Join Our Next Ten in Six Challenge!

The Ten in Six Challenge is a friendly & free blog support group for positive women looking to lose 10 lbs in 6 weeks (or other fitness goals). The idea is there is a post each day with an article, study, quote, tip, discussion starter, etc. and then the particpants in the challenge will comment on it daily or as often as possible. We hold each other accountable to our stated goals and committments. We cheer each other on, offer support during each other's challenges, answer each other's questions, share our ideas and tricks, and celebrate our collective successes. Each time someone comments, you will be emailed it, thus keeping our challenge and healthy encouragement at the forefront of your thoughts throughout each day. This next Ten in Six Challenge will run from Monday 10/5 through Monday 11/16. Generally, Monday mornings are check-ins, Tuesdays are about motivation, Wednesdays are snack and recipe swapping, Thursday are about workouts, and Fridays are about motivation. There is nothing about fad diets here, it's just slow go lifestyle changes of watching calories and burning calories.

Interested in possibly joining our challenge? We'd love to have you! Check out the set up instructions below:

1. 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.

2. 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 from the top, copy & paste that code to me in an email.

3. Email me (sarah.a.weight at hotmail dot com) your name, 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 (non-food). 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 would suggest this b/c it keeps the challenge at the forefront of your mind). I am however limited to 10 email addresses, so first come first serve.

4. On the morning of Monday, October 5th, log into your My Fitness Pal profile and enter your starting weight and all the starting measurements you want to (read the instructions for the link on the left of the blog that says "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 play list 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 Ten in Six is the topics cloud over on the left sidebar- click on any of the topics and it will take you to a list of the posts that discuss that topic. The bigger the font on it, the more posts there are about that topic.

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 for comments posted.

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!

It's the final check-in! Sad to say the 10 in 6 Challenge is over, but I want to thank all of you awesome ladies for helping and encouraging one another in each of our personal goals. Great work!

Let us know how much you're up or down in weight or measurements. If you didn't get the results you wanted, what are you going to do to change it up for next time? If you did get the results you wanted, how do you feel about it?

We'll have this week off from posting, but please be passing the word along to any of your girlfriends, sisters, moms, aunts, etc. that you want to participate with us in the next round which will start next Monday, October 5th. I'll post instructions & explanations tomorrow for that purpose.

Again, amazing job, everyone! You should be really really proud of yourselves! Let us know how that "reward" goes :)

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, ladies! Check out this article on losing weight during stressful times and let me know what you have planned for this weekend to "calm your mind."

Stress and Weight Gain

This was my favorite part: "If you're facing twin battles against stress and weight, calming your mind should be your first priority, Gluck says. "Addressing stress would be more effective than going on a diet," she says."

Keep up the hard work thoughout the weekend! You ladies all push me to do my best :) Thanks for everything!

Feel the Burn Thursday!

Yeah! Last Chance Workout :) Well, you're going to have lots more workouts, but ya know, amp it up in the last week of this challenge- you can do it! So what workouts are on the radar this week? Laura, have you gotten in any swims lately? Jessie, how's boot camp going? Linds, are you fitting in more-active-than-usual everyday activities w/ the girls? Nicki, I heard you got in a run last night- good for you! Kristin, how's the workout routine w/ the studying routine going? Tara, any fun classes you've done this week? Val, how have your runs been this week? Jamie, are you getting excited for your sprint triathalon coming up in two weeks? Sarah F, any fun interval walks around the neighborhood? Meghan, any more long bike rides? Shanda and Michele, have you found any "me" time amidst the busy-ness? Take care of yourselves! This picture's for you, Linds! :)

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday!

I hope you all were busy doing active and healthy things last night :) I loved Abby's comment on Biggest Loser last night- something to the effect of "you keep moving, and you keep counting calories, and it works." Their basic idea is the same as ours...minus the f-bombs and 10 hour cardio routines :) Did any of you learn any good food ideas from their kitchen lesson? I want to try the fresh raspberries w/ dark chocolate sauce drizzle. Or the pineapple chunks skewered and grilled. Yum! So what have you been eating this week? Any fun new recipes?

