I always fall for FALL........

It's been awhile.....I've been trying to get back in the swing of things since school started.  With new school schedules, fall softball, football, and girl scouts, it makes it somewhat difficult to keep things current.  I will do better.  This week is my birthday week.  A friend of mine used to celebrate the entire week, so the first week of October should now be celebrated as "JennieGras".  Therefore, I thought I would post some of my favorite fall things.  

1) Colors of Fall

2) Tyler Candles

3) Football

4) Soup

5) Halloween 

Hopefully, I will get back in the swing of things and be able to update more often.  Until then, remember to NOT fall on your goals of staying skinny.  

The S.K.I.N.N.Y on my 12 week plan

Tomorrow marks my first day of my own Cinch Transformation to (re)dedicate myself to my health journey. I figure if I start this week, I will be finished right before Thanksgiving and I can enjoy the holidays more. I will try to post weekly updates, so you can follow my progress. I want to commit to planning all my meals and workouts for the week, because this will help eliminate excuses. It will be somewhat of a challenge for me, so I'm gonna need you guys to hold me accountable. If possible, you should start your own plan. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but plan to add or subtract things from your life in hopes that skinny will happen to you! For example, eliminate carbonated drinks, fast food, snack before bed, or go for a walk, play your favorite sport again, but pick something that you will stick to. 

 

Here is your motivation:

S.K.I.N.N.Y                                         

S: Start with yourself

K: Keep a journal

I: Involve Friends/Family

N: New Habits

N: Never look back

Y: You CAN do this!

 

Check back later for this week's plan of chaos......

 

 

 

Summer Snackin'

Summer just started, and I noticed that the kids are wanting to snack all day long!  I started researching ways to portion out healthy snacks, and I ran across this idea.  My kids love the freedom of getting a snack when they feel like they need it.  In fact, I did a pantry overhaul last winter, and I only included healthier snack choices.  The problem is that this works great for grabbing one snack per day, but not an ALL day summer solution. 

I want my kids to have the freedom to choose their snacks, but they need to have them portioned out, so they can "snack" healthy all day.  My son is the more frequent snacker, and I have noticed that he has put on a few from all this unportioned/unnecessary eating.  Don't get me wrong, I want my kids to be kids.  I want them to enjoy choosing foods they like, but there needs to be some control on HOW MUCH they are consuming.  Therefore, I am going to pick up a couple of these ice trays, and I will fill them with better snacking ideas.   Below, I have listed some favorites in our house that I accept as better than normal snacks. 

Kid's Snacks

Grapes

Frozen Yogurt Bites

Carrots

Apples

Pretzels

Annie's Fruit Snacks

Goldfish/Cheezits

Blue Corn Chips

I am sure there are many more, but these are the choices that I know they will eat.  I want it to be fun for them, because it won't work otherwise.  What other snacks do you recommend for this new approach?  

Many firsts this summer!

So, I need to do a better job at taking the time to write this blog.  I really do enjoy it, but it usually get pushed back in my day due to workouts, lunch, pool, books (just finished Fifty Shades Trilogy), or just spending time away from puter.

Since school let out, we went to our favorite beach with friends,  E attended summer camp, and went on our 1st annual Father's Day Family camping outing (future updates).  It has been extremely busy, but we are all healthy and happy. 

< ------------------------I saw this on Pinterest this morning, and it rings true for our summer so far.  I continue to stand tall (well, as tall as I can) and proud of my exercise accomplishments (slacked off a little), I've been out on a limb several times allow many firsts (finished a book, camping), remember where I can from and visit places that shaped who I am (lake), drinking plenty of water (Need MORE), am remembering to be content with natural beauty (even the sweat breakouts), and I enjoy the view everyday that I wake up with my family. 

Happy Summer everyone!

School's out for summer!!!

Today marks the last day of the school year for my almost 2nd grader.  She has had a fantastic year.  She has become quite the reader, math machine, and spelling bee queen.  We were blessed with a fantastic teacher this year that was kind, patient, open, and most importantly good at what she does.  Thank you Mrs. Woods.

1st day of Kinderten

As I drop her off this am, I can't help but think of her first day of Kindergarten and how much she has grown.  Everyone knows that time moves quickly, so I am looking forward to enjoying every day of the summer. 

