September: back to school?

It's officially September in 4 or so minutes and probably when I finish this post. I love the beginning of a new month and September always feels so fresh. Not only the weather, but it's time for everyone to head back to school.

I've been a student or a (semi) teacher for 20 years of my life so it's natural to consider September the beginning of a new year. Yet I'm neither right now.

I love to think of each month as a fresh start, but I never really do. Thankfully, September has all these perks.

First off, to start the month, I have a job interview bright and early tomorrow. Cross your finger cause I want this one big time. :)

Next, I've decided to participate in a few things:

• Fitness model M.C. Barao's 30 Day Shred challenge because I have the DVD. I have to get my picture in TOMORROW! Check me out ("julieboolie") here!
  
• PB Fingers' book club mostly because Room is winning and I want to read it. I'm anticipating its win so much that I placed it on hold at the library. In addition, I'm going to at least finish The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
  
  
  (image from Time after tea)
  
• It's National Yoga Month! I did yoga today and am promising myself at least 2 days per week of yoga.

Accidentally & finally

I finally went to yoga. Not on purpose, but when I have to go about 45 mins to ONE HOUR early to get my hand stamped for TurboKick, I decided why not make it at 8:30 for yoga as well.

Lunch involved hard-boiled egg whites. There's so much more volume in a hard-boiled egg. I fed the yolks to the dogs.


Then I picked up American Thighs and decided that I DID NOT LIKE ALL OF THE CAPITALIZATION. It was random and constant.

Instead, I started reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. A few pages into it, I thought to myself, haven't I read this before? Yep. I found the page I dog-eared and it was quite far into the book. Duh.

This is going to be a quick book! :)

Afterwards, we headed to Costco. We got shampoo and samples of lots of meat.

Then I decided to return some books and get a couple of history books and movies.

My cousin got some fro-yo. I ate a little bit of honeydew yogurt.

I showered and ended my attempt to go to the gym at night for my knee's sake.

While my cousin is watching "Stuart Little," I'm going to have my green juice and then go buy supplies for more green juices: apples and cukes are out. :/

Dinner: rotisserie chicken shredded with some tomatoes, spicy mustard, and guac hummus to make a chicken salad


Books I'd like to get to soon:

• The Sweet Life in Paris
  
• The Help
• Room
• The Devil in the White City
• Life of Pi
• Firefly Lane
• Middlesex
• One Hundred Years of Solitude
• Love in the Time of Cholera
• Water for Elephants

Meal planning for 2

MY MEAL PLAN

Mon, Aug 29
breakfast: Blogilates protein pancakes w/ Progressive Harmonized chocolate protein powder

lunch: lite English muffin, grilled chicken breast, pumpkin Tofutti cream cheese :), banana bites
snack: Shakeology
dinner: green juice
snack: white peach
workouts: 20 mins elliptical, hip hop

Tues, Aug 30
breakfast: Chobani 0% peach
lunch: lite English muffin, grilled chicken breast, pumpkin Tofutti cream cheese :)
snack: green juice
dinner: Blogilates protein pancakes w/ Progressive Harmonized chocolate protein powder & pumpkin instead - turned out a little softer
snack: pluot
workouts: step 'n sculpt

Wed, Aug 31
breakfast: Shakeology
lunch: Western Alternative sweet wheat bagel, guacamole hummus, spinach, tomato, sliced hard boiled egg white (salad)
snack: samplings from Costco, green juice
dinner: chicken salad with 1/2 egg white, tomatoes, mustard, guac hummus over spinach
snack: white peach, 1 slice Oroweat hearty wheat with PB & J :)
workouts: yoga, TurboKick

Thurs, Sept 1
breakfast: Chobani 0% honey
snack: top of a red velvet, half an empanada
lunch: Blogilates pho with chicken
snack: Shakeology
dinner: green juice
snack: white peach, 1/2 c. Fage 0%
workouts: 30 Day Shred 1 w/ M.C. Barao!, Burn it Up, yoga

