I wrote a couple weeks ago about starting the Special K Challenge. Even if you didn't read my post, I'm sure you've all heard of the challenge, right? This year, Special K wants to take the negative connotations away from the idea of approaching weight loss by asking women to consider what they will gain by losing weight. I think that is the best way to look at things ever! Simply reframing the question and putting a positive spin on things can really change a person's mindset. I'd say it definitely did for me.

I had lost weight through the hCG diet last spring, but I gained a good bit of it back. I took some time to reflect on how I felt when I lost those nearly 25 pounds. According to a study by Special K, the top three emotional benefits women hope to achieve by reaching their weight loss goal are happiness, confidece and a sense of achievement. I would definitely say that I felt all of those with my weight loss, and I wanted to feel those things again. So I jumped right on board with the two-week Special K Challenge.

Program Overview

Have you visited the Special K website? If not, you'll want to go take a look. Special K has so much more than cereal now. Their line of products is extensive. They have salty snacks like cracker chips, protein meal replacement bars and shakes, just to name a few. I recommend taking a look. They have all their products listed on the site, and you can even browse by craving. The website is where you'll want to start if you decide to take the challenge or would like inspiration on beginning a long-term weight loss plan.

This is one of the most thorough websites i've encountered from a brand, I must say. There is a social component where you can connect with others looking for a healthy way of life. I have to confess that I didn't use this part much, as I had my fellow challenge blog participants to lean on, as well as my other online networks. But it's so cool to offer a place for people who are specifically interested in the Special K Challenge. When you've decided to take the challenge or look into a longer-term plan, you can choose your goals and find a daily meal plan tailored specifically for your choice. You'll find sample meals and recipes to try based on your plan. So helpful for busy women on the go! Seriosly, there's just too much to list here. Check out the website for recipe ideas, tips for success, Special K yummy ideas and even a mobile app with shopping lists.

My Experience

Yeah, I know - you just want to know how much weight I lost. I'll get to that. I will. First, i want to talk about how YUMMY these Special K products are. Before starting the plan, I was a self-proclaimed Special K Chocolately Delight addict. Have you ever tried that stuff? Let me just warn you, once you do, you may never stop. It's that good. So I had high expectations for their other products, though I had never tried any of them.

Let me just tell you that I was not disappointed. They were all so good, that I truly didn't have much trouble staying with the program. I followed the meal plan and ate Special K products for breakfast, lunch and snacks, along with a sensible dinner. The website offered a recipe each day for the dinner meal. While I didn't follow each one to the letter, I've added some fabulous new items to my regular meal planning!

Back to the breakfasts and snacks. My very favorite was the Chocolatey Pretzel cereal bar. I am a sucker for anything sweet and salty, and the crunchy texture of this bar just made it even better. What a great snack to just grab and go. I always had one in my purse for those moments I was out and just had to have something quick. I also loved the Multi-Grain Oats and Honey ceral. I am a cereal person. It's one of my favorite breakfasts. This one was crunchy with just the right hint of sweetness. Loved it. Even the shakes were good. I was a bit apprehensive about those and will say that the French vanilla was not my favorite. I found a suggestion on the website, though, for a French vanilla espresso shake and enjoyed that quite a bit. I also made smoothies with them, adding frozen strawberries, bananas, yogurt and orange juice. Yum! And my 13-year old son stole the chocolate shakes - they're that good.

My Results

Drumroll please...But first a little claim language from Special K: Consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program. Average weight loss when replacing meals with two cereal meals is 4.8 pounds. Weight loss may vary. Average waist circumference when replacing two meals with cereal meals is 1.3 inches. Weight loss may vary.

Okay, here goes. I must first apologize and let you know that I forgot to take my waist measurements. Sorry. However, I did notice that my jeans fit a bit looser, so I'm confident there was definitely a loss. As far as pounds lost, I lost about 3 pounds in two weeks. That's not too darn bad. Especially considering that I cheated a bit on the weekends. I'm a notorious cheater when it comes to diet plans, however, keeping my baby steps philosophy in mind, I usually allow myself a few slips. Even my husband noticed a change and asked just the other day, "Have you lost weight?" Woo hoo! For Bill to notice, there definitely had to be a change.

