Deep End of the Pool

Winners Bounty!

2007-04-23T11:37:00.000-05:00

Just an update post to let you know that we paid out $130 to Jeremie for losing the most pounds and $130 to Sonda for losing the most percentage. Congrats to our two winners and we'll be emailing to let you know about another upcoming Pool.

Thanks to everyone for your participation and we hope we were helpful and made this fun and competitive for all involved!

Sergeants of Squish

And The Winners Are....

2007-04-04T07:48:00.000-05:00

First, Sonia and I are excited about the progress made by the group. We’re extremely proud of how hard you’ve all tried and we know that even though big numbers haven’t registered (yet) on the scale for a few, you have all done a fantastic job taking responsibility for your health and your weight loss and you’re on your way to big results.

We will be taking a break from the Pool for a bit - but that doesn't mean you can take a break from taking care of yourself! You can always come back to the archives while we're on this break and re-read any helpful posts or comments. If we get enough interest in a month or two, maybe we'll do this again! If you are interested, please let us know.

Okay, without further adieu, I give to you our two very deserving winners....drumroll please....

Pounds Lost: Jeremie he lost 63 pounds! AWESOME!!
Percent Lost: Sonda - who lost 14.67% of her body weight...AMAZING!!

We will sort out the Paypal situation and let you know the final totals, etc. once Sonia returns from her trip. Once we've sorted through the rest, we will post final results for everyone also (% only).

I'm very proud of everyone's hard work! Keep it up! We'll be back in a few days to wrap up.

Last Minute Notes

2007-03-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

Just doing some double and triple checking. I went thru every single transaction...um, yeah, super boring. But I want to make sure our totals are correct and we're actually pretty darn close. I know it gets confusing especially if I didn't invoice you until a few days later and seems like you got two right in a row sometimes.

I'm also sending this as a group email since that Paypal search was so boring, I don't have the attention span to send each person an individual email anyway.

Some notes:
First, TOMORROW IS THE FINAL WEIGH IN. Winners will not be official until a few days when Heather and I get the chance to double check records and make sure weights are properly recorded. ALSO, PER THE RULES, TOMORROWs WEIGH IN is to be accompanied by a photo of your feet on the scale as the same as your very first weigh in to verify your results. Winners will not be declared without this verification. There's a lot of money at stake, we want to make sure it's accurate!

Second, a hearty congratulations must be offered to both Jeremie and Michelle who, at least thru week 11, were the only two who never paid a fatty fee. That is excellent work!

Third, the only Paypal glitches I have are Susie and Suzi. I'm sending Susie a reminder invoice for Week 10 and Suzi a reminder for Week 9. If you gals have a Paypal invoice reflecting this payment, please forward it to me. If you click on "details" for your transactions, the Subject line will state the week of the fatty fee. Just so you can tell them apart.

If you haven't yet, I just invoiced week 11 yesterday, so I know everyone will get those paid soon.

Thanks for your participation on this, we hope we gave you some basic health information and provided a fun and competive incentive to keep at your weight loss.

-Sonia & Heather

Week 11 Results - One Week Left!

2007-03-26T14:43:00.000-05:00

Holy crap - down to the last week folks! Here are the results for last week....

Jeremie -1.5
Sonda -2.6
Sharon +1 (FF)
Heather -1
Susie -4
Andy +0.5 (FF)
Keeley 0 (NWI-FF)
Michelle -1
Suzi -0.8 (FF)
Donna 0 (NWI - FF)
Julia 0 (NWI - FF)
HeatherG 0 (NWI - FF)

Great job Susie - our biggest loser this week - awesome!!!!

Eat Your Veggies (and Fruits)

2007-03-20T15:16:00.000-05:00

Way back when you were a little kid, you were told about the food pyramid. And over the years, the pyramid and how many things in each group has seemingly been subject to change. Because of course, research is going to come out from time to time and change thinking on the impact of diet.

How many times have you been told eggs are good, then bad, then good, then bad?

But as always, following a common sense diet plan that is within healthy, moderate limits is sometimes easier said than done.

Example, when is the last time you think you got all the servings of fruits and vegetables in a day that is recommended?? Sadly, I cannot think of it, I'm sure I fall short pretty much all the time. Ugh.

In today's Washington Post Lean Plate Club column, they discuss fruits and veggies. And, folks, it's not rocket science, but thought you might like a reminder...

Yet research clearly shows that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables can help control blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, cut the incidence of diabetes and lower the odds of developing some types of cancer. In this era of ever-widening waistlines, people who eat more fruit and vegetables are less likely to be overweight or obese. Eating more fruit and vegetables may help prevent some age-related vision problems, and it even helps improve bone density, key to staving off osteoporosis.

Read the entire article for a refresher on your fruits and veggies. Then, go eat something, it's good for you!

Week 10 Results

2007-03-19T12:54:00.000-05:00

Week 10 (wow!) Only a few weeks left. Some of you guys are totally kicking ass! Way to go!! So here are the results:

Jeremie -2.4
Sonda -2.4
Sharon -1
Heather 0 (FF)
Susie -0.4 (FF)
Andy -1
Keeley 0 (NWI, FF)
Michelle -1.5
Suzi 0.6 (FF)
Donna -1
Julia -2
HeatherG -1.6

I hope everyone kicks it EVEN MORE into gear in these last few weeks. Frankly, I'm really talking about myself.

Great job guys!

The Scoop on Percentages

2007-03-15T10:07:00.000-05:00

Jeremie is far and away our LBS lost leader right now, with over 54 gone! WOW! Fabulous job Jeremie...

The percentage lost race, though, is still pretty close. Here's the run down:

Sonda - winning
Michelle - only 1.55% behind Sonda
Julia - only 2.14% behind Sonda (and only .59% from Michelle!)
Donna - only 3.58% behind Sonda
Susie - only 3.68% behind Sonda

Close race ladies - keep it up!!!

FYI, Sharon and Andy are still in it too, if they keep up the losing, it might be an even tighter race in this home stretch!!

The Wall...Revisited

2007-03-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

I've totally hit some sort of wall myself, so I went back in the archives and found this. Good stuff, especially if you're feeling a lack of motivation or need that extra kick for the next few weeks!

Sounds dramatic doesn't it? But hitting the "weight loss wall" or plateau can be extremely frustrating. I recall a few folks in my WW group who hit the wall and couldn't get passed it for weeks and weeks. One even quit and gave up. DON'T QUIT. You CAN fix it. But I know - it can be so frustrating to feel like you are doing so well, and BAM - the weight loss stops. You haven't cheated, you're still watching what you eat and exercising but the weight isn't coming off. But take heart - if you've really hit the wall, its actually a good thing.

How can it be a good thing, you say?? Pull up a chair. What it means is that your body is adjusting to the new calorie intake and exercise. As you get smaller, your body requires less to function then it did before. So, you have to shake things up. Here are a few suggestions to break thru:

Write down what you're eating. I know its annoying, but it WORKS. Just do it for 3 days. You think you are really watching what you eat and how much, but maybe you're not. Do you taste what you cook? Do you eat off your kids plates? Grab a few crackers from the box on the way out the door? I'm telling you, the journaling thing can be VERY enlightening.
If you really AREN'T cheating, then maybe you're being too strict on yourself and not eating enough. If you aren't eating enough, your body will tend to store more because it feels starved. Make sure you're eating what you need, listening to Lesleh on the protein too, especially if you're doing alot of exercising/weight training.
Another tip if you really aren't cheating. Have something that you are craving - a cheeseburger, or a little ice cream, or whatever. Shake your body up a little. Don't go overboard, obviously, but shake up that metabolism.
Add or change your exercise. If you aren't exercising by now, start! If you are exercising, change it up. Increase the time you're doing something or add some hand weight training. Do an exercise DVD a couple of times a week instead of walking. Shock your body a little. Move some different muscles.
Make sure you are drinking your water. Seriously.
Get enough sleep! We did a post on the importance of sleep when trying to lose weight...go check it out! Suffice it to say, get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and your body will thank you. And it will help you lose weight.
Think about why you wanted to lose weight to begin with. Write it down. Get copy of a 'before' picture. Keep the list/picture with you in your purse or wallet. Pull it out when you want something you shouldn't have. Taking the time to write things down and reminding yourself can be a great motivator.

We want you to succeed - if anyone has any tips on getting over this speed bump, please share. Here are some of my sources. Check them out for additional tips too. If anyone has any specific questions, please post and we can try to get some answers.

Good luck swimmers!

Week 9 Results

2007-03-12T16:02:00.000-05:00

Quick post to give you the results - hope everyone had a great weekend! Great job Jeremie and Andy - our biggest losers this week!

Jeremie -5.8
Sonda -0.2 (FF)
Sharon -1
Heather 0 (FF)
Susie -0.4
Andy -3.5
Keeley (NWI - FF)
Michelle -1.5
Suzi -0.2 (FF)
Donna -1
Julia -1
HeatherG (NWI - FF)

This Egg's For You Andy....

2007-03-07T08:57:00.000-06:00

So, Andy wanted to know more about why it's so important to eat breakfast. And apparantly, some of other swimmers wanted to hear more too. That tells me that some of you may not be eating breakfast yet - Bad girls and boys!! I hope this post can convince you that eating breakfast is very important - especially when you're trying to lose weight.

First lets start by talking about me! HA! Before I lost my weight on WW a year ago, I HATED eating breakfast. I was never hungry when I woke up in the morning. As far as I was concerned, there was no reason to eat if I wasn't hungry - that must be helping me lose weight, the not eating in the morning thing, right?? WRONG! Turns out, if you aren't eating something for breakfast, you're actually making it harder on your body to lose weight. Let's say you had dinner at 7:00pm. You don't eat lunch until noon. That's 16-17 hours between meals. Your body is going into starvation mode. Your body and brain need glucose to function. Going 16 hours without food forces your body to look elsewhere for the glucose it needs to operate. This is a distracting process and lessens your ability to anything efficiently or as well as you could if you'd just eaten something! Bottom line is, eating breakfast improves your concentration, problem solving ability, mental performance, memory, and mood.

Back to me. So, after not eating all night or in the morning, by the time I would eat at lunch time, I was ravenous. Legs shaky, tired, just miserable. Portion sizes were harder to control. I cared less about WHAT I was eating then the fact that I was FINALLY eating. It's much harder to control your eating habits when your body is screaming at you to give it fuel. Will power, motivation, and your ability to make good food choices go right out the window when you're so hungry.

Now, I LOVE me some breakfast food - I just never ate it at breakfast time unless it was some special occasion or I felt like cooking on the weekend. However, some people don't enjoy the typical breakfast food, but that is NOT a good excuse for not eating in the morning. Eat something - even if its not a typical breakfast food. When I had access to a toaster at work, I would make myself an english muffin (low fat/whole grain) with some low fat peanut butter. YUM! Most of the things I read suggest that you should have something with fiber (complex carb, like a whole grain) and a protein (peanut butter!) to make sure your breakfast sticks with you until lunch time.

If finding time to eat breakfast is your problem, then suck it up! There are alot of good-for-you grab-and-go foods now too if time is your problem. (OMG - have you tried the new Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookie from Quaker Oats - YUM!) At our house, I keep a big tupperware container full of on-the-go breakfast choices so that everyone can can pick up something on our way out the door.

If I haven't convinced you, here are a few links (and some of my sources) to help you find out more...and maybe get some new breakfast ideas.

Importance of Breakfast

Breakfast is for Weight Loss Champions

Breakfast Excuse Buster!

Mr. Breakfast (Recipes, Reviews, Etc)

If anyone has any good breakfast recipes they'd like to share, or want to share what their favorite breakfast is....comments are open!

Happy eating!

Week 8 Results

2007-03-05T15:14:00.000-06:00

Hi all! Hope everyone had a great weekend. Sorry to post the results so late - I was gone this weekend, and Sonya took off too. So, you're stuck with me this week!

Jeremie -4
Sonda -2.3
Sharon +1
Heather 0
Kristi (NWI) 0
Susie -3.6
Andy +0.5
Keeley (NWI) 0
Michelle -1.5
Suzi (NWI) 0
Donna -1
Julia -1
HeatherG -1.8

I hope everyone read the post on staying motivated...its a tough thing motivation. I know all too well. Also, I will be posting this week on the winning Challenge topic - Eating Breakfast. Andy gets a pass this week from the FF for coming up with the winning topic. So, come back and check it out!!

