WEEK EIGHT and Final Results

Debbie Bozung (60)= 488

Janelle Stevens (60)= 488

Pam Collier (60)= 488

Sherrol Danielson (60)= 485

Jennifer Wilson (58)= 485

Cindy Hills (56)= 482

Shauna Hunt (59)= 480

Julie Lowry (58)= 478

Kristine Broadbent (60)= 456

Mandi Bagley (54)= 451

Dannon Barnes (40)= 423



Our Winners are Debbie Bozung, Pam Collier and Janelle Stevens. All three kept perfect scores throughout the whole challenge! They will split the $340 pot and receive $113.33 each for their diligence. Way to go Ladies!!!!

Thank you to everyone that participated in the Healthy Challenge. I hope that everyone feels that they have benefited from participating. I know that it gave me the motivation that I have not had before! :) I found out that I do have will-power when it comes to food. I actually will survive if I do not indulge in every treat that comes my way. I actually will survive if I do not give in to the afternoon sweet cravings or the late night snacking.

Here are some of the comments that I have heard from you:

*It's great that I've developed some good habits, like not eating at night and exercising 6 days a week. That's what I needed.

*Thank you for doing this. It gave me the motivation I couldn't even muster for (my child's) wedding. I am feeling better about myself and can actually fit into some clothes I haven't been able to wear for awhile.

*Last time I weighed I had lost 17 lbs. I never would have done that (although I needed to) with out you doing this.

*I feel like I’ve pretty much got it down, - at least I’m in a good routine. It’s so hard though when things get crazy busy and when you can’t completely control your schedule.

*It’s nice knowing I don’t need/want all that sugar. I love not even wanting or craving it. And I love not loving it. I still think it is going to be “oh so good” – but I am always disappointed and it’s not ever as good as I thought it would be or remembered it being. So, I don’t really even feel like I’m missing out on anything.

* I lost ten pounds. I never lose weight!

*I've definitely got a habit of good exercise and not eating late which is really great for me!

* I am a size smaller, so that's good!

THANK YOU!!! Good luck keeping your healthy habits! Have a GREAT summer!

Jen :)

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Here is another recipe that I thought others might enjoy. :)

I really wanted to grill something new tonight and eat on the back patio. We tried these fajitas and served them with fruit salad, black beans and spanish rice. I loved the combination of lime juice and cilantro. The marinade kept the chicken juicy and flavorful. LOVED the grilled veggies, too!

I would recommend these fajitas and will save this recipe! More delicious leftovers for me. :) YUM! I found the pic and recipe HERE.

WEEK SEVEN

Debbie Bozung (60)= 420

Janelle Stevens (60)= 420

Pam Collier (60)= 420

Jennifer Wilson (60)= 419

Cindy Hills (60)= 418

Sherrol Danielson (60)= 417

Shauna Hunt (60)= 413

Julie Lowry (57)= 412

Mandi Bagley (58)= 397

Kristine Broadbent (58)= 388

Dannon Barnes (37)= 375

Tomatillo Soup--YUM!!!

I made this for dinner tonight...YUM!!!

I got it from the blog Hundred Healthy Dinners. Click on that link and it will take you to her photos and recipe. I followed her recipe except...I used 2 chicken breasts and I left out the second can of chiles and the diced green pepper (because the kids don't like green peppers and I was afraid that the 2nd can of chiles would make it too spicey for them.)

I sliced corn tortillas and baked them (like Debbie suggested with her dip recipe below) to serve on top with a little bit of grated mozzarella cheese and the other toppings the blogger suggested.

It was a hit with the kids. The 20-month-old ate it, the finicky 4-yr-old ate it without the usual tantrum and the 6-yr-old exclaimed, "this is the best dinner ever!"

I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Jen :)

Garlic Lemon Chicken Kabobs

We tried this delicious recipe last night for dinner. We also grilled shrimp and asparagus then served it with spinach salad, fruit and Deb's avacado bean dip (see recipe below). It was easy and I am going to love the leftovers in a salad for lunch! :)

I got it from this blog: annies-eats.com. You can find it here.

Garlic Lemon Chicken Kabobs

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-inch pieces

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and mix to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

Prepare a medium fire in a grill. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before use.

Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and discard the excess marinade. Lightly oil the grill grates. Place the kabobs on the grill, cover, and cook until the chicken is opaque throughout, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice during cooking. Transfer to a warmed platter and serve immediately.

