Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Week 12 - Grand Finale!!!

First of all, congratulations to all the contestants for giving it their all the past 12 weeks!

The final results are in and the biggest loser is Cadence Seeley with a total loss of 12.61%!!! AWESOME JOB CADENCE! First place winnings (if all fees are collected) is $320.80.

Second place goes to Amber Cook with a total loss of 12.50%!!! GREAT JOB AMBER!!! Second place winnings (if all fees are collected is $80.20.

Third place goes to Beth Wedeven with a total weight loss of 11.96%!!! NICE WORK BETH!!!

The top three contestants were the only three contestants to meet their personal goals. Good Job!!!

Overall as a whole group we lost 130 pounds! That is a fantastic weight loss for a group of 13 people!!!

I am sad to report that the total amount of fees due is $71. I will be emailing a list of the total fees due. If it makes anyone feel better I owe fees as well.

I hope you all enjoyed this 12 week competition. I know I really enjoyed being the gatekeeper and even though I did not reach my goal this is the best I have done at losing weight! This competition has been a blessing to me and I hope to you as well!

Don't forget I will be starting my second weight loss competition on Wednesday January, 5. I am looking forward to a second chance at getting some of my $ back and losing a few more pounds!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!!! Remember to enjoy it and PIG OUT!!!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Stability Ball Workout - Wall Up

Wall-Up

Have a ball with this quickie workout routine to cinch and sculpt your sexiest belly ever.


What You'll Need: A stability ball and a wall

Targets: Abs and obliques

Place stability ball about 2 feet in front of wall.
Lie faceup on ball with lower back on its center, knees bent 90 degrees, feet flat on wall, calves parallel to floor.
Put hands behind head, elbows out to sides. Crunch up; lower. Do 10 reps.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Egg Sandwich


Ingredients
2 strips turkey bacon
1 1/4 cups egg whites
4 slices whole-grain bread, toasted
1/2 cup shredded nonfat cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups diced, seeded plum tomatoes
Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Cooking oil spray

Directions
Microwave the turkey bacon strips for 3 minutes or until crisp. Set aside.

Whisk together the egg whites, salt, and pepper. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat the skillet. Add the egg white mixture. Cook and stir about 1 1/2 minutes or until the egg whites are set.

To serve: Spoon the egg whites on the toast. Top with cheese, turkey bacon, and diced tomatoes.

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition facts per serving:
Servings Per Recipe 2 servings
Calories 338
Total Fat (g)5
Saturated Fat (g).5
Carbohydrate (g)47
Fiber (g)7
Protein (g)34
Vitamin A (DV%)0
Vitamin C (DV%)0
Calcium (DV%)0
Iron (DV%)0
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Friday, November 19, 2010

TGIF

AND IMAGINE
Recall the things that have held you back. And imagine how you now
can get beyond them.
Think of the problems that have frustrated you so. And imagine how
you can now rise above them.
Look at how far you've come. And imagine how far you can now go.
Think of all that you've learned. And imagine what you can now do
with that knowledge.
Consider all you've done in the past year. And imagine what you'll
now be able to do.
You're now in a better position than ever to imagine the very best.
And what you can imagine will lead to what you can be.

-- Ralph Marston

Thursday, November 18, 2010

This and That Thursday

So...only 6 more days till the last weigh in? Are you working harder this week than any other week? I am....I have four pounds to lose in one week to meet my goal. I hope you are doing all you can to shed your last few pounds.

With my first weight loss competition coming to an end I would love to hear some feedback from you.

Did this competition help you stay on track?
Did you change any bad habits?
Did you enjoy the competition?
Would you join another 12 week competition in 2011?
Would you change anything about the competition?
Was the blog helpful?
Do you know of any other friends or family members that would enjoy this kind of competition?

My goal is to have another 12 week weight loss competition starting in January 2011. I have a few more pounds to lose and this competition gave me a reason to stay focused. I hope to have more than 13 contestants in 2011. Please let me know if you are interested in joining again in 2011.

Thanks for any feedback you can give me! Again, Good luck this week!!

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Week 11 Results

CONGRATULATIONS to all the contestants this week! We were all losers this week and as a group we lost a total of 18.6 pounds. YEAH a week in the double digits!!! Keep up the good work! As you all know there is only ONE more week.

