Monday Morning Check-in

Good Morning, springtime sweeties! It's our halfway point. Check in
today with measurement news in addition to scale news! Let us know
your game plan this week.

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, feisty females :) It's the weekend! Yay!

Here's another mosel of food for thought from Harry Hoopis (the guy from Northwestern Mutual out of Chicago who wrote that Olympics article I posted a couple weeks ago):

"There are 3 types of people in this world:

Those who make things happen,

Those who watch things happen,

And those who wonder, what happened?"

"So which of the above are you? Are you in charge, making it happen or making excuses? Are you letting yourself off the hook or do you plan to hook a big one? Are you working to your potential or do you take the path of least resistance?  First, there is a price for success and its always paid in advance, and second, the only place I know of where success comes before work is in the dictionary."

"The reason you don’t do it is related to what author and speaker Jim Rohn says, “Either you run the day or the day runs you.” So you know you need to run your day. However, all too often the conversations I have are about the day running you."

 

"Your [success] is the accumulation of all the little decisions you make."

 

"So I am reminded of the story of the guy who is kneeling on the sidewalk in a busy city like Chicago. He is apparently pleading to the Lord to let him win the lottery. So week after week, after the winning number is drawn, he is on his knees, begging “Oh Lord please let me win the lottery!” Finally after weeks of this, the man is still pleading on his knees when suddenly a voice bellows from the sky. It’s the Lord and he says, “Hey, why don’t you help me out and at least buy a lottery ticket?”"

 

"Folks, this is not about luck. The only luck I know of is when preparation meets hard work. Make a decision now to be the kind of person that makes things happen, not one who watches things happen, or the one who wonders, what happened? It all comes down to those little decisions.  To reach your “most amazing future” you must be able to fend off distractions...and run your day the way you want it to be run." 

 

So I see this as fitting in with our weight loss and fitness goals.  We can't just sit by hoping the inches will come off.  We've got to actually get out and do hard work, even when we don't feel like it.  We've got to actually watch our calories spent and consumed.  I love the concept of running your day instead of your day running you.  Today's your day, girls! Go out & grab it by the horns!!!!!!!!  MAKE it a fantastic weekend :)

Feel the Burn Thursday

Good morning, sunshiney sistas!

I hope the reason you're all a little quiet on the blog this week is because you're OUT enjoying the gorgeous SuNsHiNe :)  It's ok, I'm just teasing, I know life's busy.

So yesterday's article had a TON of exercise info in it, too, not just food info.  So if you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it! 

Here's another valuable article, this one from New York Times.  Read it all the way through as it may seem a bit pessimistic if you don't complete it. 

"When you diet without exercising, you lose both muscle and fat, which is counterproductive because muscle loss significantly lowers your basic metabolic rate, the number of calories your body uses at rest."

"The more muscle groups involved in your activities, the more calories you are likely to burn."

What do you guys think of the article?  What workouts have you done this past week and what do you have planned for this weekend?  Share your successes with us!!!!!!

I researched a bunch of online reviews for a running leash for me & the pup, and found the highest rated one was called the Buddy System.  I picked one up at a store here (Bad Dog Frida on Atwood Ave in Madison) on Tuesday night and had a great run w/ the pup on Tuesday night and Wednesday night.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  I love that it's a leash that allows the pup to move from my left side, to my right side, etc. and it slides around my waist.  I love that you can adjust it to be pretty short so that the pup is forced to stay right next to you.  I love that my hands are free and my gait isn't leaning to one side like w/ a typical leash.  Fantastic! 

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, girls!  Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!!!!!

What have you been eating lately?  Share great ideas w/ us for snacks, meals, treats, etc. 

I just read this Runner's World article about Weight Loss Myths.  Great info!  Another testament that our MFP & reduced calorie diet of dropping lbs really slowly but steadily is the healthiest way to do it!  And the picture that goes w/ the article made me laugh out loud :)

The info about the "fat burning zone" on treadmills/ellipticals was news for me.  Up the intensity, gals :)

The myth about lifting light weights with higher reps was interesting, too.  We can strength train like MEN and b/c of our reduce calorie diet, we'll never bulk up or get disgusting looking- we'll just get toned faster.  Yay!

I love how it says you can't deprive yourself of "bad foods" but just keep things steady w/ your daily caloric intake goal.  And how bingeing on the weekends can undo all your weekday hard work, again, just keep things steady w/ your daily caloric intake goal.  And mini-meals, it's pointless if you don't keep things steady w/ your daily caloric intake goal.

I like the "a calorie is a calorie no matter when you eat it" part. 

There are a lot of recipes in there, too.  OK, sorry, I know it's a long article.  It's good, though!

Share what yummies you've been eating or what you've got planned ahead of you!

Tuesday's Motivation

Good morning, girls! Here's a link & excerpt from the online Athleta Chi article that Amy C shared with me a few weeks ago:

http://www.athleta.net/chi/2010/02/11/sankalpa-set-your-intention/

"In yoga we call intentions sankalpas. Sankalpa means “will, purpose, or determination.” To make a sankalpa is to set an intention.


"Often the word resolution can be perceived as a negative, since we set a resolution and then we feel guilty for not following through. Sankalpas (setting conscious intention or effort towards something) give us a more positive powerful approach. If you set your intention to lose weight to be healthier and later find yourself in front of the freezer eating ice cream out of the box you can ask yourself what is driving you to do that. Is it because you’re stressed or sad? Then you can realize how the power of conscious intention can help you deal with your feelings in a healthier way. If your intention is to be healthier then you find ways to incorporate a healthier lifestyle and not just focus on one aspect, like food. In other words…

"SANKALPA = POSITIVE POWER

"A sankalpa also praises the true effort you are making to achieve your intention rather than focusing on what you are doing wrong. So every effort that you make to move closer to your intention COUNTS!


