Fresh Start

It may be cold outside but soon enough summer will be upon us! I sure we all want to look our best this summer by the pool.

Our Weightloss Challenge is starting up again JANUARY 7TH

• exciting changes to this round
• details to follow soon
• lots of motivation to keep you going!

let me know if you are in..... ALL friends are welcome!!!!

Weigh In

This week I weighed in the exact same as last monday......

I'm going to step it up this week....

Goal is 2 lbs!

How did you do last week? leave a comment!

Healthy Recipes

betterrecipes.com

• Golden Gate Chinese Beef
• Lemon Chicken with Roasted Garlic
• Baked Pork Chops in a Mushroom Burgundy Sauce
• Citrus Seared Tilipa
• Chicken Curry Wraps
• Sweet and Savory Pita Sandwich
• Pepper Steak Stirfry
• Healthy Crab Bisque
• Berry Topped Cupcakes
• Spaghetti Squash Italiano
• Pumpkin Pecan Pie
• Eggplant Italiana
•  Ultimate Comfort Rice
• Green Tea Smoothie

Break

We will start another 8 week weightloss challenge

Thursday, January 7, 2010

6:30 pm @ My Place

(we will work out the rotation schedule at the first meeting)

Enjoy your break

but remember the goals we set last night!

Throughout this break I will be posting periodically so check back often... and let me know if you think of any suggestions for our next challenge..

 I am going to continue to weigh in each monday until the first meeting and post my progress on the blog.

If you would like, leave a comment and let us know how you are doing.. just another way to keep us all motivated till then.

22 lbs Lost

Well we all made it to the end! Everyone had a loss!

We have our Weightloss Challenge Winner

Lorraine lost 22.1 lbs, thats more than 10% lost

Congratulations!

What really is one serving?

Today's Small Change: Avoid portion distortion.

Ellie Krieger 

What's One Serving?

Obsessing about measuring portions is not what the Healthy Living With Ellie program is all about. Eating should be an enjoyable experience, and as long as you focus on foods that are nutritious, you're heading in the right direction.

Nevertheless, portion sizes (especially those served at restaurants) are so out of control these days that it's a good idea to review what counts as one "serving" from different food groups. Keep these in mind today as you prepare your meals:

One serving of starchy food can be 1 slice of bread; 1/2 cup cooked grain like bulgur, oats, rice, or pasta; 3/4 cup cold cereal; 1 medium potato; or 1/2 cup corn. Women trying to lose weight should shoot for 4–6 servings per day; men who want to lose weight should aim for 6–9.

One serving of vegetables is 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, 1 cup rawleafy vegetable (like lettuce), or 3/4 cup vegetable juice. One serving of fruit can be 1 medium fruit (like an apple or orange); 1/2 banana; 1 cup melon or fresh berries; 3/4 cup fruit juice; or 1/4 cup dried fruit. Women should enjoy at least 2 fruit servings and 3 vegetable servings a day, while men should have at least 3 servings of fruit and 4 of vegetables.

Examples of 1 serving of protein are 1 ounce meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1/2 cup beans, tofu, or tempeh; 1/3 cup nuts; or 2 tablespoons ofnut butter. One serving of dairy can be 1 cup milk or yogurt; 1/2 cup cottage cheese; or 1 1/2 ounces cheese. For women, 4–8 servings of protein and 2–3 servings of dairy are a good goal; men can increase protein to 7–12 servings. It's okay to eat an additional 1–2 servings of low-fat dairy products each day if you like.

Finally, a serving of fats and oils is 2 teaspoons of oil, butter, margarine, or mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons of regular salad dressing; or 4 tablespoons of reduced-fat dressing. Women should aim for 4–8 servings per day; men, 9–12.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Our winner this week is

Tiffany

Awesome Asian Dressing

You have to try this recipe....

Asian Ginger Dressing

I mixed this recipe up with some shredded rotissere chicken,

carrots and cucumbers and stuffed it in a whole wheat pita...AMAZING!

Side note: whole wheat pitas are only 80 calories for the whole thing!

Heather, Marina and Yolanda all LOVED it!

Check Up: 3 Weeks Left!!

Let's make the last 3 weeks productive in reaching our goals.

Post a comment on what your original goal has been since week 1.

How have you done? Are you on track?

If not.... What is standing in your way?

My goal has been to lose 12 lbs.

So far I have lost 3.5.... not the best but at least it is a loss!

For the next 3 weeks my goal is to lose 2-3lbs a week!

I know I have to step it up and get moving more!

