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! :)