Gangnam Style... is my new favorite.

And to top it all off omg this VIDEO below of a wedding - Can we do this at our wedding?!?!?! PLEASE?!?!?!?! hahahaha - I'm going to get skinny AND have this song at my wedding!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2201998/Gangnam-style-Couple-create-hilarious-wedding-video-based-YouTubes-biggest-K-pop-hit.html?openGraphAuthor=%2Fhome%2Fsearch.html%3Fs%3D%26authornamef%3DEmma%2BReynolds&videoPlayerURL=http%3A%2F%2Fc.brightcove.com%2Fservices%2Fviewer%2Ffederated_f9%3FisVid%3D1%26isUI%3D1%26publisherID%3D1418450360%26playerID%3D72484359001%26domain%3Dembed%26videoId%3D&hasBCVideo=true&BCVideoID=1783230339001

Half-way home.... Crank is almost done.

First of all, I never thought I would even make it past 2 weeks. If you know me, you know that my dedication to working out is slim-to-none. Actually getting into a routine and going to the gym everyday and getting on a good diet, just isn't for me. But it's been half way through our crank program at Raise the Bar in Manassas with Evie, and I'm happy to say, I am seeing some results!!! Not only am I getting stronger, building up my endurance and becoming more flexible, I've also lost 8lbs and 8 1/2 inches!!!! (let me explain the inches, that's in my waist, arms and legs for a grand total of 8 1/2) and I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but for me it is, considering I GAIN 10LBS EVERYTIME I WATCH A PIZZA HUT COMMERCIAL.... but damn THAT'S PRETTY GOOD FOR ME!

I was really surprised to actually see that. I mean honestly, I am doing the best I can. I can't just wake up one day at the beginning of this and go ok, I'm changing my WHOLE LIFE. I'm not ever going to eat any junk food, I'm not going to drink (HAHAHAHAHHAH REALLY?), and I'm going to work out 7 days a week. A shock like that to my body would probably kill me HAHA. But I am, getting dedicated. Working out 5 times a week with a day of cardio for 6 times a week, eating WAY healthier than I have in a long time, and drinking a gallon of water a day (the evidence is in the gallon jug on my desk haha). I feel so much better, I have more energy, and although I haven't lost a ton of weight yet, I am building so much muscle and I'm doing it the right way so that I don't just gain it all back.

I think another thing that is really helping me along is my isagenix shakes. I love that shit. Vanilla with the power boost makes it taste like a creamsicle and shittttttt, having that for breakfast or dinner everyday makes a HUGE difference. I can honestly say I have tried EVERY FREAKING weight loss shake, diet, program on the market, and this just tops them all because it TASTES good!!!!! I love it because I don't have to get up in the morning and think about preparing a full meal, I can just throw a shake together, drink, and I'm full till my mid-morning snack! Same for dinner.. I'm finding it's hard get home, cook dinner, and then go work out, so instead, I'm just having a shake. Isagenix is my new favorite thing. I think I'm going to do the 30 day program next, just to see how it works for me - and clearly I will let you know how it goes along the way. But I really just want to take my time, drop the weight and do it in a healthy way so that it doesn't come back!

Besides that, I really love the support my friends are giving me. They really are pushing me and talking to me about this whole diet thing and giving me advice - I honestly can say I couldn't do this without them!

But wait, here's another take away from my blog today - did you know that pandora has some kick ass workout stations???? CHECK IT OUT BITCHESSSS: I love it, and I get pumped the F up! hahahaha

http://www.pandora.com/music/workout

And plus, I didn't know this, but my whole family is doing Isagenix! hahaha - anyways... here's a few fun shake recipe's if you are doing Isagenix!!

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

• 1 scoop IsaLean® Shake in Natural Creamy Chocolate
• 1 scoop IsaLean® Shake in Natural Creamy Vanilla
• 1 square IsaDelight Plus™ Milk or Dark Chocolate
• 1 tsp. Natural Peanut Butter
• 8 oz. of water
• Blend with ice

Submitted by Kimberly C.

