Congrats to EVERYONE!!!

Well with only 3 days remaining in the competition the competition is still very close. The race between our leaders Cindy and Mom is shaping up to be very tight, Friday night(pre 12:00) will tell ALL! Then other tight races such as Mike v Alie, and Dave v Tracie could spice up the results a bit! Then who knows we may all be shocked by a sleeper....Bob (who is 7 weeks without reporting), and Dad never started but may come out with a big finish!
Either way good job on increasing activity, getting outside, and eating healthier...your bodies thank you for the effort!! Keep it up...after all you'll live longer!

See you all soon...for the FINAL WEIGH-IN...dundundun!!!

SOOOO.....

How did everyone do with the challenge??
I am glad to say Tracie and I did it. I got 29 miles in on Sat morning and Tracie hit up 2 3mi runs....which i think she hates doing, but she did it!
How about everyone else-
Cindy said she thought she would finish
Mom didnt know so she is doing it this week, apparently Burley doesnt have the Internet!
Bob is MIA??!
Mike, Alie, Dad???
Less than 2 weeks to go...DO IT!!

Dave

Cindy!

Please respond:

What is a typical daily menu/activity you are doing?

I am SOOOO jealous of your progress! 

I am dying here...working out every day, sometimes twice a day; trying my best to eat right and minimize portions, I've eliminated snacking.  And...NOTHING.  So frustrated.

Get on it...

This week you all have a new goal, starting Saturday! Since there are just 3 weeks left to the final weigh-in and results, I want to issue a challenge. One that can be done by all, just plan to do it!

THE CHALLENGE:
Either-
1- Run/Walk 6 miles this week

2- Bike 25 miles this week

Both of these goals are very realistic for everyone. You can choose to do them all at once or you could walk 1 mile everyday for 6 days...your choice. Maybe you would rather bike 5 miles a day for 5 days. YOU CHOOSE!. But try to do it! And please make sure you share your plans, ideas, and tips on the blog. (It may motivate some of us!!)
Good luck everyone! It is supposed to be a beautiful week here on the East Coast and out in UT so get out and enjoy it!!

Dave

Xtreme Eating 2010...

Just saw this article online it highlights some of the worst restaurant food choices for high calorie, high sat. fat, and high sodium amts. This is not a to-do list, but has some interesting and eye opening totals. I like that part that says you would have to ride a bike for 3 hours to work off what you eat in one of these meals! Sorry Mike, our Five Guys Burger and Fries meal before the Mets game made this years list!! I am a horrible example!

http://media.bonnint.net/slc/2069/206961/20696186.pdf

Keep going guys...only 30 DAYS TILL WEIGH-IN!!!!

Tip#??- 7 habits of highly successful snackers

Sorry everyone these last couple of weeks have been busy...this one is just pirated off the internet! It's really good though!

1. Fix your own food

Even if you need to be tied to the mast of your shopping cart (or chained to your desk) to avoid the tempting call of those cellophane-wrapped, curlicue-topped cupcakes, you must resist.

Most ready-made snacks are low in vitamins, nutrients, and protein and high in calories, fat, sugar, and sodium, which can inhibit the body's retention of much needed calcium. (Sports and protein bars are a shining exception.)

2. Eat a balanced snack

A pear instead of Reese's Pieces? You think you're being so virtuous -- and you are, to some extent. That pear is largely carbohydrates, but the ideal slow-burn snack has carbohydrates, protein, and, of all things, fat.

Carbohydrates are metabolized first and deliver their calories fastest -- just ask anyone who has binged on a handful of Jolly Ranchers, felt a sudden and frantic spike of energy, and suffered an equally sudden crash.

Say, for example, you grab a quick snack of saltines, which contain refined-flour carbohydrates: As soon as they're in your mouth, the enzymes in your saliva go to work. In about 20 minutes, the carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which peaks in your bloodstream, turning down your internal hunger alarm. Unfortunately, in about another 20 minutes, that glucose is completely burnt out or stored up, so the alarm starts ringing again.

Fruit, which has more fiber than crackers, will take slightly longer to metabolize. To prolong the satisfaction, you need to add in protein and fat (they often go hand in hand), which take longer to metabolize. So eat that pear with a chunk of cheddar or some low-fat yogurt and you'll be set for a few hours.

3. Snack to maintain weight

Snacks can keep you from getting fat. There it is, even though it's the opposite of what your mother spent years nagging you about.

According to a recent study in Scotland, eating snacks helps you control both your appetite and your weight, because when you don't arrive at the table famished, you're less likely to speed-eat, overeat, or just sit there emptying the bread basket into your gullet as fast as is humanly possible.

(Another theory is that eating more frequently burns calories, because digestion requires energy, at least briefly.)

