Exercise together!

My family back in Michigan has started a family workout weekends. Each weekend they do 3 activities together. On Friday they climb Mt. Pisgah. It's 239 stairs! Crazy!

Saturdays they go to Rosy Mound. It's a two mile walk in the woods, on dunes, etc. 

Sunday morning they ride 7 miles to Tunnel Park. 

It's great because it is a whole family thing. (minus me and Jimmy :( ) Even my niece and nephew do it! I think that is so cool. 

Weekly Challenge #6

So it's week 6. Are you guys seeing some improvement? If not, get ready to step it up!

In case you are new:

Each week we are given two challenges. These challenges will start on Sunday (usually) and go through the following Saturday. (click here to learn more about our weekly challenges)

At the end of the week, we will each write a post explaining our experiences with the challenges.

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.

This week's challenges

Physical Challenge: Ok guys. Some of the challenges have been falling through. Everybody has different schedules, and sometimes you just can't (or won't) make time for them.

This isn't good.

And so this week we have TWO challenges.

Challenge 1: Make a goal for this week. My goal is to do a workout dvd every day. Once you have your goal (and be sure it's a good goal, and that you are pushing yourself), write it down, and tape it somewhere visible. And then do it.

Challenge 2: Make a plan for September. Grab a calendar, and decide what days you will work out, and what types of workouts you want to do. Think about your goal for this month. What would you like to accomplish before October? Now, what do you need to do to get there?

We are going to refer to this plan in the coming weeks. And believe me, you are gonna want to stay on top of it- there will be prizes.

Self Esteem Challenge: Every morning find 3 things you like about your appearance. Write them down, and think about them. What do you like about them? Have you always liked them, or has your perception of them changed over time? I know for me, a lot of the things I like about my appearance used to drive me crazy. But now they don't seem so bad.

And then the next day, do it again.

15 things can be hard to think of. But 3 at a time should be much better.

---------------------------------------

Love our weekly challenges? Here's some good news!

You Can Participate!

We'd love the company!

Here's what you need to do:

* Spend your week working on these challenges.

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up next Saturday.

We are excited to see you there!

This weeks challenge

Alrighty, it seems none of us did perfectly with the nutrition challenge 

(including me)

I know! After that huge post I did, I still didn't rock it? Crazy...

Well, we ran out of veggies and didn't go to the store right away, so I missed a few days of my full servings of daily veggies, but I did have veggies every day! 

I also didn't get all my fruits -any of the days. Like I said in this post, I don't put a ton of fruit in my drinks. So my fruit intake is lacking. But at least I get all my veggies most days!

(Annie, if you're interested you can try some juice -Michael and I recently got a juicer- the texture is not gross at all, I think you would like it!)

As for the physical challenge, I kicked it up a notch... kind of. I did the 30 day shred. Which I never do. And I played racquetball -which I'm going to start doing more regularly, but I rarely did it before.

So, I kind of stepped it up, but I only worked out twice this week. And I normally do it at least 3 times.

Oh well, I'll step it up more next week! :-)

I did it! ....sort of.

I did it!

As long as you count every vegetable you eat a couple of times, I totally rocked this weeks nutritional challenge.

I would be eating a salad, and I'd count up the veggies I saw "Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, I think that's an olive... this counts as 4!"

I really want to keep trying this one. If I am drinking all my water, and taking most of my meals and snacks in raw veggie/fruit form, I pretty much have to be healthy.

Right?

For the physical one, I actually did do a good job. Normally on the days when I'm not doing the 'Shred, I'll go for at least an hour walk on the treadmill (which, at a 15 percent incline, is actually pretty good). But this week? I probably walked for 15 hours. Just counting yesterday.

Amber just gave me a few new Jillian Michaels DVD's, and I still have that pilates one to break out. My personal goal for next week is to do one of the videos every day.

Wish me luck you guys.

Weekly Challenge #5 Tell us about it!

Welcome everybody! Throughout the weekend, our 5 contestants are going to check in and tell you about their experiences with this week's challenges (wondering what I'm talking about? You can read the background here).

What were the challenges?

Physical Challenge: Step up your game! This week the goal is to increase what you are doing. Do you usually work out twice a week? Do it three times! Do you cut your workout short because its killing you? Push through it! Are you scared to try a new workout because you know its going to be hard? DO IT! Guys we have less than 2 months left... it is time to step it up! SO chose which part of your workout you want to 'step up' and then do it!

Nutritional Challenge: SO according to... pretty much everyone (like how I use a reliable source?) you are supposed to be eating at least 5 servings of fruits and 5 servings of vegetables A DAY! I know I'm not doing it so chances are you aren't either... SO this week the goal is to reach the lucky 10, 5 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables a day. It is a lot, especially if you haven't been getting close but do your best to fit them in (and extra points if you eat a ton of different colors this week too, variety is the spice of life! )

Ps. A serving is roughly a half cup, though it is good to note that a whole piece of fruit, like an apple or a peach is one serving of fruit but with greens like spinach and lettuce you need a whole cup to get a full serving.

Did you participate in the challenges this week? We'd love to hear about it!

Here's what you need to do:

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up below.

*Be sure to link back to this post (a great way to do that is by grabbing our button)

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.



<center><a href="http://reasonstolose.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Life in the Pitts" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad293/lanieree/nogirl5.jpg" /></a></center>

(we will keep the linky open through Sunday night)

Another Challenge

I totally failed... I got most of my vegetables but barely any fruit, I blame it on the fact that our car is on it's last leg and we are afraid to drive it anywhere. That means we have pretty much no food in the house, we drive to and from work (praying the whole way) and that is the extent of our driving, so even if I wanted to eat all my fruits I couldn't :( Just like Chantel, I have started juicing! I already had a bunch of carrots and other vegetables on hand, so I got most of my 'required' servings of those!

I also didn't really ace the physical challenge, I ran out of time and stamina this week. I had a ton of things I was doing (more about that in my next blog post!) and really didn't have enough time or energy :( This is the first challenge I didn't rock... So I'm going to have to do better next week!

Another week gone by!

