There's No Quit in ME!

It was good to be back together again yesterday. Two weeks apart is just too long! The snow storm tried slow us down, but when you're on a Northwest Adventure, it just adds to the fun!
We started out our gatherings viewing all the GREAT photos of your snow angels, snowmen, and fun in the snow! I can't remember a time, I've enjoyed the snow more! Way to go northwest adventurers!

One of our very own, Val D. came and gave us a little safety demonstration to help us all be safe on the road during this winter. She was so generous with her time and her gifts.  Thanks Val, for your great information and for giving!

I've been inspired in the last few weeks because of all the champions I've been celebrating! Seahawks winning the super bowl,  Michael Strahan being inducted into the hall of fame and of course Olympians winning gold medals for their amazing athleticism! I've learned lessons from all of them, and tried to pass those lessons on this week at The Healthy Weigh!

"Why not us?" became the mantra of the Seattle Seahawks. "Not if, but WHEN" was the inspiration from Michael Strahan's dad, and "There's no quit in me" runs through the hearts and minds of every Olympian!  What we learned about champions is that they are just like us...they want something really bad and they overcome adversity to get it! What we learn by watching the great ones...is that they achieve their greatest accomplishments when they've reached the bottom and have to dig deep to make the decision to keep on going! It's in our moments of decision that our destiny is shaped!

We had some fabulous weight loss over the last two weeks and had a great number of people in the 4 pound drawing for the $100!  Three lucky winters went away a little richer this week! Congratulations to Ginny Ann,  Dawn and Ashley! Your hard work paid off!

We also had drawings for our northwest adventure activities.  Albert won the Fitbit being picked out of a huge number of cards in the outdoor activity drawing and Tom F. won a $25 gift card at Sports Authority for being drawn out of the indoor activity drawing! Someone came by seeing all those tickets on the floor and said "Wow, I wonder how many hours of exercise those tickets represent!?"  What a cool thought!

Our winning teams for the week had some great percentages!

Noon  Team "Secret Ninja's" Jennifer and Kellie won with a 3.52% of weight loss.
5:30  Team "Waist No More" Arlyn and Diana won with a 3.73% of weight loss.
7:00  Team "The M&M Boys" Matt and Mike won with a 3.70% of weight loss.

Congratulations to all of our winners! You persevered through the snow storm and came through it winners!

We are working during this winter team challenge to create compelling visions of who we want to be.  I offer you challenges each week to help you do that!

Your challenge for this week:
1. Do those 5 indoor or outdoor activities
2. Don't eat a piece of Valentine candy
3. Listen to week #2 "Change Your Thinking ~ Change Your Life", and choose one of the tools to keep motivation alive, do it, and bring it back next week for a ticket in the drawing!

On this Valentines day, I can't help but think about LOVE.  Love; a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person or people. I hope you know today and every day that this is my heart towards you. I love you, I want the best for you and I'll always be here to say "I believe in you and ALL that you can become."  Happy Valentine's Day my friends.

With Love and encouragement,
Letha

SNOW DAY!

Well, it happened! SNOW! We are truly living a Northwest Adventure! I thought we might have come through this Team Challenge without a snow day. After all, it's February...how often does it snow in February? We only meet on Thursdays...how often does it snow in February, on a Thursday?? Well, I guess we beat the odds.

In stead of coming together yesterday, being inspired, celebrating each others accomplishments and holding each other accountable; we were stuck at home, on long commutes and left wondering "How am I going to earn my 'outdoor adventure' tickets now?" Well, when life gives you snow...you've got to make a snowman...or a snow angel!

I'm feeling a two week challenge coming on!

YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS:

1. Build a snowman or make a snow angel and take a photo...post it, or bring it into THW next week for a ticket in the drawing!

2. Lose 4 pounds in the next two weeks to be entered into a drawing for $100 at EACH gathering!!! That's right...each gathering!!
AND...we will be drawing for that Fit Bit next week out of the "outdoor" adventure bucket (must be present to win) as well as drawing from the "indoor" adventure bucket for some great prizes!

