Rise and Shine: Awesome April Challenge

Spring is such a wonderful time to witness renewal and rebirth as the world comes to life around us. Daffodils peak at us from beneath soggy leaves in gardens and burst forth with beauty.  The days are suddenly longer and warmer and call for us to get out in nature and enjoy the sites around us.

I hope you'll join me this month in the Awesome April challenge which is all about "rising" in two ways... rising in the morning and rising to the challenge.  And it is about "shining".  In this month you're going to conquer (or be on your way to conquering) something that you didn't think you could do.  It doesn't have to be a HUGE goal... but it does have to be something that perhaps only you - in the very depths of your thoughts - realize that you need to change in order to true SHINE!

If you're anything like me (and it is scientifically proven), you slow down your pace in the winter months. I slowed down to the point of hardly exercising at all and have every excuse in the book to give you if you'd like to know why! *grin*  But I'm planning to 'rise' off the couch and 'rise' out of bed in the morning and find my exercise renewed in April.

Here are the challenge details:

Rise up 30 minutes earlier than you are now.  Now I *know* this is going to be difficult for those of you who already do wake up at the crack of dawn and may have classes or kids or a husband or ... (you fill in the blank) to take care of the moment you open your eyes.  If this is the case, then you need to find 30 minutes every day AT THE SAME TIME that is just for you.  It is proven that if you can keep a new routine for 40 days (so May 10th for us if you start the challenge on April 1st), then it becomes habit and no longer may seem like a chore.

In those 30 "rise and shine" minutes you're going to dedicate yourself to renewing yourself in the month of April somehow. I'll be walking and planning out my day in my head.  You might write in a journal or write out your goals for the day.  If you're just starting to exercise, begin slowly but you might start by doing a short walk around your block or an at-home walking dvd or beginner's exercise dvd.  If you're exercising now and feel confident in that way, then give yourself 30 minutes of meditative time... quiet your inner-self and just listen to what your heart is telling you might be one way in which you could renew yourself.

Now, the second part of the challenge is all about SHINING.  If I were to have you write out an answer to a question and no one (but yourself) would ever see it, how would you answer the following question:
To be truly content and feel good about myself, the one thing I know I need to work on is (fill in the blank).

What was that one thing you JUST thought of?  THAT is what you need to rise and shine and meet this challenge to work on.  Do you need to stop watching too much television?  Do you need to stop drinking soda, diet soda, alcohol? Do you need to start eating less, stop eating processed foods?  Stop your Friday night pizza (oops... that one was for me!). Do you need to set an exercise goal and then stick to it? You know what it is.  In the next 30 days, make a plan for yourself to conquer and rise above what is holding you back from feeling content and good about YOU!  If you need help from a friend to do so...ask for the help.  If you need to see your doctor, go see her.  If you need some inspiration when you're feeling down, I'm a comment or a tweet or an email away. (And I may need some encouragement from you, too!) : )

You CAN rise above your fears and have an awesome April.  We all can do it together.

So? Who is "in" for the Rise and Shine Awesome April challenge?  We've got this! :)

Here's to our health friends!
HealthyLoserGal / Jan

PS: Use hashtag #hlgAwesomeApril on Twitter to post comments and encourage other challengers.  Thanks!

Simply Grilling: Oh-so-healthy new ways to grill!

The week of Fourth of July festivities is the perfect time to get ready for grilling season.  I recently received Jennifer Chandler‘s great “simply grilling" and have read it, cover-to-cover now, absorbed in the beautiful photographs and delicious looking recipes.

Jennifer Chandler has a simple, easy way with her recipes and grilling techniques.  A Food Network Dinner Impossible chef, she has also authored Simply Suppers and Simply Salads. You can follow her, as I do, on Twitter at @cookwjennifer.

For those of us with busy lives (read: EVERYONE! Lol) the cookbook gives many fast and tested methods that prove your backyard grill does not need to be a weekend-only activity.

I’ve already tried Jennifer‘s recipe for Lemon-Rosemary Scallops and they were "oh, MY! Delicious!"

When you are trying to keep food simple and use as many fresh ingredients as you can, simply grilling will give you inspiration and “how to”s that the most novice of grillers and chefs can easily prepare.

Thanks to Jennifer for sending me this great grilling cookbook – you’ve inspired me to break of out of my grilled chicken rut and experience new, delectable meals.

Here’s to our health~

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Giveaway Time: Flatout Flatbread Goodies!

