{A Personal Reflection: My Healthy Life Journey}

If you follow me on Facebook, you know this past weekend I gained 1.4 pounds and was devastated (and even shed a tear - which took my leader by surprise). I have really made a commitment to eating healthy, drinking 8+ glasses of water daily, minimizing carbs, increasing fruits/veggies/protein, exercising 5 times a week - and to do all of that, not cheat once, and gain weight - it was almost like a slap in the face of all of my hard work. 

The first thing that I wanted to do right after my WW* meeting was to go and eat something really good - which meant something that was awful and full of carbs, fat, and cheese. THAT (eating) was exactly how I used to deal with stress, disappointment, loneliness, happiness, to be honest - all emotions. After some thought (while sitting in the WW parking lot) and weighing the pros and cons of me having a pig-out fest, I opted to go home and take an extremely long power walk with Addison. The walk did me a lot of good, and allowed my mind to get back "in the game". Once we returned home from the walk, I cooked a healthy meal - TBLETC (turkey bacon, lettuce, fried egg white, tomato, low fat cheese sandwhich) with a fruit salad that equaled 6 WW points+ (vs. the 30+ points the Five Guys burger and fries would have cost me) and I felt good....and strong...and in control. 

As much as I wanted to quit after my meeting on Saturday, I know I have grown because I didn't allow this small setback to keep me from moving forward. This week, I will continue to do everything that I've been doing and hopefully this Saturday I will see a loss on the scale. Moving forward, while the scale number is important to me - I will focus on inches lost, and my continued strength in my workouts...eventually, I'll see results - at least that is way they say (and in my heart I know this is true)...

Thanks for listening and THANK YOU for all of the encouragement - it truly keeps me going. While I don't plan to turn this blog into a weight loss blog, by keeping you up to date on my journey helps keep me accountable (I hope you don't mind) - next up: my before pic (yikes)!

*ww = Weight Watchers

*If you haven't already, don't forget to sign up for the GIVEAWAY - it ends today at 3PM ET.

{TGIF Peeps}

Check out some of the links that I've been lovin' on this week:

- A quick and easy weekend decorating idea - I like it!

- Salted Caramel and Candied Bacon Ice Cream Sandwiches - say wha? Not WW friendly at all - but ummm...I gotta try this. And what a lovely lovely blog!

- Want a fun read - click here on Blissfully Unsettled. Hilarious. Candid. And she has a filer (or lack thereof) like me! Hey - we all go through it right? Why not talk about it...

- Click here and this site will allow you to click on a body part and will give you a fitness workout to work on that specific area - love it

- Every girl should have one of these - sooo perfect for my pamper Sundays...genius right?

- I love these polka dot glasses - and they're only $24 for 4!!!

- Click here for a cute little online foodie magazine A Little Relish- I love the styling...

- Don't forget to sign up for my GIVEAWAY!!!

Enjoy your weekend Peeps!!

{Trend Alert...}

 Here are a few variations on this chic look:

• For a menswear-inspired look, wear a cotton bow tie blouse with a skinny jean paired another one of the season's must-have items: the long boyfriend blazer.

• Work the transparent fashion trend by wearing a sheer bow tie blouse with a pair of skinny or even a pair high-rise wide-leg jeans or trousers, and finish it off with a slim-fitting cropped blazer or faux fur vest.

• Look for blouses in solid colors, tiny polka-dots or other small prints. Steer clear of large, busy patterns; the bow tie is embellishment enough.

Cheat the Trend

For the look-for-less: fake the bow tie blouse look by wearing an button-up blouse and tying a coordinating silky scarf (or thick ribbon) loosely around your neck in a knot or bow. Voila! – now you've got a faux-tie blouse!

(Shop blouses above: 1/2/3/4)

{A Little Coffee Table Frosting}

1. Simply comment below why you would love to win this giveaway {I need your email to contact you if you win. If you do not feel comfortable placing it in the comment box below, please feel free to email me: japayne3@yahoo.com}

2. To receive an extra entry: simply blog, tweet, or post on your facebook about this giveaway - and provide the link in the comment box below.

The last day to enter is Monday, September 26 @ 3:00pm ET. The winner will be announced in next Tuesday's post. Good luck and spread the word!!!

{Avocados Are Good For The Soul}

Over the weekend while looking through the Sweet Paul Fall online magazine, I came across a spread that was dedicated to avocados and once I spotted this pizza - I was sold. I'm obsessed with avocado, and while they are a little higher in points for me, it's something that I work into my diet because of the health benefits (an avocado has 60% more potassium than a banana) and simply because they are oh so delicious (especially when they are ripe)...

To view the recipe for the pizza shown above - click here - and be sure to view the entire magazine...it will definitely get you inspired for Fall!