I’m Not Dead….

I know it’s been awhile (life has been CRAZY!), but I am still here, and didn’t forget I am a blogger, I promise!

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I am surprised that I really view it as a pretty mellow event this year. I kept trying to make plans, but in between all the chaos of regular life, I just haven’t really gotten there yet. Let’s see…..what’s new?

I got a personal trainer. His name is Ramon, and I have had 3 sessions at 24 Hr Fitness with him so far. He was kind of acting (pardon the non-politically correct phrase) like Hitler today, which I didn’t really appreciate, seeing as it was a 7 am session on a day when I had to pull a 10 hour shift at work after. Can a girl get some love for even making it to the gym that early? And by the way? HE was late for our session, and forgot one of our sessions last week. So he needs to calm down, and stop yelling at me about “Stop being so nice and get MAD!”

Who does that? 🙂

I submitted my home tape for The Revolution on ABC. Gotta be honest, I was really happy with the finished product, given that we didn’t have time to do a lot with it, what with work and everything. The casting director has reached out to me a few times, and I received an email saying I’m one of the top ones they’re interested in. However, when I talked to the casting director, she basically asked me to re-do my tape and highlight some of the more tragic parts of my life. Truly and sincerely? The whole reason I even applied and did my tape the way I did is because I don’t focus on the negative things in life. Life hasn’t always been good to me, or easy for me….but I am here. And not only am I here….but I am succeeding! I am happy. I am proud of who I am and what I have accomplished. While I understand that networks have to worry about ratings, I don’t think I’ll be letting them use all of my struggles I have come so far in overcoming and essentially forgetting, to get them. I don’t need them, but I certainly thought it would be a great help, and an amazing experience!

I got hair extensions. The fabuloous Miss Candace pulled it off yet again, and I have the fiercest head of hair I’ve seen in awhile. Peep this!

Long hair don't care!

Apparently, I don’t look like myself at first glance. But hey, it’s a hit!

I got home tonight, and Alex, once again, made one of my dreams come true! I have been wanting a vanity with a mirror for my room since we moved in, but I put it on the back burner. I walked into the house tonight to find the house decorated, Josh and Alex standing up and yelling “SURPRISE!”, and this gorgeous vanity was sitting there:

Yup. TRI-FOLD mirror. YESSSS!

It’s perfect for the whole vintage-romance theme I eventually plan for my room to convey. That girl always knows just the thing to do to leave me speechless!

Sean is coming to my job to get a massage tomorrow (yes, I AM a good girlfriend, after all), and he keeps hinting to the fact that there’s a box in the back of his car and he doesn’t know who it could possibly be for! OOOOOH! Me! Me! Pick me! Lol. But honestly, I am just glad that he is coming out to have lunch with me beforehand, and super excited for next weekend, when he is taking me out of town on some super top-secret weekend adventure. No guy has ever put together something like that for me before, and I am just so grateful…and mildly astonished.

What I’ve learned lately, is that good things come to those who wait. I’ve been working so hard for so long, trying to build a stable and rewarding life for myself. It seems like for the past year, I’ve been able to do most everything I have put my mind to. I have been blessed to be surrounded with supportive and amazing people, and that makes me so happy. Life has seemed non-stop, but I am making so many things happen, and it’s only March! There are still 10 months in the year, and I have a plan, and I have confidence that the plan will be executed flawlessly!

At the end of the day, what more can a girl ask for?

Well, besides six pack abs, a cure for stretch marks, and a self-replenishing closet, that is!

30 Day Challenge post will be up next week, and I will try to blog some awesome recipe ideas I have been meaning to share at some point this weekend!

Happy hump-day, and make the rest of the week count!

‘Til Next Time!

XOXO

 

 

I Probably Thought That Song Was About Me…

Ahhh. Is it really already the 15th of February? Because, if it is, that means the month is HALF over, and I have officially only 14 days until I am 24 years old!

That, my friends, is shenanigans. I feel like time is just flying by so quickly! The year has hardly started, and here I am with a “boyfriend,” I’ve lost 100 lbs, and I have been at my job for 5 months! Those are just some of the bigger things that have gone down this year…the complete list is really just toooo long!

Back to the whole “boyfriend” thing, those of you who know me, know that I’ve never really been one for titles. I imagined myself eventually being that one woman you know who is with the same guy for 20 years, but never marries him (although, let the record show, I am far too financially saavy to skip a tax break like that, and I have way too many ideas for my wedding, should I ever have one!). With that being said, the fact that I have been involved in what you regular, mentally stable people call a relationship for the past month or so ( or two years, actually, if you count how long we were tip-toeing around this whole thing), is pretty freakin’ big for me. This year, I had a Valentine. ME. Sondra Jo “I-Don’t-Do-Relationships-They-Scare-Me” Holtz.

