Update -Primarily Plant-based

The first week of my Pescatarian/ Vegetarian lifestyle was easy. It was fresh in my mind and I was filled with blind determination. I knew what I wanted to do and I made sure to stay close to home so I wouldn’t be tempted to revert to my old eating habits. I felt great. My mind and intestines felt clear. I’m not sure if this was in my head or real but I loved the feeling. I wanted to keep it going but I still hadn’t bought groceries so I kind of fell off on the weekend. Not horribly but still not what I planned.

Week two was just plain sad… It was so sad I didn’t even track how many good days I had. As far as how I felt, I didn’t have the same clear, excited feeling. I was slightly stressed, distracted and questioning every decision I’ve ever made as an adult. Some of those things were huge and caused a lot of unnecessary anguish. I won’t say my new lifestyle was the cause because I don’t know. What I took from the first two weeks:

Don’t be a junk food pescatarian/ vegetarian
Be prepared
Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not perfect
- esp if you’re not a vegetable lover…
Have a backup plan when you’re on the go
Don’t skip meals unless you are planning to fast
- this is not medical advice
Keep a food journal or at least jot down food you weren’t planning on eating
- Ex: in my case it would be any meat other than fish

The picture at the top was the first meal I planned after going grocery shopping. It was a big deal because I wasn’t a fan of cucumbers. However I am challenging myself to try vegetables I don’t like. Sure I don’t love them but I’m glad I went for it because now I find them tolerable. The takeaway is give yourself leeway without completely forgetting your original goal(s).

New Job – Studio Manager

I’m working now!!

I’ve been contemplating getting a part-time job for a while now but every time I applied for something I’d get a queasy feeling in my stomach. When I decided to push fear aside and go for it I had 2 opportunities at once not to mention a few temp agencies seeking me out. The job I ended up accepting was the one I didn’t even apply for. A friend recommended me and that how I got it! I won’t go into specifics but I didn’t get the queasy feeling so I knew it was right for me. I am not going to say who I’m working for until I ask if she’s okay with it first but I love my new job.

I’m a Studio Manager for a small business. I organize, maintain and help with the day-to-day stuff. This particular industry is very new to me but will help with something I have desperately wanted to do. Hopefully she’ll allow me blog/ vlog about my experience with the service I want! More on this later 🙂

I feel good about the work I’m doing because it is familiar and different. I was having a very hard time in the beginning balancing work and home life but I’ve gotten into a groove; not a routine but a good flow. Some days I am thrilled to be at work enjoying the change of pace from my SAHM life. Other days I feel like a horrible neglectful parent/ wife and those days are extremely difficult emotionally speaking. Being a SAHM for almost 3 years has been strange yet rewarding but I’m looking forward to all my new adventures as a working mom.

Lifestyle Change – Pescatarian/ Vegetarian

abundance agriculture bananas batch — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I’ve been considering being a pescatarian or vegetarian for a while but never fully committed. Now I feel inspired to give it a try. I’m not going to commit to a specific duration because I’m hoping this will be a permanent change. I know myself and the people I’m surrounded by so there will be challenges but in the end everyone will be supportive (or tolerant).

agriculture basket beets bokeh — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I plan to read the Meatless Machine chapter in the book 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferris. He was spot on helping me lose weight (though I’ve fallen off the wagon and burned it…) so I trust this source to get me started with all around health and nutrition for my seafood only journey. I still plan to transition to full vegetarian but I feel pescatarian is a more realistic goal for now. I’m not a huge fan of vegetables. So the first thing I need to do is research recipes in order to make my meals edible. Once I get that down I’ll start trying new things. Any advice or helpful tips would be more than welcome.

Thanks in advance!

YouTube: Journey to Mommy

I’m on YouTube! Below is a link to my newest unboxing video.

I decided to start posting on YouTube a few months ago because it is easier to show products in a video. I have a few review and unboxing videos but going forward I will have more. I plan on having 3 playlists for now: health and fitness, unboxing and reviews as well as my YouTube adventure.

