Week #16 Final Results!

Week #15 Results

Final Weigh Out is Monday, July 2nd!

Hello Team!

Remember, next Monday is our final weigh out! You have all done amazing things. Keep up the good work.
I will post the final scores and winners next Monday or Tuesday.

Thanks for participating in the contest. :)

Week #16: Vitamin Week

Challenge: Vitamin Week

Pretty Straight Forward. Take a multi-vitamin each day. That's it. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't be pushing yourself hard at the gym or change those healthy eating habits you've already created. We are just adding to your already healthy lifestyle you are creating for yourself.

Week #14 Results

Week 15 Challenge: Circuit Training

Week 15 Challenge: Circuit Training

Circuit training

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Circuit training is a combination of high-intensity aerobics andresistance training designed to be easy to follow and target fat loss, muscle building and heart fitness. An exercise "circuit" is one completion of all prescribed exercises in the program. When one circuit is complete, one begins the first exercise again for another circuit. Traditionally, the time between exercises in circuit training is short, often with rapid movement to the next exercise

Week 15 Challenge: Circuit Training

To be completed 2 times this week.

Complete each exercise for 1 minute each, repeat 3 times.

(If you don't have access to a chin up bars can be replaced with a bicep curl holding any object of even weight.)

Start and end with a 5 minute stretch. Your rest time between each exercise should be no longer than 30-90 seconds.

Ski Jumps

Press ups

Bench Step ups

Sit ups

Squat Thrusts

Chin Ups (you can use a chair)

Free Squats

Back extensions

This exercise can of course be replaced with a circuit training class at the gym or circuit training video.

Week # 13 Results

Week #12 Results

Week #14 Sweet Free

Week 14 Challenge: Sweet Free

Do you have control of your sweet tooth? Here's the real test! For one week, no sweets or deserts!

This includes, but is not limited to:

ice cream, candy, chocolate, pie

cake, cookies, brownies,

pastries, smoothies, etc

Week #11 Results

Week #13 - HITT

Complete the following workout 3 times this week. {You may want to space these workouts out as soreness may occur :)}...I love this workout!

High Intensity Interval Training: Sprint Interval Workout

This sprint interval workout is a type high intensity interval training (HIIT)that helps build endurance, increase your anaerobic threshold and burn more calories and fat both during and after your workout. For this workout, you'll have a longer warm up (10 minutes) before going into 4 all-out sprints at a Level 9 on this perceived exertion chart for 30 seconds each. Between each sprint, you'll recover at an easy pace for 4.5 minutes, giving you plenty of time to get ready for the next sprint.

Keep in mind that all-out effort is very challenging, so modify the sprint intervals as needed to fit your fitness level and goals. You can do this workout on any cardio machine (set to manual mode) or with any outdoor activity such as walking, running or cycling. This workout is best for intermediate or advanced exercisers.

Time	Intensity/Speed	Perceived Exertion
5 min.	Warm up at an easy-moderate pace	4-5
5 min.	Baseline: Increase speed gradually to a comfortable, moderate pace	5
30 seconds	Sprint all out as fast as you can	9
4.5 min	Reduce speed to a comfortable pace to fully recover	4-5
30 seconds	Sprint all out as fast as you can	9
4.5 min	Reduce speed to a comfortable pace to fully recover	4-5
30 seconds	Sprint all out as fast as you can	9
4.5 min	Reduce speed to a comfortable pace to fully recover	4-5
30 seconds	Sprint all out as fast as you can	9
4.5 min	Cool down at an easy pace	3-4
Total :	30 Minutes

"Remember that balance, posture and core muscles are the foundation for a good sprinter. Your goal should be to run at a faster speed, while exerting less energy.

Short and fast bursts of running have been proven to be more effective than hour-long jogs. You can't help but all those people that try to get in shape, and start doing long jogs, and six months later, there are no changes in their performance or appearance. Sprint training also saves time that would have been wasted doing traditional exercises." --Wikihow

Week #12 Water

This week 's challenge is super simple. We are going by the old urban legend of 8 glasses of 8 oz. of water a day. Doctors from Mayo clinic have yet to find where or who started this magic '8x8' or if there is any basis to it, but we are doing it anyway. While there is controversy over some of the benefits of drinking a certain amount of water one thing that seems to remain somewhat consistent is the aid in weight-loss when eating foods that contain a lot of water in them to give you the feeling of 'fullness'.

I am posting a few articles and letting you decide for yourself whether or not you think water is beneficial. I tried to find some credible websites and am just putting the information out there.

