"Wogging"

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Well, friends...In the interest of jumping right in to this plan I have concocted to fit into my bridesmaids dress, I decided to go for a run (or a walk/jog hybrid that I like to call "wogging") with my eldest daughter yesterday.

Now, in my family, there are a few runners.  Real, honest-to-gosh RUNNERS.  Some of whom have offered to run with me in an effort to help motivate.

First, there's my Mom.  My Mom, who's ability to imitate the Energizer bunny (she keeps going..and going..and going) strikes fear into the hearts of my children when she asks if they want to "join her for a jog".  The woman runs 5 miles a day, all year long.  Neither rain, wind nor snow will keep her from her morning jog.  My eldest has joked that she can't even keep up with her on her bike (except she's not joking).

Clearly not an option.

Next is my hubby.  His legs are a million miles long (OK..he's 6'2"..so not a million.  But when you're 4'11", it sure seems like it.)  He ran track in high school and his endurance is impressive.  Add to that the fact that he thinks it's helpful to run behind me and push my back with his hand shouting "keeeep going!  Just  to that sign!!  It's not much further!!".  Last time I ran with him, I got such bad vertigo he had to carry me home..not one of my proudest moments.

VETO.

Finally, there's my oldest daughter.  She's 13, and while she's 5" taller than me and an athlete, I figured I could ground her if she runs too fast..(I kid!..sort of..)  As it turns out, she was a great running partner.  She was encouraging, but not demanding, and she taught me some neat tricks (like, if you're having a hard time catching your breath, you can raise your arms above your head to expand your lungs and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.  It works!!)  I got a little dizzy towards the end of our run, but I'm feeling encouraged.

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This evening..we tackle yoga ;-)

Hugs and Smooches,
D

..It's "go time"..

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Well, friends, it looks like it's time to put up or shut up.

A few months ago, I ordered my bridesmaid's dress for my adorable cousin's wedding.  I had put it off a bit because I had just started eating gluten free due to my allergies and I had been losing weight.

It arrived today..and it won't zip over my bust (honestly, I've always been a bit larger in the ribcage area..but I have noticed that it's not entirely ribs of late..it would appear that my weight leveled off and adjusted to my new diet).  GAH!

The dress cannot be returned or exchanged, and (as my fellow sewists can attest to) it's nearly impossible to size a dress up.  There's about an inch gap where the zipper should meet between my shoulder blades.  This basically leaves me with one choice..lose weight.

I have 10 weeks until the wedding (and really, 8 is more realistic, since I'm going to need to be able to fit into the dress comfortably at least a few weeks prior to the wedding, just in case I have to come up with a plan B).  It's do-able..I figure a 10lb loss would be enough (15 would be even better), so that means about 2lbs a week, which is reasonable.  I don't really have too much trouble with the diet front..I can manage just fine with more veggies and cut out my sugar intake..it's the exercise that kills me.  And it's going to be crucial.

There is a silver lining, though.  My doctor has suggested for years that more exercise will help with my anxiety and migraines.  Maybe this will end up being the best thing EVER.

I've hung the dress on the back of my door as a reminder...I'll keep you all posted on my progress ;)  Wish me luck!

Hugs and Smooches,
D

(PS.  As a humorous side note, my youngest daughter just leaned around my laptop and said "Whatcha doin' Mom?  Writing on your blob?"  Ohhh, how appropriate, lol.)

Pin up Plan Calendar Girls - Betty Grable

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"The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there." - Betty Grable

Betty Facts

• Betty's legs were insured with Lloyds of London for $1,000,000.
• She was the #1 Pin up Girl of the WWII era.
• Her legs were considered the ideal proportion: thigh (18.5") calf (12"), and ankle (7.5")
• Between the years of 1946-1947, Betty Grable was the highest paid American woman, earning $300,000 a year 

 Betty Movies 

Pin Up Girl

My Blue Heaven

Dolly Sisters

How to Marry a Millionaire

 Betty Books 

Betty Grable, The Girl with the Million Dollar Legs

Betty Grable, The Reluctant Movie Queen

 

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Pin up Plan Workout for Betty Grable Legs:

Hugs and Smooches,
D

The Pin up Plan Workout

I once read that you should write down all the activities you found the most joy in as a child and try to work them into your adult life.  (I'd love to source that little bon mot for you, but I'm afraid I'm a self-improvement book junkie and at this point there are all sorts of little jumbled bits of wisdom floating around in my brain that I can't quite place ;)

Gil Elvgren

I've decided to apply this to the workout portion of the Pin up Plan.

