See what happens when I don't eat for 8 days?

So I got crafty this weekend and looky what I did. I'm going to throw them into my etsy shop as soon as I get a few more done. These pictures don't do the colors justice, I was too lazy to color correct and actually use a decent background. But that red hat is freaking fabulous. Actually they all are. I wouldn't mind if they don't sell. I'll keep them all for myself.

See something you like? Let me know and I will reserve it for you and knock off a little from the price.

These are a few of my favorite things....

My recent blog post got me thinking last night. Sometimes I stumble upon certain items or products that really blow my mind. There isn't a plethora of things that get me really excited - but when I find that certain something I want to shout it to the world - "Hey try me out! I swear this doesn't suck!" I try not to swear by too many things - but these, seriously, are my favorite things.

This luxurious Tempurpedic bed has really made an impact in our sleeping and comfort level. I cannot tell you the difference we feel from our old mattress, or any mattress for that matter. It's expensive - but so worth it. Especially for you side sleepers - it's amazing to lay down and not feel the springs or creaks or sags. You just sink into it - your whole body relaxing in a pool of warmth. Get this mattress!

We have 2 disgusting pets. They shed all the time. I can't believe we ever lived without this Dyson Pet vacuum cleaner. If you know us, in the beginning Matt would give everyone that came over a cleaning demonstration for months after we got the Dyson. We got the one that specializes in pet hair pick-up. It rolls on a ball, which is so handy when it comes to cleaning corners, underneath the tables and sofas. Plus the price has gone down considerably from when we got ours years ago. Another tip - you can check out woot.com. I always see some kind of Dyson for sale pretty cheap.

You saw the previous post on Zico. Enough said.

This workout has really changed my body. I'm lazy and I don't like to do much. That's not a good way to lose weight. I had to find a way to really lose weight and gain muscle in a relatively short amount of time (3 months.) Before the wedding, I would check out the Knot wedding forum and all the brides would swear by the dvd workout. You can find it at Target or Amazon for under $13. Basically the 30 Day Shred is a workout dvd by Jillian Michaels from the Biggest Loser. It consists of circuit workout of 3 minutes strength training, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute abs - 3 times. No breaks, no water, nothing. It's really tough and you can feel it the first time you try it. The workouts come in 3 levels. For me, it takes about 5-7 days to master a level. One of the best things about the different levels are the girls on it. One of them, Natalie, is always doing the more advanced version of the workouts - higher impact. Anita is lower impact and very good to follow on your first few days. I've done all the levels and think level 2 is the hardest. But it really works! I could feel muscle tone in a week. After 2-3 months of the Shred I was looking amazing, had a ton of muscle definition and felt fantastic!

There is a lot of negative comments when I mention the Master Cleanse. Personally, I don't care. It works - you can lose up to 10lbs and cleanse your system out to the point of feeling light and amazing. Yes it is hard. Should it be a diet? No. Do I use it for one? Sometimes. But every time I come off the Cleanse, I do feel like a million dollars. I would not recommend this on a monthly basis. Maybe once a season. But those that have been down this road know the benefits and drawbacks. You won't keep the weight off unless you completely change your eating habits. Remember, the first few days you are losing water weight. That stuff comes back pretty quickly. But the Cleanse can be a great way to kick start a new diet or healthy eating routine.

I'll think about some more....

i love to torture myself...

I'm on the cleanse again. Yep, I know. Today is the end of my 3rd day. I have another co-worker joining me so it's been nice to have encouragement at work. We send each other negative instant messages about how much we hate this. It helps.

I've stayed away from the cafeteria and sit outside to read a book. Today I started to get really tired. I did work out the previous night and I could feel the effects. I went to visit a co-worker in the coffee shop and almost cried staring at the cupcakes and treats. I had to leave quickly.

Overall, it hasn't been too bad. I went to sleep after I got home today and am looking forward to more sleep. I'm down 7lbs. That may be only water weight, but I will take what I can get. Hopefully by late next week I will be back in normal weight range and just crank up my workout level to be ready for Jamaica. Damn bikinis.