Staying Motivated

2007-02-28T06:57:00.000-06:00

A post courtesy of our personal trainer Lesleh, some of you have asked for some help here, this is worth a look:

Sure, it's more difficult to get back into an exercise routine after a long layoff--or even start one when you've never worked out regularly before. Once working out is a regular part of your life, it's easy to stay in the habit of keeping fit and healthy. But the battle's not over. Even the most diehard fitness buffs occasionally fight workout burnout and boredom.
There are several reasons. First, most people focus on a short-term approach rather than approaching exercise as a lifelong commitment. Once they achieve their initial goal, such as losing 15 pounds, they lose interest in the program.
The second reason is physiological. As time goes on, the degree of improvement we see becomes smaller. Anyone can get off the couch and see tremendous gains at the outset. But as you keep going the changes become smaller, and it takes more effort to achieve smaller increments of success.
And finally, many exercise programs are simply boring or don't offer sufficient physical and mental challenge to keep people interested. Throw in work schedules, family responsibilities, illness or injury, and an ever expanding to-do list, and it's not surprising that many fitness routines get derailed.
What's in it for you?
The good news is that it's relatively easy to get back on track. First, realize that your reasons for working out may change over time. People are frequently unaware of the various pros and cons of working out, and over time there can be a shift in the balance of those pros and cons. The reasons people started an exercise program may change over time as their lives change. They may have new responsibilities at work or family or relationships of one sort or another.
If you want to stay motivated, take a closer look at the benefits you get from working out. Be honest with yourself about the reasons you want to do something, and the reasons you don't want to do it. You have to know yourself. What's your primary reason for making time to exercise? Is it the way you feel afterward? Is it the fact that you handle stress better?
Remember, what motivates you to hide the weights may do nothing for your best friend, and vice versa. I think we all have different levels and different reasons we're motivated. Some people have the desire for success. For others it's vanity. Some are in it for health reasons. When it comes down to it, it does have to be something that comes from within, and it certainly will vary from person to person.
Regardless of your personal reasons for working out, here are a number of techniques that will help you maintain your enthusiasm even when the going gets tough.
Commit to the long haul.
You can't approach exercise as something you do just to get in shape for swimsuit season. e have to realize that working out and staying fit is a lifetime event, we all need to be in it for the long haul. For example, if you have a bad day driving your car, you don't walk tomorrow--you get back behind the wheel and keep on driving. If you have a bad day at work, you don't quit work. You go back. Realize that you'll have ups and downs with your fitness program as you will in every aspect of your life, and commit to seeing it through.
Set new goals.
When you first start working out, you probably have a goal in mind. Maybe it is to lose weight, have more energy, or simply look better in your clothes. Once you've achieved those initial goals, you need to develop some new ones to keep you motivated. Set higher or more specific goals. Don't say, 'I want to lose weight.' That's nebulous. Say, 'I'm going to lose an inch off my waist in six weeks.'
Set new challenges for yourself. Before it was just the one goal, always challenge yourself to complete something higher to stay motivated. Reaching new goals will help to keeps you motivated and fresh.
Be a social butterfly.
Do you look forward to exercise as a chance to spend some needed time alone, or do you enjoy working out more when you're with a partner? Consider what you like to do, and look for ways to make exercise more fun. If you're looking for more social activity, consider taking classes or joining a running or biking club. Or ask a neighbor or friend to commit to a regular walking schedule with you. You're more likely to stick to your program.
Hire a trainer. (Here's where I come in!)
If you've gotten bored with your routine, consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions. A trainer can help you break through a fitness plateau. If your body has adapted to a program, you need help to take it to the next level. Sometimes coming to a trainer for two or three workouts to re-evaluate and answer questions can give the variety, motivation, and spark you need.

Week 7 Results

2007-02-27T07:16:00.000-06:00

Hi all! Did you think we forgot you? Just CRAZY busy here with birthdays and sick children and work and LIFE. So, now that the bitching is out of the way, here are the results....Jeremie continues to kick serious ass, while Sonda does the same. Andy is back to his old form too...great job guys!!

Jeremie -1.6
Sonda -3.5
Sharon -1
Heather 2.5 (FF)
Kristi 0.5 (FF)
Susie 1.2 (FF)
Andy -2.5
Keeley 0 (NWI - FF)
Michelle -1.5
Suzi -0.4 (FF)
Donna -1
Julia -1
HeatherG 1.8 (FF)

We'll try to get some posts going...hang in there! You guys are doing great!!

Challenge Choices

2007-02-22T13:22:00.000-06:00

Okay, here are the post ideas. Vote for your favorite in the comment section please and we will award the winner a shiny free FF pass:

Discuss 'nonscale' victories
How to get more motivated to exercise
Defining moments - when you decided to commite to weight loss
More on why breakfast is such an important meal
Favorite weight loss inspirations, resources etc.

Voting is now open!!

Week 6 Results - And a Challenge!

2007-02-19T08:13:00.000-06:00

We had some serious losers this week! Great job guys - especially Jeremie who passed 40lbs this week! Holy Cow!! Since we're at the half way point, I've also included total lbs lost to date in italics. Great job guys!!

Jeremie -8.6 (-43.2)
Sonda -2.2 (-16)
Sharon +1 (FF) (-5.5)
Heather 0.5 (FF) (+0.5)
Kristi -1.5 (+0.5)
Susie -3.4 (-10.8)
Andy -2.5 (-7.5)
Keeley NWI (FF) (-2)
Michelle -1.5 (-15)
Suzi 0.2 (FF) (-8)
Donna -1 (-7)
Julia -1 (-8)
HeatherG NWI (FF) (-2.8)

Okay, now that we're half way, its time to get things moving - even more! I like seeing some of those big numbers - and we hope to see more in the coming weeks.

Onto your mission...should you choose to accept it....

Since NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON commented on the posts from last the week, Sonia and I are beginning to think we haven't found that one topic that YOU want to hear about. So - I have a challenge. Send us some topics you'd like to read about. I'll make a list and post it and we'll all vote on which topic we'd most like to hear about. If it's YOUR topic that gets picked, you get a free Fatty Fee pass for use by you for any remaining weigh-in of your choice.

We want to make this Pool fun and informative. If it takes a $5 pass to do it, so be it. Send in your ideas by Wednesday, 5:00pm EST and we'll post the results asap.

So bring on the ideas people! I know you got 'em!

SnackFest

2007-02-15T12:20:00.000-06:00

Think you have to give up snacks because you're watching your waistline?
No way.

Consider this information from Fitness Magazine:

For many women, dieting equals food restriction. Snacks? They usually get eliminated in the name of saving calories. But snacking when you're watching your weight is actually a good idea. "[When dieting,] people often wait too long in between meals, so by the time they eat, they're so hungry, their portions or choices are out of control," says Linda McLachlan, RD, CDN, a New Jersey dietitian with Nutrition Matters, LLC. "Snacking helps keep you satisfied and wards off cravings."

And this from SmartDiets.Info:

Don't inflict punishment upon yourself by adhering to an overly strict diet plan that doesn't allow an occasional snack. Dieting doesn't have to be painful in order to be successful. You deserve daily snacks and occasional treats, and they won't sabotage your new healthy lifestyle when consumed within moderation. Daily snacks will keep you on track, and occasional treats will help change your eating habits for permanent weight-loss success. Consume any food you enjoy within moderation, and you can have any snack you want and still achieve weight-loss success.

Also, don't forget that even though it's a snack, you really don't have to restrict yourself to something low fat or low calorie only. You can make a "snack" serving out of some of your favorite things, just measure out 100-150-200 calories, label a sandwich bag and put your snack food in it. Make snacking work for you, even taking a little time to figure out the calories on something that wouldn't necessarily be considered "diet" food means you can still have your favorites and pay attention to the serving size.

Some quick, easy snacks that won't bust you on calories:

Hard boiled egg (I kick start with these to get some protein with my breakfast)

Jell-O brand fat-free pudding snacks

String cheese (add some much needed calcium to your diet)

Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs (I love these, I nosh on these all the time)

Of course, fruits and veggies (but you already knew that)

Individual serving light popcorn

Hopefully, some of these snack options will help you find success reaching your daily goals with the food you're eating. Think before you snack, but by all means, it is certainly OK.

Additional info:
Source, Source, Source,

First Thing - EAT!

2007-02-12T11:37:00.000-06:00

You may already know this. You may not. You may know it and still not apply the knowledge to practice.
Breakfast. It's not just for kids anymore.

Think about the origin of the word itself. Break your fast. Breakfast is supposed to be the first meal you eat after the involuntary fasting of being asleep all night long. So, why do so many of us take that first intake of food for granted and skip it altogether?

Bad idea....bad bad bad. And eating the wrong foods, like a doughnut or other refined carbohydrate is bad in that the rush of sugar can actually activate your appetite. This may sound completely odd, but skipping eating for that additional few hours means that by the time you do eat, you're actually triggering an increase in appetite. NOT GOOD. Willpower is great, but it doesn't do you any good when you are fighting your own metabolism and taking actions that stack the odds against you.

Breakfast is also an easy meal to add in the protein if you are falling short. Eggs and cheese with some low carb green veggies and voila, you've got yourself an omelet and a great kickstart to your diet for the day. Go here for a few suggestions on your breakfast menu.

If you're like me and are on the run all the time and like those grab and go kinds of breakfasts, have I got a recipe for you. This is a muffin recipe - a very flexible one at that! My kids LOVE these. We just made them this weekend and they are half gone already. And they have some fiber too!

Fast Good-For-U Muffins

1 box of your favorite cake mix (best ones are cinnamon swirl and chocolate!! Okay, no mixes with the add 'fudge' packets, etc!)

1 can of pumpkin (the small size)

Line muffin pan with muffin cups (or use the new foil ones that can be baked on a cookie sheet no muffin tin - my favorite!) Mix together the cake mix and pumpkin, preferably with a mixer. Spoon batter into muffin cups and back per the cupcake instructions on the cake mix box. I usually check mine about 5 minutes before they are supposed to be done - they will spring back like cupcakes when done. Hint: If you're using the cinnamon swirl cake mix, I like to add an extra teaspoon or two of ground cinnamon to make them extra cinnamony! These are a very good alternate to the normal 10-18g of fat regular muffins!!

So, if you haven't done so yet today. Go eat breakfast. Break your fast. It is the next EASY and logical step in your weight loss.

Source, Source, Source

Week 5 Results Updated

2007-02-10T19:10:00.000-06:00

Kids, next week is the halfway point! Let's rock and roll. There will be an update to the results when Heather does the nifty little spreadsheet thingy. Some of you are very close on percentage of weight loss, keep working those pounds off!

Jeremie -4.4
Sonda -4.0
Sharon -1.0
Heather +1 (FF)
Kristi +2.5 (FF)
Susie +1.2 (FF)
Andy +5.0 (FF)
Keeley -1.0
Michelle -2.0
Suzi -1.4
Donna -1.0
Julia -1.0
HeatherG -1.2

Way to go, sidebar will be updated when percentages are updated. Thanks, good effort this week, keep it up!! Next week, we'll put up an additional post with total pounds lost to date at our halfway point.

Still waiting for that early spring prediction from the groundhog, aren't you?? Ready to show off your skinny new bodies in summer clothes this year!! :)

***Update*** Side bar is updated....tell me, do you think its wrong that I want to ask hubby for a gym membership for valentines day? Ugh.

Don't Whine About Wine

2007-02-08T09:54:00.000-06:00

Let’s talk a little about drinking. With the weekend coming, it’s hard, ya know? I mean, who wants to do all that hard work being good all week, watching what is going in our mouths, then blow it on the weekends eating fatty foods and drinking like lushes?? Not me! But, I also don’t want to give up the social life/adult time and with that, comes an analysis of “how much or how little alcohol is OK?”

First, let’s just give everyone a little reminder that beverages, except for water, have calories. It’s easy to think “it’s a drink, it’s not really like adding anything to my diet because it’s a drink.” Some people really think that drinks don’t count.
Uh, hello. They do, and some count big time.

So, if you’re hardcore about your weight loss, give up the booze completely. This is your choice. If you’d rather have a 100-calorie pack during a late afternoon snack binge instead of imbibing the brews that night, go out with your friends and have some water with a lemon wedge. And if anyone gives you crap for not drinking, guess what, you need to find some new friends. How old are we now? Peer pressure is over. Mature adults who choose not to drink may have a number of reasons for doing so (alcoholism, pregnancy, etc.) that they’d rather not discuss. Anymore, personal choices should be given respect. Besides, your water with lemon may look vaguely like a vodka something-or-other, people might not even notice.

For those of you who enjoy a drink or five, think ahead to what you usually order when you go out. Look up the calories on a chart. It’s not hard to find your beverage of choice and how many calories it has. Then, you’ll have to plan accordingly. Like gin? It’s gonna cost ya. And let’s not forget with mixed drinks, the sodas, juices and other high calorie, sugary things that liquor is combined with. Those calories add up too.

So, to follow, we’ve found various sources you can go have a read, that show both the pros and cons of drinking alcohol. (**Yes, there are pros!)

**And, obviously, there are studies that support and studies that discredit practically every claim out there. I mean, seriously, every time I turn around eggs are good, then they're bad, then they're good. Just do your own research, this is just a slice of information that we've found regarding alcohol and the final decision, as with everything else, is up to you. We're just giving you some perspectives to consider.**

PROS:

Drinking wine, specifically white wine, may keep the lungs healthy.

Red wine, in moderation, has been shown to be beneficial for the heart.

People who drink wine occasionally may have a lower risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's Disease.

CONS:

Chronic heaving drinking can lead to problems such as liver disease, brain disease, cancer, heart disease.

