Stomach Flu Weight Loss

So, you’ve been sick. Sinus pressure, vomiting, or spending hours sitting on the toilet. Yuck.
But, the upside is, you’ve lost six pounds in 3 days. YIPPEE!

NOT SO FAST SUCKER.

Take a read at the Washington Post Lean Plate Club article today has to say about those sickness-related weight losses.

Here is a chunk of the article:

"Sorry to hear that you've been sick. Figure that most of that weight will likely return. Here's why: It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to shed a pound. Let's assume that you need the average 2,000 calories per day to maintain your weight. And let's say that you didn't eat anything at all last week. (Unlikely, I realize.) There will be a large water loss, because you haven't had the sodium and other electrolytes that come with food and drink. But the most body weight you can lose -- and this includes fat as well as a little muscle and maybe even some bone -- is about half a pound per day or about 3.5 pounds for the entire week. So most of what you lost is, sadly, probably water, not fat."

The article also highlights many of the free trackers you can use for diet and exercise. These are very helpful for those of you keep careful tabs on what you do to move and what you put in your mouth. Check it out!

Meet Our Personal Trainer

This week the focus is on exercise. Some of you "old timers" are stalling out on your moving. For you new swimmers, one of the best things about the Pool is that you have a personal trainer available to you regarding your exercise routine.
She will answer questions and offer suggestions on your overall health plan.
I'm reposting her introductory post so you can get a little background. If you do have any questions, you can make a comment (so everyone can see it, then also send an email to the Pool email and we'll get it sent to Lesleh so she can answer any specific questions you might have. It may not be a same day response, be patient.
Without further ado...

Lesleh
Member Canadian National Rowing Team
1977-1987
Position - Coxswain
Olympic Team Member 1980 and 1984
It is very difficult to ramble on about being a National Team Athlete. It was something that while I was in High School, you just kind of did and shut up about. Kind of like the celebrity kid who goes and makes movies then tries to fit back into this bizarre world of peers and clothes and school work. It wasn't easy but it was the road I travelled. The benefits were enormous, I travelled the world, I raced at the highest level of competition. I made the Olympic Team. When I first saw the Olympics on tv, it was the 1968 games in Mexico. I was 7. I looked at my Dad and said "I'm going there some day." My goal was set. I am pretty much a point A to Point B kind of gal. Skip the details, get to the point. Which in itself made rowing a great sport for me. While in high school, I actually rowed in an eight and a single. The Single event, allowed me to participate as a coxswain on the National Team. I actually came in 2nd in Canada at the Nationals in the Women's Single but I was just way too small to actually row internationally at the time. I came second to a world champion and member of the crew I was coxswain for. Now there is lightweight rowing, but back then the sport required you to be 5'10 and 175 pounds or more. As a coxswain (essentially the coach in the boat) I had a weight requirement of 88 pounds and it was my job to keep the crew together and get them to the finish line straight, and successfully. I was actually pretty good at it. I had been a rower, so I understoon what it took to push yourself hard. I also understood the sport better than most other coxswains. Truthfully, I think I was exactly where I was supposed to be when I was in a rowing shell (boat) telling a bunch of bigger people where to go and what to do to get there. To this day I am still blessed with the opportunity to take part in the sport. Because of years of weight management issues, I miraculously still fit in the seat (pretty good after 5 kids). Last year I raced in one of the largest regatta's in the world in Boston Mass. The Head of the Charles. Fun 'cause I got to race with old friends, former National Team Members and best of all my older brother Scott who also rowed for Canada on the National Team. I can't tell you how stoked I was when Chris Cookson said "That was the best race I have ever had at the Head of the Charles". Chris is also a former World Champion. So - after 18 years of not racing very seriously it was pretty cool to see that I could still get the job done. This year we are making a return appearance...and I can't tell you how excited I still get at the opportunity to get into a boat and race. Last year, I sat drinking beer with some former U.S. Team members and one of the U.S. coaches who is a good friend. To sit with Christine Wilson, Carrie Graves (now head coach of the Texas Longhorn Crew) and former U.S. National Team coxswain Holly Hattin and just talk about life, and kids and rowing's evolution was such a treat.
I kind of get that same joy out of fitness training these days. I love the women and their willingness to work hard and sweat. I love how funny some are and how serious others. We are so incredibly blessed to be female. Blessed to have these phenominal bodies that can produce babies and feed them, and then bounce back into these beautiful mature bodies that come with that transformation from child to adulthood. I heard a great line the other day, Jane Fonda said - it is time for all of us women to own our faces. Relish in the lines and the life we have lived to get to this point. I agree. I am empowered by the mere fact that I am alive.I teach four classes on Monday and Wednesday, one on Thursday and one on Friday. A total of 10 classes through the week. I am 45 years old - I say that so that you understand that you can work hard no matter what the age. I teach a Pilates class with a good friend of mine. We call it Pilates to the Core. It is an hour long class, and the focus is primarily pilates based. I teach a class at a facility for adults with learning disabilites. I have a number of people in the class with Down's Syndrome. The group that I teach are such a blessing to me. It is a 45 minute class, we use weights and we dance and laugh and work hard all at the same time. I always get a hug when I leave from just about everyone. I would call that class cardio/dance fun. I teach a Men's Class at the Rec Center, it focuses on the core muscle groups, as well as about 15 minutes of lower body conditioning. My favorite class at the moment is a Cardio Mix class. I teach it 3 days a week. It is 1/2 hour of grueling work. The class has grown considerably over the past 6 months or so, we kind of got into a good groove so word of mouth is working to increase the class size.
My toughest workout is being a mother of 5: Eric 19, Kendall 15, Eden 14, Rae 12, and Delaney 10.
By the way, I love to eat, I learned a long time ago that if I wanted to eat everything that I like...I needed to work it off. So......step one. Put your body in motion.I went to the Cornell University Training Camp last January and assisted in coaching their women's crews. The gal beside me is Christine Wilson, former Yale University Head Coach, U.S. Olympic Team Coach and now the head of the women's program at Cornell which is an Ivy League University in New York State. (Lesleh is the short one in the center, red jacket)

