Refund Dues

Dear Treasurer:

Please refund the last group of people to join Healthy Hopefuls their $8. Since we have bypassed our goal date without any reported results, I think that this would only be fair.

Thank you!

Hello? Is anyone there?

Ok people, just because we've taken a break from HH doesn't mean we have to stop posting blogs (or does it????)! I think everyone should continue posting blogs. You can give updates on yourself and how your doing, ask questions and get feed back, inform everyone if you've found something new that's working well for you, etc., etc. I'll use myself as an example. I haven't done any exercise in the past few days because I've been trying to get my apartment cleaned up. David and I will be in Greensboro for Thanksgiving and I don't want to come home to clutter. I've washed clothes, cleaned the kitchen and the master bedroom, and now I've got to clean the 2nd bathroom and vacuum. I should be done with everything tonight. I'm excited to be going home for Thanksgiving. Last year was cool (went to my Aunt's house in Leesburg), but it wasn't what I was used to. I'm used to being around a lot of family and friends and eating until you have to unbutton your pants or go take a nap. That's what I'm looking forward to this week. Well, I hope everyone else has a wonderful Thanksgiving. We all have a lot to be thankful for! Enjoy yourselves!

How I Spent My Halloween

Well, instead of passing out candy, David and I went to the gym last night! I asked him to go with me. We both got on the elliptical machine for 20 minutes and David lifted weights. I was really sweating. I put my bandanna on so I wouldn't get sweat in my eyes and when I finally took it off, it was soaked! I probably could've squeezed sweat out of it. I was about to attempt it, but I thought that would be kinda gross, so I decided against it. LOL I've asked David to go to the gym with me today, too. I'm really trying to get in the habit of working out at least 3 days a week. I'm not going to commit myself to any certain days, but I will commit myself to working out 3 days a week. I've got no excuses not to now. My main concern was sweating out my relaxers, but I don't have relaxed hair anymore. Well, I just wanted to share some stuff with you all. I hope everyone is doing well! I'll talk to you all again soon! :)

Just an update...

Hi everyone! Just wanted to post an update on how I'm doing. David and I walked the perimeter of our apartment complex last night. It took us 20 minutes to do it. We would've walked farther and longer, but it was dark and we didn't want to be out too long. We would've gone to the gym at our office, but the keys we have to get in after hours aren't working. I plan on exchanging them for new ones before the weekend. I don't normally do exercise on the weekend (my lazy time), but I think I'll do it on one of the days. I hope everyone else is doing well! Talk to you guys later! :)

NEW month, NEW challenge, NEW life

Let's go Healthy Hopefuls........

Our HH challenge has already started into the 3rd session of Healthy Hopefuls. This is a new month and it's time to re-focus and concentrate on your goals individually and as a group. Don't forget that the blog is here for everyone. It's beneficial to actively participate in the group. Facing this challenge together will help us push past the obstacles that stand in our way. If you need help, let us know. If you need motivation, let us know. We are all here for each other. Congratulations again to ALL Healthy Hopefuls for your commitment to the challenge during the 2nd session and continue to strive forward with us. Just 3 months until the end of 2007. LET'S SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO!!! :-)

Reminder for GSO HH members: As previously discussed, we will be meeting for dinner on Friday, October 5th for our weekly meeting. This is to celebrate our accomplishments thus far.

Out-of-town HH members: We love you all much. Since you are not here to celebrate here with us. Treat yourself to a nice dinner or maybe a new pair of shoes. This is to give yourselves a pat on the back for a job well done.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Carol for being the winner of the 2nd round of Healthy Hopefuls. Carol lost a total of 10 pounds or 5.2 % of her beginning body weight. Runner-ups were Tamara with a 12 pound weight loss or 4.7% of her beginning body weight, Carlos with a 10 pound weight loss or 4.3% of his beginning body weight, and Brandy with a 7 pound weight loss or 3.2% of her beginning body weight. Carol won $88 for her all her hard work.

The 3rd session of Healthy Hopefuls will run 9/28/07 through 11/16/07. Good luck to all who choose to continue.

Almost over (Just this 8 weeks)!!!!

Okay People. Sorry. I didn't get to post the minutes this week and I've been really busy with stuff, but I did want to take out a little time (I'm at work) to provide some need-to-know information.

I do want to congratulate Mrs. Pee for being the only person to lose weight this past week (reported). She lost 3 pounds. I'm trying to step it up this last week. This lady trying to win my money.

This is the last week of the 2nd Healthy Hopefuls session. It is imperative that you weigh in on Friday, September 21st or your results will not be entered into the competition part of Healthy Hopefuls.

We also are inviting new members for the next 8 week session. So....if you know someone that is interested, please let us know and provide us with their e-mail address and be sure they provide a start weight so that their progress can be properly tracked. You can also give them the blog address, http://healthyhopefuls.blogspot.com/, so that they can check us out and the support that we try to offer.

I wanted to say that I enjoy being in this group and I think that it helps motivate me to be conscious of the choices I make. We want everyone to feel included in the group and everyone to stay active in the group so that it helps to encourage others. We completely understand the time constraints of every one's lifes and schedules, but this is something that will help you in the long run and taking a few minutes out of your week (as quick as checking e-mail) is something that everyone can be a part of. If you aren't able to make it to a meeting, let us hear from you on the blog. The blog was setup to help our out-of-towners feel more connected to Healthy Hopefuls and simply to benefit the group as a whole. I love you all and I don't want to make this journey alone. If you feel like you need some time to re-group, take off this 3rd session so that you can be pumped to join us again....motivated....and ready to learn, grow and win some doe.

I hope everyone has an awesome week and I can't wait to report the winner of Healthy Hopefuls: Session 2 and revamp for the 3rd session.

"Victory belongs to the most persevering." ~Napoleon

Come out, come out, wherever you are...

STRESS RELIEVERS:

I was reading an article in Heart Healthy Living, Fall 2007, entitled Stop Stress (in 60 seconds). A few suggestions include:

1. Sit in a quiet place for a moment and imagine yourself lying on a beach. Feel the sunlight on your body, hear the sounds of the ocean waves, smell the surf. Research has found that the same parts of the brain are activated when people are imagining something as when they're actually experiencing it.
2. Hug and kiss someone. Touch can help reduce stress-hormone levels and boost the immune system.
3. Put on some Beethoven or Bach. One study found that people who listened to classical music after a stressful task had significantly lower blood pressure than those who heard no music.
4. Chew a piece of gum. Studies show that chewing the stuff can actually change brain waves, improving alertness and concentration and reducing stress.
5. Eat yogurt. A study found that people suffering from exhaustion and stress improved after taking a probiotic supplement for 6 months. Probiotics contain the good bacteria found in yogurt.

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "It is better to give others a piece of your heart than a piece of your mind." (Author unknown)

Hello People......

I hope that everyone is having a great week. Things are stressful for me right now, but I'm still exercising to balance out my stress eating so I'm kinda staying steady with my weight. Enjoy the rest of your week and I will talk to you soon. :-)

It's Friday!!

Hey all,
Another week down, and for me another pound down. Had a pretty good week. Only ran once this week, but I plan on running tomorrow am. Hope everyone's week went well.

Extended weekend over :-(

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Labor day weekend. The food was great and I only overate 1 out of 2 cookouts. That's an accomplishment.......you can clap. I'm back on track now. I still did my exercising. The 2nd cookout that I went to was at Triad Park and so after I ate, Kayleigh and I walked (Kayleigh rode in her stroller) around the park. It was a nice little walk and beautiful views.

I may miss a little exercise this week. My mother has surgery on September 5th. I will be working early and over at the hospital after that (at least for the next couple of days). Maybe.....I'll power walk it around the hospital. Everyone keep trying and remember to find (or re-find) your motivation to help you get to your goal. And for Mrs. Pee......Can you have my winnings changed into single dollars so that my wad of cash is bigger? Thanks. Have a great week!

