12 Months of Health, Fitness & Fun

From Maria

2007-11-30T21:43:00.000-06:00

Will this post at the new blog?? Hmm.. testing!

2007-07-31T13:00:00.001-06:00

We are now here:

http://weightlosspriority.blogspot.com/

Follow us!

AUGUST CHALLENGE

2007-07-31T09:24:00.000-06:00

I've refocused, how about you?

It's time to start another full fledged Challenge. Who's with me?!

CHALLENGE

2007-07-24T08:01:00.000-06:00

All right girls... I think we are in need of a challenge this month to get ourselves motivated... so check out my blog and join...

Gotta Share!!!!

2007-07-18T13:14:00.000-06:00

I lost another 2 pounds this week, so I just hit my 10%!!!!! It's only taken me 41 weeks. I'm hoping that the next 10% will go a little quicker. I figure 10% each time is a nice mid-term goal. The whole of it is harder to think about because I don't know what real number I will stop at. And 5 pounds is a bit of a stretch for a longer-term goal. They make great short-term goals though. Something for a month or two.

I think I've caught up on everyone's blogs again. Take a few days off and my blogging world explodes. :) I was glad to hear about everyone's good news (there was a LOT of it out there) and also proud of you that are having trouble and shared it as well. We can do this!!!

So there are still some left

2007-07-16T16:30:00.001-06:00

Hmm....what should we do you ladies? I'm struggling along, but still in it. Should we ban together in our small group?

Hello out there

2007-07-12T14:18:00.000-06:00

Anybody out there?

It's July!!!

2007-07-03T17:45:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone is feeling good with half the year behind us!!! I know I am. I think things are looking up for me. Especially with my mindset. I think I might actually be getting myself to the right place mentally and emotionally on this weight loss thing!

My goals for July are as Follows:
-7500+ steps on weekdays
-At least a 1 mile walk on Saturday and Sunday
-Follow my doctor's 30 minute rule when sitting at a computer or reading.

It think that's fairly easy, AND it follows in with my fitness walking class. We will be walking a minimum 1 mile two days a week. (That's over 2000 steps for me!) I'm going to try getting out every evening for at least a 1 mile, but if it doesn't work out during the week, at least I have my step goal in. That gets me at least 4 half-mile walks just going between work and home! Something is much better than nothing. And I'll fit other stuff in as I can.

I know some people have been asking about what we are doing this month since no one has heard from Michelle in a while. Well, I've just e-mailed her and am waiting for a response. I figure we can just set our goals and keep going until we hear something from her. My prayers are with her and her family just in case something has happened. Although, I REALLY hope that she has just been busy!

Y'all keep up the fantastic work this month and let's get further than we have before (although I know that several people are busy with houses and stuff!).

What's going on with the July Challenge?

2007-07-03T07:26:00.000-06:00

Has anyone heard from Michelle? She hasn't blogged anything in like 2 weeks. Are we doing the July Challenge?

OUT OF TOUCH!

2007-06-30T05:11:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone

I am sorry for not being around much this month due to my house move!

We moved in last night and are delighted at how the house has turned out - after months of planning to be honest I am glad it is finally finished.

The reason for this post is to tell you that I have no internet connection as the phone lines have to be installed (11th July). We are living in the country and because it is a new build it makes it a bit more awkward to get connected.

I wanted to wish you all luck in the challenge and to encourage you all to keep going and keep up the good work.

I am definitely up for July so count me in!

Thanks for bearing with me - roll on the 11th July as I am already missing the internet desperately!

JOY (www.dubai2ireland.blogspotcom)

Warning for others

2007-06-26T17:04:00.000-06:00

Hey yall,

Today I was reading through blogs-from here and others people- anywho, I clicked on one link at scalewhore and was taken to a porno site!! Obviously, I clicked out of there quickly, but I was completely in shock! So anyway, just wanted to warn some of you to check your links and stuff to make sure they are actually people's blogs and still active.

<<>>

G is Good!

2007-06-21T14:32:00.000-06:00

What's your blog rated?

Looking for Advice

2007-06-18T15:12:00.000-06:00

Please check out my this post and give me any helpful advice you can.

WHAT IS WORKING FOR ME!

2007-06-14T03:43:00.001-06:00

Yes half the month has already slipped by - I really don't know where this year is going.

I have been very busy this month with finishing our new house but have been sticking to the challenges I have set myself. The only thing so far in my goals for this month that I haven't really achieved is for me to have some "ME TIME". I am rectifying that this afternoon when I pamper myself, I just don't seem to have any time for myself at the minute and am looking forward to soaking in the bath and pampering myself. My husband is off for a night out so I will have all the time in the world to pamper myself.

I have a hairdressing appointment tomorrow as my hair needs a trim so all in all I think by this time tomorrow I should be a step forward in meeting this goal.

The only real exercising I have been doing is walking but hopefully this will change. At the minute I don't have a car but collect my new car tonight so will be able to go to the pool loads more as it is too far to walk to the health suite! HOORAY for independence!

I have found a secret food - you know the ice poles that you buy unfrozen and put in the freezer! They are only 8 calories each! I often fancy something sweet and never know what I can have without pigging out but this takes the cravings away! These have definitely been my saviour for this month and have preventing me giving up.

Everyone seems to be doing really really well this month - I am proud of you all! I have stopped by most of your blogs already but if I haven't yet I promise to get round to it!

All in all this has been a wonderful month so far as regard the challenge and I think it can only get better. Thanks to each and everyone of you for your support, encouragement and inspiration!

You Rock!

Mid Month

2007-06-13T14:35:00.000-06:00

Where has the time gone??

June is half over already!

How are y'all doing?

What's working for you?

What's NOT working for you?

Post your tips so we can all learn!

For me......NOT working is logging on all my food to Fitday. Just have not had time.

WORKING..... going w/ the flow. I've maintained an excellent outlook on health, weight and life the past few weeks and I'm pleased with that. For the most part, I stopped beating myself up after a cookie fest or sleeping in instead of running in the early morning.
It's all about balance.

