Proportion

Holiday weaknesses:

• Christmas trees
• Snowmen
• Fluffy scarves
• Wine
• Fireplace
• Red

My biggest holiday weaknesses:

• Candy
• Cookies
• Cakes
• Brownies
• ...anything with lots of frosting and sugar...

I have a feeling some of you can relate.

Spring break is only three months away, and my friends and I have been planning a trip the the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, FL.  I am happy with who I am, but I could really use a little work around the waistline.  So here it is.  Fairy Godmother, make over my diet.

I've gone on pretty much every diet in the books.  Pills, juice and water fasts, no carbs, etc.  Some of them did work for a while, but I fell straight back into my old habits of chocolate, chips and dip, and pizza.  This time, I'm looking to do something that I can stick with, something that still incorporates my favorites so as not to feel deprived, yet at the same time is healthy and will help me drop the at-least 25 lbs. I want before March.

It's all about the proportions.

Using an average dinner plate, half of it should be vegetables, preferably raw.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=7wNPBTiXcIDpEM:&imgrefurl=http://justaddcayenne.blogspot.com/2011/07/15-healthy-cooking-and-eating-tips.html&docid=DoX47pqeF0t6vM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zudJVgxn-oA/Th35bVafjhI/AAAAAAAAAFY/cjJV1LVn5-4/s1600/Half_Plate_Veggies.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=XUviTsrcOMHk0QGB5NXnBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=745&vpy=161&dur=130&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=130&ty=133&sig=110483274935033513659&page=3&tbnh=156&tbnw=156&start=30&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:30


One quarter of it should be protein: fish, lean meat, tofu, beans, cheese, or a protein smoothie will do.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&tbnid=kZqs0aX2aMjxdM:&imgrefurl=http://pilateswithjessicafisher.blogspot.com/2010/05/superfood-of-week-fish.html&docid=i-PdYqW1lp1kqM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzssygtX_8745z9yA8E1FBYEMw-l-FrHgzBXAjg0GmpC3nYaz0BDAe0pzeJIUNXpr-n6G44DmxhpN2btPSzDXguYu-fu8FlD3InVTrd8h9Vc7YKN0ci-fPHNfjTdKF2uK_mxqFDMzH9tEo/s400/fish%252Bcooked.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=00ziTsyGJcPr0gH00Lz1BQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=200&sig=110483274935033513659&page=1&tbnh=134&tbnw=138&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=60&ty=78





An eighth of the plate should be fruit.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&tbnid=yxITm6UXjFzwwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/berry-nutrition-facts-%25E2%2580%2593-health-benefits-of-berries&docid=TG6wKEV8cU_JdM&imgurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/images/berry%252520nutrition%252520facts_health%252520benefits%252520of%252520berries.jpg&w=500&h=335&ei=jk3iTtwyqdvRAaXGwIMG&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=781&vpy=71&dur=260&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=168&ty=80&sig=110483274935033513659&page=2&tbnh=154&tbnw=218&start=12&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:12


And the final eight can be a carb or starch.  Try to use whole grains.

image from http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1311&bih=518&tbm=isch&tbnid=yxITm6UXjFzwwM:&imgrefurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/blog/berry-nutrition-facts-%25E2%2580%2593-health-benefits-of-berries&docid=TG6wKEV8cU_JdM&imgurl=http://www.fatburningfurnace.com/images/berry%252520nutrition%252520facts_health%252520benefits%252520of%252520berries.jpg&w=500&h=335&ei=jk3iTtwyqdvRAaXGwIMG&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=781&vpy=71&dur=260&hovh=184&hovw=274&tx=168&ty=80&sig=110483274935033513659&page=2&tbnh=154&tbnw=218&start=12&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:12



Don't forget to drink lots and lots of water.  See my post about Project H20 for tips on that!  Happy healthy eating!

A little holiday cheer...

Last night, my roommate and I decorated our Christmas tree.  It's been a tradition that every year, my Omi (grandma) gives me a new set of Thomas Paccioni Christmas ornaments, or something a little Christmas-y to add to my tree.  Omi is from Germany and she passed down all of her vintage, hand-carved little ornaments to me.  Some of them, I must admit, are really funny.  I thought I would brighten up this cold, dreary day and share.
Santa riding a dove?

