Showing posts with label The Biggest Loser. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Biggest Loser. Show all posts
February 21, 2012
The Biggest Loser Jacobs Ladder Challenge
This is motivation to get my butt in hear - if they can do it, so can I!
May 26, 2011
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
I recently finished reading "Believe it, Be it" By Ali Vincent, the first Woman Biggest Loser. The book was such an easy read, and most of it was back story on herself. But, the end of the book is about how to stay within your healthy lifestyle once you get there. One thing I have never done before it sit down and really write down and analyze how I became an obese person. This was one of the first tasks that trainer Jillian Michaels gave the contestants on the show.
Write down 2 questions. 1: Why are you here? 2. What do you want in life? This struck me to the core of my heart this past week. It hurt to have to think about all the past reasons why I became over weight. I didn't start writing it down until I could move past the depression that over took me. I face those same issues almost daily. So I've finally have them written down and ready to share with you. They are very generalized, but open for my own discussion in my head.
Why are you here?
- Emotional eating
- Depression & anxiety of the unknown and uncontrollable
- Being hurt by others and not moving past the pain
- Guilt over hurting other people
- Addiction to food
- Lazy
- Selfish – always asking other to do things for me that I could do for myself
- Fear of judgment from others and self
- Not taking the time to find who I really am and want to be
- Excuse making
What do you want in life?
- follow God’s path 100% of the time
- My children to choose the lord for their life and follow my lead in life
- to be debt free
- to be satisfied with what I have and am
- Become a runner & race
- To be a role model for my children and others around me
- Have control over my emotions and find healthy outlets for them
- To take time for myself
- Celebrate my relationships and the loved ones around me all the time
- To be organized
My Challenge to you is to do the same thing for yourself. Write out your Bucket list of how you want your life to be when you are no longer holding onto weight that holds you back.
Write down 2 questions. 1: Why are you here? 2. What do you want in life? This struck me to the core of my heart this past week. It hurt to have to think about all the past reasons why I became over weight. I didn't start writing it down until I could move past the depression that over took me. I face those same issues almost daily. So I've finally have them written down and ready to share with you. They are very generalized, but open for my own discussion in my head.
Why are you here?
- Emotional eating
- Depression & anxiety of the unknown and uncontrollable
- Being hurt by others and not moving past the pain
- Guilt over hurting other people
- Addiction to food
- Lazy
- Selfish – always asking other to do things for me that I could do for myself
- Fear of judgment from others and self
- Not taking the time to find who I really am and want to be
- Excuse making
What do you want in life?
- follow God’s path 100% of the time
- My children to choose the lord for their life and follow my lead in life
- to be debt free
- to be satisfied with what I have and am
- Become a runner & race
- To be a role model for my children and others around me
- Have control over my emotions and find healthy outlets for them
- To take time for myself
- Celebrate my relationships and the loved ones around me all the time
- To be organized
My Challenge to you is to do the same thing for yourself. Write out your Bucket list of how you want your life to be when you are no longer holding onto weight that holds you back.
May 10, 2011
Biggest Loser Contestant Meet & Greet
On April 30th we walked a 10k walk in support of March of Dimes. My goal was to accomplish the walk in 2 hours, knowing I'd have several stops along the way for my team. We did this in record time, and I was so proud of all of us. At the start of the walk we were getting ready to move towards the start line and spotted a contestant from The Biggest Loser! Holly-Molly, my eyes popped open and I got so excited I began to jump up and down! It was Jesse, Arthur's Dad from the current season! I found him and told him my story - close to losing 100 pounds! He gave me a huge hug (we all remember he was a hugger!) and told me I was his hero for doing it on my own without the ranch! I said, I could have won this thing if I'd been at the ranch!
If you watch the current season of Biggest Loser then you know Arthur and Jesse's story - Arthur being the largest contestant ever on the show. They are both from Portland, and have a weekly walk at a Portland Park together that others can join in. They walk every Saturday at Broughton Beach on Marine Drive at 10 in the morning.
If you watch the current season of Biggest Loser then you know Arthur and Jesse's story - Arthur being the largest contestant ever on the show. They are both from Portland, and have a weekly walk at a Portland Park together that others can join in. They walk every Saturday at Broughton Beach on Marine Drive at 10 in the morning.
March 30, 2011
Changing the Whole Person!
As I look back at my weight loss journey I notice such an amazing change in myself, and it made me think that many people who are just beginning their journey or maybe are in the middle of it but haven’t changed need to begin to recognize the triggers and emotions that have caused us to be obese and out of shape. This is one of the many reasons why I watch the Biggest Loser on TV, because they don’t just focus on the outside – exercise and diet, but on the emotions and the situations that put us in the position in the first place. It’s so important to begin to look inward at yourself and begin to reexamine your personality and lifestyle when embarking on major weight loss.
I have a difficult time recognizing what has changed in me and what needs to be changed, though I can easily look at others and see what they need to work on. Isn’t that so true for so many of us? But, this blog is not about me telling you what needs to change, it’s about telling you what I have changed. One thing that comes to my mind is that I’ve chosen not take the easy way out. I work hard every day and stay focused on weight loss 24/7. I have my slip ups and many temptations around me, and for that I pay in slowing my journey down. There are no short cuts in weight loss. I believe whole heartily that gimmicks do not pay off in the end. What I’ve experienced through myself, others, and through experts is that counting calories and having a steady exercise plan is what will give you the ultimate success for the long haul.
So what was the easy way out for me? I can make a huge list of tricks I have learned through my yo-yo diet career. Some of them may work for some people for a quick fix and maybe even for a lifestyle change, but they sure did not help me. My easy way out in life before this journey began was the drive-thru, take-out, and choosing not to prepare my own food. Ultimately not seeing what went into preparing my food gave me a free pass not to care about what I was ingesting. You can eat at Subway, Chipotle, or any other healthy food franchise, but take charge of what you are eating. Watch what they put on your food; know the portion of sauces and ingredients that go into your meal. Just by adding cheese and mayo to your 6 inch sub could equal the calorie count of a whole other sub! When I began my journey I did not choose to stop eating out because of my diet, it was purely because of finances. I love to eat out and it took me a long time to realize that home cooking is so much more rewarding and fulfilling then anything I can get at a restaurant. The easy way out for me also structured around asking others to do things for me that I could do for myself, and I still struggle with this selfish behavior. Ultimately, I believe that I will conquer these problems. I left cooking up to my husband (who already had a strenuous day at work) and most of the time didn’t care for our home. A lot of these issues arose for me during my stretch of depression, and coming out of the behaviors really was the starting point for coming out of the depression.
So many people lose weight and gain weight over and over again in their life, but never choose to examine their personality and the causes and triggers of their weight gain. Many of us have to completely makeover out personalities and our bodies before the transformation can be complete and maintained for the long haul. I had to come out of my depression and selfishness to find a place where I could succeed, and have to work on changing those deeply ingrained traits on a daily basis. Some people have to focus on guilty emotions or an arrogant disposition, and others may have to gain strength and courage in them to conquer their long journey of weight loss. You will not succeed at something as important and difficult as weight loss if you do not completely change yourself inside and out.
I have a difficult time recognizing what has changed in me and what needs to be changed, though I can easily look at others and see what they need to work on. Isn’t that so true for so many of us? But, this blog is not about me telling you what needs to change, it’s about telling you what I have changed. One thing that comes to my mind is that I’ve chosen not take the easy way out. I work hard every day and stay focused on weight loss 24/7. I have my slip ups and many temptations around me, and for that I pay in slowing my journey down. There are no short cuts in weight loss. I believe whole heartily that gimmicks do not pay off in the end. What I’ve experienced through myself, others, and through experts is that counting calories and having a steady exercise plan is what will give you the ultimate success for the long haul.
