Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Tio's Tacos








A plaza de Mexico in Riverside....this place is my new obsession! My friend A and I went out for lunch today and I thought she would enjoy this...a lot (she used to live in Mexico). The food is awesome and authentic, and they even have flan, frozen bananas, and fruit waters. Tio's is a menagerie of junk and collected items. Parrots made out of old tires, people made of bottle caps, tons of old statues and fountains...its absolutely amazing!





This place is located past Market street on Mission, going in the direction of Mt. Rubideaux. Note- its cash only!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Joshua Tree




= i need to go back. asap. camping. hiking. biking. climbing. omg.

Friday, July 25, 2008

East Coast picture book

Here's some photos from my trip back east....



exhibit at the top of the Met




Andy Warhol





"no pictures please"






My next art project. Seriously?!



if you like pina coladas....




Back in the day when we were young/ we're not kids anymore/ but some days we sit and wish we were kids again..... I remember way back when KJ and me in Grand Central



Steve is on the right. Friends for about ten years




My old back yard




My grandparents


Sigh....I miss it

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

ice cream machine




Attempt 1: failed

(but we got a good watermelon slushy out of it)

Attempt 2: not happening- yet

(my freezer door cracked open last night and the bowl has yet to freeze!)



Once I get this right I am going to be making ice cream all the time. I got a recipe for fudgsicle ice cream :jello chocolate pudding and milk. Well, yep....I freeze my pudding so this makes sense! I am excited about this.

Monday, July 21, 2008

animals

I have the best little animals!

This is bitty the kitty- (my sis calls her, affectionately, 'bite-y')



She just had a bath and was so good about it. Other times, she will be purring up a storm and then go into a rampage and try to tear the petter to shreds.








This is Uncle Mike. He is a leopard gecko and I really don't know his gender.




He always comes out to say hi, and eats his food so fast that he gets belly aches and has to lay on his heat rock for a while (sometimes, days). I just fed him, and bitty watched. She watches every time.

I guess this is what you do when you live alone, eh?

today!

I go in for acupuncture

Get worms and crickets for my little gecko

Look for a new purse

Happily await the arrival of my digital camera from CT (I left it!)

Pick up my ice cream maker and bluetooth from UPS


Revised-

Trader Joe's and frozen yogurt with Melissa! Possibly the best part of my day, how could I not include that this morning! <3


I am definitely excited about my day- but I'm still missing my family and everything. I got to hang with Todd (Australia trip) last night and that was awesome. Hopefully, today will be rad too!

back pt 2

Tonight at Sandals, our guest pastor was explaining how he has felt that his life is in auto-pilot, just going for the ride with no destination and absolutely no effort. THAT is the perfect way to describe my desire to move on and explore the world, and at some point end up close to my family (either my riverside "family", or my family elsewhere).

I believe that God has let me take everything I needed to from this segment in my life, and I am going to be put in another direction. This will be my prayer, and I hope it becomes as clear as some of the other things He's shown me. I just know that whatever happens, its not going to happen where I am at this moment. I am so excited to see my life through the next few years! However, I'm going to enjoy this "stop" while it lasts.

:)

Saturday, July 19, 2008

back

I am back, and I have that same feeling I usually get when returning from anywhere (these days, really).

I am going to move. I am going to save up some money and move. I don't know when, or where, but I feel like I really need to be close to my family. As of now, my options are back east, up north, or Santa Barbara area. So, I am going to aim for up north- but I really need to pray about where God wants me to be, and what exactly I will do there. Maybe, around Christmas time. We'll see.

Friday, July 18, 2008

"stuff white people like"

I think this is funny, not offensive. I hope you don't take it offensively :p

Click here for a complete list

According to this, and the new book I got, I am really white! Not to mention I am "white" and my name, Jennifer, is Welsh for "white-ness" So, here are some of the things that make me uniquely white, like everyone else- (61 out 0f 103, things I am really into)-


