Here is a place where you can put down your daily plans, intentions, menu, exercises, have accountability and more!

Come on in, we are a friendly bunch! (Seriously, feel free to join in!)

Good Morning! Phew...getting back into the groove at work and my "normal" crazy, hectic schedule....I could use another vacation, hahaha!

Last night our Zumba instructor did a "bodyfit" class after Zumba to try to get more people interested in it. WOW. So much harder after Zumba, than before....but still great!!! She is going to add the 2nd bodyfit class on tuesdays if there is enough interest. I hope so. It's hard and intense, BUT...it's only 12 minutes.

Tonight is strength training at the gym, which I love!

Beverlyjoy--You are doing great! Keep it up my friend.

Hi chicks... I've been out of town with my wonderful stepmom as she had surgery. I am so glad to say that I have stayed really well on my plan while away from home. I am so grateful.

We will be heading home today. Tomorrow I will get on the scale and hopefully it will be OK. I will carry on. It will be nice to be back home in my food comfort zone.

Have a WONDERFUL February, friends.

MJ -- you are rockin' the exercise, as usual. LOVE IT. Go girl...you're doing great. 12 minutes....doable for you. How your water retention doing?

Beverlyjoy--How is your step mom doing? Good for you for staying with your plan while you were away. It can be so easy to go off track when we aren't home...

The fluid retention is back up. Ugh. Very frustrating. One really cool thing, though...my trainer is running this contest, which I am a part of. Sunday was the 4 week mark so he suggested we take progress pics. I wasn't going to because I have to take my "normal" progress pics for him soon anyway, but my DH was home so I decided to have him take them. I am SOOOO glad I did. While the scale says I am up (I know it isn't a true gain, but still....), BUT the pics definitely show positive changes. That made me feel much better. I mean, sometimes it gets hard to keep doing what I am doing when I don't feel as well as I normally would AND to not see results....yea, frustrating!!! But...the pics definitely showed results.

the 12 minutes is HARD. The other night we did three rounds, a minute each of: squat jumps, burpees, push ups, and switch lunges...all as fast as you can, as many as you can. Our instructor knows I will push myself (and that it's ok to push me) so she gets right and front of me and encourages me to go faster, lunge lower, etc. I am always dripping with sweat by the time we are done.....but it is an amazing workout.

Tomorrow is bodyfit and Zumba, then Friday and Saturday is kickboxing (my absolute favorite!).

Hi chicks - yesterday was a healthy day. Grateful for that. Happy to say that I've lost two pounds since last week. My new mini goal is 199. That's very exciting.

My stepmom is doing very well after her shoulder replacement surgery. She's home now. It's kind of amazing that an 86 year old woman only stay 48 hours in the hospital after this surgery. But - she is OK! My cousin is with her now..and then another cousin for the weekend. Next week I will likely go back to stay with her. Thanks for asking, MJ.

I am glad to me home in my food comfort zone. Today - I will work on many of my healthy living goals: eat seated only, no seconds, plan/measure/log food, saying No Choice to unplanned foods, using my resistance techniques when facing cravings/emotion/fatigue, lots of water, stretches & strengthening, and more.

MJ - sorry to hear you are still dealing with the water retention. It's really good that you know your weight gain is caused by water and are not letting it throw you off your course. I love the contest using pictures. Good luck.

Have a great day.

Beverlyjoy--You continue to do fantastic! Wow...that isn't long to be in the hospital, but she was probably happy to get home anyway. Well...it messes with my head occasionally, but...I do know that I haven't eaten the number of calories extra to have gained that much....yea, there are people in the contest from all over the US, so that's how they judge...we have to send our measurements, weight, and pics. I don't think I posed those pics...I will in a few mins.

dewittmba--welcome!!! Did you get to the workout room tonight?

My knee is acting up a bit, so I actually chose to miss my workout tonight. I am bummed, but it's better than I take care of my knee so I don't miss more time.

VERY exciting news....my trainer has been suggesting repeatedly that I consider becoming a personal trainer myself. Well, today after I told him about something that happened at my Drs appt, he gave me some amazingly nice compliments and strongly encouraged me to consider it again. After looking into it and thinking about it......I have decided to go for it! OMG! I am SO SO SO excited!!!! Imagine...me, the girl who couldn't find her way to the gym last year will someday be a personal trainer. Crazy!!! (My endocrinologist asked if I would help her with some patient support/education. She said that she has a couple patients that are SO frustrated about losing weight and convinced they cannot because they have never seen anyone with the same medical issues as them lose weight successfully before. She said obviously she needs to get their permission and stuff, but wants to do something. I was speechless at first...but told her I would be happy to help anyway I could!)

OH! My other good news for the day...my thyroid nodules have not grown, so I don't need another biopsy right now

Here is my 4 week contest progress pic. The pic on the left was taken 12/31/11 and the right was taken 1/29/12. Not bad for 4 weeks! 8 weeks to go!

Excellent! Great job!

Hi Chicks - yesterday was a healthy one...yay...am grateful. I fulfilled many of my goals: planned/measured/logged food, ate seated only, no seconds, lots of water, exercise, read my materials, said no way to some extra goodies I came across during the day, lots of water, and more.

TGIF - should have a nice weekend. It's not so hectic like when I was taking care of my stepmom in the hospital. Saw the surgeon about my gallbladder..the poor sad thing. It's going bye bye later this month.

We have a Super Bowl Party on Sunday. I am planning ahead in my mind now to have some healthy things for me to eat.

