...made a pact with my friend.

Martina and I have decided we are going to lose 15 pounds together starting January 5th and finishing by February 20th.

We decided this over our lunch of half-pound loaded burgers at the Ram Pub today. After we made the pact we went back to my house and had hot buttered rum. Might as well live it up while we can!

After all that, however, I went to the gym and ran 10 miles because New Year's Eve is coming up in 2 days and I can't be looking bloaty.

When I got home from the gym I had my Tree Top trim because I felt like I was super hungry, though it was 9pm. It worked! I'm not hungry and I will go to bed happy that I didn't gorge after the gym.

...regreted giving myself a break for Christmas.

Ugh. It was painful stepping on the scale today. I didn't want to do it because I knew it would be bad news, but I also knew it would motivate me to eat better today. It was worse than I thought. I gained 2 lbs!!! Oh man! I am going to a holiday soiree and my friends house tomorrow.

My initial plan was to do an all liquid diet till the party. Those don't work. At least not for me. It lasted about 3 hours. Finally, I had a health bar and felt better.

I worked out today with a video on On Demand by Jillian from Biggest Loser. Boy, she does kick your ass. Hope that helps for tomorrow. Parties are always more fun when you know you look good.

Back on the Tree Top trim challenge. More work to do...

...how much UPS sucks.

As I said earlier, I thought I was so smart ordering ALL of my Christmas gifts online 10 days before Christmas. However, the Arctic Blast of 2008 hit and suddenly we weren't able to get off our hill or get garbage service, but mail was still being delivered. However, nothing I ordered to be delivered by UPS, Fed Ex or USPS arrived.

I didn't expect much from the USPS because they are basically the post office and therefore, the government and therefore, wouldn't care about customer service. However, personal shipping is a competitive market. I first called Fed Ex about my missing packages and although they said they couldn't deliver, they answered the phone, were very friendly and provided some solutions (where I could pick up one of the four packages from them I was waiting for).

UPS was NOTHING like Fed Ex. They were awful and rude. They made it seem like I should feel sorry for them because they were so far behind in deliveries. I was left wondering, what does UPS do in Michigan or Utah or Colorado or any of the states where there is snow most of the winter. I am pretty sure they still deliver packages. The worst part was they didn't even want you to talk to a live person on the phone. By the time I tricked the phone system to let me talk to a real person, that person was pretty irritated I got through. She left me no solutions and seemed pretty upset to be having to ask any questions.

So Christmas is tomorrow and I have resorted to printing out pictures of the gifts I ordered for all my nieces and nephews. Lucky them! There is nothing like unwrapping a piece of paper showing what they could have gotten is UPS had done their job.

In the future I will make sure to pick Fed Ex rather than UPS for all my shipping needs.

In unrelated news, I am still on the trim Challenge, though it has been awfully hard to stay away from temptation while being snowed in. Boy, I need a run...

...I'm so bummed nothing I ordered online will come before Christmas.

Snow bugs. I'm really over it. I thought i was playing it so smart - ordering everything online so I didn't have to risk bad driving conditions. Now, nothing I ordered for my daughter and family members will arrive. Everyone will understand, but Meagan who will wonder why Santa didn't bring her anything, but a stocking. Especially because I told her Santa can do anything and snow is what he is used to. She reminded me I said that today.

So, it's time to start getting creative about what Christmas will be like this year and making the most of it. I am really, really happy my sister and her family arrived so it feels more like the holidays. It helps to relieve some of the cabin fever.

I really need to get out though. I want to see my friends. I want to go for a run. Heck, I even want to go to my office.

Stupid snow.

On the bright side, I am still doing well with my Tree Top trim challenge. I haven't gained weight even though I haven't done any cardio exercise in a week. I did shovel the snow on my stairs today, but I don't think I'll make my goal by the New Year.

Stupid, stupid snow....

...I have serious cabin fever.

I haven't been able to drive anywhere for two days and it doesn't look like I'll be getting out tomorrow. I need to go for a run! At least I've had my daughter dragging me outside to sled or I would be getting next to no exercise.

