendar, the next dates are April 13th and July 13th)
And since I've mentioned the number '13' seven times already, that might have some people even more spooked out. Well guess what? You're not alone! People who have an aversion to the number 13 are known to have triskaidekaphobia. And people who have a fear of actually saying 'Friday the 13th' are known as having paraskevidekatriaphobia. (And I thought I had problems?!)
So, all of this probably way more than you wanted to know about Friday the 13th. I'm certain many of you are more like 'T.G.I.F'! Enjoy the day and have a great weekend!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
First Mammogram
I typically don't write about things too personal, although today I have decided to. (And I promise that I won't get too personal either!) Today I went to get my mammogram. Actually I should say my first mammogram. EVER.
Over dinner tonight I told a really good friend that I went to have my first mammogram. She just looked at me for a few seconds before saying 'I am really surprised to hear you say that. I thought if anyone had had a mammogram, that it would be you.' Later when I shared my news with my mother, she also said that she was surprised. She too assumed that I had been getting a yearly mammogram.
The reason for the surprised responses from my friend and my mother is that I have been a breast cancer awareness advocate for as long as I can remember. I have participated in too many to count Susan G. Komen for the Cure Walks; and over the past three years, I have participated in 5 Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walks raising over $10,000 to create awareness and find a cure for breast cancer. And more importantly, breast cancer runs in my family.
To be honest, I don't have a reason for why I have never had a mammogram before today. Yes, my OB/GYN has repeatedly talked to me about it. And no, I wasn't afraid to have a mammogram. And most importantly, I know first hand that early detection is key since this is the reason that my family members and friends are survivors of this deadly disease.
I share my story with you today to create awareness and with the hope that you will not prolong having your yearly mammogram or to encourage someone you know to have theirs. A mammogram only takes 15 minutes...15 minutes that can give you with a lifetime.
Over dinner tonight I told a really good friend that I went to have my first mammogram. She just looked at me for a few seconds before saying 'I am really surprised to hear you say that. I thought if anyone had had a mammogram, that it would be you.' Later when I shared my news with my mother, she also said that she was surprised. She too assumed that I had been getting a yearly mammogram.
The reason for the surprised responses from my friend and my mother is that I have been a breast cancer awareness advocate for as long as I can remember. I have participated in too many to count Susan G. Komen for the Cure Walks; and over the past three years, I have participated in 5 Susan G. Komen 3 Day Walks raising over $10,000 to create awareness and find a cure for breast cancer. And more importantly, breast cancer runs in my family.
To be honest, I don't have a reason for why I have never had a mammogram before today. Yes, my OB/GYN has repeatedly talked to me about it. And no, I wasn't afraid to have a mammogram. And most importantly, I know first hand that early detection is key since this is the reason that my family members and friends are survivors of this deadly disease.
I share my story with you today to create awareness and with the hope that you will not prolong having your yearly mammogram or to encourage someone you know to have theirs. A mammogram only takes 15 minutes...15 minutes that can give you with a lifetime.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
No Longer Losing
OK, I promised whether positive or negative results that I would post my weekly Weight Watcher weigh in. Here are the results for this week:
Weekly Loss/Gain: +2.4 pounds
Total Loss/Gain: -8.4 pounds
Although I am disappointed that I gained weight, I am happy that it wasn't more than 2.4 pounds. The last date that I weighed in was two weeks ago on December 28th. And that was 2 days before I left to go to Hawaii for 10 days. Although my plan was to eat as healthy as I could, my plan fell apart pretty quickly. (I just couldn't resist the wonder shave ice!)
I believe that one thing that did help me (meaning not gaining more weight) was that I stayed active during my trip. Of the 10 days that I was gone, I walked or hiked 7 of those days. I would awake in the morning and either hike along the coastline at my resort or I would walk the resort (which was extremely hilly). So even though I didn't lose weight, I am happy that I remained active while on vacation.
So this week it is back to my Weight Watchers plan AND sticking to it. Hopefully next week I will have negative (in a good way!) results to share with you!
Weekly Loss/Gain: +2.4 pounds
Total Loss/Gain: -8.4 pounds
Although I am disappointed that I gained weight, I am happy that it wasn't more than 2.4 pounds. The last date that I weighed in was two weeks ago on December 28th. And that was 2 days before I left to go to Hawaii for 10 days. Although my plan was to eat as healthy as I could, my plan fell apart pretty quickly. (I just couldn't resist the wonder shave ice!)
I believe that one thing that did help me (meaning not gaining more weight) was that I stayed active during my trip. Of the 10 days that I was gone, I walked or hiked 7 of those days. I would awake in the morning and either hike along the coastline at my resort or I would walk the resort (which was extremely hilly). So even though I didn't lose weight, I am happy that I remained active while on vacation.
So this week it is back to my Weight Watchers plan AND sticking to it. Hopefully next week I will have negative (in a good way!) results to share with you!
Monday, January 9, 2012
My Prayer for 2012
On my last day in Hawaii, I awoke early to take one last walk around the resort to take in the views and snap some final pictures (I promise I will post some pics by the end of the week!). I can hardly believe that my last day in Hawaii has arrived so quickly! The past 9 days have done me a world of good and I'm not quite ready to leave. But I guess ready or not, I'll be returning to the mainland very soon.
