Summer Slim-Down FINAL RESULTS!

What have I been thinking!?  I absolutely MUST post the results of our fun & highly successful contest!  I'm just going to post it all: the results, the winnings...everything.  I am really just that proud of what happened!

The relief in the air at weigh-in was palpable at the Week 10 weigh-in!  

Here are the results (tell me this wasn't worth it!):

Overall % Lost:

1 - Nann : $150

2 - Ashlee : $100

3 - Tristan : $75

Points Total:

1 - Lori : $60

2 - Kristin : $40

EVERY participant who weighed in more than twice LOST WEIGHT!  As a group we lost a total of 181.5 pounds!!! That is an amazing and huge accomplishment!

Keep up the good habits you've created, now that the competition is over.  The purpose of this challenge was to establish healthy habits that will help you to maintain your weight, or continue your weight-loss journey.  Also to prove that if you keep the guidelines you are guaranteed to lose weight!  Ask Tristan: she really didn't want it to work, but it really did, to her benefit! 

I know everyone will be happy to ditch the tracking sheets and relax a little, with less focus on the scale.  Try to stick with MyFitnessPal, though.  It really is a simple tool that helps you stay in touch with healthy eating and exercise.  Remember: weight control is 80% eating & 20% exercise!

I would recommend that if you are looking to maintain your weight, honestly track 3-4 days each week, continue to get all 5 fruits & vegetable daily, and drink your water.  Occasional tracking helps you avoid pitfalls and sliding back into bad habits.  Feel free to increase your calorie count to around 1700-2200 of healthy whole foods if you are continuing to exercise.  MFP will guide you if you change your goals in the profile.

You are amazing ladies!  It was a real treat to host this challenge with you!  You are beautiful, strong, funny, sweet, healthy, happy women & it's a blessing to know you all!

Have a super slimmed-down summer!

Week 10: THE END IS NEAR!

Here we are!  The last week of our Summer Slim Down!  I'm really pretty bummed, but it'll be nice to get back to normal.  At least the NEW normal.  More on that next week.

Week 10 Challenge: NO SUGAR.  I know it's beastly but it's a super-effective way to cut empty, unhealthy, fattening calories.  Tristan had a great "dessert" idea: light Greek yogurt, 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder, 1/4 cup raspberries.  She says it tastes like chocolate mousse, with a huge protein punch.  Yum!

Week 10 Points Breakdown:

Write It Down: 1 point/day (5 points total)

5 Fruits & Veg: 1 point/day (5 points total)

8 Cups of Water: 1 point/day (5 points total)

1 hour of exercise: 1 point/day (5 points total)

Challenge (no sugar): 1 point/day (5 points total)

Weigh-In - 5 points

Loss: 5 points

Bonus Points: weekend tracking for 9 possible bonus points, and UNLIMITED points for workouts (1 point for 60 minutes, .5 points for full 1/2 hour increments).  Impress me.  Impress yourself.

Stay focused and really shine!

The Penultimate Week 9 - Pass on Sugar

We. Are. Almost. Done.  I can't stand it.  I am inspired, impressed, excited, jealous, and amazed at the progress you've all made!

Week 9's challenge is eating no added sugar. It will be the push that will make a difference if you really commit.  We've gone over the ways that sugar sabotages your diet and your body's wellness.  Today I want to talk about coping strategies for when the cravings hit.  Which they do!

1. Reward yourself with something besides sugar: yes you had a great day!  You worked out!  Yay for you!  Do something good for yourself that doesn't involve sugar.  Paint your nails, read a book, buy a clothing item or accessory, go on a date with your husband, play with your kids, take a nap, call a friend, workout, take a class, watch a movie or your favorite TV series.  Take sugar out of your reward equation.

2.  Don't have it around: you can't eat what's not in the cupboard.  Don't buy candy, dessert, soda, etc.  Stock up instead on fresh fiber-filled fruit.  Reach for grapes, berries, and apple, something snappy that will provide texture, interest, vitamins, and natural sweetness.

