BREAKING NEWS ALERT!!

Here is a little motivation for our last 3 weeks in the Biggest Loser competition!

Drum roll please . . . . . .

The total winning pot is currently at:

$810.00

Now, if that doesn't motivate you to step it it a notch, I don't think ANYTHING will! This is the time to step up your game! There's 3 weeks left! Let's see what you've got!

Week 5 Results Are In!

As a group we lost a total of 40.3 pounds this week!
That is an average of 1.75 pounds per person.
As a group, for the last 5 weeks we have lost a total of 206.3 pounds!
Keep up the great work!

Below I have also posted the OVERALL results (combining weeks 1,2,3,4 &5)
Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

Today Leslie H. submitted a recipe from Jillian Michaels daily newsletter. Jillian Michaels got this recipe from www.eatingwell.com. I am going to be posting the original recipe along with my modified version of it.
Enjoy!

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon
From eatingwell.com

Serves: 4
Cooking/Prep time: 20 mins

Ingredients

2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic, powder

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1 pound tilapia, Pacific sole or other firm white fish fillets

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Put asparagus in a steamer basket, place in the pan, cover and steam until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, spreading out to cool. Combine chili powder, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a plate. Dredge fillets in the spice mixture to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and cook until just opaque in the center, gently turning halfway, 5 to 7 minutes total. Divide among 4 plates. Immediately add lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and asparagus to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the asparagus is coated and heated through, about 2 minutes. Serve the asparagus with the fish.

Nutrition

Per serving: 210 calories; 10 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 48 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 4 g fiber; 418 mg sodium; 645 mg potassium.
WW points =4 per serving

Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

My modified version

I decided to forgo the olive oil and use Pam olive oil cooking spray. Do so saves you a total 59.5 calories and 7 grams per serving.

The new nutrition info is as follows:
Per serving: 150.5 calories; 3 g fat; 48 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 4 g fiber; 418 mg sodium; 645 mg potassium.

WW points =2.5 per serving

Hope you all enjoy this delicious looking recipe from Leslie H.! Remeber, you can always submit recipes to me and I will post them on the blog!

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

What tha Kale?

The other day I cooked kale for the first time and both Bucky and I loved it!
Here is a tasty recipe that I think is a great way to introduce yourself to kale and all of its healthy benefits!

According to http://www.whfoods.com/ kale can benefit your health in these ways:

*Organosulfur Phytonutrients that Help Prevent Cancer
*Kale Protective against Ovarian Cancer
*Optimize Your Cells' Detoxification / Cleansing Ability
*Carotenoids that Lower Cataract Risk
*Kale Gets an A+ for its Pro-vitamin A
*Promotes Lung Health
*A Healthy Dose of Vitamin C for Antioxidant Protection and Immune Support
*Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
*A Very Good Source of Fiber
*Calcium-For A Lot Less Calories and Minus the Fat in Cow's Milk

Sautéed Kale
* 1 bundle of kale - washed and chopped coarsely
* 1 small onion chopped
* 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
* Pam olive oil spray
* Salt & pepper to taste
* Red pepper flakes (optional)

Spray a medium to large sauté pan (that has a lid) with Pam cooking spray and let it warm over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes & pepper and sauté until onions are translucent. Add as much kale that will fit into the pan (the kale will reduce quite a bit) and sprinkle salt to taste then cover. Sauté for 15-20 minutes until kale is soft. Then enjoy!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did. I would love to hear your feedback on whether you liked it or not.

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

Week 4 Results Are In!

We are at the half-way point! Don't give up now!
As a group we lost a total of 27.1 pounds this week!
That is an average of 1.18 pounds per person.

As a group, for the last 4 weeks we have lost a total of 166 pounds!
That is really amazing. Just think of how healthy we are getting =)
Keep up the great work!

Below I have also posted the OVERALL results (combining weeks 1,2,3 &4)

Happy Fitness!

-Jenn

Holiday!

Whooo Hooooo!

Monday is a holiday for some of us =)
You have two options for weighing in:

1-email/text me your weight on Monday like usual
2-get all of the info to me Tuesday AM

I will make sure to post the results on Tuesday once I get everyones weights.
Hope you all have a FABULOUS weekend!

