Thoughts on Weight Loss

Lately I have been paying a little more attention to any weight loss products I might hear about or see about on TV.  I've never really been into the weight loss supplements (o.k. I did try Slim Fast before my wedding, but that's the extent of it for me) because I truly believe that it is too good to be true.  There is no magic pill, formula, or anything else that is going to help you to lose weight.  If it were that simple, everyone would be skinny, right? 

So what made me stand up an pay attention? The success of a friend .  She is taking a certain type of supplements and she has lost a good amount of weight and inches...and she looks great!!  So I started looking into what she was taking, but a month supply of some of that stuff was going to cost over $100.  And that made me think again...you can't take this stuff forever....what happens when you stop taking it?  Isn't this why almost all diets fail, no matter what they are? You can't buy the supplements, special food or whatever else you are doing forever.  What then?  Not to mention the possible side effects of this stuff (remember the pill that was killing people??)

So, even though my friend looks awesome, I'm gonna pass and stick with the tried and true method.  Healthy diet and regular exercise.  This is not a diet to me, it is a lifestyle change. I have the exercise down pretty well, so it is now time to concentrate more on the food I am eating.  So far, I have lost about 10 pounds, and even more exciting...I am down two pant sizes!!!

Wii EA Sports Active

Hubby and I are on a mission to lose weight. We started by watching what we eat and taking the dog for a walk every day. It was a good start, but it didn't take us long to figure out that we needed to do more than that…we needed some type of strength training. So my hubby started searching on line. He came across a game that was coming out soon called EA Sports Active. We looked at it, thought it looked cool and put it out of our minds. A couple of weeks later I saw Allison Sweeney, on the Ellen show talking about EA Sports Active. Listening to her and her love for it, we decided to order it.

In addition to the game we got a leg strap that hold the nun chuck for some of the exercises and a resistance band with handles. (If you have a Wii balance board, you can use it with some of the Active exercises.) We ordered an additional accessory pack with another leg strap and resistance band so we could work out together. The day after we received it, I decided to take it for a test run. I set up my user profile and then I was ready to exercise.

One of the great things about this game is that it has full exercise routines already set up for you, with easy, medium and hard intensity levels. I selected one of the easier routines since I was pretty out of shape. Not more than 5 minutes into the exercise routine and I was already sweating. The next day I went to work with an embarrassing announcement. A video game had completely kicked by butt. I was sore for 2 days! I have tried other exercise games on the Wii and nothing compares to this game.

This entire game was developed with the help of Bob Greene, and if you watch Oprah, you know who Bob Greene is. He is the person behind the www.thebestlife.com. Right now I'm half way through the 30 day challenge on this game. Just when I was thinking that the exercises were getting a little bit easier, Mr. Greene comes on the screen and says congrats on making it half way through the challenge. For the second half of the challenge, we are going to change up the exercises bump up the intensity. Great…(insert sarcasm here).

But if you are looking for a new exercise routine to firm up or lose weight, I highly recommend you check out Wii's EA Sports Active. Their website also has more information on how to get fit and healthy, including a modivation center. This game is well worth the money. It's like having a personal trainer right in your home, for a fraction of the cost.

EA SPORTS Active

Giveaways Around the Blog Sphere

Holy moley, let's start with a big one... Head over to To Think is to Create RIGHT NOW! She is giving away a free Ipod Touch!! Hurry, offer ends today at 5:00 CT!

Next, Paige over at Nurse Mommy is giving away a $30 Gift Card to My Baby Pajama's. They have some of the cutest PJs, and what a great time for a new pair with spring and summer coming! But, that's not all. Anyone who is looking for a new book to read for your child or children, Paige also has a giveaway for a free book from Barefoot Books. Make sure to check it out here.

Make sure to check out the awesome giveaway going on right now at Jolly Mom. If you ever travel short or long distances and need entertainment for you child, The Shack & Play Travel Tray by Star Kids Products is a must. What are you waiting for? Go to Jolly Mom for your chance to win!

If you want to get into shape and drop some weight, Jolly Mom has a giveaway for a great product just for you. It is called Jump Snap..and it's like a jump rope, but without the rope. Think I'm crazy, check it out for yourself and sign up to win!