Hoop, There it is

Hello Noms!

Working out! Ugh! Well... sometimes. For the most part, I like to do it. Other days, I tolerate it. Using the treadmill, doing weights, etc... These are the things I do because I realize that I'm lazy and I REALLY love food and don't want to be a fat lardass. However, these activities aren't going to keep me interested forever. If I, or anybody, really want to get off my couch and stop being lazy I need to find something that I really love to do. Something that really makes me want to stop watching Doctor Who and makes me want to move. And low and behold, I have found such a thing!!!

It all started the other weekend at my friend's going away party. (She is leaving for Africa this month for 2 years and 3 months to teach English in Namibia) I drove about 6 hours to see her and didn't know a soul there besides her. Good times were had and there was much inebriation. It was dark out, probably around 10 or later. One of her friends brought his DJ setup and had Dubstep and Techno bumping loudly through the speakers. I was drunk. At this point, a few of her friends brought out some light up LED hula hoops. They started dancing with the hoops to the music. I just sat there in my chair for a while mesmerized. I resolved that I had to learn how to do this.

When I got back home, I stopped by Toys-R-Us and picked up a couple of hoops there. I just couldn't do it though. So I decided to look up some tutorials on YouTube. I found out that the cheap hoops I bought were no good. I needed a weighted one. There was a tutorial on how to make my own, so I did.

The Materials

Finished Product. Blue and Purple leopard print with yellow stripes.

Well, I'm not drunk anymore and hooping still has me mesmerized. My day is no longer complete if I haven't picked up my hoop for a few minutes. I've gotten bruises, I kind of look like a bruised peach. It is so much fun though! I'm challenged every time I want to try a new move. It also relaxes me if I'm in a horrible mood. I've never loved any sort of physical activity... and it doesn't even feel like I'm working to do it. I hooped for 2 hours the other night with my friend and I was shocked at how much time had passed. We were drenched in sweat, but we had a blast.

So, if you haven't found that activity that just makes you want to get up off the couch and do something, I high encourage you to try hooping. And even if you find hooping isn't your thing, I encourage you to find something that is. There isn't a greater feeling than finding that activity that you love to do that just makes you want to move. That activity that completes your day. It's worth the effort you put into finding it.

Much love,
-Hanna Mae

+20 Self-Esteem

Hello all you yummy noms!

Brains melting in this summer heat? I could make some brain stew... or maybe a smoothie. ;)

Summer 2013 has started out as one damn fine summer. Went camping Memorial weekend with some of my best friends. It was filled with sleeping, sunning, and boozing.

The next weekend, on Saturday, was my best friend's little sister's wedding. I got to see my best friend (that lives in Connecticut). I only get to see her once a year if we are lucky. Needless to say, that was pretty great. That night I stopped by my friend's house to pick up a t-shirt I had left behind. A large group of us ended up going out to eat, then doing a little drinking after. So, more good times were had.

Last weekend I was just lazy and did nothing. It was amazing. I love those weekends.

Now we are up to the present and feeling kind of like a goddess... some of those reasons I can't mention here... needless to say those reasons are AMAZING! (Sorry to leave you guessing, but a girl has to keep a few secrets.) I went to the gym tonight. It made me feel pretty awesome. My trainer told me he saw me running on the treadmill and thought "Damn, Hanna is looking skinny." Do you know the last time somebody said I look skinny? No? Neither do I. This month marks the third year in my journey through weight loss. I have lost 45 pounds. However, every time I weigh at the gym it goes up. However, I am not discouraged! Since April, my percentage of body fat has gone down by 4% and my BMI is under 30. This means I am no longer classified as "obese", just "overweight". I am so excited to be overweight! I just want to encourage everybody not to lose hope. I almost did. After all, it has been 3 years and I am still not at goal. It's a great feeling, though, to have gone from hearing "you really need to lose weight" all the time to hearing "wow, you are looking so good. Still losing weight? You can really tell. You're looking good". That is what keeps me going... that and one day being able to show it off to all the people who ever doubted me or turned me down. :P

Much love,
-Hanna Mae

Love/Hate War

Hello my delectables!

