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

Things have got to change

I have mentioned a few times about my amazing stud of a husband, and my two adorable little monkeys... my daughter is 4 and my bubba boy is 2.

My husband has always been really health conscious and at times has been over baring and obnoxious about his health desires for himself and for me. I have grown to ignore his obnoxiousness and have even changed over the past almost 10 years into a smaller version of him. Kind of.

Anyway, I used to eat McDonalds and Taco Bell and ice cream... like maybe a lot. He didn't really approve or appreciate this. I don't think he appreciated the cost of it, and I know he didn't appreciate me feeding my body crap food. He sorta practices and has always believed "you look a lot like what you eat."

The kids, have been fairly good eaters from the get go. As I have evolved into a pretty much health nut like my husband, I have still allowed the kids to teeter in both lands. The healthy lane (Eat this veggie and you can have that brownie when you are done), and the fast food lane.

I read a blog (can't find it now) and thought the woman was nuts. She was wigging out over the babysitter feeding her kid some McDonalds (He was three and never had fast food). Really? Is it that big of a deal? I was going to post how I thought she was a bit of a crazy lady last week, but then I thought better of it. She is incredibly fit, and obviously an incredibly nutritious eater... why would I judge her for that? I am sure she doesn't give a crap that I sometimes drive through the take out window and pick up something for the kids, while I waite til I get home for something nutritious.

I admit, I have thought about her blog several times since reading it.

I read another blog, the one where I got the sex topic, and she had said that her family is fairly frugal and spend a rather modest amount on groceries each month. She said her kids eat what they eat, and she doesn't buy sugary drinks or treats at the store. Kids have resisted but after going to bed hungry a couple of times, they have learned to eat what is made for dinner.

Can I just tell you that I have been making two different dinners for, like a year, most nights? My kids love fruits and vegetables, but their idea of protein is a turkey dog or chicken nuggets from Costco. I felt guilty making them eat a boneless skinless chicken breast and vegetables for dinner just because the man and I were. They have come quite accustomed to this, and will turn down breakfast or dinner, knowing that I will rescue them with a snack later. Even though the snack is usually a healthy option (greek yogurt, apple with peanut butter, rice cakes etc.), they know it will be there so they refuse my________ (Tacos, chicken breast, spaggetti etc).

Tonight we had a beautiful dinner prepared for us at their grandparents. Yummy roast, an amazing salad, and nutritious rice. They would have no part of it. Fine, I allowed it, but wouldn't let them have dessert when all the other kids were eating brownies.

Two minutes after we got in the car my 4 year old says, "call dad and ask him to make our dinner."

"Are ya freakin kidding me?" Seriously, 20 minutes ago that beautiful dinner right on a plate in front of her.

I put my foot down. No, I would not be making another dinner, neither would dad. And no, there would be no snacks before bed. And in the morning, they can choose to eat oatmeal, yogurt or eggs and if they want to skip that meal as well, so be it. But I am done feeding two seperate meals twice a day.

The law has been laid and we are all going to eat healthy. McDonalds chicken nuggets aren't healthy for me, and I am not even growing anymore. So why on earth would I fill my kids up on them and have them become addicted to a place that is contributing to the childhood obesity rate? I will not anymore.

What do you do? What do your kids eat? Do you trick them? Cuz I do feel pretty tricky when I give them a milk shake (protein powder, milk, spinach and berries). What is your stance?

Vanity

I was reading on a friend of a friend's blog last night about the topic of SEX. Wow, I can't believe I am typing this on my public blog. But got me thinking a lot so I am going to share my thoughts and ask for yours.