What have I noticed? What did I gain by losing? I feel so much more in control when I know I'm making choices that are good for me. That's important to me. Making proactive choices is empowering. And, truthfully, the changes weren't that difficult. The products taste good, and they're convenient. It wasn't hard to incorporate them into my lifestyle. I know I will continue to be a Special K lover. Do you think you'll consider taking the Special K Challenge? I highly recommend it. The changes are gradual, and the results go beyond weight loss. Baby steps. Give it a try!

I participated in this program through a partnership with TheMotherhood on behalf of Special K. I received product and supplies to complete the plan. All opinions and statements are based on my own opinion and experience.

It's a new year. Can you believe it? Where has the time gone? Seems like just yesterday that I was telling you all about the weight I lost - 23 pounds. However, it's been about 8 months, and I'm embarrassed to say that I put a great deal of that weight right back on. So when I was asked to participate in a project with Special K to get healthy for the new year, I didn't hesitate.

Weighing In

Special K has designated today National Weigh-In Day, a day to jump start positive conversation about weight loss for the coming year. Special K asks the question, "What will you gain when you lose?" I love that! What an amazing way to view the prospect of losing weight. While it true that losing weight is hard and takes a great deal of will power, I can tell you from experience that you gain a great deal from all the sacrifices. I gained a sense of accomplishment and pride, self-confidence, energy and the knowledge that I was modeling positive behavior for my kids. I hope to take this opportunity to start the year off right and gain back some of those things.

Special K Chocolatey Chip Cereal Bar - My morning snack today!

The Special K Challenge

While I hope to make 2012 the year I make healthy eating a priority and a way of life, I plan to use my "babysteps" philosophy by starting off small. I am going to take the Special K Challenge to jumpstart healthy eating habits and get the year started right. The Special K Challenge is a two-week program that can help you lose up to 6 pounds in two weeks.Consult your physician before starting any diet or exercise program.  Average weight loss when replacing meals with two cereal meals is 4.8 pounds.  Weight loss may vary. Average waist circumference reduction when replacing meals with two cereal meals is 1.3 inches. Weight loss may vary.

Special K has set up a special community on their website called My Special K where women can connect and encourage each other toward their goals. You can go here to get recipes and suggestions for your daily meals on the plan as well. There is a suggested meal plan each day, but easy swap suggestions are also given, so there's always variety and choice on the plan. The majority of the plan consists of Special K products with a sensible dinner suggested. This is great for me, as I have been a long-time Special K fan. Their Chocolatey Delight cereal is my very favorite. I love the idea of being able to eat healthy on the go with bars, shakes and snacks. I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks!

Looking Ahead

What are your goals for 2012? So many of us want to get healthy and lose weight. Let's work together to make it happen and to gain so many good things in our lives! I encourage you to join me or just feel free to check in with me and help keep me on track. Feel free to follow Special K on Facebook or Twitter if you'd like to follow the conversation.

I participated in this program through a partnership with TheMotherhood on behalf of Special K. I received product and supplies to complete the plan. All opinions and statements are based on my own opinion and experience.

Remember I told you about a workshop I was cohosting on tween hygiene? Well, it was an amazingly informative discussion. A large group of mothers spoke with expert Rosalind Wiseman about the issues surrounding our kids' hygiene. It was so much fun to share stories and to learn how other parents are handling the sometimes tricky issues with their kids. Here's a quick recap.

Rosalind Wiseman is the author of the book Queen Bees and Wannabes, and she started things off by joking, "We love our children, but we don't have to love their stink. Personally, my younger son's soccer cleats could be used as a weapon of mass destruction!" It was reassuring to know that even the experts have to handle these "stinky" situations. We learned that our kids are growing and that increased hormones at this age can cause lots of changes.

