Feel the Burn Thursday!

Good morning, girls! I am so stoked on a personal level this morning- I crossed a threshold that was HUGE for me! I entered a new “decade” on the scale. Feels good to be out of the old weight “decade” that I had been stuck at for a long time! That high feels so great! Having a great week so far, hoping the weekend will hold a lot of fun adventure!

I am listening right now to the audio book 50/50 by Dean Karnazes in which he tells the story of him doing 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days. He did this in 2006, sponsored by North Face, in a big tour called the Endurance 50. I get so amped up to run when I get to listen to these snippets throughout my week! Granted, it’s only 15 minutes maybe every other day, but having that playing in my car is so fun. I’ve learned a lot about sweat rates, altitude training advantages, physiological elements, and hill workouts, etc. One of my favorite things in there is his talking about motivation- how sometimes we get burned out or otherwise need to overcome low motivation. He says,
 “MOTIVATION MUST BE CHOSEN.”
I love that. It’s a choice. Something we talk about on this blog a ton. Every morning is a choice. Every setback presents a choice. Every moment our attitude is a choice. Every excuse that pops up we have a choice to challenge it or to let it win as usual. He doesn’t like doing motivational speaking b/c the pump-up effect on the crowd is so short-lived. External motivation doesn’t really last or doesn’t have a lasting impression. The person needs to CHOOSE to be motivated, needs to DECIDE to be motivated. What do you think of that?

What great workouts have you done this week??? Or what do you have planned for this weekend??? My knee is feeling a ton better after having taken it easy this week and so I’m planning a good run for this evening followed by some indoor cycling- can’t wait! I will have some long relaxed runs this weekend, too.

Laura, how’s your new elliptical machine working out??? Red Hot, how did your runs go while on vacation since you had free babysitters in some awesome family members??? Abrey, is your foot healing??? Amy, is your head cold gone??? I hope all of you have a phenomenal weekend & a beautiful new year celebration.

I am very stoked about tomorrow’s posting, BTW, all about the new year, so start thinking now about your goals for the next year that freak you out they’re so big & lofty!!!!!!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, ladies!
I LOVED all of your awesome quoted yesterday! You really pumped me
up. Jen, yours took the hat for me- I am going to have to put that one
somewhere in my home!!!!
Regarding recipes previously posted on here, I tried Jen's black bean
soup on Sunday night and it was yummy! I made it without carrots,
used green onion instead of a diff kind of onion, and we dipped hint
of lime tortilla chips in it. Scrumptious! And the Thai pasta, I made
that Monday night but used only a tablespoon of olive oil instead of
the 2/3 cup it calls for to cut down on its calories and it didn't
affect the taste at all for us- recommend that one for sure!

Check out this article that I haven't been able to stop thinking about
for days:
http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-4-21-21409-1,00.html

Although I find it funny they suggest not counting calories, I am now
obsessed with their parallel of fast food and processed food being the
equivalent of PARTIALLY DIGESTED food! Ick!!!! Our body burns more
in the digestion of raw fruits and veggies. Thought I'd share so you
all are equally as grossed out as me :)

Share what you've been eating! Any good recipes to share or snack
ideas?

Make today phenomenal!!!!

Tuesday's Motivation

Good {Early} Morning, Girls!
Here's an easy post for the day- a bunch of motivational quotes!  Check out all these gems here.  Which one is your favorite?

I loved:
Ralph Marston: "Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality."


Share your favorite motivational quotes with us, little mantras that really get you going :)

Monday Morning Check-In

Hi, ladies! How was your week? Let us know the results :) Let's make
this last week of the challenge really be everything we've got!

Feel Good Friday

I hope you all had a beautiful Christmas surrounded by loved ones & the

warmth of the season.

If we focus on being grateful for our blessings, we recognize and
see more blessings. If we focus on our peace and tranquility, we find
more calm. If we focus on our accomplishments and successes, we will
find ourselves well on our way to achieving more goals. But the
reverse is also true. If you expect to always be let down by people
and find the wost in people, you will always find something negative
around you and in others. If you say to yourself that you're
unhealthy and will always be unhealthy, you probably will be. If you
tell yourself you can't accomplish anything, you probably won't
anytime soon. If you find yourself bound by excuses for not working
towards your goals, you will continue to find more and more excuses
until every day is put off to tomorrow.

Be cognisant of all of the blessings in your lives. You can't
simultaneously be grateful and feel sorry for yourself. Recognize the
incrediblemess of every little success you acheive. You are amazing.
Celebrate the tackling of each barrier in your life. Dr. Randy Pausch,
author of The Last Lecture, said that "Brick walls are there for a
reason. They let us prove how badly we want things." Every obstacle
and excuse that blocks your path can be overcome, but only YOU know how to overcome your own brick walls. Show your passion and vigor. Prove to yourself how badly you want the fit you. I am so
inspired and impressed with how hard you have been working towards
your goals during the time of year when excuses are more plentiful
than snowflakes. Your perseverence helps me push forward!

I am so grateful for each of you! Your friendship and encouragement
have been amongst my biggest blessings I have reflected upon this
holiday season.

Merry Christmas! I love you all!

Feel the Burn Thursday

Happy Christmas Eve, ladies!

So how many of you got in a great icy shoveling workout this morning?  I know Meghan did!  Hope it felt great when you were done.  What workouts are you squeezing in today, tomorrow, & this weekend? 

Check out this article about how to Winterproof Your Workout.  What's something new you could try to mix things up?

