Show Me How to Measure My Body

Dear God,
Help me today to care as much about my heart's "weight" as I do about my body's weight.

Thank You that because Your scales never lie and Your bottom line is always love, I can stand before You with confidence no matter how "good" or "bad" I've been lately.

Show me how to truthfully measure the progress of both my soul and my body.
For I know that the one will someday pass away, while the other will matter forever.
Amen.

Ginger Lime Tilapia

Here's a fish recipe for everyone! Don't be afraid to try it. And PLEASE use FRESH ginger! You can get it at Wal-Mart or IGA... just buy a small section of root. Peel a small section off and use a spoon to scrap enough off to make the amount for the recipe. See below and enjoy.... let us know if you make and what you thought!

Ginger Lime Tilapia

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 1/2 pound tilapia fillets
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 scallions, chopped

Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine the ginger, garlic, lime juice, sesame oil, honey, and soy sauce in a small bowl; whisk thoroughly. Place fish in a single layer in the baking dish, allowing space between the fillets. Pour ginger-lime sauce over the fish and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until the thickest fillet flakes easily when tested with a fork. Garnish with cilantro and scallions.

Calories 169, Fat 3 g, Carbs 5 g, Sodium 739 mg, Fiber 1 g.

Recipe Location: www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/809/Ginger-Lime-Tilapia

More snacks or light lunches...

PB&B Sandwich

1. Spread each half of a toasted whole wheat English muffin (140) with 1 Tbsp peanut butter (188)
2. Top each half with 1/4 c sliced banana (50)
3. Eat as an open-faced sandwich with a side of 20 blueberries (28)

Serves: 1 - Total calories per serving: 406

Oreos and Milk

1. Portion out 5 Oreos (270) and wash down with 1 c of low-fat or fat-free milk (100)
2. Wipe off your milk mustache!

Serves: 1 - Total calories per serving: 370

Snack Tips...

Popcorn Party Trail Mix

1. Toss 6 c microwave light butter popcorn, like Orville Redenbacher's SmartPop (100), with 2 Tbsp grated parmesan (40) while the popcorn is still warm.
   
2. Sprinkle on 2 Tbsp cashew pieces (100)
3. Add 2 Tbsp raisins (50) right before you eat the mix so the snack doesn't get soggy
4. Enjoy with one 12 oz bottle of light beer (100)

Serves: 1 - Total calories: 390

Peanut Butter Break

1. Slice up 1 med apple (72)
2. Serve with 1.5 Tbsp peanut butter (141)
3. Add 5 whole wheat crackers (95)
4. Wash it down with 1 c of fat-free milk (83)

Serves: 1 - Total calories per serving: 391

Cheese Lover’s Snack

1. Slice 1 oz Cheddar cheese (110) and 1 oz Brie cheese (100)
2. Serve with 4 Triscuits, reduced fat (70)
3. Enjoy with one 5 oz glass of white or red wine (120)

Serves: 1 - Total calories per serving: 400

Easy Fondue Appetizer

1. To make the fondue, start by tossing 2 c shredded Cheddar (640) with 1 1/2 Tbsp flour (43)
2. Simmer together 1/2 c stout (50), 3 Tbsp apple juice concentrate (88), and 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (15); add cheese
3. For dipping, serve with 2 rolls (247), 2 apples (155), and 2 c each steamed cauliflower (50), cooked brussels sprouts (112), and boiled red potatoes (280)

Serves: 4 - Total calories per serving: 420

Weight Loss while Traveling

Biggest Loser tip:

With Spring Break coming up for our kids families are planning trips and outings.... Try to stick to your weight loss plan but also allow yourself some wriggle room. Here's what our Biggest Loser Club experts have to say on the topic.

Fitness Expert Michael Scholtz: My view is that if you travel ALL the time, then you need to find a way to fit your normal routine into your travel. But, if you only travel once in a while, then it's not going to make or break your lifestyle. Trips to Disney, Europe, Vegas, etc., don't come along that often. Therefore, the best plan is to make some decent choices, don't go overboard, and don't worry about being "on program." It's not an excuse. It's just being realistic. You go there to have fun for a few short days. So make the trip itself very active and don't worry about getting to a gym!

Nutrition Expert Greg Hottinger: When eating out, I suggest that you order off the menu (no buffets) when possible and consider packing some snacks in your luggage that you can eat 30 minutes before heading out such as energy bars, nuts (bring small ziploc baggies for portion control), apples or low-fat granola bars

Looking for some new stuff!?!?

NEED NEW TOYS?? Try these..

You don't need the fancy shoes for this little gizmo...see the pouch below!


As you run, your iPod (or iPhone) tells you your time, distance, pace, and calories burned. And it gives you feedback at the halfway point and in the final lead-up to your goal.

