Blips and Quips: Mark's Daily Apple

Hello Blogoworld!

As a way of constantly inspiring myself to make smart choices and live a healthier lifestyle, I follow numerous health blogs. One of the ones I'm particularly interested in is Mark's Daily Apple. Mark is an old dude with a chiseled body. He is a huge advocate of living what he terms the "Primal Blueprint" or "PB," which essentially means living, eating, and working out the way humans were designed to live. It's intriguing, and seems to follow many of the principles I myself have adopted.

Anyway, he updates his blog frequently, and today was a GREAT post about patience, perseverance, and promise. See--one month ago, Mark started a challenge to all the readers of his blog: Go thirty days on his rules for a primal blueprint. The Thirty Day Challenge (I ran into his blog about two weeks into it) has been an immense fiesta of healthy living! He asks for loads of reader input, hands out great prizes, gives amazing, smart, logical advice for his participants. His Challenge ends tomorrow--but here, and posted below, are his words about patience, perseverance, and promise. I like being reminded of what I'm doing for my life. He sums it all up well.

And yes...these are all photos of him. Chiseled is not an understatement.

Patience... Persistence... Promise

Believe it or not, we’re rounding the corner on our 30 Day Primal Challenge! It’s been an unbelievable few weeks of stories, support, and success. (If you think we’ve motivated you along the way, just know you’ve done the same for us in our work. This is why we love what we do!) Tomorrow Mark will offer the official congrats and message for moving forward. Today, however, we thought we’d take a moment to reflect on the past month – your past month to be exact. Once you were here, on board, what got you through (e.g. a good friend, faith, fear, humor)? What did you find in yourself along the way? Are you looking forward yet? Every reader, as we saw in last week’s incredible posts, has a unique story, but we thought we’d tease out a few common threads. Let us know what you think.

Patience

We’re used to having it our way and having it now. Our culture is increasingly about expediency. Too many of us want the “easy button,” the quick fix, the simple pill prescription, the “after” shot when we’ve barely begun to see the “before” for what it really is. Patience is an endangered virtue these days, and our collective health suffers for it. We’d argue, however, that the Challenge – and healthy living overall – requires and fosters genuine patience.

We mean, particularly, patience with yourself and the process. It takes time and consideration to bring real change into your life. It takes patience and fortitude to direct your life through a new vision, to put into practice new revelations and routines. And that’s what the Challenge has been about: rewriting the script of your daily life – not just making some casual substitutions but patiently plotting out a whole new trajectory.

Persistence

In those tracks you’ve set a pattern of persistence. Your efforts toward consistency have been physical, mental and logistical. Sure, the 30 Day Challenge is just the beginning when you compare it to the span of a lifetime, but it’s nothing to shake a stick at either. Whether you began the Challenge with a decidedly resolute or nonchalant attitude, you’ve ended up practicing diligence, found staying power throughout these few weeks. You started the month perhaps taking up a 30 Day “trial,” but in the meantime you’ve laid down a foundation for something much bigger, more lasting.

Whether you know it or not, you’ve been through the most difficult part. As you imagine beyond the 30 day horizon, keep in mind that for most people it only gets easier from here on out. Maybe you’ve experienced some setbacks along the way, but make no mistake: you’ve worn in the grooves of a new lifestyle. Have you thought about the natural ease of staying in those grooves, the opportunity your current momentum provides? An object in motion tends to stay in motion. How about persisting? How about keepin’ on keepin’ on? Our advice: don’t backtrack and have to start all over again.

Promise

Perhaps you committed to the Challenge with enthusiasm for the finite span, the hoopla, the prizes, the extra support. But as you find yourself at the end now, consider where it’s taken you. The Challenge has, ultimately, been your journey, and you’ve likely seen a few ups and downs – but more than likely a lightening of the load over time. You’ve put in the time, the patience, the persistence, but have you noticed along the way that it’s taken less of those along the way? The ultimate promise of the PB is, of course, the health and vitality it offers. However, as many PBers can attest to, it doesn’t take long before the PB just feels like normal life. The promise also encompasses this: the patience and perseverance you pay upfront constitute an investment with continual return. Know this: there comes a time when you will find yourself just living the Blueprint instead of planning and thinking about it all the time, but you’ll be benefiting each step of the way.

