Popsicle Stick Snowflakes

It's the holiday season!! Which means fun holiday crafts!!

Yesterday my friend Julie and I were inspired by Pinterest to make Popsicle Stick Snowflakes. This is the original tutorial, we didn't follow the tutorial though, we just looked at these pictures from Pinterest.

So armed with a hot glue gun and an obscene amount of Popsicle sticks we got to work!

Julie showing off her snowflakes!

Then since our play date was over (aka the kids were getting cranky) Julie took the snowflakes home and painted them. She found it would be easier to paint your Popsicle sticks first before gluing them together.

The beautiful finished project!

 

*So I made one too but KBeaner broke it this afternoon...so I'll post pics of it after I fix it.

Maintain

Today is weigh in day, I maintained, which I'm pretty pumped about it. I made it through the first big holiday and didn't gain. Now just to get through the rest of the holiday season without gaining. I think I can do it. I know I could probably lose more weight if I was trying harder. I am obviously trying hard but not as hard as I had been before, the past month or so I've slacked on exercise, I have stayed on track with weight watchers and have tracked everything I ate even when I eat almost all of my extra weekly points. I know if I worked out more and didn't eat as many extra weekly points, I'd probably see a larger weight loss.

I keep getting this feeling though thats saying "relax its the holidays, you've come so far already..." I don't want to fall back into my old habits though so I can't relax too much, I am going to keep tracking all the food that I eat. 

What are some things you do when you're starting to feel like getting lax on your diet/workout routine?

I think I might head over to Pinterest to get some motivation! I love all the Fit-spiration on there. If you want to see what I'm pinning follow my boards by clicking here.

I guess I just need to keep looking at every  day as a new day to challenge myself, to make better choices and to be a better example for my daughter.

Thanksgiving weekend

Hope every one's Thanksgiving went well! Mine did! I followed my game plan, and stayed on track.
My family and I went on a walk after the meal, I even ran for a little bit of the walk. While on the walk I met up with one of my friends who was also on a walk so I visited with her for a little bit but my family kept going, so I ran maybe 2/10th of a mile to catch up to them. I know that is not a long distance what so ever, but for me it was a big deal! I don't usually run, and when I have in the past I don't make it very far, or very fast. I don't think I ran that fast, but it was fast for me, and even though I was winded after, I had made it farther than I normally would have. It was an empowering feeling!

Other than that I did not work out that much this week other than running around and playing outside or at the playground with KBeaner and my nieces and nephews.

At the park

Very excited after a ride down the big slide!

I made an exciting discovery yesterday when folding my laundry (I know laundry and excitement?!) I was folding my black dress pants that a friend had given to me and I realized they are a size 8!!! For some reason I kept thinking that they were size 10, I was so stinking excited when I realized they are a size 8! SINGLE DIGITS!! It's been more than a decade that I've been able to wear a single digit size pair of pants! I just need to get into single digit size jeans, now that will be a HUGE deal!

My size 8 pants!

My  parents this week also bought KBeaner her first pet...a beautiful Betta fish! Her name is Pluto, haha KBeaner has had an obsession with the Mickey Mouse Club House lately.

Pluto the Betta fish

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I hope you're having an amazing day with friends and family.

Yesterday was my weigh in, I am down another pound!!! That's 99 lbs since January 2010. Can't complain about that!

Anyways in the spirit of Thanksgiving I'm going to give thanks..

I'm thankful for a lot of things this year, every year I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends, my amazing fiance and my beautiful daughter.

This year I am thankful also for things related to weight loss.

Thank you...

• Weight Watchers
• Feeling and being healthy
• My new found confidence
• Being able to run around easily and play with my daughter
• My willpower (I didn't think I had that until this past April).
• All of the people who support me.
• You...reading my blog, it holds me accountable.

Woo Hoo 164 lbs!!

I hope you have an amazing thanksgiving!!

Getting Crafty

I've been busy sewing lately. Its fun and it  distracts me from mindless eating. Here are a few things I've been making. Let me know if anyone wants a tutorial on any of these.

 

First here is a Car Holder that I made for my friend's son, I also made one for my nephew but I forgot to take a picture of it.

This is how it looks when its all opened up. Four pockets for cars.

And how you fold it up...

And all folded up! (I forgot to snip some threads before taking pictures)

 

 

Here is KBeaner's new Tutu Skirt! She loves it and it was perfect for dance class.

 

 

Travel Size Tissue Holder

This one might be my favorite, I've already made about 7 of these in different fabrics for family and friends. I love it because I always need tissues for KBeaner when I'm out, but I hate having them thrown in my purse or pockets, and I refuse to buy those small packets of tissues, they're a waste of money! This way I can have a travel pack of them that is cute, and saves money!

 

 

Thanksgiving Day Game Plan

I've decided that if I make a game plan for Thanksgiving I'm less likely to over indulge. I'm excited yet nervous about all the delicious food that will be around.

So far here is my game plan...

