Monday, June 29, 2009

Finding my Bridal Glow, Part 2

Last I left you with my six month POA. Since so many of you liked the idea of creating your own POA- I've sprinkled throughout this my best Lessons Learned.


Come January I was ready to go with my POA, and how could I fail? I only had to go to the gym twice a week. This turned out to be super simple for me. I found two classes that I adored- one was Total Tone and the other was Core Fit (which used the famous Bosu Ball).

Even though the classes were at 6am, by starting off my flab to fab plan easy, I was able to put 110% into each workout. And not drinking during the week, super easy. I drink mostly water with dinner, but when I needed something different- flavored bubble water usually did the trick.

Lesson learned #1: Be Realistic.

By February, I was feeling confident in myself and added one day to my workouts. This resulted in two days a week of class and one day of cardio machines and weights. I was feeling good. I hadn't lost any additional weight but I started feeling fitter (which isn't really a word, but whateve that's how I felt!). And more importantly, my clothes were starting to feel a little loser.

At the end of February, I was feeling really good about myself. The guy at the gym knew me by name and started to comment on how consistent I was! In those first two months, I didn't miss one scheduled workout.

Lesson Learned #2: Find a gym that you like. It's the only way you will ever go!!

This is right around the time that my Brother and Sister-in-law came to visit. I knew that my brother had lost a bunch of weight recently, but I was blown away by my SIL. She had lost 30 pounds since I had last seen her at our engagement party in August.

Here we are at dinner. Can't you tell that she already has her glow on!:

(Brother Peep, SIL Peep and Me- sorry for the boob shot)

Her trick? No trick really, just Weight Watchers. After hearing her talk all weekend about how easy WW was, I was on board. I signed up for a three month subscription to WW On-line. With 90 days before the wedding this was exactly what I needed! If she could do this with two kids at home, I could do it too!

My first week on WW was super duper successful. Not because I lost a ton of weight, but because I realized what I was eating. Every day for a week, I tracked EVERY little thing. I wasn't eating horrible, but I found that if I swapped a few things here and there, I had a much healthier diet.

Example #1: Swap Cous Cous or Quinoa for Lentils (the microwavable kind at Trader Joes)

Example #2: Stop eating toast (with jelly/butter/or peanutbutter) for breakfast. And swap regular flake or cheerios type cereal in the morning for Fiber Rich Cheerios (again, found at Trader Joes).

Lesson Learned #3: It's all about the Fiber!

As for the March workouts, going to the gym four days a week was tough. For the first time, I missed a workout.

Then one Saturday I had another gym break through: Only go to the gym for as long as it's fun (or should I say, bearable).

Leason Learned #4: If you don't want to do it, do something else. The gym has to be your friend not your enemy!!

Since my fourth day a week workout was turning into a Saturday workout. I realized that I only needed to stay for 20 to 30 minutes. Usually, I focused on weight training and toning on these days- lots of back, stomach and arm exercises. Since I am no expert on weight training, I won't go into specifics, but I will say that taking time to tone these areas TOTALLY paid off!

At the end of March I hit a milestone: My second dress fitting! At this point, I was going to the gym consistantly three days a week, and while I was no longer tracking what I was eating, I was paying attention to what I ate.

Results: I had lost 5 pounds and an inch at my waist!! Awesome.

But this is the same time that I hit a bump in the road. Mr. Peep got a new job which allowed us to carpool together to work, again awesome for us, but not for my POA. This put an end to my 6am workouts and my two very favorite classes ever.

Determined not to be derailed, I searched out evening classes, which I found and liked, but by no means did I love them.

Lesson Learned #5: If you can, find a gym with a TV on each machine. Watching a guilty pleasure while working out significantly helped.

Overall, April was a rocky month for my POA, but the change in my eating habits and the groundwork for my workouts allowed me to basically stay on track. By May, I had three very solid workouts a week- mixing between classes and cardio/weight training on my own. I kept to things I really liked to do.

Since May was the month of my wedding my POA and search for my bridal glow changed completely, so I'll wait to tell you about that next time. And just in case you think that everyday was a good day:

Lesson Learned #6: When I really, really didn't want to be at the gym I closed my eyes and envisioned my dress. Try it, it works!!

What is one Lesson Learned that you've found to help motivate you??

Finding my Bridal Glow, Part 1

I have to say that one thing that I will never forget about our wedding (and weekend) was how I felt. I can honestly say, that from the inside out, I glowed. I felt it in my bones, I felt it in my skin, and by the end of the day I could feel it in my smile because it was so tired.

Unlike the Ultra-fabulous Meatball, BalletFlat and Joey, I was a bit more covert about my plan to find my bridal glow and my flab to fab plan. I think it stems from years of feeling self conscious about my body and my weight. But I think it's about time I shed my inner fear and let you all in on my adventure to get my glow on.

Here's Part 1 of my Flab to Fab Plan:

Growing up I was an uber athlete, I did gymnastics for 30 hours a week until I was 16 and then my body just started to hurt. I could tell that the bending and flexing was putting a strain on my body. It took a knee injury to unearth the truth, a MRI confirmed that I had the knees of a 40 year old women!! AT 16!!! I kept up workouts and exercising until I went to college.

My first year of college, I stop exercising and started eating and drinking. The pounds came on and on and on.

source.

It wasn't until I graduated that I realized how unhealthy I'd become. I quickly became a workout machine and lost almost 30 pounds. I even ran a half marathon. Unfortunately, it didn't last. I had lost the weight by eating too little and working out too much.

A bad breakup and two years of grad school later, I was a heffer once again. School allowed me to justify eating a ton of food. Luckily, after graduation I moved to a City of walkers and stopped justifying the binge eating study sessions- I no longer had anything to study for!!