So what was the easy way out for me? I can make a huge list of tricks I have learned through my yo-yo diet career. Some of them may work for some people for a quick fix and maybe even for a lifestyle change, but they sure did not help me. My easy way out in life before this journey began was the drive-thru, take-out, and choosing not to prepare my own food. Ultimately not seeing what went into preparing my food gave me a free pass not to care about what I was ingesting. You can eat at Subway, Chipotle, or any other healthy food franchise, but take charge of what you are eating. Watch what they put on your food; know the portion of sauces and ingredients that go into your meal. Just by adding cheese and mayo to your 6 inch sub could equal the calorie count of a whole other sub! When I began my journey I did not choose to stop eating out because of my diet, it was purely because of finances. I love to eat out and it took me a long time to realize that home cooking is so much more rewarding and fulfilling then anything I can get at a restaurant. The easy way out for me also structured around asking others to do things for me that I could do for myself, and I still struggle with this selfish behavior. Ultimately, I believe that I will conquer these problems. I left cooking up to my husband (who already had a strenuous day at work) and most of the time didn’t care for our home. A lot of these issues arose for me during my stretch of depression, and coming out of the behaviors really was the starting point for coming out of the depression.
So many people lose weight and gain weight over and over again in their life, but never choose to examine their personality and the causes and triggers of their weight gain. Many of us have to completely makeover out personalities and our bodies before the transformation can be complete and maintained for the long haul. I had to come out of my depression and selfishness to find a place where I could succeed, and have to work on changing those deeply ingrained traits on a daily basis. Some people have to focus on guilty emotions or an arrogant disposition, and others may have to gain strength and courage in them to conquer their long journey of weight loss. You will not succeed at something as important and difficult as weight loss if you do not completely change yourself inside and out.
January 27, 2011
Biggest Loser Contestant Visit...
The Biggest Loser - Ep 1003: Week 3- Tina - Video - NBC.comThis week the Biggest Loser Contest at my gym will be hosting a speaking engagement from Tina Elliott from season 10's The Biggest Loser. Tina is from right here in Boring, OR and was voted off during week 3 when she choose to go home. I rooted for her right from the start, and though I didn't see much strength in her for leaving as she did on the show watching her "where is she now" video does show me that she's paying it forward for her family - which is what it's all about.
Her visit will be this Saturday and Wednesday for 30 minutes of speaking and Q & A session. She will be talking about her journey, nutritional highlights, and doing it on her own. Do any of you watch the show, and if so do you have any questions for her? I could probably come up a good dozen questions regarding the show and her journey!
- What are Bob & Jillian like?
- Why did you choose to walk away from a chance of a lifetime and go home?
- What tends to be the biggest obstacle for you in fitness and in nutrition, and why?
- How much more weight do you plan to loose?
Ok, so give me your questions? If you could meet a constant from The Biggest Loser, what would you ask them?
January 12, 2011
Life getting in the way!
Life has gotten in the way again of my goals. I’ve had two days without the gym now and I know to most of you that sounds like nothing, but for me to stay focused I have to stay consistent. I can’t go off track even a little, and sometimes I’m just going to have to admit defeat in that area from time to time. Monday I had a birthday party to go to, and by the time we got home and put Julia to bed I was so tired I fell asleep on the couch until midnight. Since I had made it to the gym Sunday I didn’t feel super horrible, but I did miss a day of my 30 day challenge. That gave me some guilt. Then came Tuesday, and I had some out of the house work to do (babysitting) all day and had a very frustrating time attempting to get Julia to take a nap in a place other then her own bed. (Took all my energy!) So, by the time I was headed home I was so mentally fatigued that I could barely talk. My amazingly loving husband was fabulous – he made dinner, took care of clean-up, let me fall asleep off and on all night long, and even gave Julia her bath and did most of the bed time routine. Again, I missed the gym and my 30 day challenge. I was so drained I couldn’t even find the energy to stretch! I went to bed early, slept the entire night, woke feeling rested for the most part, and am ready to find the strength today. For the days that are hard I’m really going to have to dig a lot deeper into my soul and faith to know that even when it’s hard I have the ability to succeed. I think one of my major road blocks in life has been not allowing me to see this. So, today is Zumba night and I will go and work my butt off, come home and do my 30 day challenge, and pass out from even more exhaustion. And, it will all be worth it in the end!
A Side note – I have my Biggest Loser Weigh in and body comp test on Friday at 12:30. More details on this to come.
A Side note – I have my Biggest Loser Weigh in and body comp test on Friday at 12:30. More details on this to come.
January 03, 2011
A New Year = New Goals
Alright people, let’s hear it for 2010 and start off fresh with 2011. I’ve been making it to the gym this past week several times now, and have really missed it. With working part time during the holidays and all the other events going on I had no time left over for myself, let alone the gym. I am back in full force and will start a new adventure soon with The Biggest Loser Contest at my gym. This week I will register for the contest and the following week I will do my weigh in and body composition test. The results and winners are judged on highest % of weight loss and/or highest % of body fat lost in both a men and women's category. So, there will be 2 chances for me to win. I sure wish I had a financial sponsor for this, but I will have to lay down $99 for this whole thing. If I win, there’s no lose for me really, but it will put a burden on our finances this month. Jon and I are prepared to work around that. So, here’s a quick run down of my current weight, some thoughts on goals and workouts, and for the next week I will be re-posting some of my favorite posts from 2010 and then we will get into the contest!
My current weight is 266.6 and I can certainly tell you I am not excited about that number, but I am glad to see that by only indulging myself once in awhile during the past month I did alright about not gaining weight. My goals are large and will need a lot of focus from me to accomplish, but with some accountability partners (you readers), my family, and my drive I will do it!
Goal 1: Compete in the Biggest Loser contest at my gym. I would really like to put win as part of the goal, but would need to really size up the competition first. The contest runs into March, so this will be a good long term focus for me.
Goal 2: Complete 30 day Challenge on EA Active Wii Fit game. I started this again to see how well I do now that have lost weight and have a full year of exercise in my system. When I started this journey, the EA Active was all I had to get me started. I felt like it gave me a great starting point then, and it will give me another avenue of exercise this time around too. I began on the 1st and will finish the challenge in 30 days. The program consists of 2 days on and 1 day off of exercise, so some days I will do the Wii and the gym depending on what’s going on. So far I have really enjoyed the muscles that are being worked again – I had mostly been focusing on cardio lately and not strength building, so this is a nice variation to my workouts.
Goal 3: Zumba class! My gym is now offering Zumba fitness classes and I am interested in seeing how this class works. A lot of my friends have been working out with Zumba for awhile and have seen great results with it. They also say it’s challenging at first, but very rewarding and fun at the same time. The class is offered at 6:30-7:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, so this will correspond with a lot of things and I will have to work out lives around trying to go to this class.
Goal 4: Lose 30 pounds by April 1! Wow, that’s a deadline that is looming close. I’m only giving myself 3 whole months to shed the weight. Why you ask, well that would be a couple of weeks after the biggest loser contest, but I really just want to have a deadline. I don’t want to keep telling people around spring time or early summer. It doesn’t give me a sense of urgency or keep me on track if I just throw out a time period that is ambiguous. So, that’s 10 pounds a month or 2.5 pounds a week. I can so do that!
