Shedding for the Wedding: Meet My New BFF

Before I tell you about me, let's talk about you. Hive, your outpouring of support and encouragement for my initial shedding posts overwhelmed me! I was nervous to share and you dispelled my fear. Your comments ran the spectrum of weight loss options, from quick fixes to long-term lifestyle change. Diet, exercise, how-to books and motivating pictures - oh my! Please accept my gratitude, I've read all the feedback twice over and it means a lot to have you there on my journey. From the bottom of my teacup heart, thank you!

Image via The Tea Cosy

When we last left off, I was debating the merits of Weight Watchers vs. Jenny Craig. WW received the vast majority of positive feedback and I agree wholeheartedly with the concepts they teach. Based on my needs and lifestyle, I chose the road less traveled. Allow me to introduce my new BFF, Jenny!

{ She's really real! } / Image via Jenny Craig

I made an appointment for the very next morning after deciding it was time for a change. My first impression of the center was warm and welcoming, such a relief! I was really afraid to be brushed off for wanting help or told that my goal wasn't enough weight loss to enroll in the program. Instead, the sales consultant empathized and shared her similar experience. As a salesperson myself, I appreciate someone savvy in the craft. I'm also the biggest sucker for a pitch that delivers what I'm looking for. So guess what happened?


The free session walked through the founding principles of the program and how I would be supported in body, mind and food. Best of all, the approach was to start and then wean off their branded meals. Portion control, burning more calories than ingested, and upping activity level - I can do that!


If you're thinking what I'm thinking, my first and only question was cost. Let's face it, I'm a soon-to-be bride with little disposable income. And we all know . . .

Image via cafe press

The JC route is not for those faint of budget, for sure. The enrollment fee and weekly food cost set me back a few hundred dollars. Ouch! I'll be honest - I drove away with a hint of buyer's remorse. What was I thinking?!


After I got home, the feelings settled and I got to work cleaning out our fridge. Transformation complete, our freezer filled up quickly with the JC meals.

 { Anyone else love Trader Joe's? } / personal photo

I know, weirdness to see all that boxed frozen food as my nourishment augmented with fresh fruit, veggies, yogurt and juice. How did it come down to this? Curiosity won out and I prepared my first meal.

{ Breakfast hot pocket, yogurt & juice } / personal photo

Mr. Hot Tea saw my tiny plate of food and said, "THAT'S IT?" Yes, dear. That's it. And so my new relationship with food begins. Let's just pray I don't turn into a ravenous mess!

Image via lolcats

How do you cope with a major lifestyle change? Are you fearful or hopeful? Or both?!  What have you done to prepare yourself to successfully achieve your goal?

The Teacup Invites Have Left the Building

Can you believe it? Neither can I, it's a miracle they made it in the mail! Here's proof of my success, happily nestled in the Fizz & Frills marketplace bag. Yay, recycling!

Ladies, I won't lie - the past few weeks have been incredibly hectic. It doesn't help that I'm a terrible multi-tasker. Shedding for the wedding, invitations, and my bachelorette weekend all converged last Thursday. Although I wish it were effortless, I managed to keep my peak stress levels to a minimum. A girl can fantasize, right?

Image via Professional WAHM

I logged some heavy DIY hours on these babies and managed to finish them at 4am on the morning of my departure for Las Vegas after work. It will be a few days before the full reveal to allow all our guests to receive their invites. Until then, here are some sneak peeks.

{ Calling in for backup from Mr. Hot Tea }

{ What a glorious mess! }

{ DIY assembly line, notice all the unfinished ones }

{ Finally! It's been too long since we've seen a clean dining table. }

{ This, multiplied 140 times }

I promise you won't have to wait long to see the suite, and until then I have stories galore of my weight loss progress ( already 4 lbs. in 2 weeks) and my Vegas bachelorette weekend. There's so much good stuff to share I can hardly stand it, stay tuned!

Shedding for the Wedding: The Dreaded Diet

It wasn't so long ago that I would be ashamed to admit feeling like my favorite Ben & Jerry's flavor, Chunky Monkey.

{For the girls of the night chat!} / Image via Flickr / Photo credit: cromatophobe

Food is an easier control for me than exercise. I know you need both, but a girl can only accomplish so much in a day. 

