Bat Fit update

Hello! It's been too long since my first Bat Fit post, so here is an update:

I am halfway through my sixth week on the Paleo diet. My husband and I are eating a LOT healthier, though I am still not crazy about the amount of meat (I was a vegetarian for over 4 years). My weight loss has been slow but steady - I am down almost 12.5 pounds!

The bigger news is that I have lost (as of today) 4" off my waist, bringing my measurement under the 35" cutoff for diabetes risk. A waistline of over 35" in women is one of the only universal factors in determining type 2 diabetes risk (this doesn't mean that there aren't other factors, just that this is a common factor in nearly everyone with type 2 diabetes). If you require a source I can find out which medical textbook it came from (we have a lot). 

I was hoping to have lost a total of 15lbs before visiting my family, but it doesn't look like that will happen, so I am just happy that I've lost some. My sister has been doing HCG and lost about 30lbs (not that it's a competition!) and I was just a little jealous.

Bat fit post 1

Clever title, no? 

I've been a non-active member of Bat Fit for a while now, but after my weight went over 200 pounds (and has stayed that way for about 6 months) I decided to start making some changes to my lifestyle. Now, I want to stress that I don't really worry about other people's weight, I don't fat shame, I don't tell people they need to lose weight for their health (because they probably don't). I have been chubby my whole life and I have heard a lot of those "concerns" directed towards me. So no, no shaming here. 

That being said, I do want to lose weight. I know I won't get to my thinnest ever weight (only lasted a few months anyway) or probably even to a so-called healthy weight. I will still be overweight, just less so. I have poor circulation that causes me to retain water if I have too much salt (pretty much anything over 2000mg/day) and I probably have a slow metabolism since calorie cutting alone doesn't work for me. Exercising more and losing weight will help with both, as well as with my bad knees and my back pain, but it's a long road and I can't just stop at the end. That's the difficult part, right? The whole, never going back to the way we were before kind of thing. So my husband is joining me, not to lose weight, but to support me getting a bit healthier. 

I was NOT a healthy fat person. I ate junk food every day and there were weeks that went by without a piece of fruit or veg passing my lips. I ate a lot of bread and salty foods and ice cream. I hated that I was doing that to myself, but I couldn't see a way out. I'd start eating healthy for a while, lose 4 or 5 pounds and then start gaining weight, even while eating healthy food and tracking my calories. This is basically how my entire adult life ran. Every once in a while I get super motivated and go low carb and lose 40 pounds or so, but I always gain it back. This last time I gained 70lbs over three years. I own exactly 2 pairs of pants that actually fit and most of my shirts are too tight so I end up wearing the same thing over and over. I started wearing dresses almost exclusively because they fit longer and disguised the fact that for the first time in my life I have a stomach that sticks out past my boobs. Fun times.

I had done a paleo challenge once before for thirty days and did really well on it. I felt better, ate a lot healthier and lost about 13 lbs. Then I started eating grains again and started gaining the 70 lbs. my husband and I decided to do it right this time and we got rid of all of our non-paleo food (minus some really expensive cheese that I'm saving for a treat): legumes, grains, sugars, chips, candy, soda, and dairy. The last one is kind of the key for me with weight loss. I do okay with no grains but I really lose weight when I give up grains and dairy (and processed sugar). 

So that's where I'm at. Three weeks (almost) down and I've lost over 7lbs. I've still got a long way to go but I'm feeling pretty good about my progress. We eat a lot of chicken and fruit (it's summer and I don't want to use the oven ever), mostly blueberries, cherries and grapes. We add in veggies when it isn't too hot to cook :). I've been trying to add in excercise every week, though it has been excessively hot here which kind of limits what I want to do. 

This isn't a thirty day challenge or a six month challenge or a challenge of any kind. We are going to do this as long as we can, and adjust our eating to compensate for cravings and weight regulation (as opposed to loss) later on. 

I'll post my "before" pics soon :)

Are you all having a good holiday? I hope so. I am writing this before the break, but it will post on the holiday, so... There should be some pictures from the Thanksgiving break in the next post.  

Why do I look terrified in this picture? I have no idea. Maybe I realized that I would never wear ponte-knit pants to work again. I thought I looked pretty fierce, but seeing the pictures made me realize that maybe the pants were too much for work. I like it for the weekend, though - maybe for my upcoming 12-hour trip? Anyway...I have to layer a lot with these pants so they don't feel like leggings (they have working pockets! They aren't leggings!), plus this sweater has maybe shrunk - I have gained a little weight since buying it, but it fits much smaller than other shirts from the same time. Also, the moths that got into my closet ate a hole in the sleeve. Boo.              

Outfit Details:
Blazer, brooch, sweater, pants: Thrifted
Longest shirt: NY&Co
Tank top: Ol' Navy
Scarf: Gap
Boots: Target
Necklace: Gift from grandma

This necklace was part of a whole box of jewelry my grandma gave me with the intent that I could take the pieces apart and make new jewelry. This necklace had a tarnished dream catcher charm that I removed. I decided I liked the necklace as is, so I kept it. 

