90 Day Challenge: The Gift Of Fitness & Health

So, where are you headed?

Do you know where you're headed this fall?  Have you made plans for what you'd like to accomplish for your weight loss, health, and fitness?  Or are you going to sit back and let life lead you rather than you lead your life? 

That's what I would have done a couple of years ago.  I liked the familiar.  I liked coming home at the end of the work day and eating myself into a numbing coma.  I enjoyed watching television show after television show and eating and eating.  I laughed through the comedies, worried along with the characters of the dramas... got up to get something more to eat and then plopped back down on the couch to do nothing but enjoy myself.

The reality of my situation was that I was killing myself.  I was numbing myself to life by overeating and allowing myself to become morbidly obese.  The continued eating of high sugar, high fat foods truly numbed my emotions to the point where - at the end of the evening - it was an effort to climb the stairs to fall into bed.

That wasn't 'the good life'.  I pretended that it was.  I pretended I was happy.  But - deep down within me - I was miserable.  My health was deteriorating.  My happiness - true happiness - was non-existent.  I was suffocating within my own self-imposed walls of fat.  And I wasn't motivated to do anything about it.

And then something within me changed.  I decided I was worth the effort and I wanted to live the rest of my life as a truly happy and healthy person.  I realized that to be HAPPY, I first needed to get healthy.  I started to listen to audio tapes about reinforcing positive behavior, positive energy and the power of attracting good things with positive actions.  I began to believe I could change my life and got up off the couch and - in the privacy of my own living room - began to move more.  Then I ventured outside and began to walk around the block, and then the high school track, and then a half mile, and then a mile, and then a 5k charity walk. 

I had given myself a tremendous GIFT.  I'd unwrapped within me the gift of believing in myself and reclaiming my health.










For the next 90 days I'm going back to basics.  Ninety days from today is Christmas.  I'm going to give myself the best gift I can imagine:  the gift of wellness. I plan to lose 25 lbs. and hit my goal weight in December.  I've been slacking for months and months and am ashamed of myself.  That disappointment all changed on Saturday when I went to the gym and 'got back at it'.

So what is the 90 Day Challenge?

I would love you to join me on the next 90 days and reclaim whatever it is that YOU have let slide or set aside, too.  Is it your weight loss goal?  Your fitness routine?  Your promise to yourself to go to the gym three times a week?  To stop overeating or drinking too much?  You know what it is... you're probably saying silently what that goal is as you read this. 

I don't need to know your goal if you don't want to share it.  But you need to write down your goal somewhere that you will see it everyday... preferably first thing in the morning and throughout your day.  Place a calendar reminder in your auto-calendar on your phone or laptop and have a "reminder" come up daily that motivates you to keep at your goal... "eyes on the prize" as the saying goes.

Only join this 3 month challenge if you're truly committed because we're going to keep one another accountable.  I need someone to get in my face on Twitter and Facebook and here and say "how many miles did you walk this week?" or "how many lbs. have you lost so far?" and badger me 'til I tell you!  Hey, I need accountability, too, and expect that if I'm supporting you, you'll be there to support me! :)

This time the challenge is accompanied by some very cool incentives! 

Besides the fact that by committing to yourself your own weight loss or fitness/wellness goal you will feel proud of yourself, if you are the challenger who checks in the most the first 14 days (either here or on Facebook or Twitter), you're going to receive the top of the line Conair Weight Watchers glass body analysis scale.*  It is so incredibly cool!

If you are in the challenge and are actively checking in and posting and have decided to start walking outdoors or begin a new outdoor activity (think canoeing, biking, hiking, golf, running, etc.), you'll be entered in the gift set of Eucerin products for Everyday Body and Everyday Face lotion. 

If you're going to stop eating junk food and are trying to eat healthier and are posting during the next 90 days often about how you're doing, you'll possibly win one of three cookbooks to keep you motivated and help with new recipes and changes you're making.

But, friends, the biggest, BEST gift that you will receive, is the gift of your own self-esteem and self-discipline.  You will be able to look at yourself and say "I'm worth it. I'm doing this for me! I'm accomplishing my goals!" and mean it.  You won't feel that old feeling of lying to yourself that everything is great when you can barely pull yourself up off the floor, when you have to buy another size bigger clothes when you swore to yourself you'd never get past the size you're in now... you'll really push yourself out the door to run that 2 mile loop at 6:30am. 

So here are the details in condensed form:

1.  In Comments here, on Twitter, or to my HealthyLoser Gal Facebook page, tell me that you are IN the #hlgFitGift 90 Day Challenge.  Use the #hlgFitGift hashtag on Twitter.

