Move Over, Gwyneth

I originally posted this over on my Weight Watchers Online Community blog. It's been a while since I shared here about my #healthyme journey, though, so since there was a stunning dress involved, I thought I'd post. It's been almost 2 years since I started this journey (check out the beginning over here), and while I've been on track for the most part, this past summer was really rough on me, my eating, and my activity. Here's the story of my little wakeup call, how I responded, and the dress I got to wear as a result.

Really. Eating clean works.

I mean, we all know this, but we all (not so) conveniently forget it. I had to remember over the last 3+ weeks, as I'd chosen to do a cleanse. It was a food-based cleanse led by the amazing nutritionist Ellen Kittridge, and my second attempt at a cleanse, at that. (My first attempt was Dr. Alejandro Junger's Clean Program. You know the one Gwyneth does? It was good, I felt great, and was happy eating clean. But a combination of the plan's restrictions and running nearly headlong into Easter candy sent me on a downhill spiral from which I just recovered.)

An unfiltered look at the stunning color of my beet, avocado, beet greens, banana, chia seed, raw cacao powder (with maca), and coconut water smoothie. I smoothie every morning for breakfast (after a glass of warm lemon water). I've been smoothieing since the beginning of the year, and feel best when I have this "ice cream for breakfast," as one of my WW friends says. Also, who knew? Chocolate + beets? OMG divine.

For me, the cleanse I just completed reminds me that:

• Eating whole foods is better: tastier, more fueling, and more nutritionally dense
• Eating more processed foods leaves me wanting: taste, fuel, and nutrition
• Eating sugar is not as tasty as I thought it was (seriously, sweet is too sweet now for me. I pray that stays around!), and it is not fueling nor is it nutritious
• Staying hydrated is very useful
• Eating enough to fuel and satisfy, but not more, is also very useful

One of my favorite dishes I picked up on the cleanse: a sweet potato and red lentil red curry soup with spinach. It's insanely easy to make, and with a squeeze of lime over? Eye rolling good. I was sad when I finished the last bowl of it for lunch yesterday.

All of this, folks, because I'm back on the losing train. I've been fighting (not very hard, mind you, which is why it wasn't coming off) to lose the last of the 10lbs I gained back over the summer's not-clean-eating reign. I didn't lose during the cleanse (there may or may not have been some fresh date+sunflowerseed butter madness in the evenings), but I didn't gain. And now that I've woken up and smelled the daily lemon water (I'm still caffeine-free, too!), well, I've stopped the nibbling and guess what? Down 1.5lbs.

Boom.

The wakeup call? It may or may not have been trying on the two Rent the Runway dresses I "borrowed" for the White Hat USA inaugural gala last night. (I'll do more of a review next week of the experience I started over here, but for those of you who have events, anything from a wedding to a black tie gala, this service? Crazy awesome. Dress rental. Duh. All price ranges, and you get to wear @#$% you'd never even think you could afford.)

All dresses fit, and the bigger size was too big (you get to borrow a bigger size for free, just in case), but as good as I felt and looked, let's just say I'm glad I'd not let gluten and dairy back in fully yet (since they sometimes to bloat me). I'm certainly going to reintroduce those things and see what happens, but I was on a dress-wearing-in-which-photos-will-be-taken mission.

The first dress I tried on a lovely, striking, and classic Narciso Rodriguez. This was Rosa and Bean No.2's favorite.

And then I tried on my obsession dress, an incredible Viktor & Rolf. The Bean loved this one, No.2 did not. This got the most #twitterfashionshow votes, and I felt amazing in it. Even if I did have to wear the belt from the larger size. My favorite comment? E of District of Chic wrote, "Boom goes the dynamite." I laughed. And I felt exactly like that.

With 2 days to go, I set out to eat as cleanly as possible, eating what I need to fuel my body well and enjoy it at the same time. I was hoping the belt might fit a little less snugly by the time Thursday came around.

This week I felt good and strong. I felt in control. I felt happy with my food choices, and satiated in nutrition, fuel, and taste - even without the activity that my bum knee still won't quite let me have (this weekend! Can't wait!). That's a huge win, people.

H and I in our "prom picture," before stepping out. I'll say it. I know I look good. But more importantly, I felt incredible. Absolutely incredible, glamorous, and, perhaps most important of all, comfortable and happy. I was also thrilled with my accessories. A reliable Ann Taylor satin and patent clutch from oh, about 2006, let me carry phone, card case, lipstick and gloss, and still have room for my Mom-Mom's rouched gloves once I took them off (I needed them last night! It was freezing!). My MIL's vintage fur stole kept me warm and cozy. My earrings were long, delicately colored danglers I got somewhere pre-Beans, and I pinned my braids up with a favorite hairpin I stalked back in the day at Simply Soles.

