Being Useful

Hello Readers,

I know it has been like 11 days since I last wrote an entry, I have just been feeling rather blah lately because of some of the stuff going on in my life. I recently had to drop out of college because of my hand issue, but I am determined to get back in class by September. As I sit here writing this I realize how rather uneventful my last few weeks have been because I have mainly just been getting my stuff ready for surgery. I did however go and see a couple of movies. I went and saw Now You See Me and Fast and Furious Six, and Star Trek: Into The Darkness.

Personal Review: Does Not Contain Spoilers!

Fast and Furious 6: I have to say that out of all the F&F movies, this one had to be one of my favorite movies. I am especially looking forward to the next one. If you haven't seen it yet, sit around a bit after the credits, there is an awesome extra scene. I thought this one had way more action than the other movies, and I was blown away by what they were able to visually accomplish. It had a good story line and didn't take away from any of the previous films like sequels often do. In all I give it 4.5/5 stars, just because there was a few things I didn't like, but to remain spoiler free I won't say anything here.

Star Trek Into The Darkness: This was a visually outstanding movie, there was some bloopers here and there that was hard to miss but at the end of the day it was still an amazing movie. I used to watch the series on TV so I especially like that they have made it to where the movies had no impact on the television show. I also like that they are bringing in younger versions of characters from the show to mix things up a bit. I have to say this is one of those movies you just have to see in theatres to really get a good impact from the visual aspect of what is going on. That and I am a nerd and movies like this are always a must see in theatres. 4/5 stars, because of all the noticeable bloopers.

Now You See Me: WOW, this movie is by far the most original concept for a movie that I have seen in a long time. Now, this is a must see movie!! I knew the ending from the beginning but that didn't take anything away from the movie at all. I liked that they unravelled a lot of the old magic tricks (which they tell you in the previews) and the concept is simply amazing. It just goes to show that a little magic can go a long way. For me this movie was more entertaining because I was able to pick up on how they did certain magical tricks. Sure, some of them were done via script, others via movie magic, but there were other tricks in there as well. This is my must see movie of the summer. It is a good movie for kids, there is some violence and cussing, but it visually appealing. The story line isn't the same story that has been told for the last 10 years, and more importantly! it's not another reboot! I was so getting tired of those. For this movie 5/5 for sure!

Over the last few weeks I fell off of what I call my fitness wagon, I just wasn't hungry and didn't have motivation. I thought that I had packed the weight back on, but come to find out I am holding steady at my weight loss. That made me feel good to know that after 30+ days hard to get healthy, it wasn't blown in a week like it could have been. I still can't believe that it only takes 2 bad days to undo a weeks worth of work or more.

Today was a pretty exciting day for me and for a lot of people in the United States. It is a historical day with Prop 8 being overturned by the supreme court and DOMA being filibustered. It is a great day to be a woman, because we have our right to choose back, and a great day for the gay community because we are one step closer to equality that we all deserve. Equality for all is no longer a thing of the past, who would have thought?

I also did something today that I normally wouldn't do. I was at Barnes and Nobles picking up a couple of the Jillian Michaels books I didn't have when I saw a lady looking over all these different diet books. She seemed vaguely confused with everything and I asked her if she needed any help. Being on the fitness journey myself, I know that seeing all those books just makes you want to scratch your head and wonder who's guideline to follow. After talking to her for a bit I asked her if she had ever read anything by Jillian Michaels, because she kept talking about all these fad diets that she had tried. She said no, so I took a moment to explain how some of her books work. Just incase people are curious, I will break down her books for you incase you are interested in giving her a read.

Winning By Losing: To sum up this book in quick detail, it is about getting you psychologically ready to lose weight. Lets face it, if our minds aren't into what we are doing then our motivation drops and we stop something all together. This book also helps you with the nutritional aspect of losing weight. For people who are wanting to get in shape but lack the focus this is a good place to start.

Unlimited: Believe it or not, this book isn't about getting physically fit! This book helps to guide you into discovering your dreams and setting up a game plan to reach them. Those goals and dreams could include getting physically fit, finding your dream job, or something else completely different. If you need some guidance to help you figure out what your life goals are, this is a good book to start with.

Master Your Metabolism: This is all about the science behind losing weight. JM teaches you how to boost your metabolism and make the most out of every meal. If you are tired of having fallen victim to diet fads, this is a good book to read because it tells you everything you need to know about calories in and calories out. This book is truly a godsend to those who don't understand why fad diets are bad and why programs like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, may not be your best option. Don't get me wrong, those programs are proven methods that do work to help you lose the weight, but they are programs that are a lifetime commitment so if you get off the track you have to go back and start all over. With learning the science behind weight loss you control your diet without having to count points, or depend on meals to be sent to you, because you already know how to make any meal work for you.

Slim for Life: This was my first JM book that I started to read, when I realized that dieting wasn't as easy as they show on TV. The nice thing about this book, is that she explains various eating habits and lets you decided what you will and won't give up to lead a healthier life. She also debunks weight loss myths and helps instill confidence that you aren't giving anything up by trying to get healthy. If anything it teaches you that for every unhealthy option out there, there is a healthier option available.

Making the Cut: This book is all about losing those vanity pounds. What are vanity pounds? Those are the last 10-20 lbs that people want to take off to look as good as they feel. This is that little bit of flab that just won't seem to go away. It is important to know that this is not a book to target problem areas. There isn't a way to target one area to lose weight in that area, you have to work the whole body to get results, because everyone's body stores fat in different areas. This book is all about how to lose those last few pounds, it even comes with a meal guide to help ensure you will succeed.

Now, some of you may be thinking that Jillian Michaels is just a name, and she is making money off of things that people already know. Just so you are aware, this is something that JM has said herself, that she has made her living off of four simple words 'Calories In, Calories Out.' She isn't reinventing the wheel with her books, she is giving you the tools that you need to succeed. With that being said she also doesn't consider herself a trainer or a guru, she likes to see herself as more of a life coach. She is just one of many people in the world that are trying to help the world get healthy. She may be just a name to some people, but she is also a name that knows what she is talking about and all of her books help to make sure that you get the most out of life.

With that being said, I was really proud of myself because just randomly talking to people isn't something that I can typically do without freaking out with anxiety. I should let you all know that having a sleeve of tattoos and purple hair doesn't really make people want to talk to you. If anything it intimidates people because they think that I am some weird person when really all I am doing is just expressing who I am without having to fit myself into the box that society has been trying to put me in. I have let go of that responsibility sandwich and I am doing things that make me happy, because despite what others may think, I do deserve to be happy.

After talking to the woman in the store, she gave me a really good compliment. She said she was grateful for having met someone with the knowledge that I have, Thank you Jillian Michaels, and that she was glad that I had been there because it made it easier for her to decide where to start. Needless to say, she picked up every one of Jillian's books... minus the cookbook because I had taken the last copy, and she bought them. She also told me that I needed to pursue a career in dieting and health care because of what I have learned. Really, I didn't tell her anything that people don't already know, it is just that the little voice inside of our heads that tell us not to eat that has been silenced by commercials and ads that we see on TV. Her stuff is all about getting back to reality and it works.

Before leaving the store, I told the woman that I was going to become a therapist and she told me that she would happily pay money to come see someone as insightful as I am. That is a huge compliment for someone who has been riding a wave of negativity for the last few years. It encouraged me to keep doing what I am doing, and that encouraged me to want to continue to help people. So here is my questions for all my readers out there.... Do you have a question that you have done to help a stranger? I am not talking about a good deed, I am talking about taking time from your day where you actively engage with someone you don't know as a way of helping them accomplish something. Leave a comment below and let me know how you help to make the world a bit of a better place.

That is all I have for now, I will try to write more often until I go in for surgery. Have a great day!

Sincerely,
Gypsy

Organic, All Natural, Non-Organic, and GMO information

Hello Readers,

Today I am going to talk about something that has been a major topic of conversation in my life. I have switched to a mainly organic diet, with the exceptions for all natural foods and eating out. It seems that people have a misperception of what organic really means and how it benefits you, so I figured I would write a post to help clear somethings up. I want you all to know this is not my way of getting anyone to change their diet, I am merely giving people the information to make up their own minds.

First I am going to start by explaining what organic foods are, what all natural foods are, what GMO foods are and talk a little about cheap processed foods. I am going to include several links with more information so that you as a reader can learn more about the different types of food, so you can make an educated decision on what you would prefer to eat. I say educated decision because once you know more about the food you eat, the better and it will be your choice on if you will continue the way you eat or if you will make a few changes in your diet. At the end of the day what you put in your body is nobodies business but your own.

What Organic Means:
Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:


Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

Here is a list of resources that you can look at to learn more about why organic is better for you. 
Myths about Organics
Certified Organic Labelling
10 Reasons to go Organic
Organic Facts
Organic Glossary

Natural Food:
The term. "natural" applies broadly to foods that are minimally processed and free of synthetic
preservatives; artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other artificial additives ; grow hormones; antibiotics; -hydrogenated oils; stabilizers; and emulsifiers. Most foods labeled natural are not suhjeet to government controls beyond the regulations and health codes that apply to all foods. Exceptions include meat and poultry. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSTS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires these to be free of artificial colors., flavors, sweeteners, preservatives and ingredients that do not occur naturally in the food. Natural meat and poultry must be minimally processed in a method that does not fundamentally alter the raw product. In addition, the label should explain the use of the term natural, e.g., no artificial ingredients.

Here is some more information on Natural foods.
High Fructose Corn Syrup 
Natural Foods
The Difference between All Natural and Organic
FDA's Definition on Natural foods

What is Non-Organic Food
In human history, agriculture can be described as organic. During the 20th century large supply of new synthetic chemicals were introduced to food industry to boost the industrialization of agriculture. The process of industrialization needed large yield, attractive crop in terms of its size, shape, enhanced shelf life. All this was possible in large yield of cultivation through taking utmost care of crop using synthetic chemicals such as; pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, radiation therapy, genetically engineered seeds etc. al. These synthetic chemicals although did not show immediate effects on human health but over a period of time human body started weakening due to various slow killing side effects of these chemicals. Thus the type of food produced using these methods is called Non-organic farming/food.

Apart from usage of synthetic chemicals in farming in various different forms at different crop stages there are numerous processes involved further to convert crop in edible food. All these processes create Non-organic food which is consumed daily by common man.

Let us look at few types of food that can be classified as non-organic;
- Crop level processes
- Processed foods
- Pre cooked/ready to cook
- Frozen foods
- Additives
- Bakery
- Commercial food

Here are some things about Non-Organic foods you may want to know.
Pesticides in Non-Organic Food
Other Chemicals in Non-Organic food
How Non-Organic Foods Will Kill You

What are GMOs?
GMOs, or “genetically modified organisms,” are plants or animals that have been genetically engineered with DNA from bacteria, viruses or other plants and animals. These experimental combinations of genes from different species cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Virtually all commercial GMOs are engineered to withstand direct application of herbicide and/or to produce an insecticide. Despite biotech industry promises, none of the GMO traits currently on the market offer increased yield, drought tolerance, enhanced nutrition, or any other consumer benefit.

Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence connects GMOs with health problems, environmental damage and violation of farmers’ and consumers’ rights.

Here is some more information on GMOs
GMO Facts
GMOs Effects on Health
More GMO Information

Now, I know what you must be thinking, this is a log of information to take in at once, but worry not I have a great guide from Jillian Michaels that you can take with you to the store to help make healthier decisions.

If you are ready to give up your eating some of your favorite foods in a box, I just want to point out that for every unhealthy food that is made, there is a healthier alternative. 

Companies like:

Simple Truth

Kashi

Cascadian Farms

Boar's Head

Have a great variety of options for food, and yes they may cost a little bit more but they also offer coupons. Also keep in mind that the more processed foods that you consume with all those pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics you are putting yourself at risk to get sick. That is not to say people who eat organic don't get sick, but it has been said they don't get as sick and tend to get over illnesses faster, especially if a doctor prescribes you antibiotics, because you already have them in your system from the non organic foods you are eating. If you can manage to buy your dairy, meat, and the vegetables from the dirty dozen from the organic section you will start to feel better. 

If you still think that organic foods cost too much, look up how much it costs for being hospitalized for heart attacks, stroke, cancer, diabetes. Also add up all the times that you eat out and I bet you that you can find the money to get some organic products into your life. Keep in mind, that there are organic products like, chips, cookies, popcorn, cereal, granola bars, ice cream, yogurt, milk, pizza, cheese, and many more things that come organic and are better for your body. 

Now, before you get all huffy and say that it is too expensive to healthy, I want you all to know that I am currently an unemployed. I have a limited amount of money that I bring in from an LNI claim that I have. I am going to break this down for you so that you can see eating organic is possible on a budget. 

I get  $711.48 a month to live off of.

I pay out:

$297.53 for my car payment

$174.43 for insurance

$50 for prescriptions

$50 for gas sometimes more depending on appts

$80 for therapy every month which leaves me with a whopping 

$59.52 a month for food. 

I don't qualify for food stamps because I live with someone who makes too much money, but I am able to buy enough organic food to live off for the month with that money. So if I can live off of that a month (and no I don't get any other help) you can find it in your budget to start eating healthier too. 

I hope that some of you found this information useful, thank you for reading!

Sincerely,

Gypsy

Being The Problem Solver

Hello Readers,

Today has been a bad day for me emotionally, and for a better part of the day I just sort of shut down, checked out, and basically didn't do anything that was productive. I get this way from time to time, because I have a bunch of people come to me at once trying to get my help. A few of my friends and family come to me to solve problems, because I am a psychology major and that means I have all the answers. Thing is, I don't but I end up having to come up with a solution to the problems or I am just not left alone. So lately I have been in this 'problem solution' mode, and stopped taking care of myself and started worrying more about others.

All of this started when I lost 15lbs and decided to share that with some friends and family and then everyone wanted me to tell them how to do the same. First off, I want to start by saying that weight loss is not that complicated, and there are like 100 apps in the app store that can help you if you want to lose the weight. Secondly, I have told everyone that I am following my Jillian Michaels app and she tells me what to eat what my fitness routine for the day is and helps me track my calories. I am not doing anything all that special, but even when I tell them that in order for them to know how they can go about losing weight I get weighed down by a bunch of other questions.

I am just going to lay this out there for all my readers now so that way I can just get this off my chest. I am not a fitness or nutrition expert! I can't help you figure out your diet, or tell you what you can do to help improve your lifestyle, these are all choices that you as a person need to make. If you want to know how I am doing it, I started looking into different programs and found the one that suited me.

I was listening to a podcast by Jillian Michaels earlier today and she was talking about an eagle, rabbit, and a turtle. She said that the species were so concerned about what they couldn't do that it became their focus. The turtle wanted to run as fast as the rabbit, and the rabbit wanted to fly like the eagle, and the eagle wanted to swim like the turtle. Thing is, no matter how hard they try they can't become the rabbit, the eagle, or the turtle, they have to be themselves and that is really what fitness is all about. The only thing I can tell you is what I did as my base plan to dropping weight. I found someone who inspired a change in me, someone who got me to think in ways I couldn't and I listened.

It just so happens that person is Jillian Michaels, but here is the thing, just because her program works for me, doesn't mean it is going to work for you. You may do better on a program by Bob Harper or J.J. Virgin,  but what it all boils down to is what suits you and your lifestyle.

I started by getting Jillian's book Unlimited, which was difficult for me to keep up with because of my dyslexia so I was thankful when someone kindly got me the audio version. I also listen to her podcast and listen to her book Slim for Life. This brought me in the direction of her app which I used at first to just count my calories. Then I learned that there was more to losing weight then just counting calories, that everyone's body needs different foods to function to be able to lose weight, AKA your metabolic system or oxidizer. These are things I can't tell you, so if you want to know how to start losing weight then that is a good place to start.

After months of research, and calculating gym memberships and whether or not I would actually go, I finally decided on paying the $4 a week for an upgraded version of Jillian's app. She gives me a meal plan and workout routines that fit my age, height, weight, and what i want my end result to be. So if you want to know all that information go to www.JillianMichaels.com and get started, I believe she gives you one week of free access to all the tools. I mainly use the subscription for support because I'm the only one in my life right now going down this venture.

So, there you go, now you know my secret, its that I don't have one.

Also, I have become this personal emotional bank for other people, because of my major. I don't mind talking to people and hearing about how crummy their life is going. I don't mind give some advice here and there, but what I do mind is people giving me their problems to solve. I don't have all the answers, and yes, I can eventually come up with them for people, but the thing is that all I do is get on google and search how best to help them. I am not a free therapist for people to come to, I am not even licensed as one. I seriously have enough of my own problems right now, that I don't really have the time or emotional capability to handle anyone elses.

The worst part about all of this, is the people who are coming to me for help, they know what is going on. I am looking at a second surgery for my hand, where they are going to have to break it in two places to get my  mobility back. I am out of a job, I have car payments to make, and insurance. I have to make it to physical therapy twice a week that is a 45min drive away. I have to put gas in my car, and buy myself food, not to mention that I have to worry about when my LNI benefits will stop and if I will be able to get a job quick enough to keep my car. I have a lot of shit going on right now, and I love my friends and family dearly but it is like they don't see that I have enough on my plate because I don't have a job, and I just 'sit around all day'.

I don't know if anyone out there is unemployed right now, but let me tell you, looking for a job is the hardest job you will ever have. Not to mention, I just lost the job of my dreams, the job I thought I was going to retire from and you know what... I wasn't given a reason. They fired me without just cause, because I was within my probation period, shitty part about it, they sent me a letter in the mail to tell me I lost it. So, I truly have a lot on my plate.

With that being said, I don't mind helping out with advice, but there is a big difference between me giving advice and me solving another person's problem. I get that life has dealt some people a shitty hand, but guess what, it happens to all of us. Having to do all of this has actually taken away some of the things that I enjoy, because I can't enjoy them because of how stressed I am. I am pretty sure that 15lbs I lost isn't lost anymore cause I probably gained some of it back.

What all of this has taught me, after sitting on my couch and crying for a better part of my day, is that I need to just worry about me. I need to get my life together and figure out what I am going to do because if I can't answer those questions for myself, then I am doomed to work dead end jobs that I hate. I want to make something of myself, which means that it is time for me to get selfish and that is exactly what I am going to do. It's time for me to take care of me, get my affairs in order and then, if I feel like I am stable enough, I can try and give advice to people, but for now I am done trying to solve everyone else's problems.

I feel like this blog as slowly turned into a place where I rant a lot, but that's okay. this blog is for me, and being able to get all this off my chest makes me feel better than I did a few hours ago. Thank you to those who stuck it through this entry, I do appreciate all my readers and hopefully here soon I will be able to get on to happier, more upbeat entries.

Sincerely,
Gypsy

Something for myself

Hello everyone,

So there are a lot of new and exciting things for me going on these days. First I want to start out by saying that I have lost 15lbs, and that is just from eating healthy and quitting soda. I am rather proud of that fact, because I did it despite everyone I know making fun of me for being on a 'diet' and telling me that I am 'missing out.' I am looking forward to the next phase of being able to work out and tone up a bit but I have to wait till after I see my Dr on Tuesday about my hand. I am hoping that he says I won't need a second surgery but at the same time I want it to fix what's going on now. Its is just a mixture of pro and cons for either happening so I am just waiting it out.

In order to celebrate my weight loss I decided to do something for myself, and that was color my hair. Now to some this may not be a big deal, but I didn't go with a standard color by any means. I colored my hair purple, because when I had purple hair I was happy, I like the color and I think it looks really good on me.

Before

Bleached

Finished

Aside from recoloring hair, I have also decided to write a book. It has taken me a lot of time to finally get the courage to write it, but I think it will come out well. Most importantly I am not writing the book to try and become someone famous, but instead I am writing it for me. I will try and get it published, and if it sells then it sells if not then I am not worried about it. I have nothing but time on my hands, so I figure that I could put it to use by writing a book.

I have something else exciting coming up as well, I will be meeting a fellow blogger, Danielle, you should head over to her blog, My Life According to Me. We are both participating in a Lulu And Sweet Pea's Summertime swap.

Other than that I have this new Elastic Therapeutic Tape on my hand to stop me from using my wrist as a way to move my fingers and it isn't the most pleasant. It hurts more than I expected but has made me more aware of how much my pinky and ring finger depend on my wrist to get movement. Other then that I am looking forward to the rest of the week. I am doing well when it comes to getting more activity in everyday and eating right. I am hoping to to work my way up to being able to do a full 20 min workout so we shall see. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Sincerely,

Gypsy

I was nominated by "My Life According To Me" http://danielleislivinglife.blogspot.com

Requirements:
- Name your nominator and provide a link to that persons blog.
- Post 11 facts about yourself.
- Answer 11 questions from your nominator.
- Nominate 11 other bloggers.
- Ask 11 questions for your chosen bloggers.

11 Facts About Me:

1) I am a certified affiliated counselor for the state of WA.

2) I am working on my Master's in Psychology to become a therapist.

3) I am a huge gamer girl, I play anything from table top, to RPG board, computer games, and consoles.

4) for the better part of three years I slowly lost the ability to use my pinky and ring finger on my right (dominate) hand due to an injury from work. I'm currently going through Physical Therapy to fix it and may have a second surgery soon.

5) I am currently trying to get in shape and use Jillian Michaels 360 Navigation program to keep on track.

6) I like to make graphics using Photoshop Elements.

7) my left arm is covered in tattoos that are inspired by P!nk and her music.

8) I have worn glasses so long that wearing contacts makes me feel subconscious about what others may think.

9) I am engaged to my partner and we have been together for 4 years.

10) I hate shopping, especially for clothes, because it takes forever. 

11) I suffer from PTSD and have been trying to find a balance between using medication and eating healthier to keep it under control.

My 11 Questions to my Nominees: 

1. what is your middle name and do you like or hate it?

Can't believe I'm actually going to put this, Rebecca-Lynn is my middle name and I absolutely hate it. I'm actually going to legally change my name all together once I have the money.

2. where is your favorite place to go on vacation and why?

Um, I have never really been on a vacation but if I could go, it would be England because I love the culture over there.

3. what is your favorite thing to do, out and about, on your weekend?

I am unemployed, so it's always my weekend. I would have to say that gaming is my favorite thing to do, helps keep my anxiety level down.

4. how often do you workout and what are your workouts like?

I am currently working out 15-20 a day usually doing chores around the house. I have recently gotten into playing Zumba. I have to be careful with workouts because I have vestibular migraines that are trigger by to much activity.

5. what is the meal you would have as your last meal? 

If you would have asked me this a month ago I would say hands down, chicken pot pie. Now that I have started a new way of eating it would probably be Kashi Island Vanilla cereal with a banana and almond milk. Taste amazing I have it every morning for breakfast.

6. what are two of our favorite names?

Nikita and Josephine

7. what chore do you hate doing?

Cleaning the bathroom, I won't ever do it my partner has to.

8.What is your longest relationship? 

My current relationship 4 years and going strong :)

9. Do you have a favorite number? If yes, why is that your favorite number? 

13 has always been my favorite number and I always have the best luck on Friday the 13th.

10. Are you crafty? 

To an extent yes, but I do most of my crafting via photoshop. 

11. Do you or will you have kinds? How many?

I am not sure whether or not I will ever have kids. I have three cats does that count?

I nominate:

Amber: http://www.mythreebittles.com

Melissa: http://www.luluandsweetpea.com

Angie: http://www.mysocalledchaos.com

Chloe: http://www.rainbowsandhoneysuckle.com/?m=1

Lanaya: http://raising-reagan.com/

Heather: http://www.frugalfitfamily.com

I don't have any more tags to add :/

11 questions for my nominees 

1) What is your favorite TV show?

2) Who is your favorite actor/actress?

3) What one movie could you watch over and over again without it every getting boring?

4) What is your least favorite vegetable?

5) Who is your favorite music artist?

6) If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

7) If a stranger came up and gave you a million dollars in cash what would you do?

8) What is one of your guilty pleasure songs?

9) What is your dream job?

10) If you could meet one celebrity who would it be?

11) What is one thing you wish you could have done differently?

Have fun! I know I did :)

Things I Don't Love (Hosted by: Lulu & Sweet Pea)

This blog is in response to Lulu & Sweet Pea: Click the images above to head to her blog and look around.

Recently I decided that I wanted to get into shape, because I wanted to feel better about myself. It was a choice that I made after seeing Jillian Michaels. I was also told by my doctor that working out and eating right would help my PTSD, so it was sort of perfect time. What I am not loving about the experience is the responses that I get. 

Now when I started this journey I weight 170 lbs and just overall didn't like how I looked or how I felt, so I decided to change that. Every time I tell people about it, they make comments like 'you're not overweight' or 'so now you become one of those picky eaters?'. 

First thing's first, I changed from eating processed to organic and all natural foods. It was my choice because a lot of the processed foods have pesticides in them and I am allergic to pesticides. It was a choice I made to get healthy, and so that I stopped feeling so sick all the time. Honestly, cutting out the foods not  only makes me feel better but without even utilizing exercise I have managed to lose 15 pounds. That was huge for me and I was proud of my achievement. I told people and at first they were like that is great, but then came the conversations of 'at least I still get to eat my favorite foods.' 

Here is the thing people, I am not missing out on anything at all. For every crap processed food that is out there, there is a healthier option. So with that being said, people can keep their high calorie, processed GMO, hormone, pesticide filled foods and I will continue to eat in a manner that makes me feel better. 

What I really want to say to all those people who instantly judge someone because they want to get healthy, don't get that twisted with going on a diet. I am not on a diet, I changed to a healthier way of eating and I have no intentions on going back. I count my calories every day, I pay attention to what I am taking in and what I need to make my body function at it's fullest. 

With that being said, I am not saying that I don't occasionally slip and fall back into old habits, but guess what, I am not on a diet! I am following the golden rule of Eat Less, Move More. I am currently tracking my calorie intake and burn through Jillian Michaels 360 program. It costs me 4 dollars a week but it is completely worth it. So to all of you who accuse someone of being on a diet, or being a picky eater, simply because they say they want to get healthy, stop! 

Here is why I say to stop, because a diet is something that someone does to lose weight on a temporary basis. I say temporary because people go on diets, lose the desired amount of weight and then they stop dieting. Know what happens next? 9/10 times the person gains all that way back, and why you ask? They have stopped dieting. Programs like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins, and Nutrisystem are great diets to help get you down to your goal weight, but once you start these programs, you have to stay on them forever. 

It is so much easier to count your calories intake for a month, and after that you are pretty much capable of knowing how many calories you eat a day. We are creatures of habit, we tend to eat the same 4-6 meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So after 30 days (which is what it takes to form a new habit) you have trained yourself portion control so you won't always have to count calories. So! If you want to get healthy or lose weight there are a number of apps out there that can help you. Here are some that can help you if you are looking to get healthy and lose weight, and you aren't looking for a diet that once you quit you could gain the weight back. 

Jillian Michaels this is a free app when it comes to keeping track of your calorie intake. For $4 a week you can get a custom meal plan and workouts designed for your body type and learn your metabolic type. You also have the support of a great community of people. If you want to go all out and know exactly what you are burning in calories every day, then you can add a BodyMedia to your plan for free. I personally have the bluetooth band so I have the BodyMedia Fit App so that I can track my daily activity. 

                                        BodyMedia Fit App                     Jillian Michaels App

My Fitness Pal which is a free app that you can use to help you track your calories and fitness for no charge. 

My Plate which is also free and hosted by Livestrong.

So there are a lot of apps out there if you are looking to start counting calories. If you want to lose weight, then all you have to do is calculate how many calories a day your body naturally burns, and subtract 500-1000 calories from your daily intact and you will lose 1-2lbs a week without exercise, which means when you work out you are adding to that calorie deficit so you will lose even more weight. 

NutritionData BMI & Calorie Calculator is a website you can use to take your natural calorie burn. Never eat under 1200 calories a day! and if you want to lose more weight in a week simply work out more, but don't over do it. Also an important side note when you want to get healthy, take your current weight and divide it by 2 and that is how many oz of water you need to take in a day. For every 30 mins of intense exercise you do, meaning you are sweating, add 8oz of water to your daily intake. 

So, there you have it, there is a difference between wanting to get healthy and going on a diet. So please, the next time someone you know says they want to get healthy, don't look down on them, don't tell them they don't need to, or that they are missing out. Support their decision to want to eat better and feel better about themselves. 

Sincerely, 

Gypsy

Possibility of setting myself back 3 years

So I went to physical therapy yesterday and my therapist said that my hand is at a place where I can start doing the circuits that JM has set for me on the app. To be honest I'm terrified of putting any weight down on my hand.

Three years ago I pulled the tendons for my pinky and right finger off the knuckle. It took them a long time to figure out what I did and over time I slowly lost the ability to use those fingers. During the time I also lost muscle in the palm of my hand and the doctor said it wasn't supposed to be that way, basically he could feel the mechanics of my hand and you are not supposed to be able to do that. Then we discovered I was born without a certain tendon in my pinky which was weird but kind of cool at the same time.

I don't want my hand to go back to the way it was three years ago or even 6 months ago. I go to do one of her circuits and get major anxiety thinking I can pull them off again. I've been told by the dr and my pt that this would be impossible because of the scar tissue that formed.

I want to get over this fear so that I can start actually like I'm getting what I paid for. I don't have much encouragement at home and I'm constantly reminded of the things I can't do.... Like make a fist or hold my steering wheel properly. I just don't know how to break the barrier, so to speak.

I listen to Jillian's podcasts, I have been listening to her books, unlimited and slim for life, I got the bodymedia to track my activity. I even got Zumba and have been having fun with that when I can. To add to my hand injury I also suffer from Vestibular migraines which can be brought on by working out, take on my PTSD and there are days where I lay on the couch and eat an entire small pizza from papa johns by myself. I also can't seem to get passed eating more then 900 calories a day unless I make some sort of crap processed food that I enjoy but shouldn't eat.

Needless to say I'm about ready to give up but everytime I eat crap I feel like crap and then I remind myself what happened at Jillian's show. She knew who I was from twitter and it made me feel great, and I decided if she could take the time to care about me and remember me from the 100s if not 1000s of tweets she gets a day I can do the same for myself.

I've never been very good at reaching out for help I've always been the one who finds the solution to the problem because I had no choice. So, I'm reaching out now hoping that somehow I can break this endless cycle of me giving up on myself. I figure if I put this out there that maybe it will help take some of the pressure off that I have out on myself because of losing my job and getting irritated that my dominant had doesn't work like it used to. All in all I just need to know and feel that I have someone on my side because while I logically get everything that is being said to me I am way better at helping others get healthy and fail at getting healthy myself.

Fitness Bands & Poor Customer Service (rant)

Hello readers!

I haven't posted in awhile, because I haven't really had much to say. I have been trying to get this whole diet and fitness thing under control and it is harder than I thought it would be. I also realized yesterday that I was doing some things wrong, but you live and you learn right? Of course!

Anyways... moving on.

Lately I have been doing a lot of research on Fitness bands. I did have a blog entry about the Jawbone Up but I removed it. Now, I want to start by saying that the Up is a good product.... when it works. However if you have an issue with the Up getting help is like pulling teeth. I had my Up for less than a week and it started to malfunction. It has this timer that you can set when you have been idle too long, thing basically reminds you to get off your behind and do something. I liked that feature it was the reason I bought the band. That and it helped you track your sleep and also helped monitor your steps. Well the awesome band turned into a horrible nightmare after only a few days. My idle alarm went off every thirty minutes regardless of if I was moving or not. Naturally I contacted the customer support and went through all of that. I had 4 conversations with their customer service in a 24 hour period.

You know what they did? Absolutely nothing, all of them told me the same thing 'well it looks like we need to reset the band.' I explained that I had already done that and they said to try and reset it again and to contact them should the problem persist. 3 online sessions and one email later, I still had issues with the band going off every 30 minutes even when I turned the alarm off. It was a nightmare and a half cause I got woke up every 30 minutes. Now, when this band vibrates you can hear it, it is louder then when a cell phone vibrates, which was great until it went wrong.

So after I got no help from Jawbone, I contacted Best Buy where I purchased the product from. I finally got help! They looked up when I purchased the band and told me I was well within the 15 day return policy and that they would be happy to take the product back with no questions asked. The woman was very kind, apologized for the band and told me that when I came to return it to seek out the employe who is designated to the fitness band area to get fitted with a suitable band for me.

Well I took the band back and decided okay, it just has to be this band so I will give it another go. I get home set everything up again and nothing happened. The thing didn't vibrate at all cue another conversation to Jawbone, and two resets later I took the band back to Best Buy again and returned the thing. Now, I know that working in customer service there are times when you simply cannot help a customer because nothing makes them happy. Thing is I was happy, I just wanted my band replaced because it wasn't working, they told me that would take 2-4 weeks to receive. I spent $129.99 for a product that worked less than a week and now they want me to wait longer for a product? No thank you, I told them I would be returning it to the store and the store could deal with them from that point on.

