Fat-Free Friday, on a Wednesday

I'm scrambling to get ready for my mini-vacation, so this post will be short.

I weighed myself today, and the scale said 163.2. Happy with that.

My goal was to hit 163 by Canadian Thanksgiving, which is October 7th or 8th (sorry, I don't have my calendar with me right now), so as long as I can maintain my weight over the next week and a half, I'll be pretty happy.

While I'm gone, can I ask a favour? For those of you who run...can you please leave me a comment with some advice on how I can increase my speed, and shorten the amount of time it takes me to run my 5ks? I can't seem to break the 36-37 minute mark, and it's frustrating!

Thanks in advace! See you when I get back!

STATS!!!

First of all, if you haven't done so already, please fill out the poll located on the right-hand side of this blog. I'm getting great feedback, and want to hear more!

Secondly, if you haven't read my previous post, please do so. Mostly because I want you to see the photos of me and tell me how awesome I am (kidding...well kinda...I actually just want someone to tell me that I don't dress like a total dork, lol. I feel like I forgot how to be fashionable while I was heavier! Any fashion tips would be appreciated!)

Now, onto the "real" post...


If you read my blog, you are probably a woman, and statistically, that means there is a good chance that you are trying to lose weight, or at least have tried to at some point in your life. And I know that when I am trying/have tried to lose weight, there is nothing I love more than reading stories about others in the same boat. And what do I love most to see? Pictures, and STATS! Tell me your size, your height, your weight, and even more importantly – tell me if you’ve always struggled!

So, for your viewing pleasure today, here are some numbers from my own weight-related journey…

(I’m 5’9)

First of all, as a child, I always felt like the “chubby one”. But, in reality, I only felt that way because my sister was so darned skinny! Still is! Sure, I had a little bit of extra chub some years, but most of the time, judging by old photos, I was a pretty healthy weight.

So, then what happened?

High school: When I went to high school, our province still had a grade 13. So I was in high school for five years. During that time, I usually weighed somewhere between 139-145, usually at 140 (except when I was sick and stressed and it plummeted to 115-119)! I think I was closer to 145 by the time I graduated though! I mostly wore size medium shirts, the occasional small, and I think most of my pants were size 11…which really makes no sense, because I’m sure that I must have been at MOST a 9…I must have worn my clothes big back then! Of course I felt fat at the time, but looking back, man I was THIN!

Around 115lbs...not a good look for me...

Freshman year of university: I didn’t quite hit the “Freshman 15”. My weight was probably 150-155…clothes were starting to get snug, but I still think I looked pretty good. Of course, at the time I thought I was a cow.

Next Year: My weight hit, from what I remember, 160+. I know that at one point it hit 175 and I got my butt in gear and lost 10 pounds, but it quickly crept back on.

First peak: 183 – I saw that on the scale in early March of 2006. I was nervous that my Maid of Honour dress for my sister’s wedding wouldn’t fit, as some of that weight had been gained recently, and her wedding was only 2 ½ months away! This is when I got serious, and realized what I was capable of. I starting following Weight Watchers, using my mom’s old books, and hitting the gym hard. I was pleased with the results.

At my Sister’s wedding: 161 (And, for the record, the dress was a tad too big)

First goal: 145, which I hit the following autumn. I ended up settling around 148 for awhile, then got up to 153 – but that was okay! I was wearing size medium shirts (and the occasional small), and size 7/8 or 9/10 pants, depending on the brand.

My wedding, June 30, 2007: 153 – the same weight as when I bought my dress, so I was happy with that because it meant I didn’t need much in the way of alterations!

I may have had some wine...

After the honeymoon: 163! Holy heck! A lot of this was probably “water weight”, but I didn’t get a chance to find out just how much of it was because…I didn’t get my eating back on track after the honeymoon. BIG mistake. Regret, regret, regret.

Second “peak”: 195, just a year after getting married. Now THAT is a problem.

Pre-baby weight: 187

Post-baby #1: Went from 222 (while pregnant) to just under 200 pounds after giving birth without having to try, before getting back down to 187 with just a bit of effort.

Time it took to lose baby weight: 6 months, although most was lost by 5 months.

