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!

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.

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.

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!

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.