Last week I was talking to one of the fitness instructors, after an aerobics class, and he suggested that I find someone who I admire to use as motivation.  I thought this was a great idea.  I mean, don't we look to others to motivate us?  I really wanted this person to be someone who I could look up to as a "fit" person.  So, I gave it a lot of thought and realized that Jennifer Lopez was someone who I admired.  

As a thirty-something it's inspiring to see a forty-something look as amazing as she does, even after twins.  Now, I do realize that it is her job to have the body that she does.  She has a chef, nutritionist, and personal trainer working with her daily to get her where she needs to be.  I don't have these things but I feel that if I work hard I can achieve what she has achieved.  Now, it will take a little longer but that's OK.  I don't want that fast instant gratification.  It would be nice, but lets be real.  If I want this to be a lifestyle change, it's going to take my whole life to do it.  

I also chose Lopez because she has the ideal body that I wish to achieve.  She is still curvy and she celebrates her curves.  I find that very admirable especially when all you see on TV and fashion magazines stick thin models.  Plus, I like that she "works" on her body.  She has the amazing abs and arms but she still has a very feminine figure.  This appeals to me most.  As I like looking like a girl.  Not to say that the muscular, athletic look is not feminine.  It's just not what I personally want for myself. I want to look fit but still have the softness that is specific to women.  

So, I searched online for some pictures of Lopez and created a collage.  The title of the collage, "What Would J.Lo Do?"  I taped this collage up next to my wall of motivating words.  I'm using as a way to remind myself of my goals.  When I've already eaten a cupcake and I'm thinking that it wouldn't hurt to have another one, I can ask myself " "What Would J.Lo Do?"  Or when I'm debating on whether or not to watch another episode of TV or go workout "What Would J.Lo Do?"  

Since I have posted the collage I can genuinely say that it is helping.  Just the other day I went to a Scholarship Ball and dinner was buffet style.  When I got in line I saw that food and instantly thought to myself, "What Would J.Lo Do?"  My plate was half salad, a quarter pasta, a piece of chicken, and a roll; I grabbed the butter out of habit but didn't even use it.  I walked passed the second pasta and the meatballs.  I was proud of myself for not completely overloading my plate.  I just put what I thought I would eat and didn't feel bad when I didn't "clean" my plate.  I did grab some dessert; a cookie and a small piece of cake of which I did not eat the icing (not really a fan).

I think that this collage will continue to help me on my journey to a healthier lifestyle.  Maybe one day the collage will be pictures of myself.

Till another day.....

Hey all!!

Today I decided that I am going to share my favorite Bear Fit class.  Right now I go everyday for their 12:10 classes.  These classes are all different each day.  But I must say that Wednesday's Bear Strength will whoop your tail.  It whoops mine every time.

The instructor is Gina.  Gina is a student instructor at Plaster Sports Complex.  She is super bubbly and very nice; until the class starts.  Don't get me wrong she will encourage you through the workout.  But she will also push you.  You can tell that she really enjoys teaching the class and making sure that her students get the workout they crave.  

In this class we do strength training with kettle bells, hand weights, and body bars.  We also do some calisthenics and Ab work.  I really like this class because she incorporates cardio in the strength workout.  This class is also very challenging.  Even though I know it will be hard, I still can't wait to get there.  I tell my friends that I like it because it makes me "cry on the inside".  :D  This is not an exaggeration.  She will work you.  You will hurt.  But I feel amazing and proud of myself when I'm done.  

If you are a student at Missouri State University and have not tried a Bear Fit class I highly recommend it.  The classes are $2 each or you can by the multi-class passes.  I went ahead and bought the unlimited pass and I've definitely gotten my money's worth.  

I will try to get to some of the other classes and will do reviews on those as well.  If you have tried them please post below your favorite.  

Till another day....

Thanks Everyone!!!

I know this is a small feat but I am still very excited.  I wasn't really sure if anyone would really read this blog or not.  But I am so happy to see that there are people who are actually looking at it.

So I counted up all the views and since the first day I have had 306.  This is super awesome.  I hope that you all are enjoying my posts.  Sorry it has been a couple of days since I last posted but I am trying to think of things to blog about.  

But as I think about it... I think I like keeping it random.  Or somewhat random.  I literally have no idea what I'm writing when I sit down to post.  I just do whatever pops in my head.  

If anyone wants to know anything specifically about me just let me know.  You can either post your questions in the comments below or feel free to email me at [email protected].

Till another day... 

Hey everyone!

I thought I would post something random about myself.  Well, maybe not really random.  But I thought that today I would share the websites that I visit the most.  These sites I literally visit everyday.  Sometimes several times a day.  

First for the all important social networking I will admit to visiting Facebook and Twitter more than five times a day each.  Actually, I don't even think I know how often I visit those pages.  Especially since I am able to get to them from my phone.  I am constantly checking them.  Making little comments.  I love looking at people's pictures.  Those are my favorite.  So, I will say, go ahead and follow me if you are on twitter.  If you click on the side bar you can do just that.  I will follow back.  