From Sparkpeople:

Water is a Secret Ingredient Card of Weight Loss

-- By Zach Van Hart, Staff Writer

Is water important? Well let’s see, other than making up 50%-60% of our bodies, regulating body temperature, helping our breathing, transporting nutrients, carrying away waste and helping our muscles function, water is pretty much useless. Oh, and you need water or, after three days without it, you’ll die.

So in other words, water is pretty darn essential. It can even be an extremely important (and often unappreciated) weight loss factor.

Somehow, though, water is one of the most neglected parts of our diet. Some of us possibly go an entire day at times without one glass! Every part of your body is dependent on and comprised of water, and the most important parts need even more. Your brain is made up of 75% water, your blood 82% and your lungs nearly 90%.

Besides being a vital component of your body, water also helps to reduce weight. The more hydrated you are, the quicker your metabolism works. When you are dehydrated – even before you start becoming thirsty – your liver has to help the kidneys function and can’t metabolize fat as quickly. Your metabolism slows down, causing some unwanted fat to remain.

If your body is used to not getting water, it actually stores more in ankles, hips and thighs. In other words, it doesn’t trust you to keep bringing water, so it keeps what it can get, like a thirsty cactus. Once it realizes the water will keep coming, your body will get rid of the stores and you’ll lose weight!

Plus, if you’re suffering from cravings or having trouble controlling hunger, drinking water is a quick, healthy way to feel full. Drink a glass when you normally snack, and have one before your meal and right before going out.

Staying hydrated is not restricted to drinking water; milk, juice and other liquids – even some fruits and vegetables – are good sources of water. But avoid caffeinated beverages (coffee, soda), as they actually cause you to lose fluids and become dehydrated.

The recommended daily amount of water is eight cups a day, but don’t feel bad if you have neglected your water intake. Even if you constantly drink coffee or soda, you can make some simple changes to increase the water in your diet. Here are just a few ways to get more water every day:

·         Find the water bottles with pop tops. They’re easier to carry around and use than twist off caps.

·         Keep a water bottle in the car.

·         Set a rule with your water glass: once it’s empty, it gets filled back up right away.

·         Drink orange juice or eat fruit in the morning.

·         Get two water bottles, one for work and one for home.

·        Fill up one every day when you leave to go home, and fill up the other before you go to bed each night. ·         Order water at restaurants instead of soda. Even if you have something else to drink, have water too.

·         Weekends are the toughest, so be aware of your water and fluid intake throughout Saturday and Sunday.

·        Keep more than one water bottle in the fridge so you always have a cold one.

·         Follow the example of a SparkPeople member: this woman put a water glass on her windowsill with 8 pennies on one side. Each time she filled up her glass and drank it, she moved a penny to the other side, until all the pennies were moved. Great reminder system!

Week #10 Results

Week #11 Sleep

Did you know getting much more or less than seven hours of sleep is associated with a higher mortality rate and can cause weight gain? Adults should get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep quality is just as important as the quantity of sleep you get. The Mayo clinic suggests seven steps that may help you get better quality sleep.

1.       Stick to a sleep schedule

2.       Pay attention to what you eat and drink

3.       Create a bedtime ritual

4.       Get comfortable

5.       Limit daytime naps

6.       Include physical activity in your daily routine

7.       Manage stress

 Challenge: Incorporate two of the above steps each night this week to improve your quality of sleep.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/how-many-hours-of-sleep-are-enough/AN01487

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep/HQ01387/NSECTIONGROUP=2

Week #9 Results

Week #10 Going Meatless

Going Meatless

Did you know that reducing meat in your diet could actually improve health? Planning meals that are based on vegetables, fruits, beans, and grains can help you save money and lower your cholesterol and your risk for heart disease. Those who eat plant-based diets generally consume fewer calories, weigh less, and have lower rates of heart disease than those whose diets are full of red and processed meats such as steak, ground beef, cold cuts, and hot dogs. Going meatless at least one day a week can help reduce your intake of saturated fat by 15%, which helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Challenge: Go meatless at least two days this week.

References:

Mayo Clinic. “Meatless Meals: The Benefits of Eating Less Meat.” 16 Sept 2011. 30 Mar 2012. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/meatless-meals/my00752>

Meatless Monday. “Yale Heart Study Talks Sat Fat, Meatless Monday.” 2011. 30 Mar 2012. <http://www.meatlessmonday.com/yale-heart-study-talks-sat-fat-meatless-monday/>

Week #8 Results

Week 9 Challenge: New Cardio Workout

The challenge for the week of May 7 - May 13 is to complete a cardio workout that is new to you or out of your normal comfort zone.

Here are some Examples:

·         Hiking

·         Biking

·         Swimming

·         Kayaking

·         Surfing

·         Skiing

·         Tennis

·         Pilate's

·         Plyometrics

·         Jump Roping

·         Run stadium stairs

·         Sprint Training on the beach

·         Try a trial membership at the gym and do a class you have never done before.

