Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Dear Winner Winner Chicken Dinner,

CONGRATULATIONS on your win with 18% of your pounds lost from your body! I imagine you feel like a new person with almost 20 lbs off of your small frame.

You were consistent and dedicated to the cause, thank you for showing up and working hard week after week! I have a check for $190.00 for you and I hope that you will enjoy every second of spending that hard earned cash on yourself!

Thank you everyone!! You all did a great job and I think you all feel like winners! You should, almost everyone lost something and I can bet that everyone gained some knowledge and a desire to be their healthiest, atleast I hope anyway.

CONGRATS you are done!! March is a new challenge starting tomorow, so if you are interested in the new guidelines than let me know and we can get you started... for the rest of you, it's been fun. Keep working hard and remember that anything worth having, is worth the time and sacrifices it takes to achieve.

The Lady Has Sung

Becca 133, 126, 126, 124, 121.5, 119, 116.5, 115.2, 114.5, 112 (-21, 15.8%)

Steve C 245, 242, 237, 235.8, 235.5, 232, 228, 227, 227, 225 (-20, 8.2%)

Silvia 130, 130, 128.2, 126.6, 125.8, 126, 124.2, 124, MIS, 122.6 (-7.4, 5.7%)

Sam 214, 212, 211, 210.4, MISS, 210, 208.6, 207, 205.8, 203 (-11, 5.1%)

Kara 205, 203.6, 202.2, 199.8, MIS, 199, 199, 198, 197, 194.6 (-10.4, 5% )

Steve T 237.1, 237.1, 235.4, 233.7, 231.2, 229.6, 229.6, 229.2, 230, 227 (-10.1, 4.2%)

Dawn 193, 193, 193, 191, 189, 189, MIS, 187, 186, 186 (-7, 3.6%)

Jaime Boot127, 127, 126, 125.2, MIS, 125.2, 124, 123, 122.6, 123(-4., 3.1%)

Jamie R 149.6, 148.6, 146.4, 146, MIS, 147, 146, 146, 145.2 (-4.4, 2.9%)

Brenda 134, 136, 135.1, 133.5, 134.5, 134, 133.5, 132.8, 131, 132 (-2, 1.5%)

Nicole 186, 185, 182.5, 185, 182.5, 181.5, 180.5, 183, 183.5, 184 (-2, 1.1%)

OUT

Teri 142.1, 142.1, 140.8, 135.4, 135.7, 135.9, 135.3, 135.2, 133.8, 132.9 (-9.2, 6.4%)

Shaun 248, 244, 240.5, 236.5, 231, 231, OUT(-17, 6.8% )

Cassie 156, 154, 151, 151, M 150, 152 M, 151 OUT (-5, 3.2%)

Sunny 137.4, 140.4, 140, 136, 137, 137.2, 135.3, MIS, 137, (-.4)

Rachel D 209.7, 208.6, 205.3, 205.3, 201.7, 205.9, MIS, OUT (-3.8 , 1.2%)

Abrig- 231.2, 228, 226.2, 223.9, 223.8, MIS, 221.6, MIS (-9.4, 4.1%)

Allison 159.6. 158.6, 155.8, 156, MIS, 154.4, 155.4, 154.6, MIS (-5, 3.1%)

Jenn S 147, 147, 145, 143, 139, M, 144, 141, MIS (-6, 4%)

Jessica 131.4, 129.6, 128.8, 129.5, 130, 129.4, 129.8, 129.8 (-1.6, 1.2%)