#102 Children’s Games as Adults
#99 Grammar
#96 New Balance Shoes
#94 Free Healthcare
#93 Music Piracy
#92 Book Deals
#91 San Francisco
#90 Dinner Parties
#87 Outdoor Performance Clothes
#85 The Wire
#84 T-Shirts
#83 Bad Memories of High School
#82 Hating Corporations
#81 Graduate School
#78 Multilingual Children
#77 Musical Comedy
#76 Bottles of Water
#75 Threatening to Move to Canada
#69 Mos Def
#67 Standing Still at Concerts
#65 Co-Ed Sports
#64 Recycling
#63 Expensive Sandwiches
#61 Bicycles
#59 Natural Medicine
#54 Kitchen Gadgets
#53 Dogs
#51 Living by the Water
#50 Irony
#48 Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops
#47 Arts Degrees
#46 The Sunday New York Times
#45 Asian Fusion Food
#44 Public Radio
#43 Plays
#42 Sushi
#41 Indie Music
#38 Arrested Development
#37 Renovations
#36 Breakfast Places
#35 The Daily Show/Colbert Report
#34 Architecture
#32 Vegan/Vegetarianism
#28 Not having a TV
#26 Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!)
#24 Wine
#23 Microbreweries
#21 Writers Workshops
#20 Being an expert on YOUR culture
#19 Traveling
#18 Awareness
#15 Yoga
#13 Tea
#12 Non-Profit Organizations
#10 Wes Anderson Movies
#9 Making you feel bad about not going outside
#7 Diversity
#6 Organic Food
#5 Farmer’s Markets
#3 Film Festivals
#2 Religions their parents don’t belong to

Really? Its so funny we like to think of ourselves as unique for liking indie/foreign movies, microbreweries, wine, grammer, organic foods, making people feel bad for not going outside, etc... But, wouldn't it be offensive to have a list about things other cultures like? I'd rather cut off the use of plastic bags then be described as a "culture" that is into fried chicken or gaming. Well, I think it all mixes in anyway (and I LIKE that- oh, white people like diversity). I don't think these are bad traits- though. in Riverside county, a lot of them are unique. When I talk about moving to a place like Boulder, or Seattle, or LA- I'm hoping to meet more people like this (ethnicity aside). Maybe they should change this list to "some stuff that classy/cultured people like."

Some of the white stuff I am NOT is someone who likes sweaters, Sarah Silverman, Barack Obama...and...well, you should just check out the list for more!


(OH, the book list includes "Rock Climbing"- as in, "oh, on the weekends I love to go 'climbing'" So make that 62+stuff that makes me "super white". Well, Maybe. If my gym wasn't so close to UCR it would be all whities)

Did I mention that I'm part of one of the "whitest networks" on Facebook (Bridgeport/Stamford CT) and I have friends in some of the other networks? Eesh.
What makes you so "white"?

must have been the crab cocktail, or maybe the pollution cocktail.....

These past few days have been wonderful. Being back in Fairfield for a night was great, and I am so bummed that I couldn't spend more time there. Its making me want to come back again before the winter so I can really spend some time with friends and family. I'm going to let the pictures I post in an upcoming blog showcase my trip to the Met and Connecticut- but as for now, I am about two seconds away from a long nap.

Yep. It was commented on in my last blog, and it happened again- food poisoning from a fine fine restaurant. No salad this time, no....was it the tiramisu? the gnocchi with vodka cream sauce? the crab cocktail? Maybe it was a combination of that and all of the wine, a day in the city, the train, the walking, the stress, drive home. All I know is that I slept in the bathroom last night for two hours after dying in my bedroom of a headache. I couldn't even make it back to my room for those two hours. I rolled up a towel and slept on the floor "just in case". Whether I had food poisoning or not, getting dehydrated really takes a lot out of you (um, literally?). I'm going to go have a popsicle and try to find some Anthony Bourdain shows on the Travel Channel.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

well, I see where he is coming from



taken from our boat off Krabi, yep...$10-15 a night is a beautiful thing.


The author of "Sex Lives of Cannibals" (which I finished reading today, and, pervs, has nothing to do with anything the title suggests) was describing his return to the U.S. after living on an atoll on the equatorial Pacific. He was describing how hard it was to grocery shop, drive, and do anything normal. Granted, he was in the states for 20-some-odd years before his two short years spent on this island, but nonetheless, a simple life is very easy to adapt to. In one situation, he was standing in the grocery store for an hour trying to figure out which of the 32 bottles of maple syrup he should purchase. This reminded me of coming home from the almost-two-weeks I had spent in Thailand. "You weren't even there two whole weeks- why was it so hard to readjust?" people asked me. Well, let me give you a list of ten things that ten days of simplicity changed.