Tune Belt Sensor Pouch for Nike+iPod
Sport Kit Sensor - www.amazon.com

NEED NEW SHOES?? Try these places...

www.swagssportshoes.com - Louisville

www.swiftathletics.com - Evansville

I Praise You for My Body Prayer

Dear God,
As You know, some days I wish I looked different than I do. How good it is to be reminded, Lord, that You had me--exactly this me--in mind long before I came to exist!

So today I present myself to You with a grateful heart. Help me to be a good steward of my body. Because You designed it, I want to celebrate, nurture, and respect it. By Your power at work in me, I praise You for every molecule, gene, and freckle!
Amen.

10 Convenient Snacks (Biggest Loser Nutritionist)

When you have to grab something quick...

Biggest Loser Club nutrition expert Greg Hottinger, RD, suggests these quick snack ideas when you need a healthy snack and need it fast!

1. Three dates stuffed with an almond in place of the pit (90 calories)

2. Ryvita cracker (2 cracker) with 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter (140 calories)

3. Medium orange + 6 whole cashews (110 calories)

4. Small apple + 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter (150)

5. Yogurt (1/2 cup plain) + 5 almonds (105 calories)

6. Three cups air-popped popcorn (80 calories) + 1 teaspoon canola oil + dash of salt (120 calories)

7. Banana, peeled and frozen (120 calories)

8. Kashi TLC granola bar (140 calories); when buying "healthy" energy bars look for varieties that have at least 3 grams of fiber per 150 calories.

9. Hard-boiled egg (75 calories)

10. Fourteen raw almonds, 1 miniature box of raisins (130 calories)

Easy Ways to Clean Up Your Diet

1. Toss a few heavily processed staples - Instead of overhauling your pantry all at once, start by eliminating corn oil and soda—both highly processed. Another easy step is replacing refined breads and pastas made from white flour with ones made from whole grains.

2. Shop the perimeter - Most whole, natural foods are on the outside aisles of grocery stores—that’s where the produce, dairy, and meat sections usually are. As you go deeper into the center of the store, you encounter more processed and packaged food.

3. Check the labels - It’s the easiest way to distinguish a "clean" food from a highly processed one. Think about it: A head of lettuce has no label (totally natural), while a bag of ranch-flavored corn chips has a dozen or more ingredients (highly processed). Instead of eliminating all processed foods, study the labels on the packaging and choose those with fewer and simpler ingredients (avoid hydrogenated oils, artificial flavors and colors, stabilizers, preservatives, excessive amounts of fat and sodium, and added refined sugar).

4. Cook more meals at home - This is an easy way to shift more of your resources toward whole food and potentially save money. Plus, many restaurants rely on highly processed food to create their meals. To make home cooking easier, master a few one-pot or one-pan dishes with simple ingredients that you can whip up quickly and that will feed the family for days.

For more info go to www.prevention.com/eatclean/index.shtml

Setting a Goal, Getting Specific

(Biggest Loser Tip) Setting a Goal, Getting Specific

Here's how to take your goals serious. Just thinking about something will never get you started. But if you set a concrete goal like "I will sign up to volunteer with a local group this week," you're more likely to do it.

Putting an exercise goal down on paper (listing which days and how much you'll exercise) can help you stay focused no matter what else is going on in your life. And if you exercise during the day, maybe you're less likely to eat unhealthy foods that day. Perhaps it would help to have a long term exercise goal too. Aim for a 5K or some other goal about 3 months away.

If you continue to set goals and don't reach them, then the frustration just builds. I don't care if it's 15 minutes per day, but you will feel better if you are hitting your goals.

Celestine groupies!!!!!! *MEETING CANCELLED*

Hey, ladies! Due to the snow, the meeting is cancelled tonite. I've also contacted WITZ to announce the cancellation on the radio. Feel free to tell any other groupies and let them know. See you all next week!!!

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Melt

Biggest Loser-Ham and Cheese Breakfast Melt
You can add mustard or a slice of tomato to customize this sandwich, if you like. It reheats well, too, so you might want to make two at a time and warm the second one the following morning!

1 Thomas' Light Whole Grain English Muffin, split
1 slice (1 ounce) lean, low sodium ham or leanCanadian bacon
2 egg whites
1 slice low- or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Coat an egg ring (see note) with olive oil cooking spray.

Toast the muffin halves until they're lightly browned. While the muffin toasts, warm the ham for about 1 minute in a small nonstick skillet. Remove the ham from the skillet and place it on half of the toasted English muffin. Cover to keep it warm.

Place the prepared egg ring in the nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour the egg whites into the ring. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until the eggs are nearly set. Run a knife or spatula around the inside edge of the ring to break the egg loose. Remove the ring. Flip the egg over and cook it for about 30 seconds longer, or until done.

Place the egg on top of the ham. While the egg is piping hot, lay the cheese over it. Top with the remaining muffin half. Serve hot.

