Hello...

My name is Nica, and welcome to my blog.

Again.

That's what I feel like I should be saying since it's been so long!  Bad blogger!  I got caught up in...well...life.  Work.  Family.  Finances.  You know the drill.  I finally had a free minute, and the motivation to post just swept over me today.  I also realized that I hadn't updated anything on my progress with my weigh-ins, or mi vida in general.

So what's new?  Here's a quick recap on the past two months with Weight Watchers.

 

The ugly truth.

 

My weigh-ins have been all over the place over the past few weeks.  Surprisingly, I haven't been that hard on myself the way I would have been in the past.  I know life happens sometimes, and it's hard to stay focused 100% of the time.  No more excuses though, because all this means is that two months of my hard work has been at a stand-still.

 

March was a tough month for me, not only because it was birthday month for me.  It's also crazy work month as well. 

 

State audit.  Enough said.

 

I've admitted to you all before, I am an emotional eater.  When I'm stressed, the first thing I turn to is food.  And from there I take on the mind-set of, 'Well I already messed up, why not just blow off this week?'. 

 

Horrible.  I know.

 

But it's the truth.  The ugly truth.  Something  I need to work on.  And definitely even more of a reason why I continue to attend my WW's meetings.  This is a lifestyle change, which means I will continue to work on improving myself for LIFE.  There are no special tricks, no get out of jail free cards, and definitely no take-backs.

 

What you do get, is a healthier you, a happier you, and tons of valuable life lessons.

 

Life lessons like...

Being happy with yourself, before trying to make others happy.

Remembering to put yourself first sometimes.

Loving yourself ALWAYS.

 

We got this chicas!

 

 

I'm hopefully back for good, now that I have more time.  Have a great week everyone!!

 

 

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

 

 

xoxo,

 

❤Nica

 

Happy 'every holiday I've missed since my last post' Day...

Hiiiiiii!!  :D

 

I know...I know.  It's been over 2 months since my last update, and I can give ya'll every excuse known to man woman, but I won't.  Instead I'll just pick right up where I left off, and update ya'll with everything that's been going on en mi vida since we last chatted.  That's what old friends do right??

 

Right.

 

First off, the holidays were pretty tough on me with tracking my points!  I did pretty well over Thanksgiving, but the Christmas holidays weren't that great.  Overall I didn't do too bad though, and ended up gaining about 7 lbs. total.  I missed a few WW weigh-ins, mainly due to the site being closed for the holidays.  Believe me, seeing that jump in the scale put me back in check!  I don't want to go backwards, especially after all the hard work I've put in over the past year.  I also didn't exercise as much as I wanted to during the holidays.  I'm sure that was a huge factor in the gain I had, and I felt it also!  My energy level just wasn't there the way it usually is when I'm active.

 

With the start of 2013, I decided to try something a little different, and really dedicated myself to becoming a runner.  I still want my 13.1 sticker one day!!   I know I'm starting on the bottom, but that's okay, because that's where I started with my weight-loss too, and look where I'm at now?  This past week alone, I only got to go out 4 times, but that's better than nothing.  Here are my stats:

 

2/14/13

  3.02 miles - 48:44 minutes

 

2/15/13

3.20 miles - 48:41 minutes

 

2/17/13

3.02 miles - 46.35 minutes

2/20/13
3.09 miles - 51:48 minutes

 

Yeesss I went running on Valentine's Day...sue me!  lol  I knew I had plans that evening, and I wanted to make sure I earned as many activity points as I could that day, so I could enjoy every last bite of chocolate I had later that evening.  And I enjoyed every single piece too!

 

Now don't get me wrong chicas...when I say 'running', don't think I am actually 'running' the entire time.  I'm starting off on the bottom remember?  Right now all I can do is a

jog/power-walk combination, but enough to make me work up a sweat!  I've been slowly improving my time, and on different routes as well.  I will get there!

 

The way I've been calculating so far, I earn approximately 5 activity points per run, which is still a good amount, but I'm not sure how accurate this is.  I've been using eTools, and searching under the activities listed, Jog/Walk combination comes up.  When I input my time, this is what I usually get.  Weight Watchers does have a new ActiveLink tool, but I have yet to try it out.  Mainly because I've been a little low on funds since the holidays, but I am very excited to give it a try soon!  Basically, it is a small piece of equipment you wear at all times throughout your day, that accurately measures the amount of activity you do, and determines how many WW activity points you've earned.  It almost resembles a pedometer in size, and I've seen members wear it a few different ways, including as a necklace, a bracelet, an anklet, or even attached their shoes/belt.  It's small enough to hide, but from what I hear, it is a much improved way to track your activity.  Can't wait to give it a shot, and when I do, I'll be sure to post about it.

 

Anyhow, here are my weigh-in stats for the past several weeks...

 

 

As you can see, there were several weeks where I didn't get to weigh-in.  On 12/25/12 and 1/1/13, the WW center where I attend my meetings was actually closed due to the holidays.  On 1/8/13 and 2/12/13, I wasn't able to weigh-in due to not making it to the meetings on time.  Work has been pretty busy since the start of the new year, and I know that's not an excuse, especially because I haaatttee missing weigh-in days!

 

As you can see, after my gain from the holidays I slowly started getting back on track.  This weeks weigh-in went great, and I lost 1.4 lbs., making it a total of 138.6 lbs. total loss since January 2012.  Yaaayyyy me!!  It feels great to know that I've come so far, and to realize that one day I will accomplish my goals.

 

Aside from all that, I absolutely cannot complain about anything going on in my life right now.  I have certainly received so many new blessings in the past few months, and I am grateful for everything and everyone that has been placed in my life up to now.

 

Mi familia added a new member to the group in early January, and I am on cloud 9 status in love with my new niece!!  Congratulations to my beautiful sister on welcoming her daughter Elisa to this world, on 1/11/13.

 

 

 

Isn't she gorgeous?

 

 

The three of them will forever hold my ❤.

 

Christmas and New Years Eve were wonderful this year, but came and went way too fast.  There is never enough time in the world when you are spending it with your loved ones.  Christmas was spent surrounded by my family, yummy food, gifts, and the thoughts of loved ones who couldn't be there with us that day.  New Years Eve was great as well.  My grandmother's homemade menudo, a few games of poker, fireworks, drinks, and the blessings of a new year.  I can't believe February will be coming to an end already, but I can say that I am probably the happiest I have ever been in a very long time.  I've recommitted myself to staying healthy and active, and it's almost as if I've given myself a second chance at life.  I want to be around for as long as I possibly can for those three angels in the picture above, and I know making healthy lifestyle changes, and keeping a positive attitude will help me stick around for as long as He wishes me to.

 

❤.

 

'J' has completely taken my heart chicas.  Cloud 9...I see my future with you...permanent smile on my face...constant butterflies in my stomach...I never get tired of seeing you...I can be a brat around you and you still love me...HAPPINESS.  Did that give you a pretty good idea of how I'm feeling?  :)  I know...I know.  It's only going on about 4 months now, but my life has been completely uprooted and shifted to a whole other world.  I don't know how else to describe it, but to list a few reasons why this man has held onto my ❤.

 

He loves my family, and they seem to have accepted him perfectly.  BBQ's, holidays, weekday dinners, birthday parties, movie nights, and future vacation plans...this man has been there for it all.  I always told myself I wanted a partner in my life that made family a priority in their lives as well, and I've finally found him.

 

He has never judged me, and I can be my complete OCD, moody, bratty self around him.  He never backs down, and brings me back up every time I fall.  He pushes me to deal with my feelings, and not bottle them up the way I always have.  And on those occasions where I go back to my old ways and close myself off to the world, he somehow finds a way in, and doesn't leave my side until I have a smile on my face again.

 

I haven't lost focus of my weight-loss goals and lifestyle changes I started last year, regardless of having a partner by my side.  This man encourages me, and accepts me as I am.  I can weigh my food without shame, obsess over my points in his presence, and talk to him about new and healthy recipes I want to try.  Weight has always been a sensitive subject for me to discuss with any of my partners in the past.  I was always embaressed to even bring it up, or even exercise in front of them.  Chicas...we've been going running together, and I love it!!  It's so motivating and liberating at the same time.  To be able to get all sweaty and out of breath next to this man, pushing all insecurities aside, and knowing that he still views me as the most amazingly beautiful woman in the world.

 

Love.

 

Love with your all, your whole, your everything.

Love yourselves first, and love others without judgement.

When you do that, love will fill every part of your lives.

 

Have a great week everyone!!

 

 

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

 

xoxo,

❤Nica



Ummm wait....what??

That's exactly the reaction I gave the lady in the UPS office earlier this week when I was dropping off a package for work.  I see her about once every 1-2 weeks, and she always has the same smile on her face.  Although I don't know her on a personal level, she always seems very friendly, and we conversate about different topics including our cars (we both drive Toyota Camry's), mutual friends, and life in general.

 

But this week was different.  Before even saying hello, the first words that popped out of her mouth as I walked into the building were, 'Just how much weight exactly have you lost??'.  To which I quickly and excitedly answered, 'Over 100 lbs. since January!'.

 

Guess what her next question was??  Don't know??  Let me break down the remainder of the conversation for you....

 

UPS Lady:  'Wow mija!  Which weight-loss surgery did you have done?'

Me:  'Ummm...I didn't have surgery.'

UPS Lady:  'Oh wow, that's great!  So what pills are you taking?'

Me:  'Ummm...I'm not taking any pills either.'

UPS Lady:  'Ay mija...are you sick?'

Me:  'Not that I'm aware of.'

 

Now...mind you...after I was able to erase the look of shock from my face, I did explain to her that I had been on Weight Watchers for the past year, and taking Zumba classes weekly.  However, I seriously didn't know whether I should take her questions as an insult, or a compliment.  It was kind of like a double-edged sword.  No matter which way I looked at it, this woman was automatically judging me, and assuming things about me, without giving it  a second thought.

 

These types of scenarios happen to me almost on a daily basis now.  I'm still not used to it.  The majority of the time, people are not as direct as Miss UPS, but will still most definitely make a comment about how my appearance has drastically changed, and what I did to lose so much weight.

 

Don't get me wrong chicas, I didn't leave upset at her, and I most certainly didn't go all crazy latina on her.  I actually used the opportunity to teach her and inform her about this fantabulous lifestyle I've been sticking to over the past year.  And that would make the second time that day I openly discussed my WW journey with someone.

 

Right before my UPS visit that same day, I had stopped to pay a bill (Hey...this chica has to handle hers!!), and it was almost the same situation.  When I walked into that office, the girl helping me said she almost didn't recognize me when she saw me getting off my car.  Wow.  I am totally not seeing what these people see, and I don't know if that's a good thing (because it will keep me pushing foward towards my ultimate goal), or a bad thing (self-love..still working on it...).  This lady was a lot more subtle about her comments, and basically just had a ton of questions about WW, and how the program works.  We actually had a pretty long talk, and in the end, I remembered I had some cards in my car from last weeks meeting for a 2 week free trial of eTools.  I quickly ran outside to get her one, and I'm hoping the next time I see her she'll tell me she got to try it out, and that she loves it as much as I do.

 

Two more times today alone chicas.  Once at the grocery store, where I ran into a friend of the familia that hadn't seen me in quite some time.  She was just amazed at my progress so far, and even said she was going to tell her friends about me.  The second time was at my Zumba class tonight.  A few of the ladies pulled me aside before our warm-up, and asked me how I was losing so much weight.  I gladly shared the info. with them, and they had so many questions!  They even asked to see some 'before' photos I had in my iPhone.  I thought it was funny because one of the ladies even asked me if I ate 3 meals a day!  She couldn't believe it when I broke down my meals for today, and told her exactly what I had eaten.  'This Mexicana has to eat her tortillas, and drink her Cokes!  No diet foods for me!'  she told me.  I just smiled and answered, 'Well this Mexicana still eats her tortillas and drinks her sodas, just in a smarter way!'. 

 

Yes I'm on my Weight Watchers soap box right now. I seriously love this program!

