Food For Thought . . .and Halloween Candy Pros and Cons!

or rather drinks for thought.  I recently published a post about how far you'd have to walk to burn the calories in one sugary soda.  Here's a visual reminder about how far the walk could be.



And while you are walking around town, maybe you'll be tempted to buy some Halloween candy for trick or treaters or yourself.  ACE Fitness (my certification organization) has broken down the worst choices and the better choices to eat this Halloween.  My favorite candy, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, is one of the worst.  Grrr.  My least favorite candy, Marshmallow Peeps, is one of the better choices.  Why is it always like that!?!?  At least there is always moderation.

And if you are wondering why you should be limiting sugar for yourself and your little ones, watch this.

What I am "F'd Up!" about today! NYC Pouring on the Pounds Campaign!

Ever wondered how much work it takes to burn off a sugar filled soda or sports drink?  Now you can know how far you'll have to walk to visit all sorts of NYC landmarks to burn off JUST ONE SODA!  Just one. 

Fat Alison used to drink 8 plus glasses of soda a day!

The Biggest Loser- #BL12- week 5- "Dr. Phil. Dr. Laura. Dr. Oz. Dr. Dre."

This is still on my bucket list.

Okay, so my week has been busy.  And yes, I fell asleep last week during the end of The Biggest Loser and I couldn't even remember who was eliminated!  So I quickly watched last week's show and I have a quickie break down for you, my loyal readers.

Here it goes, in 15 easy steps.

1.) This week's show was decided by Plinko.  Sunny won.  Her weight is the only weight that counts for the entire Black team.  Bob is going to Frisco, TX with her.  The Black team is alone. 

2.)  Everyone hates Jennifer.  She has "baggage".  What is going on behind the scenes and why can't we see this stuff!?!?

3.)  Bob doesn't want to go to Texas.

4.)  Bonnie will not stop bitching.  Apparently it is all Anna's fault.  For the first time, I really feel for her as a trainer.  Nothing is harder to deal with than an uncooperative client!

5.)  Bob makes Sunny's husband cry tears of joy.

6.)  Sunny falls off the treadmill.

7.)  Sunny takes Vegan of The Year Bob to a BBQ restaurant for dinner.

8.)  Bob rides a mechanical bull.  And he wears a cowboy hat.  He looks adorable.

9.)  Dol-vader breaks Vinny down after Vinny reveals his pet name for his stomach.  It's Cecil, by the way.

10.)  Bonnie bitches some more.

11.)  Bob returns to the ranch with his cowboy hat.

12.)  SUNNY BLOWS IT UP!  She loses 14 pounds, 5.81% BF to save the Black team.  They win their fifth weigh in in a row.

13.)  The Blue team, with only two members, beats the Red team.

14.)  The Red team is sent to the elimination room again, and they send home Courtney.

15.)  Courtney has lost 65 pounds since being sent home and looks GREAT!

The end.

Want to know what Courtney from season 11 has to say?  Here is her recap from DietsinReview.com!

Really? C'mon Wedding Workout!

I don't disagree with this video.  I just don't agree with it.  And why does it feel like something out of the Red Shoe Diaries?

The Biggest Loser- #BL12- week 4- "Happy feet! Happy Feet!"

This week's episode of The Biggest Loser is all about leadership and believing in yourself and believing that you can achieve most anything if you put your mind to it.  And the teams need this kind of encouragement, especially the Red team, who just let Patrick leave.

Ramon has taken the loss of Patrick the hardest, and can't seem to live with himself that Patrick was voted off. . .even though that was what Patrick had asked for.  Dolvett tells them not to fret and to get some rest, because they have a long day ahead of them tomorrow.

A long day of hanging out with past Biggest Loser contestants, that is!  Hannah from season 11, Adam from season 10, and Marci from season 11 come to visit the teams and show how it is possible to maintain their weight loss after they have left the confines of the ranch.  Hannah shows the Black team the joys of Jenny O Turkey, Adam takes the Red team on a sandbag hike where Ramon learns that he must become a leader by carrying the sandbags as a sacrifice for Patrick, and Marci shows the Blue team that just because they are older they can still kick some ass.  Marci seems like a 20-year-old next to these guys.  I mean Bonnie is like the Tin Man, poor thing.

After Antone quits whimpering, Bob talks with his team about the importance of changing their relationship with food.  THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!!!  You can eat anything you want within reason.  There is a proper time and proper place for everything.  Learning how to differentiate those times is the life lesson that this show tries to teach.

Score one for the Biggest Loser!

Joe opens up to the group, sharing that he would stop at different drive throughs throughout town and eat all day secretly, and then go home and eat with his family.  He had been wrapped in that shame for years because he was afraid that if his wife found out she wouldn't love him anymore.  He is beginning to learn that he does deserve love and he is worth it.

