Confessions...

It's Friday, and I'm in a confessing sort of mood.

One. I confess that we survived Micah's ten-year high school reunion on Saturday.
And in a way, it was kind of like my high school reunion because we didn't make it to mine last year. Since we went to school together, there were so many people I loved seeing. I made Micah do a pre-reunion photo shoot of my outfit which turned SUPER awkward when our neighbors were taking a stroll down the alley with their kids just as I was posing in front of my garage door. This is why I'll never be a fashion blogger. (Or maybe it's because I'm not that fashionable.) I'll post those pictures next week, and you can picture my mortification as you look at them.

Two. I confess that I've eaten like crap the last few days.

Well, not total crap. Breakfasts have been on point, per the usual, but I had pad thai for lunch on Monday, chips and queso at lunch yesterday, and a chicken wrap and a salted caramel dessert shot at a plated luncheon event today (not totally my fault, but I didn't have to inhale the pudding like it was the last thing I'd ever eat). Dinners have also been pretty solid, so I suppose it could have been worse. It's hard finding a balance between giving myself some grace and allowing myself to slide down the slippery slope of justifying my bad choices by reasoning that I "deserve" whatever delicious thing I want to eat.

Three. I confess that I've gotten Grace's Halloween costume all picked out.
But I'm keeping my lips zipped on what she's going as because it's just going to be too darned darling, and I don't want to spoil it for you guys.

Four. I confess that I'm addicted to ThredUp.*
I am IN LOVE WITH THIS FREAKING WEBSITE. It's essentially an online consignment store, so you're getting pre-owned stuff that's all in excellent shape for ridiculous prices. I love that you can sort by size, brand, style, and they even have a whole separate tab for designer pieces. They've got every brand you can think of, from Old Navy to Prada. I got this $130 Michael Kors dress for the reunion (I ended up wearing something else because it was slightly too dressy) for less than $30.

It arrived just as pictured in perfect condition.

And I just ordered this $300 DKNY trench for $35. It should be arriving in the mail any day now, and I'm ridiculously excited.

If you love a good deal but hate sifting through consignment stores like I do, check it out.

That's about it for today, gals. What do you have to confess today? Link up with Leslie and tell us!

* As usual, ThredUp has no idea who I am and has not compensated me or given me free stuff for promoting their site. I just love it. But this is an affiliate link, so I'll get credit if you make purchases through it. But, dude, just go through the regular website and take a look around if the referral link freaks you out. You'll love it.

October...

I get a lot of emails from people wanting me to promote their businesses/blogs/products here. (Which is just hilarious to me because this blog is so very small.) I always ignore them because I'm not interested in telling you guys about anything that I don't really believe in or feel strongly about.

But Heather's email was different.

Heather is a survivor of mesothelioma. If you're unfamiliar with the disease, mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer that attacks the lining of the body cavity called the mesothelium (in the most common type of mesothelioma, this is located in the lungs). 

The only known cause of mesothelioma is exposure to asbestos, which is an insulation material that was used formerly in industrial settings such as naval shipyards, power plants, railroad infrastructure, and other industrial jobsites until it began to be regulated in 1989. Workers in these settings inhaled the asbestos fibers and also brought them home on their clothes. Heather got cancer because she used to wear her father's work coat to do outside chores as a child. Many wives of sailors got mesothelioma simply from washing their husbands' clothes.

Heather emailed me because October is National Healthy Lung Month, and she is working with bloggers to help raise awareness of this disease and its causes. It's sort of fortuitous that she emailed me, in particular, because I am somewhat familiar with the disease, having worked in college at a law firm that represents mesothelioma victims. And so I know that only 40% of mesothelioma patients survive the first year after treatment.

So I'm writing today to tell you about asbestos and mesothelioma because asbestos still has not been completely banned in the United States. And so while its use has been mostly discontinued because of its carcinogenic effects, it can still be found in some structures and buildings today. Symptoms associated with mesothelioma are also generally found in those who have lung cancer, including dry cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

You can learn more about asbestos exposure and mesothelioma here. And, in terms of overall lung health, you can help keep your lungs healthy by avoiding air pollution and exposure to toxic substances, and by not smoking tobacco.

Happy National Healthy Lung Month, friends. As I'm sure Heather would tell you, if you have healthy lungs, don't take them for granted, and do all you can to help keep them that way.

Paying it forward...

Remember how I told you guys that I won the diet bet I entered last month? (Even though I forgot to tell y'all that I entered in the first place...)

I found out that my winnings total nearly $60. (The buy-in was $35.) And I was telling a friend at work (shout out, Meredith!) that I wanted to try and find a way to pay it forward to others who may need a source of motivation. Because, seriously, you guys. I could never adequately convey how much your support has motivated me to keep going on the hard days. And though I'll never be able to really repay you for what you've done for me, I wanted to make a gesture anyway.

So here's what I came up with.

I'm giving away three copies of It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig.* 

This book was the thing that convinced me that I needed more than a diet. I needed more than weight loss. I needed to change the way I eat, and I needed to change the way I look at food.

So if you're where I was just a few months ago, desperate for a change and unsure how to get there, this book is for you.

I don't want to deal with a complicated giveaway today, because this is not at all about increasing my blog readership or numbers. This is about YOU! And how much I adore you all.

