Weigh In #1

Stefanie:
Original Weight: 136
Current Weight: 134.5
Pounds Lost: 1.5
Percentage: 1.1%
Target Weight: 125

So I am the one on the biggest loser that when I'm weighed in front of everyone, people gasp and I look stunned because my number is so low. Only....I'm not stunned, this is what I basically expected. Slow and steady wins the race right!! What I have been doing the past two days (I got a slow start) was keeping track of how many calories I eat. I'm trying to stay between 1200 and 1300 calories a day. I also am surprised how much you can still eat. I am also trying to eat 5 times during the day, which mostly is comprised of small calorie foods like yogurts or a granola bar. It's not bad, except I like to bake and cook, so I find I am missing that a little. Like Tish, I find there are enough calories by the end of the day to have a treat.

Kevin:
Original Weight: 188.5
Current Weight: 182.5
Pounds Lost: 6
Percentage of total body weight: 3.2%
Target Weight: 175

So I can contribute my success to two things. Most importantly, because Stef has been planning healthier meals for her, I have also reaped the rewards from it. Not only have I been eating healthier, I have noticed that I am eating smaller, more reasonable portions at meal time. I think cutting out things like sour cream and large amounts of salad dressing and cheese has definitely helped.

The other contributing factor has been riding my bike to and from school everyday for the past week. I think it is about a 6 mi. ride one way. It takes me about 25 min. to ride it, so it is a good work out. Also, I have been working out with Stef a few times this past week. Last night we went for about an 8 mile bike ride.

At school, my locker is right next to the "snack locker" in the resident's room. They keep it well stocked with all sorts of snacks. It has been pretty tough not to indulge myself. I have to admit that I have helped my self to some snacks, but very small amounts. I have also been drinking lots of water at school. I keep a large cup of water with me during lectures and refill during breaks, after I use the restroom of course.

I have almost gotten half way to my target weight already. I think the big challenge is sticking with it to get all the way there, and then to maintain it. Good luck to everyone!!!

LATE ENTRIES!!

Dan's Mom and stepdad have requested late entry! Well, the more the merrier, here's their initial weigh in for wed 8/27/08:

Mom:144
Doug: TBA

Time to STEP UP... to the scale!

It's wednesday! Time for our first follow-up weigh in! We've all had a week to shave off some pounds, and it's time to shine... or fade away! Make sure to tell everyone what you've been doing to bring about your success.

Chows:
Dan: 225lbs (8 lbs lost, 3.4% of total body weight)
This week is the first week of the 1400 cal/day diet. I've been using calorieking.com's daily food tracker and diary to keep track of my intake, and it's not been bad at all!!! It's amazing how much food you can eat in 1400 calories if you're paying attention. The hardest thing is every now and then I just want to scarf down a whole pizza!!! But it's more psychological than physical hunger. Nothing a big glass of water and 2 minutes can't fix. It's also encouraging to watch weight come off daily. It's challenging to stay hydrated though, since I really really hate plain water, and you can only have so much diet coke!

Tish: 120lbs (2lbs lost, 1.6% of total body weight)
hmm....Dan wants me to write my feelings. I've been sticking to a 1200 calorie a day diet and it's been working really well. In fact most nights I find I have enough left over to eat a treat. My appetite has decreased significantly and I actually wait until I'm hungry now to eat rather than just eating because I've nothing better to do. :) So far, so good.

One Word "Exercise!!"

Although Dan may have us beat in the kitchen (but Ry's allergies do prevent us from things like cream o soup or sour cream), we have good old fashion exercise on our side! Kev is riding his bike to and from school 5 days a week! I'm not as devoted as someone who is in a weight loss competition should be, but as you (Dan) starve the calories off...(not that 30 siu long bau is considered starving), we will combine my attempts at healthy meals with some working out. Kev's and my love for biking and hiking can only help us on our quest to out skinny the Chow's ( Dan-All I have to say is Biking at Snowbird-ha!).

Why the Chows are going to win:

Two words: Culinary Prowess.

That's right, a little skill in the kitchen goes a long way. There's no subsitute for being able to control the calories that go into your food without making it taste like cow barf, and Dan (That's right, I referred to myself in the third person) has that in spades. For example: One bowl of rice with tomato-chicken stew: 260 calories. That's right, 260. That means in my 1400 cal diet, I could eat 5 of those babies and still have enough calories left over for a couple of frosted mini-wheats. CULINARY KNOW HOW, baby. When Stef and Kevin are green in the face from celery and carrots and green salads, I'll be sitting -fat- skinny and happy with my bamboo steamer filled with delicious siu lung bao:

at just 50 cals a pop, which means while kevin is choking down a bran biscuit, I'll be trying to cram another juicy dumpling into my already crammed gob baby. I'm not entirely heartless though, and to show what a good sport I am: the recipe for the tomato-chicken stew. enjoy!

Click for a larger view

Weigh in!!!!

The starting weights are in, and will be used in part to determine the winner of our contest. Pending further discussion, the winner will be the team that makes the best progress toward their target goal determined as a percent from starting weight to goal weight.

Goal weights are a combination of healthy weight BMI and the weight recalled by the participant to be their "best weight" during adulthood. Here are the tally's:

Chows:

Tish:
current weight: 122lbs
goal weight: 105lbs (weight when we met)

Dan:
current weight: 233lbs
goal weight: 180lbs (weight when we met)


McMinns:

Stef:
Current Weight 136
Goal Weight 125 (Can't recall being 125)

Kev:
Current Weight 188.5
Goal Weight 175 (Weight while in several sports during high school)

Official weigh ins will be every week on wednesdays. Participants can post updates and other content as they deem appropriate!

And so it begins...

Our recent trip to Hong Kong was a huge deal of fun, in fact this whole summer has been packed with exciting times!!! Stef and Kevin have been vagabonds for the last several months but are finally home in Colorado, and Dan has skipped more work than a one legged pogo-stick champion would recommend. We've done all sorts of things this summer, including gaining some extra pounds!!!! Dan managed to lose about 25 lbs at the start of the year on a miracle 1000 calorie/day diet, and managed to keep it off until the steaming delicacies of Hong Kong stowed away in his now more voluptuous body folds!

As the title to the blog clearly implies, we're all about attacking the extra pounds! It's a no-holds-barred dash to the finish line!!! To the victors go the spoils: bragging rights, and an all expense paid trip to hawaii, so graciously provided by our generous sponsor:

(we'll tell him about his donation later, or when he reads this, whichever comes first)

The loosers leave the field, head hung in shame!! Who will prove they have the power of mind over flabber!? Find out right here at Biggest Loser: McMinns vs. Chows!!!