I’ve been working with the HTC for the past few weeks, testing out their latest phone, the HTC One X+ and I’m having lots of fun with it. I’ve been an iPhone girl for a long time, but I must say there are some pretty cool features on this device. My personal favorite is the 8MP camera with built in filters and a self timer also, the Beats Audio has been cool to listen to Pandora with while I’ve been doing the Plus Size Princess Fitness Challenge.

With the HTC One X+, you’ll have access to all the great apps you love including Instagram. There are a lot of rumors about having to pay for apps, but I got all the stuff I love from my iphone on this HTC phone for free.

Now for the good stuff… I’m giving a phone away to one lucky TBGB reader! There are five fun ways to enter, details below:

Content and/or other value provided by our partner, HTC.

Ready to enter? Click here to get started!

Okay lovelies, I’m going to make this one quick.

Between the holidays and Miami I somehow managed to gain 10 pounds. (Womp Womp) Remember last week when I said my scale was going up and down? Yeah, well it settled on 10 pounds heavier than my lowest weight on Thursday.

Since seeing that number on the scale I’ve jumped into action, I haven’t had any wine/cocktails, I’ve been cooking relatively clean and I’ve been taking different types of cardio classes like African dance and boxing. I’m on MyFitnessPal now too, add me as a friend! Those things have enabled me to drop seven pounds, thank God!

I swear, this weight loss thing is not easy!

The numbers on the scale are starting to look better and I have three more pounds left till I’m back at my lowest weight. Then I will jump into my next goal of losing 15 pounds. I’m thinking no wine/cocktails until that goal is reached… I love having a yummy glass of wine here and there so abstaining from alcohol will be a good reminder of what I need to accomplish. It will also be a good reward when I can finally have it again.

Maybe I should dangle a bottle of Cabernet above the treadmill?

How are YOU guys doing? Any big losses? Big gains? Plateaus?

xoxo

A lot of you were asking about the dresses I wore while I was in Miami earlier this month, here’s the rundown!

Maxi Dress: Asos, Shoes: Avenue, Bracelets: Avenue, Bag: Steve Madden (see links below)

Silk Maxi Dress by FatPhrocks

Dress: Jessica Simpson, Shoes: Avenue, Bag: Old (see links below)

Shop the look…

The minute I locked eyes with the tall chocolate man behind the register at Urban Outfitters, something inside me awakened. It wasn’t love at first sight, but more like whoa you’re really hot and you keep looking at me maybe you think I’m hot too– whatever feeling that is. He kept glancing over at me from behind the counter and I kept pretending not to notice, while panicking on the inside. I was buying candles and a pair of sunglasses (all that would fit me from that store), and wasn’t sure what I should do if by chance I was called to his register.

This was (before Robert) when I was starting to understand that a Plus Size Princess can never predict who will be attracted to her. I had been going to the BBW parties in NYC and the experience of going to bars/clubs where my size was not an issue was doing amazing things for my confidence.

So there I am, making eyes with the store clerk at Urban Outfitters with butterflies in my stomach. I was next in line and there was a 50/50 chance I would be called to his register… but do to a missing price tag, I wasn’t. Instead I was waited on by a polite hipster girl who wrapped my sunglasses in tissue paper and sent me on my way. As I tucked my credit card into my wallet I snuck one last glance over to my chocolate cashier and to my terror/glee he was staring at me too and he smiled.

When I got home, I was still thinking about him. Without speaking he had stirred something up in me and I couldn’t ignore it. I wanted to know more about him and the way he looked at me was as if he was interested. Before I realized what I was doing, I googled the phone number for Urban Outfitters and dialed it.

“Urban Outfitters, how can I help you?” a cheerful woman answered.

I froze– I hadn’t really thought through what I would say, so I began to wing it.

“Hi… Um… I was just in your store and I think one of my friends was working the register but– the line was so long I couldn’t speak to him… he’s a really tall black guy with a bald head?”

“Oh, yeah– Brian, he’s here but he’s on break.”

“Okay, um… can I maybe leave a message for him?”

