Before February passes before my eyes…just wanted to report that I have maintained my Weight Watchers Lifetime Member goal weight for February! YAY!

And you know what that means…bring on the bling.

Or, BLING IT ON!

It’s a three-in-one watch…and bling-a-licious!

While I’m not doing things perfect, I am having fun “watching” my weight! Bling is a perfect reward for a bling-loving-me!

I want to preserve the gains (or losses, depending on how you look at it) so next month, I’m going to be doing a small group with some of my MOMSnext friends on Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Made to Crave – Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God, Not Food (click on the link, there’s tons of encouragement there including a 21 day challenge where she’ll email you an encouraging email!) and free webcasts every Tuesday.

What’s your favorite piece of bling (jewelry)?

Heart I love bling. Heart

And today, I’ve “officially” added to my collection – I’m back to my Weight Watcher’s Lifetime Membership goal!

I’m experiencing such warm hilariosity, I can barely stand it!

That is, until…

Until I recalled that I cheated.

It’s lame to admit it, but I cheated. I wore this java colored cutie before it was “official”. I wore it some days in November and December. I know, I know…L-A-M-E.

I bought it with the heart to motivate me to maintain my goal. And then it took just a few days of savvy bartering and rationalizations to negotiate why it would, in fact, look good on my wrist…it is a brown sweater that I’m wearing after all

(pic from here)

And so down the slippery slope I went…wearing the watch and eating the chow.

“I don’t need to food journal anymore, I’ve so got this…”

“These ____ are on sale and I have a coupon, I’ll buy it cause it’s a good buy…”

“I can eat that cookie, alright, cookieS…they don’t have that many calories, plus I ran this morning…I deserve it.”

Keen bartering and savvy rationalizations are quite a slippery slope alright…(and helped me miss out on two months of B-L-I-N-G). Frown

Earlier this month, when I asked about your New Year’s resolution…you went all cricketsville on me. Which tells me that you’re not doing a resolution at all or that yours is too private to share on the world-wide web.

I get it.

If it’s a weight loss goal that you’re negotiating, I want to encourage you that there’s still time to join my friend Sherry and her friends!

No matter what you’re thinking about, keep accountable by sharing your goal, word or idea with at least one other person.

Today, I’m grateful to be blinging in the New Year not just on the scale, but near certainly at game night tonight! The Finkster and I are hosting a guys against gals game night with some dear old Air Force friends, friends that we’ve known as long as 17 years now and the camaraderie continues and IT’S ON! We’re a competitive crew.

Three questions(my new bling and thought of game night have me on a hilariosity high…) before I peace you out:

1. What color bling do you think I should shoot for next month?
2. Who do you think’s gonna win game night?
3. A word, a resolution, or something else…how are you blinging in the New Year?

“Momma, I n-e-e-d that new Kung Zhu pet!” Cal declared to me in the Target aisle.

“Do you need it or want it?” Holy cow, when did I become my mother?

“Um, I really want it?” he wobbly replied.

As someone seven times his years, I can relate.

What better time than today, New Years Eve, the eve of when goals and dreams are earnestly considered. I’m wondering if you feel the “weight” of the New Year lurking it’s ugly little head around you?

What is it saying to you?

Many of you know, in excruciating detail, my weight loss/health gain journey. And you also know that it’s not done yet. While I’ve had slow weight loss success, the food compulsion is still strong and present.

One of the vital keys to my success is having a healthy support and accountability network.

I started this blog based off of my eating addiction recovery. Every week I posted my “weekly weigh in”. Then, I started a Lose it For Life group. That was the first time, I openly stated in front of a group of friends that I had a food addiction. I was embarrassed, but was set free from the shame of my less than perfect performance. Then, I joined Weight Watchers.

I no longer just want support and accountability; no, I need it. And it’s giving me the life and results, the Kung Zhu pet if you will, that I desire! Big Smile

I’ve struggled with eating too much food, past my physical hunger and it’s required more than just to pray it out. No, staying healthy (sober) for me, has required staying surrounded by support and accountability.

Today, I have a very exciting opportunity for anyone interested in losing weight.

If you want a low maintenance, built-in circle of weight accountability, while also supporting children in Guatemala, this post is dedicated to you, compliments of my precious friend, Sherry.

Sherry’s goal is to be at her goal weight by her 50th birthday, which is this September.

There’s no outlined “program” which may freak some of you out. This group is a collection of men and women that are on different programs, that want to lose weight, together, via a “healthy” competition, in the Biggest Loser style.

So what’s expected?

Participants will weigh-in weekly on their own personal scale using the same scale each week. Weigh-ins will be on the “honor system” and the weight will be reported weekly to Sherry at bealoser@verizon.net . While your actual weight will not be shared with the group, the actual percentage of weight loss will be shared with the group each week. (Sherry has an Excel spreadsheet which is set up to calculate this for each participant.) Since Sherry is keeping the weight loss records, she commits to having her starting and ending weight witnessed by someone else. Everyone is expected to weigh-in weekly. It is important to have people actively involved in the competition – both for the good of the group and to keep each individual working toward their goal. Thus, absent extenuating circumstances, missing three weigh-ins will disqualify you from the competition.

Everyone will contribute $25 to participate. There are no refunds if you decide to drop out. The money will be put into an interest-bearing account at M&T Bank; you can write checks to Sherry Zamora. 10% of the money will be given to Casa Aleluya which is a home in Guatemala that cares for and raises 314 orphaned, abused, and mistreated children.

The remainder of the money will be split as follows: 50% to the top loser, 25% to the second place loser, and 15% to the third place loser. The more we can get to join this competition, the more fun it will be and the more there will be to win! Prizes will be awarded on or about June 2nd.

The contest will run for five months from January 2nd to June 2nd. Participants can join up until January 17th, so please pass this along to a friend or family member. No matter where you live, you can participate as long as you’re honest about your weekly weigh-in results!

If interested, please contact Sherry at bealoser@verizon.net .

So, what do ya say???

What’s one of your New Year’s goals?