Super Hot Chica in Training

A New Year, A New Year Giveaway Event Starts Today - Enter Now!

2012-01-31T23:59:00.000-07:00

Life has been SO incredibly busy. We had Christmas in California, which was wonderful. Not so wonderful, however, was learning we had to move out of this place so the landlady's cousin could move in (sigh.) Back on the side of excellent, however, is the fact that we're buying a condo and should move in there in about a month. Score! There's a fitness room in the clubhouse so I can train away for my half marathon in May.

Now that things are starting to settle out somewhat (we've done a lot of packing, we know where we're moving, etc), it's time to get back to posting. I am joining my first multi-blog giveaway event. Without further ado....

Welcome to A New Year, A New Me Giveaway Event hosted by Daily Mothering, Mommy of Two Little Monkeys and Mommy Digger! Do you want to become a healthier, fitter, slimmer, more beautiful YOU in 2012? Over 55 blogs have come together to present this exciting fitness and beauty event January 24th-31st! Each blog is giving away a fitness and/or beauty related prize worth $25 or more (and some are worth more than $100!). Enter my giveaway and then hop to the next blog on the list at the bottom of this post to have a chance to win more exciting prizes!

What Can I Win?
Glad you asked! I've got a nice prize pack for y'all today. Just peek at the Rafflecopter below for specific prizes like RevAbs (get that 6 pack!), a workout log and more.
The giveaway starts Jan 24th at 12:01 AM EST and ends 11:59 PM EST on Jan 31st. Open to those in US and Canada who are 13+. Void where prohibited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note to Men: Eating Healthy is Not Emasculating

2011-12-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

I know a fellow that is trying to lose weight and eat better. However, he runs into problems sometimes when eating out with other guys. He says it is "emasculating" to take home leftovers or have the restaurant box up half at the start...so he just eats the whole thing. He also thinks it's less manly to eat salads or other healthy fare, sometimes. I guess men are supposed to eat with abandon or such.

Newsflash: Eating in a healthy manner does not make you less of a dude.

I try telling him this, and that it doesn't matter what other people think. That's a lesson I've learned over the years that has helped me so much. I know perhaps that I can't understand fully since I'm a chica, but it doesn't quite make sense to me.

Some of the time he does go get something healthier from a different fast food place nearby and bring it to where the group is eating, so kudos on that for sure. I think he needs to learn not to care what other people say. I wish those other guys wouldn't say anything if his meal is deemed less than manly...whatever that really means.

Do the guys in your life feel like this?

I Conquered Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-25T12:36:00.001-07:00

Thanksgiving Day is rough for a lot of us, isn't it? Foods that we only usually have a few times a year are everywhere. Stereotypically, we are supposed to eat until we're overstuffed...and still make room for some desserts after.

This is what my plate looked like this year. I don't think I did too bad! As you can see, half of the plate is vegetables - steamed carrots, broccoli

and cauliflower, as well as Oriental Green Beans.
I have about 6 ounces of turkey, 2 small rolls, 1/4 cup mashed potatoes, 1/8 cup gravy, 1/2 cup noodles (I didn't eat all of them) and 2 stuffing balls. My mother-in-law has a set of the Weight Watchers easy measuring ladles, so I was able to portion everything out easily. I need to get a set the next time I go to weigh in!

I followed that with a piece of sunshine cake (which is yellow cake with pineapple and coconut), a piece of chocolate pie, and a piece of Snickers pie (a Weight Watchers recipe). I had a 2nd piece of Snickers pie later that evening.

I did end up using about 19 of my weekly points in addition to my dailies, but I am perfectly fine with that - that's what they are there for! I still have some left for the week. I monitored everything I ate and logged it. I am feeling pleased that I was full, not overstuffed, and made healthier choices overall.

How was your Thanksgiving?

In Love with Skinnytaste!