"Anytime is a great time to look back and let go of the guilt and be open new possibilities.


"SET YOUR SANKALPA

"Start by looking inward. Take some time to meditate, to breath, or simply to journal in a quiet place. Ask yourself questions that only you know the answer to: How would you like to feel next year? Where would you like to be? What can you add in my daily life that can help you be happier, healthier, etc.


"Create a short sentence or phrase for your sankalpa. Be mindful to keep theses phrases positive and not to include any limiting words based on fear.

"Remember, change doesn’t happen overnight. So be firm, but fair. Gently remind yourself of your intention as often as you can, and if you fall off the wagon dust yourself off and continue moving forward."

Ok, girls, so what do you think?  It's a nice little reminder for us to respect ourselves in our goal-setting (lose 10 lbs) and to not be brutal if something happens to get in our way, if something temporarily blinds us to how powerful and awesome we are.  It's just that- temporary- any obstacle is just temprorary in that you just have to figure out a way through it or around it- temporary lasts only as long as it takes you to outsmart and overcome that obstacle.  You know what your excuses are, so WHILE BEING GENTLE BUT FIRM WITH YOURSELF, challenge those buggers!  I love how the article says that every little effort is a success we should celebrate, every little effort moves us closer to our goal, closer to what we want to and can achieve.  So comment on here and let us know how your setting this awesome fitness goal is helping you have a "more positive powerful approach" as the article suggests.  Share your sankalpa with us :)

Monday Morning Check-In

Good morning, healthy girls!

You made it 2 weeks! Yay!

Let us know how much you're up or down, tell us all about your side
challenge experiment over the weekend, and share your game plan for
this week.

Make it a great day!

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, girls!  I hope you all make it a fantastic weekend ahead of you :) 

Remember, even if things aren't going as you want them to go, BE POSITIVE!  I was reminded of this last night when I was talking to the beloved Marin and I realized my voice coming back to me was annoying!  No matter what stress or inner hurricanes I've got going on, whining & complaining doesn't improve anything.  It brings you AND whoever's listening to you down.  So be proactive!  Actually DO something to improve yourself or your situation- BE POSITIVE! 

#s 6, 7, & 8 are so great :)   Alright, gals, let's all make a positive comment today on this post, something to rah-rah us all up to make it a phenomenal weekend!

11 Benefits of Being Positive by Jon Gordon

Over the years I've done a lot of research on the positive effects of being positive and the negative affects of being negative. The research is clear. It really does pay to be positive and the benefits include enhanced health and longevity, happiness, career advancement, athletic performance, team building and financial success. Being positive is not just a nice way to live. It’s the way to live. In this spirit here are 11 benefits of being positive.

1. Positive People Live Longer - In a study of nuns, those that regularly expressed positive emotions lived on average 10 years longer. (The Nun Study)

2. Positive work environments outperform negative work environments. (Daniel Goleman)

3. Positive, optimistic sales people sell more than pessimistic sales people. (Martin Seligman)

4. Positive leaders are able to make better decisions under pressure. (Heartmath.org)

5. Marriages are much more likely to succeed when the couple experiences a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions whereas when the ratio approaches 1 to 1, marriages are more likely to end in divorce. (John Gottman)

6. Positive people who regularly express positive emotions are more resilient when facing stress, challenges and adversity. (Several Studies)


7. Positive people are able to maintain a broader perspective and see the big picture which helps them identify solutions where as negative people maintain a narrower perspective and tend to focus on problems. (Barbara Fredrickson)


8. Positive thoughts and emotions counter the negative effects of stress. For example, you can't be thankful and stressed at the same time. (Several Studies)

9. Positive emotions such as gratitude and appreciation help athletes perform at a higher level. (Heartmath.org)

10. Positive people have more friends which is a key factor of happiness and longevity. (Robert D. Putnam)

11. Positive and popular leaders are more likely to garner the support of others and receive pay raises and promotions and achieve greater success in the workplace. (Several Studies)

Feel the Burn Thursday

Good....afternoon :) Hehe.... oh well.....

What workouts have you done this past week and what's on the agenda for this weekend?  Are you going to take advantage of the fact that spring's right around the corner?! So close I can almost taste it!

In addition to sharing what workouts you've been up to, please also share with us what your hardest physical feat is that you've accomplished, and then how that felt.  Everyone's going to be so different- it'll be really interesting to see the responses- and I'm sure some of us will make the group laugh  :)

Side Challenge #1

"TRICK EXPERIMENT"

Ok, ladies!  Here's this week's side challenge!  It will run up until next Monday.  It's kind of a flexible challenge.  So today pick one of these tricks below (I pulled them off of this Reader's Digest article http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/easy-ways-to-lose-weight-50-ideas/article16057.html) and set up an experiment.  Try to tackle just one of these tricks sometime today through Sunday, so you have 5 days to do it.  Then on Monday, w/ your check-in, let us know how you did!  Let us know which one you picked, if you think the trick worked, if you had fun doing it, if it made a difference in your appetite or attitude, etc.    Of course you can pick more than one if you're feeling super playful and ambitious.  Of all the participants who do this side challenge, I'll put your name in a hat & draw out a winner who'll get a prize given/mailed to them!  Have fun!!!!!!!!

10. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There's a good reason you won't see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.

12. Downsize your dinner plates. Studies find that the less food put in front of you, the less food you'll eat. Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you'll eat -- regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10-14 inches (making them look forlornly empty if they're not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7-9 inches wide). The same goes for liquids. Instead of 16-ounce glasses and oversized coffee mugs, return to the old days of 8-ounce glasses and 6-ounce coffee cups.

11. Clean your closet. Once you've reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn't fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.

13. Serve your dinner restaurant style (food on the plates) rather than family style (food served in bowls and on platters on the table). When your plate is empty, you're finished; there's no reaching for seconds.

16. Use vegetables to bulk up meals. You can eat twice as much pasta salad loaded with veggies like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes for the same calories as a pasta salad sporting just mayonnaise. Same goes for stir-fries. And add vegetables to make a fluffier, more satisfying omelet without having to up the number of eggs.

18. Avoid white foods. There is some scientific legitimacy to today's lower-carb diets: Large amounts of simple carbohydrates from white flour and added sugar can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and lead to weight gain. But you shouldn't toss out the baby with the bathwater. While avoiding sugar, white rice, and white flour, you should eat plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice. One Harvard study of 74,000 women found that those who ate more than two daily servings of whole grains were 49 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate the white stuff.

30. Use flavorings such as hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings instead of relying on butter and creamy or sugary sauces. Besides providing lots of flavor with no fat and few calories, many of these seasonings -- the spicy ones -- turn up your digestive fires, causing your body to temporarily burn more calories.

39. Take a walk before dinner. You'll do more than burn calories -- you'll cut your appetite. In a study of 10 obese women conducted at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, 20 minutes of walking reduced appetite and increased sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal.

46. Sniff a banana, an apple, or a peppermint when you feel hungry. You might feel silly, but it works. When Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, tried this with 3,000 volunteers, he found that the more frequently people sniffed, the less hungry they were and the more weight they lost -- an average of 30 pounds each. One theory is that sniffing the food tricks the brain into thinking you're actually eating it.

51. Brush your teeth after every meal, especially after dinner. That clean, minty freshness will serve as a cue to your body and brain that mealtime is over.

53. Passionately kiss your partner 10 times a day. According to the 1991 Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex, a passionate kiss burns 6.4 calories per minute. Ten minutes a day of kissing equates to about 23,000 calories -- or eight pounds -- a year!

54. Add hot peppers to your pasta sauce. Capsaicin, the ingredient in hot peppers that makes them hot, also helps reduce your appetite.

***NEW INFO SATURDAY 3-13***

Kim, who won our last side challenge, and the to-be-announced winner of this side challenge on Monday will receive a Mead Meal Planner!!!!!  I'm way excited about this.  LOVE IT!  It's a magnetic calendar that you put on the fridge, plan out your meals, and has a grocery list pad attached to it!  Should make meal planning more convenient!!!!!  (And there's a Target gift receipt w/ each if you don't like it :) )  So, here's your reminder to do one the side challenge trick experiments this weekend and be ready to report on Monday morning with your check-in!!!!

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, ladies!!!  You've made it to day 10!!! Wahoo!!! 

Sooo, share w/ us what you've been eating! Be specific so we can all get great ideas on things to eat, whether they're store-bought treats or home made meals. 

I made this fav of mine on Sunday night and have been enjoying the leftovers for lunch at work this week.  (I tried it first at Christmas, but I love it so much I use it as a side dish for other meals, too).  It's from Fitness Magazine.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 medium sweet potatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch rings

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a piece of aluminum foil and roast until they can be easily pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly.
2. Trim the ends and pull off the peels; slice into 1/2-inch rounds.
3. Butter a small (3-1/2-quart) casserole dish with half the butter. In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. Arrange half the apple rings and sweet-potato rounds in alternating layers in the dish; sprinkle with half the spice mixture and half the maple syrup. Layer in the rest of the apples and sweet potatoes, ending with the apples. Sprinkle with the remaining spices, drizzle with the remaining syrup; dot with the rest of the butter.
4. Cover and bake until the apples are very tender, about 45 minutes.

Nutrition facts per serving: 111 calories, 1g protein, 22g carbohydrate, 3g fat (1.9g saturated), 2g fiber


Here's another good one that I haven't made in a long time but plan on making tonight.  I got it off an Uncle Ben's rice box.  We don't do the rice at all in this recipe, though.  So the calories are going to be less than listed here.  We just do the chicken & snow peas. 

Polynesian Chicken

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup UNCLE BEN’S® ORIGINAL CONVERTED® Brand Rice

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 8 oz. can pineapple chunks in juice

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. peanut oil

1 cup apricot or pineapple marmalade (I couldn't find this so I used apricot preserves)

Instructions:
1. Prepare rice according to package directions.
2. Heat oil in large skillet. Add chicken breast and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add juice from pineapple to chicken in skillet just before chicken has finished cooking.
3. Mix pineapple chunks, marmalade and soy sauce. After pineapple juice has evaporated from skillet, add marmalade mixture to chicken. Cook until sauce is a glaze. Remove from heat and serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 469 calories, 36g protein, 66g carbs, 2g fat
 
I've shared this one before, too, but it's another big favorite of mine, also from Fitness Magazine (recipe from Natalie Coughlin, the Olympic swimmer).  Made this for lunch on Sunday.  THIS time I had actually gone out and bought an iron skillet so I could do it properly and not explode my Pryex pie dish all over the kitchen :) 
 