During my walk, I had a chance to reflect on the past year and focus more on the upcoming year. My walk quickly turned into a conversation with God, and went a little something like this:
1) I am very thankful for the opportunity to travel to Hawaii. Traveling to someplace so beautiful is a wish and dream that many have, yet many will never obtain. I am very fortunate to be able to travel to the places that I have during my life.
2) I prayed for a healthy 2012 for my family. Over the past two years my dad, my stepmom, and stepfather have experienced different medical problems. Some medical conditions extremely serious, and other conditions unexplained. Fortunately everyone is healthy and doing well right now. I pray that the upcoming year brings nothing but good health to my family and friends.
3) I prayed for a young lady, Lauren Scruggs, who was seriously injured in a helicopter accident 5 weeks ago in Dallas. Although I've never met Lauren, her story has touched me. Lauren lost her left hand, left eye, and suffered brain damage from walking into the propeller of the helicopter after it landed. In spite of all of this adversity and change, her mother writes a daily blog about Lauren's progress. I am amazed her mother's selfless act of keeping everyone updated, and I pray for healing for Lauren and continued strength for her and her family. Here is a link to Lauren's story and journal: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/laurenscruggs
4) Lauren's story makes me think about my own life, and feeling as though I am not living my life to its full potential. I pray for more direction and that I will be open to where I am being led. For awhile I have felt very unsettled. Typically I move to action to attempt to change what is wrong. Now I am going to be still and listen to where I am being led to see what my future has in store for me.
5) I prayed for a fresh outlook towards my current career choice. I have been feeling so burned out and slowly resenting my job due to the amount if travel, the long hours, and not feeling any purpose in what I do professionally. At one time my job brought me a sense of excitement, fulfillment, and I looked forward to my next assignment. I am prayerful that feeling returns or that a new opportunity presents itself.
6) I prayed for patience. Patience has never been a strong suit of mine, and I find what little patience I have left is slowly draining away.
This is just a short synopsis of the thoughts I had this morning on my walk. I don't know what this year will bring. Although I finally feel lie I am ready to face it.
During my walk, I had a chance to reflect on the past year and focus more on the upcoming year. My walk quickly turned into a conversation with God, and went a little something like this:
1) I am very thankful for the opportunity to travel to Hawaii. Traveling to someplace so beautiful is a wish and dream that many have, yet many will never obtain. I am very fortunate to be able to travel to the places that I have during my life.
2) I prayed for a healthy 2012 for my family. Over the past two years my dad, my stepmom, and stepfather have experienced different medical problems. Some medical conditions extremely serious, and other conditions unexplained. Fortunately everyone is healthy and doing well right now. I pray that the upcoming year brings nothing but good health to my family and friends.
3) I prayed for a young lady, Lauren Scruggs, who was seriously injured in a helicopter accident 5 weeks ago in Dallas. Although I've never met Lauren, her story has touched me. Lauren lost her left hand, left eye, and suffered brain damage from walking into the propeller of the helicopter after it landed. In spite of all of this adversity and change, her mother writes a daily blog about Lauren's progress. I am amazed her mother's selfless act of keeping everyone updated, and I pray for healing for Lauren and continued strength for her and her family. Here is a link to Lauren's story and journal: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/laurenscruggs
4) Lauren's story makes me think about my own life, and feeling as though I am not living my life to its full potential. I pray for more direction and that I will be open to where I am being led. For awhile I have felt very unsettled. Typically I move to action to attempt to change what is wrong. Now I am going to be still and listen to where I am being led to see what my future has in store for me.
5) I prayed for a fresh outlook towards my current career choice. I have been feeling so burned out and slowly resenting my job due to the amount if travel, the long hours, and not feeling any purpose in what I do professionally. At one time my job brought me a sense of excitement, fulfillment, and I looked forward to my next assignment. I am prayerful that feeling returns or that a new opportunity presents itself.
6) I prayed for patience. Patience has never been a strong suit of mine, and I find what little patience I have left is slowly draining away.
This is just a short synopsis of the thoughts I had this morning on my walk. I don't know what this year will bring. Although I finally feel lie I am ready to face it.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Homeward Bound!
My trip to Hawaii is coming to an end. Sigh. Maui is so green, lush and tropical that it is sometimes hard for me to remember that I am in the United States. (I also am beginning to think that there are many uncovered treasures in the US, and that I should plan more trips exploring my great country!)
This trip was much needed to rejuvenate me and get me in the right frame of mind for 2012. So if you ever need a place to regroup, travel to Maui!
Hopefully by the end if the week I'll be able to recap my trip here and include pictures! Here's hoping for an easy breezy and safe travel day home!
This trip was much needed to rejuvenate me and get me in the right frame of mind for 2012. So if you ever need a place to regroup, travel to Maui!