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the start of summer :)

June Goals

2007-06-09T10:09:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone!!! I know that it is already June 9th but I still haven't posted my goals on here. I am going to try and cut back on the amount of diet soda I drink ( about 4 or 5 cans a day) and exercise more ( basically start exercising). I am starting back on my diet on Monday because Monday is diet day:) and because we have a party to go to and I love cake. I am going to try and get some exercise in today and tomorrow so this weekend won't be a total wash. I hope everyone is having a good month. Go Team Challenge!!

Hi Girls!!

2007-06-07T13:29:00.000-06:00

I have been such a terrible blogger lately. I am trying to get my grove back... slowly but surely. I wanted to put down my goals for June so that everyone can hold me accountable!

1. To eat small portions at every meal
2. To pack my own meals and snacks for work
3. To get cardio in EVERYDAY!!
4. To write down everything I eat... and drink (MORE WATER!!)
5. To STAY POSITIVE!!

I have been doing this with you girls now for 6 months... and I have gone up and down like every other diet I've tried. I took a long hard look at myself the other day and came to the realization that I wasn't trying. Not as hard as I know I can. Since signing up to do the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Walk, I have found the 'old me'. The me that at 16 years old, trained for hours in the gym getting down to weight for the Tae Kwon Do Nationals. That girl had a desire to win.. and that girl is back! I have a desire to be healthy... I have a desire to lose the weight and complete the 60 miles in November. I have the desire to hug my husband and feel his arms go ALL the way around me!! So Whatch out girls... I'm baaa-aaaack!!

Nan's Goals

2007-06-06T13:19:00.000-06:00

Hello! I'm really excited to be a part of this challenge! Thank you to everyone for the very warm welcome! Unfortunately, June was off to a bad start, but I'm ready for the challenge. I'm going to do baby steps. My goal is to bring lunch to work everyday. I used to do this and it worked out really well. Since I stopped bringing my lunch (around January) I've gained 10 pounds! It's so hard when I've got fast food all around me! No more fast food for me! I'll make my lunch everyday and try not to eat out too much at night.

To my team members, I wanted to update you on my internet situation. I don't have access at home. I come online while I'm at work and sometimes at my friend's house in the evenings and weekends. If I'm MIA during the weekend, that is the reason why. I will try my best to login during the weekend and to be supportive!

Cory's Goals

2007-06-06T09:05:00.000-06:00

I don't think I've really posted my goals yet. I usually do that on the first of the month, I'm just off my game.

This month I decided that I'm just going to be sure to keep going. My goal is simply to not give up.

I know that might seem a simple, but May was a hard month for me. I'm pushing myself with things that I want to do, but I'm keeping everything open as well.

I know that everyone is going to do well this month, and I'm proud to be in this challenge with each of you!

Hey from Paige

2007-06-06T08:16:00.001-06:00

Sorry I was a late add, stuff happens sometimes!!

To the newbies: HI! I'm Paige, you can find me at www.freewebs.com/pikato

My June goals are to recoup from gallbladder surgery and follow WW CORE plan. I'm not up to road cycling just yet, but I want to re-start that probably in a week or so...depending on what the doc says.

Yeah!! We've reached mid-year, y'all!! I think that is very exciting!

June baby!

2007-06-04T09:16:00.001-06:00

Hey everyone! I'm so excited for this month's challenge. I (like a lot of you it seems) was in a bit of a rut throughout May. But I'm ready to get back into it and to be a good partner again!!!

I've posted my goals and everything else here, so feel free to swing by!

Welcome to the new members -- I cant wait to get to know you better and love having a new blogs to read through :) And to all of the returning members its so great to have you back!!! You're all such an amazing and inspiring support system... I appreciate it so much!

Lets get healthy, shall we?

2007-06-04T08:45:00.000-06:00

This is me......Lola :)

I did the challenge for the first 3 months and then took a break for 2.

I'm glad to be back and looking forward to reading everyone's success stories!

My goals for June are simple and realistic..

1) Log ALL food onto Fitday. (links up to my page)
No matter what I eat.

2) Make as many healthy choices each day that I can.
Doesn't mean I'm giving up any of my fav foods though :). I'll just have them in moderation!

Now is not the time to TRY. It is the time to DO

Michelle's June Goals

2007-06-04T08:33:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone :) A quick recap for the new folks to our blog ... I'm a 32-year old divorced mom to two amazing wonderkids (almost 11 year old boy and 6 year old girlie girl). I work full-time, have been accepted back to school full-time in August, loves to dance hula, knit, and work in my garden :) I've battled my weight my entire life, and have twice successfully lost a significant amount of weight. I working on the third and final time to losing weight and getting healthy.

I have several goals for the month.

First and foremost, together with challenge partner Tee, I'm going to stick to my plan for the entire month. No matter what happens this month, I'm sticking to my plan and finishing the ENTIRE MONTH!
To make life a bit more manageable, I've decided to break the month into weekly challenges, and so far this week, my challenge to myself is to get back to basics - clean out my 'frig and kitchen of all the nasty snackies that somehow found their way into my home. You can see Part 1 of the Great 'Frig Cleanup here.
I'm also taking a photo of myself every day and posting it on my blog. They aren't the prettiest of photos as the last two days have proven, but it's kinda like a constant reminder to myself that I am not happy with the way I look right now. I avoid mirrors and cameras at all costs. Putting this photo online every day is REALLY hard, but I think it'll help me kick some booty this month!
I've also been issued a cardio challenge by my partner Tigerlilly - complete 6 hours of cardio beginning TODAY and ending Friday. That breaks down roughly into 72 minutes of cardio per day. It's a heck of alot more cardio than I've been doing lately, but I can do it!

I'm also very excited to get to know three new challengers this month ... Terri, Nan, and Natalie. I'm very happy to welcome Fatinah and Lola back to our challenge after a break. And of course - it just wouldn't be the same without Amber, Christy, Alana, Cory, Joy, Morgan, Amethyst, Jeannie, Maria, Tee, and Tigerlilly !

