Closing out my last week in D.C., I’ve come to realize..holy crap, get me back to my neurotic Austin ways.

I may have only been here for three months, but I feel like I’ve ballooned up; which I suppose is debate-able. But, nothing makes you feel gigantic than to watch TV. It’s been so long since I’ve stared at my Austin fridge covered in Victoria’s Secret models. So, when I turn on the television and get sucked in the “Devil Wears Prada”; I’m quickly reminded of my crazy habits.

I’ve started running longer distances again and am much better with the diet. The allergies are flaring like woah; so it’s only best that I finally get back on my routine. This was definitely a rant, but I hope a kick-starter one.

As we’ve mentioned before, we love love hearing from the community. We love it even more when you decide to share your story.

I’m proud to present the following insightful and encouraging story by one of my dearest friends, Lisa. I’ve known her since undergrad and have always been thankful for her kind support and generous words. Did I mention she’s a badass on the dance floor? We also share the same “I’m not the tiny asian” syndrome.

The @fatroll girls LOVE this story and hope you do too! Enjoy

Quick Stats About Me

Lisa:

• Height: 5’4”
• Start Weight/BMI: 175/30 (Obese: 30+)
• Current Weight: 169
• Goal Weight: 125-130/22 (Normal: 18.5-29.9)
• Time Line: 20-25# by November 21st (my birthday) or December 8th (a wedding)

What finally gave me the final push to actively lose weight? My upcoming 27th birthday in November, tired of feeling “big” compared to my standard-Asian size girlfriends (standard Asian girl size = 00, JK…but sadly close to that size), noticing that I was shying away from social gatherings because I was just uncomfortable in my own skin, and that feeling when your heart sinks to your stomach when you realize that even black ain’t slimming down the back-fat.

I got myself to this size, and I was the only one that can make the decision to become healthier. I’m realistic about my goal; I’ll never be stick-thin nor is that my intention; I know this will take time and patience on my part.

I started this weight loss goal with my friend Grace on July 5th, 2010. We both can’t remember ever feeling good in our own skin especially being surrounded by a whole bunch of standard-Asian sized chicks; so it has been great doing this with someone.

Grace has been a great motivator when I don’t’ feel like exercising, and she has slapped a chicken tender out of my hand before =X partially because I was eating someone else’s meal after I finished mine… But I think the most helpful part about having a friend to lose weight is that you both can relate to each other’s struggle, and you don’t feel so alone in what feels like an uphill battle.

My plan is to lose about 1-1.5#/week in the most healthy and least agonizing way: choosing healthier options, calorie counting, portion controlling, and exercising. I know what you’re going to say, DUH! Less In, More Out = Weight Loss; I knew this, I just chose not to, but I’m choosing to do it now.

Grace and I started doing P90X, like everyone else and their mama, but we adjusted the regimen to make it more do-able/realistic for us to stick to. Grace and I use P90X for the weight training every other day,and cardio the other days. Grace and I joined Brian O’Neils Running Club: where we run 3 miles on Tuesdays, and after our 10th run we get a running shirt that allows us to get 10%OFF at Fleet Feet (similar to Run Tex/Rogue) and discounted beer at BON; hey, dieting doesn’t mean depriving ALL things… moderation/portion control.

Grace likes to do Insanity, I prefer to interval train on a treadmill. As far as calorie counting, I’ve found a great tool I use religiously now: LiveStrong.This site is one of the most thorough sites I’ve used, from its extensive food/nutrition directory to custom loops/routes you create via Google Map that will calculate distance and caloric expenditure according to your MPH.

Being a science kid; I can appreciate a pie chart of my daily protein/carb/fat intake! The chart don’t lie.

The key thing to sticking to a diet is preparation and routine. The less you have to think about what you’re going to eat, the more likely you’ll succeed. I plan on what I will be eating the day before to make sure it’swithin my calorie allotment.

I prepare my breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the week in Tupperware, so I just grab-and-go in the mornings. For example, I crack 6 egg whites into Tupperware, add seasoning, and cheese the night before, so I can just wake up, turn the stove on medium heat, and throw the egg whites into the pan while I get ready for work (I check on it in between). I don’t mind eating the same thing a few days in a row. So far, I’ve lost 6# even with some FAILS. I can’t wait to be lighter, fitter, and healthier. No one can stand in my way, but me.

Inspired by Jenni’s recent hilarious post, it only seemed appropriate to create a @fatroll approved phrase.

Where The Sun Don’t Shine (n.; shortened #WTSDS): refers to the area guarded by your fatroll(s) from sunlight and potential sun burn. Often, but not exclusively, located around a woman’s midriff. AKA: roll-protection.

Example:

Jenni: After tubing all day in the sun yesterday, I think I’ve got a mad case of WTSDS.