Emma's Summer To Do List:

1) Paint in Art Classes

2) Plant more Flowers

       3) Swim, and more Swim!

As I look over this list, it seems pretty reasonable, but I am sure we will find a few more things to add to the list as the days go by.  Until then, I like this simple plan. 

Last day of 2nd Grade

Summer is comin', Summer is Comin'

May 1st, the day when I go into panic mode about being in a bathing suit.  I have come along way in a year, but I decided to "re"dedicate myself and go after a new goal.  Even though I am NOT a fan of the scale, I have decided to see how far I can go with my weightloss.  Right now, I am one size away from highschool, but I want to see how "fit" I can get! 

Yesterday, I took little man to the park and got creative with some workouts.  I thought I would share the pics as my official "before" pics.  I will post later on the items that I plan to use to make it through the summer!  For now, enjoy this!
 
Park Workout

14 Sprint Intervals (30 second on, 30 second off)
Bench Step Ups
Tricep Dips                                  PlankWalkouts         
50 lb (kid) leg presses
50lb (kid)  chest presses

  



 All in all, good sweat and pretty cute workout partner to help motivate me. 

Be weird. 

Just get it in whenever you can! 

April to me....

Hey guys, it has been  awhile since my last post, so I thought I would take time to focus on the month ahead by talking about what April means to me.  April is the 4th month of the year, and the significance of this number has been part of phone numbers, addresses, softball number, wedding anniversary, daughter/son's sports number, etc. My prediction is that April will also hold some significance for me each year.  Wonder what it will be this year??

 My father's 58th birthday would have been on April 4, and it seems unreal that he won't be here to celebrate it.  As with anything, he wasn't much on celebrating anything or making a fuss about holidays and birthdays. In fact, I remember last year, there was severe weather that prevented me from visiting him on the last birthday he would ever see. It didn't bother me at the time, but I wish I had been more insistent about coming to see him.  The picture on the right is one of the first visits with Ms. Emma when we brought her home from the hospital.  You can see by his expression how proud he was to hold her. 

Emma was born in the 4th month too, and the significance of her being born a Aries has proved to be true.  Emma was given the tenderness of her Mimi's heart, but her personality came from her Grandpa.  Both Aries, they tend to be very independent, confident people, also very STRONG WILLED.  For the most part, this is a good thing.  It is my job as her mom to teach her what to do with that strength and watch her excel at whatever it is that she wants to do.  I dedicated this month completely to my baby girl, because it has been such an incredible feeling to be her mom.  After all, my journey was inspired by being a daughter to an strong willed father, and this post was inspired by having such an extraordinary Emmers.

So, what do I plan on teaching her?  I read this quote from Brian Henson (Jim's son), and it summed it up better than I ever could. 

 I guess I learned everything from my father. There was guidance from him throughout. He taught me to identify a person's talent, nurture that talent, and encourage them to look to themselves for solutions. That's probably what he taught me more than anything - a mind-set, a work ethic. -Brian Henson

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Motivation...it hits like a ton of bricks sometime...

The HILL

Lately, I have been less than thrilled to go to the gym and workout.  Do you ever feel like that?  There have been many reasons excuses.  My long list of injuries/pains, the weather, or just simply wanting to have morning coffee on my patio.  The main reason I mention this is because , I forced myself to press on.  It has been beautiful yet unusal weather here in TN for March, but I am not complaining.  Even though I felt less than motivated, I decided to take my little man on an "adventure" to a nearby walking track by a nearby historic war site.  I threw his bike in the back of the car, and off we went.  I packed my ipod, so I could enjoy some tunes while I walked and sometimes jogged behind him.  The temp was about 82 degrees, and the wind was blowing.  We hit the pavement and WOW, I felt the urge to take him to see the "cannon".  It was atop a  beautiful, but HUGE grassy hill, so I was a bit nervous that he wouldn't make it up there. I said, Buddy, you sure you wanna try to make it all the way up there?"  He just smiled at me and said, "Momma, I will be fine, just fine." 

And there it was, M.O.T.I.V.A.T.I.O.N!!  I was fine, just fine.   

      I don't know about you, but do whatever it takes to get 

     you moving.  You never know when your motivation may

     find you.   

My Lil Motivator

War Cannon

Atop the Hill

         



Say What???

