• Fitness
• Recipes
• Personal Stories
• Motivation
• Health and Your Job
• Wellness
• Hannah
• Roxanne
• Holly
• Smoking
• Weight Loss
• Doug
• Exercise Tips
• Connie
• Valerie
• Kimberly
• Barbara
• Daphnye
• Debra
• Wanda
• Tiffany
• Gina
• Jennifer
• Samantha
• Alicia
• Little Victories
• Janet

• August, 2008 (30)
• July, 2008 (9)

• Blueprint of a First Year
• From the Editors
• The Coaching Chronicles

• Grail Springs
• Hungry Girl
• Radiant Recovery
• Soul Cysters (PCOS Information)
• Ultimate Body Shaping Course
• Weight Watchers
• Yoga Journal

I have been a BAD girl! I have not submitted my weekly blogs! Since being home from CND training, I have had some major personal stress in my life. I had great intentions but life got in the way. I have turned to my comfort food for help instead of my blogger friends! I do not feel better for doing this. It would be easier if the cute chef from our hotel could just come to Dallas and set the food in front of me. He sure was cute! Did I mention that? I am like lots of overweight people, when it comes to making healthy choices I am not good. This is the start of a new week! I CAN overcome this. I am starting by being honest with all of you. I have not even weighed myself since being back! My clothes fit looser though. Hmmmm. I plan to get back on track this week. I will keep you “posted.”

— Connie

I’ve gotten some inspiration from Michael Phelps.

Unless you were hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, you’re well aware of Michael Phelps awe-inspiring 8 gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. As a former swimmer, it’s amazing to see all the technological advances (faster pools, NASA-designed swimsuits), and it’s no wonder so many world records were toppled.

And it made me want to get back in the pool. It’s been a few years since I’ve done any regular pool training. (I swam a 2-mile open water ocean race five years ago. It was an amazing accomplishment, but a lot of work. That's me and about 300 of my closest friends during the race. Ha.) Swimming is such good exercise for all fitness levels. It’s easy on the body and works all the major muscle groups. When immersed to the waist, your body bears just 50% of its weight; immersed to the chest, it’s 25%-35%; and to the neck, 10%, so it’s super low-impact.

So how do you get started? Well if you’re a true beginner, you can take lessons or find a coach. Masters swim programs exist all over the United States. But don’t let the word “masters” scare you off…that basically just means adult swim programs. It’s good to have the leader or coach there to help you with your stroke and give you a planned workout.

Start out by trying to swim for 10 minutes, and build up to 30-minute swims three to five times a week. If that sounds too daunting, consider water walking or jogging in waist-deep water. Or maybe your local YMCA or gym offers a water aerobics class. All of these are great low-impact workouts that are both cardiovascular and strengthening at the same time.

There’s a great public outdoor pool right down the street from the NAILS office, so I’m going to make an effort to get in there a few days a week at lunch for a swim. I’ll let you all know how it goes. Is anyone else swimming for exercise?

Dive in and good luck!

— Hannah

Friday has arrived once again and with it comes our weekly chance to celebrate! Look within yourself and find a victory for the week, no accomplishment is too small. Every step you take toward your goal is a good one. Share your victories so we can celebrate together, just click on Feedback and let us all know what you have done this week!

My celebration for this week is a very exciting one for me. My goal is to be a more health-conscious mom and so weight loss is a natural side effect of my efforts. If any of you are very “fluffy” you know that it takes larger losses to see much of a difference. I have been unable to visualize a difference in myself so far and that can be discouraging. I had bought a shirt to work a specific event May 18. It fit just fine for that event so when I needed that shirt for this past Sunday I dug it out and threw it in my suitcase. Much to my surprise upon getting dressed Sunday morning, the shirt was too big! For me this was a physical victory in that my efforts are paying off and I know someday I will have a healthy appearance, it was also a mental victory in that I could finally see a difference for myself.

Believe in yourself for this entire journey no matter what! Have faith that even if your eyes can not see it, you are changing and it is definitely a great thing! XOXO

— Holly

Hi everyone. I thought I would give you an update. I have done OK on cutting back on soda. I have one a day usually. I have not done well with the exercise. I got a DVD and still have not opened it. So the word for me right now is SLACKER! I have to figure out a routine with the kids going to school and working till 7 pm. Then we’ve got supper and baths for the kids and then bedtime — then it’s already 9 pm. I hate mornings but I have decided that I will have to learn to like them because there is no other time to get it in. I am riding my bike to work today since it stopped raining. I think of you fellow bloggers all the time and I want to join the ranks of giving good updates!

— Valerie C

Ingredients:

1 tsp. Olive Oil

3 Cloves Garlic – finely chopped

4 fresh Scallions (green onions) - chopped

1 medium Orange - juiced

¼ tsp. Balsamic Vinegar

3 tbs. Honey

¼ tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (or more if you like it spicy)

2 Chicken Breasts (skinless) – cut into small cubes

2 tbs. Fresh Chopped Basil

1 cup Chopped Broccoli

1 carrot thinly sliced

Zest of 1 Lemon (if desired)

½ cup Sliced Mushrooms

1 cup Snow Peas (or fresh peas in the pod)

Pepper to taste

Add olive oil to a pre-heated large skillet and toss in garlic and scallions — cook until lightly browned (about 3 minutes). Add orange juice, balsamic vinegar, honey and crushed red peppers and stir until completely mixed. Add chicken and cook over medium heat until browned and most of the juices have cooked down (about 10 minutes). Add remaining ingredients, cover and reduce heat to low. Allow to “steam” for about 10 minutes, or until the broccoli is cooked but still has a slight crunch. Pepper to taste and serve over brown rice.