2011-11-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes my friends and I do International Nights, where we pick a country or two and have some foods from that area. The most recent one was for Argentina and Uruguay. ¡Muy bien!

I was looking around for a recipe for healthier empanadas. These little turnovers are usually fried and full of calories, but adjustments like baking can help. I found a recipe for baked empanadas on Skinnytaste.com.

This blog takes recipes and lightens them up. I love that she also lists the WW Points and Points+ for the recipes. While I didn't end up making them (I ran out of time to look for the Goya discs), I have looked through the recipes and drooled over many of the pictures.

I did make her Kalua pork and pineapple shrimp fried rice (minus the shrimp) and both were delicious. They were a hit with Mister too, which is always great. I already have a few more in mind to try out soon.

What healthy recipe blogs do you like to visit?

Plan Ahead for Eating Out

2011-10-22T10:26:00.000-06:00

One of the things that I like about Weight Watchers is that no food is off limits. Of course, you can't eat a whole bag of Reese's peanut butter cups (yum!) all the time, but you can have some here and there as long as you watch how many points it is and account for it.

You can also go out to eat too. I like to go the restaurant's website and check out the menu before I go. Many places now list nutritional information (thank goodness!), so it makes it much easier to know what my options are and choose accordingly.

I did this recently when we went to Outback with a friend. I knew Mister wanted to get the cheese fries, which have a lot of points. Using the points calculator and the website information, I was able to determine that I wanted to have 1/3 of the cheese fries and the Grilled Chicken on the Barbie. I adjusted my points during the day in anticipation of our dinner. I made sure to ask for no butter on the veggies.

I did go over a bit. They took too long to get us seated, get us water and get our food to us, so I was pretty hungry. I had 3 chunks of the delicious brown bread that I hadn't planned on eating. It wasn't overboard, though, and I had extra weekly points to use.

I'm going to Panda Express today and lunch is already entered into my tracker. I chose a Panda Bowl made up of Mixed Veggies and the Garlic Lover's Chicken Breast. I'll also have Hot & Sour Soup. Yummy!

How do you make eating out a better experience when you're trying to lose weight?

I Started Weight Watchers

2011-10-15T10:21:00.001-06:00

Life has been a bit busy. I've been teaching at a Montessori school, which is a lot of fun. I also am still doing some garden writing for About.com. Ever since a bit before the wedding, my weight has crept back. I even ended up with a new highest weight ever - 268 pounds. That number sure does make me cringe.

I have lost 5-10 pounds on my own (ah, love that fluctuation!) recently, but that's not enough. I remembered how checking in with someone had helped before in keeping me on track. I have friends and family who have had success with Weight Watchers and thought it might be great to try that. I've been giddy all week as I waited for the night we had chosen to start.

Mister is doing it too - love that we're both eating better, so it won't be quite as hard to stay on track. We signed up on Wednesday night and had our first weigh-in. I officially clocked in at 263.8 (fully clothed with shoes and at night). Ouch. It's going to get better though!

I get 39 points every day to use, and 49 extra ones for the week. That's not too bad. Fruits and veggies are 0 points, so I can chomp on an apple or baby cucumber if I get a wee bit hungry.

If I do activities, that earns points which can be traded for food points. I've already traded some in from helping some of the kids at school learn how to do the Charleston. Boy that was fun!

It helps me consider the foods I have been eating and make better choices. I had been chugging some of those diet shakes for breakfast and lunch because it was easy. I looked and they had too many points for my liking. Yikes. For the same amount, I'm now enjoying an English muffin half topped with a poached egg, canadian bacon and cheese. I just make the egg ahead of time so I can just assemble it in the morning at school. Real food!

It will be interesting to see what our next weigh-in will be like. I sure hope it's a good one!

Have you done Weight Watchers? What was your experience?

