Our Creation Boxes

I love them all!  I hope those of you who participated in this second side-challenge had a good time capturing via your creativity all the goals and dreams you have in quotes, pictures, clippings, etc.  4 of us did it that I have emailed pics of so far...but send them later on and I'll add them in :)

AMY F:

-Rollerblades - because I LOVE the feeling I get when I rollerblade and I want to get back into it

-Tennis - Tennis makes me happy and I would love to be in a tennis league or tournament someday

-My boys - why I try to stay healthy.

-Skiing - there is a rush that comes with this sport, and I want to get back into that too.

-5K run - One of my goals in the next year or 2.

-Me and Dave - our engagement picture - where I want to be weight wise!!! When I felt the sexiest!

I also have a list of a ba-zillion things that I want to do before I'm fifty - some are physical things, some are vacation things, but all things I want to experience in life!

This was a great thing to do, and I have mine now on my window ledge above my kitchen sink, where I am most of the day! hahah!

NICKI:

My printer hasn't been working so I couldn't print any photos off. I'll definitely add to it though. :) Basically I wrote down all of my "Why's" along with all of the other things you suggested. I also included a bunch of other goals and dreams that I'm headed towards that don't have anything to do with health, but definitely go along with the person I want to become. Thanks for getting us to do this, it was very good for me!

MEGHAN:

Here's my creation board! I put pics of my family and me to remember who I want to b healthy for. I have a pic of a cruise liner and Bora Bora b/c that's where I want to go looking all hot and sassy! The Berbee Derby runners are on there. And most important, two quotes with happiness in the center reminding me that I hold in the palm of my hand.

SARAH W:

My jar is filled with a whole bunch of quotes I love all about us becoming what we think about the most, about dreaming big, about letting the inner us guide us along, about achieving goals. 

Same with Nicki, my things in the jar aren't all physical fitness goals.  A lot of them are things I want to accomplish in my life, like run a bunch of marathons in fun places, look smokin' hot on our vacation to Hawaii next  June, have toned arms & shoulders, have a home filled with redheaded kiddos, have snuggly pups, be an active and healthy mom, and finish a century cycling ride (100 miles).  I also have some clippings from some magazines of some cute skinny clothes I want to buy. 

I plan on adding to this jar throughout the next year or so.  I love it.  Absolutely adore it :)  I shared all its contents and quotes with my hubby and it was a really good experience. 

And I love that you all have opened your hearts and spirits and shared such beautiful dreams and goals with me over the last 5 weeks!  I appreciate and cherish each of your contributions, words of encouragement, tips & ideas, and overall support.  YOU are what makes any one of our fitness programs a long-term lifestyle change and not just a temporary kick.  THANK YOU!!!!!

I know a couple others of you were working on boxes of your own.  Whenever you do finish, and no pressure, no rush, email me it and I'll post it on here :)  Keep dreaming big!  What you think about yourself and your future is what you'll become...

Feel Good Friday

Do you ladies want to know yet ANOTHER reason why you're so amazing!?!  1. Yesterday was supposed to be about feeling the burn instead of motivation, and no one called me out on my blooper :) 2. Today I spaced posting this morning & again, no one called me out on it!

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY this week to Tara!  I can't believe you went without cake- WHOA!  Hope you're feeling better, too.  Kim, you're so sweet to be uplifting when it seems like so many of us on the blog are quieter than usual this week.  That's what's so awesome about this blog- sometimes one person will be up and shine and lift others, and another week someone else will be the "lifter."  I love it :)

I had such a great time putting together some odds and ends for my Creation Jar this week.  Last night I got a big gallon Jar ready. I've been clipping & printing all week.  I'm going to assemble it all tonight.  I found such great quotes that the exercise in and of itself has been uplifting :)  I can't wait to hear about and see your boxes/jars/pails come through my email in the next 24 hours :)

I wanted to share today snipets from a Fitness article called "Bounce Back Better."  It's not online unfortunately, or else I'd post a link to it. I can't find it on their site.  But I have it ripped out of the mag and sitting on my lap here :)  In a nutshell, the article is talking about all the setbacks and rollercoasters we face on our "journey to your healthiest, fittest self."  It offers 6 strategies for overcoming those setbacks:

1. Walk Tall- confidence precedes resiliance. "The first step is believing that your goals are worth fighting for and that you deserve to reach them. That confidence helps you turn thoughts into action." -John Heil
2. Focus on the Facts- focus on the process that's in your contorol rather than focusing on emotions or outcomes
3. Bond with your Buds- studies show we recover more robustly from stress and illness when we feel supported by others  (WINK WINK- LIKE THIS BLOG :) )
4. Emphasize the Positive- you're guaranteed to come back tougher if you view negative events as opportunities for improvement.
5. Build a Backup Plan- think aout your last lousy workout or diet blunder and figure out what you can do differently next time.  Let go of the past and focus on planning your next healthy meal.
6. See the Bigger Picture- it's best to own up to your foibles- it enables you to take control of how you think about what to do next.  "Remember why you're doing what you're doing, beyond seeing a certain number on the scale or the time on a clock.  Know that you're in it for emotional and healthful fulfillment. And keep in mind that those who've achieved the greatest heights are often the ones who've fallen the farthest.  So brush off and keep climbing."