3.  Don't substitute with fake sugar.  Fake sugars only help to reinforce your mental need for sweetness.

4.  Pay attention to how good you feel when you cut sugar out.  Your body will tell you it's happy without sugar.  It's your brain you have to convince.  Read #1.  You will be less bloated, less gassy, less sick, your blood sugar will balance out, you will have fewer blood sugar lows, you will feel more energetic.  That will be all the convincing you need.

5.  If you do have sugar, and we all will, don't throw in the towel and eat the entire cake.  Back away, be kind, start again, call for moral support (you can always text me for a shot of support!).  Pass on the self-loathing and all-or-nothing mentality and stay in control.  You are the boss of you; don't let your cravings have the upper hand.

Enjoy this week!  Do good things for yourself!  Reach your realistic goals in these last two weeks and be so proud!

Week 8: Crunch Time!

Time will pass and your work will pay off.  Remember that drastic changes are more difficult to maintain, whereas slow consistent changes will stick with you for life. 

Protein was key last week, so we're keeping our focus there this week.  Many of you found it wasn't as difficult as you thought to meet or exceed 20% protein.  I am so proud of you carnivores!

This week's bonus points will come from working out over 1 hour per day.  Sometimes the real fat burn comes in twice-a-day exercise, or a prolonged workout session.  Remember to recover right  by eating a carb + protein snack or meal less than 1 hour after you exercise.  8 oz of chocolate milk is an excellent recovery drink if you have worked out over 1 hour, and a pretty deluxe treat at this point as well!

Don't be afraid to eat your full 1200-1500 calories each day.  Your body needs fuel, otherwise it will start panicking and conserving fat because it thinks it is starving.  Send a clearer message by exercising and burning calories, so your body will start building muscle and become a calorie-burning furnace.

Don't lose hope!  Tracking progress is a motivational tool.  Most of you came into this week thinking you were up, but you were actually down, and I saw a mood change, a smile, and a boost of energy in you all!  My boost this week? I finally nailed the spinach protein shake!  Yum!

Just keep going!

Week 7 - Focus on Protein!

Week 6 is over!  We lost a whopping 9 lbs as a group, our lowest yet.  I know for many of us it was a struggle to stay on board.  But it's a new week, so let's kill it!

Some interesting sources of protein, but not on a 30% level...

For Week 7, we are focusing on eating more protein. Focusing on percentages and grams is called measuring your macros, or macro-nutrients.  Macro-nutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fats.  As we try to increase muscle mass and lose fat, it's important to know how protein helps.  A typical diet should be made up of 15% protein, but for weigh-loss purposes, 30% is optimal.

Protein keeps you feeling full longer with less calories per gram.  It aids in the recovery and building of muscle.

"Proteins are the main building blocks of the body. They're used to make muscles, tendons, organs and skin. Proteins are also used to make enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and various tiny molecules that serve important functions. Without protein, life as we know it would not be possible." authoritynutrition.com

It seems daunting to eat more protein, especially if you think it only involves plain chicken breast.  But it goes so far beyond chicken!  Try adding the following to your daily diet:

Low-Fat Cottage Cheese: add to scrambled eggs, or eat topped with fruit
Protein Powder: add to smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal, or drink it like chocolate milk
Protein Bars: they aren't a Snickers bar, but when they have more protein than carbs, you know you've chosen right
Eggs, egg whites, or egg beaters: make a breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, fritatta, or omelette; so versatile you can have them for any meal
Meat of any kind: turkey, salmon, shrimp, trout, cod, chicken, beef, turkey sausage, sandwich meat, steak, roast, tuna, canned chicken, beef jerky...aim for lean meat, or drain and rinse your ground beef.
Greek Yogurt: this yogurt is higher in protein than regular; be careful which you choose, many have more sugars than protein so choose light, low-carb, or plain options
Soy beans, tofu, edamame, beans: these are vegetarian options if you can't handle meat; they have lower amounts of protein for the amount of carbs; they are great for topping salads and adding interest!

