Week 8 Standings

Another stellar week of effort put in by the hottiest ladies around!

Here are this week's standings-

1. Amanda  932.5
2. Mandy 925.5
3.  Leisel 852
4.  Tamara 826
5.  Sariah  805.5
6.  Cindy  783
7.  Heather 778.5
8.  Elise  754.5
9.  Sarah  654
10. Melanie  531.5

We have a new leader this week! Good work Amanda! 
 Special shout outs for the week go to the following-

Elise who had the highest point total and loss for the week, 120 points, 2.2 lb. loss, and 4 inches down!

Amanda, Mandy, Melanie and myself, all enjoyed losses, even with Christmas and in some cases sickness trying to get in our way.

 Hope you are all having a great week, enjoying time off with your kids and/or spouses.

Keep up the great work!

Heather's Week 8 Report

Points: 76.5/84 (missed a couple exercise points and some sleep, but happy overall)
Weight: 158.7 (1 lb. loss) =5 points (ADJUSTED)
Inches: 205.75 (.25 lb. gain) = I am bloated, and the .25 inch is on my waist :(
Total: 81.5 (ADJUSTED)

I lost one of the pounds I gained back last week. Happy about that. I am going to try to lose again this week. Even though I am vacationing and my schedule is crazy. I have exercised every day still, and I know it can be done!

Last week my personal goal was to spend time talking with my husband every day.  It was nice to make sure we were making that connection. Balance is important on so many levels. 

So girls, I am on vacation at my mom's and there are so many treats. It is all I can do to stay within my calorie budget. I am looking at nutritional info and doing it though, even if it means eating an orange for dinner after splurging on too much homemade candy.

So this week my personal goal is to stay within my calorie budget! I will do my best to have three balanced meals as well, but it might not be as stellar as usual.

I have to say it's been pretty  motivating to be here and have so many people in my family commenting on how fit I'm looking. :-D When you work your butt off at something, a little credit is nice.

So, one more holiday to go. New Year's Eve & Day. I don't know about all of you, but this one may be more challenging than the others because our family has a tradition that involves sitting around playing games and then eating homemade spud-nuts at midnight.  My brother-in-law is an absolute genius at making all desserts! And even though donuts aren't generally a huge temptation for me, hot, fresh, homemade spud-nuts . . . well that's another story. I will control my portions. The rest of the evening I'll keep the veggies close so as not to over-indulge in chips, dips, crackers, and cheeseballs. And at midnight I'll savor that treat!

I am tallying up the results. I'll have them up sometime before tomorrow night.

Being a Girl

So my weigh in this week did not go well.  I was up very significantly from the week before.  I noticed the last time this happened was the weigh in after I got back from Thanksgiving and had to buy a new scale.  I didn't have the excuse of a new scale this time, so what gives?

After some reflection I realized that I was starting my period...just like I was for this weigh in.  So there were two common denominators - a major holiday meal, and my period.  Combining the two equals a very discouraging number on the scale.  I have also noticed my feelings are...less positive than usual.

Typically I would look in the mirror and think "My stomach is looking flatter!  My hips don't look so big!"  But now that it's that "special time" I catch myself thinking more along the lines of "WHY AM I STILL SO FAT?  I AM GOING TO BE FAT FOREVER."

But.  It will go away.  My body will finish doing it's business and things will get back to normal and the scale won't look so awful....right?

Also - a quick tip for the fish challenge -

Take one of these -

Stuff it into one of these -

And you have a quick and tasty lunch!

a fishy situation

I love fish but am the first to admit that I’m a fish snob.  I think I got spoiled living in Seattle…I’d go down to the docks and buy whatever seafood looked inspiring fresh off the boats.  So, I’ve rarely cooked it since living in Colorado.  But I should since it’s so good for you!!  I will try out some recipes and let you know which ones we like!  Right now I've got some mahi mahi tequila lime tacos on the brain...

Later this week for a “splurge”, we’ll probably go down to FISH (the best seafood in northern Colorado!) and I’ll order a nice piece of something that looks fresh and delicious. 