Now, for TV watching.  I do half of my TV watching on HuluPlus and the other half on Drama Fever.  I find that I can really only get most of my TV watching either while eating or on weekends.  I do also have Netflix but I believe that I will not continue since whenever I try to find a movie they rarely have it for instant watch.  I really like HuluPlus because I get to watch all my favorite shows.  I have also been able to watch some British shows that I probably would not have had the opportunity to watch.  Drama Fever is awesome because they have great Korean dramas.  They also get a lot of current simulcast shows which I really like watching.  Mainly because it prevents me from watching more than two in a row.  Unless I'm behind.  I highly recommend both sites.

For shopping I like to hit up Amazon and Etsy.   Etsy is really fun because it's all small businesses.  A lot of what you will find is hand made.  You will also find some antiques and things that have been recycled.  Lots of fun creative gifts, clothes, well anything you can think of you can most likely find there.  Amazon is great because I can usually find things for super cheap.  Which is a plus.    

For inspiration, I like to go to Burda Style and YouTube.  Why YouTube?  Because you can find so many tutorials on all kinds of stuff there.  I pretty much learned how to do all kinds of things on YouTube.  If you have any problem or are curious about anything, more than likely someone has made a video about it.  I love Burda Style for when I'm ready to try sewing new things.  They have a great sewing community, lots of free and reasonably priced patterns, and awesome tutorials.  And it really is for all skill levels.  My favorite is the projects page where members get to "show off" their creations.  You can see some new techniques and get lots of good feedback.

I also like to check on my brothers and hit up their blogs.  They are both really good and totally different.  Jeremy's blog is pretty new and showcases his love for both creating music and the music world in general.  Michael's blog is about his business as a caricature artist going to conventions, working on new artwork, video games, and my favorite, Korean and Japanese dramas that he is watching.  

Before this post gets too long I will just stop here.  Like I said earlier, these are the sites I visit on an everyday basis.  If there are some here that  you haven't tried out yet check 'em out.  Otherwise feel free to share your favorites in the comments below!!

Hey Everyone!!!

Just a short post today!  Just for fun I have started a "Survey of the Week" page.  This week it's music.  It's really simple.  Nothing too intruding.  Check it out!

I know that this song came out a year ago.  But I just wanted to share it because I am so in love with Miguel right now.  I hear that he is working on his next album and I can't wait to get my hands on it.  

Enjoy!

Weddings.  I love weddings.  Watching two people profess their love for one another in front of friends and family.  Magic.  It reminds me of magic.  

This past weekend I was invited to my roommate, Katy, to her wedding.  It was super cute.  It was small affair with family, friends, and co-workers.  And Katy looked beautiful.  She looked like a princess.  

It was so cute to see her fiance's face as she walked down the aisle.  He looked remarkably calm.  This was good to see because the bride was already tearful as she walked towards him.  She sniffled quietly throughout the entire service.  Adorable.  

Seeing her so happy was refreshing.  You forget about your own issues when you see such happiness.  I know that all I could think about was how pretty she looked.  Anything else that I may have had on my mind went away.  Test this week.  What test?  Debate this week.  What debate?  Meetings.  Homework.  Classes.  Work.  It all seemed not as important.  

I am so happy that my friend invited me to share her special day with her.  I hope that she and her new husband have a long and happy marriage.  

Hey All!!

Today I got all set for my weight loss challenge.  If you are interested in checking out my progress I will update the "Challenge Log" page with all that information.  

I believe that I am truly ready to get this weight off.  I have worked out everyday this week and am excited to workout more.  I went to the grocery store today to get my food for the week.  I will be working on that day by day.  My first goal is to limit take out to once a week.  We will see how that goes.  I have also decided to limit after 9pm snacks to fruit only.  I picked up some bananas and apples to help with that.  Tonight I was SO close to just grabbing a bag of chips.  But I grabbed a banana instead.  Progress.  

This post will be short since it's pretty late and I have to get up early for a friend's wedding.  I'm really excited about this event and can't wait to share it with you tomorrow.  

Anyway.  Till tomorrow....

Hey all!!

A couple days ago, I was doing some random surfing and decided that I needed to beef up my Chrome.  So, I pulled up the Chrome Web Store to see what kind of apps they have.  They have a lot of the apps you would find on your Android or iPhone like Angry Birds or TweetDeck.  But one app that I found to be interesting was the Weight Loss Wars app.  It's an app that connects you with a community of people who create and participate in weight loss challenges.  The challenges can be either private or public.  What an interesting concept.  Especially if you're like me and you're pretty much working out alone.  

It was really easy to register on the site and everything seems pretty straight forward.  You can either create your own challenges or you can join challenges that may or may not have a fee required.  In your profile you can journal your progress.  You can also submit and collect recipes.  There are also different calculators to help you figure out your BMI or calorie intake.  

