Friday Loves- Product Previews

This week I was introduced to two fairly new products. When I saw both I was a little confused as to WHY anyone would want either of them, but I am slowly learning to appreciate them for what they are worth.

I am going to dedicate my "Friday Loves" to these two products!:

When you think of insanity what is the first thing that comes to your mind? A crazy lady. You after a day with teething/ sick/ angry children??? Or working out? (...and yes this is me. We all have our not-so-pretty moments. This just happens to be one of mine! )

Well apparently someone somewhere thought of something completely different when they heard that one four-syllable word. Apparenlty this person thought of... PAIN!!! When my husband was invited to practically kill himself with some work friends for 60 days he jumped at the prospect. Why? I have no idea. I guess I wasn't what he needed as motivation to get his body in gear. But the truth is... Ryan and Nick- You guys really have done something great! Josh is actually excited about doing something- even if it does make me want to claw my eyeballs out in pain!

So for our five year wedding anniversary I told him he could find the best deal out there and buy it online. I also told him not to argue about it because if he doesn't buy it himself, I would just go buy it for full price- which ranges over $150. Excited and feeling competitive he scrolled through amazon.com and ebay and found a brand new extended program version for $69! Instead of bidding on it for a lower price, he just bought it straight out!

I've done the fitness test twice, and he's started the program. IT HURTS. That's all I can say right now. My armpits hurt, my pectoral muscles hurt, even my stupid ankle muscles that I detest so much are hurting. I'll let you know as we progress how I really feel about it! :)

I saw something else this week that completely boggled my mind! Five finger Vibram shoes. They are what they sound like... TOE SHOES! .....

Do they not look like gorilla feet???? WHY? Is all I can think when I see these suckers. And in real life, I just laughed for a good 10 minutes.

I guess they're actually really good for your feet. Not only do they kind of remind me of aquasocks (water shoes) but they're universal. They can be used for running, swimming, AND rock climbing.

Society and fashion has slowly transformed how we are supposed to walk/ run into trying to make our bottoms look good. Did you know you aren't supposed to focus all of your weight on your heal? It's mostly designed for balance? I didn't know that and my feet can attest that I've been running incorrectly!

Rachel bought this exact pair (up above) and I was there when she put them on for the first time. Like I said, I'm a little confused by them. I guess I'll have to try them on before I can actually say if I love them or...HATE them! HAHA! As it stands I'd rather watch Rachel wear them while I suffer along in my crappy shoes for now.

For now! :)

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Have you seen any new products lately that are directed towards a healthy lifestyle out there? If so I want to know! isntshebeautiful@hotmail.com

Friday Loves ... and Not So Lovelies!

Wow- has it really been this long since I've done one of my "Friday" blogs? Apparently Fridays have been busy busy busy for me! Last Friday I had the worst migraine- and am actually feeling another one creep on so I wanted to type this out before I become too incapacitated!

So here it goes!:

I love how long my hair is getting and how it can make my face look thinner!
I HATE how often my bathtub has gotten plugged. Apparently I shed worse then a stupid sheep!

I love playing sports- although as everyone probably already knows I don't have a true athletic bone in my body!
I hate how every time I hustled at the volleyball game last night my shorts took the plunge, helping me miss the hit. Notice how I said, "help me miss the hit" because truth be told I would have missed the ball anyway! HA! (I enjoy pretending to know what I'm doing!)

I love feeling as if my legs are in shape!
I hate when I realize how wrong I am when new muscles tend to show up in times of need! Holy cow- I didn't even know there should be muscles on the inner side of my legs/ ankles. Apparently I should do some more calf raises, eh?

I love that I bought new pants last night!
I hate that they're so spendy! I couldn't find anything that looked good on me for less than $30! Again I say- WHY do designers make such raunchy fat clothes? What fat girl wants her flabby butt hanging out the top? Oh and don't get me started on the muffin top! Seriously people? Low-rise and belly flab are NOT HOTT! Just sayin'...

