The Biggest Loser - Sarah

I had lunch with Sarah today.  One of the Biggest Loser contestants from this past season.   http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/photos/sarahs-finale-before-and-after/7828#item=176646

She is gorgeous, I can't imagine her being big.  Anyway, she said she had the same problem on the show that I have.  All of my friends are burning more calories per hour with a higher heart rate.  So, she had to exercise longer.  Due to my ankles and knee, I am going to add another hour onto my day.  If I add another hour, 5 times a week, I will lose another .3 of a pound.

That doesn't seem right, does it?

reality check!

Today, I took a picture of myself in a sports bra and my lycra.  HA!  Now that was a reality check!  If any of you think I get cocky about ANYTHING, just remind me of that picture.  I am hoping to use it as a BEFORE picture but I don't think it will ever be shown ANYWHERE.

More Food

Firstly, thanks for the all the encouragement - it is super sweet.  And I do love to hear what you are all thinking.  I keep getting requests on menus so here is todays menu along with pictures.

Brekkie - Chicken sausage & egg sandwich with a small cup of fruit
Lunch - Tortilla soup and a turkey sandwich
Dinner - chicken breast and polenta WITH CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES  (it was only two but they were so good.)

Total calorie count was 1143.

Training Day

Because a few of you watch the Biggest Loser show, I thought you would be interested that Sione from season seven is one of my trainers.  Very funny guy with great stories about what really happens on the show.  I think he lost 170 pounds!

Here he is on the show - http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/photos/blue-team/2531#item=72031

Here he is with me -

Hiking Trails

As I mentioned, each morning starts with a hike  - here is a picture one of the guys just sent me of a hike.  Pretty but a tough morning workout.

Weekends are different

The weekends are not full on - thank goodness.  I have cuts, bruises and sunburn all over my body.  My ankles are wrecked and my knee is throbbing.

We work out Saturday morning and have the afternoon off.  Sunday is a free day.
Of course, we still stick to our 1200 calories with the provided meals.
But, we have some free time to catch up on sleep, etc.

I think I need to check to see if there are low calorie meals at Ceasars Palace.  :)

don't be disappointed

I know a few of you will be disappointed when I tell you I am not going to track my weight loss.  With the program, they ask that you wait as long as possible before you get on the scale. Why?  Because of people like me that will FREAK OUT if I don't pull a big number.

So, I have decided to wait until the end of my time (if I can) to look at the numbers.

Healthy Eating at the Airport

As people leave the camp on the weekends, they gave us a healthy eating options worksheet for the airport.      For those of you who travel (Paula), here are some good tips:

Chilis
Guiltless Grill - all under 600 calories
Spicy Garlic and Lime Grilled Shrimp - 580 calories
Smokey Black Bean Soup - 290 calories
Broccoli Cheese Soup - 250 calories

Rubys
Egg white omelete with fruit - 428

Califormia Pizza Kitchen
1/2 Original Chopped Salad with beans - 501
1/2 Veggie Salad with Shrimp - 511
1/2 Chinee Chicken Salad - 376
Tuscan White Bean Soup - 245
Asparagus Soup - 213
Dakota Smashed Pea and Barley Soup - 368

Day 5 - I drank the kool aid

In an effort to lose more weight, I purchased a Polar watch.  This is one of those gizmos you always see on skinny bitches at the gym.  You know... they only wear a sports bra and no t-shirt and they have this black strap on their torso????

ok..... so now I am one of those skinny bitches as well.

It tells me my heart rate, my calories burned and a whole bunch of other crap that I would have to read a manual and find out about.  Which, of course, I won't.

Let's do the math -
You need to burn 3500 calories to lose one pound of fat.
If I can burn 3000 calories per day - 1200 calories per day of food = 1800 calories burned.
1/2 pound per day or 3.5 pounds per week.  (That is less than 2kg for the Aussies.)

You've Asked for Photos

This is the main building and swimming pool.  The facility is not very big but it is good.  (much smaller than Golden Door)  You can see the beautiful mountains in the background.  This is where you hike every morning - it is a national park.  I think there are about 30 different hikes they can choose to take us on.

 This is a typical lunch - today we had 1/2 pita stuffed with turkey and a small side salad.  Breakfast was two eggs with toast and dinner was a mexican salad.  Portion control is very regulated - this plate is only about 8" big.  They keep repeating that each meal should be 1/2 veg, 1/4 protein, 1/4 carb.

I was trying to capture the beauty of the mountains but I only have my iphone.  :)

BL Tip of the Day

Do NOT drink your calories.  No juice, milk, or pop.
Water or herbal tea only.

