Birthdays ROCK!

Just after writing the previous post, I made my way down to the mailbox area.  I figured it was my birthday and there was definitely going to be something special in there, right?!?!  Well there was.  There totally freaking was.  I call my friend Lynette my "fun new friend", even though we've known each other for a couple years.  It wasn't until she moved to Taipei that we started getting close, which is totally weird, but worked out well!  She moved back to Texas recently, and happened to send me the best unintentional birthday gift to ever exist!  I only say "unintentional" because I am fairly certain it hadn't occurred to her that this present would arrive on my birthday.  I was just lucky!  So there I am, staring at this package from my friend, wondering what the eff is inside!  Is it a book?  It kind of feels like a book...what the heck is this???

That's right, people.  My amazing and fantastic friend Lynette bought me STRAWBERRY CAKE MIX!  Strawberry Quick Cake here I come!!!  ...if only I could finish the lemon!  I'm considering pawning it off on Brian ;)
If you haven't got a clue what I'm referring to, you can check it out here.

On another note, I'm completely and utterly worried about weigh-in tomorrow morning.  My weekend was ridiculous, I ate everything in sight, not to mention drinking what feels like an entire swimming pool of booze.  Last night, standing (swaying?) over my kitchen table at 9pm I decided it was a grand idea to open the box of chocolates from a friend and eat a bite of each one to "sample the flavors".  Needless to say I invented a totally filling and healthy dinner that didn't lack in the flavor department.

Strawberry Balsamic Salad - 5.5 Points

• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup arugula (rocket)
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1 1/2Tbsp red onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 Tbsp pecans, chopped
• 2 Tbsp Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette (or similar)

Toss all ingredients together and serve!

So back to weigh-in...I'm preparing myself mentally for the scale.  I will take it like a pro, whatever it says.  I have done this to myself willingly, and it was worth every minute!  But now I must get myself back on track and set some new goals.
Now that the Smugglette is out of the way, I think it's time to find a new "something".  Any ideas???  We can count down to my next Bali trip (when my brother and dad arrive!!!), or maybe July 4th?  I want something good!  ...though I don't know if I'll ever top a trip to Thailand and a teensy bikini

Royales with Cheese are GO!

I did it.  I mean I actually did it.  We landed in Phuket last Thursday night, I downed enough booze to throw inhibitions out the door, and I put on that damn Smugglette!  The bottoms were tiny, but I don't think I looked half bad in the thing!

Phuket was an amazing place; our villas were INCREDIBLE, the Thai people are beautiful, and we had one hell of a birthday bash for my friends!

I did skip weigh-in on Tuesday.  I was definitely feeling like a fat kid, and considering my lack of exercise over the past week (I did however use the villa's elliptical for 20 minutes - gasp!), it just wasn't happening.  So I'll wait until next Tuesday and hopefully maintain.  I'm not shooting for any extreme weight loss goals this week either...

Today I am 26.  That's right - it's my friggin' BIRTHDAY!  So tonight I'm celebrating with good friends, Singapore's best version of Mexican food, and lots of margaritas!  And of course what better way to end a birthday weekend than with champagne brunch with 21 of your closest friends?  Needless to say, I'm binging this weekend - lots of food and lots of booze!  Love it.

So for now I'll leave you with the proof...

A not so great shot, but there you have it!  Me in a Smugglette!

One of our beautiful villas (this one is where Brian and I stayed)

The views from our villa - spectacular!

Saturday lunch - Thai fried rice with chicken, spicy beef salad, and the freshest cucumbers I've ever had...delicious!

And finally, the perfect ad for Budgy Smugglers (I'm on the right)

Losing for Treats!

I decided around 2pm today that I deserved a pedicure.  I always deserve a pedicure honestly, but today I really deserved one...for no particular reason.  I ditched spin (ohmygodno!), which is quite unlike me, left work a bit early, drove home in the beautiful sunshine, and walked to the new salon near my apartment, called Buff and Rubz.  And no, I'm not joking.  This is 100% for serious.  The place is actually called Buff and Rubz, and it sounds totally dirty.
They do nails and waxing and massage therapy all in this tiny place, that by the way smells like amazing aromatherapy, and the girls working there are absolute dolls!  Not to mention the prices are completely reasonable, and I get a free manicure for my birthday, which I can use any time during May.  Wa freaking hoo.  No really.  Wa freaking hoo!
I think that, whenever I reach a really fantastic goal, or am feeling wonderful about my progress (or maintenance in the future), I will treat myself with pampering!  Not too shabby, huh?