March Madness

Hi friends,
I just wanted to shoot out a quick email to those of you that told me you were interested in March's weight loss challenge on my blog. I will be corresponding with you mostly through email during the month, but the blog (http://www.poundpinching2010.blogspot.com/) will also update you on things, and you can always text me as well. Please send me a confirmation that you are in fact planning to join this month long challenge.
So, as you know I have been working hard for about two years on my journey into the health and fitness industry. I am trying to pave my way and carve out my "niche" I am still not to the point that I feel like I have an exact goal in mind, but this challenge is baby step number one to figuring this out. With that being said, you are actually paying me $15 for one month of virtual training/coaching. I want my customers to be satisfied, and maybe even pass my name a long to some friends. How big this gets, I don't know... but for now I am anxious to start with you seven. I appreciate you trusting me with your health.
Please mail me a check for $25. That secures your spot in the March challenge. As I said before 10 dollars will be going in an envelope for the winner of the month to collect by losing the highest percentage of lbs lost. First offical weigh in will be Thursday March 1st and the last will be Saturday March 31st. Again, I will be collecting everyone's weights (preferrably by text so they are all in the same place) on SATURDAY MORNINGS by NOON! First weigh in will be THURSDAY MARCH 1, THEN AGAIN SATURDAY MARCH 3, and EVERY SATURDAY BY NOON AFTER THAT. I know I sound like such a pain in the butt bolding and capatilzing that, but I don't have time to text/call/or email everyone to remind them to weigh in. THIS IS YOUR CHALLENGE, AND IT WILL BE WHATEVER YOU MAKE OF IT. I am holding you accountable SO BE ACCOUNTABLE!! You are allowed to miss only ONE weigh in. If you text me at 12:10 pm on Saturday, or 2:30 pm Saturday... that is a missed weigh in. If you fall off the airplane heading towards vacation, and you forgot to weigh in before you left, that is your missed weigh in. We owe it to eachother to do this right.
Included with your $25 check to me will be unlimited support by email, facebook or text, inspirational and information on the blog, one workout that you can use at home or in the gym, and I will assist you with some nutrition guidelines. PLEASE TAKE NOTE, no amount of exercise is going to get you skinny. WE have to manipulate your nutrition and there will be times you do not like that. But if you want to get the weight off, it has to be done.
Starting now, I would like you to record all food you eat for the next two days, and email it to me. I can see what you are "usually" eating and where we can tweak a few things to get you shedding the pounds. Don't worry I am not going to go nuts and take away everything you ever liked, and I will only be giving you suggestions. It is your body so you can decide if you will follow my guidelines or not. You are paying me, and I would take advantage of my knowledge and really see what ONE MONTH of pure dedication and hard work can do for your health, your weight and your self confidence. I promise, getting fit was hands down the BEST thing I have ever done for myself, and for my family.
I will email you each an individual workout based on what your circumstances are. In your email with your "Food journal" please tell me if you have access to a gym, or if you will be working out at home-- and if you have any equipment at home that will be useful (weights, treadmill, exercise ball etc).
So, that is housekeeping :o) March 1st is in two days, so if you are ready to start the rest of your life, and want to get in on an amazing deal where you can actually afford it, and we can help keep eachother accountable... I am your girl for the month of March.
I look foward to hearing from each of you!

Journey

Thanks for everyone who weighed in today, I can tell some of you have peetered out.
I hope through the last eight weeks you have really come to see what a process weight loss and health are. You don't ever get to stop working towards the "ultimate healthy lifestyle." You don't reach a goal weight and then get to go back to eating the way you used to, or you just gain your weight right back.
Nicole said that she has strived hard over the 80 lbs (I think that's how much) she has lost to not make any changes that are sustaiable for her over the course of forever. I respect and appreciate that, and really challenge you to do the same.
Don't go crazy giving up all sugar, all processed foods, all take out, all soda, all cabohydrates, all alcohol or whatever your "thing" is. You have to take baby steps and make sure you have one "change" stuck to you like glue before you take on another. Don't hit the gym for three hours a day every day, unless you plan to maintain that forever.
It is a constant process of evolving into the healthiest version of you you want to be-- and are willing to be.
Sometimes it takes sacrifices and watching other people partake in things you just simply, can't. When you have decided what you want and why you want it, these sacrifices seem like easy choices because you know that anything that doesn't take you closer to your goal, just takes you further away.
I would say that if you have lost between 5 and 10 lbs in the last 8 weeks you have given me reasonable effort. Considering only if you have that much to lose. 1-2 lbs is considered healthy weight loss per week, and sustainable. For the average person if you drop 20 lbs in a month or so you will realistically gain that back. Defy those odds if you dropped big numbers. Defy those statistics that say people will likely gain double what they have lost during a specific "diet."
If you lost less than 8 lbs, and have reasonablly 8 lbs to lose... ask yourself "Did I really put forth my best effort? Did I turn down the treats more than you said yes to them? Did you stop at one drink? Did you get 30 minutes of exercise in each day?" (Stop lying to yourself, you DO have 30 minutes, somewhere in your day to exercise. I am not talking about weight loss here, I am talking about heart health and disease prevention!)
Don't return to old habits! Keep your new healthy ones and remind yourself of the work it has taken to get you here, to February 22, 2012.
The best gift you can give yourself and your family is a healthy body and mind. That directly corelates with your weight, health, and body image. If you see yourself as a happy, healthy individual-- you will be a happy, healthy individual.
One more weigh in, see what you can do in one week! Give me a week, no cheats, just plain ol good clean eating and hard exercising. See what pushing yourself to the limits can feel like, and what reward you can receive by doing it.
Make it a great week friends!

