Challenge!!!

Our first weigh in is on Friday!! WOWZER!! My hope for this challenge was to give you something that would help you with your results and so... before I say it out loud... I just want to mention that NO ONE EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, EVER, HAS DIED.... from not eating sugar. ;o)

So.. here is your challenge! NO SUGAR!! No sugar, or high fructose corn syrup for 1 week! We all know that sugar is not good for us... this is nothing new. I get that sometimes we NEED things... like chocolate ;o) BUT THIS IS ONLY A ONE WEEK CHALLENGE!! Anyone can do it for a week right? It's not like I'm asking you to give up your diet coke! ;o) YET!

Here are some tips for going sugar free. First off, when you read a label you need to be checking out the INGREDIENTS. The word "sugar" on the nutrition label [followed by a number of g's] could actually be referring to natural sweeteners like honey, agave, stevia and THESE things are NOT off limits. They are awesome natural ways to sweeten things and they are good for you!! Check out the list of INGREDIENTS on your labels. If the words SUGAR, CANE SUGAR, or HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP are anywhere on the list BACK AWAY FROM THE item. :o) There are always alternatives here. It is POSSIBLE to buy bread that does not contain these items (usually this would be a honey version of bread) but... if you are having a hard time... count how far down the label the forbidden words are. If they are not one of the first 10 items and you are desperate GO FOR IT! The idea/goal here is to get you reading labels and knowing what's in your food.

I have my own VERY REAL issues with chemical sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose. I am not trying to encourage you IN ANY WAY to become obsessed with "sugar free" treats. Please do not become addicted to splenda because of this challenge. :o) [Here is where I scream at the computer about the evils of these items... but alas...it's your body and you do what you want with your body!]

Good luck to everyone!! Weigh in is THIS FRIDAY!!! Umm??? REALLY??? Who needs some moula? I'm handing it out in 5 days! WAHOO!!! Congrats to everyone who is sticking to this. Look for this weeks entries to be about weigh-ins, rules, and all that jazz!

YOU CAN!

People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.
- Norman Vincent Peale

To clarify.

I have had a couple of girls ask about weighing in early. Unfortunately I cannot permit ANY participant to weigh in early for ANY reason. While it may put them at a disadvantage for the current month, it also adds an unfair advantage for the following month. (I.E. 2 extra days to lose weight!)

I am willing to let participants weigh in LATE in order to be eligible for the next months prizes [and overall prizes] but they would not be eligible for the previous months prizes if their weights are not in before the deadline. This is to protect the integrity of the competition as much as possible. Bottom line: If you want to be eligible for prizes you MUST weigh in on the 5th and get the pics to me by the deadline.

Also... the word WEEKLY is used too loosely in the rules. I will clearly define it for FEBRUARY so the March 5th weigh in will go by the clarified rule.

This month any participant who technically blogs "weekly" will be eligible for prizes. Next month the rule will be defined as a: Blog entry WEEKLY with no longer than 8 days between entries, and a minimum of 4 entries per month. Hope this helps.

We are getting down to the wire guys and gals!! BRING IT!!

Wait.. that's not funny.... ;o)

Portions! ;o)

"By now, it probably comes as no surprise that many, if not most people in North America and the UK eat way too much. A plate of food at a restaraunt is on average 4 to 6 times larger than a recommended portion size. At the market, labels tell us about the calories contained in one serving, but even an “individually sized” bottle or package often has three or four servings in it. We are also generally accustomed to finishing whatever is put in front of us at the table. This is defined as “completion compulsion” by researchers, and it causes us to see food as units that need to be ingested in full in order for us to feel full. In fact, studies have shown that people given a small plate of food will feel just as satisfied after a meal compared to people given larger plates of food. Unfortunately, we are psychologically hung up on equating meal satisfaction with eating all the food placed in front of us. And so we are in the grips of an obesity epidemic. However, the solution lies not in trying to live off grapefruits and cabbage soup, but in eating smaller portions of the foods we enjoy. In this way, we can significantly decrease our daily caloric intake without depriving ourselves of the things that add so much color and flavor to life."
WANT TO READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE?? Check it out HERE.

ReAlLy??

Numbers posted by the National Center for Health Statistics show that more than 34 percent of Americans are obese, compared to 32.7 percent who are overweight. It said just under 6 percent are "extremely" obese.
"More than one-third of adults, or over 72 million people, were obese in 2005-2006, the NCHS said in its report.
The numbers are based on a survey of 4,356 adults over the age of 20 who take part in a regular government survey of health, said the NCHS, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Want to read the whole report? Check it out HERE.