Week 3 Results

Everybody got their weigh-ins in early today! Bravo guys! Maybe it's a sign of things to come this week. Some of us (read: ME!) have stalled this week. We'll have to think of something creative to get people motivated.

Without further suspense....here are the results. Jeremie is still kicking everyone's ass pound wise, but its a very close race for %, still led by Donna:

Jeremie -5.6
Michelle -2.5
Sonda -2.5
Suzi -1.4
Donna -1
Julia -1
Susie -1
Keeley -1
Andy 0 (FF)
Sharon +0.5 (FF)
Kristi +0.5 (FF)
HeatherG +0.6 (FF)
Heather +1 (FF)

Great job guys - keep it up! Jeremie - I am in awe! Michelle, you are second in pounds - excellent. Tell us your secrets guys!

Don't Forget!

Week 3 weigh-in is due by 4pm EST today...

Don't forget to order your tshirt...

And last but not least, I apologize for the lack of posting this week. Sonia has been doing the majority of the posting lately due to my horrendous work schedule. I promise to step it up next week - as long as you promise to check in, comment, and participate!!!

Thanks, and I can't wait to see this weeks results!

Showing Love for the Home Team

It's not a jersey, but it's our version of what the cool kids will be wearing at the gym.
The "official" shirt is here and ready to order! The cost is $16.84 which includes sales tax. Please email the Pool email if you are interested in ordering. They'll be printed on a white tee. I think they are so fun!
The address of the Pool blog is on the back...who knows, maybe you'll inspire someone to join the next Pool with all your skinniness! (I think that's a word. Well, it is now anyway)

Please email the Pool email if you would like a shirt. I will send a group invoice for the shirt cost at such time there is a total number ordered. I have a feeling you're all in need of something to wear to the gym, right??? Get your gear on!
ORDERING DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2. Thanks!