I don't know about you, but this whole organic vs. natural sure is confusing.  My rule of thumb (my opinion) is try to buy things with fewer ingredients.  It usually end up being the easiest way to make quick decisions at the grocery store.  I've read all kinds of blogs and articles that both have great points.  Today, I decided I would be brave and throw my "healhier" choices out to help others know what to look for.  Are they the best choices? Probably not, but I am still learning and I bet they will be better options than what some are choosing.  Therefore, take them or leave them, but I just want minimal ingredients with still a slight convenience factor.  It is about the journey for the rest of your life, and I'm practical and REALISTIC. 

 According to Wikipedia, "Natural foods" and "all natural foods" are widely used terms in food labeling and marketing with a variety of definitions, some of which are vague. The term is assumed to imply foods that are minimally processed and do not contain manufactured ingredients, but the lack of standards in some jurisdictions means that the term assures nothing. The term "organic" has similar implications and has an established legal definition in many countries and an international standard. In some places, the term "natural" is defined and enforced. In others, such as the United States, it has no meaning.

The fact is that we can get duped by “Natural” labels. They do not necessarily mean the product is healthy for you. If you want no growth hormones, antibiotics, and free pastured cows, but be prepared to pay for the more expensive organic products. Sometimes there may not be a reasonable organic options, so the next best thing may be "natural" . 

Simply Simple....

Last summer, one of my workout girlies  ask me to take her shopping and help skinny up her food choices in the pantry.  It gave me an idea about sharing Shaklee with my fitness family.  Therefore, I created an event on my SkinnyGreen Facebook page to see how much interest I would get.  It created a lot of excitement and new energy around food choices, so I was excited to host my first Shaklee event.  The main purpose was to share natural alternatives for items that we love in everyday life.

  The catch was going to be it create a format that was only 3 SIMPLE STEPS.  Most of my peeps know that I am passionate about Shaklee products, so some expected to hear more about how they had changed my life. Most importantly, I was able to land rockstar speaker, Jenni Oates, former Division I athlete, soccer coach, and creator of Burst Club to speak at our meeting.  Wait for it, wait for it, and they are:

3 Simple Solutions to "Skinny" Your Life

1. Swap Out Toxic Products
2. Simplify Shopping
3. Supplement

We discussed everything from women's health, grocery shopping, recipes, and even tips to clean up your pantry.  It was really informative, but most of all, it was easy to understand.  I served samples of Shaklee Meal Bars, Performance Drink, Cinch Protein Drinks, and just about anything that has become a staple in my pantry.  I even displayed all my clean eating foods from the store such as Whole Wheat Flour, Coconut Oil, Shaklee Cooking Protein, GreenTea, etc. 

The hardest part of the whole evening was trying to get all the awesome information to them in such a short amount of time. I think it went great, and I am proud to say that I am willing to come to you and your friends to share tips too! 

Just clicked one day...

For many years, I was waiting for things to click. I tried numerous things with diet and exercise, but never moved the needle on the scale. I am preparing for my first Shaklee event to promote healthy living, and I started thinking about the moment that things "clicked" for me.

Me & Jen

As you've read in previous posts, I met my personal trainer, Jen,  last summer. On my first day, she handed me a spiral notebook and gave me a website to track my food.  At first, I thought there is no way that I can want to do this, but as an effort to change my behavior, I began logging every morsel. It wasn't until after about two weeks that she said the most profound to me.  She was reading my food journal and she looked at me with a serious voice and said," you aren't eating enough!"  WHAT?!? She explained to me the most simple concept that I never thought of before.  If you burn 1000 calories per day, you need to replace them! I should mention that I was doing two workouts per day, so NO, I am not superwoman. I was starving my body! I was always told to burn as many calories as I could, but I had never been told to replenish the nutrients that my body lost! Who knew? Lightbulb! This was the beginning for me. The first time that it "clicked" for me, and so my nutritional journey began....

Before my workouts, I always eat some kind of protein.  It could be homemade Healthy Oates' protein bars, Special K w/ almonds and almond milk, or my favorite, Shaklee Cinch protein shake.

After workouts, I make sure that I eat something like a banana, apple, or a Performance Recovery Shake depending on how many calories I burned.

