Feel the Burn Thursday!

Good morning, girls!

What workouts have you been doing lately?  Be specific!  We all love new ideas, even if they're old :) What's your game plan for this gorgeous weather weekend?  Anything to offset Easter dinner? ;)

It helps me to have some kind of race/event goal in mind, then I am excited to work out hard, and I'm pressured in a good way to work out hard.  I just decided to aim for my first sprint triathlon.  I know Valerie has multiple marathon race goals this spring.  Mini Me, Meghan, & Marianne are doing a half marathon this summer.  Amy C & Isolde are each doing different sprint triathlons later this summer. 

There are so many different events to pick from. A 5K walk for your favorite charity?  There are running races, trail runs, bike rides, walks, duathlons (run, bike, run), triathlons (swim, bike, run), adventure races (run around a city w/ teammates, Amazing Race style, scavenger hunts, etc.), and muddy obstacle course races (Warrior Dash, etc.).  There are family fun runs, doggie charity walks (Bark for Life), etc.  There are endurance walks (Relay for Life, etc.).  There are relay team marathons, city-to-city relays, etc.

I challenge you all to find something fun that floats your boat & commit to doing it!  It will excite you, you can recruit your healthy-minded friends to join you, you can have fun, & best of all, it will get your butt out there working hard to get ready for it!!!!

Here's my favorite search engine for races: http://www.runningintheusa.com/Race/Default.aspx

And completing something that was hard for you will give you SO MUCH CONFIDENCE! 

If you've done a race goal before (any goal), then share your thoughts on it, how it makes you feel, how it helps you train, etc.  Sell it to those on here who haven't set a race goal before :)

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, sun-kissed sistas!  I hope you have all accepted Meghan's challenge to get out and enjoy the weather outside this week. It's BEAUTIFUL!

Reminder: If you want to participate in the side challenge going on right now, see last Friday's post & create your own little message to yourself that you read each morning.  Call it a manifesto, a vision, a mantra, whatever you want.  It's for your eyes, to uplift you, to remind you of how incredible you are, to change your mood, to invoke a spirit of love, gratitude, confidence, and peace.  Do it soon so that you can have a day or two to read through it and share with us all on Friday the effect that this writing you did had on you.  Email me or comment on this Friday's post with your experience, share a line or two with us if you feel like it (you don't have to), etc.  At the end of the day Friday I'll do the drawing to see which of the participants won the prize of the dishwasher-safe, re-usable snack baggies!

For today's foodie post, share with us what yummies you've been enjoying.  Any good & healthy grill recipes now that the weather is gorgeous?  Any good cold salads now that it's warming up outside?  Even if it's the same ol' same ol' go ahead and share with us! 

On Saturday I enjoyed this Strawberry Chicken Salad recipe that is a modification of a less-healthy version from a dear friend of mine about 10 years ago.  I had literally been craving it for weeks.  Totally hit the spot :)  Super simple, too.

Strawberry Chicken Salad:

• Bed of lettuce, baby spinach, spring mix, green leaf, romaine, whatever you want (I prefer spinach)
• Strawberries, washed, de-stemmed, & sliced (I used frozen ones thawed out b/c it's just what I had on hand)
• Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into bite-size cubes

Dressing (makes TONS- I quartered it for just the 2 of us):

• 1 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup truvia (original recipe calls for sugar, so let conscience be your guide :)  )
• 1 small minced onion
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Directions:

• Cook the chicken thoroughly in a skillet
• Mix all the dressing ingredients together
• Put lettuce on plates, put chicken on top of lettuce, put strawberries on top, drizzle on dressing (a little goes a long way)

If you want to put more carbs in there, it's good with Far East brand Rice Pilaf. You could also add mandarin oranges or pecans if you wanted to the salad :)  Oh, and the picture isn't really the salad I made- it's just what Google found me :)

Tuesday Motivation

Good morning, girls!
Well, me, Jen, & Mini Me are all cleaning up storms, stirring up dust, and prepping for our moves.  All this spring cleaning feels great.  I love it. 
On that note, here's a little message about spring cleaning not just your homes but spring cleaning your minds.

Eliminate Clutter Inside and Out
by Jon Gordon

"We just de-cluttered our house in order to put it on the market. It feels so good I wonder why we didn’t de-clutter it a long time ago. Why do we live with so much stuff we don't need? It's not just a house question but a life question too.

"Why do we fill our life with so many things that weigh us down? Things we never use. Thoughts that hold us back. Habits that limit us. Distractions that derail us. Negative people that drain us. Fear that paralyzes us. And countless time zappers that sabotage our performance and productivity.

