Joining WW & What’s My Why?

About a month ago, I decided to make a big lifestyle change. After much consideration I decided to join Weight Watchers.

With any sort of big lifestyle change, you need to think about your why. Why do you want to make this change? This is something that WW really focuses on.

So what is my why?
I want to finally feel healthy. I want to feel confident. When I walk down the aisle one day, I want to feel beautiful. When I have kids one day, I want to feel healthy and fit enough to run around after my little kids. I’m doing this for myself right now and for myself in the future.

So far, I’m loving it.
I’ve been doing it for about a month so far. It was tricky at first, but it gets easier every day. This is a decision I’ll never regret. Sure it’s hard sometimes not being able to have that extra slice of pizza or that drink, but I know that in the end it’s worth it!



Have you tried Weight Watchers? Are you on your own health journey?
I would love to hear about it in the comments below!

Until next time,

Our Experiences with Online Dating

Not our photo

Em

I  was so anxious to try online dating at first. I initially tried it because my friend was going to and it was one those I will if you will situations.

I was an idiot and pretty much messaged back anyone who sent me a message. Even if I didn’t find myself attracted to them. That was dumb of me. I remember one guy - we talked a lot and he asked me out. I respectfully (and politely) declined because I felt no attraction. Physically or emotionally. They got so angry and called me names and ranted about how I didn’t know them so I could I know I don’t like them? Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure you can feel a connection online without meeting them. Catfish anyone? It happens all the time.

I was excited and didn’t really think anything would come of it. I wasn’t even really trying to find anyone to be with. I honestly was rooting more for my friend to find one.I was anxious to try online dating. I didn’t know much about it, but I did know a couple people who tried it. A friend convinced me to try it and it was line of those situations of I will if you will. 

I ended up meeting someone and we texted. A lot. We obsessively flirted through text and had great banter. We met up one night when both of us happened to be going to the same club with our friends. It was so awkward. How could we have so much connection online and nothing in person? That’s what I felt. Nothing. We chatted a bit and that was that. We texted a bit more after that and I remember him saying he wishes he had kissed me. I don’t know how he got that vibe. A few days later, he told me he had a girlfriend and it was goodbye. 


I deleted my account on Plenty of Fish and gave up.


A few months went by, and I decided to give it another go. I decided that I really did want to find someone. I didn’t make the mistake of replying to everyone and tried my best, without getting my hopes up. Remember that guy i met? He appeared again and tried talking to me. I told him that I remembered him, much to his surprise. He thought I’d forgot and he’d get a chance because that other girl didn’t work out. Fat chance buddy. Not going to lie, I straight up friend zoned him.

One day, someone messaged me. It was a different message than all the usual “Hey, hows it going?”. He told me I had pretty eyes. I clicked onto his profile and saw that we had nothing in common really. How did he find my profile? It didn’t make sense. I wasn’t going to reply to him, but something in my gut told me to. So I did. We talked and talked. About music and random things. Eventually we decided to meet. We met after work at the mall. We grabbed a coffee and talked. We both were clearly nervous, but it also just felt right. Well fast forward 4 years and we’re still together. 


I’m happy I gave online dating a chance. I’m even more glad that I replied to his message.

I would definitely suggest trying online dating if you haven’t. My advice would be to not be discouraged, be open minded (I ended up with a guy complete opposite of what I thought I would) and always meet in public.

Chris

I decided to try online dating because I was working with mostly only women, most of my roommates were women, and I took esthetics in college, so all of my classmates and teachers were women. It didn't seem like I would ever meet a guy in real life, so I took it online to Plenty of Fish.

At first, I was terrified. Every guy just wanted to meet up at his house. Even when I would try to insist on meeting in public, they would be completely against it, so I knew these weren't the guys for me. I got excited when I started talking to a guy on there that I'd actually had a bit of a crush on years ago, when I'd first went to college. He seemed promising, and we talked non stop, planning a date to walk around and see Christmas lights, until he mysteriously, out of nowhere, broke his leg 10 minutes before the date, and had to cancel, then could only see me at his house after that. I agreed, but before the date was supposed to happen, I saw him out in public, walking around, as fine as could be. What was his plan? To put a fake cast on his leg to fool me? Needless to say, I cancelled on going to his house.

The next guy that I talked to was quite a bit of a larger guy. I had no issue, but he was incredibly embarrassed. He kept warning me that he was even bigger than his pictures showed. We started planning a date, but at the same time, I also started talking to my fiancé. My fiancé and I texted all night, and into the next morning, and couldn't stop talking. I knew I had something real with him, so I had to let down the other guy. It was not pretty. He was convinced that it was because of his weight, and I still feel bad about it, over 4 years later. I hope he found happiness with the love of his life.

I sure am happy that I chose my fiancé though. Who else will go to Build a Bear with me, tell me I look cute when I haven't washed my hear in three days, or watch endless baby animal videos with me? We drive each other crazy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. He's my best friend, and my biggest supporter. I cannot wait to become his bride in September! When dating, online or not, you have to remember to do what's best for you and your heart!

Have you tried online dating? What was your experience like? Let us know in the comments below!

What I've learned about wedding planning

Before I got engaged, I had a completely different idea of what my wedding would look like. I wanted a formfitting dress, a very casual, do it yourself reception, and I wanted my hair down and flowing. It turns out that isn’t at all what the reality of my wedding is going to be. My dress is a big, puffy ball gown, we’re having a catered, sit down dinner, and since I had to cut a ton of dead hair off last year, my hair is going to be half up and shoulder length.

At first I was panicking because everything wasn’t going according to plan. But then I realized that you have to be flexible with these things sometimes. It’s nice when everything fits your vision, but it doesn’t always work out like that. For example, I thought I would save money by having my reception at a community centre in my hometown. Then I found out that there are actually a ton of licenses and personnel that has to be involved in serving alcohol at your own event. The price skyrocketed, and it didn’t seem worth it anymore. Instead of panicking, with a little help from my grandma, I thought outside the box, and now we’re having a dinner at a wonderful local restaurant, followed by a reception at a local art gallery. It’s not going to be what I imagined, but it’s going to be beautiful and best of all, all the serving and set up and take down is going to be taken care of.

I’ve also learned that it’s ok to ask for help. At first, I was determined to do it all by myself. I was going to make all the bouquets, I was going to bake all the pies for the reception, and I was going to find all the containers for the candy bar. It quickly became very overwhelming, and I was shutting down. I realized that when you’re getting married, there are usually tons of people waiting to help you with anything you ask. It really helps de-stress you during what is supposed to be a very fun and exciting time. Don’t be afraid to look for assistance when needed!

Now that I’ve seen that sometimes due to budget, circumstance, and other things out of your control, what you plan for your wedding may not be what you get, I’ve decided to let go and see what happens, and have the best day of my life no matter what! I can’t wait to marry my best friend, and for all the days after, and that’s what matters.

Are there any other 2019 brides around? What’s your biggest wedding planning tip? Let me know in in the comments below!

Get a Better Sleep

not my photo

Hey everyone! 2019 is now upon us and many people, as always, have made resolutions to be happy and healthy in this new year.

That is all and good, but I am a firm believer that a good night sleep is essential to this plan.
Unfortunately, not all of us are blessed with having the perfect beauty rest every night. Some nights we toss and turn and only have a light sleep.

All of that being said, here are my tips on getting a better night's sleep:

1. Have a good pillow

This is very important. Your pillow can make a world of difference and you want to make sure your head is comfortable while you sleep. 

2. Temperature control

I like having my room a bit cooler for sleeping. I have found that I can't fall asleep or sleep very well when it's hot in my room. I have a duvet on my bed all year round, as well as a fan. Having these two things enables me to get my perfect level of warmth. There are many times when I wrap myself in my duvet and only stick my foot out to cool myself down.

3. Noise control

If you can't sleep when it is noisy, I would suggest buying a pair of ear plugs. There are things that make noise that we just can't control and plugs will help you out for sure.

On another note, if you like sound, white noise helps. I don't like when it's noisy, but I also dislike when it's really quiet. What can I say, the silence is a scary sound.

In the past, I have downloaded white noise apps onto my phone. It's great to pick your own mix of sounds and you can set a timer for it as well. I've even asked Alexa to play some piano lullabies for me or some soothing rain sounds.

Like I said, I have a fan which keeps me cool and also satisfies my white noise needs.

Also my dog snores.

4. Light control

It can be hard to sleep when it's bright. I feel you. The corner street lamp is visible from my room if I'm laying at a bad angle. Invest in some room darkening curtains. I have white ones which helps cancel out bright light, but it also allows light into my room. I'm not a fan of the dark ones. While they cancel out all light, I find it harder to wake up because the lack of light can make it feel like it's still night time, when in reality it's time to rise and shine!

5. Don't over stimulate your eyes!

This is so important! Sometimes if you're on your phone, tablet, laptop, whatever before bed, your eyes are very stimulated and have a hard time relaxing.I would recommend watching tv if you need something electronic to relax because it's farther away from your eyes. 

6. Pamper yourself

Establish a night routine. Maybe it's doing a face mask to relax, having some tea and reading a book for a bit. 

7. Meditate

When you're laying in bed, try to clear your mind. I know, it's impossible to do sometimes. We have so much stress and worries that it's hard to relax. Spray your pillow with some aromatherapy mist (vanilla & lavender is perfect!), or put on your diffuser and lay on your back. If you have trouble clearing your mind, try to visualize putting everything boxes and tossing them away. Or just literally think of nothing. 

This might seem odd, but unclench your jaw, open your hands and have your palms out (or up, whichever). This really helps relax your body because no muscles are clenched.

Breathe deeply. Focus on different parts of your body. The feeling. Deep breath. And slowly return to normal breathing.

Goodnight!

Chris's New Year's Resolutions

2019 is my year. I can feel it. I’m getting married in September, and that’s already a huge change, so I might as well tackle everything else as well. I’m done with saying that every year, then panicking in July because I’ve actually gained 15 pounds instead of losing 20. No more excuses and procrastination, I’m taking 2019 by the horns.

First off is getting my finances in order. I was in college through my early to mid 20s, and I lived like a college student, spending my money on drinks and fun, without ever thinking of the consequences. Now that I work full time, I’m ready to get things sorted out. My goal is to set an appointment with a financial advisor by the end of January, and start getting things in order. I want to start putting a bit of money aside for a house, and start paying off my credit card and student loan debt.

Second is finally getting my life and home organized. My plan is to write down everything I need to do each day the night before, so I can keep it all in order and get it all done. I have huge memory issues, so I’m hoping this will help me out. I also want to get my house organized. We moved into our house in April, and I unpacked the important boxes, and then every single other thing got stuffed into our spare bedroom, still in boxes. Every couple of months, I go in there and unpack approximately two things, and then I get fed up with the space and leave. No more. I’m over this waste of space. A smaller goal of mine is to finally buy a desktop computer, and I want to clear out the room and turn it into an office with a computer and makeup desk as the centerpiece.

Not my photo. From Paper Magazine.

One goal that may seem crazy, but is totally doable, is walking 3 million steps this year. That may seem like a lot, but it’s actually only 8000 or so steps a day. I can do this. I’m going to keep track of how many steps I walk a day in a spreadsheet, and then add it up at the end of the year. I’ll let you know how this goes at the end of 2019.

My last goal ties into the one before. This is to finally shed 40 pounds. I rejoined Weight Watchers, and I’ve lost 10 pounds this past month. I want to lose another 40 by December 31^st of next year. Along with Weight Watchers, I also belong to a gym, and I’m going to make a concerted effort to actually use the membership. I was up until December, but then work got crazy, and I dropped off the planet. Planey Fitness, that is! Hahahaha I’m hilarious. I also want to get to a place where I can say I’m mentally healthy. I struggle with depression and anxiety, but this year I want to try to calm the firestorm in my head. I’m not really sure what the plan is for that yet, but I’ll get there.

So this is the plan for 2019. I can do this. I will do this! Let me know what your New Year’s resolutions for 2019 are in the comments below!

Last Minute Gift Guide

Hey guys!

It's almost Christmas and as always, some people haven't finished shopping yet. It's manic.
I put together a little gift guide for you guys to get the gift idea juices flowing. 
Happy shopping!

 So this first "category" is giving me very cozy/homy vibes.

The second "category" is beauty related. Any of these items are the ultimate pamper yourself type of gift. Everyone deserves to be pampered!

The third "category" is for that person who really loves drinking, baking and food.




The reason I did not put links is because I chose these specific items for their looks. It's more meant to just give you a quick idea on things to get. Also, it's so close to Christmas that you wouldn't be able to order online. I did find a lot of this stuff on the Chapters/Indigo website.



I hope that this helped if you're scrambling for some last minute gifts this weekend!

I wish you guys the happiest of holidays, a merry Christmas and a very happy new year!

Recipe: Rocky Road Bars

Christmas baking season is upon us, so I thought I would share a staple recipe in our family baking tradition. Every year without fail, we make these rocky road bars. Honestly, they're delicious and my favourite square by far!

This recipe will make approximately 36 bars.

You will need:

1 1/2 cups of graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup of melted margarine or butter
1 1/2 cups of flaked coconut
1 package of chocolate chips (semi sweet)
1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows 
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of melted chocolate (you can use more or less - up to you)

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Combine the graham crumbs with the butter and press it firmly in a 13x9 pan.
Sprinkle the coconut over the crust - create an even layer.
Add a layer of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows.
Optional - add a layer of nuts
Using a spoon, drizzle the condensed milk over all of the layers. 

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Once out of the oven, drizzle some of the melted chocolate over.
Let cool and cut into squares.

It's a very simple recipe, but super delicious!


Enjoy!