“Sure,”

“Okay– Can you tell him that CeCe called. Here’s my number…”

I gave her my name and number, hung up the phone and exhaled deeply. It was a random slightly stalkerish thing to do, but somehow it made me feel better. I was becoming more fearless when it came to men, less convinced that everyone was going to reject me. This was good.

Two hours later, my phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize.

“Hello?”

“Yeah, this is Brian, someone left a message for me to call this number… CeCe?”

“Yeah, that’s me, um… hi.”

“Hello”

“I was in the store today and you kept looking at me… I just… I just wanted you to have my number and I figured since you were at work you couldn’t ask for it.”

“Oh,” he laughed. “Well, a lot of girls come in the store. What do you look like?”

I couldn’t bring myself to describe myself as big/plus size/fat (I’ve grown more since then, but at that time it wasn’t happening) so I offered to text him a picture.

“Okay cool,” he replied. “send it to me now, I’m about to get on the train though.”

We hung up and I sent my most recent, cutest, full body pic. I figured I was being more forward than I had ever been before, there was no need to hide now. 40 minutes later I had a text back:

You are so beautiful

Ready for Part two? Click here!

So… I’m not losing weight.

For the past 2 weeks the scale dips down and then it zooms right back up again. I don’t think I’m in a plateau situation but I’m trying to see what changes I can make to get the scale moving in the direction that I would like. The first thing I’m doing is nixing alcohol from my diet. My life in NYC is very much surrounded by cocktails. My week can have a combination of wine with Robert, after work cocktails, open bar blogging events, etc. and those are calories that aren’t necessary, so I’m starting there. The Plus Size Princess Fitness Challenge (#PSPfit) is 100% about getting fit and healthy and I’m definitely doing that but I want weight loss to be one of the results of a stronger healthier life.

The other thing I’m doing is finding inspiration to keep trying. I spent the weekend looking at plus size swimwear by Simply Be and fantasizing about wearing a more daring bathing suit this summer. Of course, I find inspiration from the #PSPfit girls on twitter/instagram/tumblr. I’ve also found motivation in having legit workout gear because new gym clothes make me want to go work out more.

The latest addition to my #PSPfit wardrobe is from JCPenney’s Xersion line, The pieces are perfect for an active Plus Size Princess. Their racer-back tank flares out at the waist, so its not tight on my tummy. Their colorful jackets are designed to loop your headphones through the pocket so you don’t drop your phone. Best of all, they make really amazing workout leggings with reflective stripes and a pocket in the back for your phone/keys/credit cards. Its nice to have plus size active wear that goes beyond leggings and a t shirt. Just call me “Sporty Spice”

Photos taken with the HTC One phone!

The sizing on these items is pretty standard. Everything I have fits like a glove and the shirt and pants have adjustable draw string waist bands. Also note that the tank doesn’t have a shelf bra, so I’m wearing a sports bra underneath, but the shirt is made to camouflage that.

How are YOUR 2013 fitness goals coming along?

Snag Plus Size workout clothes from JCPenney & Xersion below!

Has anyone seen the “skater dress” styles online?

It took me a minute, but I realized, skater dresses are just a modern version of A-line dresses and I love them! As we all know the “A-line” dress/skirt silhouette is narrower at the top, flaring gently wider toward the bottom kind of like a letter “A”. Skater dresses get their name because they resemble the dresses the figure skaters wear; that same “A” silhouette but shorter.

Sometimes, I feel like traditional A-line dresses make me look matronly, so skater dresses will be a fun alternative for me! Thanks to everyone who helped me choose my first skater dress from SimplyBe in December.

Between SimplyBe and ASOS curve, there are lots of cool skater dresses to try, including a leather one that I’ve featured below.

Photos by Zanography

Have YOU tried the skater dress trend? Did it work for you?

More Skater dresses below…

This past Saturday I was standing on the corner of South and 4th streets in Philadelphia after seeing a fabulous concert with my sister. I felt comfy/cute in a cozy pink sweater, black mini-skirt and knee high suede boots. While attempting to hail a cab back to our hotel, a car full of people sailed past us and a voice cried “Heyyyyy Precious!” from the back window.

He was talking to me.

(If you don’t know who/what Precious is you can read up on the movie here and get images of the actress who plays Precious here).

