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The Sexy Seven! Ya'll it was so close but I ended up going with this team because of a few reasons:

1. Jill finishing that triathlon! That was a huge accomplishment and she worked her tri training and strength training the whole way.

2. Team members finding they lost enough inches to drop clothing sizes in just eight weeks.

3. Learnng new and healthy habits along the way.

There were many other reasons, but in the end this team was consistant, worked hard to meet their goals, and stayed on top of each other. Congrats ladies!

Today I also want to say thanks to all my teams for participating. You notice that with team support we had more finishers in a challenge than ever before, more pounds lost, a TON of inches lost, and people learned how to use the people here at PNP to lift them up when they needed it. I loved the challenge and I loved watching all you just melt away.

On a new and exciting note...this blog is moving what I hope is one last time. The new site is going to offer me more features in the future like video and podcasting. Please go here to view the new site postings and you will need to subscribe if you want to continue to receive the posts in your inbox. For now, old posts will remain here for you to enjoy. I will cross-post for a couple of weeks until everyone settles in over at the new blog site. This site will remain as the Phit-N-Phat hub for information, exercise schedules, members, and such.

Thanks everyone for a job well done!

Last but not least we have the Incinerators as the last spotlight in the Fast and Furious Challenge. This team composed of Kathleen, Lins, Britt, and Lucy. The girls worked hard and here are their general comments regarding the challenge.

BTW...I was going to announce our winner today, but I will do that tomorrow after notifying the team and collecting some additional information.

"I wanted to be 155lbs by my Baltimore trip. While that did not happen, I stayed moving and exercising and getting workouts in and overall that's helping me be a healthier person."

"I wanted to take a daily multivitamin which I now do almost every day. I still forget from time to time but it's part of my routine."

"I wanted to complete the c25k. Throughout this process I realized that it wasn't necessarily the thing for me and that's o.k. if I never run a 5k."

"Last WI I was at 164.2. My weight has fluctuated up and down because I continued to let the weekends be my downfall but this has helped me get to know you all better, push myself to do a few new exercise moves, work towards burning 500 cals per workout and really decide that my weight and pant size are not as important to me as how I look and how clean I eat."

"Overall I guess you could say that physically I didn't have any major milestones but mentally and foodwise I've learned alot about myself."

"But mostly what I am proud about is that I didn't run away. I didn't back down, I kept trying to bring it all back together."

Total inches 8.25

Total pounds 6.5

Sorry the blog went dark for a couple of days, but I was at Jen Hendershott's Phat Camp in Nashville with a slew of the girls from all over the WORLD!!! Yes, Cass came from Serbia to be a part of one wild, fat burning, emotional, and hoochie top filled weekend.

On with our results show from the Fast and Furious Challenge! We now have Dawn's Sexy Seven (one person had to drop out) and their AMAZING results for you. Let's give them a huge round of applause. Tomorrow we will conclude with our last team and who WON!

Jill's results:

• Finished my first ever SPRINT TRIATHLON!!!
• As always I feel like I'm doing better with food 'issues.' I do have slip ups but those are coming fewer and farther between AND much, much less SEVERE than what they were 7 months ago when I started with PnP.
• I feel like exercise is really starting to click. I don't think about it - I just do it (I think cute workout clothes helped HA!)
• Loss of 1 inch... but can I just say the fact that I lost .5 inches in my WAIST AND RIBCAGE is AMAZING!!!
• Scale down 3.4 pounds,  my body fat % went down 1.4%

Dawn's results:

• DRUM ROLL PLEASE....I am officially in the 140's and I weigh 149.4!!! Which means I lost FOUR POUNDS OF NASTY FAT! 
•  My main goal was to get into some size 8 clothes that I have at the top of my closet and I have!!  4 more pairs of pants fit me that didn't 8 weeks ago. 

 Les's results:

• My weight lost is 4.5 pounds and my inches lost is 5.25.
• I bought and WORE a size 18 this week, and I can't even begin to tell ya'll how exciting it is to be down out of the 20's in clothing.
• I've developed some great habits in the last 8 weeks. I've avoided MANY icky situations at work with awful food (can you say bake sale?) because I came prepared with my healthy snacks. A rice cake and PB is MUCH better than some d@mn cookies! I have had MAYBE 8 or 10 soda's in the last 8 weeks---that includes diet or NOT. I've gotten to the point where I drink water. If I want something sweet to drink, I carry Crystal Light and I like it better than soda! I was drinking 1-2 sodas (mostly diet) a day, but that's virtually gone! I have had a "real" soda with my MB on most weeks, but for the most part, Soda is a thing of my past! I think of healthier alternatives to foods. I encourage my friends and family to do the same. I don't rely on drive-thru fast food. My whole mentality has changed, because I've learned to be more picky on what I put into my body!
• I FINISHED the FNF, which is more than I can say for BTF. I didn't do every single workout, but looking back at the whole 8 weeks, I averaged 4 workouts a week throughout the challenge. That's absolutely EXCEPTIONAL for someone like me, who would much rather be a sloth....LOL! I'm still working on the habit of exercise, but this challenge and being accountable to ya'll has really helped me get closer to that. As far as eating, I struggled at times, but I DID make the effort to eat better, do what's GOOD and not what's convenient. I planned, and my intentions were always there, just like my cooler. :0) And at the end of this challenge, I'm still posting here, and I feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger in mind and body every single day.

Caroline's results:

• I am down a total of 3.55" and down 5 lbs! I had the biggest loss in my abdomen where I am down 1 inch, and .75" in my bust.

Jess's results:

• I lost about 2lbs on this journey.  Sure, that wasn't much, and I didn't make my being in the 140's goal, but I did accomplish other things so I'm not sweating it.  
• I'm now wearing a SIZE 4!  
• During the challenge I tried HIIT for the first time.  I think it really does drop the fat, therefore it will probably always be a staple in my routine.  
• My arms are looking HOT!.  I made it a challenge to do some ab work and push ups on top of the workouts each day.  I did 50 pushups and 100 various ab stuff at least 4 days a week, sometimes 5.  My abs are looking better and my arms have really shown some definition that I didn't have before.  
• During this challenge I ran another 1/2 marathon, beating my best time.  We ran the 1/2 in 2:12:00.  My best time was 2:20 I believe, so I shaved off about 8 minutes.  
• Last, but certainly not least, my hubby has been inspired by my achievements.  (It only took a year, but he finally jumped on the PNP bandwagon).  My husband is doing so good.  This will begin his 4th week on workouts, protein shakes, and HIIT.  Remember I told you that he didn't care for HIIT, well, that changed.  He is doing about 3-4 HIIT routines a week, on top of 2-3 days lifting, and also 2 days of full court basketball at 1-2 hours each.  You guys, I am so impressed with his work.  We haven't measured, or taken any updated photos yet.  We want to give it a full 4 weeks before doing so, but I can already tell he is made great improvements.  His stomach looks leaner, his abs are starting to show some and his arms are getting ripped!  In fact, he has made several comments this week, that he really wants to get RIPPED!  I am just so excited for him. 

Julie's results:

• I lost 5 pounds.
• I lost 1 inch in my ribcage, 1 inch in each thigh, and 1/2 inch in my hips. I gained 1/2 inch in my tricips, which I think is actually a good thing.
• I am NOT there yet, but I am proud to say I am not totally embarassed of my arms and stomach anymore. YES, they are still my problem areas, but I tried on a swimsuit this weekend, and I felt good...weird huh?
• I started out lifting only 5 pound weights and ended lifting 8's or 10's for most exercises. I am a woman, hear me ROAR! haha
• The things I am most proud of is that me and Jessica didn't miss 1 FNF ST workout! We did 3 a week and never gave up or cut it short even when we hated it at times. I feel like I finished it and gave it 100%. That makes me proud.

