The Challenge

No Results

2010-07-18T18:39:00.002-05:00

Hey Beauties,

Not posting results this week because we are missing quite a few weigh in results. If they come in tonight I will post results. If not, I will wait until next week. They are just not accurate.

Have a good weekend! Tanna

First weigh in: After 2 Weeks

2010-07-11T20:55:00.001-05:00

After the first 2 weeks of The Challenge, here are the results!!!!

Total Pounds Lost: 58

Average number of cheats used: 2.8

Average number for exercise success: 6

4 weeks to go and we are looking good. I have read all the prayer requests and I will be praying when I think of you guys, which is often.

Let's work as a team the last 4 weeks to really accomplish our goals!!!

Water Picture

2010-07-01T12:09:00.000-05:00

One of the Beauties sent me this and I thought it was pretty neat to see WHY we need all the water we drink!

Challenge 6 Sing-ups

2010-06-20T20:03:00.003-05:00

Challenge 6 sign-ups start this week!!!!

Please sign up from Monday, the 21st-Wednesday the 23rd.

Email me at:

tctummy@yahoo.com

***I will send out a group email on Friday the 25th to let you know that I have you signed up. If you do not receive that email then please let me know so I can get you on my list. Sometimes emails do not come through.

If you notice, I added a frequently asked questions section to the right side of the blog for those of you that are new. Please view that, and the let me know if you have other questions. Thanks so much, Tanna

Challenge 5 Wrap-Up

2010-06-01T19:18:00.001-05:00

Well I waited an extra few days to get all the results turned in but I am still missing about 15. I decided to go ahead and post final results even though they are not completely accurate!

Total pound goal: 223 Pounds

Total pounds lost: 131 Pounds

Not bad for 4 weeks!

More info on Challenge 6 to come! Should be starting around middle of June!!! Have a great few weeks and we will talk soon!!! Love my Beauties!

Challenge 5. Week TWO Results

2010-05-16T20:18:00.002-05:00

Week TWO Results are in!!! You Beauties are doing SOOOO good this round. I think you are liking that it is only 4 weeks, it seems much easier for you!

You are half way there, only 2 weeks left until summer!!!!!

Total Team Goal: 296 pounds

Total pounds lost: 109.3 pounds

Average number of cheats used: 2.38

Let't meet our goal!!!!

Challenge 5. WEEK ONE RESULTS

2010-05-09T20:00:00.001-05:00

Week ONE is down! We have 56 Beauties in Challenge 5 and all of you are starting off strong, at least those of you who I have talked to!

Since it is only a 4 weeks Challenge, it is VERY important that you push hard and stick to the guidelines 100%

Here are the results:

Total Pounds Lost: 76.8

Average Cheats Used: 1

Many of you got MOST of your water in....lets shoot for ALL of our water this week. It makes a huge difference!!! Have a great week two!!!

Final Week 10 Results

2010-03-16T18:15:00.002-05:00

Beauties,

I TRULY enjoyed the last 10 weeks with you, and I loved that we had so many new Beauties. I really did!! I KNOW that God brought each of you into my life for a reason, and I hope that you are feeling better about yourself in some way after the last 10 weeks. We all struggle with this, and it is definitely a daily journey.

I look forward to CHALLENGE 5 starting May 3rd! It will be a great way to boost off the summer!

Here are the final results for Challenge 4:

Total Pounds Lost: 291

Total Pounds Lost overall: 563.8

Total Inches Lost: 114.25

I will be posting info for Challenge 5 in the next few weeks (on my personal blog too) so be looking out for that if you are interested. In the mean time I hope that you will feel free to contact me if you need ANYTHING! Love you guys

Tuesday

2010-03-14T22:30:00.001-05:00

Hey Beauties,

We have not received all the results yet. I would like to wait until Tuesday to post results, and maybe we will have everyones by then. No matter what I will post on Tuesday, I would just love to get a very accurate count! I'll be back then and we shall see!! Love you guys, Tanna

Week 9 Results & Challenge 5

2010-03-11T10:02:00.002-06:00

I apologize for the delay of Week 9 Results. No need for excuses, life has just been CRAZY!!!! But here they are:

43 BEAUTIES TURNED IN RESULTS (WE ARE DEFINITELY MISSING SOME)

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 231

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 99

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE RESULTS ARE VERY INACCURATE...BUT AS ALWAYS, I WANTED TO POST THEM ANYWAYS.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE DETAILS, THEN GO TO THE LINK I SENT YOU.

CHALLENGE 5 NEWS

I know that many of you have been wondering when Challenge 5 will begin. We started the first challenge last April, so it has been just about one year! That's crazy to me!! Yes! There will be a Challenge 5, but I am taking a short break.

I have thought about this long and hard, please know that, and I just feel like God continues to put on my heart that I need a short break. As many of you know, my life has been a rollercoaster this past year....full of emotion with numerous amounts of pressure in several areas. I need to take a few weeks to recover so that I can give this my all!

I believe in the challenge and I believe that it works. My hope is that you will continue on your own over these next few weeks so that you don't backslide. I don't want that at all. But seeing that it has been a year, I really feel confident that you can stick to it on your own.

CHALLENGE 5 WILL BEGIN MONDAY, MAY 3RD!!!!

I WILL BE DOING A 4-WEEK CHALLENGE BOOST JUST BEFORE SUMMER!!!! THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO CONTINUE ON YOUR OWN, AND THEN JOIN ME IN THE 4-WEEK BOOST SO THAT YOU CAN BE READY FOR SUMMER AND FEELING GOOD!!!!!!!

I WILL POST INFO ON MY BLOG NEAR THE END OF APRIL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP SO BE WATCHING FOR THAT!!!! THE 4-WEEK BOOST WILL BE A GOOD TO GO STRONG AND HARD, KNOWING THAT ITS ONLY 4 WEEKS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO JUMPING BACK INTO THIS IN MAY, AND I HOPE YOU WILL BE A PART OF IT. KEEP UP WITH ME THROUGH MY BLOG, OR EMAIL OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. I AM STILL HERE IF YOU NEED ANYTHING, DONT HESITATE TO ASK!!!!

LOVE YOU GUYS DEARLY

--YOUR BEAST

Week 8 Results

2010-02-28T22:44:00.002-06:00

Hey Beauties! I am going to post these quick since I am running on NO sleep after this weekend with Brylee and her fever. I am not even sure how I am typing....but I managed to get results totaled up and I read all of your responses. Thank you for your honesty, even if you are not doing what you want to be doing. I think we all appreciate your honesty!

Week 8 Results:

47 Beauties turned them in this week

248.8 Pounds lost

118 Inches have been lost (which many are not measuring I don't believe. Which is fine with me, but this is why the numbers are lowere here. Usually TONS of inches are lost...)

I asked you how many cheats you have left. Average is: 1.6

There are 2 weeks left so this is not too bad...

Only 2 weeks left. Many of you are close to your goal...good luck and work hard!! It will pay off!

Week 7 Results

2010-02-21T21:38:00.002-06:00

We have results from 50 Beauties this week! Many are still going strong, with only 3 weeks to go!

I really hope that you viewed the results this week, and got you some great new snack ideas! I love so many of them, good job ladies!

We are NOT making this a team total goal this round, for several reasons, but I will still continue to post the total results. We are mainly looking at individual progress since ultimately this is about YOU and it is YOUR life! But here are the team numbers if you want to see where we fall.

Total pounds lost: 247

Total inches lost: 122

Average cheats used: 7.8

Average number of days we exercised: 2

On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate yourself?? The average is: 6, which is actually pretty good!

3 weeks to go!!

Week 6 results

2010-02-14T20:37:00.002-06:00

Hello hello!

We had 48 Beauties turn in results this week. MANY are still going strong, but some are struggling. PLEASE keep up with your Beauty Buddy, this makes all the difference in the world. If they didnt submit their results, ASK THEM WHY!!!!

Here are WEEK 6 RESULTS:

Total Pounds Lost: 244

Total Inches Lost: 109

Average cheats used: 6

Only FOUR weeks left, let's do this!!!!

Week 5 results

2010-02-07T21:33:00.002-06:00

Beauties--you are half way done with Challenge 4!!! You guys are awesome!!

Many of you did great this week. However, almost 20 of you struggled to get your results in. Because of that, our results are very inaccurate this week. I heard from about 3 of you as to why you didnt get results in, but not the rest. So, if you have dropped out please let your team leader know so that we can make the appropriate changes.

I will go ahead and post results, but just know that they are super inaccurate!

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 242

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 94

AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHEATS USED: 5

Make the second half of The Challenge better than the first!!!! Spring break is just around the corner!!

Beauty Sisters

2010-02-04T14:54:00.003-06:00

I just had to post this picture!! These girls have been in The Challenge for a while now. They are sisters and I just love them to death!!! I saw this picture on one of their blogs and had to steal it! Love it ladies!!

Week 4 Results

2010-01-31T19:54:00.002-06:00

Hey Hey Beautiful Beauties!!!!!

One month down and many of you are ROCKING IT OUT!!!!!! You are ready to feel good by Spring Break and I can definitely tell. I love your passion for this and I am just so proud of you!

After only one month, here are the numbers:

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 274 LBS

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 91 INCHES

(I noticed that many are not measuring this round and that is fine. Just remember that sometimes the inches drop faster than pounds and it will definitely keep you motivated if you measure! But its up to you for sure!)

AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHEATS USED: 3.8

(That's good. We are still around "one cheat per week" for most of us and that is a great way to do it!)

I hope all of you enjoyed National Cheat Day! I ate til I was sick. That is an awful example of me since I am the Beast but sometimes thats what it takes. Trust me, I dont wanna eat anything bad for a long time. That is just about the worst feeling ever!!!!!

Anyway, here we go week 5!!!!!

Week 3 Results

2010-01-24T20:09:00.002-06:00

Results for Week 3 are:

Total Pounds Lost: 213

Total Inches Lost: 74

Average number of cheats used: 2.8 (which is good, one per week)

It appears that almost everyone is drinking at least 32 ounces of water per day, but not as many are drinking the full 72. Make an extra effort this week to get all your water in. You have no idea how much it speeds up your progress, just trust me!

Chicken Enchilada Stacker

2010-01-19T14:08:00.001-06:00

A new recipe for you guys who enjoy cooking!

24 oz chicken breast, boneless and skinless
3 multigrain tortillas or whole-wheat wraps (8")
1 red bell pepper, roasted and diced
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 T cilantro, fresh
1 1/2 c enchilada sauce
2 T chunky style salsa, hot (or mild if you prefer less heat)
1/2 c yellow onions, diced fine
1 c corn, frozen
1 T cumin seed, ground
1 t fennel seed
8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 9 inch cheesecake pan with foil. Place chicken into a saucepan. Cover chicken with warm water. Bring liquid to a simmer and gently poach chicken at 180 degrees until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove from the chicken from the liquid, let cool slightly, and dice. Roast pepper by placing in a 400 degree oven or on the top of a grill. Char the entire pepper. Remove from heat and place in a paper bag to steam for 5 minutes. While pepper is steaming, place beans and cilantro in a food processor and pulse three times (or mash with a potato masher ). Combine enchilada sauce and salsa in a mixing bowl. Heat a small saute pan to moderate heat. Spray with pan spray. Add corn, onion, and spices. Cook until corn starts to brown. Remove black skin from the pepper by placing under running water. Dice the pepper. Spray springform pan with pan spray. Line the bottom of the pan with one wrap. Layer with chicken, then diced peppers, black bean mixture, corn mixture, 1/3 of salsa mixture and lastly 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat again and use remaining ingredients except for last 1/3 of cheese and last tortilla. Finally, layer on the last wrap, sauce and cheese. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 15 additional minutes. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

week 2 results

2010-01-17T20:01:00.002-06:00

i apologize again for not being able to use capital letters. it is driving me crazy but i cannot get the internet on my other computer right now!!!!!

here are the results for week 2:

total pound goal: 823

total pounds lost: 193.1

total inches lost: 67.25

doing wonderful so far!! i hope that all of you looked at the spreadsheet i sent out so that you can see how everyone else is doing. one thing i needed to tell you guys. if you write words in the number secions of the spreadsheet then we have to go in and change it in order to do calculations.

for ex. when we ask how many inches you lost, some of you dont measure. that is fine, but since you write that in the blank then we have to change it to 0. just wanted you to know why it was getting changed. words mess up the calculations.

here we go week 3!

