This week marks the end of Sunday School.

That’s right! This is the grand finale. The last episode. The final curtain call. The end.

I’ve decided, with Jodi’s help, that I need the weekends to unplug. Recover. Reboot. And while I love to blog on and on and on, I think Monday through Friday is like the candy…Good & Plenty! I certainly take a day or two off from the gym so why not take a day or two of rest off from writing?

Now I really must go shut off my computer and then make like a Kit Kat bar and split!

Have you ever had a fat day? Those kind of days are far worse than a bad hair day…you can fix a bad hair day.

I had a fat week last week.

I went all out and called myself Fatty McFatterson when I was checking myself out in the mirror during workouts (at least) two days last week. Did name calling motivate me to work harder? Nope. It just made me really, really cranky.

So this week I’m going to toss out the negative self talk and replace it with some good old fashioned tough love! What are you going to replace this week?

Now I really must stop talking and get Leana McLeanerson to the gym!

I hope your day is full of love, laughter, lunges, and whatever completes you…

Happy Valentine’s Day!

“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

-Dale Carnegie

I must be pretty successful, because I am having a blast…at work(!), at the gym, and around Fitness & Spice.

And speaking of Fitness & Spice, this week…

It started off a little spicy…

But, then it started to cool off a bit…

And, at the end of it all, I had a ball!
(…and so will our Yoga Tune Up® contest winner….congrats, Jess!)

And speaking of having a ball…

…don’t forget to enter your favorite Chobani recipe in the Superbowl Contest (it ends today!)

Now I really must go get Pumped & Ready for another successful week packed full of fun, Fitness, and Spice!

Angela posted this quote on her Facebook page this week:

“Desire backed by faith knows no such word as impossible.” ~ Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich

I wanted to pass this on to you in hopes that it inspires you, too, in and outside of the gym.

Have a great week!

Sometimes it’s OK to look back like when you’re being chased by a Mountain Lion, when you’re backing out of a parking spot, or when you’re trying to think of…

9 Good Things About 2009

1. My small but mighty family is healthy! Including my dog who, as of yesterday, no longer has a water bottle lid in his belly.

2. I went to Disney World, the happiest place on Earth…twice!

3. I completed a photography class with my talented friend Suzanne.

4. I ate a lot of pumpkin, a few too many almonds (right, Carrie?) and drank my share of coffee!

5. I learned a ton (maybe 2) about training and nutrition in the Precision Nutrition Lean Eating program.

6. I started Fitness & Spice.

7. I worked with some amazing people who raised a little money, who made a little whoopie, and who put on a good show!

8. I did not get chased by a Mountain Lion.

9. I got to connect with YOU!

I hope you take a minute to look back on the best of your 2009. And, I hope you have a healthy and happy new year… packed full of Fitness & Spice!

I’m one of those people that sets some pretty impressive New Year’s resolutions every year that I never keep. For example, two years ago I decided I was going to learn how to speak Italian. So far I can say this (right, Dad?): Ti va un’isalata verde come contorno? Which means: Would you like a green salad as a side dish? That’s about the extent of my Italian vocabulary, which is great if I ever want to have a short lived career as a waitress in Rome.

Recently, my friend MizFit introduced me to Seth Simonds who blogs and vlogs at Primal Stride. As I was browsing Seth’s site I was incredibly impressed with a video he posted about setting realistic goals. Little goals. Achievable goals like drinking one more glass of water a day for a week. How hard is that? It sounds like a type of goal I could set and actually keep.

I shot Seth a quick note asking him if he would be willing to create our next Random Acts of Fitness & Spice challenge to give our New Year’s resolutions a healthy shake! Ladies and gentleman, grab a glass of water and give it up for SETH SIMONDS…

Seth is challenging us to set realistic fitness, food, and fashion goals for 2010. Here are mine:

• Fitness: Increase the intensity in my cardio workouts. I am guilty of just going through the motions and clock watching when doing any form of cardio. Just stepping it up a notch WILL do my body good.
• Food: Increase the variety in my diet. I tend to eat the same things over and over and over again. Hold your pumpkin comments to the end!
• Fashion: Wear “real” clothes more than once a week. I have been living in workout clothes for months. Putting on real clothes could do wonders for my mind, body, and spirit!

Your turn…how are you going to set yourself up for success in 2010? Seth and I dare you to set realistic fitness, food, and fashion goals to kick off the new year! Tell us your goals in the comments section below.

Now I really must go put on an old bridesmaid dress, sprint to my kitchen, and whip up a new verde salad! Ciao!

Tonight my family participated in the talent show coordinated by the amazing MizFit. There was opera singing, ballet dancing, juggling, and piano playing. You had to be there! But since you’re just joining us now, we’d love for you to snuggle up with some eggnog and read…

Twas the Night Before Fitness

Twas the night before fitness and all through the gym not a cardio bunny was spinning not even Jillian.

The trainers were wearing Snuggies up in their beds while visions of the perfect push-up danced in their heads.

Jillian with her fitbook and Bob with his Subway just settled down for a Biggest Loser replay.
The running shoes were hung in the locker with care in hopes that Febreeze would soon be sprayed there.

When out in the aerobics room rose such a clatter so I sprang out of the weight room to see what was the matter.

And what did my wandering eyes did appear but a Magic Bullet blending up some protein filled cheer!

Come Vanilla, Chocolate, Pumpkin, and Banana. Come Peanut Butter, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Cranberry…Cranberry? Well doesn’t that sounds merry?

And speaking of Merry…I really must go and wish a Merry Christmas to all and to all Fitness & Spice!

Congratulations to these Fitness & Spice readers for winning the Revival Soy candle drawing:

Heather, Liz, and, The Candid RD!

Please email your mailing addresses to fitnessandspice@gmail.com and we’ll have your candle shipped to you.

Thanks to everyone of you for taking the Random Acts of Fitness & Spice challenge. Now make sure you follow through and pamper yourself this weekend! Break out the good candles, the good perfume, the good towels, the good shoes, the good candles, or do whatever it takes to make your weekend merry and bright!

You know how some people have “the good towels” they only put out for company? Or the “good china” they only use once maybe twice a year? Yeah, I have those, too. I also have “the good candles” I only burn on special occasions. Why do we do this? Aren’t we good enough for these good things everyday?

I have been burning a candle that Shannon from Revival Soy sent me to try out. Let me tell you, I love it. Shame on me for not lighting candles more often. I love the ambiance candle light brings to my home, not to mention the fact that my entire place smells like……Sugar & Spice (a candle named after me or my site, I’m sure).

Revival says their First Flame of Soy Candles…

• Contain no carcinogens allowing us to breathe easy
  
• Have lead-free wicks
• Are non-toxic and biodegradable
• Longer Burning – slower and cooler – as much as 35% longer than regular candles!
• Highly fragrant all the way through the candle
• Made from Soybeans – Supports American Farmers
• Are hand-poured

Three Fitness & Spice readers are going to win a First Flame of Soy Candle from Revival Soy. But only if you take this Random Acts of Fitness & Spice challenge. I propose we do something special for ourselves, after all, we work hard in the gym, at work, at school, at home, right? Tell us in the comments section below one thing you are going to do to pamper yourself over the next few days and I’ll tell you who won on Friday, December 18th.

Now I really must go splash on the good perfume…I never know when I might run into an old flame!