We're Celebrating Our 7 Years of Marriage!

I am a hopeless romantic but my husband is not. I remember every important date, like when we first met, when he proposed to me because it has sentimental value. But the hubs? I have to remind him of this. 

Today is our 7th Wedding Anniversary!

I was 55 kg when I walked down the aisle with the man I love 7 years ago. I tried to lose weight back then. I want to be 5 kg lighter so that I look great in my wedding dress. Who won't? But the weight didn't go away. I still got married. 

People said, couples in happy marriage are likely to gain weight. I'm the living proof. Happily married and two kids, I gained a massive 27 kg in 7 years. And as the two wonderful kids growing up, their mother is "growing up" too. The perfect anniversary gift this year would be my 'weight loss' indeed. I have been planning from month 1 this year to shed the kilos for good but I'm not striving hard enough thus things have not been successful until now. There's time when I felt that losing the weight that I have kept for 7 years is impossible. But thanks for sharing this success stories, they keep giving me hopes. 

• Susan successfully lost half her body weight, 
• Nikki lost 130 pounds for good 
• Mandy lost 69 lbs after pregnancy.
• Ashley lost 120 Pounds
• Raycheal lost 36 kg in 6 months

Follow my journey if you haven't!

© I promise not to spam you

Finding weight loss motivation can be difficult. Leave your thought in the comment:

• What comforting advice would you offer to someone who struggle with their weight?   

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7 Ways to Use Weight Loss Affirmations Effectively to Lose Weight

This a follow up post from yesterday's post Weight Loss Affirmations. I believe that weight loss affirmation is one great way to create the right mental attitude to stick to a weight loss plan. We all know that weight loss isn't easy but weight loss affirmations could stretch your comfort zone by bombarding your subconscious mind with new thoughts and image.

What weight loss affirmations you have created lately? I'd like to hear about it. Scroll down and share in the comments.

If you already have your list, these are 7 ways how to use them effectively. The following ideas are excerpted from Jack Canfield's book entitle "How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be."

1. Cards

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Post 3" x 5" cards with your weight loss affirmations around your house.

2. Use picture

Kim Kardashian body: I visualize my newself with a well define waist, trimmer body and flat stomach. :P

Hang pictures of the thin you around your house or your room. I use the FACEinHOLE app to create my totally thin new look. This a great tool to visualizing your future.

3. Review regularly

Recite your weight loss affirmation first thing in the morning, in the middle of the day to refocus yourself, and around bedtime. Repeat your affirmations out loud if appropriate or silently during "wasted time" such as waiting in line and driving.

4. Record you voice

Record your weight loss affirmations and listen to them while you work or drive. You can also use endless loop tapes or an iPod.

5. Put in your screen saver

Put your weight loss affirmations on your screen saver on your computer, so every time you use your computer, you'll see them.

6. Imagine

Close your eyes and visualize yourself as the affirmations describes. See it as if you were looking out at the scene as if you were actually living it.

7. Include your five senses

Hear any sounds you might hear when you successfully achieve your weight loss affirmations describe - the important people in your life congratulating your weight loss and telling you how pleased they are with your success. Feel the feelings that you will feel when you achieve that weight loss success.

It's your turn! 

Do you use affirmations for certain situation, maybe to improve your life or create wealth? How do you implement them? I'd love to hear more from you. Drop your thought in the comment.

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Top 57 Positive Weight Loss Affirmation to Help You Lose Weight

