It Only Takes A Spark....

To get a fire started and I think my spark has ignited!

As I mentioned in THIS post; I've really been watching what I've been eating and writing down every little thing that goes into my mouth. I'm also basing my food choices on Weight Watchers points.

Let me tell you a bit about my history with Weight Watchers.

Many moons ago (or 4.5 years) I purchased a membership to WW At Home and followed the plan successfully for a few weeks until my 21st bday hit and I started indulging more and more, drinking on more occasions and my 4th year of college started and I had to eat pretty much what I could, when I could. So at that time I thought F this and burried the kit away not to be seen for a couple of years when I once again started the program. I didn't go more than a few weeks before quitting again.

It was a fail both times. But not because the program was hard - because - still in college- pizza and fast food were a pretty regular part of my existance and money for grocies often was scarcely existant (Ramen noodles and easy mac were a pretty regular purchase at the grocery store). I ate what I could, took people up on offers for dinners out and if those meals didn't fall into WW standards of good eating- well, oh well - I had to eat!

And I just don't think I was ready. It was more important to me at that time- to be a good-time girl. Go out nightly with friends, eat, drink (lots and lots of vodka cranberries) and be merry.

Now, things feel different. Mostly because my life style is different. I have a routine now, any big nights out with friends are well planned for and well I have something to work for- not only do I want to be smoking hot in my wedding dress- but I want to set a good example for Bennyboo and our future children so that I know I'm doing my part in raising a healthy family.

I'm not having any troubles finding the right things to eat - at this point (though its been just over a week) I'm not feeling deprived or having strong desires for incredibly decadent meals.

I've passed the dining out test 2 times in the past week and made healthy choices both times!

It also helps that now at 25- I'm a much better cook than I ever was at 20 so I'm able to make my own completely yummy and good-for-me dishes and I have a steady joint income that is consistantly able to pay for the ingredients for these meals! I also am much more in the know as to other resources to use cookbooks,web sites, and support groups.

One of the best tools I have now compared to my early twenties in being successful with weight loss is: I know myself better now and therefore know my own eating habits better.

I know that I don't notice the difference between fat free dairy products and their full-fat cousins.

I know that I like SILK Low Fat Soy Milk better than I like regular milk.

I know thatI love vegetables and that if I eat more vegetables at meals I will feel fuller faster with less points value (in some cases- no points value!)

I know that though its important that breakfast and lunch be eaten during the day- its not during those meals that I'm at risk for consuming the most (bad) food- its dinner! Some days I could gloss right over those meals and never miss them ( I know that's not healthy either though)

So I've gotten in to the habit of packing my lunch or of making a wise fast food choice like Subway or Taco Bell's Fresco menu- when I do that- lunch is a breeze.

Dinner is a completley different story- mostly because I'm eating with another person. Ben is still heaping cheese on veggies, lathering butter, and fueling up on carbs while I'm sitting beside him measuring and counting. Its not really been much of an issue yet but I'm keeping myself prepared just in case it ever is.

I know that though the number is sometimes intimidating; weighing myself at least once a week is a good tool. Before- I NEVER weighed myself- I figured if I started losing weight I would notice. What I now realize is that because I didn't weigh myself I didn't notice if I started to lose weight therefore figured my hard work wasn't paying off and leading me to slide back into old habits. Had I been weighing myself I may have noticed a couple lb difference and that might have been just the motivation to keep going. So this time a weekly weigh in is A MUST!

And I could go on and on. Suffice to say however, I am motivated and things are going well! I don't have a good scale at present so I will be buying one this week. No, I will not be sharing my lbs with the blog world- but as the numbers start to fall away- I will share totals and pictures.

Its not really like me to do things like admit publicly I want/need to lose some weight but this is a new me- one that's owning up to the fact that I've gained 20 lbs since I first wanted to start WW to get rid of an extra 15 back in college. Now both numbers will be my first goal- 35 lbs with no deadline to reach it.

I'm going to take my time and do it right.

Will you notice a change to A Blonde Bride and Her Boo? Not so much. I'm still going to talk about the wedding, and work, and life in general - but now there will also be a scattering of my weight loss goals and progress as well- just another ingredient to make this bloggy cupcake a little more flavorfull!

( ;

For Now!

Much Love Always!

Miss Amber Lane

A Moderately Productive Monday

My weekend went by in a blur. I worked both Saturday and Sunday because it was my MOD weekend and Boo and I didn't do a thing. Honestly, off the top of my head I can't even think of what we did this weekend....

Hmmmm.

I'll have to ask Boo when he comes back inside from smoking.

Today on the other hand we accomplished a few notable things.

First of all: I am officially THE OWNER of my car. That's right- Ben and I went to my dealership and handed them a check for the remaining balance 1 year and 1 month ahead of schedule! It was an exciting moment. Ben's parents agreed to lend us the money for pay off-and I will continue paying them until about August...but they are saving us about 2 grand.

Woo Hoo!

After that we went and (finally) opened our joint bank account. That is, after a LONG, tense conversation about our budget from now until the wedding. Talk about stressful. Its hard for me to relinquish control of my own purse strings but after a lot of math and aggravation Ben and I came to realize that we are literally blowing through about $1000 a month on......

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Mostly, eating out and a little of this and that.

So that's stopping immediately. The unfortunate (fortunate?) thing is that in order to get to where we want to be for the wedding we are putting ourselves on a VERY STRICT budget. Its only 5 months away (OMG FIVE MONTHS FROM TODAY!!!!) so I think we should be able to grin and bare it!

After opening our account Ben and I went back home for me to get my car so that I could pick up Megan and we could hit Subway for lunch. We caught up on the latest goings on and then swung by a rental company to check out their rental structures for the wedding. No decisions yet- but soon. I dropped Megan off and went back home to switch cars again so that Ben and I could drive out to the west side to our appointment to pick out invitations - but it started snowing pretty hard (boo!) so Ben and I rescheduled for Saturday.

In all it was a pretty successful day.

I also took a time out to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist for a week from Friday.

Why?

Well, in my adult life I've always been prone to moderate break outs around the time of my girly time (sorry if there are any guys lurking around) especially in my jaw line area. This month was no exception about a week before I got a little flare up along my left jaw line - I've been treating it and being extra careful to remove all traces of makeup and for a day or two it will seem like its clearing up , then BAM! its like it starts up all over again! I've had the same little outbreak for about two weeks now and today the left jaw line has started flaring up too! I don't know what's going on. I'm sure that cell phone use is irritating that area and I've also come to realize when I'm sitting at a desk on the computer I cup my face in my hands but still - no reason it shouldn't go away!! So I'm going to see the derm to see what can be done to treat and prevent this from happening any further. I want clear skin for the wedding (Please God!)

I also made an appointment (finally) with a new dentist for the week after the derm.