alyssa - I have Gwinnie’s cookbook. you can borrow it. I haven’t gotten around to making anything but Kale chips from it yet. But I think it has some good looking recipes. I’ll let you know, if I ever get around to making something!

Becky - I’m joining up… a week late, but better late than never, right?! I will be out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday, so I am going to aim for 28 in 37, which is every Monday-Saturday that I will be home until the new year, minus Christmas day. I started this morning, and I already feel better! Thanks for the inspiration and the kick in the pants, Meg! Oh, and don’t bother with that cookbook. I know a lot of people have told you already, but it’s pretty disappointing.

Lauren - You’ve got this Meg!:-) Two of my most favorite blogs are detoxinista.com and ohsheglows.com. Detoxinista has simple straight forward recipes that are clean and delicious. Her dessserts are really good. I made her coconut flour pumpkin bars last night. They are gluten, dairy, and sugar free and to die for! They taste just like pumpkin pie sans crust and all of the junk.They are fantastic! Ohsheglows is a vegan site. While I don’t eat dairy, I am not vegan (I eat @ 80-90% veggie), but I LOVE her recipes. Think vegan “Rolos” made with date caramel and dark chocolate and “Twix”. I made her Italian “bean balls” last week served over spaghetti squash, and they were really good. All of my kids (6, 4, 2) really liked them. While some things may be more labor intensive, I find it well worth the investment of time. And for shoes, check 6pm.com  They have THE best deals on a myriad of items. I look every day to see what’s marked down. I look forward to checking in our your progress. I love your blog. It is a happy place for me. Thanks for sharing ypur heart and life and for being a light in this world!

Blessings,

Lauren

Julie - Good for you, Meg! Have you ever done a craft afternoon for girls around your daughters’ ages? That is my dream — to finish my basement as a craft class space. My Ella (age 9) would definitely attend one in KS!

certifiednutritionomaha.com is my sister’s site, and she is a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist. She has a link on her site for her blog, which is filled with lots of tips and tricks. She also offers a personalized fitness and diet plan, customized for you and sent via email (she calls it the “NAME Plan, and there is a fee for it).

Or come visit us up north (in Omaha!) — I’d love to host!

Rachel Schindler - YES…buy the book “It’s all Good”. I can’t say I love every recipe, but her muffin recipes, are sooooo good. The sweet potato and five-spice muffins and the banana date muffins. Per my cooking habits, I did not use the gluten free flour or the almond milk. I used regular flour and regular milk and for the five-spice powder, I replaced that with what I had in the cupboard, good ole, cayenne pepper. Yum, Yum…

Vanessa - Nordstroms (of all places) is having an athletic shoe sale right now. You might check it out if you haven’t found your shoes yet.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/c/sale-womens-athletic?origin=leftnav#category=b60144087&type=category&page=1&defaultsize3=&size=&width=&color=&price=&brand=535&instoreavailability=false&lastfilter=brand&sizeFinderId=8&resultsmode=&segmentId=0

Dana - I so needed to read this post. I love your blog! I refuse to let the rest of this year pass and have to resolve again on New Years Eve to start eating better and exercising. This challenge will let me start New Year already on right track! Thank You for challenge!

jennyonthespot - It’s like we’re twins (I flatter myself)… I need to write down what I eat as well. I don’t like to write down the bad stuff, but also, it’s kinda funny how I don’t realize how much even the little things add up.

I too have lost my workout mojo. I will really, rilly try – I worked out yesterday! Guess I’ll work hard to get something in today. Honestly, it will be hard when around Christmas when we are on the road. Seems we always have to rush to get on the road, and there is never time to get exercise – which is when we need it the most (after sitting for 10 or more hours!)

Heather - I like the blog peanut butter fingers!

Rachel - Good luck! You can totally do this. And when you are done, if you have any extra mojo, you can send it my way.

Kerrin - You go girl!! My healthy blog recommendation is for Leanne Vogel of Healthfulpursuits.com or maybe .ca I can’t remember. If you google Leanne Vogel you will find her. Her chocolate mint shake and apple cinnamon overnight oats are huge favourites here, especially with my eight year old. Leanne is brilliant!!!
Good luck Meg, I know you can do it!

Amy K. - PLEASE stop saying “only 44 days left in the year!” It is giving me a panic attack about everything there is to do between now & then, in only 44 days!!!!! 😉 Also, I highly recommend your new internet policy. I’m the only one who needs it around here, but I am getting so. much. more. sleep. since I stopped surfing after the kids are in bed! There just isn’t really a reason to stay up, or if there is, it is getting stuff done rather than wasting time on pinterest. Good luck on 32 in 44!!

Routhie - This blog: http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/ has been incredibly helpful to me. She has maintained a weight loss of 135 lbs for almost 5 years (I think) now. She’s down to earth and posts recipes, motivation, and for someone so young, a lot of wisdom. This past summer was great as she helped her mom start her own weight loss. Hope you check her out and good luck with your own end of year mission. 🙂

Angela - My oldest is 22 and I have 2 younger kids, years ago my husband and I started taking cell phones, lap tops, kindles and all that jazz every school night at 10:30, it doesn’t guarantee that the stinkers will go to sleep but at least it’s not because of their gadgets. I have always struggled with turning off my brain at night, no solution for that though. I’ve tried praying my way through it and that works sometimes.

And I would love to join you in the 32 in 44 but I already committed to being chunky the rest of the year. 😉

Rachel - p.s. my sleep & energy has greatly improved. I wake up earlier feeling energized and hit the sheets much earlier!

Mollie - I highly recommend the site http://dashingdish.com.

Tracey - I’ve fallen off the fitness wagon a bit too. I’ve been working out 5 days a week since May and lost almost 40 pounds! But in the last month I have had a sinus infection that won’t go away and it is hard to get the interest and energy to workout when my head hurts. But I weighed myself yesterday and gained two pounds. No WAY!! I’ve worked too hard to get this weight off, I’m not going back!!! So today I got up at 6 and got my workout done before I took the kids to school. I’m shooting for 5 days a week for the rest of the year too!

Lee Ann - You’ve got this Meg! I’ve renewed my strategies as well for the final days of this year. I keep telling myself “every calorie counts”. I’m notorious for one bite here, one bite there. I checked the Paltro book out from our library. Some good stuff, but for me it’s not worth the $ and I wouldn’t buy it. Just my thoughts.

Tracy - All 4 of my teens go to bed after me! I don’t care…they get tired and go to bed eventually. If they’re tired in the morning, I won’t take any whining! Haha! So mean, I know!

I don’t know if this will help you, Meg, but I get up reallllly early so by night I’m reallllly tired. I want to go to bed. Maybe I’m making to too simple, but it works for me!

Lisa Q - Meg,
I have the Gyneth Paltrow book and it is really good. She attacks her recipes from a getting healthy point of view…not necessarily losing weight. She has recipes grouped around various eating plans (Paleo, gluten free….vegetarian) Lots of great salad dressings and salad ideas. Great recipes if you are cutting out sugar. I think you’d like it…maybe see if your library has it before you spend money on it. Thanks for sharing with us…always inspiring.

lisa

Mia - I can second not to order GP’s cookbook. Loved the first one; her second one is gathering dust on my bookshelf.

For fitness/recipe inspiration, have you tried: Kath Eats Real Food http://www.katheats.com/

I also enjoy Healthy Tipping Point. http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/

I hear ya on the exercise front. Was running 6 days/week this summer and then had an ankle issue in Sept. Am bitter that I missed the most glorious running months in New England! Good news is that I’m back in my running shoes. Bad news is that it’s supposed to be 28 degrees here this weekend. AAGH!

Kimberlee Jost - Get it, girl.
But don’t order GP’s cookbook.
🙂

Jessica - I am on my own fitness/weight loss journey. It is so hard! I am joining you in your just made up challenge. 32 workouts in 44 days is so doable. Hard, but doable.

Maggie - I am so looking for a way to make some changes to my health and lifestyle. I am a stay at home mom to a 4 year old, a 22 month old and an 8 week old. I also work a few evenings a week. I find it nearly impossible to find time to exercise. A gym membership or a treadmill isn’t in the budget and living in Iowa it’s starting to get pretty chilly. I find myself shoveling in bites of whatever is left on my kids’ plates instead of thoughtfully making good food choices. And I’m not sure getting more sleep at this point is a reality for me 🙂 But, I’ve got to do something because my energy level stinks and I’m not happy with the way I look or how my clothes fit. Anyone out there have tips for how to make small changes in this season of life where so much of my focus is on my small children? Thanks!

April R - I’m in. I want to be healthier so I can bless my family and enjoy them better.
Thanks for the inspiration.
(and I feel you about getting to bed at a decent time w the lights out – much harder than eating better and exercising)

jodi @ back40life - yes and yes – we dragged the treadmill up from the basement 3 or so weeks ago and put it beside our recumbent bike and have been trying to exercise together every morning before the day gets started. So far, we’ve been very successful. I have always HATED to run, and have always said I would only do it if a bear was chasing me, but I think I’m just ready for a change. I still don’t *love* the exercise, but I do feel so much better once I’ve done it, and that’s helped me continue. I’m all in for #32in44 – I know as the holidays heat up and our biz cranks up it won’t be easy, but it will be the best. Great encouragement!

Amy M - if you have a kohl’s nearby, they had some super cute nike running shoes the other day…LOTS of neon! :0)

Kate - I will be joining you for 32 in 44! I mostly do bikram yoga and I love it! I find a lot of motivation from fitness and yoga Instagram pages. I also recently ordered the new blogilates fit journal which is so cute http://www.blogilates.com/motivational-2/the-best-5-ways-to-lose-weight-blogilates-fit-journal-is-here

On December first the blogilates 12 week healthy eating plan starts and I will be recording everything in the journal! I hope to become more toned 🙂
Good luck 🙂

ktg - I am joining you 32 in 44. My workouts ceased with a fall change of schedule (really since summer vacation overdose on fruit drinks, down hill from there)I did like the interval training, run for bursts then walk fast.I wanted to train for a half marathon ,but the interval training made me feel great after doing not as sore.

Some things helping me lately: herbal tea with no sweetener I’m enjoying! Meal planning, going to bed extremely early which is a huge change for my night owl tendencies but worth how great I feel in the morning. I’m looking for fitness blog inspiration too:)