Biggest Loser

The Biggest Loser show has been a favorite of mine for its three seasons. Each time a new show starts, I say that I will start with it.....and each time I don't. I watch the show and am so happy for the contestants that work so hard to get the healthy body they want and need. Last time, some contestants did the work at home to compete and there was one contestant named Poppi who inspired me. She lost 117 lbs to become 115 lbs. She did this at home. I kept thinking to myself....at home, at home.....the show isn't what made these people lose weight....it was themselves! She did it at home! I can do it at home and don't need to be on a show.

I joined the Biggest Loser Club online ( www.biggestloserclub.com)
to have a constant inspiration and a place to ask questions and mark my progress. This is what Poppi did....at home. I have a treadmill, ab lounger and bowflex at home so I have absolutely no excuse not to exercise. I have been dusting these objects for years now! I started exercising on Monday and have done 20-25 minutes a day on my treadmill.

Two years ago, when husband discovered his diabetes, we started eating semi-vegetarian and low sugar but now I am portion controlling like I should always have been. My husbands diabetes was immediately controlled through diet. I always said...we eat healthy but never realized too much healthy stuff can be fattening. I have always been 20-30 lbs overweight....even went to Weight Watchers when I was nine to lose 25 lbs....it's not only today's kids that had a weight problem. My weight is no longer just an extra 30 lbs..it is now sadly double that...I don't know how I got here but I am doing something about it now?

Not only do I want to lose weight for my health and vanity but...I am going on a cruise to Alaska in June and I am NOT going to go with all this weight on my body. I am hoping to lose 50lbs (or more) before June and since the Biggest Loser contestants lost something like 15-25 lbs a month - I am hoping I can do it too. I know exercise is a huge part of how they lost it. Poppi said she exercises 2 1/2 hours a day broken into two sessions. If she can do it....why can't I? I also need to add that since I am a non-smoker for over nine months now, I can breathe to do all this exercise. It feels great. If I can stop smoking...I can lose weight. I read in a diet magazine once where a successful dieter wrote....

I didn't lose weight until I stopped smoking and was able to exercise

. That is a thought that has stayed with me.

I will post my progress. Wish me luck. I need to buy a nice dress for the cruise!!!

PS -- The new puppy is doing great with her training. She has had a few accidents in the house but 90% goes outside to do her business. What a smart little puppy!!

Strawberry Picking

Today we went strawberry picking at a new Hydro-Fresh U-Pick Farm. Took my daughter and her friend and although they were mostly running from the fruit flies or bees or complaining about the heat, I think they actually had some fun. It is hard to tell with pre-teens.

The U-Pick place was much different from previous places we have gone where you have to wade through dirt and are constantly bent over. This place had all the plants in these 5ft high turnstyle plant stands - see the picture above. When we arrived, they handed out baskets and scissors and required that we wash our hands before going into the picking area.

Although it was a hot one out today (85 degrees!) hubby and I enjoyed the strawberry picking - it was relaxing. Tomorrow we are going to make strawberry preserves with Splenda. We made preserves a couple of years ago with regular sugar and it was excellent but now that we watch our sugar for diabetes sake, we are going to try to make it with Splenda and are hoping it comes out just as good.