Challenge 4, Week 1 Results

2010-01-10T20:27:00.003-06:00

We have 72 forms that were turned in for week 1 results!

Total pounds lost: 115.7

Average # of cheats used in week one: .5 (Many chose not to use a cheat for week one)

So far, so good! I noticed that exercise was one of the hardest things for everyone to find time to do. I agree it is hard to find the time, but it will definitely make your progress go SO much quicker!!

Let's get Week 2 started!

Recipes

2010-01-06T23:03:00.004-06:00

From Tara Eparvier

Baked Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
Ingredients
1 pound whole–wheat penne pasta
Cooking spray
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast
1 large jar tomato sauce
1 ½ cups part–skim shredded mozzarella
Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add pasta. Cook according to directions on package (about 7 to 8 minutes), or until al dente. When cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. While pasta cooks, bake chicken in the oven for 30 minutes or until no longer pink (sprinkle with a little salt and pepper). Remove from oven and cool and then dice into ½–inch pieces. Spray a 13–by–9–inch casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, toss pasta, chicken, and sauce (add a bit more sauce if desired). Place mixture in a casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is completely melted and casserole is hot all the way through

From Kristi Olabode

Eggplant Parmesan

3 eggplants, peeled and thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
6 cups of spaghetti sauce, divided
1 (16 oz) package of mozzarella shredded and divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Nutritional Information - Amount Per Serving Calories: 487 (10 servings) | Total Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 78mg

Recipe from carrotsncake.com

Oatmeal Raisin Bars

Makes 9 bars
Ingredients:
2 cups dry oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup raisins
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients until smooth.
3. Spread batter in prepared baking pan, and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until bars are cooked all the way through.
4. Let bars cool completely in pan before cutting.

“Skinny” Oatmeal Raisin Bars

Makes 9 bars

Ingredients:
2 cups dry oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (Can trade applesauce for sugar)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ingredients until smooth.

3. Spread batter in prepared baking pan, and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes until bars are cooked all the way through.

4. Let bars cool completely in pan before cutting.
In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Random Stuff

2010-01-04T10:19:00.003-06:00

Ok Beauties...

There are several things that I need to specifically address so that I can answer many of the questions that some of the new Beauties are having.

1. What is a cheat?

A cheat is when you choose to eat something that is breaking the guidelines. If you choose to eat ice cream, then you would count it as one cheat. If you choose to eat french fries then you would use one cheat since it is fried. Basically anything that is fried or is a sweet is considered a cheat. Also, since the soda intake is 12 ounces a day, if you were to drink over that then it is a cheat. You get 10 cheats for 10 weeks so it is good to use ONE CHEAT PER WEEK to stay on track.

2. What measurements do I need to take?

You need to take your weight for sure. I will also ask for "how many inches lost" each Friday. This is not "a must" but we prefer that you measure yourself because many times you will lose inches faster than pounds. I sent out a data sheet that tells you what to measure on your body.

3. Can I add crystal lite to my water and still count it?

This is ok to do some, but you dont need to do it for all your water. I would maybe do 20 ounces with flavor and then try to drink the rest of your water plain. Koolaid is not good at all, it is filled with sugar. So if you choose to add something to your water, I would do crystal lite. Also, some vitamin waters are good if they dont have all the sugar. Just check the back of the bottle to make sure.

4. Here are a few blog links that a Beauty suggested are good. If you are the type to stalk blogs and you have time to do so she thought you might get something out of these.

http://thewwchick.blogspot.com/2010/01/january-2010-motivational-calendar.html

http://thewwchick.blogspot.com/2010/01/ive-made-januarys-activity-charts-they.html

That's it for now.

Challenge 4 Information

2009-12-20T23:18:00.000-06:00

Calling all Beauties!!!!! Challenge 4 is just around the corner. I have received MANY emails of new and old Beauties who are interested so if that is you then you need to do the following!!!!!

***THERE WILL BE NO LATE STARTERS THIS TIME. YOU CAN RECEIVE THE EMAILS, BUT IN ORDER TO BE ON A TEAM AND PARTICIPATE IN THE RESULTS, YOU MUST SIGN UP BY THE DEADLINE!!!!!!

CHALLENGE 4 IS FROM JANUARY 4-MARCH 12 (10 WEEKS LONG--UP TO SPRING BREAK)
If you are interested, please do the following:

1. Email me at: tctummy@yahoo.com

2. Tell me if you want to join the Challenge to LOSE weight, or to MAINTAIN your weight. I know we have several who have reached their goal, so feel free to stay with us on the MAINTAIN program.

3. Tell me the state that you live in.

THAT IS IT FOR NOW!!!!!

THE TIME FRAME TO DO THIS IS BETWEEN:
MONDAY, DECEMBER 21-SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27.

I WILL write ALL of you back. If you do NOT receive an email back, then that means that I didn't receive your email to sign up so please email again. I will write back within 48 hours. Probably sooner, but for sure by 48 hours.

Final Challenge 3 Results

2009-12-20T22:59:00.004-06:00

Results are in for 44 Beauties! We started with 80, so we had a little over half make it to the end and turn in results. Way to go Beauties!!!!

I am going to point out specific people in this email. I feel like so many have worked so hard and I wanted to show some of the top performing Beauties this round. I will not put last nights since some requested privacy. We did not meet our FINAL team goal, but SOOOO many individual Beauties met their personal goals and I think that is what we need to focus on here. Consistency was the key to their progress.

TEAM WEIGHT LOSS FOR CHALLENGE 3 ONLY: 302 POUNDS

TEAM WEIGHT LOSS FOR FOR ALL THREE CHALLENGES: 512 POUNDS

TEAM INCHES LOSS: 313 INCHES

AVERAGE COMMITMENT LEVEL: 6

TOP FOR POUNDS LOST:

Tallery- 18

Jessica C-16.8
Courtney- 15

Kim F- 14.25

Erin H- 13.2

Tamora-13

Melissa-12

Laura S- 11

Lori W- 11

Shannon & Husband Paul- 10 each

Crystal T- 10

Jessica B- 9.5

Amanda D- 8

Brandy R- 8

Kelley Mac- 8

TOP TOTAL POUNDS LOST FOR ALL CHALLENGES:

Lori W.- 36

Jami- 34

Dixie- 32

April- 31

Courtney- 28

Brandy- 25

Erin H- 21.2

Laura S- 21

Cindy- 18

Deborah- 15

Amy H-15

Kristi- 15

Kara- 15

LeighAnn- 12

Amanda- 9

TOP INCHES LOST:

Courtney- 35

Crystal- 16

Lori- 16

Jessica B- 15.5

Jessica C-15

Kelli S-13

Tamora- 11

Heather- 10.5

There were some Beauties who may or may not have made the lists above whose commitment level was tremendous throughout the whole challenge. I feel like these Beauties should also be recognized. Their commitment level was an 8 or above.

*Courtney

*Sandra

*Tamora

*Kim F

*Shannon

*Jessica B

*LeighAnn

Beauty Dinner

2009-12-15T21:49:00.003-06:00

Here are the pictures from our Beauty dinner! I had a great time with you girls!!! Thank you all for taking the time to come and bring food, I know everyone enjoyed it so much!

30 Beauties RSVP'd, but only 13 came....hopefully we will get to meet the rest of you at the next dinner!

Here are the people in the picture for all the other Beauties....just in case you wanna see if your buddy is in the group!

TOP: Amy, LeighAnn, Kristi, Kelley Mac, Erin H, Kelli, Tanna

BOTTOM: Jami, Courtney, Laura B, Deanna, and Faith (Amy's little girl)
Gatlin is the little boy! (Jami's little boy)

We had lots of pretty fruit dishes!!

Week 16 Results

2009-12-13T20:36:00.002-06:00

Here are the results for Week 16.

We only have results for 37 Beauties but I still wanted to post something.

We have many Beauties who were up and down throughout the whole challenge and decided to NOT be in the results anymore.

Total pound goal: 475

Total pounds lost: 244

Total inches lost: 237

This is the last week of Challenge 3. Let's finish strong!

Week 15 Results

2009-12-06T21:32:00.003-06:00

Results from 37 Beauties after Week 15:

I am not sure where the results are from the other 13 Beauties, but I am posting from these 37 because I didn't want to go two weeks with innacurate results.

TOTAL POUND GOAL: 517

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 255

TOTAL INCHEST LOST: 275

*ABOUT 50% OF THESE 37 BEAUTIES ARE AT LEAST HALF WAY TO THEIR GOAL.

*I ASKED EACH OF YOU TO TELL ME WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART ABOUT REACHING YOUR GOAL: THE MAJORITY ANSWERED: "INCONSISTENCY IN GENERAL. A GOOD WEEK THEN A BAD WEEK." I THINK THAT IS PRETTY NORMAL TO EXPERIENCE A GOOD WEEK THEN A BAD WEEK. SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES COME UP AND LIFE HAPPENS. LEARNING TO BE CONSISTENT IS THE KEY!

There you have it. Two weeks left for you guys to reach your goal for Christmas! Do you very best and try to make it happen!

Week 14 Results

2009-11-29T19:18:00.002-06:00

Hello Beautiful Beauties!

As of 7:15 pm on Sunday I only have results from 26 of you. I cannot do totals with only 26. I will check back tonight before I go to bed and if I have more then I will post results. If not, we will consider this week inaccurate and catch up next week. I am sure many are traveling, I understand this, so we will work with what we have for now.

Only 3 weeks left. Here is the bottom line. (I am going to have to let the Beast out for a minute here!!)

We have about 50% who are IN THIS completely. Some of you who are in this completely are NOT necessarily losing a lot of weight but you are committed and doing everything you can. You are losing inches and that's great. IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT THE POUNDS, TRUST ME. So when I say 50% are IN THIS, I am not looking at pounds lost. Most of you have shared with me where you are, so I am just giving all of you an update on this.

The other 50% enjoy being a part of the group, but after a few weeks you sort of let yourself start cheating and you got off track. That is completely fine, but I need you to understand that in order for the WHOLE TEAM to reach their goal....THE WHOLE TEAM must be committed. Does this make sense?

The reason that we have only met half of our goal, is because only half are truly participating. The challenge IS working for those of you who are doing all of it correctly. I am watching the weight fall off of most of you (that I see) and it is obviously working.

With that said, our goal will not be reached for Challenge 3 unless everyone is in this. With only 3 weeks left, I am not sure it is even possible to reach it entirely, but we sure can get a little closer.

One thing I want to say: THERE ARE SEVERAL OF YOU THAT ARE DOING THIS 100% AND THE POUNDS ARE NOT SHOWING IT, BUT THE INCHES ARE. JUST KNOW THAT I AM WELL AWARE OF THIS AND I AM PROUD OF YOU. LIKE I SAID, ITS NOT ALL ABOUT THE POUNDS. IT IS ABOUT LEARNING SELF CONTROL OVER YOUR CHOICES, AND IT ALWAYS PAYS OFF IN THE END!!

