BL 3 - Red Team week 3

[MagicalMom]

MM - I bolded the part of D2D's post that I think explains the math questions. Is it cumulative on the show too? I thought they started new each week for the team competition but the individual was cumulative. Seems like if the teams are always cumulative then once a team achieived a lead, it would be hard for the other teams to catch up.

I don't really understand either.

The only one I did the math on was the blue team weigh in on the last show. Their starting weights were:
266, 271, 267, 359, 205 & 399. They lost a totoal of 43 lbs between all of them. Which would be 2.43% Makes sense to me.

For someone to lose 1 lb & lose 2% makes no sense at all. Unless they weighed 50lbs.

 

[Nancy]

How about spinach, I love it cooked or raw in a salad???

I forgot about spinach. I can eat it cooked in something like Lasgna Florentine, but I don't like it plain or in a salad.

How about broccoli rabe or spagetti squash? Maybe kale or swiss chard? I had a hard time finding a new veggie too....I eat most of them already. I did find a couple of interesting new fruits today, an asian prickly pear and a red pear.

broccoli rabe, is that the same as rappi? I work in a grocery store so I get to try lots of stuff when they give out samples. (that's how I tried avocado the first time)

I think we need to be healthy in our expectations. With a 38 member team, a good healthy goal would be 57 - 76 lbs (that's 1.5-2 lbs each). We might not beat the other teams, but we'd all be making some good progress.

I've been brainstorming on this challenge. I'm another one who eats vegetables pretty regularly so there's not much new to try, but I found this website that I thought was helpful. It gave me some ideas, at least, as well as telling how to prepare them. I think artichoke should count as a new vegetable for me since I've only ever had it in a spinach-artichoke cheese dip (not exactly the healthiest)

http://www.kitchenhelper.net/unusualvegetables.html

The ideas on the site include:
celeriac
yams
chili peppers
fennel
etc.

Other ideas:
asparagus
broccolini (I LOVE this http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28129,00.html)

eggplant
tomatillo
radishes
water chestnuts
watercress
shallots (use instead of onion)
parsnips
rutabaga
spaghetti squash
okra (I like it pickled - get the spicy - about 10 calories each)
jicama
beets
rhubarb
turnips
leeks (there is a great diet soup recipe using these - I think it's from the French Women Don't Get Fat book)
capers (I think they're a veggie, might be a fruit??)

Also, new to you greens should count. If you normally eat ice berg or romaine, branch out.

Escarole
Endive
Swiss Chard
Broccoli Rabe
mustard greens
cilantro

Leeks, I almost bought a minestroni fresh veggie soup mix (all pre-cut and pre-washed veggies) that had leeks in it, but it's still too warm here for me to think about making a big pot of soup. BUT maybe I'll try that.

Cilantro I use when making this avocado/roasted corn salsa that is great on a grilled chicken wrap.

 

[MagicalMom]

Yep, checked last weeks totals & it is cumulative. The TV show goes by weekly numbers. I don't think they do indiviual percentages. They just take the teams total weight loss for the week.
Makes more sense to me to do it that way.

So, an individual could lose no weight one week & still be in the lead based on their previous weeks weight loss.

 

[dare2dream]

My dear Red Team that I love dearly, each and every one of you,

Yes, I am frustrated that we lost another weigh in so miserably compared to the other teams. Please do not ever think I am humiliated because of you. I am very proud of those of you that are really trying and working hard. We do have the majority of our team with an initial weight in the 150-199 range. Here is our team breakdown (I am a numbers freak) 300-350 - 3, 250-299 - 5, 200-249 - 9, 150-199 - 20, 100-149 - 1. Our average weight is 209.9. I do not know these women's height, I do not know their BMI, and actually that is none of my business. I just know that for some reason we all decided to take this challenge to become healthier. I know it is MUCH harder to lose weight at 150 pounds than at 300 pounds. Some women are struggling at plateaus they have been at for a while and we all deal with the dreaded TOM situation. Life is all around us and food will always be a part of that life.

I just wonder if everyone is doing all that they can with this challenge. I know I have not been and that has caused me humiliation when I look at our numbers and wonder how I could have made a better contribution. I really need to just step back and not get so crazy about our low percentage. I do not know the make up of the other teams and possibly I never will.