1. The toilet flusher thingy- it took me a week to remember that I didn't have to scoop water into the toilet to make it flush. I could use the handle.
2. I could not walk into a restaurant across from my home, barefoot, and order rice with a fried egg for breakfast.
3. Dried peas, my daily snack, nowhere to be found. Not even cuddle-fish flavored.
4. Aloe plants, where were they?
5. My hair was unacceptably half dreadded and chopped from all angles. I needed a proper haircut. I waited a few days.
6. My shower and toilet were no longer in the same room and I could not tackle two things at once- what an inconvenience.
7. I did not have to bow to people after greeting them or talking to them anymore.
8. I stopped asking God to keep us safe from disease and intestinal bugs before every meal.
9. I no longer craved Coca Cola.
10. I had to stop smiling every time I passed a sewer. It didn't seem right.

I could understand the author's confusion and frustration. You should go read that book, or, borrow it from me. Also, I really think people should stop glamorizing island life. It takes a special person to eat lunch on a floor with the smell of sewage wafting by and wondering if you're going to die from this meal or survive until dinner. Meanwhile, that special person has to figure out what to do with their time without resorting to glue sniffing like many 3rd world islanders do. Unless you're spending big money on Hawaii or Fiji, you're probably going to get a little culture shocked in Thai islands and any other Asian/Pacific island. We did :D

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Cowboys and Indians

Today, I went horseback riding with my mom and her boyfriend, Cy. Later, my mom, sis, and I went to a pow wow.


This is Cash, from behind.




This is me, riding Cash. My mom let go for just enough time to take some pictures .




This is Cy's horse, Tempo-
I look like I'm in heaven, but I think I just got sprayed with ice cold water and slobbered on. Yup, I had to do a lot of dirty work today...but at least I didn't shovel poop. I think the apple slobber was enough- I love these guys, though- so it was ok.



After a morning of horsies, we went to a pow wow. Now- in the words of Cy, "I want you to understand something here" (said in a new yawk accent). I spent the first, oh, 7ish years of my life in Eastern Washington state, while my dad worked with Indian reservations. Being WA, we also had cowboys. The rodeos we went to were real rodeos, and the pow wows we went to were REAL pow wows.

This event was kind of a NJ cultural awareness day, and that = touristy. I was used to real real pow wows. I have a hard time with touristy stuff, but there's two things I don't have a hard time with: fry bread and grilled corn! Today, we just had the fry bread.

I also got some beautiful greeting cards! First three people to respond get a card- quick! Ok, anyway, I think I am going back to the stables tomorrow morning, and maybe to the pool and gym after. Definitely more pictures to come!

Saturday, July 12, 2008

bliss


I just found this. Punta Cana 2007-08, going for a walk at sunrise. I am one lucky girl with some great people, experiences to boot.

East Coast


I love love love seeing my family, and I hate hate hate New England. Aside from clam digging, great pizza, and homemade pasta (and canolis and tiramisu and...)I could do without visiting this area. Sure, it is beautiful, classy, and has great beaches lined with seashells and light houses. Its ALSO the "east coast". I don't even like Florida, aside from the Keys, which to me might as well be the Gulf and Caribbean! The fact is, I was born in Seattle and was forced to live in Connecticut. Mom, you might be hurt by this, but don't take it personally. You are great- the million other people that live here are blah (and you know this!). If it wasn't for my family, I would never come out here. Granted- I am going to have a great time with everyone, and am so excited about horseback riding, visiting my fam, shopping in NYC, eating real Italian food, and spending time with my mom and sister- however- I have to eat next to loud new yorkers (that like to hear themselves talk), sit on the train next to people hacking their lungs up (its JULY), listen to the word "cawfee" (from everyone- it makes me wince) and tell the same story about how my life is in California 1,000 times to each person I see cuz we can't just all get together at once.

OH, did I forget to mention my aunt's bff? Yup- she tried to hook me up with her son (who lives in Irvine and is a reggae dj- something i should like) and can't understand why things didn't work out! Well, for one, I was hanging out with Faisal the same time this other guy (aka OG) was calling me. Two, he is shy and anti social. Three, he is not an active person, and four, there was just nothing there. Well, bff seems to think that since I am single- AND, coincidently, OG is out here visiting as well, that we can all get together for lunch and watch the magic happen. GAG! No, thank goodness I am only going to be in CT for one night- and there is no room in my 16 or so expendable hours to hang with bff and OG. I'd rather, oh, see like my entire family and old friends and old coworkers and maybe the beach? Looking for sea glass and digging clams sounds way more fun!

