HYC Update: A bit of this and that

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!

Today’s post is going to be a bit of a mind dump, but I hope you’ll find it interesting, nevertheless.

Last night on Twitter, Kenlie had the best quote that I promptly retweeted and then posted today on FB, too.  I absolutely love it and plan to adopt it as my personal mantra for the rest of 2011:

Feed a dream…starve a doubt.” ~~Ray Davis @AffirmationSpot

This quote is perfect for me in so many ways, but most obviously because I have an important goal (dream) of getting to 266 pounds by the end of November and I’m going to need to stay positive in order to make it happen.  I can’t give in to negative thinking (doubts) seep into the equation.

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I just found out about a new company that will be selling plus-sized activewear  called AdoraOm.  It’s so new that it seems they haven’t got their website up and running yet.  I did like them on FB.  The clothes look really cute, and I cannot wait to be able to buy them!  I’m always on the lookout for yoga/workout clothes that are flattering and functional.  I can’t wait to be able to wear Lululemon and Lucy, but until I can wear those sizes, AdoraOm will fit the bill (and my butt!) nicely.  See for yourself:

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Last night wasn’t a great night for me at all in terms of eating.  I didn’t eat any one thing that was so bad for me, but the bulk of the food was just too much.  2225  calories to be exact.  I was up less than 2 lbs on the scale this morning, which wasn’t bad, but I don’t want to have another night like that again.  As I emailed ScaleWarfare today, she encouraged me to log it all into MyFitnessPal so that I had a record of it, which  I did.  I also wrote this note:

A really lazy, bored day. I need to give myself a kick in the ass on days like this. One thing I realized is that I felt very overwhelmed with all that I have to do at the moment (lots of essays to grade, part of a WASC report to write, curriculum to calendar out/plan, and household chores to do) and I just sort of shut down, which isn’t like me. Good to keep track of. (Thanks SW!)

I’m glad that I not only logged all the food but that I wrote the note, because that’s how I can avoid the same behavior in the future.  Plus, I need to stay honest and accountable to myself (and anyone who views my food log). Progress!!

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It’s been HOT here (well over 90 degrees), but today, instead of letting the heat lull me into laziness like I did yesterday, I’m heading to the pool.  I’m not even going to stop home to change  – I brought my clothes with me.  I know that if I did stop at home, I’d need to play with Sofi for awhile, and then I’d get caught up in other things, and then it would be too late to go for a swim.  This way, I can swim some serious laps and burn some good calories and then get home to Sofi and still have lots of time to get everything else done (see above).

Taking the initiative and keeping my mood positive already makes me feel so much better than I did yesterday.  I’m ready to tackle all my to-do’s head one today!

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Saturday’s Springtime Shopping Spree

Yesterday I was in the mood to shop.  I’d just woken up from 8 1/2 glorious hours of sleep, after working two 11-hour days in a row, with a cold, mind you.  I was so glad to be off for the day (and to know that I have all of next week off for Spring Break) that I was in the mood to celebrate.

And what better way to celebrate spring than to do a little shopping?  My thought exactly!

I’d just received a  great offer from Avenue in my inbox that morning, so I figured I’d check out what they had to offer.  It turns out, they had quite a bit.  And all for really, really great prices even before the discounts were applied.  Here’s what I got (all prices are the cost before the discount was applied):

Now, I know this Ribbed Cascade Cardigan ($24.99)doesn’t scream spring, but we’ve been having weird weather around here lately, and we may get a few more rainy/cold days before we’re done.  Plus, I like that it will cover my hips.  I ordered it one size smaller than I normally wear just so that it would last a bit longer.

I loved the print on this Floral Tie-Front Dress ($39.99) and I’ve heard that coral is “the” color for spring, so I figured it would work nicely into my wardrobe.  I bought this dress one size smaller than usual, too, because it seems like it will be forgiving.  Look at how cute those shoes she has on are.  They go so well with the dress, but they’d look great with jeans or cropped pants, as well, don’t you think?