Don't you look forward to the start of a fresh week? I love Monday! I do not like this last Monday. I have been super sick this week! ll kinds of good stuff that I probably won't mention in detail. But because of this sickness, I have not eaten much at all. Or done anything past working. ( You should see my house----a pit!) I feel bad that another week and another challenge had gone by and I failed. It's not like I want to! Sometimes I give up to easily. If I miss one day of something, I think "ohh, I failed already. And it's only Tuesday." Are you like that? I need to just keep plugging along. Until next week.............

Eating Veggies

This weeks nutrition challenge is awesome!

Michael and I have been having green drinks every morning for a couple of months now, and in that we can fit all our servings of fruits and veggies for the day! (although we don't usually put that much fruit in)

Let me tell you, I swear by green drinks.
They have helped us to have more energy, to not get tired in the afternoon, we feel healthier, and it really helps us to have a better day and be happier.  We tell anyone who will listen about how awesome they are. Seriously, you should try it!

We used to just use our blender (which is an awesome blender by the way) but recently we got a juicer so now every other day we alternate which one we use.

People have asked for a recipe, but really we just use whatever we have and whatever tastes good. We'll just do handfuls of this, and that.

However we do always use half an avocado, a lemon and spinach. 

The avocado is used to get rid of any grassy textures (bananas help with this too, but not as well), the lemon is used to help get rid of any grassy flavor, and the spinach because it's so good for you!

We'll use carrots, peppers, mangos, necturines, peaches, kale leaves, bananas, cucumbers, broccoli and anything else we have. And they usually taste pretty good :-)

We've started reading this book and it really explains in detail all of the health benefits of leafy greens. I would highly recommend this.

One of the many things that have stuck out to me in the book, was that in a study they found that people who eat all their greens have a harder time falling into depression and an easier time getting out of it. Eating your leafy greens also help reduce acne, help your metabolism speed up and so much more!

The benefits of eating your veggies are amazing!

I don't always get the recommended amount of fruit intake for the day, but I do get lots of fruit and all my veggies.

What do you do to get all your veggies in?

Visuals

I thought today I would share with you some exercise pictures with you. I hope you enjoy.

Let your pets join in! They need to be fit also!

If you want EXTREME weight loss, carry someone around like a back pack for hours.

This TOTALLY looks safe.

I didn't know that was the correct way to get a manicure.

I am so sore...

Lats week I tried out one of my new workout DVDs and really enjoyed it, but what really killed me was when I tried racquetball for the first time! My husband and I went with my Dad and brother last week and really enjoyed ourselves, so we went the next morning (really early) with them and a few other people. We had so much fun and it is a great workout, there is a lot of running, ducking and arm movement, we were definitely sore the next day... and the day after that... and they day after that... okay I am still recovering and we went on Thursday... It is something we have decided to add to our weekly routine (hopefully twice a week) I will still be doing other types of working out too, I love my DVDs too much to quit on them now.

Last week I did two days of my resistance band DVD and two days of racquetball, I am hoping that as I get used to the momentum and movement of racquetball, I will be less sore and up for more of my other workouts!

Challenge Number 4!

Hey guys! Sorry I'm so late in posting this.

But I made it home safely!

My trip was awesome! Due to the very hot weather, we didn't do as much hiking this time as last time. But I still worked out! 

Just not as often as during non-vacation weeks ;-)

I did, however, try new things:

I went swimming in a lake that had deep blue water, and really red sand 

-I'd never done that before

In said lake my legs got an extreme workout as I tried to stay away from the seaweed 

-I'd never done that before

I made up a workout routine in a swimming pool, including having my legs on the edge of the pool, and doing sit ups

-I'd never done that before

Michael is a lot more tan than I am, and he's very excited to be swimming

I walked around St. George to different historical sites

-I'd never done that before

I walked around a dinosaur tracks museum

-I'd never done that before

I danced vigorously in the car as we drove around

-I have done that on many occasions, but never in St. George

I think those count. Don't you? ;-) 

As for the self-esteem challenge, I am in the same boat as Amber and Helena; my Wonderful Husband was really the only one to compliment me, but I accepted his compliments graciously. 

I can't remember if others complimented me, which means if they did I didn't internalize it. I tend to do that. I accept it kindly so they know I appreciate it, but I don't always believe it, and then in turn I don't remember it. But I am definitely going to try and change this.

I'm going to try and kick butt with this weeks challenges!

Here's hoping I do everything :-)

Weekly Challenge #5!

Holy crap, week 5 already??

Does that seem crazy to anybody else?

In case you are new:

Each week we are given two challenges. These challenges will start on Sunday (usually) and go through the following Saturday. (click here to learn more about our weekly challenges)

At the end of the week, we will each write a post explaining our experiences with the challenges.

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.

This week's challenges

Physical Challenge: Step up your game! This week the goal is to increase what you are doing. Do you usually work out twice a week? Do it three times! Do you cut your workout short because its killing you? Push through it! Are you scared to try a new workout because you know its going to be hard? DO IT! Guys we have less than 2 months left... it is time to step it up! SO chose which part of your workout you want to 'step up' and then do it!

Nutritional Challenge: SO according to... pretty much everyone (like how I use a reliable source?) you are supposed to be eating at least 5 servings of fruits and 5 servings of vegetables A DAY! I know I'm not doing it so chances are you aren't either... SO this week the goal is to reach the lucky 10, 5 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables a day. It is a lot, especially if you haven't been getting close but do your best to fit them in (and extra points if you eat a ton of different colors this week too, variety is the spice of life! )

Ps. A serving is roughly a half cup, though it is good to note that a whole piece of fruit, like an apple or a peach is one serving of fruit but with greens like spinach and lettuce you need a whole cup to get a full serving.

---------------------------------------

Love our weekly challenges? Here's some good news!

You Can Participate!

We'd love the company!

Here's what you need to do:

* Spend your week working on these challenges.

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up next Saturday.

We are excited to see you there!

