And the Winner Is...

Congratulations Nathan Ayala! You are Turlock's newest Biggest Loser!
For anyone who watched the standings, this is no surprise. Nathan was consistent in his reign over the #1 position most if not all of the challenge. His secret weapon? Lots and lots of running!

Here's the breakdown: (see % in column to the right)

1. Ayala, Nathan	$1250.00
2. Jourdan, Stephanie	$500.00
3. Gonzales, Alysia	$375.00
4. Gumbs, Austin	$250.00
5. Smith, Scott	$150.00
6. Giffen, Jacob	$134.00
7. Pierce, Jennifer	$129.00
8. Willey, Laura	$124.00
9. Perez, Peter	$119.00
10. Gumbs, Jill	$114.00

As a group, we lost 1060 lbs in 10-weeks!
42 people lost over 10 lbs... of those...
24 people lost over 15 lbs... and of those...
16 people lost over 20 lbs... and of those...
10 people lost over 25 lbs... and of those...
6 lost over 35 lbs... and of those...
4 lost OVER 50 lbs!

Great Job Everyone! Enjoy the next few weeks! Eat wisely.... exercise often.... and watch for details on our next 10-week challenge, scheduled to begin April 8th! More info will be coming to your inbox soon!

Fitting Healthy Habits Into Your Busy Life

13 Tips to Get More Nutrition and Fitness into Your Day

 
There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do. And it can feel like an added stressor when you are trying to integrate healthy habits into your already hectic schedule. But if you make time for healthy habits, you’ll find yourself with extra reserves of energy that will lower your stress and help you get through life’s challenges.

Here are a few things you can start doing right now to make healthy habits a relatively painless part of your routine:

1. Drink water throughout the day. You don’t hear this nearly enough: water is an all-purpose wonder-substance. It’s great for your skin, your digestive system, and circulatory system, and aids in weight loss and cellulite reduction. If you feel fatigued during the day, it’s often because you aren’t hydrated properly. Drink water throughout the day, sipping from a large bottle or glass. If you have it nearby, it’s easy to remember. If you don’t like the “taste” of water, keep a supply of lemon so that you can add a slice to your water – it cuts any bitterness, adds a bit of vitamin C and makes it taste more festive!
2. Cut back on the amount of soda and coffee you drink. Sugar and caffeine dehydrate you and create energy rushes followed by crashes, which are ultimately energy-depleting. Substitute with drinks like green tea or 100% fruit juice.
3. Replace high-sugar foods with low-sugar versions. Cutting back on the amount of refined sugar you consume helps reduce calories and weight gain and also helps you avoid the energy slumps that come from sugar withdrawal. Items high in refined sugar include most soft drinks, cereals, baked goods, and of course, candy and ice cream. Look for low-sugar or no-sugar versions of these, or simply opt for healthy snacks instead.
4. Stock up on healthy, portable snacks. When you are grocery shopping, pick up bags of baby carrots, string cheese, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, single serving packs of applesauce, yogurt, wholegrain crackers, peanut butter, turkey jerky, etc. Having healthy portable snacks around will help you avoid bad vending-machine, convenience store and fast-food options. Read some more portable snack ideas.
5. Take the time to plan healthy meals for the week. Spend 15 minutes or so to map out your meals. Keep it simple. Then, when you shop for groceries, make your purchases based on the meals you will make during the week. This will help you avoid relying on less healthy take-out or fast food choices. Learn even more grocery store tips.
6. Purchase frozen, ready-to-cook ingredients. Frozen fruits and vegetables have high vitamin and mineral content because they don’t sit around losing these nutrients for long before they are preserved. Although you’ll want to keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables around, it’s great to have frozen produce available for quick meal additions and smaller servings. Also, some grocery stores offer frozen boneless chicken breasts and a wide variety of seafood items in re-sealable packages. These are great for quick, healthy meals.
7. Pack your lunch the night before. You'll have given yourself the gift of extra time in the morning and you will assure that you have a healthy meal during the day. Don’t forget to pack snack items so you can avoid the vending machine.
8. Cook double batches of whatever you’re cooking. When you prepare dinner, especially on weekends, cook extra and freeze to use for another dinner or lunch. Then, you'll have a healthy meal ready to go when you are.
9. Give yourself some slack. If you are stressed out about preparing healthy meals every day, use what some experts call the "80/20" rule in your eating. If 80 percent of what you eat is healthy, then allow yourself to take it a little easier for the remaining 20 percent. You and your diet will survive.
10. Fit in exercise whenever you can. Experts recommend that adults exercise a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week. Aim for this amount, but don’t kick yourself if you can’t meet this goal. Any amount of exercise is better than none. No time to go to a gym? Build a stock of exercise tapes – many have routines that you can complete in 20-40 minutes. Use hand weights or do crunches, leg-lifts and lunges while watching television. Or invest in an exercise bike – you can pedal while catching up on your reading. Think of what would be most interesting to you and what best fits your schedule and budget.
11. Take a walk break during the day. Even 20 minutes can make a difference in your energy level, plus it gives you time to clear your head. If you walk with a friend or colleague, it also gives you time to socialize.
12. Whenever possible, walk. Increase the amount of time you can walk, versus sit or drive. It doesn’t take that much extra time to park a bit farther from the store entrance, or to make a personal visit to a colleague rather than phoning, instant messaging or e-mailing.
13. Get enough sleep. Even if you gain more time in your day by cutting back on sleep, you will be less effective throughout the day, as your energy level and cognitive functioning will be reduced. Insufficient sleep also makes you more susceptible to illness. By getting enough sleep, you become more efficient during the time you are awake.