 

the sickies

Like many of you, we've been battling a couple rounds of the fever/coughs/flu at our house.  Luckily, everyone seems to be on the mend but we cancelled our Christmas ski trip to get better.  I don't think my weight loss will be great this week but that just means I'll lose more next week, right?!

I'll admit that I secretly like it a little bit when my kids are sick because they want snuggles, and I am happy to oblige!  I've held lots of little sickies and watched lots of movies this week and cherished every moment.  My exercise points suffered but I'll get over it. :)  I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and I'm excited for a healthier and life-changing new year!

ok

Here I am posting. I am hanging in by a thread but here and happy.

Is a relaxing holiday a myth

We have had a rotating door of guests and have more on the way and I am feeling good but really busy. I love seeing family and being in my own home for Christmas, but wow it is more work than I thought it was. I feel like I should count the running I do all day, and the stair climbing as my work out! Whew. I am thankful for my stairs though they so keep me thinking about working out. It has been a lot easier to climb them all day long now that I have lost 40 lbs!! Wooo whooo!  My kids are noticing that I have more energy and can carry them around.

EVIL!!

All I have to say is Christmas was awesome but  pecan pie is pure evil!

Christmas festivities

Well, I made it. We got home last night after spending 6 days in Utah with my in-laws and it feels good to be home. I always wish my visits were longer, but at the same time it always feels so great when you get home. I am particularly looking forward to eating normal food again. The holiday treats are gone and I'm headed to the grocery store soon to stock up on veggies and other essentials. I weighed in this morning and I was shocked to see only a 1 pound gain. Haven't done any measurements yet, but I'm thinking I've just experienced a Christmas miracle. My personal goal this week was to continue filling my dinner plate with veggies; I made myself eat them first so I wouldn't be able to fill up as much on the other stuff. I limited my potatoes, had lots of salad, fruit and meat (which is surprisingly lower calorie than I would have thought), and still had a fair share of desserts, but overall I think I survived Christmas!

On a different note, I want to share my favorite part of my Christmas holiday. My family always acts out the nativity story, complete with costumes and music. The little kids dress up as sheep and angels, my brother-in-laws as wise men, and this year my hubby and I were Mary and Joseph because our daughter is the youngest grandchild, so she got to be baby Jesus. Amidst the chaos that comes with a full family of 25+, it was so wonderful to read the story of Christ's birth and sing all the Christmas songs it the hymnbook. One of my very favorite songs is "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" and it always lifts my spirit. It is so easy to become discouraged, especially with all the evil in the world, but I was reminded that Christ can heal and can unite families. Good will conquer over evil, no matter how desperate the times seem. I'm grateful for this time of year where I can be reminded of the good in the world and the reason I'll be able to live with my family forever.

Thanks to all of you for your encouraging posts!

Just keep moving

My matra for years has been power forward. It is my username for loseit.com and powerforwardforlife is my username for myfitnesspal.com. I have decided it is the only way to go.

So, that is what I am trying to remember (and happens to be my input for the week). Just keep moving forward. Heather has helped me see and learn that no matter what if you are doing good things for your body (even if you feel you counteract it with too many 'bad' things) you are STILL doing good things for your body!

I am trying to remember this. Power Forward! All I can do is my best. My best is good enough. I am good enough. These are things I try hard to remember. I haven't done as well as I'd envisioned, but I'm doing a darn good job nonetheless.

Just keep it up. Power forward. Keep at it and don't give up on yourself. Each of us is doing a great job in our own right. Just keep moving forward with heads held high. We only have about 20 days left in this competition!!!

Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone had a great one! I had self control and did NOT go back for a second helping today at dinner, but alas, this lil baby-in-the-belly of mine has me craving sweets like an addict.

Which is crazy, cuz with Asher I NEVER craved sweets. Only fruit and greasy food. Which had it's own disadvantages, but it's bad timing that this craving hit right now with Christmas candy abounding on all sides.

Fellow hotties, I have fallen, and I have fallen hard.