So I haven't made this in a few months, but I ate this a ton in the spring. So yummy! I pulled it off the My Fitness Pal recipe forum, but I believe it is from Cooking Light originally. I added a few comments as did the MFP girl who posted it this spring.



Meatloaf in a Mug
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
1 teaspoon onion soup mix
1/4 pound lean ground beef (this is key- it's got to be the leanest possible so there's no grease in the cup)
Additional ketchup, optional

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the milk, ketchup, oats and soup mix. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Pat into a microwave-safe mug or custard cup coated with cooking spray.

Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160°; drain (I didn't need to drain b/c I got 98% lean meat).

Let stand for 3 minutes. Serve with additional ketchup if desired.

Yield: 1 serving.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (calculated without additional ketchup) Calories: 248 Fat: 10 g Saturated Fat: 4 g Cholesterol: 72 mg Sodium: 440 mg Carbohydrate: 14 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 24 g Diabetic Exchange: 3 lean meat, 1 starch.

Tips:
-"Was out of ketchup so I used cocktail sauce! Might do that permanently! The horseradish in it is great with meatloaf!"
-"Used extremely lean ground turkey and there wasn't any grease left in the bottom...so nice..."
-"Didn't trust my mugs in the microwave so I just made it in a one-cup pyrex measuring cup. Didn't look as great but it worked perfectly."
-"Think I'll quadruple this recipe and cook one mug while I line 3 other mugs with plastic wrap and freeze them. When frozen I'll bag them up and save them for a rainy day!"
Edited by ChubbyBunny on Tue 03/10/09 10:02 AM

For me, I didn't freeze them, but I did make 4 at a time (buy 1 lb ground beef or turkey & split into 4 portions), cook them all, and cover and put in the fridge. We would eat them before the end of the week. This recipe is so yummy! And it helps w/ portion control. If you've got a big family, there are also lots of recipes out there for meatloaf "muffins" or meatloaf made in a muffin tin and baked which would get accross the same portion control idea but on a family scale.

Can't wait to hear about all your yummies :)

Tuesday Motivation

"I've forgotten what I've started fighting for" is more than just an REO Speedwagon song :) Do you remember what you are fighting for in this challenge in deciding to take on your bad habits and excuses?

Sarah: To lose weight and feel sexier, more confident, and healthier
Sarah F: To reprogram her brain to reprioritize exercise, to tone up her legs
Nicole: To lose weight to feel better in her own skin again, to teach her kids a healthy lifestyle
Linds: To maintain her weight, exercise regularly, get toned, and eat healthily
Jessie: To get back into her playing-sports-every-day-body, exercise 3x a week, eat healthy foods
Kristin: To feel strong, healthy, and confident, to develop good eating and exericse habits so it's easier to keep good study habits
Valerie: To lose weight and be able to run a 4 hour marathon again
Meghan: To lose weight to look and feel better, to take better care of herself so she can take better care of those she loves
Jamie: To lose weight and keep running half marathons
Michele: To lose weight
Shanda: To lose weight to have the energy she used to have
Laura: To lose weight to fit into her pre-baby jeans
Tara: To lose weight and not eat fast food anymore

All of us have noble causes we're fighting for. YOU are worth improving and strengthening! YOU are worth all the time and effort you've been putting in the last 5 weeks. YOU deserve to hit your goals. No one is going to change you but you. Don't be afraid of the sweat sessions this week, pushing it hard, eating lots of healthy veggies, fitting in extra workouts, and just loving yourself.



Sometime today, close your eyes for a minute and visualize your goals above being achieved. Dream in HD :) Imagine you having hit your goal. How do you feel? How do you look? How is your energy? How does that affect other aspects of your life and relationships? How is your confidence? Are you smiling? Are you doing things you weren't able to do previously? Are you happy?

Monday Check-In

How did this last week go for you? Did you hit your weekly goal? Let us know how much you're up or down and any changes that you've noticed or felt.

Also, let us know how you've been getting your 8 glasses of water! We haven't heard how any of you are doing on that since the first week of this challenge.