Oh! And I'm super excited that I'm only 1 pant-size away from fitting into American Eagle jeans! Yay! I LOVE American Eagle... it's been awhile since I've thrown out my favorite pair in a frustrated weight gain rage. I can't wait to be reunited with my blue jean loves!

Butt-pockets! Is there anything cuter? I LOVE my butt pockets! Don't forget the button! Makes all deflated tushes look round and sexy!

Belts! Can either make or break an outfit. I have had some pretty gnarly belts in my time. Can you tell that I'm super uber stoked that I'll be able to dress fashionable again?! And by that I mean- NOT old lady floral designs! HECK NO! I'll definitely need some help on the up and up with what's in today... but I doubt I'll have a hard time finding some girly friends to help me. :) It'll be a party!

I love that I can now run 2 miles in 14 minutes!
I hate that it was on an elliptical. I'm such a cheater! haha! I'm sure pounding the pavement will still take me 20 minutes. My ankles are so weak- bringing me to...

I hate my ankles!
They are the reason I hit a wall on the basketball court at 14 and wandered all over the gym in tears w/o any recollection of who or where I was- DURING a game. I have to admit, probably not one of my proudest moments.
They (the ankles) are the reason I fall off all curbs and usually scream like a fool in agony!
They (yes, the ankles) are the reason I never became some track star... I KNEW I'd kill myself.
Can you feel the love? NO? Hmm... perhaps I should work on that!
Never the less- I need to work on my ankle strength before the next triathlon season or I won't make it there alive. Trust me. My too-small-for-my-height ankles are out to get me. It's a sad sad truth that I've only now come to realize.

I loved going to the zoo with my family last Monday...so much fun!
I hate that I looked like a tourist from the 50's in my purple and green plaid shorts. Yah- those were so two years ago.
However on the flip side! I love that I fit in them again!

I love the Cheesecake Factory!
I hate the price! Holy bolgna! Not only did it cost me $40 alone- I gained 2 stupid pounds! I've obviously worked it back off... but seriously? Expensive eating should be less fattening then fast food, right? WRONG! :S

Remember how I hated my plaid shorts? Well I wore them into some fancy schmancy cream store in the Bellevue Mall with my friend Karena. I felt like such a slob. The girl offered to give us hand massages and told us how she would never want to give a "poor" person who doesn't groom a hand massage because of how gross their fingers would be. I was so self-conscious the entire time. She was super gorgeous!
I LOVE how she asked me how old I was when I talked about my babies... and when I told her she almost fell off her chair!
Apparently I look 20- not 27! :) I'll take that! I guess my face skin isn't falling off the bones after all, eh?! HAHA!

.....Well other than getting hit on by a couple of guys nothing else exciting has happened to me. And even getting hit on wasn't all that exciting, mostly awkward because it's been like 5 years since anyone other than my husband has even tried to flirt with me. I just turned purple and actually began sweating. HA! Good thing I'm already married because I don't think I'd make it in today's dating World. It's so much more ... cut throat. And I'm pretty much a wuss. :)

I hope the rest of you have a grand-weekend! And to the women of my Ward... I'd better see you next Thursday on the court! If I can do it- what's stopping you?!

**Friday Loves and Not So Lovelies**

I love how small my waist is getting.

I hate how big it's making my arms look!

I also hate how my big arms are making my head look too small.

I love that I finally got to buy a new bathing suit.

I hate that it took 3 hours and 6 different stores.

I also hate that I (hopefully) won't fit in it next summer...

I love that I'm done nursing my daughter!

I hate that I have to work that much harder to lose the same amount of calories.


I love riding my bike.

I hate it's STUPID chain!- and it's stupid adjustable shock in the center of the frame. GRRR.

I love swimming! JUST LOVE IT TO PIECES!

I hate how bouyant certain area's of my body are.

It's bad when your entire group laughs at your malfunction! (This is how I looked to make them stop laughing. I didn't realize it would make them turn and scream. Hmm... maybe I should work on my horrified face?!)

I love that my love for swimming is spreading like wildfire with in my own little family!
It's kind of nice- and scary at the same time that both of my kids now know how to swim .
Have I mentioned my son is 2.5 and my daughter JUST turned 1? Time for real swimming lessons!