We are all worth it.

Bonnie overcomes her fears of walking on the treadmill, Courtney overcomes her fear of being a disappointment by playing hoops with Dolvett, everybody is making huge bounds and strides with their inside training this week- just in time for this week's challenge!

The challenge is mail themed- snow, wind, rain, all that jazz- and the prize is letters from home.  The Black team wins again, but Ali announces that everyone is a winner and everyone will get to read their letters from home.  The Black team also gets some FaceTime chatting with their families.

There are a lot of tears and a lot of encouragement.  Weirdly, Antone doesn't want his family to see him cry because he wants him to think that he is staying strong for them.  Won't they be surprised when they watch the show!  Antone is The Biggest Cryer.

Last Chance Workout sees trainers in different elements.  Anna is FINALLY on the tennis court teaching drills (where she looks happy AND comfortable), Bob is in the pool teaching Joe to swim and making his team cry, and Dolvett is screaming to his team about losing each week, cajoling them to win a weigh in to the Black team at least one time.  Come on guys!  Let's go weigh in!

With a coffin nailing "I'm not worried about this weigh in!" from Coach Mike, the Blue team begins the weigh in.

Mike:  From 273 lbs to 268 lbs- 5 lbs lost
Becky:  From 214 lbs to 212 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Bonnie:  From 240 lbs to 233 lbs- 7 lbs lost  TOTAL:  14 lbs, 1.93% BW

Joe:  From 307 lbs to 301 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Sunny:  From 245 lbs to 241 lbs- 4 lbs lost
Antone:  From 389 lbs to 381 lbs- 8 lbs lost
John:  From 375 lbs to 366 lbs- 9 lbs lost
Jennifer:  From 289 lbs to 282 lbs- 7 lbs lost  TOTAL:  34 lbs. 2.12% BW

Courtney:  From 240 lbs to 237 lbs- 3 lbs lost
Jessica:  From 221 lbs to 219 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Vinny:  From 390 lbs to 382 lbs- 8 lbs lost
Ramon:  From 322 lbs to 311 lbs- 11 lbs lost  TOTAL:  24 lbs, 2.05% BW

Ramon has accepted the leadership mantle!  I guess there is a new coach in town, much to Mike's chagrin.

Blue team is in the bottom again, and this time Bonnie is the one in charge.  Who would have ever thought this would have happened!?!  Bonnie gets the single vote, and she sends the blustery self named captain of the Blue team's ship packing.  Women doing it for themselves, I suppose.  Girl Power!

Coach Mike has gone back to coaching his high school football team and has lost 70 pounds and is now spending more quality time with his wife.  He would also like to lose 100 pounds by the finale.

Next week:  I have no idea!  My DVR didn't tape and I had to wait to rewatch the show.  And of course, no previews on the On Demand channel.  It will be a surprise!  At least, I hope it will be.

Want to know what Courtney has to say?  Here is her two cents, from DietsinReview.com.

Cereal Box Makeovers

Artist Ron English changed some of cereal's most famous faces to what they might look like if they actually ate the contents of their own boxes.  He then put the boxes onto supermarket shelves at a Ralph's in Venice, California.

It is said if you find one of the boxes, you can mail it to the artist and he will sign it for you.

I like Sugar Diabetic Bear.

Sunday Funday: Occupy Foster Fitness

Barbie in Real Life

Model Katie Halchishick, creator of the site Healthy is the New Skinny, was photographed for O Magazine to show how much plastic surgery would be required for her to achieve Barbie's physique. 

It's scary.

How do you all feel about plastic surgery?

The Biggest Loser- #BL12- week 3- NFL WEEK

Take a former NFL player, make him a contestant on The Biggest Loser, and then you get to have NFL week!  Take a former Olympian, make him a contestant on The Biggest Loser, you get to have Olympic Training week!

I see a pattern here.

Week 3 of The Biggest Loser starts with a very dejected Blue team down 2 players and Anna in fear for her job.  I mean, I really didn't know how they were going to turn it around this week.  Becky can't carry the entire team!

No time to dwell- it's time for the first NFL week themed challenge!  The contestants find themselves on a football field with life size cut outs of their visages, complete with a large stomach hole filled with netting.  The contestants must throw a football into the stomach hole, eliminating their fellow players, last cut out standing wins.

Oh, and they have to compete with pro NFL players, too.

Winner gets $5,000!  Ali also tells the players the contestant with the highest percentage of weight loss at the end of the week gets two tickets to the Super Bowl.  Not a bad prize.

Courtney ends up winning the $5,000 over the smell of the testosterone, and Joe declares, "Every day is a good day on the Biggest Loser Ranch!"

Then it is time to darken the mood with a little one on one Bob and Antone time.  Of course, Antone was in the NFL.  I don't know if you all know that.  He is feeling left out because everyone is making such a big deal about the NFL players and no one is making a big deal about the fact that he used to be in the NFL.