Can we say it now? Thirty days is just the beginning. Maybe this challenge was the kick start you needed to create real change for your life. Don’t let up now. If you’ve seen real change in thirty days, think for a moment what you could do in sixty days, in ninety days, in a whole year. Recall the stories of other readers last week and imagine what you might have to say with a few more months under your belt.

Think of how far you’ve come in these weeks. Where do you find yourself now? Where do you see yourself down the road from your new vantage point?

Thirty Minute Monday

Got thirty minutes today? Sure you do! Maybe that thirty minutes happens to be available when you're driving. Well, how convenient. Today is the day to USE THOSE MINUTES. Here's the Thirty-Minute Monday, and it rocks: THROW A FIT.

Are you suffering from heartbreak? Cry it out. Get it all out. You have to hold yourself together every other single effing moment of the day. Allow yourself to go through the complete, entire spectrum of emotions. Where are you at the end of your commute? Still not over it? That's fine! Allow yourself to suffer, to heartbreak, to mess up your makeup but also kind of like how pink your cheeks are. It's okay to feel that way.

Cry it out with George Strait.

Pissed off that someone in your life treats you badly? As if you don't exist, aren't supposed to belong? Do you work your ace off tailoring your life to their needs? Do you go out of your way to be friendly and helpful, only to be blown off and then quickly lose motivation? Yell it out. Grip the steering wheel, roll down the music, blast the tunes, and remind yourself that you ARE better than you are being treated, and deserve to have your life the way you want it. You are the best.

Be pissed with the Beastie Boys.

Feeling moody? Is today just one of those dumb, ol' blue days when you are fully aware of the fact that maybe you weren't born with the best genetics, the quickest mind, the biggest bank account? Let's be moody. It's allowed. You are allowed to be this way--it is REAL, and it is happening now. This is how you feel, this is you.

Let's be moody with Elvis Presley.

Today is about allowing yourself to exorcise those emotions that need to get out. Yes, you may not free yourself from the terrors and situations that put your body into these intense physical states. Yes, you probably are going to feel them again. But, for right now, for this time, let it be okay. You are alone. You're driving. I mean, you're multi-tasking, right? :) Let it out. Later on today, look back at this time, and try to pinpoint why you are feeling a specific way. This is important. Once seeing the reason, you can then find how to fix it and whether or not you want to. Progression. Keep moving forward.

Seeing Skinny

Today's Seeing Skinny is, actually, a more-involved lifestyle video. The video comes to us from WNYC's RadioLab, an incredible podcast that explores intangible ideas through science. I freaking love this show.

Anyway, one of their podcasts focused on the idea of "moments." A small thing, that is suddenly, well, just GONE. What is a moment? Do we really know? RadioLab's blog took a short take on the Moment, and came up with this moving visual interpretation, that I've watched at least four times.

Look for the artistry. Look for the connections. Then think about it. What kind of moments do you want your life comprised of? What can you do to get those moments to happen? Is health or weight loss a part of those moments? For me, they are. But I certainly don't want them to be the focus. So, that's what I should let my health goals be--moments. Every moment counts. And suddenly, it's just who I am. A stronger, more capable, woman. Strength is just an analogy, a visual interpretation of who you are. Disagree? Too bad. We live in a visual society. So--if you can't beat 'em, join 'em....and enjoy a longer, happier life as a result.

See the video, "Moments," HERE. or Here. Whatevs.

Also--I love the most recent Pixar film, "Up." It is a great representation of living out goals throughout a lifetime, regardless of the changes. You ARE strong enough to make today a good day. You DO have the ability to take care of yourself. Is it always easy? No. Is it always fun? No. But take care of yourself, and the rest of your life will fall into line.

Saturday Success Story

I've recently ran out of friends and family members to share personal success stories. Is that a problem? It absolutely is not. Do you know how many magazines and websites flourish with countless inspiring weight loss stories? There are so many! I love being able to read the stories of other women, surround myself with their success, and keep on keeping on, myself. So, today, I bring you the story of Jill Schieren, from Women's Health online.

The Buildup

At age 16, after 8 years of competitive swimming, Jill Schieren retired her racing Speedo--but kept eating as if she were training. In college, she blew past the freshman 15 on a diet of cheese steaks and hot dogs--cheap, convenient food she could grab between classes at Temple University in Philadelphia. By her sophomore year, she was carrying an extra 75 pounds. "I was a coach for a community swim team, but I stopped exercising and was eating food I didn't realize was so bad for me," she says.