Sam's Club Box Tops Giveaway - $25 Gift Card

2011-08-13T14:38:00.001-06:00

I'm embarking on a new adventure soon - Montessori teacher. I'll be teaching ages 6-9. I'm a bit nervous but I am sure it will be a wonderful experience. I've got a lot of planning to do - have to figure out how I'm going to eat healthy and find time to exercise. I also have to figure out a PE program for the kids, as well as help find healthy snacks the kids can make. Whew!

Along with that, I'm entering a world with programs like scrip and Box Tops. The Box Tops program allows you to give coupons found on products to your school, which they can turn into money. Yee haw!

You can:

Earn more cash for your local school at Sam’s Club this August with the 6 Box Tops on a Pack promotion.

When you purchase participating Box Top items, you can collect even more Box Tops on some of your favorite General Mills brands such as Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Oats 'N Honey Crunchy Granola Bars, Totino’s Pizza Rolls, and more!

Sam’s Club has your favorite back to school items from computers to clothing, and at the best values.

Plan ahead and take advantage of the savings made simple at Sam’s Club. Your wallet - and your local school - will be thanking you! To learn more about the Box Tops for Education Program and how you can help contribute to your school, visit www.boxtops4education.com.

Sam’s Club Website http://bit.ly/samsclubbtfe
Sam’s Club Facebook http://on.fb.me/samsclubfacebook
Sam’s Club Twitter http://bit.ly/samsclubtwitter
Box Tops for Education Websitehttp://bit.ly/samsclubboxtops

I have a $25 Sam's Club gift card to give away!

To enter, answer this MANDATORY question:
-Which General Mills’ products are you most excited to see featured in the “6 Tops on a Pack” offer at Sam’s Club?

There are other ways you can earn entries - see the form below!

The giveaway will run from Saturday 8/13/2011 until 11:59 PM PST Sunday 8/21/2011. Open to US and Canadian Residents 13+. Void where prohibited.

"Disclosure: The Sam’s Club gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark."

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The Adventure of the Freezing Refrigerator

2011-07-27T20:01:00.000-06:00

I've seen what raw eggs look like when they're frozen solid. We got to make this discovery because our refrigerator likes to freeze everything, even on the warmest setting. We can't keep a jug of milk because it becomes hard as a rock. The fridge is pretty bare right now since we can only have foods that won't be affected much by freezing.

We even had it repaired, in theory. After ordering in a thermostat (the fridge is only about 6 months old and under warranty), we had a visit from the technician yesterday to install it. Mister went to go get our milk tonight, only to find that it too had succumbed to the tundra.

It has affected how I eat and cook. I can't have any skim milk or eggs and it's difficult to find spots that won't freeze our yogurt or cottage cheese. The baby carrots I bought for a healthy snack are one solid piece now. I can't risk ordering from the co-op since I have nowhere safe to put things like leaf veggies.

The tech department is closed, so I can't even set up an appointment until tomorrow morning. Hopefully they can figure out what is going on.

Have you ever had this problem? What are some ideas for some healthy meals I can make with things that don't need refrigeration or can stand freezing? I'm just grumpy from dealing with it and don't want to think :)

Check Out Your Local Food Co-Op

2011-07-16T09:42:00.003-06:00

Photo by Vanessa Myers

Doesn't that all look delicious? I picked up my co-op order this morning from Bountiful Baskets. They are one of many programs that allow you to pool your orders with a large group of people and get it for a cheaper price. They have conventional baskets (which I got) for $15 and organic for $25. They also have additional items that you can add on to your basket.

In my basket today was:

8 bananas
1 Golden Dewlicious melon
2 mangoes
1 box of blackberries
5 nectarines
14 plums
1 head cauliflower
1 bunch broccoli
1 Romaine lettuce
1 purple kale
1 hothouse cucumber
1 bunch green onions
3 tomatoes

In that plastic bag at the top is my Asian pack. This was an add-on for $7.50.