I LOVE that I walked for 5 hours yesterday to get a donut at a specialty donut shop.

I HATE that I ended up giving most of it to my kids and Josh. (Stupid conscience.)

I love that I lost all three pounds this week that I had gained back at my family reunion! YAY!

I hate that 1/4 of the donut made me gain back one! WHAT?! (Stupid deep-fried goodies!!!)

I sometimes love- but mostly enjoy fat jokes.
I HATE HATE HATE when people are rude and unsensitive to complete strangers. (This is for you Stacey!!!!)

And in closing!....

I love that you can see my how toned my entire core is becoming and that my obliques are starting to show through.

I HATE that I have to lift different parts of my anatomy to see it!!! SOOO DISTURBING!!!

This is not MY stomach- however is a truer dipction of what my stomach is starting to look like than those ripped out muscle women! lol!

**Friday Loves**

Last week my internet was on the fritz and I couldn't do my Friday postings. I must have gone through withdrawals because I have been on a blogging frenzy ever since. If you've missed a couple it's probably because this is the most I have EVER blogged. EVER. So scroll down and enjoy some others I put up through out the week. (If you have already read them... should I apologize? LOL! Were they interesting at all? Sometimes I worry my writing "flare" is a little too much for conservative readers... and then I laugh because the worse thing I've said is heaving bossom! HAHA!)

So lets continue with what I've experienced and enjoyed- or hated this week!

*Have you ever noticed how your entire bottom fits on the toilet seat?

Yah me neither until it was so big it got stuck!
I love that I can now wiggle my bottom on the potty with out worrying I'll tear the entire toilet seat off.

*I love that I can swim a quarter mile!

I hate that I have to wear a sports bra with my bathing suit- and that Josh won't let me buy a razor back until next summer. :S

*I LOVE BIKING.

I hate that my Mtn. bike has a shock/ spring in the middle of the body of the frame. The entire time I was riding with the triathlon training group I bounced up and down. I felt like an insane dilly bar. (Picture looking at a fat person riding a bike in front of you. Fat butt hanging out and over skinny tires- dilly bar!)

*I love how tan I'm getting.

I hate that I have raccoon tan lines. Those darn sun glasses!

*I love that I feel muscle pain and know I'm building them up.

I hate that it's MY BUTT!!!

*I think it's hilarious that Rachel said I had a saggy butt...

and LOVE that she said I have nice butt cheeks this week!! Woo hoo on firming up the glutes! (Let me assure you this was said in a very funny conversation both times! ;)***Also, did you know they actually make a butt bra? It's to help make your saggy bottom look good. Huh. I was looking for pics and was astonished at what I found. I won't be posting any pics of those sorry!

*I love that I found my collarbones last week!

No hatred- just excitment!!!

*I love that I found my chin this week!!!

I hate that it seems to be longer than I remember!?! Do I REALLY look like Jim Carey?

*I love that my upper waist is looking AWESOME!

I hate that my chest is still so large that you can't tell. *Sigh. Some day.

*I love that I'm getting better at drinking water and am doing good at keeping me and my kids hydrated!

I hate that I ALWAYS have to go to the bathroom! Even Rachel has mentioned that me and my kids PEE A LOT. I mean- every hour to two hours I'm doing the potty dance. It's a little inconvenient when we're out and about for 6 HOURS!!!

And most of all.........

*I don't love but I can tollerate how muscular my arms are getting. (Muscle is definitly better than fat any day!)

I hate that I think I'm developing lop sided. My right arm is firmer than my left... and I'm LEFT handed!?! ...Haha! I'm about as freaky as the weird dude on "Lady in the Water!"

So what about you guys? Do you have any funny things that you've noticed lately?

*All images were found using Google search.

Friday Loves ... and Not So Much...

Guess what day it is! Yup! It's Friday. Lets find out what I found amusing this week!:
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*I love that shaving my legs is taking less time now.
I hate that I actually KNOW that! (This picture is clearly men legs. Not mine!)

