Let's get ready to rumble......

Okay, so we took a break.....a long break.....a Summer break but now it's over and I know Kandi and Jen have been up and running lately (at 5 AM.....icky!!) but I'm so proud of them. Five AM is way to early for me but it's a great time to run for sure!
Let me know if you want to start this whole thing up again. It doesn't even have to be a competition we can just weigh in every week and "weigh in" on our struggles, triumphs, and solutions. What do you say?? Are you ready to rumble???
I think we should all share fitness goals, things we are having a hard time with, weekly schedules for workouts to help better each other. I'm having a really hard time keeping consistent with my workouts and I need to also start with strength training, flexibility, and core workouts. (I've heard this will really help with running). Let me know if you have ideas, good schedules, or pointers! Hope to see everyone here really soon!

Good training ideas

I found this website with some really good suggestions for going from a couch potato to a 5K runner. I thought you guys would enjoy reading this.

http://www.marathon-training-schedule.com/couch-to-5k.html

Who's Up For A Fresh Start??

Jen and I were talking yesterday about prolonging our Biggest Loser competition because we felt like we've all slacked off and fell off the boat so I'm ready to make a new commitment.....what do you say, ya'll?? Are you in for the long haul??

shopping

nothing like trying on clothes to make you feel REALLY FREAKING FAT!!!! ugh. i'm not criticizing myself, just stating a fact. it has motivated me to get my butt moving this week because the excuses are gone. i'm not sick, not PMSing, not busy, so time to RUN!

Top Two....Because That's All There Was

There are two in the "top three" this week because that's all I heard from.

I want to hear from more of you!


Please.....

pretty please.......

Pretty please with a cherry on top??????

Where Have All The Losers Gone?

Okay......so I'm starting to hear the crickets......REALLY!!!!!
I didn't hear from anyone on their weight loss this past week and I was the only one to report this week and the week before. Let's all try a little harder this week. Believe me I'm not trying to be bossy, but it would make it a lot more fun. I don't want to be the only one having to report weight gain every week.....blah!
Hopefully my new leaf has been turned after having stomach problems last week. I'm really trying to eat better food and not so much fast food. It gets to be really easy to run through the drive thru....even after stopping at the grocery store! What!? I have a whole load of groceries in the car and I'm still stopping at McD's? It's those Monsters vs. Aliens toys.....I've got to have them all!
Okay, so I hope I hear from more people on Sunday about their progress and it will be like a fresh start. June isn't that far away!

Top Three

I didn't get anyone's numbers.....

so there won't be a top three I guess


Remember next weigh in is Sunday (Easter)

a friend of mine (diane passey) wrote this and put it on her blog and i thought it was perfect for THIS blog! it's pretty funny! enjoy.

Ode to Fat Cells

Fat cells, you are not my friend,
You haunt me to the bitter end.
Someday I will make you see
that you should not be part of me.

Why do you fight to leave my tummy?
Staying there is just plain dummy.
I squish you into all my pants
and yet you stay and do a dance.

What do I have to say to you?
Your presence makes me oh so blue!
I drink water day and night.
No soda or sugary drinks I like.

I eat my fruits and whole grain wheat.
I like my carrots- apples are a treat!
Bananas, salad, berries rock!
Beans and peas I keep in stock.

Soy milk 'stead of juice from cow,
Give me Kashi cereals now!
Fish, chicken, low fat meat
are the staples that I eat.

Watching proteins, carbs, and dairy,
being balanced as a fairy.
Working out 5 days a week
for 90 minutes, can't be beat!

AND YET...

You stick to arms, thighs, hips, and chest.
On belly, buttocks, chin, you rest.
Thinking this is great vacation
Why can't you visit United Nations?

You must leave my body soon.
I will threaten night to noon!
You must not keep sneaking round.
Leave my torso pound by pound!

You think you win, but you will see -
the battle's just begun for me.
And with warning, I'll let you know-
you'd best pack up and get ready to GO!!!

Top Three

So our new top three for this past week are:

#1-Quin with a 1 lb. weight loss

#2-Jen staying steady at the same weight along with Kandi and Clint.

#3-Me with a gain???? How can that be considered top three......i'm nixing the #3 spot this time.....

Hopefully we'll get rid of this blasted snow and it will solve all our problems in the exercise and weight loss. I know I'm having a hard time when all I want to do is stay warm with some hot chocolate and cookies. Darn food!