I hope you are all keeping your brains in good condition.

Dove has this new ad campaign out. It's about how women see themselves a lot uglier than other people see them. I hate these kinds of campaigns. I remember when Victoria Secret came out with the "Love My Body" campaign. Dove combated with the "Real Beauty" campaign.

The VS models are traditionally sticks. The Dove models have some meat on their bones. Both ads have varying ethnicities. However, I would like to know what makes the Dove models "real beauty" compared to the VS models. I'm 5'4" and weigh 170 pounds, so I'm definitely no VS model. However, I have friends that are naturally sticks like that. They eat healthy and exercise. Yet they lament the fact that they cannot gain weight. Why should they? They are beautiful, healthy women. Why do women fuel the fire between skinny vs. meaty? Personally, I love being meaty (granted I have extra fat that I am trying to lose, not too fond of obesity). However, I have nothing against naturally skinny girls. Those VS women have as much "real beauty" as the Dove women. If we give in to either of these ads, then we continue this silly Love/Hate war with our bodies. We are only perfect when we are happy with our own image for our own body. The "real beauty" comes when we love our body. It doesn't matter if your a stick or got some junk in the trunk. "Real beauty" comes when you exude confidence in who you are. If you are not happy with who you are, then change it. Make yourself into the woman you want to be. Don't set unrealistic goals. I'm never going to be a stick. But it goes further than looks. It's about everything you are. Your beauty comes from your dreams, goals, and ambitions, your likes and dislikes, your hobbies... EVERYTHING! So, go confidently into the world and make the world see how glorious and beautiful you really are.

Much love,
-Hanna Mae

Let's get this started.

Being a zombie can be quite a challenge. There are so many different aspects to it that nobody even realizes. One has a constant craving for flesh that can never be satiated. Your flesh is slowly decaying. Everybody runs away from you. And the list goes on. It's a chronic condition that can never be cured.

I feel bad for zombies, but don't think for one second that I won't shoot one in the face if it's coming at me! You see, I have Ulcerative Colitis. It is a chronic, aka incurable, disease. The only known cure for it is the removal of part or all of the colon, which isn't that great of a cure. It is manageable through different forms of medication. However, there are aspects that one just cannot control. Even if one is on medication, they may still suffer from a flare up. Flare ups are horrible. It includes symptoms such as diarrhea, uncontrollable bowel movements (yes, this causes you to poop your pants), and severe abdominal pain. If you would like to know more, you can google it.

At the beginning of the year, I began suffering from a horrible flare up when I ran out of my meds and could not get it refilled due to weather conditions.  Side note: I HATE SNOW!!! Last year I started going to a new gastroenterologist (the one I had before was a complete joke). When I went back this time he said that if I didn't do what he tells me to, then he will not be my doctor. I love him. It seems to be getting better with the new medication he is giving me, but I'm still unsure. I really hope it gets me at 100%. I don't want to have to go through infusion therapy or have to give myself shots. I don't get along well with needles.

Also, I'm overweight. I started out at 213 pounds. I've lost about 50 pounds so far. There is a little counter at the bottom of the page that tracks my weight loss. I've got about 20 to 30 pounds left to go. Right now, I'm just working at getting a flat stomach. There is no secret to weight loss. I started this journey in June 2010 after I was diagnosed with UC. It's a bunch of hard work. So far, I've done it through diet. Now I'm working on getting the exercising down. More on that later.

Well, this has been a long enough introductory post. You can follow me on Twitter and/or Pinterest (both links to the left). I plan on posting anything and everything that I find helpful in my daily life. Whether it involves UC, weight loss, or things that just bring joy to my life. I try to stay positive. Living with a chronic disease isn't the end of the world. And if you have one, just know that you are NOT alone.

Much love,
-Hanna Mae