How To Lose Weight (Weigh In #2)

My goal is to be 5 lbs heavier than my goal weight by the end of the month.  I now have 3.3 lbs more to lose to be at my goal!  Unfortunately, Thanksgiving is right around the corner!  That means holiday baking & TONS of EATING!!

30 Day Challenge

November 1st:      +13 lbs
November 2nd:     +11 lbs (Lost 2 lbs)

November 13th:    +8.3 lbs (Lost 4.7 lbs)

Eat This

Not That

Do you know any healthy holiday dishes?

Healthy Eating (Meal Planning)

I've read that the key to sticking to a healthy diet is to plan your meals ahead of time.  Ryan and I don't stock up on food like typical Americans.  We hardly buy anything we don't plan to eat that week.

Here is a list of what we have:

• Baby Carrots
• Salad Bag
• 3 Frozen Vegetable Bags
• Lentil Soup
• Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast  (Ryan ate them)
• Trader Joe's Chicken Wrap
• Whole Foods Mediterranean Salad
• Jello
• Oatmeal
• 3 2 Fiber One Bars
• Eggs
• Whole Foods Spicy Hummus
• Frozen Blueberry Waffles
• Tea
• Seasoned Rice
• Siggi's Raspberry Non-Fat Drinkable Yogurt
• Trader Joe's Popcorn with Herbs and Spices

Monday:

Breakfast: 1 Fiber One Bar

Lunch: Seasoned Rice (1/2 Cup), 1/2 sm. popcorn (no salt/no butter)

Dinner: Seasoned Rice (1/2 Cup), Lentil Soup, Siggi's Raspberry Non-Fat Drinkable Yogurt

Tuesday (Unexpected Whole Foods Day):

Breakfast: WF Fresh Berries & Grapes (not on the list)

Lunch: 1/2 WF No Oil Asian Chicken Wrap (not on list)

Dinner: WF Sm. Pasta Salad (not on list), Trader Joe's Popcorn with Herbs and Spices

Wednesday:

Breakfast: Trader Joe's Popcorn with Herbs and Spices

Lunch: Trader Joe's Chicken Wrap

Dinner: ??? (going out) (1 slice pizza, 3 boneless chicken wings, salad)

Thursday:

Breakfast: 1 slice pizza, Trader Joe's Popcorn with Herbs and Spices

Lunch: rice, salad, cucumber, cucumber/avocado roll, tofu

Dinner: 1/2 WF No Oil Asian Chicken Wrap (not on list), iced coffee with milk

Friday:

Breakfast: Siggi's Raspberry Non-Fat Drinkable Yogurt, Trader Joe's Popcorn with Herbs and Spices

Lunch: apple sauce cup (not on list), WF Waldorf Salad (not on list)

Dinner: ??? (going out) Indian food

Project 10 Pan #2 (Day #8)

 It was much easier to not buy makeup while I was in Maui.  Now that I'm back home, I am constantly tempted by holiday sales & collections!

I was looking at my list to try to estimate how long it will take me to finish.  I think the hardest item to finish will be the Urban Decay Naked 2 Eyeshadow (Verve).  I figure it will probably take me about 4 months to completely finish it.

I purchased this palette from Sephora for about $50 in February and I'm still so in love with it!  Amazing pigmentation and it lasts FOREVER!  

What's your favorite palette?

How To Lose Weight (Weigh In)

In an effort to be consistent, I've decided to weigh myself first thing in the morning.

I did this on November 1st and was about 13 lbs heavier than I want to be.  This morning, I was about 11 lbs heavier than I want to be.  My goal is to be 5 lbs heavier than my goal weight by the end of the month.  This means dropping about 2 lbs each week!

30 Day Challenge

November 1st:      +13 lbs
November 2nd:     +11 lbs (Lost 2 lbs)

Before Picture

Do you have a goal weight?  What do you do to accomplish this goal?

Healthy Eating (30 Day Challenge)

I've been telling myself for months that I would start to eat healthy on November 1st.  That's why I've been eating as healthy as possible for the past couple of days.

Each day, I probably have about 4 cups of hot tea.  This really helps keep my hunger in check!  I've also been increasing the amount of water I drink each day.  I've heard that people tend to eat because they think they are hungry, but really their body is trying to tell them that they are just thirsty.

For the entire month of November (30 Days), I'm challenging myself to not eat or drink ANY soda!