I have been having a great week and I hope you have, too.  We only have a week and 2 days left of this challenge!  Make it count. Last chance workout!  hehe, jk  But really, thanks for all the support!  Make it a great weekend :)

Thursday Motivation

Check out this story from Fitness- I really liked it :)

Today remember that you made a commitment to yourself and your goals.  If you don't workout, nobody knows but you.  But THAT should be big enough and motivating enough to really work hard with the few minutes you can squeeze in each day to work out and with each little food decision you make all day long and hit your goals because you're worth it.  As I've said before, you're not competing against anyone in this challenge but your old full-of-excuses self.  Just as you know your body's weaknesses better than anyone else, you also know the key to your body's strengths and your mind's motivation better than anyone else.  Take advantage of the strengths/motivation and don't lay back as victim to the weaknesses/excuses.  Find the balance and find the determination.  You can do it!

Whatcha Eatin Wednesday

What snacks and meals have you been trying this past week? Anything yummy or exciting????? We made up a batch of Thai Chicken Pasta (recipe from Janis) on Sunday night. So yummy! And how have you all been at getting in enough cold water sipping?

Thai Pasta

Ingredients:

1 c. green onions, chopped

1 c. grated carrots (whatever other veggies I want)

1/2 c. peanut butter

2/3 c. soy sauce

2/3 c. olive oil

4 T. chili oil or powder OR 1/2-1 T. chili paste (red rooster chinese bottle)

1 T. sesame oil

6 T. honey

2 lbs. noodles

mandarin oranges, optional

shrimp, chicken, pork, beef, optional

Directions:

Cook noodles. Toss with onions and carrots. Whisk all other ingredients together. Mix sauce with pasta. Chill. Even better the next day.

I used two boxes of Barilla whole wheat fettucine, which was scrumptious.  We actually picked up some real rice Udon noodles in the Asian aisle of the grocery store for the next time we make it, to make it even more authentically like Pad Thai from Chin's Asia Fresh (one of my fav meals ever).  Next time we're going to toss in cabbage, egg, sprouts, and sprinkle on chopped peanut bits as topping. 

Tuesday Motivation

Thank you so much for all of your great ideas and input yesterday!  That first question was 100% describing me and I'm so grateful for all the encouragement :) Yes, little by little I have been and will reach my goals.  I'm not worried about reaching them; I really do believe in myself and I know I'll hit them someday.  I'm working on recognizing when negativity creeps into my brain about the progress being so slow and so then I consiously have to remind myself it doesn't matter- any step in the right direction is wonderful! :)  Sounds like ALL of us, though, want some tips on making it through the weekend as succesfully as we make it through the workweek.  Here's an article I found about just that topic: Control Weekend Splurges

What I liked best about it is the tip to make your "I deserve it" rewards into something non-food.  I don't know about you, but a new pair of clearance shoes at DSW or a cute shirt on the 70% off rack at Kohl's will make me so giddy for a good 24 hours.  Much more satisfaction than an order of Culver's cheese curds w/ ranch dressing!  That makes me sound really materialistic, and I'm really not, I swear, but with the non-food rewards like clothing, it first of all makes you feel sexy, and second of all, makes you have extra resolve to keep your body making progress on its route to hotty-bo-botty-ness (yes, that's a great word).  So here's my weekend goal for this weekend- If I stick to my MFP calorie tracking like a rockstar Thursday through Sunday, then on Saturday night or Monday night I'm going to go browse Kohl's clearance racks :)  (I adore the Vera Wang clearance clothing that's ALWAYS 70-90% off there).  Anyhow, enough about me, what about you!?  What are you going to do this weekend to keep on top of your game?  You're not up against anyone else, not competing with anyone but yourself.  How are you going to trick yourself out of being a slub this weekend?  We know what our bodies will fall for- so plan some good effective tactics :)  Or play dirty if you must!  I wanna hear all about it :)

What I really wanted to share is this idea I ripped out of my Shape magazine over the weekend.

If you click on the image, it will enlarge it so you can actually read it.  But what it says is "Banish the word 'should' from your vocabulary and you may find you can accomplish anything.  'By saying you should do something, like exercise, it immediately implies you feel the activity is a burden,' says B.J. Gallagher, an inspirational speaker and the author of the book Why Don't I Do the Things I Know Are Good For Me? 'But replace 'should' with 'want' and you'll start to build positive energy.' So try telling yourself that you want to work out today and you'll get in the right mind-set to go to the gym, which is half the battle." 

So, what do you ladies WANT to do today? Hehehe :)  Make it into a phenomenal day!

Monday Morning Check-in

How did you all fare this past week?!? I can't wait to hear! Share
your successes or struggles, what differences you notice, give us an
advertisement for a healthy lifestyle! :)

2 Questions for thought today, so please weigh in on each if you have
a sec to:
1: One tends to be a motivated, unstoppable rockstar Sunday through
Wednesday, and a slub Thursday through Saturday. How do you all keep
the great steam and momentum going strong all week long and not just
around check-in time when resolve is high?
2: What are your tactics for keeping entire bowlfulls of Halloween
candy out of sight and out of tummy?

