Honest Moments | The Truth About My Scale

(photo via Eat, Drink, and Be Aware)

I just love this photo!! So many people depend too much on what this number tells them when really being healthy has very little to do with a number on the scale. For me personally I used to weigh myself every single week...actually more like three or four times a week. I was beginning to get depressed because I could see that there really was no difference in the numbers and in fact sometimes it even looked like I had gained a pound. I became so depressed with my weight, even though it really wasn't so bad (only 170 at that time) that I had to force myself to stop weight constantly and only weight once a month. Now I weigh on the first day or once during the first week of the month and THAT IS IT! Don't become so obsessed with the number on the scale that you are unhappy...you really are worth more than that!!!

Tidbits on Friday #1

Welcome to the very first Tidbits on Friday post! My goal with these posts is to open the post and have it in draft and then add bits to it throughout the week, publish it on Friday and then immediately start a new post so that I *should* have lots of tidbits to share with everyone!

Of course I want reader input and tidbits too...as you may have seen in this post! Anyone can submit a post so just click on that link and read details and then submit something that you think other readers who are apart of Exercise Encouragement Group would like to know about as well. I want this to feel more like a community and I think Tidbits on Friday is one way that can draw us together.

Tidbit #1 Now Linking Up With GFC Blog Hop!

This is a lovely blog hop I've joined with my personal blog and am now linking up with EEG! I hope that EEG will gain as much exposure as my own blog has through this awesome blog hop which is open each Monday so you should stop by and join in the fun and hop around yourself!

Tidbit #2 Now Linking Up With Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays!

Not only does Danielle's link up offer great Gluten Free recipes and frugal tips, but this is also a link up for people who are striving for a healthier lifestyle and that's what I'm all about! I've been linking up with her since the third week and now on week #7 EEG has joined in the link party!!

Recipe Wednesday: Frozen Yogurt Bites

To kick start this Wednesday recipe series I've decided to start with recipes from my own blog since that is what I have at this time. Of course if you have a recipe that you wouldn't mind sharing with others in the group feel free to comment below and leave me a link! I will work on a 'submit a recipe' tab much like the 'get featured' and 'submit a tidbit' tabs I already have. Basically what I will do is add the photo (which I hope you will already have for me!) and then the recipe ingredients & directions as you have them on your post. I will also write in the beginning who submitted the recipe or where it came from so that everyone who reads it will find the original creator and have the opportunity to visit your blog(s)!

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Now, on to today's recipe, which is obviously from Blue Eyed Beauty Blog (my other blog, in case you didn't already know). This is one of my favorite snacks on earth. I could sit and eat these all the time and they only take a few minutes to fix and then a few hours to freeze so they're totally worth it! Especially if you're like me and you love ice cream, but are trying to be healthy...this is a great choice for you!

View the Frozen Yogurt Bites Recipe @ Blue Eyed Beauty Blog!

Ingredients
4 6 oz. containers of yogurt (any flavor)

Directions
1. Use a cookie sheet and cover it with wax paper. Once you measure and cut the wax paper flip it over so the rolling edges are held out by the edge of the pan.
2. Stir the yogurt before you use it to make the bites. Take a small spoon or teaspoon and fill it with yogurt. Let it drop off the spoon onto the wax paper. Continue until the pan is full or the yogurt cup is empty and go on to the next cup until they are all done. MAKE SURE to keep each drop separate from the others around it!! I can usually get 48 drops on one cookie sheet.
3. Place in the freezer for 2-3 hours, or until they aren't soft to the touch.
4. Pull the wax paper up off the pan and pop each bite of yogurt off the paper. Put in a bowl to eat right away or in a zip lock bag to store in the freezer immediately. Make sure not to keep them out of the freezer for more than a few minutes when you transfer them off the pan because they will start to melt quite fast

Notes
~You can also use Dannon Vanilla yogurt which is what I used for the bites in the photograph for this post. Those are my absolute favorite and that is the best yogurt for you that you can buy from WalMart, or so I've been able to find out thus far.

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That's all! I hope you all will give this 'recipe' if you could call it that, a try! And if you've written a healthy recipe yourself send it to me so that I can see if it's something I can share here on Exercise Encouragement Group!!!

25 Day Challenge w/From Thick To Thin

Ladies and Gents I have exciting news! My blogger friends Erica & Allison over at From Thick To Thin are hosting a 25 Day Challenge which will start on December 1st and end on Christmas Day! Basically the challenge consists of YOU creating a REASONBLE list of things to do during that time to IMPROVE your health and/or fitness.

Here are my goals for the 25 Day Challenge this December:

~Drink 80 ounces of water. This is half my body weight (160 lbs.) in water which is how much each person should drink each day in order to be healthy.
~Do my arm workout 3 times a week. For two months in a row (August & September) I did really well with this, and since I have done horrible. I need to get back into the routine.
~Get in bed by 11:30 p.m. No lights on, no laptop, in bed to sleep. I need to start getting in bed earlier period, but this will be a huge jump for me. Lately 3 a.m. is when I'm shutting down and that's starting to not work so I need to get back to a decent bedtime.