Goal 5: Keep a daily food log, sometimes counting calories, but without obsessing over it. Last year at this time I began a head first focus on counting my calories, and it took up a good portion of time to calculate, input, and keep track of all the calories going in me. So, I’ve made my own little journal and will write down what I’m eating and the calories if I know them. If I can see when and what I am eating in front of me I think I will have a better perspective on anything that could be hampering my weight loss.
So, there are the goals and the hard work ahead of me. I hope you will continue to join me on my journey and send encouragement my way. I will do that same for your journeys and help lead you onto a new and healthy path for your life. Happy New Year and I mean it, make it a happy one!
My current weight is 266.6 and I can certainly tell you I am not excited about that number, but I am glad to see that by only indulging myself once in awhile during the past month I did alright about not gaining weight. My goals are large and will need a lot of focus from me to accomplish, but with some accountability partners (you readers), my family, and my drive I will do it!
Goal 1: Compete in the Biggest Loser contest at my gym. I would really like to put win as part of the goal, but would need to really size up the competition first. The contest runs into March, so this will be a good long term focus for me.
Goal 2: Complete 30 day Challenge on EA Active Wii Fit game. I started this again to see how well I do now that have lost weight and have a full year of exercise in my system. When I started this journey, the EA Active was all I had to get me started. I felt like it gave me a great starting point then, and it will give me another avenue of exercise this time around too. I began on the 1st and will finish the challenge in 30 days. The program consists of 2 days on and 1 day off of exercise, so some days I will do the Wii and the gym depending on what’s going on. So far I have really enjoyed the muscles that are being worked again – I had mostly been focusing on cardio lately and not strength building, so this is a nice variation to my workouts.
Goal 3: Zumba class! My gym is now offering Zumba fitness classes and I am interested in seeing how this class works. A lot of my friends have been working out with Zumba for awhile and have seen great results with it. They also say it’s challenging at first, but very rewarding and fun at the same time. The class is offered at 6:30-7:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, so this will correspond with a lot of things and I will have to work out lives around trying to go to this class.
Goal 4: Lose 30 pounds by April 1! Wow, that’s a deadline that is looming close. I’m only giving myself 3 whole months to shed the weight. Why you ask, well that would be a couple of weeks after the biggest loser contest, but I really just want to have a deadline. I don’t want to keep telling people around spring time or early summer. It doesn’t give me a sense of urgency or keep me on track if I just throw out a time period that is ambiguous. So, that’s 10 pounds a month or 2.5 pounds a week. I can so do that!
Goal 5: Keep a daily food log, sometimes counting calories, but without obsessing over it. Last year at this time I began a head first focus on counting my calories, and it took up a good portion of time to calculate, input, and keep track of all the calories going in me. So, I’ve made my own little journal and will write down what I’m eating and the calories if I know them. If I can see when and what I am eating in front of me I think I will have a better perspective on anything that could be hampering my weight loss.
So, there are the goals and the hard work ahead of me. I hope you will continue to join me on my journey and send encouragement my way. I will do that same for your journeys and help lead you onto a new and healthy path for your life. Happy New Year and I mean it, make it a happy one!
December 31, 2010
One little word
Though I have posted this on my other blog I felt the need to add it here too since so much of this is focused on weight loss. Read my new goals and see what's in store for 2011.
_____________________________________________
Ali Edwards has been one of the most inspiring people in my life. Although I do not know her personally I do feel a close relationship with her through her scrapbooking, blogs, and personal testimonies of struggles and defeats. This year I will be joining her in choosing 1 word that will help me shape what this coming year will look like. I have several large goals for 2011, and feel the need to make them public and document them. Of course in my little organized brain I also feel the need to make it all work together; otherwise I could easily veer off course. So, my one little word for 2011 is simplify.
Simplify is defined as to make less complex. This year I can not wait to reach my goals, to loose weight, clear out all the junk in my basement, have a baby, and mostly to be more focused on what matters. The words Simplify and minimize have been roaming around my head a lot, so I went with Simplify when I looked up the definition - seems to be the directions I am in. Can't wait to see what it brings to me! I plan to simplify my weight loss – count calories more frequently and keep a workout schedule that is easy and efficient. In order to simplify my life for a new baby I must purge clutter out our lives; including cleaning our basement from corner to corner and opening our outdoor space to play time for Julia.
The first step I plan to take in this journey for 2011 is to declare my devotion to God by being baptized this January with my husband. I know many of my friends who are not Christians do not see the usefulness of this step in life, and some day I hope that they come to understand it, but for me I want to shout it out to everyone every day that my life has changed and become more rewarding because I’ve allowed Jesus into my heart. At the same time as making this huge declaration I will also be participating in a Biggest Loser contest at my gym. Now I may not win this (although I will certainly try my hardest), I will give myself an edge to my weight loss and fitness lifestyle that will eventually give way to a much simpler life. And, if I do win I pocket $500. My goal in my weight loss is to lose a minimum of 30 pounds by the end of spring time in order to feel like I am at a healthy starting point to begin the process of having another child. As many close to me know this could be a huge event in our lives, filled with possible bed rest, minor surgery, and even another pre-term baby. But, like I’ve declared, I have all the faith in God’s hands, and a gift of a child comes from the lord, and so if it is his will I will go through any or all of it! But, it is also my will to make the process easier and simpler. Do you see where I’m going with this word? Simple is just easy! I don’t want to clutter my life with complex, with doubts, or any fears. I want to be filled with hope, excitement, and enjoyment in all that is given to me.
I have other “resolutions” for this coming year as well, but these 3 pack a pretty huge punch and will be focused on a lot! For all of you reading this, I hope that you will follow me through this journey and continue your own. Pick a word for yourself and make a decision to keep it going all the way through December. Don’t let fears and insecurities take over, though they will roar their ugly faces from time to time, just remember that it’s a whole year of time to make a change. I made a change in myself for 2010, now it’s time to do even more work for 2011.
_____________________________________________
Ali Edwards has been one of the most inspiring people in my life. Although I do not know her personally I do feel a close relationship with her through her scrapbooking, blogs, and personal testimonies of struggles and defeats. This year I will be joining her in choosing 1 word that will help me shape what this coming year will look like. I have several large goals for 2011, and feel the need to make them public and document them. Of course in my little organized brain I also feel the need to make it all work together; otherwise I could easily veer off course. So, my one little word for 2011 is simplify.
Simplify is defined as to make less complex. This year I can not wait to reach my goals, to loose weight, clear out all the junk in my basement, have a baby, and mostly to be more focused on what matters. The words Simplify and minimize have been roaming around my head a lot, so I went with Simplify when I looked up the definition - seems to be the directions I am in. Can't wait to see what it brings to me! I plan to simplify my weight loss – count calories more frequently and keep a workout schedule that is easy and efficient. In order to simplify my life for a new baby I must purge clutter out our lives; including cleaning our basement from corner to corner and opening our outdoor space to play time for Julia.
The first step I plan to take in this journey for 2011 is to declare my devotion to God by being baptized this January with my husband. I know many of my friends who are not Christians do not see the usefulness of this step in life, and some day I hope that they come to understand it, but for me I want to shout it out to everyone every day that my life has changed and become more rewarding because I’ve allowed Jesus into my heart. At the same time as making this huge declaration I will also be participating in a Biggest Loser contest at my gym. Now I may not win this (although I will certainly try my hardest), I will give myself an edge to my weight loss and fitness lifestyle that will eventually give way to a much simpler life. And, if I do win I pocket $500. My goal in my weight loss is to lose a minimum of 30 pounds by the end of spring time in order to feel like I am at a healthy starting point to begin the process of having another child. As many close to me know this could be a huge event in our lives, filled with possible bed rest, minor surgery, and even another pre-term baby. But, like I’ve declared, I have all the faith in God’s hands, and a gift of a child comes from the lord, and so if it is his will I will go through any or all of it! But, it is also my will to make the process easier and simpler. Do you see where I’m going with this word? Simple is just easy! I don’t want to clutter my life with complex, with doubts, or any fears. I want to be filled with hope, excitement, and enjoyment in all that is given to me.
