Weekly Challenge - Week Four

If you would like to be in next week's challenge, you can send me a 1000 word essay on what you like about being you..jk....We are going to do one more weight loss challenge, just send a photo of your weight by Tuesday morning. You can actually send it anytime before next Tuesday, you will just have less time! 


You can send it to me in a message on facebook, or post it on the fb wall if you're brave, or send it to jenniferfieldsgraphics@gmail.com. I will make the challenges more interesting each week. I 
might also up the ante on the prizes and what the loser has to do...I'm feeling kind of powerful!


So far I have me, Megan, Joi, Rachel, Haley, Mistala, Tanya, Amanda, Pamela, and Sarah for this week's challenge. The winner gets either a pedometer or a workout DVD. Loser has to post an embarrassing pic ; )  or they can pay $10 toward the cash prize in the big challenge.


Have a great week! Game's On!!


Congrats to Miss Joi for kicking some booty this week with a 1.6% loss. A close second goes to Amanda with 1.08%. Third goes to Haley with .95%. Fourth goes to Megan with -.48%. Fifth goes to lil' o me with an impressive -1.88%. And the winner of this week's loser challenge (positive spin) is Miss Sarah with a -2.13%. Here is her "embarrassing pic", which 
is still way cute. In her defense, the girl doesn't take a bad picture =D

Challenge #3 - And the winner is....

Meet the players this week!

 
Say hello to the winner! Gina Cox. She lost 2.6% last week!! She will be receiving a lovely DVD from my huge home collection...Oooo...Ahhhh
Gina is my sister, and one of the most disciplined people I know. She's a mom of a 5 yr old, and a 13 yr old. She also builds new homes. She and her husband, Danny, are doing P90X 6 days a week and following the diet plan. Trying to lose that last few pounds. Great job girl!

Second place goes to Joi! She lost 2.59% last week!! Soooo close!!

Joi-" I'm on the cusp of 33 yrs old, I'm a wife, I'm a mom. and I'm SICK OF BEING FAT!!!! ;) I've been heavy for well... forever... and I'm done. This is it....no turning back!
I live in north eastern Michigan, but I have lived and traveled all over the US. I've designed costumes in NYC, been a nanny in Jersey, and even worked at Yellowstone Nat'l Park (along side my life long partner in crime, Rachel) just to list a small handful. I enjoy all all things artsy-fartsy... I design/sew clothing and other fun adornments, photography, interior design, painting, drawing, knitting, oh and probably anything else that entails some bit of creativity."

Third place goes to Sarah! She lost 1.55% last week!!
I'm turning 27 this year and I'm a new mommy and wife, and am trying to get my life back on track before I hit 30. I love anything that has to do with Zen-ing up my life, and finding balance. Its not just about losing the weight its about self discovery and finding a lifestyle that I can maintain, and be encouraged, and challenged by. I want my life to be just that LIFE, and to be able to enjoy being with my family, and be able to keep up with them. I hope that I will be 70 and still rockin' it, and finding joy in the little things, and conquering a mountain (literally).

Fourth place goes to Haley! She lost 1.34% last week!!

I have been married to the love of my life for four years now. I am the director of childrens ministries at a westover fellowship and I absolutely love it. I use to be super skinny in high school and didn't have to work on it at all. It wasn't until I was 22 and developed panic disorder and had to get on medication. This medication caused me to gain 50 pounds in one year, it also reaked havoc on my metabolism. I have lost 33 of the 50 pounds working out super hard for two years and of course dieting. (the bodybugg has helped me alot).

Fifth place goes to Megan! She lost  .71% last week!!

This was taken from a contest we did a few years ago...."Let's see..., my name is Megan and I am a photographer... I'm 31 years old, married, and a mom of two beautiful little girls, Hadley and Raiyne. I live in Amarillo, Texas, although I'm originally from Massachusetts... I have struggled with my weight for what seems like forever... really starting at the age 10! I have always been an emotional eater, I eat when I'm happy, mad, sad, frustrated, whenever..., I just like to eat what I want when I want.  I'm ready to unleash the thin, healthy girl in me, and I'm ready to LOVE seeing myself in the mirror again... "

Sixth place goes to Me, Jennifer! I lost  .62% last week!! I'll take it!