Just Checking In

Hello everyone! I would like to congratulate everyone who is losing weight! Good for you! I gained a half a pound last week, but I can deal with that. As long as I'm not gaining a lot of weight, I'm not going to torture myself. I didn't do a lot of exercise last week because I was preparing for my brother's visit, but I did walk around DC last Saturday. IT WAS SO HOT (to me)! I tried not to complain too much because I didn't want to spoil every one's fun. I also tried to look at it from an exercise point-of-view - I was walking and I need to do that! I plan to do the walking DVD my mom gave me this evening. After 20 minutes, I'm drenched! That's a good thing! I might even try for 30 minutes (with a break in there somewhere! LOL). I'll let you know what I decide. Well, everyone keep striving to do your best. GO HEALTHY HOPEFULS!

Good, morning!

I hope your day is filled with wonderfulness. Enjoy every minute of your day, like it is your last.

Meeting Minutes from 8-31-07

Call To Order of Meeting
Friday, August 31st, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.

Present: Mrs. Pee, Carlos and Brandy

This week's reported losses:

Carlos- 5 pounds to date
Brandy- 1 pound

At the meeting we discussed everyone finding their motivation. It appears that some of us or less motivated. Everybody has different needs to help them. I usually do better when I have someone competing with me and making me push my limits. Mrs. Pee appears to like it when I talk a little junk (you know....like about how I need my money soon). Whatever yours is, post it. Maybe we can help. It's extremely hard to lose weight if you don't have motivation or strong enough motivation to do so. I wish you all the best of luck this upcoming week. We have a month to go until the end of session 2 of Healthy Hopefuls. Let's treat this last month like a new day and completely start over and recommit to being happier and healthier. Love you all.

End of week.....

I hope that everyone had a great and productive week. I've had a lot of stress at work and home and I'm just glad that the week is over so that I can start over next week. My exercise habits are still going well, but yesterday I had like 2 cups of water and about 7 cups of tea (the good McDonald's kind) and some coffee (yummy.....fiene). I'll do better today....hopefully. It was just one of those days.....one of those weeks. I guess I'll just give that up as my free day. Weigh in is tomorrow. Only about a month left for this 8 weeks. I would love to have some extra cash in my pockets if no one is interested. Maybe enjoy a nice pedicure and buy a new celebratory pair of shoes and treat myself to lunch. Everybody work together to make this dream a reality for me okay (yeah.....I'm talking junk). Talk to everybody soon. HH signing off.

What I Saw on Oprah Today

For those who TIVO, you might want to watch Oprah's Show dated today. Dr. Ozmet was on today (he's Oprah's medical authority). He has a book called YOU-The Owner's Manual, that outlines things that we can do to make our bodies healthier in the long run. For example, 6 foods that we need to add to our diets weekly are: garlic, tomato sauce, olive oil, spinach, raw almonds, pomegranate. Dr. Ozmet also made the following statements as it relates to losing weight: 1) If your waist measurement is greater than 34", you're at greater risk for heart disease. 2) Walk 30 minutes everyday---without fail. 3) Meet with a personal trainer to develop an exercise routine which will include weights and stretching. 4) Practice more healthy cooking; include salmon in your meal planning. 5) An average 30 year old woman can easily do 45 bent leg push-ups. This number decreases by five with each decade, e.g., at 40, 40 push-ups, at 50, 35 push-ups. 6) Read food labels like they're prescriptions. If a label has the following ingredients listed as one of the first five ingredients, eliminate that food/product from your diet: sugar, high fructose corn syrup, enriched white flour, saturated fat, trans fat, partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated fat.

No Meeting Minutes

We did not hold our weekly meeting this past Friday. The reported pounds lost for this past week is as follows:

Quishana- 2 pounds

Way to go Quishana and good luck during this next week to all Healthy Hopefuls. We are gradually becoming healthier people. Have a great week!

DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE

Well, we're halfway through this 2nd eight week challenge. As the title says, "Don't get too comfortable. That means continue to exercise 6 times a week , eat a balanced meal plan, drink at least 8 cups of water each day. Take it one day at a time

Chris Freytag, author of Move to Lose, stated "If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll keep getting what you're getting. " Ms. Freytag had 3 suggestions for busting weight loss plateaus. They are: 1) Revamp your workout. You need to increase how long you exercise, how often, or the intensity at which you do it. Try to devote even a few more minutes to each workout or add challenges such as hills---you'll burn more in the same amount of time. Also, start using a heart-rate monitor so you know when you're not exercising hard enough. 2) Be ruthless about portion sizes. As you lose weight, your body doesn't require as many calories. 3) Don't go it alone. The support and camaraderie provided by a local or online weight loss group can keep you motivated. Or consider getting professional help by hiring a dietitian or personal trainer.

It's me!

Well, another week down. Still no fast foods/sweets. It's been hard. I went to BK yesterday to grab a sandwich and I wanted fries so bad I almost started to cry (really!!). All I eneded up getting was the original chicken club sandwich and an icee. The sandwich had more lettuce and tomato on it than anything else! It was like a salad with chicken and bacon on it. It was good and hit the spot. I'm glad it did, because if it hadn't I might've been tempted to go somewhere and get some fries (and maybe more food - that wouldn't have been good!). I'm going to stop talking about food now because I haven'tbeen to lunch yet and my stomach is growling really loud! LOL I'll post my tips and quote later this afternoon. Hope everyone had an awesome week! GO HEALTHY HOPEFULS! :)

"Gluttony is an emotional escape, a sign something is eating us." ~Peter De Vries

Weigh in time is here again already. Be sure to weigh in tomorrow if you want to report your results for this week. Thanks David for posting your inspirational story. I think that it can help everyone take that extra little push in becoming healthier and in life. I hope that everyone had a great week. Maybe it's been too great since there wasn't many posts this week :-)

Below is Mrs. Pee's information about the temperature of water that she discussed at the meeting:

According to the article Maxium Metabolism as seen in the August 20, 2007 issue of First magazine, recent research in hydration science reveals that both the temperature of the water and when it's consumed trigger astonishing weight loss. Hot water triggers a body-wide detox; lukewarm water suppresses appetite, and cold water gives your body a workout. The article recommends that you start the day with 8 oz of hot lemon water; alternate icy and steamy water throughout the day. Drink lukewarm water before meals and snacks. Anything is worth a try. Good luck!

Pretty Cool Stuff

This might be more for the guys but, I just had an awesome experience running! I took my Ipod turned it on, and just started running, and kept running and kept running. And even though I got tired, and wanted to stop I didn't let myself stop, I just kept going a little bit further, then further still, and before I knew it I had gone a whole minute more without stopping. You have to push yourself to the limit, and then once you get there keep going. You'll be amazed how much more you can really do. I say it might be more for guys because we naturally have that competitive nature. But I encourage everyone to try it. Now mind you, everyone knows there body so if your in serious pain then stop but, if not, take that extra step, challenge yourself just that little bit more. I think you'll be pleased with yourself afterwards.

Peace

Drinking water temperature?!?!?

This article is based on something that Mrs. Pee discussed at the meeting. I'm still looking for a "hot water" article from a reliable source. I will post one soon. This is more about drinking cold water. http://health.howstuffworks.com/question447.htm

Have fun drinking water this week :-)

STRESS - Part 2

Some people handle stress well. Others are very negatively influenced by it. Stress can cause fatigue, chronic headaches, irritability, changes in appetite, memory loss, low self-esteem, withdrawal, tooth-grinding, cold hands, high blood pressure, shallow breathing, nervous twitches, lowered sexual drive, insomnia or other changes in sleep patterns, and/or gastrointestinal disorders. Stress creates an excellent breeding ground for illness. Researchers estimate that stress contributes to as many as 80 percent of all major illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, endocrine and metabolic disease, skin disorders, and infectious ailments of all kinds. Many psychiatrists believe that the majority of back problems---one of the most common adult ailments in the United States---are related to stress. Stress is also a common precursor of psychological difficulties such as anxiety and depression.

