Roni's Posts - Blog to Lose

Long Time No Blog (toLose)

2012-10-06T16:14:50.000Z

I need to start this post with an apology. I literally fell off the planet and I'm sorry. I'm not making any excuses for myself, I've simply spread myself too thin.

Anyway, I'm back and I'm going to continue with some of the plans we made earlier this year to make the community more supportive. So a few things..

I'm hearing the spam issue is on the rise again. I'm on and will be banning members left and right. Spam is not tolerated here. This should be a safe place for us to find support. If you get spam or see it shoot me a message here in the comments, on my wall or in email -->Roni@skinnyminnymedia.com and I'll take care of it asap. All I need is the user name of the spammer.
Chats. I miss them. I'm scheduling 1 a week to start and I encourage you to initiate and start chats of your own. It's a great feature we have available to us, why not use it! Check out the Events page for more details.
Message boards. Before I "fell off the planet" I was trying to enlist moderators for the message boards. I like our current set up but unless we have someone initiating conversations and being more involved they will never be active. I know some of you volunteered in the past but I'm going to start the process all over again. Too much time has passed. Leave a comment if you are interested in adopting a board and we'll talk specifics in a few days.
I'm trying to figure out how to connect BlogToLose to Roni's Weigh. That may sound ludicrous but hear me out... I've been having requests to have a "community" on Roni's Weigh so people can chat about their own weight loss and such. At first I thought, great idea! Then I realized, umm wait.. that's what BlogToLose is. So I'll be trying ti integrate them somewhat but since they are on 2 different platform it's quite difficult. I just need to wrap my head around it is all.
Thank you for understanding. That is, if you do. I'm learning as I go and trying to focus my attention on things I'm passionate about. This is one of them.

-Roni

Hungry Girl Fan? Want to be on Dr. Oz?

2012-03-01T19:27:38.000Z

I just got a call from Amanda of MommyofTwoLittleMonkeys.com. She was contacted by an Associate Producer of the Dr. Oz show. They are looking for Hungry Girl fans who have lost at least 20 lbs and would like to meet her on the show!

It's a short turnaround time (they are taping Monday I think) and you would need to show before and after photos. If you are interested contact Raynard at rgadson@zoco.com and let them know Amanda and I sent you.

I want to see one of you on the show!

Introducing Our New Weekly Chat Schedule and Chat Leaders!

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000Z

Happy New Years!

Many of you participated in a few chats we had scheduled in December and they were awesome! It was nice to get to know members a little better. Everyone shared such great tips and experiences.

We took a break over the holidays but I'm so excited to announce we now have 2 new Chat Leaders and will have a regular weekly chat schedule!

Please welcome Jules and Lexi. Both are active BlogToLose members and have their own blogs: Jules blogs at BigGirlBombShell.com and Lexi at FireLitesFire.com. They will both be leading 2 chat's a week. We've scattered the times and days in hopes to find a time that works for everyone who wishes to participate.

Mondays 3pm (EST) Lexy
Wednesdays 10pm (EST) Lexy
Thursdays 3pm (EST) Jules
Fridays Noon (EST) Jules

Each week we'll announce a new topic and schedule the chats in theEvents section of the web sitewhere you can RSVP.

I hope this helps strengthen our community and offer support to those that can't or don't like face to face meetings.

If you have any topic ideas or questions don't hesitate to ask in the comments. The new chat schedule starts next week!

Oh! and if you are new to chats click here for the chat room or pop up the window from the lower right hand corner. "See" you next week! :)

-Roni

New Forums, Events Page and a Chat Tonight!

2011-12-01T00:32:33.000Z

SO MANY FUN THINGS HAPPENING!

Sorry I had to yell. The forums have had a facelift and we've got new categories hopefully making it easier for you to find each other. Head on over to the Forums page to check it out. The new boards include:

General Discussions
Pretty Self Explanatory. Anything on and off topic.
Diet Plan Talk
Ask about specific plans and share your experiences.
Support Needed
Put down the *insert your fav snack here* and post here instead!
Brag Board
This is the place to brag away, lost a pound? Made it to goal? Nailed a job interview? Celebrate here!
Food, Food, FOOD!
Like discovering new healthy snacks? Created the perfect recipe? Share your favorite food tips and products here!
20 Somethings
'Cause we're cooler than everyone else.
30 Somethings
'Cause we can't believe we aren't 20 anymore.
Over 40 Somethings
'Cause things are different now.
Calling All Moms
Need another ADULT to talk to? We're here! Join us.

I know many of you are here for the blogging but for some who may not be ready to take that leap the boards/forums offer a great place to ask questions, find support, and connect with people. Feel free to start a conversation on the new boards and I hope to get moderators in place for all of them soon! (Let me know if you are interested!)

Ok, on to MORE fun news! I added an events feature where we (yes WE as in you and I) can schedule chats or even offline meet-ups. I realize that may be a stretch at this point, but I wanted you to know the option was there.

I hope to schedule a couple of chats a week with specific topics. If this is something you are interested in doing as well shoot me a message. I've love to have a weekly chat schedule where we give support, offer ideas and have fun!

If you didn't know the Chat should be in the lower right hand corner of the page. There you will see how many people are currently online. Just click the little arrow and the window will pop up! Or click Chat above and go to the devoted chat page.

hope to see you tonight at our first schedule chat! Click here for details.

Ever Feel Like Your Partner Gets in the Way of Your Weight Loss?

2011-11-16T02:50:43.000Z

Hey Guys!

First, real fast... I wanted to let you know we will be announcing new forums and forum moderators shortly. If you have any suggestion please share!

Second, I was contacted by Amanda G. Harp, M.A. a Doctoral Student at Clark University. She's doing a study about partners sabotaging weight loss efforts and I thought some of you may be interested in participating.

In Amanda's words,

I'm a trained couples therapist completing my PhD in clinical psychology at Clark University. I just recently completed my pre-doctoral internship in health psychology at Duke University Medical Center. I've heard so many people's stories of frustration and anguish with their partners who "just keep getting in the way" by doing all sorts of things from buying the wrong foods at the grocery store, nagging to go to a restaurant where the favorites are all high-calorie and off-program, or by begging them not to exercise right now and do something sedentary instead.