Fri, Sept 2
breakfast: 1/2 c. Fage 0%, 1/2 banana nut Vitamuffin
lunch: Blogilates pho with chicken
snack: coconut fro-yo, green juice
dinner: chicken breast, lite English muffin, pumpkin + Tofutti cream cheese/PB
snack: 1/2 Tasty organic pumpkin pie bar
workouts: 24SET, TurboKick, 30 Day Shred 1

Sat, Sept 3
breakfast: Shakeology
lunch: chicken, lite English muffin, goat cheese
snack: 1/2 Tasty organic pumpkin pie bar, green juice
dinner: microwaveable mean green breakfast cake FOR DINNER!
snack: 1/2 c. Fage 0%, yellow peach
workouts: boot camp, 30 Day Shred 1

Sun, Sept 4
breakfast: Shakeology
lunch: chicken
snack: green juice
dinner: lite English muffin, egg whites, goat cheese, fig butter
snack: 1/2 c. Fage 0%, yellow peach
workouts: BodyPump, 30 Day Shred 1

CHRIS' MEAL PLAN

Mon, Aug 29
breakfast: Chobani 2% pineapple, 1/2 banana
lunch: 2 slices Oroweat hearty wheat, 1 tbsp. guacamole hummus, 1.5 slices Swiss cheese, 4 slices deli hickory smoked turkey, spinach
snack: mango O.N.E. coconut water, banana nut Vitatop
dinner: chicken salad with spinach, lettuce, pineapples, avocado, tomatoes, cukes
snack: banana bites
workouts: Slim in 6 Start It Up

Tues, Aug 30
breakfast: Stonyfield Oikos raspberry yogurt
snack: banana bites
lunch: 1 slice Oroweat hearty wheat, 2 slices deli hickory smoked turkey, 1 slice Swiss cheese; 1/4 Carl's Jr. chicken sandwich
snack: Western Alternative Bagel sweet wheat, 3 slices deli hickory smoked turkey, 1 slice Swiss cheese
dinner: Western Alternative Bagel sweet wheat, 1 slice Swiss cheese, tomato, cukes, sliced hard boiled egg
workouts: 30 Day Shred

Wed, Aug 31
breakfast: Chobani 0% raspberry
lunch: out to eat with friends
snack: 1/2 slices Oroweat hearty wheat, Jif creamy peanut butter, Smuckers strawberry fruit spread w/ low sugar
dinner: chicken salad on spinach
snack: -
workouts: Slim in 6 Ramp it Up

Thurs, Sept 1
breakfast: 1/2 empanada
lunch: 2 slices Oroweat hearty wheat, 2 slices Swiss cheese, 4 slices deli hickory smoked turkey
snack: Chobani 0% strawberry
dinner: Vegan tofu fettuccine alfredo, leftover chicken
snack: -
workouts: Slim in 6 Burn it Up

How many things

1 step n' sculpt class enjoyed. I liked alternating between stepping and sculpting rather than attempting to do both. :) I was also rocking stepping, which hasn't been typical here. Next week, I'm taking this class again!

2 loaves of healthy/low cal carbs purchased. I bought lite English muffins and Western Alternative sweet wheat bagel. My little cousin has been sharing my English muffins and my other cousin asked for healthier bagels so I delivered.

(image from The 100 Calorie Blog)

2 white peaches bought + 1 pluot to try. I never liked nectarines, but since I get to taste them at the farmer's markets, I've become a bit addicted. They're so easy. On my way home from the store, I stopped by Smith Farms to nab a couple of peaches. I've been itching to try pluots due to Live Laugh Eat's immense love for them and finally got one. Saving the peaches for another day and having a pluot later! :) Maybe Allie's favorite guava another day - I've never had them. So much to be discovered.

Same lunch from yesterday. Chicken breast marinated with something my cousin made with a lite English muffin and pumpkin + Tofutti cream cheese. :) Everyone has been posting pumpkin recipes lately and I can still taste that pumpkin pie cupcake from the other day. Mmm.

7 receptionist jobs applied for.

Fat Girl's Guide to Life finished. I've been reading so slowly that I can't wait to delve into a new book. I got American Thighs so maybe that.