I love affirmations. Weight loss affirmations is simply a positive statements written or spoken in the present tense that focus on the outcome or weight loss goal you want to achieve. Of course, affirmations are not the magic mantra which will make you lose weight overnight just by saying them, but what they will do is alter the unconscious thought process of your mind so that you naturally go about your daily life in a way that helps you lose weight. Saying a daily affirmation will help change the way you think about food and how much you eat. I learn about this beautiful principle in Jack Canfield's "How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be." 3 Other Motivating Books from Jack Canfield: 1. Maximum Confidence: Ten Secrets of Extreme Self-Esteem 2. Think Positive: 101 Inspirational Stories about Counting Your Blessings and Having a Positive Attitude 3. Pearls of Wisdom: 30 Inspirational Ideas to Live your Best Life Now! Give it a try. Go and make positive affirmations a part of your weight loss plan. Make your own list of positive affirmations that are specific to your weight loss goals. Read these affirmations out loud and think these affirmations to yourself at least twice a day. I'd share mine. 1. Losing weight comes naturally for me. 2. I am happily achieving my weight loss goals. 3. I am losing weight every day. 4. I love to exercise regularly. 5. I am eating foods that contributes to my health and wellbeing. 6. I eat only when I am hungry. 7. I now clearly see myself at my ideal weight. 8. I love the taste of healthy food. 9. I am in control of how much I eat. 10. I am enjoying exercising, it makes me feel really good. 11. I am becoming fitter and stronger everyday through exercise. 12. I am easily reach and maintain my ideal weight 13. I love and care for my body. 14. I deserve to have a slim, healthy, attractive body. 15. I am developing more healthy eating habits all the time. 16. I am getting slimmer every day. 17. I look and feel great. 18. I do what it takes to be healthy. 19. I am happily redefineed succees. 20. I choose to exercise. 21. I want to eat foods that make me look and feel good. 22. I am responsible for my health. 23. I love my body. 24. I am patient with creating my better body. 25. I am happily exercising every morning when I wake up so that I can reach the weight loss that I have been wanting. 26. I am committing myself to my weight loss program by changing my eating habits from unhealthy to healthy. 27. I am happy with every part I do in my great effort to lose weight. 28. Every day I am getting slimmer and healthier. 29. I am in the process of developing an attractive body. 30. I am developing a lifestyle of vibrant health. 31. I am creating a body that I like and enjoy. 32. My lifestyle eating changes are changing my body. 33. I am feeling great now that I have lost in excess of 10 pounds in 4 weeks and can't wait to meet my lady friend. 34. I have a flat stomach. 35. I celebrate my own power to make choices around food.  36. I am happily weighing 20 pounds less. 37. I am loving walking 3 to 4 times a week and do toning exercises at least 3 times a week 38. I drink 8 glasses of water a day. 39. I eat fruits and vegetables daily and eat mostly chicken and fish. Jim Carey also use affirmation to powerfully attain her career 40. I use by bicycle in the summer, at least 3 times a week. 41. I am full and satisfied after meals. 42. My stomach is the size of my fist, I only need a small portion of food to satisfy it. 43. I can eat what I want, when I want, provided I only eat when I am hungry and STOP the moment I am satisfied. 44. I am feeling great, my body burn the food I eat for fuel. 45. If I eat until I am full I have eaten too much. 46. My body is a fat burning machine. 47. When I dine out I have two meals for the price of one! I can share with a friend or take half home for another meal. 48. The less food, I eat the better I feel. 49. Food is available 24 hours per day 7 days per week. 50. Exercise makes me feel beautiful, I am graced with a healthy and well-shaped body. 51. Losing body fat is easy and effortless for me. 52. My energy and vitality have increased 100 percent. 53. It is so easy for me to lose body fat that the extra fat just falls off my body. 54. Body fat falls off of me so fast that everyone around me is noticing. 55. My body feels light and easy to carry. 56. My body is getting slimmer with every new hour. 57. When I go for a walk, my metabolism increasingly speeds up and I lose body fat quickly and easily.  Have you been trying to use affirmations to improve your life? Share your own affirmations or your favorite one in the comment.

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How to Be Slim in 1930s Style

Marilyn Monroe

I adore Marilyn Monroe. She is phenomenally beautiful. No, in fact I love old Hollywood glamour girl to be exact. Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Heidi Lamar, Greta Garbo. I didn't live back then but I love the style and class and the overall sentiment of the era!  The classic gorgeous, sleek waves never goes out of style and old Hollywood glam makeup never die. These original list of sexiest celebs always stayed in camera-ready shape, and we want to know their secrets.  

Then I found this vintage video on YouTube. Very classic.

Easy steps to slim - the1930s style

The1940s style to fight the bulge

...and er what? The slimming beds?

Do they still sell slimming bed this day? This might one of the many top workout trend in the era. Would you give any of this workout a try? 

