Let's Do It!

Here we go, Team! Today is Day One of the 7 Days for Spring Fitness Challenge. Start strong, and let us know how Day One goes!! Remember, eat natural foods - no processed foods with unrecognizable ingredients. And get outside for a walk or hit the gym for 30 minutes today.

Natural and delicious menu ideas to get you started...
Breakfast: oatmeal with honey and raisins, natural orange juice
Snack: Mixed nuts, all-natural yogurt (no high fructose corn syrup)
Lunch: Salad
Snack: Banana
Dinner: Salmon (prepared with olive oil, salt, pepper, & basil), grilled asparagus, sweet potatoes.

Let us know your encouragements, questions, or ideas!

P.S. - Is anyone else tired from the time change this weekend?? (I hope my energy level rises with exercise.)

2 Days to Say Your Good-byes

Say good-bye. Good-bye to the Thin Mints. Good-bye to the dark chocolate Easter M&M's. Good-bye to all that is sugary and chocolately and artificially energizing/hormone-relieving/mood-enhancing/sinfully delicious.

Say hello. Hello to the carrots. To the salmon. To the Greek salad with tuna. To Blueberry smoothies. Lots of thirst-quenching water. Hello to all that is pure and nutritious and naturally energizing, hormone-balancing, mood-enhancing, & perfectly delicious.

In 2 short days, we will be putting aside sugary cereals, soft drinks, white bread, even processed energy bars. We will be picking up a plate and hitting the salad bar. Picking up dumbbells and working our biceps. And picking up a new way of life for the spring.

Lots of you have expressed interest in coming along. You have two days. Clean out your frig, cabinets, and mostly, your mindset. Grocery shop for the freshest of foods, and pull out your running shoes. We will kick off the 7 Days for Spring Fitness Challenge on Monday morning, bright and early.

P.S. - If you have questions, let me know. I am no expert but maybe I can help. Or post your question so someone else may be able to help. One common question: wheat bread is not necessarily good - seek to avoid "enriched wheat flour" on the ingredient list and go for "whole-grain" instead.

7 Days for Spring Fitness Challenge

They say the month of March comes "in like a lion, out like a lamb". It is a great analogy for the changing weather patterns that accompany the dawning of spring.

But with winter's hearty meals, holiday desserts, and lazing by the fire, many people gather an extra layer of, shall we say, (lion's) fur? Well, now that spring is fastly approaching, it is time to shed that winter coat.

Anybody else need some inspiration?? I know I do!!

To jumpstart spring, next week my college girlfriends and I are going to embark on a 7-day fitness challenge. I believe that if we focus on exercising and eating wisely for just one week, we will see noticeable improvement in our bodies, and this will be inspiration for the weeks that follow.

THE SIMPLE PLAN:
1 - Exercise for 30 minutes for 5 days. Walk, jog, bicycle, do Pilates, take a class at the gym. Find something that fits into your lifestyle. Whatever you do, shake off the winter blahs and MOVE.

2 - Eat"purely". This means no processed food and no refined flour or sugar. As a general guideline, if God created it, eat lots of it. If man concocted it in a factory, steer clear.

Caveat: We'll get 2 "cheats" for the week. This means if you go to a Mexican restaurant, you will have a hard time sticking to the plan. Or if it is your best friend's birthday, enjoy the cake. You get two "passes" for the week.

More details will follow in the next few days, but for now, any takers?

Why You Haven't Heard About Our Chicago Trip Yet

Three words.

THANK YOU NOTES.

Our wedding was in November. I know, it is now March!!

We were so blessed by so many generous people. I think I have been too busy playing with all the new gifts.

Question for the married women out there:

How long did it take you to finish writing your thank you notes?