In times like this it's even harder to eat well and stay on a challenge. I really would love to have some bad for you comfort food and eat non-stop, but it's helpful that I know I am my own Tree Top trim Challenge and that I'm writing about it on a public blog or I would be cleaning out my fridge.

I hope I'm not snowed in for too long or I'll be out of trim...

...it's another winter wonderland day.

By experience, I know these days are the hardest to stick to the Tree Top trim challenge, but my plan is to keep busy and stick to the plan of juice for dessert. I plan to play in the snow a lot so I am hoping to see some weight loss tomorrow.

...still loving the trim Challenge.

I think I will just continue this habit of drinking trim for snacks and desserts rather than having something less healthy as much as possible. I really do actually feel great. I lost another pound and it helps curb the craving for something sweet after I eat lunch and dinner. It has helped me cut calories.

Another totally independent, non-biased Mommy Blogger wrote about trim. I am really excited it's getting all this attention because for me it's like a baby you want to see succeed because you know how good it is and you want the world to know. I really do think the more people that try it, the more will be hooked on it like me.

...discovered it's hard to stick to a challenge when you are snowed in.

All I want to do today is sit in front of my TV on the couch with my daughter drinking hot chocolate. However, I know if I do that it will totally ruin my challenge. That doesn't mean it's totally kept me from temptation, but I have done pretty well considering. One trim so far today, instead of hot chocolate.

I think I'll go sledding with Meagan later to work off the two pieces of garlic toast I had with my soup...

...and had a long day of working, celebrating and shopping.

I'm exhausted, but feel like I really accomplished a lot today - especially finding a new favorite restaurant.

We celebrated my Dad's 66th today and I took him to dinner at a great place in Portland on SE Stark called The Country Cat. It was AMAZING. I had read about it and learned that the chef/owner was formerly from Wildwood and his wife was the pastry chef at Lauro. It was like home style cooking with a fancy twist.

The restaurant had a great feel and for the taste, it was very reasonably priced. I liked that they had a kids menu that got Meagan to try something new -buttery noodles with cheese. She loved it.

My Dad and I had the special - Flank Steak with house made sausage, chantrelle mushrooms, kale and new potatoes. De.lish.ous. The picture doesn't do it justice.

My Mom had the burger which she said was very good. She ate till she was stuffed.

We also ordered dessert (of course). Our favorite was the Bittersweet Chocolate Bundt Cake with Ovaltine Ice Cream. Best. Icecream. Ever. Yummmm. I am going to think about that meal for days.

I will definitely plan to go back. I want to try everything on the menu. The bar food was very reasonably priced and it looks like they make some good drinks. Also kids eat free on Sundays. Awesome. You should go there.

After eating at the restaurant, my sister and I went to finish our Christmas shopping and get some supplies in case weather keeps us up on the hill the next few days. Poor Meagan was exhausted, but I am proud to say I am done with Christmas shopping. Yay!

BTW - Still doing great on the trim Challenge. No weight loss today, but loving having the juice for a snack.

...was surprised to see I lost another pound.

With the snowy weather as it is and all the comfort food I have been eating, I was pleasantly surprised to see my trim Challenge is still working. Yay! Another pound lost. Tree Top trim is my friend.

...it's day 7 of the trim Challenge.

Still haven't lost any more weight, but I did not resist the temptation of the dessert offered me the last two nights. However, I did stick to trim as snacks during the day. I know that's not quite the challenge, however.

Today I am taking Meagan to a birthday party where there will definitely be cupcakes or cake. Because I am writing in this blog that I will resist taking a piece, I will. Boy, I better have lost more weight by tomorrow...

...and had another successful day on the Tree Top trim challenge.

Day 5:

Though I didn't lose any weight, I was successful in avoiding what I shouldn't be eating. I really, really wanted some dark chocolate after lunch, but I went to the fridge and poured some trim. I ended up being pretty happy with it and my craving for the chocolate went away. I am really hoping to see some more weight loss in the next couple days though.

