Callie Gets Skinny

I fall off the wagon... a lot.

2011-08-10T10:33:00.004-04:00

I am so bad at being consistent with something. I go full-force and do great for a while... and then I slowly taper off.

That's what I'm focusing on this week - being consistent.

If I say I'm doing to do a workout routine, I need to stick with it. For me, even skipping just one day gives me an excuse to skip the next day. I'm tired of being that way!

I'm working out with the trainer at our gym here at work on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, but it's just not enough. It's easy for me to slack on the in-between days and then talk myself out of working out.

I'm committing to add in at least 2 days of exercise at home. I figure, start small and go bigger - eventually I want to be exercising every day in some shape or fashion.

I've found that I really enjoy TurboFire (which I talked about here, remember?) and P90x, so I'm going to try to switch those up and do TurboFire one day and P90x another day.

I need some accountability. I'm not sure quite how to get it. I asked my mom to keep me accountable, but it's easy to blow her off, haha. You think I'd realize that technically I'm keeping myself accountable, because if I'm working out every single day, it's going to show. I guess that one just won't sink in.

Any thoughts or suggestions on how to keep accountable?

Let's talk about tootsies.

2011-08-08T10:42:00.003-04:00

Ahh, feet. Some people love 'em (in a weird way). Some people hate 'em (as in get seriously creeped out by them, which I think is weird, too). Some people just... have them. I fall into the last category. I have feet. Don't care one way or the other about them.

I'm one of those girls that goes barefoot everywhere I'm legally allowed to. Don't get me wrong - I have a serious (and kind of obnoxious) obsession with shoes - but only when I actually HAVE to wear them. If I'm not required to wear them, then I'm barefoot. That's just how I roll.
That being said, going barefoot means my feet don't always look super-pretty. In fact... sometimes they look super-ugly. Sigh. It seems like the only way I can get them nice and soft again is to get a pedicure. Pedicures are a nice treat, but they're expensive!! I only get one every 6 months or so. During the in-between time, I just put up with dry, calloused heels on my feet. Such is life, right?

Uhh, not anymore.

I was sent the Emjoi MicroPedi to try. It looks like this:

Looks pretty intense, right?

It is.

It's VERY intense... in the best way possible.

I used it last week when my feet were looking particularly manly. It's like a pumice stone on crack! You turn it on and it's like putting your feet on a tile cutter (minus the pain). Calloused skin comes flying off! (Sorry. That might be gross. Whatevs.) It took me about 5 minutes to get all the dry, calloused skin off my feet. Afterwards, I felt like I had just gotten a pedicure. My feet felt awesommmmeeeee.

It helps with working out, too! It's just not comfortable to be working hard on calloused feet. Duh. Soft feet? Yep. Feels pretty darn good.

Would I recommend the MicroPedi?

You bet your sweet bippy I would.

Will I be buying one for all of my lady relatives and friends for Christmas (and perhaps a few gentlemen)?

Well, I'm not saying, because some of them read my blog.

Want one? Get yourself one!! Go here!

Summer girls come and summer girls go...

2011-07-06T14:03:00.012-04:00

Okay, this post doesn't really relate to weight loss (other than the fact that I feel pretty confident wearing a bathing suit now... yipee!), but it's about something that's really important to me- sun protection!!

I love the summer. Seriously. I'm a Georgia girl, so I can take the heat... and I love it. I love being able to drive with the windows down whether its 5am or 10pm. I love that when I step outside, there's a chance I could melt within 5 seconds. I love that it's ALWAYS the perfect time for a big ol' glass of sweet iced tea. I love summer.

The one thing I don't love about summer is... sun damage. Yikes! I am really fair and burn incredibly easily. I got sunburned so much growing up that I had to have a cancerous spot on my back removed a few years ago. After that, I realized that sun damage is really serious- and now I take it seriously!I wear SPF 20 on my face EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Even if it's cloudy- because friends, the sun is behind those clouds and can still damage your pretty little faces. For real.

When I'm out in the sun for a long time, I wear SPF 70 and I reapply it about every 45 minutes to an hour. I don't mess around with sunburn!

Here are some of my favorite products for summer- to beat the heat and help keep me lookin' fly: (Sorry. I'm still in LFO's "Summer Girls" mode.)

1. BeautiControl Cell Block CThis is SPF 20 sunscreen. I put it on my face every day- under my makeup if I'm not wearing makeup or just as a great moisturizer. It smells awesome and it WORKS. For real. And it's really light- it's not greasy at all, so I dig it. Won't clog my pores. I can get excited about that! You can buy it here.2. Rosebud Perfume Company's Strawberry Lip Balm

This is my all-time favorite lip balm! My lips tend to get super-dry in the killer Georgia heat, so I have to keep them moisturized. Rosebud's Strawberry Lip Balm is THE BEST. It's cheap, it's effective, it smells awesome, and one little tub will last you for months. Love love love this! You can buy it here.

3. Mystic Tan
Don't judge me! I'm pale. Like... you might mistake me for Casper the Ghost pale. It's not so cute - I'd rather be mistaken for Pocahontas, but it looks like that's not in the cards for me. So I'll settle for a killer summer glow. With Mystic Tan, I know I'm not damaging my skin and that instead of coming out looking like an Oompa Loompa, I come out looking like I spent a few days at the beach. I got a coupon for a free Mystic Tan a few months ago- and I got addicted. Seriously. I now have a monthly membership (only once a month, don't worry). For locations, go here!

And now, my favorite summertime product...

My new sun hat!
(Please disregard the awkward face/pigtails/ginormous sunglasses look. I realize it's not cute, but I was by the pool. Don't judge.)

This sun hat by Scala was sent to me to try. Let me start by saying that I am NOT a hat person. At all. I look ridiculous in hats (as proven by the picture above). However... I am in love with this Scala hat. Not only is that hat SUPER cute, but it has UVA/UVB protection! I spent all this past weekend at a pool (as in- got there at 8, stayed 'til 5:30. ALL day.) and I wore this hat the entire time. It was swelteringly hot, but this hat kept my head and my face cool! It protected it from the sun and I didn't get a single spot of sunburn.

My aunt liked the hat so much that she bought one for herself, and we're looking for a suave gentleman's hat by Scala for my grandad when he works in his yard. He may be 78, but he still likes to look fly. Seriously.

The hat is only $30 and will become your favorite summer purchase, too! If you're interested, you can get one here.

Those are a few of my favorite products for summer. What's your favorite summer go-to product?

2 Foul Words: Working Out.

2011-05-26T07:19:00.010-04:00

Psst... I have an awesome giveaway for you. But you're going to have to wait for the end of this post to find out what it is.

Working out.

When you say those two words, people usually have one of two responses.

"Ooh, working out... I LOVE to work out! It makes me feel great!"

OR

I tend to be in that second group of people.

I've truly just never been a fan of working out. I have to wake up earlier (?!), get moving, get sweaty, and wear myself out. WAY too much effort. I've always hated exercising - I'd try ANYTHING to lose weight before I resorted to exercising.

Once I got into a routine, exercising was... okay. It made me feel better. I saw results. But I still just wasn't a fan.

Until now.

I am of the firm belief that if you find an exercise program you fall in love with, YOU WILL STICK WITH IT. I had just never found anything that I loved. I found a few things that I liked okay, but then I would get bored doing the same old routine over and over again. Some people can do the same thing for the rest of their lives and not get tired of it. I'm envious! I have to switch things up or else you've lost me.

That's why I am crazily in love with TurboFire. Seriously. Watch this, and then realize that it is a total couch potato telling you how much fun it is:

TurboFire is SO. MUCH. FUN. And it's absolutely exhausting. I feel so unbelievably proud of myself when I finish and I am just dripping with sweat. I feel so accomplished! And I'm definitely starting to see a difference in my body already- and I've only been following the schedule for a week!

It comes with a bajillion different workouts, so I'm doing something totally different every day. That's what works for me. It switches it up and gets me excited to see what each day's workout holds!

My energy levels are up. My clothes are fitting better. My weight is dropping. And I feel AMAZING.

My mom has been doing ChaLEAN Extreme- and she loves it. She doesn't care for TurboFire, but she can stick with ChaLEAN Extreme and do it every single day. She's building awesome muscle definition while continuing to lose weight.

Everyone is different. Different workouts work for different people. I'm curious to hear- do you work out? If so, what's your favorite way to get moving? If not, what's holding you back?

I'm offering an AMAZING giveaway for one lucky reader- a free Beachbody workout of your choice!

Beachbody offers TurboFire, ChaLEAN Extreme, P90x, Insanity, Hip Hop Abs, and SO many more!

To Enter:

MANDATORY

1. Visit my Beachbody website and leave a comment telling me which workout program you'd choose and why.

2. Follow me via Google Friend Connect on the right side of my blog.

3. Leave your email address so I can contact you if you win!

EXTRA ENTRIES (leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Share this giveaway on Facebook and tag @CallieGetsSkinny

2. Tweet this: Check out the giveaway @BrightEyesCals is doing- win a free @Beachbody workout program of your choice! http://bit.ly/kzM472

3. Blog about this post and leave me the link.

4. Follow me on Bloglovin'.

I'll pick a winner next Friday, June 3rd. Good luck!!

My delicious secret!

2011-04-18T09:00:00.009-04:00

Okay, today, I've decided to blog about a product that's very near and dear to my heart...

Shakeology!

First of all, let me start by saying, YES, I do sell this. Let me also say that NO, I'm not just blogging about it because I sell it- I'm blogging about it because IT WORKS. I've been selling it for several months but am just now using it consistently and seeing the benefits- that's why I haven't blogged about it before.

So here goes.

Shakeology is a protein shake (I know... by the name, I bet you were expecting something else!). This is more than just a protein shake, though. It's FULL of vitamins and nutrients that you won't find in any other shake. In fact, here's a video to break it down for you (If this video isn't working, you can go here to view it!):

It helps you lose weight, feel energized, improves your digestion and, ahem, "regularity" (let's get real- it helps you poop like you're supposed to. Just sayin'.), and can even help lower your cholesterol.

Plus, it tastes great, not going to lie. I haven't tried the Greenberry flavor yet- that one is coming to me this week and I'll let you know what I think- but the Chocolate flavor is AWESOME! Seriously. They have Shakeology recipe books, but I like the taste straight up. Sometimes I'll throw in a banana and some Better 'n' Peanut Butter, but most of the time I just put in a scoop of Chocolate Shakeology and some water or almond (or coconut) milk and mix 'er up... yum, yum!

Here's my big thing- I'm a snacker. We learned this when I posted about it here a while back. With Shakeology, I have a shake after I exercise in the morning (usually about 6:30-7am). I'm not hungry again until around 12 or 12:30pm!! That's a BIG deal for me... I'm ALWAYS hungry- but not anymore!!

It also seriously gives me a boost of energy. Like I said, I drink mine in the mornings... but the energy lasts all day. I feel AWESOME throughout the entire day! Another cool thing about Beachbody (the company that makes Shakeology)- they have a "Bottom of the Bag Guarantee". If you don't love Shakeology, send it back. Even if there's nothing left in the bag. They'll refund the total amount, minus shipping and handling. So if you get it and decide you hate it, I'll still tell you you're weird, but you can get a total refund for the Shakeology. It's a great way to try it!!

It's not just some weirdo homemade science project protein shake that someone made up, either- it's legit! This is a kind of long video, but it really helps to answer some questions about why Shakeology is doctor recommended. (If this video isn't working, you can go here to view it!)

So what's the catch here?

Here's the thing that stops most people from trying Shakeology - and what kept me from trying it for so long: it's expensive. I'm not going to lie to you and tell you it's cheap, because it's not. If you order one bag, it's $119.95. I mean, dang. That's a lot of money for a protein shake. If you break it down, that's about $4 per serving.

If you do a monthly Home Direct order, it ships automatically to your house once a month. You get some free gifts and you get free shipping... BONUS! That might be worth it to you.

That was still too expensive for me, so I chose to become a Team Beachbody Coach. I get a monthly shipment of Shakeology for $89.95 a month, plus I get discounts on all of the incredible workout programs! Totally worth it for me.

The best thing about Shakeology is the results... seriously. I've been drinking one Shakeology shake a day (for breakfast) and doing the ChaLEAN Extreme workouts for the past two weeks, and I've lost 7 pounds. To me, that's worth it. If you're interested, either contact me or go here to place an order.

Okay, so here's the REALLY fun part...

I'm going to be giving away a one-month supply of Shakeology in Chocolate! Remember- that's a $119.95 value! That way, you can try it for a month. If you see results and love it, consider ordering it. If not, no worries!

Also, if you'd be interested in trying a free sample, let me know and I'd be happy to send you one!

TO ENTER (Be sure to leave me an individual comment for each entry):

1. MANDATORY- follow this blog with Google Friend Connect (on the right-hand side) and leave me a comment telling me why you want to try Shakeology.

2. Follow this blog on BlogLovin' (button at the top right-hand side of my blog).

3. Tweet about this giveaway and tag @BrightEyesCals

4. Facebook about this giveaway and tag @CallieGetsSkinny (be sure to leave me a comment and let me know you've done this).

5. Write a blog entry and link my giveaway!

I'll be picking a winner on April 30th, so you've got until then. Good luck!!

And please, please, PLEASE let me know if you have any questions... I'd love to answer them for you!!

I have fabulous buns.

2011-04-01T11:23:00.008-04:00

Bet that title grabbed your attention.

Okay, maybe my buns aren't fabulous YET- but they will be soon!

How do I know?? Because I'm rocking these out:

Ahh, FitFlops. My true love.

FitFlops are the mother of all toning shoes and flipflops.

They were the first on the scene and they continually make incredible products! I was fortunate enough to get to try a pair of these adorable brown suede FitFlops, which is awesome since I wear brown allll the time. And I also wear flipflops alllll the time- regardless of the weather. True story. (Also true story- I need a pedicure.)

Anyways, I was sent this pair and having been wearing them nonstop all week. Stepping into these babies is like stepping on a fabulously squishy cloud. For real. It feels SO good to walk in them. So. So. Good.

Not only do these make my feet feel fabulous, but they're making my buns pretty fabulous, too - hence the post title. FitFlops have tons of benefits when it comes to wearing them. They:

*help increase leg and bottom muscle activity (up to 30%). (So you feel less ache in your hips and knees!)

*absorb more shock than a normal shoe (up to 22%)

*help realign ground force reaction closer to your joints

Need a picture? Here:

Basically, FitFlops are the ish. They are awesome beyond words. Super comfortable, super beneficial, and even super stylish. I'm jonesing for this pair:

They sell FitFlops at a bunch of retailers (like Macy's, Nordstrom, Zappos, etc.), or you can check out the website here.

Do yourself a favor and buy a pair. No, seriously. Right now. I promise it'll be the best decision you make this week!

For my Gluten-Free buddies...

2011-03-28T09:09:00.007-04:00

Okay, this post goes out to my gluten-free diet friends- but it's not just for them! It's for the rest of you, too!

I know that a lot of y'all have Celiac Disease or have bodies that struggle to process gluten. Sometimes it's hard for you guys to find foods that are gluten-free but still taste good. I tried some gluten-free cookies a few months ago and just about gagged- naaaaasty!!

Fortunately, not all gluten-free cookies are created equally. And I'm here to introduce you to some gluten-free snacks that are incredibly tasty AND good for you- even you people who can eat gluten freely, like me. :)

Kay's Naturals is a line of DELICIOUS low-calorie, high protein, gluten-free snacks. I got to try a whole box of different goodies, and each one was SO tasty!

They have cereals, pretzels, protein chips, and cookies. I tried a bunch of different flavors and, while each one was truly super yummy, my favorites were the Crispy Parmesan Protein Chips, the Jalepeno Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks, and the Honey Almond Cookie Bites. TO DIE FOR.

I had my aunt, who is limiting her gluten intake, try a bunch of snacks, too. Let me assure you, she keeps it real and gives her honest opinion, and she said that she loved the snacks that she tried!

Go check out Kay's Naturals here or find them on Facebook here. If you're a Twitter-er, you can follow them here!

I give these snacks 2 GIANT thumbs up and definitely a 10 out of 10!!

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Okay, ladies, I've got some magic to tell you about.

2011-03-22T07:14:00.003-04:00

Yep, you heard me. MAGIC. And it's going to get a little personal, so gentleman, I'd skip this entry and come back for the next blog post. Just saying.

I HATE sports bras. Really and truly. I am definitely larger up top and to me, wearing a sports bra feels like putting a piece of flimsy fabric on and expecting it to secure the ladies while I exercise. Not a comfortable experience.

I had pretty much resigned myself to either wearing 2 sports bras at once or just giving up and wearing a regular bra to exercise in. Ouch.

Then, I got this little jewel to try out from Lipton Publicity in the mail (don't worry, that's not me in the picture!)...

This is the Marika Magic Uplift Sports Bra.

They're not kidding.

**It's magic!**

This bra is SO super comfortable! It has adjustable hooks on the side so that you get the most comfortable fit for you. It has a DOUBLE-LAYER shelf bra (eliminating the need for 2 bras... ahem). It even has removable pads so that you can choose how much cushioning the ladies need!

And now, on to my very favorite feature.

This bra has CoolMax lining in the front.

Ahhhhh. Yes.

I don't know about y'all, but when I sweat, I feel like I should be putting a ShamWow underneath my boobs. Not kidding. Sports bras totally suffocate that space and make it a little... hmm... toasty there.

This bra? Not so. The CoolMax helps move sweat away from your body and onto the outer surface of the fabric where it can evaporate quickly.

Which translates to... no ShamWow necessary.

I am CRAZY in love with this bra! It's so comfortable and supportive. Definitely my favorite sports bra! While you could find a great sports bra at a specialty store and end up shelling out $60-$100 for it (not kidding, I've checked), the Marika Magic Uplift Sports Bra only costs $32!

I'm sorry, did you hear me? That was THIRTY TWO DOLLARS. Best deal ever!!

And I can testify that these wash and dry really well- they hold up great.

So if you're looking for a new sports bra, I would recommend this above any bra I've ever tried, no joke. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

You can find them in all different colors here. Enjoy!!

I'd be a very Happy Herbivore.

2011-02-25T08:35:00.003-05:00

I am REALLLLLLLY picky about my cookbooks. I mean... seriously. It seems like the cookbooks that have great recipes are really nutritionally bad for me and then the healthy cookbooks have recipes that either taste like cardboard or have ingredients that I'd have to travel to a foreign country to find! Rarely do I find a cookbook that has delicious recipes that are also healthy and cheap to make.

But I found one. Oh, yes. It's here.

I give you...

The Happy Herbivore!

Okay, don't freak out on me because it says Vegan on the cover. Seriously. I almost put the cookbook down when I saw this but decided to gamble on it... and I am SO glad I did!

You would seriously have no idea that these recipes are vegan OR low-fat judging by their taste.

The recipes are:
1. Awesome.
2. Absolutely delicious.
3. Cheap to make.
4. Use easy-to-find ingredients that you probably already have at home.
5. Great for super-tasty leftovers (I'm a leftovers lover).

This is my new staple cookbook! My favorite recipe so far has been the Smoky Black Bean Enchiladas... oh baby. SO so good. And my dad, who refuses to eat tofu in any shape or form, gobbled these down without hesitation!

Lindsey Nixon is the author, and this girl is awesome. She knows her foods! What's really cool is that she started Happy Herbivore recipes in her TINY kitchen in her New York apartment, so these recipes are even friendly for those of you with itty-bitty kitchens. To read more about Lindsey, go here!

If you buy one cookbook for the rest of your life, I'd tell you to buy this one. Not kidding. These recipes are foolproof, easy on your wallet, incredibly healthy, and absolutely delicious.

If you're interested in purchasing a copy (which you definitely should!), go here- they're finally back in stock!

Eating Clean... It just sounds scary.