As mom2alix (Rebecca) pointed out we have been calculating using cumulative weight lost. Bridgetgabbie's percentage was for two weeks of weight loss. This method may put us at a disadvantage because we are already so far behind the other teams. Each week as we try to catch up they will still be losing so there will always be a gap. It may be more fair to calculate each week using that week loss divided by that weeks initial weight. I may discuss that with the other team captains. I am certainly not in this to lose every single week no matter how hard we try.

We team captains are all new at this and doing the best we can. The hardest part is trying to get everyones weight each week. The other teams have members that did not provide an initial weight or have missed week 1 or week 2 and have not been heard from since. I am happy that I have heard from all our team members except for the one that has not checked in for week 2.

Thanks for posting here and letting me know that you are taking the weekly challenge seriously. It's hard to come up with new vegetables to try. I got two new fruits tonight, an asian pear and a pluot. My challenge printout is beside me at the kitchen table and I make notes after every meal. I want to do my part with this challenge.

I again apologize if I have offended any team member. I am not humiliated of you, I am with myself for not being a better motivator and leader. I am a humble volunteer here and I certainly don't have all the answers. I am here to develop healthy habits and lose some weight just like all of you.

Red team as long as that scale inches down each week, no matter how slowly we are all winners no matter what the numbers say and no matter how those numbers compare to the other teams.

Our Red Team is a bunch of Losers. And I mean that in a GOOD way.

 

[ibouncetoo]

. It may be more fair to calculate each week using that week loss divided by that weeks initial weight. I may discuss that with the other team captains. I am certainly not in this to lose every single week no matter how hard we try.

For the weekly TEAM contest, it should be just THAT WEEK's loss/percentage...like on the show. New week, new contest. However at the final weigh in, it should be the cumulative loss to determine the team that won the entire Biggest Loser challenge. Just my two cents.

Getting cumulative numbers for the individuals on a team is great though...show's how we are each doing over the long haul.

Got all my water in yesterday and today, and that's something for me! The NEW fruit/veggies is difficult, as I already eat all I can get my hands on. I'll check out some from the list posted though. The whole grains catagory should be OK, there is a 'designer' sandwich shop near work that has fantastic breads of that kind. So I'm plugging along on the challenge.

Morning temps are starting to drop, so I'll be doing AM walks instead of evening swims now. Just have to be sure to NOT get on the DIS when I first wake up

 

[MagicalMom]

I think we should keep chugging along & do the best we can do. It would be great to come in first place but since the numbers are cumulative we may be too far behind already.

As a side not, everyone try to weigh in first thing in the morning, after a trip to the bathroom & before breakfast. That should be your lowest weight of the day.

D2D, please don't take our weight loss numbers personally.

 

[cccm]

Escarole idea: Blackened Chicken Pasta

-Grill chicken breast with blackened seasoning. Weigh it to your desired portion size.
-Weigh and cook desired serving size of pasta. I use gemelli for a pasta shape.
-Dice Red Pepper to desired amount.
-Cut escarole similar to how they do romaine to desired amount

You want the escarole wilted, so I sometimes toss the escarole and red pepper into the pasta for the last 30 seconds of it cooking and then drain the whole thing.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix in any type of Caesar salad dressing, remember to measure it and count it in with your calories.

The flavors are fantastic together. The heat of the blackening seasoning, the sweetness of the red pepper.

My weight loss has been an ongoing battle since I got married. I did make it down 20 lbs at one point about 4 years ago. In August I said enough is enough. I wanted to lose weight to look cute at Disney. So since the beginning of August I am actually down about 10 lbs. I lost weight at Disney!! I am in a plateau right now. I know how to jump start to get past this and that will be occurring.

I do agree with the posters that it is not possible for most of our team to have huge losses based on many of our starting weight. There is no way I can lose 10 lbs in one week. I think the most is 4 to 5 lbs.

Also, some things to keep in mind. I go to the gym and not only do cardio but also weights. I work with a trainer occasionally. Muscle weighs more than fat. I am creating muscles with my weight lifting. So my weigh loss is a bit different until that new muscle can burn off the fat. I am also losing inches which is wonderful as it directly impacts my clothes. I know it sounds insane, but I can bench press 45 lbs and I am proud of it.

A lot of losing weight is learning about your body, which we are all doing. I learned that more protein less carbs does work for me. However, I get the shakes if I cut out carbs completely.

Watching the BL Teams this week on TV made me think "Oh no, someone is going to get really frustrated and lose it". The trainers were disappointed.

So Red Team, keep trying, don't give up. Remember to learn about your body, how it reacts with foods and exercise. Some good things I have learned.