I have other “resolutions” for this coming year as well, but these 3 pack a pretty huge punch and will be focused on a lot! For all of you reading this, I hope that you will follow me through this journey and continue your own. Pick a word for yourself and make a decision to keep it going all the way through December. Don’t let fears and insecurities take over, though they will roar their ugly faces from time to time, just remember that it’s a whole year of time to make a change. I made a change in myself for 2010, now it’s time to do even more work for 2011.
October 06, 2010
Lacking the Motivation from The Biggest Loser
As I watched Biggest Loser weigh ins last night I realized I am not on the same level as they are and have no chance of losing as much weight as they (the biggest loser each week) are. I indeed knew this when I challenged myself to lose as much as that person each week, and I certainly knew that I wouldn’t be working out 3 hours a day either. So, why did I challenge myself? I think this is one of those times I have given myself a goal that is too much to accomplish and I ultimately have let myself down. This happens a lot in weight lose and in life, but in the long run I have to pick myself up and really be proud of what I have done and stop pushing myself so much. I have to remember that this is a lifestyle change and not a contest or a diet – this is real life!
I am not as excited about Biggest Loser as I usually am. Maybe I haven’t connected with the contestants yet, or maybe it’s the format change they are doing right now, but each week I feel disappointment that the challenges are lacking in motivation and the workouts are just an all out gross factor (puking) instead of showing us the actual sweat and effort that goes into it. So, I will keep watching and hope that they give me more to motivate me, but for now I feel like it’s a drama fest reality show with no real guts to it yet.
I am not as excited about Biggest Loser as I usually am. Maybe I haven’t connected with the contestants yet, or maybe it’s the format change they are doing right now, but each week I feel disappointment that the challenges are lacking in motivation and the workouts are just an all out gross factor (puking) instead of showing us the actual sweat and effort that goes into it. So, I will keep watching and hope that they give me more to motivate me, but for now I feel like it’s a drama fest reality show with no real guts to it yet.
September 22, 2010
The Biggest Loser Review
Watched the Biggest Loser last night and of course I wouldn't be as inspired as I usually am when they are just introducing the new characters. But, there’s a gal from Boring, OR who made it onto the show, and I’m going to root for her in a big way! The preview of the season gave me some encouragement, and I can not wait to see some of the challenges they have to conquer. Tonight I will be going to the gym and working out hard and putting my body back to the tests!
I’ve been having a difficult time making it to the gym mostly because I want to be home for my daughter’s bedtime and by the time she is done with reading books and singing songs it’s already 9:00 and that gives me a little under an hour of workout with a little amount of energy left. So, my plan tonight will be to go after dinner time and be home in time for bedtime. That should give me almost 2 hours of time to get in an awesome workout!
I’ve been having a difficult time making it to the gym mostly because I want to be home for my daughter’s bedtime and by the time she is done with reading books and singing songs it’s already 9:00 and that gives me a little under an hour of workout with a little amount of energy left. So, my plan tonight will be to go after dinner time and be home in time for bedtime. That should give me almost 2 hours of time to get in an awesome workout!
September 07, 2010
The Biggest Loser Motivation
One of the biggest motivations I’ve had since I began my journey to a thinner self was watching The Biggest Loser TV show. I absolutely love this show – I love the trainers, I love the challenges, and I love watching people loss the weight and become healthy and happier. This is why I want to become the biggest loser in my life. I don’t need to compete for a prize - the prize is my life, the activity I can do, the joys I can share, the pictures I can be in, and the healthly lifestyle I obtain and give to my family. The new season of The Biggest Loser premier’s tonight and I am watching it! I am going to cut me some fruit and plop right down on the couch and watch all 2 hours of it with commercials! You know why? Because it’s that awesome and motivating to me! And then tomorrow, I’m going to take whatever motivation I have been given from those 2 hours and spend it all at the gym!
My Biggest Loser competition:
I dare you to become the biggest loser in your life. I dare you to lose as much weight as I will each week. I dare you to follow the same regimented lifestyle as these people are each day, each hour, and each moment on their everyday! I am going to be the biggest loser every week – each Wednesday I will weigh in still and have a weekly goal of having a higher % of weight loss then the person on the show that week. Now granted, the first week they loose like 10-15 pounds, so I may not beat them this week, but I will win sometimes and that’s what will motivate me!
My Biggest Loser competition:
I dare you to become the biggest loser in your life. I dare you to lose as much weight as I will each week. I dare you to follow the same regimented lifestyle as these people are each day, each hour, and each moment on their everyday! I am going to be the biggest loser every week – each Wednesday I will weigh in still and have a weekly goal of having a higher % of weight loss then the person on the show that week. Now granted, the first week they loose like 10-15 pounds, so I may not beat them this week, but I will win sometimes and that’s what will motivate me!
July 06, 2010
Week 3 of The Biggest Loser Book
Well, I didn’t write anything about week 2. I guess I didn’t have much to say. I guess I was busy, and I guess I’m not following the plan perfectly either. I am on week 3 of the 6 weeks to a healthier you, and I did see results those first 2 weeks but I’m just not feeling it anymore. Is it the lack of familiar foods, the overly repetitiveness of the menu, or just the time consuming meal preparations that is getting to me? Who knows, all I know is that I have food stored up for week 3 and 4 and I have yet to really follow through with 1 day of the plan this week. Granted, it’s only day 2 so far, but I’m having a hard time allowing this program to adjust to my lifestyle of family style eating and serving, as well as quick and easy food prep.
Problem #1 consists of the lack of time I have every day to prep meals and have time to eat them. Some days are filled with little mini-meals with lots of fruits to eat on the go or in the quick five minutes my kid allows me to cook and eat. Other days I have a lunch recipe for a soup that serves 10 that takes an hour to prep all the ingredients and then cook, when I only have 2 uninterrupted hours to do house work, eat lunch, shower, and feed my facebook addiction. That leaves me with really only 30 minutes or less of facebook time! Come on! All kidding aside, I’m finding it difficult to schedule the time into my life to cook, clean, and eat along with my 2 hours in the evening of exercise.
Problem #2 revolves around the fact that I like variety, and that I get bored pretty quickly with the same foods all the time. Now, don’t get me wrong, almost all the recipes I’ve used in this book have been great and have tasted great, but who wants to eat oatmeal with fruit 3 times a week or have a meal with black beans in it almost every day? I know, some of you do, but I get sick of it pretty quick.
Problem #3 is all about my social eating situations. The holidays, the BBQs, and the “let’s hang out tonight” events. I have friends, I have friends who eat, and I have friends who don’t eat like I do. So, this in turn becomes a predicament. The meal plan is based around the fact that I’m feeding myself only. I have made it so that it feeds my husband and child too. But, there is no way I am cooking salmon and snow peas for 10 people one evening. That’s way too expensive and needless to say not everyone will like it. I try to make the meals as healthy as I can when I have to feed more then my family, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
So, my next plan for this book is to use it as a guideline for what I should be eating. I realize now that the book is focused on the beginning of your journey, not the middle it, but that it is meant to be for those of you who haven’t quite got the handle on how to eat and be healthy. The book’s focus is based around the health risks and diseases that being obese causes and helps you to learn how to combat those symptoms and reduce your risk of illness. I’m already there. I have decrease my risk so much that my legs don’t hurt from being swollen all the time, that I don’t have back pain 24/7, and that it’s not a huge risk to be on certain medications due to high blood pressure – I’m not going to stroke out! This book is great, and it’s great for those who need to loose a little or a lot and need help learning to plan their meals.