Last, I know that some of you who have quit or are not doing well with this worry that I take this personally. I do not. I love each of you and I am your biggest fan. Sometimes it takes a few challenges, or longer for a person to be able to overcome an issue as big as weight. This is YOUR journey, and I ready to help you when you are ready. Just know that I completely understand the journey of weight, and I am always ready to help you when the time is right for you.

I just wanted to be very clear about why the results in previous weeks are only showing half way for the weight loss goal. I think this is understandable, and part of it.

I look forward to these last few weeks. I want all of you to feel good about yourself during Christmas and I hope that you will do your best to finish strong!!

Week 13 Results

2009-11-22T21:15:00.002-06:00

Beauties,

I have results from 48 of you. This was a not a good week for many, and some gained a pound or two. Sometimes we just have to be honest, and this is where we are at right now.

Let's not let it get us down. Let's get re-committed. Let's make it happen next week. Only 4 weeks to go!!

Total Pound Goal: 605

Total Pounds Lost: 284

Total Inches Lost: 304

I loved all of your answers about your "qualities you love!" Thank you for sharing!!

Week 12 Results

2009-11-15T18:52:00.004-06:00

We have ALL 50 results from the remaining Beauties this week!!!!!! Now we can start fresh with results ONLY based on these 50!!

Total Pounds Lost Since Challenge One: 550

Total Pounds Lost during Challenge Three: 316

Total Inches Lost: 305

Average Cheats Used: 16

Average Clothes Size Lost: 1 Size

These numbers are actually very good since we lost over 25 Beauty results. We have not lost all of those Beauties, but many of them did not feel comfortable being in the results any longer.

I look forward to see how these last 5 weeks turn out. I will have our TOTAL goal next week, I forgot to ask for this in this weeks form. Thanks!

Here are 7 "Myths" about exercise and weight loss. Kristi sent it to me and I believe it is good information. I know there are many opinions out there about these issues, but most of this makes a lot of sense. Read it if you are interested!

Myth #1: Don't Eat After 7 p.m.

Your metabolism doesn't shut off at 7:01 p.m., so why is this rule so common? It is based on the observation that a lot of people who struggle with their weight overeat in the evening. Most people have already eaten dinner, so they aren't snacking because they're hungry. They snack because of boredom, television, loneliness and other triggers.

Rather than creating a rule to address those habits, ask yourself, "Am I hungry?" whenever you feel like eating in the evening. If you truly are, eat, keeping in mind that your day is winding down so you won't need a huge meal. If you aren't, consider why you feel like eating and come up with a better way to address that need. Ken, a man in one of my workshops, realized he was just bored, so he started doing stained-glass projects in the evenings to entertain himself. Whatever works!

Myth #2: Eat Small Meals Every 3 Hours

This rule is based on the fact that many thin people tend to eat frequent small meals. However, most of the thin people I know don't check their watch to tell them it's time to eat--they eat when their body tells them to. They eat when they're hungry and stop when they're satisfied. Since that tends to be a small meal, they get hungry again in a few hours.

Instead of watching the clock, begin to tune into the physical signs of hunger to tell you when to eat. And remember, your stomach is only about the size of your fist, so it only holds a handful of food comfortably. By learning to listen to your body's signals, you are likely to follow a frequent small-meal pattern naturally.

Myth #3: Don't Let Yourself Get Hungry

This one is based on the belief that overweight people are incapable of controlling themselves when they are hungry. In my experience with hundreds of workshop participants, once they learn to tell the difference between physical hunger and "head hunger," the opposite is true.

Think about it. When you're hungry, food tastes better and is more satisfying. My grandmother used to say, "Hunger is the best seasoning." Besides, if you aren't hungry when you start eating, what's going to tell you to stop? Of course, you also need to learn to recognize hunger and make time to eat before you are too hungry, since it's harder to make great choices when you are starving!

Myth #4: Exercise More When You Cheat

I hate this one because it has caused millions of people to equate physical activity with punishment for eating. As a result, many people either hate to exercise or use exercise to earn the right to eat.

While it's true that your weight is determined by your overall calories in versus your calories out, exercise is only part of the equation and it has so many other important benefits. Instead of using exercise to pay penance, focus on how great you feel, how much more energy you have, how much better you sleep and how much healthier you are becoming. In the long run, you are more likely to do something because it feels good than because you are forced to.

Myth #5: Follow Your Diet Six Days a Week, Then You Can Have a Cheat Day

This is absurd! What if you were a harsh, overly strict parent six days a week, then completely ignored your kids every Saturday? How would this approach work for your marriage or managing your employees?

It just doesn't make sense to try to be perfect (whatever that is) Sunday through Friday while obsessing about everything you're going to eat on your day off. Then on Saturday you overeat just because you're allowed to, so you end up feeling miserable all day. Huh? Personally, I would rather enjoy eating the foods I love every day mindfully and in moderation. I call this being "in charge" instead of going back and forth between being in control and out of control.

Myth #6: Eat X Number of Calories (or X Number of Points) Every Day

Does it make sense that you would need exactly the same amount of fuel every day? Aren't there just days when you're hungrier than others, maybe because of your activity levels or hormonal cycles?

Rather than setting yourself up to "cheat" on those hungry days and forcing yourself to eat more food than you want on your less hungry days, allow yourself the flexibility to adjust your intake based on your actual needs rather than an arbitrary number. Important: For this to work long-term, you also need to learn to tell the difference between physical hunger and "head hunger."

Myth #7: Carbs Are Bad (or Fat Is Bad)

This "good food-bad food" thinking makes certain foods special. As a result, you may feel deprived and think about them even more than you did before. Worse yet, healthy foods become a four-letter word.

The truth is, all foods fit into a healthy diet. Since different foods have different nutritional qualities and calorie content, you can use the principles of balance, variety and moderation to guide you without trying to restrict yourself from eating an entire food group.

Truth: You Are In Charge

Beauty Buddy List

2009-11-10T22:02:00.004-06:00

Beauties,

Here is the list of the Beauty Buddies. Remember, it is your privilege to get to encourage your buddy as often as you can to help them get through these last 6 weeks of Challenge 3. Email them, text them, send them a card, etc. Find ways to motivate them to help them be succesful.

I tried really hard to not leave anyone out, so please let me know if I have messed up. I am only pairing up Beauties that have been turning in results and are still trucking through this journey with the team. I can't pair up the ones that are not because I have not heard from you so I don't know your situation. If you have not turned in results for two weeks, then I assume you are not in it or you are doing it without putting in your numbers. Also, if you are on the "MAINTAIN" program, I will not be pairing you up unless you tell me that you want to be a part of it. You could definitely be great in motivating, but I wanted you to decide if you wanted to do that.

*In order to get your buddies email address, go to my group email and look. Almost all of them are easy to find, I figured that would save me hours of typing each email out. If you cannot find your buddies email, just let me know and I will send it your way!

*I tried to pair you with someone who was "in your boat" in some way. I did my best based on the information I know about each of you! Or I put you with someone who I felt would be good for you, or that you could help in some way.

Beauty Buddy List:

Dixie & Nancy

Robin Averit & Cassie Fish

Amy Havard & Kim Fultz & Caitlin Smith

Tamora Mennenga & Shannon Mints

Cindy Pittman & Jami Cope

Deanna Minium & Amy edmiston

Tallery Raglin & Jennifer Sere

Tammy Reidy & Kelley Mac

Tammy Raglin & Sharon Baker

Stephanie Fitzgibbons & Kelli Sanders

Tammy Powers & Sugey Villarreal

Erin Hammett & April Simpson

Caty Skinner & LeighAnn Eddlemon

Amanda Holley & Courtney Frette

Kristine Pratt & Kristi Olabode

Brandy Rogers & Sandra Fowler

Laura Shachmut & Jessica Corbitt

Erin A. & Charity Hosford

Connie Bodie & Stephanie Phillips

Crystal Thompson & Kimberly Williams

Amanda Dozier & Jennifer Dressler

Christy Cozart & Jessica Bates

Charie Vaughn & Melissa White

Veronica Chavez & Heather Carter

Anna Tew & Lori Wilson

I HOPE I DIDN'T MAKE A MISTAKE. WE HAVE EXACTLY 50 OF YOU WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY TURNING IN RESULTS. IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE LIST, AND WANT TO BE, PLEASE EMAIL ME! LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY PROBLEMS CONTACTING YOUR BUDDY!

Invalid Results- Week 11

2009-11-09T09:46:00.002-06:00

Hey Beauties! Sorry, but there is no way to post week 11 results because they are just inaccurate. We had some issues with the form getting sent out this week, and many girls did not receive it. From the results I got we are probably up another 30 pounds or so, but it's too hard to tell with only half of the results.

If you didn't read the email, PLEASE add my challenge email to your address book. Remember, I do not check this email so don't send messages to it but it is where the form will come from. I know, it's confusion.

The email is: hortonfamily07@gmail.com

I am going to try to get this changed, but for now this is the email.

I hope you have a great week 12!! We are coming down to the end!!

Week 10 Results

2009-11-02T09:38:00.003-06:00

53 Beauties- Week 10 Results

Total Pounds Lost: 312 Pounds

Total Pounds To Go: 471 Pounds

Total Inches Lost: 275 Inches (Waist, Hips and Chest are the top 3 places the most inches are coming off of!)

Slowly but surely the weight is coming off!! Keep it up, 7 weeks remaining!! Christmas time will be here before you know it. I want ALL of you to have met your goal for Christmas this year! Start fresh this week. Love you guys!

Your Get Real Weight

2009-10-29T13:22:00.003-05:00

I have noticed that being satisfied is hard when it comes to women and their weight. You say you want to be a size 6 and then you will be happy....but once you get there you change your mind and say you wanna be size 4. It's almost like it is never enough. I was reading on the Dr. Phil website about what your "get real weight" really looks like. Check this out...

"Everyone has this goal in mind, they want to weigh what they weighed when they remember being their skinniest, their tiniest, their smallest...the problem is, you were probably 18!" Dr. Phil tells the Challengers. "It's ridiculous. You can't set those unrealistic goals. You need to figure the weight that you can responsibly, comfortably be at."

The goal, he explains, is to set a "get-real weight" that you can live with mentally, emotionally, physically and medically.

Your "get-real" weight has little to do with numbers on a scale or other device. It means:

You like your body and live in it with pride

You are happy and truly at peace with your size.

You accept your God-given uniqueness.

You like what you see in the mirror every day.

You focus your attention on living well, rather than looking good.

So, lovingly accept yourself, your natural body frame, your height, your bone structure, your entire genetic makeup — and set your sights on goals that match these factual realities, goals that you can realistically achieve. There is an optimal you, but it can only come from getting real about yourself and setting realistic expectations for success, so that you can become a "supermodel" or "superstar" in your own life, on your own terms, and according to your own standards of fitness.

JUST A THOUGHT TODAY. THINK ABOUT YOUR GOAL WEIGHT. IS IT REALISTIC FOR YOUR AGE, AND IF YOU HAVE HAD BABIES?? YOU WANT TO HAVE A PICTURE IN YOUR MIND THAT IS ATTAINABLE, AS WELL AS SOMETHING THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO FEEL ACCOMPLISHED. JUST THINK ABOUT IT!

An uplifting Verse

2009-10-27T13:24:00.003-05:00

Today I received this verse from a good friend and I felt that I should pass it on. When you feel weak, or tired I think this is good to remember. Enjoy.

Isaiah 40:31 (New Living Translation)

31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31 (The Message)
27-31Why would you ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel , saying,
"God has lost track of me.
He doesn't care what happens to me"?
Don't you know anything? Haven't you been listening?
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
He's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don't get tired,
they walk and don't lag behind.

Meet Amy, one of your fellow Beauties! She has had a tremendous amount of success through this challenge! I am so proud of you Amy!