You won't want to miss next weeks gathering OR miss out on opportunities to WIN some good prizes!!

Some of you will be housebound for the next few days, others will be plowing through the snow and required to get to work.  Either way, you'll be facing challenges that were not expected. That's what adventures are all about!

ad.ven.ture
noun
1. an exciting or very unusual experience.
2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure
3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

So what kind of adventure will you have in the next two weeks? You know this for sure...it will all start with your thinking! Choose today to get excited about the possibilities of this adventure. Choose to believe in your ability to make great choices and stay focused in the next two weeks! Choose to use this down time to journal, set goals and work on your year at a glance calendar! Your thought life will COMPLETELY dictate how you act in the next two weeks...and you are in complete control of your thought life!!! That's adventure!!!

For those of you on FaceBook...post away! Stay connected and support each other. For those of you who are not...email me if you need some support! thehealthyweigh@aol.com

I'm with you on this Northwest Adventure. I've got a little list of things to do in the next two or three days and I've already picked out a scarf for my snow man!  It helps me to know you're there...I hope it helps you to know, I'm here for you as well.

Stay warm..or not.  Be safe.
Always encouraging you,
Letha

I'm Curious

We've got our mood enhancers on board and our motivation at the Top Of Our Mind, so we're ready to keep traveling through the winter of 2014! It was exciting to see all the tickets in the exercise drawing buckets. EXERCISE, the miracle drug, is going to see us through this long, cold winter...and beyond.

We used one of my favorite motivational tools yesterday, a year at a glance calendar.  I've used this tool for years to map out and stay focused on the events and the important things that motivate me to eat well and keep myself at goal weight. I invited all the participants of the Team Challenge to write their names on the date they'll be reaching their goal! Based on a 2.0 pound weight loss, it's powerful to claim that day and then work towards it.

As much as we've set the stage for this team challenge with the food, exercise and the motivational parts of the program, I'm convinced that our problems with food, and the reason we struggle to reach goal weight and keep it off for life, is more about what's eating us, than what we're eating.

I spent time Thursday encouraging my Healthy Weigh friends to "face their stuff instead of stuffing their face." Facing your stuff is difficult, but spending a lifetime overweight, feeling shame and guilt, feeling powerless over food, is worse. When we don't use proper coping skills, we get stuck in the cycle of using food to numb the "pain," then feeling guilt and shame about it.  We lose faith in ourselves and give up. Then we begin again.

What if, instead of judgment about you behavior, you started to become curious about yourself. Judgment is a narrow and dead end kind of place, curiosity is the skill to step back and observe what's going on.  Being curious is how we learn and grow. What if you ask yourself enough questions and become curious about the root cause of why you're eating, then decide to do something about that? Facing your stuff is difficult, but life changing. That's what we're after at The Healthy Weigh.

Our winning teams of the week got a big "WOW" when they were introduced this week!

NOON: Team  "No Names" Joe and Tobey, won with a 2.42 % of weight loss! Great going guys! Now you just need to come up with a team name! :-)

5:30: Team "Baby Got Fat" Tricia and Angie, took the win with a 3.65% of weight loss! These two are currently in first place for the challenge. Great job girls!

7:00: Team "Tiny Hiny's" Janie and Becky, won for the week with a 2.03% of weight loss! Exciting week for you two!

Congratulations to all of you who had such great weight loss this week. There's no question in my mind that this is going to be a record breaking Team Challenge!

Your Challenge for the week:

• Download week # 4 "Coping skills ~ Feeling Your Way Through Life" and do the homework provided.
• Meet us on Saturday at the Kline Line trail for a 9:00 AM walk.(kids an dogs welcome)
• Do 5 indoor/outdoor activities this week.

On this 3rd week of this winter Team Challenge, I am excited to think that curiosity will take over, that our challengers will start asking themselves the hard questions, and they will begin to face their stuff, do the work and build up an arsenal of great coping skills.  They will not only lose a ton of weight, but they'll change their lives for the better...forever.