STRESS RELIEVERS:

1. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and mood-altering drugs. While these substances may offer temporary relief from stress, they do nothing to really address the problem and they are harmful to your health. The stress will still be there the next day.
2. Avoid hassles. Identify the things that are making you feel stressed out and either eliminate them from your life or prepare yourself to cope with them.
3. Try not to take life too seriously. Learn to laugh.
4. Work on creating a stress-free home environment.
5. Monitor your internal conversations. The way we talk to ourselves has a lot to do with how we feel about ourselves and our environments.

Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 1997.

MOTIVATIONAL MESSAGE: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Enjoy your week one day at a time.

Meeting Minutes from 8-17-07

Call To Order of Meeting
Friday, August 17th, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.

Present: Mrs. Pee, Quishana, Carlos and Brandy
Present via telephone: Nicole, Van, Joanie and Eugene

This week's reported losses:

Nicole- 3.5 pounds
Mrs. Pee- 1 pound
Carol-3 pounds
Quishana- 2 pounds
Mr. Pee- 1 pound

Since this 8 weeks started, we have a total (reported) group loss of 25.5 pounds. Way to go HH!!

Weekly project....
Keep an eye out on obesity articles. Check your local newspapers. You can use any source to find information except for the internet (too fast, too easy). Bring this to the next meeting. Out-of-towners can provide obesity related information from the internet and post it to the blog.

Old Business:

• We are taking our measurements now. This is not something that you have to do or report, but it is beneficial to some (especially when they don't see the pounds dropping as fast as they wanted).
• Is everybody on some type of meal plan? If you need any help with that, I'm sure that Mrs. Pee wouldn't mind helping you.
• All membership dues have been paid.
• Individual weight loss goal is 2 pounds per week.
• We will continue to add inspirational quotes and stress relievers to the blog.
• Don't forget your water. It may hard for some at first, but you and your body will get used to it. Drink at least 8 cups of water a day (total 64 ounces). You should also drink another 8 ounces (1 cup) of water for every 25 pounds that you are over your weight goal. And don’t forget if you are exercising (which you should be) you need to stay hydrated.
• You should keep a food journal to help you stay accountable for what you eat.
• Choose and use your free day out of the week that you can take a break and maybe go out to eat or just skip the daily walk.
• Exercise goal should be 30 minutes at least 3 days a week.

Keep up the good work everyone. We are getting there (to our goal) one day at a time. It's only been 3 weeks and our group has already lost 25.5 reported pounds. I can't wait to see how much the group has lost at the end of this 8 week session. Good luck and have a wonderful week!

Go You, Go You!

WTG Nicole. Homecoming....two words.....all spandex. LOL. Take care.

I COULDN'T WAIT . . . . . .

I would like to inform everyone that I've lost 3.5 lbs! I didn't exercise this week, but I stopped eating fast foods and sweets (see my previous blog). That's a testiment in itself that cutting back on or cutting out fast foods and sweets will help you lose a few extra, extra unwanted pounds. I'll be sharing this info at the meeting tonight, but I wanted to put it on the blog too since I shared that I'd cut out fast foods and sweets. GO ME, GO ME, GO ME! Later! :)

Congrats!!!!

Congratulations to Carol and everyone that lost a few pounds. Yeeeeeeaaaaaa!!!!

pounds off

Hi everyone in the last two weeks I lost 3 pounds. I hope to lose more.
I walk 4 mils aday and cut back on what I eat. I eat my last meal at 630 pm

Love to you all
Carol Fleming

Hey!!!

I hope that everyone had a good week. Nicole....I'm so proud of you for trying to cut out sweets and fast food. I read in this magazine that you can get some of the miniature candy packs and when a craving really hits you don't have to worry about eating to much. Compare the calories and fat in a regular candy bar to one in a bite size one. Small little wonderful joys.....okay I'm back. Another week has already passed and I'm sure that everyone is striving towards there goals.

As a reminder, try to post something on the blog at least once a week. Did you see how Nicole did? It was not healthy or weight loss related information or facts to share, but just her wanting to share her day with us. You can post ANYTHING. Example: I coughed today....I think I have a cold. Ah choo. Ooops...that was a sneeze....my b. ~See....anything.

Also....if you haven't already, get a measuring tape so that you can start doing measurements and seeing how many inches you are losing. I will try to remember to bring mine to the meeting tomorrow. It is beneficial to at least measure your waist, because having a waist size of around 32-34 (men...about 36-38) helps reduce the risk of heart disease (and makes you look super sexy). Talk to everyone later and keep up the good work. "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again"....Don't remember where I heard that, but inspirational, huh?

Cream of Wheat

If you want a filling breakfast, fix 2 servings of Cream of Wheat, (3 Starches) , sprinkle with Molly McButter, add sweetener of choice, a piece of fruit (1 Fruit), and half a milk serving for a breakfast that will carry you through the morning. Umm, Umm, Good!!! 8-)

See you at the meeting tomorrow.

Hello!

I just wanted to post a blog because it's been a while since I've done so. I hope everyone is doing well. I'm doing good. I challenged myself this week (starting Monday, 8/13). I decided not to eat fast foods or sugar this week. I've done really well. I haven't been to any fast food places and I haven't eaten any sugar (knowingly). As far as the sugar goes, I'm trying not to eat cakes, cookies, candies, etc. It's been hardest trying to avoid sugar. The fast food wasn't hard to give up. I make cookies almost everyday at my job and when I go to get a bagel at the coffee shop next door, they always seem to have all these sweets sitting in my face. Take this morning for instance. I went to get a plain bagel and cream cheese and they had these doughnuts that looked so good, but I stuck to my guns and got my bagel. Hopefully, I'll begin to see some physical changes in my appearance (or at least see my weight go down). I'll continue to challenge myself each week. Next week, I plan to step up my exercise to 4 days a week. If I can do that, I think I'll feel really good about myself! I'm getting my hair locked sometime in early September. I'm really excited. It's really bad up there now, but I'm going to remain committed to letting my roots grow so my aunt (Aunt Felita) can work her magic on me. I'll post a picture before and after I get it done. :) Well, I guess that's all for now. I'm at work and it's slow, so I'm going to read the book my mom lent me (Potatoes not Prozac by Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons). It's been a very informative book and I can relate to a LOT of things being discussed. I'll let you know more once I've completed it. Please keep me in your thoughts and I'll do the same for you. Talk to you all soon! :)

"There are only 2 choices; make progress or make excuses." - Ellen Mikesell

5 stress relievers

1. Eat a well balanced diet.
2. Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine which has been shown to increase anxiety.
3. Aerobic activity such as vigorous walking.
4. Aromatherapy.
5. Don't set unrealistic for goals for yourself..

Source: http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/stress/a/stressbusters.htm

I hope that everyone has a great week. Stay focused and don't forget to take time out to enjoy life. Be sure to post something on the blog when you have time.

Thought for the Week: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Peter 5:8-9)

S T R E S S - The term "stress" refers to any reaction to a physical, mental, or emotional stimulus that upsets the body's natural balance. Stress is an unavoidable part of life. It can result from many things, both physical and psychological. Pressures and deadlines at work, problems with loved ones, the need to pay the bills, and getting ready for the holidays are obvious sources of stress for many people. Less obvious sources include everyday encounters with crowds, noise, traffic, pain, extremes of temperature, and even welcome events such as starting a new job or the birth or adoption of a child. Overwork, lack of sleep, physical illness, excessive alcohol consumption, and smoking are common physical factors that put stress on the body. Some people create their own stress; whether there is anything objectively wrong in their lives or not, they find things to worry about.

