The Biggest Loser: The Workout Video

When I first started to make exercise an integral part of my lifestyle, I had trouble finding something that didn't drive me absolutely crazy. You have to agree, walking on a treadmill several times a week gets really old, really fast. While Richard Simmons is an exercise icon and helped me out many moons ago, I just can't hear or watch another Sweating to the Oldies video. Trying to find modern exercise tapes was also discouraging. I am sorry, but I am a conservative, 42 year old woman and I don't do Latin dance moves or worse yet, Hip Hop very well. Sure, they look so cute on the screen but that doesn't come naturally to me. I just wanted something like the old Richard Simmons tapes. Not disco dancing and funky music, but REAL people, doing REAL exercises.

About that time I got into a conversation on exercise and weight loss with some ladies at church. One of them was doing and exercise video form the Biggest Loser. She was currently watching the show for the first time and they were sharing a bit about it with me. Having never seen an episode, I was certainly willing to give it a try. I went home and added the Biggest Loser: The Workout to my Netflix Que and waited for it to arrive.

From the first time I put it in I was really glad I did. There on the screen were real people doing sensible exercises and each one of them had a weight loss to show for it. These are exercises anyone can do! After the first day my husband even started doing them with me. That was a big clue there that this was not some dorky exercise video. If he can tolerate it, anyone can! It wasn't long before I purchased my own copy of the video. I am now also a fan of the show The Biggest Loser as it inspires me to see how much work these people put in to shed those pounds.

This particular video - Biggest Loser: The Workout has 4 different routines as well as a warm up and cool down segment that I do each time I workout. I started with the Low Intensity and did that for quite some time before attempting any others. The next one I tried was Tone and Sculpt, then on to High Intensity and then finally, I braved the Boot Camp workout. Now I change it up depending on my mood, the time and how much or what type of exercise I want to do. This is a great workout video that I highly recommend. I will be trying some of their other videos soon.

Below is an excerpt to show you what it's like. This is not an endorsement for the place that is advertising it as I know nothing about them. I got mine for just under $9 from Walmart.com but the NBC Store currently has it on sale for $8.11.

Delightful Bread

When dieting you quickly find that every calorie you eat counts. That is why when I make a sandwich I use diet bread. It used to be that I would eat a low calorie bread but I would not enjoy it very much. Of course that made it hard for me to even want a sandwich. Then about a year or so ago I found this newer diet bread by Sara Lee called 45 Calories & Delightful. It comes in 4 different flavors, White, Wheat, Whole Wheat and Multi Grain. They are all really good and flavorful but my favorite is the Wheat. At 45 calories a slice, compared to regular bread which is about 80 calories a slice, you save 70 calories on every sandwich you eat!

Now I can enjoy more sandwiches, afford to have toast with my eggs or even have a slice of toast and sugar free jelly for a snack that's only 55 calories! Finding these simple ways to cut calories can make a huge difference in dieting. If you eat a sandwich every day at work for lunch you just cut out 350 calories in one week just by changing the bread you eat! And this bread, unlike other diet breads, makes you not notice it so much!

Sonic Treat: Lo-Cal Diet Cherry Limeade

Last night we were bored and tired of being indoors. My husband recommended taking our daughter to Sonic for a late night treat but knowing how I had to watch my calorie intake he wondered if I was alright with that. I said no problem, I will just get a diet soda. Well, when I got there I saw on their menu that they offered a Lo-Cal Diet Cherry Limeade so I thought I would try it. It was really great! I was anxious to see how many calories I had when I got home and at first I was really upset. It appeared that it was 350 calories. I was like, what?? Well, it turns out that the first number on the Sonic Nutritional Guide is the weight of the product. I was much relieved to find that there were only 10 calories in my yummy Lo-Cal Diet Cherry Limeade drink! So if you have a hankering to just go have a treat, Sonic offers an alternative...at least for now. I read that it may be a limited time only offer so go give it a try and let them know we like it. Maybe then it will become something we can enjoy anytime!

Breakfast: Weight Control Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a yummy way to start the day, especially in these cold winter months. A few months ago I tried this Weight Control Oatmeal by Quaker. I found it to be very delicious and also filling. Protein and fiber are essential ingredients for a healthy diet which also help you to feel full longer. Each serving of Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal is 160 calories and has 7g of protein and 6g of fiber which is about twice as much as you get in the average bowl of oatmeal. That makes for a very filling and satisfying breakfast.
I also think they are very delicious. In the variety pack you get Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Banana Bread. Banana Bread is my favorite, but I really like them all. Personally I tend to eat these more in the evening then in the morning (I do break the rule of eating breakfast most of the time). I find this to be a great bedtime snack. It's warm, sweet, tasty and filling which allows me to rest without waking up hungry first thing in the morning.

