Teresa's Quirky Tips To Skinny!

I think everyone has a few oddities about them, it's what makes us unique, individuals. My husband for instance used to be incredibly forgetful, above and beyond just regular forgetful, extremely forgetful, locked out of his dorm room more than 100 times freshman year (or something like that, I worked in Res Life and gave him his keys, eventually we stopped counting! No joke, though we do definitely laugh about it.) My sister, for instance, tells waitresses that she's allergic to tomato's because she hates them. Odd but not entirely unusual, she's always been very particular about food, she wont, for instance, eat anything called a "casserole." Or at least she wouldn't when we were growing up, maybe she will now.

It is when you have enough oddities, or oddities that are not related to each other, that you start to fall into a different category, quirky. I think, ladies and gents, that that is where I fall in the spectrum of normal.  The spectrum, looking a little something like this: 

Normal            Odd           Quirky         Weird           Crazy           Super Genius 

If I could put a Star on the spectrum of where I land, it would be just before the Q in quirky. Don't believe me? 

I used to have to have every door in my room  

firmly closed before I could go to sleep at night. 

Quirky.

When eating Starbursts I eat one of each color each time, 

to see what colors I was shorted at the end. 

Meaning, I have to eat them in groups of 4. 

Quirky.

I want to do my Bible reading out of the same Bible 

each and every time.

Quirky.

 I begin to form a relationship with said Bible. It's personal. 

Currently it is lost, and that is a problem. 

I know every Bible says the same thing, but like I said, it's personal. 

God's word is living and breathing and I like to see as time goes on the different things God has taught me through one passage or another. 

Quirky.

I eat flavored instant oatmeal straight from the package.

Quirky.

Suffice it to say then, that it is only normal  for me to have a few quirks when it comes to losing weight, dieting, and working out. Which, is what I am currently deep within the throws of trying to accomplish. My husband, you see, has been in a weight competition at work and at the 2 month (of 3) mark he was in the lead and had dropped about 15 lbs. This was after he'd lost 7 pounds due to a horrible case of the flu and starting to work out on his own before finding out about the competition. I must tell you he looks absolutely amazing. One of these days I'll get a new picture of him to show off to all of you but for now, you'll just have to take my word for it. 

So, in the last two and a half months my husband has been going around getting skinny, often leaving at night to work out and I'd sit on the couch or in my bed like a bum eating my sweets and treats, ultimately getting chunkier and chunkier, until I couldn't take it anymore. 

So, the day after Easter I got serious. Using the guidelines my lovely Frousin (friend/cousin) laid out here, I went to town. But as I said, I wouldn't be me if I didn't put my own little twist on things. So you ready for Teresa's Quirky Tips To Skinny? Well, without further ado, here they are. 

Teresa's Quirky Tips To SKINNY

Put all of your cheat foods into one cabinet.

Put a sign on that cabinet that states your goal and Cheat Day.

Stand in front of the mirror if you do eat something you aren't supposed to. (truthfully, I think this is a good idea, I intend to, but my couch is much more convenient, which of course is exactly the point.)

Bring your Kindle to the gym and read to pass the time on the treadmill. 

(I do not recommend trying this on the stationary bike while drinking water, you might splash ludicrous amounts of water all over yourself, bike and Kindle, and attract unwanted attention, but by all means, if you want the attention, go for it)

When first entering the gym, pause for a moment, pick your machine carefully. (You want to be right next to someone who is working hard, either walking really fast, or running. The faster they go, the easier it is for you to work your hardest. But, be warned this is tricky, you want to make sure they aren't going to quit just when your getting into the swing of things! That will really kill your motivation. I look for someone going fast, but not too too sweaty yet ;) )

When running on the treadmill count 1,2,3,4 with each step. 

Over and over and over.

To kick the cravings, eat Cinnamon Altoids and chew Cinnamon Trident

(Interesting Note: The only cinnamon gum I've found without Aspartame is Trident, and the only Trident flavor without Aspartame is Cinnamon. Odd right? Do you know of any other gums that don't have Aspartame for me to try?)

When drinking water, use the same container all day. 

Don't count ounces but containers. 

(For instance, my water bottle or a glass. Unless I have no choice I wont drink half a water bottle, then half a glass of water. I must be able to count the containers, and must finish an entire container full of water.)

Take pictures of your healthy meals, particularly when they are colorful and look extra tasty. 

Register for a 5K 

(By doing this, you are adding to your goal, giving yourself something measurable to work towards, but also you spent money on the registration and if you are frugal like us, there is no way that you will let your laziness waste that money!) 

Alright folks, that's all I've got for now! Maybe I'll share a recipe or two in the coming weeks, or maybe I'll disappear again! In the mean time, if your looking for a 5K to join, because you know my advice is genius, check this video out! 

There is still room on my team for the July 22nd Ann Arbor Color Run, if you are interested let me know!