Five Stress Relievers:

• Eat a diet composed of 50-75% raw foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables not only supply valuable vitamins and minerals, but are rich in compounds called flavonoids, many of which scavenge and neutralize dangerous free radicals.
• Get regular exercise. Physical activity can clear your mind and keep stress under control. Some people like to run or walk by themselves, while others prefer team sports or group workouts. Any type of exercise will do the trick, as long as it is regular. Exercising once a month will not do much to relieve stress.
• Take a day off--that's what weekends are for. Take a drive, listen to music, go to the beach or lake, read--whatever you find rewarding and relaxing. Try to keep your thoughts in the present during this time so that you do not think about whatever it is that is causing the stress.
• Do not repress or deny your emotions. This only compounds stress. Admit your feelings and accept them. Keeping strong feelings bottled up only causes them to resurface later as illness. Don't be afraid to cry. Learning to cry can help you to manage stress. Crying can relieve anxiety and let loose bottled up emotions.
• If you feel you simply cannot handle the stresses in your life, consider seeking outside help. It may be worth it to consult a qualified counselor or other practitioner who can help you to handle your problems and learn effective stress-reduction techniques. It is often enlightening and beneficial to talk with someone who can offer an objective response, whether a trusted friend or a professional counselor.

Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 1997.

Get ready, get set, and let's go! We have been blessed with a brand new week so let's make the most of it. Best wishes to one and all.

Moto thought

To be as One you must be as One with One's self always (Carlos mcCoy)



5 STRESS RELIEFS

1) Go sum where it's peaceful and calm
2) Listen to easy soundin music
3) take deep breaths and let it out very lightly and smoothing
4) Don't take every little thing so seriuos jus let it go and move on
5)jus talk to sum one who will listen

Meeting minutes from 8-10-07

Call To Order of Meeting
Friday, August 10th, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.

REMINDER: Do you have a great low-fat recipe? Have great news? Have a problem? Stressed? Or just want to write or provide information? Share it on the blog. We really want people to get more into using this blog as an outlet and a regular form of communication. It is especially beneficial for the out-of-towners to view some of the information and encouragement offered through the blog to help stay motivated and more connected to the group. Participation is will help you stay focused and achieve your overall goals. Please try to post something at least once a week whether it is an article that you've found, a thought or just to express yourself. We love hearing anything that you want to share.

Present: Mrs. Pee, Carlos and Brandy
Present via telephone: Nicole, David, Van and Joanie.

This week's reported losses:

David- 4 pounds
Carlos- 2 pounds
Brandy- 2.5 pounds

WAY TO GO EVERYONE. If you don't want to weigh in during one of the weeks, that is your right. You are required only to do your initial weigh in at the start of each 8 weeks and at the end of the 8 weeks. It helps some people to know where they are during the 8 week session compared to others so they can bank that cash prize.

Old Business:

• Start to do your measurements so that you can see when you are actually losing inches in place of pounds.
• Remember that if you are following the food pyramid meal plan that women should be eating based on a 1500 calorie plan and men should be on a 1800 calorie plan (because they have more muscle mass).
• Mrs. Pee will be keeping record of all members’ weights each week so that we can better track each member’s progress.
• Our membership dues of $8 per person for the 2nd session was due today. If you have not already, please turn the money into our treasurer, Quishana. Out-of-towners: you may mail or submit your money to your friends or family members to turn in on your behalf.
• Individual weight loss goal is 2 pounds per week.
• We will continue to add inspirational quotes and stress relievers to the blog.
• Drink at least 8 cups of water a day (total 64 ounces). You should also drink another 8 ounces (1 cup) of water for every 25 pounds that you are over your weight goal. And don’t forget if you are exercising (which you should be) you need to stay hydrated.
• Be sure to continue to keep track of your weight, water and exercise throughout the week.
• You should also keep a food journal to help you stay accountable for what you eat.
• Choose and use your free day out of the week that you can take a break and maybe go out to eat or just skip the daily walk.
• Exercise goal should be 30 minutes at least 3 days a week.

Everyone is doing a great job. Remember that it takes time to see results and that it will not be effortless. Don't get discouraged if you don't see the results that you hoped for. Just start over for the next week and look for things to improve upon. Good luck and have a wonderful week!

Hello Everyone......

I've been so busy this week, but wanted to add a little something before wiegh in. I hope that everyone has been having a good week. Work has been hectic. Instead of adding an inspirational quote this week I decided to add a comic.....you know to make yall laugh. Welcome Carol and David to the HH blog. Please feel free to post anything that you want to share with the group and be sure to post a weekly inspirational quote.
Enjoy. L8R.

Motivational Thought for the Week...

"Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow." (Doug Firebaugh)

Stress Reducers:
1 - Learn to do something new, i.e., knitting, crocheting, sewing, etc.
2 - Go dancing.
3 - Call an old friend.
4 - Do a good deed for an elderly person.
5 - Go for a walk.

Take each day one at a time. Have a great week.

6 Quick Tips for Diet Success

Here are my 6 tips that I shared at this weeks meeting. Source is unknown.

1. Don't do it alone. It's easier to succeed with a diet buddy (or group).
2. Forget about the big picture. Set small goals for yourself along the way and reward yourself for reaching each one.
3. Enjoy life now. Don't wait to lose the weight to do the things you want to do.
4. Don't give up snacks. Just choose healthy foods to snack on.
5. Find a diet that fits your needs. Trying to fit your life into a diet that's wrong for you is a recipe for disaster.
6. Don't starve yourself. Eating too little slows down your metabolism, so you lose less.

I hope that everyone finds these little tips helpful and motivational. Good luck HH.

Meeting minutes from 8-3-07

Call To Order of Meeting
Friday, August 3rd, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.

Present: Mrs. Pee, Carlos and Brandy
Present via telephone: Nicole, David, Van and Joanie.

• We discussed the overweight and obesity facts that Carlos provided.
• Mrs. Pee also shared some recent newspaper articles concerning obesity. One was about insurance premium increases for those that are overweight and the 2nd article was about family weight loss plans.
• I provided weigh loss booklets that my doctor gave me to share with the group.

Weekly Progress Reports: Out of the 3 members present at the meeting, we lost a total of 11 pounds. Carlos and Brandy lost 3 pounds each and Mrs. Pee lost a whopping 5 pounds this week. Way to go. Everyone seems to be doing okay with the exercise programs and water. As you can tell....there is going to be some stiff competition this 8 weeks. Get ready.

New Business:

• We have decided that we will also do measurements. So if you don't have a tape measure, try to get one. It was suggested by my doctor since we are African Americans that it would get be a great way to track our progress. She says that we normally lose inches before pounds. A goal for women's waist lines should be 32 inces. According to WebMd, we can aim towards 34. Fellas....aim for 38 (source: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20050606/waist-height-ratio-may-show-heart-disease-risk).
• Remember that if you are following the food pyramid meal plan that women should be eating based on a 1500 calorie plan and men should be on a 1800 calorie plan (because they have more muscle mass).

Old Business:

• Mrs. Pee will be keeping record of all members’ weights each week so that we can better track each member’s progress.
• Our membership dues of $8 per person for the 2nd session was due today. If you have not already, please turn the money into our treasurer, Quishana. Out-of-towners: you may mail or submit your money to your friends or family members to turn in on your behalf.
• Instead of striving towards 10% of our body weight this 8 weeks, we have decided that our individual goals will be 2 pounds per week. This appears to be a great plan so far.
• Do you have a great low-fat recipe? Have great news? Have a problem? Stressed? Or just want to write or provide information? Share it on the blog.
• Drink water.....exercise.....eat healthy....Carlos, just eat.
• We will continue to add inspirational quotes and stress relievers to the blog.
• Drink at least 8 cups of water a day (total 64 ounces). You should also drink another 8 ounces (1 cup) of water for every 25 pounds that you are over your weight goal. And don’t forget if you are exercising (which you should be) you need to stay hydrated.
  Be sure to continue to keep track of your weight, water and exercise throughout the week.
• You should also keep a food journal to help you stay accountable for what you eat.
• Choose and use your free day out of the week that you can take a break and maybe go out to eat or just skip the daily walk.

I'm so proud of everyone for wanting to make a positive change in their lives. Remember.....we are behind you 100% and you can do it. If you have a bad day, get over it and continue on your journey to a healthy and happy lifestyle. We are all on the same boat and we will not leave you behind. This is going to be a great 8 weeks. Have a great week!!!