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday?

Good morning, girls!  For those of you who did the side-challenge, THANK YOU, and we know by looking at your list what YOU'RE eating :)  But please share a new recipe or old recipe with us, some tip or trick with regards to food, let us know how you do the amazing things you do :)

My new Fitness magazine came a couple days ago and last night I ripped this yummy Chipotle-Glazed Roast Chicken w/ Sweet Potatoes recipe out b/c it sounded so good & I wanted to try it in January. 

The Roasted Chicken w/ Zucchinni & Feta sounded yummy, too, but I'm going to make it with chicken breasts instead of thighs.

For those of you hosting Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas dinner for your family, what have you planned that's healthy?  We're having two families over, guys that Doug works with.  I can't wait!  One family's bringing ham.  I am baking up Rhode's multi-grain rolls (my fav kind!).  As opposed to cheesy taters or mashed taters & gravy to go with our ham, I'm making this Sweet Potato & Apples Casserole.  Can't wait to try it! 

I love that it doesn't have brown sugar in it- just lots of all-natural flavors and sweetness.  We'll give it a shot! 

Is there anyone else out there who WANTED to do the side-challenge schedule but just hasn't had the time to?  Let me know, because if so, I'll gladly hold off on the prize-drawing until everyone who wanted to participate has.....

Tuesday's Motivation

Good {albeit late} Morning, Winter Beauties!  I'm a bit slap happy today :)  It is so motivating and inspiring to read real people's success stories!  It helps us to realize that it DOES take a long time but that it's DOABLE and that people like US (or better yet people with even more excuses than us) can make their DREAM bodies happen!  SO, here's the charge for the day: search online and share a link for your favorite success story that you come accross, one that particularly motivated you or sang your song.  There should be zillions out there (but if you get stuck, you can check out Fitness Magazine, Shape Magazine, Runners World Magazine, Women's Health, Weight Watchers, Biggest Loser, etc. )  I can't wait to see them all and to be motivated to kick even MORE butt this week!!!

Here's my favorite :)  Lisa Delaney in Runner's World  I think I had to pick a runner b/c I am passionate about that and running not only helps the pounds come off, it heals and transforms people.  The successes and progress are so much easier to quantify and measure than other workouts, too, so I think you're proud of yourself earlier on in the weight loss than journey other strategies.   I just LOVED her success story.  I loved how she turned around her thought processes from a diet being all about things you "CAN'T" do to being all about finish-lines everywhere in your life.  

"I still experience those rock-star moments, every time I make it through a 5 a. m. six-miler when I'd rather be in bed, or finish a hard set of intervals on the treadmill at the Y. There may be no cheering crowds, no medals, no booming baritone announcement. But the finish-line feeling lives on, in my head and in my heart."

Side-Challenge: Schedules

Email me your schedules for the next two weeks and I'll print them out then scan them in as .jpg files to post here!  Click on each to see it enlarged. 

Sarah's Game Plan:
I just revised my schedule to reflect how I REALLY eat, and to provide for the flexibility of my "moods" in what I feel like eating any particular day.  This will be more realistic for following & provides more flexibility.  Can't wait to see what the rest of you are doing!!!  It will give me good ideas for the two weeks after this challenge instead of the same ol' same ol' :)  I hearby COMMIT to the following schedule:

Abrey's Game Plan:

"Here is my schedule for the next two weeks or at least a pretty good idea of what will come. I know things will not be exactly as ordered but I do have the menu worked out and my workouts haven't been changing much except adding time/distance/weight."

Red Hot's Game Plan:

"I don't have a schedule, but I do have a plan:  I hereby commit to the following schedule:  I will diligently write down everything I eat and not "sneak" any treats (w/o accountability).  I will go running every day that we're on vacation...free babysitting, so no excuses!!"

Jen's Game Plan:
"Here's my 2 week plan. I want to explain a little: I usually only plan dinner; however, when staying with relatives I have no control over that, so I just will do my best. During the day I do lots of repeat snacks, each a combination of a fruit or veggie with a protein and maybe a whole grain. If it looks repetitive, it is, but I like all these foods. I vary the smoothies or yogurt to add variety. I planned to have 1 treat on Christmas and 1 on New Year’s Eve. Make it a great 2 weeks everyone!"

Dec 22

Yoga/strength builders/ 15 minute walk

oatmeal/walnuts/milk

Traveling: String cheese, granola bar, apple, grapefruit, prunes, handful of mixed seeds/nuts, deli meat slices

Sweet potato, cottage cheese

Sandwich for dinner

Dec 23

Yoga /15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese, PB/toast/grapefruit, Egg white sandwich

My mom’s food: I’ll select meat and a veggie.

Dec 24

Yoga/strength builders/ 15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese, PB/toast/grapefruit, Egg white sandwich

My mom’s food: I’ll select meat and a veggie.

Dec 25

Yoga / 15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese, PB/toast/grapefruit, deli sandwich

Chili, 1 treat.

Dec 26

Yoga/strength builders/ 15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese,

Party: lowest fat/sugar & highest protein choices

Dec 27

15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese,

Party: lowest fat/sugar & highest protein choices

Dec 28

15 minute walk

oatmeal/walnuts/milk

Traveling: String cheese, granola bar, apple, grapefruit, prunes, handful of mixed seeds/nuts, deli meat

Sweet potato, cottage cheese

Sandwich for dinner

Dec 29

Yoga/strength builders/ 15 minute walk
Yogurt/oatmeal/flax meal, smoothie, salad with ham, granola/string cheese

Black Bean Soup

Dec 30

Yoga/ 15 minute walk

Smoothie, omelette, PB toast with apple, prunes, granola/string cheese

Eating out: salad at restaurant.

