I haven't blogged in a month. I haven't weighed myself in a month. I haven't tried to eat healthy in a month. I haven't exercised in a month. hhhmmm.... I'm noticing a trend here. I weigh 165 lbs. I'm eating ice cream for dinner. hhhhmmmm...... my dog would probably appreciate it if I got off my arse and took her for a walk. hhhhmmmmm........ after I finish my ice cream...... :)

For LIZ- Burlesque

Hey Liz...just in case you're still interested...see this site. Starts next week July 9th. Come on...you know you want to :)

http://www.academyofburlesque.com/curriculum.html

You are all welcome!!!!

Yikes!

Sorry I've been AWOL... Not much progress going on for me. I've got 6 weeks till the triathlon and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it this year. I'm finding it hard to set aside "me" time to workout. At the end of the day, I'm just so tired. I am working out, but not enough and not often enough. I've got to get my butt in gear if I'm going to make Danskins this year. Otherwise, I'm going to defer to next year.

*crickets chirping*

Hello!..Hello!...Hello!...Hello!...

Anyone out there?

Burlesque Anyone???

Hello All. I am excited to say I have taken my working out to a new level...yay! Evan and I have been biking 10 miles everyday after work. It's been great. I hope to up that mileage in another week, but for now I'm good. On another note- I have signed up to take a Burlesque class on Capitol Hill starting in July for 8 weeks...working out and learning Burlesque all in one! The class is called the "Bump & Grind" and I'd love for all of you to join in the fun. Visit this site: http://www.academyofburlesque.com/curriculum.html for more information. Eeeeeek...I'm excited. Please- if you are interested- sign up...we can bump and grind our way into shape!

Wow, been awhile.

Hello all!

Sorry for my delay in posting!

I haven't been great about doing anything health related recently, just so you know. :) I got back from Mexico with a terrible sunburn and some sort of tummy quirk that has lasted until just recently so I haven't been working out. At all. Except for my normal crazy wedding day running and crawling and jumping around at our fellow blogger Rachel's wedding last weekend .

To more complicate things, my doctor has decided to take me off birth control (which I've been on for 12 years) for medical reasons so I'm sort of a crazy person right now. BUT my (surrogate) big bro, Geoff, just asked me to be a groomsmaid at his wedding in August so now I have 2 weddings I need to skinny it up for.

Luckily, throughout all my travel and poor habits over the past month I've managed to keep my weight at about 142lbs. That's still 15lbs off goal, but steady. I hope that everyone is fairing as well, if not better, than I. Have a happy week and I hope to hear from the rest of y'all soon!

Ames

weekend

What a beautiful weekend! Evan and I rode our bikes around Lake Union and walked up to Capitol Hill...I'm sunburned but feel great about all the exercise I got. Holding steady on my weight...hoping to shrink a bit more, and that's likely to happen as I tend to eat better in hot weather. Hope all is well with everyone!

¡Hola! ¿Cómo son mis perdedores pequeños?

I am finally back from my trip to Mexico, a little exhausted and a little burnt. :) As good as the food was (and it WAS AWESOME!) I didn't eat much while there. Just too busy I guess. Lotta good that did me as I haven't lost a pound since I left. No worries though since I haven't gained either. :) Our short term goal seems to coming up on us quicker than I expected, but isn't that always the way? I hope you're all doing well on your goals and I look forward to hearing from you all soon...Angela & Jennie this means you.

Let's all wish Rachel a speedy recovery too since she's down for the count with a nasty bug right now!!

Keep it up my little losers! :)

Ames

Hi all- hope you are well and enjoying the weather! So I've decided to stop weighing myself and to start weighing my super cute new dog. She weighs 3 lbs. She is super cute and bounces around and gives puppy kisses. I've decided that is way more fun than me bouncing around my scale at 165 - 170 lbs. :) Cheers, Liz

I'm back!...sort of.

Hello all! I hope that you're all doing well with your goals and whatever eating restrictions you may be going through! :) I've been doing alright and am hoping to be under 139lbs when I get on the plane for Mexico- 2.5 pounds to go! C'mon! My cough is still active but waning so hopefully I'll be fine once the plane takes off. And Liddy, I attempted to get anti-virals from my doc, but she said I didn't need them. Oh well, guess I'll just be washing my hands a ton. I also hope that you are all having a better electronics day than I- my work computer has had an IT guy attached to it all day and my iphone (Bryan) died today. Off the Genius Bar after work to pray for forgiveness from the Apple Gods. :) Happy Monday!!!