This is a great article that shows the top 10 sources of protein and their protein-to-calorie ratio.

The important factor is to add protein to EVERY MEAL and usually one snack.  This way you're not staring down the barrel of a 10 oz chicken breast for dinner, to meet your protein goal for the day!

Protein smoothies are a great source.  Adding 1 cup of milk, almond milk, or water, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1/2 banana, a chunk of pinapple or tablespoon of orange juice give you a couple fruits/veggies and a large dose of protein.

Here is a link to 13 Quick & Easy Protein Shakes from Daily Burn

And here's a link to 9 High-Protein Smoothies that Taste Like a Milkshake from Greatist.  These are definitely on my list of smoothies to try!  Amond-Joy?  I'm there...

BE CAREFUL WITH SMOOTHIES!  Even though they are fruits and veggies they can carry a HUGE amount of calories!  Be aware of ingredients and how many you're adding.  A typical recipe serves 2-4, so don't down the whole thing yourself!

Protein Smoothies are a great meal replacement, but also beware of drinking all your meals.  I am one who needs to chew my meals.  I can down a smoothie and then eat a whole meal 30 minutes later, at which point I've completely blown my calorie count!

Protein smoothies are a great post-workout meal or snack.  Muscles break down during exercise and protein rebuilds them.

I'm a lazy kind of gal during the day, so my go-to protein drink is 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, and 1 cup of skim milk, shaken up in a pint mason jar with a lid.  Nothing fancy.  No cleaning the blender.  Made and gone in 5 minutes.

So get more protein with every meal and think outside the box!

Week 6: Half-Way Point!

Are you feeling your resolve slipping? Are you feeling worn out?  I was last week; it was rough, and I felt like quitting.  But I'm hanging in there, because I'm seeing results and changes.  Not so much in weight as in strength gain and improved fitness, as well as a healthier gut.  After 4-5 weeks is when we start seeing real results, increasing strength, and feeling healthier.  Hunker down and keep going!  If you get frustrated by the scale, remember that it is a good indicator of progress.  Keep in mind not to get caught up in worrying about weight day to day or week to week, but focus on a good, steady, downward trend over the 10 week term.  A healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss is 1-2 lbs per week.

For this week it's the same challenge: NO EATING AFTER DINNER.  Many of our group said this was really helpful and eye-opening, being aware of how many empty calories we consume after dinner.  It was also freeing: out of sight and mind!

Remember:  It means no eating or drinking calories after your REGULAR & REASONABLE family dinner time.  The rules say 7 PM, because that's typical for most of us.  If you work nights or have other situations that make that difficult, remember there are 7 days in the week, so use Saturday & Sunday to get the max 5 challenge points for the week.

Points Break Down for Week 6:

1. Write it Down (5 pts) Keep using that tracking sheet!

2.  5 Fruits & Veggies each day (5 pts)

3.  8 cups (8 oz) water each day (5 pts)

4.  Exercise 60 minutes daily (5 pts; .5 pt for 30 min)

5.  Challenge: no eating after dinner (5 pts)

6. Come to weigh-in (5 pts)

7.  Lose weight (5 pts; no loss/gain 0 pts)

This week we are having another Work-It Circuit group workout, Thursday, April 30, 9 PM at the upper Crestwood church building.  No bonus points, just come have fun! 

Bonus Points opportunity this week: Track, meet goals, challenge & workout Saturday & Sunday for up to 9 bonus points!  No working out Sunday...we all need a rest day! 

Protein sample table next Friday at weigh-in, and the weekly weight winner gets 2-33 oz bottles of Simple Truth Infused Water!  It has a hint of flavor but zero calories, and no artificial sugars.  Yum!

Weigh-In this week is on FRIDAY, May 1, from 9:00-9:30! 

Have a super week!

Summer Slim Down Challenge Week 5 - We're on a roll!

