It's official - most of us are slacking

Ok, so most of us are slacking. I'll be the first to admit that I'm slacking. I feel like a slob.

What's it going to take to get our butts in gear? I'm thankful that I signed up for a half marathon in April. I know that I'll have to start working out again in a couple weeks if I don't want to seriously hurt myself during the race.

At any rate, I only said that most of us are slacking. There are a few shining stars. Jillian was the biggest loser the past two weeks. Jillian lost 3.2 pounds! Keep up the great work, Jillypoo. Your weight loss motivates me to want to do better. Thank you!

Your mission this week is to take the time to really think about your weight loss progress. Do you want to lose more, or are you content? Analyze the situation and come up with a gameplan for this last month of the competition. It isn't too late to lose a couple notches in your belt.

Weightwatchers article: Holiday Stress Relief

I'm feeling the holiday stress. Even if you aren't, this article has some handy weightloss tips.

Holiday Stress Relief
Weightwatchers.com

The holidays inspire visions of sugarplums for some, but for most of us, they also inspire dread. After all, between planning the perfect get-together and dealing with friends and family, it can be easy to overeat. But experts say you can avoid this trap. Consider this: Unless you examine your priorities and assumptions, chances are you're setting yourself up for stress, says Dr. Joyce Nash, PhD, a clinical psychologist. "Women especially get a picture in their heads about what the holidays have to look like. They hold high expectations and try to do too much," she says.

Nash says that by making a list and choosing only the things that are really important, you can avoid getting overwhelmed by things that don't matter. Unfortunately, when you're dealing with people — especially family — that's sometimes easier said than done. For example, it's often difficult to say no to a favorite aunt and her special holiday cookies or your mom's piled-high dinner plates.

In these cases, it pays to be firm but nice. Let yourself have a cookie and decline seconds. Likewise, tell mom that you'll serve yourself. Even better, offer to do the doling out this holiday season so she can sit down and enjoy herself. That way, you avoid turning a reasonable dinner into a calorie-fest.

You can employ the same strategy for relatives who insist on having you stay at their home while you're visiting, a scenario that may inspire stress eating. Tell relatives firmly that you'll be staying at a hotel. But be kind, says Nash.

"Remind mom and dad that just because you're staying elsewhere doesn't mean you don't love them. Tell them that it's something you need to do and remind them that you'll be visiting a lot," she says.

And if you are stuck in an uncomfortable situation, try the following strategies that can help minimize stress eating:

Don't skip breakfast. You've probably heard it over and over, but Lola O'Rourke, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, says that this is key to a smart weight-loss program. "You'll be less likely to binge if you fuel your body early," she says.

Chew gum while preparing food. Those little "tastes" add up. Chew minty gum, which will keep you from noshing pieces of cheese or pinches of seasoned meat.

Give yourself permission to snack. Love your grandma's latkes? Work them into your plan. Saying "no" to foods you love is unnecessary and will only make you crave them more.

Keep your hands busy. Wrap gifts or wash vegetables in the kitchen. Go out and play touch football. If you keep yourself busy, there are fewer opportunities to eat.

Take small bites and leave some food uncut on your plate. Pre-cut food is easier to eat quickly. Cut your food one bite at a time and take small pauses in between swallows.

Pile on the lettuce. Avoid eating seconds by filling your plate with lettuce and fresh veggies.

"The Skinny on Holiday Eating"

Here are some useful holiday eating tips courtesy of weightwatchers.com. I think #3 is an especially great tip.

The Skinny on Holiday Eating

With these seven simple tips, you will make it through the holidays with all of the jingle, but none of the jiggle. And you can thank us when the ball drops on New Year's and you're still fitting into your "skinny" pants!

