Posted in Blubber Bloggers

Oh, the fun we will have, the weight we will lose, the friends we will make, and the health we will enjoy!  Blubber Bloggers is now an official email support loop with its own official blog here at HSB, and we are ready for YOU to join!  Whether you have 5 pounds or 100 pounds to lose, are trying to maintain a weight loss, or if you are just fine weight wise, but need to get more physically fit, you are most welcome to join in the fun!  You will find support, motivation, fun, games, contests, and friends, all in a supportive Christian environment. 

JenIg is our honorary first group member, as she graciously has granted us permission to use the name Blubber Bloggers, which she created.  Thanks so much, Jen!!!  Gena has also wished us well (click here to read her comment), and has given us the go ahead to get started, so ladies---Let's get started!!! 

So many things are going to be happening.  A high-profile member of the HSB community will be leading a Bible Study that relates to weight loss and fitness, called Faithfully Fit.  Other HSB writers that you will know by name will be jumping in now and then to offer us advice and motivation. 

And there will be contests and prizes!   The first contest will be to develop a logo for the Blubber Bloggers' group, one that members can place on their blogs to promote the group.  All of you who are talented and gifted in this area are invited to participate.  The contest deadline is April 15th.  Members will choose the winning entry, and the winner will be able to have their work of art seen all over the blogosphere!  How cool is THAT???  And for those who are not as artsy, but recognize good graphics, we have another contest to find the coolest weight loss and/or fitness blinkie.  These are also due by April 15th.  All submissions are to be emailed to me at mkin@udata.com.  For more information on the contests, see the Official Blubber Blogger Blog! 

The first motivational competition will be a Walk Across America starting in just a couple weeks.  Members will be divided into teams, and will walk, run, jog, bicycle, swim, and climb their way across the USA.  The first team to make it from coast to coast will be the victors!  And of course, there will be PRIZES!!!  How motivating is that? 

The best part of all, though, will be the chance to talk back and forth with other homeschool moms who are struggling with weight and fitness issues.  The group will be closely moderated, so you can feel free to share more openly than on your blog.  Do be aware, though, that no matter how carefully we screen members, there could still be an "undesireable" member lurking, so do be choosey about what you decide to share.  For your ease in sharing, we have limited the group to just women.  No one will have access to the Yahoo homepage that is not a member---it is a closed group both in membership and in access to our page.

Who can join?  Any homeschool mom, or "graduate" homeschool mom, with a current blog.  Memberships must be submitted and approved, to grant all of us a bit more peace of mind.  In order to show our appreciation of HSB's support, we ask that all members provide a link to their blog in their sig line each time they post a message to the loop.  We do not want to in any way replace HSB, so please keep the posts on the loop limited as much as possible to weight loss and fitness issues, and continue to post other things about your life right here at HSB, or in your own blogging community. We'll have our support group out in the suburbs, but our home will remain right here at HSB. We are happy to welcome other homeschool mom bloggers from other blogging communities to join us as we blog about our blubber, or blubber about our blogging...well, maybe both :-)

Other helpful features will be file uploads that members will have access to.  You can upload pictures, charts, graphics, recipes, etc.  Anything that you feel will help the group.  You can even generate a poll to see what other members are thinking.  One that is currently open is how holidays affect your weight loss and fitness program. 

The Official Blubber Bloggers Blog is also a place for news and updates about the group, along with the email support loop.  The site has not been fully developed yet, because yours truly is not very bright about templates.  Two wonderful Blubber Bloggers have volunteered to create a beautiful new template for us with all sorts of beautiful graphics as soon as our logo competition is over next weekend.  As you can see, it will take the talents of all of us to make this group a success.  I know it will be a blessing to many people. 

This is YOUR group.  I am merely the moderator.  Feel free to offer suggestions that you think will benefit our members.  You can post comments under my Blubber Bloggers posts here on my blog or on the Official Blubber Blogger Blog.  Or if you prefer, you can email me.  I look forward to all the help I can get.  Several others have been so very helpful in the planning stages of getting this group off the ground, especially Sheryl, and I know more of you will want to be a part of the planning and running of the group.  Let us know how you think you can help. 

What can you do now?  Sign up for the group below.  Blog about our new Blubber Blogger group on your own blog, and please provide a link-back to this post on my blog in your own post.  And if you would like to help us get members signed up, either give them the address http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/BlubberBloggers/ where they can sign up, or let me know, and I will send you the code for the graphics generated by YahooGroups that you see below.  These will be used until we have our contest winning logo ready to replace these rather generic looking graphics.  LOGO CONTEST PARTICIPANTS----please know that we need YOU!!!  Besides having your work seen, you will win a copy of a First Place Bible study of your choice, published by Gospel Light. 

PLEASE, IF YOU ARE HAVING WEIGHT OR FITNESS ISSUES, JOIN BLUBBER BLOGGERS AND JOIN IN THE FUN!!!  You can do so right down below.  And yet another contest...the 36th  and 67th members to join our group will also receive a First Place Bible study of their choice!  Read this post to find out why I picked these numbers. 

Click to join BlubberBloggers