I was at one time a personal trainer and aerobic instructor, a total health nut! Going through a lot of junk in my life, and having a completely sedentary lifestyle contributed to me gaining nearly 100 lbs since high school. I sit behind a desk up to 18 hrs a day, so I started this blog to motivate myself to get up and start living again! I love all things creative. I'm an amateur artist, and have a web design business, plus another job as a real estate appraisal processor that keeps me busy. I'm combining the gym with at home workouts, and trying to eat clean, balanced meals. I want to become an athlete again, and am tired of being held back by my body, both mentally and physically!

Seventh place goes to Rachel! She lost  .34% last week!!

Rachel- (as told by Joi) is a 32 yr old wife and mother. She currently lives in Las Vegas but grew up in Michigan.She is a very talented card/invitation maker, having produced one of a kind handmade invitations for weddings and showers, with rave reviews. she also is an avid scrapbooker, photographer, and is an all around creative spirit. - Rachel will introduce herself a little later =D

Mistala - Sorry girl! You have some where around 0% this week. You will be entertaining us by dancing or singing to the song of your choosing! Can't wait to see your skills....We love you =D

More about Mistala later....

Weekly Menu ~ Snack Attack

I ate way too much of the good stuff last week and some other bad stuff as well. I'm going to have to be really disciplined to see any results. I'm completely frustrated with the WW plan. I've stayed on my points, and either stayed the same week to week or gained. I haven't lost any weight since Christmas, but I haven't worked out, or slept enough. This week is going to be insane for me, so I'm not going to be able to do the dinner swap thing. I've decided to do 4 small perfectly balanced meals a day. I'm trying to get protein in every meal, good carbs, and low fat, low sugar. I'm going to portion out all of my meals, basically do my own Jenny Craig thing myself. I'm hoping to see some good results next week! Fingers crossed!!

These are a few of the mini meals I will be making, and some snacks..of course! I'm also going to throw in a couple of lean cuisines, Turkey Sandwiches on Eziekiel Bread, Vegetable Soup, and Grilled Chicken Salad...all super easy!

Hurry Curry - Abs Diet
Smoothies - Abs Diet

Greek Yogurt w/ Granola & Berries

1 C Greek Yogurt

1/4 C Blueberries

1/4 C GoLean Crunch

Xylitol to taste (similar to stevia, no aftertaste!)

PB2 over toasted cinnamon-raisin Ezekiel bread

Chocolate Berry Protein Smoothie

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

handfull frozen strawberries

1/2 frozen banana

hand full fresh spinach

1 t SuperGreens

1 t flax seed oil (healthy fat, yo)

stevia or xylitol (1 serving, to sweeten)

H20 & 

ice

Fruit Smoothie

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (SunWarrior brand)

1/2 cup frozen raspberries

1/2 cup frozen mangoes

1/2 frozen banana

1 t chia seeds

~1 cup unsweetened almond milk

hand full fresh spinach

1 t SuperGreens

stevia (1 serving)

Ice

goblet wine glass (optional)

Chocolate Applesauce Brownies

Pedometers ~

Does everyone have a pedometer? I think one of the next challenges will be who can accumulate the most steps on one of these gizmos. You can get one at Walmart, Target, or any sports supply store. They range from $7-$100 (for the ones that will do everything but walk for you). This one has great reviews and not too hard on the pocket book.




Omron Aerobic Pedometer

Measures your steps, moderate steps, minutes walked, calories burned and distance traveled. This simple, highly accurate Omron aerobic pedometer is specially designed for aerobic activity. It separately displays moderate steps and minutes walked at a moderate pace and gives you a 7-day history of your work so you can easily review a full week of exercise.

Omron aerobic pedometer: $14.49 at Walmart

Top 10 Reasons To Exercise In The Morning

This came from an article I tore out of a magazine, not sure which one! Probably "Shape" or "Women's Health". I'm trying to motivate myself to workout in the mornings. This seems impossible for me having a night job and not being a morning person..but  I'll try it!