Another Challenge

I was excited about this weeks physical challenge because I had some new DVDs I was hoping to try! I decided on one that used a resistance band, THIS one to be exact. I loved how you could increase and decrease the difficulty just by changing where your gripped on the band, it was also the first time I enjoyed doing arm workouts (which are by far my most hated thing... I can push my way through just about any other workout but hand me a set of hand weights and I am done!) so it was really cool for me to workout my arms without intense hatred seeping from me... Over all I really liked the workout, so this week's physical challenge was a success!

The emotional challenge I'm not really sure how I did, I didn't really get a chance to try it out. My husband regularly complements me and I readily accepted his complements but I had already been working on that, he pointed out to me a while a go that if a stranger was to complement me I would be thrilled and it would make my day (maybe week) but whenever he said something I would just shrug it off. Since that conversation I have made a real effort to really internalize his complements and give them the weight they deserve, so far so good in that area. This week has been slow going in the complement department so I couldn't really tryout the whole 'accept complements from other people' thing but other than that, the emotional challenge was good :)

Challenge!

Ohh another Challenge week done already? These weeks go fast! I have to admit.....(cause it's a rule to tell the truth.) I did not do anything new this week!

I am bad. I have ideas. I have the drive. (at least the Saturday night before I do) Then I get busy. I work 50 hrs. I babysit. I have to clean my house and cook for my husband. I have to buy bingo prizes. I have a lot of excuses huh? I need to get a lasting burst of motivation. Too bad you can't buy that at Target.

Compliments: Yeah, it's hard to accept them. I didn't get many this week so that made it easy. My boss texted me one. IT felt really good. And I ignored the urge to turn it down. For me, that's big.

Here's to next week!

Me and Jillian? It's a love/hate relationship.

For this weeks physical challenge, I decided to try the 30 Minute Shred.

I never found the stolen copy. But when Kurt saw how mad I was, he went out and bought me another copy. Because he loves me. And he doesn't want me to get arrested (those conjugal trailers aren't as sexy as you'd think).

I know, I know. I'm probably the only person on the planet who hasn't tried it yet (the Shred, not the conjugal trailer. I've done that dozens of times).

-----

Jillian started with some hip circles.

"Awesome!" I thought. "This is my kind of workout!"

And then she moved to knee circles. EVEN DIRTIER. I just wish you guys could have been there.

But then she started doing jumping jacks. And I knew I was in trouble.

It was all downhill from there.

The next morning Kurt had to carry me to the car. I was that sore.

(Ok, I asked him to carry me, but he said no. Because he has no soul.)

-----

I am glad I told Kurt about the self esteem challenge. Most of my compliments come from him, and he really helped me remember whenever I started slipping.

Confidence is attractive. And I used to be super confident. I wonder what happened?

Hopefully these challenges will help get my confidence back into shape!

Weekly Challenge #4 Tell us about it!

Welcome everybody! Throughout the weekend, our 5 contestants are going to check in and tell you about their experiences with this week's challenges (wondering what I'm talking about? You can read the background here).

What were the challenges?

Physical Challenge: This week, along with your usual workouts, we want you to try something new!

Never lifted weights before? This is your week. Want to go rock climbing? We want you to, too! Thinking about trying those exercise videos on YouTube? Please please please capture that one on camera. Or at least give it a try. This is your week to try that pole dancing class, do some Tai Chi in a park, or sign up for some Hot Yoga. It doesn't matter what it is- as long as it's new for you!

Self Esteem Challenge:  Confidence is attractive. Plus it feels good. This week we're going to take a step in that direction by accepting compliments without self-deprecation.

What is self-deprecation? Here is Wikipedia's definition of that word: Self-deprecation is the act of belittling or undervaluing oneself

Oh heck no. Not this week. This week, whenever someone gives you a compliment, believe them.

"Receiving a compliment can be somewhat embarrassing. It is often difficult to know how to respond to a compliment. Many people naturally look away from the person paying the compliment, invalidate the compliment by saying it isn't true or give a half-hearted thank you. These reactions not only insult the person paying the compliment but don't encourage anyone to pay you more compliments in the future!"
- How to Accept a Compliment, By kdavidson, eHow Contributing Writer


"An enthusiastic "thank you" often needs no qualifier. Don't add "but it really wasn't that good" — just stop with gratitude. You'll still sound polite and gracious. And you'll avoid the cycle of self-snark that can be really dangerous, especially with looks-based compliments (ie. "My hair doesn't look great, it looks horrible." "No, my hair is horrible")."
-Kate Harding, Jezebel

Did you participate in the challenges this week? We'd love to hear about it!

Here's what you need to do:

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up below.

*Be sure to link back to this post (a great way to do that is by grabbing our button)

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.



<center><a href="http://reasonstolose.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Life in the Pitts" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad293/lanieree/nogirl5.jpg" /></a></center>

(we will keep the linky open through Sunday night)

These challenges are good for the whole family.

I got home on Monday, and Kurt had cleaned the house all day. Like, he spent 8 hours cleaning.

"Wow, you're pretty amazing, dude."

He rolled his eyes, shrugged his shoulders, and mumbled something about how it wasn't that awesome.

"WHAT?? Are you being self deprecating??"

He blinked in confusion.

"Well, SOMEONE hasn't read this weeks challenge!"

His eyes got really big, and he started backing away.

"You need to learn how to be GRACEFUL AND CONFIDENT!!"

I lunged for his hand, intending to drag him over to the computer, so he could read the challenge post. But he turned and ran.

Poor thing. He was so overwhelmed with emotion.



See? Even confident guys can have a hard time accepting compliments.

On the bright side, I don't think he's going to make that mistake again.

.

I'm Probably Hiking a Mountain

I'm writing this post early, because I know I won't have internet while I'm gone 

(except for on my blackberry... so i can at least post comments!)

Anyway, since I'm writing this early, I don't know what our challenges are yet. 

But I'm pretty sure I'm rocking them!

Also, I'm probably hiking a mountain, or zip lining down one, or something awesome and dangerous like that. 

I think that means I automatically complete the weekly challenge.

Just sayin'.

Here's a picture from last time I was at St. George:

It is the biggest blackhead you'll ever see!

Also, I think the fact that I'm probably sweating more than I ever have in my life means I'm automatically excised from next weeks challenges. Unless it's something fun.

