Not good score, but back pain is better ;)

NO AEROBICS FOR 3 DAYS PER DR.'S ORDERS!!
Score for week.....625 :(
This round has also been a roller coaster for me also.  Certain parts of the game were easy to keep up, and others were much harder.  It has been a good thing to participate in and I have had fun reading the blogs.
Rupturing a disc in my back 5 weeks ago has definitely put me down!!
Sorry Alisha that I haven't been able to be my best.  You have been a great partner, and I have to say that I am grateful for so many encouraging words and support.  I am only down 1.5 pounds this time, but considering, at least I haven't gained!!

The End!

I was doing so good the first part of the week. I really wanted to finish with a perfect score, but after my Mother-in-Law's Birthday party on Monday at Texas Roadhouse with the Costco Double Fudge Chocolate Birthday cake it all went downhill from there. With that and more family coming in town and getting ready for girls camp and planning a family reunion, I didn't do to well. My score was 63o. Sorry Kelly. I have to say, you have been the perfect partner for me. I think we were both in the game for the same reasons. Not necessarily to win, but to improve our lives the best we can.

This game has definitely been an added stress in my life, but it has improved my health and created some good habits. Some habits I think I will easily be able to keep without playing this game and some I will have to continue to work hard at keeping.

Congratulations to the Tree and the Rock!

Reckoning

Week 8 total - 690 (sorry Dan!)

I can really relate to what Kristin said - I hit an emotional brick wall at Week 2 this time around. I saw a "magic number" on the scale that I had not seen for many, many years. I had 5 pounds to go, to weigh what I did when I got pregnant with my last baby (20 years ago - yeah, I know). I have sabotaged myself the rest of the time. I have lost the same 4 pounds three times in this contest, for a net loss of...... 1.4 lb.! Every time I would see that "magic number," my free day would be this unbelievable, out-of-control episode. Then it would be like an alcoholic waking up hungover and ashamed, and I'd spend the rest of the week trying to play catch up. And I did lose my good habit points several times this time around, because of the emotional issues that hit me like a brick in the face.

I'll probably have to write about this later; the bottom line is that I've learned that I have completely, totally tied my self worth to my weight and size. That message started in my early adolescence and has only been reinforced over and over again throughout my life. Every time I hit a weight "breakthrough" - I freak out.

Considering the level of my freak-out, it's amazing I did as well as I did this time around. I really did, with very few exceptions, keep myself to the out-of-control eating on my free days. I've continued to be done eating at 7:30 p.m. I've eaten so much more fresh fruits and vegetables, as you may have heard. :) I have not missed a day of exercise for twenty weeks now. I've paid more attention to eating five meals, which was more challenging than I thought! And then there's the water. Well, don't need to tell you guys.

So - even though my net weight loss is pathetic this time, I'm happy I did this contest again. It really did reinforce habits for me, and give me more incentive to continue. I have a plan for my next eight weeks, or until we start this up again in the fall. I have loved reading your blogs - it's been inspirational. And also silly. Good luck to all of us with this personal journey - I want to keep my GAME ON for life!

Thanks everyone!

my score for the week is 686. Unfortunately I only lost 4.6 lbs it was a little more then that but i have been doing the p90x for 3 weeks now and i actually have gained weight this last three weeks. the p90x guy said dont stress if that happens, i guess that is common when you are gaining muscle weight however i did think with all my fat weight that would not happen to me! Oh well hopefully i can continue with this on my own and will be ready to go again in september. I am so happy for Laureen and dan for winning this contest. they have been amazing and inspirational and i think it was a well deserved win!

Score 653

The game has been a roller coaster for me this time around. The last round of the game I lost nine lbs. This time around I am embarressed to report I am only 2.2 down from starting weight. What I learned, I didn't have it in me emotionally to stick to the game like I did last time. With my kids home, the heat, trek and girls camp. I was pretty good at being a slacker. I do hope we do this again in the fall. I need a chance at redemption. My results are a direct result of my efforts. Imagine that!

Thanks Everybody

What a great experience. Many of you have inspired me with your stories and humor and sincere expressions of soul. Getting to know you just through the medium of this blog has been rewarding.

My starting weight was 270.5 lbs. Final weight = 248.0 lbs. Total loss of 22.5 lbs. My goal was 24 lbs - so I've also become a believer in goal setting. For me, the contest part of it was absolutely necessary.

Week 8 score = 710 points

Thanks Belly Bustin' and thanks Laureen (the Rock) for being a great teammate.

p.s. Please invite me to the next contest.

Adios Amigos

I am finally headed to bed after a crazy week of playing catch up with work just to be able to leave on family vacation tomorrow. So..... I am now posting my score tonight since i will be gone all week. I am not weighing tonight however so i will have to post weight later. My score this week is 670. Tough week. Sorry Robin!!! Congrats to the tree team. You definitely deserve to win!!!