Discussions surrounding sweat, body odor, puberty and menstruation were had. No topic was off limits. What we learned was most important was that we handle the topics with our kids sensitively. These kinds of things can cause our kids to feel insecure. We also shared that it's our job to bring up the subjects even if it's not something our kids want to hear.

When discussing personal hygiene, the most important thing to remember is to keep it private. Be sure to talk about these issues when other kids aren't around. Tell them the facts, but let them know that you experienced the same kinds of things. You might even want to share a funny memory from your own childhood.

We also shared that it helps to give kids a say in things. Invite them along to shop for personal hygiene products and ask them which ones they prefer. Also, start teaching them about good hygiene habits and enforcing regular showers, teeth brushing and deodorant wearing. These steps are important to keeping things in check. But again, don't forget to be sensitive.

You can visit The Motherhood for the entire chat summary. And we'd love it if you'd join in the discussion at the Don't Fret the Sweat Facebook page. There's some good stuff going on over there!

Now for the giveaway, and it's an awesome one. Up for grabs is a Very Bradley bag filled with informational goodies and hygiene items. You'll definitely want a chance at this. The beautiful Vera Bradley bag contains:

One sample each of Degree, Degree Girl and Degree Men deodorant by Unilever

A copy of the books Queen Bees and Wannabes and Boys, Girls & Other Hazardous Materials by Rosalind Wiseman.

Here's a picture of what the winner will get!

Leave a comment below telling me what your most difficult topic is regarding hygiene and your kids. Even if you have little kids or ones that are grown or don't have kids at all. Tell me what you think might be the most difficult topic to discuss with kids when it comes to hygiene. I want to hear your ideas! This giveaway will close at noon EST Thursday, October 13th. Good luck!

* I will receive compensation for participating in this campaign.

Do you have tweens? If so, you're probably quite familiar with some of their oddities and intricacies. My oldest two are Noah, age 12, and Norah, age 10. I thought I was ready for these years, as I've worked with kids a lot professionally in the past. Oh no, these years are just tricky, I've come to realize. I've been faced with the just plain weirdness of 12-year old boys. I've had to just nod my head at what he says because I SO cannot relate, and I've had to deal with my daughter's moodiness and crazy friend drama. I TOTALLY can relate to that! But the whole issue of hygiene is a touchy one. Thankfully, my kids' father first broached the subject of body odor with our son, so it wasn't quite so tough when my daughter wanted to delve into the realm of deodorant. There are just so many touchy subjects you don't consider until they're right upon you.

That's why I'm so excited to take part in a Tween Academy class with The Motherhood and Unilever, the maker of Degree, Dove and Suave deodorants, tomorrow at noon. We'll be joined by Rosalind Wiseman, author of the best-selling book, Queen Bees and Wannabes. The movie Mean Girls was based on this book. I'm so happy I have the book as a guide for helping my daughter to navigate the world of not always nice girls. You'll want to join us in the talk because, along with our expert and myself, there will be five other bloggers sharing their own experiences. We can all learn so much from each other! We'll be discussing the changes our tweens are going through physically and how to help them adjust to those changes and to take care of themselves.

And you know what else there will be? Um, yeah, there will definitely be prizes! One lucky winner will receive a Vera Bradyley tote filled with items from momAgenda, full size deodorant samples and two books by Rosalind Wiseman. So don't miss it. The Tween Academy class on hygiene will be tomorrow, September 28th at noon EST Just click on the link and join in the conversation.

Also, you can find lots of good information on Unilever's Don't Fret the Sweat Facebook page and follow the hashtag #DontFretTheSweat on Twitter. Follow along for updates. I truly hope to see you there!

* I will receive compensation for my participation in and promotion of the Tween Academy class. I'm thrilled to be a part of it, and all opinions are my own.