60 minutes of napping. My body or well, my shoulders are sore from sculpting. I've been a tad lazy and not working out twice a day, but I'm going with it because heck, I work out a lot.

1 green juice ready for consumption.

45 minute bike ride on the horizon.

A lesson from Rachel Ann

I absolutely love this whole post from a college peer of mine, Rachel Ann, who I think is living an ideal life. Married, smart woman with an awesome job and surviving New York City! :) I had to pretty much repost this from her blog, "The Love Hive."

The greatest lesson of my adult life is this:

“This is your life.”

Like all great lessons like “love your neighbor” or “just do it,” I’m constantly being taught new applications and finding that it impacts my actions in a more significant way every day.

This is your life.

Upset because you don’t have time for yoga? This is your life. Find the time or don’t be upset.

Worried that you’ll one day need to cut down on frivolous expenditures to save more money? This is your life. This is your one shot to live into your ideal self.

Hoping that one day you’ll have more time to reflect more, write that book, snuggle your cat? This is your life. Do it now or don’t do it.

The corollaries to this rule are:

I can do anything I want, but I cannot do everything I want.

Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. (Corinthians)

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

Every few months I go through an exercise of defining my ideal self. For a few years, crippled by anxiety and having Perfect be the supreme enemy of Good, I felt paralyzed by my choices and assumed I would never be the person I wanted to be. And then it hit me: This is your life.

Is reading my Bible app on the subway the perfect quiet time? Is 10 minutes of yoga on my living room floor as good as 75 minutes in a fancy zen-inducing studio? Is eating roasted vegetables every.single.night as fulfilling as preparing a meal complete with side dishes?

Nope. But, this is my life. This is what I’ve got right now. And better to do something than nothing, right?

What did I get from this?

• Find time or energy to do what I want. If not, don't get so upset.
• You get one life. Live it now. Don't wait.
  
• Pick and choose my battles.
• Live more easily.
  

Hunger for heartier

Good morning!

I woke up super hungry. In an effect to rest my knee and satisfy my hunger, I made Blogilates' protein pancakes though I calculated my calories and it came out to a lot less. I put in slightly less powder since I had chocolate and not vanilla.

Nonetheless, very good and so much so that my family liked it. :)

Mmm pancakes. I want to cook again! Maybe I can make some strawberry pancakes for my little cousin... if we had any more strawberries, but we ate them all.

I'm tired. Waking up at 7:30 was on the agenda, but staying up was not.

• 10-12PM rest it out: nap and menu plan
  
• 12PM bike/drive to get supplies to make my cousin's dinner
• 2PM have my lunch
• 3PM go out with my mom
• 4PM read a book, rest
  
• 5:30PM Shakeology time as I drive to the gym
  
• 6:30PM Hip hop
  
• 7:30PM yoga because I totally need it!
  
• 7PM shower, green juice, nap
  

Cooking for 3

Finally doing something on a Sunday.

I woke up early to bike to the gym. It only takes between 5-10 minutes, but hey, I haven't driven my car in a whole day! :)

When I got there, I hit the elliptical for 15 minutes while listening to Jillian and then 15 minutes on the upright bike. Was I sweating. The upright bike proved to be easier since I've been riding my bike, but the weather here is so hot that I sweat on cue.

TurboKick was rough again. Some days it's easy, some days it's not. I think it was the 30 minutes of cardio prior to class.

I leisurely rode my bike back to mom's and saw mom and my aunt leaving so I met them at the market.

We got strawberries, which we snacked on and used for our dinner. This recipe is inspired by Fit Chef Katy. Who is she? I had no idea until I sat for an hour watching her demo at O.C. Foodie Fest. She was on the latest season of "Food Network Star" and demoed a couple of salads.

The salad: strawberries, almonds, chicken marinated in Trader Ming's Sesame Soy Ginger Vinaigrette, and spinach. I added some goat cheese for myself, but my cousin isn't into it.

(image from Fit this, girl!)

Katy used blackberries and cashews, but this is what we had on hand/what was on sale.