Hopefully by the end if the week I'll be able to recap my trip here and include pictures! Here's hoping for an easy breezy and safe travel day home!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Crazy or Not? You Decide
People who know me, know that I don't eat chicken. Many find it funny and interesting since I'm Black (guess all Black people don't eat chicken...LOL!) and since just about everyone (except me) does consider eating chicken a pretty basic food to eat. The other evening as I was dining with friends, the question came up about why I don't eat chicken. Well, here's the story...
In December 1999, I had three bad experiences with chicken. The first one was at a random strip mall Chinese restaurant (enough said). The following week I was at Popeye's Chicken and received some chicken strips that we're a little too pink inside for my liking. Well, the last bad experience took place at Wendy's. I'll begin by saying that it was mid day New Year's Eve and the drive thru line was wrapped around the building and out to the street. After I ordered my fried chicken sandwich combo meal, I drove home. After I took the second bite of my chicken sandwich, the inside of the chicken was completely raw!
I like to think that if each if these occurrences had been more isolated, and not a week apart from one another, I might still be eating chicken today. As time passed on, I thought about trying chicken again, but just couldn't do it. Now that 11 years has passed chicken free, I don't believe I will ever eat chicken again. And to be honest, a grilled chicken breast doesn't even look appealing to me. Watching others eat chicken doesn't bother me (as if it would stop them from eating it), although smelling large quantities of chicken does make me queasy (like a few weeks ago when I went inside Chick Fil A to purchase a gift card for someone).
So after sharing my story, I asked my friends if they had a food phobia or aversion that others might think strange. Here are theirs in no particular order:
Friend 1: Patio Umbrellas. If she is sitting outside she can't stand to look at them because she thinks they will fall over and they make her sick. (And I have been with her when it was almost a matter of life and death if we didn't change tables or seats)
Friend 2: Bone meat. She doesn't eat meat off a bone. Example ribs, fried chicken, corn dogs, etc. She says there is a name for this, but who knows. That night at dinner she didn't realize her entree came partially on the bone. Thankfully her husband was there to cut off the bone portion.
Friend 3: Ice Chewing. Although he loves to chew ice, he can't stand to hear other people chew ice if he doesn't have some ice to chew on too.
Somehow my chicken phobia isn't looking so crazy anymore...
In December 1999, I had three bad experiences with chicken. The first one was at a random strip mall Chinese restaurant (enough said). The following week I was at Popeye's Chicken and received some chicken strips that we're a little too pink inside for my liking. Well, the last bad experience took place at Wendy's. I'll begin by saying that it was mid day New Year's Eve and the drive thru line was wrapped around the building and out to the street. After I ordered my fried chicken sandwich combo meal, I drove home. After I took the second bite of my chicken sandwich, the inside of the chicken was completely raw!
I like to think that if each if these occurrences had been more isolated, and not a week apart from one another, I might still be eating chicken today. As time passed on, I thought about trying chicken again, but just couldn't do it. Now that 11 years has passed chicken free, I don't believe I will ever eat chicken again. And to be honest, a grilled chicken breast doesn't even look appealing to me. Watching others eat chicken doesn't bother me (as if it would stop them from eating it), although smelling large quantities of chicken does make me queasy (like a few weeks ago when I went inside Chick Fil A to purchase a gift card for someone).
So after sharing my story, I asked my friends if they had a food phobia or aversion that others might think strange. Here are theirs in no particular order:
Friend 1: Patio Umbrellas. If she is sitting outside she can't stand to look at them because she thinks they will fall over and they make her sick. (And I have been with her when it was almost a matter of life and death if we didn't change tables or seats)
Friend 2: Bone meat. She doesn't eat meat off a bone. Example ribs, fried chicken, corn dogs, etc. She says there is a name for this, but who knows. That night at dinner she didn't realize her entree came partially on the bone. Thankfully her husband was there to cut off the bone portion.
Friend 3: Ice Chewing. Although he loves to chew ice, he can't stand to hear other people chew ice if he doesn't have some ice to chew on too.
Somehow my chicken phobia isn't looking so crazy anymore...
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Weight Watchers on Vacation
For the past several weeks on Wednesday I blog about Weight Watchers and fortunately my success with it. Today I am in Maui (I know, woe is me) and it doesn't look like I will be completing my weekly weigh in (or that this will post on Wednesday either due to the time difference). Yes, there are WW locations on the island although they have strange weigh in dates and times.
Every since I started doing Weight Watchers again, I have been worried about how my trip to Maui was going to affect me staying on the right track. I did bring work out clothes with me (first ever for a vacation!) and I have managed to use them.
Every day I have taken a regular walk or hiked a trail. The trail hikes have surprised me since they are more physical than I thought they would be. The stepping motion is very different than walking, and stepping 'up' or 'down' rocks works different muscle groups (after the first day I was really amazed that I could feel some soreness in my legs!). Although the trails aren't that long, I can really feel my heart rate increasing. I also purchased a pedometer before I left. Each day I have come close to walking 10,000 steps which helps me to know that I am being more active than I think.
As for my food choices...well, I could be doing better. Shave ice seems to be my favorite thing here. Although shaved ice on its own has zero calories, the wonderful flavored syrups and creams certainly do not! So for the remainder of my stay, I am going to try to make better choices. And maybe only have shave ice one or two more times.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday to see how my weigh in goes!