Dewittmba - welcome!!!! So glad you posted. Kudo's on getting in that workout.

MJ - Great photos! I LOVE that you've been asked to be a trainer. It's wonderful! Let me know if and how it will happen. Alot to think about. Go girl.

Have a great day.

TGIF Indeed!!!

Beverlyjoy--That's too bad that you need surgery, hopefully it will help you feel much, much better! Thank you!!! Well...after talking with my DH and younger brother (who pretty much said DO IT!).........I have decided to do it! I ordered the study materials last night. I can do a lot of it studying (reading and watching dvd's) on my own at my own pace, there are some online resources I can access, then I take the test to get my first certification. I am SO excited! I have been looking for "something"....just wasn't really sure what.....guess this is it! My trainer gave me some wonderful compliments yesterday. He also told me that he feels I would be a fantastic trainer, something he doesn't just "say". I know how seriously he takes his work and how much he cares about the people he works with, so that meant a lot. He said he is willing to help and support me in any way he can, as well. I'll keep you posted on how it is going!!! Good for you for planning ahead for the Superbowl party! Dh and I are staying home and watching it, so at least I'll have all my "normal" food here.

dewittmba--What's your plan for today?

It blows my mind...the girl who couldn't find her way to the gym less than a year ago, will be a trainer someday. Pretty cool!

My knee is feeling better. I am pretty sure I will be up for kickboxing tonight!

Have a great day!

Hi chicks... yesterday I stayed within the parameters of my plan..but, my food was 'all over the place'. Luckily I didn't eat too many calories. I logged my food, drank lots of water, always left a bite and tired to eat slower.

It's a hard time for us. Three people we love/care about are/were in hospice. One passed away last night. Food will not make my sadness go away. This has been a very stressful week with my stepmoms surgery and these three special people near death. But - I will take it all one day at a time. My stepmom is doing pretty well from her surgery on Monday.

dewittmba - navigating life on little sleep is hard. I hope you got to kettleball. I don't know what it is, but, I love the name. I concentrate on no seconds too.

mj - I LOVE how you are jumping into this new adventure. So exciting. Your trainer sounds awesome. With he as your mentor in this along with your enthusiasm.... I know you'll be a wonderful trainer. Awesome!!

Have a good day, friends.

Good Morning! I went kickboxing last night. It was an awesome class! Heading back there later this morning. Then home to do some food prep, including making the sweet beagle sisters some dog treats. It is sooo cute to watch Casey "guard" the oven while they are baking. Always makes me laugh!

dewittmba--yikes, sounds like a rough night with your little one. Sometimes we have to just make the best choices we can in the situation we are in. You did a great job.

Beverlyjoy--I am so sorry. One issue is hard enough, but w/ your step mom's surgery and three people in hospice and one death...wow. That's a lot. Take care of yourself. Thank you!!!! My trainer is awesome. I have so much respect for him, which just makes his compliments mean that much more. I am SO incredibly excited about this new adventure. I cannot wait for my study material to get here....hopefully by Monday!

Have a great day!

Hi chicks... yesterday was a healthful day... always grateful for that! I really concentrated on working most of the facets of my plan. I accomplished many - grateful for that too.

-eat seated only - almost all of the time (it's so easy to just 'stick' food in my mouth)
- no seconds
- slowed down
- concentrated on TASTING the food
- did my journal work
- read my advantage cards, etc.
- exercise
- sponataneous exercise (walked up and down the stairs for no reason except to do it)
- lots of water
- planned my food ahead of time
- used distractions to resist some unplanned food (gave into a few extra's too

DH and I went to the grocery together yesterday... I made sure no candy bars jumped into the cart!

Today we are going to some friends/neighbor's for the Super Bowl. I'll enjoy the game... but, the commercials, mostly. There will be four little kids running around. I know I'll love that, too. I've planned for some healthy foods and a taste of dessert.

dewitmama - ah-ha! so that's kettle ball. Thanks.

MJ - hoping you had a wonderful day.

Good Morning! Today is my rest day and I am really glad! I can still hear my kickboxing coach yelling "you should feel this in your shoulders and core" from yesterday...I felt it then and I REALLY feel it now! Good stuff! We did lots of speed drills yesterday.

dewittmba--I love it too! When my trainer (I work with a trainer online) suggested it over the summer, I thought he had lost his mind. BUT...everything else he suggested was working, so I figured I would give it a try. I was incredibly lucky and found an amazing school and a fantastic instructor. I go twice per week. I would love to go more often, but it just doesn't work in my schedule.

Beverlyjoy--Doing awesome! Sounds like a great plan for today. Dh has some healthy snacks planned for himself, very proud of him! Lucky for me...it's nothing I like, so no temptation there. I have my healthy snacks planned. If I really, really want a snack during the game, I'll make some popcorn.

Today I am going to lounge with the dogs, do some writing for skinnyms, and read. Ahhhh...nice relaxing Sunday! Enjoy your day!

Good Morning! Yesterday was my rest day and I took full advantage of it! It was soooo nice

Did well with food..stuck to my nutritional plan from my trainer. DH made a homemade pizza w/ lots of veggies and turkey pepperoni and a small amount of baked chicken wings (all organic). I am SO proud of him for eating so well right along with me. Even he is noticing how much better he feels!

dewittmba--Nothing wrong with a little indulgance every once in a while. Good for you for getting right back on track today.

I am dealing with a LOT of fluid retention agian. Ugh...this is REALLY getting old. 6 more weeks of this med....the countdown is ON!

Going to the gym right after work today, can't wait!