MidWeek Update Reminder and Link To EBook Leap Day Giveway to Help in Your TRANSFORMATION!

It's Wednesday. By end of tomorrow, our midweek updates are due. Please include all the stuff you are supposed to. K?

And head to my blog to enter to win an ebook. I list several books that might help in this tough weight loss/fitness journey. The winner may choose one, whichever will help the most.

Okay, off we go...

Focusing on Exercise goals...even when it hurts...

So many of you have done wonderfully being consistent--whether it's calories or movement or support or your reading. Thanks!

This week, it's my reinvigorate myself and get over this ugly time-time. :D I keep the faith. NO QUITTING!

I made this video for THIS blog, for my challenge buds, but I posted it to my regular blog, too.

Happy new week.


Note: Only Bluezy did not link up. BLUEZY, CHECK IN PLEASE!!! And Bluezy's buddy, try to get in touch and get Bluezy back into things. If we can help, let us know, guys!

LINKY IS UP for update due by Sunday, February 26, midnight, Eastern Time

Note: I'm gonna start boycotting commenting on blogs with captchas. Nothing personal, please know that. I simply get beyond irritated when I have to try and enter the KGB level encryption codes sometimes. Geesh. So, sorry. If you retain the captcha, I'll likely not comment when I come to see how you're doing. K? K!

Okay, some of you ladies are NOT following the rules with updates. Please, please...include the stuff you need to include in this week's update. K?

 

Waist

Weight

Guiding Quotes

If you have or have not been reading your book/making progress on issues. Name your book as a refresher for us, if you like. Add quotes, if you want. Change books if you  need to.

How you did with goals (good, bad, in-between)

If you are having an issue you need help with, tips for, prayer, whatever.

Have you posted support on at least 3 blogs other than your buddy's? If not, why? And do so, please.

If you have not tried on your outfit at all yet since the start of the challenge, please do so now. Post pics, if possible. By now, you should have posted at least one pic of you and how you fit in your outfit (or if you don't fit at all, just say so. :) )

 

Okay, thanks to all for continuing to HANG IN and NOT QUIT. I'm really happy to have seen everyone check in last week in the MIDPOINT update. REALLY PROUD of y'all for not fading away and giving up.

Now, on we go. We're on the downhill side of the challenge....so no quitting..you're more than halfway through.

 

Be well this week...

1. Betty	2. Chinagirl	3. Casey
4. Eaba	5. Nanette	6. Debby
7. megan	8. Jordan	9. lv2
10. Jo @ A Well Kept Life	11. Mir aka Princess Dieter	12. Julie
13. Bethany	14. Karen Ogle	15. upinthecosmos
16. Jillian	17. Angela Pea

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Mid-Week Update Reminder

Your midweek update is due...no later than end of Thursday, please.

LINKY FOR 2/19/12 Update: this is the halfway point and it's time to try on the outfit. READ THIS CAREFULLY.

YOU NEED TO TRY ON YOUR OUTFIT FOR THIS UPDATE. POST A PIC, where possible.

NOTE: If you posted early and didn't add an outfit update/pic, then please revise your post to include it.

 

Please make sure you also add your:

 

1. weight

2. waist measure

3. hit or miss with goals

4. guiding quote(s)

5. any issues you have or need support with

 

THIS IS THE HALFWAY POINT in the challenge. SEVEN WEEKS DOWN, SEVEN WEEKS TO GO!

 

If your outift fits great, please get a new motivating item that is smaller in size. Right? Got it? GOOD!

 

Anyone who does not update by this midway point will be considered out of the challenge. This is an important update. Do not miss it. Do not be late.  If you have computer issues, use your phone or a relative's puter and email your buddy to update FOR YOU. This is easy to do. They can add a post to THEIR blog and linky up for you. Or some other agreed upon method. Just make sure you work that out. Together. On your own. I won't be around to clear up these issues. Work it out! (It's my birthday weekend, and I am not going to be home much to mind the shop.)

Okay?

 

On we go...

1. Betty	2. Nanette	3. Casey
4. Julie	5. Chinagirl	6. Mir aka Princess Dieter
7. Eaba	8. upinthecosmos	9. Jordan
10. Karen Ogle	11. Jo @ A Well Kept Life	12. Bethany
13. Megan	14. lv2	15. Jillian
16. Bluezy	17. Debby	18. Angela Pea

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

If your outfit doesn't fit at all yet, it's fine to note this in your post and not have to offer a pic. It's a holiday weekend (and my birthday is Monday, President'sDay), so I am giving a little leeway. I've allowed a few extra hours to update. HOWEVER, I do encourage you update early and not miss the deadline.

Midweek Update Reminder

You know what to do. Get it done by end of Thursday. :D

PSA - Chocolate Heart Love

Disclaimer #1: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or fitness guru. I am sharing what I've learned through research and experience; you all must use your own judgment in deciding what is best for your and your own health, including checking with your doctor before beginning any exercise or dietary program.

In Honor of the Feastday of St. Valentine, the patron saint of Love and Happy Marriages

Chocolate is right up there on the top of my list of all time greatest inventions. All praise and glory to whoever it was that figured out those little cacao beans could be fermented, dried, ground up and then made into edible bliss. But can we eat it as party of a healthy lifestyle? Can we have it without remorse or regret?

Can chocolate really be good for your health?

"Healthy chocolate sounds like a dream come true, but chocolate hasn't gained the status of health food quite yet. Still, chocolate's reputation is on the rise, as a growing number of studies suggest that it can be a heart-healthy choice.

Chocolate and its main ingredient, cocoa, appear to reduce risk factors for heart disease. Flavanols in cocoa beans have antioxidant effects that reduce cell damage implicated in heart disease. Flavanols — which are more prevalent in dark chocolate than in milk chocolate or white chocolate — also help lower blood pressure and improve vascular function. In addition, some research has linked chocolate consumption to reduced risks of diabetes, stroke and heart attack. One caveat: The evidence for the health benefits of chocolate comes mostly from short-term and uncontrolled studies. More research is needed.

In the meantime, if you want to add chocolate to your diet, do so in moderation. Why? Most commercial chocolate has ingredients that add fat, sugar and calories. And too much can contribute to weight gain, a risk factor for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

Choose dark chocolate with cocoa content of 65 percent or higher. Limit yourself to around 3 ounces (85 grams) a day, which is the amount some studies have shown to be helpful. Because this amount may provide up to 450 calories, you may want to cut calories in other areas or step up the exercise to compensate."

From Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

The Mayo Clinic Website

Yes, chocolate can be part of a healthy lifestyle, in moderation. Personally, I think life without it would be pretty grim.

Enjoy some chocolate. Keep the Faith.

LINKY IS UP, Deadline is Sunday, Feb 12.

LINKY FOR UPDATE DUE BY END OF SUNDAY, February 12, Eastern Time.

Weight, waist, weekly goal progress, comments about your book....get them in there. And if you want to take update pics with your outfit, do so. REMEMBER TO ADD YOUR GUIDING QUOTES!

 

Off we go...

1. Betty	2. Nanette	3. Karen Ogle
4. Megan	5. Bluezy	6. Debby
7. Jordan	8. Casey	9. lv2
10. Eaba	11. Jo @ A Well Kept Life	12. Mir aka Princess Dieter
13. Julie	14. Jillian	15. Angela Pea
16. Bethany	17. upinthecosmos	18. Chinagirl

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Midweek Update Reminder!

Due by Thursday's end. Get it done, ladies. :)

And thanks to everyone for adding a linky. FIVE weeks in and everyone is still hanging in, whether breezing or struggling, you did not give up...yet. SO DO NOT GIVE UP, K?

If you put placemarker posts, please add the info. Do not forget!

On we go...

LINKY FOR 5Th UPDATE Due February 5th, Midnight, Eastern is NOW UP!

LINKY FOR UPDATE DUE BY END OF SUNDAY, February 5th, Eastern Time.

Please don't miss the deadline. If you have missed it before, plan to update ON SATURDAY, to be safe.

 

Weight, waist size, and guiding quotes are required, and please discuss how you've done--well, middling, awful--with goals. If you haven't tried your E2E goal outfit yet, consider doing so and posting pic for motivation. If you fit in it ALREADY, get a new one that doesn't to keep you going.

Support your fellow challengers (3 comments on blogs a week minimum) and keep on top of your buddy.

I hope everyone is well. Let's keep our faith and hope and motivation up. NO QUITTING!

 

Later, be well...

1. lv2	2. Angela Pea	3. Nanette
4. Betty	5. Chinagirl	6. upinthecosmos
7. Megan	8. Debby	9. Jordan
10. Jo @ A Well Kept Life	11. Eaba Cave	12. Casey
13. Mir aka Princess Dieter	14. Julie	15. Karen Ogle
16. Jillian	17. Bethany	18. bluezy

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

PSA - STOP Procrastinating!

Disclaimer #1: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or fitness guru. I am sharing what I've learned through research and experience; you all must use your own judgment in deciding what is best for your and your own health, including checking with your doctor before beginning any exercise or dietary program.

Disclaimer #2: I am the Queen of Procrastination. I learned it from Mr. Pea. For example, the ring seal on the toilet in the kids' bathroom had cracked. Mr. Pea purchased the replacement part and then let it sit...FOR SEVEN YEARS! Yes. Seven years. I know, because after the first few months of reminding him, I found the part, wrote the date on the box and put it in the bathroom cabinet. Seven years of me cleaning up after a leaking toilet, pulling out that box out of the cabinet at every opportunity and showing it to Mr. Pea with the DATE on it. Seven years of tears, hissy fits and words over whether or not I should hire a plumber to come fix the danged toilet. Mr. Pea fixed the toilet over Thanksgiving Break last year. Total procrastination time? Seven years, six months and 21 days. It took Mr. Pea and The Architect a total of 37 minutes to fix it.

My own procrastination isn't quite as extreme as Mr. Pea's, however, I have two pairs of pants that need to be hemmed that have been draped over the sewing machine since before Christmas. I put off scheduling my annual checkup so much that it's now in April instead of my birthday month, September. I usually file my taxes on April 15, 11:55 pm. Thank goodness for electronic filing!

The point is, though, we can no longer procrastinate with our health. Time is NOT kind, and is not on our side. We have to do today, this minute, what needs to be done. That means putting down the fork, lacing up the shoes and getting outside for a walk. That means sweating in the gym, lifting weights or using cardio machines. That means making choices in every moment that will help us get to the healthy we want to be.

I spent my lunch hour swinging a kettle bell and doing pushups instead of going out for pizza with the rest of my team. What have you done today?

I'm going to hem those pants tonight.

Keep the Faith.