I counted.  Antone and the word NFL or mention by others that he was in the NFL count: 21 times in 2 hours.

ENOUGH!  Time for some crazy high school marching band music and a team challenge!

This time the players are competing as teams to burn as many calories as possible in 4, 15-minute heats.  The Black Team annihilates the competition, burning 1,171 calories to the Red Team's 952 calories and the Blue Team's 764 calories.  Bob declines the spa day prize, and the team agrees they don't want to be thrown off track like others who have participated in spa days past.  Hello, Jennifer and Courtney from last season!

After the team challenge, the Red Team hanged out in Biggest Loser brand soaking tubs and talked about how much they love each other.  Translation:  The Red Team is getting eliminated this week.

After an NFL themed last chance workout, it is time for the Weigh In!

Courtney:  From 247 lbs to 240 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Vinny:  From 400 lbs to 390 lbs- 10 lbs lost
Ramon:  From 329 lbs to 322 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Patrick:  From 361 lbs to 350 lbs- 11 lbs lost
Jessica:  From 232 lbs to 221 lbs- 11 lbs lost  TOTAL:  46 lbs, 2.93% BW

Antone:  From 405 lbs to 389 lbs- 16 lbs lost
Sunny:  From 255 lbs to 245 lbs- 10 lbs lost
Joe:  From 324 lbs to 307 lbs- 17 lbs lost
Jennifer:  From 305 lbs to 289 lbs- 16 lbs lost
John:  From 393 lbs to 375 lbs- 18 lbs lost  TOTAL:  77 lbs, 4.58% BW

Bonnie:  From 247 lbs to 240 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Becky:  From 223 lbs to 214 lbs- 9 lbs lost
Mike:  From 290 lbs to 273 lbs- 17 lbs lost  TOTAL:  33 lbs, 4.34% BW

The Blue Team has saved themselves, Anna's job, and old man Mike won the tickets to the Super Bowl!

The Red Team heads off for a weepy elimination talk, where quitter Patrick tells them to vote him off (surprise) and they do just so.  He loses 91 pounds at the reveal, cooking with his wife, running police officer obstacle courses, and vowing to win the big marathon later in the season.  We'll see. . .

Next week:  BOB vs. DOLVETT!

Want to know what Courtney has to say?  Here's her recap, courtesy of DietsinReview.com!

Free Flexor Latest in Shake Weight Technology

I really can't believe that someone invented this and didn't get in on the joke.

Introducing the Free Flexor.  Make your muscles cry. . .when you don't call them the next day.

Ghost of Jillian Michaels Haunting Biggest Loser Campus?

Brandi from DietsinReview.com gets the inside scoop from newest trainer Dolvett Quince.  Personally, I think it is Old Man Witherspoon.

http://www.dietsinreview.com/videos/dolvett-quince-in-his-element-as-a-biggest-loser-trainer/

Oops! Pilates for Pink on SUNDAY!

My friend Caroline informed me October 2 is Sunday. Not Saturday. Don't go to Union Square on Saturday.

My bad!!!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Pilates for Pink this Saturday!

Hey New York readers, if you are available this Saturday, SHAPE Magazine is hosting Pilates for Pink to raise money for breast cancer research in Union Square.  One of my fellow co-workers and friend, Caroline Leone, will be demonstrating her Pilates magic for instructor Julia Starobin, in her "Elite Pilates" class, held from 1-1:45pm. It will be an open class designed to challenge all levels. Each class costs $25, with 100% of the fee going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Additionally, each participant will receive a goodie bag and a Pilates mat from SHAPE.

The event begins at 9 am with plenty of classes to please the pickiest Pilates participant.

You can find the class descriptions here: http://www.shape.com/sites/shape.com/files/minisites/pfp/schedule.html

 

Get out there and raise some money for the cure!!!

The Biggest Loser- #BL12- week 2- "Don't sit on the couch and spit on the ceiling and expect things to happen for you."

I believe this is the book Anna got that quote from.

It's a new week on The Biggest Loser:  New theme song, new challenges, new drama!  Usually the contestants wait a few episodes in to start talking about GAME PLAY, but not season 12.  Let's get it on.

Ali introduces the first temptation challenge of the season:  DONUTS!  A room full of sweet donuts that need to be eaten so control can be gained!  Who will stoop to the challenge? 

Ali explains that the groups will not only be divided by age but also by time slots this week.  There is an early morning slot, a mid-day slot, and a late night slot.  Whoever eats the MOST donuts will get to choose what time the teams workout.  This is important because the teams only get two hours a day to get their burn on.