2011-02-09T07:46:00.011-05:00

Have you heard of Tosca Reno? If not, it's this lady:

Okay, obviously she looks fabulous.

Now, guess hold old she is!

Have you guessed yet?

Are you SURE?

Okay then, I'll tell you... she is...

51 years old!!

While that's not old (seriously. It's not.), this is not how we're used to most women looking at 51. She looks fantastic! And she accredits it to the Eat Clean Diet- which is really not a diet, but a lifestyle change.

Here's an interview with Tosca where she talks about the Eat Clean Diet:

I was sent a copy of The Eat Clean Diet: Recharged to review from Robert Kennedy Publishing and...

I'm going to read through this book and start eating clean. Honestly, as much as I want to lose weight, I really want this to be about eating what's beneficial instead of what's permissible- just like 1 Corinthians 10:23 says, "You say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything is good for us. Again you say, "Everything is permitted." But not everything builds us up."

I eat SO much processed food. Seriously. SO. MUCH. I'm pretty sure that with all the preservatives I'm consuming, my body will be preserved for centuries. (Gross!) And honestly, it zaps my energy, makes me retain water, and doesn't benefit my body at all. It's permissible, but it's definitely not beneficial.

Am I going to miss processed foods? I'd be lying to your face if I said no. But can I do this? Absolutely!

Tosca really makes this simple and clear. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how to eat clean- she breaks it all down for you! The book is filled with AWESOME recipes and meal plans... I really can't wait to get started!!

Go check out Tosca's website for some encouragement and inspiration!

So... who wants to do this with me?

...because I was sent an extra book from Robert Kennedy Publishing. Yep. That's right. Someone gets a free copy of this AWESOME book!!

Can't wait for the contest? Go pick up your copy of Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet: Recharged here!

What do you have to do to enter??

MANDATORY- Leave a comment on my blog telling me why YOU want this book.

For extra entries:

1. Facebook about this contest by tagging me AND @CallieGetsSkinny
2. Tweet about it and tag @BrightEyesCals
3. Refer someone to my blog! When they leave a comment, have them write that you sent them here.

I'll pick a winner on Valentine's Day, so get excited!! This is going to be AWESOME!!

My latest snacking obsession...

2011-02-03T10:42:00.008-05:00

Have you ever found a snack that you've fallen madly and passionately in love with?

...because I just did.

Popchips. Ohhh Popchips.

Who knew that such small, airy chips could bring such pleasure to my palate?

I had heard about Popchips but never tried them. They sounded like rice cakes with a fun name. They are SO not. I would compare tasting them to riding a unicorn bareback on a rainbow. Seriously.

They are DELICIOUS! I love sweets, but I can take them or leave them. It's the salt that I crave! Since starting Weight Watchers, I've really been trying to steer clear of chips. You just never get enough and they're SO high in points! Not Popchips, though. You get an entire single-serving bag for 3 points. THREE. Seriously!

They come in all kinds of different and amazingly magical flavors. My favorite is the Salt and Vinegar chips- I'm salivating as I'm typing this.
This is the flavor I had today:

I got a box of 24 single-serving bags in all different flavors for about $8 on Amazon. Can't beat that!!

Have you tried Popchips? What's your favorite flavor?

What's your favorite healthy snack food- the one that makes your soul sing and your heart leap??

A STORM of Baking!

2011-01-31T09:43:00.009-05:00

So, three guesses as to what I did all weekend. Here's a clue:

Yep. It was a STORM of baking!

I made 2 regular pound cakes, 1 sweet potato pound cake, 2 loaves of homemade whole wheat bread, and an experimental batch of Thin Mint Cupcakes.

This is where it gets really hard for me to resist temptation. I want so badly to taste everything to make sure it tastes good, but once I start... I just can't stop. I want to eat all 24 mini cupcakes instead of just trying one. And let's not even talk about the chocolate ganache that I dipped the cupcakes in... sigh. It led me to the conclusion that...

Cupcakes are EVIL!

Okay, so cupcakes aren't really the evil enemy here- I am! I REALLY had to stop and make myself think this weekend. Everything that went in the mouth had to be calculated into points and written down. That makes me stop and think more than anything else! I don't want to blow all my daily points on a cupcake- it's just not worth it. Plus, I've really been trying to exercise self-control.

In the end, I ended up trying one slice of bread and eating one mini cupcake. Not too bad, right? I didn't feel guilty and beat myself up over it, either- I just calculated the points and added them to my tracker. No sweat.

I don't know about y'all, but self-control is where I struggle the most. I really had to pray for self-control as I was in the kitchen and had lots of tasty treats around me. I kept thinking about "Made to Crave", where Lysa says:

"Jesus sets a beautiful example of breaking this viscous cycle of being consumed by cravings. Jesus had been in a desert, fasting for forty days... And yet, He held strong and
set a powerful example of how to escape the viscous grip of temptation."

That helped me tremendously when I was trying to exercise self-control! I've been hearing more and more that God doesn't want us to just surrender a piece of our lives to Him- He wants all of us. For me, that includes my eating. It includes my discipline to exercise. I want EVERYTHING I do to give Him glory!

What do you do when faced with temptation? How to do resist cravings? What's your tip for exercising self-control??

Progress... Slow, SLOW progress...

2011-01-25T11:43:00.004-05:00

This weight-loss thing is slow. I mean... really slow. But I've definitely seen a change!

The weight on the scale may not always move as much as I'd like it to, but my clothes are fitting better and I'm noticing a lot more energy- I'll take that over numbers moving ANY day!

As I'm getting into the "healthy living" mentality, one thing that has helped me TREMENDOUSLY is reading this book:

Lysa really puts things in their proper perspective. Like I've been learning, it's not about numbers going down on the scale so that I can feel better about the way I look. It's about overcoming my gluttony. It's about surrendering EVERYTHING to Jesus- yes, even that triple chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting. It talks about how some of us crave food more than God- and about how to change that.

I'm not done reading it yet, but this book has already encouraged me in incredible ways. You can buy it here if you're interested.

On another note, I've got some really exciting reviews coming up soon! One of them is going to be from CSN Stores. I did a giveaway for them a little while back- remember? Anyways, as you all know by now, CSN is awesome. If you need ANYTHING- from a laptop messenger bag to a food processor- CSN is where you need to go!

Stay tuned for my reviews. And share some encouragement with me- we all need it!

It's GIVEAWAY time!!

2011-01-24T14:34:00.006-05:00

I know you've missed my giveaways. Don't even TRY to deny it.

This time? I have an epically awesome giveaway that you're going to love.

Are you ready?

Are you SURE you're ready??

I've got a chance for 4 (yes, FOUR) of you to win a pair of prizes from NuNaturals! Remember NuNaturals from this post? Of course you do! They have the AWESOME Stevia products that replace sugar seamlessly- and with no gross bitter aftertaste.

Want to know what the winner gets?

I bet you do.

The winners will each receive a 50-count box of NuStevia packets AND one 2 oz. bottle of the Vanilla Liquid Stevia (my personal favorite)! ... for free!

Okay, so want to know how to win?

I want you to tell me how you're getting healthy this new year. Yep.

So, official ways to enter (and number one is a requirement!). Let me know each time you do something listed- it's an additional entry:

1. Leave me a comment and tell me what you're doing to get healthy in 2011.

2. Come join the Callie Gets Skinny page on Facebook.

3. Create a Facebook post with a link to this contest.

4. Tweet about this contest and tag me, @BrightEyesCals

Be sure to leave your name and email address in your comment so I can contact you if you win!

I'll pick 4 (yep, FOUR) random winners on Friday, 1/28!

I needed some help.

2011-01-18T08:59:00.004-05:00

I finally broke down and realized that I just can't do this on my own.

So I joined Weight Watchers... officially. I go to meetings and have the eTools, too.

And it's already made a HUGE difference! In one week, I lost 4.6 lbs. Not too shabby!

I realized that I needed the accountability and encouragement of other people who are going through the same thing that I'm going through and people who have been there and been successful. And that's what I'm getting.

I now have the tools to make smart choices, track what I'm eating (yep- I track every single morsel that I pop in my mouth), and be responsible.

I'm realizing that gluttony not honoring God, too- which totally changes my mindset. Here are some excellent quotes I've found that have helped me:

"Modern Christians, especially those in the Western world, have generally been found wanting in the area of holiness of body. Gluttony and laziness, for example, were regarded by earlier Christians as sin. Today we may look on these as weaknesses of the will but certainly not sin. We even joke about our overeating and other indulgences instead of crying out to God in confession and repentance."
-Jerry Bridges

"I am not here singling out those who have a so-called “weight problem.” Those of us who can eat what we please without gaining weight may be more guilty of gluttony and indulging the appetites of the body than the person who struggles –often with failure – to control his appetite for food. On the other hand, the overweight person should not excuse his failure. We should all examine ourselves as to whether we eat and drink to the glory of God, recognizing that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit."
-Jerry Bridges

"I believe that gluttony is as much a sin in the sight of God as drunkenness."
-C.H. Spurgeon

"Two mistakes accompany most discussions on gluttony.The first is that it only pertains to those with a less than shapely waistline; the second is that it always involves food. In reality, it can apply to toys, television, entertainment, sex, or relationships. It is about an excess of anything."
-Chris Donato

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
-1 Corinthians 10:31

Survivor: Holiday Edition

2010-12-20T09:36:00.009-05:00

Okay, so I haven't updated since Thanksgiving... and let me tell you, it was no sweat to eat healthy. Yay! I ended up having to go to the doctor shortly after Thanksgiving and they weighed me (eek!)... and I lost 3 lbs.! Yipee!

But now, we're in Christmas territory... and it's dangerous.

I LOVE to cook- seriously. My favorite thing? Baking. And my baking is evil. I make the most delicious and the unhealthiest holiday treats, and then end up eating way more than I should. Yikes.

Luckily, there are some things I've been using to make the holidays easier for me!

The first thing? NuStevia from NuNaturals.

I've used Stevia before as an alternative to sugar. I liked the idea of Stevia because it's way sweeter than sugar, so you only have to use a little bit. It tasted okay, but it always had this really gross bitter taste to it, especially when I used it in baked goods. Sick.

When NuNaturals sent me this huge container of their Stevia Baking Blend, I was hesitant. I didn't want to ruin another batch of cupcakes or cookies by using this. I read the material they sent me on NuStevia- and was kind of surprised to read that NuNaturals puts their Stevia through a unique process to remove the bitter taste. Could it be?! A healthy alternative to sugar that actually tastes good?!

Okay, yes, it tasted good. First test passed. But would it survive in my holiday recipes?

Yep. I used it in these French Toast and Bacon cupcakes with maple buttercream frosting, and they ROCKED. Seriously, you couldn't tell that it was Stevia instead of sugar in this recipe. Sorry to anyone who's reading this who ate one of the cupcakes and feels deceived now (mwahaha).

I am hooked beyond belief. Sugar-free, no funky side effects, no bitter aftertaste, and a container that will last me FOREVER because you only have to use a tiny bit? Yep. I'm sold.

You can buy products from NuNaturals here!

Just for Callie Gets Skinny readers:
Enter in code BLG228 at checkout for an extra 15% off NuNaturals products! By using this code, you'll also get FREE shipping for any orders over $35!
This code will expire 2/28/11

Not sure if you want to place an order? You can always ask for samples- they're GREAT about giving out samples! Just send a self-addressed stamped #10 envelope to:

NuNaturals , Inc.
2220 West 2nd. Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402

The next product I got to try? Svelte protein drinks.

So, I've talked about my fear of gritty, grimy, gross protein drinks before (this p ost, remember?) and my distaste for them. I'm always kind of hesitant before trying a new protein drink, so when these showed up, I took a deep breath before opening them up. Then, I saw the packaging- and c'mon, how could NOT want to drink something that calls you beautiful??

These drinks come in four flavors- Chocolate, French Vanilla, Cappuccino, and Spiced Chai. They're made with soymilk so they're friendly on my tummy. They're also packed with 16 grams of protein (!!) and complex carbs for sustained energy.

AND THEY ARE DELICIOUS!! My favorite flavor was, of course, the Chocolate. I liked that and the French Vanilla cold. I tried the Cappuccino and Spiced Chai cold- not my fave, so I decided to heat them up. Tasty!! It tasted like... well, a cappuccino and a spiced chai latte on all kinds of good protein crack!

They're a little higher in fat than I'm used to, but they're also loaded with fiber and (duh) protein, so it makes for a perfect meal replacement! I had each one for lunch on a different day and truly felt satisfied.

You can pick these up at Whole Foods or you can buy them here.

This next product is definitely the most unique thing I've ever gotten a chance to try. I tried Bach Flower Remedies Emotional Support Kit.

I was expecting CDs or books telling me that it's okay that I'm a fatty or that it's not my fault. Instead, I got three cute little bottles. Hmm.

The first bottle was Crab Apple. The bottle says that this "helps you accept your physical imperfections and feel better about the way you are". I almost chugged it on the spot.

The second bottle was Chestnut Bud. This one"helps you observe your mistakes objectively so you can learn from them and move on".

The third and final bottle was Cherry Plum. This "helps you act rationally and think clearly with a calm and balanced mind when you fear losing control".

The directions said that 2 drops may be taken directly by bottle (which tasted gross, so I don't recommend that) or added to any beverage (definitely the better option here!), and you're supposed to take the drops a minimum of 4 times a day.

I did this for a week, and honestly, I don't know if it was because of the drops or because I knew how the drops were supposed to make me feel, but I was way more conscious of what I was eating. I didn't feel guilty for eating bad things, but made choices not to do it again and just move on. I'm going to give this another go and see what it does! I was pretty impressed.

If you're interested, go check out Bach Flower Remedies.

As Christmas approaches, what are your plans to stay healthy? I've decided not to hang around the kitchen and graze. Also, if I make unhealthy treats (which I'm bound to do), I can eat ONE and then I have to give the rest away.

Have any great healthy recipes to take to parties? Share them here!!

Dressing Done Right

2010-11-23T09:29:00.006-05:00

Did you know that the average American Thanksgiving dinner is 3,000 calories?? Since I'm trying to do 1,200 calories a day, that's OVER TWO DAYS worth of calories for me- in one meal!!

One of my favorite foods at Thanksgiving is the dressing / stuffing (my family makes kind of a combo of the two and mmm, it is tasty)! If done right, there is nothing quite like hot, delicious dressing or stuffing on my plate then in my belly. Unfortunately, the average dressing and/or stuffing run around 350-400 calories and 18-20g of fat (eek!) per CUP! Yikes!

So what on Earth am I going to do on Thursday when my favorite dish is served?? Personally, I'm going to take my own stuffing / dressing. That way, I can feel like I'm indulging without sacrificing.

Here are two great recipes I've found! I'm going to make this first one for my meal on Thursday.

From Gina at http://www.skinnytaste.com/:

Mom's Stuffing, Lightened Up
Per Serving (1/8 of recipe):
Calories: 175.8 • Fat: 3.0 g • Protein: 5.0 g • Carb: 29 g • Fiber: 1.9 g • Points: 3

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) loaf french bread, cut into small cubes
2 slices bacon, minced
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, minced
3 medium stalks celery, minced
8 fresh sage leaves, minced
2/3 cup chopped parsley
salt and fresh pepper
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups fat free chicken broth
1/2 cup water
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large saute pan over medium heat cook bacon for about 2 minutes. Add butter; when melted add onions, celery, parsley, sage, salt and pepper and saute on medium low until soft, about 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool a few minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken broth and egg.

In a large bowl add bread and combine with sauteed vegetables. Add chicken broth and egg mixture and combine well. If stuffing is too dry, add a little water until you have the right consistency.

Spray a casserole with baking spray, add stuffing and bake uncovered 35-40 minutes, or until golden.

The second recipe is from Hungry Girl!

HG's Cran-tastic Apple Cornbread Stuffing
Per Serving (One heaping cup):
Calories: 159 • Fat: 0.5 g • Protein: 5.0 g • Carb: 34 g • Fiber: 3.5 g • Points: 3

Ingredients:

Cornbread
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup canned cream-style corn
1/3 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1/3 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt (like Fage Total 0%)

Stuffing
1 large Fuji apple, cored and chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 tsp. chopped garlic
4 slices light bread
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

To make the cornbread, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Mix well and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine corn, egg substitute, and yogurt.
Whisk thoroughly. Add mixture to the large bowl
and stir until completely mixed.

Pour batter into the loaf pan and bake in the oven for about
25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow cornbread to cool completely. For speedier cooling,
remove it from the pan once slightly cooled.

To make the stuffing, set oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Spray a 13" X 9" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to
medium-high heat on the stove. Add apple, onion, celery, and garlic.
Stirring often, cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Lightly toast bread slices. Meanwhile, chop cranberries
and add to the large bowl. Tear toasted bread into bite-sized
pieces and add to the bowl as well.

Crumble cornbread into pieces and add to the bowl.
Add broth and spices, and gently stir to combine.
Transfer contents to the baking pan.

Bake in the oven until firm, 35 - 40 minutes.
Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Both of these recipes are a tasty AND healthy spin off of traditional stuffing.

What are you going to do for dressing or stuffing this year?

Thanksgiving: A Day for Giving Thanks- Not Pigging Out!!

2010-11-22T07:14:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving Day. The one day a year that Americans look forward to eating more than any other day. Why is that? Why does it seem like all holidays center around food??

Everyone always busts out their best food on Thanksgiving. The amount of food available to most people is ridiculous! So... what's a girl who LOVES to indulge in food to do??

Use self control! I'm going to be making some healthier versions of Thanksgiving classics and I'm also going to exercise big-time self control.

I've been thinking about how I gain weight. I obviously gain weight by eating (duh) and making poor food choices. A lot of times, I either don't think about what I'm eating before stuffing it in my mouth, or I think, "Gee, this is the one time I'll get to eat this- I deserve it!"

The unfortunate thing with that way of thinking is that I probably won't remember whatever it is that I thought I deserved when I gain weight. I'm not going to break a zipper on my pants because they're too small and go, "Oh yeah, this is because of that delicious pumpkin pie I ate. TOTALLY worth it!!"

That means... it's really NOT worth it. My new mantra is "NOTHING tastes as good as thin feels!" While it might seem like a good idea to eat that deep-friend Snickers bar at the time, I'm totally going to regret it (if I even remember it!) in a few weeks time.

This week, I'm going to share some healthy Thanksgiving recipes I've found.

What are your tips and tricks for surviving the post-holiday weight gain??

Fail fail fail. But not for long.

2010-11-17T09:58:00.014-05:00

I feel like a total failure. I tried P90x, but I didn't have the time to commit to it every single day, so I gave up on yet another thing.

Surprise, surprise.

I feel like such a "jumper" sometimes... like I go full-force on an idea and when it doesn't work, I give it up and jump to the next thing. Ugh. SO frustrating.

But I'm in this for the long-haul. Lately, I keep reading that everyone has setbacks in their weight-loss journey... everyone. And you know what? That makes me feel better. I KNOW that I can do this- because it's not me that can do anything. God gives us the strength to accomplish His purposes and plans... so I'm not giving up yet!

This morning, I read a quote by one of my favorite authors, Elisabeth Elliot. She says,

"Discipline, for the Christian, begins with the body. We have only one. It is this body that is the primary material given to us for sacrifice. We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies for ourselves."

I want to have good self-control and discipline so that I can glorify God. That's why I started doing this in the first place, but somehow I lost sight of that. God gave me this body, and I want it to glorify Him, so I need to take care of it and keep it healthy- not for me to look hot and sassy, but to bring glory to Him.

On that note... TODAY IS A NEW DAY! And I'm excited about that. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner, and what better time to practice self-control?? I'm encouraged and pumped and ready to rock!!