But looking this good in a dress? It's a dream. Quite literally one I never even allowed myself to have. Who woulda thunk I'd be wearing literally red carpet (and we're not talking the crap ass 3rd tier "premier" in the star's hometown, here, but LA-NY-London-level) gowns?

My newly rediscovered J. Renée sandals, bought ages ago on a lark in South Beach...

My two favorite men of the night, Dealer Doug, who kindly taught me the basics of H's favorite game, craps, and H. Also, it's a lot easier to learn a game when you're playing with funny money.

I bet on my Beans: I put "money" on the 4 and the 6 (their approximate ages). I didn't win (I'm a horrible gambler), but by "betting on our kids," the silent auction, and other fundraising activities throughout the night, we raised $327,000 for Children's National Medical Center and honored a volunteer who was once a patient. It was a pretty incredible and humbling evening.

I turned 40 Wednesday. And as my friend M and I texted (the dear friend with whom I ran the last leg of the Baltimore Running Festival relay marathon two weeks ago), "It doesn't hurt that we're fitter at 40 than we ever were at 30."

Move over Gwyneth (and Nicole and Michelle and ...), there's a new clean eating sheriff in town.

Style Obsession: What I'm Pinning, Tagging, Instagramming, and Following

First, let me apologize for the sporadic, practically non-existant posting. I was on a roll again, then we went to New Orleans (#NOLAoclock was amazing. absolutely amazing), then it was really busy, then I got sick.

So since I was home sick yesterday, and spent the day on social media, pinning, tweeting, and facebooking (yes, people still do that), I thought I'd share a few things over which I'm currently obsessing - in my tummy-bug-induced stupor.

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Retro style. Our #NOLAoclock trip left me wandering the streets, stumbling into delightful boutiques like Trashy Diva's 3 stores on Chartres. The shoe boutique, and its amazing collection of ReMix Vintage Shoes, the brown version of which one above came home with me. Seriously. ReMix copies real vintage styles impeccably. I could've bought 5 pair, at least.

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Mid Century. H and I have a long standing compromise-collaboration: he grew up in a decidedly contemporarily designed home, I grew up with antiques. Somehow, Mid Century Modern seems to meet in the middle. I find myself pinning all sorts of design from that period, like this amazing light fixture. I stumbled into the best shop ever, Loisel Vintage Modern, on Magazine Street during my solo day on #NOLAoclock, and spent probably an hour in there, snapping pics to show H. The owner was knowledgable and helpful. And I wanted it all.

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Clean Eating. Even before #NOLAoclock, I'd been toying with the idea of a formal cleanse. After a year of #healthyme focus, I eat pretty cleanly, but lord knows I still eat "treats," have a drink, and do lots of nutritional things that might not be the best for my body. So before we left, I'd done a little research and settled on the Clean Program (fellow GOOP followers, Gwyneth talks about this one, but it was my mommy who turned me on to it). It's logical, not terribly different from what I've been eating (ok, a fair amount, but still not difficult), and, not being a "juice cleanse," it includes, um, Real Food. Plenty of it. Since returning, from #NOLAoclock, I've started the preliminary "elimination diet," and am happy. Looking forward to using a bunch of the clean recipes I've been pinning all over.

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Minimal makeup. While I love a good smoky eye and drama, I do not have the energy or time - or inclination, for that matter - to do that every - ok, any morning right now. So when I do bother (and it is NOT every day), I blot on some Bobbi Brown powder, then swipe on whichever Red Lipstick happens to be in my purse. I think this one is part of a trio of reds I bought on Allie's recommendation from Revlon. So awesome.

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Grey walls. In anticipation of H's cousin (and the Beans' godmother) and her son coming at the end of June, we're high-gearing it into #OperationPrettyHouse, which is loooooong overdue. I refuse to have her come back to a home with the same walls and kitchen she saw at The Bean's 4th birthday. We're starting in our bedroom, where we went dark and luxurious, with what I see as a deep dove grey (Behr's Anonymous). A friend and designer recommended 50% white from the wall color for the ceiling color, so that we did. With our blonde wood furniture and what I hope will be a dramatic (um, mid century?) light fixture, it'll be stunning. If we ever finish it. Because it still looks like this.

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Virgin Atlantic. Seriously. As nice as they were to me yesterday, I'll fly with them whereever they go. I'd whined about a sick day on twitter yesterday, and their team, who happened to be in DC yesterday, scooted by, rang my doorbell, and brought me flowers. And a gift card. Really. Though it was, um, intimidating to have 3 coiffed and primped flight attendants smiling in my hallway whilst I was in a bra-less nightgown, it actually made me cry. Oh. And the handwriting in the card (they even gave me a card!) looks just like my BEF (Best English Friend)'s. So yeah. Tears.

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#DVFlovesROXY. Apparently, DVF is a beach lover, and is into the spirit that girl surfers, who give it their all, have. Me, too. I'm dreaming of my next surf lesson down tha shore this summer. And may or may not be plotting to spend my Virgin Atlantic present on these board shorts. Think they'll make my legs look like that?