Problem #1 consists of the lack of time I have every day to prep meals and have time to eat them. Some days are filled with little mini-meals with lots of fruits to eat on the go or in the quick five minutes my kid allows me to cook and eat. Other days I have a lunch recipe for a soup that serves 10 that takes an hour to prep all the ingredients and then cook, when I only have 2 uninterrupted hours to do house work, eat lunch, shower, and feed my facebook addiction. That leaves me with really only 30 minutes or less of facebook time! Come on! All kidding aside, I’m finding it difficult to schedule the time into my life to cook, clean, and eat along with my 2 hours in the evening of exercise.
Problem #2 revolves around the fact that I like variety, and that I get bored pretty quickly with the same foods all the time. Now, don’t get me wrong, almost all the recipes I’ve used in this book have been great and have tasted great, but who wants to eat oatmeal with fruit 3 times a week or have a meal with black beans in it almost every day? I know, some of you do, but I get sick of it pretty quick.
Problem #3 is all about my social eating situations. The holidays, the BBQs, and the “let’s hang out tonight” events. I have friends, I have friends who eat, and I have friends who don’t eat like I do. So, this in turn becomes a predicament. The meal plan is based around the fact that I’m feeding myself only. I have made it so that it feeds my husband and child too. But, there is no way I am cooking salmon and snow peas for 10 people one evening. That’s way too expensive and needless to say not everyone will like it. I try to make the meals as healthy as I can when I have to feed more then my family, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
So, my next plan for this book is to use it as a guideline for what I should be eating. I realize now that the book is focused on the beginning of your journey, not the middle it, but that it is meant to be for those of you who haven’t quite got the handle on how to eat and be healthy. The book’s focus is based around the health risks and diseases that being obese causes and helps you to learn how to combat those symptoms and reduce your risk of illness. I’m already there. I have decrease my risk so much that my legs don’t hurt from being swollen all the time, that I don’t have back pain 24/7, and that it’s not a huge risk to be on certain medications due to high blood pressure – I’m not going to stroke out! This book is great, and it’s great for those who need to loose a little or a lot and need help learning to plan their meals.
June 28, 2010
NO MORE GIMMICKS!
Recently I posted about the gimmicks of weight loss and how much they aren’t focused on making a long term affect on your body. Many people I know are using a gimmick to lose weight quick to achieve certain goals and run faster on the road of their journeys. I can’t stress more about how life needs to be slowed down, enjoyed, and analyzed on a regular basis. For those of you who are faithful Christians I want you to think about the walk you are on with God. God gives you the strength and the ability to be able to conquer all the challenges that arise during your stay on earth. But, we all know that short cuts are not part of this walk, and when we take these short cuts and do not spend the necessary time on the changes and growth we are to make in ourselves then we do not become mature in our faith, in ourselves, and in our weight loss success.
MetaFast is one of these gimmick weight loss plans that I see as one of the shortcuts of weight loss. This program is a portion-controlled diet plan. This is the quote from their website. “Medifast is a portion-controlled, nutritionally balanced, low-fat, and clinically proven program that helps people lose weight faster and more effectively than traditional diet plans. Medifast Meals come in individual packets that you mix with water and microwave or refrigerate, and are available in a wide variety of foods and flavors, including shakes, soups, stew, chili, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, fruit drinks, iced teas, hot beverages, bars, puddings, pretzel sticks, and cheese puffs. Quick and easy to prepare, they offer a healthy fast food alternative to a busy lifestyle!”
Medifast meals are not “real” food, but a processed bag of food. But, their web site says this “Almost all Medifast products are "meals" since they contain protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.” These meals that they say you have only give you 800-1000 calories A DAY! This is not a healthy plan, especially if you are doing any type of exercise. You will need more energy for your body to build muscle instead of store what little energy you are getting. Medifast also says to decrease your exercise level until your body becomes accustomed to the decrease in calories.
Now, don’t get me wrong I read all about how safe this is for your body and all the research that shows that it is a proven weight loss program. I can understand that our body will lose weight when we limit our calories and carbohydrates. And I understand that if you continue to follow this plan you will meet your goals faster, and then when you meet your goals you will enter a maintenance stage. Something I keep remembering from former Biggest Loser contestants who gain the weight back is that maintaining the weight lose isn’t something you are taught when you lose weight at a quick rate. Once you enter a maintenance state your body begins to remember the state you were in before the weight loss. You find it harder to eat less food because now your body is craving it, and when you up your exercise levels to continue to maintain your weight loss you find you need more energy, which equals more calories, which equals weight gain if you’re not careful.
So, what should you do? Get off that short cut path you are on, follow the correct road God has put you on, and count your calories with real, fresh foods, and exercise. I know this sounds hard, time consuming, and even at times expensive. But, it’s so worth it. You are showing your children how to eat and be active; you are proving to others around you that you are strong and determined in what you go after.
• Exercise at least 4-5 times a week, if not 6 times. Burn 500 calories each day!
• If you need to lose 50-100 (or more) pounds then eat 1,400 – 1,600 calories a day!
• If you need to lose less then 50 pounds, then eat 1,200 – 1,500 calories a day!
• Eat fresh fruits & vegetables instead of breads and pastas.
• When eating breads & pastas eat whole grain
• Eat lean meats, and only eat red meat 1-2 times a week.
MetaFast is one of these gimmick weight loss plans that I see as one of the shortcuts of weight loss. This program is a portion-controlled diet plan. This is the quote from their website. “Medifast is a portion-controlled, nutritionally balanced, low-fat, and clinically proven program that helps people lose weight faster and more effectively than traditional diet plans. Medifast Meals come in individual packets that you mix with water and microwave or refrigerate, and are available in a wide variety of foods and flavors, including shakes, soups, stew, chili, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, fruit drinks, iced teas, hot beverages, bars, puddings, pretzel sticks, and cheese puffs. Quick and easy to prepare, they offer a healthy fast food alternative to a busy lifestyle!”
Medifast meals are not “real” food, but a processed bag of food. But, their web site says this “Almost all Medifast products are "meals" since they contain protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.” These meals that they say you have only give you 800-1000 calories A DAY! This is not a healthy plan, especially if you are doing any type of exercise. You will need more energy for your body to build muscle instead of store what little energy you are getting. Medifast also says to decrease your exercise level until your body becomes accustomed to the decrease in calories.
Now, don’t get me wrong I read all about how safe this is for your body and all the research that shows that it is a proven weight loss program. I can understand that our body will lose weight when we limit our calories and carbohydrates. And I understand that if you continue to follow this plan you will meet your goals faster, and then when you meet your goals you will enter a maintenance stage. Something I keep remembering from former Biggest Loser contestants who gain the weight back is that maintaining the weight lose isn’t something you are taught when you lose weight at a quick rate. Once you enter a maintenance state your body begins to remember the state you were in before the weight loss. You find it harder to eat less food because now your body is craving it, and when you up your exercise levels to continue to maintain your weight loss you find you need more energy, which equals more calories, which equals weight gain if you’re not careful.
So, what should you do? Get off that short cut path you are on, follow the correct road God has put you on, and count your calories with real, fresh foods, and exercise. I know this sounds hard, time consuming, and even at times expensive. But, it’s so worth it. You are showing your children how to eat and be active; you are proving to others around you that you are strong and determined in what you go after.
