This and That Thursday

Here are eight of the reasons why it's better than going solo:

1. You've heard it before, but it's so true: There's nothing like good conversation to make a run fly by.

2. A partner can help troubleshoot your running form. Have him or her look at your stride and point out what you're doing wrong.

3. Partner running is safer. Particularly for women and during nighttime running, you're much less likely to encounter trouble if you have company.

4. Partners are good pacesetters. If you have a hard day planned, call Speedy. He or she will keep you honest. Likewise, if you want to be sure to run easy, set a running date with Slowpoke.

5. A partner is the perfect pick-me-up when you're bored with your running. Or with life, for that matter. If nothing else, you'll have someone to blab to about your problems.

6. If you're apt to miss running days for no good reason, a running partner will help. You won't want to disappoint a friend by being a no-show.

7. If you're tired of the same old running routes, a partner is sure to know some different ones.

8. Partners make great alarm clocks. If you've always wanted to do more morning runs, find a morning person to run with. Added benefit: You'll be better acclimated to those a.m. races once you've done some a.m. training.

Week 4 Results

YEAH to the following people for losing weight during week 4:
Amber Neale
Beth Wedeven
Jodi White
Kerri Woolverton
Wyndi Moore
Mary Tarchinski
Amber Cook

Top three losers for week 4 are as follows:
1. Amber Cook with a loss of 2.83%
2. Amber Neale with a loss of 1.47%
3. Beth Wedeven with a loss of 1.42%

Total group loss of 11.7 pounds.

There is a new leader in this competition.....Check out the overall standings:
1. Amber Cook with a total loss of 5.61%
2. Beth Wedeven with a total loss of 5.56%
3. Cadence Seeley with a total loss of 4.88%

YIKES...this week also resulted in the most of us gaining....4 contestants! Two contestants were able to maintain.

This week the most piggy passes were used as well.

NEW GOALS for next week for the WHOLE TEAM:
1. No weight gains
2. No piggy passes used

We had a strong start and every week we are getting worse. I hope we can have another total group loss in the 30s again before the end of this competition.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!

Slim Down Sunday

This is for all of you who work work sitting down for 8+ hours a day:

•Exercise One - Side Stretches: To help whittle your waist and keep your spine aligned and supple, side stretches are excellent exercises to do at your desk. With your arms raised over your head or akimbo with your hands on your hips, lean gently over to each side as far as you can safely go. Please use caution if your chair is unstable or if it is on wheels. You can do this a few times on each side at several times through out the day.

•Exercise Two - Arm Raises: In order to help protect against carpal tunnel syndrome, poor circulation, and weight gain, you should do arm raises several times a day. There are different methods of doing these simple exercises: raising your arms straight over your head, raising them to the sides, or even behind you. Each method works a different set of muscles, and all will temporarily increase your heart rate, keeping your metabolism revving.

•Exercise Three - Butt Squeezes: The easiest exercise that you can do at your desk is butt squeezes. You can even do them while you are on the phone or typing up a report. Simply squeeze and release your buttocks muscles several times. This is the number one exercise that will help prevent "office chair spread" of your hindquarters.

•Exercise Four - Leg Lifts: Of course, these are not the type of leg lifts that have you lying down on the floor and swinging your legs around. At your desk, you can easily straighten your knees and lift your legs out in front of you. You can also march with your feet in place. This will exercise the large muscles in your legs. For easy calf exercises, you can raise your feet up on the toes and lower them. Be sure to use your muscles when you do these exercises for maximum effect.

•Exercise Five - Stress Relievers: Many of the exercises already described here will really help to relieve the stress of your desk job. However, there are some other great stress relief exercises you can do at your desk.
Gently stretching your neck, or rolling your head around, will reduce neck and upper back stress. Lifting your arms in front of you and bending your hands up and down at the wrist will help to relieve the stress of typing and help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

As you spend year after year hunched over your desk for eight hours every day, you may find your muscles atrophying, and your hips and waist spreading. Not only can you help prevent that weight gain and loss of tone, but you can alleviate stress with these five quick exercises. Exercising at your desk only takes a few minutes, and will do your body and mind a world of good.

Apple Confit - Great Fall Dessert

Apple Confit

Sturdy apples are flavored with cinnamon and vanilla in this slow cooker apple compote. Top with low-fat vanilla ice cream and a sprinkling of toasted walnuts for dessert.

8 servings, about 1/2 cup each | Active Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 2 1/4-4 3/4 hours

Ingredients
•3 pounds firm cooking/baking apples, such as Granny Smith, Northern Spy, Rome or Golden Delicious
•1/4 cup sugar
•1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
1.Peel the apples and slice 1/4 inch thick. (You should have about 9 cups.) Place the apples in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste, and toss to coat well. Cover and cook until the apples are very tender and almost translucent, but not pureed, 2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 4 1/2 hours on low. Stir in vanilla. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Nutrition
Per serving : 98 Calories; 0 g Fat; 0 g Sat; 0 g Mono; 0 mg Cholesterol; 26 g Carbohydrates; 0 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 2 mg Sodium; 168 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 fruit

Tips & Notes
•Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

TGIF

The best six doctors anywhere
And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling.
~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990

This and That Thursday

Satisfy your cravings between meals with these healthy, low-calorie snacks. Each snack is 150 calories or less.

Strawberries with Chocolate Sauce
1 cup strawberries drizzled with 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Beer and Nuts
12-ounce light beer and 12 pistachios


Chocolate Pudding
1 chocolate pudding cup with 1 graham-cracker square crushed and sprinkled on top



Healthy Cocktail
Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 136 calories, 0.19g protein, 10g carbohydrate, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0.05g fiber
Ingredients
1.5 ounces lemon/lime vodka
1.5 ounces lemonade
1.5 ounces pomegranate juice
4 ounces club soda

Week 3 Results

Another week completed! 8 more weeks to shed the pounds!

This week our group lost a total of 15 pounds. Hopefully next week we can beat this number by 5 pounds.

Following is the top three contestants for week #3:
1. Kerri Woolverton with a loss of 2.02%
2. Melissa Van Dam with a loss of 1.58%
3. Beth Wedeven with a loss of 1.40%

Following is the top three contestants overall:
1. Cadence Seeley with a total loss of 4.88%
2. Beth Wedeven with a total loss of 4.14%
3. Mary Tarchinski with a total loss of 3.05%

Over the past 3 weeks we have a group weight loss of 63 pounds! That is AWESOME!!!

We are heading into week #4 and I have a challenge for you. Challenge yourself this coming week. What do I mean by that? Set a goal for yourself for one week. Maybe that goal is one of the following:
1. Wake up by 6:00 every morning and exercise before work.
2. Eat vegetables every day.
3. Go to bed every night by 10:00 PM.
4. Give up pop or coffee.
5. Exercise every day for 30 minutes.
6. Do 50 sit ups every day.
7. Eat fruit every day.
8. Do 50 push ups every day.
9. Give up chocolate for a week.
10. No fast food for one week.

I would love to hear from you if you have taken up this challenge. And if so, what is your challenge for yourself?

Keep up the great work!