Fatinah

2007-06-04T08:30:00.000-06:00

Hello all!
I'm back for the June challenge. My challenge this month is for me to track everything that I eat in SparkPeople. To that end, I posted a message on our team message board - if you have a minute - check it out.
We seem to have a great group this month - I can't wait to see how successful we all are at the end of it!

BRING IT ON!!!!

2007-06-04T08:29:00.000-06:00

Hi fellow challengers,

I am SOOOO glad to see so many people coming back for June!

May was definitely a low month for me (and I know a few others) but no point dwelling on it - you can read about it on my blog (www.dubai2ireland.blogspot.com).

The good news is that I am ready to kick some butt in June - all my negativity has gone and it is now time to change how I look and feel! I have set myself so really do-able challenges this month as I don't want to let myself down and think slow and steady is the way to go now! All my goals are listed on my blog if you want to check them out.

I am absolutely totally positively geared up for June and the challenges -together with encouragment, communication and friendship we all can do this!

I wish each and everyone of you a great June and every success in your challenges!

JOY

http://www.dubai2ireland.blogspot.com/

June Challengers

2007-06-04T06:56:00.000-06:00

Welcome to June! It's going to be a FABULOUS month, and we are going to make so much progress in our journey to wellness!

Here are our challenge groups for the month:

Amber
Christy
Fatinah
Lola

Alana
Cory
Joy
Morgan

Amethyst
Jeannie
Maria
Natalie

Michelle
Nan
Tee
Terri
Tigerlilly

Still awaiting word on a blog address from Judi - as soon as I hear from you, I'll add you to a challenge group

We ask that you blog at least 2 or 3 times per week, so we can read what you're facing at the moment, and motivate you as best we can. If you're going to be MIA for a day, a week, etc, please email your partners and let them know. Communication is key! We have a pretty good sized group this month, make sure you visit your challenge partners regularly, but feel free to spread the love within the entire group :)

As most of us are recommitting ourselves, how about a Refrigerator Before & After challenge to get us started this month? If you'd like to participate, you'll need to take a before & after photo of your refrigerator. The goal is to get rid of all the junk foods that have snuck their way back into our refrigerators in May. Extra kudos to those challengers that already have great refrigerators! Everyone should have authoring rights to the challenge blog - please log in, introduce yourselves, and share what your June challenge is going to be.

Thank you so much for joining me this month, let's make it a great month!

Aloha,
Michelle

June Starts!

2007-06-01T08:48:00.001-06:00

It's a new month for us! Joy had a wondeful post that summed up how I've felt this past month. Since she was willing to share, I decided it was time for me to really get back to encouraging everyone. So, if you're up for it, come check out the post that had be tearing up by the time I was finishing writing it!

June is HERE!

2007-06-01T06:51:00.000-06:00

Okay folks ... after my little pity party email to past and present Challengers, I'm ready to start a brand new me! We are looking for new Challengers for June - so far returning to the Challenge are Tee, Lola, Cory, Maria, Morgan, Jeannie, Joy, Fatinah, Christy, Tigerlilly, Alana, Amber, Judi, and new Challengers Natalie and Terri!

The concept is simple - we each set our own specific challenge for the month, and little support groups are formed within the main challenge group. Your mission is to tackle your challenge, and support your partners! We're all here for commeraderie, fellowship, and support!

If you'd like to join our merry little group, please leave a comment below or send me an email at 2007challenge [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thanks!

I Need Your Support

2007-05-22T15:14:00.000-06:00

I have signed up to walk in the Susan G. Komen 3 Day to Fight Breast Cancer. The walk is in November.. so I have 6 months to work up to walking 20 miles a day. (Sounds like a good motivator huh?) Anyway, part of the agreement is that I raise $2200 by then. So I am asking everyone to donate what you can... 5, 10, 20... every little bit will help. If you cant, but know someone who might be willing to... please pass on the website address.

Donate here...

Thank you so much...

I'm Baaaaa-aaaack!!!

2007-05-21T11:35:00.001-06:00

Yes, I am back! and with a weightloss of 2.5 lbs!! Cant get much better then that!

Come and read my blog today....

IS ANYONE ELSE FEELING THE PINCH?

2007-05-16T06:31:00.000-06:00

I feel I am slipping down that slippery slope and am on the verge of giving up on the challenge. Am sure some of you have already reached this point - but I would love to know how you turned things around!

Don't get me wrong I haven't faltered as such and binged out but haven't been doing my exercising or striving to reach my goals this month.

I guess not having a challenge partner this month has a bit to do with it - I need someone to push me and encourage me and I really enjoy spurring my partner on. I don't know why I haven't been assigned a challenge partner this month - it just goes to show I can't do this on my own.

For the rest of the month I will do my best but have lost all motivation and am contemplating missing next month so I can get on track. My fear is if I have a break for a month I may never get back to it. I have been on the challenge right from the start and although I haven't really done anything wrong I know I could have done a lot better.

I am really want to get the motivation back again and feel I need to change for health reasons.

If anyone has any advise please leave a comment on MY BLOG. I am hoping and praying that someone can spur me on and I can get back on track again.

Weigh In

2007-05-09T09:28:00.000-06:00

Well, the news today was... THE SAME.
I can live with that considering the fact that it's that time of the month.

Also, I'm out of good fruit!!! That's a problem that I will be fixing this afternoon. I told Josh to stop and pick up a bag of apples if he goes by a fruit stand on his way back from Jackson. (I'm pretty sure he does, but could be wrong.) I'll also be going shopping to pick up some other options.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful day!!!

Let's get going!!!

2007-05-07T09:37:00.000-06:00

I am not sure yet what my over all goal for the month of May is, but I do have a goal for the first week. I can not order lunch out at all this week. I did so good during my 40 day challenge but as soon as it was over I was order almost everyday and that is not good for my weight of my pocket!

Another Chapter; Another Devotion

2007-05-04T12:50:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone. I am so happy to be doing another month. April was a sad, sad month for me. But May is going to ROCK!!

Come check out my new entry titled " Another Chapter"... my Thursday Devotional is on there too!! It's titled "Desert Wind". It talks about the different ways that God speaks to us thru out the day... like the dog begging to be walked!!

CHALLENGE BUDDIES FOR THIS MONTH

2007-05-04T03:12:00.000-06:00

I haven't heard who my challenge partners are for this month - has anyone else?

I am wondering if I accidently deleted the email from Michelle. I love having challenge buddies and have been blessed with really helpful buddies so far! I would be lost without my challenge buddies/partners!

Am sure I will hear in due course!

I passed out...

2007-05-02T07:32:00.000-06:00

Come over to my blog and check out the story!!!

Welcome to May!

2007-05-01T11:24:00.000-06:00

Well, another month is here, and isn't it Exciting!

Come check out what I have planned!

And pray I can keep it up while it just continues to get hotter!

I CAN DO THIS!

2007-05-01T03:16:00.000-06:00

I've just set out my goals for this month - check them out HERE

I didn't do so well during April - don't ask me why I failed, I have no excuse and am feeling disappointed in myself right now for not having the will power to succeed.

On a good note this has made me even more determined to get back on track and make May a success!

I wish everyone lots of success this month as always! Together we can do it!

Another month past

2007-04-30T18:20:00.000-06:00

Alright, quick recap...April's challenge to myself was to:

drink 96 oz of water a day....I failed miserably on that, not even drinking 64 oz a day.
taking my vitamins everyday...pretty much failed on that too.
going to the gym twice a week...that I did about 90% of the time, so that was my most successful goal.

I really thought it would be do-able this month, and instead I feel pretty darned bad. BUT...this is the last day of a bad month, time to look forward to tomorrow!

So, without further ado, May's challenges to myself are:

finish the C25K program and begin the 1 hour runner program outlined earlier in my blog. (Run 3 times a week)
workout at least 3 times a week...with tonight's discovery of the exercise channel on TV, no excuse not to get at least 20 minutes of exercise in a day.
take my damned vitamins every day again.
drink 64 oz of water a day.

It's Monday!

2007-04-30T12:56:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone

Tomorrow starts a new month. Be sure to check out my May goals here.

Have a fantastic month!!!!

May -- New Beginnings

2007-04-28T06:15:00.000-06:00

Hello All!! I just wanted to write a quick Hi and say that I am in for May...Hard core. May I am starting over with a new outlook...still continuing BFL, but going at this hard core. I have weddings coming up that I am in and beach season too...time to buckle down!!

I am joining a 4 week boot camp at the gym -- Three 6am sessions a week for the 4 weeks with weekly weigh ins etc...kinda scary, but great to get me up and moving.

So my May goals are going to be...
1. Eat when I am hungry and ONLY when I am hungry
2. Work out at least 6 days a week
3. Be outside as much as possible working out, walking the dogs, bike riding etc.
4. Kick some butt!!

I think that is all I have! Welcome all of you new folks and welcome back to all those returning!! Here is to an awesome May!!!

-carrie-

To my fellow challenge participants...

2007-04-27T12:10:00.000-06:00

You are an incredibly inspiring group of people!

I just posted a "Thank you" to all of YOU!

I'm in for May

2007-04-26T19:08:00.000-06:00

I am in for May. I don't feel like I accomplished by April goals. I had a super busy week at work one week and then a few days later I got hit with the stomach flu and I am just getting back on my feet now.

GIRLS I NEED YOUR ADVICE

2007-04-20T07:05:00.000-06:00

Hi Fellow Challengers,

I hope you are all doing better than I am this week. I haven't been doing so well but guess there is no point dwelling on but put my energy to getting back on track.

I am looking some advice on a diet I have heard about - maybe you have too!

It is called the Shangri-la Diet.

I would appreciate any advice on starting this diet.

You can see a report about it on my blog if you haven't heard about this diet until now or want to research it more ... ...

www.dubai2ireland.blogspot.com

Thanks everyone! I look forward to hearing from you.

Paige's New Site

2007-04-19T14:27:00.000-06:00

Sorry, just realized not everyone knew I had moved. I'm now at:

http://www.freewebs.com/pikato/

What are you curious about?

2007-04-17T07:28:00.000-06:00

This question came to mind when I came across a product I have often been curious about. I thought I'd put it out there among my fellow bloggers to see what you are all curious about. Maybe someone can provide insight to quash someone elses curiosity? Me, I am curious about "Detox Foot Patches". You put them on the soles of your feet overnight and by morning, apparantly they get all brown and sticky... which is supposedly the toxins that have been drawn out of your body. Some of the testimonies I have read seem amazing and sound like just what I need. However.. is it all a scam? Are they harmful in any way? I wrote to some buyers of this product via eBay and asked for their opinions and they spoke highly of these patches. They're not cheap though! There is more info on these all over the internet.. one such website is: http://www.healpatches.com/ Has anyone tried them? The testimonies I have read speak of vast improvement in health. Anyway, if you have something you are curious about.. let me know!

April Group Challenge

2007-04-16T12:53:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! We're at the halfway mark for April - I hope you're all doing well and achieving the goals you've set for yourselves this month!

I thought it would be a great time for a group challenge, just to mix things up a little. In honor of Earth Day on April 22nd, I would like to challenge you to do one eco-friendly thing between today and April 22nd. It must be something that you aren't already doing, but can be as simple as trying a vegan recipe, recycling all your plastic and paper this week, planting a tree, visiting your local urban ecology/nature center and learn something new.

If you'll be participating, please be sure to blog about your eco-friendly challenge, and share a photo if applicable!

Thanks!

How about a vote???

2007-04-13T15:35:00.000-06:00

It's Friday, I'm bored...I'm going out tonight and I need help picking out some shoes to wear...
HELP!

Help Me Choose A Dress!

2007-04-12T09:28:00.000-06:00

I finally posted pics of myself... so you can see what I look like! (And help me choose a dress for a charity event.)

Come help me out at this post.

Thanks for all your great advice!