When I met Mr. Peeps, I had lost about 10 pounds of my grad school weight. And for the first 3 years of our relationship, I stayed at a steady 10 to 15 pounds lighter than my highest weight.

Maintaining that weight was never that easy for me, while I rarely denied myself anything to eat, I worked out a lot. I did a crazy boot camp at 6am for 6 months; I trained and ran another half-marathon- and hurt my knee again; I tried Bikram Yoga (the hot crazy yoga) for awhile; and then I tried just going to the gym on my own.

Finally, come January with about 6 months before the wedding I created a POA- a Plan of Action!! Each month I'd make one resolution and stick to it. Here's the break down:

January- go to the Gym two times a week. Stop drinking during the week.
February- go the the Gym three times a week.
March- go the the gym four times a week and join weight watchers.
April- go to the gym, keep following weight watchers and tone up.
May- tone, tone, tone.

My goal was to lose two inches in my waist or about 10 pounds. Since I love keeping the hive in suspense, you'll just have to see how my 5 month POA worked out.

Did you set a wedding day goal? How's it coming along?

Good Times at the Bay Area Bee Meet Up

Yesterday afternoon, I finally got to attend my first Bee Meet Up. I left Mr. Peep on the couch with the fan on (it was a record high of 100 degrees at our house yesterday!!), and made my way over to Triple Rock in Berkeley. After reading Weddingbee for over a year and writing for it since November, I couldn't believe I was going to meet up with others who love Weddingbee just as much as I do.

We talked for over three hours non-stop, and I have to say, Bay Area Bees are pretty fantastic. I was so fun meeting a bunch of super smart, fun ladies. Plus, there was pink beer to boot, check it out:

Pictured: msprettyinpink, Bean, Pengy, fizicsGirl, ktrain, and tea.

And just to prove that I was there, here's a quick pic of Pengy and I.


I never thought in a million years that I'd be meeting up with a bunch of people that I met on the internet, but seriously I now heart Weddingbee that much more.

Can't wait for the next meet up!!

Have you attended a Bee Meetup? If not, why not!? Do it. They are so fun!

PS Ladies, I want to see pictures of your dresses!!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Bay Area Bee Meet Up

A do not miss event!!!
Come see a Penguin in Peep Toe heels.

No really:


+ = A fantastic Bay Area Meet Up!!!!

Come join Mrs. Penguin and Mrs. Peep Toe this Sunday, June 28th
at 3pm at Triple Rock Brewery in Berkeley.

Hop on over to the local boards and let us know if you can make it.

It's sure to be a fun time!!!


A Peak into the Peeps Wedding by the Bay

Sorry it has taken so long, but I hope you all are ready for this.

Here are a few teasers from our AMAZINGLY fantastic photographer, Amanda from
Blueberry Photography:









I can't tell you how much I love them. More to come in the next month or so from Amanda. In the mean time, I hope to start blogging about the week up to the main event!!!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Put a fork in me. I need your help.

I am done. The wedding is over*, the marriage license was signed, toasts were made, the cake has been cut, but the Peeps still have a party to plan.

As I said before, Mama and Papa Peep are throwing a home town reception for all of our Southern California loved ones. Up until now, Mama Peep has been graciously planning this shin dig, but during a bout of post wedding energy, I asked Mama Peep what I could do to help.

My task: inspiration pictures for the centerpieces to provide the florist. It sounded fun and exciting on the phone, but now, now I am totally uninspired.

So hive, I need you to point me in the right direction. Help me give Mama Peep some super fabulous Post-Wedding Reception Centerpiece Inspiration.

Here's what we got so far: A causal, beach side family and friends reception.

The Invitations:

The Room: Looks out over the ocean, a light house and palm trees. It is mostly navy with some gray. The linens will either be light blue or navy. There will be eight tables for guest to causally graze on the buffet throughout the party. And unfortunately, we can't use candles, bummer. I love the look of sand and candles together.

What I do love is navy with limes, lemons or oranges. And anything that exudes beach casual.

Anyone have an inspiration picture out there for me?? Also, simpler is better. This is a very budget friendly affair, and while I'd love a huge centerpiece with a million tropical orchids, we are going for cheap-chic.

A million thank yous for your help!!!

*I promise we are married and that sometime this century I will provide pictures.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Peeps are Back!!

Hey Hive, The Peeps are back (do you remember us??). And surprise, surprise, we are married!!! Whoo hooo!!! The wedding was an amazing experience, and I still have to remind myself that it happened and that I am a MRS!!! Someone pinch me!! If it didn't say Mrs. Peep Toe above, I almost wouldn't believe it!!

I don't like a bragger, but peeps (by peeps, I mean guests) have been describing the wedding with one word- perfect!! And while I know of a couple (dozen) imperfections here and there- it was a perfect day.

Since the big event we spent almost two weeks on an amazing adventure honeymoon in Panama. Again, the word perfect could be used to describe our trip. Evidence here by a sneak peak photo taken from our over water bungalow (even our family hasn't seen any pics yet):

Unfortunately, upon returning from our trip we were thrust right back into a very bad reality. My (strike that) our little doggie was very sick. We spent our first night back at the Emergency Pet Hospital and the next few days at the vet. As anyone knows who has been to a late night emergency room with a loved one (with four or two legs), it was a scary experience, and I couldn't imagine being there without my husband by my side.*

But I am happy to say that after a few days of a lot of TLC, the little guy is on his way to recovery. They even put a little heart bandage on his leg:


So please forgive me for not yet posting any wedding pictures. I promise they are coming soon!! For right now, us Peeps are celebrating the fact that we are all happy and healthy!

*he, he- I have a husband!!