Get Your Butt in Gear!

I am really going to start trying to better myself in terms of my weight and overall fitness. I know, I know, I've talked about this before, but my motivation has grown stronger and the need to do this is becoming more prominent in my everyday life. This past Monday was my first time at the gym in almost a year, so that's progress!

Here's a few instructions and some exercises I'll be doing to start up my regimen.
Fingers crossed that I see some progress over the next few weeks!
Let me know if you'd like to join me in any of this and we can help push and motivate one another.

*All courtesy of Baby Bones.

All I Want Is to Hold You Forever

Sweater: thrifted; Jeans: Forever21; Bracelet: handmade by Daddy; Earrings: Target.

Sorry for the terrible pictures, but I could find no place else to take some of my outfit! We're currently re-doing our dining room (previously my brother's room) so ignore the bareness and the terrible lighting. I'm also slightly sick of having no remote for my camera, so let's hear it for awkward poses that take 10 seconds to create with my camera's self timer!

So, good news! After being on a brief hiatus because of poor grades last semester, I've gotten my act together, reapplied, and am officially a student come January! Not excited to spend all of my Macbook fund on books, but college expenses are ridiculous! Anyways, I was actually at school this weekend because it was one of my best friend's 20th birthday on Saturday! We took the train into Boston and had dinner at Fire & Ice. It was so so yummy, and I'm surprised we all made it to our reservation on time. Also surprised we navigated the T! I've been on it probably twice before because I hardly ever go into Boston, but at least now we all know how to get there so I'm sure we'll be going all the time next semester for shopping! After dinner, we made our way back to school and hung around the dorm with other friends and had a typical college Saturday night. The only downside to the night was that one of my friends that was also visiting got food poisoning... stupid Fire & Ice! She was so sick, but hid out in the birthday girl's room to rest. The next day, the birthday girl and I went shopping at the mall because, seeing as only two pairs currently fit me, I needed an extra pair of jeans so badly! I actually bought three at Forever 21 and the total came to about $35... FOR THREE PAIRS. That is crazy crazy! And they fit me perfectly. I'm a happy camper.

Shopping was hard to hold back on! I tried on more than just jeans, of course, but I knew I couldn't be spending money. Besides, I've made an agreement with myself that I will not be going shopping from now until I've lost 10-15 pounds. I sure do love my shopping, so hopefully this will work for me! I know, I know, I'm not fat! But I am so totally unhappy with myself that I've cried so many times over my appearance and quite frankly I'm sick of looking the way I do. Call me crazy, so be it. I don't think anybody is perfectly happy with the way their body is.

Anyways, hope you all are enjoying your Monday!

x

Nothing to Lose... but Fat!

I love Cosmopolitan Magazine. Don't you? They've got everything from dating tips, to exercise tips. Basically, it's a guide on how to be an amazing woman from cover-to-cover. Of course I follow them on their Twitter, so when I saw a tweet about "6 workout moves you can do while watching TV," I sauntered on over because nothing excites me more than mindless exercise you don't really have to pay attention to. (Okay, I lie... food is definitely more enticing and exciting for me, but I can pretend that I enjoy exercise.)

You know those days when you have nothing planned but to sit on your ass all day and watch a marathon of your favorite show? You enjoy yourself, of course you do, but you feel like a lazy son of a sloth after the first few hours. I'm sure you all totally understand what I'm talking about. Here are some good tips for feeling a little bit better about yourself.

Get Long, Luscious Legs

The Move: Lay on your back with your legs straight up in the air and your feet pointed to the ceiling. Cross the right foot in front first, then cross the left leg in front, finally open to middle split (or as wide as you can!). Then raise your legs back to the starting position. Repeat 16 times.
The Sexy Pay-Off: This exercise targets your inner and outer thighs, as well as your glutes and calves, resulting in longer, leaner legs.

Score a Firm, Perky Chest

The Move: Get into a plank position — lay on your stomach, then elevate your body using your forearms and toes. Pull your right knee to your chest, then extend your leg back into the plank position and bring your left leg to your chest and back. Do this sequence — alternating between the left and right leg — 8 times. Rest and do it again.
The Sexy Pay-Off: Doing this move actually tones your whole body, but really works your chest — making it tight and firm — because keeping yourself braced on your forearms keeps your chest muscles tight as you bring up each leg. Cat insists this one shows almost instant results, so do these when you want to wear a cute low-cut top out that night.

Show Off a Flat Tummy

The Move: Lay on your back, flat on the floor, your knees bent, and your feet planted slightly wider than your hips. Reach your arms between your legs and slowly sit up, using a pulling motion (as if you were tugging on a rope to pull yourself up). Slowly lower yourself back down, keeping your abs contracted to control the move. Repeat 16 times.
The Sexy Pay-Off: Traditional sit-ups can be uncomfortable. But these actually feel good because they stretch your lower back as they sculpt your abs.

Be Bootylicious in No Time

The Move: Lay on your back with your knees bent, keeping them in line with your hips. Lift your arms straight above your head and raise your pelvis up and down, squeezing your butt muscles the entire time. Repeat this 16 times, holding the last one for 30 seconds.
The Sexy Pay-Off: Keeping your butt tight while doing this works your glutes, firming them up so you'll get a nice, round booty.

A Move That Tones Everything

The Move: Get on your hands and knees, sitting back so your butt rests on your feet. Start lowering your head, scooping your back (think of a cat stretching), letting your butt lift off your feet. Then pull forward so that your back is straight with a slight arch. Pull back to your knees and do it all over again. Repeat 16 times.
The Sexy Pay-Off: Here, you're working your arms, chest, core, butt, and legs. In other words, it tightens your entire body! Plus, with your butt in the air, you just look damn sexy doing it.

*Exercise moves courtesy of Cosmopolitan.com
*Horrifying photo courtesy of Google Images

listen to your gut?

LIES. BULLSHIT.
i am no longer listening to anything my gut says. i am now disobeying my gut.

i am no longer eating unhealthy. the way i think about it is... will this make me feel good after i eat it?
an all natural fruit smoothie? yes.
fresh veggies? yes.
fast food? NO.
ben & jerry's ice cream? HELL NO.

there's no point in eating crappy foods that do nothing to help my body function the way it needs to.

yes, this started out as an unhealthy outlook on food after seeing an overwhelming amount of pictures of thinspo [for people who don't know what that means, "thinspiration," a very unhealthy outlook many young girls view as their ultimate goal in becoming skinny.] i became obsessed with achieving "skinny." but now it's about achieving happiness, and more importantly, healthiness.

you must think, what do i want in the long run?
a healthy, strong, lean body? or that blissful moment when french fries excite your tastebuds?

quite honestly, i'm sick of feeling sluggish, out of shape, and just blah. so, here you have it. this week officially marks the beginning of my new lifestyle.