Go figure.

Funny story: Last night when we were on the phone, I actually had to ask him if he was my boyfriend. Like, literally: “So, um…are you my….um, boyfriend?” I felt like I was in the 8th grade, but I just didn’t want to be too presumptuous…you know? He’s asked me twice already why I asked that, but I really just wanted to be sure that I wasn’t calling it the wrong thing. Maybe we were just dating…who knows anymore?

Now, going back to having a Valentine. Conveniently, Valentine’s Day falls in between both of our birthdays. So, his birthday was the 4th, and I took him to dinner this past Saturday at The Melting Pot in La Jolla for a birthday celebration, and then we celebrated Valentine’s this week. And BAM! My birthday is in two weeks.

I think sometimes, this guy thinks I am just plain ridiculous. I carry Colgate Wisps with me everywhere I go. He frequently jokes that he wouldn’t marry me, because he can’t possibly support my lipgloss habit (just for that, by the way? Were we ever to marry, I am going to start wearing Dior lipgloss just to teach him a lesson. He will be begging me to go back to Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works, then!), and when we spent Sunday together in Ontario, he kept getting annoyed with me for not wearing his USC sweatshirt when it was cold. That was probably because I said “No. This jacket looks cuter. I want to look cute!” Girl problems…men will never get it.

So, all that being said, I thought to myself Sunday night: “You know, Sean probably thinks I am so vain sometimes.”

And lo and behold. What do I get for Valentine’s Day? Several 4×6 and 5×7 prints of the two boudoir photos I posted here on the blog! How did I feel about it?

I loved it.

This will be FUN!

What will I do with them? Right now, I have some ideas:

1. Leave them with tips at restaurants.

2. Hand them out when I am pimpin’ out my blog

3. Sending them to modeling agencies, along with an article about Size 14 being the new Size 4.

4. Using them as postcards to send to the troops.

5. Sending a couple to distant family members, to make up for the fact that they haven’t received any photos of me since like, 2nd grade.

6. Sending them to ex-“boyfriends” and the idiots who let me slip away.

Just a few ideas…I’m sure I will come up with more. 😉

As if that wasn’t enough? This guy tells me to close my eyes, and when I am instructed to open them, I am face to face with……my face! He blew up one of my photos on canvas, and stretched it over a wooden frame! It’s HUGE! And it’s pretty much the most wonderful present I ever received(aside from my turtle, Bandit)! And to think, I didn’t think he would ever be able to top getting me Rosetta Stone Italiano for Christmas!

Yeah. baby!

…I just realized I should probably stop writing about Sean on my blog (love you!). He will randomly mention reading it, and I always feel like I’ve been caught doing something naughty when he does. But at the same time, I just feel like he is going to give me so much good material….decisions, decisions….

So, moral of the story? I AM so vain, sometimes. Usually, I think that I must have subconsciously written songs before artists did, and they stole them from me by way of ESP (yeah, YOU, Sara Bareilles. I think I wrote “Love Song!”). And you know, I do think lots of songs are about me. Especially if they involve the following scenarios:

1. Boy meets girl, loves girl, but girl knows she is too awesome for him and breaks his heart because he’s just too sappy and is always writing sad songs about all the girls who break his heart.

2. Boy loves girl, and thinks girl is gorgeous and that her body is a wonderland.

3. Boy hates girl for making him want to settle down, but loves her, because shes amazing and gorgeous and has an awesome blog with her awesome body in her underwear all the time.

These are just a few examples.

….Clearly, I should be asleep right now.

But before I go! The casting director for The Revolution called me the other day, and wants a re-do of my tape. She wants to see “blog Sondra.” And so, if any of you have any ideas for what I should put on the new tape, let me know. What would you have liked to see on the original? You know I looooove me some constructive criticism. Unconstructive criticism, however, will bring out the Kanye West in me. Just plain rude.

I hope everyone had an awesome Valentine’s Day, and that the rest of your week goes by smoothly (especially since people will be done throwing their awesome gifts and romance in your face by the end of this week, Lord willing).

Love you all!

‘Til Next Time,

XOXO

Barbies and Audition Tapes! :)

This photo made my day. I’m big on finding images on the web to share with people, just because that little bit of extra inspiration or comedy has helped me…and I’m thinking maybe sharing the wealth is a nice way to start my days!

Guess who submitted her video audition to ABC’s The Revolution???