In regards to weight loss, people who are overweight actually gain weight more easily if they drink alcohol and the calories from alcohol tend to be stored in the gut, so if you want six-pack abs you'll need to cut down on the booze.

Bottom line:

* If you're going to drink, drink in moderation. Our recommendation would be that, if you're going to drink at all, drink one or maybe two drinks then switch to water. But, factor in that consumption of calories ahead of time, they do count!
* Be aware of alcohol and it's effects in combination with any medications, prescription or otherwise, that you may be taking.
* Beware that drinking sometimes goes hand in hand with eating high fat foods and/or smoking. Keep your smarts about you and stay firm with your game plan before you go out.
* If you've always stuck with one favorite drink, maybe try to develop a taste for something with fewer calories.
* Plan ahead, be smart, make good choices. Weight loss doesn't mean you have to eliminate your social life, just work it into your plan in a sensible, common sense way.

Burn Baby Burn!

2007-02-06T08:57:00.000-06:00

A post from our personal trainer Lesleh:

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither is the perfect body. If you make sure your exercise nutrition programs are formulated properly, you will be on the road to acheiving your objectives and start seeing imporvements in your figure. Patience is the order of the day.
Fat is accessed rather slowly, so a good strategy is to attempt to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week. Of course, no one wants to hear that because everyone these days wants a quick fix. I am here to tell you there are none. None that last at any rate. It is time to take a different look at your body. I like to think of mine as an engine. An engine requires fuel and it needs to be used regularly in order for it to run at it's maximum capacity. This all comes down to metabolism.
Supercharge your metabolism. Take a good multivitamin (which has already been suggested...bravo) Pump up your protein intake. Making sure that you are getting enough protein is the next best way to raise your metabolism. It takes more energy to digest protein because you burn more calories during its digestion than you do after eating other types of foods. It also stimulates the production of glucogon, a hormone that tells bodyfat cells to give up their stanglehold on fat. This is a key reason why studies have shown that higher protein intake leads to faster wieght loss, even when calories are the same among study groups. Good protein options include eggs, fish and poultry along with vegetable sources such as nuts and whole grains.
The six meal a day rule....it isn't a secret that eating smaller more frequent meals leads to a more efficient metabolism. Herein lies my body as an engine theory...digestion takes energy; you use calories to digest, absorb and assimilate food. So, the more often you eat the more calories you burn through digestion. That doesn't mean however that you are allowed to eat more calories throughout the day, you should split your proper planned food intake into smaller more frequent meals. Munching on snacks like baby carrots or a protein bar is a good way to avoid overeating at breakfast, lunch and dinner and incorporate more low complex carbohydrate meals into your diet.
By the same token the fastest way to slow down your metabolism is to follow extreme unbalanced diets.Starvation diets (500 calories or less) can slow down your metabolism by up to 50 percent. Even the most physiologically sound diets will gradually lead to a slow decline. That is why I encourage a spurge meal once a week to prevent that metabolic decline from happening.
Of course the number one way to supercharge your metabolism is to exercise. Not only do you burn 300 to 500 calories per hour during intense workouts, but you also build much needed calorie burning muscle and increase cardiovascular health and efficiency which leads to even easier bodyfat loss. Consistent, daily exercise is a key variable in long term metabolic management.
So there you have it. The foundation to metabolic health will be laid solidly by your committment to living out these four habits. Be patient, move your body, eat lean and healthy, and enjoy life... you will keep your engine running effeciently for a good long time.
(Refererence Fit for Life for a simple 6 meal a day guide.)

***Please remember, if you have any exercise/training questions for Lesleh, please post them and/or email directly to the Pool email and she will answer as soon as she can. No question is dumb, it's better to ask than do something unhealthy or get an injury.***

Week 4 Results

2007-02-05T09:39:00.000-06:00

The results are in~or should I say HAVE been in....but Blogger has thus far refused to cooperate. WTF is up lately??

Anyway, better late than never....drumroll....

Jeremie -4.6
Sonda -1.4
Sharon -2.5
Heather 0 (FF)
Kristi -1
Susie -2.4
Andy -4
Keeley NWI (FF)
Michelle -2.5
Suzi +1.4 (FF)
Donna +3 (FF)
Julia 0 (FF)
HeatherG 0 (FF)

Some big losers this week - congrats to Jeremie, Andy, and Michelle! Awesome job guys!!!!!! Hopefully blogger will cooperate this week and we can really get back into the swing of things. Let us know if there are any topics you'd like to hear something about, or if you have any suggestions/ideas for the Pool...we'd love to hear from you!!!!

Don't Forget!!

2007-02-01T14:04:00.000-06:00

Blogger has sucked ass the last few days, so I apologize for no posting....BUT! Don't forget - weigh-ins tomorrow by 4:00pm EST...

AND...please email us by noon tomorrow if you would like to order a Pool t-shirt...

Happy Thursday!

Stomach Flu Weight Loss

2007-01-30T15:41:00.001-06:00

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

2007-01-29T09:48:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-26T14:48:00.000-06:00

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!

2007-01-26T11:05:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-24T12:11:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-22T12:23:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-20T08:48:00.000-06:00

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....

2007-01-18T07:50:00.000-06:00

...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

2007-01-16T07:53:00.000-06:00

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!)

2007-01-14T16:26:00.000-06:00

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?

2007-01-11T10:00:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-10T07:17:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-08T08:58:00.000-06:00

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!

2007-01-06T15:37:00.000-06:00

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

2007-01-03T13:41:00.000-06:00

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.

New Pool - Updated

2006-12-29T08:26:00.000-06:00

Sign up is underway for the new Pool for the New Year.
We may delay the official start date to allow enough time to recruit new members. We'll let you know when we need to register your start weight.
Start out 2007 with a smaller waistband and get ready to be healthier! And this time, there's no Halloween candy and Thanksgiving to survive!
So, come on in, the water is fine...
If you would like to sign up or want more information, email the Pool email at: deependotp@gmail.com

UPDATE: As of 5PM Eastern time Friday, there are six members signed up (5 bloggers). Let's get double that by the end of the weekend, we'll go ahead and say the offical starting weigh in is next Friday. Recruit new people and we'll email you with the details next week with a kickoff to commence one week from today.

Take Off Your Floaties! Final Results!

2006-12-18T12:09:00.000-06:00

Just a note to say SEASONS GREETINGS from your Sergeants of Squish, lifeguards and all around happy gals Sonia and Heather.

First, we’re pleased with the progress made by the group. We’re extremely proud of how hard you’ve all tried and we know that even though big numbers haven’t registered (yet) on the scale for a few, you have all done a fantastic job taking responsibility for your health and your weight loss and you’re on your way to big results.

We will be posting detailed information about the next Pool very soon, we hope you’ll link it up in your blogs and let your readers know about joining for the New Year. We’d love to have even more participants! There will be some small details ironed out and a couple minute changes. Still out there is the challenge and Fatty Fee exemption for the person who recruits the most members for the next Pool.

Without further ado, drumroll please…

Our Pool winner of both pounds lost and percentage lost is Andy. He will be awarded the total of $285 when the last pending payments clear Paypal. Congratulations to Andy!

I’m listing our results in order of percentage lost which shows where you were in the pack as not everyone was starting at the same weight, it’s a more accurate gauge of your success as compared with the other members. Please don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel you were as successful as you’d hoped to be. We have another Pool to join soon to give you a fresh start or maybe you addressing some other things that hindered your results. Don’t put your health on the backburner, come back when you are ready and read the posts with good common sense advice to help you be all-around healthy!

Andy: -32.0 pounds, -11.85%
Lana: -27.0 pounds, -10.63%
Allison: -18.4 pounds, -10.55%
Deanna: -17.2 pounds, -8.82%
Amy: -11.5 pounds, -8.68%
Sonia: -11.3 pounds, -8.39%
Melody: -10.8 pounds, -5.35%
Kristi: -9.5 pounds, -4.92%
Keeley: -7.0 pounds, -4.38%
AnaBell: -8.2 pounds, -3.98%
Michele: +2.4 pounds, +1.35%
Heather: +3.0 pounds, +2.17%

We’re excited for the results of the group as a whole. This was a fun and great experience, we look forward to having a bigger, and even more fun with bigger results, Pool the next time. Have a fantastic rest of your week, and enjoy your time with family, we’ll see you in the next Pool!

Last Dive

2006-12-15T10:16:00.000-06:00

This is the final weigh in Friday for this round of the Pool.
When you send in your weight, don't forget to include your picture of your skinnier toes on the scale.
And as an added bonus, there will be NO FATTY FEE this week! Consider this our Christmas gift to you all for your efforts!
Let's see those emails today, same time as usual, by 4PM Eastern.
We'll post results tomorrow, and as there will be no FF, only those who are pending on last week's fee need to make sure you are paid, the winner(s) will be declared Monday when we double and triple verify all the math.

**Please don't forget to promote the Pool for the new year on your blog. We'd love to have a lot of people start out with a great outlook for 2007!

The End of the Road

2006-12-14T09:21:00.000-06:00

Today is your last official day during this first Pool. What are you going to do with it?
Exercise like crazy to pull some big numbers? Maybe eat your healthiest day of eating yet?
Or are you going to relax and say "hey, I've got this in the bag".
Either way, are you armed with the knowledge, willpower, and secret weapons to get yourself through the holiday season without gaining back a lot of the weight?
It's interesting, for me personally, yes I gained two pounds back over Thanksgiving, which was basically five straight days of eating a lot. Then it came off easily and getting back to my normal "routine" wasn't hard or disappointing. I'm the lightest I've been now since before I had my two youngest children.
And now I know, I can make very basic adjustments regarding eating smart, but still enjoying those holiday meals, and not throw my hands up and say "oh, I blew it! My diet is over!" Because it's not. I'm going to enjoy the holidays, and that includes the meals, but it doesn't need to be something that I do every day for a couple weeks. I can eat well, and eat sensibly and have a good balance.
Not to mention, the fact that going more than a couple days without some serious exercise frustrates me. So, not exercising isn't an option because I feel a lot better making sure I'm doing some cardio or some Pilates about 4 times a week.
We'd love to hear about any snaps you're getting from people who haven't seen you since you started the Pool.
At Pilates yesterday, two gals were like "how much weight have you lost? and how?" and I told them I've lost ten pounds. And it feels really good that people notice you're skinnier and more trim and your clothes fit better or, the best feeling, you've got down to that smaller size!
Don't forget to take a picture with your weigh in tomorrow. We'll be verifying with your weigh in picture from the first week.
Also, spend next week recruiting friends and co-workers. Make up a flyer with the basic, bulletpoint information explaining how simple the Pool is. And Heather and I discussed that next time, we will have two winners: weight loss and percentage and if the same person gets percentage, it will be the next percentage loss in line. We want to have more Pool love to go around so you feel like you all have a chance of scoring the cash! TWO WINNNERS!
Hang in there, we can't wait to see your cute toes tomorrow!

Week 12 Results Updated

2006-12-11T08:17:00.000-06:00

**Update - somehow, we missed Alison's weigh in, so we've updated it below. Way to go Alison!**

Apparently, Christmas eating has already started for some of us (that would be me!) A slow week this week. Congratulations to Andy, who lost another 1.5 lbs this week and has now lost a total of 30 lbs! Awesome!!!

Alison -1.4
Sonia -2.2
Heather NWI (FF)
Keeley NWI (FF)
Deanna NWI (FF)
Kristi NWI (FF)
Anabell -1.5
Lana -1.3
Melody -0.6 (FF)
Amy -1.0
Andy -1.5
Michele B 3.2 (FF)

And the biggest loser this week...none other than our very own Sonia!!! Congrats!!

*** FRIDAY IS THE LAST WEIGH IN FOR THIS POOL...DON'T FORGET TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEXT POOL STARTING IN JANUARY. ***

Friday Weigh In

2006-12-08T11:30:00.000-06:00

Today is weigh in! Results must be emailed by 4PM Eastern. Remember, at least a full pound loss must be registered to negate the Fatty Fee! We will post losses, gains and maintains tomorrow. You will see where the standings are regarding total weight loss, percentages, etc.

DONT FORGET TO PROMOTE KICKOFF FOR THE NEW POOL!!

***Next Friday is the last weigh in. You must also take a picture of your feet on the scale to check against your starting weigh in photo. There is a lot of money in the pool, we want to make sure it is fair.***

Shirts are Ready!

2006-12-06T14:45:00.000-06:00

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! Ignore the writing to the left side, that is informational stuff from the company for reference. If we don't have at least a dozen ordering this time, we'll wait until the new Pool to make sure the cost is what they quoted, less than a dozen will be more expensive.
Imagine how many questions you'll get when wearing this at the gym????

Staying Steady with Protein

2006-12-05T11:58:00.000-06:00

Today we're revisiting protein intake. Lesleh offered up a post about it before back here. The Washington Post article today addresses protein along with a chart to find where your protein intake should be for your gender and age. It also offers ideas for foods with protein.

