Week Three: The "I WANT MY WHOPPER!" Challenge!
It's Week Three and we're back to focusing on our nutrition! For those of you that have been with us for awhile now, you've probably caught on that the Biggest Loser program presses the importance of eating well-balanced, well-rounded meals. They know it's difficult to cut out your favorite foods, and for that reason in particular, do not advise against doing so! But what about those of us who loooooove ordering that Meat Lover's Pizza, or that General Tso's Chicken, or just indulging in that occasional (err, weekly?) yumminess that is better known as a McDonalds Milkshake.
Probably just reading this is making your stomach go GIMMIE, GIMMIE, GIMMIE! I know mine is! But before you stop reading in order to run up to that fast food joint, think about this - how would that slice of pizza look added to your chin? I mean, really? We ladies always say that eating an unhealthy food might as well be like slapping it straight to our thighs or buttocks, but for those of us who already have some major thighs and such, a little slice of pizza might not make that much difference in our minds - but imagine slapping it to your chin and picture how much fatter your face would appear. Since the face is often the first place weight gain and loss is visible from, that chinese food might just find it's way into becoming another chin. Now who wants that???
So here we are, stuck between a rock and a hard place, right?
Well, here lies our challenge. As soon as you read this, I want you to post what your ABSOLUTE, most FAVORITE bad/junk/crud food is. By the end of the week, I want to see you figure out a way to make yourself that food, but in a healthy way that will still taste great! Nobody wants to eliminate their favorite foods from their diet, and they shouldn't have to! But by taking the time to make it yourself, you can shave a SUPRISING amount of calories from that item. Consider replacing that pepperoni for grilled chicken, that full-fat milk for some skim, that full-fat ice cream for some rainbow sherbet, or that breaded chicken drenched in thick sauce for some grilled meat, lightly covered in a healthier version of sauce.
It's time to get creative again, ladies, and I know you can do it! Let's keep from depriving ourselves from all the yummy foods we've grown to love. I don't want to see any of you women quitting or dropping out because you've had to forego all the things you enjoy, so lets tackle that issue head on before it becomes a barrier to progress! Best of luck.
Recipes are due by Thursday, January 31st, at 11:59 pm EST. Post them to the Biggest Loser Challenge Group for New Ladies forum on the Biggest Loser Club website (sorry, members only!). If you can include the caloric information, that's great. Recipes will be posted here after the challenge is completed. Good luck!
EDIT: WEEK THREE IS NOW COMPLETE. CHECK OUT THE SUBMITTED RECIPES HERE!
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Quote of the Week:
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
-Buddha
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Tip of the Week:
"Don't Dump Those Carbs Just Yet!"
A national fascination with low-carb diets has many Americans eliminating carbohydrates from their eating plans in record "grams." But before you reconstruct your personal nutrition pyramid, there's something you should know.
"There are carbs that are very, very good, and some that are less good, but your brain and body must have some carbohydrates every day," says Heller.
Moreover, because complex carbohydrates (those rich in whole grains and fiber) keep you feeling full longer, they also help you to eat less -- and lose more!
But eliminating this important food group isn't our only carb-related mistake. According to dietician Rachel Brandeis, MS, RD, just as troublesome is the belief that all no-carb or low-carb foods are healthy, or that you can eat them in any amount.
"Much like the low-fat diet craze, where everyone thought that if a meal had no fat, it had no calories, similarly people have come to believe that if it has low carbs you can eat as much as you want and not gain weight," says Brandeis. "And that is simply not true." Eat enough of anything, she says, and you'll gain weight.
The solution: Experts say you should never cut any food group out of your diet -- including carbohydrates. Equally important, says Heller, is to learn which carbohydrates give you the biggest bang for your nutritional buck.
"It's a lot harder to run amuck when you are including carbohydrates like fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains in your diet," says Heller.
Source:
http://www.medicinenet.com/nutrition/page2.htm#mistake2