Until next week, be curious, ask yourself the hard questions and do the work to process the answers.

GO SEAHAWKS!
Always encouraging you,
Letha

Week 3 Team Standings

Team Name	%
Baby Got Fat!	7.64%
Tiny Hiny's	7.18%
The M & M Boys	6.94%
Jiggy 2	6.55%
Repeat Offenders Taking It Off Our Rearenders	6.44%
Good Genes are Hard to Find	6.39%
Waist No More	6.30%
Big Hinnies Revenge	6.28%
Changing Our Weighs	6.20%
Double Chubble	5.96%
Mission Slimpossible	5.78%
Mom & Me Double Chin Free	5.77%
Sisu Sisters	5.77%
Fit Happens	5.66%
We're a Lot Like You	5.52%
The Lean Queens	5.46%
Pound It	5.39%
Slim Sissies	5.25%
2 Tiny Hiny	5.22%
Portion Control Patrol	5.22%
Fat & Fatter	5.16%
Waist Removal Team	5.09%
The Kill-a-Ton	5.08%
Cauliflower Crunchers	5.05%
Two Aleutians Resolution	5.02%
Supervision Required	4.89%
The Crazy Cousins	4.84%
Dwindling Duo	4.81%
The Amazing Racers	4.80%
Get 'Er Done	4.72%
Thicker Than Thin	4.71%
Pair a Thighs Lost	4.65%
Secret Ninjas	4.65%
Vanishing Kysar Rolls	4.65%
A State of Mind	4.54%
Cuttin Curries	4.53%
Wannabe Mini-Me's	4.51%
What Goes Up Must Come Down	4.47%
Winner, Winner We B Thinner	4.45%
No Necks	4.29%
Meltdown Mammas	4.27%
The Weigh We Were	4.26%
The Weight Loss Warriors	4.24%
The No-No Yo-Yo's	4.23%
Hibernate No More	4.19%
Duo of Diminishing Returns	4.12%
Losing In The Rain	4.12%
Thinner Winners	4.11%
Living La Vida Skinnier	4.10%
Shirley We Can Do It	4.01%
Belly Brothers	3.98%
Lido Shuffle	3.96%
Ladies Getting Lean and Loving It	3.88%
The Winter Wonder Women	3.87%
No Name 2	3.80%
Size Matters	3.79%
Snowsuits to Swimsuits	3.78%
Team BFB	3.77%
Procrastinators	3.69%
Special Ops: Weapons of Less Consumption	3.68%
Team Redinger	3.67%
Cowboy Up	3.67%
Eagles Rising	3.64%
Disappearing Act	3.60%
Sisters Slim	3.55%
Mini Sizers	3.51%
27	3.45%
WILMAS	3.44%
Shrinking Violets	3.43%
Big Sis & Little Bro	3.39%
Rinse and Repeat	3.21%
Run Like the Winded	3.19%
Border Control, Eh?	3.19%
Loosen The Weight	3.18%
No Pain No Gains	3.16%
This Is It	3.16%
Team Transformation	3.08%
Literary Losers	3.08%
Weigh Down	3.05%
Females That Finish	3.04%
Down River	2.97%
Transformers, The Next Generation	2.73%
Muscle Power & Cauliflower	2.67%
The Investors	2.58%
These Boots Are Made For Walking	2.56%
Slim Fasties	2.47%
Big "Fat Losers"	2.47%
No Name 1	2.42%
Caution: Dangerous Curves Ahead	2.42%
Dedicated Duo	2.41%
Just Lose Its!!	2.40%
Drop It Like Its Hot	2.36%
Downsizing Divas	2.32%
Team Fifteen	2.29%
We Were Naughty at Christmas That's Why We're Here	2.26%
Slim Slammers	2.11%
Déjà vu	2.06%
The Tubby Terminators	2.02%
Fit 4 Life	1.98%
Healthy Changes	1.93%
Slim to Win	1.91%
The Original Hipsters	1.88%
Alumni Bound	1.87%
Agents of Change	1.82%
Fitso	1.79%
3rd Time is a Charm	1.64%
Babies Got Back Outside	1.54%
Puddle Jumpers	1.37%
Gals Getting to Goal	1.20%
The Tall & The Short of it is, We are here to lose	0.66%
Flight To Freedom	0.58%
Weather Or Not	-0.26%
Goal Girls	-0.43%

TOMA!

