Weighing In Wednesday on a Thursday

Sorry I'm late guys, but it's been a rough week at work.

Register to win a Yoplait Kids Get Active Prize Pack

Register to win one of three Yoplait Kids Get Active Prize Packs at SunEGrl Loves To Shop. Entries must be received by midnight April 10th.

Squirrels! I'm officially putting them on a diet

A couple of weeks ago, I filled up two birdfeeders with seed to hopefully attract some pretty birds. Shortly after, I started noticing that the seed was going down so I thought that I had birds. Well I was wrong! I have squirrels, lots of fat squirrels eating all of the birdseed right out of the feeders. Well, I googled a way to get rid of them and one of the things that came up was to put vaseline on the shepherds hook. I've decided to give that a try, and when I get home I'm officially putting the squirrels on a diet!!

First Weigh In On This Site

The first weigh in on this site will be Wednesday morning. I will put a Mr. Linky on here so everyone can join in. If you want to participate, invite your friends and family so we can help each other out. The more the merrier! Remember, all participants will get a Free Link on this blog so it can help to promote your blog as well. This site currently has a PR2, but I am hoping to get it to a PR3 within the next 6 months.

Biggest Loser Photos to come

The Biggest Loser ceremony was really nice. The guy who won lost 50lbs, the 2nd place person lost 25 pounds and the third place person lost 30 pounds. I missed 3rd place by 1 pound, so as they say on the show 1 pound can really make a difference. Boy was I bummed when I found that out. Anyway, they took really nice photos so as soon I get them I will post my before and after. The difference is really quite dramatic even though it is only 25 pounds.

Pound for Pound Challenge

If you haven't already joined the Pound For Pound Challenge, please do so. For every pound you lose, Pound For Pound will donate 10¢ to Feeding America™ - enough to provide one pound of groceries to a local food bank. Report your final results between 4/1/09 and 5/5/09. I joined when the program first came out, so my weight loss will not only benefit me but it will also benefit hungry Americans.

Biggest Loser Car Challenge

Did you see this weeks episode of Biggest Loser? If not, then you don't know what you missed. Tara Costa is a freaking machine!! All of the contestants were competing for immunity by pulling a car that weighed over a ton for a distance of a half mile. The challenge started out with Sione and Mike in the lead and Tara in 3rd. Even with an extra 257 pounds in her car, she pushed on to pass both Sione and Mike to win the challenge and win immunity. She is amazing and it's hard not to like her even though she does seem to win all of the challenges.

These are the huge cars that they had to pull.

Check out her pictures from her myspace page.

What diet plan are you using?

Are you using an Ultra Low Carb plan like Atkins or the Zone Diet, or something a little less strict like South Beach. What about the Biggest Loser Diet plan? I have been using the South Beach plan for awhile along with some elements of Biggest Loser. A few variations that I am doing: I love milk so I do allow myself to have skim milk on occasion. I also eat an apple and cheese stick quite frequently as a snack. If I feel like I am going into a stall, I will also cut back to around 30-35 carbs/day for a few days and that usually breaks my stall. Anyone else using a similar plan?

Dining Out While Losing Weight

Dining Out while losing weight is difficult but it can be done. I will give you a couple of options that are working for me. As always, remember your portion controls and remember to keep those bad carbs away from the table.

Red Lobster-Wood Fire Grill Chicken, Shrimp, and Scallops 580 calories, 10grams of fat, and 58 carbs. Skip the rice pilaf and that will get rid of 180 calories and 34 grams of fat. I always eat mine with a side of broccoli for 45 calories and 6 grams of fat. It used to be really hard for me to skip the cheddar bay biscuits, but I can do that now with now problem. I just tell them not to bring them.
Salad with no croutons and Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing will fill you up without adding excess carbs and calories.

At Chili's my favorite meal is the Classic Sirloin with Broccoli and Mushrooms. I get it with no seasoned salt or any addons.

Stay in touch for more updates on dining out because you know I can't seem to stay home.

Biggest Loser Final Total

My official loss for the Biggest Loser contest at the hospital was 25lbs and 10.5 inches. I wish I would have done better, but I started off really rough and really wasn't able to exercise as much as I would have liked. The winner of the contest lost a total of 50lbs. I was on the green team and our team alone lost 217lbs to become the winning team. Our prize for being on the winning team was a full makeover, including cut, color, and makeup. There is a ceremony being held on Saturday night and we are all going to be dressing up, so I will be sure to post an updated pic as soon as I get a copy.

Baked Tilapia and Green Bean Casserole

Today was my cooking day to help me get ready for the workweek ahead. I made a dish of Green Bean casserole minus the soy sauce and fried onions and a dish of baked tilapia with garlic butter sauce. Both dishes were low in fat, calories and carbs so I feel like I am on the right track.