Week 9 Results

2009-10-26T10:45:00.002-05:00

This week we have results from 47 Beauties. The results went up some, but once again we are too inconsistent. Even if you don't see results, I still need you guys to submit to me because each week I start over on the spreadsheet. So, if you do not submit a form then it doesn't have ANY numbers for you. Does that make sense? We are well over 300 pounds lost, but it's too hard to calculate with the inconsistency. I guess the good thing is that we are still losing, we just can't see the updated results just yet.

47 Beauties

Pounds Lost: 274

Inches Lost: 224

Average cheats used: 12

Next week I REALLY want to have ALL of your results!!!!! My guess is that we are near 350 pounds lost...but it's just an educated guess. Have a great week 10!! Love to you!

Muddy Buddies

2009-10-25T12:00:00.003-05:00

Today Alison and I ran in Muddy Buddies. It is a 7 mile run/bike with obstacles along the way. At the very end you have to meet up with your partner and conquer the well known mud pit. It was SOOOO awesome!!!! We did it in 1 hour and 7 minutes. It was not the best time, but not the worst...somewhere in the middle. It was one of the best experiences ever.

We made "Challenge" shirts since we knew they would be ruined by the end of it. Can't wait to do it again!!!!

Beauties, next year I think that a whole group of us needs to do this together! It was such a "team" thing...you guys would love it!!! They have them all around the US.

Look how dirty we were! It was SO cold!!!

Here we are trying to change and hide after the race....

Week 8 Results

2009-10-18T19:31:00.002-05:00

Week 8 has come to an end and we are just about at the half way point. We started with around 80 Beauties, and now I am consistently getting results from about 55 of you. Now that we are half way, I would love to get a NEW list on The Challenge blog of those of you who are pushing through and still in it for the long haul.

So, I am going to put the following symbols by each of your names based on what I have heard from you and if I am getting your results. In a week I will remove the names of the Beauties that are no longer in it. If I write NO or ? by your name then please contact me if you ARE still in so I can change that! Thank you!

Symbol Key:

YES- Means I know you are in it
NO- I have not heard from you in over a month and I assume you are out.
?- I hear from you off and on. I have no idea!!

Thanks. I feel that this will start to give us an accurate count and we will be able to see true success. Right now it is hit or miss and we can't see the success.

WEEK 8 RESULTS:

50 BEAUTIES are included in these results.

POUND GOAL: 692

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 265

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 204

AVERAGE NUMBER OF CHEATS USED: 10

Now, I asked you if the challenge was working for you. These are the numbers/responses from that question just so you can get an idea of the others.

*YES, FOR SURE: 23 Beauties

*KIND OF. It works when I do it right: 33 Beauties

*NO, BUT I AM NOT DOING IT RIGHT: 1

*NO, AND I AM DOING EVERYTHING 100%: 3

Too much good food?

2009-10-15T20:09:00.004-05:00

Today I want you to think about HOW MUCH you are eating.

I was at Souper Salad today, I love that place. Most of their food is healthy, and I pretty much stick to the good stuff. I stay away from the pizza, etc. As I sat there today staring at my place (of all healthy food) I began to add up the calories. And even though it was all healthy, it was WAY too many calories.

Some of you that are at a plateau, or even those of you who have not lost a pound in two weeks...you may wanna think about how much food you are eating. You may think that you are being "good" in that area, but if you are eating like 500 more calories than necessary then that is why you are not losing anything. You can't overeat, even if it is healthy. Just something to think about.

Everyones calorie intake ranges, but if you would like to go see what yours should be then go to this site:

http://www.my-calorie-counter.com/

Meet Charie!

Bumps in the Road

2009-10-13T19:31:00.002-05:00

Beauties,

I just sent you guys an email on bumps in the road. I reminded you that through this journey there will be MANY bumps in the road. When bumps come up...you have 2 choices.

*You can get angry and quit.

*Or you can learn from them, and start over the next day.

I hope that you are starting to see that it is worth it to stick it out. It really is. One way to build your character is to stay strong during the hard times, and face the "bump" with courage. SO many times we are scared and we run from our goal.

If you would, I wanna ask you guys to leave a comment and share a "bump in the road" that you have had through this challenge. I really think that other Beauties need to see that they are not alone!! Maybe your bump is funny, maybe it's serious...but if you have one I ask that you would share! Sharing is one way to help someone else, I promise! I look forward to hearing from you.

Meet Stephanie! There are several Stephanie's, but I don't like to put last names on here! So check your email from her if you wanna know which one! (super cute picture girl!)

Results

2009-10-11T13:10:00.004-05:00

Good morning Beauties,

As of right now I have results from 48 Beauties. I am just going to post the results on the right side of this blog, since they are VERY inaccurate. I will update the results as I get them. My guess is that we are just over losing 300 pounds after Week 7, but it is way too hard to tell without all the results.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! I continue to pray for you guys very often and I hope your journey through this Challenge has been a wonderful one. You are almost half way there, let's make the most of it!!

Love, Your Beast

Hang on tight

2009-10-09T09:14:00.002-05:00

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. "

As week 7 comes to an end I think some of us need to hear this quote. You may be doing awesome, or you may at the point when you feel "done" or you feel "tired." I have told you time and time again that you shouldn't give up, because then you are back to square one. So tie a knot and hang on, as tight as you can, and don't let go. You are a Beauty. Stick with it and don't give up on your fellow Beauties. Today is a new day.

Meet Amy! She reminded us today that the Lord is in control. We are not. Even though we wish we were sometimes, WE ARE NOT. So let it all go and let God run this show. He can do it better than you!

Perfect

2009-10-07T15:00:00.002-05:00

I sent you Beauties an email today reminding you that nothing is perfect. There is not a "perfect" body, nor a perfect person. However, there IS a perfect God! What a refreshing feeling!

Last night a Beauty reminded me of a song that she felt would be great for the challenge. I agreed.

It says....

There is no such thing as perfect people!! I love it because it is so true. It's number 1 on the playlist, check it out!

Remember today that because God is perfect, we are set free!

Radio Game

2009-10-03T20:35:00.004-05:00

I love to play the radio game. The radio game is where you ask a question to yourself and then you turn on the radio. You go to all of your "saved top favorite stations" and you see what the song is saying at the moment you hit the button. I have 6 saved stations in my car.

So the other day I was thinking of you Beauties and I played the game. I asked myself "What do the Beauties need to hear today??"

Here is what my stations said....

1. "Chicken breasts are so juicy!" haha...it was seriously a commercial on chicken!

2. "Life is good today!" This was from that country song about how life is good. But you know, the song is so true. Every day that we feel like we are having a bad day, it is really a pretty good day compared to some other people. So just remember that..life is good.

3. "We belong together now!" I loved this one. I find it to be very true with all of us. We REALLY do belong together right now. Our group is here for a purpose and it has meaning. What a great reminder.

4. "There's one in every crowd" Another country song. Yes, I like country music! I just thought this was cute because our "crowd" is different, yet we are so the same in many ways.

5. "Have confidence" Wow! I couldn't believe this one. I think this is something that we all need to hear. In order to succeed in this challenge we MUST believe in ourselves. It's a must!

6. "Take it slow. Faith has cards that it doesn't wanna show yet" I tried to get this one all down, but I was driving and trying to type them on my phone! But basically it is saying that we don't know what this life has in store for us. We just need to take it slow, be patient, and wait to see.

I LOVE THE RADIO GAME!!!! It doesn't always workout so well, but this time it did. I think we all needed to be reminded of some of these things.

Believe in yourself today and enjoy the blessings in your life!

Here are a few of your fellow Beauties....

Meet Christy!

Meet Amanda D!

Meet Shannon!

WEEK 6 RESULTS

2009-10-03T20:23:00.003-05:00

This weeks results are for 52 BEAUTIES. I am not sure if some are dropping out and not telling me, or if they just can't get their results in. However, I have 50 of you who get your results in (on time) consistently so that is what we are going with from now on. I will post results on Saturday night so if you want yours included then have them in!!

Total Pound Goal: 704 Pounds

Total Pounds Lost: 237.8

Total Pounds Lost in just week 6: 36

Total Inches lost: 193.75

Make sure you check out the pictures/video below Beauties. Just know you are being thought of and prayed for ALL THE TIME by your Beast. Re-commit for WEEK 7!

Get Pumped Beauties!!

2009-10-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Beauty 5K Run

2009-10-03T10:47:00.006-05:00

The 5K run today was amazing!!! I had the BEST time ever with the other Beauties. Just being with them gives me so much joy and makes me feel so blessed to be a part of this. There were 9 of us. Here we are before the race!

Here is Carrie putting her number tracker on her shoe....
And here is Kelli showing off her number 651! There were SO many runners!
Jami was number 21, she was way cooler than us! Jami is the Beauty's story that I shared with you in the past. She has lost so much weight and she has grown SO much. I am so proud of you for running in this today !
During the race we were known as "Pink." No one caught on and started calling us Beauties. As we ran several people would say "Go Pink!" It was so cool.
And they are off!!!! Don't they look like hotties?!
It made me happy to run behind them and see the backs of their shirts. I was so proud!!

This hill was a killer!! Several of us prayed as we ran up the hills each time. It really helped us keep our minds off of the pain of the hill and focus on someone else that needs prayers.

The little girl in this picture was our biggest fan. She said that she loved our pink shirts so we had to take a picture with her at the end.
At the end they had all kinds of snacks and bananas so we definitely enjoyed that
Courtney---I LOVED running with you!! You did so awesome, we gotta do it again!
We all felt so good after it was over. We got some funny pictures of the group...here are a few of them...

Congrats to all of you Beauties who ran in the race today! I am so glad I got to meet some of your new faces. When we got in the car I told Deborah and Courtney that I have met some of the nicest people through this challenge. When we moved back to Dallas I prayed that God would bless me with some good girl friends, and He has done more than I could ever ask for. Every girl I have met so far has been so kind, so loving, and has filled my heart with joy. I am so lucky.

Who we are in Christ

2009-10-02T09:11:00.002-05:00

Meet Kimberly! I love all of the verses she sent out this morning with her Beauty email. They all remind us of who we are in Christ. Often times we allow this world to define us and that is why we fall short. What a great reminder we received from Kimberly today....

I am secure...

Romans 8:1-2...... I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28..... I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39..... I am free from any condemnation brought against me
and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22..... I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4..... I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6.....I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20.....I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7......I have not been given a spirit of
fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18.....I am born of God and
the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...

John 15:5.....I am a branch of Jesus Christ,
the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16..... I have been chosen and
appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16..... I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21.....I am a minister of
reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6.....I am seated with Jesus Christ
in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10.....I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12.....I may approach God with
freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13.....I can do all things
through Christ, who strengthens me.

"The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ,
the more your behavior will begin to
reflect your true identity!"

5 ways to break weight loss plateau

2009-09-29T09:31:00.002-05:00

Hi guys! This is Kristi and I just thought I would share some things with you!

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11

Here are 5 ways to help break the weight loss plateau:

1. Zig-Zag Calorie Intake
Zig-zagging, or calorie cycling is the process of varying daily calorie intake, while maintaining the same weekly intake. Instead of consuming (for example) precisely 1800 calories each day - you can mix it up. Eat 1500 calories one day, and 2100 calories the next. This can be as simple as halving then doubling a portion size, or adding a post-workout shake into the plan. Just keep your body guessing.

2. Strength Training
If you are not doing this as part of your program or lifestyle, then it's time to start. Working your muscles will help to strengthen bone tissue, increase lean mass, and ultimately boost metabolic rate.

3. Change Your Exercise Routine
So you go walking a lot? Then try jogging, or swimming, or cycling -- anything that will change the way your body is working. If you are doing low intensity cardio work, then try some high intensity exercise (such as HIIT).