Lowest weight after baby #1: 172

Pre-pregnancy weight with baby #2: 180. He was born this past February.

Post-pregnancy weight baby #2: Went from 219 (while pregnant) to 198 after giving birth, without trying. Then I started following Weight Watchers again.

Got down to 183 and then my weight loss stalled because my eating was all over the place. And after a couple of months of THAT…I really got serious. (I consider 183 to be my “Recommitment” weight). I was sick of trying to squeeze into the largest size pants at my favourite store (and not succeeding…size 15s, if you must know) and wearing Large or Extra Large shirts.

Time it took to lose pregnancy weight: 6 months (again!), which means that I hit it at the beginning of August this year.

Current weight/size: 164.6 pounds...and counting! Wearing size medium shirts, size 11 pants (Okay, so to be honest, I have only bought pants from one store, so I have no idea what size I fit into in other stores…) I can run up to 10km without stopping (when I have time) and feel so much stronger! Hoping to continue on until I feel fabulous!

Fat-Free Friday

This week kind of sucked cold air. I'm hoping I'm PMSing, because that would be a great excuse for how I felt. I was ravenous. Constantly. I craved sugar, and ate it like there was no tommorrow. And carbs? They were my BFFs. BUT...for the most part (mostly...) I stuck within my daily "Points" values, and despite my worries, I did manage to lose one pound this week. Happy with that, all things considered.

Also, I had a HUGE victory while out shopping - I tried on a bunch of shirts at my favourite store. All of them were size medium. And ALL of them fit! Been waiting so long for that to happen again! Here is one of my new shirts (not the most flattering one, but who cares, I love it!):

This week will be a bit different for me. I'm going on a mini-vacay at the end of next week, so I will be weighing myself on Wednesday instead of Friday. And I will be crossing my fingers and toes that I will NOT gain weight during my vacation...and maybe I will even see a loss the following week. A girl can hope, right?

So, here is my vacation plans:

Day 1: Eat breakfast at home, count my points the rest of the day. This day will probably be fast-food eating, so hopefully I can make decent choices.

Days 2&3: Forget about counting points, and instead make the best choices possible (while allowing myself a few treats), and focus more on portion control. Maybe do some minor strength training in the hotel room since I won't be working out otherwise.

Day 4: Same as Day 1.

Wish me luck! I'm sure I'll need it!

P.S. Please do the poll on the right hand side :)

P.P.S. Please add my button to your blog!

Running Story Part 2

So, where were we? Oh yes. Getting my post-pregnancy lard butt into shape once again...


My pre-pregnancy weight was 187. I was not happy with that, but it wasn’t the highest I’d ever seen on the scale (195 at that point in time) so I accepted it. I gained 35 pounds during pregnancy, and through eating better (not great, but better) I managed to lose it all within six months, which was my goal. I even managed to NOT gain weight on a family trip to Disney World right around that 6-month mark. Score. (Does that cancel out one of my previous “fails”? I say yes!)

With my little peanut...

But, that wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to get back in shape. Like, for real shape...not my fake version of “it’s not so bad” denial-shape. So, I started working out. Sometimes. Not consistently, but enough. And then, on a February day when it was unusually warm for that time of year (which is the only reason I remember what month it was), I decided to give running another shot.

Prior to this, I had tried, here and there, running on the treadmill. I found it was physically easier than running outside, and had managed to once get up to 10 minutes. But that wasn’t the kind of running I wanted to do. I wanted to feel the breeze, have the wind in my hair, blah blah clichéd blah.

And I did! I can’t remember specific details, but I’m sure that I walked a bit, ran a bit, walked a bit, ran a bit...you get it. I was pretty proud of myself, and vowed to continue on with my running plan.

Of course, I didn’t. Fail again. But I did continue working out – sporadically. Man, do I ever know how to quit a good plan! I still didn’t have a gym membership at this point, but I had access to a treadmill, and spent an unhealthy amount of time watching weight-loss shows in order to find exercises that I could do in the comfort of my own home. (Note: merely watching weight-loss shows does NOT, in and of itself, make you skinny. Who knew?) I got down to 178 by my daughter’s first birthday, lost a bit more...then got a new job where people kept making delicious food that I just couldn’t say no to, and gained some back. All the while NOT running, and rarely working out. Super fail!