3,500

You may be wondering, probably because we’ve already been asked, what diet plan we are endorsing here at the Pool.
The answer: none.
With so many participants, quite frankly, how would we ever know what diet type works for each person?
We don’t care if you do Weight Watchers, SlimFast, South Beach, Atkins, The Zone, low cal, low carb, low fat or you're having Nutrisystem delivered. Not the same diet plan works for everyone. Obviously, or we’d all do the same “plan”. We will always encourage healthy eating. We will always encourage you to drink your water. We will always encourage you to eat a balanced diet.
• Fact: No diet, no matter how well designed, can cover 100% of your daily requirements for every nutrient, every day

In a nutshell, today’s first thought is that we want you to think about your health first and foremost. To that end, let’s all get a multivitamin and make sure we take it every day. You don’t have to get anything expensive or fancy, you can find any variety of brands at your local discount or drugstore. Let’s fill in those nutritional gaps and make sure we are getting our daily requirements every single day.

Our second thought for today, many diet fads have come and gone. But not matter what kind of diet is current and popular, there will be one irrefutable fact that remains.

• Fact: 3,500 calories equals one pound.

So, if you consume 3,500 more calories than you burn, you will GAIN a pound. If you burn 3,500 calories more than you eat, you will LOSE a pound.

This is not a complex or difficult concept to grasp. This is not going to come in a miracle pill or shake.

Eat less, move more.
We’ve already been saying it. But sometimes, especially you stubborn ones, and those of us who have our lazy days, it takes a while for this to sink in.

So, maybe your diet approach has been flawed in the past and needs tweaking. Perhaps you have been so caught up in the fads and charismatic people making promises about your weight that were too good to be true.
This is the time to get back to the basics. No matter what diet plan you are working, 3,500 is always going to equal one pound. It’s up to you whether it’s going to be a pound you lose or gain.
And don't forget, that 3,500 difference isn't a daily thing. Losing that pound over a period of more than one day is normal, healthy weight loss.
To figure out how much you need to bring in just to maintain, there is a calculator you can check out. This will be, of course, approximate. The calculator is here.

So, what are you going to do to rid yourself of 3,500 this week?

Week 2 Results - Updated

This will be updated later when Heather gets me the last bit of information, and as always, please check that what is posted is accurate. There is most definitely the chance for human error here! Heather and I will NOT have hurt feelings if you tell us we recorded your loss incorrectly, we want to make sure your progress is charted right.

Another thing, for you new people, if you haven't done it yet, please make sure you get a Paypal account set up for if you ever have to pay the Fatty Fee (let's cross our fingers you don't, but just in case!).

Also, just a reminder that weekly weigh ins are on Friday. You can email us anytime before 4PM Eastern with your weigh in. Anything after that is considered missing weigh in and is assessed the Fatty Fee. If you are unable to weigh in on Friday (like you left for vacation or something) we will only accept a one day early weigh in on Thursday. We will not always be sending reminder emails that you should send your weigh in like we have these two weeks, just get in the habit of getting up in the morning, brush your teeth, weigh in and email us!

Without further ado...another great week!

Anabell: -1.0
Jeremie: -5.2
Sonda: -3.5
Sharon: -1.0
Heather: +1 (FF)
Kristi: -0.0, FF
Susie: -1.8
Andy: -1.0
Keeley: no weigh in, FF
Michelle: -2.5
Suzi: -1.4
Donna: -1.0
Julia: -2.0
HeatherG: -1

The sidebar results will be updated later when Heather gets the handy dandy spreadsheet with all the percentages plugged in. Look for more helpful information coming next week and keep working hard swimmers! Congrats to Jeremie for being our Mega Loser of the Week, way to go!

*UPDATE* Side bars are updated. FYI, please make sure to email us your weigh in so that we can keep those emails if needed later on. Great job everyone - and Jeremie hit the 20 lb mark! Wow!

All This Talk About Exercise....

...is making me hungry! I love to eat. (DUH!) Which is a problem when you're trying to lose weight. Seeing as you HAVE to eat and all (that is, if you don't want to look like Nicole Richie), it's about making the right choices. Eating things that are good for you instead of things that go straight to your ass.

So, in the spirit of good food, I give you some...links! HA! Here are a few posts from Round 1 of the Pool where we discussed some recipes and snacks. Maybe some of these recipes (check the comments section too) will help you plan yummy and nutritious meals and snacks. I've also included some other sites which may help you out with planning.

Without further ado....