For the rest of the day, I just try to eat natural/non processed foods.  My first rule of thumb is if I can't pronounce the ingredients, I usually don't eat it.  Secondly, I try to limit the number of ingredients to 5. There are alot of recipes that are fantastic with the "less is more" mentality.  The last thing I will leave you with is be reasonable. It is not normal to give up everything you love in life, so if you know it is going to be a pizza night, you better workout twice as hard to enjoy it!

Light Bulb Moments:

Are you eating enough?

 What exactly are you eating?

Are you giving up your favorite foods? 

Skinny up Cleaning Routine!

Today, I revisited a blog that I found back in December, CleanMama.  I decided, since today was the first Monday in February, I would finally adhere to her suggested monthly cleaning schedule.  It seems to be attainable, and so easy.  It allows you to focus on certain rooms each day with a few extras to help things in order.  I have a short cleaning attention span, so the plan seems like it will work for me.  I may need to make adjustments as I go, but I am willing to give it a shot. 

CleanMama offers great tips and tricks to help with cleaning, but most importantly, she uses CLEAN products.  Since I became a distributor for Shaklee, I started replacing one toxic cleaner per month with a better green cleaner to cut back on the poisonous exposure in our home.  Since we started using these products in our home back in November, our children's health seems to be better.  As I was looking over her blog, I noticed that she too, uses Shaklee Get Clean products.  If you would like to skinny your wallet and your cabinet space, check out these clean products that are nontoxic, natural, doubly concentrated, and have biodegradable surfactants.  Check out the products here.  By getting myself on a regular cleaning schedule, I hope that our health will continue to improve. Happy Green Cleaning!

New month, New news....



As read in my previous post, I was quite shocked when my Dad passed so young.  Me, being proactive, decided to have some hereditary test done to see if I had any signs of these same issues.  The good news is that after a few test, I didn't have any symptoms present, but there was a  preliminary finding. A growth/nodule/cyst (however you classify it) growing right around my thyroid in my neck.  {insert my freak out} The good news was that they didn't see any "characteristics" that needed a further look, but I should do a routine checkup in 6 mos. 

Fast forward 6 mos, I went yesterday.  Today, I got the call that it had grown, so I needed to come in for an ultrasound biopsy.  {insert 2nd freak out}  Many emotions and thoughts come rushing into your head when you hear news like this.  The first thing I have to do is try to remain optimistic.  Yeah, I know, Mrs. Devil Advocate, how am I suppose to do that?  Well, it's a new month, new year, and hopefully, a new outlook.  For now, I will just do what they tell me and hurry up and wait........to be continued....

Love your Heart!

February, wow! I can't believe it is already here.  This month is very dear to me, because it is Heart Month!  There are so many of my family members that have been affected by this disease.  My grandmother, my uncles, my aunt, and even myself.  I say "affected", because some of them actually found out about it, so they are able to be proactive about getting it healthier.  Unfortuantely,  my Dad didn't even know his heart was in trouble.  He died on May 30, 2010 in his sleep from Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease. He was only 57 years old. I miss the old man like crazy, and I hope he would be proud to know that I started this fitness/health venture in part, because I want to educate others about how to make little changes that can ultimately change lives. 

I developed SVT during my second pregnancy, and I had no idea WHAT it was let alone HOW to treat it.  I only knew of my family history, and at age 31, I became a regular visitor at the cardiologist.  I had stress tests, leak tests, EKGs, MRIs, CAT scans, Ultrasounds, you name it, I did it.  Unfortuantely, to date, there are no findings of any defects, so for now, I can do only what I can control.  I wanted to know everything I could do to "control" my heart palpitations without going on a lifetime of medications.  Therefore, I learned my personal triggers (caffeine, too much alcohol, eating too much, etc).  After making some changes, my symptoms lessened.  After my Dad's passing, I decided that I needed to do EVERYTHING I could do to be healthy.  It has been a process, and it has taken me 4 years to get to where I am with my diet and exercise are today.  As of today, I only have minor palpitations, if any at all, so I will continue to do my part. 

I can't change the fact that it is hereditary, but I can change how I live each one of my days.  If that means I can't eat some things or I have to exercise a little harder, then I will do my best.  I mean, after all, that is what I can control, right?

If you are someone you know needs more information about heart disease, please click here.

I love you Daddy....

Jumping into January Fitness...