Last Day! Yahoooooo!

My husband thought that I might gain weight playing this game. He said that it seemed like I was eating a lot more now than I did before this game. It's true, I now eat more often, BUT I now eat healthier. With that, the exercising and the water I proved my husband wrong. I lost 7 pounds.

remember to post how much weight you have lost over this 8 weeks along with your score tomorrow. I will miss everyone's posts, i love reading them. Hopefully we will do this again in September! we will try to find a time to meet again before school starts. thanks!

2 blogs to go :(

I think everyone should have say tomorrow - our last day. Let's hear from everyone - at least everyone who's not at girls camp!

So let me say: "A mind (like ours, because of this contest) that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions." O.W. Holmes

Last Day!

check

Check

:)

I like bananas

That's all.

girls camp, girls camp, girls camp, that is all i have to say!

And the hits (learning) just keep on a coming...

I, like Jodi, had a wonderful learning experience just a few days ago. I got a fancy new bike to ride with my athletic daughter. Mind you, I've been bike riding for more than 50 years, so it's not like I'm just learning. We pulled up to a stop light to punch the "walk" button and as I rolled up to the curb I could not for the life of me get my foot our of my pedal clip. Helpless, I just had to (it seemed like it was in slow motion) fall over with my feet still in the stirrups. I'm sure to someone watching it was pretty comical. Of course, when I hit the ground my feet popped right out. I learned that I had to plan my stops a little more carefully, anticipate better. I learned. I think the phrase "I learned" is another way of saying: "purpose of life." I got up and got back on the bike. We all have daily learning experiences. We learn and get back on the bike and ride on, much wiser.

It's a sad day!

My friend Bunny's funeral was today and I missed the funeral because of too much work. I found out after the fact that one of my really good friends spoke at the funeral. I feel like scum!!!! It makes me feel sad that work is more important than being there to support a friend. Since the trek, i have been working way too many hours to get ready for another family trip leaving on Friday. No excuses, just made me think what really should be important.

My knee is killing me! this p90x has you do more lunge type moves then i have ever done in my life. i sure hope my knee will hold out and get stronger. I hate bad knees!!!

FRANCE, ripped Pants, Ants!

I love the " Tour de France"... It is a bike race held each July for most of the month. I get into the strategy of the race and all the great stories. One day I hope to watch in person however It is currently on TV in HD. I can now fly over in a helicopter each and every day. You can watch it on VERUS. live and taped through out the day. Lance Armstrong is a resilient hero. He is currently riding his last tour..not to win (he has won 7X), though that may have been his dream, but to show he can. Today he went on a Break AWAY.. A small group leaves the peloton (other riders) and goes faster to gain time and win. His performance today was inspiring. NOT because he won.. he did not. But because he left his ego in the bus and went for it over four huge climbs and came in with the small group he had gone with all day. In an interview at the end he admitted " i didn't have it" (to win) but to me .... he did... why? the TRY. He did not hold off as he could have. but he attacked and went for it. He tried, he tried... he tried.

Last night I also saved the lives of my children from a strange infestation of carpenter ants by killing every last.. .......one......................................

Hope this ins't boring

Continued from yesterday (quoting Jim Rohn):

"Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter... But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time. Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices - choices that didn't seem to matter. Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety.

"Now, here is the great news: Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow - It's a few simple disciplines practiced every day."

Thanks Belly Bustin' for teaching us the few simple disciplines that we can practice every day that will change the whole nature of our futures. Press Forward!

Cool down

Just finished my workout. I'm thinking that may have been the best benefit of my two Game On episodes - I now have a "no excuses" attitude about exercise. I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, which, upon bumping over something, backed up to see, what was that? I had to drag myself to my treadmill big time, and had decided I would chug along at my warm-up speed for my minimum 20 minutes - NO EXCUSES. Well, now that I'm finished, and I pushed myself, I feel soooo much better.

Exercise, sweat, endorphins, it's all good. Let's go hunting veggies.

I love camp

I'm excited for camp too! Only down side to many goodies.

busy week

I am camp director and we leave for girls camp on monday so this week is going to be a busy one. I hope i can stay on task for our last week. Cant wait to be up there with Alisha and Kristin, we are going to have a blast!

wannabe

Yesterday at church I had three different people brag to me about there training for a triathlon...Beginner-sprint-tuneup-olympic---- and the thought struck me that it takes some people a FAD to desire to run faster, swim better, and learn to ride a bike. Perhaps childhood is a good training ground....As a youngster in the olden days I rode my bike to swimming lessons and then had to run it back up hill to my house so as to beat my sister home or she would eat all the cookies. HMMMMMMM ahead of the curve?

Check:)

Bitter / Sweet

I can't believe how fast these 8 weeks have gone by. What a fun experience to compete and get to know all of you. Thanks Laureen for having me as your teammate.

