October 2013 Goals

I was checking my old posts and I found a draft for my October 2011 goals! Yikes! Well now that I am making progress my plan is to be more organized and track my progress. I mean that is the whole purpose of my blog.

So I didn't achieve my goal of being a size 14 like I planned for September. I'm moving that goal to next month. This month I'll have to crawl before I walk and that means acheiving a combination size of a J.Crew 16/18. If I stick to my plan I should be able to achieve that. This is the first time in my journey that I'm actually excited about setting goals. What are your goals for October?

Diet update and my new goal

First I want to thank you for reading my rant the other day. I don't know why I let my expectations of people who let me down get the best of me. I've decided I have the best accountability buddies right under my nose and that's my blog and readers. Duh!

In the past I've been absent because I felt like I didn't live up to what I should or I thought my progress should be. I back slid and avoided the blog because I felt like I would let my readers down. Never once did I think hey maybe I should stay on the blog and blog about letting you down and not living up to my weight loss goals and how I should push through.

Things are going to change. I'm going to share with you my pitfall and my triumphs. The ins and outs of my journey so maybe you can relate and I have documentation of my journey. Without further adieu I wanted to update you on my progress.

I still listen to Paul McKenna. I would say I tune in every other week a few nights a week. I know I don't have to listen to him all the time so the occasional listen for me works.  I've started to ride my bike! I want to be a runner really I do, but new running shoes are not in the budget and my knees are not the best around so I thought the next best thing is riding my bike. My daughter and I ride together 2-3 nights a week. I've started to eat low carb again. I'm focusing on Atkin's because that plan just works for me. I see progress rather quickly which gives me the motivation I need to keep moving towards my goal.

This past month I've lost 3 inches just by eating low carb and not having any "whites" pasta, bread, or rice. I also went shopping and I bought skinny jeans one size smaller!!! Woo hoo!!!

My new weight loss goal is to be a size 10 by Thanksgiving. This fall is chock full of events for me, a baby shower for a high school friend which means mini class reunion, I host Thanksgiving every year at my house, plus Black Friday shopping that night. I have many reasons why being a size 10 is where I need to be!

My short term goal is to be a size 14 by the end of the month. I became a size 16 by the end of last month and I plan on being a size 12 by the end of October so being a size 10 by the end of November is realistic and doable. I focus on size rather than weight because my philosophy is that you can't drag a scale into the dressing room expecting to fit into that smaller size. It's not weight it's inches.

How do you gauge your progress? Do you have any specific goals for the fall? I'd love to know, post below!

Successful People

Source: valeriewoerner.com via Erika on Pinterest

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Let's get this year started off on the right foot!!!

I want to change my blog name

I've been pretty absent here on this blog because I've been blogging over at my lifestyle blog Shop Girl Speaks. It's a bit of this and that happening in my life. I have to admit when I first started this blog I thought the name was catchy and it really summed up how I felt about myself at the time. Well times change and I'm honestly tired of my blog name. When I read it, it makes me feel like I'm always hopeful to be that person but will NEVER BE that person. Does that make sense? In my heart I know I will achieve my weight and inch loss in time. How long who knows but I truly believe I WILL achieve my goal. With that being said I would like to change the name to something more direct and positive like... "The ME I'm GONNA be!" Sounds better don't you think?

Affirmations

I just finished attending a Twitter party. It was such an uplifting and enjoyable experience I will have to attend them more often. Attending that "party" had me thinking about my future and how I "see" myself. I   decided that 2012 was going to be MY YEAR! I was going to accomplish those goals I mentioned in a previous post. The problem is how do I begin.

I read in one of my many self-help books about the power of positive thinking and affirmations. Also the saying "If you believe it you can achieve it." To change your mindset you have to start with daily prayer or affirmation. You may not "believe" it at first but saying it enough times over and over you soon will.

I've listed my daily affirmations in my journal and I plan on reading them every morning when I wake up, midday, and every evening before I go to bed. That is the suggested minimum amount of times you should read your affirmations.

My question of the day is...Do you believe you can change your mindset and achieve your goals with affirmations or prayers? Please post your experience below. I would love to hear about it. Have a great evening.

My Goals for 2012

I don't know about you but I've been inspired to list my goals for 2012. After reading blog after blog of goals for the new year I was compelled to join in. I have to warn you that my goals aren't pretty, frilly, nor have they been spritz with rose water. My goals are gritty and probably a bit too personal but what the hey my blog is about ME! It's a long post so sit a spell...here goes:

My most important goals (what I look forward to achieving) for 2012: 


1. Not to have my thighs stick together when I walk or do anything for that matter.

2. Lose massive amounts of inches in my bust. 14 inches to be exact. The memorable Christmas gifts for 2011 were two Wacoal bras in size...ready for this? 40H!!!!!!! I was glad it wasn't 40Z. Because they feel that large!

