But all in the name of a new year, new you 

Hello, 2015! What is it about the new year that makes us feel like we get a clean slate for everything? I don’t know about you, but for me I was just as tipsy and exactly the same weight I was before I gave my husband a New Year’s smooch as I was after, but still, I love the idea of starting off fresh.

This year, I have resolved not to make any resolutions but focus on things I’d like to try/see/do this year. If they don’t work out, I won’t beat myself up. The first things, of course, are what I’m eating and wonderful girly things like makeup and shoes.

When I had my daughter, Gracie, I fell deep into “mom mode” – sweats, ponytails and eating whatever was at hand – which usually meant something chocolate or some grape soda to help with my sugar addiction. This past fall, I made the decision to get back into taking care of me. I started eating healthy and working out a bunch. I cut out some stuff but also added a lot of yummy things.

I have a Pinterest board called “Not Taco Bell,” named so because I had a slight addiction to Mexican fast food for many years (judge away). The board is full of nutritious stuff. My favorite so far is a Thai chicken chopped salad that is so holy cow yummy that it made me almost forget that it took me approximately an hour to make – an hour. Boiling chicken. All that chopping. I know, I know. ... Chopping is necessary for chopped salad, but I’m inherently lazy and was starving by the time I got this thing done. Yet, it’s totally worth the work. It’s spicy and peanut-y, and did I mention yummy? The calorie information says it’s 284 per serving, and it’s filling. It lasted me about three days and was totally worth the work. A definite Pinterest win!

Now that my belly was full of something more nutritious than a burrito, it was on to more selfimprovement.

I used to be a makeup artist, and again, that has been an area I have slacked off on in my life since staying home with the kiddo. My beauty board on Pinterest is called “Gettin Pretty Wit It” and has a bunch of fun things to try. Instead of just baby-stepping my way back into makeup mode, I decided to dive in and try out the whole facial contouring thing. If you’re not familiar, this is an ancient Hollywood secret to make your face look thinner that has been recently made more mainstream by Kim Kardashian. Her pre-blending contoured face is all over Pinterest, complete with how-to’s on highlight and contour and blending. Even though my chopped salads are helping me drop the pounds, a girl can always use a little help making dem cheekbones pop.

Let me just say, I can’t imagine the time it must take for KK to get ready every day. So. Much. Work! And truth: You look pretty crazy during the process. Once you get your highs and lows on, pre-blending you pretty much look like a Kabuki doll gone wrong. My husband walked in at the halfway point. I can’t repeat what his response was, but needless to say, he walked off laughing and shaking his head. I blended for what seemed like an eternity. Did my face “look” more angular? Sure. Would I ever go out in public like that when I wasn’t going clubbing? (Is that what the kids call it these days? It’s been so long.) Absolutely not. The end result would be great for pictures, but for my everyday schedule of working out, Target and picking Gracie up from mother’s day out, it was a little much – a bit like wearing a mask. Until the paparazzi starts following me around Shreveport (who knows, it could happen), then I think I’ll stick to my normal routine.

My final experiment was easy. I saw a pin that claimed to have the miracle cure for the excruciating pain you experience when wearing high heels for any length of time. I’m 6 feet tall but still love me some cute platforms when the time is right. Apparently, if you tape your third and fourth toes together, it releases the nerve that causes so much pain in the ball of your foot in heels. Easy enough, especially after making salads and painting skinniness on my face for what seemed like days. This worked ... kinda. Once you get past the weirdness of your toes taped together, it’s not too bad. Admittedly, I wasn’t out dancing, but it seemed to alleviate some of the pain. The verdict? I say give it a try. All in the name of good, girly things.