2012 in Review

Wow, what a year.

In February Kristen and I made an addition to our family. In the middle of Irvine Animal Care, at the very end of the day, we found our little one. She was unsure at first but always sweet and loving. Month by month we watched her grow from a sickly, scared, cautious pup to a sweet, brave, and loyal companion. I don’t know how we have gotten so lucky with our rescue dogs, but the right ones chose us. We are so fortunate.

The day we brought Ansel home

 Just when I reached the end of my wits in the call center, right when I was about to quit and run away to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, I got a job in customer service at my company. My sanity has been saved! I have been part of this team since March and I’m happy that I fit right in. I’ve made new friends and regained my sanity. I actually feel like I’m going to work for a reason now.

SK&A Christmas Party 2012

The Galaxy had a rough 2012 season. We spent the first half of the season suffering heart breaking losses and losing our faith in the team. We drug ourselves to the Home Depot Center every match day. Not always for the team we love so much, but also to be around those who will suffer with us.

I love my LARS family, and I’m happy to call myself part of the group.

As the season wore on, a wonderful thing started happening…we started to win. Little by little we climbed our way up the ranks, winning when we thought we would lose, barely scraping by. Every single match we expected our luck to run out and it didn’t. Landon told us he was going to win us another one and we wanted to believe. The team we love so much came through for us and won us another MLS Cup. Those 4 stars sure look good above our crest.

I have struggled this year with my weight loss. I have achieved losing 75 pounds since I started Weight Watchers, and in truth I should have already lost another 50. I’ve been maintaining more than losing sadly, and my resolve is weak. I am committing myself to losing the last of this weight in 2013. I have a personal trainer and I’m not going to let tiredness weight me down. I want to be healthy. I want to backpack and be able to hike at high elevation. I want to wear cute clothes! 2013 is calling for a reboot.

Who knows what changes we may see in the coming year? A move? A new addition to the family? I am confident that I will keep growing and striving to be the person I want to be. I have a wonderful partner in life and she believes in me. 2012 was such an amazing year for me and I’m sure 2013 will be that much better.

Shake Dat Ass

 I’ve done well starting my fitness routine. I’ve gone to yoga a couple of times and really like it. Its still hard and I can’t keep up all the time, but I know I will get there. I started Zumba last week and I love it! Half way through the class I was breathing hard and sweating up a storm. It is no joke, it is a really good cardio workout. After the session is done I’m signing up for more, and going more than once a week. Its such a good time!

I’m also starting a new program called Walk Off Weight. It’s a training program utilizing walking, and resistance bands to tone your whole body. It’s a 6 days a week workout, and the program is 8 weeks. I started  yesterday and I’m optimistic. My first workout was interval walking for 30 minutes. That starts out with a warm up, then I walk briskly for 60 seconds, and then as fast as i can for 30 seconds. It goes back and forth between that for the rest of the time, and then a 5 minute cool down. I felt really good while doing it. It took me a while to get the proper walking form but when I did I was on a roll. Living in an industrial area, I have to do my walking down La Palma Ave! Its not the ideal place, but its a safe area so its not that bad. I was only cat called once! Today was my Toning Exercise. Its a 20 minute workout where I use my resistance band for upper body toning while I am walking. As always there is a 5 minute warm up and cool down. In between those I have 6 different exercises I do. I have zumba tonight so I did my workout on a break, walking around the top level of my work’s parking structure. It is so freaking hot right now, I brought a change of clothes and was sweating for just that short time. I finished feeling great though. 2 days in, and I’m loving this system. I want to lose 20 pounds by my birthday, so wish my luck! I’m going to have to be good.

Such a useful tool. When I have a plan, I follow well!

Kristen also got me a new toy. Its called a Nike Fuel Band. I wear it all day and it tracks my movement.



Makes me feel like a pro athlete



 I have a daily goal (my Fuel)and it will light up and tell you how close you are to your goal. Right now my daily goal is 2500. When I have a regular walking day like yesterday I hit around 2800 so I was good. I also had a pretty sedentary day Monday, so I was around 2100. On Zumba days however, I was hitting well over 3000, almost 3500! The band also has a pedometer, a watch, and a calorie burned tracker. Some may ask what the point of this band is, its really a motivational tool. You look at it throughout the day and are reminded to get moving to get your fuel points. I really like it. Such a fun gift!



