Week 12 Results and FINAL WINNERS!!!

Good job, everyone!! We had a great turn-out and amazing results.


Here are this week's TOP EIGHT:
____________________________

Jacob Cantwell	3.06%
John Bowe	1.80%
Emily Gold	1.30%
Matthew Bowe	0.78%
Heather Bowe	0.76%
Linda Bowe	0.58%
Julia Armstrong	0.53%
Jennifer Bidwell	0.39%

As a group this week, we lost a cumulative 20.1 lbs.


_________________________________________________________________________

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for!!

Drum roll please...

...
...
...
...

The Final Competition Totals are:

Emily Gold	13.15%
Nathan McCoy	12.66%
John Bowe	12.27%
Jennifer Bidwell	11.05%
Jacob Cantwell	10.32%
DeAnn Warring	6.55%
Tiffany Parry	6.24%
Julia Armstrong	6.12%
Taylor Balsmeier	5.88%
Linda Bowe	5.50%
Crystal McFarland	4.35%
Stephanie Thomson	3.94%
Heather McCoy	3.64%
Kara Herold	3.54%
Erick Cantwell	3.12%
Timo Supremo McCoy	1.65%
Matthew Bowe	1.61%
Sheila McFarland	1.10%
Judy Owens	0.31%

Altogether, we have lost 257.1 lbs! THAT'S HUGE!!!! CONGRATS EVERYONE!!!!!


WE DID IT!!!!!

Week 11 Results

Sorry to have taken so long in getting these out.

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

John Bowe	2.45%
Crystal McFarland	1.87%
DeAnn Warring	1.17%
Emily Gold	1.15%
Jacob Cantwell	0.71%
Nathan McCoy	0.43%
Jennifer Bidwell	0.35%
Linda Bowe	0.27%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 9.7 lbs.

Instructions for the final weigh-in will be posted shortly.

“Willpower can produce short-term change, but it creates constant internal stress because you haven’t dealt with the root cause.” ~Rick Warren

Week 10 Results

Do not be discouraged folks. We still have 2 more weeks here. Plenty of time to lose those last few pounds and work your way to the top of the list. 

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

Taylor Balsmeier	3.73%
Nathan McCoy	1.84%
Linda Bowe	1.34%
Emily Gold	1.15%
Jennifer Bidwell	1.13%
Jacob Cantwell	0.76%
DeAnn Warring	0.45%
Heather Bowe	0.45%
John Bowe	0.41%
Julia Armstrong	0.39%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 22 lbs!!! That's the best in a long while!

Nobody bothered with the challenge this week. :-( 

There are still prizes waiting for the following contestants:

Melissa Singleton

Kara Herold

Nate McCoy

With two more weeks left in the competition and prizes piling up from previous weeks, there we be 

no further challenges. 

Do your best with what works for you and Good Luck!

“When the gun fires you must concentrate for every second on the way to that finish line. You should know exactly how long it will take you to and think about every step of the race you are about to run.” ~Maurice Greene 

Week 9 Results

Sorry for the late post this morning. The weekend was CRAAAAAZY with everything that needed to get done. 

Here are this week's TOP... EIGHT: (That's how few people participated this week)
____________________________

Nathan McCoy	1.84%
Melissa Singleton	1.45%
Crystal McFarland	1.42%
Sheila McFarland	1.26%
Jennifer Bidwell	1.04%
John Bowe	0.75%
Jacob Cantwell	0.60%
Heather Bowe	0.34%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 14.5 lbs.

Congratulations to NATE MCCOY for winning the weekly challenge drawing. He will receive a handy dandy pedometer. 

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________________

This week’s challenge is a calorie burner. HIIT training is a great way to burn a lot of fat in very little time. The concept is simple. Raise your heart rate for a full minute and lower it to a walking pace for 30 seconds, then repeat. 

To enter the drawing, you must complete 30 minutes of HIIT training for at least 5 days this week. 

For more on HIIT training, visit www.fitnessblender.com

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” ~Albert Ellis

Week 8 Results

Where is everybody? We had such a low turnout today, I begin to wonder if we are all still playing... We still have a month left in this!!! Don't give up!!!

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

Jennifer Bidwell	2.44%
Linda Bowe	2.41%
Jacob Cantwell	0.98%
Emily Gold	0.96%
Julia Armstrong	0.89%
John Bowe	0.61%
Kara Herold	0.52%
Stephanie Thomson	0.41%
TJ McCoy	0.18%
Tiffany Parry	0.12%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 9.4 lbs.