It's a well known fact that women do better losing weight and getting fit when they have community support. Some people join places like Weight Watchers, Phit-N-Phat, etc. and find that having like minded women around them shooting for similar goals and facing common struggles helps them fight the battle of the bulge.

From my own experience, having a training partner has made all the difference in my fitness goals. In the early days, I struck out on my own until my friend decided to join the same gym. Once she did, I had a partner to take some classes with and get comfortable with my schedule. Sometimes I showed up just because I didn't want to let her down. After awhile I wanted to learn more about the strength side and hired a trainer. That again provided accountablity and knowledge I wouldn't have gained studying on my own. Now, I'm training for a figure competition with the help of a trainer, a moderator's hubby (Bill), and my best-friend Lisa. If I had not met Lisa and started working out with someone a little fitter than me, I wouldn't be chasing this dream today.

If you are the type of person who does well with having others hold you accountable, really think about incorporating that key ingredient into your fitness picture. You never know when it might be the magic element missing from your health picture. Speaking of community support, on with our results show for the Fast and Furious Challenge!

Here's the Sizzlers wrap-up of the past eight weeks. This team learned so much and made some awesome strides in just eight short weeks. Again, I am awed at the life lessons these girls learned more than the stats. Don't get me wrong, the stats are GOOD but if they can't take it with them then I haven't done my job. Great work ladies and I can't wait to see what the Rammin' and Freakin' Challenge does for each of you!

FNF Sizzlers Wrap-Up

Finishing Team Members:  Mona, Monica, Missy, Joni, Amy C and Mary

Team Accomplishments

1. In 8 weeks those of us with HRMs and regularly reporting our workouts burned a total of 79,739 calories!  Talk about sizzlin' away the calories!!
2. Our team was very accountable to one another - with eating, workouts and just keeping up with each other's lives and cheering everyone on.  We had a total of 351 posts, more than any other team.
3. Lost 25.7 pounds!!!
4. Lost 40.5''!!!
5. In general this team really connected.  We found accountability buddies and made friends along the way.  Even as we start up a new team challenge and are on separate teams we continue to cheer one another along.

Individual Accomplishments

Amy C

• Lost 5.4 pounds
• Lost 6.75''
• I made it into those size 12 jeans!!
• Continued progress at making PNP my lifestyle! 
• I would also consider surviving those circuits a pretty bigaccomplishment!

Mona

• Lost 3.6 pounds
• Lost 6.75''
• My goal was to really turn up the cardio so I could torch my jelly belly! I lost 2 inches in my abdomen and 1 1/2 inches in my hips! 
• I learned that I can follow an eating plan and NEVER feel deprived! 
• My biggest revelation was something I said to get out of eating something that was not on MY plan..."Food is meant to sustain me not entertain me!" It does not matter how good something tastes but how good it is for my body! I am very proud of myself for sticking with it!
• The same mindedness of the team challenge was so great! We all have goals and desires for what we really want. Encouragement and support was a huge factor on those days you felt like you just didn't have it!  I LOVE MY TEAM!!!!!! 

Missy

• Lost 5 pounds
• Lost 8.5''
• Girls on my team were the absolute best and our team leader was truly inspirational.
• I have learned that I can live clean and be a workout junkie.
• My teammates worked out as hard (if not twice as hard) as I did and I was part of that and loved it. There were times I wanted to quit but then I would think of Mona, Monica, Amy, Mary, and all the rest of my team working hard. I just could not stop!

Monica

• Lost 6.7 pounds
• Lost 14.3''
• I loved the team part and felt like it kept me on track

Mary

• Lost 5 pounds
• Lost 4.25''
• My biggest accomplishment has been burning so many calories a week.  I'd watch my teammates scorch through calories and it would motivate me to go a little longer, work a little harder -- longer and harder than I thought I could do on my own.  
• I added in so many toe pushups to keep my body moving throughout workouts and that really scorches the cals plus now I can easily do 100 on my toes!  WOOT!!
• Staying committed to journaling and checking in with the team.  There were many times that I'd want to be lazy or eat something bad and I'd think about the Sizzlers and not wanting to let them down.  We all really came together and stayed on course and I'm proud of us for that. 
• Also, I got to know my teammates more than I would have if we weren't teamed up!!

At PNP we have eight week challenges where the girls get new workout schedules. This last challenge was the Fast and Furious Challenge. For the first time we divided into teams. Each team had a moderator as the leader and they were responsible for answering questions, motivating, and starting daily chat threads. The team members had to journal their journey, encourage their fellow PNP team members, and keep track of their own progress.

I'll be honest, I started the team format because it happened to fall right after Logan was diagnosed with Autism. I needed a way to get the girls doing some self-monitoring on this challenge as I settled into life. Holy Crap! It was the best idea I ever had even if it was born from being overwhelmed. We had more people finish a challenge than ever before, more success, SO MANY FRIENDSHIPS bloom, and just a whole new spirit of support blossom. We've always been a site where people feel more like they are at "home" than "online". This challenge just took the coziness to whole new level.

This week we're going to feature the wrap-ups of our teams. As they turn in reports I'll blog them. After all teams have a feature, I'll declare the winner.

You need to read the incredible things each person accomplished or learned through the challenge. It's refreshing to see people recognize things OTHER THAN just weight. These girls found things out about themselves that you just don't hear enough about anymore. Too many diets and such rely on just numbers. When will the "diet" world realize we have to learn about ourselves, how to live a lifestyle, and find a way to do this that makes us a better person...not just a thinner person? Don't get me wrong, I expect them working hard and eating right. But I also expect them learning how to exercise and why they need to eat right. It's not enough to just know what to do to fix things right now.

Our next challenge started TODAY and it's called Rammin' and Freakin' Jammin. We've got four options for this exercise schedule and teams are stoked, watching my new Youtube videos, and doing new cardio challenges, too. If you are a PNP girl, it's not too late to join. Get in this week!!! If you haven't joined PNP, NOW IS THE TIME because team challenges are where you learn a lot and get some detailed advice.

Now, Kickin' the Phat's Wrap Up!
 

8 weeks ago we couldn't say.....

• That 4 of us are packing for Phat Camp
• That 2 of us ran the Country Music ½ Marathon
• That we've lost 22 inches
• That we've lost 15.4 lbs

Individual Accomplishments
After the Phit-n-Phat "Fast-n-Furious" challenge I can say...