My point so far today



I have a lingering pain right now in my upper leg/hip flexor/ sciatic nerve area. I’m not sure what it is so I’m trying to rest it. It started Saturday and bothered me throughout the weekend. I was good Monday and yesterday until I was doing my lower body toning last night and pulled it again. Had to stop so I wouldn’t hurt myself more. I hope yoga tomorrow doesn’t bother it again, or I won’t be able to do my downward dog! Boo :(





Getting Back on the Wagon

A couple weeks ago at work, we started a Biggest Loser competition. In an effort to get as close to 200 as possible by my birthday, I joined. I also joined because I’m already losing weight, so why not try to get some money out of it? (and no, I don’t get credit for the weight I’ve already lost. Whatever!). Last week I weighed in and lost a pound. At my weigh in this week I know I have gained. I weighed myself yesterday and had gained 2 pounds. I have been really bad though, so I need to discipline myself. I am on a rollercoaster of lose 2 and gain 2. So annoying!My motivational tool right now is buying cute work out gear. Check out my new Nike's I bought for half off from the Nordstrom anniversary sale. 



You can't tell how bright, but they are highlighter yellow with pink. So cute!



For exercise I have started my yoga classes that I bought on Groupon ($49 for 20 classes!) I went to my first one a couple weeks ago and I really enjoyed it. I haven’t been to yoga in over three years so I didn’t know who my body would react. I haven’t used my body that way in a long time and my flexibility has gone out the window. However, due to my current weight loss of 70 pounds so far, I was able to hold my weight more than I used to. I was able to hold myself in planks and lower myself which I have never been able to do. I also was sweating like a whore in church as one of my high school teachers liked to say. I don’t think I have sweat that much in a long time. It was pouring off of my and getting on the mat. The class was an hour and 15 minutes long, but the last 15 minutes are spent meditating so they don’t count. Let’s say the hard stuff lasts for about an hour. I was able to make it through about 30 without struggle, I made it 45 still trying to keep up, and the last 15 minutes were spent attempting some, but mostly in child’s pose! I know it will get better. I was sore for days. Muscles that I haven’t used in a long time were protesting at every move, but it was a good feeling. I can’t wait to go back.

Tomorrow I will be also starting Zumba classes! I’m really excited to try this, and if I like it I will keep going. Exercise needs to be fun! Speaking of fun exercise, we are really trying to get back on the hiking wagon. We really want to hike bigger and better things (Mt. Whitney is on my bucket list!), so we need to get going. Anybody know of good hikes in the OC area? We do some in LA but that is so far and there is always traffic. We like hikes in the 5 mile range.

Tonight I am going to a mat Pilates class. I like to try new things and I want to try doing Pure Barre, have any of you tried? Let me know what you like to do to exercise and maybe I will join in. Also, protein powder....good or bad?

Fashion Friday: Fun Denim!



This is the first of what I hope to be an every Friday occurrence. I have many interests, and one of them as some of you may know is fashion. I love watching Project Runway (season 10 premiered last night and it was awesome!) and reading InStyle and other magazines of the like. When asked about certain trends I have been known to say “its a thing right now.” Kristen can attest to this. While I have a wide range of interests on this matter I am most interested in dressing a plus sized body, cause I have been doing it a long time! My goal for a big girl is for you to feel good and look good. Fashion can be comfortable! You just have to dress to make yourself feel good.

This week I would like to talk about the trend of brightly colored denim. Its very popular right now and as a big girl I was iffy on trying it out. Through all of the articles I read I find that you want to make your denim your focal point. Its best to keep the shirt you wear a neutral color such as black, grey, etc. You can also wear white but I find white to be unflattering to a plus sized body. Black is slimming and white makes you look bigger. Trust me. I also have a friend who recommends wearing a skin tone or beige top. That's for the adventurist I say. Then have fun with your accessories.



I am loving these Not Your Daughter's Jeans. They are high in the waist so if you have a muffin in the middle you want to cover up they are perfect!

 

The cut is important. I tend to like the skinny cut denim. Boot cut of a bright color is just too much of the color. I also like the shorts, but as a larger lady you should not be wearing short shorts. Keep them knee length and fitted close to your body. Loose ones will make you look larger!

Purple denim is close to blue so you may feel more comfortable trying these out.

Then for color...darker jeans are always more flattering. If you have a large bottom I would go for the jewel tone jeans such as kelly green, purple, red, or royal blue. You want to make sure the denim is a good enough quality to not show your “flaws.” Hello cellulite! There are some jeans with patterns on them and I find those extremely hard to pull off. They are also a little childish if you ask me. Leopard pants are for high schoolers! Keep it classy ladies!

An example of a don't!

 

And then most of all have fun. Never be afraid of fashion. If you like something give it a try. If you see an outfit in a magazine try it out. Don’t pigeon hole yourself in to a certain look because you are covering up your body. People never knew how large I was cause I dressed my body to accentuate the good and cover up the bad. And by cover up I don’t mean baggy clothes. NEVER WEAR BAGGY CLOTHING!!!! Yes I’m talking about you.....you know who you are.

