Curse Of The Stretchy Pants!

Hello blog it’s me again!
I’m finally taking a few minutes here to type out my thoughts on the last
eight months. It’s been a time of new beginnings, new opportunities, soul searching, adventures out of my comfort zone along with some farewells and goodbyes!

Eight months ago I left the job I had for over 20 years to embark on a new position at a Chiropractic office. I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to meet a fantastic doctor and having the advantage of learning new skills along with meeting a slew of awesome people. I don’t regret any of those decisions and it’s true that God always does work for our good even when we step off the beaten path he has paved for us.

Along with all the learning, studying and stretching that job did for me in getting me out of my comfort zone it also had me in comfortable no thinking of what to wear everyday stretchy pants!!

Don’t get me wrong it was a nice change of pace of not having to figure out what to wear everyday and sliding into those pajama type pants day in and day out BUTT ( hee hee) it was not a win win situation for my figure!!

Yes I’m 43 and I think I will always be conscious of what I look like and how I feel in my clothes but I’m not the one to go about changing myself in unhealthy ways or torturing myself to get there!! Those days are gone and let’s face it those quick miracle working programs and products do not produce lasting results and it’s just plain exhausting!

So…. This February I signed up for a 21 day fitness challenge 21 day fix and with most any fitness challenges they will always ask you to take your before pics. This is where I fell apart because when I looked at those pics I was automatically aware of what the last couple of months in a stretchy pant wearing and sitting office job had led to. It was not pretty but I took the attitude of start where you are and go from there and was happy with my 21 days of hard work! I lost about 9 pounds and liked the results.

I was starting to feel like me again! Yay!

Then a month ago I got the news that my ex had remarried and although I knew it would happen it still hit me kind of hard. I was finally faced with reality of the finality of the end of our relationship. No more hoping, no more what ifs or maybes.. Done! It was time to turn the page only it isn’t as easy as most people think.

I still have my moments with it all but I’ve closed that chapter and frankly I don’t know why I have kept referring back over those pages for so long because the only thing they really served me were lessons!

Farewell and goodbye chapter #??

I also decided that although I liked what I was doing at the Chiro office it was not what I loved. After much praying and yes stressing out over it I made my way back to the world of my beloved little consignment boutique.repeat boutique

It’s where I belong and I’m finally feeling the pieces of life are falling into place.

What about those stretchy pants? Well they are folded up in a drawer and I’m back on track. I’m down about 5 more pounds and have about 5 more or so to go before I’m back at my fighting weight.

I’m not exactly doing everything by a certain formula or regimen but concentrating on healthy eating and exercise…. Funny how that works huh?

We really make it so much harder then it really is.

In the end I’m just happy to say along with my friend Frank…. That I did it my way and it’s working!

This Ones For The Dogs

We got our first “snow” of the season today.I know you that live in the more northern states are laughing at me by now 😆 We don’t see a lot of snow here in Tennessee very often so we take what we can get. Waking up to our dusting this morning put my dogs in a frenzy. They are very spoiled little dachshunds and they don’t like the cold temps. I tend to spoil them a bit.

They love to be snuggled up on their heated throw and they dare you to move them. They are the funniest little creatures. They are my  fur babies and just like any mom I like to spoil them. I have been known to give them special meals quite often. I will chop up carrots and peas and throw them into their dogfood with some vegetable broth.They are happy little campers.They love carrots , apples and countless other pieces of veggies that may drop on the floor during my cooking sessions 😀 How could you resist that face ?

They were my inspiration today for my baking experiment. I wanted to make a little doggy snack for them. Just because I’m easing up a bit on the baked goods I have to channel my energy on other things 😀

Apple Carrot Nibbles

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 large apple (minced)

1/2 cup carrot (chopped)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup water

Pre -heat oven to 350

I chopped the apple and carrot in processor until nicely chopped.

In large bowl mix flour,oats,cinnamon and add to mixture apple,carrot,maple syrup,and water until mixture forms a dough.

Scoop out small mounds onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes and flip over and bake for another 10 minutes.

They were jumping for joy 😀

I even had a little nibble myself and they were not too bad. I think the neighborhood dogs may get an early Christmas gift from their neighbors Buck  & Chuck.

These were very easy and it would make a sweet little gesture for the fur babies in your life or others.

Buck & Chuck say woof woof vegan dog treats rock 😀