Success With Lose It!

I have one confession to make (okay maybe 2 or 3).  After having baby #3 last July, I lost my baby weight plus some baby weight from #1 and #2 without even trying.  I only gained 20 lbs with baby #3 and that weight plus another 10 lbs came off within 2 months.  When my baby was only a month old, I started having gall bladder attacks so I really had to watch my diet until I had it removed when she was 12 weeks old.  I truly believe that contributed to rapid weight loss also.

Fast forward one year, I have gained about 10 lbs of that weight back and I am not a happy camper!  Previously I could eat anything and it didn't matter, well in the last 3 months that "method" has caught up with me.  I have a goal weight range (plus or minus 3 lbs) and I have a maximum weight I want to weigh.  Well, last Monday I exceeded that weight!  Hello diet, goodbye fast food and sweets!

In the past I had success doing the Weight Watcher's point system in losing weight (like 12 years ago before we got married)!  I just exited the Blackberry age and entered the iPhone age about 2 weeks prior, so I knew there had to be an app out there and I found it!  I downloaded Lose It! and I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!!

With Lose It! you can track your weight, calorie intake, and exercise on a daily basis.  I set up a goal to lose 2 lbs per week for a total of 15 lbs.  After one week I already lost 4 lbs (guess I should slow down a bit).  It is amazing how much better my clothes fit and how much healthier I am eating.  This app works for me because I do not want to use up my daily calories on bad foods, it makes me think twice before eating.  It also pushes me to exercise, because when you exercise you "earn" more calories to eat for the day (hello, more food?  Yes please!).

I was already walking every evening, but now I have added an extra 30 minutes of brisk walking on my lunch break at work.  So I am normally walking 2 - 30 minute increments.  Each of my walks earns me an extra 100 or so calories a day. 

I am currently set up to eat 1024 calories per day, here is an example of my food intake for one day:

• Breakfast - 2 hard boiled eggs (155 calories)
• Lunch - Caesar Salad (221), croutons (46) and yogurt (147)
• Dinner - 1 cup pasta (221) with pasta sauce (79)
• Snacks - 7 Triscuits (120), 1/3 cup Colby Jack Cheese (147), apple (77)

I also exercised twice that day:

• 30 minute walk at a brisk pace (119 calories burned)
• 20 minute walk at a brisk pace (79 calories burned)

So I had one successful week down and I am onto number 2!

This post is linked at Workout Wednesday at The Not-So-Secret Confessions of a Second Time Mom.

We're Going To Idlewild & SoakZone

My family has been given the opportunity to visit Idlewild and SoakZone in Ligonier, PA.  This will be the first time visiting Idlewild and SoakZone and my boys (and their parents) could not be more excited!  Be sure to check back for complete 'rundown' from our visit'!

Looking for your ticket to family fun?  Nestled within the foothills of the beautiful Laurel Highlands, just outside of Ligonier in Westmoreland County, you’ll find Idlewild & SoakZone, named “Best Children’s Park in the World” by Amusement Today and “Best Park for Families” by the National Amusement Park Historical Association.

Since 1878, Idlewild has been providing smiles, laughter, and memories longer than almost every other amusement park in the entire United States.  Originally a simple picnic ground along the Ligonier Valley Rail Road, the park has grown into a sprawling entertainment center rich in tradition, nostalgia, and natural beauty, and is recognized as one of the top destinations for family fun in the country.

Idlewild strikes the perfect balance between traditional and modern-day amusement.  At one end of the park you’ll find tranquil Story Book Forest.  Featuring a winding path through a real forest, guests visit cottages and other character scenes from fairy tales and nursery rhymes – providing a great chance for parents and grandparents to revisit their youth as they introduce their own little ones to Mother Goose, Goldilocks and many more.

At the opposite end lays SoakZone, gushing with “splash-tacular” fun from the Wowabunga Family Wave Pool, over a dozen waterslides, Captain Kidd’s aqua-structure, Lil’Squirts kiddie pool, and the new lazy river, Float Away Bay.  In between, families can experience cheerful excitement within the entertaining Hootin’ Holler’ western town,Jumpin’ Jungle interactive playground, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood of Make-Believe, and Raccoon Lagoonkiddieland - one of the largest and most scenic children’s areas in the country.

The park’s roster of nineteen major rides includes rare gems like the Whip, not to mention the top-notch Rollo Coaster, which has appeal to both children (often listed as their first ever coaster ride) and longtime coaster enthusiasts, (whom designated the ride an “American Coaster Classic”).  Compare those classics to the park’s more modern rides, like the fast-paced Wild Mouse steel coaster, towering high among the park’s tall evergreens and offering high action at every quick turn.

Idlewild is truly multi-generational.  Grandparents are often seen riding alongside their grandchildren among the family-friendly rides and there’s a wide array of entertainment directed to both the young and the young at heart.  At the core of every attraction is the principal that the entire family can enjoy it together.

It’s unique charm and laid-back atmosphere just invite you to relax.  Shady trees, lakes and the Loyalhanna Creek passing through its center, make Idlewild compare more to a state park than any other amusement park you’ve ever seen.  The center midways are lined with benches and there are plenty of picnic groves where families can enjoy a picnic lunch together as they take a break during their fun-filled day.


SAVE 2 Ways at Idlewild and SoakZone this summer!    Save $8 per admission online or Save $5 per admission ticket at the gate! http://www.pittsburghkidsguide.com/coupon.php?bid=5283&dealid=936®ionid=58

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Fab Kids - First Outfit 50%Off

I'd like to invite you to join FabKids, a fashion club with endless outfit combinations for stylish girls sizes 2-12. You should definitely check it out and if you sign up today, you can get 50% off your first outfit.

I just received my first outfit from FabKids!  I picked out a super cute outfit in a size 2 for my little girl for next summer!  With FabKids, all outfits are $39.95 with free shipping and handling.  Plus you will receive 50% off your first outfit!  When you first go to FabKids, they ask you a few questions and then show you their picks for outfits!  Every month they send you new picks.

My daughter's new outfit arrived within a couple of days in a cute pink box.  I cannot wait for next
summer!  The pink dazzle dress came with matching pink shorts and a sparkled blue bow!

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