Feel Good Friday

Good morning!  Yes, of course, we can extend the "Creation Box" side-challenge a week.  I'm excited so many of you are doing it!  For this weekend, try this for an addition your box:

• Make a gratitude list: write out all the things in your life that you are grateful for and that will help you move towards the future you and hitting your goals.  Put the list in the box/jar.

And carrying on I guess with this week's talk from all of us about limiting the toxic negativity in our lives, I like what Amy C pointed out, that sometimes we have enough negativity within our own minds.  Check out this message, again from Dale Smith Thomas, about recognizing then turning around our own negative thoughts:

"I am once again reminded of the power of our words. The power of our thought process. The power of our vision for the future. I believe we need to be constantly aware of our thoughts. Negative thoughts are so easy to hold on to. Once a negative thought enters your mind the first step is to "be aware". The second step is to make a decision to change it. I read once the minute you become aware of your negative focus you should say out loud, " STOP." Once you start to use the word stop each time you begin to speak negatively then you will be more aware of the thoughts.

Again, changing the internal dialogue is key. Start using milder words. Have you ever noticed that in a hospital that many times they use the word "discomfort" instead of pain? If you are angry with someone use the word disenchanted. You can also just use the word annoyed. It has much less power than anger.

Also, we need to change our self limiting statements. I hear so many people use the word "impossible." The next time you catch yourself saying that something is impossible just STOP. Start asking questions instead of making statements. "How is this possible?" "How can I handle this?"

This seems like such a simple task, changing our self defeating language. However, we have allowed the negative language to become a part of our lives. It is a habit and it's time for us to change it.

I challenge you to really make a commitment to monitor your language and thoughts this week. Make a choice to "pay attention" to what you are thinking and speaking. If you need to have an "attitude" partner this week, get one. Listen to each other and when you hear a negative word then work together to create a positive word to replace it."

Don't limit yourself!  Over this weekend, think about your goals.  Think about why you want to achieve them.  Think about them in light of the fact that you're going to hit them.  That it's not a question of "if."  It's real.  It's going to happen.  You will have the life within your boxes/jars. 

Love you, girls! Have a fabulous weekend!

Feel the Burn Thursday!

Hi, ladies! Have you been taking advantage of the brisk outdoor weather lately?  What have you done for workouts since last Thursday?  Do you have any planned for this weekend? 

"You train best where you are the happiest." -Frank Shorter, American distance runner and Olympic gold-medalist

I can 100% whole heartedly agree with that statement!  I've worked out 3 times this past week at the fitness center in my office building and it's such a bland little hole in the wall!  I haven't been able to get past a certain mileage and the little odometer on the treadmill just crawls along (granted there was no TV in front of my face, which would have made it easier).  I MUCH MUCH MUCH prefer being outside on a trail.  I ran a long run on Monday outside on the trail and it was so great!  The time passed like it was nothing.  Nature is rejuvenating to me.  I enjoy the solitude of being alone with my thoughts and decompressing my brain.  I love seeing all the fall leaves, crunching them underfoot, and the crisp smell of autumn.  I can blast away 1300 calories like it's nothing, but inside I monotonously kill myself to burn 300 calories.  I definitely train best outside, where I am the happiest.  What do you ladies think?  Where are you the happiest when working out? 

About your "creation boxes," have any of you made them?  Since I forgot to post yesterday something for you to put in there, here are two things for you today to work on and put in it:

• Positive/Negative People List: List the 25 people that you spend the most time with and decide if they are positive or negative. Limit the toxic people in your life. Is the future you going to be on OTHER people's positive lists?
• Personal Inventory: What are your 5 greatest strengths? What are you most proud of in your life? Is the future you going to have new strengths and new things to be proud of in her life?

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday?

Hi!  I just love seeing all of your comments and receiving all of the wonderful support and advice from you!  I learn and gain so much from you :)  Today I want to hear about your cravings.  What kind of cravings have you been getting? Salty? Sweet? Chocolatey? Cheesy?  And what healthy fix do you have for them?

Here are some healthy fixes for cravings that I liked.  Here are more swap ideas.  And although this dietician seems really cut-throat, this obvious tip to keep it out of sight out of mind might help.  My unprofessional opinion, though, is to just have one of whatever treat it is you're craving (to keep you from murdering someone) and don't allow yourself any more by distracting yourself and moving on.  That's what some of you have shared, too.  Don't binge, obviously, but just have a little bite and that might be all your body wanted.  Don't drive yourself batty, don't make yourself have a coronary, just listen to your body's cravings and see if you can satisfy it with healthy fixes.  I think being in tune with our bodies is a pretty cool way to eat :)  Sorry, that was a lot of rambling without really going anywhere... :)  So pass along some tips and tactics for overcoming cravings!

And as always, share some recipes if you've tried something yummy and healthy lately.  Last week I made this Feta-Topped Chicken and it was soooo yummy.  I'm going to quadruple it the next time I make it and use for leftovers.  I used light balsamic dressing instead of regular.  I served it with a spinach salad, pureed cauliflower, and multi-grain Rhodes roll.

Tuesday Motivation

Along the lines of our side-challenge for this week, the "creation box," here's a little ditty not about Jack & Diane but about all of us approaching our goals with an attitude that we're going to achieve them. 

"Play to Win" by Jon Gordon

There was a time in most of our lives when we had no fear-that feeling when we jumped from the jungle gym and slammed our little bodies to the ground. Perhaps it was when we went on our first roller coaster, or when we were in high school or college and felt that there was nothing we couldn't do. No goal was unattainable. We were an unstoppable force that would think of something and then make it happen. Then, as time goes by, the world tells us more frequently that we can't do what we want. The doubters laugh at our goals and try to persuade us from going after our dreams.

They say, "You're crazy. It's too hard. Why don't you do this instead? You should play it safe." They act as if dreams were meant for others but not people like us. They surround us with negative energy and try to instill their own fears and insecurities in us. We not only begin to know the word "fear," we start to understand what it's like to be fearful. With so many people telling us we can't do something and so few telling us we can, it's hard not to let fear into our lives. Unfortunately this is how many of us go through life.

Whether you are 20 or 50, many of us become so scared of losing what we have that we don't go after what we truly want. We play it safe and hold on so tight to the status quo that we never experience what could be. We believe the doubters and don't take chances that will move us one step towards our dreams. I call this "playing to lose". We see this in sports all the time when a team has the lead. They start to think about how not to lose instead of how to win. They hold on so tight to their lead that they start playing safe and scared. You can see it in their energy and body language. As a result the other team takes chances, plays with no fear and eventually gains the momentum and wins.

To live a life filled with positive energy we must learn to repel the energy of fear. Whether it comes from within or from another person, we must overcome fear and adopt a "play to win" mindset. Playing to win requires a commitment to yourself that even if you fail, you will never give up and never let your goals and dreams die. Those who play to win know that success is not given to us. It is pursued with all the energy and sweat we can muster. Obstacles and struggles are part of life and only serve to make us appreciate our success. If everything came easy we wouldn't know what it felt like to truly succeed. Obstacles are meant to be overcome. Fear is meant to be conquered. Success is meant to be achieved. They are all part of the game of life and the people who succeed play to win and never give up until the game is over.

So, 10 in 6 Challengers, how many times have you heard that being fit is for "other people" and not for people like us, people who are busy with crazy lives, screaming kids, vacations, jobs, stress, REAL LIVES?  How many times have you let other people's negativity make you doubt that you'll ever achieve your goals?  Reach back to your childhood attitudes today and really think of yourself as an incurable optimist, an unstoppable force, an indestructable achiever, a fearless dreamer.  Don't listen to other people's doubts and their attempts to drag people down to their level.  Don't listen to your own doubts or your own thoughts telling you to take the easy and lazy conformist route.  According to the psychologist Abraham Maslow (remember Maslow's hierachy of needs from psych class?):
 

"You can go forward toward growth or back toward comfort and routine.  Growth must be chosen again and again.  Fear must be overcome again and again."

 
Dr. Robert Cooper, the neuroscientist and business consultant I referenced and listened to a couple weeks ago, says regarding the brain and our vast untapped capacity:

 

"What a machine!  The brain generates millions of excuses every hour for not rising, not growing, not changing, not getting ahead of the world. Its premise: This is as good as it gets.  Why bother?  Why stretch when you might stumble? And on and on...Notice how many people try to dumb everyone down.  That's the brain instinctively trying to keep everyone else from getting ahead so you don't look as far behind.  We're wired for that and it feels 'natural.' It is far from optimal...The human brain is forever disconnected from the future- unless we help it remember that what happens today shapes the future."

 
Our brain is negative and others around us are negative, so we've got to consiously decide to not accept any of that junk and to believe in ourselves, the validity of our goals, and the reality that we CAN be whoever we want to be.  That last line from Dr. Cooper about the future is perfect motivation for us all to make our "creation boxes."  Rise above your excuses.  Challenge them!  Play to win, ladies!  You are GOING TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS!  Believe it every day! Play to win!

Monday Check-In

Good morning, you beautiful successful strong gorgeous powerful confident sexy ladies you! :)  HALFWAY!  Today marks the end of the first three weeks of the challenge and the beginning of the second three weeks of the challenge.  How have you done the last week?  Share both this last week's progress and the total progress for the last three weeks.  Measurements today, too, which should be the first time measuring since the first day of the challenge (you can scoop up a $2 floppy white tape measurer at any fabric store like JoAnn's).  In MFP, you can customize all the body areas you measure, so instead of their typical 3 or 4 default areas, I've added like 10 because gosh darn it I'm going to see progress somewhere and LOVE it :)  Also share with us your feelings thus far about the challenge and what you've learned about yourself.  Did you know you could do such hard things when you started?!?  It's amazing to feel that sensation that for once in your life, you're the one in charge of your body; you are not the victim of your body's whims and demands.  And let me also say that Nicole did AMAZING in her half marathon on Saturday!  She didn't walk any of it.  She cruised along at such a phenomenal pace that I couldn't believe it!  My new best ever halfie time.  And Valerie finished a full 22 minutes ahead of us WHILE pushing a baby stroller.  I can't believe how incredibly talented, determined, motivated, and accomplished my friends are.  I loved it!  You should both be extremely proud of yourselves :)  So share share share share- I can't wait to hear all the phenomenal progress and things my other friends are up to!!!!!!!!

This also marks the beginning of Side-Challenge #2!  For those of you who wish to participate, I'll do a little prize at the end for each of you.  It's a bit involved, but very personal and I can't wait to do it myself this week.  The idea for this comes from Dale Smith Thomas, a (female) speaker I heard a year and a half ago at a luncheon in Milwaukee for my work.  I get her motivational emails each Monday and this is an idea she shared this summer.  The Side-Challenge #2 will be to make a "Creation Box."  According to Dale, "Start a 'Creation Box' - find a box that you can keep on your desk or in your home. Fill it with visual images of your goals and dreams. Photos from magazines, phrases, and ideas. Keep adding to your creation box."  So that's your first of a few tasks in this side-challenge.  Today and tomorrow, pick up or find at home a box, pail, jar, or anything else you can think of to be your new "creation box."  Decorate it if you want.  Make it something special for you. 

Do you have a 'skinny' picture of you from years past that you want to get back to?  Put it in the box!  Do you have a favorite quote/mantra/scripture that motivates you? Write/Print it out and put it in the box!  Do you have a vacation you are going to treat yourself to when you hit your goal- maybe a beach, a cruise, a waterpark, etc? Print out a picture and put it in the box!  Do you have sports or activities you're going to be able to run and do without losing breath easily? Print out a picture and put it in the box!  Are you working out to live a longer and healthier life with your kids?  Print out a picture of them and put it in the box!  In the past, some of you ladies have talked about the real you being hidden inside your current body and you're working to bring it out.  Well what does that "real you" inside there look like, feel like, dream like, aspire to, play like, love like?  Try and capture that in pictures, phrases, ideas, and put it in the box!

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, there will be something else for you to put in the box that I'll describe then.  I am SO excited for this one!  On Friday, email me a picture of your creation box/jar/pail and describe one or two things in it.  On Saturday, I'll post your pictures & thoughts for us all to be motivated by :)

FRIIIIIDAY!

Horray! It's friday! The 10 girls who won the little prize for their awesome accomplishments last week will each get this "Challenge Your Excuses" motto in white vinyl lettering, 1.25" high and 6" wide, which you rub on and it transfers to any surface, but I was thinking right on your bathroom mirror, where you can see it every day and be proud that you're winning the battle against yourself, the battle against your excuse-making, the battle of the consious vs. the subconsious, the battle of your old self vs new self.  Celebrate that your new, real self is emerging every day!   Amy F runs her own vinyl lettering business and she is amazing :)  Amy's making them this weekend and so I hope to get them in the mail to you or drop them off to you next week!

Also a reason for a good "Horray" is Nicki is running in her first race tomorrow, a half marathon!  Everyone cheer her on!  I got this quote emailed to me from Runner's World Daily Kick in the Butt: "Spirit has fifty times the strength and staying power of brawn and muscle." - Anonymous.  I love that!  And it's so true!  Nicki, keep your spirits and excitement high, soak up the energy of the race atmosphere, and love yourself for having worked so hard to get there!  You'll do great.  I just hope I can keep up with you and Valerie!

Last night I started two little workout programs, the 100 pushups challenge and the 200 situps challenge.  I did the initial test for each and I'm going to start the first week of the 6 week programs next monday.  You can do it on the website for free or download the iPhone app for 99 cents.  I did the app.  I am SO looking forward to developing upper body and core strength over the next 6 weeks! Anyone want to try it with me?  Following some kind of a schedule really helps me stick to a program of working out, ie training for a race. 

Amy C., have fun on vacation this weekend!  Make your decisions ahead of time for what you will and will not do, then like Sarah F. said, remember that you're there to relax, enjoy the company, and soak in the sights.  I wish I was going :)  I have a work party tonight and so I'm practicing my resolve right now...hope I can resist a binge!  I'm going to just stick w/ lean meat and veggies, as many veggies as I want :)  Michele, Jessie, Kim, Tara, & Jeanie- we'd love to hear from you! Miss you tons & hope you're rocking your goals' worlds.  Have a tremendous weekend, everyone!

Feel the Burn Thursday!

Good Morning :)  How have you been doing?  What workouts have you been up to this week?  It seems everyone around me is sick- I hope you all feel better soon!  If Nicki is feeling better, she has a half marathon this Saturday- her first race ever!  Valerie and I are doing it, too.  Thought it's really short, check out this article on Don't Quit Your Workout Too Soon from the Oprah website.   What I find interesting about it is that your endurance and willpower in any situation in life comes from mental decision making.  Also a carryover from Dr. Cooper last week, he says our brains are hardwired for greatness, ingenuity, and breakthroughs, but our brains are also programmed to DEFAULT to laziness, fear, and accepting the easy route.  You just have to become aware of that pre-programmed default and then you can consiously overcome that with your decision making.  Weird.  I think so, too.  But nonetheless, there may be a grain of truth in it.  I know when I'm working out or running, it's COMPLETELY a mental game.  I decide to go further or to stop.  I decide if something feels good and exhaustive or horrendous.  I decide if I'm having an "off day" or if I'm having a spectacular day.  Physical illness is an exception to all of this of course.  What do you ladies think about mental decision making and will power affecting your workouts?  Let's say there's someone on the 10 in 6 challenge here who's having a really hard go and therefore doesn't have time to workout or eat right because she can't think straight.  What would you all say to her to encourage her?

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday?

Full on recipe swap :), girls! Share your favorites that you haven’t shared with us yet. Share something you found recently that you are going to give it a shot soon. Any delish new snacks you’ve tried?

For breakfasts, I’ve been enjoying a lot of instant oatmeal (strawberries & cream is my fav) or an egg sandwich on whole wheat bread w/ fat-free Kraft mayo & pepper. This week I have been LOVING the late morning snack of a sliced Laughing Cow babybel cheese round on top of 7 reduced fat Triscuits (Thank you, Amy F. & Sarah F., for the idea!!!!). Yoplait fat free yogurts are always great (white chocolate strawberry is my fav). And I’ve been good w/ getting in my cold glasses of water the last 3 days, which is UNHEARD of for me- so yay! For dinners this week, we had asparagus frittatta for dinner Monday night, which we’ve had a few times before (recipe below), and it was so yummy. I ate a quarter of the dish and my hubby ate three quarters of it :). Last night I made chicken noodle soup by boiling 3 chicken breasts in a bit of water (then setting one aside in a baggie in the fridge for the hubby’s spinach salad today), slicing, then tossing in 12 ounces of Reames frozen homestyle egg noodles. Way simple but it hit the spot. Tonight I’m going to try this Brussels sprout slaw recipe (recipe below). I also tossed below a dessert/appetizer recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Bites for entertaining that I made last week- favorite of mine! I can’t wait to hear all your recipes and give them a shot!

Natalie Coughlin’s Asparagus Frittatta (from Fitness Magazine):  Difference is I double the freshly shredded parmesan and only use one package of asparagus instead of two (the Target brand Archer Farms frozen steam in the bag kind works great- but I’ve also used Fresh before- just takes longer to cook). Hubby likes it w/ Frank’s Hot Sauce as a condiment.  You could really toss any veggie in there that you want- I'm sure mushrooms, onions, or peppers would be good!

Brussels Sprouts Slaw w/ Mustard Dressing & Maple-Glazed Pecans (from Epicurious.com)

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites (don’t know where it’s originally from but it’s on lots of sites) Difference is I use fat-free cream cheese and no lemon peel.

Tuesday's Motivation

Good morning, beautiful ladies :)  Not post-savvy this morning- sorry if you got multiple emails on the post being made! hehe  I am feeling tremendously better, full of energy, and fueled up w/ good eating and workout habits.  I am pushing for BIG happy results this week :)  It's amazing how healthy foods, workouts, and sleeping can boost your mood so much!

Today's post comes from Valerie- who pretty much rocks my world.  Here's her post on the Marshmallow Study all about Self Mastery:

If you’re thinking about the marshmallow and how delicious it is, then you’re going to eat it,” Mischel says. “The key is to avoid thinking about it in the first place.”

"This is a link to a story in the New Yorker about kids who were given a marshmallow and told if they didn't eat it they could get a 2nd one after 15 minutes. The result was that most could not wait and those who could were good at everything else in life. No surprise. However, The kids who could wait and not eat the marshmallow were able to do so because they had a method to distract them from eating the marshmallow.

No one can just sit and stare at a marshmellow and not eat it. That is impossible. The way to avoid eating it is to sing a song, or pretend it is a cloud.

With simple training, a few lessons on metacognition (the science of thinking about how to think) children were able to dramatically improve their waiting time.

I used to run 50mile ultramarathons, my last race was over 2 years ago. I am trying to get back into shape to do a 30 mile race this spring, and the distance running is daunting. I have been thinking about the psychology of running great distances lately. As I remember it, the way I got myself to do those was to break up the distance, focus on the podcasts I would have on the IPOD, and other wise distract myself from the physical discomfort of the exercise.

When I am trying to lose weight this week, I am going to avoid eating junk food by not having it in the house, earmarking it for the kids' lunches, and distracting myself by focusing on the TV I get to watch every evening after my healthy dinner. It is comforting to know that it is not really just a matter of "will power" but also a matter of strategy and controlling ones environment."

So what do you guys think?  What conclusions would you draw from the Marshmallow Study for your own weight loss and fitness goals?

Monday Check-In

End of Week 2, Beginning of Week 3
How are you doing?! 
Share w/ us your updates- how much you're up or down- changes you've noticed- encouragement & love for us to make this coming week stellar!  I could use a little extra positive energy so share away all your successes and joys PLEASE :)

Next Monday will be the half way point in our challenge, our measurement day, and the start of the next side-challenge (which will be much more lighthearted, positive, and easy than this last one- sorry if this week was high pressure, gals- not the best idea for a side-challenge!). 

Feel Good Friday

Good morning! On Wednesday afternoon, I had the chance to attend a conference with Dr. Robert Cooper, a renowned neuroscientist turned Fortune-100 business coach. He is actually my boss’s mentor. It was neat to hear all of his insights about how the brain works, how each of us is hardwired for one thing but then defaults to other things, how the brain is a forgetting instrument but how we can make changes and differences in our thought processes in increase our innovation in half the time. He’s the author of a book called Get Out of Your Own Way, which is one I plan on reading sometime soon.


One section of his presentation was all about metabolism, which I think really applies to our blog! He has teams of researchers dedicated to various research fields and projects for him. One such team is dedicated to researching just metabolism, the MetRev© team. They have discovered through their research a list of the following MetRev© Metabolic Prompts, or in other words, things that increase your metabolism, burning more calories resting:

• Breathing/Posture (Take deep breathes more often, increase the flow of oxygen, don’t cock your head to the side or forward when sitting or reading b/c 30% of your collective intelligence is determined by your shoulder to head position, decreasing the flow of oxygen and blood)

• Bright Light (Looking 5 seconds at a light will raise your metabolism 30% for the following hour, change your light often)

• Smart Snacks (smart snacks and light meals aren’t universal and what works for one doesn’t work for another, if you LOVE a snack then it doubles your metabolic rate, so if you hate rice cakes, don’t force yourself to eat them! Find a healthy snack you love to eat)

• Light Meals (higher protein adds mental alertness, complex carbs add mental calmness, fruits and veggies are mentally neutral, high fat foods are mentally fatiguing)

• Muscle Toning (our muscle fibers are metabolic furnaces)

• Physical Activity (exercise makes you sleep deeper)

• Hot Spices (I was thinking about this last night when Abrey was describing her way too firey dinner she made- hehehe)

• Ice-cold Water (the key here is SIPPING, if you sip 6 glasses of ice-cold water a day, you’ll burn 226.7 extra calories per day average, and the preferred place your body pulls calories from to heat the water within your stomach before it can be absorbed/digested is the belly fat)

• Non-Hurtful Humor

• Work-to-Home Transition

• Cool Temperature for Sleeping (1-5 am is the critical time for deep sleep, you’ll sleep deeper if it’s cooler in your bedroom, healing process of your muscles speeds up, metabolism roars, better recovery)



All of these things dial in your senses more and increase your metabolism. Another interesting tid bit was that half of all arguments are hunger related. Keep that at bay w/ the almost constant light snacking, or at least feed the one you’re about to fight with. Jk



What do you guys thing of that? I for one am really going to implement the cooler sleeping temperature, the ice cold water sipping, and looking at lights once in a while!!!!!!  Though maybe I won't go to the extreme of making an ice bed... :)

Feel the Burn Thursday

Hellooooo :)  How are you ladies all doing?  So the name of the game with workouts in my opinion is perseverance.  How many times have we all started workout regimes, they only last a week, and then you peter out?!  It takes your body six weeks to begin to develop a good habit, so we're never giving our body the CHANCE it deserves if we don't stick to something for at least six weeks.  Give it a try with this 10 in 6 challenge.  Our bodies are so amazing.  They can do so much.  They are more powerful and able to endure and succeed than we give them credit for.  Don't take for granted the gift of our bodies.  Here are some fun perseverance quotes that I found- think of them in light of how our fitness journeys are marathons not sprints:

• "I do not think there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance. It overcomes almost everything, even nature." -John D. Rockefeller.
• "Don't be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves." -Dale Carnegie
• "Nobody trips over mountains. It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all the pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed the mountain." -Author Unknown
• "The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground." -Author Unknown
• "Fall seven times, stand up eight." -Japanese Proverb
• "He conquers who endures." -Persius
• "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." -Albert Einstein
• "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." -G.B. Shaw, Mrs. Warren's Profession, 1893
• "The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling." -Lucretius
• "If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking." -Buddhist Saying
• "Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down." -Charles F. Kettering
• "Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
• "With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable." -Thomas Foxwell Buxton
• "Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got a second." -William James
• "Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it. The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use." -Earl Nightingale
• "Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." -William Feather
• "Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before." -Jacob A. Riis
• "Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries." -John Albert Michener
• “How long should you try? Until.” -Jim Rohn
• “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” -Benjamin Franklin
• “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other” -Walter Elliott

What workouts have you been doing this week and what do you have planned for this weekend?  Every little bit helps, even just fitting in an extra minute or two of moving around during your usual day.

Whatcha Eatin' Wednesday?

Good morning!  :)  I hope you all are making it a beautiful day.  So, pulling from Lance's comment yesterday that the more knowledge you have concerning your challenges, the more successful you'll be at pulling yourself through them with flying colors, here's a little Nutrition 101 for you that I've spent some time looking up.  Some may be common sense, some may be news, and ALL of it definitely needs your input, knowledge, and help to complete b/c I am no expert.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Water 101: Drink LOTS of water. The old addage is 8 glasses (one glass being commonly defined as 8 ounces).  A newer article that I found interesting has a calculator for determining the right amount of water for you to aim for each day, dependent upon gender and weight.  I think we'd all be doing just fine to aim for somewhere between the two.  Just do the best you can :)  Benefits of cold water drinking include:

• Revving up your metabolism to burn more calories,
• Eleviating/preventing headaches, migraines, chronic fatigue, and depression,
• Lessening the burden on our kidneys to flush out body toxins,
• Decreasing the risk of heart attacks,
• Maintainnig good digestion for better utilization of the nutrients you consume resulting in more energy,
• Relaxing and invigorating the body,
• Easing joint pain,
• and Preventing overeating when we subconsciously are driven to eat more to gain the necessary water supply (b/c we can confuse the thirst feeling with the hunger feeling).

How do you get in your water each day?

Protein 101:  Eat LOTS of it.  According to this runners' diet article, if you want to lose weight, about 25% of the calories you consume each day should be from protein sources, and furthermore clumped to just after your workout.  Benefits of getting in your daily protein include:

• Making you feel fuller for longer,
• Helping to build and maintain lean muscle mass,
• and Repairing your micro-tears in your muscles following a workout.

How do you get in your protein each day?

Fiber 101:  According to a different runners' diet article, fiber is important to keep in your diet.  It's found mostly in veggies, beans, and whole grains.  Having fiber too close to a workout, though, might cause side stitches or a bloated feeling.  It's best to have it during restful periods of your day.  Benefits of getting in your daily fiber include:

• Making you feel fuller for longer by slowing your digestive process, which also gives your body a steadier stream of nutrient absorption,
• Filling you up with few calories,
• Taking longer to eat,
• and Keeping your colon healthy and thus preventing colon cancer and digestive disorders.

How do you get in your fiber each day?

Carbohydrates 101:  Carbs are the biggest source of fuel for our bodies.  But as much as I'd like to have 100% of my food be carbs, according to this runners' diet article, if you want to lose weight, about 50% of the calories you consume each day should be from carbs, and furthermore clumped to right around the time you're going to be active. Benefits of getting your carbs include:

• Giving you the energy to sustain you during your workouts

Fats 101:  Losing weight doesn't mean cutting all fats.  Again, supposedly up to 25% of your calories should be from healthy fat sources, but they're best consumed during your restful times of the day.  Benefits of fats include:

• Slowing your digestion down to make you feel fuller longer

Sodium 101:  We've been warned to watch our sodium/salt intake, keep it minimal.  There are some good things and some bad things to sodium.   It seems that many processed foods that are low-calorie are also high in sodium b/c the put the sodium in there to compensate for the lack of natural flavor.  Sodium does these things:

• Increases water weight gain, a.k.a. feeling & looking bloated,
• Increases your chances of high blood pressure which leads to a whole host of other problems including increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke, and
• Increases urinary calcium, a.k.a. calcium leaving your body instead of benefiting your bones.

But don't write sodium out completely, because a light amount of sodium is still important for high-intensity workouts and preventing dehydration.  Here are a couple of articles: 1 & 2.

Now I'm very excited to hear all your knowledge, tips, tricks, snacks, & meals you've been preparing this week!!!!  Share away :)

Tuesday Motivation

Good morning, wonderwomen :)

Today's musings are based on three recent things in my life have all centered around living life ALIVE.  First, a family friend passed away last night (Jeanie on this challenge knows him, too), earlier than he should have left this life.   Second, I finished an audio book over our long weekend of driving, Lance Armstrong's story "It's Not About The Bike." He battled and won against cancer and all medical odds, and won the Tour de France (just one time when this book was written) as a greater appreciator of life and human capacity.  Third, I ran a marathon last Saturday, and amongst all the crazy and funny things I heard there, I liked best at the very beginning before we started running when an announcer was commenting on the brisk weather saying, "It's mornings like this that you know you're alive."

Life life ALIVE!  Don't sleep through life, don't procrastinate things you've always wanted to do, don't throw away time being complacent, frumpy, overweight, lazy, or unhappy.  Change something.  Do something to make it unmistakable to yourself that you are ALIVE! 

Here's an excerpt from the very end of Lance's story, and it talks about cancer survival, but think of it in light of this challenge and the fight for our fitness, health, and longevity: “The definition of courage is a quality of spirit that enables one to encounter danger with firmness and without fear…Children have higher cure rates…Adults know too much about failure. They’re more cynical and resigned, fearful….If children have the ability to ignore odds and percentages, maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other chance is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: Give up or fight like hell…anything’s possible…you have to believe and you have to fight…by fight I mean arm yourself with all the available information…the more informed and empowered patient has a better chance at long term survival…What if I had lost?...I still believe I would have gained something in the struggle…In what time I had left, I would have been a more complete, intelligent, and compassionate man, and therefore more alive. The one thing the illness has convinced me of beyond all doubt, more than any experience I’ve had as an athlete, is that we are much better than we know. We have unrealized capacities that sometimes only emerge in a crisis. So if there is a purpose to the suffering that is cancer, it is this: it is meant to improve us.”

From that, I take away the message that we can be overweight, lazy, come up with excuses, become resigned to the fact that we'll always be the way we've always been, think being fit is for other people and we'll just never acheive that OR we can "fight like hell," learn everything we can about our bodies, exercise, nutrition, and live each day with positive hope, energy, faith, and belief.  "WE ARE MUCH BETTER THAN WE KNOW. WE HAVE UNREALIZED CAPACITIES."  Yes, it's hard to day in and day out watch what we eat and find the energy to blast away calories in sweat sessions.  But you are better than you know.  You decide each day if you're going to resign or fight.  Experience and savor every second of life. Be more complete.  Be more alive.  Thank you for fighting with me!  Love you all :)  Make it a fantastic week in the challenge!  What are you going to do this week to wake up your body and show it you're alive? :)