Fitness Friday: I feel a CHALLENGE comin' on!! {& link up!}

Welcome to Fitness Friday!!

{a BIG welcome to any new followers...you are awesome!}

Read on for exciting Challenge info!! 

Now that I'm feeling better, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things, everyday life, exercise, etc, etc. It's HARD after a tonsillectomy or any surgery I'm sure! I need energy!  I know that myself and others {from what I've been hearing a lot on my Facebook Group} need a pick me up Big Time.  We held a successful challenge at the beginning of the Summer and it was so much fun and helped a lot.  So, I think it's time for another challenge, this one will be Bigger & Better!  Are you excited?? Keep reading..... 

This will be the Most Miles Fitness Challenge.  It will be from August 15th - October 24th, 10 weeks to shoot for 100 miles of exercise. That's 10 miles of fitness per week. We aren't just talking Running/Walking miles. 15 minutes of any other exercise will count as 1 mile. Workouts including weightlifting, spinning, aerobics, workout video, etc. "Workouts" intended for exercise will be counted.  Think about it- 30 minutes of exercise a day for 5 days can equal "10 miles," if you are running it can take even less time. 100 miles is a goal to shoot for, but of course you may do more if you'd really like!  The one with the Most Miles at the end of the challenge Wins the Pot!! Yes, I said POT- We are playing for cash people!  Why? Because that is one way to keep people going, that may be one way to keep you motivated by keeping your eye on the prize.  But, that is not the only prize, the main prize is that you will create a habit of fitness, you will be healthier & you will feel so much better too! That is the main goal of this challenge.  A little cash prize doesn't hurt either, right?? 

The Deal

Each participant pays into the challenge for $10.  The more participants the bigger the pot, the better the prize. So get your spouses involved, other family members, friends, neighbors...it's always funner when you do it together! The Winner is the challenger with the most tallied miles at the end of this.  They will get 95% of the pot.  So if 40 participants join-the pot would be at $380. If there happens to be a tie, they would split the winnings. Let's get the most challengers as possible. Why just 95% for the winner? The rest would cover any Paypal fees and if there is some left over we will also have a runner up prize!


Other Prizes/ Sponsors

Their will be other random drawings for prizes throughout the challenge for all challengers that are actively participating & reporting your fitness miles.  I am looking for Sponsors/Donations of prizes.  The more donations, the more giveaways we can have. Please contact me at wannabefitchallenge@hotmail.com or sparklesandbugs@hotmail.com if you are interested in sponsoring a giveaway for this challenge. I will have a sponsor section on my blog and your button or link will be there for the duration of the challenge.

How do I report my miles? 

I will create a Google Doc & email you the link to easily report your miles and that way you can see how everybody else is measuring up as well. You can also report to me by email if you'd like. You are also welcome to blog about how you are doing and link up every "Fitness Friday" on my blog for more support and encouragement.  The Facebook page will also be a great support and place to chat. Once you have "paid in" that will give me your email address and I will send a welcome message as it gets closer to the challenge. {If you pay in & your Paypal email address is not the correct email please let me know your correct email for the challenge} I may also send weekly emails with "bonus miles" options and other info pertaining to the challenge. 

Any other Questions?
Please email me at wannabefitchallenge@hotmail.com (make sure this email address is added to your address book so it doesn't go to junk mail) :)

We want only Honest participants who want to get Fit, Help Others and Be a Healthier, Better version of themselves!!  So, what are you waiting for?? Sign up with the Paypal button on the right!! Make sure you become a follower to stay connected via Google Friend Connect or Networked Blogs & Fit Mama Wannabe Facebook Group (you don't have to be a Mama *wink*)

Yay!! Are you as excited as I am??


Happy Friday! Now go spread the word :)

Linking up with:

Easy Stretchy Friendship Bracelets

These are really easy & fun to make! My girls love them & they can even do it themselves. Wear them, stack them, make some for every outfit :).....so fun!

You need: MICROFIBER girls tights.  Try to find the biggest you can, Girls 14-16 or ladies Queen size will usually do.  The larger the tights the bigger your bracelet will be able to be.  (I used girls 14-1 or Ladies Queen for these kid bracelets) Sometimes it's hard to find very many colors at your local store, so you can dye your own white ones with RIT Dye or find some online like here . That is just one example of some assorted colors you could get.

Take the tights, cut off the top and the toe.  A rotary cutter makes this process smooth and easy, but scissors will do just fine too.