Note: If you don't have an egg ring, you can use the ring from a wide-mouthed canning jar, sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.

Makes 1 serving
Per serving: 230 calories, 25 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates (6 g sugars), 6 g fat (2 g saturated), 20 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 570 mg sodium

Keep exercise fun...

Keep exercise fun. Athletic leagues across the country sponsor adult softball, soccer, football and even kickball teams. This is a great way to go if you prefer some structure, competition and social interaction with your exercise. Find something that interests you, and you'll be far more likely to stick with it.

Energy Boosters!

Try Something New

When people do something novel, the brain's reward chemical, dopamine, is released. Dopamine is also a motivating chemical that gears us up to do more. In other words, take a trip or learn Spanish and you may also feel inspired to start a new project at home or work.

Move Around

The more active you are, the better your circulation will be. And good circulation is essential for energy because blood transports oxygen and nutrients—fuel for the cells—to the muscles, brain, and so on. If you have a desk job, get up throughout the day—once an hour is ideal—to give your body breaks from activities such as typing and staring at the computer. When you're stuck seated, like on a long car ride, do neck rolls and shoulder shrugs and circle your feet to keep blood circulating.

Do Things That Lift Your Spirits

Anything that makes you feel good may raise your level of endorphins—the same chemicals that are released when you exercise. Listening to music invigorates the body by activating several areas of the brain at once, building new nerve connections. It also increases oxygen flow to the heart, which perks you up as well.


Drink Fluids

Your body needs water to transport oxygen to your cells. Deprive yourself of sufficient liquids and you may feel tired or get headaches. Experts say you should try to drink at least four tall glasses of water or low-calorie beverages, such as Propel or Crystal Light. Caffeine gets a bad rap, but used judiciously, it can give you a lift. Try to limit yourself to one cup of coffee in the morning and, if you must, a half cup after lunch. Consider switching to green tea, which contains caffeine but also theanine, a calming substance that counteracts the jitters from caffeine.

Obsess Less

When your mind is in overdrive, your body secretes stress hormones, such as cortisol, which over time can wreak havoc on the body. It can also make falling asleep difficult by suppressing the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for lowering body temperature so that you can shift into sleep mode. To rewire an overwrought mind, try meditating, practicing yoga, or engaging in regular prayer.

Eat a Balanced Deskfast

Deskfast, or eating breakfast at your desk, is a good thing...at least you are eating the most important meal of the day! Research shows that people who eat something in the morning—even in front of a computer—are more successful at losing weight and keeping it off. Unfortunately, nearly six out of 10 people skip breakfast at least once a week. Studies show foregoing a morning meal leads to bad habits like overeating throughout the day and indulging in foods you wouldn't otherwise eat.

Here are a few options to keep on hand in your office for those busy mornings when you have to eat breakfast at work:

Instant oatmeal – Buy a box and keep it in your desk, all you have to do is add hot water, and—bam! You've got a meal packed with heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering grains. However, beware of the sugar and salt content: Some instant varieties have high sodium levels that can make you feel bloated and sluggish. Added sugars may pick you up for a minute—but cause a crash later. So read your food labels and watch the sodium and sugar.

Lean protein – A handful of almonds, or a low-fat yogurt cup, can help keep hunger satisfied. Don’t get carried away with the almonds. While they are very heart healthy and a great source of protein they do pack some calories. Grab a ¼ or handful and put the rest away, out of sight. This will keep you from “mindless eating”. You can eat what you have set out and know you haven’t over done it. Also, check the sugar content before deciding on a yogurt. Too much sugar means more calories and less nutritional benefits.

Fruit – An apple a day...you know the rest. Portable fresh fruit like pears, peaches, nectarines, and blueberries are easy to grab and go. Plus, these low-calorie starters have fiber, vitamins, and natural sugar to satisfy even a doughnut craving. Bonus: Recent studies show that blueberries help prevent memory loss, and improve motor skills.

Bonus idea - Do you have a refrigerator in your office? Low-fat or skim milk paired with a high-fiber cereal helps keep hunger at bay, and may help with weight loss.

HELLO!

Sorry ladies for slacking on the posts this week. Too much going on and the winter fairy decides to drop a bunch of snow on us... oh well. I will have some great info coming up so keep your eye on the blog...might even post some tonight so if you can ...check back this evening.

one more - Eat this, Not that..

Arby’s Market Fresh Roast Turkey and Swiss

710 calories
30 g fat (8 g saturated, 1 g trans)
1,680 mg sodium

Don’t be fooled by vague, healthy-sounding monikers like “market fresh.” More often than not, words like “fresh” and “all natural” are marketing smoke screens. Surprisingly enough, Arby’s line of roast beef products tends to be among the safest bets on the menu. While beef may get a bad rap from fat-phobic consumers, most deli cuts of roast beef are nearly as lean as turkey or chicken.