Some highlights of the article include:

Of all the macronutrients that we eat, "protein blunts your hunger the most and is the most satiating," notes Wayne Campbell, who leads a team investigating protein at Purdue University's Campbell Laboratory for Integrative Research in Nutrition, Fitness and Aging.

In October, Campbell and his colleagues reported at the annual meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity that women who added a little lean protein to their breakfast -- in this case, a slice of Canadian bacon added to an egg sandwich made with an English muffin -- experienced less hunger over the next four hours than those who ate the sandwich sans bacon.

Blood levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin also rose significantly less in women who ate the bacon breakfast.

Think about where you are with your protein if you haven't addressed this issue already. And, remember, there is such a thing as overdoing it with the protein also, don't go crazy with it.

As Simple As It Gets

2006-12-04T17:35:00.000-06:00

A note from our personal trainer Lesleh:

Okay...okay...okay. Enough already! Just eat it. It is December. It is as cold as a polar bear's ass outside and the last thing you feel like doing is walking or running outside. To top it all off the kids are bouncing off the walls inside because Santa is coming soon and everytime you attempt to get on the treadmill they are right there ready to climb aboard.!
Breathe. Take a moment to consider all your holiday options. You could just say "screw it", it is December. I will jump back on the bandwagon in January (which some of you will definitely do!), or you could devise a plan to make it through the next three or four weeks without adding pounds to your newly slim frames.
Here's what I do. I continue to faithfully workout. No excuses.
I do enjoy a tasty beverage, so I resolve to only have a beer or alcoholic drink on the weekends. Preferably just one day on the weekend.
I stay away from most cookies and baked goods. I stick to a relatively high protein diet, eliminating the super charged carbs that seem to be out in high quantities at this time of year.
As Nancy Reagan would say - - -just say no. Turn away from the majority of the goodies because they will pack on the pounds. Visualize as you read that word "PACK". Now - - listen, it is Christmas and you should allow yourself a few days of indulgence. Spread those days over a couple of weeks though. Eat drink and be merry....in moderation. Happy holidays. Happy holidays!
Yours in the gym, Lesleh

Week 11 Results

2006-12-04T07:27:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the late update folks! Here's the low down...great job Andy! Our biggest loser for this week...although Deanna isn't far behind!!!

Alison -1.2
Sonia +1 (FF)
Heather 0 (FF)
Keeley +1.5 (FF)
Deanna -2
Kristi +1 (FF)
Anabell -1.3
Lana -1.1
Melody -1.2
Amy +2 (FF)
Andy -2.5
Michele B NWI (FF)

Two more weigh-ins - lets go guys!! Don't forget - new pool is starting right after the holidays!

Friday Weigh In

2006-12-01T08:56:00.000-06:00

Holiday Stress

2006-11-29T12:11:00.000-06:00

I love the holidays but they can be extremely stressful. I don't know about you, but stress for me equals more food. I tend to eat more when I have more things to worry about. So, in order to help you deal with some of the holiday stress (and hopefully cut down on the stress related eating), here are a few tips:

Plan your meals as best you can. Try to make double batches of things and freeze. Having something already made to pop in the oven after a busy day of shopping or other holiday errands will help you stay on the right track.
Make a list and delegate holiday tasks. This is easier said than done for control freaks like myself, but it can help reduce your stress if you aren't having to do EVERYTHING for the holidays. Give the kids something to do too - they like getting involved.
Try to keep your routines (sleeping and eating) as close to normal as possible. We've already discussed how lack of sleep can make you hungrier - don't pile that on top your other stress!
Be sure to make time to enjoy the things you love about the holidays. Go see lights! Go shop! But don't get lost in the 'To Do' list and forget about the reason for holiday.
Take some time for yourself during the holidays - 5 minutes everyday, if you can, to just relax.
Last but not least, forget perfection. Nothing is perfect. Chances are, you will have a few fiascos or meltdowns over the next few weeks. Do not expect everything to run smoothly or to look perfect. Roll with the punches.

Bottom line is, do your best to avoid the stress and to enjoy the holidays. It will be easier to avoid the overeating if stress doesn't add to the temptation.

Fiber, Kick It Up!

2006-11-28T15:03:00.000-06:00

Some of you may be shaking in your Santa boots about avoiding the gain of holiday pounds.
Going back and reviewing your baby steps is one way to keep a sound game plan going. Remember the water, the eating breakfast, watching portion size. Don't forget about what we said about alcohol consumption. You can, just be smart about it.

Today's Lean Plate Club article in the Washington Post talks about kicking your fiber intake up to help maintain during the holidays.

Their health and nutrition columnist also says....

"The food goal this week is to add more fiber. Figure on 25 grams daily for women; 38 grams daily for men. (Of course, those two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables that you're reaching for first, before the tempting holiday fare, will also help you meet this new goal.) So can eating a high-fiber cereal. Among the options (and I have no financial connection with any of these companies) :

All Bran, Cheerios, Shredded Wheat, Oatmeal.

Add to that whole grain crackers, bread and pasta. Also, beans are a real high-fiber winner, packing up to 17 grams per cup."

If you haven't thought about it yet, perhaps a goal for this week is to see where you are lacking regarding the fiber in your diet and focus on making that a priority. We'll have more tips the rest of the week but for the last three weigh ins and how busy December can be, we encourage you to revisit the starting posts if you feel overwhelmed. Stay on track with what helped you lose those first pounds and focus on keeping them OFF!

The Deep End for the New Year

2006-11-27T15:50:00.000-06:00

We are happy to start taking sign ups for the next Pool. But there are some interesting tidbits you need to know.

DATES TO REMEMBER:
Dec. 1 – sign up for the New Year’s Pool begins
Dec. 29 – final date you can submit your starting weight and sign up (without penalty)
Jan. 5 – first weigh in
Jan. 7 – last day late members can be added, anything after 12/29 will be charged a $10 late sign up fee

Current members, please promote this on your blog. We’d like the next Pool to be even bigger! More money to win at the end, more camaraderie, more information to share, more success stories, more pounds GONE FOREVER!!!
To entice you, for the two members who recruit the most new Pool participants, each will receive a one week Fatty Fee exemption pass that can be used at any time during the next Pool.

Some notes to share with your blog readers:

The Pool is fun, informational, a group effort, and for your greedy friends, a chance to win some cold hard cash!

All member blogs will be promoted on the Pool site

You only pay the Fatty Fee if you don’t lose at least a pound. This has got to be the cheapest weight loss club/plan/group in existence! You don’t pay anything unless you do work hard at it!

Another note is that for our “maiden voyage” Pool here, we are extremely proud of our 12 members in two countries who have lost 124 pounds (so far!) and there’s still 3 weigh-ins to go. That’s impressive. Also impressive is that two people (or maybe one) are going to come out with at least $100 each for doing so well. Some cash in your pocket AND being skinnier…not too shabby. Money for a new skinny wardrobe. Holla!

So, tell your friends, both blogging buddies and real life human friends that we start taking sign ups Friday, just name, blog and email for now is fine. We won't be collecting starting weights until the end of the month. Have them email the Pool email with this information.

PS) Feel free to steal the graphic off this post for your own recruiting efforts, Uncle Sam is a convincing dude!

Week 10 Results (Updated)

2006-11-27T07:36:00.000-06:00

With three weeks left, we're in the home stretch people!!! Without further ado, here are out week 10 results....

Alison -1
Sonia 0 (No FF – Exempt for T-Shirt Design Winner)
Heather 1.5 (FF)
Keeley No Weigh In (FF)
Deanna 0 (FF)
Kristi 1.5 (FF)
Anabell 1.4 (FF)
Lana -4 (Biggest Loser!! Awesome! AND new 20 Club Member!)
Melody -1.2
Amy -1 (New 10 Club Member!!)
Andy -1
Michele B No Weigh In (FF)

A big congratulations to Amy for becoming a 10 Club Member this week! Also, another huge shout out to Lana who had a blockbuster week - she was the biggest loser AND joined the 20 Club this week. AWESOME job you guys!!!!

UPDATED: Percentages are listed below. With three more weigh ins (Dec. 1, 8, & 15) there may be some shuffling around of total pounds and percentage winner(s). The pot is a nice tidy sum for the person(s) who win! Keep sending in those losses each Friday! The next three weeks will be great for keeping up the hard work.

% Lost (Lbs Lost)

Alison -7.57% (-13.2)
Sonia -6.76% (-9.1)
Deanna -7.79% (-15.2)
Lana -8.27% (-21.0)
Amy -7.55% (-10.0)
Andy -9.63% (-26.0)
Kristi -5.18% (-10.0)

Way to go guys!! Just a reminder....last weigh-in is December 15th! Sonia will be posting information about our next Pool soon!

Post Turkey Day Weigh In

2006-11-24T08:30:00.000-06:00

This will be short as my in-laws have VERY slow internet access. I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving. And I hope everyone took a nice long walk after they stuffed themselves on turkey and side dishes and desserts as its weigh-in day! The scale waits for no one!

Same deadline folks - 4pm eastern. If you don't send us your weight, you will starting from your last weigh-in for next week.

I'll try to come back later today to update with results, assuming the internet access doesn't burn up and collapse in the mean time.

Light Posting, Heavy Eating

2006-11-20T13:39:00.000-06:00

Because of the fabulous Thanksgiving holiday this week, posting will be light (or maybe nonexistent after today, who knows?)
And if you want to maintain your current diet and exercise plan, we think that's great. If you don't, that's great too. We just want everyone to simply enjoy yourselves if you have some time off with family and try not to feel too much guilt if you go back for seconds on turkey and stuffing. You've worked hard and taking the day off isn't against the rules by any stretch. Do what works for you. But most of all, have a great time with your loved ones.
Weigh in still applies on Friday. Weigh in Thursday morning if you need to. No earlier weigh ins will be accepted.
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Official Pool Gear and Weigh Ins

2006-11-20T13:34:00.000-06:00

The official t-shirt of the Deep End of the Pool will be offered up to you when everyone returns to regular life next week after the Turkey Day holiday. Sonia was the only person who offered up a design option at all, so she gets a free Fatty Fee pass!
Will post the design for you all next week and offer one for you to purchase, they won't be too pricey.
You can start talking on your blogs about the Pool as we will be starting another Pool for the new year. If you can drum up more of your readers to come over, the more the merrier! We'll do the same format, 12 weeks of weigh in and the same opportunity to split the pot at the end.

Don't forget, at the last week weigh in, you'll need to take a picture of your tootsies on your scale so we can compare to your initial weigh in to make your progress "legit" since there's money involved here. We'll be seeing a lot of skinnier toes!

You Want Fries With That?

2006-11-20T13:33:00.000-06:00

Last week we asked for appetizer recipes. Didn't get much, keep sending those.
This week, think of salads and/or side dishes you can share with us.
Email to the Pool email please.
Thank you!

Ten Club!

2006-11-20T13:27:00.000-06:00

Another addition to the Ten Club is punching her membership card. Congrats and way to go for Kristi! We trust she will be wearing the swimming suit and dreadlocks at the Thanksgiving buffet come Thursday.
This brings our total in the current Ten Club to Allison, Deanna, Kristi and Lana. Andy, of course, left the Ten Club to join Twenty Pounds under the Pool.
We have a couple more members sneaking up on Ten, the last three weigh ins will be very exciting!

Week 9 Results

2006-11-17T15:40:00.000-06:00

A much improved week guys! Way to go! AND we have a NEW member of the 10 Club....drum roll please.....Kristi! Great job - total loss to date is 11.5 lbs, and she's our biggest loser this week too - 4 lbs! Awesome job!