They're always fun! I was kidding. ;-)

Random Tuesday.

I recently found a blog I LOVE! This girl is real. Super real. And she has a lot of great ideas and encouragement.

Bobbie is the Anonymous Fat Girl and you need to check her out. 

So here is my latest problem. ( I have many) I am soo busy! Work is crazy lately. The long hours makes it very easy to keep driving past the gym. I need to get my butt in gear. I am not very good when it comes to motivation sticking with me. What to do?

On a good note...Water Zumba on Wednesday! Be there!

 

Well, It Could Have Been Worse...

Okay well last week didn't go as planned for me.... On Monday I did Pilates and that is the only structured workout I did this week, I would have had my water Zumba class too but it was canceled, I did end up doing a ton of walking but I didn't work as hard as I had hoped. I do have a good excuse though, on Tuesday I injured my neck on a roller coaster :( walking was about the only thing I could do... I have had incredibly bad head aches everyday and have not been up to doing anything strenuous, I have just recently started feeling better though, so I have high hopes for this week!

I was on eBay a couple days ago and found a few more workout DVDs that I am interested in and they were a really good price, so I decided to buy them. I had an eBay gift card, so I basically got them for free, which was an added bonus! I am really excited to try them, I'll blog about how it goes after I have tried them all out :)

Weekly Challenge #4

Welcome back guys! Are you ready for this week's challenge?

In case you are new:

Each week we are given two challenges. These challenges will start on Sunday (usually) and go through the following Saturday. (click here to learn more about our weekly challenges)

At the end of the week, we will each write a post explaining our experiences with the challenges.

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.

This week's challenges

Physical Challenge: This week, along with your usual workouts, we want you to try something new!

Never lifted weights before? This is your week. Want to go rock climbing? We want you to, too! Thinking about trying those exercise videos on YouTube? Please please please capture that one on camera. Or at least give it a try. This is your week to try that pole dancing class, do some Tai Chi in a park, or sign up for some Hot Yoga. It doesn't matter what it is- as long as it's new for you!

Self Esteem Challenge:  Confidence is attractive. Plus it feels good. This week we're going to take a step in that direction by accepting compliments without self-deprecation.

What is self-deprecation? Here is Wikipedia's definition of that word: Self-deprecation is the act of belittling or undervaluing oneself

Oh heck no. Not this week. This week, whenever someone gives you a compliment, believe them.

"Receiving a compliment can be somewhat embarrassing. It is often difficult to know how to respond to a compliment. Many people naturally look away from the person paying the compliment, invalidate the compliment by saying it isn't true or give a half-hearted thank you. These reactions not only insult the person paying the compliment but don't encourage anyone to pay you more compliments in the future!"
- How to Accept a Compliment, By kdavidson, eHow Contributing Writer

"An enthusiastic "thank you" often needs no qualifier. Don't add "but it really wasn't that good" — just stop with gratitude. You'll still sound polite and gracious. And you'll avoid the cycle of self-snark that can be really dangerous, especially with looks-based compliments (ie. "My hair doesn't look great, it looks horrible." "No, my hair is horrible")."
-Kate Harding, Jezebel

---------------------------------------

Love our weekly challenges? Here's some good news!

You Can Participate!

We'd love the company!

Here's what you need to do:

* Spend your week working on these challenges.

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up next Saturday.

We are excited to see you there!

Room for improvement.

Sorry this is late. I was so busy this weekend lifting weights and running marathons, I couldn't make it to the computer.

(No really, I exercised)

The physical challenge was hard for me this week. It seemed so simple- anything I do inside can be done outside, right? But for some reason, this one didn't happen. I'm blaming the weather.

On the upside, I exercised every single day this week. I know that wasn't the challenge, but I think it deserves some recognition. Go me.

The food diary was really interesting. I wasn't perfect at it, but I totally tried. And looking over it today, I can see a lot of areas for improvement. I am going to give Amber's program a try- it sounds pretty awesome. And I can't imagine counting calories the old fashioned way. Too much math.

(I don't like math.)

Plus her program will be a little more technical than my method.

((This is actually what my list looks like, only with worse handwriting)).

(this is a tuna fritter.)

See? Room for improvement.

.

Counting Calories

I'm not one to count calories (or even look at a scale, the only one I own is my Wii fit), I grew up being taught if those things don't really matter as much as eating healthy and living healthy (it is easy to get hung up on a number and that is what my Mom was trying to help us avoid). Living like that has been good for me, it has helped me feel good about myself regardless of what a scale says, and I enjoy eating but I am smart about it, without counting calories. My feelings on the matter haven't changed but with this week's Challenge to track what you eat for a week, I wanted to find a application (for my ipod touch) to keep track what I ate for me. I ended up finding an awesome one and I wanted to share, it is called My Fitness Pal and it has a ton of awesome features! Including the fact that it has a website, so you can use it even if you don't have an ipod, there is a huge database of different foods and exercise, making it easy and accurate to track everything you eat and do!

I was able to do both challenges, the food diary/calorie counter part of the challenge reiterated to me that all calories are not created equal! Shoot- If I could eat the way that I did last week and still be under my 'allotted' daily calories... somethings not quite right! I think I will stick to tying to eat healthy and not worry too much about calories! Though it was fun to see what everything had in it and I really noticed how eating out has a ton more calories!

(If I had a dog and was skinner this is what I would have looked like as I was walking this week! Except I probably wouldn't have worn heals... or had such large bangs...)

The physical part of the challenge was okay, I did it but it was mostly walking. I didn't have as much time this week to get outside, thats why my workout DVDs work so well for me, when I have a little time I just pop one in... Maybe I need to get a tv for outside :)

Weekly Challenge #3 Tell us about it!

Welcome everybody! Throughout the weekend, our 5 contestants are going to check in and tell you about their experiences with this week's challenges (wondering what I'm talking about? You can read the background here).


What were the challenges?

Physical Challenge: Get outside! This week, we are asking you to take your exercise outdoors at least 2 times, and for at least a half an hour each time. Go for a brisk walk, ride a bike, do pilates in your yard, etc. It doesn't matter what you choose, so long as you are panting fresh air.