4. Alter Macro-nutrient Intake
Although it sounds complicated, once again, the idea is to change what you are eating. If (for example) you are eating a moderate diet that is higher in carbs - try eating less carbs and more protein. There is no need to get super-technical over the whole thing. If you have a carbohydrate snack every day at morning tea time - change it to a protein snack. Whatever you are doing consistently - try mixing it up a bit.

5. Change Meal Frequency
If you are eating three square meals a day - start adding snacks in between (which may mean reducing the portion size of the main meals). Eating often is an old and common style of eating - once again, you are trying to boost your metabolic rate.

Stick with this. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and you can attain your goal. Sometimes we have to go through tough times to get there, but it makes it so much more worth it in the end. Don't be afraid to send out an email complaining sometime other people have been or are in the same situation as you and between you there is a solution! Good luck this week and try to switch up your routine! Add some spice to your life!! :)

Just Keep Swimming!!

WEEK 5 RESULTS

2009-09-28T10:08:00.005-05:00

These are the Results from 57 Beauties, not the entire group.

POUND GOAL: 913

POUNDS LOST: 219.6

INCHES LOST: 179

RUNNERS WHO ARE RUNNING THE IN OCT.3 RACE: 11

AVERAGE COMMITMENT LEVEL THIS WEEK: 6.8

They Beauties were asked which words describe them the best. This is how many responded to each of them.

LOSING AND EXCITED: 16

HAPPY AND MAINTAINING: 8

STUCK (PLATEAU): 33

Usually between weeks 4-6 you hit a plateau, and the numbers show! This is where you have to stay strong even when you don't see the results. It will pick back up.

Meet Rachel! She is the one in the blue. She just ran a half marathon about a week ago. I love the verse she shared with the group this weekend!

Hebrews 12:1-2a -Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the CHAMPION who initiates and perfects our faith!

Meet Sandra! She shares some information on "waiting" on God. She explains how we should wait, and what to do when waiting....

So while you are waiting on God, what should you do?

1. Keep Praying - Prayer is not just telling God what we think he wants to hear, but being real, even if that means expressing your anger, fears, and hurts to him, like Hannah did. (I Samuel 1)

2. Obey God When He Speaks To You - God wants you to learn to trust him and he teaches you to have faith by asking you to do things that don't make logical sense, but that show that you truly trust him. For example, God told Noah to build an ark when it wasn't raining yet (Genesis 6) and asked Abraham to offer Isaac, his only son, after providing him as the fulfillment of God's promise that he would be the father of many nations. (Genesis 22)

3. Be Faithful in Serving God - Anna and Simeon waited years for the coming of Jesus, but kept serving in the temple until that was happened. (Luke 2:25-38)

4. Keep Believing God Despite the Circumstances - God is able even when things seem impossible (Ephesians 3:20)

PRAY SUNDAY

2009-09-27T19:54:00.002-05:00

(Today many of the Beauties prayed for one another. We decided that during the 2nd and 4th worship song at church we would commit to pray for the other Beauties. I loved this idea and I was so blessed by it.)

Beauties,

I enjoyed praying for you guys today. I pray for you a lot, but I think since it was in a different atmosphere than usual I got very into it. (especially during the 4th song) At our church the 4th song was about surrendering, and how everything we have and everything we do is God's. It talked about how we should let go of everything in order to praise God.

I felt very convicted because I know that there are things in my life that I hang onto. I have no control over them, but I still try to hold on so tightly. This morning I was able to just let it all go, get my head straight, and pray for you guys deeply. Of course I cried, these days I cannot pray for someone with crying. I think it is because I know how much some of you are hurting, so I hurt too. Just know I had your back this morning, and I am so thankful that so many of you had mine.

I want you guys to know that you are "following" someone who is truly following God. I use the word following because I am leading this thing, but that's the only reason. I truly believe that God is the leader, whether you are looking to Him or not. He started this through me and He will finish it when the time comes.

I hope that you will ask yourself right now....

"Have you surrendered EVERYHING to Him?"

Your weight, your body, your mind, your marriage, your frienships, your kids, your job, your insecurites, your everything!!!! All of it is God's anyway, sometimes we just wanna hang on so tightly. There is no need for that. Let it all go and WATCH God do it. It is so much easier that way, and it is so much better!!

Be Strong

2009-09-25T20:52:00.004-05:00

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love."

I Cor. 16:13

Today I was reminded of this great verse. I have talked about how many of us are going through "other battles" other than weight issues right now. Because of those other issues, it makes it hard to stay commited to the challenge and make time for ourselves. I understand that.

I feel like if you continue to stay strong in the Lord, which should be number one, then He will allow everything to fall into place. I think often times we cut God out of the picture at times because we are too busy and we are stressed. Instead let's put Him first, take time to pray for others, and watch and see the great things that He will do. He is always faithful but we have to do as He asks us to.

In this verse he reminds us to stay strong, have faith, and do everything in love. Let's focus on that this weekend.
Love you guys, Your Beast

Meet Carrie and her family! She has been a Beauty since the very beginning and she is an amazing girl! Great job on your success thus far-you rock!!

Meet April

2009-09-23T18:32:00.003-05:00

I had the pleasure of meeting a new Beauty today and her name is April. She has been a part of this challenge since the very beginning. I think that I formed a "bond" with her from the start because she too had just had a baby and I could really understand where she was coming from.

I had never met her, but it has seemed like I have known her forever. She doesn't live here near me but she was in town for work and asked if I wanted to meet. I said yes of course! We were able to squeeze in 30 minutes at the airport before her flight and I must say that it was a great 30 minutes. There is no better feeling than to meet someone that you have connected with.

I am happy to say that she looked amazing! She has lost 22 pounds so far and tons of inches! Her face looked so beautiful and I could tell that she felt good! I loved it.

She sent me this picture weeks ago along with a very encouraging email. These are the pants she was wearing before the challenge...and look how far she has come! Amazing.
She is also a wonderful example of how well this challenge can work if you put your mind to it and you stick with it. She has been going strong for 22 weeks and I know she would tell you that it was all worth it! April I am SO proud of you and it was a pleasure to meet you!!

Pointing the finger

2009-09-22T14:50:00.000-05:00

I had lunch with a Beauty today and as always it was very refreshing. I am constantly amazed at what each of you have to offer, you just have no idea. Every week I understand more and more my purpose as "The Beast" and I am realizing even more why God brought this Challenge into my life. He knew that I needed it just as much as you guys, I just needed it in a different way. Slowly God is using many of you to touch me, help me, and minister to me. I am just amazed and grateful.

So anyway I was driving home from lunch and this lady pulls out in front me. Didn't really bother me...those things usually don't. Well she almost hit me and it was a good thing I was paying attention. (and not texting!) I slow down and give her some room...because it was obvious that she was in a hurry. Before I knew it she pulled up right next to me and flipped me off. She didn't just flip me off normal either. She put her entire arm out of the window, looked at me in the face and flipped me off.

I was in shock. I had done nothing wrong (except be on the same road as her) and she was flipping me off with obvious anger. In that second I wanted to do it back, but of course I didn't because I knew that was not the way to go. I just stared at her and kept driving. For the next 30 minutes I just kept wondering "why" would she do that when she is the one that pulled out with no blinker, she is the one that almost hit me....

Instead of letting myself get angry I asked God to just speak to me and turn my thoughts in a different direction. And what I thought next was this...

SO many times when WE mess up WE point the finger at someone else. It's like we can't handle the fact that we messed up and it is easier to just blame someone else. I really feel like that woman was angry, about whatever life is throwing her way, and she had no place else to put her anger except towards me. Makes sense.

This is so crucial when it comes to our bodies, weight loss, and this entire area of the body. Instead of accepting the fact that we ate the cookie, we make ourselves feel better by telling ourselves "why" we ate the cookie. And somehow by the end of it we justify what we did by blaming something or someone else. It makes us feel better. When what we should really say is "I ate the cookie, I lack self control today." THE END and stop there. That is tough to do though because that means that we have "man up" to what we did.

But here is the deal. Once we man up to what we did and take responsibility then I think we are stronger. Once we recognize that our weakness is mexican food, that is when we can learn to avoid it or handle it better the next time. But when we allow ourselves to blame others then we really cannot grow.

Just a thought today. It's funny how getting flipped off for no reason led me to this...but it did and I am glad I got flipped off. Haha. I think we all needed to be reminded that as adults we need to take responsibility for our actions. Once we do, we can grow.

Church-Beauty Dinner

2009-09-19T20:39:00.002-05:00

There are 16 Beauties that go to my church. In challenge 2 we only had 3 Beauties, but now the word is spreading. We decided to do a church/Beauty dinner so that we could get to know each other a little better. We had a great time! I hope this is one way we can help our church come together, especially the women.
Meet....Shannon, Tamora, Tanna & Courtney

Sharon, Caty, Kim and Stephanie

Shannon was trying to eat chicken noodle soup but look at this piece of chicken! Ridiculous! I thought this picture was cute!
Here are some of the Beauties in line. We went to Sweet Tomatoes, which is like a fancier Souper Salad. We were all filling our plates...with good stuff!

WEEK 4 RESULTS

2009-09-19T20:39:00.001-05:00

62 BEAUTIES RESULTS (out of 78)

TOTAL POUND GOAL: 896.5

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 241

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 193.5

AVERAGE CHEATS USED: 5

ONE MONTH DOWN! AS YOU CAN SEE WE CONTINUE TO ADD ONTO THE RESULTS EACH WEEK. IT IS OBVIOUSLY A JOURNEY, IT TAKES TIME, BUT THIS IS THE HEALTHY WAY TO DO IT. WHEN IT COMES OFF SLOW BUT CONSISTENT IT IS MORE LIKELY TO STAY OFF!! THAT IS WHAT WE WANT. LET'S GET READY FOR WEEK 5 MY BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIES!!

1 Samuel 12:16

2009-09-18T22:55:00.000-05:00

1 Samuel 12:16

"Stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes..."

I wanted to post this verse for those of you who are doing the challenge on your own. I emailed it out to the Beauties, and I really believe it is so true when it comes to this challenge.

God is doing some amazing things right before our eyes. I hope we will all stop for long enough to see it, enjoy it, and be so thankful for it!

Meet Laura Bickston, one of your fellow Beauties!

TRUE Beauty

2009-09-17T22:40:00.000-05:00

I LOVE this picture. No, I am not a freak or anything-lol. One of the Beauties sent out this website today about "beautiful" women that have had babies and reminded us of how we don't have to look perfect to be beautiful. I really enjoyed looking the website and I came across this picture. It was in a magazine I think and one woman was saying how thankful she was that it was in there. If you look closely you will see the lose tummy skin, but because of her bright face you really gotta look closely. It is a good reminder that after a woman has a baby...things are never the same.

Whether those "things" are stretch marks, saggy boobs, extra tummy skin, etc. Things just are not the same.

Thank you Laura for sending this and opening our eyes to TRUE Beauty. Just look at the smile on this womans face....even though she is not perfect, her face is shining. That is the goal of this challenge. We want our faces to shine in the end.

Cheating

2009-09-13T19:14:00.000-05:00

So Saturday night I went to the movies with my sister and my sister-in-law. I was SO excited. I don't know why, I just get excited about the simple things these days. And let me tell you...I WAS READY TO CHEAT! I won't even lie. I had saved it for the movie and I was going to take full advantage.

We bought candy, popcorn, coke and pretzels. We were ready. Just look at us....
Alison actually didn't want to use a cheat but we made her hold our cheats to take a picture-haha.
Just look how happy I was....

The movie was great. The cheating was great....at first. All I am going to say is that the rest of the night was rough. I had such bad cramps that I couldn't sleep. I over-did it for sure. I am extreme like that and I should have thought about it a little more! I guess I enjoyed it while it lasted, but I sure did pay for it.

