The Rethink Your Shrink Challenge has come to a barely slightly early end and this is the final Monday Project for the challenge. I know! Where did the time go?!

Today what we really want to know is, how did you do? And we mean really. How did you do? Got some pictures??

Did you discover your patterns? Did you fall into old patterns? Did you break old patterns? What were your successes and fallbacks? Do you feel any differently on the inside? How have you changed? What have you learned about yourself?

Today as we think about our successes and fallbacks and our strong moments and weak moments over the past 6 weeks, we hope that you keep in mind that this is not about moving mountains in one day or one week or one challenge.

I actually thought to myself today that I’m (almost) glad that I put on all the weight that I did. In a very twisted way. Because not only would I not have the friendships I have now, I would never ever have discovered the many ways in which I’ve learned to motivate myself, push myself and love myself. If I didn’t experience this journey and all of its bumps and  hurdles and successes and moments of clarity, I would be an entirely different person. I would never have had the confidence to have tried new things and I would never have tested my own limits and found out what I was made of.

I have learned to appreciate this journey. I’m better for having been on this journey. You are better for having been on this journey. No matter what point in the journey you are on right now.

Because it’s so much more than just weight.

We hope that you take that away from this challenge and that you stick with us to share in the support and the wonderful ride that is watching each other meet milestones and move our own personal mountains.

Keep up the momentum!

Oh dear shrinkers, rethinkers, and rethinking your shrinkers! I cannot fathom the fact that this is the last weigh-in of the Rethink Your Shrink Challenge! Don’t pay attention to the sister behind the computer who’s getting all teary-eyed!

(Um, edited to note: Boy, we can’t get anything past you guys, huh!? No, you’re not crazy. Apparently we Sisters are great at subtracting when it comes to pounds. And adding is a whole different story! Or we were so superexcited about the Olympics that we got all worked up. But you’re not crazy, the challenge was scheduled to be 7 weeks, but somehow got turned into 6.  We hope you’ll forgive our minor oversight and promise not to end any future challenges early accidentallyonpurpose! (And will even extend the next one by a week to make up for it!)

Back to regular programming.

Before I get to the mushy gushy stuff, why don’t you head on over to the scale, turn on the light, step on in whatever you wear or don’t wear, peer at that number that is hopefully smaller than when you started it all a few weeks ago, and head back to your blog and tell us about it and link up.

OK. There.

So.

How did you do?

And how did you do for this challenge? Make sure you comment with your starting weight, ending weight and pounds lost!

And have you seen this week’s Monday Project? That’s where we recap the entire challenge and all we’ve learned and accomplished, including “after” photos if you have them. Do it! Don’t forget! Finish what you started! (But don’t venture too far because there’s more coming at the Sisterhood…I’m just sayin.)

I just want to say I have had the absolute best time ever meeting so many new, wonderful strong women who have dared to bare their souls for the rest of us. Whatever happened on the scale, I have never ever seen so many people come out of their comfort zones, try new things, discover new things about themselves, and find so much of that inner confidence in one 6-week sitting than I have seen during this challenge. You’ve tried 5k’s, you’ve tried tae-bo, you’ve vlogged for the first time, you’ve sexercised!!, you’ve tworked out! You’ve ranted and raved and starved and craved and P90x’ed and counted calories and points and logged and you’ve found out that you’re made of that strong stuff! You’ve made goals for yourself that at one point you didn’t think possible.

But that’s what this journey is about, right? THE POSSIBLE! (Sidenote: Did you know that the word “impossible” really is “I’M POSSIBLE” ?? So there.)

And you’ve even gotten your husbands involved! (Mine no longer rolls his eyes when I talk about my “virtual sisters” anymore, how’s that for progress?!)

In sum, I have never seen so many NON-SCALE VICTORIES! Are you thinking about this journey a little differently yet? Are you enjoying part of the ride?

We’re just getting started here at the Sisterhood. Heck, it’s only February! So don’t stray too far and don’t get all crazy this weekend (I’m trying that new 55 calorie Budweiser), because we’re gonna groove come Olympics time. And you know them are some athletes that will do anything to get to a goal. Isn’t that inspiring? And we can’t have a big huge world-wide sporting event and not make it all about ourselves, can we?!