The Breaking Point

When she hit 225 pounds, Schieren realized how much her weight was interfering with her life. Working as a part-time nanny to pay for school, she could barely catch a running toddler. "I was losing my integrity as a swim coach as I got heavier and started getting aches and pains from dragging around all this extra weight," she says. When she couldn't button a pair of size 16 pants that she had bought just 3 weeks earlier, she knew she had to put the brakes on. "I didn't want to be the girl who spent her life in sweatpants because nothing else fit."

The Changes

The next day, she bought a stopwatch and ran for one minute and walked for 20. Each day she ran a little longer. "Even if I only added 30 seconds, I kept telling myself, 'At least it was more than I did yesterday,'" she says. Schieren also stopped eating red meat, pork, and processed foods, including all the simple carbs--muffins, bagels, cakes--she used to chow on, replacing them with whole fruits and vegetables. "I live by the motto 'If it doesn't grow out of the ground, I don't want to eat it,'" she says. Two weeks in and already down 5 pounds, she made a promise to herself to fit into a single-digit-size dress by her next birthday, her 21st. After 4 months, she had shed 40 pounds and was running for 20 straight minutes. She stepped up workouts to include abs (crunches and ball situps) and light lifting 30 minutes a day, twice a week. In January 2007, Schieren started a training program for her first distance race, Philadelphia's Blue Cross Broad Street Run. By race day she'd dropped 60 more pounds.

The Reward

Schieren has lost 15 more pounds and is training for a marathon. "When I was heavy, I missed out on a lot of the physical things other people my age did. Now I get to do all of those things, and I appreciate them more." And she's changed her major from liberal studies to nutritional science because, she says, "health is a big part of my life."

Her Tips

Eat your treats. "I still have small portions of my two favorite foods, peanut butter and chocolate, every day." Have a daily goal. "I tell myself on the way to the gym: Today you're going to run 3 miles."Take a day off. "You need that mental and physical break from counting calories."

Vital Stats

Name: Jill Schieren

Home: Yardley, PA

Age: 21Height: 5'5"

Job: College student, part-time swim coach, and nanny

Weight before: 225

Weight after: 105

The above woman is NOT Jill Schieren, although Jill Schieren certainly could be like her, if she wanted to. :)

The Friday Find

WOW, LOVE this photo. Excellent ad for.....sunglasses. I'm assuming. Because there is nothing else in this photo that could actually be sold. Whatever--this woman is sexy and rockin, and I cannot wait to wear my own sunglasses and be a sexy photograph.

Seeing how this woman's entire body is nude, the most appealing detail of the picture is her jawline. Strength. Strength is sexy.

Thursday Things Thin Girls Know

Today's Thursday Thin Girl is a Miss Lauren Sprague, currently studying at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music! Miss Sprague is a fearless optimist, incredibly flourishing artist, and an absolutely fantastic personality. I barely know this girl, and I freaking love her. For more info on Miss Sprague, check out her website. The production photos section is incredible.

I have to say that the biggest advice I can give anyone trying to lose weight/feel better is getting exercise every day of the week. It is important to find a routine that feels good and is doable every day. Biking, running, swimming, jumping rope, walking, playing tennis—it’s about finding what YOU like to do and changing your routine.

I know that at times it is very challenging to get myself to the gym, but once I am there I am so happy I did it. Being active makes me feel better about myself, which in turn makes me want to eat healthier and continue building positive habits. In all honesty, I am known in my family as having a full mouth of sweet teeth. This is something that I have learned to monitor. I try to maintain good workout and eating habits, but I also reward myself and splurge every once in a while. I really do think exercise is the key to weight loss. It is hard work, but it’s worth it.

I challenge people to really push themselves—I think you might be surprised at how strong and powerful you are! If you don’t know where to start, many gyms have free personal training consultations that can help you set up a work out—or if you hate the gym take a walk at your local park. It is just a matter of getting out and doing it!

I feel good about my body. I, of course, have my days where I definitely avoid the mirror, but I also know to give myself a break. You must first love yourself. I live by the idea that “tomorrow is a new day”. It’s a brand new start, and an opportunity to feel wonderful and build great habits. It is simply not fair to compare your body to others. We are all uniquely ourselves and beautiful because of it!

Take care of your body-- not to impress others or look like a stick figure in a magazine, but for you—for your own health and happiness. You are in charge of how you live your life. When you take responsibility for your choices and hold yourself accountable for the consequences, you can learn so much more about yourself and become the best uniquely “you” you can be.