Health and Fitness will at times replace the blog because I’ve been failing to update it since I haven’t made any real progress. I feel YouTube will give me the opportunity to quickly own up to my healthy lifestyle struggle rather than having a repetitive apology blog. Reviews and Unboxing are fun things I like to do because sometimes (esp when buying online) you need to see how an item looks while in motion. And you want to see someone you know trying it out. My YouTube adventure will be an amusing look at the process I’m going through to start my channel and work through anything that comes up.

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I hope you’ll join me on YouTube as Journey to Mommy starts creating videos 🙂 And thank you for reading and subscribing to my blog. It means a lot when I see people not only found my tiny corner of the internet but also liked what they saw and chose to stick around ❤

Motivation & Habits

Do you remember her from my Motivation & Habits post? If not feel free to check it out!

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NOTE: I asked the woman above for permission to post this screenshot.

Well I did exactly what I intended to do but with a twist. After checking out http://www.ryschyragz.com I decided to purchase motivation items. These are items I intentionally bought in a smaller size to inspire and remind myself to stick to my healthy lifestyle. This is also a form of financial motivation for me as I do not like to waste money.

I bought 2 shirts and pants.

I’m an XL or XXL depending on the shirt and pants size 16/18. The shirts are both medium which I didn’t plan but they were too cute to pass up. I originally bought a different pair of pants but they were out of stock. She explained what happened, apologized for it and sent me the pants below in 2 different sizes (L & XL). Not only was I pleasantly surprised by the customer service but she included a nice note saying thank you and acknowledging what happened. Now I don’t know about you but good customer service is getting harder and harder to find so when I get it I become a regular customer.

The surprises kept coming as I tried the clothes on. I tried it on to see how much I needed to lose before any of it fit. I mean they don’t fit correctly but at least I got them on! I’m wearing the XL pants in both pictures as I was under no delusion that the Large was going to go up far enough for me to take an appropriate picture.

The shirts are both soft to the touch and feel good on. The pants have great stretch so even if they don’t look like the correct size* trust me and try them on. I’ll have an update as I lose weight and can fit them correctly. But for now I will definitely be a returning customer so I can get something that fits now 🙂

*For my exact measurements please see my April 2018 Weigh In post.

April 2018 Weigh In

No Your eyes do not deceive you. I am using the same picture again but this time I am using it as a comparison. Full disclaimer the pictures below were actually taken in April however it was 3lbs ago so I feel it’s still a fair representation.

Actual Date: 5/4/2018

Weight: 227.1lbs

Measurements in inches

Chest: 46

R/L Arm: 16

Waist: 45

Hips: 51

R/L Thigh: 29.5

Goal(s):

Stick to some type of diet/ healthy meal plan (IP!!!)
Read something other than children’s books (Check)
- The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
Exercise 3x/ wk (IP)
- I did this 3wks in a row then not so much so mostly a win
Post monthly updates on/after the 8th for accountability (Fail)

Is this were I wanted to be for my first weight post in a long time? NO but I am no longer beating myself up about what I know I did or didn’t do. I know what I ate, how much I worked out and what I let distract me from my goals. This time is different because I don’t feel like a failure. I feel like a work in progress. I feel stronger and more powerful because I’m not quitting. I feel grateful my body hasn’t failed me though I have put it through way too much stress and strain. The best feeling is seeing the progress even though I didn’t think there was any. My current versus my original shows a slightly smaller body but most noticeable to me is my waist. Again I can’t tell when I look at myself because breasts are in the way but this picture shows I have made physical changes.

To my body:

Thank you for not giving up on me. Please accept my apology for the abuse and know that I will never give up on you again.

With all my heart,

JTM

Putting It Out There – Career/ Business

I’ve often wondered how reviewer/ product testers get in contact with their favorite brands in order to get sponsored. I’ve looked into a few things on my own but not many end up being real. I am here to ask for advice from people capable of pointing me in the right direction. I know all information comes with BUTs because no one can guarantee a company will have any use for what I can provide; detailed reviews and suggestions for improvements but any useful advice would be very much appreciated.

Drum Roll please:

Target Corporation – This has been a favorite of mine for years and I frequently refer to it as my happy place. 2 of the 3 other companies mentioned were discovered at Target. The Starbucks inside are an added bonus.