Yup. That’d be me! I am very excited to say that my audition tape has been submitted to Amy in casting, and that I am hoping to be chosen for an oppotunity to be on the show!

As promised, the links for the videos are yours. They are on my YouTube channel, but unlisted, so you can only view them via these links. Warning: there are some real tear-jerking moments! Oh my goodness!

Audition Tape Part 1

Audition Tape Part 2

Please excuse the fact that I look semi-haggard. The lighting was not ideal, and black scrubs don’t really showcase my amazingness all that well. Lol. 😉

That’s all for now! I need to go to sleep! I have a $200 paid mock jury research study at 8 am, and then a fancy dinner date with LoverBoy to celebrate his birthday. I am SO excited…and that is so not me. Lol. I guess my weight isn’t the only thing changing around here! The old me was more…..

….like this. Minus the cat. I’ll never be the old lady with the cat. However, I will become very overdramatic and predict that I might just end up being the old lady with the cat from time to time.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Make it count!

‘Til Next Time!

XOXO

 

30 Day Challenge Part SIX! (and, Why Red Lipstick is Miraculous).

It’s that time again! 30 Day Challenge…..six month anniversary style!

It has been absolutely amazing to be able to share the visuals on this journey with everyone. Although I often wonder what will become of me after posting all of these half-naked photos of myself all over the internet, I have to admit….I might just look forward to these posts now.

Why, you ask? Well, amazingly, every time I post these, I get tons of emails and comments from people who tell me that they are truly inspired by SEEING a difference, rather than just reading about my experiences. This started as a way to to motivate and challenge myself, but I am truly humbled to learn that it has become something that motivates and challenges others.

So, let’s look back at last month once again:

And then, there was February!

Front View #1

Front View #2

Side View #1

Side View #2

Whew! Glad THAT’S over. Lesson #1: You always look skinnier when you take photos with the lights off, using just your flash. But, for the sake of all that is legit, I went ahead and had both bathroom lights on. Yikes.

 

 

I am very excited, because at this point, I have officially lost 97 pounds! I know I will have already passed the 100 pound mark before my birthday on March 1st, and that makes me not only ridiculously happy, but I am truly proud of myself.

Also, I would just like to share a photo that Candace took of me while we were getting ready for Sean’s birthday outing over the weekend. I just feel so pretty….and that was before I put the red lipstick on!

Gotta Love It!

I was very pleased to head out this weekend with my fly friends, and notice that a lot of the men were straight up staring at us when we walked by. It’s like….really? I can SEE you, sir! And why do they always make a point of trying to walk past and act like the room is just so crowded that they can’t possibly get by without grabbing your waist? Don’t get me wrong…the fact that you acknowledge the small waist I have somehow whittled down to is much appreciated….but man, don’t touch me!

And you know, add some red lips to the equation…..

Blurry...but you get the idea. The ONE night we don't take a million piks...I swear...

I swear, it’s like using live bait while deep sea fishing. Everywhere I went, there was some man telling me he loved the red lips, and that it was the perfect color for me. And here I was, only trying to distract people from the fact that my boobs weren’t filling out the top of my (size 10!) H&M dress. But hey….I’ll work with it!

Speaking of working it, I totally bought a Groupon for pole dancing classes this week. Oh yeah…time to get crazy! Groupon is going to make all of my dreams come true, I swear! If they could just have a deal on flights to Italy…….

And so, that is that, my loves!

Another 30 Days, and another reason to believe that all of this is paying off. Thank you again to all of you who share the blog, read the blog, or even knows the blog exists. Without you all, I wouldn’t be as likely to stick to this project…but your feedback and interest have made this a huge part of my life.

Signed copies of the book for all (someday!) Lol.

I shall leave you with another ridiculously optimistic and inspirational web finding:

HAHAHAHA!

Admit it…you totally smiled!

‘Til Next Time!

XOXO

88 Snacks Under 100 Calories. You’re Welcome!

Courtesy of: tumblr.com/fitgirlinthecity

I am SO tired of being hungry, and not knowing what I want. I am tired of wanting something salty, and being mad because I am trying to avoid potato chips. I don’t want to eat chocolate chip cookies….not even the mini ones! And so, for those who feel this same way? Here you are!

