Team Challenge Standings

14.3 Happy Feat!
13.3 Thunder & Lightning
12.5 Funkie Chunkies
12.1 This Is How It’s “Dunne”
12.1 Let’s Go Make It Low
11.9 Barely Waisted
11.3 Side By Side
11.0 Do It Or Die
10.9 Drop It Like It’s Hot
10.8 Thin & Trim
10.8 The Team Formerly Known As Amazing Grace
10.7 The A-Team
10.6 Thin It To Win It
10.6 Fighting Temptations
10.3 Thighs The Limit
9.6 Ultimate Eliminators
9.6 Excess Baggage
9.5 Losing It
9.4 Girls Next Door
9.3 Too Unfit To Quit
9.1 Now You See It Now You Don’t
8.9 No Sugar…Just Spice!
8.7 Dynamic Duo
8.5 Hot Mama’s
8.3 Travelin’ Lite
8.1 Trophy Wife Wannabe’s
7.9 Trim Fast
7.9 Mr & Mrs Piggins
7.7 Bodacious Babes
7.2 Badunkadunk Busters
7.1 Peaches and Skim Milk
7.1 New Dimensions
6.6 The Better Weigh
6.5 Unstuffin’ The Muffin’
6.4 Lean Cousines
6.3 The Slimenators
6.1 Downsizing Divas
6.0 No Belly Weigh
6.0 Barracudas
5.9 Better Than Sprinkles
5.7 Thin To Win
5.3 No If, Ands Or Butts
5.0 Livin On A Prayer!
5.0 “Chicken…It’s What’s For Dinner”
4.8 Amazing Waists
4.5 Changes In Attitude
4.4 Team Freedom
4.4 Perfect Harmony
4.2 Moms On A Mission
4.2 Defying Gravity
4.0 La La Paloozers
3.9 Amazing Grace
3.6 Bob/Kat Productions
3.4 Weight No More
3.4 Booty Busters
2.9 Less Is More
2.9 In It To Thin It
2.2 Cruisin’ For Losin’
2.2 Balance +
2.1 I Know What You Weighed Last Summer
2.0 Made For More
2.0 Final Redemption
1.3 Hi-Weigh To Health
.5 Weigh To Liberation
-1.3 Hot Squad

We're Climbing a Mountain!!!!!

The big announcement was made yesterday at the Team Challenge. This Amazing Race group was given their next clue...it read something like this:

Take a flight to South Asia, find your way to the Himalayas. There will you continue on to the base of Mt Everest. You will receive more instruction there.

We're climbing Mt. Everest!
We're taking this weight loss journey BEYOND THE LIMITS!

Our theme for the Winter 2012 Team Challenge... "BEYOND THE LIMITS."

Before Sir Edmond Hillary and Tensing Norgay stood on top of Mt. Everest in 1953, climbing to 29,028 feet was thought to be impossible. Now this mountain has come to symbolize human achievement.
Mt. Everest evokes a powerful metaphor. It is one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth. For every three people who reach the summit, one dies trying. When the stakes are this high, each team member plays a critical role, not only in the team's success, but its very survival.

Even though you may not experience arctic temperatures, hurricane force winds, or seemingly bottomless crevasses, you do face the challenge of consistently doing the right thing. Making the right choices. Changing your beliefs.


I'm sure most of our clients would agree that losing weight and keeping it off is one of the hardest things they've ever tried to accomplish. Losing weight and keeping it off can be like climbing a mountain. Just like a climbing expedition, you must forge an inspiring vision, overcome obstacles and stay focused, to consistently be your best and reach the top, your goal weight.

Going "Beyond The Limits" is what it's going to take to reach the top...reach goal weight and keep it off for life! I reminded our clients that to accomplish this great task they were going to need:

An Attitude with Altitude
A Courageous Spirit
A Willingness to Change
And a decision to NEVER GIVE UP!