It just made me realize how bad some of the stuff we eat is. Wow. When you fill your body will good fuel all week, it takes a number on you when you feed it something bad. Goodness. I hope that you guys are enjoying your cheats ALOT more than I enjoyed mine!!

WEEK 3 RESULTS

2009-09-13T19:06:00.000-05:00

These results include 62 Beauties. I am missing lots of results, but all of this information is just for these 62. There is a list at the bottom of this post of all of the Beauties that I do not have results from. If you submitted them and your name is on the list then please contact me! Thanks.

(Also, if you look to the right you will see each weeks results, that way you can keep up with how the group is progressing.)

TOTAL POUND GOAL: 861 Pounds

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 217

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 149

AVERAGE CHEATS USED: 3.75

The item that the Beauties use their cheats the most on is: SWEETS & DESSERTS

Great Job for WEEK 3!! Can you imagine what these results will look like in 14 more weeks?!?! Keep it up, you are doing awesome!

These are the Beauties that I have not heard from. If your name is on the list, please let me know if you are still "in" so I can update the spreadsheets. Some of you may not be getting the form or something like that. Either way, let's just figure it out this week!!!

Alison

Amanda Holley

Charolette

Stephanie Cranford

Sugey

Veronica

Wendy

Whitney

Misty

Christine Massey

Nicole Hale

Stephanie Fitzgibbons

Crystal Thompson

When women come together...

2009-09-10T10:44:00.000-05:00

Beauties,

This morning I had breakfast with the pastor of our church and through our conversation I was reminded of something very important. I was reminded that...

When women come together they can do great things.

So many times "women" are the reason that things go south. When I say "things" I mean relationships, churches, programs, etc. Women have the power to completely destroy something and they also have the power to do amazing things....if they are on the same side.

Let's face it....women are jealous creatures. We just are. We are constantly looking around at other women, wondering how they got that skinny, wondering if their marriage is as perfect as it appears, etc. If we are not careful, we can judge them based on what they look like. We don't see what is behind their face, and often times we don't care. All we know is that we are envious of what they look like or have and that is the bottom line.

Instead of wanting to truly know them, we usually run from that. We get intimidated for whatever reason and instead of building a relationship.....we usually cause drama. We stare, we may act snobby, we may talk about that "girl" or whatever. You know what I mean...we cause drama. I am guilty of this...I won't even lie.

I see this to be the most true when it comes to weight. Why? Because ALL women want to be thin and feel good. ALL WOMEN. It's natural to want this.

I remember when I was much heavier. When I would see a skinny girl I would try to tell myself that she was only skinny because she had an eating disorder. I seriously would. At the time I couldn't seem to lose weight and so I would try to justify why that girl was skinny. And it always came down to eating disorder. That was the only way I could make myself feel better. At the time I didn't really have much faith in the good old exercising and eating right...so what else could she be doing? Instead of being her friend and finding out how she got skinny....I just didn't like her. (or at least I didn't want to like her)

It's a good thing that she liked me. It's a good thing that she looked past my immature attitude. It's a good thing that she saw something in me that I didn't see. Because that same girl that I was jealous of is the same girl that changed my whole life. When I finally became "real" with her and told her my insecurities she was able to help me. And for 3 months she had me up very early in the morning, jogging FOREVER, eating the kind of breakfast that skinny people eat, and she was on my back 24-7. But that is what I needed. And in 3 months that weight was shedding off...and I mean shedding. All it took was some good old exercise and eating right. (not an eating disorder)

I realized then that if women would just COME TOGETHER then they could do great things. If women would stop competing with each other and start encouraging each other then they could do great things. If women would be real instead of hiding then they could do great things.

Beauties, we are a LARGE group right now. We can do great things. Just the fact that you are a part of this challenge speaks very loudly. You are saying that you do have a weight problem but you are ready for that problem to go away. I want us to do our best to NOT judge a book by it's cover. Don't dislike another woman because she is thin. You don't know her story. It is time that we come together and stop pushing people away.

You will notice that when you start losing weight you will see 2 types of women. Some women will flock you and bug you about how you lost the weight....and other women will become distant because they are too scared to bring it up. USE THAT MOMENT TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE. The reason that we have so many Beauties right now is because the new Beauties saw success in the older Beauties. They saw a change, they saw big weight loss, and they want it too. It's ok to just say it. Why? Because all women want to be thin and feel good inside.

Bottom line. We ALL have the same desire and same goal. I am thankful that FINALLY we are willing to just say it so that we can fix it. It's about time.

When women come together we can do great things! Don't forget that.

Meet Courtney...one of your fellow Beauties!

Link Update

2009-09-09T20:37:00.001-05:00

Hey all of you new Moms out there! About 6 months ago I did a blog entry on good exercises to do with your baby while you are at home with them. Many of you are new to my blog so I wanted to give you the link for it in case you are interested. I think Brylee was about 2 or 3 months old when I started them with her and many of them worked well! If you are at home, bored, and wanting something fun to do that will benefit both of you then check them out! Just go to the links on the right hand side. It is the very last one called "Mommy-Baby Exercises." Enjoy!

Build Up....Don't tear down

2009-09-09T13:48:00.001-05:00

I thought it was important to remind you guys of something today. This challenge is about growing, and building ourselves up. Often times I see Beauties tearing themselves down because they have a bad day or because they use a cheat.

Here is the deal. Cheats are there to USE them!! If you hear anything through this challenge, please hear this. DO NOT FEEL GUILTY IF YOU USE A CHEAT! If you feel guilty then you are not completely understanding the point of the challenge. The challenge is meant to teach you a healthy lifestyle that can be attained if you commit to it. A healthy lifestyle does not mean NEVER eating anything remotely bad for you. It means moderation. If you continue to feel guilty and beat yourself up after using every cheat then you are not learning...and you are doing more damage to yourself.

Please don't do that. Many of you may have noticed that tearing yourself down and beating yourself up every day has not gotton you anywhere. You are spending way too much time worrying about how you messed up, and not even time on what you are going to do to make it better. So today, please remind yourself to think good thoughts. Please remind yourself to STOP beating yourself up if you get off track a little bit. If you learn this now then you will be much more successful later.

BUILD UP.....DON'T TEAR DOWN.

Philippians 4:8

2009-09-08T10:39:00.000-05:00

Here is a verse I wanted to share with you. About a year ago my mom bought me a pin to wear. It came on a card with a verse attached. When you wear the pin you are supposed to be reminded of this verse. I feel like this verse defines a true Beauty. I realize that this is a weight loss challenge, however I also see it as a soul saving challenge. Read the verse and allow to rest in your heart. I hope you will begin to desire to become a true Beauty.

Philippians 4:8

"Whatever is True,

whatever is noble,

whatever is pure,

whatever is admirable,

whatever is honorable....

think about these things."

I hope today you will desire to be true, noble, pure, admirable, and honorable. Sending you love, The Beast

I love this picture of one of the Beauties with her challenge shirt on! Meet Jennifer Narrow!

WEEK 2 RESULTS

2009-09-06T17:24:00.000-05:00

Hi Beauties!!!

I waited all weekend to make sure I had everyones results in, but I still only have 62 Beauty results. (There are 77 of you guys!) So, I just decided to post the results I had so here it goes....

TOTAL POUND GOAL FOR THESE 62 BEAUTIES: 865 LBS

TOTAL POUNDS LOST: 158.8

TOTAL INCHES LOST: 90.75

AVERAGE # OF CHEATS USED SO FAR: 2

AVERAGE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT LEVEL: 8

I asked you guys what part of the challenge was the hardest to do. Here are the results from that:

MOST DIFFICULT: EXERCISE ( I think because we are so busy, hard to find the time)

LEAST DIFFICULT: FRIED FOODS!

Great job on the first 2 weeks!!! I am so proud of you, and I continue to be amazed with your progress. Hopefully by week 3 we will have everyones results in!!

Friday's verse from Amy

2009-09-04T09:16:00.000-05:00

Psalm 118:1 Give thanks to the Lord for He is Good, His love endures FOREVER.

Challenge Updates & Opportunities

2009-09-03T20:26:00.000-05:00

Since my last post on "cheats" I have had a few more questions that I am going to answer for the group. Are these cheats?

*Coffee- If you add all the sugar and creamers to your coffee, then coffee acts as a soda. Therefore 1-2 glasses would not be a cheat. After that, coffee would. However, you need to choose either coffee or soda, not both. If you have both, one has to be cheat because you are not helping yourself out at all by doing that.

*Diet Soda- Diet soda is one of those that is hard to answer. Technically it is NOT a cheat because it does not have the sugar. But, if you are drinking 44 ounces off diet soda then that makes it hard to get your water in. I read that diet drinks make you crave sugar more so watch out for that. So...NOT a cheat but limit it as well.

I was getting my tires rotated today at discount tires and the wait was long and I was starving! I looked around at everything in walking distance and all of it was bad for me!! I ended up walking down to Sonic and seeing that they had apples and bananas on the menu. I really had never noticed this before. Imagine that. So I ordered both and I sat on the bench and ate fruit at Sonic. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was and was grateful I didn't have to cheat due to my lack of resources. Just a thought if you ever end up at Sonic and you are starving but just need a snack!

***DON'T FORGET TO WEIGH IN FRIDAY MORNING. I WILL BE WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR YOUR RESULTS AND I WILL BE POSTING THEM THIS WEEKEND!!!!***

Here are a few 5K runs in the Dallas area that are coming up. I am going to post the links you will need to register if you are interested. YOu can walk or jog, with or without you kiddos. I will be running in both of them so feel free to join us. We will also be wearing our shirts!!

OCTOBER 3: VINEYARD RUN IN GRAPEVINE- for details and registration go to this link.

http://www.vineyardrun.com/

OCTOBER 10: PUMPKIN RUN AT JOE POOL LAKE (One of the Beauties is a teacher and her school is in a contest for this run. If you are going to run in it, it would be great if you would register with her school so that they can get credit. If you would like to, click on the link below, fill out the form, and mail it to me asap. I will get it to her! If you register with her school it is only 10 dollars. Or you can register on your own)

http://www.pumpkinrungp.com/JPLPumpkinRun/REGISTRATION/2009%20Pumpkin%20Run%2011x17.pdf

That's it for now. Let me know if you have any questions!

It's like a puzzle...

2009-08-31T20:06:00.000-05:00

Ok Beauties....this is something you MUST understand early on in order to succeed in this challenge. The challenge is like a puzzle. There are lots of different pieces to the puzzle. If you are missing one piece, then it is not going to be complete. Like I said, you must get this now!!! The people that have done well are the ones that took it seriously and understood that you can't leave parts out. The ones that are still struggling are the ones that do the challenge "half way" and leave certain things out.

So here is the deal....just get it DRILLED into your head now that you gotta do everything if you wanna see big weight loss!!!!!

If you leave out the water then you are just slowing everything down.

If you workout 6 days a week but you cheat behind closed doors then you are wasting your time in the gym. Trust me.

If you never exercise then you are missing the "healthy" part badly. Exercise is good for tons of reasons, not just the weight loss. The exercise helps with the inches too.

If you don't get your mind right and get focused then you will quit within one month. (at least those are the statistics so far from the past 18 weeks) You must have your mind prepared each day when you wake up. There are days when I am not focused and they are SO hard.

And last, you must realize that the challenge is more about weight loss. It is about growing as a person and learning to see yourself how God sees you. Yes it will be great when you are rocking one hot body, but if you can't grow through this then you will still fall short. A hot body is not the only thing that will make you happy.

Does that make sense?? DON'T LOSE PIECES OF YOUR PUZZLE!!!!! Make sure you have them all, and if you, everything will fit together perfectly in the end!!!!! Focus today on what part of your puzzle you are weak in and work on it.

