Toxics

Great to see the Red team out in full force last night at the lecture! We are making a comeback, and we certainly had the most enthusiasm in the room! Way to go!

So last night's lecture covered a lot of information and there were tons of questions. It was great to see. It seemed like people were looking for some more information so I pulled together a few links for those looking to learn more.

I decided not to get in the artificial sweetners debate because many of the journal articles I read provided a lot of conflicting information. I personally try to stay away from artificial sweetners, but like last night's speaker said I think moderaration is the key. If you try to change all these things at once you would go crazy.

But that said, for those of you looking for more resources here are some links:

Nice overview on VOCs in your Home
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/voc/

A more scientific paper on scented products in your home
http://www.fpinva.org/AWMA2005.htm

Wall Street Journal Article on Microwaving Plastic
http://www.mindfully.org/Plastic/Microwave-Health-Problems.htm

Non toxic cleaning
http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm

Information on Dry Cleaning
http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/ask/wetclean

Team Workout by Moonlight!

We had a great time at the AACC track on Tuesday night. Gail, Nanette, Roger, Ann, Andrea, Susan and Keri ran around the track, did relays, skipping, lunges, hopping, running forwards and backwards and even ladder sprints around the track. We finifhed with stretching and abs in the grass under the moon. I am still feeling my hamstrings a few days later!! Thanks Keri!

Hope you will join us for the next team workout!

Fall Recipe Idea

I love squash in the Fall. Nothing says Fall more to me than pumpkins, apples, acorn and butternut squash.

When I looked at all the recipes I had they contained a TON of brown sugar. No wonder I love them! Here is one that has much less sugar that I tried last night. It was great

2 lbs butternut squash 3/4 inch diced
4 shallots

Cube the squah and quarter the shallots. Put them in a roasting pan or baking sheet with sides. 2 tablespoons oil oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped Rosemary

Mix altogether and cook at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Stir and cook for an additional 5-15 minutes until they are soft and starting to brown.

Enjoy!

Let's have a great week!

Let's start the week off by thinking to yourself...."WHAT IS MY GOAL THIS WEEK???" Is it to make it to the gym a 4th time this week? Is it to plan out your meals to make sure you start the day off with a great breakfast? Is it to make sure you attend the lecture this week? Whatever your PERSONAL goal is, achieve it!!! Yoga was great last week, those of you that made it really did a great job! However, we barely had half the team there..... We all know that things come up in our day to day lives. Plans change last minute, life HAPPENS! However, if you are someone who has been missing challenges, lectures, not making your 3 workouts, take a step back and think...."Is this really for me?" If it isn't now is the time to let the team continue on and for you to take a step back. Contact either coach if you have any questions, concerns or need help or feedback! A GREAT number of you are seeing results, attending challenges, attending lectures and really using the gym and trying something new.....That is what it is all about. Please don't get discouraged if our team points aren't as high as you would like to see them. That can change. That is also temporary....Are YOU doing all that YOU can? Are YOU seeing results? Are YOU enjoying yourself? A lifestyle change is what lead you to the challenge, are YOU making a lifestyle change???? This Week's Schedule: Tuesday - TEAM WORKOUT; 6:30 pm Workout. Darcy's Human Sport class starts at 6pm if you want to join her. OR you can meet Keri at 6:30 at the trainers station. (if the lights are on, we will head to the track for running drills!!!!) 7:15 - Abs session in the human sport area Wednesday AM and Thursday PM - Lecture "Staying Healthy in a Toxic World" COME ON RED TEAM....WE CAN DO THIS!!!
Have a Great Week!!!

Great Team Workout!

If you missed yesterday's team workout, you missed a good one. We had a great group starting out with some cardio followed by 2 trips around the weight circuit lead by Keri! It was great having someone to check your form, and call you out when you watched the clock! That was followed by abs and stretching with both Keri and Darcy. It was great to have a strong red presence there. Lets have even more next week.

So did you get hooked on Spinning after the last challenge? Join me for Keri's spinning class tonight at 6pm.

Great Abs - Thanks Darcy!

Thanks for the great abs session tonight Darcy! There were only 2 of us there... Come on Red, don't give up now! We need to bring up our score.

Let's meet to work out on Thursday before the lecture. How about trying the circuit at 6:30? (The lecture starts at 7:15.) Hope to see you there!

Team Workout Tonight

Don't forget Team workout with Abs session tonight. Abs at 7:15! You can bet you will feel it afterwards!

7:00 p.m. Spinning Class

Those of us in the 7 p.m. spin class were wondering where everyone was - glad to hear you all were there at 5 p.m.! Keri taught a great class!

If any of you like step aerobics, Becky teaches a great class on Saturday at 9:30. Maybe I'll see some of you there?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Andrea

Great Job!

Nice to see such a great turn out at spinning. Julie gave us a good workout at 5 and I am sure Keri's 7pm class was tough as well. Are you sore today? If not, check out Keri's class next week and give that tension knob another turn! Next challenge be sure to wear your Red Team T-shirt. Let's show the other teams that we are a force to be reckoned with !!

This weekend looks beautiful get outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.

Comment Test

I have added the Comment function...so feel free to talk back.

At the bottom of this post is should say a 0 Comments. If you click on that it will enable you to leave a comment. (Then it will say 1 Comment) This is the easiest way to be heard on the web page. But if you would like to leave a new post, Click Sign In (in the upper right hand corner of the page) and create a Google Account (just need an e-mail address and a password) and then any time you want to write something Sign In and click New Post and type away!

