Strange Breakfast this Morning

Nothing says good morning like a day old Dunkin Donut paired with lettuce and a glass of skim milk. 

I got all the major food groups  including the vegetable, dairy, and donut food group. 

The calorie hit of 260 calories from a single donut isn't that bad. The main problem with donuts is the fat content. Fat calories make up 50% of the calories and most of the fat is saturated fat. 

Having a donut (especially a good one) every now and then is enjoyable and part of a balanced approach on food. 

Classic Restuarant Fare Made Healthy

I am a big fan of the magazine Cooking Light. This month's issue has a great feature on lightened option for classic restaurant dishes such as lasagna.

I share the link for you pleasure and hopeful inspiration.

Eliminated BL Contestants get a 2nd Chance

Eliminated players compete for a spot back on ranch

Second Chance for Eliminated Players 

We saw the eliminated players return for a chance to rejoin the game for the finale. This episode cements the final three for the grand prize.

Eliminated contestants first weigh-in a chance to compete. Only the top eight percentage weight loss players will have the chance to compete. The players who qualify for the chance include:

• Megan 
• Nurse Kim 
• Jeremy 
• Casandra
• Joe
• Chris 
• Emily 
• Lauren 

Chism Chokes at Home

Chism's weigh-in was the most surprising of the eliminated player weigh-ins. His elimination weight was 282, and he only lost 17 lbs since his elimination. Wonder how Dad, Mark, feels about that one?

Finale Spot Challenge

I feel some regret that we didn't get a marathon this season, but the multi-step qualifying competition was a great consolation prize. I really like the fact that the challenge was broken up into physical and mental challenges.

I was surprised to see Chris sent home prior to the first competition due to medical disqualification. She was seen working out in earlier segments. Did she get injured or did they know that she was not medically able to run?

In the end, Jeremy prevails and rejoins his sister and wrassler Kim for the finale.

Finale of the Unlikeable?

This is probably one of the hardest BL finales for me to watch since Ed and Heba were part of the finale several seasons ago.

I don't feel a lot of connection with any of the three finalists. Wrassler Kim would probably be my choice, but I don't think she will win. She's lost most of her weight already. The only way for her to win would be for the other two to choke at home.

If either Jeremy or Conda win, I wish them the best for success with a lot of skepticism. 

Saturday Morning Healthy Eating Tip

Few people get enough vegetables in their daily diet. Veggies have less calories than almost any of the other food groups, especially the green ones. A recent study showed the benefits in families targeted to increased fruits and vegetables in their diet.


I've made a conscious effort for the past year in my chosen healthy life path to eat more vegetables. However, the challenge is getting enough servings of veggies per day.

My trick, and the tip that I share is to include a serving of vegetables with breakfast. I include bell peppers, carrots, or fresh spinach with most of my morning meals.




The recommended goal for healthy men and women is 4-5 servings per day. Serving size depending on the particular veggie is either 1/2 or whole cup. My motto, if it's green, it's a cup.

Give this tip a try. You'll be surprised how easy it will be to make vegetables a part of the first meal of the day.

Biggest Loser Season 13 Mutiny Final Goes Down

Week's theme: I lack motivation 
The week's theme is shot-down in flames with the opening segment. 

The only motivation on display is the motivation to quit the show. 

We get to see a lot of the behind the scenes folks such as producer Joel Relampagos and other production people in the opening segments. There's a flurry of activity as Allison, Bob, and Dolvett are brought in to talk to the remaining
five contestants to convince them to stay. 

Unfair! Undeserved!

Intervention by Bob and Dolvett at Biggest Loser Mutiny

Seems everyone is upset and threatening to quit the show because eliminated players are coming back for a shot at a spot in the finale. The remaining five believe that the plot twist is unfair, and that only the remaining five deserve to compete in the finale for the grand prize. 

The BL ranch is a high stress environment, I get that, and I can understand that stress can make people a little crazy. I don't get the reaction of players this week. They should understand that BL is a reality TV show with the need for plot twists and other "devices" to keep the whole show interesting. You might as well  watch a P90X infomercial if the plot twists, human interest, challenges, and (sigh) drama are removed from the show. Bob Harper even mentions that many of the seasons give an eliminated player a chance to return and compete. 


They've been at home all this time, sleeping in their own bed! 

The five remaining five are upset with the twist so late in the game. The eliminated folks aren't worthy of the chance. 


Mark - are you saying your son, Chism, isn't worthy for a chance at the grand prize? 











Kim - are you telling your "best pal" Emily that she isn't worthy? 










A home journey towards health and weight loss at home can be every bit as challenging as life on the ranch but in a different way. Balancing work and family while staying focused, I believe, is every bit as challenging as following that path on the BL ranch. 