One of my favorites, pine cone Santa

My favorite set of Thomas Paccioni ornaments.  The Nutcracker!

This one is just creepy...

Asian lady with a broom?

Even though some of my ornaments are a little silly, the tree turned out beautiful!!

Money, money, money!!

"I save every nickel, dime, quarter, dollar, five, ten, twenty. But I still can't seem to save any money." - "Money" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

She couldn't have said it any better. Holidays are fast approaching and so is the pressure to buy gifts, go to dinner and coctails with friends and family, and make pounds of cookies and treats. Somehow, I seem to always go broke this time of year...

I would really like my year 2012 to be different. I am the first to admit that I'm terrible about spending money.  As a waitress and bartender, I find the cash I earn disappears just as fast as I make it!  I really need to create a system to get back on track with my bills and for all of my debt to vanish into oblivion.  I honestly don't have a ton of debt, but I can only imagine the difference it will make in my stress levels and overall happiness if it were less existent or not at all.

This does take time, organization, and patience.  I know I'll have to cut back on some things, but it will definitely be worth it.  This is my plan.
The Naughty List

Make a list of all the debt you have acquired.  This might be a little overwhelming, but you can't run from it.  The reality still exists.  The first step is admitting the truth.  Yes, I do have x dollars in late fees because I don't have the guts to open these student loan bills because I know I can't afford it...  I've been there.  Write down every single last bill you can think of that you owe and the amount on a piece of notebook paper.

Example:

Rent $375
Electric bill $135
Wells Fargo loan $10,000
..etc.

My total debt, including my student loans, comes to $13, 785.

Definitely overwhelming, but when I think about it, if I work really hard, I should be able to pay this off in a year.  I work 60 hours a week and make decent money at my jobs.  Once I can reach financial success, I can progress to getting more school, and a better job in the business world.  The next step is to figure out when I need to get everything paid off.

Date Time

Next to each debt, write when and how much is due.

Example:

Rent $370 due January 1st
Electric bill $135 due December 22
Wells Fargo loan $200 due December 12
...etc.

Time Line

Now, rewrite the list in order from what needs to be paid right away and what can wait a little bit.

Example:

Phone bill $75 due asap
Wells Fargo loan $200 due Dec. 12
Electric bill $135 due Dec. 22
Rent $370 due Jan. 1

Add up all of the money you owe this week, everything owed next week, and the week after, etc.

Example:

Phone bill $75-- due now

$200 Wells Fargo loan
$150 Energy bill
______

$350 -- next week

...etc.

Save and knock it out!

Now you have an idea of how much money you need to make each week to get caught up.  Split it up into days.  If you owe $350 next week, split that up between shifts you work and it will show how much you need to save of the money you earn before you can spend any money on extra things (drinks, movies, junk food, etc.)

Example:

I work eleven shifts a week.  A general estimate on how much I make each day looks like this:

Mon: $50
Tues: $25
Wed: $50
Thu: $75 and $80
Fri: $60 and $40
Sat: $50
Sun: $50, $40, $40

All of that adds up to $560 in a week, give or take.  I would have an extra $210.  What I can do is save half of my extra in a seperate savings account and use the other $105 for things such as gas, groceries, and fun time.  You could also use the saved half towards a large debt.  I have a $10,000 loan I'm paying off.  I could use the extra towards that bill as well.

Other Tips

*Keep your notebook in a safe place, where you can access it regularly.

*If you do have a spending problem, try saving all of your receipts and highlighting through what you didn't need to buy.  Try not to make the same mistake twice.

*Use a big calendar so that you can actually visualize when things are due.  I love my dry-erase calendar from Wal-Mart.  It looks kind of like this:
image from Google

*Do your best to pay bills in advance.  This will build your credit back up.

*Watch out for little things.  I try hard to stay away from dollar stores, fast food places, gas station candy, etc.

*Use coupons.

*If there's something you really like, but can wait a week, see if you can find it online for a less expensive price.

I know I'm definitely looking forward to not having to worry and stress about my debt.  Hopefully this helps those of you going through the same types of things.  Good luck!  Please comment if you have any questions.

Drive-me-wild nail art!

A little tutorial for a 15 minute manicure that will drive you wild!

DIY Leopard-Print Nails:

A lot of us have been a little short on cash these days, having to cut back on such things as regular manicures. Here are a few tips to keep your tips looking glamorous and fun!