My favorite business philosopher is Jim Rohn. This is my favorite piece from him and it applies to all of our futures: "Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. We do not fail overnight. Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day. Now, why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think it matters.

On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.

If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past 90 days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives. And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first 90 days, we repeat this error in judgment for another 90 days and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!"

To be continued tomorrow...

Check

Monday, Monday....

Good workout. Grape nuts and orange juice. I think I shall continue to frighten all the little vegetables. Jodi, I wish I had heard your talk. That's pretty much it for this morning. G'day!

Where did summer go?

It's amazing how fast this past 7 weeks have gone by. What a crazy summer!!! At least i can't say i have been bored! I would love to start a new game in the fall mostly because i love reading the blogs. You guys help me so much with your positive and hilarious and sometimes extremely random blogs. We must meet sometime though. I am exhausted after staying up till 1:00 last night writing a talk for sacrament meeting. Whew! glad it's over!!! Cheers to a successful last week. Ta ta

The final week

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful blogs. This round of Belly Bustin has been very uplifting. It's reassuring that everyone is struggling with the same things. We have the ability to change our lives and make good choices. Dan you are a very sweet and kind person. You have been and awesome addition to this blog.
I do hope we all commit to ourselves to make an effort to stick to our new habits. Love you all!!

Thanks

Amen to recent comments from Dan, and Kristin. I agree, I have been spiritually and emotionally more in control, because I have been in more physical control. This contest has been much, much harder than the first one, because some emotional issues with my eating have come front and center as I've gotten lower in weight than I have been in years. But I am persevering and pushing through it. I've tried to eat according to the rules of the game, but man, have I taken advantage of my free days. Apparently, I still try to anesthetize intense emotional pain with food. Thing is, when the package of _______ (fill in with your favorite anesthesia) is empty, you're uncomfortably stuffed, and feeling like crap, the emotional pain is still there, and possibly stronger, because you have completely let yourself go. Lesson....?

I joined Weight Watchers six years ago because I knew it was a way of life, not a diet. To raise the bar for myself this year, and only have a free day once a week has been really, really good for me. It's been good to have to exercise for points. I have exercised six days a week for nineteen weeks in a row. And this, through a bad sinus infection where I was exhausted from coughing for three weeks. It's been good to have a "no excuses" attitude about exercise because of this contest. It's been good to drink this much water. A friend I haven't seen for several weeks commented yesterday how good my skin looked. My skin is possibly my worst physical feature. I blame the water.

THANKS for letting me hone good habits in this contest! I'm racking my brain, trying to come up with a way to not completely let it all go until everybody wants to start something up again in the fall. I think maybe I'll give myself some cash each week I score a certain number of points, but make it fairly all-or-nothing, so I have to hold myself to the same high standard of the contest. Hope everybody else is glad they've done this - and I also agree with whoever suggested we get together to meet each other. I've had so much fun reading y'all's blogs.

Let's go out this week strong! The game's not over, so GAME ON!

We've hit the Big Time

You know you've risen to the top when The Bard shows up in your blog! I am fully expecting Laureen to complement as I know she is a Shakespearean lover too.

A couple of unsolicited comments on you working mothers out there - and by working, I mean the awesome work of raising multiples of children. My hat is off to you and I honor you for the hardest job in the world. That said, let us not succumb to the temptation of reverting back to our "old ways." We have all done so well in learning about the benefits of exercise, rest, water, and nutrition. Perhaps we can't sustain the efforts at a "contest level" week after week, especially during the summer (that's why I don't care very much for summer- total lack of routine), but the principles we've embraced can bless us - contest or not. Kristin's comments were very brilliant: Our mental health is so dependent on our body health. That's been one of the finest revelations this contest has taught me: if I take care of my body, mental and spiritual health automatically follow. Maybe I can't get 710 points every week until I die, but I'm determined to try as I know the pain of success is much more rewarding than the pain of regret. I'm not going back. So, let's take what we've learned and build upon it so our lives are upwardly blessed. "Burger King has great salads..." - that's a quote from King Lear!

Good luck to everyone this week. I hope we all get to meet each other soon.

Checking In

plus 5.

From Cedar City!!!

No longer from head to foot than from hip to hip, she is spherical, like a globe, I could find out contries in her

comedy of errors... William Shakespeare

The tales of Shakespeare are many and all have an important bend. Self introspection runs a fine thread through the words. I return to my town of origin each year to attend these plays and learn more about myself... This quote works a great description no doubt!

Fish not, with this melancholy bait,
For this fool gudgeon, this opinion. (The merchant of Venice)

They are as sick that surfeit with too much, as they that starve with nothing.