Every since I started doing Weight Watchers again, I have been worried about how my trip to Maui was going to affect me staying on the right track. I did bring work out clothes with me (first ever for a vacation!) and I have managed to use them.
Every day I have taken a regular walk or hiked a trail. The trail hikes have surprised me since they are more physical than I thought they would be. The stepping motion is very different than walking, and stepping 'up' or 'down' rocks works different muscle groups (after the first day I was really amazed that I could feel some soreness in my legs!). Although the trails aren't that long, I can really feel my heart rate increasing. I also purchased a pedometer before I left. Each day I have come close to walking 10,000 steps which helps me to know that I am being more active than I think.
As for my food choices...well, I could be doing better. Shave ice seems to be my favorite thing here. Although shaved ice on its own has zero calories, the wonderful flavored syrups and creams certainly do not! So for the remainder of my stay, I am going to try to make better choices. And maybe only have shave ice one or two more times.
Stay tuned for next Wednesday to see how my weigh in goes!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Ten on Tuesday
Ok, here's this week's Ten on Tuesday, with questions provided by Chelsea at Roots and Rings. (Actually this might be Ten on Wednesday due to the time difference that I am experiencing right now)
1. What did you get for Christmas?
Ugg Sparkle Boots, Kurieg Coffee Maker, iPad stylus, gift cards (bed, Bath and Beyond, Starbucks, Nordstrom, P.F. Chang)
2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations?
Anyone who knows me knows that I didn't decorate. My goddaughter gave me a musical snowman that I will need to put away when I return from vacay.
3. What did you do for New Years Eve?
I spent it in Maui with friends. We had dinner at Duke's Beach House, and afterward returned to our condo to toast the New Year in.
4. Do you like accents?
For the most part yes. Although sometimes a southern accent can drive me crazy! I live in Texas and dont think I'll ever pick up one (thankfully!).
5. What kind of television do you have?
A 42" Samsung LED TV in my living room, and a 42" Samsung LCD TV in my bedroom.
6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012?
So far, no. I am on vacation and will think about this more when I return home.
7. What’s the last book you read and do you recommend it?
I just finished reading 'Something Borrowed' by Emily Griffin, and yes, I do recommend reading it. Although I didn't realize it when I started the book, I believe it has been made into a movie.
8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip?
For the most part, yes. Between the reality email I receive daily, Twitter, and Facebook, I tend to stay in the know.
9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Nope, nope, and nope. Should I?
10. What is your favorite educational television show?
Hmmm, great question, and I really don't know! I probably watch way too much reality TV (see question #8) which I don't consider educational.
1. What did you get for Christmas?
Ugg Sparkle Boots, Kurieg Coffee Maker, iPad stylus, gift cards (bed, Bath and Beyond, Starbucks, Nordstrom, P.F. Chang)
2. Have you taken down your Christmas decorations?
Anyone who knows me knows that I didn't decorate. My goddaughter gave me a musical snowman that I will need to put away when I return from vacay.
3. What did you do for New Years Eve?
I spent it in Maui with friends. We had dinner at Duke's Beach House, and afterward returned to our condo to toast the New Year in.
4. Do you like accents?
For the most part yes. Although sometimes a southern accent can drive me crazy! I live in Texas and dont think I'll ever pick up one (thankfully!).
5. What kind of television do you have?
A 42" Samsung LED TV in my living room, and a 42" Samsung LCD TV in my bedroom.
6. Did you make any changes at the beginning of 2012?
So far, no. I am on vacation and will think about this more when I return home.
7. What’s the last book you read and do you recommend it?
I just finished reading 'Something Borrowed' by Emily Griffin, and yes, I do recommend reading it. Although I didn't realize it when I started the book, I believe it has been made into a movie.
8. Do you stay current on celebrity gossip?
For the most part, yes. Between the reality email I receive daily, Twitter, and Facebook, I tend to stay in the know.
9. Do you know the words to Bohemian Rhapsody? Gangstas Paradise? Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Nope, nope, and nope. Should I?
10. What is your favorite educational television show?
Hmmm, great question, and I really don't know! I probably watch way too much reality TV (see question #8) which I don't consider educational.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Hawaii by Daylight
Ok, Hawaii is much better in the daylight than the dark!
Although I awoke still a bit fatigued from traveling, I was anxious to get out to begin my day to see Hawaii. I also needed to switch resorts as well. My first night was spent at the Marriott Waliea which is a wonderful resort. (I even had my first celebrity sighting, Weird Al Yankovich!) After breakfast I walked the resort and was able to take some beautiful scenic shots before leaving.
After checking out of the resort, I headed west to the Kapalua area which is where I will be staying for the rest of my stay. On the way there, I found the most wonderful thing by accident - shave ice! And this is nothing like the Sno Cones I've had before either. Each shave ice (and yes, it is 'shave' without a 'd') has the ice shaved to order, and it looks like fine snow falling into to cup. I selected to have pineapple, blue Hawaii and guava syrup added to mine. And to top it off, I had it 'snow capped' which is sweet cream poured over the top of the shave ice. Well from the first scoop it was love at first taste for me!