I was so frustrated with this product, if only because I paid $129.99 plus three trips to Best Buy which is roughly about 10 dollars in gas for me because they aren't close. So I ended up spending over $150 dollars on something that was supposed to encourage me to move more. Needless to say I took my frustrations to Twitter and caught the companies attention pretty quickly. They followed me and sent me a direct message asking where I bought the product from. I explained that it was Best Buy and they said they would look into this... like it was something that Best Buy had done to their product to make it not work.

So... hold on a minute.... now not only were then just taking me through the reset process but then they proceed to blame the faulty product on where I bought it? Come on now, that would be like me saying that letting my milk spoil in my fridge is all Walmart's fault. They didn't want to take responsibility for their faulty product.

They asked me for the ticket numbers and email in which I used to communicate with their staff and just now got told that they appreciated my feedback. Now the thing that really pissed me off about all of this was the fact that no one cared. It didn't matter how many times I contacted them I got the same generic response each time, and if there is anything that gets under my skin more, it is generic prompt read responses. None of them took a moment to actually listen to the problem, none of them cared that this device was causing me stress. I couldn't get them to answer any questions outside the prompted answers or 'if you would please follow the instructions we are sure this will fix your problem.' The when all was said and done after all the emails all the online chats and all the issues their final reply was 'thanks for your feedback.'

They didn't care that I wasted nearly 6 hours of time trying to get a replacement band. They didn't care that I am jobless and couldn't afford the gas to keep going back and forth. They didn't care about anything that I had to say until I took to Twitter... then they suddenly cared, apologized for the faulty device and said they would be looking into why I wasn't helped. You want to know why I wasn't helped? Because companies have stopped training people to listen and started training them to read a prompt. I am pretty sure if any one of those associates had listened to the fact that I have an Anxiety disorder and the band was making it worse, then they probably would have acted sooner. Nope, they just kept going off their prompt because hey, they already had my money why should they care?

So, I ended up going back to Best Buy and got a whole new band all together. I purchased the BodyMedia armband because I know it works. I know it works because its the same model that they use on the Biggest Loser. At first I was like great, now I have to pay a subscription fee for the band on top of my subscription fee to Jillian Michaels, so I was stressed out. Thankfully I finally had some good news and luck on my side, because I already had a membership to JM I could just sync my band up to my account and not pay any additional money. So now I am paying $4 dollars a week to help get my butt into shape and a band that syncs with the program so I get more accurate counts for my calorie burn and so forth.

 Here is what the information looks like when going through JM website. On a side note the band will not automatically send the data to your JM app you have to sync it with your computer to get the information off. This isn't actually a bad thing because you aren't supposed to wear this band 24/7, they don't want you to exceed 23 hours a day. So, I take my band off for an hour a day to sync and charge the band at once. If you want results throughout the day I highly recommend the bluetooth version of the band and use the app to see your progress throughout the day. If you don't need fitness advice you can simply use the BodyMedia app but you have to pay for their subscription if you go without the Jillian Michaels app subscription. 

Now, I also want to let you all now that I am not saying that the Up isn't worth it, because it totally is as long as the band is working. I was thrilled with my results until it went faulty but at the end of the day I switched to a new band because I wasn't treated like a person, I was treated like a robot and felt like I didn't matter to them. Needless to say, if I know the product improves and that I wouldn't have those issues again, I would get the Up. It was comfortable, and looks like a bracelet so I didn't feel like anyone was staring at me. Sadly, that is not how it turned out, and I went with something I had more faith would work. Now, I also want to mention that Jawbone and BodyMedia are merging, I just hope the poor customer service doesn't continue when that happens.

Sorry for the long rant, but I just felt like I needed to write this entry because Fitness bands are becoming a huge thing. People want them to be fashionable and they want to know that they work. We shell out a lot of money for these things to work and to keep up motivated, so mine as well get the best quality possible right? Right! I would still like to encourage anyone and everyone who is trying to get into shape, to seriously look into the fitness bands. However, when looking into them keep in mind what you want the band to tell you.  Every band has its own perks, advantages, and disadvantages. Do your research, ask your friends, and don't be afraid to talk to sales associates. I highly recommend getting a product from a third party source such as Best Buy, as they tend to offer better warranties and if you get it from Best Buy you can get an additional 2 year warranties (mine was $19.99) and if something goes wrong you just go to the store and they replace it with a new one. That and most stores have a 15 day return policy for electronic devices, but always be sure to ask if your product falls within the 15 day return policy guidelines. Some stores will not take back an opened product.

I hope this entry helps someone!

Sincerely,
Gypsy

It's Okay To Have a Bad Day

Hello Readers,

So the last couple of days have been hard on me, not that anything bad happened, but that I started fall back into old habits. I made my favorite kind of rice and told myself that I was only going to eat one serving. I dished out my portion and put the rest in a container to have another day... ya I ate the whole box. The next day I did the same thing, told myself I had self control to not eat the whole box and made my plate of food dished out my one serving again, and again I devoured almost the whole box. So then I decided that I was going to avoid cooking, just eat salads and things that didn't require me using the stove, then I ordered a pizza. Needless to say habits are hard to break but that isn't a reason to break down and give up.

Today I decided it was a good day to start over, because that is allowed. I went to the store and looked over various products read labels and made better choices. I stocked up my fridge and my freezer on things that would be healthy and you know what? I threw out all the things from my freezer that I didn't need. I got rid of my ice cream, TV dinners, and various other, bad for you products. It felt good to get all of that out of the house and get rid of the temptation. Now I still have several boxes of my rice left but I am going to use it so that I can learn to control my portions better. It is something we all have to learn at some point.