This Week's Top Three

I might as well name the top four people for the week because that's all I heard from.......common' people.......step on that scale and let me know!

#1- Kandi with a 1 lb. weight loss.....watch out everyone I think she's going to start really kicking our trash if we're not careful.

#2-Mom and Heidi with a 0 lb. loss ........ at least I'm consistant!!?? Argh! I really need to start trying to avoid that food!

#3-Matt with a 4 lb. gain.....he's number three because I haven't heard from anyone else.

I'm hoping the weather gets warm again because I feel the cold outside and I just want to hunker down and eat, eat, eat. Is it like that for everyone else or just me?

BIG FAT

.................zeros is what everyone is getting if don't get your numbers to me before the end of today. Is Monday the new Sunday? ;)

5K in Eagle Mountain

There is going to be a 5K in Eagle Mountain on June 6th and I wanted to let everyone know. I'm probably going to sign up to run and I hope you guys consider signing up with me. It's during the Pony Express Days in Eagle Mountain so there are a lot of fun things going on during that week. They have a 1K run for kids that I'll probably sign Haleigh up for. It will be a lot of fun and maybe we can have a BBQ at the house or something after it's over. I included a link on the sidebar for training ideas for your first 5K. I thought it was interesting.

Story contributed by Mom

Dear Diary,
For my birthday this year, my daughter (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try.I called the club and made my reservations with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26-year-old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim wear.My daughter seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.____________ _________ _________ __MONDAY: Started my day at 6:00 a.m. Tough to get out of bed, but found it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She is something of a Greek goddess - with blond hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!Belinda gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed watching the skillful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today. Very inspiring!Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit- ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!____________ _________ _________ __TUESDAY: I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT! It's a whole new life for me.____________ _________ _________ _WEDNESDAY: The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered other club members. Her voice is a little too perky for that early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying.My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the heck would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity 20 rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other stuff too.





____________ _________ _________THURSDAY: Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late - it took me that long to tie my shoes.Belinda took me to work out with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid in the rest-room. She sent another skinny witch to find me.Then, as punishment, she put me on the rowing machine -- which I sank.
____________ _________ _________ _FRIDAY: I hate that witch Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic, anorexic little cheerleader. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it.Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the dang barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?____________ _________ _________ __SATURDAY: Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her voice made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.____________ _________ _________ __SUNDAY: I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year my daughter (the little brat) will choose a gift for me that is fun -- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Top Three???

Well, this week was a slow week for most and our top "three" this week are as follows

#1- Quin with a 3 lbs. weight loss. Great job!!! Slow and steady might just do it!

#2- Kandi with a 1 lb. weight loss. Go girl!! Kick some trash! ;)

#3- Is a five-way tie with Clint, Heidi, Matt, Suzan, and Wayne staying steady at their previous weight.

Hopefully the warmer weather will motivate everyone to get out and get active and lose some weight this week! Good luck!!!

Where Does The Money Go?

I'm sure all of you have asked this question but for once I can answer it for you. To Kandi. Well, just the money that we are going to put in the pot for the competition. Remember it's $10 per person and Kandi is going to be the treasurer and hold our "funds" for us. Thanks National Bank of Kandi, you serve us well.

New Top Three

Congrats to the newest top three biggest losers!!!

#1- Jen with a HUGE loss this week!! Way to go! She lost 8 lbs.!!!

#2- Suzan with her first appearance in the top three!! She lost a great 5 lbs. this week!!!

#3-Matt with his second appearance in the top three (watch out everyone....he's known to win these things!) He lost 4 lbs. this week!

Congrats to everyone for working hard and I hope to see even higher numbers next week (especially for me....ugggg)

If you notice on the side bar we are all in order of our weight loss for the week from highest to lowest.

drowning my sorrows...another myth busted

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WATER DOESN'T FLUSH FAT OUT OF MY SYSTEM??? what the..? you know, all the research i'm doing is just making me feel worse! according to an article on WebMD, increasing your water consumption every day really only leads to about a 5 pound weight loss over a YEAR.

taken from the article: Nutritionist and American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Leslie Bonci, MPH-RD, says even if the findings are confirmed (that drinking more water increases your metabolism), the clinical implications are slight. "Obviously people are looking for ways to increase metabolism, but this is a very, very, small effect," she tells WebMD. "We are talking about just a few calories a day." Bonci says the standard weight-loss plan dictates encouraging people to drink more water stems from the belief that the liquid fills the gut to make people feel more full. "Some plans say that drinking water flushes fat out of your system, which is absolutely ridiculous," she says.

