Ugh, so close!

But no weight loss this week. :-( I'm blaming it on being bloated for the week, will that count? Guess I just need to step it up!

Salt Lake City Farmers Market

I have lived in Utah for 22 years now. I've been going down to Salt Lake City for entertainment for the last five. And last Saturday, the 27th, I went to the Farmers Market for the first time. It's something I've wanted to check out for a little while, and I finally got the chance. I must say, I was impressed. Held at Pioneer Park, all sorts of local vendors set up booths and offer an array of fruits, vegetables and handmade goods. Going a little later in the year, I was worried that it might not be as big as even a month or two earlier in the year. But I was so very wrong. There were great heirloom tomatoes, squash off all sorts, herbs, melons, giant peaches. They even had fresh beef, seafood and cheeses, as well as a huge selection of baked goods. Being a carb-loving girl, I was truly in paradise. But beyond food there were plenty of hand-made crafts and goods ranging from soaps to yard ornaments to jewelry. I got there right at 8:00 am when they all open and it was already getting busy. It took me about an hour and a half to walk all the way around. And if there's one bit of advice I could offer to those interested in checking it out, it's this. Don't eat breakfast first! Not only are there a number of local and unique food venders (think falafels and tapas) as well as those fresh pastries, but there are free samples almost everywhere you turn. This is definitely near the top of my list of things I love about Salt Lake City!

Celebrity Sighting!!!!!

I could not have picked a better day to be at the Gateway! Some of you may know that I am a huge So You Think You Can Dance fan. Huge! The SYTYCD tour was in town Monday for the Salt Lake City, and while I was walking the mall, I was lucky enough to meet four of the girls from the show. First, I "bumped" into Chelsie Hightower (18) and Comfort Fedoke (20) at the Panda Express in the food court. Then I saw Kherington Payne (18) and Chelsea Traille (23) in the Wetseal.

I felt like a fourteen-year-old, smiling and giggling. I'm pretty sure my sentences were coherent, but I can't be sure. I must have looked like a complete geek to them. They were all so sweet, though. They had no problem posing for a couple pictures, and they all seemed very genuine and real. Especially Kherington, who asked me my name and talk to me for a minute. And they are all just as gorgeous in person as they are on television. It was definitely the most exciting thing that's happened to me in a while. If you haven't seen any of the dances, you've gotta check out Kherington's Contemporary routine with Twitch and Chelsie's Hip-Hop routine with Mark. Phenomenal! For Real!

Another pound

Yes, I've lost another pound. Slowly but surely, I will lose this weight.

That's one small step for man,

And one giant leap for the LDS church. I have never been more proud to be a member (some may argue not a very good member, but that's neither here nor there). The LDS church made a statement supporting Gov. Jon Hunstman's push to eliminate the membership requirements in private clubs. You can read the full article in the Deseret News, but basically the church says they can agree on laws that "allow individual freedom of choice." Hmmm, that sounds a lot like free agency to me, but whatever. In a state that is, in actuality, only a bit more than half LDS (sltrib.com), I see it as a good thing for the church to support our lawmakers, even if those laws aren't directly in line with the standards of the Church. And I think it has a lot to say about the members, as well. Perhaps we don't need our collective hands held at every road we have to cross. Maybe, just maybe, being a part of the LDS religion means that we can hold standards that don't need to be echoed by those who may not believe the same things. Of course, I think we can all agree that being responsible when you drink is of the utmost importance. But if Mormons can choose not to drink, can't those who aren't Mormons choose to drink. So I say kudos to the Church, for trusting it's members, and making life in Utah a little more cohesive.

I think I'm in love!

You know that friend you've had forever. The one that you may not have thought was that attractive but has always been there for you? Did you ever find yourself looking at them one day in a whole new light? Well, that's what's been happening to me. I think I'm falling in love with Salt Lake City. It kind of crept up on me. The more I visit, the more I find things and places that I never knew existed. And I'm loving it! A big turning point in our relationship happened tonight at the Fashion Stroll on Broadway between 200 East and 300 East. Some of you may know of my love (read: obsession) with fashion. And I've always been under the impression that there was no real fashion base in Utah. I believe I was wrong. The Fashion Stroll was put together by Matt Monson who owns the boutique model.citizen, which offers men and women's clothing by local designers. It happens twice a year, Fall and Spring, for local designers and boutiques to come together as part of a street festival that features live music, fashion shows, and lots of great people. It was eye opening. As I walked down Broadway surrounded by designers, antique stores, clothes and some very stylish people, I got that feeling you get when you catch a really cute guy looking at you. Exhilarated and empowered. It was unlike anything I would expect from Salt Lake City. It made Salt Lake City feel like the popular urban areas I've always dreamed of living in. It seems my dream may have just gotten a little closer.

One down...

Only fifty-some-odd to go. I lost a pound last week. I'm trying to celebrate every little victory, otherwise it's depressing. One pound may not seem like a lot, but look at these pictures...

Ewww! That is just gross. It also makes me feel pretty good having that much less fat on my body. I've also heard it equated to a bag of M&Ms. Putting it in this perspective just makes it feel like a much more significant victory. So, hopefully I can keep it up...

Lazy dressers!

What has happened to society in the last decade? I remember when I was in highschool (about six years ago) this whole wearing-pajamas-like-they're-real-clothes thing was just starting. Girls would come to school fully dressed, and wear their fuzzy slippers. Or they'd come in cute pajama pants. I never thought it would spread to a full-on lifestyle choice. Now, whenever I go out, where ever I go, I see both men and women looking like they just rolled out of bed. And not that sexy bed-head/bedroom eyes thing. I mean sweats, oversize shirts, dirty tank tops, hair that hasn't seen a brush (or a shower for that matter) in days. I don't understand. If leaving the house and facing the real world doesn't warrant getting ready in the morning, then what does? Like those old women I've seen in the grocery store with the rollers in their hair. If you're not getting your hair done to be seen in the world, then what are you getting it done for? I've always been a fan of the casual look. There's nothing better in this world than a good pair of jeans. But I can't help but think we've gotten too casual, too lax, in the way we dress. It's to the point now that when I see a woman in a pair of heels at the mall, I think, what are you dressed up for? Does anyone else find this sad. Don't we have enough respect for ourselves to take the 15 minutes required to brush out your hair and put on a little mascara or, heaven forbid, shower on a regular basis. Seriously, what is up with the "I haven't showered in a week" look? It doesn't take much too make an effort. Does it?

Five pounds in a week?!?!?

It would take 26 hours running or 20 hours spinning to lose five pounds. So, why did it only take my sister coming to visit for my diet to go so far down the toilet, I don't think it can be rescued. Why does it seem to be so much easier to gain weight than to lose weight? Yahoo!'s got an article on just this subject. It lists things like a pound is a pound, and it takes exercise and diet to lose weight, blah blah blah. I think it's simply easier to eat, drink and be merry than it is to exercise. And I was doing so well. I was losing a pound or two a week. So, I'm officially jumping back on the diet train. Going back to eating at home, eating smaller portions, and working out. I'm giving myself one year to get to my goal weight of 125 lbs. That's 50 pounds. About a pound a week. That's reasonable, I think. My goals for this week are drinking way more water than usual, and walking on the treadmill at least three times. We'll see how it goes. Wish me luck; I'll keep you posted.