Friday, October 28, 2011

Proper Math - My First VLOG!

Please to excuse the stumbling around my words, general awkwardness, lack of concentration, overuse of the word "freakin,'" upside-down preview picture with crazy-woman eyes, and jitters.  This is my first vlog and I promise to get better.  I did this in my pantry - pretty ironic for a weight loss blogger, isn't it? 


Thursday, October 20, 2011

In A Dark Place

I had a post I was going to publish today, but it just doesn't seem the day for it.  I'm in a dark place.  It's just been about the past 24ish hours and these funks don't last long for me, but I'm riding it out and learning while I do.

In my darkness I'm trying to remember that food's not a comfort and that I'm in the process of building a stronger me.

Please stay with me.  I know I haven't been terribly present here, but I'm usually always available if you need me.  I am, 99% of the time, a frightfully positive and upbeat person and truthfully I was going to skip writing anything today (y'know, the ol' "If you don't have anything positive to say...." thing).  But I wanted you all to know that even the most upbeat and positive among us have dark days - days where they can't stop the tears and can't quite pinpoint why.  It's clear I just need to let them fall.

I want you to know, dear reader (yes, I totally ripped that off from Stephen King), that I am fine.  I am, at the core of me, a very happy person.  I am thankful.  I am one-fourth of an incredibly awesome family.  I just need to feel what I'm feeling.

(and also - yes, one off day won't derail me.  I have said this to others more times than I can count and I need to remember my own advice)

Until later - I hope you all are well.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

#Shrinkvivor Check In *and* Stuff Just Got Real Up In Here

Today's the second weigh-in for the challenge I'm involved in over at The Sisterhood of The Shrinking Jeans.  It's called "Shrinkvivor" based on the reality program of a similar name.  I really don't want to be kicked out of my tribe but it may just be a reality this week.
On my first check in last week, I had lost 4.6 pounds from our initial weigh-in!  Success!  This week?  Not so much.  I could make 6,000 excuses about why I gained (yes, you read that right - GAINED) 1.8 pounds since last Wednesday (which honestly f's with my mind because my Weight Watchers WI day is Saturday, but whatever) but the fact remains that the decisions I've made regarding those Devil Cookies (Strawberry Shortcake Cookies - my own invention.  Maybe I'm the Devil) were all mine. My exercise was good-ish (new word!) but could have been better-ish (another one - two in the same sentence!)

So what's all this mean?  It means I took a minute to update my Weight Loss Spreadsheet that I keep.  I hadn't updated it since late August because, you know, it wasn't pretty.  But I sat down and updated it anyway.  You can see all the dirty truths on my "Progress" page, which you can find at the top of the blog.  But the long and short of it is I been in the 30 Pounds Lost club since JUNE 20TH.  I have been losing and gaining the same 5 pounds for THREE AND A HALF MONTHS.  And that, my friends, mean I've been a Half-Asser.

In updating my spreadsheet I also realized that I started recording my weigh ins A YEAR AGO.  10/4/10 was my first one and while I will certainly take 35 pounds lost in a year because that's a hell of a lot less than I weighed last year at this time, I know in my heart I can do better than this. And aren't I trying to teach my children that if you're going to do something, do it with passion and drive?

So, all I can say right now is that I'm going to push harder.  I'm going to keep this all in mind during the moments that I feel week (like with those stupid damn cookies, or when I feel stressed out).  I want more for myself.  I want more for my family - and nobody's going to give it to me.

I HAVE TO EARN IT.

So here's me, setting off all fresh and stuff....ready to earn it!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

How To Make Your Own Laundry Soap (A Tutorial!)

Ok, I'll start this off by saying that this post has NOTHING to do with weight loss, or being fat, or eating, or any of that regular stuff I write about.  This post has to do with making your own laundry soap.  I've been doing this for a while now and I've got the process down pretty good.  When I post on Facebook that I'm doing it, I get a lot of requests for the recipe I use.  Honestly, I just Googled a recipe and tried it, then tried another after that one until I found one I like.

I have a family of four plus an in-home daycare with four extra full-time children.  That's a lot of laundry each week, and I usually make a double batch of what I'm about to teach you how to make - and it typically lasts us about 6 months.

Here's how you do it:


Tools You'll Need:



  • 3.5 gallon bucket or larger
  • medium saucepan
  • grater
  • wooden spoon
  • bowl or cup for dipping
  • dry 1-cup measure
  • funnel
  • wet ingredient measure
  • clean and empty detergent containers

(Note - all my tools are used only for soap making.  I find the idea of using the saucepan I melt soap in to make pasta a little disgusting)

 
Ingredients You'll Need:




  • one bar of soap (I use Ivory)
  • 2 cups powdered Borax
  • 2 cups washing soda (NOT baking soda)
  • water


You can find the Borax and washing soda in the laundry section of just about any supermarket (including WalMart)


What To Do:

Pour 1 quart of water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  While this happening, get out some of your aggressions on the bar of soap and use the grater on it!  Although it'll look like grated cheese when you're done with it, I swear it tastes NOTHING like grated cheese.  Don't eat it!