If the juices completely evaporate during cooking, add another ¼ cup before cooking vegetables.

— Doug

Hey all! So how are things going so far? Change can be hard but the best things in life are worth working for, right? I have had good days and bad, trying to make the best choices more often than not. Exercise is coming along and I am getting better at it, which is encouraging that there is hope for the future — LOL. If you have made a commitment at home and are trying to be a healthier you with us have you been keeping at it all along? If not, Friday is not too far away. Get back on track today and your victory celebration for Friday could be that you got yourself back on track! It is not how many times you fall but how many times you get back up and keep on going and the attitude that you do it with.

I have had a few people mention that they visit but don’t understand how to participate. If you look at the bottom of each post there is a line that says posted@ with the date then the word Feedback. Click on the word Feedback to leave a message for a blogger, leave advice, or even leave what you are doing to challenge yourself! Also be sure to pop in every Friday and share your victory of the week with us so we can all help you celebrate!

— Holly

I’m Janet Williams and I’ve been going nails for the last 15 years in my salon — Unique Tips & Toes — in Houston, Texas. I’ve been with CND as an Educational Ambassador since February 2006. 

I, like everyone else, have been going up and down on the scale most of my adult life. When I was younger I would eat anything and it wasn’t a problem. Since I now have a sedentary job it sure has become more difficult to maintain healthy eating habits or, for that matter, a healthy exercise program. As salon owners we get into the business of owning our own salons so we can RUN OUR OWN LIVES. But as it turns out my clients run my life. (Ha, ha, ha. I’m sure everybody can relate.)

Back in Feburary I was in bad shape. I took my husband to the Caribbean for his birthday with friends and everyone had bodies that they were showing off in bikinis, but not me. I had a one-piece on and still a cover-up on top of that. I wasn’t too happy about seeing myself in the pictures. So I came home and started to go back to the gym. Shortly after that I fell off the wagon again. I have not gained any of the weight back, but now I’m having a really hard time getting back with it. I would like to get healthy and of course sexy for myself before my next birthday in May 2009. (It’s the big 4-0!) 

I was motivated to hear Jan Arnold and others wanting to get together to share and help with something that I have been struggling with for some time. It’s nice to have friends to talk with. Well good luck to everyone — including myself!

— Janet   

All was on target until I went out of town on a business trip. Lots of good food, and the cocktails — aaaagggggghhh. On Weight Watchers a shot of vodka is 2 points. You can have a Bloody Mary made like a Martini and aside from the sodium content, it beats a tall sugary drink in the calorie count. Then follow it with a glass of water. I don’t know if that’s legal to discuss in blog-land, but it helps those of us who like to imbibe now and then.

Also, one of my favorite dinners is spaghetti. I put the saucy ingredients in the crockpot with turkey Italian sausage and simmer all day. Then instead of the pasta, I use fresh steamed green beans (Costco’s are nice and thin). Just pour the sauce over the beans. Top it off with a little parmesan cheese, and you’re all set with no processed carbs.

OK…one more great snack. (Can you tell I’ve done this before?) Same green beans from Costco. Steam them lightly so they are still crunchy and let them cool. Put portions into separate baggies and season with your favorite seasonings when you pull one out of the fridge — soy sauce, garlic, seasoning salt, pepper, or whatever you enjoy. They are a great snack to carry on the plane, in the car — or take them to work to snack on when you really want a bag of chips. I hope these hints are helpful to everyone and KEEP IT UP!

— Tiffany

Hello, I’m Kimberly Jones, and I’ve been a nail professional for 11 years. I noticed when I first started, I began to gain weight. It was just a little at first. Then as I got older, it was a little more — and much harder to get off! I’ve tried all kinds of diets — Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss, South Beach, Atkins, Cabbage Soup (not my fave!!), and also diet pills. I saw results with all of them, but the weight never stayed off.

Over the years, I’ve lost a lot of family members to health-related issues. When my father died, I thought for sure I would get it together. Yeah right. I fell right back into working 12-hour days, no breaks, lots of fast food, and late heavy dinners. I know many of you know what I’m talking about. Well, it’s finally time. At CND’s last national event we had a guest speaker, Madeleine Marentette of the Gail Springs Wellness Center. After surviving all week with almost no bread and very little soda, I decided that I CAN DO THIS!! She spoke to us not only about eating healthy, but being healthy. I don’t have a weight goal, it’s more of a health awareness goal. But if while changing my eating habits I lose weight, well that would be awesome! I’m looking forward to my journey and blogging with everyone — and seeing everyone’s results!

— Kimberly Jones

[Editor's Note: I'm still waiting for a picture of Kimberly, but I wanted to get her intro posted now. — Hannah]

Well after being brilliantly healthy food-wise, I have not been too healthy exercise-wise (also had the odd fag — that's a cigarette here before you all wonder). I have spent every night at the office until around 11:30 and have been going hungry, which is NOT good! I feel drained and am looking forward to our holiday to Spain. There I will continue to eat healthily, and hopefully walk and swim. I can't wait.

Since CND training I have lost 8 lbs! (Well at least according to the scales!) Let's hope a two-week vacation to Spain doesn't ruin it. I must be strong around those margaritas!!

— Samantha