First Weigh-in Newsletter

Here's a copy of the newsletter for our first weigh-in.

Fall 2010 Weight Loss Challenge Newsletter

Issue 2

Today’s the Day!

Today is weigh-in day. Hopefully everyone had fun over Labor Day weekend. See Christy to weigh-in—Let’s get started!

Housekeeping Items

We will contribute five dollars each payday to the jackpot

Our prizes will be:

Grand Prize Winner (Highest percentage of weight loss) will receive 80% of total jackpot

Runner-up (Second highest percentage of weight loss) will receive 20% of total jackpot

First 10 (First person to lose 10% of their body weight) will receive a special gift

Quick Weight Loss Tips

When it comes to finding quick weight loss diet tips that work, selecting your foods for your diet can be a real balancing act. You have to lose some of what you’ve grown accustomed to and add some items that may be new to you. Here are some quick weight loss tips that experts recommend to promote weight loss.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #1 – Reduce fat.

With regard to fat, the research is clear: Diets too high in fat promote overweight and obesity. You should strive to consume no more than 25 percent of your calories from fat – and that fat should the “non-saturated” type.

Quick Weight Loss Tips # 2 – Don’t be so sweet.

Numerous studies have linked table sugar to increased calorie consumption. While sugar doesn’t do as much dietary damage as fat, you’ll find that when you eat sweets, you simply want to eat more… of everything. Not only that, but sugar also makes your body excrete chromium, and chromium is a mineral that helps your body build calorie-burning lean tissue – so you want to keep your chromium levels up.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #3 – Drink up.

“If people want to keep their nutrients in balance, they need to drink plenty of plain, unflavored water every day,” says Judy Dodd, R.D., past president of the American Dietetic Association. Water not only acts as a solvent for many vitamins and minerals but also is responsible for carrying nutrients into and wastes out of cells, so the body functions properly. As a rule of thumb, you should drink a half-ounce of water for every pound of body weight daily, unless you’re very active, in which case you should increase your water intake to two-thirds of an ounce per pound of body weight daily. So if you weigh 100 pounds, you should drink 50 ounces of water a day as a minimum

Quick Weight Loss Tips #4 – Fill up on fiber.

You can curb your hunger by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, which is filling, so you feel full but eat less. For these diet tips, experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #5 – Get treatment for food allergies.

Some researchers believe that being overweight is the result of people craving foods that they are allergic to. For these people, weight loss is extremely difficult until they figure out what those trigger foods are and eliminate them from their diets.

“There are specific food allergies that trigger uncontrollable craving and bingeing,” says Joseph D. Beasley, M.D., director of Comprehensive Medical Care in Amityville, New York. “It’s a common problem in overeaters.”

If you suspect that food allergies might be part of your problem, ask your doctor to help you identify the offending items. Your doctor may recommend that you see an allergy specialist.

Quick Weight Loss Tips#6 - Get fit

Last, but not least...but MOST IMPORTANT! Exercise, Exercise, Exercise. Start out slow and work your way up. Join a gym or buy weights or other equipment for your home. Bike riding and taking long walks are great. Get fit.

Featured Recipe:

MYM Fudge Brownies

From The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook by Jillian Michaels

Nutritional Info

• Fat: 2.3g
• Carbohydrates: 16.6g
• Calories: 85.0
• Protein: 1.2g

Ingredients

Olive Oil Spray for pan
2/3 cup mild honey (preferably organic)
1/3 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup white, whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 TBSP olive oil
1 large egg, at room temp
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Makes 16 (2") brownies

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8-inch square pan with olive oil. Set aside.

Place the honey in a large glass-measuring cup, Microwave on high power until the honey is runny and just bubbling, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the cocoa and stir with a fork until well combined. Let cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well combined.

In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey-cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the surface looks dry around the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it; about 25 min. Do not over bake. Place the plan on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing into 16 squares. (Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.)

Number of Servings: 16