No we can’t!

So put on your competitive pants, ladies, whatever those are. Because it’s on!

See you at the finish line!

I’m getting a little misty-eyed over here! Rethink Your Shrink is coming to an end! Are you ready? Did you rethink? And moreover, did you shrink?

What happened over the past 7 weeks? Did you move more? Did you find victories? Did you find non-scale victories? Did you do something you’ve never done before? (And in a good way?) How much did you lose? How much did you gain in knowledge and preparation? How did you do when you had an off-week? Did you fall off? Did you get back up? Where did you find motivation? Did you like this challenge? How did you do?

These are all the questions that I’m thinking about myself this week as this challenge comes to a close.

That’s the final Monday Project for this challenge. You don’t have to answer all the questions above, but do tell us all about how you’ve changed over this challenge. And this is the perfect time for an “After” picture, if you’ve provided a “before” picture. Of course, our work here is not done and there will be more to come here at Shrinking Jeans, but for now, we can’t wait to see how you all did!! If you haven’t done all of the Monday Projects, please think about doing this one!  Write your post and link it up on Friday during the link-up! Good luck this week ladies (and gent!)

* * *

The winner of the water bottle is Adrienne at The Skinny Fight (who tried out a Cardio Dance DVD — woohoo!) and Karena is the winner of the “Hottie!” bag! She tried out Tae Bo! Great job, ladies!!

**UPDATED! WINNER of the GU giveaway is: LadyG8r!!  Congrats!! Please send me your snail mail address at christieo@shrinkingjeans.net!**

I love GU. Pronounced “goo.”

GU is an energy gel. What is this energy gel I speak of? And who should be eating these? And why? Do we really need these in our lives?

Yes. But not all the time. And it depends on what you’re doing. There are times to use them and times when you should not use them. They are about 100 calories, so you really want to use them sparingly for that reason. You don’t want to exercise out your calories just to put them back in with a gel. However, they can be really valuable when you’re exercising for a long time and losing a lot of nutrients.

I first read about “energy gels” online. But I thought they were for “athletes” and had no clue how to use them. I knew I had a long run coming up, so I bought one to try. SOLD! It helped me restore my bounce and it gave me a little pep, too.

First, my favorite things about them and how to use them:

-I use them when I am going to run or bike for a really, really long time, like an hour and a half or more. I have used them on my half-marathon training runs, 7 miles or more. I have used them during triathlons and long rides. They have become a staple in my house for those reasons, but I do use them sparingly. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve popped one before a 5k before and it gave me a little zing.

-Energy gels help replenish the electrolytes and important minerals that you use during long periods of exercise. Some of the GU’s ingredients include complex carbohydrates, caffeine, fructose, herbal supplements (like chamomile which has anti-inflammatory properties), potassium and and sodium citrate (which you need to replenish during long periods of exercise). Also, they are fat-free.

-Energy gels are kind of a paste consistency. You squeeze the gel out of the packet and into your mouth and they are like energy goo. You can keep them in your SPI Belt, pocket, water belt(like a Fuel Belt), in a pocket on your bike or in your bike jersey. They give me a nice little pep when I need it and if I am really depleted of energy before I exercise, I’ll take it about 10-15 minutes before.

-Happily, they also give you a little burst of energy. I use my gels about 30-45 minutes into my exercise and then about 25 minutes before I know it’s going to end. Depending on how I feel. Listen to your body! Everyone is different!

-You need a little water to wash it down, so make sure you take it when you’re passing a water station or have a water bottle handy.

-Make sure you don’t use them for the first time during a race. If you think you might need to use a gel during a race, use it during your training to see what it does for you. You may love it or you may hate it, but during a race is never the place to find out!

As much as I love them, there are a few annoying things about them as I have discovered. 

-They’re a little sticky. If you get them on your hands while you eat them, you’re kind of stuck without a place to wash your hands. I have had to finish an entire run with stickyfingers.