Challenge Numero DOS!

Ya'll ready for this?!?!

This weeks challenge is about PORTION SIZES. (I've noticed a couple of gals have been posting about this!!)

I challenge everyone to PAY ATTENTION TO AND CONSUME PROPER PORTION SIZES!! Read your labels! Regardless of what you are eating, it is never as damaging to your goals if you are paying attention to HOW MUCH you are eating. This means if you are going to eat Doritos you should count out 11 chips according to the label. (I would guess that when you fill a bowl with chips and eat them, you are getting at least 3 servings, in this case that would be 420 calories.)

Portion sizes are ABSOLUTELY KEY to weight loss! You can eat TOO MUCH of a good thing. So how do you know that you are eating the right sized portion? Here is a rule of thumb. A proper portion size for a piece of meat is about the size of the palm of your hand 5-6 ozs. [You also can be REALLY good at portion sizes by purchasing a food scale!] A proper portion size for a complex carb or starch is about the size of a cupped hand. (Umm... this means if you must eat mashed potatoes you are getting ONE SMALL SCOOP!! As opposed to filling half the plate! ;o) ) The proper portion size for fruits/veggies is about the size of two cupped hands! And in case you were wondering... The proper portion size for simple sugar carbs is NONE! ;o) But at least read the label and KNOW how many calories/fat g/carbs etc you are eating before you put it in your mouth.

*My suggestion for being successful in this challenge is to WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN!! Everything that goes into your mouth should be measured out. If you are writing it down, it's just a little extra focus/effort on achieving your goal. *

There are a zillion lessons that can be learned by taking on this challenge!! ARE YOU IN?!?!?

Saturday Bragging Rights!!

WAHOO!!! Tomorrow a new challenge begins but TODAY... YOU GET TO BRAG!! So did you do it? Did you drink your water? Did you learn something about yourself?!?! Brag AWAY!!

Friday Fun!

If we did all of the things we were capable of, we would literally astound ourselves. -Thomas Alva Edison

Support Other Losers

Check out todays joke, and this weeks challenge!!

I have met a few women as of late who are ready to make huge changes in their lives and although this competition is CLOSED to new competitors... I am excited to add a new "LIST" to the side bar called "Support Other Losers." This list will be for guys and gals who find the comp too late who are looking to support and be supported by others on the same journey.
Our first gal is SAMANTHA!!
Sammie was hoping to join the comp back in December but was unable to due to cirumstances that have since changed! I WISH that I could add her to the comp.. BUT.. I KNOW that so many of you will be willing to give your support anyway. So.. please go check out Sammie's blog. She has got a lot going on and life is insane.. but she DEFINITELY could benefit from the support of you fantastic people who have been there/or are there!! I know that we are already putting alot of energy into the other competitors.. but.. it surely doesn't hurt to check out other blogs and support others that you can relate to! If you can relate to her.. add her to your blog list.

Thanks so much for supporting eachother. We are all here for a reason. Without the support of all of you, I know my successes would NOT be the same. THANK YOU!!

LOL!

This 85 year old couple, having been married almost 60 years, had died in a car crash. They had been in good health the last ten years mainly due to her interest in health food, and exercise.
When they reached the pearly gates, St. Peter took them to their mansion which was decked out with a beautiful kitchen and master bath suite and Jacuzzi.
As they "oohed and aahed" the old man asked Peter how much all this was going to cost. "It's free," Peter replied, "this is Heaven."
Next they went out back to survey the championship golf course that the home backed up to. They would have golfing privileges everyday and each week the course changed to a new one representing the great golf courses on earth.
The old man asked, "What are the green fees?". Peter's reply, "This is heaven, you play for free."
Next they went to the club house and saw the lavish buffet lunch with the cuisines of the world laid out. "How much to eat?" asked the old man. "Don't you understand yet? This is heaven, it is free!" Peter replied with some exasperation. "Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol tables?" the old man asked timidly.
Peter lectured, "That's the best part...you can eat as much as you like of whatever you like and you never get fat and you never get sick. This is Heaven."
With that the old man went into a fit of anger, throwing down his hat and stomping on it, and shrieking wildly.
Peter and his wife both tried to calm him down, asking him what was wrong. The old man looked at his wife and said, "This is all your fault. If it weren't for your blasted bran muffins, I could have been here ten years ago!"

