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This last week I thought I had been doing well on my weight-loss challenge, but I actually gained 0.8pounds. BOOO. I did have a huge porter house steak for Chris's b-day and a chocolate caramel cake. MMmmm Oh well, I just gotta go back to being SUPER strict. I hate losing 5-6 pounds and then gaining. I seriously get to get back to the gym, but my knee is still killing me, I guess I have to push myself past the awful pain. So now I need to lose 88 pounds by December.

Wedding stuff...hmmm I think I blogged about getting a wedding coordinator...what else. Oh last night Chris and I went by David's bridal looking for the shoes I want for the wedding, of course they didn't have my huge size in stock, but I was talking to the manager about me losing 100 pounds by January, and she suggested to come in early December so we can start looking for a dress and she said it still gives me plenty of time for all the alterations. So now my 100pounds by January is now 88 pounds (already lost 12 of the 100) by December, that is 11 pounds a month, still VERY doable!

While at David's Bridal I was looking through bridesmaids dresses and showed Chris one I have been looking at for a few weeks (but I didn't tell him that) and he said "oooh I like it" and he found a picture of it on someone and he agreed that it was one of the nicest tea length ones. So I texted my maid of honor and bridesmaids and they all like it too! So, obviously we need to get them to try them on.

When Chris and I decided we would get married I joined 1800registry.com for a free wedding planner (book). Well, they suggest vendors in your area that are certified so we are not "taken" for our money. Anyways, if you book through their vendors they give you 10% of what you spend, towards your honeymoon. Our venue is through them (just by chance) and so we are getting money towards our honeymoon. We weren't going to have one because me paying for everything is going to be a lot of money and they only showed resorts and things. Well they called me today to talk and I told them that Chris and I want to go on a cruise if we do a honeymoon. Sure enough, they offer cruises. We just have to make a deposit for the cruise. Also, the website allows us to have a "honeymoon registry" where instead of gifts our guests can help towards our honeymoon fund. I think that is soooooo awesome! So when we have money for the deposit I think we will do it. I wonder if I set up a "wedding fund" if people would donate. HAHAHA

Wedding Planning

Today I had a consult with a wedding planner. I went because it was free and I wanted to see what all they help with. I have been thinking a wedding planner would be helpful since no one in my house wants to talk wedding, and Chris doesn't even want to hear the word wedding. I wish my bridesmaids lived closer so I could talk to all of them.

So, the wedding planner convinced me to hire her. I really don't want to stress about anything, and I stress about EVERYTHING, so if she can help, than why not! We figured out a budget for me, and it included her prices. I got 20% off for being a first time customer (she does all types of parties, not just weddings). I am getting her non-stop help through email and phone calls, lots of vendor referrals, sticking to my budget, 6 hours of her personally being with me be it sending invites, or meeting with vendors, vendor confirmation, rehearsal coordination (2 hours), than her being at the wedding helping with the caterers, and all my vendors and making sure everything runs smoothly. To me, this will be worth the money. So she is getting vendors ready for me to start my consultations with. I am super excited now!

This is so cool

I'm doing it!

            This past week I have had the feeling of being hungry and thought I was eating everything in sight. Yesterday, I went to the weight loss clinic and weighed in, because I was on that side of town and with gas at $4.30 a gallon I wasn't gonna go back today. Well, when I weighed in, I had only lost 0.8 pounds in 6 days. I was so mad at myself for not losing more, but also shocked that I hadn't gained. So last night I came home and decided to be much stricter, even though I have done well. I have had Starbucks only once a week for the last 2 weeks. I had a salad, a bowl of broccoli, a string cheese, and fresh strawberries for dinner it was delicious and I will be doing this more often. 

            Today, I went to weight watchers thinking I have only lost 0.8 pounds, so I get on the scale and she writes my number down and I made her weigh me again. LOL I lost 5.4 pounds this week! I now know why they suggest people don't weight themselves daily. I have now lost 12 pounds in 2 weeks!!! I am psyched! I am totally going to lose 100 pounds by January! WOOHOO!