First, I'll eat a healthy but filling breakfast. Probably Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal, that way I will be full but won't be using a ton of points.

I plan on drinking a lot of water through out the day and during the meal.

I will eat a ton of veggies and fruit, good for me and filling.  I'm making Roasted Green Bean "Fries" the only point is for the 1 teaspoon of olive oil and that would only be one point if you ate the whole batch. I don't plan on doing that since I have to share with my family, but they are so good that I probably could eat all of them. (I'll try to remember to take pics and make a recipe for it on here).

My Mom makes this amazing frozen pea salad, it has a lot of veggies but also mayo and cheese. I think I'm going to make a smaller size one for me where I can make a lighter version of the salad, and then I'll know the points for it as well.

I'm also bringing measuring cups to the table with me! I want to be able to eat what I want, but I also want to keep the serving sizes in check, it is a holiday but that's not a reason to over eat. This will probably be the first thanksgiving where I do not feel overly stuffed after the meal. I plan to feel happily full and satisfied.

Do you have a game plan yet? Either way, enjoy your thanksgiving!!

Weigh in ramble

Hey everyone! Sorry it’s been awhile, I was visiting family and friends the past week. 

Last Wednesday my weigh in went very well, 165 lbs! That’s another 2 pounds down!! Yesterday I weighed in and I maintained. Thank goodness, this past week I struggled with making positive food choices. Although I kept track of  everything I ate, I ate foods that weren’t the healthiest, I had way too many granola bars, I had burgers twice (my dad makes an amazing burger), and I didn’t eat enough  fruits and veggies. 

 

This past week was the first week that I ate every single one of my extra weekly points. Honestly I thought about just saying "screw it" on Tuesday night and eating over my extra points thankfully, I took a second to think about it and decided not to cheat!

I'm trying really hard to be on my "A" game this week, since next week is Thanksgiving.  It's lucky that my weigh in day is Wednesday so my extra weekly points starts over right before Thanksgiving. I'm going to make a post about my eating game plan in a few days, this way its out for everyone to see, and I can't back out of it and eat a bunch of stuffing... mmmm... ok back on track.

Last week I realized that I only have to lose 10 more pounds to have a normal/healthy BMI! 155 is the highest weight you can have and still be classified as having a normal/healthy BMI (for women my height and age). I honestly have no idea when I was last considered having a healthy and normal weight! I'm very excited for these next 10 pounds to come off. I realize the closer I get to my ideal weight (which I haven't decided the number yet) the harder it will be to lose weight. Even when I get to my ideal weight I know it will be hard to stay there, but I have committed myself to this lifestyle change, there is no going back!!

Thanks for reading my ramble!!

Here's a pic of me at 165lbs!!

Those are my new jeans... SIZE 10!!!!!

Halloween pics... a little late!

Sorry this is late, I just realized that I never put up pictures of KBeaner's Halloween costume!!

She was a mermaid! I made all of her costume (except for the onesie). The whole thing only cost $12!!

 

Showing off her costume! Notice that amazing trick or treat bag? My friend Julie made one for her daughter and KBeaner. So cute!

 

 

And here are our pumpkins! KBeaner is doing her "spooOOOooky" look!

 

Hope you all had a good Halloween!

Quick Workouts

The last few weeks I've been lazy at working out. These are my excuses...
My daughter was sick
Then I was sick
Then my back hurt.

Well I think my back started hurting because I was not being active enough. I've had sciatica issues on and off since 2004, since losing weight its been a lot better. I think it also helps that I'm much more active.

Anyways I started working out again on Saturday. Since I'm a (mostly) stay at home mom and my fiance works a lot I don't get to go to the gym. I mean I'm sure if I tried really hard I could figure out a way to go to the gym but I don't want to spend money on a sitter for KBeaner and I don't want to give up family time.  So since I don't go to the gym, and I'm not a runner, I use workout DVDs.

I'm lucky that I was given the Zumba DVDs as a present (I would have never bought them on my own, I'm too cheap). I also do  Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred, you can buy the individual DVDs for only $10 at Target. It gets really boring only doing a few different DVDs everyday though.

When I first started getting into working out again a friend of mine introduced me to Blogilates. A Pilates instructor, Cassey Ho, puts up different workouts onto Youtube (here is a direct link to her You Tube Channel) I love her videos because they aren't too long, challenging and most importantly fun! She has these fun song challenges my favorite is the Call Me Maybe Squat Challenge. The challenges are only as long as a song and like all her videos they are free. There is really no excuse not to workout, who cannot find 4 minutes here and 4 minutes there. If you do 5 of them a day that's 20 minutes of exercise! Even if you just do 4 minutes..that's 4 more minutes than you normally would have done!

I've only done the Blogilates videos and some from Live Strong Woman, but I'm sure there are tons of other workout programs that are available on YouTube.

I hope you check out some of those videos if you're feeling like you're in a workout rut or you're looking to start working out. They really helped me.