Who isn't struggling with something?

One of my friends recently came across my blog. She asked me if I knew it was public and available for anyone to read. I was kind of surprised about her question; isn't a blog supposed to be public? 

I struggled personally and privately with my weight-loss journey. When I began last September I didn't tell anyone that I was trying to start a different lifestyle. Part of this was because I had failed many times before at my attempts at dieting, and part of it was because I honestly didn't know myself if I could be successful. Ryan knew of course that I was watching my portions and upping my exercise because he saw that every evening. My parents knew because I see them multiple times a week, and when I finally lost 10 pounds I was able to tell my mom.

I don't understand why anyone would want to keep their weight-loss success a secret. My sister was probably the biggest supporter of anyone throughout my journey. She was constantly giving me compliments and she received most of my old clothing! It took awhile before some people complimented me though. I'm not sure if it was because they didn't want to mention they noticed a weight-loss, or that they were jealous, or a combination of the two. 

When I think of my close girlfriends, all except one are currently on a 'diet'. Even yesterday when my mom and I were shopping for dresses for an upcoming wedding, my mom mentioned how she needs to lose a few l-b's for the wedding. I wish I could grab all of my girlfriends and tell them that a diet won't work. Yes, you will lose those 10 pounds you need for your upcoming wedding. No, you will not keep it off if you go back to your old eating habits. Eating clean and healthy is the best way to lose weight. It will come off and you will be able to keep it off. I promise. 

Even though weight-loss was my personal struggle just half a year ago, I realize many of us are struggling with various things all the time. Financial hardships. Relationship issues. Job stress. Whatever you are dealing with in your life, just take a minute and look to the future. Where do you want to be in six months and what can you do to get there? Keeping a food journal and setting goals really helped me map out where I wanted my journey to take me and I think it is what helped me be successful. 

Although it is a bit scary knowing anyone can read now about my struggles and where I started, I'm also incredibly proud of what I've done. It wasn't easy. It took a lot of hard work and dedication and patience. I actually wish I had blogged during my journey. When I look back at where I started from, I can't really believe any of what I did was real. I am so glad I recorded everything I ate and all of my workouts, because these past seven months passed by so quickly. I can't even believe how successful I was. 

To my girlfriends struggling with their weight loss, I encourage you to make a blog and be brutally honest with yourselves. It is the only way to be successful and you will be so proud when you finally reach your goals as well.

Beginning Bec's Bakery

Doesn't this cupcake look amazing?!? Well guess what? It tastes just as good as it looks. Behold the Triple Oreo Cupcake. Oreo infused batter, Oreos in the frosting, and topped with a delicate miniature Oreo (oh, and there's an Oreo under the batter. But Triple Oreo sounds better than Quadruple Oreo, right?) This was one of my first cupcakes I made last winter, and it was a huge hit with my husband and family.

You can now enjoy this cupcake, plus any of the cupcakes, cookies, cakes and cobblers I'll feature on my blog. I've decided to begin baking for the public! I've received so many compliments on everything I've baked (plus a few criticisms) and I want to share my creations with everyone. I enjoy baking, so, so soooo much, and I want to share that joy with people!

Please contact me if you are local to me (Southwestern PA) and you are looking for someone to bake for an upcoming event. Since I am just beginning my rates are very reasonable. I would just like a recommendation from you after your event to help spread the word! Oh, and I'm a huge fan of free samples :o)

Rainy days & Mondays always get me down...

Happy Monday! What's the weather like where you are today? Here in SW PA it's raining and spitting snow. I can hardly believe it. Last month on this day it was 83 degrees and sunny. Mother Nature sure has some crazy hormonal swings!

Every week on Monday I will be beginning to post my previous week's daily food journal and exercise. You may not find this that interesting, especially because it had already happened, but to me publishing something online will hold me even more accountable for how I'm fueling my body. So I said earlier I eventually would like to weigh 115, preferably by our party in July. My first goal is going to be 122 lbs. I really enjoy reaching mini goals, and I find it way easier than pushing for losing 12 pounds right away. 

I read my friend's blog this morning (the one who encouraged me to join her 12 week challenge) and she mentioned in her recent entry that reading my blog has made her stop and think about her breaking point. For her, it was people at her wedding asking her husband how he lost weight and here, she had gained weight from the stress of planning a wedding and a sedative job. So here's a shout-out to you, Nicole. I know in the beginning it seems like it will be a long and hard climb, but as soon as those results start happening and you see them, you will want to power through. You know I'm here to support you as well!

Today also would have been my pap's 85th birthday. I can't believe it has been 8 years since he passed away. It is really strange sometimes when I find him sneaking across my mind. Ryan and I live in my grandparents' old house and we are completely remodeling it. When we first moved in a few freaky things happened (light switches turning on, doors open when we knew we had shut them) and we I was convinced my pap was still here. (My grandma is still living with my cousin and her family about an hour away.) Then I realized if he was here, why would I be afraid? He was someone I loved so much while he was living and surely he would be thrilled with the updates we are doing here. It's crazy, but if we were celebrating his 85th birthday, I would be right here in this house today anyways! It is days like this that give me reassurance that Ryan and I have made the right decision to choose to be here in this home.

I'm starting to really get anxious waiting for Kitty to have these kittens! She was at the vet 4 weeks ago on Wednesday and he said she was about halfway through her pregnancy. The average cat is pregnant for 63 days. Fingers crossed it will happen soon! 

If you have decided to make today the Monday you start changing your life, good for you! Any day is a good day to start. My anniversary is the 19th of every month and I look forward to that day to take some time and reflect from where I began and map out where I see my immediate future going. Hope you all have a great start to the week! 

Motto

Kate Spade Spring 2012

This purse is fabulous. I bought it last week because I don't think it's possible to own something that better describes my life. It's Kate Spade and unavailable on the website anymore. I first saw it back in February when the spring line came out and I waited, and waited, and waited some more until it went on sale. But it wasn't on sale enough for me. Then miraculously, KS offered a 25% coupon on their Friends and Family Weekend Sale. Hallelujah! So I immediately bought it. It's really bigger than I thought it would be, but there's 3 inside pockets, one with a zipper, and a zip top. It's perfect for running errands or even using as an overnight bag.

Great Grandma's Cinnamon Cookies

Cinnamon cookies

Ok, most of you will realize by the end of this that these are Snickerdoodles. But, in my family they're called Cinnamon Cookies. My dad asked me to make these and I didn't have a recipe. Luckily, my mom had the original one that belonged to my great-grandma. She copied it to me and I said, "I can't make these tonight, I don't have all these ingredients." My mom gave me a strange look because I always have flour, sugar, heavy cream, plus most normal things someone who bakes frequently would stock in their pantry. "What don't you have?", my mom asked. "Oleo", I said. She looked at me weird again. "You bought 8 boxes when it was on sale three weeks ago!" she said. Finally it was me looking at her weird. "Mom, what the hell is Oleo?!?" I asked her. "Bec", she sighed, "It's margarine!".

Did you know what oleo was? I honestly didn't have a clue.

Cinnamon Cookies (makes approximately 48)

2 sticks oleo (margarine or I always use unsalted butter in everything I bake)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tarter

Cinnamon and sugar (for rolling)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking liners. 

Using the flathead paddle attachment on a stand mixer, mix together the first three ingredients.

 Add the salt, vanilla, cream of tarter and baking soda.

 

Slowly add in the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom of the bowl doesn't have any flour that the paddle isn't incorporating.

Get your baking sheets lined up! This is the fun part! In a small bowl combine some sugar and cinnamon. I used probably 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon because I like my cookies really cinnamon-y. I pretty much add cinnamon to everything.

Roll the dough into balls roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter. They will flatten out in the oven so you can make them smaller or bigger depending on how you prefer your cookies. 

 Roll the balls in the mixed cinnamon and sugar. I really coated mine because I wanted a lot of cinnamon and sugar texture on them.

 Place the coated balls on the silicone lined baking sheets. I did 12 to a sheet because they will spread out. Pop them in the oven for ten minutes exactly.

Look at all that coating! Mmm mm mmm!

 Let them cool at least two minutes on the baking sheet when you remove them from the oven. Otherwise, they will bunch up when you try to scrape them off the pan. 

 They will be slightly crunchy but definitely delicious! These are perfect for dipping in a morning coffee.

Oh baby, baby. I seriously have eaten five fifteen of these since I made them yesterday afternoon. Plus it just gives me another excuse (like I need one) to drink some coffee. Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Good luck with them lasting that long. Enjoy!

Health, the greatest of all we count as blessings. - Ariphron

March 2012

Maintenance 

This is me today (well, I look the same today, this was a month ago). My weight has fluctuated between 124-128 for the past two months. I am eating around 2000-2200 calories a day. I cook every day for dinner and I normally will have a protein shake for breakfast and a turkey sandwich for lunch. I am happy maintaining this weight. I also exercise for a half hour daily. I have ordered my maid of honor dress for my best friend’s wedding in October. It is a size 4 and will need to be altered. I also recently bought a pair of J. Crew toothpick skinnies in a size 27 (3-4).