ACK!! well, i drink a lot of water anyway, due to my frequent UTIs, and seeing as how i haven't lost a huge amount of weight as a result, i suppose she's probably right. *sigh* still, drinking water is a better choice than drinking soda. you can't beat 0 fat, 0 sugar, 0 sodium, and 0 calories! plus, i think drinking more water just helps you feel better all around. obviously you can shed a few pounds of water weight if you cut out the other beverages and focus on water because you'll be peeing a LOT more! hahahahaha

my next study: fat versus calories...stay tuned.

Food and Exercise Diary

I've found my old Food and Exercise Diary and thought I would scan in the pages to show everyone so you can make copies if you want. I usually take them to UPS and blow them up so that it fits on a whole page and then I don't have to write in the book and I can keep using them. I think this will help my food problem if I'm seeing all the stuff that I'm stuffing and how much I'm really working off. It's a nice little book to have and it was only about $4. Maybe this will solve my food problem....we'll see. I couldn't get the second scan to work.....it's basically a daily log that you can record food, how many glasses of water you drink, and total calories.

Food

I'm having a really hard time staying away from food. I want good food like salads and fruits and stuff like that but I'm finding it really hard to stay away from cookies and sweets. Especially cookies.....when did this happen? I've always been a fan of sweets and cookies but lately I just want to have a cookie, and not really A cookie but MULTIPLE cookies. It's hard being at home and having food in the cupboards that I can just run to and snack on. I need to just start staying clear of the cracker and cookie aisle at the store and stop putting anything like that in the house so there isn't a way for me to snack on them. While driving through the Ranches I always hear the Clown store (Cheveron) or Maverick calling my name....."we have cookies, Heidi....come and buy....they are 2/$1.00 this week!!". I've started chewing gum in between meals and that seems to help slightly, but does anyone have any other good ideas for curbing this craving?? This will be my downfall this week because I've been working out (not as hard as I need to in my opinion) but not enough to burn off 50 cookies!!!

where are you???

ok men, where the heck are you? NONE of you have posted to this blog! we want to know what you think, too! i love this blog. very motivational. and may i say, i totally love the song 'my life would suck without you'!!! i want it for my ipod! if you can help me out with that, let me know. one last thing...COMMENTS, PEOPLE. that's all i'm going to say about THAT.

well THAT bubble has burst...

ok, have you heard of NEGATIVE CALORIE FOODS?? the idea is that by eating certain foods, it takes more calories to burn that food through digestion than the food actually gives you, thus, a negative calorie food. well, apparently it's all a lie. there is no such thing. that's not to say there aren't foods LOW in calories, and that is always good for you when trying to lose weight or maintain a low weight, but there are no negative calorie foods. oh wait, there is ONE. cardboard. but unless you're a cow (hahahaha, no pun intended) cardboard wouldn't work for us. i got this little gem of information from wikipedia:

"The phrase negative calorie food is a term used by people who believe that there are certain foods which require more energy to digest than they provide nutritionally. Low nutrient, high cellulose foods such as celery are often claimed to require very slightly more energy to digest than they provide nutritionally. However, these foods are often low in calories and can be consumed within a weight-loss diet to potentially relieve the feeling of hunger without adding greatly to total caloric intake."

i love how they say, "people who believe"...makes me feel soooo smart for believing that once upon a time. still, there is a LIST of these so-called negative calorie foods and even though they are not truly negative calorie, they are very LOW in calories, and therefore better for us to choose to eat! here is the list:

Asparagus
Apple
Beet Root
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cantaloupe
Cabbage
Cranberry
Carrot
Grapefruit
Cauliflower
Honeydew
Celery
Lemon/Lime
Chicory
Mango
Hot Chili
Orange
Papaya
Garden cress
Peach
Garlic
Pineapple
Green Beans
Raspberry
Lettuce
Strawberry
Onion
Tomato
Radish
Tangerine
Spinach
Turnip
Watermelon
Cucumber
Zucchini

the moral of this story is this: all things worth attaining require work. there aren't any shortcuts (at least not any that will have lasting results). happy eating!

I Wanna See More!!!!