A note to our club sickies.... get better soon. :)
A note about Mexico.... I'm jealous- you're going to have a great time. You might consider gettin on an anti-biotic for your cough before you depart- you'll be more susceptable to viruses down there because your immune system is already down- just a thought.
A note about me- I'm back up to 166lbs. Curses!
A note about exercise- I did 8 hours of yard work this weekend and that's it. I've done no other exercise......
A note to self- get butt back to gym. :)

*clearing throat* I'm still alive...! *cough*

Sorry for the delay in posting. I'm still fighting this damn respiratory thing and frankly, it's getting really old. Don't worry, no H1N1 Virus here, I was sick before this whole fiasco went down. I leave for Mexico in 11 days to shoot a fabulous couple's wedding and Swine Flu be damned! I'm going to have an awesome time. So, my very short term goal right now is to be under 140lbs at my time of departure. I've been pretty good about keeping within my points range, and even without the workout, I was down to 143 as of last Friday. That gives me 11 days to lose 4 pounds. I can do it. I must.

One more thing, I know that our dear friend Jennie happens to have a nasty case of Strep throat right now, so let's wish her all a speedy recovery!!!! I hope that everyone else is keeping in tune with their goals as well!

I'm down to 163 lbs. as of last night. I'm so excited! I think all my swimming and starving is starting to pay off! :) Hope everyone else is doing well- no one is allowed to get swine flu!

swimming!

Hi, I went swimming again last night....... so I saw that skinny bitch book at B & N. Is it really that good? Should I buy it?
Cheers, Liz

Wannnabe Skinny Bitch

....So I read the book..... LOVED it! Unfortunately, my love for dairy got the best of me, so I only went a day without dairy. I tried. Luckily, I love natural sweeteners anyways. I have yet to try Stevia, but have heard great thing about it. I try not to consume too many "unnatural" and artificial sweeteners, and only consume 100% juice with no added sugar.

The weightloss has actually gone far better than I could imagine. Today I was 150, but it tends to fluctuate. I attribute my loss so far to eatting healthier and hitting the gym.

Oh, for all Skinny Bitch fans, the Larabars are amazing. Full of fruit, nuts, fiber, and spices and they actually taste AMAZING. Don't load up on them though, they might plug you up a bit if you know what I mean....


Hope everyone is achieving their goals, whatever they are.

Be active, eat well, drink water, have a great week!!!

~Rachel

PS yes, I bike, anyone who wants to go with me, let me know!!!

yay skinny bitch

Hello Everyone,
I have to say I am such a believer in the Skinny Bitch diet. I've already dropped 5 lbs...and all I've done eliminated any sugar that is not natural. I seem to lose it in my belly last- which is where I want to lose it first, but my legs have slimmed down so I can't complain too much. My favorite go to snacks are Annie's Bunnies, Stretch Island Fruit Co anything, and granola. Mmmm...think I'll have some chocolate bunnies now. I am ordering a bike next week so if any of you are bikers let me know...and we can ride together :) That's it for me. Enjoy the rest of your week.

falling off the wagon

Hi all, I've been slacking.... I haven't weighed myself- I don't want to know- I've been eating healthier and smaller portions- but I don't think it has made so much difference. I really need to exercise more. I seem to go swimming once a week, but that isn't enough.... must go more....

Checkin' in with my girls.

Hi all,

I hope the weight loss, muscle gain, energy increase, healthier life style is going well for everyone.

I have had more successes than failures, and I think that that is good. I'm getting over being sick, hang in their, Aim! ...and the road getting back to the gym has been long and winding.

While I've been on the mend, I've read Skinny Bitch.... huge thanks to the ihearpoundcake friend who suggested it.... its got me rethinking everything, including an attempt to give up dairy..... mmmmm cheesey goodness. I figure, I've got nothing to loose except weight, so why not atleast TRY!

Those skinny bitches have some amazingly good points, along with a kick ass writing style that keeps you on your toes. If not for "diet" advice, just read it because its freakin' funny.

Hope everyone is having a great week.

Sick

No workout yesterday as I now have an icky cold...or allergies...or whatever. I've felt all bloaty and heavy since I've been sick and I'm not sure why. I've been drinking a ton of water and have been keeping an eye on my points, but wasn't great with my eating or exercise over the weekend- I think maybe that's coming back to haunt me this week. I'm looking forward to starting anew on my points Friday. :) Anyhow, does anyone know the rules on working out while sick? I normally don't do it because I'm afraid I'll push the gunk into my lungs, but I'd really like to keep my momentum up. Any advise is greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!!

Hello...

Hi all! Well yesterday I went walking around downtown Bellevue park. It was a beautiful Monday! I walked about 4 miles! Today I wanted to work out. But, I had some errands to run instead. It's too bad that running errands doesn't qualify as exercise! I went to Costco today and bought healthier snack items for me and the fam. For instance, if I carry a bag of snow peas with me when I go somewhere. I can snack on those rather than buy fastfood or whatever is convenient.

Last time I weighed myself, it was later in the day. I think I was full or something because the scale read 185.5. That's 5 lbs in 1 week! I'm going to re-weigh myself tomorrow and send out an update. I've put working out on my calendar. I put it on there everyday. So that I am reminded and have set time aside so that I don't schedule something there.

Hope everyone is doing well!

35 mins on the weird stair-steppy-gazelle thingie.

I am exhausted. But happy. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday!!

Mobile Blogging from here.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Strawberry Season is here!

Who doesn't love strawberries?!