Meal Plan

In talking with Veronica, I found this website that could prove to be an useful tool in our efforts to lose weight... check it out... Sparkpeople.com... It has many neat tools for planning your meals and workouts, along with helping you keep track of what you have accomplished!

Wednesday
Breakfast: Feta, Basil, Tomatoe Scramble
Snack: Apple Slices
Lunch: Asian Chicken Salad Pita
Snack: Whole Wheat Crackers
Dinner:Sticky Chicken w/ tomatoes over brown rice

Thursday
Breakfast: Cream of Wheat
Snack: Chili Popcorn
Lunch: Cajun Chicken Ceasar Salad
Snack: Fruit Bar
Dinner: Chicken w/ Oriental Rice & Broccoli, Califlower

Friday
Breakfast: Oatmeal w/ Brown Sugar
Snack: Apple Slices
Lunch: Chicken Salad
Snack: Cucumber Slices
Dinner: Shrimp w/ Tomatoes & Spinach over Brown Rice

Saturday
Breakfast: Whole Wheat Toast, Cottage Cheese & Strawberries
Snack: Pear
Lunch: Turkey Salad
Snack: Whole Wheat Crackers w/ Jelly
Dinner: Chicken w/ Salsa, Italian Veggie Bake & Mashed Potatoes

Sunday
Breakfast: Feta Scramble w/ Ham
Snack: Tortilla Chips w/ fresh Salsa
Lunch: Salmon Patty, Couscous & Mixed Veggies
Snack: Carrot sticks & Ranch Dressing
Dinner: Spaghetti & Green Salad

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Congratulation Lorraine! 

She was our winner for this week

Lost 3.8 lbs!

Meeting

Meeting!!!!

6:30 at my house!

• 6:30 weigh in
• review our progress and re-evaluate
• 7:00 workout

Don't Forget

Meeting Location Change

6:30 @ Veronica's Home

Don't Miss Out contact myself or Marina for directions!

Weekly Challenge

Firecraker Salmon

This weeks challenge is to eat fish twice this week!

If you don't like fish then you can substitute it for another kind of seafood

Today's Small Change: Make fish your protein of choice.

Go Fish

Fish is one of those foods that people either love or fear. If you shy away from eating fish — whether it's because you're afraid it will taste "fishy" or because you don't know how to buy or cook it — today is the day to jump in and begin to explore the world of seafood. Today's small change is to plan to eat fish at least twice over the coming week.

Fish provides a lot of nutritional benefits without a lot of calories. It's an excellent source of high-quality protein and several vitamins and minerals. Shellfish and fish like sole, cod, and catfish are extra lean. Fattier fish like salmon, sardines, and herring are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which have many health benefits. Study after study has shown that people who eat fish are less likely to suffer from heart disease and cancer.
Don't know where to start? Here are some tips on buying and preparing fish:

•Fresh fish should have firm, shiny flesh that springs back when pressed. Whole fish should have bright red gills and clear eyes, be slime-free, and smell like the sea.

•Frozen fish fillets and shrimp are also good choices — they taste very fresh because they are usually flash-frozen soon after being caught. Just be sure to buy plain fillets, not the breaded, fried kind.

•You'll be surprised at how quick and easy it is to prepare fish deliciously! Simply brush a fillet with a little olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and any herbs you like, and place it under the broiler for 8 minutes per inch of thickness. Grilling is also a cinch, but keep in mind that some flaky fish (such as sole) fall apart on the grill. Salmon and shrimp are great choices for cooking this way.

Announcement

We have a change in meeting location for next Monday 10/19/09

It's Eddie and I's 2nd anniversary.... so we will be out of town....

Veronica has graciously opened her home for the meeting.

I don't want to post her information so please call me or Marina for

directions.

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

We have a new winner!

Leah

• She lost 3.2 lbs last week 

Hungry Humpday Humor

Our Winner or shall I say LOSER!

Lorraine!

• Lost 4 lbs this week!
• the only one to complete last weeks challenge
• (4 servings of fruits or veggies a day)

Keep up the Awesome work!

Low Calorie Recipes!

• Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
• Brown Rice, Tomato & Basil
• Orange Banana Smoothie
• Broccoli, Parmesan & Lemon

Meeting Agenda

Meeting Tonight

6:30

Hope to see you all there tonight!