I can't wait to see your finished "puzzles" at the end of this! That is my favorite part :) Love love love y'all! ---The Beast

Here are a few pictures of some of the Beauties that were sent out this week in emails...the first one is Cassie....
The second one is Deborah....

Amanda Holley, I tried to upload yours and it is coming out blue-agh!!! Sorry girl, I tried 6 times!!!

Fast Food Hints

2009-08-30T19:36:00.000-05:00

Many of you Beauties are traveling quite a bit and trust me, I KNOW how hard it is to eat well on the road. I have been really trying to come up with a list of things that you can get from fast food places that are "not too bad" and you can eat them without cheating. Now, I say this believing that you are sticking to the challenge 100%. If you are exercising, drinking your water, etc then these things will get you a meal without killing your hard efforts while you are on the road. Now, these are not good to eat everyday, however, they are good for one meal if you don't have a choice. This happens.

Here are some options....

1. Obviously Subway. The sandwiches, the baked chips, the soups, etc.

2. KFC-- the grilled chicken is awesome/mashed potatoes

3. McDonalds-- Grilled chicken sandwich is not too bad, but not great. Really there is not much at McD's that we can have without cheating.

4. Sonic-- Grilled chicken sandwich without mayo. If you take off the mayo it makes a big difference. Also, grilled cheese is decent if that is all you get.

5. Taco bell--pintos and cheese, rice, or one soft taco (the rest is AWFUL for calories!!)

6. Wendy's-- Chili (which is actually good with crackers), baked potato, ceasar salad is very low in calories

7. Chick-fil-a-- Now, here is the best news. All of chick-fil-a's food is fried in peanut oil, which is better than the regular stuff. If you have to eat out, choose chick-fil-a if you like it. Now, normally the nuggets would be a cheat because they are fried. However, I have researched this and there are several other things on the menu that are NOT a cheat, BUT they are way worse than the nuggets. So here is the deal. The grilled chicken sandwhich is the BEST option. The chicken noodle soup is a great option. The fruit cup is only 60 calories and it is awesome. IF you don't like those and you only like the nuggets, then their nuggets really are a good choice if you HAVE to eat out. THE 6 PIECE NUGGET, not 12. Like I said, they are fried in different oil and they are not going to kill you. HOWEVER, this is not something you want to eat every day.

Why am I telling you this?? Because many of you end up in a bind often because you have to eat out. I just want you to be aware of what you are eating and what your best options are. Many fast food places are almost 1000 calories just for ONE meal, that is crazy. But you can get nuggets and fruit cup for only 300 calories and that is not a bad option. If you can stay away from fast food then you will obviously see faster results, but if you have to do it at times then these are things you should look for.

Water Memo

2009-08-28T18:25:00.000-05:00

Water was the hot topic today. All I am going to say is that The Challenge recommends you drink 64-72 ounces a day. That is a HEALTHY amount. PLEASE do not drink more than 72 while you are participating in this challenge. Drinking too much water will deplete your sodium levels, especially with working out, and we don't need any of that. 72 ounces is sufficient, especially with just starting out. Drinking over 100 is not going to make you lose weight faster necessarily, it is just going to cause other issues. Please email me if you think your situation requires more than the required amount. Thanks

Are these CHEATS??

2009-08-28T14:53:00.001-05:00

I have received lots of texts and emails asking about certain foods and whether or not they are cheats. They are ALL great questions. I thought that if these people are wondering then you probably are too! So here is a list of the things I have been asked about the most...and whether or not they are a cheat.

*Hamburgers- At restraunts they are fried so they ARE a cheat. Grilled on the grill they are not a cheat.

*100 Calorie snacks- NOT a cheat. Use in moderation. I would say no more than one a day.

*Jelly- NOT a cheat

*Chips- YES a cheat. Unless they are the baked chips

*Queso- NOT a cheat. However, the chips you dip it in are a cheat. Stinks, I know.

*Pretzels- NOT a cheat

*Granola/ granola bars- NOT a cheat

*Yogurt- NOT a cheat

*Pizza- NOT a cheat by the official rules. However, eat in moderation. Pizza doens't help the weight loss

*Cereal- NOT a cheat. However, things like Lucky Charms and Fruity Pebbles need to probably not be eaten. Eat cereals with more grain, fiber, etc.

*Gum/Mints- NOT a cheat. These two are actually super low calorie things that you can use to prevent yourself from eating the candy.

*Jello- NOT a cheat if you get sugar free

*Protein bars- NOT a cheat. Try to get the ones with low sugar.

*Koolwhip- NOT a cheat. But get the low fat, or fat free. I dont think you can taste the difference

*Koolaid- YES a cheat. Way too much sugar, just as bad as coke I would say.

*Juice- NOT a cheat but use in moderation. Maybe 8 ounces a day for breakfast.

I will post more if I get any more questions!! Hope this helps!

Random Friday Stuff

2009-08-28T09:35:00.000-05:00

I wanted to post a few things that got sent out today in emails for all of you following along that are not officially in the challenge...

I had to post this picture of Caty on here, I thought it was so cute! She enjoys kickboxing, so I liked that her picture she sent was kickboxing related. Caty mentioned that she will be running a workout class on Wednesday and Friday mornings at 5:45 if anyone is interested. It will be in the Dallas area. Email me or Caty for more info!! Way to go Caty!

Here are a few more water tips from Laura S. I think these are great as well! Whatever works for you!! I love #2, a great way to make sure you do it!

1) I often can't drink water if I'm not thirsty - but I've found that if I eat nuts, even just one almond, that makes me thirsty enough to drink lots of water. So, I keep some mixed nuts around and I'll have just a few of them and I've found that I drink TONS that way.

2) It's obviously not a "rule" but for me, I've made myself a deal. If I drink at least half of the water goal (about 36 oz) then I'm ok, but if I drink under half then I have to use a cheat for that day. Because I cheated and didn't drink near enough water. I've found that if I can get that first liter down, then the second isn't such a big deal.

3) Drink water with your meal, but make sure to take sips after each bite. My husband will go all dinner without drinking and then down a glass of water at the end. By drinking throughout the meal, I'll easily drink 36 oz with dinner.

4) Also, I'm not sure the official stance on this - but if you're just not a water person, go buy some sugar free drink mix. Sometimes lemonade or raspberry tea can be easier to get down. There's no calories or sugar and you're still drinking the water.

5) When you're hungry, make yourself drink a glass of water first. I also make myself drink a glass before I'm allowed to have soda. If I still want it, fine, but often I don't want it anymore.

LET'S GEAR UP FOR THE WEEKEND!!! EVERYONE IS FEELING REALLY GOOD RIGHT NOW BUT WE NEED TO KEEP IT UP AS WE HEAD INTO WEEKEND. THE MAIN GOAL IS TO PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!!!! IF YOU PLAN, YOU WILL SUCCEED!!!!

The Heart of the Challenge

2009-08-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite songs is called "Hosanna." There is just something about it. There is a part in it, towards the end, that says something that has stuck with me a long time. I listen to it daily. When I say listen to it I mean I turn it up on like number 30 in my car, roll down the windows, and sing as loud as I can! Yes, I have been stared at before but that's ok. I'll never see them again :)

The past few weeks I have been trying to pinpoint why I started the challenge. People ask me all the time and I kind of have an answer, but often times it is hard to put it into words. I usually say....

"I wanted to help people, I want people to feel good about themselves, and I want their lives to be more fulfilled."

Or something like that. Well today while I was listening to this one part of Hosanna I realized that the words are why I started the challenge. These few sentences are my heart, and the desire I have inside me to do this challenge. After I realized that, I sang that part of the song differently. I want God so badly to break me so that I can continue to live for Him and I want my life to have meaning. I want my life and my actions to do something for His kingdom, and I feel like The Challenge is doing that.

Here are the words. This is what I pray for my own life so that I can be the kind of leader for you Beauties that God wants me to be. I feel very strongly about this and I want to continue to grow as a person so what you see is always Godly. When you look to me for answers, I want you to have faith that God is behind this Beast. Because He is.

"Heal my heart and make it clean,

Open up my eyes to the things unseen.

Show me how to love like you....have loved me.

Break my heart for what breaks yours,

Everything I am for your Kingdoms cause,

As I walk from Earth into Eternity."

I want God to heal me from my hurts from the past so that I can be whole and available to help each of you.

I want God to open up my eyes to the things that I don't see. I want him to open my eyes to your needs, your weaknesses and your insecurities so that I can say the right things to help you grow as a person.

I want God to continue to show me how to love like He loves. I want that love to pour out of me.

I want God to break my heart for the things that break His heart. I don't want to be numb to those things. I want to feel, and to cry, and to have compassion for each of your situations.

And last I want Him to use me here on Earth and continue to use me each day until I go to Heaven.

That is the heart of The Challenge. That is my heart. And those words are why I started this challenge. I will pray these things daily so that I can be the best leader that I can be for you. I want this Beast to be backed up by the BIGGER BEAST!! And that is God.

Water. It's Important

2009-08-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

Up until a few months ago I didn't really understand or believe the importance of water in order to lose weight. I knew it mattered, but the more I have read the more I have learned that it matters WAY more than we think. Many of you are struggling to get the water down, I do too at times. However, it helped me to read some of these things because by reading it I actually understood "why" I was doing it. So if you are interested, here are the TOP 8 reasons you GOTTA drink your water in order to lose the weight:

1. Water supresses the appetite naturally and helps your body metabolize stored fat. Increase in water intake will reduce fat deposits. Here is why: Your kidneys can't function properly withouth enough water. When they dont work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. When the liver has to do the kidneys work, the liver cannot operate to its fullest and less fat is metabolized. All this to say, you drink enough water so that your kidneys dont have to use your liver to help.

2. Drinking enough water is the best treatment for fluid retention. When you feel "puffy" or swollen it is because you dont have enough water. Retained water shows up as excess fat.

3. The overweight person needs more water than the thin one. Larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism, it follows that a heavier person needs more water.

4. Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving muscle their natural abilty to contract and prevent dehydration. It also helps to prevent sagging skin that usually follows after weight loss.

5. Water helps get rid of wastes. Even though people don't like to talk about it, "pooping" is good for the body and the body needs to poop once a day. The more wastes you get rid of, the better off you are and the faster you can lose weight. If you dont drink enough water then you become constipated and everything gets more difficult.

6. Drinking cold water is better than warm water. Drinking cold water burns more calories!

7. When you are hungry you need to FIRST drink a bottle of water. Then eat something...you won't eat as much.

8. The average person needs to drink 64 ounces of water a day. However, the overweight person needs 8 additional ounces for every 25 pounds of excess weight. This is important here. You gotta keep all of your systems functioning properly so figure out how much water your body needs based on your weight. It is the key to weight loss!!!

Beauties, I hope this helps some. You are not just drinking the water and running to the bathroom all day for no reason! I promise! It does matter and if you are consistant then you will see MUCH quicker results.

Cute Cheat Coupons

2009-08-25T09:12:00.000-05:00

I was checking out blogs this morning and I found these cute pictures of 2 of the Beauties so I stole their pictures for the challenge blog!!

They made their cheat coupons together. They included inspirational things and motivations on their cards to help them choose their cheats wisely! I think they are awesome, I really do. When you spend time on your cheat coupons you do take them more serious! Great job girls! This is Erin and Krisit!

Ha this one says "What would the Beast do??" Oh my....that's some pressure for the Beast!

Deanna's Email

2009-08-24T13:31:00.000-05:00

Beauties,

I stay motivated because I get to see "behind the scenes" to what is going on with so many of you guys. I get to read the emails, I get to cry with you when you are so excited that more weight has come off, and that is what keeps me motivated. Many times the writer of the emails to not want their email to be shared....however, lately it seems like more and more are willing to let me share. I am glad because I think if you can continue to see "behind the scenes" then you can also stay motivated. I think it is neat because this helps you to remember that 70 (yes its 70 now!) other people are doing this same thing with you! This email is from Deanna, she has been with the challenge a while now.....I didn't edit it, I just copied and pasted. She also shares some good pictures!

