Month: January 2012

A New Year, A New You

CarrieLeave a comment

Thursday marked the return of many things great and not so good.  The Vampire Diaries and Secret Circle…great!   My WeightWatcher regimen…not so good!  Please don’t let me misguide you into thinking that I am going to be the next Jennifer Hudson.  I am a WeightWatcher for the simple fact that I need to maintain my pleasantly plump figure in order to avoid turning into a blimp.  I have all the training necessary to become the “ideal” weight, however, this is easier said then done.  As a culinary professional, it is extremely hard to keep “on track.”  It is necessary for me to indulge just to do research on new products.  With that alone, I am already at a loss…and I’m not speaking of a weight loss.  Since I have been attending meetings on and off for over five years, I would like to think of myself as a program expert.  Here’s one thing they don’t tell you…

It is not easy to be a social butterfly while on WeightWatchers.  Imagine this scenario: you are at your friend’s house on SuperBowl Sunday.  Your friend told you to bring your appetite because she was going to all the trouble of making a menu for the festivities.  On the table, your friend has laid out a delicious spread of stuffed potato skins, buffalo wings, pulled pork sliders, and green bean fries.  Your friend also has made cream cheese frosted red velvet brownies and pecan pie bars for dessert.  You are now faced with temptations all around.  What is a WeightWatcher girl to do?  The answer is to ask for a Diet Coke (don’t think you can have an alcoholic beverage..that’s three points that you can’t spend on food) and do NOT touch a single thing on the table.  I think it’s clear that in order to be successful you need to bring your own brown bag lunch to the next party.  Sure you might be nicknamed the “Paper Bag Lady” but at least you will not have gained a pound from attempting to be social.  Now this is just one scenario and I’m sure you can think of more on your own.

January is always an interesting time at WeightWatchers because there are always an influx of members due to the infamous New Year’s resolution.  On Thursday, I met a woman who was at her second meeting, which means that it was only  her first week of weight loss.  When you first start the plan, it is relatively easy because you haven’t been giving up the foods you love for a long period of time yet.  She happened to lose 7 pounds this week.  Our leader gave her a BRAVO sticker for this accomplishment.  (I guess WeightWatcher members have the mentality of a five-year-old.)  Give her a couple months and this enthusiastic woman will be the WeightWatcher rebel that I have become.

As the new year begins, here’s to hoping that we can simply be the best we can be.  I may never be able to reach the size 12 that I’ve always wanted to be, but at least I know that I am not going to surpass the plus size number that I wear (thank you for that WeightWatchers).  I might not be the next Jennifer Hudson, but I know that I am a beautiful person on the inside.  It’s not the number on the scale from week to week that makes me happy, it’s the person that I am everyday.

The Shows on My Mind

SadieLeave a comment

I think I lost my IKEA virginity at an early age and I kind of regret it because I was too young to appreciate or understand the experience.  I barely even remember it.  I should pay IKEA a visit to see if I can rekindle the flame.

It’s no secret to my friends that I watch more TV than the average bear (not something I’m necessarily proud of, but I suppose I have to own it).  This is a frustrating time of year because a lot of the prime time shows take a long hiatus during the holidays and don’t come back until mid to late January.  This practice annoys me because it’s the holiday season when I have time off and I’m hanging out at home with my family.  I would appreciate some good television to watch.  But thank goodness all the shows are about to come back with new episodes.

The two I’m most looking forward to:

I would like to see Zoe Hart hook up with Wade in “Hart of Dixie” on the CW.  I know that she sort of has her eye on George, but she would make such a better couple with Wade.  And Lemon needs a lot less screen time, I can’t tell if it’s an issue of bad acting or just a really annoying character.  And just a note to the CW: I cannot believe that “One Tree Hill” is still on the air…

I would also like to see Jess start seeing her roommate Nick in “The New Girl” on Fox.  It’s obvious they’re made for each other.  This is such a cute show, and it’s always so funny.  I used to look forward to “Glee” on Fox Tuesday nights.  Now I catch “Glee” if I can, but I will schedule my night around “The New Girl.”  It reminds me that even cool guys are nerdy, and nerdy girls are cool.

Zoey plays Jess on "The New Girl"

What are you looking forward to watching this spring?

“Balls!” cried the queen.

CarrieLeave a comment

Sadie I am going to have to try that cookie recipe.  Martha is at the top of my list when it comes to role models.  Talk about a woman with some kahones.  Speaking of kahones, it makes the perfect transition into the inspiration behind this blog entry.

Yesterday I went to the Philadelphia Gift Show in Oaks, PA.  I was looking to buy new items for the store.  I look for cute items that I think the general masses would appreciate in order to maximize purchasing.  While I did find many items that fall under this category, there is one item that I found that is up for debate.  Here, why don’t you take a look.

I can’t decide if I find this “ball sack” is highly appalling or slightly intriguing.  Perhaps it is a little bit of both.  I cannot imagine taking this item up to the register to purchase for anyone.  Imagine the onslaught of questions that you might get from the cashier. “Who are you buying these for?” “Is it a birthday present?” “You know this isn’t on sale, right?”
On a more informative note, I lost my IKEA virginity yesterday.  As I am remodeling my bathroom, I needed to look for mirrors with a white frame.  Apparently South Jersey is not the place to find exactly what I was looking for.  After exploring online, I found that IKEA offers the best selection at the best price.  Since it wasn’t far from the trade show, I stopped off in Conshohocken to take a gander.  Well, much to my chagrin, I was amazed!  Talk about quality products at an affordable price.  Walking around IKEA is like taking the yellow brick road in Oz.  The road goes on endlessly while encountering many enchanting stops along the way before you reach the emerald palace or what they call the marketplace.  If you plan on redecorating anytime soon, IKEA is an adventure awaiting you…just make sure to wear your sneakers!