Begin integrating some or all of these habits today. Make them part of your normal routine. You’ll be surprised at how little time is involved and how much better you’ll feel! 


  -- By Life Coach Mary Guarino, Ph.D.

25 Ways to Get Back on Track Today

Don't Give Up on Your Goals! 

Not long ago, you were energetic and determined to start your healthy lifestyle. Starting with enthusiasm and hope, you watched your food intake diligently, exercised like it was going out of style, and even avoided the temptation that seemed to lurk around every corner. You were confident that you were going to reach your goals once and for all! Then certain tragedy struck! You ate an extra piece of birthday cake. Realizing you had “blown” your diet, you ate another and another and couldn’t get it together the next day either. Or worse, you missed one workout, and that turned into a whole week away from the gym. After that, your momentum to start over again was gone, and your gym bag hasn’t left the closet since.

 Every time you misstep on your healthy journey, you have two choices: to keep walking backwards, which will surely take you even further away from your goals; or to accept your lack of perfection as normal and forgivable, and take not one, but two positive steps down the path that brings your closer to the future you want.

 If you’re reading this, you might have been walking backwards for a while. But instead of waiting for the next day, week, month or even year to overhaul your habits, start TODAY. And start small. You can’t go from the recliner to running or from burgers to Brussels sprouts in an afternoon. But you can do one, two or even a handful of small things that will help you regain your momentum for healthy living. When you feel like getting back on track is overwhelming, try one (or more) of these small steps each day.

 1. Try a short workout. Even five minutes is better than nothing. For ideas browse our video library or workout generator.

 2. Try a new recipe. Cooking healthy foods can be fun and it never has to be bland.

 3. Eat a healthy breakfast. Your morning meal sets the stage for the rest of your day, so start if off right! Get lots of breakfast ideas here.

 4. Drink your water. Try to aim for 8 cups each day and you’ll feel the difference!

 5. Look at Motivational articles like this one. Seeing how others overcome similar struggles and obstacles can be a great source of motivation.

 6. Track your food today. No matter how it adds up, you’ll learn from it.

 7. Write a note to yourself on the bathroom mirror with your committment!

 8. Share your goals. Whether you post them on facebook or share them with a friend, you’ll be more accountable.

 9. Exercise for 10 minutes. Jump rope, march in place, or do some crunches. Small amounts do add up to something big!

 10. Find a buddy. Get support from friends, whether you need someone to listen or a mentor to give you ideas and encouragement.

 11. Take a walk. Don’t worry about how long or far you go—just get out there!

 12. Create a motivational collage. Include pictures of your goal and reasons why you want to get there.

 13. Go shopping for some healthy foods. Use this shopping list for ideas.

 14. Check the nutrition facts before you go out to eat. That way, you can make an informed choice.

 15. Ride your bike. Even a leisurely ride has benefits for your body and mind.

 16. Work in the yard. Gardening and yard work is a great way to add activity to your day.

 17. Take the stairs. Even if this is the only thing you do all day, you’ll feel stronger for it.

 18. Park at the back end of the parking lot!

 19. Listen to an inspirational song. Better yet, make a playlist of them so you can turn to it whenever you need a boost.

 20. Re-start and weigh-in next Monday at the Biggest Loser. Sometimes it’s easier to get back on track when you have a clean slate.

 21. Measure your portions. It’s a simple way to learn how much you’re eating.

 22. Eat a piece of fruit. Even if 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables sounds impossible to you, one is doable.

 23. Slow down during meals. You’ll be less likely to overeat and more likely to enjoy your meal.

 24. Play! What kids call “play,” we often call “exercise.” Play a sport, a game, or use the playground equipment to bring the fun back into fitness.

 25. Learn something new. Sometimes simply taking a quiz or reading an article about nutrition, fitness, or health can change your mindset and get you back on track.

 In tennis, losing one point isn’t the end of the world. It happens to the best of them. In fact, if you can consistently win a few more points that you lose, you may end up in the hall of fame. With healthy eating and exercising, as long as you’re consistently out-stepping your steps back, you’re ahead of the game. If you expect perfection (and many of us do), you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and guilt.

 You CAN get back on track today. Even if you’re moving slowly, you’ll be moving in the right direction!