Once again I have set a new goal and am on another journey. This time I am sticking with it! I hope...

Once again my mind has said "Nikki, get off your lazy ass and get going."  I wish my mind and body would both cooperate with each other.  I had some medical issues for a few months.  Nothing too major, it is better now.  Over that time I realized that what I was putting into my body and how I was just sitting on my couch was affecting the way I lived and felt.  

This week, after feeling that post holiday bloating feeling, I decided that it is officially time to change.   When I met with my Dr. a couple of weeks ago we talked about some healthy eating habits.  She hates the word "diet" and refuses to use it.  She instead uses the phrase "healthy eating".  Same thing just doesn't sound as horrible as "diet".  When I met with her she gave me a few tips that I have been trying to follow.  One of them was to try and eat one fruit of vegetable from every color of the rainbow each day.  Sounds hard right?  NOT.  I started this week with this.  I went to the grocery store and loaded up on colorful fruits and vegetables.  I took a risk and bought a sweet potato.  I have never cooked my own sweet potato, but I have had sweet potato fries and thoroughly enjoyed them.  When I was younger I never liked sweet potatoes, so I have just stayed away from them unless they were fried.  So on Tuesday I chopped up my sweet potato into cubes, lined a baking sheet with tin foil ( I always use tin foil on my baking sheets.... easier to clean :)), drizzled a little olive over them, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and placed it into a 375* oven for 30 minutes (flipping them over about half way through).  Once they came out of the oven I put about a teaspoon of butter over them while they were still warm.  OMG!!! THEY WERE DELICIOUS AND IT MADE A TON!  They were delicious and I had some left over to bring for my lunch today.  I have to admit it, I have been converted! I love potatoes, but know how there is not too much nutrition in them.  I mean they are not horrible, but there are better options.  Next I want to try to mash them! Everyone says I make the best mashed potatoes, let's see if they have the same reaction when I make sweet potatoes. 

OK, now I went off on a little sweet potato tangent there.  Sorry... we all need a little sweetness in our life though right?  What I really wanted to talk about in this blog is my new goal/challenge.  Running a 5K.  Yes, my fat ass did just say "RUNNING".  I've always kind of wanted to run, and I have seen so many people doing these couch to 5K's, and I know that interval work outs are great for weight loss.  I have done two days of the workout so far.  The first day I was at my parents' house, so I used their treadmill.  I was so impressed with myself.  I did the whole workout without cutting anytime off, and I was still able to hop on the elliptical for 20 minutes when I was done!  The second workout I did yesterday.  Since I don't have a treadmill at my house, I went outside.  HOLY CRAP!  I don't know what it was yesterday, but I had to cut back on my running time.  I don't know if it was the difference between running outside or running inside, but man was I dying.  I didn't quit, I just altered.  Instead of do intervals of walking 90 seconds and running for a minute, I did intervals of walking for 2 minutes and running for 30 seconds.  Doing that I finished the workout and so pumped to be done with day two and still be able to walk today!! Tomorrow will be day 3, and that is usually the hardest.  I will let you know how it goes!

Day One= Success.... Kind of....

Day one to me is always the hardest.  It is putting to action what your mind has been saying you should do. Yesterday I thought went.... OK.  I took my dog for a 45 minute walk, and considering the fact that I haven't really worked out much in almost a year, I was pretty pleased with that.  It felt great getting out there and walking, as well as, knowing that I am still in some sort of shape.  Yes, you can still be a fatty and be in shape... You're just round! LOL

So I worked out, and I don't really remember sitting on the couch watching much TV at all! I think I only watched about an hour, which is a huge feat for me.  The food choices were not so great, although I did use a little better portion control.  Currently I am unable to use my kitchen sink, and my bathroom because of  a plumbing problem.  So I was not going to make a big fuss over dinner last night.  I threw in a frozen pizza.  Bad I know, but where as I would normally eat almost the whole pizza, I only ate two pieces.  To my surprise I was satisfied.  I wasn't stuffed, but I didn't go to bed hungry either.  I think the key to my success will be finding the balance to feeling satisfied and feeling stuffed. 