Dec 31

Yoga/strength builders/ 15 minute walk

Oatmeal, egg white sandwich, smoothie, granola/string cheese

Homemade pizza

1 treat

Jan 1

Yoga/ 15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese, PB/toast/grapefruit, salad

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup

Jan 2

Yoga/strength builders/ 15 minute walk

Oatmeal/nuts/milk, apple/PB, granola bar/string cheese, smoothie, omelette with veggies

Sesame Chicken with brown rice

Jan 3

15 minute walk

String cheese, granola bar, apple, grapefruit, prunes, handful of mixed seeds/nuts,

Black Bean Chicken Soup with Almond Nut Corn Bread

Jan 4

Joining the gym today to start running on the treadmill 3X weekly.

Tara's Game Plan:

Marianne's Game Plan:

"I have made a simple schedule that I feel like I can honestly stick to. Simplicity is the key for me - I make everything on this schedule easily and quickly and our 3 kids eat everything listed very well (even our littlest Luke with soy and milk allergies). When I have simplicity in the kitchen, I am out enjoying more active parts of life more and have happier children - thus, again, freeing up more time for play and other projects. I'm going to duplicate this schedule for the second week, too. Minus the ham on Christmas, but including the cross-country skii on saturdays! Sat Jan 2nd is the Candlelight Ski/Snowshoe/Hike at Blue Mounds State Park. Here's a link for info: http://www.wisconsinguides.net/candle-light-ski-314.html "

wed

kashi go lean

cut vegis

grilled chicken steamed vegis

4 mile run

grilled vegis, berry smoothie

thurs

kashi go lean

apple

roasted vegis, squash soup

turbo jam, elliptical

vinegar popcorn, salmon

fri

kashi go lean

cut vegis,

at lakehouse with friends, roughly expect:

oatmeal cookies, ham, grean beans

roasted pear, gingerbread

run 4 miles, sledding with lots of kids

sat

at lakehouse with friends, roughly expect:

kashi go lean

apple

cheeseless pizza

cross-country ski

berry smoothie, gingerbread

sun

kashi go lean

cut vegis

whole grain bread and jam

potroast, vinegar popcorn

mon

kashi go lean

cut vegis

grilled chicken, steamed vegis, brn rice

4 mile run

grilled vegis, berry smoothie

tues

kashi go lean

apple

leftover rice dish

turbo jam, eliptical

black bean soup with whole grain bread

Monday Morning Check-in

Hello, ladies!  How was your check-in this morning?  Let us know how much you're up or down, any changes in energy or how you feel. Can't wait to hear!

And the winner of the Crisco sculpture side challenge was Amy! Congrats, Amy!  You win a pack of handwarmers and an iTunes giftcard to help with your winter running!

The new side challenge today to carry us through the next and final two weeks comes from Nicki. Inthe next day or two, come up with a schedule for meals, snacks, & workouts for the time period of 12/21-1/3.  For those 14 days, plan out your effective strategy for beating the holiday hullabaloo. Email me your shedules in whatever format you want, as simple or as detailed as you want, then I'll post them all on here. Let's say by Wednesday morning?  Does that sound ok?  Then from all the girls who participate, we'll draw a name of a winner and that person will win Amy's Arbonne prize :) I know this will help us all! 

Side-Challenge: Crisco Sculptures!

Amy C:
"I was inspired by the body of overweight women everwhere.  Note how her shoulders come up to her head with a little space for a thick neck.  Her arms don't hang straight down due to the size of her upper arms and breasts. Lying on her back her breasts spread down and out.  Her belly folds over even when lying down, and lists to one side due to it's size.  I'm happy to say my body never looked quite like this, but I have seen many at work. No judgement here, I'm just glad I will never have those 7# back!!"

Nicki:

"I finally settled on a heart, since hey, were all helping our hearts right? Hee hee...It really was amazing to see how much a pound of fat is in this form. Even just one pound lost IS amazing! There are three pounds here and wow is it disgusting. I found myself wishing that we could all just heat up our bodies and then have the fat melt off of us. The crisco got pretty hot and liquidy in my hands from sculpting so that should work right?"

Marianne:

"I can see what a treat it is to pass up sweets! My sculpture includes some of my all time worst temptations - things I've passed up to lose the weight it represents: a Riesen (you know, those yummy caramel chocolates) on the top, a stick of twizzlers licorice in the middle, and m_and_m's on the bottom. It was so fun to feel how much fat is now NOT on my body. And lots of it is sweets I passed up, so it's making me want to pass up more sweets and have more pounds of fat off me!"

Sarah: 
"You have to use your imagination on this one b/c my sculpting ability is pretty blindman-meets-drunkard but my scuplture is my muffin top that no longer exists!  It's a close up, so like from my hips to my ribcage.  Always having that bulge of fat, spare tire, that rolls up and out of your jeans, so excited I no longer have that after YEARS!  Wow, it's so amazing to think that the 3lbs I sculpted with is no longer on my body!  It's big!"

