Scary Changes to Fresh Changes

The last time I really saw myself as a truly, all-out unhealthy person was back when my drawers were full of size 18 matronly, dowdy garb, my pantry was full of Little Debbie, and my idea of working out was 5 minutes of sweating through a dvd warm-up and then sitting on a stability ball the other 40! Not a pretty picture.

I saw myself that way again. And not in the mirror. It was reflected in my blood work report from the lab last week. I saw everything from macrocytic anemia to a toxic liver to high cholesterol (and not the good kind). I was convinced that it was a mix-up. Then I knew that was unlikely, and I cried. Finally, I really looked at my diet the past half a year. Back in January, I made a drastic change: I went on the Belly Fat Cure.

Now, I'm not about to talk smack about BFC or Jorge Cruise. I loved the plan. The science behind it made sense to me, and I was tired of counting points ala Weight Watchers and figuring up calories and fat grams. BFC sang to me because it was different! I jumped on it and didn't look back. Until now.

My current issues may be totally unrelated, but having gone from years of healthier, lower fat eating to low card, low sugar eating with higher fats and then seeing, for the first time ever, these issues just tells me that the common sense, balanced, "clean" eating is the best. I didn't want to think about common sense. I wanted a quick fix to drop 10 pounds when I started BFC. 

I'm going to continue to watch my sugars and add back in complex carbohydrates while focusing on whole foods, natural foods and cleaner, less processed foods. I realized as I looked through clean eating recipes how much my body has been craving fruits and other pure foods, which I had pretty much abandoned. I just haven't been listening. It has my attention now!

So I traded my Belly Fat Cure books for a Clean Eating cookbook. I've thrown my meal plan for the remainder of the week in the trash and am starting over. I'm not sure what I am going to do with the 2 cartons of eggs, the heavy whipping cream, the bacon, ect. Trash, I guess. Better there than wasting away another day in my body. 

I urge everyone to be really careful when making eating choices. I felt good! I felt healthy! I work out almost daily. I journal everything I eat. It looked like I was doing "the right thing." I'm 35 with high cholesterol?! It could happen to anyone. 

The good news is that I can change it. And that fresh change starts today.

Smart Phone Addict?

I love my smart phone. I'm probably an addict. I will admit this, but forget about any 12 step programs because I'm not giving up my precious Android!! And now I've discovered a Blogger app?! Yes!
I know I'm not the only 'phone practically up the ass' person out there. In fact, how many of you are reading this on your phone now? :) Yeah, that's what I thought.
I just want to share a few of my most-used and favorite apps:
LoseIt! I use this to track what I eat, mostly for sugars and carbs. I love the weight loss graph it creates too. Plus I can create and store recipes. Nifty.
AllRecipes. I never use the 'dinner spinner,' but I love that I can enter search requirements and come up with rated recipes tailored to what I have in the pantry and fitting our nutritional needs.
DietPoint. I started this for meal plans, but now I enjoy the forum more than anything. I can ask questions and get answers, share recipes and even help others. It adds the community aspect back into getting healthy without attending meetings.
Horoscope. Yeah, I read them. I also call them Horriblescopes because they are such a joke. But who doesn't need a laugh first thing in the morning. Today I'm meeting an alluring person who may be a bad influence. Really? Because my car is broken down, and I'm hanging out in the house with 2 kids and a cat all day.
Facebook. Yes, I saved the best for last. I'm such a sucker for my groups. Low carb, roller derby, teaching, Christian, ect. And how can I resist being such a spy on my friends' lives? ( Now I don't go out there seeking...they post it for me to read! Not creepy!)
What are YOUR favorites and why? I still have room on my phone for more, after all!

ULTA...You Kill Me!

I'm a sucker for ULTA. I must be, deep down, a girly-girl, although I have vehemently denied it for as long as I can remember. There comes a point when a chic can't deny it any longer... Such as when she is standing in line at ULTA, happily holding her Level 6 rewards coupon. Yes. Level 6. Oh, you want to know how much I spent to get to Level 6? Um. Let's not. My husband might read this. Shhhhhh.

I am now the proud owner of some new Xen-Tan lotion that normally sells for $45 (but I got it free, yippee)! I'm also working my way up the levels as I am not getting a little more adventurous with my makeup choices. I remember being about 12 and picking through Teen Magazine, admiring Debbie Gibson and her blues, greens, yellows and hot pinks. (What was that makeup? Bonne Bell? Dang, wish I could remember.) Anyhoo, I wanted to look like her, be her... But I was never braver than brown.I love brown and all, but why have been afraid of being a tad bit bolder, demanding a little more attention? So, now I'm going to play a little!

I bought my first ever gel eye liner, Maybelline Eye Studio. That's featured in the pic. Not bad for the first time, I think. Then I saw that lovely green Forest Fury Color Explosion eye shadow that reacts to light. Ahhh. I love green. Happy, happy! I'll try that out for you and take a pic in the next few days. I plan to go green for the WF Derby Dame's first bout on Saturday. How can I not go crazy with color and fake eyelashes?! Yeah, I bought some Katy Perry Cool Kitty fake lashes too. :) Putting them on shall be amusing to anyone who gets the privilege of seeing me fumble and mutter curse words while repeatedly poking myself in the eye. Call it a premonition...I know me!

As I continue to experiment, I'll do occasional reviews and updates. I love reviews, and I've found my Amazon App as a my best shopping buddy as I repeatedly scan items just to read reviews before purchasing. Other shoppers call it annoying. I call it savvy. :)

p.s. I just gotta say that the new Blogger changes suck. I'm all about routine and knowing what is coming. I did not see this coming. Boo.