Week 7 Results

Cathie won the crap out of Christmas week with a 1.18% loss! Congrats!!!
Melissa followed with .46% loss.


Total loss from the beginning 3 lbs... ha ha ha... still a loss!

CHALLENGE:

This week's challenge is calorie counting. Surprisingly enough, the majority of the time when you’re having a problem losing weight, it’s not because you aren’t making good food choices. The reason why your weight loss has stagnated is because you’re not eating enough calories to lose weight.  Your body is a smart machine and senses a large decrease in dietary energy. Your large calorie deficit might work for a few days or even weeks, but eventually your body will wake up and sound alarms that it needs to conserve energy. Read more at CoachCalorie.com. To enter this week's drawing you must Go to CalorieKing.com and calculate how many calories your body needs to lose weight safely. Then, eat that many calories... every day. Or you can use MyFitnessPal which is my favorite!

Week before Christmas!

I left the numbers at home... doh! I will add those tonight. But here is the challenge!!

Week before christmas and all through the house there was so much stuff I should NOT eat...

This challenge was inspired by Christie and plays off of an old challenge:

When you have a craving or you reach for a treat, instead of eating it, give it away. Or if you reach to buy one... go ahead!! Just give it to someone else. The homeless guy on the corner, your FedEx driver that has been delivering all those packages to your house every day, a police officer or a soldier.

Or hell, even that mom trying to finish her Christmas shopping with her screaming kids in tow.

Week 6 HALF WAY THERE!!

I haven't caught up on this week's numbers but here is the challenge this week!!!

This is the half way mark and the week before Christmas so do your best this week before you find chocolate in your stockings!!!

Melissa

CHALLENGE:

One of the easiest ways to get over a weight plateau is by increasing the ratio of protein to carbohydrates in your diet. This week, you'll be able to enter if you strive everyday to eat more protein. We needed an easy challenge after last week, didn't we? Read more on how this diet can benefit you at ActiveBeat.

WEEK 5 here we go!

We've been doing this 5 weeks, and you guys... I am not focusing. K. for real. I am going to watch my self this week. GOOD NIGHT!!

Results from this week:

Christie took lead with a 1.96% loss!
Sara followed with a .82% loss
Cathie and Amber stayed even which is awesome!

Melissa gained 1.89... blurg!

Good thing there is another week!

Good work on the challenge too!

CHALLENGE:

Exercise is an important – you might even say vital – part of any effective weight loss plan. Regular exercise burns calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. It also raises your metabolic rate, which means you’ll burn calories faster even when you’re resting. It can lower your insulin level and raise your sense of well-being. This week’s challenge focuses on exercise. If you’ve been sedentary, you may wish to start gradually with a brisk walk around the block or a few laps in the pool. If you’ve already been working on an exercise plan, crank it up a notch. The Mayo clinic recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (like swimming or walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (like running) each week. Accomplish either this week!

Remember it isn't every day! Just total each week!!

Week 4 here we go!

For being Thanksgiving and as terrified as I was to weigh we did good as a group!

As a total we went down 2.3 pounds!!

Losses:
Melissa .97%
Amber .47%
Sara 1.9%

We are a total .6% loss from the first week.

CRAZY good job this week SARAH!


CHALLENGE:

A recent study http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/92/2/13-120287-ab/en/index.html suggests EACH time you eat fast food, your BMI (body mass index) is bumped up by 0.03. While I’m not convinced this warrants more government intervention to keep us from making poor dietary choices, it may be a good reason to make better choices on an individual basis. This week, instead of heading for Wendy’s, Burger King, McDonald’s or even Chick-fil-A for lunch, try brown-bagging it. Drive past the Crown Burger, Taco Bell, KFC and Sonic on your way to a home-cooked dinner. Plan ahead so you won’t have to choose between shopping for ingredients and ordering pizza delivery. Yes, I know it’s inconvenient, but it’s worth it. If you avoid fast food this entire week, your wallet and your waistline will thank you. And you can enter our drawing next Saturday.

WEEK TWO results

Hey everyone, rough week and this next one might be also with the amazing food the holiday brings. But let's watch our servings and keep it in control.

I am going to put more detail into the details of the weeks gains and losses...

Melissa gained 1.17%
Amber stayed even
Christine lost 1.48%
Cathie gained 1.18%
Sara lost 1.96%

Total from week one we are at a total loss of 4.2 pounds which is still awesome and amazing. You got this!!!