Afterward, I strolled home (happy as a clam of course), and prepped the kitchen for some fun cooking time.

Tonight I tried out Hoisin Pork and Snow Pea Stir-Fry, but swapped 1/2c. of jasmine rice for the rice noodles.  I just wasn't in a noodle mood, what can I say?  This dish would go equally well with chicken or beef in my opinion, but for the first try I decided to stick with pork.  And since I'm a bad little Jewish girl and have a love for bacon and ham and mixing meat with dairy (on the rare occasion that I actually eat dairy), I stuck with the pork.
Unfortunately, the pork was a bit tough (perhaps I overcooked it?), so next time I am using the chicken...or maybe beef.  Who knows!
Regardless, this recipe gets one and a half thumbs up from me.  Not the best I've ever had, but quite tasty!  I'm looking forward to my leftovers!  I don't usually eat meals that are more than 7 points, as I only get 20 per day and snacking is very important to me, but this one was worth it (and not too far over).

•  Stir-Fry (excluding noodles or rice) = 6 points per cup
• 1/2 cup rice = 2 points

I will also use the sauce but switch out the vegetables to mix it up a bit.  Who knows, maybe next time I'll have beef with broccoli and baby corn!  Ok that sounds good...I'm sold :)

I Think My Scale's on Crack.

There are a few different Weight Watchers blogs that I keep up with (Bitch Cakes and OK Just One More Beer are my faves!), and recently they've talked a lot about change.  What are the steps to change?  How can we adjust to change?  Our environment has so much to do with making the right choices and staying on track.  For instance, my environment this weekend was definitely NOT conducive to healthy change.  I had three different desserts in my kitchen, I had jelly beans in the house, I had an entire loaf of fresh-baked rye bread on the counter!  The BBQ I attended on Saturday night was full of delectable and unhealthy goodness (and I perfected the act of gorging that night), and Friday and Saturday weren't exactly points-friendly either.

All said and done, when I stood on the scale this morning, I was certain I was still dreaming.  Could this be real?  Did I seriously lose this week?  You have got to be kidding me...I ate Jelly Bellies and drank red wine, I drank white wine, I drank vodka, I ate a hot dog!  I ate three Swag Bars on Sunday!  Holy CRAP!  I stood there for a few minutes, and realized something:  my brain hasn't completed its transformation.  My self image hasn't, to be more specific.

I am happier than I have ever felt in my life.  I live differently, I love differently.  Yes, it's true, I am a changed person, and I am definitely not the same Sarah I was three years ago.  My self esteem has most definitely changed (I actually have it now)!  I walk into a room and I'm no longer self-conscious, I feel attractive, and I can tell (and I love) when people are looking at me!

So what's the problem?

The chubby little girl inside of me, the girl the neighbors used to call "Shamu" (they actually did - it was traumatizing), still exists.  When I look in the mirror, I recognize that skinny girl staring back.  But when there is no mirror, it's so easy to forget.  My mind wanders into its old state sometimes.  My friend Courtney in Houston used to tell me that my body was losing weight, but my mind hadn't caught up.  I now finally understand what she meant.  I have to think when I'm shopping for clothes.  My first instinct is to grab that large top, when now I'm actually a medium, and sometimes even a small.  Granted, I don't go for the size 12 pants anymore, but it took awhile for me to switch over from 8 to 6.  Now the size 4 is fast-approaching, and I'm still training my brain to pick up the 6!

I leave in two days for the amazing (and occasionally dreaded) trip to Phuket.  The trip that started this whole blog; the trip where I will (possibly) wear an itsy bitsy teenie weenie Royales with Cheese Smugglette bikini.  Have I reached my goal?  Not yet.
But I am ecstatic at the prospect of that goal!  I am thrilled with my progress!  I am happy!

My Smugglette is still in transit, being carried to Singapore by a friend in Oz, and I'm hoping that when I do receive it, that Aussie size 10 will fit like a charm.  And though my stomach may still need a bit of flattening, and my thighs a bit more toning, I hope that I can rock out in that bikini this weekend.

Hell, the scale's not on crack.  I am not dreaming.  I really do weigh 133 pounds.  Holy shit.