For dinner that night I dined at Duke's Beach House and had a wonderful Seafood Risotto full of shrimp, scallops, and lobster. At the table we shared a slice of Hula Pie which is a macadamia nut ice cream pie on a chocolate graham cracker crust. That night we returned to the condo to toast in the new year with champagne.
After all of my festive eating, I thought it would be a good idea to get some exercise in. I walked part of one of the hiking trails and then added on another 2 miles to check out the resort.
So far the New Year is off to a great start for me!
Although I awoke still a bit fatigued from traveling, I was anxious to get out to begin my day to see Hawaii. I also needed to switch resorts as well. My first night was spent at the Marriott Waliea which is a wonderful resort. (I even had my first celebrity sighting, Weird Al Yankovich!) After breakfast I walked the resort and was able to take some beautiful scenic shots before leaving.
After checking out of the resort, I headed west to the Kapalua area which is where I will be staying for the rest of my stay. On the way there, I found the most wonderful thing by accident - shave ice! And this is nothing like the Sno Cones I've had before either. Each shave ice (and yes, it is 'shave' without a 'd') has the ice shaved to order, and it looks like fine snow falling into to cup. I selected to have pineapple, blue Hawaii and guava syrup added to mine. And to top it off, I had it 'snow capped' which is sweet cream poured over the top of the shave ice. Well from the first scoop it was love at first taste for me!
For dinner that night I dined at Duke's Beach House and had a wonderful Seafood Risotto full of shrimp, scallops, and lobster. At the table we shared a slice of Hula Pie which is a macadamia nut ice cream pie on a chocolate graham cracker crust. That night we returned to the condo to toast in the new year with champagne.
After all of my festive eating, I thought it would be a good idea to get some exercise in. I walked part of one of the hiking trails and then added on another 2 miles to check out the resort.
So far the New Year is off to a great start for me!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!
Wishing everyone a very happy, healthy, and blessed 2012!
I am beginning mine looking at the beautiful ocean in Maui, feeling the warm sun on my back, and a light breeze tickle my toes. As the waves roll in and then out, I can't help but think 'in with the new, out with the old'. I can't think of a better way to start the new year, and I look forward to all of the promise that it brings!
I am beginning mine looking at the beautiful ocean in Maui, feeling the warm sun on my back, and a light breeze tickle my toes. As the waves roll in and then out, I can't help but think 'in with the new, out with the old'. I can't think of a better way to start the new year, and I look forward to all of the promise that it brings!
Hawaii Bound
From yesterday's post you might have read that I traveled to Hawaii for a vacation, which is also where I will ring in 2012. When the decision was made to travel to Hawaii, the decision was also made to fly First Class (if you've never flown First Class it should be on your bucket list of things to do!). Fortunately I had enough frequent flier miles to cover the upgrade cost which made it an easier pill to swallow.
On the first leg of the trip I was well taken care of with toasted mixed nuts, a cheeseburger, and lets not forget the FREE drinks! There was also a nice blanket to jeep me warm and headphoneS to listen to the movie that was playing. With all of the attention from the Flight Attendants, the almost 3 hour flight to Los Angeles went by before I knew it.
During a 2 hour layover in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to use a free Admiral's Club pass (I received this a few weeks ago to entice me to sign up for a yearly membership). As fabulous as the Admiral's Club is, paying $400/year is a bit steep to me (I do gave enough frequent flier miles to purchase the membership, but i think I'll use the miles fir free flights). Besides, flying from Dallas I am able to book direct flights and I very seldom get to the airport hours in advance to reap the benefits of the membership.
Once I boarded the plane to head to Maui, the First Class treatment started with pre-flight champagne. The meal was served in courses, and I was even given a menu to make my selections! After having a wonderful spring salad, cheesy four cheese ravioli, and a fruit and cheese plate for dessert, I was ready to enjoy the remaining 3 hours of my flight.
Once I landed in Maui I was beyond tired. After a short drive to the hotel, I was ready for bed, yet very anxious to see what tomorrow brings since it was already dark when I landed.
On the first leg of the trip I was well taken care of with toasted mixed nuts, a cheeseburger, and lets not forget the FREE drinks! There was also a nice blanket to jeep me warm and headphoneS to listen to the movie that was playing. With all of the attention from the Flight Attendants, the almost 3 hour flight to Los Angeles went by before I knew it.
During a 2 hour layover in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to use a free Admiral's Club pass (I received this a few weeks ago to entice me to sign up for a yearly membership). As fabulous as the Admiral's Club is, paying $400/year is a bit steep to me (I do gave enough frequent flier miles to purchase the membership, but i think I'll use the miles fir free flights). Besides, flying from Dallas I am able to book direct flights and I very seldom get to the airport hours in advance to reap the benefits of the membership.
Once I boarded the plane to head to Maui, the First Class treatment started with pre-flight champagne. The meal was served in courses, and I was even given a menu to make my selections! After having a wonderful spring salad, cheesy four cheese ravioli, and a fruit and cheese plate for dessert, I was ready to enjoy the remaining 3 hours of my flight.