• Exercise at least 4-5 times a week, if not 6 times. Burn 500 calories each day!
• If you need to lose 50-100 (or more) pounds then eat 1,400 – 1,600 calories a day!
• If you need to lose less then 50 pounds, then eat 1,200 – 1,500 calories a day!
• Eat fresh fruits & vegetables instead of breads and pastas.
• When eating breads & pastas eat whole grain
• Eat lean meats, and only eat red meat 1-2 times a week.
June 25, 2010
Day 4 of The Biggest Loser Plan
Woke up to the dog barking this morning, which in tern woke up Julia, which in tern meant I had to wake myself up fully to help get her back to sleep. This means I am now tired and hungry and am looking to have breakfast earlier then normal. Which also means I will wants to eat earlier, resulting in more hunger throughout the day. I’m nervous about the evening time because I am going out with my girlfriends to have some pampering done on us, and will be missing dinner time. So, this will either result in me snacking extra, eating late, or not eating the planned meal and eating something else. We will see how this goes. So far, Kashi Go lean cereal is in the near future for me.
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Kashi Go Lean was good, but not fulfilling to me. I also had fruit, and the milk in the cereal and I still felt hungry. For my snack I was suppose to make these dessert type peanut butter and flaxseed things, but I didn’t have all the ingredients so I went with an whole grain English muffin with peanut butter. I did however go over the calories a bit I think, but I made up for it by sharing half of it with Julia. Lunch was fantastically large, Tuna salad and fruit. I scooped out about 3 oz of tuna, added the measured ingredients, and the entire thing filled up a large serving bowl. I did eat it all though! I had some more fruit for my afternoon snack since it was another fruit smoothie with The Biggest Loser protein powder.
I prepped dinner for ginger chicken and rice, but I had an appointment to go to with my friends to get our nails done. So, I was going to be home late for dinner. I was starving the entire time. By the time I would have got home it would have been 9 o’clock, so I joined my friends at a Mexican restaurant and shared some food. I ordered chicken nachos and only ate half of them, and ate some chips and salsa. Jon had made the chicken and rice and saved me some, and I regret eating the gross food instead of coming home and eating the healthy food. It looked so much better then what I ate.
No workout today either, so I will have to push it some today to make up for the eating out calories. Overall, I was hungry a lot today!
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Kashi Go Lean was good, but not fulfilling to me. I also had fruit, and the milk in the cereal and I still felt hungry. For my snack I was suppose to make these dessert type peanut butter and flaxseed things, but I didn’t have all the ingredients so I went with an whole grain English muffin with peanut butter. I did however go over the calories a bit I think, but I made up for it by sharing half of it with Julia. Lunch was fantastically large, Tuna salad and fruit. I scooped out about 3 oz of tuna, added the measured ingredients, and the entire thing filled up a large serving bowl. I did eat it all though! I had some more fruit for my afternoon snack since it was another fruit smoothie with The Biggest Loser protein powder.
I prepped dinner for ginger chicken and rice, but I had an appointment to go to with my friends to get our nails done. So, I was going to be home late for dinner. I was starving the entire time. By the time I would have got home it would have been 9 o’clock, so I joined my friends at a Mexican restaurant and shared some food. I ordered chicken nachos and only ate half of them, and ate some chips and salsa. Jon had made the chicken and rice and saved me some, and I regret eating the gross food instead of coming home and eating the healthy food. It looked so much better then what I ate.
No workout today either, so I will have to push it some today to make up for the eating out calories. Overall, I was hungry a lot today!
June 24, 2010
Day 3 of The Biggest Loser Plan
Well today was super good. I felt full all day and was able to keep my food intake going in every 2-3 hours. In the morning I made this amazing omelet with chopped red bell peppers and onions, and felt like it was so much food I could barely finish it all. It was only 1 full egg and 1 egg white too, which makes it even more impressive that I didn’t want to scarf more down. I had fruit with it, as well as a whole grain English muffin with jam.
At snack time I was super excited to try out the Yoplait Greek yogurt with blueberries and granola (it was suppose to be flaxseed, but only had granola and wasn’t to excited about putting flaxseed in yogurt). I also had the cantaloupe I was suppose to eat with breakfast. Lunch was off the menu, but still a type of soup. I still had leftover bean stew, so I cooked that up and had some fruit and a hard boiled egg with it. I wasn’t able to eat much of it with all of my distractions. Julia woke up early, the phone kept ringing, and I was just generally distracted. So, I didn’t get my whole lunch in. I started dinner, which again was not on the menu, and made chicken salad. It was again another soup for dinner, and with it being almost 80 degrees outside I just wasn’t in the mood for that. I think this book may have been made for winter time meals. I had one serving of salad and wasn’t hungry anymore.
Later in the evening I went to the gym and managed to get in almost all of my exercise. Part of my circuit training was interrupted with a toe cramp (noticed I may not be getting enough potassium) and then we later sat in the hot-tub to soak our aching bodies. After the gym I had some sugar free ice cream that was so not on the menu, but realizing I hadn’t eaten enough for the day it felt like I need to eat and fruit was just not going to happen.
At snack time I was super excited to try out the Yoplait Greek yogurt with blueberries and granola (it was suppose to be flaxseed, but only had granola and wasn’t to excited about putting flaxseed in yogurt). I also had the cantaloupe I was suppose to eat with breakfast. Lunch was off the menu, but still a type of soup. I still had leftover bean stew, so I cooked that up and had some fruit and a hard boiled egg with it. I wasn’t able to eat much of it with all of my distractions. Julia woke up early, the phone kept ringing, and I was just generally distracted. So, I didn’t get my whole lunch in. I started dinner, which again was not on the menu, and made chicken salad. It was again another soup for dinner, and with it being almost 80 degrees outside I just wasn’t in the mood for that. I think this book may have been made for winter time meals. I had one serving of salad and wasn’t hungry anymore.
Later in the evening I went to the gym and managed to get in almost all of my exercise. Part of my circuit training was interrupted with a toe cramp (noticed I may not be getting enough potassium) and then we later sat in the hot-tub to soak our aching bodies. After the gym I had some sugar free ice cream that was so not on the menu, but realizing I hadn’t eaten enough for the day it felt like I need to eat and fruit was just not going to happen.
June 22, 2010
Biggest Loser Meal/fittness Plan Day 2
Breakfast, snack, and lunch all very good today! I feel very satisfied and am not having any huge hunger cravings. For breakfast it was whole grain waffle and hard boiled egg with some fruit, snack was crackers with hummus, and lunch was super good with a roast beef wrap with horseradish, sprouts, and avocado.
My muscles are some what sore from the workout last night, push-ups for 35 seconds, and I’m excited for the next workout tonight. Feeling as energized as I do today makes me feel like in just one day this is really helping. I stepped on the scale even today and am certainly seeing progress. Not huge progress, since it’s only been 2 days, but some is better then none!
Dinner tonight was not part of the meal plan, mostly to do with the fact that the meal that was planned was centered on an ingredient that I did not know how to cook or find in the grocery store. So, no better night to have chicken Enchiladas and all my friends over to enjoy them, and also had a salad with it and angle food cake with strawberries and cool whip.
Since I had company tonight I didn’t get in as intense of a workout tonight, just did cardio. Tomorrow I will do the same routine I did on Monday.
My muscles are some what sore from the workout last night, push-ups for 35 seconds, and I’m excited for the next workout tonight. Feeling as energized as I do today makes me feel like in just one day this is really helping. I stepped on the scale even today and am certainly seeing progress. Not huge progress, since it’s only been 2 days, but some is better then none!