March

Hello all my readers,
We are two weeks away from finalizing this round of our competition. Everyone has done really well and it has been amazing and a bit overwhelming to have so many people involved! I have really liked our facebook group, I think the more people that we have able to correspond and support one another the better off we are-- and the more likely we are to reach our goals.
I have had a lot of people ask me if I am going to start another round of the competition. I have gone back and forth and the best answer I can come up with right now is this.
YES and NO.
Yes, I am willing to facilitate another competition! Yes I love assisting everyone with reaching their goals, I love being accountable to you, and I think that we help eachother succeed.
That being said, it is not going to be ran the same way.
This go around, the entry fee is a big fat 25 dollars for March 1 til April 1, 2012. 10 dollars of each 25 dollars I receive would be going into a pot for the winner with the highest percentage of weight, lost. The remaining 15 dollars of your 25 entry fee will be paying me, the one behind the blog.
(I really want people who are really really ready to shed some weight and make some good progress. I am not really looking for the "Week day warrior" here. I want people who are fed up, ready to get rid of some weight and are going to remain commited to their program for the month).
I was hesitant to try this at first, but then I realized at some point-- I have got to either start making money at this, or I have got to let it go. It honestly takes away more time each week than I am willing or able to give away it this point.
At some point, in the future, I would really like to start working as a personal trainer. I know I have the personality for it, I know I have the basic knowledge for it, and most importantly I have the desire to help others reach their goals.
So this is kinda like, baby step one.
With your 25 dollar entry fee you will be getting unlimited text messaging/facebook correspondence with me, you will continue to get health and inspirational blog posts like usual, you will get one workout per week that can be done in a gym or at home emailed to you, and I will work closely with you on your nutrition plan. Of course, you understand that I can't guarantee you results, and that I am only able to furnish you will the knowledge that I currently have.
I thought it would be a good idea, if you are planning to do this competition to email me a food journal for three days, (two week days, and one weekend day) so that I can study what your pattern is, and look for ways I can help you tweak your diet to see better results. I also will want to have a record of what you have been doing for exercise and what you are willing to do, as well as what your goals will be.
This competition will open up March 1st. If I have people interested, we will do this thing. And if people look at 25 dollars and think that's too much money and you aren't willing to try it for a month, no harm done. You will keep your money, and I will get a little of my time freed up!
So text me, email me, facebook me, or comment here and let me know if you are interested. I will not enter you into the competition until I have received your 25 dollars in the mail.

Universe

You know how sometimes you think to yourself "Man, that is just what I needed to hear."

I have thought it at church, during a movie, reading a book, on facebook, on blogs, even on those billboard messages where they put inspirational quotes that change randomly.

I have thought.... "that message was just for me," and felt extremely thankful-- or sometimes, extrememly guilty. (haha)

First thing I read this morning was an excellent blog post that I shall summarize for you here....

It asked me why I am doing this? Why I am dieting so strict, why I am working so hard at the gym.