March Back to Basics Challengers... have I got a treat for you!! : ) Last night when I arrived home from work I found a package on my porch and it was bursting with Flatout Flatbread!  I truly did a little excited dance in my kitchen as I was unpacking the box and discovering all the goodies!

Do you remember my mentioning how I've fallen for the Rosemary & Olive Oil Foldits that are only 100 calories? I then shouted out to Flatout on Twitter and they responded BIG TIME!  Now I can sample so many of their wonderful products thanks to their generous gift box but here is the fun thing, SO CAN YOU!  

100 cals & 1 gram of fat?! Yes, please!! :)

I have a couple of free coupons and a couple more 55 cents off coupons to Flatout delicious artisan flatbreads for the first five #hlgB2B challengers who comment below or shout out on Twitter!




This is also my anniversary weekend for starting my weight loss and fitness journey - three years now! : ) I'll be announcing some other really terrific giveaways on Sunday, the actual date (March 19th). So stay tuned if you don't get one of the coupons, more fun is on the way! 


Thanks SO much to the folks at Flatout Flatbread Company for their wonderful generosity to me and the coupons to send off to you!  Life is good and now delicious, too! *grin*


Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

January 20 for 20 Gaiam TV Fitness Winner is...

 @FionaHematoma!  This Philly native is now living in Arkansas and I am so glad she won because Fiona faithfully checked in on Twitter during the 20 days of the challenge and did all sorts of exercise, from hitting the gym for the elliptical and treadmill to walking her dogs to lacing up the skates of one type for ice hockey and the other type for roller derby.  CONGRATS!! (Fiona, please send me your mailing address through DM on Twitter!)

The folks at Gaiam.tv will be sending Fiona their Fitness basket with (this is just a partial list!) a gym bag, Pilates toning ring, pedometer, balance ball and resistance cords!  MANY THANKS to Gaiam.tv for this tremendous giveaway for the HealthyLoserGal January 20 minutes for 20 days challenge. 

If you haven't checked out Gaiam.tv, please take some time to do so.  Their site is awesome and - in my humble opinion - well worth the minimal monthly membership fee because of the diversity of programs offered. : )

Thank you to ALL of the 20for20 challengers... you all inspired ME to keep active all 20 days in the midst of a hectic and very busy month for me!  Thanks for that! :)

Here's to our health, friends!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Gift of Fitness & Health Challenge: Week 10 Check-In

Can you believe it?! Here we are in Week 10 of the challenge... only 19 days left, my friends!  Give yourself some love for hanging in!  How are you doing? I am so darn impressed with you who have stuck it through all these weeks.  I know some have fell off and then rejoined and I think that is so great... don't give up.  Keep believing in yourself and get back on the plan and go-baby-go!  Together we can finish stong! 

So how has this past week been for you?  How has the overall Gift of Fitness and Health 90 Day challenge been for your fitness and /or weight goals?  Have you been supported by others in your life or through the blog or on Twitter and Facebook?  Let's hear how you're doing in Comments!

xo

Dream... Believe... Achieve!
Jan / Healthy Loser Gal

Gift of Fitness Challenge: Week 8 Check-in

Simply put:  We're halfway through the challenge... we have 7 weeks left to our December 24th end date. 

Where are you on your journey for this challenge?  What have you learned about yourself?  How have you changed your habits?  What obstacles have you conquered and what do you still struggle with?  Have you asked others for help?  Have you offered help to others along the way?  Check-in through COMMENTS on how you're doing! :)

Dream.
Believe.
Achieve.

Jan/HealthyLoserGal

Gift of Fitness Challenge Check-In: Week #1

Sometimes the first week of the challenge can be the easiest (because we're all fired up to make changes) or the worst (because we're pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones), so no matter which it is for you, let's support one another by using the Comments section to check in. 

How are you doing?  What changes are you making?  What are you learning that you can share with other challengers?

Dream.
Believe.
Work hard.
Achieve.

We CAN do this, friends!  Nothing is in our way but ourselves! :)

Summer Vegetables' Last Hurrahs

This weekend provided one last golden weekend of summer in my eyes... a chance to turn my face toward the skies, eyes closed and just soak in the sun a tiny bit while out walking.  I also gave myself one last leisurely stroll through one of the local Farmers' Markets (this time in Waltham on Saturday) and stopping by a few of my favorite local, small farm stands.