The difference between defeat and giving up is in perspective. Defeat is often only a temporary situation. Defeat is an opportunity to learn, so that we can go back and do things differently. Giving up is what makes defeat permanent. When we give up, we never try again.

I also reminded our alumni that the top is the most vulnerable place to be. Even in mountain climbing, once you've reached the summit, you're only halfway to your goal. You still have to make your way to the bottom of the mountain. Or in the case of our alumni, keep walking the walk, always looking for the new challenges and working the program.

We're excited about our Winter Team Challenge that begins in January...but we're still very focused on the task at hand. The Amazing Race! Who will be the first team to arrive???

Our winning teams for this week were 'Losing It' with a 1.86 % of weight loss. Congratulations Barry and Tony! At six, team 'Happy Feat' took the win again with a 2.33% of weight loss! Sue and Jerry, you had an amazing week!
Our teams came together for another 151 pounds of weight loss this week! Thanksgiving week, I might add! How exciting is that? We finished No Cave November out strong and awarded Annie B. with $100 prize!!! Speaking of 100...we celebrate with Ryan B. last night as he reached his 100 pound mark! It was a great day at The Healthy Weigh!!

We have lots in store in the next few weeks to finish out this Amazing Race breaking all kinds of records and then head into 2012 to go Beyond The Limits!

YOUR TASK FOR THE WEEK:
Lose 1.5 pounds this week! (you'll want to be in this drawing)

Have a great week knowing that I will always be encouraging you,
Letha

Play Out The Tape

It's Thanksgiving week! The choices we make this week will not only determine our Tuesday weigh in, but will take us down a path and determine our success for the rest of the holiday season and beyond.

If I had my way, this week would have been a week when I would have had a one on one, in your face kind of a visit, with each and every client at The Healthy Weigh. Although we meet in a group setting, I did my best to help each client feel very personally connected to what I was saying. Going off program on Thanksgiving...just isn't worth it!

We learned the powerful lesson of "playing out the tape." We looked at two scenarios of Thanksgiving day and played out the tape together. The first scenario was the plan to eat off program and just have a little bit of everything. The tape looked like this when played out...

Although I took just a little bit of everything, my plate is over flowing. I sit down to eat and enjoy the momentary feeling that the high fat rich food brings. It's not long after that that I get a little bit of each dessert too. As the day passes I feel sick to my stomach. I'm not sure if I can make it through the afternoon without getting sick and needing to excuse my self. I head home, feeling ill, guilty, frustrated and sorry for the choices I made. My family seems to be almost glad that I didn't stick to my program. The rest of the weekend seems to spiral out of control. I've already blown it, why stop now. When Tuesday rolls around, there's no way I'm showing up to the Team Challenge to be humiliated at the weigh in. I make a decision to quit the program and start up again after the holidays...it's the holidays for goodness sake. Even though I've lost 15 pounds on this team challenge, I quit, repeating the pattern of my life and putting all my weight back on and more. I'm not sure I can even go back in January because I'm so down on my self...and so the story goes.

The second scenario looks like this...
It's Thanksgiving morning and I'm walking in my first ever Turkey Trot. It was great to be with my Healthy Weigh friends this morning. It makes such a difference to know that I have a group of people who are living and looking toward a new way of life. I arrive to my families meal with a few side dishes in hand. I have a green salad, a great pumpkin delight dessert, cranberry chutney and the apple pear compote. They'll provide the Turkey and I bet everyone is going to want my recipes. I make wonderful choices, staying busy in the kitchen, helping with the children so the young moms can eat in peace, I have a terrific day. I leave with a little turkey breast in a to go box and when I lay my head down on my pillow that night I am feeling as powerful as I ever have! The weekend is set, I've got food in the fridge, decorating and shopping to do and I feel amazing! I can't wait for Tuesday! At The Team Challenge I lose 3 pounds for the week and get the clapper!!! :-) I am entered into the No Cave November drawing and I WIN the $100! I'm enrolled in the Winter Team Challenge because when you are working to change your life...you don't take a break, you keep on running! By spring I am at my goal weight and feel better than I have in 25 years! I've changed my thinking...and I've change my life!

