I'm a loser baby...

 

 

1.6 lbs. gooneee this week chicas!  Yayyyy me!!  I'm officially at 115.8 lbs. total loss since embarking on this journey earlier this year.  I know I still have a long way to go, but I will get there.  This week has been craazzzyy to say the least, so sorry for the short post.

 

This is exactly how I'm feeling this week...

 

 

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

 

xoxo,

 

❤Nica

 

 



A part of me is missing...

And believe it or not, I'm glad! 

 

Chicas...let me tell you...gallbladder attacks are NO JOKE.  In case you've been wondering where the hell I've been, well let me start from the beginning...

 

Let's rewind to August 3rd, a little over a month ago.  Prior to that awful Friday, I had been feeling pretty crappy that entire week.  I was getting some unusual pains late at night, that would disappear in the morning.  I wasn't sure what was going on, but I did know it felt similar to how I was feeling when I went to the ER  in July.  I ended up going to work that Friday, and by 11:00am, I could no longer stand the pain.  I don't even know how to describe it, other than 'sitting in my chair with my head on the desk cringing in half hard to breath' type of pain.  lol  I literally got up, walked out of my office, and miraculously drove myself to the ER here in town.  After a few tests and A LOT of blood work (I am ALWAYS a hard stick :/), I was told that I was having a severe gallbladder attack.

 

YIKES.

 

And WOAH that pain.  Just like that, I was admitted to the hospital, and scheduled for surgery possibly the very next day.  I pretty much spent the next 24 hours drugged up to relieve the pain, and laying in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV.

 

Fast foward about a week, and I'm home after surgery.  Gallbladder and gallstones removed.  Recovery from this surgery has been terrible for me chicas.  I had an allergic reaction to one of the medications, and broke out in hives for several days.  The itching STILL hasn't fully gone away, but at least the hives have.  I still don't feel like myself.  It completely threw me off track, and I'm still struggling to get back into my normal routine.

 

I still haven't been able to return to my Zumba class, and just this week alone, I finally started tracking again.  I missed a few weeks of WW weigh-ins, but it felt good when I did return.  Here's a quick update from the past month...

 

I didn't get to weigh-in on 7/31/12, or on 8/7/12.  I was out of town that last week in July, and didn't make it to weigh-in.  The first week in August, well I was still recuperating from surgery.  On 8/14/12 I decided to weigh-in, even though I had not been able to follow the program much.  I had lost a total of 7.4 lbs., which I expected since it had been nearly three weeks since my last weigh-in, and of course I had been sick.  On 8/21/12, I weighed in and had lost another 2.2 lbs.  Then on 8/28/12, I had my second gain of 1.6 lbs.  I did expect that since the week before I had pretty much gained my appetite back, and was really just eating anything I wanted, and not tracking.  (Plus I had an awesome weekend with my bestie Cat, and got to go see JLo & Enrique Iglesias in concert!  Another post on that coming soon.)

 

Like I mentioned above, I finally shook myself out of the haze, and tried to get back on track.  Yesterday's Weight Watchers meeting was awesome, especially since we had a guest speaker.  It was amazing to hear one of the veteran members speak about her success, and how she had finally met her goal.  I weighed in also, and here are the results...

 

 

I lost 3.8 lbs. this week chicas!  Yaaayy me!!  As you can see above, that puts me at 114.2 lbs. total loss.  :)  I am beyoond excited, and proud of myself.  I know this little push is going to kick-start me back into gear, and I am soooo ready!

 

Set-backs, no matter what they are, are always a blessing in disguise.  We don't always see them for what they are in the beginning, but trust and believe that eventually everything will fall into place, and it will all make sense.  Don't let set-backs keep you rooted into the ground.  Then you get stuck, and it's so much easier to say 'F-it!', and start feeling bad for yourself.  I know I'm going to take that set-back I had a month ago, and use it as a stepping stone, hell...maybe even a trampoline, to just jump back into my happy frame of mind.

 

Positive thinking chicas...it makes the world go 'round.

 

 

 

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

 

xoxo,

❤Nica



Miss M.I.A....

Hi there!!  I know I know, I feel like I've been away far too long as well.  Believe it or not, I had a good blogging flow going there for awhile, and it was so therapeautic for me.  Just when you think things are looking up, you get HIT.

With a broken laptop.

Yikes!!  And it looks like I might have to send it off too...which is definitely no bueno.  Right now I'm sitting on my cousin's comfy sofa, using her computer to update real quick.  I definitely missed everyone though!  I feel like I've been missing out on so much not being able to catch up with all your posts!  It's just not the same on the ipad I have at home either.

Anyhow, I have to make it short, but the main thing I wanted to share with everyone was my WW weigh-in from earlier this week.