• That my body fat is now 20.7% (Trish)
• That I will LIVE in a 2-piece bathing suit this summer (Trish)
• That I can do pushups on my toes (Cara and Becca)
• That I will wear sleeveless shirts this summer( Cara)
• That I am wearing a smaller size (Cara, Becca and Angela)
• That I've had a lot of emotional growth -learning to be able to push myself in new areas (Becca)
• That I'm seeing my muscles starting to "pop" (Becca, Trish, Kate)
• That some shirts are fitting in large instead of x-large (Becca)
• That I went down a cup and size in my bra (from 40DD to 38D) (Becca)
• That I have more stamina and energy (Becca)
• That I am eating healthier and cleaner (Becca)
• That I have way more self confidence (Becca)
• That I journaled every day unless it was my MB day. (Angela)
• That I exercised at least 5x each week-very rarely did something interrupt my scheduled workouts. (Angela)
• That I consistently journaled to my team. (Angela, Paula)
• That I can work out even harder than I thought I could (Kate)
• That being on a team makes things a lot more fun! (Kate)
• That I've stopped blaming the environment I'm in for any of my choices (ie, I'm out for work so it's okay to eat a burrito is not the right attitude) (Kate)
• That I have proven to myself that, unlike every time I have dieted or exercised in the past, it's not temporary. I may have taken a mental break from diet and exercise during May, but I still had pretty good eating habits, and I have jumped right back in now that things have settled down in the rest of my life. That's quite different for me! So I think something is starting to really click in my subconscious, which is certainly an accomplishment, even if I wasn't on the program all the time. (Autumn)
• That I am getting better at weekly prep. (Paula)
• That I've worked pretty hard on ditching the "all or nothing" mentality. (Paula)

General Comments on the Challenge:

I was thinking about that this weekend when I was driving to see my mom (lots of time to think in the car!)-- I have exercised a lot in the past, but never consistently for more than 2-3 months.  This is really a lifestyle change and the support and motivation PNP has given me have been a huge part of that.  I got up early this weekend at my mom's house to do cardio-- and I hate getting up early!  But I knew I needed that workout in preparation for PC.

Going from fat to Phat can leave your body a little on the saggy side even when you work hard, lift like you mean it, and lose weight slowly. I don't care if you had a baby or were just fat most of your life like me, if you have loose skin it will drive you mentally bonkers.

The toughest part of looking at my body now is seeing the aftershocks of years of laziness, poor eating habits, and plain old not caring a toot about what I put in my mouth. I told someone in the gym locker room today, I have nothing to blame but my own not giving a hoot for this. My issues weren't psychological or anything. I simply chose to eat bad and get my exercise by walking to the fridge.

It doesn't hold me back from chasing my dreams. I workout as hard as anyone at the gym. This summer I'll do a figure competition. I know that overweight and tight skin won't allow me to be on stage in a bikini, but phit, healthy, with some loose skin is fine by me. 

I've been doing everything in my power to try and fix my skin up as much as possible. Today I thought I would share with you some tips I've learned because I didn't know this stuff until recently.

Jergen's Gradual Tan with Firmer
I'm using this twice daily. I don't know if it firms you up much but I have noticed that my skin has a beautiful glow and that things seem a tad tighter. Granted, I'm lifting, dieting, and doing cardio like a maniac, but I figure it can't hurt anything. I've tried a lot of the sunless tanners and Jergen's has the best after-workout smell (most of them stink it up after a good sweat) and it doesn't stain my clothes like a lot of the others do.

Exfoliate DAILY
I made a home brew of exfoliator that I love and makes my skin so soft! The lotion also goes on great and the stuff is cheap. Here's how I make it:

1. Keep an empty jug of your protein powder. Finally a good reason to use those beautiful red cans from Lean Dessert.
2. Step into the shower and pour in one bag of white sugar to the LD cannister.
3. Take a bottle of liquid Vitamin E oil and squirt it all in there.
4. Pour in 1 cup of Certified Fair Trade Almond Scented Pure Castille Soap.
5. Take hands and start grinding it around until it mixes up.

That's it. The sugar exfoliates you while the other stuff nourishes your skin and makes it soft. This also makes the sunless tanning lotion go on beautifully. I even use it on my face and my face has been just about blemish free lately from the exfoliating daily.

Drink A LOT of WATER
I drink 1-2 gallons a day spread throughout the day. Hydrated skin is pretty skin.

Take Vitamin E
I take one E a day with my breakfast.

Last, but not least, Preparation H BABY!
You read that one right. I buy the generic brand and about 2-3 tubes a week. Take the cream and rub it on the areas you have problems. Rub hard and good after the sunless tanner. It will help tighten the skin over time. I do it morning and night.

Now that you all think I'm crazy, these are my tips for trying to erase YEARS of silliness with my diet and exercise. I hope you find something that will help you, too.

As you all know, I'm training for a figure competition and I really haven't updated the whole PNP world lately as to what is going on with me. The girls get a blow-by-blow account in my journal but I thought I would blog tonight rather than just journal and whine about how tired I am to them. Now you can all hear my cry baby ways! Woot.

Today was not a great day. I'm not sure what is going on with me but this week I have been more miss than hit with the diet. I want this so bad but I have truly struggled to stay on plan. We cut my carbs (my request) this week and it has ruined me. I've done fine not having carbs; it's me wanting unlimited amounts of my all natural, no sugar peanut butter that is breaking me in two. Yesterday I snuck in some extra (it's on the menu but just enough to make me mad) and then today I just sat down with the jar and ate about six good tablespoons full. Ugh...it settled hard on my tummy especially when I did heavy back day and cardio.

Like a drunk doesn't keep booze in their house or work in a bar, I'm sending the PB to hubby's office tomorrow. Uhhh...this is jar three going there. I was supposed to have this PB for my splurge meal this week with some Mexican. Well, PB is out and now I'm down to a healthy Mexican splurge.

My lesson today was this: I have to want this even when the going gets tough. Just because I'm working harder than ever and willing to extend my second round of cardio, it doesn't excuse falling off my plan. It really doesn't because then the next time I want the PB I'll just try to erase the wrong. It's the habit that must be broken and not the deed. I guess through all this competition training I will truly see how tough I am.

So, what is my schedule like these days? 45 min. of fasted as hard as I can stand it cardio every day until the competition (Aug. 16) and that might be more towards the end. I typically do things like my "hood" workout that is now on Youtube or anything that makes me work my legs. Then later in the day, five days a week, I do 45-60 min. of strength training followed by another 30-45 minutes of cardio. All of my workouts are filled with lunging, squatting, climbing stairs, bleachers, sprints, and the like. I do things that work the gams since they are my weak area.

Diet, it's not fancy. Fish, tuna, chicken, flank steak, egg whites, brocolli, spinach, asparagus, grapefruit, almonds, cream of rice, sometimes sweet potatoes, and vinegar are about the extent of the food lists. I'm used to it but I still have my days as I discussed above.

I'm looking better than I probably ever have. This week I will take more pictures and post in the forums. I'm hoping to see good progress from the pictures of two weeks ago. I guess the fat girl in my head isn't really allowing me to see it since I'm still mad at myself over the peanut butter. But, as I tell the girls, move on. Can't do anything now but work harder and smarter.

Well, sleep is also important so I shall go get me some of it. As I told someone at the gym today, sleep is one of the few things in life that I feel IS NOT overrated. :)

I was at the pool the other day with my family - we joined a family-oriented club for the summer.  So there's lots of moms, dads and kids running around.

My son and I were sitting in the picnic area so he could have a sandwich. Yes, I am the unpopular mom who packs food for the kids rather than letting them go hog-wild at the snack bar.

While we were sitting there, these 2 ladies were eating fries, wings and mozzarella sticks from the snack bar.  One said to the other "I like your suit!"  The other said "yes, I got black because it's slimming."

Let me tell you ladies - there was no shade of black or any other color that was going to help with the "slimming" aspect.  What bugged me was that people would rather go out and buy "slimming" clothes, rather than eat right, exercise, etc.

By the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with black bathing suits.  I have one!!  But, when I looked around and saw all of these ladies wearing their black "slimming" suits, sitting on their butts and eating ice cream, it really got me going.

Interestingly, in my very unscientific poll, the moms who were active at the pool and looked to be in good shape were NOT wearing black.  They were wearing all sorts of nice colors and patterns.  And they looked great.  Any supermodels?  Nope.  But a lot of moms who looked like they worked hard to keep themselves in shape so they are healthy and fit for their families.