TOMA...Top Of Mind Awareness! That's what it takes to keep motivation alive! The kind of motivation that it takes to lose weight and keep it off for life!
We started out our gatherings Thursday, reviewing the importants of the very first step to lasting change...knowing what you want! A great number of our clients did the "homework" and wrote a letter to themselves describing just what they wanted. They also decorated their Team Challenge folders with inspirational pictures, quotes and vision! It was great to see!

I encouraged our team mates to continue creating TOMA (their continued vision of what they want) and put it out in front of them. Motivation needs to be visible and easy to focus on...all the time! We will trade what we want at the moment for what we REALLY want, if we are reminded of what we really want! Our desire to change must be at the Top Of Our Mind! TOMA!

I kicked off the official "Northwest Adventure" part of  this team challenge with our outside and inside exercise challenge! Our participants will have the opportunity to enter into drawings 5 times per week for engaging in indoor and outdoor activities! We are going to reclaim the winter in the Northwest and bundle up!  It's not too dark, too wet, or too cold for this group! Being inspired by the study I've done regarding exercise and the mental benefits, we are not going to hibernate this winter and forego feeling great! I've got great prizes in store for the winners of these special drawings. It's going to be worth working for!

We also introduced our "Healthy get a-Weigh's"! We've got a great list of events from walking to snowshoeing that will give us an opportunity to come together as a group and get healthy! Our first outdoor adventure will be Saturday, Feb. 1st when we walk Klineline trail! I'm looking forward to spending some quality time in the outdoors with this fun group! 

We might have saved the best for last at each gathering as we took the last part of the hour to introduce all the teams (hilarious new names) and hear about the AMAZING weight loss of the first week! WOW! and let me say that backwards...WOW! As a group, we lost 1206 pounds this week! We're off to a great start!

Here were our winning teams of the week!

NOON: Team "Winter Wonder Women" Kristine and Paulette with a 3.66% of weight loss.
5:30: Team "Good Genes Are Hard To Find" Gena and Jenni with a 5.08% of weight loss.
7:00: Team  "Big Hinnies Revenge" Tammy and Holly with a 5.97% of weight loss!

CONGRATULATIONS to all you amazing women!!! What a first week you all had!
Now it's your job to take this challenge's "immunity idol" and decorate them, representing your winning teams! Those umbrellas are surely going to become works of art by the end of this ten week challenge!

Your Challenge For The Week:
1. Create more TOMA! (post posters, quotes, inspiration, goals...etc. at home, work, where ever you need to be reminded of WHAT YOU WANT!) Create a TOMA campaign for your life!!  Put your desires in the Top Of Your Mind!!!
2. Participate in 5 indoor and /or outdoor activities this week. 20 minutes or more counts! Come prepared to place tickets for those activities in a special drawing!

It's January 24th...and TODAY is the first day of our winter...the day we decide to re-claim, re-define, re-establish ourselves for this important winter of 2014!! LET'S DO THIS THING!!!

See you next week...you'll recognize me, I'll be the one glowing with natural mood enhancers increased by the miracle drug...EXERCISE!