So much success again during Week 4!  The Cut-it-Out challenge was a tough one, but we muddled through somehow.  We lost 13.3 pounds together, and we missed 5 ladies at weigh-in.  I think we all have learned that we can go without unhealthy foods more often than we thought, and have learned to have just a little sometimes, rather than a lot all the time!  Calorie counts were lower for those who didn't eat out or consume fatty/fried food, and your body was full of sustaining fiber if you cut out sugar & processed grains, choosing whole grains instead.  I'd call that success!

It really is so much fun to see you all and chat during weigh-in.  It's the highlight of my week to hear how everyone is doing, and I'm not just talking about weight and fitness.  I love hearing how life is going for everyone.  It really is true that women need each other.

For Week 5 we have a new challenge: NO EATING after your reasonably timed family dinner.  The guideline is 7 PM, which is a good standard for 98% of the population.  We all have extenuating circumstances, but 7 PM is the baseline.   Here's why:

1) Most snacking after 7 PM consists of high calorie, low nutrient foods.  Do you reach for a salad for your nighttime snack?  Yeah, I didn't think so.

2) Late eating can throw off your circadian rhythm, which is the balance of sleep and wakefulness that your body naturally attunes to.  Loss of sleep is directly related to weight-gain.

3)  If you've eaten 3 meals and a couple of snacks throughout the day, any food you consume at night is excess calories.

4) People who closed the kitchen after 7 PM reported that it was easier to skip late snacking, simply by setting a time to be done eating for the day.

Is 7 PM a magic number? Nope.  It's just the typical time people across the nation have finished dinner.  Your body doesn't metabolize calories differently after a certain hour.  Eating after a certain time isn't going to make you fat.  Overeating will.  And throughout our Summer Slim Down Challenge, our main goal is to create healthy habits, not count and restrict ourselves to death.  Eating the right number of calories spread fairly evenly over your waking hours will keep you healthy and going strong.

Your body does benefit from doing some activity, as low-intensity as a 10 minute walk, after each meal.  Some of the benefits are:
Boosts metabolism
Increases the rate your food moves through your digestive system
Induces sleep by reducing stress
Improves blood circulation
Maintains blood sugar levels by using up excess glucose
Aids in weight loss by burning calories

Some ideas to make it easier to avoid late snacking are: brush your teeth right after dinner, close the kitchen, chew gum, drink water, & stay busy.

So this week concentrate on eating your 1200-1500 calories during the day, and then closing the kitchen (at least to yourself) after dinner.  Remember that you have 7 days to get your 5 challenge points, so if some nights don't work, use Saturday & Sunday to get back those points.

Points Breakdown for Week 5:

• Write everything down - 5 points
• 5 fruits & veggies daily - 5 points
• 8 cups (8 oz) water daily - 5 points
• Workout for 60 minutes daily - 5 pts
• Challenge Daily: no eating after dinner - 5 pts
• Come to weigh-in - 5 points
• Lose weight - 5 points; no change or gain - 0 points

Weigh-in will be Saturday April 25, 8:30 - 9:00 AM.  

This week we are having another Work-It Circuit group workout, Wednesday April 22 @ 9 AM, at the Upper Mutton Hollow church building.  No bonus points this week for coming, just the satisfaction of getting your workout done and having a blast!

We will be having a drawing this week: text or email me if you did strength training this week. The winner will get a box of high-fiber low-fat popcorn, a perfect low-cal snack when you get the munchies! (but not after dinner )

What qualifies as strength training: 30 or more minutes of exercises that use weights or resistance bands, including exercises that use your legs or your upper body.  I will post some ideas on the blog, and there are already some videos posted on the YouTube channel.  You can get there from the blog.  Or go to the drop down menu "workouts".  

Saturday's weekly weight winner will receive a "Bedtime Snack Buster" kit!

Have a super weekend, and get outside to enjoy this sunny spring weather!

Summer Slim Down: Week 4

Our Summer Slim Down Week 3 was a success!  Three cheers for healthy habits, saying no, and getting strong!

There was a little bit of confusion on the challenge that I want to clear up so everyone gets points correctly.  You have to give up TWO - 2 - II bad foods, and you need to chose the TWO from these four options: fatty/fried foods, fast food, sugar (except honey sparingly), refined grains.  If you have any questions about what these mean, check the blog for this post I did about it, or email me.  You only get a point for the day that you successfully eliminate BOTH foods.