I did it!!!  I reached my goal of 100 lbs. lost!!!  102.4 lbs. to be exact.  This past week alone, I managed to lose 5.6 lbs.  All I have to say is...Zumba does a body goooood!!  You would not believe how freakin' excited I have been this week.  I celebrated with some friends and family, and took some time for me.  Everyone needs a little me time.

With that being said, I'm gonna keep on pushing foward, in hopes to reach my ultimate goal one day.  I don't care if it takes me months, or even years...I WILL get there.  It seems like things are starting to turn around for the better in some parts of my life.  I think it all comes down to the positive attitude I've been trying to have, and having the support of mi familia, y mis amigos/amigas.  And I can't forget to mention the never-ending support I receive from Him on daily basis...

Hope eveyone has a great Sunday evening, and an even better week!!  I will try to update as often as I can while my laptop is under construction, and hopefully that won't take too long.  :/  On a brighter note...wish me luck...I have not one...but TWO dates this week.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for me now!!

Be blessed...and stay blessed.

xoxo,

❤Nica

WW Weekly Weigh-In...and a peek inside...

My chiiccaasss!!!

This week has been eventful, to say the least, mainly due to work 'issues' coming up.  I've never really disclosed much about my job, but if any of you all are interested, it's a mix between case management/social work.  Dealing with people's lives on a daily basis is a huge responsibility.  I don't know how I've managed to do it for over 8 years now.  It's rewarding on so many levels, and although I will vent about it from time to time, it is where my ❤ belongs right now.

I am really looking foward to this coming weekend.  Guess what?  I have absolutely NO plans!  Sounds like a negative, but trust me, it's a good thing.  I've been wanting to catch up on my DVR for weeks now chicas.  General Hospital is calling my name!!  lol  Maybe I'll catch a movie also.  Speaking of which, I DID finally go watch Magic Mike.  One word.

YUMMY.

Review to come.  ;)

Earlier this week I attended my weekly Weight Watchers meeting.  You know what I was realizing on my way home that day?  I have never missed a meeting since I first started WW back in January!  Can we say NSV?!?!  How's that for accountability?  I love how this program is making me feel!  It really is a lifestyle, and sooo easy to stick to if your mind and ❤ are ready.  Plus, it is a biiig help if you get the support from friends and familia.  My family has been awesome, and have actually been following along as well.  Mi madre has lost nearly 40 lbs. herself!  That is just a-mazing, and I couldn't be any happier for her.

1.2 lbs. lost this week!  Yaaayyy me!! 

I'm gettin' there chicas...slowly but surely.  I'm doing it for ME.  Noone else.

I have to admit though, having people to lean on is essential in any journey, no matter how big, or how difficult that journey may be.  Awhile back, I said I would share a personal story with yall' about why I initially decided to join WW.  It's not because I've always secretly yearned to be skinny, or smaller.  It's not because I felt ugly or unwanted either.  Noone can make you feel disposable or unloved, if you don't allow them to.  Period.

In July of 2011, I was faced with the seriousness of the possibility that I may never be able to have a child of my own.  If that wasn't heart-wrenching enough, my doctor also informed me that there was a 5% chance that a few cells he had collected could potentially become cancerous.  I would never have found any of this out, because I would never go to the doctor chicas.  I finally listened to my own advice, after months of irregular cycles, and months of no cycle at all.  Scary, I know.  But that's how deep of a hole I had dug myself into, that I was putting my own health at risk, and ignoring all the warning signs.  I made an appointment with my OB/GYN, and faced the truth.  And yes, my weight unfortunately did play a big role in the start of these problems.  When I got those two wake-up calls, my initial reaction was complete sadness.  I lost all hope, and if it wasn't for the strength of the people around me, I don't think I'd be where I am now.  I did have to have a minor surgery, which was scary as hell for me.  I had never been under general anesthesia, much less have to visit the hospital for anything more than a bee sting in the past.  (YES I'm allergic...badly.)  The surgery went well, and I spent the rest of the year pretty much sulking.  That honestly sums it up.

Shortly after the holidays last year, my aunt finally convinced me to join WW with her.  I was hesitant at first, mainly because I was afraid of change.  A light bulb literally lit up one day, and that was it.  I decided I was ready, and I haven't turned back since.  I keep telling myself that the loves I do have now, my niece and my nephew, are the lights that keep me going.

Fast foward nearly 7 months, and thankfully, all is well now.  No more cancer scares, and the dream to have a child of my own one day is back.  I cannot stress this enough though...

Go to the doctor.

I don't care if it's for a lingering cold, a migraine you've had for days, or a problem similar to what I had.  You ARE important to somebody, and there ARE people who love and care for you.  Sometimes we just shut them out, and ignore all the red flags waving in front of us.  No bueno, either way. 

