This post is going to be a little ranty. You've been warned.
Since hitting my goal weight ten months ago (That long already? Wow.), I've gotten more than my share of "If I was your size..."
Let me just say one thing (okay, scream): YOU HAVE NO F&*KING IDEA WHAT IT TOOK TO GET TO BE THIS SIZE!!
Whew. That feels better.
Seriously though, I wish people did know what it took.
They have no idea about the sacrifices that I had to make in terms of both food (not being able to eat what I want when I want) as well as time (two hours in the gym when I would rather be chilling).
Nor do they know that being my size will be a battle forever. I probably won't drink soda ever again (as much as I want a root beer...boo) or eat bread bowls of soup whenever I want (third of my day's calories and then some). In addition, I will probably have to keep busting my ass at the gym when I would rather be home watching NCIS reruns.
Do I get jealous of people who seem to be able to eat what they want and not break out into a sweat yet don't gain an ounce? Sadly, yes. I wish was one of those people.
However, I think that if I was, I wouldn't be as thankful for the body I have now. Nor would I be as proud of it. So what if I don't have a "perfect" bikini body or a thigh gap? I busted my ass for five years for this body! It's real, it's mine, and I'm damn proud of it!
So, next time people say "If I was your size...", I will simply think to myself that I'm glad that I am my size and will keep doing what it takes to stay there.
Oh, and I will probably never say that to anyone again.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Product Review: Flapjacked Protein Pancakes
Disclaimer: I received no monetary compensation for the following review and bought the product myself. Pictures and opinions are my own.
Happy Saturday, friends! This week seemed to go a little slow, and I'm just glad it's the weekend!
Over the course of about a month or two, I was hearing about this awesome protein pancake mix called Flapjacked. The mixes come in three flavors (Buttermilk, Banana Hazelnut, and Apple Cinnamon) and have about 15-17 grams of protein per half-cup serving. So, basically, they will keep you fuller longer than your average pancake.
It was about a week ago that I ordered my own bag and gave these pancakes a whirl myself. I was lame and went with the plain buttermilk, but I plan on trying the other two soon enough!
If you noticed on the package, they said "No Artificial ANYTHING!"
Say WHAT?!
That's right! All-natural ingredients!
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Oh, and did I mention how easy they are to make?
All you have to do is add some water to the mix, let sit for a few minutes to thicken up, and cook on a low heat setting like you would any other pancake! That's right! If you don't believe me, here's proof that the company even said so! ;-)
So, on Monday night, after an intense cardio kickboxing class, I decided to make these!
One of the company's tips that I saw on their Instagram was to use a food scale to measure the mix since a half-cup is equal to 56 grams. Plus, people tend to pack their cups, so they end up with WAY more than a half-cup without realizing it. So, that's what I did. I put my mix right into the bowl though, so I saved myself a step...lol.
Anyway, once the mix was measured, I added my water, mixed it, and let it sit for about five minutes while the griddle heated up.
After about five minutes, my mix was ready to go, and I scooped it onto the griddle. Half a cup of mix will get you quite a few pancakes! I was surprised at this!
I love how the company even puts on the label to cook until there are no more bubbles in the pancake. Some pancakes can be hard to tell when they're done, so having this helpful hint was awesome. Not that I'm kitchen illiterate or anything, but still, it helps. ;-)
Less than 10 minutes later, I had pancakes! The company has all sorts of recipes for each mix, but I was simple for my first time out, and just topped mine with some syrup. One word: DELICIOUS!
Oh, and yes, I was full for the rest of the night. So, there. Protein does keep you fuller for longer!
Since they take less than 15 minutes to make from start to finish altogether, I might be making these for breakfast before work during the week! Maybe adding some yogurt or turkey bacon to make them a more complete meal!
Next time I make these, I plan on being more adventurous and using some of the recipes on their site, but they're just as delicious on their own!
The company occasionally runs sales on their items, so be on the lookout for them! Still, a full bag will run you about $12, plus S&H, which isn't too bad, considering how yummy and filling they are!