They have always been my secret weapon for weight loss. Great for any time of day, they'll satisfy your hunger and keep you full longer. This is because they're secretly full of fiber!

Anyhow, the reason I'm blabbing on about these wonderful little berries is that they are on sale at Safeway right now- $2.99/2lbs or $4.99/4lbs!! FYI: That's half off normal prices, so let the indulging begin!

Ugh

As predicted, I only got to the gym ONCE last week, in comparison to 3-5 times, it made a huge difference.

Friday was my bachelorette party and I drank pure sugar and alcohol, and while it was a blast, I feel like I gained every pound back.

Thanks to the busy schedule of work work work last week, I have tonsilitis and am on antibiotics. Thankfully, my energy level has been decent, I just sound like crap. My appetite has decreased, which is good, but regardless of what I eat or drink, its like swallowing fire. I'm optimistic that day 2 on my Zithromax will bring less pain so I can tollerate a good workout. Sick or not, my ass needs to get to the gym.

Also, I've just started reading Skinny Bitch, thanks for the idea! If nothing else, its simply an entertaining and simple read!

Have a good Monday, everyone.

Gretchen's Secrets of Adulthood

One of the links on the right side of our blog is for The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. This is a fabulous site that I found not too long ago which I really recommend checking out, especially if you're having a crap day. I wanted to share the author's Secrets of Adulthood because I found them particularly wonderful. I've already posted them at my desk. Do yourself a favor and just take a minute to soak these up:

The days are long, but the years are short.
Someplace, keep an empty shelf.
Turning the computer on and off a few times often fixes a glitch.
It's okay to ask for help.
You can choose what you do; you can't choose what you LIKE to do.
Happiness doesn't always make you feel happy.
What you do EVERY DAY matters more than what you do ONCE IN A WHILE.
You don't have to be good at everything.
Soap and water removes most stains.
It's important to be nice to EVERYONE.
You know as much as most people.
Over-the-counter medicines are very effective.
Eat better, eat less, exercise more.
What's fun for other people may not be fun for you -- and vice versa.
People actually prefer that you buy wedding gifts off their registry.
Houseplants and photo albums are a lot of trouble.
If you're not failing, you're not trying hard enough.
No deposit, no return.

holler.

60 minutes on the treadmill today! Holler back yo.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

meet angela

Hello Everyone!
Thanks so much for including me in this. I'm Angela. I know Amy through AIS. I'm a photographer too...shoot fashion, weddings, anything people oriented. I'm getting married in September...Amy is my bridesmaid :) Yay! So, of course I am on a diet.
I've read Skinny Bitch, and followed it for 8 weeks and lost 25 lbs. It was awesome...but I fell off after Christmas and gained a whopping 15 lbs. back. Yuck. (I did still eat meat, just very limited) I recommend this diet very much and am back on it as of today.
I am 125 lbs and my goal is 115. My size ranges from 4-6 and I'd like to consistently be a 2 or 4. I am 5'2" and have a medium frame. My backside is curvy...to say the least. Last week I seriously set off the alarm in the elevator with my ass. Embarrassing! The elevator guy called to ask if I was okay which rubbed it in even more.
I'm happy to be with you and look forward to walking down the aisle at my new fabulous weight.

Off the Wagon and Back on the Horse!

Wait... that doesn't make any sense ...

At any rate, I am back in the game. For some reason the past two weeks have been crap for me. Bad food, no exercise, poor sleeping, and stress. Well my friends, today is a new day. I am renewed. Don't ask why because I don't know. I went to bed last night feeling completely crappy about myself and woke this morning with a renewed sense of purpose. Today is the day I start over. Today is the day I finally make it to the gym. Today is the day I count my WW points like a good girl. Today is the day I drink lots of water. Today is the day I make better choices and today is the day I go to bed on time. Thanks to Angela (who will be joining us today I think) my new holy grail of weight loss will be the ebay dress I'm bidding on to wear in her September wedding (cross you fingers that I win!).

This gorgeous dress is a size 6. I am not. Come September it WILL fit me and I WILL look sassy and completely fabulous.

Melissa's Update

I'm at 182 lbs. My number keeps rising. It always seems like life just gets in the way. I'm not going to get discouraged. I'm just going to keep on working on it. My problem isn't eating, it's finding the time to get adequate exercise in. With the triathlon coming up in August, I better get my butt moving if I want to finish in 2 1/2 hours!

I'm at 167lbs today

What do you mean I'm doing it wrong!??

I found this article on WeightWatchers and thought it might be interesting to everyone. It's a good reminder to stretch before and after your workouts. If you already stretch, yay, good for you! But, did you know that you might be doing it wrong?

Bad Stretch #1: The Plow

You stretch your back by lying on the floor with your feet in front of you. Then you pull your feet up and back behind your head, so your toes are touching the floor. The problem: "This stretch puts too much pressure on the upper spine and neck area, and puts you at great risk for muscle strain," says John Acquaviva, PhD, associate professor of physical education at Northern Virginia Community College. The alternative: Stretching your back is as easy as bending over. Stand up, bend forward at the waist — you should bend your knees — and hold onto your calves. Acquaviva adds, "Bending your knees is key, though; it takes the pressure off your hamstrings and puts the focus where it should be — on your lower back."

