Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Garden that is Life

I posted on my Facebook status the other day: "The grass isn't greener on the other side, it's greener where you water it." It made me smile just how many people took the time to like it.

Everyone has experienced the "Grass is Greener Syndrome" at least one time in their life. In a world that is advancing everyday, we are presented with so many choices of how we want to spend our time. 50 years ago, our grandmothers were probably giving birth to litters of children and spending a great deal of their lives at home while their husbands worked from dusk til dawn. These days, we can google just about anything and open businesses that serve clients all across the globe. We can make travel arrangements through one simple website and get masters degrees without ever having to leave the house. It's amazing, really.

But with all these choices to make and all these new avenues to explore, it's easy to get restless. We can't be content with what we have because we're always wondering about the next big thing. We get the feeling that we're not doing enough with ourselves and if we're not out there living a hugely impactful life, we're failing. We consistently imagine that someone out there is enjoying life more than we are because their choices are allowing them to live a more fulfilling life.
Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda. If our grandmothers had that attitude, it seriously could've put our very existence in jeopardy.

So, when I heard the lyric above on the new Justin Bieber CD (courtesy of Big Sean on "As Long as you Love Me" and yes, I like Justin Bieber), I thought "That is SO true!"

Yes yes, we always come up with excuses for ourselves as to why we long for a different life. I used to do that all the time. I would tell myself "I should've gone to graduate school " "I should've taken more time to travel" "I wish I could still party with all my friends" "I should've saved more money". And on top of that, I'd get jealous of all these people who ended up being doctors or took a year break from school to travel the world.

BUT THEN, I finally talked to one of these people that I was so jealous of. My good friend who is now a doctor told me that she wished she didn't sacrifice her relationship with her boyfriend to go to medical school abroad because now she is almost 30 and is still alone. She told me how she would look at MY pictures and be jealous of ME.  How crazy is that?! It really put things into perspective.

So now, when it comes to "gardening" my life, I know I had to trim things here and there to make room for the more beautiful flowers. Negativity, dwelling on the past, and wishful thinking were just weeds. They hindered the beauty of my now awesome garden. So, after much thought and further examination of my situation, I came up with some reasons why I love my life just the way it is:

- I love that we are young parents. It means that when we're 40, we can travel the world together while our grown-ass children secretly throw parties at home.

- Being married means no more complications. No more "who breaks down and calls first to say sorry" game because there ain't no way in hell he's going anywhere without me knowing since all of our accounts are linked together.

- I got a my bachelor's degree and I'm proud of myself for that.  College was one of the best times of my life and I made a lot of amazing friends. There will always be time for more education. It's never too late. But for now, I have an amazing job that gives me the flexibilty to do what I want (like write in my blog).

- Money didn't buy my happiness. Taking all those trips and eating all that amazing food did. A lifetime of memories was SO worth it. (Creditors, please consult me before stealing this for one of your commercials.)

So, that's me revelling in my life and all it's glory. Try it sometime. Write down what you're unhappy with at the moment and evaluate it thoroughly. You may find that your life is more fulfilling than you think.

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Life today.

I can't emphasize enough how FAST time has flown by. This year is just about halfway done and it feels like only yesterday when we celebrated Rosalie's first birthday on New Year's Day.

I've been trying to remind myself to live life one day at a time but sometimes, I just get too ahead of myself. Our weekends get filled up pretty quickly and things always come up here and there. Our precious time is constantly slipping through our fingers. I haven't even been able to write a post in so long so here I am, pushing myself to update more often.

Life at home is going great. We're really trying to focus our energy on ironing things out this year so we can be ready to buy our first home sometime in 2013. We're just enjoying each day, trying to fit in school, work, family, love, kids, and friendships. I'm surprised by how well we've managed. I love how in our relationship, we have an understanding of what our priorities should be. In fact, I'm starting to see more now how important that little fact is in a marriage. Making sure that your priorities are aligned will save you from A LOT of headaches.

