Wedding planning

I'm knee deep in wedding planning at this point. I have not gone full bridezilla yet, but we've got time for that. So far, we've booked our venue and I bought my dress - yes, I bought my dress over a year before the wedding. Two big things that could be super stressful, but were made very easy, luckily!

The dress

I bought my dress at David's Bridal. I had not heard the best things about the bridal shop, but decided to try it out because...budget, hello! 

I had perused online and added dresses to my "favorites". I had no idea what exactly I liked and disliked or even really what I was looking for. I just knew I wanted something romantic, strapless, and NOT white.

I walked in to the store with no expectations, because I had never tried on a wedding dress before. I mean this is my first engagement and marriage after all, ha! My stylist was really sweet and was there for everything that I needed. She helped me look at dresses and complete the wishlist I had started online and really gave me great pointers about what might look good on my body. I told her what I was looking for, which was very vague, but she was able to pull dresses that I had no idea that I would love. The first dress I tried on was the dress that I ended up choosing. I didn't know it would be that easy. I tried on a total of 8 dresses and I loved about three of them but I absolutely loved the first dress that I tried on. It was nothing I had imagined. First of all, it's very close to white - ivory. I know for many people that's a huge color difference, but to me, it looks just about the same. I wanted a more blush or champagne tone. Next, the bodice is "nude". It reminds me of something Pnina Tornai would design - just not so "designer". 

I ended up doing the whole "yes to the dress" thing with the tears and the "oohs" and "aahs" from the sidelines. It felt surreal, like the whole engagement. But it was such an amazing day and I was on a high all day from finding the dress. 

So now that I bought my dress, I cannot gain weight. Which I will not let happen, but ya know, life? I have 8 months to whip my booty in to shape before I start my dress alterations, which is a long time - now just to stick to something. I've got my workouts down thanks to my friend's mama-friendly boot camp Fit Mama Workouts right here in Omaha & virtual runs from Flex it Pink. The thing I struggle with (always have!) is my food. Food has historically been my foe, but thanks to some nutrition planning with an old friend (Max Muscle Metro) I do have a great place to start. Here goes to making better choices over the next 8 months (and beyond really!) and looking hot on my wedding day!

XO

C*

It's been forever...

It really has. I've been really busy just living life. I've had so much fun this summer with my son, my boyfriend, my family, and my friends. It has just really been amazing and eye-opening.
I've gotten to do fun things like watch toddler soccer games, go to the children's museum, celebrate my child's birthday, go swimming, travel, etc.
Now, I'm getting ready for myself and Cole to go to school. He starts pre-k NEXT week, you guys. I just don't know how I feel about that. As for me? Well, this semester is (hopefully!) the last of my undergrad. Um, yes. Crazy and unbelievable! I'm almost there, I've almost done it! Through tough times, rough relationships, single parenting, I'm ALMOST done. I never thought I could've gotten this far, honestly. But, here I am :)

Now on to why I started this blog. I really have wanted to get in to shape for a long time. I've always had a love hate relationship with working out, going to the gym, eating right, drinking water, etc. In high school, I was a big fan of running. About twice a week or so, my mom and I would go run a mile or two around a local high school track. It was fun, exhilarating, and enough exercise for me. After high school, I dabbled in "at-home" workouts, but I've realized that it doesn't really work for me. I like going to the gym now and I've recently started an affair with lifting. Now, I don't do as much cardio, but I am trying to incorporate it back in to my workout. I'm on week 3 of a bodybuilding.com program by fitness model Jamie Eason. It's super easy to follow and there are pictures and videos if you don't know how to do a workout. It's also really helped that my wonderful, awesome boyfriend comes to the gym with me every once in awhile. He really pushes me while lifting, even if I get annoyed cause I think I can't do it.
If you are wanting to start a fitness/weight loss journey, I recommend to research! Google, ask a personal trainer at your gym, ask a friend who frequents the gym, just ask, don't be afraid! It was hard for me to ask, but I'm finally getting more comfortable with it. I also really try to motivate myself any way I can. I follow instagram accounts like Flex It Pink, which is a female empowerment account that also makes fitness apparel. It's nice to see other people going through the same things as me, trying to be their best, their healthiest, it really motivates me. But ultimately, I have to seek within myself for the motivation and trust me, that's the most difficult. You can want something so bad, but never even do anything about it. That's where I've been stuck for too long. Now, I'm here. Making a weight loss calendar, sticking to a schedule, trying really hard to eat decently, etc. It's hard, but I'm done wishing, I want to be THERE. I'm super impatient, so it's been a rough 3 weeks not really feeling like I'm getting anywhere, but I know I just need to keep plugging along and I'll see results.
Follow me in my journey and share yours! Let's motivate each other! Follow me on insta and twitter and let's talk :)

