Progress

Okay, so let's be honest... I have been insanely busy for the past few weeks, so it's been nearly impossible for me to update my blog. A ton of people have asked me to help them with dieting/exercise, but there is no simple answer. Like one of my previous posts was titled, weight is maintained (and lost) by LIFESTYLE! Of course, that's easier said than done, but it just take patience and will power. You can do it! Myfitnesspal really helped, because it kept me accountable. Get some of your friends to join, and it seriously works wonders!

I swear I'm NOT a spokesperson or secret employee of myfitnesspal! I just love it so much!

One of my friends facebook messaged me how she was doing with it :









I have lost all the weight I wanted, and for a while, I was actually UNDER weight. That is something that's no bueno. So, I have been weight training and core training.

 I'm so proud of myself! I have a new found confidence :)
 




























I am also wearing braces :/ ... I will have perfect teeth in 8-12 months (hopefully BEFORE my 21st birthday). Here's to shooting for 8! I absolutely cannot stand them. Smiling is super awkward, and eating is extremely meticulous. However, I'm so happy I will have a beautiful smile soon-ish :)

An Overview

I know most of my close friends have no clue what E3 is, but a lot of y'all are totally into the gaming world... 

Here is a little overview in case you don't know:

The Electronic Entertainment Expo, more widely referred to as, "E3" is an annual trade show in Los Angeles.  The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) reveals the world's largest selection of  upcoming video and computer games for the year. Unlike semi-annual video game trade shows, E3 attracts a world-wide audience. Its undeniable significance and paramount experience trump the rest.

So, how am I privileged to attend?  

Forest's dad's company(click here!) supplies miles of cable and unbeatable wireless for the entire show- it's amazing. I am truly blessed to be a part (even a small part) of such an amazing professional team like showNets!

With such a show like E3, Internet access is imperative, and showNets is the irrefutable leader in Internet supply!  The showNets team soars above the rest, performing beyond the basic needs of both professional clients and facility management alike. Our team constantly achieves dual excellence in professionalism and congeniality. With such an unwavering concern for their clients, the showNets team ensures complete satisfaction. 

It's amazing to watch the LACC transform within a week! Bare concrete halls turn into fantastical booths, varying in size and color. Without showNets, E3 would not be the tremendous success as it is today!

E3

If you are not a video gamer, you most likely have no idea what "E3" is; I know I didn't until a few years ago, when I first started working for Forest's dad's company, showNets. Basically, it is the world's glimpse into the upcoming computer and video games for the year. It is held annually in the LACC (Los Angeles Convention Center); it's pretty awesome, even if you aren't into video games.

"The most influential people leading the most innovative companies in the business attend E3 to see groundbreaking new technologies and never-before-seen products for computers, video game consoles, handheld systems, mobile, and the Internet." - E3

The show doesn't begin until June 5 (and ends on June 7), but our company invades the building weeks before it begins. That's because miles of cable and tons of wireless must be in place before exhibitors arrive. It's amazing to watch the evolution transpire... 

Check it out: AFTER picture will be added later!  ;)

This is what the south lobby looks like BEFORE the show begins.

I love the views of downtown Los Angeles. You can see the E3 advertisements in this picture (located on the street post)... pretty sweet:

 .... and this is my boss/favorite father "in law" (yeah, I know we aren't married yet, but it's easier to say than, "my boyfriend's dad/ my future husband's dad"), but he is difficult to distinguish from the Tony Stark character (from Iron Man) during show times.  :)

The most important thing on his desk? ... Jelly Bellies! 

It's a Lifestyle!

Weight. A woman's favorite word...
 Basing that magic number off of my height (5'7''), I have never actually been "overweight", as classified by my BMI (Find your BMI here!), but I went through a period of time in which I was unhappy with my weight.


a "before"  picture

From the end of my senior year of high school to the end of my freshman year of college, I gained over 20 (so much for the "freshman fifteen") pounds. I went from wearing a size 7/8 to a size 11/12! It was as if I had woken up one morning with all of the extra weight. Yeah, I had giant breasts, but those aren't as great as society claims. I hated wearing pant sizes in the double digits. Ultimately, my weight and the way my clothes fit began to deteriorate my quality of life, but it took me a while to actually do something about it. I didn't want to put in the extra effort in my daily life that I knew it took to lose weight.


...However...


At the beginning of October, I started on an amazing journey to become fit. My first step was abandoning my favorite food: cheese... no more macaroni, no more cheese sticks, no more Parmesan, and no more pizza! I downloaded MyFitnessPal to my iPhone, and logged religiously. It is literally a life-changing app. Get it, seriously. Basically, it is calorie-counting machine. After a quick evaluation, the app recommended my daily calorie intake:1200. At first, that seemed impossible; an average meal at a restaurant is 1000 calories, but I did it. I also began to work out like a crazy person (like my mother), and it honestly sucked for the first month. After a while, I began to look forward to going to the gym. The first month was just an obstacle that needed to be overcome. It wasn't long until I began noticing a difference in the way my clothes were fitting, and I had lost a little over ten pounds by December. Around Christmas, my family and friends began to compliment the way I looked. It felt so great that they were noticing a difference too! All of the hard work was really paying off.

...TODAY...

I have lost 33 pounds since October!
Before I started losing weight (at the beginning of October), I weighed157 pounds... As of this morning, I weigh 124 pounds, and... I have muscle- a miracle!
My dress size? 2. BAM.
Pant size? 3/4 and 5/6... I can wear both.
Shirt size? Small. :)






I feel great.  My weight loss and lifestyle change has really impacted my relationship with Forest. We are so happy. My increased happiness and renewed confidence created an exciting spark in our relationship. We had an amazing relationship before this journey, and now it's just getting better!

I have never been so proud of myself in my life. Along with my determination to lose weight, I was also working hard in school... For the first time since high school, I received all As at UGA! Things are just getting better, and I am so happy!

Roller Coaster

I am so excited to start blogging! I live a crazy blessed life, and (I think) it's worth sharing. Hopefully, this blog will inspire others to celebrate life and all of its little (and big!) surprises. Life is a free, never- ending roller coaster without a line... and isn't that what all of us really want? :)