Nutritional Challenge: Keep a food diary for 5 days. Write down everything you eat and drink- every snack and meal. Don't try to change your eating style, just keep track of it. Then at the end of the week, go over your record, and see what you learn.

You don't have to chart calories or anything (unless you really want to). You can just keep it simple, and be honest.

"If you can't figure out where your extra weight is coming from, it may be that you are overeating and don't know it. If you sit down with a whole bag of chips and finish them off, that's one thing. But perhaps you're taking the chips out in handfuls - maybe you don't realize you're eating the whole bag!"

-How To Keep A Food Diary, from About.com

Did you participate in the challenges this week? We'd love to hear about it!

Here's what you need to do:

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up below.

*Be sure to link back to this post (a great way to do that is by grabbing our button)

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.



<center><a href="http://reasonstolose.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Life in the Pitts" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad293/lanieree/nogirl5.jpg" /></a></center>

(we will keep the linky open through Sunday night)

Challenge Challenge!

1st I would like to point out I am still doing the water challenge. Crazy huh? 

Food Journal. I did it. Actually I usually do anyways so it was not a big deal. Here is what I have determined. I need more veggies. Also I eat more at night then during the day. 

Outside Challenge. I was in the same boat as Chantel. Water Zumba canceled! Sad. So one day I went for a walk around my building and the other time I went for a walk with my residents and pushed a wheel chair. 

Yeah! 2 for 2! How did you do?

This weeks challenge

Okay folks, this is how I did!

Nutritional challenge: I kept a food diary for 5 days... and man, I did not do a good job eating regularly this week. Also, the one week when we haven't had green drinks everyday is the week when I'm tracking what I've been eating. So, yeah. I kind of fail this week at eating what, and how often, I want.

Physical Challenge: I took my workout outside two times this week. Both times in the form of walking :-) Once was when I was at Lagoon: I did a ton of walking! And the other time was when I went for a walk around where I live. 

I thought about doing pilates on the little patch of grass outside my sliding door... but I thought of all the weird looks I'd get, and decided against it.

This week the challenges were pretty easy for me! The only hard parts were when Water Zumba was cancelled, and then trying to remember everything I ate Wednesday.

I'm hoping next weeks challenge will be something like "Hike Snow Canyon" or "Swim at Sand Hollow State Park beach" cause I'd have those covered!

Well... since I know it won't be that, I'm hoping it will at least be something I can do while on vacation :-)

Remember that one time when we went to the gym at midnight, and then it started storming, so we decided to wait it out, and I fell asleep on the weightlifting machine?

.


Yeah, me too.



(it's comfier than it looks)

(You wish you had my bright pink jumpsuit)


.

Oops...

Sorry guys, I forgot to post something yesterday...

I hope this makes up for it?

I went with my family to Lagoon on Tuesday, it.was.awesome!

I walked around for hours as we went from ride to ride...

I'm totally counting it as one of my outdoor workouts for the week :-)

And, sadly, Water Zumba was cancelled this week. The teacher wasn't even informed! We all showed up, ready to get in that pool, but there was an employee party.

Like they need the whole pool.

So... I'm trying to decide what to do for my second day of working out in the great outdoors.

Too bad this challenge wasn't for next week, cause I'll be hiking in St. George for my anniversary!

Suggestions?

I need help.

I am so busy this week going to work, running errands, and going to girls nights that there just isn't time for working out! My only options are:

1. Skip work (my preferred choice)
2. Skip sewing night (no way)
3. Forget working out (so very, very tempting)
4. .....well, I don't even want to mention it. It's too awful.




Ok, fine.



I'll tell you.



But only because you made me.



4. I could work out before work. As in, get up early and go running.

Ugh.

Please tell me you have another suggestion?

I thought it would get easier

Is it just me, or has working out been getting a little harder?

Maybe I did it wrong at first, but I definitely feel the burn more now than I did when I first started.

Last night I did pilates, (which is usually pretty easy compared to the 30 day shred) and it took about all my energy to be able to finish 30 minutes!

Am I doing something wrong, or does this happen for you guys too?

YouTube and Exercise

So you want a good work out video but you aren't sure which one to try? Get a preview with YouTube!

you can search a couple ways. Search by style of exercise. Or search the actual video you want to try. Some of the videos have the whole thing on there which saves you money!

Here are some I found.

Here is a basic calorie burning video. I just looked up exercise.

Jillian's no more trouble zones.

Dancing with the Stars workout.

Zumba.

This is a great way to try something new without spending money or just to change up your routine. Happy Searching!

Last week I decided to whip out the 30 Day Shred and up my workouts, I didn't feel like I was pushing myself hard enough and since my goal has been to work out 3 times a week, I decided those workouts would be 'the Shred'. I am happy to report I did what I set out to do and completed 3 days of the '30 Day Shred' it was really tough but I actually really enjoyed myself, I pushed myself harder then I ever have doing it and it felt great! I felt powerful, one of my unofficial goals was to be able to do the whole thing without stopping or taking any breaks, I wanted to do every single move and not miss anything. It was crazy but I did it! This week was the first time I have been able to complete every move (I usually stop for a minute and catch my breath) and it was awesome, I felt a real since of accomplishment. But don't think that it was easy for me though, my husband said it sounded like I was doing karate downstairs because of all the grunting and strange noises I was making! At one point I was talking myself into keeping with it-

"you can do it"

"I don't know if I can..."

"but you are almost done!"

"I hope so because I'm about to die!"

I must have sounded like a lunatic but it helped! Another interesting side effect of pushing myself so hard was that I wanted to work out more, I had been doing it every other day but I all the sudden wanted to workout on my off days too. I knew I wouldn't be able to do a full body workout (I needed my off day to heal!) but I figured that I could do ab workouts (they are my favorite to workout anyway!) So last week I ended up working out a total of 5 days, 3 were 'the Shred' and 2 were just abs!

This week I think I will continue with 3 days of the 30 Day Shred and do the next level workout on the DVD, hopefully I will be able to continue to push myself and keep my momentum up!

Weekly Challenge #3

Welcome back guys! I hope your weekends were awesome, and not completely lazy. Are you ready for this week's challenge?