If you're sick or have a cold, you might feel it derails your progress, but check out this Cold Guide that links to other articles about what to eat, how exercise can help keep away the cold & flu or jumpstart your immune system if you already have a cold, and how moderate 20-30 min workouts with a cold are fine. Hope you feel better soon, Nicole & Michele! (Michele's had a cold for the last 3 weeks!)

Are you ladies ready for the last week of this Ten in Six Challenge? It's the LAST CHANCE WORKOUT from Biggest Loser :) You all can do it. Push extra hard & be extra good this week. Hit your goals and be proud of yourselves! You can do it!

Feel Good Friday

Hello, beautiful ladies! We only have 10 more days left in this challenge- I can't believe it's been so long already. First, just to flaunt, here are the prizes going out today to the two participants in the t-shirt side-challenge. Congratulations, Linds & Nicole! Linds is getting the Smartwool multisport socks & Nicole is getting the Smartwool running socks.

Second, I thought this quote from the Runner's World magazine's Daily Kick in the Butt (they email a daily motivational quote) was pretty hilarious.

"It's the road signs, 'Beware of Lions.'" -Kip Lagat, Kenyan distance runner, during the Sydney Olympics, explaining why his country produces so many great runners.



Think about that as you're out and about this weekend getting in great sweat sessions, calorie burns, and pounding the pavement. Your lion could be the positive reinforcement/motivation you shared with us at the beginning of the challenge, ie your kids, your happiness, peace, sexiness, etc. Or your lion could be the negative reinforcement of what the old lazy you was like. Let that push you forward into charging your goals! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. Monday morning starts the last week of the 10 in 6 Challenge! Make it a great finish!

Feel the Burn Thursday!

It's getting so crisp and chilly in the mornings already and I can hardly believe that fall is just around the corner (well, except for sunny Jessie's neck of the woods)! I have felt the urgency lately to get out and enjoy the last of the beautiful weather this next month before the midwest 6 month winter sets in...brrr...:) But I love autumn; it's my favorite season! So what are your favorite outdoor workouts? Get out and have fun! Be active! Feel the calorie burn! I love this list of ideas:
Ten Ideas for Outdoor Workouts
I think my dog might actually be taken to the dog park this weekend for the first time in over a month :) Relaxed romping around sounds like such a great weekend treat. What do this week's workouts look like for you?

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday?

Wow, so let me first of all get it out of the way- The Biggest Loser premier last night was GREAT! They push it and work it so hard and see such huge losses. They challenge their past & their bad habits and they make it work. It really inspires me to push it harder. I didn't lose my husband and two kids in a tragic car accident, my mom wasn't a heroine addict, etc. The fact that these contestants can have so much strength despite their obstacles and histories, it means that I have NO EXCUSE! NO EXCUSE AT ALL! What about you? I am going to push the workouts harder and longer this week because of it! Have you ever checked out Kristin's Blog? Just came across it. She has a good and simple smoothie idea that she uses a lot: frozen strawberries, half a banana, skim milk, and a packet of truvia sweetener.



Share with us what your favorite workout foods have been! Our favorites this week have been 6 Week Bran Muffins, a family recipe of my sister-in-law Erianne. It makes a HUGE batch, but the batter keeps for 6 weeks in the fridge, so you just bake a fresh dozen when you need more. It's chock full of fiber and energy. I haven't done a recipe analysis yet b/c I'm waiting to see exactly how many muffins the batch made (I'm thinking 5 dozen- we've baked 2 dozen so far) but someone on MFP with probably a similar recipe has estimated it at about 230 cal each, which seems about right. One muffin in the morning for breakfast and it stays with us and keeps us full all morning.



6 Week Bran Muffins

2 cups boiling water
5 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 quart low-fat buttermilk
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup ground flax seed meal
1 tablespoon salt
4 cups All-Bran cereal
2 cups bran flakes (40% bran)
2 cups chopped dates
1 cup chopped almonds

Add soda to boiling water and let cool (I set it in fridge). Cream butter, applesauce, and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in buttermilk, then flour, flax, and salt. Add water and soda mixture. Mix All-Bran, bran flakes, dates, and nuts in a large separate bowl. Add buttermilk mixture. Spoon into well-greased muffin tins (I don't use papers/wrappers) without stirring much. Bake at 375 for 20 mins. Store the remaining batter in a covered container in refridgerator- will keep 5-6 weeks.

