The First Week Well Done!

Well hello again! We just had our second weigh-in which means we had our first "Biggest Loser" of the week! Congratulations to Derek, who came in first place with a 4.39% loss and won the weekly pot! In a close second was Gerry with 3.51% loss , and in third was a force to be reckoned with, Jason with a 3.18% loss. This week we lost a total of 92.5 lbs... in just one week! Well done guys! Absolutely amazing!

Our talk last week consisted of a food sorting game as we learned the difference between proteins, fats and carbs, and also how to use our new books to rank each food from the most to least calories per serving.

Make sure to read through the introductory chapters of your books this week as they give you a good baseline of info.

Some concern was raised at the formula given in the book on how to determine the number of calories you should be eating daily. Remember... this is a GUIDELINE ONLY and it is also the number of calories needed to MAINTAIN YOUR GOAL WEIGHT. You could be going on a "diet" and eating very few cals per day. But remember what happens as soon as you stop... the weight goes right back on plus MORE because your body has gone into starvation mode and slowed down its metabolism. This program is designed to teach HEALTHY EATING for a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE and not how to starve yourself on a diet, and lose weight quickly. A safe rate of weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week.

For those who have access to the internet, feel free to sign up at http://www.caloriecount.about.com/
This site will be able to give you a suggested intake per day based on more details related to your lifestyle. This is the site used and recommended by Jay from the hardware store. Always remember however to consult with your doctor before starting any exercise or diet program.

Please join us this Wednesday night for a talk that is crucial for everyone to hear... "How to Read Nutrition Labels" will teach you to finally be able to decode that little box on the side of all food packaging.

** Important... PLEASE BRING 2 or more labels with you to practice on!!
***We need your help!! Does anyone have an easel and white/black board that we could use for the nutritional talks?? If you do please let one of us know!**

Next week (April 14th) will be our first exercise class so please try to get a mat before then. And if you have little weights (1-3 lbs), those would be handy as well. If not... 2 soup cans will do the trick! Join us a we learn a basic strength training circuit that you can do at home.

See you at 8:30 at Memorial Hall!