Friday Confession: Surviving Wedding Diets

I know that perhaps my posts seem to have a common theme lately, but when you decide to go, go big I guess! We are in the second week of our new workout regime/ pre-wedding diet. This is the "cleanse" stage. I think it means that I have to get rid of all my memories of anything with cheese, sugar, bread, or alcohol.

Here are my tips to all brides who are looking for help while trying not to think about food (although sooooo hungry...) on their pre-wedding fitness journies:

1. Shop for wedding stuff on Etsy to take your mind off of how you are feelings- it will eat up hours of your time. (sorry, didn't mean to bring up "eat" there)
2. Shop at Target for absolutely nothing in particular, or better yet "pre-shop" your registry as often as you can. You can't expect to pick out all the gifts you'll need for life in one trip!
3. Look through fitness magazines at all the girls who look like how you WILL look after you survive this time. Then tear their faces off.
4. Call your best friends and ask them to tell you stories about what they are cooking and how many disgusting calories are in that food.
5. Exercise. I recommend long walks to clear your head with an LMFAO soundtrack, Zumba with a Pitbull soundtrack, and smashing things with a Linkin Park soundtrack.
6.  Stop watching daytime TV- too many commercials for food, restaurants, and Health Alert systems.
7.  Stay as far away from your significant other as possible, you'll want to kill him when he loses all his weight in the first 2 weeks, while eating pizza...
8.  Sneak a Hershey kiss, you know you want to, no one will ever know...
9.  Mix a lime in with diet tonic water and pretend you are drinking, or drink water out of a wine glass, margarita glass, martini glass, champagne glass, hurricane glass...
10. Buy your dress in a larger size so you don't feel the pressure to diet in the first place?

As I seriously fight off my food withdrawals, I will try to follow my own advice (most of this list has already been accomplished), and I look forward to the day when I can happily eat a bread stick with my salad.

All I can think about is food...

Could really use these about now, since I'm chopping everyday!

Wednesday Wish: A buff bod!

I am getting today's wish, thanks to my loving and motivated fiance. Today we booked our pre-wedding personal trainer and sessions. I even convinced him to work out with me in the mornings so I'd have the rest of my day. This is perfect timing with the upcoming summer break. I'll be able to establish a routine before I get back into the stress of work, and hopefully this is the turning point I'll need to see the real results I am hoping for! This bride will be buff in her wedding dress come September!

Via Pinterest

I'll Make a Good Wifey After All!!

Although I by no means consider "The Knot" the primary authority on weddings, I am fascinated by their "to do" list and e-mailed reminders to keep their registered brides on track. It does feel a bit reassuring that I won't be forgetting something major, especially considering my previous post and how busy this next year will be.

But "The Knot" forgot a few items on their "to do" list.
1. Start getting into shape for your wedding.
2. Start practicing being a good wifey.

The first has not been mentioned anywhere in all the literature I've read containing "to do" lists. Not everyone needs to get into wedding shape, some are just naturally in shape all the time, and not everyone CARES to get into wedding shape. But what more perfect excuse or motivation could there be? Well, for me, I was frankly better at that whole getting into shape thing before I was engaged. Since then, maybe it is the sense of knowing that I am secured for life with my future husband, but I cannot get my bootie into the gym as often as I used to. The good news,  I am still going AND I am maintaining my weight so far, despite the parties and celebrations.

This brings me to point 2: being a good wifey. For me, this includes domestic activities that thus far have been much neglected in our humble home. SO, as a compensation for not getting into the gym as often, I started to make more dinners at home so we'd diminish our caloric intake due to eating out so often. This is a new realm for me, cooking. I am an expert at opening boxes or bags, using the microwave, constructing sandwiches, and pancakes. So, as cliche and old-fashioned as it all feels (hence the word "wifey"), I am really trying to set some good habits before we introduce children into the equation. I also find that baking is soothing and therapeutic, so why not switch up the ingredients and include baking meals and not just desserts? And no, not just the meals that are frozen and only require reheating.

Well, the first array into this new hobby (at least since our engagement) was a complete success! And it also gave me a boost in confidence that I will be a good wife, a good mom, and perhaps I just may fit into my dream dress!

Erica's Baked Mostacolli

Ingredients: 2 lbs ground beef (extra lean)

                  1 small onion (white) and 1 red pepper- chopped

                  Fresh Garlic- minced (to taste)

                  Ragu Original Spaghetti Sauce (I am not a miracle worker!)-4 cups

                  Bertolli Penne Plus Pasta (extra protein snuck in!)- 14.5 oz box

                  Light shredded Mozarella Cheese

                  Italian blend of cheese (Parmesan, Provolone...) shredded

                  1 cup of water

Brown hamburger in a skillet, use a little olive oil spray to prevent sticking, and add in onion and red pepper, cook about 8 minutes. Drain excess liquid.

Add 1 cup water and 4 cups spaghetti sauce into the skillet and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the past according to directions, about 11 minutes, and drain. Mix the pasta with the sauce. Then pour half of the pasta and sauce into a 13'x9'x2' glass pan, sprinkle with the desired amount of shredded cheeses (both blends), and then cover with another layer of the sauce and pasta, and sprinkle more cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until cheese on top is slightly brown and melty. Serve with favorite wine and make fiance do all dishes.

-Adopted from Cooks.com recipe

My first baking/cooking masterpiece