           

           Wedding stuff. My favorite topic nowadays. I got my hair done yesterday, and I think we are going a shade darker until we find the right colors in my hair, right now it is still super blonde. We have a "tasting" at our venue on the 31st and I am so excited to pick out the yummy food! Also, my maid-of-honor and bridesmaids are all picked out and have agreed to their tough role in the big day and I promised I will try not to be a bridezilla. :) Oh, and Chris's aunt & uncle have agreed to let their twins be our ring bearers! I am so excited! Chris has only one more person to pick out, but as he says "we have time". I know, I know! We have 14 months still. I have made a decision on our photographer, and I know who is doing my hair and make-up. The band we REALLY want hasn't said yes, or no....but I think I am gonna start looking elsewhere for backup. I just want to know as much up front so we can have no "hidden costs" closer to the date. Also, we have decided to ask for no children to come to the wedding. I haven't come up with my nice statement about it yet, but I know I will be worrying about the kids around the cake, my dress and glasses and everything else at the country club and I prefer not to be anxious through my whole day! Anywho...I think that is it for now. :)

Tough Weekend

This week/weekend has been tough on my diet. I feel completely out of sorts. I have been wanting to eat everything in sight this week. Oh and majorly craving soda, I had one 6 days ago again. I need to go two full weeks without it. It's so hard not to have soda. I still haven't been able to go back to the gym, but my foot looks like it's almost done healing. Hopefully I can make it to the gym this week. The weather keeps changing and I think that is making my aches and pains that much worse. I only did whole body vibration once. I need to get back into a good routine. I honestly am terrified that when I weigh in Tuesday I am gonna gain the 6.6 pounds I lost. So cross your fingers for me!

1st week down

Today has marked the first week of my weight-loss challenge. On Saturday I was measured at the gym from doing my "whole body vibration" for a whole month. My measurements were awesome. I lost a total of 8.75 inches all over my body in one month. I am so excited. This week was nice on the supplements I didn't have any late night cravings. Yesterday, I had my appointment with the Dr. at the clinic to check my blood pressure and it was still high. She wants to put me on blood pressure medicine, but wants to do a full lab work panel on me, but it's like $100 without insurance...so that is going to have to wait until April, however, when I weighed in yesterday I was 6.8lbs lighter than last Tuesday! Today when I weighed in at Weight Watchers it shows that I lost 6.6 lbs. I am good with that since I was aiming for 10lbs a month. I am not counting on this as the norm, but I am excited. 

Wedding news....we put the deposit down on the wedding venue we love in Riverside. I am so excited! Our wedding date is May 11, 2013. Now we are trying to convince a certain band to play at our wedding, than we only need to find a photographer (who I am pretty sure we know who it is), a florist, and a minister. Along with all the good stuff, like dress shopping, buying invitations, deciding on favors and so on. Anyways...that's the news!

Interesting days

Today is the 7th day without soda, and the 6th day without Starbucks! Now, THAT is amazing! So far I am doing good with the supplements and weight watchers. I haven't been able to work out though because of the tattoo I got on Saturday, so I need to be extra good on my diet to make sure I don't mess up since I am not able work it off. 

Speaking of my tattoo, I am upset. My foot was fine Saturday (the day it was done). Sunday it was super swollen as I was told to expect. On Saturday the tattoo artist told me to soak my foot in HOT water, as hot as I can handle, and to keep lotion on it. Well yesterday, my foot was still super swollen, like ogre feet and my tattoo is starting to scab, my other tat never scabbed. So, I went online to research how to care for the tattoo since I don't like the way it is looking. Everything online says to keep heat off of the tattoo and to ice it often. Sure enough, I iced it last night and the swelling went down big time, today its still not as bad so I have been doing ice every couple of hours. I am so upset that I was told to do something that lots of other sites said not to do, and I hate that it is scabbing. :(

Yesterday, Chris's car broke down and they thought it was the transmission. Chris decided to take it to Carmax and trade it in. He came home with the Mazda 3 I wanted 2 years ago, not the exact same but looks like it! Super nice, with 37K miles and in great condition and his payment is $100 less than my Sentra! Needless to say, I am JEALOUS!

Anyways! We have a venue! We are paying half the deposit on the 15th and the rest of the deposit by June 15th. I am so excited! We are going to be getting married at our #1 choice. This means one less thing to worry about for the wedding. WOOHOO! I am trying to get as much done sooner than later so I don't have anything to stress over. Chris and I are trying to decide on if we wanna do a theme wedding. We already know the colors of our wedding and the people in the wedding party, I just need to figure out who will be our ring bearer.