Most women need about 2,000 calories a day, including snacks. Ideally, you would have five mini-meals of 400 calories, but that's not realistic. (Imagine riding roundup to get everyone to the table more often than you already do.)

What's recommended is the traditional "big three," only slightly down-sized, plus two well-balanced mini-meals.

4. Keep stress in check

You may recognize the symptoms of stress: fatigue, lack of concentration, short temper, or...a minivan floor littered with candy wrappers and sundae cups.

According to a study from the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, students ate more snack foods and fewer fruits and vegetables when they were under pressure.

What triggers a stress case's need to feed is the hormone cortisol, say researchers at the University of California at San Francisco. Cortisol is released during physical or emotional stress, and that increases one's appetite for carbohydrates, especially sweets.

5. Once a month, allow yourself more

Is it that time of the month? Women are most likely to binge or overeat in the two weeks prior to their periods if they've ovulated (most women on the Pill do not ovulate).

Menstrual flow is triggered by the secretion of progesterone, which is thermogenic, or calorie burning. Thus, without so much as lifting an extra three-pound weight -- or finger, for that matter -- your body burns more calories than it does during the rest of the month, and your hunger kicks in to compensate.

In a study at the University of British Columbia, women ate an average of 260 extra calories a day when they were ovulating.

6. Crave calcium and shun sodium

You need to start reaching for the right white stuff -- the milk bottle, not the salt shaker. In other words, calcium instead of sodium. The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams, and most women don't come close to getting enough. What's more, the more salt you eat, the less calcium your body retains.

For instance, one 3 1/2-ounce bag of cheese puffs contains 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which will cost you 20 milligrams of calcium, something an osteoporosis-prone woman should think twice about.

7. Drink lots of water

You've eaten lunch. You've already scarfed your snack. And all you want to do is curl up and take a nap.

When you find yourself lacking energy like this, make your way to the water bottle and down a glass. Studies have shown that fatigue is one of the first signs of dehydration, and when you're run-down, it's easy to confuse thirst for hunger.

Airplanes, cars, and office buildings are especially arid and climate controlled, so you may need to make a concerted effort to drink even more water than you usually do. Now, get chugging.

Parfait

Donkey: You know what else everybody likes? Parfaits. Have you ever met a person, you say, "Let's get some parfait," they say, "Hell no, I don't like no parfait"? Parfaits are delicious.

Shrek: NOOO!!! YOU DENSE, IRRITATING, MINIATURE BEAST OF BURDEN! OGRES ARE LIKE ONIONS! END OF STORY! BYE BYE! [whispers] See you later![pause]

Donkey: Parfaits may probably be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet!


Donkey had it right: parfaits are delicious. My friend made them once at her house and I was hooked. And they are so easy to make. The yogurt part, I use just a regular little container of yogurt. If your going to make more or want to use more yogurt, you can easily buy stuff like Yoplait in bigger containers. Then I add frozen berries. I found great little bags at the grocery store, with a mix of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries (YUM!). With the little containers of yogurt you can have some fun mixing up different flavors with the fruit. Strawberry or lemon have been my favorites so far.Then comes the granola part. I buy some of the health nut cereal, like Kosi Go Lean. My favorite is Honey and Oats, with a dash of cinnamon on the top.

What are you people eating?

Okay, so last week I took note of mom and Cindy's awesome losses and decided it was time to get down to business with this weight loss thing!  Up until this point, I have been half-hearted at best about this.  So, I watched what I ate and focused on whole grains, fruits, veggies, and lots of water.  I cut portion sizes, and I hit the gym all week.

And I GAINED TWO POUNDS!

What the heck?

It is beyond frustrating.  If I am going to gain I might was well be lazy and eat junk.

So, here is my question.  What, mom and Cindy, SPECIFICALLY, are you eating (or not eating) and doing to have had such good success?  I need more ideas!

50 Days to go!!

Well we are cruising through spring and before you know it, it will be BEACH TIME!!
I know I am excited!! I hope you are all too! This week for my tip I just wanted to recap on some of the ideas that have been suggested and make sure that we are not "falling off the wagon"
So here are your top 15 healthy weight loss tips!! {Off of WebMD...Alie should like that!!}

1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages (thanks Cindy)

2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away. (veggies, healthy food in general)

3: Consider whether you're really hungry

4: Be choosy about nighttime snacks

5: Enjoy your favorite foods (just moderate, buy a cookie not the box)

6: Enjoy your treats away from home

7: Eat several mini-meals during the day

8: Eat protein at every meal (not just beef- yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans)

9: Spice it up (tricks you body into thinking its more full)

10: Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods

11: Order children's portions at restaurants

12: Eat foods in season

13: Swap a cup of pasta/bread for a cup of vegetables (200 calorie difference)

14: Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress

15: Be physically active (YEAH!! Do it and do it with the whole family!!)