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Seven Steps to a Beautiful and Healthy Body and Mind

In today’s busy world, having a healthy and beautiful body and mind can seem difficult. You spend so much time worrying about everything but yourself, it can seem as though the happy days are long gone. Do not let this state of mind trap you though! You do have a choice, and you can start taking steps to become happier and healthier right now. In fact, let’s look at those steps right now so you can get started. 

Step #1: Develop the Right Mindset 

Perhaps the most important thing is going to be developing the right mindset. If you really want to make a change, then it is time that you took it into your own hands. You can’t wait for someone else to come along and change your life for you. It is important that you really start to get your mind around actually wanting to make those changes. Only when you are on board with the changes will you be able to make them and make them stick. 

Step #2: Eat Right 

The phrase “you are what you eat” is essentially true. If you are eating unhealthy, fatty foods, then that’s what it going to happen to your body. Chances are that you are going to gain weight. Even if you have an unbelievable metabolism and do not seem to put on weight, you will find that you are going to be damaging your arteries and internal organs with unhealthy eating. When you do change your eating habits, you are going to see a remarkable difference on your body. You will find that your skin looks better and more beautiful, and that you feel much better. The sooner you start eating better the healthier you are going to be. Of course, beauty and health is not going to rely on healthy eating alone. 

Step #3: Get More Exercise 

You will also want to make sure that you are getting more exercise. Take the time to exercise each day if you can and at least five days out of the week. The sessions should be at least half an hour, but if you can do more that’s even better. You will have a number of different options when it comes to the types of exercise that you do. You could do weight training, cardio, yoga, and more. The key to sticking with the exercises is finding something that you enjoy. Mix it up and find a number of different activities that you enjoy so that you do not grow bored with any single routine. 

Step #4: Take Great Care of Your Skin 

Beautiful skin is important to most people, so you will want to make sure that you are taking great care of your skin at all times! This means you need proper hydration, and you need to make sure that you are using high quality products to moisturize and hydrate your skin. Eating healthy and exercising, as mentioned, will help to keep your skin looking great as well. You should limit your time in the sun too, and always use sunscreen with a nice, high SPF. 

Step #5: Get the Right Amount of Sleep 

It might seem difficult to get enough sleep, given the fact that you are so busy. Sometimes, it can be difficult to fall asleep at night because you have so much on your mind. However, if you are not getting at least eight hours of sleep a night, it is going to start taking a toll on you. It is not possible to “catch up” on sleep, as so many people believe. Find ways that will help you fall asleep in the evening, and make sure that you are getting into bed early enough. Try not to watch television right before bed, as this can sometimes over stimulate your mind and make it difficult to fall asleep. 

Step #6: Look for the Positive Things in Life 

Do your best to find the things in life that you enjoy and start appreciating them more. This could be family and friends, pets, your favorite books, and just about anything else. The important thing is to find those things that you love and start appreciating them. This helps you overall attitude and outlook on life. When you have that positive attitude, you are going to be smiling quite a bit more, and you are going to feel better. It’s great for your mind to have a positive outlook! This can help you reduce the feelings of stress that might be keeping you up at night too. 

Step #7: Keep a Clean Space 

When you have a clean space, you will find that it can lead to a clean and uncluttered mind. This will help you to cultivate that positive outlook, and you will actually feel as though you want to take better care of yourself. It sounds simple, but it’s true. A messy space can often cause stress and negative feelings that will then translate to the rest of your life. 

This is a guest post by Victory Lean. She is a writer at Di Cigs - an Electronic Cigarette showcase. She likes to share lifestyle tips and advices for healthy living. 

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Celebrity Tips: Kim Kardashian's 7 Ways to Lose 7 Pounds in 7 Seconds

Forget the fat jokes. Kim Kardashian is pregnant and gaining weight during pregnancy is normal.

Before her pregnancy, Kim Kardashian is no doubt well known for her curvacious figure. She is not tall and carrying a few extra pounds can become instantly noticeable. She is reportedly very careful with her diet. She cut out all sugar from her diet and make sure the food she puts on her plate is light, healthy and nutritious. If you were struggling for a way to relate to Kim Kardashian, you can learn from this reality star some quick fixes to look 7 pounds lighter in 7 seconds.

