BDW Biggest Loser Season 11

[futuremissbk]

Just sent my initial weight and "before" picture!  It is not pretty!  Good luck ladies!

[msmarmar123]

One more thing...please let me know when you send in your initial weight which category you want to be: compete or non-compete...

Also...if you could please tell me your BDW user name too.

 

Thank you  

[sunstarsmoon]

Just sent in my info!

[msmarmar123]

Hey Guys   Hope you all had a Happy New Year....

So far we have 6 competers and 2 non-competers

 

This week (and really probably every week) I will let weigh-ins go until the end of Saturday and will (hopefully) post results at some point on Sundays.  If it ever has to be a different day or time...I will let you know. 

All tips and recipes will be posted Sundays or Monday...but if anyone has a tip or question or recipe to share...please do at any time

 

Welcome to BL season 11...Good Luck Everyone!

[msmarmar123]

Just joined WW Online...saw the Jennifer Hudson commercial on the new Points Plus plan one too many times today   So...I'll play around on there for a few days and start posting some recipes that I get from there.....

 

Anyone else following WW or any type of structured plan???

[Sapphire723]

I like Spark People a lot for a free "weight watcher" type program.

[msmarmar123]

HEALTHY TIP

 

 

Since it’s a brand new year, I thought for the 1^st week’s Health Tips, I would post a whole list of some simple guidelines to help get us all on track for the New Year J

 

1. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods.You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.
2. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.
3. Maintain a healthy weight.The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.
4. Eat moderate portions.If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.
5. Eat regular meals.Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.
6. Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods.Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
   Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.
   Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
   If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.
7. Balance your food choices over time.Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.
8. Know your diet pitfalls.To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.
9. Make changes gradually.Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.
10. Remember, foods are not good or bad.Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

 

 

 

[msmarmar123]

RECIPE 

 

 

 

***Disclaimer…I have not made and probably will not have made any of the recipes I will be posting…they are just things that I find online that sound like something I would want to make one day J  I figure everyone loves comfort food and that is way Baked Macaroni and Cheese is recipe #1.  Some of the reviews I read said that they mixed the spinach in with the cheese instead of putting it on top.  Also to add some spices (salt, pepper, garlic, etc…) when sautéing spinach to give it a little extra flavor.

 

Baked Mac & Cheese

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/baked_mac_cheese.html

From EatingWell:  Winter 2004, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004)

Mac & cheese can be a true comfort on a gloomy day, and our healthy update takes advantage of extra-sharp Cheddar balanced with creamy low-fat cottage cheese and tucks a layer of spinach into the middle, which may help picky eaters down their vegetables. Whole-wheat pasta adds robust flavor and extra fiber.

4 servings | Active Time:25 minutes | Total Time:55 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne

Preparation

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture.
3. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
4. Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
5. Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving :576 Calories; 22 g Fat; 11 g Sat; 2 g Mono; 69 mg Cholesterol; 63 g Carbohydrates; 37 g Protein; 9 g Fiber; 917 mg Sodium; 403 mg Potassium

3 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges:3 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 medium-fat meat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator, if necessary, then bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
• Tip:To make fresh breadcrumbs, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice of bread makes about 1/2 cup fresh crumbs. For dry breadcrumbs, spread the fresh crumbs on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs. Or use prepared coarse dry breadcrumbs. We like Ian's brand labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.†Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets.

[CSandCK2]

is it too late to join the competition?  I could really use something like this to get the last 15lbs off before the wedding.  Let me know and I can send you the requested photos tonight after work. 

[msmarmar123]

I'm ok with it if no one else has  a problem.....

I would need starting weight for today.....and then you would still need to do your weigh in this weekend...

 

Send me your info

 

Originally Posted by CSandCK2 

is it too late to join the competition?  I could really use something like this to get the last 15lbs off before the wedding.  Let me know and I can send you the requested photos tonight after work.