**On a positive note, I completed my first 5k- and fell in love with running them. Seriously! I had SO much fun and felt SO accomplished. I'm ready for my next one!**

Okay, since I haven't updated in a while... how about some product reviews and a super-fun giveaway?? Some of these will be health-related, and some will just be for fun, so get ready- I've got a bunch of them!

First... the sometimes-loved-sometimes-hated kitchen scale.

Why do I have a love/hate relationship with my kitchen scale? Because I fear it. I fear that it will create more work for me by me having to weigh my food. But I have surprisingly grown to LOVE it! It really makes keeping track of what I'm eating way easier.

I have the Kalorik Electronic Kitchen Scale. This bad boy looks AWESOME in my kitchen- seriously. It's the coolest looking kitchen scale I've ever seen. And it works like a charm! My favorite feature? It can measure different things and then add them up all together. So if I feel like doing surf and turf and want 6 oz total? I can add 'em up on my scale. Love love love.

This scale is on sale right now for $29.99! It looks awesome, works fabulously, and has sincerely become one of my favorite products. Go here to order!

Next product? Pressure cooker set!

When I got this, I scratched my head. Sure, it looked cool, but... pressure cooking? What on Earth is that?! It looked complicated. Little did I know how much I would fall in love with this set... for real.

I actually read the instruction manual (!) that came with this set and learned quite a lot about pressure cooking. Here's what I learned about it:

What are the Benefits of Pressure Cooking?

•FAST. Saves up to 70% in cooking time! Your favorite recipes can easily be adapted to cook in 1/3 of the time.
•EASY. Just load the ingredients and liquids into the cooker, close the lid, bring to pressure and cook, then release and open the lid. It’s that simple!
•HEALTHY. Because foods are cooked under pressure, up to 50% more vitamins and minerals are retained. Also, shorter cooking times retain more nutritional values of food as well as the natural color. In addition, it cooks without oil.
•SAFE. Fagor Pressure Cookers have three safety valves that permit any possible excess pressure to escape, so the cooking experience is completely secure.
•VERSATILE. All types of foods can be cooked in a pressure cooker – from vegetables, rice, stews, soups, chicken, fish, meat, even desserts.
•ENERGY EFFICIENT. Because pressure cooking reduces cooking times up to 70%, this means a tremendous conservation of energy.
•OFFERS GREAT TASTE. The steam pressure breaks down the fibers in food in a very short time, leaving food moist and succulent, with an intense intermingling of flavors

I have made everything from rotisserie chicken to cake in this baby, and she performs beautifully! The set also washes out easily since nothing sticks to the pots.

I wish I could give everyone a set of these for Christmas. Seriously, it's a little pricey at $150 for the set, but it's one of the best $150 you will ever spend. TOTALLY worth it. And you can buy it from me on Opensky here!

Next would be a really cool gift for any gymrats in your family- or even hikers! This is the GloBag... the coolest gym bag ever invented.

Okay... how can a gym bag possibly be cool? Watch this video, and you'll understand.

I have one and I LOVE it! I take it with me to the gym and even on trips- SUCH great storage in this one bag! Another great thing about the Glo Bag is that it's SUPER durable. I am SO rough on the things I have. I can tear anything up in about a week. I've had this bag for several months and it still looks absolutely brand new- and trust me, I haven't treated it like it's brand new. I am incredibly impressed and definitely recommend these to anyone and everyone!

These sell for $119 and you can buy them from me on OpenSky here!

Okay, now onto non-fitness related but still amazing products!

I came home a few weeks ago and had a package waiting for me. Hmm. I opened it up, and there was an adorable and amazingly soft scarf waiting for me!
This is a scarf from a German company called FRAAS. It's made out of what they call "cashmink" (which is really fun to say, so I would encourage you to find a way to throw that one in a conversation today!), which is basically an acrylic fiber designed to feel just like cashmere but the cost to you is a fraction of what you'd pay for actual cashmere.

Coming from a fabric snob (well, maybe not a snob- I just hate scratchy synthetic fabric)... this seriously feels like cashmere. It feels GREAT! It's SO soft and the thickness is perfect- I could easily wear it year-round. I've worn it several times and gotten lots of compliments!

At around $20-25 on Amazon, this would make an excellent Christmas gift. And don't worry- they sell scarves for men, too!

And now... your review with a giveaway...

Chiquita just came out with their new Frozen Fruit Smoothies. I got the opportunity to try these, so I tasted the Strawberry Banana flavor... oh so tasty!! These come in the frozen section in the grocery store. You just pop them in your blender with some water and ice and, *voila!*, instant smoothie! They are SO tasty -the taste rivals expensive Smoothie stores and for only a fraction of the price- and they come in four AWESOME flavors. You can choose from Peach Mango, Mixed Berry, Banana Colada, and Strawberry Banana.

Because Chiquita wants YOU to get a chance to try how delicious these smoothies are, they're offered a giveaway! Two lucky readers will win one coupon for a free Chiquita Frozen Fruit Smoothie and a cute Chiquita tshirt.

To win? Just leave me a comment telling me which flavor you'd try!

For extra entries, you can Facebook about this contest and let me know OR Twitter about it and tag @BrightEyesCals.

I'll pick a winner on 11/22!! Good luck!!

The P90X Challenge Begins!

2010-10-19T08:18:00.006-04:00

I've stopped blogging because I've gained back weight. It's embarassing. And I can't seem to lose it as easily now... which is ridiculously frustrating! I feel like giving up completely, even though I know I shouldn't.

...so I've decided to take a HUGE step forward.

I'm going to do P90X. And I'm going to blog about it.

Seriously.

I've been thinking about doing it for a while and wondering if I could handle it... but no more wondering. I'm jumping in head first!

There are SO many people who have had SO many incredible results from just 90 days. What's 90 days, really? 3 months. That's it. That's not a long time at all!

I just keep thinking... what have I got to lose from 3 months? Think about it. 90 days of exercising. REALLY intense exercising. Yes, it's a serious commitment. But 90 days of serious commitment? Even the biggest commitmentphobe out there could handle that.

I've also decided to become a Beachbody coach! I think this will really help me to stay motivated. Now, you can sign up to have me be your coach for free! You can also order Beachbody products from me- like P90X, ChaLEAN Extreme, Hip Hop Abs, etc. AND you can get Shakeology from me, too (I'll have to do a separate post on Shakeology- it's so awesome that it deserves a page of its own)!

Check out

http://teambeachbody.com/brighteyescals
and
http://shakeology.com/brighteyescals

I'd LOVE to have you sign up (don't worry, signing up is free, I promise!) - I will encourage you and I could use some encouragement in return, too!

Has anyone done P90x? What has your experience been? Did you enjoy it? Did you see real results? I'd LOVE to hear from you!!

Giveaway for National Coffee Day!

2010-09-29T09:01:00.006-04:00

Today is National Coffee Day. This has to be one of my favorite "national" days... I LOVE coffee. I've tried to give it up many times, but Coffee- I just can't quit you.

Coffee really helps me with my weight loss. If I'm feeling hungry, I go grab a cup of black coffee. It really helps to fill me up so that I don't overeat!

One really cool product that I was sent to try is Fitness Coffee. Fitness Coffee is an all-natural coffee that can help enhance workouts, speed up your metabolism, and help speed up your muscle recovery time. Pretty cool for a cup of coffee, right??

Here's a list of a few of the ingredients in Fitness Coffee along with the benefits they provide:

Yerba Mate - Cancer fighting properties
Licorice - Coating agent; known to help respiratory ailments
Peppermint & Sweet mint - Rich in nutrients like iron, calcium, folate, potassium, tryptophan, magnesium, copper, riboflavin, and omega-3 fatty acids
Cinnamon - digestive aid
Bitter & Sweet Orange - aids in speeding up metabolism
Cardamom - aids in speeding up metabolism

Basically, Fitness Coffee is pretty stinkin' cool. And you know what? It tastes pretty delicious, too! It tastes more like a tea than a coffee to me personally, but it's a really great flavor.

Interested in winning a bag of Fitness Coffee? Well, here's your chance!

To win:

1. Leave me a comment and tell me why you want to try Fitness Coffee

2. Tweet about this giveway and tag me @BrightEyesCals

3. Update your Facebook status to share about this giveaway! Tag me so I'll know.

4. Blog about this giveaway, then come back here and comment and let me know.

I'll be picking a winner on Saturday, so get excited!!

I'm One Saucy Mama

2010-09-27T08:08:00.005-04:00

I've been trying to cook most of my own meals lately. I got into a really bad habit for a while of going out to eat all the time... definitely not good on my wallet OR my body.

Sometimes, I don't feel like coming home from work and having to think of something creative to cook. I'm just not good like that; however, I also don't want to eat a frozen meal every night. Bleh.

So what's a girl to do?

The magnificent Kelly at This Just In sent me a box full (literally- it was a HUGE box full to the brim) of tasty treats from Saucy Mama. Kelly had read my post about me using mustard as a staple condiment and she sent me Chipotle Mustard, Champagne and Honey Mustard (to die for!), and Smoky Garlic Mustard. On top of that, she sent me some delish marinades and sauces to try, including Parmesan Garlic Marinade, Lime Chipotle Marinade, Sweet Onion Marinade, and Hot Wing Sauce.

The first one I used was the Lime Chipotle Marinade. I added it to a recipe for crockpot Ropa Vieja that I had... and oh baby, it was a hit! It was SO tasty! Before, my recipe was kind of blah. Once I put in the Lime Chipotle Marinade and let it cook overnight... mmmm. It gave the beef SO much flavor and helped make it really tender. Definitely a winner in our house!

Next, I tried the Champagne and Honey Mustard on some grilled chicken. OH MY GOODNESS. I have found my new addiction. This stuff is seriously like crack... but mustard.

Okay, the best part? These are generously sized bottles... and they're only $5 for the mustards and $6 for the marinades! You CANNOT beat that for these tasty treats.

I am now officially a Saucy Mama fan... seriously. I'm ordering these from now on.

What do you add to your recipes to give them some flavor? If you could pick a Saucy Mama product to try, what would it be?

Challenges

2010-09-24T08:45:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, this whole losing-weight-getting-healthy thing gets hard. I mean, seriously. It's so much easier to grab something cheap and unhealthy than it is to take the time to prepare meals. It's easier to sleep in rather than getting up at the buttcrack of dawn to exercise. It's easier just to be lazy.

That's what I've reverted back to the past few weeks. I've slept in, eaten whatever I wanted, and stopped working out so much. And you know what? I gained about 5 pounds back!

So no more. It stops TODAY.

Is it a challenge? Yes. But will I rise up to meet that challenge? Absofreakinglutely.

So, here's my new game plan:

1. PREPARE! Preparation is everything for me. If I take a little bit of time on Sunday to prepare my menus and meals for the rest of the week, it's a no-brainer. I can still grab something and run but make sure that I'm grabbing the RIGHT something.

2. WAKE UP! I have been unwilling to drag myself out of bed to exercise in the morning. I tell myself I'll do it that night, but then I put it off saying I'm too tired or it's too late or I have something more important to do. Nope. Not gonna cut it. I'm going to suck it up and get up and go exercise! I've noticed that I actually really miss it. I have way less energy when I don't exercise and my body definitely suffers from the lack of it. No bueno.

3. TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! I can't tell you the last time I had a physical. I think I was in middle school maybe. Yes, it's been that long. So I scheduled myself an appointment for a physical next Friday. Bloodwork, EKG, thyroid ultrasound... the works. If I'm not taking care of myself, this whole getting healthy thing is dumb. And I'm not dumb. So therefore, I'm going to take care of myself.

4. JUST SAY NO! I've noticed that the people around me sometimes make it difficult for me to stick to my guns. I'll hear, "Oh, this one meal isn't going to ruin you- you have to indulge sometimes," or "One day of missing exercise isn't going to kill you." Uhh... that's sabotage, folks, and I'm not buying into it anymore. If you're around me a lot, encourage me! If you see me eating something bad, confront me! If I say I didn't exercise, make me feel guilty about it! I need all the encouargement I can get.

Do you find yourself slacking off a few months into things and letting the pounds creep back like me, or are you a go-all-the-way person? What are some good tips that have helped you??

Winner of the CSN giftcard!!

2010-09-17T13:23:00.004-04:00

Okay, ladies and gents... we have a winner for the $45 CSN giftcard! Congratulations to...

Meggan at A Gracious Heart!

I'll email you the details and you'll get your $45 giftcard to use on whatever you please.

I hope you'll enjoy it!

For everyone else- thank you SO much for your entries! Stay tuned for another giveaway coming (very) soon....

CSN... the bread to my butter.

2010-09-14T12:50:00.008-04:00

I recently discovered a pretty sweet online store. It’s called CSN and it’s a giant store full of everything you could possibly need (well, maybe except toilet paper- although they do have toilet paper holders!) at some seriously reasonable prices. Plus, the customer service? Second to none. For real!

One of my favorite places to go on CSN is the cookware store since I’m spending so much more time in the kitchen preparing healthy meals. They have everything from knives to blenders to dutch ovens! Anything you need = found here. I’ve been really pleased with their selection and their prices.

They also have a fitness store, furniture and home décor store, outdoor store, clothing store… seriously, EVERYTHING! They have products in every single price range and from TONS of different brands, so they’re definitely worth a look. Go check them out here!

Because CSN is so epically amazing, they’re sponsoring a giveaway for YOU, my dearest readers!! This is something to get seriously excited about. Go home, tell your family, tell your friends, because this is epic. So epic... that I'm not going to tell you what you're getting.

Just kidding.

You're entering to win... (imagine The Price is Right music playing)...

A $45 gift card code!

Do you even KNOW how much you could by from CSN with $45? ... a lot. Seriously. If it were me, I'd buy the Salter Electronic Kitchen Scale- it also takes temperature AND has a timer.

What would you get??

To enter this contest, you've got a few ways to enter- each method gets you one entry.

1. Leave me a comment telling me what you'd use your $45 giftcard on!

2. Tweet about this contest- but be sure to tag @Brighteyescals so I can see it!

3. Post this contest as your Facebook status. Make sure you leave me a comment on my blog to let me know you did this.

4. If you have a blog, do a post about this giveaway! Again, be sure to come back here and leave a comment with the link so I can check it out.

I'll pick a random winner on Friday, so get your cute shrinking butts in gear and get on it!!

REALLY cool stuff!! And, of course, a giveway.

2010-09-02T07:28:00.010-04:00

I get to try so much cool stuff! It's amazing the products that people come up with. Seriously. SO cool. Here's a few reviews of some awesome products I've gotten to do lately that I wanted to share with you!

A good night's rest is absolutely essential for good health. If I don't get enough sleep, I won't want to exercise OR eat right the next day. So yes... sleep is pretty vital. And I love sleeping. I do. I'm one of those people who can fall asleep almost anywhere, anytime... except in the car or a plane. Even when I close my eyes, I can still see the changes in light and it always prevents me from falling asleep. Argh! No bueno. I've tried sleep masks before, but they always slip down on my face or start making me really itchy. No, thanks. I'll just sing "The Wheels on the Bus" another 26 times...

When Dream Essentials sent me their Escape sleep mask, I thought, "Oh, great. Another itchy, uncomfortable thing to put on my face to try to get me to sleep." However, when I pulled it out of the bag, it felt different. It was really thick and plush, but the back was silky. Hmm. Intriguing. AND it came with a pair of earplugs and a nice travel carrying case. How fun!

Next time I was on a long car trip, I popped the sleep mask in my purse, thinking I wouldn't get around to using it... until an hour later, when I felt overwhelmingly sleepy. I decided to give it a try, knowing I wouldn't like it... until I woke up two hours later! This mask is EPIC. It's SO soft and comfortable but it doesn't make my face itchy. I am ALWAYS hot, so I usually avoid anything plushy- but this was so breathable, my face didn't even get warm! This mask has an "interior eye chamber" - basically pockets for my eyes so that nothing is putting pressure on them. AND it COMPLETELY blocked out all the light in the car!

I am so super-impressed. I will definitely use this mask for years and years. AND it's washable! It says it requires a cold hand wash... and I accidentally threw mine in the washer. It held up great!! I did lay it flat to dry.

If you're interested, you can get one for $19.95 here.

Okay, this next review? This is one of my favorite products that I've gotten to try! It's a Hydros Water bottle. I'm sure that we've already discussed the fact that I am mildly obsessed with water bottles. I love anything new and fun because it helps me concentrate on getting all of my water for the day. This water bottle? SO cool.

Okay, water bottle. Woohoo. Exciting. Hmm...

...but what if it's a water bottle that has a built in filter to ensure that you have clean, tasty water anywhere??

That's what the Hydros bottle is! It has a filter in the cap. Pour some tapwater in that puppy and it filters it lightning-fast, leaving you with a bottle of filtered water wherever you go. It's an investment- the bottle is $29.99. But think about it... by spending $30 on one water bottle, you never have to buy bottled water again, so really, it'll save you a tremendous amount of money in the long run!

These bottles are so cool. I carry mine around all the time- you never know when you might be parched and faced with a yucky water situation!

Okay, and last, but certainly not least... MASSAGES!

Who doesn't love a good massage? I've only had a professional massage once, but it was like crack- just once and I was addicted. Unfortunately, I have other things to spend my money on, so I can't afford massages- ever. And sometimes I'm sore after running or working out!!

The folks over at Pressure Positive sent me a plethora of self-massagers to try out! I got about 6 different handheld massagers that were all pretty awesome. My favorite one? The Backnobber!

This one is SO cool! I had a knot in the middle of my back that I couldn't get out because I have ridiculously short limbs and can't reach there (really- who can??), so I tried the Backnobber. BAM! Knot reached, knot done away with.

What's really great about it is that it breaks down into two pieces, so you can travel with it. Yeehaw! Definitely a cool tool. You can buy it here for $41.95.

Now, you know the drill by now... it's...
GIVEAWAY TIME!!

For today's giveaway, I'm going to help you relax. Up for grabs, I have an Ergonomic Orbit Massager! It's pretty cool, and it's a $24.95 value!

If you're intersted in winning, here are the ways you can win:

1. Comment. Mandatory. Tell me why you want this!

2. Tweet about it. Be sure to tag me- @BrightEyesCals- and have a link to this post. Then, comment here and let me know you did this!

3. Facebook it! You can tag @CallieGetsSkinny. Be sure to link to this post! Then, comment here and let me know you did this!

I'll pick a winner on Saturday, so get exciteddddd!!!

MEDIUM!!

2010-09-01T10:01:00.003-04:00

I was so excited I had to do a picture post... I wore a size 8 skirt yesterday that I haven't been able to wear in YEARS, and today's skirt is a medium... so I took a picture. Woohoo, visible progress- FINALLY!!

Okay, so let's do this...

June:

Today:

I feel AMAZING. Hooray!!

Getting Spiritually Fit

2010-08-27T14:20:00.002-04:00

Okay, this post has nothing to do with getting physically skinnier, but it has a lot to do with our spiritual health!

I wanted to tell y’all about a ministry opportunity that you can get involved in. Yesterday was Spiritual Focus Day at the North American Mission Board, where I work. We went to Clarkston, GA and did various jobs and chores in apartment complexes to help out the refugees that live there- people from Nepal, Bhutan, Nigeria- at least 28 countries are represented in these apartments. I went and helped build garden beds for one community, and I have never seen people so grateful for something so small. The Gospel was presented to them (we had an interpreter) and just looking in their faces, you could see they were hungry for something more. These people have nothing- they come to America, this “land of opportunity”, with the clothes on their back and nothing more. It was pitiful and heartbreaking to see how they have to live- most unable to find a job because of the language barrier and living in poverty. They literally have NOTHING.

Anyways, these people absolutely stole my heart. I’ve been talking with Bennett Ekandem, who is a NAMB missionary working with these people, and I’m going to be setting up a “shop” for the refugees. I’m going to be collecting donated items- clothing, shoes, cookware, housewares, etc. (basically anything and everything!) and going over to the apartment complex one or two days, depending on how quickly the items go. I’m going to be giving each family a certain number of tickets and they can “buy” items with the tickets (that way no one gets left out).