Holiday Style: I Blame It on Gwyneth

Or rather, my dear online friend over at What Would Gwyneth Do. She posted earlier this week about being thrilled for Halloween because, though not a 'ween fan, it's the gateway drug - ahem - holiday to the rest of the holiday season.

Which is, of course, The Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Screw that Staples commercial.

While I must respectfully disagree with her Halloween stance (I lurv it! See my preparations here), I absolutely, completely 100% agree with the gateway holiday concept.

Up until, oh, last year, I had a very strict "I Don't Start Celebrating Christmas Until December 1" policy. Very strict. In high school, I had a bell I wore every day of December. But I wouldn't put it on until December 1st. My parents didn't decorate the house until December, we didn't Do Black Friday, and we most certainly didn't Finish Our Shopping Early.

Then I had kids.

Last year, I realized how much joy there is in the season, and how important it is for a family to establish traditions that The Beans understand and appreciate from all aspects of the holiday season. It's also important for Mama and Papa to celebrate.

So when someone posted about being eager to jump from spooky to snowy, it got my imagination going, and I couldn't stop pinning and party planning. So here, on the eve of a weekend when I'll be flying solo (H is away checking on our place down tha shore, among other family business), and will likely spend Saturday night quietly indulging in reality TV, cooking shows, and the internet, here's what I've found so far, along with my Pinterest boards the are particularly pertinent to All Things Cheery and Bright.

S'mores cookies. On The Big Cookie List of Cookies I Want to Make This Year. I will make at least 2 types, and bring home 6 more, one weekend this December. For more than 10 years, my college roommate and our two freshman year dorm neighbors (and dearest friends) and I have gathered for Cookie Day. We haven't missed a year of baking.

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Dark nails. My last manicure is still chipping away, and while last fall's Chanel Peridot is absolutely still on trend (I'm still madly in love with it and oh, so glad I bought 2 + the Graphite), I'm infatuated with the sleek, deep colors this fall brings us.

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Holiday classics. I know I'm not the only one who will recognize this still from White Christmas. I will watch it. I will make The Beans watch it. I will cry when they honor the General. And, this morning, as I was tooling around Pinterest, I had a brilliant idea: a Christmas Costume Party! Come dressed as your favorite holiday movie character! The possiblities are endless!

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Gleaming exaggeration. This Marc Jacobs skirt is making the Pinterest rounds. To me, it's everything glorious about dressing during the holidays. So if I don't have that costume party, you can wear this to my Christmas Cocktail Party. Because, whether H knows it or not, we will be having a Christmas party this year.

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I love fall. I love winter. I love snowy, foggy, gloomy days when you can curl up and snuggle, when you can bake your brains out, when you can take a walk in a Winter Wonderland.

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And then you can wear this.

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If you're not already following all of my Pinterest boards (and why wouldn't you be, she types confidently), here are a few of particular interest this season. If you pop on over to my Pinterest profile, I've just conveniently rearranged them to be at the tops. Enjoy - and pin away! I love seeing everyone else's pinspiration!

Party On... Exactly what it sounds like, all of my party inspiration, whether drinks, dresses, decorations, or daintly little treats.

#Sequins and Such One of my older boards, but, well, it's the holidays. So...sequins.

Thirst Quenchers Because Christmas Cocktail Parties need cocktails

Tis the Season I shuddered when my little sis was pinning Christmas crafts before Halloween. And then I started.

Food Designs This was my first recipe board, started before #healthyme. It has All The Good Things with cheese and fat that I'm going to offer guests for parties. All in moderation, my friends!

Sweet Tooth Designs I have one. So sue me. And the holidays offer me the chance to bake, bake, bake, then Give It All Away. Here are loads of dreamy desserts, some complicated, some insanely easy.

For When I Have Lots o' Time I started this board to pin those things that look like a lot of DIY fun. Turns out, there are some good gift ideas here. I have grandiose ideas of making gifts this year. Just like last year. And the year before...

For the Beans More DIY, but in theory Bean-focused. Though, truth be told, there are lots of things here that you could do Just Because, whether you've got Beans of your own or not.

Mama's Wish List So far, only 2 things. But it will grow. Someone let H know, please, that Pinterest is the Modern Girl's Amazon Wish List?

Winter Girl I won't go on any more about my Love For Winter

Weekends Around Town because we need to be stylish as we run our holiday errands and bake our cookies

#HealthyMe doesn't go away with Halloween. There are so many tasty ways to stay on track and stay inspired to keep moving. Really.

For H I find him sometimes difficult to buy for. So when I see something, I pin it.

There are more, but I'm sure you have your own Pinspiration, too. Where are you finding your holiday mojo this year? And don't tell me you aren't excited already. I just won't accept that. If I'm joyful, you have to be too.

[Grin]

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