14 Weeks to Christmas Challenge!!

Hi everyone!

How excited are we all about the 11th Week Challenge!? I can't wait to hear what it is...has anyone any thoughts on what they'd really like it to be so we can perhaps incorporate into the coming weeks!?

Mimi xxx

Hello everyone! I haven't checked in for a while - hope everyone is doing well. So glad to hear you're okay, Bikinimission! And as always, hugs to you, Sarah. xo

I don't weigh weekly, but my usual weigh-in day fell last week - I lost 2 pounds in September. Doesn't sound like much but I'm a VERY slow loser since hitting the 4-oh mark - and slower as time goes on and as I approach goal weight. I did hit my 25 pound mark with this loss though, so I'm a happy girl :happy: 10 more to go til I'm content (and reach Christmas challenge goal) and 20 more til I'm ecstatic!:laugh:

I got my extra situps in most days but I did miss one I believe. I was running all day with the cub scouts though, so it's not out of laziness! Well, not exactly anyway. LOL

I started Power 90 last weekend (Sept. 26) and it includes some yoga, so I'm going to cheat -- er, multitask, and count that as my new exercise. I will admit I've tried it before, but only for a day. I'm not really a fan ... but I'm giving it a shot.

Looking forward to this week's challenge!

I got a new Digital scale for my weight loss. My old one was more to let you know that you moved up 10 lbs. So my new weight is 196.6.
I pass the challenge.....my new thing was working out without the aid of a trainer. I passed, because my trainer moved away and I still went to the gym my 5 days and I still lost the 2 lbs for the week.
Next week 194!:bigsmile:

start weight: 212
Week One 9/21/2010.....209 -3 Challenge met? yes
Week Two 9/28/2010 ... 205 -4 Challenge met? yes (missed a couple of times but made it up the next day)
Week Three 10/05/2010 ...205 0 Challenge met? yes I started Belly dancing class.
Week Four 10/12/2010
Week Five 10/18/2010
Week Six 10/25/2010
Week Seven 11/01/2010
Week Eight 11/08/2010
Week Nine 11/15/2010
Week Ten 11/22/2010
Week Eleven 11/29/2010
Week Twelve 12/06/2010
Week Thirteen 12/13/2010
Week Fourteen 12/20/2010

SW: 148

C.W.: 145.5

Week 1 Goal: 147, Actual: 147 (-1.0), Challenge Not met: Had a little bit of chocolate, but I burned off the chocolate calories by exercising.
Week 2 Goal: 146, Actual: 146.5 (-.5 ) , Challenge Met: I didn't do 50 crunches daily, but I did make up for it when I did over 200 sits up at the gym.

Week 3 Goal: 145 actual 145.5 (-.5) challenge met & it was fun to do some new exercises. However I need to lose more weight next week. I am happy w/ my 1/2 pound.

Week 4. Goal: 144:


Good luck everyone on our new challenge this week.

Kathleen

Hey everyone!

Oooh it's the start of a new week today! Have I missed what it is?! Ooh the excitement!

I just wanted to share something...it's soo funny yet soo good...

I read in a fitness magazine, if you find doing squats boring or a chore, then do them whilst you're brushing you're teeth in the morning and at night, that way you'll be doing WAY more squats than what you would normally do in a week and I tried it this morning! Omg! Proper squats, I managed 20 whilst I was brushing my teeth, which means 20 tonight which means 40 squats a day x 7 days OMG! Anyway I was quite bemused at myself bobbing up and down in the bathroom mirror. I thought it was a good tip!

14th Week of Christmas - no chocolate!
13th Week of Chrismast - 50 sit ups a day at least
12th Week of Christmas - try a new exercise
11th Week of Christmas............................................................:drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

Happy 11th Week of Christmas!

Mimi xxxx

WEIGHT WEEK 1: 169
WEIGHT WEEK 2: 168
WEIGHT WEEK 3: 166
AIM FOR WEEK 4: 164
WHETHER YOU MANAGED TO DO TRY A NEW EXERCISE IN WEEK 3? Yes I tried Zumba and it was really good fun and pretty knackering, will defo try it again.

This weeks challange is right up my street as I love cooking.

Good luck everyone.

SW: 173.8
Week 1 Goal: 172.8, Actual: 173.0 (-0.8), Challenge Met: No, Had chocolate
Week 2 Goal: 172.0, Actual: 171.6 (-1.4), Challenge Met: Yes, Did all days of crunches
Week 3 Goal: 170.6, Actual: 169.8 (-1.8), Challenge Met: Yes, Used my mini-stairmaster while watching tv all week
Week 4 Goal: 168.8

Hi fellow Christmas Challengers. I had a very emotional week this week. My beloved jeep took a swim in the intercoastal this weekend. We were putting our boat in and once we had the boat off the trailer, the jeep slipped on all the algae and slipped right in the water:-( Not sure about what the adjusters are going to do yet but it was salt water. So not a good week, emotional eater and not a lot of working out. But I am back on the schedule again thanks to some motivation from Hockey247.