Don't even think about alcohol.

Day 4 - Your momma says what?!?!?

We have done an indepth math course on calorie counting and guess what?  They tell us to only expect to average 2 pounds per week!  (1kg)  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

1 - When you do the calorie math, it is surprising you lose any weight at all!  It is tough to lose a pound.
2 - The lady who was sitting next to me only lost 1 lb last week!  WHAT?
3 - Here is my schedule today:
I was up and in the gym at 6:30 for an hour of cardio
Pool for 1.25 hours of swimming laps
Now I am going to have a 300 calorie brekkie.
The rest of the day is:
10:15 Health workshop
11:15 H2O Deep End
12:35 Lunch
1:15 Emotional Eating Workshop
2:30 Kickboxcing
3:30 Mountain
4:30 H2O Circuit
5:45 Dinner
6:15 Intuitive Eating Workshop

All of that for one crappy pound?!?!?

Shout out to Scab

Biggest Loser loves Costco.  (Scab's favorite store.)
Most of the food we eat can be purchased at regular stores and the chef pointed out that he loves Costco.

This is really great.  When Kelly and I went to Golden Door, the chef was using local fruit that we couldn't get.  A lot of food that is not available in normal stores.  And the cook book was not for novices.  The recipes were really difficult.

Here, they want you to be able to shop at your local store and to be able to put the meals together.

Are you kidding me? Still last?

I am not being mean when I say that there are people here who really are at serious unhealthy weight ranges.  At least 100-200 pounds larger than myself!  And guess what?

I WAS STILL THE LAST PERSON ON MY HIKE!  By alot.  Like over 1k.

I can't believe how out of shape I am since my knee surgery!  This is cra-cra!

BTW - there are people here who are in great shape and don't need to lose any weight.

Food, Glorious Food

I admit it - I am NOT hungry on 1200 calories a day.  The food is really good.  So, for those of you playing along at home, here are some of the guidelines they have given us:

1 - use a small plate (we eat with our eyes)
2 - meal is 1/2 veg, 1/4 protein, 1/4 whole grain carb

My menu yesterday was:

Brekkie - small plate of melon, greek fritatta
Lunch - carrot soup, burrito
Dinner - salmon burger, green beans

Tendons or Knee???

It was my tendons (I have tendonitis in my ankles) that gave out yesterday and I did not make it through the whole first day.  And now, of course, I have to wait until they are healed.  Usually it only takes me a day or so.  I was on the internet trying to figure out ways to prevent it and it says that hiking and uneven surfaces will cause the tendonitis to come back.  So, I will replace the morning hike with gym and pool work.

So... this sucks.

Day 2 - up at 4:50am

I can't sleep.  I am too freaked out about starting the hikes this morning.  It is appx 10km every morning at 6:15 with no brekkie until you return.

Speaking of food, dinner last night was interesting.
It was flavorful but I am not sure of everything I was eating.
Firstly, the plate is only about 7 inches big.
It was a clean piece of chicken on a bed of spaghetti squash with brussel sprouts.  318 calories

We did get dessert!  They called it key lime pie.  I called it gelatinous grossness.  UGH!  I am willing to give up the fake desserts.

DAY 1 - Have found hell...

and it is in Irvins Utah.

For those tracking at home and wanting to give it a go -

6:15 hike for three hours
9:30 breakfast
10:15 stretch or interval training or weight counseling
11:15 stretch or interval training or water aerobics
12:25 lunch
1:15 lecture
2:15 quick circuit
2:30 water intervals
3:30 circuit training
4:30 core training
5:45 dinner
6:15 lecture

Freaking out!!!!!

Only 48 hours until I am there!
I have eaten so much in the last month, I think I have to lose another 10 kg!
I will be thinking about this when I go for ice cream tonight. :)

It's Too Hot to Exercise

And buggy.

Birthday Goal

Yes... I am officially 43 today and every year I think I am going to lose weight.  I guess we naturally make these types of goals on the first day of the year and on your birthday.

My goal today on my 43rd birthday is to lose 44 kgs for my 44th birthday.  That is 96 lbs for you Americans.

Ass size

As soon as I find a tape measure I will start with weekly ass size measurements.  Weight can go up and down depending on so many things, but ass size is not based on hormones.

Must find tape measure...

Push ups and Sit ups and Knee Bends - OH MY!

Start of the month, so I decided that I would start doing 5 push ups, 5 sit ups and 5 knee bends this morning and then escalate every day.

I could not do 1 push up.
I could not do 1 sit up.
I said fuck the knee bend because I was so mad.

Will try again tomorrow.