Thanks for you girls for participating :)  Ok, everyone, now vote on the poll I am putting up right now on the right side bar!  Remember, you vote however you want to, whether you pick the funniest one, the most professionally done one, the most impressive weight loss amount one, the most heartfelt blurb, etc.  No rules.  We'll see who the winner is on Monday!  Even if you didn't sculpt, still vote.  And if you want to sculpt over the weekend, go for it!  I'll still post our pic on here :) 

Have a wonderful weekend!  And along the lines w/ what Nicki said, let's heat up our bodies, sweat a little, and let that lard SLIDE off us!

Feel Good Friday

Here's a quote from my creation jar from the last Ten in Six challenge that I have been thinking about this morning: “Few things in life have more impact on what we become than what we think of ourselves.”- Burton C. Kelly

I'm listening to the book on CD in my car The Noticer by Andy Andrews (thanks for the recommendation, Nicki :)) and this morning on my way to work the elderly mentor-type character taught a principle of the universe to his young, troubled mentee, adding that principles work every time, "Remember, whatever you focus upon, increases...When you focus on the things you need, you'll find those needs increasing. If you concentrate your thoughts on what you don't have, you will soon be concentrating on other things that you had forgotten you don't have-and feel worse! If you set your mind on loss, you are more likely to lose...But a grateful perspective brings happiness and abundance into a person's life."

Both of these quotes have the same moral.  What we think of, that's what we become.  You can't have an action if you didn't first think about it. 

So today, you awesome, incredible, indispensible ladies in my life, are YOU focusing today on your blessings, your successes in making small progress towards your goals, your happiness, your gratitude, your beautifully designed bodies, your positive self-image, the fact that you're surrounded on here with friends who love you and cheer for you?  Chose your focus and this weekend live your dreams!

**BTW- I have gotten the Crisco sculpture pictures w/ blurbs from Amy & Nicki.  AWESOME!  I love it!  Email me your pictures sometime today or this evening.  Late tonight I'll post them all.

Feel the Burn Thursday

Ever heard of lactic acid?  Or heard that after a hard workout, your stiffness and soreness is a result of the built up lactic acid?

I wanted to learn more about it, so I Googled :)

After looking at Wiki, and reading some articles in a few online medical journal articles, I found this simply put article from the New York Times that explains that the lactic acid build up theory that it causes fatigue and muscle soreness is a MYTH. 

Lactic acid is a fuel for your muscles, and it's a good thing, but it's completely out of your muscles an hour after a workout, so it doesn't correspond even with the muscle soreness. 

So working harder & longer, building on endurance, THAT helps you get better at performance, stamina, and endurance.  The soreness after a hard workout is because of the damage you've done to your muscles, and doing that damage and letting it heal/recover makes the muscles STRONGER and more apt for excellent efficiency and endurance.

What workouts have you done this week?  What great workouts do you have planned for this weekend?

**Side-Challenge:   Make your Crisco sculptures today or tomorrow and sometime Friday evening I'll post all the pictures w/ blurbs that I get emailed and post the poll for you all to vote over the weekend!  Remember, the prize is smthg awesome from Arbonne from Amy!!!

And to keep the randomness flowing, here's a ditty that I came across from motivator Dale Smith Thomas & I highlighted my favorite parts that apply to each of us awesome challengers in this blog:

Beginning Today

Beginning today I will no longer worry about yesterday. It is in the past and the past will never change. Only I can change by choosing to do so.

Beginning today I will no longer worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will always be there, waiting for me to make the most of it. But I cannot make the most of tomorrow without first making the most of today.

Beginning today I will look in the mirror and I will see a person worthy of my respect and admiration. This capable person looking back at me is someone I enjoy spending time with and someone I would like to get to know better.

Beginning today I will cherish each moment of my life. I value this gift bestowed upon me in this world and I will unselfishly share this gift with others. I will use this gift to enhance the lives of others.

Beginning today I will take a moment to step off the beaten path and to revel in the mysteries I encounter. I will face challenges with courage and determination. I will overcome what barriers there may be which hinder my quest for growth and self-improvement.

Beginning today I will take life one day at a time, one step at a time. Discouragement will not be allowed to taint my positive self-image, my desire to succeed or my capacity to love.

Beginning today I walk with renewed faith in human kindness. Regardless of what has gone before, I believe there is hope for a brighter and better future.

Beginning today I will open my mind and my heart. I will welcome new experiences. I will meet new people. I will not expect perfection from myself nor anyone else: perfection does not exist in an imperfect world. But I will applaud the attempt to overcome human foibles.

Beginning today I am responsible for my own happiness and I will do things that make me happy . . . admire the beautiful wonders of nature, listen to my favorite music, pet a kitten or a puppy, soak in a bubble bath . . . pleasure can be found in the most simple of gestures.

Beginning today I will learn something new; I will try something different; I will savor all the various flavors life has to offer. I will change what I can and the rest I will let go. I will strive to become the best me I can possibly be.

Beginning today. And every day.

Author unknown

Make it a fantastic day, ladies :)

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday?

Good morning, gals!  What yummy snacks and recipes have you been trying this week???  Check out this article from Runners World magazine: Food for Thought.   What's your take away?  For me, I need to really think plants first instead of thinking of them as sides... I love that emphasis, and it also goes hand in hand with his other point later on about not fretting on nutrient percentages, etc.  Eat mostly whole grains, beans, & veggies, and you're getting enough carbs & protein.  I grew up with a big meaty something-er-other being the centerpiece of the meal and everything else just sides.  It wasn't a meal if there wasn't a big meat-centered dish.  I want to fight that tendency, though, and I want to follow this article's advice of thinking plants first.  What do you think?  Do you have or can you find any recipes that are meat-light?

