Plus Size Maxi Dresses

Old Navy

As I'm getting ready for work everyday I can't stop thinking about Maxi dresses.  A maxi dress is so easy to wear, can be flattering and makes you look like you really pulled yourself together but its such an easy and affordable look. 

Old Navy has some pretty, casual dresses that are really affordable.  The ones above are great for the beach or pool and the bottom row are acceptable for my workplace. 







ASOS  Is very affordable too and has some really cute plus size dresses.  I love the first large floral print dress but I'm not sure how it will look on or what type of bra to wear.  I think I may buy it anyway even if I just wear it to the beach/pool or with a cardigan. 

Modcloth has such a great selection of plus size clothes.  Apparently, I really like their blue maxi dresses.  I think the blue dress with the Tulle on the bottom would work really well for a wedding or another more formal affair.   Isn't that Bohemian dress so cute.  I think I need that one too.

Spanx and a maxi dress and I'm ready to go. 

Whole30- Day 1

So Day 1 was OK.  I'm not going to lie, sometimes it was hard and I really wanted a Diet Coke and a candy bar.  Just a little bit of chocolate is OK right?  No, I know it's not.  I really wasn't hungry though, just craving certain things. 

I did felt kind of bloated throughout the day which kind of surprised me, probably all the vegetables.  Also, I had a headache which I am sure is from the lack of caffeine.  I even woke up with a headache, a dull sort of headache.

The other problem I am having is figuring our what to eat.  I realized I am not a huge fan of vegetables or even protein which may be exactly why I am overweight. 

The Whole30 book suggest no snacking if you can, so basically 3 meals a day so I tried to follow that today.

Breakfast  -  Banana and mixed nuts

Lunch-  A big salad with chicken, vegetables and sunflower seeds with olive oil and balsamic vinegar as dressing.

Dinner- I forgot to take a picture but I baked salmon with just olive oil and some dried herbs.  I also had some steamed carrots. 

I may be eating too many nuts/seeds but at least I am following the plan.  Only 29 days to go.

My Diet Coke replacement.

Whole30

So I decided to try the Whole30 approach to food for the next 30 days.  I was reading this book and I realized I needed to do something kind of drastic from my normal.  My normal is to start each day with a glass of water, because of medication, and then move on to 2-3 Diet cokes.  Sometimes I eat breakfast, a bagel with peanut butter or a Kit Kat, sometimes I don't.  What I have come to realize is I then spend a lot of my day fighting my cravings for more sugar and more carbs because of the way I start my day. 

 

I think following the Whole30 food plan is going to be very difficult for me but so worth it.  I need to get to know my body again.  I need to know how food affects my body and clean out my system of the crap I eat and drink. 

 

I am not a good planner and I am not an organized person so this will be a huge challenge for me but again it causes me to think about the food I put into my mouth and I need to do that. 

 

You can not weigh yourself for the whole 30 days which is going to be another challenge to this food plan.

So my beginning weight is 314.2, and above is a few before pictures.  I don't expect any big changes hopefully I will lose some weight and my clothes will be a little less tight.  My ultimate goal is to make lasting changes to my eating habits. 

 

Goodbye Cabernet Sauvignon and Diet Coke, I will miss you. 

Motivation

Motivation is the driving force that causes the flux from desire to will in life.

I saw this definition of motivation and I kept reading it over and over again wondering what is that thing, driving force, that makes us go from from the desire to succeed to the will to succeed? 

I think I have a desire to lose weight for so many reasons, to look good, to feel good, to fit into cute clothes (and tall Frye boots), to be healthy and to have something to blog about.  However, I keep wondering how do I turn these desires into will?  What is it for me that will give me the will to be successful instead of just the desire? 

Having the will to succeed to me means seeing the big picture, the long term goal and not giving in to instant gratification.  Losing weight and feeling better is such a slow process that it is far easier to give into that chocolate or the nap on the coach as apposed to the workout. 

Losing weight takes so effort, it's hard.  It's hard to prepare the right foods.  It's hard to find time to exercise.  It's hard to focus on yourself and your own needs. 