But...when my daughter was about 18 months old, I decided to go for it. I’d try the running thing again. AGAIN! The first time I went out, I think I lasted 5 minutes before I had to walk. But then, a really wise (and hot as heck) friend gave me the best advice ever: that the first five minutes are often the hardest, and to just NOT give up. So I didn’t. The next run, I lasted 10 minutes. The next time, 15. Eventually, I got to the point where I could consistently run for 30 minutes without stopping, and sometimes, if I was having a good day, I could run up to an hour!!!

Holy crappies! Of course, when I say “run”, I mean “slow jog”. But that didn’t matter. I was proud of myself.

When my daughter was approaching two years of age, we decided to start trying for baby #2. I decided that in order to NOT let myself get obsessed with trying to conceive (I had previous fertility problems that make getting pregnant difficult), I would try to lose during this time as well.

I got pregnant the first month. Which was awesome! But I’d only lost 3 pounds. Still...I weighed 180, which was a whole 7 POUNDS (sarcastic woot) less than my previous pre-pregnancy weight, so I decided to just accept it.

9 months pregnant...

During my pregnancy, I gained 39 pounds, and lost over 20 pounds with the birth of my son. That left me at a post-pregnancy weight of 198 pounds. I got down to 183 by following Weight Watchers once again, but then my weight loss stalled because I was really unmotivated. That was, of course, until I read Mama Laughlin’s blog and realized that it was NOT impossible to get fit after having two kids, and that I COULD do it. I mean if she could, why not me? And that’s when I REALLY became a runner!

Newborn bliss...

You see, sometimes it’s just about having the right mental stamina. In a short few weeks, I have gone from barely being able to run to being able to CONSISTENTLY run 5k without stopping . And I’ve gotten faster (not FAST – but faster!). And once, I even ran 10k!!!! 10k!!! Me! The non-athlete.

Me and my bestie, Taylor on her birthday!

So what’s the moral of the story? I have no clue. I should probably have thought about that before rambling on like this, eh? (What are we at? Fail #17 by now?). But, I guess if I were to sum it all up, I would say this: do not allow that voice inside of your head to convince you that you CAN’T do something. That voice is a jerkbank (trying to keep this a profanity-free blog, peeps) and has no idea what it’s talking about. Want to know what you CAN accomplish? Ignore that voice, lace up your runners, and go find out!

Fat-Free Friday, and Award!

Don't worry...part 2 of my running story is coming soon, I promise!


But, I've noticed that I post my weight on here every Friday. I guess that's because it's my "official" weigh-in day, and I always can't wait to brag about share what my progress is like. So it only makes sense to make an official post every Friday relating to my weight-loss, and what I accomplished the previous week. Consider it done.


Also, for those of you who get bored by the fitness/weight-loss stuff, keep reading! I was nominated for an award, which is posted later on below, and it will contain other information about me and my life :)


Anyway, this week's weigh-in was pretty darned awesome, if I do say so myself. I didn't really do anything differently, to be honest...well that's partly a lie. I MOSTLY didn't do anything different...except that for the last two days this week I tried to eat really clean. I also replaced one of my cardio classes with a strength one, so...maybe that made a difference? I'm not about to complain either way! I'm well on my way to achieving my next mini-goal! And better still? LESS THAN 10 POUNDS UNTIL GOAL!!!!!!!!!!


Now, onto my blog award...


I've been nominated!

Thank-you, Brandi, (check out her blog here)aka Mrs. Awesomesauce, for nominating me!


The rules of receiving this reward are...

1. Nominate up to 15 fellow bloggers, who are relatively new to blogging.
2. Let the nominated bloggers know they have been nominated.
3. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
4. Thank the blogger who nominated you, and link back to them in your post.
5. Add the Versatile Blogger award picture to your post.


Slight problem here...as I don't know very many people who are new to the blogosphere. So, due to that, I only have 2 nominations:

Fitness Unscripted
Stories by Stasia


Now, who wants to hear 7 random facts about myself? YOU DO, of course!


