Things I heart

It’s time for a favorites post. Yay! Here are a few things I’m loving lately.

Retail therapy

Fall is here (thank goodness) and I was in serious need of new clothes. Not one thing fits me from last year, so I needed to shop. And shop I have. Plus, for the first time in as long as I can remember, I have really enjoyed myself. Buying size 12s is a lot nicer than buying size 24s, I can tell you. I’ve spent a lot of time (and money) in Loft. Such cute stuff there that can really go from work to weekends. I also bought a few things from New York and Company. When the woman asked me for my email address to put me into the system, she was surprised to find I wasn’t already in there. Of course, what she didn’t know is that I haven’t been able to fit into clothes in that store in like 10 years.

Oh, and I also made the ultimate in retail therapy purchases—a new car. Isn’t she pretty?

Rediscovering my cooking mojo

I had once again been slacking in going to the grocery store and making healthy food. I’d been relying on going out to eat, which of course costs money and calories. So, I’ve been really trying to get back into cooking. My plan of attack before heading to the grocery store is to plan at least two recipes to make each week. Skinnytaste is still my absolute favorite go-to website for healthy recipes. This week, I made Chicken rollatini stuffed with zucchini and mozzarella and Pork chops with dijon herb sauce.

Fish

I have always been a fan of seafood, but am not always great about cooking it for myself. I’ve discovered individually frozen tilapia that makes everything so much easier. You can defrost them in no time (if I forget to take them out to defrost, I just put them in cold water and they’re ready to go in 5 to 10 minutes) and cook them even quicker. My favorite recipe (again from the awesome Gina) is this one. So fast, easy and healthy.

Men’s undershirts

This is a bit of a weird thing to love, right? But these shirts are part of my workout essentials. I like to layer when I work out, especially since I’m such a sweaty Betty. My typical gym uniform is workout pants, an undershirt and a tank top over it. I like that they’re long enough that they stick out a little from my tanks, and they provide a nice foundation for my outfit. Plus, they’re fairly cheap and come in packs. What’s not to love?

You guys

I’ve been a little down lately, and admittedly, not feeling super great about myself (look for this in a future blog), but you guys have boosted me and affirmed me so much lately. Though the attention sometimes makes me uncomfortable, I really am grateful that so many of you come up to me, almost on a daily basis, to comment about how I look or how I’m doing. Few things can boost a girl’s confidence than hearing “You’re looking good!” Y’all will never know how much I cherish and need that—some days more than others.