Fall Back Into Fitness Challenge -- Sept. 10!

NOTE: This post is from my fitness blog. I'm putting it over here too because several people have e-mailed me about it, and I'd love it if some of you joined us! Read on...

Fall is here. I am looking forward to it because:

1. I love the cooler weather
2. The kids are going back to school (that sounds terrible, but it has to happen so we all might as well soldier on and make the best of it)
3. I can reduce the amount of trigger foods in the house that the kids like to have as treats but derail me personally
4. I can ramp up my workouts without anyone asking when I'm going to be finsihed
5. The kids are going back to school

I may or may not have repeated some of the items I'm more excited about.

The other day I read a statistic that the average person gains 8 pounds on vacation. 8 pounds! Eeek!

We have our work cut out for us. Because I did go on vacation this summer. True, it was to Ohio. It's not like I spent three weeks traveling around Europe, drinking beer and eating cheese (flashback to summer '93 when I came home not being able to get my jeans over my knees). But Ohio definitely had its temptations (Donato's pizza, Graeter's ice cream, Grandpa's homemade ice cream, Marie's candy...).

Anyway, I've decided that when the kids go back to school, it's a great time for parents to band together in celebration and fitness.

This challenge will be similar to one a group of us did last winter. So if you already know the drill, you can stop reading now. If you need the scoop, here it is:

Fall Back Into Fitness Challenge
Just like last winter's post-holiday challenge, this challenge will be run via Facebook. I'll set up a private Facebook group for all paticipants so we can communicate without the world seeing what we're saying.

This challenge will also be Beachbody program specific. Why am I making you buy something to take part? In short, because their programs work when you follow them. And they offer a 30-day money back guarantee. So I guarantee that if you follow them, you will see results, but if you're not happy, Beachbody will give you your money back. This is a win-win situation. Yes, I sell their products. Yes, I use their products. I think they are that good. And trust me, I have tried so many different fitness/weightloss products, I am a walking infomercial.

But, the point is, we're going to work together, and you are going to see the results you want. Period.

What you need to do:
1. Confirm to me that you're in so I can set up the Facebook group.

2. Go to my Beachbody website and choose a Challenge Pack, which bundles the fitness program of your choice and a 30-day supply of their protein shake together at a discount. I can help you if you want advice on what program to choose (you'll recognize some of them, like P90X). I own and have done many of them.

3. We'll start Sept. 10. Each program comes with a schedule and an eating plan. I can help you determine how many calories you should be eating if you need help with that.

4. Post at least once a day in our Facebook group for accountability. Post how your workouts are going, how your eating is going, any questions, etc. The support from the group is huge part of our success. It will keep you motivated and accountible.

5. Follow the program of your choice and drink Shakeology, the protein shake, once a day for the 30 days (Important Note: Shakeology isn't a "diet" shake designed like Slim Fast. This is a full on nutrient-rich shake to boost your nutrition, not starve you to death.).

I will be taking part in the challenge right along with you. I'm planning a combination of workouts for the challenge. The Beachbody program I'm currently following is ChaLEAN Extreme (to me, it's like P90X for women). I'm also training for a triathlon, so I'm doing some running and swimming, too.

We'll officially run the challenge for 30 days, but I'll leave the Facebook group open for at least 120 days (or for as long as the group would like it to be open) for those of you who choose longer programs. You'll have support the whole way through!

Let me know if you have any questions. And if you’re weirded out about the whole thing, no big deal. I just want everyone to reach their goals, and this is what works for me.

This isn't just as a short-term fix. I am a big, big believer in Beachbody and their products. I would never sell you guys crap. It works. And if you decide it doesn't work for you, you'll get your money back. Period.

What have you got to lose? It will be fun, I promise!

My Non-New Year's Resolution for 2011

Note: Before I start yammering on, the short version of this post is that I started a new blog. But don't worry, this blog isn't going away. Read on...

For the first time in....my lifetime..."losing 20 pounds" will not be on my list of New Year's resolutions.

I think I'll keep "flossing my teeth" on there though, just to be safe.

Anyway, the reason "lose 20 pounds" isn't on my list this year is because I feel like I'm about 5 pounds away from what, for me, is a really good weight. I'm not saying what that weight is because for those "thinnies" out there, they're probably thinking, "THAT is a good weight?" Why yes it is, for this girl.

My weight has been a source of consternation for me since I was in elementary school. No lie. My weight has been up, down and all around for years, from a super low weight in grad school (fueled mostly by a borderline eating disorder and Jenny Craig), to super high when I was pregnant (and then coming close to that several other times).

I read all of the articles, listened to all of the advice, but I couldn't figure it all out. So even though I exercised, I was all over the place with my weight.

And then when Finn got sick, I became very interested in what we eat and how it affects our health. But it really wasn't until more recently that I got my own act together and put all all of the pieces together in a way that worked for me that things really came together.

For about five years, I've used DVDs from a company called BeachBody. You've probably seen their infomercials for programs like P90X, TurboJam, Slim in 6, etc. Hilarious, I know. I've done P90X.

Twice.

And some other programs, too.

Am I ripped? No. Am I super thin? No. Will I ever be super thin? No, because I'm not that body type and I'm OK with that.

But I am pretty fit (like, normal person fit, not go out and run a marathon fit), and I'm pretty happy with where I'm at and where I'm headed.

Really, I owe it to the DVD programs I did in my basement, counting calories, and going online and having a good support group.

So I guess, in a way, my new blog is my way of paying it forward a little bit. I made online friends who helped me figure this all out and I feel like maybe I can do that for someone else now, too. I have some friends who each have a goal to lose upwards of 100 pounds, and this is also an easier way to help them accomplish that versus e-mail, which is how we've been doing it. Selfishly, I'm also doing the new blog for myself because I probably need accountability more than anyone.

Here's the deal: If I can lose weight and get fit, anyone can do it. Anyone. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I am truly one of the laziest people out there. I've figured out what works for me and if I can help someone else figure out what works for them, I'm all about it.

So what's over there on the other blog? Not a whole lot yet. But I'll be writing about my own workouts and what I eat, and also blathering on about stuff I read that's cool, maybe a tip or two here and there, recipes sometimes, and any advice I can offer.

For what that advice might be worth anyway.

Remember, I'm not a doctor. I just play one on the Internet.

Think of this new venture as a fitness blog with Natalie's twisted humor thrown in. Check it out. Read it to be nosy. Read it to amuse yourself. And if you're so inclined, get on the bandwagon with me and get fit.

And have fun, of course.

Get Fit, Have Fun!