2.  Somewhere, preferably on paper where you can tape it to your frig or bathroom mirror or somewhere you can't miss it, you're going to write the weight loss, fitness or wellness goal you're going to challenge yourself to achieve in the next 90 days.  (i.e., I'm writing "I'm losing 10 lbs. in October, 10 lbs. in November and 5 lbs. in December. I'm walking 5x weekly.  I'm not eating after 8pm nightly.")

3.  You check in as often as you can (I'll be going for every other day here, daily on Twitter) and support other people in the challenge.  If you need help, you ask for it! :)

4.  You commit to exercise in some way for at least 10 minutes a day 4x a week every week of the challenge.  That is easy-peasy, friends!  Everyone - no matter your fitness level - can squeeze in 10 minutes 4x a week. 

5.  You drink a lot of water and be kind to yourself! Develop a POSITIVE mantra about how you can do whatever you set your mind to accomplish! :)

6.  You're honest to yourself and other challengers about how you're doing. If you fall off five times and begin again six times during this challenge, you're still in it! It isn't about how many times you fall down, it is about how many times you get back up and continue! ; )





I know where I'm headed the next 90 days... I've got goals written down and I'm going for them full throttle!  I hope you'll join me in the Fit Gift Challenge!  

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / Healthy Loser Gal


*If there is a tie on who is checking in most often, I will do the random number prize selection.

Embracing Life! Today Was a GREAT Day!

Have you ever had one of those days when just everything felt 'right'?  When the world seemed to smile down on you and you felt like you rediscovered something you'd lost?  Well... today was that kind of day for me!

I've been struggling with my goals, with staying motivated, with getting out the door and on with things I know I should be doing for the last couple of weeks.  And today, on a grey Saturday when I could have very well stayed curled up in bed when I first woke up, I jumped out from under the covers and hit the ground running!

In the shower I was singing.  I haven't sang in the shower for a LONG time! And I suddenly realized I *was* singing and then truly just grinned about it.  Something inside of me has changed back to how it was last year.  I'm all excited about life again... I'm making right decisions, crossing off To Do items... energized. I'm doing things for me that I know I should be doing and I feel GREAT and excited about this journey I'm on.  :)

I participated in a virtual 6K walk with other bloggers today for the Napa River Rock & Stroll to raise awareness for the Cope Family Center and prevention of child abuse.  Last night, a Twitter friend, Meg Leever (check out her great card designs @LoveMegCards) told me about 8 year old Kerra Wilson who was killed by her stepfather in Nebraska this past week, so I walked in little Kerra's memory today and felt more empowered than I have in a very long time!

Empowered to the point of where I finally decided to tackle a fear I've been ignoring far too long at the gym - the dreaded elliptical trainer! Now, granted, I have gotten on it before... but only for a couple of minutes at a time.  This afternoon, though, when I was finished with the 6K, I just decided - tired out or not - it was time to overcome my fear and "just do it"!  So, I did... I climbed on, read through the different settings, cranked up the tunes on my iPod and mastered the darn thing.  And I am stunned to admit that I actually enjoyed it!  My arms and legs were actually synced up really well, I was NOT uncoordinated and I did NOT fall off!  I was, if I do say so myself, rather graceful on it! *beam*

I will forever be grateful to my ex-trainer, Parker Robinson, who - when I was first meeting with him - told me that we would rediscover the athlete within me on this journey.

That athlete is here again.  She raised her hand and waved at me today. I kind of recognize her!

Life is good!

Dream. Believe. Achieve.
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Biggest Loser 12: Let the Battle of the Ages Begin!

Tomorrow night is it, friends... the new premier of season 12 of Biggest Loser and there are definite changes in the air!  First of all - as the new promo picture highlights, Jillian Michaels is gone.  (You'd have to be a BL hater or living under a rock to not know this by now! lol)  I, personally, loved Jill and will miss her tough love and borderline sick humor but I'm a big fan of Bob Harper, too, so it will be good to see some continuity in training. 

I'm really excited to see that Dolvett Quince from Atlanta has joined the show.  This guy is the real deal, friends.  He is a trainer who knows what he's doing to motivate and encourage and get people to their goals...and, ahem! He's not too hard on the eyes. ; )  You can follow him on Twitter like I am @Dolvett or on Facebook.

There is all kinds of chatter about Anna Kournikova and how she'll fit in and whether or not she has the credentials to be on Biggest Loser. I'm personally hoping she does a great job and admire her work in helping kids across the US to get moving and active.  Here is a little part of the NBC blurb about her: "As a former World #1 doubles player and #8 singles player, as well as a certified trainer, Kournikova has always made a healthy lifestyle an integral part of her life, and she's honored to have the opportunity to inspire others as part of the upcoming 12th season."  She does, indeed, have training certification, folks!