I think all this bitterness is a defense mechanism guarding me against a place that pretty much hurt every day I lived here. It could have just been the struggles of being a teenager, the rude and judgmental people, the 300 square miles or so of N.E.'s that could just use some yoga or breathing exercises, or being as far away from my dad in this country as possible that brings it out. Whatever it is, its not the healthiest? I am going to do some asanas, pray, and look forward to the amazing time spent with my family over this next week. I have learned to block the rest out and just enjoy my time- since I'm the one who moves around, and not anyone else. Plus, I know there's gems out here that I rediscover every time I visit. I think thats God's way of reminding me that its ok, and I secretly do like coming back. ah! I really am spoiled and ungrateful a lot of the time, but come on....I can't always be perfect, right? uhh...yeah. Just pray for my sanity on this trip, and that I don't terrorize my fam with all my angst :p

Friday, July 11, 2008

like two kids

Faisal and I had a great Thursday and Friday, before my trip tomorrow morning. Yesterday, we ended up at Santa Monica and my favorite little restaurant "Buddha's Belly" We shared the ahi burger with sweet potato fries, two spring rolls, and dark chocolate fondue. mmm....





After, we went for a walk on the pier. I think Pacific Park is kind of gross (well, just really old and not kept up well) BUT I got us some tickets for the roller coaster and ferris wheel. After, we we went to check out some stuff on the pier and I was able to buy some roasted corn!



My friend Tresa works for Segway in Santa Monica, so we tried to stop by and take some for a ride. Instead, it was her day off- so we headed over to find her in Marina Del Ray at a symphony with her boyfriend. We all found a picnic table on the harbor and had some wine and cheese, and some good catch up time. It was so nice to do something different!


Today, I got my hair trimmed, nails and toes done, and eyebrows done. After, I had lunch with Debbie, and some quality time with my friend Kim and her twins. I picked up Faisal again and we took a trip to the mall. It wasn't my intention to spend a few hours there, but I searched far and wide for a new bag. I am too picky, so we left with nothing. BUT, while we were there, we managed to have some marscapone gelato and a sample from Sees AKA my favorite place ever. I know, not part of my diet, but my dinner tonight is making up for it. Actually, I did really well diet wise today- and got compliments (which helps me want to stick to it!) Today and yesterday made me feel like a kid, just being able to enjoy my time wandering around and spending my time and money on purely "fun" things.

I leave for the East coast tomorrow- so I promise I'll put some updates and pictures up for you while I am wandering around out there :)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Love Language

I took a test that reconfirmed my love language- words of affirmation. Second to that, I have a desire for acts of service. I think working in a restaurant made me value acts of service. "Yes! can you get me an iced tea refill for table 105?!" So now, I am not afraid to ask if I need help- or, better, accept help. But...words of affirmation is and always has been my first love language. I don't know what it is, but that verbal or written validation does a lot for me! Maybe its because I am a writer, or grew up getting little notes in my lunch box.

My point- I got 3 blog comments, and I know two of the people who commented had to sign up just so they could comment apology language?

Anyway- tonight I am going on an adventure. I made a beef stew (with carrots, celery, and potatoes) after my glorious nap, and after its done simmering (whenever that is? is it going to tell me?) I am heading out...West...probably. There's an amazing restaurant called Buddha's Belly in Santa Monica that has delish Asian food from all over Asia. To top it off, they have a fondue dessert- which Faisal and I were way too full to get last time. And even though its not on my digestive diet, I might cheat a little. again. :) Aside from small group, I have rocked this diet. So, we'll see. I'll post pics if I do go there!


Oh, and I got absolutely nothing accomplished today. There's always Friday!

Bleach

The repair man came! And, he is working on having my landlord purchase a new dishwasher, since there's "too many big things wrong" with mine. I can go for that! I am putting bleach through two cycles to try to clear it up- thanks to some advice from Tammy!