Bad Stretch #2: The Hurdler

You sit facing forward with both legs out in front of you. Then you bring one leg back behind you (bent at the knee) so that one heel is under your butt. Next, you lean back and feel the stretch in your quadriceps. The problem: "This can do serious damage to the knee," warns Acquaviva, "to the point where surgery is needed." The alternative: Try the standing quad stretch: Stand up straight, grab the top of your foot behind you, and gently pull your heel toward your butt. Keep your hips level, knees together and supporting leg slightly bent. Use a bar or the wall for balance, but don't lean forward. You can feel the stretch in your quads, without feeling pain in your knees.

Bad Stretch #3: The Old-Fashioned Windmill

Bending from the waist, you twist down, bringing your right hand to your left ankle, stretching your back and hamstrings. The problem: Too much rapid stress on your lower back. The alternative: Sit on the floor with your legs in a "V" in front of you. Turn to one leg and lean forward, keeping your back long and your shoulders square. Try to push your chest out beyond your toes. If it's too hard, bend your knee. "You get more out of this stretch," says Annemarie Miller, former group fitness training manager at New York Sports Clubs. "It stretches your lower back, hamstrings and inner thighs."

Bad Stretch #4: The Neck Roll

To loosen your neck muscles, you roll your head around in a circle.The problem: "You don't want to roll your head in a complete circle," says Miller. "It puts too much stress on your neck and your cervical vertebrae. You can damage your spinal column, and add tension and stress to that area." The alternative: Rolling your head left, forward and right is OK — just don't roll it back. But here's an even better solution: Sit up straight on the floor, look slightly up and raise your head up (not backwards). Feel yourself pulling up through your back and neck.

New Member!

I want you all to join me in welcoming the lovely Angela to our blog. For those of you who don't already know Angela, she is a good friend of mine from the Art Institute who is also getting married later this year. I'm sure Angela will be as much an inspiration to us as we'll be to her. Welcome, Ange!!!

Rock & Roll Marathon

Hi all, Amy- loved your comments, thanks! I weigh 166lbs as of this morning. From now one I'm weighing myself in the morning. It is just too depressing to do it at night! I also swam for 50 mins on Saturday and did house work for 8 hrs. on Sunday.

I have enrolled in the Seattle- Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon. I will be walking the event with my sister-in-law's sister. Any of you are welcome to join me on Sat. June 27th by registering at http://www.rnrseattle.com/register.html. There is also a Health & Fitness Expo that is part of it: Location: Qwest Event Center June 25 & 26, Thursday: 11 am – 6 pm, Friday: 10 am – 7 pm.
Cheers, Liz

Back to Business

After a weekend of candybars, jelly beans, taffy, chocolate, homemade scones, homemade jam, cheez-its, wine, mimosas, and beer... I'm back on track. I am sharing a pic of my lunch choices today because I am quite proud of myself. Yogurt, veggies, and a turkey sandwich (ignore the fact that it's on a croissant, please). I'm going to attempt to make it to the gym this afternoon, wish me luck. I'm already sleepy.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter, ladies!

I hope everyone is enjoying a day of indulgence!!!

...chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, deviled eggs, ham, jelly beans.....

Enjoy the day! We can all restart our healthier eatting habits tomorrow!!

I am a story teller.

Liddy, I loved your post and wanted to toss out my two cents on the matter.

First, I just want to point out what I think isn't fair. Free Candy. Lots of FREE frickin candy. This week at the hospital was "Admitting Appreciation Week". This translated into a personal VAT of candy given to all admitting staff. I have been able to save some for Greg who's back in candy-mode once Lent is up on Sunday, but I won't deny eating MORE than my fair share. At any rate, being part of Weight Watchers has showed me that what you do and eat this week won't come into play on the scale until a week or so from now. It's not instantaneous. Your workout this afternoon (or poundcake you ate last night) means nothing today. Your body is still thinking about the drinking you did last Friday and the 20 laps you were gonna do but didn't on Saturday morning.

More great things I've learned from joining Weight Watchers:

• I've learned to keep your sanity it's best to only weigh yourself once a week- at the same time of day because of the daily fluctuations Liz talked of.
• I've learned that lack of sleep promotes weight gain.
• I've learned not to eat two hours before bed time (but I do it anyhow).
• I've learned that when you first start getting in to an exercise routine it's common to gain a couple pounds because the muscle you're gaining weighs more that the fat you're losing.
• I've learned that working out too hard, too fast is quite bad for you.

