OMGoodness

Yummm!

2010-11-07T13:21:00.001-06:00

We’ve got a fun line-up for this week’s meals. I definitely need to get back on the healthy train. I’ve been a bit of a pizzatarian lately ;)

This week I’m really going to try to force myself to stick to this plan (a lot of days I get lazy and scrap whatever I planned to make, which ends up in us being unhealthy and wasting food/money….)

So here’s the plan:

Sunday- Stuffed Acorn Squash with Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing from Tasty Kitchen

Monday- Red Pepper Pesto Pizza from Macheesmo

Tuesday- Quinoa Salad from Macheesmo

Wednesday- Chickpea Cashew Lettuce Wraps adapted from She Wears Many Hats

Thursday- Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos from Natalie’s Killer Cuisine

Lunch/Dinner Salads- Mom’s Green Salad from Shutterbean and Massaged Kale Salad from Aarti Party

…. and this time I mean it!

Hey Ariane, What’s for dinner this week?

2010-10-10T14:42:00.001-05:00

I’m glad you asked. This week the Szynkmini’s will be having:

1. Lentil-Walnut Burgers and Nut Butter Crusted Parsnip Fries from Oh She Glows

2. Spaghetti and Bean Balls from No Meat Athlete

3. Chickpea Tacos from Bee Louise

4. Butternut Squash Casserole from Ezra Pound Cake

Yum!

My favorite vegetarian dish so far!

2010-09-30T18:50:00.001-05:00

Tonight for dinner I made Quinoa-Stuffed Poblano Peppers from Natalie’s Killer Cuisine. I have been really meaning to try quinoa and I’m so glad I picked this recipe to do it! I meant to take a picture of how gorgeous and delicious these were, but these babies came with a price…. I accidentally burned myself with one of the poblano seeds and spent a half hour balling and dabbing my face with a milk-soaked towel. Embarrassing. But luckily it took just a half hour to cook and a half hour to stop the intense burning. Perfect timing, Hooray!

Sorry, for the lack of picture, but definitely click on the link above and try this out!

***Just make sure to handle the pepper de-seeding veeeery carefully***

First comes marriage, then comes… engagement?

2010-09-30T00:08:00.001-05:00

We got the rest of our engagement photos along with our wedding photos. Our photographer did an amazing job, and here are a few of my faves:

And here’s my favorite from our photobooth at the reception, which was rockin’:

It's my Veggieversary!

2010-09-29T19:35:00.004-05:00

I've been a vegetarian for three weeks now! Every new week that I've gone without meat is so exciting for me. This is something I've been wanting to do for a really long time, and I finally just went and did it! People have been asking why I've decided to forgo the animales, and it is really hard to explain. Usually it's over lunch/dinner while they're eating a big ole cheeseburger, and I don't wanna be like:
1. Factory farming produces disgusting meat
2. Factory farming is inhumane and cruel for the animals
3. Eating animals is unnecessary and unhealthy
...so usually I just say that it's something new that I'm trying out for a little while. I'm still not sure if this is going to be a forever thing (though I hope it is), but I do know that unless the meat industry is completely overhauled by the time I have kids, my bambinos will be vegetarian too.

If you've been thinking about taking the leap, here are the things that really gave me the last push I needed into changing my diet:
1. MamaPea's post about "The Cove" and the comments
2. The trailer (because that's all I could stand) of the movie Earthlings
***WARNING: don't watch if you're not ready cuz it is GRAPHIC. I was in tears within ten seconds and then just sat crying for like twenty minutes. SCARY!***
3. The book Food Revolution by John Robbins. I am loving it! I definitely recommend reading this, especially if you've been thinking about a plant-based diet for a while now but just haven't started yet.

So what's it been like? Well, it's been really easy. Surprisingly easy. I am so lucky that Matt likes all kind of foods, and doesn't mind that all the dinners we eat at home are lacking in the meat department. He's loved everything we've tried so far, even tofu! (I thought tofu was pretty good too, but not good enough to have all the time). Here are the meals that we have been loving so far:
1. Lentil Walnut Burgers from Oh She Glows
2. Smoky Black Bean & Cheddar Burritos
3. Chickpea Tacos from Peas & Thank You
4. Tofu Stir-Fry from The Front Burner
I'm just starting to hit a bit of difficulty finding new & interesting recipes. I've got a few for the upcoming weeks (thanks to my favorite blogs) but I'm also going to start getting cookbooks from the library to help broaden our options.

I really love this new choice I've made in my life! Thank you so much to the amazing bloggers who put their lives on the interwebs as a great example of how to live a healthy, happy and balanced life!

Hrmm this is awkward.....

2010-09-27T11:45:00.004-05:00

Well hello there! I seem to have misplaced my blog for awhile.... like the past four months maybe... lol. I got so fed up with wedding planning that I did not even want to think about anything wedding-related let alone blog about it. Long story short, the wedding happened, it was awesome, and I'm married!

To entice your forgiveness, here are some pretty pictures:

Wedding: Headband for Reception

2010-04-30T23:13:00.008-05:00

For the reception I'm perty sure that I want to have a headband in my hair to make sure my head still feels special after I take the veil off. Here's my inspiration pic:

I love how her hair looks so natural and not majorly done up. In my searches for headbands, here are the finalists:

1. This one is silver, so I'd get it in white, but I just love the bow! I have a thing for bows...
2. Pretty, but does it go with the dress?
3. I like the tulley part, brings in a veil-feel

Opinions welcome :)

Want!

2010-03-23T00:46:00.008-05:00

I want this bad. I L.O.V.E. this bedding, it's not even funny. It is gorgeous. I can already imagine how soft it must be and how good it would feel to slip into it at night.
Anthropology Tuxedo Bedding

(These pics don't even do it justice, you gotta go to the site where you can really zoom in)

I've been planning to do a post about my future dream house (which I'm too lazy to do now) but I will show you how perfectly this bedding would fit into my dream bedroom:

*Sigh* I'm seriously lovesick over this....

Want! .....and Got!

2010-03-19T19:05:00.003-05:00

I had wanted this for a while, but it was sold out. I pretty much had to get it when it came back in stock. Right? Right. No guilt (well a bit of guilt. and some worry that I am out of control....)

Fred Flare Zig-Zag Charlotte Dress
I think I'll wear this to my bridal shower :)

Wedding: Flowers

2010-03-19T18:51:00.000-05:00

We met with a florist this week and got everything taken care of! I'm finally getting into the nitty gritty and finalizing vendors and plans. We are using Celidan Florists in Naperville, IL. The florist there was so nice and helpful, and we were able to decide on all flowers for the ceremony & reception.

My bouquet (but smaller)

Bridesmaids' bouquets (minus the green)

Altar piece

Reception centerpieces

Lurve : )

Want, Want, and Got!

2010-03-17T14:42:00.009-05:00

Modcloth Drawn Out Flowers Dress (Want!)

Modcloth Ice Cream for this Dress (Want!)

Modcloth One, Two, Peek-A-Boo Top (Got!)

Update: Change that to Got, Want, Got... I have no willpower, but at least I have cute clothes :)

Today's Run

2010-03-16T21:18:00.003-05:00

My goal is to get my run on every day this week. My new Shiva Rae Daily Energy (ooo I really need me some daily energy) dvd should be coming in the mail pretty soon too, so I can't wait to try it out!

Today's run was a battle. I was out of breath within my first ten steps, and I struggled to keep going the whole way. I pretty much ran half a mile, walked a quarter, then repeated the whole time. I don't know if it was the cold air or the laziness of this past week at home, but it was tough.

Wedding: Things are coming together!

2010-03-12T15:38:00.011-06:00

I've accomplished a lot of wedding stuff lately, finally! Today we went and bought my veil, which I adore! I'll post a picture of it when I get pictures in my dress which should be coming in on Monday! I'm very glad that these things are finally getting done. Now my mind has moved on to jewelry. Here are a few trinkets that I've been considering on etsy, with my dress picture up first as a reference:

This is what the dress will look like underneath:

Here is a necklace that I think I really love (I question myself on accessories lol):

I love how it's a statement piece, and I think it would look great with how simple the dress is. Update: I just had to grab it before someone else did, and they do allow returns just in case I don't like it with the dress. It's on its way!
Here's a bracelet I like:

And here are some earrings options:

And headband options:

Whew! Those are the accessories options that I've liked best so far (except I'm not as sure on the headbands...) I don't plan on wearing all of these, I think that would be a bit much, so I'm going to take votes on which would be best for The Big Day :)

Sunshiney Day

2010-03-04T14:09:00.005-06:00

Today I did my first outdoor run of the year :) It felt sooo good and so bad at the same time. My ears were burning and my lungs were killing, but it was nice to be able to space out and just run (which I can't do on the treadmill cuz I space out too hard and fall off the end. And that was embarrassing). I did a little under three miles, and it really feels nice to have an alternative to the 'mill! Here are my stats, according to my Nike+

(I'm not sure what happened at that dropoff point?)

