biggestloserchallenge

GT's official biggest loser grand prize winner.... women's category...

put your hands together and start clapping...from the women's category... 1st place winner of GT's 2012 Biggest Loser Challenge... losing more than anyone, even in the men's category...is unravelme: aka natalie petersen! natalie lost a total of 15.9% for a grand total of 45.2 lbs!!! Such an amazing accomplishment... totally worthy of the biggest loser title!! check out natalie's before and after pics along with her success story below!

read on to hear how natalie lost a whopping 45.2lbs in only 12 weeks-

I have been overweight the majority of my life. I have tried fad diets and such programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers and others. Nothing ever really worked for me. I thought I was destined to be overweight all my life. One day in December of 2011 I thought to myself that I need to change for me, for my family and for my kids. I went and had one meeting with a nutritionist and received some great information. I took that home to use in my daily life. At first it was hard and took a lot of motivation. The changes I made really helped in my weight loss. I basically went low carb and stayed under 50 grams of carbohydrates daily. I ate a lot of protein that was the majority of my diet. Eating protein makes you feel fuller longer. I drank a ton of water upwards of 100 ounces. The dietician said if you walk away with anything remember..."Protein keeps you full and the more you drink the more you lose." I always knew water was important but never realized how important it is to weight loss. I lost all my cravings for fast food (which I was previously addicted to). I also knew I had to exercise and joined a kickboxing class twice a week, a boot camp once a week and joined Bikram Yoga which has really helped tone muscles and help with the weight loss. At first I would weigh myself a couple times a day but I would drive myself nuts if my weight would increase so now I weight weekly. I still have a ways to go but I have a good start. I am now able to go shopping in my closet with all the clothes I haven't been able to wear for a very long time.

 

Thanks,

Natalie

crazy, amazing, and so wonderful!! i'm so proud of you natalie!! you are on your way and have the momentum going, we'll be rooting for you and your journey!!

GT's official biggest loser grand prize winner......men's category....

drum roll please...from the men's category... 1st place winner of GT's 2012 Biggest Loser Challenge... working his butt off to beat out the competition...is jim: aka jim tribble or susie's partner in crime in this contest! jim lost a total of 15.8% for a grand total of 42.6 lbs!!! That's like losing an entire 1st grader!! An accomplishment worth a standing ovation!!! check out jim's before and after pics along with his success story... plus... stay tuned...our grand prize women's winner coming soon!

check out how jim lost 42.6 lbs in just 12 weeks-

My wife, Susie, and I were lucky enough to go on a cruise this past September.  We were thrilled to see that there were many active 80 and 90 year old couples on this cruise.  We thought about how weight issues and diabetes (etc) run in our families and we didn't want those health issues to stop us from doing this in the future.  We don't want to miss out on anything as we get older, we want to be active like these people on the cruise!

We needed to start something that would help us get healthy.  We saw that Green Tangerines was starting their Biggest Loser competition up and this was going to be the time to do it.

Of course Susie did most of the meal planning and as soon as I understood what I needed to watch, I cut out my soda (previously drinking 2-3 per day) and found that I actually liked drinking Kirkland water, 2-3 liters a day.  I started walking in about week 2 and continue to walk about 2 miles per day.  I found out that I really enjoy that.  I drive for a living and bringing a lunch is not always a possibility.  I have researched online calorie counts for some of my favorite spots and have found some very doable lunch options.  Also, you don't have to order fries with everything you get!!

I eat at 6am, a snack at 9 and 10:30, lunch at 12-1 and a snack at 3, dinner around 6:30pm.  Susie and I discuss what we are having for dinner the next evening when we go to bed, that way we can plan what we are eating the next day.

I have gone from a size 40 shorts, to a 36.  I am thrilled.  I have not only done this for myself, but for my family and I want both of us to live a long happy, healthy and active life.

Thank you Kelly for the support and encouragement.  Hope to be able to meet you soon.

Jim

so happy for you jim!! loving that you made this a lifestyle change and not a crash diet!! keep it up and you'll be enjoying cruises into your 90's no problem!

2nd place women's category....

introducing...from the women's category... winner of 2nd place... surpassing even her own expectations... is jim's cupcake: aka susie tribble! susie lost a total of 14.0% for a grand total of 32.2 lbs!!! So AWESOME!!! An accomplishment worth bragging about!!! check out susie's before and after pics along with her success story... plus... stay tuned...our grand prize winners coming soon!

read on for how susie lost an incredible 32.2lbs in only 12 weeks!!

 cant count the number of times over the past 10 years that Jim and I said "we are too fat, we need to do something about it".  Well, we finally did something.