Thursday Devotional

2007-04-12T08:05:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone! Today is Thursday, which means its time for another devotional. Todays devotional is titled "Saying YES to Change" .. come check it out!!

Blogger of the Month

2007-04-11T05:39:00.000-06:00

At the end of each challenge month, all challenge participants get put into a hat (or in this instance, my girl's Beauty & The Beast teapot) and one blogger gets randomly picked as the Blogger of the Month. They win my neverending adoration, a plug here on the blog, and a surprise prezzie! Without further ado ... drumroll please ...

Congratulations to Christy, our March Blogger of the Month!

Hi from Maria!

2007-04-10T23:59:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone, my name is Maria, I'm 38 years old and from Australia. At last I am contributing to this blog... Michelle thank you ... we eventually got there... :-) I have appreciated your comments on my blog too.. it has been a big surprise to find that you have visited :-) I'm a Christian woman with a daughter who turns 12 in about a month. I had my 2nd year wedding anniversary on Saturday. It's been a HARD couple of years. Three years in fact if you count from the time I met my husband. I was a single parent for 5 years before hooking up with him. I had no idea how hard it would be to be part of a couple again. Living with a man. So, so hard that I sometimes wonder what God's will is for me. I have gained about 85.4 pounds since meeting my man... just eating may way through anything that needed 'anaesthetizing'! This was after losing the same amount of weight over a three year period! I have lost a big amount of weight twice in my life..and both times.. it has come back on. At my lower weights I have become too comfortable and careless.. feeling like I was invincible..and not mindful that I could go back to where I started. And before you know it.. I was where I started!

I want to improve my health because I'm so tired of feeling unwell..and being unwell. I want to be around for my daughter for many years to come. I learned recently I'm pre-menopausal.. which explains why it's harder than ever these days to shed any weight. I am noticing unfavourable changes in my body. My husband and I attend a gym and try to get there 3 times a week. (We only joined late January this year). We recently moved house (aaaughhh...stress!!!)..and both of us stopped the gym for about 3 weeks.. I'm only just back into it. It's hard! I gained weight every week in March.. but last week lost 1kg! That's 2.2 pounds. My goal this month is to really try to cut out sugar as much as I can and keep up the gym at least twice a week. I'm a night-time eater and an emotional eater too (big time)! I will be taking the time to read more older posts to get famiar with you all and I'll visit other blog's where I can. Thank you for having me here, I wish you all well.. sincerely :-)

CONGRATULATIONS

2007-04-10T02:03:00.000-06:00

Well done to everyone who completed the "Lent Challenge" - I am happy to report that I am one of them.

When Michelle set us a Lent Challenge I didn't think too much about it and thought hey 40 days I can do that! My challenge was to be less lazy! Weird I know but I had fallen into a rut and wasn't doing very much. I can't say it was easy to start with but once I got into a routine it became easier and easier!

This challenge was just what I needed to give a kick and do more! I have not had a lie in, I have kept the house spotless, kept the laundry up-to-date, been exercising more and generally doing more and fitting more into my day.

I am going to stick with the "don't be lazy" challenge but just not as strictly!

Check out how my "Make yourself a priority in 2007" challenge is going by going to my blog:- www.dubai2ireland.blogspot.com

Just say NO to sugarcrack!

2007-04-09T22:08:00.000-06:00

Come over to my blog to see why you should just say NO to sugarcrack!! LOL

40 Day Challenge

2007-04-09T07:36:00.000-06:00

Okay who made it? I did!!!! I am so proud of myself I have not ordered lunch out since the 40 day challenge began.

Back for April

2007-04-08T11:13:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone!!! I just wanted to leave a quick intro for the newbies that don't know me yet. My name is Critter/Christy which ever you please. I am a 28 year old wife and mother. I have one son that is the light of my life. I have struggled with my weight my whole life and finally decided to take control. You can read more about me at my blog and everyone can read my April Goals here

2007-04-06T09:41:00.000-06:00

I thought I would come by and introduce myself since I havent been by quite yet

My name is Amber (26), married to Chad (27) and we have one little pup. I was excited to see this group but didnt find out about it until well into the March challenge so glad to have some support! My April goals are:
*workout 5X a week (this month will probably be the toughest for this one but at least 30 minutes of something additional)
*eat at least one fruit or veggie each day (something I am still working on)
*cut down on sodium and sugars

In high school I was a good healthy weight of around 135-140. Went to college, by the time I graduated in 2003 I had gotten up to 185. I never weighed myself, went out partied too hard and ate like crap. I had actually lost about 10 lbs right before our wedding, knocking me down to around 175 for our wedding in May 2003.

Then, right after the wedding I ate like a pig, gained more weight but then lost some. Took a job in June 2005 where I did no exercise, the door was right in front of my face and sat on my the whole time and gained more weight.

In July 2006 I started WW and weighed in at 207.5 and as of today (4-6-07) I was down to 178.8 which brings my total to 28.7 lbs lost so far. My goal weight is 140 lbs which Im hoping I can get down to by December 2007. My goal for each week is to lose 1.1 lbs a week and so far I have been meeting this goal and more except for this week.

My Blog is http://amberwl.blogspot.com/

Hello All

2007-04-05T17:24:00.000-06:00

Hello to all of the returning members and the much welcomed new members.

I am Tee. My April goal is very simple, to stick with the WW plan for the whole month. I am anxious to see the results of this since I have had so many on and off months.

I have joined a new WW meeting and I feel there is loads of excitement there. I am hoping this will give me the boost I need to stay on track until I reach my weight loss goal.

Wish me luck!

April Goals

2007-04-05T10:09:00.000-06:00

Hello All!!

April here we come!! I have posted by April Goals on my blog…come on over and check them out!!

Here's to a great month!!

-Carrie-

2007-04-04T13:32:00.000-06:00

Hi Everyone,

I am so excited to sign up for the 2007 Challenge. I found this blog just after March's challenge closed. My April goals are
1 - Burn 1500 calories per week
2 - Do 30 minutes of good cardio 4 times a week
3 - Lift weights 2 times a week
4 - Go for one long run once a week - at least 60 minutes

Let's turn this flabby body into a firm body!!!!