My new playlist is killer for running. Every time I'm feeling pretty worn, the next song will come on and I'll get my second (or third, or seventh) wind. I highly recommend all of these for running music:

I've gotta get myself and this house cleaned up before I head into work (this 1 hour work-week is killing me....)

Later Taters!
-Ariane

Want!

2010-03-03T23:57:00.003-06:00

Due to an email glitch at work, I will be working no birthday parties at all in March. I was already disappointed that I had only been scheduled for one weekend in February, and now I will have no more for over a month! I work one hour a week just cuz they couldn't find anyone for this one class, so birthday parties are really my only livelihood. We get paid a double rate per hour which is amazing, cuz bdays are easy and fun. So disappointed, and so incredibly broke.

Which means..... no pretty new clothes. I am really having to hold myself back from this:
Modcloth's Little Bow Dress

This would look so cute and Springy with my new Old Navy skinny jeans! (Broke the spending freeze on those, but I had to! I finally found skinnies that didn't cut off my circulation or go a foot past my feet!)

Sigh. When I get a "real" job you bettah believe my first paycheck is going 100% towards clothes....

Party Planning Committee!

2010-02-24T13:52:00.006-06:00

This weekend is one of my girls' 22nd birthday, so our other friend and I decided to put together a little shindig in her honor. I'm in charge of the eats, and this is what I plan on making:

Pioneer Woman Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

Puppy Chow

Fudge Crinkles

And our girl gave up all sweets except ice cream for Lent (total opposite of me!) so I'll make sure to have her fave flavor on hand too. I love having an excuse to make food for other people!

On tonight's menu for me and Matt is Pioneer Woman's Spicy Shredded Pork. My kitchen smells sooo delish right now!

Race to Wrigley!

2010-02-23T14:16:00.006-06:00

I became a ginormous Cubs fan the day I started dating Matt. I really had no choice, the outcome of the game would directly affect the rest of our night. Matt loves the Cubs, I love Matt, therefore I love the Cubs!

And in the past almost four years we've been together I really have come to love them on my own. There's so much history, so much pride, and so much optimism in this team. Even though we haven't won a World Series since 1908, every year Cubs fans think that this is the one.

I've been looking for a 5k to run in (my very first race!) and there's no doubt it's gotta be this one. It'.......... I was going to say it's at the end of April, then realized that's the Gamma Phi Circus show weekend (as an alumni I really can't miss). Bummer! Okay, nevermind. It was a good idea though. I'll hafta find another race...

Well, here's a pretty dress to cheer me up:

Modcloth Strangers on a Train dress

So pretty! This also would have been a bridesmaids' dress contender if it had come out sooner. I'm on a spending freeze though, so I'll just have to love from afar.

Fat Wednesday

2010-02-17T20:59:00.003-06:00

Me and Matt talked about whether or not we wanted to give something up for Lent this year, and he said that whatever I decided to give up he would too. I was considering meat (he def wouldn't join me on that on though) or chocolate, but I finally settled on ice cream. This is my go to treat when I'm in a bad mood, feeling emotional, or just if that particular day ends in "y". And it's definitely one of the most high-cal treats I could have (especially because it's usually covered in caramel or has a brownie "cold-stoned" in).

Since we decided this late last night, it was too late to have one more go at our favorite treat. So tonight we headed out and got the ultimate dessert ever: A Skillet Cookie!!! Yummmm. Yummmm. Yummmm. And Yum. I really meant to take a picture of our delicious disaster, but when it got to the table the cookie part was all ooey gooey and the ice cream was already melting and Matt was lifting his spoon, so I had to get in there! Ooo it was good.

It was definitely a decadent treat, but I really don't feel like I overdid it. I know that I just need to up the intensity a little bit in the next two days, and I'll be covered. I love not being racked with guilt when I indulge! That's one of the main ways I've changed in the past few months, and it really does feel good. Food is meant to be enjoyed, not scrutinized!

My cardio workouts this week have been great, but I've really been dropping the ball with strength. Tony Horton is probably missing me real bad, and I'm going to try to make it up to him tomorrow. My runs are going great though, and I'm super happy about all the progress I'm making!

Okay, going to finish watching American Idol (just started yesterday, and I'm already kinda hooked). The most adorable shoes ever should be coming tomorrow!!!

Sogni D'oro! (sweet dreams!)
-Ariane

You betta shop around!

2010-02-16T15:48:00.006-06:00

So the madness didn't stop at the dress last night. I also ordered a pair of ridiculously beautiful shoes. I had been swooning over these a few weeks ago, but with a $107 price tag, I just couldn't do it. Then last night I searched for them on google (cuz I knew that they would be divine with the dress I ordered) and I found them for $60. $60! And with free overnight shipping! Obviously, this was fate. The same exact thing had happened with the dress (originally saw it for over $100 then it popped up on another site a few weeks later for $72). I'm glad that I didn't succumb to the initial temptation and that I eventually discovered a better deal. With the two together I saved over $75, it would be a travesty not to get them!

Oh, yes, you want to see the shoes:

(last pic via modcloth)

Ridiculous right? I can't wait to wear them!

Weekend Catch-Up

2010-02-15T20:20:00.003-06:00

Mmmm I had a delightful weekend and I hope you did too! Let's see, Saturday's highlight was a 4.5 mile run (woot!) and a fab night out with the girlies (minus all the crying. one is going through mega heartbreak. still a fun night though!)

Sunday was Valentine's Day which I looove. My mom always made a big deal out of the day for me and my sis, so it's always been special whether I've been single or attached. But I actually haven't been single for Valentine's Day since freshman year of highschool so.... Anywho! Me and Matt (Matt and I, I know I know) headed to the gym first thing, and I did a very slow, very wimpy 30 minutes on the elliptical (hangover for the lose) then we grabbed some food and just sat on the couch and talked allll afternoon. I love those random days where we'll spend hours just laughing and talking together, really charges up my looove batteries!

At night we headed to Swinger's in Bloomington for the most amazing dinner ever. Started with some delicious cran-raising bread, then a scallop & shrimp appetizer (sooo good), and a delicious cup of lobster bisque! My main course was the best steak I have ever had in my life. It is seriously redic (that looks weird, it's an abbreviated "rediculous" jsyk. [and jsyk is an abbreviated "just so you know" in case you didn't know] ack sidenotes galore!) But really, it was soooo good. For dessert we headed back to chez nous and whipped up a Betty Crocker hot fudge pudding cake together! It was very delicious with vanilla haagen-dazs on top. We then spent the night watching the GI Joe movie which was surprisingly entertaining. It was the perfect movie to watch and still be able to talk and do a crossword together (lol). The whole day was so relaxing and was just spent perfectly being together.

Gush!

Today has not been as good unfortunately. The sick bug has crept back up on me, and I have just been feeling out of it. I wasn't able to go work out which has me bummed and I've been so bored just sitting on this couch all day.

Oh, but I did order that dress below! I thought that blogging about it would curb the temptations, but it just made it worse... I don't really have anything to wear it for, but maybe I'll wear it next time we go to the bars downtown. I'll find/make a reason, whatevs!

Alright, just thought I'd check in and do a catch-up for ya's. I totally meant to take dinner picks but forgot. Musta gotten lost in Matt's gorgeous eyes (puke, I know).

Have a good night! Let's hope I'm back to kickin it tomorrow!
-Ariane

Want!

2010-02-15T20:04:00.004-06:00

You will come live with me and we will be best friends.
(Modcloth)
(Lulu*s)
We will go dancing and out to nice dinners. I will show you off to all my friends. You can meet my fiance and he will be enamored with you and moreso by me who will own you. And we will be happy forever and ever the end.

My clothing obsession is getting a little creeeepy.....

Getting Better....