I barely ever get on a scale—not on purpose, but because I find that I feel better when I judge my weight on how I feel and look, not on a number.

Being active is fun! Working out shouldn’t be dreaded—find what works for you, but know that it also shouldn’t be easy. Push yourself healthily. Drink tons of water—staying hydrated especially when working out is imperative!

Oh Lauren, you are beautiful. Thank you for the sound advice and encouraging words. Again, EVERYONE, if you love who you met here--meet more of her at http://www.laurensprague.com/

Work It, Wednesday!

Today's Work It, Wednesday! covers a topic that I absolutely love: Crafting. Wait a minute? Isn't the Work, It Wednesday feature about exercise and.....why.....are we.... crafting? Because, dear Blogoworld--it's active, and I love it.

Using your hands will also keep you away from food. Can you identify boredom in your life? Let's fill that boredom with loads of beautiful things! Think of the many, many activities you can whip up. Indulge in painting, scrapbooking, quilting, crocheting, knitting, collaging, just putting heaps of cool things together (which I do), baking (keep it healthy-ish--double points if you plan a healthy meal), designing, sewing, decorating, OR making Valentine's Day cards. Which I did. Saturday, August 21st.

I started with beautiful and interesting prints. I wanted newspaper, post cards, maps, and really beautiful antique patterns.

But I also wanted classic, a la 1940s VDay. I used doilies, red construction paper, and some really cool stamps.

But then, my love of pretty things took over and I bought glitter and butterflies, too. :)

I love love. And lots of hearts.

And this is what I got.

So. Work It, Wednesday! is about doing something active with your time that does not involve eating. While baking can tiptoe the line for that requirement, I know you are a smart, well armed woman ready to make great choices. :)

Check out these other sites for inspiration!

The Angry Chicken

Loobylu

Yarn Harlot

Martha Stewart Blog

CraftFail

Hostess with the Mostess

And a pal that sells her work: The Little Jewelry Box

Hey there, Blogoworld! My Number One Friend of Funk and Quirk has posted a blip about these VDay Cards. Go read the fun blog, What is the Bomb.com?

Truth Tuesday

Calorie.

It is the word, regardless of its conotation, most often associated with weight loss. "Oh my god, do not become one of those calorie counting bitches." "Well, if I drink that, it'll be the rest of my calories for the day." "Think about how many calories are in that gigantic meal!" All these phrases, and more, have been present since I started actively improving my lifestyle almost two months ago. From Whole Living's Body and Soul, comes the following excerpts on the Calorie:

What is a calorie?

Back in science class, most of us learned the answer to this simple question: A calorie, like an inch, is a unit of measurement. It quantifies the amount of enery that our bodies get from food. To determine calorie counts, scientists burn food in a water-enclosed chamber called a bomb calorimeter; the number of degress by which the burning food raises the water's temperature equals the number of calories in food.

How do you use them?

To create the energy it needs, your body burns calories in a process called metabolism. It then expends this energy in several ways. The amount used for basic continuous functions (breathing, circulating blood) is known as the Basal Metabolic Rate. BMR. Even if you did absolutely nothing, your cells would still draw on energy to function; this accounts for 65 to 75 percent of your total calorie needs. Interestingly, some of your organs demand more energy than others.

Does it matter where calories come from?

From a nutrition standpoint, yes. Food provides more than just calories; nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and omega-3s are essential for good health. But let's focus on two other factors; the energy a food provides and the pounds you gain, or more important, would like to lose.

Energy can come from any of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. For quick energy, it's hard to beat carbohydrates. Your body breaks them down and converts them to glucose, its favorite energy source, more easily than it breaks down fats and proteins (which is why marathon runners often indulge in a big pasta meal before a race.) While some cells in your body can use either fatty acids or glucose for energy, your brain and nervous system run solely on glucose. Fat contributes energy for sustained activity, but some of the fat you eat goes into storage to be used later when-and if- needed. So what about protein? It, too, can provide energy, but it takes the most effor to convert. Your body prefers to use it to build and repair tissue (muscles!).

How many calories do you actually need?

Your body requires enough calories to fuel its basic functions. To blankly calculate your needs, find an online calculator. Look for one that accounts for your height, weight, age, sex, and activity level (check this one out HERE). Keep in mind that these tools are generalized.

How do you burn them?