Heres the link if you want more details!!
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/15-best-diet-tips-ever

Keep going guys...So far the ladies seem to be killing the guys!!
Dave

Smoothies!

Taylor and I are really loving smoothies. The great thing is, he thinks it is cool to put vegetables in them. That is a huge step for him. We have really been focusing on eating more vegetables in our house and it is one way to use them quick and make them taste great. We have decided that smoothies popsicles are a healthier cold snack than ice cream and it works great for a breakfast (with some eggs or whole grain toast).

Here are two recipes (most of the time I just use whatever I have in the house)

Healthy Smoothie 1
1 1/2 c Juice (Orange/Tropical Blend v8 splash works great)
1/4 c Plain low-fat yogurt
1 Banana
2 Tbs Ground Flaxseed (optional)
2 c Fresh Spinach
Ice (however much you prefer)

Healthy Smoothie 2
1 c Mix Frozen Berries
1 Banana (frozen or fresh)
1 c Low-fat milk
1 Low-fat yogurt (we like strawberry or raspberry)
Carrot (I use one large carrot)

Any leftover smoothie goes into our popsicle maker and into the freezer for a great treat the next day. Enjoy!

Water, water everywhere, so let's all have a drink!

I know it sounds so basic and easy, but drinking water makes a big difference. You are supposed to drink 64 oz. (1/2 a gallon, or eight 8 oz. glasses) of water everyday to be healthy. Now, just as a warning, you will be making a few more potty breaks for the first couple days as your body is adjusting to all that water (the words "race horse" jump to mind). But after about the third day, you start to wonder how you ever did without all that wonderful liquid.

Now if your like me and like some flavor, there are so many options out there now. You've got Crystal Lite (Dad's staple of life), Vitamin waters, lemons/lime, etc. The best is now you can get individual little packs of drink mixes (and they have extra-healthy varieties too). You just mix one little back with a bottle of water (recycle and use tap water) and voila...tasty water where ever you go.

SLOW DOWN...You eat to fast...you got to make your meal last!

Well this weeks tip...as I am noticing seem to be all my eating/exercise issues, is to slow down while eating. WHY??

Because:
it takes about 15-20 minutes for our brains to register that we’re full.
So if you're a speed eater, wolfing down bite after bite in rapid succession, you can pack in a lot of extra mouthfuls -- and calories -- during that lag time.
By slowing down, you give those natural signals of fullness a chance to register--so you can stop eating -- before you've polished off way more food than your body needs. Eating more slowly also allows you to savor the tastes, smells, and textures of your foods, which contribute to your sense of satisfaction.
Here are a couple of tips I found that I think could be useful...others that were just weird!!:

1 Put your fork or spoon down after every bite.
2 Swallow what is in your mouth before preparing the next bite. Many people are busy loading up their utensils while their mouth teeth are still chomping away.
3 Take a brief break for a minute once or twice during the meal. Talk, sip a beverage, or fold your hands in your lap.
4 I think talking more helps to break up the eating speed!
5 Dine -- don't just "inhale" your food.
6 When it's time to eat, do nothing but eat. Devote your full attention to the meal. Make it a habit to turn off the television and take the phone off the hook. If you're distracted by other activities, you may not notice how fast -- or how much -- you are eating.

7 Other dumb ones were play soft music, eat with chopsticks, etc...try them if you want though!

Anyways the whole point of slowing down the eating is to lower the amount of food you are ingesting and allowing your body to naturally regulate the intake. Your body tells you when you are full...it just takes time!
Lastly meal time should be fun; a great time to reflect on the day, chat with the kids, fight(yeah that was me growing up!). So one thing I am good at is MORE TALKING...LESS EATING!
Good luck this week! Hopefully week 4/5 will be kinder to us all on the scale than the last was!

Remember only 8 weeks left, 1/3 the way there...who will take the title as the BRAMHALL- BIGGEST LOSER!!

Tip #3- The Dreaded PORTION CONTROL!!