The contestants I've tweeted with are anxious for tomorrow night's premier.  Some twitter contestants include:   @CJRainville (she's a doll!) @JessicaLimpert (she is, too!) @joemitchell1 @ramonmedeiros50 and @John_Rhode.  Locally, I'll be rooting for Johnny Forger who is 65 and a Boston area realtor.  I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I met him in February at the Boston auditions! 

I just tweeted with Ali Sweeney (she's returning as host which is wonderful!) and she'll be live tweeting EST tomorrow night, too.  I asked her if she was planning to tweet live and her reply was "Heck, yeah!!" LOL  She's lots of fun! : )

I'm hoping you'll join me tomorrow night from 8-10pm EST for the Twitter party online!  I'll be joining the Mamavation crew for the #BritaChallenge party.  We always have a blast during these two hours and, as is her way, Leah Sedgie (@Bookieboo) has come up with great giveaways that will be happening during the event (just click on the party link to get in on the giveaways)! :)  Other hosts/panelists at the party are some of my favorite bloggers and fitness folks including Carla aka MizFitOnline, Roni Noone, Jenn from FitBottomedGirls, and Tony from TheAntiJared. Fun bunch!

You all know how much I love drinking water, so the Brita tie-in is one I'm happy to support tomorrow night!  Without water, we dehydrate, our bodies shut down and we basically stop losing weight or being healthy.  Drink up, my friends! :)

I love watching Biggest Loser.  I love seeing the inspiring transformations and I love challenging myself Tuesday nights during the two hours of television watching to do something healthy.  I'll be involved in the Twitter party tomorrow night and just want to watch... but next week... who's with me for step aerobics during at least two 15 minute intervals during the show? *grin*

Here's to our health, to finding inspiration to continue our journeys and a toast of good luck to this season's contestants!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

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

Whole Foods Dedham Launches Wellness Club

A few weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be invited by Whole Foods to the launch of their Dedham facility's new Wellness Club, the first of five such sites now planned to be launched across the country. 

The website describes the Club as "an inviting environment where members are empowered to make educated and positive lifestyle choices that promote their long-term health and well-being through coaching, delicious food and a supportive community" (huh?).  What I came away understanding it to be is a beautiful glass enclosed structure smack dab in the middle of the store where - for a substantial fee (for me, anyways, this is substantial) of $199 to sign-up and then monthly fees of $45 plus additional fees for the "Supper Club" - you're coached on developing new healthy eating habits and wellness and can attend cooking demonstrations in their very cool kitchen/classroom.

The blogging evening started with local food and health bloggers coming together in Dedham.  The moment I walked in I was greeted by Lisa Johnson and we chatted before the presentation a bit, Lisa making the very good point of how the health and fitness blogging community has just begun to catch-up to the Mommy blogging community in terms of networking together and community building.

The Wellness Club eating recommendations seem to be based on a vegan diet, although this is only suggested, not mandatory.  The evening started with a presentation by Dr. Matt Lederman, co-author with his wife (who was also in attendance), Dr. Alona Pulde, of the book "Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole: Your Guide to Optimum Health". They serve nationwide as the Club's "Wellness Experts" and "have developed a comprehensive Lifestyle Change Program that is designed to help club members make changes for lifelong health at their own pace." 

From my understanding, the program is based on "Four Pillars" (or bowls as Dr. Matt referred to often in his presentation) of  1) unrestricted whole veggies and fruits  2)  unrestricted amounts of whole starches - both 1 & 2 filling your stomach with bulk and 'stretch'  3) healthy fats and finally, 4) limited amounts of richer, nutrient dense foods that are often slightly more processed, too.

Dr. Matt's presentation offered many new concepts that, honestly to me, were a bit complex to understand for the layman.  I did, however, come away with this understanding:  If you eat whole foods at the beginning of your meal, stocking up on veggies and fruits, your stomach will become increasingly full - add in the starch, and even moreso.  By the time you're eating the third and fourth bowl (his illustration), your stomach is telling you it is full and the size of the portion you will want to eat will be substantially less.

Following the Four Tier explanation and presentation, we were treated to a cooking demonstration using this approach by Chef Ryan Parker, a Culinary Institute of America trained chef, who demoed three recipes for us.

The first was an eggplant and roasted red pepper with chickpea hummus.  I really enjoyed the cooking demo, learning some interesting techniques, and finding out about 'smoked paprika' spice which I had never used before (but bought on my way out of the store).  For my taste, the hummus was a little bland, but perhaps that is because I'm used to very spicy hummus.