I recently spoke with Dr. Patricia Quinn, an expert on ADHD about the importance of dispensing medication regularly to kids with ADHD. She speaks primarily of one kind of medicine, and the information is helpful and insightful for those who choose to medicate for symptoms of ADHD. Always talk to your doctor about the various options for managing ADHD symptoms.

I recently mentioned my shopping trip to Sam's Club to buy Member's Mark 4X Probiotic. In that post, I talked about my experience with buying the product and how I felt about shopping at Sam's. Yes, I do love Sam's! Now I'd like to share with you my thoughts on how the product has worked after taking it for two weeks.

Benefits of Probiotics

Probiotic seems to be a bit of a buzz word when it comes to health lately, but from what I've read, it's not merely a fad. Probiotics are a very useful way of regulating your digestive health. Probiotics are basically bacteria that are meant to contribute to healthy microflora and support the function of the immune system. Yes, these kinds of bacteria are actually good for you.

It's been shown that probiotics can aid in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, help manage other gostrointestinal disorders, delay the development of allergies in children and prevent vaginal and urinary tract infections in women. This is according to information I found in Harvard Medical School's Family Health Guide. Probiotics can be good for overall, general digestive health. If you're hoping to treat a certain condition, be sure to talk to your physician about taking any probiotic product.

About Member's Mark 4X Probiotic

Four strains of natural bacteria are contained in this product. These are Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium bifidum. These bacteria are meant to promote gastrointestinal health and digestive system balance, and they support a healthy digestive system. Talk to your doctor about the use of these particular bacteria in treating any conditions you may be experiencing.

My Experience with Member's Mark 4X Probiotic

Digestive health can be a pretty touchy and sensitive issue. Those who know me know that I'm a pretty open person. But I'm not open enough to share all of my digest issues here on my blog, nor do I think you want to hear about them. So let me just give you an overview of my experience using this product for the past two weeks.

At first, I will say that I noticed an increased frequency of bowel movements. That didn't seem like such a good thing to me, as I never really had a problem in that area. After a few days, this subsided. I'm back to my normal self, but I have noticed less bloating that I had been having. I don't always eat what I should, and I have food allergies. So sometimes, things just don't agree with me digestively. I can truly say that I've noticed a differrence since taking the Member's Mark 4X Probiotic.

I trust Member's Mark products and have given them to my kids. Because probiotics are marketed as a dietary supplement, they are not regulated by the FDA, I believe. It is important to choose a brand that you are comfortable with. I wouldn't recommend this product if I didn't believe in the manufacturer. Have you taken a probiotic? Would you recommend them?

* This shop has been compensated as part of shoppers insight study for Collective Bias. All opinions are my own.

I've been officially done with the hCG diet for the past couple weeks, but there are still some recipes I haven't shared with you. I know there are many people who would like to consider trying the program but aren't sure what they would eat on the 500 calorie a day regimen. I can honestly tell you that I didn't have any trouble coming up with things to eat. Here are some examples of beef recipes I prepared while on the hCG diet.

Filet with Grilled Radish

Ingredients

7oz beef filet

7oz fresh radish

1 garlic clover minced

2 pinches of rosemary

1 tbsp chicken broth

1 ice cube

salt  & pepper

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium high.
2. Bring beef to room temperature, season with pepper and rosemary.
3. Slice up the radishes and place in foil. Add garlic, rosemary, chicken broth and ice cube. Wrap and place on grill for 20 minutes.
4. Grill filet for 3 - 5 minutes on each side, remove from grill and wrap in foil for another 5 minutes.

I actually don't have a grill and cooked this on the stove top with a little water. It turned out just fine, as pictured above, and was very tasty. Turns out I kind of like cooked radishes. That's one thing I really liked about the hCG diet; it really exposed me to new tastes and ways of cooking I hadn't tried before.

