ShannonC918

No not the food…the dance!!  I tried salsa last night with one of my friends and it was a total BLAST.  It was our first time and quite honestly I was just hoping I came out of it injury-free, no sprained ankles or twisted knees…Anywhoo, it was amazing because we went to a beginners’ class at a local club and they showed us the basic steps before they had us actually dance with a partner.  Now, the partner practice dancing was interesting because you have two beginners who have no idea what they are doing and who’s hands and feet go where, but since everyone is in the same boat it’s great!!  Then came the social dancing and that’s when the pros come in and they DO NOT care if you are a beginner or not, guys just walk right up to you and ask you to dance.  At first I was a little intimidated, but all the guys I danced with were so willing to show me how to get the steps and they didn’t care if I accidentally stepped on their feet, it was easy to laugh it off!  Two and a half hours later I didn’t feel bad at all for swapping my typical Monday evening gym for salsa dancing!!  It was so great because there wasn’t any pressure and everyone was really cool.  I don’t know how many of you out there have tried salsa or have thought about it, but if you are thinking about it….DO IT!!!  I can’t wait to go again next week!!

As of right now I’m focusing on my caloric intake to help me lose weight.  I have been using SELF magazine’s SelfDietClub.com to count how many calories I’m consuming each day, but I have found it to be a bit limiting.  While I was trying to track down the numbers for my Quizno’s Turkey DeLite this afternoon I stumbled upon www.thedailyplate.com.  I didn’t have much time to check it out, but it looked like it was extremely helpful particularly when faced with fast food or “dining out” situations.  Have any of you tried it?  Any thoughts?  Thanks!!

As I was packing my healthy lunch/snacks today (1/2 cup wheat pasta, 3 turkey meatballs from Trader Joes, an apple, carrots, and a light cheese stick) for work I began to think about New Years’ Resolutions (don’t ask, my mind just wanders!).  I thought about how many people (myself included!) justify bad decisions or habits during the month of December by saying to themselves “Well once the New Year starts, I’ll stop doing ‘x’”.  But really, why don’t we start today?  There are so many little things we can change everyday.  If we change one thing a day, over time those things will add up, right?  Obviously there are some days that are going to be hard when the goal is to drop pounds by changing eating habits or daily routines, but maybe if we break it up then we won’t beat ourselves up when we slide off track a little bit.  I guess what I’m trying to get at is that just because our day might not be the “healthiest” when the clock strikes noon, it doesn’t mean we can’t go home and make a good dinner full of veggies ;-)  And if that little change was made during a really hard day, post it!  I know I’d like to read about it because it will inspire me on those days when I feel I have completely fallen of track.  For all of you in the Northeast, Northwest, Midwest, and everywhere else that is getting hit by heavy rain/snow/sleet/freezing rain/etc., stay warm!!!

Good morning fellow weight loss bloggers!  Word on the street is that blogging has helped a lot of people lose weight because it helps you be accountable, so I thought I would give it a try.  A little bit about me…I just graduated from college, started my first job, and got my first apartment.  At college I swam and played rugby, so my activity level has dropped dramatically since graduation.  Not to say that I’ve really gained all that much, but my body composition has definitely changed!  Anyway, all through college I have been hovering around 170-175 and really my ideal weight for my 5′6″ frame is probably closer to 150.  I have attempted to drop the 20lbs before, but it has yet to happen, so I am rededicating myself and giving this blogging thing a shot.  If anyone has any good tips on quick receipes or good lunch ideas that would be GREATLY appreciated.  I have about an hour communte to and from work, so really when I get home at night I’m not looking to start cooking.  Hopefully everyone out there is having a good Monday and I look forward to getting to know more of you and we drop these pesky pounds together!