Cut your tights in strips of about an inch width

 Once you have your strips, just stretch them out and the tights will roll up making a bracelet looking thing :)

You could use this piece for other things like a choker or bracelet with an attached pendant or something. Get those brainstorms brewing....could be lots of possibilities with these little babies. :)

But, for these bracelets we are going to cut them so they are one long piece.  

You will cut 3 and hold them together and tie a knot in one end.

I like to use a clipboard to hold in place while I braid.

Braid like you would a normal braid.  It's more fun with 3 different colors, but this is what I used for this tutorial. 

 Braid down for as long as you want your bracelets and tie another knot in the end.

Tie a tight braid or loose braid depending on the look you want. You can even try 4 strips of different colors.

You have 3 little pieces on each end. You will now tie each of those 3 pieces using a square knot to the other 3 pieces on the other end.  (tie 3 Separate knots)

You can trim up the ends all the way or leave a little of the frilly stuff for fun. My girls like the frilly stuff, but for my boys I would probably cut them down. :) and I would use very boyish colors of course! ;)

There you have it! 

If they stretch out too much after lots of wear you can simply put them in cold water and let dry and they should be back to normal again.

My girls like making these because they can do it too (I help them with the knots) & they are so proud of their creation.

They are comfortable to wear, they are stretchy, they are soft, They are fun!!

I hope you enjoy!! Let me know if you try it!

Partying with:

Glitter Nails Tutorial

My girls and I had a lot of fun doing our Glitter Nails!! It's pretty simple & very fun for a girly DIY project.  I helped my girls out, they would probably make more of a mess with the glitter than I did. This makes for a fun night with your girls or girly b-day party idea.  My girls are 6 and 8 (well almost....7 more days) :) and they loved it! So did I :)

You'll need any kind of coordinating nail polish, glitter and a clear top coat polish, {paper towels, Q-tips, polish remover, and a small craft paint brush will also come in handy}You can get all this at your local Walmart.

I tried a bigger grain type glitter and a small glitter, I think I like the small grains of glitter better, my toes have the bigger grains of glitter. Glitter is so fun, so many colors to choose from :) I'm such a girly girly at heart! :)

All you do is:

1- paint the nails with polish

2- pour on the glitter before the polish dries, cover the nails with glitter or put just a little to let the underneath polish shine through, your choice.

3- pat down gently on the glitter after it has set for a few seconds

4-You can shake the excess glitter off or even brush it off with a small craft brush.

 My toes are pretty much covered with glitter :) (Make sure you have a paper towel or pan or something underneath to clean up the glitter easily.) 

5- After it has dried completely and any excess glitter is brushed off, put a Clear Top Coat of Polish on.  Let Dry and there you have it!

I did my nails a little different, I did my own DIY french manicure just painting the tips with white (I used "Pure Ice" brand nail polish, color: platinum.) then I put a little bit of silver glitter before the polish dried.  After that I dipped a pointy tip Q-tip in polish remover and straightened up my white line to make it look better.  Check out this tutorial for more about that part.  After the white dried I brushed off any excess glitter & put a top coat of Clear Polish. Ta Dah! All done.  My "Do it Myself" French glitter manicure. I think it turned out pretty good.  

My girls chose Gold glitter and Purple glitter.  So Fun!!

Enjoy some cute glitter nails for the rest of the Summer! Let me know how you like it & if you try it out! Come back Wednesday for another FUN Tutorial *wink wink*

Partying with:

Wanna Give me a Great Birthday Present?

 I'm trying to reach 200 "likes" on this Facebook page: www.facebook.com/fitmamawannabe and 150 "followers" on my Blog: www.sparklesandbugs.blogspot.com.  You can help of course by following & sharing with your friends.  If this happens by midnight on my B-day (July 23) (you have less than 24 hours *wink wink*) Next week I will do 200 jumping jacks and 150 crunches, which will be a giant task for me because I'm just getting over my tonsillectomy :) this will be a great pick me up after I feel completely better of course and a fun B-day present!! :) I'll take pics for ya while I'm getting the work out done! :) But, I'm ONLY doing it if we reach the goal! All or nothing! What do ya say?? If you write a blog post I'd love to see the link, share on Facebook, etc. Ready, Set, Go!!

Fitness Friday: I've gotta Sweet Tooth {& Link Up}

Welcome to Fitness Friday!!

Who likes Sweets? Raise your hand! I do, I do! Who doesn't?? *You are my hero* :)

They are for sure my downfall. If you offer me a cookie or ice cream, I more than likely am not going to turn it down :)

There are so many cute treats to make for parties, etc. and It's just fun food!! 

