All posts in category About Me

Friend Making Mondays: What Makes YOU Beautiful

Sweat it Out:
Weights 30 Minutes
Elliptical 45 Minutes

This week’s FMM was a tough subject.  Aren’t most of us taught that we shouldn’t brag about ourselves?  I know I was, and most times its hard to even be able to take a compliment let alone think about things that make you beautiful.  After thinking about this subject I came to the conclusion that this is exactly what I need after having a few down in the dumps weeks.

My first reaction was what made me beautiful on the inside, and I’m glad that my thoughts go there first.  Vanity and self centeredness drive me insane, and there is definitely a time and a place to talk about yourself.  I will use today as one of those times since I am in need of feeling some sort of specialness right now.

Fmm: What makes YOU beautiful?

Leave out all of the negative stuff, and concentrate on the beauty that’s within you – seen and unseen.

I’ll start with vanity because it is a short list.  I love myself and I think that I am an attractive woman, but there are two parts on me that I usually get complimented on the most (get your heads out of the gutter, at least I know what my husband is thinking).

  • I have great eyelashes.  They are long and they have just the right amount of curl to them.  I have never had to use an eyelash curler, and I only need a little mascara to make them pop.
  • I have tiny ankles.  It is one of the ways I know that I have a smaller frame than people think.

Now on to the stuff that you can’t see:

  • I have a great sense of humor.  It is usually one of the first things people notice about me.
  • I am sensitive, and in turn it helps me to be sensitive to others.
  • I can take constructive criticism very well.  This makes me beautiful because it shows that I am caring and I care what people think of me.  IMO, you SHOULD care what people think of you, to an extent.  I think this world needs more people who give a sh!t and less people who are in it for themselves and have reckless abandonment when it comes to others.
  • I have an ability to make people feel at ease, and I am very trustworthy.  Maybe its my 10 years of management experience, but I have never had an employee hesitate to come to me as a confident.  I have also never had a friend that wouldn’t confide in me and trust me to keep their secrets.
  • I love fiercely.  Once you are in my heart I find it really hard to let you go.  I may not show my love with a lot of hugging and outward emotion, but I would do anything for the people I love.
  • I see the light that people don’t usually see in themselves.  This goes positive and negative for me.  It makes me insane because I just want those people to see what I see, but I also waste a lot of time with people who will never let their light shine.  I wish we could all see the beauty in ourselves.  I know this world would be a better place if everyone could.
I am so glad that I decided to participate in this weeks FMM, becuase what turned out, at first, to be a scary subject, turned out to be a highlight of my day.  I think it says that sometimes we need to take a step back and think about the things that make us beautiful to ourselves and to others.
What makes you beautiful?
4 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on February 27, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Beauty, Friend Making Monday

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on February 27, 2012

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2012/02/27/friend-making-mondays-what-makes-you-beautiful/

Going Crazy for Christmas!

Sweat it Out:
60 Minutes Weights
15 Minutes Foam Rolling & Stretching

I am basically running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I am 3 for 3 for the gym and I know that it has helped alleviate the stress that this time of year brings.  I am ALMOST done with all things Christmas and I’m hoping that Hanna can put up with one more day of running tons of errands in her car seat.

Today I tried to make some Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread for some of the girls I visit teach in my church and I had a major baking #fail.  I totally put too much pumpkin and forgot the baking powder, and there was a little too much…..clove?  I think?  Anyway, very bad and they immediately went down the garbage disposal.  I am usually a very good baker and so I was glad that I tried them before I gave out for people to consume!