(The Merchant of Venice)

Check

Way to go Jodi on a successful Trek. I am sure you guys were awesome. I totally understand the having to eat whatever you can to have energy to survive trekking. Carrots alone do not give you enough energy. As much as I love this game and the goals it makes me have, i cannot even think of doing it again right now. I have talked to a few others and they feel the same. Being a stay at home mom with kids and their schedules plus working full time and incorporating so much exercise has about put me over the edge. I feel so out of control with the eating not having a schedule and things popping up last minute with i have to be here and pick me up here and take me there and impromptu lunches, dinners and movies. I would love to do this again after labor day in september if anyone else is interested. I will feel like i am in better control and be much more successful when everyone is back into a schedule. Dan, Jodi and I were talking and we would really love to meet you in person. I would love to get all of us together at the end of this so we can meet everyone. If anyone is willing please let me know. I would also like for our last week post for everyone to tell how much weight they have lost over the course of 8 weeks. that will be a fun total to see. Everyone have a great last week!

Determined to go out with a bang

I am going to be in control of myself this week! For anyone who has dealt with anxiety and depression you know what it means to feel like you have no control!! I am slowly learning to recognize my triggers and I also am very aware that excercise has a direct link to my mental health. My husband was out of town all week and I was tending my nieces and nephew it was nearly impossible for me to find time to excercise. I couldn't take 6 kids to the gym and I couldn't get up to go on my morning run with no one home with the little guys. I attempted to do some excercise videos which frustrated me further because the family room downstairs where I excercise looked like a bomb hit it. All I could think about was how long it would take to restore order! I need excercise, it gives my mind and body a chance to detox. It is a healthy escape from reality. So even if I have to pay a baby sitter to come over for 2 hours everyday. I will excercise this week. I pay a much greater cost mentally if I don't do something for myself.

Blogging

I too think it was an unwise rule change to not encourage everyone to blog. I reveled in reading all of your entries over the past couple of days. They were inspiring and heart-felt. I think there is a cathartic bonus when we share our ups and downs and see the determination of will. Thank you all for sharing. Very Awesome.

What a week!!!!!

Oh.... so i realized today was friday a bit too late after the blogging expiration time. Is it alright to guess on a score??? For having the most physical week of my life, i think i'm ending up with the worst score yet! Starting on Saturday, finishing the triathlon, had to come home to work. Sunday, missing church because my husband and I are Pioneer trek masters, had to get everything ready to leave town for 4 days, non-stop from morning till night. Leaving at 4:00 am on Monday, in charge of 52 people from our ward, worse bus and bus driver in the history of busdom. 36 miles of pushing handcarts, late night meetings and early rise meetings for trek masters, eating everything that was served to me, unless it was red meat ( and yes they had steak on the last night.)Apparently, pork is white meat and i forgot to tell them no red meat and no pork, so i filled up on cakes and whatever i could find to fill the hole. How do you score a week like that? I'm scoring a 630. Sorry for the estimation!

Friday friday

Read each of the following lines out loud.

This is this cat
This is is cat
This is how cat
This is to cat
This is keep cat
This is an old cat
This is idiot cat
This is busy cat
This is for cat
This is forty cat
This is seconds cat

Now, go back and read the THIRD word in each line, starting at the top.

710.. for the week!

Not anywhere close to perfect, but better than last week

My score is 678.

Another fun part of trek was that a lady from our stake, who was dressed in a black Grim Reaper costume, with the nickname of "Miss-Fortune" would be on the trail. Every family was stopped by her at least once on Trek. She would hand you a piece of paper with a misfortune on it. The worst one that I heard of was a family whose paper read that their cart had tipped over and broke. So they were told they had to empty their cart, wait for 30 minutes "to fix it", reload and then they could continue. Our family lucked out with an easy one. It said that our milk cow, Bessy, had been scared off by a heard of buffalo and we had to pull off the trail and find her. After searching for a few minutes we found a cute cardboard cow behind a bush, a ways off the trail, that instantly became our family mascot for the rest of the trip. All the others had passed us and we then ended up last in line on the trail. Once we found our cow we were anxious to get going again and catch up with the others. I wish I were more like that in my life. We all have misfortunes that pull us off our trail (illness, injury, unusually busy schedules, holidays, vacations). I have a VERY hard time motivating myself to get back on track when it comes to eating healthy and exercise. That's why Belly Busters has been so good for me. But I also have mixed feelings about it because my goal right now is to try to simplify my busy life and this game is definitely not simplifying it. Yet I know that all of the things this game forces me to do are so important. If I could learn to motivate myself to jump right back on the trail after misfortune strikes I wouldn't need this game. So, Dan, I will have to think about jumping on board for another round.

Penultimate, Good One, Dan

Week 7: 704
(Alisha & Jodi, I loved your posts - thank you!)

Who's up for another contest? Huh? Come on, you know you want to! Maybe not instantly following this one, but I need to keep practicing these habits in this controlled environment. It's been very, very good for me.

Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Scores for the week

The other day I asked myself if I could continue with exercise and water if I wasn't playing the game. I was surprised to hear "yes, of course". Tried really hard with my eating this week and the scale didn't reflect my hard work - disappointing. Oh well, one more week to get a perfect score.

Trudy 700
Jodi 704

Score 610

That's embarressing! Stress rules my life! Alisha I love your thoughts on simplifying your life! I get to a point where I feel so out of control and then I quit caring. Thus my lovely score. I will repent and do better next week :)

Mission Impossible

Mr. Tree, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to report your score to the Supreme DisneyMama before noon on Friday.

...My score for the penultimate week of this fantastic experience is 710! O-lay!

Good 710 to everyone on our last week. It's not impossible!

score 684 not so good, not the perfect score i was hoping for! I have found it so hard during the summer to play this game with all the kids and their schedules. Impromptu lunches, dinners and the like. I am ready for a schedule again! I have been doing my p90x for two weeks straight now which is an hour to hour and a half extreme workout everyday so I am proud of that!

More about Trek

Dan asked me to tell more about trek a few days ago. There is so much to tell.. so I put it off until now. I will just touch on the highlights.

Besides camping for two nights next to the stream that the huge heard of cows get their water from, and the dead lamb that we discovered during dinner about 40 feet from where we had just set up our tents, I had nothing to complain about. When it came to food, we were SPOILED. Lots and lots and lots and lots of walking to work it off though. As a Ma and Pa we were asked not to pull the cart so that we could have our full attention on our kids at all times. I was allowed to help my girls during the Women's pull though and it was amazing. We were asked to start treking in silence then slowly someone came and pulled the boys off and told them they were not to help anymore. They just walked beside us. At first it was pretty easy, flat ground but then we rounded a corner a saw the long climbing hill that was ahead of us. It was a long tough road. What was cool was that if a family was having trouble then the girls in back of them would put their cart down and run up to help. And when the first family finally made it up they ran back down to help others. My husband said that girls were going back and forth from cart to cart helping others. Sometimes I felt like we were hardly moving and that was because some of my girls had left us to help the cart ahead of us. Then when we were barely moving at all and I felt as though I had zero energy left I got nudged over by someone and the cart just took off. Without looking up I knew exactly who it was because I had helped this young women from our ward sew her skirt and apron before we left. This tough soccer player helped us up the last part of that hill. When women come together and help each other they can do ANYTHING! And as always, the most touching part was that it was actually harder on the boys to watch and not do anything than it was for the girls.

We were so lucky to be given the kids that were in our family. They were all so willing to help push and pull and set up camp and cook meals. Wonderful friendships developed during those four days.

Over all what I personally learned from this Trek is that I need to simplify my life somehow. The pioneers had one main goal in their lives and that was to develop a relationship with God and make it to Zion. Although I can't imagine going through the hardships they went through, I kind of envy their simple way of life and their focus on one goal. I think there is too much STUFF available to us in this day and age and it makes me loose focus on whats really important in life.

I would say the very hardest part of Trek was the preparations before and the cleanup after. And that's where I lost all of my points for last week.I had to gather and pack all of the equipment for our family plus have my own house in order for my sister who was staying with my kids while I was gone. And I had a Brother-in-Law from out of town who had my whole weekend before we left planned for me. I didn't have enough hours in a day to get everything done so I had to prioritize and didn't even think about this game. I actually gave myself full points for the days I was on Trek because I had no control over a lot of things. I lost my points the days before I left. So I think my score is fair but that's a nice gesture Dan.

Well, I think I may have won the prize for the longest blog. Top that Laureen!

Bloggin'

Well since Lori asked me why I don't blog anymore, and my answer was because no one really wants to hear about whats going on in a strangers life, I decided to do it anyway.

I have just spent the last 6 days with my oldest brother, his wife and 18 year old daughter in Grand Junction, Colorado. I took with me my 14 year old son, his 2- 14 year old soccer teammates for a soccer camp, and my 11 year old daughter and 9 year old son. Oh...and my mother, who has fibromyalgia and is hard of hearing. Despite what you might think it was actually ok. Once everyone got past the initial greeting from my brother and his wife (we were not very welcome from the minute we walked into the door.) Lots of anxiety from them and man my brother is ornery! After I told him we would go get a hotel, and save them the anxiety attack, they straightened up. Let me add, this is my first visit in about 4 or 5 years. Anyway...the 14 year olds ended up at soccer camp from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm for 4 of the days. My daughter was in a gymnastics club working out 3 hours 3 of the days. She rocks too. My 9 year old spent his time playing video games in the basement until I got home to take him to museums, movies and swimming. Those 5 kids were amazing! I am so proud of them and thankful for great kids. Why does family have to be so difficult? Oh I forgot...I provided most of the food...for EVERYONE!!!

Thank goodness for coming home!! My seventeen year old is not as thankful. He liked not having mom home to ask 50 questions. If I don't ask how will I know?

So there you have it...my week in a nutshell. Lots of family, lots of sports and VERY, VERY HOT weather.

Unfortunately laureen and dan since we changed the rule that you didnt have to blog just talk to your partner and read the blog I have found that people just aren't blogging :( I think that was a really stupid rule change. I wish everyone would still blog. oh well, learn for next time!

I wonder if I like beets....

Actually, I never have. But, in the spirit of adventure, I'm thinking today might be the day...

Yesterday's total was only FIVE vegetables, and TWO fruits, but I'm not complaining.

And ditto Dan's comment: what's happened to all the banter? This is the easiest 5 points I earn all day!

Hello...

What happened to our little blogosphere? Where is everybody?

Laureen I love your Veggie humor

I must admit Veggie tales is funny! I think I'll try for more veggies today! ha

Veggie Count

Yesterday: SEVEN vegetables (wouldn't have made it without the 12-oz. can of V-8)
ONE fruit

I'm usually the other way around - seven fruit, one vegetable. This is BETTER.

This morning's breakfast - 1/3 of one of those big long English cucumbers, 3 mini peppers, a handful of grape tomatoes, almonds, 1 wedge of laughing cow cheese.

3 VEGGIES FOR BREAKFAST. Larry and Bob have left the country, and Larry is attempting to disguise himself in the traditional Argentinian Cucumber Dance - HA! It will not work. He can run, BUT HE CANNOT HIDE.

(For those of you unfamiliar with Veggie Tales, I am only terrifying you - so very sorry. Trust me, it's hilarious.) (Veggie Tales, that is, not necessarily ME)

Why is it SO hard to get back on a routine when you've been off of it for a week?

10 Days to Go!

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in the setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark" (Michelangelo).

So our daughter asked me if I wanted to go for a bike ride with her and I said "yes" before asking "how far?" "30 miles, but it's not too hilly." The most I had ridden recently is 15 miles and it only had 1 hill. But being game I agreed. I didn't say anything at the end of our ride (it was hilly and we had a headwind both ways...), but it was right at my limit of endurance. I am so glad I went though as it gave me confidence to push on to bigger and better and that I can do harder and harder things - not only physically, but psychologically too.

What great training this contest has been. Thanks Belly Bustin'.

check

Check

Special Dispensation

I vote that we allow Alisha an extra 196 points for her tremendous efforts on Trek. She joined BB to help her prepare for Trek, made the transformational changes necessary to get in shape and willingly gave of herself to pull off a successful event. She's not the same person anymore. Extra points for that. Having been on Trek myself, I know the sacrifice required. So let it written - So let it be done. Please tell us more about your adventure!

p.s. I can't wait to hear Laureen's "running" commentary on Veggie Week... (:>)

More Veggie Tales

Yesterday: SEVEN servings of vegetables, TWO servings fruit.

Good times.

Good workout. Sweat is good. Always reluctant before. Always grateful after. Gotta remember.

Okay, veggies, RUN FOR COVER.

Veggie Week

I'm dubbing this Veggie Week. You may remember Veggie Day, but that was NOTHING compared to what is about to transpire. This is going to have Larry and Bob running for cover, trust me. And thanks, Dan. It did nothing to ease my dripping nose and burning eye sockets, but it made my heart smile. :)

Back from trek

Time to get with it. My body and mind are so exhausted but I'm glad I've got this game to get me back on track Last weeks score 688.

The hard work paid off!

One of the main reasons I joined in on this game was to help me get physically ready for Trek. It worked! I felt great the whole time. The only part that was physically challenging to me was the Women's Pull, but that was to be expected. All the working out for the last 6 weeks even broke in my shoes because I didn't get one blister.

So... joined the game because of Trek, but because of Trek, and the three day holiday, and out of town family staying at my house and..... well you get the idea, I have ignored the game for the last week. Sorry Kelly! I have spent all morning trying to backtrack and figure out my score for last week. To be HONEST this is the best ESTIMATE I can come up with.... 514

Free Days aren't Free

Every week I look forward to free day and then swear them off on Monday mornings... I'm becoming empathetic with the weekend binge drinker. Yikes, that's scary. Maybe the "moderate in all things" adage isn't that bad of advice after all.

BTW Laureen - I know one thing you're not allergic to: people! Others always feel happier when you're around. You rock.

Sunday

Allergies stink on ice. With all the planets in the universe, what sense does it make being sent to one where you are allergie to the entire thing? What. Sense?

'Tis exhausting.

Success!

"Success is the process of turning away from something to turn toward something better" (Jim Rohn). So, this week I can turn away from junk food and towards healthy food, and still feel full... I can turn my attitude from self pity (e.g. "wo is me", which causes me to eat) to self party, building myself up because of the progress I'm making at belly bustin'.

Here's to a great successful week.

p.s. I can't wait to hear the details of the triathalon.

