Transformation Tuesday: Good Vibes Only

posted in: weight loss | 0

Tranformational Tuesday Good Vibes Only

One of the biggest encouragements to me in the losing weight and healthy living game is affirmation from others.  Words of affirmation are important to me in almost every area of life, so there is no reason it should be any different in this area.

Maybe you are the same?  And maybe you do have people in your life who are your encouraging accountability friends and also those friends who give you the right words even when you’ve blown it by eating a hot fudge brownie sundae because you were having a bad day (those days happen).  They are the friends you have, either by text, phone, or in person, that will help you when you are wanting to ruin all the hard work you’ve done by blowing off your diet because its “that time of the month”.  You hopefully have people in your life who are helpful with new healthy recipes or new exercises that will help you beat the humdrum diet chamber we all can get in sometime.

One area that I think everyone needs encouragement in is the closet.  Most women are emotionally helped when they look nice.  I remember that lesson from high school.  If you want to do good on a test, dress smart or dress nice that day.  It would usually boost your test scores more than if you wore cut-offs and flipflops. Well, women, if you are losing weight, keep your closet a “good vibe only” place!

Pictures below: at 225 when my older son was 4 months old.  and last week at 166 when my older son is almost 3.  I really love that scarf and my hair in the picture on the left.  But, I love that outfit a whole lot more on the right!

Before & After

Here are a couple of things to consider:

  1.  Wear what fits.  Right now I am in between sizes in my jeans.  The ones that I’ve been wearing are getting too big, but the ones I have folded on my skinny shelf fit fine in the legs, but still leave me with a muffin top (that no woman wants).  Tip: wear the bigger ones.  They will make you look smaller than if you are trying to squeeze every single pound into too small of clothes.
  2. Wear what makes you feel pretty.  If you think you look pretty, stylish, or thin – chances are other people will think so too because you will exude more confidence.  That confidence will also help you as you eat that day.  It will remind you of all your hard work that you’ve put into a new healthy lifestyle.
  3. Ask your spouse/boyfriend/SO: The person I want to please most with what I wear is my husband.  His is the gaze I want to hold.  So, ask your mister (or significant other) what he likes, what looks good on you, what patterns he would go for, etc.  And if he doesn’t like something, and you aren’t that attached to it, sell it or give it away – no use having it in your closet.
  4. Don’t beat yourself up!  The print above is from my friend Bpaperie and I won it from her shop.  It helps when I look at it in my closet to not be so condemning of every roll or stretch mark (thank you babies and years of weight loss yo-yo dieting) or inch of cellulite.  Focus on your strengths and how much weight you have already lost.

Fashionably Fit Fridays

posted in: Uncategorized | 2

“But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” – Romans 6:17-18

Another journey – here we go!
If you have read this blog for any period of time, or known me my whole life, this weight loss/fitness/healthy lifestyle has been something that has come and gone. Since I’ve gotten married, and had two children, I have gained 77 lbs as of today (with having lost 15 from delivering our second baby 5 days ago). I’ve got a long way to go.
There are many reasons why I want to lose weight, get healthy, etc:
1. For myself. I love fashion and wearing stylish cute things (for me) looks better when I’m thinner.
2. For my husband. He married me. He loves me. He wants me to be healthy.
3. For my sons. I want to be able to be active with them, be here for them for a long time, Lord willing.
4. For the love of God. I want to be a healthy example of a Christian who lives freely under the authority of God’s Word – because He loves me. I have a book in my head, outlined, and some chapters written.
Personally – I know I feel better, look better, am more confident when I am thinner. Ask my husband and my mother.
So, here we go. Here are two pictures.
One was taken at my heaviest which was on my second anniversary, Oct 8, 2013. I’ll spare you the weight for now. The next one was taken yesterday as we went to the pumpkin patch down the street, 4 days after the birth of our sweet second.
So, on these Friday posts – I’d like to show some updates, talk encouragement, post some healthy recipes, fashion, pictures, etc. I hope you follow along and are encouraged as well!

Update: Week 2 – now down a total of 34.8 lbs since having baby. I’ve lost all the weight for baby2.   All the fluid is gone.  I can wear my engagement ring (waiting on my wedding band to fit).  I’m down to mostly regular clothes except for a denim skirt and a pair of jeans.  I’ve set a reasonable but tough goal for my birthday – and the start of a Florida “vacation” in January.

post sebastian starting

 

31Days (Day 3): Frumpy Motherhood

posted in: 31days, mothering, Quotes, Women | 0

no frumpy allowed

“Frumpy is not a fashion statement…” – Jodi Bryson, MomLogic

Note: This blog does not apply in the same way to every woman. Maybe, if you are married, as what your husband likes and doesn’t like you to wear – and try to please him in that simple way. If you are running around with toddlers all day, you won’t wear dresses. I get that. Feminine is of course more than outward appearance, that is why I put the 1 Peter verse.
In more than one way has my husband had a positive impact on my life. As we come up on our two year anniversary (more on that next week), I’ve seen some changes in me because of him. One of them is: I don’t wear t-shirts anymore. Yes, ok – I’ve still got some and I’d like to pair that down’ to 8 – only to wear them to work out in when he isn’t around. He doesn’t usually say much about what I can and can’t wear. His only stipulations is that it is modest and not a t-shirt (you know the kind you get for a youth outing, camp staff, church bowling leagues, or running 5k races). He declares them to be mostly unfeminine (on me) and looking better on guys than not. The only reason I keep them around is for cleaning the house (hard scrubbing days) and working out – when he is not around. I can’t seem to pull myself or our budget to buy Lululemon workout wear (though I would love to have some).

As I near the end of my second pregnancy in as many years, I look so forward to getting out of maternity clothes and getting to wear the clothes that normally hang in my closet. Most of my maternity clothes have been given to me, which has been very gracious – but only a handful of them do I love and that included 2-3 things that I’ve actually bought. I don’t foresee some of my frumpy wear coming back into my wardrobe anytime soon (unless its the occasional hoodie just around the house).

I was talking with a friend yesterday and she asked me what some favorites are in my closet since I don’t tend to go trendy – I said classics. Like Ann Taylor A-line skirts that you can “Trend up” with a different shirt, shoes, and accessories (which I love). Or just a simple pair of jeans that you can also wear with new flats, booties, or a long cardigan and/or eternity scarf and it would be perfect for this fall. I look forward to when my feet get back to normal size so I can wear my black booties that I bought the year the Mister and I met. I look forward to being able to wear my fave jewelry set: my wedding rings.

I’m definitely not saying you have to break the bank for new clothes every season or dress to the hilt to take care of toddlers. But…

“Do not let your adorning be external – the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear – but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.” – 1 Peter 3:3-4

That doesn’t mean you have to forgo style and fashion all together. Not as a woman, a wife, or a mom.

Here are some blogs I read for style:
JessLC
Lauren Elizabeth

With each of these, I take what I see, make it my own (and modest), and go from there. And we don’t have a lot of money to spend on clothes, so I love good sales. Believe me, most of your husbands would like to see their wives with their hair done, makeup on, and clothes other than moomoos and yoga pants (which are two staples for me around the house when pregnant). Bring on the non-maternity clothes!

31days