2010-02-12T16:54:00.002-06:00

hopefully! I'm feeling better and better each day, today I just have a bit of a cough and no voice. My head isn't feeling as fuzzy when I stand up, so that's good too! It's so weird how badly I just want to go to the gym. Taking three days off has been really hard! I've stuck to eating healthy though, and when I weighed myself this morning I saw that I have lost two pounds! I'm super excited, cuz last week when I worked out a bunch but didn't watch my eating I lost zero. nada. zilch. And that was no fun.

Eating healthier this week has really been a breeze. I've made some new friends (caramel oikos, banana with almond butter, sugar free jello, brown rice instead of white) and I haven't felt deprived at all. I even met a few of my girls at Emack & Bolio's (local ice cream joint where I usually order a scoop of chocolate ice cream with double caramel and sprinkles on top) and I made a better but still indulgent choice: Hot chocolate! I was going to get sorbet or sherbet but they didn't have either (weird) and hot chocolate really felt good with the chills I've been having. And since I indulged a little I didn't have the planned night time snack. Look at me, being all smart and stuff!

Here comes the hard part though: the weekend.... This is the part of the week where I usually gain back all the weight that I've lost. Not this time though! I've already decided that I'm only going to go out one night instead of two and I'm going to make better decisions. I always mix my booze with diet sprite, so no extra cals there, and I'll try to drink less (with the operative word being try). And I have told Matt not to allow me to get a pizza on the way home. If I absolutely must have something to eat I'll get a chicken taco (no cheese) from Bamba's. And that's that. Sunday is the treat day that I've been saving up for. I'm going to try to eat a healthy lunch and save all my indulgence points for dinner or dessert. Dinner will be a steak from the only restaurant where I will order steak (because it is to die for) and dessert will be Betty Crocker Hot Fudge Pudding Cake with vanilla ice cream that I'm going to make when we get home. And the leftovers will be going to live with our neighbor upstairs as soon as we've had our piece (or two). I feel prepared going into this weekend, that I'm not going to fall prey to the usual diet disasters. Again, go me!

I've gotten to the point where I'm really tired of being sick so I'm just going to ignore it. Tonight I'm not going to let myself veg out on the couch (at least not the whole night anyway). I love surprising Matt with a clean apartment (believe me, it's always a surprise) so I think I'll clean the kitchen tonight. Gonna be gross, but I'll be happier once it's clean.

Ciao for now lovelies! Have a fun weekend!
-Ariane

Sick Day

2010-02-10T14:08:00.007-06:00

*please excuse grammar/spelling mistakes, too sick/lazy to correct. thank you* :)

The end of yesterday was pretty great! Matt came home in kind of a bad mood due to lab problems, but he was very pleased that the house was spick and span and that a delicious dinner was just coming out of the stove. I love being a helpful housewife lol! We had porkchops which were pretty good (dredged in spiced flour, dipped in egg white & soy sauce, dipped in breadcrumbs, seared one minute per side, baked in oven for 8 minutes) but the main star of the meal were these parmesan roasted potatoes:
They were seriously so good and easy to put together, basically just toss together potato chunks, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and some thyme sprigs. I love a recipe that uses stuff I already have in the kitchen (which barely ever happens!)

Snacks after dinner (cuz we ate pretty early) were caramel oikos (duh!) and some strawberries dipped in cream cheese fruit dip. Yumness!

As hinted in the title, I am sick today. I woke up feeling fuzzy (in the head) and scratchy (in the throat) and it just keeps getting worse from there. So today I'm taking it easy, which so far has consisted of laying on the couch listening to CNBC (cuz Matt left it on, not cuz I'm cool like that) and perusing blogs. Today was a good day to be sick, because I just happened across the best. blog. ever!

Seriously, check it out. I love how her clothes are actually affordable, and has introduced me to some new favorite online shopping sites, yippee!

In other news I have to pay $500 for a new alternator for my car, which made me made, which sent me shopping. Better than emotional eating right? (Probably bad, but I'd rather have credit card bill get higher than waist get rounder!)
Here's what I got!
Hide & Seek Skirt

Qupid Platform Heels

Mmmm feeling better already!

Gonna get back to vegging, ciao lovers!
-Ariane

The first stir is the hardest, baby I know!

2010-02-09T15:33:00.004-06:00

(To the tune of Sheryl Crow's "the first cut is the deepest" duh!)

Today I experienced my first foray with almond butter. I was a little apprehensive since it took me ten minutes, two spoons, and a strong fiance to finally get it all stirred together. Hopefully it's not like that every time, and I was telling the little jar that it had better be worth it. And oh. my. goodness. it was! I had it on a banana (and then another banana!) and yummmmm. So good. And my favorite part is that the almond butter itself tastes awesome on something, but is nothing special on its own. After the nutella debacle of last week, that's exactly what I need. Best new snack evah!

Let's see, a workout catch-up. Last night I did half of p90x chest & back, then called it quits. My heart was feeling kinda funny, and I didn't feel like pushing it. But I did improve a bunch on each of the push-up types, which felt really good.

Oh! I also met a new best friend in the snack department last night: Caramel Oikos greek yogurt. Yuuuummmmm. When I first bought greek yogurt, I got plain, and it really was only good as a sour cream substitute. When I tried it on yoatgurt, it was disguuuusting. But the caramel, ooooh the caramel! Even though this is supposed to be healthy eating hell week, so far I've been in taste heaven! I'm really not missing out on anything! (I've just gotta make sure that I don't overdo it by having a million caramel cups and spoonful after spoonful of AB....)

I was going to do p90x yoga this morning, but I just can't get up the motivation. I always feel soooo good when it's over, but pressing play and getting started is super hard. I'm going to go for a nice run at the gym instead, so no guilt here! I also did a small workout by straightening up the house before Matt got home. He seemed super stressed with some disappointing results in the lab (he's in biotechnology) so I wanted to create a stressfree home for him! It keeps me stressfree to, bonus!

So on the agenda tonight is treadmill, pork chops & potatees for dinner, then biggest loser and our fave monday night shows (how i met your mother, big bang) with the man!

Have a great night!
-Ariane

Hell Week

2010-02-08T15:03:00.002-06:00

I weighed myself this morning and that was no fun. I've lost zero weight since Jan 1st. Obviously I'm doing something wrong. My workouts have been great, so I'm thinking that I've been a bit delusional about my eating habits. I try to count cals with Sparkpeople, but sometimes that gets a little too tedious and time-consuming. This week I'm going to start keeping a written food journal, so if I don't lose weight some weeks I can look back and be more realistic about why.

Last night (even before the disappointing weigh-in) I decided that this week I'm going to do everything right. I'm going to hit my workouts, eat the right way, and cut out all unnecessary treats (like trips to Emack's for chocolate moose ice cream with double caramel and sprinkles.... which may or may not have happened twice last week). I know it might be hard, but I'm going to just keep telling myself that this is for one week. One week only. (I'm keeping it a secret from myself that I'm hoping that I get great results and this motivates me to keep it up, shhh!) Also, I've got the great shining beacon of Valentine's Day on Sunday to keep me going too. Matt made reservations at our fave restaurant (they have the best steak, it's really the only restaurant where I would order steak yummm!) and for dessert we'll either go get a Skillet Cookie at another place in town or I'm thinking about making a chocolate hot fudge cake. So that'll be my special treat day that keeps me going through my healthy healthy week!

Matt is working from home today (yay!) so we (he) took a break and we went to the gym and the grocery store. I knocked out my first tempo run going 6.0 mph for three minutes then 5.0 for 1 minute (repeat 5 times). It came out to being 2 miles in 21 minutes. Not bad for me! I really liked this too, cuz I was done in 25 minutes, so I just walked on an incline for 20 more while I waited for Matt to finish up. I'm hoping that alternating between this and my slower longer run will help keep me from getting the burnt-out treadmill boredom.

At the G-store I stocked up on healthy snacks (greek yogurt, almond butter, bananas, etc.) and ingredients for our healthy meals this week which will be:
1. Chili (with ground turkey)
2. Shrimp & brown rice
3. Romaine/Spinach salad with grilled chicken
4. Grilled pork chops

During the day I plan to have a green monster for breakfast and a slim fast for lunch. I know that slim fasts aren't all natural (which I've been trying to make the sloooooow transition to) but in the past they really have helped me to lose weight. They're quick and it really helps me when I know exactly what I'm going to have for lunch each day (I just started reading the Omnivore's Dilemma, and when he says that our problem is too many choices I toootally get that).