Grilled Top Sirloin

Ingredients

7oz sirloin (fat removed)

7oz onion

pepper

kosher salt

Directions

1. Trim any fat off the steak and weigh out two 3.5oz pieces.
2. Let steak warm up to room temperature, should take about 30 minutes. Add only pepper to steak prior to grilling. Adding salt will make the meat less moist.
3. Preheat grill to high heat.
4. Place steaks directly over the heat and place onions either on the top rack or off to the side. Grill steaks about 3 minutes on each side to desired doneness. Once steak and onions are done, place in dish and cover for 5 minute. Garnish steaks with kosher salt and pepper. Serve with onions.

Again, I chose to cook this on the stovetop, rather than the grill. I believe it would work well in the broiler as well.

These recipes were adapted from the book, Easy hCG Diet by Celeste Wilson.

I'm finally vowing to do it, to get healthy for myself and for my family. Many of you know that I recently lost 23 pounds with the hCG Diet. That's really been the jump start I need toward improving my health, as well as my appearance. I feel that I'm making improvements in my outlook and my confidence as well. Now that I've taken conscious, positive steps toward making such a big change, I'm motivated to continue making positive changes in my life.

Unfortunately, I'm not alone when it comes to having weight issues. According to the Center for Disease Control, "two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese" This puts them at risk for health problems like heart disease and diabetes. I don't want my family to become one of the statistics. Not only are there health risks to obesity, but being overweight contributes to lack of energy. Summer is fast approaching, and my kids and I will need all the energy we can muster to accomplish all the fun things we want to do in the warmer months.

For these reasons, I didn't hesitate when I was asked by The Motherhood to take part in a campaign to promote Healthy Choice. I was intrigued to learn that recent research has shown that replacing 10 meals a week with Healthy Choice meals contributed to improved life and dietary quality. That makes sense to me because Healthy Choice meals are portion controlled and are a convenient and healthy alternative. I've always been a fan of Healthy Choice. The Cafe Steamers are my favorite.

Healthy Choice offered me coupons to try two free entrees. I chose the Cafe Steamers Whiskey Steak, which is one of my all-time favorites, and one that was new to me, Select Entrees Honey Ginger Chicken. Here a short review of the latter.

The Honey Ginger Chicken Meal was easy to prepare. All I had to do was make a slit in the plastic cover and microwave it for two minutes. Then I removed the dish, pulled back the cover and stirred the ingredients. I replaced the meal and microwaved it for another minute and a half. The instructions said to let it sit in the microwave for another two minutes. That was the hardest part because it smelled so good, and I was hungry!

This entree was very good. The rice was tender, and the sauce was absolutely delicious. I'm a sucker for anything sweet, and it was just the right amount of honey flavor. The vegetables were crisp and plentiful, and there were large chunks of chicken. While the meal was small, it was enough to satisfy my hunger. I believe that we often eat portions that are too large. That's one of the advantages of Healthy Choice; you always get the right amount of food for a healthy meal.

Also, did you know that brands containing the word "healthy" are held to a higher standard by the FDA? Healthy Choice is "the only major brand in its category that can call 100% of its products 'healthy' as defined by the FDA." Healthy Choice has inspired me to hold myself to a higher standard. In true baby steps fashion, I vow to make some healthy choices and changes this summer. I will:

• continue to eat in a healthy way
• exercise at least five days a week, getting outside with my kids at least three of those and
• experiment with flavorful and healthy foods for my family, incorporating some gluten and dairy-free ingredients.

I vow that this will be a fun-filled and adventurous summer. I intend to be active and do budget-friendly activities with my kids. I say this every summer, and it seems to just fly by without accomplishing this goal. I feel fairly confident that this year will be different, as I'm well on my way to leading a more active lifestyle already. What are your summer plans? Do you think you'll make some new healthy choices?

* I was compensated for this post by The Motherhood and Healthy Choice.

My last hCG diet update was three weeks ago. At that point, I had lost 18 lbs and 4 inches from my waist. Since then, my weight hasn't dropped dramatically, but I have lost a few more inches. I'm feeling fabulous. In six weeks, I've lost a total of 23lbs and 7 inches from my waist! Here are the photos.