Have you tried Flapjacked pancakes?
Happy Saturday, friends! This week seemed to go a little slow, and I'm just glad it's the weekend!
Over the course of about a month or two, I was hearing about this awesome protein pancake mix called Flapjacked. The mixes come in three flavors (Buttermilk, Banana Hazelnut, and Apple Cinnamon) and have about 15-17 grams of protein per half-cup serving. So, basically, they will keep you fuller longer than your average pancake.
It was about a week ago that I ordered my own bag and gave these pancakes a whirl myself. I was lame and went with the plain buttermilk, but I plan on trying the other two soon enough!
If you noticed on the package, they said "No Artificial ANYTHING!"
Say WHAT?!
That's right! All-natural ingredients!
I can pronounce everything on the label! Yay!
All you have to do is add some water to the mix, let sit for a few minutes to thicken up, and cook on a low heat setting like you would any other pancake! That's right! If you don't believe me, here's proof that the company even said so! ;-)
So, on Monday night, after an intense cardio kickboxing class, I decided to make these!
One of the company's tips that I saw on their Instagram was to use a food scale to measure the mix since a half-cup is equal to 56 grams. Plus, people tend to pack their cups, so they end up with WAY more than a half-cup without realizing it. So, that's what I did. I put my mix right into the bowl though, so I saved myself a step...lol.
Anyway, once the mix was measured, I added my water, mixed it, and let it sit for about five minutes while the griddle heated up.
After about five minutes, my mix was ready to go, and I scooped it onto the griddle. Half a cup of mix will get you quite a few pancakes! I was surprised at this!
I love how the company even puts on the label to cook until there are no more bubbles in the pancake. Some pancakes can be hard to tell when they're done, so having this helpful hint was awesome. Not that I'm kitchen illiterate or anything, but still, it helps. ;-)
Less than 10 minutes later, I had pancakes! The company has all sorts of recipes for each mix, but I was simple for my first time out, and just topped mine with some syrup. One word: DELICIOUS!
Oh, and yes, I was full for the rest of the night. So, there. Protein does keep you fuller for longer!
Since they take less than 15 minutes to make from start to finish altogether, I might be making these for breakfast before work during the week! Maybe adding some yogurt or turkey bacon to make them a more complete meal!
Next time I make these, I plan on being more adventurous and using some of the recipes on their site, but they're just as delicious on their own!
The company occasionally runs sales on their items, so be on the lookout for them! Still, a full bag will run you about $12, plus S&H, which isn't too bad, considering how yummy and filling they are!
Have you tried Flapjacked pancakes?
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Showing Myself Some Tough Love: Be Yourself!
This is a post I've been meaning to write for some time, but not exactly in this format.
However, in the post-Fitbloggin span of about two weeks, I've been seeing a lot of "tough love" posts. Basically, as bloggers (and friends), we can be a little too easy on each other, and not push as much as we know we should, which in turn, lets us keep living in a bubble of "It's okay." Truth is, it's not always okay, and we need to call ourselves out on crap.
Recently, I came down with a huge case of "Keeping Up with the Joneses" syndrome. In a nutshell, I spend a lot of time comparing myself to others and feel like my life is an epic fail because I'm 29 (almost), not married with kids, still living with my family, and not having a "real job." Oh, and not to mention the fact that I didn't go from couch potato to marathoner in a blink of an eye. Yes, I know things can always be worse, but I was in a mindset of "I'm already at the bottom. There's nowhere else to go." Not exactly what I want to be thinking.
My friend Dani of Weight off My Shoulders wrote an awesome post about this some time ago (which you can read here). The whole point of the post was that everyone has their own journey, and we just have to live our own. I reread it yesterday and realized that I needed to call myself out on this big time because I'm not doing that at all.
So, here's to showing myself some tough love!
Dear Tracy,
You've been spending a lot of time comparing yourself to everyone else around you, right? I thought so.
You think that because you don't have a real job or a marriage and kids, and still live with your parents, your life is an epic fail at almost 29, right?