I would LOVE it if you’d consider helping out! I’m starting to take donations of anything and everything- clothing, shoes, accessories, housewares, cookware, food, money- like I said, anything!! Some of the biggest needs right now are clothing and tennis shoes- the refugee children only have flip-flops to wear to school and it’s going to be turning colder here shortly. If you’re unable to donate, your prayers are even more valuable for this opportunity! Please pray for these refugees in Clarkston – pray for them to find jobs, that their physical needs would be met, but most of all that they would find hope in Christ. I’d also love to have your help when we decide on a day to have the store.

You can either drop off or mail donations to me or send money (I’m not handing out money to anyone- I’d take it to get some much-needed items for the refugees). For more information, feel free to contact me!
calliebrighteyes@gmail.com

Thank you so much for your help!!

I shake my groove thing. A lot.

2010-08-24T18:46:00.002-04:00

So, as we know by now, I'm exercising. A lot. I do my workout circuit twice a week and then run 3-4 times a week.

I'm not one of those people who can hop on a treadmill and just go. I need some stimulation! Some motivation! Basically, I need to get my groove on. Sometimes when I'm running, I think I can't go another minute... and then my favorite upbeat song comes on- you know, the one you've heard a million times but HAVE to listen to when it comes on! If I hear it, I keep running. Music is SO key for me!

I have a million different playlists on my iPod, but my workout playlist is definitely the one that gets listened to the most now (as opposed to a few months ago, where the most listened to playlist was probably audiobooks. Don't judge.). It's so vital for me to have music that gets me pumped and ready to rock.

I like almost every genre there is (except country music- sorry, I just can't stomach it), so my workout music is pretty eclectic. Some of my playlist favorites? Florence and the Machine (the WHOLE album is workout-perfect, but the best song? Kiss With a Fist!), B.O.B, Lady Gaga (what?! She's fun.), a little Kesha, a little Beyonce, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Paramore... and, of course, where would any workout playlist be without some throwback classics like Carole King, Rob Base and DJ E.Z. Rock (c'mon- It Takes Two!), and Paul Revere and the Raiders??

That's just a little peek of what gets my heart pumping and my booty shaking when I'm getting my exercise on.

What are some of your favorite songs/artists to listen to when you work out? Do you listen to music or do you just prefer the quiet??

Winner of the Bondi Band!

2010-08-20T11:34:00.001-04:00

Okay, I randomized my list of entries and the winner of the Bondi Band is...

LEAH!!

Congratulations, Leah! I'll bring your Bondi Band to you at church on Sunday. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine! You'll have to let me know what you think!

Keep checking back for more contests and reviews soon!!

I've still got style, even when I'm sweaty.

2010-08-17T10:40:00.004-04:00

So, as I wrote in an earlier post, I’m training to do my first 5k. I’m honestly shocked- it’s not nearly as difficult as I thought it would be. I’m actually getting excited (*gasp*) about RUNNING, of all things! Of course, keep in mind- my idea of running is a slooow jog. Think about the turtle and the hare… and then slow the turtle down a bit, and you have me. But I’m doing it!

In training, I’m trying to find anything and everything I can to help me out. One REALLY fun product that I’ve gotten to try is the Bondi Band.

I’m not going to lie- I hate feeling like I look gross. I try not to be self-conscious, but I don’t want people to see me running and go “Hey, look at the sweaty chubby girl! She looks nasty.” No thank you. I want to be cute at all times if possible! When I got my hair cut, I decided that cute little side bangs would be just perfect. Well, until I went running. Those bangs were all up in my face, getting gross with sweat and sticking to my forehead making me feel like I looked like Milton from Office Space. Yikes.

That’s where the Bondi Band comes in. The Bondi Band is the cutest little headband that’s designed for exercise! It’s a thick headband, so it holds my bangs back with no problem. The fabric is stretchy and breathable, so when I start working up a sweat, I don’t feel like I need to wring the Bondi Band out every 2 seconds. It keeps me cool and keeps me cute. Definitely a winner!!

My favorite thing about Bondi Bands? They have headbands, hats, neck bands, hats that have a hole for your ponytail OR pigtails (yay! I wear pigtails all the time.), swim caps… everything you can think of! AND… they have the cutest designs ever. Seriously. They have a color and design for every personality out there. My favorite Bondi Band that I wear all the time says “It’s just a hill. Get over it.” It makes me smile every time I put it on!

Because the folks at Bondi Band are so kind, they’re letting me GIVE a Bondi Band away!!

Here are the ways to enter- you can pick one or do them all:

1. Leave me a comment telling me how you’d use a Bondi Band.
2. Post this contest to your Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know.
3. Post this contest to your Twitter and leave me a comment letting me know.

You’ll get an entry for each way you enter!

I’ll pick a winner on Friday… so get going!!

If you can't wait to get your own, you can either visit the Bondi Band website OR you can buy a Bondi Band directly from me at the tab below!

I'm baaaaack!

2010-08-12T17:58:00.008-04:00

I am a bad blogger. Bad, bad blogger. :( It's been a crazy week and I just haven't had the opportunity to update my blog. Don't worry, I'll try not to do that to you again!

Because I've taken an almost 10-day hiatus (eek!), I have lots of exciting things to blog about! So get ready. No, seriously. Go make some popcorn, grab a flavored water, use the bathroom if you need to (you might want to try one of the products I'm going to talk about first!), and settle in that comfy chair... because I'm going to blow your mind. (Or maybe not, but dangit, I'm sure going to try.)

First things first. How am I doing on my weight loss?

Honestly, I hit a serious plateau for a few weeks. I wasn't gaining or losing... I was just... stagnant. Boo. So, I decided to do something kind of crazy and totally not me. I bought a gift certificate on Half Off Depot for a month of weight loss at a doctor's office. Yikes! This included nutritional counseling, weekly weigh-ins, a B12 shot, and a prescription appetite suppressant. Did I feel like I was cheating? Yep. Was I super excited to try it? You bet I was!

I'm halfway through the month and I've lost 6 pounds so far. I think it had it's good and bad. I know that the appetite suppressant = not for me. It made me feel jittery and made my heart race. I also kept forgetting to eat- which is really not an effective (or healthy!) way to lose weight. I don't know that the B12 shot really did anything just by itself. The nutritional counseling was the part that I wasn't so excited about, but ended up being the most beneficial. I learned a lot- like I should eat fruits in the morning and really not past 3pm because of the way our bodies digest fruit. Also, large amounts of soy = not so awesome for women. It stores bellyfat on us! I've also started taking sublingual HCG drops. Go research them... kinda cool!

Anyways, so 2 weeks in and I've lost 6 pounds. Not too shabby! And I'm feeling great and healthy. I'm still exercising at least 3 times a week, if not more. And I'm loving it more every day! No joke. If you're not exercising, you're totally cheating yourself out of an amazing, free, and natural high.

Right now, my total weight is 166 pounds. Yay for me! I never (ever ever) want to see 170 on the scale again.

While I've been... um, not blogging... I've been trying out some pretty stinking cool products, too! Here are some that I think y'all might be interested in.

I just opened my OpenSky store, so you'll be able to buy some of these products directly from me now! Like I said earlier, I'm only selling products that I really believe in. If you have any questions, please ask!!

The first group of products is for all of my yoga lovers out there. I realize that I don't do yoga nearly enough. Even though it's super-relaxing, it's also a really solid workout! Definitely a good way to start or wind down my day. I got a few yoga DVDs from the library and realized that I gave away my yoga mat. Oh no! What was I to do?!

Luckily, the kind folks at Aurorae Yoga Mats sent me some pretty snazzy goodies! I got an AWESOME Hope mat (which, by the way, just happens to be my favorite shade of pink, so every time I use it, I automatically smile) and some pretty cool accessories that I didn't know existed.

This is the color of my awesome mat- and no, that's not me in the picture (I wish!). That's a fit lady from the website.

This mat is awesome! It's really thick for a yoga mat (1/4"!) and is really cushy and comfortable. Even though it's cushy, it's still breathable. When I get my sweat on, I don't feel like the mat is absorbing my glistening beads of exercise juice, which is definitely a plus.

It costs $30, which, by the way, is totally worth it- this is a really high-quality mat and will last forever! You can buy it from ME (yipee!) here!

Aurorae also sent me a Sport Sweat Towel AND a slip-free rosin bag! I opened that package up, scratched my head and said, "Huh?" Turns out... they're both super-awesome. The towel... holy guacamole. Listen, I'm not going to lie. When I work hard, I sweat. It happens. Deal with it. I like to think it's a cute sweat instead of a stinky, gross sweat... but it's still sweat. My hands get ESPECIALLY sweaty (I'm sure my boyfriend is really excited to read about that and hold my hand tomorrow.) when I'm working out and I tend to turn my yoga mat into a Slip'N'Slide. I put this made under my hands when doing yoga... and IT'S LIKE MAGIC! Paired with the slip-free rosin bag (which absorbs sweat without making my hands sticky), it made yoga a cinch. Love love love!!

These items come as a pair and you can buy them for $17 from me. If you're a serious Yogi, you'll definitely want these!!

Okay, since we're talking about yoga, I have to tell you about the coolest socks ever made. Seriously. KushyFoot and MyTagAlongs sent me a box full of amazing things to try out, including a super-cute Vitamin Pod (which is awesome to toss in my gym bag so I don't forget the vitamins as I'm running out the door!) some incredibly comfy low-cut socks (which don't slip when wearing them with tennis shoes!!), the cutest little Flats to Go (which have already rescued my tooties from a very uncomfy pair of shoes to walk in) and ... a very awkward-looking pair of socks. They had the toes cut out! Wha...??

Then I read the label. They're yoga socks! They have grips on the bottom that are supposed to stimulate a barefoot feeling and give you a pretty sweet grip on that yoga mat. So, of course, I tried them out... these are SO cool. Seriously. What the towel did for my hands, these socks did for me feet. No slipping around on my mat and I felt like I got a little foot massage, too! Definitely an awesome product. These are $11.97 a pair. Check me out, sportin' the yoga socks!

The next product I'm going to talk about is a basic exercise tool but is way cool. I'm still finding more and more uses for it! I asked the folks over at Gymnic if they'd send me a stability ball because I've been looking for a good one. I was told that they don't usually do that, but they'd try to find something. Needless to say, I wasn't really expecting anything from them. And then... I got the UPS box. HOLY MOLY. They sent me 5 stability balls and an air pump!! Uhh, generous much?! The balls are all different sizes and colors, too, which is awesome.

These exercise balls are heavy-duty! They're CRAZY sturdy and they're pretty cute, too! I've taken one of the 38" balls with me to work and I use it to sit on instead of a chair. I've been using it for about 3 weeks, and it's AWESOME. It's SO comfortable! My legs were sore the first few days, but I'm used to it now. I don't think I can ever sit in a chair again!

These are great for real exercises, too! Using one instantly amps up my sit-ups, squats, push-ups... everything! I'm addicted!

Gymnic balls really are high-quality- they're the brand that most phyiscal therapists and lots of trainers use, and I totally get why! You can purchase their products here.

Last, but certainly not least... my favorite product that I've gotten to review.

I'm going to get real with you now. I mean... really real. If you get grossed out, you should probably stop reading this now. Just sayin'. But if not... read on! You'll be super-excited!

In my attempt to get in shape, I've been eating fiber like a madwoman. Fiber fiber fiber, everything has to have fiber. With that, it goes without saying (but I'm going to anyways) that I have to poop a lot. I mean, it's just a fact. Input turns into output. Input of lots of fiber turns into lots of output. Lots and lots.

I get embarassed when I have to "go #2". I mean, I try to use a bathroom that no one else uses and make sure no one else is in there. Sometimes, that's just not possible. And it seems like I ALWAYS get walked in on. And I know that the other person knows that I'm sitting a few feet from them, just taking care of business. Not cool.

But honestly, what's a girl to do? Everyone poops. Fact of life. So why is it so embarassing?!

Forget advanced medical technology... You GO Girl! is the life-saving product of the century for me. It's a foam that comes in powder form. You pour it in the toilet before you go and it foams up instantly. The foam dampens sounds, eliminates splash, and reduces odor. Uh, SO cool! No one ever has to know what I'm doing! YIPEE! It's phosphate-free and there aren't any harsh chemicals in it, so it's not going to hurt me (or my septic tank). It's totally biodegradable. And it comes in cute little travel packs so it's totally discreet.

You can get it in a 16-oz canister for $4.99 or get a 3-pack of pouches for $1.99. What a deal!! Totally, totally, totally worth it. Seriously. You can buy them here!

Or, you can try it out for youself. To win a sample, all you have to do is leave me a comment! (US Residents only, please.)

Whew, so that was a lot of blogging. I'm never taking a 10-day hiatus again. EVER. Stay tuned for more updates, tips and tricks, and product reviews with contests!!

Protein that's Whey Amazing! (Yes, I'm corny.)

2010-08-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

Protein Shakes.

That phrase kind of terrifies me… I think about gritty globs of grainy, gross gunk. (Alliteration… ahh, yes. Appropriate.) Seriously, I’ve tried many a protein shake just to be not only disappointed but also really grossed out. Sometimes the flavors these companies come up with… ugh. Have they even tasted them?! Because I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t try to sell that product if they knew how disgusting it tastes.

Another thing that terrifies me about protein shakes is what on Earth I’m putting into my body. Just because it’s a “protein shake” doesn’t mean that it’s good for you. Not only are those shakes packed with protein- they can be loaded with calories and fat, too!

I was a little hesitant but also a little excited when I found out that Designer Whey wanted me to try out and review several of their proteins. I’ve heard so many different things about soy vs. whey protein that I didn’t know what to believe anymore.

Turns out, whey protein is the way to go. Your body digests it faster, which is definitely a plus. Whey protein is also scientifically proven to reduce appetite and increase your metabolism because whey protein supplementation is the most calorically efficient way to increase your protein intake to the levels your body needs (thank you, Designer Whey!).

Yay for Whey!!

Okay, so now I’m sold on whey… but what about the taste? What about the grit?!
I got to try out four different products. Let’s digest them one by one. (Haha, digest… oh, man. Sorry.)

First, I got to try Designer Whey Weight Control powder in Chocolate. Chocolate always makes me nervous. It’s my favorite flavor (I’m SO not a vanilla girl), but somehow protein powders always manage to mess it up. But not Designer Whey!! It was SO delicious, seriously. I was taken aback. I always use soymilk to mix with the protein shake even though it adds extra calories. I was so impressed with the flavor of the Designer Whey Chocolate that I decided to try the unthinkable- yep, I mixed it with good ol’ H20. And you know what? IT WAS STILL DELICIOUS! No grit, no globs, no grainy gross gunk. Just tasty chocolate. This protein is $17.99 for a 12.7 oz canister.

Okay, so chocolate. No problem. But vanilla? Yikes… here we go! I also tried Designer Whey Protein in French Vanilla. Okay, like I said, I am SO not a vanilla girl. It’s just too bland for me. The vanilla protein shake? A different story. I don’t know if it’s because it was FRENCH vanilla (ooh la la!) or what, but this shake was SO tasty. I was truly surprised, especially when I mixed it with just water. Amazing!! The flavor was rich and the consistency was so smooth. This protein is $17.59 for a 12.7 oz canister.

The next products I got to try were Designer Whey’s The Biggest Loser Protein2Go packs. These are SO cool. I always keep little snacks with me at all times, and I’m usually known to have a packet of Crystal Light (or two) on me, too. With the protein pack, I eliminate carrying both things with me. It’s a delicious drink and a super-filling one, too! With 6 grams of protein per packet, I’m set! That’s more protein than the snacks I usually eat! It helps fill me up and stop my hunger cravings. I got to try to the Red Raspberry and the Lemonade flavors. They were both incredibly tasty. I’d have to say my favorite was the Red Raspberry- just because it was something different. The great thing about the Protein2Go packs is that they dissolve seamlessly into a bottle of water. It really does just taste like drinking flavored water. These are $12.99 for a box of 8 – definitely worth it!

I am SO impressed with Designer Whey protein powders. In my opinion, they are leaps and bounds above the rest of the powders out there. They blend perfectly, taste amazing, and help keep me full. I am the BIGGEST fan of Designer Whey!

Plus, the people there are amazing, too. Deanna not only helped me find the products that were best for me, but she sent me multiple emails encouraging me with the weight loss. She even recommend that I go check out Jennifer Rush Jacob’s webpage (www.jenniferrushjacobs.com) which ended up being SUCH an inspiration to me!

Designer Whey, you are my favorite. I will only ever order from you.

Something exciting is ALMOST HERE!!

2010-08-03T06:56:00.000-04:00

I just LOVE to keep people in suspense!! If you've noticed my little posts about how something exciting is coming and if you've seen the little countdown clock to the right of the screen, you may be wondering what on Earth is happening (and you're also super-observant and deserve a gold star).

I am SUPER excited to announce that I will soon be opening an OpenSky store on my blog!

OpenSky is SO cool. It's a brand-new way to order things that I post about without having to click on a million links and buy something from a retailer that you don't know and trust (whereas me, on the other hand, you trust 100%, right??).

With OpenSky, it makes for a much more personalized shopping experience. It's like you're buying the item directly from me. It makes it more personal for you and it helps support me. It's a win-win situation!

This is what OpenSky says about their new way to shop:

We're OpenSky. We're all about the amazing feeling you get when someone you trust hooks you up with something you love. We're bringing humanity back to shopping.

We're making shopping better.

Why?

Because navigating massive websites or fluorescent-lit chain stores can make the most upbeat person feel like a zombie. Plus, we realized that we learn about the stuff we really love from friends, blogs, or experts in magazines or books or on TV. So we thought: What if we could just shop directly from the people we already like and trust? Wouldn't that be better? We thought it might be. So we created OpenSky.

OpenSky is a new way to shop, buy, and sell.

We give anyone with an audience — bloggers, editors, celebrities, social media mavens — the chance to discover amazing products in our ever-growing supplier network and effortlessly sell those products themselves. We take care of the heavy lifting by providing all the support and tools required to make every interaction easy, personal, and fun for everyone starting with the shopper.

The OpenSky platform fuels connection.

We empower suppliers, sellers and shoppers to work together to get the right products to the right people.

I am SO pumped to open up my OpenSky shop on August 10th!! I can't wait to finally be able to let you buy the products I talk about directly from me. And no- I'm not going to offer products that I haven't personally tried and believe in. That's not how I roll. I will only be selling items that I have actually tried out and really love. I don't want you to waste your money and curse my blog. I want you to have the best experience possible!

So make sure to check out my OpenSky store on August 10th! Get some products that you'll really love and help support me.

Get excited!!

Your browser does not support iframes. But you can still visit the Something Exciting is Coming Countdown Clock.

Toning Shoes- Do They REALLY Work??

2010-07-28T08:33:00.000-04:00

I have been intrigued by the idea of toning shoes since Sketchers first introduced their ShapeUps, shoes that are marketed as being able to tone your legs just by wearing them. Could it be?? Could this lazy girl get in shape simply by wearing shoes?!

I got to try 2 different kinds of toning shoes. The first was the Baridi Dove from MBT Footwear.

MBT doesn't market their shoes as toning shoes. Instead, MBT is known as "the anti-shoe". This is why MBT uses this phrase:

MBTs activate and strengthen the small supporting muscles which are the body's "natural shock absorbers". The key to the MBT is the patented sole construction, at the heart of which is the soft Masai Sensor. It is located directly beneath the heel and simulates walking and standing on uneven ground. This creates a natural instability, to which the body responds with small, intuitive, compensatory movements. The midsole, with its integrated balancing area, requires an active and controlled rolling movement with every step. In conjunction with the Masai Sensor, the body's entire musculoskeletal system is activated and exercised, the muscles in the buttocks, stomach and back are strengthened, posture and gait are kept relaxed and upright and stress on the joints and back is relieved. Not only does the anti-shoe increase the fitness levels of its wearer with every step, it also has sustainable health benefits.