But most important of all, when I get discouraged on the scale I remind myself that my number one priority is to be healthier and not to worry so much about what my idiot scale has to say. If I'm sleeping better, eating better, and exercising, the weight loss will follow.

sleep

It has got to be a mean trick that god plays on us.... observe... so sleeping the act of doing NOTHING burns calories.... we've heard this before but let's just do an experiment.... weigh yourself at night and then again in the morning everyday for a week or so.... i'm 169 lbs. and night and 167 lbs. in the morning. Here's another trick... you shrink during the day. In the morning I can see out of my rearview mirror. In the evening I have to readjust my mirror lower because I'm shorter. So basically you are taller and leaner in the morning. And shorter and heavier in the afternoon/evening. Unfortunately, you can't sleep forever. I just think this is kind of mean of god to do. Just when you think you lost 2 lbs and grew a 1/4 inch in turns out you didn't you just slept and you'll gain it all back again by the end of the day. This seems unfair.

Blah, the week just started

Well, ladies,

I hope everyone is having some kind of success in their quest to get healthier, weather its weight loss, healthy eatting, exercise, a new goal or accomplishment!

The week has gone well for the most part. I'm happy to report that the number on the scale has remained the same. I've been a "good girl" about the gym all week, even with having Landon for 2 days.

Can you believe that I SCHEDULE my shifts around when I can gym? I hardly know myself! Today, I took off from the gym, which I immediately regret. I'm feeling sluggish, dehydrated, irritable, just flat out PMSy and its no where near the blessed time. I'm finding, which amazes me, that when I don't gym or exercise in some way, I'm such a tried, grouchy person. I actually enjoy sacrificing sleep for sweat. I'll hit the gym in the morning, and I can't wait!

In the coming weeks, my goals are to eat healthier and not give into the numerous chocolate easter bunnies that are begging me to bite the ears off. I hope to continue to see the numbers on the scale remain the same if not get smaller. Workout wise, I hope to challenge myself to endure more cardio, even if its only for an extra minute or two, and I also hope to lift heavier weights to get more toned.

Have a great Friday and a fantastic weekend, ladies!

Rough Week

Well... This week has been lets say... Interesting. The kids are on spring break this week, so no time for the gym :/

Last week the weather really pissed me off. By Friday I was so depressed I think that I have S.A.D. I begged Devon to let us go to Hawaii this week. I just couldn't stand it anymore. I felt cold down to my bones. Ugh! Thankfully a couple of days of sunshine were on their way!

Monday was great because it was a beautiful day. We were active all day. Tuesday was good until Nicole (the 6 yr old) came down with the flu. We were supposed to go to Northwest Trek on Wednesday and hop around the San Juans today. Both could've helped me get some physical exercise in. Sadly, most of my time has been spent indoors and on my butt. I've had a sudden craving for sweets too :( Tomorrow, we are supposed to go to Sunriver if Nicole feels better. I think we'll be able to go. I'm really excited. We are bringing our bikes. Going sledding. Getting away from home even if it's not Hawaii.

This coming week I have to stop making excuses and get my butt out there. I don't have to workout in the gym. I can workout at home. Hopefully all the rain next week won't get me down. This has been a long rough winter. Maybe this brown girl needs a light box!

By the way, I gained weight. I'm at 182 from 180.5.

Mz. Liz

Hi all,
I didn't get to weigh myself this morning, but I think I'm at 169ish. Oh joy, oh rapture.... I lost 4 lbs and then gained back 2 lbs. C'est la vie! I was good and went swimming last week and then did yardwork. But I've not done anything this week. Perhaps this weekend will be better. Jennie- I liked your post about not berating yourself for things you don't do and focusing on motivation and the good things you do do. I think it's a good attitude that we can all adopt.
Cheers, Liz

"Great Intentions"

this is my theme for this week, and quite possibly... my life. i always start off with the best of intentions, i'm going to save money, i'm going to eat better, i'm going to exercise, give to charity, shop less and spend less, spend more time with family... and im even going to blog about my success... right? well as with all of my other great intentions in life, i find that the harsh realities of life get in the way, and prevent me from having this ideal existence that i so long for, a life without rules where i can do whatever my heart desires without outside opinions or expectations.....

okay maybe this is a little dramatic. lighten up jennie you might say. well i'm a dramatic person... in a play there must be some kind of conflict or tension-otherwise its just boring... well its true of real life as well.... if i had the time to do everything i wanted i would probably find myself so bored that i'd just sit there and not do any of it.... as long as i continue to struggle i find that in that push and pull, the juggling of everyday life, the highs and lows of every day--that is where we learn the most about ourselves.... that is where the ideal existence happens...

so i'm going to stop feeling guilty about what i can't do, what i don't have time for.. i'm going to give myself a break. i realize its the focus shifting is what motivates me.... ive made a decision about what i want and instead of getting mad that i can't do it all immedietely with instantaneous results, i'm going to be happy that the two days this week that i did work out was better than last week. small steps. next week, maybe i'll be able to work out three or four days...

so i'll keep looking to the future. keep learning about myself and the world. and continue to grow... you do the same.

until next time...

Does two count for none?