"We spend so much time and energy on things that don’t matter that we don’t focus on what does matter. We fill up with so many things that generate negative energy that there’s no room for positive energy to flow into our lives.

"So today I want to encourage you to Spring Clean Your Life-both inside and out.

"Get rid of the physical clutter which might include a messy house, a pile of papers on your desk, mail spread out all over the counter, a closet filled with old clothes you never wear or old salad dressings in your refrigerator. When you attack that to-do list, go through your piles of paper, clean up your desk, or throw out the trash in your car, you clear out the old and make room for the new. This simply makes you feel better.

"The same goes for mental clutter. Spring clean the junk in your mind and you’ll eliminate the mind clutter that prevents you from focusing on your priorities and you’ll make room for great thoughts, exciting opportunities, endless possibilities, and an infinite supply of joy that is waiting to fill you up. You just have to make room for the good stuff.

"Spring is a time of vitality, renewal, and re-birth. Seeds sprout plants, flowers bloom and nature comes back to life. You can do the same. Just get rid of your clutter and your energy will soar.

"Action Steps:

1. Pick one space in your house and/or office that is cluttered. Organize it and throw out the clutter. Observe how you feel when you are finished.

2. Identify one toxic belief or habit in your life and let go of the clutter."

So, ladies, what do you think?  It's a little hokey, yes, but give it a little thought today.  Is there mental clutter that you should let go of?  Something that is preventing you from being successful in hitting your weight loss & fitness goals- something that's inside your head- something that you can overcome & clean away?

Monday Morning Check-In

Good morning, girls!  How did your 4th week go?  Let us  know how much you're up or down, what your thoughts are, what your game plan for this  week is :)  Make it a great week!

Feel Good Friday

Good morning & happy Friday, friends!

Everybody welcome Isolde!!!!!  She's jumped on the blog this week with us and I just posted her bio over on the right side bar.  Glad to have you!

For today's post, I wanted to introduce the next side challenge!  It's one that's really personal, near & dear to my heart: Create a personal manifesto. For those who want to participate and tell us about the experience, you'll be entered into a drawing to win this prize from me: Dishwasher-safe & Reusable Sandwich/Snack Baggies.

Thank you, Wikipedia :) "A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, may also be life stance-related. Manifesto is derived from the Italian word manifesto, itself derived from the Latin manifestum, meaning clear or conspicuous."

So this challenge is going to be you typing up a document (however short or long) that you can read each morning (put it on your nightstand, in your bathroom, in your office, etc.) and have it be very clear about your dreams, vision, principles, goals, etc. Let it change your mindset, let it inspire you to realize how awesome you are, let it inpsire you to realize how blessed you are, let it create a paradigm shift in your attitude to one of hope, betterment, constant improvement, and love of self & others.  Let it inspire you to SUCCEED in your weight loss & fitness goals! 

I created mine about 3 years ago, and every time I read it, it relaxes me, softens my heart, calms me down, and let's me focus on what's really important to me.  It's all stuff I know, nothing's new, but somehow just reminding myself of it is important.

Here's mine- yeah, it's personal- but I don't really care who sees it (click on it and it will get big):

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend filled with lots of moving around and lots of being good to yourselves!  Remember to not take the weekends off!  Be strong!

Feel the Burn Thursday

Good morning, booty-kicking babes!

Reading other people's success stories is a proven motivator.  I love it.  It makes me think my struggles & my starting point are no where near as rough as it could be or I don't have near as far to go as they did, but at the same time, reading these stories makes me feel supported, makes my emotions/struggles validated, makes me feel connected to them, like "if they can do it I can do it."  It's a win-win!

I saw a recent cover of Good Housekeeping magazine (not one I'd normally pick up :) ) and it was all about the Biggest Loser success secrets, Helen's story (winner from last season), etc. 

How Biggest Loser Winner Helen Phillips Lost 140 Lbs
Secrets from the Biggest Loser

Re: Helen: "She looks as strong and fit as she did the day she left the Ranch, thanks to a regimen that includes everything from putting in two-hour workouts to packing her car every day with a cooler full of healthy snacks....They agreed to make getting healthier a family affair: On weekends, they exercise together (running, walking, and riding bikes) and group-shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, which they then chop and prepare for the week. And they support one another in making sure the house is stocked with healthy cereals and other staples like low-cal unsweetened almond milk (half the calories of skim milk). Phillips's strategies for keeping the pounds at bay follow some of the proven basics of weight maintenance, says Thomas of the NWCR. Here are some of those keep-it-off behaviors:"