I decided that this was exactly how I could combine my interests in couples therapy and health psychology. For my dissertation, I am developing an anonymous, online survey to assess for partner undermining of weight loss.

1) Have you been participating in a weight loss program for the past 5 weeks?

2) Have you been in a committed, cohabitating relationship for the past 2 years?

3) Do you ever feel like your partner/spouse gets in the way of your weight loss?

If so, please participate in this anonymous, online survey: http://tinyurl.com/Clark-Study

This survey should take approximately 30-45 minutes to complete. Responses cannot be traced back to participants. Any question may be left unanswered. Participation is voluntary and may be withdrawn at any time. If eligible to take this survey, you may opt to enter a lottery for $100.

Please direct questions about this study to Amanda (aharp@clarku.edu) or Dr. Cordova jcordova@clarku.edu).

Introducing the BlogToLose Welcome Committee!

2011-10-28T02:08:54.000Z

I want to take a moment to introduce the official BlogToLose Welcome Committee.

Please give a shout out to...

They've been doing a fabulous orientating and welcoming new members. I can't thank them enough!

New Success Story Added!

2011-10-04T15:27:35.000Z

Things are moving and a shaking over here in BlogToLose headquarters (my kitchen desk)!

First, let me thank everyone who applied to be a BtL volunteer. I am going through the emails this week and will be in touch shortly. I'm excited about the energy and willingness of our members. You guys rock!

You know who else rocks? Alexis! She's our latest Success story.Click here to read how Alexis lost 50lbs and ran TWO marathons!

Call for Volunteer Moderators

2011-09-27T14:53:46.000Z

Ok, people it's time to step it up here on BlogToLose! I've read all your feedback (LOVED it ALL) and I'm ready to start rolling out a few changes.

First things first…. Moderators.

I'm looking for a few good BtL'ers that are interested and willing to take on a leadership role here in the community. I'm open to ideas you have, but I'm also interested in filling these specific slots…

1.) Welcome Committee

I need at least 1 if not 2 people devoted to approving and welcoming new members. Right now I approve each new member to reduce spam, but I'm doing a bad job of welcoming and orientating them to the community.

2.) Chat Leaders

I've been wanting to take advantage of the chat feature for YEARS with some organized chat parties. If you are a chat-o-holic and would like to moderate and manage a weekly chat or two this is the job for you. I'm looking for people who will run at least a consistent weekly chat. I'm open to topics but would also like to have routine scheduled chat sessions on consistent categories.

3.) Forum Moderators

Our forums aren't as active as they could be. I need conversation starters and cheerleaders to man a board or two and make it their own. Start challenges, create conversations, and respond to messages from users. Ideally a moderator would manage 1-2 of our categories: General, Support, Brag, Food, and Tech help.

If you are interested in any of these positions or have an idea of your own please email me at Roni@SkinnyMinnyMedia.com

I want to make BlogToLose the most supportive, welcoming, weight loss community EVER! Help me?

The Great GreenLiteBites Book Giveaway: Winners Announced

2011-09-21T02:14:03.000Z

MAN, I have a lot of shipping to do! Congrats to all the winners!

Don't forget to use the code EX9MPHR6 for 20% off. Click here to order your copy today!

GreenLiteBites

JennieM
Janine Turnbull
Amy Stoehr
Amber
Jeri:

Roni's Weigh

@LastMinuteMandy
Laura Healey
Leighann
norma
heather b.

RoniNoone.com

Jen
Phebe
Megan Swartz
Kim
Sherry Hight

PoopButterflies

tonilea
Kris K
Haley N
Amy @ A Little Nosh
Janice

BlogToLose

Emily Fowler
Cinemarie
SaminSTL
Svanita
Kelly Fuller

Don't forget to use the code EX9MPHR6 for 20% off. Click here to order your copy today!

Winners selected using the Pick Giveaway Winner Plugin.

Changes Underway!

2011-09-12T16:54:57.000Z

Hello fellow BlogToLosers! I wanted to take a moment to let you know I have NOT forgotten about you! I can't believe how much BlogToLose has grow from all the support you give one another. THAT is why I started it. "We" get "us" and now there's a spot for us to fine one another.

Anyway, life has been crazy with a new baby, but I'm getting into a groove and ready to make BlogToLose a priority again. I have so many ideas and just never buckled down to implement them. It's time.

A few things in the works….

I will be taking on some community leaders in specific categories. I want to shake things up in the site, making sure everyone is welcomed and our posts are being featured. That's what it's all about! Keep an eye out in the next few weeks, I'll be posting more information and applications.
I have a backlog of success stories! I hope to post at least one every 2 months. I LOVE reading about others' success and I'm guessing some of you do as well.
I'm working on content and info on some approaches you can take with your blog. I want to help those that may be lost, staring at an empty post screen wondering WHAT to do with it.
I'm considering (please don't crucify me for this) offering some content, features and possibly even a weekly online meeting as a pay service. This would allow me to remove ALL ads. I LOVE the idea of an ad-less weight loss community but I need to cover my costs somehow. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Be honest. Would you be willing to pay for some optional features?
Twitter parties and/or chat sessions! There are so many ways for us to support each other! I want to start taking advantage of these tools!

There you have it, l ike I said lots in my brain. Now it's time to implement! I welcome all feedback, questions, concerns and ideas!

The Great GreenLiteBites Book Giveaway!

2011-09-07T02:30:00.000Z

I've been MIA here on BlogToLose again, but fear not! I have lots of fun things in the works! First I want to start with a fun GreenLiteBites Book Giveaway!

If you don't know, I self-published a book called GreenLiteBites: Favorites From the First 3 Years. It's a full color, photograph rich cookbook containing 80 pages of recipes and ideas for lighter, healthier meals from the my website GreenLiteBites.com. Here's a peak inside…

Leave a comment to be entered in a random drawing for my cookbook. I'll be picking 5 random winners from BlogToLose on September 20, 2011. If you aren't one of the lucky winners use the code EX9MPHR6 when you order for 20% off! Click here to use the code today!