·         Go to the movie store or use your Netflix membership to rent a new type of aerobic or cross training video that is new to you.

Go out, get active, and have fun doing it!

Week #7 Results

Week #8 - No Soda Week! April 30- May 6.

No Soda Week! April 30- May 6. That's right! One week...No Soda!

(This will be easy for some and extremely hard for others!)

Soft drink

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A soft drink (also referred to as soda, pop, soda pop or fizzy drink) is a drink that typically contains no alcohol, though may contain small amounts^[1] (typically less than 0.5% by volume) and is usually referred to as a sugary drink. Soft drinks are often carbonated and commonly consumed while chilled or at room temperature. Some of the most common soft drinks include cola, flavored water, sparkling water, iced tea,sweet tea, sparkling lemonade (or other lemon-lime soft drinks),squash, fruit punch, root beer, orange soda, grape soda, cream soda, and ginger ale.

The term "soft" is employed in opposition to "hard", i.e. drinks with high alcoholic content by volume. Generally it is also implied that the drink does not contain milk or other dairy products. Hot chocolate, hot tea, coffee,tap water, juice, schorle or spritzer and milkshakes also do not fall into this classification.

Many carbonated soft drinks are optionally available in versions sweetened with sugars or with non-caloric sweeteners, such as diet soda

Say No to Soda, Yes to Healthy Drinks

Learn five reasons why soda is bad for you and five healthy drinks that are better for quenching your thirst.

By Dennis Thompson Jr.

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Sodas are sweet, sparkling and tasty — but don't confuse them with a healthy drink. Doctors have discovered a ton of health risks connected with drinking soda pop. Worse, you're robbing yourself of a healthy drink alternative brimming with needed vitamins and minerals every time you chug down a soft drink.

"If you're choosing a soda, chances are you aren't choosing a healthy beverage," says Keri M. Gans, a nutrition consultant in New York City and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. There are a number of healthy drink choices you can make instead.

Why Say No to Soda?

·         Soda is truly worthless to your body. "In my opinion, there's really one major reason to not drink soda," Gans says. "It has absolutely no nutritional value. Soda is filled with sugar and calories and nothing else." Even diet sodas — low to no calories and sugar — don’t have any redeeming virtues, nutritionally. Healthy drinks, on the other hand, have vitamins and minerals the body can use. Even plain water can rehydrate your body without adding extra calories to your diet.

·         Sugary sodas contribute to obesity and diabetes. Soda is loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that has been linked to obesity. Soda consumption also has been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes, both due to its sugar content and its effects on the body's hormones. And diet soda? It may not be any better. At least one study has linked artificial sweeteners, such as those used in diet sodas, to increased appetite, greater difficulty losing weight, and a harder time maintaining weight loss.

·         Soda damages your teeth. The sugar in soda coats your teeth, combining with bacteria in your mouth to form acid. Both regular and diet soda also contain carbolic acid through carbonation. These acids work to weaken tooth enamel, causing cavities and tooth decay.

·         Drinking soda can weaken your bones. Most sodas contain phosphorous and caffeine, agents that are believed to contribute to osteoporosis. Experts also worry that people consume soda in place of milk or other healthy drinks, depriving the bones of calcium.

·         Soda can harm your major organs. Research has demonstrated that increased soft drink consumption may be linked to chronic kidney disease, development of metabolic syndrome (a group of symptoms that add up to increased heart risk), and fatty liver, a chronic liver disease.

Healthy Drink Alternatives

Luckily, there are limitless options when choosing a healthy drink over a soda pop. Some soda alternatives include:

• Water. It is the ultimate healthy drink. "It's free in every sense of the word," Gans says. "It has no calories and it comes straight from your tap."
• Fruit juice. Gans urges you not to drink straight fruit juice, which contains a lot of sugar. "Drink some seltzer with a splash of juice for a little flavoring," she says. "Rather than drinking juice, eat a piece of whole fruit. You're also getting the fiber in the fruit."
• Milk. This is another essential healthy drink, particularly for kids. "An 8-ounce glass of nonfat milk has 80 calories and nine essential nutrients," Gans says. "You get a lot of bang for your buck."
• Tea. Whatever teas you prefer — green, black, herbal — they all have been shown to contain high levels of antioxidants, which are believed to protect the body from damage.
• Powdered drink mixes. They contain no tooth-rotting carbonation, and come in sugar-free varieties. They give your sweet tooth a fix without harming your overall nutrition.

And remember, you can always cut up some fresh fruit and pop a little into a tall glass of water for an extra flavor kick. Choosing healthy drinks over soda: Give it a try. Your body will thank you.