{Eye on the prize - lol!} / Image via In This Week

I've attempted several popular DIY diet trends of their primetime, including Atkins and the South Beach Diet. Counting calories feels like micromanagement to me. Counting carbs is a little easier, though not by much. I've even used the GNC 7-day cleanse to jump-start healthy eating habits. Through it I learned to love soy milk and wean off caffeine, yay! [For the record: these are not endorsements, just sharing my trials.] 

Herein lies the challenge -- these programs are so darn hard to maintain beyond a few months. I slim down and then my enthusiasm wanes. Bad eating habits and lack of exercise slowly take over again and I'm back to where I started. 

{'Nuff said.} / Image via Prime Physique

With W-Day looming only 8 weekends away, I'm lovingly telling myself that an intervention is in order. DIY won't work for me this time. My goal is realistic and achievable, I just need assistance getting there.

AHA! Here's the main life lesson reinforced to me through wedding planning: I don't have to have all the answers and do everything myself. Whether it's invitations or flowers or losing weight, it's okay to ask for help and to allow other people to take care of me. Sweet relief!

So here I am with my fiancee fifteen, ready to take a leap of faith into the next level of weight loss program - the in-person commercial center. That's right, I'm talking about Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.

Image via Pusatlpse

I have no experience with a program like one of these, so Google suggested a comparison on livestrong.com:


"With Weight Watchers, the target dieter is someone who needs a more moderately priced way to lose weight, paired with the comfort and support of a large group to stay motivated. With Jenny Craig, dieters who will do best are those who want to lose weight without making special foods or counting calories. A one-on-one counselor provides support for someone who needs a more personalized plan."

Alrighty then. I'm finding the basic difference to be group support and tracking calories through a point system vs. individual support and pre-packaged meals. As an introvert with no interest in counting calories, it seems my choice is clear.


Now it's your turn to share. . .if weight management is part of your daily regimen, which program works best for you? Do you prefer to DIY, use the internet, or go the in-person route?

Shedding for the Wedding: My Fiancee Fifteen

Bear with me, Hive, I need to get real for a minute. This has been me for the past 10 months with regard to my 'few' extra pounds:

{Nothing 'more' to see here} / Image via LOLcats

I'm sure you've heard of the 'freshman fifteen' . . .

{College is awesome!} / Image via Flixter

. . . but how about the dreaded Fiancee Fifteen? No, you say? Well, neither has Google. Welcome to my world. I've traveled the Kubler-Ross grief stages and finally have accepted the truth. 

Image via Diary of a Smart Chick

DUDES! I am 15 effing lbs. over my normal weight range. W-T-effing-F?


Before you say that 15 is not a big deal, let me share some new Teacup fun facts: 

• My fat clothes are snug -- which means my normal clothes don't fit and my skinny clothes are in storage. Boo :/
• Spanx is my new favorite accessory. Every day.
• Fifteen pounds is 11.2% of my current weight. Yikes!

A quick Weddingbee search reassured me that I'm not alone in pondering pre-wedding weight loss: Mrs. Octopus, Mrs. Crab Cake and Mrs. Deviled Egg share their woes and motivation. Miss Seal and Miss Bacon confess chocolate and other yummy foods. Ms. Sloth and Pengy show off their progress and Miss Teaspoon and Miss Ladyfingers inspire with their workouts.


Here's the thing: I have two months before W-Day and I don't want my confidence waver for even one moment regretting 'if only' I had done something about this extra weight. Something's gotta give, and I don't want it to be my wedding dress zipper. . .

{Not me - but please let it go up!} / Image via Lose Weight Before Wedding

There's just enough time for me to make a difference and change the outcome. Now I've just gotta figure out which plan to follow to get me there. IRL I'm very disciplined and determined. 

{Yay, me! circa 1999} / personal photo

Right now, though, I have no extra energy to design my own diet and exercise plan. Work stress and wedding planning have sapped any reserve to kick my own butt into gear. Maybe I can also give a nod to some new meds I started back in January. But enough of the excuses.

What I need is accountability. I'm good at following orders and direction, especially when it's something I HAVE TO do, rather than want to do.

Share your plans with me, what works for you to ward off the 'fiancee fifteen'? All suggestions welcome, I need 'em!