Thanks to all of you who sent me your weight-loss numbers.

BUT!!!!

I want to see more next week!!!!!!

Top Three Losers For Week One

#1 - Heidi at 4.22%

#2 - Jen at 2.41%

#3- Matt at 1.83%

Maxine Comic

First Week Analysis

I think I did really good this week considering I was sick for most of it. I hope I keep the same motivation that I felt after I started feeling better and that it's not just because I did start to feel better and it was warm outside. Running today was a good cure for those shut-up-in-the-house-blues I've been feeling lately. I actually could have gone further but I'm deciding (thanks to advice from some avid running friends) to take things slow and not overdue it. Maybe that's why I've hated running all these years, because it really wasn't that bad today. Next week is my goal to start making really good and healthy meals for the family. We've been doing good this week but I want to try some new recipes and I'm hoping that Haleigh will jump on the healthy bandwagon with us as far as food goes. I'm hoping to get a good variety of exercising in so I don't get burned out so if it stays warm I'll be running, biking, and using my PlayStation trainer and Wii fit. Thanks for listening to my rambling.....I'm signing off now.

mirror image

it has come to my attention (let's say a little birdie told me) that i insult myself far too much when looking at my reflecion in the mirror. it was also mentioned to me that if i keep telling myself, even in my head, that i'm too fat or unattractive, that my body will respond by making myself just that...fat and unattractive. let's look at this from a scientific approach. i got this information from another website and thought it made perfect sense.

"Negative thought patterns are all too common among dieters and one of the main reasons why so many are unable to lose weight permanently. According to Dr. John H. Sklare, Ed.H and director of the Emotional Support Center at eDiets.com, “you, like the farmer, are a planter of seeds. Your seeds, however, are of a psychological nature. In your case, these are the seeds of thought and behavior. While the farmer plants his seeds in the ground, you plant yours in your mind. And just as the type of seed the farmer plants in the earth determines what he produces in his field, the kinds of thoughts that you plant in your mind determine what you produce in life.” Changing your mind is crucial to losing weight and the following are sure-fire ways to do just that.

Think Yourself Thin
How you view yourself, weightloss, and living a healthy lifestyle, has a lot to do with how much you weigh. If you see yourself as always being fat, your efforts as useless, eating healthy as torture, and exercise as a boring waste of time, then your actions will continue to support those thoughts. In order to change your weight and bad habits you must first change the way you think. Identify all the negative and self-defeating thought patterns that keep you from doing what you need to do to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Write them down. Then brainstorm new positive thoughts to replace them. Here are some examples to get you started:

Negative: I absolutely hate exercise and I don’t have time for it anyway.
Positive: I will try different types of activities until I find one I like and I will make time for at least 2 exercise sessions per week.
Negative: Eating healthy means depriving myself and it’s useless anyway, because I won’t lose the weight.
Positive: I will look for healthy but delicious foods and recipes so that I have a better chance of loosing weight.

Ban All or Nothing Mentality
Have you ever given up on working out just because you skipped one too many of the workouts you had scheduled. Have you ever blown your diet several times in a day and gone on a junk food binge because you felt like a failure? This type of behavior is a product of all or nothing thinking; where everything is either perfect or you give up. Unfortunately it’s never the perfect time to lose weight. Illness, injuries, work hours, family, parties, and stress are obstacles that constantly come between you and your weightloss goals. The trick is to think of your setbacks as opportunities to do better. Forgive and forget what happened and focus on why it happened. Then devise a plan to deal with that type of situation and continue with you diet and fitness plans. Once you learn to handle these situations instead of giving up you will be closer to your goal and even feel a sense of accomplishment that can be huge motivation for the next time you’re in a similar situation."

see what i mean? ok, next we have the spiritual approach to how we think of ourselves. this is a talk by Russell M. Nelson.

Joy In The Morning
The title of my message is taken from the thirtieth Psalm, verse 5 [Ps. 30:5]: “Joy cometh in the morning.” As I discussed this scripture with members of our family, they recalled that “men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25), but they had not pondered the intriguing concept that “joy cometh in the morning.”

One of our family said, “News reports appear almost daily concerning people who have problems with drugs, drinking, and emotional distress. How can they, and we, attain the joy spoken of in the scriptures?”

“The gospel of Jesus Christ offers hope,” I answered. “It declares joy to be part of our divine destiny. And to experience joy in the morning becomes our special challenge. The true test,” I continued, “is to be able to look in the mirror, first thing in the morning, and feel real joy.”

