Dress to Impress

I would like to discuss something with you that I have been wondering about for ages.
Why do people dress in clothing that is less that flattering on them?Why do people get dressed in the morning, and think "This will do"? Why don't people want to look fantastic all the time?

Don't get me wrong. I'm so guilty of this. I have those clothes that I wear to work that are "doable", "wearable"; I have those pants that don’t quite fit right, but I always think, "whatever they will do".

My first question, how do these items make their way into our closets in the first place? Why would we ever buy things that are just okay, just fit okay, things that are not the best but they'll do? Why do we spend our money on these items?!

There are those items that used to fit. They have either stretched out, lost their shape, or our shape has changed. Gained a few pounds, lost a few pounds, maybe we have some pants in our closet from high school when hips were unheard of. Whatever, they don't fit anymore. WHY DON'T WE GET RID OF THEM?!

And yet I also have those work outfits that I look rockin’ in! And I don’t wear them anywhere but to work. I always want to switch up my wardrobe, to wear something different, and yet I have these great outfits, these clothes that fit well and look great, that I don’t wear when I’m around my friends and family, because I wear them all the time. SO?! If they look great, I should be wearing them ALL THE TIME!

When I lost weight a while ago, I cleaned out my closet with the help of Gareth. Anything I questioned, I asked him his opinion. I decided that I wanted to look GREAT in my clothes. Every outfit that I put on I wanted to be flattering, beautiful, and suitable to me. Not okay, not fine, GREAT! Too much to ask? I don't think so.

And yet I still have items in my closet that are "fine". I wear them, I don't feel great in them, but I do it anyway. Why?! We have to get dressed in the morning, one leg in those pants at a time, so why not pull on a pair of pants that fit perfectly, as opposed to that pair that sit a little high, ride up a bit, are maybe a bit too short. Why not put those legs into pants that make us look taller, slimmer, that show off our best assets, instead of walking around all day feeling “okay” because of what we’re wearing?

One of my problems is that all of my dress pants have been tailored to be worn with heels. They're all hemmed to that length, and with the amount of working out I've been doing lately, some days my legs are just too tired and sore to bear wearing heels. So I hope I've solved this by hemming a couple pairs of dress pants to wear with flats.

Next on the list is to buy a couple pairs of new flats are "great". That way on those days that I'm too sore to wear heels, I'll still have nice shoes to wear.

I've also banished wearing hoodies to work. They can be great, but I don't want them to have a place in my work wardrobe (Ok, unless I'm sick or I'm going to be cleaning out a storage room!)

I also no longer wear my holy sweats to the gym. I'm trying to utilize the nice things in my wardobe. The holy sweats can be worn around the house. Don't get me wrong, I'm just wearing yoga pants instead, but they look just a little better than those awful sweats.

My goal, from now on, is to be super aware when I'm buying clothes. I want to think to myself, ‘Will I wear this a lot? Does it fit well? Is it flattering?’ Some days I really don't know where my head's at when I'm buying clothes. There is a definite possibility I will always ask someone else’s opinion when I buy something, or take a picture of myself, to see how I actually look, since that mirror image can be so deceiving.

So that's my goal! To look as good as I can, as often as I can. It's not 100%, it won't happen all the time, but what's wrong with wanting to put my best foot forward, as often as I can?

Shauna xox

Clean Eating

I'm trying something crazy. I've said it before but never **really** learned how to do it right. I'm attempting to eat clean.

I borrowed the book The Eat Clean Diet from the library, and it has enthralled me. It makes so much sense! Eat with purpose, know what you're putting into your body so that you can get the results you want. You know I'm working out with a trainer, so I'm working hard in that department, but I really wasn't seeing many results. So...I'm going to try to kick it up a notch with clean eating.

The book is amazing. I read it in 2 days. It gives so many great tips and tricks of how to do this in the real world. It's going to be very tough at times, but I really, REALLY want to succeed at this.

The basis is that you eat 6 times a day, and every meal has a lean protein and a complex carb in it. When you eat the two together, I guess amazing things happen. You also eat whole, real food you can recognize. What a concept! The nice thing is that you can eat whole wheat bread, you can have whole wheat pasta and rice noodles. But no white flour and minimal sugar. Doable!

I'm on day 2 of it right now. yesterday I ate wayyyyy too much! I measured, I followed her "typical day" eating, but I had to sub a few things as I didnt have everything. Didn't work out the greatest.

Today is going MUCH better! I cut back a bit on my portions, because I think it's going to take some juggling to figure it all out. I've eaten 2 meals already!

If everything goes according to plan, I'm going to get the body I've always wanted, finally!

Wish me luck!

Three Cups of Tea

...anyone?

I am so behind on updating my blog! Jeepers.

I have long since read "The Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson.

Go out. Buy it. Read it.

It was amazing. This man is amazing.

