Can you believe it’s Labor Day already?? Today feels like fall and I could not be happier. Right now it’s 56 degrees and sunny. As much as I love summer, fall is really my favorite season. Comfort food, pumpkins, crunchy leaves on the ground – I love it!
What I don’t love is that the holidays seems to be a time where I don’t really watch what I eat. My brother knows all too well – he seems to fall off the wagon from Halloween and doesn’t seem to catch himself until the new year. We both don’t want to do that – I have 18 pounds to get to my 140 pound goal, and I plan to be there on January 1 come hell or high water. Because I know I can and also so I can be lifetime at WW and not have to pay anymore! 😀
I know several of you wanted to do another challenge, but to make it easy on me, can you leave a comment to this post and I’ll put a new page up for our challenge. Whatever goal you want to achieve, it’s totally up to you. 😀
With these falling temperatures, I always want to bake bread. Yesterday I made a couple loaves of artisan bread, and saved the rest to make grilled pizza for lunch today – I mean, it’s been more than 7 days since I last had pizza! You can find the recipe here.
I made one black olive (need to add more olives next time) but my favorite was the rosemary bread. I ended up making a delicious grilled cheese sammie with it.
Hannah and I went thrifting yesterday with my SIL – some creepy things out there!
I bought a new pair of shoes for work – I looked this brand up on the internet and they sell for around $100 and I got them for $14! Helen, have you heard of this brand before?
So its 118 days to New Years – I have 18 pounds to lose by then – let me know if you are in on the challenge! 😀
And don’t forget to enter my 3rd blogavarsary giveaway! 😀
Such a great way to use that bread! This week the theme for my *Happy Post* is Grilled Cheese. Would love if you submitted this & any other Grilled Cheese themed links to the round-up. http://su.pr/1R06Od
This bread sounds amazing and I bet that grilled cheese sandwich was all the better because of it =)
i love this challenging because sounds seems good
Oh man this bread looks to die for! I love the spices, especially rosemary! Not to mention the cooler weather coming around, I’ll be bringing out the panini press more often.
I’m so happy to see the leaves start to change colors, feel the cool crispness in the air and taste all the deliciousness of fall foods. The best part about fall is that the snow will fall soon and I’ll be able to go snowmobiling 😉
I didn’t make much progress during the 101 Days of Summer challenge (http://finallyfiguringitout.blogspot.com/2011/09/101-days-of-summer-finale.html) so I’d love to join your holiday challenge.
My goals are basically the same, to finally reach my goal of losing 101 pounds, figure out a way to get good workouts in now that I’m going back to work and dig deep and figure out why I always turn to food when I’m stressed.
I’m looking forward to reaching 140 with you by the time the new year rolls around.
Thanks for everything Biz.
Enjoy the fall!
Yikes! What is that clown holding in the first photo?? I hate clowns!
I’m in for the new challenge. I need to clean up my eats – I ate way too many goodies that people brought over after the funeral. Emotional eating/exhaustion eating is real! But the summer from hell is over and I’m going to OWN Fall 😀
Goals are – get back to eating healthy. I feel so much better when I do.
Work out everyday. Get that heart pumping!
Yoga every night. This is my favorite. I sleep so much better!
Good luck to all of us!
OMG – that bread…that sandwich – I could just drool all over my computer!
I’m so up for another challenge. I slacked big time too many “things” happened this summer to throw me off & get me discouraged. I need to be accountable. Let’s do it!
Goals: 1 new recipe a week. Workouts – at least 5 times week. Scale – not going to focus on this, because when I do I set myself up for failure, so I’m going to just hope it moves in the right direction – down!
I’m back in also. I know I didn’t always accomplish my goals the last challenge but having to answer to this made me more conscious of it. My goals are to 1) lose “something” each week, 2) to exercise 5 days a week and 3) to track on WW 5 days a week. Looking forward to a much smaller me in 2012!
I am excited to participate in your challenge, I need that accountability. I hope to lose 30 pounds. Exercise 5 days a week and food journal everyday. And limit my food “cheats” to 1 time per week. This will be a great opportunity for loss 🙂
Have I heard of that brand? BUT OF COURSE! I have no idea how you find bargains like that Biz. Maybe I’m just not patient enough in thrift stores…
The cool weather is headed our way. Hard rain first of course but fall-like temps on the other side. Fall is my second favorite season. Actually summer and fall are the only two seasons I like!
I have a pair of the cutest peep-toe black suede pumps that are the same brand as those shoes, and I dropped $169 before tax on them brand new. I justify the price because they are classic and the only pair of true heels I own. LOL.
I’m in for the challenge. Goal is to go to Curves 5-6 days a week for the 30 minute workout. Must fit back into my wedding dress and not have chicken flab arms by Dec. 19th!
Hi Biz! I haven’t done any challenges in awhile, but maybe that will help me shape up my habits. My goals are to track my food and keep it to 1800 calories/day or less, get 25+ grams of fiber/day, get 5+ servings of veggies per day. Fitness-wise, continue with C25K, run the Pumpkin Run in October, and do 2 strength workouts as part of my 5 days/30 minutes minimum plan. It’s so easy to let good habits slide, especially this time of year. I want to be physically comfortable in my own skin again…that would be an awesome gift to myself this holiday season.
Track my food everyday, exercise at least 3-5 days a week, drink at least 64 ounces of water and lose 20 pounds. Thanks for doing this and I love the blog!!! Carol
Ugh, creepy dolls – ewww!!!! Great find on the shoes – I love finding stuff like that and then calculating how much I “saved!”
