A Spanx-less Liz AND product reviews!!!

Ok, first...just look at me! :D

Can't remember why I did this pose...

This pose was to show you my nice calf muscles and my NON-fat ankles! Woo hoo! Yes, I have tummy spillage, oh well!

Still got the toosh, thank God!

I figured I hadn't done a naked tummy pic in awhile. In fact, I think you guys are in for full naked (except panties) shots sometime soon, I used to do those monthly so you can really get down and dirty and see all the dimples and crap! :D

Ok, so now about the spanx-less Liz! (I do still enjoy being spanked, don't confuse the headline) hehe! Ok so I have always thought wearing spanx out on a date with a "potential mate" was "false advertising". So a week and a half ago (is that it!!!) when I went out on my first date with L, I went w/o Spanx. I felt naked and insecure. But as time went on (and I consumed a beer or two) he made me extremely comfortable and was just AWESOME so "I" felt awesome!!! So then I knew, I could never wear them around him. Well last Wed I was running errands in Tempe and we were texting and he invited me to his work in Phoenix for lunch, since I was close. I was looking sooooo awful! I had minimal make up on, hair up, sweat pants on (literally), spanx on, and I might've stunk a little....kidding kidding! anyway, you get the point. NOT dressed up for him...on our second outing. So I literally stopped in a gas station and took my spanx off and then touched up what hair and make up I could. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I GOT THERE!!!!! Nothing, he didn't give a shit. He thought I looked good. I thought "Phew, close call."

So enough about him, we've hung out about every other day after that :D It's all good, all smiles, he's wonderful, amazing. I can't even use my zodiac skills to try to figure him out b/c he's squarely on the cusp of Virgo and Leo (just like my mom, ehhhhhh) and so I just threw all zodiac knowledge out the window. And it's kinda freeing just taking someone for what they say, rather than assuming they are like a sign. I will be the first to admit that AT TIMES I put too much emphasis on the zodiac (BUT it still fascinates me). So getting to know him has been wonderful. Let me just say, he's everything. WE have a connection on EVERY level. I hate people who say "well I slept w/ him on the first date b/c we had a connection" blah blah , LIAR! People sleep together on a first date b/c they want to get LAIDDDDDDDDDDD! Don't lie! I've done it before. (sorry sis!) But still, I did NOT do that with him. I wanted to control myself and be proper, that I did. So anyway, we do have this mental connection that is crazy. We talk for HOURS, I tell you, hours! We have the same dark, dry sense of humor yet his is a bit more twisted! I do find that refreshing! He is a movie buff and so he's teaching me some things I don't know about that. I am a music buff, teaching him about that. :D He loves to be right (like me) but he will accept being wrong (like me). However, when wrong (both of us) will crack jokes about the other! :D It's so comforting. It's like this pleasant world of put downs, joke joke, compliment, put down, joke, laugh, laugh! I love it! That may sound odd to some, but it is very comforting, freeing, and relaxing to me to be with someone who is like that.

So this past weekend we were gonna FINALLY go ice skating (it was planned for our first date, which fell through, and when we rescheduled they were closed so we did bowling instead) and we made these plans to eat at (my fav) Carraba's Italian Grill (OMG delish heaven) and then go ice skating, right! Sounds fun and easy right? NO!!! lol! What happened is "I" was late, oops, so we decided we'd forget Carraba's and go skating and get snacks at the rink. I was totally fine w/ that I was stoked to skate. We get there, no skating. The rink WAS CLOSED! blah! So, he was embarassed and felt bad, I said no worries, Carraba's it is!!! We go to eat! The food was delish, conversation was wonderful, as always. Then he goes for his wallet to pay for everything (like he's made a habit of doing, against my wishes) and...NO WALLET! lol! You believe that! He ran to his car to search, no wallet. I'm sipping my water, chill, knowing he's gotta be embarassed. But what was worse is, I brought NO money b/c we had already talked about him feeling the need to pay for everything. So my lame ass couldn't even back him up! :/ ackwarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd! So his house was like 2 miles from there so he runs home while I set at the bar....waiting...texting my mom "hey! incase something crazy goes down, I may need a ride!" lol! Of course it didn't. He came back huffing and puffing like he'd ran in from the parking lot, took care of business and we left. He said "You know, I don't see how things could go more wrong." And I said "Don't worry about it, it's really no big deal." and he said "You are too great!" hehe!