This I must admit is my downfall!! I know I am not alone, most the world has this issue. We live in a world where meals are getting larger and larger. If you just think the last time you went out to eat...was that meal you got at Cafe Rio, Chili's, or Friendly's really the amount I should eat in one sitting?? NO!!
So first things first...why do they give you so much...they want you to come back, which means you need to feel satisfied and feel you got your moneys worth. (Take some home!) (Tracie makes 3 meals out of a Cafe Rio pork salad...no that's a deal!)
Will you starve if you don't eat the entire Cafe Rio Burrito...heavens NO!!
And trust me the problem isn't just at restaurants, though I do think that is where these insane portion sizes are originating.
Filling your plate is not the goal...and not necessary to feel full! Portion size like all things is something that comes with growing pains...well actually shrinking pains. You do need to train your body(stomach) to fill up on less. Trust me if you stop stretching it, it will shirk. You will feel fuller with less intake! (=weight loss!)
Today I am not going to get into calorie counting, that will be for a later week for now lets just focus on size!!
So below I have attacted a copy of a helpful guide of what appropriate portions sizes are. Some may come as a surprise to you...if so it is because you have been taught for so long incorrectly!!
One thing to remember in all of this is moderation. Granted you can eat as much as you want of healthy food. But when it comes to some of the guilty delights, don't try to cut them out all together, because you will end up going back and binging later. Rather go 2/3 days without 1 day with a treat, then 3 without. You deserve special treats, but make sure they are just that special not everyday or multiple times a day!
Here is that list and good luck this week...just eat less, (NO SECONDS THIS WEEK!, except on veggies) once you body adjusts you will never know the difference...REALLY!! I tried it!

Tip #2

Exercising....ughhh!!
Yeah I dont like it either...unless it's something fun like biking or trail running, etc. And as we all know one can rarely find time for that on a daily basis.
SO.... Here is you challenge for the week...ACTIVITY- in general!!
But as that is hard to gauge here is something you can all try that will help to make the most of your relaxation time!
While watching you favorite shows each evening...which I would be willing to bet you all do, after the kiddos have retired, try to set side one 30min block to exercise in front of the TV!
Tracie and I have tried this a few times and once you get over the embarrasement of doing sit-ups and push-ups in front of your partner it isnt too bad!
Now start out easy so that on day 2 your arms and abs dont hurt so bad that you can justify not doing them again!
Do a couple of reps of 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups, maybe 2 or 3 to start.
Then I also like to stretch while catching my breath between sets! Strecthing is awesome...doesn't burn a lot of calories, but it will make you feel tons better and lead you to want to workout more!!
Start with these sets and go from there...build on it day by day ,little by little...you will find yourself getting stronger and it getting easier I promise!
Then feel free to throw in anything else, leg lifts, squats, chair dips!!
Have fun with it!!
Good luck and do it at the risk of looking dumb to your PEEPING TOMS!!
Dave

ps- I dont recommend jumping jack, unless you want to deal with screaming kids during American Idol (or your fav show!)

Good morning!!

For those of you whose brains dont work on Monday morning like mine and still havent entered your weights...if you need help with the %age calculation here is a link to an easy calculator!

http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/calculate-weight-loss-percentage.html

Mom hopefully you still remeber out cut and paste lesson....???

Tip #1

So as promised each week I am going to try to post a tip for healthy eating, exercise, etc. I hope that as hard as the idea may seem to be that we can all try it, see if it works, and then later use it as you please! So the goal is to try the new task for 1 week...you can do it!
This week is going to be related to EATING...one of my favorite activities.
SO here is the plan this week, I want all of us to try eating meals in reverse order. Health tips say that those who eat their largest meals in the morning and then eat consecutively smaller meals as the day goes on will be more apt to burn the intake calories and lose weight. This makes sense...if most of my calories come at 6:30 at night...and I choose to watch TV the rest of the night I have no chance to lose those calories and they are then stored as FAT! Conversely if I eat a large breakfast, medium lunch and smaller dinner I will have the entire day to burn off those calories. This to me will mean getting up a bit earlier but I am willing to give it a shot (I normally skip breakfast...thats really bad... I guess?!) They also said that by eating more of your calories earlier in the day will prevent night time cravings of snacks (my weakness potato chips and ice-cream on the couch). If the night time munchies still come try to eat healthy or fight the habit all together. Last night I chose carrots and almonds for a night time snack.
Good luck guys, mind over belly!! We can do it!!
Post how you are doing and what you have found helps!!
Dave

Here We Go!

Okay, everyone, here goes our Biggest Loser blog.  I have added links to the side so we can all track our weight progress.  If anyone wants to replace their "X" with their actual weight they are welcome (but not required) to.  Be sure to update your loss every Friday by 10 p.m.  For those of you new to blogging, once you are signed in just click on "Customize" at the top of the blog and then click on the "Edit" button of your progress and update it.  Then click "Save" and you are all set.

As we go along, everyone can add  posts to encourage, give recipes or exercise ideas, brag about how great they are doing, trash talk about how they are going to win, or just vent about how much they wish to eat chocolate!

I put an X plus weight for Emily since we don't want her losing here.  But it would still be fun for her to play along and track the twins weight gain along with us.  (Optional, not required, of course)!

If we label our posts with our name and what it contains (recipe, exercise idea, etc.) it will be easy to find what we are looking for later.  (There is a label area on the bottom right of each new blog post). 

Good luck everyone!  May the best Bramhall win!