Her post was talking about her and her loving husbands sex life after several years. How it evolves and how things change over time, how they make it better, more interesting, and more loving. She also mentioned that she doesn't "expect" her husband to find her sexy right after she has a baby, launching into the fact that her baby is a couple months old and she is getting back to eating healthy and exercising. *Note, this chick is 130 lbs, and looks absolutly beautiful... but she doesn't FEEL beautiful or "sexy" would prolly be the better term... because she just pushed a kid out of her chotch two months ago, her skin is still a bit saggy, and her muscle tone is lost. I think she referred to herself as skinny fat... although I'd take her frame and figure in a heart beat. (Side note)

This made me remember when I was pregnant with my first baby. Oh my, my, my. It was bad friends. Picture this... that picture to the right upper corner of where I started, with the worst acne all over my face. Like reallly, the worst acne you can imagine, that is what it looked like covering my face, chest and back. Then imagine that picture of my face swelled up times two, literally. My belly was HUGE. My stretch marks were horrifying. HORRIFYING. This is not me being dramatic, my husband saw a picture from my baby shower with me a few weeks later and we didn't even recognize me. We didn't know I looked "that" bad. Honestly, it was pure freaking hell on me. I was used to being an averagely good looking girl, with a little fluff on me. And I turned into a ginormous walking turn off. It was hard on my husband. He'd be lying if he said otherwise, and I would be an absolute idiot if I expected or thought he could be attracted to that. It was horrible, it was not who he married, I felt ugly, and I looked ugly.

Anyway, we had sex-- yes. But it wasn't that "blow your freakin" mind kind anymore. It was just have sex because normal people in normal relationships have sex. And eventually after our little princess was born and growing, I was able to get back into a routine of working out, eating healthy, and got me a mean perscription of Accutane. Slowly but surely I started feeling like "me" again, and slowly but surely our sex life was getting back to that "blow my freaking mind, my husband is amazing in bed" kind.

So my conclusion is that regardless of how I looked, my husband loved me. He wanted to make love to me and nothing would stop him, of course unless it hurt because I was huge and lets face it... when you are preggo there comes a point when it just wont work anymore for a while. :o) But, today-- when I am in the best shape of my life, (like actually and physically looking) I think our sex is the best ever.

I don't think it is because we have been together for almost 7 years, I think it is because for the first time in our entire married life-- I am pretty much at peace and thankful for the body I have, and I am not afraid to have "the lights on" if you will. I think the confidence that I have in my body makes a lot of things in our relationship better-- He finds my boost in confidence sexy, I feel like I "deserve" my sexy man, to the fact that I know he is attracted to me, and me only. I know that he "wants" me, and I "want" him too.

So, for you. Do you think it is important in your relationship to keep yourself looking and feeling good? Do you think the importance is on "looking" good, or actually "feeling" like you look good?

Come on!! Let's hear it!

Workouts

One of my favorite workouts is called Tabata, it can be used with any exercises you like but here is one I have done with my bootcampers
You do each exercise for 20 seconds, rest 10, then go again for 20 seconds. You do each exercise for a total of 4 minutes

high knees
squat jumps
jump switch lunges (lunge position hopping switching legs)
pushups
vertical leaps (touch floor with finger tips, jump as high as you can)
squats
jump foward squat, hop with feet together back twice
burpees
wall sit
lunge left leg foward
lunge right leg foward
tricep dips off of a chair

repeat circuit 2x or 3x if you are advanced

Workout 2
warmup doing each exercise for 30 seconds, do it twice:
jumping jacks
back lunges
high knees
prisoner squats
pushups
slow mountain climbers

1 minute of pushups
1 minutes of prisoner squats

1 minute wall sit
1 minute wall jumps

30 seconds
prisoner squat
High plank (in pushup position)
single leg hip extension
close grip pushups
side plank
side plank

30 seconds
supermans (on stomach pull shoulder blades together)
T Pushup (pushup to side plank position)
Lunge switch jumps
Single leg deadlift
Other single lef deadlift
Squat jumps

break, repeat 2 or 3 times.

Who are you

I wrote on a sticky note about a year ago

"Who are you going to be? Make a decision, and make it happen."

It is still taped to the mirror in my bedroom and on some occasions it has annoyed me, and on others it has pushed me to get to the gym, dig a little deeper, or to put the graham cracker with peanut butter down.