Asparagus Frittata 
 
Serves 4
 

Ingredients:
6 eggs
salt & pepper to taste
2 T grated parmesean cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 large leek, washed, thinly sliced (looks like a giant green onion for those who don't know what it looks like, usually by the green onions at the grocery store, tastes like a really mild green onion- maybe a little sweet)
1 fresh bunch of asparagus, washed, chopped into bite size pieces
2 cups baby spinach, washed
 
Directions:
1. Preheat broiler and set rack 6" from heat.
2. Crack eggs into bowl, salt & pepper, and parmesean. Mix & set aside.
3. In iron skillet on stove top, heat the oil & butter. 
4. Add the leek, saute for 1 min stirring occasionally.
5.  Add the asparagus, saute for 3 minutes or until almost fully cooked.
6. Add the spinach, season w/ salt & pepper if you want.  When spinach is almost fully wilted, spread this veggie mixture evenly across the bottom of the skillet. 
7.  Pour the egg mixture over the top and tilt the pan so the veggies are all covered.  Cook until the edges of the eggs start to come away from the side of the pan. 
8.  Put the pan in the oven to broil for about 5 minutes, until the frittata is lightly golden and the eggs are fully set.
9.  Immediately turn the frittata out upside down onto a plate.  Garnish w/ the extra parmesean if you want.  Cut into 4 slices & serve.
 
Nutritional Facts per Serving: 208 calories, 12g protein, 8g carb, 15g fat, 2g fiber
 
Here's another yummy that the hubby made for me a few months ago that I just remembered, also from Fitness Magazine:
 
Stuffed French Toast
 

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup fat-free cream cheese

2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup strawberry jam

8 1-inch slices French bread (we used wheat bread slices we had on hand, Sara Lee 45 Cal multi-grain)

2 egg whites

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon apple pie spice (we used pumpkin pie spice b/c we didn't have this on hand)
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:
Combine the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons jam. Make a slit in each slice of French bread to form a pocket; fill each with about 1 tablespoon of the cream-cheese mixture.  (Since we were using thin already sliced bread, we used two pieces of the wheat bread and put the cream cheese mixture between it like a sandwich)
In a small bowl, combine egg whites, egg, milk, vanilla, and apple pie spice. Lightly coat a nonstick griddle with cooking spray; heat over medium heat.
Dip the bread into the egg mixture, coating both sides. Place slices on the hot griddle. Cook about 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the 1/2 cup of jam until melted, stirring frequently. Pour over French toast.

Nutrition facts per serving (2 slices): 300 calories, 14g protein, 30g carbohydrate, 2g fat (0g saturated), 0g fiber

As far as snacks, I haven't been too creative lately.  Just enjoying my daily late morning snack of a Pacific Rose apple sliced w/ 2 T crunchy all natural PB.  I've also been enjoying Marin's dressed up cereal idea for breakfasts as an alternative to eggs.  This morning (short on time mornings :) ) I had 1 cup of special K strawberry w/ a sliced up banana and half cup of skim milk. I still like my protein shakes & protein bars in the afternoons, too. I found a protein bar that I'm pretty satisfied w/ after trying pretty much every one out- Clif Builder's.  Still has a little soy and I'd like just whey, but for 20g protein, it's mostly all-natural ingredients, as opposed to the really sugary & processed alternatives out there.   Some greek honey-flavored yogurt is a good post-dinner dessert. 

So excited to hear all your great ideas & recipes!

Tuesday Motivation

Good morning, amazing ladies! I am so so so so so impressed by all
your great results and hard work this past week.

Keep that great high and momentum to move forward. THIS time is
different. I swear. Think about what hasn't worked in your past with
attempts to lose weight. That knowledge is equal in importance with
what TO do to lose weight successfully and with long-term results and
health in mind.

Now think about the new skill you're learning. No deprivation diets.
No fad eat this and never eat this. Just cutting down calories and
working out as much as it works into your shedule. Just burning more
than you consume. Doing it at a slow and healthy rate that is going to
make the change more lasting and life-long.

You should all be so proud of yourselves! You've made real progress
this week! YOU know yourselves and you can shed away the pounds of
curtains that are drawn over you.

Check out this article: http://weightloss.about.com/od/weightloss101/a/101lesson10.htm

Did anything in there apply to you? I particularly liked the concept
of pushing and peer pressure. That's hard for me. Good reminders are
in this article for all of us. Share your thoughts on it with us, or
other motivational tips!!!!

I hope you all have a phenomenal day!!!!

Monday Morning Check-In

Good Morning, girls!  First Check-in!  Let us know how much you're up or down.  Let us know your thoughts on it.  Let us know what your game plan is for this week.  Keep up the great work & stay strong!  It's a slow journey but it's OH SO WORTH IT!  I know you can do it.

Feel Good Friday

Goooooooooood morning!  It's so sunny here that the brightness is infectious :)  Hope you all can smile at the sun sometime today in your crazy schedules.  There's a light at the end of this winter tunnel!

Today I wanted to share two back-to-back weekly motivational messages from Vanessa Kennon, one on action and one on persistence:

ACTION

"It's been said that we should never leave the site of setting a goal without doing something toward its attainment. No matter how small the act may seem we must do something: write an email, place a phone call, buy a book about the subject matter of your goal, set the stage and prepare but get moving in the direction of your dream! The idea is to do anything that sets in motion the intention of accomplishing the goal.