 

What I do appreciate out of all these different people, is that they all end up telling me the same thing.  That I look soooo happy when they see me now, and that they are extremely proud of me.  I'm proud of me too!  I'm learning to remind myself of that every time I start to feel down about a situation, or when life just doesn't go the way I had planned. 

 

This week has definitely been trying, mainly in regards to several issues within my familia.  I always feel like I'm taking care of someone elses needs, and putting myself last.  Self-love is a long process, but one that I'm glad to finally be on board with.

 

On a more positive note, I had an awesome NSV this week chicas.  I was doing some online shopping, and finally ordered some jeans I've been wanting from Torrid.

 

Photo courtesy of Torrid

The NSV part was that I was able to order a size I haven't worn in years, and fit into it too!  I never thought I'd be as excited as I was that day, when I got my package in the mail.  These jeans are awesome too by the way.  They are the Broadway Ankle Zip Stiletto Jeans, just in case any of you chicas are in the mood to do some online shopping while wasting time at work tomorrow browsing the internet at home.

 

I also wanted to share my WW weekly weigh-in from this past Tuesday.

 

 

Yeaaahhh buddy...down 2.8 lbs. this week!  I was absolutely psyched, especially since I had worked so hard at earning my activity points, and tracking my food.  I am getting back into the swing of things...and I'm going to use all these opportunities I've been blessd with to give as much love as I possibly can.  Regardless if it's in the form of teaching someone about Weight Watchers, accepting others for who they are, or dealing with life's daily problems.

 

 

I'm off for the night chicas...it's waaay past my bedtime, and tomorrow is my Friday!  I'm heading up to San Antonio for the weekend to celebrate my bestie Cat's b-day, which was earlier this month.  I'm going to try my best to take as many pics as I can, to share with you all when I get back on Sunday.  I want to try to give you all more of a glimpse into other parts of my life as often as I can.  Oh and by the way...things have not improved with The Fisherman.  In fact, I seem to have taken on an 'IDGAF' attitude towards him this week.  We'll see what happens...

 

 

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

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



Happy 4th of July...

Hope you all enjoy the holiday today, and get to spend it doing something fun, relaxing, and memorable with la familia and friends. :)

I had quite the weekend the past few days, starting with a trip to the ER late Friday night, and spending the entire day Saturday in bed.  I must have caught a 24 hour bug, because ultimately when I left the ER that night, I was never really given a formal diagnosis for what was going on with me.  In short, I was having a very sharp pain come and go for over an hour that night, in my upper stomach/abdomen area.  It got bad enough for me to actually have my sister rush me over to the hospital here in town.  (YIKES!!  FYi...the ONE hospital here in town does NOT have the best reputation..speaking from personal experience with a family member in the past).  Anyhow, I was hooked up to an iV, given some pain medication, some medication for my nausea, and sent home after a few hours. 

I spent the entire day/night Saturday in bed, which really did suck big ones, because I had plenty of familia in from out of town for the weekend.  There was a baby shower planned for one of my tia's this past Sunday, and if any of my other mexicanas out there know...we do baby showers BIG lol.  By the time the day came around, I was feeling well enough to get out of bed, and actually have a little to eat.  The rest of the weekend was spent recuperating, and all in all, it turned out pretty nice visiting with some of my extended family.

Apparently, my vacation week decided to start off on a crappy note, but has progressively gotten better. :)  It's the 4th of July chicas...celebrate however you want, and for whatever reasons you want, as long as you are having a good time, and your heart is full.

Yesterday..no wait....yes...yesterday (considering it's already 1:48am), was my WW weekly weigh-in.  Considering the yucky bug I caught over the weekend, and the fact that I didn't consume much for a day other than Gatorade, soup, and crackers, I wasn't very shocked by the number on the scale during my Weight Watchers meeting Tuesday afternoon.

I lost 2.2 lbs. this week chicas, putting my total weight lost at 92.6 lbs.!!!  And to make it even more awesome, yesterday marked exactly six months since I started the program on January 3rd earlier this year.  I'm so pumped to be sooo close to reaching that 100 lb. goal!!!  As I was looking at these pics and reviewing my progress up to now, it actually felt a little unreal to me.  I'll get there one day...to the point where I can feel completely proud of myself, and acknowledge it too.