My California friend doing the weight loss competition brought up the topic of feeling overwhelmed a little bit by always trying to do the "right" thing. Confessing she hadn't had a poptart, toaster strudel, or other processed junk food in so long, but admidetly missed it. A few years back she ate that stuff all the time and is skinnier than she is now.

Well, there is medical terminology and explanations up the bum for why as we age it gets harder to lose weight. I don't know them, I don't even care that much either to tell you the truth.

She said that she is so sick of feeling guilty after eating a cookie, that she admires these bodies of fitness models and figure competitiors but has realized that isn't really what her goal is.

I read that post. I re read it. And I thought, "this girl has got it goin on!" She may not FEEL comfortable in her own skin that she says is 10 lbs over weight, but I have a very good feeling she is almost there because of this statement.

She has realized that it isn't her goal to look like so she is at 10% body fat. Honestly, most fitness models you see are at or below that, and they are also airbrushed to look freaking amazing. Most of them also eat a strict diet every single day of their lives over and over again. They do not eat cookies, they do not drink soda, they do not have cheat meals often. I read once on a girls blog who was both beautiful and amazingly fit that she has a cheat meal 3 times a YEAR. Her birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Pauline Nordin said the last time she ate pizza was in 2008 and and before that was 2004.

I mean, that is nuts to me. I don't want to be that girl. Would I like to look like her? Ya, who wouldn't? But at what cost? These women have their entire careers, their homes, their food, their livlihood is based on them keeping their picture perfect body as picture perfect as it can get all the time.

I am not saying, eat processed foods, sit on the couch. I am saying CHOOSE WHO YOU WANT TO BE, and then be ok with the decision that you made. Our wants and desires evolve every day of our lives and what we want today is probably not what we will want in 6 months or a year. But for now, make a plan to be as healthy of a YOU, you can be.

I think it is good to get advice and/or sorround yourself with people that are as healthy as you or healthier. I think it is good to network with people and learn and gain from them what you can, but at the end of the day-- you get in your bed, you sleep with your spouse, and you wake up again the next day-- in your own shoes.

We all need to stop striving to be a "Jamie Eason" or a "Pauline Nordin" or a "Jaime Baird" or whoever it is you think is rockin. I have seen people on facebook want these women to SPELL out exactly what they do, eat, lift (Weight and repetition wise), how they run etc. They want to BE them. This will not happen. We can not become someone we are not.

For the 95% of us who are just working out and eating healthy-- we will never make a dollar off of it. We are just doing it to do it, to feel the sweat and to feel the burn. To feel the satisfaction of knowing that we have molded and sculpted our "temple" into the most beautiful, strong building WE can, with what resources WE have, and in addition to the millions of other things (that are equally and in some regards more important) we do all day every day.....(kids, spouses, jobs, pets, family, volunteering, church, blogging, neighboring, cleaning, etc.).

So to you, Melissa, and to you-- dear reader really look at your life. Look at the person you have become and think about the person you want to become. Be grateful, don't sell your self short, and don't underestimate your greatness. Be the person you were designed to become and enjoy the process of getting there..

and for the love of all things eat a damn cookie every now and again, and enjoy it.

Weight loss Clinic

My trainer is offering 3 weight loss presentations this week at his gym. They are covering whole food nutrition for weight loss. They are not selling any diet products or food, just covering the fundamentals of nutrition and weight loss. They'll be handing out a short term weight loss program for free....
if you are interested I can help you get in touch with him... I think it is worth the time to check out!!

Happy People

Someone from my weight loss competition posted this the other day and I laughed hysterically!!

To quote Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde "Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy and happy people don't shoot their husbands."

HILARIOUS!

So true! She was talking about her babies being sick and she hadn't been able to get to the gym until that day and she was feeling much happier since she had gotten in a sweat session.