Um... awesome? Yep. These shoes are SO comfortable! It feels like I put on some shoes and started walking on cushions, no joke. I wore them around the house at first just to get used to them. The folks at MBT are so wise- they sent a "how to wear your MBTs" instruction guide with the shoes. Awesome- and definitely necessary!! When I started wearing them, I really could tell they were working some muscles that had lain dormant far too long.

At $235, they're on the pricier end of footwear, but I think that these would be a very wise and valuable investment if you have knee or back problems or if you're on your feet all day. They're incredibly well-made shoes and built to last. I am a big fan of MBT and would definitely recommend them!

Next... FitFlops!!

Adam over at Fitness Footwear was kind enough to send me a pair of the FitFlops Oasis to try out.

I love flip flops. Seriously. Next to being barefoot, I'm a flip flops kind of girl. Unfortunately, most flip flops don't have a whole lot of support for my little tootsies. When I slipped these babies on my feet, I fell in love. Not only are they super-cute, they are SUPER comfy!! Yes, please.

These will be my staple flip flops from now on. They're packed with support and feel great!!

I would definitely order them from Fitness Footwear, too. The customer service is unbeatable!!

As far as toning for both of these shoes- okay, folks, really?? You can't just pop on a pair of shoes and expect to get skinny. HOWEVER- I really do believe that these shoes will help an already active person to continue to tone calf muscles and perhaps even get a little booty toning as well. Plus, they're really great for your body, especially if you're on your feet all day.

I give both of these shoes 2 REALLY BIG thumbs up!!

Winner of Herbal Water

2010-07-26T15:13:00.000-04:00

And now, the winner of the prize pack for Ayala's Herbal water is...

Sarah!!

Congrats, ma'am! :) You'll get a bottle of each flavor and a cute little tote bag mailed to you from the company. You'll have to let me know what you think! Enjoy!!

Brown Baggin' It

2010-07-26T08:49:00.000-04:00

My sweet friend Sara asked an excellent question this weekend. She is in dental school and it's an all day thing, so she has to pack a lunch. She's also trying to eat healthy, so PB&J on IronKids bread just won't cut it. She asked for some healthy lunch ideas that weren't just boring old sandwiches. Sometimes it's really hard to pack a healthy lunch! Sandwiches are such a staple that it's hard to get around them, especially if you can't heat up your lunch.

Here are some healthy lunch ideas to spice up your lunchtimes and keep it healthy, too!

I came across an AWESOME blog loaded with Weight Watchers recipes- it's called Skinny Taste and it's recipes created by a lovely lady named Gina. She comes up with the tastiest recipes, and they're all Weight Watchers friendly!

Some of my favorite lunch ideas from her site are the Cilantro Chicken Salad, Shrimp Quesadillas with Tomato Avocado Salsa (although I would substitue the Cabot cheese with a wedge of Laughing Cow Queso to lower the point value), Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese, and the Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps. Definitely go check out her site- SUCH a valuable resource!!

Of course, sometimes you really do just want a stinking sandwich- I know I do (in fact, I have one for lunch today!). Sandwiches are no excuse to be boring and unhealthy, though!! Hungry Girl has some awesome sandwich recipes (like Grilly Girl Cheesy Turkey and Bacon 'wich). If you're running low on ingredients, one of my favorite 2-point lunches is to grab an Arnold's WheatThins (my favorite bread!!) and a one-point Veggie Boca Burger. Dress it up with some tomato, lettuce, and spicy brown mustard and voila! Delicious 2 point lunch.

For my lunches, I tend to eat a LOT of Progresso soups (0 to 1 point!!), veggie burgers, and salads. I also snag Lean Cuisines when those are on sale. Those are high in sodium, but a delish treat once a week!

I also always pack healthy sides for my lunches so that I feel more satisfied. I pack celery, carrots, broccoli, or frozen veggies for a side. For dessert, (yes, I eat dessert after lunch AND dinner. Don't judge me.) I eat frozen fruits (they're so yummy when they're frozen), a Jello Pudding cup, or a Tootsie Pop. Yum!

What are some of your favorite healthy lunches to take to work?

H to the (2 to the) Izzo....

2010-07-23T06:57:00.001-04:00

I love trying water. I think I love it so much because I am so bad at drinking plain water, so finding anything that I think will help me get down enough water for the day? I'm in.

I was sent some Ayala's Herbal Water to try. Herbal Water was created by Dr. Ayala (my new favorite doctor). Here's what the website has to say about her and how Herbal Water was started (pay close attention when they're talking about the additives, artifical ingredients, calories, etc. the water has- I put it in bold):

The Herbal Water story begins in the spring of 2005, in the garden of Dr. Ayala. A passionate cook, trained pediatrician, talented artist and lifelong vegetarian, Dr. Ayala has spent years exploring healthy, tasty ways to feed children and adults.

Seeking an alternative to sugar-laden and artificially flavored beverages, Dr. Ayala created her own blends of herb-infused waters that magically satisfy thirst and restore the spirit. Among her family and friends, Dr. Ayala's herbal waters became famous for their uniquely refreshing tastes and aromas.

Full of flavor yet free of calories, artificial sweeteners, and artificial chemicals, these naturally fragrant beverages evoke happy feelings, like a breeze in a sunny garden.

The growing demand for these tasty herbal waters led Dr. Ayala to bring Ayala's Herbal Water to everyone.

Ayala's Herbal Water is the first nationally available organically certified enhanced flavored water made with all organic ingredients. Each Herbal Water blend is all-natural and sets a new standard for healthy beverages: zero calories, zero artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colors, and zero chemical preservatives. And our water comes from an Artesian Well in Virginia.

Nothing but great taste from pure water, infused with the finest natural herbs from around the world and kept fresh in a beautiful bottle for your enjoyment.

I was incredibly skeptical about the taste of the water when the box first arrived- I got to try one of each of their flavors, including:

Lemongrass Mint Vanilla

Lavender Mint

Lemon Verbena Geranium

Cloves Cardamom Cinnamon

Cinnamon Orange Peel

Ginger Lemon Peel

Uhhh... lavender water? Cloves water? Sketchy!! I was kind of scared to taste these flavors- I mean, I'm not a fan of wandering the yard and eating a geranium, so how was it going to taste??

Amazing. The flavors are INCREDIBLE! They're unlike any flavors I've tried before. I am absolutely hooked on Ayala's Herbal Water.

The flavors are subtle enough to keep from overwhelming my tastebuds, but potent enough that the water doesn't taste like some kind of weird, watered-down fruit drink.

My favorite flavor was the Lavender Mint, although truthfully, there wasn't a flavor I didn't enjoy. My least favorite was probably the Lemon Verbena Geranium just because it tasted a little stronger than the others to me, but it was still delish!

What's really cool is that the Cloves Cardamom Cinnamon flavor helped me stave off my hunger (I briefly mentioned this in my post on snacking). I was having a day where I felt insatiably hungry - I just wanted to eat everything in sight! Trying to be good, I busted open my Cloves Cardamom Cinnamon Herbal Water to drink before having a snack. The flavor was so rich and warm that I honestly didn't want anything to eat after that- the water was enough!

I am SO impressed with this water. It's $24 for a case of 12, so I'll have to save up to splurge, but to me- it is SO worth it! Another cool thing is that when you sign up for Ayala's Herbal Water newsletter, you get $5 off your order. Definitely taking advantage of that!! (You know how I feel about coupons!)

Because the folks over at Ayala's Herbal Water are so generous, they want you to be able to try the water, too! So here is the giveaway for the same thing I got- a sampler case of water (one of each of the 6 flavors) and a cute little reusable tote bag to go with it!

There are a few different ways to enter (also- you have to be a US resident to win this one. Sorry, my sweet Canadian friends!!):

1. Leave me a comment telling me which flavor you'd like to try the most and why.

2. Tweet about this giveaway and be sure to link it to my twitter- @BrightEyesCals

3. Post about this giveaway on Facebook

4. Join the "Callie Gets Skinny" fanpage on Facebook

I'll pick a winner on Monday, so get excited!! This is DEFINITELY something you'll want to try!!

Winner of the RoadID!

2010-07-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

Okay, ladies and gents...

The winner of the RoadID is...

Brooke H. at MyHealthCurves!

Yay, congrats! I'll send you an email to let you know how to get your RoadID for free.

Thanks to everyone for participating!! I'll have yet another contest this week, so stay tuned!

Attack of the Snacks!

2010-07-20T09:50:00.000-04:00

Hi, my name is Callie, and I'm a habitual snacker. (Hi, Callie.)

I belong at SA meetings. Snackers Anonymous. Or not so anonymous, since I'm sharing it with the world. Yep, I'm not afraid to admit it....

I LOVE TO SNACK!

Yep, I'm that girl... the one that always has a purse full of snacks, keeps extra snacks in the car, sneaks treats into movies... if the world were my way, snacks would be available everywhere and for all situations.

Sometimes, it's really difficult for me during the day. I get hungry so much, and then I feel like a failure when I realize I've been eating all day. However... it shouldn't be that way!!

Snacking is totally okay- and even recommended- as long as you're eating the right snacks. We should be eating about every 3 hours- just small things. This tricks our body into thinking it continually has calories to burn. Plus, it helps me fend off the "Oh-my-goodness-I-am-starving-so-I-think-I'll-clean-out-everything-in-my-fridge-by-consuming-it" feeling. (I get that sometimes. Don't judge me.)

A lot of times, I'm really just thirsty but my brain is telling me to eat instead. Before snacking, I always try to drink at least a bottle of water and wait for a few minutes to make sure I'm really hungry. I'm going to do a review later this week on water that helps me cut down on snacking, so stay tuned for that one!!

Here's what I try to do during the day:

6am (or 7am on workout days)- Breakfast

9:30 am- Snack

12:30pm- Lunch

3 pm- Snack

6pm- Dinner

I just make sure that my snacks are low Point foods that have a lot of fiber and/or protein to help keep me full. Some of my favorite snacks are:

Fruits and veggies - a whole, huge, GIANT apple is only 1 Point! Also, I bring a lot of boxed frozen veggies (like GreenGiant Steamers - these are usually $0.50 to free at Publix on sale weeks!) to work- they're easy and quick and super yummy. Just make sure to get plain veggies- no sauce or butter!

Cheese and crackers - I LOVE Laughing Cow Light Spreadable cheese... so delish! Plus, now they make it in a bunch of different flavors, so there's a lot of variety. 1 wedge = 1 Point. I usually spread that over 5 Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers (1 Point). It makes for a super tasty 2 Point snack!

Jerky- Yes, I know this is weird. I love jerky. I can't help it. And a serving is usually only 1 Point!

But my favorite snack?

Soup!! - Progresso makes Light soups that have the Weight Watchers Point values right on the front of the can. Most are either 0 or 1 Point for a GIANT can of soup! Yes, your co-workers may give you strange looks when you bust out a can of Chicken Noodle at 9:30am, but that soup is 1 Point and is SO super filling! I usually have at least 1-2 cans a day. Yum!

What are some of your favorite snacks?

My First 5K... and a contest to go along!!

2010-07-19T08:28:00.000-04:00

I have decided to train for and run my first 5k in November and I am SUPER excited! I work with Dottie, who was sweet enough to send me the 5k info. We're going to be running it together, so it'll be nice to have a running buddy!

The 5k I'm going to be doing is the ZOOMA Women's Run in Braselton. It's November 6th, so I think I've got plenty of time to train. Check it out here!

To train, I'm thinking about using the Couch to 5k program. I've heard that it's pretty awesome and that it makes doing the 5k really simple... I LOVE simple.

Anyone have any good tips for me?

In starting to train, I take safety really seriously. I mean, I've watched WAYYYYY too many episodes of CSI and Criminal Minds to disregard being cautious while running out there on my own (which is sad, but sadly true). Plus, I'm the clumsiest person I know (NOT kidding), so there's always a chance that I could do something accidentally crazy... like trip over a tiny pebble and smack my head on a mailbox and hemmorage out from the brain or something.

The people at RoadID have got my medical safety covered. They make these cute little wristbands with emergency contact info on them. What's great is that the wristbands are SUPER comfy! I got a pink (of course!) interactive RoadID- which means that there's a code and pin number on the back of the plate. When someone calls the number on the front and gives them these codes, they get my medical history, any allergies I have, doctor's name, emergency contact info, and even what kind of insurance I have. AWESOME. It's amazing how a little (super-cute) piece of fabric can give me such a huge peace of mind! Here's mine:

And here's a close-up from the RoadID Website:

So... why wear a RoadID? What's the point? RoadID give an awesome top 10 reasons why you should wear a RoadID:

1. If you can’t speak for yourself, Road ID will speak for you.
2. Road ID enables First Responders to immediately contact family members and friends.
3. Road ID enables family members to provide additional details about your health or give consent for potentially life saving procedures.
4. Road ID enables hospital staff to locate vital medical records.
5. Road ID can communicate medical conditions or allergy information to medical staff.
6. Road ID can prevent serious delays in treatment by saving crucial time during the “golden hour” of medical treatment.
7. It’s far better to have Road ID and not need it than to need Road ID and not have it. It’s not just a piece of gear, it’s peace of mind.
8. Accidents happen far more than you think they do. Each year approximately 450,000 of us are taken to hospitals unconscious and without identification.
9. Road ID looks good on and makes a statement about your athletic lifestyle – not to mention that studies would probably prove that people that wear Road ID are considerably smarter than those that don’t.
10. Road ID can save your Life. Period.

RoadID is giving you a chance to get a free RoadID of your own!!

To enter, leave me a comment tell me a fun quote or saying that you would put on your ID to customize it.

For extra entries, tweet about this giveaway or post it as your Facebook status- but be sure to let me know you did that in the comments!

I'll pick a winner on Wednesday, so get excited!!

Winner of ShaToBu!!

2010-07-16T11:44:00.001-04:00

Alright, ladies and gets... the winner of the ShaToBu Shaper is...

KAREN!

Here's the proof (with the timestamp) from random.org:

There were 16 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1.karen

Timestamp: 2010-07-16 15:43:41 UTC

Congrats, Karen! I'll contact you and we'll get you all taken care of.

Stay tuned for yet another giveaway coming soon!!

Go Support Hillary!

2010-07-14T12:55:00.001-04:00

I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this!

My dear friend Hillary has decided to do something AMAZING... she's just signed up to do walk the Susan Komen 3 Day in October!

Breast Cancer Research is super-important to me. As women, this is something that affects SO many of us that it's crazy! And it's becoming more and more curable because of the research being done.

Hillary is such an inspiration for me to get up, get moving, and do something worthwhile!! Nothing like exercising for a cause. :)

I would LOVE it if y'all would consider supporting Hillary as she does the 3 Day. Chances are, one of us is going to reap the benefits from the research being done one day. Let's support Hillary as she raises awareness and support!

To donate, go here:

https://secure3.convio.net/npt/site/Donation2?idb=2116621488&df_id=2260&FR_ID=1461&PROXY_ID=5273752&PROXY_TYPE=20&2260.donation=form1&JServSessionIdr004=3jqwhf2761.app321b

Something exciting is coming...

2010-07-14T10:47:00.000-04:00

So, as I mentioned a few days ago...

Your browser does not support iframes. But you can still visit the Something Exciting is Coming Countdown Clock.

It's true! Something exciting IS coming.

...BUT... I'm not going to tell you about it quite yet. I'll just let your precious minds keep wondering.

However, to keep your interest- just click on the button and sign up. You'll be eligible to win a prize when the something that's coming finally gets here!!

Get excited, people!!

Product Review and... yep, you guessed it- Giveaway!!

2010-07-13T07:31:00.000-04:00

I have an AMAZING new product review for you this morning, along with a giveaway for one of my lucky readers- so get excited!! This is kind of a big deal.

Sari over at ShāToBu sent me a ShāToBu to try.

Right now, you're probably wondering what on Earth a ShāToBu ("Shape, Tone, Burn") is. Well, by all means, let me explain! It's only the most amazing body shaper EVER! No joke... it's like Spanx on crack. Although, really, there's no comparison....

The ShāToBu is "the workout you wear". It shapes your tummy, tones your muscles, and burns calories- all just by wearing it!

Is that even possible?? Yep, but only the way they do it! The ShāToBu uses resistance band technology- it's like a workout all day. The coolest part? You don't even really feel it! I mean, trust me, I am NOT one to sit here and get excited about working out all. day. long. Not gonna happen. But with this shaper? You don't even notice!!

This is what ShāToBu has to say about it:

ShaToBu is based on the principle of resistance training. This simple, ingenious technology uses seamless resistance bands to make muscles work a little harder during natural movement, like walking or climbing stairs, while remaining comfortable underneath your clothes.

Non-binding, stay-in-place waist and leg bands prevent marking, bulging and rolling.

ShaToBu is made of Nylon and Lycra with overall moisture-wicking properties, and a cotton CoolMax gusset, to keep you cool and comfortable.

Easy enough to wear every day (and even replace underwear), ShaToBu offers a smooth route to a better-looking you!

Here's a video about how ShaToBu works:

Personally, my big thing with wearing shapers is that I get HOT. And really uncomfortable... and yes, I am forever yanking them up throughout the day. Not with the ShāToBu! Seriously. I've worn mine every day for a week now and I constantly forget that I'm wearing it. It makes my clothes look nice and smooth (and makes me look a skinnier... holla!) and it NEVER rolls down or slides up- I haven't had to yank this bad boy up once. Not only that, but it's not hot- even in this scorching Atlanta weather! The first day I wore it, it was one of the hottest days on record (great planning ahead on my part, right?). I thought I was immediately going to have to take it off... but I stayed cool the entire day! I am SO impressed. I'd give this an 11 out of 10 and a million thumbs up!

I LOVE my ShāToBu! I'm wearing the High Waist to Knee shaper and I am so comfortable. I will definitely keep wearing mine- I mean, an 12% increase in calorie burning just wearing a shaper to help me look hotter? ... Yep, I'm down with that. It also washes really well, which is kind of a big deal.

And, because ShāToBu believes so much in this product, they want one of you to have one for free- that's to a $60.00 value! If you don't want to enter the contest, or if you're like me and you absolutely HAVE to have one of these, you can go here to order. Trust me, that is money well spent! It's totally worth it.

TO WIN:

All you have to do to win is comment and share this contest!

1. Leave me a comment on here and tell me why you want to try ShāToBu- and if you think it'll really work or if you're skeptical.

2. Tweet about this contest! Just tweet this: @BrightEyesCals is giving away a ShaToBu on her blog! Go enter to win here: http://ow.ly/2aGTn

OR you can use the "Tweet This" button on the bottom of this post.

3. Make this contest your Facebook status- you can just copy the tweet above and use it.

Make sure you tell me if you tweet or Facebook about my giveaway so that I can give you extra entries.

I'll be picking a winner on Friday, so get excited and go share about this!!

2010-07-12T15:13:00.001-04:00

Get ready... it's true!!

Your browser does not support iframes. But you can still visit the Something Exciting is Coming Countdown Clock.

Winner for HydroClutch!

2010-07-12T07:40:00.001-04:00

And the winner of the GoLite Hydroclutch water bottle is...

MARCY!!

Congrats, Marcy! I'll get your water bottle to you. I hope you enjoy it! You'll have to post on here what you think about it.

Thanks to all who entered!

Stay tuned for a blog post later today... with another giveaway!

3 Reviews in One Post... Ohhhh snap!

2010-07-09T07:10:00.000-04:00

Just to spice things up this morning since I'm feeling rather feisty, I thought it would be super-fun to do THREE reviews all in ONE post. Yes? Yes.

First review... I got my popcorn on.