Motivational Quote and 5 Stress Relievers

Motivational Quote: "It is no sin to attempt and fail. The only sin is not to make the attempt." - SueEllen Fried

5 Ways to Relieve Stress:
1) Exercise everyday
2) Leave work early (WITH PERMISSION) just for you
3) Write a note to a far away friend
4) Clean out one closet
5) Stand up and stretch

Yeeeeeaaaaaa!!!!

Carlos started exercising with me this morning. We walked for over 45 minutes at Dudley's track and around Dudley. We even did a little jogging. Yeaaaaaah Los. Get it boy!

The tragedy in life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.~Benjamin Mays

I hope that everyone's week is going well. We are getting ready to get over the hump. Thanks Mrs. Pee for all of the wonderful information that you post. I hope that the new members can join our blog soon and start adding or enjoying the wonderful tips that are available to them. Here is also a nice article from CNN that you can read. Enjoy. http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/diet.fitness/04/16/healthmag.sneaky.tricks/index.html

Feel Good Foods

Sweets and other high-fat foods provide a quick fix for a foul mood. Unfortunately, while their effects don't last, the pounds they pack on do.

According to Cheryl Hartsough, RD, director of Wellness and Health Programs at The Aspen Club in Colorado, the following chart can help you choose the right food to counterbalance your mood.

When you feel depressed, avoid cake, ice cream, and pastries; eat whole grain entrees such as pasta primavera or rice and beans.

When you feel sleepy and lethargic, avoid sweets, pizza, and high-fat foods; eat low-fat, high-protein foods such as broiled or baked fish, veal, poultry, nonfat or low-fat cheese, and egg white omelets.

When you feel tense, anxious, or stressed, avoid chocolate, cake, and ice cream; eat fresh fruit, dried fruit, pasta, whole grain bread, baked potato, rice, and vegetables.

In short, always assess your mood before taking that first bite. If you must binge, make the binge work for you and not against you.

Thought for the week...

Thought for the Week: "If you find yourself putting out great efforts in life without achieving your desired results, it's a sign for you to move on in a different direction." (Author unknown)

Five Stress Relievers:

1 - Unclutter your life.

2 - Be prepared for rain.

3 - Stop saying negative things to yourself.

4 - Buy yourself flowers.

5 - Keep a journal.
*************************************************************************************
Tried & True Low Fat Recipe:

(This recipe is from Patti LaBelle's Lite Cuisine.)

DOWN-HOME PORK CHOPS IN GUILT-FREE GRAVY (Yummy)

4 boneless center-cut loin chops (about 4 oz each)
2 cups chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon seasoning salt, such as Lawry's
1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup fat-free Half and Half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Coat a large skillet with fat-free cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until smoking hot. Add the chops and cook until browned on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and garlic to the skillet. Cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the broth, seasoning salt, and pepper. Return the chops to the skillet. Reduce the heat to low, cover, cook until the juices run clear, 10-12 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the Half and Half. Pour into the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens, 2-3 minutes more. Makes 4 servings.

Per Serving: 180 calories, 22 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 55 mg cholesterol, 1 g dietary fiber, 420 mg sodium.

Diet Exchanges: 3 lean meats, 1 vegetable or 1/2 starch.

This is a meal that many people think that they have to give up just because they are trying to lose weight. If you remove, or minimize, the fat in most recipes, just about any recipe can be tailored to your new lifestyle. Enjoy...because I know we certainly did!
*************************************************************************************
Take one day at a time and enjoy your week.

SUP

Ok so jus wanted to say to every1 I'm so glad I'm a part of this group u guyz have inspired me so much to finaly take bac my health and get in shape and not jus 4 da looks but for me and I'm happy that yall have taken the time out to help and much love to Mrs.P u have done lot 4 us and jus wanted to say thank u. So lets take bac our health LETS GO H.H'S yea.

Meeting Minutes from 7-27-07

Call To Order of Meeting
Friday, July 27, 2007

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM.

Present: Mrs. Pee, Carlos, Quishana and Brandy
Present via telephone: Nicole

Absenses: None

Weekly Progess Reports:

These will begin again next week. We completed final weigh in for session 1. Brandy (that’s me) had the biggest weight loss this time around.

New Business:

We have 5 new members for the 2nd session of the program. Healthy Hopefuls would like to welcome David, Van, Joanie, Carol and Eugene (please forgive me if any of the spellings are incorrect). We look forward to having you part of our team.

• Quishana will remain treasurer and Brandy has been named as secretary.
• Mrs. Pee recorded all members’ current weight so that we can better track each member’s progress. We started collecting membership dues of $8 per person for the 2nd session. This money is due on next Friday, August 3rd. Please turn the money into our treasurer, Quishana. Out-of-towners: you may mail or submit your money to your friends or family members to turn in on your behalf.
• Instead of striving towards 10% of our body weight this 8 weeks, we have decided that our individual goals will be 2 pounds per week.
• We received information from the Trim Body System from Mrs. Pee that had a great 10 minute exercise plan. If any of our out-of-towners are interested, please e-mail me at nblack@triad.rr.com and I will scan and send you a copy of this information.
• Do you have a great low-fat recipe? Have great news? Have a problem? Stressed? Or just want to write or provide information? Share it on the blog.
• This week Carlos’s goal is to find and bring in articles about obesity.
  
  Old Business:
  
• We will continue to add inspirational quotes and stress relievers to the blog.
  Drink at least 8 cups of water a day (total 64 ounces). You should also drink another 8 ounces (1 cup) of water for every 25 pounds that you are over your weight goal. And don’t forget if you are exercising (which you should be) you need to stay hydrated.
• Be sure to continue to keep track of your weight, water and exercise throughout the week. You should also keep a food journal to help you stay accountable for what you eat.
• Choose a free day out of the week that you can take a break and maybe go out to eat or just skip the daily walk.

Again….welcome to our new members. Let’s get this 8 weeks started off right. Have a wonderful week!

Here we go again!

The site has been updated to Healthy Hopefuls 2 to represent the 2nd session (8 weeks) of our journey to a healthier life. There is a new look for the blog. Senior members: if you prefer the previous background or want to try another look, just let me know.

5 Ways to Relieve Stress and a Motivational Message from Mrs. Pee

Motivational message: "Ninety-nine percent of failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses." (George W. Carver)

Five Stress Reducers:

1 - Smile. Smiling will give you a deep sense of ease, calm, and peace.

2 - Carry the serenity prayer with you (or memorize it). "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

3 - Remember, you WILL make mistakes. They're called lessons. And you learn from lessons, yes?

4 - Go somewhere else for lunch. Try this once or twice a week, especially now that the weather is nicer.

5 - Read. Reading is a great way to escape, educate yourself, and expand your horizon for personal and professional growth. If your life is hectic, this is a great way to relieve stress.

As promised.....

As promised, I found a couple of places in Greensboro that does the ion cleansing (like Cole had with the colorful water). Here are 2 links:

http://www.asuddenlyslenderbody.com/ion_foot_cleanse.htm

http://yellowpages.superpages.com/profile~SRC_google~C_Health+&+Medicine~LID_t1n9XyyUI5GJWqzXH%2Fs%2FEA%3D%3D.htm (this place may accept insurance to cover)

If and when I find others, I will post them. I know that there are more than two places in Greensboro that do different types of body cleansing. I hope everybody is pumped for their last week. We did great as a team.

"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live". ~ Jim Rohn

Last Week

Good morning everyone! With this being the last week in the first round of Healthy Hopefuls, I am hoping that it is a good week for everybody. My weekend was not the best, but I woke up this morning ready to put my best foot forward. I hope you all have a good week. I will see you on Friday, come prepared to weigh in and take pictures.

Guess What I Did . . . .