Love yourself first chicas.

You deserve it.

Be blessed...and stay blessed.

xoxo,

❤Nica

Texas Tuesday (Volume 2)

Howdy yall'!

Soooo Texan I know...but that's the kind of mood I'm in, since it is afterall Texas Tuesday!  We really do have our own dialect down here, and being in a border-town has an even greater impact on my vocabulary and accent.  But that's a post for a different day chicas.

Today I'd like to share some pics from a little roadtrip I took to San Antonio this past weekend.  It was actually a family trip we had planned earlier this month, to take my niece and nephew to SeaWorld.  There are only three locations in the United States, located in San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio.  This is one of the many reasons that I love love LOVE Texas.  As a kid growing up, going to SeaWorld was always a treat for my sister and I.  They have it all!  Amusement park rides, every sea animal imaginable, yummy snacks, games, an awesome aquarium, and just recently added, a newly built waterpark.  I used to love getting on all the rides, feeding the stingrays, watching the seal show, and always at the end of the night, my favorite, the Shamu Rocks show.  This is an amazing performance of killer whales and their trainers put on in the evenings, with great music, special effects, and lighting.  The kids...okay okay, who am I kidding...everyone loves it!  And if you're lucky enough to get seats in the infamous 'Splash Zone', just make sure you put your phones and cameras away in a safe, waterproof, place.  :) 

There are also 'Behind the Scenes' tours, where you get to interact with a lot of the animals on a one on one basis, such as feeding the dolphins and stingrays, and touching a shark.  We didn't take any of those tours this past weekend, as our main reason for visiting was the new Aquatica Waterpark.  I have taken a few of the tours in the past, and they really are pretty amazing.  Definitely memories that you keep with you forever.

Okay, so here are the goods chicas!  Enjoy!!

These are a few of the pics I took at the entrance to SeaWorld.  I remember snapping pics in front of these killer whales every time I would visit the park when I was a kid.

The aquarium at SeaWorld isn't the biggest in Texas, but it's still pretty awesome to visit.  Plus, it gives you a chance to get out of the heat, and cool off in the air-conditioning.  :)  Believe me, we needed that little break after walking a few hours in 100 degree heat!

These pics are from the Sesame Street Bay of Play.  I actually hadn't been to this section of the park before, but seeing as I had my niece and nephew with me, this was definitely on my list.  They had a blast, and actually got to interact with most of the Sesame Street characters walking around.  This area of SeaWorld is all kid-friendly, and has some pretty nice 'splash' pools and playgrounds for everyone to enjoy.

This was the entrance to Aquatica Waterpark.  The sand sculpture was even more WOW in person.  Unfortunately I didn't get many pics inside the park, for fear that my trusty iphone would get any kind of water damage.  No bueno.  But ohmygoodness we had so much fun!  I think I spent the majority of my time in the wave pool, relaxing and working on my tan.  :)

It is a definite MUST visit, and I plan on going again in October hopefully.

One of the other great things I need to mention is that if you have the annual pass for SeaWorld, you get free preferred parking, and awesome discounts on food and merchandise in the park.  It realllly came in handy this past weekend.  Plus, if you're on a budget like me, SeaWorld offers payment options online for annual passes, where you only pay a small monthly charge of about $10.00 per pass.  This beats having to pay full price up front, AND you're able to easily print your ticket online.  Love it!!

I hope some of yall' get to visit SeaWorld in the near future, and if you do, share some pics with me!  I'm sure you'll love it just as much as I do.  :)

This is gonna wrap up my Texas Tuesday for today.  And as a reminder, if you don't know what this link-up is all about, visit J over at 'An Unstyled Life', or Amanda over at 'Princess of the Panhandle'.  Anything and everything Texas is the motto!!

I'm off to my WW meeting for my Tuesday weigh-in.  Wish me luck chicas!!

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!

xoxo,

❤Nica

WW Weekly Weigh-In

Hey gorgeous ones!  Happy Wednesday...happy hump day...happy who cares because it's almost Friday!  And Friday the 13th at that!  I am definitely looking foward to this coming weekend.  My body has been back at the office all week, but my mind is still in vacation mode, thinking of sleeping in, swimming, road-trips, familia, and good eats.

Yesterday was my WW weekly weigh-in day, and let's just say I was very surprised with the results.  I know I know...the number on the scale definitely does NOT define me.  I just can't help but be excited, because it brings me even closer to a huuuggee goal I set for myself earlier this year.

