Week 3 Weigh-in Results!

Alright, the results are in!

As a group we lost 12.1 pounds this week. We've lost 58.7 lbs since we started. Our progress has definitely slowed down, but we're still losing! Maybe birthday week wasn't so good to us. ;) I know I had a lower weight loss week than normal. I just got a new weight loss video (trying 30 Day Shred now), and I'm ready to kick it up a notch this week! Sometimes you just need to change up your routine a little bit. I hope we're in for a big week next week! 

Congrats go to Andy, though, for taking the top spot again this week and moving into first overall! Good job!!


1. Andy         -1.22%
2. Tiffany       -1.21%
3. Aaron        -1.13%
4. Jenn           -1.09%
5. Jenny         -0.99%
6. Ann            -0.8%
7. Melyssa     -0.36%
8. Alicia          0.0
9. Mary         +0.79%


and overall standing --

1. Andy          -5.04%
2. Tiffany        -4.68%
3. Ann            -4.37%
4. Jenn            -4.36%
5. Aaron         -3.71%
6. Mary          -3.37%
7. Melyssa      -3.15%
8. Jenny          -3.13%
9. Alicia            0.0


What successes have you guys been having? Are the inches coming off? Clothes getting looser? Able to run farther? Endure Jillian longer? Please share! This week I ran a mile without stopping -- for the first time in my life. Woohoo!!

What are you going to do this week??

Birthday week!

I realized 3 out of the 9 of us in this competition have a birthday this week! Jenny's was yesterday, Mary's is today, and Tiffany's is on Wednesday! Happy birthday you guys!!

It made me wonder if, when people are trying to lose weight, they still splurge on their birthday and have cake and ice cream (no judgment from me if you do! :)), or do you get creative and try to do something a little healthier? Something with fewer calories? Just eat less of it?

If we were actually on the Biggest Loser there would no doubt be a temptation this week if nearly 30% of the contestants had a birthday all in one week. :) Since I can't surround you all with chocolate cake and ice cream until the smell nearly puts you into a coma, I'd just like to know how you all deal with these types of temptations in real life.

Yesterday we celebrated my son's 2nd birthday, and everyone had chocolate cupcakes and ice cream. For me, if I have a little bit of sugary stuff, I usually lose all control and eat way too much! So it just works better for ME to avoid it altogether. Maybe I'm the only one?


Last week, my parents moved to Utah, and we had a big celebration. There was cake and ice cream (we were also celebrating birthdays -- June's big for birthdays!). I knew I didn't enjoy watching people eat cake and ice cream while I had nothing, so I saved up a few extra calories during the day and brought stuff to make this Pineapple, Banana, and Coconut smoothie. It was sweet, tasty, and refreshing, and I didn't feel deprived at all. 


Here's something else I've tried that will probably sound really weird to you guys, but it has worked for me a couple of times: if ever I'm around chocolate or something that I used to eat a lot of and it's tempting me...I remember in my head exactly what it tastes like (I've had enough of it to have total recall for the rest of my life, I think), and just remembering it for a minute totally helps. I kind of feel like I had some. I then also remember how I feel after I've eaten a bag of Halloween candy all by myself (I have a little bit of an addiction to chocolate) -- the depression and self-loathing I feel afterwards, and then the temptation is gone.  

Has anyone come up with good alternatives they want to share? What works for you?

This "cake" looks pretty tasty to me! Just found this on Google Images, but I would love to try it.

Hope you all had, are having, or will have a great birthday this week!!

Week 2 Weigh-in Results!

Another great week! You all must be doing something right. This week's results are below, and overall weight loss results are below that. This week we lost a total of 17.9 pounds. Since we started we've lost 46.6 lbs as a group!!

Andy took the #1 spot this week! Way to go, Andy!

Hope you'll all continue to share what is going right or wrong this week so we can all learn from each other. Keep up the awesome work!!