Just started using big pack of wipes; I normally use the paper masks

Yes To, Inc. – Specifically Tomatoes. I love their sheet masks but I can’t use them as often as I like so I am not positive they work so much as I enjoy using them during my Spa Day.

Out of wipes so this is just an empty package 🙂

SheaMoisture – Favorite products African Black Soap: Clarifying Mud Mask, Body Wash & Clarifying Facial Wipes; Raw Shea Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Head-to-Toe and last but not least Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen and Restore Leave-In Conditioner. They also have makeup I would love to try.

Need to restock my oils because this is all I have left

NOW Foods – ALL THE OILS!!! I’m kidding I haven’t tried them all (though I’m working on it) but I am obsessed with a lot of them. I’ll name my top 3 there are a lot: Sweet Almond, Jojoba and Grapeseed/ Avocado (these I use interchangeably).

There you have it. It is now in the universe and even though I will not give up in pursuing these brands I’m hoping someone with the knowledge I need finds my space and points me in the right direction. Also this is not me saying I wouldn’t be open to other brands especially ones with natural ingredients, fair trade practices or local businesses. I’m simply saying this is a list of companies I currently use/ go to.

PS – I’m counting this as a digital Vision Board because lets face it it would be a dream come true to have my favorite brands find my corner of the internet.

Review: NICETOWN Thermal Insulated Grommet Blackout Curtains for Bedroom (2 Panels, W42 x L63 -Inch,Grey)

Pros:

Color
Great if you have low ceilings
Looks expensive when ironed (which I didn’t do because I hate ironing)

Cons:

Must use two panels otherwise it is not a total blackout curtain
- single panel stretched out allows light in as it doesn’t have an additional backing like expensive blackout curtains

Overall: I would and HAVE purchased again. Once I realized I needed two panels for each window I purchased more in grey for my bedroom and also purchased in navy blue for my living room. The link below shows fabric and grommets.

While this post isn’t sponsored by anyone, I was able to buy it with gift cards I accumulated through taking surveys. I still worked for the gift cards but it wasn’t part of regular income.

Review: Decopolitan 7/8-Inch Square Window Treatment Rod Set, 36 to 72-Inch, Nickel

Sorry about the lighting. Left side of the full rod picture is closest to actual color

Pros:

Affordable less than $15 as of 1/8/18 (price varies)
Bright nickel finish
Sturdy
Fast shipping with Amazon Prime

Cons:

Price varies which is important if you want to buy more
Scratches easily (could be result of how I was moving it)

Overall: I would purchase and recommend as long as the price didn’t go over $20. Looks very nice for the price 🙂 The link below shows the rod up close

While this post isn’t sponsored by anyone, I was able to buy it with gift cards I accumulated through taking surveys. I still worked for the gift cards but it wasn’t part of regular income.

What I’m Eating – March

Mustard Deviled Eggs with bacon & paprika

Bean Soup (red beans, lentils, kale, celery and shrimp). Cook with vegetable broth and no shrimp to make it vegetarian or vegan

Tuna & Cucumbers (still don’t like cucumbers)

Pork Roast w/ Sauteed Kale & Bell Peppers

Primary Menu

Category: Life Changes

Update -Primarily Plant-based

New Job – Studio Manager

Lifestyle Change – Pescatarian/ Vegetarian

YouTube: Journey to Mommy

Motivation & Habits

NOTE: I asked the woman above for permission to post this screenshot.

April 2018 Weigh In

Putting It Out There – Career/ Business

Review: NICETOWN Thermal Insulated Grommet Blackout Curtains for Bedroom (2 Panels, W42 x L63 -Inch,Grey)

While this post isn’t sponsored by anyone, I was able to buy it with gift cards I accumulated through taking surveys. I still worked for the gift cards but it wasn’t part of regular income.

Review: Decopolitan 7/8-Inch Square Window Treatment Rod Set, 36 to 72-Inch, Nickel

While this post isn’t sponsored by anyone, I was able to buy it with gift cards I accumulated through taking surveys. I still worked for the gift cards but it wasn’t part of regular income.

What I’m Eating – March