The Green Bean Casserole had a bag of frozen green beans and a can of Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup. While the soup added a lot of taste it didn't add too many calories because when you split down the serving size, it came out to 20 calories and 2 carbs in addition to the carbs in green beans. I baked the tilapia with a butter cooking spray and herb seasoning so there weren't many additions there either. All in all it was quite yummy and very healthy. Only problem is that I'm still hungry. I don't know what it is about baked fish, but it's not very filling unless you eat a ton of it.

Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar

I've recently grown to love Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing on salads, and I thought why not try it with veggies. I found this recipe and decided to give it a try. This is a great side with lots of flavor.

Serves 4

1 pound asparagus, woody ends snapped off (it's best to peel the skin from the stem)
1 tablespoon olive oil (use your hands to coat the asparagus to ensure proper coverage)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450F. Measure olive oil and vinegar onto a rimmer baking sheet. Use a vegetable peeler to trim away some skin, in stripes, from the stem ends of the spears. Using your hands, roll the spears in the oil and vinegar until coated all over. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 7 - 10 minutes (it goes fast) until the desired tenderness.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE according to Fitday
Per Serving: 53 Cal (53% from Fat, 17% from Protein, 31% from Carb); 2 g Protein; 4 g Tot Fat; 1 g Sat Fat; 5 g Carb; 2 g Fiber; NetCarb3; 27 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 2 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol;

Last Week of Biggest Loser Contest

Well, as the last week of the Biggest Loser contest comes to an end, I find myself a little worried about my future progress. I honestly feel that without the support from the other people on my team, that I might cave when things get to tough. Those of us on the Green Team, have been talking about getting together once a week even after it's over so that we still have the weigh in experience as well as the support from team members. For me it is all about accountability, and that means regular weigh ins so that I can see if my weight is starting to fluctuate in a bad way. Last week I skipped the weigh in, so I don't think that I will win the Biggest Loser prize of the FREE Cruise, but I still think I might be somewhere in the Top 5. Even with my parents here, I still managed to lose a couple of pounds.

So for those of you on a weight loss journey, we will begin weighing in here every Wednesday and as time progresses I will announce contests for the Biggest Losers. This Wednesday will be our initial weigh in and while I am sure we will probably have a fairly small turnout, I'm sure that as time goes on more people will join in. I'll keep you posted more on that.

More Funny Diet Pics

Thought you might enjoy this...

Check out this other post

One more post for you to ponder. I did a post awhile back on my other blog about Mind Body Image and how it can affect your weight loss. I think it's important to focus on the positive and not so much of the negative. One thing that I have been doing lately is "Thinking Myself Thin". I'll tell you a little more about that later, but take a look at this post and see if you have any mind body issues that might be overcome with time.

Take a look and let me know what you think.

Check out this post

Check out my post on how to Supercharge Your Diet. All of these items are things that I am currently doing and things that I truly believe have helped me to make a change for the better. I am actually getting comments such as I can tell that you have lost in your face and arms, and I can tell you've lost in your behind. The point is, PEOPLE CAN TELL THAT I HAVE LOST. You have no idea how excited that makes me.

Signs that are too funny

Fad Diets: 3 Day Diet

I have actually used this one quite a lot. A few years back I used it because I was trying to fit into a bridesmaids dress and I needed to lose about 40 pounds. This helped me do it fast and it wasn't really too hard to follow. While the menu items can't be changed, the times of day can be. For example, for lunch there is a very small amount of food on the menu, but if you take some of the items from dinner it works just as well.

Instructions:

Drink 4 glasses of water or diet soda per day.

You can add herbs, salt, pepper, lemon, vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, mustard & ketchup to your foods. (I try to keep the salt to a minimum, as I tend to retain water.)

DAY 1

BREAKFAST

Black Coffee or Tea w/1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
1/2 Grapefruit or Juice
1 Toast with 1 Tbsp. Peanut Butter

LUNCH

1/2 Cup of Tuna
1 Toast
Black Coffee or Tea w/1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal

DINNER

3 Oz. any lean meat or chicken
1 cup green beans
1 cup carrots
1 apple
1 cup regular vanilla ice cream

DAY 2

BREAKFAST

black coffee or tea w/1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
1 Egg
1/2 Banana
1 Toast

LUNCH

1 cup cottage cheese or tuna
8 regular saltine crackers

DINNER (For dinner, I love hot dogs and sauerkraut so this is easy for me.)

2 beef franks
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 banana
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream

DAY 3

BREAKFAST

black coffee or tea w/1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal
5 regular saltine crackers
1 oz. cheddar cheese
1 apple

LUNCH

1 boiled egg
1 toast
black coffee or tea w/1-2 packets of Sweet & Low or Equal

DINNER

1 cup tuna
1 cup carrots
1 cup cauliflower
1 cup melon
1/2 cup regular vanilla ice cream

Lost 20 pounds so far

Since starting my current weight loss and exercise regimen I have lost 20 pounds. I have been working out on my new Tony Little Gazelle and eating little to no processed foods, plus avoiding white flour. So far, I haven't felt really deprived and I can feel the pounds melting off. I am in a weight loss group here in OC, and I think that has helped me more than anything.