In case you are new:

Each week we are given two challenges. These challenges will start on Sunday (usually) and go through the following Saturday. (click here to learn more about our weekly challenges)

At the end of the week, we will each write a post explaining our experiences with the challenges.

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.

This week's challenges

Physical Challenge: Get outside! This week, we are asking you to take your exercise outdoors at least 2 times, and for at least a half an hour each time. Go for a brisk walk, ride a bike, do pilates in your yard, etc. It doesn't matter what you choose, so long as you are panting fresh air.

Nutritional Challenge: Keep a food diary for 5 days. Write down everything you eat and drink- every snack and meal. Don't try to change your eating style, just keep track of it. Then at the end of the week, go over your record, and see what you learn.

You don't have to chart calories or anything (unless you really want to). You can just keep it simple, and be honest.

"If you can't figure out where your extra weight is coming from, it may be that you are overeating and don't know it. If you sit down with a whole bag of chips and finish them off, that's one thing. But perhaps you're taking the chips out in handfuls - maybe you don't realize you're eating the whole bag!"

-How To Keep A Food Diary, from About.com

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Love our weekly challenges? Here's some good news!

You Can Participate!

We'd love the company!

Here's what you need to do:

* Spend your week working on these challenges.

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up next Saturday.

We are excited to see you there!

How I did on this weeks challenge

Sorry I'm so late in posting this guys!

Okay, so I chose to do push-ups as well, because I am so bad at them! I can do pull-ups, and sit ups, but push-ups and I just don't get along.

I still hate them, but now I can at least do more!

So, I could originally do 5 before I start shaking too much to go on. To be honest if I take a break for an hour or so I can do more, but the rules did say in one sitting :-)
Thanks to the 30 Day Shred, I can now do 10 in one sitting before I need a break! I plan to improve it further... I'm not sure why I have such a hard time with them. I can do approx. 10 pull-ups, so why is this so hard? Maybe I'm doing them wrong?

I also did the self-esteem challenge, which was a good exercise. And hard.
When I was younger I would avoid looking in mirrors if I could help it. I knew I wasn't as pretty as my sisters, or my friends. Instead of learning to love my looks, I avoided them. I wouldn't let myself think about it.

Around my senior year of High School I started trying to change this. Now, just like everyone else, there are still things I would like to change, but I've been trying to learn to love those things.

Looking in the mirror, and not being critical, was really hard.
Eventually I tried to look at myself through different eyes, and it helped a lot.
I thought about how Heavenly Father made me, loves me, and wants me to love myself.

All growing up I've been able to see beauty in everyone, even if others called them "ugly" I would see something beautiful, unique and special.
So, I decided that I should see myself that way too.

I am beautiful, I am unique, and I am special.

I may forget it sometimes, and I know I won't feel/see it everyday, but making this list has helped.
I hope that we will all be able to read our lists, add to them, and when we look in the mirror be able to see something beautiful, unique and special.

It Isn't Really Cheating...

As I read about this weeks physical challenge I tried to think of what I would chose to try and improve, push ups? Crunches? The problem was that I can already do quite a few of those and there is no way I would have been able to improve as much as the challenge required (45 push ups... not going to happen. A million crunches... nope) and so I decided on the only thing possible was to pick pull ups (I haven't really done them much... or at all) And I did! By the end of the week I reached the goal and did a total of 1½ pull ups! And I don't even feel bad about it, though I am thinking I might need to start incorporating pull ups into my workout routine...

The emotional challenged I also did, it was an interesting experience. I have had more self confidence lately but it is still difficult to scrutinize your body and try and figure out things you love, instead of seeing things you would like to change. First I started with the things I have always liked about myself but after I did that, I still had 12 more things to come up with. So I tried to see myself as if I had never seen myself before, I realized when I took out my own prejudice there were many things that I didn't even notice that would have normally upset me. I don't judge others looks as harshly as I judge my own and I think that is a mistake I need to work on, of course I have imperfections but why should I dwell on them? I don't dwell on others' imperfections, if I even notice something imperfect about someone else, I don't hold on to it or even really think about it! Why should I make my own imperfections such a big deal? I can notice them, maybe try to change them but hold on to them? Make myself feel bad about them? Why? What is the point of that? It only hurts myself and why should I hurt? Why should any of us do that to ourselves? It is not healthy or productive, so why not give yourself the same courtesy you give to a total stranger? Give yourself permission to not be perfect.

I loved this challenge.

The physical challenge was easy. Well, ok, it was hard, and I shook a lot, but I went from 20 girl push-ups to 30 (no really, I have a witness/drill sergeant named Kurt who can vouch for it). On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I did as many as I possibly could in 1 sitting, and on Tuesday and Thursday I did 5 push-ups at a time, 3 or 4 times per day. And it worked.

The hard part of the week was the Self Esteem challenge.

I am really good at criticizing myself. It's a skill I've been perfecting for 25 years. If the challenge had been "stand in front of the mirror and find 15 things you don't like" it would have taken me maybe 20 second, tops.

"My hair is limp and greasy"
"Acne again? Why thank you face, you shouldn't have."
"Hello muffin top. I see you have grown."
"Oh little toe, you think I don't see your snaggly nail?"

That's the problem, you know? I look in the mirror, and automatically start cataloging things I wish I could change. It's a habit that I learned from my mother, who was never kind to herself when looking at her reflection. She would have been horrified to know that I am taking after her in this area.

--------------------------

I stood in front of the mirror, possibly naked (what? I said possibly), and I started with some backhanded compliments.

"I've seen saggier boobs."
"At least there isn't cellulite on my ankles."
"I rarely have to shave my stomach."

....But those weren't really helping me feel good about myself. I decided to take a break, and go eat some Fiber One cereal (that stuff is amazing)(this is not a paid endorsement).

A few hours minutes later I was back in front of the mirror. Frustrated, I only lasted a few seconds before I decided to take an extended break, and come back tomorrow.

--------------------------

I was driving home from work the next day, enjoying the camouflage my sunglasses provide (they are so dark, you can't tell what I'm looking at), and blatantly staring at the people in the car next to me.