1. Don't go to a party hungry.
You know not to grocery shop on an empty stomach, so don't hit a holiday shindig on one either. "It's way too difficult to make healthy decisions when you're that hungry," says Samantha Heller, MS, RD, senior clinical nutritionist at New York University Medical Center. "Everything looks good—even the ornaments." Take the edge off before you go with a piece of fruit or small container of yogurt so that you're not starving and tempted to storm the buffet table upon arrival, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, Nutrition and Exercise Specialist for The Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

2. Don't eat just to be polite.
"I couldn't refuse the apple strudel—Aunt Gertie spent hours slaving over it!" Sound familiar? We often fall off the wagon during the holidays for fear of crushing our hosts' fragile egos, but that's a poor excuse, says Heller: "Your thighs don't care that you didn't hurt their feelings." The next time you're being strong-armed into eating a high-calorie confection, simply say, "No thank you, it looks great, but I'm trying to lose weight." If Aunt Gertie's on clean-plate patrol, that's her issue.

3. Get your priorities straight.
The holidays come but once a year, and so do some of the season's quintessential treats. Ask yourself which foods you won't likely see again until next year—then savor them in moderation, says Jackson. For instance, pass over the mashed potatoes, which will likely reappear at the next family dinner, and make a beeline for the pumpkin pie.

4. Keep a friendly distance from the food.
Stay an arm's length away from the buffet table, says Jackson. You'll be less tempted to mindlessly nosh while you're mingling if you back up a step or two. And when you're finished eating, ditch your empty plate—it screams for second helpings. Instead, grab a glass of club soda so you'll have something to do with your hands while you talk.

5. Add it up.
Never leave a party without knowing how much you've eaten, says Jackson. Yes, that includes those seemingly innocent yet addictive canapés! At a cocktail party, allow yourself one pass of the hors d'oeuvres so that you can pick your favorites. Zero in on those you like best and keep count—it's a good idea to keep a "diet diary" and log what you eat. This technique works well on baking days, too—your diary won't let you "forget" those extra tastes.

6. Go easy on the drinks.
Alcohol, which tends to flow freely during the holidays, packs a double whammy. It's chock-full of calories, and it lowers our inhibitions, making us dive into dishes that we'd have a fighting chance at resisting if we were sober. Try following every drink with seltzer or diet soda, Heller suggests. "You'll save yourself extra calories, a hangover and embarrassment at the office the next day."

7. Get moving.
Sure you have a shopping list to plod through, but that's even more reason to hit the gym. After a half-hour on the treadmill, your mother-in-law's impending visit and the holiday cards you have to mail won't seem quite so overwhelming. "If there's ever a time to exercise, it's during the holidays," says Jackson. "It's one of the most stressful periods of the year!"

Nice rebound this week!

We were able to turn the weight loss around this week with a loss of eight pounds, as opposed to the .8 pound gained last week. Great job, everyone! The biggest loser this week was K.C., who lost five pounds - WOW! Incredible work, K.C. K.C. will be attending an Army National Guard Sgt.'s course in a couple months, so he's on a mission to get fit and ready for the course. That's one great thing about the military - you are forced to stay in shape. Granted, there are some slobby troops in the military, but for the most part physical fitness is emphasized as a critical component of a successful career. You gotta be fit to fight!

On another note, last week I ran the Nike Half Marathon in San Francisco. It was so gorgeous that I became a bit teary-eyed. Yeah, I was running up steep hills at the same time, but the pain was worth the ambiance and beautiful views. I beat my half marathon time from last year by almost 20 minutes so I was pleased. I've been bit by the running bug (even though I'm slow as heck), and James and I are going to sign up for a Spring marathon - probably the Santa Cruz Half Marathon. I definitely recommend these races as a way to kick start a work out program, even if you aren't a gifted runner.

This week hurt

This was a tough week for most of us, but Roy stepped up and was the biggest loser with a loss of 2.4 lbs! Great work, Roy Boy! Collectively we gained 3.8 lbs this week, which is our worst week so far. With the arrival of the cold weather it is indeed more difficult to keep disciplined.