You choose. Which tape will you play out?

With a challenging season ahead of us, accountability will be more important than EVER! We've got just the group to hold our feet to the fire!

Our Tasks for the week will help:
1. Post Your Thanksgiving plan on Face book in the next couple of days. It will assure you have one, and that you'll follow through with it.
2. Stay active the rest of the weekend on face book, supporting your Healthy Weigh friends through the weekend!
3. Listen to the last of the 6 lessons on the CD. Body~Soul~Spirit,The Spiritual Perspective, and do the homework provided.

A big congratulations to our two winning teams this week. Darrel and Jackie, team 'Do it or Die' won at noon with a 2.55 % of weight loss!
Team 'Thunder and Lightning' was the first team to arrive at 6 with a 2.31 % for the week. Debbie and Peggy, you girls rocked!

We've got some great weeks ahead of us in this Amazing Race. Who will be the first team to arrive??? It's a close one!

To all of you, I wish you a happy, healthy Thanksgiving. I am personally so thankful for you and the life I share with you.

Always encouraging you.
Letha

Team Challenge Standings

12.3 Happy Feat!
12.1 Funkie Chunkies
12.0 Thunder Thighs & Lightning The Load
11.5 This Is How It’s “Dunne”
10.9 Drop It Like It’s Hot
10.8 Barely Waisted
10.5 Let’s Go Make It Low
10.4 Thin & Trim
10.2 The A-Team
10.2 Side By Side
10.0 Thin It To Win It
9.9 Do It Or Die
9.6 The Team Formerly Known As Amazing Grace
9.2 Ultimate Eliminators
9.2 Too Unfit To Quit
9.2 Thighs The Limit
9.0 Fighting Temptations
8.6 Now You See It Now You Don’t
8.6 Girls Next Door
8.4 Trophy Wife Wannabe’s
8.3 Excess Baggage
8.2 Travelin’ Lite
8.2 No Sugar…Just Spice!
8.0 Mr & Mrs Piggins
8.0 Hot Mama’s
7.8 Losing It
7.6 Dynamic Duo
7.2 Trim Fast
7.2 New Dimensions
7.0 Bodacious Babes
6.5 Unstuffin’ The Muffin’
6.4 Peaches and Skim Milk
6.0 No Belly Weigh
6.0 Lean Cousines
5.8 The Better Weigh
5.7 Barracudas
5.5 Thin To Win
5.5 Downsizing Divas
5.5 Changes In Attitude
5.5 Better Than Sprinkles
5.3 The Slimenators
5.2 No If, Ands Or Butts
4.8 Badunkadunk Busters
4.8 Amazing Waists
4.7 Livin On A Prayer!
4.5 Moms On A Mission
4.4 Team Freedom
4.1 “Chicken…It’s What’s For Dinner”
4.0 Perfect Harmony
3.7 La La Paloozers
3.5 Bob/Kat Productions
3.5 Amazing Grace
3.4 Final Redemption
3.3 Defying Gravity
2.9 Less Is More
2.9 In It To Thin It
2.5 Booty Busters
2.4 I Know What You Weighed Last Summer
2.3 Team B.M.I.: Battling Many Impulses
2.2 Cruisin’ For Losin’
2.0 Made For More
1.9 Weight No More
1.4 Hi-Weigh To Health
1.4 Balance +
-1.3 Hot Squad
-.3 Weigh To Liberation