I forgot my lunch for work today.  I was going to make a salad, so instead of going out and getting Mc Donalds or Burger King like I used to (although they both sound amazing right now as I am hearing my tummy growl) I think I am going to hit up Subway for a nice refreshing sub! Tonight I am going to try and pull a double workout.  When I get home I am going to once again start my Biggest Loser workout DVD and later take Reezy for a walk.  Let me tell you that DVD is amazing.  You don't feel it while you are working out, but the next day you won't be able to walk! I love that feeling! Even though it hurts like hell, it is a good hurt.  A hurt that you know you are doing something right for yourself! I am also going to go join the gym tonight and hopefully either Wednesday or Thursday I can start my swimming workouts at 5:30 A.M.  I still think I am nuts but we will see how it goes!

Name Change

I decided to change the name of my blog.  Although I really loved the previous title, Fashionable Fatty is more me! I am a fashion loving fatty with the hopes of losing weight and becoming more and more fashionable.  Stay tuned for my fashion and weight loss tips!!!

Your's Truly
~Fashionable Fatty~

Third Times a Charm?

Well once again, it has been about 9 months since I have blogged.  I guess I haven't gotten the hang of this blogging thing yet.  Maybe the third time will be the charm.  I also haven't been having success in living my best life. But maybe the third time is the charm for that too. 

Like last this year, this year has been full of surprises and wonderful things.  My brother and his wife welcomed thier first child in May and bought their first home in September. Noah Salvatore has been the greatest blessing our family could ever ask for.  He is the sweetest little baby and of course I love him to pieces.  I could go on about Noah all day, but I will save you from a massive blog entry. My brother's house is amazing!  While my older brother is getting adapted to the family life and being a homeowner, my little brother is getting to know what the city life, and wedding planning life is like.  While on vacation to Puerto Rico this summer my younger brother proposed to his girlfriend of nearly five years.  Brooke has been such an awesome addition to our family, and really I couldn't imagine our family without her.  Even before he proposed, I always knew that she would be not only one of my best friends, but my sister.  My mom and dad are finally completely empty-nesters, and I think they are enjoying the time they have with just the two of them.

 As for me, I have turned 25 ( a quater of a century), and I am not going to lie, it has kind of creeped me out being this old.  I don't know what I will be like when I turn 30.  I have gotten a dog! Reezy Fred (yes, after Ryan Lochte and Michael Fred Phelps hehe) has been the best dog I could ever ask for.  I picked him up from the humaine society in March and our bond gets closer and closer each day.  My career has brought me to a new town, new job, new home, and new adventure in life. I am teaching 6th grade at a Catholic school, and living in an apartment above my brother's garage.  Sounds glamorous right?  Well, the apartment is pretty amazing and I am really enjoying my job, and living 10 feet from my nephew.  

I have not been living my best life, and it has been showing.  Today I woke up and said to myself that today is the day that my life is going to change forever.  The cookie dough is out of the freezer, the chips have been thrown from the cupboard, and the mac and cheese has been given to my sister-in-law! It's beyond time to change my life around.  I want to be here to see every part of my nephew's life.  I want to take him to the park and play basketball with him.  I want to meet the man of my dreams and start my own family.  How am I supposed to find a man that is happy with me if I am not happy with myself.  Being happy with myself starts with being healthy.  And that journey to a healthy, happy life starts now!

 I have been in deliberation about joining the gym in town.  I have an eliptical and my family's clinic has a gym within the clinic, but I want to start swimming in the mornings.  The gym membership just seems so much, and with all of my bills and my trip to Olympic Trials this summer, I am wondering if I can afford the $60 a month to join.  I have been thinking about it for a while. My thought process has brought me to this conclusion... $60 a month is nothing compared to the importance of my health and hapiness.  So.... looks like I will be waking myself up at 5:30 every morning and hitting the pool!  Am I crazy?? YES, but hopefully the crazy will pay off and in the end I will be happier than ever!! I'll let you know how it goes waking up at 5:30. I am totally not a morning person and 6:30 has been bad enough, but 5:30... YIKES!!! I will just keep telling myself it will be worth it in the end, and being tired will be nothing compared to the way I am goign to feel when I am thinner! So here is to a new chapter in my life and a new journey that WILL work this time!

Am I living my best life?

Wow I cannot remember the last time I posted a blog. So much has happened this year and it has made me sit back and think about my life and what I want out of it. I came to the conclusion that I want more out of life than what I am getting now. I have a great life don't get me wrong. I have loved everything that has happened in my life and wouldn't change it for the world, but I still want more.

