The entire day I have felt drained. No energy whatsoever! Early part of today, I did not have any cravings for food, and I had to make myself drink the smoothies. However, by tonight I desire FOOD.
Today, I ate less. The snack I had after breakfast was blackberries and raspberries, barely a half cup portion of it. The remainder of the day I had about 6 or 7 almonds, 2 Brazilian nuts, 1 boiled egg, and three smoothies (replaced the three meals of the day). I also drunk a good amount of water today and two cups of detox tea.
Despite feeling like I may possibly faint, I was not hungry. I managed to go the gym and workout for a good thirty minutes. The last thing I wanted to do was over do it. For some reason I believe in pushing myself; unfortunately, at the gym I was not able to do that today, for obvious reasons. So for those who do decide to detox and workout, keep it light until you know how your body will be.
At this very moment, I WANT FOOD. But, fortunate for me I am going to sleep; therefore, no eating! Whenever you feel like you’re going to grab food, make yourself go to sleep, that way you can’t eat, haha.
By the way, I weighed myself this morning, and not to my surprise only a whopping 2.4 pounds gone. Maybe over indulging in the nuts yesterday did that or the lack of water. But, today was a new day, and I think the scale will have better results.
Where do I begin? Immediately woke up and felt a few pounds lighter (you know in the morning you always feel refreshed and lighter than the day before). So I had to weighed myself, and to my surprise five pounds smaller, yippee. Yesterday was easier than today. I was at home yesterday. Today I was at work; and during lunch I was watching other people eat and the smell of their food was really getting to me. I really wanted to quit, but I kept thinking about the five pounds. My biggest struggle of today was not having anything salty to eat. I was craving fried and salty foods.
Whenever I have done detoxes in the past I have experience headaches. Today was no different, the headache was really bad and was hours before it past. I did not drink as much water as I would have liked to today, so hopefully that will not affect the scale, fingers crossed.
The book says not to have more than a handful of nuts while snacking, but I had a couple of handfuls of nuts today. I couldn’t help myself. The scale will determine my success of today in the morning.
No meat, no artificial sweeteners or preservatives, nothing fried, no processed foods, only water, tea, and organic fruits, veggies, and nuts, must say this was a healthy day.
Well, spring break is a done deal. It lasted a great Monday through Friday, it’s now Sunday. Thinking back on all the scrumptious delights I ate during spring break brings me to what I have started today, a detox. I love food. I am a southern girl from Crescent City, and there is nothing that comes between me and good food. As soon as I arrived to New Orleans I already knew what I wanted to eat, Chinese! From Cajun to seafood to Popeyes to Chinese, EVERYTHING in New Orleans taste better than anywhere else. So upon getting into town, I ordered some Chinese food from my favorite local place. The taste is authentic, comforting, and reminisces of all the reasons I love going home. Besides all of that, the food is just that dang good! I ate so much food that every day I was sick. Ask me if I cared, I continued to eat. Now I know that sounds disgusting and glutinous. BUT, until you have gone to New Orleans and experienced the food, you simply will not understand. I do not care where I go, the food just does not compare. It is in its own category.
Here is some (not all) of the food I got to indulge in for a few days:
Crawfish MumMudbugs (Craw fish)Yummy Shrimp Fried Rice, Sweet and Sour Chicken (your choice of dark or white meat), and an egg roll the size of a burritoBeignets and Cafe Au Lait from Cafe Du MondeFried oysters and shrimp
Consequently, I have to get back into the habit of eating my fruits and veggies. Plus, after eating so much good food (mostly fried) my body needs a good detox. I have decided to do the 10 Day Green Smootie Cleanse created by JJ Smith. Now being the person that I am, I am not following the cleanse to the T. In fact, I plan to just do 5 days. I was told by a friend who has recently done it that she lost all of her weight within the first 5 days. She said after that nothing came off. So I figured 5 days will be sufficient enough for me too. The other change I am making is the smoothies. My doctor has always told me to stay away from all fruits except berries. So I will only be juicing berries with a small piece of pineapple for sweetness. Of course, I will have my leafy greens (turnip and mustard greens, kale, and spinach- these are the ones I juice with all the time). That is it for my changes. I am confident that this will be a good cleanse. Last summer I did something very similar except I only juiced for two meals instead of all three. That cleanse had good results.
Today is DAY 1. So far, I am craving everything but what I am supposed to have, but I am by no means hungry. On the 10 Day Smoothie Cleanse you’re able to eat nuts, veggies, and boiled eggs as snacks (read the book for more information on how much, when, and any other questions you may have). I have snacked on nuts today. The only nuts I am eating are Brazilian nuts and almonds. I am also drinking my weight divided in half in ounces. For example if you way 200 pounds you should drink 100 oz. of water.