I didn't have a goal when we began, I just wanted to begin.  We decided to work on this together and boy am I glad that we did, I think that really contributed to our success.

We agreed to not doing anything drastic or restricting, a gradual loss would be great.  We still ate the same type of foods we were use to, but we ate less of them.  We also started walking and by week 10 I was doing a few little intervals of jogging during the walk.

What seemed to work best for me was to limit my bread, or bread type foods to once or twice a day.  I ate at 6am, 10am, noon, 3pm and dinner.  Always finished eating for the day by 7pm~nothing after 7.  I also drank 4-6 glasses of water a day. I had some good weeks and some slower weeks, but lost a little every single week.

The most important things I learned were: #1 snacks are snacks (I ate fruit, veggies, cheese or lunch meat), treats are something very different...but, we did eat those on occasion too.  #2 you can actually go to the movies and NOT order a large popcorn and a soda...the movie is just as good without those!!  #3 it is easy to go into a restaurant (like Red Robin) and order one meal and split it between 2 people.  They will cut the burger and 1/2 the fries and even 1/2 the milkshake before bringing them to you.  What a treat going out can be!!! (not to mention wallet friendly).

I still have a way to go...my new goal is to lose another 30 pounds, but now I know I really can accomplish this!!  My clothes fit very differently and my mindset is different too.

Congratulations to all of us for trying!!  We are all winners!!  Thank you Green Tangerines, you have changed our lives!!

~Jimscupcake (Susie)

great job susie!! we are so proud of you and are so excited to hear you have a new goal, you can do it!!

2nd place mens category...

check it out...from the men's category... winner of 2nd place... meeting his goal and setting a bigger one... is wbolar: aka wendell bolar! wendell lost a total of 13.2% for a grand total of 28.0 lbs!!! Great job !! An accomplishment to be proud of! check out wendell's before and after pics along with his success story... plus... stay tuned...more winners to be announced momentarily!

check out how wendell lost 28lbs in 12 weeks-

 

The main thing I did was set my goal weight from day one and up'd my cardio from 30 minutes to 45-50 minutes a day.   I didn't eat as much junk as I did before, I chewed more gum to keep me from nibbling through out the day and ate smaller portions along with a salad with a little lemon juice for flavor.  I still had cookies here and there, along with Ice Cream, but not as much and less frequently.  I didn't want to stress myself by not having things that I still love so I allowed myself to indulge (small portions) here and there which kept me sane, motivated and wanting to work out.  I took the weekends off to recoup so I wouldn't dread getting up at 6:15 every morning to run on the treadmill from 6:30 - 7:30 every day.  It worked for me and so I set another goal to get to 175 by June 1st.

great job wendell!!! we'll be rooting you on and know you'll have no troubles getting to that 175, you rock!!

fun winners photo..

while you are waiting check out this awesome photo of husband wife team jim & jim's cupcake.... by working together on diet and exercise they were both winners in this years contest.... official photo's of these two and two more coming momentarily!!

3rd place women's category...

introducing...from the women's category... winner of 3rd place... my co-host of biggest loser... is happyone: aka raimi krupp! raimi lost a total of 13.7% for a grand total of 22.6 lbs!!! Great job !! An accomplishment to be proud of! But even more is the fact that raimi has been a competitor in all 3 biggest loser challenges and has continued to lose weight the whole time! she has even passed the 100lb mark!! AMAZING!! check out raimi's before and after pics from this contest and as a bonus pictures from contest 1 till now.... plus her amazing success story!!

Where do I even begin???? This is the 3rd, Green Tangerines Biggest Loser Contest that I have participated in. I have been in it from the start. When Kelly announced that she was going to hold a Biggest Loser Contest for the store, I was so excited. It was JUST what I needed. I am happy to report that I have continued on my journey, each and every time the contest(s) would end. While I may have not been one of the top 3 winners in Round 1 or Round 2, I had worked hard each and every time and had seen some major results. Round 3 of the Biggest Loser came at the perfect time...I was getting so close to my final goal weight. This challenge pushed me to work hard.