1. Andy         -1.83%
2. Jenn          -1.74%
3. Mary        -1.73%
4. Jenny        -1.41%
5. Tiffany      -1.35%
6. Aaron       -1.32%
7. Ann          -1.06%
8. Melyssa    -0.6%
9. Alicia          0.0%

And overall standing --


1. Mary       -4.13%
2. Andy        -3.86%
3. Ann          -3.6%
4. Tiffany      -3.51%
5. Jenn          -3.3%
6. Melyssa    -2.8%
7. Aaron       -2.61%
8. Jenny        -2.16%
9. Alicia          0.0%

Tip for the Week: Drink WATER!!

In one of the documentaries I watched about health stuff, there was one (Food Matters) that recommended drinking 1 liter of water FIRST thing in the morning, before eating. It's supposed to help clean out your system, help you feel full, and help ensure you get the water you need in a day. I find it much easier to get the recommended 8-12 cups of water if I have 4 cups of water right off the bat.

It's also supposed to help cut down belly fat. Yay!

You will be spending a LOT more time in the bathroom, though! :)

Anyway, this odd picture was taken last night because a man from our ward showed up at our door asking us to model his survival backpack that he's trying to raise money for on kickstarter.com. But it did remind me to add this tip to the blog. That's why I chose water as the background for this blog -- at the time I made it water was all I thought about! :)

I definitely think all the water has helped me with weight loss, though. Give it a try this week!

Late start, but ready to go!

Hey, everyone! I am finally taking Jenn's hint and introducing myself. My name is Tiffany Opp (used to be Taylor). Jenn and I were in the same ward for several years in high school and became great friends, and yes, I would say that we still are even though we're far apart and haven't seen each other in forever. We had a LOT of fun times, staying up late, watching X-Files, eating billions of sunflower seeds, and hanging out with church friends (Hi Jenny!).
I live in sunny Florida with my husband and 4 kids. I have been trying (I use that term loosely) for the last year to lose the last of my pregnancy weight. I have sadly come to realize that I have reached the point in my life where I can no longer eat whatever I like and still drop lbs. Until now that hasn't translated into me actually eating less though :).
I have always been pretty active, having 4 kids to chase helps, but I am often so busy and/or tired that I don't feel like exercising. I force myself to go to the gym but its usually only 1-2 times a week, which is obviously not enough. I am really hoping that this competiton will help me stay motivated so that I can get back to feeling better about myself, and fitting in the clothes still sitting in a bin in my garage. Week 1 was good and I am excited to keep going, and look forward to hearing more about/ from all of you. Best of luck to everyone!

Yummy Chili Recipe

Hey everyone, I found a great chili recipe that was so tasty and filling! I thought I would post the recipe here for you to enjoy. Sweet Chili with Pineapple Ingredients 16 oz ground turkey (I used 97% fat free) 3-1/2 cups diced peeled tomatoes in juice 1-1/4 cups diced tomatoes and green chilies 1-3/4 cups black beans 1-3/4 cups pinto beans 2-1/4 cups pineapple in juice 8 tsp taco seasoning 5 tsp Splenda brown sugar 1-1/2 cups water Directions 1. Cook and drain ground turkey; put in pot. 2. Drain pineapple and top layer of liquid from pinto beans and black beans and add to pot. 3. Add diced tomatoes and tomatoes and green chilies. 4. Add Splenda brown sugar and taco seasoning and water. 5. Sprinkle in flaked red pepper for spice according to taste. 6. Cook for 45 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Variations: I used dry beans instead of canned beans (to reduce sodium). to use dry beans, use 1 cup of each type and soak overnight. The dry beans will increase your cooking times. No used my crock pot and cooked on low for four hours. Also, I used one package of taco seasoning instead of measuring the 8 tsp. last, I used regular brown sugar since I didn'tbave any Splenda. I subbed 3 tbsp. Enjoy!!! Andy

Week 1 Weigh-in Results!!

Well, I have to say -- you guys ROCKED it this week!! What an amazing first week -- we lost a combined total of 28.7 pounds!! That's about as much as my two year old weighs. We lost a two year old!

We are having computer woes right now, so I may change how I do results in the future, but for now I just wanted to get the results posted.

Order goes highest to lowest -- in terms of weight loss percentage. This week's top spot goes to ANN!! Congrats, Ann!!