"She has such a pretty tan, and my skin is so pale. At least my nose is cuter. But she has better eyebrows."

That's when it hit me- I was doing this all wrong. If I am basing my beauty (or lack thereof) on other people, I am never going to be happy. It will always feel like a competition, and with myself as a judge, I am guaranteed to come in last.

"1 point to Chantel, for her lack of cankles."
"3 point to Amber for her wavy/curly hair."
"-2 points to Helena for biting her nails and eating that doughnut"

Instead of looking in the mirror and thinking "I should have less stretch marks on my boobs" or "At least my back isn't as hairy as that girl in front of me at the store today" I should be looking at my features, and finding things I love about them by themselves.

Does that make sense?

Here, let me explain:

I love my eyes. If I am comparing them to other people's, they aren't very special. Amber's are bigger, David has longer eyelashes, and Kurt doesn't have dark circles under them. But so what? My eyes are still pretty. And that's what matters.

--------------------------

When I got home, I tried to isolate each and every visible part of my body, and find something I loved.

It was hard.

It was hard to silence that voice in my head, to stop comparing myself to people I know, or models I've seen, or that unreachable vision of what I consider to be ideal beauty.

After a few false starts, I did it. I found a bunch of things that I genuinely love about my body. And it felt awesome.

I love the smile lines that are just beginning to form at the corners of my mouth, because they tell the world that I am a happy person.

I love my over-plucked eyebrows, because they remind me not to try so hard.

I love the freckles on my nose and cheeks that show up in the summer, because freckles make me happy, and remind me of my mom (who never had freckles, and spent her childhood envying the kids who did).

I love my collar bone. I don't even know why.

I love my cleavage, because I always have a place to put my cell phone.

There are still things about my body I want to change, but I am going to stop basing my opinion of myself on those. I am what I am, and not what I am not.

I am not a 5'9" 115 lb European model. I am not a 16 year old beauty queen. And I will never be an all-American beauty who stops men in their tracks.

But I am me. And that isn't going to change. So I can either learn to love myself, or spend my life miserable and ashamed.

I know which one I'm going to pick.

How about you?

--------------------------

I'm linking this post to:

Challenge week 2

Self Esteem Challenge: Stand in front of the mirror, and find 15 things that you love about your body. Write them down in a notebook, or on a piece of paper. 

Mirror, Mirror , on the wall..............

So, I only came up with 6. And that was pushing it. so FAIL!

Physical Challenge: Choose from the following and find out how many you can do in one sitting before you want to pass out: push-ups, sit-ups or pull-ups. The challenge is to pick one, and once you figure out how many you can do, add half the original value on top of it by the end of the week!

 

I picked Push ups! Day 1: 6

                                  Day 6: 11

I totally rocked it! 

Weekly Challenge #2. Tell us about it!

Welcome everybody! Throughout the day, our 5 contestants are going to check in and tell you about their experiences with this week's challenges (wondering what I'm talking about? You can read the background here).


What were the challenges?

"Physical Challenge: Choose from the following and find out how many you can do in one sitting before you want to pass out: push-ups (which for me is like 4...), sit-ups or pull-ups. The challenge is to pick one, and once you figure out how many you can do, add half the original value on top of it by the end of the week! So, if you can do 10 the goal is to practice during the week and bring it up to 15 by Saturday! Good luck!

"Self Esteem Challenge: Stand in front of the mirror, and find 15 things that you love about your body. Write them down in a notebook, or on a piece of paper. You do not need to share your answers in your post.

"This may take a few days to complete, and that's ok. Once you have your list, feel free to place it somewhere visible, like your mirror. It would be a good reminder to be kind to ourselves when we are looking in the mirror."

Did you participate in the challenges this week? We'd love to hear about it!

Here's what you need to do:

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up below.

*Be sure to link back to this post (a great way to do that is by grabbing our button)

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.



<center><a href="http://reasonstolose.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="Life in the Pitts" src="http://i945.photobucket.com/albums/ad293/lanieree/nogirl5.jpg" /></a></center>

(we will keep the linky open through Sunday night)

Sugar Facts Part One

I have been unsuccessful in finding the exact percentage of how much sugar dehydrates you, but I can tell you that I have read in a few medical magazine articles that when you drink something that contains sugar, it dehydrates you more than it hydrates you.

This includes soft drinks, kool aid, and any "on the go" packs you add to your water that contain sugar as an ingredient.

I know. That's not a fun thing to hear. But drinking water with a flavor pack -while not the best idea- is better than not drinking any water.

Here are some interesting facts found here:

In 1700, the average person consumed about 4 pounds of sugar per year

In 1800, the average person consumed about 18 pounds of sugar per year

In 1900, individual consumption had risen to 90 pounds of sugar per year

And in 2009, more than 50 percent of all Americans consume one -half pound of sugar PER DAY- translating to a whopping 180 pounds of sugar per year

Sugar is loaded in your soft drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, and hidden in almost all processed foods.

And now most infant formula has the sugar equivalent of one can of Coca-Cola, so babies are being metabolically poisoned from day one, if taking formula.

I am so not okay with that.

Don't feel bad if you have sugar.

Sugars are good for you, in moderation. Even though I know all this stuff that is the key word that I sometimes struggle with. That's part of why I wanted to write these facts about sugar, so I could remind myself :-)

I think I'll write more things about sugars effect on the body another time. I have tons of info about it!

For now I'm going to consider making my aching body do some pilates, then eat some ice cream...

I feel like the chorus line in that primary song.

(click the words to listen to the song)

My 30 Day Shred DVD never got here. I am still blaming the neighbors. Until I get that figured out, I am walking.

A few summers ago, I sold security systems in Portland, Oregon. And I loved it. Not the actual selling part- the walking.

Being outside in the sunshine all day every day was amazing. I would spend hours walking around new neighborhoods, checking out the cool houses, and stopping to pitch some of the friendlier neighbors (you know, the kind who would never steal your DVD's).

I especially loved finding cute old people to talk to. Half way through the summer my "pitch" had evolved, and mostly consisted of sitting on their porch, sipping lemonade, and listening to their stories. Old people have the best stories.