I have been doing Weight Watchers (counting points) for the last year. It works for me. I love the support and new ideas (food, exercise, snacks, motivation) I get from attending my weekly meetings. I am able to eat normal, well balanced meals. There are no special secrets to my eating while participating in the Biggest Loser Challenge. I did not starve myself. I had finally found a program that worked for me and I loved that I was still able to eat all of my meals with my family. I have learned how to choose healthy snacks. I incorporate alot of protein, fruits, veggies, and lean meats into my diet. I drink LOTS of water each day and gave up my beloved Diet Coke :-). Along with healthy eating, I exercise! I have found a gym that is perfect for me. I attend Fitness MD( a local-Roseville gym) 5-6 days a week. They have Fit Club classes that have kicked my rear and gotten me into to shape...think Biggest Loser (the TV program) style. I am a HUGE fan of Fitness MD. Along with my Fit Club classes, I started doing homework at home. I began to finally use that treadmill that was once used to hang clothes on :-). I love the changes I have made. 

I just want to leave you with one of the quotes that hangs on my bathroom mirror. It reads" It's a lifestyle...train like there's no finish line". I read this quote several times a day and it reminds that I need to work hard each and every day. Just because the contest is over, I hope you don't give up on the changes/healthy habits you have created for yourself. I am so proud of each and every contestant who has lost weight during this challenge. I know it is hard and I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! Stick with it. Weight loss doesn't happen instantly...those 1 lb. losses add up to big numbers over time! YOU CAN DO IT!

p.s. A HUGE thank you to Kelly for hosting another round of the Green Tangerines Biggest Loser Challenge!

For more information on fitness md click here. They really do a great job with their fit club! Raimi and I highly recommend it! 

I was hoping to post all winners tonight but I'm having too many technical difficulties with my 5 year old home laptop computer. So I will post 2nd and 1st place winners tomorrow night all 4 at 5pm! See you then!

3rd place mens category....

introducing...from the men's category... winner of 3rd place... meeting his goal and setting a new one... is supRg33k: aka dana fernandez! dana lost a total of 12.9% for a grand total of 35.4 lbs!!! Great job !! An accomplishment to be proud of! check out dana's before and after pics along with his success story... more winners to be announced soon!

How Dana lost 35lbs in 12 weeks-

I purchased a Bodybugg device, which monitors your activity and reports the calories that were burned in a day.  My goal is a lifestyle change rather than dieting just to lose weight, so most of my diet changes centered around making smart choices that i can continue to sustain into the future.  I also began an exercise routine of working out an hour a day, and began taking a short walk, about 30min, during my lunch hour. It also helped that my wife and I started this journey together. We had each other to lean on for support throughout this competition. This not the end of my journey, my long term goal is to lose 100 pounds.

i'm so excited for dana! what an amazing start to an incredible life changing journey! best of luck on your goal!

stay tuned to see our 3rd place women's winner!

contest update...

hi all you biggest loser fans! winner's from the 2012 Biggest Loser contest will be revealed right here tonight at 8pm! while you are waiting check out this fun photo sent in by one contestant!!

see you all at 8pm... it's a post you don't want to miss!!

week 11... only 3 more days... eeek!!

we are down to the last few days of this round of biggest loser.... yikes, where does the time go?? as always last weeks results are posted over on the right side. a super big congrats to LarieM and Jim who were last weeks biggest losers in their categories!! great job guys!!

check out the standings for the race to the cash below... and good luck this week!! dig deep and finish strong! the race isn't over yet... keep pushing!!