Here is my version of brightly colored denim. They are American Rag from Macy’s and I got them on sale for $12! I wear them full length as well as rolled a bit on hot days. I'm not one for accessories often so I went with a fun shoe to add some personality to the outfit.

So what else are you afraid of ladies? What would you like tips on?

It Never Gets Easier, You Just Get Better

There is a woman at my office who doesn’t eat carbs or dairy. She told a friend who competes in CrossFit competitions that she wanted to be really cut before going on a Vegas trip and he told her to quit these two food groups. She lost ten pounds and really enjoys how she feels. Personally, I think cutting out major food groups is a little unhealthy. I am all for cutting out bad carbs, but your body needs a little to function. You just need to eat healthy ones such as brown rice or every once in a while sweet potatoes.


After a month or so of bad choices my weight loss had majorly slowed down. Disappointed in myself, I vowed to do better and get serious again. I considered going this route to restart my weight loss efforts, but I knew it would be too hard for me, I just decided to cut out the bad stuff I was allowing and eat more veggies, which is something I struggle with. I am proud to say that I had a really good week last week. I have decided that in an effort to rid my body of chemicals I will quit using coffeemate as my creamer in my coffee. I tried vanilla almond milk, but it just tasted too sweet and then it wasn’t even enough to make my coffee taste good. It was an unpleasant choice. I decided to take the traditional route and use good old fashioned half and half. I know you are thinking, what about all of the fat? Well, in weight watchers you are supposed to ingest a certain amount of dairy a day, so I figure this will help out with that because I really don’t eat a lot of dairy anyway. I then sweetened my coffee with Truvia, which is a little sweet but a good taste, not fake.


I have quit soda! Its been 2 weeks since I indulged in a Diet Coke, and sometimes when I hear a neighbor cracking open a cold one I feel that want, but I resist and drink iced tea. Unsweetened of course.


I tell you, last week I had challenges. I had to turn down food trucks multiple times throughout the week, not only from co workers but from Kristen! And she said before she asked “I know I shouldn’t ask this but…” On Friday though I allowed myself to be a little bad and we went to Disneyland. I knew this was coming so I was very good all day. For dinner we had a corndog and delicious Karl Strauss Pintail Pale Ale. Then for dessert we checked out the new Ghirardelli soda fountain in DCA where we had a caramel sundae that was topped with real fresh made whipped cream. So bad and so good!!! If you are in DCA you have to check that place out. I was in fat kid heaven.


Sunday morning was weigh in time. I wasn’t really worried because I was so good all week and I usually bounce back pretty well after getting back on track. Total weight loss of the week was 3 pounds! Believe it!


This last week was even better. I was good all throughout the week but I indulged a little too much over the weekend. Friday night was BJ's for pizza and pazookie (and of course berry burst cider), Saturday was In N Out for lunch, but I made dinner for my parents because it was my mom's birthday, and dinner wasn't bad. But there was birthday cake, lots of it! Sunday for father's day we went to Lazy Dog for lunch where there was even more cake, and then the Galaxy game that night (we actually won!) where I had a couple glasses of wine and then Samurai for dinner. Japanese food can be pretty WW friendly, except I don't like sushi so I had yakisoba and shared tempura (not WW friendly) with Kristen.

This week I'm going to be an angel cause I know I will be bad this weekend because we are going to a wedding up north for Kristen's friend from college. Its sure to be a good time!

Yesterday was my weigh in day and...drumroll please....another 3.2 lbs for a total of 67.8 lbs lost! I tell you, this feels really good. I honestly have not been this small since maybe my sophomore or junior year of high school (when I graduated I weighed 237 lbs). This puts me on track for being under 200 by my 1 year mark. If I behave myself!

Next up to get back on track: gymin! I've been thinking about CrossFit. Does anyone do it, and want to talk me in to it?

I Wish I Knew How to Quit You!

I have been so lazy in the last week. I have been giving in to cravings and going over on my points almost every day. Its no surprise that I gained 2 pounds! I hate myself for giving in, but when you have been so good for so long sometimes you just lose yourself. I’ve lost myself many times. I can’t help it. I love The Burnt Truck! I’ve seriously gone once a week for the past 2 months or so. Those little sliders go for around 7 points a piece, so if I have 2 it’s a big meal. 3? I’ve pretty much guaranteed failure as far as daily points go. We have flex points that are good all week and its ok if you go into them, but I’m doing it regularly which is killing me. So I have vowed to be more careful and take myself more seriously.

