Austin City Limits

Just a few snaps from my trip to Austin. Amazing time despite the fact I spent a ton of time in a conference all. Bonus? I lost 2 lbs and was able to enjoy some fine dining. Holla!

The Belt Way

Animal Print Belt from Banana Republic. On it's way to my closet as we speak!

Pushing past the mental challenges of weight loss for a moment, transitioning from size to size can also be a challenge for your wallet. I've come to find that, give or take, every 10 lbs is a size. Now, if I were made of money or had the luxury of a sugar daddy, I would gleefully replace my wardrobe with each transition. I am neither CLEARLY so I have learned to rely upon a girl's best friend during weight loss...the Belt. Yup, the Belt. 

I used to HATE belts. Mostly because when I was heavier I didn't want to call any attention to my non-existent waistline. However, I have found they come in quite handy in lengthening the life of my clothes from size to size. Have a dress that's a bit too baggy? A sassy belt looped around the waist takes it from frumpy to fab in no time. Pants sagging? A stylish belt not only holds them up but gives them that Annie Hall look that seems to be making a comeback. The belts themselves will last quite a while and can always be taken to a cobbler to add an extra hole or trim off some length. Don't break the bank either - I shop Target, Marshall's or if I am feeling the need for a new classic, my old standby Banana Republic. And don't forget about our friends at Goodwill or your local vintage store. Great prices and a virtual guarantee no one else will be seen on your Belt Way.

Social Sass – A Healthy App-etite!

Weight Watchers, Blogger and Fitness Buddy Apps

Whether it’s the people or the technology, so much of my success has been made possible by the support I get through social media. Whether it’s an app, blog or good old fashioned Facebook, my social sustenance must meet one important nutritional criterion: ACCESSIBILITY.

We all have busy lives. Even though I am single (many folks think that makes life easier for some reason) I have a 60 hour work week, school, travel, elderly parents that need lots of help and work hard each day to maintain my new, healthy lifestyle. This means I cannot be tied to tools that require me to be at my desk to use. Healthy apps to the rescue! I have 3 favorites (pictured above)…

Weight Watchers Mobile: This app allows me to track my food and exercise, look up recipes, restaurant information and even has cheat sheets for comparing cocktail choices! I can track on the road, at work, at play and even at home if I don’t feel like logging on to my laptop. Weight Watchers also developed a clever reader app that scans any food with a barcode and shares the needed program information. 

Fitness Buddy: This app allows you to select from hundreds of exercises and workouts no matter your fitness level. Complete with pics and video, it’s a personal trainer and motivator all packed into one app. Starting a workout can be a daunting task but this app made it easy for me to get started and has kept me going as I travel from work to home to ever present work conferences. 

Blogger Mobile: Not sure why it took me so long to download this little gem, but I used to think I could only blog at home while on my laptop. Feeling chained to a desk, even one as lovely as the one in my home office, limited the time I had available for sharing updates and ideas. As of last week, I am obsessed with this app. Granted it’s not as glamorous to negotiate as the full screen version, but it gives me a great outlet to post from anywhere the spirit moves me. 

If you’re interested in finding more healthy apps you can fit into your social world, check out this article from Forbes.com

Inch by Inch...

In my quest to drop lbs these last few months, I managed to forget all about another mark of progress most experts want folks to focus on - measurements. While I took my beginning measurements in January and managed to take them in February and March, I definitely fell out of the habit as life got busy. Yes, I've continued to see the size of my clothes change for the better, but I didn't realize until this morning just how much progress I've made. Here's a look at my numbers 8 months in. PS? I was so shocked I measured 3 times. (#OCD)

Waist: -7.5 inches
Hips: -6 inches
Arms: -3.25 inches
Dress Size: -4 sizes
Bust: -6 inches
Thighs: -3.75 inches

It really does go to show that inch by inch, even those as far gone as I was can make huge progress through focus, giving yourself the time and respect you deserve and realizing that healthy living FREAKING ROCKS!

Coming this Fall...SOCIAL SASS!

 

Fall in the South. Some of my favorite moments from 2012.

Apologies for the lack of posts recently, work has been nutty, school has been nutty, life has been nutty. But alas, something is shifting...there's a bit of a chill in the air in the morning. The days are getting shorter. Even the birds that perch around the lake are changing. That means Fall is just around the corner and PR could not be happier about it! Pumpkins, harvest flowers, Halloween and more are all waiting to be enjoyed during my favorite season. 

In honor of Fall, I am going to be starting a new series of posts on, interestingly enough, social media. Whether its the people or the technology, so much of my success has been made possible by the support I get through social media. I'm looking forward to passing along some recommendations, thoughts and to gathering your thoughts on the subject!

I'm going to call the series Social Sass and I hope that my friends here, and new ones that join, enjoy!

All Wrapped Up

DVF Wrap Dress in "Get in My Closet Now" pattern.

While I have about 30 more pounds to lose on my journey, I can't help thinking about a special reward at the end of all this hard work. Something that's a splurge, something that I will wear forever and feel completely amazing in. Only one name comes to mind when I picture my prize...Diane Von Furstenberg. Endlessly chic and completely brilliant, DVF invented the wrap dress decades ago and they have yet to go out of style. Not cheap, but one of these little gems is an investment every woman should make no matter her size. See you soon you wrapped thing of beauty...see you soon.

Good morning NYC...

Just a quick snippet from NYC. One of my favorite things about the city are the pockets of shadow and sky around every corner. This shot was taken on my way to grab a coffee and then head into the office. I often wonder if I could call this big city home...little visions like this one make me think just maybe.