Week One Points Feb 15-21 & Week 2 Challenge

Hello Everyone!!

I hope your first week went well. I know I am glad to be back going!! Remember to post your own points on the comment section of this post. It will be fun to see how everyone is doing!

Okay the challange for the week. Getting enough fiber. Women are recommended to get 20-25 grams of fiber a day. However most of us get 12-15grams. This challange may be a little challenging:) It is called a Challenge for a reason:). Adding fiber to my diet has made such a big difference on my weight loss results. If you are having a hard time getting fiber...you can buy fiber pills to supplements. You will want to look for psylimm husk some where on the bottle. I have some fiber I have purchased from Costco. I take 3-5 fiber pills 3 times a day. Lately however I have been able to get the recommended amount in food.

I found some information on the internet that might you understand more about fiber:

There are also two kinds of fiber: insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber, found in wheat bran and some fruits and vegetables, cannot be dissolved in water. This type of fiber is made up of cellulose and hemicellulose, substances that offer rigidity to plant material (e.g., the peels and skins of fruits and vegetables, wood, stems, and the outer coverings of nuts, seeds, and grains). Insoluble fiber acts as a natural laxative, giving stool the bulk necessary to move quickly through the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to preventing constipation and hemorrhoids , insoluble fiber may also reduce the risk of colon cancer by speeding the passage of food through the digestive tract.

Soluble fiber, found in beans, oats, and some fruits and vegetables, is fiber that can be dissolved in water. This type of fiber is made up of pectins, gums, and mucilages. Marie Boyle notes that, because it reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood, soluble fiber can reduce the risks of heart and artery disease and atherosclerosis . When consumed in large amounts, soluble fiber also slows glucose absorption from the small intestine, which can be helpful in treating diabetes . Finally, a diet high in fiber may also promote weight control and reduce the risk of developing obesity .

Our best fiber sources are fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Pears, blackberries, apples, peaches, oranges, bananas and raspberries are especially good sources. As for vegetables, it’s hard to find one that isn’t a good fiber source. Bran and oat cereals are well-known for fiber content, but other cereals made with whole grains, like shredded wheat, are also good choices

If you are unsure if something has fiber in it or not...log on to livestrong.com and go to daily plate...enter the food you are eating and it should give you the nutritional information.

I remember last time I was working with a trainer, she suggested I add fiber to my diet in the form of pills because I had not been losing as much as I wanted. The following week I had lost 4 pounds!!

This Challenge will be worth 10 extra points. I know it is a hard one so I want to make it worth the challange!

If you have questions let me know! Remember there are 129 points possible.

Welcome Back!!

Welcome Back Everyone! I hope you are excited to give this a go again! I know I am! Everyone has a clean slate! So do your best!!!

Remember to print off your sheet and keep track of your points. Each week I will have you post them here on the blog.

There will not be a "Challenge" this week...the challenge is just getting back into things!


If you have any questions let me know!!

Jamie

Part 2 of Competition!!

So based upon our little poll...which only had 8 votes:) But based up on those votes we will be breaking our competition into 2 parts. I will be taking all of the points from November 30th-Feb 7th. I will also be throwing out each person's worst week or one week that they chose to take off. Then we will award half of the money to the winner! Does everyone want to get together for that?? Or do you just want me to do it??

We will begin part two of the competition on Feb 15th. The rules will remain the same except for the following:


* There will be no more minus points for chips, sour cream, cheese etc. **however we will still be minusing points for deserts*** which is defined as: any sugary treat. If you have an questions on what that included feel free to ask me during this week. Just post your question on the comment section of the blog. Each dessert will be worth 3 minus points.

* You will also be responsible for posting your points each week. I will put a post up on the blog. You will log in every week and post your points under the comment section. You will be able to see everyone's point totals. Maybe this will help people be a little more accountable for their points...


Something that I have felt the need to say for a while now. Remember that this competition is only here to help keep you motivated and involved with a group of women that care. I also hope that it helps to keep you accountable to someone. Keep in mind though that I am not claiming that following this plan is going to guarrentee weight loss. Each of us should be able to apply this to what we are currently doing in our quest for healthiness. We each need to reach inside ourself and find that little extra to motivate ourselves! That is one of the hardest things to do!!

I hope that made sense! Let me know if you have any questions. Also, just to clarify...if you paid at the beginning of the competition you will not need to add any more money in the pot. However if you know of someone who would like to join the competition they are welcome to join at this point and contribute 20 dollars.

Thanks,

jamie