WEEK SIX

Debbie Bozung (60)= 360

Janelle Stevens (60)= 360

Pam Collier (60)= 360

Natalie Card (59)=359

Scott Card (59)= 359

Jennifer Wilson (60)= 359

Cindy Hills (60)= 358

Sherrol Danielson (57)= 357

Julie Lowry (58)= 355

Shauna Hunt (60)= 353

Mandi Bagley (58)= 339

Dannon Barnes (54)= 338

Kristine Broadbent (60)= 330

WEEK FIVE

Here are the results for week five and the totals for the competition so far:

Debbie Bozung (60)= 300

Janelle Stevens (60)= 300

Sherrol Danielson (60)= 300

Pam Collier (60)= 300

Natalie Card (60)=300

Scott Card (60)= 300

Jennifer Wilson (60)= 299

Cindy Hills (59)= 298

Julie Lowry (60)= 297

Shauna Hunt (59)= 293

Dannon Barnes (56)= 284

Mandi Bagley (58)= 281

Kristine Broadbent (60)= 270

Denise Gorrell (??)= 171

Five weeks done, three to go! I hope everyone is doing well! :)

Reporting Points

Just a reminder that all points need to be reported on time to get your full points. Some of you have asked if you can report your points to me early Monday morning because Sunday is not always your free day. Please make sure all points are turned in by 8:00 on Monday morning to get your full points. Anything after that will lose a point as stated in the original rules. :) THANKS!!!

WEEK FOUR

Here are the results for week four and the totals for the competition so far:

Debbie Bozung (60)= 240

Denise Gorrell (??)= 171

Janelle Stevens (60)=240

Julie Lowry (??)=178

Sherrol Danielson (60)= 240

Cindy Hills (60)= 239

Suzanne Wilson ---

Jennifer Wilson (60)= 239

Pam Collier (60)= 240

Kevin Collier (??)= 179

Mandi Bagley (56)= 223

Joan Stringham (??)= 128

Beth Wilson (??)=176

Natalie Card (60)=240

Scott Card (60)=240

Dannon Barnes (58)= 228

Shauna Hunt (60)= 234

Kristine Broadbent (60)= 210

No Cream Creamy Broccoli Soup

1 cup chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
1 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
1 cup chopped onions (about 1 medium)
3 Tbsp. oil (I used 1 Tbs. oil and 2 Tbs. water)
2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth (I use 3 ½ cups of “Chicken Better than Bouillon” from Costco (low sodium paste that you add water to)
1/2 tsp. pepper (I did a little less)
4-1/2 cups broccoli florets (about 2 small bunches)
1/2 cup instant brown rice, uncooked
1 cup soy milk (or whatever kind of milk you use)
COOK and stir carrots, celery and onions in hot oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat 5 min. Add broth and pepper; stir. Bring to boil.
STIR in broccoli and rice. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 to 15 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently.
Blend in a blender. I take out some and pureed it and then add it back to the soup that hasn’t been pureed. We like the soup to be a little chunky. Add milk; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Sometimes I don’t add the milk so it is less calories. We like it just as well, it just isn’t creamy.

Deb usually doubles the recipe. It does not make very much. :)

(Submitted by Debbie Bozung)

WEEK THREE

Three weeks down, five to go!

The points for the week are in parenthesis and then the total for the competition. Have a GREAT week!

Debbie Bozung (60)= 180

Denise Gorrell (55)= 171

Janelle Stevens (60)=180

Julie Lowry (59)=178

Sherrol Danielson (60)=180

Cindy Hills (60)=179

Suzanne Wilson ---

Jennifer Wilson (59)=179

Pam Collier (60)=180

Kevin Collier (60)=179

Mandi Bagley (57)=167

Joan Stringham (28)=128

Beth Wilson (58)=176

Natalie Card (60)=180

Scott Card (60)=180

Dannon Barnes (54)= 170

Shauna Hunt (60)= 174

Kristine Broadbent (58)=150

WEEK TWO

Another GREAT week! The points reported for WEEK TWO are in parentheses with the total points after the equals sign. Please remember to let me know if you have used any bonus points during the week. THANKS!

Debbie Bozung (60)= 120

Denise Gorrell (58)= 116

Janelle Stevens (60)=120

Julie Lowry (59)=119

Sherrol Danielson (60)=120

Cindy Hills (60)=119

Suzanne Wilson ???