Those wearing black suits were - you guessed it - sitting.  Having people bring them food.  Not in the pool, not having fun.   It was depressing.

I asked Corinne if I could post this because I know a lot of you are worrying about bathing suit season.   Don't be.  If you are a PnP girl, you are already ahead of 90% of the population.  Be proud of how hard you work.  Remember that you look and feel better than you did last summer.  And it's only going to keep getting better. Get yourself a great looking suit and wear it with pride - you've earned it!

This month at Phit-n-Phat we're having a "Work Your Butt Off" Shock-n-Awe Cardio challenge to really spark up fat burning.  Just in time for swimsuits, black or any other color!

This past weekend, Phit-n-Phat member Jane competed in a 1/2 Ironman in Show Low, AZ.  It consisted of a 1.2 mile lake swim, a 56.8 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run.  This is the 2nd time Jane has competed in this race and, in her words, she wanted "revenge" on the course after struggling with it last year. 

Her time last year was 6:38.  Her time this year - including stops to help a fellow biker - was 6:10.  Amazing!

Jane is also the Phit-n-Phat Spotlight member of the month - read about her journey here.  Congratulations Jane - all of your hard work and perserverance is paying off.  You are truly an inspiration!

If that's not enough, we have a lot of other happenings this week at PnP:

• Happy Birthday Paula!
• Happy Birthday Lindsay!
• Happy Anniversary Jen!

Our new June "Work Your Butt Off" Shock-n-Awe challenge begins as well.  We've revised the WYBO book to make it even better and have a rockin' challenge to get that fat MELTING off!

Our Fast-and-Furious 8-week challenge finishes up this week and all our teams are racing to the finish line.  Who will the winners be????

And some self congratulations - I lost 5.75 inches of FAT last month!  My body fat dropped 1.5% as well!

June is going to be a great month a PnP!!!  Make sure YOU are a part of it! 

I had the funniest post today from one of my girls. She's always colorful but today it really struck me hilarious when I read it.

I forgot to mention when I was at Caleb's school I got several compliments-always appreciated. To one teacher, I said that I hadn't lost that much weight. She said it looked like it because my face was thinner. MY FACE?! How about my a**?! My face doesn't have to wear pants! You know, the first to go are your boobs and your face. I have both of those areas covered! Let's move the weight loss south of the belly button!

This was my response.

Now, if she had said, "Wow, your butt is hot! I've been looking at it for awhile and I can see a big difference," that would be flattering but a little creepy. How many women do you know that you compliment there butt looks so much better now?

I'm being silly but just trying to make you feel better too. Honey, if your face is slimming out other places are too. It's just easier to tell in the face because we all look at it constantly and there is so little to lose there. Just a touch of fat coming off the face looks dramatically different than some fat on rump.

The lesson here is that we all need to compliment people when they work hard, especially when trying to lose weight because it makes their day. Oh, and a lot of women don't care if you remark that their butt is getting smaller...even if it's creepy they will secretly love it.

 As we say at PNP...have a WEEKend and not a WEAKend.

Sometimes I crack up when reading our posts in the forums because the girls don't even know how far they have come unless I remind them. Today I want to talk about two interesting things I've noticed them chatting about and see if any of them recognize their own comments.

Sweet Potatoes and Peanut Butter in the Same Week?
We're in the third week of me posting a weekly diet on the site and it's going great. Week one was a little tough because they had to get used to a few things: eating 7-8 times a day, eating protein each and every meal, and going away from the processed safety net of whole wheat muffins, protein bars, etc. This menu was not torture mind you; they still got fruits, dairy, nuts, and stuff BUT it was a tad shocking for some.

After a week of my genius, many of them saw the scale inching down, the bloaty bellies going down, etc. Basically, they were eating fresher foods and less sodium so the body was giving them much love. Afterall, that's the best way to eat anyway.

This week the schedule is giving them a sweet potato at one meal and peanut butter (natural). Now, honestly, how many of you would be thrilled and excited to see a food schedule where the treats were this? Not many and THAT IS WHY I AM SO PROUD! What a change in attitude when your daily treat isn't some piece of junk in a box but healthy foods like sweet potatoes and peanut butter. Good girls!

Sounds Like Subway Is What You Call a Cheat?
This made me laugh hard because I realzied how far I have come in my own journey. Most people consider Subway such a superior choice of dining if you call eating at fast food a good meal plan. Now, Subway CLEARLY is a good choice for health"ier" foods out there but in MY world it would definitely be an emergency only place or a cheat night. That's Corinne's diet, though.

I pack and carry my foods just like a good bit of my clients do now a days. NONE OF US started this way. We're all former unhealthy people who have decided to live a long, PHAT life. That's why we prep and plan our day and that doesn't mean a daily trip to Subway.

Everyone has their level of healthy eating and what they want to commit to in this journey. I have plenty of people in the group that do enjoy Subway over their previous choices and I think it's great. The point I made today that I think is important for us all to remember is two years ago I ate at Subway regularly and lost weight just fine. Over time I've come to realize I don't need that food anymore and I'm willing to pack my foods and such when I'm not home. Doesn't mean I'm better now than then, just means I am willing to do it. Each person has to do what they are willing to do and I'm supportive of that as long as it's healthy and not crazy!

My Reflections
I'm so proud of these girls. What makes me the happiest about the PNP crew is that we aren't focused on success near as much as we OBSESS over the details of what to do. That's a hard habit to break. Sure people get frustrated and want to see the scale move every other day. We're normal! But, if you read through the boards (and I read almost every post you chatty bunch of women) you'll see we talk a lot more about what we are doing, thinking, and planning in regards to eating better and exercising harder. I honestly can't find another site where the spirit is more about how to live the lifestyle versus just living to get thin.

Ya'll make me proud of what I do for you everyday. Never in my life have I felt like I belonged or inspired and this place gives me both. Thanks and woot, woot...next week's menu has peanut butter! I'm lifting my tablespoon...cheers!

I was going to blog about vacation season but was so moved today by a few of the PNP'ers that I am writing about falling off the wagon and getting your butt back on it. When you land hard on your head sometimes it takes you a little bit to "come to" and realize there is a faint trail of dust in front of you where the weightloss wagon is just plugging along without you.

One of the toughest things about this journey is that there is just no end. I don't care who you are, when you are trying to lose weight you are kidding yourself if you think when you reach goa that it's all over. This is a lifelong journey. What you do on it is what you do when you reach your goal. You might be able to relax a little but you certainly can't go back to what landed you in fatland to begin with.

So, you are sittng on your cushy-tushy on the dirt road watching the wagon drive off without you. You decide to have a donut or two while sitting there because you know you need to carb up if you are going to catch the gang! LOL. As you eat those donuts you start thinking silly things like I need to get "motivated" to get back on. Uhhh...did I just hear us stalling our grand return to working hard to achieve our goals? Ya'll none of us need motivation to lose weight. We all have a darn good vision in our head of what we want to look and feel like. We all have clothes we want to wear, activities we want to enjoy, men we want to impress, vacations at the beach, and people we would like to "flaunt it" in front of....right? That's motivation. We got that.

What we don't have is a plan and habits that are ALWAYS with us. We all know to pack coolers, plan ahead, enjoy the party and not just the food, yada, yada, yada...what we forget about is that each time we slip up and don't recover we slowly turn into our old selves. First goes the journaling because we don't want to see in black and white what we are doing, Next, we skip meetings, weigh-ins, or checking on our communities/partners because they will tell us what we are doing or we feel we will let them down. Finally, we look up a week or so later, feel horrible, and then ponder where to start. You know where...the next meal. It's always the next meal. A bad breakfast doesn't excuse a bad dinner; a bad three days doesn't mean start over Monday (which is four days away); a bad week doesn't mean you are so far gone that you can't recover. It is never too late if you begin with the next meal.