Someone I went to college with has asked me to join her weight loss team with her. It is a 12 week challenge. I ordered Turbo Jam and have done the 20 minute session a few times. Ultimately, I would like to weigh between 110-115. I know that before Ryan and I decide to try to have a baby, I definitely will weigh this. Then I can gain a healthy 25-30 pounds without stressing. That is in the future but I see nothing wrong with being prepared. I would want to maintain that weight as well for at least six months before getting pregnant.

You may be wondering about all those old jeans, especially my favorite ones. Well, they're definitely no longer my favorite. In fact, I gave them away! I gave away everything (and I mean everything) that was too big for me. I shop a lot at Anthropologie for shirts, so imagine giving away really nice clothing in really great shape. Luckily for me, I have some wonderful friends who are totally supportive of my lifestyle and who were thrilled to inherit my old clothes without being offended. Besides, they just received really great wardrobe updates! The only thing I have kept that no longer fits me are: a pair of size 14 American Eagle jeans. I bought them when I couldn't get those MEK jeans buttoned. They are a reminder of how far I've come, and if I feel like I'm getting off track, I like to try them on.

I don't think I ever had a breakthrough moment. It never really hit me "Oh my gosh, I've lost this weight." I am still me regardless of what I weigh. I still enjoy food and baking and cooking. I just now enjoy foods that I wasn't eating because I realize I feel better eating them. I enjoy working out (although I still hate sweating). I'm still funny, and loud and outspoken. I still believe in eating what you want, just now in moderation. I still have an amazing sense of humor. I think you definitely need a sense of humor more than anything while trying to lose weight.

The only time I ever broke down and cried on this journey was when I was cleaning out my closet and came across my wedding dress. It was a size 14 and I loved, loved, loved it. I still do. But when I tried it on, it was a different dress than the one I got married in. The beading on the bust now fell across my waist as well, and it was more mermaid than a-line because it wasn't bunched up as much. Ryan came in our bedroom and asked why I was so upset. And I told him it was because I would've picked a different dress for our wedding if I was thinner. He reminded me that I still could've picked that exact dress, just ordered it in a smaller size. It helped me realize I am the exact same person, just a smaller version of myself.

Right now today I weigh 127.4. I am setting a goal of weighing 115 by July 7. That is our annual 4th of July party. I hope to achieve this by cycling calories, beginning Turbo Jam, and continuing my half hour daily treadmill jog.

April 20, 2012 

And that’s how I came up with the name of my blog. Eat Cake for Breakfast (then Work it Out). You can have your cake and eat it too. Just make sure everything is in moderation. Don’t eat the whole cake (at least not in one day). My late maternal grandmother always said, “Life’s short, eat dessert first”. She was so right. Tomorrow I may not be here, so while I am I will have a slice of whatever the hell I want!

If you’ve read all of these posts, thank you. I have changed my own life for the better and I can’t ever,ever, imagine going back to where I was. Having lost over 50 pounds I feel like a different person. My blood pressure has also dropped from an all-time high of 150/101 to 112/70. My energy is through the roof and my confidence is higher than it has ever been.

I also want to mention that I am not pushing a lifestyle change on anyone. Just because I try to make healthy decisions does not mean I’m perfect. At all. Last week I made a batch of my mom’s homemade hot fudge and ate a spoonful daily of it just because I wanted to. I have a major sweet tooth still but I have learned how to curb it. Most of all I realize that each day is a new day. If I screw up today then I have tomorrow. (Although eventually you have to take some responsibility).

Lastly, I do not endorse Turbo Jam or Slim in Six. They are Beachbody products but I bought them off of Amazon just because they looked fun to me. Slim in Six did help me lose weight and I give it credit for starting me out, so I am hoping if I dedicate to TJ I can also lose these last fifteen pounds.

Check back later for a new post. I’m going to start baking some Cinnamon Cookies once my butter has softened!

A new year, a new me

New Year's Eve 2011

I weighed 137 on NYE 2011. Ryan and I went out with our friends Brice and Ashley to Monterey Bay Fish Grotto in Pittsburgh. It was a fabulous time with two of our closest friends. I was the DD since I have really limited my alcohol intake anyways.

New Year’s Day I really took time to decide what kind of resolution I should make. Lose weight? What a cliche! I decided just to be the best, healthiest version of myself I could be.