LOVE IT. I feel like that every friggin day. For some people eating healthy and clean are super easy, but getting their butts to the gym is like getting my 2 year old to stay in his bed all night... it just aint gonna happen. But for me, I crave the gym-- and I crave cookies. :o) The biggest lesson I have learned and can teach you, and please please please just learn from me is this... YOU CAN NOT OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET!! If you could, I promise you I would have done it-- because honey, I aint gonna lie... mama is pretty freaking CARAZY in the gym.

It just doesn't equal out. You have to eat super clean, and train super hard, and rest a plenty to get lean.

So, if you don't love exercise yet- keep on a goin, as soon as it becomes a habit-- something you do everyday just like you shower, brush teeth or eat, you will realize how much you need it when bumps in the road come along and you are taken out of your routine.

Happy people exercise. Exercise makes people happy. Happy people exercise. Exercise makes people happy. (just keep chanting til you get your butt to the gym tomorow morning).

What are you doing this week to get closer to your goal?

Work It Work It

Good job this week-- everyone but one weighed in and had a loss I believe! It is hard to lose weight and it is hard to maintain weight loss so pat yourself on the back!

That being said, I am gonna go a lil "Jillian Michaels, sensored" on you for a second.

If you are commited to getting rid of this extra weight. If you are tired of looking in the mirror and being sad about what you see. If you are tired of your clothes fitting tight, or not fitting at all. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired.

LISTEN THE HELL UP!!

You have to make lasting changes. Like the post April posted, it takes 6 weeks to drop 5 lbs, and it takes one day to gain it all back plus some. You HAVE to make small changes you can maintain.

The get in shape girl taught me about rules she made for herself. One of hers was, "I do not buy candy in the grocery isle at the store" so you know what? She NEVER does. She may buy a candy at the store (probably not cuz she is really lean, but she might) but it aint from the candy isle. One I made for myself is after dinner "I do not eat anything except cottage cheese or a protein shake." So I suggest you make some rules for YOURSELF that are liveable and manageable for your lifestyle.

It is hard to lose weight, but if you really want to lose weight. You just have to do it. You have to say no to "treats" more than you say yes. You have to go to the gym even when it's snowing, even when you are tired, even when you'd rather sit and watch Grey's Anatomy. You have to make a healthy dinner, and I say you have to make and encourage your family to eat what you are eating. Healthy food is not just for a dieter. Healthy food is a way to nourish your body and the sooner you teach your entire family how important it is to eat clean and healthy, the better the whole family will be.

So, I challenge you this week to be 100% commited. Give me 7 whole days of good, clean, nutritious food, and give me 5 workouts that are strong. If you need a cheat meal, because you have been really strict, or 7 days scares you-- take it tonight, make it one meal (make it a meal and a dessert even) and make it a good one. And then buckle the hell down tomorow morning and eat like you are eating to live, not living to eat. I say "GO BIG or GO HOME BABY!! Don't half commit, COMMIT DANGIT!! Each meal ask yourself, is this taking me closer to my healthier body, to my ideal weight? Or is it taking me further away. The holidays are over, stop making excuses.

Paula Deen anyone? I gotta post coming on that, because you know what? I have an opinion, and I think it is a good opinion. You can not feed your body crap and expect to be healthy and disease free, and I don't give a damn how much you weigh. You could be 120 lbs or 290 lbs, crappy unhealthy food WILL catch up to you, dangit.

weigh in!

Don't forget to give me a hollar tomorow by noon on your weight!

May the scale gods be on your side!!!

Body Measurements!

Have you measured yet?!

If not, DO IT today! Before you make any other progress that you will wish down the road you had documented. Take pictures too!! Do it Do it DO IT!! Please trust me, do this.

Weight watchers reccomends these places to measure.

right upper arm- midway between the shoulder and the elbow
waist- one inch above the navel (I do belly button because I am horrible with guesstimating measurements and keeping the measuring tape thingy even.
hips- at the maximum width of your booty.
right thigh- just below your butt cheek.