Here's a suggestion: Try journaling what you eat and your workouts. That way you can reflect on what you ate and perhaps figure out what is hampering your weight loss. I know what my problem is...eating out! I hate having to write down that I ate a Royal Red Robin burger and a margarita. Eating out is the bane of my dieting existence. But I at least know what I need to fix.

FYI: I emailed everyone their 5-week snapshots. We've all lost weight, which is outstanding! There are many more weeks to go so there are plenty of more pounds to lose. To help build my motivation, I just have to think about wearing a bathing suit. What's your motivation?

"7 Ways to Build the Exercise Habit"

I know it's a bit late in the week to address the weekly focus, but I found a website that is beneficial towards starting a fitness routine. Take a look! This link will be added to the 'useful links' section.

Good luck when weighing in tomorrow!

This week's winner: Fitness is key

K.C. stepped up this week and was the biggest loser with a loss of 4 pounds! I talked to K.C. today and he said he was able to start working out this week and that made a difference. Steph works at Thorbeck's Gym now so K.C. took the opportunity to start a membership. I agree that fitness makes a big difference. Not only does working out help you shed pounds faster, it also increases your cardiovascular health, which is great for the heart. There are countless benefits!

Our focus this week is to jump start your fitness routine. Whether it be walking 20 minutes a day or attending kickboxing class three times a week, try to incorporate some sort of fitness regime in to your life.

Here's a quick fitness tip: James and I ran a 12K run today in San Francisco. We (more like I) kept the pace slow but steady. We enjoyed our time together, the vibrancy of the crowds, the beautiful sights/weather, the runner's high, and the race freebies. I really hate running but I like having a fitness goal to work towards. I recommend you check out local 5/7/10/12Ks in your area. You won't regret it!

How to pack a healthy lunch

I got a call from Jillian today asking for some advice. She was shopping at Costco and was wondering whether the croissants were somewhat healthful. I had a hunch that it wasn't the best choice and I found a website with the nutrition information. Yikes, that's eight Weight Watchers points! Jillian was looking for some healthy lunch items and was out of ideas. I suggested she try shopping at Trader Joe's because I buy my bread there - it's less than 100 calories for two slices and it's filling. It turns out that there aren't many locations in the South Sound; the closest TJ's is in University Place. I think it would be totally worth the trip though because the food is healthy, tasty and super cheap!

My lunches are almost entirely composed of TJ food. Here's my typical lunch menu:

2 slices TJ Multigrain bread (2 pts) w/mustard (0 pt)
6 slices of Oscar Meyer lowfat Turkey meat (1 pt)
1 pack of TJ 100 Cal Crackers (2 pts)
1 Kids Chocolate Chip Clif Bar (2 pts)
1 cup of grapes (1 pt)
Total points = 8 (approx 400 cal)

My lunch is filling and cheap, and I think it's the type of lunch a kid could eat (since I'm semi-picky). Veggies can easily be substituted for the chips, which would bring down the cal/points count. I think the 100 cal packs are great because it enforces portion control. Oh yeah, and don't drink juice or soda. Try a Crystal Light To Go pack if you need to add some taste to water.

I know lunches are a hot topic - mom had asked for advice on packing lunches for Dad. Does anybody else want to offer up suggestions?

Sk*rt.com: Digg for women

Ladies: If you are perusing the Internet and don't have anything specific to read, go to Sk*rt. Included on the site is a "Mind, Body & Spirit" section that has some helpful weightloss and fitness advice. Check it out!

Thanks mom!

Thanks for contributing your first blog post, mom! I believe that the more we participate and stay engaged with how we're all doing in the competition, the better off we'll be in the end.

In regards to your question about Dad's lunches, I left you a comment with some suggestions. I think the secret to having Dad eat healthier lunches is to provide him with filling, yet healthy, food. I heard at Weight Watchers that the heavier the food (in terms of weight), the more full you'll feel. I think apples and grapes are good lunch foods. I'd also try to find a bread that is hearty and low in calories.

Let us know how eDiets goes for you. I'm really curious to see how it works!