I hit my goal of 135 on Monday January 9, 2012. I also started increasing my calories upward of 1200. Yes, I was losing weight on a low-calorie diet. But I knew it would be impossible to sustain eating that way forever. I was scared I would begin to gain weight, but that never happened. I cycled calories (1200 today, 1800 tomorrow, 1550 the next day, etc) and through that gradually increased to a daily caloric intake of between 1800-2000 calories daily. I was working out a lot too. It was winter and I was unemployed. I would walk/jog about 6.1 miles a day on my treadmill.

On Friday January 27, I reached 130.6. For the next week and a half my weight was between 130.2 and 132.6. For the life of me I could not get down to 129. I complained to Ryan. Bad idea. He flipped out on me for becoming obsessed with my weight loss. He couldn’t understand that it wasn’t an obsession (okay, maybe a little) but dedication. I couldn’t have come all this way only to be stuck at 130.2. I worked out like a crazy person. I would interval train. I was lifting weights. I cycled calories like there was no tomorrow. I couldn’t get the scale to budge. I thought I should buy a new scale. I probably wore mine out.

On Sunday February 5 I weighed in at 129.6. The following Monday I was 128.8. I had officially lost 50 pounds. My BMI was 22.7. I didn’t remember the last time I weighed under 130.

None of my jeans fit anymore. Luckily since I stayed home I was able just to wear sweat pants and work out clothing. I went to American Eagle to see what size I could buy. I walked out of the store with a pair of size 6 jeans and a couple of size small shirts.

Mid-January 2011, approx. 135lbs

A very merry Christmas

Christmas 2011 with my favorite gift!

Weighing under 150 was a huge deal for me. It was the best birthday gift I could’ve received, and I did it for myself. My confidence was getting better each day. I knew I should start setting other reachable goals for myself at this point so I had something to work towards. A lot of people make their goals unattainable, so I decided I had to be realistic. My goals were as follows:

Christmas- 143 lbs

Valentine’s Day- 135 lbs

Final- 130 lbs

I didn’t create a timeline for my final goal weight because I knew as I inched closer to it it would take more work to achieve and I didn’t want to set myself up for failure.

I had 4 weeks exactly between my birthday and Christmas and knew losing 6-7 pounds was something I could achieve. I baked like crazy right up until Christmas and sampled everything along the way. Because I weigh myself daily I wasn’t surprised, but I was genuinely happy when I weighed 140 on Christmas morning. I had beat my goal by 3 pounds. What a great Christmas present to myself (the stand mixer was from my parents…best gift ever and blue to match my stone backsplash)

More than the gifts I received, many of my family members began asking about my weight loss. Ryan’s family was extra supportive and encouraged me to continue on as well.

Christmas Eve 2011

Every step I take

Thanksgiving 2011 (10 weeks of healthier eating and 28 pounds down)

I woke up Sept 19 2011 and began my food journal. I decided to try to stay between 1200-1500 calories a day and do this 45 minute workout. The first week I contemplated suicide because surely it had to be better than a growling stomach, burning thighs, and knees that felt like they were giving out. But I pushed through.

At the end of the six weeks I had lost 18 pounds and multiple inches. Those MEK jeans I ripped? I needed a belt to hold them up. I dug out all of my old jeans discovered I only had one pair in a size 12 that fit. (I kept all my jeans then regardless of them fitting or not)

(Sidenote: I was laid off from a job I truly loved at the end of those six weeks. I began to take my anger out on the treadmill and exercising and kicked it into high gear. I honestly now can thank God for losing that job because it gave me lots of free time to focus on me and my health. I would never say I wanted to lose a job, but if there was a silver-lining, it was that I could fully dedicate my time to this weight-loss journey)

My parents saw how committed I was to calorie counting and exercising. They bought me a treadmill. I began a fast walk on the treadmill 7 days a week, 45 minutes a day. I began also to see that I could enjoy foods I liked, just in moderation. I would allow myself 200 calories a day to “splurge” on something decadent I knew I would truly savor.  The best part was, I could see physical changes almost weekly. I would model all of my now ‘fat’ jeans and try to fit in my old ‘new’ ones again. I decided I wanted to weigh 150 by my birthday at the end of November. I also had a pair of size 10 Gap jeans I wanted to wear on my birthday. I was 155 the week before my birthday. I have never lost more than 3.9 pounds on any given week. My sister thought I was crazy for trying to lose five in a week, especially because I wasn’t at the very beginning of a weight-loss regimen when weight comes off easier. I was determined though and buckled down.

I ate very healthy that week and even replaced my 200 calorie splurge with an apple or a fat free hot chocolate. My birthday rolled around and I got on the scale…149.8. I ate two slices of pizza and my birthday cake too. I really could have it all.

Someone I used to know...