Programmed to hold onto energy (i.e. the extra weight you're trying to lose), your body doesn't likie to waste calories. To lose fat, you need to expend more calories than you take in--3,500 for each pounds.

Let's say you operate at a deficit of -500 calories per day. After seven days, you've added up -3500 calories, or one pound per week. Congratulations!

You can create that deficit by eating less, exercising more, or ideally, BOTH. For example, skip the roll (100 cal) with butter (100 cal) and that serving of chocolate ice cream (250 per 1/2 cup), and you're well on your way. Add a half-hour walk at a moderate pace (burns 100 calories) and you've already passed your 500 calorie reduction for the day.

Going too low--1,000 calorie deficit per day--is not only difficult to maintain but can sabatoge your efforts by causing your metabolism to slow down and conserve energy.

So....metabolism. Tune in next Tuesday for a Truth Tuesday all about how metabolism affects your body!

Blips and Quips: Progression

This was my face today:

I know--heartbreaking. And also not that attractive (although certainly thinner!! BUT I also look like my brother Jared) Regardless, today was a day to do something about this obvious sadness. So, I redirected its strength:

I went to a bakery.

I bought twelve small, well-portioned treats.

I wrote this note in the box.

And I gave them away.

Give good energy, receive good energy.

Thirty Minute Monday

Got thirty minutes today? Let's make an inspiration board. For anyone trying to accomplish a goal, especially weight loss, it is incredibly important to surround yourself with positive infuences. IMMERSE yourself in the reason why you are doing what you are doing. LOSE yourself in the mayhem. Kind of. You need to constantly have reminders of why you are embarking on a long distance marathon of sorts. So today is a great day to compile a quick compendium.

Simple.

Grab a magazine.

Grab some scissors.

Flip through till you find those images that make you feel like changing your life, and cut them out.

Collage them.

Bam! Inspiration Board.

Mine, above, although a little rough (it's my first board!), obviously tells me what I'm craving when I hit gone-skinny time: BOOTS. I want those stacked, over-the-knee, sexy suede boots.

Create your own inspiration board today. You've got the time. :) Oh! and if you upload it, send it to me--I'd love to see and share: west.allyson@gmail.com

These are examples of really great inspiration boards from Green Wedding Shoes. Although used for wedding planning, the idea is the exact. An inspiration board keeps you focused.

Seeing Skinny

Today's "Seeing Skinny" follows my recent desire for a lifestyle alteration. It's Kenny Chesney's "Anything But Mine" music video, a hit from 2004 from a "soulful" country artist that was briefly married to Renee Zellweger and probably split up because he doesn't know how to look at a camera without appearing moody and blocked by a cowboy hat. REGARDLESS, my sweet little Texan soul can deal. This video follows young love; you'll hear the tale in the video. The girl cast to play "Mary," is probably my epitome of young, healthy, happy, and beautiful. I love the effortless style wardrobe has given her for this film. I love the active, care-free tone of the video. I love the showcasing of a girl being fallen in love with simply because she kicks ass and takes names--I'm sure the fact that she has a rockin' bod helps too.

I get my inspiration for today HERE.

Saturday Success Story

Today's Success Story is from a woman very dear to my heart--my lovely Aunt Lori Dunlop from Murphy, Texas! Ages ago, when I was a wee tot being annoying and awkward, my Aunt Lori involved me in her life, and I was always affected by her life and healthy habits. Now, she maintains a healthy weight by sticking to rules that work for her, and most importantly, listening to her body.

Was there a point where you realized, “I’m really going to do it this time”? How motivating was that?

Yes. I looked at a picture and said "Wow, that's me, and I'm not happy with that look!" My hubby and I had noticed a man that [we knew in church] had lost a lot, I mean, a lot of weight. We stopped him after church and asked if he was ill. He said no, that he had just changed his eating habits and that got me thinking that if he had done this just by watching what he was eating, we could do it! This was very motivating since the man I married was right there with me - overweight!

How did you begin? What is different now?

Changing our eating habits along with Weight Watchers and their method of keeping track of what you are eating. Now, I know what is good for me and what is not - I make a conscious choice to cheat when I do and know I will have to make up for it later or suffer the consequences.

What are you excited about?

People still comment on the weight we lost!


Is there anything—especially early on when it gets tough—is there anything that motivated you?
Just thinking about the man that motivated us at church, and the fact that when you put your mind to it and you start losing - you want to continue on that path.

