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Happy Friday to all you out there in blog land! How has your week been? What are you celebrating this week?

My week has been great, busy, and interesting. The holiday season has arrived so shopping days become a part of the schedule and the budget. I have begun the shopping process for Christmas presents and the thought process for a holiday greeting. My celebration this week is simple, really, and yet a huge step for me in being a healthier mom. I am now able to walk a full day of serious shopping without needing breaks to catch my breath or rest my feet! It feels incredible and though people in the mall do not know I have accomplished this, I know it and can’t help beaming at everyone as I power walk from one store to the next.

As you work toward a healthier you, be sure to count even the most simple accomplishments as victories, you have come further than you think and you can go as far as you are willing!

— Holly

This weekend I got an e-mail from Holly with some great core exercises. They all use a balance ball, which is a really great way to strengthen your core. Physical therapists have used these for years for strengthening the core resulting in better workouts and less injuries. Fitness experts use the fall to strengthen the abs and back and increase stability.

If you’ve never used a balance (or exercise) ball before, you’ll want to make sure you get the right size for your height. You can test this by sitting on the ball with your feet flat on the ground. You want to make sure that you hips are level or slightly higher than knee level.

A good guideline is:

55 cm – 4’11”-5’4”

65 cm – 5’5”-5’11”

75 cm – 6’0’-6’7”

Balance balls work because as soon as you lie on one, your body becomes unstable and your muscles contract to help you stay on the ball. Add an exercise to the routine and you are simply increasing the intensity. And the great thing, they’re relatively inexpensive and you can use them for weight training, ab training, yoga and pilates exercises, or just sitting around (try sitting on one when you’re working on your computer or watching TV and notice how engaged your muscles are because it’s a challenge to stay balanced).

You can find a number of core strengthening balance ball exercises at About.com. They offer step-by-step instructions, photos, and sometimes even video to help demonstrate each move. 

Good luck and happy balancing.

— Hannah

Ingredients:

• 1 15-oz. can each: red beans, garbanzo beans, and canelli beans (drained and rinsed)
• 2 28-oz. cans crushed, peeled Italian plum tomatoes
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1 cup chopped escarole
• 5 minced garlic cloves
• 1 small diced jalapeno
• 3 Tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1-lb. 99% lean ground turkey

1. In a crock pot, combine all ingredients except for ground turkey. Stir to combine.

2. Separate ground turkey over stew and mix. Cover and heat on high for 4-6 hours.

(Makes 12 servings: 142 calories, 3 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber per serving)

— Roxanne

How was your week? I’m guessing some things went great and some things went not so great. Think back through the great things, hit feedback and let us know about one of them. At least do a happy dance for yourself, you deserve it!

My celebration this week is new workout tools. (I am doing that happy dance!) My family promised me a Wii Fit for Mother’s Day and we finally found one in a store. I am excited to get it up and going over the weekend. Someone had told me about the Walk Away the Pounds videos, I believe their mom liked them, and so I ordered 1-, 2-, and 3-mile workouts. They are so much fun I really like them and the time versatility is really a huge bonus! So to whoever recommended them, if you know who you are, THANKS!

So now I have new choices to shake things up and help keep me on the healthy path, feeling better about myself and just plainly feeling better!

— Holly

It’s Friday and I have much to celebrate today. It is my last day enjoying my 32nd year of life! Tomorrow I turn 33 and like Holly will be enjoying a cake of flowers, not chocolate. I’m also celebrating that I have not only completed the 10-week Total Body Shaping course, but I was the winner!! I won another 10 weeks...yikes! So far I have lost 25 lbs in total.

Keith and I are in the middle of yet another detox. Why do we do this to ourselves? After a few intense business trips, and some missed time at the gym, I was slipping with my eating habits and indulging. A few pieces of Halloween candy here and there, a breakfast celebration with friends (complete with sausage), a piece of early birthday cake with coworkers, more mornings beginning with coffee......the list goes on. So the detox truly does get rid of addiction and cravings and helps put you back on track. Not easy this time around. It’s day 5 and I feel like the demons have left and a sense of clarity has come over me. If you’re interested check out the program at M’lis. I will be out of town next week and want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! Go heavy on the turkey and veggies, light on the gravy and stuffing! I’m thankful for all of you and the wonderful support you all give!

— Roxanne

Well we have been exceptionally busy here with The Event and Annual Training! Of course this leads to hotel food or simply not eating and then having liquid dinners!! I really wish I could be whisked off for two weeks on a health and fitness boot camp or reality show involving dancing every second of the day. It is so easy to say “get up from your desk and stretch” but work is all-consuming for me and I just don’t move for hours! I have been eating the usual — decent food with fresh veggies, etc., but I wish I could eat less!

