Who is ready to get their SIZZLE ON???

Good morning to my Summer Sizzle Sisters!

Since today starts the official kick off of the Summer Sizzle Slimdown Challenge, I thought I would do a quickie post this morning to clear up the questions I have received and post links to everyone's blog (or those that I have, anyway).  IF you see that I do not have your blog url in my list and you want to be a part of the challenge, please just leave the link in my comment section and I will add it to our list!

Here is the way this challenge should roll week to week:
As we embrace day #1,  those that are going to take pics/measurements, this is the day to do it. If you have a blog,  you will post your info there as a regular post. You can leave a short comment (including your url) in my comments section that will let everyone know you have posted. As new people come to my post,  they should check out the comments section to see who has posted for the day, and pop on by their blog to say hi and give some encouragement! I will try to have a cumulative list of ALL challenge members complete by today. I was amazed how many new people popped up suddenly but I think it's great that so many people are on board and excited to get the summer kick-started this way! I say the more, the merrier!

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE (beginning 6/3/12):

If it passes your lips, you gotta write it down!
This week is all about BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT GOES IN OUR GULLETS!!!!
No more samples of this or bites or licks of that without accountability!
The goal is to keep a food log this week. I know some of your do this religiously, others do it half-assedly, and yet others don't do it at all. One of the things I continually read in regard to weight loss success is the recording of what you eat and drink. I think they may be onto something!

IF you have a food scale, this would be a good time to dust it off and use it! The goal is to be as accurate as you can about what you are eating, and keep a week-long tally of calories consumed each day. Calorie Count has an excellent database of foods and is a wonderful (free!) tool to use for this very purpose. As an added challenge to yourself,  you can set a calorie limit you'd like to stick with each day. Since this will vary for everyone, please let us know what your goal is. If you don't want to count calories,  that is OK too, but just let us know how you are being accountable. Are you measuring portions? Are you staying away from all fast food? Are you doing something different this week in regard to how you document what you eat that you have not done before? Inquiring minds want to know! Next Sunday we want to hear the good,  the bad and the ugly about how you did (I'm optimistic - I think all reports will be STELLAR!!). We'll check in and give our two cents and some positive encouragement!

Following this initial kick off of the challenge, I will post the upcoming week's challenge info every Sunday. (I'll probably blog more than that throughout the week but Sunday will be the official Challenge Dedication Day). On Sundays, once you have created your post on your blog that gives us the low-down on how you did with the weekly challenges (and any weight loss deets if you are sharing that info), please remember to come back to my blog and post a quick comment that lets us know you have posted (and please include a link to your post!!!). That way people know with whom they can come and check in.

I wish I knew how to do the thing that Thursday's Child did last year with the Christmas Dress Challenge where people inserted their names right onto her page that allowed you to go directly to their post, but I am SO NOT that blog saavy - so I apologize. If anyone has an easier suggestion for how we can check each other's posts, I'm all ears, but until I get a better method,  this will have to suffice.

Remember this is a support system here and we are all in this together - through good and bad, so don't be afraid to ask for help, suggestions, or extra encouragement if you need it. I know some of the challenges seem hard or unpleasant but hey - that's why it's a CHALLENGE, right?

Anyway - I still need my husband to take my picture this morning (but first I have to shower so I don't scare the living bejeezus out of all of you (I have enough butt-ugly pics on this blog already). So I will be doing an additional post today once the measurements and pics are done.

As of right now, I have the following people taking the Summer Sizzle Slim Down Challenge (Please note: if I do not have a name listed, I apologize - it's because I either know you only as your blog name or when you commented your name was not included on the comment. Please provide us with the name you would like to be called during this challenge):

JoNita at http://aboutjonitaandherweightloss.blogspot.com/
Kody at http://www.skinnysized.com/
Michele at http://ruminationsasiuncoverthewomanwithin.blogspot.com/
Julie at http://healthywealthandwisenotbutlearning.blogspot.com/
Nicole at http://www.colieskitchen.com/
Christina at http://last-weight-loss-journey.blogspot.com
Shannon at http://mamashan.blogspot.com/
Pam at http://www.emptynest1.com/
Alison at http://www.underthebigoaktree.com/
Shala (or Miss S.) at http://followmethirty.blogspot.com/
Plum Petals at http://plumpetals-workinitout.blogspot.com/ 
Dina at  http://fromwaddletorun.blogspot.com/
Jo at http://awellkeptlife.blogspot.com
Deb at http://debsdailylife.blogspot.com/ 
Betty at http://bltnever.blogspot.com
http://searchingforthefireflies.blogspot.com/
http://blogwobble.blogspot.com/
Tammy1409 (who does not have a blog but will give her updates through my comments section each week).
Tomadou at http://tomadou.blogspot.com/
Chica at http://studyabroadslimdown.blogspot.com/
Kenna at http://kennalarae.blogspot.com
Lora at http://lollyblabbin.blogspot.com
http://morethanihopedfor.wordpress.com/
Casey at http://caseys279.blogspot.com
Nanette at http://nanettesthejuicytruth.blogspot.com
Debbi at http://debbidoesdieting.blogspot.com/



Did I forget anybody???

I am not sure of Taryn at Fat Girl in a Skinny World is joining (but Taryn,  we'd love to have you!).

Ok - gotta take a shower! Let me know if anyone has questions! Hope I have covered everything.

Please let me just say that I am excited to be doing this challenge will all of you and am proud that each and every one of us is willing to try their best to make a big difference in their health this summer! We can do this!!!!!!!
And if you ever need further motivation, repeat the words that were once posed to me by the wise (and weight loss success-story) Michele at http://ruminationsasiuncoverthewomanwithin.blogspot.com/

...IF NOT NOW, WHEN?????

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!

SIZZLE ON!!!!!