Xo*
C

Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day!

Breakfast has ALWAYS been my hardest meal of the day. In fact, for the longest time, I just skipped it. Everyone tells you, "Breakfast is the most important of the day!" or, "Skipping breakfast will lead you to overeat all day!" and those are both true. Eating breakfast gives you energy for the rest of the day and can lead to a better control over maintaining your weight (or losing or gaining!). You also get better concentration and focus during the day and more strength and endurance for your workout! Those are some amazing benefits that a healthy breakfast can give you! The biggest reason I try to eat breakfast every day now, is that it helps me be less hungry throughout the day. If I get my good breakfast in, I'm full for longer, instead of wanting to graze all day before my next meal.

Read more about benefits of breakfast here!

So, I decided to start trying smoothies. They are quick and easy and a great breakfast for on the go. I'll admit, they are not my fav. Not because of the taste, both of the smoothies I've made so far are super good. Like very yum. But I'm a huge texture gal, and there's definitely some texture in there, especially if you have a shitty blender like I do.

The smoothie I made this morning had: 1 cup of kale, 1 cup of spinach, 1/2 of a banana, 1/2 cup of strawberries, 1/2 cup of mangoes, 3 oz. of vanilla greek yogurt, 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, and 1/2 scoop of protein powder. It comes out to about 400 calories in this smoothie packed with veggies, fruits, and protein!

I find all of the smoothie recipes on pinterest! Check it out and tell me how you like to smoothie! :)

XO,
C*

Victories- on and off the scale

So, this week, I decided I really needed to get back on track. Since I joined the gym and did boot camp, I haven't stayed working out or eating well for more than 2 weeks. I'd start and then something would happen: I went to Colorado for a weekend, ate like shit, and then came back and ate the same way! I keep falling off the bandwagon!

Then I keep seeing people who have lost massive amounts of weight, in the 100s you know, and I'm like, if they can do it so can I!

But it is hard. So anyway, I premade my dinners for this week (skinny taco chicken chili) and ate light at work (since I've been at work everyday during lunch, I ate grilled shrimp skewers or a cup of lobster bisque) and my snacks have mostly been light as well. But if you know me, you know snacking is my downfall, so it wasn't the best of the best (check out my diary on myfitnesspal, you'll see!) and although I could've done better overall, I lost 3 lbs this week. Not bad right? Although that's not much from what I have weighed, I haven't actually been 143 since early 2013. So here I am..a year later.. 

Besides my better eating habits, I went to the gym 2x. I need to make it more often! And if anyone that reads this goes to good life fitness and wants to be my gym/boot camp buddy, let me know!!!!

So anyway, one more thing. I also had a non scale victory yesterday. My son decided he didn't want the same dinner we'd been having for the last 3 days and asked for Mac and cheese. Fine, but I didn't want to make a big pot for just him, cause it'd go to waste. So after boot camp yesterday, I stopped by KFC which has small sides of Mac and cheese, perfect for my little man. I was so tempted to get the mashed potato bowl or a Pepsi, but decided that I had food and water at home! Um, yay!! ;)

Xo,

C