Rosalie is growing so fast, and like I always say, she's such a joy. We just started "My Baby Can Read" and it feels like such an accomplishment when we see it working! Her little mind is developing so quickly and her mimicking our every move reminds me just how careful I have to be with my actions now that I'm a mom. There's seriously nothing better than hearing her say "mama" and "daddy" and actually knowing what that means! I don't want to promote a "clingy" behavior, but how can I resist when I know that all this beautiful child wants is me? Motherhood gets better each day. I try to take as many pictures as I can so I can remember these precious moments. I've seriously been thinking about writing her letters like in that Google Chrome commercial with the little Asian girl that always makes me cry just so she knows how crazy I am about her. And when she's a rebellious teenager, she'll read the letters and realize why her parents are so paranoid about her going out with her friends without us (lol).

As for my weight loss journey, it is never-ending. Just before Vegas on my May 5 deadline (which I totally forgot to write about), I was 116.5 pounds! 115 was my goal and I got pretty close, so I'm happy about that. Now my main goal is to tone up and continue to strive for healthy weight loss. I started working with a personal trainer twice a week, and she really pushes me to my limit, especially because I'm not used to lifting weights. It feels like I'm constantly sore and I never really heal from our last session before she decides to rip me a new one. But honestly, I'm loving it! I love seeing the changes in my body. I've never felt stronger. It helps that she has given me very specific goals, but the main one is to get my body fat percentage down by 4% and to keep my weight under 118. I'm not so concerned with the scale anymore, but more with how I feel and look. I'm really glad though that I finally took the initiative to lose the baby weight. It was one of the best decisions I've made this year!

Well, half a year left and so much has happened already. Wonder what could be next?


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

2 Years Married

Today is our 2 year anniversary. (Applause) Can't really say that it's much of a feat because honestly, it's been easy. It's easy loving this man and spending my life with him. What can I say that I haven't said already? There are so many ways to tell you how amazing he is. So I'll just take this time to tell you how this past year has changed me.

What I've learned:
1) Stay Hungry.
Sometimes you are so happy with your life that you become content. And in some ways contentment can lead to boredom. And boredom, well, can lead to a lot of other things. I've learned that it's important to always keep strategizing your future together. Right now, we are in this happy little routine where we know exactly who does what and what goes where, etc.  Rosalie is 16 months old now and as fun as ever. We are very much enjoying our time with her and our time together. We could easily say we are happy with where we are but where does that lead us?
When we were dating, Anthony always told me that relationships are like rollercoasters. They go up and down and in order to keep the ride interesting, you HAD to throw an uphill in there. Some kind of struggle or accomplishment that you'd go through and strive to overcome together.  Whenever we hit a downhill, he always did his best to keep things interesting. And for that, I love him. First we bought a dog, then we got engaged, then we had a baby..well you get the point. It keeps our relationship interesting and our eyes focused on the prize. At the end of the rollercoaster, you want your hair to be messed up and your underarms sweaty so you can look back and say "WHOA. Best ride ever!"

2) A good relationship involves two really great forgivers.
Couples fight. Fights are an essential part of your relationship. When you're married, a whole new genre of fighting comes into your lives. What do I mean by that? Well, when we were in college, jealousy plagued our relationship. But now, most of our jealousy issues have completely gone away. No longer do the days exist when we fight about "the girl in the picture who's arm is wrapped around you a little too tightly".
NOW we fight about things that actually make sense and that have meaning in our lives. Is this a good thing? No. We don't fight often, but when we do, it's actually a lot more painful and more aggressive because fighting only take place when deep rooted issues come out to bite us in the ass. Now, our fights involve arguments that are a matter of our well being, such as finance and decisions about the future of our family.
When you're married, your tolerance and forgiving nature must increase ten fold. Not only do you have to learn to forgive whatever that other person says in the heat of an argument, but you must be patient enough to not throw the word "divorce" out there whenever you hit a block in the road (something I've had to learn that hard way). Obviously, you will make mistakes and so will your partner, but it's really about learning to move past things quickly and not holding grudges because the last thing you want in your relationship is something holding you back from true happiness. You did promise to be with them forever.