Please help. I bought veggies, and have been snacking on those and excelling at my personal goal for me and lil Asher, who I found out will eat anything with a lil ranch or ketchup =)

but how do I break this sugary ride of insanity????

Week 7 Standings

Merry Christmas Eve Everyone!!!

Another week where I'm a day late with the standings. So sorry. I was waiting to hear back from somebody regarding a question I had about her report and then once I received her answer we were at church, making Christmas candy, having people for dinner, playing games, and then crashing into bed.

Some of you haven't been able to see the standings in past weeks, so I am typing them up a little differently today.

Here they are!

1. Mandy Heaston 848
2. Amanda Jasper 837.5
3. Leisel Bode 748
4. Tamara Hall 742
5. Sariah Sunvison 733.5
6. Cindy Jewkes 717
7. Heather Herrick 697
8. Elise Adams 634.5
9. Sarah Bugarin 587
10. Melanie Smith 458

Leisel worked her way into the top 3 this week! Congrats Leisel!! Mandy and Amanda are holding strong and being steady.

And I also want to give a shout out to Sariah who had the biggest loss and most points this week! She lost 3.4 lbs and 2.5 inches and came in with 115 points! If she keeps that up you better watch out top 3!

So the next two weeks will be filled with different schedules, family parties, possibly travel, neighbors with goodies, and the whole bit! Don't get discouraged, just do your best!

I am super proud of all of you for sticking with it through your ups and downs. Keep up the good work!

Skinny Frozen Hot Chocolate

I can't have Christmas morning without hot chocolate!!!  If any of you are like me, this might help.

Skinny Frozen Hot Chocolate
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 2 • Size: little over 1 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 111 • Fat: 1 g • Carb: 20 g • Fiber: 1 g • Protein: 7 g • Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 166 mg 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fat free milk
• 1 cup ice
• 4 tbsp Ovaltine Rich Chocolate (or Chocolate Malt flavor)
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp fat free whipped topping (optional)
• drop of peppermint extract (optional)

Directions:

Pour the milk and ice into your blender. Add in the ovaltine, cocoa powder, and whipped topping (optional – you could also leave this for the top instead).

Blend  3-4 minutes until the ice is completely chopped and the mixture is thick and icy.

Pour into two glasses, and serve immediately.

Miss Elsie Scheel

 So I stumbled upon this VERY interesting news article from 1912 about a girl who was considered "perfect".  100 years later, the idea of the perfect woman is very very different!

"In 1912 Miss Elsie Scheel of Brooklyn was deemed the “most nearly perfect specimen of womanhood” out of 400 other coeds at Cornell that year. The 24-year-old Scheel had come to Cornell from Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn Heights—she enjoyed horticulture, outdoor sports, and was an ardent suffragette. One paper declared that she was "taller than Venus de Milo," standing five feet seven inches tall, weighing in "at a healthy 171 pounds, and possessing a decidedly pear-shaped figure (it measured 35-30-40)." Isn't that refreshing? According to the NY Times report, Scheel did not have "a single defect."

I was much closer to 1912's idea of the "most nearly perfect specimen of womanhood" before I started this challenge!  (At least weight wise.  Measurement wise we are very very close right now)  Mind.  Blown.

Let's all just agree that women can be beautiful and "perfect" at a variety of sizes, yes?  That if you like how you look and feel, you are perfect?  (After-school special alert!)

Also, beefsteak.  Mmmmm......

 You can read more about Elsie here.

Heather's Week 7 Report

So I am super bugged! I had a great week. Extra workouts, good clean eating, water drinking, etc. And this morning I am up 2 pounds! The one thing that went awry this week was my sleeping due to sick baby and husband. I still managed to piece together at least 7 hours most nights, but perhaps the craziness of the schedule caused me to retain water or something?!