Asian Pack:

Bok choy
Napa cabbage
Snow peas
Ginger
Garlic
Green onions
Basil

I am pleased with what I got today. I've also gotten orders from The Community Food Co-op of Utah. I like that they offer meat packs too, and their Artisan wheat bread is simply delicious. I do wish they had orders more than once a month (Bountiful Baskets does it weekly or bi-weekly depending on your area). I hear there's another new co-op here, so I should look into their offerings.

You do have to be flexible to order from a co-op. They shop based on what's a good deal that week, so you never know what will come in the basket. I did know what would come in the Asian pack as they listed the things they hoped to be able to include. You can sometimes end up with things you don't like; I am not fond of any melon except watermelon and I don't think Mister is either.

I'll try the melon, though. This is a fun way to try new things that you might not pick out on your own. I don't recall ever having purple kale, so another adventure awaits.

If you live in these states, you can check out Bountiful Baskets. Otherwise, try a search for your state and the word co-op.

Arizona
Colorado
Idaho
Kansas
Montana
New Mexico
Nevada
Oklahoma
Oregon
South Carolina
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Washington
Wyoming

Have you ordered from a food co-op? Did you think it was a good deal? Is there one you would like to recommend?

I Love the Fitness and Diet Apps on my New Android Phone!

2011-07-12T12:05:00.001-06:00

Technology is magical. I recently got an Android smartphone and I am in love. There's an app for EVERYTHING. Plagued by mosquitoes in the summer? An app will send out a sound to drive them away. GasBuddy will let you know where the cheapest gas is in town. You can tune a musical instrument. Get a sky map. Play Scrabble with friends. And so on.

There are also, of course, a plethora of diet and fitness apps. I downloaded quite a few of them to try out. They are all available for free download, and many have paid versions too. On my phone I now have:

Active.com
C25K Lite
CardioTrainer
DailyMiler
Diet & Food Tracker by Sparkpeople
Endomondo
Ghost Runner
Honest Label Food Scanner
iMapMyFITNESS
Instant Heart Rate
JogTracker
My Tracks
MyFitnessPal
Restaurant Nutrition
RunKeeper
runstar
runtastic
Specialty Produce
Yoga
Zombie, Run!

I'll be testing these out to find out what works best. I am very happy to see MyFitnessPal on there, as I am going to start tracking my food again and I can now do it on the go. I like looking up 5Ks on the Active.com app. I am still looking over the rest of them.

What Android apps do you recommend?

Walking Again in Paradise

2011-06-15T09:44:00.000-06:00

Hi there. It's been a while, hasn't it? Life was hectic for a while - I worked on writing about my beloved trees and shrubs. Planned some community and school gardens, which are still in progress. Moved to a new place.

Oh yeah, and I got married too :) Life with him has just been so wonderful and he is very supportive of all I do. I'm a lucky gal.

However, this all added up to a bit of a derailment weight loss-wise. With everything going on in life I decided to worry about it after the wedding...perhaps not the best decision, of course, but stress made life difficult. I've stayed generally in the vicinity of where I was before - thank goodness my wedding dress still fit when I saw it again a couple of months later!

My honeymoon has brought walking back into my life, which I am thrilled about. We spent a week on Kauai (with a car) and now we're in Oahu (without). Kauai was lovely - we walked around beaches. Went to see gorgeous destinations like Waimea Canyon in the picture. I made him go to a garden with me. We visited a farmer's market where I got several new tropical fruits to try.

Yesterday's jaunt here in Oahu was difficult - we walked to the grocery store. It was hot and humid (I'm used to the hot, of course, but humid adds a whole new dimension). I wasn't sure how long we would have to walk (I believe now it was about a mile each way). I wore the wrong shoes (doesn't everyone wear sandals in the tropics??). It was a rough walk.

We finally made it to the store. I kept taking my shoes off to feel the cool tile on my soles. I think I had a bit of heat exhaustion, so the rest helped. We got our food and went to leave. Mister offered to have me ride the bus home, but I wanted to walk. I just kept thinking how I once walked 13.2 miles, so surely I could do this too. And I did.