DO IT! I promise you will want these numbers on the days that the scale isn't moving, you will want these numbers when you are down another 10 lbs, you will want to remember how far you have come. Don't delay-- do it today!!

Body Image

Today I was asked a question that I have given some serious thought to. I am going to try and relay my feelings, the information I have learned, and everything in between.
One of our challengers said that if she remembered correctly I had always really struggled with weight, and wondered when-who and what has pushed me over sorta to the other side of being fit.
First of all, this challenger lives far away and has never seen me in person. She has seen pictures and we have corressponded for several months through fitness and health over the internet. She thinks I am a little cooler, a little thinner, and a little buffer than I really am. Internet has a way of doing that huh?! (But I secretly really like that about her haha)
 So my story is sorta like this.

I saw this picture from Christmas 2009, two months after my son was born and decided something had to change. January 1st 2010 was my first official start day to making fitness and health a priority-- not to mention I never wanted to see a picture of my face like that again.

So I started going to the gym and making goals for myself. The first of which was to run 3 miles, then the commitment to run a half marathon race in July of 2010.

That brought me to about August of 2010, which is when I discovered take shape for life. I had still been doing a TON of cardio (About an hour or hour and a half 5 or 6 days per week.) I was eating but as I have spent my whole life doing, trying to out train the bad diet that I had. Processed foods, eating out, junk was a good part of my day-- although I did keep calories in check. I was just not eating "good" calories.





10 lbs lighter and I felt so much better. At my thinnest (with little muscle tone) I was at 127 lbs. I always felt fat though. If I were put in a room of 10 other people I always FELT like the big, broad shouldered girl. So frusterating. I was spending 10 or 11 hours each week and yet, I still felt fluffy. And I was only eating around 1000-1200 calories a day.
I set out for my next goal of becoming a group fitness instructor. I learned a lot, I searched the internet high and low and I began learning about lifting weights and eating clean. I found the get in shape girl on the web and she narrowed my focus to weights and taught me about the cold hard facts-- I COULD NOT OUT TRAIN A BAD DIET. ( And neither can you :o( )

So I started training with the get in shape girl and cleaned up my diet.






I got to here with her...

I trained with Big Jon, bodybuilding guru for 3 months and he got me here...

And Looking at those pictures, I feel so good. I feel like I looked really good. But at the time, I felt fat. I still felt like the big girl in the room. I still only saw stretch marks and saggy skin on my stomach. For two months prior to this picture I ate a strict, strict, strict diet of lean meat and little variety. I was at the gym for about 3 hours 5 days a week and 1 hour the 6th day. This was intense. I quit right after this picture was taken and haven been on "vacation" from eating what I should be since, which is right about three months.

I took a progress picture last week, and I really DIDN'T want to share it. It is embarrassing, it is humbling, it is sad. It hurts to look at it, and it hurts to show it. My heart hurts bad seeing it, yet again. But, it's real life. Its part of the cycle that we all face and when we aren't careful it is what we let ourselves become.

The difference from finishing with Jon in October 2011 to today is 12 lbs different. 128 at my lowest and 140 today. Granted these pictures were taken right after a vacation and lots of sugar. They look a "little" worse than they really are.

I started right after the first of the year with you all, getting back to clean eating and lifting weights. I am following Jamie Easons free live fit trainer from bodybuilding.com and I am hoping I will see good progress with it. The thing is, is that the nutrition is extremely clean but varied. So I have to figure out how my body responds to the variety. I have figured out that I respond well to strict diet, but I got a little sick of living life like that-- so strict and no room for error.

It seems like my whole life has been that way. I have to work extremely hard, I would venture to say, harder than the average person to look the way I look. If I didn't spend 10-12 hours in the gym each week, I assure you I would look nothing like ANY of these pictures. I have to be very very careful about the food I eat.