1. Ann            -2.57%

2. Mary          -2.45%
3. Melyssa      -2.22%
4. Tiffany        -2.19%
5. Andy          -2.07%
6. Jenn           -1.59%
7. Aaron        -1.31%
8. Jenny         -0.76%
9. Alicia          0.0%


FYI -- I jumped the gun in the video by adding Marylee (the boxer) before she had completely decided on doing it. So she is not competing after all, but my good friend (I can still call you a good friend even if I haven't seen you in over 9 years, right?), Tiffany, stepped up and took her spot! (Maybe she'll introduce herself soon....hint hint. :)) So we still have 9 contestants for $135 in the pot. Some money to buy some new clothes for your new body!! :)

For those that didn't feel like they had a great week, don't worry! This contest will have tons of ups and downs -- it might be you on top next week! Just keep pushing it! And remember, if you haven't done so already, to MEASURE yourself -- EVERYWHERE. There will be weeks when no weight comes off (on the scale), but your body IS changing. Seeing those numbers change is very encouraging!

Great job EVERYONE!! Now, for real, I want to know what everyone is doing for their diet and exercise. Please share!!

Greetings!

Hi! I'm Jenn's aunt-in-law and I'm so glad she has put together this competition! I live in Bloomington, IL. I, too, have always been on the solid side, or as one of my kids put it, "his soft mommy." That doesn't sound so bad! I have tried plenty of "lifestyle changes" in my time, but at the end of the day I still really like french fries and a good baguette, yum! A few years ago I tried weight watchers and reached my goal weight the same week I found out I was pregnant with my fifth child. I tried it again after he was born, but I just couldn't count those dang points anymore! I got pregnant again at my higher weight and had the distinct privelege of topping a certain pound number I had never wanted to see. I went back to WW when my baby was 5 weeks old, and didn't lose one, single, solitary pound for five months! So in January I started doing the South Beach Diet which works for me -- when I stick to it (aye, there's the rub!). I lost about 16 pounds and then have completely stalled! I am turning 40 in about 10 days and I really want to reach my goal weight this summer. I am done having kids, I have the smaller sizes just waiting expectantly in my closet, and I know I can do it! This is the motivation I need to get past the days when I just don't feel like worrying about it! Very excited!

Low-cal Healthy Snacks

I found a gold mine on FitnessMagazine.com when I first started counting my calories. I printed everything out so it's easily accessible and I have a visual reminder of healthy snacks I can eat. When it's not clear, I figured out the exact calories in the snack and listed them beside the picture.

Here are the links:

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/nutrition/the-you-can-do-it-diet-snacks/

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/you-can-do-it/150-calorie-snacks/

Healthy Lunches under 400 Calories

There are many more articles with recipes on this site. Good luck!

Also, in response to Jenn's great breakfast recipes, I want to add what I do. I gave up cereal because I find I'm hungry an hour later. Even though I ate healthy-ish cereal with lots of fiber, it was too high in calories and not satisfying (long-term) enough for me. I do better with smaller meals throughout the day. My favorite breakfast is from one of the snack links above. It is the non-fat greek yogurt with 1 T maple syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon. I LOVE this and it keeps me full longer than cereal did. It's gotta be the protein in the greek yogurt. Sometimes I will have the Happy Shake Jenn mentioned or another protein shake for breakfast. I don't like heavy breakfasts- they actually make me feel nauseous. I'm just weird, I'm sure. :)

Some breakfast ideas

If you are anything like me, eating the right foods is difficult in the beginning. I just had no idea what I was supposed to be eating! A few years ago when I tried to lose weight, I decided I would eat essentially the same foods (just smaller portion sizes and no sweets), but I would exercise every day. I did lose weight -- 30 lbs -- but it took me a lot longer than 3 months! It was more like 7-8 (can't remember now).