Results:
Alison -1.6
Sonia -2
Heather 1 (FF)
Keeley 0 (FF)
Deanna -1.1
Kristi -4 (Can you see the BIG L on her forehead??!!!)
Anabell -1.2
Lana -2.4
Melody -0.4 (FF)
Amy -1
Andy -2
Michele B -2.2

Friday Weigh In

2006-11-17T07:18:00.000-06:00

Deanna's Guest Post

2006-11-15T19:32:00.000-06:00

I never really had a problem being thinner when I was young. I did gymnastics, played field hockey, heck, I even worked as a trainer at a gym! Being 5'7", I was comfortable being between 140-150, and did it without much effort.
Then came cosmetology school. A place where the entire day revolved around food. What was for breakfast, what was for lunch. Even what were we gonna have for lunch tomorrow. A pound or two here or there...no biggie, right?
As a cosmetologist, you are constantly on your feet, which should translate into some exercise, right? Not when every meal is taken on the fly, and pot lucks are an almost weekly occurrence...another pound or two-ok, maybe a size or two...but I didn't mind being a bit curvy, and I was still pretty active, so still no problem, right?
Fast forward 10 years, and those little pounds have become 20, then 30...Yikes! But you know what? Like a lot of other people, I rationalized with myself-I'm still in "regular" sizes, I still get lots of dates...it can't be all that bad, right??? RIGHT???
And that's pretty much where I was when I got pregnant with my first son. I ate well, but I also walked a lot, and I managed to only gain 12 pounds in the first 6 months. Then I developed Pre-eclampsia, which is a condition where you develop extremely high blood pressure, and all of the side effects of that disease. Most pre-eclampsia can be managed with bed rest, sometimes medication. But within a couple weeks of my first high blood pressure reading, I was dumping protein in my urine, which meant my kidneys were failing. I was admitted to the hospital at 26 weeks, and delivered my son at 27. He weighed only 1 pound 12 ounces, and while for the most part he was healthy and only had to grow, he had a couple of touch and go moments...
In the beginning, I actually lost weight. After losing the 35 pounds of water weight I gained as a result of the pre-e and the drugs they had me on, my life revolved around the NICU, then caring for a still very small baby when he came home. In addition, since Connor was on a ventilator for an extended period, he was vulnerable to a lot of respiratory issues, and the doctors tell you to keep the babies away from people during cold and flu season for the first 2 years. I was even hesitant to take him outside for walks...add another 10 pounds. Geesh, these pants are getting tight-where are my sweats?
2 years later, same situation, but I manage to keep Cameron in an extra 3 weeks. He weighed in at 2 pounds 10 ounces, and pretty much breezes through NICU, and comes home by his due date. But once again, we have to keep to ourselves during cold and flu season. Gah-now my sweats are getting a bit tight. Count in all the things we moms tend to do-finishing that last bite of the kids lunch, not taking any time for ourselves...all of this adds up to being almost 200 pounds, a size 18/20, and a misery that perpetuates itself.
My biggest change during this last 8-9 weeks has been cutting out cokes. I have gone from drinking maybe 6 a day(need that caffeine!) to maybe having one, many days not. I drink a lot more water, and iced tea, ALMOST unsweetened, and I am just more conscious of what I eat. No more finishing the boys plates, no more seconds, managing portions, and eliminating nutritionally void snacks. The best part about all of this is that my kids enjoy the healthy snacks as much as they did the less healthy ones. We also go outside (in our backyard) more, running around, and we make time for a mid-afternoon "dance party" and shake our bootys all over the place for a good 20 minutes each day. My next goal is to go walking (by-myself-sigh!) at least 3 times a week...
I still have a ways to go before I reach my goal weight. I would like to be around 150-160 again, but I know it's an achievable goal. Thanks to the Sargeants for making this fairly painless and most of all fun!

Andy's Guest Post

2006-11-14T07:21:00.000-06:00

We all have our different stories and reasons for wanting to lose weight, here is mine.

I have always been a big guy, not overly fat necessarily just a burly fella ya know. It was once said I got the German body while my oldest brother got the skinny Irish one, and my middle brother got half and half (normal). It has been this way as long as I can remember and in Jr./High School I was pretty heavy into lifting weights in addition to Football. At one point during my Junior year I was even bench pressing 310lbs, and weighed around 210 at graduation. However as time and life went on, and my love affair with food grew to unmatched heights during culinary school and a 12 year stint as a chef, so did my weight. I forbade exercise in my life and relished beer, cigars, hard partying, and food for years. What could go wrong? I am in my 20s, I am invincible right?

That is until about a year back when I went in for a routine Doctor checkup expecting the usual "Well you could stand to lose a little weight but damn, your healthy as a horse!" only to be told that my cholesterol was very high and my blood pressure was getting there. I figured the test must have been wrong because I didn't fast beforehand. So 3 months later I got tested again, for real this time and I was going to prove that Doctor wrong and show her that my cholesterol is juuuuust fine. Wouldn't ya know it but it went UP 25 points! (Sonofa!) Ok, so that is a sign that I need to change my lifestyle right? Yes so I did what the men in my family do best and ignored it.

That is until September of this year when on a lark I weighed myself to see that I was a whopping 270 pounds! This was the biggest I had ever been, and to make matters worse my wife had mentioned that very same day that she was at 135. I was exactly 2 times her size and it was no longer muscle mass. Something HAD to change. Diabetes and high blood pressure both run in my family and I hate medical afflictions of all kinds because they mean inconvienance, expense, and Doctor visits hell they are just plain annoying. If I can avoid being diabetic that is reason enough to lose weight. By absolute coincidence Sunshine told me just a week later about this pool. This was just what I needed to drive myself. I need routine and competition to stick to any sort of diet alteration much less exercise. So I dragged my feet for a week or so just working on it on my own and finally joined up. I started my own program at the same time as the pool but made it official a week later.

I am a realist and skeptic at heart so I refuse to take any sort of magic pills, get surgery, or buy diet quick fixes off infomercials. I believe that weight loss is just as everything else in life is, you need to make up your mind to do it is all, no excuses. When I cheat, it's because I let myself cheat as a reward and it only comes in the form of a meal not a snack. When I don't deserve a reward, I don't get one. So far it's been working out pretty well and while the weekly losses are varied I have managed to drop 23 lbs total. It would be great to get down to 230 (17 to go) and fabulous to see 210 (37 to go) again so those are my 2 goals I am shooting for.

Anyway, that is my story of how I got in the pool.
Andy

Pool Party

2006-11-13T09:22:00.000-06:00

This is the first in a series of posts asking for your best of the best.
With four weeks left in the Pool (this go round anyway) and with us cruising into the holidays, we're asking for good, tasty and yet, dieter friendly recipes that we'll eventually compile into a Pool cookbook.
This week, it's appetizers. Please send your favorite appetizers recipes to the Pool email (don't post in the comments, please email them) with all the pertinent info: calories per serving, serving size, etc. that you possibly can. And if this is one of your own creations, please make it and figure out the calories and whatnot if you can, that's really helpful.
Submit as many recipes as you can. And if you have some stuff that lists the first three ingredients as butter, sour cream and cream cheese, switch out with the lower cal or low fat options and let us know the calories for that version of one of your favorites.
We'll be asking for things in every menu category, so start digging thru your recipe cards and cookbooks now!
Thanks!

Ten Club!

2006-11-13T08:41:00.000-06:00

The Ten Club has yet another member. Congrats to Alison for her slow and steady defeat of the ten pound mark. We are proud of you and realize you look much better in a swimming suit than Bo Derek.

Week 8 Results

2006-11-12T08:46:00.000-06:00

Another up and down week for the group....we all are hitting the busiest time of year. So, we all need to step it up! Me especially. Some of you continue to lose (read: jealous here!), so AWESOME!

Results:

Alison: -1 lb (YEAH - Alison hit the 10 club this week!!!!)
Sonia: 0 lb - FF
Heather: NWI (damn internet & AF) - FF
Keeley: NWI - FF
Deanna: - 2 lb
Kristi: -0.5 lb - FF
Anabel: -0.6 lb - FF
Lana: - 1 lb
Melody: NWI - FF
Amy: -1 lb
Andy: -2 lb
Michele: - 1 lb

So, we have a tie for biggest loser this week - Deanna and Andy - way to go guys! Now you get to duke it out to see who does our guest post this week. Unless of course, you both have some info you'd like to share - bring it on!!!

And again, congrats to Alison who made it into the 10 Club this week!!! SWEET! Keep it up girl!

Friday Weigh In

2006-11-10T07:59:00.000-06:00

A Dieters Survival Plan for the Holidays

2006-11-09T13:28:00.000-06:00

Another post from our trainer and all around guru Lesleh:

Aside from the fact that it has been about 70 degrees the last few days...take notice that the holiday season is upon us. With that comes the realization that the devil has manifested himself in every delicious edible delight known to man...and it will all parade itself before you in the next two months. Whether it is Halloween Candy (throw it away) or pre-holiday cookie temptations...Thanksgiving Buffets or Christmas Pies and Cakes-- it has all been set before you to rob you of your goal. Often times it is inevitable that you will put on a few extra pounds around this time. However, here are a few good tips to help you stay on track while still enjoying the holidays.

Eat A Lot.
Not a lot of food, but a lot of meals. Eat at least five small meals a day. This is one of the most important aspects of an effective diet plan, but often the most overlooked. Remember to eat a well balanced meal every 1 1/2 - 2 hours. This will help reduce your cravings for fattening holiday foods.

Keep Your Protein Intake High.
Protein is a great all natural appetite suppressant. Adding extra protein to your diet will not only speed up the muscle building process, but also help control those cravings for carbs.

Drink Plenty of Water.
Water will help give you that "full feeling" and make it easier to eat less. Try to drink at least 8-10 glasses (64-80 oz.) of water each day. Personally, I carry a gallon of water with me to work and the gym each day. Once that gallon is finished, I know that I have drank more than enough water for the day. It's also fun to see how long it takes the same people to stop asking you, "Are you really going to drink all that?"

Don't Feel Guilty When You Overeat.
The holidays are meant to be enjoyed. Accept the fact that you will probably overeat on a few days. Give yourself one day each week to eat your favorite holiday foods. Just try not to get carried away. One day a week can't do much harm to your diet. It may even help. Simply get back on track after your "cheat day." Trying to make up for overeating by overtraining or starving yourself usually does more harm in the long run.

Take Advantage Of The Opportunity.
Try using the challenge of staying on track during the holidays to your advantage. Look at it as an opportunity to make yourself a stronger person. Not only physically, but mentally. Imagine how much easier it will be for you to stick with your diet in the future, knowing that you succeeded during a time when many people fail.

Focus on your fitness goals and use these tips to stay on track during the holidays. Think about how great you will look New Years Eve struttin your stuff in an awesome (smaller size) outfit....stay in the game everyone! Happy Holidays!

A Three-Toed Sloth is Faster Than You

2006-11-08T09:43:00.000-06:00

Some statistics that will scare you into moving your ass. Or maybe, make you feel collectively guilty about sitting in front of the TV.

So, from my favorite little statistic book Number Freaking.

While filming Super Size Me – his 2004 record of what a month of eating McDonalds did to him- Morgan Spurlock set himself a daily walking limit of 2000 steps, the American average…

• Doctors say for a healthy cardiovascular system you should walk 10,000 steps daily.

At a step length of half a meter (19.69 inches, for argument’s sake) 2000 is 1 kilometer – 1094 yards-(and 10,000 steps is 5 kilometers, or 3.11 miles).

The average American is awake for 16.9 hours a day.

• Spreading 1 kilometer (1096 yards) evenly across their waking day, the average American can be said to be moving at an average speed of 65.0 yards per hour (under their own steam).

According to the Guinness Book of Answers…
• The common house snail moves at a speed of 54 yards (49 meters) per hour.
• The three-toed sloth moves at a speed of 119 yards (109 meters) per hour.
• The giant tortoise moves at a speed of 405 yards (370 meters) per hour.

Thus a tortoise moves over six times faster than the average American. And a sloth nearly twice as fast.

This information isn’t supposed to do anything except make you think. Do I really want a three-toed sloth to move twice as fast as I do?? I don’t think so!!

Maybe if you've had trouble staying motivated on the exercise, at least start with the pedometer and make sure you're moving your 10,000 steps a day. Baby steps...

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

2006-11-07T10:51:00.000-06:00

We've done encouraging posts, posts on habits, foods, exercise, recipes, etc. A little change of pace. Now for some blog angst...

So, when Sonia and I decided to do this weight loss pool/blog thing, I thought GREAT! I am SO the poster child for weight loss! I know a TON! I lost about 60 lbs with Weight Watchers (from July 2005 thru February 2006). I'd gained a few lbs back (okay, 15lbs), so I thought - no problem! Easy, right?! I did it once, I can do it again.

WRONG.

At least on the 'it being so easy to do it again' part. I am really struggling with finding my way this time. My total weight loss for the first 6 weeks is 1 lb people. That sucks. And its embarrassing. When I started WW back in July 2005, I decided to post my progress every week. I'm all about accountability. So here I am, being acccountable again. I thought the weekly weigh in with the Pool would do it for me this time. Not so much, it seems.

Here are some of the things that I think are holding me back or hindering my progress:

Other people's perception of me. People still continue to say 'you look great!' Ask me if I'm still losing, etc. There are alot of people at my company, so its not unusual for me not to see people for very long stretches of time. They see me now and think I look great - well, compared to before, that's true. But the difference is, I don't feel like I look good anymore. However, that opinion of myself is no longer being enforced by others - others think I look good, I think I look bad. Does that make sense?
My will power is shot to hell. Seriously. Within weeks of joining WW before, my desire to cheat was virtually gone. I watched my portions (weighed things even - on a scale!) and stayed in my points pretty strictly. I've started to think like I used to and sabotaging myself at most every opportunity.
Lack of exercise. I used to do SOMETHING 3 times a week - walking/running usually. It stopped this summer, and with my back getting hurt, resuming it was put off even longer. Then there's all that tv I like to watch, which impedes on my exercise time. Ha.
I'm tired. Tired of watching what I eat. Tired of thinking about food every waking frickin' hour of the day. Tired of wanting things I know I shouldn't have. Tired of feeling like I can't do it anymore. Just plain tired. I mean, can't I look like Heidi Klum and eat a Big Mac too?
Considerable amount of job related stress. My job is crazy right now. Trying to balance work, my family, and everything else - it gets hard. It got really hard when I changed jobs in May of this year.