June 2010

I have always loved food. I think it’s fun, comforting, and enjoyable. I grew up in a family where you didn’t leave scraps on your plate and you had to at least try whatever my mom made for dinner. I never learned how to cook and when Ryan and I were first married, he was coaching football after work. So I made a lot of easy freezer meals. Pierogies, pasta, pizza…these things were simple and I wasn’t afraid I’d mess them up! Plus they all reheated well for when Ryan would come home.

I tried to lose weight multiple times. My younger sister was married in 2010 and I was mortified by the pictures I saw of myself. But after a few days of counting carbs and working out like a mad woman I would go back to my old ways and just consume whatever I was craving. Then we went to the beach the next month with my in-laws. I really didn’t like hated the way I looked in those pictures. When we got back from the beach I started dieting and lost 12 pounds! One evening of eating out though led to an ice cream here and sliding a little there and next thing I knew I had gained it all back.

I let myself eat all I wanted all through summer 2011. Ice cream, hot dogs, beer, eating out…I didn’t care. I really didn’t like the way I looked but food was comforting me at the same time. I didn’t see then that I shouldn’t have depended so heavily on something that was the cause of my unhappiness.

Ryan’s birthday is September 14. We were going out with 5 or 6 friends to celebrate on that Saturday night. It was going to be cooler so I decided to wear jeans instead of the capris I had worn all summer. Well I couldn’t get my jeans fastened. My favorite MEK jeans. My FAVORITE jeans. There was a good inch and a half where they just wouldn’t come together. I figured I probably just shrunk them since I had last worn them prior to summer. I tried everything trying to stretch them out (you know, hands in the pockets squatting down, laying on the floor when my butt in the air trying to suck it in). Nada. Nothing. Zilch.

Oh, I finally got them fastened. I heaved in a giant breath and pulled the two sides together as tight as I could and completely split the one side by the zipper. So now my favorite jeans are ripped. Damnit. I was more angry that I ripped them though than the fact it was my ass that did it. Yep, I didn't even really believe I was too big for my jeans, I was just annoyed they were ripped. I ended up wearing my capris. Sigh.

I was relating this story to a friend the following Monday (this story is hilarious to me now. I was so mad that day! Now I laugh when I think of how I was sweating and straining trying to force myself into jeans too small) when she mentioned trying something called “Slim in Six”. It was a six week exercising program. You do it 6 times a week and the video is about 45 minutes long. I had nothing to lose so I decided to fully commit. I gave myself that week to prepare. I was like a squirrel hoarding away nuts for the winter. I scarfed down everything because I prepared to fully give up anything I liked in order to do this program. It was that Sunday, September 18, 2011 when we went to the football game and I saw the picture of myself. I couldn’t wait to begin the next day.

Welcome!

Easter 2012

Hey everyone! I just started this blog! If you’ve just stumbled upon it, let me tell you a bit about me and why I am beginning to blog.

My name is Rebecca and I’m 26 years old. Happily married since November 2009 to my college sweetheart and we have two dogs Nittany and Luna. They are my babies! And we also currently have a pregnant cat, Kitty, who is ready to pop any day. Yay kittens!

I think I’m way behind on the blogging train! But, my computer skills aren’t exceptional and I think this will be a great learning tool for me. I really want to blog my everyday cooking and baking experiences, plus my new, healthier lifestyle.

I didn’t look quite anything at all like this 7 months ago! My husband Ryan and I went to a football game and I saw a picture of myself the next day. Needless to say, it wasn’t very flattering. I knew I had gained some weight, but I had no idea who the person standing next to Ryan even was. More than that, I didn’t like her. Physically and mentally.

I decided to take charge of my life and get healthy. At age 25 I had a BMI of 31.9. (That’s fat-ass obesity for those of you not familiar with the BMI calculations. A healthy range is between 18.5-24.9) I was wearing a size 14 and American Eagle doesn’t carry anything larger in their stores. I had a double chin, a flabby stomach and a very unhealthy diet and attitude.

By dieting and exercising, I have lost 53 pounds in the past 7 months. I ate everything I wanted in moderation and discovered I enjoy working out. I also have greatly improved my cooking and baking skills and have received many compliments.

This blog is a journey of where I’ve been and also where I hope to be. I will be posting many recipes of dinners I make, and of the baking I do, and also following my daily caloric intake and exercise regimen because I still would like to lose 15 pounds. I will also include quotes, photos, daily life, and things that keep me motivated!

Hope you stick around and enjoy. If I can inspire just one person to take charge of their life and make the decision to become healthy and happy, it will be well worth my time.