One of our daughters, who had recently announced that she was expecting a new addition to the family, said, “But Dad, that’s the hardest time of the day for me!”

“My dear ones,” I replied, “in order to experience true joy in the morning, or at any time, at least three factors are needed. You need to feel good about the people with whom you live and work—your companions in life. You must feel good about yourself—not in any sense of conceit, but simply a proper esteem for yourself, well deserved. And possibly most important, you must feel good about your relation to God and sincerely love him.”

As I so counseled my family in that conversation, we all might consider those three steps to achieve real joy in life.

Courtesy to Companions
Joy in the morning begins with courtesy to companions. When shades of slumber first admit the light of dawn, I reach gently for my beloved companion nearby. I gain sweet reassurance that all is well with her even before my eyes are fully opened. That reminds me, incidentally, of advice given by President David O. McKay, who said, “During courtship we should keep our eyes wide open, but after marriage keep them half-shut” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1956, p. 9).

My sweetheart has done that. Through our many long years of postgraduate study, professional responsibilities, and a growing family, she did not complain. Recently I overheard a conversation she had with young mothers enduring similar stress. They asked her how she had managed with ten children and a husband whose time to help was so limited. Kindness was reflected in her reply: “Through our struggling years I didn’t expect much, so I was rarely disappointed.”

She is special. With her, it is easy to obey the scriptural injunction to “live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of [thy] life” (Eccl. 9:9).

Not all of us are blessed with such wonderful eternal companions—not yet anyway. Many of us who are married cannot be together as much as we would like. Thankfully, we all have companionship of family and friends.

Recently another General Authority was my partner for mission tours to dusty places. On occasion, when I returned from a morning shower, I found to my surprise that this considerate companion had shined my shoes. Gratefully I wondered if each of the thirty thousand missionaries now laboring in the Lord’s service would have, and be, as kind a friend as he was to me, thoughtfully rendering simple acts of courtesy to a companion.

Joy cometh in the morning to those who have earned the night’s rest of a laborer. One of life’s sweetest returns is the privilege of rendering significant service of worth to others. To be able to do for fellow human beings something they could not do for themselves brings matchless satisfaction. Years of preparation are worth it.

And joy is derived in Church service. Alma so expressed this thought: “That perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance … is my joy” (Alma 29:9).

Through service in the temples, the concept of courtesy to companions can be nobly extended to those who have passed beyond the veil. The gospel brings glad tidings for the dead and a voice of gladness for the living and the dead—for all, glad tidings of great joy (see D&C 128:19).

Even when death’s veil separates us from parents who gave so much that we might be, their righteous influence continues with us. And as they may watch from windows of heaven, their mornings will be brighter if they can truly say, as did the Apostle, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 Jn. 1:4).

Above all, courtesy to companions cannot be defiled by disobedience to the law of chastity. That sin is joy’s deadly poison. The first morning’s glance in the mirror cannot reflect joy if there is any recollection of misdeeds the night before. The surest step toward joy in the morning is virtue in the evening! Virtue includes courtesy to companions all day long.

Self-esteem, Well Deserved
The next prerequisite to joy is to feel good about yourself. The second of our Lord’s two great commandments carries a double charge: “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matt. 22:39). Therefore, love of companion is governed, in part, by esteem of self, and so is joy in the morning.

Each individual should understand the nature of his or her own soul. Profound insight is provided by this revelation:

“For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;

“And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy” (D&C 93:33–34).

Therefore, spiritual and physical elements each must be nurtured if we are to earn proper self-esteem.

Spiritual self-esteem begins with the realization that each new morning is a gift from God. Even the air we breathe is a loving loan from him. He preserves us from day to day and supports us from one moment to another (see Mosiah 2:21).

Therefore, our first noble deed of the morning should be a humble prayer of gratitude. Scripture so counsels: “Pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto [you]: and [you] shall see his face with joy” (Job 33:26; see also Alma 34:21; Alma 37:37).

I did not fully appreciate the significance of prayerful greetings until I became a father myself. I am so grateful that our children never gave their mother or dad the silent treatment. Now I sense how our Heavenly Father may appreciate our prayers, morning and night. But I can imagine the pangs of his sorrow because of silence from any of his children. To me, such ingratitude seems comparable to sullen goldfish oblivious to kind providers who sprinkle food in their bowl. Indeed, those who pray can “worship God with exceedingly great joy” (Alma 45:1).

I learned long ago that a period of uninterrupted scriptural study in the morning brings enduring enrichment. I feel as did Jeremiah: “Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart” (Jer. 15:16). Sacred scriptures have been repeatedly described as “glad tidings of great joy” (Hel. 16:14; Mosiah 3:3; Alma 13:22; see also Luke 2:10). As we learn and abide their teachings, that joy becomes part of our lives.

Joy cometh in the morning when personal talents are developed. Each of us is blessed with different potential. I don’t think I could get up early enough to become a portrait painter. But I have appreciated teachings since my earliest childhood from parents who knew the joy that good music brings. And some of the sweetest sounds in our home have been those from songs and instruments of children improving their talents.

Even in Old Testament days, “David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, … sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy” (1 Chr. 15:16).

Confidence to begin each morning ready to meet the challenges of the day comes from spiritual self-esteem.

Physical self-esteem also requires nurturing. Our bodies deserve thoughtful care. I echo this declaration of Paul:

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

“If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are” (1 Cor. 3:16–17).

Physical conditioning from regular exercise is important. And we can do so much more to keep our bodies strong.

In 1833 the Prophet Joseph Smith received the Word of Wisdom by revelation. It includes these simple directives: We are not to drink alcohol, tea, or coffee, and we are not to use tobacco. Prophets in our generation and in this conference have told us also to avoid harmful drugs. Now medical science increasingly confirms the physical benefits of compliance with these teachings.

The damaging effects of alcohol are so widely known, additional comment is hardly needed. Harm inflicted by alcohol has been demonstrated, for example, by a study of the relationship between alcohol consumption among expectant mothers and the birth weight of their newborn infants. Findings published from the U. S. National Institutes of Health disclosed that consumption of one to two alcoholic drinks a day was associated with a substantially increased risk of producing a growth-retarded infant (see James L. Mills, et. al., “Maternal Alcohol consumption and Birth Weight,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 12 Oct. 1984, pp. 1875–79).

Scientists now know that smoking tobacco is the number one preventable cause of death in all the world. It is the leading preventable cause of heart disease, lung disease, artery disease, and cancer (see William W. Pollin and R. T. Ravenholt, “Tobacco Addiction and Tobacco Mortality,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 23 Nov. 1984, pp. 2849–54; 1986 Heart Facts, American Heart Association, 1986, p. 16; “The Health Consequences of Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General,” publication DHHS (PHS) 84-50204, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services, Office of Smoking and Health, Rockville, Md., 1983).

Still another report indicates that more than one fourth of all deaths in the United States are now caused by conditions which physicians classify as addictive disorders (see Pollin and Ravenholt, p. 2849).

Obedience to the Word of Wisdom keeps one free from all such addictions. This protection is pronounced by covenant in the last verse of the eighty-ninth section of the Doctrine and Covenants:

“And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them” (D&C 89:21).

This reference to the first Passover reminds us that, in faith, ancient Israel was obedient to the commandment to take blood and “strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses” (Ex. 12:7).

“And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not … destroy you” (Ex. 12:13).

So, in faith, modern Israel is commanded to obey the Word of Wisdom. It becomes our token of a covenant with the Lord—a spiritual separator of covenant Israel from the rest of the world.

Joy cometh in the morning—to those who can stand before the mirror and feel clean, to those whose mouths are free from the taste of flavors forbidden by the Lord, to those whose spirits and bodies are free from feelings of self-remorse.

Love of God
The crowning attribute that leads to joy is love of God. Even that first look in the mirror can be more enjoyable knowing we are created in his image. Each of us can say, as did the Apostle, “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance” (Acts 2:28; see also Ps. 16:11).

God, who gave us life, also gave us commandments to live by, that we might have joy. They have been revealed periodically by prophets from Adam to President Benson. One wrote this expression: “Consider … the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual” (Mosiah 2:41).

But for those who have not known his ways or who have strayed from them, remember, it is not too late to change. Blessings from faith and repentance still can be yours.

To those who feel defeated and downtrodden, look to the early hours of the day for your rescue. The Lord tells us, “Cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated” (D&C 88:124).

The dawning of a brighter day heralds a time of forgiveness. Shadows of yesterday’s grief melt in the rays of early morn’s opportunity.

Joy comes from our posterity, and we rejoice as they are blessed by the ordinances of salvation and exaltation.

Our family experienced that in a special way recently as our youngest daughter was sealed to her eternal companion in the holy temple. To witness this event, along with other family members, were her parents and all eight of her older sisters and their husbands. For us, there was truly joy in the morning on that day. Then we really felt the scriptural truth, “Men are, that they might have joy” (2 Ne. 2:25).

These experiences, glorious as they are, become but prelude to that great day ahead, when the faithful will stand at the latter day upon the earth. They shall abide the Second Coming of the Lord and shall stand with him when he appears (see Mal. 3:2–12; 3 Ne. 24:2–12). On that joyous morning, the mirror will reflect the miracle of the first resurrection. The faithful shall be crowned with glory, immortality, and eternal life (see D&C 75:5; D&C 138:51).

Once again “morning stars [will] sing together, and … all the sons [and daughters] of God [will] shout for joy!” (D&C 128:23; see also Job 38:7). For on that morning, “the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together” (Isa. 40:5; see also Ezek. 20:48; Luke 3:6; D&C 101:23).

Then, “there’ll be peace and contentment evermore, ev’ry heart, ev’ry voice on that day will rejoice. … There’ll be joy in the morning on that day”. It shall be ours—through our faithfulness—I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

i know this is a long post, but i feel very strongly that our image of ourselves is so important in relation to how well we take care of our bodies. we are meant to have joy, and that doesn't include bad-talking ourselves! our bodies are gifts from a loving heavenly father and as such, need to be taken care of to the best of our ability. if we can focus on loving those around us, looking in the mirror every morning and loving who we are, being grateful for our bodies and our lives, we will ultimately be more successful and HAPPIER! my challenge to everyone is to stop any negative thoughts or speech RIGHT NOW. don't do it again. any time you feel tempted to think you are fat, or lazy, or unattractive, or stupid, change it for a positive thought immediately. don't rail on yourself for eating that piece of cake or drinking the occasional soda, or eating something you enjoy every now and then. we are MEANT to be happy in this life and the only person standing in the way of having happiness and joy every single day, is ourselves. GOOD LUCK!

Smoothy Queen

So, I'm becoming a smoothy Queen because I'm trying to drink more healthy things and my throat has hurt so bad that only liquids (especially thick ones) seem to take the "edge" off. Today I made the best one yet so I thought I would share. It was quite easy and quick.
I turned our ice maker to crushed ice so I didn't have to make my blender do all the work (thanks for the tip, Matt) I put the ice in first and blended it up first, then I added 1 banana about 4 strawberries (large ones), some orange juice, and a handful of blueberries. It was so good and Haleigh even really liked it. Now if they could only make veggies taste that good I wouldn't have to worry about her eating them. Maybe next time I'll sneak some carrots in there.

Today I Slipped

No, I didn't go back to Dr. Pepper but I did have a Diet Coke because I wanted something that would "burn" my every-increasing sore throat. It felt wonderful to swallow because it actually made my throat feel better. I never wrote a farewell letter to Diet Coke, so I'm letting this slip....but no more after this strep is gone. I promise.

Dear Strep

Dear Strep:

I'm so tired of dealing with you, although you might help me with this competition but I'm not sure this is the way I wanted to do things. You've prevented me from eating anything that will hurt my throat and so I've been eating less and drinking more liquids which also hurt my throat. I'll be glad to lose a few pounds, but next week let me do it my way, please!!??

Thank you,
Heidi

Team Photo and Bio

I thought I would start off by putting team colors and names on the sidebar. Send me an email about what motivates you or what you want to accomplish and you can change this as often as you like under your team color. I picked your pictures just because it was the image that jumped out about everyone to me. I'll post the "before" photos on the side after I get them all in. I figured I'd arrange the teams by alphabetical order of first names and then I'll start arranging them in order of who had the highest percentage of weight loss each week. Go teams! Don't forget to send me your bio info and song list so I can put a rockin' play list on our blog that everyone can get motivated by.

why DO men lose weight faster than women...?

quin and i have been discussing this so i thought i'd research it. i got this from the weight watchers site!

Some couples working to lose weight may notice that the man usually loses at a faster pace than the woman. What's going on? Do men really lose more weight faster or does it just appear that they do?