Of course we have the saintly contestants who decline to participate because they want to workout only.  But there a couple of GAME PLAYERS in the bunch:  old team Mike eats 11 donuts and feels like he has clinched the win for his team, but middle aged John ate 37 donuts, over 1,295 of winning calories.  "What did I just do?" he moans.  The black team decides to take the early morning time slot, they give the old timers the mid-day time slot because they "respect them" (burn!) and the youngsters get the late night time slot.

Bob wakes the black team up with a manic megaphone, getting them into the gym by 5 am.  John is newly crowned "Donut", and everyone feels the wrath of their win.  HIGHLIGHT:  Antone breaks down again, this time slamming his fists into his spin bike and into the ground.  Is he going to cry every episode?  Is this what releasing the demon means?

Did you all know Antone was in the NFL?  I'm not sure if the show covered that.

The black team also starts fighting with each other because John, that little trouble maker, says that Sunny is a dumb as "poo" (her quotes, not mine) and he is making alliances with members of the red team.  Has this guy never watched an episode of this show?  You don't play all your cards in the second episode!  Where will we go from here?  Where is Melissa Morgan when you need her?

Antone says in the NFL this is called an "airing out session".  Thanks, Antone.

Then it's the old timers time in the gym.  This is code for everyone works out while Anna has to coax Boston Johnny to work out.  Poor Becky.  I bet she is wishing she was just one year younger so she could be on the black team.

After a late night Yoplait yogurt plug ("It tricks it out!"), Dolvett brings the whipper snappers into the gym and gets amped!  So amped, we find out that Jessica's boyfriend MADE her gain 135 pounds during their 6 year relationship.  They blurred out the photos with his face, but apparently it is her twitter avatar if you missed it on the tv.  I'm sure she is over this guy.  I would never want to date a guy that force fed me- that is not cool.  Good thing she can now choose what she wants to eat. . .

Am I being overly sarcastic?  Or have I watched a lot of episodes of The Biggest Loser?

Dr. H drops in with his silky mullet to inform the contestants that disease is right around the bend if they don't take responsibility for their health.  I think it's sad that we get serious about our health only when it seems too far to fix.  If you start NOW when you have no issues or small issues, it's a lot easier to turn it all around.  Not when you are face to face with Dr. H and a JC Penney collection tie from 1987.  That's not the right time.

The physical challenge for the week involves a floating maze and life jackets-awesome-which the black team whoops up on for the second week in a row.  They earn a 2 pound advantage at the weigh in, the red team earns a 1 pound advantage, and the blue team gets that sound from The Price is Right when you lose- wwwwwaaaaaaahhhhhhhh.

The Last Chance Workout montage this week was seriously the BEST MONTAGE I have seen.  I was riveted the whole time.  I also heard the worst sentence: "5 am last chance workout!"  Dolvett's workout was especially sexy for some reason.  If you have it taped, go back and watch it and tell me if I am making this up.  Especially during the tug and pull section.

Weigh in!  How can people fare when they get two hours to workout a day?

Vinny:  From 405 lbs to 400 lbs- 5 lbs lost
Jessica:  From 239 lbs to 232 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Courtney:  From 257 lbs to 250 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Patrick:  From 367 lbs to 361 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Ramon:  From 338 lbs to 329 lbs- 9 lb lost  TOTAL:  35 lbs, 2.18% BW

Joe:  From 326 lbs to 324 lbs- 2 lbs lost
Jennifer:  From 311 lbs to 305 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Sunny: From 261 lbs to 255 lbs- 6 lbs lost
Antone:  From 415 lbs to 405 lbs- 10 lbs lost
John:  From 408 lbs to 393 lbs- 15 lbs lost TOTAL:  41 lbs, 2.38% BW

Becky:  From 228 lbs to 223 lbs- 5 lbs lost
Mike:  From 297 lbs to 290 lbs- 7 lbs lost
Bonnie:  From 250 lbs to 247 lbs- 3 lbs lost
Johnny:  From 311 lbs to 313 lbs- 2 lbs GAINED  TOTAL:  13 lbs, 1.2% BW

Say it ain't so, Boston Johnny!  The numbers are usually lower week 2, but a weight gain is something special.  Anna totally calls him out, saying "If you don't want to change anything you shouldn't be here."

Her words must have stuck with him, because after he is eliminated, he goes home and loses 59 pounds.  But not the straw hat.  The straw hat is staying.

Next week:  NFL WEEK!  WHAT?!?  I wish there was someone on the show this season that had been in the NFL so this episode would really resonate with them.  Like if we went to the Olympic training camp and there was a former Olympic athlete on the show.  It just makes sense.

Want to know what Courtney from season 11 has to say?  Here is her recap, courtesy of DietsinReview.com!

Sunday Funday!

I had the jingle pop into my head the other day and I just HAD to share. . .and yes, I owned all five sets.  My parents should have known that that, coupled with my love for Richard Simmons, would lead me to where I am today.  Get in shape, girl!