I have 200 days until I am supposed to going to compete in a half marathon.  I don't know how I am going to do it.  I am scared as hell to go out there and do it and I am scared as hell I am going to give up on this goal. 

I need to find my will, my thing that will push me from desire to will.  I'm hoping that thing is running.  I'm hoping my desire to be a runner, very slow but a runner, is that thing that will give me the will to keep going.   I just need to have the patience and accept that sometimes delayed gratification is worth the wait.  Once I get to the point where I am physically capable of running I hope my will will become stronger and stronger. 

 

Good Friday, Good Friday!

It's been a great day.  It's finally beginning to feel like Spring here and with it comes these feelings of hope and renewal.  Life has been so crazy lately and I am finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm excited and hopeful I will begin to have more time to focus on getting healthy, working on myself, physically and mentally, and writing all about here.

My current weight is 311.7 and my exercise has been erratic.

I was feeling less than motivated lately and felt like I needed something to look forward too, something to propel me in the direction I want to go toward.  So I signed up for the Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Half Marathon.  

I honestly can't believe I signed up of a half marathon.  I have to be able to run 13.1 miles at a less than 16 minute per mile pace.   Right now I can walk about 4 miles at the most and average a 17 to 18 minute pace per mile.   I've always wanted to run a Disney run but I've always been to scared to commit.  However, I did it, I signed up, spent too much money on it and now I have to start training. Wish me luck I about 200 days to train.

Here's to spring, here's to new beginning and here's to creating the girl I've always wanted to be.

My Life To Do List

1.  Stop Smoking   -  Ugh, yes I smoke, a closet smoker literally.  I sneak in my bathroom two to three times a day and have a cigarette.  I try to hide it from my children, I'm ashamed, I don't want them to think it's OK.  Also, I feel like it keeps my metabolism up, stupid I know.

            *  Last day I smoked 11/17/13

2.  Exercise Regularly-  I need to exercise 3 to 4 times a week, this not only helps me control my weight but it nourishes me both mentally and physically.  I need to move in order to feel strong and aware of my body.  Also, it clears my head.

3.  Eat Healthy - To me this means listening to my body. What food is helping lose weight?  What food makes me feel energized?  What food upsets my stomach or makes how much food makes me feel uncomfortable? This just means constant awareness of what I eat and how I feel after eating it. 

4.  Financial Freedom  - I have been working on this quite a bit lately.  I have been attending a Financial Peace University class and as a result I realized I can not afford my house anymore now that I am a single parent.  So I put my house on the market about 4 weeks ago and it sold in about 2 weeks.  It sold quickly and I got a great cash offer, I guess it was meant to be.  I kind of feel like everything is working out the way it was meant to be.  The kids and I are kind of sad.  I thought I would spend Christmas' there with my  grandchildren but it it too much for me to physically or financially take care of.  Also, I can't keep working 50 hours a week and still be broke because it just isn't enough income. 

This is a lot to handle all at once but I feel like when things are going right in one area of your life you can gain momentum for other areas. 

Work In Progress

I have been thinking about this for awhile, that I need to organize my life and my goals for improvement.  I truly believe that we are always a work in progress.  Sometimes I strive for perfection but I know there is no such thing and striving for it just causes disappointment which leads to more failure.  The circle of my old life. 

Because life is a living, breathing work of art, you are a painting as you go. Be a masterpiece. Drink in life. Laugh too loud. Compliment others constantly.

— Nicole Johnson

Then surprise, I opened my email and this was my inspirational quote for today.  So appropriate for how I feel today.  There are so many things in my life I need to work on right now.  I used to take the approach one thing at a time but I decided that isn't right for me anymore.  I think if you are disciplined in one area of your life it can spread to other areas.  I'm hoping anyway.  I also think that if you are struggling in one area of your life it's alright because you may be succeeding in other areas, which inturn spread positive energy through out your life.  I decided to make a list of all the things that need improvement in my life.  Who do I want to be?  What do I want my life to look like?