Confessions of a former fattie

A year or two ago, I was glancing at old pictures of the young me in a family album. Besides the embarassment of my former incredible awkwardness, I was shocked to notice that I used to be quite thin. Lanky even (but that might be because I was so incredibly awkward). So I asked myself the age old question: WHAT. HAPPENED.

University happened. Those years, for a million different reasons, were my cow-in-a-pasture years. Getting all fattened up. Then I graduated in December and I won't lie, I was 40lbs heavier than my pre-university weight. Sure, I've had people tell me "you can't expect to weight what you did at 18" or "it's because you're so tall" or even "you don't look that big". Well in December, it all kinda felt like excuses. Let me throw in the disclaimer here that I don't think curvy women are ugly or gross or anything. My friend and I watched the following commercial about 50 times wishing we could look like that:

But that isn't me. With my extra 40lbs, I felt sluggish, uncomfortable in my clothes, and very self-conscious. Not curvacious and sexy like Ashley Graham in the commercial there. Also I'm sure Ashley Graham gets up three flights of stairs without dying. In December, I couldn't.

Then my very fabulous, fitspirational friend Tara posted this picture with the caption "a year in jeans":

That would be size 14 jeans and size 6 jeans, if you're blind. And she's a 4 now.

It just BLEW. MY. MIND. If she could do it while raising two young (adorable) children, being a wife, and working/studying, what was my excuse as a single, recently graduated girl?

And really, that was it. From one day to the next, I went from eating crap and doing nothing to tracking all my calories and macros (proteins, carbs, and fat), hitting the gym 6 days a week, and drinking the recommended amount of water per day.

I'm now 33lbs down, but muscled up! I'm able to make better nutritional choices, though really I prefer to track everything because as a person suffering from mild OCD, I actually kinda enjoy it. I took up running and am now prepping for a half-marathon in October (more on running later). I had a trainer draw me up a strength training plan too and I now have the best biceps I've ever had.

I got my confidence back (and my smaller clothes!) and I feel a lot healthier (bonus: my skin looks like I live in a spa). Now it's a patience thing. Because, like my bestie Eddie put it when I asked him how long this would all take (he's basically my personal trainer/nutritionist/life coach), "It's gonna take your whole life."

I love: coral

When I was young, I feel like I filled out a lot of questionnaires asking for my favorite color. And I always felt super cool and different when I wrote none (before my vocabulary included none, I wrote 0 or -).

I don't have a favorite color. I think it's a case by case thing, like if there is a shirt available in two colors, I'll pick the color I prefer of the two (I don't have a favorite color but I do have colors I dislike). If I'm picking bedding or towels, I base it on the look I'm trying to achieve.

Simple as that. I'll never buy something because it's a certain color. It's all about the article itself and the look/feel I'm going for.

Why am I rambling on about this? Because now you understand that expressing my love of coral is a big deal. A really big deal.

This fall, I bought a coral coat. Again, only because the options were coral, green, beige, grey, or black and a) I already have a black jacket and a grey jacket, b) the green was that same shade as hospital scrubs aka no thanks, and c) beige washes me out. So I bought a coral coat. Here it is, actually:

This baby is the new love of my life. P.S. Don't freak out, I didn't pay $400 for it... I have my ways.

Well anyways, this gorgeous jacket (which always gets me compliments) sent me down a giant coral spiral. Case and point: notice the coral tidbits on this blog. I just think coral is a great pop of color! And it just so happens that you can have coral lipstick, coral nail polish, coral clothes, coral accessories, coral shoes...

But then I got this via Snapchat:

Eddie's over it.

So I guess it's time to go to coral rehab (according to Wikipedia, teal is my rehab, as the opposite of coral).

Anyways, here's a few coral faves of the moment:

Coral bridesmaid dresses! GREAT idea!

This cardi is adorbs with the lighter trim

Aldo says this is peach but I saw it in person and it was definitely a bright coral (I'm totally the coral police now)

Pop of coral in a necklace! I'm telling you, the possibilities of coral are endless!

Coral bedding. Don't think I wouldn't. Plus it's an ikat pattern, which is another obsession of mine.

Or maybe I'll just sip tea out of a coral cup with coral-colored nails.

Not gonna lie, I hoped this post would cure my coral craze, but the more I see it, THE MORE I LOVE IT.

#30: Walk the stage at graduation

Well I have finally done it! A year and a half after starting my university bucket list, it's now complete! It only made sense to finish it off by completing the last step of my time in university: get the degree.