If I had to pick one major factor that was most important in a successful exercise or weight loss program, it would be to exercise first thing in the morning - every morning! Why ? People who exercise consistently-Exercise in the morning.  When you exercise early in the morning, it "jump starts" your metabolism and keeps it elevated. That means you're burning more calories throughout the day. Countless people find that morning exercise "regulates their appetite for the day - that they aren't as hungry and that they make better food choices.  If you exercise at about the same time every morning, and ideally wake-up at about the same time on a regular basis, will result in better rest at night. For numerous people, that prearranged time each morning becomes something they look forward to. It's time they've set aside to do something good for themselves - to take care of their body.  Research has demonstrated that exercise increases mental acuity.  Exercise first thing in the morning is really the only way to assure that something else won't bump exercise out of your schedule.  If finding time to exercise is difficult, anyone can get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier to exercise  It puts you in a healthy mindset to start the day! You’ll Lose weight

Weekly Challenge - Week Three

The challenge for next week will be purely weight loss. We will go by percentage lost and have someone else calculate it, because I suck at math, lol! What do you think we should do for the winner and the loser? I won't be able to do a cash prize each week..being poor folk...any ideas? We could do something fun like the winner gets one of my crazy library of workout dvd's and the loser has to send me a video of them dancing or singing and I will post it on the blog..muahahaha!!


Oh, and if you wanna play this week..send me a picture of your weight on the scale tomorrow and then a picture of the weight next Sunday. I won't post everyone's weight and I won't judge you..especially because I think I'm the heaviest =D You can send it in a private message or post it for everyone to see. Game's on!!

Menu for the week ~

We are doing a dinner swap each week. The plan is to make a few recipes and double them, and share. We are going to try to make a one pot meat dish each, a vegetarian dish each, one main dish soup, and one main dish salad. Everything as real as we can get it and organic if we can afford it. We cooked together last week and it helped so much. I spent way less than I normally would and saved me so much time. I thought I would share our menu, in case you want to play along =D

Megan is making...



Chicken Masala - It's from a mix, then you add chicken. It will look something like this..YUM!!



Moroccan Couscous  - This is the recipe from Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Life"

  

Grilled Chicken Salad. Not sure what recipe she will use.

I am making...



Magic Soup  - I really love this recipe. It's so easy and great for you. You can put any leftover veggies in and some chicken instead of the frozen veggies and tofu.



Roast & Vegetables  - Okay, so this isn't the healthiest thing around. But, it's dang good, and better than eating out! I use the leftovers to make stew. I use very little fat and the crock pot makes it fall apart. Does it get any better than that? I think not!




Spicy Lemon Pepper Pasta - This is from VeganYumYum. It has a ton of flavor and I use whole wheat noodles with flax. You can add grilled chicken, if you don't like the vegan thing.



I'm also going to make some protein cupcakes, some smoothies, and some breakfast cookies.





Protein Cupcakes

Night before, combine and mix: 1 scoop protein powder, 1 T egg whites, 1/4 t baking powder, stevia, dash sea salt (optional: nuts, 1/2 banana). Spray mug with cooking spray and spoon in mixture. Store in fridge over night. Frosting: 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1 T peanut flour, stevia.
Morning of: Microwave ~1min, 30 seconds & frost cupcake.





Pumpkin Spiced Overnight Oats

1/3 cup oats

1 scoop chocolate [SunWarrior] protein powder

2/3 cup pumpkin (canned, organic)

1 cup Hemp milk (can use any milk)

1 t chia seeds

1 T chopped pecans (for crunch)

1/2 t cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

dash sea salt (to bring out sweetness)

stevia (1 serving)

(Mix and chill overnight. The texture reminds me of a mousse. So filling and decadent!) 

The Day After....

I have not made it one Valentines Day without overdoing the chocolate. I always think I can make it without, but I feel deprived of not having a Valentine in the first place, then doubly deprived by not eating the chocolate! So today I am sluggish, bloated and feel toxic from the sugar and caffeine overload. I decided to go veggie today to help my body recover. Megan and I made our meal for the week on Sunday, so this was a really easy day. BTW...isn't that the most beautiful salad you've ever seen! Appropriately named "Mega Life" all of the colors and textures and flavors..one of my all time favs from a restaurant in Canada called Juice For Life.