3) Keep finding things in common.
Just because you're married, doesn't mean that you're not always changing. I find myself always looking for new hobbies and suddenly disliking things that I once adored. I used to be a huge fan of reality television, and now I'm so sick of it that I could slap Kim Kardashian's pretty little face. People are always growing and changing, which is why you always have to find a way to keep each other entertained. You must learn to humor the other person. He doesn't like every show that I do, but he's learned to love all the housewives on Wisteria lane just because that's what I do every Sunday night. I'm not particulary a big fan of the Miami Heat, but sure, I'll root for them too because it makes him happy whenever they win. Give and take. It's the only way you'll keep enjoying spending time together.

4) Keep looking at the big picture.
From the moment you say "I do", you'll have to sacrifice a lot to make it work. Sometimes the sacrifices are small and other times, they're really really big. I've never been asked to leave my comfort zone so many times except since we've been married. We've both had to suffer a little bit to get us to where we want to be. It's easy to forget sometimes what you're doing it for, which is why you have to remember to look at the bigger picture. So whether it's living at one of your parents' house for a little bit to save for a house, or working a little more hours so your spouse can find a new job, be supportive. There will always be huge decisions to make. Choose the one where it benefits your entire family, even if it means being "uncomfortable" for the time being. Take it all in stride. Give 100% of yourself if you know that it is what's best for everyone in the end.

Well, what can I say? It's been a progressive, exciting, and amazing year and I'm learning more and more as we go. Being married isn't all rainbows and butterflies. It really is hard work. But trust me, when you find the person that's worth doing it for, all of it just becomes a lesson in the road of life. You always need the bad times to appreciate the good.

I am forever grateful for the blessing in my life that is my husband. Two years into it and I've learned more about myself than I ever did in my whole adolescent life. Today isn't an anniversary. It's a freakin' celebration! So happy anniversary babe, I love you with all my heart and soul. May God continue to bless us with health, happiness, and beautiful children who carry the attributes of their amazing father.

Us. <3



Monday, March 5, 2012

Progress Shots

DISCLAIMER: Viewer discretion is advised!

I know I promised before and after pictures IF and ONLY IF I was seeing progress. I've been taking progress shots practically every week and honestly, it's what keeps me going. When this year started, I was seriously to the point of disgust when I would look at myself in the mirror. As the days go on and the pictures start getting easier to bear, I work harder and harder knowing that I'm getting closer to my goal weight and my goal body.

If I could give any piece of advice, I would say to definitely take progress shots of your self at least every 2 weeks. Whether or not you are happy with the results, let it motivate you to keep working harder so you can finally see the results you want.

So, even though I am completely embarrassed to show these, I continue to hope that sharing my struggles and triumphs will keep me motivated, and strike a chord in some of you as well. Because no matter where you're starting, it's always possible to reach your goal!


Day 1 Shot
January 1, 2012
Day 60
March 5, 2012
Yes, believe it or not, that is all me. The first picture is just...wow. No photoshop, although I did make some adjustments to the lighting to try to match the photos a bit better. Even though I've probably only lost about 8 pounds, I can definitely see that my midsection is getting more toned and I've dropped a lot of the fat. The area that I've noticed the most change in is my butt, but obviously, I won't post a picture of that (lol). 
I only hope that I can keep improving from here. I'm not exactly where I want to be yet, I still have a lot of body fat and would like to tone up a bit more. I really have to start lifting more weights. Lifting might mean that I'll gain a few pounds, but if that equals better pictures..then sure, why not ;)

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Making March Count

I felt so motivated in January to get back on track towards a healthier lifestyle, and when I finally started shedding some pounds I cut myself a little more slack in February which was not good. I weighed in this morning at 122 pounds. Only 2.5 pounds lighter than I was at the end of January. I didn't reach my goal of weighing 120 by March and for that, I'm putting myself into overdrive mode.

For the next couple months, I'm going to live and dine by these 5 golden rules (courtesy of Precision Nutrition):

1) Eat Less Calories
2) Increase Protein
3) Decrease Crabs
4) Increase vegetable intake
5) Replace bad fats with good ones

I am definitely proud of myself for making the scale go down instead of up. And I am happy to say that I've stuck to my exercising at least 4 times a week goal. But can I get more serious about losing fat? YES! We just bought a weight set to add to our fitness tools so time to throw some extra strength training into my routine.
Here are a few motivating quotes that have helped me:
  • Strive for progress, not perfection.
  • Energy and persistance conquer all things -Benjamin Franklin
  • The first wealth is health. - Emerson
  • Our health always seems much more valuable after we lose it. – Unknown
  • The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win. – Roger Bannister
  • Mental attitude is more important than mental capacity. – Walter Dill Scott

If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. – Bruce Lee


Time to restock my fridge and exercise myself to a lighter, leaner me.