Hope this helps!

Get ready for Spinning!

Thanks Keri for the team abs and stretch last night. It was great. Next week lets double the number of people who are there!

Don't forget the spinning challenge tomorrow night at 5pm or 7pm. Be sure to bring water and a small towel and don't forget to eat a little something an hour before. Be ready for some fun tunes and a good workout.

I have had a few requests on how to post on the blog. I will resend the invitation via e-mail. Click on the link in the email and follow the directions to set up a Google account. If you already have a Google or gmail account you just click on the sign in link on the upper right hand corner of this page, and log in. I will also try to enable the comment feature so you can write comments without having to log in.

Glad you are reading! See you tomorrow at Spinning!

Lets have a great week!

Alright Team we are 25% of the way into the challenge. Are you giving 100%? 110%? I know I can work harder. Are you starting to see a difference? Do you have more energy? If so tell us about it! If not feel free to post questions to learn how to make some adjustments to your routine.

See you at the gym!

Barbecued Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

2 cups, 4 handfuls, fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 pounds thin cut chicken breast or chicken tenders
2 tablespoons light colored oil, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil
Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
3 cloves garlic,
chopped 1 inch ginger root, finely chopped or grated,
optional 1 orange, zested
1/2 red bell pepper, diced small
1 small tin, 6 to 8 ounces, sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 scallions, chopped
3 tablespoons hoisin, Chinese barbecue sauce, available on Asian foods aisle of market
1/2 large head iceberg lettuce, core removed, head quartered
Wedges of navel orange -- platter garnish

Remove tough stems from mushrooms and brush with damp towel to clean, Slice mushrooms. Chop chicken into small pieces. Preheat a large skillet or wok to high. Add oil to hot pan. Add chicken to the pan and sear meat by stir frying a minute or 2. Add mushrooms and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to season, then garlic and ginger. Cook a minute more. Grate zest into pan, add bell pepper bits, chopped water chestnuts and scallions. Cook another minute, continuing to stir fry mixture. Add hoisin Chinese barbecue sauce and toss to coat the mixture evenly. Transfer the hot chopped barbecued chicken to serving platter and pile the quartered wedges of crisp iceberg lettuce along side. Add wedged oranges to platter to garnish. To eat, pile spoonfuls into lettuce leaves, wrapping lettuce around fillings and squeeze an orange wedge over.


Do you have a great recipe to share? Post it here!

Are you drinking water?

Great Nutrition lecture last night. A lot of good tips. It was good to see so many of us in the room. I keep trying to remember to drink more water!

Hope you all have a nice weekend and gear up for the spinning challenge next week!

Awesome Job!

I just wanted to say Awesome Job to Steve, Karin and Susan for riding with me tonight and to Rocco for jumping in the 5 pm Spin! You all did GREAT!!! It was a lot of fun. Enjoy the lecture tomorrow night. I will be at a group X meeting at Big Vanilla Pasadena.....

Keep up the great work!
Keri

Free Cooking Light

So I was looking for some heathy recipes and went to www.cookinglight.com If you are intersted they have a 2 month free trail subscription that you can get on their website. That should take you through the end of the Challenge.

Do you have a good recipe to share? Post it here

Who is in for Spinning?

Keri's Spinning class is tonight ( Wednesday) at 6PM. I am going to be there...who wants to join me? I heard some great music coming out of her class last week, but didn't get there on time. Should be fun. Who else is in?

GO RED!

Thanks Susan - what a great idea!

My name is Andrea. I have met some of you already and am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night. I live in Arnold with my husband and two little ones. My son will be 4 in October and my daughter is 2. I work for a marketing firm in Chestertown on the eastern shore. Luckily I work mostly from home.

I have been a member at Big Vanilla for almost a year now, but have managed to stay pretty limited to certain exercise classes instead of taking advantage of all the different things available. I joined the challenge for a number of reasons - to lose weight, try new classes/types of exercise, meet new people. I also want to get fit enough to run a 5K. Anyone interested in joining me?

See you tomorrow night!

Thanks Susan!

Hello Red Team!

This is a great site Susan! I am so excited for everyone to get to communicate this way. Team motivation is the best way to go! Can't wait to see everyone Tuesday night for the Aquatics Challenge. And as always, any Wed you want to meet me in the spin room at 6 pm..COME ON BY!!!

Keri

Welcome to the Team Website

Good Morning. I started a team wedbsite/blog so we have a chance to get to know each other and encourage each other over the next 11 weeks. The more team members I meet the more into the challenge I get, so I figured this would help. Feel free to post a little about yourself, why you are doing the challenge, and your triumphs and questions.

A bit about me. I am 31 and work on environmental issues for boaters. I have scoliosis, which means my back looks like an "S." I am doing the challenge to generally get in shape and lose weight. The better shape I can be in the happier my back will be. My husband and I both sail and recently built kayaks over the winter, so most of my exercise takes place on the water.

Looking forward to getting to know you all.

Susan

Great Abs Workout!

Thanks Darcy and Keri for leading great Abs session on Tuesday night. I can still feel my abs and it is Friday! It was great meeting team members Tuesday and last night at the lecture. I thought for those intersted we could use a blog to get to know each other, share healthy recipes, remind us about upcoming team events and encourage each other.

If you are new to using a blog or posting just send me an email and I can show you how.