I had more walking adventures today. This time I decided to wear sneakers - how wise of me :P I took the bus to an arboretum, where I strolled around the gardens snapping hundreds of pictures. Later that night we took a walk along the beach and sidewalks, window shopping and having fun.

We aren't done yet - there's snorkeling, another garden (poor guy, I make him go to all these now. He's sweet. I'll reciprocate with something he likes, of course), walks on the beach and more. Life is good again. It gets a little easier each time and I now want to do races again.

What helped you get back into exercise again?

I Need Bridal Bootcamp

2011-03-11T05:03:00.000-07:00

So....it's been a bit quiet here. Life is hectic. I work, I play, and now I'm getting married in June - huzzah!

Dating has been bliss for me. I admit I got comfortable and ended up gaining weight back. I don't entirely mind it though - it was one of the things that convinced me he loved me no matter what :)

Now that I've got a Big Day coming up, I do want to jumpstart the weight loss again. I've lost at least 4 pounds so far, which is wonderful. My wedding dress is snug, but not extremely tight. It would be wonderful if I lost at least a few more pounds by the wedding, then continue on my weight loss journey.

I need ideas on the best ways to step up my weight loss. Should I do a ton of push ups? Start training for a race again? Become a DDR freak again?

How did you lose weight for your wedding?

Udderly Smooth Giveaway Results!

2011-01-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

According to my Google doc generated by the form (I highly recommend it - so easy to use), our winner is Gianna. Congrats! I will be emailing you soon, and you will have 72 hours to get back to me with your mailing address.

Thanks for entering, everyone, and there are more fun giveaways on the way.

Trying P90x and RevAbs Starting Next Week!

2011-01-13T11:58:00.000-07:00

As the new year unfurls, I have been thinking about what I want to do to lose weight again. It's icy and snowy here, so the thought of walking outdoors isn't so appealing. I could try the gym, but it's usually packed this time of year with bright-eyed enthusiasts who made New Year's Resolutions. Invariably it tapers off throughout the following months, but for now it's too crowded for my liking.

Fortunately, my cute boyfriend got me P90X, as I mentioned before. They're on DVDs, so I can just pop them into the Playstation 2 or my laptop and exercise away. I was going to start this week but I've been busy catching up on work.

I also have a copy of RevAbs (made by Beachbody too) that I was given for review. Once I try it out, I also have a copy to give away, so stay tuned!

The P90X should keep me going until spring comes and I can get back to training. I haven't decided if I am going to do just another half marathon or try for a full marathon. I will have to see how the months unfold - it's looking like this is going to be a very busy year.

Have you tried P90X? How did it work for you?

Udderly Smooth Review & Giveaway

2011-01-07T12:37:00.003-07:00

My hands seem to get so dry in the winter, especially if I'm outside a lot. My feet also seem to suffer - I do prefer to traipse around barefoot when possible. Combine that with working out and my poor body is a wreck sometimes.

I was able to try out some of the Udderly Smooth products - the Original Udder Cream, the Foot Cream with Shea Butter and the Moisturizing Lotion.

From their website:

Udderly Smooth® Udder Cream was originally invented in Ohio use on dairy cows under harsh conditions. Now used for dry and chapped skin on people worldwide . Product uses also include:
* Dry and chapped skin
* As a shaving lotion
* Diabetes skin care
* Hand and Foot Syndrome- a side effect of chemotherapy drugs
* Chamois cream for bicyclists
* Needlework and quilting

I am happy to report that I love these products! With some lotions & potions, it leaves you with a greasy feeling. That isn't true at all for the Udderly Smooth line. I was especially impressed with the Moisturizing Lotion on that count - it felt very refreshing and light. The Udder Cream is a bit heavier but also made my hands feel better. The Foot Cream soothed my feet. It's nice to not feel so much like a lizard any more, and as I keep using it, I'm sure I can get my hands and feet back to smooth sailing.