These are my three goals for December. What goals do you have?

Be sure to stop by From Thick To Thin: 25 Day Challenge and follow along & link up so that we all know who's doing this challenge!!!

Related Posts: 25 Day Challenge w/From Thick To Thin, 25 Day Challenge: Days 1-2.

This Post Was Shared!

• Waste Not Want Not Wednesdays #7

Lazy Girl Fitness Junkie

(photo via Violet Sage)

Are you a lazy girl fitness junkie? If so then you totally need to check out this post written by Violet Sage. I just love the idea of doing simple exercises while you are doing regular things such as brushing your teeth! There are a whole bunch more ideas you can scroll through here to get your brain moving and possibly come up with some of your own ways to get yourself more active in your day to day life!

Sumbit A Tidbit of Information!

No matter how big or small if you have something you would like to share with the rest of the group this is the place to leave me a note so that I can be sure it is included in the next issue of Randomness! (Which will be posted each Friday, just so you know!)

Things I'm Looking For
~New blogs to feature, if you are submitting your own then check out this post instead!
~Healthy recipes to share with the group!
~Websites which have helped encourage you in your progress.
~Anything related to fitness
~Submit links to your latest posts/updates on your own personal progress for others to read and be encouraged!
~Anything related to living a healthier lifestyle

Thank you for taking the time to submit a tidbit!

Schedule for the Remainder of November

I have decided to take a new approach for this blog since there are a lot more things I can be covering besides just the fun photos...I will still plan to write and publish a post on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday but instead of having a Challenge and follow up Motivation posts I am going to do themed days instead.

Monday
Photo Inspirations. Photo's I usually find via Pinterest which have great sayings on them for motivation. I'll be posting one of these a week!

Tuesday
Fitness/Exercise Tips & Tricks. I have like 200 pins on Pinterest of all sorts of ideas for tightening and toning areas of the body...of course some of them I won't be able to share since the links are invalid, but I will start going through those and getting them posted up here until I run out of those to share with you all!

Wednesday
Healthy Recipes. I'll share my own healthy recipes, healthy recipes from the blogs I've featured, and then I'll also share recipes which I've found via Pinterest!

Friday
Randomness. Tidbits of information that you might like to know about, things you submit (I'll be adding a place for you to submit info so if you come across something that goes along with the focus of this group submit it along with your name/blog name and I'll give you the credit!).

Featured Blog | Get a Taste of Nutrition

Hello dear readers! I am very excited to share with you this wonderful blog today! I ran across it a few weeks ago and am just now getting around to writing up a feature post...I've been quite busy, but this is a must view for anyone who is interested in the healthy eating and fitness department!!! Please take a few moments to visit: Get a Taste of Nutrition!

 

(click photo to view blog!)

 

I had the wonderful opportunity of email back and forth quite a bit with the lovely Brish, author & director of Get a Taste of Nutrition. Here is a little bit about her which she has allowed me to pass along with you: Brish is 19 years old. She was born and raised in London, UK. Her parents are form a gorgeous island called Mauritius. "I am incredibly passionate about health and nutrition and take the welfare of others to be my sole priority. I believe food is medicine."

 

Recipes

1. Easy Peanut Butter Cookies.

2. Chicken Teriyaki.

3. Pumpkin Pancakes.

 

Other Posts of Interest:

1. Fitness.

2. Food Intolerance.

3. Healthy Skin.

 

Be sure to stop by Get a Taste of Nutrition and leave Brish a comment! There are several ways to follow along with her blog and it is for sure one with following!

Challenge | Make A New Ending!

I saw this on Pinterest last week and knew it was something I had to share with you readers. I know that not everyone has this hard of a path to follow, but you all DO have a challenge and you have realized that you don't like where you're headed and want to make yourselves a new ending! I'm here to encourage you to keep working towards your goals because I know you can do it!

Motivation | Love Yourself

(photo via Nothing Is Impossible on Tumblr)

It's not about being skinny. It's not even about losing weight. It's about learning to take care of your body and learning what is right for you. Love your body!

Motivation | Don't Quit

(photo via Pinterest)

No matter how hard it is to workout, or how busy your life gets don't ever quit! The day you quit on yourself is the day you give up. This week's challenge is to lose one pound at a time, or one pound a week. Don't give up, don't quit!

Challenge | One Pound At A Time

(photo via Pinterest)

Sometimes we set too big of a goal for ourselves and get discouraged easily... one easy way to fix this problem is to focus on losing one pound at a time! I know it seems like a small goal, but once you add all those 1 pounds together they can add up to quite a bit! What is the amount you want to lose? Start by aiming to lose one pound a week. Not only is this reasonable, but it's doable as well!

Motivation | Not Easy, But Worth It!

(photo via Visualize US)

Sometimes you will find it very hard to get up and go workout, but those are the days you need to make yourself do it. You need to stick with it! It will not be easy to get going when you don't feel good, or when you've had a long day, or when you're still half asleep, or when your children are fussy, but it is worth it to take some time out for you!