Kristine: WTSDS?

Jenni: Yeah, a case of where the sun don’t shine. Insta-roll-protection. Boom.

Learn it. love it. use it. Happy summer!

This week, I’m spending my time in Boston, MA. After a nice 8 hour bus ride on the BoltBus (which I petition to have in Texas – free wifi + cheap bus ticket = amazing) and a brief stop in NYC, I made it to one of my favorite cities.

I absolutely love the history, the old buildings, the accents! Plus, I’m pretty sure my IQ went up just by spending time in Cambridge. My dearest and oldest friend, Stevie, is letting me crash at her fabulous pad for the weekend. And, for the first time, in what may be over three months, I weighed myself on her bathroom scale.

Not going to lie, I was pretty nervous stepping onto the little sucker. As I’ve confessed before, I’ve been super awful about my eating habits and the lack of workouts. My clothes are definitely a little snug, and I just feel bigger. But, as I looked down at the numbers, I realized that maybe it’s all in my head.

I weigh exactly the same – 120.0lbs.

Interesting. Perhaps the walking is paying off. I still want to lose that last 5-7 lbs. The hardest to lose by everyone’s account. But, I’m back on the diet and while I’m not doing two-a-days (yet), my re-dedication to the cause is well underway.

I have a confession to make. (Boy, how many times have I written that on this blog).

I’ve fallen way off the wagon the past couple of weeks.

With my hectic schedule and carefree attitude, I’ve paid the price. It finally hit me this morning when it took me forever to run my normal three miles. I felt exhausted, overheated and well.. out of shape. I recognize that I exert much more effort nowadays having to walk everywhere; but, I also eat whatever I want.

This might explain the lethargic, nauseas and overall “bleh” feeling I’ve had of late. But, as I like to think, there’s still time. I enjoyed the smaller version of myself from a couple weeks back. Now, I just have to get back into the game.

Like most women, my diet pretty much dictates my weight. I could run, do yoga, go to dance, walk miles etc, and it wouldn’t mean a thing until I stop eating poorly.  Have to remember..”yes, even the gluten-free brownie ..is still a brownie”. Just because it’s gluten-free doesn’t mean its calorie-free. In all seriousness though, I  really need to refocus for my health’s sake.

I found some great tips on Oprah.com and Health MSN on how to kickstart your workout routine.

We decided as a group a while back that we’d pause on round three until my return to Austin. And, well, that’s just a little over a month away. In @fatroll time that means its time to hit the ground running. We’re still on for bikini pics, right ladies?

One of the not so great things about D.C. is the humidity; though, I hear Austin is experiencing the same? In any case, it’s pretty de-motivating. I tend to lump it into my excuse list to not workout. But, as I continue to splurge on food, I realized that I really need to step my game. Hence, this morning, I set-up my own home gym.

Luckily, I’ve been to enough bootcamps and gyms to know what types of exercises require little to no equipment. So, if you think working out requires a huge gym or has to be in the blazing sun…you’re wrong. Check out the set of exercises. Get up and get going!

Take these circuits and do 3 sets of each starting at 60 seconds then 45 seconds then 30 seconds. If you can, throw a quick sprint back and forth between rooms to pump up the cardio.

Circuit 1 (abs)

• Full sit-ups
• Side to side rows
• Crunches
• Plank
• Side-planks rotating between left and right
• Mountain climbers

Circuit 2 (legs)

• Squats
• Lunges
• Side squats
• Jumping jacks
• High-knees

Circuit 3 (arms)

• Push-ups
• Bench dips
• Burpies

Attention all food p0rn lovers out there.

Have you seen this iPhone app? I’m not a huge fan of location based services – I find them creepy and stalker-esque – but I absolutely love this new app. It’s called Foodspotting. If you’ve ever shared a meal with me, then you know my weird habit of taking pictures of everything I eat.

Especially when it’s presented well or I’m at a notable restaurant, I enjoy taking a quick snap shot to share on my tumblr or flickr set. I’m a huge food lover. So, why not photograph food like it’s my non-existent child?

More important than just locations, Foodspotting lets you find specific entrees. Now, that’s information I’ve been craving Yelp to integrate. If I’m craving the best veggie taco in town, I can easily figure it out. Or, perhaps I want to know the best dish at X restaurant .. now it’s far easier to find it. I also love the lists people have created. Check out the Austin local food/sustainable list!