I've still got P90X chest & back plus a workout for the absicles to do, then some cooking and cleaning and hanging out with Matt... sounds like an amazing day to me!

Loves!
-Ariane

Arms, Abs, and Cupcakes!

2010-02-06T13:16:00.004-06:00

So far my plan has been going really well. Yesterday was the only day that I slipped up, and I realized that if I don't hit the gym first thing... it ain't gonna happen.

Today I hit up P90X shoulders & arms then did my own little abby routine. I decided to be nostalgic and do some of my fave gymnastics conditioning moves (minus the overly-oppressive coaches breathing down my neck thank goodness). I did 20 each of tuck-ups, V-ups, crunches with bent legs and straight arms, crunches with straight legs and bent arms, and one-legged V-ups. I'm gonna go do max reps on leg lifts on the pull-up bars after this post too.

I used to be a gymnast working out 16 hours a week, and I have no idea how I still managed to be "overweight" (in gymnastics terms). I was the bane of my coaches' existence, the one ginormous freckle on their otherwise flawless face. I just wonder why my body wouldn't succumb to their desires and be tiny, when I really did try to be all they wanted me to be. Oh well, I don't like to bring up repressed gymnastics memories, got better things to do with my time :)

Like make cupcakes for Brittany's future husband's birthday! We're watching the superbowl with Matt's dad and his friend Jimbo tomorrow and it also happens to be Jimbo's bday. I'm making strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. They're gonna be super pink, but I'm pretty sure he's man enough to handle it.... and the disney princess candle that will be on top ;)

Gonna hit up the gym for some cardio when Matt gets off work. Have a great Saturday!
-Ariane

Workout Accountability

2010-02-03T14:32:00.004-06:00

Over at OhSheGlows Angela debuted her new winter/spring training plan which introduced me to GoogleDocs! I have a semi-new laptop and the trial of Microsoft programs ran out recently, so I haven't been able to make any calendars, spreadsheets, or documents. GoogleDocs to the rescue! I was able to go there and create a spreadsheet on which I could track all my workouts. I'm going to plan everything out a week in advance, but I'll be pretty lenient if my plans fall through (I have a problem with getting too down on myself when I don't succeed). So far it's worked out really well! I've completed both planned workouts for the past two days no problem. I've also started hitting the gym first thing when I wake up (and I've been getting up two hours earlier every day!) It feels so good to finish my workouts right away and not feel guilty about relaxing in the afternoon. If you're interested in seeing my workouts, hit up the link right there in the top right corner!

Both yesterday and today I've done a 5k on the treadmill and then a P90X workout at home. I've also created my own Whittle my Middle program, cuz my motivation for the last one really fell through. Here's what I'll be doing:
Ariane's Middle-Whittlin' Workout
1. Planks
2. Side Planks
3. V-Ups
4. Hollow Hold
5. Boat
6. Torso Twists
I've kept my fave's from the OhSheGlows workout and switched out the ones that I'd dread every day. I needed a way to make me keep at it, cuz the results really were great! I'll definitely switch this one up too, if I'm getting too bored with it.

Alright, gotta shower off the ick then get dinner ready (Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto).

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Wedding: Invitations!

2010-01-28T16:00:00.002-06:00

I just got this email from our invitation designers, and I about died. I am
blown away and so excited about these!!!

I only asked them to adjust by adding Matt's mom's name
(she's deceased but we'd still like her name on the invite) and by
changing my ring to silver.

They are amaazing!!!

Wedding: My DIY To-Do List

2010-01-28T15:26:00.006-06:00

Last night I said something to Matt about all my DIY plans, and he looked at me like I was crazy. I was a little hurt, so I was like "You don't think I can DIY?!" and he said "Ummm.... I have absolutely no idea what DIY is" LOL. When I explained it to him he said he totally believes I can do it, and he even said to just let him know what he can do to help, cuz he'd love to help out :) Yeah, he's pretty much the best!

So here are my DIY plans for the wedding:

Tulle Poofs to hang along the head table, cake table, guest card table (in pinks and maybe some acqua to lighten the room up)

Fabric flowers which I may use to replace centerpieces (did you know flowers are expensive?!)

Pinwheels for Placecards

First up: Pinwheels! We're going tonight to get the materials, and I'm gonna start using my TV time more productively :)

Yummm

2010-01-27T19:16:00.004-06:00

Mmmm today has been yummy. For Bfast I made a strawberry banana smoothie and threw in some of a new purchase: Flaxseed! I was going to throw in some spinach to turn it into a Monster, but it was the most beautiful shade of pink that I just could not change. Lunch was some pancakes that I had in the freezer. I didn't think they'd stay delicious, but boy did they ever! I wanted a more substantial lunch to power me through our afternoon workout, so I parted with the usual Slimfast. Dinner was my most fave recipe ever: Mandarin Chicken!
Mine's a lot darker than the one in the pic because I use balsamic vinegar instead of regular, but man is this good! It's not Matt's fave, but he had a lab outing to go to tonight so I treated myself. I meant to make quinoa instead of rice, which I had been excited for all week, but apparently I never even bought the stuff. Weird.

At the gym today I did 25 minutes on the tread and 15 on the elliptical. Me and the treadmill are going through a tense phase right now, but I'm sure we'll work through it.

I have the whole house to myself tonight, so a long shower, some girly shows (Gilmore Girls, Make It or Break It, and What Not to Wear), and maybe a short weights workout are on the agenda. Sounds fun to me!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Oh quick note: I am pissed that I missed Oprah today! It was all Michael Pollan and Food Inc. stuff, which has been on my mind a bunch recently. I've been thinking a lot lately about slowly making the change to being mostly vegetarian or maybe vegan. I want to watch Food Inc. to get the real info about the horrible state of the American food industry, but I'm kind of scared. I've gotta convince Matt to watch it with me some night, otherwise I will just be freaking out and he will be confused when he comes home and I've thrown everything out of the kitchen.... Anywho, that's what's on my mind :)

Choo-Chooo!

2010-01-26T20:29:00.004-06:00

I am getting myself back on track today! You may have noticed the lack of blogging for a whole week (which will be referred to as The Lost Week)... we're not going to discuss what happened there, mostly cuz i'm not really sure, but basically Matt was sick and I was kinda sick but not really and no working out or healthy eating occurred.

What unfortunately did occur was probably a gaining back of all the weight that I had lost in the two weeks before that... mega bummer.

But as I said we're back on track! And that's what really matters. I've realized that working out at night just won't happen for me anymore, so starting tomorrow we're doing afternoon workouts, yippee!

Today I started eating healthier again, with a green monster for Bfast, slim fast for lunch (made with soymilk and def not as good as the old Lactaid version), cheerios for a snacky to prevent me from buying the whole store while grocery shopping, and sloppy joes made with ground turkey for din-din (delish, but I absolutely hate the name of them... ick).

I did P90X legs & back this morning, and no lie my legs were trembling. I'm anticipating some sore gams tomorrow!

No pics for today cuz the camera's out of batteries, but I'll get 'im charged for tomorrow.

Ciao for now besties!
-Ariane

Wedding: Bridal Party Style

2010-01-26T13:02:00.009-06:00

We also went to pick out groomsmen tuxes this weekend. We chose a great Calvin Klein tuxedo, so now I just need to choose which color vest & tie. We'll use the a blue vest from where we're getting the tuxes, but we're going to get pink ties from somewhere else. Which of these vests best matches our bridesmaids' dresses?

Bridesmaids Dress

Groomsmen Option 1

Groomsmen Option 2

And here are the tie options:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Which ones do you think would work best?

Wedding: The Cake!

2010-01-26T12:57:00.003-06:00

This weekend we did a cake tasting at the Oak Mill Bakery in Niles, IL. Their cakes are delicious. I was a little disappointed that the package from the reception site meant that we would have to pick a cake design out of a book, but they had about a thousand different cakes to look through. The one we chose wasn't included in the package, but it really only cost a little bit more. I love it!

The flavor will be vanilla cake, with vanilla buttercream, and raspberry preserves :)

Donuts Are Evil

2010-01-19T15:56:00.009-06:00

So I've been having a sweet tooth attack as of late. I won't regale you with the horrific details, but I will tell you that it ended with eating three Krispy Kremes while watching Biggest Loser... Epic Fail. Hopefully that disgusting display of gluttony ended the madness, cuz my tummy is not too happy with me right now...