This is a multi- site giveaway! That's right, I'm giving away 5 copies on each of my 5 websites. Feel free to enter on any or all sites…

Note: I will ship ANYWHERE! Only 1 entry per site will count.

CHALLENGE: Night Time Snacking.

2011-06-01T02:14:43.000Z

I'm revisiting this old challenge because I'm DESPERATE. I just can't stop snacking after the kids go to bed!

Some of us do it out of boredom some out of pure exhaustion. We mindlessly munch while watching evening TV or grab something from the fridge while heading to bed (I just did that last night.) I don't think all night time eating is bad and I don't think we need to make some ridiculous unachievable goal like.. "I'm never going to eat after 7PM again, EVER!"

That's just not realistic. You will have a late dinner or be hungry in the evening now and then. BUT one week of snack-less nights can do us good. It can help us become more conscious of our evening eating habits and challenge us to try some something new while building confidence when we reach the goal.

And we WILL reach the goal. Together.

Anyone willing to take on this challenge with me?

Want to be notified by email of the latest BlogToLose Challenges? Simply click here and join the Weekly Challenges Group!

Click here to see all prior challenges.

A New Challenge: Let's Walk!

2011-04-12T18:00:00.000Z

I'm not sure anyone has missed me but either way, I'm so sorry I've been MIA!

As you may know, I gave birth just a few weeks ago on St. Patrick's Day. I gained about 50lbs with the pregnancy and now have about 30 to shed. Of course I'll be using my blog to help me along the way and one of my goals is to start at least 1 challenge a month here on BlogToLose.

This week I'm trying to create some good active habits. My goal is simple, at least one 10 minute walk a day. NO EXCUSES.

A walk before breakfast? At lunch with colleagues? After school with the kids? After dinner with the family? At the mall if it's raining?

If I can't find 10 minutes then something is wrong with my schedule. Don't you think?

Who's ready to commit? Just try it for a week?

Who knows.. maybe this will lead to a new walking habit. ;)

Want to be notified by email of the latest BlogToLose Challenges? Simply click here and join the Weekly Challenges Group!

Click here to see all prior challenges.

Challenge: Self-Exploration on the Blog

2011-02-08T19:58:04.000Z

Ok, so I can't called this a "Weekly" Challenge as I'm completely failing at the weekly part but it's still a challenge and that's the important thing.

This week I want you to BLOG! That's why we are here after all, no? And I know some of you have been doing a fabulous job of it but as I say on the BlogToLose "Plan", weight loss blogging has to be about facing your feelings. My challenge this week is get you to dig down deep and do some self exploration.

Recently I asked 2 questions on Roni's Weigh that were aimed at getting people to admit their "bad" habits and celebrate the "good" ones. I use bad and good very loosely here as I think we all have our own feelings on what "good" and "bad" are. Normally, I'm not one to label things "bad" but if you are doing something you don't want to be doing out of habit only, then "bad" is the simplest way to describe it.

That being said I can move on...

The first thing you need to do for the challenge is read my original posts AND comments...

Click here to read Fess up time… What are your UNhealthy Habits?

then..

Click here to read Follow Up… What are your Healthy Habits?

Now it's your turn. Use your blog here to answer these two questions in one post. Even if you answered my original questions in the comments I want you to really sit down and analyze your behavior. What are doing now that you could be doing better? Why aren't you doing what you want to be doing if you aren't? What are you AWESOME at? What comes easy for you?

The reason I'm rehashing these questions again and again is because I really think getting and staying conscious about ourselves, our habits and our goals is the only way to make progress. Maybe not the "only" way but it sure does help. I'll use myself as an example as I often do.

I originally posted Fess up time… What are your UNhealthy Habits? and talked about my horrible teeth brushing at night non-habit on Jan 19. Then I celebrated all the the things I think I rock at on Jan 25. Since that post I can proudly say I've brushed and flossed my teeth before bed every night! Of course I have a long way to go to make the brushing thing a habit that will stick BUT I'm making progress and I feel good about that! Plus my teeth are are better for it as well!

I'm a little embarrassed admitting the whole teeth brushing thing but seriously, facing the "bad" habit followed by patting myself on the back for the "good" ones helped me see that A.) I'm not perfect and B.) that's ok, because I'm awesome anyway! Look at all these other great things I do for myself.

I really think this whole weight loss thing comes down to something similar for some of us. We have to own the "good" and the "bad" we have to be conscious of what we are doing and why we are doing it. And most importantly we have to forgive ourselves for not being perfect while celebrating all the awesome things we do and are.

SO.. I want to see some awesome self-exploration on the blog this week! Stop back here and leave a comment to your post if you are participating so others can support you. Remember, another great reason to blog is the the support!

Want to be notified by email of the latest BlogToLose Challenges? Simply click here and join the Weekly Challenges Group!

Click here to see all prior challenges.

New Year, New Focus, New Members

2010-12-31T23:30:00.000Z

Holy new Members Batman! I have approved more members this week then in the past 3 months. I'm going to bet today's holiday has SOMETHING to do with it. It's a new year and weight loss goals are rampant!

I want new (and old) members to remember that this site isn't the answer to your weight loss goals. Like everything else... it only works IF you work it.

So you may be asking yourself-- "ok then, HOW do I work it?"

The short answer... it's up to you.

The long answer... Click here to see the new page I added called The Plan. It's gives a little insight into using BlogToLose and why I think it can help you reach your own personal goals.

I want to encourage you to poke around and introduce yourself. BlogToLose members are a welcoming, friendly, anti-spammy bunch. If you discover otherwise don't hesitate to let me know by using the "Report An Issue" link at the bottom of any page/post that is clearly SPAM or someone not being supportive.

On a personal note.... I hope to introduce some new challenges this year but entering the 3rd trimester of this pregnancy I'm not making any promises. Feel free to use join any old challenges or start your own on your blog on the message boards!