- Don't put a thing in your mouth unless you wrote it down in your journal.
- Your body needs food to survive, if it thinks it is being starved it will hoard calories. My trainer told me never go below 1,200 calories.
- Don't eat the same foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Your body will get used to them. Shake things up a little.

To add to MagicalMom - I take a shower, hit the bathroom, dry my hair. Weigh myself right before I get dressed (I don't eat until I get to work). Those days of weighing at noon at WW at work, I wouldn't eat or drink anything until noon that day.

My question: Does Chinese count as fast food? I am thinking as traditional greasy Chinese food goes, it does.

Now for my biggest challenge of the day: I have to figure out what to wear to work today. Part of me wants to call in sick rather than figure out what to wear.

 

[tinkamom]

cccm-I like your blackened chicken pasta receipe. Escarole is a new veggie for me so I was thinking of making Italian wedding soup with it but I may try your receipe instead. I'll use whole wheat pasta to get the whole grains in!

 

[dare2dream]

cccm (Celeste),
It's Friday, find something fabulous and get to work!! Then you can enjoy the weekend. I know you can conquer your plateau and get to where you want to be. Thanks for the receipe, when can you drop by to cook it?

mom2alix (Rebecca),
Thanks for the great list of unusual vegetables. There are alot there to choose from.

Thanks for your thoughts red team on our numbers. I will pass them along to WISH Biggest Loser central. All we can do is try our best and that's what I am doing now. I hope you are too.

I have not been good about this and it makes me think too hard:

Things I love about me:
1. I am compassionate
2. I am good with numbers.
3. I have been married 27 years.
4. I have helped to raise three wonderful children.
5. When I went back to college I had a 4.0 GPA.
6. When I promise to do something I do it.
7. I make lunch for my guys and fill their water jug every workday.
8. I am creative.
9. I look at the big picture, not just the here and now.

That is getting harder, but I need to do it. At the end of the week I will print out my list to reminder me of why I am great for the days when I don't feel so great.

Red Team I hope you feel great today because you are great.

Have a healthy day.

 

[jimmduck]

Brenda - weight loss is such an individual thing, affected by so many things - some of which are not in our control.

We have struggles that those on the show do not face (like everyday life and chores) and really cannot control what other teams do - or what anyone else does except ourselves.

Me, for example. One of my first goals is to lose enough weight to be able to weigh at home (11 lbs to be exact). Then I can weigh in the morning. Right now, I cannot. I can only weigh at the gym, can only get there at night, after supper - well, it is not an ideal time for sure.

Whether it is 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound, whatever - what matters is a healthy lifestyle and consistency.

That is why I joined this challenge. If I accomplish this, I will win, we will win. The rest does not matter and we will drive ourselves crazy trying to "beat" the other teams.

We will not lose another 59 pounds in a week, not with weights at this range. There is no prize here, no $500,000.00 - nobody is voting anyone off.

If that goal is not achievable, then let us focus on what is, the daily challenges, working out, eating healthy, seeing the scale go down most weeks.

We are just here to encourage each other to do our best.

If you look at it that way, Brenda, you are the best leader there is and you have nothing to be humiliated about.

Life happens. Besides there are other "challenges" to focus on, like the one we have this week (although the vegetable part is hard for me, I don't like most vegetables). It is interesting to note that while, on the show, the Red Team is getting their butt kicked, but they have won every other challenge.

Hang in there team - lets focus on what we can do and not on what we cannot.

Linda

 

[jimmduck]

Looking to see if he (Mickey) works.

And he does! Thanks Mary Liz (fellow Canuck I think - I am from Nova Scotia)

Linda

P.S. Lost a pound this week - 3 so far. Hardly the "biggest loser", but I have faced the scale, at night, for three consecutive weeks and that is big for me, I tend to avoid it. Coach says that if we focus on what we are eating and stay accountable, we tend to eat less

 

[ibouncetoo]

Brenda - weight loss is such an individual thing, affected by so many things - some of which are not in our control.

We have struggles that those on the show do not face (like everyday life and chores) and really cannot control what other teams do - or what anyone else does except ourselves.

Me, for example. One of my first goals is to lose enough weight to be able to weigh at home (11 lbs to be exact). Then I can weigh in the morning. Right now, I cannot. I can only weigh at the gym, can only get there at night, after supper - well, it is not an ideal time for sure.

Whether it is 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound, whatever - what matters is a healthy lifestyle and consistency.