Piña Colada Shake

• 2 scoops IsaLean® Shake in French Vanilla
• ¼ cup fresh or frozen pineapple
• ¼ teaspoon coconut extract
• 8 oz purified water

Blend well and serve cold.
Try it with an IsaBlender™!

Did you know you are supposed to drink this much water a day????????

happy shaking! haha

Andrea

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?!?!?!

To turn that frown I just put on my face, upside DOWN, I just listen to my favorite song...

BIG SEAN - DANCE... what a GREAT workout song, and damn, these are my favorite lyrics...

Woah, white girls, black girls, tall girls, fat girls 
Shake that ass shake that ass, shake that ass 
Shake that ass, shake that ass, shake that ass 

Go, go Short girls, smart girls, skinny girls, all girls 
Shake that ass shake that ass, shake that ass 
Shake that ass, shake that ass, shake that ass

Damn straight... all girls, shake that ass!!!!! Love it... just makes me want to work out hahaha..

Well anyways, GUESS WHATS TONIGHT??!?! ohhhhhh YEAH baby... GIANTS vs COWBOYS in the SEASON OPENER!!! Could I be that much happier??!?! The sad part is that I have class from 7:45-8:45 and I mean I guess if I just posted about being pissed at my friends for not being happy for me, then I shouldn't skip class for the game HAHA... Maybe they will put it on at the gym for me?!??!

Could I just say, that Raise the Bar in Manassas is probably the awesomest gym I have ever EVER been to? You should all go - not only are the TRX classes with Evie awesome, but the boot camps are great too - they aren't judgmental, rude, ANYTHING, they just want you to be the best you can be and it's really rubbing off on me!

Well, for football season, since I can't freaking eat probably any of the shit we normally eat, here are a few recipes you should try (courtesy of SkinnyTaste) to make for SUNDAY FOOTBALL FUNDAYS!!!! ANd yeah,

GOOOOOOOO GIANTS!!!!

1) Crock Pot 3 Bean Turkey Chili 

Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 10.8 oz • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 5 pts Calories: 206.3 • Fat: 1.4 g • Protein: 16.8 g • Carb: 31.8 g • Fiber: 9.0 g

1.3 lb (20 oz) fat free ground turkey breast
1 small onion, chopped
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped chilies, drained
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, undrained
1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, undrained
1 (15.5 oz) can small red beans, undrained
2 tbsp chili powder

Topping:
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For topping shredded cheddar to top (extra pts) Brown turkey and onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain any fat remaining and transfer to crock pot. Add the beans, chilies, chickpeas tomatoes, tomato sauce and chili powder mixing well. Cook on high 6-8 hours. Garnish with onions, cilantro and cheese and enjoy!


2) Hot Spinach Dip

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes  
Servings: 10 • Serving Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 92.2 • Fat: 6.8 g • Carb: 3.0 g • Fiber: 0.7 g • Protein: 5.3 g 

• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 5 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 cup scallion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
• fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Place in an oven-proof dish and bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes, until hot and cheese is melted. Serve right away.

Can be made one day in advance and stored in the refrigerator before baking. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

3) Lighter Buffalo Chicken Dip

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1/3 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 107.9 • Fat: 4.9 g • Carbs: 5.4 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 10.3 g

Ingredients:

• 4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/2 cup Franks hot sauce (or whatever hot sauce you like)
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 cups (14 oz  raw) cooked shredded chicken

Directions:
Mix the first 5 ingredients together until smooth. Add the chicken and put this in the crock pot on low for 3-4 hours. Serve warm.

4) Asian Turkey Meatballs With Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Servings: 4 • Size: 3 meatballs • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 229.1 • Fat: 11.1 g • Carbs: 8.5 g • Protein: 24.3 g

• 1/4 cup panko crumbs
• 1-1/4 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Dipping Sauce

• 4 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh scallion

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Mix ground turkey, panko, egg, salt, scallions, ginger, cilantro, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp oil and mix with your hands until combined well. Shape 1/4 cup meat mixture into a ball and transfer to a baking dish. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

For the dipping sauce mix together lime juice, water, soy sauce, and remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a bowl. Add scallions.