Everyone completed last weeks challenge!!



CHALLENGE:

This week’s challenge involves sleep. What does sleep have to do with weight loss? Several things, actually. If you’re tired your body is more likely to respond by asking for food than by asking for a nap. Exhaustion can lead to poor choices, like binge-ing. But more importantly, sleep is when our bodies perform the “housekeeping” tasks that are difficult while we’re awake. If you’re sleep-deprived, your metabolism can’t function the way it was meant to. If you get at least seven hours of sleep per 24-hour period, you’ll feel better. Do it each day this week and you can put your name in the drawing next Saturday.

Week two, here we go!

Week 1 results are in!

We lost a total of 1.19% which is FANTASTIC!! The top losers are...

Cathie 1.74%
Amber .94%
Melissa.51%

Keep up the good work! Not easy but now that we are one week in, keep watching how much you move and what you put in.

Sarah won the challenge this week. Since we don't have many members of the group I am going to keep the end prizes as $60, $40 for first and second place and $25 will be given to whomever completes the most challenges.

CHALLENGE:

Water is so important, especially while you’re dieting.

Initial weight loss is largely due to water loss, so you need to drink more to avoid dehydration.

Burning calories requires an adequate supply of water; dehydration slows down the fat-burning process.

Dehydration can cause headaches. It can also make you feel tired or hungry.

Water helps to maintain muscle tone and to lubricate joints.

A healthy diet includes fiber, but fiber without adequate fluids it can cause constipation.

Drinking water before meals can make you feel full sooner.

Most people should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, so that's our challenge for this week.

Keep up the good work!

WEEK ONE!!

Okay! Here we go!

Each week you will have a challenge. Accomplish the challenge and your name will go into a raffle.

It will also give you something to focus on.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” It’s true, of course, but delayed gratification can be difficult. This week our challenge is to make a note of the things we’re craving. (I’d give you a few examples, but I’m afraid that would be counterproductive.) Instead of eating the treat that’s been tempting you, make a note of it. No, not just a mental note. Actually get a pencil and paper and write it down. By the end of the week you should have a nice list of things you would have eaten if not for your own will power. Chose one item on your list that still sounds yummy and reward yourself with it. Instead of feeling deprived, you’ll start the week with a new sense of accomplishment. And you can enter our drawing for next week's prize.

OFFICIAL RULES

The rules of this year's competition are as follows:

On Saturday, November 5th, we will begin!

All participants will send a "Before" photo and a photo of their feet on a scale with something that has the date on it to Melissa Robison, singletonmd@gmail.com. 

Both the pictures and the weights will be kept completely confidential.

Every Saturday morning thereafter for the next 12 weeks, all local participants will send photos of their feet on the scale before 11 am (west coast) to be counted. All results will be calculated against each participant's starting weight producing a percentage of total weight lost week to week. These percentages will be ranked and the top ten "Losers" will be posted on this blog each Sunday afternoon.

The entry fee is $25 and can be paid via Paypal to singletonmd@gmail.com.This money will be saved throughout the duration of the competition and used entirely for prizes to the participants. If $25 works and everyone enjoys the 12 weeks we can alter the amount for a larger prize the next round! There are plenty of prizes to win, but even if you don't win any money, you'll be healthier, and happier.

Weigh-ins will NOT be accepted after 11am (west coast time) on each Saturday.

Weekly Challenges

Each week, along with the top five results, I will issue a challenge for the week. Those who successfully complete the challenge will be allowed to enter their name in a drawing for a prize. These challenges are usually quite simple and require little to no extra time to complete.

DIET AND EXERCISE ONLY PLEASE. To keep a level playing field for all competitors, use of weight-loss aiding drugs or extreme diets is not permitted. This includes cleanses or fasting for periods longer than 2 meals.

Prizes

The final weigh-in and Prize Giveaway Party will be held online on January 16th. Final prize amounts are percentages of the entry fees and entirely depend on how many people join the competition. The more, the merrier.

The First Place Winner will receive 40%. The Second Place Winner will receive 25% and the Third Place Winner will receive 15%. In addition, a 10% participation prize will be drawn from names of competitors who missed no more than 2 weigh-ins. The remaining 10% of the entry fees will be used to purchase the weekly prizes.

Thank you to everyone that is joining in on this competition and GOOD LUCK!!