Always encouraging you,
Letha

Northwest Adventure - Week 2 Team Standings

Team Name	%
Big Hinnies Revenge	5.97%
Jiggy 2	5.14%
Good Genes are Hard to Find	5.08%
Tiny Hiny's	5.05%
Repeat Offenders Taking It Off Our Rearenders	5.04%
The M & M Boys	4.90%
We're a Lot Like You	4.73%
Waist No More	4.68%
Pound It	4.53%
Double Trouble	4.49%
Mom & Me Double Chin Free	4.47%
The Crazy Cousins	4.42%
Portion Control Patrol	4.36%
Mission Slimpossible	4.32%
Changing Our Ways	4.26%
2 Tiny Hiny	4.16%
Baby Got Fat!	4.14%
Fit Happens	4.03%
What Goes Up Must Come Down	4.02%
The Lean Queens	3.85%
Sisu Sisters	3.83%
Vanishing Kysar Rolls	3.76%
Team Redinger	3.67%
The Winter Wonder Women	3.66%
Waist Removal Team	3.66%
A State of Mind	3.61%
No Necks	3.54%
The No-No Yo-Yo's	3.45%
No Pain No Gains	3.44%
Slim Sissies	3.41%
Get 'Er Done	3.36%
Cauliflower Crunchers	3.34%
Living La Vida Skinnier	3.29%
Thicker Than Thin	3.27%
Disappearing Act	3.22%
The Amazing Rracers	3.22%
Duo of Diminishing Returns	3.18%
Meltdown Mammas	3.16%
Cuttin Curries	3.15%
Two Aleutians Resolution	3.13%
Mini Sizers	3.11%
Team BFB	3.11%
The Kill-a-Ton	3.04%
Supervision Required	2.96%
The Weigh We Were	2.88%
Weigh Down	2.86%
Secret Ninjas	2.85%
Hibernate No More	2.83%
Thinner Winners	2.79%
Shirley We Can Do It	2.78%
Big Sis & Little Bro	2.76%
Cowboy Up	2.74%
Winner, Winner We B Thinner	2.73%
Snowsuits to Swimsuits	2.68%
No Name 2	2.64%
Ladies Getting Lean and Loving It	2.61%
Eagles Rising	2.56%
The Investors	2.54%
Special Ops: Weapons of Less Consumption	2.54%
Down River	2.49%
We Were Naughty at Christmas That's Why We're Here	2.47%
Losing In The Rain	2.43%
Run Like the Winded	2.42%
Size Matters	2.41%
Border Control, Eh?	2.39%
Belly Brothers	2.38%
Rinse and Repeat	2.37%
27	2.36%
Downsizing Divas	2.32%
The Weight Loss Warriors	2.31%
The Tall & The Short of it is, We are here to lose	2.28%
Just Lose Its!!	2.26%
Big "Fat Losers"	2.25%
Literary Loser	2.17%
Lido Shuffle	2.15%
This Is It	2.12%
Sisters Slim	2.10%
Dwindling Duo	2.09%
Muscle Power & Cauliflower	2.06%
Team Transformation	1.97%
Females That Finish	1.95%
Procrastinators	1.93%
Fat & Fatter	1.88%
WILMAS	1.87%
Wannabe Mini-Me's	1.86%
Pair a Theighs Lost	1.82%
Drop It Like Its Hot	1.70%
Slim Fasties	1.68%
The Tubby Terminators	1.59%
Alumni Bound	1.55%
Slim to Win	1.52%
Caution: Dangerous Curves Ahead	1.50%
3rd Time is a Charm	1.49%
Fitso	1.49%
Lean Queens 2	1.39%
Healthy Changes	1.37%
Transformers, The Next Generation	1.22%
Babies Got Back Outside	1.19%
Shrinking Violets	1.08%
Slim Slammers	1.02%
Team Fifteen	0.91%
Dedicated Duo	0.83%
These Boots Are Made For Walking	0.80%
The Original Hipsters	0.78%
Loosen The Weight	0.75%
Agents of Change	0.49%
Puddle Jumpers	0.41%
Flight To Freedom	0.10%
No Name 1	0.00%
Déjà vu	0.00%
Fit 4 Life	0.00%
Goal Girls	0.00%
No Name 3	0.00%
Weather Or Not	-1.74%