Good tips from Katy: Put the add-ons in the bottom and top so it distributes evenly. Also, be gentle with the spinach. Thank goodness we had tongs!

I insisted my cousin pack a lunch for his first day back to school tomorrow. He's in college, but he said he felt like he was in grade school. We never packed our lunches even then.

We packed a Chobani 2% pineapple yogurt (160 kcals) and a banana (105 kcals) for breakfast.

For lunch, a sandwich:

• Two slices of Oroweat hearty wheat (80 kcals each slice)
• 4 slices deli hickory smoked turkey
• Trader Joe's guacamole hummus (25 kcals)

• 1.5 slices of Swiss cheese (~110 kcals)
• Tons of spinach

I'm making dinner for him tomorrow with the marinade he put together tonight.

Off to bed so I can wake up to Monday!

O.C. Foodie Fest

I am a few shades darker after a stomach-wrenching day yesterday. And do I mean stomach-wrenching. My stomach was upset after a few good tastes.

First off, some Shakeology to get my energy up for the... farmer's market? Yeah, I skipped the gym.

We went to the farmer's market in Irvine. We bought some stone fruit (white peaches to be exact) and of course, mom had to nab avocados.

Afterwards, I headed to Angel Stadium for O.C. Foodie Fest 2011. I was so excited.

The line to get in was so long at 11:45 A.M.


Food trucks were all ready to go. They had been there for VIPs and early admissions.


I walked around a few times before deciding on the game plan. It wasn't too packed so this was quite feasible.

#1 Ate half a fried mac & cheese ball from Home Skillet Truck
Verdict: Pretty bland :/


#2 Better than Roxy's Grilled Cheese from The Lime Truck
Verdict: A little salty and greasy, but really good blend of seafood. They have a great rotating menu and opened up a storefront in SoCo.


#3 2 of 3 old school turon from Tapa Boy LA
Verdict: Not nearly enough banana and jackfruit, but one of my favorite combos!


#4 Mango lassi mini pop from Front Porch Pops
Verdict: Cheap (50 cents) little thing that wasn't that great - too icy for a lassi.


#5 Melon drink from ???
Verdict: It was light, made with agave, and melon balls! Come on now!


#6 Tastes of masala fries from NaanStop
Verdict: Almost like chili cheese fries with a bit of a twist so yeah, good stuff.


#7 BOO-Yah made with a PB cookie and a chocolate chip cookie with guava and pineapple coconut ice cream inside from Chunk-n-Chip Cookies
Verdict: I think I went with TOO much variety. The cookies were fantastic, but the ice cream was kind of runny. It must've been the hot day, but I was so much more into the cookies and wanted a better consistency from the ice cream. :/


#8 Top part of a pumpkin pie cupcake from Suite 106 Cupcakery
Verdict: So moist and so good that I went out to buy a can of pumpkin and cream cheese to remind me of the upcoming fall... :)


I also watched Fit Chef Katy from "Food Network Star" demo a couple of salads. I can't wait to try them and show you.

Can I tell you how hot it was?! I was sweating profusely just sitting there watching the demo!

Epitome of summer

Applying for jobs. That's been my job for about 3 weeks now. It's tough emotionally.

At least I'm trying. 2 jobs applied for today with a few more to go. Both were assistant/receptionist positions.

I hit the gym early today and did okay in SET. Once Turbo came around though, I found I was pretty sore. It was also tough because we did the brand new round 47!

Afterwards, I rode my bike around for a little and then had lunch. Same ol' thing: salmon, goat cheese, and spinach in a tortilla eaten on the back porch with mom's dogs. I shared some with them and forced them to eat spinach by sticking the goat cheese and salmon inside.

Another biking adventure later to return "Arthur," which I rented for free at the redbox yesterday. It was good. Funny and a little heartwarming, but mostly funny.

(image from boomtron)

Some online browsing:

Clementine cashew butter - what an idea! I'm not a fan of oranges (too much to do before I eat it), but I suppose I can sub oranges for other fruits?


It's a yes. Blueberries work.


I want to make swirly frosting. I never knew how...


Ever since I watched four black women living in the Southwest (in "Waiting to Exhale"), I've always been a little curious about New Mexico and I hear such good things about Santa Fe.

With fall just around the corner, there's still some of summer left and I'm on the more tropical side of the country.

Tropical un-crumble


I never knew the term stone fruit, but apparently it applies to almonds also. Anyways, more fruit than not peach cobbler for one. I have plums - can I switch out peaches for a different stone fruit?


These can be made pretty easily with what I have and am able to do. :)

Helping helps me

One of the downsides of riding a bike at 9:30-11AM, it's far too hot. This week has been ridiculous. After the bike ride, I wasn't just exhausted, I was suffering from a heat headache.

Instead of heading to the gym for weights, also because I strained myself, my cousin and I worked out to Debbie Siebers' Slim in 6 Start it Up. Of course, I had us do weights and a couple of other parts from the harder sections. It totaled to about 50 minutes. The best part: my cousin felt good and wants to start working out more as well as eating better. :)

So for dinner, we had salads with chicken. I had romaine with chicken meatballs, some tomatoes, peaches, and on the side, a bit of mac and cheese. :) My cousin had spinach with cucumbers, carrots, a chicken thigh, and I portioned out some spicy cold noodles for him.

I think helping him will help me be more realistic with myself. I'm always better at giving advice than taking my own.

Friday, August 26

• 7:30AM Wake up & have Shakeology
• 8:30AM 24 SET
• 9:30AM TurboKick
• 10:30AM Bike for 45 mins
  
• 11:30AM Shower
• 12PM Lunch (salmon + goat cheese + spinach wrap)
• 1PM Apply for 2 jobs.
• 2PM Take a nap.
  
• 3:30PM Snacktime (apple with PB) & read The Fat Girl's Guide to Life
  
• 5:15-5:30PM Go outside.
  
• 6:45PM Green juice
• 8PM Go home & watch "Dexter"
• 10PM Read & chill

Picking a trail

Afternoon all! I started my morning late and had a bit of yogurt before heading out on my first commuting adventure. Boy was it tough. I wanted to avoid the freeway overpass necessary to get from my aunt's to my mom's so I used the Santa Ana River Trail. It was not a walk in the park.

There are bike lanes with a scary drop-off into the empty river at times.

I biked under roads, which meant lots of little climbs.

Too much open expanse of... concrete. Geez, Southern California... sigh.

But in the end, it got me here a bit exhausted.

I got a couple of things: organic PB with sea salt and English muffins.


I took a nap before lunch: spinach, Laughing Cow Swiss cheese, and salmon-filled tortilla.

Last night was also tough. I realized I've been here in California for a month and a half and have yet to find a job. While in North Carolina, a lot of my former classmates have found teaching jobs.

Not to brag, but I'm doing it, I was the best tutor and a great teacher. Kids love me. I love them and I do at least a B+ job on my off days. At my best, I'm unstoppable.

I knew I wouldn't get a teaching job right away because I have to take the CTEL, for which I still have to purchase study aids.

I've applied for numerous jobs, most in schools and some I found on craigslist. There are still a few left to apply to and the closing dates are coming up so I'm hoping to secure something.

I'm left wondering if I'm too picky about a job. I remember a line in "Eat, Love, Pray," where an Italian man scolds us Americans for wanting happiness in our jobs. We take life too seriously. Isn't it just good enough to get paid?

"Americans. You work too hard, you get burned out. You come home and spend the whole weekend in your pajamas in front of the T.V." - Luca Spaghetti

Well, I want to be mildly happy and part of that involves not being at a dead-end job. The job will have to lead to a career and involve some fulfilling challenges.

Even though I have my degree in the liberal arts and a teaching credential, I'd like to do more. I mentioned going back to school next year to start my prereqs to become an RD (registered dietitian). Yet I'm open to anything creative and fun. I just don't have the experience for a lot of jobs and entry level positions aren't so well-paying.

At this point, I'm looking at a job in a school, part-time, for about $15 an hour. If I find some other creative positions, I'll take those too.

I read Oh She Glow's "How to Create Career Happiness" this AM and decided to leave The Fat Girl's Guide to Life at home in lieu of The Girl's Guide to Kicking Your Career into Gear. They suggest a career plan, one similar to the lululemon one. I'll share once I'm done.

(image from goodreads)

All said and done, I need to get my butt off my bicycle(?) and make sure everyday is conducive to improvement in my life somehow.

New digs, the gym

I stayed over at my cousin's yesterday so I didn't get to post and will have to make it up tomorrow since I spent tonight talking to my dad. :)

I made a list on paper for today and did most of it, including applying for 10 jobs as an instructional assistant and one which I can't even recall. It was a craigslist posting.

Thursday, August 25

• Wake up whenever
  
• Breakfast of yogurt with a little Living Intentions
  
• Ride bike around
• Lunch (salmon/spinach/goat cheese wrap)
• Apply for 2 jobs.
• 4:45PM Drive to gym & have Shakeology
• 5:30PM BodyPump
• 6:30PM Zumba
  
• 8PM Shower, have green juice and more yogurt
  
• 10PM Drink green juice
• 11PM Go to bed!

The past couple of days, I've ventured out to a new 24 Hour Fitness and it's a Sport one, which means it's a little bigger and better. Plus, it's in a nice area.

Yesterday, I had BodyPump and TurboKick with an instructor I met and liked. She subbed a class elsewhere and has this quirky and bossy personality I gravitate towards. :) Sadly, she's on vacay for a couple of weeks. :/

I went to hot hula for the first time ever tonight and can say I may not be able to pass as Hawaiian anytime soon. My movements are too jagged. :/ I liked working my core, but I didn't enjoy the slowness, barefooted-ness (dirty feet), and the overall feel.

Shadowboxing afterwards wasn't that great either. It was taught by my favorite BodyPump and Zumba instructor. It involved some boxing moves and lots of boot camp. I love the unknown of boot camp yet I found bear crawls and mountain climbers on the sweaty floor pretty darn gross. The class was huge too so I didn't feel accountable for my movements. :/

Some eats:

Breakfast: lite English muffin with 2 egg whites, goat cheese

Lunch: salmon, goat cheese, and spinach filled tortilla

Dinner: kale salad with beets! First time ever having beets! A little mac and cheese and pieces of chicken from Whole Foods.
I bought a box of Walgreens' mission figs. Check out their new design!

Wanted: THIS realization

"I spent my whole life waiting to get thin so my life could start. Now I realize that I can’t wait for thinness to arrive in order for my life to begin."
- Wendy Shankar, The Fat Girl's Guide to Life

Gold hanger

When I get the chance to look at Design*Sponge, I can't take my eyes off... for hours. This is a tad bit harder but doable.

(image from Design*Sponge)

I'm a fan!

How easy is this? Who would have thunk... to paint the fan? There are so many possibilities besides the chevron pattern.

(image from Design*Sponge)

Spooning & forking

Could I do this myself... with otherwise gaudy silverware?

(image from Mixed Plate)

Southwestern waters

Why I love the Southwest and want to visit places like New Mexico:

(image from bigBANG studio)

Black & yellow helmet

Cool DIY helmet

(image from I Still Love You)

Riding a stolen bike?

Story of this picture: This is my cousin Chris and I. This is his bike, but I've clearly claimed it. He's trying to get me off. I easily learned to ride a bike - no one really taught me. Chris still does not. Sorry Chris.


Today worked out so well, I'm going to keep going at this. There are 2 scenarios for tomorrow, Tuesday.

• 8:30AM Wake up & dance! Really. Turn on music and dance.
  
• 8:45AM Assemble breakfast (acai bowl)
• 9:15AM Drive to interview
  
• 10AM Interview??
  
• 11:30AM Ride bike 5 miles/30 minutes - where??
  
• 12-12:15PM Lunch (eat the rainbow veggies wrap)
• 1PM Apply for 1 job.
• 2:30PM Read & rest
  
• 3:30PM Drink Shakeology & drive to gym in Costa Mesa
  
• 4:30PM BodyPump
• 5:30PM TurboKick
• 7PM Shower & consume protein powder
  
• 8PM Apply for 1 job.
  