I WALKED!!!!! David and I went to the W & OD Trail down the street from our apartment and walked. I'm not sure how long we walked, but I was sweating a lot when we finished. David got me to jog for a few minutes, but that nearly KILLED me. I now realize that you really do have to take baby steps! He wanted me to jog again, but I told him no because my body isn't quite ready for that just yet. I kept walking and my body was telling me that that's where I need to start at. I'll make my way up to jogging in a few months (hopefully). I felt good. I had time to think about any and everything that crossed my mind. I thought a lot about "cleansing" myself and decided that I'm going to give exercise more of an effort and more attention. Also, in my "cleansing" process, I've decided to stop getting relaxers and go natural. Why just get my body back in shape? I can get my hair back into shape while working on my body, too! I'm really excited! I'll be walking on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. What's my new motivation, you ask? Well, while on vacation, my mom and my aunts told me something that I'd never heard before and never really thought about: I needs to be in really good shape when I start having kids! I want kids (3 to be exact) and I don't want to put them or myself in any type of harm because I didn't take care of myself. LOOK OUT WORLD! I'M A WOMAN ON A MISSION! :) Additional motivation: my family reunion in 2009. It's going to be in Florida and I don't want to go to Florida looking the way I do now! I want to be slim, fit, and HOT, HOT, HOT!!! :)

"You get whatever you settle for" Author Unknown

Hello all.....I've been so busy and stressed this week so....how do I deal with it????:

1. Listen to music.
2. Take a walk.
3. Talk with friends.
4. Read my book.
5. Honestly....snack. I've been getting healthier snacks so I think that I'll be okay with this. I got some sugar free, no fat popsicles, fudge pops and creamsicles. Yum, yum.

Also, check out this walk plan I found on CNN. It's the beginner plan and I may start something like it after finals are over. It gives a daily plan each week for about 5 weeks.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/healthy.bodies/interactive/summer.walking.plan/content.1.1.html

CNN's material is listed under Fit Nation. They have some interesting stories and tools under there if you want to check it out, go to http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/fit.nation/.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful week. I'll see (or talk to) everyone tomorrow. :-)

Nicole's Motivational Quote and 5 Ways to Reduce Stress

Motivational Quote:
"In eating, a third of the stomach should be filled with food, a third with drink and the rest left empty." -Talmud

5 Ways To Reduce Stress:
1) Prepare for the morning the night before
2) Don't rely on your memory...write it down
3) Avoid negative people
4) Smile
5) Maintain your weight
(From: T & S 101 Ways to Reduce Stress)

5 Ways to Reduce Stress (from 52 Proven Ways to Reduce Stress)

1. Focus on understanding rather than on being understood; on loving rather than on being loved.

2. Do something that will improve your appearance. Looking better can help you feel better.

3. Every day, do something you really enjoy.

4. Get enough sleep. If necessary, use an alarm clock to remind you to go to bed.

5. Make friends with non-worriers. Nothing can get you into the habit of worrying faster than associating with chronic worrywarts.

Inspiration for the Week from Mrs. Pee

"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS BEING THIN FEELS." (Author unknown)

Mr. Pee and I just just got back from seeing Nicole and David. All is well in the Lee Household. We didn't walk, as I had planned, because I forgot my shoes. (I think Nicole was glad.) Tomorrow starts a new week. I have a new exercise plan to share with the group that requires only 10 minutes per day, 6 times a week. (This is from Nicole. I think she's being holding out on us.) Take each day, one day at a time. Don't make excuses, make plans. Being overweight is fastly becoming a major health crisis in the U.S. and we don't want to be a part of the crisis. Do we? See you on Friday.

Happy Birthday Quishana!!!!

"It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up".~Vince Lombardi

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 7/13/07.

Present: Mrs. Pee, Nicole (via telephone) and Brandy.

Absent: Carlos (he doesn't feel well) and Quishana (didn't you see the title...she's getting old).

WEEKLY PROGESS REPORTS:

Water Weight Lost Exercise
Nicole 8 cups 5 days- will report weight loss/gain later- 1x
Mrs. Pee 10 cups everyday- Loss 1#- 2x
Brandy at least 8 cups everyday- Lost about 3 over the past two weeks (I have to find my notebook)- 5x

OLD BUSINESS:

Dues are due.
Brandy paid remaining dues of $5

We are going to continue with our inspirational quotes. I think that they are great and are serving their purpose well (to inspirate).

Final weigh in will be on Friday, 7/27/07 (that's right....two more weeks). New members can join on this date. Remember that we will be taking our updated pictures on this date. Try to wear the same outfit from the first picture if possible.

Calculate percentage lost: Number of pounds lost / beginning weight = percentage lost.

Continue to drink your water and exercise everyday.

Follow a healthy meal plan. NO FAST FOODS. NO FRIED FOODS.

NEW BUSINESS:

Tell us what you do to relieve stress (PG-13 please). Try to list about 5 different things. examples: cleaning, exercising, music......this will help us share our ideas to others.

Later and everybody have a great week.

Ay Brandy

Nicole's Motivational Thought

"My advice is to go into something and stay with it until you like it. You can't like it until you obtain expertise in that work. And once you are an expert, it's a pleasure." -Milton Garland

Good morning everyone. I did it again. I walked outside for 30 minutes this morning. Imagine that. Hopefully I can continue the pace throughout this week. Pray for me.

Time is getting short before the biggest loser is awarded his or her prize. I wouldn't mind winning. 8-) 8-) 8-)

I'm Back!!!

"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can" Unknown Author

Hope that everyone is doing great. I just got back in town today, but I will be at the next meeting. I didn't get to weigh in on Friday because there was no scale where I was. I'll probably just wait and weigh this upcoming Friday. On vacation, water intake was up and down depending on the day and what was going on. I tried to get in at least my 64 ounces. Eating was all over the place. I didn't over eat or eat anything extremely bad, but I didn't eat as much as I needed to throughout the day. Exercise should be great because we walked all over the place. Had fun. Hope to see you soon.

Motivational thought for the week from Mrs. Pee:

We are stronger when we stand together. We conquer by continuing. (Author unknown)

I did it!!! I did it!!! I just completed a 30 minute walk outside. It wasn't hard once I got started. I told myself, before I went to bed last night, that I was going to walk first thing this a.m. I did it!!! I did it!!! Now, let's see how the rest of the week progresses. Happy exercising to one and all...8-)

"We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons" Jim Rohn

The meeting was called to order at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 7/6/07.

Present: Quishana, Mrs. Pee, and Nicole (telephonically)

Absent: Carlos and Brandy

WEEKLY PROGESS REPORTS:

Water Weight Lost Exercise
Nicole 8 cups everyday 1# None
Mrs. Pee 10 cups everyday Gained 3# None
Quishana 7.5 cups everyday Gained 3# 4 times

OLD BUSINESS:

Dues are due.

Be sure to post fat facts to blogspot.

Final weigh in will be on Friday, 7/27/07. New members can join on this date.

Calculate percentage lost: Number of pounds lost / beginning weight = percentage lost.

Continue to drink your water and exercise everyday.

Follow a healthy meal plan. NO FAST FOODS. NO FRIED FOODS.

NEW BUSINESS:

Each member needs to post a motivating message on the blogspot this week.

Respectfully submitted,

Mrs. Pee

Hello from Texas

I hope that everyone is doing great this week. I could be eating a little better, but I am still doing at least 64 ounces of water a day. We have been walking a lot. Yesterday, we walked all around downtown Houston. We walked forever trying to find a good place to see the fireworks. I didn't count minutes because at times we were idle like at dinner and taking pictures, but it was nice. I know I'm missing my 2nd meeting and hope to see everyone when I return. Talk to everyone later. B

Mrs. Pee's Fat Facts continued---

Monounsaturated fatty acids appear to reduce blood levels of LDLs without affecting HDLs in any way. The NCEP recommend that intake of monounsaturated fats be kept between 10% and 15% of total caloric intake.

Trans-fatty acids or trans fats occur when polyunsaturated oils are altered through hydrogenation, a process used to harden liquid vegetable oils into solid foods like margarine and shortening. One recent study found that trans-monounsaturated fatty acids raise LDL cholesterol levels, behaving much like saturated fats (think fast food).

For now, it is clear that if your goal is to lower cholesterol, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are more desirable than saturated fats or products with trans-fatty acids. Your total calories from fat should not constitute more than 20% to 25% of daily calories.