• "Stick with a low-cal, low-fat diet — about 1,500 calories per day, with less than 30 percent coming from fat (Phillips consumes about 400 additional calories per day to help fuel her daily exercise; see Helen Phillips's 5-a-Day Meal Plan).
• Eat breakfast every day — it helps prevent overeating.
• Forgo the high-fat, high-sugar empty calories of fast food.
• Keep a daily food journal and step on the scale regularly.
• Exercise at least 200 minutes per week (Phillips works out about 120 minutes per day).
• Cut TV viewing to 10 hours or less per week (the national average is 28 hours). Phillips went from watching up to five movies in a row when she was heavy to almost zero now.
• Avoid taking weekends and holidays "off" (Phillips indulges in one higher-calorie day a week, a practice she started at the Ranch). "

So what do you guys think????  Honestly, I was never super fond of Helen on the show, but she's done such a great job of keeping it off and inspiring others, that I kind of have more respect for her now after reading this article.  We're doing those tips, by the way----we all rock!  Slowly but surely, we're doing this weight loss & fitness challenge the healthiest way possible!

What workouts have you been up to this week?  Anything fun & active planned for this weekend?

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, wonderful women!

I hope you're all having a great day so far.  This was interesting from the new Fitness magazine (click on the image to make it bigger so you can read it :) so I scanned it in to show you:

So think about eating & enjoying lots of yummy veggies & blasting calories, girls!  :)

Share what yummies you've been eating & enjoying this week!

Tuesday Motivation

Good morning, mentally strong amazing women!

I've got to admit that the last three weeks I've been weak at best in my workouts and healthy eating willpower.  But that's the past, and this is a new week!  I got out for a long 2 hour run last night and it honestly woke me up.  I forgot how much a good hard workout refreshes me, cleanses me, heals me emotionally, etc.  Just smilin' up at the sunshine :)  Nicki, the song "Blue Skies" came up on my play list and made me think of you!  I was such a nerd, smiling and saying hi to everybody and their dog who was out and about yesterday evening :)  I even had a "go gettum" cheer for a mom jogging pushing 2 kids in a stroller (sadly wasn't Valerie, though).  My game plan for this week is to make exercise a priority again.  It has to get scheduled in 5 days a week, blocking off a chunk of time on my schedule.  I just suffer emotionally and mentally when I don't, not to mention my waistline, but honestly, it's the first that's the biggest killer for me.  So this week, I've got workouts at a high priority and I'm going to make it happen.  You ladies have helped me SO much with your determination, climbing back on the wagon, and your support.  I love hearing all your little daily successes- so keep sharing them!

This article hit home to me this morning- "Mental Readiness" by Vanessa Kennon

"This past Saturday, my daughter and I attended an excellent Self-Defense class. The instructors immediately began to teach us techniques to be used should we ever need to defend ourselves against an attacker. They would show us a move then have us practice it repeatedly; show us another move then practice that one repeatedly. They even let us punch and kick them - while holding protective pads, of course. But the idea was to simulate a real situation so we would be familiar and not have only played it through in our head, but acted it out. As we were practicing throughout the duration of the class, we were allowed to ask questions and “what if” scenarios to which they would very thoughtfully respond and demonstrate. They kept reminding us throughout the course that we must have several moves in our arsenal against an attacker. Their consistent message was to try numerous and varied moves so as to keep the attacker guessing and stunned. Further, they gave us awareness techniques. In other words, as I stated previously, an excellent course! About three-quarters of the way through is when it all rang true to me; one of the instructors stated that most people will try one or two different things and sometimes maybe three to ward off their attacker before giving up. He said “once you give up mentally, your attacker has won!” At that very moment, I realized he was not only right about an attacker; but it’s true about anything in life. When you give up mentally, you are defeated. This is why it’s so important to keep ourselves mentally “in shape”. We must feed ourselves positive information (i.e. informative and empowering books, CDs, music, and messages), we must work out mentally each and every day (positive affirmations and incantations), we must visualize and role play in our mind’s eye the end result we wish to achieve."

"Finally, a poster on the wall stated it like this:
“You have not failed when you have been defeated. You have failed when you have given up.”

"Never give up on what it is you know to be your true authentic self! Never give up on your passion or dream! Everything I read and have been taught tells me I do not have to know “How” I’m going to achieve anything; rather, all I have to know is the end result I hope to achieve. The “how” will unfold and reveal itself."
"Exercise your brain and train it to know what it is you want and see yourself living it as if it is already achieved! Much like the self-defense class my daughter and I took, you will be glad you did."

I hope all you amazing Ten in Six women have a fantastic day!

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.