The scarf has quickly become one of my favorites - I need to make some more, it is just a large tube of knit material. I like that you can kind of see the light green pinstripe on this blazer. THe blazer is actually a really dark navy. This brooch was one of three that my husband gave me for Christmas a year or so ago. He gives really good presents, and I am really bad at gift giving. Go figure.


EOTD: I just did a pretty neutral eye with a thin eyeliner. Just a couple colors: a white shimmer from Victoria's Secret (their cheap eyeshadow) and a yellow loose shimmer from jANE, maybe? It is really old (I replace my mascara fairly often, but never the eyeshadow).

I mean business in this pose...

 A quickie post today; not a very exciting outfit. I love layering skirts and dresses (ala Butane Anvil) and I was at work by myself due to the upcoming very long break. I'm a state employee (no more hints about my job, though) so I get almost a week off for Thanksgiving! Woo! There may be a recipe post-type-thing in honor of my unique holiday feast. 

Okay, on to the clothes!

The underskirt is actually dark brown and is one of my most flattering skirts - it is a nice cotton lawn type fabric with a ribbon hem. This black linen dress is great for layering, but I purchased it back when I was quite a bit thinner, so I can't wear it on its own anymore (read: buttoned). I am working (sloooowly) to change some of that, but this is not a weight blog, so moving on! You can see the rainbow-stripe knee socks I am wearing to keep my legs from falling off in the cold, too. The skirt, tank (not seen), dress and brooch are all from thrift stores. The boots are my standard ones and the socks are from...??? I have no idea - they are so old the elastic isn't really working to keep them up over my calves. The scarf was $5 at the 'mart.

 

 Clean boots! I know! Can you tell the difference? I finally cleaned these boots, the right one is the 'after' shot, obviously. I just use petroleum jelly on my leather and pleather shoes - it helps waterproof them, clean them and the shine wears off after about a day. I used to use shoe polish and I would polish my and my husband's shoes every couple months, but it was messy and smelly and labor-intensive. I only do that now for nice dress shoes that need a bit of extra shine, or if a black shoe is losing its color. I will say that my Dansko shoes really look great after a polish, the PJ treatment is kind of just a 'make do' cleaning, but for shoes like these boots, with the buckles and straps and such (or for my non-black shoes) the PJ treatment works really well.

The EOTD for today is another Coastal Scents grouping, yellow-green and grass green from the Sydney Go Palette. I have started using a Revlon gel-liner, and so far I like it better than the other gel liners I've tried. I also use Rimmel mascara. The green liner on my bottom lashes was kind of a happy accident, but one I am glad I made.

I am NOT ready for the holidays, there are no Christmas/Yule presents finished, and I haven't even picked my side-dish recipe for Thanksgiving. Only 5 weeks left! Aaah!

Mid-Month Status Report

It's time for...my first CorpGoth Mid-Month Status Report!

So...cold weather tricks indoors - this is a perfect topic for today because my office is extra cold. I have both a chilly home and a chilly office, so I have developed several tricks for staying warm in chilly times. I live near the western border of Virginia, so although it isn't as cold as my home state of Idaho, it gets pretty darn cold inside my office!

Mori girl, being warm! Sorry for the grainy picture - my office has poor lighting!

Firstly, I wear blazers, often over cardigans (an aside--I rarely wear this grey cardi, but I've worn it twice on the blog...it was the only one that really went with the mori girl vibe I was going for) especially wool blazers - they are naturally warming and need laundering less often than other fabrics. Scarf and mitts are essential - I have over 30 different scarves and the thicker pashminas or knit scarves and cowls are worn all autumn and winter. These mitts are from the pattern that I ended up making for Yule gifts last year - these were the 'test' pair, so I get to keep them (at least that's how it works in my head). They are made with superwash wool - meaning that they can be thrown in the washing machine with my other clothes - no special treatment required! BEST THING EVER (for fiber enthusiasts)! I wear them all day long. I have to have my fingers free at work for typing, but these help to keep my joints from getting achy.

 

Another trick I use is layering. Today I'm wearing a fully-lined overskirt, a cotton underskirt and a polyester slip. Each layer traps warm air - one of the tricks I learned from growing up in North Idaho. I'm also wearing a cardingan, elbow-sleeve jersey shirt and cotton tank top. Underneath all of that are leggings and SmartWool socks. Wool-blend socks can be spendy (I got these from SierraTradingPost.com for about $10) but they are totally worth it. You can get some that aren't so 'hiking sock' and there are a lot of thinner styles that are still warm. I have to wear thicker socks with these boots, but I also own angora-blend socks that are as thin as regular cotton socks. Wool breathes, so your feet stay warm but don't really get sweaty - plus wool will keep you warm even if it gets wet! I have tested this out - I always wear socks when going cool-weather kayaking and my feet stay toasty even though I walk through cold water to launch the kayaks. 

Finally, my secret weapon: a heating pad! (I haven't made a new cover for it, but that is in the works). This makes a HUGE difference in my comfort level at work. Not only does it keep the legs and buns toasty, but sometimes I'll put it in my lap to keep my hands warm, too. I am planning on investing in a small heater soon, too (if I get the promotion I'm waiting on!) . 

Outfit details:
Blazer - Thrifted, vintage
Cardigan - NY&Co
Shirt - Twenty-One, thrifted
Tank - ON

Overskirt - Maurices, hand-me-down from my mom :)
Underskirt - Target
Slip - Thrifted, altered (was the lining for a skirt that fit poorly)
Leggings - NY&Co
Boots - Target
Socks - SmartWool, via Sierra Trading Post
Necklace - Handmade
Mitts - Handmade

PS - I had to throw in a picture of my necklace. It is one of my own designs that I decided to keep. Real copper is my favorite metal, and I love the organic feel of this necklace. Too bad it was covered up by a scarf all day!

I'm excited to see what everyone's tips and tricks are for staying warm!

Through a sylvan doorway...

 Finally! A good hair day for the blog! You also get a peek of the room outside my office...

This is one of my "formulaic" looks = dress and blazer and chunky necklace (or scarf). It helps with the cold (I promise I'll stop harping on about this!). Today's outfit was intended for a meeting - but I had the wrong day :( So I was pretty much alone in the office looking awesome for no reason. That's what blogs are for, right? That, and cats.
 
I hate it when the only people who see me looking snazzy are my coworkers - they don't really comment on clothes, even though some of them are clothes fiends. I don't know if it is the slightly different industry, but going from customer service to office administration means that I really never get a comment or compliment. When I was in sales I got a comment every day, but at my current position...zilch. It definitely made me think about how vain I am and how dependent I am on other people's appreciation for my self image. Hmmm...again, taking pictures for this blog helps me realize that I look good without receiving public validation! Okay, personal revelation over!

Outfit details:

Blazer - thrift store

Dress - Loft (?), thrifted

Shoes - hand-me-downs from my sister

Necklace - handmade by me

Brooch - vintage, thrifted

I love the detailing on this dress. The empire waist is flattering and the embroidery has a boho vibe to it. It was a lucky thrift store find from my fruitless Halloween costume search (I wore it as a not-quite-a-vampire)
 
This necklace is one of my favorites; I made it this summer and the pendant is real copper that I strung on a beaded chain. I've started getting a little more artistic with my jewelry design, so expect to see more designs on the blog. I don't have an active website anymore, though, because I made far more sales in person and the website was taking up a lot of time for little reward. Enough about that, though, on to the EOTD!
 
Today's EOTD is another from the Coastal Scents palette (Paris). I used eyeshadow as a liner and just did a purple/dusky orange-rose smokey eye. I am going to keep experimenting with photographing my eyes, too, so next time should be better!




Title from song by Spiral Dance

You walk like a zombie...

Hello all!

Today's bloggity blog features leprechaun pants, a cat and too many pictures! Plus, my first eye of the day (EOTD)! So exciting!

Okay, so maybe it was a long, lonely, boring day at work and I'm taking pleasure in the little things. 

First up, the outfit details--starting with my outerwear! This is a 4 year old trench coat I got for Christmas. It is starting to get a bit worn and frayed, but it is wool and goes well with black and colors and doesn't look awful. So it stays for now. Cat bonus! Here is Frank--he's a sort-of stray who adopted us, but has to live outside 90% of the time--if he is left indoors he panics and tries to dig his way out of the windows, even injuring himself. He is allowed in as much as he wants, but he usually wants to be outdoors as much as possible. He also hates being held, so it was pretty special that he held still in this pic. He is a very sweet cat, though, and even anti-cat people seem to like him.

The scarf is one of my favorites--it looks much more expensive than it was ($5) and makes casual outfits feel a little more glam. The mitts are from last year when I was testing crochet patterns for Yule gifts--these didn't make the cut so I kept them (I went with a better pattern--maybe I'll share here?). They are wool, though, and keep my hands warm in my chilly office!



Outfit Details:
Coat: Target
Scarf: Wally world
Drapey cardigan: NY&Co (altered, shortened)
Cowl tank: NY&Co
Grey tank: Old Navy
Prepster chinos: Gap
Black flats: TJ Maxx
Brooch: Vintage, going away present from a friend in Idaho.

I did promise some EOTD action, and here are my lovely blurry pics...I didn't realize they were blurry until processing them after I'd already removed my makeup. The black and green are from my Coastal Scents palettes, and the white is a no-name from Walmart. I've been having a lot of fun with brightly colored eye shadows lately; with glasses it sort of 'muffles' the color, making it easier to wear at work. This is also a way for people with darker clothing to bring some color into the look (if they want it).


Title from "Walk Like a Zombie" by the Horrorpops.