Share a yummy good-for-working-out recipe or snack idea!

Motivational Tuesday

So from last week, from the post that listed 20 motivational weight loss tips, it said that reading success stories will help you stay motivated and realize how accomplish-able (like how I made that word up? :P ) your goals really are. If they can do it, you can do it, right? Check out these success stories:
You Lose, You Win
This one was one of my favorite before & after pics- check out those guns! Wow!

What I gather from reading a bunch of these is that they sometimes took a REALLY LONG TIME but the women did NOT give up. Hitting our goals probably won't be on our ideal time frame, determination and hard work can get you there. Slow results add up. These stories are great. Love them! Did you find anything helpful or motivational in them? Kristin, share your success story with us! I can post pics if you have them ;)

Monday Morning Check-in

Good morning, ladies! So...what's the verdict? How did you do this past week? Share your progress with us :) If not weight being down, share with us changes you've noticed in physique, energy, clothes fitting, strength, etc.



So Meghan, Nicki, and I all watched the Ironman yesterday. INCREDIBLE! Did any of the rest of you see it? Just think of this amazing feat that these athletes from all over the world come to do: Swim 2.4 miles, then bike 100 miles, then run 26.2 miles. Whoa! I'm still astonished. My muscles are fatigued just thinking about it :) It is so amazing what the body can do with discipline and courage. It really humbled me about this upcoming race that's freaking me out- to these athletes who have mastered their bodies and their habits, a small race like mine is a walk in the park. Our bodies are amazing things that can do incredible things! So I've been thinking about what these athletes did mentally to be ready for this incredible feat. They first of all had to DECIDE to do it. Then they had to BELIEVE they could do it and IMAGINE themselves successfully accomplishing it. Then they had to EAT and TRAIN in such a way that they were willing to challenge their excuses and do ANYTHING it takes to hit their goal. So your goal is to lose 10 lbs or a few inches around the midsection, maybe just develop good habits. Do you see how the same principles would apply and how small and easy that sounds in comparision to these ironmen? We can hit our goals!!!!! You ladies are doing so well- you can accomplish whatever your mind decides to do. Decide every morning. It's not something you decide once and then forget about and lose weight anyhow. It's an every morning kind of thing. Decide to be the best you!

Calvin Klein aint got nothin' on these T's!

End of 2nd Side Challenge! Here we go :) There are 3 submissions and I've posted the artists' own comments below. If you click on each image, you should be able to get it to come up on your computer screen really big.

First is Linds' shirt: "'Never Eat More Than You Can Lift'" I think it's hilarious. I chose Miss Piggy because 1) her advice is true you shouldn't eat more then you can lift and 2) she ALWAYS had confidence even if she was a pig, she still thought she was beautiful."


Second is Nicki's shirt: "'Action expresses priorities'" -Gandhi I chose that one because it reminds me that if I claim my priorities are to get healthier and lose weight then I have to be doing something to prove that to myself that entails something more than just saying it. Actually eating differently, taking time to exercise, setting goals, etc. The little cartoon guys were just cute. You can't see them very well but they're doing all kinds of exercise. One the back it says, 'It's not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.' -Edmund Hillary. That one speaks for itself a little more."


Finally is my shirt: "'Excuses abound but I decide each morning to challenge them...and eat them for breakfast'" This isn't a cool quote or anything, just something I think about a lot. There's always a negative excuse, things I used for years, like I'm too tired, too busy, too stressed, too slow to see results that it's not worth the effort, too exhausted, too hungry, etc. I didn't lose weight until I DECIDED to lose weight. Making the decision to challenge all of those negative excuses that are inevitable to pop up- that's what takes guts- every day- it doesn't get easy or go away- it's a decision every day that I have to make- the decision to not stop and to not give in to the easy."


Ok, and this isn't part of the official side challenge, but it's too cute to not share- Nicki's kids decorated their own shirts to wear for when Nicki does her first half-marathon!