Past Pool Posts with Recipes:
Chicken Recipes
Recipes and food talk
Appetizers

Sites for Recipes, Restaurant Info, Product Info:
Hungry Girl - Especially good for new diet friendly products - with reviews and lots of recipes too
Dottie's - Especially good for WW followers - point values for restaurant foods, plus lots of recipes!
Low Fat Crock Pot Recipes - One of my favorites. An alphabetical list of hundreds of better-for-you crock pot recipes.

Other Helpful Sites:
Snacks (One point through 4 points snack lists. Even if you're not doing WW, this gives you some good snack alternatives. Lower points = better for you.)
Nutritional Info - You can get nutritional information about lots of different foods (i.e., the information is present just like a food label.)
Generic Point Values - Helpful with WW since it gives you points for generic food types. However, this is also helpful for non-WW folks as it gives you an idea of what isn't good for you and maybe some alternatives (i.e., comparing point values of foods will tell you which one is better - hint! It's like golf - we're going for low points!)

And for you old Poolsters, here's a NEW recipe for you that I tried out during the holidays. It's really an appetizer, so try it for your Super Bowl party...(Kristi has had them...so don't throw me under the bus girl! Tell everyone how great they were...right??!)

Ham and Cheese Pinwheels

1 refrigerated ready-made pie crust
Ham slices (about 10-12) - use LF/FF good deli ham
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (use the shredded stuff, not the sprinkle kind)
Spicy brown mustard (or whatever mustard you like)

Roll out pie crust and spread with mustard. Layer ham to cover pie crust. Spread a little more mustard over the ham, then cover with the parmesan cheese. Roll pie crust as tightly as you can until it's tube shaped. Put in freezer for about 20-30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove filled pie crust from freezer and slice thinly (use a good knife!) and place onto baking sheet. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Okay, your turn to share your favorite recipe or other helpful web site. Bring it on!

Move Your Ass

Sound blunt? It is! But, it's simple. Move, every single day. Period.
Today's mission, if you have a pedometer, wear it. If you don't have a pedometer, they're cheap. Go buy one. The cheapest and most simple ones will measure you steps all day long. The fancy ones can do extra things like tell you calories burned and whatnot. Just get one.
See how much you are stepping in an average day. Our first goal is not the usual 10,000. We're taking baby steps, girlies! Get your average. Then, our goal is to add 2,000 to that average. Evidence shows that most people will see improvement in their energy level, strength, and lung capacity if they increase by 2000 steps per day. That's about a mile or approximately 15 to 20 minutes of walking, something that almost everyone can do.
And that includes you, my flabby little flock! We will get this gushy midsection and these dimpled thighs to slowly melt away with our baby step of adding 2000 steps! So, what are you doing sitting on your hind parts wasting away hours at the computer. Get up! Move your ass!

PS) You do NOT want to know what I've gone thru trying find a picture of a butt to put up, then I wasn't sure if I should put up a "before" butt or an "after" butt. Let's just say, there are way too many butts out there, do your best to make yours smaller!

Week # 1 Results (Updated - Again!)

Just a little note to tell everyone again, welcome to the Pool and we are very impressed with the obvious dedication by the group as these first week results will tell!

If you owe a Fatty Fee or a late sign up fee, I'll be getting the Paypal invoices sent Monday when I've finished compiling all the addresses. So, expect that sometime tomorrow.


This list will be updated as Heather has a couple of the weigh ins that I did not have when I checked emails.

AnaBell: -1.3
Jeremie: -14.8 (whoa!)
Sonda: -2.0
Sharon: -2.5
Heather: -3.0
Kristi: -0.0 Fatty Fee
Susie: -3.4
Andy: -4.5
Keeley: -0.0 Fatty Fee
Michelle: -4.0
Suzi: -5.4
HeatherG: -1 (Late sign up fee)
Julia: -3.0
Donna: -6.0

That's a group loss of 51.3 pounds! Fantastic! This will be added to later no doubt when Heather gives me the information I'm missing.


Congrats to Jeremie for being our MegaLoser of the week, what a great start for him!
Way to go swimmers! Look for more informative and helpful posts this week and after midnight tonight, we won't be accepting any more members.