As a member, you earn points to become a foodspotter. The more you upload and share, the more points you gain. It’s a fantastic idea. Here are some of their founding principles (straight from their site):

Foodspotting was founded in 2009 by Alexa Andrzejewski, a User Experience Designer from Adaptive Path, and Ted Grubb, a Rails Engineer behind Get Satisfaction. While we look forward to seeing how the Foodspotting community evolves, we founded it on the following principles:

1. It’s just about the food: It’s not about the place, the price, the surroundings, the crowd or the nutritional value — it’s just about good food and where to find it.
2. Good food can be found anywhere: We built Foodspotting to work in any city, small town or country from the start. It encourages exploration — trying new things vs. following the crowd.
3. Meaningful ratings: The blue ribbon (the “nom”) means more because it’s hard to get. Foodspotters earn the right to nom foods by demonstrating expertise and building up reputation points.
4. Not every food, just the good food: Foodseekers aren’t interested in the foods that you hate, they want to know what you love. We believe people will tend to spot the foods that they like and to nom the foods that are amazing.
5. Celebrates and integrates with what you’re already doing: Whether you take photos of every meal or are a self-proclaimed expert in a certain dish, we want to reward what you’re already doing and make it useful to a broader community.

Again, what a fantastic idea! And, it’s founded by a woman. Two huge points in my book. Make sure to check it out yourself, and add me

After reading Jenni’s post and trying on new clothes, I’ve decided that I too need to kick it back into gear. I was so close to having that flat tummy earlier this month…then I moved to D.C.

Sure a move can be stressful. Yes, D.C. is a city of happy hours, brunch and bbq. Yes, there is a high density of yummy restaurants in the area. But, those are all excuses. We’ve decided as a @fatroll to postpone the end of the 3rd round til I return to Austin in August. But, I surely can’t pile on the pounds until then and expect to lose all of it magically.

Therefore as I settle into the new city, I’ve decided to do mini-challenges to keep things in check. Here’s my plan for the next 30-days.

• No more caffeine (especially coffee). It’s amazing how much more coffee I consume being back in an office setting. It’s kind of the “thing” to do. But, the additional creamer and sugar eventually catches up with you; usually in my thighs.
• Manage my diet. I’m guilty of becoming super lax on my diet and avoiding gluten based items. I’ve used the “it’s night, and I’ll just sleep it off” way too many times in the last three weeks. So, eat more greens!
• Alcohol only on the weekends. Happy hours are great! It’s the ideal way to network; but I really shouldn’t drink every night of the week. That’s the easiest way to gain additional empty pounds. Also, no more binge drinking. I’m not in college anymore.
• Up the workouts. This has happened naturally. I walk a ton and still continue running (though, I’m nursing a massive shin splint right now). I just need to find alternatives. I definitely did yoga in my living room yesterday. YouTube FTW.

• Wear nicer clothing. Here’s a great way to remind yourself of what clothes you must wear. Plus, the heels definitely do help with posture which helps with your core.

At this point, I’ve worked too hard for too long to just let it all go down the drain. Plus, did I mention that there are quite a bit of good looking people here? Sounds like a challenge to me!

As many of you know, I’ve uprooted and moved my @fatroll up to Washington D.C. until September. Besides eating my way through the fantastic neighborhoods of our Nation’s Capitol, I am also an Archer Graduate Fellow and will be interning at the New America Foundation working on the Media Policy Initiative team.

Let’s just say it’s going to be one ridiculous summer. Already, the other fellows, interns, local friends and random connections have made the past 72 hours in the city amazing. Of course, I wouldn’t be here without the help of my parents who took the time to road trip from Dallas to D.C… Folks – that’s 21 hours in a car..with my parents. My mom is a soldier.

Needless to say, staying healthy while on the road is a pretty big challenge. With the Interstate littered with only fast food restaurants, the options were limited at best. It was having to choose the lesser of two evils – bean taco or grilled cheese? (neither of which are really on the “good for you” list).

Of course, when arriving in the city, we decided to check out some of the local fare. It was fantastic. Even the simple Chinese food with fresh made noodles was incredible.  Coupled with two nights of “hey, we all finally arrived. Let’s get to know each other by drinking copious amounts of alcohol”, I literally feel like I’ve gained at least five pounds since I’ve arrived.

Hence, I went for a nice long run this morning through the Capitol to the Washington Memorial and back. I live right behind the breathtaking building and seconds away from the Library of Congress. If you need me, you’ll find me there.

The neighborhood is quaint and picturesque. Apparently, Supreme Court Justice Scalia lives next door. Awesome.

I can’t even begin to explain how excited and thankful I am for this opportunity. It’s exactly what I needed. No worries though.. the @fatroll escapades will continue full force here.

Great little piece from the authors over at World Mysteries (via @cesart). Ever really sit and wonder how that venti Starbucks White Chocolate Hot Chocolate translates to in donut terms?

This is a list of the top twenty “worst drinks in America”. I generally stay away from sugary drinks; though coffee is my kryptonite. Browsing through this list definitely solidifies my decision to stay far far away. Now, if only the list would also note how long it would take to burn it off on the treadmill.