Dinner tonight was not part of the meal plan, mostly to do with the fact that the meal that was planned was centered on an ingredient that I did not know how to cook or find in the grocery store. So, no better night to have chicken Enchiladas and all my friends over to enjoy them, and also had a salad with it and angle food cake with strawberries and cool whip.
Since I had company tonight I didn’t get in as intense of a workout tonight, just did cardio. Tomorrow I will do the same routine I did on Monday.
June 21, 2010
Day 1 of The Biggest Loser Meal Plan
I’m feeling very tired today, so I fell asleep on the couch until 9 knowing that Julia would be sleeping in. I got up and began to feel hungry. My first instinct was to find something quick and easy to make, and then I remembered I had the meal plan to follow today!
So, I made the Southern Start that was oatmeal and peaches. I substituted quick cooking oats instead of the steal cut oats (can’t afford time and cost of these) and forgot the milk as well. Overall I wasn’t too impressed with the meal, but I am full so I can say it kept me from going back to the fridge.
For lunch I had to make this incredibly time consuming soup/stew to make, so I began making it before I even had my snack! The soup was amazingly good and spicy, and there was a ton of it leftover for Jon’s lunch and snacks. He of course loved this. I got pretty hungry while making it though, so had my snack, which didn’t really curb the hunger. So I had the stew and the salad along with it, and was good until later in the day while we were shopping at Costco.
The snack before dinner was suppose to be a protein shake, but instead I cheated and had some of my cheesecake I had made for father’s day. Of course I couldn’t have had the shake anyways because I didn’t have any of the actual protein to put into it. Dinner took awhile as well because we came home late from the store, and had to get Julia taken care of who was also famished. I suppose I need to be more observant of her hunger cues as well as my own during this, because she’s going to want to eat a lot of different foods then I am going to be eating. This will be a struggle each day. By dinner time we had steamed broccoli with garlic, tomato and green pepper salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and 2 flank steaks cooked. I cut about a third of mine off and gave it to Jon to cut up for Julia (who had already had a hotdog, strawberries, and a hard boiled egg). I managed to actually feel fulfilled by all of this and made sure to give Jon a serving of the stew to make sure he was as well. I did have another cheat later (emotional eating) with another slice of cheesecake! It’s gone now, so no more for me!
The first week also consists of the exercises, so I headed out to the gym tonight to get those in along with an hour of cardio. The exercises were more invigorating then I thought they would be, in a sense that my heart was pounding a lot more then I thought they would and my muscles screamed a little more then I thought they would too. I managed to do a whole minute of push-ups as well! Overall I am going to be feeling very good tonight, and think tomorrow will prove to be even more interesting!
So, I made the Southern Start that was oatmeal and peaches. I substituted quick cooking oats instead of the steal cut oats (can’t afford time and cost of these) and forgot the milk as well. Overall I wasn’t too impressed with the meal, but I am full so I can say it kept me from going back to the fridge.
For lunch I had to make this incredibly time consuming soup/stew to make, so I began making it before I even had my snack! The soup was amazingly good and spicy, and there was a ton of it leftover for Jon’s lunch and snacks. He of course loved this. I got pretty hungry while making it though, so had my snack, which didn’t really curb the hunger. So I had the stew and the salad along with it, and was good until later in the day while we were shopping at Costco.
The snack before dinner was suppose to be a protein shake, but instead I cheated and had some of my cheesecake I had made for father’s day. Of course I couldn’t have had the shake anyways because I didn’t have any of the actual protein to put into it. Dinner took awhile as well because we came home late from the store, and had to get Julia taken care of who was also famished. I suppose I need to be more observant of her hunger cues as well as my own during this, because she’s going to want to eat a lot of different foods then I am going to be eating. This will be a struggle each day. By dinner time we had steamed broccoli with garlic, tomato and green pepper salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and 2 flank steaks cooked. I cut about a third of mine off and gave it to Jon to cut up for Julia (who had already had a hotdog, strawberries, and a hard boiled egg). I managed to actually feel fulfilled by all of this and made sure to give Jon a serving of the stew to make sure he was as well. I did have another cheat later (emotional eating) with another slice of cheesecake! It’s gone now, so no more for me!
The first week also consists of the exercises, so I headed out to the gym tonight to get those in along with an hour of cardio. The exercises were more invigorating then I thought they would be, in a sense that my heart was pounding a lot more then I thought they would and my muscles screamed a little more then I thought they would too. I managed to do a whole minute of push-ups as well! Overall I am going to be feeling very good tonight, and think tomorrow will prove to be even more interesting!
June 19, 2010
6 weeks to a healthier you - The Biggest Loser Book
I’ve been reading The Biggest Loser 6 weeks to a healthier you book and am about finished, as well as shopped for the first 2 weeks of food from the meal plans. I am nervous about the challenge this will be and impressed with the details that are given in the book.
Each week is broken down into a specific area of health concern that is related to obesity; cancer, heart disease, blood pressure, and mental health are some of the areas of concern. I was interested in reading the meal plan for the week focusing on high blood pressure, since this is something I struggle with. Most of this chapter was information I have known and written about before and nothing really new to me. The exercise for this week was a high difficulty then the week prior, using a resistance band in each exercise, and this made me eager for week 4!
Each day of food is completely laid out for you, consisting of breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and then dinner. There are no days were you exceed 1,600 calories at all, and more days are just over 1,400 to 1,500 calories. This will be a struggle for me at first, just to see the diminished amounts, but with much more whole grain along with more fruits and vegetables I feel confident that this will not be a huge factor for me.
Overall I am excited to begin something more structured in this journey. I don’t feel like this is a gimmick that I am taking on, but a tool in the many I already possess. I have made some substitutions in the meal plans when necessary. These substitutions come from not wanting to purchase expensive ingredients, not found of a particular food, or unable to find particular ingredients. I also made adjustments for days that I want to feed more then just Jon, Julia and I, and enjoy the company of my friends. This will most likely increase the calorie intakes of the day, but with extra work at the gym I shouldn’t see much from that. Another book I want to try in The Biggest Loser series is the Family Cookbook. This book is focused on bargain AND healthy meals for the family. Once I am done with these 6 weeks of meals I am going out to get it and make my own meal plans!
Here is a sample of week 1 meals -
Monday 1,470 Calories
Breakfast:
Southern Start (recipe with oatmeal & peaches)
½ grapefruit sub. w/ orange
2 oz Canadian bacon sub w/ turkey bacon
1 cup fat-free milk
Tea or coffee
Snack:
½ turkey sandwich: 1 oz lean turkey, 2 tomato slices, and 1 tsp Dijon mustard on 1 slice of whole grain bread.
Lunch:
1 serving Broke Bean Strew (recipe w/ beans, spinach, tomatoes, and spicy spices)
2 cups mixed green salad with 1 tbsp low-fat Caesar dressing sub. w/ ranch dressing
1 large apple or ¾ cup cherries
Iced Tea
Snack:
1 serving Sunrise Shake (recipe w/ Biggest Loser protein powder)
Dinner:
6 oz lean flank steak, grilled
1 cup steamed broccoli with 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp toasted almond slivers
Sliced tomato salad with ¼ cup sliced green bell pepper and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Green tea or coffee
Ice water
Each week is broken down into a specific area of health concern that is related to obesity; cancer, heart disease, blood pressure, and mental health are some of the areas of concern. I was interested in reading the meal plan for the week focusing on high blood pressure, since this is something I struggle with. Most of this chapter was information I have known and written about before and nothing really new to me. The exercise for this week was a high difficulty then the week prior, using a resistance band in each exercise, and this made me eager for week 4!