Well, guess what? IT'S NOT!!
Epic failure would be not having any sort of job AT ALL! At least you have some way to make money to pay your bills and feed yourself! Yes, times are tough, but there are people who don't have any sort of job! Be thankful you have one, even if you're asking people if French baguette is okay with their meal!
So what if you still live with your parents? Do you have a roof over your head? A warm bed at night? Yes on both? Good! Then, you can't say that you have nothing. You have someone who cares enough about you to let you stay with them!
Oh, and this whole thing about not being married with kids at 29? So what? Those people were ready! You weren't! You still had to focus on yourself!
Speaking of which, you are a ROCKSTAR just for doing what you did by losing over 100 pounds and still keeping it off! Honey, there are people who would LOVE to do what you did and are still doing!
Are you getting it now? You are? Good.
The whole point is that no two people live the same life!
Our journeys are all so different, and we need to follow our own in the best way for OURSELVES. Comparing yourself to everyone else won't do that.
Yes, I know it's so easy to get wrapped up in trying to keep up with everyone else, but really, at the end of the day, the only person who matters is YOU!
I mean, really, would you have lost over 100 pounds if you didn't love yourself? NO WAY! That alone says a lot!
So, instead of saying "I'm not as good as everyone else," try saying "Why would I want to be like someone else? I can be a kick-ass version of myself and love it!"
I needed to get this out for a long time and already I feel better about myself.
Physically, I'm the best I've been in a long time. I've completed two 5K's this year, and planning at least two more. Mentally, I'm in a much better place than I was. I love myself and realize that if I had the same life as everyone else, that would be boring.
So, I've decided to stop dwelling on everyone else, stop trying to keep up, and remember that I am the only person that matters at the end of the day!
I mean, isn't it all about taking life one step at a time? No matter how long it takes, it's still a step!
I know I'll get to where I'm meant to be, but for right now, it's about letting it fall into place, enjoying the ride, and being that kick-ass version of myself without worrying about other people!
After all, success is a JOURNEY, not a DESTINATION!
However, in the post-Fitbloggin span of about two weeks, I've been seeing a lot of "tough love" posts. Basically, as bloggers (and friends), we can be a little too easy on each other, and not push as much as we know we should, which in turn, lets us keep living in a bubble of "It's okay." Truth is, it's not always okay, and we need to call ourselves out on crap.
Recently, I came down with a huge case of "Keeping Up with the Joneses" syndrome. In a nutshell, I spend a lot of time comparing myself to others and feel like my life is an epic fail because I'm 29 (almost), not married with kids, still living with my family, and not having a "real job." Oh, and not to mention the fact that I didn't go from couch potato to marathoner in a blink of an eye. Yes, I know things can always be worse, but I was in a mindset of "I'm already at the bottom. There's nowhere else to go." Not exactly what I want to be thinking.
My friend Dani of Weight off My Shoulders wrote an awesome post about this some time ago (which you can read here). The whole point of the post was that everyone has their own journey, and we just have to live our own. I reread it yesterday and realized that I needed to call myself out on this big time because I'm not doing that at all.
So, here's to showing myself some tough love!
Dear Tracy,
You've been spending a lot of time comparing yourself to everyone else around you, right? I thought so.
You think that because you don't have a real job or a marriage and kids, and still live with your parents, your life is an epic fail at almost 29, right?
Well, guess what? IT'S NOT!!
Epic failure would be not having any sort of job AT ALL! At least you have some way to make money to pay your bills and feed yourself! Yes, times are tough, but there are people who don't have any sort of job! Be thankful you have one, even if you're asking people if French baguette is okay with their meal!
So what if you still live with your parents? Do you have a roof over your head? A warm bed at night? Yes on both? Good! Then, you can't say that you have nothing. You have someone who cares enough about you to let you stay with them!
Oh, and this whole thing about not being married with kids at 29? So what? Those people were ready! You weren't! You still had to focus on yourself!