This time around I knew I had to change what I was eating. I watched a show called "Hungry for Change," which I loved! It totally inspired and motivated me to eat healthier. One guy in the documentary said to start by just adding in the good stuff. I thought that was great advice because it can be so overwhelming (and discouraging) trying to completely overhaul your diet all at once. And I used to always think of "dieting" in terms of everything I can't have. But there are so many healthy, tasty foods out there to start adding in! I started by adding in more whole grains. And I added a lot more fruits and veggies. Another guy in the video said to change your mindset from, "I want that, but I can't have it" to "I can have that, but I don't want it." That has helped me, and now it is very true!

I have found that I don't feel deprived at all! In fact, I enjoy what I am eating now A LOT more than the foods I ate before. The food is colorful and flavorful -- I love it! My husband is much happier, too! To me that spells success -- I never want to go back!

I feel like I'm using a lot of exclamation points!!!!!  :)

First of all, I follow Jillian Michaels' advice (from her Ripped in 30 diet plan) and keep my meals limited to around 400 calories. I usually am around 350 calories for breakfast and lunch and then have a slightly higher calorie dinner -- between 400-500. This has worked for me, but I'm no expert.

I know some people avoid carbs when dieting, but I personally have a hard time doing that. I just buy whole grain things -- avoiding kinds that add sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oil. I try to avoid foods that have a lot of ingredients.

Here are a few ideas. The first two are from Michaels' meal plan. These probably don't look appetizing from my pictures, but they really are tasty!

 Breakfast burrito -- 4 egg whites scrambled, topped with tomatoes, turkey bacon, and green onions.

Whole grain waffles topped with real butter, bananas and fresh blueberries (squished to give a more syrupy feel). :) I also made this with just mashed raspberries on top -- YUM.

And my personal favorite and what I eat nearly every day for either breakfast or lunch -- The "Happy Shake." This has 4 cups spinach, 1.5 cups frozen blueberries, and 1/2 cup banana and some other goodness  (raw cacao and maca powder) you'll have to look at the recipe for. If you do decide to make this, just make sure you do 1 tsp. of maca powder -- NOT what they have in the recipe. The recipe calls for more than the daily recommendation of the stuff -- and it's strong stuff. Also, I use coconut oil rather than a raw egg, but that's up to you. I use coconut oil as a moisturizer now, too! Love it! You can't taste the spinach at all. You'll just feel great and super healthy after eating it. :) And it tastes chocolately (the raw cacao), so I feel like I'm getting some of that in my diet, too! :)

I was hoping to get my own little "intro" up before now, but I will do it soon.

I am always looking for yummy, healthy recipes, and I would love to hear what you all are eating!

Update: If any of you want to try the Happy Shake and don't know where to get the raw cacao powder, coconut oil, and maca powder, I get my stuff from vitacost.com. If you've never bought from there and want to, let me know -- I'll send you a $10 off your first order online coupon. And I'll get $10 off my next one, too. :) 

Back in the Saddle Again...

So, I've been trying to lose weight for several months now and I've been losing it at a snail's pace- like 1 lb a month. When I heard and SAW how great Jenn was doing, I decided I needed to count calories again too. I started counting calories religiously 2&1/2 weeks ago. In the first 2 weeks, I lost 5 lbs. Yippee! But, since then, something has changed and I've been struggling: my kids are out of school for the summer! Yes, I do LOVE having my kids home- I look forward to summer vacation every year, but my schedule has been turned upside down and I've been all out of whack. Case in point: Today I took two of my girls to the pool and I was sitting on the sidelines tending my infant twins. After a while, I realized I was hungry, but all I brought were goldfish crackers for the twins. Well, about 80 goldfish crackers later, I still didn't feel satisfied and I wasted a bunch of calories on a pile of carbs! Boo. And, I realized I was out of my quick go-to healthy, low-cal snacks.

Tonight, I made a trip to Costco and restocked and I wrote down some good food options and NOW I'm ready to do this thing! It's sad, once I actually started a competition, I started eating more poorly. Sheesh- talk about setting myself up for failure. Anyway, just wanted to share how I've been doing. Successful diet and exercise only works when there's a plan in place. I know I have to write down everything I eat and plan ahead or I will fail. My Dad used to always remind us of the "5 Ps": Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. I'd hear that with school and sports on a regular basis. :) It's true! So, if you haven't come up with the right plan yet, it's not too late! In 11 weeks, let's all look back at our "before pictures" and feel proud of how far we've come!