*I love that I'm actually going to begin training for a triathalon.
I hate that I won't be participating in any until May!

*I love that my bathing suit is falling off of me!
I hate that I can't really dish out $80 for a new one when in another month it TOO will be too large.

*I love moving dress sizes!
I hate buying new clothes to accomadate those size changes.

*I love getting tips and ideas from others.
I hate feeling pressured because I'm not dropping more than two pounds a week. Look at the big picture!!!

*I LOVE my new double stroller and how LIGHT it is!
I hate that everytime I take a corner I usually flip my kids over!!! (Maybe it's my super buff arms, eh??)

*I love taking my kids on walks!
I hate not being able to see 4 feet in front of me due to the strollers length... and the injuries that have happened thus far! ie. On a walk with Rachel on Wednesday she moved over to the left of the sidewalk. Seeing as I was behind her I got super excited that she made room for me! So I upped my pace and began jogging up to her ... and then my stroller immediately STOPPED! Needless to say that I did not. My children were perpendicular with the sidewalk for a good 3 seconds and my knees faired slightly worse! Apparently there was a nice raised curb there to greet me. Nice. Gotta love the super long "rides!"

*I love talking business with my husband and picking his brain.
I hate when he gets me riled up by saying things such as "you burn more calories in your sleep!" What? Nuh-uh...?!? ha. YAH, after an embarrassing moment in front of the entire "Everybody Wins" fat burning club I learned he was just "JOSHING" me. I should have gone with my gut instinct on that one ...
*I love when Josh decides to go on walks with me! (Usually cause I'm pretty good at the pouting game!)
I hate that because he didn't listen to me- whom is all knowing mind you- he got blisters because of his FLIP FLOPS!!! (Have I mentioned a walk is NEVER less than 3 miles for me?)

*I love getting honked at! Girl Power!!!
I hate that it's because someone was concerned they were going to hit my kid. Hmmm. Oops. HAHA- TOTALLY KIDDING!

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*How is it that when someone BEGINS gaining weight no one usually notices anything other than an extra chin jiggling because of a simple smile...

BUT then when someone starts LOSING the weight her head is HUGE, her shoulders small, her boobs HUGE, and then her waist disappears????

I think I might possibly look like an adult sized baby. Anybody game for diaper changing duty? ...
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*I love that my mom called me early this morning to congratulate me on my success'!
I hate that she said I look SOOO BUFF and that she wouldn't want to mess with me! Uh? Thanks? Not really the look I was going for... but really. Thank you! HAHA- Just messing with you mom! I love you! :)

*I love how tone my stomach is getting!
Just don't look below the belly button!- most of my skin has begun to migrate. (Yes I've mentioned this before and probably will continue to mention it because it FREAKS ME OUT!)

*I love taking my vitamins!
I hate that I've become a pill popper! Seriously though, I used to gag at a pill larger than an aspirin. Now I'm downing 2-4 pills in one shot!

*Oh glutamine what you do for me! I love this magic collagin powder!
I hate that it looks like I'm drinking foggy, chalky water! *gag*

And most importantly for this week!!!
*I love that I have confidence in myself!
I hate that it's because I know I could pick a thug up and throw them a good hundred feet then just make a wrestling style flop right on top and squish them! I guess technically I could always have squished them... It's just now I can run away to save my self afterwards!!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Ps. All photo's were found using Google Search.

*I love google search

I hate feeling sick after I post a blog!

Friday Loves ...and Not So Lovely III

Well once again it's Friday! Time to fill you in on some things I've come to love this week:

I love that I have extra room while sitting in the car now.

I hate that I seem to flop around more often when my husband drives.

I love that I fit in the backseat now with my children.

I hate that I almost up-chucked everthing all over my daughter because I got car sick!

I love that I need to buy new clothes now!

I hate that it will all be from goodwill! BOOH!!!! (Since I still have 60 pounds to go Josh won't let me buy cute clothes until I stop losing.)

I love how thin my face is looking.
I hate how much hair I seem to have all of a sudden ... I look like cousin IT!

I love that I can jog every other power pole now.
I hate that I return home with black eyes. (If only I was fortunate enough to be happily perky like this lady here!!! Pfhfhfahaha!)

I love looking fit and tone!

I hate that when one muscle is tight in my body, somewhere completely unrelated gets jacked up. (For example. My hamstrings are sore and tight, therefore my big toe is sprained??? HAHAHA!)

I love getting compliments!

I hate being told I used to be sooooo big! (REALLY? Like I didn't know it!)

I love working out with people in better shape than me- makes me more motivated!

I hate when I fall behind! (Apparently motivation isn't the only thing that can keep you going!)

I love walking to Wal-mart!
I hate walking home with all my junk!

I love SPANX and how they flatten my post-partum jelly belly!

I hate how they give me back boobs! (Don't ask me- it's just wrong!)

And in conclusion:

I love early morning walks after a wet night!

I hate sliding around on the sidewalk and hearing crunching noises because I didn't realize an entire block of sidewalk is COVERED in snails! EUW!!!!

**Friday Loves**

It's been awhile since I've mentioned some of my loves (and maybe some not-so-lovely) moments. I thought I'd give it a moment since tomorrow is my week 14 weigh-in already!:

I love that my slip fell off my body last week in public ...I hate that it had to be underwear that was around my knees for all the World to see.

*I love that I can walk 6 miles in a day now ...

I hate that fat old men on bicycles feel that they need to give me pointers while passing me up shirtless. (More to come...)

*I love early morning walks ...

I hate holding onto my shorts the entire time so that they don't decide to fall right off on a busy street.

I love the new found energy I all of a sudden have ...I dislike strongly being expected to play for 10 hours straight! lol!

I love a hard workout ...

I hate the sluggish feeling the day after.

I love exerting myself ...

I hate sweating and turning purple!

I love reaching new milestones! ...

I hate people that still say I'm losing my weight SLOWLY!!!!

I love my new hair cut ...

I hate that I look 12.

I love having a double stroller to go on walk's with ...
I hate that the left back tire is now parallel with the sidewalk.

*I love wearing my cute brown dress that now hangs on me ...

I hate that a friend told me she thought it was tight. GRR.!

And most of all ...

I love that I'm not on this journey alone ...

but hate that all my dearest friends and family live so far away to enjoy the success with me.

*All pictures were found using google

Friday Night Raving...

I've decided to use an idea most of my friends do on their blogs... and maybe complain/ list some things that I've noticed or am looking forward to. Enjoy!

- I can't wait till I can roller blade again... and not break my wrist when I fall on my fat WHA WHA?!

- I can't wait until I can rock climb again... and not snap the wire only 3 feet up.

- I can't wait until I can rock climb AGAIN... and actually pull myself up on the rope!

- I hate eggs. They smell like farts- therefore I smell like farts. Not so attractive.

- I hate yams. Enough said.

- Yoga is fun- If you're a snake.

........or Jillian Michaels.

- I hate skinny people. Amen.

- Why can't I count chasing my 2 year old as cardio-exercise? My heart-rate raises and I can't speak normally.

- Am I losing calories just typing this? Probably not... I am afterall sedentary!

- WHO CREATED THE CATEGORIES THAT DETERMINE WHAT ACTIVITY LEVEL YOU ARE AT? Just curious... cause if THIS is sedentary... then I'm dead before I ever reach mediocre!

- Recently learned that I lost 400 calories on my 4 hour walk. ONLY 400 CALORIES???? Shoot.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...

- Tomorrow is my weigh-in ... If I don't do well then I promise hairy legs for church on Sunday.

...... And as I side note for me to remember tomorrow. (And please don't be offended by this because I'm not referring to anyone in particular, and I realize that every person is different ...)

*Just because some people tend to lose more weight than I in a shorter amount of time doesn't mean I'm doing a bad job. In fact, for me this is the best I have ever done with out throwing everything up (ie. pregnancy!). I may not be pulling in big numbers, but for me I am. I just need to stand tall and remember myself that no matter what- I am beautiful.

~Me