I am tired and have a long day ahead...so I am going to go take a nap. Yes, a nap, and its not even 10 a.m.!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

rock climbing and dishwashers

It smells like something died in my kitchen, and it has been awful for the past few weeks. How long does it take maintenance from a company to come fix a dishwasher? Apparently, a long time. With me being gone and the 4th, I was able to snag an appointment for today. Actually, sometime within this hour, someone should be here. I have had so many appointments (Charter, ahem) where the repair people didn't show up. Because of that, I have some kind of appointment anxiety. But, I can't live with this smell! I mean- my grandpa is a GE exec and I still had to wait 3 weeks for a GE repair person. Maybe I shouldn't have procrastinated to begin with, but, the idea of having to wash my dishes by hand was kind of nice. Well, I'm over it. I'm ready to just load and wash again!


Also, I had a really hard climbing sesh today at Thresh Hold. My new shoes are absolutely amazing, but I haven't quite broken them in yet. They give me pointy elf feet, which = ingrown toenails. I love my old shoes, but for a more advanced climb, I should keep working in the new ones. I finished a 5.7 and a 5.9 today- with the 5.7 being the more difficult one (the lower the number, the easier it should be). I was able to get past some hangers (slopes that make you have to climb while at an incline) but not the ones that really stress me out. The 5.9 was a piece of cake until I hit the top, and had to sit in the harness 20 feet up to figure out why I couldn't get past one more hook. Something I was doing wasn't working, but when I finally figured out my technique I got it in seconds. My forearms are killing me!

I love rock climbing, but it doesn't help having a climbing buddy who is constantly giving you tips and telling you where you fall short. I mean, all that is great and all, but I would love to go with someone more on my level and more constructive/less judgmental. I am going to figure out technique, but for now, I'm just trying to just get up the wall. When I'm almost at the top and my arms are tired, technique is the last thing on my mind. Plus, I've been climbing for longer AND I'm a girl! Guys can't compare themselves to girls with this stuff. They have that whole upper body advantage. Anyway, I'll keep at it. For now, I'll be lucky if I can even bend my fingers- and, my hands are rough- but, I think its a sign of hard work...so I'll keep my calluses when I go in for a manicure :)

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Digestive Friendly

I cooked chicken for the first time yesterday. I know! Me? The amazing chef that I am, never had I cooked a chicken? Well, I still haven't made my way up to a whole chicken, though I plan on cooking my own bird by next Thanksgiving. I needed more "digestive friendly recipes", so I bought carrots, celery, and chicken breast meat- tender size. I sauteed the chicken with garlic, thyme, basil, and some other stuff- in a little olive oil- along with some chopped carrots and celery. After about five minutes and flipping my chicken over, I added two cups of water and a little bouillon. for extra flavor. I covered this and let it simmer for 15 minutes...and voila! Quicky chicken and veggie soup. I made it again today for lunch, this time with enough for left overs. Its pretty yum!

Monday, July 7, 2008

everything I knew about my qi was wrong

I survived the acupuncture. I had needles in my toe, feet, legs, stomach, hands, arms, and ears. I am not going to lie- I could feel them, but it wasn't bad at all. I think I came out ten times better than I went in, actually, and everything I knew about my qi (or chi) was wrong. Well, maybe not my qi, but definitely my health!

I seem to have digestive problems, which also go hand in hand with sinus problems. I already knew that by eating certain foods, my sinus issues would be worse, but I had always believed that I needed the same high fiber/high veg diet that every other dieter needed. I found out that I should stay away from foods that make the digestive system work hard, like whole grain rice and wild rice mixes. Also, I need to eat my veggies cooked, and eat more warm foods. I have to start making ginger tea, and drink more clear broth soups. If I eat fruit, I need to keep it out of the fridge and let it get to room temp. White rice is ok, and lean meats are ok too. I love hearing the thing about dairy- that nobody past the age of 6months is supposed to have it! I try to tell people this, but I get the same responses "NO, thats wrong! We need milk for our bones and for calcium!" Well, we can get all of that stuff from eating other things. I am cutting back on my frozen yogurt and frozen fruits, and leaning toward a nice, easily digestable diet. Along with consistant accupuncture and a good diet, I'm on a good path to finally shrink my belly fat.

Ancient Chinese Medicine



eeek! I go in for acupuncture this morning. I have never heard a bad thing about it, and I am considering altogether dumping my Western doctor. (unless, of course, something really bad comes up)

Sunday, July 6, 2008

tag sale

I need to have a tag sale or join forces with someone having a tag sale. Anyone with a house or in need of a tag sale too, let me know!


