What sparked my renewed blogging dedication you might ask? Well I just moved to Paris only 6 days ago. There is nothing that can motivate a girl to diet and get going looking good like moving to the land of gorgeous, slim, chic woman that happens also to be the land of butter.

I just cooked my boyfriend a lovely dinner, black rice risotto with grilled salmon. I have to say that even I was impressed. The secret? BUTTER, bien sur!

I have been here only 6 days and I already took the initiative to join a gym. Wish me luck!

I plan to start writing here of course, but am also writing at ThatPerfect.com – a site dedicated to self-improvement, get smart/get pretty/get chic/get cooking How-Tos, and other interesting and helpful (hopefully!) articles for how to become the perfect woman.

Who is that perfect woman you ask? Witty, beautiful, talented, captivating and fashionable?

It’s Jane Fonda, of course!

I weighed in around 136-137 yesterday. More than every, ugh ugh – but I’ll get back on track soon and get the weight off. I suppose my goal weight is the same as it was previously 128-130lbs. That 6-9lbs is going to be work and definitely take time – a full month at least of hard work. Anything, anything to get rid of the newly appeared cellulite on my thighs. I finally get IT now, because I have IT now, and eh eh cellulite be gone!

I ate completely raw yesterday and plan on just eating light today. I used to be very preoccupied with working out, but I think the best route for me this time around is to just eat less. The New York Magazine article in my last post talked all about how exercising doesn’t make you lose weight (the author was obviously trying to make a strong point – I have no doubt that exercising helps your body stay healthy and go through the transition of losing weight better) and it made me realize that I cannot just try to exercise those slices of pie. (My new boyfriend works at a restaurant famous for its pies. Off course as his lady, I get free and unlimited pie – so bad, but oh soo good… a la mode s’il vous plait) I think I might have better success trying to limit my calories a little more rather than obsessively go to the gym. Considering how I’m so busy, I think if get gym-crazy again, I will 1) Have no free time ever 2) Get stressed out and eat more 3) Get overwhelmed and give up on my diet.

It’s always good to use moderation in hopes of a gradual change, then get all crazy-like trying to turn into Jane Fonda in a week. Wish me luck!

Unfortunately, however; I haven’t been to the gym for a week. I have just been lazy, but I figure I will work it into my schedule and get back on track. It’s funny, I actually started this blog when I was about a size 6 and since have grown to a size 8, and even though my goal is to slim down, I really embrace my bigger size as well. It’s strange because all my friends are so skinny, but I still feel and feel like I look so sexy. I am actually RATHER curvy right now, and I am such a curve lovin’ gal that I Can’t Help but love ‘em. I don’t feel as strong physically though, soI will definitely be heading back to the gym. Life is just so much better when you stop being on a diet. I have decided no more crazyness – just eat less, exercise M-O-D-E-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Lately, I haven’t been concerning myself with food, nutrients, starving, cooking etc. and life has been so much better. WEll, I’ve also been going out a lot, but still food is such a pressure and a burden in society. Lets just stop it all, enjoy eating, enjoy food and enjoy living! woohoo

Start Weight = 136lbs
Waist = 29″ Size 8

Goal#1 Weight = 132lbs

Goal#2 Weight = 130lbs

FinalGoal Weight = 128lbs
Waist = 27.5″

Ideal Weight = don’t really care
Waist = 26″ Size 4-6?

There should be rewards along the way, no?
Massages are a way I never justifying treating myself, even though I love them so much (but who doesn’t). I believe that the best way to judge that I have reached my goal is through waist measurement, but I think I will go by weight primarily because it’s easiest for me to track. Overall, I will try to go by both. One massage everytime I reach a goal – woohoo!

and the PLAN?!?