I hope you are having a wonderful New Years Eve! I'm off to boil some shrimp. :)

Thanks to southnfrance.com for the batman pic I edited.

New Month’s Eve!

2010-12-01T19:00:00.000Z

I bet you didn't realize today is a holiday. That's right, today is a very special day. It's New Month's Eve! Tomorrow starts a new month. It will no longer be November but December! What a chance to start fresh and make a resolution to embark on the new month with a renewed sense of purpose and excitement!

Guess what! Tomorrow's a holiday too! It's New Day's Eve! We'll make the transition from December 1 to December 2. Aren't we lucky to have another chance to make a commitment to live a healthier life!

And that's not all! There's tons of opportunities to celebrate in December. There's new Week's Eve. Mid Month Day! Even First Friday! The festivities are endless!!

Will you join me celebrating New Month's Eve by making your New Month's Resolutions? I don't know about you but I'm excited to start this new month and I plan on making it my best month yet!

Update: This was scheduled to be published yesterday but I messed up the time. Is that ironic? A coincidence? Just a ditzy moment I guess!

Originally posted on RonisWeigh.com

Thanksgiving Challenge!

2010-11-18T14:30:00.000Z

Holidays ARE challenging. Especially one that completely revolves around FOOD. It's unescapable.

You may have the attitude that it's one day and it's not going to "kill" you. I TOTALLY agree. I remember my first Thanksgiving on Weight Watchers and it hit me like a ton of bricks...

"One meal cannot make you fat. One meal will not cause you to gain all the weight back."

I kept repeating that to myself over and over again. Honestly, it helped. I enjoyed my first Thanksgiving and returned to counting points the VERY NEXT DAY. That was the key for me.

Really giving yourself permission to enjoy the holiday guilt free is a HUGE step in any weight loss journey. So many of us use Thanksgiving as the beginning of a binge season that lasts through January 1 of the new year. That's when we'll "start". That's our "Monday." Our "Day 1."

You know I'm right. I can't be the only one that falls pray to that cycle. There were years I gained so much weight between Thanksgiving and Christmas that my close literally didn't fit in the new year.

Thanksgiving was not to blame for the gain it was my attitude that made that scale creep up and up and up during that time. It's your attitude that I want to influence with this challenge.

As you know, I'm a huge fan of blogging as a tool for weight loss. For me the combination of accountability and expression was invaluable on my journey.

Accountability

I set weight loss goals for as long as I can remember. "I want to lose such and such by whenever type goal." I also set size based goals. "I want to be a size whatever by summer." I even set diet based goals. "I'll only eat this and that until the weight comes off."

The problem with those goals are some of them may be unrealistic. Some impossible. Some even unhealthy. Plus they all had perfection tied to them. If I made one mistake while pursing the goal all bets were off and the goal was, in essence, ruined.

Once I discovered blogging something changed. Setting a goal to blog weekly while changing my diet and adopting healthier habits WAS realistic. It WAS possible. And it was most importantly in my control!

Expression

Expression was the only word I could come up with to describe how the blog helped me face all the feelings that come with weight loss. Whether those feeling were frustration, happiness, hopelessness, confusion or excitement. The blog gave me an outlet to express myself and relate to others instead of internalizing them and, in my case, turning to food for comfort.

This is a pretty long introduction for the new challenge but I really like to get you in my head. As someone who was stuck in the yo-yo diet cycle of hell for years I try to put myself back in that mindset to compare to how I approach things now, especially after maintaing the loss for 5 years.

The Challenge

The Thanksgiving Challenge revolves around writing blog posts. I want you to commit to writing a minimum of 3 blog posts over the next 3 weeks. For some of you this will be easy as you may blog multiple times a week or even daily but the challenge is to inspire those that would give up at this time. Those that may fall into yo-yo mindset I described above.

Post 1: Reflection

Your first post should be today or any time this week BEFORE Thanksgiving. The point of the post is to reflect on where you are today. How far you've come. Focus on changes you've recently made. Celebrate EVERYTHING I don't care how small it may be. Own it. Recognize it. Scream it from the rooftops! YOU must be your own cheerleader. Be proud of every step you take in the right direction. If you disregard the small successes it's easier to simply walk away from your progress.

Post 2: Thanksgiving

Your second post is to check in on Thanksgiving. Tell us how your day went. Talk about the decisions you made. The fun you had. No guilt. No shame. Just simply check in. As I said in last years Thanksgiving Challenge...

The simple act of posting, of being conscious, will remind you of your goals. It will allow you to reflect on your day. Look back without guilt or disgust or shame.
Use your blog as a tool. That's why it's here. :)

Post 3: Post Thanksgiving

This is the one the seals the deal. The post that proves your are in this for the long haul. You kept your commitment. It was in your control. The scale might not have said what you wanted it to say. You may have eaten that second piece of pumpkin pie BUT you followed through on your commitment. You set a goal to blog, to be accountable, to express your feeling and that's exactly what you did. This is why the blog is so powerful. This is totally in your control.

Giving and Getting Support

One of the benefits of blogging here is the built in community. You know everyone here on BlogToLose is on a similar journey as you. Rather than blogging out in the universe of the word wide web you have a home. The community makes it easier to get the support you want.

To help with this challenge may I suggest tagging your Thanksgiving Challenge posts with ThanksChallenge2010. This way we can do a simple tag search to find each others challenge posts.

You should see the "Tags:" field direction below the blog post field.

Then we can simply do a search for ThanksChallenge2010 in the search field above (top right of the window) or you can simply click here to see all blog posts tagged with ThanksChallenge2010

Please let us know in the comments if you will be participating. It will give us another way to check in on you over the next 3 weeks! Oh and I will be checking!

Want to be notified by email of the latest BlogToLose Challenges? Simply click here and join the Weekly Challenges Group!