I did get in a KILLER workout today at the gym, and I have found that with all of the stretching I have been doing lately, I am getting considerably more flexible! I also added in push-ups to my A day’s routine, and I’m seeing a lot of progress.  I have decided that instead of getting through my weights and doing cardio, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday will be dedicated to weight lifting and stretching only.  When I finally get my diet under control, I know I will be seeing some major differences.  Here is what my workout looked like today:

“The New Rules of Lifting for Women” Phase 5, Day 5, Workout A

  • One armed dumbbell squat snatch: 4 sets of 8, 22.5 Dumbbell
  • Single leg deadlift: 4 sets of 8, 40 pound bar
  • Bent over row: 4 Sets of 8, 40 pound bar
  • Seated Row: 4 sets of 8, 70 pounds
  • Push ups: 2 sets of 10, 2 sets of 15
  • Planks: 4, 60 second holds
  • Horizontal Wood Chop: 4 sets of 10, 60 pounds

Body Matrix

  • 48 Squats with 22 pound body bar
  • 24 Alternating Lunges with 22 pound body bar

Did some great super sets.  The first three I did straight through with a 60 second rest in between each super set.  4th and 5th rotated exercises with 60 second in between, and the 6th and 7th exercises as a set with 60 seconds in between.  It got my heart rate up, and made for some good circuit work.  I was sweating buckets, and it felt so good!

#WEverb11 December 13, 14

December 13th: Read.  What article or book changed your outlook on an issue or life?

I would have to say that I didn’t get to read a whole lot of thought-provoking books this year.  I did, however, discover healthy living blogs and quickly got addicted to the inspiration and motivation that I found in them (you can check out my blog roll page with links to some of my favorite blogs).  They have inspired my weight loss beginning and have played a huge part in the decision to start my own weight loss blog.

If you want to read my blog story you can here.

I look forward to seeing where my blog goes in the upcoming years, and I am so grateful that I found the blogosphere, and all the amazing people who are apart of it.

December 14th: Breathe.  How did you make space+peace for yourself in 2011?

I guess this one is actually pretty personal.  I am a believer that weight is a mask for something deeper.  I know that I gained back the majority of my weight that I lost in my early 20′s because of the emotions I experienced when my parents got divorced.  I thought that going through something like that when you were an adult would make it easier, but I think that instead of dealing with my feelings, I ate them.

I took control of my life by being in control of my environment (all except food).  I tried to control my husband for the first few years we were married (we all know how that turns out), I controlled my work environment by becoming a manager and being “The Boss” helped me to be able to run things the way I wanted them.  I had a schedule that I would get upset if it didn’t go exactly the way I wanted it to go.  I didn’t like surprises, and if things didn’t go the way I wanted them I would lose my mind!

I don’t even know how I recognized this behavior, but after a few years I have learned to relinquish control of the things going on around me, and stop trying to control people and situations around me.  I could only control myself.  This year was the year I decided to let go and forgive myself.  I can’t change things that happened in the past, but I can make changes in the future.  I have decided that I need to talk about my feelings more and let myself actually feel those feelings. If I need to yell, then I do (as nicely as I can).  If I need to cry, I do (this happens a lot more since having a baby).  The point being is that I have learned that this is the way life is and I have to embrace the feelings that come with it.  Feeling my feelings is giving me peace.  it helps me to not have all the woulda, shoulda’s, that comes when you don’t stick up for yourself when you need to, or when you let someone say something to you that should not have been said.

I hope any of that made sense, but it has made a huge difference in my outlook on life.

How have you made space+peace for yourself in 2011?

What book article have you read that changed your view/outlook on an issue in life?

4 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on December 14, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in #WEverb11, About Me, Blogging, The New Rules of Lifting for Women

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on December 14, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/12/14/going-crazy-for-christmas/

Fire Up For Fall: Week 9

This quote sums it all up.  Be true to yourself and the things you want and you can accomplish anything and be happy. I can’t believe that the challenge is only a week away from being over!  I have decided that I love this segment so much that Mondays will be dedicated to motivation.  I will be starting my week off with inspirational pictures or quotes, and an update of how my own personal goals are going. Motivational Mondays!!!