Congratulations to...somebody for winning the weekly challenge drawing. I apparently left for work without having drawn a name. Look for updates in the comments to this post. Nonetheless, that person will receive a Body Ball from Gold's Gym with an included exercise chart and air pump.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________________

This week’s challenge is a repeat from last week. We had so few people participate, I wanted to do it again. Plus, almost everyone who entered made it in to the TOP TEN. Coincidence? I think not.

To earn an entry in the drawing, you must:

        1) Chronicle your daily food intake in a journal or other application

        2) Drink 8 ounces of water every day

        3) Exercise at least 5 times this week

For those of you who are struggling, participating in the weekly challenge is a fun way to keep yourself going from Saturday to Saturday. Don't give up!

“If you want to succeed in the world must make your own opportunities as you go on. The man who waits for some seventh wave to toss him on dry land will find that the seventh wave is a long time a coming. You can commit no greater folly than to sit by the roadside until some one comes along and invites you to ride with him to wealth or influence.” ~John B. Gough

Week 7 Results

This turned out to be a tough week for most of us. I think we might collectively be hitting a plateau. There are a lot of ways to overcome this. Check out www.thatsfit.com for some great suggestions. 

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

TJ McCoy	1.38%
Emily Gold	0.86%
Linda Bowe	0.80%
Heather Bowe	0.79%
Jacob Cantwell	0.76%
Heather McCoy	0.73%
Matthew Bowe	0.57%
Nathan McCoy	0.39%
John Bowe	0.34%
Crystal McFarland	0.09%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 7.3 lbs.

Congratulations to MELISSA SINGLETON for winning the weekly challenge drawing! You will receive a Gold's Gym long resistance tube with included exercise chart.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________________

This week’s challenge is a combination designed to re-motivate and get you back in the game. 

To earn an entry in the drawing, you must:

        1) Chronicle your daily food intake in a journal or other application

        2) Drink 8 ounces of water every day

        3) Exercise at least 5 times this week

For those of you who are struggling, participating in the weekly challenge is a fun way to keep yourself going from Saturday to Saturday. Don't give up!

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~Mark Victor Hansen

Week 6 Results and Mid-Competition Totals

Good job, everyone!! We had a great turn-out and amazing results.

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

Erick Cantwell	3.12%
Stephanie Thomson	2.65%
Jennifer Bidwell	2.35%
Tiffany Parry	2.24%
Taylor Balsmeier	2.20%
Sheila McFarland	1.57%
Nathan McCoy	1.30%
DeAnn Warring	1.23%
Julia Armstrong	0.89%
Kara Herold	0.86%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 27.5 lbs Almost exactly as much as last week, but more evenly across all participants.

Congratulations to MATTHEW BOWE for winning the weekly challenge drawing! You (or I, I guess...) will receive a box of assorted healthy snacks.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________

This week’s challenge is to eat your veggies... 2½ cups of vegetables every day, which is recommended by the latest dietary guidelines. 
“Eat your fruits and vegetables” is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet. And for good reason. Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.
Read more at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vegetables-full-story/

_________________________________________________________________________

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for!!

Drum roll please...

The Mid-Competition Totals thus far are:

Nathan McCoy	8.60%
Emily Gold	7.20%
Jennifer Bidwell	6.88%
Tiffany Parry	6.35%
John Bowe	6.13%
Stephanie Thomson	5.50%
DeAnn Warring	5.26%
Jacob Cantwell	5.08%
Julia Armstrong	4.44%
Sheila McFarland	3.53%
Crystal McFarland	3.46%
Kara Herold	3.28%
Matthew Bowe	3.22%
Taylor Balsmeier	3.14%
Erick Cantwell	3.12%
Heather McCoy	2.91%
Linda Bowe	1.07%
Melissa Singleton	0.56%
Timo Supremo McCoy	0.37%
Judy Owens	0.31%
Heather Bowe	-1.13%

Altogether, we have lost 178.3 lbs! That's more than many of us weigh! We've lost a whole person! :) Anyway, let this list be a boost of encouragement and motivation to us all. Percentages can be misleading. Some contestants can gain more percentage with less actual weight loss than others, but others may have more water-weight to lose and can do so more quickly. The final prizes of $500, $300, and $150 are still up for any of us to grab. 

Do not forget the $50 prize for attending 10 or more weigh-ins. 

HALF WAY THERE!!!! LET'S DO THIS!!!!!

“The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” ~William James

Week 5 Results

Next week is the half way point. Don't let all the Easter treats slow you down!

