Winter time blues

I can't take it!!!
This cold weather, unaccompanied by any fun snow (translate: enough to close the office for a day or two), is driving me mad.
All I can think about are all the things I miss and would do when the weather gets warmer.
To help me through this cold weather blues I will comfort myself with thoughts of the following things about warmer weather that I can't wait to do:

1. rooftop happy hours
2. jogging/walking/hiking outdoors
3. dinning al fresco (and people watching)
4. SANDALS and open toed shoes
5. summer dresses with no stockings
6. windows open/down
7. smoothies (I know I can drink them now but it's too cold for cold drinks)
8. THE SUN
9. shopping outdoors (ex. Georgetown area)
10. MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION (yes I am just crazy lazy in the cold weather and uninspired)
11. WARMTH (tired of the cold air burning my nostrils and causing me pain)
12. daylight savings (tired of waking up in the dark and coming home in the dark, although it's getting better now)

My Make-up Must haves

Every once in a while I like to alienate any men who might read this blog and do a posting strictly for the ladies. So, if you have read some earlier posts you know that I am a bit of a makeup junkie. I've tried to tone it back because make up really does expire after a few months to years so I don't want to keep investing without throwing away so I've become very particular about what I buy.
This lead me to think up this post. When it comes to make up, here are the must have products that I don't mind buying again and again:

• Mascara- I am a big mascara girl but since you are supposed to trash it after three months (and remember don't pump mascara just take the wand out, otherwise you are exposing it to more bacteria) I don't like spending a lot on it (my fav expensive brand is Benefits Cosmetics They're Real). So I am always in search for a good drugstore brand mascara. Right now I'm loving Photo Ready 3D volume. Gives me great volume and length without the high cost and stressful false lash application.

• Powder- I have oily skin so I'm always looking for a great powder to set my makeup to avoid the "just went for jog" sweaty look. Makeup Forever HD Microfinish powder sets my makeup wonderfully without giving me that ashy face that sometime doesn't pop up until you see the picture of yourself looking like a ghost. A bit pricy but worth it (found at Sephora)

• BB Cream- ever since I heard of the Beauty Balm, first made famous in Asia before hitting the states, I was sold. An all in one cream that cuts down on the many products that I would apply on my face, thus saving time and money? I'm in! My department store option is Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream. It moisturizes, has SPF, primes and controls oil. Two good drugstore options are Garnier and Rimmel. Garnier just added one for oily skin which matifies, protects, minimizes pores, evens out skin and few other things. Rimmel does the same.

• Lipstick- I love a long wear lipstick that doesn't make my lips dry and peel. Loreal Infalliable lipstick is my go to for that. They have a large selection and I always get caught up trying to find a shade to buy.

• Eyeliner- I'm a liquid liner girl all the way. Your eyes Will pop with liquid liner, you don't even need eyeshadow and you will have a "notice me" look. But when I don't feel like steadying my arm to get that perfect line, I go to Maybelline Eye Studio Master Drama Eyeliner. It gives the staying power and bold black color a liquid will without the hassle.

• Blush- Ahh, the power of the blush. Many women sleep on this essential makeup. But I am telling you- don't! It will transform your face. Just don't go heavy, or you Will look like a clown. I'm no expert on blush so I like the easy go-to when finding the right color. I like Cargo's blush because it comes in several shades in one can which can serve as a bronzer, blush and highlighter (I'm not so great at contouring but I swear if I could I'd be one fierce drag queen). I also love Bare Minerals blush. For a more sensible budget, I go to NYX blush (they are also good for eyeshadow)

Well hope this helps anyone out there looking for some makeup brand ideas. If you do try these brands or have tried them in the past please let me know how you made out with them.

Health-ish and it taste good too

So in my quest to keep my calorie intake low I am struggling to find foods that will not make me mourn pizza, French fries, hot wings, cupcakes, twizzlers...I'm sad now.

Moment of silence for high calorie foods.

