Healthy Challenge GAME ON

GAME STARTS Monday January 10, 2010!!!

The best part about this is there is a team of people who will be counting on you, so you will be motivated to do your best.  Depending on how many sign up will depend on how many teams we have.

Okay everyone 4 weeks of a getting healthy (hoping for me that includes a little weight loss) CHALLENGE!!! I need enough people to have 2 teams. Here are the rules:

Each day you have the opportunity to earn 100 points: a perfect day would be something like this...

30 meal points (6 points per meal) for eating 5 fully sanctioned meals with no snacking in between. I will provide the list of foods in a bit.

20 Exercise points for getting your butt moving for 20 minutes, this could be anything from a nice walk to a full fledged workout, to dancing around the house with your kids for 20 consecutive minutes!

10 points for drinking 3 liters (yes 3 liters) of water per day, your skin will love you.

15 sleeps points for getting at least 7 hours of sleep that night (or atleast be lying in bed trying to sleep 7 hours before you know you have to be up in the morning.)  Those with babies who wake are excused (you really have no control over this)

20 Transformation points - you get 10 for getting rid of a bad habit and making sure it stays gone daily, and 10 points for adding in a new healthy habit and making sure it is added daily.

5 communication points for being in contact with at least one teammate and at least one opponent each day (this includes phone, facebook, e-mails and texts)

Here is the best part...

Each week you get one full day off where you don't have to do any of the healthy things!! Then you also get on meal off.  However I found it was easiest to stick to the diet even on my day off... the first week is by far the hardest, but after you get past all the addictions and cravings you realize how great you feel.

Bonus points can be earned. You earn 10 points by turning in your weekly scores on time,this will be Each Monday morning by 10AM, you will want to e-mail me your sheet.

You can also earn a bonus each week equaling 20% of your points earned for the week for losing 1% of your body weight.

Bonus Points can also be earned by doing additional workouts.  If you get in an additional 60 minutes over the course of the week you can earn an additional 20 points

PENALTIES:
10 point snacking penalty for snacking between meals on anything except celery
20 point collusion penalty if any player suggest to any other player a compromise of integrity.
25 point per portion alcohol penalty a portion equals any amount of alcohol up to 6 oz wine, 12 oz beer, or 1.5 oz hard liquor. You may consume alcohol on your day off. If at any point during the game a player fails to earn their weight-loss bonus that player then looses all alcohol privileges for the game.

Last year we had a problem with soda (as it is not part of the approved foods list it is not allowed, not even diet)  You may have it on your day off and that is it.  Otherwise you would forfiet your food points for that meal or you would be hit with a snacking penalty if it is between meals.

How to win this game:
At the end of the week your points are turned in and an average is taken for each team, and then a running total is kept for the game until the end of 4 weeks. At the end of 4 weeks the team with the highest score wins.

Approved Foods List
Carbohydrates: eat a fist sized portion of carbs or fruits at each meal from this approved list

Amaranth
Barley
Beans: Adzuki, Black, Black-eyed, Broad, Butter, Fava, Garbanzo, Kidney, Lentils, Lima, mung, Navy, Pinto, Soy, White
Bran (whole grain)
Bread (whole grain)
Buckwheat (whole grain)
Bulgar (whole grain)
Corn
Crackers (whole grain)
Leek
Milk
Soy Milk
Millet (whole grain)
Oatmeal (whole grain)
Palm hearts
Parsnips
Peas
Potato (baked)
Potato (Sweet)
Pumpkin
Quinoa (whole grain)
Rice (brown)
Rice (wild)
Rye (whole grain)
Taro
Tortilla (whole grain)
Yams
Yogurt (fat free)

Fruits:
Apple
Apricot
Banana
Blackberry
Blueberry
Boysenberry
Cherimoya
Cherry
Clementine
Cranberry
Currant
Date
Durian
Fig
Gooseberry
Grape
Grapefruit
Guava
Huckleberry
Jack Fruit
Kiwi Fruit
Kumquat
Lemon
Lime
Loquat
Lychee
Mandarin
Mango
Melon
Mulberry
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Passion Fruit
Peach
Pear
Persimmon
Pineapple
Plantain
Plum
Pomegranate
Quince
Rambutan
Raspberry
Rhubarb
Starfruit
Strawberry
Tamarillo
Tangerine
Tomato
Watermelon