It is important that you not miss next week if at all possible. I will be posting the competition totals thus far.

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

Heather Bowe	3.12%
John Bowe	2.39%
Stephanie Thomson	1.71%
Jennifer Bidwell	1.57%
Linda Bowe	1.47%
Sheila McFarland	1.26%
Crystal McFarland	1.24%
Tiffany Parry	1.18%
Emily Gold	0.96%
Nathan McCoy	0.82%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 27.9 lbs!! Nearly twice as much as last week!!!

Congratulations to SHEILA MCFARLAND for winning the weekly challenge drawing! You will receive either a box of assorted healthy snacks or a shiny new $5 bill. Let me know which you'd prefer.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________

This week’s challenge is to drink 8 servings of water every day. Simple as that! If you simply can't stand drinking water, I suggest getting the Crystal Light drink mixes. They're pretty fantastic and will make drinking that much water easier.

We've all been told our whole lives that we should drink 8 glasses of water a day to keep healthy, but what exactly does that mean? Here are 11 ways water helps us maintain our health.

1. Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories.
2. Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although many reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
4. Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
5. Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. That means you’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises. Water also helps to fuel your muscle.
6. Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
7. Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
8. Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. In another words one of the benefits of drinking water is that it can improve your immune system.
9. Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks water, your heart, for instance, needs to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so will you.
10. Good Mood: Your body feels very good and that’s why you feel happy.
11. Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is." -Vince Lombardi

Week 4 Results

We're a third of the way through this! Don't give up! I have to admit, it was a little disheartening to miss out on seeing or hearing from almost half of you today. It's too early to be losing steam. Find some way to involve those in your life with this in order to keep you motivated.

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

Nathan McCoy	2.80%
Emily Gold	1.34%
Jacob Cantwell	1.20%
Sheila McFarland	1.18%
Julia Armstrong	0.99%
Matthew Bowe	0.80%
Kara Herold	0.60%
Heather McCoy	0.58%
Melissa Singleton	0.24%
Linda Bowe	0.13%

As a group, we lost a cumulative 16.2 lbs.

Congratulations to JULIA ARMSTRONG for winning the weekly challenge drawing! You will receive a light WaterPak backpack from L Sports.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________

This week’s challenge is to try a new low-calorie recipe. For a second name in the drawing, share the recipe with the group either here on the blog or on the facebook event page, or bring a copy of it to the weigh-in.

"Any experience can be transformed into something of value. Everything depends on the way you look at things. You cannot have the success without the failures." -Anonymous

Week 3 Results

Already in Week 3, we are starting to see a larger statistical spread of weight loss successes. As a group, we lost less weight overall, but more importantly, that weight was lost by fewer people. If you're not seeing the change you're looking for, take this week to really kick yourself into gear before it becomes to difficult to keep up with the rest of the competition. 

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

John Bowe	1.57%
Stephanie Thomson	1.45%
Heather Bowe	1.36%
Matthew Bowe	1.23%
Emily Gold	1.15%
Sheila McFarland	1.10%
Tiffany Parry	0.94%
Julia Armstrong	0.89%
TJ McCoy	0.73%
Linda Bowe	0.67%

As a group, we lost 22.9 lbs.

Congratulations to STEPHANIE THOMSON for winning the weekly challenge drawing. You will receive either a box of assorted Snackwell's 100-calorie snack packs or a shiny new $5 bill. Let me know which you'd prefer.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________

The challenge this week is to start (or restart) a new or different exercise method. Summer is approaching. Maybe you could start running, swimming, hiking or biking. A new gym membership could allow weight training, cardio workouts, or classes. It doesn't matter what it is, but try out something new.
If you find something you like, tell us about it on facebook or here on the blog!

There'll be a drawing for prizes for everyone who starts a new form of exercise.

HARD WORK PAYS OFF!!!!

Week 2 Results

This week saw some challenges for many of our competitors. Don't dismay, however, we still have 10 weeks left and that's plenty of time to find a routine that works for you.

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

John Bowe	2.73%
Linda Bowe	2.28%
Jennifer Bidwell	2.09%
DeAnn Warring	2.08%
Heather McCoy	1.89%
Jacob Cantwell	1.26%
Emily Gold	1.25%
Kara Herold	0.95%
Tiffany Parry	0.94%
Julia Armstrong	0.89%

As a group, we lost 25.5 lbs.

Remember these numbers are week over week. If you miss a weigh-in, your number carries over to the next week. The trick to winning is finding yourself on this list every single time, even if you're at the bottom. Consistency is key. Slow progress is still progress.