Checking In

2007-04-04T12:21:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone, can you believe we're already a couple days into April? I barely even remember March happening it went by so quickly.

I'm in for another month, and I think my challenge is going to be, simply, to keep on keeping on. You know how they say don't fix what ain't broke? What I've been doing has been working realy well for me so far (57 pounds down!) so I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and hope my body doesn't get too comfortable and stop losing.

It might seem like a cop-out challenge, but it's my last month of classes before I graduate so the temptation to eat crappy foods and skip workouts is strong. My goal is to just hang in there and get through it, which will be a challenge I assure you.

Best of luck to everyone this month!

April is Here!!!

2007-04-04T12:09:00.000-06:00

And it's going great! I'll be doing a lot of core training this month! A challenge that should really get me going.

Come over and check out just how great the beginning of April has been to me!

RARING TO GO DURING APRIL!!

2007-04-04T11:07:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone,

Well we are in the first month of April already! This year is just flying by so far!

For April I have set myself a challenge to eat less - weird I know but I do think I need to manage my portion control a lot more. I am fine until dinner time in the evening and then could eat a horse (a little phrase we use here in Ireland)!

So far I have been doing ok, even though I have been tempted to stack the plate up each night. I do eat healthily since starting this challenge but think this has to be the reason why I haven't lost as much weight as I would have thought!

I know we have just been given our challenge partners for April - boy am I going to need you Paige and Alana!!!

Good luck to everyone this month.

Together we can do it.

Challenge Partners??

2007-04-04T10:15:00.001-06:00

Just curious if we were going to have them this month??

DIET PLATE

2007-04-04T01:53:00.000-06:00

My April Challenge is to concentrate on portion control! I have been eating less at mealtimes but am not sure how much I should be eating. I get up in the morning really hungry because I am used to having a big meal at night.

I think because my portion control hasn't been right I haven't been losing weight like I should be. I am sticking to my exercise regime and healthy eating but think I have been eating too much in the evenings.

I think I might have come up with a solution but wanted your advice!

A DIET PLATE

I didn't even know these existed. Does anyone have one?

Would you recommend one?

They are quite expensive so was wondering if it was worth getting one.

This is the one I thought about getting!

HELP

2007-04-03T10:25:00.000-06:00

I don't know what has happened!

I need all you blogging experts to help to fix it.

My blogroll of all the challengers blogs has disappeared.

I love reading all your blogs and so do some of my friends not involved with the challenge.

We all drop in on your blogs via my own blog but everyone all the challengers and their blogs have disappeared from my sidebar!

Where have you all gone LOL????

Can anyone help me get it back?????

If you can help email me on beardjoy@yahoo.co.uk or leave a comment on my blog www.dubai2ireland.blogspot.com

Thanks a million - I am not great at this bloggin stuff!

April goals

2007-04-03T06:30:00.000-06:00

I posted my April Challenge goals! I know it's a little late but oh well!

Good luck everyone!!

Paige--Checking In!

2007-04-02T10:58:00.000-06:00

Once again, I'm in it this month!

Goal for April is to stick to WW Core for the entire month. Basically, this is to get me back in the habit of looking at food.....as opposed to just eating whatever I "THINK" is healthy.

Current stats have me at 160.00.... so 7 pounds lost since January! WHOOP!

Bringing on the snark!

2007-04-02T09:22:00.000-06:00

Mwahahaha ... I'm done with being a good girl, and am bringing on the snark for April. I'm kinda going to keep my overall challenge to myself this month ... in looking back to past months, I always start off with a bang and fizzle out midway through the month (if I even made it that far!)

I don't quite know how to say what I want to say. I'm kind of like a commitment freak in reverse?? I like committing to something, but never follow through. I love making plans and goals and spreadsheets to track my progress, but once it gets to actually putting the plan in place and maintaining it? Fuggedaboudit!

So this month, I do have a plan, but won't be getting into too many details. I know what I gotta do, and I just gotta do it. I don't want to be known as the blogger that says she's gonna do this or that, but never follows through. Or is it too late to be known as that blogger since I'm already there? LOL! You say tomato, I say potato. LOL

So, I'm crossing all my digits and will do what I gotta do! Be sure to check on me during the month to help keep me honest!

April Showers ...

2007-04-01T20:29:00.000-06:00

... bring a new Monthly Challenge group!

Please email me at 2007challenge [at] gmail [dot] com if you'd like to join our merry group of challengers!

Thanks!!

April challenge!

2007-03-31T15:53:00.000-06:00

Wow, did March fly by or what? I've posted my April Challenge goals on my blog. Check 'em out!

~Amethyst

Need Fashion Help

2007-03-30T13:22:00.000-06:00

Ok all you fashionistas... I could use some advice. Come visit my blog and help me decide what to wear!

April Goals

2007-03-30T09:11:00.000-06:00

I posted my April Goals!

Glad to be back for another month!

Last posting for a while

2007-03-27T19:18:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone, I would just like to say goodbye for a while, it's been good being in a community of bloggers, the daily rate of hits to my webpage has increased by a factor of roughly 10 times in the 2 months that I've been with the group. I've decided to stop because of the issue of money, postage from here in New Zealand to overseas is quite expensive, and as those of you who are following my blog will know, money is the thing that will control my weight loss - as I save up for my camera. Anyway, I'll join up again when I'm more financially stable.

For those who have been blogging and reading weight loss blogs for a while now, you will know that it's not very common for someone to actually reach their goal on a blog, so I'll refer you to Melodee at The Amazing Shrinking Mom. She has consistantly lost weight (with a few slowdowns over new year) and is only 10 pounds away from her short term goal of 160 pounds, she's lost 56 pounds so far in the 11 months that she's been losing weight.

Anyway, good luck with your weight loss and I'm sure I'll be returning to the group later on in the year.

John.

Oh Yeah...uh huh... Oh yeah...uh huh... Oh yeah!!!

