Friday Inspiration- Stacy London

Friday, August 26, 2011

I have a confession to make....I am sorta, kinda addicted to TLC's What Not to Wear. I love make over shows but I absolutely adore Stacy London. She inspires women to find their personal style and own their looks! LOVE IT! So today I would like to share some inspirational quotes from Ms. London herself!


"I understand when u feel overwhelmed style is the 1st thing to go, but its also the 1st thing you can pick back up to get you back on track."
-Stacy London

"I believe every PERSON is beautiful. What you do with that beauty, how you develop it, is up to you."
-Stacy London

You have to let go of whatever you were, and allow yourself to become who you are."
-Stacy London

"EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU is a Snowflake. There isn't ANYONE who can be you but you and THAT makes you beautiful. Period. So shut up. :)"
-Stacy London

Have a great weekend!

Phenomenal Woman, That's you!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Hey Ladies,

I love to feature Phenomenal Women on Loving Me Unconditionally!

A phenomenal woman is one who has the ability to overcome obstacles and whose drive and self-determination is an inspiration to others. A phenomenal woman is one who through life's ups and down has learned to love herself unconditionally!

If you fit this description then I would like to feature you in a guest post! Email a brief bio to nikki@ilovemeunconditionally [at] gmail [dot] com and tell share why your story may be an inspiration to other women.


Friday Inspiration - Vacation

Friday, August 19, 2011

Vacation used to be a luxury, but in today's world it has become a necessity.
- Author Unknown

Anyone who knows me knows I live for my summer vacations!! My motto is I work hard so I have to play hard!

I hope that everyone gets a chance to enjoy a little vacation some time this year. Whether you travel or a take a staycation, I think we all deserve a luxury in our lives. Don't you agree?


Happy Friday!

Exercising My Right to Bare Arms!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

It is so true that we are our own worst critic. Sometimes when we look in the mirror we find everything that can possibly be wrong with the way we look. Our nose is too big, our ears are too small; you name it we have found something to complain about. I know I have. My flaws are many, some I can hide....and some not so much. But I am learning to embrace my imperfections and have developed a healthy disregard about what others may have to say about them. It took me some time, but finally I have gotten to the point in my life where I can honestly say.....I am owning my looks....flaws and all.

My arms have been one of my nemesis for a while. At first it was their size. I hated the way they looked in sleeveless shirts. So I always wore sweaters or some sort of covering over them. Since losing weight my arms are now at a size that I am comfortable showing but now as a result of the weight loss I have....stretch marks. Yes, the dreaded marks that tell the story of skin that has been stretched as a result of rapid weight gain or loss. Story of my life. So now even though I finally have gotten to a point where I feel good about the size, I began to feel self-confident about these marks. sigh.

So after trying a host of products promising the magical disappearance of stretch marks and looking for cute cardigans to go over every sleeveless tank and sun-dress that I own I finally said.....what the heck am I doing? This is me d*mn it! Take it or leave it. How can I tell young girls to own their looks when I am hiding behind cardigans and long sleeves shirts in 90 degree temperatures?

So who cares about a few imperfections here and there. We all have them. I recently saw this picture of Jennifer Hudson and she wasn't hiding her stretch marks behind make-up as most of the other stars do and she looks fabulous! Talk about self-confidence!!


So I said so-long to those cover-ups and hello to my new arms. They may not be flawless or the perfect size and shape but they are all I got and they are mine!
Learning to love what you see when you look in the mirror flaws and all is what really counts. So go ahead exercise your right to bare arms, wear a two-piece, or ___________ (place your flawed body part here) and repeat after me "This is me d*mn it! Take it or leave it!"

Friday Favorites- How to Survive Life in the Suburbs

Friday, August 12, 2011

Looking for a good blog to read over the weekend? Well check out my Friday Favorite......