Team Challenge Standings ~ Week 6

11.2 Happy Feat!
10.6 This Is How It’s “Dunne”
10.4 Barely Waisted
10.1 Let’s Go Make It Low
9.9 Thunder Thighs & Lightning The Load
9.9 Funkie Chunkies
9.7 Thin & Trim
9.0 Fighting Temptations
8.9 The Team Formerly Known As Amazing Grace
8.9 The A-Team
8.9 Drop It Like It’s Hot
8.6 Thin It To Win It
8.6 Side By Side
8.5 Ultimate Eliminators
8.1 Girls Next Door
8.0 Too Unfit To Quit
8.0 No Sugar…Just Spice!
7.8 Now You See It Now You Don’t
7.6 Thighs The Limit
7.5 Do It Or Die
7.4 Trophy Wife Wannabe’s
7.3 Mr & Mrs Piggins
7.2 Travelin’ Lite
6.8 Excess Baggage
6.6 Losing It
6.5 Unstuffin’ The Muffin’
6.5 Trim Fast
6.5 Hot Mama’s
6.5 Dynamic Duo
6.2 New Dimensions
6.0 No Belly Weigh
6.0 Lean Cousines
5.9 Bodacious Babes
5.6 No If, Ands Or Butts
5.5 Thin To Win
5.5 The Better Weigh
5.5 Downsizing Divas
5.4 The Slimenators
5.4 Peaches and Skim Milk
5.4 Barracudas
4.9 Moms On A Mission
4.8 Yes Dear!
4.8 Better Than Sprinkles
4.8 Badunkadunk Busters
4.7 Livin On A Prayer!
4.6 Changes In Attitude
4.5 Defying Gravity
4.4 Team Freedom
4.3 Amazing Waists
4.2 Trim The Fat Part Deux!
4.1 “Chicken…It’s What’s For Dinner”
3.5 Amazing Grace
3.4 La La Paloozers
3.3 Booty Busters
3.1 Final Redemption
3.0 Perfect Harmony
2.9 Less Is More
2.9 In It To Thin It
2.8 Hula Hotties
2.8 Bob/Kat Productions
2.3 Team B.M.I.: Battling Many Impulses
2.2 Cruisin’ For Losin’
2.0 Made For More
1.9 I Know What You Weighed Last Summer
1.9 Hi-Weigh To Health
1.3 Weight No More
-.6 Balance +
-.5 Weigh To Liberation
- .1 Hot Squad

Learning to Cope on the Race!

What an Amazing day! That's right...it was Amazing! On this 5th leg of the Amazing Race our teams lost a total of 264 pounds! We have got a group of people who are "not caving" into the pressures of what November can bring. It's NO CAVE NOVEMBER, and it shows!

Our top teams were excited to be the first to arrive on this 5th pit stop. At Noon our brother and sister team, 'Do It or Die' took the win with a 2.08 % of weight loss! Congratulations Darrel and Jackie! And hey...have fun decorating those trophy boards!

Our Six pm group celebrated with team 'Trophy Wife Wannabes' with a weight loss % of 2.43! Marna and Marianne, what a journey you've been on, you are looking great!



We have fun each Tuesday, that's for sure, but we also come away each week focused and thinking for a change! Yesterday I spent time encouraging our teams to look a little closer at their coping skills. In my opinion, learning to cope in healthy ways, is truly one of the greatest tools that we need to not only reach our goal weight, but more importantly keep it off for life.



To cope, is to take what’s inside of you, fear, anxiousness, stress, insecurities, overwhelm…wrestle with it, and then get it out! Coping; wrestling or grappling with difficulties and then acting to overcome them.
So, when we say that we use food to cope, drugs to cope, and alcohol to cope…we’re not coping. We're avoiding, stuffing, numbing, and disengaging from what’s inside of us. We’re just postponing the work that needs to be done to promote real healthy living. I've seen people who postpone the work that needs to be done, for a life time.



We all have stress, sorrow, anxiety, fear. We’ve had hard times this week in this very group. Losses, bad news, surgeries…hard life stuff. It’s what we do with all of that that makes the difference. It’s learning to process the issues instead of numbing or avoiding them.



I’ve seen comments on face book like…"I coped with food this week.” The correct statement would have been, “I used food this week to avoid coping.” Remember coping is wrestling or grappling with difficulties and acting to over come them.

