Motivation Mondays: How Do You Measure Success? & LuluLemon Picks!

I got a question on my formspring page today asking me whether or not I've lost weight or inches from working out.

I've definitely lost inches on my body---and gained muscle mass--- but I only know this because of how I look and how my clothes fit. I don't weigh myself or take measurements.

I'm not on a weight loss journey like some health and fitness bloggers are, so weigh-ins and measuring are not part of my life, nor do I want them to be.  When I watch shows like The Biggest Loser or Heavy, I completely understand the weigh-ins because they really have to track their progress to make sure that they are losing the amount of weight they should be and to ensure their eating and workouts are effective.

When I made the decision to work out regularly, I did it for my health of course and to improve the look of my body by toning it.  So, that's how I assess my progress nowadays---by what I see in the mirror and how I feel. 

In the past, I've weighed myself regularly and measured myself and I became obsessed with the numbers and that's not where I want to be. 

I want to feel good about how hard I work and in order to do that, I can't obsess about the numbers on the scale or how much my hips measure. I've been there, done that---and I never feel happy because I feel like I'm not getting results (even when I am.)  Now, all it takes is just looking at myself and pulling my skinny jeans on to know that the results are there.

I was shopping at LuluLemon with Candice this weekend (and OMG do they ever have amazing stuff out right now!) and I even proudly flexed in the mirror as I tried a tank on.  That's how I measure success these days. 

How do you measure your workout success?  To clarify, I'm not saying I never weigh myself---I do. Maybe once every 3 months or so.

Speaking of LuluLemon---hello gorgeous!  I'm absolutely loving all of the stuff they have in store right now and I'm tempted to pay a visit again next weekend and make a purchase or two.

Here are my top picks:

Lulu Lemon Scoop Neck Tank

 

Run Speed Short

Wunder Under Crop- Organic


Speed Up Tank

I just love that minty green color they're featuring in a lot of their styles right now! It's so fresh and pretty! They also had these adorable pleated mini skirts (or skorts, I think).  If I played tennis more often I'd definitely have bought one!

In more health news, I finally switched to regular oatmeal for breakfast and I LOVE it!  In my last post where I mentioned it, a lot of my lovely readers encouraged me to switch because the flavored formulas had so much sugar in them.

This morning I tried the Quaker brand rolled oats for the first time and they were awesome.  I prepared them just with water, put it into the microwave and then I added some honey and cinnamon powder.  To top it all off, I also added fresh blueberries and strawberries. YUM!  The best part? It kept me full until lunchtime at 12:30 p.m.

Isn't it so pretty!?  I'm really glad I made the switch and thank you to all the ladies who pushed me in this direction!

I had my veggie soup for lunch, almonds as a snack, peanut butter with Kashi crackers as a snack, some chicken and pasta for dinner and a few bites of H's cinnamon bun for dessert (I had to restrain myself from eating the entire thing!)

Since my colonoscopy is next week, I want to start eating well now and continuing to eat well after "the great cleanse of 2011." I'm praying the cleanse will eliminate my sugar cravings.  I can hope, right?

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

Veronika.

pictures from the 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards

Gathering together to honor the year's best in theater, it has 17 Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards winners officially named.

The event takes place at the Shrine Exposition Center Sunday night (January 30), followed by the honoree with previous awards as "The King's Tale" was named best film.

Other big winners at the SAG Awards were Colin Firth, who was nominated as best actor, while Natalie Portman was glorified with the best actress honors.

On the television end of things, both "Modern Family" and "Boardwalk Empire" emerged triumphant while individual prizes were awarded to Betty White and Al Pacino.

The full list of 17 Annual SAG winners are:

Theatre Stiller Movies

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a leading role
Jeff Bridges, "True Grit"
Robert Duvall, "Get Low"
Jesse Eisenberg, "social networking"
WINNER: Colin Firth, "The King's Speech"
James Franco, "127 Hours"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a leading role
Annette Bening, "The Kids Are All Right"
Nicole Kidman, "Rabbit Hole"
Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"
WINNER: Natalie Portman, "Black Swan"
Hilary Swank, "Conviction"

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
WINNER: Christian Bale, "The Fighter"
John Hawkes, "Winter's Bone"
Jeremy Renner, "The Town"
Mark Ruffalo, "The Kids Are All Right"
Geoffrey Rush, "The King's Tale"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Amy Adams, "The Fighter"
Helena Bonham Carter, "The King's Tale"
Mila Kunis, "Black Swan"
WINNER: Melissa Leo, "The Fighter"
Hailee Steinfeld, "True Grit"

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Movie
"Black Swan"
"The Fighter"
"The Kids Are All Right"
WINNER: "The King's Tale"
"Social Networking"

TV

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
WINNER: Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Michael C. Hall, "Dexter"
Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
Hugh Laurie, "House M.D."