I've had people say to me "stop talking and SHOW me." What they really were telling me was "take action" to show me you're serious! My mother has always said "action speaks louder than words," oh how this rings true.....nothing is worse than saying you're going to do something and then never doing anything.

What act(s) have you done this week toward the accomplishment of your goals? Remember the size of the action makes no difference. Because if all you ever do are small acts, eventually all those little acts add up to something bigger.

Know that every single step may not produce the outcome you hoped for. That's OK! Because now you know what doesn't work, and knowledge of what does not work is just as important as what does. When it came to the light bulb, Thomas Edison knew 3,000+ acts that didn't work before he learned what DID.

The first step is usually the hardest but once you take it, build on its momentum and take another."

PERSISTENCE

"Some of you may have guessed this topic would follow last week's newsletter that focused on taking "Action". Consistent and PERSISTENT Action must be applied to reach your full potential and achieve the goals you are striving toward. One cannot throw action at a goal every once in awhile; something must be done each and every day!

In watching the Winter Olympics over the last couple of weeks, I was continually impressed at how much hard work, dedication, and Persistence these incredible athletes had given to their chosen sport. Many of them, since they were young children, had practiced and perfected their sport for many hours every day for years on end. Even more impressive were those that had encountered numerous and sometimes devastating set-backs, yet they persisted and overcame.

The truth is this: any dream worth chasing is absolutely going to have roadblocks. The testament to your commitment and desire to achieve will be cultivated in those moments. Actually, I believe they are even a necessary part of the process. It is through those difficult times that we are developed personally enough to handle the position of having achieved our lofty dream. Anything big enough worth "dreaming" about has to be worth the glory of achieving it, and without the set-backs we may not be truly appreciative of its attainment.

Never, never give up! We must press on and overcome any obstacle that should fall in our path. Jack Canfield writes in his book The Success Principles, "Persistence is probably the single most common quality of high achievers. They simply refuse to give up." One of my favorite quotes on this subject is by B.C Forbes, Founder of Forbes magazine: "History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats."

Go forth claiming your dream and be PERSISTENT in its achievement. Eventually you will meet with SUCCESS."

So what do you ladies think of those messages?  "Never, never give up" echoes from Meghan's message yesterday!   I had to highlight my favorite part there in the last one.  Anything worth dreaming is GOING to have obstacles.  Just accept that it's part of the long journey.  You're going to battle those obstacles and if you decide to do something about it, I KNOW you'll find a way around them, through them, or over them, :)  My favorite part is "GO FORTH IN CLAIMING YOUR DREAM!"  So make it a phenomenal weekend, girls!

Feel the Burn Thursday

Good morning, shrinking ladies!   Before talking about exercise, consider this:

"Believe" Author unknown

"You are worthy of reaching for the greatest accomplishments…And you are worthy of achieving them, no matter what other people think of you, no matter what you have done up to this point in life. You are worthy of the best.


You are unique, you are special. You are creative and effective. You have much value to offer, regardless of what anyone has told you. And no one can express that value but you. You are the person who deserves to live your dream. You are the only one who has what it takes to reach that dream.


If you can see it, if you can imagine it, if you can dream it, you are worthy of reaching it. And it is possible. No one will hand it to you. In fact, you’ll strive day and night to reach it. When you give the best you have, when you refuse to be stopped by the obstacles in your way, when you do what must be done, you’ll get what you deserve—a full, rich life that is like no other. Each day, with your thoughts and actions, live up to the fact that you are the best."

Just a little reminder for how awesome you are :) and of course I had to higlight my favorite parts of it.  You are the only one who has what it takes to reach your particular dream.  Everyday is going to be hard work, but love yourself through the journey and take joy in each day's little successes, like Kim so perfectly put yesterday. 

On to exercise!  What exercises have you done so far this week?  What's on the docket for this weekend?  Share with us and be specific so we can all get great ideas for ourselves.  "Refuse to be stopped by the obstacles in your way!"

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, gals!   Hope the first 2 days have gone stellar.  Sounds like it from all your comments, all your water-drinking, all your workouts :) Makes me blubber a little I'm so excited.

So a little Eating 101 for us.  I like that this article says to put some of your dinner calories in your breakfast, and to split your meals in half to spread them out more, doing mini-meals. 

Obviously if you're brand new to MFP or to counting calories, it can be a bit daunting.  To keep myself from becoming overly consumed by the counting aspect of it, I just log in to MFP each morning, enter in what I've got planned for the day ahead of me, and then I'm done.  You don't want to become obsessed or fixated on the counting aspect of it.  Just relax and plan ahead if you can.  Something else to note as you gain more experience w/ counting calories & MFP, you'll start to notice that some foods just tend to make you feel fuller longer, or some "stay with you more."  For instance, a yummy and healthy granola pear homemade muffin (even made w/ wheat flour) for breakfast at 230 calories only stays w/ me for an hour and isn't that filling.  On the other hand, a 200 calorie breakfast scramble of 6 egg whites, 1 cup spinach, & a little tomato basil crumbled feta will fill me up and satisfy me for 3-4 hours.  It's going to be a matter of trial and error with your body.  You'll find foods that mentally and physically fill and satisfy more.  Hey, I understand, sometimes you are willing to take the hit and your whole lunch will consist of a Snicker's candy bar, but if it keeps home murders from happening, I definitely am a proponent.  That's what's cool about the MFP.  Nothing is really off limits.  But, the point of this rambling, is to urge you to hang in there, experiment with lots of different foods and lots of different meals.  Eventually, you'll find a good repertoire of foods that you LOVE and that really fill you up and satisfy you, that give you the energy you need to tackle your excuses.  The more wholesome and the less processed you go, the more full & energizing it should be.  Let me know your thoughts on that! 

