Monday Madness Challenge!:

Did you stretch today? My challenge for you this monday morning is to stand up and reach for the ceiling with both arms, give a good long stretch to your entire body.

Then bend over and touch your toes, or comes as close as you can!

Now, stand up and stretch those sides by holding you right arm up and bending to the left. Now switch and hold your left arm up and bend to the right.

Okay back up over head with both arms again....STREEETCH!

Couple of neck rolls!

Now, doesnt that feel fantastic?

So who took the Monday Morning Madness Stretch Challenge?

Melissa- I hear ya on the laundry!!! I have a ton to do today also.

I just did something I should of done a long time ago. I called and found out about and OA meeting in my area, and I'm attending my first meeting this Wed!!! I'm really nervous, but looking forward to what I'm going to learn This is huge for me~

Jasmine – Hi! Thanks for checking in. It’s great that you’ve been doing well on your diet. I hope you can find some good new recipes in your new cookbook! I hope you can find some energy to get some exercise in. Do what you can. Every little bit helps. Even if you can do some spontaneous exercise like park a little farther from the store or taking the stairs instead of the elevator (even if it’s only a flight or two to start). I’m so bad about getting motivated to exercise but find that once I get started on a routine, it gets easier. It seems to be helping me with the weight loss as well. I haven’t had a chance to check out your new pictures, but I’m going to go there next!

Melissa 73 – Way to go on staying within your points on Valentines Day! I hope you have a wonderful week off! It’s so exciting to be close to 10% weight loss!

Emily – I hope you had a good weekend. I’m sorry you have been struggling mentally. I hope you can conquer it this week!

Diva – that cracks me up about you singing out loud to your iPod. I don’t workout around other people, but I do wear my iPod at my night job. It’s a good thing that I work by myself most of the time there because I catch myself singing aloud also!

Ambie – Hang in there! Thanks for checking in with us!

Laurie – It’s nice that you could get a healthy Valentine’s present. Sounds like you’re really enjoying your rice cooker. I think it’s great that you can have exercise dates with DH. That sounds like some great encouragement. And how fun that your hubby didn’t recognize me. Feels great to hear you’re small and graceful, doesn’t it?

Andi – I’m glad you’re feeling better.

Muse – Congrats on deciding to do a Triathalon! That’s such a great goal to work toward.

Debalicious – Thanks for checking in! 0.2 lbs may not seem like a lot but it is a loss! I hope you will visit us more frequently.

Kari – I’m glad you could get some adult time! It sounds like you had a fun night! Congrats on the 2 pounds!

Danielle – it’s great to hear from you! I’m not sure that we’re total opposites because I don’t have lower body strength either. I did lower body on Sunday, and it was pretty tough too. Congrats on the 2.5 pounds! You got some awesome bargains! I love having shopping days like that! And needing to buy a size smaller pant is a great feeling! Congrats!

Melissa (Hun) – I’ve considered a weighted hula hoop in the past and just haven’t gotten around to getting one. I hate to buy a bunch of new equipment when I don’t know how much I’ll use and have things at my house that I need to start using. The video was cute. You’ll be hooping it up soon! Isn’t it great when you start feeling thinner? I’m glad you had a good hike! I take my (four-legged) girls to a wilderness park here but it’s been too wet the last few weeks. We all miss it! Congrats on the winnings. You definitely need to treat yourself somehow. Sounds like new pants are in order!

Terapet – Your body sculpting class sounds intense. I’m just starting on body sculpting and can totally understand your need to recover. I am doing a DVD, but I have to modify or sit out on a couple of counts from time to time. Congrats on the 1 ½ pounds!

Cassie – I’m so sorry to hear that you had a bad week. How frustrating about the tax return. Hang in there and congrats on staying on plan!

Jen – I’m glad you are back to logging your calories. It’s great to get back on plan/routine after you’ve had a small break from it.

Laura – I’m glad your off plan eating wasn’t as bad calorie-wise as you had first feared. Way to go on the 15.5 miles! That’s amazing!

Tina – I’m glad you’re feeling better. It’s nice that Kev took the kids out to give you some quiet time.

Mom 23, Catsgetnhealthy, utahgirl, Cat, DK, and Rennie – Hello! Have a great on plan day!

As always I don't do as well with the water and eating (healthy but not enough) on the weekends. I guess I do better with the structure I have at work. Of course here on Monday morning I'm not where I need to be with my water. Oh well.... <takes big drink of water>

I did my lower body workout yesterday and then did the upper body workout again this morning. Wow, do my muscles feel it. Maybe this is why I haven't kept with the strength training in the past - I'm a wimp! This time is going to be different!

I've got to go for now. I must not have put my mouse on the charger over the weekend. I'm going to have to do something else for a while to let it charge!

Take Care!

Good Morning! I took the stretch challenge this morning. It felt great. My kids think they should get school off for the holiday like all the kids in public school. I laughed and said we should study Presidents today instead.

Laura--More than 15 miles! That's great. Keep us updated about your marathon. My dh loves to run like that. He was training for a marathon until he had to have hernia surgery last year. His recovery has been slow, but I'm sure he'll get back into it eventually.

Tina--Glad you're feeling better today. Congrats on calling OA. That's a big step!

Danielle--Congrats on the weight loss and the smaller pants. What a great victory. Your shopping trip was uber-successful! It's always wonderful to find a good deal.

Melissa--I hear you on the laundry. I have a bunch of baskets that need to be folded! I hope all the homework is easy!

Karen--Yay for the smaller pants!

Cassie--So sorry to hear about the financial issues. How frustrating! It's awesome that you have kept up your good eating & exercise despite the stress.

Kari--Wow! A Total Gym! How wonderful!

Selina--Thanks for checking up on us! I miss seeing your inspiring posts. I guess I need to get over to the blue thread once in awhile to get a Selina fix!

Hi to Andi, Melissa73, Rennie, Counting, Muse, Jasmine, Emily, Cat, Cathy, Terapet, Mom23BC, Barbara, and Roni!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Ambie, Deb, and DK. I hope all of your have a fabulous day today!

Hello everyone! Sorry I have been MIA. I hope everyone is doing great. We did the Marathon on Sunday. It was great. This really got me in the mood to continue on the path of getting more exercise in the great outdoors.

Today my kids and I ran 3 mailboxes to every six. We all were feeling it. I am borrowing a jogger stroller from a friend, but mine should come in this week. I am very excited.

So, I am trying to fiqure out how to get more involved in our activities outside. Hiking, walking, etc. in the great outdoors, but involve my kids. So I went online looking to get ideas. I came across the website about the 3 day walk cure for breast cancer (of course my kids would not be able to go). Now that looked really exciting. The concept looks great. Raising $2,200 dollars gives me the hibbie jibbies, but I am sure doable. I believe I really could walk 60 miles in three days. The problem, is the training going up to it. I really don't know if I would be able to carve out the time 4 days/week that is needed to train for it. I would really like to do it. My mother and mother-n-law were/are breast cancer survivors. So I am "all" for the cause. The idea of doing something this big, is something I have been wanting to do. I would love to challenge myself. Now this is just a thought for me. I am nowhere near saying I am even contemplating it...take that back...I think I will pray about it.

So has anyone ever done this 3 day walk????? If I did it, I would like to do the one in Atlanta this year.

Good morning ladies. I used the Total Gym yesterday and man are my muscles feeling it today. DH and I both used that along with the tredmill. What a workout! Going to use it again tonight. Got to get my water in today for sure.

just figured I would post a quick update face pic. I need to get someone to do full legnth photos... I dont even own a full length mirror haha...

first pic is me around 315 second pic is from a few days ago.




my hair has grown a lot too!

Jasmine, I can see a huge difference in your face--way to go!

Thanks to all of you for the support.

I was down 3lbs this week. I have TWO birthday parties this week, so I already plan on taking a freebie next week, but it feels good to be out of that "214 rut" that I was fighting to get out of.

Can't wait to be out of the 200's!

Mom23BC, someone posted some questions about the Breast Cancer 3 Day in the main exercise forum, and got some stories back about it. It sounds incredible!

I ate a really healthy lunch: grilled bison burger (just the meat - no bun or toppings), steamed broccoli, grilled veggies, and a side salad with 1/2 serving of low-fat dressing. Grand total of 330 calories. I wanted to get some chili instead of the side salad (would have only been about 50 calories more, but probably less filling). Instead of indulging, I told myself that I had my pigout on Saturday and that this week I had to be healthy! Feeling proud of myself for that

My manager is really sick, so after our 3 PM meeting we're probably going to head back to our hotels and work from there. That means I can walk on the treadmill while I work - yay! Hope everyone else is having a great day.

Mom23...I looked into doing the 3 day several years ago and let the fundraising scare me out of doing it. I would LOVE to do it. And my understanding is that the walking is broken up over the days, but if you get to where you just cant go on for the day they will give you a ride to the next checkpoint. So dont let that stop you either! I think its an amazing thing to do and I would love to be able to participate myself. I hope you go for it, where there is a will there is a way!

Jen....Good for you for stretching!! I thought it felt fantastic too! I should be teaching my kids the presidents as well LOL! And here the lazy butts are still sleeping.

Karen....Way to go on those workouts! I'm the same way on the weekends, for whatever reason I just think its partytime! So where are you with the water? Got that bottle close!?

Tina...good for you for taking the step and planning for a meeting. I hope you get exactly what you need from it.

Kari...way to go on those workouts!! that is so fun that you guys can do that together!

Jasmine....the weightloss has really made your youthfullness come out! How exciting to see the changes.

Cassie...Way to go on the loss!! that is fantastic!! And onederland is right around the corner...can ya smell it!! That's enough to drive the good choices at the birthday parties!! Be strong! Just think...onederland!

Laura...chili is a great source of fiber to help keep you feeling fuller. Hope you have a great walk this afternoon!

We should hook up. I was thinking of doing this walk in Atlanta, too.

That would be cool! And we could get our 3FC BL to sponsor you!!