Hiddey Ho- it’s the eighth week of our challenge, with only one week to go.  Where did the time fly off too?  Yes, you have one week to kick it into high gear and to finish strong.  How are you doing?  Have you been doing your ‘thang and watching the numbers shrink on the scale?  Has your journey been a little tougher than you thought?  Have you encountered any struggles along the way?  (yeah, MYSELF).

Anyhoo, today we weigh-in/check-in.  Step on your scale, record that number, blog about your past week and share the link in the comments section below.  Really, that’s it.  Since it’s the eighth week already, I’m pretty sure ya’ll are old pro’s at this by now : ).

Our Fitness Challenge

Our fitness challenge is the same each week. We’re asking you to do either 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times weekly OR 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times weekly. Are you getting your weekly quota of exercise in? Be sure to let us know how it’s going!

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Also, because I’m nosey I want to get to know ya’ll better, could you leave one interesting tidbit about yourself in the comments?  I know weirdo.  Thanks and Happy Shrinking!!!!

P.S.- Who is participating in the 52 Small Changes / One Year to a Happier and Healthier You challenge?  Let me know how it’s going for you.

P.P.S. – Have you checked out Shrinking Kitchen yet?  If not, run and do it NOW.  Shrinking Kitchen is our new site where we are posting recipes, recipes, and more recipes!

Happy Tuesday All! Wait, isn’t it Mardi Gras today? So, you’ve eaten lots of bad for you food today? Hmmm… I know! How about a Tworkout to burn a few extra calories! Yeah, that’s the ticket!

If you’ve never joined a Tworkout, do it today! Just hop onto Twitter at 8 p.m. Central and work out with us to your favorite TV show! It’s a lot of fun! I promise!

Tonight’s Tworkout:

1. 1 min frog jumps, 1 min jumping jacks, 1 min buttkicks w/weight

2. Wall sit, 60 seconds or more

3. Military style push-ups, as many as you can do

4. 1 min towel jump, 1 min plankhold, 1 min towel jump

5  50 jabs with light weights

6. Russian Twists, 50

7. Stretch!

See you there!

Good Morning!!!

I forgot (okay, I really didn’t even know to remember!) that I had True Confessions today!!

I forgot a lot of things this past week. Like:

1. How to drink water
2. How to keep my butt off the couch
3. How to count Weight Watchers Points

Yeah, it has been that kind of week! But, but, but…….

I’ve also done a lot of great things like:

1. Work on our awesome new site, Shrinking Kitchen (and keep it from crashing the server because it’s so awesome!)
2. Make homemade meals for my kids
3. Work in my garden – yes, it’s almost time to plant seeds here in Texas!

So tell me three things you’ve done this week you wish you hadn’t, and three things your are really glad you did. GO!

Today, I feel like I need to talk about water. Partly for you all, and partly as a reminder for me.

I have to admit, I am pretty much the worst at remembering to drink water. And when I do, I don’t like it. My normal scenario is basically realizing that I haven’t had any water all day at um…about 9:00 pm. Then I guzzle as much as I can handle, knowing I’ll be up several times during the night to visit the bathroom.

True story, guys. Right now I’m staring at a massive glass of water – the first water I’ve had all day. Yikes.

So right now, I’m going to try to scare myself into drinking more water.

Maybe it’ll help you too!

Water is important because:

• Water protects your tissue, spinal cord and joints.
• Water helps your body remove waste.
• Water aids in digestion.
• Water prevents you from becoming dehydrated.  Being dehydrated is bad, okay?

How do you know if you’re getting enough water? There are many different ideas – the old 8 glasses a day recommendation, or that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.  I’m sure drinking 8 glasses a day is ideal, but realistically, doesn’t always happen. Basically, if you’re unsure about your hydration, let your pee be your guide. The clearer, the better.

Now, the tricky part. You know you need more water, but ugh. It’s boring. And inconvenient.

But it doesn’t have to be. Make it more appealing, people!

• Spruce it up with sliced lemons, limes or cucumber slices. Or, if you’re feeling really fancy, fresh herbs, like rosemary or mint.
• Find yourself a special vessel (I rhymed that – you’re welcome). It doesn’t have to be fancy – my two faves are my Sigg bottle and a huge glass I saved from the recycle bin at my old job. Seriously. It’s huge – something like 28 ounces – and for some reason, encourages me to drink more.
• Leave water in places you’ll drink if it’s convenient. For me, it’s my car. I try to leave a water bottle or two in the console of my car – I am always surprised at how much water I’ll drink when I’m shuttling my kids around. Plus, it helps keep me away from the espresso stands.

Water. It’s so important. And with that, I’m off to pee refill my glass. Cheers!

Photo courtesy of superpco

Monica Bullock, a writer on Yahoo! Voices came up with the Ten Stages of Goal Setting. I think her take on the stages is spot on!

1. Excitement! - You may be saying, I am so excited about achieving this! I am going to make it happen!

2. Developing a Plan – I’ve sat down with my notebook and pencil and have made a plan. I have my list ready. I know I am going to be successful! I will reach my goal!

3. Beginning – Here we go! I’ve punched the clock, it’s start time.

4. Unsteady Beginning – Well, the beginning did not as easily as I hoped but I’ve got my eyes on the prize. I will reach my goal.

5. I Can See It! – I have some success. I know I can do this!

6. Difficulty Arises – I got knocked back a few feet, this is more difficult than I thought.

7. Rationalization – Well, I didn’t really want to do this anyway. I don’t need a raise. (new car, new sales etc.) My family does not need me to be away this much anyway. I really need to clean the house. (cut the grass, paint the house etc.) I can do this next summer or next year.

8. Immobility – I do nothing. I don’t even want to talk about it. I run from the people who may hold me accountable to my goal. I don’t really want them in my life anyway. I guess I don’t really have what it takes to do this after all. This was the wrong goal. Or maybe this was the wrong time.

9. Recommitment – I really do want this! My goal looks great! I can succeed and my family will be so proud of me when I do! I can even reach a bigger goal after this.

10. I did it! - The thrill of achievement is wonderful. I have such joy.

Do you agree that there are stages to any kind of change or goal setting process? Sit down and think about where you are your journey. In which stage do you find yourself?

So when iSafe reached out to us to do a review, I was all over it.

This bag is like a hip pack, however a very sophisticated, techologically advanced hip pack that literally SCREAMS when you want it to. It is battery operated and equipped with a very loud alarm system that would make any potential assailant run for the hills.

If you don’t believe me, I tried it out for you for the very first time on video.

Just for you.

httpv://youtu.be/O4l0gF7HD-c

Now, as you’ve seen on the video, the iSafe bag has very big pockets. It fits my pepper spray, phone, and any nutrition I may have to carry with me.

And it has a pin that you pull, sort of like a grenade. ISafe recommends you run with the pack in the front and your hand near the pin for easy access, because you never know when you will need it.

The bag is a little big so I don’t know how it would do on a long run, but if you’re like me and you’re running at 5 a.m. trying to get those miles in before the day starts, I think the safety option would outweigh the con of the size. And if you’re walking, it wouldn’t really be a hindrance at all.

There are three pockets, one for the alarm device that you don’t really want to mess with, one big pouch for your stuff, and another, slimmer pouch in the back.

Here are some other very important safety tips while running (because you don’t want to rely on this, you only want to add this to your arsenal, just like everything:)

• Run in bright colored clothing when you’re in the dark so cars can see you
• Wear your identification, like a Road I.D.
• Carry an additional assailant deterrent, like pepper spray
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times
• It’s best not to run with music on in the dark so you can hear people coming
• RUN WITH A PARTNER!
• Run with your phone
• Make sure someone knows where you’re running, when you left and when you’re expected back
• Don’t run in the same place at the same time every day, mix it up so you can throw off potential stalkers

Yes I’m paranoid, but I like to call it “cautious.” I have had my share of scary situations while running. I’ve been followed and I’ve been flashed while running on a trail and many of my girlfriends have found themselves in threatening situations too.

It’s just best to be prepared.

The iSafe bag can be found on its website: www.isafebags.com and on Amazon and Toys R Us. They also carry alarmed backpacks for kids, which I think is really great. (Except if they use the alarm at school which I hope they wouldn’t.) Even Nolan Gould who plays “Luke” from Modern Family uses one!

The waist pack retails for  $39.99.

So what are your favorite safety tips while exercising out and about?

Image: Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

By now, I’m sure most of you know that the USDA has gradually been decreasing the recommended daily allowance of sodium over the past few years.  As of 2010, the current recommendation for everyone, including adolescents over the age of 14, is preferably around 1500mg, but no more than 2,300mg (about 1 teaspoon) of sodium per day.   However, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  most Americans currently consume about 50% more than that coming in at around 3400mg on average.  What’s even scarier than that?  Nearly half of adults fall into a category with an even more restrictive allowance less than 1500mg!  What makes up those categories?

• You are 51 years of age or older.
• You are African American.
• You have high blood pressure.
• You have diabetes.
• You have chronic kidney disease.