Dinner: Smoked Turkey Sausage

Last night for dinner we had sausage and sauerkraut with a side of green beans. Of course you all know that sausage is fatty and high in calories. Well, awhile back I found Butterball Smoked Turkey Sausage at our local grocery and tried it. I found it very delicious and now I use it all the time. Anytime you want Smoked Sausage try using a turkey variety instead (any brand should do, just check the nutrition label to be sure).

The ButterBall Smoked Turkey Sausage was 100 calories for every 2 oz. serving. There were only 6 grams of fat per serving as well. The sausage my husband ate was 190 calories per 2 oz. serving with a whopping 16 grams of fat. This is an excellent way to make your calories count! You get twice as much meat and protein with a lot less fat. Add to that the sauerkraut which is only 5 calories per serving and you have nice, low calorie, low fat dinner. Not only that but it's an easy to prepare meal on those days when you are rushed and don't have a lot time.

TOPS - Take Off Pounds Sensibly

TOPS Club Inc. is a nonprofit, noncommercial, weight-loss support organization with chapters all across the country. I am currently the president of our local chapter and have found it provides an inexpensive and helpful tool for keeping me accountable in my weight loss journey. I have been a member of TOPS for 2 years now. Our chapter is small, but sufficient to meet our needs.

There is a yearly registration fee of $26.00 to join TOPS and after that you only have to pay whatever amount of dues your chapter determines. Ours is only .50 per week. If you are looking for an inexpensive way to get some support and accountability, TOPS just may be the place for you.

Each week we have a weigh in followed by a 30 minute meeting that offers various tips and advice on weight loss and general healthy living. They do have an exchange system diet plan that you can use, but they do not teach you how to work it like other clubs do. They give you the tools to use, but you are free to use the plan that works best for you. I count calories and find that works really well for me so I do not use the TOPS exchange system. They do, however, encourage you to use a plan that is healthy and will lead to long term success rather than implementing some diet fad that is not workable for the long term.

They also provide you with opportunities to meet other TOPS members in your area as well as on a state and national level. With conventions and workshops throughout the year, there are plenty of opportunities to motivate yourself and others within the TOPS club. It's not the type of club that will hold your hand in every decision you make, but they will help you learn how to make good choices on your own and provide you with the tools and support you need to meet your weight loss goals.

Those who reach their goal weight become KOPS and are welcome to remain in the club to help them maintain their weight as well as encourage others to do the same. It is my goal to become a KOP this year. I am only about 17 pounds away! To find out more or to find a TOPS Club near you visit their website at www.tops.org.

TOPS Benefits

Inexpensive - Weekly accountability that won't break your bank
Flexibility - Your ability to choose the plan that works best for you
Support - A place to find support and encouragement
Rewards - You are rewarded for goals throughout your weight loss journey, not just at the end

Applebee's has meals for under 550 calories!

We had a special day this afternoon. My husband took the day off and we went out of town, did some shopping and got to eat out at a decent restaurant. (I live in a really small town so I get excited when I get to go somewhere different!) Today we ate at Applebee's. I had not been in an Applebee's in over 5 years and I was really looking forward to it, especially after learning that they now had menu items that are under 550 calories a piece!

I only have 1400 calories to spend in a day, so usually my lunch and dinner do not consist of more than 500 calories. That makes eating out almost impossible! But with the new 550 calorie menu selections at Applebee's, I can enjoy a delicious meal and still stay within my daily limit! They all looked so delicious that I did not know which one to try first, but the new Grilled Dijon Chicken & Portobella's looked like a good place to start.


Well, I certainly was not disappointed and I enjoyed every bite (however I did take off the red peppers as I am not a fan of those) . The onions, mushrooms and cheese on top of the chicken in that Dijon sauce was simply delectable! The potatoes were really flavorful as well and having a side of veggies made it the perfect meal. Nutritious food, reasonable portion sizes and yet I was stuffed and felt like I had something special! (And did I mention it was under $10?) I was a very happy camper indeed!

I think next time I will try the Asiago Peppercorn Steak.


I think I have hubby talked into a date night which will include another trip to Applebee's. I hope they keep these items on their menu. It certainly makes eating out a whole lot easier on those of us who are watching what they eat!