WEIGHT WEEK 1: 128.2
WEIGHT WEEK 2: 126.6
WEIGHT WEEK 3: 127.2
AIM FOR WEEK 4: 180.0 (i forgot to weigh this morning so this is after breakfast and several glasses of water)
WHETHER YOU MANAGED TO DO TRY A NEW EXERCISE IN WEEK 3? the cycling class didn't fit in my scedule and i didn't borrow the 'insanity' dvd from my friend like i wanted, but i did do a walking dvd that i haven't used in years so it felt 'new' to me again. CHECK.

the new challenge looks great! i love to cook and try new things.

hey everyone! I am super late for this challenge but I hope you all will still have me

Location: new orleans, la
I like: watching movies, dancing, hanging out with friends and family
I don't like: fake people
Current typical or usual exercise: turbo jam/ jillian michaels / insanity
Current Starting Weight: 167
Aim for next week: 165
Personal 11 week Goal: 160 (December 22nd, 2010)

Hey everyone,
As the 11th Week Challenge is new recipes I thought I'd give some of the recipes on my gym website Virgin Active a go, so thought I'd share at the same time!

1. Salmon & Pasta Bake
(Serves 4)
(About 7.5g fat per serving)



This is a delicious, guilt-free recipe that is guaranteed to become a family favourite.

INGREDIENTS:
Pasta:
400g pasta of your choice (wholemeal people!)
1 courgette, sliced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
410g canned pink salmon, drained & flaked
1 t paprika
1 t chilli powder or according to taste
1 t French mustard
1½ cups evaporated milk
1½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 T corn flour, blended with 4 T Water
1 T parmesan cheese, grated
Freshly ground black pepper

Cheesy topping:
2 t grated parmesan cheese
2 T breadcrumbs

METHOD:
1. Cook pasta, drain, set aside and keep warm.
2. Lightly spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking oil spray and heat over medium heat.
3. Add courgette, red pepper and garlic; stirfry for 2 minutes.
4. Add salmon, paprika, chilli powder, mustard, evaporated milk, stock and cornflour mixture and bring to the
boil.
5. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens.
6. Stir in parmesan cheese and season to taste with black pepper.
7. Add pasta and mix to combine. Pour into a large ovenproof dish.
8. For topping: Combine parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle over pasta mixture.
9. Bake at 200°C/gas mark 6 for 15-20 minutes or until mixture is bubbling and top is golden.

2. Penne with Chicken and Advocado
(Serves 3)

INGREDIENTS:
1 chicken breast fillet, cooked, cut into bite-size pieces
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and smoothed in blender
225g low fat or fat free sour cream
Chopped garlic to taste
55g black olives, chopped

METHOD:
1. Sauté garlic in very little oil.
2. Add blended avocados, sour cream, black olives and chicken.
3. Heat over low heat.
4. Serve over cooked penne.

(Recipe by Virgin Life Care)

3. Serves: 4
Cooking time: 15 minutes
470 calories per portion


INGREDIENTS:
30ml sunflower oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g pork fillet, cut into strips
1 red and 1 yellow pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and sliced into 3cm strips
250g bean sprouts
15ml sesame seeds
60g sweet-and-sour sauce


METHOD:

Heat the sunflower oil in a large wok or frying pan, add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the pork strips and fry until cooked through.

Add the peppers and spring onions and stir-fry for two minutes. Add the bean sprouts and stir-fry for a further minute.
Stir in the sesame seeds and the sauce, then heat for about five minutes or until warmed though.

Serve with rice or noodles.

4. Spatchcocked Mexican Chicken with Sweetcorn Salsa
(Serves 4)



This recipe was developed by South African chef Peter Goffe-Wood - a barbeque classic!

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole organic chicken
Juice and zest of 3 limes
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried crushed chillies
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sweetcorn salsa:
6 whole corns on the cob, blanched
2 red peppers, char-grilled, skinned and diced
½ red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5cm root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful chopped flat leaf parsley and basil

METHOD:
1. Spatchcock the chicken, by cutting out its backbone and flattening the breast part, and place in a glass bowl. Rub the chicken with the rest of the ingredients and leave to marinade for at least an hour or overnight in the fridge.