Here's the week at a glance:

WEEK 4 - 4/11-4/18 Saturday -Friday

1. Challenge: Cut-it-Out (see paragraph above for clarification)
2. Drink 8 cups (8 oz) of water
3. Eat 5 fruits & veggies (1 fruit serving = one whole fruit, 1/2 cup berries, 1 cup chopped fruit; 1 veggie serving = 1 cup)
4. Exercise for 60 minutes daily
5. Weigh-in Saturday 4/18, 8:30-9:00 AM

Points Break-down:

• Write everything down = 1 point/day (please have all your boxes marked on Saturday including your challenges, and write clearly the minutes you exercised in the "time" box)
• Drink 8 cups water = 1 point/day
• 5 fruits & veggies = 1 point/day
• Challenge (Cut TWO items out) = 1 point/day
• Exercise 60 minutes = 1 point/day; 30 minutes = .5 point/day
• Come to weigh-in Saturday - 5 points
• Lose weight = 5 points; gain or no change = 0 points

Bonus: come to the group fitness session and get 5 points.  It will be Thursday, April 16 at 8:00 PM at the upper Crestwood meeting house.  It's a super fun & hard workout, so be there!  

Last note: if you feel you are plateauing try adding strength training, running instead of walking, try something new like a fitness class (Thursday), or go longer.  Your body will have periods of plateau so don't fret, just keep going! I will post more strength workouts and some other tips this week.

Jump start your amazing week by having a healthy weekend!  Don't fall off the wagon!

Summer Slim Down Week 3: It's a new challenge!!

Way to go for Week 2!  Spring Break threw us all for a loop, but success still happened!

Here are the details for Week 3!

WEEK 1 – 3/23-27  MONDAY-FRIDAY

1.       Challenge: CUT IT OUT! Eliminate 2 of the following 4 things for 5 days this week:

1.      No refined grains such as white flour or white rice (items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat…not just “wheat”)

2.      No refined sweeteners such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda (Honey is okay)

3.      No deep fried foods

4.      No “fast foods”
Choose two things that are hard for you or are weaknesses in your diet.  This is a tough one, I know!

2.       Drink 8 cups (8 oz) of water

3.       Eat 5 fruits & vegetables (1 cup = 1 serving)

4.       Exercise for 60 minutes daily

5.       Weigh-in Saturday 4/11 8:30-9:00 AM

Remember the Points Break-down:
Write everything down = 1 point/day

Drink 8 cups water = 1 point/day
 5 fruits & veggies = 1 point/day
 Challenge (Cut Out 2) = 1 point/day
 Exercise 60 minutes = 1 point/day; 30 minutes = .5 point/day
Come to weigh-in Saturday = 5 points
Lose weight = 5 points; gain or no change = 0 points

I've been watching tracking sheets.  It's time to step it up if you are walking as your main cardio.  Use 20 minutes of your hour to do STRENGTH TRAINING!  And "leisurely walking for 4 hours" doesn't cut the mustard.  I'm just sayin'...

Find strength training workout videos on www.thecleverwoman.net under "workouts".  Do a video 3+ times a week, and you'll notice changes.

Have a fabulous Easter & a gritty, sweaty Week 3!!

Summer Slim Down: First Weigh-In Success!

I am so proud of all you ladies this week!  Every one is off to a fantastic start!  We had success, not only in pounds lost, but also in inches, eating better, and exercising.  I know I keep saying this but I am truly inspired!  Every time I think about reaching for the chocolate, or skipping the greens, I think of 24 other women who are making the same great choices, and it gives me so much strength to choose wisely!  And a little competition never hurts for motivation, either...

Just for fun: as a group we lost a total of 52 pounds this week!  What?!

Thank  you everyone who came early this Saturday!  It's nice to not have you all trickling in throughout the whole day, even though I love to see your smiling faces any time!