Proteins: Eat a palm sized portion with each meal
Low fat or fat free
Cheese
American
Cheddar
Cottage
Cream Cheese
Feta
Mozzarella
Quark
Ricotta
Swiss
Egg whites
Greek Yogurt
Anchovy
Catfish
Cod
Flounder
Hake
Halibut
Mackerel
Mahi Mahi
Perch
Salmon
Sardine
Snapper
Sole
Swordfish
Tilapia
Trout
Tuna
Lean Ground beef
Lean buffalo
Lean chicken breast
Lean Duck
Lean Kangaroo
Lean Lamb
Lean Pork Tenderloin
Lean Steak - eye of round, flank, top round, top sirloin
Turkey bacon
turkey breast
Turkey Ground
Venison
Wild Game Meat
Crab
Lobster
Mussels
Octopus
Oysters
Scallops
Shrimp
Squid
Seitan
Soy foods
Tempeh
Tofu
Veggie burgers

FATS: Eat a thumb sized portion with each meal
Avocado
egg yolk (1)
Olives
Nut butters: almond butter, cashew butter, peanut butter, sesame butter, sunflower butter
Nuts: (dry/raw) Acorns, almonds, beechnuts, brazilnuts, butternuts, cashews, hazelnuts, hickorynuts, macadamias, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio nuts, walnuts.
Seeds (dried): Flax, pumpkin/squash, safflower, sesame, sunflower
Oils: Fish oil, flaxseed oil, nut oil, oil spray (pam), olive oils, udo's oil, vegetable oil.

Veggies: add at least two fist-sized portions to at least 2 meals each day. You may eat unlimited greens that are asterisked with all meals
Alfalfa*
Artichoke
Asparagus*
Bamboo shoot
Beans (green)*
Beet root
Broccoli*
Brussel Sprouts*
Cabbage*
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery*
Chard (swiss)*
Chinese Cabbage
Collards*
Cress
Cucumber*
Eggplant
Endive*
Fennel*
Gourd
Kale*
Lettuce*
Mushroom
Okra*
Onion
Peas (snow)
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radish
Seaweed (Kelp)*
Spinach*
Squash (summer)
Squash (winter)
Tomatillo
Turnip
Watercress*
Zucchini*

Sweetners: use sparingly
Agave Nectar
Honey
Pure maple syrup

For those of you interested in playing let me know we will have a weekly weigh in (this may be virtual depending on where you are located) where you will have to share your weight with at least me so we know if you earned your bonus points. Please leave a post if you are interested in playing. We can work out long distance players easily.

Also it would be fun to keep the game interesting, so I was thinking an entry of $10/person, winning team takes all!! Let me know if you are interested in more energy, looser clothes, and an overall feeling of health!!

If you want more info on the game and a great read get the book, The Game On Diet by Krista Vernoff &; Az Ferguson. or you can check out their website at Game on diet website

Positive Thought for the day

You can never get enough of what you don't need, because what you don't need never satisfies.
~Mary Ellen Edmunds

Positive Thought for the day

Behind every successful man there's a lot of unsuccessful years.
~Bob Brown

Fun Fact

Did you know that happiness not only feels good, but it also helps to lower your risk of breast cancer by 25%, builds your immune system by developing 50% more antibodies, and are 30% less likely to get colds and other lung problems such as asthma.

Positive Thought for the day

There is only one kind of love, but there are a thousand different versions.
~La Rochefoucauld

Fun food Friday

Okay so tis the season for jucnk and candy so I thought I would share with you my fudge recipe.  My kiddos and husband absolutely love it.  We don't usually put nuts in it at our house, but we were taking this to a party, so we did a little of both.