The top three contestants for week 11 are as follows:
1. Cadence Seeley with a loss of 2.03%.
2. Beth Wedeven with a loss of 1.49%.
3. Wyndi Moore with a loss of 1.43%.

High Fives go out to Beth Wedeven and Cadence Seeley who both met their goal this week!

Again there is a change in the leader board:
1. Cadence Seeley with a total loss of 10.92%.
2. Beth Wedeven with a total loss of 10.45%.
3. Amber Cook with a total loss of 9.53%.

Remember a lot can happen in a week. Give it your all and work you butt off!!!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!! May the biggest loser win!!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Week 10 Results

WOW...anything can happen in this competition! There is a whole new leader board after week 10. The top three contestants after week 10 are as follows:

1. Beth Wedeven with a total loss of 8.95%
2. Cadence Seeley with a total loss of 8.89%.
3. Amber Cook with a total loss of 8.55%

Remember only the top TWO spots are paid out!!

Overall week 10 was a good week as a whole. The top three contestants this week are:
1. Kerri Woolverton with a loss of 1.24%
2. Wyndi Moore with a loss of 1.18%
3. Cadence Seeley with a loss of 1.12%

As a group we lost 6 pounds.

Congratulations to you all for making it to week 10. Only two more weeks! Time is going by fast. So far no one has reached their goal. Remember if you do not reach your goal you will not receive any $$ back. Which means if no one reaches their goal the pot will be $390 plus all the fees that are due. First place will be over $312 (IF no one reaches their goal.)

Maybe this will give you some incentive to work really hard the next two weeks. A?s you can see by the leader board ANYTHING can happen. If you do not reach your goal I hope you are still proud of yourself for losing what you have lost. I also hope this competition has made you more aware of your eating and exercising habits.

GOOD LUCK to you ALL!!! I hope we are all big losers for week 11!!!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Chicken Taco Salad

Chicken Taco Salad
Ingredients
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups (8 ounces) diced cooked chicken breast
5 ounces (one 8-ounce can) canned pinto beans -- rinsed and drained
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
4 cups shredded lettuce
2 cups chopped fresh tomato
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) Kraft shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups (1 1/2 ounces) Corn Chex
3/4 cup chunky salsa
6 tablespoons Land 0 Lakes fat-free sour cream

1. In a large saucepan sprayed with olive-flavored cooking spray, brown onion. Stir in chicken pinto beans, water, and taco seasoning. Mix well to combine. Lower heat. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine lettuce,tomato, and green pepper. Spoon hot chicken mixture over lettuce mixture. Top with Cheddar cheese and Corn Chex. Toss gently to combine. For each serving, place about 2 cups mixture on a plate and top with 2 tablespoons salsa and 1tablespoon sour cream.

Per serving: 232 Cal, 4g Fat, 22g Pro, 27g Carb, 344mg Sod, 5g Fib

Serves 6

Friday, November 5, 2010

TGIF

I have to exercise in the morning
before my brain figures out what I'm doing.
-Marsha Doble



Health is like money,
we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it.
-Josh Billings

Thursday, November 4, 2010

This and That Thursday

Weight Loss Tips: 10 Ways to Increase Your Metabolism

Weight Loss Tip #1: Maximize Your MuscleMuscles are fat-burning furnaces, so be sure to do enough resistance training to build and maintain them (these fast workouts tone your whole body in 30 minutes), and follow your workout with a healthy meal or snack that contains protein, carbohydrates and fat. Building new muscle raises your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) so you'll burn more calories every day.

Weight Loss Tip #2: Don't Forget Cardio
Cardio improves definition and burns the fat that covers your muscles, especially belly fat. Combining regular aerobic exercise with strength training will give you the slimming effect you've been going for. After all, toning without cardio is like building a house on a weak foundation.

Weight Loss Tip #3: Never Skip Meals
Eat six small meals a day to avoid blood-sugar spikes and minimize urges to binge. Try to schedule meals at the same time each day. If you feed yourself well throughout the day, you'll learn to understand when your body truly needs food. You can't starve yourself and expect to make good choices at the next meal.

Weight Loss Tip #4: Get Real
Fuel your body with wholesome, nutritious foods, and limit your intake of refined carbs (anything sugary or white-flour based). To maximize the calories burned through digestion and stave off hunger, get plenty of complex carbs (fruits, vegetables and beans) and eat a little protein with every meal. It doesn't need to be meat; nuts, lowfat dairy, tofu, and beans are all good vegetarian protein sources.

Weight Loss Tip #5: Sleep Tight
Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. A recent study from Case Western Reserve University found that, on average, women who sleep for 5 hours or less per night are 32 percent more likely to gain weight and 15 percent more likely to be obese than those who get at least 7 hours.

Weight Loss Tip #6: Drink More Water
In a small German study, subjects who drank 16 ounces of water at a time experienced a 30 percent increase in metabolic rate during the following hour, burning an extra 24 calories. The researchers recommend cool water because the body expends extra calories warming it up to your body temperature.

Weight Loss Tip #7: Focus On Your Assets
Playing up your favorite body parts can boost your confidence and draw attention away from spots you want to minimize. Sculpting your shoulders, arms, chest, and back, for example, can help balance heavier hips so you look more proportionate. Plus, you'll be firmer all over.

Weight Loss Tip #8: Eat Until You’re Full
Undereating causes your metabolic rate to drop and your body to hold onto fat. Most nutrition experts recommend that the average, active woman consume at least 1,800 calories daily. But watch out for underestimating the calorie count of "healthy" foods.

Weight Loss Tip #9: Control What You Can
Keep stress levels in check by managing your time, focusing on the present and not over-committing. Many studies have found a link between high levels of stress and weight gain.

Weight Loss Tip #10: Step on the Gas
Alternate the speed and intensity of any cardio workout routines to stoke your fat burners. For instance, if you're walking, do a few minutes at a moderate pace, then speed-walk or jog for a few minutes; repeat. If you're running, go for a few minutes, then sprint for a minute and repeat.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Week 9 Results

YEAH!!!! I am happy to report that we as a group are back on track!!! Our group lost a total of 8.5 pounds this week! I think this is great especially with this past weekend being Halloween.

The top three losers for Week 9 are:
1. Kerri Woolverton with a loss of 1.62%
2. Cadence Seeley with a loss of 1.47%
3. Beth Wedeven with a loss of 0.97%

The top three contestants after Week 9 are:
1. Amber Cook with a total loss of 8.23%
2. Beth Wedeven with a total loss of 7.97%
3. Cadence Seeley with a total loss of 7.77%

Can you believe there is only 3 more weeks??? Keep up the good work!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Jiggle Free Arms


Weighted Punch

Fitness Focus: Shoulders, biceps

Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a 1- to 2-pound weight in each hand, fists in front of your face, palms facing each other.

Without moving your left fist, punch your right fist up as high as possible without locking your elbow.

Quickly pull right fist back to starting position as you simultaneously punch your left fist upward.

Continue alternating for 60 seconds; start slowly and gradually increase speed until you're moving as fast as you can.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Win at Losing 2011

Can you believe there is only two months before January 1, 2011?? I am looking forward to the holiday season. But with the holiday season usually brings bad eating habits and some weight gain.

Americans typically gain 3 - 5 pounds or more during the winter holiday season. From the feasts of Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and Christmas right through to the last drop of champagne at New Years healthy, sensible eating habits are forgotten. Exercise routines are often disrupted with friends and family visits and travel. This excess weight puts an extra strain on the heart and joints. Every extra pound of weight forces the heart to work that much harder. If the heart has to pump harder the blood pressure will go up.

Are you one of these typical Americans? Was one of your New Year's Resolution for 2010 to lose weight? Did you meet that goal?

Do you want to lose weight in 2011? Do you want to change your life to a healthy lifestyle?

If you answered yes to the questions above I have the thing for you! Join our three month weight loss competition, Win at Losing 2011. What is Win at Losing 2011? It is a friendly, fun, three month weight loss competition for friends and family.

Currently we are in the middle of Win at Losing 2010. There is currently 13 contestants and as a whole group we have lost 85 pounds. If you are interested and what more details please check out the following blog: www.winatlosing2010.blogspot.com.

If you are interested in joing after the holidays please let me know. You can email me at mvandam@allcom.net.

Spread the word!!!