30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 24

Have you ever purged? If you have, describe your first experience.
gonna keep this really simple - NO! Not ever, never ever, nuh-uh! not only do I think its unhealthy and not right - but I could never force myself to do something like that.

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 23

How do you feel about the terms pro-ana/pro-mia? 
When I hear these terms, I am disgusted. The media has made such a spectacle about weight and it promotes extreme unhealthiness among women, particularly younger girls. The more I see these young girls refusing food, starving themselves to lose a few pounds, complaining about their "fat rolls" that don't exist - I feel terrible inside. I look at my cousins and how pressured they are by society to look and feel and be this size 0 view of "perfection". It terrifies me that my baby sister will get sucked into this tornado of sickness and try to meet the unrealistic expectations set forth by people of my generation. I know my own weight issues don't' help, but I do my best to be a great role model for my sister and remind her constantly that she is beautiful the way she is and that what is on TV isn't always "reality"!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 22

Did the media play a role in your wanting to lose weight?
One Word - NOPE!  The media is a joke! I'm smart enough to know that what I see on TV or in magazines is clever lighting and Photoshop. my own health and life ambitions are what made me want to lose weight.

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 21

What are your clothing sizes?
Pants: XL - Size 18 work pants - size 18/20 jeans

Shirts: size 14/16 (@ LB) - Size 2 (@ Torrid) - XL at any other store

Bras: 44H (a smidge smaller than a couple years ago - but still gigantic!)

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 20

Favourite diet?

If we are talking about branded type of diet, I would go with Mediterranean diet. My doctor put me on it last year when I first got serious about weight loss - and it helped me lose 25lbs in 3 months. I have since slacked off on it and need to get back into those eating habits again - but I always felt full even after small snacks and the food was delicious. I'm allergic to fish (a big part of the diet) but I was able to substitute chicken for the Fish meals and still get great tasting food!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 19

When is the last time you ate fast food?
um, 2 days ago?! I try not to eat fast food ALL the time. I used to be horrible with fast food - I ate it 2-3 times a WEEK. sometimes for lunch AND dinner on the same day. I really feel that this is part of the reason my body is in the mess that its in. But over the last year - I've cut out fast food a LOT.

Josh and I agreed that there are some times where we will always have fast food. On Lazy Sunday we have Jimmy Johns for lunch. Also, when Aunt Flo is in town I almost always have to have a meal from burger king. A homemade burger won't cut it, I need greasy beef goodness! Other than that, we will occasionally order Pizza (1-2 times a MONTH) and only in rare cases will we go any where else for fast food. In general, we always find SOMETHING to make for ourselves without having to go get fast food.

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

All this planning is giving me a headache!

I feel like my head is going to explode! I've always wanted to actually PLAN my wedding. not just look at pretty things and cut out pictures of what I wanted, but actually get engaged and plan my wedding.

Now that I AM engaged, and planning my wedding, I just want to cry! So many things to think about - so many people with their opinions and advice - so many people will be offended by the date, the people included, the people invited... EVERYTHING!! Its just so much!!

Right now, I am having the hardest time finding a venue. If I find one I like, it either costs a lot or requires you to use their special caterer that charges a ton of money for practically nothing. If I find one that doesn't require a caterer, they are either booked, or super pricey just for their venue. and ones that I find that don't require a caterer and aren't pricey - book super fast or require a ridiculous down payment just to secure the place.

MY HEAD IS SPINNING!!!

On the plus side - I have decided on colors and a theme! Going with the Aqua/Turquoise color family and a vintage Vegas/Rat Pack themed wedding! Its going to look amazing!!

More details to come....

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 18

What food is your weakness?

Fried and greasy foods. Mozzarella sticks, cheese burgers, fries, taquitos... I call them my comfort foods. When it's "That time of the month" and I'm crank and irritable - these are the foods I want/need/crave/desire! and if they are within reach, I will pig out on them until my stomach hurts!!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 17

Do you have an eating disorder?
Not a diagnosed eating disorder, but man do I LOVE food!!! there really isn't a whole lot I don't like or enjoy! I'm skeptical of foreign cuisines, and there are some veggies I don't like, but i'm willing to try anything because most food is DELICIOUS!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 16

When did you first decide to lose weight?
I've been "trying" to lose weight for ages and something always gets in my way. But when I finally caved and told myself there was no turning back was at the end of July 2011. I went to the doctor and had my regular physical with a new doctor. for the last few years, every doc I'd seen had said "you could stand to lose a few pounds, but you are completely healthy - see you next year". But this doctor was different. She did tell me that all my lab tests and that came back as me being a completely healthy 27 year old. But I was 27 years old and I weighed nearly 280lbs. She told me that was NOT healthy and we needed to do something now. 