Healthy Eating (Whole Foods Market)

Ryan absolutely hates Whole Foods.  I think it causes him pain to walk into the store.  I, on the other hand, am addicted!  I love looking at all the different options and trying new things.

Today I tried the Quinoa & Black Bean Salad... delicious!!!  I can't believe how good it tastes!  This salad is so full of flavor and it's very filling.  I highly suggest that if you live near a Whole Foods, you rush over there now and pick some of it up!

I know that a lot of people are astonished by the prices at Whole Foods, but I find that many items are very reasonably priced.  I purchased a small container of the quinoa salad for only $2.92.  I'll definitely be purchasing this again!

How To Lose Weight (What I Eat In A Day)

Here is an example of a meal plan for a typical day:

Breakfast: Fruit and Yogurt

Here I have vanilla yogurt (with an almond), cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries, 

and an orange slice.

Lunch: Tuna sandwich (with light mayo and dried cranberries)

Snack: Hard boiled egg (with light salt & pepper)

Dinner: Grilled chicken with rice & bell pepper

I know a lot of people will say not to eat fruit because it has a lot of sugar in it.  I wish I were strong enough to go for weeks without either natural or artificial sweets, but I just know that I am not.  I figure that my craving for sweets is going to lead me to eat a real, fresh strawberry OR it is going to lead me to strawberry flavored candy.  As long as I'm choosing the natural sugar, I feel like I'm doing okay.

Weekend Warrior Challenge! (Q)

Lately, my weekends have been jam packed with fun!  There's no slowing down in sight either... Ryan and I have booked our next 5 weekends with some amazing vacations -- Hawaii!!!!!

Kallie at But First, Coffee has thought of a really fun and creative way to share our weekend adventures!  It's called Weekend Warriors and each blogger uses one letter of the alphabet as a theme for their weekend post.  I'm so happy to be able to join with 26 other bloggers in this challenge!  

My letter is "Q" & my initial reaction was like o___O ....what am I going to do with Q?

Well, it turns out there's quite a lot!  To celebrate our recent engagement we had a few of our closest friends over to our house for a PARTY!  It was James Bond style, so everyone was encouraged to come as either Bond, a Bond Girl, a villain, or (of course) Q!

Truthfully, I don't know that much about Bond or Q, but Ryan is a fairly big fan. We joke that his celebrity doppelganger is Daniel Craig.  What do you think?

We managed to fit a lot of the people who came to the party in the photo below.  The guns aren't real!  We had an airsoft shooting range set up in the backyard.  

We had movie posters and targets all over the walls and each room had a James Bond movie playing on the T.V.  The living room played Quantum of Solace, which is one of Ryan's favorites!  Of course, there was also a poker game (a nod to Casino Royale) and a fully stocked martini bar!  I must admit, we served horribly unhealthy food that disappeared within minutes!  Pizza, sausages, pasta, queso and chips, pigs in a blanket, tacos, taquitos, quesadillas, chocolate ice cream cake, tuxedo cookies, and more!  It was a pretty insane party & we didn't quit until a quarter to 3!

One of my closest friends stayed the night at our house.  I was glad to be able to spend some quality time with her because she lives so far away!  Unfortunately, she was feeling a little queasy in the morning so we weren't able to have a very big meal before she left.

Instead, we grabbed a quick bite at Quickly!  Quickly is a tea house and boba chain that we have in California.  The menu is ridiculous.  I am tempted to try everything on the menu... just start going down the list because I'm usually fairly boring and always order a milk tea.  

After the party, I'm actually excited to get back on track with healthy eating.  Quaker oatmeal is going to become my new best friend in my quest to lose 10 pounds.  I don't want to look like a blob in my wedding dress so I'm planning to go quasi-vegetarian for the next few months.  I'm still going to eat fish because I can't give up my sushi.  I did this once before for about 5 years and dropped to my best weight ever.  Hopefully, it will work again and I can start to lose my "happy fat."   

Hope you all have a great weekend!

How To Lose Weight (Grocery Haul #1)

Food is almost as exciting as makeup, right?  Well I thought I might share a little on what I'm doing to lose weight.