At any rate I said it before on Thanksgiving week, often when my body reaches a new low it goes up and then down again. It's holding true to form this week. Last week was a new low. Sunday I was back up despite clean eating and a 2 hour run, and the rest of the week I have been going down again. Just not as low as last Friday :-(.  The one reason I'm not crying in my pillow right now is that I still lost inches. I have told several of you not to let the scale make you too unhappy, especially if you still lose inches. The scale can sometimes be deceiving for some reason, but the inches don't lie.  So all of my hard work and my efforts haven't been for naught. I lost more on my waist (-.25), hips (-.25), and thighs (-.35)! Not a lot more, but still! Also, I didn't lose anymore from my chest; once again thank you little chest! And as a side note, when I got out the storage box of my next size down clothes there were 3 bras in there that fit!

So all of that being said, here is my report for the week:

Points: 82/84
Weight: 159.7 (2.1 lb gain) 0 points
Inches: 205.5 (.85 loss) 8.5 points
Total Points: 90.5

My personal goal last week was to replace one meal (sometimes two) with a protein shake. I did awesome with that and will keep doing it this week. But I am going to give myself the extra challenge of a new personal goal this week. Spend some time talking with just my husband every day (let's say at least 15 minutes). Just want to make a little extra effort in that regard. He's awesome and I don't always let him know.

Making Peace with yoga

I am not a big fan of Yoga, but I have found out that my kids are. There are some really fun yoga and Pilates videos at the library, and on you tube. The kids wanted to watch them all. Even the baby was having a great time getting up and down and following the instructor. Working out with my kids makes the work out fun, not to mention the extra weight if Ryland wants to be held. I actually found out I prefer the yoga family and yoga mommy videos. Maybe I can do Yoga after all.

broccoli! nom nom nom

i am out of town and posting from my phone so this will be short. Despite my love hate relationship with veggies, i really liked the challenge this week. my recipe was simple but yummy: steamed broccoli drizzled with balsamic vinegar. super tasty and healthy!

i am at my in-laws house for the holiday and really nervous about this upcoming week. i have NEVER survived a visit here without a weight gain because my MIL always cooks tons of delicious (and often deep fried) food. i'm going to try my best, but coupled with being away from my gym for 6 days, i think i'm justifiably nervous. keeping my fingers crossed!

ugh and ok

Sk I am still plugging away just struggling with my impute and firm desire. I am atoll working at it and hope to do better this next week!!!

Easy Veggie Stir-Fry

Easy Veggie Stir-Fry
Recipe by Our Best Bites
Ingredients:
1/4 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1-2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen vegetables (like a stir-fry mix or broccoli)
Kosher salt to taste
Sesame seeds
Instructions:
Whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, Sriracha, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and honey. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When very hot, add the onions, ginger, and garlic in that order and stir fry for about 20 seconds. Add the veggies and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are dark and bright but still crisp. Add the sauce and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes or until the veggies are tender-crisp. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with another 1/2-1 teaspoon sesame oil and sprinkle with kosher salt to taste and sesame seeds. Serves 4-6.
*Variation: To make this a meal, add thin slices of steak or chicken breast before you add the onions.

Taco Salad

An easy recipe that I like is Taco Salad.
ingredients:
1lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup salsa
1 can diced green chilis
1 can black or pinto beans
1 small can chopped black olives
lettuce
tortilla chips

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat. Then add the 1/2 cup of salsa and cook for 5 min on med heat. Add the green chilis, beans, and olives. Cook for another 5 min.
To serve simply grab a plate, crush up tortilla chips, add some lettuce, then add meat mixture. Top it off with some cheese, tomatoes, or avocadoes and dressing!

I've made this recipe many times for other people and have never had any complaints about taste or spicyness!

Salad Bar

Here's how mine turned out! YUMMY! (375 cals with dressing!)

It was so funny tonight, Stella kept saying, "This is so yummy. Thanks mom!" And Margaret said, "I feel so healthy eating this big salad for dinner."

Do any of you do this? We do it once in a while. Salad bar for dinner. I baked up a couple of chicken breasts and diced them, pulled out all the veggies, craisins, nuts, a couple kinds of cheese and everybody gets to make their own salad.