1. Wear Black

Wearing black is a popular trick to makes you look thinner. Black has a slimming effect, but that doesn't means that you should always wear black from head to toe. Try choosing from a large number of colors such as brown, dark green, dark blue.

2. Wear High Heels

Kim Kardashian wear a nude platform heels to makes her look taller and thinner. (Left)
Steal the Look: Kiss & Tell Ashleigh Pumps (Right) 

You can wear high heels which at least two inches to make your leg look longer and slimmer. Avoid shoes with ankle straps if you have thick ankles as they making your legs look stumpy and short.

3. Wear a Trendy Tunic
If you have problems with the belly, tunic outfit is the perfect choice. Choose tunics in flowing fabrics that hit just below the hip. They look their best over slim jeans or leggings.

Kim Kardashian in all black lace clothing. Image by WENN (Left)
Steal the look: Black Short Dress (Right) 

Tunic is in fashion again. Wear tunic like Kim Kardashian to look your slimmest. (Left)
Steal the Look: FLOW Ning's Fling Short Sleeve Printed Tunic (Right)   

4. Highlight your best features

Kim make a statement with this oversize belt. (Left)
Steal the Look: Dandelion Faux Leather Waist Belt with Metal Plate Buckle (Right) 

If you have a well define waist like Kim Kardashian, show off that tiny waist by choosing waist defining tops or wear chunky belt to accentuate your waist. If you carry most of your weight up top, draw the attention away by wearing very bold colored high heels or glam your dress with jewelry.

5. Pull your hair up

If you have long hair, put it in a high ponytail and your face will look much thinner. If your hair is shorter, style it in loose curls and waves for a slimming effect.

6. Wear Jacket

A shapely, single-breasted, tailored jacket with princess seaming works like a charm and makes you look both thinner and taller. Kim Kardashian makes sure that her blazer or jacket comes to at least mid hip length. This will give a smooth and balance look.

7. Stand up straight
Stop slouching! You've heard it from your mother and she was right. Standing up straight, pulling your shoulders back and sucking in your tummy, you'll look two to three inches taller and 7 pounds slimmer--instantly.

My inbox is lonely and need some love.

Do you have any secret way to look thinner instantly? Add it in the comment. Don't worry, your secret is safe here. This post is a link-up to RX Fitness Lady.

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Weight Loss Success Story: How One Morbidly Obese Woman Lost Half Her Body Weight

Susan before and after her enormous weight loss

Weight loss success stories never fail to gives hope to fellow aspirant like me. But some weight loss stories are simply profit-oriented. Annoying gimmick. There's no or very little honesty behind such stories, but to increase sales. It's not however fair to label all weight loss products are the same. I know some weight loss products that are really work, but you have to empty your hard earned money from your wallet.  

Keep focused on her goal: Susan during her weight loss journey

But this following story I am about to share is of no gimmick. This is an inspiring weight loss success story from a girl named Susan. She started at 126 kg and she lost more than 60 kg within 3 years. That means she lost weight at an average of half a kilogram a week or 2 kilograms a month (4.4 pounds a month on average). According to Susan, her strong determination and focusing on her goals to lose weight are what bring her thus far. She is still maintaining her healthy weight at 59 kg. 3 years is like a long journey but the efforts is seem to be paying off.

How did she lost half of her body weight?

Susan did not follow any fad diets. She neither use any meal replacements of any kind nor diet pills. She didn't either buy expensive exercise machines or gym membership, or weight loss DVD and books. Her key of success are:

• Tools - an ordinary $9 calorie counter book. 
• Tips - She wrote down and calculated ALL the calories she consumed in daily basis. 

Diet Plan that Works on Her

She allowed herself 1200-1500 calories a day. Susan choose to be a Vegetarian when she began her weight loss journey. So, her eating plan incorporates the fact that she do not eat any meat. She ate fresh food wherever possible, she keep a healthy balanced diet which included lots of vegetables, salads and fruit and cut down on processed foods.

From morbidly obese to slim: Susan has lost half her body weight in 3 years

What is her exercise plan?