88 Snacks Under 100 Calories:

Originally from The Greatist

Sweet Tooth

1. Mini PB&F: One fig Newton with 1 teaspoon peanut butter.
2. Chocolate Banana: Half a frozen banana [this size] dipped in two squares of melted dark chocolate.
3. Frozen grapes (any color): 1 cup (about 28 grapes), stuck in the freezer for 2+ hours.
4. Honeyed Yogurt: ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey.
5. Spiced Orange: One orange— about the size of a tennis ball— sprinkled with cinnamon.
6. Grilled Pineapple: 2 ¼-inch thick pineapple rounds (about 1 cup), grilled (or sautéed) for two minutes or until golden.
7. Berries n’ Cream: 1 cup blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping.
8. Stuffed Figs: Two small dried figs with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat ricotta stuffed inside. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
9. Oats n’ Berries:  ⅓ cup rolled oats (cooked with water), topped with cinnamon and ¼ cup freshberries.
10. Dark Chocolate: One block, or three squares.
11. Nut-Stuffed Date: One Medjool Date filled with one teaspoon natural unsalted almond butter.
12. Chocolate Milk: 6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup.
13. Cinnamon Applesauce: 1 cup unsweetened applesauce (like Motts). Or, try this homemade version!
14. Citrus-Berry Salad: 1 cup mixed berry salad (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with one tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice.
15. Maple-Pumpkin Yogurt: ½ cup non-fat regular yogurt (go Greek for extra protein!) with 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon maple syrup… like this!
16. Chocolate Pudding: One 4oz package. Try a fat/sugar free version or a homemade one!
17. Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Five strawberries dipped in two squares melted dark chocolate.
18. Tropical Juice Smoothie: ¼ cup pineapple juice, orange juice, and apple juice, blended with ice.
19. Vanilla and Banana Smoothie: ½ cup sliced banana, ¼ cup nonfat vanilla yogurt, and a handful of ice blended until smooth.
20. MYO Banana Chips: One sliced banana dipped in lemon juice and baked.
21. Baked Apple: One tennis ball-sized apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and cinnamon, and baked until tender.
22. Fruity Waffles: One 7-grain frozen waffle toasted and topped with ¼ cup fresh mixed berries.
23. Skinny S’more: Two graham crackers with one roasted marshmallow and one small square dark chocolate.
24. Cinnamon Graham Crackers & Peanut butter: Two graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
25. Cereal and Milk: ½ cup rice krispies with ½ cup skim milk.
26. Milk n’ Cookies: Five animal crackers with ½ cup skim milk.
27. Warm Spiced Cider: 6 ounces apple cider with sprinkles of cinnamon and nutmeg, warmed.
28. Citrus Sherbet: ½ cup lime sherbet (about one standard-sized ice-cream scoop) with ½ sliced kiwi.
29. Café Latte: 8 ounces steamed skim milk with 1 shot espresso.
30. Jelly Beans: 25 of ‘em! Although we don’t recommend these.
31. Marshmallow Pear: ½ pear diced and topped with 1 tablespoon marshmallow fluff.
32. Protein Shake: One scoop protein powder with 8 ounces water (choose from tasty powder flavors like cookies n’ cream and chocolate peanut butter!).
33. M.Y.O. Popsicle: 8 ounces lemonade frozen in an ice pop mold, or use a small paper cup as a mold.
34. Apple Chips: Munch on ¾ cup of kinds like these, or use this recipe