Okay, back on track. So I've been searching high and low for lower calorie and/or healthy foods to eat that will help me get this 10 pounds off. Exercising has not changed my world so it is very apparent that calories are the key. So, exercise, low calories and extra water together make the difference. I am aiming for 64 oz a day of water intake. Not hard during the weekday, very hard on the weekends. I lost weight last time by increasing my water intake so why not try it again? If you do this, stay near a bathroom.

I put myself on a 1250-1300 calorie limit during the weekdays with Friday and Saturday being my cheat days. I ran through my local Giant and Trader Joes and have found the following foods/meals:

Dry seasoned kale chips- Gross, don't eat 'em
Dried ginger- eh, I did not care for them, best to just drink ginger
Dry seasoned green beans- yummy, they can come close to replacing my chip need
Pita chips- yummy but I can easily over eat these
Dried mango- yummy, if eaten according to serving size. This can fill my sweet tooth void.
100 calorie snack packs- helps limit my portion issue and sweet tooth
Weight watchers or smart ones ice cream desserts- again, limits my portions and satisfies the sweet tooth without that bitter sugarless sweets taste
Fiber one or Special K cereals or oatmeal with walnuts and bananas (or even banana chips)- makes it filling and is yummy. Good for breakfast or a low cal dinner (lunch is my biggest meal)
Salads- I actually love salad but typically hated the salads I made at home until I made these two options:
1)Salmon salad- an ex put me on to this- grilled salmon with lettuce or spinach or some green, with a homemade dressing of part olive oil, part lemon and a bit of substitute sugar. Yum!
2)Southwestern salad- I mixed spinach salad with cut up jalapenos, red peppers, cucumbers, southwestern style salsa (from Giant in the fresh produce section) and chopped southwestern chicken cut up (can do prepackaged), use any dressing you like (I used a sesame dressing I had in my fridge)
Low carb wrap- I have made many snacks/meals with this. First it's important to use the low carb tortilla wrap, high in fiber. Then I:
1) spread a bit of peanut butter on then pour a bit of honey over it, fold it and eat it, sweet and low carb/calorie,
2)pizza- spread marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, any toppings you'd eat on a pizza. I use red bell peppers, jalepeons. Heat for bit in the oven or toaster oven,
3)use as the bread for a grilled veggie (like squash, zucchini and pepper)/melted mozzarella sandwich or turkey burger

That's it for now but I'll share more ideas as I come up with them. I just found a recipe for lower calorie cupcakes and real sized cookies and I'm hearing more and more about the dietary benefits of nettle tea so to be continued!

Me and my girls

Just finished watching one of my all time favorite friend movies, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. I adore a good gal pal movie. Maybe it's because I've never had friends on the level I see in these movies. Not to say my friends aren't great but there is a level of closeness or "ride or dieness" that I haven't had with my friends since probably college. As an adult I still need my girls but the reality is there are more distractions as adults. We have jobs, move, get married, have babies. And we just don't remain as close anymore.
So, when I see that a god girlfriend movie is on, I have to stop and watch and smile. Here are some of my top ones and why:

1. Romy and Michelle's High school Reunion: they were two peas in a pod and had each other's backs. Even when they had a spat it ended quickly when one of them was in trouble. They got over the judgment and accepted each other as is. True friends don't hold grudges for long.
2. Sex and the City: so the sequel sucked but the first was still awesome to me. I loved how they dropped everything and came to Carrie's aid when she got left at the alter by Big. Even leaving to go out of the country with her. And who can forget Carrie getting out of bed on NYE night and taking the subway all the way from Manhattans to Brooklyn to be with Miranda when she was feeling blue from her separation from Steve.
3. Waiting to Exhale: I can't recall, did these women ever fight with each other? They were there for one another and that was all that mattered. And who doesn't love a good glass of wine, some music and some girl talk with your friends?
4. Steel Magnolias (the original): young or old, rich or poor, these women were true blue and tight like glue and were there for each other when tragedy stuck.
5. Thelma and Louise: drove off a cliff together, nuff said (btw- I wouldn't do that for my closest gal pal)
6. The Color Purple: Not sure if this was meant to be a girlfriend movie but it is to me. It shows how through tough times and bad situations the strength of female friendship can triumph. And who doesn't cry at the end when the sisters hand clap in the field. sniff sniff
7. Beaches: they were friends as kids, fell apart, came back together and were with each other to the end.