So..what did I love to do as a child...

Gil Elvgren

• Hike and climb trees - I spent 2/3rds of my day in the woods when I was a kid.  I loved exploring, building forts and planting flowers.  I had a backpack full of field guides (I had every Audubon book ever written on trees, plants, mushrooms and birds), snacks, and a sketchbook.  Doesn't that sound fun??  
• Dance - I was born into a family of dancers.  I started my first dance lessons at 2yrs old.  I danced my way through my childhood and into my teens, which was when my grandmother retired.  Then I became a cheerleader and danced some more.  In my 20's I got my dance fix by going out to clubs with my girlfriends two (sometimes three) nights a week.  At some point, after having my first child, I stopped.  Clubs did not feel appropriate for a new mother and there did not seem to be another venue for me to "get my dancing out".
• Swimming - I grew up on a lake, so we spent a good portion of our summers in the water.  I loved (and still love!) being at the beach.

Gil Elvgren

Now..how to apply these to the Pin up Plan.  My objective with this workout is not to become "skinny", but to create a more defined shape.  I have the bare bones of a 50's silhouette (A bust!  A waist!  Hips!!), but I would like to create a stronger hourglass shape by narrowing my waist, and shaping up my shoulders and bottom half.  Toned, but not muscular.

Hiking will be a great way to tone my lower half.  We are lucky enough to live close to a few mountains, so I have some weekend adventures planned with the kiddos.  I've also purchased some pilates and ballet workout videos and books, along with some fun burlesque workout videos.  I plan to fit in a ballet style workout two times a week and try a new video once a week (an excellent way to build up your "core" muscles and create a defined waist!).  It's a little cold to start swimming in the lake, but there's a pool at the YMCA near my work that will do nicely!  Swimming will help to keep my muscles lean instead of bulky.

What about you?  What did you love to do as a child and how can you work it into your life now?

Hugs and Smooches,
D

The Pin up Plan

Soooo..if you'll all indulge me and remember wayyyy back to January when I posted the ConstantlyAlice Manifesto, I had listed several things I wanted to accomplish in 2012.  One of them was the Signature Style Project, which just wrapped up last month and was a LOT of fun.  The next thing I'm hoping to tackle incorporates two of the items on the manifesto list.  Number one, a 30 day hair and makeup challenge and Number four, modelling for the blog and my Etsy shop.

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Now, I love, love, love anything to do with hair and make-up, so that part is really not much of a challenge for me, but modelling is a horse of a different color.  It requires putting myself out there a little more than I usually do and, as I'm a perfectionist, it will take practice, practice, practice, so I had to come up with a way to really motivate myself.

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Enter the Pin up Plan.

I love vintage pin ups.  Gil Elvgren and Alberto Vargas are particular favorites, as are models like Bettie Page, Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable.  My concept for the blog and the shop photos is to go with a very retro/cheesecake/pin up feel, so it would only make sense to incorporate those ideas into my plan of attack.

The Pin up Plan series will incorporate the following:

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1. Information Gathering - Literature, YouTube videos, and yes, another Pinterest Board (which you can follow here)
2. Getting into shape, Bombshell style - No secrets among friends, I hate working out.  But if I can put a pin up spin on it (like doing burlesque workout videos and pilates) it will be fun!
3. Pin up Hair and Make up - This will encompass the 30 day challenge where I will try a new "look" each day for a month!
4. Pin up Films - A review of movies that have that bombshell feel.
5. Glamour Photography - (No worries, nothing R-Rated ;)  Here I'm just going for a pin up "feel".  Poses, make up, etc.
6. Outfit Posts and a new look for the ConstantlyAlice Etsy shop!

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I just ordered some books on retro make up and glamour photography.  Can't wait to share!!

Hugs and Smooches,
D