Jennifer Wilson (60)=120

Pam Collier (60)=120

Kevin Collier (60)=119

Mandi Bagley (58)=110

Joan Stringham (43)=100

Beth Wilson (58)=118

Natalie Card (60)=120

Scott Card (60)=120

Dannon Barnes (57)= 116

Shauna Hunt (59)= 114

Kristine Broadbent (60)=92

Steel Cut Oats

Boil 4 cups of water. Add one cup of steel cut oats while stirring. Watch carefully because it boils up and could spill over your pan. A deep pan works best. Turn down heat, cook until water is absorbed, about 20-30 minutes. Makes about 3 cups. Most recipes say to add salt, but I don't. It is great heated up for the next morning.

I eat this with just nutmeg and cinnamon or a mashed banana, blueberries, mango, etc. Be creative!! I buy the steel cut oats at Winco in their bulk section. It is a lot less expensive there than other places.

(Submitted by Debbie Bozung)

Avocado Bean Dip

1 15 oz can of white (or black beans), drained
1 avocado-mashed
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 Tb chopped diced green chilis (optional)
2 Tb chopped cilantro
1 Tb lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt or less (optional)

Combine all ingredients and serve with baked tortilla chips or corn tortillas.

Note: When I make this I cut up corn and whole wheat tortillas in triangles with my pizza cutter and bake them on a cookie sheet at around 375 degrees until crisp instead of buying chips. Lynn Wilson's corn tortillas (Walmart) have no fat in them.

The thing about this dip is that it is hard to stop eating it once you begin!!

(Submitted by Debbie Bozung)

Mexican Bean and Rice Soup

2 cans non-fat refried beans
3 cups vegetable broth (I use a can chicken broth and add water to make 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/2 cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cup mild salsa
1 can of diced green chili
1 can pinto beans, drained

Place beans and broth in pan and stir well to mix. brin to a boil, reduce heat, add remaining ingredients, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Hints: Add more broth for a thinner soup, if desired. Omit the rice and stir in some fat free tortilla chips, or just omit the rice for a delicious bean and corn soup.

(Submitted by Debbie Bozung)

Herbed Tomato Soup

2 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or 2 cans 14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth (I use "Better Than Bouillon" you get at Costco or canned chicken broth)
2 8oz cans of tomato sauce
2 T snipped fresh basil or 1 t. dried basil
2 t. snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried thyme
pepper to taste

In a large saucepan cook onion in oil till tender but not brown. Add tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, basil. thyme, and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool slightly and blend with hand blender.

(Submitted by Debbie Bozung)

Results for Week #1

Here are the numbers that were turned in for week #1:

Debbie Bozung= 60

Denise Gorrell = 58

Janelle Stevens = 60

Julie Lowry = 60

Sherrol Danielson = 60

Cindy Hills = 59

Suzanne Wilson = ?? (on a road trip)

Jennifer Wilson = 60

Pam Collier = 60

Kevin Collier = 59

Mandi Bagley = 52

Joan Stringham = 57

Beth Wilson = 60

Natalie Card = 60

Scott Card = 60

Dannon Barnes = 59

Shauna Hunt = 55 (on a road trip)

Kristine Broadbent = 32 (in Hawaii all week)

Thanks for a GREAT week! Even with Spring Break and many of you on vacation, we turned in some great numbers. Keep up the good work!

Minestrone Soup

**Picture taken from Allrecipes.com

My kids and I had a sleepover at my parents house over Spring Break. For dinner my mom made the BEST Minestrone Soup. My daughters each had 3+ bowls of it! :) I loved it because it had SO much flavor and I was eating something good for me.
ENJOY!

3 slices of lean bacon, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion. minced
1/4 cup minced parsley
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large potato, diced
1/2 cabbage, finely sliced
1 28-ounce can of tomatoes, slightly blended
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 15 ounce can of kidney beans or two cups of white or pinto beans
2 quarts of soup stock or 2 quarts of water plus 2 tablespoons of beef or chicken bouillon granules
1/2 cup dry whole wheat spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces

In a large kettle, fry bacon thoroughly but not until crisp. Do not drain grease. Add garlic, onion, parsley, celery, carrots, potato and cabbage. Saute for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often, until vegetables are tender but still crunchy. (this step is vital for full flavor.) Add tomatoes, basil, salt, beans and stock. Simmer about 45 minutes. Add spaghetti, and cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Yield: 1 gallon
Calories 110 per serving

Paid Participants

Here is the latest on those that have paid their $20 for the
prize pot. :) Remember to send me your numbers Sunday night so we can have them posted on Monday morning. Thanks!