Hey y'all!

I've known Jenn since the time when she still had a y in her name; we grew up in the same church ward in Omaha.  Her birthday was a few months ahead of mine, so back then she was Jenny #1 and I was Jenny #2.  Unless I'm not remembering that reason right...there are a lot of other reasons she could have been #1!

I'm writing on behalf of myself and my husband, Aaron.  We have three young kids and have been in Texas for a year (not quite long enough to say "howdy" instead of "hey y'all", or to have a picture with a shotgun) after living in Illinois for 6 years.  We met when we both joined the racquetball team at BYU -- the men's and women's teams practice together -- and have always had a fairly active lifestyle, but we're not exactly exercise/health gurus.   My husband expects nothing less out of this competition than to lose enough weight to win the men's division!  My main goal is to change the poor eating habits I've adopted during these years at home with my kids.   Like Ann, I've always loved sports and exercise, but I felt like I started to lose that part of myself when I was instructed to stop exercising during my first pregnancy and gained more weight than I expected.  It's been kind of rocky ever since.  My biggest problem is in what I call "grazing" that I do while at home, the somewhat mindless eating that happens as I spend time preparing food for my family.  I'm glad for the motivation this competition is giving us!

Hello everyone, My name is Andy. I am happily married with a beautiful daughter who is 6 years old. We live in the country and I love spending time outside and in my garden. I have always struggled with my weight. In high school, I always seemed to be on the heavier side of life. (Of course, now, I'd love to have that weight back!) I hate it and hate how I continue to let myself go, but haven't seemed to find the right recipe for me. I know that I have self confidence issues and I'm very much an emotional eater. And I'm really good at justifying! I have tried running because I always hear how great it is. Last year, I started the Couch to 5K program, but after three months and only getting to Week Two, I struggled so much with breathing that I didn't keep it up. My daughter always says that I should go on the Biggest Loser so I can get healthy and so I figure this is as close as I'm gonna get. I'm excited to be a part but fear I will struggle. Hopefully all your excitement can help me out. Andy

I'm ALL in! :)

Hi Biggest Loser Friends!  I'm Ann.  Jenn was my mission Mom, or trainer, in Hong Kong.  Sister Ericksen and Sister Erickson.  :-)  We had some good times.  Jenn was the best!  My battle of the bulge has been a lifelong one.  I have always loved to exercise and play sports but I have also always loved junk food.  And as Jillian Michaels says, “you can eat your way through any amount of exercise.”  I am a very emotional eater.  I use food, especially sweets, almost like a drug to numb feelings of stress.  To help battle my emotional eating, I have followed the Weight Watchers program for several years.  Before I got pregnant with my first, I got to my goal weight which was within a healthy BMI weight range.  I have not been in that healthy weight range again after having my two kids.  But I am so close and hope this challenge will be the motivation I need to stop my emotional eating and get back to my goal weight.  I am also motivated by my desire to be a healthy example for my kids and to stop the cycle of lifestyle diseases like diabetes and heart disease that have been in my family for generations.  Also, I have a degree in Exercise Science, Fitness and Wellness Management.  I need to be a better reflection of that and do better at keeping myself fit and well.  :-)  Good luck to everyone!  I'm so excited to get to know you all and hear your successes.

The Woman Holding the Shotgun...yep, that's me!

Let me introduce myself: I'm Melyssa, Jenn's sister-in-law. I have 5 girls, ages 12 yrs down to 10 months. After each of my pregnancies, I've been able to lose my baby weight pretty effortlessly. Eat right and exercise and the pounds fall off. Last year, in August, I had twin girls and I am finding it much more difficult to lose all of my weight. I'm 35 now, so maybe that's why? I also got bigger with them than with my others. Go figure. So, for this competition, I'm counting calories and exercising regularly. I've been a regular runner since I was 6, so running has always been my go-to exercise. I'm nursing an ankle-injury at the moment, so I'm taking it slow and running low miles, but I'm registered for a 1/2 marathon in August, so I've gotta get some miles in some time! I'm seeing a specialist in a couple weeks and hope I'll be lacing up for some long runs after that. I'm excited to be part of Biggest Loser FRIENDS and look forward to meeting each of you! And, maybe when we finish this up, we can all go out for ice cream salad! :)