1. Okay, I have to steal this one from Brandi: "I'm a math nerd. I used to create algebra problems to help me sleep when I was a teenager." I DID THAT TOO!!! I'm not sure whether to be excited...or completely embarassed that I just admitted that to a whole bunch of people!


2. I am full of anxiety. I twist and pull my hair out in my sleep sometimes. My husband thinks it is uber-attractive, as you can imagine.


3. I have REALLY long toes. They look like fingers. And I can move my baby toe all by itself, on BOTH feet!


4. Dr. Suess, Jim Henson, and Walt Disney are my heroes. If only all adults would retain so much of their childhood creativity and whimsy...imagine what our world would be like...


5. I think that monkeys look creepy. They're just too much like people. STOP LOOKING AT ME, MONKEYS!


6. I can't see very well out of one of my eyes, due to a virus that caused scarring. But when I look at the night sky, it looks like there are about 17 moons, so that's cool I guess...


7. I was born on my mom's birthday, which is also Canada Day. My daughter was born on my grandmother's birthday, and my son was born on my aunt's birthday. Cool, yes?


That's all for tonight!!!

How I Became a Runner

Let’s get something straight, here: I absolutely, positively, FIRMLY believe that my body is NOT meant to run. I am tall with a “bad back”. I have big hips that prefer to sway from side to side – a motion that I obviously have to fight during my workouts. My thighs rub together – always have, no matter how thin I’ve been (and that includes when I was sick in high school and carried a measly 115 pounds on my 5-foot-9 frame). I have water skis for feet. I’m just a mess.

And let’s face another reality: I was never very active, and when I was, it was reluctantly so. Sure, I played baseball as a kid/teen, but that’s because I liked the game and the social aspect (and because my parents made me). I also took swimming lessons, lifesaving, and even syncro – but that was because I liked the class atmosphere (and because my parents made me), and I only ever pushed myself as much as what was expected of me. I never had any expectations for myself.

Enter Ms. C, my grade nine Phys Ed teacher.

This was the first year that I ever actually liked physical education class, and it’s probably because it was an all-girls class (and also probably because 3-year-olds have better sporting skills that some of us did, so I didn’t stand out too badly as the non-athlete!). Ms. C made the activities so much fun – that is, of course, until we began discussing the year-end exam.

In the past, a grade nine exam would have consisted of showing your skills in several different areas: basketball, volleyball, soccer, etc. But Ms. C had other ideas. In lieu of the more traditional route, we were instead instructed to run or jog for 30 minutes straight – and that would be all. If we could do that, we would get 100% on our exam. Or if we ran for 15 minutes, we’d get 50%. Or, heck, you could not run at all, because the exam was only worth 5% of our final mark, so it wouldn’t be the end of the world to completely blow it. Or not show up.

That is, to most people. I, however, was not most people. I was an unhealthily obsessed over achiever. I graduated from high school 5th in my class with a 93% average. Overachievers like me do NOT get crappy marks on final exams. There was only one problem: I could not run. Not at all, not even a little bit.

I’m not sure if Ms. C actually thought that this running thing was the best option, or if she chose it for the aforementioned three-year-old sporting skills. In any case, Ms. C was fair. Knowing that this would be a challenge for some of us, she gave us plenty of class time to practice. She mapped out a 5 kilometre route for us near the school, and off we went.

Well, off THEY went. I could run for approximately 15 seconds before collapsing on the ground in an out-of-breath heap (seriously, that actually happened once). No big deal, I thought. I just need to run slower. So I tried that.

FAIL!

This was going to be harder than I thought! I whined and moaned, and spent our in-class time walking because I was too embarrassed to try to “train” with the rest of the girls. I would have to do it on my own time. And dang it, that was really going to cut into my studying, flute/piccolo/piano practicing, and Will and Grace watching. Crud.

But, I got to it. The first time I went out, I decided that I was NOT going to stop running unless I was going to fall over. So there I was, 14 years old, old-school tape deck in hand, really to roll. Er, run.

I think I lasted about 5 minutes.

But then something amazing happened. The next time I went out, I told myself that I JUST needed to run one more minute than “last time”. Instead, I ended up running for 15! Sure, some of it was “jogging on the spot”, but the point is, my feet never stopped moving. And then I thought, hey, maybe I can do that TWICE next time!