I'm a popcorn fan, I really am, but I get so tired of PopSecret after my 18th bag. I mean, give me something with a good flavor- other than butter, please. Luckily for me, Popcorn, Indiana sent me a bag of the Smoked Cheddar Cheese Kettlecorn to try. I was a little skeptical. Yes, I love popcorn. Yes, I love cheddar cheese. But cheddar cheese popcorn makes me think of the greasy stuff that comes in those tins at Christmas. Bleh.

I was so delighted when I tried Popcorn, Indiana. It was DELICIOUS and light! It has more points in one serving than if I ate a whole bag of PopSecret, but it was so tasty and that one serving was all I needed, and I'd rather save and splurge for this than eat a million bags of the other stuff. Fo' real.

Popcorn, Indiana also uses 100% real ingredients- none of that artificial junk. I LOVE that! It makes me feel good about what I'm putting into my body.

You can buy this at Whole Foods, WalMart, or even online. SO worth it... so, so worth it. Yum yum!

The next product I was sent to review was Twist flavored water. Yesterday, I said that I was a water bottle connoisseur. I failed to mention that I am also a bottled water connoisseur as well. I love bottled water, especially flavored water. Only problem is, it's REALLY difficult to find a low-calorie flavored water without a bunch of artificial flavoring added.

Twist water to the rescue! I was sent a bunch of different flavors of Twist to try. I got to try out the regular flavored water along with their low-cal sports drinks. Of the regular water, I tried Mandarin White Tea, Wild Strawberry, and Pomegranate Blueberry (my fave!). Each flavor was so unique but SO delicious! What's awesome about this water is that it's not heavily flavored, but it doesn't taste yucky and watered-down, either. It's such a perfect balance. And- no funky aftertaste! It tastes like someone squeezed some fresh fruit juice into water. Deeeeelish.

The sports drinks? Okay, again, I was a little skeptical on this one. I mean, all-natural. Cool. Low calorie. Awesome. Effective?

Yep. This helped me as much if not more than Gatorade, and it didn't make me feel like my exercise was in vain by drinking a sugary drink afterwards. It was light and refreshing but still made me feel replenished. And the flavors were yummmmmmy! Way better than what flavors other sports drinks have to offer.

Twist flavored water and sports drinks = winners. AND I found them at Publix last week- I was SO excited! I'm keeping these stocked in my fridge, seriously.

Last, but most definitely not least... Jack Black products. Yes, I laughed a little when I thought about the actor Jack Black making these- but it's not him. Darn.

I was sent two products to try- Mr. Fix It, which is an antimicrobial wound rinse, and Body Rehab, which is a scrub and muscle soak.

When I was wearing tennis shoes before I got my precious Kigos (see the full review here), I got a wicked huge blister on the backs of my heels. Grosssss. And they hurt! And I could not for the life of me get them to go away. Band-Aids alone just weren't enough.

I was sent Mr. Fix It, so I decided to give that a try on the blisters. At this point, the blisters were SUPER itchy and just weren't going away. I put Mr. Fix It on and let it dry, then put a Band-Aid on top. And you know what? My blisters stopped itching and then DISAPPEARED OVERNIGHT. No joke. It was like a stinking magic trick! It was so cool.

I decided to try it on a cut since I sliced my finger open while cutting an apple for lunch (ahh, the sacrifices I make for healthy snacking...). Again, Mr. Fix It with a Band-Aid on top did the trick! No infection, no scarring... just a healthy-looking finger now! To me, Mr. Fix It has the edge on even Neosporin. It's not goopey like Neosporin and dries quickly, plus it works faster.

Why did it work faster? Because it's antimicrobial instead of antibacterial. Here's what Jack Black has to say about the difference:

Antibacterial vs. Antimicrobial:
Antibacterial wound remedies destroy bacteria and germs by interrupting their growth or stopping their ability to reproduce. The downside is that antibacterials are not always effective against bacterial mutations and can become drug resistant. Silver, however, is an antimicrobial NOT an antibacterial. Silver kills bacteria physically and therefore, will not become drug resistant.

In addition to effectively killing myriad bacteria, Mr. Fix It offers improved aesthetics compared to traditional anti-bacterial ointments, with a non-greasy, non-staining formula.

The PureScience® formula locks in nature’s best - using healing botanicals, vitamins and certified organic ingredients and is formulated without parabens, sulfates, fragrance or colorants. Products are cruelty-free, vegan and dermatologist-tested.

Yes, yes, and yes. So awesome. 1 oz. is $20 and it will last you a looong time. You can order it here!

The second product Jack Black sent me to try was Body Rehab Scrub & Muscle soak.

I am new to working out. I mean... seriously. So a lot of times, I get sore. Very sore. I am also a strong advocate of taking hot baths... even in the summer and even though I'm hot-natured. I know, weird. Whatever.

I was SO excited to try this scrub and soak one day after we did some serious work on our legs in the gym. I was walking like I had ridden a horse bareback for 8 hours straight, and it wasn't really a cute look for me. I added it to my bath but also let some sit on my legs were the muscles hurt the most.

The first thing I noticed? The smell. Ohhhh baby. It smells SO good. It smells like a really expensive spa. I like things that smell expensive. Yes, that's the shallow side of me. I noticed that it warmed up my legs, too. It felt nice, and the scrub part of it was great! I don't know that I noticed a whole lot of muscle-relaxing action going on, but it was definitely a nice soak and scrub that smelled amazing.

You can buy a 14.25 oz jar of this (that'll go a long way) for $35 here.

My FAVORITE Store... ever.

2010-07-08T14:47:00.000-04:00

If you ever ask me where my favorite place to shop is, I will automatically tell you LuLu's. Is it a physical store? Nope. But it's the only place I online shop. Seriously.

The have the stinking CUTEST clothes ever. I adore their dresses- they're great to throw in my gym bag and wear to work after I'm done with my workout. They're so adorable and easy to wear. And the prices? Awesome. Seriously awesome.

Not only does LuLu's have cute dresses... they also have (hands-down, in my opinion) the best accessories a girl could ask for. Shoes. Jewelry. Handbags. You name it, they have it. And it's ALL affordable.

They're also some of the friendliest dadgum people you will ever encounter from an online shopping experience, no joke. One time, they accidentally included someone else's shoes in my order. When I let them know about the shoes to send them back, they arranged for the UPS guy to promptly get the item AND they gave me a giftcard for my "honesty" (I mean- what choice did I have? They were cute, but they were size 8 and I wear a 6!). I LOVE LuLu's.

Because they are so amazingly awesome, they've give you a discount code to use on their already inexpensive garb! When you go to checkout, use FLUFF2FAB (hehe, I love it) for an additional 15% off!

This is DEFINITELY an offer to take advantage of. I'm SO going to use it. In fact, I'm going to use it right now.

The code is valid through August 6th, so get your cute, gradually shrinking tushies over to LuLu's and snag up some awesome buys!

HydroClutch Review and Giveaway

2010-07-08T07:05:00.000-04:00

I suck at drinking enough water. Seriously, I do. Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm always carrying around some kind of water bottle- usually something trendy that I think will inspire me to drink more water. More often than not, I use the water bottle for a week and then revert to my old dehydrating self.

So, when I got the chance to review a water bottle, I jumped at it! The awesome Scott at GoLite was kind enough to send me a HydroClutch water bottle for me to review.

I opened up my package thinking that the HydroClutch would just be a little sleeve for my water bottle... but ohhhh no sir, it's a lot more than that!

First, it comes with a BPA-free 21 oz. water bottle. BPA = bad crap I don't want in my mouth, much less in the rest of my body! It made me feel good to know that GoLite commits to the very best for their customers. I mean, I'm down with that, because I want the best for my money!

The water bottle comes with the cutest little "sleeve" around it. It's a soft, stretchy little sleeve... well, that's how I would describe it. GoLite says it's "highly breathable quick-dry spacer mesh". I guess that does sound a little more impressive. It's got a little velcro handle AND a zip-up pocket.

I took one quick look at that little zip-up pocket and laughed. I have an iPhone and car keys that would eat up a large purse, much less this tiny little pocket, so I scoffed at the thinking that it could hold both items, but decided to give it a try anyways.

Why am I always proven wrong?!

I went on my first "hike" on Monday. I decided to take my new little HydroClutch with me, just to see how it did. I carried a backpack and velcroed the water bottle on the bottom of it. I decided to put my driver's license, keys, and phone in the water bottle. When I first attached it to my backpack, I was terrified that it was going to fall off and my personal belongings would end up somewhere in the bottom of Amicalola Falls... but nope. Not only did the HydroClutch hold all of my crap (seriously- ALL of it.), it stayed secure on my backpack. Impressive!

What's nice is that it's seriously SO light, even filled with water, that I didn't feel like I had any added weight onto my already semi-heavy backpack.

To me, this is now an essential. Seriously. I LOVE this water bottle! When and if it wears out, I'm buying another one. And then another one.

Is the bottle itself fancy-shmancy? Nope. Does it get the job done? Abso-freaking-lutely. With ease!

Aaaaand it's only $9 right now. It's normally $15... and now it's $9. It's a GREAT deal... so you should probably go buy one here. Seriously. You'll be SO glad you did!!

So, because the aforementioned Scott is so awesome, he also sent me an extra HydroClutch water bottle to give away to one of my beautiful and amazing readers!

Yep, that's right... you can win your very own amazingly efficient and wonderful HydroClutch water bottle! Each one of the things listed below will earn you an entry- just be sure to tell me about you doing them in a comment on the blog- otherwise I won't know and then you might cry. And I don't want to make anyone cry.

1.Comment on this post telling me where you would use the HydroClutch

2. Follow me on Twitter (BrightEyesCals) and tweet about the giveaway

3. Fan me on Facebook (Callie Gets Skinny) and post the link to the fan page as your status

I'll pick a winner on Monday! Get excited, because this little bottle is quite amazing.

Better Peanut Butter Cups

2010-07-07T13:06:00.001-04:00

Ahh, the infamous sweet tooth fairy visited me again. Luckily, that heifer doesn't know that I've got some serious tricks up my sleeve for when she attacks!

My latest attempt was Hungry Girl's Peanut Better Cups. I am obsessed with Reese's (especially the eggs at Easter- for some reason they just taste better to me) Peanut Butter Cups. Yummmmm. When you put chocolate and peanut butter together, it usually doesn't get any better than that for me. However, a Big Cup has 5 points. That's a lot of points for one measly piece of candy- that's more than some meals I've been eating!

Of course, Hungry Girl has my back. She came up with a delish alternative to Reese's that I actually prefer over the "real thing" now!

I started off with one 8 oz. container of Cool Whip Free, a jar of Better 'n Peanut Butter (I found this at Whole Foods- you only use 1/3 cup per recipe), and a bottle of Hershey's Sugar-Free Chocolate Syrup (which took some hunting to find, but thank you, Publix, for coming to my rescue).

I mixed up the whole container of the Cool Whip Free and 1/3 cup of the Better 'n Peanut Butter in a big bowl. Note: let the Cool Whip thaw first. I promise, it will be way easier on you. On the other hand, if you want to combine cooking and working out, try mixing a block of frozen Cool Whip with peanut butter. Knock yourself out.

Then, I sprayed a baby muffin pan (okay, a "mini" muffin pan, but it's way more fun to say "baby muffins") with PAM non-stick spray and poured a big spoonful of the mixture in each muffin-hole (haha... that just sounds hilarious to me. Muffin-hole. Say it. You'll laugh...). Then, I just put a teeny-tiny bit of the chocolate syrup on top (at first I tried to do designs with the syrup... then that made me ponder my life and why I'm so lame...) and popped these bad boys in the freezer for about an hour.

And... voila! Peanut Better Cups!

These are only 1/2 point each- Hungry Girl makes giant PB Cups using a regular muffin pan. Me? I like the baby PB Cups. That way I get two for one point... I know it's the same, but mind games work on me!

Don't judge me.

The Yantra Mat- All Hype, or Real Deal?

2010-07-07T06:54:00.000-04:00

Ahh, the Yantra Mat. People at work have been giving me strange looks as they walk by and see this little baby sitting in my chair:

Those little round, white circles? Yeah, they each have about 40 hard plastic spikes on them. There are 8,820 spikes on the whole mat. The little circles look like this:

Think I'm crazy yet?

Okay, so, this starts out with the folks over at Yantra sending me this mat to try out. When I opened it up, I was terrified. I had read a little about it, but I thought that the "spikes" on the mat would be little soft rubbery spikes. Uhh, nope. They are hard, sharp, plastic spikes... and they mean business.

The basis behind the mat is AcuPressure. The mat is said to increase blood circulation. Increased circulation = better for you.

This is what YantraWay has to say about the mat's health benefits:

You don’t need to be interested in yoga or acupressure in order to use the Yantra Mat. Just lie down, and the mat will take care of your rest.

In minutes, you’ll feel warmth along the parts of your body touching the mat – that’s an increase in blood flow, a natural response to acupressure. Improved circulation means lower blood pressure and better nutrient delivery.

Additionally, the Yantra Mat’s 8,820 acupressure points provoke the kind of clarity and focus that usually comes with prolonged meditation or intense physical activity. A more relaxed state further improves circulation.

Not surprisingly, people fall asleep on the Yantra Mat all the time.

Acupressure
The healing art of acupressure has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. Scriptures written over 4,000 years ago describe "nail beds" that were used to heal the body and mind.

Says Wikipedia: “Reviews of acupressure clinical trials have been conducted… according to the protocols of evidence-based medicine; for most conditions they have concluded tremendous effectiveness in well-conducted clinical trials.”

Acupressure may even induce the release of endorphins and oxytocin, the body’s own pain-relieving and happiness hormones. And there is some evidence that it increases metabolism as well.

Needless to say, I was a little apprehensive before trying the mat. I mean, sharp spikes digging into my skin is supposed to relax me and make me feel good?

I feel ashamed for even doubting that it would happen. Seriously.

The first time I sat on the mat, my legs were bare (I was wearing a dress) and it was uncomfortable on my legs for about 5 minutes. Like... really uncomfortable. Not painful, just not something I would choose to sit on again in the future. Then I got used to it. I noticed that the more pressure I put on my back against the mat, the better it felt. I began to relax.

I did follow the suggestions they sent along with the mat and used it different ways. I laid down on it and took deeeeeeeeep breaths for a good 20 minutes one night to get me relaxed for bed, and I definitely almost fell asleep. It felt SO good. SOOOO good. They do have a picture of a girl laying her face on the mat to relax... I haven't been brave enough to try that one yet!

My favorite way to use it is sitting in my chair at work. It relaxes me and feels way better on my back than just the chair.

The mat is $49.00 and you can choose a color and buy it here.

I was definitely incredibly skeptical, but I really like the mat. I'd recommend it, for sure!

Winner!

2010-07-06T09:51:00.000-04:00

Okay, the winner of the week's supply of Coromega is...

Ramona!

Congrats! I'll shoot you an email and let you pick your flavors.

Stay tuned this week for another product review...

Gettin' My Healthy On... 2 new reviews!

2010-07-02T08:27:00.001-04:00

Okay, I have two new fabulous product reviews for you this morning, along with a small giveaway- so get excited!

I don't know about y'all, but I am an admitted Diet Coke addict. Seriously. I feel like I need one to get my morning started... every morning... then one about every 3-4 hours. I have gotten A LOT better- getting down to only having one a day- but I wanted to cut that out, too. However, cutting it out made me insanely sleepy in the mornings! This was pretty much me:

The kind people at EBOOST sent me a sample of their powdered mix to try out. Their claim says:

"EBOOST is a healthy energy drink mix that, when added to water, forms a vitamin rich effervescent supplement that increases energy levels, supports your body's immune system, aids in recovery and electrolyte replacement, and boosts focus and performance."

So, of course, I thought, "Yeah, right. Diet Coke > EBOOST." Obvi, right?

Well, I was mistaken. Sorely mistaken. EBOOST comes in a super-cute little packet (I don't know why I think everything is super-cute, but I definitely do) that looks innocent enough... but looks are deceiving. I added it to my bottle of water in the morning and didn't think twice about it. About 20 minutes after I drank it... I suddenly realized that I wasn't tired. And I didn't get tired the whole workday. Wait... what? It had to be a fluke, right? So I tried it the next day. Same results. I have tried this for about a week and a half and have finally admitted to myself that EBOOST does what it promises. Not only does it give me energy, but I was feeling like I was getting a cold last week. Once I started drinking EBOOST for a few days? No more cold. Seriously. Therefore...

EBOOST > Diet Coke

It comes in two different flavors- orange and pink lemonade. I'm usually more of an orange fan, but I totally loved the pink lemonade! It's a little fizzy and tastes yummy. Go try it out!

The next product I was sent to try out is Coromega. Coromega is a new way to get your Omega-3s, which everyone knows are good for you. There's the fatty acids you find in fish... hence, why people take fish oil.

I am a firm believer in fish oil; however, I hate that I feel like I've just eaten a fishstick for the next 4 hours after taking it. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love eating fish... but I don't love taking a capsule and burping up a fishy taste all morning. Bleh. Yes, I know they make odorless fish oil, but it's more expensive. Not cool.

Coromega is different. It comes in a little packet filled with creamy gel. Weird, right? It comes in different flavors, too. They sent me tropical orange, orange, chocolate orange, and lemon-lime. My favorite? Tropical orange. Yum, yum. None of them taste anything REMOTELY like fish! Here's me taking mine this morning:

Yep, easy as that. AND what's really cool is that taking your Omega-3s like this is actually better for you than taking those yucky fishstick pills! This is what the company has to say:

WHY IT'S BETTER
So what sets us apart? What makes us the best? What makes us the Alpha and Omega of all the Omega-3s out there? Well, now you just got us started…

TASTE! - Our original Coromega comes in a refreshingly delicious, creamy, orange flavor with NO FISHY aftertaste common with fish oil softgels - and for variety we have these other delicious flavors: lemon lime, chocolate orange and peach!

300% BETTER ABSORPTION THAN SOFTGEL CAPSULES – Our patented emulsion process allows Coromega to be absorbed into your bloodstream more efficiently. By taking Coromega you get 300% better absorption of Omega-3 as compared to softgels!
Bioavailability Study

CONVENIENCE - Coromega is packaged in convenient daily-dose pouches, which makes it a squeeze (get it?) to take on-the-go. Drop a pouch in your purse, briefcase, child’s lunchbox, or pocket, and off you go! No refrigeration necessary! Just tear off the top and squeeze Coromega: directly into your mouth, into yogurt, in a smoothie, over your favorite ice cream…the possibilities are endless!

I REALLY like Coromega. I can't tell a difference in my body since I've only been taking it a week, but it's definitely a more effective, convenient, and sincerely tastier way of getting my Omega-3s in. Worth it!!

You can win a 1-week supply of Coromega!

All you have to do is leave me a comment and tell me why you want to try this. It can be as simple as telling me it looks cool, or you can go into a long detailed description and tell me some outlandish story- I'm not going to lie, I love those.

Extra entries- let me know in the comments that you did these:

1. Follow me on Twitter (BrightEyesCals)

2. Join my Fan Page on Facebook

I'll pick a winner on Monday!!

WINNERS of GymSoap!

2010-07-02T08:03:00.001-04:00

Alright... so I have 2 bottles of GymSoap to give away. I took all of your entries (and the extra entries some of you did) and put them on random.org - I want to be fair! - and here are the winners! I'll send y'all an email to contact you.

Winner 1 - Lisa D.

Winner 2 - Christie

Congratulations, ladies!! If you didn't win, don't be discouraged- I'm doing another contest today for another product, and will do a few next week, too!! Be sure to keep checking back.

Delicious Desserts... yum!

2010-07-01T07:04:00.000-04:00

I was sent some coupons from No Pudge fat-free brownies so I could try out the product, and last night, the chocolate craving struck! I picked up 2 boxes of the No Pudge Brownies mix at Trader Joe's. I was pretty skeptical about how fat-free brownies would taste. I mean... really? Hmm.