Now don't get me wrong, I am in NO WAY promoting or insinuating that not eating much for my 'sick' day was a 'plus' towards this notch off the scale.  Believe me chicas...and all my 'Believers' out there, I was sweatin' it thinking about how I was not eating enough.  Eating your daily PP values is VITAL towards your success on the program!!  I hate when I go off track, especially when I'm forced!!  lol  And I especially hate those days when it's hard just to consume your daily total.  I'll admit those days are few and far between, but they do happen sometimes.  This chica's gotta eat!!

And with that said...stick a firecracker in me...I'm pOpped/pooped...whatever. lol

Nighty night mis chicas!  Be safe tomorrow, and think of me as you're sippin' on your beer, grubbin' on that burger, and enjoying the color explosion in the night sky.  I'll be doing the same!!!

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

xoxo,

❤Nica

And the numbers are in...

Hola mis chicas!!

I hope ya'll are having a fantastical week so far!  I'm in vacation mode these days, and I plan to do nothing but relax, catch up on my DVR, and hit the water as often as I can.  This Texas heat is KILLER.  Not kidding too...it was 106 degrees for what seemed like alll day today!  The disadvantages of living sooo far south in a border-town. :/  My vay-cay doesn't officially start until Friday afternoon, but I'm counting since tomorrow, since I have to be out of the office for jury duty.

On another subject, I wanted to share my WW weekly weigh-in with ya'll from yesterday.  Drum roll please...

 I lost 2.8 pounds this week chicas!!!  Yeaahhhh budddyy!!!  And guess what else??  This weeks loss put me at 90.4 pounds TOTAL LOSS!!!  I couldn't believe it myself when I stepped on that scale Tuesday, but there it was, right in front of me.  I am sooo beyond excited chicas, even more so because I am nearing my first BIG goal I set for myself when I first started on the program months ago.

During my WW meeting two weeks ago, my awesome leader Nancy set up a mini summer challenge for all of us who wanted to participate.  It basically just involved setting a summer goal for ourselves, since this season can be particularly harder for me some people.  My goal was to reach 100 lbs. lost by August.  Amazingly, if I am able to accomplish this, I will have lost 100 lbs. in almost 8 months.

I'm speechless chicas...I really am.  It's still hard for me to 'see' the changes in myself.  And I hear it nearly every day. 

No chicas...I am not being a self-absorbed bia gloating about these comments and compliments, but it's the truth.  In all honesty, it's hard for me to accept any comment people tell me nowadays in regards to my weight-loss, much less a compliment.  They all talk about what a change they see in me, and how they can't believe how much weight I have lost in such a short amount of time.  They are even more speechless when I tell them that all I've been doing is Zumba classes several times a week, and Weight Watchers.  Then of course come the questions like...'You HAVE to be doing something else...what kinds of diet pills are you taking to help you out?'.  Ouch.  That makes me even MORE uncomfortable talking about myself, and this tremendous accomplisment.  Just to set the record straight...NO I am not taking any type of diet pills, etc.  And NO I am not starving myself, or suffering from any kind of eating disorder.  I am just sticking to the program, and exercising regularly.  I eat gooood chicas!! Believe me!!

They talk about this alll the time during my WW meetings.  About how difficult it will still be to accept the positive changes that are happening to your body.  And how for a lot of people, they continue to look at themselves at the weight they originally started at.  I don't know...but this has been especially difficult for me.  I look at old pictures of myself, and can see the changes then, but when I look in the mirror, I don't feel it yet.

I want to be able to be as excited as I was above when I said I had lost 2.8 lbs. this week, allll the time.  I SHOULD be happy when someone compliments me.  I deserve it.  But it's sooo hard sometimes, and something that I need to work on myself, from within.

Self-love.

I'm getting there, and have come a looonnng way...trust me.  I'm finally putting ME first, and I'm starting to love every minute of it...

Be blessed...and stay blessed chicas!!

xoxo,

Nica