Emotional Trigger

Hmm.. this isn't technically a Nutrition tip but I found it and could totally relate so... here is your daily something for today!

Researchers at George Washington University discovered that people who successfully transform their bodies are set in action by some sort of “emotional trigger” that helps to clarify their reasons for deciding to make change. In the study, researchers found that any event which elicited strong emotions such as alarm, embarrassment, shame and/or fear actually inspired people to transform their bodies for the better. Take a moment to consider your “emotional trigger” and use it to stay committed to your nutrition program.

So, what's your emotional trigger? Do you have one? My emotional trigger is truly what made this time different. It was my EMOTIONS that helped me stick to it. I was DETERMINED to FINISH THIS!! Determined to make permanent changes. Determined to be better for my children. Determined to prove to myself and my hubby that I REALLY COULD FOLLOW THROUGH! Finish what you start... those 4 words are what got me here. This journey has proven to me that I CAN stick to things... next stop... nursing school! ;o)

A few statistics on obesity and disease:

80% of type II diabetes is related to obesity.
70% of Cardiovascular disease is related to obesity.
42% of breast and colon cancer is diagnosed among obese individuals.
30% of gall bladder surgery is related to obesity.
26% of obese people have high blood pressure.

Weekly Challenge

Our first challenge is about WATER!! We've had people speculating how much they should drink. On the facebook group our resident expert (LISA) answered this question with "you should be drinking 1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water daily (that's a minimum)". Others will tell you more or less... BOTTOM line.. the general consensus is at LEAST 64 ozs of water A DAY!! SOOOO... here is your challenge:

Drink AT LEAST 64 ozs of water a day.

If you are up to it, pick a number that is 1/2 your body weight. Some of you will be drinking close to 150 ozs of water a day if you are up for THIS challenge. WHY? "Without enough water, organs can't function as efficiently, so your metabolism slows to conserve energy." -TECD page 43.

WHAT!?!?! You are SLOWING YOUR METABOLISM down?? Hmm... does this mean that drinking water alone can assist in weight loss? ABSOLUTELY! Staying hydrated increases your metabolic rate. AND it's cheaper than fad metabolism boosters that CLAIM to increase your slow metabolism.

HOW? Here's just one suggestion: Decide your goal. (Mine is 100 ozs of water a day.. NOT including what I drink during exercise.) THEN.... put it all out on your counter. FIND containers/glasses/pitchers WHATEVER you need to get it all out in front of your face. (If you will be working split your water up, leave some on your counter and take the rest to work , maybe a LARGE container that you can leave out on your desk.)

At the end of your first day you may NOT have accomplished this goal, but you will see just how far you've got to go! By the end of the week you should be a pro at getting water.

PS: You will go through a large amount of toilet paper this week so make sure you've stocked up! :o)

Daily Somethings...

I have decided I'm going to do daily entries on this blog.. just short and sweet.

Each Sunday I will pose a challenge for the week.

On Mondays I will post some sort of statistic.

Tuesdays with be a small nutrition tip.

Wednesdays will be a JOKE.

Thursdays will be WHATEVER I FEEL LIKE! ;o)

Friday will be an inspirational quote.

Saturdays I can't guarantee I'll be able to get to the comp! :o)

And because it's Friday.. here's your inspirational quote:

You don't drown by falling in the water.

You drown by staying there.

Like it! Love it!! YOU SUCK!!

Kay.. so.. I totally get that sometimes we read peoples blogs but don't really have much to say. I was thinking about how facebook has a "LIKE IT" button... that you can just click. It lets people know that you read it... ANYWAY... I was thinking.. if you don't have anything fantastic or inspiring to say.. why not hit the "LIKE IT" button? You know... like I say...

Today I drank 6 beers, ate 3 pretzels and sat on my butt while eating bon bons and watching Maury and guess what?!?! I lost 22 lbs!!

Then you comment and say!

YOU SUCK! or I HATE YOU!! or DISLIKE IT!

Then I know people are reading!!

Lets try it. If you have a minute to read... maybe you could take a minute to say GO GIRL GO!! Before you are off to the next blog!

Feel free to comment your feelings on this with a 2 word response! ;o)

UPDATE!!!! Debbie has informed us that it IS possible to actually ADD a "like" button!! Check out the instructions here And incase you were wondering when she says the "LIKE" button it actually originally says "REACTION".

PS. Another cool thing about the "like" button is that you can click it AND leave a comment! ;o)

Prizes!!