1.  What have you done this week to help get you to your goals?  

  • Goal 1 has been reached!  Fit into post pregnancy jeans I bought for motivation!  I hit this goal about 3 weeks ago and I now wear those jeans a couple of times a week.  My next goal is to buy a new pair of smaller jeans for a new goal size.
  • Goal 2 has been reached!  Finish phase’s 2 & 3 of NROLFW!  I only have one more week and then I start phase 5!!!  This program has FLOWN by and I can’t wait until I’m done so I can do a recap!
  • Goal 3 is within reach!  Get to 10% Goal of 28.2 pounds lost!  I only have 1 pound until I meet this goal and I have until Monday November 20th to do it!  Then I can have a nice Thanksgiving week, stress free!
  • Goal 4, Go to the gym 6 times a week.  I hit this goal all but 2 of the weeks.  The week of my vacation I only got in 4 times and this last week I only got in 4 because I have been sick and so has the baby.
  • Goal 5, motivate and make friends.  double-check!  I will be checking in on my new friends regularly and hope that we all have a new challenge to support each other with soon!
2. What have you done this week to make yourself feel fabulous?
This week I wore make-up 4 days in a row!  Not going to work everyday makes it hard to get totally ready all the time.  I ALWAYS shower, but rarely do my hair and make-up.  I felt a difference and will make more of an effort in the future to dress myself up a little.
3. What is the most positive thing you have taken away from this challenge?  
I think having to answer the first 2 questions every week have been eye-opening.  I find that I don’t do things to make myself feel fabulous and I need to check in with my goals more often.
4. It’s the last week, your run to the finish, what is your priority?  
That damn 10% goal that has been taunting me for weeks.  If I could just perfect my eating I could be losing much faster than I have been.
5. Fun Stuff:  Desert Island, you can take 1 person, 1 famous person, 3 items (besides food and water), who and what do you take?
My husband (obviously), famous person would be Will Ferrell (because the hub’s and I love Anchorman, and everything else he’s in.  Hello?  Elf?  Hilarious.).  3 Items would have to be my phone (which doubles as an iPod), my laptop, and some sort of internet connection device so that I could download anything I was missing.  That should satisfy most of my needs.
How have all of your weeks been going so far?
1 Comment
by Shrinking Carrie on November 14, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Fire It Up for Fall, Goals

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on November 14, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/11/14/fire-up-for-fall-week-9/

Factual Friday

Sweat it Out:
Elliptical 1 hour

1. Just bought the last Harry Potter & my hub’s got a SMOKING deal on a new 32″ flat screen for our bedroom.  Considering our old tv is from college days and turns off by itself, it was time for a new one.  Tonight we are going to snuggle in bed and watch HP!  #IAMAHARRYPOTTERNERD

2.  I have had some shoulder pain this week and so I have taken a few days off from weight lifting.  Getting back in it tomorrow morning and I can’t believe that at the end of next week I will already be to stage 5 in the NROLFW!!!  I feel like this program is flying by and I am seeing such great results!

3. I have decided to give up carbonation/soda until the new year.  I don’t have a huge problem with soda, but I can tell a HUGE difference in my cardio when I have had some the previous day. One thing at a time, baby steps!

4.  Flo showed up today and I have a feeling that is why my weigh in wasn’t what I was expecting.  Don’t get me wrong a 2.6 pounds loss is awesome, but not when I weighed 253.2 last Sunday.  That could have been my 10%!  Oh well, next week.

5.  I’ve got blisters on my pinky toes from my new boots.  Looks like I’ll need to break those bad boys in.

6.  Don’t go out to lunch on Veterans Day.  There were lines out the wazoo everywhere.

7.  Vick’s Vapor Rub works wonders on kids feet to get them to stop coughing at night.  I didn’t hear a peep from Hanna ALL night!

8. “Emilio!”, name that movie.

9. I’m fighting off the urge to buy any new clothes until I go to Arizona for Christmas.  I hate waiting!

10. I am not loving sick babies, and whining, but my mommy instincts tolerate it apparently.

Have a great weekend ya’ll!  Back to regular posts on Monday!

 

5 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on November 11, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Random

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on November 11, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/11/11/factual-friday/

Fire Up For Fall, Week 8!

24 Days of Thankfulness:  Today I am thankful that Hanna hasn’t had a fever for over 24 hours, which means she is getting better, and I can still take her to the gym!

FIre up for Fall week 8!

I saw this on another blog this last week (unfortunately I forgot which one, sorry if you are it!), but I also found it on Pintrest which has some of the greatest inspirational messages!

5 Questions:

1. What have you done this week to achieve your goals?  Honestly, I am lost this week!  Not in a bad way, I’ve been losing weight pretty steadily, but I don’t know how!?  My routine has not changed, nor has my eating.  In fact, I think I had an even harder time knowing that my Body Bugg was coming in the mail on Friday, which gave me the “I’ll start again on Monday” mentality.  It’s probably a good thing because now I can start this week off in the green!

2. What have you done this week to make yourself feel fabulous?  Don’t worry, I really will shut up about this soon, but trying out my new Body Bugg has helped renew my motivation for healthy eating and helped me feel fabulous.  I have found that exercise is not the issue considering that I have no problem going 6 days a week and working out hard.  My problem is the eating, so I am hoping that this new purchase will help with this side of the program.

3.  How important is a social life to you?  Are you a loner or a butterfly or somewhere in between?  I really could be happy with just my hub’s and I (and of course Hanna) for the rest of my life.  I like to have a social life, but I like to have my hub’s involved.  It is always a bonus when we find a couple that we can BOTH be friends with.  I am definitely in between loner and butterfly.  I enjoy being alone, I feel like it is a really good quality to have when you can enjoy spending time with yourself, but I also love having a group of girlfriends and having a girls night out like once a month.  Since I had the baby, a year ago, my social life is few and far between. Luckily, I get to go to church every Sunday and see most of my friends and socialize, and through some volunteer callings I get to interact with some pretty incredible people.  That seems to be enough for me!  As long as I get a date night out with the hub’s every couple of weeks, I am set!

4.  How do you balance healthy living outside of your home?  I am blessed that I get to stay at home with my daughter so if temptation comes my way, it will usually be because I put it there.  I haven’t learned how to go out to eat and be healthy because I always have thought of going out as a reason to indulge.  I’m working on it.  This is also a reason why we don’t go out very often.

5.  What do you like to do for fun?  This sounds ridiculous, but I like to run errands with my hub’s and window shop.  We love the holidays because it means that we get to go shopping for family and each other.  My husband works a LOT and so it gives us time to spend together and walk around, and just enjoy each other’s company.

For those of you who aren’t participating in FUFF:

  • Are you a social butterfly or a loner?
  • What is you idea of fun?
10 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on November 7, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Fire It Up for Fall

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on November 7, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/11/07/fire-up-for-fall-week-8/

Are You Terrified?

Sweat it Out:
Elliptical 1 hour

24 Days of Thankfulness:  Today I am thankful for the lulling purr of my furnace.  I am NOT thankful that it makes me not want to leave the house!

First off, I am SORE from Wednesday’s NROLFW workout.  Every time I go to sit I am reminded of just how hard I worked my legs.  I’m thinking I need to learn how to foam roll so I can help with the healing process?  Any Suggestions?

Second, I went out to sneak a candy from my deep freeze and saw that my hub’s threw out all the candy.  Thank you for saving me from myself!  It is pretty obvious that I have a sweet tooth and can’t say no with little pieces of heaven within walking distance.

Third, I’m hoping that this is the last time that you have to hear this, but my Body Bugg should be coming today!!!!  I am so excited for my full day of being able to use it on Saturday.  Maybe I’ll drag myself to a spin class to test out the calorie burn.  I think that would be a sufficient christening, no?

I had a great question in the comments section on My Back Home, Back on Track post:

To be honest, I never even gave a second thought to this question in the beginning.  I was excited to get my life back and that is really what fueled my decision to start my blog.  I knew that if I went into this thinking I would fail then I would have never taken the plunge.

Fast forward to around week 5 where I started questioning my decision.  I was doing a dance, gaining, and losing the same few pounds.  I worried about giving up, and losing readership due to no progress.  I stressed about making changes in my lifestyle and coping with the fact that this was not temporary.  IT WAS FOREVER.  

Then I had to have a come to Jesus talk with myself and covered some very important points:

  • I need to be healthy, FOREVER.  You can’t lose the weight and go back to bad habits.  It won’t work, it never does.
  • My life is completely different from past dieting.  I have different priorities and different obligations.  The time to lose weight is now, while I actually have the time to form new, good habits.  i.e. Stay at Home Mom, Time to Plan, Time to exercise without having to get up at the butt-crack of dawn.  My focus is to take care of my toddler, husband, and most of all myself.  You can’t take proper care of anyone without taking proper care of yourself.
  • Readership is a wonderful thing, but it is not the only thing.  I LOVE the people and friends that I have met in the blogging world, and I love the opportunities that have opened up to me by starting my blog, but I started it to hold myself accountable.  I would be lying to you if I told you I never check my stat’s (and so would most bloggers), but one of the reason’s is that I don’t want to fail in front of hundreds of people.  A little pressure never hurt anybody, and heaven forbid people actually being able to relate to your situation.
  • I get scared when I think of negativity in my posts.  I am severely overweight.  I obviously have some mental issues that tie them together, but it does no good to say “I will be able to lose weight when I figure out how I gained it”.  I gained weight because I let my emotions get the best of me.  I let negativity bury its way into my head and I get scared when that happens.  You won’t lose weight without positivity.  At least I know I won’t lose weight without positivity.  Do I have a bad day every now and again?  Absolutely (Hello! I’ve been eating Halloween candy for the last 3 days!)!  But I know that there is always tomorrow.  I’m not looking for instant gratification.  I’m just looking to move forward and make progress, and I have come far in the last 4 1/2 months.  I know this is something that I will never quit striving towards, and for that I have no fear!
I invite you to not be scared!  Your loyal readers will still come back if you fall, and remember that tomorrow brings a new day full of opportunity and hope!  So to answer your question:
No, I was not terrified because I am full of hope and the opportunity to be my best self for me, for my family, and for you readers, for we should all find hope in each other!
  • Bloggers:  Were you terrified to share your journey? Why or Why not?
PS.  To the reader that left me this comment:  Thank you for the inspiration for this topic!  I loved the reflection that it gave me, and I hope you liked the answer!
7 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on November 4, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Awesomeness, Blogging, Body Bugg, Motivation, Positive Self-Talk, Terrified

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on November 4, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/11/04/are-you-terrified/

Fire Up For Fall: Week 7

Hello and Happy Monday!  Just a side note for those of you who didn’t have a chance to catch a read over the weekend, check out Faith, Fitness, Fun for my Self Love Reflection guest post!  And if you are a new reader thanks for reading, let’s be friends, K?

For those of you who are new I am apart of the FIre Up For Fall brought to you by Weight Wars.  You can read about the challenge here.

Today I have 2 inspirational messages, the first is more for my Monday:

This is the best message for me since I am getting back from vacation, and the first day back is always the hardest.  it doesn’t help that today is Halloween and I have to pass out candy.  It also didn’t help that I ate HORRIBLE for the last 4 days.  But I am putting that in the past and focusing on the future!

And my message for everyone else:

There is no such thing as instant gratification when it comes to weight loss!  Slow and steady wins the race.  I have to keep telling myself this every time I forget that this is a lifestyle change, and it is for-ev-er (insert kids voice from Sandlot).  Which is fine, I’ve come to terms.

Five Questions!

1. What have you done to help achieve your goals?  I’m not gonna lie.  Being on vacation my goals kind of took a backseat.  The good thing is that I have already made most of them and so I am thinking a reassessment is in order for next week.  I did go to the gym 1 day out of the 4 I was gone.  The gym I went to was disappointing, and no matter of me saying “suck it up” to myself made me go again.  No excuses, no B.S., I just plain didn’t go.    I should have adapted to the situation and just went.  Live and learn!

2.  What have you done this week to make yourself feel fabulous?  My hub’s bought me boots that I have wanted for about a year.  As I have mentioned in the past,  when I had the little munchkin a year ago, the hub’s and I didn’t make a budget, and ended up in some hefty debt.  We tightened up, and made some difficult (but good) changes and I am happy to report that we have dug ourselves out finally!  We had rewards credit for Nordstrom, and he surprised me by buying me the boots I have been wanting.  I can honestly say that the boots paired with my new jeans that finally fit make me feel fabulous when I look in the mirror!

3.  How do you pull yourself out of a slump, or prevent yourself from falling into one?  I try not to lose time on wasted emotions.  When I say emotions I mean feelings that are counterproductive, and there is nothing I can do about them. A good example is stress when sleeping.  I can usually turn my brain off if I have a conversation with myself like “its the middle of the night, there is nothing you can do to fix that problem right now.  Sleep is the best thing for this issue”.  This way of thinking usually prevents slumps.  For me either I am working towards my goals or I’m not.  I try not to get down on myself, because that just makes it worse.

4. Are you naturally positive, or do you have to work at it?  How do you keep yourself positive?  I am a naturally positive person, but I think it helps that my hub’s is always questioning everything.  One of us has to stay positive!  I believe positivity is the only way to achieve your goals.  Without it I would get nothing done.

5. If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?  I have not been that many places in my lifetime, but I think my dream destination would be a European tour.  I have always wanted to go abroad, but just haven’t had the chance.

  • What about you?  If you are not participating in FUFF, tell me an answer to one of these questions in the comments!
6 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on October 31, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Budget, Challenges, Fall, Finances, Fire It Up for Fall, Indulgence, Inspiration, Motivation, Positive Self-Talk

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on October 31, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/10/31/fire-up-for-fall-week-7/

24-48 Hours

It’s official.  I have ordered my Bodybugg system and it should ship within 24 -48 hours.  I feel the motivation I felt when I started the blog in June, not that I was lacking motivation in the first place, but it is a renewed inspiration.  A great feeling!

A not so great feeling is today’s goals.  What a flop!  A hacker got into my twitter account, and I have spent most of the day changing passwords that matched my twitter account.  What a pain in the butt!  I’ve also been running around trying to get the finishing touches for Hanna’s first birthday party.  Needless to say, I didn’t get to the gym this morning because the whole Hacker thing made me in a bad mood.  At lunch I was dragging (did I mention my baby slept horrible last night?) so I had a Pepsi.  And then I overfilled myself on pizza at the California Pizza Kitchen.

Last night we watched the last game of the World Series and had more pizza.  Why is it that I never get sick of pizza?  Seriously.  I could eat it for every meal (and in the past, some days I did), it always sounds good and never gets old.  My fingers are sausages (from the salt) and my feet are swelling. I am seriously rethinking what jeans I put on today, I don’t think I can take any restriction on my tummy.

At home I would beat myself up, and get down on myself, but the fact that I’m on vacation makes it better on my ego.  Vacations are for messing up and doing things that you wouldn’t normally do.  I have no doubt in my mind that I won’t jump right back on track come Monday morning.  This doesn’t give me the excuse to just go crazy for the next 24 hours, but I know that being hard on myself is not productive, and it doesn’t help the cause.

We will be leaving early on Sunday morning and then it’s back to the daily grind!

  • Is there a food that you could eat for every meal everyday?
  • Are you too hard on yourself at times?
PS.  This post was started on Friday and finished Saturday morning so some of the wording for the days might be confusing!
1 Comment
by Shrinking Carrie on October 29, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Body Bugg

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on October 29, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/10/29/24-48-hours/

Fire Up For Fall: Week 6

Holy cow!  Is it already week 6!?

Inspirational Photo:

Source

Yup.  Because we should always think awesome thoughts about ourselves.  Plus, Shatner is just the coolest, and I should find more reason’s to post pictures of him.

Weekly Questions:  