Would you like to try some Udderly Smooth? You're in luck, as I am giving away an assortment pack of these wonderful products. Just fill out the form below (check out Udderly Smooth's website for ideas) and you're entered! You may have to scroll down a bit within the form to find the Submit button.

The giveaway will run from Friday 1/7/2011 until 11:59 PM PST Friday 1/14/2010. Open to US and Canadian Residents 13+. Void where prohibited.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com and the Tomoson weekly featured sponsor Favorite Wigs - Shop Name Brand Wigs at Low Prices! Large Wig Selection of Forever Young Wigs, and other Quality Wigs. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

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Giveaway Winners

2011-01-03T16:17:00.000-07:00

Catching up in the new year.... totals are adjusted for extra entries, incomplete entries, etc.

CSN Giveaway

The winner is Haven!

Nature Valley National Parks Project Giveaway

Winner is Leserlee!

Yoplait Whips Giveaway

The winner is Cheryl F. {The Lucky Ladybug}

I will be emailing all, and you have 72 hours to get back to me with your address. Congrats!

Another Reason to Lose Weight: Pain

2010-12-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a bit quiet here lately. Life has been hectic as I work lots of hours merchandising, writing and editing and try to pay off bills I will be finally posting up the giveaway results soon.

Even though I've been heavy for a while, I never had that much pain overall. Until now. Lately my hands, feet, and back ache a lot of the time. My knees hurt when I first stand up. Sometimes I am woken up in the morning by electric pains in my left thigh. If I'm right, that last one is a condition called meralgia paresthetica where a nerve in your pelvis is compressed, so it gets wonky and you start getting pain or numbness in the thigh - usually just on one side. Obesity is one of the causes, so losing weight could help.

I also haven't been eating well. I grab something out at fast food while I'm zipping around to my stores. I don't think I've been getting enough nutrients, possibly, so I am going to watch what I eat. Deficiencies could possibly be causing some of my symptoms (I play doctor via Internet research for now unless it doesn't go away and I can save up enough for a visit). I now take a vitamin that my cute boyfriend got for me - Garden of Life Vitamin Code (for Women), as well as some calcium. Until I get my eating settled out again, I can at least make sure I'm getting the vitamins and minerals I need.

I hate feeling like this. I can't see how I can do my marathon when right now my feet hurt. I need more sleep and to not be woken up by thigh pain. Writing will be easier if my hands don't hurt. Etc.

I can do this. I HAVE to do this. I should be working less hours in merchandising starting in January, so that will help. My sweetie pie also got me P90X so I can do the program along with him. I also got RevAbs from the company (will review + giveaway soon). I will also have the wonderful support from my counselor at Y-Be-Fit.

Life has its ups and downs. It's been a bit down here in some ways (others it's been absolutely fantastic), but I can bring it up again. One bite at a time, one step at a time, one pound at a time.

BOD POD Body Fat Analysis Test Today

2010-11-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

I went to my weekly Y-Be-Fit meeting, although this was no ordinary visit. By completing an earlier challenge with their program, I had earned a free BOD POD body fat analysis. (usually $15). Today was the day I finally decided to bite the bullet and see my current body fat percentage.

I donned a swimsuit before going to their office. Things like clothing, hair, jewelry and glasses can disrupt the results, according to BOD POD's website, so I wore a swim cap too. You also shouldn't eat for 2-3 hours, nor exercise beforehand.

After I weighed in on the connected scale and my counselor tared the machine, I sat down inside. The name Pod is apt, as the egg shape makes it look like it belongs in a sci-fi movie. You sit there quietly without moving for about a minute. There are some little pops and you can hear air pumps, but I didn't feel a thing. The lid is lifted, then replaced and another minute session commences. That's it!

The BOD POD is able to determine body fat percentage pretty accurately by measuring body mass (from the scale weigh-in) and body volume (from the testing). The machine then is able to calculate out the percentage of fat in the body.

I received a paper that told me my fat and lean mass percentages, as well as the actual pounds those percents indicated. It also mentions my body volume, body density and total body mass. The fat percent is a high number - eep. I think I will wait to post that amount until I've lost a bit more.

If you're interested in getting a BOD POD test, start by checking your local university. Many of them make the tests available to the community for a fee. There's a BOD POD locator on their website.

Have you had a BOD POD test?

Last Day Tomorrow for the $35 CSN Giveaway!

2010-10-30T14:40:00.000-06:00

Just a quick heads up - tomorrow (Halloween) is the last day to enter for the $35 CSN Stores. They have pretty much everything you could want - from kitchen scales to upholstered headboards to treadmills and more!

Enter here: $35 CSN Stores Giveaway

Happy Halloween! What are your costumes? This year I'm Princess Zelda from The Legend of Zelda. It turned out very well, if I do say so.

Starting Nov 1st, I'll be getting back on the fitness track. I'm excited to (hopefully) see the scale go back down again.

Feeling A Bit Unmotivated

2010-10-13T20:04:00.000-06:00

It hasn't been easy lately. I've managed to gain back 20 pounds I had lost. Breathing is a bit labored, due to either bronchitis after the flu, or asthma (it could be both). I start a new job tomorrow. I've also been trying to arrange my writing projects and jobs better. Life is busy.

I'm sure a bit is stress. I'm tired of thinking about some of the problems in my life. They're getting better, but it's not over yet. Maybe some yoga is in order?

I also worry that winter is coming. Most years I seem to gain weight since I have massive carb cravings. I hope I can battle that this year.

I'm not giving up on losing weight. I'm just taking a tiny vacation so I can hopefully recapture some of the fire I've had before. I'm taking a week or two off from setting specific goals with Y-Be-Fit. Getting my writing projects in order so they flow. Making a basic food plan. Perhaps I'll play a little Dance Dance Revolution or Wii Fit so I can be doing at least some sort of exercise.

Life is going to get better. Maybe I'll even lose a pound over the next week, if all is well. I just have to keep believing I can do it and take this process one day at a time.

What do you do when you don't feel motivated?

Tired of Being Sick

2010-10-07T11:12:00.000-06:00

It looks like I'll have to call off another race. I was planning on doing the Halloween Half Marathon on October 30th, but I've been sick for the past week and a half or so. Every time I get a cold or the flu, my asthma kicks in afterwards and becomes bronchitis. That part usually lasts a couple of weeks at least. I don't want to risk problems by doing such a long race in that state, so ARGGGH.

I did have a new gal pal ask me if I wanted to do a 5K at the beginning of November that her work was sponsoring to provide aid to Haiti (I believe). I should be well enough by then, so that will be great.

It will all work out someday, and I'll do more half marathons and do my marathon. What races do you have coming up?

My Ultimate Family Fitness Vacation

2010-10-07T08:56:00.027-06:00

Sponsored By

Cheerios® is giving you the chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, your ultimate family vacation. As part of a paid promotion for their “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, Cheerios® is sponsoring my post today about what my ultimate family vacation would be. Read mine, Enter the Sweepstakes for a chance to actually win your own fantasy family trip or one of a bunch of other great prizes.

As I was looking through the my inbox, I got a notice from one of the fitness groups I belong to on LinkedIn. They mentioned that this year was the 2500th anniversary of THE marathon....namely, the one in Athens, Greece.

As The Independent mentions in their story on the history of the Greek marathon:

According to the most familiar version of the story, he [Athenian messenger Pheidippides] invented not only the marathon race but the concept of "breaking news" long before satellite dishes and Twitter.
He ran 26 miles and 385 yards from the plain of Marathon to Athens in 490BC to bring news of a famous victory over invading Persians. He burst into the Athenian assembly and shouted: "Nenikekamen," – "We have won" – before collapsing and dying.