I came home with delicious urban garden grown sweet corn, farm tomatoes, bulls eye and red beets, and peaches from the Farmers' Market and late season watermelon (complete with deer teeth marks in the outside rhine!), cukes and onions from this summer's favorite find: the 78 year old farmer on the Concord / Bedford line who is deaf as can be but doles out a plentiful pound of veggies and always offers me something free to go home and try since our initial one hour chat back in June.  When I visit with him it is like visiting with farmers from the small town I grew up in of Salem, NY, and I always leave with a smile and a heaping bag full of great, just-picked vegetables.

Tonight I threw together a very quick and easy (and one of my goes-with-everything) salads made with fresh garden tomatoes, sliced onions, fresh corn, avocado, and rinsed black beans (the lone ingredient from a can). The only thing you need to add, and only if you wish to, is the juice from 1/2 lemon and 2 Tbsps of lite Caesar salad dressing to toss into the veggies (and, technically "fruit" since avocado isn't a veggie).  I sometimes add a few pinches of freshly chopped cilantro, too, which gives the salad a nice kick if you'll be eating/serving it the following day.

The beets got the very plain and simple boiling method... and voila! a summer dinner of fresh veggies is complete with plenty of leftovers planned for the work days ahead.  As that famous woman down the road from Lexington used to say, "Bon appetit!".  ; )

Dream. Believe. Achieve.

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

So Honored! Voting for 50 Most Inspiring Healthy Tweeps

I am delighted to be included in the running for Mamavation's Top 50 Most Inspirational Healthy Tweeps for my twitter presence!  Sooo nice of Leah to include me and I would be honored to be part of the list with people that I turn to daily for inspiration, advice and great tips.

I'd really appreciate your votes over the next two weeks and am hopeful to make it onto the final Top 50 list! : ) 

Thanks, friends!

This is one of those Dream. Believe. Achieve! moments! *grin*

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Go Sport ID Giveaway ~ Be Safe When You Sweat! :)

I have been so fortunate to meet many really inspiring people along this weight loss and fitness journey.  Kase at Go Sport ID and I have become Twitter friends and it has been great fun to support them in the launch of their business. Please check out the newly launched Go Sport ID website for all of their products.  I am so excited to offer one Healthy Loser Gal blog reader the chance to own this great Go Sport ID in this anniversary giveaway!

As a person who lives alone, I really feel much more secure when I'm out walking or hiking or biking now because I'm wearing one of the Go Sport IDs.  It has my personal info on the inside of the ID (says I'm asthmatic, who to call in emergency, my hospital name) as well as my name and a motivational mantra on the front.  You can actually design it with whatever you would like on the front or back within the constraints of the space allowed.   

The colorful bands allow you to switch up the Go Sport ID to whatever you're wearing as it is very stylish and you could actually wear it all the time if you chose.  One of the things that I like about it, too, is that it is light... it doesn't feel heavy on your wrist when you're exercising.  You don't really notice it is there and, because the band is silicone it is durable and can take your sweat! lol

So how do you win this great giveaway? You 1) leave me a comment below to let me know you're interested  and 2) you follow Go Sport ID on Facebook or Twitter.  That is it! :) 

Thanks for your support on my weight loss and fitness journey, friends!  This weekend and next week there will be giveaways galore, so be sure to check back in on the blog!

Here's to our health!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / Healthy Loser Gal

One Hundred Pounds Lost & One Year Anniversary of Maintaining! Hallelujah!

I've done it!!!
Through the emotional ups and downs of a crazy year, I've maintained my 100 lb. weight loss and have made it to the one year anniversary!  I'm fist bumping myself!!

I thought last year was a milestone when I hit the one hundred pound mark, but this year, in many ways, proved to be more difficult and so - for me - the celebration is sweeter. 

At New Year's I was down a total of 122 pounds and felt incredible... I remember working out at the YMCA the week between Christmas and New Year's and thinking "I have this... this is habit now... this is so cool!" Little did I know that with the new year would come emotional personal drama and with that all my new healthy habits would be challenged.  And little did I know that I would fail miserably in some of those challenges and begin to let weight creep back onto my body.

By mid-March I had stopped exercising regularly and began to back pedal dramatically 'til I took contol of things and kicked the drama out of my life, reclaiming me again.  The lessons I'd learned about portion control and walking and exercising were back front and center in my life and I began to drop the excess weight I'd put on, turning my own emotions back to "positive" from having slipped to feeling negative.

While in January I was only 15 pounds from my goal weight, tonight I am 28 lbs. away.  But I feel good again, feel healthy once more and have been exercising regularly and eating healthy without thinking about it.  That habit has been learned and not broken.  I eat remarkably good foods and continue to lose weight when I keep my walking up.  What I'm concentrating on now is getting myself backed to how toned I was in January.  Let me tell you something - when you're working out and getting into shape - don't take a break because you're going to very quickly lose that momentum!  That is a valuable lesson I learned this spring!

