Wellness Wednesday - Hope

As I stand in front of the mirror, I have a glimmer of hope that something has changed. Thought after thought enters my head as I stare intently at myself. "My pants seem to be fitting looser and I think my shirt feels more comfortable." "I think my stomach might look smaller, hard to tell today". Then the thoughts go the other way. "Maybe I am just hallucinating. No weight has come off." " You're not beautiful. You are fat." "Nobody likes you anyway."

Self esteem plays a large part in this battle. When you are used to hearing negative things from the people around you, it is hard to believe in the good things. A year ago this month I went on a "sleeping" medication to help me get better sleep which was the excuse my doctor used for my stomach issues. I had been battling stomach pains, fatigue, and weight gain.  She claimed I needed to get better sleep and eat better.

 I became very active at the gym and even took a regular yoga class. No matter how hard I pushed myself the pounds kept packing on. I changed my diet, even eliminating foods with no change. Good news was my stomach stopped hurting and I thought I was sleeping better. Although I wasn't quite sure I wasn't sleeping good prior to the medicine.

I went in for a 3 month check and the doctor asked how I was doing. I told her my pain was gone, but I just couldn't get this weight to come off. She once again told me I needed to exercise more and eat better. I explained over and over again that I've been the most active I've ever been and my diet was the cleanest it's ever been. She sent me away with only asking that I continue to take the medication and continue to be healthier.

My job hosted a Biggest Loser competition in January. I weighed in at the heaviest I have ever been in my life. Each weigh in I barely lost anything if I didn't gain instead. I was frustrated and ashamed all at the same time. Nothing fit. I wasn't comfortable in my own skin. I had to make a change. I finally made an appointment with a new doctor. The first thing she confirmed was the medication was causing the weight gain even when my previous doctor told me that wasn't my problem.

Another thing she confirmed was my life environment was stressful. I needed to cut my stress out to get feeling better. I stopped taking the pills that day. Although my home environment is still very stressful and some of the people surrounding me are still verbally abusive, I am doing better.

For the first time in a year I stepped on a scale and was happy with the result. I am down 15 pounds since I stopped taking those pills back in April. I feel like I have some control back in my life. I am finally allowing myself to see the positive changes. No more negative sound bites in my head.

People do not have the right to make you feel insecure in your own skin, why should you do it to yourself?


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Weekending - Wine Tasting

Whew! What a week it was last week! I recapped all of my Blog Her 2015 experiences along with my conference essentials to help you survive your first or even 100th conference. Then I wrapped up my Summer Tea Swap. It was a pretty action packed week here on The Trish List.

Today I want to give you a sneak peak of my weekend. Me and R were finally able to get together with some friends to do a wine tour. I will be living in the Finger Lakes for 4 years in November and haven't made the time to do one. It was a last minute decision and we had a blast. The weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend with blue skies and barely any humidity. We decided to do the Seneca Lake Wine Trail and I was super impressed.

I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story:

Seneca Lake
Wine, Swine, and Stein 
We asked and it was CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON :)
This place is GORGEOUS!
<3

Hope you enjoyed the photos! Now tell me about your weekend! I hope it was a good one. Now go and make it a GREAT Monday!


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Conference Essentials

After attending my first blogging conference in a big city (NYC) I came up with a list of things to pack to make the experience that much better. These items don't only apply for blogging conferences. You can use these items for any type of conference you are attending.



  • Comfy shoes: I know you want to look fashionable and pretty thought out the conference, but if you are planning to do a lot of walking, especially if you are not staying at the conference hotel, having comfy shoes to put on is a must. I picked a pair that were light in weight, yet still comfy and fashionable.
  • Deodorant: Conferences make for a long day, especially when they fall in the summer. Having a good deodorant that works all day is highly recommended. I was glad I packed my Dove Advanced Care 48 Hour anti-perspirant. It kept me dry and smelling good even after running around NYC in 90 degree weather.
  •  Sunscreen: I am pretty white. If I don't wear sunscreen I end up looking like a good ol' fashioned Coca Cola can. It ain't pretty! I rubbed on some SPF 60 sunscreen and off I went. Even while sweating like there is no tomorrow, it stayed on and did the job. Remember, even if your conference is in the winter, you can still get sunburn! Be safe and pack it regardless. 
  • Collapsible Bag: You never know what kind of swag you are going to come across at a conference. Sometimes you are provided with plenty of bags, and sometimes you only have 1. I always carry a bag that can easily fit in my purse just in case. This also comes in handy if you are exploring the city and decide to buy a few souvenirs.
  • Business Cards: Always, always make sure you have business cards on you at a conference. You are going to be mingling with not only other bloggers (or others in your field if this is a work related conference) but sponsors and brands. You don't want to be caught off guard when someone asks for your card. Make sure to bring at least 250 just in case. 
  • Portable Power Charger: Guys can I say how much of a life saver this is? This day in age EVERYONE has a smartphone, so everyone is looking for a place to plug in. To help ease the panic mode when you phone goes into power saving mode, invest in a portable charger and save yourself some grief. You can charge right in your purse and have a totally charged phone in less than an hour. 
I hope this list was helpful for your next conference! What do you consider an essential? Share them with me in the comments!

*I received the Dove Advanced Care from Influenster free for review purposes. All opinions are my own.  
 
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