And I did!

And when exam time came, I kicked its sorry little butt! I jogged slowly ran slowly the entire 30 minutes and earned my 100% grade.

And then, I stopped running. Totally and completely, 100%. Even years later, when I joined a gym and got fit the first time, I never really incorporated running into my exercise regime. I still found it too hard.

But all that changed after I had my daughter a little over 3 years ago, and found myself with extra baby weight, marriage weight, and no gym membership. It was time to do something drastic! So I decided, once again – about 10 years later – to once again try out the whole running thing.

To be continued...

More Q&A, oh Happy Day!

I know that you have all been frothing at the mouth to read the rest of my Q&A responses, and as you know, I aim to please! Here it is!


11.What "exercise" works the best for you/gives you best results?

I do a wide variety of different exercises, but I'm a big believer that you have to mix strength with cardio. My favourite strength work out is a class called "Body Pump" that is featured at my gym, because honestly, it's the only way that I can really push myself with strength. Otherwise I get lazy and move on to cardio rather quickly. I also like to do exercises with 5-lb hand weights (at home) that target my triceps. As far as cardio goes, running it making a huge difference in my body, and I'm learning to love it! I also do Zumba and other gym classes, but I think that the running is causing the most changes.


12.What is a typical daily schedule for you? What types of workouts do you do?

I'm on maternity leave (I'm Canadian, so we get the option of taking a year off) so I have no schedule right now, lol. It gives me the time to work out once a day, which is awesome. Sometimes I do it in the late morning, after the kids are up and either my husband or parents are available to watch them, and sometimes I wait until the evening. It really depends on what we have planned that day. The key is being flexible!
Aside from the workouts I mentioned above, I also sometimes do a step class (it's way harder than it looks!), a high intensity cardio class called "Body Attack" (I nearly die every time), or sometimes "Body Combat" (a marital arts and boxing-type cardio workout). I also use the treadmill at the gym or the elliptical. I do have some workout videos, and my favourite is the 30-Day Shred! And I always - ALWAYS - take one day per week where I ONLY go for a walk, nothing else. Gotta give the body a rest!


13.What is your biggest mistake on your journey so far? If you could go back and do something differently...?

Not starting sooner!!! Argh! So frustrating! More specifically, I really wish that I hadn't waited so long (several months) before REALLY starting to add fitness into my weight-loss regime. I helps me get results faster, sure, but it also helps me out MENTALLY. And that, in and of itself, is worth all of the sweat!
You don’t need to bust your butt for an hour a day, people. Even 30 minutes a few times a week can make a big difference if you are consistent. You just have to make those 30 minutes COUNT!
Also, I wish that I had taken more “before” pictures. All I have is two crappy ones where I look really ugly, and I hate posting them. (Don't just go by the scale! Measurements and photos help so much!)


14.What was the last book you read?

“Electrified Sheep”. It’s a sequel to “Elephants on Acid”. These are NOT novels, folks. They are easy-to-follow overviews of real science experiments that have been performed throughout history. (Yes, I’m a nerd, this is not news to anyone who knows me). Some of the things these scientists did really paved the way for big improvements in our daily lives. Others...not so much. I mean, who really thought it was a good idea to try to raise a chimpanzee as a human child? Or give acid to an elephant? And why oh why do so many scientists use their “junk” in their experiments? (And yes, I am talking about THAT kind of “junk”. Pervs).
But if you DO like science, I’d recommend these books. Just beware: scientists were not always so kind to animals, so you may want to skip a few stories if you are sensitive to that. br>

15.How often do you craft?

It comes in spurts, honestly. Right now, I am in the middle of a big project, so about once a week I work on it for several hours. Normally I craft a bit more in the winter months than in the summer, especially around holidays. Cake and cupcake baking, however, is year-round! Feel free to share your designs with me!


