I'm Back!

So it's been forever since I've sat down and wrote out a blog.  My blogging days legitimately felt over once Xanga had shut down, but alas, I still need an outlet and a place to keep myself accountable for what I've set my goals to. Should you choose to follow me down this yellow brick road, I ask that you help keep me accountable too!

2016 has been a year of "chelle upgrades".  Monthly Brazillian sugar waxing appointments, eyelash extensions, and even eyebrow tattoos!  I recently got approval from the Mister to get a boob job, with the condition that I go back to the gym 3x a week.  I've wanted a boob job since high school and the gym 3x a week really isn't that big of a commitment. Oh, I also decided to go back to school full time.  I'm currently enrolled in 9 units for Summer and 20 for the upcoming Fall semester.

Ok, 3x a week is a commitment. I can make excuses such as a full time job, teaching after work, full time school, yada yada yada.  In the end, it's really me who will pay for my own excuses.  We're opting for a minimum of 3 days of some active activity.

I began the Cabbage Soup Diet today as a jump start on my journey back to health.  Boss lady had done this just a few months back and was able to keep the initial weight off and then some as she learned to change her diet.  I figured, why not?  After my first day, I went out and bought more food that the diet instructs you to consume and also a scale. 

Damn you scale.  Damn you gravity.  Damn you self for letting yourself go this far.  I was MORTIFIED by what the scale had showed me.  Mortified, disgusted, angry, but mostly insecure.  The only other time I've felt this insecure was back in junior high when I had terrible acne.  Yes, it's that bad.  The recent pictures that I hate of myself aren't bad angles.  I. Got. Fat. It is what it is and there's no excuses that I can come up with to explain how I've gotten this way.

Goals I'm working towards now in no particular order

• LOSE WEIGHT
• Boob job
• Finish school 
• Save more money

So what is this Cabbage Soup Diet?  Mom had always spoken about it before and how it worked wonders to jump start her weight loss.  I never believed her because...who knows why.  Essentially, this diet is high in fiber, low in carbs.  What's an Asian girl to do without her carbs?  Carbs and sweets is what got me into this round shape, that's what.

The diet includes eating cabbage soup everyday for seven days. (Cue: Girl from The Ring...jk) That's right, everyday.  Then each following day, there is a different type of food that you can eat for the day along with the soup and lots of water.  One of my biggest weaknesses is juice, so I eliminated juice from my weekly grocery shopping.

I'm feeling fine after the first day.  It wasn't that hard!  I did have random cravings for a cheeseburger and strawberry shortcake, but I blame my Pinterest feed. It's all food!

Day 1 - Cabbage soup and all the fruit you want.  I chose watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, mango, pineapple, and kiwi.  I finished the watermelon, but the more acidic fruits took a little more work.  I barely put a dent in the fruit.  I had 3 bowls of the cabbage soup and am feeling full!  No coffee or tea. Water only. 

Finally, instead of hitting the gym, I opted to go walk for an hour and a half with Mister playing Ingress and Pokemon Go.  For you Ingress players, I'm Enlightened.  For you Pokemon people, I'm a blood Team Valor.

So I begin my journey back to health!

Food Log

1. 3 bowls of cabbage soup
2. Watermelon
3. Pineapple + kiwi
4. Strawberries + blueberries + mangos

Physical Activity

1. 1.5 hours walking around the area

Here's the Cabbage Soup Diet plan.

Cabbage Soup Recipe

• 1 green pepper
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 6 stalks of celery
• 1-2 cubes of bouillon (if desired - I used chicken)
• 1 head of cabbage
• 46-48oz of V8 juice 
• 4 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (to taste)

Chop and boil until veggies are soft.  I added the cabbage last so that it wouldn't turn my house into a gas chamber.  This also helps with not boiling all of the nutrients out of the cabbage as well.

Try to eat 3-4 bowls of soup a day.

Day 1 - Fruit Day
Eat all the fruits and soup that you can, but do NOT eat bananas!

Day 2 - Vegetable Day
Eat all the veggies and soup that you can.  Raw or steamed.  Avoid carby veggies such as peas, corn, beans, etc.  For dinner, have one big, baked potato.  You may add oil or butter to your liking, but limit it to 1 teaspoon.

Day 3 - Fruits and Veggies Day
Eat all the fruit and veggies you want with the soup.  Still no bananas and no baked potato for dinner.

Day 4 - Bananas and Milk Day
Eat all the bananas you want today.  Have as many glasses of skim milk as you'd like as well.  I am lactose intolerant and chose a coconut almond milk mix unsweetened.  Don't forget to eat your soup.

Day 5 - Protein and Tomatoes Day
No, this doesn't mean go and eat all the meat in sight.  You can divulge yourself on a piece of chicken, beef, or fish weighing 10-20oz.  Also eat 6 tomatoes (or 6 cups of the baby tomatoes that everybody loves).  Be sure to drink a lot of water today, since the meat and tomatoes will produce a lot of uric acid.  Keep eating the soup!

Day 6 - Protein and Veggies
You can finally eat all the meat you can handle with veggies and your soup.  No baked potato.  Protein and veggies with your soup ONLY.

Day 7 - Unsweetened fruit juices, veggies, and brown rice
Eat and drink the juice, veggies, and brown rice with your soup.

Doesn't look too bad, right?  Let's do it!