Speaking of which, you are a ROCKSTAR just for doing what you did by losing over 100 pounds and still keeping it off! Honey, there are people who would LOVE to do what you did and are still doing!
Are you getting it now? You are? Good.
The whole point is that no two people live the same life!
Our journeys are all so different, and we need to follow our own in the best way for OURSELVES. Comparing yourself to everyone else won't do that.
Yes, I know it's so easy to get wrapped up in trying to keep up with everyone else, but really, at the end of the day, the only person who matters is YOU!
I mean, really, would you have lost over 100 pounds if you didn't love yourself? NO WAY! That alone says a lot!
So, instead of saying "I'm not as good as everyone else," try saying "Why would I want to be like someone else? I can be a kick-ass version of myself and love it!"
I needed to get this out for a long time and already I feel better about myself.
Physically, I'm the best I've been in a long time. I've completed two 5K's this year, and planning at least two more. Mentally, I'm in a much better place than I was. I love myself and realize that if I had the same life as everyone else, that would be boring.
So, I've decided to stop dwelling on everyone else, stop trying to keep up, and remember that I am the only person that matters at the end of the day!
I mean, isn't it all about taking life one step at a time? No matter how long it takes, it's still a step!
I know I'll get to where I'm meant to be, but for right now, it's about letting it fall into place, enjoying the ride, and being that kick-ass version of myself without worrying about other people!
After all, success is a JOURNEY, not a DESTINATION!
Saturday, July 5, 2014
July Goals!
Happy July, everyone! Hope everyone had a fun 4th and is enjoying your weekend!
I finally managed to come up with some goals for the month. Theme for the month is challenging recovery (if that makes sense...haha). Here's what I came up with:
1) Put at least $50 into savings. I put $25 in when I got paid on Tuesday, so I'm already halfway there! Yay!
2) Blog at least once a week. I'm in a rut...AGAIN! I want to get myself out of it. Anything you guys want to see on here? I'm more than open to suggestions!
3) No running AT ALL. You read that right, folks. I mentally and physically need a break from the road and 'mill. Plus, I want to focus on my cross-training a little more, so I'm going off the road and back in the gym for a bit.
4) Plank-a-Day...again. I was doing good when I had this as a May goal...then fell off the wagon a few days into June. So, I'm going back at it!
5) One movie day or night a week. Whether I go to the movies, pop in a disc, or watch something on HBO, this will be my time to unplug and relax! I need a few hours a week to myself, and this is a good way to do it!
Reward for this month is another Alex and Ani bracelet. Shocker, I know. ;-) This one will be a Yankees one with a navy background. It's gorgeous, shows my fandom...and is also $38. I figure this would be a good reward for an awesome July as well as a birthday present (My birthday is a little over a month away, on August 7).
Here's to an awesome July!
I finally managed to come up with some goals for the month. Theme for the month is challenging recovery (if that makes sense...haha). Here's what I came up with:
1) Put at least $50 into savings. I put $25 in when I got paid on Tuesday, so I'm already halfway there! Yay!
2) Blog at least once a week. I'm in a rut...AGAIN! I want to get myself out of it. Anything you guys want to see on here? I'm more than open to suggestions!
3) No running AT ALL. You read that right, folks. I mentally and physically need a break from the road and 'mill. Plus, I want to focus on my cross-training a little more, so I'm going off the road and back in the gym for a bit.
4) Plank-a-Day...again. I was doing good when I had this as a May goal...then fell off the wagon a few days into June. So, I'm going back at it!
5) One movie day or night a week. Whether I go to the movies, pop in a disc, or watch something on HBO, this will be my time to unplug and relax! I need a few hours a week to myself, and this is a good way to do it!
Reward for this month is another Alex and Ani bracelet. Shocker, I know. ;-) This one will be a Yankees one with a navy background. It's gorgeous, shows my fandom...and is also $38. I figure this would be a good reward for an awesome July as well as a birthday present (My birthday is a little over a month away, on August 7).
Here's to an awesome July!
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