Define your goal, and define why you want to reach your goal or you (And everyone around you is going to be miserable). You will have to make sacrifices along the road of this journey to the end result of YOUR CHOOSING. If the reason you are doing what you are doing is strong enough though, they wont feel like sacrifices at all. No body is holding a gun to your head telling you that you have to live this way or eat this way. You chose to set a goal and this is the way to get to that goal.

If your goal is to be healthy and improve your well being. Moderate exercise and moderate diet are the key. If you want to totally transform your body, and you can in 4 to 6 months-- it is going to take on point nutrition, and that alone will do it. You can not exercise your weight off. You have to eat your weight off, so stop complaining and just do it.

Once you have identified WHY you want to do something, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3. Just do it, and enjoy the results of the hardwork (cuz there are days it's gonna be hard).

The main point here to ME, was I made a choice... something that I couldn't live with not fulfilling. So I am on this road because I NEED to finish a goal I set for myself to feel like the best me I can be. There are nasty bumps along the way, but nothing I can't fight like heck to get through.

Bottom line for anyone wanting to get rid of extra weight you are carrying around.

NUTRITION IS KEY. You can't exercise your extra weight off.

Then, I ran into this on facebook, and it was talking to me AGAIN!

"If you are tired of starting over, STOP giving up."

So where are you at? What are your goals? What are you willing to do to achieve them? Stop giving up, start doing your thang!!

Holding Out

I am so sorry, I realized I have been holding out on you my best kept (new found) lunch secret.

It's a little piece of heaven.

It's this... go to Winco or Fred Meyer and buy rice noodles (they are clear and can be found in the Asian section, they are actually brown rice noodles so they replace the usual boring ol brown rice)

You boil water, remove from burner and add your noodles for 10 minutes (I eat 2 oz. of noodles)

Then, you chop up half a chicken breast or so and add this spicy peanut sauce that is in the same isle as the noodles. It's called Tsangs spicy peanut sauce. It is an orangish brownish color sauce with a black label and red writing.

It is healthy and so.freaking.good.

If you really wanna get crazy you can throw some stir fry veggies or shrimp in it. And then you have what I call "The skinny Mongolian" lunch. So good, I am going to open a restaurant with that name one day so don't steal my idea.

Seriously, like put that on your list right now and buy it tomorow. You will be in love.

Who am I?

I have had a rough morning to say the least. I wish I could blame external factors for the overwhelming stress and guilt I have felt all morning... but I can not. I have brought it all on myself by using words that were not thought through before they were spoken.

I have prayed and prayed and beat myself up for almost 18 hours now. Luckily I haven't felt this way for a long time, and after this situation I can honestly say I don't think this issue will come up again.

A long time ago during a family home evening my cousins husband said something nice about each of us in the room. I remember him getting to me and what he said surprised me. That I was genuine and that I never talk bad about anyone. That I always lift other people up.

That struck my heart and made me proud of who I am.

Today, I haven't felt so proud and I definitely haven't lived up to that description that I so want to be accurate of myself.

Lessons learned. As I have used this blog as an outlet for encouragement and a place to share the struggles of going from an unfit, sad about the way I look mom, to a super fit, happy, and inspired mom. I have always wanted this blog and my journey into the health and fitness industry to be one that is backed by love. Love from myself, and love from the Lord... sharing that He wants us to be happy, He wants us to set goals, and He wants us to give our very best at whatever we choose to do.

I have chosen this road and I love it every single day. There are hard times, times when I feel like a cookie monster who could eat every whole box of cookies in the Wal Mart isle. Times when I have gotten hurt, times when I have gotten tired and wanted to quit... but each time I have been able to remind myself of what I really really want in the long run-- and remembered what it takes to get there.

One foot in front of the other, one meal at a time, one sweat session at a time.

I am not perfect and I have never claimed that, but I have said that I am trying my best and am aiming for perfection-- with the realization that the Lord is going to make up where I lack.

So today, I encourage you. Take a look at the person you are inside, and worry less about the person on the outside. Are you happy with that one? Are you doing the things that please your conscience? Are you doing the things and saying the things to and about people that would bring happiness to their hearts (as I say to my 4 year old)? If you aren't, I say-- re evaluate who you are and what you stand for. It is never too late to make the right choice, never too late to be a good person who is genuine and kind-- that builds others up around them.