2. Place the chicken on the barbeque and leave to cook for about 45 minutes or until juices run clear when meat is pierced with a skewer. (Cooking time may be less as it has been spatchcocked.) If you are cooking the chicken in an oven, place it in an oven-proof casserole dish and cook at 200° C/gas mark 6 for about 30-40 minutes or until juices run clear.



For the Sweetcorn Salsa, place the blanched corn on the grill and leave to chargrill. Remove from the fire and
shuck the corn. Mix the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, lemon zest and juice together, season with salt and pepper and leave to marinade for 10 minutes. Then mix the sweetcorn and red pepper in, followed by the chopped herbs.
Portion the chicken and serve with Sweetcorn salsa.

Fat free dressing:-

Fat-free Zesty Herb Dressing
Makes 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup white grape juice or apple juice
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 T powdered fruit pectin (optional)
1 t Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic - crushed
1 t dried onion flakes
½ t dried basil
½ t dried oregano
¼ t coarsely ground black pepper

METHOD:
1. In a small bowl, combine the grape juice, vinegar and pectin; stir until pectin is dissolved.
2. Stir in mustard and remaining ingredients; mix well.
3. Store in refrigerator. Serve cold.

Approx. values per 1 T serving: 10 calories, 0g fat, 0mg cholesterol, and 10mg sodium.

Smoothies...

Choc-Nut Spin


1 large banana or 2 small bananas, diced
4 heaped teaspoons chocolate powder
1 T peanut butter
230 ml low-fat yoghurt
75 ml skim milk
230 ml crushed ice



Blend all the ingredients and enjoy!

Papaya Passion


345 ml papaya
½ large or 1 small, diced banana
1 slice (1cm thick) pineapple, diced
40ml passion fruit pulp, pips included (only add at the end)
2 T lemon juice
460 ml crushed ice



Blend and enjoy.

Protein Power


1 large banana or 2 small bananas, diced
230 ml skim milk
75 ml skim milk powder
115 ml yoghurt (low-fat)
1 T wheat germ
2 T Honey
2 (free range or organic) egg whites
115 ml crushed ice


Blend and enjoy.
Berry Blast


2 heaped Ts mixed frozen berries (dark berries are best)
½ apple, diced
½ large banana, diced
1 slice (1 cm thick) pineapple, diced
75 ml apple juice
460 ml crushed ice

Ok that's all for now! Oh wait a pudding!!!!!

30 Day Muffins



Too busy to prepare fresh, yummy snacks? This muffin mix takes only minutes to prepare, and you can store it in your fridge for up to 30 days. Whenever you want fresh muffins, pour some of the mixture into a muffin pan, add some extras (optional) and whip it into the oven. Makes about 50 muffins. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
8 eggs
500ml vegetable oil
200g bran
10 cups wholemeal flour
3 ½ pints milk
600g brown sugar
50ml bicarbonate of soda
10ml salt
20ml vanilla essence

METHOD:
1. Beat the eggs and oil together until well emulsified.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined.
3. This mixture keeps for 1 month in the fridge. When you want to bake muffins, do so in a buttered tin, at 180°C/gas mark 4 for 15-20 minutes.

Variations: Add grated apple, carrot, cheese, nuts and seeds, blueberries, raisins, dried fruit, banana and cinnamon, or butternut to the mixture and bake.

Ok good luck! Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Mimi xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi everyone,

SW: 134.3
WEIGHT WEEK 1: 134.2
WEIGHT WEEK 2: 133.2
WEIGHT WEEK 3: 132.4
AIM FOR WEEK 4: Maintain 132.4. I am going away on holidays for a week next Tuesday so I wont be here to post my weigh in on Wed morning. My goal is to maintain my weight for the week I am away! I am going for a wedding so thats going to be a lot of food and events for the week!
WHETHER YOU MANAGED TO DO TRY A NEW EXERCISE IN WEEK 3?
Yes. I worked out to my old Bodies in Motion workout dvd's and it was a GREAT workout! I missed it and it was so much better than spending an hour at the gym! I think Im going to start doing the dvd's every morning before work!

SW: 187
Week 1 Goal: Didn't start the challenge this week
Week 2 Goal: 186 Actual: 185.4 (-1.6), Challenge Met: No, I missed 3 days. I forgot to do them :-(
Week 3 Goal: 184.4 Actual- 183.2 (- 2.2! Yayy!) Challenge Met: Yes!!
Week 4 Goal: 182 (I did really badly today so I don't know if I'll actually meet this weight but I'm crossing my fingers!)

Challenge for this week: I don't know which recipe I will try yet but I am looking forward to this challenge.