16. Being a busy mom how hard is it to motivate yourself sometimes?? How do you push yourself off that couch :)

Well, keep in mind that I am on maternity leave, and while it's certainly busy with two children, I don't get quite as worn out physically as when I am working. However, I found that when I first started working out, it was hard. But then I quickly realized how much more energy I have when I do exercise, and that really helps motivate me. Also, seeing results - nothing gets me more pepped up than a good weigh-in, new measurements, or seeing some "before and after" photos!


17. Where do you find your meal ideas/inspirations? That's a big stumbling block for me....there is so much out there, I just don't know where to look!

Since I'm not a great cook, I've been following simple recipes, usually found in "Four Ingredient" cookbooks. (So yes, you literally only need four ingredients. I also have a Five Ingredient Crockpot cookbook.) I've also been starting to look on Pinterest for healthier recipe ideas, and also blogs of other moms, especially those who are trying to lose weight. Okay, so I mostly look for dessert ideas. Sue me.


18. With WW, do you count calories or servings (like 1 veg, 1 protein, 1 bread, etc.)?

Weight watchers has a "Points" system, where points are calculated for foods based on calories, fat, protein (if you follow the new system, which I don't) and fibre. You have a certain number of "Points" to eat each day. Technically you could eat whatever you want as long as you stay within your daily Points and still lose weight, but they definitely emphasize eating balanced. If you only eat junk, you will use up your points very quickly and go hungry later! Personally, I've been trying to get in a lot of fruits and veggies, more protein, and less carbs. I still eat carbs, but because I'm a carbo-holic, I have to watch it!


19. Consider this a "would you rather": So if you had to pick being at goal weight but 2 sizes above your goal size or being at your goal size but 15lbs higher than your goal weight which would you pick?

Well, since the whole point of me being on this journey (besides for health) is to get thinner, I would pick being a smaller size even if it meant that my weight was a bit higher than I'd like. That’s in theory,k of course. With that said...in REALITY, I'm sure it would drive me absolutely crazy to get to a point where the scale wasn't budging no matter what I did. Despite my best efforts to feel otherwise, my success (as far as body image goes) is tied to the damn number on the scale! What’s up with that!


That’s all, folks! If you ever have a question for me, do not hesitate to leave it in the comments section of one of my posts! I’ll be happy to answer!

30 Pound Weight-Loss Pictures!!!

Yes, yes, Part 2 of the Q&A will come soon, blah blah blah. But for now, I am excited to announce that I have officially lost 30 POUNDS!!!! I've gone from 198 to 168 (I'm 5'9) and it feels great!

You want to see pictures? Of course you do!

I am especially happy with the changes to my midsection. Even ten pounds ago, my belly was noticeably bigger:

I know that it's never going to be perfectly flat. Keep in mind that 7 months ago, it looked like this: (yes, those are stretch marks. Deal with it!)

It grew rather rapidly (I'm a nerd):

I have no idea how to make that picture any bigger...maybe it can't be, or maybe I'm incompetent. We'll never know (hopefully). Anyway...I couldn't be more pleased with my progress to date, and I look forward to sharing the rest of my journey with you. Eleven more pounds to go!

Q&A Time!!!

You asked...I answer!
Between here and the Fit Camp posters, I've received enough questions to do a Q&A Part 1 and Part 2. So, if you missed it the first time around, feel free to send in your questions, and I'll add them to the next segment.

Oh, and let's just get it out of the way now: I'm 5'9 :)


1.Do you tend to eat the same foods? I have read eating the same breakfast, etc speeds up weight loss.

I have read that as well, that your body can burn off food faster if it's "used" to eating it. But I'm not sure if the science is solid, and I've always wondered if that would make you more likely to eventually hit a plateau (because you're never "switching it up")...??? In any case...I'm a pretty boring eater, so my breakfasts and lunches do tend to be similar. For breakfast, I typically eat either a) a bowl of cereal (usually Special K Red Berry, or if I'm in an evil mood, Fruit Loops) with a piece of cheese, or b) two eggs with a side of fruit. For lunch, I've often been having either a veggie wrap on whole wheat bread, or a tuna wrap. I'm pretty boring, as I said. Supper is when I have more variety. And snack time . Gotta get those treats in somewhere!


2.Vitamins! Do they really work or are they just a synthetic chemical the body doesn't even know what to do with? And how do I get my hair to grow? lol (vitamins didn't work lol!!)