**Update** The results have been updated above. I've also updated the sidebar with results to date, as well as a leader board (Meet Board...get it...Swim Meet...Ha!) Anyway, let us know how you like it and if you have any suggestions for changes!

**Second Update** For some reason, we did not get Suzi's email. But all is fixed! Hurray! Great job Suzi! AWESOME first week everyone!!

What is this String Around My Finger?

Just a happy little reminder that tomorrow is our first weigh in for the Pool. Sometime before 4PM Eastern time you need to email us your weight. **You do not need to send the photo of your feet on the scale this time, that is only the first and last weigh ins!**
Also, we are still accepting late sign ups thru midnight Sunday, January 14. Right now we stand at 13 members. I signed four of those up myself just from talking about it to people I know!
Being excited about how successful this system of support is, really, that's enough to drag someone else along for the ride!
So, we'll be looking forward to those first week emails of your losses tomorrow.

Baby Steps Revisited

Small changes first. Baby steps. You may or may not have heard this before, but for me, it really was the KEY to making myself commit to losing weight last year. (If you want to read little about my story, I posted about it last year here.) Every time I'd tried to 'diet' before, I tried to change everything at once - given up all the things I loved - cold turkey. I'm here to tell you - IT DOESN'T WORK. You will start to crave those things you love. Even things that you didn't like before, but you know are bad for you. So, in starting this weight loss journey again, I'm reminding myself, and maybe helping you in the process, to remember to change things a little at a time. Pick a few things to work on, and once you're comfortable with those changes, make a few more changes, and pretty soon, you've done some significant things to improve your health and help you lose weight. Some ideas of things you can do:

• Control your portion sizes. Be aware of how much you are eating of something. Read labels and find out how much a portion of something really is. (1/2 cup of rice is 1 serving. 3 oz of chicken/turkey is one serving. I'm pretty sure before WW**, I never had just one serving at a sitting of either of these things before I went on the program. Seriously, a 1/2 cup of rice!?)
• Make yourself move more, starting today. I'm not talking full on gym work out (yet!) Right now, it could mean just parking further away from the office/grocery store/apartment, etc. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up and walk around for 5 minutes instead of surfing the net during a break (ahem.) Go dancing. Play with your kids. Just make yourself move.
• Get rid of trigger foods. If there is something in your fridge or pantry that you know you can't just have ONE of, dump it. Don't let it tempt you right now. I have recently determined that Vanilla Cheerio*s totally have my number. I can't eat just one serving. I eat half a box they are so yummy. So, GONE. At least for now.
• Drink more water. (See Sonia's post from Monday on water.) Your body sends the same signal to your brain for thirst as it does for hunger. When you feel hungry, you might actually be thirsty. So, if you feel hungry, drink a glass of water first. Wait 20 minutes. If you're still feeling hungry, then have a snack (a healthy one!)
• If you drink alot of coffee with the extras (cream, flavorings, sugar, etc) or regular soda, start weaning yourself a bit. Realize how many extra calories those things are and start to decrease your intake. I was a 4-5 cans a day Coke drinker. I started substituting water or Crystal L*ight for 1-2 of those sodas each day early on in my weight loss. Within a few weeks, I had stopped drinking regular soda altogether (who needs that extra 1,000 calories a day!?)
• Cut down on caffeine. It dehydrates you and you have to drink more water to compensate.

Any other 'baby steps' or quick start tips you want to add? Let's get everyone started on the right foot!

*I lost my weight using the Weight W*atchers points plan. We don't endorse any specific plan here at The Pool, but I often refer to it since it worked for me.

NOTE: Yes, that is my adorable son when he was learning to walk. And no, I no longer have that ugly ass carpet, table, or couch that I tried to completely crop out. Ahem.)

Just Drink It

Welcome again to the Pool. For you "old timers", we will be reposting a lot of information. But as we found out last time, it is never a bad thing to have a reminder about the easy baby step stuff because it's so easy to backslide on changing those habits.