Agenda

• 6:30-7:00 weigh in & goal review
• 7:00 announce winner
• 7:00 Zumba workout & walk

Meal Plan

Monday
breakfast: kellogs red berries cereal w/ banana
snack: pineapple
lunch: chicken sandwich
snack: carrot sticks
dinner: lemon thyme chicken tenders w/ roasted veggies

Tuesday
breakfast: oatmeal
snack: watermelon
lunch: chicken salad
snack: yogurt
dinner:  beef kabobs, salad, grilled veggies

Wednesday
breakfast: kellogs red berries cereal w/ banana
snack: watermelon
lunch: beef kabob sandwich
snack: apple slices
dinner: pot roast

Thursday
breakfast: oatmeal
snack: yogurt
lunch: pot roast & salad
snack: nuts & dried cranberries
dinner: Schezwan Shrimp

Friday
breakfast: fruit smoothie
snack: fresh fruit
lunch: chicken salad
snack: nuts & dried apricots
dinner: grilled cheese and tomato soup

Eat Chocolate & Lose Weight!?

Check out these snacks that are low in calories but not in taste!

Ellie's Newsletters

I signed up to receive a health tips newsletter per email from Ellie Krieger's website . Each day I get a health tip or some kind of challenge. I encourage you to sign up! The newsletters are always helpful and can assist you in accomplishing your goals.

This was todays and I thought it fit perfectly with our challenge!

Mind Your Time

from www.healthylivingwithellie.com 

Sticking to a health and fitness program is no easy task. With the busy schedules we all have these days, including long hours at work, kids to take care of, and household chores to accomplish, it's difficult to find the time and energy every day to focus on eating healthfully and getting fit. Some people have tried countless programs with little success, or they achieved results but then fell back into old habits when they went off the plans. So how do you find the time to stick to a plan when time is short? Healthy Living With Ellie member MakeMeThin seems to have found a way:

"I have a crazy schedule — I work full-time (well, more like 60-hour weeks) and go to law school at night. Between papers and reading and getting up on time to get to work, I barely have time to eat dinner, let alonemake something to eat or get to the gym. No wonder I'm carrying around an extra 20 pounds. What's really been working for me so far is the Meal Planner. On Friday night, I come home and look at my meals for the next week, switch them around a little so I get a few repeats, and then print out the shopping list. I cook onSaturday night and Sunday, portion out the meals into containers, pop them in the freezer, and there I have it — all my meals for the week. I don't have to stress out about what I'm going to eat, because it's all prepared and ready to go — all I have to do is defrost and reheat."

Why not try this out for yourself? Planning ahead is a great way to stick to your goals and accomplish what you want. And it doesn't apply only to cooking. Pack your gym bag the night before, or keep a set of gym clothes and sneakers at the office; keep a shopping list in your purse so you can add to your list any time you think of something you need; keep a bottle of water on your desk so you can drink all day long. Small steps like these can help you go a long way toward success.

Hungry Humpday Humor

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

We have our biggest loser for last week....

TIFFANY!

She lost 3.6 lbs last week!

That's 2.42% of her body weight!

The prize: $25

It was close, almost a tie! Melisa lost 6 lbs/2.34% of her body weight last week!

Our first week has been very successful.

With the exception of a few, everyone lost weight!

Keep up the good work and don't forget this week's challenge!

4 servings of Fruits or Vegetables each day

Weekly Challenge!

This weeks challenge is to eat 4 servings of fruits or veggies a day!

1 serving is equal to about 1/2 cup of fruits or veggies

1 serving=
Fruits
•one banana
•six strawberries
•two plums
•fifteen grapes
•one apple
•one peach
•one half cup of orange or other fruit juice

Vegetables
•five broccoli florets
•ten baby carrots
•one roma tomato
•3/4 cup tomato juice
•half of a baked sweet potato
•one ear of corn
•four slices of an onion

At our next meeting you will be awarded a ticket (if completed) to be entered in a drawing at the end of the 8 weeks.

Meeting!

   Don't forget Meeting TONIGHT!

 6:30 pm 

 Don't be late!

Agenda:

• 6:30-7:00 weigh in & goal setting
• 7:00 weekly winner announced
• 7-7:30 work out: hip hop abs

Meal Plan

check out these Healthy Snacks from Martha Stewart

Monday
breakfast: fruit smoothie
snack: apple slices
lunch: feta salad with raspberry vinegerette
snack: yogurt
dinner: Spicy Grilled Shrimp & Green Bean Medley

Tuesday
breakfast: oatmeal
snack: cucumber sticks
lunch: shrimp salad
snack: watermelon
dinner: Beef Stroganoff with whole wheat egg noodles

Wednesday
breakfast: cereal and a banana
snack: grapes
lunch: beef stroganoff
snack: deli turkey and cheese
dinner: Mediterranean Tilapia & Fatoosh salad

Thursday
breakfast: fruit berry smoothies
snack: strawberries & yogurt
lunch: Feta Chicken Salad
snack: dried apricots
dinner: Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

Friday
breakfast: cereal with a banana
snack: dried fruit and nuts
lunch: chicken salad
snack: yogurt
dinner: grilled cheese and tomato soup

Leave a comment with your suggestions and plans!