Once I landed in Maui I was beyond tired. After a short drive to the hotel, I was ready for bed, yet very anxious to see what tomorrow brings since it was already dark when I landed.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011 Reflection
At the end of the year it always seems that everyone is very reflective of the past year while looking forward to the new year. I'm no different although I try to set new goals and plans for myself continuously throughout the year.
As I sit waiting for a flight to Hawaii, I am thinking that I am just ready for a break. This year has been so demanding mentally and physically with pursuing and completing my masters degree, an increased work load at my company, and trying to train and walk two 3 Day for Cure events. (And lets not forget to throw in the daily curve balls that life brings.) There was a point when I knew I didn't have enough hours in the day, felt that I was disappointing many people with the choices that I made, and I felt I was so close to a meltdown. (Fortunately I believe my manager saw my desperate need for a break, and she happily extended my current vacation request.)
Although I want to completely shut everything off and not plan for the future, I can't. It's just not me. I'm always looking for a way to better myself . Although many people have asked me 'What's next?', I really don't have an answer for them. At this moment I am completely fine with saying that I don't know what I want to achieve in 2012. (OK, I do have some ideas.) I just feel that I am destined to do more with my life than I have to this point. (And that's not to diminish what I've accomplished so far.) Hopefully the warm sun and inviting waters of Hawaii will allow me time to reflect to continue my journey into 2012.
As I sit waiting for a flight to Hawaii, I am thinking that I am just ready for a break. This year has been so demanding mentally and physically with pursuing and completing my masters degree, an increased work load at my company, and trying to train and walk two 3 Day for Cure events. (And lets not forget to throw in the daily curve balls that life brings.) There was a point when I knew I didn't have enough hours in the day, felt that I was disappointing many people with the choices that I made, and I felt I was so close to a meltdown. (Fortunately I believe my manager saw my desperate need for a break, and she happily extended my current vacation request.)
Although I want to completely shut everything off and not plan for the future, I can't. It's just not me. I'm always looking for a way to better myself . Although many people have asked me 'What's next?', I really don't have an answer for them. At this moment I am completely fine with saying that I don't know what I want to achieve in 2012. (OK, I do have some ideas.) I just feel that I am destined to do more with my life than I have to this point. (And that's not to diminish what I've accomplished so far.) Hopefully the warm sun and inviting waters of Hawaii will allow me time to reflect to continue my journey into 2012.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Out With the Old
I've been very fortunate to have been off work for the past two weeks, and this good fortune will continue until at least January 15th (YAY for me!). One of the best things about being off work is that I have time to do the things that I typically don't have time to do. Like...clean up my 'Favorites' list on my computer.
OK, you might be laughing or thinking 'Really? That's all she has to do?'. But seriously, when is the last time YOU cleaned up your favorites list?
One of the folders I came across was labeled 'Blogging'. There was even a sub folder with some blogs that I had intended to go back and look at when I had time. And you know what? Some of the links no longer worked. Some of the bloggers hadn't written anything new in a loooong time (which I can relate to). And you know what else? I found some pretty cool blogs to begin following!
The other thing that I found were some blogging resources. This was especially helpful since I am going to breathe new life into my blog (I can see my stepmother rolling her eyes and laughing now). OK, just wait and see, my blog is going to get better! Until then...
OK, you might be laughing or thinking 'Really? That's all she has to do?'. But seriously, when is the last time YOU cleaned up your favorites list?
One of the folders I came across was labeled 'Blogging'. There was even a sub folder with some blogs that I had intended to go back and look at when I had time. And you know what? Some of the links no longer worked. Some of the bloggers hadn't written anything new in a loooong time (which I can relate to). And you know what else? I found some pretty cool blogs to begin following!
The other thing that I found were some blogging resources. This was especially helpful since I am going to breathe new life into my blog (I can see my stepmother rolling her eyes and laughing now). OK, just wait and see, my blog is going to get better! Until then...
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Still Losing...Although Barely!
For those who are anxiously awaiting my Weight Watcher update for today, here it is:
Weekly Loss/Gain: -.4 pounds
Total Loss/Gain: -10.8 pounds
I am proud to say that I managed to lose .4 pounds in light of the Christmas holiday! This past week was challenging due to an unplanned lunch with my manager, Christmas dinner, and a birthday celebration. Here's how it went down...
My manager contacted me about meeting for a Christmas and congratulatory (for my masters degree) lunch. We met at Gloria's which is a Salvadorian restaurant that I had been wanting to try for a long time (the wait is over!). Let's just say it was well worth the wait! I made a great choice by choosing Salmon Costeno (marinated salmon served with rice and grilled veggies), and a not so good choice by choosing the sangria (it did have fruit in it which should count for something!).
I wasn't feeling too bad about the unplanned lunch outing since I tracked the points for the meal (and yes, the sangria too). My adopted family, The Meyers, invited me over for Christmas dinner. I'll begin with they are from New Orleans and there was lots of New Orleans flair in all of the dishes. There was an amazing cornbread dressing with smoked oysters and shrimp in it; then there was the sweet potatoes with a buttery pecan topping on them; and let me not forget about the 'meat pie' which was a slice of heaven - a buttery delicious crust filled with chopped oysters and other unidentified goodness. Those items were the highlights of the meal, although EVERYTHING was WONDERFUL!!! And I also had a couple of glasses of wine as the evening went on.