When the water has come to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the grated soap.  Continually stir until the soap is melted.  It's going to take a little bit, so be patient.  While melting, you'll have to squish the clumps of soap up against the sides of the saucepan with your wooden spoon.  Even though it doesn't seem like it will all melt, EVER, it will.  I promise.  When it's melted, it'll look a bit like this:




Now, dump this melted soap mixture into your clean bucket.  To that, add the 2 cups of Borax.  Continually stir until the Borax is dissolved  Don't get freaked out, the stuff is going to gel up - that just means the Borax is doing it's job!  Once it's all dissolved, it'll look like this:

I know, I know.  It sort of looks like grits.  Again, don't eat this stuff.  Totally does NOT taste like grits.



Next, add the 2 cups of washing soda and stir until dissolved.  This time, your mixture will get all milky-looking and although it's still a bit gel-y (new made up word!), there will be a litlte grittiness to it when you're done.  That's ok! Keep stirring a little while longer.  The mixture will be thick.  When done, it will look like so -



Next, you need to add 2 gallons of water to this stuff.  Continually stir as you add, so everything's incorporated as it should be.  This is an easy step, so no detail is necessary!  When it's completely mixed, you'll get a big bucket of laundry soap looking like this:



It's time to transfer your concoction to your containers!  Do this carefully as the stuff will still be warm.  For goodness sake, DON'T SPILL IT!  Set up your filling station like this -
This is where the bowl comes in.  I use it as a dipper.  Go slowly.  Wipe down each bottle after filling. Give the mixture a stir after each filling to prevent settling.

Then guess what?  You're done.  Clean all your materials, and then store them.  I store everything in the bucket.

I use 1/2 - 1 cup of this soap per load of laundry, depending on the size & nastiness of the load.  Be sure to shake the container of soap well before each use.  It will separate and gel, but a really good shake before use will combine everything again.  I make a double batch of this for about $5 and as I said, it lasts me 6 months.  So essentially I spend $10 a year on laundry soap, and I know exactly what's going into my soap.

I should add that this detergent won't suds up much (if at all), but don't worry - your clothes are getting clean!

If you give this a try, please let me know how you like it!



@Chobani Giveaway Winner!!

I want to thank everyone who entered this giveaway!  It was so awesome reading what everyone was going to be doing to make their lives healthier.  And for one lucky reader, it's going to be a little easier soon when they receive their very own CUSTOM CASE of yogurt from Chobani!!

And the winner is......






AMANDA!  (@mandy_hanks)!!!!

Congratulations, Amanda!  Please email me at goodbyefatgirl@gmail.com so I can get your information to pass along to the awesome folks at Chobani!!

Thanks again everyone!

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

CHOBANI YOGURT GIVEAWAY

I can't begin to tell you how unbelievably excited I am to roll out this latest contest.  The folks at Chobani Yogurt have generously ponied up AN ENTIRE CUSTOM CASE (12 cups - your choice of flavors) of their incredible Greek yogurt for one of my lucky readers!



Never heard of Chobani?  Chobani makes this incredibly protein-rich DELICIOUS Greek yogurt.  And they seriously did not pay me to say that.  I'm just so damn excited about their products I had to tell you about them. Each cup is low in Weight Watchers PointsPlus values (3 to 4 for the ones I've tried) and FILLING.  Since they're packed with protein, I can have one of these babies for breakfast with a banana and be completely satisfied until lunch. 

But you know what I REALLY like to use these for?  Check it out - peel the lid off of a strawberry/banana 2% Chobani.  Mix well (this is key, ya'll....if you don't mix well, you're gonna get that Greek yogurt "wang" taste.  Not my favorite). Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top.  Freeze for about 1 -2 hours.  What you will be greeted with when you open the freezer door is pure perfection, my friends.  It tastes like soft-serve ice cream.  For realsies.

Anyway, want to know to win?  There are a couple of ways you can get entries in the contest - pick one or all of them, I don't care!  You can have as many entries as you want!!  The contest will be open from the minute I post this until 11:59pm CENTRAL time on Saturday October 8th.  That is over 3 days to get as many entries as you can!  Here are the ways to do it! (each method secures you one entry)

  1. Comment on this post telling me one positive thing you're doing today to make your life a healthier one (one entry - you can come back each day for an additional entry!)
  2. Follow me on Twitter - @AdiosFatGirl & leave a comment on this post telling me you did so - if you already follow me, let me know that too! (one entry only)
  3. Follow @Chobani on Twitter and leave a comment on this post telling me you did so - if you already follow Chobani, let me know that too! (one entry only)
  4. Tweet about this contest (copy & paste the following) I entered the @Chobani giveaway on @AdiosFatGirl 's blog - You should too!  http://bit.ly/pQcNmN then come back & comment letting me know you did! (You can earn an entry each day you do this!)
It's that easy!  On midnight Saturday, I'll close the comments and announce my winner either Sunday or Monday morning.  Sorry, international friends - this contest is only open to the folks in the US.

Here's what you'll get - a full custom case (12 cups!) of delicious Chobani Greek Yogurt - YOUR choice of flavors!  Here are the flavors you can choose from

Non Fat
  • Black cherry
  • Lemon
  • Plain
  • Blueberry
  • Honey
  • Raspberry
  • Peach
  • Pomegranate
  • Strawberry
  • Vanilla


Low fat (2%)
  • Mango
  • Plain
  • Pineapple
  • Strawberry Banana

So get those entries in!  I can't wait to see who wins!!



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Comments are closed for this post!  Thanks to everyone who participated!!




 
 
 
 


 
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