Eat This Instead! -> Arby’s Melt

298 calories
12 g fat (4 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
922 mg sodium

CCJer's! Top 7 List for Week 3!!

Tonite wrapped up another great week of weight loss for the awesome ladies in the CCJ group! The Top 7 Losers in the group to date are.....

#1. Sherry Fleck..................5.3%

#2. Bonnie Kuester.............2.8%

#3. Lana Wessell.................2.4%

#4. Brandi Stiles..................2.3%

#5. Lois Mason....................2.1%

#6. Sharon Kunkel..............2.0%

#7. Marilyn May..................1.7%

Let's hear it for these weight loss winners!!! Keep it up, ladies!

Tonite we had a fabulous speaker, Robin Norris, talk to us about none other than FOOD! She had a ton of insight and I, personally, loved how she keeps her food and eating so simple. I'm definitely going to put alot of what she talked about into action. Thank you, Robin, for coming and speaking to our group!

Weekly challenge this week is to do something active/excercise at least 3 times a week! And, remember, drink your water and keep your food journal! :) Until next week......

And another - Eat This, Not That

Papa John’s Pan Crust Garden Fresh Pizza

740 calories
38 g fat (12 g saturated)
1,320 mg sodium
78 g carbohydrates

Gardens aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be. Just because it’s topped with veggies doesn’t make it healthy. The real problem here isn’t the toppings, though; it’s the excessively thick, greasy pan crust that sinks this veggie-strewn ship. Two slices of this garden-fresh pie will set you back the caloric equivalent of more than 8 Rice Krispies Treats. When it comes to having your pizza and eating it too, the first and most important consideration is crust. Thick, deep dish, or pan crust slices will generally pack 40% more calories than regular slices, thin crust 40% less.

Eat This Instead!

Thin Crust Garden Fresh Pizza (2 slices)

420 calories
22 g fat (5 g saturated)
940 mg sodium
46 g carbohydrates

More Eat This, Not That

Quizno’s Classic Cobb Flatbread Salad

910 calories
58 g fat (12.5 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,890 mg sodium
61 g carbohydrates

Cobb salads are popular because they’re so tasty. And it’s no wonder—they’re packed with bacon, egg, and tomatoes. Together they bring protein and other important nutrients to the table, but in the case of Quiznos’ Cobb, they team up with the pile of flatbread to bring a reckless flood of calories. When 4 Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts have fewer calories than a pile of greens, you know something is wrong. All entrée-size salads from Quiznos are problematic, so stick with the smaller serving or pick up a few Sammies instead.

Eat This Instead! - Side Salad with Raspberry Chipotle Dressing

225 calories

6 g fat (1 g saturated)
515 mg sodium
43 g carbohydrates

Celestine groupies! Top 10 list for week #4!

WooHoo!! What another fan-tabulous week of weight loss! Since we didn't have a "meeting" tonite, the Top 3 Losers for the week wasn't announced. So.....let's give it up for:

#1. Angie Sander..................2%

#2. Shelley Baker.................1.3%

#3. Erin Whaley...................1.0%

And, now for the Weekly Top 10:

#1. Melinda Gutgsell......................5.5%

#2. Angie Sander............................4.6%

#3. Leslie Burgan............................4.5%

#4. Deb Meyer-Benton..................4.3%

#5. Nancy Rohl................................4.0%

#6. Carol Fravell..............................4.0%

#7. Erin Whaley................................3.7%

#8. Carolyn Langill..........................3.4%

#9. Amy Sander...............................3.3%

#10. Stacy Greener.........................3.0%

AMAZING! Keep up the wonderful work!

Just a reminder, next week we will be having a presenter....Erin Meyer. Erin is a dietician at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center. She presented during our first 12 week session last year and was awesome! Very very informative. You will look at portion sizes in a whole new light. Don't miss next week's meeting!!!

Eat this, Not that

Applebee’s Chicken Fajita Rollup

1,050 calories

The name conjures up the same healthy images that “wrap” does, yet this one tortilla-swaddled chicken dish contains as many calories as 7 Taco Bell Fresco Beef Tacos. And that's before the fries. Switch to the Italian Chicken Portobello Sandwich: Not only one of the best dishes at Applebee’s, this is one of the finest entrées in the country. Lean protein, fresh vegetables, and a side of fresh fruit, to boot.

Eat This Instead! - Italian Chicken Portobello Sandwich

-> 360 calories

Vegetable Soup - POINT FREE

Vegetable Soup (Zero WW Pts)

4 cans Beef Broth
1 can tomato paste
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 can mushrooms
1 can green beans
1-2 c salsa

Combine all the above, heat thru and ENJOY!

* chicken broth may be subistuted
* any vegetables will do - try to avoid peas, potatoes, and corn
* make a large pot - freeze half