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

Valentines Day 5K! Join us!

I just signed Bucky and I up for our FIRST EVER 5 k run! It is this Sunday - Valentines Day ♥
We decided that this would be our Valentines Day gift to each other!

There is still time to sign up for the run/walk!

Here is a link with all of the information about the 5K:

http://www.breakoutracing.com/folsompoint.htm

Race Distances
Short Course - 3 mi
Intermediate Course - 7 mi
Long Course - 12.5 mi

Race Start Time
9am - Long Course
9:15am - Intermediate Course
9:30am - Short Courses

Shirt info
Registered runners will receive one short-sleeved technical/moisture wicking shirt with the FLWTS logo design print during the Series.

* Race Fees
Short Course (runners and walkers welcome)
Adults - $15
Children (17 and under) - $10

Intermediate Course (runners and walkers welcome)
Adults - $20
Children (17 and under) - $10

Long Course
Adults - $25
Children (17 and under) - $15

* Register on-line by 11:59pm on Friday, February 12, 2010 (no online payment processing fee) Add $5 for race day registration
To keep the cost down, the $2.50 per runner online payment processing fee is paid by Breakout Racing.


Join us if you can!

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

Pacing Yourself

Go Go Go Go....
Have to work out ....
Can't stop or else ....

Anyone else feel that way? Well, since starting this "Biggest Loser" contest I've felt that way. If there is one day out of my week I can't work out - I feel horrible & guilty. This morning I got my daily email from Jillian Michaels and after reading it I felt like a ton of bricks was taken off of my shoulders. Here is a blurb from her email regarding overtraining and pacing yourself.

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Pace Yourself - from www.jillianmichaels.com

Believe it or not, your muscles do not get stronger during your workout; it's after the workout that they grow and develop. Intense strength training places huge demands on your muscles. To adapt to those demands, your muscles need adequate recovery time to rebuild and get stronger. As important as it is to stay the course and not get lazy, it's just as important to know when to cut yourself a break so you don't burn out, and your body has a chance to process all of the work you're doing.

Hope you enjoy this post!
Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

The Key

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." - Herman Cain

Farm Fresh - To Me!!

Today I received my farm fresh organic produce!

This is what came in my pretty little 9.5lb package:
-Fuji Apples
-Navel Oranges
-Hass Avocado
-Kale
-Collard Greens
-Broccoli
-Butter Lettuce
-Celery
-Nantes Carrots
-Yellow Onions

I'm so excited to go home and learn how to cook some of these things.
I really think this will help me open my mind to different fruits and veggies that I otherwise wouldn't give a second thought. Did I mention that these are all organic?

To get yummy, fresh & organic fruits and veggies sent straight from the farm to you visit:
www.farmfreshtoyou.com or call 800*796-6009

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

The Test

"I think exercise tests us in so many ways, our skills, our hearts, our ability to bounce back after setbacks. This is the inner beauty of sports and competition, and it can serve us all well as adult athletes."— Peggy Fleming, American figure skating Olympic gold medalist.

Destiny

"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." - Winston Churchill

Week 3 Results Are In!

Hang in there!We've still got 5 weeks left!
As a group we lost a total of 38.3 pounds this week!
That is a average of 1.66 pounds per person.

As a group, for the last 3 weeks we have lost 138.9 pounds!
That's incredible! Way to go!
Keep up the great work!

Below I have also posted the OVERALL results (combining week 1,2 &3).
Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

Living Vicariously

I am definitely living vicariously through you all who are eating all of those DELICIOUS Super Bowl foods right now...

Back to the Basics

Restoring Lost Nutrients - from www.jillianmichaels.com

Our bodies were made to thrive on the fresh, natural foods that Mother Nature provides. But the longer a food's journey from soil to plate, the more interfering chemical processes it has probably endured along the way. Vital nutrients are lost during that trip — ones that would otherwise have played important roles in your body's healthy metabolism and everyday functioning.