So there you go. I've now unloaded my littany of crap. I'm not trying to dissuade people from losing weight. I can't tell you how worth it it's been. Even having gained back 15 lbs, I can still do things I couldn't do before. People treat me differently now (sad but true.) I know how to do this. I do. I hope I've passed on some of the things I've learned to you all in this process - I've tried to. I just want to find my desire back, my fire to lose it all over again.

In other words, this SOS* is sending out an SOS. (Okay, cheesy, but there you have it.)

*Sergeant of Squish ;-)

20 Pounds Under the Pool

2006-11-06T15:02:00.000-06:00

We have our first swimmer in the Pool reaching the exciting 20 pound milestone. And while coming up with a swimming-related tie-in with the number 10 was actually a piece of cake, 20 was harder. But I’ve done it!
I give you our version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea or, 20 Pounds Under the Pool. And our first honoree in this category is Andy, our multiple time Mega Loser of the Week!
Watch out for that giant squid Andy, those tentacles are a bitch!

Gold and Silver Medalists

2006-11-05T21:12:00.000-06:00

So it's not all about pounds around here. Percentage of total weight is important purely because pound for pound can't measure one loser against another. But I did want to point out a few great members of the Pool who have been going without their floaties in the deep end a lot!

Percentage weight lost - Andy -7.78%
Deanna - 6.21%
Excellent work to each of these members!

And I'd like to give a shout out to our two most consistent losers, these two women have NEVER paid the Fatty Fee!
Congrats to Alison and Lana! Slow and steady is paying off for you two gals!

Keep it up everyone!

Results Week 7

2006-11-05T21:01:00.000-06:00

I had a post with the results on it up yesterday that was poignant, witty, Pulitzer-prize winning stuff....and Blogger ate it or else Heather was drunk again and accidentally deleted it. She totally needs to go back to AA. But anyhoo....
Weight lost for the week and also individual percent total lost so far. I will post another stats-type post along with our 20 club honors. Great work this week, my little guppies.

Alison: -1.2 -5.5%

Sonia: -1.2 -5.27%

Heather: +1.0 -0.72% FF

Keeley: -0.5 -3.44% FF

Deanna: -1.5 -6.21%

Kristi: -0.5 -3.63% FF

AnaBell: -0.0 -1.7% FF

Lana: -1.1 -5.31%

Melody: +0.8 -3.66% FF

Amy: -1.5 -5.28%

Andy: -6.0 -7.78%

Michele: +4.0 +0.34% FF

Friday Weigh In

2006-11-03T08:17:00.000-06:00

Today is weigh in! Results must be emailed by 4PM Eastern. Remember, at least a full pound loss must be registered to negate the Fatty Fee! We will post losses, gains and maintains tomorrow. You will see where the standings are regarding total weight loss, percentages, etc. Hope to see a few more people in the Ten Club this week too and maybe even someone in the Twenty Club!

Lana's Guest Post: Nursing a Cold While on a Diet

2006-11-02T11:48:00.000-06:00

Since cold season is upon us and I have recently be infected by the plague I did a little googling for the best way to nurse a cold while on a diet. When your nose is running and you have a bad cough, the last thing you want to worry about is your diet. While I was sick I wanted something fast and I wanted something that tasted good but I always tried to keep my diet in the back of my mind. Although I hope none of you get a cold this season I thought I would give you a few food selections that helped me in my time of need (yes I am being dramatic):

Panera has an amazing Low Fat Chicken Noodle Soup that is only 100 calories and 2g of Fat! Plus they will pair it with a healthy apple if you so chose.
Wendy's chilli is always a quick and simple dinner that doesn't do too much damage. A small chilli has 220 calories and 6g of fat. Make sure you skip on the cheddar cheese!
To make sure you are getting a good source of Vitamin C with out all the calories try Minute Maid Light Orange Juice. For about half the calories (about 50 calories for 8fl oz) you get the same amount of vitamin C. The taste is a little bit off but since we have all been on this diet for a few weeks now we know that taste is something you have to sacrifice.

The best piece of advice I can give is to make sure you get plenty of fluids. Of course the Sargents of Squish keep reminding us to drink lots and lots of water which is especially important when you have a cold.

If you have to cut back on the exercise realize that your health is much more important than losing a few extra pounds this week. Take a break from the gym and let your body rest. There is only so much you can do on a treadmill with a runny nose.

Thank you for allowing me to do a guest post this week and I hope this can help someone! I wish all of you a happy and healthy cold season.

Emptying Out The Pantry

2006-11-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

There’s always that one food that I want when I’m really trying to be careful about what I eat. Sometimes its chips, sometimes its ice cream, or pizza. It’s that one food that I know if I start eating it, I’ll eat way more than one portion, and possibly the whole package/box/pie! These are trigger foods - foods that you have a hard time resisting. It may seem obvious that you should remove these things from your kitchen/pantry when trying to lose weight. It can be hard though, especially if it’s something your significant other or children really like to eat. Let them know it’s only temporary, that it is important for your progress, and when you feel you can handle it being in the house again, it’ll be back. And the ‘bringing it back’ part is important.

I don’t know about you, but when I think I can NEVER have xyz food again, it just wants me want it MORE. The point of removing these trigger foods now (or AGAIN, if you’re me!) is to help you with your will power – take the temptation away. Later on, when you’ve seen results in your weight loss, are feeling better for the improvements you’ve made in your lifestyle, those foods can be around. Because you will have more POWER over them. You will know how it feels to eat well, feel better. You may still want those foods, and that’s okay, but you will be better able to control yourself and eat them in moderation, watching your portions, etc.

But for now, make it easier on yourself. Get rid of that stuff. On that note, I will be bringing buckets of Halloween candy to work tomorrow so it’s not in my house. Because seriously, how can you have just one little piece??

Sorry Amy!

2006-11-01T15:49:00.000-06:00

One of the reasons we like to post the results, is also to make sure we got the math and the recording correct in the first place! We shorted Amy on her weight loss and just wanted to say SORRY!
Amy is at -5.5 pounds, -4.15%
GREAT JOB AMY!

**Just a note, please don't think we're complete goofballs. We are sorting thru many emails when we record each week, not to mention doing a lot of the other Pool stuff and having, oh yeah, regular lives. So sometimes, we make a mistake in the recording process. Just make sure when we post results, yours look correct!**

Baby Step Review

2006-11-01T09:20:00.000-06:00

We've hit the halfway point in our Pool, but it never hurts to have a reminder about where we've already been, especially information that was leading to big losses for everyone. The baby step stuff.
I'm linking everything back to the original post, so you can be lazy at the computer and get right back to whatever healthy eating and/or exercising you were doing!

Are you drinking your water?
Don't forget to move your ass
Are you working a diet plan?
Watch your booze intake
Snacking is good - the healthy way
Eat breakfast
Watch your portions
Get enough sleep!
Don't make excuses!

There you go. If you've fallen off the wagon with any of these baby steps, go back to the link, reread and commit to it. Even if you have started to slack in several areas, for the rest of this week, pick one to get back to 100%. Then next week, work on other ares and get back to working the entire plan.
Heather should have a post up later about snacking, just in time for all you people trying to avoid your kids' Halloween candy bags!

Halfway Totals

2006-10-30T09:07:00.000-06:00

Summary - Halfway! These stats are the total weight lost and percentages per person. This is only the halfway point, can't wait to see what the final totals are! (FYI: our total weight lost so far is equivalent to my 5th grader and my preschooler combined. We should have average adult male totals by the end!!! Woot!)

Alison -8.4 -4.82%
Sonia -5.9 -4.38%
Heather -2.0 -1.45%
Keeley -5.0 -3.13%
Deanna -10.6 -5.44%
Kristi -6.5 -3.37%
Anabell -3.5 -1.70%
Lana -12.4 -4.88%
Melody -8.2 -4.06%
Amy -4.0 -3.05%
Andy -15.0 -5.56%
Michele B -3.4 -1.91%
Totals (84.9) -3.36%

Ten Club!

2006-10-28T12:34:00.000-05:00

Please welcome our newest member of the Ten Club. Lana, the gal who is rolling in accolades, has also crossed that ten pound threshold and joins Andy and Deanna in the Ten Club. We have a couple more gals sneaking up on that ten pounds mark as well. Come on, girls, you can do it! Again, congrats to Lana...love those dreadlocks.

And Our Featured Speaker Is...

2006-10-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

Because of her current standing as Mega Loser of the Week, Lana will be guest posting next week for her big loss efforts.
She may be telling you just about anything. Her highs and lows, what is working, what she struggles with...who knows? We will make note which day is Lana's post. Be supportive and kind with your comments, she had a big week and deserves this honor.
Rock on, Lana!

Week 6 Results

2006-10-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

To say we were all over the map this week would be an understatement! And I'll be creating two more posts regarding our Ten Club and our guest star for next week. Tomorrow there will be a basics post that would be good for you to review. Let's get back on track for those who have been sliding a bit. You can do this. Maybe going back to baby steps is in order at this time. If you sent your weight, we are doing the math based on your last weigh in, as always, if you think there is an error, please email and let us know.

Week 6:

Melody: -1.2
Kristi: -1.0
Amy: -0.0 FF
Andy: +2.5 FF
Deanna: +1.0 FF
Alison: -1.0
Lana: -3.2
AnaBell: +3.3 FF
Heather: -1.0
Sonia: -0.0 FF
Michele: no w/i FF
Keeley: no w/i FF

Mega Loser of the week is Lana. Congrats!! We are now at the halfway point, let's cruise into the holidays with some regular and consistent weight loss. Even the small losses add up over time, do not get frustrated! You are making progress with each week you lose, even if it is half a pound!

Friday Weigh In

2006-10-27T08:49:00.000-05:00

Today is weigh in! Results must be emailed by 4PM Eastern. Remember, at least a full pound loss must be registered to negate the Fatty Fee! We will post losses, gains and maintains tomorrow along with TOTALS FOR THE HALFWAY POINT!!! You will see where the standings are regarding total weight loss, percentages, etc. Hope to see a few more people in the Ten Club this week too!

Staying Motivated - UPDATED

2006-10-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

A post courtesy of our personal trainer Lesleh:

Sure, it's more difficult to get back into an exercise routine after a long layoff--or even start one when you've never worked out regularly before. Once working out is a regular part of your life, it's easy to stay in the habit of keeping fit and healthy. But the battle's not over. Even the most diehard fitness buffs occasionally fight workout burnout and boredom.
There are several reasons. First, most people focus on a short-term approach rather than approaching exercise as a lifelong commitment. Once they achieve their initial goal, such as losing 15 pounds, they lose interest in the program.
The second reason is physiological. As time goes on, the degree of improvement we see becomes smaller. Anyone can get off the couch and see tremendous gains at the outset. But as you keep going the changes become smaller, and it takes more effort to achieve smaller increments of success.
And finally, many exercise programs are simply boring or don't offer sufficient physical and mental challenge to keep people interested. Throw in work schedules, family responsibilities, illness or injury, and an ever expanding to-do list, and it's not surprising that many fitness routines get derailed.
What's in it for you?
The good news is that it's relatively easy to get back on track. First, realize that your reasons for working out may change over time. People are frequently unaware of the various pros and cons of working out, and over time there can be a shift in the balance of those pros and cons. The reasons people started an exercise program may change over time as their lives change. They may have new responsibilities at work or family or relationships of one sort or another.
If you want to stay motivated, take a closer look at the benefits you get from working out. Be honest with yourself about the reasons you want to do something, and the reasons you don't want to do it. You have to know yourself. What's your primary reason for making time to exercise? Is it the way you feel afterward? Is it the fact that you handle stress better?
Remember, what motivates you to hide the weights may do nothing for your best friend, and vice versa. I think we all have different levels and different reasons we're motivated. Some people have the desire for success. For others it's vanity. Some are in it for health reasons. When it comes down to it, it does have to be something that comes from within, and it certainly will vary from person to person.
Regardless of your personal reasons for working out, here are a number of techniques that will help you maintain your enthusiasm even when the going gets tough.
Commit to the long haul.
You can't approach exercise as something you do just to get in shape for swimsuit season. e have to realize that working out and staying fit is a lifetime event, we all need to be in it for the long haul. For example, if you have a bad day driving your car, you don't walk tomorrow--you get back behind the wheel and keep on driving. If you have a bad day at work, you don't quit work. You go back. Realize that you'll have ups and downs with your fitness program as you will in every aspect of your life, and commit to seeing it through.
Set new goals.
When you first start working out, you probably have a goal in mind. Maybe it is to lose weight, have more energy, or simply look better in your clothes. Once you've achieved those initial goals, you need to develop some new ones to keep you motivated. Set higher or more specific goals. Don't say, 'I want to lose weight.' That's nebulous. Say, 'I'm going to lose an inch off my waist in six weeks.'
Set new challenges for yourself. Before it was just the one goal, always challenge yourself to complete something higher to stay motivated. Reaching new goals will help to keeps you motivated and fresh.
Be a social butterfly.
Do you look forward to exercise as a chance to spend some needed time alone, or do you enjoy working out more when you're with a partner? Consider what you like to do, and look for ways to make exercise more fun. If you're looking for more social activity, consider taking classes or joining a running or biking club. Or ask a neighbor or friend to commit to a regular walking schedule with you. You're more likely to stick to your program.
Hire a trainer. (Here's where I come in!)
If you've gotten bored with your routine, consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions. A trainer can help you break through a fitness plateau. If your body has adapted to a program, you need help to take it to the next level. Sometimes coming to a trainer for two or three workouts to re-evaluate and answer questions can give the variety, motivation, and spark you need.