I find that I am constantly reminding myself that I am only human and that I am entitled to make mistakes. I think as a person we often forget that mistakes happen, they are things that we cannot avoid even if we wanted to. Our mistakes help guide us in new paths and through challenges in life. My mistakes gave me the drive to finally throw away all the things that tempt me and I will tell you what it felt good.

Not only did I throw away the foods that I shouldn't but I also invested some money in myself. I bought myself Zumba so that I could be more active at home. It isn't much but being jobless and having nothing else to do I figured I could at least try something. I know most would say that I should just go outside or go to a gym, well I have another complication that has the odds against me, I get exercise induced migraines. What does that mean exactly? If I do too much exercise then my head decided it is going to hate me and cause me to go to bed. Right now I am working with my doctor to try and find a treatment plan that will help me be able to tolerate longer excises but for now I have to keep things at a low level of movement.

It sucks but I am working with what I got, so for now instead of concentrating on the 'eat less, move more' I am focusing on eating less but still staying healthy. I am trying to walk more two, and this Jawbone Up has been very handy.

That is all I really have for now, I just want those of you who read this to know that its okay to have a bad day, or bad days, bad weeks, or even bad months. What truly matters at the end of it is what you do next. Are you going to continue to have bad days and drown your sorrows in self destructive ways, or are you going to do something about it? Me I am choosing to do something about it. If you need help, guidance, or just support, please feel free to leave a comment I will help anyways I can.

Sincerely,

Gypsy

Welcome To My Blog

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Hello and welcome to my blog.

My name is Sara, but I go by Gypsy, and I am a 27 year old female who is looking for what I want out of life. I  am currently unemployed, trying to figure out what I want to do now that I lost the job that I volunteered 6 months for, only to get let go 5 weeks after making it onto the payroll. This shook my life up in more ways than one, because it was the job I had wanted to retire with. Seeing as that isn't going to happen anymore I need to figure out a new plan and a new goal for my life. This is where a blog comes into play, but I should probably explain that first.

After losing my job, I had the fortunate event of being able to go see Jillian Michaels for her Maximize Your Life Tour it was one of the best experiences of my life because it reminded me that I do matter. I took a lot from the show, and started to do some little things to get a general idea of where my life wanted to go. It has been a journey that I keep going back and forth on because part of me wonders.... does anyone really care about my life and my troubles?... Truth be told, probably not, but then I reminded myself that I am not doing this for other people but I am doing it for myself. There is of course a plus if I do end up having someone get the courage to fight for their dreams.

My journey to happiness has started with changing the way that I eat, as well as what I drink. I have started my journey to healthy eating using these list from Jillian Michaels. Now I know what some of you are thinking, I can't do this because it is way too expensive, but let me tell you it really isn't. I took my weekly grocery budget and was able to get TONS of healthy food, by cutting out processed foods, and now soda. I spent roughly $70 dollars on food, which I thought would only be enough to last me a week, I was mistaken as it has lasted me 2 weeks, so it can be done. Now, I know that many of you go into the stores and see the price of organic foods and get all worked up on the price. This is where the Dirty Dozen come into play. If you buy your organics based off of that list, you won't be spitting out a whole bunch of money on food. Now, I also buy all my dairy products natural as well. This is mainly due to the fact that I am allergic to pesticides and didn't know until I saw Jillian that those things can leak into dairy products.

By making these changes in my life I have started to feel better physically, which is a huge improvement for me. Not only have I been trying to eat healthier but I have been trying to move more as well, which hasn't gone so well for me. Despite the fact that I have increased the amount of water I drink, and stretch like I am supposed to, I get these killer migraines and get dizzy so for now I have stop exercise until I can speak with my doctor to know what is going on.

Speaking of water,

I hate water, I hate drinking it by itself I think it tastes horrible and I have tried everything. I have tried it with fruit, I have tried it warm, cold, I have done the filter and bottled water. You name it I have tried it so that I can drink more. In the end I got a lovely bottle from a P!nk concert and because I can't physically see how much water I have been taking in, I find that I am drinking more of it. I do on occasion add some Mio or Kool-Aid liquid to my water to get a bit of flavor because lets face it, being an avid soda drink does not make switching to just strict water all that easy. Mind you I still try and take in at least 30oz of plain water every day, because the dyes and artificial coloring in foods is not good for the Kidney's but lets face it things that actually taste good are going to be what I drink.

Now for a little bit about the direction I am going to be taking this blog, that is easy... I am going to talk about the things that I need to talk about so if you want to read this great, but if you don't want to it is not going to hurt my feelings. Most of the stuff that I will talk about in my blog will have a lot to do with the things that I am working on by listening to Jillian Michaels book 'Slim For Life', 'Unlimited', and her Podcasts. I will be referring back to her a lot because I admire what she has been able to accomplish and that she actually talks with her fans. That is right Jillian Michaels actually talks to the people who need her help. How do I know this? Because I have personally got replies from Jillian on Twitter, and I know she cares because when I went to her show and stood outside for her autograph, she knew who I was from the tweets she replied to. That to me is encouraging because it lets me know that she is human, and that people in the world do actually care.

I am not going to make any promises that I am going to make a post everyday or even once a week. I am going to use this blog as I need it and that is pretty much how this is going to go. I will also be using this blog to do 'homework' from Jillian's books so they may not always make sense. With that in mind I will do my best to label each entry so that way people know if it is a personal blog or homework.

So yes, that is what is going to happen here. I hope that I have people out there that get encouraged by what I am doing, and use it as a way to motivate themselves. I look forward to posting here more often, and I hope to have my blogged spruced up a bit as time goes by but for now this plain old blog will just have to do.

Take care of yourselves!

Love,
Gypsy