So, I'm still on the journey, friends.  I still am concentrating on 5 lbs. at a time... still celebrating the small and the large victories as they come along to reward myself in non-food related ways.  And this week is a big victory... I've kept 112 lbs off for a year.  I'm no longer morbidly obese.  I'm no longer obese.  I'm overweight and only about 10 lbs away from normal weight for my height and age.  *fist bump*pow*  I'll take it! : )

What's my new goal? I have a special event coming up in October that I'd like to be 15 lbs. lighter for. I'm setting my first 5 lb. goal for September 10th. I believe in my own abilities and what I've learned over these last two years and know I'll be able to make that goal. What I hope you know is that if *I* can lose this weight and get healthy after having been morbidly obese and having NO fitness in my life whatsoever, YOU can do this, too! If you need some help... just ask me and I'll do what I can to get you on the right path!


Dream. Believe. (Work Hard!) Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoser(AndMaintainer! lol)Gal

FitStella Is Headed to Visit FabKate!

My fitness pal, FitStella, is winging her way to visit FabKate in Albuquerque as I write this... off for yet another fit & fab adventure!  Before she left Beantown, though, I wanted to be sure she saw the ocean and got to feel the salt air on her flat little fit face, so off we trekked to Newburyport in search of the Atlantic Ocean! :)

Along the way we stopped at my all-time-favorite lobster shack: Woodman's in Essex, Massachusetts so FitStella could see what really fresh New England healthy seafood is all about. 

We arrived at Woodman's just in time for the lobsterman to be taking steaming hot lobsters from the tank to display for the people waiting in the lines that stretched out the door and around into the parking lot. (Name dropping alert: the ex-fiance and I were here one day a few years ago and said hello to Senator Scott Brown & his wife as we all waited in line for delicious, fresh seafood!)



FitStella promoting "lobstah" without "buttah"
MmMmMmmmm!



We made our way up the "north shore" (as it is called in Boston) to the quaint community of Newburyport, a town I happen to love! Newburyport has a 3 mile river walk which starts in town on the Merrimack River and ends up on the ocean - the perfect trek for a beautiful day!

FitStella = the perfect guest!
Always willing to do whatever you'd like,
quiet & never leaves a mess! :)

I'm looking forward to reading FabKate's (who is also Fab at Fifty!!) adventures with FitStella on her blog and hope you'll follow both FitStella's and FitStanley's updates on http://www.fitstanley.com/!
Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Exciting Biggest Loser Ranch Trip Giveaway from Joy Bauer & SpaWeek



Helllloooo, Bob! :)

You all know I am a fan of The Biggest Loser on NBC and love to tweet during the shows live (to the point where I have been put in "Twitter prison" for tweeting TOO much during the show! lol).  So when SpaWeek.com approached me to find out if I'd like to share links on our sites to offer up an incredible prize package, I jumped at the opportunity!  (But, okay, I didn't jump UP and onto a box... because I *still* can't do that!!! *insert muttering here!*)


Joy Bauer (right) and a fan

 In June I saw Joy Bauer in person at the Boston Health & Fitness Expo and listened to her motivating talk on getting healthy and living a healthy lifestyle.  I've always liked Joy's segments on NBC's Today Show and have enjoyed her nutrition advice through her Woman's Day column and Slim Down Plan!.  Now Joy is co-sponsoring this "Fast Track to Health Giveaway" with SpaWeek.com and the Biggest Loser Resort and it is an incredible!

If you don't know about this giveaway yet, friends, you need to check it out because the "ultimate weight loss journey for one deserving winner" is the very cool prize and includes a six night stay at the Ranch, three meals a day, spa services, a private cooking class with the Executive Chef of the Resort, a nutritional plan developed for you by Joy Bauer, and more!  The details are below and you'll need to go to SpaWeek's Facebook page to enter the Fast Track to Health Giveaway.