So after the Christmas meal extravaganza, I gave over all of my daily point allowance AND weekly point allowance. Honestly, there was no way that I could begin to place a point value on the items I ate. I just hoped that I would be able to keep my cool for the next 2 days until I weighed in again.
Well, my 'hope' quickly faded because it was a friend's birthday on the night before weigh in. This outing took me to Button's, a restuarant that plays live music. The chef at this restaurant is from New Orleans (are you seeing a theme here?). As I debated between the Shrimp and Spinach Salad or Shrimp, Fish, and Grits, what little will power I had quickly came to an end. And I'll be honest, the Shrimp, Fish and Grits was worth every point that more than exceeded my daily point allowance.
So when I say I am proud to have lost .4 pounds, I really mean it...in spite of some bad choices, I still lost weight! The next couple of weeks will bring a new set of challenges since I am going on vacation. Although the bright side is that where I am going the weather should be great, there should be lots of seafood options, and the opportunity to be active (for the first time I am packing workout clothes to take with me). Wish me well and LOTS of will power!
Weekly Loss/Gain: -.4 pounds
Total Loss/Gain: -10.8 pounds
I am proud to say that I managed to lose .4 pounds in light of the Christmas holiday! This past week was challenging due to an unplanned lunch with my manager, Christmas dinner, and a birthday celebration. Here's how it went down...
My manager contacted me about meeting for a Christmas and congratulatory (for my masters degree) lunch. We met at Gloria's which is a Salvadorian restaurant that I had been wanting to try for a long time (the wait is over!). Let's just say it was well worth the wait! I made a great choice by choosing Salmon Costeno (marinated salmon served with rice and grilled veggies), and a not so good choice by choosing the sangria (it did have fruit in it which should count for something!).
I wasn't feeling too bad about the unplanned lunch outing since I tracked the points for the meal (and yes, the sangria too). My adopted family, The Meyers, invited me over for Christmas dinner. I'll begin with they are from New Orleans and there was lots of New Orleans flair in all of the dishes. There was an amazing cornbread dressing with smoked oysters and shrimp in it; then there was the sweet potatoes with a buttery pecan topping on them; and let me not forget about the 'meat pie' which was a slice of heaven - a buttery delicious crust filled with chopped oysters and other unidentified goodness. Those items were the highlights of the meal, although EVERYTHING was WONDERFUL!!! And I also had a couple of glasses of wine as the evening went on.
So after the Christmas meal extravaganza, I gave over all of my daily point allowance AND weekly point allowance. Honestly, there was no way that I could begin to place a point value on the items I ate. I just hoped that I would be able to keep my cool for the next 2 days until I weighed in again.
Well, my 'hope' quickly faded because it was a friend's birthday on the night before weigh in. This outing took me to Button's, a restuarant that plays live music. The chef at this restaurant is from New Orleans (are you seeing a theme here?). As I debated between the Shrimp and Spinach Salad or Shrimp, Fish, and Grits, what little will power I had quickly came to an end. And I'll be honest, the Shrimp, Fish and Grits was worth every point that more than exceeded my daily point allowance.
So when I say I am proud to have lost .4 pounds, I really mean it...in spite of some bad choices, I still lost weight! The next couple of weeks will bring a new set of challenges since I am going on vacation. Although the bright side is that where I am going the weather should be great, there should be lots of seafood options, and the opportunity to be active (for the first time I am packing workout clothes to take with me). Wish me well and LOTS of will power!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Ten on Tuesday
Typically I receive my Ten on Tuesday questions from Chelsea at Roots and Rings. Imagine my surprise when I realized Chelsea is taking the week off from blogging AND no Ten on Tuesday questions...oh my! And just when I was counting on her to supply me with questions so I can at least one posting per week.
Well, here goes my own Ten on Tuesday. And in typical form of my blog, very random questions that someone has asked me at one time or another, wished they had asked me, or they did ask and I danced around the question.
1. Where am I from?
I was born and raised in a small, rural community named Cassopolis, Michigan. It's a village (that's what it says on the welcome sign) located in the lower southwest corner of Michigan. The nearest large city that people probably know is South Bend, Indiana (home of the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish!).
2. How did I wind up in Dallas, Texas?
While I was living in Cincinnati, Ohio (hated it!), I spent a few months in Dallas for a work assignment. A few days after the assignment ended I was offered a different position with my company. Although I was not required to move I looked at the new position as an opportunity to leave Cincinnati and move to someplace that I liked, where I knew people, and would provide other career opportunities in the future.
3. Do I have siblings?
Yes, I have three. A sister and two brothers. I am the oldest. In many ways we are very different, yet we do have underlying similarities (although half of us aren't blood related).
4. Why do I blog?
Blogging started as a way to express my feelings in an anonymous way. I think that my life is kind of random most days, and thought (OK hoped!) that someone else might think my life random enough to want to follow along.