1st day of Challenge

Today I went into a weight loss clinic to see what I could do to speed up my process and I hit the 1st challenge. My blood pressure was "too high" if was 140/90. I have never had high blood pressure before, but I am assuming it has something to do with the pain I feel in my foot (from the tattoo). So, I don't qualify for a weight loss pill, I just qualify for a supplement. The supplement helps with moods, dealing with stress and suppressing my appetite. So I am on that and was given B-12 supplements for my energy level a long with a water pill that will decrease my blood pressure as well. Monday, I have an appointment with the same doctor to check my blood pressure again.

I will be upping my workout from 30 minutes of cardio & 30 minutes of weight training to 45 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of weight training a long with continuing the Whole Body Vibration. I am also cutting Starbucks down to once a week, normally it's anywhere from 3-5 days a week. I have stopped soda, it has now been about 5 days since my last soda. I am still allowing myself to drink coffee from home and I will still drink iced tea when I feel like it.

Tonight I had Weight Watchers and from the weight today is the weight I am gonna lose 100 pounds from. The scales from the doctor's and from Weight Watchers are 1 pound off. I think I will stick with Weight Watchers scale since that is what I have been going off of for the last 7 months.

On the topic of wedding...I need to research more venues even though I know I know I want the first venue. I will continue searching. Any ideas will help. 

Coming up...

On Tuesday, March 6th 2012, I am starting my "weight loss challenge". I am giving myself 10 months to lose 100 pounds. I have already lost 34 lbs, but I want to lose an additional 100. Why in 10 months, you ask? Well, on February 14th my boyfriend of 3 1/2 years asked me to marry him and we are getting married in May 2013. So, along with blogging about my weight loss, you may also see blogs about my wedding planning.

I am currently a member of Weight Watchers and they have helped me lose the 34lbs. I have decided to cut my Starbucks down to once a week (usually about 3-4 times a week now), stop drinking all sodas, and I am going to increase my workout routine. Dear friends, beware of my "crankiness" this week as giving up soda is like giving up cigarettes to me.I will be weighing in every Tuesday!

Let's talk wedding! I have been searching like crazy for a wedding venue. We are looking to get married in either Hesperia, Riverside, or somewhere in between. There are not many places in the desert that are nice.

On February 25th my fiance and I checked out the first wedding venue, in Riverside. It was absolutely gorgeous, our outside ceremony would be held right above a little lake and lots of greenery, it was just everything I could imagine. The wedding coordinator at that venue is AWESOME! She is completely like me, personality and all. She was organized and basically walked us through our wedding night. Also, this place does food tasting where the coordinator will actually set the table in my colors, and the food we think we want, yet there will be other "parties" at other tables trying other food, so we can try anything! She will set everyone's tables for their wedding which I think is awesome.

The second place is in Hesperia. When I saw pictures of the second place I fell in love and told myself that is where we would be getting married. When we went to see the second place it looked like it could be breathtaking in the summer when everything is in bloom, however, the reception would be in a "tent" and the "tent" looked like poo outside and there is a "swamp cooler" to keep us cool if it's hot out, very unattractive. The wedding coordinator at the 2nd place was also VERY unorganized and didn't seem interested in "impressing" me. She didn't give me information about who would be doing the catering and didn't seem to want to answer questions. This made me sad because I seriously wanted this to be "my" wedding venue. Oooh...and she was LATE! That is my BIGGEST pet peeve. I am very punctual and if you can't be at the appointment on time, I must not be important. When I asked about tasting the food she said I would need to talk to the caterer, yet she didn't have their information for me.

The third place we looked at was in Hesperia also. Turns out they are a "sister company" to the first place, however, I was not as impressed. The one part I loved was that the reception room sat on the water, so we could go out on the balcony looking down on the water. The ceremony would be a ways away from the water, and I would have to walk on the grass in hills to get down the "aisle". Also, the coordinator was nice, and somewhat organized, however, she was more of a "I will let you do all the work, and if you need anything come find me" kinda lady. When I asked about the food tasting she said "we don't do tastings" than went on to say that they don't want to by a prime rib if it's just for a tasting than she offered us a coupon for a "2 for 1 deal" for their Sunday Brunch so we can taste the chef's cooking. So needless to say....not too impressive.

Yesterday, I took my mom to the first place to see it, so she can see why I am IN LOVE with it. She was also impressed as was one of my bridesmaids. The coordinator was giving mom a visual on my wedding and mom started crying...I think this coordinator ROCKS! I am soooooo gonna try to get married at the first venue!

Anyways, I need to get going to finish up my homework! Stay tuned for more news wedding and weight loss!