My great desire is to help people learn the skills to help them live abundant, healthy lives. Learning to cope is one of those skills. This weeks task, along with Tuesdays lesson will help towards that for sure.

YOUR TASKS FOR THE WEEK:
Listen to week #4 of the CD series, "Coping Skills~Feeling Your Way Through Life" and do the homework provided.
Keep your NO CAVE NOVEMBER weight loss graph going! (Make sure you are in that drawing at the end of the month for an 8 pound loss!)

We've got a ROAD BLOCK this week too:
One member of each team must make the chow time recipe this week! Butternut Squash Fries!

Here's to a week of coping, eating healthy and making good choices for an abundant life!

Always encouraging you,

Letha

Team Challenge Standings ~ Week 4

9.4 This Is How It’s “Dunne”

8.9 Barely Waisted

8.8 Thunder Thighs & Lightning The Load

8.7 Happy Feat!

8.6 Let’s Go Make It Low

8.5 Funkie Chunkies

8.4 Fighting Temptations

8.4 Drop It Like It’s Hot

7.8 Do It Or Die

7.7 Thin & Trim

7.7 The Team Formerly Known As Amazing Grace

7.5 Ultimate Eliminators

7.5 The A-Team

7.4 Girls Next Door

7.3 Trophy Wife Wannabe’s

7.3 Now You See It Now You Don’t

7.2 Side By Side

7.1 Too Unfit To Quit

6.9 Unstuffin’ The Muffin’

6.6 Mr & Mrs Piggins

6.4 Thin It To Win It

6.4 No Sugar…Just Spice!

6.1 Travelin’ Lite

6.1 Losing It

6.1 Hot Mama’s

6.0 No Belly Weigh

6.0 Excess Baggage

5.9 New Dimensions

5.9 Badunkadunk Busters

5.8 Trim Fast

5.8 Dynamic Duo

5.7 Thighs The Limit

5.3 Final Redemption

5.1 Thin To Win

5.1 Downsizing Divas

5.0 Lean Cousines

4.9 No If, Ands Or Butts

4.9 Barracudas

4.8 Yes, Dear!

4.8 The Slimenators

4.6 Changes In Attitude

4.6 Bodacious Babes

4.6 Better Than Sprinkles

4.5 Peaches and Skim Milk

4.5 Defying Gravity

4.2 Trim The Fat Part Deux!

4.0 The Better Weigh

4.0 Team Freedom

4.0 Livin On A Prayer!

3.9 “Chicken…It’s What’s For Dinner”

3.8 Amazing Waists

3.6 Bob/Kat Productions

3.4 Moms On A Mission

3.1 Perfect Harmony

2.9 La La Paloozers

2.8 Hula Hotties

2.5 Booty Busters

2.4 Less Is More

2.3 Team B.M.I.: Battling Many Impulses

2.3 Hi-Weigh To Health

2.2 Amazing Grace

1.9 Cruisin’ For Losin’

1.8 Made For More

1.7 Weight No More

1.7 In It To Thin It

1.7 I Know What You Weighed Last Summer

1.2 Balance +

-.1 Weigh To Liberation

- .1 Hot Squad

"We're Not Caving"

The average American gains 7 to 10 pounds between Halloween and New Years' Day! Not us!!! We're not caving into societies bad habits! Our teams lost 206 pounds the week of Halloween and we're going to keep on going!

You've heard of No Shave November? Well, we're participating in our own way with "No Cave November!" Young and old men alike join in the first day of November and just say no to shaving! No shave November...they stay committed even when it itches, even when they start to feel frustrated. They stay the course throughout the month to end up with what they want... a beautiful beard!

We're joining together to just say no to holiday weight gain! We're going to stay committed even when we're itching to eat off program and even when we feel frustrated. We'll stay the course and end up with what we want on November 29th... 8 pounds off and a ticket in a drawing for $100! "We're Not Caving!!"