Oh- I need somebody to help me realize what is junk and what I really really should hold on to. And, though I never want this to happen, I always said as long as I could save my animals, my writing and my photos, I would let everything else burn down. Hold me to that come tag sale time!

maybe southern California is not for me

I used to think that Southern California was the best thing ever- until recently, when I realized that the way I thought from 18-24 has changed significantly. Granted, there are some amazing things out here to see and do, and for people who love the summer, this place can't be beat! I, however, think that the extreme heat makes me lethargic. I am not a fun person during the day and out in the sun. Plus, I don't sweat! That makes a day at the beach fantastic- I'd suffocate in my own skin!

Well, that's a lie...I did start sweating recently- on my face of all places. Damn that amazing Clinique 3 step system- that makes my skin amazing! Well- the price you have to pay for not wanting to wear make up.....anyway....Aside from the days that I go visit my friend in San Diego, or my Dad up north, I really don't know if I want to be here anymore. Maybe Oregon would be great, or Montana. The nicest people I have EVER met are people from the Midwest! Yeah, but I'm not moving out that far...I need to be near some coast and major airport. There's too much competition and too many people looking for stuff that they won't be finding.

I want a simpler life, with cheap rent, great guys, and a good church. Maybe I will uproot what I like about this area and start a colony somewhere in Montana. Yep...sounds like a plan. As for now, I'm going to go turn up my A/C and avoid the freeways.

Dieting for the month of July

My July/August issue of Women's Health has some very interesting, yet obvious, things to point out. Some things were surprising, some weren't.

Some Slightly Obvious Ones
-Hawaii has one of the highest rates of drug and alcohol abuse, while Utah ranks lowest.
-Utah has the highest rate of psychological distress, Hawaii- the lowest.
(lesson learned? have a drink, relax....)

-People who eat at least one serving of veggies daily cut their lung cancer risk by 50%
(-news flash- eating the recommended servings of fruits and veggies daily slashes cancer and other disease risks immensely! don't you think your body runs best on the stuff God gave us for it? Trust me...I've tried, and I can't go with out fruits and veggies, or at least a multi vitamin)

-Energy drinks rot your teeth. duh. Tip: with energy drinks, if you feel you must have them (and coffee, for staining reasons) use a straw.


Things You May Not Have Known
-Studies have shown that people who take green tea extract burn 17% more body fat than those taking a placebo. Holy moley!

- People who suddenly cease their awesome exercise routines may gain up to 7% of their body fat back within as little as two weeks! (that's what happened over my grad month)


Back to the diet/health thing-
I'm sure there's a whole lot more, I just haven't gotten there yet. My tips?:
- Get Trader Joe's fruit floes popsicles in Caribbean, strawberry, or mango. At 80 cal each, they make a good on the go breakfast OR snack. They save me when I'm running late for class
-Snack more during the day
-On top of your normal workout routine, add another 20 minutes at a different part of the day doing something really fun- and DON'T count it! Its your "extra"-and it helps a lot!
-If you're short on time, make sure you mix up your quick cardio sesh with different intervals and speeds/inclines.
-Grapefruit in the morning!
-Cut back on all sodas, even diet sodas. Except when eating at Chipotle :) (or, pick your own fave place to allow yourself that)
-This one is big for my friends out in Riverside- GO OUTSIDE!! I know the air is dirty, but there are some amazing hikes (some easy, some hard)- bike trails- parks. Play frisbee, run someone's dog, do something outdoors!
-Write it down. Calories, Work outs. Everything you do- I stopped doing this and started putting weight back on.
-Have healthy snacks around already cut up and ready- like carrots in water in the fridge. Celery or apples and peanut or almond butter after a work out. Fudgesicles are ok too!
-Get an accountability partner if you have to.
-Eat real oatmeal for breakfast! Even TJ's has a real instant oatmeal.
-Last- for now- don't stray off a good diet too much, make sure to include things you normally eat (like Del Taco, umm Chipotle) and treat yourself once every week or so (even if its something small). This assures that when you hit your goal, you won't gain your weight back that easily if you decide to slack off.


I am such a yo-yo dieter, and a few years back I never would have pegged myself as that. Once I get there, I let myself go- even though I am always a very active person. I just need to remember that in my own diet, I'm not the kind of girl who really has all that room that a lot of people have. I am accountable for everything I put in my body, and have to work ten times harder to get it out. I'm stoked though for some changes.