Here's the week at a glance.  Remember, this week includes 7 days, but the requirement for max points is still only 5 days.

WEEK 2 – 3/28-4/3  SATURDAY-FRIDAY

1.       Challenge: write everything down

2.       Drink 8 cups (8 oz) of water

3.       Eat 5 fruits & vegetables

4.       Exercise for 60 minutes daily

5.       Weigh-in Saturday 4/4 8:30-9:00 AM.  It's General Conference Weekend, so please make it snappy!

6.       Points Break-down:

a.       Write everything down = 1 point/day

b.      Drink 8 cups water = 1 point/day

c.       5 fruits & veggies = 1 point/day

d.      Challenge (writing everything down) = 1 point/day

e.      Exercise 60 minutes = 1 point/day; 30 minutes = .5 point/day

f.        Come to weigh-in Saturday = 5 points

g.       Lose weight = 5 points; gain or no change = 0 points

Bonus: work out with an adult friend once this week.  (pushing your kids in a stroller doesn't count. your hubby does.)  Email me by Friday night that you have completed the bonus, and I'll enter you into a drawing to win a case of water bottles!  We all need extra water handy with all the chugging we've been doing!  I'll have the winner drawn and ready so you can take your prize home with you!

Remember to keep track of food today and Sunday so all your hard work doesn't get undone!

Have a fun and relaxing Spring Break, and get that exercise in!

Summer Slim Down Challenge - Week 1

WEEK 1 – 3/23-27  MONDAY-FRIDAY

1.       Challenge: write everything down

2.       Drink 8 cups (8 oz) of water

3.       Eat 5 fruits & vegetables

4.       Exercise for 60 minutes daily

5.       Weigh-in Saturday 3/28 8:30-9:00 AM;  If you can’t make the weigh-in, email or text me, but you may just have to not get the 5 points for the weigh-in that week.  It happens to us all J

6.       Points Break-down:

a.       Write everything down = 1 point/day

b.      Drink 8 cups water = 1 point/day

c.       5 fruits & veggies = 1 point/day

d.      Challenge (writing everything down) = 1 point/day

e.      Exercise 60 minutes = 1 point/day; 30 minutes = .5 point/day

f.        Come to weigh-in Saturday = 5 points

g.       Lose weight = 5 points; gain or no change = 0 points

Remember: you will get out of this what you put in.  Know you are surrounded by 25 other women who are committed to improving their health, eating, losing weight, and getting stronger!

Don't forget to follow @fitnessinreality on Instagram (or check the feed on thecleverwoman.net)

Track food & exercise on myfitnesspal.com or get the myfitnesspal app.  It's comprehensive & easy.

Check the blog for recipes, inspiration, workouts & other stuff!

Start strong!  From what I've seen just today, this is going to be an amazing 10 weeks!!

Summer Slim Down Challenge Starts Tomorrow!

Are you ready!? This challenge is going to be a super fun way to be healthy & accountable, which we ALL need!

I sent this information out today, but may have missed some of you, so here's the update for Monday:

I know a few of you (all of us) are leery of the weigh-in.  Don’t be!  No one but me & you will know your weight in pounds, so don’t let that be your excuse for not participating!  The only thing anyone will see is percentage of your original weight you've lost from the previous week, as a percent, not pounds.  Whew!  No worries there!

TIME CHANGE MONDAY!  WEIGH-IN WILL BE FROM 9:30-10:30 AM at  my house.  I wanted to give us a good hour so we can ask questions and mingle with others that will be in the group.  If you can’t make it Monday because of work, call, text, or email me & we’ll work out an alternate time.

If this is the first info you've seen regarding this Summer Slim Down Challenge, read the rules here, and the general information here.  This is an open invitation to women.  BRING A FRIEND!!!

Weigh-In Guidelines:

• ·         Wear the same clothes each weigh in.  We are weighing shoe-less.
• ·         OUT-OF-TOWNERS: use the same scale every weigh-in.  Put in fresh batteries Monday morning so you know it’s accurate the whole time.  Send me a picture of your feet on it with the reading.
• ·         It’s a good idea to take your own before, during, and after photos of yourself, in the same clothes, so you can see your progress.  I can take them at weigh-ins if you would like.