Friday's Fresh Find: Pumpkins

Health Benefits of Pumpkins

(from howstuffworks.com)

No matter how health-conscious your eating habits, everyone needs a little dessert sometimes. Pumpkin is perfect when you want a healthy treat. That way, you can have all of the enjoyment without any of the guilt.

Pumpkins are an excellent source of  beta-carotene.

The pumpkin is an American original. Pumpkins, belonging to thesquash family, have an understated taste that lends itself well to a variety of dishes. Besides, pumpkins make a great fat substitute in baking.

Health Benefits
The distinctive bright orange color of pumpkin clearly indicates that it's an excellent source of that all-important antioxidant beta-carotene. Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers than those who fail to include beta-carotene-rich foods in their diet. Pumpkin also has another carotenoid, beta-cryptoxanthin, which may decrease the risk of lung cancer in smokers.

Nutritional Value of Pumpkins
Serving Size: 1/2 cup, mashed, cooked

Calories	24
Fat	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Carbohydrate	6 g
Protein	1 g
Dietary Fiber	1 g
Sodium	1 mg
Vitamin A	6,115 IU
Niacin	1 mg
Vitamin C	6 mg
Calcium	18 mg
Potassium	282 mg
Carotenoids	6,012 micrograms

A whole pumpkin keeps well for up to a month, if stored in a cool, dry spot. Once cut, wrap the pumpkin and place it in the refrigerator; it should keep for about a week.

Selecting Pumpkins

Pumpkins are easy to grow, but how do you decide which pumpkins are the pick of the crop? Look for deep-orange pumpkins, free of cracks or soft spots. Though large pumpkins make the best jack-o'-lanterns, they tend to be tough and stringy, so they aren't the best for cooking -- try smaller ones, especially the ones called "sugar pumpkins."

To prepare, wash off dirt, cut away the tough skin with a knife or a vegetable peeler, remove the seeds, then slice, dice, or cut the pulp into chunks. You might want to save the seeds; when toasted, they make a great snack.

Try these recipes:

Pumpkin Soup
SUBMITTED BY: Lea Ogawa


"This delicious, cream-like soup is served at our family's Thanksgiving dinner every year."

INGREDIENTS
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
5 whole black peppercorns


DIRECTIONS

1.Cut pumpkin into 1/2-inch cubes.

2.Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.

3.Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.

4.Return to pan and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.
 
Nutritional Information

Pumpkin Soup
Servings Per Recipe: 9
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 78
Total Fat: 5.4g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 1154mg
Total Carbs: 6.2g
Dietary Fiber: 0.7g
Protein: 1.8g


Savory Pumpkin Casserole
SUBMITTED BY: sktcporter


"This pumpkin casserole isn't sweet - perfect with roast pork."

PREP TIME 30 Min
COOK TIME 50 Min
READY IN 1 Hr 20 Min
INGREDIENTS
1 (2 pound) pumpkin
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup farmer's cheese or ricotta cheese

DIRECTIONS

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Coat a large baking dish with oil or cooking spray.

2.Cut pumpkin in half, and remove seeds; cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Peel slices, and place pumpkin slices into a large bowl. Toss with onion and melted butter, and season with salt and white pepper. Arrange in prepared baking dish.

3.Bake pumpkin in preheated oven for 30 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with milk and cheese; pour mixture over pumpkin in baking dish. Continue baking for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
 
Nutritional Information

Savory Pumpkin Casserole
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 166
Total Fat: 8.7g
Cholesterol: 93mg
Sodium: 271mg
Total Carbs: 15.3g
Dietary Fiber: 1.2g
Protein: 8.5g

Snack of the week: Pumpkin Seeds

Here is recipe you could easily make at home...only 90 calories!... but if you are not up to baking them yourself and want to buy then I suggest first checking the package for the amount of a calories contained!

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Rated: Submitted By: Carolyn Photo By: Jessica Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 1 Hour Ready In: 1 Hour 10 Minutes Servings: 8

"Make this snack by roasting fresh pumpkin seeds in margarine, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic salt."

