Margi Faze sounds like she could be one of my girlfriends.  Her story is oh-so-similar.  Overweight, exhausted mom who one day looks in the mirror and hardly recognizes the reflection staring back at her.

Been there?  I thought so.  But that is where her story’s similarity ends.

Margi made a decision to change her life and her circumstances.  She enrolled herself in the Body-For-Life Challenge.  (Unfamiliar? Body-For-Life was introduced in 1997 by EAS.  It essentially challenges people to a 12-week lifestyle overhaul then compares results with other “competitors” for a grand prize.)

In just 12 weeks, she  dropped an amazing 28 lbs and 13% body fat to reign supreme as the 2007 Body-for-LIFE Grand Master Champion.  Can you even imagine? Margi successfully morphed from overweight and frazzled mother to that of spokes model, author, motivational speaker and fitness competitor.  She has had the opportunity to meet and inspire hundreds of people on their own fitness journey.

I interviewed Margi recently about her accomplishments:

Q. Okay, as a mother of two children myself, I am dying to know how you did it! What is your typical workout day like?

On a typical day at the gym I will do circuit training for 30 minutes and do 30 minutes of cardio whether that is running several miles on the track or getting on the stairmaster, arc trainer and treadmill for ten minutes each. Then I take approximately 15 minutes to stretch and relax.

Q. Well, that doesn’t sound too hard.  So I assume then that you don’t EAT, then?

Actually, I eat five to six small meals a day.

Q. Well there goes THAT argument. Best advice you can give to those of us struggling with our weight?

I would say to remain positive regardless of what the scale tells you. You didn’t gain weight overnight! Getting fit takes time. Keep your self-talk positive, stay the course and you will succeed.

Hey, I did it and so can you!  What it takes is determination and perseverance. Make your health a priority in your life. Between diaper changes, homework, extra-curricular activities, dinners, housekeeping and more, we never find the time for ourselves. You have to make that time and stop making excuses.

Start slow and give yourself time. If you rush into harder workouts you can burn out easy and even hurt yourself. We’ve all heard the saying “slow and steady wins the race.”  Be sure to set yourself some goals, too. If you can’t make it to the gym for whatever reason, go for a brisk walk. Do jump squats and run in place at home. Make a commitment to get at least 15 to 30 minutes of cardio a day and do it. The energy that comes with exercise will help you get everything else in your list done quicker and better.

Feeling inspired yet?  I know that I certainly am! So with a little help from Margi and her new “Transformation Journal” I plan to make some changes.  I’m going to use her journal to map out my own healthy lifestyle.  I invite you to follow along with me and change your own reflection in the mirror! More information on Margi or her new project can be found here.

DON’T FORGET: I’m hosting a $250 cash sponsorship to Blogher2010 from SEED!  Find out more here!

DO YOU WANT TO WIN A SPONSORSHIP TO BLOGHER 2010?

Well, then it is time to speak up and start talking about SEED!

SEED Power (a line of all natural body care) is providing some lucky ladies with the chance to attend BlogHer 21010 in NYC with their fabulous SEEDS OF INSPIRATION contest.  Not only will the winner receive a $250 CASH sponsorship, but they will also be VIP guests at an exclusive, swanky NYC PAR-TAY the Friday night of the convention.  (And let me tell you – from what I hear it will be FAB-U-LOUS!)

HERE IS HOW ENTER THE SEEDS OF INSPIRATION BLOGHER 2010 SPONSORSHIP CONTEST:

Visit the Seed Website and read about the products and the founder’s story.

Write a blog post about how the products, philosophy or owner’s story INSPIRE YOU to nurture your own entrepreneurial spirit, live a more organic lifestyle OR make a more positive environmental impact! The post must include a link to the SEED website within it and a mention and link back to this contest to be considered. Then come back to Hip As I Wanna Be and link up!

A COUPLE OF OTHER RULES, BABY:

All contestants must ALSO complete the following steps for their entry to be considered:

• Visit the SEED website and join their community via email
• Follow @SeedPower on Twitter
• Tweet the following “I’m inspired by @SEEDpower & the SEEDs of Inspiration #blogher10 #sponsorship contest http://bit.ly/b2oQDM #pickmeseed”
• Become a fan of SEED on FaceBook

{And don’t forget to leave a comment letting the contest host (ME!) know you completed these steps}

Submit your entry via Mr. Linky below and then you are done!

BUT THERE IS ONE MORE THING, LADIES... The fact that you can enter to win once a week until the contest closes. Just create a new post, link up again and tweet!  The coolness, never ends does it?  And if you want extra chances to win in a different way, you can enter each week over at Chicken Nuggets of Wisdom (Whrrl contest) and Makeover Momma (Vlog contest) as well.

Each entry must be unique and not simply the submission of the previous week’s entry.

Winners who have followed the submission rules will then have their entries judged by SEED on the following criteria: creativity, originality, interpretation of the theme.

SEED Power Body Care will choose the winner of the contest as well as several other winners who will get invitations to the swank-tastic invite only party being hosted on Saturday August 5th, 2010 by SEED.  BTW – Hip As I Wanna Be, though partially sponsored to BlogHer 2010 by SEED, will have no part in the selection process and is simply hosting this contest.

Contest ends March 31, 2010 at 11:00 p.m. PST. Winners will be announced on the SEED website on or about April 9, 2010.  (But it might be a good idea to follow “me” on Twitter and fan Hip As I Wanna Be on Facebook to make sure you are up to date on the contest 411.)

AND…. because they are a truly fabulous company, Seed is also offering the readers of Hip As I Wanna Be a discount on their products.  To order some fabulous products using your special discount code, click here.

Yesterday my family and I were invited to experience a brand new exhibit called “Curious George: Let’s Get Curious” at the Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore.   What a blast!

My childhood hero!

Now, we had been to Port Discovery years ago with the kids and, of course, we loved it. But this trip was entirely different.  They were completely engaged and were begging for us not to leave. It was three stories of kid nirvana. (THIS kid included!) My personal favorite has always been the Egyptian exhibit.  Last time we visited it, the boys were too young to appreciate it.  This time?  They were running around like maniacs trying to find codes and checking out the mummies. I think we were in that exhibit for a good 30 minutes.

The newest addition to the museum, and the reason for all of the celebration,  is the Curious George area.  This exhibit, which was developed in partnership with PBS KIDS, is an interactive dream for little ones weaving in  math, science, engineering into a colorful fun adventure-land.  Even my oldest son was captivated by it.  Two words: mini – golf!

I highly recommend bringing your kids out to Baltimore for a day of family fun.  Port Discovery is a gem for the kiddos! For more information on Port Discovery and all the exhibits they offer, click here. FTC Disclosure: My family and I were invited guests to the opening celebration of the Curious George exhibit. All opinions are mine alone.

New review post is up!  Please check out my review spot for two new Twilight-esque books.  Don’t forget to enter the giveaway while you are there!

UPDATE: Pictures from this event can be seen here. And while I didn’t fall, I DID get to meet some incredible women bloggers from the D.C. Metro area.
What a great night!  For more info on Sondra Robers handbags, check it out here.

Who wants to see me fall on my butt via live stream?

Goody!  I just knew you all would!

So here are the details – I am going to be participating in a Twitter Party for Sondra Roberts New York…and “modeling” (using the term very, very, very loosely) in a live online fashion show on Stickam this Thursday night!

Now, of course, if  seeing me fall on my butt watching me online is not enticing enough, know that you will have the opportunity to win one of the beautiful Sondra Roberts bags – because the hosts will be giving away over $800 in Sondra Roberts New York and SR Squared bags.

When: Thursday, November 19

Where: Twitter (follow #sondraroberts) and ResourcefulMom’s Stickham channel: http://www.stickam.com/resourcefulmom

Time: 8:00 – 9:00 pm (cameras will start rolling earlier – zoinks!)

My family and I spent the day on a family adventure exploring two lovely towns as part of the Eat, Drink, Buy Art program being coordinated by Maryland Life Magazine.

I’ve got to be honest, here. I’ve largely spent my “life” in the Western part of Maryland and quite frankly, have not given the Eastern counties much though except when passing through on my way to Ocean City. But in following this promotion, I have been pleasantly surprised to find so many lovely little communities! It has been so much fun making these discoveries. (I’d previously visited Snow Hill and Berlin as part of a fun girls’ weekend away.)

So, we packed up the kiddos and together embarked on a day trip adventure to the communities of Cambridge and Denton.

It turned out to be the perfect excursion. We enjoyed some real family time on the road and had a chance to just enjoy each other’s company. (Except for the part where my sons insisted on playing Michael Jackson tunes non-stop for 30 minutes. Yeah. Don’t ask.)

Things we enjoyed about Cambridge… mosaic murals everywhere! Lovely shops and shop owners.Water, gulls and the smell of the sea. Adorable cobble stone streets. Talented artisans. History.

And Denton was such a charming town! The atmosphere was laid back, the food was delish and it was the perfect fall day for exploring. (Just ask my boys who collected “the biggest leaves EVER!”)

If you are interested in seeing some pictures of Cambridge and Denton, click here. (Fan page on Facebook for Hip As I Wanna Be… more photos will be uploaded later.) If you live in the Maryland area, I would encourage you to check out Eat, Drink, Buy Art. You might be surprised at what you find when you go exploring!

I’ve believe that I have spoken with you before about my little Twitter addiction.  I am a master Tweeter, people. Most folks don’t understand the fascination.

And I don’t care.

I’m kind of tired of trying to explain it to people who refuse to open their minds to new experiences.

Wait a minute.

This post is not going the way that I planned.  It is not about complaining.  It is about learning. More specifically, what I’ve learned this week. (As part of a weekly series hosted by Musings of a Housewife.)

This past week has been one of the most stressfull in my entire life….No worries. I survived. (Albeit, barely.)

Throughout the week I wasn’t able to participate much in my social medial life or even chat it up with real life friends and family.  I felt a little displaced, actually.  But despite that, I learned something valuable from my Twitter pals… LAUGHTER.  In the midst of all of the craziness, I would pop in and out of conversations and just a laugh out loud at the wit flying back and forth.  LAUGH OUT LOUD. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t happen to me very often.

My Twitter pals taught me how to open myself up to laughter in the midst of what seemed to be a terrifying week.  The smile hasn’t left my face yet.

Quote of the Day: “I’m here to live out loud.” – Emile Zola