  Thanks to Ashlee for assembling the info and being the energy that got this challenge going!  Also for reining me in when I get a little crazy :)

Can't wait to see you all tomorrow!

Summer Slim Down Rules

Contest dates:            Monday March 23 – Saturday May 30 (10 weeks). We finish before school gets out!

Entrance Fee:            $20

Prize $$$ will be awarded in two categories…overall weight loss percentage winners AND points winners. There will be a 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place winner in each category. I will let everyone know the particulars of the prizes once I have a final count of participants and all the money is collected.  Money needs to be turned in at the first weigh-in. The entrance fee is non-refundable.

Weigh-in time:           Every Saturday from 8:30-9:00 am. For those who live far away you will need to text or email me during this time with your weight and points.

Weigh-in dates:  INITIAL Monday March 23 9:30-10:30 AM, then every SATURDAY - March 28, April 4, April 11, April 18, April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16, May 23, May 30 (FINAL) . If you can’t come to a weigh-in please contact me for other arrangements, or just forgo the 5 points for that week.

How do I earn points?

·         You must keep track of all food, calories, exercise, fruits and veggies, and water on the attached Food Tracking Sheet.  This must be done for 5 days out of the 1 week period.  This will earn a maximum of 5 points (1 pt/day).  You will not lose points if you do not accurately count your calories as this can sometimes be very difficult, use your best judgment when guessing and it is in your best interest to approximate higher when in doubt.

·         You must eat 5 servings (approximately 1 cup) of fruits and vegetables daily.  This must be done 5 days out of the 1 week period.  This will earn a maximum of 5 points (1 pt/day).

·         You must drink 8 glasses (approximately 8 oz.) of water daily.  This must be done for 5 days out of the 1 week period.  This will earn a maximum of 5 points (1 pt/day).

·         You must exercise 1 hour per day.  You can split up the time by doing 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night. This must be done for 10 days out of the 2 week period.  This will earn 5 points (1 pt/day).  You may earn ½ pt per day for 30 minutes of exercise.

·         You must complete the week’s challenge, which is discussed below.  There is a spot on the Food Tracking Sheet to record information relating to the challenge.  Meet the challenge for at least 5 days out of the 1 week period and receive 1 pt/day or 5 points.

·         You must come to the weigh-in every week, unless you live far away then you must email or text me your results.  The weigh-in is worth 5 points. 

·         Finally, you earn points for losing weight.  If you lose from the previous week, you get 5 points.  If you stay the same or if you gain you get 0 pts.

·         This combines to a grand total of 35 points possible each week. 

What are the 2 Week Challenges?

Week 1 & Week 2 - WRITE IT DOWN - This first challenge is to use your tracking sheet.  Write down all of your food and fill in all of the blanks. This will get you into the habit of using them for the entire contest, and be visually accountable for what you put in your mouth! 

Week 3 & Week 4 – CUT IT OUT! – Choose two unhealthy things to cut out of your diet:

1.      No refined grains such as white flour or white rice (items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat…not just “wheat”)

2.      No refined sweeteners such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda (Honey is okay)

3.      No deep fried foods

4.      No “fast foods”

Week 5 & Week 6 – NO LATE EATING - No eating after 7 PM.  Hurry home and eat, brush your teeth, and call it quits

Week 7 & Week 8 - REGULAR MEALS + PROTEIN - No meal skipping!  You must eat 3 small meals and 2 small snacks daily (try to eat every 2-3 hours and then stop by 7 PM; this will maximize your metabolism).  Aim to get 30% of your daily calories from Protein.

Week 9 & Week 10 - BYE-BYE SUGAR - Get rid of your sweet tooth by eating 40 grams or less per day of unnatural sugar.  (Fruits, vegetables and milk sugars do not count toward total).

What’s the catch? 