 Ingredients you will need:
7oz Marshmallow Topping
1 lb milk chocolate bar
12oz milk chocolate chips
1 cube butter
1 can evaporated milk
4 C sugar
3 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Cup Crushed walnuts or pecans

In your mixing bowl put in the chocolate bar, marshmallow topping and chocolate chips and set aside. 

 Here is Bridger man, helping me eat some of the left over chocolate candy bar.

 In a medium sauce pan combine butter, milk and sugar until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted completely.  Bring to a full boil and then turn to a low heat stir and cook for 15 min. on low heat but keep it boiling.   Then pour into chocolate marshmallow mixture and stir until melted.  Beat it with a mixer until dissolved.  Make sure you beat it well.   Then add the vanilla and nuts, and pour into a buttered pan to and chill.

Then enjoy with friends and family and try not to eat the entire pan yourself ;)  Or cut up and put on a cute goody plate and give to neighbors as a gift.

Of course my taste testers.... not sure where Bridger's pants went in between all of this, but he is so little they are constantly falling off. 

Positive Thought for the day

Gratitude is an attitude.
~Mary Ellen Edmunds

Fun Fact

On a fullness scale of 1 to 10, the slim stop eating at a level of 6 or 7, says Jill Fleming, RD, author of Thin People Don't Clean Their Plates. The rest of us may keep going to an 8 or 10. Why? It may be because you mistakenly equate the sensation of fullness with satisfaction and feel deprived if you stop short, says Fleming. Or you may just be used to finishing what's in front of you, regardless of whether you really need it.

Copy Them: About halfway through your next meal, put your fork down and, using the 1 to 10 scale, rate your level of fullness. Do it again when you have about five bites left. The goal is to increase your awareness of how satisfied you feel during a meal. (Bonus: It also slows down your eating, which allows the sensation of fullness to settle in.)


Prevention Magazine
Megan McMorris

Positive Thought for the day

Each problem has a solution.  All experiences are opportunities for me to learn and grow.  I am safe.
~Louise Hay

Positive Thought for the day

I flow freely and lovingly with life.  I love myself.  I know that only good awaits me at every turn.
~Louise Hay

Try It Tuesday

Okay so last week I posted about a cleanse... needless to say this is not the time of year to try that... I did loose a few lbs, and was much more conscious of what I was eating, but I didn't follow it exact.  After the new year I am going to try again.

Here is a new one.  My husband told me the other day that we needed to get an ice tub... "a what?"  yes an ice tub.  This is a tub that you fill with ice and water and yes you sit in it.  He explained to me that it helps with sore muscles and circulation, and a lot of athletes do this.  I had also heard that if you ice your face your skin will love you.  I decided that I needed to do a little more research on this.  So I researched and I found all kinds of articles and information, I had no idea this was so popular, so I am guessing you may not either.

First off, Why would I do this, the physical benefits:

This "cold therapy" or "ice bath therapy" is thought to help the blood vessels to constrict and decreases the metabolic activity, when this happens, there is a reduction in tissue breakdown, and swelling.  This flushes waste products such as lactic acid out of the affected tissues.  Upon getting out of this ice bath your tissues begin to warm up and this will cause a quicker return of blood flow.  This quick return will help the byproducts of cellular breakdown flush to the lymph system .  According to David Terry, M.D., "Ice baths don't only suppress inflammation, but help to flush harmful metabolic debris out of your muscles."  This is something recommended for athletes after a good run or workout. Now Ice has the obvious benefits to the athlete, but also the beauty queen as well.  It has great abilities to tighten the skin, this will help to reduce the severity or wrinkles and reduce and can even prevent the appearance of new wrinkles.  Ice will help activate the blood circulation.  It will also help with acne by helping to reduce swelling and irritation.  obviously you won't be in a bath, but maybe using a bowl or and ice pack on your face.

Second How do I do this, step by step process?

1.  Gather the supplies you will need.  Ice, bath tub, sweater or towel basically anything to cover your upper body, and hat
2.  Put the ice in your tub
3.  Fill the tub with cold water try to be about 54-60 degrees Fahrenheit
4.  Wrap up in your towel put your hat on and jump in (YIKES it's cold!!)
5.  Soak for 10-20 minutes ( I would recommend some hot cocoa, and something to read to keep your mind off the cold)
6.  Hop out and get dry and wait 30- 60 minutes before you get a nice hot shower.  But make sure and get the hot shower to help prevent muscular tightness.

Don't stay in too long and don't get tooo cold, there are things like frost bite that we don't want to have problems with.

So to be healthy and beautiful, you need to be icing!!  I tried it, it wasn't that bad.

Positive Thought for the day

One can have a whole lot of money and still be desperately poor.
~Mary Ellen Edmunds

Positive Thought for the day

"The way in which we think of ourselves has everything to do with how our world see us and how we see ourselves successfully acknowledged by the world."

--Arlene Rankin

Poetry

I found a whole book of poetry that I wrote in high-school, most of them were assignments, a few were from my experiences, but this one was an assignment that had nothing to do with my life experience.

Mommy I Love you!

By Sheena Hamilton

Mommy I love you

I wonder how much did you really love me

My memory will forever live on 

I was so excited for all the things we could have shared

I wonder how much did you really love me

I had begun to grow, I had a heartbeat of my own

I was so excited for all the things we could have shared

The laughter, the sorrow, the joy, and even the heartbreaks

I had begun to grow, I had a heartbeat of my own

Why did you give me up, why did you let me go

The laughter, the sorrow, the joy, and even the heartbreaks

I never expected perfection, just all that you could give

Mommy I love you

Why did you give me up, why did you let me go

I never expected perfection, just all that you could give

My memory will forever live on

Positive Thought for the Day

I always turn to the sports page first.  The ports page records people’s accomplishments; the front page nothing but man’s failures.

~Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren

Fun Fact

Small cuts, scrapes

Believe it or not, Peppermint oil is soothing to open wounds, and is highly anti-bacterial.  Small cut and scrapes will feel better and heal quickly.  Apply or spray neat.

Peppermint Essential Oil
Mentha piperita

Peppermint is popular in countless forms, from toothpaste to chewing gum. As an essential oil, it is useful to ease breathing and as a digestive aid*. For aromatic, topical, or dietary use.

$27.33

Positive Thought for the Day

You may be disappointed if you fail but you are doomed if you don’t try.

~Beverly Sills

Christmas is coming!

Can you believe there are only 2 1/2 weeks until Christmas!!  Do you have all your presents purchased?  I have a few last minute items to get and that is it!  Here are a few ideas for those of you who would like to give the gift of health through essential oils.  Oils make great stocking stuffers, or gifts.  I am putting in my doTERRA order on December 20 but if you need it sooner please let me know.

* Giving a bottle of the new Holiday Joy blend with a note attached saying " Enjoy the Season!", or "Have a 'Scentsational' Christmas!"

* The Intro Kit is always a great idea to give to someone you have been wanting to share the essential oils with. Simply add a note that reads: Here's to a Healthy Holiday Season!

* Need an idea for someone who has everything? Do they have a bottle of Liquid Gold? Frankincense is an amazing gift for someone you really care about! Add Dr. Hill's book titled "Frankincense" and you cannot go wrong! You can get Dr. Hill's book at www.aromatools.com

* Give a bottle of your favorite essential oil with a list of all the different things that essential oil can help. For example: Give a bottle of Peppermint oil with a list of all the many different issues that Peppermint is known for, then attach a note that reads: This is 'mint' to keep you healthy through the holidays!

* Citrus Bliss - Have a Blissful Holiday Season! Send along a list of uses

* Any of the OnGuard products are great gift ideas. I especially like the OnGuard throat drops, which can be used for any age (and great for stocking stuffers as well!)

* Have you tried any of the recipes that were shared last month? Who doesn't love something festive and healthy to eat? Send along the recipe noting the doTERRA oil as an ingredient and information on how you can actually take some oils internally.