But, did you know that SUGAR is an addiction just like any Drug addiction.  It's a drug.  There a natural sugars that are good for our bodies, like fruit.  Some fruits are more nutritious than others.  But, simple sugars are NOT GOOD FOR OUR BODIES.  

I know that... you know that.  
But, what do we do about it?

According to a research study, refined sugar is far more addictive than cocaine -- one of the most addictive and harmful substances.

Ewww....I don't like talking about {rats} on my pretty blog-io....ewwww.... but this is Important Info. An astonishing 94 percent of rats who were allowed to choose mutually-exclusively between sugar water and cocaine, chose sugar. Even rats who were addicted to cocaine quickly switched their preference to sugar, once it was offered as a choice. The rats were also more willing to work for sugar than for cocaine. Seriously!! Now that is a little disturbing.  Because we don't look at our yummy sweet sugar as a drug.  But, it's true. It leads to Diabetes, gained weight, poor immune system, sluggish bodies, low energy. We usually regret it 15 minutes after we eat it right?  Why does it leave you in such a sad, regretful state? Maybe because we know deep down that most of us have it way too often. It's everywhere!

This is a great article from Active.com - Sugar Sense

We don't have to completely go Cold Turkey and give up Sweets.  But, we can make better decisions, cut back on the "not so good" sugars little by little and have it in moderation.  It will take will power, it won't be easy.  But, we can do it together.  

Don't get me wrong, I am going to have Birthday Cake on my Birthday, have dessert at a family get together, make cookies with my kids. But, maybe I could only do that.  Not have it "just because" All. the.Time (lately it's all I've been able to eat because of my darn tonsillectomy- popsicles, ice cream, not much I can do about that, but actually crushed ice cubes do seem to help more).  But, When I get better I could try just a Hershey kiss, Sugar Free "Desserts" Gum, or something small like that when I just HAVE to have something sweet.  Fruit & more fruit should help and will give more nutrients too. I'm going to drink a glass of water anytime I think about it.  A glass of low fat Chocolate Milk after a tough work out will curb the sweet tooth, but at least give some good nutrients too {I've talked about the "Chocolate Milk Recovery drink" before on Fit Mama Wannabe}. My Shakes help a lot with curbing the sweet tooth and makes me so full too. I'm going to try and save the sweets for special occasions & learn moderation, Only have as small of doses as possible when I need something sweet. Moderation is KEY!  I'm not going to get down on my self if I happen to have something, but just get right back on the wagon and keep trying my best. I'm going to cut back starting out with the obvious "sweet stuff" as I know sugar is in EvErYtHiNg. But that is my goal! It's a start. I know after a couple days of less sugar you start to not crave it as much. So, who's with me? Just try for Less Sugar!! We may even lose a few pounds and will for sure feel better too. 

Other great sources & Info:

How to Detox Sugar

This News Reporter tried a 30 day Sugar Detox

P.S- Don't judge me if I put yummy goodie recipes on the blog & have cake on my B-day Tomorrow *wink, wink*  (MoDeRaTiOn....it's my new word of the month...I for sure used it enough today, but I'll say it again...MODERATION)

~TGIF~

~Now let's get this "Link up Party" Started (read the rules please)~

1. Follow me  Leave a comment & I will follow you back! 

2. Include the "Fitness Fridays" button (found on my left sidebar) in your post & link up to the exact post not your home page url.

3. Create a blog post. If you want help in staying accountable, Blog about your goals in health & fitness, Your pledge for less sugar :),your progress each week, what you struggle with, etc. This will give me and others the opportunity to help with comments and encouragement to reach your Health & Fitness goals. 

If you are a Health & Fitness blogger you can create a post just for Fitness Fridays or anything else that you'd like to share. If you have a great tip, healthy snack or recipe or something that you've found please link up.

4. Please visit other links to comment & encourage others
5. Come back every week for our link up party

 Thanks!! This can be fun and so motivating and helpful to others. 

Now let's get this Party Started!! Have a great weekend!


I'm also linking up with:

 
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Cafe Rio Salad (Copy Cat Recipe)

When I saw this recipe it was one I for sure needed to save to my collection of good recipes I have going on here & I can't wait to try it out. I love Cafe Rio and their Salads are Awesome. Yum! My mouth is watering for one right now. I'm sure you can easily change up the recipe to make it a little more healthy if you'd like. I found this recipe at Favorite Family Recipes 

Build it how you like!

