Loving You More

Do you love yourself more than that slice of Firehouse's chicken barbecue pizza? More than that slice of Granny's apple pie? More than that bowl of Dreyer's cookie dough ice cream with homemade hot fudge?

Yesterday I decided I loved Great Harvest's pumpkin chocolate chip bread more than I loved myself and ate two slices. I've been nauseated ever since.

This saying is going to be another weapon in my arsenal of "how to trick myself into making healthy choices." I'm going to simply think, "I love myself more than I love ______" You can enter your own vices - you know mine will be some form of chocolate.

Any advice that helps you stay strong?

Challenging Myself

How strenuous does my workout have to be?

The answer really depends on you - your health, your short-term and long-term goals.

If you're exercising to improve your heart, lungs, and overall health your workout doesn't need to be strenuous. You should do a cardiovascular exercise that you enjoy at a moderate pace and some strength training to increase bone density and help you function every day at your best.

If you're exercising to lose weight (in addition to all the great health benefits) you need to push yourself. You need to lift heavy enough weights to challenge yourself at least twice a week (or do a comparable strength training routine such as yoga or Pilates). You must do effective cardio (and a variety of cardio) and make sure to include intervals twice a week (speed up and slow down to challenge your body).

The truth is if you don't challenge your body it will not improve. Obviously you don't want to injure yourself or push hard if you have health or joint issues, but if you are a healthy, motivated individual who is trying to lose weight you should be a bit sore the day after a workout and you should be tired after you exercise.

It's okay to work hard. Working hard is the key to success.

Fitness Contest Winners

I've finally got all the prizes sorted out and assigned to winners.

Jennalyn Jensen - Hobby Lobby and Cache Valley Fun Park gift certificates

Paula Best - Ross gift certificate

Chalisa Wursten - Borders gift certificate

Stephanie Austin - The Sister Pact by Cami Checketts

Lana Hansen - Famous Family Nights by Anne Bradshaw

Karie Coats - Foot Zoning

Kris Monson - Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys by Janet Kay Jensen

Stacey Buffaloe - Finding Faith by Terri Ferran

Wendy Gray - Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena

Ellen Johnson - Dawn's Early Light by Laurie L.C. Lewis

Cami Checketts - By Love or By Sea by Rachel Rager

Amy Rasmussen - An Angel on Main Street by Kathi Oram Peterson

Leslie Pocock - Hair Product

Kendra Hickman - The Ball's in Her Court by Heather Justesen

Heather Justesen - A Modest Proposal by Michele Ashman Bell

Thanks to all those who donated prizes and congrats to all our winners!

Betting on weight loss

My husband is embarking on a year-long bet with numerous friends to reach and maintain his goal weight. He's really motivated. I'm excited for him.

Have any of you ever placed money on weight loss?

Exercise and Work Performance

Did you know that working out can improve your work performance? Everything from improved mental performance and relationships with co-workers to higher concentration and productivity levels. Just another reason for you are all amazing for exercising!

"Nothing tastes as good as lean and mean feels." Michael Colgan

I know you've heard this quote too many times from me, but I keep hoping if I type it, read it, and repeat it a couple hundred times I will imprint it on my brain.

It's always easier for me to subscribe to this quote after I've had my serving of ice cream and I'm on board to eat great again! The trick is remembering it before I eat something that makes me feel awful.

Here's to a wonderful weekend of fun times with family and friends and healthy food that makes us feel good!

www.camichecketts.com

Fitness Contest is Over

We survived another month-long fitness contest. Congrats! How did you do?

110 points for me. Not fabulous, but at least the contest helped me think before chomping down another pumpkin cookie. Obviously, the cookie intake didn't stop, but did slow down a bit!

There are 135 points total (5 points per day Monday-Saturday). Please total your score and either post it on the blog or e-mail it to me camichecketts(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Thanks to all who did the contest and to those who donated prizes. Once I get all the scores turned in I will let the highest score choose her prize on down until we run out of prizes. There are a lot of prizes so even if you don't think you did very well, you still might win something, so don't despair!

Here's the list again so you can be thinking which prize you'd like.

Am I Not a Man? The Dred Scott Story by Mark L. Shurtleff donated by Candace Salima - http://valorpublishinggroup.com/books/1shurtleff.htm

Loyalty's Web by Joyce DiPastena - http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/ - http://www.joyce-dipastena.com

Famous Family Nights by Anne Bradshaw - http://www.annebradshaw.com -http://annebradshaw.blogspot.com

A Modest Proposal by Michele Bell - http://michelleabel.blogspot.com - www.micheleashmanbell.com

Don't You Marry the Mormon Boys by Janet Kay Jensen - http://janetkayjensen.blogspot.com - www.janetjensen.com

Finding Faith by Terri Ferran - www.terriferran.com

Against the Giant by Christy Hardman - www.christyhardman.com

By Love or By Sea by Rachel Rager - http://www.rachelrager.com/ - http://rachelrager.blogspot.com/

Women of Virtue by Jodi Robinson - www.jodimarierobinson.blogspot.com

Dawn's Early Light by Laurie L.C. Lewis - www.laurielclewis.com - www.laurielclewis.blogspot.com

An Angel on Main Street by Kathi Oram Peterson - www.kathiorampeterson.com - www.kathiswritingnook.com

The Journey donated by Jewel Adams - http://www.jadamsnovels.com - http://www.jewelsbestgems.blogspot.com

The Ball's in Her Court by Heather Justesen - www.HeatherJustesen.com - www.heatherJustesen.blogspot. com

The Sister Pact by Cami Checketts - www.camichecketts.com

Foot Zoning donated by Stephanie Austin

Free Nutrition Consult donated by Christa Kramer (Roxy)

$10 Borders gift certificate donated by Cami Checketts

$10 Ross gift certificate donated by Cami Checketts

$10 Hobby Lobby gift certificate donated by Liz Cellan

Hair products donated by Lynette Jensen

Gift certificates to Cache Valley Fun Park - soft play, lazer tag, bowling, skating donated by Ellen Johnson

Hope you have a fabulous Monday,

Cami