I am undecided on the vitamin front! I mean, your body can only absorb so much of one nutrient at a time, so if you are eating pretty balanced, you probably wouldn't need vitamins (I am not a doctor, however!). But in the case of deficiencies, I know that they can be helpful. I personally have to take iron supplements, because my body just doesn't absorb iron very well from food. And I believe that everyone should take their prenatal vitamins if they are pregnant or trying to become pregnant!
As for the hair issue...
I messaged my friend Katie, who is a hairstylist, to better answer this question. (Don't read her blog? You should. It will change your whole perspective on life). Anyway, here is what she said:
"Taking vitamins helps a little! Other than that just limit your use of hot styling tools and pulling it back as they both cause breakage! It won't make your hair grow faster it just keeps it from breaking and being dry and brittle." Oh, and trimming your hair frequently will not make it grow faster, but since it will also lead to less breakage, it may help you grow your hair OUT faster, because you won't have to hack so much off when you do get it cut.


3.How old are you?

I am 28 years old!


4.What's your shoe size?

I'm a size 10...which can be annoying, because sometimes clothing stores around here sell really cute shoes, but they rarely have any 10's! And even stores that DO carry size 10 tend to sell out of them ASAP. (Note to those stores: if you sell out of a certain size quickly, it PROBABLY is more common that you think it is. Order more shoes, dammit!)


5.What's your favorite healthy food?

Hmmm...well I LOVE milk (I drink skim, have since I was a child), and I also really like cucumbers! And I'm pretty much bff's with raspberries...mmm...raspberries...


6.Favorite Fat Girl food?

Ha! I'm supposed to pick just one? I think it would be a tie between dill pickle chips (with dip...yum yum yum) and a Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake. I also LOVE chocolate, but I don't consider that so bad because I am able to limit myself to a taste here and there! With chips, and also with DQ, I want to dive head-first into whatever serving size is in front of me. And not stop until it's done.


7.When are you going to do a 5K? :)

Oh frig. I don't know. I'm really thinking about doing this year's Terry Fox run, but it's so SOON. Maybe too soon. I mean, I can run 5k and all, but I need more time to mentally prepare myself! I get so much anxiety when it comes to new situations! I wanted one that is a bit later in the fall, but I'm not having any luck finding any where I live. I'm also looking at one that's on New Year's Eve...but I'm just trying to decide whether I want to run on New Year's Eve, lol...


8.What's one thing (top 5) on your bucket list?

Well, I've already done my #1 thing, which was to have children! But right now...I'd LOVE to one day go back to Northern Ireland and once again see the Giant's Causeway. (Don't know what it is? Google it. It's the most freaking beautiful sight you'll ever see in your life).


9.Do you cook a lot? Does your child eat what you cook?

I freaking hate cooking. Which is probably why I mostly eat cereal, eggs, and wraps :) So I wouldn't say that I cook a lot, but I am getting better at it. Also, I don't eat red meat, or any other meat from a mammal (I haven't in almost a decade) so when I do cook it's a lot of chicken!
My son is 7 months old, and yes he eats the baby food that I make :) My daughter is three...she is an interesting one. She basically only wants to eat vegetables and milk products. I have been informed that I am not allowed, in any uncertain terms, to complain about this. Apparently some people would throw a parade if their actually kid wanted to eat a vegetable. But as a result, it's very hard to get her to eat "meals"...she's more of a grazer. We're working on it. She's getting better.
I'd much rather bake a batch of cupcakes than cook...are we starting to see why I ended up with a weight problem? Lol!


10.What are some of your favorite kid-friendly recipes?

See above, ha ha! But I did see a neat breakfast idea on Pinterest that I'll share with you. It's simple, and is a creative way to get in a serving of fruit: Basically, you take a banana, coat it with peanut butter (or soy butter, whatever your kid can eat), then roll it in Rice Krispy cereal. Then, slice it into circles. Voila! Breakfast "sushi"!


Now, onto Part 2...

Send me your questions!

I will be doing a Q&A in the near future! Feel free to comment on this blog: any questions you have - whether they are fitness, weight-loss, mom related, or something else - will be answered!