So when I really put it out there and I tell you what has made the difference between the bad pictures, the ok pictures, and the good pictures the KEY is nutrition. It is for-going "bad" food. It is eating chicken breast, brown rice and broccoli for lunch every day. It is never eating sugar. It is always saying no to anything other than extremely lean foods. It is busting my butt at the gym, I always lift for an hour to an hour and a half and it is 30 minutes of hardcore HIIT on the treadmill or stair climber. It is hard work and precision. It is extreme. It is not liveable every day of my life.

As I reflect on each of those pictures too, I am reminded that in each one, I was suprised how much better the picture looked than I felt like I looked. Distored body image I think a high percentage of us have. I have it. I am trying to learn to deal with it. I am extremely grateful for this body, for the functions in performs, for allowing me to have beautiful children, for pushing through grueling workouts. I am extrememly grateful, but I am also extrememly hard on this ol girl. I am quick to say something negative (in my head), I am quick to notice every frickin flaw I have. I will never be able to maintain that 11 or 12% body fat I was at in October 2011 unless I give up on food and give up on ever enjoying it.

Do not trick yourself into thinking that if you lose 10 lbs, lose 20 lbs, lose 50 lbs you will be happy. You will be happier, yes. You will be healthier, yes. But I really think that human nature is to not be satisfied-- that can drive us hard and keep us thirsty for sucess, but it can also be really damaging to ones image.

I am trying daily to keep in focus the important things, and allow myself to appreciate the good things, while striving to "ignore" the imperfections that I do have.

As I look in the mirror this week, I see a swollen puffy reflection. As I look down at my own arms I see definition and muscle tone. I realize that the two pictures are so different and it is irritating as hell. I try and remember my own advice to you, to realize that the reflection is much better than your eyes are showing but it is a daily struggle to remind myself and BELIEVE that.

So, because I am still struggling-- and probably always will struggle with body image I don't have a lot of advice to offer other than work hard. Commit to yourself to keep working and realize that you are a work in progress, just like the rest of us. And remember that perfection is not attainable, so try and feel gratitiude with what you DO have, and at the end of the day-- realize that in the eyes of the Lord, you truly are a perfect masterpiece.

Week One Gone

Hi Challangers!
Good work this week. Almost everyone lost that is so great. Keep your chin up if you didn't. I sometimes refer to "Scale Gods" and I will give you a little lesson on these mysterious gods that I have learned.
The scale gods are sometimes on your side. Picture it-- all week you eat healthy part time, but you indulge in everything that comes your way too. You skip a few workouts, but you make a couple too. You eat ok the day before the weigh in and you ask the scale gods to be generous. Sometimes they produce (-2!) yay! Sometimes, they do not. (Same weight, weight goes up)

Picture this. You workout all week, in fact last night you went to the best instructors class on the planet and you freaking busted your butt and you burned some MAJOR calories. You ate healthy all week, and you said no to most all treats. You get on the scale... and what does the scale gods say? They say (same weight, or plus 1)

Picture this. You work out all week, you eat whatever the heck you want and you know that the scale gods are going to be brutal in the morning. So brutal you really think about using this as your ONE missed weigh in. It's gonna be ugly and you don't want to face it. Then you step on. Scale gods say (same weight, or minus 3) What the crap?!

These scenarios are all personal scenarios that I myself have experienced. Sometimes the scale just doesn't reflect the facts. This is why I encourage taking measurements (a post to come), pictures (a post to come), paying attention to the way your clothing fits, and the scale each as guidelines. They all make a piece to the puzzle in weight loss, health and fitness.

The scale can be messed up based on water retention (did you drink enough h20? Did you eat sugar, drink a soda late,drink alcohol, did you workout hard, is it the time of the month, did you get 4 hours of sleep?) All those things contribute to retention. All those things make the scale look higher than it really is.
This is also why I recommend weighing one time a week. One time a week-- at the exact same time in the exact same clothes (or lack of clothes for me). It gives us an "average" picture of what your weight is looking like.
I will tell you know that I weigh 140 lbs, and I look far better than I did a year ago at 127 lbs. I have a lot more muscle tone and my skin is much tighter.