Every year there's a marathon in Athens, Greece that takes the same route as that ancient messenger. While I am a bit late for this year (it will be run on October 31st), there's always next year! I think it would be so much fun to take the ultimate family fitness vacation and do THE marathon as my very first one. I've been dying to go to Europe for a long time, and this would be an amazing trip. We're even hoping to live in Europe for a few months, if all goes well.

I would go with my boyfriend, since he's been dreaming of Europe too. It would be fun if my brother and sister-in-law came along, since she does races too. My parents deserve a break, so it would be even better if they could come along to join in the fun.

Where would you go for your ultimate family fitness vacation?

Don't forget to enter the “Do What You Love” Sweepstakes, for a chance to win your own ultimate family vacation. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.

$35 CSN Stores Giveaway

2010-10-06T12:26:00.001-06:00

Earlier this year I gave away a pogo stick and boxing set in a kid's fitness giveaway courtesy of CSN Stores. I am happy to report that I am able to give away a $35 gift certificate to their site. They've got something for everyone.

I think if I was going to spend this $35 at their site, I would buy a really nice kitchen scale. I have a basic non-electric one now, but it always seems to be a little bit wonky in the measurements and I never feel 100% sure that I know the true weight. A digital scale would erase all those worries.

Mandatory Entry:

What kind of fitness equipment, healthy cooking accessories or other items would you want to shop for with this gift certificate?

Additional Entries: (please leave a comment each time you do)

Follow me on Google Friend Connect (+2) (or leave me a note that you already follow) - leave 2 comments
Follow the Exquisite Adornments Jewelry blog on Google Friend Connect (+2) - leave 2 comments
Blog about it! (+4) - leave me a link and 4 comments
Tweet or Facebook It! - Leave a link for each time.
Like my Facebook page. (+2) (or leave me a note that you already are) - leave 2 comments
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The giveaway will run from Wed 10/6/2010 until 11:59 PM PST Sunday 10/31/2010. Open to US and Canadian Residents 13+. Void where prohibited. Please make sure your email is available in your post or in your profile. Good luck!

Coming Soon - a $35 CSN Stores Giveaway

2010-09-24T13:27:00.001-06:00

I have been entering sweepstakes for a long time (won a lot too!) and I simply love that I can now give away prizes to my readers too! Earlier this year I gave away a kid's fitness pack with a boxing set and pogo stick, courtesy of CSN Stores. I'm excited to announce that I have an upcoming giveaway where I can offer a prize of a $35 gift certificate good for any of their stores (and they have a lot!). From exercise equipment to end tables to cookware....there's something for everyone there.

If you like giveaways too (who doesn't), check out Giveaway Scout. They search through websites, blogs and more to find the latest giveaways. It's a giveaway search engine! You can subscribe to get updates of the newest additions. Mine will be appearing there soon.

What's the coolest fitness or diet related giveaway you've ever won?

A Daring Experiment - Giving Away My Clothes

2010-09-23T11:28:00.000-06:00

It's rather easy to get used to being overweight sometimes. Even if I don't particularly enjoy some things about the way I look, it's familiar. I have my clothes I like in my current size, as well as a stash of "future" clothes that I hope to be able to fit in sooner rather than later.

I decided to shake things up today, as fall rolls in and it's getting cooler. Yesterday I posted an ad on Freecycle where I said I was giving away most of my short-sleeved tops in an effort to force my hand for losing weight. I kept a few since it isn't 100% cold yet, and I like some for pajamas or lounging around the house while I work. Someone is coming to get the rest later today.

The clothes won't be waiting for me next spring. I'll have to pony up money for new clothes...so why not save myself some frustration and have it be for smaller sizes? I can also save money by working my way towards the clothes I have set aside in the ideal sizes.

Have you ever done anything like this? Did it help?