Susan has a chronic health issues but her disabilities won't stop her from moving. She work out in chest deep water at a swimming pool which allowed her to burn calories without causing her body pain.


When not in the pool, she try to stay active and do 30 minutes of simple exercise a day.
Her 30 minute routine of exercise (4-5 times a week):

• Warm up routine - 10 minutes
• Eliptical trainer - 300-500 steps (takes about 4 minutes) 
• Standing ab exercises - 1-3 reps of 15 of each (6 minutes)
• Standing tricep kick backs - 1-3 reps of 15 (4 minutes)
• Sit up (crunches) using ab cradle to support neck - 3 reps of 15 (3 minutes)
• Leg raises using ab cradle (outer and inner) - 3 reps of 15 each one (takes about 3 mins)

Susan had sleep apnea due to being so big  

 

Susan said: "If I can do it - You can do it."  What a powerful encouragement. You can read more about Susan on her very own blog, Half the Woman. Losing weight is a mental decision. And when you have make the decision to lose weight, you have to remain mentally strong. It's a daily struggle. But just like what Susan said, if she can do it, so will the rest of us.

Are you inspired when you watch someone's challenges in losing weight? If you know any great weight loss story, please share to us. We want to know how they did it! 

*Pictures use are all copyright to Susan and Half the Woman. 

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Weight Loss Success Stories: Jung Da Yeon Lose 20kg in 3 Months and Made Herself a Millionaire

Jung Da Yeon, 46 is just a normal housewife before she became famous after losing weight in late 2003. She used to weigh 70 kg after having two kids. One day she woke up and decided to lose weight, us proper diet and exercise to change her life for better. In 3 months she lose 20 kg and transform herself.

Jung Da Yeon is known as momjjang ajumma in South Korea which means "mom with a striking figure."

After losing weight, she published her first diet book "Momjjang Diet" in 2007. It became a fast nationwide success in South Korea and inspired Korean housewives to go to fitness center, lose weight and transform themselves. The "momjjang" phenomenal expanded to Japan when the smokin' hot mom invited to Japan's NHK-TV in 2004. She made millions from the sales of her popular fitness books, DVD exercise videos (FIGUREROBICS) and even her own Nintendo Wii game!

Such an inspiration!

Inspiring story: Jung Da Yeong became every housewives' inspiration

Flat to fab: Jung Da Yeon before and after weight loss

Momjjang phenomenal: She published her diet book, her weight loss success story photo
on online newspaper and became a nationwide sensation.

Do you know any great weight loss success story? Or do you have an inspirational story about your own weight loss? We want to know your weight loss secrets! Add your story here and give others an inspiration and motivation to lose weight today.

If this success story inspire you to lose weight and encourage you to practice a healthy lifestyle, don't forget to share this with your friends on facebook and twitter!

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PMS Spoiled My Non-Scale Victory

You have seen my report card. Zero result thus far. I had a very bad week. Glad my "friend" visiting me today. And that means it's the end of a bad PMS ever. End of crazy food cravings. End of severe abdominal bloating. End of terrible throbbing headache. End of of worst constipation. And now I'm ready to get back on track.

I don't have Non-Scale Victory this week. PMS spoiled my NSV. If I can called it a Non-Scale Victory, the only thing I managed to maintain is: Not using bottled sauces when cooking. It has been over 2 or 3 months since I last using them. Bottled sauces - tomato sauces, chilies sauces, barbecue sauces, oyster sauces, etc - they are one of the worst hidden sugar culprit. According to Eat This, Not That, half a cup of spaghetti sauce ought to have around 5 grams of sugar. It's just a one small step but not a bad starting point to avoid sugar addiction.

Well all this while, I have this mindset that crazy binging before period is normal and there's nothing you can do but ruin your diet before period every month. But here are 5 tricky steps I learned this month: 

How to Avoid PMS Symptom from Ruining Your Diet:

1. Always stock healthy foods while you're still okay

Thanks Miss Robin of The Mess That is My Life for the head up. Before your period, do some prep work when you're still feeling okay so they're easy to grab when you're not. Try to use slightly healthier options. When you craving for something sweet, maybe you'll eat a fruit roll instead of a candy bar. When you craving for something salty, you'll eat a couple of pickles instead of the bag of potato chips.