The thing I want all of you to take away from this is that this is LIFETIME ladies. The wagon has a magical way of picking you up at a moments notice. When you reach up and holler it just appears with a helping hand. I promise you, the PNP wagon is only a little yelp for help away.

New Year's Resolution?

Why am I talking about a New Year's Resolution and its at the end of May?

Did you happen to make yourself a couple of New Year’s Resolution?

Well here in a few days, we will be ½ way through the year. Yes, six months goes by so fast.  It is a great time to “re-evaluate” our goals and what we need to change or what we can pat ourselves on the back for what we done.

Here's a common resolution: I want to lose # amount of weight?

But, it's pretty hard to make the scale obey when it comes to numbers.  Maybe it would help you to be able to achieve your goal by saying: I have the goal of being a healthier, happier person by eating healthy and exercising.

Goals don’t always need to be things that are hard to obtain or something to be achieved in a finite amount of time. Long term goals can be broken into small pieces that lead to the big picture of where we want to be.

You won't see a person who has been a couch potato their whole life says “I want to run a marathon” and get up off the couch that day and run a marathon. No, that person uses that ultimate goal ahead of them and train their body with exercise and nutrition to achieve their goal of running a marathon. They run 5k, 10k, ½ marathons and build up their endurance for the race.

So what does that mean for us? What is our ultimate goal? How can we break that down to be able to achieve that goal? Make a small list and post it everywhere; make a copy and put on your fridge, in your purse, on your computer screen, on your bathroom mirror. Why so many places? Constantly reminding ourselves of your goals that you have, when things are hard and its easy to forget.

And without a goal, I can guarantee you won't achieve it!!

Here is a list of my current goals:

• Workout 5 days a week, including 3 AM workouts (Fasted Cardio)
• Healthy Clean Eating
• Limit Carbs
• Eliminate diet soda
• Run a 5k in 2008

Do you notice something? Some of these goals may not be super-specific but these are things that I am working to include in my life and for me to continue to progress, I needed to make my goals where I knew that I could obtain them. Now all of these are becoming easier and easier because they are becoming a LIFESTYLE for me.

And, take credit for what you have accomplished this year. Whether it may be big or small, we need to take credit for what we have done!  

Here is a list of what I have accomplished so far in 2008 (it's good to toot your own horn!  Post your comments below with your own toots!!)

• I got into a pair of 10’s, I had been in some 14’s, 12’s but I can fit into 10’s (now, I want to lose a tad bit more before I strut my stuff in them)
• I lost an inch, almost two in my ribcage and almost a cup size in the bra fitting
• I eat fairly clean all the time and its second nature to me
• I was selected as a Phit-n-Phat Spotlight Member and became a moderator
• I am the official PnP cheerleader!
• I am going to Phat Camp in a few weeks
  

This is a great time for you to review your list of goals, including making a new list of goals to push yourself and feel GREAT doing it.

Maybe one of those goals would be becoming Phit-n-Phat. If it is, stop now, fill out the application. I can guarantee you will never walk away feeling unsatisfied. You will love it here!

I HAVE BEEN WITH PnP FOR ONE YEAR AND I HAVEN'T LOST ONE POUND!! 

Not exactly what you were expecting from a so-called successful PnP'er and a Moderator, huh?  But, it is true.  I weigh exactly the same as I did when I began my journey with Corinne on May 20, 2007.  Even though I have not lost pounds, I have lost lots of other things......about 10 or so inches to start with! I have lost a couple clothing sizes.  I have lost a squishy layer of fat on my belly. And my saggy booty is gone!!!  I'll take that over a couple of pounds any day!

That being said,  I have gained a few things with PnP, too....wonderful friends.  I feel like I have known some of these girls forever.  And ya'll, Corinne and I could talk all day long, but we have never met in person.  I have also gained so much strength and confidence.  I was the fat kid in school....chubby size 6X.  I know some of you remember that size, huh?  Size 6X doesn't have confidence.  The girl squatting herself silly has confidence, though!!  That is the girl I am now....I am strong and I know it!

That fat girl just isn't who I am anymore.  Sure Corinne has helped me reshape my body and clean up my eating, but she has helped me shed that fat girl.   That is the biggest thing I have lost......that nagging fat girl that likes to rear her ugly head when the going gets tough.  Now, I am not saying that fat girl doesn't try, but fat girl doesn't win anymore.

Scale stays the same, but I lose that fat girl????  I'll take it....gladly, gratefully, and thankfully.

It sure doesn't feel like it here in NJ, but summer is right around the corner with Memorial Day weekend upon us.

And with that thought - happy though it is for the kiddies - comes one of the most dreaded thoughts for many of us.....

BATHING SUITS!!!  YIKES!!!

But, at Phit-n-Phat, we've been preparing for this and we're ready, right girls?  In a couple weeks we'll wrap up the Fast and Furious challenge, which has seen a bunch of fat and inches melt off us.  And while we may not be 100% comfortable in those 2-piece suits, we are all in a lot better shape than we were LAST year!

And we'll be spending the rest of this week and next to get you ready to handle the summer events like BBQ's, pool parties and keggers () when it comes to eating.  And our June challenge will help you kick it ALL up a notch!

One of the big challenges faced by moms is that the kids will be out of school soon.  And this may end up changing your schedule hugely because now you have to figure out what to do with them PLUS fitting in your workouts. Here are some ideas to help with this:

• Cardio that involves walks in the neighborhood (Boot-Camp Style Power Walks are not only great exercise but fun for the kids, too!)
• Use that pool!!   If you'll be spending time poolside, you've got one of the best exercise machines at your disposal!!  We'll be posting some swim routines soon to help and swimming laps alone will get your heartrate up and help with toning.
• Check out your gym to see if they offer kids' programs.  My gym, for example, is expaning their "Kidz Fit" program and I'm hoping they will have a time that my DD can join.
• Enter a 5K (run or walk), take a hike, take a bike ride, play with the kids on the playground - remember, exercise doesn't have to be confined to an hour at the gym.  There are lots of outdoor activities this time of year that you can do with your family and get a workout in, too!
• Don't forget YOU time! With all the vacations, parties, etc. summer can be anything BUT relaxing.  And stress is one of the biggest obstacles in weight loss - coritsol, the hormone secreted when we are under stress, acts to increase blood sugar and blood pressure. 

Our goal at PnP is to make sure you're not only ready for summer, but that you enjoy it too!!  You've earned it!!

That's fat burning baby and we got more ladies tearing it up this week. Congrats to everyone who lost, first of all. This week we had...

Lucy has lost 12lbs to date!
Jane has lost her first 10lbs and gearing up for the Half-Ironman in two weeks!

Angela bought some junior sized jeans. Wow!
Becca got into 10's!
Jessica bought 4's!

Amy is in the 170's for the first time in...like forever! LOL!

April met Hillary Clinton at work!

Bill bought man panties for our competition that would embarass a french man!

Girls, if I missed you let me know! I'm having a hard time keeping up with how many successful girls we have!!! LOL. Now that's a GREAT problem to have. Woot woot PNP Girls!

A Personal Reflection...