The box says just to mix the powder with 2/3 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt. Since I bought 2 boxes, I decided to try one with fat-free vanilla yogurt and one with plain, fat-free Greek yogurt to see which one I liked better.

The vanilla yogurt was Trader's Joe's Organic nonfat French Vanilla yogurt.

It does say if you're not going to use vanilla yogurt to just add 1 tsp. of Vanilla extract, so I used nonfat Greek yogurt with the vanilla extract for the second batch.

Using the regular yogurt, it was a little thick to mix up until the very end. Even then, I had trouble pouring it in the pan.

The Greek yogurt was wayyy harder to mix in- I had to add a little more yogurt than the recipe called for and then a teeny tiny bit of water on top of that.

Then, the brownies just had to bake for 30 minutes.

And... voila! The brownies on the left are made with the Greek yogurt and the ones on the right with regular yogurt. To me, the ones with the Greek yogurt had a fudgier consistency and the plain yogurt brownies were more cake-like. I'm all about the fudge, so I am definitely a fan of using Greek yogurt. A little harder to mix, but totally worth it!

The verdict- these brownies are DELICIOUS! Holy moly. I would never be able to tell that they're fat-free- not in a million years, seriously. This is something I will buy and make over and over again. Soooo tasty! And only 1 point each! (Although I cut mine smaller than the recipe called for so I could have 2 for 1 point- hehe.)

Go get some No Pudge Brownie Mix and try for yourself!!

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-In

2010-06-30T08:02:00.000-04:00

Well, prepare to be un-astounded by this week's weigh-in! I have lost...

ONE POUND!

Actually, I'm kind of excited that I lost a pound. To be honest, I surprised I didn't gain after the crap I ate this weekend. I totally learned my lesson, though... crappy food = crappy-feeling Callie. No bueno.

This week, I really want to step up my game. I'm going to try to do better with my water (yep, I've been miserably failing with the water) and really up the fiber intake. I did bring a salad for lunch again today... although I'll have to admit, I'm getting REALLY tired of salad. I try to switch up the veggies I put in it, but knowing that it's still a salad kinda discourages me from eating it. Boo.

I'm also exercising EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. now instead of 3-4 times a week. Every day. No exceptions. I'm going on my first hike this Saturday... pretty stoked about that, although it is going to be HOT!

Anyone have any tips for me on ways to do better this week?

Gym Reviews and Giveaway!!

2010-06-29T06:56:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday... I feel like it's time to do some product reviews and, perhaps if you're nice, a giveaway for my lovely readers.

I was sent a Gymboss last week. The Gymboss is a teeny tiny little interval trainer. As you can see in the picture, it's little- I mean, my hands are little and look how tiny it is compared to them! You can set two different timers and let them guide your workout times.

This was awesome for me because I try to do a workout a circuit on my own two times a week, and it's super-hard to watch the clock while you're getting your sweat on. The Gymboss clips to your shorts or tshirt and lets you know when to switch it up. What's great about it is that you can set a high beep, low beep, or have it vibrate- great if you're at a noisy gym and you can't hear the beep!

Another great thing about it is that it's SO easy to use. It has 3 buttons. Seriously. How can you not figure it out when it only has 3 buttons? Plus, it comes with easy-to-use instructions.

At first, I thought the Gymboss would be okay- just another silly little electronic device. But now I'm kind of hooked. It really makes interval traning WAYYYY easier for me- definitely something that I will continue to use. Plus, at only $19.95, it's definitely the cheapest route!

Check out http://www.gymboss.com/ to order one- you can even get a super cute pink cover for it!

And now, my next review...

GymSoap! (Can you tell I'm on a roll with items that have the word "gym" in them?)

GymSoap sent me a bottle of... well, GymSoap to try. This is antibacterial and antifungal body wash designed for your post-workout shower.

Until I visited their website, I had no idea how nasty gyms really are. I mean, obviously people are sweaty, but I definitely didn't think about how that affected me. I had no idea that you could pick up the flu, Athlete's Foot, Ringworm, or even Staph from the gym... GROSS! That made me feel so nasty... especially because I went to work out right after reading that!

Honestly, I was pretty excited to try GymSoap when it arrived at my door. I took it to the gym with me the next morning... and it hasn't left my bag since! The first thing I noticed was the smell. Ohmygoodness it smells SO good and just... clean. Definitely a unisex smell- not flowery or perfume-y at all. I smelled something familiar so I took a look at the ingredients- it was Tea Tree Oil! That's one of my favorite smells in the world. Plus, that made me wonder if I could use it on my face and cut down some space in my shower caddy- and yep, I can and I did! I have really sensitive skin, so I was a little worried about using this on my face; however, it worked great and my skin is actually clearing up from using it!

I felt squeaky-clean after hopping out of the shower- but not dried out like a lot of antibacterial soaps leave you. Embarassing fact- I have psoriasis, so my skin is dry enough without any help. I was SO impressed that GymSoap left me feeling clean AND moisturized!

Needless to say, I am definitely a fan and believer in GymSoap. This is a product that I will continue to order for myself long after my bottle is gone (especially since I'm using it at home, too- not just at the gym). I feel like it's a necessity now and something that I will never go without.

**NOW CLOSED**

The lovely Shana with GymSoap was kind enough to send me two extra bottles as a giveaway for y'all!

If you're interested in winning a bottle, leave me a comment below telling me why you want to try a bottle. Remember- if you're not a registered blogger, leave me your name and email address so I can contact you if you win!

Extra entries - be sure to leave me a comment telling me you're doing these!

1. Follow me on Twitter- BrightEyesCals

2. Fan my page on Facebook - Callie Gets Skinny

I'll pick a winner on Friday!

Guilty Guilty Guilty

2010-06-28T11:46:00.001-04:00

So, whenever I'm feeling guilty, I apparently don't blog... because I don't want y'all to know!

I had a badddd weekend, food-wise (everything other than food, it was terrific). Jeff and I went to a rehearsal dinner and a wedding and I went crazy! The rehearsal dinner was at a traditional Chinese restaurant and there were 11 courses. ELEVEN. No joke. It was super-intense... and delicious. Did I have each course? You bet. You're only supposed to take a bite or two of each course, so I did that at first... until the shrimp, scallops, lobster, fried stuffed crab legs, and overall delicious fatty foods came spinning along that lazy susan at me. I went nuts- you'd think I'd never eaten before!

Then... the wedding reception. Ohhh man. Lots of creamy pasta with cheese, bread, and meat. Delicious, but I ate entirely too much! (But no cake. Small victory!)

I really just overdid it this weekend and felt SO guilty. Honestly, when I stepped on the scales this morning (just to check), I was dreading it... and I didn't gain anything. The guilt alone (well, and the serious upset stomach that accompanied it) was enough to never make me not want to do that again, though.

I feel so much better - mentally and physically- on days when I exercise and eat right. Kinda makes me wonder why I don't do that every day... hmm. ("Duh, Callie" moment.)

I think a splurge every now and then is okay- as long as it's just one meal and it's not an all-you-can-eat-stuff-your-face-until-you-explode kind of deal. I just need to learn moderation!!

How did your weekend go- did you stay on track? Are weekends harder for you than weekdays?

$4 AMC Movie tickets

2010-06-25T13:03:00.000-04:00

Psst... there's a lil' blue button to the right. Nope, over a little more... there it is.

$4 for an AMC movie ticket. These are normally $10.50. If have completed first grade, you will know that this saves you $6.50. HOLY MOLY.

You should probably purchase one.

Morning Snack

2010-06-25T10:23:00.000-04:00

Morning Snack = as much celery as I can handle, 1 wedge The Laughing Cow lite cheese spread, spicy brown mustard on whatever celery is left.

I felt like playing with my celery before ingesting it.

It's kinda been one of those mornings... don't judge me.

Kigo Product Review

2010-06-25T07:22:00.000-04:00

I like to go barefoot. Really, I do. If they'd let me go barefoot everywhere instead of wearing shoes, I would be one happy camper (minus the calluses, potential glass on the ground, etc). Unfortunately, most places DO require shoes, so I'm flat out of luck.

Until now.

The lovely Rachelle at Kigo Footwear was kind enough to send me a pair of adorable Kigo shoes in my size for me to review. These are minimalist shoes which are supposed to be almost like going barefoot. She sent me the Star style in orange and black ($49.99). These shoes are super lightweight (5 oz!) and the coolest part- you can fold them in half and clip them together for easy storage. To me, this feature is awesome for my gym bag- they take up NO room at all. There are four styles for you to choose from, available in men's and women's sizes. They do recommend that you go half a size up from your normal shoe size as they are made to fit snugly around your feet.

They're machine washable, too! This is great since I've been using them to work out in. I have "glistening" feet (Southern girls don't sweat, thank you very much) and these made my feet feel cool and comfortable. After my workout, I threw them in my washer on the gentle cycle with no soap, and they came out perfectly!

Kigo shoes are also eco-friendly, which definitely attracts me to the brand. I'm trying to become more conscious of the environment so it made me have a warm fuzzy feeling to wear these shoes. Here's what they're made up of:

The shoes and packaging are built with post-consumer products, EPA approved treatments, and even biodegradable elements, including:

Upper made from post-consumer CYCLEPET (textile made from recycled plastic jugs)

Lining made from recycled nylon

Removable, contoured EVA insole

EPA approved water+stain resistance (Daikin America c6)

Minimal packaging made of recycled corrugate

"Dirty shoe" bag made of biodegradable cornstarch

When these shoes arrived, I'm not going to lie... I thought, "Uh... how on Earth is my little chunky foot supposed to fit into these??" Luckily, Kigo already thought of that. The shoes come with a little instruction sheet about how to get them on since the strap on the top doesn't come undone. The first time I put them on, it took me a good 5 minutes of wrestling with the shoe. After the initial time... it was a breeze. Now I can slip them on and off whenever I want.

Granted, they do look a teeny tiny bit like elf shoes... the hook on the toe (for when you fold those puppies in half!) curls up a little bit, so I felt like Rumplestiltskin at first, but then I just stopped caring. Now I think they're kinda cute and sassy!

So let's talk about the comfort level, shall we? (This is my favorite part!)

These are honestly the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn in my life, no joke. I have really put them to the test this week! I've worn them as regular shoes just out and about, worn them at work, worn them to the gym, and worn them on a 4 mile walk (which was uphill most of the time). I don't think I ever want to wear another pair of shoes again- I would superglue these to my feet if I could. They feel amazing on my feet! They really make my whole body feel better when I wear them.

I would definitely give these a 5 out of 5 on the Skinny-Callie-o-meter!

Go check them out. At $49.99 a pair, it is SO worth it- these are now my favorite shoes and definitely shoes that I will wear forever. I love my Kigos!!

AWESOME offer for my readers!

2010-06-24T21:07:00.000-04:00

Okay, the lovely ladies at Puttin' on the Bliss have a special offer for the first 20 of you who take them up on it.

Puttin' on the Bliss is a line of super-cute undies and clothes. The undies are day-of-the-week undies- kind of reminds me of third grade, but in a totally grown-up way. They're all different colors of the rainbow so you can pick what color suits you for the day. Super fun!!

They also have really cute little tees that say "Puttin' on the Bliss"... which makes any workout a happier one.

So, because they love y'all, the ladies at Puttin' on the Bliss have offered 40% any orders from their website when you use the coupon code fitbliss. Only the first 20 people to use this coupon code get it, so head on over to Puttin' on the Bliss and pick out something cute- for 40%!!

Salad Weeks

2010-06-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

I have officially declared this week and next week "Lunchtime Salad Weeks"! I've been doing a lot of Lean Cuisine meals for lunch and I don't think I've been getting enough roughage (aaaand I just sounded like my mom. "Roughage". Really, Callie?...) in my diet, so I'm doing salads for lunch.

This week, I have made the most ginormous zero-point salads on the face of the earth. No joke, my salad from Tuesday took me 2 hours to eat. 2 HOURS. I've just been using spinach, raw veggies- squash, broccoli, bell peppers, a few tomatoes- and spicy brown mustard. If I'm feeling really fiesty, I'll throw a 1-point Boca Burger in the mix- chop it up and add it to my salad. Dangerous, I know. And you know what?

IT'S YUMMY AND FILLING!

Let me say that I am NOT one of those girls... you know, the girl who goes to a restaurant and asks for the small side salad with just lettuce and no dressing. Nope. I don't play that game. I'm the girl that orders a double cheeseburger with large fries and thinks about getting that side of onion rings, too, but is afraid my waiter will judge me for it (and then sometimes I'd do it anyways). Oh, and don't forget the *Diet* Coke... you know, all 4 large glasses of it.

However... I have really found that the right ingredients can be really delish and filling in my salads! One thing about salads is that you have to be SO careful what you put in it.

One of my aquaintances would continually brag about how she always ate a salad when she went out. Yeah, well, she ate the salad with fried chicken, bacon, croutons, cheese, and creamy dressing. Some of those are actually the worst things on the menu you can order!

Ingredients are key. Spinach is a great option! Romaine is good, too. That other really light green, watery lettuce? No bueno. It's like eating... water. No fiber and does nothing good for your body.

For me, the more colorful it is, the better it tastes! I like to use all kinds of different zero-point veggies! Broccoli, red, yellow, green bell peppers, tomatoes (I use less of the tomatoes since they're higher in natural sugar), cauliflower, squash, zucchini... the possibilities are endless.

And the spicy brown mustard? YUM! It gives my salad a little kick without having to drench it in dressing. Perfect!

What are some of your favorite ways to eat salad? How do you modify your salads to make them healthier?

Most inspiring website

2010-06-23T15:24:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm not going to lie, I was feeling a smidge discouraged this afternoon. I mean, up one pound? Yuck.

I've been contacting companies to do some product reviews for y'all, and the amazing Deanna from Designer Whey (go check out their products- they are the most awesome company! Product review to come...) sent me the link to Jennifer Rush Jacob's website.

This woman is truly inspiring. Go read her story and all about her team and the progress she's making. I will have to say, I feel incredibly encouraged and ready to rock after reading all about her struggles and accomplishments. What an amazing woman! It made me realize that I can do it, too. So go check it out!

Wednesday Weekly Weigh-In

2010-06-23T07:38:00.000-04:00

Well, friends, it's that time again... time for my Wednesday Weekly Weigh-In. Before I ramble, I'll just go ahead and lay it out- I gained a pound. Yep. Gained one pound.

I'm okay with it, though. Without being too graphic, I am experiencing my, ahem, monthly lady time. You gain water weight with that. So if it's just one pound from that... it's cool. It'll be gone next week. Woohoo!

Also, my clothes are fitting looser... which is AWESOME! I'm wearing an outfit today that I wouldn't have dared wear a month ago, and it FITS. It's not tight. I'm loving this!

I also noticed last night that my tummy is really going down, which is super-exciting! I think that's probably the main reason behind my zippers surrendering in their fight against going up. I don't have to suck in to zip up my skirts or jeans anymore... woohoo! Next... I will buy smaller sizes.

Yep, it's coming in baby steps, but I honestly think that's the best way. I mean, don't get me wrong, if all that extra weight would just magically disappear one night while I'm asleep, I would not be brokenhearted... but I think with it taking a long time, I'm going to stick with it. I'll remember how difficult it was and not want to ever have to lose this much again!

I am just so excited about my clothes fitting. To me, weight is a number. I mean, yes, it makes me feel awesome when I see the numbers on the scale go down, but I'd MUCH rather lose inches than weight if it came down to the two.

So...

STARTING WEIGHT - 180
POUNDS LOST - 9
TOTAL WEIGHT - 171

Y'all... I know I post questions on the end of just about every blog, but for goodness sakes, they're not just there to look at! Leave me some feedback! It encourages me to read your comments and see how you're doing.

So on that note...

How has your week been? Are you at the weight you expected this week? What obstacles have you faced in meeting your goals?

Getting Fit on a Budget

2010-06-22T12:26:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I was reading a post by Girl Get Strong (www.girlgetstrong.com) today, and it really talked about getting fit on a budget. TOTALLY doable! You don't have to buy the latest exercise equipment or join a gym to get fit.

One great way to exercise is by using workout DVDs. I am not a fan of ordering a DVD, trying it out, and being disappointed, so I always give it a trial run before I make a decision to purchase it. I either get mine from the library (free!) or Netflix. Netflix boasts quite a large library of workout DVDs! I always see if they're available to watch instantly and stream them to my TV; if not, I put it on my mail queue. That way, when I decide to be lazy and sit down for a movie, I see all the exercise DVDs... and I guilt myself into doing one. I haven't regretted it yet! :)

Another great way to save money is to check out Craigslist or Freecycle. They have lots of free/cheap exercise equipment if you're willing to go pick it up and haul it away! I got an elliptical on Craigslist about a year ago. It said $20 so I went to go look at it- and it was BRAND new! The lady had a friend who gave it to her and she used it once. What a steal!!

Of course, you can always just go outside! For us Georgia folk, it's a liiiiittle toasty to be working out in the afternoon, but get it in in the morning before work or later at night. It's the cheapest alternative!

How do you work out- what works best for you and your budget?

Get Extremely Ripped

2010-06-21T08:22:00.001-04:00

Okay, so yesterday morning I decided to tackle a new exercise DVD. This one was called "Get Extremely Ripped 1000" by Jari Love. She promises that you can burn up to 1,000 calories in an hour with her workout by keeping your heart rate elevated and your muscles pumping the entire time.

This chick isn't joking! It's an hour-long workout, and it is HARD. It was super intense... but I kind of loved it! Even though the exercises were (incredibly) physically demanding, she made the moves simple for a beginner like myself. She did the exercises in 3 minute circuits, which made it easier. She has a super-cute personality and made the workout doable. When I was finished, I really felt like I accomplished something huge!

I think for my next DVD, I want to try a workout by Jackie... you know, that lady with a TV show about her gym. Don't know how I'll like her personality, but it seems like she gives a really good workout.

What are some workouts that you've tried lately? What works for you?

Product Reviews

2010-06-18T11:33:00.000-04:00

Ever get curious about certain items that you think might be beneficial to you and your fitness and health but don't want to spend the money on them because you haven't heard anything about the product?

I've got your back.

I'm going to start doing some product reviews on items that companies are sending me to try out and blog about. Please rest assured that these will be 100% HONEST opinions- no fluff. If I'm going to give my opinion about something that you could potentially spend a lot of money on, I want you know EXACTLY how it works.

My first review is going to be on Kigo shoes. They're being shipped to me today and as soon as I get them, I'll try them out for a week and then write about them. Here's their website so you can get some background info on what I'll be reviewing- www.kigofootwear.com

If you own a company or knows anyone who wants an honest review of their product, send 'em my way!

Sneaky Friday Weigh-In!

2010-06-18T07:30:00.001-04:00

Okay, so by now we've established that I do a weekly weigh-in on Wednesdays of every week. This week I was down a whopping ONE pound. I decided to modify my Weight Watchers plan to be more effective. I didn't expect anything to happen until next week's weigh-in...

However, as I was getting dressed this morning, I noticed that my workout clothes weren't nearly as tight as they normally are. Hmm. Interesting. So... out of sheer curiousity, I decided to step on the scales in the gym this morning (the one I always use- I use two for accuracy)... AND I'VE LOST FOUR MORE POUNDS!!! HOLY MOLY!!

This means I am down a total of 10 lbs., and doing it the healthy way... I am SO excited! God is so good.

I decided to modify my Weight Watchers habits by upping my fiber and water intake. It has made all the difference in the world! I mean, without getting too graphic, obviously fiber is going to help... um... move things out. And the water is more important than I ever realized, too. I'm drinking more than I'm supposed to be drinking and it makes me feel fantastic.

So that means...