Debbie Bozung
Denise Gorrell
Janelle Stevens
Julie Lowry
Sherrol Danielson
Cindy Hills
Suzanne Wilson
Jennifer Wilson
Pam Collier
Kevin Collier
Mandi Bagley
Joanne Stringham
Beth Wilson
Natalie Card
Scott Card
Dannon Barnes
Shauna Hunt

Change & Clarification

Here are a few items of business to take care of before we start in the morning. :)

1. CLARIFICATION ON FREE DAY
Questions and Concern was expressed about the "FREE DAY." Many of us would prefer not to exercise on Sunday but would like to have the opportunity to take a day off from the other rules on a day other than Sunday. We have decided to alter the rule. :)

YOU MAY TAKE A "FREE DAY" FROM RECORDING YOUR FOOD/WATER POINTS THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR EXERCISE FREE DAY. For example, I would like to celebrate my anniversary on a Friday. I will not worry about recording my points regarding food and water but I will still exercise my 45+ minutes. Then on Sunday, I will record my food/water points and not exercise. (I hope that makes sense!)

2. I have had many questions regarding the rules. Some of the rules are pretty general (ie, Healthy & Correctly Portioned Meals or No Unhealthy Snacks). This will be up to you. I am not going to tell you what to eat and what not to eat. Some of us have different goals so we may be more strict than others. Just be aware and know that you are on your honor when you interpret these rules. :)

THANKS for participating with me. I look forward to the positive outcomes of this friendly challenge.

GOOD LUCK FRIENDS!!!!

Healthy Challenge

Here’s how it works:

*All contestants will need to donate $20 to the pot to be involved. Winner takes all the money – unless we have a tie and then we will split it. (Good incentive, huh?)

*There are 10 points to be earned each day.
Here is a breakdown of the points:

No Sugar (detailed explanation below**)– 1 point

No Unhealthy Snacks – 1 point

Healthy & Correctly Portioned Breakfast – 1 point

Healthy & Correctly Portioned Lunch – 1 point

Healthy & Correctly Portioned Dinner – 1 point

Take Multi-Vitamin – 1 point

No Food After 8:00 p.m. – 1 point

Exercise 45 minutes – 2 points

Drink 64 oz. Of Water- 1 point

Total = 10 points daily

*The total you can earn in a week is 60 points. All points are to be emailed to Jen every Sunday (wilsonfam_28@yahoo.com) and they will be posted to the blog for the group to see on Monday. For every day after Sunday that you send in your points, you will lose a point. So, make sure you email them over on Sunday!

* FREE DAY: Each week, you can pick the day of the week that will be your “free day.” You do not have to keep track of any points for that day. :) It will be wise to plan ahead so that you can participate in the family parties, date night, or whatever you choose for the week.

You will also have 8 bonus points that can be used throughout the competition for those days where you are really struggling (This could be everyday around 2:30 for me :). You will need to report any bonus points used during the week in your Sunday email. Any unused points will be added to your final score at the end!


The competition will start April 5th and will run for 8 weeks. All money is due by April 5 (or at least put in the mail by that day). The money signifies your commitment. You can mail your payment to:

Jennifer Wilson
(the address was sent in the email-did not want to post it to the blog)
or give it to me in person.

Obviously, a big factor in this competition is honesty! I have made a chart to help us in tracking our daily points. Hopefully, it will help us all to be successful and honest. Let me know if you did not receive that and I will email it to you.

*There are no requirements for weighing in or measuring. Although, I would recommend measuring before and after. It may be fun to see how your body changes over the 8 weeks. :)

**The info below is from another group who did this that clarifies some
other questions you might have.
The most common question asked is for clarification on the
“no sugar” rule.  It’s basically this…no sweets.  (It doesn’t mean no
noodles, no bread, etc. because those things DO have sugar in them.
However, even though it is not required, you will lose more weight by
limiting the amount of carbs you eat.)  So, no candy, cake, cookies,
brownies, 100 calorie sweet packs, fruit juice with sugar, pop with
sugar, etc. (Wow, this is going to be a challenge!!! :)