* There is always the simple Epsom Salt mixed with a favorite soothing essential oil, such as Lavender, Serentiy, or Balance. Or one of the uplifting oils such as Elevation, Wild Orange and Lime together, or any of the citrus oils. Put in a glass container with a bow and you have the perfect Bath Salt as a spa gift.

* For more of a personal or family gift, who wouldn't love a Family Physician Kit?

* Do you know anyone who really cares about their skin? What better than to give the best Skincare kit? As a skincare snob - I highly recommend this to everyone because there has not been a better skincare line created!

Also a few deals going on with the doTERRA essential oils this month. 

Just wanted to share... no pressure, but this is a great deal. 

Deal #1: If you spend $200 with doTERRA this month you get a free frankincense essential oil (retail $97ish)

Deal #2: If you sign up for a wholesale account and commit to a $100
autoship for January, you get a $100 gift certificate to use for Feb. Let me know if you are ...interested. ... Better deal than last month!!!

Positive Thought For the Day

"If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time."

~Edith Wharton

Positive Thought for the Day

Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.

~William Shakespeare

Fun Fact

Did you know that spicy scents such as clove, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger will help you to feel more relaxed, warm and sensual!!  These scents increase oxygen to the brain and help enhance libido, especially in men.

Positive Thought for the day

I rejoice in my sexuality and in my own body.  My body is perfect for me in thes lifetime.  I embrace myself with love and compassion.
~Louise Hay

Try it Tuesday

Okay so today I am trying a cleanse that I did a few years back.  It was titled the Poor Man's Cleanse and it is similar to isagenix.  First two days you fast and cleanse, you can have purified water, apple juice, and a good multivitamin  I use life essence master multiple, I purchased it from www.totaldiscountvitamins.com it is a pure essense labs product.  You have to drink at least 3-4 liters of water.  Then after the three days you continue with the water and multi-vitamin but you have 2 shakes for 2 of your meals,  either a slim-fast shake or the special K shakes, then one 500-600 calorie healthy meal.  You follow this for the next 4 days, and finish the last two days with fasting and cleansing days just like the first two.  I am starting today, don't worry I will take my measurements and pics and I will post my results and maybe even my pictures.  Would love for you to try it with me!!!  If you want to start today, just make sure you have a good multi-vitamin.  And if you are dying for some food, snack on a few raw veggies.

Me Time Monday!!

Went and saw the movie Life As We Know It.  It was soo cute, really a fun movie, it had it all, comedy, romance, and a little drama.  Yes I cried just a little.  It was such a fun night out.  Not only was it great in the theater, but Life As We Know It will be one of those movies that I will need to buy.  Of course before the movie we did the usual Olive Garden dinner.  And that was fabulous as usual.

I always seem to come back from "Me-time" with a little better attitude and appreciation for the great family that I have.  It is so crucial that we find the time to spend on ourselves, and not feel guilty for it.  Remember to fill up your pitcher so you can fill the cups of those that you love. 

Positive Thought for the day

"The only thing that ever sat its way to success was a hen."
~Sarah Brown

Drumroll please!!

And the winner of our OnGuard Giveaway is Danelle, as long as she gets back with me by 12/10/10 the oil is hers.  Danelle I need you to e-mail me with your address so I can get you this fantastic oil!!!

Positive Thought for the day

We never know, believe me, when we have succeeded best
~Miguel De Unamuno

Positive Thought for the day

Surround yourself with sinless people - associate with children as often as you can.
~Mary Ellen Edmunds

Positive Thought for the day

The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost

~G.K. Chesterton

Positive Thought for the day

We need to find the courage to say NO to the things and people that are not serving us if we want to rediscover ourselves and live our lives with authenticity.

~Barbara De Angelis

Fun Fact

Did you know that the natural widlflower root of Chicory helps to regulate blood sugar!!  It has also been shown to reduce bad cholesterol and speed the breakdown of fats, which is why chicory root is an ingredient in so many weightloss supplements.

Positive Thought for the day

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

--Maya Angelou