5. What do I do when not blogging?
If you're one of the 8 followers that I have, you already know that I don't blog on a daily basis (although I really, really want to!). Hopefully 2012 will make that pipe dream a reality! I recently completed my masters degree which took up a lot of my time. Since the end of October my time has been spent watching mindless TV (anything Kardashian, Real Housewives,) and some good TV (Revenge, Person of Interest). It's the off season for the 3 Day, although very soon my focus will return to training and fundraising for a worthy cause.
6. Do I have any friends?
Other than my Tweeps (follow me @indygirl_1997 if you want to read 140 character random thoughts), Facebook friends (send me a friend request, my name is Shannon Underwood), and loyal folders here, I actually have a few friends! For the most part, I am a pretty private person yet an open book. If you ask me a question I'll answer, although I'm not that forth coming with info on my own (much to the chagrin of my few friends).
7. What is my one guilty pleasure?
I'll keep this answer to material things since I seem to have a lot of guilty pleasures in different categories. It's jewelry. I love bling which I blame on my birthstone being a diamond. I love watches (OK, specifically Michele watches). I love bracelets and bangles. One goal for 2012 is not to make any major jewelry purchases (I haven't defined the threshold for 'major' although I probably need to figure out what that means soon!).
8. Growing up what did I want to be?
I always wanted to be a Flight Attendant and longed for the day that I could apply to an airline. My dream was cut short when I shared my dream with a complete stranger. His response was 'Why would you want to do that? That's nothing more than a glorified waitress in the sky?' From that moment forward I realized the power of words and the affect (positive or negative) words can have on someone.
9. What is my favorite vacation spot?
To date it is Aruba. I've been there twice and will definitely go back again. The island is small, located outside of the hurricane zone, and everything is reasonably priced. A lot of different countries are represented there and the food is wonderful! It's one place that I would feel safe enough to travel there alone.
10. How hard was it to come up with 10 questions!
Let's just say that I'll be glad when Chelsea returns next week!
Well, here goes my own Ten on Tuesday. And in typical form of my blog, very random questions that someone has asked me at one time or another, wished they had asked me, or they did ask and I danced around the question.
1. Where am I from?
I was born and raised in a small, rural community named Cassopolis, Michigan. It's a village (that's what it says on the welcome sign) located in the lower southwest corner of Michigan. The nearest large city that people probably know is South Bend, Indiana (home of the Notre Dame Fightin' Irish!).
2. How did I wind up in Dallas, Texas?
While I was living in Cincinnati, Ohio (hated it!), I spent a few months in Dallas for a work assignment. A few days after the assignment ended I was offered a different position with my company. Although I was not required to move I looked at the new position as an opportunity to leave Cincinnati and move to someplace that I liked, where I knew people, and would provide other career opportunities in the future.
3. Do I have siblings?
Yes, I have three. A sister and two brothers. I am the oldest. In many ways we are very different, yet we do have underlying similarities (although half of us aren't blood related).
4. Why do I blog?
Blogging started as a way to express my feelings in an anonymous way. I think that my life is kind of random most days, and thought (OK hoped!) that someone else might think my life random enough to want to follow along.
5. What do I do when not blogging?
If you're one of the 8 followers that I have, you already know that I don't blog on a daily basis (although I really, really want to!). Hopefully 2012 will make that pipe dream a reality! I recently completed my masters degree which took up a lot of my time. Since the end of October my time has been spent watching mindless TV (anything Kardashian, Real Housewives,) and some good TV (Revenge, Person of Interest). It's the off season for the 3 Day, although very soon my focus will return to training and fundraising for a worthy cause.
6. Do I have any friends?
Other than my Tweeps (follow me @indygirl_1997 if you want to read 140 character random thoughts), Facebook friends (send me a friend request, my name is Shannon Underwood), and loyal folders here, I actually have a few friends! For the most part, I am a pretty private person yet an open book. If you ask me a question I'll answer, although I'm not that forth coming with info on my own (much to the chagrin of my few friends).
7. What is my one guilty pleasure?
I'll keep this answer to material things since I seem to have a lot of guilty pleasures in different categories. It's jewelry. I love bling which I blame on my birthstone being a diamond. I love watches (OK, specifically Michele watches). I love bracelets and bangles. One goal for 2012 is not to make any major jewelry purchases (I haven't defined the threshold for 'major' although I probably need to figure out what that means soon!).
8. Growing up what did I want to be?
I always wanted to be a Flight Attendant and longed for the day that I could apply to an airline. My dream was cut short when I shared my dream with a complete stranger. His response was 'Why would you want to do that? That's nothing more than a glorified waitress in the sky?' From that moment forward I realized the power of words and the affect (positive or negative) words can have on someone.
9. What is my favorite vacation spot?
To date it is Aruba. I've been there twice and will definitely go back again. The island is small, located outside of the hurricane zone, and everything is reasonably priced. A lot of different countries are represented there and the food is wonderful! It's one place that I would feel safe enough to travel there alone.
10. How hard was it to come up with 10 questions!
Let's just say that I'll be glad when Chelsea returns next week!
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