Any movies I'm missing?

Bite Sized: The Randomness of it All

Stream of thought:

If I stick to my calorie restrictions on my new diet but a good portion of those calories come from junk food, will I still lose weight?

This commercial makes me laugh every time:

Did Beyoncé lip sync at the inauguration? If so, does it really matter?

I really want to see that new horror movie Mama, especially because it was number one in the box office this past weekend. But now that I live on my own I am not inclined to watch many horror movies which is driving me crazy because I LOVE scary movies but I also have a strong imagination and two cats that make noise in the night...

I would never wear a sew in weave while traveling overseas because if, like in Lost, my plane crashed on a mysterious island and I was stuck their for months or years who would take out my weave?!

Goodnight

Are we desperate?

Had to start my post all Carrie-from-Sex-and-the-City like by posing a question. Here's what promoted me to ask this question. Was told my a male associate that it's easier to tell a woman in her thirties what she wants to hear because we are all desperate to get married. Therefore all a guy has to do to get what he wants from a woman is to lead her down the marriage road even if he is not seriously in love with her but, instead, might have other motives. In sum, the 30 something woman is easier to attract because of her ticking clock.

This bothered me because regardless  of my desire to get married I am not desperate. I've been through a lot in my relationship history and I'd like to believe that I can now see through the BS someone throws at me. My senses are no longer drowned out by some booming biological clock.

Further, my standards don't need to take a dive off a cliff just because I'm in my third decade of life. I am finding that males seem perturbed that I am slightly picky in my dating life. What, because I'm in my thirties I should take whoever comes to me? Fortunately, times haven't gotten that tough for me. But it seems some men think it has simply because of my age group...grumble grumble

How to lose weight without even trying

Seriously, how do you do that? Just as I was beginning to think I was making some headway into weight loss, I go to the doctors only to have her tell me what I already know, I'm overweight. Now by looking at me you may not think so, I'm a size 8 (on a good day a size 6), I jog and lift weights, blah blah blah but my body mass index (bmi) puts me in the overweight category.

I've increased the intensity of my workouts to get better results and see that my arms and legs are more toned than ever but the weight has not come down as much as I would like. The doc is telling me if I lose 10-15 pounds then I'll be at a normal weight (side note, that's normal weight not average weight as most of the U.S. female population averages at around 160ish pounds).

I'm secretly hoping its a thyroid issue which is what my doctor is mildly considering based on some other symptoms I gave her when I saw her. So I'll be getting tested for that. I mean I did gain most of my weight AFTER I took up running.

But the reality probably is that since I crossed over to the dirty thirty my diet has not. My love of all things carb is just not dying down but it needs to because my metabolism has apparently decided to go on strike. So, le sigh, it seems that this workout warrior must now also become a diet diva. I have got to change my eating habits to include less carbs. But it's so hard. I only have time to cook on Sundays and I usually make two dishes and rotate between that and some healthy choice/lien cuisine/smart one type meal. Then I mix in a couple of salads. I need help shaking it up that doesn't involve more of my time in the kitchen.

And when I see a piece of candy or a cookie, I break out in a sweat. My will power is better during the weekday but the weekends? At least I cut down on fast food successfully (I had some Chik-fill-a the other day and it made me feel sick so I think me and grease are pretty much strangers again). And don't get me started on cocktails. I do a two drink maximum when I go out but I like my fruity (aka sugar heavy) drinks. But they gotta go. I was recommended doing white wine or vodka/diet club soda. ZZZ boring but, it seems,  that must be the way I go. Because by spring, this girl plans to have dropped at least 10 pounds and I WILL fully run a 5k. If you have any tips, please share.