Shame on me.... I didn't set foot in the gym all weekend, and it wasn't bad! That being said, does the fact that I did two workout classes back to back rectify it? Not only was I late to the spin class because of traffic (the sun must have been in people's eyes...) but I had taken care of Landon all day, so while I was physically in class, I think I was mentally watching Bolt. I did 80% of class, followed immediately with my favorite class, Bodypump. By the end of the classes, I looked like I had a sunburn, my previously straight hair had transformed into half curly, half frizzball with some straight hair matted to my head via a hat.... an ill fitting one at that. And I had the urge to upchuck. Needless to say, the workout actually went well and I now feel great although physically fatigued.

Monday's done, the rest of the week should be cake... or shall I say water and veggies?

Tomorrow, Landon and I will swim, and by swim I mean he clings to me while I essentially walk around in the pool. After my day with him, I will do cardio if I haven't passed out on the floor before then.

Have a great week everyone. Stay true to your goals!

Hi all, Hope you had a great weekend. I didn't get to exercise this weekend but I did do yardwork for a solid 8 hours on Sunday. So I hope that counts for something! Cheers, Liz

Good Morning!

Was everyone able to get out and enjoy the fabulous weather this weekend? Although I kept my butt on the couch editing photos yesterday, I did get out on Saturday for a nice stroll around Fremont, Ballard, and West Seattle. My fellow photo friend, Evan, and I braved the gorgeous weather to do a little location scouting. It was great to get walking. It's amazing how exhausting is can be- in a good way. And for me it's so much more fun with a camera in tow. Here are some images from our little outing...

A little late....

START STUFF:

i know i' m a little late on this, but better late than never, right???

Start info-- weight: 178 (kill me now)
goals: EXERCISE regularly! This is my biggest challenge..... of course i do need to eat better, but normally i'm not horrible at eating junk... my biggest downfall is the exercise. And yet...even though i know this, it sometimes is impossible to find the motivation and therefore the time to make it happen.... i'm hoping i can reactivate my brain and get into an actual pattern of working out instead of the ocassional workout...

About me: I work at the hospital with Amy and i'm also an actress, i graduated from CWU in 2007 with a BA in Theatre Performance..... even more of a reason to get into shape, my freakin career is soo dependent on it!! That said, i'm really excited about this team effort, and i hope to meet everyone soon.... i'm really bad at posting everyday, believe me its not from lack of things to say... i'm just REALLY good at procrastinating in just about every aspect of my life. but hey, at least i'm having fun! :-)

mzliz went swimming!

Hi all, I just went swimming. I did laps for 40 mins. and I did a water aerobics class for 50 mins. Now I'm giving myself a much deserved pedicure! Hope you are all doing well.

Homemade granola bars!

Who wants "storebought" granola bars when you can make your own with whatever healthy goodies you want??? And the nice thing is, quick prep time and NO BAKE~

Here's a recipe I found from rachaelraymag.com


4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 cups granola, such as Back to Nature brand
1 cup rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup thin pretzel sticks
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


1. In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the honey and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

2. Add the granola, rice cereal, raisins and pretzels to the saucepan and fold the ingredients to evenly coat with the sauce. Transfer the granola mixture to a 9-by-13-inch ungreased baking pan and press firmly to evenly fill. Gently press the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola. Let the granola mixture set in the refrigerator until firm, about 15 minutes, then cut into 2 1/4-by 3-inch bars.

Following Ames, check these out.

I have to commend Weight Watchers on creating some yummy treats that are actually good!

Check out these ice cream cups, they are 2 points (if you follow the rules) and just the right portion size!

http://www.weightwatchers.com/shop/categoryshowcase.aspx?pageid=1056621&navid=moreww

The Smart One's deserts are darn good too.

For someone who loves comfort foods like I do, the weight watchers mac n' cheese hits the spot. You'd never know that it was 2 grams of fat!

If you aren't "into" the Weight Watchers Foods, I HIGHLY recomend Kashi frozen foods. They are yummy yummy yummy, and all natural and good sources of fiber and protein. My favorite is the lemon chicken.

Enjoy searching!

Mel's 1st day

Well... My first day was off to a rough start. Maybe it was the weather getting to me. I don't know. I ran out of time and didn't eat anything until about 12:30. I don't like when that happens because then I over eat and get a tummy ache. Which is what happened. Well, it could be that I mixed breakfast and lunch food items (mac n' cheese and a bowl of cereal). Most of the day was spent on my butt because alot of my work is from home. The good part of the day came at the end. Gabe (my 11 yr old) and I went to the gym around 7:30 pm. While he was shooting some hoops, I was up on the track and walked 2 1/2 miles. I could've gotten to 3 laps, but I wanted to get home to tuck the girls in.

Wednesdays meals: microwaveable mac n' cheese, bowl of coco puffs, chicken casserole and 2 small cinnamon rolls. I should probably disclose that I'm not really into limiting what I eat, but more about limiting how much I eat.

I'm probably not going to be able to workout at the gym today because of work and volunteering. Instead of going to the gym, I'll walk up and down my stairs for a few "laps" and jump rope.