This may seem overwhelming but it should make you wonder what kind of fat am I eating?

Mrs. Pee's Fat Facts

Source: Prescription for Nutritional Healing

Although much attention has been focused on the need to reduce dietary fat, the body does need fat. Fat is needed during infancy and childhood for normal brain development. Throughout life, fat is essential to provide energy and support growth. Fat is, in fact the most concentrated source of energy available to the body. After about 2 years of age, the body requires only small amounts of fat. Excessive fat intake is a major causative factor in obesity, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and colon cancer, and has been linked to a number of other disorders as well. To understand how fat intake is related to these health problems, it is necessary to understand the different types of fats available and the ways in which these fats act within the body.

Fats are composed of building blocks called fatty acids. There are 3 major categories of fatty acids---saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated. These classifications are based on the number of hydrogen atoms in the chemical structure of a given molecule of fatty acid. (Is this too much chemistry for you?)

Saturated fatty acids are found primarily in animal products, includijng dairy items, such as whole milk, cream, and cheese, and fatty meats like beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ham. The fat marbling you can see in beef and pork is composed of saturated fat. Some vegetable products--including coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and vegetable shortening---are also high in saturates.

The liver uses saturated fats to manufacture cholesterol. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) recommend that the daily intake of saturated fats be kept below 10% of total caloric intake. However, for people who have severe problems with high blood choolesterol, even that level may be too high.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in greatest abundance in corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower oils. Certain fish oils are also high in polyunsaturates . Polyunsaturates may actually lower your total blood cholesterol level. In doing so, however, large amounts of polyunsaturates also have a tendency to reduce your HDLs---your good cholesterol. For this reason, the NCEP state that an individual's intake of polyunsaturated fats should not exceed 10% of total caloric intake.

Monounsaturated fatty acids are found mostly in vegetables and nut oils such as olive, peanut, and canola.

Sorry I missed the meeting....

I've been so tired this week and just felt drained today. As some may already know, I won't be there next meeting either. I'm starting my vacation next week and going to Houston, Texas. I will pay the rest of my dues when I return.

This week I have been doing my 6- 16.9 ounce bottles of water everyday. I have excercised everyday for at least 25 minutes. I didn't loose any weight this week. The only thing that I can thing of that is preventing me from losing weight is the lack of sleep. On an average work day, I get up at around 7:15 AM and get Kayleigh and I ready. I drop her off and then head to class at 9:30. When I leave class, I go straight to the YMCA and work at between 25-35 minutes before I have to get changed to be at work at 12 PM. Get off work at 9 PM. I pick up Kayleigh and by the time I get home it's usually about 10 PM. I get her settled and hopefully to bed and then prepare lunch (on most days), get clothes ready for the next day and then start on some homework. On average, I get to bed at around 1-2 AM (some times later than that). I can't really think of any other reason why I'm not as sucessful as I hoped right now.

Here are my Fat Facts....

The Basics
Every day in grocery stores across America, people read the nutrition labels on foods looking for fat content. There are very good reasons for zeroing in on this important number. Eating too much fat contributes to widening waistlines, because our bodies store the extra calories we consume for future famines (which most likely never occur). High fat diets are also associated with increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer, especially breast and prostate cancer.

Presently, fat accounts for between 35 percent and 40 percent of many American's total calories. That's really too high. Dropping fat calories to 20 percent to 30 percent of our total calories helps shed excess pounds and lowers blood cholesterol levels..

Watching the Fat
Look for the actual grams of fat per serving on the Nutrition Facts labels on packaged foods. Grocery stores are encouraged to post nutrition information for the fresh meat and poultry near the meat cases. Always compare the portion size listed on the Nutrition Facts label with the amount you usually eat.

Ignore the percentages and the calories from fat for a specific food. Your goal is to keep your total fat intake for the whole day within your healthy fat intake.

Counting the fat in foods you buy in restaurants is tricky. Most fast-food chains publish the nutritional value of their foods in brochures that are free for the asking. When nutrition information is not available, use several "fat-skimming" strategies:

Order small portions or share a meal with a friend
Take half of anything you order home and use it later for another meal
Ask for salad dressings, sour cream, butter and margarine on the side. Rather than pouring your dressing over a salad, dip the tines of your fork into the dressing and then spear a bite of salad.

Fat-Free Facts
You might think that eating fat-free foods is an easy way to guarantee good health. This simple solution has several drawbacks.

Fat-free does not mean calorie-free. Too many calories from sugars and starches add extra weight, too. See our related article on estimating daily calorie needs.
Most fat-free and reduced-fat foods contain more sodium than their regular versions. Extra salt makes up for the flavor loss when manufacturers cut the fat. If you're cutting fat to help your blood pressure, beware!
We need some fat to help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K for our bodies to make important hormones. Rigidly eating only fat-free foods means missing the benefits that whole grains and small amounts of vegetable oils offer.

Minutes from 6/29/07 Meeting

The meeting was called to order around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, June 29, 2007.

Present: Quishana and Mrs. Pee

Absent: Carlos, Brandy, Nicole, Mr. Pee

Progress Reports:

Carlos reported drinking 2 bottles of water this week, no exercise, no measured weight loss this week.

Mrs. Pee reported drinking 8-10 cups of water everyday, no exercise, and a 2 pound weight loss this week.

Quishana reported drinking 8 cups of water everyday, no exercise, and a 4 pound weight loss this week.

Treasurer's Report: Please get caught up on your dues. In the future, dues will be collected in advance for the entire 8 weeks. Hopefully, this will keep everyone motivated.

Old Business: Bring fat facts to next meeting on Friday, July 6, 2007. If you have an opportunity, include your fat facts on our blogspot.

New Business: EXERCISE...EXERCISE...EXERCISE...EXERCISE...EXERCISE

What commitment are you willing to make in order to get your exercise done daily? Quishana commits to doing 20 minutes of exercise everyday (somehow). Mrs. Pee commits to exercise first thing in the morning before doing anything else. (This means getting up at 4 a.m. on the days that she works.) Please list your commitment on the blogspot.

Respectfully submitted,

Mrs. Pee

Thanks for the update....

I hope that all of you are having fun in Cali. It's kinda of hard to keep up with a plan when you're traveling because your schedule changes and plus you are on vacation. Yall continue to have fun and do the best you can. You both are doing great. We all are. Later.

From The Out-Of-Towners

Hey guys! Mom wanted me to drop in and let you know that she didn't exercise last week, but she drank 11 cups of water a day and she lost 2 lbs.! So far this week she's been eating correctly, trying to drink her water and has done very little exercise. I haven't exercised at all, but I am trying to get my water in. I haven't had 64 oz. since I've been here, but I drink at least 4 cups a day. Just giving an update on us folks across the country. Talk to you all soon! :)

Mrs. Pee & Nicole

HMMMMMMMMMMM

Sup every 1 hoe all is well wit da group and u out of towners hope yall keepin up wit everything but jus wanted to say that I'm glad we r trying to take control of our bdies and finaly do things the rite way. Thanks to Mrs.Pee 4 starting this group and everybody thats in it I do app all of yall so lets continue do our best. I'll se yall soon bye.

Too much water...

Today I upped my water by 1 bottle. That's a total of 6- 16.9 ounce bottles of water. That's over 12 1/2 cups of water. Gotta go...gotta pee. :-) LOL

Have fun traveling folk!!

I know that some will be going out of town soon. Have a safe trip and remember to still drink your water and walk (which shouldn't be hard since you are not going to be at work and all and probably visiting places). I'll be going on my trip to Texas soon (hopefully). I plan on having Jordan or Amber drop me off at the YMCA each day for about 30minutes to an hour. It may not happen that way because plans have already been made to go to the beach, aquarium and out to 4th of July festivities (there should be plenty of walking....I'm sure). The summer time is so much fun. Everyone enjoy the sunny weather.

Thank you...