I know what you're thinking. Water......YAWN.
But, seriously, it is the first step, not only to weight loss, but to your overall health. And right now, some of you are getting up, flipping me the bird, and steadfastly refusing to drink more water and going to grab yourself another Coke.
I feel your pain, my friends! Water is dull. Water is boring. Water, when compared with the deliciousness of virtually any other beverage, you know, sucks.
I am with you, I only find water useful in its ability to rehydrate me during a sweaty workout or when I'm outside on an excessively hot day. Those are the only two instances when I'm like, "wow, I want a big glass of water." Otherwise, water, to me, is like the ugly girl at the party no one asks to dance. Other options are just more appealing.

No hear this, my squishy little minions...water is the first stop on the weight loss superhighway.

Consider, at the most base level, your SURVIVAL. Humans can live for several weeks without food, but only about three days without water. A typical person will lose 2-3 liters of water per day in ordinary conditions, but more in very hot or dry weather. A lack of water causes dehydration, resulting in lethargy, headaches, dizziness, confusion, and eventually death.

Some other points for your perusal:

* Assists digestion, absorption and assimilation of food. If you don't drink enough water you can't get the full benefit of nutrients in the food you eat.
* Assists excretion of waste from bowel and kidneys. If you don't drink enough water you get constipated and put your kidneys under stress.
* Regulates body temperature. If you don't drink enough water you compromise the evaporation process your skin uses to keep you cool.
* Your blood is 92% water. This is your body's transport system distributing nutrients around the body.

Water is a natural appetite suppressant. Your brain does not differentiate between hunger and thirst. So, when you think you are feeling hungry, your body may in fact be signaling to you that you are thirsty! If you are not consuming enough water each day and you feel hunger pains, chances are, your body is really crying out for water.

Many people notice a reduction in weight as their body's water store become redundant and so decrease. If your diet has been one that did not provide you with adequate water, your body will have developed a pattern of storing water. It's part of the body's built-in survival mechanism - to store up the essential nutrients in short supply - in case they aren't available in the future. So if you don't drink enough water, you are 'conditioning' your body to store water. And water is unwanted bulk.

Last point, stay away from caffeinated drinks. Caffeinated drinks cause the body to lose water. They are what's known as diuretics as they cause your body to dehydrate. You will do your body an enormous favor by cutting back. For every cup of coffee you drink you will need to drink another TWO glasses of water to counter the diuretic effect.

The most common suggestion for water consumption is drinking 6-8 glasses a day. Not all at once, of course. But, first things first, baby steps. If you are not normally a water drinker, add 1 glass of water today. Then in a few days, drink 2 glasses a day. Slowly work up to it if you are not accustomed to drinking it. If it seems too overwhelming all at once, you'll give up and we don't want that.

Water is the first easy and FREE step in weight loss. There are flavored waters, there are packets on the go that you can add to water for more taste. You CAN do this!

Welcome!

Just a short welcome to the Pool. We will begin posting advice on diet and exercise starting Monday.
In the meantime, I would like to provide you a listing of our members and there are some old and new faces. Gander over to their blogs, if they have them, to get familiar. Hopefully, we can really have a lot of fun a camaraderie here that will help you all along this path to losing some of those pesky pounds! We, thus far, have 11 members in 3 countries. Invite your friends, family and co-workers to join us before the final deadline, there is only a $5 penalty for missing the first weigh in.

Returning swimmers to the Pool:
AnaBell of 208 Going on 24
Heather of Was That My Out-Loud Voice?
Kristi of PeetSwea
Andy of The Mind of IrishWalsh
Keeley, she of no blog but no one is holding that against her

Our new members, please give them all a hand!
Jeremie of The Corn Beltway Boys
and Jeremie's wife Sonda who, correct me if I'm wrong, also moonlights occasionally at The Corn Beltway Boys. As we recall from the last Pool, husband-wife teams do very well as evidenced by Amy and Andy who lost -8.68% and -11.85% respectively. So, if you have a spouse who has maybe seen some days with a flatter tummy, invite them to join in on the fun! We are accepting late sign ups thru January 14th!
Susie of KnitFarm Health Spa, Crikey! A Brit! Welcome to Susie, we're excited to have you.
Michelle, no blog
Sharon, no blog
Suzi, no blog

We hope you have a lot of fun and see some great progress. Check daily for new posts, weigh ins are Fridays and we look forward to another few laps in the Pool!