If any of you are looking to lose weight and need a little support, I am going to be giving out tips that have worked for me. Starting April 1st, we will be starting a weekly weigh in where we will be giving away some nice prizes.

Kettlebell Workout

Have you seen the informercial for the kettlebell workout?


It's actually very cool, because KettleWorx is a breakthrough program that gives you the three most important elements of fitness - Cardio, Core, and Resistance - ALL at the same time and ALL in short 20-minute workouts. It works so well because your body becomes the ultimate fitness machine, moving in 3 dimensions, like nature intended. You're toning every muscle, getting RESISTANCE plus CORE plus CARDIO and you're transforming your body in just Six Short Weeks. The kettlebell can be best described as a cannonball with a handle. The kettlebell was first used by athletes over 2000 years ago in Greece, where the kettlebell is thought to have originated. It has since been used by athletes, trainers and 'strongmen' in many cultures and countries.

Kettlebells come in only three sizes: 5, 10 & 20 pounds. While some people consider the kettlebell to be similar to dumbells, the fact is that with kettlebells the motions are not confined to a single, two-dimensional plane as they are with dumbells. Instead, kettlebell exercises employ all three planes of motion simultaneously to give you a well-toned, well-balanced physique that represents great functional strength without bulky size.

Check out the video and let me know what you think.

Acai Berries

Quite some time ago I remember reading about acai Berries in the Woman's World Magazine. It was the first time that I had ever heard of them and I read that they tasted similar to chocolate and were great for helping people lose weight. Now you hear about them everywhere from weight loss products to tanning lotion. The acai berry is a very small berry with a purplish tint, and is about the size of a blueberry. Acai juice has also been said to fight cancerous cells and slows down the aging process. It has long been used in cosmetics to reduce wrinkles and other effects of aging and is very beneficial when used in tanning lotions. The acai berry has also been known to protect against diabetes as well as helping to regulate cholesterol levels.

The acai berry has been the subject of many scam artists selling diet products that don't work as well, but I found some reviews of top selling acai weight loss products that can help you make an educated choice. Acai Berries have been proven to provide all natural metabolism boosters and cleansers that can help melt away those stubborn fat cells while flushing out harmful waste and toxins. Why take a separate fat burner and a cleanser separately when you get both benefits from acai? I don't know about you but I would much rather take one supplement that will do two. I take enough supplements as it is with my glucosamin and chondroitin pills. All of the reviews found offer a Free Trial of their products. Plus, if you exercise in addition to taking acai berry supplements, you will see results up to ten times better! Take a look at the reviews and let me know which one you think would be best. I like Ultra Acai Berry because it was recommended by Dr. Perricone, a well known nutrition specialist.

Fad Diets: Cabbage Soup Diet

Beverages are limited to water, and unsweetened fruit juice on days when fruit is allowed. This is a typical outline of the diet:[3]

* Day 1 - Cabbage soup plus as much fruit as you like, excluding bananas

* Day 2 - Cabbage soup plus vegetables including 1 jacket (baked) potato with a little butter

* Day 3 - Cabbage soup plus fruit and vegetables excluding potatoes and bananas

* Day 4 - Cabbage soup plus up to eight bananas and as much skimmed milk as you like

* Day 5 - Cabbage soup plus up to 20 ounces of beef and up to six tomatoes

* Day 6 - Cabbage soup plus as much beef and vegetables (excluding potatoes) as you like

* Day 7 - Cabbage soup plus brown rice, vegetables (excluding potatoes) and unsweetened fruit juice

Recipes for the cabbage soup vary, but all are based on cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, green peppers, celery, carrots, mushrooms and onion soup mix.

Here's a good recipe that I found:

1 head of cabbage, chopped

1 cup chopped zucchini/italian squash or yellow squash or a mixture

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 or 4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 can stewed tomatos

4 cups V-8 vegetable juice (or tomato juice if you like it plain) Low Sodium is best healthwise

1 cup water

A couple of sprigs fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)

Salt and Pepper to taste

You can add fresh herbs according to your preferences. I usually add Mrs. Dash.

As an option you can add 1 pkg frozen corn for added sweetness, 1 medium potato chopped, or both.

Dump all ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes and carrots are tender. Simmer for 15 minutes, cool and enjoy!

This makes quite alot of soup. You can put it in Ziplock freezer bags and freeze what you don’t eat. You can eat as much as you like with no guilt, and it takes the edge off the hunger while you are getting accustomed to your new diet plan.

While this is a fad diet, and has been found to not provide adequate nutritional content I have found that this soup is a great beginning to most diet plans.