That is why I joined this challenge. If I accomplish this, I will win, we will win. The rest does not matter and we will drive ourselves crazy trying to "beat" the other teams.

We will not lose another 59 pounds in a week, not with weights at this range. There is no prize here, no $500,000.00 - nobody is voting anyone off.

If that goal is not achievable, then let us focus on what is, the daily challenges, working out, eating healthy, seeing the scale go down most weeks.

We are just here to encourage each other to do our best.

If you look at it that way, Brenda, you are the best leader there is and you have nothing to be humiliated about.

Life happens. Besides there are other "challenges" to focus on, like the one we have this week (although the vegetable part is hard for me, I don't like most vegetables). It is interesting to note that while, on the show, the Red Team is getting their butt kicked, but they have won every other challenge.

Hang in there team - lets focus on what we can do and not on what we cannot.

Linda

Very well said, Linda!

.

 

[MagicalMom]

I woke up this morning & finally hit my 25lbs total!!!! It took from May until now. Exercising atleast 1 hour a day (but somedays that was only walking, other days it was lifting weights!) Just another 20 -25 to go!!

 

[Nancy]

I woke up this morning & finally hit my 25lbs total!!!! It took from May until now. Exercising atleast 1 hour a day (but somedays that was only walking, other days it was lifting weights!) Just another 20 -25 to go!!

Bravo!!! Way To Go!



I am hoping to hit 15 gone next week, my personal goal was 30 by Christmas, if I stay on the same track I've been on I should be ok. Then my next goal is another 20 by April when DH and I go on our solo trip to the World. It's our fist time going solo since we had children. Last time we went just the 2 of us there were only 2 parks and we actually drove in from Daytona for the 2 days we spent there.

 

[pyrateswife]

First off, thank you for the welcome! now for the confessions:
I gained 1 lb this week.. I am soo sorry. I have been feeling really crappy about myself.. I hate looking in the mirror and seeing my reflection.. It dont even look like me anymore. I now weigh 218 I am saying my weight out loud so maybe this will help me see that I do need to get this under control.
My big thing is that I am sooooooo embarrassed to exercise in front of anyone.. Including my family.. because I feel like an idiot when I get all hot or red in the face.. or worse.. out of breath... does anyone know where I am comming from?
I was so upset today, on my lunch break I went to the worst place possible for lunch.. Burger King.. it is now 1:20 and I feel like the biggest looser.. I feel sick.. Sick that I slipped and ate there.. and physically sick.. I have spent over $100.00 in the last month alone on diet things.. ( alli, the blue bottle one, and that hoodia crap ) which i seen no results at all..grr Lesson Learned.. It is just plain hardwork..
With that being said and now that I have got all this off of my chest... I give you my commitment on loosing weight.. This is just a HUGE struggle for me.. I need to get over being embarrassed.. ( sorry for all the spelling errors) lol the other night my daughter who just turned 4 started crying saying she is fat.. I dont know where she is getting it.. but what got me is that her exact words where.. "mommy I am getting fat like you" that brought tears to my eyes and I started to cry and my hubby said .. she is only 4..shes not trying to be mean.. but hey it was reality.. I am fat..
I know it sounds like I need counceling..exc.. but I dont..lol.. I know what I need to do to loose weight.. my motto has been "I will start tomorrow" well this time I am for real I am starting tomorrow...
Has anyone had these feelings or is it just me.. and thank you for letting me vent.. It is nice to be part of a group! SORRY THIS IS SO LONG!
- LISA

 

[pyrateswife]

Also How Important Is The Water Drinking? Wont That Make U Retain Water..... ???

 

[MagicalMom]

My big thing is that I am sooooooo embarrassed to exercise in front of anyone.. Including my family.. because I feel like an idiot when I get all hot or red in the face.. or worse.. out of breath... does anyone know where I am comming from?
- LISA

Hi. When I first started working out I was a bit secretive about it. I was afraid I'd fail & didn't want anyone to know. I didn't want to go to the gym. I didn't want to walk out oin public. I didn't have the motivation or energy to do much. So, I started walking in place. I'd call my firiend 30 times a day & while gabbing with her I would walk in place for 20 minutes. I probably lost my first 10 lbs just by doing that. As the weight started coming off I had more enrgy & nerve to move onto bigger things. Just take it slow, I know you can do this.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Also How Important Is The Water Drinking? Wont That Make U Retain Water..... ???

Nope, water doesn't make you retain....salt does. AND water flushes out the salt...so just keep drinking, drinking, drinking.......and make lots of visits to the 'ladies'.