Great job!!

I am also proud of my other little sis!!

You have made it through a week of P90X!!\

Keep up the great work ;)

Hopefully I can do it with you soon.

CONGRATS JODI !!!!

I am sooo proud of my little sis!!

YOU DID IT TODAY!!

you finished the triathalon ;)

See all the hard work and determination

pays off.

Give yourself big hugs from me.

ooops, forgot score

my score is... 620

5 numb toes, 4 tingly fingers, 3 achey joints, 2 ruptured discs, and a very frustrating 2 weeks!!

Well, I am doing my best at just walking, sleeping and eating.

I am sorry alicia, my score has not been good, hopefully it will improve

as I heal...

Food is a comfort for me when I am in pain,

and it hurts to prepare much, so doing my best to eat right.

Hope to get better soon!! :(

5 points

check

The Awesome Transformation

Beginning of week 7 and the sense of change in everyone is palpable. The wonderful gift of this contest is the metamorphasis we're going through from the "natural man" to the spiritual. I loved what Jodi said about her love of food. For me and her alike, heck, probably for all of us, the addiction to food is a spiritual challenge that affects us deep down. This contest has helped me recognize that, and it is a marvlous blessing to be shown a weakness and to also be shown that it is conquerable. Per Plato: "This is the great error of our day, that physicians separate the soul from the body. The cure should not be attempted without the treatment of the whole, and no attempt should be made to cure the body without the soul." Congratulations to ALL for the changes we have made.

whew!

I am not at my house or even in town. I have been bangen on the door of this stupid internet since way before noon.... trying to post. Soo against all odds, I finally did. Since this attempt began before the deadline I believe it is fair to post the total.....710.
Thank you all so much for your support posts. I was motivatied by ya'all this week.

Just a reminder to all, Kristin and Alicia are on Trek so they will not be able to post their scores until tomorrow or sunday so i will not have the scores updated until then. thanks! by the way my score is the highest it has been so far YAHOO 704, not perfect yet but closer. I think working so hard at p90x this week has made me more motivated. I have also lost 2 lbs since tuesday so that is a plus!

Week 6

This week's score: 700.

Man, the scale's not budgin'. This is the lowest # on the scale in probably 18 years. Answer? More veggies. Less carbs, even good ones. STAY. THE. COURSE.

688

Scores

This game is really emphasizing my weakness - eating. I can sleep, exercise, drink tons of water, everything else except resist good food!

Trudy 698

Jodi O. 710

Woo - Hoo: I get to try again.

As the Count of Monte Cristo used to say: "I am proverbial for my punctilious exactitude in keeping my engagements." Therefore I am reporting my score as 704 points. Thanks contest.

Swimmin' in a wetsuit

WOW! Jodi - A triathalon! You rock Sister. You just can't drown because we all want to know how it was. And by the way, wetsuits are very bouyant so you'll just be able to cruise along the top of the water - like Flipper! You can do it. Totally awesome.

p.s. Remind me sometime to tell you about the first time I tried to (it was so romantic) run into the surf, hand-in-hand, at Newport with my bride-to-be... Just like the movies. NOT.

Woo-hoo for tomorrow = Payday. I mean weighday.

I felt like Dory today

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, Just keep swimmin,swimmin, swimmin. I am doing my first triathlon on Saturday and i feel like i am going to die on the swim. I have only been in open water with wetsuit on Sat. and tonight. Both times, i have had a panic attack and i feel like i can't breathe with the wetsuit choking my neck. Talk about mind control!!!! I hope i find it by Saturday! If not, it was nice doing belly bustin with ya all.

C-A-N-N-O-T M-O-V-E!!!!!!! My whole body is so sore from p90x. I am not sure it is wise to go such gung ho on day two, what will day three hold for me, i wonder if i will be able to do any of it. All this exercise makes me not want to eat so i guess that is a plus!

LOVE Livestrong.com!

One of my biggest challenges is keeping track of what I eat (also known as PAYING ATTENTION).

Livestrong.com ROCKS! You can log your exercise, everything you eat, and your water consumption. It will help you set your caloric needs for your current weight, and how much weight you want to lose. It will show if you've had too much sugar, fat, or sodium.

I LOVE the pie graph that shows your proportion of calories in fat, protein, and carbs. Yesterday, I hit the best ratio yet! I was sooooo proud.

I'm going to keep track as often as I can on this website - it really helps!

Gotta catch a plane

According to author James Allen (As a Man Thinketh): "You don't get what you want, you get what you are." So, it's up to me and my self-think what I am and what I am going to become. And today, I'm Belly Bustin'. Thanks contest.

P90X

Started my first workout of P90X today and it kicked my butt! I am very excited to try this out for the next 90 days and see amazing changes in my body (hopefully!)

Water

Had 70 oz. in today at 2:00. Love it when I'm not behind with water at the end of the day.