I plan to share daily updates on how things are going.
Oh Bra, how incredible you are; how thankful I am for you. Some days we’re besties and other days enemies. As Machiavelli would say, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer”; Bra you know me better than any friend. Despite the discomfort you most often bring, we work together to achieve the challenge ahead- getting the girls through the day without breaking backs. Cheers to you Bra, I love you!
Every girl knows what it is to have found a bra that it just right. Finding the right bra can be just as hard, if not harder, as finding Mr. Right. There are key factors that must be taken into consideration: the uttermost one is comfort, style (for some this is not important, but to me it is- I like my bras to be cute), longevity (will it get me throughout the day- a good 10 hours), it needs to nip, tuck, and tighten in all the right places, and needs to be cost friendly (for bustier ladies a reasonable price is at least $40- to get a good bra).
I have purchased several of Lane Bryant’s bras. All of which ended up being either uncomfortable and left me feeling like I had more rolls with the bra on than off (so unattractive). Hence those experiences, I have promised myself that when I go bra shopping I will always look for these three things: comfort, wide enough ban on the back to prevent rolls and back support, and lifted support of the bust (who wants sagging boobs?).
Notice price is not a part of my list, why, because I am full busted. I have no say so in purchasing a cheap bra. All of my bras since high school have been $45 plus. My mother once bought me a bra, just 1 bra, that was $71. I simply cannot go cheap when it comes to my bust.
But, it is important to me that my bra is comfortable. Because I am heavy chested I need a bra that is comfortable and can support my load. Anytime my bras are uncomfortable my back hurts, which typically comes from having a bra that does not support my back very well. I find that the bras with wide bans across the back better support your back and prevent those rolls caused by bras.
Lastly, I hate that bras for bustier women do not have push-up affects like the ones at Victoria Secret for smaller busted women. Even though a full busted woman does not need anything extra, we still do not want our boobs to sag. Therefore, I also take into consideration when I am bra shopping to find a bra that gives my breast a lift.
Click pic to check it out online
With that being said, the following bra has all of the above: lifts the breast, supports the back and diminishes rolls, and this bra is very comfortable. This bra is so awesome that I went back to LB and purchased several of them; it’s that great!
Click pic to check it out online
CaciqueIllusion Full Coverage Bra
The great things about this bra is that it is full coverage, medium width strap (doesn’t dig into your skin), and the back is smooth, so no one even notices your bra.
This bra is available in quite a few colors. The price of it varies from size, $42.50- $54.50. Check it out online or in-stores.
lanebryant.com
If you have any questions or comments about this bra or anything bra related please comment below.
Spring has sprung among us fast! That means weddings are underway! Being a plus size bride can seem to be a challenge. Only because you’re making it that way. Finding a dress for any size woman is complicated. You are shopping for your WEDDING DRESS; it is not going to be easy. Your wedding dress carries so much sentimental value, so everyone searching for thee best dress for thee best day in their life finds it to be a challenge.
There is of course, the obstacle of wedding shops having limited amounts of plus size dresses available to try on. That is obviously a pain, and this is something that will be discussed more in depth in a later blog. But for now, I will review the following styles that are available at David’s Bridal.
I have had the opportunity to try on a few of their recently released and popular styles. People often look down on David’s Bridal dresses, I am assuming this is because they are economically priced and all over; however, David’s Bridal has exclusive brands and beautiful modern and couture style dresses.
Dress #1 I have never been a fan of trumpet style wedding dresses. Looking at the pictures, I’m sure you see why. It’s not just because trumpet style dresses are not very flattering on me, but because trumpets look more like a prom dress and suitable for a very fancy occasion rather than a wedding dress. This is only my opinion.
What is nice about this dress is that it is very flattering in the bust and waist. The sweet heart neckline sculpts the bust nicely, and the belt helps to break up the bust from the waist drawing negative attention away from the bust. Lace is often associated with grandma dresses; however, the lace on this gown is soft and subtle. Too many times we see plus sized ladies in thick satin dresses. Sometimes satin dresses are beautiful, but too many times on full figured women the satin dresses make the women look even thicker and adds bulkiness to the appearance. Lace dresses, such as this one, will not add any bulkiness to your appearance. This dress was also comfortable, which is important. 😉
For those seeking a trumpet style dress and are busty, I highly suggest the skirt be full like this one. Better yet, a skirt fuller than this one is even better.