I'm coming to a close of eight weeks of build phase competition training and preparing to start the epic part of the whole journey...the 12-week precomp training schedule. It's hard to believe that eight weeks has come and gone. Life has literally changed so much and I ain't just talking diet.

The week I started this journey, my son was diagnosed with autism. I knew in my mind he had it even though my heart didn't want to accept it. Secretly I told myself that he was misdiagnosed and then over the course of eight weeks I have learned more about him and me than I ever thought possible.

Logan is a fighter like Momma. He's strong willed and has a determination to succeed. Because of HIS fighting spirit to be outgoing, funny, willful, and thirsty for knowledge I quickly realized there isn't anything that child can't do without help from me and Chris.

The easy thing to do eight weeks ago would be to give up my dreams for the both of us...no stepping on stage for a figure competition and no stepping on stage for a college graduation. That's not who WE ARE, though. Logan has shown me through all HIS hard work the past eight weeks that he is training every bit as hard as I am...it's just his competition has a much longer prep phase.

I've also learned what IS important in life. It's not TV, sleeping in, eating what you want, or what others think about you or what you are doing. All that matters to me is what Logan's eyes, my eyes, and my husband's eyes all reflect back to me at the end of the day. I say that because one day I hope that Logan can read my eyes as well as I read his right now. That's probably Momma's #1 aspiration for him. I want unspoken connection between the BOTH of us. I want us each to know what the other is feeling and thinking. For now, I'll settle for knowing my baby even if he doesn't know me as well, YET.

I also have to be able to look at myself with pride knowing that I am still Corinne and not just Logan's mother or Chris' wife. My fitness is my own personal #1 priority and it's worth missing out on junk food and fast food, it's worth getting up at 4am to workout and get in my PNP time, and it's worth losing time with the TV, a book, or other things to have it.

My sweet husband. What can I say other than he's got a tough road. LOL. The queen ain't easy living with these days between 2+ hour workouts, low carbs, calorie restriction, lack of sleep, and then just all the other stuff going on. He's been great through it all and I hope my muscular body in August and possibly a long weekend just the two of us getting pampered or playing poker will make up for some of it. I love you baby, if you read this. :)

Anyway, we are all doing very well, working hard either in exercise or therapies, eating our "competition diets" (Logan is on GFCF), and working towards goals just like I figured we always would. We might be taking a new and bumpier road but the destination will be same.

OK ya'll. I did this one myself at 5am and it was a goodie. It also made the time pass. Right now I am in major work my booty and legs mode because I want them to look good on stage. Can I get a WOOT???

You can also easily modify this routine for other pieces of equipment by sprinting, spinning, or stairclimbing faster during the "run" portions for the TM. Enjoy and work those glutes Ms. Thang.

• 5 min. warm-up increasing from 3.6 MPH to 4.0 MPH (or your own base fast walk speed). I bump my speed by .1 each minute.
• Put your incline at 5% and run at 5.5 MPH for one minute and walking at 4.0 MPH for two minutes.
• At the 15 minute move your incline to 0% and run at 6.0 MPH for 1 minute and walk at 4.0 for 1 minute until you hit 30 minutes.
• Get off the TM.
• 1 min. of alternating front lunges.
• 1 min. standing glute lifts and really squeeze your butt cheeks.
• 1 min. alternating lunges to 10 and 2 o'clock.
• 1 min. standing glute lifts.
• 1 min. alternating lunges to the rear.
• 1 min. standing glute lifts.
• 1 min. wide leg squats.
• 1 min. standing glute lifts.
• 1 min. jump squats (pop squats) or regular squats if you can't jump.
• 1 min. legs together squats.

Cool down. On your squats only go to 90 degrees and no lower. Keep your tempo at 1 sec. up and 1 sec. down.

Enjoy your new rear view.

Yesterday we talked about how efficient circuit training is and I gave you a GREAT routine to use. Today I want to tell you about how to walk the dog.

How many of you drag your booty out of bed every morning and take the family pooch for the morning walk? Most of you probably casually walk Spot around, sip some coffee, and think about all the things you have to do for the day. You are totally missing out on a prime opportunity for REAL fat blasting cardio.

One, fasted cardio is a great way to tap further into fat stores when you are losing weight. Bodybuilders and figure competitors ALWAYS do their fasted cardio. Just check out Oxygen if you don't believe me. Those girls will hit the cardio every morning for a good 30-40 minutes to totally deplete the energy stores and allow their body to burn off a little bonus chub.

Two, you are up anyway so why not just knock out the cardio for the day? You can do your strength training later in the day! That walk doesn't have to be easy and your pup will enjoy the stimulus mommy brings to the usualy sniff around.

So, how do you turn walking the dog into a kick booty cardio session? It's easy and so early in the morning your neighbors will never see you doing the crazy antics.

Start with 2-3 minutes of your normal walk. Let the muscles get lubed up.

Minutes 3-6 either do a light jog, pick up the pace, or alternate out light jogging with walking every 30 seconds.

Now, let the dog do some business. Each time the dog stops to potty or check out the mailbox for closer inspection, you will do jumping jacks, alternating lunges, pop squats, imitation jump rope, or running toe taps on your curb. Just pick a new one each time the dog stops and do it until you are ready to walk/jog again.

This will give you some interval training, some booty sculpting, and a workout during the time you normally walk anyway. Why not kick it up a notch?

Your goal should be to finish in about 30 minutes and keep that heartrate up between 75-85%. Add a slight jog when needed. Don't be afraid to just jog or sprint for 10-20 seconds if that's all it takes. The key is to keep switching it all up without rhyme or reason and your body will keep on changing because it won't know what to expect.

For my really brave girls, add in push ups, dips on curbs, etc. What you can do inside you can almost always do outside. Now tell me you don't think differently about the next walk you and Fido take.

Circuit Training is hot right now. You can hardly go into my gym without seeing groups of people running around doing all sorts of weights without burpees, mountain climbers, or stair running thrown in to raise the heart rate. I have been training this way for well over a year now and when you are trying to shed fat it is a great tool.

There are lots of ways to do it: supersets of major exercises, lift - aerobic - switch, etc. The key with circuit training is to keep moving and keep the heart rate up.

Another benefit for most people is the excellent use of your time. Many of us can't spend up to two hours a day at the gym like I do. LOL. The joys of competition training...do they ever cease? But, just because your schedule only gives you 30, 45, or 60 minutes a day to workout doesn't mean you can't lose fat and look great!

Here is a routine you can do in the gym or at home. I've included a few variations so you can switch things up. The average person can do this routine two to three times a week every other day. On days you don't do the circuit, shoot to do 30-60 minutes of cardio training keeping your heartrate in the 75-85% range. Interval training would be best but a good powerwalk can also do the job. Tomorrow we will discuss "powerwalking" PNP style.

Because these exercises are done based on time versus reps, err on the side of light to no weight at first. As you do the routine, make notes of what you need to do the next time. If you can't finish the minute, simply stop, rest for a few seconds and start back up until the minute is done.

The Workout
In between your "strength" exercises you will do "cardio". Below is suggested options for Beginners and Intermediates and Beyond.