My thoughts exactly!  I loved these Shaunte Snake Emboss Wedge Sandals ($34.90), and loved them even more when I realized that they came in wide widths.  As far as I can tell, the “snake” pattern looks more like a croco embossing, which should be really cute.  The only downside I can think of is that they’d leave a hideous tan line on your feet.

Who can buy just one pair of shoes?  Not me.  So when I saw these adorable Kayley Thong Sandals ($14.90), I knew they were going in my cart.  They’re just flat flip-flops, but I like that they’re a bit fancier with the double-band and the patent leather.  I could see these paired with a cute pair of capri pants.  And they’re probably not the best walking shoes, but they’d be great for meeting a friend for coffee or a movie or something.

I got this dark brown Crochet Shrug ($29.99) because I’m not a fan of my upper arms, and unless it’s really hot outside, I like to keep them covered.  Plus, the shrugs sometimes help an outfit look more put together.  I have several brown-patterned dresses and skirts, and I’ve been really needing a brown shrug, so I was glad to finally find one.

I already have two other black shrugs, but I really liked this Crochet Edge Sweater ($19.99), so I got it too.  I have SO much that it will go with, so I know that it was money well spent.

This Retro Floral Sundress ($24.90) was the pièce de résistance for me.  I love anything retro anyway, but I think  this will look really good on me.  I have the most perfect shoes to wear with it, too.

I loved the ruffle on this Ruffle & Bow Tunic ($14.90), and I thought that it was incredibly versatile.  I could see myself wearing it with a straight skirt and a belt as easily as with a pair of cropped jeans.  I’ve found that most tops at Avenue are short and boxy, which isn’t a flattering look on me (or most people, right?), so I always make sure to get tunics from them because I know they’ll be long enough.

Not a bad morning of shopping yesterday, huh? And after my discounts, I got everything – two dresses, two shrugs, two pairs of shoes and top – for less than $175.

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I have one more item that I purchased, but it goes along with some great news that I wanted to share with all of you.

I found the most amazing breeder to get my new puppy from!  They’re called Lilly Bits, and they are absolutely the type of place that you’d hope to find your new puppy from.  I happened upon their almost by accident.  I’d been searching online to see what type of puppy I might want to get this time.  I loved the bichon part of Lulu and I loved her coloring.  Everyone used to say she was like a little “teddy bear,” but I also didn’t want to try to replicate her (not that I could) and get another of her exact mix (yorkie bichon), so I found out that the true “teddy bear” breed is called Shichon (shih tzu and bichon).  And then somehow I came across the Lilly Bits site.

They’re amazing people who live near Seattle and Heather is one of the nicest people I’ve ever talked to.  She doesn’t treat it like a business, but rather like this is her calling.  She and her family are the absolute sweetest people ever.  They spoil every one of their dogs, whether or not they’re going to become their pets.  Just look around at that website, if you have some time.  You’ll see the plethora of tips and information she puts on it.  When I complimented her on how clean and straightforward it was, she said that she just wanted to include the type of information that she would want to find on a site if she were looking to buy a puppy.  That’s exactly their approach – they treat the puppies and their clients exactly as they would want to be treated.  And it shows in everything they do.

I’ve put a deposit down and I get pick 4 (out of 6) of Lilly’s puppies.  New photos were just posted moments ago, and I am going nuts over here oooohing and ahhhhhing over them.  I have a favorite, although I  think they’re all precious. Please keep a good thought (or a prayer, if you’re so inclined) that I’m able to get “Winnie” because she’s a doll.

The puppies are only two weeks old, and as fate or karma or coincidence would have it, they were born on March 26th, exactly one week after Lulu’s accident.  To the day.  I take that as a huge sign that this is the place that I am supposed to get my next puppy from.

I’ve even figured out a name, after great deliberation.  I loved the name Lola, but my mom and my older niece hated it.  Then I thought of Lucy, but that’s so close to Lulu and my friend has a puppy named Lucy, so that might get confusing (although she lives in DC and I live in California).  Other names that I liked were Gigi and Stella (Streetcar Named Desire!).  But then it came to me –

Sofi!!!