I love what Marin said yesterday, that if you fall off the bandwagon for one meal or one day, you jump right back on the bandwagon & the whole thing's not shot, you can recover from it if you DECIDE to.  Choose to be resilient, determined, and courageous. 

Although I am not a Miggy fan, on Biggest Loser last night, I did like what Miggy said in that the biggest change for her in being at the ranch has been learning a more positive attitude and how that has made all the difference in the world.  I also like how she spoke of the real, inner self inside of each of us that is coming forth.  We spoke a lot about that a couple challenges ago.  Inside of you, the fit, trim, healthy, happy, energized you is just rearin' to be let out!  So let's get to opening that door!

Wednesdays are the days we share food ideas, nutrition ideas, recipes, snacks, etc.  So what have you been eating?  Share!  This is the favorite day of so many of us :)

Tuesday Motivation

Good morning, beautiful ladies! How did the first full day go?  Are you feeling pretty proud of yourselves?  You should!  Just a few little reminders to consider today:

• Are you drinking enough water?  You could aim for the old addage of 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water.  Something I prefer b/c it's more realistic for a water-liking-challenged person like me is this fun calculator that takes into effect your gender & body size: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-302--5382-0,00.html
• Are you eating enough?  You shouldn't ever get to the ravenously starving stage.  Eat something light every few hours.  Your metabolism will keep revving along steadily and you'll feel more fulfilled.  Have you tried mini-meals or smaller meals w/ more snacks?  Make sure you're eating those calories you're burning, too, to stay at your net caloric goal and keep your energy up.  If you're at a net calorie for the day LOWER than what MFP says you should be at, you might start feeling low-energy, really fatigued, and your body could go into "starvation mode" meaning it won't burn much and it will store everything you eat instead of burning it for fuel b/c it senses it has no idea when or if its next meal will come.  All bad stuff, right?!  So make sure you're eating ENOUGH! :)
• Are you getting enough sleep?  Being sleep deprived really affects not just your ability to work out, but also your metabolism and mood.  Adults should aim for 8 hours a night if possible (and if not possible, then all you can do is the best you can and that's awesome).  Athletes should aim for 10 hours a night. WHOA!  So depending on how incredible you're doing at your workouts this challenge, you might want to increase your sleep habits a little bit so you don't start draggin' and feeling burnt out.

Onto today's message, which I LOVE!  I know the Olympics are over, but this is just really cool, something I came across that motivated me into action.  It's a motivational newsletter from inside my company, from a really great guy named Harry Hoopis out of Chicago.  The message is a bit lengthy, but pretty cool.  Comment on this post & let us all know your thoughts on it and how it pertains to us and this particular Ten in Six Challenge!:

WHY I LOVE THE OLYMPICS

Whether it’s the Summer or Winter Olympics, I love them. I have thought about this a great deal and have come to the conclusion that it’s not just my Greek heritage that makes me feel this way. In fact, while I am very proud of it, I know that it’s not about heritage, but instead, the significant statement that the Olympic Games make. The first Olympiad was held in 776BC and was held initially as a religious festival to honor the supreme god of gods, Zeus. The games lasted for 1170 years until 393 AD when they were abolished by the Christian Roman Emperor Theodosius.

The Greeks loved the Olympics because they put great emphasis on fitness and athletics and its importance to a good mind. Because being an Olympic Champion was so significant, the athletes competed for honor, not material goods. A simple wreath made from a sacred olive tree was the symbol of their accomplishment. After an absence of 1500 years the Olympics were brought back by a Frenchmen who shared the thinking that a strong body was important for a strong mind. Thus Baron Pierre de Coubertin is credited with bringing back the Olympics as International Games in 1896. I am personally grateful he did this for the world.

So as I thought about the games this week, I couldn’t help but think of the lessons that they teach, if we are willing to look below the hype and the competition itself. For while we have only three medals, Bronze, Silver and Gold; each and every one of these athletes are champions. They are champions for what it has taken for them to make it to Vancouver this winter. So today I would like to make some comparisons to what it takes to be an Olympic athlete and what it takes for you to win your greatest personal victory. And that victory is, as Aristotle told us 2300 years ago when he said this,” the greatest of victories is the victory over Self”. Imagine 2300 years ago and Greeks were writing self help books! :)

So here is how I will summarize my thoughts on your personal greatness and the Olympic champions.

The Five P’s

Preparation,

Perseverance,

Patience,

Persistence

Performance

First think about the preparation that it takes for an Olympian to make it to the Games? The hours and hours of training, practice and disappointment, all with nothing more than the dream of a medal. When, I wonder, does someone see the possibility that they can qualify for the Olympics? When do they finally believe in themselves enough to begin the arduous task of working toward that dream?

So the first P, Preparation, is about creating a dream, believing in yourself more than anyone else probably does and then taking the steps to get there. This will include a good coach and a commitment to excellence. You too, need a dream and like the Olympians of the Ancient games, you need to do it for honor, not material things. Honor, to me, is doing the right things for your family, religious beliefs and community.

The second P, Perseverance, is what it takes to get from the dream to the reality of just how hard this is going to be. How many kids talk about being a Navy Seal, a Doctor, and Astronaut, only to abandon their dream at the first sign of hard work? Do you think an Olympian ever has days when things didn’t go well? Do you think they ever consider quitting? My guess, everyone of them will tell you they thought of quitting numerous times. Do you think about quitting your dream? Do you play hurt like so many Olympians, or do you call in sick with a sniffle?