Diet is probably the biggest factor for me when it comes to losing weight.  I've realized that I can lose 5 pounds just by adjusting the foods I eat.  Of course, exercise plays its part too and is important for maintaining a healthy body.  With the combination of both exercise and diet, I plan to lose 10 pounds!
By diet, I mean they types of food I consume.  I don't mean South Beach or Paleo.  I'm simply not disciplined or dedicated enough to restrict myself to such a degree.  I enjoy food too much!

Here's a list of what I picked up today:

• Sliced Mangos (Fresh Ready Pac from Costco) -- $7.99
• Bag of Spinach -- $3.00
• Yogurt (24 pk) -- $5.50
• Udon and Kale Salad (small) -- $2.00

• Bok Choy (6) -- $1.75
• Grapefruit (4) -- $3.75
• Brie Cheese -- $2.20
• Eggs -- $2.00

Total Shopping Cost: About $28

(Obviously, I'm not a nutritionist or expert when it comes to losing weight.  

I'm just saying what I'm doing to accomplish my goals.)

I've also noticed that by eating healthier, I save money!  More to spend on cosmetics!! :D

What do you eat to lose weight?

This or That? (2013)

I read an old post the other day and I thought it would be fun to jot down my current beauty preferences!  

Makeup
blush or bronzer  --  Blush! My cheeks need a pink glow.
lip gloss or lipstick  --  I want to pick both (lipstick with lipgloss on top), but if I had to pick just one it would be lipstick
eye liner or mascara  --  Eye liner... otherwise my eyes look too small.
foundation or concealer  --  Foundation (this is probably my favorite beauty item)
neutral or color eye shadow  --  Neutral

This is my favorite palette for creating my everyday neutral eye look.

pressed or loose eye shadows  --  Pressed!
brushes or sponges  --  Brushes!!  I rarely use sponges.

Nails
OPI or china glaze  --  OPI
Long or short  --  Medium?  I guess short to medium.
Acrylic or natural  --  Natural
Brights or darks  --  Brights! 
Flower or no flower  --  Flower, bow, pearl, and/or jewel! 

Body
perfume or body splash  -- Perfume!  No question about it.
lotion or body butter  --  Body Butter (from The Body Shop)
body wash or soap  --  Soap.  I used to only use body wash, but lately I've been experimenting with different scented soaps and I love them!!
lush or other bath company  --  Lush addict!

My current favorite soap is the Lavendar soap bar from Trader Joes!  It smells incredible!!

Fashion
jeans or sweat pants  -- Jeans
long sleeve of short  --  Short (at least in summer)
dresses or skirts  --  Dresses
stripes or plaid  --  Stripes
flip flops or sandals  --  Flip flops 

My most worn pair of shoes this Summer (sorry they are so dirty) are my Coach flip flops.

scarves or hats  -- Scarves
studs or dangly earrings  --  Studs

Bow studs from Target! <333

necklaces or bracelets  --  Bracelets

heels or flats  --  Heels (I'm so short, I love my heels)

cowboy boots or riding boots  --  Riding Boots

jacket or hoodie  --  Jacket

forever 21 or charlotte russe  --  Forever 21 

abercrombie or Hollister  --  Abercrombie 

saks 5th or nordstrom  --  I have a lot from both.  I'd have to say Nordstrom because I love the selection and the customer service!

Hair

curly or straight  --  Straight (occasionally I will curl if I'm going out)
bun or ponytail  --  Bun (donut)
bobby pins or butterfly clips  --  Bobby pins
hair spray or gel  --  Spray!
long or short  --  Long 
light or dark  --  Dark
side sweep bangs or full bangs  --  Side Sweep
up or down  --  Down 

Random
Rain or shine  --  Shine!!!
Summer or winter  --  When it isn't 115 degrees, I prefer Summer.  I hate the cold.
Fall or spring  --  Fall
Chocolate or vanilla  --  Chocolate 
East coast or west coast  --  West Coast!! CA <3

Presidio San Francisco

Project 10 Pan (Day #16: Aveda)

I went to an Avenda salon today to get my eyebrows waxed because I had a credit there for $15.  Since the service regularly costs $16, I only had to pay $1!  I've noticed that the newest trend in eyebrows is straighter and bolder (less arch).  

I normally go for more of an arch, but this time I tried the straight look.

I also like going to Aveda salons because they are always offering something for free.  This time they are giving away free travel sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner!  I've been hearing good things from the people who have tried the Aveda Invati system, but apparently it is made for people with thin hair.  Aveda's Invati treatment isn't quite what I'm looking for...  mine is so thick that I just went to the salon to have it thinned out!

