All 89!

Apparently I am blogger illiterate. I can't post from my computer for some reason so here I am typing oh so fast on my wonderful phone, so sorry folks I guess I will have to spare you the trash talk and keep this short. A little about me though, I am very competitive and money driven. I am also a stay at home mom, so in my mind . . . It is my job to win this!
Some of my goals for this month are to be better at meal planning, (so that I have dinner on the table before 10:00, and don't want to eat the whole house by the time it gets there), firm up those troubled spots, and shave some time off of my 5k. I would also like to run a triathlon sometime before I die, but my swimming is really sinking at this point hence the before I die part.
I have also always lived by the philosophy of who needs sleep, I can sleep when I'm dead, so 7 hours every night may be a challenge, and I am only halfway through my 64ounces of water today and feel like I should be receiving frequent flyer miles to the restroom.

Hello!

 Hi! My name is Emily. I have never been this weight without being able to blame someone (a baby) other than myself.  My baby is almost 2 and it is time for the weight to go.  I know that I may never get my 4 timed C-section belly to be slim again but I can at least try, right? I tend to eat all day long. I basically eat a meal while I am preparing a meal (you know - all of those delicious "taste" bites to make sure everything is coming along) and then I sit down and eat with the family.  Here are a few of my reasons for wanting to lose weight: My clothes don't fit, everything is too snug, it looks like I have been 4 months pregnant since I came home from the hospital in 2012, I'd like to feel like my body is under MY control.  

Off we go!

Hi Friends!  My name is Mandy, I know several of you and am excited to get to "know" the rest of you!!  I love having support to be healthy and lose weight!  I lost a bunch of weight last year then have just maintained for a long time...I would love to lose 25-30 more pounds and need to kick it into gear to make it happen!  I currently get a lot of cardio/toning (mostly through Zumba and weights, about 8 hrs per week) and have finally admitted that to reach my goal weight I need to really change my eating habits.  

My main struggle is that I LOVE food....I love eating it, cooking it, talking about it, thinking about it, shopping for it, looking at it!  And not really junk food, I just love beautiful, well-prepared food!  Is that crazy?!  We don't necessarily eat a lot of "bad" food in our house but we eat A LOT.  I am also blessed with a husband who eats like a pig but is 6'2" and thin.  In his defense, he does about 10 hours of hard cardio a week. :)

 I find cooking relaxing so I need to work on ways I can control my eating (nibbling!) while still enjoying cooking and feeding family/friends.  So, that is my main goal over this journey together.

If you love to dance, please come Zumba with me!  I love it!!  An hour flies by and I find myself happy, sweaty, and not even aware that I just burned a motherload of calories!  After I lost my first 30 lbs I got certified to teach Zumba (as a personal goal).  I don't teach regular classes but I do sub for friends on occasion.  I choreograph a lot for teachers in town as well.  Some of my favorite teachers in town are changing up their class schedules for summer so I will post those for you all once they're finalized.  I'll also let you know when I'm subbing so we can shake it together!

My goal this week is unofficially to survive moving (when did we get so much junk??!), officially to keep to my calorie budget 6 out of 7 days this week.

PS If you're looking for a good free Android app that lets you count calories easily, I love Simple Calorie Count.   You don't have to sign up, it keeps track of what you eat most often so you can pull it up easily, etc..

And Away We Go...

This really is my son...and this really was his face in his soccer pictures this past Spring.

Hello everyone!  My name is Stephanie and I'm excited to start this challenge.  I've participated before and for some reason my normally gentle, docile personality morphs into a ferocious competitor when it comes to points competitions!  I remember during the challenge last winter when I had the stomach flu, I could barely walk, but yet I was doing sit-ups, push-ups and leg lifts in between terrible puking episodes...because I was going to get my 5 exercise points for the day gosh darn-it!

I'm excited to start this challenge because I'm ready to lose weight and become more fit and I think this will be a great jump-start for that.  A few weeks ago at church a lady patted my belly and asked me if I was pregnant!!!  I AM NOT!  It was one of those horrible wake up calls.  

The last 18 months have been hard on my body...a c-section, nursing, stopping nursing, a major abdominal surgery, and some other significant health issues that are out of my control.  For the majority of the last year I have not made exercise a priority...the last 2 months though I have been working out again and counting calories...and I have seen NO results.  I'm trying not to give up or lose motivation, so I'm hoping these arbitrary points will be the magic bullet I need to start seeing results.  

My main goal right now is to get to my pre-pregnancy weight.  I know that won't happen during this challenge, so I guess for this month my goal is to not miss one exercise point!  This will be challenging for me because I will be traveling for the next 2 weeks and then have visitors staying with me the last part of the month, but I'm going to make it a priority and do it!   