Thursdays meals so far: bowl of Oh's cereal, cup of tea w/cream and sugar... Not sure what's for lunch. Most likely chili, cornbread and salad for dinner.

Off to a GREAT start...

Let's see... since weighing in yesterday, I've had two FABULOUS cupcakes, chicken strips, fries, beer, and to top it all off- a Rockstar for breakfast this morning. Winner. However, oddly enough, I don't really feel terrible about it. Although I probably should have stopped at the one cupcake, everything else was completely worth it. And being worth it is a very big part of the food-decision-making process for me.
I would also like to note that while I too danced with Liz at the Beyonce concert last night, I don't know for sure that seat-dancing counts as actual exercise. Nice try though, Liz. :)
Every little bit counts.

Mz. Liz Update

I love guilt free cookies! :) Thanks for the receipe Amy. Last night I had a salad and went dancing! I weighed in this morning at 167lbs..... let's see if that sticks or goes up again.....

Guilt-Free Choco-Chip Cookies

Here's a recipe from WeightWatchers. While I don't have the specific nutritional info, I can tell you that the points value is 1 point for 2 cookies. For those of you who've never done WW, that means low calories, high fiber. :)

2 tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup(s) packed brown sugar, dark-variety
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp table salt
1 large egg white(s)
3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 1/2 cup

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375ºF.

In a medium bowl, cream together butter, oil and sugar. Add vanilla, salt and egg white; mix thoroughly to combine.

In a small bowl, mix together flour and baking soda; stir into batter. Add chocolate chips to batter; stir to distribute evenly throughout.

Drop rounded half-teaspoons of dough onto one or two large nonstick baking sheets, leaving a small amount of space between each cookie. Bake cookies until golden around edges, about 4 to 6 minutes; cool on a wire rack. Yields 2 cookies per serving.

Amy- how do we invite our mascot?

Rachel's goals

April 1st: 154lbs

Goals: I'm getting married in two months and my main goal is to tone up and be wedding dress and bathing suit ready by June, as we get marreid May 31st and leave for our honeymoon to Costa Rica that night. My plan to continue getting healthier is to go to the gym 3-5 times a week whether it be for a group exercise class and or individual workouts including weights and cardio. I plan to eat healthy and know that indulgence is OK. I figure, if I can't have a cupcake once in a while, I'm going to eat an entire dozen, so what's one? A huge goal of mine is knowing that weight is simply a number and that numbers change. I will accept fluctuations in my weight and know that muscle is heavier than fat and if my weight increases for whatever reason, there's always another week that it can change.

Good luck everyone!

Mz. Liz

Weight: 171 lbs.
Goal: I want to lose 30 - 35 lbs., exercise more, eat better, sleep better, & drink more water.
About me: I am simply lazy and would rather read a book than work out. I like bacon and chocolate- but not together. I joined LA Fitness by my house, but never go. I hate running- it makes me hurt. I am frequently dehydrated- because I like tea, coffee, soda, and alcohol- but even if I cut out those things, I would still be dehydrated because I don't drink enough water. I have massive amounts of outdoor recreation gear that I rarely use because folks hardly ever have time to go do activities, or my work/family obligations get in the way. Basically I need an overhaul, but have no desire to change- because that takes effort and I'm already too freaking tired. Honestly, I think I'm a little depressed right now because of work/economy/debt. I'm going to try to buck up and get it together. I'm optomistic and hopeful that our new club will help me get inspired! :)

Melissa

Weight: 180.5 lbs

Goals: My goal for the next 3 months is to lose 10% to 20% of my current weight. And continue on till I reach 160 lbs.

About Me: In August I'll be participating in the Danskin triathlon. I did this to give myself a goal to work towards. I plan on working out during the week at my gym, go on long walks, not sit on my butt as much, ride my bike and swim. The triathlon is 1/2 mile swim, 13 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. Swimming is my weakest event, then running and biking is my strongest. Once the weather gets warmer (if ever) I'll be venturing out of the gym more. I'm definitely interested in group outings with all of you.

amy

Start Weight: 145lbs

Goals: More than anything I just want to be happier, have more energy, and sleep better. On the chub side, I'm hoping to lose 10% of my current weight.

About Me: I just joined 24hour fitness and I'm excited to get started working out. I'm doing WeightWatchers, but have been bad about sticking to it recently, so I'm going to do my best to get back on the wagon. I love taking my dog to the dogpark, so I'd like to make that more of a priority for both him and myself. I also love hiking (when it's not raining) so once it gets nicer I'd love to plan some day hikes with anyone who's interested.

WEIGH-IN DAY!!!

REMEMBER ALL, TODAY IS WEIGH-IN DAY!!!

AT SOME POINT TODAY, EVERYONE NEEDS TO:

-post your weight
-note some goals you're hoping to achieve in the next 3 months
-tell us a little about yourself

GOOD LUCK!!! And remember...we're all friends here. :)

Cupcake Whore

The one anti-diet thing I don't think I would ever go without. I love me some cupcake.

I'll be indulging on the way to the studio this afternoon. Been thinking about it all morning. Just try and stop me.

Or, text me if you need me to pick you up a dozen.

Hooray, I'm on the blog now. Thanks Ames!

I BELONG!

Yay! With Gold's charging $79.99 a month for just one location and limited weekend hours, I couldn't pass up joining 24HR Fitness for $33.00 a month for all locations 24 hours. This means I can go to Kirkland, Bellevue, and West Seattle. Awesome! Does anyone else belong? Wanna join?

Now, I just need to cancel my old gym membership that I never use...

Happy Monday!

Good morning all!

I just wanted to wish everyone a motivated and prosperous week!! Initial weigh-ins are Wednesday so we should probably talk about what our motivation is going to be for the next three months.

Do you guys want to all chip in for a prize or do we just want to be supportive up to the goal date and then all head out for manicures or something? Thoughts? I'm happy with either. Majority rules.

Stay positive!!

Hot Yoga, anyone?

I'm trying to think "outside the box" of fun ideas to get toned and in better shape....

Here's a fun one...

HOT (100 degrees, people!) YOGA!

Very challenging and yet relaxing, and reasonable rates for virgin yogis. :) Most classes are 60 or 90 minutes and most places offer 10 classes for $10!

There are studios all around the area, Kirkland and Issaquah are the ones I'm familiar with.

So grab your leotards and your spandex! (and a towel and a lot of water!)

http://www.hotyogaofkirkland.com/

Issues

Is anyone else having problems when trying to comment on other posts? Perhaps it's just my crappy work computer...?

OK i'm in....

So, this is the first time i've done a group goal thing like this... im really wanting to stay motivated!!

I'm planning on joining Seattle Fitness Club (just moved to new apt without a gym, boo) and i get a discount through my apartment complex.... next week! I just HATE the first initial time of going and feeling all awkward.... AGH! But-the time has come where i know i need to do this and be serious about it, i am SO SICK of feeling like a big blob. ewww.

ok... until next time ladies....happy FRIDAY!

-Jennie

Damn Blogger

I was going to just comment on Rachel's original post, but blogger is being crappy and not allowing me to. So, Rach, here's my response. Perhaps some of you can weigh in as well.

I really want to do Rachel's workout class, but Gold's is super expensive. $70 a month! That's crazy. I'll have to find a way to justify it. I mean, the 7 day pass is great, but I want to find something permanent. Once you join, can you go to other locations? Maybe they'll give me a registration discount because I'll be quitting another gym to join. (that's what allstar fitness offered.)

Pros: Rachel works out there so I could have a buddy and there's one right here by the hospital so I could go after work as well.

Cons: $70 a month!!!!!

The Drop a Jeans Size Diet

I found this through a friend from www.fitnessmagazine.com.

The neat thing is that this is REAL found that's healthy for us so hypothetically easy to incorporate (and inexpensive) to put into our every day on the go lives.

I really like the vanilla peach toast.

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/diets/the-drop-a-jeans-size-diet/

I'm super excited!!!

I'm so excited to do this! You know you are out of shape when you mention to friends and family that you are doing a triathlon and they laugh... It's all good though! It's just firing me up to lose weight! I work out at the Bellevue Athletic Club in Bellevue. However, I want to go for a few bike rides through the trails at Marymoore. Let me know if you are interested!

THE GIST.

We all have short and long term goals. I think it would be helpful for us to celebrate short, mid, and long term goals.

Here's my proposal-


Start (weigh-in): April 1st (how appropriate, April Fools!)
Short-Term goal: July 1st (think: shorts & tank tops...)
Mid-Term goal: October 1st (think: sexy halloween costumes...)
Long-Term goal: January 1st (think: OMG! my resolution is already done!)


This being said, I'm not sure how you'd like to proceed with prizes. I thought perhaps we could have a separate contest per goal. That way, everyone has a chance to come out on top. So you don't make the short-term goal? Get your money back when you win the mid-term goal!

I think we should all commit to $20 per person to be paid to the biggest % loser for each goal date. Also this way, if you're only in this for the 3 month goal, you're not committed for the 6 or 9 month. Does everyone agree with this?

Remember, the more ladies we get to join us before April 1st, the higher the pot!

Now let's hear your comments!!!

It's official!

So here we are.

All of you should now have permissions to post on this site. I'm not sure how it works since I created this blog under my account, but it seemed to work fine for Rachel, so I think we're good. Please let me know if you have any questions. I've added a few links that I personally enjoy, please feel free to add your own as well.

This blog will serve to keep in contact on our way to our goals. It is my hope that we will use this blog to coordinate walks around greenlake, share recipes, and bitch about sore muscles.

I will write a separate post now to go over the details...

WELCOME!!!!!

Killer work out class

Hi Gals.

Does anyone live in the Bothell/Woodinville area? I go to Gold's Gym in Kirkland and Woodinville and there's an AMAZING class called BodyPump that I've been doing for several years now. Its amazing! Anyone want to go sometime? (I think you can get free week passes online)