I want in! I want to lose the last 8 or 10 (depending on what day it is) lbs by Dec. 31, and to wear a size 8 everything!
Yay! Count me in for the challenge. I fell off the wagon this summer but I think this is exactly what I need to get my booty in gear.
Goals: 1) Drink required amount of water *consistently* 2) Drop last 10 lbs before Christmas 3) Exercise *consistently* thru/out the week. 4) Reduce my body-fat by at least 5% before the new year. 5) eat my fruits and veggies … evevn when i’m in a rush.
i’m jealous of your cool temps. enjoy them. .. its 100 here 🙁
I think my challenge is just to be consistent with healthy eating and exercising at least 5 days.
Who would want to buy those clowns!?! Crazy!! Ha.
That bread looks just amazing.
My goals always seem to be the same story! However, I’m using my wedding as an even bigger than normal motivator.
The big picture: I want to be under 200 pounds by 2012. That means I have about 28 pounds to go.
The little picture: I want to track every day and get to the gym 3-4 days per week.
If I keep the little picture in sight, the big picture will fall into place 🙂
Um….those porcelain clowns are TERRIFYING
Count me in! You might just think I’d be too embarrassed after my total fail on the 101 days of summer challenge, but no, I’m back. I plan to be less round and lose the nice round number of (at least) 20 pounds by Jan 1st! That would get me back to where I was when my Dad died last December. My plan is WW, exercise 6 days/week, blog, track, and attend meetings. I am now on day 6 of my new on-plan streak! Yay me.
Wow, that rosemary bread looks AMAZING!! I totally want to eat it up right now!
And I’m in for the challenge. I don’t really need to lose weight, but I have a tendency to overindulge during the time, so I want to keep on with the healthy foods, exercise to train for a race and not feel guilty about any of the food that I eat!
Fall is my favorite too. Makes me happy. The summer heat makes me miserable, sweaty and grumpy.
I want in on this challenge. For sure! I need to dedicate myself to something.
I want to lose 20 lbs and go down a pants size.
I definitely need to be in on this challenge…I really effed up this summer :/ However with Ray deploying all fall/winter I think I’ll be able to do better with challenge…spending the holidays alone means a loss food temptations!! lol
And my goal for this one will be to lose 20 lbs by New Years 🙂
I’m in! I would like to be down 15 pounds by the end of the year and another 15 by our birthday!!!
OK, I never ever ever do challenges (cuz I have a weird challenge phobia), but I’m in for this one! I’ll just make sure to keep my goals very realistic! And I’m going to personally focus on behavior changes rather than a number on the scale with the idea that doing one will affect the other!
My goals are: 1) Work out at least 4 days a week, 2) Eat at maintenance calories, but give myself 4 cheat days (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve), 3) I feel there should be more goals, but that’s all I have for now! 🙂
I’m in! I just don’t know what my goals are yet! 🙂
Falls is my favorite time of year too – I get to wear all my sweaters, but don’t have to wear a coat. Bonus. And the comfort food – I know what you mean.
Your bread makes me drool – and that grilled sandwich – holey moley that looks good.
Good luck in the challenge. I know you can do it Bizzy – look how far you’ve come and it is only 18 lbs. [I say only, but I do understand] I will be right her cheering you on. I am so proud of you!
Count me in on the challenge too! I need to lose 30#, and need to start by exercising. (instead of just thinking of it!) I also need to stop eating potato chips!
Those clown things kinda creeped me out……… did you buy them?!
Fall is my fave season too, I love crisp air, and hot soup!
I’m in!! I am just challenging to lose I would love to lose 12 pounds between now and new year.
I’m in for your holiday challenge. I must do better than I did with the summer challenge. I’m going to have the same goals; track my points daily, walk 2 miles 5x a week, lose 1# a week. I had to laugh about your bread baking, since last Friday, our temps have dropped 30 degrees – and this morning, I baked bread.
Count me in on the challenge. This is exactly what I need to lose those last 20 pounds to get to my goal. Enjoy the cool weather. I can’t wait for fall. It’s my favorite time of year too. Bring on the pumpkin!
“falling temperatures”???
The bread looks SO awesome! <3 baking. I am SO in on the challenge. My goal is to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight by Thanksgiving. That means losing the remaining 8-ish pounds. I think its do-able! I am going to accomplish this by limiting sweets, increasing protein intake, continuing to workout.
I always say this and I will continue to do so until I make the magic happen- Drink more water! I also need to get my sweat on 4-5 times a week, and stop worrying about what my husband is eating and eat for me! You are my inspiration on that one since you’ve said that Tony doesn’t eat everything you cook. The kid is missing out!
HI Vat. I’m in on the challenge. My goals are to track my w w points EVERY day – I slacked on this during most of August and drink LOTS of water! Have a great holiday Monday!!!!
Oh, wait. Was I supposed to comment on my goals? I got so jealous of your 56 degrees I wasn’t thinking!
I have several goals: post daily food and exercise and weight on livestrong.com; lose another 30 pounds; keep my calories between 1200 and 1400 every day; walk 5 miles/week day and only 2 on the weekends-recovery days…that’s all I can think of at the moment! WAIT! Keep drinking 64 oz of water/day. AND post results weekely—unless you do this differently. Just let me know!
I definitely want to join the challenge! Count me IN!
I am completely jealous of your temps! NO FAIR! I’ve got to move. LOL