In other news, today was quite a productive day! I cleaned half the living room:
Before:
After:
(unfortunately the corner by the tv is not under my jurisdiction)

Did my P90X chest & back (I am really starting to notice some toning in my arms!):
Standard push-up: 8,10
Military pushup: 8,8
Wide Front pushup: 10,12
Decline pushup: 7,7
Diamond pushup: 10,7
Lawnmowers: 20,12 (8 lb weights)
Dive Bomber pushups: 3,3
Back Flies: 12,12 (5 lb weights)

Whittled my Middle (this one was a rough one):
Jan 19th, 2010 (Week Two Day Four)
•Front plank: 60 secs.
•Side plank: 40 secs each side
•Torso twists: 60 reps
•Plank ups: 20 reps
•Boat pose: 40 secs
•Bicycle: 80 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 10 reps each side

At the gym today I experienced Krispy Kreme-induced laziness. I ran a mile on the treadmill then did some elliptical. Nothing spectacular.

But I ordered a swimsuit for our honeymoon! It was on sale at Victoria's Secret, so I wanted to snatch it up. I'm also hoping that having it now will help me get motivated to make sure I'm confident while wearing it:

Off to watch the second half of BL then time for bed!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Weekend Catch-Up

2010-01-18T15:08:00.003-06:00

Hello all, happy Monday! Today's Monday is probably happier than most because it's Martin Luther King Day! I'm not in school and I don't have a real job, but I'm still celebrating by taking it easy today :)

My weekend was pretty uneventful. I worked bday parties at the gym Saturday & Sunday. Saturday we went to the gym and I think I may have accomplished a new personal best. I ran 4 consecutive miles! Whenever I go to the gym feeling exhausted and worn, somehow it's those days that I'm really able to push it. My stats:

(the lights at my gym don't make for great pictures)

Sunday after work Matt and I decided to take the whole night off. We ordered a pizza (it was my treat meal), blew off all our planned errands and workout, and rented Inglorious Bastards. The movie was actually really good! I was worried that it would be too gorey for me, but although it was pretty gorey I was able to close my eyes during those parts and enjoy the rest.

Today Gina started her Winter Shape-Up! I've been really looking forward to the start of this. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to follow the workout plans, I'm worried I'll miss T-Hor and P90X too much. So right now I'm thinking on strength days I'll do the Chest & Back, Shoulders & Arms, or Legs & Back DVDs. Her Healthy Eating Tip for the week is to give up the diet soda (gasp!). I've been wanting to do this for a while, but for some reason it just feels sooo good to have soda each night with dinner. But I'm gonna try!

Okay off to do my chest & back workout (meaning finish this week's episode of Desperate Housewives then probably work out)...

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Swoosh!

2010-01-18T00:12:00.002-06:00

Check out the
Nike Air Pegasus+ 26 iD Running Shoe
I designed at NIKEiD.com

I really need new running shoes, and these Nikes in my wedding colors are sweeeeet!

but too expensive :(

Mmmm pineapple, banana, strawberry.... and spinach?

2010-01-15T19:09:00.004-06:00

Me and my bestie Sleep are on the rocks. For some reason she never wants to hang out when I do. I call her every night, but she ignores me. I've met this new girl, Insomnia, but she's more of a frenemy...

Yeah I can't sleep. I was up last "night" until 7:00 this morning. When Matt's alarm went off at 6:55 I finally went back in the bedroom. I should have just gone in sooner, cuz as soon as I was wrapped up in those big 'ol biceps it was off to Dreamland pour moi. I slept in till 2:30 this afternoon, and I'm not feeling too bad. I just hope I don't get the fever I usually get from not sleeping....

I could be feeling A-Okay today because I started my morning with a Green Monster! It's basically a smoothie with spinach. Sounds disgusting, tastes surprisingly good! Mine this morning had frozen pineapple, banana, and strawberry, yogurt, and milk. It tasted pretty good, but I'm thinking a different combo of ingredients will be better. I put tons of spinach in, but honestly couldn't taste the veggie at all.

Since I slept in, I didn't get a chance to make it to the gym. I did Whittle my Middle though:
Jan 15th, 2010 (Week Two Day Three)
•Front plank: 90 secs.
•Side plank: 45 secs each side
•Torso twists: 75 reps
•Plank ups: 20 reps
•Boat pose: 50 secs
•Bicycle: 80 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 12 reps each side

I really hate plank-ups. I really really really do.

The only exciting news I have today is that my bff Bee got a big-girl job!!! She's going to be a weightloss specialist, which is her dream job! I'm so excited for her, and it gives me hope that maybe I'll find the job that'll be perfect for me :)

Also, during my endless waking hours last night, I came across a bunch of new imaginary besties to add to my blog list! I'll be adding those in soon, so stay tuned for new friends :)

Mkay, time now to either do P90X legs & back or just shower and get ready to go out. We'll see what happens.... Here's an inspiration pic to attempt to motivate myself, and an answer to Bee's question (similar & super cute!):

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Brazzlefrat

2010-01-14T22:46:00.003-06:00

Today was pretty low-key in terms of workout. I went to the gym (by myself!) this morning and ran 2.5 miles. My calves are feeling better & better, so hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to push it again. I didn't do any strength or middle-whittling today, and no housework either. I got called in to sub @ work this afternoon (teaching gymnastics) which was fun, but I'm really glad that that's not my main job anymore. I've been a coach for a total of 6 years, and I have just got sooo burnt out. I have nothing on the agenda for tomorrow (until party-time that is!), so hopefully I'll get a good workout and housecleaning in, maybe with more before & after pictures that will make your house look immaculate :)

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Want!

2010-01-14T22:43:00.001-06:00

I will have these, mark my words, I will have these...

More Temptation...

2010-01-13T23:03:00.004-06:00

I love dresses. I would wear a dress every single day if I could. They're just so much easier than putting together a whole ensemble (which is not my forte) and they look just as classy :)

The only reason I want a job is to have money to buy many many dresses like this one:

I wish housewifery paid better...

Je t'aime Tony Horton!

2010-01-13T15:03:00.007-06:00

I started off my afternoon workout with my #1 bestie: Tony Horton

His awesome personality is the only thing that keeps me going through exercises like this:

Mmmm P90X shoulders & arms rocks my socks off. I'm gonna get those Mama Obama arms before you know it!

Instead of doing the ab ripper X workout after, I Whittled my Middle:
Jan 13th, 2010 (Week Two Day Two)
•Front plank: 60 secs.
•Side plank: 25 secs each side
•Torso twists: 60 reps
•Plank ups: 0 reps
•Boat pose: 0 secs
•Bicycle: 0 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 0 reps each side

Well... kinda. I pooped out after half. I don't know what is wrong with me today but I have no energy. I skipped my run tonight, and I've been hungry all day. Somehow I managed to stay within my range (1,461 calories).

I might need to switch up what I've been eating for breakfast & lunch. Today I had a fruit salad for breakfast, slim fast for lunch(ridiculously good when made in the magic bullet), honey nut cheerios for a snack, a lettuce/spinach salad with chicken for dinner, roasted carrots and pumpkin-spice chickpeas as sides, a small piece of cheese danish for dessert, and hot cocoa for a bedtime snack.

Here's my dinner (probably the healthiest meal I've ever eaten, so many veggies!):
Grilled Chicken Salad

Roasted Carrots (recipe from Pastor Ryan via Pioneer Woman)

Pumpkin-Spice Chickpeas (recipe from http://peasandthankyou.com/)

Mmm even though it was so healthy it was just as delicious as any other meal (and definitely more than the meatloaf). My first time eating chickpeas and cooked carrots, and both were yumtastic! (and Matt-approved!)

It seems like a ate so much today, but it just doesn't feel like it. Today was the first day that I've felt a bit frustrated and deprived food-wise. I want to be able to eat whatever I want, and I know that I can but it doesn't feel like it. I just wanna be tiny and hot already :(

Okay, done feeling sorry for myself. I need to stop thinking too far ahead and just live in the moment. I really like the way I've been eating. It makes me feel good that my body is finally getting fruits & veggies. And I do like working out, when I run I feel so strong. That's what I need to focus on. And if I need ice cream some nights, I need to just have the ice cream (or hot chocolate, which I will be having tonight). For my sanity's sake :)

Mkay, time to unwind before bed...

Sogni d'oro!
-Ariane

Wedding: Balloons!