Okay.. our final count is 47 competitors!!

Our prizes will be as follows:

MONTHLY:

1st $125

2nd $75

3rd $50

4th $25

And OVERALL:

1st $300

2nd $125

3rd $50

Holy Moly!! There is a lot of money to win. The final month will be a double wammy with monthly prizes as well as overall prizes being awarded!! ALSO THIS MEANS THAT EACH OF YOU HAS 23 CHANCES TO WIN!!! SO BRING IT!!

For those of you who are doing the math... we had some gals who paid the paypal fee and some who didn't! I actually think this was totally inadvertant... regardless we paid about $30 in paypal fees. Also, there is one gal on the list who sent in all her info but is in the hospital and hasn't paid. I did NOT include that contribution in the prize money, but also didn't take her off the list. Once she is well I will let her decide what she wants to do. If she keeps going with the comp I will put the extra $40 in the overall prizes! ;o)

Who reads these things anyway?

I will pay all of you amazing individuals with boat loads of comments if you will do me a HUGE favor and change the setting on your comments.
Sign into your blog and go to Customize, then Settings, then Comments. Under "Comments Form Placement" choose FULL PAGE or pop-up window.

REALLY TRULY we will all LOVE not having these stinking embedded comment windows that don't always work!!
THANKS!!!

Ask the Expert

I am fortunate enough to know an amazing woman who has been a trainer/nutrition counselor for 15+ years. She is commited to helping people make healthy choices and when I asked her if she would be willing to do an ASK THE EXPERT guest appearance on our blog each month she was VERY HAPPY to do it (FOR FREE!!!) So... if you have questions for our expert send them to kariscomp@yahoo.com and put "ask the expert" in the subject line. Each month right around weigh in Lisa will do her column answering one of your questions!!

I've noticed that some of us don't really seem to know what a "reasonable weight loss goal" is. We get a lot of opinions from outside sources, many of which seem to tell us NOT to reach too high... and so... I asked the expert! ;o)


Dear Lisa:
I have 50 + lbs to lose and am determined to really do it this time. People around me keep telling me not to set my goals too high for monthly losses etc. I want to do this right but don't want to get burned out... so... what is a reasonable goal for weight loss?

Dear 50 pounds+:
First of all - let me say congratulations for taking control of your life and deciding to lose weight to be healthy!! Let me help you determine a healthy weight loss goal for your first month. The first thing you need to understand is the more fat you have to lose, the quicker it will come off in the beginning. It is very common for the first week or 2 to lose a lot more than what you will continue do do on a weekly basis. Part of the reason for that is that your body will be shedding some water weight (water retention - which cause bloating). Some participants can experience a 5-7 pound weight loss in the first WEEK! (That's right - WEEK!!) Another reason for this rapid weight loss is: your body is just READY... Remember - your body WANTS to lose the weight. YOU should want it too! Don't be afraid of setting high, but attainable goals!! Your second week weight loss will be smaller than your first, which is good. Maybe a couple or a few pounds [less] (but maybe more). It is a sign that your body is now losing fat not just water or muscle. The more fat you have, the bigger your weekly losses will be. As you get closer to your goal the losses will be smaller. But for the first couple of months - especially the first, GO FOR IT! If you have 50+ pounds to lose and you are eating small healthy meals and snacks to meet your daily caloric needs, you can realistically lose 10-15 pounds each month. I recently met with a new client who had 45 pounds to lose to reach her healthy weight. She has lost 11 pounds within the first 14 days of meeting with me! If she keeps going with the same enthusiasm I wouldn't be surprised if she loses 20 POUNDS by the end of the month! IT IS POSSIBLE. IT IS DOABLE! HOW MUCH DO YOU WANT IT?! Good Luck!!

WOWZA!!!

Okay.. well.. it looks like the competition EXPLODED!! LOVE IT!! Because there are SOO many people we will have 1-4 place every month and 1-3 place for overall. I'll announce the amounts of prizes on Saturday (waiting on a couple of snail mail payments!).

AND... because the comp is SO BIG.. there will be NO extended deadline... no additional competitors. If you missed it... I will be doing another one starting this summer so check back!

Also.. if you are wondering if I got your payment.. check on the list of Peeps who have paid. Your link should also be on the sidebar.. if it's not there.. or it doesn't work.. let me know @ kariscomp@yahoo.com so I can get it fixed.