In the spirit of everything that we talk about here on TBGB; loving ourselves, knowing that our weight doesn’t define us, etc. I’d love to say that I shrugged the comment off and went about my night, but my skin isn’t that thick yet, I’m still growing up. Being called “Precious” annoyed me to no end. A huge part of my annoyance was with myself for allowing the “Precious” comment to hurt me in the first place. Once I calmed down, I knew I had to process the insult from both directions. 1.) Why is calling a girl “Precious” proper ammunition for hurtful verbal assault? 2.) Why does being called “Precious” feel like hurtful verbal assault?

I find it interesting that people rarely refer to the actress who played Precious by her actual name, Gabourey Sidibe, instead they always call her “Precious”. Do we call Halle Berry “Catwoman”, “Monsters Ball”, or “B.A.P.S.”? No, we don’t. So why do we insist on calling Gabourey ”Precious”? and why do we insist on calling fat girls with dark skin Precious… it’s clearly a punchline for many people, but why?

I actually have a lot in common with Gabourey Sidibe, we’re both big girls with dark skin, we both enjoy acting/performing, we’re both New York based, we’re both a little quirky… so if you said “Hey Gabourey!” I could see the similarities and go about my day.

Being called Precious is something different– Precious is a tragic character on many levels and her weight/eating is an outward reflection of the characters deeper issues. On a more superficial level, for many people “Precious” is synonymous with “Big Black Girl with Dark skin”. Some people might think of being big with dark skin as a double negative (fat is considered an undesirable state for most people, and in the African-American community, having dark skin can also be seen as undesirable). So they hurl the “Precious” insult at girls like me to address those characteristics. Lucky for me, I love my chocolate complexion and I stopped shedding tears about my size a long time ago, so those things are not what hurt me.

The more I think about it, when I hear Precious my mind goes to that scene in the movie when she’s running down the street eating a huge bucket of fried chicken. I think that’s what I find insulting.

I frustrates me that no matter how dolled up I get, no matter how cute my clothes are, no matter how fierce my makeup is… some people will look at me and immediately see a big black girl running down the street eating a bucket of KFC.

I’m sure I’m not the first Plus Size Princess to be called “Precious” and the issues I’m raising will take more than one little blog post from me to be explored, but I just thought I’d mention what happened to me because I found all the dynamics around it pretty fascinating.

Feel free to offer comments in the section below… thoughts???

Hi CeCe,

I’ve been following your blog for a long time.  I want to start by saying how beautiful you are and what a great role model you are for bigger (for that matter, all) girls everywhere!

I’m hoping you can give me some advice regarding my 18-year-old daughter.  By society’s standards she may be on the lower end of plus-size (12/14) but she trains competitively in the sport of horse show jumping and I am not exaggerating when I tell you that 99% of the young girls in that sport are rail thin. She has never let her size stop her and has received many accomplishments in jumping her 3 horses, has many girl friends, and a lot of riders admire and look up to her.  She’s a good student, a hoot to hang out with, and has never gotten into trouble.

The problem, of course, is guys.  I’m now dealing with the third time she’s had feelings for a guy who only wants to be “friends”.  All three have been super great, good looking guys who I would have had no problem with her dating.  They were all so nice to my daughter and wanted to hang out with her and do things, but wanted to date the rail thin ones and not her.  Then she gets her heart broken and it kills me.

I’m by no means thin, but I was at her age so I’m having a hard time relating.  I seem to go back and forth with my feelings.  Sometimes I want to scream at her to maybe start exercising hard (she does a lot of riding 6 days a week but nothing else and no interest in anything else) and eat better so she won’t keep getting her heart crushed.  I have to walk away when I feel like this because I don’t think it’s the right approach.  She’s an adult now and has to make her own decisions on how to take care of herself.  Sometimes I feel jealous of the skinny girls’ mothers not having to worry about stuff like this.  Sometimes I just feel in despair about the whole situation.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read your stories about Kevin and Robert when I’m feeling down about her.  It reminds me that love is possible at all sizes (I think you’re adorable by the way!) and that my daughter’s time will come.  

How did your parents deal with your size growing up? Did they nag you to lose weight?

-Worried Mom

Hi Worried Mom,

Thanks for writing (and for your kind words *blush*)