2010-01-13T11:51:00.005-06:00

I love the way that balloons can make wedding photography look so whimsical and timeless. I am definitely going to have balloons during our photography session, and I'm thinking about floating a bunch of balloons above the dance floor during the reception. Here are some pics of inspiration:

(source)

I would do anything for love... but I won't eat Meatloaf :)

2010-01-12T22:22:00.003-06:00

Today I took it easy exercise-wise. I woke up so sore it hurt to walk, so I mainly did stretches for my afternoon "workout". At the gym tonight, I ran a little bit (2.25 miles) but my calves were hurting so I decided to stop early and let my legs recuperate a bit more. I did Whittle my Middle though:
Jan 12th, 2010 (Week Two Day One)
•Front plank: 90 secs.
•Side plank: 50 secs each side
•Torso twists: 75 reps
•Plank ups: 18 reps
•Boat pose: 60 secs
•Bicycle: 60 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 15 reps each side

I'm still auditioning new healthy meals for breakfast & lunch. Today breakfast was a smoothie made of frozen pineapple (bought fresh then frozen), frozen strawberries (bought frozen), 3/4 cup yogurt, and 1 tbsp honey. On its own I can't stand honey, but in things like my fruit salad yesterday and my smoothie today, it is delicious!

I got hungry pretty quickly, so for lunch I had my standard slimfast (the powdered kind so that I can make it with lactose-free fat-free milk). I've been making it in the magic bullet which gives it a milkshake-like texture that makes it so much better!

I think both of these were a little too light, cuz I got so hungry while preparing dinner that I had to make a little bowl of leftover chili. This chili was even better the second day. Definitely make this on a cold day, and it will just warm up your insides!

For dinner we had Pioneer Woman's meatloaf and her mashed potatoes. The potatoes were great! It was the first time I've ever made mashed potatoes from scratch (usually I buy the steam-n-fresh bag). The meatloaf was... edible? It definitely wasn't the recipe's fault, I just am not a meatloaf kind of person. Matt said that he would definitely like me to make it for him again... I'll just make myself some nice shrimp to have instead :)

Tomorrow I'm going to get back into my afternoon strength routine. I'm thinking P90X Shoulders, Bi's, and Tri's. I always hate my arms in photos, so this'll help to tone 'em out!

Arighty, I'm gonna make some oatmeal for a snack (which would bring my daily cals up to 1309) then take a shower and relax before bed!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

First Day being a Desperate Housewife

2010-01-11T17:53:00.014-06:00

... minus the wife part.

Today got off to a slower start than planned. We ate a late dinner last night, and with it I drank a coke zero, forgetting that it has caffeine in it. I got into bed at midnight, laid there till 1:30, then got up and watched tv till four. So I let myself sleep in till 11:45 :)

I started my day with a glorious fruit salad. I combined pineapple, mandarin oranges, half tablespoon lime juice, and half tablespoon honey (I got the recipe from this month's Women's Health). Mmm it was really good. I think next time I need to add something for an extra pop of color!

Next I got to work cleaning one half of the bedroom. Here are the before and after pics (in my defense I've just gotten back from three weeks away and I hadn't unpacked...) Please don't judge my messiness!

After:

Not bad right?

I then had a yummilicious lunch consisting of zucchinis sprayed with balsamic and a slimfast.

Then I straightened up the living room and did the P90X chest & back dvd. I skipped the pull-up parts though. I wanted the inspiration pic today to be someone with killer arms, and that made me automatically think of the gorgeous Mama Obama. How hot is she!

Here's my P90X stats:
Standard push-up: 7,5
Military pushup: 7,5
Wide Front pushup: 8,5
Decline pushup: 5,5
Diamond pushup: 7,5
Lawnmowers: 15,12 (8 lb weights)
Dive Bomber pushups: 3,3
Back Flies: 12,10 (5 lb weights)

Out of all the dvds, I think this is one of the easiest. Definitely a good one to ease my way back into the program :)

After my workout I got started on our dinner for tonight: The Pioneer Woman's Chili. I've never been a chili fan, mostly because it's too hard to avoid the beans, but this one was really good! It was nice to be able to have a nice meal waiting for Matt when he got home. Near the end I separated out a little for me to keep beanless, then put a ton of beans in Matt's pot. It was totally simple to make, and only took an hour and half (with most of that being inactive time). Here was my bowl (I ate about half of this, it was sooo filling):

(I would like to take a moment to pause and mention that at this moment Matt is washing dishes, listening to his Ipod, and singing every single word to "gangster's paradise"... mmm I love him)

Today at the gym I was able to push it really hard again. I've been doing so great with my running, I'm really proud of myself. Today's running stats:

Out of the 4.5 miles I walked 1 and ran 3.5. Not too shabby!

I ended the night with How I Met Your Mother and a piece of cheese danish, yum!

All together today I had 1,150 calories. I hadn't intended on counting my cals each day, but not doing it really wasn't working out for me (I gained two pounds last week). So now I'm making sure I stay within my range (although lately I've been a bit below) and burn the right amount of cals each day. I'd really like to lose a significant amount of weight before the wedding, so I need to stick to this plan! (I'm using Sparkpeople to track, I highly recommend it!)

I got everything on my list done today! I had one small scare when I thought I'd mixed up the envelopes and sent my birth control prescription to my pastor, but I got it all straightened out (that woulda been a little awkward...) Tomorrow's jobs are to:
1. Clean one half of the living room
2. Do a workout dvd before Matt comes home
3. Put away clean dishes
4. Make...(gulp)... meatloaf for dinner

I hated meatloaf growing up. It was one of those meals where I would sit at the table until bedtime because I refused to take the requisite three bites. For some reason it's Matt's favorite meal, so we're gonna give it a try. I'm using another recipe from the Pioneer Woman's cookbook, and she hasn't let me down yet, so... I mean, if she can make a meatloaf good, this woman can do anything! We'll see if I can take at least three bites :)

This post ended up pretty rambly :( Hrmm... I may need to start posting twice a day instead of waiting till the very end of the night! Sorry folks! Off to bed...

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Je ne suis pas une faineante!

2010-01-10T22:47:00.006-06:00

I am not a lazybones!

All of my friends will be heading back to classes tomorrow, but I will not be joining them :( I graduated at the end of the last semester, but I'm waiting for Matt to finish his master's before we move up to Chicago and I get my big girl job. I have been given an incredible gift. I have the next few months to focus solely on myself. I really do not want to waste this time. So here's what I'm going to do!

Every day, I'm going to get up at a reasonable hour (tomorrow I'm waking up at ten, I'll probably see the sun rise!). I'm going to give myself homework every single day, and I'm going to make dinner for Matt. He does so much for me, I just cannot even believe it. So I want to make his life at home much much easier for him. He should be able to come home, and just relax for the whole night (except for doing the dishes after dinner, I just cannot do dishes). I'm also going to do one workout during the day (probably strength) and then do my cardio with Matt at the gym later at night. I just do not want to spend every day sleeping in till two and then watching tv and perusing the internet on the couch until Matt gets home. I need to take advantage of this gift I've been given!

And if I can't meet my goals and get into better shape when I have nothing but time on my hands, then I don't think I'll ever be able to do it...

So here's my homework for tomorrow:
1. Put away clean dishes
2. Clean the first half of our bedroom (yeah, it's so bad I can only tackle one half at a time)
3. Straighten up my mess in the living room
4. Work out
5. Make chili for dinner
6. Send deposit for ceremony to Pastor Dave
7. Send in new BC prescription

We also finally got to the grocery store today. I got a lot of good stuff to help me start my new healthy eating lifestyle :) I've got frozen berries, bananas, pineapple, yogurt, and honey for breakfast smoothies. I've got lettuce and honey mustard dressing for salads (I really hope I like this dressing, I can only make myself eat a salad if I absolutely LOVE the dressing). I got trail mix for when I need a bit of an indulgence. I've got zucchini all sliced up and in the fridge, waiting to be spritzed with balsamic for a snack (thanks Britt!). And I've got honey nut cheerios for when I'm hungry but just not in the mood for anything in particular. I tried to buy mostly organic when I could, and it was pretty easy and not that much more expensive! Our dinner's this week probably won't be super healthy (I'm trying a bunch more of the Pioneer Woman's recipes, and they call for a bunch of butter and ground beef. When I make them a second time, I'll adjust with less butter and ground turkey. I just like to make them as written the first time). So because my dinner may be high-cal, I'm going to try to eat especially healthy during the day. We'll see how it goes! Today I didn't eat very healthy, but I also didn't eat very much. According to my Sparkpeople nutrition tracker I've only had 950 calories. I should probably eat more, but it's time for bed so I just don't see the point.

I also want to start having an inspiration pic for each day... Here's today's!
(source)

OMGoodness look at those legs! I'm gotta get me summa those!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Get Fit, Eat Right, Live Healthy

2010-01-10T21:30:00.007-06:00

I finally finished my 2010 goal inspiration board (inspired by the Fitnessista's). I sat down in front of the tv with my glue stick and scissors, and got it all organized. Here it is!

My main goals are to
1. eat more fruits & veggies
2. do more yoga
3. make fitness part of my everyday life
4. believe in myself
5. be more daring
6. run a road race
7. get married :)

Putting it all together gave me a chance to finally watch the Victoria's Secret fashion show. I look forward to it every year, but I know I have to watch it by myself and when I'm ready. It can either make me feel motivated, or make me feel like a ginormo. So I waited till I was in the right place for it to motivate me :) It must have done the trick too, cuz this afternoon I went to the gym and did this:

I was worried that my endurance would be way down because I didn't run at all during the three weeks at my parents' (I mostly stuck to the elliptical), but it's actually gotten better. I was able to push myself way more than usual, and it felt great. I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone more, so I did a lot of shorter sprints. The fastest I did today was 6.0, but I'm going to try speeding it up. Going fast on the treadmill really freaks me out for some reason.

Alright, off to Whittle my Middle!
Jan 10th, 2010 (day 5 [last day for this week]):
•Front plank: 75 secs.
•Side plank: 45 secs each side
•Torso twists: 60 reps
•Plank ups: 12 reps
•Boat pose: 45 secs
•Bicycle: 60 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 12 reps each side

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Workout Catch-up

2010-01-09T16:25:00.005-06:00

The past few days haven't been too exciting in terms of exercise. When I left off a few days ago, I went downstairs to the basement and did this:

(I have no idea why there's a wooden spoon on our treadmill. And I'm not sure I wanna know...)

I've always gotta get motivated to do the tiniest little bit, and then I'll do way more than I expected! I also Whittled my Middle:

Whittle my Middle Stats (day 3)
Jan 6th, 2010:
•Front plank: 60 secs.
•Side plank: 40 secs each side
•Torso twists: 30 reps
•Plank ups: 10 reps
•Boat pose: 40 secs
•Bicycle: 30 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 10 reps each side

Our treadmill is ancient. Sometimes I'll be running and it'll just stop and I'll go FLYING forward. Makes the runs exhilarating :) I wasn't scared though, I had someone watching out for me:

Let's see, that was Wednesday. Thursday Matt and I made it to the gym, but I decided to stay in the car and have an emotional workout (read: nervous breakdown). I was getting a little stressed over wedding stuff (i feel like we are spending sooo much [and by we i mean Matt of course] and it makes me feel so guilty!) and future stuff (how do i find a job? what am i going to be?)... so that was fun. I considered that enough of a workout for the day, so I just rested and tried to be calm the rest of the night.

Friday... also not spectacular. I was planning on going to the gym, but we're back down at school and my parking spot is like three blocks away, and the roads haven't been plowed... All great excuses of course. And then I was going to do a workout dvd but I got a call that my presence was needed down at the bar... So I did ten pushups and hopped in the shower! LOL... No guilt though!

You'll be happy to hear that today's been better! It started out slow with me staying in bed for a few hours, reading and catching up on blogs with my kit-cat. Then I had two eggs for breakfast (we really need to go to the grocery store) and did my new Biggest Loser Yoga dvd.

Mmm it was surprisingly hard! It's a lot like the P90X yoga, but way shorter. I like that for some days, cuz doing all those vinyasas over and over again in P90 gets on my nerves. BL is definitely less of a workout for legs though. After that, I attempted to Whittle my Middle, but my wrists and abs were already hurting from the yoga. I did my best though:

Whittle my Middle Stats (day 4)
Jan 9th, 2010:
•Front plank: 40 secs.
•Side plank: 25 secs each side
•Torso twists: 50 reps
•Plank ups: 0 reps
•Boat pose: 45 secs
•Bicycle: 20 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 5 reps each side

I wanna go to the gym for some cardio, but again... the car is too far away. When Matt gets off work maybe we'll head over. I'm really looking forward to having the whole night together at our own place, so maybe not. We might have other workouts to do ;)

Alrighty, I gotta clean this house up a bit. I've got magazine cutouts all over the place. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be ready to post my inspiration board!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

On my wish list....

2010-01-09T13:15:00.008-06:00

I think at the end of the month if I lose 5 pounds, I will buy myself something perty. I know that it's not always right to measure progress by pounds lost, but right now I could really stand to lose 5 pounds (believe me). So far, here's what's on my list:

How whimsical is this dress?

Aaah cute bag!

And for my future job doing who-knows-what

I also want a cute pair of embellished sandals. These speak to me for some reason, they kinda remind me of a robot alligator :)

I'll have to wait till I've completely whittled my middle for this one

And of course the perfect Valentine's Day dress

Mmm I love clothes. I just need to remember how much I love clothes more than I love food (and ooo boy do i love food). Oki doki, off to be productive today!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

2010-01-07T00:32:00.007-06:00

Being a better me!

2010-01-06T23:16:00.002-06:00

I need to be more motivated... I made brownies today for my dad and matt's dad, and I ate a bunch... I don't feel bad about it, but I need to stop selling myself short and do the workouts I plan to do to (somewhat) make up for my sweet tooth. Just got motivated by the lovely Bee Louise, and I am heading downstairs to do the workout I promised myself I'd do :)

Sogni d'oro!
-Ariane

Buzzz

2010-01-06T23:08:00.002-06:00

Today has been sooo busy! We met with our pastor for our first session of pre-wedding counseling (mandatory) and it was pretty fun! I forget how the stuff that seems scary or tough is so much easier when I'm with Matt. I'll post more about it tomorrow (possibly, the next few days are pretty packed), cuz I am exhausted!

For my workout today, I am going to do three sets of 20 pushups. And I am not going to feel guilty about not doing more!

(I hate being too hard on myself. "Do your best forget the rest!" [Tony Horton love!])

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Wedding: THE DRESS!

2010-01-05T21:12:00.006-06:00

Mmm I love my wedding dress! Mine's still being made, so here's a pic of me in the sample from the shop:

I can't wait till I get the call that it's come in! I ordered through a bridal shop, but the designer is Stephanie James Couture (check out her blog, her dresses are to die for!)

I was keeping the dress (and that it's tea-length), as a surprise for Matt... but when I went to show him a picture of us that we could use for our invitations, I accidentally pulled up this picture (forgetting that I had it on my desktop). Sucktastic... I teared up for a second, but he told me he barely even saw it. Oh well...

He won't get the whole picture until he sees me at the end of the aisle in all my bridal glory anyway :)

And to go with the dress, I am thinking these shoes:

I'll post on my makeup and hair inspiration soon, but I'm thinking soft makeup with soft curls, and possibly a big sparkly headband! (probably sounds dumb but the pics are gorgeous!).

Oh, and I haven't picked a veil yet, but I loooove this one (also Stephanie James):

That bow is just too cute!

So that'll be me on my day! We're going to go tux shopping sometime in the next few weeks, so I'll be needing to research some sexy groom looks (he wants a bow tie lol, so we'll have to find a James Bond-esque tuxedo [mmm he's gonna be hot!])

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Mmm good day : )

2010-01-05T17:07:00.007-06:00

My Bee!

I'm having a haptacular day today. I don't know why but I'm quite enjoying it! Bee came over this morning for our weekly yoga date (the last for a while cuz I'll be going back down to school [well, the town where the school i used to attend is]). We did the P90X yoga dvd which i love! Tony Horton is one of my #1 BFFs, the guy just lights up my mornings!

Then the fiance came back up from being down at school and took me out to lunch! We had a pretty unhealthy meal at Portillo's (yummm) but we hit the gym after, which made me feel better about it. I burned 300 cals on the elliptical. My new fave thing to do is grab one of the gym's magazines and hit the elliptical. I go so much harder because I'm distracted and not thinking about how much I hate it :D

Today's gonna be one of the days that I don't do Whittle my Middle (you only do it 5/7 days per week) because I think my body's had enough what with the yoga and the cardio. I'll try to post some more wedding stuff tonight though...