I was checking out the different public challenges and there is one in particular that I have been keeping my eye on.  When I first found it there were 8 days until start date.  Now there is only 1 day.  The fee to join the challenge is $30 and you get a share of the big pot if you lose 10% of your body weight in the disclosed time frame.  It's just a little over 3 months.  

I keep thinking that it would be a good idea.  But I also have my doubts.  I do like competition though and I don't like to lose.  This may be exactly what I need to get my butt back into gear.  I have worked out everyday this week so far.  And I was already working out on a pretty regular basis. 

You know what?  I'm going to do it.  Why not?  What have I got to lose?

OK.  Yeah, I'm doing it.  I will blog my progress in the Challenge Log page.  I think this will be good.  Now, if anyone is actually reading this, your encouragement with comments will be greatly appreciated.  :D  I will get it all set up in the morning.  I will weigh in and take my "before" pics (oh my).  I'll also set up my calendar to remind me of weigh ins and I will set up a countdown.  

I think this will be fun.  I will still continue my Shape Challenge as well.  I actually really need to kick that into gear.

So, I'll let you know how it all sets up tomorrow.  Till then!!!

Hey everyone!!

So, if you noticed there is an actual title to this blog rather than just what day it is.  I have come to the conclusion that maybe I should blog about something specific each day instead of telling you what I did that day.  I'm thinking that maybe my days aren't really as interesting as I first imagined.  :D

Today I got my first pair of contacts.  Yes, I am thirty years old and have not worn contacts until literally today.  And I must say, "WHY HAVEN'T I DONE THIS SOONER?!?!?!"  As soon as the doctor put them in my eyes I was completely amazed.  I could see with no problems at all.  No trying to adjust any nose pads or making sure I was secure behind the ears.  Nor did I experience any weird feelings in my eyes or headaches.  I have been wearing glasses since fourth grade.  Heck, I have been wearing my last pair of glasses for the past seven years!  

As you can probably tell, this change is a long time coming.  And they are amazing!  I rode my bike to campus today and when I turned to look behind me I had complete peripheral vision.  While I was working out, I was able to do exercises that required me to learn forward without having to make sure to catch my glasses before they slide off my nose.  I don't have to push up my glasses to face (although I catch myself doing it still).  I can wear sunglasses!!!  I haven't ever bought sunglasses because I'm really blind.  But now I can get some.  I think I will shop for some tomorrow.  I'm super psyched!  :D

Because of wearing contacts I decided that I should start wearing eye makeup.  So, I put some on.  But now, I'm thinking that I should go get my eyebrows arched.  They grow a little weird and they are kind of thin.  Since, I wore glasses I just kind of ignored them.  But now I'm very aware of them.  Getting those fixed tomorrow.  And, instead of studying, I decided to try out my new hot comb and try out straightening my hair.  Let's just say it was an adventure and that I should either keep practicing or just hire a professional.  

All in all today was a pretty adventurous day for me.  You're probably thinking, that's so pathetic.  But as you get to know me, you'll see that I'm very easily excitable.  This I cannot help.  I take lots of pleasure in the little things in life.  

Only thing left is once I get off work, hopefully I'll be able to get these out for bed.  I guess we'll see how that goes.

Till tomorrow....

Today has been quite uneventful.  Went to lab.  Didn't make it to the gym in time for class, so I ran in the neighborhood.  Man, street running is much more challenging than track running.  I ran/walked 1.19 miles, according to my "Find Your Route" app.  I like this app.  It creates a route for you depending on how many miles/km you set.  It will also give you audio directions on top of you music while you run.  I really like this feature of the app.  My only thing was that I didn't look at the route before the run to get an idea of where I was going.  So, I just ran and got confused when it said, "wrong way".  I will definitely try the app again tomorrow.

Today in Sociology, we had a guest speaker talk about Ozark Food Harvest.  It was a very good and inspirational talk.  It really made me want to see what I can do to help this organization.  We have to do a community project for my class anyway, so I may see what I can do for the Food Harvest with this project.

After class, I made my way to the Student Union.  I was STARVING!!!  I haven't been feeling well and figured that I could use some food.  I picked up some Chinese but still did not feel very well.  I think I may be getting a cold.  Most of the kids in my lab have runny noses and little coughs.  Yuck!  I sat around in the Union until my SGA (Student Government Association) meeting.  This meeting was interesting.  We talked about the plus/minus grading system and what can be done to change it.  We will vote on this resolution next week.  I was glad that the meeting was not too long.  Sometimes these meetings can go very long.

Once the meeting was over I decided to just go home.  I was going to go to the library to study, but I was really not feeling well.  So I went home and took a nap.  

Now, I am at work.  Still feeling miserable.  Eating Halls and will pick up some cold/allergy medicine on my way home.  Hopefully, this does not develop into something super gross.

Till tomorrow....