Poppi Kramer at home winner for Biggest Loser Season 3 

The true proof of "worthiness" will be revealed by weight loss, and maintaining the health achieved at the finale. Consider Poppi Kramer, at home winner for season 3. Poppi lost 50.4% (232 lb --- 115 lb) entirely at home. The 50% loss hasn't been achieved by several people who were grand finale winner on BL! 


In the end, Buddy and John walk out in spite of all the intervention. 

The unaired challenge 
Contestants competed in a tough mudder run. Past champions, Olivia War, Patrick Hall,d and John Rhode make appearances. 

Weigh-in
Producers decided to put in a red line to chop the remaining three contestants 
down to two. I was fairly sure that Jeremy would fall below the line, which he did. I suspected that he would throw the weigh-in to give his sister a spot. 
still put up a respectable 10 lb loss. 

Conda and Kim both put up unbelievable numbers. Kim especially loses 15 lbs. The cynic in me wonders if Kim (maybe Conda too) cheated by dehydrating themselves to get that degree of weight loss. 

Kim wins a Ford Escape as her reward for having the highest weight loss at the weigh-in. 

Another cynical though from me - I wonder if producers pulled out the SUV on this episode as "an incentive" to motivate mutinous players to stay? 

The final segment shows the eliminated players marching in to compete for a spot in the final three.   

Thoughts on Crazy People on Biggest Loser

My last post on Chris's elimination got me thinking about other day about other former Biggest Loser contestants with lots of known mental baggage or who were just presented on the show in a way that made them look a crazy.

I can think of two quick examples from last season's winners. Season 12 Biggest Loser, John Rhode, struggled with expressing his feelings and being honest. I was not happy to see him win and really liked Antone Davis better. I never saw him as genuine. It is curious that we don't hear much about him this season.

The season 12 at home winner, Jennifer Rumple, was not liked by other contestants who openly talked about her need for "help". She also had  label of being obsessed with Bob Harper.

However, when most people think about crazy people and Biggest Loser, they would probably think of "Crazy Tracey" - aka Tracey Yukich from Season 8.

After photo Tracey Yukich 

I can still remember some of drama from that season. Tracey collapsed from heat stroke during a one mile beach run that opened season 8. It appears she also had some type of heart problem discovered after the event. She was in the hospital and restricted on activity for several weeks after the season opener.

Her eight weeks on the ranch was filled with lots of drama. She eagerly went for any temptation challenge including a 2 lb advantage for a week without a trainer and power-eating cupcakes to control the game.

She used her final win on a game of chance to totally shake-up the teams and apparently alienate all of other contestants for that season.

It was no surprise that she was sent home when she was up for elimination. Neither Bob nor Jillian seemed to like her. Even two years after the season, Jillian Michaels had this to say when asked about Tracey.

She is a cancer in that house, promoting nothing but stress and ill will. You know what you do with a cancer? You CUT IT OUT and then start the healing. I was shocked and chagrined to see Coach Mo go home.

I recall seeing a sane and slim Tracey in one of the Biggest Loser Where are they now spots a year or two ago. Tracey says she is grateful for the health and life change that Biggest Loser and Dr. H gave her.

She has a website and does motivational speaking. Her season 8 reputation will always follow her, but it seems that Tracey is striving to live a healthy, inspiring life going forward.

Here's a recent you tube video of her promoting Total gym. You decide - still crazy or no.

Biggest Loser Episode Finishes up in D.C.

White House Workout


We got a teaser last week of First Lady, Michele Obama.  We get about a third of the episode in the White House with the First Lady. The contestants are very excited to meet her, and she offers support and encouragement. Seems that she is a fan of the show.

We get treated to a full family work-out including Mrs. Obama directed by both Dolvett and Bob. My thought after watching this segment was....

White House Burpee Fest!!!

Mrs. Obama promotes her family oriented childhood obesity campaign, Let's Move. She also ups the ante by asking contestants to get people signed up for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Challenge Program. The contestant who gets the most people signed up under his or her name wins a gym in their community. This is a great benefit both to people signing up as well as the community who will benefit. 

Please sign up under the contestant whose community you believe deserves this prize.  

Chris Meltdown 

Chris unwraps a nasty present of guilt with a phone call to hubby Roy aka Santa. Instead of being jolly, Santa sounds depressed and asks her to come home. Chris deals with the extreme stress by binge eating and checking out from workouts.

Bob has a very emotional confrontation with Chris about her need to change and take care of herself which seems to work. Unfortunately, Chris still gains two pounds at the weigh-in.