With the exception of Jacqui (who is out of the country) I have received EVERYONE'S scale pics... THANK YOU!!! I will be posting the template with everyone's starting weights TOMORROW!! (Once again.. please double check that your number is right!)

Thanks to all of you for joining. Someone mentioned something about this comp being draining on me today (she was thanking me for all the work!). I told her that the work is not what drains me... what is hard for me is watching people quit. PLEASE stick to this!! If you are struggling... ask for help.. just don't give up on the competition and DON'T GIVE UP ON YOURSELF!! We all came here for a reason (besides losing weight and/or getting healthy)... some of us are here to win money.. others of us are here for support, accountability, friendships. Think about why you are here. Don't give up just because you "can't beat him or her" or aren't seeing HUGE losses. Figure out how you will feel if you never win a penny but manage to reach your goals. Because ultimately.. we all joined this comp to CHANGE OUR LIVES... YOU are the only one standing in your way!

Down to the wire!

Just wanted to let you all know that the weights are due tomorrow by 6 pm mst to kariscomp@yahoo.com . ALSO.. that will be the cut-off to join SO.. if you have someone who keeps saying they are going to join but don't see their name on the list.. remind them they have till tomorrow at 6 to contact me and let me know they want to be in! :o) THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!! This is going to be an AMAZING adventure!

Household item!! Wow only 2 days left!!

Before you get to the household item I wanted to post a few guidelines for weigh ins!

1. Weigh yourself at the same time of day eachtime you weigh in (including your initial weigh in!)

2. PLEASE weigh yourself in the same clothing (or lack there of) for ALL weigh in's! If you are planning on weighing in naked for subsequent weigh ins.. be naked for the first one!!

3. Make sure that your scale is on a flat surface each time you weigh yourself. You might think you've made progress when really it's just the fact that the corner of your scale is on the bathroom mat.

4. Remember you must use a DIGITAL scale! WII scales do not count.

5. I posted the household item a little early so you can have extra time to get those before pics. PLEASE take your starting weight pic on the 5th!

Okay!!! It's so close to the start!! YAY!! I took some pics today for examples so here goes!! The household item is a CD or DVD. Your scale picture needs to have the date and the item and look something similar to this:

Then you must send pictures of the side and front view and they need to include the DVD and date in them . I strongly encourage you to take back pictures as well.. they are very shocking and revealing (as you never see yourself from the back!!) Either way.. here's my examples of the front and side.

I will also include some OTHER examples of acceptable before outfits. Because some women might be panicking thinking they are required to pose half naked.. this is not the case HOWEVER... with permission from Debbie... I wanted you show you how to do a before pic without showing extra skin:


These pics are not meant to be flattering in any way/shape or form! They are meant to be brutally honest and are a great tool for myself to measure your progress and to keep the competition HONEST!

There is also the option of wearing clothes that are TOO small and taking progressive pics as you start to fit into them... something like this! (Thanks Mindy!!)

Also.. you may notice that the before pics are FULL BODY PICS! Please make sure any pics you send to me ARE full body! I will crop them to post them on the blog (when you win) but please do not send pics that do not include your face! Also.. remember that you are not REQUIRED to post these pics on your blog. They are fantastic to share IF you want to but... don't worry that you HAVE to... because YOU DON'T!!

So there you have it! Pics are due by 6 pm MST to kariscomp@yahoo.com . I will let you know if I have any problems with them. Please be flexible if I ask you to retake something because it is blurry or because the clothes you have chosen are just WAY TOO LOOSE!!

Can't wait to get this party started!

WAHOO... the countdown is on! ;o)

Blogging?

PLEASE REVIEW the RULES and DETAILS for this comp before signing up! THANKS! :o)

A couple of people have asked me what exactly they should be blogging about so I thought I'd give you some ideas.

The blog is MEANT to be OUR way of keeping track of your progress. (By "our" I mean everyone else in the competition.) It is meant to be a place for you to talk about your diet/nutrition and exercise routines. It can be a journal of sorts. Talk about your successes and your moments of weakness. Share your journey with us!

If you want the support this competition can bring you need to be personal. It is amazing how supportive others are when they can relate to you. If you are blogging one to two sentences that say things like "This week sucked, I'll try better next week." You will find that you don't get a whole lot of support from other people.

My blog has become an amazing documentation of the crazy journey that is weight loss. The more you put into it, the more it becomes less of an assignment and more of a way to reach out to others.

SO BLOG!!! Treat your blog as your way to get TONS of support!!