So, I was flipping through my People magazine and saw an ad for Shape Magazine.  They were kicking off the 2012 Diva Dash Race Series in San Diego, and I casually mentioned it to my hubby.  Little did I know, he was actually listening, and for Christmas, I got a trip to San Diego and a race packet.  This was a good thing, since we all start off the year wanting to be healthy.  It got me focused on running  jogging again.  I have alot of tendonitis in my knees from many years of softball catching, so jogging is not a strong suit.  I exercise usually around 5 days per week sometimes 2x per day, so I pretty much kept my regular routine. 


California is suppose to be warm and sunny, so I was surprised to get off the plan to cloudy and not so warm weather.  Nevertheless, we still rented our little convertible to make the drive down the Hwy 101 PCH (Pacific Coast Highway for my Southern Friends).  We were planning to meet my sister n law and nephews in Orange County, but not before we did a little shopping.  The race forecast was cold and rainy, and I don't much like either.  The hubby wanted me to be prepared, so I got a fancy new jacket and hat(above) to ward off any rain that would come my way.  It was about 55 degrees and misting rain, but it was still AWESOME. The scenery was beautiful and we were running on the beach.  Wait, this turned out to be bad for my knees, but I digress. Anywhoo, I finished in 40 min (with obstacles), which was good considering it usually takes me that long on the treadmill. I had a great time, and it felt good to jump start January with a nice 5k.  My goal for this year is to try improve my time and run as many I can.  The rest of the trip was awesome, and I would love to go back there to catch some more sights.  

What did you guys do in January to jumpstart your fitness?

Brown Bag It!!

When you decide it is time to try something new to skinny your life, Cinch makes a huge difference. In previous post, I have mentioned how it has helped me, so here's the skinny! Shaklee offers two great packages depending on your weight goals. There is a two meal replacement plan or a one meal replacement plan. You can choose to use Cinch protein shakes or Cinch meal bars. They also provide metabolism boosters, a variety of snack bars. and energy teas for healthy snack options. Click here to see options.

The Cinch program isn’t just delicious – it’s easy to follow. Just replace two meals with your choice of shakes or meal bars, treat yourself to a snack and afternoon tea and take a metabolism booster with each meal. Add a healthy dinner and your day is complete.                          

      My husband chose the two meal replacement, so packed two Cinch meal bars along with two healthy snacks, and quick boost. For him, it was easier to create a "brown bag" special for work days.  As I watched him do this, I realized that this is a great idea for workout friends, Moms on the go, and professional women that need quick choices.  I wanted to post how easy it is with 15 seconds of preplanning.  As mentioned in a previous post, it is not only easy to do, but it is way cheaper than grabbing a Starbucks coffee for breakfast and eating Subway for lunch everyday.  It actually put some $ back in our budget. 

Also, there are a ton of success stories to visit to see how successful program has been. 

Skinny your waist, Fatten your wallet!

Exciting news!!  On average, people spend $10 per day or more on getting coffee in the morning and eating out for lunch.  How would you like to eat for less than $3 per day? Wouldn't be great if you could put that money back in your wallet?

Shaklee has introducted a new Transformation Pack for their Cinch inch loss plan!!  Buy 3 Months of Cinch, and Get the 4th Month FREE!!!  In a clinical study, participants lost 15.4 lbs and 6.6 inches over a 12 week period.  As you can see below,  I personally lost 20 lbs over last summer incorporating Cinch with my workouts, and I feel great! I even kept the weight off during the holidays!  It didn't feel like I was dieting, and it changed my mindset about living "skinny". 

  

For those that know me, I am a BIG "why" person. The first question that I get ask, "Why is Cinch different?"  Shaklee Cinch protein uses non GMO soy, and the whey is also from Grass Fed Cows.. and is Gluten FREE. Also, most protein powders do have Sucrolose (hidden Splenda aka chlorinated bleach) and most protein powders out there have cholesterol.  There is a HUGE difference!! Cinch is also powered with Leucine that helps keep the muscle you have and burn fat you don't need. Therefore, you lose inches!!  To me, this is a pretty big deal!I would love to tell you about the quick 3 step process that will help you lose the weight, and you get to eat a healthy dinner to reward yourself! 

 If you or someone you know needs help, email me at skinny_green@yahoo.com.  I would love to skinny their life! 

Where do I begin?

At the beginning of the year, we try to figure out how to keep our promises to ourselves to be healthier and exercise more. Some of us find the way to achieve it, but most of us have a hard time figuring out where to get started. For me, I created some simple rules for myself.