Tuesday Motivation

GOOD MORNING :)

Did you know that laughing helps you lose weight?

• "Researchers found that a strong laughter for 10-15 minutes daily can increase energy consumption by 10 to 40 calories per day."  
• "She found that laughing 30 seconds to five minutes as often as 10 times a day, her cravings stopped. She began losing weight, had more energy and developed a yen to exercise," and from the same article, "A study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine showed that daily hearty laughing increases the blood flow by expanding stress-constricted vessels. 'A belly laugh is internal jogging,' ... Laughing involves 'a great deal of physical exercise and muscular behavior' — 15 facial muscles plus dozens of others all over your body that flex and relax. Your pulse and respiration increase, oxygenating the blood. 'Laughing 100 to 200 times per day is the cardiovascular equivalent of rowing for 10 minutes...'  Laughter sets the respiratory apparatus and its muscles into motion, he says," and again from the same article, "The biological changes we see with moderate, routine exercise...are very similar to the changes we see with the constant use of mirthful laughter...for laughter to produce the same benefits as aerobic exercise, it would require a long, sustained bout of hysterics."
• "Researchers discovered that laughing increased both heart rate and calorie expenditure by up to 20 per cent and the longer particpants laughed for the greater the effects....just 15 minutes of laughter a day will burn 10-40 calories, depending on a person's weight and the intensity of the laughter.  That's enough to shift between 1 and 4lb a year."  From that same article, "The idea that laughter benefits health has been around for many years, possibly because it reduces muscle tension, increases the amount of oxygen in the blood, exercises the heart and produces happy chemicals in the brain called endorphins. It certainly makes sense that laughing would burn more calories too, as a result of the extra movement and increase in heart rate linked with laughing. You don’t burn heaps of extra calories but as any slimmer knows, it’s little changes that make big differences. Plus, having a laugh usually makes most of us feel more positive about life – and ultimately, this can help us feel better about ourselves and make us more motivated to lose those excess pounds. If nothing else, adding laughing to your list of weight loss tips gives you the perfect excuse for watching your favourite comedy or having a few more night’s out with friends!"
• "Personally, I know it helps me. It gets me through good times and bad times, and I think laughing is one of the greatest pleasures in life. Anyone who can make me laugh is a quick friend. Laughing brings so much happiness to my life. You know how laughing just makes you feel wonderful? It releases tension and just makes the day a little bit brighter? Laughter is the best prescription on days when you need that little push to keep you going...We can’t always take everything so seriously. Adding laughter can help make the journey to losing weight and feeling better that much more fun!"

SO CHUCKLE AWAY AT LIFE TODAY, LADIES!!!!!  These cracked me up :)

Monday Morning Check-in

Good morning, beautiful ladies J   How has this past week been?  Share with us how much you’re up or down in weight.  And it’s also the halfway point in our 6 week challenge, so check those measurements and let us know your progress!  What is your game plan going to be this week?  Is there something small you want to commit to & want us to hold you accountable for?

***UPDATE***

This is the 4th week we're embarking on, so here's the side-challenge, which I think is going to be eye-opening and fun!  Should you wish to participate, there's a fun prize from Amy C. for the winner!  Create a lard sculpture using your weight lost during this challenge of CRISCO.  So if you have lost 3 lbs so far this challenge, go out and buy 3 lbs of CRISCO, plop it onto a tin foil/wax paper lined cookie sheet or plastic plate, or whatever you want to use, and let your creative juices flow, sculpting whatever it is your heart desires.  Leaning tower of CRISCO?  Little monster of weight that you get to destroy?  Something symbolic or artsy fartsy?  Sculpture of a lazy woman?  Have fun with it & be creative.  I hope this will be eye-opening when you really see how much of that lard that is NO LONGER ON YOUR BODY!  I hope it will rejuvenate your resolve to get more fat off your body :)  It will be so grossly fantastic.  I can't wait to do it.  So whenever you want this week, sculpt your masterpiece, and then email to me the picture of your masterpiece w/ a couple line explanation of what it is or what it means.  I'll post all the pictures on Friday morning and then I'll post a poll on the right sidebar for you all to vote on the best one (the term "best" being quite loosely subjective and 100% up to the voters- whether it's the most impressive amount of CRISCO, the most creative sculpture, the best explanation, etc.).  Voting will last through the weekend & the winner will be announced next Monday.  If you feel really ambitious, you can buy and use the amount of CRISCO that represents the TOTAL weight you've lost in these challenges, if this is not your first one obviously.  You can use the weigh-in amount from today or if you want a little extra motivation, weigh-in on Thursday morning and use that new total as the amount for your sculpture so it's bigger- should help push you to make it a phenomenal Mon-Weds!  Please vote even if you don't participate in the side-challenge.  Ready, set, GO! :)

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, girls! 

There are 2 common pitfalls to trying to have a healthier lifestyle ESPECIALLY at this time of year- and I fall victim to them both. First would be comfort foods- things that make us feel all warm & snuggled up, reminders of homestyle cooking & baking from when we were kids.  Second would be letting yourself go all out on the weekends (or during holiday parties)- losing the momentum and drive you  had built up during the routine of Monday through Friday.

