Plus Size Thrift Shopping in San Diego

Gone are the days of shopping the men's department of Old Navy for jeans (speaking of Old Navy, all of their flip-flops are on sale for only $1 a pair on 6/28/14...score!). As a teen I had extremely limited plus size options as well as extremely limited funds, so I had to make due any way I could. Over time more budget friendly and fashionable options have become available for those of us curvy ladies.

I started thrift shopping, or "thrifting" back in NYC. I was totally amazed at being able to find
quirky and fun threads for super cheap, especially in such an expensive city. But I became a hardcore thrift shopper here in San Diego, where thrift shops are plentiful. Thrifting is a great way to save money for other, more important things (like paying bills, OR having a social life). You can find all kinds of things, from clothes to furniture, dvd's and books, you name it!

That's me on the right! Photography by ThriftingDiva.com

I recently went on a San Diego thrift shopping bus tour hosted by Thrifting Diva. It was perfect! We were driven around to some popular thrifting spots, which offered all of us deep discounts and some goodies. Oh and the hostess with the mostess (Ayana Pitterson) provided us with snacks (and moscato); it was such a fun time!  We went to Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill (on 16th and Broadway), UCP, Thrift Trader (on Iowa street), and Frock You.

There were very limited plus-size options at each of the stores.  By the way, for your reference, the fashion world considers a "plus size" starting at a size 12 (some at a size 10).  Most of the stores did have options for the plus 12-14, but very little 16+.  The Goodwill on 16th and Broadway had the most size variety, and the prices were great (I will share pictures in a later post); I bought 2 tops.  Thrift Trader (on Iowa street) had the most options.  There was a rack (towards the back of the store) dedicated to just plus size, and they also have a room on the 2nd floor for just plus size clothes.

We didn't shop this store on the tour, but the best place for plus size thrifting in San Diego (that I've found so far) is at Great Curves in Point Loma.  That is my main go-to store when I need new threads.  The price is right and so is the variety!  I scored a size 20, Calvin Klein LBD, brand new with tags for only $25!  The owner only accepts the best donations for the store, and she will make a deal with you if you find any imperfections in the clothes.  The place is huge and also offers shoes, accessories, and clothes for children.  They offer clothes in all sizes, but they specialize in plus size.

So the moral of the story is, when you are done with your clothes, donate to a thrift shop so we can have more options at these places!  Also, when you are thrift shopping for plus size, go with a lot of patience.  Many stores do not have rooms or racks dedicated to just plus size, so you may have to go through all of the racks, but trust me sometimes you will find a great score.

What are your favorite thrift spots in San Diego?

Thyroid Health - update and possible solutions

Status update! So back in April I mentioned I was feeling a little down and wondering why I have not been losing weight, and discovered I potentially have a thyroid/hormonal imbalance. Since then I've been playing "Inspector Gadget", and along with the information I gathered from the Thyroid Sessions I decided to do a few experiments on myself.

One of the take-aways from the free thyroid sessions was the importance of incorporating iodine in your diet, especially if you feel you have an under-active thyroid. There was something about that information that clicked with me, so I went with my gut and looked into different iodine supplements.  Since the beginning of May I've been taking a daily dose of Atomidine which I purchased via Vitacost.  It's very easy to consume and it's almost tasteless; it's like licking a teardrop or tasting a little bit of salty water. I take a bit every morning.  All you need is one drop a day in a little water, so easy to do.  I started noticing the effects about 2 weeks in, along with continuing to incorporate more live foods (fruits, salads, vegetables) in my diet.  I felt more energized and overall more motivated.  I don't know how to explain how bad I was feeling back in March/April.  My energy levels were virtually depleted and with that so was my motivation to do anything. Now I find myself kind of like how I felt last summer; full of energy and ideas, and hopeful of the opportunities to come.  I don't fully credit the Atomidine with completely transforming my energy/motivation levels, but I do give it some credit because I think it helped to possibly restart or replenish something inside which was preventing me from being at the level I needed to be at.  I think of this product as a part of the gas my "car" needed to run.

Another piece of useful information I got from the thyroid sessions was the importance of good gut health. Basically making sure you have enough good bacteria in your stomach to help you properly digest and break down the nutrients in food.  I was previously taking a daily spoonful of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, which I got in liquid form from Vitacost (yes I love shopping on there).  Let me just say, it tastes great (the black cherry flavor)!  If you want to incorporate more good bacteria in your diet, this is a great (and easy) way to start.  I upgraded to a probiotic, and so I currently take 2 pills a day of Vitacost AdvanC® 1000 mg with Probiotics. This is another great way to get vitamin C and some good bacteria.  Over the last 30 days I've become this supplement machine; I just want to make sure my body is getting everything it needs to run properly.  

I think the combination of supplements mentioned has greatly improved my health overall because I am feeling much better.  Because my energy is higher now, I've been able to start exercising again.  I do some light exercises in the evening, at home, including some Shrink Session by Erin Stutland.  I really feel I am on the right track.  The best piece of advice I can give you, when it comes to improving your health, is listen to your body.  If you feel something is off, even when the doctors are telling you everything is fine, take that extra step to do your own research and find what works for you.

If you're interested in purchasing any of the Vitacost products I mentioned in this post please consider using my referral link =)

I am not a Vitacost affiliate but I do get reward points for every person who I refer to their site, which you can do the same once you sign up (free).

By the way, have you checked out my FREE E-BOOK? It's called "Greens on the Side" and will help you get started with your weight loss goals in just 5 easy steps. Check it out =)

Hate Exercise? Try this CHALLENGE instead

I hate to exercise. Exercising is like a chore and a bore. However I love to move my body. What's the difference? Well, exercising to me means being trapped in a gym forced to sweat on an elliptical for an hour. Moving my body means having fun. You can burn calories in so many fun ways by doing things you love, like dancing. I'll share with you in a later post other fun ways to get your body moving.

In this post I want to focus on Erin Stutland's "Say it, Sweat it" challenge. I took the challenge when she first had it, last year, and loved it. It's completely free and once you register she sends daily emails with inspirational words and a video to get your body moving. Unlike typical workouts, Erin incorporates movements with affirmations, similar to her "Shrink Sessions". Each movement corresponds to a key phrase/affirmation to create more positive shifts. She also teaches you ways to incorporate a more positive attitude overall and how you can use these affirmations to work on other areas of your life.

I love this challenge because aside from being free and available for you to do at your convenience, you can also opt in to join our community on Facebook. In our FB group we share our progress in the challenge and anything else we want to discuss that's relevant to our health. Erin also posts giveaways for the participants via FB and Instagram.

If you're like me and it takes you a while to get motivated, at least view the first video and see how you feel about participating. There is movement involved but it's a gentle and positive process which you can do at your own pace. Looking to rev up your weight loss goal and improve your health? Pair this free challenge with my free ebook: learn 5 simple and easy steps to help you get started with your weight loss goals.

Have you done the Say it Sweat it challenge before? If so, how did you like it? What other challenges have you done that worked for you? Comment below and feel free to share!