The remaining contestants make a surprising move to vote her off instead of bigger threat Kim. I am sad to Chris go. As I said in last week's recap post, I thought her odds of being in the final three were long. I doubt that she will be the at-home winner. However, I think she did receive a great gift from her time on BL. Her total vulnerability on national TV inspires me and should inspire others to continue to push against barriers in life that limit us.

Whole Grain Challenge

12 Healthy Habits 

I've written before about Cooking Light's 12 healthy habits for the year. This month's habit is making whole grains part of your diet.

Whole grains have many potential health benefits such as

• Assisting in management of weight 
• Positive effects on cholesterol levels and heart disease risk 
• Positive effects on blood sugars and diabetes risk 

This month's challenge is to get three servings of whole grains per day into the diet. 

Try a serving of whole grain oatmeal this month

What is a Serving of Whole Grains

• 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice 
• 1/2 cup of whole grain hot cereal such as oatmeal 
• 1/2 cup of cooked whole wheat pasta 
• 1 slice of whole grain bread 
• 1 cup of whole grain breakfast cereal 

What about Whole Grain Foods 

Figuring out whether a food is whole grain or not can sometimes be a challenge. A quick way to ballpark if a food choice is good on the whole grain benefit is to see how close to the top a whole wheat ingredient is listed - it should be in the top 5. Also, looking for the whole grain label on the package is a quick way to see if you are on the right track. 

16 grams of whole grain in a good is the bar set to qualify as a whole grain source. 

Final Advice 

It is important to remember that whole grain servings are small - 1/2 cup for the pastas. So, portion control must be kept in mind to avoid excess calorie trap. 

Makeover show recap

Blogging and Workout Struggles

My thought for the day.... Sometimes just showing up  is good enough

Resting again today and trying to avoid worsening in virus that I picked up a few days ago. Throat is scratchy, head hurts, and nose is stuffy. Last week was very busy with work. It's been over a week since a workout, and blogging motivation is low.

I had had a pretty good run. I am sticking with a healthy diet game plan. I reassure myself with the knowledge that I won't abandon my path.

Quick Show Recap

The show was only an hour this week. The challenge was won a slingshot challenge to break two panes of glass. The winner gets 1 lb advantage and the loser gets 1 lb disadvantage.

Winner: Buddy  & Loser: Conda

I didn't watch any of the makeover part of the show. The reveals were touching, and everyone looked good.

Here's a more complete Biggest Loser show recap courtesy of zapit for those wanting the full scoop. We get a White House workout with Michelle Obama next week which should be inspiring.

My thoughts on the remaining contestants

Jeremy

He is a likable guy, but I don't see a lot of passion in him to maintain the changes on BL. He seems to be hanging around to play the game and support his sister. I think he'll gain a lot of weight back after the show is over.

Conda 

There's not much to like about Conda. I give her points for being honest on her personality. I can't understand why Megan would ask her to be a bridesmaid in her wedding.

Buddy 

He's nice, he's goofy. He's the most likable of the bunch. His chance to win this season BL is pretty good.

Mark 

I just can't warm up to Mark. He's a pastor which should add to likability factor. Yet, there's something about him that I don't like. I think it feels to me that he plays the game too well and is a manipulator. His chance for winning this season is also good.

Kim

I kind of like her. She's intense, she's rough. She seems honest. She strikes me as someone who would be inspiring to many if she won this season BL.

Chris 

Odds a long that she will win, but she could make it to the finals. I like her too. I think she reminds many of us of the struggles in thoughts and emotions that many of us deal with in our daily life.

Exercise is Boring Show Recap

Exercise may be boring, but this past week was anything but boring for me. I was very busy and tired. I'd probably get busted for making excuses for not posting.

Mixing it up with new exercise options

I've posted in the past on the need to mix up exercise choices to stay motivated. The first part of the show has the teams trying new exercise. Dolvett's team heads off for Zumba. Buddy is surprisingly good for a goofy, white guy.



Bob takes his team mountain biking, and we're treated to a beautiful panorama of southern California at the top.

Challenges 

We get two interesting, engaging challenges this week. A truck loading challenge for food donation to the winning player's town + one lb advantage at weigh. Mark wins the loading challenge. The challenge twist was that every player's town will receive some food. We get to see everyone working together in harmony at the end to finish the challenge.

The second challenge was shopping and cooking challenge. After timed grocery store shopping, players prepare a meal for surprise judges from season 12 BL.

Surprise season 12 judges Vinny, Antone, and Becky

"Wrassler Kim" gets a surprise win in the competition. Chris is called out by Antone for her poor showing.

Elimination 

Megan and Mark fall below the yellow line, and Megan is sent home.