For the first, comfort foods, see if you can snatch your thoughts before they get you to turn them into actions and eat away at the comfort foods.  WHY is it that you want them?  I am no psychologist, but they just kept saying over and over on the Biggest Loser, especially Rudy, that you have to know WHY you over eat and WHY you gained weight before you can learn how to stop it, how to lose the weight, and how to keep it off.  Recognize and acknowledge those struggles in your life, they are real, and you need to accept them and tell yourself that was ok for then, but today is a new day and find a healthier thought process and outlet for your feelings.  If you turn to comfort foods strictly for the warmth because you're freezing, try some of these other warm yummies that are also lo-cal and healthy: Superfast Comfort Food Recipes.  Or the hot cocoa recipe from Meghan a few months ago that's made w/ Splenda:

Ingredients:

2 T. cocoa powder

1 T. sugar (or use Splenda at the end to taste)

2 T. water

6 oz. skim milk or soy

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 t. almond extract

Try flavoring it with cinnamon for a little change.

In a small saucepan, stir together the cocoa powder and the sugar. Add the water and stir well. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a low boil and the sugar dissolves. Stir in the milk, vanilla and almond extract. Reduce the heat to low and stir until warmed through. Makes one serving.

Second, for letting lose on the weekends, perhaps it's because you're too denying during the week of little treats (within your calorie allottment) that you binge when the weekend hits.  Have a little piece of dark chocolate every day if that keeps you from devouring an entire Texas Sheet Cake in one weekend (  :) personal experience there).  Another reason is maybe it's the fact that everyone's home & not at work or school.  Is there a way you can get your family on track w/ your fitness goals, too?  Share with them how important this is to you, even with the kids present, and how if they can help you with eating healthy meals on the weekends and letting you get in good workouts, how much that would mean to you and how happy that would make you.  Chances are, you've decided in your head they wouldn't care before you even talked to them about it- maybe they'll surprise you!  Give it a whirl.  Another reason is maybe you get in longer runs and longer workouts on the weekends and so you feel more "entitled" to "reward" yourself.  Yes, you should feel like a million bucks after completing a tough or long workout.  But beware of that mentality of entitlement and reward.  Check out this Time article that cautions against consuming TONS after a workout, MORE than you even burned during the workout: Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin (one we've shared on here before).  Can you reward yourself with a quiet drive away from the kids after your workout?  Or dropping by Target/Kohl's to pick up an inexpensive new Yoga top?  Or drop by Jamba Juice and splurge on a small yummy fruit smoothie?  Can you reward yourself w/ a nap?  Try to find non-bingeing things that you can do.  I really liked this article about how to change your un-healthy thought processes into healthy ones going into the weekend: What's Your Diet Doing This Weekend?

I post this today because this is what I struggle with.  I don't really know why I am not as good on the weekends as I am during the week, but I'm trying to figure it out and I'm trying to challenge it.  With it so cold, I'm trying to find healthy at-home recipe solutions to warm me up and give me energy. 

What are your thoughts, experiences, tips, tricks, advice on this????

Feel the Burn Thursday

Hello, dears :)  What workouts have you been doing?  What do you have planned for this weekend?  JUST because it's winter doesn't mean you can't run outside.  Buck up!  :) 

"Do quality workouts year-round, including during the winter. You're less likely to get injured because you won't hurry the training process, and you'll race better because you build fitness on a solid foundation."

-Brad Hudson, elite coach, as quoted in Runnersworld.com's Daily Kick in the Butt

And this New Balance article on running in the winter from Amy C. has some good tips for getting started and staying motivated: 12 Tips to Winter Running.

For those of you who don't run, disregard, but let us know instead what activities and workouts you do during the winter to maximize calorie burn :)

Make it a great day!  It's sunny and beautiful here :)

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, ladies!!!  So much excitement going on right now I can barely contain it!  First, My Fitness Pal app is now available for the iPhone/iTouch!  It's awesome!  I've been playing on it this morning.  It's so quick and I like that it shows net calories clearly at the top of the daily diary, and that the food & exercises are all on the same one page diary instead of on different tabs like on the website.  Second, this snow is AWESOME!  It's outrageous. Hubby's picking up a shovel for me today to go to town on it, maybe our patio and the sidewalk in front of our building :)  I really really want to go sledding tonight, too!  I just need to borrow someone's kids...and a sled... hahaha!  Third, the Biggest Loser finale last night was NUTS!  I am so happy about the outcome!  The person who won is the person I wanted to win (I'll keep that vague for you DVR'ing divas)! I think Tracey looked creepy, and Rebecca is much more beautiful as a brunnette, but overall, WOW!  It was so inspiring!  Michele & I kept texting back & forth, "WOW!!!" and "OH MY GOSH!!!!"  Something like that, watching so many success stories, it really amps me up and makes me motivated to push it harder & stronger in my resolve & workouts.  Incredible!  I think I'm going to run the stairs tonight for my workout!

Ok, so what have you ladies been eating lately?  Share some good new recipes!  Continuing on with yesterday's post & incredible comments about de-stressing to improve our health & wellbeing, here are some really cool articles on foods that you can eat that help to calm and relax you. 

Foods that will help keep you calm
Stress-busting snacks
What to eat for better sleep

Just made up last night my dinner meal plan for the next 7 days and will grocery shop tonight.  Unfortunately  most of them are NOT new recipes- they're all ones I've posted on here before- but just our favorites:

Meatloaf Mugs w/ Sweet Potato Fries
Thai Chicken Pasta (from Janis!) (my favorite meal!)
Feta-Topped Chicken w/ Pureed Cauliflower (hubby's favorite meal!)
Stuffed Pepper Soup (from Amy F!)
Sweet Potato Turkey Meatloaf w/ Steamed Green Beans
Steak Salad w/ Lemon Walnut Vinaigrette (hubby's 2nd favorite meal!)