Each day of food is completely laid out for you, consisting of breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and then dinner. There are no days were you exceed 1,600 calories at all, and more days are just over 1,400 to 1,500 calories. This will be a struggle for me at first, just to see the diminished amounts, but with much more whole grain along with more fruits and vegetables I feel confident that this will not be a huge factor for me.
Overall I am excited to begin something more structured in this journey. I don’t feel like this is a gimmick that I am taking on, but a tool in the many I already possess. I have made some substitutions in the meal plans when necessary. These substitutions come from not wanting to purchase expensive ingredients, not found of a particular food, or unable to find particular ingredients. I also made adjustments for days that I want to feed more then just Jon, Julia and I, and enjoy the company of my friends. This will most likely increase the calorie intakes of the day, but with extra work at the gym I shouldn’t see much from that. Another book I want to try in The Biggest Loser series is the Family Cookbook. This book is focused on bargain AND healthy meals for the family. Once I am done with these 6 weeks of meals I am going out to get it and make my own meal plans!
Here is a sample of week 1 meals -
Monday 1,470 Calories
Breakfast:
Southern Start (recipe with oatmeal & peaches)
½ grapefruit sub. w/ orange
2 oz Canadian bacon sub w/ turkey bacon
1 cup fat-free milk
Tea or coffee
Snack:
½ turkey sandwich: 1 oz lean turkey, 2 tomato slices, and 1 tsp Dijon mustard on 1 slice of whole grain bread.
Lunch:
1 serving Broke Bean Strew (recipe w/ beans, spinach, tomatoes, and spicy spices)
2 cups mixed green salad with 1 tbsp low-fat Caesar dressing sub. w/ ranch dressing
1 large apple or ¾ cup cherries
Iced Tea
Snack:
1 serving Sunrise Shake (recipe w/ Biggest Loser protein powder)
Dinner:
6 oz lean flank steak, grilled
1 cup steamed broccoli with 1 tsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp toasted almond slivers
Sliced tomato salad with ¼ cup sliced green bell pepper and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Green tea or coffee
Ice water
May 10, 2010
Weigh In (sorry it's late)
Weight: 284.6
Total Weight Loss: 23.7
I have lost -2.8 pounds this week and a total of 23.7 since January 1. I feel like I worked so hard this past week and that only a 2.8 loss is somewhat disappointing. I know that I should be grateful for any negative numbers and like Jon was telling me last night, I should be even more grateful for not gaining weight. When I look back at the times I have lost a significant amount of weight it’s always been a torturous amount of time, and never a quick result. I’m sure I gave up several times during that process as well, but in the end I looked the way I wanted to and was happy about it. The only thing I want to change about that is the end result – NOT PUTTING IT BACK ON. So, slow and steady wins the race, and I’m going to have to remember that every week when all I’m getting are low numbers.
As for last week’s challenge, I didn’t quite make it. But, that’s okay. I went to the gym every day, except Thursday and Saturday, but did workout at home those days. Thursday I did the Wii fit exercises, and Saturday I took a long walk in the evening sun. Both were only light/moderate exercising where as I have been doing very vigorous workouts at the gym. So, since I focused so much on my exercising last week I think I’m going to tone it down a tad bit, and focus on the whole picture – calories in and calories out. My fitness challenge though is will continue, because I seem to work really well when I have something to work towards.
I found a great recourse for challenges on sparkpeople.com (where I count my calories and my workout calories burned). So this is a challenge from the stand point that we are in a plateau and need to change things up to get our body back into burn mode. This week's challenge is to incorporate one new cardio activity into your routine, 1-2 times per week. If you already do cardio 4-5 times a week, this activity could replace one or two of your regular workouts. If you currently do cardio 2-3 times per week, consider adding an extra day or two with something new. Think about the activities you like to do and pick something that you enjoy. For example, if walking is your primary form of cardio, try adding biking or swimming to your routine. Adding something totally different can really shake things up and help you start to see results again.
I started doing this cardio activity a little but last week some, but I was so tired from the Spinning class I took that I wasn’t really getting much out of it. Spinning and yoga were my new cardio activities last week, but I think the spinning is a little out of my league and time constraints right now, so I will pick that back up once I get some more endurance in me. So, I am going to start using the rowing machine more often this week. I see contestants on The Biggest Loser use this a lot and get great results with it, and when I did use it I felt a lot of muscles being used and my heart rate got going pretty good too.
Alright, post what new cardio activity you are going to include in your workout this week and let me know how it’s working out for you.
Total Weight Loss: 23.7
I have lost -2.8 pounds this week and a total of 23.7 since January 1. I feel like I worked so hard this past week and that only a 2.8 loss is somewhat disappointing. I know that I should be grateful for any negative numbers and like Jon was telling me last night, I should be even more grateful for not gaining weight. When I look back at the times I have lost a significant amount of weight it’s always been a torturous amount of time, and never a quick result. I’m sure I gave up several times during that process as well, but in the end I looked the way I wanted to and was happy about it. The only thing I want to change about that is the end result – NOT PUTTING IT BACK ON. So, slow and steady wins the race, and I’m going to have to remember that every week when all I’m getting are low numbers.
As for last week’s challenge, I didn’t quite make it. But, that’s okay. I went to the gym every day, except Thursday and Saturday, but did workout at home those days. Thursday I did the Wii fit exercises, and Saturday I took a long walk in the evening sun. Both were only light/moderate exercising where as I have been doing very vigorous workouts at the gym. So, since I focused so much on my exercising last week I think I’m going to tone it down a tad bit, and focus on the whole picture – calories in and calories out. My fitness challenge though is will continue, because I seem to work really well when I have something to work towards.
I found a great recourse for challenges on sparkpeople.com (where I count my calories and my workout calories burned). So this is a challenge from the stand point that we are in a plateau and need to change things up to get our body back into burn mode. This week's challenge is to incorporate one new cardio activity into your routine, 1-2 times per week. If you already do cardio 4-5 times a week, this activity could replace one or two of your regular workouts. If you currently do cardio 2-3 times per week, consider adding an extra day or two with something new. Think about the activities you like to do and pick something that you enjoy. For example, if walking is your primary form of cardio, try adding biking or swimming to your routine. Adding something totally different can really shake things up and help you start to see results again.
I started doing this cardio activity a little but last week some, but I was so tired from the Spinning class I took that I wasn’t really getting much out of it. Spinning and yoga were my new cardio activities last week, but I think the spinning is a little out of my league and time constraints right now, so I will pick that back up once I get some more endurance in me. So, I am going to start using the rowing machine more often this week. I see contestants on The Biggest Loser use this a lot and get great results with it, and when I did use it I felt a lot of muscles being used and my heart rate got going pretty good too.
Alright, post what new cardio activity you are going to include in your workout this week and let me know how it’s working out for you.
April 23, 2010
Another gym visit
Made it to the gym tonight again. I'm so excited to be pushing forward again. God has given me so much. I have a new gym buddy, and will soon be working out with her off and on when we can make it work together.Tonight I attempted this running thing you all keep telling me about on the treadmill. I figured if the people on biggest loser can do it (Like Michael, who weighed over 500 lbs when starting and now it down in the 300s) then I should be able to do the same thing. So, I started off with 1 min sprints half way in the workout, and did about 3 of them. Not bad for the first time out. I had my IPod and realized fast I need a better playlist and some new music. Anyone willing to lend me some CDs to download?
Felt great afterwards, and got home to help finish the dishes, bake a cake for my party tomorrow evening, bake muffins for the walk in the morning, and upload all the photos I took today. And I still feel good.
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