And a final picture to inspire your working out this week (Ha!)!  Good luck everyone!  Let's rock this thing!

Me trying out my new bike, in the snow, on Mother's Day, in my pajamas, and with a royal fascinator on my head!  

I was dancing as soon as I heard.

First of all the Young Women who planned the Ward 5K rock! It was such a great idea, I would love to do that again. I enjoyed the chance to work towards a goal and succeed. Thank you Heather for putting this together and helping us all be better! Good Luck everyone. By the way Fitness Blender on You tube is fun an awesome. They have health tips, health myth busters, and works outs that are fun and flexible.

Welcome to the June Challenge! HERE WE GO!!!

What is it about getting points that can motivate me? I don't know for sure, but I know I am ready. I can tell you were ready for this too, because many of you replied to my initial text with, "Yes, yes, yes!"


I just sent a big email with all the details, but the basic scoop is:

• We're starting on Monday June 2nd and ending July 1st.
• Weigh and measure yourself this weekend and write it down.
• Get me some $$ by next Friday.
• Write a post for this here blog.
• Start logging your food.
• Track those exercise minutes because they're good for magical points!
• Have fun! 

 All of you know me, so no big introduction necessary, but I'm going to share some of my goals for the next month.

1. Do a cleanse with my hubby. I am so excited for this! I am dreading this! (Ya' know what I mean?)
2. Log my food and stick within a calorie budget. I did amazingly well at this for a long, long time, but I've let this great habit go . . .which is showing in my summer clothes. :-D
3. Have a positive attitude about this whole venture. I wanted to do this not as an exercise in vanity, but as a way to reboot my love of making good choices and enjoying the results of those choices. And bring some friends along for the ride as well.
4. Maybe sign up to do my first triathlon? Weird goal-I know, to say maybe . . . It's something I have been talking about for years. And my swimming is finally in a good place for it. However, I don't have a bike. So I have to get a bike. I don't know if I want to put the $$ toward the entrance fee. So I need to decide. There is a race I could do with a friend of mine, but it is a tricky time for the family. Do I go ahead and make it work? These questions will be answered and resolved by the end of the month. If I don't do a triathlon this summer, then I AM doing it next summer for sure. And I will plan around it and buy a bike, etc.!

So my friends, one last thing . . . I want to plan an exercise get-together at least one morning a week, somewhere, somehow. Let me know your thoughts on how we could make this happen. It's all well and good to get the exercise in on your time, when works for you, etc. But wouldn't it be fun if we can do something together once a week? 

Let's do it!

Hello Ladies!
My name is Elise Adams. I was able to participate in some previous weight loss and fitness challenges with Heather, and am PUMPED to start a new one! I am excited to get to know you all a little better. A little about me:

• I live in Greeley. We moved here 8 years ago from Utah. ALL our family lives in Utah, so our friends in Greeley have become our 'Greeley Family'. We love it here!
• I have 4 kids ages 8, 7, almost 5, and 2
• I enjoy running. Especially with Heather - or any other friend!
• My husband is in grad school. This has been difficult after working in his field for over 13 years, with 4 kids and a full time job. We are enjoying the summer off school before things get really hard this fall!
• I enjoy reading, singing, playing with my kids, hanging out as a family, working in the yard, gardening, chatting with friends....I am pretty normal! I love life!

My weight loss journey has been great! I lived in ignorant bliss (meaning I was ignorant to how much I weighed or what I ate!) until I was pregnant with my first child. I was weighed in at the dr. office and thought - wow, that seems high! After she was born I started running. I got hooked on running and lost all my baby weight plus 10 more. After my 2nd child was born, same thing. Ran off the pounds plus 10 more. After my 3rd baby I lost it all. Then the 4th, lost it all. I was really good at getting fat, having a baby, then losing weight! Ha! I am done having children and now face the rest of my life learning and re-learning how to maintain. This has been MOST difficult for me!

I stopped weighing myself (for several reasons) a couple months ago. I have no idea what the scale will say on Monday morning. I am scared, but ready to make some changes. I live on the BRINK of healthy eating! I try very hard, but struggle with consistency!

I am grateful for this challenge so I can JUMP start my summer with healthy living! I am excited! Look out ladies, I am in this to WIN it! I don't know how much weight I want to lose - I don't even know what I weigh. BUT, I know I am going to work HARD! I am going for 100% points every week!

If any of you want some help, advice, want someone to chat with....need some encouragement, need someone to talk to so you WON'T eat dessert....are bored...you know...if you need anything at all...give me a call!!! 970-313-3142

I wish you ALL great success!!! We can do this ladies! We are amazing! We are strong! GOOD LUCK!!!