Starting Weight - 180
Pounds Lost so Far - 10
New Weight - 170

Why I'm Doing It

2010-06-17T08:35:00.000-04:00

Everyone has reasons why they do the things they do... especially when it comes to losing weight and getting healthy. It could be to impress a member of the opposite sex, lose weight for a certain event like a wedding or a high school reunion, or to please someone else. I've always tried to lose weight for one of those reasons, but have had a change of heart this time around.

For me, I want to change my whole lifestyle. I don't want to do a diet, lose weight, and then go back to what I was doing before. I want to continue to control my portions and eat healthy foods for the rest of my life. I want to continue exercising for the rest of my life. I'm not saying I won't splurge here and there, but I don't want to go back to the way I was.

I'm doing this for God and for myself. God calls us to live a healthy life. God created food to sustain us- not for us to overindulge, as I do so frequently. I've used food as a reward instead of a means to sustain my life. Not healthy. God also tells us that our body is to be a temple. My body right now is more like a circus tent. Not exactly the same thing!

I was listening to a radio clip from Dr. Laura yesterday (no, probably not the Dr. Laura you're thinking about). You can find her website here. She really talked about 1 Corinthians 10:23 which says, "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up." She used that verse to talk about food as an example. I can eat anything I want, but it may not be helpful or beneficial to me. If it's not, what's the point? Does it glorify God? Am I using self control?

I'm trying to be really mindful of why I am doing this. I'm really not trying to be vain and "get skinny" for vanity. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to feeling more self-confident; however, that is not the main reason for this- just an added benefit. I want to be obedient to the One who created me. I also want to be healthy if I get married and have children- I want to be able to run and play with them instead of sitting there, out of breath, watching them from the sidelines. I want to have energy to take care of my family.

What are your goals and motivations for losing weight and becoming healthy? Do those reasons glorify God?

Wednesday Weigh-In

2010-06-16T07:46:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's time for the Wednesday weigh-in. I was so disappointed when I stepped on the scales this morning- I've only lost ONE POUND! One!! However... I am feeling confident. I am losing inches and that definitely matters more to me than losing pounds. I know that it will be a slow process, too, and I'm totally prepared for that. I'm going to really get my butt in gear (healthily!) and make sure that I'm doing everything I can do get fit. I think for me, this means making those Weight Watchers Ice Cream Candy Bars a treat- maybe once or twice a week. I've been eating them every night, and I probably shouldn't be eating them as late as I have been, either! I'm going to try to be totally done with eating at 7pm every night.

This is really a lifestyle change for me. I'm SO sick of dieting and then gaining all the weight I lost (and more) back when I go back to eating normal food. I really want this to be something I stick with forever- healthy eating, portion control, and exercise. I can totally do this!!

How has your week been? Did you meet your goal weigh-in? What are you doing to stay motivated? Are you going to have to modify anything to meet your goals?

STARTING WEIGHT - 180

POUNDS LOST SO FAR - 6

TOTAL WEIGHT - 174

Mmm, yummy dinner...

2010-06-15T09:05:00.001-04:00

I am in charge of cooking dinner tonight, so I was Google-ing (is that a legitimate verb?) Weight Watchers recipes when I stumbled upon this website: http://www.angelfire.com/journal/wwrecipes/ Holy cow, there are TONS of Weight Watchers recipes, and they all look delicious! For me, it's a challenge finding a recipe that's: a. Low in points b. Cheap to make (I'm on a budget here, people) c. Actually tastes super-yummy and not like I'm depriving myself Ahh, in a perfect world... Anyways, this website has lots and lots (and lots) of recipes with Weight Watchers points listed, and they look SO yummy! They're easy to prepare and they have regular every-day ingredients, so I can't imagine that they would taste funky. I've decided to make Easy Enchilada Casserole for dinner tonight. I'm feeling rather sassy and in the mood for a fiesta today, so it only seemed appropriate. Speaking of why I'm feeling sassy... I got a new skirt for Christmas. When I got it, it was supa-tight! I had to suck in just to zip it up. (Why do I buy things like that...? That's a whole different blog post.) I decided to wear it to a wedding on Saturday... zipped up like a charm.

Decided to put it on again today (after washing it, mind you)... and IT'S LOOSE. I almost squealed.

So stay encouraged, followers... though it may not reflect it on the scales (remember, muscle weighs more than fat), as long as the inches are peacing out, that's what counts!!

Winner!!

2010-06-14T11:33:00.000-04:00

Okay, I just used www.random.org to select a winner from the blog post on exercise to win a copy of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred DVD... and the winner is...

Samantha Kennedy!!

I sent you a message on Facebook, so I will get your DVD mailed out to you. Congratulations, and I hope you enjoy it!!

Stay tuned for more contests with fun prizes...

A New-found Love for Veggies

2010-06-14T07:42:00.000-04:00

I just discovered that I love vegetables. No, seriously. I've never hated vegetables, but I've never been a huge fan, either. I'd much rather eat fruit! However, the majority of fruits = Weight Watchers points. Lots of different veggies = 0 Weight Watchers points, and they're really filling! Plus, they're obviously great for you- remember Daniel chapter 1? No? Well, here's a quick exerpt from verses 8-16- go read the chapter for the whole story!

"8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables."

See? Veggies = good decision. It only makes sense. I've found that I really enjoy eating a variety of zero point veggies- broccoli, celery, cauliflower, bell pepper, etc.

I've found a few ways to spice my veggies up to where I actually enjoy eating them. Here are a few tips:

1. Spicy Brown mustard
Zero points, lots and lots of flavor. I like eating broccoli and celery (*gasp*... I actually LIKE celery now?? When did this happen??) with mustard. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of plain yellow mustard, so this is a nice alternative. It has just enough kick for me. Obviously you don't want to go overboard, but dipping your vegetables in spicy brown mustard is healthy and delish!

2. Black Bean Poblano dip
I found this recipe on the Weight Watchers website. It's suuuuper easy to make, and it's really tasty! You can always modify the recipe, too. I leave out the scallions since I'm not a big scallion fan. It doesn't have quite enough heat for me, so I always add lots of Tabasco to it- perfection! And it's zero points!!

Ingredients:

2cup(s) poblano chile, fresh, seeded, deveined, chopped (about 4 medium)
1 4.5 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, leaves
1 tsp table salt
1 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped
1 cup(s) tomato(es), chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender; process to desired consistency. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving.

3. Hot sauce
I love hot food. I can't help it. Most of the time, the spicier, the better! I always keep a bottle of hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot, Tabasco, etc.) at my desk to put on food. Zero points, and it really spices things up... haha... get it? Moving on.

4. Spray Dressing
I really like Wishbone Spritzers or Ken's Lite Accents. Most flavors are only 1 calorie per spray and deliver a punch of flavor. Granted, I think some flavors are wayyyy better than others, but they have tons of varieties so that you can switch things up.

What are some good raw veggies you enjoy? Do you eat them plain or use anything on them?

ZUMBA!!

2010-06-12T10:07:00.000-04:00

Zumba. It sounds like such a fun word. I just want to say it over and over again... Zumba Zumba Zumba!

Okay, sorry. Anyways, I have been dying to try the Zumba workout videos. They look like SO much fun! I'm always attracted to workout videos that have dancing in them. To me, it makes it seem like less of a workout and way more fun.

A friend let me borrow her Zumba videos to see if I liked them. And ohhhh buddy, do I! They are AMAZING! They are so high-energy! It's so much fun that it's kind of ridiculous, but make no mistake, it is still a workout. You'll definitely work up quite a sweat.

The instructors make it so easy to follow along that even my clumsy self can do it pretty easily. They break it down into levels of easy, medium, and hard. They walk you through the steps and then rock it out. Literally. It is SO much fun.

Zumba is definitely on my wishlist! Go check out this website for a video about Zumba: http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m31P2XW300GMXR

Has anyone else tried it? What are your thoughts?

My life revolves around points.

2010-06-11T10:08:00.000-04:00

Since I'm doing Weight Watchers, it's super-important for me to keep up with my points. The spreadsheet I have linked in my first post and to the sidebar on your right will automatically calculate your points for you when you enter in the nutritional information, which is awesome.

Whenever I'm on the go, I give myself no excuses for not keeping track of my points. I have http://www.webmilhouse.com/pointcalc.php bookmarked on my phone. All I have to do is enter the fat, calories, and fiber in whatever I want to eat and it automatically calculates the points for me. How awesome is that?! It makes it so easy that there is NO excuse not to keep track of my points for the day. I also print out a page from my spreadsheet to carry around when I'm not at work so I can write down my points then, too.

I've found that I really do have to write down my points to help me stay accountable... and to help me remember what I've eaten, too! I've tried to do Weight Watchers before when I just kept track in my head, and I found myself shaving off points thinking that since I just had a "bite" of something, it didn't count. I was such a lame-o! No more. Now I rock the points out. It's SO easy to do... I can't believe I was such a party pooper before about doing it.

What do you do to keep track of what you're eating? How do you stay accountable?

Sweet Tooth

2010-06-11T07:22:00.000-04:00

Well, it's probably pretty evident to you at this point that I have a little tiny bit of a sweet tooth. I don't necessarily crave sweet things, but when they're put in my path, I find them almost impossible to resist! After I eat them, I always end up feeling guilty.

To help me combat these temptations, I try to always keep a little sweet treat near me- on my desk at work, in my purse, wherever. There are lots of great options that are satisfying and very low in points!

One of my favorite treats is a Tootsie Pop. These are only 1 point each! It's nice because since it's a lollipop, it takes me a while to get through it... then, the Tootsie Roll center. Mmm, chocolate! And it's satisfying. It stops my sweet tooth right in it's tracks. Plus, they have a new pomegranate flavor now that is absolutely delish- definitely my favorite!

Sometimes, I don't really feel like chocolate. I LOVE Crystal Light hard candies. I can have 4 for 1 point! They taste like the Crystal Light drink mixes, which I love.

There's a great website with lots of 1 point treats. Even if you're not doing Weight Watchers, these are still great alternatives for fattier or higher-calorie snacks!
http://www.counselingseattle.com/ww/1.htm

What are your favorite snacks? How do you make them work into your daily eating habits? What tempts you? How do you replace it with something healthy?

Fluffy "Before" Callie

2010-06-10T11:51:00.000-04:00

Okay, just so you can fully understand the measure of "yucky" that me being 180 pounds is... here is a very embarassing, very recent picture taken of me. Yes, no holds barred... here I am! (I totally just cringed when posting this picture since I selected the "large" size.) And yes, of course, I am holding a GIANT plate of food... mostly eaten at this point. Surprised? No. Probably not.

CAKE IS FROM THE DEVIL... okay, or the bakery.

2010-06-10T11:32:00.000-04:00

Cake is evil.

We just got done with prayer chapel and they rolled out a GINORMOUS cake for a couple's 50th wedding anniversary. "Well, Callie," you may ask, "what kind of cake was it?" Oh, yeah. I didn't go close enough to inspect but it looked like a Publix cake with buttercream frosting!! Why must you torment me, cake?!

I ran. Seriously, I just about jogged back to my cubicle where I am sitting eating my 5 whole wheat Ritz crackers with a Light Laughing Cow cheese. And you know what? IT'S FREAKING DELICIOUS! When I say I'm licking the foil wrapper, you best believe I'm not exaggerating. I can actually taste foil in my mouth now. Oops.

So farewell, cake... while my tastebuds may miss you terribly, my tummy certainly won't!!

Exercise (insert horror music)

2010-06-10T06:36:00.001-04:00

Okay, so if you're at all like me, you abhor exercise. The thought of exercising just makes me tired. However, I do realize that I'm going to see results a lot faster if I exercise... so I've bitten the bullet and gone for it. I do an hour three times a week of a cardio and weight training circuit, and it's awesome! It's so hard (really.), but I've come to realize that I enjoy it. Believe it or not, I actually miss the days I don't work out!

I've started doing exercise videos at home on the days I don't work out. There are SO many out there... some of them are super-cheesy and lame, and some of them are so hard I just about pass out within the first 20 seconds. It's kinda hard to find a video that's fun to do but effective, too. That being said, here are a few of my faves:

1. Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred

It's hard, make no mistake, but the workouts are only 20 minutes each, so it's totally doable. She's tough, but it's a really good workout. It goes in difficulty intervals, so you do level 1 for 10 days, leve 2 for 10 days, and then level 3 for 10 days. I have not made it to level 3 yet, but so far it's been awesome! I'd definitely recommend the DVD to anyone.

2. Hip Hop Abs

Don't lie, I know you've seen this infomercial and wanted to go order these... and I actually did. These workout are SO much fun, and they don't focus just on your abs. They have several different workouts to choose from so that you can maximize your exercise time. The music is really fun and yes, the guy that leads the exercises is a little goofy and keeps pulling up his shirt so you can see his abs "working", but it makes the time fly by. I also like that there is a timer on the screen so you can see how long you have left. These sessions are a little longer- anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour - but are really fun to do, and you can really see the results.

3. Tony Horton's 10 minute trainer

Yep, it's the P90X guy. Nope, it's not P90X (I haven't been brave enough to try that quite yet). When you order it, you get the DVD and a set of resistance bands. Each workout is 10 minutes. You can just do one if you're in a hurry, or you can do 3 or 4 for a more complete workout. Make no mistake- even though you're only working out for 10 minutes, you are WORKING. It's intense, but really good! My only complaint was that I got tired of the repitition, but other than that, great DVDS.

One of my favorite websites for workout DVD reviews is this girl's website. She's a self-proclaimed exercise nut (not going to lie, that makes me roll my eyes) who does a ton of different workout DVDs and then reviews her favorities. I've never been disappointed in any video she's reviewed that I've given a try. Definitely a good resource!

What are your favorite workouts? Do you go to the gym? Do you like DVDs? What works best for you and your schedule?

Leave me a comment. I'll pick a winner on Monday to receive a free copy of Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred!

To win - 2 options:

1. Leave a comment - if you're not a registered user, leave your name so I know who you are!
2. Post a link to my blog on either your Facebook or Twitter, then let me know you did it.

I'll pick a random winner on Monday, so good luck and tell your friends!

Hungry Girl's Fully Loaded Burger

2010-06-09T12:11:00.001-04:00

Whenever I drive by a fast-food restaurant, something inside me yearns for a delicious, greasy, lard-laden hamburger with wilted lettuce and processed cheese. Luckily, Hungry Girl has come up with a much healthier (and still delicious) alternative.

Here, HG (Hungry Girl) modifies the evil A1 Steakhouse XT Burger from Burger King. She makes a healthy and just as tasty version. I've eaten a hamburger with an Arnold's Sandwich Thin before, and I'll have to say, it's delicious. I actually prefer it to a regular bun!

Here's the recipe! For the full page, go to : http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/chewdetails.php?isid=2032

First, the Burger King burger stats:

Serving Size: 1 burger
Calories: 970
Fat: 61g (!!)
Sodium: 1,930mg
Carbs: 55g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 12g
Protein: 42g

Weight Watchers points: 24 (that would be all I get for the entire day!)

Now, the Hungry Girl Version-
The Totally Stacked Steak-Style HG Burger:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion
1 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/4 tsp. onion powder, or more to taste
Dash each salt and black pepper, or more to taste
1 Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats roll (or alternative below)
1 Boca Original Vegan Meatless Burger
1 slice fat-free American cheese
1/2 tbsp. A.1. Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce
2 slices tomato
2 small lettuce leaves
Optional: fat-free mayonnaise

Directions:
Place onion "strings" in a bowl and cover with egg substitute. Toss to coat and set aside.

Using a blender or food processor, grind cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Transfer crumbs to a plastic container with an airtight lid or a sealable plastic bag. Add seasonings (use extra, if you like) and mix well.

Remove onion strings from the egg substitute, shake gently to remove excess liquid, and transfer to the container/bag with the seasoned crumbs. Cover or seal and shake until onion strings are completely coated in crumbs.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Evenly disperse crumb-coated onion strings in the skillet. (Discard excess crumbs -- you'll only use about half.) Flipping occasionally with a spatula, cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly browned and softened.

Prepare Boca patty according to package instructions (either in the microwave or in a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray). Split roll in half and, if you like, lightly toast. Place patty over the bottom half of the roll, and top with cheese .

Spread A.1. sauce over the cheese. Top with crispy onion strings, tomato, and lettuce. If you like, spread the inside of the roll's top half with mayo. Finish off your burger with the top half of the roll. Now CHEW!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 burger (entire recipe)
Calories: 250
Fat: 2.5g
Sodium: 957mg
Carbs: 42.5g
Fiber: 13.5g
Sugars: 9g
Protein: 25g  

POINTS® value 4

HG Alternative! Use any of the 100-cal flat bun options out there: Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins, Nature's Own Sandwich Rounds, or EarthGrains 100% Natural Thin Buns. Or choose a high-fiber light sandwich bun or English muffin!

Treat substitution

2010-06-09T09:59:00.000-04:00

Okay, I am a sucker for wedding cake. Really.

Saying that... I went to a wedding last night. I went to the reception and got a plate loaded with veggies so I was feeling pretty good. Then... I saw the cake. Ohhh man. It looked so delicious, and it looked like it was from Publix- of course, my favorite kind with buttercream icing! Honestly, it was getting to be so much of a temptation that I left the reception rather than cave in. My mom and I stopped at Publix on the way home and picked up some Weight Watchers Ice Cream Candy Bars.

Holy moly. I can't even tell you HOW delicious these are! They taste comparable to Snickers Ice Cream Candy Bars... seriously! They're 3 points, which is kind of a lot for a snack, but my daily points allowance had room so I went for it. So delicious!

Here's the box:

:And here's the bar (obviously I didn't take this picture, but it's pretty accurate):

Because I didn't eat that cake, I felt SO much better about myself and was able to stay within my point limits for the day. Plus, I discovered a new tasty treat that was even better!

My first weigh-in

2010-06-09T07:35:00.000-04:00

Hey! My name is Callie. I've decided that I'm tired of being 23 and overweight, so I've decided to get healthy... and in the process, get skinny!! I am going to go from fluffy to fabulous.

One week ago, I weighed 180 pounds. I'm 5'4". That means that the weight is not very cute on me. My clothes are all tight because I'm too proud to go up to the next size in the store. Sometimes I'll put on an outfit to go somewhere and just decide not to go because I look too fat. Yikes.

So I decided to do something about it. I'm tired of being the big girl when I'm out with friends. I want to feel confident. That doesn't mean being rail-thin... it means looking healthy and fit.

I started a new job recently which allows me access to a free gym and personal trainer here at work, so I grudgingly decided to take advantage of that. I started working out 3 weeks ago and noticed that I wasn't gaining weight anymore- but I wasn't losing, either. That's when I realized that I needed to change my horrible eating habits. I was going out to eat 3-5 nights a week and ordering whatever was cheap... hello, $0.89 beefy 5-layer burrito from Taco Bell! Not so good.

I decided to start doing Weight Watchers this week. I'm not going to the meetings (no $$ for that), but I found a great spreadsheet online to help me keep track of my points each day- go to www.stellamama.com/MyWeightWatcherspoints.xls to download it. This has been my best friend! But the trick is accountability. I email my spreadsheet to several people each week to make sure that I'm being accountable and writing down every.single.thing that goes into my mouth. Bottom line is, it doesn't work if you cheat. Duh. Why bother??

This week, I decided to weigh myself for the first time in a week. I am down 5 pounds, so now I'm 175... I am SO excited! That is enough motivation for me right there! It's healthy to lose 2 pounds a week, so I am looking at 25 weeks total to get to my goal weight of 130.

As these 25 weeks progress, I'm going to post tips that I've found helpful, keep track of my progress, post fun recipes, etc. I hope you'll join me on my mission to get healthy!!

STARTING WEIGHT - 180

GOAL WEIGHT - 130

LBS LOST - 5

TO GO - 45