So the first three people to comment below win.

That's it.

(Just make sure and include your email address below so I can get a hold of you.)

Love you guys.

* This isn't sponsored by Whole30 or the Hartwigs. Like, at all.

Fall and other things...

It's fall, friends. I mean, yesterday, it was still in the mid-90s here in north Texas, but I'm declaring it fall anyway. Bring on the sweaters and pumpkin everything, even if I'm still sweating every time I walk outside.

And although this season change has brought with it a bout of wicked allergies and near-loss of my voice (I seriously sound like a man), I'm excited. And when I'm excited, I like to talk about the things I'm excited about. Here are other, non-fall things I'm excited about.

{Hue leggings}

I had been hearing fabulous things about these Hue wide waistband leggings from Nordstrom, so I bought a pair during the anniversary sale a couple of months back. 

Y'all, I am obsessed. They're slightly pricier than an average pair of leggings, but the wide waistband makes them SO comfy and eliminates the dreaded muffin top. I loved them so much that I bought these Ponte knit leggings which I actually love even more. These are thicker and have pockets on the back, so they could be worn even with tops that don't totally cover your derriere. (I realize some of you could never and will never be on board with leggings as pants, but these leggings really are like pants. Trust me. Come over to the dark side. We're pretty comfy over here.)

{Winning my diet bet}

I just realized that I never even posted about joining Mama Laughlin's diet bet a month ago. #bloggerfail 

Essentially, a group of people each paid $35 to buy into the bet, and we all had 30 days to lose 4% of our body weight. Everyone who meets their goal gets to split the pot.

I joined on a whim and didn't really expect it to be a motivating thing for me, but it really was. It was in the back of my mind, and when I wanted to grab a cookie or donut at work, I'd remind myself that I had to weigh in soon. And I made myself share it on Instagram so that I'd have some accountability, as well. 

Anyway, I lost a few pounds more than was actually required and ended up dropping 11 pounds in 30 days. Insane.

{This mustard cardigan}

I've been dying for a mustard cardigan for, like, a year now. So when I found this one at Target, I snatched it up faster than I'd like to admit. (I'm fairly certain I actually squealed in delight.)

(It's funny, I remember finding these boots two years ago at Lane Bryant and being so excited that I could zip them up. Now they're so big around my calves, they border on ridiculous. I had to buy new boots.)

What are you guys excited about this week?

What I'm eating: breakfast

When I was trying to figure out how I could motivate myself to make a lifestyle change, I had a love/hate relationship with healthy living bloggers/Instagrammers. On the one hand, I loved seeing how other people were changing their lives, and I rooted for them to succeed. But on the other hand, I wanted to be making progress myself. And every time I saw someone achieve a goal or make a healthy choice, I was reminded that I wasn't.

But ultimately, I did decide to make a change, and I really feel like I was motivated by others who were willing to share their stories and struggles and tips. 

And so, as I've been getting so many emails and comments asking for tips and pointers and recipes, I figured I'd do series on what I'm eating these days. You can find even more Paleo/Whole30 recipes on my Paleo Eats Pinterest Board. And I highly recommend The Paleo Kitchen cookbook, as well as Juli's blog PaleOMG. 

Today, we're talking breakfast.

I eat one of two things in the mornings during the week because it's easy, and I like predictability. 

2 hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters and drizzled with Louisiana Hot Sauce + big handful kale + big handful cherry/grape tomatoes + small handful of nuts (or 1/2 avocado)

OR

2 hardboiled eggs + green smoothie (recipe below)

I always hard-boil eggs three days at a time at night after Grace goes to bed and put my kale/tomatoes/nuts in baggies so they're handy to grab and go in the morning. (I take it all with me and eat at work.) I make the smoothies on mornings that Grace sleeps a little longer than usual because they're more time-consuming.

On the weekends, we usually do something a little more fun.

Scrambled eggs + salsa + avocado + bacon (I pull my eggs out and then add cheese for Micah and Grace)

Paleo Pumpkin Waffles (these turned out better as pancakes for us) + bacon 

Sweet Potato, Apple, and Bacon Hash (this is still one of my favorite recipes)

Even on the weekends, though, I make myself eat a big handful of kale or spinach because I feel like I need it, and also because it makes me feel hardcore. Ha.

My Go-To Green Smoothie

1/2 banana (fresh or frozen. I usually freeze bananas when they start to turn brown, and this is the perfect way to use them up.)

1/4 to 1/2 cup berries (blueberries and strawberries are perfect)

2 T. unsweetened coconut milk

2 T. water

1/2 cup ice

1-2 cups kale/spinach (I promise you won't taste the greens)

Add all ingredients to blender, and blend until smooth. If your blender has a hard time (like mine often does), add more water. I wouldn't add a whole lot more coconut milk, or it will taste like you poured heavy cream in it. I think the banana and fruit give enough sweetness, but if you want more, add 1 T. honey.

(Please note that if you're doing the Whole30, not all of the things listed above are Whole30 complaint. For example, you're not "allowed" to have smoothies or Paleo pancakes on the Whole30, and I wholeheartedly agree with the program's focus on resetting your brain. So swallow down those veggies as best you can and tough it out for 30 days. I promise, it gets easier.)