Style # 9V3680Style # 9V3680
Dress #2 Princess Tiana would approve of this dress, especially if it was green. This is a true princess dress (ball gown). I definitely felt like one while I was in it. What I love about this dress is all that it contains. It has lace, organza, beautiful bead work, and layers of ruffles. The neckline is a slight sweet heart. Which draws positive attention to the bust. Because it is a slight sweet heart it minimizes the appearance of the bust. The skirt begins right above the hips. This creates and establishes curves, which draws the waist in. This style dress looks great on fuller busted women. Despite being heavy op top, the bottom containing a full skirt helps to balance it out. This style dress will also look great on women who are apple (barrel) shaped. The full skirt hides the slim hips and tummy.
Style #8CWG568Style #8CWG568Style #8CWG568
This Oleg Cassini is beautiful with or without a sash. I love the soft touch of color added to a wedding gown. A sash is a great way to add personal touches and a way to make a dress your own. You can always do this by creating something of your own, buying one from the store, or maybe even using something borrowed or old from a special loved one.
Dress #3 What I love most about this wedding dress is that it is simple yet gorgeous! The beauty of it is the simplicity and dab of sparkle. Drop waist gowns have always been my favorite. You’re able to have a drop waist in many ways: simple, layers, ball gown, sparkly, etc. This gown has an asymmetrical skirt with a few pleats, very tasteful in style. The sash is added to it, which assist with breaking up the waist and bust. The neckline is subtle and sweet. Perfect gown for those who want to look fabulous, but not over the top. I highly recommend this style dress for pear shapes and hour glass figures.
Notice the two different sashes. One is chunky and the other is thin. Just like the ball gown, you can add many different types of sashes to this dress. That is one of the benefits to a simple dress.
I hope that this dress review of three different styles assist those of you searching for a dress. I suggest you try on the various styles so you’ll know which style looks best on you and which one you feel the most confident in.
I really miss helping ladies find their wedding dresses, but I am glad that I have the opportunity to share with you guys on my blog. If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share please comment below.
Way too much time is spent on finding happiness. Can it even be found, or does it already exist within us? Underneath the layers of toughness, kindness, and bearing it all, lies the individual with strong desires to be as happy as happy can be. Happy, just the thought of it cracks a little smile on your face. Makes you crave to be it. Make Happy a part of your day. Why is it that we throw happiness to the side? Why is happiness not vital to our lives?
Happiness means more than memorable moments. It is to be a part of our daily experiences. Sure, not every moment of each day will bring tender sweet memories, but it is in a human’s best interest to make attempts to be happy in most things. In addition to more happiness giving your life less negativity, it also takes away stress. When you come to that realization that the things you cannot change are literally out of your control, you’ll live a stress free and happier life. Thus, I tell myself, when things get uncomfortable, that I have to let go of and accept the things that I cannot change and have no control over. From there, I move on and go back to laughing and enjoying my day.
The world is already full of stressful things that we do not have any control over. Adding our personal issues to the platter does not help. Negativity and stress also take a toll on our health, making it more logical to strive for happiness daily.
I had a rough 2014; therefore, I refuse to allow my 2015 to be anything but EXCELLENT. In order for me to succeed in that goal I have to strive for happiness daily, no matter what. Not allowing people or situations to dictate my mood or take away my joy. My happiness matters, and yours should too!
My many Happy Faces! Be Happy Jewels, it’s pretty on everyone! 😉
Think about this, “Happy” by Pharrell was the No. 1 Billboard song of 2014. People like to be Happy. So, be it!
Time has flown by so fast this year! It’s already Christmas! That means holiday parties galore. I decided this year to keep it simple. Simplicity is always in style, ESPECIALLY when you do not know how to dress for the occasion.
This outfit was simple but cute, and many people asked “why are you so dressed up”? Black jeans is
This is not the best picture, my apologies. I definitely need to invest in a quality camera.
not dressed up! But as we all know, black is dressy. The outfit consist of black knee high boots, black jeans, black lace top, and the piece that tops off this look is the black and white jacket. The jacket is the star of this outfit. I think the black just helped to make me look dressy, but the jacket is what made this piece stick out.
While thinking of what to wear to the next holiday party, you may not have to pull out last year’s little black dress, you can wear the jeans you wore last week with a super cute top. Jackets always make things more fun. Even more so if you can get your hands on a funky fun jacket. There is so much more to an outfit than clothes, accessories. I added a headband and jewelry to mine. I feel naked without accessories. Headpieces are a great way to be festive!
Where to find this outfit:
The top came from New York & Co.; the jeans, boots, headband, and necklace were bought at Forever21; the jacket was purchased at Dressbarn; and the watch is from Lane Bryant.
Even though I am not wearing a dress, which is what I would have normally worn, I still received many compliments. You do not always have to over do it at a party. Keep it simple, smile, be yourself and you’ll always turn heads. 😉
The Curvy Chateau 