I just don't want you to be obsessed with the scale, or scared of it, or sad at it. Always remember it is just one piece to the much bigger healthy puzzle. And, if the scale gods were on your side and gave you a loss  that your habits don't really add up to-- do what I say and run the hell in the healthy direction and DON'T look back! You can not keep up the unhealthy habits and think they will grant you your wish again next week. I promise you it was a gift to be thankful for and untilize. If the scale gods were naughty and didn't add up to what your actions accounted for, look foward to next week because it will probably be a big weight loss of a week for you-- assuming you keep on track.

Remember, nothing tastes as good as being strong and healthy feels. Keep at it challengers!

Weekends

The weekend is here!!!

Wooohoooo!!

I will teach you something it took me a very very long time to learn.

You can not work hard all week long at being fit and healthy, then go crazy on the weekend, and expect things to balance out.

Weekends account for a MAJOR amount of time per year, and going crazy eating unhealthy crap all weekend long derails the progress you made all week. It makes you work your friggin butt off all day Monday, all day Tuesday and it makes you pray your butt off Tuesday night that the scale will be atleast back to where you started last week-- so you don't show you gained any weight.

Don't play this game with yourself. Don't take a cheat weekend. I promise you, you will regret it and it will make your progress SO much slower. So pick a meal, or pick two, or pick a meal and a dessert. ENJOY IT!! And then get right back up on the healthy train. Take one day of rest from the gym, not two. Take one and ENJOY IT.

Lifelong changes we are working on here, not week day changes. Don't feel the guilt of going overboard on Monday.

Good luck, and enjoy your families, enjoy your friends, enjoy a cheat if you feel the need-- enjoy LIFE. It's the only one you are gonna get.

21

Did I count that right?

21 challengers?

Dang Gina, thats a big ol pot of money!!!

I was chitchatting it up with my favorite dad today talking about how many people are doing this competition and the money involved and he made the million dollar statement that I think you should all remember every, single day.

"There will be no losers, everyone will win."

That's right baby, everyone will WIN. If you change one unhealthy habit to a healthier one, if you lose 5 lbs, if you sleep better, if you drink more water, if you start exercising, if you get off a medication, if you feel better, if you win the whole she-bang.... you will have won.

Whatever keeps you going, whatever pushes you through when the going gets tough... keep on using it. You have 8 weeks to push yourself to your limits, 8 weeks to turn not good habits into better ones, 8 weeks to feed off of eachothers encouragement, and energy. Take advantage, get involved on the facebook group. Ask questions, give answers. I guarantee if you are wondering about something-- someone else is too.

Work it!! Push hard, today is the day to make yourself your priority. Health is the best gift you can give yourself. Don't live with regret. Make it a great day.

Weigh In

There was a bit of confusion from a few people on the set up of the blog. I hope you are all checking it frequently so you are seeing how I have it. Notice your name and your weight are listed. If this bothers you, please let me know and we can come up with a "code" name for you.

I have always been brutally honest when it comes to my weight. I realize that from day to day the number on the scale will vary up to 5 lbs depending on what workout I did the day before, how much water I drank, if it is the time of the month, if I haven't had a bowel movement (tmi there huh? sorry) etc.

I also realize that the number on the scale is just that, a number. It does not tell the whole story. People even GAIN weight, yet look better when they start building muscle. People lose inches when no number has gone down on the scale.

The scale neither reflects who you are as a human being, what kind of friend you are, or how much worth you have. It is one of a million different things that can be used to describe you.

Please do not get crazy with the scale!! I myself weigh every day to keep myself on track. It is a tool for me to say, "yay, things are working well" or "ahh crap, guess I didn't need that second helping of whatever it was". There were days in my past when the scale going up would ruin my whole day, make me a grumpy mom and force me to dig into the cookie jar in sadness. But those days are becoming a distant view in my rear view mirror. I am working so so hard on letting go of whatever the negative is or was and focusing on the positive. I encourage you to do the same.

If you lost 1 lb today, do not, DO NOT go eat a cookie to reward yourself. You do not deserve to fuel your body crap to congratulate it. You DO deserve to go have a sweat session to thank your body for performing for you. I encourgae you to plan a weekly meal for a cheat, (Ex: Saturday night) but other than that-- keep it clean and keep it healthy. Consistency is key in losing and maintaining weight loss. If you didn't lose a pound, or you went up-- who cares? This was just a check point and you have a whole brand new week spread out before you.

Work hard, eat clean, and thank your body for being yours-- for jumping when you tell it to jump, for running when you say run, and for processing the food you feed it. There are people all over this world who do not have the luxury of taking their mouths for granted, of taking their legs for granted.

This is your ONE body. How are you going to appreciate it today?

Day Two

Hi everyone! I am back and ready to get this train started with you all! I am so excited there are so many people participating.

People that are fed up. People who are ready to make a change. People who refuse to give up. People who are going to push through when times get hard. People who are going to encourage eachother. People who are ready to make 2012 their big year.

I remember being so ready to lose those pounds. TO GET RID OF THEM. I remember being so ready to make healthy choices in the kitchen and in the gym. I remember watching other people go ahead of me and do the HCG diet, or a meal replacement program and drop weight like crazy fast. I felt jealous and insecure because my weight was coming off so much more slowly.

I am going to tell you now, don't be jealous. Don't be insecure. The weight you shed through blood, sweat and tears is weight that stays off. It is weight that is GONE from your life. And the journey you take to get there is worth a celebration every step of the way.

Maybe the scale doesn't move one day. But you drank 10 glasses of water, and you avoided sugar that day. That is a success. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but you walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes for the first time, or you tried a new class at your gym. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but you ran up the stairs without getting winded. Maybe the scale doesn't move, but your blood pressure is down, or your cholestrol is better than it has been. Those are all success stories, and don't YOU forget it.

If you ever feel down and out, I challenge you to scribble down the things you ARE doing, to move your body to be a healthier version of yourself. Human nature focuses sometimes on the negative things. (I had a soda, I ate ______, I didn't exercise) Get those negatives out of your vocabulary, but most important get them out of your mind. Just like every aspect of life, when we focus on the positive-- more things really are positive.


I have commitments from the final 4 people on our list to do this challenge, but I haven't heard a weight. Remember that you need to text or facebook me your weights tomorow by NOON, and then again EVERY WEDNESDAY by noon until the end of February.

Each challenger is allowed to miss one weigh in after this week. After that, you are forfeitted from winning the challenge, if you skip more than one weigh in. We are all making the commitments to eachother and to ourselves to SHOW UP for this competition, and it is important that we are accountable to ourselves and the others. I wont be texting and messaging all day on Wednesdays to get weights. This is YOUR challenge, and YOU need to take it seriously... this is YOUR year. YOUR time to create a new YOU. Do what it takes to get the results you want. Make the sacrifices necessary to ensure your success.

whats your number

wooop woop
today is the first day of the rest of your life

are you ready, are you commited, are you willing to do whatever it takes to succeed

make sure you text facebook or email me by noon your weight to get started and again this wednesday

the hardest part of a journey is the first steps. you can do this.
i apologize for the lack of exclamation points i am  on my phone

good luck

getaway

i am out and about so i just wanted to give you a couple reminders...

enjoy some food this weekend, but dont go so crazy that you gain ten lbs, because the reality is t hen you just have to work that much harder to get it off.

start a game plan. how are you going to eat? when  are you going to exercise? how will you recover if you fall off the wagon?

failing to plan is planning to fail.

remember, first official weigh in is monday january second. we will reweigh wednesday january fourth... and then every wednesday after that for the duration of the contest. dont worry if you havent lost amything by wed, i am not expecting you to. it is jjust my method of getting us on a weekly track and to keep you pumped and energized.

ten dollars is due to me by monday, tuesday at the very latest. email or text me if you need my address