-They can be oddly filling, to the point that you may feel a little sick to your stomach if you have too many. I had planned to use two during my triathlon over the summer. I used one after the swim (before the bike) and had another after the bike (40 minutes later — and before the 5k run). *GAG* It was too much. I was running on a sick stomach for the first mile and regretting that last gel. Sometimes too much of a good thing ain’t good no more.

-Some flavors are really really really yummy. Like the Chocolate Outrage pictured above. YUM! But some are really really gaggy (to me).  Again, make sure you figure this out during training, not during a race.

Now for the great part! If you want some GU for YOU (I like the rhyming) GU sent me a big ol’ basket of gels, chewy energy bites and drink powder to give YOU!
 

So, if you want to try these out because you are working out like a fiend now that you’re a sister, just leave a comment below and one random commenter shall receive.

• Tell us if you have tried energy gels or drinks before and what’s your fave.
• Follow the Sisterhood on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway for an extra entry! Leave a comment letting us know you tweeted.
• Join the ‘hood, or if you’re already a member, friend someone new! Leave an additional comment for an extra entry.

Giveaway ends on Thursday, February 11th at midnight PST.

The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans received samples of GU Energy Gels for review purposes only.  The Sisterhood was not paid for this review, and our opinions are our own.

Good morning Sisters and Brothers! How are you this fine Wednesday morning? Can you believe we’re on Week 5 of Rethinking our Shrink? Wow. Time really does fly when you’re having fun!!

So tell me, did you get your homework done last week? Did you read some of the letters our future selves wrote to us? WOW. That was really a powerful exercise, and if you haven’t done it, I highly recommend you do it now. It’s never too late to get your homework in here at the Sisterhood.

Okay, go hop on your scales. Did you lose? Gain? Stay the same? Blog about your week, and be sure to link up to us. I mean, you don’t want to keep the awesomeness of the Sisterhood all to yourself do you? There’s plenty of us to go around!

Whether you had an awesome week, a so-so week, or a downright crappy week, remember that it’s a marathon not a sprint. While we’re all in this together, you are also a unique individual and you cannot and should not compare yourself to someone else. Stick it out and keep up the hard work and you will see results!!! You cannot fail on this journey.

Okay, and now for a few announcements:

1. We’re celebrating Women’s Heart Health week with an amazing giveaway: a Timex Heart Rate Monitor
2. We kicked off our 1/2 Marathon Training with Team in Training this week! If you have a few dollars to spare, feel free to donate to our team fundraising page!
3. The Monday Project Link up is Friday! As always, Christie has given us some excellent homework this week! Hop to it!
4. Last but not least, our Tuesday night Last Chance Tworkouts are really becoming all the rage. If you aren’t joining us, you’re really missing out. Lots of fun, and a little working out thrown in, too!

That’s it for this week’s weigh-in post! Go forth and continue Rethinking Your Shrink! MWAH!

p.s. If you’re lurking around (Ashley L., I’m talking to you), jump in! Have you been secretly Rethinking Your Shrink? Well that’s no fun! We’d love to hear from you, and be able to give you some Sisterly love!

Hello, my peeps.

It’s Tuesday. That day. The day we divulge our deepest, darkest food and exercise (or whatever) secrets. On the internet.

Nothing like throwing our confessions out there to the universe to purge our consciences…

So, I have to admit that this week I’ve been quite irritable and faced a lot of, for lack of a better word, stupidity.  My patience has been tested. As in, stretched within an inch of it’s life. And then a little more. And I’ve been a total and complete BEYOTCH. Generally, a week like this would send me straight to the Altar of the Golden Arches or finding solace face down in a pan of brownies.

But after an inspiring loss last week, I am determined NOT to gain this week. So, instead of turning to the usual suspects FROSTING, I turned to exercise. On Saturday I was just having an ANGRY day, and I told my husband that I was going to roundhouse kick somebody in the neck  if I couldn’t go to hot yoga. And since he was the only one in the house…well…I went to yoga.

Sunday, I pounded pavement for a super long run (six miles) and used that time to center myself and work on all the negative thoughts swirling through my brain.