I am not down actually, I am happy with myself (although 14 lbs. off would always be welcome). I just wish I could have someone bopping me over the head saying, “Come on Sam — time to leave and exercise.” Or, “Wake up Sam and get your butt out of bed. Time to walk/jog/yoga/whatever.” but what I have is SAM SNORING!!

Hope everyone else is doing well...I saw Roxanne and she looks beautiful — but I always think that of her!

— Samantha Sweet

This week felt like a plethora of celebrations and it went by so fast I could hardly catch my breath! LOL! To kickstart the week, my husband celebrated four years since he quit smoking. I am so proud of him, as I am trying to control my eating choices it gives me an idea of the daily mental struggle he faces in choosing not to be a smoker anymore. So nice that he quit as it would be such a waste of those good looks to lose him early. ;o) We want to keep him around as long as possible. If smoking is your struggle, you can do it, it will be hard, but it will be worth it!

Monday I worked an event with several other industry professionals at a store in Ottumwa, Iowa. It was a lot of fun to network with new people and chat with pals met at previous shows, like Kelly from OPI. I had so much fun wearing my other vest last month that I opted to get a second one in a different style. They wanted us to look ready for the holidays so I hope I pulled it off!

Tuesday brought about my favorite day of the week — I turned 33 and had a fabulous day! I taught a SpaPedicure class at a school and the students and instructors really made the day great. I love my job! There was one dude we thought was seriously dehydrated and recommended him some Cucumber Heel Therapy. ;o) When the day was almost over, a delivery arrived. My mom and sister had sent a birthday cake and balloon. At first glance it was the most beautifully decorated cake I had ever seen. Upon removing it from the box and closer inspection, it was the best healthy cake ever. It was actually a floral arrangement! I was so excited a cake for my birthday that was really guilt-free, it was a fan-freakin-tastic way to make the day complete!

To finish out my week on an even happier note, the scale began moving back in that healthy direction again. This of course brings me ever closer to wearing my collection of T-shirts and I am so excited I can hardly stand it!!! Hoping that all of you had an amazing week. Happy Birthday to all those out there that share the birthday week with me like Genna, Stacy, Crystal, Cinda, Pam, etc.

What are you celebrating today? Click feedback and let us know so we can all celebrate with you. Parties are always more fun with friends!

— Holly

Well, here we go. The dance studio I attend has an annual winter program on December 22. Chris, my dance teacher, asked if I could perform in it, and although I would have loved to it is quite a bit of money and would take a great deal of time. I don’t know if the dance instructors take the same training that we do at CND but they don’t take no for an answer. And the passion they have for what they do makes you want to be a part of it. So I compromised and decided to do a small part in the show. Well, I went in thinking I was going to have a normal two-hour lesson and ended up working on my routine.

Taking dance lessons to me is like going to the gym and working out for two hours but looking a little better. I also have to focus and for all of you who know me well know this sometimes is a job in itself. But the routine was different and I found it to be the most fun I have had up to this point. I feel that all of the small stuff that I have learned is coming full circle and I think I will enjoy the acting side of it. (I am doing the cha cha and the foxtrot, by the way.)

I will send in pictures and will give more details in my next entry. I am in London for the week working. This is my first trip since I have started training and eating well and I was a little concerned but it has been easy. There are good food choices...you just have to chose to make them. I have a great gym in the hotel so I can train there. All that is missing is dance and maybe before I leave I can find that!

Hope all is well and will talk to you all soon.

— Jen

Hi everyone. I interrupt our regularly scheduled program to encourage everyone reading this to get out there and exercise (pun intended) your right to vote! No matter what your party line, it's important that everyone gets the opportunity to have their voice heard. So if you haven't already (I voted this morning before work...only had to stand in line for about 40 minutes!), get out there and vote!

Walk to the polls if you have to. You'll burn calories and help our country decide on the next president!

— Hannah

I was on vacation for two weeks and have been working quite a bit since I got back but here I am. I went on the Freedom of the Seas cruise ship. Anyone who sees the words “cruise ship” and has been on one must have sighed in terror because all you do on a ship is eat, drink, lounge and party — in that order! 

No organic food or veggies to be found (salad yes, but I do not like salad for some odd reason). I tried my best to eat as healthy as possible but I slipped EVERY day. I had four ice cream cones, about 10 tiny slices of Sorrentos pizza — (Roxanne, it’s FREE and I walked by the thing everyday!). I gained 3 lbs. the week of the cruise but I am happy to say that I have lost the 3 lbs. So I am the same as last reported — 8 lbs. healthier.

Please throw some encouragement this way ladies and gents.

— Wanda