We all know sitting at a desk all day doesn't burn up the calories. You already take the stairs and may even do squats in the stall, but here's an idea that allows for maximum efficiency. Burn calories and create a spreadsheet at the same time? Gotta love that. Multi-tasking at its finest!

Throughout May, we hooked up with our channel partner AOL Body to challenge you to slim down with us. Because here's the newsflash: Summer may officially begin on June 21, but a quick glance at store inventories (the shorts! the sundresses!) and the rising temperatures across the nation remind us that summer is here. Like, last week here. And we -- being the nice bloggers that we are -- wanted to help you get ready.

As part of our America Takes It Off: Summer Quick Fix Challenge, we issued motivating Monday challenges, invited you to weigh in with us each Wednesday (yeah, not the most pleasant task, but there's power in solidarity ... and anonymity!), and revealed the results each Friday. And here we are again, at our final results reveal.

We honestly didn't know what kind of reader participation or weight loss to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised to find that there was a core group who loyally braved the scale with us each week. This past week, you all recorded a solid weight loss of 40 pounds, bringing our total weight loss for the month to 231 pounds! Great job, everyone!

Today is Day 28 of our "Summer Quick Fix Challenge" with AOL Body, and we're nearing the end of our month-long collaboration to bring you tips for feeling and looking your best this summer. For those of you participating in our weight-loss challenge this month, how have you done?

I started my weight-loss plan a couple of months ago and was able to maintain a steady 1.5-lb-per-week weight loss, bringing my total weight loss so far to 12 pounds. Even though I've slipped up here and there, a recent trip to the mall to buy summer clothes only boosted my willpower to keep going. Funny how flourescent lighting and dressing room mirrors do that!

So, the time has come for our final weigh-in of the challenge. Are you ready? How many pounds have you lost this week? Weigh in and let us know in the comments section how this month has gone for you. We'll reveal both our weekly and total monthly weight loss on Friday.

Together, we've lost 191 pounds so far this month. Can we hit 250?



Poll will be open until midnight EST Thursday, May 29. Results will be revealed Friday, May 30 here.

Happy Friday! I'm writing this from Boston, where I'm celebrating Memorial Day Weekend. There are so many great culinary treats here to indulge in, but I'm trying my best to maintain my 10-lb. weight loss.

Our Wednesday Weigh-In results are in, and I'm happy to report that we lost a steady 36 pounds this week -- bringing our total weight loss to 191 pounds! Tremendous work, all.




As I mentioned earlier, Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and this is just a reminder that it's okay to indulge a little. Just be smart about it. If you're looking for some great-tasting, good-for-you recipes to fix for your family or take to the neighborhood picnic, check out these "America Takes It Off" recipes from our friends at AOL Food and Prevention. I'm thinking I might have to make the Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake.

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you back here on Monday for our final weekly challenge, and keep our next (and last) Wednesday Weigh-In in your sights!

Today is Day 21 in our May "America Takes It Off: Summer Quick Fix" Challenge with AOL Body, and it's that time again -- to weigh in! Last week, we lost a collective 73 pounds, bringing our total May weight loss to 155 pounds. Way to go!

This writer hates to admit that dinner last night consisted of cereal, then ice cream with chocolate syrup (it's easier to admit this by referring to myself in the third person). This was a very non-nutritious speed bump in an otherwise successful diet plan, so I'm not too enthused to step on the scale today. But, I will because I know that it was just one slip-up, and I'm already back on the healthy-eating wagon.

Admittedly, Week 3 can be a hard little window in the diet process for me. I start out gung-ho, then when I lose a few pounds, I "reward" myself with a treat -- basically undoing all the good I've achieved. No need to sign me up for Self-Sabotage 101; I could teach the course!

How about you? How has your week gone? Are you sticking to your diet and exercise plan, or are you dealing with any struggles? To stay in motivation mode, check out these inspiring success stories and get a quick refresher in the basics.

Okay. So, who's ready to step on the scale with me? Let's do it together -- maybe we can break 225 pounds this week!



Poll will be open until 12am EST Thursday, May 22. Results will be revealed on Friday, May 23 here.

The midpoint can be an interesting place. Halfway through a project, do you abandon it, or does seeing some progress motivate you to complete the job? We're just over halfway through our May "America Takes It Off: Summer Quick Fix Challenge," and it's clear that those of you participating are not abandoning the effort.

Your Wednesday Weigh-In results are in, and we're happy to report that you all lost another whopping 73 pounds this week -- bringing our total weight loss to 155 pounds! You're still averaging an estimated 2 pound-per-week weight loss ... so, you're proving that steady, consistent, small weekly weight loss is the key to success.




To keep moving forward, we've got some great motivating videos from "Biggest Loser" trainer Jillian Michaels:

Weighing Yourself
Weight-Loss Plateaus

And, if you sneak in an extra hot dog or indulge in ice cream at the weekend BBQ, there's always this!

Good job, all! See you back here on Monday for our next weekly challenge, and keep our next Wednesday Weigh-In in your sights! Let's try to get that 155-pound number up to 250 next week.

Today is Day 14 of our May "America Takes It Off" campaign in conjunction with AOL Body. Throughout May, we're issuing challenges and providing tips to get you swimsuit-ready by summer. What are you doing to get ready?

Part of our May campaign is a weekly weigh-in initiative, and last week, 41 of you weighed in to lose a total of 82 pounds. Not bad! That's an average two-pound loss per person ... right on target with healthy weight loss recommendations.

So, are you ready to weigh in this week? If you're just joining us, the more the merrier. Just take off your shoes, your jewelry, whatever else you think will weigh you down, and then jump on the collective weight loss scale with us. Don't worry, we'll wait for you!

Okay, ready? What did you lose this week?

Poll is open until midnight EST Thursday, May 15. We'll reveal aggregate weekly weight loss results on Friday.

Hi That's Fitter's!

On Wednesday we asked you to join us in a reader weigh-in and report the weight you lost. Forty-one of you took the challenge, stepped on the scale and revealed your weight loss.

So, how much weight do you think we lost last week?

Today is Day 6 of the America Takes It Off Challenge. How has it gone this week for you? Tempted by that appetizer at happy hour? Fitting in exercise? Drinking your water?

Whether this past week has been a success or you inhaled that entire bag of chips in one sitting leaves room for improvement, we've pointed you to helpful tips and resources to build a summer slim down plan. Have hope; there's still time!

We've also issued our first challenge question, which ties in with AOL Body's Diet Food Imposters feature. (We'd still love to hear from you! We hope to reveal your answers in an upcoming gallery feature.)

Now comes the moment of truth: Our first weekly weigh-in! Hey, what better way to chart your weight loss than anonymously? And, as part of a group? With just a simple click of the poll below, you can bypass public scrutiny. No "Biggest Loser"-style public weighing in here!

Things are always easier to accomplish in groups. So, join us for the next four weeks as we weigh in together. The poll is open until midnight EST Thursday. Each Friday, we'll reveal aggregate weight loss results in a nifty graphic. Aren't you curious to see what other That's Fit readers are losing?

C'mon! You know you want to. Let's take the month of May to start shedding that weight, just in time for summer. If you've already gotten started, let us know about it in the below poll. If you haven't, then join us next Wednesday for Weigh-In #2!