And we’re being honest here…I think I could use another round of hot yoga tonight. Or a good session with a heavy bag.

So I guess my confessions this week center more around having a piss poor attitude rather than anything bad I’ve been doing around eating and exercising.

But you know what? Being in a yucky mood is pretty bad in and of itself.  And the fact that I’m letting other people’s bad decisions affect my outlook? Lame. So guess what? I’m done with all that I hope.

Whew.

Okay, your turn! What did you get up to this weekend? Anything you want to get off your chest? The floor is yours! Go blog and link up below, or just confess in the comments. We don’t judge!

( A little side note, are you joining us for a last chance Tworkout on Twitter tonight? Follow us @shrinkingjeans during the East Coast AND the West Coast viewings of the Biggest Loser to get in some last minute squats, lunges, wall sits, or whatever other kind of punishment exercise April and I can dream up…)

Okay, now, CONFESS!

Good afternoon, sisters!! Well, we’re getting pretty far down the line in this challenge, I can’t believe we have just three weigh-ins left! And can you believe that it’s already February? How did that happen?

We have been in this challenge since December (almost five weeks!!) and by now you’ve had a chance to either get in a groove or get bored. Or maybe a little bit of both!

So this week, we challenge you to mix it up. Get creative and try something new. Anything. Now is the time to be brave and take that Hot Yoga class, like our own Heather did last week. Or the body pump class. Or spin class (yes, anyone can do spin class and it is my personal favorite!) Or a new DVD. Get into the pool. Anything.

The catch is, it must be something you have never tried before. Ever. If you’ve done yoga at home but haven’t done it at the gym, try it at the gym. If you’ve done yoga but haven’t tried the new pilates class, try pilates! Zumba! Kickboxing! There are a million exercises just waiting to be tried, go out and do them!

And no cheating! Try your very best not to re-incorporate something you’ve already done long ago. Try your very best to make this something you really have not ever done before! This is the week we physically exit our comfort zones and we know it’s ok because we are all virtually doing it, together!! I won’t lie, even I am a little nervous about it, but because I know all of you are doing it, it will make me feel a little more comfortable!

But  most of all, have fun!!! Write a post about your new adventure, take pictures if you want, feel free to vlog, and come back here Friday to link it up and share with the rest of us!

See you Friday!

Good morning, everyone!! Happy Friday!! How did you do on this week’s project?

The task this week was to sit your butt in 2011, picture what 2010 was like, and write a letter to yourself about it. What hurdles you have overcome and goals you have met.

I really loved doing this one because I told myself that I overcame some fears that I had, and honestly, I really started to believe it when I was writing it!  I hope the same thing happened for you. When you hold this letter in your hand next 2011, I hope you have completed everything you said you would. And more.

Keep this letter. Put it on your board. Put it in a drawer. Whatever you do, we are going to come back here next January and talk about it. Even if you veer from the Sisterhood (I hope you don’t!) you must come back next January. (Yes, I’m scheduling a Monday Project for January of next year.)

Have a great weekend! Oh, by the way, I DO have two giveaways to random commenters today!!

Two random commenters who have done the project and linked up by Sunday night/Monday morning at 3 a.m. Eastern, 12 a.m. pacific, will receive a sports bag and towel from LA Fitness! I will publish a picture later (my camera battery is dead and I just found the charger!)

I can’t wait to read your letters! Come back Monday for the next one! Can’t believe we’re more than halfway through!!

Wait. What’s that say? Week FOUR?? Have we been really going at it for a month already? We are over halfway done with our Rethink Your Shrink challenge. You have joined the revolution. You have looked into your past and looked into yourself. You have contemplated what works for you and what doesn’t work for you. You have created your wall of motivation. This week you are fast-forwarding into the future to write a letter to your present self.

Today is Wednesday. Time to get on that scale and see the fruits of your labor. Things are changing. YOU ARE CHANGING. You are DOING THIS! Your mind is transforming, as is your body. GO! Step on that scale, blog about it, and return to leave your link and offer your fellow sisters and brothers some encouragement and pats on the back!

