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.

It's been a month since I started the New Year, New Me Challenge with CalorieStory, the social calorie counting app for Facebook. I've learned so much about the food I put into my body. I honestly never realized how quickly calories can add up throughout the day, even with seemingly healthy foods. Keeping a calorie intake journal has really allowed me to see just how many calories I'm eating during the day.

Being able to track my calorie intake hasn't necessarily deterred me from overeating, but it has certainly made me aware. For example, I now know for sure that I've overdone it on a certain day of the week, so I know to pay extra attention the rest of the week. And it's not hard. My biggest problem with most "diets" is that I don't have time in my day to monitor, weigh and keep detailed notes on every little thing I eat. With CalorieStory, it truly is easy to look up the calorie count of foods. You don't have to leave the app. If I'm not able to find the exact food or brand, I can usually find a suitable substitute.

This month, I've only lost about 2 pounds, but I've gained new insight on what goes into my mouth. That understanding is going to help me for the long haul to make bigger and longer lasting changes. Again, I have to stress that it was really easy to incorporate CalorieStory into my life. That is the most important part to me. If it doesn't fit into my lifestyle, I'm more than likely not going to use it. What I truly appreciate about this app is that it makes it simpler to incorporate changes into my life, rather than having to change my entire routine to fit around a diet or plan.

Thank you so much to CalorieStory and the sponsors of the New Year, New Me Campaign - CarbLovers Diet, EatSmart, YogaPulse, GoodBelly, Our Love Yoga and LARABAR.

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