The jist of it is this American man went to Pakistan to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain. It didn't work out, he had to turn back. He lost his guide, was seriously ill and he ended up in a tiny remote village called Korphe. The village chief took Mortenson in, and in return Mortenson promised to build the village their first school, which was desperately needed.

From there, the story is full of crazy hard work, total ignorance of how to get this school built, and more heart than I ever thought could be packed into 1 book.

The book totally and completely got me when they announced the towers crashing on 9/11...while Mortenson was in Afghanistan.

Read it. Do it now.

Shauna

xox

By the way, Mortenson's project to get 1 school to Korphe has turned into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. I'm really lookingo forward to reading his second book, Stones into Schools.

For Today

A little quiz kinda thing I read on someone else's blog. Thought I would give one a try since I never have before.

For Today:

Outside my window ... There is some sunshine! The window beside my desk at work faces a parking lot, so it's not very exciting, but just seeing natural light makes me happier.

I am thankful for ... Having an amazing husband who puts up with me!

I am thinking ... About how I want my life to be. I'm not meant to sit at a desk every day...

From the kitchen ... Healthy, tasty food! For dinner last night I made a salad full of veggies, roasted potatoes, chicken and cheddar cheese. It was delish. Gareth made homemade veggie soup, which I had for lunch today. Again, amazing!

I am wearing ... A suit my mamma bought me, a dress shirt my Nanny bought me, and boots my aunt bought me. So....my family dressed me today!

I am creating... Project boards for work. More exciting than a lot of things I do!
I am going ... Crazy!! hehe, just kidding. I am going to get my eyebrows waxed tonight! It's essential, the eyebrows frame the whole face ;)

I am reading ... The Last American Man, by Melissa Gilbert right now. It's great! She wrote Eat Pray Love, which I adore, so I was very curious to read something else she wrote. I haven't been disappointed.

I am hoping ... to find my passion very soon. I haven't found the one thing that I LOVE to do yet. I'm still searching.

I am hearing ... Michael Buble on the radio. Love him.

Around the house ... I'm really trying to keep it tidy. It's clean, it's just messy, and cluttered. I'm also trying to make it beautiful with what we have, without buying anything more for it. I'm trying to not buy "stuff" just to buy it.

One of my favorite things ... Summer. With that sunshine is a major factor. And warmth. I LOVE being warm. And being outside. And the lake. So many things in the summer make me happy. I'm not-so-patiently awaiting summer!

A few plans for the rest of the week ... I'm freelance editing, and I need to get some of that done. Workout. STOP watching TV during the week (I was good last night!) Spend some time with my man.

This is wonderful, it reminds me of the things that make me happy.

Shauna xox

Quote of the Day

This is a quote I've had on a sticky note on my computer at work for a few weeks. I think it's great. It reminds me that I need to work hard to get what I want.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.

-----------> Aristotle

Makes sense, right?

Have a fantastic day,
Shauna xox

15s!

Hello lovelies!

Once again I'm tired today from my workout yesterday. It was a little different than most Tuesdays. My trainer had to work the desk at the gym so she wrote me up a workout, and I did it by myself.

It was great!

I pushed myself hard, and I'm feeling the effects today. I'm down 2 pounds, I'm eating better again, and I'm feeling great! It's amazing what a few healthy choices can do for you.

One thing I can say for sure, I am DESPERATE for summer! I can't wait. Seriously. I might self-combust if the snow doesn't melt and the temperature shoots up soon...and I get to play outside again.




Here is my workout from yesterday.

15s!

15 minutes on the stair machine @ 75 steps per minute

1)
15 walking lunges along track with 30lb bar behind head
15 squats with 30lb bar behind head
15 Clean and Presses with 30lb bar
15 Bicep Curls with 30lb bar
15 Tricep Extensions with 30lb bar

2)
15 walking lunges along track with 30lb bar behind head
15 squats with 30lb bar behind head
15 Clean and Presses with 30lb bar
15 Bicep Curls with 30lb bar
15 Tricep Extensions with 30lb bar

15 V-Sit with Medicine Ball toss
15 Santana Push ups (no weight)
15 minutes on Eliptical

It was great! I was exhausted by the time I got the eliptical. Maybe because I had to use the 35lb because the 30lb bar was being used.

I went back at lunch and did 30 minutes on the eliptical.

Today I did 1 hour on the eliptical this morning, and I'm just heading back at lunch to do weights-the program my trainer made me. Not sure how well that will go since my body is tired.

I know a lot of people think I'm crazy for going twice a day, but it's 2 shorter workouts instead of 1 long one. And this way, I can eat right after my cardio as I'm usually STARVING! And then I get to eat before I go do weights. This works well for me because I have the most energy possible. AND, I think the best thing is I get out of the office at lunch, and I don't spend money going out for lunch all the time. All around good things.

Have a great day!

Shauna xox

Quote of the Day!

If you know at all, you know that I LOVE quotes. So I thought I could start posting the ones that catch my eye. Here's one!

No one is in control of your choices but you.