Wrapping up the BlogtoLose Breakfast Blogger Breaks

2010-11-10T16:50:37.000Z

Have you gotten a chance to try Subway's new breakfast options yet? I have and let me tell you.. HUGE fan of hash browns... HUGE! :)

If you missed a few posts back we had a little giveaway sponsored by Subway that provided $25 to 5 BlogToLose members. There was one stipulation, they had to try breakfast. Here's what they had to say...

As a Weight Watcher, it was so nice to have a fast breakfast option that was low in points and satisfying. I have been meaning to try breakfast at Subway for a while and getting the gift card gave me the push to go. I'm so glad we did. The sandwich was warm and the muffin was good. The best part was that after eating it and some hashbrowns I didn't feel greasy and disgusting. I felt satisfied and ready to start my day.
-Erin Weileder

I ordered the Black Forest Ham, Egg White and Pepper Jack cheese. It was just as good as the ones that Michael and I make at home. I'm really happy with the low calorie counts, too.
-Lisa Eirene

My Egg White Muffin Melt was only 160 calories and contained only 4 grams of fat! Being that I count fat grams and calories daily (thanks, Vtrim!) , this is an excellent advantage over the McD's Egg McMuffin as they have 300 calories and 12 grams of fat! I think I'm a morning sandwich convert, folks! :)
-HealthyLoserGal

The sandwich was pretty tasty. ...I'll definitely be going back for breakfast.
-Arlene

I enjoyed it so I really can't wait to have some extra time other days to stop in on my way to work and enjoy a nice fresh breakfast. Job well done Subway on adding breakfast to an already great menu!
-Steven Spalten

WOW! We were 5 for 5 on good reviews! Not bad Subway.. not bad at all. :)

You can click on any of the reviewers names to see pictures and read thier full reviews and comments.

I hope to be able to offer more opportunities like this in the future to BlogToLose members. It was fun to organize and read everyones experiences.

Stay tuned for the next challenge. I have one brewing!

Have a great day guys!

-Roni

BlogToLose Challenge: Find a Class

2010-10-11T19:18:39.000Z

Hey guys! It's about time for a new challenge, don't you think?

This one is totally inspired by a step class I took this morning. Now I haven't taken step in over 2 years but it was one of the first classes I ever braved when I joined a gym 3 years ago. I was scared out of mind. All these thoughts started swimming though my head...

What if I can't keep up?
I don't know anyone.
I don't know the steps!
What if I fall flat on my face?
I'm gonna look like an idiot.

But I faced my fears and did it. I arrived at the class a little early. Took cues from the other people there, grabbed my step, found a little corner in the back and did my thing. Did I mess up? Yup. Did I keep up? Barely! Did I love every minute of it? Yes. Surprisingly YES!

While I was preoccupied with learning the steps and following the instructor, time was ticking by. My heart rate was up, sweat was pouring down my brow but I was having fun and when I nailed a step routine I felt like I conquered the world! It was so empowering and exciting. And the more classes I took, the better I got at it. I still messed up and yes, sometimes I even fell. Geesh I fell today purely because I'm a klutz but you know what.. no one laughed at me, they asked if I was ok and I brushed myself up and jumped right back into the routine.

I've tried other classes some of which I hated (zumba), some I surprisingly loved (spin), and some that lead to other things (powerflex.) The point is I found a new activity that I enjoyed just simply because I faced my fears and gave it a try. You can talk yourself out of anything. That's easy. I'm here this week to challenge you to talk yourself INTO something.

So here's the deal. If you belong to a gym, I want you to peak at the class schedule and find a class you can take this week. Something you've been scared to try, something you may not have even known existed, something that sounds interesting, anything! The challenge is for you to try a new organized exercise class. If you don't belong to a gym look up places in your area where you can take classes by session or borrow a workout DVD from your local library. I really want to challenge you to try a new group class but I understand that may not be possible, so a new workout DVD is a good replacement.

Once you take the class blog about it or leave your experience in the comments. Inspire other members to try something new too. Who knows, you may discover your new favorite class!

Weekly Challenge: Dressing Yourself UP!

2010-09-23T13:30:00.000Z

Ok is everyone ready for a new challenge? This one may be a little different but I'll explain where my inspiration is coming from. But first I need to check in on the longer challenge. Is everyone keeping up with Elaine's series on Roni's Weigh? So far she's posted...

Elaine’s Corner: Introduction

Elaine’s Corner: SMART Goals

Elaine’s Corner: What are you Measuring?

I'm loving how she has us evaluating our goals and seriously looking at how we approach setting them.

Now on to a shorter BlogToLose challenge and this one has to do with how you dress. As always it may not apply directly to you, feel free to skip the challenges that don't make sense for your specific situation but I'm going to bet a lot of us fall into the category I'm about to describe.

For as long as I can remember I wore baggy clothes. It was my way of hiding my body from the world. I'd buy oversized mens jeans, extra and triple-x shirts when I wasn't even close to being that size and all my jackets could easily fit an extra body.

I was ashamed of myself. I had no reason to be. Regardless of how much I weigh, my body is mine and if I don't even think it deserves clothes that fit then I'm probably not taking care of it in other ways either.

When I started my last attempt at weight loss-- you know the one that stuck, the one led me to successfully maintaining a healthy weight for 5 years now, that one-- it all started with the simple revelation that my body is what it is today.

That sounds almost too simple, right? But it's true! I remember the thought well. I remember looking in the mirror and having a talk with myself and uttering the words.. "Look at you. This is YOU now and that's OK."

From that moment I decided I wasn't going to hide anymore. I started wearing clothes that fit my body right at that moment. And let me tell you, this was only a couple of weeks after giving birth to my son. My belly was protruding, I was still very much bloated, I was at my heaviest ever yet again.

But I didn't care. I mean I DID care but at the same time I made a conscious effort to OWN it. Own my body. Wear pretty things. Tank tops, (those that know my story know how hard that was for me) shorts, fitted shirts. It was all about taking pride in who I was and believing that I deserve to wear things that fit me regardless of what size I was.

Why am I rehashing all of this, well as you may know, I'm pregnant. I'm approaching my third month and my midsection is getting thicker and thicker. My legs feel heavier. I'm starting to retain water and my body is changing. It's suppose to but but I'm starting to feel uncomfortable in my clothes.

