Losing Weight is Not So Simple!

Hey Friends! 

I had absolutely no idea that a simple picture upload on Facebook would lead to so many questions and catch so many people's attention! My original intention was to provide an entertaining "Throwback Thursday" for some friends of mine who I knew would enjoy it. When people started commenting and asking questions, I was surprised, but excited at the same time!

***Please prepare yourself for extreme honesty. No one will benefit from my story if I hold anything back, so the plan is to put everything out there in hopes that someone finds it encouraging! Since my journey has been a long one, I might post it in segments, so just be patient with me! Also, by no means am I sharing this because I think that it is what you SHOULD do. I will let you know what's working for me and if any of it is helpful, then it has served a purpose! :) 

I've never really shared my weight struggle story before...at least not publicly. This is because I still feel like the farthest thing from an "example" of how to lose weight or become healthier. I'm still on this journey too, so if you find encouragement in ANYTHING that I say, find it in that! I'm not trying to reach an end result anymore.. which I will expand on later. I just want you to know that if you're having a hard time getting a grasp on your health, I'm still in the trenches with you! I will fight for you and cheer you on all of the way! You CAN do it. It just means changing your perspective...which will change your life. This blog will have far more "let's think about food this way, try not to think that way" than "do's and don'ts"! Who am I to say what will work for you? I don't mind telling you what is working for me, but at the end of the day, it may be different from what works for you. However, if your mindset is healthy, than we can make A LOT of progress, my friend. 

I have always been "health-conscious", but that doesn't mean that I have always been HEALTHY. At my heaviest (see pictures below), I was very "conscious" that I was overweight. I was miserable going about my daily activities. I had NO clothes that fit me. I was aware of what I was doing to my body, but I wasn't motivated to change it. 

I don't have that many pictures of my "full body", but the one below does enough justice. Just believe me, I was 232lbs and a size 16-18 at my heaviest. 

                  Before: May 2010             Current: June 2012 

Since I was little, I have been taught (and believe) that "my body is a temple..." and that I was "bought with a price..." (1 Cor. 6:19-20), so I knew that it was wrong for me to treat my body that way.  I started to make subtle changes, which made a difference and helped for awhile. Since then, I have been in search of a system that I could do forever. Scary? I know. But that's what this thing is about. Losing weight, becoming healthier, gaining weight if that's what it means for you to be healthy (I know a lot of people who are under-weight and that is JUST as damaging...) means changing the way you go about  life, changing your perspective. It does NOT mean a crash diet. It does NOT mean eating a certain way or working out 3x a day for 2 weeks so that you're "beach ready". It means making a decision to change the way that you think about food and the purpose that it serves in your life. It means looking at exercise as your friend, not your enemy. It means knowing WHY you're exercising and how it is changing your body.

Here's the thing. I have never been obsessed with the way I look. But when I feel bad? My friend, I am the laaaaast person you want to be around. So if you are discouraged about making changes because you just think you are "too far gone," or "never going to be able to see a difference," let me just tell you, (not only will you see a difference)... you will FEEL a difference and THAT is a truth that you can cling to. Feeling better is worth a million times more than what you look like. So many people tell me, "I've been this way for so long... it doesn't matter." Well, I am here to tell you that it DOES matter. Your quality of life is of utmost importance! You can't put a price on feeling energized and strong. 

with all of that said... 

How do you get there? WILLINGNESS. Are you willing to make changes? Are you willing to look at food as fuel for your body instead of something that makes you "feel better" when you've had a bad day? (I'm so beyond guilty of that, FYI.) Some changes will be easy breezy beautiful cover girl (sorry, I had to ..) and some will be more difficult. All of them, however, are completely worth it if it means improving your quality of life and honoring the body that God has given you. 

Don't let this overwhelm you! I will be posting again soon with answers to the questions that I've been getting! I will also be talking more about what has and has not worked for me as far as food and exercise. In the mean time, feel free to keep sending questions to me on Facebook or you can email me at lacy.stelladot@gmail.com. I'll answer anything! Promise. 

I can't wait to continue on this journey together! 

xoxo, 

Lacy 

STYLE YOUR MOM

with Stella and Dot

Hurry Hurry Hurry! I am placing orders left and right for Mother's Day gifts and I don't want you to miss out on getting her the perfect present! Our new summer collection is so fabulous and SO reasonably priced. I am currently sporting the Odyssey Ring in turquoise and cannot stop looking at my hand! 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to let me know! You can email me directly at lacy.stelladot@gmail.com or comment on this post! 

Also, sending a VERY warm welcome to all of my new followers who made their way over from It's An Easy Life! I love Amanda and she and have had so much fun with the giveaway! There are more to come! Congratulations to Joyce from Joyful Outfits for winning $50 towards the piece of her choice in the Summer 2012 Collection!

xo, 

Lacy

We're still in the spirit of Mother's Day around here, so I invited my own wonderful and stunningly beautiful mom to share her favorite piece of Stella and Dot jewelry to give you another great gift idea for this holiday!

"Although I have many favorite things from Stella and Dot, my very favorite piece is the Together Forever necklace. It has a versatile length which can fit anyone comfortably and beautifully. My favorite thing about it is that it incorporates silver and gold. This is such a fun trend right now that I am expecting to stick around. Why have to choose to wear either silver or gold when you can wear them at the same time?! It is also really fun to pair the Together Forever necklace with the On the Mark necklace which comes in gold. Layering these two makes such a delicate but fun statement! The woman in your life will LOVE either (or both) of these choices! Promise!" -Ginger Skinner

Together Forever Necklace $59

On the Mark Necklace $59

xo, 

Lacy 

Hello There!

Welcome to the Pretty Simple blog! My name is Lacy and I'm so glad you've joined me here! Buckle your seatbelts, my friends! We are about to have a lot of fun! I am an Independent Stylist for Stella and Dot Jewelry. I have absolutely fallen in love with this company! You are going to be hearing much more about that in the coming posts (including exciting giveaways and opportunities to win $100's worth of FREE and fabulous jewelry!). 

The purpose of this post is to let you in on some very exciting news! For the month of April ONLY, Stella and Dot is giving those who are interested in joining the company an opportunity to become a Stylist for $199. This includes... wait for it... $500 worth of free jewelry. I'm not making this up! If you don't believe me, click here. But hang on just one little second. You can pay an extra $200, bringing your TOTAL investment to $499 and you will receive $1000 worth of FREE jewelry. I'm so excited about this, I can hardly stand it. Even though I can't take advantage of this opportunity, I'm just so excited for others to know about it and have the chance to get involved in such an incredible community whose mission is to empower businesswomen and serve those around them. Be looking for an exciting post in the coming days! 

"Style is a simple way of saying complicated things." 

-Jean Cocteau

xoxo,
Lacy