Interval Training and strength exercises 3x a week
Class of some worth (pilates, gym, etc.) 1x a week

1. Eating when hungry – don’t starve, don’t binge, eat healthy or just small portions of calorie dense foods and I’ll feel good
2. Interval training. The last few times I’ve gone to the gym I’ve been doing interval training on the elliptical and stationary bike. I just feel like I’ve really WORKED something. It takes more motivation then just pumpking away at the machine but I’m going to stick with it.
3. Go to classes. Yoga, pilates, at gym, whatever. I am a Crunch gym member, known for their great “Superfun” classes and I never go. I want to try out some new ones, spinning and yoga (even though I hate the idea of doing yoga at the gym – it’s free cause I’ve already paid for it!)
4. Drink less. School is over, summer has arrived and I’ve just been going out out out! What can I say I love to go out and have fun and in nyc drinking is always part of it. My solution – as stupid as this sounds is that I think I’m going to try to get another job, just part time in the evenings. This will be a great distraction for me, great excuse for me, and I’ll get paid in the meantime

As of today i weighed 127lbs. OUCH! But honestly I just died my hair dark brown (I’ll upload a pic soon!), I have my two potential boys, and I’m feeling sexy and feeling good. Gotta love the summertime!

Tomorrow I start a new course (Forensic Pyschology! fun fun), I’m doing laundry, cleaning the apt and heading to the gym. I also have not one, but two dates this week. Very strange and very lucky, how do I get two dates in one week when I feel so gross and feel like I look so gross. Look forward to more positive posts in the future I promise.
Also, I just ordered a super pretty japanese bento lunchbox and plan to make some great lunches which I will readily post!

I went shopping for shorts yesterday and was stunned to see that I have gone UP a size. I am no a sz 30, up from a 28 last summer. I wonder if all my dieting worrying is sabotazing me! My real goal for the next few weeks is to get to the gym at least 5 days a week. I am working more at my job (at a branding company). Luckily my hours are very flexible, I can work either 2-4 days a week, half day or full-day, whatever. So there is really no excuse I cannot get my butt to the gym. I think I’m going to organize a reasonably strict schedule for this week, plan out fun classes to do (I am a crunch member, afterall and they are known for their “superfun classes”).

I’ve been thinking about the Master Cleanse….
One of the reasons I was so happy on it was that I was calm, finally not stressing for once over calories, nutrition and food costs. I was thinking that incorporating similar simplicity into my life might help me lose the weight the best. I was thinking that protein shakes might be the way to go. Limit myself to 1 or 2 protein shakes and as many fruits and veggies as I want. As much as I HATE processed things, protein shakes are very nutritient rich and would help me get necessary protein (and even fat) into my diet. I would do soy protein shakes a la Whole Foods, not SlimFast etc. Anyone have ideas for a similarly SIMPLE diet plans. Honestly, I’d do a mono diet (all apples all day) but it’s not an effective long-term eating plan…ideas?

I not longer have class, just final exams for school so I’ve been able to rummage around my favorite grocery stores, Trader Joes and Whole Foods getting inspired and staying well stocked in fruits and veggies. I am concentrating on raw recipes, but mostly just trying to incorporate tons of freshness (fresh foods) into my day!

I spent 2 hours tonight just preparing foods and sealing them off in little containers for later. I find that it is always so much nicer to be exposed to many different tastes and textures during a meal, rather than just a heap of the same thing. I made egg white salad, very healthy- I used only cooked egg whites, parsley, cucumber, and my favorite cottage cheese. The cottage cheese gives the salad a spread texture and a cheesy taste, without having to use mayonnaise.
I also cooked up some steamed spinach and garlic for tomorrow and roasted some baby portabello mushrooms and butternut squash for later. A little bit of each of these things along, some fresh carrot and celery sticks, and a bag of salad mix and my lunch (and possibly early dinner too!) is set tomorrow.

I had coffee today for the first time in 2 or 3 weeks. I haven’t had caffeine in a while, since I was on the cleanse etc. Though it was only one cup, it kind of made me feel slightly sick and gave me a baby headache. I know caffeine (and obviously caffeine addictions) are not good, but I love coffee, I love the taste, the brew, the ritual, the whole damn thing! I suppose it’s not something I should really PUSH to bring back into my life, though.

I have been looking at a lot of blogs and want to attempt raw vegan “sushi” using nori and all veggies (poss. with a bit of marinated tofu) or wraps with collard greens. I’ve never rolled sushi before, and I don’t quite know how to do it and I’m also a bit perplexed about how to wrap with the collard greens. Do i use a toothpick? How does everything stay together??