Beginners - Cardio Options: Every week you will do a new form of cardio. If you walk one week, the next week you should do high knee marches.
Walking in place
Low Step Ups on a step bench (just like step class - basic step)
Light jogging in place
Walking a flight of stairs
High Knee Marching

Intermediate and Beyond: Every week you will do a new form of cardio. If you walk one week, the next week you should do high knee marches.
Jumping Jacks
Running Stairs
High Step Ups
Jumping Rope
Walking Lunges
Walking Squats
Burpees
Mountain Climbers

Exercise
Walk (example)                Two minutes
DB Squats                       One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Stiff Legged Deadlifts      One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Wide Leg Squats             One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Incline DB Chest Press    One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Bentover DB Row            One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Tricep Dips                      One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Standing DB Curls           One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Shoulder Presses            One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Calf Raises                      One Minute
Walk                                Two minutes
Crunches on Stab Ball    One Minute

Substitutes for Each Group:
Legs: Leg Press Machine, Leg Extensions, Hamstring Curls, Alternating Lunges, Walking Lunges

Chest: Flat DB Press, Machine Chest Press, Barbell Chest Press (with spotter), DB Flye

Back: Seated Row, Deadlift, Lat Pulldown, T-bar Row, Barbell Bentover Row, Single Arm Rows

Triceps: OH Extensions, Skull Crushers, Kickbacks, Tricep Pushdowns (Cable Machine)

Biceps: Cable Curls, Hammer Curls, Curls with a Twist at Top, Barbell Curls

Shoulders: Arnold Presses, Lat Raises, Front Raises, Upright Rows, Machine Shoulder Presses, Alternating OH Presses

Calves: Seated Calf Raise Machines, Toes In or Out Calf Raises, Single Leg Cafl Raises

Abs: Bike Crunches, Reverse Crunches, Planks, Leg Lifts, Hanging Leg Raises

These are all exercises you can sub in and out and are easily found by searching Google or looking at bodybuilding.com.

I hope you enjoy this circuit. It's good to use for about eight weeks and then you would want to look into changing up your routine like my girls at PNP do every eight to twelve weeks. We design programs for them to use and help them with eating to totally rock those bodies and get some good fat blasting off!

We got some successes to report this week. Woot!

Les has officially dropped her first 10.5 pounds with us! Straight from her journal...

"This morning, I got on the scale and was PLEASED to see a 3 pound loss. YAY!  I had 2 ST workouts and 4 cardio workouts last week, and watched my portions like a hawk, and I saw a payoff! I got back on the scaled 3 more times as I got ready just to make sure that it still said that number.  Well, I moved the scale around the floor of the bathroom and stepped on it again and again to make sure.  Yes, I'm a freak.  I can't help it.  That's a number I have not seen in over 5 years.  AND, I have officially lost 10.5 pounds since joining PNP.  Yes, it's not that much, but you know, slow and steady wins the race."

I would say that 10.5 lbs is a lot and YOU ARE DOING US PROUD GIRL! It's hard to hang in there when things don't happen on YOUR time schedule. It's winners that keep their focus and do what they know is right even when the payoff comes in little increments. Congratulations!

Next, my girl Jane completed a sprint triathlon. She is currently training for a half-Ironman!

"I took 9th place overall woman (out of 232), 3rd in my age group and took 4 minutes off my previous best time at that race.  WOOT!!  And there was some definite wind involved, head wind both ways on the bike - so I was even more excited.  I think having 10 fewer pounds off my body, not to mention good fuel, and stronger muscles, all helped out a ton!  And God definitely gave some great strength as well - I can't overlook that major detail!"

Girls...if I missed anyone LET ME KNOW! I had a ton of emails to go through and grabbed these two to spotlight. Don't let me miss you!

This week I want to focus the blogs on cardio. In the forums we have challenges associated with fasted a.m. cardio, we're doing an eight week strength schedule that is designed to burn fat and save the muscle, and we are constantly trying new ways to amp up the calorie burn.

So, this week each blog will focus on a cardio routine or a way to get in more burn during your strength sessions. Watch for these routines anyone can use. Tomorrow we will talk about shaking up strength by doing circuits that sizzle. I will include a sample full body circuit you can do two to three times a week to build a sexy summer body.

Corinne asked me to write a blog. I have been sitting here trying to think of what to say because I never find myself a person of great words, wisdom, or knowledge like many of our fellow PnPers.
 
There is one thing that breaks my heart and gets me all upset is when I see people give into temptations all around them, they give up on themselves, and they sabotage all their hard work … and yet for what? NOTHING. They end up not being happy with themselves in the long run anyway. I get frustrated because I can see the “old Becca” in them and I know they aren’t happy and I want them to be happy and get on the “road to health”.
 
I probably have said this a 100 times but anyone who knew me a year ago, you would just hear me complain that I am not losing weight fast enough, argue with the Queen Corrine about how hard it was and how I just can’t do it, give up myself. Or that I can’t eat this or that because I don’t like it. Heck, I don’t think some of it that I complained about that I even tried. Some days I ask myself “why didn’t she just give up on me?” Well she can’t change a person, she can only give direction, guidance and try to help you stir your life in the course that you need to be on. But we have to make these decisions, commitments for ourselves.
 
Through life lessons, I have learned there are few things in the world you can control. Things always come up that can derail us in one way or another way but we can still have control of a few things in life.
 
One thing that I can control is: my food. I decide what goes in my mouth, how much I put in there. I choose to spend the extra few minutes (not hours) to make my lunch, to pack my snacks, to make sure that I have the nutrition for the day that I am going to feel satisfied with. 
 
Second thing, that I am control of: my exercise. I understand that there at times you can’t get in the whole program that you wanted too. But can you make a few adjustments during your day to move a little bit? Can you miss that TV program to make sure your workout is done? I plan it like it’s an important appointment each day. Would you miss an appointment with your doctor? Or something that meant something VERY important to you? Then why do you allow yourself to miss your workouts that could add health to your life – make you a healthier, stronger person
 
This is your life, your health. We all can blame our health problems on our childhood, family inherited diseases, or just life is too busy. I challenge all of you to take 5 minutes and look and see how you can adjust your time to be able to fit in that workout. What’s more important to you? Your health or to see who gets voted off American Idol this week.
 
I never thought of myself doing this a year ago. I know find myself emailing Corinne in a panic because I am going on a trip and I need to be able to keep exercising or getting to the gym before I stepped on a train to go back to Montana so that I had a good workout before I left. What did I skip to be able to do this? Lunch out with my co-workers. But in the end, I walked on that train feeling like my legs were dead weights (squats & lunges are killers); a healthy lunch & snacks packed in my cooler.
 
Do you think that honestly I WANT to go and spend an hour or longer at the gym and get all sweaty, stinky, walk out of there all bull-legged?  Or do you think I really want to eat another piece of chicken when pizza sounds so much better? NO! Then why do I do it? I decided a few months ago that I wanted to be healthier, stronger and a happier person. I was tried of being the “complainer” and not the doer. So I decided that it was time for me to listen, to follow what the best have been doing and have the great results. Slowly I started to see the results on me, I am seeing my arms slowly get stronger, and I am seeing where I am trying new foods and enjoying them. I see myself an overall happier person. I am starting to REALLY love the new me but it took me taking control of the things I can control and making them work for me. Even when life keeps throwing me curve balls, I just keep trying to find ways to work around them. It’s our life.
 
Next time you are tempted by a cookie, candy bar, lunch out with the girls, an extra glass of wine, skipping a workout – ask yourself “what am I worth? Is it really worth it?”
 
It’s your time! Its time for you to take control of your life!

I am going to have my Dream Body in Just TWO WEEKS!!!!!  Can you believe it!!!!  I am so excited!!!