Late to the game, but ready to join?? Not a problem. You are welcome to join at absolutely ANY time. It’s time to delurk and make the first step for YOU. You won’t be sorry. I promise. If you don’t blog, feel free to leave your results and thoughts in the comments section of the posts.

As always, we have some awesome giveaways going on right now!  Both giveaways are ending tonight, so hurry! Up for grabs are:

• Three copies of Xtreme Cardio Dance.
• One Progresso soup prize pack.

Also, we have been nominated for the Shorty Award in the health category. We are 100 votes away from being in the Top 5 (voting ends on Friday)!! We aren’t giving up yet. So, if you love what we have going on, take 30 seconds out of your day and go vote! Easy Peasy. All you need is a Twitter account, no forms, no registration to go through. (Thank you!)

Happy Shrinking!!

We’re all good. We’re all  great. We are all wearing our little shiny halos, right? NOT!!!!

Maybe I’m just speaking for myself but I gotta tell ya, I have one big confession on this True Confessions day and it all centers around last Wednesday. Oh, that fateful day.

I need to erase this week and start over. This Wednesday just can’t get here fast enough.

So here’s my story.

Last Wednesday, I don’t know what got into me. I think I might have been possessed by a hog. Maybe the sickness (that I still have) befuddled my brain. I don’t know.

But I ate at Panera. Which wasn’t that bad. If I’d have stuck to the coffee like I wanted! But instead I had that yummy egg sandwich on an Asiago bagel that they were talking about on the radio on the way over (and yes, commercials totally work on me). I washed that puppy down with a cheese danish (not giving you any ideas here! Don’t blame me!) Well thank God they cut my wireless off at lunchtime.

So then I left and the kids’ naptime came and I ran to the computer. I didn’t walk, I ran.

I opened up my laptop. I waited nervously and impatiently for it to turn on and get a signal so I could log onto Weight Watchers and go back and sign up again. I tried to go on my own. But I proved that morning that I just can’t be trusted. I need accountability in every single form possible.

Oh and I wish that were it for that fateful Wednesday (she says, shamefully. From the corner.)

But it wasn’t. After the naps we went to the park and when we left, it was way past dinner time and the kids were starving and I just knew it would be too late if I made dinner (I was going to crockpot something and then I didn’t and that’s where I went all wrong — prevention is key!) So we made that easy stop. You know the one. The Mcplace that all Mckids love so much that they recognize the golden McArches from miles away.

And I proceeded to have McNuggets. And a cheeseburger. And fries. And a coke.

McNuggets AND a cheeseburger? Who am I? Who on earth do I think I am?

So then I coyly and secretly decided in my head I’d start counting points on Thursday. Brilliant!! Because that would fix everything! I’d just ignore these indiscretions. Even though I counted the Panera points already.

But the evil Mcpoints kept taunting me in my mind, saying, “You can ignore us! Go ahead and try! But we will still be here! Muwahahahahaha!” with their pointy little Mcfingers.

And so then I counted them. And in one single day I had not only used my all my day points, I had also used ALL OF MY EXTRA POINTS FOR THE ENTIRE WEEK AHEAD! ALL OF THEM! I ate 2 1/2 DAYS worth of points in one sitting. YUP. That’s how much disgustingness I ate in one day. I actually ate more calories that day than I did on Thanksgiving.

For sure.

So I have no extra points. I don’t know if you know anything about Weight Watchers, but I get 23 points a day. And no extra because I ATE THEM. Now Weight Watchers is a very generous people, they do give you extra points for doing activity and I did bike 30 miles over the weekend and got points for that. But I don’t like to dip into those. But I have. All because  I am STARVING. I’m so hungry! But maybe I’m not! My mind just knows I only have a certain amount and zero leeway and then I feel like I’m starving. Because I’m a headcase.

In sum, I cannot wait until Wednesday. When I get my big bank of extra points to spread out throughout the week like a good girl.  The good news is that I have not used up all my points. But I’m close. But it was still a bad, bad, last Wednesday.

The end.

How bout you? What’s your story? Don’t be bashful.