Burn it Baby!

2006-10-25T08:15:00.000-05:00

Exercising and burning calories doesn't have to mean putting on yoga pants and running around the block. Alison's question (or joke!) on how many calories we burn typing (28 calories) made me think. I know we keep saying move your ass, but its actually pretty interesting to see what calories you can burn doing things we always do...or maybe should do more....

For example (based on 180lb person):

92 caloroies for 15 min of window washing
22 calories for 15 minutes of kissing (now that could lead to more 'exercise', now couldn't it??!)
45 calories for making the bed
65 calories for 15 minutes of playing frisbee
22 calories for watching tv (okay, bad example. Heh - that's the same as kissing...hmmm.)
78 calories for 15 minutes of golfing (w/ or w/out a cart I wonder??)
73 calories for 15 minutes of shopping (at last - a great reason to go to the mall....but honey! I'm losing weight!)
132 calories for 15 minutes of biking....
48 calories for 15 min of dusting...
And my personal favorite on this list ....216 calories burned in 15 minutes of playing water polo....makes me want to run out and get myself one of those swimming horses! Ha!

I know this is a silly post, but maybe these and some other activities mentioned in the link will help you get moving...anything to get that metabolism going. Make it fun, not a chore. (Some other places to look and help you calculate calories for activities...)

So what's you're favorite 'non' exercise activity that gets your blood flowing? Keep it clean people! (Okay, you don't really have to!)

Guest Star

2006-10-24T17:25:00.000-05:00

A special thank you to Lana for this Pool idea.
We asked for post ideas, and this is what she suggested.
As a "kudos" to the Mega Loser for this week, that person will submit a "guest" post for next week. What is working for them, what they are doing for diet, exercise, what things they struggle with, some recipes they've been trying. You know... just a mini-success story post. You can send the post to the Pool email and we will copy it in its entirety. If you site sources in your post, please link them for everyone to be able to see.
That's it! Be prepared, Mega Loser. You could be lifeguarding next week!

***Don't forget to submit your official shirt ideas by Oct. 31!***

Number Freaking your BMI

2006-10-23T14:22:00.000-05:00

This entire post courtesy of Number Freaking, which is a fun book involving statistics. Seriously, if you hate math but like weird facts, this book is INTERESTING! **I hate math, but this book rocks.**

The average American is now overweight.

By just how much is defined by a measure called body mass index (BMI). The “healthy” range for BMI is between 18.9 and 24.9. A higher or lower figure more or less means you are over or under weight. A figure over 30 means you are obese. You can calculate your own BMI using this formula: your weight in pounds (multiplied by 703) divided by your height in inches multiplied by your height in inches.

In the US, the average adult man is 5 feet 9.1 inches (69.1 inches) tall and weighs 180 pounds. He therefore has a BMI of 25.8. The average adult American woman, meanwhile, is 5 feet 3.7 inches (63.7) tall and weighs 152 pounds. She therefore has a BMI of 26.3.

The maximum healthy weight for a man 69.1 inches tall (i.e. the weight which gives him a BMI of 24.9) is 169 pounds.

Likewise, the healthy weight for a woman 63.7 inches tall is about 144 pounds.

The average American man is about 11 pounds overweight and the average adult American woman 8 pounds overweight. There are 114.2 million American men aged 15+ and 120.7 million American women. We’ll assume they’re all adults.

• More boys than girls are born in the US, but more women survive past 40.

There are therefore 628,100 excess tons of prime American men and 482,800 excess tons of AAA American womanhood. Well over a million tons in total.

By converting this excess man-weight into new men of 169 pounds and ditto this excess fem-weight into new women of 144 pounds, then combining the totals, we could build 14.13 million new Americans.
This is equivalent to twice the population of Virginia. The population of Florida is 15.98 million and the population of Illinois is 12.42 million.

A few other statistics:
• In 1750, an average Englishman weighed 130 pounds, and an average Frenchman weighed 110 pounds
• In 1750, an average Englishman was 4 feet 7 inches tall, so on average Englishmen have grown an inch about every 18.3 years.

From the Sergeants:
Figure your BMI. Can you contribute to the building of an entirely new person? The range for a healthy BMI IS attainable. If nothing else, getting you closer to a healthy BMI is more important than reaching your eventual target weight. Health first, the rest comes later.

Feedback

2006-10-23T10:11:00.000-05:00

I hate using the term "feed" in anything, lest I get you all hungry! However, the Sergeants need some. Feedback that is. We have been trying to have useful and informative posts with the proper balance of pumping you up and keeping your asses in gear. We need some feedback from you on posts to let us know if we're on the right track.
Please let us know in the comments sections your thoughts. Helpful, not helpful, email us with topic ideas. Some of you do that already: Alison and Andy and sometimes AnaBell. Actually, is this an "A" thing?? COME ON OTHER LETTERS!
We can't be with you all in person. We can't hug you when you have a great week or hug you when you have a bad week. We need to hear from you so we know how to help you the most. This is a team effort, we are all here for each other.
There will be a real post later with some useful stuff in it, but this is just a little nugget this morning to get your brain working.
FEEDBACK!! Think of all the calories you will burn making comments on the posts!

Week 5 Results

2006-10-21T08:02:00.000-05:00

While Sonia is off in South Bend tailgating next to Touchdown Jesus, I will happily post the results for this week. We had a pretty good week folks! Great job!!

Week 5:
Deanna -1.5
Anabel -3.1
Michele No W/I (FF)
Kristi No W/I (FF)
Andy -4.5
Keely -1
Amy -1
Lana -2.2
Alison -2
Melody -1.6
Sonia -0.2 (FF)
Heather -1

Biggest loser...AGAIN...Andy! Congrats! Everyone is doing great - I'm so proud of us! Keep it up - next week is the half way point of our 12 week session. Lets make it the BEST!

And don't forget to check my math, I've been known to make errors (accountant or not!) when it comes to math!

Last but not least - T-shirt designs/themes are due to Sonia by Oct 31! Come on you talented, crafty people...lets create something cool!

Week 5 Weigh In

2006-10-20T07:37:00.000-05:00

Okay guys, we're almost half way home....don't forget to weigh in today by 4pm EST....

AND...don't forget our t-shirt contest! If you've seen Sonia's shirts, they are amazing so I know any design we all come up with will turn out fantastic and we'll all want to buy two! So, get your ideas to us ASAP! (Plus, don't forget the added incentive...a Fatty Fee Pass!!)

Hope to see less of you today...and next week!

P.S. If you have any ideas on posts or might like to guest post, let us know and we'll work with you.

TGIF!

Wake Up! No, Don't...

2006-10-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

I'm a night person. I have always been one to stay up late - watch tv, read, party (okay, that was in college!) As I've gotten older (*cough*), I am not able to stay up as late, but generally, I still stay up way longer then I should, especially on the weekdays. And surprise! I'm tired! ALOT. I've always known I needed more sleep, but after reading the link that Alison sent, and doing a little googling of my own, turns out I REALLY need more sleep. And most likely, you do too.

The average adult gets about 7 hours of sleep during the week, and about 7 1/2 hours on the weekend. Recent studies have shown that most adults need about 8 hours to function at their best. I was surprised that 63% of adults don't get at least 8 hours of sleep a night - I guess I shouldn't be, since I'm in that group.

So what you say?? What does that have to do with the Pool?? Well, adults that do not get enough sleep have an increased level of ghrelin in their bodies (an appetite stimulating hormone) and less leptin (the hormone that tells your brain you're full.) What does that mean? It means if you don't get enough sleep, you're hungrier then if you do. I don't know about you, but I have enough problems with will power without letting my own body help to sabotage my efforts to lose weight.

So the bottom line is - keeping up your good eating habits, drinking your water, and exercising are all important. But don't forget to sleep! Do what you can to get your 8 hours in - its not being lazy, its helping you lose weight! And just think, the more time you're in bed, the less time you can spend staring longingly at the refrigerator. Just sayin'.

Now, off to bed with you!

But, But, But....

2006-10-18T08:40:00.000-05:00

"The candy bar doesn’t count because I had a Diet Coke with it."

Sound familiar? It’s what’s known as an excuse. And we all have good ones and bad ones. In tandem with the propensity for hitting the dieting plateau, there may very well come a slew of excuses as to why the weight loss is slowing, stopped, or even headed the wrong direction.
On any given day, you can have a variety of reasons why your diet and exercise plan fails. And if you are very good at making excuses that you yourself even start to believe, then that day can turn into two, and then a week and pretty soon, all your excuses have gotten you right back where you started.

The source is linked but I’ve also typed it out for you, this is from freedieting.com.

1. "I Hate Exercise"
Health authorities recommend a minimum of 30 minutes exercise per day. Many people plan exercise but then fail to commit to it.
Try introducing more 'incidental' activity into your day. Take the stairs, walk instead of taking the car. Try wearing a pedometer to see how active you really are.

2. "I Don't Have Time to Eat Healthy"
Do you have the time to be sick? Taking time out to look after your body is time well spent. This includes always making adequate time for breakfast.

3. "I Cannot Live Without Chocolate / Ice Cream"
When you think of certain foods as 'bad' - whenever you eat those foods you will feel guilty. If you can eat those foods in a positive environment - then you will have a better chance at choosing a small portion size.
Also consider swapping the food for something with a similar flavor - but less calorie-dense

4. "I Don't / Can't Cook"
Most supermarkets offer many pre-made foods - frozen meals, prepared salads and pastas. Learn to understand food labels. You do not have to be a chef to cook healthy food.

5. "I Don't Have the Support of Family & Friends"
Sometimes you may need to tell people what you are trying to achieve. This is important in social situations where food is on the agenda. Communicate with those around you exactly what you are expecting from them - don't try and second-guess their responses.

6. "I Eat Out All The Time"
It is possible to lose weight while eating out a lot - but you must become very adept at selecting your food.

* Avoid chips, fried rice, wedges as an accompaniment. Order a side salad or vegetables instead.
* Choose a medium/small portion
* Avoid entrees - they are typically high in fat
* Drink plenty of water with the meal
* When choosing a main meat - choose fish, followed by chicken, then red meat. Grilled or poached is usually the best option.

7. "I Have to Cook Meals for my Family"
Rather than having one person on a strict diet - try gradually altering the eating style of the whole family. This will mean substituting regular meals with healthier options - such as skinless chicken breast instead of beef mince, and vegetables instead of large portions of starchy carbohydrates.

So, my squishy little minions, let's not get stuck in the vicious cycle of excuse-making. Go back to the beginning and start slow again if you have gotten into the routine of having a reason for failure. Drink the water, move your ass, track what you're eating. YOU CAN DO THIS, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH, YOU HAVE THE SELF-DISCIPLINE!!

NO MORE EXCUSES!

Hitting the Wall.....and Plowing Through It

2006-10-17T08:24:00.000-05:00

Sounds dramatic doesn't it? But hitting the weight loss wall or plateau can be extremely frustrating. I recall a few folks in my WW group who hit the wall and couldn't get passed it for weeks and weeks. One even quit and gave up. DON'T QUIT. You CAN fix it. But I know - it can be so frustrating to feel like you are doing so well, and BAM - the weight loss stops. You haven't cheated, you're still watching what you eat and exercising but the weight isn't coming off. But take heart - if you've really hit the wall, its actually a good thing.

How can it be a good thing, you say?? Pull up a chair. What it means is that your body is adjusting to the new calorie intake and exercise. As you get smaller, your body requires less to function then it did before. So, you have to shake things up. Here are a few suggestions to break thru:

Write down what you're eating. I know its annoying, but it WORKS. Just do it for 3 days. You think you are really watching what you eat and how much, but maybe you're not. Do you taste what you cook? Do you eat off your kids plates? Grab a few crackers from the box on the way out the door? I'm telling you, the journaling thing can be VERY enlightening.
If you really AREN'T cheating, then maybe you're being too strict on yourself and not eating enough. If you aren't eating enough, your body will tend to store more because it feels starved. Make sure you're eating what you need, listening to Lesleh on the protein too, especially if you're doing alot of exercising/weight training.
Another tip if you really aren't cheating. Have something that you are craving - a cheeseburger, or a little ice cream, or whatever. Shake your body up a little. Don't go overboard, obviously, but shake up that metabolism.
Add or change your exercise. If you aren't exercising by now, start! If you are exercising, change it up. Increase the time you're doing something or add some hand weight training. Do an exercise DVD a couple of times a week instead of walking. Shock your body a little. Move some different muscles.
Make sure you are drinking your water. Seriously.
Get enough sleep! I'll be doing a post later this week on sleep deprivation and how it affects weight loss - (thanks for the idea Alison!) Suffice it to say, get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night and your body will thank you. And it will help you lose weight.
Think about why you wanted to lose weight to begin with. Write it down. Get copy of a 'before' picture. Keep the list/picture with you in your purse or wallet. Pull it out when you want something you shouldn't have. Taking the time to write things down and reminding yourself can be a great motivator.