3. Go down to a size 9M shoe. I'm tired of looking down to see Sasquatch feet!

4. Have a firm smooth butt. My butt isn't as cottage cheesy as alot of women but I want it to be smoother.

5. Get rid of the 4 back boobs that currently reside above my stretch-mark laden hips. I loathe those fat sacks back there!

6. To feel warm skin on back boobs featured in #5. I'm so tired of the skin on the sides of my upper back feeling cold to the touch. Ugh!

7. Complete a mile in 10 mins...aka to become a runner. I know a runner does a mile faster than that but baby steps people, baby steps.

8. Lose my Buddha belly. It would require 18 inches to disappear. Don't get me wrong the belly looks better on Buddha not me.

9. Purchase & be able to fit this Lulu Lemon Hoodie or Fitted jacket. I drool every time I walk in that store and I can't wait for the day to walk in and buy one of those bad girls!

10. Attend the EVO' 2012 Conference in Park City, UT. This blogger's conference features a wide selection of topics that I want to learn more about. I want to further enrich my knowledge therefore  improving my blog. It's being held in the same hotel where I stayed last year for my brother's wedding so I'm looking forward to attending.

11. Become a more active "Blogi-lite." Hey that's my way of saying "Blog socialite" and visit as well as comment on other blogs. Right now I'm a lurker. Well I do visit my buddy Jane. Hi Jane!

12. I've been thinking about this and I am ready to do it this year and that is to become a certified Zumba instructor! I have to wear my new Lulu clothes somewhere. In all seriousness I want to be able to maintain my weight loss and I feel if I had a career in fitness it will help me to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

13. Being present. Many times I find myself wishing it was some time in the future or lamenting on the past. I want to relish the moment and be happy for my blessings instead of complaining about what I don't have.

14. Be able to sustain my family by working for myself. That means diversifying my income. I'll talk about that in another post.

Alright I think that is more than enough to accomplish this year. I could go on but I want to succeed not fail so I will quit while I'm ahead. I'll be pretty busy this year working on those goals. How about you? What are your goals for this year? If you've already posted them on your blog please leave the link to your goals in the comments section so I can read and reply.

Thanks for taking the time to visit! And all the best on your successful journey in 2012!

My 10 week challenge

Wow! I can't believe I've gone so long without blogging. I have to admit I had a couple of blog posts I was going to publish but I really sounded like a "Debbie Downer" so I didn't publish them. The past week plus have been a challenge for me. I had basically no weight loss progress and I had some challenges in my personal life that basically gave me writers block. Note to self: Writer's block occurs when I'm angry, so let's work towards being content regardless of what life throws in my direction.

I hope your weight loss journey has been a positive one this past week and a half. I promise to check out your blogs and see how things are going for you.

I was reading an article the other day that stated 10 weeks from last Monday, September 19th  is BLACK FRIDAY! OMgosh! Where has the time gone? 10 weeks until Thanksgiving? It can't be!!!! Well that gave me an idea. The idea to create the 10 week challenge. In 10 weeks I plan to lose enough weight and or inches to get into a size 14 but preferably a 12! "They" say that a dress size is equivalent to 12 pounds. So I hope to lose approximately 20-24 pounds within that time frame.

Since a size 12 or 14 is a transitional size for me I thought I would need to purchase clothing in those sizes for the least amount possible. Any of you bargain hunters will know that the night of Thanksgiving to the next Friday morning offers some of the best pricing of the season. I've already invited a couple of my friends to join me and I am working on a game plan and strategy. I'm fortunate to live in a town that has a pretty decent outlet mall. Not to mention I worked in the outlet mall for many years so I know where to park and where to go during the "Midnight Madness" events. Planning this shopping trip has re-ignited my motivation. Let's just say that I had no motivation this time last week. I am keeping an online daily journal tracking my progress and journey. I may post it here on the blog but I really don't want to sound too bitchy or whiney so I will refrain from torturing you! :-)

I originally wanted this blog to focus on my weight loss journey but there are more facets to me than just weight loss and fashion. There are many things I would like to do to become the "ME" I've wanted to be. One thing is to become a web designer. I've been contemplating the idea for over 5 years. So I feel its time to spread my wings and fly towards that goal. I've enrolled in a class and I'm two weeks into it and I am so excited to be starting a new chapter in my life. I will post more as it comes but I wanted to update you on all that has been happening to me.

It's been a long day and I'm going to head to bed. I hope you all are doing well and I thank you for stopping by. Tell me what have you desired to become but were too scared pursue?...post it below I would love to find out!!! Toodles!