Are you looking to eat healthier, workout smart and fun, and have a little competitive motivation along the way? Join this free group (just contribute a $25 clothing store gift card towards the 12 week challenge winner) and let’s keep each other motivated!

So New Year’s is right around the corner- the proverbial “crash diet” time of year. I’ve been on a “health quest” for about 4 months, and have lost 14 of my 45 pound goal. It’s been SLOW…and I have worked excruciatingly hard for every pound lost…hours in the gym, diligently tracking calories. I did a 12 week “Fitness Lifestyle Challenge” course with my YMCA, and that is the “building block” behind this group. I found it so motivational to have to weigh in weekly, to be accountable to other people to acknowledge my gain, or celebrate my loss. Plus, the competition in general motivated me. I came in 2nd place…and learned a lot about eating enough to fuel the workouts I was doing- dieting smart, and making fitness part of my daily life…as well as being accountable for my choices (ask me about MyFitnessPal…a free app on my phone that I’ve used to food journal…I LOVE it!!). I’d love to find some other women in their 20, 30s and 40s who would like to create a little “challenge” of our own. There would be no fee for this…other than the contribution of a $25 clothing store gift card at the beginning of the 12 week challenge. At the end of the 12 weeks, the woman that has lost the highest percentage of body weight takes home ALL the gift cards we contributed!! That will allow her to go out and shop for a new wardrobe, which hopefully she’ll need after working so hard to get in shape!!

Details…we’ll weigh in live and in person at first…in private with just one other person watching and confirming starting weights.  If we wanted, we could take “before” pictures and measurements (arms, waists, etc..the standard measurements) and record those as well.  Then, weekly weigh ins will be at your discretion if you want to post them here (the loss or gain- not necessarily your weight).  I’ll be posting mine to keep me honest and real J    We can use the message board to talk about food journaling, tools and tips, meals, share recipes, and we can also post fun fitness events- dance classes, beach walks, jogging, cardio classes, bike rides, 5Ks, mud runs, ice skating, snowshoeing, swimming at indoor pools, sledding (walking up a hill in a snowsuit in snow is a TON of work!!), hiking, boot camps we set up, etc.  Stuff that allows us to meet some new ladies, get some motivation, and burn some calories!  Perhaps we could even do “healthy dinner” potlucks sometimes…or go out to dine at healthy restaurants to help each other learn to navigate dining out while still having fun!!  At the end of our 12 week quest, we’ll weigh in live and in person again- and whoever has lost the highest percentage of body weight will win ALL the gift cards…and the fun of a shopping spree to reward her commitment towards a healthier lifestyle.

Please understand, I am not a trainer, dietician, or any fitness or weight loss coach.  I am just someone on my own mission to get healthy again.  I cannot give you professional advice, diagnose or treat anything.  You should of course see your doctor if you have questions.  This is simply a group to find some motivation to lose weight.  I look forward to meeting you all, and hope to have enough members to begin our challenge within a week or so!!