            After each weigh-in, I will e-mail the weeks weigh-in results to all contest members.  Yes, that’s right – everyone will know what % you’ve lost.  Don’t sweat it; it just adds a little “fuel to the fire”.  It will help everyone stay on their toes and do their best! 

Tips:  Aim for 1200-1500 calories per day.  At this intake level you WILL lose weight, but not be starving.  If you are nursing, add 300 calories to the number above that you choose.

Disclaimer:

You should know that by NO means am I a professional at hosting this contest or in the field of nutrition, exercise, or weight loss. So please know that you enter the contest at your own risk!  

This is truly a wonderful contest that can help you change your current habits, create a better lifestyle for yourself, and of course, has the big added bonus of accountability.  This contest is strictly between individuals...there are no teams.  I do encourage you to tell others what you are up to, thus, creating a large support group and making you even more accountable!!  I know you can be very successful if you just do your best at following the contest guidelines!! 

Good luck, happy eating, and enjoy your exercise!!!!

Contact me if you have any questions or want to join in!  If you aren't local, you can follow the guidelines and reap benefits without entering the challenge officially!  

Summer Slim Down Challenge 2015 Info!

I am hosting a Summer Slim Down Challenge that starts MONDAY, March 23!  It will go for 10 weeks, ending Saturday, May 30!  Just in time for SUMMER!  YAY!!

We are following a Biggest Loser outline.  Points are awarded weekly for drinking 8 cups of water, writing down what you eat, 60 minutes of cardio daily, eating 5 fruits & veggies per day, doing the weekly challenge, & coming to weigh in. Eek!  To get maximum points you must follow the guidelines 5/7 days of the week.  If the weigh-ins freak you out, don’t worry, we’re going to be very discreet.

The buy in is $20, since we all do better when we have a little something at stake, am I right?!  There will be small weekly prizes, and overall winners based on highest percentage of weight lost, most points, and most exercise.  Weekly weigh-ins will happen on Saturday mornings, after the initial Monday starting weigh-in on the 23^rd.

Here are the rules, challenges, and the weekly log sheet.  YOU MUST PRINT AND FILL OUT THE LOG SHEET EVERY WEEK, AND BRING IT TO WEIGH-IN.  This is how your points and results are recorded.  Each week we’ll send out an email listing the top 5 places after the Saturday weigh-ins, and the challenge for the week.  If you use myfitnesspal it’s a cinch to copy the meal and calories over to paper.  The paper is old school, but a must.

We will have a weekly group fitness session if anyone’s interested, as well as weekly workouts posted on the Instagram feed @fitnessinreality (follow it).  www.thecleverwoman.net will have tons of resources under the “Fitness in Reality” drop down menu.  There will be nutrition ideas and recipes, workouts, links, and basically way more fitness-related information than you’ll ever want to know!  All these tools will help us  stay on track and reach our goals, whether they be fat loss, muscle gain, body fat percentage, BMI, inches, pounds, dress size, pants size, healthier skin, better nutrition, or all of the above!

This invitation is in no way suggestive as to whether or not anyone feels you need to lose weight…we’re all fabulous!  It is more of an invitation to us all to make better, healthier choices that will positively impact our own lives, and our families, too!  It’s also an excuse to have fun together, too.

I don’t have everyone’s email, and the invitation is open to anyone(female), so if you have a neighbor or friend that wants to join, invite her!  The more the merrier!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO REMEMBER: $20 to join (non-refundable), first weigh in Monday March 23 at my house 9:30-10:30 AM.  We have long-distance weigh-in options, so contact me if you're out of town.

Remember, having a support group of friends on the same journey practically guarantees success!  We’re all in this together. (break in to song…now!)

All you have to do to join us is bring $20 and show up at my house Monday 3/23 from 9:30-10:30 AM.  Remember to invited a friend!

Also none of the money is being kept by anyone, it will all go to prizes.  This could be major, ladies!

Email me if you have any questions.  Hope to see you Monday, bright & early!  Don’t go too crazy this weekend…

Let’s commit!!