Build Your Own Healthy Network

From now on, I want you to surround yourself with supportive family and friends. Take the time to share your goals and aspirations with them, as well as the details about how you're going to lose weight. Give the people who are closest to you the lowdown on the types of foods you're eating and your workout schedule. Tell them how you feel about your efforts and how important it is to you that they understand your changing needs and continue to support you in this new lifestyle.
Now think of people outside your immediate circle of family and friends. People you encounter every day — whether they have a personal relationship with you or not — can help you stay on track. Your doctor can help you maintain your health while you lose weight. Your co-workers can refrain from pushing unhealthy office food. Think of everyone you regularly encounter in a day, from the guy who sells you coffee to your pals online. They are — whether they know it or not — your co-conspirators in creating a healthy new life for yourself.
If you patiently and consistently communicate what others can do to support you, you will build a network of strength that you can lean on when you feel discouraged or in need of reassurance.

Satisfy Your Family With Sizzling Steak Tacos

Craving Mexican food? There's no need to go out for a heavy, calorie-loaded Mexican dinner. Forgo the extra fat and calories, and instead create this delicious steak taco meal for your family. It combines savory and sweet flavors and can be prepared in less than 25 minutes!

Chipotle Flank Steak Tacos With Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients
12 soft corn tortillas
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder plus 1 pinch, divided
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1 pound flank steak beef, trimmed of fat
1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar Preparation

Preheat grill to high. Stack tortillas and wrap in heavy-duty foil. Combine oil, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small dish. Rub mixture into both sides of steak. Place the tortilla stack on the coolest part of the grill or upper warming rack, if possible, and heat, flipping once, until warmed through and very pliable.
Meanwhile, grill the steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium, or until desired doneness. Grill pineapple rings until moderately charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the tortillas, steak, and pineapple from the grill. Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing very thinly crosswise into strips.
Meanwhile, dice the pineapple and transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, onion, cilantro, vinegar, the remaining pinch of chipotle powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to combine. Serve the sliced steak in the warm tortillas with the pineapple salsa.

Makes 6 servings.

*Week 3 Points*

Megan - (60) 178
Kelsey - (60) 178
Britnee - (59) 178
Morgan - (59) 178
Steve - (58) 173
Krista - (60) 167
Gyle - (56) 166
MaryAnn - (51) 150
Lori - (50) 150
Suzi - (49) 149
Ryan - (49) 146

Friends for Life...and Health!

"Do you have a friend or relative who shares your goals and your desire to get healthy? Invite him or her to join you in your workouts! Working out with somebody else makes you less likely blow off your exercise routine.
Friends who value your new lifestyle and don't try to sabotage it are true friends. When you enlist a "partner in crime," each of you can inspire the other to eat right, work out, and stay motivated. Every day you stay on track brings you one step closer to achieving your goals."

Happy Monday!! Good luck this week.

*Megie*

*Week 2 Points*

Britnee-(60) 119
Morgan-(60) 119
Megan-(60) 118
Kelsey-(59) 118
Steve-(57) 115
Gyle-(57) 110
Krista-(55) 107
Lori-(51) 100
Suzi - (50) 100
Mary Ann-(49) 99
Ryan-(51) 97

An Easy Way to Save Money and Calories

Happy Friday Everyone! How is everyone doing this week? Is it getting harder or easier?? Well I get emails weekly from Jillian Michaels from "The Biggest Loser" and "Losing it with Jillian" and I thought I would share once a week some information she emails. This one is called "An Easy Way to Save Money and Calories".

"Are you having trouble staying within your budget, both for dollars and for calories? Then ask yourself: How many times a week do you eat at restaurants and fast-food joints? If you're serious about losing weight, you need to keep dining out to a minimum.

The simple truth is, when you don't make a dish yourself, you really can't know what's in it or where the ingredients come from. You can ask all the right questions about whether the chef uses organics; you can speak up and ask to have your food grilled instead of fried; and so on. But unless you're in the kitchen with the chef, you can't know whether the quality of the ingredients is good or whether they're being prepared in healthy ways. Restaurants are businesses, and they are out to make money — many of them use the cheapest ingredients possible, like trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup, nonorganic meats and vegetables...the list goes on!

By cutting back on eating out, you'll save a fortune — money you can spend on healthy groceries! Plus, you can guarantee that everything you're putting into your mouth is fresh and healthful. And you can control your portion sizes.

Of course, you can't always make your own food or control your environment. I do still eat out, but for no more than five meals a week, and when I do, I order white fish or wild-caught salmon, healthy whole grains such as brown rice, and plenty of vegetables. Your options may not always be perfect, but it's still up to you to make smart choices".


Remember to email me your points this Sunday. Love you all!!

*Megie*

*Week 1 Points*

Yeahh everyone, Good Job!! One week down..

I hope you are seeing results, I know I am.

Looks like its going to be some stiff competition which is great for motivation!

Britnee -59
Morgan -59
Kelsey -59
Steve -58
Megan -58
Gyle -53
Krista -52
Mary Ann -50
Suzi -50
Lori -49
Ryan -46

Good Luck everyone this coming week!! :) LOVE YOU ALL!

Free Day Clarification

Some people have wanted to know if you could spread out your free day throughout the week. For example, not record your exercise point on Monday, your sugar point on Tuesday, your water point on Wednesday. You cannot do this.

Basically, we should just be having one "free day." The only reason that the exercise points can be recorded separately is due to the fact that some people might not want to exercise on Sunday. I didn't want these people to be forced to always take Sunday as their free day because of the exercise rule.

Also, you have to take a free day in regards to your points. You can choose to be extra vigilant and remain perfect on your "free day" but you will not get points for that day. For example, you can't decided to not take a "free day" but eat sugar everyday and still get 60 points for the week (earning bonus points for not taking a free day to make up for losing a sugar point everyday).

Hopefully, I haven't totally confused anyone!!!

Health Challenge BEGINS!!

Today is the first day of the challenge! Remember..you can choose one day each week to have "off". Dont forget to email me your points each Sunday evening..GOOD LUCK!!!