Thanks for playing along in the side challenge, Nicki & Linds! Since there were only two of you playing, I am not going to bother with the poll, but just send you each a treat :) Yay! Have a splendid weekend, everyone. Get out and be active!

Feel Good Friday

Good morning, girls! Horray for Friday! :) Thanks, Meghan, for posting yesterday for us to keep our chins up and remember each day is a new chance! From that, I want to post something that will make you all excited and pumped up throughout the weekend, re-dedicated to kicking trash and keeping morale high. I came across this list of 20 motivational tips for weight loss. I know some of you aren't trying to lose weight, so just edit these tips to your specific situation and goals. Skim them and let us know which one would help you the most or which one is your favorite. I loved reading through these!



(T-shirt pics & poll will be posted really late tonight or sometime tomorrow. Geesh, was I tired and extra-loopy when I made mine last night ;) Hope you had fun, too!)

Feel the Burn Thursday

What workouts have you done this week and what do you have planned for the weekend? How are you going to break a sweat and feel the burn? :)



I thought this article was awesome. It's right along the lines of what we're doing! Losing weight slowly, making sure it's a lifestyle change not a fad, and having an awesome support group of fellow 10-in-6-ers :) I am so grateful for all of you.
Lose Pounds Slowly
What do you guys think of the article? Keep on trucking, ladies! The slow, steady weight loss and lifestyle changes are paying off and they'll continue to do so as you better yourself :)

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

Good morning, Ladies! What healthy meals do you have planned for the week? Meal planning (particularly with little ones and busy family schedules) can be tricky. One can only eat so many chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, & drive-thru kids meals, right? Meal planning ahead of time is something that can help us avoid binges, avoid fast food, and avoid headaches and poor decisions when trying to decide what's for dinner. How do you do your meal planning? Here are some ideas:

Healthy Meal Planning Made Simple: this one even has sack lunch ideas, tons of meal ideas, and lots of grocery list/meal planning tips & tricks. Jackpot!

Healthy Meal Planning: this one has good tricks for planning what to cook when, re-using leftovers, & using odds n ends in your fridge as components to future meals.

Healthy Meal Planning/Fruits & Veggies: this one's about incorporating more fruits & veggies into everyday meals.



Let's all comment with a good, healthy, kid-friendly meal idea!

Check-in :)

Hey, ladies! How did the last weeek go? Let us know your ups or downs. This marks the halfway point in the challenge. Re-commit yourself today to making the second half of the challenge just as successful or more successful than the first half :) If you're behind on your goal, it's not too late to push it and hit it! Come up with a gameplan for this week. What meals will you prepare? When and what will you do for workouts? What daily chores or activities can you do to bring on the sweat? What will you do to maintain a mood that enables you to believe in yourself?


Also today is the start of the second side challenge that will run until Friday. Here we go: Come up a personal workout or success mantra. It can be an inspirational quote you really like, a funny saying that lightens your day, or anything that you would consider your theme for this challenge. Put this on a workout T-shirt for yourself. Take a picture of it and email it to me by end of the day Friday. You can pick up a blank bright-colored tee at Michael's, JoAnn's, or Wal-mart for $2 and you can write on your saying w/ fabric paint, Sharpie marker, or iron on letters. Really just do whatever you want. You'll be on your honor to not re-use a T-shirt you had made previously for something else. This idea comes from Valerie and Jamie, who always make such fun running shirts :) Everyone's shirt will be so different, but it will be fun to see them all on here when I post the pictures. After Friday, I'll put a poll on the blog here and everyone will vote anonymously for their favorite, and that person will win a prize. You'll be inspired and laugh looking at all the T-shirts, you'll have your own mantra on your T-shirt to motivate you when you work out, and you'll read through a lot of motivational and inspiration material as you find the right mantra for you and your goals, which in and of itself should be uplifting. I am excited for this challenge :) Have fun with it! Make T-shirts with your kids as a fun craft project :)

Labor Day Weekend Hurrah :)