I'm finding myself gravitating towards those hiding feeling again. "Oh, I'll just wear these oversized sweats today I don't feel like getting dressed up." "Wonder if the Husband's jeans would fit, they'd be much baggie than mine."

Listen... there's nothing wrong with having a lazy comfortable day but you know the difference between hiding and relaxing. You know when you pull something out of your closet why you are wearing it. I'm sure you've had days where you felt gorgeous and put on clothes that reinforce those feelings and you've had days where you feel like a slug and nothing in your closet seems like it fits right.

My challenge for you this week is to go out of your comfort zone. Wear something that you *think* you aren't allowed to wear. Wear something that you like but have been saving until you "lost 5 more lbs" Own your body how it looks like now! It may be a work in progress, you may be trying to lose weight but waiting until that happens in ridiculous. It really is.

When it does happen, when you lose the weight and hit that magic number on the scale, you may be surprised at how confidence doesn't immediately follow. Get confident now so when the weight does come off you have less work to do. Sometimes I think the weight loss is the easy part, it's the mental games we play on ourselves that gets us stuck in yo-yo cycles.

As part of the challenge, snap a picture of yourself wearing your challenge clothes. Post about it on your blog. Share your story with other members. Facing feelings about your body is an invaluable part of this journey.

If you do post about this challenge on your blogs let us know by leaving the link in the comments. Sharing our stories and relating to each other is what this community is all about!

And the Winners are.....

2010-09-20T17:22:38.000Z

I'm so excited to announce the winners of the BlogtoLose Breakfast Blogger Break Giveaway!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who entered. The response was greater than I anticipated. Apparently I'm not the only Subway fan out there. :)

I can not WAIT to see the winners reviews of the new subway breakfast options. I'll be sure to share the links as they come in!

Thanks again and keep an eye out for the next challenge. It's coming soon! :)

BlogtoLose Breakfast Blogger Break Giveaway!

2010-09-13T13:56:34.000Z

I'm so excited to announce a special giveaway just for BlogToLose members! This is a first here on BlogToLose! Subway has partnered with us to spread the word about their new breakfast options.

Did you know Subway now offers breakfast? Total news to me!

I explored their site and found a few awesome breakfast options...

Western Egg White with Cheese Muffin Melt on a Light English Muffin 180 calories, 4g of fat, 6g of fiber, 3 WWP
Ham, Egg & Cheese Muffin Melt 180 calories, 7g of Fat, 5g of fiber, 3 WWP
4 piece Hash Brown 150 calories, 9g of fat, 2g of fiber, 3 WWP

All nutrtional infomration found on the Subway site.

My favorite part... all their breakfast items are completely customizable. VERY cool as I'm picky when it comes to my breakfast sandwiches. Oh! and guess what?! If Breakfast isn't your thing you can get lunch anytime, even buring breakfast hours. Most Subways are now open at 7 so you can easily pick up a sub on your way to work too. My go to favorite...

6 inch Veggie Delight on 9 Grain Wheat with lettuce, spinach, tomato, cucumbers, green peppers, and pickles plus a squirt of sweet onion sauce and a sprinkle of salt, pepper and oregano 270 calories, 2.5 g of fat, 5g of fiber, 5 WWP

Now that I typed it out I'm kind of craving one. I may have to stop for lunch today. :)

Giveaway Details

Anyway here's the deal on the giveaway... Subway would like give 5 BlogToLose members a $25 Subway gift card so they can try one of the new breakfast options. The catch? You must share what you tried here on your BlogToLose blog. Let us know what you think, take a picture and tell us about your Subway breakfast experience.

There are two ways to enter this awesome BlogtoLose Breakfast Blogger Break Giveaway!

Simply leave a comment telling us you are interested and which breakfast options you'd like to try. I'll then pick 2 random commenters next monday.
Tweet about the giveaway and the breakfast option you'd like to try using the hashtag #SubwayBfast and linking to this post anytime between now and Sunday 11:59PM and I'll pick 3 random winners from all the tweets.

Questions?

A few answers to the questions you may be having.... YES you can enter both ways. YES you can enter via twitter more then once. Every time you use the hashtag #SubwayBfast and link to this post it is considered an entry. And finally, I'm sorry to all my non-US friends but this one is only open to those in the states. :(

Ok, I think that's all the details! Let me know if you have any questions! Looking forward to reading all the reviews. I'll post the winners next Monday. Good Luck!!

Full Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Subway however all opinions expressed in it are those of the author, Roni

Weekend Activity Challenge Wrap Up and a New Looonger Challenge in the Works

2010-09-09T12:30:00.000Z

The Weekend Activity Challenge was a success! (Click here to read the original challenge) We've heard from tons of members on how they up'd their activity over the Labor Day weekend!

Dot had her kids make a obsticle course at a local playground for her and her husband. Genius! Simply genius and SO fun.
Mary swam and walked in a historic North Carolina neighborhood while on vacation. An awesome opportunity to get out and get moving!
Emily hit a local water park! SO SO SO FUN!
Brandy took the dogs to the park and enjoyed the fabulous weather!
Lynette took the whole family on an hour hike!
Deborah took a Zumba class!
Lee ran a 4k and then got her husband out to walk a 4k! Love it.. as that's what I do. :)
Rebecca took an 8 MILE hike with friends!
Kelly golfed for charity.
Jeri just went nuts and ran 14 miles (she's training for a marathon), walked AND took a bike ride.
Lara took an hour hike and ended up carrying her 30lb son. Oh how I remember those days!
Even though Paula hit a road block she still found time to do her exercise videos and stroll around a local food co-op to get some fresh veggies.
Erin swam and ran a new route this weekend. Both brand new things for her.
Tamela hiked 2 miles!
And I joined the hikers! Getting my whole family out and about on a local trail.