USERNAME	WEIGHT	WEEK 11	TOTAL LBS	TOTAL %
UnravelMe	284.0	243.9	40.1	14.120%
Jims Cupcake	229.2	199.2	30.0	13.089%
HappyOne	164.6	144.0	20.6	12.515%
Mom3Girls	216.0	190.6	25.4	11.759%
Wet&Wild	206.4	186.0	20.4	9.884%
PennyThoughts1	270.0	248.8	21.2	7.852%
LabLink	142.0	131.0	11.0	7.746%
Scrappy01	223.0	206.0	17.0	7.623%
4me&BH	232.0	215.5	16.5	7.112%
CPAsrule	237.4	221.0	16.4	6.908%
SSW	154.0	145.6	8.4	5.455%
TravelMamma	202.7	191.9	10.8	5.328%
NoScrapbook4me	170.0	161.2	8.8	5.176%
Sandys50/50	208.0	198.5	9.5	4.567%
MLipparelli	165.0	158.0	7.0	4.242%
Molly91874	172.8	166.2	6.6	3.819%
BoyMama	162.0	157.0	5.0	3.086%
LarieM	247.0	240.0	7.0	2.834%
Raven	234.8	228.4	6.4	2.726%
Rasmattaz	196.8	192.0	4.8	2.439%
Gjean	190.4	186.0	4.4	2.311%
GettingMotivated	217.0	212.4	4.6	2.120%
NavyMom	176.2	172.6	3.6	2.043%
LiveMyBestLife	232.4	228.0	4.4	1.893%
MB10	196.4	193.2	3.2	1.629%
MommyX3	186.0	183.0	3.0	1.613%
SoccerMom	199.6	196.4	3.2	1.603%
Freckls4	129.7	127.7	2.0	1.542%
Bailey	203.9	203.9	0.0	0.000%
Jaded	241.0	242.4	-1.4	-0.581%
TimeToLose	188.2	189.4	-1.2	-0.638%
BlessedBy4	238.0	239.8	-1.8	-0.756%
Jim	268.6	231.6	37.0	13.775%
supRg33K	270.0	236.5	33.5	12.407%
Wbolar	212.0	188.1	23.9	11.274%
Randilicious	236.0	225.4	10.6	4.492%
Tarheel	305.4	292.6	12.8	4.191%

 

week 10...

hello contestants!! hope you are all enjoying the evening rain tonight! the week 10 results are up on the right side as usual! a huge pat on the back for anyone who lost weight this last week... each week proves to be harder for more people. so if you lost, or maintained take a minute to do a little happy dance for yourself, you deserve it! also, stop picking on yourself for only losing .5 or 1 lbs in a week.. it's progress.. it's moving in the right direction... and best of all IT"S NOT A GAIN!!! an extra special congrats to Wbolar and UnRavelMe for being this weeks biggest losers! come on in and grab a prize.

best luck to everyone this week.. only 2 more weigh-ins... you can do this!! and... since it's down to the wire in the race to the top... here are the overall standings at the end of week 10!

UnravelMe	284.0	249.4	34.6	12.183%
Jims Cupcake	229.2	202.4	26.8	11.693%
Mom3Girls	216.0	190.8	25.2	11.667%
HappyOne	164.6	146.2	18.4	11.179%
Wet&Wild	206.4	187.4	19.0	9.205%
Scrappy01	223.0	206.0	17.0	7.623%
PennyThoughts1	270.0	250.0	20.0	7.407%
LabLink	142.0	132.0	10.0	7.042%
CPAsrule	237.4	221.0	16.4	6.908%
4me&BH	232.0	217.0	15.0	6.466%
TravelMamma	202.7	191.9	10.8	5.328%
MLipparelli	165.0	157.0	8.0	4.848%
SSW	154.0	146.8	7.2	4.675%
Sandys50/50	208.0	198.5	9.5	4.567%
NoScrapbook4me	170.0	162.6	7.4	4.353%
Raven	234.8	227.6	7.2	3.066%
MB10	196.4	191.0	5.4	2.749%
Rasmattaz	196.8	192.0	4.8	2.439%
NavyMom	176.2	172.0	4.2	2.384%
Gjean	190.4	186.0	4.4	2.311%
GettingMotivated	217.0	212.0	5.0	2.304%
Molly91874	172.8	169.0	3.8	2.199%
LiveMyBestLife	232.4	228.0	4.4	1.893%
MommyX3	186.0	183.0	3.0	1.613%
BoyMama	162.0	159.5	2.5	1.543%
Freckls4	129.7	128.1	1.6	1.234%
SoccerMom	199.6	197.4	2.2	1.102%
LarieM	247.0	245.5	1.5	0.607%
Bailey	203.9	203.2	0.7	0.343%
Jaded	241.0	242.4	-1.4	-0.581%
BlessedBy4	238.0	239.8	-1.8	-0.756%
TimeToLose	188.2	191.9	-3.7	-1.966%
Jim	268.6	235.2	33.4	12.435%
supRg33K	270.0	239.0	31.0	11.481%
Wbolar	212.0	189.1	22.9	10.802%
Randilicious	236.0	225.4	10.6	4.492%
Tarheel	305.4	293.0	12.4	4.060%
LuisMmss	174.0	171.5	2.5	1.437%