#20 Weight Loss - Pinterest Assisted

My second New Year's resolution from 2012 was fitness related. We pretty much all say "My New Years resolution is going to be going to the gym, no fast food, eating healthier..." I felt like at the end of 2012, I had a moment where I was looking at myself from above and thinking "this is not how I want to be living my life or how I want my body to look."

There needed to be a change, but I needed to make the commitment and follow through with it. I needed to not give up when it got rough or when I got discouraged. I needed to call on friends who had gone through the journey as well or were just there to support me when I was feeling discouraged.

For 9 months, I haven't posted too many pictures of myself through this journey, and I am not one that wants to post their weight (or the number of pounds lost). However, for this, I want to be proud and inspire! So here it goes... Since January, I am 43 pounds lighter and 4 pants sizes smaller. I started out at a 17.18 and am down to a 11/12! I still have a bit to go and will never be tiny by any means (I've got my Grandma's genes and am proud of my curves and bigger bones!)

Before:
            

                                                                    After: 

                                         

I feel better, I am more active then I have ever been able to be and am setting even more fitness goals for myself. Just this year I was able to partially run my first 5K and they are so addicting that now I am looking for more to do and can't wait to do another with all of my friends. Pinterest has really assisted with this journey. I have used recipes, running plans and workout ideas from a multitude of pins. Even if pinterest was never created, I am sure that I could have used internet resources to assist, but it is so convienent to have it all in one place!

Some of my favorite pins are C25K, Smoothie recipes, workout music playlists, Weight Watchers recipies, fruits and veggies that prompt calorie burning...

Visit my pinterest pages for additional ideas!

http://www.pinterest.com/acosman85/a-healthier-me/

http://www.pinterest.com/acosman85/ww-recipes/

#19 DIY Distressed Jeans

I had been awaiting the perfect opportunity to give this DIY project a try. Then one day at work, the ole jeans gave away in the thigh region. My first instict was to toss them, then I remembered this! Just give em a little more distressing and then they could become 'weekend jeans'.

Materials Needed:

• Fabric Chalk (or can substitute with a washable marker as I did)
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Exacto Knife
• Sanding Block
• Small Wood Block (or your knee, just use caution when cutting the fabric)

How To:

• Put the jeans on and mark an area above your knee on one leg and the upper leg of the other. 
  
• With the scissors, cut two small parallel lines about 2 inches apart.
  
• Insert wood block into the jeans and under the cut marks. With the sanding block gently fray the edges of the outer cut marks leaving a bar of material in the center.
• With tweezers, loosen and gently pluck-out threads.
• Repeat with second marked area. 
• With the sanding block, feverishly rub both the thigh area and below the knee. This will make the jeans look "lived-in."
  
  
  
  
  
  The finished product is a pair of distressed jeans to rock over the weekend!
  
  
  The original inspiration: http://glow-t.com/2012/04/12/