2. Clean up diet

Hormonal imbalance causing PMS symptom. Dr Mark Hyman suggested you increase fiber (vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains) in your diet, stop eating refined flour, sugar, and processed foods, cut out caffeine, stop drinking alcohol and eating protein (protein shake, eggs and nut butters) for breakfast to balance your blood sugar.

3. Exercise

Get moving is very important for balancing hormones.

4. Manage stress

Hot bath at night, getting a massage, doing yoga, deep breathing or meditation can also help balance hormones.

5. Supplement

Apart from taking a good daily multivitamin (all the nutrients work together),  Dr Mark Hyman also suggested these Top 10 supplement to eliminate PMS symptom:

1. Magnesium Citrate or glycinate (400 to 600 mg a day) to improve metabolic function,
2. Vitamin B6 (50 to 100 mg a day along with 800 mcg of Folate and 1,000 mcg of Vitamin B-12)
3. Evening Primrose Oil (two 500mg capsules twice a day)
4. Taurine (500 mg a day) to help liver detoxification. 
5. Chasteberry fruit extract ( 100 mg twice a day of a 10:1 extract) (Vitex Agnus-Castus) can help balance the hormones released by the pituitary gland that control your overall hormone function. 
6. Wild yam (Dioscorea villosa) and cramp bark (Viburum opulus) can help regulate cycles and relieve menstrual cramps. 
7. Dandelion Root can help with liver detoxification and works as a diuretic. 
8. Isoflavones from soy, red clover, or kudzu root improve estrogen detoxification by boosting the activity of specific detox enzymes. 
9. Flaxseed contain lignans that help balance hormone metabolism and block the negative effects of excess estrogens. 
10. Probiotics supplement (5 to 10 billion live organism) to replacing healthy bacteria in the gut to helps normalize estrogen and hormone metabolism. 

Hopefully next month and months to come, I'll be more than ready. I marked my calendar and make sure PMS will never ruin my diet and my NSV anymore.

What is your Non-Scale Victory this week?

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Wake Me Up Before May Ends: A Weight Loss Chronology

I need to remind myself of this: next month is June, the first half of the year since I renew my resolution to lose weight at the beginning of the year. I've made zero result so far. I need to push myself harder. I need to refer back to my weight loss SWOT analysis.

A quick recap on my weight loss journey:

• March, 2012 - My water fast very first attempt. Starting off at 72.9kg (158.6 lb).
• June, 2012 - After 15 days of a not-so-successful water fast, I weighed 68 kg.
• July, 2012 - I tried to water fast again at 67.9 kg.
• August, 2012 - 40 days water fast plan only last to six days. Renew my weight loss plan at 66.4 kg.
• December, 2012 - Totally messed up my diet, 20 days before New Year 2013. 
• February, 2013 - Recreate my weight loss plan. Weight recorded: 73 kg.
• March, 2013 - I am 1kg lighter, 71.6 kg.
• April, 2013 - Back to square one. From 71 kg goes up to 73.4 kg, and up to 74.1 kg. 

This is not a weight loss journey. Apologize me for the title. This is more likely a weight gain journey. :( Now, I refuse to weigh myself until I sure a sign of progress in a way of my old clothes fit. Number on scale can left me feeling discouraging and disappointed. I just want to avoid that for the moment. 

If you remember, I made a bet of $25 with my weight loss buddy last April. We must lose at least 3 kg by end of April or the loser will have to pay $25 to the winner. The result, we both were 0-0 draw. Neither one of us lose any weight. It was like we together lost 2 kg (which weight loss is mostly water) and gain it back shortly. Ha ha...Okay, this is a push. I must lose at least 3 kg by 31/05/13. 15 days to go!

Super massive mama: The stomach is sticking out. You can't tell which is the boobs, and which is the stomach. 

Question to ponder: How do you push yourself, create good habits and make your weight loss goals a reality?
If you are constantly on twitter, please give me HoneybeeGB a shout out every time you sign in, or leave me a message on Her Weight Loss Diary Facebook. I hang out a lot there.

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