Anyway, those hours and hours of walking paid off. I started the summer weighing 135lbs, and ended weighing 115. And I didn't even notice.

My current job is a lot more stationary. My fingers get exercise, but not much else. I wish I could bring in a treadmill... but I don't think they'd go for it.

Luckily, my apartment complex has one. Two, actually. And a few stationary bikes, some weights, and an elliptical.

I love to read. I read all the time. My new goal? Read while walking.

Yesterday I brought my book to the gym. I set the treadmill to a quick walk, and put it at an incline.

The reading distracted me, and before I know it 45 minutes had gone by. 45 minuted that I could have spent reading on the couch, but didn't.

I was covered in sweat, but I wasn't exhausted (until I tried climbing the stairs to my apartment, and my legs turned to jello).

The moral of the story? Sell security systems.

Also, walking makes a difference.

30 Day Shred

About an hour ago I completed the entire first level of the 30 Day Shred workout video...

My body still feels weak.

Yeah... maybe I'll only do this DVD once a month week

That Jillian Michaels is extremely tough, I could definitely feel the burn.

You should try it.

I'm too sexy for this shirt

I decided to do push ups. Last night I did two sets of ten, on my knees. You know, "girl pushups".

I was shaking after the first one.

Maybe I should buy a new pushup outfit. That would probably help. Do you guys think Kurt would go for it?

Visual Goals

What are your final goals? Is it to be more healthy, skinnier, or more specific? Make your goals visual. I made a collage of pictures(with Internet photos) that represents what my goals. Get specific. One of mine is I want to have cuter smaller clothes. Get a picture for it! Maybe you want to get off of a medication you are taking, or losing weight will help you have a baby. Ask yourself Why do I want to lose weight or be healthier and visualize your goals! Post it everywhere to have a daily reminder of when you are exhausted, why you are doing it!

Push Harder

Last Monday I woke up feeling pretty sore and I thought to myself 'I feel sore BUT not sore enough...' So this week I am going to pump up my efforts, I think that means whipping out my 30 Day Shred :) I like switching up my workout DVDs and I haven't gotten to 'the shred' (as I like to call it) yet, probably because I'm a little scared of it. I have done it before and when I am consistent I get really good results but it is tough and I have bad knees, which means I can't do it everyday, week after week but if I do it for a week and then switching to something low impact (but still hard) that seems to works best for my poor knees.

This past week I made sure to 'work out' three times but they weren't always my traditional, pop in a workout DVD. I did a lot of hard yard work and it felt really good and I enjoy being in the sun, I was hoping to get a little sun too. Let me start by saying, I the color of my skin, it is a little pale compared to most people but I am fine with that, I really don't mind. I don't go tanning, I always wear sunscreen and only get tan if I am doing things in the sun and I like it that way, other people though seem bothered by this....

Here are some things people have said to me in the past few years (and this is how I should have responded!)

-'So what, do you just not like to tan?' (no actually, I think the sun is of the devil and don't believe in it...)

-'Wow your skin is really...umm, fair... do you do that intentionally?' (What!? I didn't know I was pale... Thank you for pointing it out, my life is a little more complete...)

- My husband and I were buying Vitamin D3 at the store and the lady checking us out says 'Oh I bet this is for you!' Pointing to me, I was confused and said no it was for my husband, then she said 'oh well, you are really pale so I just figured it was for you...' (Wow thanks random checkout lady! You really made my day, I just love it when random strangers decide it is totally cool to insult me...)

-'Maybe you should just go tanning, you know, so you don't get depressed' (Now could you clarify? Would I be getting depressed because I'm not getting enough Vitamin D, or because I am so pale I should be ashamed....?)

I have spent more time in the sun this year than years past, because I now have a house (Yay for a yard where I can go outside whenever I want and not have people look at me funny!) and I am able to get off work before the sun is setting (also a nice bonus this year!) but I guess that is still not good enough for some people. It is true one of my arms is more tan because is hangs out the window of my car as my husband and I go to work (no air conditioning is really fun in 100° weather...) but other then that, I think I look fine:)

For the most part I just laugh off what people say, I think I look fine and am surprisingly not ashamed of myself (but thank you everyone for you efforts to make me so...) and plus, it could be worse! Much worse....

Sorry Helena, I couldn't resist :)

Weekly Challenge #2

Congratulations on living through last weeks challenge! I thought for sure that constant peeing would be the end of us.

What are the challenges, you ask?

As you know, we have a grand prize for whoever shows the most improvement after 3 months.

But 3 months is a long time, and it's easy to lose our motivation. So we came up with some weekly challenges, to keep us going strong.

Here's how these will work:

Every week we will be given two challenges. These challenges will start on Sunday (usually) and go through the following Saturday.

The first challenge will be physical: Run 15 miles this week, do 700 sit-ups, etc.

(kidding, I would die. The real challenges will be less extreme, I promise)

The second challenge will be either a nutritional, or a self esteem challenge.

At the end of the week, we will each write a post explaining our experiences with the challenges.

BE HONEST. If you failed the challenge, tell us why. If you rocked it, tell us how. Most importantly, tell us how you feel about it.

This weeks challenges

Physical Challenge: Choose from the following and find out how many you can do in one sitting before you want to pass out: push-ups (which for me is like 4...), sit-ups or pull-ups. The challenge is to pick one, and once you figure out how many you can do, add half the original value on top of it by the end of the week! So, if you can do 10 the goal is to practice during the week and bring it up to 15 by Saturday! Good luck!

Self Esteem Challenge: Stand in front of the mirror, and find 15 things that you love about your body. Write them down in a notebook, or on a piece of paper. You do not need to share your answers in your post.

This may take a few days to complete, and that's ok. Once you have your list, feel free to place it somewhere visible, like your mirror. It would be a good reminder to be kind to ourselves when we are looking in the mirror.

---------------------------------------

Love our weekly challenges? Here's some good news!


You Can Participate!

We'd love the company!

Here's what you need to do:

* Spend your week working on these challenges.

* Write a post about your experience.

* Link it up next Saturday.

We are excited to see you there!