6a - Lazy Girl Green Tea - I just throw a green tea bag in a glass of bottled water..viola! Green Tea Water ; )
9a - Berry Protein Shake - 1/2 banana, blueberries, strawberries, vanilla protein powder, 1/4c nf plain yogurt, ice, water
10a - Even lazier green tea - I just added water to my glass that had the tea bag in it.
12p - Breakfast cookie - We had some granola w/ chocolate, protein powder, coconut, peanut butter and a little light coconut milk - mash together and flatten out to make cookies - no bake
3p - Mega Life Salad - mixed greens, spinach, grated carrot, grated beet, sprouts, parsley, sunflower seeds, marinated  tofu(tofu with sesame oil, soy sauce and wine vinegar) - with a little balsamic vinegrette  (I add more vinegar to salad dressings to lessen the calories and fat)
5p - More Green Tea, this time I actually made some with a little xylitol (similar to stevia, but no after taste)
6p - Fruit Salad with Greek Yogurt with Honey - banana, grapes, apple with yogurt
9p - I have to work overnight, so I try to eat my dinner late, but trying not to eat after 10p.. making the Guacamole Life Roll - 2 tomatoes, 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 red onion, 1 t chili powder, 1 t salt and mix together. Heat a tortilla and spread with 1/4 c guacamole per tortilla, then layer hummus & veg mixture, add grated carrots, sprouts or lettuce.


I feel better already! Did anyone else overindulge?

Happy Valentines Day!!

Weekly Challenge - Week Two

We are going to post a weekly challenge every Monday. Some weeks will be a contest, winner gets a prize, loser has to do something. Some weeks will just be to challenge ourselves. Leave a comment about what you are going to do or how you did on the challenge for the week...If you're really good, send a picture or a video of it! You can email me the pic or video on facebook or to jenniferfieldsgraphics@gmail.com.  I'm going to post the pics or videos you send on the weekly challenge page, so we can look back and laugh at you, jk! We did this for a contest a few years ago, and it kept it interesting. I promise I won't traumatize you...much ; )

Week 1:  I'm going to start out with an easy one to get us going. Try any new activity this week, and by that I mean something that qualifies as exercise, not a new restaurant ; )   Let us know what you are going to try (a little accountability). Have a great week!  I don't think anyone did the challenge last week, so we'll consider this week, week one! No guilt trip or anything, but I did do Body Combat this week ; )


Week 2:  This week is all about getting up off our butts! The challenge is to do as many workouts as you can. The winner gets a lovely amazon.com gift certificate for $20...if you don't play, then it's mine, muahhahah!





To participate you have to leave a comment below telling us what workout you did, and how long you did it. At the end of the week, we'll tally up the minutes all of our posts and see who came out on top. I do have trust issues, but we will go on the honor system and not ask for any proof of workouts ; )  But, it would be more fun if you send a little pic or video...just sayin....challenge starts tomorrow!
***I'm changing this to any activity that gets your heart rate up for 20 minutes or more - shoveling snow, parking your car further out and walking, cleaning at a fast pace (set a timer & clean like you have a deadline), playing sports or being active with your kids, washing your car by hand, any sport, dancing, taking the stairs..just try to find ways to move more throughout the day! If you can, buy a pedometer, and we can use it in one of the challenges. If we all have access to a treadmill, we can do that one week. 
Here is a way to track all of your activities for the week..check it out!
http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php


A little inspiration...she's 71 and still rocks the leotard!

Staying motivated

I have a got a bad case of the "I don't wanna's". I'm having a hard time staying motivated to workout. The weather we've been having, being sick, and stuck in the house for a couple of weeks, has made me into a computer zombie! I have no motivation to get up and move. I see the snow melting, and our water is finally back on. I'm going to try to get to the gym twice this weekend. Also, the whole being single on Valentine's Day is no fun. If I'm single, I tend to award myself with "you deserve it" candy.

How are you staying motivated or are you in the same boat? What do we do about it?

How many rice cakes does it take to satisfy a craving for chocolate?

Five rice cakes. 7 baby carrots. 4 celery sticks. One orange. A container of light yogurt. And a Snicker bar.  ; )

Cookies For Breakfast!