Here we go!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Progress!

It's been almost a month since I last wrote about how motivated I am to lose weight. It's been a bit of a challenge to stick to my diet and exercise plans, especially with all the birthday celebrations that usually happen around this time of the year, but luckily, I am seeing some progress.
 
I've been surfing the web and talking to many of my health conscious friends and realized that a lot of my past choices were hindering my weight loss efforts instead of helping them (i.e. lean cuisines, oatmeal packets, energy bars). One of my excuses for not losing weight is that I am always on the go, and my food choices are made based off of convenience and unfortunately, these choices haven't had much nutritional value. So, for the past month, I've really focused on making fresher, more natural food choices and I've really started to notice a difference.
 
 
For example, I've traded my oatmeal packets for real steel cut oats with no sugar added. I've also upped my fruit and vegetable intake by sneaking them into my meals to add flavor (like blueberries for my oatmeal). I've also cut down on carbs (no more white rice) and have completely eliminated fried foods. I still treat myself to a good hamburger maybe once a week, but sub the fries out for a salad or soup instead.
 
With a combination of those restrictions and an added 5 days of exercise a week, I've lost 4 pounds so far. My first weight in I was about 128.6 pounds. This morning I was 124.2 pounds. I've also lost about an inch off of my waistline and butt. My arms and thighs have lost almost half an inch. My clothes definitely feel loose, but not enough to go out and by myself smaller sizes!
I started this plan off doing Insanity, but I found myself being really exhausted and hating life. I don't think my body was quite ready for that kind of intensity yet, so I switched Insanity out for Zumba and I love it. I feel like it's just the right amount of cardio for me and it really works out my core which is my main problem area. Probably after another few weeks of this and jogging, I will try my luck with Insanity again to help myself tone up.
 
There are also a bunch of supplements and extra vitamins that I feel have sped up my weight loss ever since I started taking them but since this post is getting kind of long, you can contact me if you're interested in knowing more about that.
 
I am 9 pounds away from my goal and I know that those will be the hardest to lose. I just HAVE to keep going so I can say I did it and finally be happy with myself! I have exactly 100 days until my May 5 deadline....
 
WISH ME LUCK!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Time to revamp!!

I've spent a good amount of time talking about how much I want to lose this baby weight. Well, it's been one year now and here I am, still 10 lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight. I've been in a workout and diet rut ever since my birthday back on Oct. 28 and it's been so hard to really get focused on losing weight and getting healthy again.

As more and more time goes by and I spend more time being stuck in a chair and not watching what I eat, the pounds continue to pack on. I have been so disgusted with myself lately and I've digressed so much from where I want to be. It's been really hard lately to not beat myself up about how I look. It's starting to annoy me (and my husband haha) how much time I spend in front of the mirror scrutinzing myself.

New years is always a great reminder that you only have so much time to keep telling yourself that you're going to lose weight before actually doing it. Because before you know it, it'll be 2013 and you'll have the same ol' goal of losing weight and the discontentment just never goes away.

So, as of yesterday, I've gotten back on the weight loss path and I am SO determined to stay on it. I am currently 128 lbs and my goal is to reach at least 115 by May 5th. Here's my plan: 6 out of 7 days of the week, I am going to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity and not eat more than 1300 GOOD calories a day. I'll probably get back into doing the Insanity workout, jogging, and doing my mom's Zumba videos. I know it's going to be hard, but I've really got to keep my eyes on the weight loss prize. I'll blog about it every now and then and hopefully we'll all be able to see some progress.

Here are some before and after pictures that have helped motivate me, so for all you wishful weight losers, I hope it motivates you too.

Snooki

Raven Simone

Hilary Duff

Jennifer Hudson

Jerry Ferrara

Kendra Wilkinson

Jonah Hill

Nicole Richie