Deep End New Year Pool

You’ve decided to sign up, or you’re still mulling it over. Here’s the lowdown on how you can be part of a weight loss team with supportive members and people who are in the same boat as you are. But, uh, without having to wear makeup when you weigh in because no one sees you. HA!

1. You must sign up by midnight Eastern time, Friday January 5th. We will accept late members until midnight, Sunday January 14th but you will be penalized by paying the $5 “fatty fee” for missing the first weigh in.
The Pool runs for 12 weeks. Sign up weigh in, with photo, is January 5th. Week 1 weigh in is January 12. Week 12 weigh in is March 30th. The winners of the cash will be established following the last weigh in and those persons will be sent their winnings to their Paypal accounts when all final Fatty Fees have cleared Paypal.
2. You must register with Paypal as the pool monies for the contest will be collected in a Paypal account and all Fatty Fees will be paid to the DEOTP. Only balance transfers or bank transfers will be accepted so we are not assessed the fees by Paypal. No credit card payments!
3. To become a member of this pool, you must send the following information to the blog email address: deependotp@gmail.com
a. Your name (first only is fine)
b. Your starting weight
c. Email address and Paypal account information (to bill you if you miss a weigh in)
d. Your blog address (if you have one) we will be linking all participating bloggers on the links in the sidebar so you can talk about this blog on your blog and refer to it and we link you all to each other. Makes it much more fun and team-oriented.
4. Take a picture of your feet on your scale for the first and last weigh in. This is to verify your total weight loss for the duration of the Pool. All the weeks inbetween are, obviously, on the honor system.
5. Weigh-ins are recorded every Friday. You must email your weight by 4PM Eastern time on Friday. Failure to do so will result in your being assessed the $5 fatty fee. Your payment is due to the Paypal account by 12PM Eastern time the following Monday. If you are unable to weigh in on Friday (if you are leaving on a vacation or something like that) we will only accept an early weigh in on Thursday, no earlier.
6. Each weekend, the Drill Sergeants of Squish (that being Heather and Sonia) will track everyone’s progress and post the results from that week’s weigh in. Your weight will never be mentioned, only pounds lost (or gained, but hopefully that will not happen!!!) but even when you have a down week, this is the time at which your drill sergeants and other members will be able to post encouraging messages, so don’t beat yourself up if you gain, we’re all in this together!
7. The success of this entire experiment depends on the honor system. When you report your weight loss each week, be honest. Nobody wants cheaters participating. Don’t be a cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.
8. What is the “Fatty Fee”? If you lose weight, you owe the pool nothing. If you maintain or gain, you owe the $5 fatty fee. It’s that simple. This is a 12 week program, lose a pound a week, that’s a great start if you have a lot to lose or it’s a good total amount if you have “let yourself go” and just need to get toned up and back in shape. The focus is to have your weight loss be fun, simple, and healthy above all. No crash diets or unhealthy weight loss suggestions will be offered here. Just the old standby: eat less, exercise more. Period. Can’t deal? Don’t join.
9. There will be TWO WINNERS of this 12-week weight loss pool. They will split the pot, whatever it turns out to be. One winner is the person who loses the most pounds. The other winner is the person who loses the biggest percentage of weight. If the same person happens to have the highest numbers in both categories, the second highest total in weight loss percentage will be awarded the other half of the cash.
10. We have a Pool personal trainer who is available to answer questions about your exercise routine. Feel free to use her knowledge and expertise to enhance your experience.

Additional notes:
• We will be posting informational and, we hope, inspirational posts 2-3 times per week. For you repeat Poolers, some of this information will be repeat. Some won’t. Keep checking daily for something that will help you. Please comment each day if you have suggestions or just want to share a warm fuzzy with the other members of the pool. This is a positive and fun environment, it is meant to be a support system for bloggers or those addicted to blogs, to lose weight together and build each other up!!
• Tell all your blog readers about it right away. There is a deadline and the more people who become members, the more fun it will be!
• If you have suggestions for post ideas, recipes, tips, etc. please send them to the email address.