I quit soda. I know I have quit soda multiple times in the past 10 years, but I really need to quit. Diet Coke really makes me feel ill. It gives me headaches and makes me feel sluggish. It just tastes so good! I’ll manage. I am seriously cutting out a lot of carbs and eating more fruits and veggies. Salad has fallen off of my radar recently but I am getting back on the lettuce wagon.

So I don’t have much more to say this week because I really haven’t had any big successes, except Kristen and I got wicked drunk at Disneyland Friday night and had to take a cab home.

And also, Go Kings Go!!

Mission:Lose a Backstreet Boy

As some of you know, I have been doing Weight Watchers since August 2011. My current weight loss as of May 22, 2012 is at 62.8 pounds. This may be shocking to some of you, some think its unbelievable that I weighed as much as I did. It hard for me to admit this, but my starting weight was 297 pounds. Yes, I was almost 300 pounds. That was a wakeup call for me. And to those who don’t believe it I tell them this…I’m tall, and I know how to hide it well.

Us in Vancouver, right before I started Weight Watchers. 297 lbs sexy.

The first month was a struggle. I went cold turkey, quitting all fast food and junk food. I never realized how much bad food I was putting in my body until I was forced to keep track of every little bite. The first week I was hungry. The biggest thing about WW is portion control. You can have anything you want as long as you don’t eat a lot of it. I knew I was an overeater but when you start to weigh and measure your food, to truly see how much you should be eating and how much that fat kid inside of you wants more, it can be a disturbing battle with your subconscious. So that first week was rough, but when my first weigh in came I stepped on that scale and I had lost 8 pounds. In a week. I make Kristen come in and look at the scale to make sure I wasn’t delusional. I lost 8 pounds…the hunger was worth it.

Then on the second week it really clicked. I would rather eat an apple than a bag of chips. A banana instead of a candy bar. This is going to be easy. The next couple of months were touch and go. I had a freak out one weekend when we went to Big Bear to visit Kristen’s parents. Her mom is an amazing cook, but the food is nowhere near WW friendly. I ate pasta, and butter, and red meat. On our way home I was hungry but didn’t want to stop anywhere to eat because it was all bad food. I started crying when I realized all I wanted was a salad. I felt like my insides were soaked in butter. Being the wonderful girlfriend she is, Kristen went out of her way to find me a Panera, and a low point meal.

Another funny moment is a time when Kristen and I were at Disneyland, not exactly a WW friendly place, and I wanted ice cream. Because I rarely had ice cream Kristen told me I can have it from wherever I wanted. I could choose between Haagan Dazs, something in the park, Cold Stone and all I could think was…I just want Pinkberry. I was craving fruit! I have never experienced cravings for healthy food until I started WW. There really is something to this program.

So here I am, 8 months later, almost 65 pounds lighter, and too comfortable. My weight loss has slowed. Some weeks I lose a pound or 2. Some weeks I simply maintain. But I still have more to go. My goal is under 200. I can stand to lose a lot more. The basis of my goal is not entirely weight. Its more about my health. I want to feel good. I want to hike at high elevations and not feel like I’m dying. I want to buy regular sizes in department stores instead of looking in the plus size section. And I think the reason my progress is slowing is because I’m getting close. I’m able to buy some clothing, I’m able to walk without getting short of breath. But I know in my heart I want more.

Us at Disneyland recently. 62.8 lbs lighter and still going!

Here’s the plan: Go back to basics.

1.       Better food. When I started I was eating a lot of vegetables and fruit. I have slowly let myself eat low calorie snacks which equal around 2 to 3 points. Fruit and veggies are 0! I need to quite these snacks, or save them for especially bad cravings.

2.       I have to stop eating at food trucks. I started a new position at work 2 months ago and my coworkers are bad influences. I have an hour for lunch and I’ve been taking that to go with them to the food trucks. This has to stop. I will limit myself to once or twice a month.

3.       The most important step: exercise! I used to go to the gym 3 or 4 times a week and hiking on Saturdays with Kristen. My schedule changed and we got a dog so our schedule was majorly changed. I never fit the gym back in after the adjustment period.

The food part is easy, I just need to work on my will power. The biggest challenge I have right now is exercise. I have decided to start running. This is a daunting challenge for the chubby girl who avoided running at all cost. I have decided to do a sort of Couch to 5K approach. My goal isn’t to run a 5K by any means, but I wouldn’t say no to one! Kristen says this new Kara that has emerged doesn’t say no to anything, so I am up for it. I also will need advice and tips from my friends, so if any of you have faced something like this give me some tips! I welcome them.

 This blog will not only be about my weight loss progress but my fashion and cooking tips as well. Being a big girl has had its challenges, and even if I am to become a smaller girl, I know I will always struggle with my fatty tendencies. We’re all in this life together, we need to help each other out!