Tanna,

I know you've already posted about our new t-shirts, but I wanted to send you a before and after pic of me since I was thinking about it! They aren't direct shots of me, but I really didn't let people take pictures of me if I had a choice.

When I was growing up I was always fit looking. Always maintained a healthy weight and was around 118 pounds at 5'5" in high school. I went to the gym, went swimming, and ate relatively healthy. When I went to college I gained about 8 pounds my first year just cause I wasn't as active....but I was still feeling pretty good about myself. I met my husband in College Station, TX when going to school at Texas A&M. We got married in 2006 but stayed there another year before we moved to Lubbock so that he could attend Texas Tech. I graduated in 2007, then we moved to Lubbock. I don't know what it was about that particular move, but as soon as we moved there it was like instantly the weight packed on.

I'll admit, I was a little depressed about leaving my favorite city and all of my college memories. That doesn't excuse the lifestyle change. I was suddenly letting myself eat ice cream (almost daily) and eating three or four pieces of pizza hut pizza. On top of that, I started to work full time at an elementary school, where I didn't move around as much as I did as a student (walking all over campus all day). In fear of the obvious, I didn't weigh myself until I had to go to the hospital that fall because of pneumonia...unrelated to the weight issues, but it was a dreaded trip to a scale. I could not believe what it said. I know that for some it might not seem like a whole lot, but weighing around 125 most of your adult life and then seeing 152 on the scale...well let's just say I was so disappointed in myself.

I didn't gain any more weight after that, but I didn't lose any either. After moving to west Texas I developed Adult onset Asthma, which made working out a million times harder, so I thought...what's the point??!! I felt so tired all the time and stressed because of life in general. I started my Master's degree in Jan. 2008, and at the same time working full time as a teacher. Life was hectic. I'm not gonna throw myself a pity party and tell you how hard it all was because it made me stronger. I made it through our time there and became closer to my husband. We really had to rely on eachother and make it work financially...it was pretty tough. So fast forward until April 2009. I still weighed the same, feeling just as crappy. My friend Laura B. (who is also doing the challenge) told about the challenge like two days before it started. I decided, what the hey? I'll see what happens. In the first 6 week challenge I lost 11 pounds, and in the second I lost 8. I need about 10 more pounds to go to get to my goal weight of 123, but even if I stay where I am I would be happy. I feel so much more alive...like I've been in a fog for the past 2 years. I'm not tired all the time anymore and I acutally get a stomach ache if I even drink a little soda or one brownie. My entire body has changed! I love it. I still have a little to go, like I said, but I really think this next challenge will get me there.

This challenge is nothing more than simply doing what's right for your body, but Tanna you've reached me in a way that has given me the inner strength to stay accountable and do the work. Like you said, it's all about being consistent and not giving up when you fall down.

Anyways, I know many of the other girls have given you their story, and while mines not that interesting, I wanted to share it with you and let you know how much you mean to me. I am super busy and I don't always comment or reply to all of the emails, even tho I read every one of them....so I thought I would take the time to share some of me with you.
So, I attached some pics of before the challenge began and me in my pink shirt....19 pounds lighter!!!

Love you girl!!

Deanna

Here is Deanna's before picture....

And her after...not sure why the bottom half is coming up green but you can still see her wonderful results!! Doesn't she look fantastic in her challenge shirt?!!!

Challenge 3 Begins...with a video :)

2009-08-23T20:13:00.000-05:00

Beauties,

Good luck tomorrow! There are SO many new Beauties, so that means the journey is just beginning for many of you. I want so badly for you to feel "as good" as the verteran Beauties do! And you will as long as you stick with it!!

I wanted to talk to you so I made a video. It's late, the makeup is barely on, and I am exhausted...so it is not the best video but what is important is what I am saying. The most important thing about this challenge is that you should NOT rely on your own strength to make it happen. You have to ask God to give you the strength. So many girls have learned that the hard way. So if you are new to this, learn fast! You need God on your side for those days you are weak, and there WILL be those days.

Watch it if you can. Make sure to pause the theme song on the side of the blog so you can hear what I am saying. I hope your first day on Monday is great! Just think....it is the beginning of something wonderful! 17 weeks is long, but in 17 weeks A LOT can happen!!!

Love always, The Beast

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jami's Journey

2009-08-18T21:20:00.000-05:00

Hey Beauties this is Tanna. I wanted to start Challenge 3 with a testimony that has truly touched my heart. I met Jami when we first started going to our church, which was about a year ago. When I met her, I had no idea what kind of impact she would have on my life. She started with me at Challenge One, and continued to Challenge Two. She has committed herself since day one, and it is so obvious every time I look at her.

Lately when I see her I just say "What's up skinny mini!" She laughs, but we both know what I mean. What I really mean is that I am proud of her for setting her mind and heart to reaching a goal that matters to her. She was consistant, she didn't quit just because she had a bad day, and she deserves everything she is feeling right now.

I will let her share her story with you. She has such a beautiful heart and I am so thankful that this challenge has brought us so close. Enjoy reading about an amazing woman who has come a long ways in 18 weeks. -Tanna

Hey Beautiful Ladies!

I wanted to give you all just a little idea about how I "happened" into this whole thing and how it all fell in place. And this is not at all me, to just share all about myself, but I just want you to know that if this whole weight loss thing feels at all daunting, you can do it!

I almost didn't do the challenge at all because Tanna, who started the whole thing, looked perfect and beautiful like 3 days after having her baby and it made me want to shut myself in a closet. She started it wanting to lose like 5 or 10 pounds, and I thought, "Wow if she knew how much weight I need to lose, she would die!" At that point, I weighed 168 lbs. The heaviest I had ever been, pretty depressed about it, and starting to feel hopeless after 3 kids and age 30 looming before me. I knew my metabolism wasn't getting any faster. But at the last minute, I said, "Why not? Don't have anything to lose... Well, besides the whole backend that needs a reverse warning signal!"

I found out later that Tanna, who is one of the most amazing women I know, has fought her own battle with weight. She shared her story on her blog after the challenge started, and it made me realize this journey was not just mine, but most women deal with it at some point. Sadly, we usually do it alone.

The "Beauties" keep in touch via email with support, encouragement, stories, and it is amazing to see how God can work when we work together. I've never been good at letting my defenses down enough to admit that I need help with anything, but especially not my weight. So if you're wondering how I lost this much weight, here's my anwser: Beauties and the Beast. This is where I was when I started, just in case you don't remember:>

Wow. Not a flattering picture! Again, not like me to ever show anyone a picture of myself, especially a fatty-fat picture, but I just want you to have an idea of what this challenge has meant for me, and now none of you can say you can't do this!!

So, simply by doing Tanna's challenge, I have lost 30 lbs, and am getting really close to my goal weight of 130. This has been more about how I have, with God's help, tackled this all out. I realized how much the weight was bearing down on me, not just physically, but it had my focus instead of God. I was sinking into depression pretty much because I didn't feel good about myself, and that affected relationships with God, my husband, kids, friends, you name it.

God really worked to put this challenge in front of me- there were many things that just fell into place at exactly the right time- and I am grateful and amazed that he loves me so much he even cares about helping me lose weight just because he wants nothing to stand in the way of "us." And when nothing stands in the way as a distraction, just think how much we could do for women in our community as we get healthy TOGETHER. God never meant for us to parse our lives out into little sections and only share the good bits and pieces with each other. We are meant to LIVE together, share it all, encourage one another through it all and praise him through it all.

So, I know you really probably only wanted the website, but I want you to know that no matter how much you have to lose, a little or a lot, know that you can do it and that it matters to God because it matters to you.

And this is something I haven't shared with anyone- My ultimate goal dress (I had several goal items during the challenge so I wouldn't get discouraged, but this was the big goal), which I had totally given up on ever being able to wear again... (not the greatest picture- Mason took it haha!- but you get the idea:)
It fits!!! And I haven't even made my goal yet!Today I hit the official 30 lb mark. I weighed this morning and I was at 138, which seriously probably hasn't happened since high school. Pretty exciting!

CHALLENGE 3 GUIDELINES

2009-08-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

We have ONE week until challenge 3 begins. In order to be included in all of the data, I need you to please contact me by Wednesday, August 19th. I am doing all of the results on spreadsheets this round so I need to get it all ready asap. I will put a list of everyone doing the challenge on the righthand side of this blog, that way you can check and make sure your name is on it! If not, email me! tctummy@yahoo.com

There are 2 versions of the challenge this round. Please choose which version you will be doing. You will tell me this information in the form I send you on Thursday, along with all of your other information. So be ready for that!

Here are the guidelines:

Version ONE: LOSE (this means you have weight to lose)

*25 Cheats in 17 weeks

*Exercise 4-6 times a week

*Minimum 72 ounces of water a day (the more the better)

*No fried foods (includes chips at mexican food places)

*No sweets

*No more than 12 ounces of soda a day.

*Regulate your eating out. Once a week if possible. If not possible, monitor food choices

Version TWO: MAINTAIN (this means you do not have weight to lose. This is more about learning how to live a healthy lifestyle)

Same as above, except for these two things:

*34 Cheats in 17 weeks (that is 2 per week)

*You have the option of the "2 bite" decision. This should help you to learn that you CAN eat a little of something sweet, but it is important that you limit it. If you only eat 1-2 bites, then you do NOT have to count it as a cheat. For some, this will help...for others it won't. You just have to know your own limits. However, if you can gain that self control to stop after 2 bites, you will be able to enjoy more and keep the weight off. It will be very beneficial to learn how to do this.

What is considered a sweet?

Mostly desserts. Cookies, icecream, candy, chocolate, milkshakes, cake, pies, etc.

Yogurt, 100 calorie snacks, and things of that nature are fine.

You use your cheats on the following:

*If you eat a sweet.

*If you eat fried foods.

*If you drink more than 12 ounces of soda for the day.

Basically if you break one of the guidelines, you will use a cheat. It is important to keep up with your cheats. Beauties that kept up with them in their head often found it hard to remember. Those that made little coupons took it much more seriously. I strongly encourage you to have some sort of system.

What is considered exercise?

Usually an average of 30 minutes with your heartrate up can be considered exercise. Everyone is on a different level so it varies. You need to be breathing hard and sweating for at least 30 minutes if you want your body to respond to it.

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 23RD, YOU NEED TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR MEASUREMENTS AND CHECK YOUR WEIGHT SO THAT YOU HAVE A STARTING POINT. I WILL EMAIL YOU A DATA SHEET FOR THIS IF THAT WILL HELP. I WILL ALSO SEND YOU A FORM TO SUBMIT BACK TO ME WITH ALL OF YOUR INFO TO GET YOU SIGNED UP. BE LOOKING FOR BOTH OF THESE ON THURSDAY.

Looking forward to it!!!

Beauty T-Shirts

2009-08-15T10:14:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the Beauties wearing their challenge t-shirts! I think they all look pretty cute in them!! I thought you guys would want to see some of your fellow challengers!!

From left to right:

Courtney, Laura B, Tanna, Leighann, Kelli, and Alison.

This is Lindsay Laney :) And April Simpson :)

The first two....

2009-08-15T10:11:00.000-05:00

The Challenge has been going on since April of 2009. This is just a little starter post for anyone just beginning to read about the challenge. We started with a 6 week challenge and we had about 50 Beauties. Many had success and so once it was over we decided to do a 12 week challenge. We started the 12 week challenge with 56 Beauties. This time we measured weight, as well as inches and many have seen some amazing results. Here we are, about to close out challenge 2, and we don't want to quit yet! So that brings us to challenge 3....