2007-03-27T14:47:00.000-06:00

I just had to share my excitement with you all!!

I GOT THE JOB!! YAHOOOOOO!

Weigh In Day.....

2007-03-27T09:35:00.000-06:00

Ok ya'll... I may be sick.. but I'm no slacker. So here are my 1 month pic/weight/measurement updates! Check it out here!

Yahoo! I did it!

2007-03-26T09:01:00.000-06:00

http://lifewithpolo.blogspot.com/2007/03/around-bay.html

The Bay race is over.

Short post w/ some pics are up on my blog.

A longer Race Report to come - when I am not so tired!

Food Diary Update

2007-03-23T12:59:00.000-06:00

I posted a 4 day diary from last week of "What a Weight Loss Coach Really Eats" (in all its glory) to my Think Slim blog - also added a few observations which might be useful.

I'm still running (at least doing the couch potato to 5K program which is still in a walking/running phase) - have only missed one session so I had to redo week 3. But I'm quite happy that things are going well.

And Cory my March challenger partner is doing well too.

Keep up the good work everyone - summer is just around the corner...

Have a great weekend

Janice

2007-03-22T09:38:00.000-06:00

Hi ya'll!

Come see my Non Scale Victory (NSV) from yesterday! Check out the new blog design... and see what I use to detox my body!! Its all HERE!

I'VE DONE IT

2007-03-22T06:08:00.000-06:00

Eventually I have got round to posting my "24 hour photograph eating diary", you can see it here on my blog ... ...

My 24 hour eating diary

It'll give you a laugh if nothing else!

Abandoned

2007-03-19T10:44:00.000-06:00

So, I haven't heard from my challenge partner all month. He hasn't updated his blog since the middle of February. If anyone has been abandoned too and wants to be my new March partner email me at critterbug79(at)gmail dot com.

Here it is...

2007-03-19T09:27:00.000-06:00

Most of what I ate yesterday!!! Click on over to my blog to check it out!

Post Your Food Pictures

2007-03-19T07:10:00.000-06:00

I have posted my pics.........here

I did't have photo's of the junk food I ate but I did list it for all to see!

Derby Girls Rule!

2007-03-18T23:22:00.000-06:00

So last night for St. Patrick's Day and as one of my birthday presents (Anne it's March 26) David and I went to a roller derby bout! I thought it would be either really cool or really lame. It ended up being a lot of fun!! A while back I expressed an interest in trying it. Well now that I've been to a bout I have to say the interest is back. I want to buy a pair of skates NOW! It seriously looked like so much fun! The team we were rooting for lost big time, but it was still fun and some of the girls really gave it their all!
One of our favorites to watch was Trixie who is the girl on the left with blond hair. Man she was one tough cookie! She got hit hard several times, and she went after a couple girls and gave it back to them. I think we both became an instant fan of hers!

SO now I can't wait till another bout.

Today David and I went to the Honda Center to see the Kings vs Ducks! David got us each a Kings jersey to wear to the game. It's really hard to believe we didn't have one before now. We've been to so many Kings games! I am very happy to say that the Kings won 5-3, and it wasn't even in their turf! That makes it even better. There is nothing better than an obnoxious duck fan letting you know you suck, and then they lose. Hahaha!

Also here's a first....David and I didn't buy anything at the game. I was close to buying a hot dog, but out of hunger not because I craved it. I didn't. He brought a Cliff bar, and I brought a Lunabar, and that's all we had.

So that's it for the weekend. It was a great one. Hope you had a great one too!

My food pics

2007-03-17T16:44:00.000-06:00

Posted 'em here. It was a fun challenge!

Happy St. Patricks Day!!!!

2007-03-17T08:21:00.001-06:00

free myspace background

2nd Day of food pics posted

2007-03-17T04:56:00.000-06:00

Hi all...Happy St. Patrick's Day! My 2nd day of food pics is up on my site! Take a look!

Have a great weekend!

Done!

2007-03-16T00:01:00.000-06:00

Okay all you voyeurs out there....I posted pics of what I ate today HERE

Slightly embarrassing - but a good way to stay accountable :)

Hope you are all doing well!

Pics Posted and Crock Pot Recipe

2007-03-15T21:42:00.000-06:00

Hello! I have posted my pics of what I have eaten all day today on my blog so you will need to check it out. Boy was that a lot of work...hopefully I will have time to do it tomorrow too.

Also for those of you who asked about my Crock Pot Taco Chicken recipe...I posted that as well.

I also changed the layout of my blog! I am so excited about it. Thanks Jeannie for all of your help!

I'll Get You For This Michelle!

2007-03-14T13:11:00.000-06:00

Those M&M guys, they are cruel.

Go here to read the whole story.

Just shoot me ...

2007-03-14T09:16:00.000-06:00

... because I'm throwing out yet another challenge! Mwahahaha!

I know we all have our personal March challenges going on, and several are participating in the Lent challenge, but here's a quick and easy challenge that is a lot more fun! At least I hope you think so after you read about it! LOL!

Between today and next Wednesday, March 21st, I would like you to photograph every single thing you put in your mouth over a 24 hour period. Okay, well, maybe not EVERYTHING (get your mind outta the gutter. I know mine went there very briefly LOL!) Then I would like to you post the photos on your blog, with a description of what it is, when you ate it, and where you ate it.

Now there are three ways to do this ...

The I want to play this challenge, and there's no holding me back approach. You will photograph everything: all foods, drinks (water too!), snacks, "just a bite" of whatever it is. Everything.

The I want to play this challenge, but there are some things that just aren't meant to be shared approach. You will photograph almost everything: you won't take a photo of every stinkin' glass of water you drink, or or too ashamed to admit you had "just a bite" of the office cake ... three times ...

The I want to play this challenge, and am going to pretend I didn't eat all that stuff approach. You will take photos of other people's food because you're too embarrassed to show us what you really ate.