In fact, this is my plan for how I’m going to Drop 20 pounds and lose 18 inches in 6 Days.  I’m going to use Herbal tonics, body wraps, cellulite creams, Fat Loss Detox Tea’s – no – how about the “Cookie” Diet or the Grapefruit Diet – or the Only Eat Chocolate for a Week Diet (I made that one up). Hmmm – or should I just go low carb for one day, low fat for another, no sugar the next, fast the one after that – then have liquids only.  .  Hey – I’ve been PROMISED the body of my dreams – you know - six pack abs, legs like a stallion and a butt that’s so high it practically sits on my shoulders  – all with a beautiful tan of course – if  I only…… you got it – buy the cream, get the wrap, drink the tea, eat the cookies, eat carbs, don’t eat carbs, eat protein, don’t eat protein, eat  fat, don’t eat fat   - oh my goodness, I’m mentally exhausted from just writing this!

This was my life prior to PNP.  I was always looking for that magic “thing” that would make me a skinny, hot mama.  I tried it all – I bought the books that “held the key”, the gym memberships (plural)  where I was too embarrassed to show up, I bought every magazine, and tried every diet program under the sun.  But I never had any success – that was until I joined PNP last spring.  So, what was different?  Well, everything!

First and foremost, there’s Corinne.  No one has ever motivated and encouraged me the way she has.  She literally changed my life.  She never promised me the body of my dreams in two weeks – but she did promise that she would teach me everything she had learned as a Certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle Coach, as well as through her own experience (which was really the clincher for me) that enabled her to have the success she has had.  She also promised me that I would have a network of women – a sisterhood of sorts, that would help me and encourage me, and that I wouldn’t be alone in my fat-loss journey.  She said she would be there for me every step of the way.

Well, it’s almost a year later – so what’s happened????  Well, she kept her promises.  I have learned how to exercise; in fact, I work out 4-5 days a week.  I ran my first 5K within my first three months.  I learned about eating clean, and fueling my body with foods that get me the results I always wanted.  I have found a group of women who are incredible – warm and friendly and supportive.  There is something new on the site every time I turn around.  We journal, we laugh, we “check in”, we share tips and strategies, food prep ideas, and the list goes on.  (Oh, and did I mention I lost weight and now wear a size 4/6, as well as have the respect of every man in my gym)   Joining PNP has been the best decision I ever made.  Getting Phit and Phat has become a journey, a way of life – not just a destination.

This week I turn the big 3-0!  Wow!  I’m still amazed that I am about to be 30 years old.  Just 10 years ago I was 20 and depressed and not too mention 50 lbs heavier and miserable. 

As a child growing up, I remember thinking 30 was old.  I would laugh and joke as friends and family were nearing or hitting the 30 year mark, but now that is me. My tune has officially changed.  30 isn’t old, it’s new!  Recently someone mentioned that 30 is the new 20.  I totally agree.  I feel like I’m 20, my body looks like I’m 20, well except for a few of those unwanted blemishes, but other than that, I feel so much better at 30 than I ever did at 20. 

When I started with Corinne I had been a lifetime member with Weight Watchers for 2 ½ years.  I was looking good, but always longing for just a little more.  The reason I signed up with Corinne was to help me tone up and shed some of the fat.  Since being with Corinne I have lost 7 lbs; however I’ve lost over 20 inches and wearing a smaller size.  Currently I’m around 150 and proudly wearing my size 6’s. 

It isn’t all about the weight for me.  Of course I’d love to see the 140’s, but a drop in size gets me going just as much as that scale. 

In July, I’ll mark my 1 year anniversary with Corinne.  In my 29th year I accomplished more than I have in my entire lifetime. 

Without Corinne, I wouldn’t of trained and ran 3 half marathons, dropped to a size 6, and busted some of this fat I have.  I could tell you my childhood sob story of being overweight, suffering from severe child asthma, etc., but we’ll save that for another day.  The fact that I started running still amazes me.  I have accomplished more this year than I could’ve ever imagined, and I owe it to Corinne.  Sure, I did the work, but she pushed me just enough to get me started. 

This month at PNP I’m participating in the Fast and Furious Team Challenge (Go Sexy Seven), the Push Up Challenge and the BLT Challenge.  All these challenges are my key to success.  

Without PNP, my last year in my 20’s wouldn’t of been the same. 

So, as I embark on this new era in my life, things for me will change. My 30’s are going be totally different than my 20’s.  This next year my husband and I plan on starting a family, moving, and continuing on with our healthy lifestyle.  I even have plans of doing a Sprint Triathlon this fall.  This next year is going to be my year.  Watch out 30’s, here I come! 

When Corinne asked if I would do her blog today, my first thought was sure.  Then my second thought was ummm, what I can write about?    Who wants to read something written by me, some boring ol’ middle age momma?  As I pondered this, I thought what’s the biggest things that have influenced my fatloss journey? 

My overwhelming answer is Corinne.  She has been instrumental in pushing me along.  Yes I am the one that actually does the working out, and yes I am the one that chooses to have a protein bar over a Snickers bar, but it’s because of what she has taught me to make those wise decisions.

I am also blessed with a wonderful husband.  I know not everyone is as fortunate to have someone like him in their lives.  I wish everyone could have someone so great in their lives.  We have yo-yo-ed our way through several hundred pounds over the years.  Once we finally said enough is enough, that’s exactly what it was, enough.  We were tired of being tired.  We were tired of feeling like crap.  We were tired of our clothes not fitting, and having to go up a size every year or every season.  We made a decision together to get healthy, once and for all. I will share with one of the most powerful things Bill has said to me in this fatloss journey.  One night we were eating supper. I was picking at the left over food in my plate that was just sitting there waiting for the waitress to take it away.  I was full, but it was there, enough said.  Bill looked at me and said, “Are you eating that because you really want it or because it’s there”?  How often to we eat stuff because it’s “there”?  I appreciate him so much.  Because of Corinne, Bill is going to achieve a life long dream of his in August.  I can’t tell you the pride I feel for him in doing this.

Thirdly I would say that our girls are one of my driving factors.  God has given us two precious daughters, and it’s our responsibility as parents to take care of ourselves &  to be around as long as we can for our kids.  And we all know what pressures girls are under.  Every where you look, you see stick thin people all over the place in Hollywood.  I want them to know what it is like to be healthy.  Bill & I never ever talk about calories, weight or fat in front of our girls.  We talk about being “healthy” and making “healthy” choices.   When Bill and I go out to exercise, and our girls ask us the infamous question “why”, it’s always to be healthy.   I’m not saying they always eat 100% healthy or even 90% healthy, but I know make good choices most of the time.

Lastly I just have to share a story about our 6 yr old, Elisabeth.  Our town has a big festival every year.   There are 5K & 10K runs, and then there’s something called the “Tadpole Trot” for kids.  A note was sent home from school about it.  Bill & I talked about it and casually mentioned it, and asked Elisabeth if she wanted to do the race.  She was so excited and jumped up and down saying yes!! We explained to her that she probably would not win, but that it’s just fun to do stuff like this, and it’s about being a finisher.   

So Saturday was the big race at a school track.   She raced with other 6 yr old girls.  We were laughing and talking before the race, she was talking to her friends, playing chase with her little sister, we were having a good time.  Then when it was time for all the 6 yr old girls to run, they quickly lined up.  We got about in the middle of the line-up.  We were still having a good time, we were laughing and talking w/ the MC, a local TV personality.  He was asking about her Belle tattoo that she had on her face from the night before, that she got at the festival.  So we were having a good time.   

When the race ended she came in maybe 5th place.  Well she didn’t get a trophy.  She faught back the tears.  She was such a big girl.  She wanted to cry, but she didn’t.  We could not have been more proud of her for finishing the race. 

Later Bill & I talked and he said that the kids that won, he noticed before the race that they were not laughing and ha