UPDATE:

Wait a sec. I know exactly why I'm overweight. I love food. I'd say I have a borderline food addiction.  I know exactly how I'm supposed to eat- I was raised by health-nut parents- but I have definitely ignored some of their teachings over the years and I'm paying for it now. I'm trying very hard to eat more leafy greens and fruits and lean proteins. And less sugar. So, that's it. I love food, but need to change the foods I love.

Biggest Loser Friends Kick Off Video!

This is my very first video I've ever put together, so it's not perfect...but I just wanted to do something fun to get you guys pumped for this week and this summer -- and so you could see who you're competing against. I had a pretty fun time making it, so you might have to put up with more Jenn videos this summer.

And in case you wonder why I chose the pictures of you all that I did, I was looking for some sort of outdoor active shot, but if you didn't have one posted on Facebook then I just picked a cute one. :)

I hope you'll all take a chance this week as we get underway to post an introduction so everyone can get to know you.

Enjoy!

Competition rules

Need some extra motivation to lose some weight?


I participated in a Biggest Loser competition hosted by a blogger several years ago, and I found it very motivating to report my weight loss every week and compete for some cash! I thought her system worked quite well, so I am just using the same rules. 


Hope you'll join us!

Here is the info in a nutshell:

We will kick everything off on Friday, June 8th with the initial weigh-in and "before" photos (to get your starting point). The first official weigh-in will be Friday, June 15th, and the contest will run for 11 weeks from there. The final weigh-in will be Friday, August 31, 2012.

The entrance fee is $15.73 per person -- all money collected (minus the $0.73 that PayPal charges me -- or you can mail me $15 even if you prefer) will be awarded to the winner of the competition for a little extra motivation. So if you know someone that is interested -- let them know about it. The more players the more money in the pot!

Some other specifics:

1. You must be honest about your weigh-ins. 

2. You must e-mail me a picture of your scale with the weight on the first and last weigh-in. You must also send "before" pictures from the front, back, and side (in workout clothes -- something form fitting -- or swim suit). There will be no exceptions to this rule. If you do not provide pictures then you cannot participate. Trust me, at the end you will be so glad you did so you can see the difference.

Nobody but me will see your pictures -- unless you win, in which case, you must agree to allowing your before and after pictures to be posted for the other contestants to see.

3. You can choose any weight loss diet, except for anything requiring surgery. This includes weight loss surgery such as lap bands, liposuction, gastric bypass, etc. I will not be responsible if in this process you actually gain weight or if you lose too much weight. Choose your program wisely.

4. The whole purpose of this contest is to lose weight in a healthy way and change your lifestyle. You may not take any weight loss drugs. This includes but is not limited to: Alli (Orlistat), Phentermine, Meridia (Sibutramine). If you chose to use a weight loss drug you will be disqualified. Herbal supplements are acceptable. If you have questions whether something is allowed, please contact me before you begin taking it.

5. Weigh-ins will be every Friday. You must weigh-in EVERY week and email your weight to me by NOON on Friday. If you do not weigh-in you will be eliminated! If you are going to miss a weigh-in, just let me know and you will retain the same weight as the prior weigh-in. Please email me with your weight every week. I will compile a percentage lost chart every week after I get everyone’s numbers and email it out to everyone no later than Friday evening.

6. Weigh-in wearing your bathing or birthday suit.

7. You must start and end the competition on the same scale.

8. You must be at least 6 weeks postpartum.

9. If you drop out of the competition, money WILL NOT be refunded.

10. If you get pregnant or injured during the competition, money WILL NOT be refunded.

11. The final weigh-in day is Friday, August 31st.

If you are ready to drop some pounds and get support while doing it -- please email me ASAP at jennmorrill@gmail.com, and I will send you an invite to be a contributor on the blog and instructions on how to pay the entrance fee. Let's do this thing!!