And for breakfasts/lunches/mini-meals/snacks:

Pumpkin Pie Smoothies (had one for breakfast this morning- yum!)
Reduced-Fat Triscuits w/ Laughing Cow Bonbel Cheese Wheel & Honey Crisp Apple
Multi-Grain Cheerio's w/ Skim Milk
Roast Beef or Sliced Chicken or Turkey Sandwiches w/ Sara Lee 45 calorie Multi-Grain bread slices, Lettuce, Tomato, & horseraddish
Leftovers from dinners

Sweet Potato Fries recipe:
1 sweet potato
olive oil
paprika
cinnamon
3 truvia packets
*Peel sweet potato, cut into skinny shoe string fries, a few inches long.  Toss in bowl w/ just a tiny drizzle of olive oil until it's all lightly coated.  Spread on cookie sheet (we used baking stone).  Sprinkle on cinnamon, paprika, and about 2-3 truvia packets (zero calorie stevia sweetener).  Bake about 25 minutes at 350 ish, flipping/shuffling them halfway through.  SO GOOD! 

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie recipe:
1/4 cup canned Libby's pumpkin
1/4 cup fat free evaporated milk
1 single-serve container of light vanilla yogurt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 gingersnap cookie
1 truvia packet
*Combine all ingredients in a magic bullet or other blender.  If you want it thinner, add a half cup to a cup of skim milk.  Without the skim milk, though, it's about 198 calories.  And SO GOOD!

Tuesday Motivation

Did any of you feel the burn shoveling snow this morning?  YOU WILL TOMORROW :)  I hope everyone drives safely in the blizzard we're expecting tonight here in my neck of the woods. 

Today's post is about de-stressing and chilling because that will help you lose weight, be healthier, and be happier.  Check out this article from Women's Health: Zen Commandments.  And these articles from Fitness Magazine: Happy People and Lose the Weight and Stay Stress-Free.  And WebMD: De-Stress and Eat Less.

We all have experienced that when we're stressed to the max, we say "screw it all," and make poor decisions.  I know I have done that more times that I'd like to recall in my life.  Stress is a diet-buster, exercise-de-motivator, sleep-inhibitor, and mood-killer.  And so much of it we do to ourselves.  When we're eating healthy and exercising, though, it seems stress is lower.  And when stress is lower, we eat healthier and exercise more.  So which causes which?  Which came first, the chicken or the egg?  hahaha  We can always control how we react to different situations that arise in our lives, even if sometimes those situations are out of our hands.  We decide if we're going to let stressful situations sabotage our goals and our healthy decisions.

What ways do you ladies keep stress at bay?

Monday Morning Check-In

Good morning!!! Weigh in this morning (not measurements-that's next
week) and let us know how much you're down or up and how you feel
about it. Let us know what your game plan is for this next week and
what you plan to do to make it phenomenal. Make it a great week!!!

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, Beauties! 

"Our aspirations are our possibilities" -Robert Browning

Are you dreaming big?  Can you teach your kids to dream big & be positive?  How much would that help you hit your goals if your family fed back positivity vibes to you?

Check out this article about teaching kids to be positive, written by Jon Gordon:

"I’m not naturally a positive person. The research says it’s not my fault. Turns out some people are born with a more positive disposition while others are born with more of a negative disposition. But there is hope. The latest research in neuroscience and positive psychology demonstrates that we can mold our brains and ourselves to be more positive, which is great news for me and my children.


For the past eight years I’ve researched and practiced countless strategies to enhance positivity...  I’ve seen the fruits of these efforts in my life and in the people I’ve taught—most importantly my own children. I’ve seen how simple strategies and daily rituals can make a tremendous impact on their mindset, belief system and outlook on life.

I believe that positive kids become positive adults and as parents we can play a significant role in shaping our children’s perspective and mindset. In this spirit I want to share with you several tips to develop positive kids.

1. Success of the Day - Each night before bed, at dinner or while taking an after dinner walk ask your children their success of the day. The success could be a great conversation, an accomplishment at school, something they are proud of, a situation where they helped someone, etc. The important thing is to help them focus on accomplishments instead of failures. When we help our children expect success, look for success, and celebrate success they find more success and gain more confidence. Of course they need to learn from their mistakes and failures, but let’s help them to not dwell on them.

2. Bedtime Prayer - A ritual such as this provides your children with a foundation of peace, security, and confidence that gives them the strength to take on the daily challenges of being a child.

3. Implement the No Complaining Rule - It’s a simple rule that says you’re not allowed to complain unless you identify one or two possible solutions to your complaint. This empowers children to become a driver of their bus instead of being a passenger griping on the bus. They also learn to use complaints as a catalyst for positive change and positive action. Visit www.NoComplainingRule.com

4. Teach them the Positive Shark Formula, E + P = 0 - This is from my latest book, The Shark and The Goldfish, which is a story about a nice and positive shark who teaches Gordy the goldfish how to overcome his fear of change and find food. After all, Goldfish wait to be fed. Sharks go find food. The formula reveals that we can’t control the (E ) Events in our life. But we can control our (P) Positive Response to these events and our response determines the (O) outcome. This formula helps children develop a strong locus of control which is a perspective that through their beliefs and actions they have an influence on their life. They come to believe that they are not a victim of circumstance but rather a hero in their own inspirational tale and that they can turn their challenges into opportunities and transform bad events into good outcomes. This helps them stay optimistic and believe that their best days are ahead of them, not behind them.