Yeaaahhhh buddy!  I lost 3 lbs this week!!  As you can see above, that puts me at a total of 95.6 lbs total loss since January.  The reason I was so surprised is because I didn't exercise as much as I usually do.  Thinking back, I may have only gone to 1 Zumba class, and went walking another night for only about 30 minutes.  I normally rack up about 35-45 activity points for the week, which for all my non WW chicas out there, translates to more food points.  This past week, I only managed to earn 15 activity points, and best believe I ate up every last point.  I guess I need to take my own advice sometimes, and give my body a rest.  It's not going to hurt me if I take a week off now and then, nor will I allow it to get me off track.  Honestly though, I did feel it, in terms of the amout of energy I had.  I felt like I was draggiinngg alll week long.  Exercising really does give me that energy boost that I love, and not to mention, puts me in such a great mood.  I leave my Zumba class with an 'I can take on the WORLD' attitude.  I have been thinking about switching up my routine a bit, because I would love love LOVE to be able to run a marathon one day.  Maybe start alternating between Zumba a few days, and walking/jogging 1-2 days, because chicas...I am nowhere near marathon material right now.  One day....I will get there.  Positive thinking is KEY.

My tracking wasn't all that great either, but it's okay, because I realize that I am going to have days/weeks like that.  I am not perfect, and all I can do is continue to put my heart into reaching my goals.  On a positive note, I had a few NSV's this week that made me feel

A-MAZING.  NSV's are non-scale victories, or in other words, all those little things that happen on your journey that mean the world to you, for your own personal reasons.

Some of my NSV's for the past week included:

1.  Being able to fit into clothing 2x smaller than what I was fitting into back in January.

(You have no idea how excited I was in the dressing room...I think shopping is my new BFF.)

2.  Getting compliments from friends and family, and finally being able to just smile and say 'thank you'.  I can't always do that.  Some of my fellow WW members will understand why.

3.  Giving myself a break, and letting my body rest for a few days.  Yes...even though I kept thinking, 'I should be at Zumba' right about now', I did need the break.  And going easy on yourself is not the easiest thing to do.  At least for me it isn't.

Love love LOVE Nicki...and these quotes are perfect for today.  It's been raining all week over here, and the clouds are starting to roll in as I'm typing.  Better get back to work before I'm forced to leave.  Office in a flood zone= no bueno.

Have a good one chicas!

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!

xoxo,

❤Nica



Texas Tuesday (Volume 1)

Hey chicas!  I am so super excited about this post, mainly because it's my first time participating in a blog link-up, specifically titled 'Texas Tuesday'.  And yes, you guessed it...it's focused on all things Texas!  I ❤ my Lone Star State!

Texas Tuesday will be a post dedicated to anything related to this great state of mine, and anyone is free to link-up!  To read more about it, or to link-up as well, you can go over and visit J at 'An Unstyled Life', or Amanda over at 'Princess of the Panhandle'.  I absolutely loved their idea, so all you Texans AND non-Texans, feel free to join in!

For my first Texas Tuesday entry, I'd like to share with ya'll some of my favorite celebrities, singers, rappers, actors/actresses, etc. that hail from the Lone Star State.  There are tons more, but again, these are a few of my favorites for reasons listed below:

Photo courtesy of www.beyonceonline.com

Beyonce.

Need I say more?  She is aboslutely stunning, and I love love LOVE her style.  Not only is she an amazing artist, musically, as well as in acting, her sense of fashion is off the charts!  I was lucky enough to see her in concert many many years ago, when the original members of Destiny's Child were still together.  She hails from Houston, and has established herself as a triple threat in the music scene, as an actress, and most definitely in the fashion industry, serving as a muse, for what's known as the House of Deréon.  Add all that to the fact that she is married to one of hip hop's kings, Jay-Z, and throw in adorable Blue Ivy Carter.

Singing...'Who Run This Motha'??

Photo courtesy of www.people.com

Matthew Mcconaughey.

Happy 4th of July!!!  Again!!!

Ummm...do I really need to keep typing??  Or can we just drool over him together chicas?  Omgoodness he is the epitome of hotness!  And to think I have YET to go and watch Magic Mike.  Shame on me!!  The ever so sexy Mr. Camila Alves was actually born in the tiny tiny town of Uvalde, Texas.  This little place is actually only about an hour and a half away from me.  One of my favorite Matthew movies of allll time has got to be 'Dazed and Confused'.  Really...reeaallyy...if you have not seen this classic, go watch it!!  You heard me!  I am officially giving you permission to close my blog, and call it a Blockbuster night.  :)

Hope you all enjoyed my very first Texas Tuesday post!  Again, if you're from this great state and love it, or even if you're across the country and maybe had an awesome experience here, feel free to link-up!

Have a great week!!  WW weekly weigh-in is tonight!!  Wish me luck chicas!



Be blessed...and stay blessed!!

xoxo,

❤Nica