1) Exercise can be F -U -N

Rule #1, find something that is FUN!  I am not much of a long distance runner, so I found an interval training program that got me interested in getting back on the treadmill.  I made sure that I did my workout every M/W/F. My hopes were to build up enough stamina to go to some group fitness classes.  After completing the 8 week program, I started seeing weight loss.  It isn't rocket science, I mean, exercise does a body good.  Finally, I stepped into some fitness classes where I challenged myself just to finish the class or not to hurl during the class. I went into a new class randomly on a Tuesday afternoon, and I met Jen.  The class was some kind of "power" class that I had never even heard of.  I stepped in and within minutes I was hooked.  It turned out to be a weightlifting/cardio class. Week after week, I returned to better my best, then I got ask to join a quest of some sort.  There were several woman that were going to start meeting to do "boot camp" style personal training.  I thought that was a fantastic idea.  All summer we sweated and laughed as the weight dropped off, but we did gain a fantastic friendship!  All in all, just find something that challenges you and HAVE FUN! 

2) Shop natural/fresh ingredients.

Rule # 2  Know that this is a work in progress for us.  The biggest challenge for me is that I have to "retrain" my family. When my kids were babies, they ate any and everything with no perception of how anything taste. Now, it is a struggle to get them to try certain foods. I have to look at me as a parent and say, where did they get these perceptions?  I love to cook, but I am terrible about following recipes.  I found CleanEating, and I started playing with different foods.  I started seeing a repetitive list of ingredients in all their dishes. I noticed that the fewer the ingredients, the better the taste.  This began a challenge for me, so I was all about reading foodie blogs.  At the store, I started looking at ingredients on prepackaged items, and I couldn't even pronounce some of them.  Therefore, rule #2 was born.  If I can't pronounce it, I wouldn't buy or eat it.  In the kitchen, I wanted to use cook foods with few and only natural ingredients.  I quit buying seasoning in packets, and I started making my own seasonings.  It takes a little extra time, but you can make it in bulk to have on hand.  I also started freezing fresh fruits/vegetables if I wasn't going to use them, so I wouldn't waste so much food and money.  I found that this saves time in the future if you need quick veggies to throw in soup or stir fry, since it is already cut up.  The main  thing to remember is to start small.  Just cut one thing out of your weekly shopping trip, and it will lead to great things!! 


3) Decided to stay healthy.

Rule # 3, You have the power to be healthier.  After years of struggling with allergy/sinus problems, I decided to do something about them.  I found Shaklee. I had been taking Cinch protein to help supplement calorie loss, but I didn't know how important it was to also feed my body the correct nutrients.  I started taking the Vitalizer to help sustain my sinus problems and build my immune system.  I can tell you that I have felt better than ever before.  If you or someone you know is struggling to feel good, contact me at skinny_green@yahoo.com.  I would love to tell them my story.  I don't know much, but I do know that this worked for me. 

It doesn't matter where you start, but where you want to end up.  As my husband pointed out, I didn't make all these changes at the same time.  I started with something familiar to me which was exercise.  I got AM a little obsessed with seeing how far I can take my body, but it certainly led me to different things.  Exercise to diet to overall health, and so on....It may not seem easy, but you can do it.  What will you start with? 

Junk Free January Challenge

Happy New Year! Last year was alot of highs and lows for me, so I am hoping to experience more highs this year.  One of my highs this year was rediscovering what I'm capable of accomplishing.  In 2011, I promised myself to get in shape and get "skinny". This was the first year in history that I have made a resolution and actaully kept it.  In January, I began my fitness journey and started improving my health.  By March, I started seeing results, and by May, it was on! I changed one thing per week to "skinny" my life.  I gave up candy, carbonated drink, chips, ice cream, and just about anything I was always told was a "treat". I felt like since it was New Year's and all, maybe that should be our first milestone.  Let's start small.  Let's give up one thing that we love to treat ourselves with for the entire month of January.  Afterwards, we can see how hard was it really to do without.  For me, I love pizza.  Love, love, love it.  In fact, I plan my entire workouts around the fact that I can indulge in pizza on Thursday nights.  We will talk about how this work in a later post, but for now, no pizza for me until February 1st.  Think big, think small, but just think how good it will feel to do this.  Let me know how it goes......