I had high hopes for my convocation day, having visualized it for years (to get me through the rougher days). And it totally lived up to them.

First of all, we had amazing weather after a really cold, rainy weekend. I think there's an unspoken understanding with Mother Nature that she gave me this day in exchange for my future wedding day. It's fine, I'll just get married in winter or something.

Then the ceremony was short and sweet but meaningful. Short speeches are key when you're starving and anxious to just walk the stage already.

And then the moment came. They called my name, I went on, and literally three seconds later it was over. I just traded in 5.5 years of hard work for 3 seconds of glory.

Totally worth it.

Here's the video my mom took while I walked (there are two people before me, she started taping a little early):

On this happy note, my bucket list is now fully complete! Basically I feel like everyone should make one. It made me explore Montreal, create memories (sounds cheesy but it's true), and really live out my last two years in Montreal. Thanks to everyone who tagged along for my adventures, because I would have looked pretty lame and a little creepy doing some of this stuff alone.

Annnnnnd this really closes the Montreal chapter of my life. Or for now at least, as my parents told me while we were driving away and I said, "Goodbye forever Montreal!" (I like to be a little melodramatic...) On to new adventures (and a new bucket list?) in Toronto!

I love: mint green

A new year is upon us, full of new hopes and dreams and possibilities and all that starting anew crap. All I know is, I'm over this winter situation and I'm dreaming of sunnier days while looking at pretty pastel-colored things. Newest obsession for this spring: mint green. Looks awful on me, but I'll find a way to make it work anyways.

This is the niftiest little thing... An extra battery for when you forgot to recharge your iPhone and it's about to die. Just plug that in and talk/text/play away. And it's just so so cute. Another win by J.Crew.

My love of bracelets hasn't gone away. And perhaps this is a touch of mint I could pull off without looking ill.

The more I look at it, the more I love the mint-navy combo. I may do an outfit version of this clutch.

The detailing near the shoulders makes this sweater less sweater-y. More spring-y. I know, my lingo is very technical.

Kate Spade can do no wrong. These shoes included.

If, like me, you have a porcelain-like complexion aka your mother constantly reminds you that you look sickly, a splash of mint on the bottom half (like these pants) might be a good plan.

#18: Have a study sesh at a cafe in the Mile End

Technically, school is over, so I don't have anything to study. However, my lovely co-prez and I left some POWE business on the back-burner til now, and we decided it was about time to get it done.

Now I've wanted to study at a cafe in the Mile End because it's the ultimate hipster thing to do in Montreal. The Mile End is a super trendy (trendy in a hipster way) neighborhood, with old but gorgeous apartments, amazing little shops, and fantastic food. A lot of Canadian artists from indie bands live in the area, just to give you an idea.

I think I outdid myself because not only did I go to a cafe, I'm BFFs with the owner.
That's right, PLOT TWIST: Vanessa (my POWE co-president) and her family own the #1 cafe in the Mile End, Olympico.

When I found this out I laughed hysterically, and then obviously V and I agreed I HAD to complete this item of my bucket list there with her.

It was total hipster central, yet really normal. Like you have the guy making coffees with the ultimate mustache (curled ends and all) but meanwhile there's Vanessa's nonna (her Italian grandma), chatting up her mom nearby. There's artsy folks on their Macs or reading old books, and there's regular dudes watching the game. It's also full of history, as V's grandparents bought the place agessssss ago.

Anyways it was cute, we did our work, and I got free tea and cookies. No big deal guys, I'm tight with the owner.


For more on Cafe Olympico (or to get the address to go drink the best coffee in town): http://www.cafeolimpico.com/en/

Spice Girls Lovin'

Re-watched Spice World not long ago and I remembered what I thought the first time I saw it when I was ten.........

OMG I WANT A BIG COMFY ROBE AND A COLORFUL TENT-LIKE HAVEN IN MY GIANT BACKYARD.

The feeling hasn't changed.

#8: Play beer pong at BDP

There is, at McGill, a long standing tradition where the most sketch-tastic bar near campus transforms into a beer pong war zone every Tuesday night.

Embarassing fact #1: In first year, I lived in a residence directly across this bar and NEVER went.

Embarassing fact #2: I'd actually never played beer pong. Ever.

That is.......... UNTIL NOW (and by now I mean about a month ago, because I wanted to post a picture along with this but the person who took pictures still hasn't posted them so I decided to blog without them).

Turns out beer pong is SO. FUN. And I don't suck, which might be why I think it's so fun? As with most things on my bucket list, I really wish I'd done this before. And more often!

Re-match in the new year?