What kept you going when you thought about just throwing in the towel?

Never thought about throwing in the towel - once we got going we stayed on the roll and kept losing.

How did you integrate new choices into your lifestyle?

I still think about how much I am served at a restaurant and try to eat less, have a drink (low cal) in my hands at a party so that I eat less, carry a purse and a drink so I don't have a hand to carry a plate of food at a party, just stay aware of my choices, always!

Let’s talk about food. What would you say were your biggest problem areas as far as eating? Tell us a little bit about that. And eating-wise, what changes did you make early on?

I love sweets! I love to cook and was not cooking all the healthy things necessary to stay at a healthy weight, and I definitely eat what I cook. I taught my kids to cook; we cook and bake and that is sometimes a downfall! We always have yummy food around to eat. The unhealthy cooking and eating was the issue. It took habit-changing to change the weight.

What did you find easy to stick with?

Choosing foods that made me chew a lot so I felt like I was eating more. My chewer would get tired so I would be satisfied.

Would you take us through a typical weekday now, and tell us how that goes, as far as exercise and eating?

I try to eat a small breakfast ( yogurt and fruit or oatmeal) but do try to make myself eat a little - that way I am not famished later in the day. I eat a sensible lunch (salad and a bit of meat and try to hold off on the carbs) but try not to eat too much, because I do like to eat what I make for my family for dinner-- we try to eat dinner together (meat, vege, little carb.) I really try to have only one sweet thing a week although it doesn't always work out that way.

I know I have to work harder to get where I want to stay!

What part of your body do you absolutely love, and why?

My skinny legs because I can still fit into my skinny jeans. :)

What were your particular difficulties, and how did you overcome them?

Sweets -but once you get it out of your system, and don't crave them so much, it is easier. It takes me about two weeks of ignoring my body telling me that I need something sweet to not crave the sweets anymore.

What is the one habit you swear by?

Portion control - "You are what you eat."

What else would you like to tell me?

I would love to lose five pounds, to fit into some of those smaller clothes I still have, but have decided that I am very cozy where I am. I just keep telling myself to try to lose that five pounds so that I don't creep up any further on the scale. It is working for me!

Statistics

Starting Weight: Was about to 165 pounds
Lowest Weight: I was down to 119 pounds - scary! Current Weight: I am happy at 135 pounds now but keep trying for the 130 pound range. I lost the weight very slowly and have kept it off for about 7 years now! Height: I am 5 foot 8 inches.

The Friday Find

What am I obsessed with lately? HAWAII and the many, many wondrous things that happen when you go there. First of all, check out this hot pic. Not only is there a giant, creepy, omnipresent sumo wrestler expending his ill wishes upon a possibly-destroyed-by-fire village, but this sexy woman, in her see-through skin-skirt, is offering up her blessings and praises. Way to go, Zombie Village Restaurant--you have absolutely become my favorite photo of today.

Let's get serious for a moment. What's a good reason to get your body in top shape, whatever that means to you? VACATION. When are you going to get to do this again? When are you going to be in this place, this emotion, again? Do you really want to be fretting with the fact that maybe you don't look as "perfect" in your swimsuit as you thought? No, you don't. So stop fretting, stop fussing, and plan ahead. Enjoy your vacation without wanting to fuss about your bod. Do it.

Do you want to go here? Then be the girl that does. Make it happen, because you can. Make your life the one you want to live. Be THAT girl. Become that girl that walks with this tiny, hunky man on this beautiful beach. FYI--that's Molokai, Hawaii. Go there.

Oh, I forgot--you might run into Elvis and he'll fall in love with you. Obviously.

Oh my god, battle of body confidence prevails. Who is gonna win? Who? And why are they both wearing ballet slippers at the beach? Look--whatever you want your body to be, make it that. Don't sit around and settle for less than is making you happy, though. You deserve to be who you are, whatever you think is you.

I want to be a wild, Hawaiian girl on this beach (ps I'm incredibly fair-skinned, with red hair.) I want to slide my legs out of some great overgrown, lush, green jungle and run to the beach with a dagger at my hip, i.e. James Bond girl Ursula Andress. She is working it, I'm not gonna lie. So, today, this is my inspiration: the beautiful world of Hawaii. It is where I want to be, where I want to grow, where I want to breathe and live. I want to be a healthy, active, sun-kissed girl in Hawaii.

Thanks, GlamourSplash and Lisa Mikami for the photos.