The truth is, men have two major weight-loss advantages over women: One involves their body composition, which enables them to burn calories at a faster rate than women; the second revolves around the fact that men tend to be more active than their female counterparts. These two major factors—more calories burned at rest and more calories burned in activity—translates into faster weight loss for guys

Men Have Faster Metabolisms
Men are biologically programmed to have higher amounts of lean body mass, or muscle, than women. Lean body mass is the key factor that determines the rate of one's metabolism, the body's calorie-burning system. Since men have more muscle, their metabolisms are higher, and they burn more calories even when they're resting, so the final result is a more rapid weight loss.
How much faster are men's metabolisms than women's? Research has found that on average the metabolism of a man is 5 to 10 percent higher than that of a woman of the same weight and height.1

Men Are More Active
Another reason men often lose weight faster then women is that they tend to be more physically active. In fact, a study reported in the American Journal of Physiology found that women burn an average of 16 percent fewer daily calories than men.2 The researchers looked into that difference, finding that the women's resting metabolic rate was 6 percent lower than that of men (e.g., a slower metabolism) and that the calories burned in physical activity was 37 percent lower than that of men. In other words, the women were simply not moving as much as the guys so were burning fewer calories.

Women Also Have an Edge
Women do have an edge, however, over men in other critical areas of weight management. For example, women tend to be more attentive to what's going on with their weight (e.g., they know why they should work to lose weight), and are better able to make the connection between food and emotions.

Bottom Line - At the end of the day, the differences in terms of total weight loss between men and women are modest. Both sexes can be successful in achieving a lasting weight loss with a comprehensive lifestyle approach.

It's time to take a Stand

I woke up in a panicked. Rubbing my eyes barely able to see what I was reaching for. Knowing I just had to grab something black. (Black always makes you look smaller, right!!) Hurray……it’s something black. Running to the bathroom while trying to pull on my pants. NOOOOOOO!!! It’s the wrong pair. We have such a love hate relationship. They’re so pretty and small. I OOOHHH & AAAHHHH for a few minutes and then it turns into tears. Real tears!! What the ****!! What’s wrong with me. *Sigh** After realizing what a boob I am. I brush off and head out the door with my “Fat Pants” on. *Boo* Why oh why did I let this happen. It’s time to stand up straight and face the workout music. Watch out!! She’s BAAAAACK!!!!

Dear Dr. Pepper Sir

Dear Dr. Pepper;

It is with deepest regrets that I must send you this letter. I can no longer see you. You are definitely my type, but you're all wrong for me. You're just bad. When I don't see you for a couple days I go absolutely mad and you're all I think about. I hope as time passes by this will become easier for me. It's not you, it's me. I'm moving on and trying to get a better life. I know you're hurt now, but you'll find other women (and men I suppose)....hundreds and hundreds of them that will treat you so much better than I ever could. I hope you understand and I know I will be a better woman because I had you in my life. There's no looking back and I'm off to see my new companion.......Dr. Pepper meet Mr. Water, PhD.

Welcome!!!

Welcome to the newest edition of The Biggest Loser. Yes, it's The Biggest Loser : Bryner edition. We are still in the process of getting everybody's color set and I just wanted to give the basic details to everyone. First initial weigh-in is on Sunday the 22nd. We will weigh in every week on Sunday after that and report our results. Our final weigh-in and crowning of the Biggest Loser in the Bryner family will be on June 21st (Father's Day and Trevor's Birthday....we might as well make it a threesome). We will all be donating $10 to a pot and babysitting services that will be the champion's reward and if Mom or Dad win then obviously we won't need to donate the babysitting services. I'm really excited about this because I've definitely needed something to motivate me to start working out again and I think having a little friendly competition (a.k.a. I'll kick your trash) won't hurt a bit. I've set up this blog so we can all contribute to the contest. I can set everyone up as an author so if you want to post success stories, recipes, questions, concerns, or anything else it will help motivate and entertain the other competitors. If you have any buttons or websites you want to include on this blog let me know and I can set them up. Also, if you want to send me the names of your most motivational work-out songs and I can even set up a play-list on the blog to see if it motivates others. Just let me know what you think about the blog and what things you'd like to see and we can get it started. If everyone can also send me a "before" photo from Sunday's weigh-in I'll post them on the side bar of the blog along with the reason why you want to be the Biggest Loser and what things motivate you and what things you'd like to do to get in shape. Anything will do.