The third P, Patience is about your staying power. It’s about endurance and your ability to allow skills to catch up with dreams. Being realistic about the time it will take to make it to the top. The great athletes of the Olympics know this well. How many did we hear about this week, who had to wait four more years for their next chance? How many had a bad break, an injury, a fall and still came back, four years later? The dream never dies!

The fourth P, Persistence is what all champions have. My mentor, Don Clifton always said a winner “increases his/her persistence in the face of resistance.” Your ability to persist is a skill, not just a feeling. No one achieves without persistence.

The fifth P, Performance is what we have after we have done all the rest. Our performance is simply the culmination of our preparation, perseverance, patience and persistence. This is the payoff for the practice, the hours and hours of practice. Is your practice in alignment with your desired level of achievement? If you were in front of the judges for the Olympics of Life, how would they rate your performance?

So as we watch the Olympics come to a close this weekend, don’t let the memory of great achievement fade. Don’t let the emotion you felt as you watched an Olympic performance leave you. Decide now that you too can win the greatest victory of all, victory over Self!

So why do I love the Olympics? I love the Olympics because it is the greatest manifestation of Human ability. It’s about ordinary people, doing extraordinary things. Remember, anything you ardently desire and earnestly work toward will eventually come to pass.

(alright, and this cake is just funny :) )

Make it a great day, girls!

First Day of the New Challenge

Good morning, weight loss wonder women! Hope you’re feeling great this morning- excited, refreshed, and rejuvenated for a fantastic 6 weeks ahead of us. For those who are brand new- Amy F., Carla, Isolde, Marnie, & Marin (the original creator of this blog now back post-baby)-WELCOME! Can’t wait to get to know you better & hear all you have to contribute to this great group of ladies. For the rest of us who are continuing on from previous challenges- let’s ramp it up a level to really bring it this time around!

To all of us, we have our own individual excuses for falling out of fitness or for gaining that extra weight over the years or for not getting our sneakers on or for not finding the time to work out or for not having the energy to plan healthy eating. Only you can determine what your excuses are, and chances are you know them better than you’d like to know them- you’re intimate bosom buddies w/ those dang excuses. Many are going to be unique to just you and your psyche or just you and your current living dynamics. But whatever those excuses are, determine today that you’re going to do your darndest to challenge them! Sever the umbilical cord to those excuses that kept you plump and sedated. Adios, excuses! It’s a daily choice to challenge them- it’s not a once at the beginning of this challenge. For many of us, it’s multiple times every day even AFTER you think you have a habit established. And speaking of habits, it takes at LEAST a good 6 weeks to develop a habit, so give yourself the full 6 weeks of trying really hard to live a healthy lifestyle. Show your body who is boss. Mind over matter. Daily decisions on our attitude. Feel GREAT again!

This morning you should have weighed in and taken your body measurements (whatever areas you want to track: I like tracking a ton of areas like waist, hips, bum, thighs, calves, ribcage, bust, neck, upper arm, etc. Gosh darn it, I’m gonna see a millimeter loss somewhere :) You also should have entered these measurements into your My Fitness Pal profile and made sure that today’s starting weight is the only weight that shows up in there so that your badge on the ride side of this blog starts at ZERO lbs lost. For instructions on that, see the last post, or let me know and I can walk you through it.

Starting today, you're going to begin tracking everything you eat or drink in MFP and tracking every calorie you burn in MFP.  Whatever you entered in for your goals, MFP will determine a daily net calorie value that you should aim for.  If you workout and burn x number of calories, then you eat the calories you burn to get to that net calorie value.  Make sense?  You'll should get it when you play around w/ it enough, but let me know what questions you have & I can help you walk through it.

Alright, blog housekeeping out of the way, how are you all feeling today????!!!! Browse all the side bar names, bios, and rewards. Comment on today’s post by clicking “Challengers Check-in” underneath the post. You may have to log in w/ your Google/Blogger account (free to create one if you don’t have one already) or you can also just make it an anonymous comment, but tell us who you so we know. Introduce yourselves, welcome the new gals, and share w/ everybody (even if you did before) exactly WHY you’re going to lose this weight. I love this part!  Hearing everyone's reasons is motivating for all of us!

Introduction & Set Up for Newbies- What's this All About?????

This Ten in Six blog is a free support group environment for ladies looking to lose 10 lbs in 6 weeks. We are from all across the country and challenge our own individual excuses every day to live a healthier, active lifestyle. The only rule for participation in this blog is that you've got to try your darndest to be positive and uplifting. Over time, you'll get to know each other a little, cheer & be cheered, uplift & be uplifted, inspire & be inspired. Weight loss and lifestyle renovating take time- it's a marathon and not a sprint. This awesome group of gals will help you on your journey, whether your just starting out, if you're almost to your goal, or even if you're aiming to maintain. No fad diets, just honestly trying our hardest to make overall changes for the better in our habits.


There are a few keys to this blog's success: First, everyone's holding you accountable, in a positive and fun way, to whatever goal you've set for yourself. No nagging, but just encouragement, girls excited to hear how you're doing. Second, we have awesome tools for tracking calories burned & calories consumed with the My Fitness Pal free online profile, and awesome tips & tricks for healthy lifestyles from all the girls participating in this blog. And third, we keep healthy living at the forefront of your thoughts each day by either emailing you the post each weekday or emailing you every time another challenger comments.

Regarding the subject matter of the posts, Mondays are typically check-in days, Tuesdays & Fridays motivation days, Wednesdays recipe/snack sharing days, & Thursdays workout sharing days. Check it out by scrolling through our older posts over the last few months. You can also click on any topic that interests you in the cloud of topics on the left side of the blog and it will pull up all posts with that particular topic as the label.

So, are you in? We hope so! If you are, follow these steps to get all set up on the program. This next Ten in Six challenge will begin with weigh-in & measurements on Monday morning March 1st and will conclude with weigh-in & measurements on Monday morning April 12th.

Create a free personal profile on the My Fitness Pal website. This is what you'll use to enter in your goals, weight, measurements, calories consumed, calories burned, etc. If you already have a profile, zero it out by deleting the past weight measurements (Click "Home, "Click "Check in," Click "Edit Past Entries," at bottom, delete all old entries).  You don't have to delete the past measuring tape measurements.

When you're in the My Fitness Pal profile, click on the tab that's called "Tools." Then click on the link in the middle of the page that says "Get Your Personalized Weight Loss Badge Now." Then the second badge on the left down from the top, copy & paste that code to me in an email.

Email me (sarah.a.weight at hotmail dot com) your first name (or screen name if you want to stay anonymous), badge code, and what you want in your little bio on the right side bar. I'd love to see what your favorite workout is, what your favorite healthy snack is, what your goal for this challenge is, and what your reward will be when you succeed (massage, manicure/pedicure, new pair of jeans, new pair of shoes, new workout outfit, new swimsuit, new iPod, weekend getaway, new haircut, new healthy kitchen gadget, new bra, new make-up, new CD/iTunes album, etc.). Also let me know if you want your email address added to the blog so that whenever another challenger posts, it goes straight into your email inbox (I got this fancy schmancy automatic forwarding thing from a special ten in six gmail account going on last challenge). And of course you could choose to not be emailed at all.  As of 2/26/2010, I have room for 6 additional email addresses to receive updates- new participants who aren't already getting the post/comment updates via email.

On the morning of Monday, March 1st, log into your My Fitness Pal profile and enter your starting weight and all the starting measurements you want to (read the instructions "How to Accurately Weight & Measure Yourself"). Start tracking calories consumed & calories burned through workouts. Check in daily to the blog here to let us know how it's going, what you're up to, share your successes & encouragement, etc. I'll ask for specific things in the posts for you to add your comment on or to check-in on, too.

Other things to note: Weights will be private (unless you want to share) b/c we'll just be reporting how much weight and how many inches we drop; no one will know the starting #s. No references to last names for security purposes please, or neighborhoods you live in, or which trail you're going to be running on at a specific time in the future, etc. Just be smart. I don't want to have to go private with the blog. Let me know your favorite songs on your workout playlist and I'll add them to the workout playlist playing at the bottom of the blog. I will also be doing 2 side challenges (one the second week and one the fourth week) for fun prizes.

NEW THIS CHALLENGE:  Email me and let me know if you want to be a guest blogger!  I'm always looking for fresh ideas for posts and fresh articles/studies/research/ideas to share on here.  A genius girlfriend suggested to me last night having a sign up for the various 10 in 6 gals to create the daily post some days.  I love it!  And I think you guys will, too!  So I'm just going to manage it for now privately via email.  Feel free to email to me a Motivation post, a Nutrition post, a Workout post, a Feel Good post, etc.  I'll be compiling them all in a big document on my computer and will pepper them throughout the 6 weeks of the challenge and of course give credit to who wrote the post.  I can't wait for this to freshen things up on here!  Also, let me know via email if you want to provide a prize for a side challenge winner!

If you were on the last Ten in Six Challenge and want to continue, just remember to zero out your info & send me any updates you want to your bio and what your new reward is going to be :)

If you were on the last Ten in Six Challenge and DON'T want to continue, just let me know and I'll delete off your bio, badge, & email address.

So go out and get all your girlfriends, moms, sisters, etc. to jump on the challenge here and decide now to challenge their excuses and reach the fitness goals they want to hit! I am so excited for this to start up a fresh round :) Let me know if something's unclear in the instructions above.

Final Check-In

Good morning, beautiful ladies!!!! It's the last day of this
particular challenge. Let us know the weekly & final results from the
scale, the measuring tape, & your thoughts/feelings/lessons learned.

Side-Challenge

Alright, you creative cats :). Email me a pic of your healthy recipe
albums! As plain, as techy, as simple, or as extravagant as you want.
I will post them all on here. Say, by the end of the day Monday? All
participants will be put in a drawing for a fun prize!!!!
Tomorrow morning is final weigh-in and final measuremets. I am
thinking then the usual 1 week off then start the next Ten in Six
Challenge on March 1st? What do you think?

Cherise
Here is one of the recipes from my Healthy Recipe Album . . .

Kim
I loved this challenge, however, it is still a work in progress and I still have a lot to do to finish it. So I bought a very basic 3 ring binder and typed up my favorite/healthy recipes and divided them into sections breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, desserts and snacks and I even tried to find a picture to go along with the recipe. I also have a section that shows measuring equivalents and another that shows emergency substitutions. I am still working on showing the nutritional facts for each recipe but at least I am off to a good start and this will really help me in reaching my goals!

Sarah
Here's my inspiration and here's what I've got worked up so far.  It's a big 12" x 12" scrapbook w/ 4 x 6 openings in each clear page inside.  It's divided into different sections.  Here's the beginnings of my chicken section.  I plan on adding more recipes and more photos throughout the years......