Sorry that last picture is a little off from the other two. Norah took it - she did her best! I also apologize that I don't have Bill's final numbers. I believe he lost 27 lbs total. He loooks great. I'll be sure to post a picture soon! Here are my beginning, middle and final numbers for comparison.

On March 21st, I weighed 247 lbs. with a 46" waist, had 42.3% body fat and a BMI of 38.7. On April 11th, I weighed 229 lbs with a 42" waist, had 40.1% body fat and a BMI of 35.9. On May 2nd, I weighed 224 lbs. with a 39" waist and a BMI of 35.1. For some reason, I don't have the body fat percentage listed for this latest measurement, but I'm absolutely thrilled with the overall results.

I would recommend the hCG diet to anyone, as long as they talk to a qualified medical professional before beginning. I also advise seeking medical supervision throughout the process. Thank you so much to my chiropractor, Dr. Jaison Golojuh, for his guidance and support throughout the program. I still have three more weeks of a maintenance phase in which I can add oils, fats and dairy to my diet and am permitted to consume up to 1500 calories a day. I'll need to keep my weight fairly consistent during this time. but I plan to work toward adding exercise to my everyday routine and continuing to eat sensibly, with the result of losing more weight throughout the summer.

As many of my friends and readers know, my husband Bill and I have been on the hCG diet for about a month now. In that month, I've lost about 18 pounds and 5 inches from my waist. The diet is kind of radical in that it allows only 500 calories to be consumed per day and limits the kinds of foods you can eat while on the program. So you can imagine that Bill and I are beginning to miss some of our old comfort foods. We'll be on the program for for two more weeks of low calories before beginning the maintenance phase in which we can begin to add a wider variety of food into our diets. That's why I was excited when I was issued a challenge by Hunt's to create a healthy recipe using Hunt's tomatoes and dedicate that recipe to a loved one.

According to an article published in the March/April 2011 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine called, "Tomato Consumption and Health: Emerging Benefits", there are a number of health benefits to increasing tomato consumption. Adding tomatoes to one's diet has been associated with reduced risk of certain cancers, heart disease, ultra-violet light induced skin damage and osteoporosis, among other conditions. When you think of red tomatoes, keep in mind that tomatoes are good for your heart. They're low in calories and rich in nutrients like potassium, fiber and the antioxidant, lycopene. The lycopene found in canned tomatoes like Hunt's products are easier for your body to use, and higher amounts of lycopene are in canned tomatoes than the raw version. In fact, new dietary guidelines recommend adding an additional serving of tomatoes each day. Tomatoes are a superfood, and I love the convenience of Hunt's canned tomatoes. That's why I chose to use Hunt's canned Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes With Garlic in the chili recipe I create for Bill.

Bill's Hearty Sweet and Spicy Chili

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

14 oz. 92% lean ground beef

2 14.5 oz. cans Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic

1 6 oz. can Hunt's No Salt Added Tomato Paste

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Brown ground beef in large skillet

Drain ground beef and return to skillet.

Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well.

Next, add broth and continue stirring until throughly combined.

Add spices, cocoa and vanilla exract. Mix well and cook to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

The chili turned out really good, and it was so easy and convenient. I wanted to make a hearty meal my husband would enjoy. He's done so well on the diet. He's given up a lot of his favorite foods, and I hoped he would appreciate a nice bowl of hot, stick to your ribs chili. He did. The cocoa and vanilla were a nice way to add a bit of sweetness since we aren't permitted to have sweeteners like honey or molasses. Even our daughter liked the chili!

For more information on the nutritional value of tomatoes, you can check out this webinar from ConAgra Foods. I was compensated by The Motherhood for my time and participation in this campaign. I'm thankful for this experience. It allowed me to use my creativity and to show that I could create a nutritious and tasty recipe for my family. I dedicated my recipe to my husband. Who would you dedicate a healthy tomato recipe to?