tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89136439696549248252012-01-28T23:17:22.600-08:00Cara Underwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13157158204278503788noreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8913643969654924825.post-84233580452271146012012-01-24T13:13:00.000-08:002012-01-24T13:42:10.559-08:00<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h8WwhbEmNbg/Tx8kdIs3MNI/AAAAAAAAAHU/4I3YNfOFD9k/s1600/images.jpeg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 157px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h8WwhbEmNbg/Tx8kdIs3MNI/AAAAAAAAAHU/4I3YNfOFD9k/s320/images.jpeg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701315736244793554"></a><br />This is year I turn 30. It's also the year I get my life together. A really big aspect of getting my life together is working on my physique; not just how I feel, but how I look, and just to complicate things, how I feel about how I look.<div><br /></div><div>Confidence has never been a strong point in my life, although if you were to meet me, you might disagree; I carry myself well enough to get by, but it's not genuine enough to really satisfy. A large part of this is because I'm carrying extra weight around, and have been for quite some time. In high school I was super active and very aware of what food to eat and what to not eat. Everything changed in college, and for the last 11 or so years, I've been weighed down, pun intended.</div><div><br /></div><div>Five years ago I was lucky enough to find my way to New York City, and everything shifted for me. I was not able to settle for a stagnant life, I literally had to move it or lose it. I lost alright; over the last 4 years, I've been able to lose and keep off about 40 pounds. </div><div><br /></div><div>I want more. </div><div>Or, less, that is.</div><div><br /></div><div>Recently, I have read a few books to help keep me motivated and participated in some awesome activities to challenge myself (more on all of those later!). But what I needed was an easy to use tool to hold myself accountable to, I wanted to record and keep watch on everything I was eating, keeping tabs on not only my calories but on myself. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enter <a href="http://www.loseit.com/">Lose It!</a> It's an interactive food diary that helps set your goals, gives you a daily calorie budget, has a HUGE database with pretty much any kind of food you could think of, and it is all either on your phone via their <i>very </i>user friendly app. <b>And its free.</b> It has helped keep me accountable for what I am choosing to consume, and 18 days later, I have lost 5.5 pounds. It's incredibly motivating to see something you are working at <i>working for you.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><i><br /></i></span></b></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8913643969654924825-8423358045227114601?l=prettyblogtime.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Cara Underwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13157158204278503788noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8913643969654924825.post-76073022533117972732012-01-20T17:04:00.000-08:002012-01-20T17:20:17.631-08:00When I look back at my adult life, I really feel it got started around 22. It was that time in my life that things started to take shape for me, and I began working in my beloved beauty industry, doing hair and makeup. This career has gained me independence, allowed me to live in New York City for almost two years, and brought me huge amounts of professional education.<div><br /></div><div>I want more.</div><div><br /></div><div>Within the past six months, I have decided that what I want is not to be a stylist in a salon, but rather to go back to school for ... well ... when I began my search, I had no clue. And then I found <a href="http://www.fidm.edu">FIDM</a>. They offer an associates degree for their Beauty Industry Merchandising &amp; Marketing Program - which really is like the perfect marriage of things I love. So I applied, was accepted and am starting classes in July.</div><div><br /></div><div>Turning 30 this November used to scare the shit out of me, but now I'm looking forward to it. This year is all about the re-vamp; the fine tuning of vices, addictions, things that are holding me back in all levels of my life, and focusing on what makes me feel better and happy and more like <i>me</i>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Which is also what this blog is all about! My adventures in conquering my demons, new adventures, being creative and crafty, what defines my own personal culture and style, and overall working on what haunts me the most: feeling pretty.</div><div><br /></div><div>This isn't your average beauty blog.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8913643969654924825-7607302253311797273?l=prettyblogtime.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Cara Underwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13157158204278503788noreply@blogger.com0