Move your ass, go berserk...

...eat your salad, no dessert!

I've been kind of avoiding this for some time now. I mean who wants to admit that they gained quite some weight? Before the wedding I started eating better and was moderately active. Then about a month before the wedding the stress started to kick in and I just didn't want to eat. I didn't realize how much weight I had lost until my final fitting and the seamstress had to take my dress in 2 inches. I knew it wouldn't last long.

Well, here we are about 8 months after the wedding and I am ready to admit that I HAVE GAINED IT BACK (and possibly a few extra)! *cringes* I feel that if I write it down, I am more inclined to do something about it. While I am not at the heaviest I've ever been, I don't want to get back to that because at that time I think most of my meals were fast food. I wish there was a miracle fast way to do this and keep it off. I see all the commercials for different diet pills, cleanses, and even know people who take prescription drugs to suppress their appetite. While those might give me quick results, the minute you stop them the pounds start packing back on.

In my attempt to eat healthier and be more active I signed up on thedailyplate.com with a friend. Dailyplate is a free resource that helps you keep track of the calories you consume and the calories you burn with your daily activities. It also helps you figure out how many calories you CAN consume to promote weight loss with your level of normal activity. I just signed up last night so I don't know all the things you can do with the website, but if anyone uses it, got any pointers?

I find that it is hard to keep myself motivated. I go for about 2 weeks eating healthy and trying to stay active and then fall in a slump. Go for about a month in that slump, and start feeling motivated again.

What do you do to stay motivated about eating healthy and staying active?

Fall Into Me Baby

Fall calls for a whole new set of accessories. Here are some that I have been lusting over.

Sequin Beret from Topshop.

Circle Scarf from American Apparel. Which can be worn several different ways, including as a skirt.

Leather Gloves from J. Crew.

Argyle tights from Forever 21.

I really like those argyle tights. Speaking of Forever 21, there was a ring on their website listed under New Arrivals that I have been desperately wanting (the expensive version). When I saw that Forever 21 finally made one, it was no longer for sale. I don't know if it sold out that fast or maybe they had to take it down for whatever reason. I am hoping to go to the store today to see if by any chance they have one at there. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I have been dying to break out my tights for the fall and actually wore some yesterday. It was horrible because it was slightly chilly in the morning but then went up to the mid 80s in the afternoon. I just couldn't take it anymore and had to take them off. Stupid Texas weather!

The other day I previewed Michael Buble's newest CD "Crazy Love". I love his voice! There is one song on there that makes me melt "Hold On". I am a little biased, but "Crazy Love" is great too because it was our first dance song (the Thea Gilmore version).

Dark and Gloomy

So the weather here in Houston has been pretty dark and gloomy lately. I guess the time change next month also plays a role in the darkness. Anyway, I'm normally a light pink nail polish wearing girl, but lately I've been wearing dark colors again. I was looking through my Ulta advertisement that came in the mail and LOVED the three new colors that they came out with for the fall.

To my disappointment, I went to 2 different Ulta locations last week to no avail. How can you advertise something new and not have it at 2 of your locations? There are only a hand full of location in Houston. So Ulta please hurry up and send all the locations your new Ulta Professional line fall colors because I want to buy all three. Its hard to see the colors online, but here is one that I plan to buy whenever I can get my hands on it. Twilight:

My nails will start chipping probably 2 days after I get them done, so I stopped getting them done at a salon and just do it at home. But lately I have noticed that they don't start to chip as early. I wonder if its because some of the colors at the nail shop look like they have been watered down or they are just old colors. Anyone has have that problem?

What colors are you looking forward to for the fall this year? Obviously I have the dark gray above and a dark green and purple, both jewel tones.

StyL'D

I am sure many of you readers love to watch The Rachel Zoe Project as much as I do. Well I recently just stumbled upon a new fashion show reality TV show that will be airing on MTV at the beginning of November. If follows several aspiring stylists who are in a "junior stylist program" with the famous Margaret Maldonado styling agency. I can tell from the preview below that I am going to be hooked on this new series. Do you think its going to be "bananas"?

Styl'd - MTV Shows

Vested in Fall

I always tie "happenings" with season change. When I was younger I always knew it was the summer when the neighborhood pool opened. These days, I consider it fall when Starbucks brings back the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Sad I know, but I love those things! If you haven't tried a Pumpkin Spice Frappe, those are good too.

Anyway, one thing I love to wear in the fall are vests. They add an extra layer of warmth and add a little spunk to a rather simple outfit. I mainly wear my vests with jeans and a plain tee, but if you are adventurous with your style pair them with a dress for a different spin on things.

Here are two styles I am currently loving:

The above vest is the Rachel Comey Traveler's Vest. I love the look, but not the tag of $679. I did find a similar option that is much more budget friendly.

The "cheaper" option is by BB Dakota and is going for only $60.

This Alexander Wang Motorcycle vest is HOT, but the tag of over $1,200 is not.

This one is from Guess which isn't as long as the Wang one, but has a similar vibe to it. There is also one from Express that is only $68, but their website has been down for the past couple of days.

If I didn't put myself on a spending freeze I would have bought the BB Dakota vest already. I actualy was THIS close to buying it in August, but was saving up to "feed" my expensive hobby (which is the reason I am on a spending freeze).

Anyone else on a spending freeze? How are you dealing with it? If I keep myself busy on the weekends I don't really get a chance to go to the mall, so I am good. Gosh, I sound like I have a problem huh? :)

Chopitty Chop

I always do this. I let my hair grow and grow, each time longer than before. Then one day I decide I want to chop it all off. I grew my hair out for my wedding (that was in February) and decided that it was too long for my fine hair. I don't know if its fine hair in general, or just mine, but the long hair would just sit flat on my head even if I put mousse in and blew dry my hair.

So one day I decided, enough, I wanted volume! I went in and chopped off a good 8 inches of hair, which eventually made its way to a good cause. I'm loving how much more volume my hair gets (and sometimes it can be a little too much haha). But then there are days like today when I am just not "feeling" it. I am contemplating on going to get a slightly different cut to take out some of the layers.


Please excuse the low quality iPhone picture.

One thing I don't like about getting my hair cut is the way they style it afterwards. They always want to flat iron my hair. I always have to ask them to just blow dry because my hair is already fine and straight, I don't need an iron to do it for me. Anyone else not like the way people style your hair after getting it cut?

How's married life?

I think its kind of funny that I am still getting this question asked every other week. Our 6 month wedding anniversary just passed and we celebrated by having a nice steak dinner. Yes, both of us LOVE steak. Anyway, its not that we have been married for 6 months, its that we have been together for almost 7 years and living together for about 4 of those years. So really it felt like we were married even before we had the wedding.

Some of our friends always tell us how they think we are so great together and that our relationship is something that they hope to find in their future. I always tell them that we do have a good relationship, but it is not perfect and there are plenty things we have to work on. Our personalities are pretty different and it takes some effort to understand how one of us may be feeling. For example, growing up my family was very affectionate and in my teen years I became a hopeless romantic. Hubs grew up an only child with his father working most of the day and didn't get the same affection I did. He had to learn to show his affection towards me and I had to understand that affection isn't something he is used to.

But I must admit after the wedding I think Hubs has been trying even more. I am loving the suprise lunch dates, back rubs without asking, and encouraging me to do what I love. So now I am stuck trying to think of a nice suprise for Hubs to show him appreciation for all that he has done.

Anyone have any good suggestions related to golf? He already plays golf fairly often so I don't want to suprise him with a round of golf, maybe some golf accessories?