What you will need:

1. Acetone-free nail polish remover (Shown: Studio 35 Beauty regular salon formula)
2. Cotton balls
3. A skin-renewing mask. I used Spa H2O Seaweed Mud Treatment.
4. Nail clippers
5. A file
6. Cuticle oil or cream. (Shown: Burt's Bee's Lemon Butter cuticle cream)
7. An orange stick
8. Clear nail polish. I used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails.
9. White Nail polish (Shown: Petites french white)
10. Any acrylic black paint
11. Toothpick
12. Paper towel
13. Polish mistake remover. I love Sally Hansen's No More Mistakes manicure clean-up pen
14. Hand lotion. Shown is my favorite, Malibu Hemp hand protector

Steps


1. Remove all old nail polish

2. Use a rejuvinating mask on your hands to remove dead skin cells and refresh with nutrients. I love the Spa H2O seaweed mud treatment. Any clay mask will do to improve the texture and tone of your hands. Place this on the skin for five to ten minutes and wash.

3. Trim your nails and file to the shape you desire. I keep mine short and rounded.

4. Next, use a cuticle oil or cream to soften rough cuticles and push back using an orange stick or metal cuticle-pusher.

5. Now you're ready to paint! Paint, using the first coat of clear poish. Let it dry and repeat one more time.

6. Paint random spots on your nails using the white.

7. Place a little acrylic black paint on a folded paper towel. Dip the toothpick into the paint and draw the rest of your spots. Feel free to use a picture for inspiration. Be creative. These don't have to be perfect.

Note: You can use any colors for this. Have fun with it!





8. Finish your nails with one more coat of clear polish to protect the spots. Let dry and erase any mistakes with your manicure clean-up pen. I find these work a lot better than a Q-Tip with poish remover.

Lather your hands in lotion, and voila! A funky, fun manicure in 15 minutes!

Project H2O

It's that time of year again.  Everyone is talking about their New Year's Resolutions.  "Next month, I'm going to join the gym."  "Starting January first, I'm never going to go to McDonald's again!"  Only in America, the home of the procrastinators and dreamers.  We're all guilty.  We say we're going to do something about our beer bellies, start a fad diet, make it through a week, and fall right back into our miserable days of tacos, orange chicken, and deep-fried mozzerella.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was a magic potion that we could take and bam!  All of us have Jessica Alba-esque figures?  Well, kids, I have some good news for you.  There is.  And it's free.  And it comes straight out of your kitchen faucet.  Water.

I've been doing quite a bit of research on the benefits of drinking more water and I don't really know why it never hit me before.  Water is the cure for almost everything:

• Obeisity
• Dry Skin
• Fatigue
• Wrinkles
• Laziness
• Headaches
• Nostalgia
• Bad Breath

The list goes on and on and on...  Ok, by this point you're probably rolling your eyes.  This is something health teachers, nutritionists, and your mom have been telling you for years!  I'm just as guilty as the next guy.  I personally don't drink nearly enough water in my day-to-day.  But what do I have to lose, other than some weight and that feeling of sheer exhaustion?  I'm taking on a project.  Not starting January first.  Starting right now.  Today.  In this moment.  (excuse me while I go fill up my glass)

Goals for how much to drink and when:

• A glass when I wake up
• A glass before and after my make-up routine
• A glass before leaving the house
• A glass at the top of every hour
• One before meals, during, and after
• At least one before, during, and after exercise
• A glass when I come home
• Two before bed

Holy mackerel!  I know it sounds a little daunting, but I'm curious to see how well I do.  There are going to be some issues.  Lots of bathroom breaks at first:  when you're dehydrated, your kidneys don't function properly and they send their slack to the liver, forcing it to work overtime.  It doesn't metabolize as much fat as it could, filling your body with extra cushion and the water you do drink gets stored around the your cells, adding even more excess weight.  Your body is in survival mode.  It doesn't know when the next glass of H2O is coming, so it hangs on as long as possible.  When you start drinking water again, the storage gets released...and often.  There is hope, however.  The more you drink, the more your body will trust that you will continue to hydrate.  According to several blogs, news clips, and documents, you will reach a breaking point, and you will start to notice a lot of positive changes.  :)

Don't you worry now, I'll keep you updated with the progress!  Happy water guzzling, folks.