How to Survive Life in the Suburbs - She describes herself as "a mother, a wife, a good friend, a person still trying to find peace and enjoy every day." My kind of girl! Sometimes I read her posts and think to myself this woman is writing about my life!!! She brings a candid, yet humorous view about everyday life in the suburbs.

Many of her posts I can relate to in one way or another. (Well, maybe not the one where she accidentally flashed the lawn boy but I can clearly see how that could happen.) Even if you don't live in a suburban area you can surely appreciate her journey as a wife, mother and friend. But don't just take my word for it click on the link and pay her a visit.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Inexpensive Indulgences

Monday, August 8, 2011

These days it is hard to find inexpensive ways to have fun. Dinner and a movie can cost you a small fortune and let's be real for most of us these days need to be a little cautious about how we spend our money. But every once and awhile we all need to do something fun, go on a date or hang out with the girls....indulge.

Going to a wine tasting event is a great way to indulge inexpensively. Now, if you are not a wine drinker then maybe this outing is not for you. However, if you like wine then this can be a romantic day out or a fun outing with the girls.

Most vineyards host wine tasting and charge a small fee. A few weeks ago my husband and I went to a wine tasting event at a vineyard in our area they charged $5 and you had the opportunity to taste 13 different wines. They played live music and served light refreshments. The vineyard was beautiful. We sat outside, listened to music and talked as we enjoyed our wine. It was a romantic Sunday afternoon date all for $10. We even got to keep our wine glasses. Not a bad deal!

Check out your local vineyards to see when they are hosting their next wine tasting event. You may be amazed at how much fun you can have for so little!!


Weighting for Motivation

Monday, August 1, 2011

Last month my bff and I hosted a small intimate Girl's Day Out event. We thought it might be a good way to help all of us have a get-away from the kids and men for a while and enjoy some girl time. And it was! We asked each woman to bring their favorite dish and we supplied the drinks and the opportunity to meet some other fabulous women. For many of these women it was the first time they had ever met however instantly we all seemed like old friends. As we talked, laughed, ate and drank I couldn't help but think about how diverse the every day lives of these women were. Married, divorced, single, separated and dating. Working moms, sahm, wahm and student. New mothers, no children, toddlers, school-age children and adult children. The ages ranged from 20 something to almost 60 and each one of us had something in common. The conversations were fun, candid and enlightening.


We discussed many topics that women discuss when they get-together: shopping, men, children, celebrity crushes and of course weight. It didn't matter the age, size or shape of the woman, we all shared a successful or not so successful story about our struggles with weight. Whether we exercise, diet or have just been blessed with an awesome metabolism, we all connected when it came to losing and/or maintaining weight. As we shared low-fat recipes, exercise regimens and for some of us, secret wishes of liposuction, I realized that almost all women have some sort of obsession with our weight. However, our motivation to lose or maintain weight varies.

Some of us are motivated by health reasons, some by wanting to look better in and out of our clothes and others by outside influences. My motivation was my age. When I turned 40 I realized that my metabolism was pretty much dormant. I had been gaining weight and pretending not to notice. When my clothes got too tight I just brought the next size up and I placed the blame on the cut of the pants instead of my inactivity. It wasn't until I went on the scale on January 1, 2010 to once again start a New's Resolution of losing weight and gasped in disbelief at the number I saw. Then, I did something I never did before I showed my husband the number because I needed someone to know how serious I was and to keep me accountable. (I know I must have been crazy but I meant business!) It worked because I kicked my butt in gear and started on my weight loss journey and in six months I had lost 25 pounds and in one year 50. Although my metabolism is no longer dormant it still can take naps every once and awhile so I have to make sure that I keep active and watch what I eat. It's not easy but for me it is a necessary part of my life now.

Whatever our motivation, one thing that is for sure is that we all want to look in the mirror and like what we see no matter what size. What is your motivation for starting and/or maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Share your successful or not so successful story with us; you never know, your story may be the motivation someone else is waiting weighting for!