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Glenn Close, "Damages"
Mariska Hargitay, "Law & Order: SVU"
WINNER: Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
Kyra Sedgwick, "The Closer"

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series
WINNER: Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
Steve Carell, "The Office"
Chris Colfer, "Glee"
Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Jane Lynch, "Glee"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
WINNER: Betty White, "Hot in Cleveland"

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series
WINNER: "Boardwalk Empire"
"The Closer"
"Dexter"
"The Good Wife"
"Mad Men"

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series
"30 Rock"
"Glee"
"Hot in Cleveland"
WINNER: "Modern Family"
"The Office"

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a TV movie or miniseries
John Goodman, "You Do not Know Jack"
WINNER: Al Pacino, "You Do not Know Jack"
Dennis Quaid, "The Special Relationship"
Edgar Ramirez, "Carlos"
Patrick Stewart, "Macbeth"

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries
WINNER: Claire Danes, "Temple Grandin"
Catherine O'Hara, "Temple Grandin"
Julia Ormond, "Temple Grandin"
Winona Ryder, "When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story"
Susan Sarandon, "You Do not Know Jack"

Sunday Soup: My First Attempt at Cooking Healthy!

Cooking and I, we have a mixed history.  I'm not one of those people that loves to grocery shop for ingredients and then cook something awesome. I don't enjoy any part of it really.  However,  in my quest to eat healthier and incorporate more veggies into my life, realized I'd have to cook in order to accomplish that goal.

I hate following recipes. I kind of google what I want to make and then loosely follow the recipe and add or take away whatever I like. I know that's probably a silly approach, especially for someone who can't really cook well...but it makes cooking a little more tolerable for me.

I enjoy baking (hello cupcakes!) but I can't seem to wrap my heart around cooking.  It takes a lot of effort and like I said above, I hate following recipes and having to buy every.single.ingredient. that needs to go into the recipe.  I use recipes more like a guide instead of a set of distinct instructions.

While grocery shopping today, I decided I wanted to make a healthy, veggie-packed soup.  I googled a soup recipe on my iPhone as I shopped and picked up some of the ingredients that appealed to me and added some of my own favorite veggies.

I'm quite pleased with how my soup turned out! 

Ingredients I used:

• Onion
• Garlic Powder
• Black Pepper
• Carrots
• Tomato
• Sweet Green Peas
• Zucchini
• Light Red Kidney Beans
• Great White Northern Beans
• White Potatoes
• Organic Chicken Stock
• Parsley

My H loved the soup too---though he did add more salt and spice to his. I'm okay with a lighter tasting soup but he likes his a little spicier.

Though it takes awhile to peel and chop everything, I'm really glad I took the time to do it because now I'm more confident about exploring more and trying different recipes (or recipe guides, as I like to use them.)

Are you a cooking novice like me? How did you finally get yourself excited about cooking? Let me know because I could use more motivation!

xoxo,

Veronika.

PS- I have a giveaway coming up this week!  Look out for that :)

The Old Boys Club : Sexism Still Exists

Gray sacked, Keys resigned. What a week! I can now enjoy my Premier League football without listening to the annoying voices of a Gareth Bale kiss-asser and a Scouser. And sexists. Idiots.
Fun Fact: Sian Massey, the beautiful lady entwined in this whole saga is actually a PE teacher at a school in Coventry. Weird but true..

Ford Focus Electric 2013 Car Photos

Charge Port, between the driver's door and the front wheel well, activates a light ring that loops around the harbor twice to let the owner know that the car is connected to. There are the usual gee-whiz charging and battery-draining column drama going on in the dash, too.

George Clooney Says to Nolan Gould That You're Dapper!

Modern family Gould Nolan recently shared their funny run-in with the 49-year-old actor at last year's Screen Actors Guild Awards.

CTS-V Coupe Race Car Hot Photos

It is believed by many automakers such as involvement in motorsport will improve not only racing, but road cars. Cadillac is no stranger to the SCCA World Challenge, which took part in the GT class series in a Cadillac CTS-V sedan in 2004-2007 seasons. To achieve this, the Cadillac back to the Sports Car Club of America's World Challenge series in 2011 with a race-prepped CTS-V Coupe that General Motors show 2011 Detroit Auto Show.



The SCCA World Challenge series is based manufacturer, which means that all competing cars are racing versions of the cars could be purchased by the public. Back to racing in the SCCA World Challenge is a great way to demonstrate the performance and ability to CTS-V Coupe,"said Don Butler, vice president of Cadillac marketing. Pratt & Miller, an engineering firm in Michigan, which has also been responsible for Chevrolet's all-conquering C5.R and C6.R race cars, together with the new Corvette GT2 class American Le Mans Series racing cars and public roads C6RS will be co development of the CTS-V Coupe race car with GM's performance division. In 2011 SCCA World Challenge Series opens March 25 to 27 in St. Petersburg, Florida.