I truly appreciate the group. Thanks for being a part of it. If we lean on each other for support, we can do this. Don't look at the big picture, just focus on one day at a time, and 10% of your total goal at a time. Baby steps are much easier to take than giant steps. Be kind to yourself. Love yourself. And don't cheat yourselves out of anything. LOL

Go Hopefuls!

The group lost a total of 7 pounds this week. That's wonderful. Maybe next week's lost will be even bigger. WTG!!

The MINS

Call To Order of Meeting

Friday,June 08,2007

Meeting started at 7:30 PM

• Talked about exercise for everyone for the week and water.
• Nicole=2inhalf pounds,water=64 ounces,exercise=Mon,tues,friday
• Brandy=2inhalf pounds,water=64ounces,exercise=everyday except day
• Carlos=3 pounds,water=4 ounces,exercise=all week
• T=3 pounds,water=10 cups,exercise=all week
• Q=not sure sorry
• Gave nutrional facts from different food places
• Each person was giving a fast food place to give nutrional facts about that place
• Cole=Wendy's
• Brandy=McDonald's
• T=Chick-Fil-A
• Los=Burger King
• Gave meal plans to every1 to follow

gave the site for the blog which is Healthy hopefuls.blogspot.com

Sup yall i'm finally here this week has been pure hell 4 me they cut me from job and the grand opeing was terrible so this week yes i have been cheatin I'm so sorry I'll get bac on track jus neede this week

Not Doing So Hot :(

Hey everyone. This has been a bad week for me. I haven't done well with the exercise. I've done okay with drinking water. The only days this week that I didn't get my 64 in was yesterday and today (so far). I'm going to get back on track! I really want to lose 80 - 85 pounds by next summer (end of August and I'd only have to lose 7 lbs a month to reach that goal - easier said then done!). I'm doing my best, but that doesn't seem good enough! Just wanted to give an update. Sorry I haven't gotten my pictures posted up yet either. I'll get those up TONIGHT! I'll talk to you guys tomorrow.

Next Meeting

Our next meeting is almost here. I think that I've done really well this week. Other than the lack of sleep (which is inevitable right now), I have done good with my water and exercise. I have managed to average 10.5 cups the entire week. Yeeeeaaaaa! See everybody tomorrow and I will meet with Carlos to get him setup on here.

11 is starting to be my favorite number...

I did it again...11 cups down. It's getting easier with each day. I'm glad I don't have to go any higher. Remember 8 cups every day for normal body function, and then an additional cup for every 25 pounds you're overweight. Before long, I'll be able to go down to 10 cups a day if my weight loss continues downward.

I hope everyone is enjoying his or her week. Don't stress about losing weight, just do the things that you know will get you there.

See you on Friday.

You beat me!

I did my 10 1/2 cups again yesterday. I'm going to try and top your 11.

11 cups down...

I did it! I did it! 11 cups of water today. How did you do?

5 cups so far today..

It's not even noon yet and I've already had 5 cups of water. Can anybody top that? Um...water does your body good!

Oooooooo.....pictures!!!

Yeaaaaa......we got the pictures up. WTG Mrs. Pee. Nicole will be uploading her week one pictures soon....I think. I wanted to report that I drunk 5 bottles (16.9 oz) of water today. That equivalent to 84.5 ounces....AkA. 10 1/2 cups of water. I'm on your trail Mrs. Pee.

Pictures from June 1st meeting for Quishana and Mrs. Pee

Pictures from June 1st meeting for Brandy and Carlos

Bad Start

I can probably do the 9 cups of water tomorrow. Today was not a good day for nothing. I was sleep and medicated most of the day and I didn't feel like getting up. I drunk some water to get my pills down, but as far as everything else.....I had a salad and I'm trying to figure out what my mom can bring me so that I don't have to try and cook. Even when I'm feeling well...I tend to do better with everything on the days where I have a regular schedule and have to go to work. I'll meet your 9 cup challenge and possibly try to match your 11....that's not a promise (the 11 cup part).

11 cups

I had 11 cups of water today. How did you all do? Remember the challenge is to increase your water intake to 9 cups every day starting today.

Next week's challenge

Had a great meeting tonight. The challenge for next week is to drink 9 cups of water every day, exercise at least 20 minutes every day, and follow a balanced meal plan. Copies of a balanced meal plan are available upon request.

See the article on water to figure out how much you need each day.

Hey everyone, I trying to drink H2O as much as I can. I am getting at least 4-6cups in a day. I wasnt able to work out everyday but so far I worked out 2hrs and 15min of cardio and 1 hr of strengthen. I wanted everyone to know that I have a class function tomorrow night so I will not be able to come to the meeting. I will try to call one of you guys during the meeting. Hope everyone is doing well.

Has anyone seen Carlos

I wonder where Carlos is. Has anyone heard from our secretary? Come out, come out wherever you are.

I'M FINALLY IN!!!

I can't believe how computer-illiterate that I am.

Thanks for the websites. I have a formula for calculating water, intake more precisely for each of us, but I thought it was important that we get our 8 glasses in before we took the next step. Look at water as your friend and not your enemy. If you're feeling bloated, drink two more glasses or eat celery (both should make you pee. tee hee)

So far, I have walked 3 days. Exercise is my biggest challenge right now.

Instead of relying on the scale to show your losses, pick out a pair of pants or a dress that's at least one size too small, and try it on weekly until you can wear it. And then wear it to the meeting so we can all see 8-).

Can't wait to hear everyone's results on Friday. Don't forget your diaries. Don't forget your dues.

Ready to Weigh

Hi guys! I just wanted to quickly share this website that I found talking about the importance of drinking water. It is at http://www.inch-aweigh.com/water.html. I will bring this up at the meeting, but based on this site and other sites (including an article on CNN.com from the Mayo Clinic- http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/NU/00283.html) we need to drink more than 64 ounces of water because we are overweight and even more when we exercise. Hopefully, we can discuss this a little more. I'm happy that I am drinking 64 ounces now, but if I drink anymore.....I don't know. The interesting thing is that our water intake is based 80% on all drinks and 20% on food (which I don't really understand how that actually works or is calculated). Any who.....hope all is well with everyone and "Ay bay bay."

I DID IT!

Brandy inspired me! I was able to down 64 ounces of water today! Thanks, B. It wasn't as difficult as I thougt it would be, but I feel EXTREMELY bloated! :) I haven't had to use the restroom yet either, so maybe that's a good sign. I plan on doing it again tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Have a good week!

I hope that everyone has a very successful week. Things have been going good for me(I think). This past Sunday I drunk my 1st 64 ounces of water (finally). I actually drunk 67.6 ounces. That was a lot, but it is doable. I think that everyone will do great and hope that you are walking or doing some form of exercise. It really does help. It may be hard at first if you are not used to it, but you have to give your body time to adjust. We are going to hit our goal. 4 more days until we weigh in. Be ready to share your progress.

Thought of the day: I sure hope that Carlos has eaten food in the past 24 hours. LOL.

From The Out-Of-Towner

Hey peeps! I just wanted to drop in and say a little something to add to our blog site. I'm really glad that everyone is participating in this weight loss group. I know with every one's encouragement and support we will all be a lot healthier by the end of July. I know I will need a lot of support! In addition to your suport, David is being great and helping me also. I'm truly sincere when I say I want to lose weight! And I really want all of you to succeed as well! Let's keep the goal in sight and we'll all do GREAT!

Nicole - A Healthy Hopeful

The Healthy Hopefuls Blog

Our blog has finally been set up. You can post anything that you want on here. You can post questions and concerns, how your exercising is going, or even how your day is. If you're stressed out and need to vent, go for it. If you have some good news and want to share it, we're all ears. Let's continue striving for our session 1 goal of 10% that we are hoping to complete by July 27th. Let's Get Healthy!

P.S. Don't forget that our "before" pictures will be added to the blog soon so that we can gradually see our progress through pictures. Whenever we take pictures, it may be a good idea to wear the same or similar outfit so we can truly see that changes that are happening.

If you have any questions about this blog or how to do something, just ask Brandy or Nicole.