Welcome to the team!

 

[dare2dream]

Pyrateswife (Lisa),

Lisa, you are part of a wonderful group and we are here to encourage you to reach your weight loss goals. I wish I could tell you the magic secret or suggest a miraculous pill, but no such thing exists. Things in bottles may help, but you are the one that will ultimately make this weight loss effort really work. The absolute only way to lose weight is with hard work. At first is it very difficult but as healthy habits are established it does get easier, so they say, I'm still waiting for that part.

Yow have made a hugh step in committing to make a change in your life. This will not be easy, but I know you can do it, especially for that beautiful DD. You are her best teacher. She looks to you to learn healthy habits and how to feel about herself.

Do not start tomorrow, start RIGHT NOW!! Here are my thoughts for you, but remember I am NOT an expert, I am just trying hard just like you.

1. Drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. As ibouncetoo (Jackie) said it will not make you retain water. Water is good for your body and most people do not get enough. What I like about sipping water all day is that it fills me up and helps me not to obsess about food all day. It also makes me pee night and day since my bladder is the size of a pea. But I know this is a good thing for my body. I have learned were all the restrooms are in every place I shop.

2. Try to formulate some type of eating plan that will work for you. Decide how much protien, fruit, dairy, vegetables, and starches you will eat each day and stick with it. Try to plan your meals. Always have healthy readily accessible snacks in the house.

3. Exercise. That should be a four letter work. I hate it, but I do it and I feel great when I am done. Since I am so large I just set my timer for 30 minutes, turn on the TV and just move around the living room. I march, I walk, I sashay, I hokey pokey, I just move my a**. This is probably not the best thing for me to be doing, but I feel it is a start and it is better than nothing. Someday I will go to a gym and do 'real' exercising and get on complicated machines and all that, but for now I am doing what works for me.

4. Check in here for accountability and encouragement. There is a thread for a monthly exercise challenge to commit to a certain amount of exercise in a month. There is a place where you can start a WISH journal for you to just express yourself as you travel along this journey to good health. There are other wonderful programs and websites to help you. I love sparkpeople.com. It is free. They email me valuable information everyday. They have a calorie tracker, can provide meal plans, and have lots of other cool stuff at their site if that is what you think would work for you.

5. Always remember that everyday will not perfect. There will be days we overindulge at Burger King. It's important to keep those days to a minimum. This is life. We can enjoy it and enjoy wonderful food too. Just remember that overindulging should not happen everyday. There is wonderful healthy food that we need to enjoy daily. It takes time to develop a taste and desire for them. In time fresh fruit will satisfy a craving instead of junk food. It just takes time and commitment. The most important thing is what we do after overindulging. We can give up and begin a crazed feeding frenzy or we can be in control. We can say no to more overindulging and we can adjust our eating and exercise to compensate for a little something special.

Lisa, I'm sure none of this is news to you, but I know these things will help.
Hold your head up and look toward the goal, good health and feeling good about yourself. That is what keeps us on the path each day. We are each at different stages of our journey. I am finally getting firmly back on path. I know I can do this one day at a time. Small goals are best. Sometimes it gets too depressing to think about how far we have to go. I know I can do 10 pounds and that is what I am working on now.

I know you can do this Lisa.

Have a healthy day.

 

[dizchick]

Hello Red Team! I hope everyone has built in a little bit of time for themselves this weekend to dedicate to healthy habits! We can't get down as a team - we still have lot more weeks to catch up! I'm happy that I lost almost 4 pounds this past week! I had gained the week before (TOM), so I was happy to take off the two I had gained, plus two more! I think I only reported my loss of almost 2 to Brenda though, since it was a two pound loss from my start weight.

One thing that I've found helps me is that I HAVE to exercise. No question about it. If I don't work out - I don't lose weight. And, I need to sweat when I work out! I've found I tend to carry a lot of water weight and sweating is the best way to lose it. Unfortunately, I usually lose fairly slowly since I only have about 15 (very stubborn) pounds to lose. I'll be on vacation next week, so I won't be able to check in a bunch, but I have Brenda's phone number to report my loss.

Here are my things I like about me:

-Good friend, girlfriend, daughter, and sister
-Love to laugh
-I actually love to exercise
-I'm opinionated, yet tactful
-I love to smile
-I just moved to a new city and started a new job, which took a lot of guts and I'm proud of myself
-I'm going to start school again and get my master's degree