 Chef Ryan also made a 'no bake' New England apple spice cake for us which featured a cashew cream which was delicious.  His poached pears in ginger, cinnamon with fresh berries and a drizzle of raspberry sauce also looked delicious and was very easily prepared, illustrating that whole foods do not need to be elaborate to prepare or time consuming.

No bake Apple Spice Cake with Cashew Cream & Berries
and Spiced Poached Pears with Raspberry drizzle

A more comprehensive explanation of the Dedham Wellness Club at Whole Foods can be found here on their website. 

If you read Healthy Loser Gal blog regularly you know I love to promote Buying Local and Farm-To-Table having grown up in rural upstate New York and being an advocate for the small farm.  The signage below on the Whole Foods wall caught my attention: 

Below the "Support New England Farmers" were local produce with the farms that grew them highlighted as well as the whole foods nutrition information which reinforces the Whole Foods' nutritional approach of the Wellness Club.  The local farmers tie-in made me smile, I must admit. : )

Here's to our health, friends!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal

Who is shaping your life? Beautiful quote...

And the winner of the Go Sport ID is...

And the winner is:  Marathon Sweetheart who was the second comment in the Go Sport ID giveaway!! Congrats, Brittny - - I know you'll put this to good use!  For those of you who are looking for some inspiration, you should check out Brittny's blog.  She went from overweight and unfit to being a marathon runner WHILE she's studying to be a doctor and is an ambassador for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.  This girl is amazing! : )

More giveaways through the remainder of this Awesome August, friends, so don't be disheartened if you didn't win the Go Sport ID!  And, by the way, the Go Sport IDs start for under $20 so they're a really good investment for your own personal health and safety and, if you're like me, peace of mind while out and about!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!
Jan / HealthyLoserGal

PS: If you ever need a random number generated for a giveaway or whatever... I used random.org - so easy! 

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

Healthy Words to Live By

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

Awesome August: Healthy Habits & Having FUN!

Friday was one of those great summer days when the sun is out and it is hot but there are billowy clouds that are calling for you to get outside and DO something!  Luckily for me, my job allows us to have a couple of Fridays off over the summer and this past Friday afternoon was my turn!

I'm proud of myself for how well I've been doing planning and then logging all my meals.  I can't say that I have stuck 100 percent to my planned out food, but I bet I'm averaging well over 85 percent and - for me - that is a win! : )

To keep up with my planning of food, I needed to hit the local farm stand and grocery store to get some healthy foods ready for the weekend and coming week.  I have a friend who wanted to go with me - talk about your healthy eater - this gal is paper thin and up for any sort of challenge... and I'm not kidding! ; ) (Cue the FitStella montage!)

It is soooo wonderful to have the farm stands stocked with local summer fruits and vegetables!  I picked up local watermelon and berries, cantaloupe, three varieties of fresh lettuce, sweet corn, onions, green peppers, and tomatoes - all from Wilson Farm in Lexington, Mass.  I stopped at my favorite little local fish market and picked up scallops and the local Stop 'n Shop for skinless chicken and avocados.

After getting home, it was time to get ready for the weekend ahead with some food prep... one huge garden salad and one huge fruit salad were in order with FitStella overseeing the whole operation! : )

All the lettuces got broken into smaller pieces and rinsed and spun dry.  When that was done it was onto the fruit salad... 

Personally, I could eat fruit salad everyday of the week if it was always THIS fresh and juicy.  But I have to portion it out because there are many more calories in fruit salad than a green salad... but still... I'm oh-so-willing to walk a half a mile to burn off a few extra scoops of fruit salad that is this delicious! : )

After the salads were stored in the frig, it was time for some fun exercise in the sun... bike riding! Yay!  Helmet and Go Sport ID both in place, an expected 30 minute bike ride ended up being 90 minutes on the bike path because it was so darn nice out I didn't want to turn around and come home! : )  But FitStella suggested we probably should ride home before dark since I hadn't brought my headlight or blinking rear light for the bike with us.  (Not only is she fit and healthy, FitStella is smart!)

We made it home long before twilight with just enough light outdoors left for me to snap this photo! 

FitStella will be traveling to someone else's home this coming week... and she'd love to visit a home that has kids in the house!  Any chance you're a health, weight loss and/or fitness blogger and interested in hosting her for a week?  Let me know if you would like FitStella's adventure to continue at your home and I'll let you know the details! : )

It was a great day and leisure biking is an easy way to burn calories without even realizing you are! Those are the best activities sometimes! : )

Here's to our health, friends!

Dream. Believe. Achieve!

Jan / HealthyLoserGal