1.  What have you done this week to help achieve your goals? 

  • I’ve met my first goal, and now fit into the pair of jeans that I bought for motivation post-pregnancy.  Woot woot!
  • Just finished phase 3 of NROLFW, so that goal has also been checked off.  New goal:  Finish Phase 4
  • I am 4 pounds away from hitting my 10% with Weight Watchers, and I have been going to the gym 6 days a week and tracking all of my food.
  • Made it to the gym 6 days a week.  CHECK.
  • #5. Make friends and find inspiration in others.  DOUBLE CHECK!!!  I am loving the people I am meeting by doing this challenge!  You all have been inspiring and it has been so motivating to me!  I love checking in with all of you on Mondays!
2. What have you done this week to make yourself feel fabulous? 
I wore my new gym clothes to workout in, and I didn’t feel self-conscience!  This is huge, and it makes me even more excited to go to the gym everyday!  And it made me feel fabulous.  With the tight fitting clothes I can really tell where I’m seeing progress, and it feel so good!
3. Do you listen to music when you work out?  What gets you fired up?
Music is huge for me when working out, and I have to change out my playlist every couple of weeks so that I don’t get bored with what I’m listening to.  Lately, my go to album has been David Ghetta’s (SP?) new album “Nothing But The Beat”.  It is a collaboration album, so all of the songs sound like a mish mash of different albums by different people.  My go to gym music has to have a good beat to keep tempo to and keep me entertained.
4.  What is your guilty pleasure music?  How does it make you feel?
I’m not really embarrassed by any music I listen to, because I love all genre’s besides country,  I LOATHE COUNTRY.  I would say my guilty pleasure would have to be music like Billy Joel, or Lionel Richie.  I don’t listen to them very often, but when I do it takes me back to my childhood when we use to play music in our house.  ”Dancing on the Ceiling”, and “Uptown Girl” immediately take me to a different time.
5.  If today were a song what song would it be?
Ha!  I just totally looked through my itunes to find some inspiration, and I found a good one!  ”Seize the Day” from the movie Newsies, with Christian Bale.  That would definitely have to be guilty pleasure movie/music for sure.  And yes, I totally have the soundtrack for it.  I am really giving you guys a skewed vision of what kind of music I like.  I promise my taste is much more different than what this is displaying.
I hope everyone is having a great start to their Monday!  Stay Tuned for Friend Making Monday!
3 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on October 24, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Awesomeness, Challenges, Fire It Up for Fall, Inspiration, Motivation, Positive Self-Talk

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on October 24, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/10/24/fire-up-for-fall-week-6/

Dirty Four Letter Word, Diet of Forgiveness.

I don’t know how many people are following my perfection challenges that I post at night (if you’re not that’s fine, I use it for an accountability tool for myself, and only post a few remarks with it), but I didn’t post last night.  I fell off the wagon and I fell hard.  I had a great day until I went to the grocery store……hungry.  Those strategically place candy bars at the check out got to me and I gobbled up a Kit Kat before you could even say Trick-or-Treat.  I had planned on making pizza (because I thought I could handle 2 pieces with a salad), and then ate toppings as I made it (doh!).   I quit tracking after I lost count of how many pieces of pepperoni slipped into my mouth.

I am good today, and I have a secret  as to why.  We all know that there is dirty four letter word out there that can trick our minds into feeling deprived and hungry…DIET.  I am doing Weight Watchers, but by no means am I on a DIET.  I am doing a lifestyle change and I am happy to say that this is the longest healthy lifestyle change that I have stuck with (go me!).  But the real changes started when I tried a new kind of diet.  The Forgive Yourself Diet.

It doesn’t require points, pricey foods, or even a gym membership.  All it requires is that you forgive yourself for your own actions.  I think that I got into a habit of negative self-talk and it over took my attempts at making a better life for myself.  Last year, if I would have eaten a candy bar while I was trying to lose weight I would have gone off the deep end with negativity, and put myself in a “woes me” mood.  I would feel sorry for myself and confirm all of the self-doubt that I constantly thought.  The only way I can make a change is by forgiving myself, and saying its ok that I had a weak moment, but that doesn’t mean that I have to give it all up!

Yes, I am only 1/4 of the way through my journey right now, but I know that this different way of thinking has helped me be realistic with my goal setting, and has kept me on track (most days).  One set-back is not the end of the world, and is by no means an excuse to beat myself up, and quit.  I am worth these changes I am making in my life and my family is worth it!

How do you use positive self-talk to influence yourself in daily life?

3 Comments
by Shrinking Carrie on October 22, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in About Me, Body Image, Diet, Motivation, Positive Self-Talk

Posted by Shrinking Carrie on October 22, 2011

http://shrinkingcarrie.com/2011/10/22/dirty-four-letter-word-diet-of-forgiveness/

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