Please do note one thing about the prize, friends... airfare is not included so if you do win, you'd have to find a way to get to and from Malibu on your own! ; ) 

Did I mention that I'm excited to be one of the featured healthy bloggers on SpaWeek Daily's blog? I am answering what my #1 Diet Tip is along with other spa and fitness bloggers.  Can you guess what my tip is before peeking? : ) You can skip over to SpaWeek Daily's blog by clicking here! :)



How awesome would it be if one of the HealthyLoserGal blog readers won the grand prize to The Biggest Loser Resort in Malibu? Maybe Sam Poueu would be your trainer during the week... he works there, you know, and a gal can day dream! ; )



BL9 Fan Favorite, Sam Poueu

Here's to our health!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

FitStella: A Healthy Snack That Kids Can Make

It is summer and it is hot and as everyone knows FitStella is all about eating healthy food to grow big muscles (just ask her)!  So here is a recipe for kids to make that is a healthy and fun summertime snack that is FitStella Approved!

FROZEN GRAPES

Step 1

Ask a grown-up to buy green, red, or concord grapes at the farmers' market or grocery store.



Step 2

Wash your own hands and then wash the grapes under cool water.

Step 3

Put the grapes in a plastic zip bag and place them in the freezer until they are frozen.

 

 

Step 4

Take them out of the freezer,

pop them in your mouth

and ENJOY!

Awesome August Challenge! Let's Go For It!

Last August I started monthly challenges on the blog and over the course of a year we have had 327 people (!!!) join into healthy challenges for weight loss or fitness or... like me, for both! :)  This month, I'm going back to the original challenge and hope you'll all join in!  I want to ROCK this month of August... I want to end it looking back and by us saying "I really gave this month my all... it truly has been AWESOME!" So who is with me?

Oh! and I'm still working on my Healthy Habit Challenge, too, believe me - - and so far so good - I'm planning my food and exercise and logging which is my goal for a new habit!

How did the summer come and go so quickly? I am determined to make every little second of August count for me - both for summer fun and fitness! When thinking about this earlier tonight I logged onto Twitter and posed the question "If I were to challenge you to an #AwesomeAugust for #fitness, would you join me? Maybe something like committing to exercise 24 of 31 days?" Well, within an hour or so, I had well over two dozen resounding "I'm IN!" replies! I was so shocked and happy! How totally cool are our Twitter friends and I am SURE some of you reading the blog will join in, too.



Sweaty, happy,
HealthyLoser :)

 So here is the idea... let's really commit to ourselves to make August count with our own personal fitness pledge. Of the 31 days of August, commit to yourself and to the #AwesomeAugust group that you will walk or exercise 24 of those days. It is really incredibly hot in some parts of the country so the rest days will be recovery days to use! : ) We can make the last month of the summer our best month of the summer and enter September proud of ourselves for the commitment we made and KEPT to ourselves!! You can post here on the blog or on Twitter when you've exercised or group the days together and post what you did for the week. If you're posting on Twitter, please use the #AwesomeAugust hashtag so we can find one another and support each other during the month!! It'll be fun! :)

If "you're in!" on the Awesome August Challenge and want to use the badge above or over on the right, simply right click on it and save it to your photo directory to add to your webpage or blog!

Happy first day of August, friends, and let's have an Awesome August!!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Easy Summer Dinner: Panko Crusted Chicken & Garden Salad

Every once in awhile I want to change up an old recipe and try out a healthier version.  Sometimes it takes a few attempts to perfect the recipe and sometimes - you nail it on the first try!  The latter was tonight! : )

I cut a skinless 7 oz chicken breast into strips, shaking them in a plastic bag to coat them lightly with whole wheat flour (about 1/2 cup).  Taking them out of the bag, I brushed them sparingly with one egg white and 2 Tbsp of water whisked together, removing them to a mixing bowl holding 3/4 cup of seasoned panko crumbs, coating the chicken pieces thoroughly. 

In a medium cast iron skillet, I'd heated 4 Tbsp of rosemary EVOO (which, I'm proud to say, I made myself from my own little herb garden) and placed the chicken pieces together in the skillet for about 3 minutes on the 1st side, 2 minutes on the second, creating a nice brown, crunchy coating on the chicken.

Removing the chicken pieces with tongs, I placed them on a paper towel to remove any excess EVOO (there wasn't much) and cool a bit while I whipped up 1/4 cup each of Dijon mustard and fresh honey, squeezed a lemon over the chicken and about a tsp into the dressing, adding 1 Tbsp of light Hellman's mayo and whisking all together. Perfect honey mustard for dipping the chicken into!

My Lexington Farmers' Market trip had provided me with fresh baby greens and tomatoes and fresh mushrooms so I quickly rinsed all and arranged them in a bowl with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. 

Dinner in about 15 minutes total from start to finish and enough left-over chicken to have as part of lunch today! All good and all healthy! : )

Bon appetit!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal