Here is one of my very first videos here on the blog (with me in it LOL).  I made no edits (as you can tell with the scary face in the video) and it was taken by Kevin right after a hot sweaty spin session in our home gym today.  Boy do I look awful but hey I burned almost 800 calories so whatever!

I am going to try to make more videos but when it comes to techy stuff, I am horrible.  Please be patient with me!

This video was taken with my iPhone and I tried to upload it to You Tube but it didn’t work so after a few times, I left it for tonight and did it through the computer. So here you go!

Have you exercised every day in February so far?

 

I really didn’t want to disappoint anyone but I will not be having the Better Healthy Living challenge in November.  For now it will be a yearly challenge so it will be back bigger and better in June 2012.  BUT in the meantime, I have found other challenges that we can all participate in.  I truly feel I need to get back on track and the best way for me to do that is to do someone else’s challenge.  Out of the 4 below, I’ll be participating in two.

1) Pile on the Miles

November 1-24, 2011

2) Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge

November 19-January 6 2011

3) 30 Days of Yoga Challenge

November 1-30, 2011

4) John Stone’s 100 Challenge

November 1-30, 2011

The fitness challenges that I have decided to participate in are Pile on the Miles and Holiday Bootie Buster.  Sent my info in and I’m ready to go.

My Fitness Goals for November:

Strength training/core work 3x week

Exercise at least 5 days a week

I’m ready….

Will you join me in any of the challenges?

P.S. If you know of any other fitness challenges for November please feel free to leave a link in the comments and I will update the post.

 

Did you step out of your comfort zone and try a new workout? Make a new healthy recipe? Whatever it was, let us know about it.

The last weekly drawing will take place tomorrow (Wednesday) from all who check in to win another fun prize. I will calculate all the Facebook check in’s for June this Friday (July 1st) and will announce the grand prize winner(s) over the weekend.  Prize packages will go out next week!

You can read all the challenge rules in this post. Hope you enjoyed the challenge and that it helped you step out of your comfort zone.

This week, I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary as I’m still healing from back pain BUT I did help Kev and my stepson build a shed and carried over 100+ pieces of wood down the yard. Oh my it was hard work. I know between the two days over the weekend I burned 1000+++ calories.  I am really itching to get back to my normal workout routine.  It will be nice when the home gym garage space is done.

*Photo credit

 

Did you step out of your comfort zone and try a new workout? Make a new healthy recipe? Whatever it was, let us know about it.

Third drawing will take place tomorrow (Wednesday) from all who check in to win another fun prize.

You can read all the challenge rules in this post. Hope you’re enjoying the challenge.

This week, I’m sad to say that the back issue was not resolved so I didn’t participate once again.  Unless of course it counts that we bought 2 spin bikes and a treadmill and are starting to plan out the design of our new home gym garage space.  So excited!

I also had a box of goodies sent to me by Snackwell’s for review and they offered to also do a goodie box giveaway for one of the challenge participants.

The newest Snackwell’s treats are so good.  The Fudge & Rich Vanilla Creme Brownie Bites and the Fudge & White Fudge drizzled caramel popcorn packs are TASTY!  I like them because they are quick and a controlled portion.  The ingredients are not the best but once in a while, I think a special treat is just fine.  My favorite out of them all is the Fudge Brownie Bites. Thanks Snackwell’s for the sample boxes and prize donation. You rock!

*Photo credit

 

Did you step out of your comfort zone and try a new workout? Make a new healthy recipe? Whatever it was, let us know about it.

I’ll do the second drawing tomorrow (Wednesday) from all who check in to win another prize.

You can read all the challenge rules in this post. Hope you’re enjoying the challenge.

This week, I didn’t do anything due to hurting my back.  I did sort of try a new food.  Trader Joe’s has packages of steamed lentils and they have been sitting in the fridge for a while. I finally opened them and ate a serving cold. They were delicious with a little hot sauce on them.  Ready to eat…my kind of food!  I have had lentil soup in the past but this was so much better.  I initially got them to make a lentil loaf so I still have to do that.

*Photo credit

 

Did you step out of your comfort zone and try a new workout?  Make a new healthy recipe? Whatever it was, let us know about it.

I’ll do a quick drawing tomorrow (Wednesday) from all who check in to win the first prize.

You can read all the challenge rules in this post.  I see a lot of chatter on the Facebook page, those ladies really want a chance to win the GRAND PRIZES.

Hope you’re having fun with the challenge and planning out what you’ll do the rest of June!

As for me, this week I tried a new DVD.  It’s called Yoga for Weight Loss. I only got through 20 minutes of it and boy oh boy was it a challenge to do some of the beginner poses. I definitely know I have a lot of work ahead. Yoga is HARD to do when you’re overweight. So far, the DVD is OK and I will go through it more before I ever step into a yoga class, that is for sure.

*Photo credit

 

Get Ready, Get Set, GO!

The 30 Days to Better Healthy Living challenge for June is pretty simple. Not a lot of rules but quite a few great prizes!  I have readers here who are just beginning and those who have been committed to living a healthy lifestyle for a long time .  So this month we are going to focus on something everyone can do and that is to try ONE new thing every week in June that will make a positive impact on your life.  For those who are more advanced, I want to see you really step out of your comfort zone.

Here are some examples of things you could do each week:

• Try one new workout (at home or the gym)
• Add one extra workout to your schedule
• Try one new food, recipe, fruit or vegetable
• Go one day without meat
• Sign up for an upcoming race & start training

Of course those are just some ideas of things you could do but you get the idea.  The goal of this challenge is to stretch yourself and do something out of the norm every week in June.  This challenge will also help you incorporate some additional healthy habits into your life.  And it will also help you stay accountable to others like many do on my Losing It and Loving It healthy weight loss and fitness Facebook page every day.

So let’s get our challenge on!

Challenge rules:

Every Tuesday in June, there will be a challenge post where you’ll need to comment here on the blog. Each Tuesday you MUST check in and let us know what one new thing you have done for the previous week (we are working on the honor system here but if you can post anything to show us what you accomplished that would be great like a picture, video, etc).

If you have a blog, you should post your challenge update there and then link to this post.

Then come by my blog on Tuesday’s to comment that you did (feel free to drop the link to your blog post in the comment section).  That way we can find new blogs to read and get to know one another.

Each week on Wednesday starting June 8th, I’ll choose one winner out of everyone who checked in the previous day to win a special goodie.

To sweeten the pot, everyone who checks in weekly on the blog AND also stays accountable with their workouts on my Facebook page EVERY DAY in June shows me they are committed and at the end of the challenge will be put into the drawing for a Polar heart rate monitor and Flowlink, a prize worth over $170!  There will also be a pair of ProSpeed Skechers running shoes up for grabs at the end as well.

*I don’t expect you to exercise every day but you do need to check in each day to be eligible to win the grand prize.

Companies sponsoring this challenge with prizes

Polar USA

Skechers

Bic Bands

Craving Secrets (Diana Walker)

Jessie Steele pot mitts for some fun in the kitchen!

Snackwell’s Gift Pack

Coni is donating the Rockin Body DVD workout

Losing It and Loving It (that’s me!)

If you would like to donate a prize please contact me.  I will update this post as prize donations come in.

*All prizes will be sent out the 1st week of July.

Hope you’ll join in on the fun!

P.S. Please share this challenge with  your friends and family.

*Photo credit

 

I’m accepting the FitBlogger Fitness challenge!

First of all, I am in the middle of the 48 Days to a Better Me so this is perfect timing.

My FitBlogger fitness challenge goal is not the same as my 48 Days challenge goals so I’ll have a couple things going at the same time.  For the FitBlogger challenge this month I want to challenge myself to do at least 150 crunches/sit ups/bicycles 3x A WEEK (and this is separate from any I do in my personal training sessions).  This is a bit of a stretch for me so that is why I’m choosing it.  I would really like to work on my core so I feel this is a good starting point.

**For those of you following, I wanted to let you know that I made a change and updated my goal.  I was not aware I could overwork my abs by doing 150 daily crunches so thanks to Suzanne’s tip, I have made the change.

Are you participating in the FitBlogger challenge?

Have a blog? Want to win a $100? Check out the Swanson Health Blog.

ends April 11th

 

Time to move on…..

The one thing I am excited about lately is getting into boxing.  I really enjoy it and am so excited to learn more about the new Biggest Loser trainer, Cara Castronuova.  I have been watching some videos on boxing and want to learn more.  I was researching more gyms in the area as we have not yet made a final decision and one really stood out although I would have to drive a ways to get there.  Gold’s Gym looks and sounds like the perfect fit for someone interested in boxing and has a ton of class options.  Decisions, decisions!

Anyway, last weeks workouts were definitely nothing to write home about but here they are anyway.  It’s all about staying accountable right?

Monday-

*Personal training
Time: 30 min.

Today was all boxing!

Tuesday- Zilch

Wednesday- Shoveled snow

Thursday- Day Off

Friday-

*Personal training
Time: 30 min.

Whole Body

Saturday-Sunday-No workouts

So far this week hasn’t fared much better.  BUT I AM getting excited because my friend’s Kelly and Tishia are doing a special 48 Days To a Better Me challenge.  There will be a daily podcast with fun interviews and guess who is going to be one of their guests?  Yep, me!  I’m sure this challenge is going to help me get back into the groove and hopefully inspire others to do the same.  I’m not quite sure what my goal(s) is going to be but you’ll read all about it here on the blog and hear about it on their podcast.  The podcast is not all about weight loss/fitness but will encompass a ton of things that might include business, family, parenting and other topics.  Hope you decide to take part in the challenge.  It will work for anyone!

You know, I’m so ready for Winter to be over and Spring to get here.  I need to get outside more often and I really look forward to going on more long walks with Kevin.  Maybe we’ll even be able to get bikes so we can ride outdoors too. And maybe a puppy or two? That would make me REALLY happy *wink*

Hope your week is off to a great start!  And since I’m a bit behind posting this and it’s Tasty Tuesday check out this recipe for breakfast quesadillas. Yum!

What do you think about joining me in the 48 Days to a Better Me challenge?

 

My friend Beth is having a 101 Days of Summer Challenge on her blog which will go from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You can read about it here and here.  Those were two posts she had about it and I believe she will have another to start the challenge.

I have taken the challenge! I’m calling it my 101 Days of Summer Healthy Lifestyle Challenge.  I have some major goals that I want to accomplish within the next year so this will be a great push.

To be part of the challenge we have to email Beth every Saturday, send a before picture and have a goal for each week, month and/or an end goal.  I’m not exactly sure what all of my goals are going to be but the initial ones will consist of the following

• At least 5 days a week of exercise
• Running at least 4x a week
• 100 stability ball crunches every day
• Must stretch after every run!

Will you join the challenge?

If so, please share some or all of your goals or if you have a blog post them on your blog and share the link.