If you want to play, leave a comment below. When you do post your photos on your blog, be sure to leave us a post here at the challenge blog too. For extra credit, do this challenge for two days - one at work, and one at home (like on a weekend). I for one, eat worse at work, because I'm surrounded by yummy, delectable, and just plain evil foods all day long. I'm connected via a skywalk to a food court for Pete's sake! At home it's easier because I don't bring that crap in the house!

Play on! Have fun! :)

P.S. Please label your challenge posts as "Your Name, March Group Food Photo Challenge" Thanks!

Spring is here!

2007-03-14T09:10:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited that Spring is finally in its way! Come over to my blog and see photos from my walk yesterday :)

Mojo Comments Challenge

2007-03-14T07:19:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone!

Hope everybody is doing a bang up job on their "March" challenge.

I've been reading the blogs and looks like a few of us are having some problems getting motivated to break the sugarcrack addiction or getting out there and moving it.

For the next few days, pop over to a couple blogs that you have NOT left a comment for and leave them some positive mojo.

Everyone loves to get comments (well, I know it helps me out!) and more so when they are motivational or just a note saying they are thought of.

Let's share the mojo love people!
I'm off to do my part.
Tamara

Great Words To Remember....

2007-03-13T09:19:00.000-06:00

I came across this in Amber's blog... and I just HAD to share it..

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family. You will have flats called Jobs. But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance,insurance called Faith, a driver called God, you will make it to the place called Success.

Spark People

2007-03-12T09:30:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone :) I've noticed several people raving about SparkPeople.com lately, so I thought I'd check it out!

I would like to challenge you all to check it out (if you haven't already done so). SparkPeople is free (as is FitDay and traineo), and allows you to track just about anything you want. I just started it today, but IMHO, it's the best in comparison to FitDay and traineo. I think the major advantage that it has over FitDay and traineo are the custom meal plans, based on information that you enter into your profile.

I hope other seasoned SparkPeople veterans will jump in on this post and give us your opinions, and any suggestions you may have.

I created a SparkTeam for our challenge, and you can find it here.

Up Your Fiber for Nutrition and Weight Loss

2007-03-11T19:29:00.000-06:00

Fiber can reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, plus it helps fill you up, so you eat less and lose weight!

If your daily diet falls short on the recommended 25-35 grams, boost your intake with high fiber cereals, whole wheat bread, brown and wild rice, whole wheat pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables. Also, take advantage of your local salad bar - build a power salad using the following fiber guide:

Food Fiber in Grams:
Romaine lettuce (2 cups): 2

Spinach leaves (2 cup): 5.5

Artichoke hearts (1/2 cup): 4.5

Onions (1/2 cup): 1

Carrots (1/2 cup): 2

Mushrooms (1/2 cup): 1.5

Corn (1/2 cup): 2

Peppers (1/2 cup): 1

Beets (1/2 cup): 2

Broccoli (1/2 cup): 1.5

Black beans (1/2 cup): 7

Navy beans (1/2 cup): 9

Chickpeas (1/2 cup): 6

Tomatoes (1/2): 1

Green peas (1/2 cup): 3.5

Chopped walnuts (2 tablespoons): 1

Slivered almonds (2 tablespoons): 1.5

Sunflower seeds (2 tablespoons): 1.5

For more information on healthy eating, check out my new book, Joy Bauer's Food Cures and my website at www.joybauernutrition.com

From Yahoo! Heatlh March 2007. For the complete article, click here.

Take a load off ...

2007-03-09T14:58:00.000-06:00

For every pound lost, there's a four-pound reduction in the load each step exerts on the knees. If you're overweight, shedding 11 pounds can decrease your risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee.

From Life America's Weekend Magazine, March 9th, 2007 edition.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend!!!!

2007-03-09T14:16:00.001-06:00

Something I Thought Was Neat

2007-03-08T15:05:00.000-06:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

You can go to their site and make up your own "DNA" of what you like, what you feel in pictures.

Something to do while waiting for the clock to hit 5:00!

Your Body Can Burn Fat On Its Own

2007-03-06T19:12:00.000-06:00

Wouldn’t you just love it if your body decided to burn fat and calories on its own?

It can:

Exercise in short, intense bursts (interval training) for effective fat burning after exercise.
Increase the amount of resistance/strength/weight training you do, to build more lean muscle. Muscle is ‘metabolically active’ and burns more calories than other body tissue even when you’re not moving.
And of course, for best results: Chill on the amount of food you are eating.

Technically:

Our bodies are built to survive, so when you exercise for long periods of time (often and consistently) your body thinks it needs to hold on to fat for energy. Doing short (12-15 minute), intense exercise sessions builds strength and burns calories, but not fat, so it “feels safe” using fat stores for energy after exercise.
Resistance training (using extra weight) helps build lean muscle mass (and strong bones), and muscle burns more calories than fat.
If you are obsessing over things like fat grams and not eating a nutritious diet, your body will reserve energy (store fat) to survive.

Realistically:

Varying your exercise is the most effective and efficient way to stay lean and healthy. You must do some longer exercise to build cardiovascular endurance, burn lots of calories, and yes, even burn fat during exercise - your body will not click in to “save” mode unless you exercise for long periods of time, regularly and often.
You must do resistance training in order to build muscle and strong bones.
Nobody wants to exercise more - and we don’t want to train our bodies to need more exercise to stay fit. So exercise efficiently – two short, very intense (relative to your level of fitness) training sessions weekly, like a 15-minute fast run/walk or fast cycling sprint intervals, and two moderately long, moderately intense sessions (30-45 minutes) of strong walking, cycling, or yoga, with one long day (60-90 minutes) of a moderately paced walk/hike. That’s a great five-day/week training schedule.
Instead of adding more days to your workout schedule, add a weighted vest to your training. I have said this before, but this is the most efficient way that I know of to build muscle while burning calories. For more information, go to www.walkvest.com.
Eat moderately - stop counting fat grams and calories and look at how much food is on your plate! And eat more nutritiously by eating foods that are natural and unprocessed.

Keep it real -Debbie Rocker

From Yahoo! Health, March 6, 2007. Original article here.