It was an exciting day to weigh in team after team that lost weight this week! Our first teams to arrive at Noon and Six were 'Thin and Trim' with a 1.67% of weight loss for the week. Congratulations Meretha and Jeanine, and 'Let's Go Make it Low', Barbara and Eileen with a weight loss % of 1.91! Both teams received a little bit of Africa on this Amazing Race for their prize for the week, plush animal print throws!

I taught the great lesson this week about restaurant eating! We repeated the great mantra, "The food you need is in the kitchen." You can be so successful on this program eating out. You just have to realize that even though our program foods don't show up on the menus in our favorite restaurants, the food we need to eat to lose weight, is in the kitchen of the restaurant! The secret to eating out and staying on program is being educated about your nutritional plan and having confidence when you order! I provided extra servings of both of those this week so our clients are ready to eat out and lose weight too!

As we head in to the 5th leg of this Amazing Race, every competitor has the ability to make November be the greatest, healthiest November of their lives! After yesterday's weight loss our teams have 829 pounds to go to break the record of any Team Challenge. I believe that this group of people will do just that! It's going to be Amazing!!!

Your Tasks For The Week:

Listen to lesson # 3 What's in Your Back Pack ~ Controlling What You Can, and do the homework provided.
Start your "No Cave November" weight loss graph and bring it back next week.

I hope to see a bunch of you at our Fast Forward event Friday. We are meeting at Ross Dress for Less and doing a little shopping! We'll meet at 5:30. Come try some new styles and get inspired!

Let this November be one of the most inspiring Novembers of your life!
I'm with you all the weigh! :-)

Always encouraging you,
Letha

Team Challenge Standings ~ Week 3

8.0 This Is How It’s “Dunne”
7.9 Happy Feat!
7.6 Thunder Thighs & Lightning The Load
7.5 Barely Waisted
7.4 Funkie Chunkies
7.2 Thin & Trim
6.9 Let’s Go Make It Low
6.9 Fighting Temptations
6.6 Mr & Mrs Piggins
6.5 Ultimate Eliminators
6.2 The Team Formerly Known As Amazing Grace
6.2 The A-Team
6.1 Unstuffin’ The Muffin’
6.1 Thin It To Win It
6.1 No Belly Weigh
6.0 Now You See It Now You Don’t
5.9 Too Unfit To Quit
5.9 Do It Or Die
5.8 Side By Side
5.5 No Sugar…Just Spice!
5.5 Girls Next Door
5.3 Thighs The Limit
5.1 New Dimensions
5.1 Hot Mama’s
5.0 Trophy Wife Wannabe’s
5.0 Travelin’ Lite
5.0 Excess Baggage
5.0 Drop It Like It’s Hot
4.8 Yes, Dear!
4.8 Trim Fast
4.8 The Slimenators
4.7 Bodacious Babes
4.6 No If, Ands Or Butts
4.6 Lean Cousines
4.6 Final Redemption
4.6 Badunkadunk Busters
4.4 Barracudas
4.3 Dynamic Duo
4.2 Trim The Fat Part Deux!
4.0 Losing It
3.8 Thin To Win
3.6 Defying Gravity
3.6 Amazing Waists
3.5 The Better Weigh
3.4 Downsizing Divas
3.4 “Chicken…It’s What’s For Dinner”
3.3 Team Freedom
3.3 Better Than Sprinkles
3.2 Livin On A Prayer!
3.2 Changes In Attitude
3.1 Moms On A Mission
3.1 Bob/Kat Productions
2.8 Hula Hotties
2.4 La La Paloozers
2.3 Team B.M.I.: Battling Many Impulses
2.3 Perfect Harmony
2.3 Amazing Grace
2.0 Booty Busters
1.8 Peaches and Skim Milk
1.8 Less Is More
1.7 Made For More
1.7 In It To Thin It
1.7 Cruisin’ For Losin’
1.6 I Know What You Weighed Last Summer
1.2 Weight No More
1.2 Weigh To Liberation
1.2 Balance +
.3 Hi-Weigh To Health
- .6 Hot Squad