So how do you get back to basics? First of all, ditching the "frankenfoods" for fresh foods is one of the best ways to reap those natural benefits. If you can't pronounce the ingredients in a food, you shouldn't be eating it — period. Second, make sure you're getting the important nutrients your body needs. Don't sacrifice them in the name of a dollar.

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With that said, Leslie H. had introduced me to an amazing thing today. It is called "Farm Fresh to You" and it focuses on organic produce from local farmers in the Bay Area! It is delivered directly to your house or office and the prices are very hard to beat.

Too good to be true?

No - I just signed up today and picked the smallest delivery package which was $25 every two weeks (you can pick the frequency - every week, every other week, once a month ) and which kinds of produce I would like to get. I am so excited to see what I will be getting next week for my first delivery. I will make sure to post some pictures =) Here is the link to the website:

www.farmfreshtoyou.com

Hope you enjoy this post!

Happy Fitness!

-Jenn

Failure

"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it, So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success." – Thomas J. Watson

Wild Rice, Barley & Asparagus - Oh My!

Weight Watchers Wild Rice, Barley and Asparagus Pilaf Recipe

This tasty Easter side dish recipe is the perfect accompaniment to the Easter main dish recipe that I posted yesterday! It’s a fantastically delicious Weight Watchers Recipe for Wild Rice, Barley, and Asparagus Pilaf and it has just 1 Weight Watcher Point per serving! It’s easy to make and is loaded with heart healthy fiber, protein and vitamins. I love that this rice recipe doesn’t look or taste like it’s low calorie and actually good for you. Whether it’s with you Easter dinner, or any meal for that matter, this Wild Rice, Barley and Asparagus Recipe is definitely a great choice – your whole family will love it!

Ingredients:
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup raw wild rice
- 1 cup pearl barley (do not use quick-cooking)
- 1 medium shallot, chopped
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried sage
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 10 ounce pencil-thin asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch segments

Directions:
Bring the broth and rice to a simmer in a large saucepan; cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.Stir in the barley, shallot, salt, thyme, sage and pepper. Cover and continue simmering over low heat for 25 minutes.Stir in the asparagus, cover, reduce the heat even further and simmer slowly for 5 minutes. Set aside off the heat, covered, for 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Entire recipe makes 12 servings
Serving size is ½ cup Each serving = 1 Weight Watchers Point
That's only 2 points for an entire cup!!! YuuummmmO


I am VERY excited to make this recipe! In fact, I might try it tonight =)
I found this recipe on http://www.laaloosh.com

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

Success

"Success doesn't come to you…you go to it." - Marva Collins

Time

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresea, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. – Life’s Little Instruction Book, compiled by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

The Week 2 Results Are In!

Hang in there!
We've still got 6 weeks and that means ANY one of us could easily take the lead!
As a group we lost a total of 44.8 pounds!
That is a average of 1.95 pounds per person.
Keep up the great work!

Below I have also posted the OVERALL results (combining week 1 & week 2).

Happy Fitness!

-Jenn

Grilled Caribbean Chicken

I found this recipe this weekend and I can't wait to try it! If anyone decides to try it - let me know how it turns out for you.

Grilled Caribbean Chicken

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts halves (3-ounce each), boneless and skinless

In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice, olive oil, ginger, garlic, chili sauce and oregano , add the chicken. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to cook, remove chicken from marinade. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken on prepared grill and proceed as follows:
For Charcoal Grill: When coals are ready, spread over the edge of the hearth (24 “round) and keep a spray bottle near the fire to extinguish the flames. Turn the chicken often and do not let burn. Boobs take about 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165 aa ° F (juices will run clear when cut with a knife). Do not close the lid.
Gas BBQ (because it can maintain a hot fire, without closing the lid): Place the cooked chicken to the hot grill. Covered barbecue with a lid, open any vents, and bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (juices will run clear when cut with the tip a knife), turning several times during the barbecue.

I'm sure you could also pan fry or bake this recipe and it would still be delicious!

4 servings
Per Serving – 6.5 fat grams, 192 calories, 5 WW points

Happy Fitness!
-Jenn

The view

It is easier to go down a hill than up, but the view is best from the top. – Arnold Bennett