Transfer meatballs to a serving dish. Stir sauce, then drizzle meatballs with 1 tablespoon sauce.

Serve meatballs with remaining sauce, about 1 tbsp per person. Chances are you won't use all the dipping sauce.

Makes 12 meatballs.

5) Lighter Buffalo Wings

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 2 chicken wings • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 204 • Fat: 5.4 g • Carbs: 2.3 g • Fiber: 0.6 g

• 3 lbs (about 18) chicken wings
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp Franks hot sauce
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 2 tbsp oregano
• 4 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• salt and fresh pepper
• 2 celery stalks, sliced into strips
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into strips
• low fat blue cheese dressing (extra pts)

In a large bowl combine chicken, 2 tbsp hot sauce, vinegar, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder salt and pepper. Mix well and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Place wings on a broiler rack and broil on low, about 8 inches from the flame for about 10-12 minutes on each side. (All ovens are different so be careful not to burn and make sure it is cooked before removing)

While chicken cooks, heat the remaining hot sauce until warm. Toss the hot sauce with the chicken and arrange on a platter. Serve with celery and carrot strips and blue cheese dressing or dipping.

ALRIGHT, ENJOY!!!!

Frankly... starting to get annoyed.

Ok so, there comes a time where people change. And right now, I am changing. My focus on life is getting in shape and dropping lb's, not going out and drinking and being social. If you know me, you know that I am up every morning at 4:30am, heading to work by 5, working from 6:30-3, back home by 4:30pm, grab a quick dinner, maybe do an hour or so of freelance (to pay for this wedding), then am at the gym from basically 7pm-9pm, get home, and repeat. I don't even get to spend time with Juan, let alone go out and be social with people... so IF you know my schedule, and IF you know me, you would be happy for me, and happy that I'm finally getting into a routine where I am working out. But no. Apparently, I'm still the bad guy.

AND THE FUNNY THING IS IM ACTUALLY LOSING WEIGHT AND I CAN'T EVEN BE EXCITED BECAUSE MY FRIENDS ARE ALL MAD AT ME!!!!!!!

Listen.... I don't live in Arlington, so I can't just go to work at 8:30, come home, go to bocce, work out, blah blah blah, I can't. The fact of the matter is that I live in the middle of F'ing NOWHERE (that being so we could purchase a home) and driving in and out of DC takes time, and unfortunately, it takes too much time for me that I can't get a workout in if I decide to go out and drink... which, I'm sorry, is not on my main priorities right now. It's starting to get really annoying when people are getting pissed at me because I don't have time to hang out anymore because I'M TRYING TO GET SKINNY. As my friend, you should support this.

Just because I'm working out, doesn't mean I'm not friends with people anymore, it just means my priorities have changed and not only do I not have time to hang out with my friends, I don't even have time for Juan, and he has to be the priority.

BLAH - ANYWAYS, I'm OVER people giving me shit for all of this, I am a good friend to A LOT OF PEOPLE, and I'm just asking you to not be pissed at me please. Now, if you need me, I will be working out. HAHA.

PS- PUMPKIN SPICED LATTES ARE BACK BABY, SO MAYBE WE CAN GO GET A COFFEE TOGETHER (and then work out ;)

OH, and get the damn LivingSocial deal so we can get coffee on the cheap ;)

XOXOX

Big girls you are beautiful!!! BUT, you cannot buy a wedding dress from J.CREW! haha

So, I found my first road block with this whole being bigger thing, this weekend. The wedding dress I have been obsessing over for like 2 years... only goes up to size 12. I know I KNOW. Sam (if you are reading this, you warned me about J.Crew). I'm sorry J.Crew, but how can you only offer dresses up to a size 12. You are a HUGE retailer and not even going up to a size 16, that is just STUPID.