I'm going to give these bottles to Ryan since he has fine, thin hair.  

What is your favorite hair product?

Project 10 Pan (Day #15: Organizing)

I went to Target and picked up a bunch of these cute boxes ($1 each).  I'm going to use them to store all my mini-products.  This box is storing the little lotion bottles I picked up when I used to travel and stay in a bunch of hotels.  Ryan also had a job where he traveled so between the two of us, we have over a hundred bottles of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion!

Organizing all of my stuff is definitely going to take some time!  As you can see, I still have to do something with our oral hygiene drawer!

I love knowing where everything is and getting rid of clutter.  Being organized helps me keep track of what I have and it helps me realize that I don't need to buy new things when I still have more to finish!

Yesterday, Ryan and I toured a few places to live in the Bay Area and I forgot how small the living spaces are! Our stuff would never fit if we tried to keep it all!  We're trying to decide if we should move to the Bay Area, to England, or to Hong Kong.  Either way, our living space is going to shrink dramatically!  This turned out to be a well timed Project 10 Pan!

Where would you choice to move to: San Francisco area, England, or Hong Kong?

Project 10 Pan (Day #13: Lose 10 Pounds)

It has been almost two weeks on Project 10 Pan!  I haven't been focused on buying new makeup lately because I've been slightly distracting by other events in my life...

Ryan bought me this beautiful bouquet of red roses!  

I'm suddenly motivated to start exercising and eating right!  I want to drop 10 pounds!!  My biggest challenge is that I LOVE food!! nom nom nom

Here I am eating an entire plate of scallops!! Delicious! 

And a reuben sandwich with fries!  I eat so much all year long. :-/  

My first step is to stop drinking soda!

What do you do to lose weight?

What's In My Bag? (Santa Clara, CA)

Today I'm heading down to Santa Clara, CA!  I might be doing a little shopping at Santana Row, but I'm going to try really hard not to buy anything new!! I'll be taking just a few items with me in my  Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac, including:

-Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (obsessed with this!)
-Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation (testing it out!)
-Mac Fluidline in Blacktrack
-Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner (I picked up the travel size for $2 at Ulta)
-The Body Shop Raspberry Lip Butter (of course!)
-YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #13
-Wet n Wild Blush in Heather Silk
-Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze

I'm going to visit some of my best friends & I'm so excited to see them!!  

Here we are in SF!

Have you been to the hearts in San Francisco?

He Proposed! And I Said Yes!

I couldn't have been happier or more surprised when my boyfriend asked me to marry him last night!  He told me we were going out for a date night, but wouldn't tell me where it was.  He drove me to one of the highest rated restaurants in town.  It was incredible!! The food was some of the best I've ever had and the drinks were superb!  We had the most incredible, melt in your mouth scallops ever!  After our romantic dinner, he surprised me again because he had secretly booked the balcony suite of one of the BEST hotels in the city!  The balcony was on the top floor and inside the room, he had created a playlist of songs (our favorite ones), which was playing while he led me through the rooms that were covered in red roses and candles!  Amazing night and stunning ring!  I feel pretty lucky to have such a wonderful person in my life :D

What's In My Bag? (Sonoma, CA: Relay For Life)

Ryan and I are about to leave for Sonoma, CA (about an hour away) to join my best friend in the Relay for Life!  The American Cancer Society organizes these events to help raise money for cancer research.  During the event, participants walk as much as possible during a 24 hr period.  Two years ago, my best friend Jessica and I walked 30 miles!  This year, we're hoping to do 35!  Jessica has been one of my closest friends since we were 2 years old!  I adore this girl <3 

Here I am with Jessica hiking in Yosemite!

Since we're going to be there overnight, I decided to pack a few items in my bag that will help keep us looking fresh!  Some of these items may look familiar!

The Body Shop Raspberry Lip Butter

Yes To Cucumbers Facial Wipes

H2O Plus Spa Sea Salt Hydrating Body Butter (also on my P10P list)

Dove Cucumber and Green Tea Deodorant

TIGI Catwalk Dry Shampoo

Bioderma Crealine H2O

Ahava All In One Toning Cleanser

Aveeno Lotion Sunscreen w/SPF 30

What are your essential overnight items?