I always knew I was overweight and needed to do something, but since my doctor kept saying I was healthy, I sorta just tuned it out. I would try, and if I didn't' succeed, it was okay because the doctor said I was still healthy. This new doctor, she didn't like that at all and told me I needed to start making changes right away or I was going to be severely UNHEALTHY!

Starting August 1st, 2011 - I really paid attention to what I ate and the exercising I did. In the last few months of the year, I managed to lose over 30 lbs. I've since hit a wall and am trying to change up my foods and exercise to see if I can get over this small bump, but for the first time in my life, I am actually CONFIDENT that I can keep losing the weight.

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 15

Are you vegan or vegetarian? If so, has this helped you lose weight? If not, would you ever consider turning vegan or vegetarian?

nope nope nope!!  I love meat too much - I love eggs, and chicken, and beef, and pork - I really don't' think I could give it up unless my doctor looked at me in the eyes and told me that if I didn't turn vegan/vegetarian I would die in a week! I admire my friends who do live that lifestyle. Its definitely a lifestyle that you must live with. I just don't feel like I have the knowledge or will power to stick to something like that!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 14

What’s your UGW? When do you expect to reach it?
My ULTIMATE would be down to 150lbs. I'm currently 250lbs - so there is a good amount to lose. I originally was hoping to be under 220 by now, based on my earlier progress - but I hit some obstacles and haven't been as successful as I would have preferred. I keep things reasonable and say that I would like to reach 150 by my 29th brithday, March 24th 2013! it would be nice if I could get down to that by the end of THIS year - simply because I would like to try on wedding dresses at my goal weight! But I know its not realistic. I will just work hard and see what happens!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 13

Are you losing weight in a healthy or unhealthy way?
Definitely the healthy way. Proper diet, exercise, and (trying) consistency. I've tried doing rapid weight loss products, cleanses, teas, rice only, water only, fruit only diets, and even pushing myself so hard at the gym that it was actually destructive. 

I'm not doing that anymore! I watch what I eat - I allow myself treats, but in moderation - and I make sure to work out with exercises that work the whole body! I feel like i'm finally doing it the RIGHT way and that's why I've been successful with it so far!

Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly

30 Day Fitspo Challenge - Day 12

What do you normally eat?

hmmm - well, I figure the easiest way to do this is to copy a daily log from my MFP diary.

FOODS	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Cholest	Sodium	Sugars	Fiber
Breakfast
Hytop - Old Fashioned Oats, 1/4 cup dry (1 cup prepared)	75	14g	1g	3g	0mg	0mg	0g	2g
Sugars - Brown, 2 tsp unpacked unpacked	23	6g	0g	0g	0mg	2mg	6g	0g
Tea Bigelow - Green Tea, 240 ml	0	0g	0g	0g	0mg	0mg	0g	0g
Morning Snack
Hytop - Mozarella String Cheese, 2 string	160	0g	12g	12g	30mg	400mg	0g	0g
Lunch
Subway - 6"Turkey on White, 6 "	380	52g	12g	19g	35mg	1,210mg	12g	2g
Afternoon Snack
Famous Amos - Chocolate Chip Cookies - Vending Size, 1 package (56g)	280	38g	13g	3g	5mg	200mg	18g	2g
Diet Dr Pepper - 355ml (12 oz), 355 ml	0	0g	0g	0g	0mg	55mg	0g	0g
Hytop - Mozarella String Cheese, 1 string	80	0g	6g	6g	15mg	200mg	0g	0g
Dinner
Bacon Wrapped Chicken, 1 serving(s)	294	22g	10g	30g	68mg	610mg	19g	1g
Hytop - Broccoli and Cheese Rice Mix, 0.5 Cup Prepared	145	26g	35g	3g	0mg	220mg	1g	1g
Great Value - French Style Green Beans - Correct, 1/2 cup	20	4g	0g	1g	0mg	390mg	2g	2g
Chicken - Breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, 0.2 cup, chopped or diced	46	0g	1g	9g	24mg	21mg	0g	0g
TOTAL:	1,503	162g	90g	86g	177mg	3,308mg	58g	10g

So there ya' go! A typical food day in the life of Holly!


Peace and Good JuJu,
Holly