Tonight should be a challenge. I am going to a cousin's birthday party and there's always lots of good food around. I know there will be many challenges like this all month so it will be a good practice party.

More tomorrow...

...it was day for of the trim challenge - and the toughest yet

I am proud to say that it's late and I am really tempted by the oreo/cream cheese brownie that's upstairs on my kitchen counter, but I am drinking a Tree Top trim and it's pretty darn good. I stuck well to the challenge today and was happy to see that, while I didn't lose another pound I didn't gain anything either. Tomorrow, I will be happy if I see the same result considering I had pasta for lunch AND dinner.

I really, honestly like this challenge. I have a sweet tooth and I need to have something sweet a few times a day. It helps to have this in my fridge to go to. I am really not just saying that because I have too. It is true.

...it's totally working!

I lost my other pound I unknowingly gained. I am so happy. Yesterday I had two glasses of trim. First I had the Pomegranate Blackberry, then I had the Mango Peach. I prefer the Mango Peach, but both are good. Actually, my favorite is the Pineapple Tangerine, but they aren't distributing that yet.

Anyway - I have definitely felt satisfied after grabbing a trim, rather than something else. Plus, I probably also feel proud that I am making a better decision. Every serving has 1 full serving of fruit so it helps me get that in. I don't typically buy fruit because it goes bad before I can eat it all. It also has 3 grams of fiber and I am sure I never get enough of that.

I would love to be able to see if I can lose 7 more pounds before January 1. Then I'll have a really good start for my resolutions.

We'll see where I am at tomorrow. Because it's going well so far, I know that I will definitely be able to keep it up today.

...it was day 3 of my Tree Top trim quest.

I lost 1 of the extra pounds I had! Yay! I am still disappointed about the 2 extra lbs, but think they would have been gone if I didn't scarf down a huge Italian meal last night.

This is the first day in my quest that I will be in the office all day. I tend to snack the whole day, so my goal will be to go for the trim in the fridge anytime I want something other than lunch. Also, I will see what happens when I eat a more respectable size dinner tonight.

It's kind of fun to start a quest like this BEFORE the New Year's resolutions I'll declare.

More tomorrow...

...and it was trim test - day 2.

I felt great when I woke up this morning and was sure I would like what the scale said, but I actually gained 2 pounds! What?!

Ugh. To be fair, I did eat way too much yesterday and it was only the first day of my Tree Top trim test so I will be very interested to see what tomorrow's scale reads. Today I haven't actually craved so much extra food. I don't know whether it's due to the delayed effects of trim or because I know if I want anything extra it has to only be a glass of juice so I have avoided going to the fridge. I just really haven't felt as hungry today. Hmmmm... I like that.

...felt really guilty I hadn't posted lately.

I wanted this to be a daily blog and boy, has it fallen short. Iwill still shoot for daily, but mostly likely it will be "frequently" updated.

I have tried many different products in my functional food test and I am glad I started it. If I hadn't I might have not known I liked these types of foods/beverages. I did recently find a very most favorite bar: Cookie Dough Balance Bar. Seriously delicious. It had about 250 calories, but it had so many vitamins and it actually tasted like cookie dough. Yummmm. I wish I bought more than one because I want one right now. They were on sale at Fred Meyer for only a buck. I will definitely be buying more.

Since starting this quest, I notice that I feel pretty good most of the time. It has helped me keep weight off and when I choose one of these snacks or soups I feel like I have made a very healthy choice.

So now - I will continue eating and evaluating these foods, but I am starting a new test. I recently got Tree Top as a client because they are launching a new functional beverage - Tree Top trim. I really like it for the taste, low calories, metabolism boost and fiber, but I want to know it works and want to test what happens if I drink it every day. I want to see if I lose weight. I am not typically a juice drinker, but my new goal is going to be every time I am in the mood for a snack or dessert I am going to pour a glass of this juice.

I'll keep the blog updated on what I think of it, but I also wanted to disclose they are a client so I wasn't treating it like the other functional food tests.

I got started today and so far, the juice as a snack and dessert has worked. I haven't still needed something after I finished it. We'll see how it is tomorrow...