WOW look at that. Look at all the fun things we did this weekend! Walking, hiking, running, and swimming are fabulous ways to get moving but I hope this challenge also inspired you to do different things as well. We sometimes forget that things like golf, visits to local water parks, and taking the dogs to the park TOTALLY count as getting up and getting moving. You don't need to be some crazy workout gym rat to move more. You simply have to DO something. Engage your family. Get out and about. Have fun! That's the most important part. :)

Now... on to the next challenge. This one is a little different and it's going to take a longer commitment but I think it will be well worth our while. I'm starting a new feature on Roni's Weigh called Elaine's Corner. Elaine has been a member here forever! She's amazing and has some great insight in to motivation and goal setting. Every Tuesday she is going to post on Roni's Weigh taking you on a journey of self exploration and getting you to dig deep into what drives you on your weight loss journey.

Click here to read her Introduction. I'll be posting reminder posts every Tuesday to go read her latest posts. I don't normally do long challenges but I think this one is worth it. I'd like to see you check in every Tuesday and respond to her post. Leave a comment here or there, blog a reaction, keep a physical journal, whatever works. Just stay with us for the next 8 weeks. It's a small commitment that will only take you a few minutes each week.

Are you up for challenge? Let's take the next 8 weeks by the horns. Just imagine where you will be 2 months from now. How awesome would it be to face the holiday season with all that momentum! Let's do this!

Challenge: Weekend Activity

2010-09-02T15:57:03.000Z

Helllllooooooooo Anyone out there! Are we ready to breath life into these challenges? I know I am! I'd like to say a few things before I outline this week's (or in this posts case, weekend's challenge.)

First.... these challenges will start randomly. My perfection gene would love it if we always started a challenge on Sunday and wrapped it up by Saturday BUT we are about breaking out of that mold here on BlogToLose. We no longer wait till Monday to live healthier. Right? We don't "throw away" a day because we were tempted by an office donut. There is no more "I already... I might as well..." mindset anymore. We do what we can when we can. We forgive ourselves if we aren't "perfect" and we move on. Weight loss happens over time one choice AT a time and the more we get that through our heads the better. I hope to help shed that perfection disease by mixing it up with these challenges.

Second... the challenges will be based on my experience of what finally worked for me to shed the pounds and break out of the yo-yo dieting cycle of hell. Some of them may apply to you, some may not. Feel free to pick and choose the challenges that will help you reach your goals. Everyone is different. We know that. I'm not going to take it personally if you choose not to participate.

Ok.... now that I said my peace I'm going to announce the latest challenge. It's a weekend challenge. We all love weekends, right? Some of us get to relax, have a day or two off work. We may get more family time. Get too sleep in. Watch a little TV. Etc. It's also when we may have events planned. A night at the movies. A party at the house. Lots of food. Lots of friends. Lot's of stuff going on. Especially holiday weekends like this one.

Here's the deal. You want to enjoy the weekend. You NEED to enjoy the weekend. This weekend I want you to do just that, with a twist. Find a fun activity you can do alone or with your family that will burn up some extra calories. Find a local trail and take a hike. Go roller-skating. Organize a game of touch football in the back yard. Go for a long bike ride. Do something! The point is to replace some of the time you would normally spend in front of the TV or on the computer with movement. Good healthy activity. Make the effort to try something new. The more you do things like this, the more you'll WANT to do things like this.

As part of the challenge I want you to leave a comment here about what you did no later then Monday night. Just share it right in the comments or leave a link to your post that talks about it. Either way works for me. WHY is this such an important part of the challenge? well because it gives other people ideas. By you sharing your experience you WILL motivate someone else. You can help inspire and spread a culture that living a little healthier can be fun. Sure, it takes effort but the pay offs are unmeasurable. We are about small changes here on BlogToLose and we will help each other reach our goals. That's what makes a community powerful.

I, for one, cannot WAIT to hear about all the fun things everyone did this weekend. I'm wracking my brain to come up with something fun for my family. I'll report back once we do it. :)

Note: Don't miss a challenge! Join the Weekly Challenges group to receive them by email (if you have your setting to receive email notifications that is).

So.... Who's on Twitter??

2010-08-23T18:00:00.000Z

Hi All!

I'm in the process of building a BlogToLose twitter list and wanted to make sure I caught you all.

Please check out the list here... http://twitter.com/RoniNoone/blogtolosers

If you are on twitter and not on the list please let me know. I'm hoping to have some BlogToLose twitter parties in addition to some live chat sessions here in the community. We have all these great tools it's time to use them!

So leave me a comment with your twitter name or @ reply me (@RoniNoone) if you have one and I'll add you to the list!

More fun stuff coming soon! :)

-Roni

BlogToLose Updates... New Challenges... All is Coming Soon!

2010-07-29T18:11:28.000Z

Hi BtL'ers!!

I'm so sorry I let the challenges flop these past few weeks. It seems my schedule has finally caught up with me BUT there is an end in site.

There will be a ton of changes this fall on BlogToLose! Well... not changes per se, we will still be the same AWESOME community we've always been but NING (the company I host with) is upgrading. Plus I'll be a full time blogger with more time to come up with fun challenges AND I'm working on some fun giveaways specifically for BlogToLose members!

So bear with me over the next few weeks. I know I've been really absent and I apologize. Which reminds me, I maybe recruiting community moderators in 2011. If you have any interest let me know in the comments!

Thanks for being great!

Challenge: Another 5 Snack-less Nights

2010-06-21T13:43:46.000Z

This weeks challenge is completely selfish of me but I'm going to do it anyway. I hope others will want to join in.

Here's the deal. My night time snacking is OUT OF CONTROL. Last night I ate my weight in graham crackers and then hit up the Ritz. All within an hour of going to bed AND I wasn't even hungry.

So I'm issuing 5 Days of Snack-less Nights Challenge. Much like our first Snack-Less Challenge I will start a discussion each night this week (M-F) on the Weekly Challenge Group Message Board. Join the group if you want to be notified by email of future challenges.

OK... so who's with me... again?

P.S. I promise to other types of challenges (including activity based ones) in the future. You are just going to have to bear with me as I transition through the summer with my full time job and other responsibilities.