So here's the dress:  And here's my big sad face :( I'm just so sad. BUT here's the other thing, and where I think JCREW is F'ing up. So I call the bridal store, and I say, hi, do you have this dress in yours stores? "Well of course ma'am that is one of the dresses we do carry in our bridal store" (that gets me thinking, you only have what, maybe 20 dresses anyways, and 3 stores that carry them in the WHOLE US and you only carry a selection? DUH!) Anyways, moving on. So I say "Oh great, what size do you have to try on." "2"....... 2?!?!?! 2???? TWO? Are you kidding me?!!?!? I mean great, great for the brides that are size 0-2, but I'm pretty sure that's about 10% of people. So we continue... "ok well, what if I love this dress but want to try it on first" "Well, you would need to buy the dress, have it come to the store and try it on. At that time, if you don't like the dress then you can return it". So again you are telling me that I have to spend $3,000 just to try the dress on?... Jcrew... you aren't making this easy for me, you are dropping off my radar fast. So I politely go to the girl, well, can I get this dress in a 16? This is the response I get.... "HAHAHA A 16, NO." REALLY? hahahahaa way to be a dick. "This dress only comes up to size 12".... Alright, playing hardball.. I go, "and what if I am trying to drop a few sizes and don't think that I will be a size 12 for a few more months?" her response.... "well I'm sorry, I guess Jcrew isn't the store for you."

Jcrew. AWESOME. You know, I really do love you, but I think you really need to check yourself before you start selling wedding dresses. Why would you sell dresses if you aren't going to sell them to larger girls and be rude about it?.... I guess it's time to move on, and get over the fact that I won't be having a jCrew wedding dress, but frankly, I'm ok with that.

Other than this, the work out shit is going GREAT. I love it. I'm in the gym 4 times a week and then cardio on the weekends. It's awesome, my team is awesome, my trainer is awesome, and it makes me like working out. PLUS, OMG, the BEST PART... I don't feel like SHIT when I drink anymore! HAHAHAHAHA. Yes, people, that is what I care about in life. No but for real, when I drank before I was on this diet and working out, half way through my drink-sesh, I would feel like BALLS, hangover and all - but NOW, omg NOW, I'm a champ. I can drink the biggest drinker under the table and feel AMAZING the day after. I went on a wine tour this weekend with some of my awesomest friends, and shit, I felt awesome!

Ok anyways... HAHAHA... I think our keurig at work is broken, so I am going to go buy a coffee (and maybe take it to the jcrew wedding dress store and throw it all over the wedding dresses hahaha)
HAVE A GREAT DAY!

When I try to diet. #whatshouldwecallme

http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/post/29810348632/when-i-try-to-diet

Day (let's just say 8): To SHOP or not to SHOP that is the question....

Dudes, this is the WORST part about losing weight. What do I do about fall?!?!?! Do I get clothes my size for the upcoming fall? Do I wait, WHAT DO I DO?!

First off - TARGET, you need to make your dresses longer. They are cute, affordable and best of all, I can fit into your dresses, but shit, I'm sure, if my ass hangs out at work one more day, I am going to get fired. Young professionals wear your dresses too, not just teenie boppers, so help me out a little and make that awesome greenish cap sleeve lacy dress that I love so much, a few inches longer!

(this dress in this photo below, excuse my flicking off, I was flicking off my cousin when I took the pic to show her the dress haha, nothing personal against you, world) ((also, it doesn't look that short here because I'm kind of bending over a little and making it longer, but from the back, totally short. rant over)) (((also this dress is super cute without wearing a sweater, but the arms, THE ARMS, you will quickly learn that I hate my arms and I DO NOT show them!)))

Anyways, back to my question. What do I do? Sure, right now, there are only a few stores that I love and have clothes that I can fit into, and they are great. But, do I buy fall clothes on their sites, or wait till I drop some LBs and then get my fall wardrobe? It's really hard... some awesome stores are coming out with some super cute fall stuff... like GAP for instance. They have some awesome stuff right now and of COURSE they keep sending me coupons in my email... don't you KNOW I'm saving for a wedding? Jeez! I want to buy ALL OF THESE!!!! But, yeah, they wouldn't look good on me!!

What should I do? Wait? The other thing is that ASOS - has some super cute plus size clothes.. i could buy some of theirs for the fall till I drop - take a look:

I just don't know... I'm seriously about to buy all these outfits... (well not really because clothes money = wedding money now. HAHAHA)

Super cute, cannot wait to buy any of these!!!!!!