Good luck swimmers!

Wet T-Shirt Contest

2006-10-16T13:24:00.000-05:00

Today is the kickoff for our Pool contest. No, it's not a belly flop contest, there will be no BELLIES or PAIN involved!! And, OK, technically it's not wet, but there IS a t-shirt.
So, I mentioned something in one of the group emails a while back about creating an "official" Deep End of the Pool t-shirt. You can earn a very valuable reward by participating in this contest. All entries must be submitted by OCTOBER 31st!!
THE RULES:

Multiple entries are accepted
Email entries to the Pool email
A "theme" or "saying" along with an idea for a graphic/logo that supports our Pool theme of weight loss is what we are looking for. Be creative. There may actually be two separate winners, one for slogan and one for the artwork. If you have the technology to draft up a graphic, swell. If you can't but would rather explain or even sketch out an idea, scan it and attach it in a Word doc, that is fine too. No idea will be better because you had more technology to explain it.
We will get shirts made up with the winning slogan and artwork for you to purchase. We are planning, at this time, to continue the Pool blog with a brand new Pool starting Jan. 1 (for those New Year's resolution people, we anticipate even more swimmers the next time) and then we'll already have an "official" shirt for new people!
The winner(s) will get a one week pass on paying the Fatty Fee. Can be used at any time. If you want to save it for Thanksgiving. Great. If you are having a bad "time of the month", and you gained, use it then. Whatever. We don't care. But that's the "reward" for the winner(s).

This is your chance, creative and witty dog paddlers! Use Fatty Fee in your slogan, or something about floaties, or Friday weigh in, or Move Your Ass.....be funny, be creative, be exciting! ENTER A LOT OF TIMES!

Quick Update....

2006-10-16T07:49:00.000-05:00

on weight loss and percentages....

Weight Loss Winner thru Week 4: Andy! (Weigh to go Andy 13lbs lost!)
Weight Loss % Winner thru Week 4: Deanna (5.18%~ awesome!)

Sonia gets an honorable mention for weight loss percentage - 4.23% - better watch your back Deanna!! ;-)

GREAT JOB everyone!!!

FYI, if anyone would like me to send you your stats to date, just let me know and I will do so individually. You can check my math...I suck at math.

Have a great week!

Ten Club!

2006-10-15T08:54:00.000-05:00

I would like to congratulate our first two members of the Ten Club (Bo Derek would be so proud)! Congrats on reaching the ten pound milestone on your way to more weight loss.
Our honorees are: Andy and Deanna. Please offer you supportive thoughts and offer to braid their hair.

Week 4 Results!

2006-10-13T19:05:00.000-05:00

Can you believe we've been at this for four weeks already?? We have some good pep talks and stuff to "get inside your head" things planned for next week. Because, you've got some basics going on but we know some of you might be getting frustrated with small losses or some gain back. Not to worry, we're doing fine! So, keep reading, keep commenting, keep giving each other pat on the backs!

**Just a note, for accuracy sake, I'm also going to post any gains or maintains that occured this week followed by the FF. That way if there are mistakes, you can let us know, but Heather's handy dandy spreadsheet with all the stats is quite lovely. We want it to be accurate as well.**
Remember, you must lose a full pound to avoid the Fatty Fee.

Week 4 results:
Alison: -1.2
Sonia: -1.0
Heather: +2.0 FF
Keeley: -0.5 FF
Deanna: -1.1
Kristi: -0.0 FF
AnaBell: -0.0 FF
Lana: -1.0
Melody: +0.8 FF
Amy: -1.0
Andy: -3.0
Michele: -0.6 FF

Total Week 4: -9.4
Net Weight Loss: -6.6

Congrats to Andy for being our Mega Loser of the Week!
Also, stay tuned for another post with kudos to a couple of our losers with a new "level" of weight loss we're calling something kind of fun. Get excited...it's pretty funny.

Weigh In Friday

2006-10-13T08:06:00.000-05:00

Today is weigh in! Results must be emailed by 4PM Eastern. Remember, at least a full pound loss must be registered to negate the Fatty Fee! We will post losses, gains and maintains tomorrow.
If you see you may be hitting a plateau, this is normal. We'll be posting about this dieting hiccup next week. Don't get discouraged, keep rereading the posts to make sure you are staying on track!
Hope to see less of you today! Have a great weekend!

How much is enough?

2006-10-12T07:26:00.000-05:00

If you've read anything about weight loss, you've come across portion control. It's one of those things that you think you know all about. At least, I thought I did. Let me explain. One of my biggest revelations upon joining and doing the Weight Watcher plan was realizing how much is really in a portion of food. WW assigns points to foods based on calories, fiber, and fat content. Points are factored using one portion of any given food. Like a good girl, I bought a scale when I started out - our 'counselor' told us to weigh our food, at least for the first few months, to get an idea of what a portion really is. Let me tell you - it was quite eye opening. I found out that I was generally eating two or more portions of EVERYTHING I ate. Seriously. For example:

3oz of chicken is one serving - you know, palm sized. It's not even a full breast people.
1/2 cup or rice is a serving. I easily was eating 2 or three times that amount.
1/2 cup of ice cream is a serving. That's a tennis ball. Lets just say, I used to have a whole can of tennis balls - at one sitting.

There are lots of sites that help with portion control and what a portion really is. Check these articles out. Lots of good information here to help you figure out portions, answer questions, and offer some great tips.

For most of us, if we actually ate just a single portion of a certain food, we could eat the things we love. Happy measuring!

Don't forget - weigh in tomorrow by 4:00pm!! Good luck!!

First Thing - Eat

2006-10-11T08:54:00.000-05:00

You may already know this. You may not. You may know it and still not apply the knowledge to practice.
Breakfast. It's not just for kids anymore.
Think about the origin of the word itself. Break your fast. Breakfast is supposed to be the first meal you eat after the involuntary fasting of being asleep all night long.
So, why do so many of us take that first intake of food for granted and skip it altogether?
Bad idea....bad bad bad. And eating the wrong foods, like a doughnut or other refined carbohydrate, is bad in that the rush of sugar can actually activate your appetite.
This may sound completely odd, but skipping eating for that additional few hours means that by the time you do eat, you're actually triggering an increase in appetite. NOT GOOD. Willpower is great, but it doesn't do you any good when you are fighting your own metabolism and taking actions that stack the odds against you.
Breakfast is also an easy meal to add in the protein if you are falling short. Eggs and cheese with some low carb green veggies and voila, you've got yourself an omelet and a great kickstart to your diet for the day. Go here for a few suggestions on your breakfast menu.

So, if you haven't done so yet today. Go eat breakfast. Break your fast. It is the next EASY and logical step in your weight loss.

Source, Source, Source

Don't Forget - Fat Chat Tonight!

2006-10-10T12:29:00.000-05:00

Be there or be square - Fat Chat tonight, 9:30pm, EST on Yahoo Messenger.

Sonia's id: sonia_momof4@yahoo.com

Heather's id: hcpgator@yahoo.com

So who's going to be there??? All the cool kids! Ha!

Seriously - come share and 'talk' to others in the pool, get some tips, and learn a little more about your fellow contestants ;-)!

See you there!

Protein Power

2006-10-10T07:29:00.000-05:00

A message about protein from our personal trainer Lesleh. As always, you can ask questions in the comments and she will answer them as soon as she's able.

I thought I would expand a little on protein intake. This will be somewhat (almost totally) redundant for Andy and Lana, however bear with me as I am involved in rebuilding a basement and decorating for a wedding this week.
Please note that I think that it is imperative to eat a well balanced diet. I highly recommend a quick review of the NEW food pyramid. It is simple and easy to follow. While they recommend making half of your grains whole....I say do your best to make all your grains whole. Have you ever eaten a whole wheat pizza crust....with lean mozzerella and mushrooms and artichokes? Have you ever tried meatless chili? I I make an amazing whole grain chili that some people have a difficult time telling that there is no meat in at all. Venture out on the wild side this week and try something different. Look in the whole foods section of your grocery store. Search the web for a good whole wheat pizza crust recipe...easy to find. Use lean meat, low fat cheese...and enjoy. When you are done, dip your crust into some delicious honey. Desert is done!
How much protein do we need?
Our protein needs depend on our age, size, and activity level. The standard method used by nutritionists to estimate our minimum daily protein requirement is to multiply the body weight in kilograms by .8, or weight in pounds by .37. This is the number of grams of protein that should be the daily minimum. According to this method, a person weighing 150 lbs. should eat 55 grams of protein per day, a 200 lb. person should get 74 grams, and a 250 lb. person, 92 grams.

Do people who exercise need more protein?
Although there is controversy on this point, there is evidence that people engaging in endurance exercise (such as long distance running) or heavy resistive exercise (such as body building) can benefit from additional protein in their diets. One prominent researcher in the field recommends 1.2-1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per day for endurance exercisers and 1.7-1.8 grams per kg per day for heavy strength training.
But shouldn’t protein intake be a percentage of total calories?
Quite a few programs and nutritionists quote percentage of calories, usually in the range of 10%-20%, as a way to figure out how much protein a person needs to consume daily. This is a rough estimate of a person's minimum protein needs. It works because usually larger and more active people need more calories, so the more calories they need, the more protein they will get.

Where this falls down is when people are eating diets which are lower in calories for any reason, conscious or not. People who are ill or losing weight, for example, do not need less protein just because they are eating fewer calories.

Lastly I would say to you that I am not great about taking a multi-vitamin or getting into the whole Protein Shake thing. I try to fuel my body with real food which seems to work well for me. I do not recommend replacing a meal with a protein shake, eat a good breakfast, use your protein shake for a mid morning snack, eat lunch, then have another protein shake or protein bar in the afternoon for a mid afternoon snack. Eat a light supper. Lean fish or meat, salad and a sweet potato or dark green veggie. Have a cup of popcorn or some whole grain pretzls for a snack in the evening. Drink a crapload (converts to just shy of blotation) of water. Patience is absolutely a key element. People get so frustrated because they are not losing fast enough, not seeing results in a week or two. You need to train your engine to burn the fuel. You need to eat appropriate amounts and don't get out of balance. Your body is an engine, gas it up and run it (walk it - jump it - dance it - stretch it - MOVE). Fuel to burn, think that way.....eat to burn.
One more thought - the Tortoise and the Hare. It applies to this little contest as well. Precept upon precept, step by patient step those of you who plod along in a steady manner will be successful. Steady and controlled will win the race!
Have a great week!

Deep End of the Pool

Winners Bounty!

And The Winners Are....

Last Minute Notes

Week 11 Results - One Week Left!

Eat Your Veggies (and Fruits)

Week 10 Results

The Scoop on Percentages

The Wall...Revisited

Week 9 Results

This Egg's For You Andy....

Week 8 Results

Staying Motivated

Week 7 Results

Challenge Choices

Week 6 Results - And a Challenge!

SnackFest

First Thing - EAT!

Week 5 Results *Updated*

Don't Whine About Wine

Burn Baby Burn!

Week 4 Results

Don't Forget!!

Stomach Flu Weight Loss

Meet Our Personal Trainer

Week 3 Results

Don't Forget!

Showing Love for the Home Team

3,500

Week 2 Results - Updated

All This Talk About Exercise....

Move Your Ass

Week # 1 Results (Updated - Again!)

What is this String Around My Finger?

Baby Steps Revisited

Just Drink It

Welcome!

Deep End New Year Pool

New Pool - Updated

Take Off Your Floaties! Final Results!

Last Dive

The End of the Road

Week 12 Results **Updated**

Friday Weigh In

Shirts are Ready!

Staying Steady with Protein

As Simple As It Gets

Week 11 Results

Friday Weigh In

Holiday Stress

Fiber, Kick It Up!

The Deep End for the New Year

Week 10 Results (Updated)

Post Turkey Day Weigh In

Light Posting, Heavy Eating

Official Pool Gear and Weigh Ins

You Want Fries With That?

Ten Club!

Week 9 Results

Friday Weigh In

Deanna's Guest Post

Andy's Guest Post

Pool Party

Ten Club!

Week 8 Results

Friday Weigh In

A Dieters Survival Plan for the Holidays

A Three-Toed Sloth is Faster Than You

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

20 Pounds Under the Pool

Gold and Silver Medalists

Results Week 7

Friday Weigh In

Lana's Guest Post: Nursing a Cold While on a Diet

Emptying Out The Pantry

Sorry Amy!

Baby Step Review

Halfway Totals

Ten Club!

And Our Featured Speaker Is...

Week 5 Results Updated

Week 12 Results Updated