Go Pioneer Girl

Speaking of age: "You're never too old to set another goal or dream new dream." (Les Brown) Kristin's goals for Trek were inspiring. It can be done. Thanks Kristin.

Trek

Leaving for trek early tommorrow. Since I can't control the menu. I will control my portion size and I will say no to dessert. That's the plan. Thanks for all the posts!

Another Day

Just finished my intervals. WO. Cannot believe how hard they ard. And by that, I mean ARE. And here's why they're so good for me - I actually have to pay attention to my body, and this is a good thing. It's like it helps set that gear in my brain for the rest of the day. Stay the course, people! We can do this!

Another great round of posts this morning. Robin....what can I say? - I'm not even old enough to know how funny that is, let alone you! And may we never be... And as for your brother who lost an amazing 25 lbs. in a month: high-5 him for me and just remember: "Your vision of you in the future is what you will become. You right now is what you saw some time ago. Know what you want and need to be. See it. Focus on it." Bill Phillips. That goes for you too Kristin - Sister Bishopric. If you're lucky he will be the next Bishop and you won't be able to count the blessngs! Depending on YOU - it can be a fabulous 5-10 years or a flunkulous. See it. Focus on it. Love you guys!

think thank thunk....

Yea so today--- after a great weekend watching seven professional fireworks shows on three different nights, hiking in the mountains, Taking the bike up puke hill, finding the cave by Solitude Lake that I have wanted to find for several years and listening to my little brother tell about how losing 25 lbs in the last month has saved him from using a wheelchair within the next ten years, I realized that my great holiday was marred by one thing.

I FORGOT TO POST!!!! must be the age related .. my score for last week was 695. (can you say popcicle ?)

The fear of change

I had a highly emotional day yesterday. My husband got put in the bishopric and don't get me wrong I feel so blessed and am so proud of him. It was just a major reality check. When they called him up to the stand and I watched him walk away I thought goodbye see you in 5 years. I felt scared. Isn't that silly. I know it will be nothing but a blessing to me and my family. It's just the anticipation of the change and of the unknown that worries me. Such is life! Sorry to detox on the blog!

Love Sundays

I love hanging out with family on Sunday and being spiritually fed in church. Best food ever!

Happy 4th

5 points. LET'S GO EAT VEGETABLES.

Happy 4th of July

For all of our idealogical varieties (e.g. some like big booties and some don't; some like the smell of channukah and some don't; some dream about waffles...) we are blessed to live in the greatest of all nations! Plus, it's not only Freedom Day, it's Free (eating) Day. Enjoy.

check

Word to Live By and Possibly Cross Stitch...

"Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Half effort does not produce half results; it produces no results. Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last." - Hamilton Holt

5 meal secret

Like Laureen, some days I get going and find it especially hard to get in the 2 required snacks. But rules is rules, so I determined to have a qualifying snack handy wherever I go: beef jerky nuggets and pumpkin seeds. You get your protein, carbs and fat all in a small, easy-to-carry kit - and it's yummy healthy. Where there's a will...there's a way. This fun contest has taught me that. Thanks Game.

Week 5

Forgive me, Dan! I had a really hard time eating 5 meals every single day this week. I did not cheat once! But I need to be more careful to plan, or the day gets away with me without those 5 meals.

Total - 692

Jodi score is 690

Trudy 686

679

Lemony?????

My score is a nice fudgy 695

Dan you put me to shame!

My score 660 My excuse.... It was the perpetual birthday this week people kept bringing me sweets and of course I felt entitled because.... you guessed it "It's my Birthday" Lame!
Excuses- everyone has one and they all stink! Sorry Lori!!

Happy Friday

Hope everyone had a great week. My score this week is a lemony 710! Thanks Rock.

Check

I want a vote

I'm all for the Ghetto booty! Only because I can relate!

Oh Dan.........

Obviously you were not the only one who was afraid to vote! It was all a joke anyhow. Especially the orderb spelling. I thought it was hilarious!! We were team blogging to pass some time. Big butts still rule though.

July!

I'm so glad I get my mother's homemade ice cream on Saturday! I've been craving ice cream this week like no other - even more than the waffles. Summer has always = ice cream to me.

so tired today!!! glad i get a diet coke today and i saved it!

Toasters.

If people were meant to pop out of bed, we'd all sleep in toasters.

I love the calmness and hopefulness of the morning once I am out of bed. I hate it at the moment of waking. It really never hurts less, one just gets used to it.

I don't think jogging is healthy, especially morning jogging. If morning joggers knew how tempting they looked to morning motorists, they would stay home and do sit-ups. ~Rita Rudner

Voting Rights

Jodi - You'll understand if I don't vote won't you??? But I do have to say, I love your sense of humor.

"Whenever I hear someone sigh, 'life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'compared to what?'"
Sidney J. Harris - American Journalist