5. Feel Blessed instead of Stressed - As parents we need to realize that children, like adults, deal with a lot of stress...and stress is the enemy of positivity. Well, the great news is that when you are feeling blessed you can’t be stressed. The research says we can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time. Thus, a simple ritual is to help your children identify 3 things they are thankful for each day. You can create a gratitude journal together or you can encourage them to write these blessings on their blog, diary or simply talk about them at dinner. And anytime they are feeling stressed you can encourage them to recall something they are thankful for.

I encourage you to think of your child’s mind like a garden. Each day you want to help them weed their negative thoughts and plant positive thoughts. One day of weeding and planting won’t do much. However if you practice these strategies each day, over a week, a month, a year, a lifetime, the garden grows more healthy and vibrant. Nurture your child. Take time to coach them and nourish them with lots of love and positive energy and you shall see the fruits of your efforts."

Obviously I'm not a parent, and let me know if you think this article is total bunk, but I thought it was kind of cute.  The fact that you can help over time to create a positivity nest within your own home is so intriguing to me, because if you have that nest of positive vibes, can you imagine how that would in turn make you feel about hitting your goals, whether they be physical/weight loss, or not???

Then take that thought a little further, what are some family workouts that you can do together that don't seem like workouts???  A friend of mine (in the summer) would jog next to her kids while they rode their bike through the neighboorhood.  The kids' encouragement as they would wait at each street crossing, "C'mon, Mom!" would push her to run faster & longer.  With snow coming up, what if YOU were actively sledding with your kids, instead of sending them w/ Dad or waiting for them at the bottom of the hill?  Could you run up the hill with them in the snow?  Killer burn and your kids would LOVE it.  What about YOU jumping on the trampoline with them?  What about YOU riding bikes with them?  What about YOU playing sports with them?  Laughing burns lots of calories.  So does swimming, building a snowman, making snow angels, going for walks, etc.  I'm going to pull out one of Nicki's favorite quotes here, "Action expresses priorities," -Ghandi (I think I have that right, right? :) ).  So if physical fitness and family time are priorities for you & things you want to teach your kids to value, then actually DOING the physical fitness and family time show and prove that those are priorities for you. 

What fun family fitness ideas do you have??? Can you fit any in this weekend?

Feel the Burn Thursday

Good morning, fearless females!  Check out this article: Staying Fit During the Holidays.  Scroll through all 12 pages/slides.  What stood out to you the most?  For me, it was 3 things, 1) wow, I need to eat more apples :), 2) I need to be sure to keep myself non-sleep deprived if possible, and 3) I need to hit the weights more than I am. 

So weight training, strength training, resistance training, whatever you call it, is key to shedding fat.  Doing calorie cutting alone, you're more likely to lose muscle weight in addition to fat weight.  Incorporating cardio & strength training will help you maintain and gain muscle while just losing the fat weight.  But what if you find weight training really....blah ba humbug?  Me, me, me!  One solution would be to find fun new strength training workouts that don't involve repetitious bicep curls w/ dumbells.  Try a physically intense yoga routine with lots of planks and leg lifts.  Try a Bosu or Body Sculpting/Pump class at your gym.  Try a new DVD routine using a big ball.  Try a Kbell/Kettle Ball workout DVD.  Try to mimic some of the unusual moves they do on Biggest Loser, like jerking ropes up alternatingly, rolling a tractor tire, sledge hammering a tractor tire, pushups on the treadmill, kettle ball swings, pushups w/ dumbells under your hands and lifting each side once you're up at the top of your pushup, etc.  Here is a home strength plan by Shape magazine but it does require quite a bit of home equipment like a medicine ball, bosu ball, pilates ball, resistance band, etc.  This is another strength training program but just consists of 3 upper body moves, also by Shape, but I have all the equip to do this at home, so I think I'll try 3 times a week for a while!  Hold me accountable :)

Another great option is this ab workout from Women's Health magazine, that Nicki & a few others of you have tried out and liked before in this challenge.  Or try putting yourself on the 100 Pushups challenge or 200 Situps challenge or 200 Squats challenge (each of these has an app for the iPhone to do & track the challenge). 

How do you ladies get in your strength training?????????

(BTW- I forgot to set up for the side challenge this 2nd week, so there will be just one and it will be in the 4th week, with a fun prize from Amy C. for the winner!)

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, ladies! With this cold winter weather finally upon us
today, it has me thinking about soups & stews! Do you have any cold
weather healthy favorites?
I made this veggie soup recipe this week that has a lot of flavor and
is really yummy.
6 large green onions
2 green peppers
2 cans of diced tomatoes
3 carrots
1 container mushrooms (10 oz)
1 bunch celery
Half head of cabbage
1 pckg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 cubes beef bouillon
48 oz can of V8 juice
Pepper & Garlic salt to taste
Slice all veggies into bite size pieces. Saute just the green onions
in cooking spray in your soup pot. Then add green peppers and cabbage.
Finally add all the ingredients and up to 8 cups of water. Cook for 2
hours.
It's really hit the spot this week-even the hubby likes it :)
And did anyone see Biggest Loser last night? I really want that veggie
chili recipe that they filled the baked potato with- looked delicious!!!
So...what have you been eating this week?