• 10PM Drink my green juice
• 11PM Sleep

And #2:

• 8:45AM Wake up & dance! Really. Turn on music and dance.
  
• 9AM Assemble breakfast (acai bowl) English muffin with egg whites & Laughing Cow cheese
• 9:30AM Bike Mile Square Park twice (about 45 minutes-1 hour) with either Blogilates "Not So Walk In the Park" or the "Crazy Park HIIT workout" in the middle
  
• 12-12:15PM Lunch (eat the rainbow veggies wrap) random samples
• 1PM Apply for 1 job.
• 2:30PM Read & rest
  
• 3:30PM Drink Shakeology & drive to gym in Costa Mesa
  
• 4:30PM BodyPump
• 5:30PM TurboKick
• 7PM Shower & consume protein powder yogurt
  
• 8PM Apply for 1 job.
  
• 10PM Drink my green juice
• 11PM Sleep

Biker's hunger

Woke up for TurboKick this morning. Sub. Not feeling her, but I got a good sweat. I may have also hurt my left knee... I felt pain while kicking.

Lunch:

Plans changed. Biked for 2 hours. Went to Sprouts and found Australian-style/Colorado-made Noosa blueberry yoghurt on clearance for 99 cents. I've been wanting to try it forever.


Put a spoon in it for my mid-afternoon snack. I don't think I even had 1/4 of it. It's rich and delicious, but a lot of calories.

I applied for 8 jobs: 4 instructional assistant positions, part-time teacher position, 2 program leader positions, and for good measure, a sales associate job for active wear. :) Proud day.

Instead of hitting the gym for more cardio and yoga, I decided to ride my bike again. One more hour.

I got some lite English muffins and made myself an egg white + goat cheese English muffin sandwich for dinner.



I was hungry and on my adventure to Target earlier, I saw Vitalicious VitaSandwich.

(image from Wellsphere)

The only downside to biking: sitting on my bottom all the time.

Learning to be frugal

I've been rather fortunate to get what I want when I want it. But it won't last forever. Unless I marry rich, which I will totally do. I'm all for a loveless union because I don't plan on getting married. Yeah, I'm not really that into love and never have been. Maybe it's my low estrogen levels or somethin'.

I'm addicted to buying things, especially food because I can reason it. I buy something everything when, jobless, I should not be.

Thus, I've formulated a plan for the next few days of what I should do to stay on track and keep myself busy. The plan should cover pretty much every minute of my day. I'll do this daily.

First, Monday. Tomorrow:

• 8AM Wake up
  
• 8:20AM Drive car to gym
• 8:30AM Breakfast (Shakeology) in car
  
• 9AM TurboKick
  
• 10AM Power sculpt OR go to aunt's house & catch up online
  
• 11:15AM Lunch (salmon, shirataki noodles, napa cabbage mix)
• 12PM Apply for 6 jobs. Seriously Julie. Do this now.
• 2:30PM Ride bike about 2 hours!
  
• 3PM Afternoon snack (yogurt) & apply for another job! If time, read Fat Girl's Guide to Life.
  
• 5:30PM Green juice & drive to gym **Make sure to take my acai home with me somehow...
  
• 6:30PM Hip hop Ride bike for 1 hour!
• 7:30PM Yoga Eat dinner
  
• 9PM Be home, shower, & have protein yogurt
  
• 10PM Apply for 1 more job. YES. Finish it up. If I finish early, I can watch "Dexter!"
  
• 12AM Sleep!
  

NEWS*: You should be proud, I've stopped baking. Duh. Less calories (I say this as I'm finishing my night with a passion fruit marshmallow - I've had them for 3 weeks), less waste of $.

Herb [helmet] head

Yes, the bike again. This time, I'm talking about the helmet.

(image from DemonXtreme)

I want to DIY the helmet like Oh Joy.

But I want to make it my own with colors. Maybe? My helmet has holes/vents so I'm planning to apply them like Joy did then use an X-Acto knife to cut the decals at the vents.

(image from DecalRocket)