I can always tell when I have a sweet tooth, because the majority of my menu for the week is filled with sweetness! You can tell by my posts too..snow ice cream, peanut butter cup smoothies, and now...drum roll please...let me introduce you to the breakfast cookie!! I am so excited about my new find. I've seen this mentioned over and over again on different health blogs. Runners and other athletes swear by it, and it's a great source of protein and good carbs! Also great for a post workout snack and it's way cheaper than buying a cliff bar or any other protein bar. I thought I would give it a try and it was delicious, and it kept me full most of the day. It's super easy to combine the ingredients the night before and it's ready to go in the morning. I copied these from the blogs a foodie that stays fit and biochemista.com. I love their recipes and how they eat real food that keeps them fueled for training. I'm going to try to start thinking of my food that way, as fuel to get me through the day. We'll see how that goes, but it's a goal, right?







Um, WHY did it take me so long to try this?? So. Good. So good!


From A Foodie Stays Fit's Blog

COCONUT CHERRY CHOCOLATE BREAKFAST COOKIE

• 1/3 old fashioned oats
• 1 T peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
• 1/2 scoop Designer Whey Vanilla Protein Powder
• 1/8 c milk (I used organic cow’s milk, but I bet almond or rice milk would really tasty)
• 1 T (or so) dried cherries, chopped
• 2 t shredded coconut
• 1 T semi sweet chocolate chips
• Cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Combine oats, PB, and protein powder (if using) until combined and kind of crumbly.
2. Add milk and stir until well combined.
3. Add in your tasty mix-ins.
4. Transfer it to a plate and using the back of a spoon, flatten and spread it out to make a cookie-ish shape.
5. Stick ‘er in the fridge and let set overnight.
6. Wake up to deliciousness. Sprinkle with cinnamon and devour with a spoon.

BANANA WALNUT BREAD BREAKFAST COOKIE

• 1/3 oats
• 1/2 scoop protein powder
• 2 T almond milk
• 1 T peanut butter
• 1 T flax meal
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 1 T chopped walnut

Follow the same basic instructions as above.

PROTEIN-PACKED PUMPKIN PIE BREAKFAST COOKIE

Adapted from Ashley’s Banana Breakfast Cookie

• 1/3 c canned pumpkin
• 1 egg white or 1 whole egg*
• 1.5 t pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder**
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 T milled flaxseed
• 1/4 t baking powder
• 1/3 c old-fashioned oats
• 2 T walnut pieces, chopped***
• splash of milk (about a tablespoon)
• Toppings: maple syrup****, coconut butter or oil, nut butter, whipped cream (ok, maybe not for breakfast everyday)

1. In a microwave-safe cereal bowl, mix the pumpkin and egg until well-combined.
2. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
3. Add the protein powder, cinnamon, flax, baking powder, and oats. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
4. Stir in walnut pieces and a splash of milk.
5. Microwave for 1 minute + 45 seconds.
6. Eat straight from the bowl or dump onto a plate.
7. Top as desired. I love 1 t of coconut oil, melted in the microwave and drizzled on top. Letting coconut butter melt on top is also delicious

Cookie Monster - biochemista's blog

I have to share my new favorite breakfast, The breakfast cookie. 

Who wouldn't want to eat a cookie in the morning that's also good for you?

In a bowl I mixed:

- 1/3 cup oats

- 1tbsp PB/almond butter

- 1/3 smashed banana

- 1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (can use soy, rice, etc.)

- 1/2 tsp maca powder (optional; good source of vitamin C and used for increased energy)

- 1/8 cup almond milk (any milk will do)

- Carob chips (could you a few dark choc chips) to garnish

Spoon onto a small plate and spread evenly throughout. Chill in fridge overnight. Viola! 

*I've also made this with frozen blueberries/raspberries (instead of nanner) and vanilla protein powder. 

*The first time I used too much milk so it wasn't as firm as a cookie but the second time wasaaaaamazing.

Peanut Butter & Banana Breakfast cookie: 1/3 cup oats, 1/2 scoop protein powder 

(I used vanillaSunWarrior), 1/2 mashed banana, 1 T PB, raisins, 1/8 cup almond milk, 

stevia, dash sea salt. *I also added 1 T raw chia seeds.

*Chia seeds don't taste like much, but they bind 10 times their volume in water (!), meaning they're
good for hydration and also help lubricate joints. An added bonus: they're high in protein, calcium, 
and contain greater roughly 6 times more omega-3 fatty acids than other grain


Let me know what you think or if you come up with another recipe.
I'm off to eat my breakfast....cookie! =D