So yeah a few days ago, he officially became my BOYFRIEND! I'll explain later why that's a big deal to ME! :D But needless to say...I'll say it anyway...I'm happy!!! His bff, some family, all co workers and all his hockey team mates already know all about me. (IT's been 10 days!!!) Fast, right? Yeah, I know. But I told him one night about how I really, really enjoy being with him. I was "dating" 5 guys when I met L. (him being one of the 5) Well I'll tell ya, 5 is too damn stressful. So I cut it back to 3 but L seemed to be the one I talked to the MOST. I enjoyed him the most. So I let go of another one (who just wanted sex, no thanks) and then there was L and D. After the first date with L, I let go of D. L is way too impressive for me to be comparing to anybody else. He calls himself "legendary" and either I'm brainwashed or something, but I agree. :D

So the reason HE made me think of and go into spanx-free stuff is b/c of HIM I feel beautiful. I feel more confident right now than I ever have. I got back to running and he eats "clean" so he's a major inspiration to me. YES, he has seen me naked and I was a little insecure at first w/ my hangy lower stomach but he never flinched. He was amazing! So I got way more comfortable with it myself! So I started running errands with no spanx. Little by little I've released myself into this free, swingy world of excess skin! :/ But I gotta say, it feels good. B/c when I feel like my roll is hangin over a bit, I think to myself "I've lost a lot of weight and I look great!" and it totally works. I go right back to not worrying about it!

See some of you guys may wear spanx like...recreationally! I wore them like...it was a job! I wore them dusk to dawn, during workouts, during hikes, and ocassionally feel asleep in them! So I had my first official run 2 days ago without spanx. Man, I was feeling soooo insecure then! I was running outside (where people who see said swaying skin) but I felt good in my shorts and I wore a looser top so it'd hang and not cling to me. I ran fast that day! BUT I did notice something. It seems like everytime I run my mind is in overdrive thinking about what feels good, what feels bad, I can do this, it's hot out here, my pants are falling, my bra is riding up, etc. BUT doing all that thinking has lead me to buy workout clothes that work well with mybody, over time. For example, running in spanx, I had to get TIGHT pants that had a drawstring to sench up even tighter b/c the spanx hold my stomach down SO FLAT that my pants would ride DOWN my lower stomach to my crotch! lol! How do skinny bitches keep thier pants up if they don't have a fat roll in the way???? NO clue. Anyway, and then I would wear a super tight athletic top, racer back thing that was snuck against my body as a second layer to hold the boobies more in place so they don't bang me in the eye. So on this le-naturel run (sans spanx) I had troubles! My shorts STILL slid down. So yay, guess not much lower tummy roll for them to hang onto anymore. BUT my top rode up! OMG! So pants sliding down, run run, top riding up, run run, god it suuuuuuuuuuuuuucked! It was so distracting. I don't know about u but I'm not a fan of running and tugging at my clothes, that's why I had previously over analized it so much in the past! So I think it's time for some more workout clothes. But I did 2.5 miles that day was just starting to catch a cold and I SWEAR it helped me not get so sick. But I am still sick right now, which sucks. Oh well!

Now...product reviews!

These are so delish, I swear to you, better than beef to me!!! They have probably 20 diff flavors but I could only find 5 at my store, of the burgers that is. So I bought 3 and haven't tried the other two yet, but this one rocks. So what I do with it is cook it in the microwave, add a slice of cheese, melt the cheese and just eat it like that! So it's like a bun-free and condiment-free burger! :D Delish! HIGH IN PROTEIN, LADIES!

I heard about these on the radio from my fav local DJ. A few days later, I spotted them in a gas station! So I grabbed up the original and bbq flavors! THEY are heavenly, delicious and taste JUST LIKE regular potatoe chips but lighter and crispier! So, so good! I've only found them in these small bags so far (convient store size) but they are 100 to 130 calories for the whole bag! I don't think that's too shabby for a snack or a side to go with a small wheat sandwich or something. They ARE a slider food so you have to be mindful that your band won't limit you on these, BUT you would have to deliberately open a 2nd bag to eat more!

Here is the link to my NEWEST dating advice column article: http://www.examiner.com/dating-advice-in-phoenix/divorce-and-separation

And here are 3 for my photography column:

http://www.examiner.com/life-photos-in-phoenix/sun-s-rays-through-clouds

http://www.examiner.com/life-photos-in-phoenix/phoenix-mystic-clouds

http://www.examiner.com/life-photos-in-phoenix/somebody-order-a-side-of-dust

Love you guys!!!

xoxo,

Lizzle