CHALLENGE: Something NEW!

2010-06-10T17:00:00.000Z

OK, guys.... I wanted to give you a heads up about next weeks challenge early because it may involve your grocery shopping this weekend.

You may or may not know that I do "Produce Picks" on my site GreenLiteBites. The idea of a Produce Pick is to try some new fruit or vegetable that I have been avoiding for one reason or another.

I KNOW I'm not the only one who fears certain fruits and veggies. Either out of intimidation or lack of familiarity, I skip over some very healthy items routinely. Sometimes it's simply out of habit. So I decided to make an effort to try new things.

Think about how many times we, as dieters (I cringed when I used that word but you know what I mean) focus on the foods we can't have or think we can't have. Instead I choose to look at all the wonderful whole foods I have yet to enjoy!

So I am issuing a challenge for everyone to find at least ONE new thing from their local farmers market or grocery store produce aisle. Your one thing must be either a fruit or a vegetable that you have either never had or haven't had in a REALLY long time.

Post your experience and thoughts on your blog (preferably with pics so we can see your pick!) and reply here in the comments with the link. We want to read about your adventure!

If you have kids include them! A significant other? Get them to try it as well! You may or may not like it but that's OK. The point is to break out of your comfort zone and who knows... maybe you'll fall in love with a new veggie you didn't even know existed!

CHALLENGE: One Week of Food Journaling

2010-05-28T02:37:46.000Z

I've been pondering the next challenge for a few days now. I want to make sure that these challenges are achievable, doable, useful, and most importantly, motivating.

You may know I try to keep an accurate a food journal online using twitter (@RonisFood) and I've been food journaling on and off for about 5 years now. Over that time my food journals have evolved.

While Losing

When I first started I did a sort of pre-meal food journal. In the morning I'd jot down what I was going to make for dinner and what I was bringing to work for lunch. Then I recorded my breakfast and would add in any snacks as I ate them throughout the day. I did this all in written format and actually still have them. (yes, I'm a freak like that)

Maintenance

Once I transitioned into maintenance I started to keep my journal as I went through the day. I'd actually email myself when I ate. At the end of the day I'd gathered all the entries up and posted them on my blog. I did this so much and for so long I actually created a tool to help me called the The Daily Food Journal Generator.

Lately

The next evolution was my migration to twitter which is what I'm using now. Sort of. I've been slacking lately. It's not that big of a deal. Most people live very happy healthy lives never food journaling at all. I get that. But for me, it's all about consciousness and accountability. I still have tendencies to over eat, binge and mindlessly munch and the food journal helps me in all 3 of those departments. When I slack with it it's normally becuase I don't want to face what I'm eating.

I realize not everyone is cut out for food journaling but I'm here to issue a.... yup you guessed it.... a challenge!

So here's the deal. One week of food journaling any way that makes sense for YOU. Buy an old paper journal, email your self, send text message to a friend, use twitter, take pictures, use the voice recorder on your phone. I don't care HOW you do it, just THAT you do it. The point in to be aware of what you are eating and why you are eating it.

Remember this is only a week long commitment. The point isn't to make you neurotic or obsessive but aware. I have no doubt that you will learn a lot about your self and and your eating habits. Especially if you've never attempted to food journal before.

I'm purposely scheduling this challenge for a Saturday. That's right Saturday. Probably quite possible the "hardest" day of the week for some of us. But here's the deal. The journal isn't meant to restrict you. I'm not asking you to change what you eat but to simply record it. There is no guilt or shame or regrets. Just a simple record of what we consumed.

So if you are interested in signing up for this challenge leave a comment below. I'll post a discussion every day this week starting Saturday in the Weekly Challenge group so you can report your progress. Feel free to post your food journal there, or on your blog, or don't post it at all, keep it private and just let us know that you did it.

ok.. so who's up for this weeks food journaling challenge? I'm actually really exited about this.. I'm in desperate need of some extra accountability.

CHALLENGE: A Week of Snack-Less Nights

2010-05-17T11:38:27.000Z

Hello fellow BtL'ers! I first want to say I'm so sorry I've been MIA. I've been approving members, reducing spam and diving into blogs when I can but my time's been pretty limited. However if you read my personal blog you may know that I'm quitting my job come August! I'm SO SO SO excited? (Can you tell I'm excited?) :)

That's gonna free up at least 10 hours a day and allow me to do ALL the things I've been wanting to do on this site for years. I've always had plans to not only make this a space for those that want to get and give support on their weight loss journeys but I wanted it to be a thriving active community that inspires and motivates.

SO to celebrate I'm issuing a challenge this week. It's not an impossible challenge but it's definitely something I know many struggle with myself included.

Night Time Snacking.

Some of us do it out of boredom some out of pure exhaustion. We mindlessly munch while watching evening TV or grab something from the fridge while heading to bed (I just did that last night.) I don't think all night time eating is bad and I don't think we need to make some ridiculous unachievable goal like.. "I'm never going to eat after 7PM again, EVER!"

That's just not realistic. You will have a late dinner or be hungry in the evening now and then. BUT one week of snack-less nights can do us good. It can help us become more conscious of our evening eating habits and challenge us to try some something new while building confidence when we reach the goal.

And we WILL reach the goal. Together.

Here's the deal. I created a Weekly Challenge Group. If you are interested in taking on some of the challenges simply join the group. Don't worry you aren't signing up to take on every challenge every week. This is a purely a voluntary thing. However, you must be a member of that group to check in and report your progress.

I will start a discussion within the group each day this week where we can post our progress and thoughts as we progress through the week. I've already started today's. Simply give us an update before heading to bed tonight or if you are really struggling post INSTEAD of grabbing that bag of chips.

Depending on the number of people who sign up maybe we can even get a chat going a couple of nights this week. I know that would help me fight the cravings.

So who's with me?

I said.. WHO'S WITH ME?! :)

Let's do this!

Thoughts on this challenge and the challenges in general are of course welcome in the comments.

Oh! and P.S. I'm defining a week at Monday-Friday unless other wise noted.