Do you ladies have fun plans for this weekend? We're headed out of town for a 6.5 hour car trip each direction to Ohio & so my mind is whirling with all the "to-do" list things. One of them is packing a little soft-sided cooler w/ plenty of water and healthy snacks for the trip so I'm not a gas station monger. I will probably over-pack the cooler so that I will always have healthy options on hand while we're visiting family all weekend. I am also going to be doing my longest run ever (gulp!)this Saturday on a neat railroad-to-trail trail I found that's right by their town. Here are my goodies I'll be packing: Water, Powerade Zero, Clif Mini Bars (100 cal each), kosher dill pickles (5-10 cal each), whole wheat pita chips (130 cal for 13 chips), Laughing Cow babybel bonbel cheese rounds (60 cal each), Orbitz Bubblemint Sugarfree gum, & Emerald cocoa roast almonds (100 cal per ounce divided up in little snack-size Ziploc bags), & fresh cut pineapple (74 cal per 1 cup).

I found this neat, particularly the recommendation to pack your workout gear and what fast food meals are decent: How to Take Your Diet on Vacation

What are your tricks & tips for keeping up your diet and workout routine while out of your element and on vacation? What about even if that trip is just an hour away to visit your parents in Milwaukee? (SPOTLIGHT! hehehe....)

Feel the Burn Thursday!

Only 4 more days until the half-way point of our challenge! Are you where you want to be? You beautiful ladies are doing such a great job keeping up the energy and positivity. I appreciate it and you've helped me so much :)

So, Feel the Burn Thursday! What workouts have you done this week? What workouts do you have planned for the rest of the week?

I want to hear what your "internal dialogue" is when you're about to work out or while you're working out. Is there something that you tell yourself to get you motivated to exercises? To get your booty out the door? Is there something you tell yourself or think about while you're exercising to push it to just a little bit harder or just a little bit further?



I was talking to a friend about this last night, someone who's a treadmill newswatcher at 5 am:) When she's running and feels like she's ready to call it quits, she looks at the timer on the treadmill and tells herself, "ok, just two more minutes, you can do it." Then when two more minutes hit, she knows that because she just hit two minutes when she didn't feel like it, she knows that she can push it for two more minutes. Then bit by bit she gets through the end of her workout and is proud. Horray :)

For me, I'm so OCD about organization in life that I workout regularly and best when I schedule it in. I know....da da da da da....looney....but it helps me and my routine development. I'm training for my first ever marathon (Oct 10th Whistlestop Marathon) and I have this marathon training schedule on my fridge. I get a joy out of checking off a day's run. I am so proud that in the last 6 weeks or so, I've only missed one workout! I do a short run on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, a medium run on Thursdays, rest on Fridays, a long run on Saturdays, casually walk on Sundays w/ the fam to recover, and rest on Mondays. When I'm not feeling like getting my run in, I tell myself, "Look, you can't break the rhythm you've got going on!" Ha, and I have to say, seeing calories blasted away on My Fitness Pal is pretty sweet feeling! When I'm running, I let my mind wander and I relax. I think about my day, things going on in my life, meditate a little about whatever. Then I glance down at my GPS and am shocked b/c it didn't feel like I had been running that long or that far. By thinking about other things, the time flies I can thus go further and push myself more than I could if I was laser-focused on the timer on a treadmill. So I guess being OCD & a space cadet is working for me :)

What's working for you? What do you tell yourself to get your sweat on? Or are you a git-er-done-no-questions-asked kinda person?

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday

What have you ladies been eating the last week? Have you discovered anything new & fun? I'm really interested today in hearing about your healthy snacks. We've all heard it's better on your metabolism and weight-loss plan to have mini meals or snack lightly all day instead of huge meals.

Snacks: How they fit into your weight-loss plan

The Healthy Snacks Blog

List of One Point Snacks

Snacks to Eat for Weight Loss

Weight Loss Snacks

Best Snacks for Weight Loss

When I'm at work, I usually don't sit down to a big lunch, but I just snack a few times throughout the day and it keeps the hunger beast at bay :) My favorite snack this week has been whole kosher dill pickles I picked up at the Farmer's Market. Yum! And only 5 calories for a whole one :) For you local madison folks, I got them from the Land of Oos Farm tent downtown- check 'em out :)



What are your favorite snacks?