I know the first day of autumn came a couple of weeks ago, there’s just something about the arrival of October that really makes it FEEL real. Something about the scent in the air, the crisp cool evenings, the gorgeous golden hue that seems to show up overnight…
The smell of spicy pumpkin-flavored coffee (“borrowed” from your friend’s K-cup collection) brewing in the morning…
The taste of pillowy-soft pumpkin pancakes topped with pumpkin whipped cream in the morning evening…
The pure and unadulterated, three-year old case of giddy amusement that I get each and every year whennnnnn…
I spot ALL THE PUMPKIN THINGS!!!
It’s no secret that I’m a pumpkin lover, but oh my god you guys, the obsession has gone to a whole NEW level this year. During a quick trip out of town last week I to visit some family, I found a Trader Joe’s…and then I found a Super Target…and then I found the sweet & spicy meaning of life!
So if you need me, I’ll just be over here in the corner with my finger stuffed in a container of pumpkin peanut butter, smelling like pumpkin butter, while laying in a mass of pumpkin-flavored crumbs. 😉
I was finally able to sit down and get my thoughts out on the serious topic that I mentioned last week so I figured I’d get them think them out loud today…
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up an old issue of ShapeMagazine out of the waiting room at work. After thumbing through a handful pages, noting manicure tips, stress relievers like gelato cake strain, and a decent body-weight workout, I then came across an advertisement for a weight loss supplement.
My opinion of using supplements for weight loss is a topic for entirely another day, but what really got my blood boiling (to the point of blasting the poor guy working with me with a ten-minute rant) was this:
Seeeeeeeeriously?!
Since when are we able to defy genetics, open up a bottle, and magically become a stick figure Victoria Secrets model? Better yet, WHY do we as women submit ourselves to this kind of propaganda? Why do we allow ourselves to believe for one minute that women in ads aren’t airbrushed to the point of ridiculousness. Why do we think the ideal woman looks like a Barbie doll? WHAT is wrong with having curves?
Over the last two years, my body has gone through a lot of changes. I’ve had the “almost” abs. I’ve had the whispers behind your back that go along with losing too much weight. And I’ve had (or currently have) the coined “muffin top”. And according to what you see these days, I guess, given my present state, I should be researching the latest diet…workout regime…or hmmm, maybe I should eliminate gluten (or better yet ALL carbs and subsist only on celery and protein powder) until I’ve whittled my waist down to a size two.
I should NEVER eat white rice, bread, or sugar. I should only “allow” myself three servings or less of fruit a day. I should do cardio and yoga and lift weights and save babies from burning buildings and feel guilty if I miss a workout. I should pick a body part to bash along with my fellow females at the next party I attend. And at the end of a long day if all I want is some music and a glass of wine, I better break out the measuring cup so I don’t “over do” it. Just make sure it’s red…and dry…
Because anything else isn’t “good” for you.
And forget about having a cookie. I haven’t “earned” it.
Rules. Rules. Rules. What started out as helpful tips to point people in a healthy direction has taken a lot of us and twisted our minds to the point of living life by a list of do’s and don’t so we’re sure we’re doing all the “right” things. At least that’s how it was for me after I started calorie counting. You learn one rule…and then another…and then, the next thing you know you’re having a meltdown in the middle of the soda aisle at Wal-Mart because you’re too afraid of drinking diet but you’re too afraid of having sugar but all you want is a fucking COKE!
I commend all of you out there who have stayed above the propaganda and can maintain a healthy balance all on your own, but for me things are a bit different and constantly seeing ads or hearing women talk in a way that is constantly bashing their bodies gets me riled up. Once you get caught up in the bullshit, it’s hard to climb your way out. For a while, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to accept my body past a certain point of thinness, but I never want to go back to the life I had with all the rules. That life where I always felt guilty…for anything, everything, or nothing at all. So maybe I’ll never be a size four again, but really, if that’s all I’m missing out on, I don’t really see it as a loss.
No questions today…just your thoughts. And I’d love it if you read this article.
Thus proving that time really does fly when you’re having fun (and when it still feels like summer…because we ALL know the winter months always just creep right along!). Feels like just yesterday, I was snapping selfies in the back of my friend’s car while driving up to St. Louis for Loufest.
Though I won’t confess to how many takes OR how long it took me to edit/add those little music notes before I was happy with the final product. 😉
Current Book:
I’m currently flipping back and forth between Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (because the movie’s coming out soon) and Forever by Pete Hamill (because my mom loaned it to me and she has excellent taste in fiction. Problem is I can’t peel myself away from Netflix long enough to read more than a couple of pages. Whoops?
Current Music:
Please see any and all music from this post. And I won’t tell you how many times I played Little Hurricane on repeat.
Current Guilty Pleasure:
Hogging a pool table for over an hour while I showed all my friends my mad skills…there really aren’t words for how bad I suck at pool…yet I love it all the same! Lol
Current Nail Color:
No comment. 🙁
Current Entertainment:
Netflix…all day errrrry day! And not just for marathoning TV shows I should’ve watched years ago. I also watched this, this, and this (hilarious!)..and yeah, I guess I’m on a bit of a Deniro kick now!
Current Wish/Needs:
A visit from the magical garage door fairy. Yes, my garage door is STILL broken. Don’t judge me. I’ve been busy surfing Netflix, sleeping, and salivating over…
Current Food:
Pizza…or more specifically cheese…or more specifically cheese AND BACON!!! Do yourself a favor and add fresh mozzarella BALLS to your next (homemade or store-bought) pizza…then you’ll get big pools of cheesy deliciousness just like this to dive into.
And finally…ALL the crunchy things! Don’t go to the store hungry folks. Just don’t!
Current Drink:
RumChata and butterscotch schnapps. RumChata and coffee. Rumchata and cereal. RumChata ALL the things! What can I say? I feel in love in St. Louis and never looked back!
Current Triumphs:
I finally, after something like TWO YEARS, figured out how to remove songs from my iPhone that have been deleted from my iTunes for ages! Then I took it a step further and totally cleared the music from the phone so I can start fresh! Ahhh, it’s so liberating…like every woman at a concert just ripped off their bras at the same time! 😉
Current Bane of Existence:
What? Two selfies in one post?! Well ya see, I think this one portrays the problem at hand a little better. My curls have been rockin’ lately baaaaaa-ut, my hair is officially at the length of get-on-my-last-fucking-nerve status. It gets caught in or on everything!
Current Blogger Crush:
Skipping this one this month…because I suck.
Current Indulgence:
Omg, I want to die inside this pumpkin spice cream filling…like seriously. I’ve always been so disappointed with pumpkin-flavored things in the past, but these babies are SPOT ON!! Get yourself to a Wal-Mart or Kroger and buy these NOW!
Current Blessing:
To be at the place in my life where everything seems to be falling into place and I accept myself for who I am…flaws and all. See? Sometimes getting old is fun!
Current Outfit:
Dear fashion experts, please never let leggings and oversized shirts go out of style…especially the kind of leggings from Old Navy that have wide waist bands that are perfect for tucking in those extra Oreo cookies. 😉
Current Excitement:
I’m going to see Skrillex…in Nashville…TONIIIIIIIIGHT!!
My name is Heather! I'm a southern gal with a passion for food, fitness, and photography...and alliteration if you didn't notice! Here you'll find a mix of random musings, delicious recipes, and hopefully a chuckle or two! Check out my "About' tab to learn more!