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 tablespoons margarine, melted 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
2.	Combine the margarine, salt, garlic salt, Worcestershire sauce and pumpkin seeds. Mix thoroughly and place in shallow baking dish.
3.	Bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Nutritional Information

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 90

• Total Fat: 5.1g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 214mg
• Total Carbs: 8.9g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.6g
• Protein: 3g

How are you doing?

• Post your success! leave a comment!
• How did you do yesterday, this morning?
• What did you eat?
• Did you stick to your plan?
• Did you exercise?
• Did you turn down that donut?

• I almost stuck to my plan... ;) 
• I didn't eat fast food... I made breakfast, lunch and dinner at home!.... success #1
• I only had 2 capri suns (60 calories) and the rest of the day I drank water... success #2
• Sadly, I didn't exercise! :(
• Proud moment, my lovely husband was eating ice cream and offered me some but I refused! and stuck to my fruit bowl.... success #3
• This morning I walked the dogs and did arm workouts!... success #4

Hungry Humpday Humor!!!!

They say laughing burns calories... sooooo burn it up!

How to Exercise and Lose Weight on a Busy Schedule

From Lawrence Cole, for About.com
Created: November 1, 2004
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

.In my fitness consulting business, I get the opportunity to talk with people from all walks of life about their health, fitness, and weight loss goals. Whether their goal is to lose weight, gain muscle, stick to a diet plan or program, improve their cardiovascular health, or simply to maintain their current fitness level they all have one common enemy---TIME.

For most of us, the #1 challenge in the quest to stay in shape and/or lose weight is not exercising itself but being able to actually fit an exercise program into our busy schedules.

So how do you do it? How do you balance the demands of family, career, important errands, relationships, organizational responsibilities, and working out? I have found that there are five keys that will help you to be able to fit a consistent workout plan into your already hectic life.

1.Commit to a specific schedule
When you fail to plan you plan to fail. Don't try to haphazardly fit your workouts into your schedule without any rhyme or reason. Don't think you're guilty? If you've every told yourself "I'll workout as soon as I get some time", you were in direct violation of this key principle.

In order to set yourself up for success, you will need to take the time to literally write your workouts into your weekly schedule. In order to be effective, you will want to be following your exercise program at least 3 days per week. Anything less would be kidding yourself.

Therefore, right in the midst of all of your appointments, "to-do" lists, etc., should be a written plan for your weekly workout routine, so that you will never be in the dark as to when you committed to yourself to go.

1.Utilize the weekend
Take advantage of the fact that it only takes 3-5 days per week to put together an effective, results-producing workout. One trick to help you pull it all off is to workout on the weekends. One of the benefits to this course of action is that your schedule is more flexible and under your control during this time.

What is also means is that when the hectic weekdays roll back around, you will only be responsible for working out 1-3 days during the work week.

1.Keep your workouts as a high priority
One of the biggest mistakes that even many people who have scheduled a workout program into their schedule make is allowing it to be bumped off of their schedule to easily.

Although things will occassionally come up that will cause you to have to reschedule the workout you had planned, you must be vigilant in making sure that only the most important emergencies are allowed to temporarily take you off of your plan.

In the event that one of those important emergencies does happen and you can't make it to your workout, reschedule with yourself to make it up on the next possible day that you are available to do so. If your own health, fitness, and efforts to lose weight are not a priority to you, they certainly won't be so to anyone else.

1.Enroll others in your goals
Don't go at this alone. Let the important people in your life know what you are up to. You love interest, spouse, parents, children, co-workers, and close friends will often pitch in and help you to meet your fitness or weight loss commitment to yourself if you make them aware adn ask for their support.

Leverage these relationships to delegate some of your normal responsibilities or even allow you to shift appointments that you have with them as you restructure your schedule for your workout. If any of them are into exercise or trying to lose weight themselves, don't hesitate to form a buddy system with them as you move forward with your program.

1.Don't beat yourself up
No matter who you are, there will be times in your workout program that you just aren't able to keep it up as you would like due to outside demands. Don't be too tough on yourself on this.

Remember that it is what you do consistently over a long period of time, not what you do in spurts, that truly counts. Just make sure that you get back on the horse full force as soon as you can and continue to press forward, doing your best to avoid slacking off again.

No matter what goals you have for health, fitness, or weight loss, you CAN fit an effective exercise program into that hectic schedule of yours and be amazingly successful at getting the exact results that you want!