Inspired by Sophia Loren and all of those other great film mavens of the past.  It’s sassy and a bit spunky.  Plus, it rolls easily off the tongue.  And I just think it’s adorable.

In honor of choosing the name, my other purchase yesterday was from an Etsy store called Coley’s Collars.  Heather (from Lilly Bits) highly recommended the store, and once I saw their collars, I could see why.  I got this one for Sofi:

It will go with the red leash and harness that I already have, and it’s so summery and sweet.  And since I’m going to get Sofi (whoever she ends up being) the day after school gets out, on June 11th, she’s definitely going to be a summer puppy.

Even though I’m not exactly sure which puppy is coming home to me on June 11th, the thought that one of these adorable puppies is going to be mine has really lifted my spirits.

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Fuel Belt Woes

I hate fuel belts!

You may be reading this thinking that a piece of equipment designed to help you stay hydrated is hardly something to be so passionately against, but let me explain.

My TNT coach told us that we needed to buy a fuel belt by the beginning of this month, because we’d be doing long distance training beginning this morning (8 miles). Fuel belts are designed to hold water bottles and nutrition bars so that when you’re on a long distance walk/run, you can replace the nutrients your body has lost.  We were supposed to find on that could hold nutrition bars and water supplements (to replace electrolytes, etc.).  Logically, I guess they make sense, but let me just say that I hate “fanny packs,” which is exactly what these fuel belts remind me of.  I don’t want to wear one!

But, being the “good student” I am, I went to Sports Basement (which is a sporting goods store that is known to have equipment at cheaper prices) yesterday in search of a fuel belt that would fit.  I tried on the XL, but it was really tight.  I asked the salesgirl if they had any in a larger size and she said they didn’t.  This one only went up to 36 inches, which seems fairly small, considering they were unisex sizes.  I guess the people who make these fuel belts think that all long distance athletes are fit and trim.  I mean, I know that I’m a plus-sized girl, but my waist is actually one of my smaller features, so if I can’t find one that fits, I wonder about some of the other people who carry most of their weight around their stomachs.  But I digress.

I bought the fuel belt thinking that it might fit over a t-shirt (I had a sweatshirt on when I tried it on).  I also bought some Nuun hydration tablets, a sports bra, 2 pairs of running socks, some Body Glide, and a long-sleeved fitness shirt that is made of moisture-wicking fabric.  I spent way more than I expected, but I wanted to make sure to have all of the necessary “equipment” so that I would be prepared for the long walk.

I waited until later last night to try on the fuel belt with a t-shirt, only to discover that it was really, really tight, even over my thinnest t-shirt.   Plus, it didn’t really have enough room to hold the Luna bar I was supposed to bring with me.  To say this was frustrating is putting it mildly.

So today I’m in search of a fuel belt that will really fit me, and one that will hold everything I need it to.  I’m going to return the other one to Sports Basement and hit up REI in the hope that I can find a larger one there.

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Update: 4.7.09

I went to REI and was completely overwhelmed as soon as I walked into the store – their aisles are stacked to the gills with so much stuff!  I felt way out of my league, but then found a really nice salesperson who led me right to the “hydration waistpacks.”

After trying on about 5 or 6 with no luck (all too tight), I was beginning to lose hope.  Was I really THAT fat?  I can’t believe how hard it is to find endurance event equipment in plus sizing.  Do they really think that plus-sized people don’t partake in these sorts of events?  I wish someone would make a line of products specially designed for plus-sized people; I see a huge market for these items.

Finally, after almost abandoning hope I found it – the perfect fuel belt!  Not only was it plenty big (I have lots of room to spare!), it will hold my iPhone and my nutrition bars, plus it came with a larger bottle (16 oz), rather than two smaller ones.  AND, it’s light blue, so it matches my running shoes, not that that matters, but it sure is a nice bonus, after all of this. Thank you, Ultimate Direction, for making a hydration belt that fits a larger sized person!

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