Right now-- I am doing my best to accurately represent that description that was said about me years before. If I have caused hurt or sadness or anger, I am truly sorry-- and I will do better.

Lonesome Dove

Can I be real here for a quick minute?

Sometimes life in the healthy lane can be lonely. I feel like people are either "with" me or "against" me sometimes. Of course, that could just be me, being me, and over thinking everything once again. But, I don't think that's it. I exercise all the time, I eat healthy most all the time. I don't eat "this" and I wont ever eat "that." I don't discuss my eating or my exercise routine in detail, ever, unless someone asks.

And they ask a lot. And I hesitate usually to spell it out because I always walk away from the conversation feeling like I am weird. Or I walk away frusterated because person A asks my advice, but then says x, y, z and that is why they can't follow my advice.... or actually they just don't want to. They don't really want to change they just want to talk about it, but then live like they have always lived.

Which is great, if they want to have the results they have always gotten. Then keep doing what you're doing people. And please, stop asking me what I do and what I think.

So naturally, like anyone else I can have a "down" day. Things don't work out the way I thought, one of my kids throws up, the dog is muddy-- again, or I find my two year old has ruined two pairs of my workout shoes by walking around in one of each pair in the back yard and getting in the mud with the friggin dog. (funny? yeah, it's true.) I have a flat workout, I teach a class that isn't freaking bumping. (I like my classes heavy, intense and energetic), and let's be honest, every workout just doesn't "work out" that way.

Sometimes, my goals aren't getting met the way I want them to be. Sometimes I just want to eat 3, errr 20  freaking girl scout cookies dangit!!

But, in my new life... I don't eat cookies or cake or taco bell. (But in my older life, like the one from 9 months ago, I did fyi)

Now I have other ways of dealing and coping and I feel healthier mentally for that.

Anway, back to the point of the post.

I have been having some lonely days lately. And I have been having some down times where I feel like I don't even know what to do to help the people I have promised to help... and somehow the universe knows that I am in a funk and sends me healthy angels with comments like these, and I feel happy and healthy and thankful to be sorrounded by people willing to work hard.

"Thanks for believing in me, and for the support."
"Thanks for being there to get me through my food crisis"
"I really think your classes are great, I appreciate all that you do to encourage us and push us to do more. Thanks"
"I don't know what it is, but this time, losing weight is so much easier. It is just clicking for me, thank you "

Sometimes, being healthy can feel so lonely. But, most the time it is really so rewarding to see other people realize their potential and that they really can be anyone they choose to be, and any size they choose to be.

So next time YOU feel alone... don't! Text me, or email me, or comment on facebook. WE ARE NOT ALONE. We can support eachother!!

Progress Pictures

January 2nd 2012. Hopping back up off the beaten trail and getting back on track. Ready to commit to excellence and my best effort was in over drive.

Today is February 7th 2012, and although I could pick these pictures all apart. I choose not to. I choose to report that I have been faithful with my meal plans, diligent in my workouts and I am on track to be the best me I can be.

Do you see what I see... below? That is what makes my heart feel really really happy. All that muscle poking through. It was a year or so ago I saw a picture of a girl in Oxygen magazine and thought that I wanted a back like hers.

I can honestly say, I like mine better and it is only getting better and better. To me, my strong muscle is sexy.

Hard Days

There are always going to be rough days. I thought the get in shape girl was bomb.com the day she posted on facebook something to this affect...

"Proof that I'm human, I really don't want to go work legs and drive through the snow to the gym. Proof that I am dedicated? I am going anyway."

So true. Jen over at Recipes for Gals in Fitness and Bodybuilding today commented that if you are just starting out and you don't crave your gym time yet, to keep on trudging along, because at some point-- you just wake up and realize, "I can't waite to get to the gym to train." It happens over night and then you are hooked.

Have I told you lately things keep breaking at my house? I told my husband that people say the 7th year of marriage is the hardest, not because of eachother... but because crap just breaks all the time and it starts to rain on any parade you might feel like having.

Case in point: The lock on my car door (my 2008 car) stopped working a few weeks back. Had to be fixed. Husband lost the remote to his stereo in his truck. (That one is on the back burner). The dishwasher broke, (had to be replaced) the furnace stopped working, (had to be fixed, thank Heavens for a kind neighbor who hooked us up with a huge discount or that would have been 300 dollars!!!)

My four year old woke up throwing up everywhere in the middle of the night, (The first night my two year old has slept through the night in forever and a day) ironic. Poor ol girl was sick all day. My husband was working, so there was no completing the grocery store run I had planned on, and training at the gym had to be pushed back til 6 when he could get home. Then 6:30 when he actually got home. My son fell and bit through his lip for honestly, the like 6th time total. That child is going to have some major scar tissue build up on his lips.

I did not want to work out at 7 pm tonight. I wanted to stay home and eat muffins. Carbs, lots and lots of carbs...

Doing what is required when you "don't feel like it" is the beginning of building a champion of spirit - of reliable character - the short-term result of discipline- applied - when the going is tougher - has tremendous long-term pay offs - in that you end up with fewer and fewer moments or circumstances where "I don;t feel like it" even enter your mind - and you not only "do" what is required - but you do so with a crushing mastery and authority over the task at hand.




And, as I thought about how decadent those muffins could possibly be-- I remembered something Scott Abel posted on facebook today. (See above) And I was burning with the desire to get to the gym and pick up heavy crap and put it back down. Picking up heavy stuff and sweating is a part of who I am, a very big part. It helps define me. I am a health nut, gym rat who likes to push her body to the limits and LOVES taking anyone along on the ride who will hop on.

Life is not easy, circumstances arrise and sometimes we just want to throw the freaking towel in. But, when we make a conscious choice to "do what we are supposed to" anyway, I think the payoff is big and the reward is bigger.

I am on a journey to become the best self I can become. And part of that best self is training in the gym very intensely right now. Part of that is eating very strictly right now, and on the days where I don't feel like it... I have commited to push through because that is what is required to achieve excellence.

I wonder how many times those football players yesterday have thought about skipping the gym or a practice. Probably a lot, but the reality is that champions or championship teams are not built or maintained on skipping out on the blood, sweat or tears.

Greatness, Champions, and Mastery are built on blood, sweat and tears alone.

If you have fallen down, get back up-- dust yourself off and commit to the next 3 weeks to give your all. To do what you are supposed to even when the whole world feels like it is stacking against you-- push hard and push through anyway, and see how sweet the satisfaction can feel.

Super Bowl Sunday

Well I didn't even know it was the super bowl this weekend. Last weekend my trainer said no cheat meal next weekend. Meh, I didn't care. I have been on fire and I wasn't concerned or stressed by the fact.

Today I realized it is the super bowl and it seems RUDE!!! No cheat meal on the super bowl.

Well, that separates me from everyone else in the freaking world.

Then I logged into facebook and realized a million other people are stressing over the fact that they just aren't "regular" and can't just eat whatever they want whenever they want.

So, as goes life! Superbowls will come and go and other events too. Will I regret not eating pizza or other treats tomorow? NAAAA. I won't. But I would regret cheating on my meal plan and the guilt would be suffocating.

How about you? Are you enjoying treats and cheats today, or are you staying on your track? What strategies do you use? I chew sugar free gum all the live long day!!! hahaha Watermelon is my favorite!

complimented

i showed up at my gym jam this afternoon ready to do work.
back and biceps baby, two of my favorite parts to train.
my new friend bob (seen him everyday for months but just got his name today) said "building some real guns there huh"
yeeeeah boy i sure am.
i was on set 3 of pulldowns and a trainer came over and said "look at that back! dang i saw it from across the room"
thats good i say!
i have been training for months and months and those are the first compliments i have received.
i totally have a happy heart now...

but the note here is, it takes a while for you to see changes, and A LOT longer for others to notice. keep on keepin on cuz it feels good to work hard and mold your body into the body you want! its all about you so make it happen baby