You need:

6 large Tortillas (Homemade or buy the fresh ones at the store and put on griddle)
Shredded cheese, Mexican blend
Cafe Rio Rice (see full recipe below)
Cafe Rio Black Beans (full recipe below)
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (full recipe below)
Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole
Sour cream
Crispy Tortilla Strips (can buy at the store or see Here for "Favorite Family Recipes" homemade version)
Parmesan cheese
Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch (full recipe below)
You can get the aluminum deep-dish pans at the grocery store just like Cafe Rio :) Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put in the oven at 375 for about 5 min or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork, then lettuce and a little scoop of diced tomato and onions (pico de gallo). Add guacamole and sour cream. Add crushed tortilla chips, a shake of Parmesan cheese, and top with a few cilantro leaves. Serve with the cilantro ranch and Eat up! Yum! (makes about 6 salads)  

SWEET PORK: (can also use Grilled Chicken instead of the sweet pork recipe)
2 pounds pork (they like to use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies (I may try it without these)
3/4 (1ooz) can red enchilada sauce (they used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

*I also found another version of the dressing recipe at Our Best Bites

I know there are many other versions of the whole recipe everywhere on the web.  This one looks the best to me, let me know if you've tried it. I've had some pretty good versions that family and friends have tried too. I Love it!! 

My {when i getter better} To-Do List & Pinterest shout out :)

Still being laid up with just having my Tonsils out & I have been sitting here thinking of all the things I want & need to do when I'm feeling better.  Summer is almost over and it has put me in somewhat of a panic mode. There are still so many projects that are not completed that I had high hopes for completing this summer.

This is what I've been thinking about lately, what I need to do when I'm over this Tonsillectomy thing 

{it's taking FOR..EV..ER}

*My oldest Daughters 8th Birthday & Baptism in less than 2 WEEKS- ideas for party & family get together, awesome gift for her, getting pictures for her announcement (need to be sent ASAP, etc... not much time, yikes!)

*Having more Summer Fun with the kids, games, swimming, crafty fun with them, etc.

*School Shopping

*Date Night with the Hubby

*Craft, Craft, Craft, I wanna craft!!

*Fill up my very Bare Etsy Store (it's looking sad, so many ideas, so little time)

*Let's Play Music preparation/Lesson Plans for the new year, new sign-ups, materials ordered, etc.

*Get back to my Workout Routine

*I had high hopes of getting caught up with my kids' scrapbooks (digital is definitely the way to go in my opinion, but will I ever be caught up?)

*Make my Family blog into a book (or 3 or 4 now since I have been putting it off for years...LOL )

*Get back to my House Cleaning Organization Schedule

*Have a Garage Sale

*Get good at Couponing

*Get back to my Church Jobs (Young Women) & new projects in the works the RS wanted me to be in charge of (fitness related, so excited)

*New Challenge Ideas for Fit Mama Wannabe  What people need to get them motivated??? 

That's whats on my mind, and it's killing me just to feel yucky and lay here, but that's what I should do. Being on pain medication it's hard to do much of anything else. :) So I lay here, and I think of all the stuff I could or should be doing and it's leaving me frustrated and overwhelmed.  But, that's how it goes sometimes, my to-do list is always never ending & gets bigger and bigger.  That's how it is as a mom though right and I seem to add more and more stuff to my plate, so I must like it...haha.  When I'm in a Crunch is sometimes how I work the best. *telling myself* I can do this, I. can. do. this....Just call me Super Mommy....LOL

I gotta mention Pinterest, you may have heard a lot about it lately. It's totally been keeping me entertained a little bit while I've been laid up.  It just adds more projects to the list though....haha.  But, it's so fun & I feel so much better with being able to organize all ideas that I find.  I'm loving it.  You can check out my Pinterest boards  & follow.  I'd love to follow you back.  If you need an invite to Pinterest, leave your email address. I promise you'll love it!!

A few ideas I found from pinterest that I'll be doing soon.

Glitter toe fun with my girls, they will love this:

Jewelry holder made from cutlery organizer, old door knobs, and scrapbook paper, so cool!

Fabric Wreath for Any occasion

So easy & cute!! 

I gotta try this Cafe Rio Salad YUM!

All these ideas were easily found on Pinterest!! 

If you have any helps & ideas for me to use for anything on my To-Do list above PLEASE let me know!! I'm not going anywhere but maybe to the other end of the couch :(

Have a Great Hump Day!

Love to Link up: