My Favorite Things

Being in the retail industry, my taste changes very quickly.  We could get a new shipment in and I will LOVE a top, until a week later after I've looked at it all week and suddenly I hate it.

Currently there are a few things that I have been consistently obsessed with.  From fashion, to beauty, I thought I would share.

#1  My Chambray Top

 This is the exact one I have from BP in Nordstrom.  I am OBSESSED!  I wore it today paired with black skinny jeans, a white v-neck tee, and a cute turquoise skull scarf.

#2  The Sock Bun

 I wore this today, too!  I am actually surprised that my hair stays up in this, being that it is so thick, but this is the only way my hair will stay up.  It's out of my face, it looks cute, and I can wear it dressed up or down.

#3 MAC Mineralize Blush

This is a recent purchase for me.  I use the color "warm soul".  It's just pink enough, but still gives me the bronzing that I want for my recently more tan skin.  Plus, it has a hint of shimmer, which I love.  I purchased mine at Nordstrom.

#4 Maxi Dresses

 

This is currently my favorite maxi that I have hanging in my closet (OK, on the back of my door...). I am rather short, so the hi-low hemline isn't as noticeable on me.  But, for my fellow shorties, I have gotten in the habit of tying my dress into a knot to make it shorter so I don't have to pay for a hem, and it looks super cute and showcases your shoes!

#5 V-Neck Girlfriend Tee

 I simply could not live without this t-shirt.  It is hands down my favorite t-shirt that I have ever purchased.  I just purchased 2 more for myself at the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale for $12.90!  What a steal!

Well, there you have it!  My 5 favorite things.  Until next time!

Confessions of a BIG Loser

Back in February I joined some co-workers in my store for a "Biggest Loser" challenge.  I started off the first weekend HORRIBLY, since we spent that weekend in San Francisco doing pretty much nothing other than eating and drinking.  I thought for sure I had already failed at this challenge, and wondered why I had ever gotten myself into this.  

We didn't weigh in until two weeks after the sign up.  I still had not done any sort of exercise, but I had cut out some guilty pleasures in my life such as soda and fast food.  To my surprise at that first weigh in, I had lost 4 pounds!  

I guess all that walking in San Francisco, and cutting out that soda and fast food really did pay off!

Seeing that scale read 4 pounds less than it did two weeks prior was the kick in the butt that I needed.  That night I went home and had a solid game plan ready to share with John.  I couldn't do this alone.  I needed John to do it with me for moral support.

I gave up pork, soda, fast food, and decided to cut my red meat intake to twice a month.  I switched my normal pasta to multi-grain or wheat pasta, switched our regular milk to soy milk and almond milk, added more grains to our diet such as quinoa and brown rice.  I didn't realize how much those simple changes made such a difference.

I have added more fruits and veggies to my diet, I drink much more water, and when I am craving soda, I'll drink green tea or lightly sweetened black tea instead.

At first,  a lot of this was tough.  Some of these things are an acquired taste, and I didn't want to give up certain things.  I try really hard not to deprive myself of things that I crave, and give in every once and a while.  At the end of the day, I have found that it's just about making conscious decisions.  Now, we are at the end of the Biggest Loser challenge, and I am ready to join part 2!  This time I am going to add exercise 3-4 times a week to start.  Along with my healthy eating, I will be fit and healthy in no time!

Oh, I guess I still haven't shared my round 1 results....

To date, I have lost ELEVEN pounds!

Round 2 of Biggest Loser lasts until July, soooo until then!