Congratulations to LINDA BOWE for winning the weekly challenge drawing. You will receive a brand new pair of Bone Crusher ear buds by Audiology.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:

___________________________

This week's challenge is to eat breakfast every morning (preferably a healthy one)! We've all heard our whole lives that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that doesn't mean we do it. I personally find this particularly difficult with the schedule I keep, but maintaining a regular eating routine allows your body to cultivate a healthy metabolism which makes weight control a whole lot easier.

There'll be a drawing for prizes for everyone who eats a healthy breakfast every day this week.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

Week 1 Results

What a great start to the competition!! Collectively in one week, we were able to lose 59.3 lbs!
Let's keep it up!

Here are this week's TOP TEN:
____________________________

Taylor Balsmeier	3.33%
Matthew Bowe	2.74%
Nathan McCoy	2.66%
Jacob Cantwell	2.57%
Heather McCoy	2.47%
Emily Gold	1.82%
Jennifer Bidwell	1.74%
Melissa Singleton	1.53%
Crystal McFarland	1.51%
DeAnn Warring	1.49%

Great job to everyone this week. If your name is not on the list, don't worry. We've got 11 more weeks of this thing and a lot can change in that time.

THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE:
___________________________
The focus of this week we'll be to keep an accurate journal of our eating and exercising. I have found a great way to do this is to use a calorie tracker like http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. It's available on Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, and iOS.

There'll be a drawing for everyone who kept a journal everyday for prizes this week.

KEEP IT UP!!!!

It Begins!!!

The Official Kick-Off has ended and I have starting weights and entry fees for more than half of you. It looks like we won't have enough people participating to do two separate competitions, but that's ok! Once I have a final number of applicants, I'll post the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prize amounts.

There's a lot of really exciting stuff in the works for getting and staying in shape, so be sure to follow this blog for weekly posts.

Good Luck!

Spring 2013- Official Rules

The rules of this year's competition are as follows: 

On Saturday, February 23rd, All local participants will meet at the McCoy house (click here for directions) for a casual come and go Kick-Off Party from 9am-11am. At the party we will be taking "Before" pictures and establishing starting weight for everyone in the competition. Non-local participants will send a "Before" picture and a picture of their feet standing on a digital scale displaying their starting weight. This can be done either by email or text message. Both the pictures and the weights will be kept completely confidential.

The entry fee is $50 and can be paid in person or you can send the money via Chase Bank Quick Pay. This money will be saved throughout the duration of the competition and used entirely for prizes to the participants. $50 has proven to be just steep enough to keep most competitors motivated and engaged for 12 weeks. There are plenty of prizes to win, but even if you don't win any money, you'll be skinnier, healthier, happier and hopefully have several new like-minded friends.

Every Saturday morning thereafter for the next 12 weeks, all local participants will meet again at the McCoy residence between 9am and 11am to weigh in. All non-local participants will again send a picture of their feet standing on a digital scale displaying their weight. All results will be calculated against each participant's starting weight producing a percentage of total weight lost week to week. These percentages will ranked and the top ten "Losers" from both local and non-local groups will be posted on this blog each Sunday morning.

Local weigh-ins will NOT be accepted after 11am. Weigh-in pictures will NOT be accepted after 11:59pm MST.

Weekly Challenges
Each week, along with the top ten results, I will issue a challenge for the week. Those who successfully complete the challenge will be allowed to enter their name in a drawing for a small prize. These challenges are usually quite simple and require little to no extra time to complete.

DIET AND EXERCISE ONLY PLEASE. To keep a level playing field for all competitors, use of weight-loss aiding drugs or extreme diets is not permitted.

Prizes
The final weigh-in and Prize Giveaway Party will be held at the McCoy residence from 9am-11am on Saturday, May 18th. Final prize amounts and quantities are TBA and entirely depend on how many people join the competition. In the past, we've been able to have a First Place prize of $500 and a Second Place prize of $350. Third and fourth prizes will be given out in similar fashion until the money is gone. In addition, a $50 participation prize will be drawn from names of competitors who missed no more than 2 weigh-ins. A $25 exercise prize will be drawn from names of competitors who exercised at least five times each week for at least 30 minutes. 

As we go on, I will also inform everyone of exercise groups, cooking get-together's, etc (if anyone is interested). If you have an idea of something you'd like to do with a group, let me know and I will get the word out.

Thank you to everyone that is joining in on this competition and GOOD LUCK!!

Spring 2013 Biggest Loser Entry Form