Regardless of which category of sodium allowance recommendation one falls, it’s clear we all need to focus on cutting back given the average intake.  So, what are some things we can do to limit our sodium intake?  Here are a few ideas:

• Cut back on processed foods – I know it’s really easy to fall into habit of relying on convenience foods.  After all, they are called “convenience” without reason.  The problem with most convenience foods is that they are highly processed which generally means high sodium content.  Read the labels!  One of the best ways to do this is by eating fresh foods as much as possible.
• Eat home-prepared meals instead of eating out – Again, this is another one that can be a challenge with how busy we’ve all become, but it really does pay off in the long run.  By preparing meals at home, we have more control over the ingredients used and how they are prepared.  Restaurant meals are often full of not only salt, but fat as well which is a double-whammy when it comes to healthy eating.
• Use more herbs and spices when cooking – Many people rely solely on salt and pepper to season food when cooking.  Try experimenting with adding more herbs and spices in place of using as much salt.  It’s a great way to increase flavor without adding salt.  Be sure to look for salt-free varieties when buying seasoning blends.
• Watch out for unsuspecting sources of hidden sodium – There are many foods that can be high in sodium that might come as a surprise.  Always be sure to read the labels on foods like condiments,  strong cheeses like gorgonzola, canned soups & vegetables, breakfast cereals, baked goods, etc.
• Look for low sodium options whenever possible – There are some foods like soy sauce, canned soups, etc. that can be ridiculously high in sodium.  However, these days there are lots of low/lower sodium options available on the market.  The lower sodium options are often still very high in sodium, so use sparingly.

As with anything on our journey to a healthier lifestyle, we need to educate ourselves to ensure we are making the best possible choices for ourselves and our families.  Yes, it takes forever a little extra time to read labels at the store, but it’s well worth it in the long run!

Do you have any other creative ways for reducing sodium?  If so, please share them in a comment!

Before I begin, I realize that some of you still love the show and that’s great. However you get your inspiration is great, but for me personally, I have a little bit of a rant to go on.

Back when I began blogging, I had my feet firmly planted in the cement of the church of Jillian Michaels. She was my hero. I learned everything about nutrition and exercise from listening to her podcasts. I almost went vegan (Me! Vegan! No offense to you vegans out there, but I love me some chicken) because Jillian went vegan. I thought together with Bob Harper, she had something special in the Biggest Loser. Now, I realized that the show was just that, a TV show. A reality TV show at that, but I felt that they really cared about changing people’s lives in a healthy way. (Without using fake magic pills.)

To me, The Biggest Loser was the greatest show on the air. I felt that as long as you understood that for four months, these people live, sleep, and breathe weight loss, and the weight they lose on a weekly basis is not a reasonable expectation, you could really learn something from the show. I loved Jillian and Bob.

And then…

The first to sell out was Jillian. She marketed pills that were guaranteed to boost weight loss and enhance fat burn. Wait a second. Wasn’t this the same person who preached that there was no magic pill? Jill, what are you doing, was what I thought. Had money become so important to you that you decided to fool people into thinking that there really is a magic pill? The thought makes me sick. No matter how many warnings you put on the pill labels saying that these should be used with a healthy diet and exercise program, people are going to see it as a magic pill. Shame on you Jillian Michaels.

And if that wasn’t enough, now I see that Bob has sold out too. He’s also marketing a magic pill.

Do your contestants take the magic pill? What happened to good old sweat and determination? Was that not good enough?

I’m sorry. I just cannot sit and watch the show anymore. I’m so sad that two of my heroes, two of the people that I put the most faith in to help people to change their lives sold out. It’s like if Superman were to say, “I’m can’t really fly; it’s just a jet pack that I wear under my cape.”

I get that they are celebrities and their ultimate goal is to make money, but do you really need to make money from making people think that they can lose weight faster by taking a pill? If it were me, I would rather be poor. I would rather use my fame to educate people how to lose weight properly and how to live healthy lives.

Thanks for the memories, Biggest Loser, but I’ll find my inspiration elsewhere from now on. Like the wonderful people right here on this site. You could learn a thing or two from them.

Biggest Loser photo from NBC.com

It is hard to believe that there are only two weeks left in this challenge. Time is flying by. How are you doing? Have you hit your stride and moving right along or have you hit a few bumps in the road? I think my journey this week could most easily be called a bumpy stride.

I hope that you are still working with us in the 52 Small Changes / One Year to a Happier and Healthier You. I am really enjoying this challenge. We are already on week 7 and moving right along. I am trying to keep up with the previous weeks as we move in to the new weeks. I can imagine that this could get tricky the further along we get.

Our Fitness Challenge

Our fitness challenge is the same each week. We’re asking you to do either 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times weekly OR 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times weekly. Are you getting your weekly quota of exercise in? Be sure to let us know how it’s going!

So, that’s all for me. It’s time to get down to business. Go jump on that scale and then come back and report. If have written a blog post about your week, be sure to leave the link in the comments. Bye! I hope you all have a great week of shrinking!

So, if you’re up for it, tune into Twitter at 8 p.m. Central because tonight it mystery tworkout. You’ll know when you’re there what the exercises are going to be!

Bwahahahahaha!

See you there!