Savory

1. Carrots n’ Hummus: About 10 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons hummus.
2. Pistachios: A couple handfuls— about 25 nuts (Crackin’ them open will take more time and avoid grabbing 25 more).
3. Cheese n’ Crackers: Five Kashi 7-grain crackers with 1 stick reduced-fat string cheese.
4. Dippy Egg: One over easy egg with ½ slice whole-wheat toast, sliced (to dip in yolk!).
5. Cheesy Breaded Tomatoes: Two roasted plum tomatoes sliced and topped with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
6. Curried Sweet Potato: One medium sweet potato (about 5 inches long) cooked for six minutes in the microwave and mashed with 1 teaspoon curry, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
7. “Cheesy” Popcorn: 2 cups air-popped popcorn with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast— it’ll taste like real cheese!
8. Guacamole stuffed Egg Whites: Halve a hardboiled egg, remove yolk, and stuff the empty space with 2 tablespoons guacamole (avocado, lime, cilantro and salt).
9. Grilled Spinach and Feta Polenta: 3 oz polenta (about the size of a deck of cards) cooked with 1 ½ cups water and topped with 1 teaspoon feta cheese and a handful spinach.
10. Soy Edamame: ¼ cup boiled Edamame with 1 teaspoon soy sauce.
11. Dijon Pretzels: Two pretzel rods with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
12. Crunchy Curried Tuna Salad: ½ cup canned tuna with 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and two ribs celery (chopped).
13. Greek Tomatoes: One tomato (about the size of a tennis ball) chopped and mixed with 1 tablespoon feta and a squeeze of lemon juice.
14. Shrimp Cocktail: Eight medium sized shrimp boiled and served with 2 tablespoons classic cocktail sauce.
15. Smoked Beef Jerky: About 1 ounce— look for low sodium versions!
16. Cheddar and Tomato Soup: ½ cup tomato soup with 1 tablespoon shredded low-fat cheddar cheese.
17. Kale Chips: ½ cup raw kale— stems removed— baked with 1 teaspoon olive oil at 400° until crisp.
18. Sweet Potato Fries: One light-bulb sized sweet potato sliced, tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, and baked at 400° for 10 minutes.
19. Cucumber Sandwich: ½ English muffin with 2 tablespoons cottage cheese and three slices of cucumber.
20. Turkey Roll-Ups: Four slices smoked turkey rolled up and dipped in 2 teaspoons honey mustard.
21. Mixed Olives: About 8 olives.
22. Antipasto Plate: One Pepperocini, a ½ inch cube of cheddar cheese, one slice pepperoni, and one olive.
23. Pumpkin Seeds: 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, sprayed with oil (just a spritz!) and baked at for 400° for 15 minutes or until brown. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
24. Choco-Soy Nuts: 3 tablespoons soy nuts with 1 teaspoon cocoa nibs.
25. Wasabi Peas: About  ⅓ cup of these green treats.
26. Balsamic Veggies: 3 cups raw peppers (any color!) dipped in 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction.
27. Cheesy Roasted Asparagus: Four spears (spritzed with olive-oil spray) and topped with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, baked for 10 minutes at 400°.
28. Cucumber salad: One large cucumber (sliced) with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and 2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar.
29. Spinach and Feta Egg-White Scramble: Three egg whites scrambled and mixed with ½ cup rawspinach and 1 tbsp feta cheese. Cook in frying pan or zap in microwave until egg whites are no longer runny (about 1-2 minutes).
30. Crunchy Kale Salad: 1 cup kale leaves chopped with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
31. Chick Pea Salad: ¼ chickpeas with 1 tablespoon sliced scallions, a squeeze of lemon juice, and ¼ cup diced tomatoes.
32. Grilled Garlic Corn on the Cob: One small-sized ear brushed with 1 teaspoon sautéed minced garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil, grilled until tender.
33. Pretzels & Cream Cheese: 15 mini pretzel sticks with 2 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese.
34. Bacon Brussels Salad: Seven brussel spouts thinly sliced and mixed with one piece lean bacon, chopped.
35. Rosemary Potatoes: ⅓ cup thinly sliced potato tossed with 1 teaspoons olive oil and a teaspoon of chopped rosemary.
36. Spicy Black Beans: ¼ cup black beans with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon non-fat Greek yogurt.
37. Caprese Salad: 1 ounce (hockey puck sized) of fresh mozzarella with ½ cup cherry tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar.
38. Goldfish: About 40 fishies…try the cheddar kind!
39. Chips n’ Salsa: 10 baked tortilla chips with ¼ cup salsa.
40. Mini Ham Sandwich: Two slices honey-baked ham with 2 teaspoons honey mustard rolled in a lettuce leaf.
41. Lox Bagel: ½ whole-wheat mini bagel with two thin slices of lox.

Sweet & Salty

1. Chocolate Trail Mix: Eight almonds, four chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon raisins.
2. Apples and Cheese: 1 non-fat mozzarella cheese stick with half of a baseball-sized apple (any variety), sliced.
3. PB & Celery: 1 medium celery stalk with 1 tablespoon peanut butter.
4. Cottage Cheese Melon Boat: 1 cup melon balls with ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese.
5. Carrot and Raisin Salad: 1 cup shaved carrots with 2 tablespoons raisins and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.
6. Tropical Cottage Cheese: ½ cup non-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup fresh mango and pineapple, chopped.
7. Blue-Cheese Stuffed Apricots: Three dried apricots with 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese.
8. Rice Cake and Almond Butter: One rice cake (try brown rice!) with 2 teaspoons almond butter.
9. Sweet n’ Spicy Pecans: Five pecans roasted with 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
10. Apples n’ Peanut Butter: ½ an apple, sliced and dipped in 1 teaspoon natural peanut butter.
11. Chocolate Hazelnut Crackers: Four wheat thins dipped in 1 teaspoon Nutella (or other hazelnut spread).
12. Strawberry Salad: 1 cup raw spinach with ½ cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic.
13. Cacao-Roasted Almonds: Pop in eight almonds like these!