I hope you're having a wonderful day today too!!!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

2010-01-05T10:44:00.002-06:00

Today = Success!

2010-01-04T23:12:00.005-06:00

I am very pleased with my workout efforts today, I'm glad I hopped back on the bandwagon! I did an hour on the elliptical at the gym today and burned 500 calories, and I did my Whittle my Middle workout today too. As for my eating, I managed to only eat ice cream once today (woot!) I won't say how many times it was yesterday...

Whittle my Middle Stats (day 2)
Jan 4th, 2010:
•Front plank: 60 secs.
•Side plank: 20 secs each side
•Torso twists: 30 reps
•Plank ups: 12 reps
•Boat pose: 40 secs
•Bicycle: 30 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 10 reps each side

My BFF (non-imaginary lol) is coming over for our weekly yoga date tomorrow, and the fiance comes back from being down at school. Makes for a great day!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Wedding: The Garter

2010-01-03T22:54:00.003-06:00

I came across this garter through another bride on Wedding By Color, and I just fell in love! I figured I'd go with something navy & pink, but the simplicity and femininity of this one just melted my heart.

Workout Day 2

2010-01-03T22:39:00.005-06:00

Mkay, so today was only the second day of my self-challenge, and I almost didn't make it... I've realized that if I don't work out at the very beginning of my day, it gets harder and harder to work up motivation as the day wears on. So at least I learned something from my laziness today! I just worked up the willpower to do a quick abs workout. So I'm glad that I did something, but I wish I would have at least gone to the gym for some cardio. Ahhh, but tomorrow's another day :)

I've decided to join the Oh She Glow's "Whittle My Middle" challenge for January!

It's a really great, quick abs workout that you do five times a week for the whole month. Tomorrow I'll have to remember to take my measurements and some pics so that I can see my progress when I'm done. The before & after pictures of the challenge starter were very impressive! I gotta get in on this!

So here's my stats for day one:
Jan 3rd, 2010:
•Front plank: 60 secs.
•Side plank: 20 secs each side
•Torso twists: 25 reps
•Plank ups: 10 reps
•Boat pose: 30 secs
•Bicycle: 30 reps
•Side plank w/ twists: 10 reps each side

I really like this workout! I could definitely feel it by the time I was done, but it wasn't too much or too long to make it difficult to do every day.

Tomorrow I vow to hit the gym first thing in the morning (which for me means around noon or one o'clock)...

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Aaah the temptation!

2010-01-02T21:23:00.007-06:00

I promised myself that I wasn't going to buy any more clothes for the whole month of January, but then I stumbled across this...

Pretty! Must have! Add to bag! No stop! Can't stop!!! Aaaah I want it so bad!

okay... okay... breathe in, breathe out... going to try not to succumb, but if my credit card bill isn't as massive as I'm expecting, that dress is so on its way to its comfy new home in my closet...

sad :(

More Pioneer Woman Love!

2010-01-02T17:51:00.005-06:00

Yummm I am loving this cookbook!

I just made Penne a la Betsy (penne pasta with shrimp in a tomato cream sauce) also from the Pioneer Woman cookbook. It was quick, it was easy, it was delicious! I doubt that there will be a recipe in this book that will let me down. I'm thinking of making her Angel Sugar Cookies later as a surprise for my dad...

Day 1

2010-01-02T15:13:00.006-06:00

Bonus #1 from having a blog: it makes you actually have to do stuff every day, so that you have things to write about. Otherwise, my daily posts would probably be something along the lines of "woke up, ate a few chocolate christmas cookies, watched tv, thought about working out but kept watching tv, made rootbeer float, laid in bed and read while eating andes candies, watched more tv, showered, read and then went to bed". All in all, doesn't sound like a bad day to me, but I don't think I want other people knowing that that's what I do pretty much all day every day. Right now I'm up at my parents house and I've gotten into a routine of nothingness. Today I tried to make a few strides though.

I woke up and ate a banana! I'm going to try to keep doing this cuz otherwise I wait a forev to eat and then I get so hungry that I eat everything in sight. So I ate that banana, checked up on my online bffs (though of course they have no idea we're bffs), then eventually decided I wanted to try out my new Pioneer Woman cookbook! If you have no idea who the Pioneer Woman is, you must immediately go to www.pioneerwoman.com and see what all the fuss is about. And she has earned the fuss! My favorite is her cooking section, where she goes through (the most delicious) recipes step-by-step with pictures. They're not all the healthiest recipes, but man are they good! Since it was breakfast, I looked at what we had on hand and made "Egg-in-a-Hole" (basically an egg in toast with a hole in it). Oooo it was delish! Go out and buy her cookbook now, and also get a few for you mom/aunts/sisters. You and they will love it!

In keeping with my January goal of 30 Workouts in 30 days, I hit up the Anytime Fitness by my house. I wish this one was our regular gym, cuz it's so pretty in there and I just love the way it's set up! I'll just have to make sure I frequent it more often in my last week up here. Today was my first day of going to the gym sans-fiance and I am very proud that I went without even an anxious thought of being alone (I have issues with thinking everyone's staring at me when I'm on my own somewhere... very strange and annoying). Anywho... so I did 30 minutes on the elliptical (burned 303 calories) and 35 minutes walking on the treadmill with a short sprint at the end (burned 147 calories). All together I did 65 minutes and burned 450 calories (ooo that added up nicely). Go me!

I've been so productive the first half of the day that the rest might be quite lazy. We'll see!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

January Workout Plan

2010-01-01T21:23:00.004-06:00

So in order to address "resolution" numero uno, I'm planning on making my January plan "30 Workouts in 30 Days". And this starts tomorrow! Every day I need to do at least one workout, whether it be one of my fave dvds, a trip to the gym, or something outdoorsy (unlikely with the cold). I'm going to be pretty lenient with myself, any little bit counts (and usually once i commit to doing one little bit, it turns into a bigger bit anyway). I've got a calendar all made up to record what I do on each day and to map my progress. For January I'm focusing on workouts only, not food or pounds lost. I don't do well when trying to fix both eating and exercising, so I'm only gonna focus on one. Also, I weighed myself just this week and I don't plan to do so again until the end of the month.

Yay! Can't wait till tomorrow!

Ciao for now!
-Ariane

Happy New Year's!

2010-01-01T20:38:00.001-06:00

So today is January 1, 2010! I'm starting this blog so I can keep better track of my life and what I'm doing. I just graduated college with a degree in economics (and minor in Italian) but I have NO IDEA what I want to do. I have a few months to figure out though, since my fiance is still finishing up his master's and we won't be moving up to the city (Chicago) until he's done in a few months.

When I was thinking of ways to keep me busy until then, I tried to take stock of my interests and passions. Mostly I love four things: Food, Fashion, Fitness, and Weddings! And I keep up with all four through my favorite blogs. I read a million blogs every day (okay, maybe like thirty or so) about all of those, so I'll use this blog (ooo my very own) to keep up with my own wedding, my own food adventures, my own workouts, and maybe my own fashion attempts (i'm not sure i'm confident enough in my own fashionista-ness). Anywho, here we go!

Since today is the first, I might as well touch on resolutions. I don't think I really believe in making resolutions (probably cuz i know i won't keep them) but if i were to make a few, they would be:

1. (total cliche) LOSE WEIGHT.... my wedding is the first weekend in June, and I do not want to look back on those photos for the rest of my life and wish that I had worked harder to be my best on that day. The "ideal weight" for someone my age, weight, and body type is 132 which means i would have to lose about twenty pounds (!!!). I'm sick of focusing on numbers on a scale though (and I've finally accepted that those numbers are often useless) so I'm going to only weigh myself once in a blue moon (lol there was one yesterday!). I'll post later on my new workout plan.....

2. Stop putting myself down! I've always been a self-deprecating person, and I often make myself the butt of jokes to make people laugh. I never really minded, but I've found that often my friends will use the negative things I say about myself to make jokes about me later.... and that's no fun. It really hurts when your best friends make jokes about you being lazy or ditsy or whatever, even if they were jokes that I made up. So no more of that! I need to believe in myself more and build myself up in my own mind. Self-empowerment, hurray!

I think that's pretty much it! Two goals seems do-able, and as we learned in freshman-year colloquium, goals need to be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely). Hopefully this blog will help me with both : )

Ciao for now!
-Ariane