Biggest Loser - FrostFans Style

[Syd Gill]

Would anyone be up for a friendly 4 or 6 month weight loss challenge a la Biggest Loser? We could use this thread for updates, encouragement, eating/exercise tips...Then at the end date we crown a winner? If I get enough interests we'll do it, let me know by commenting. And any weight loss goals are welcome, no matter how low or high.

[The Mrs]

Me and my big ol'booty are in.
I've got to try something. It's not fair to the 5 year old that I keep blaming him for my weight.

[kyatty2007]

I'm sooo in...I need motivation to actually exercise lol!

[wildchild1954]

If you can come up with an exercise program for someone with a bad back, bad left hip, and bad knees I am soooo in. I'm more than 100 pounds overweight and really need some help getting this off.

[kyatty2007]

WC--what about water aerobics? Isn't it good alternative for people w/joint issues?

[Syd Gill]

WC, you have to find something that will work for you. Focus on the stuff you CAN do, opposed to what you can't. The truth is that if we're overweight now, a year from now we are either going to be the same or most likely heavier. Time passes without our permission so we have to make the most of it. If you do something on a regular basis for the next year you will be lighter. Start with something small. Even lifting weights while sitting in a chair. Or light walking. Just some kind of movement everyday. And a year from now you will see a difference.

Diet is also really important. I didn't realize how much so until I was pregnant the second time around. Some of you might remember that I was coveting those delicious book club drink recipes but couldn't have any because of #1 the alcohol and #2 the sugar. I had gestational diabetes this second time and it changed my life. I was under the care of a midwife who is also my naturopath and personal hero and she's a genius. Because I wanted to have a homebirth I couldn't use insulin (using insulin is an automatic transfer to hospital for a traditional birth because the chances of having a bigger baby are much higher). She put me on a VERY strict diet and because I wasn't just caring for myself, but my baby as well, I followed it to a T.

The goal wasn't to lose weight. Just maintain my weight and/or gain a max of 10lbs. Well I lost 10lbs during the pregnancy. And the week after my daughter was born I dropped another 20 lbs. For a total loss from pre-pregnancy weight of 30lbs. And I didn't even mean to lose weight. Seriously. I was eating like a pig.

Here's the "non"diet diet:
1. No sugar - whatsoever.
2. No juice
3. Only 2 pieces of fruit a day and always accompanied by a handful of nuts (the protein and good fat in nuts counterbalances the sugar in the fruit)
4. No white bread/flour
5. 1 cup of beans/lentils/day
6. Protein with every meal/snack
7. 6 meals a day
8. One of those meals must be a bedtime snack

Those were the rules I followed and I lost 30lbs. While pregnant. While doing little to no exercise (although being pregnant is a calorie burner). It was all eating. And I can tell you that it worked while I was doing it. I've fallen off the band wagon a bit since having my daughter, but I'm going back to this diet.

If anyone is interested in following this diet let me know I'll post some sample meals that I ate as a vegetarian.

[wildchild1954]

Yes, please, post some meals. My problem with following this would be the 6 meals a day!!

[Syd Gill]

I thought that too when I started. But a "meal" or in between snack could consist of apple slices w/almond butter. Or small spinach & black bean salsa salad. Bedtime snack could be 1 piece of whole wheat low carb bread with cashew butter. Or even a bowl of strawberries w/homemade granola (that has lots of nuts and only sweetened with a natural sweetener like honey, maple syrup or agave nectar) and greek yogurt. So good! When I was pregnant I had this almost every night!

I'll post more simple ideas when I have two hands. I think the eating should be easier if you're a meat eater cause find a protein source for each meal is so easy. And remember your meat serving size should be no bigger than a deck of cards, the rest of your plate should be veggies.

[engarde]

Definitely interested in losing some weight. I'll look at this more in the next couple of days.

[drea268]

I would be into something like since there would be a support group. I did weight watchers in the past and it really does work if you follow the program. I have all the materials so I think I might do that again w/o paying to go to the meetings. I have found food prep and having items on hand is the key....if I didn't have anything it was too easy to "grab something quick" on the way home from work. Bringing my lunch to work also made a huge difference, was cost effective in the long run as well!!!

As for working out, the trainer at my gym is a a HUGE proponent of NOT doing hours of aerobics. She does warm up, sets of weight training while keeping up your heart rate and then about 10-12 minutes of interval aerobic like treadmill or bike, then cool down. It is over in about 45 minutes and I see faster results than when I was doing half an hour of strength/weights and 45 minutes of running.

At home I started the Biggest Loser DVDs, they 30 minutes per workout and you WILL sweat! I like that they are normal people like me working out, they don't do all the steps perfectly and sometimes they have to rest too. I tried doing "The Firm"....forget it, they are all fake plastic surgery Barbie dolls and way too complicated for me to follow.

WC....make a little small change every week and you will start to see a difference. Swimming is very good. For in-home try Leslie Sansone's walking DVDs...she is wonderful!! My mom had both her hips and both knees replaced and I started her on these and she feels a world of difference. I do some of the more advanced tapes she has. It is like walking in place with a few other moves.