This past year my brother has met the woman of his dreams, gotten married, and now is going to be a father. I look at how quickly his life has changed, and honestly I am a little jealous of him. I want to meet the man of my dreams, fall in love, and start a family. Those of you who know me well know that, that is something I have always wanted. Don't get me wrong. I am so happy for him and I love his wife to death. It feels like she has always been a part of our family, and they are completely happy together. I just wish that I had that. In the back of my mind I think to myself "who is going to fall in love with you looking like the way you do?" OK I know, I know, that is not true, but that's how I feel sometimes. But I also think me thinking that in part motivates me. It motivates me to live my best life. It makes me sit back and think... "am I living my best life?" Let me answer that.... NO I'M NOT. That is why it is time to change the way I live. So you are all my witnesses to my vow to live my best life.

This morning I woke up feeling tired, bloated, and just plain GROSS. (I have been feeling that way for a while now) I know why it is I have been feeling this way. I haven't been working out, I haven't been eating right, and I haven't been taking care of ME! Well it's time I took care of me. I know I can do it. I have done it before, but I fell off the deep end. This morning I dug myself out of that hole, crawled out of bed, and got on the elliptical. I had forgotten how much I really do enjoy working out and how much better I feel when I do. I have so much more energy and I just feel so much better about myself. It was an hour out of my day. AN HOUR. An hour that made me feel SO much better. So why am I being so lazy? Why am I not living my best life? Why am I not working out? Honestly I don't know. So why not do something about it. Well I think I just might. Today I felt so great after getting off the elliptical. It's time. It's actually beyond time. I am excited to get back into the swing of things and have some sort of routine in my life. I feel so much better and in the end I will be so much happier. From now on I am going to try and update this blog with tips and take you on my journey to my best life!

FAIL

OK so my first goal is probably not going to be met :( I have been great about working out at least 5 times a week, but the food is still an issue. First off I have found a new love of coffee and Starbucks... OK so I always loved Starbucks, but I always got tea not coffee. Well, thanks to my co-worked John I am now addicted to coffee and Starbucks. Of course, I always have to get the whipped cream and who gets a skinny drink? I mean really who likes skim milk. I am still experimenting with coffee... I don't want milk flavored water in there! LOL I have lost about 10lbs and I think I am gaining muscle, but it is not the result that I have wanted so far because I feel I have partially failed. I got the workout stuff down, but the diet.... NOT SO MUCH. I also have not been taking my medication like I should, which affects my metabolism. I think it is just really hard right now with work and school and living with my cousin. I feel like I am constantly eating out of a bag or a box (box being lean cuisines or whatever I find in the freezer section in Target and bag being whatever I decide to grab for lunch as I am running between class workout and work) and that is not healthy. Once I move in with my brother I feel the diet part will get a lot easier. I will be able to go grocery shopping for my own stuff and NOT eat out of a box or bag. Also once I move in with my brother in end of February I am going to go on a no dairy diet. Over the past year or two I have some weird reaction to milk that makes me ears hurt like a bitch... Wait that means no Starbucks :( :( Well I can treat myself every once in a while or get soy!! HAHA But anyways I think starting that way will be a great help to me. I also need to get a membership to the gym once I move in with my brother. I think I am going to start swimming once I move there. Here I don't have a membership to the Y and I wish I did so I could use swimming as a cool down to my workout. I do have a membership to a gym but it doesn't have a pool :(

Goals, Goals, Goals!!!

As I stated in my last blog, I am not making new years resolutions this year. Instead I am setting goals! I know I said that my goals were going to stay on the inside, but I think it is time let them out! I am setting goals for myself. I have silly goals like keeping my nails manicured at all times, wearing my glasses more so I can get contacts before my trip to California, and getting my first tattoo. But I also have serious goals. A goal to lose at least 20lbs before my birthday, shop less and save more, and my ultimate goal of losing 80lbs before California. In order to get to that ultimate goal I am going to set smaller goals as milestones to get to that goal. My dad has always taught us that setting goals are important in life, but meeting those goals is even more important. "You miss 100% of shots you don't take", well you also don't meet 100% of goals you don't set. I set my goals high and hope to reach them. As Michael Fred would say "The more you dream the further you get!" (did you really think i was going to make it through a blog without mentioning a swimmer?? HA that wont happen!) So I am going to set my goals high, but I am also going to reach my goals. If I reach my goals I will give myself a reward, if not, there will be consequences. It is time to get back into. I felt so much better last year when I was working out every day. I not only felt better physically, but I also felt better about myself. It is time to get off my ass and get on the eliptical!! Set my goals high and reach those goals!!!!