Hey everyone,

Well the numbers are in. As you may have seen in d_dee's email here
are the top 3 losers for this first week of the contest

Donna 1.71%
Dianne 1.31%
Dan 0.98%

We have 3 others in it as well, so keep it up!!!!!!

Great Job to everyone.

I know that sometimes it can be hard, and I am not perfect, but here
are some things that I do that really help me stay on track.

1. Eat more meals per day, but make them smaller. Experts say 5
small meals a day is better than a smaller number of larger meals

2. Find snacks that you like that also fit your snacking needs...
My favorites
Lay's "Lite" potato chips.
These are fat free (They are made with Olestra). Some people have
complained about tummy cramps eating foods made with Olestra but I
have not experienced this. I like these. They fit my crunchy, salty
need.

Fiber One Bars by General Mills
These are great, high in fiber though, so if you body is not used to
fiber, just give it some time. I have put a link in the database
section on these little yummy things. These are great because they
have firm texture, and have great chocolate flavor.

Fat Free Pudding
I am not a big chocolate head, but sometimes there is nothing better
than chocolate. The fat free puddings that are available fit that
niche for me. If you really need a fix, grab a 100 calorie bag of
cookies and eat them with the pudding. Your super snack will have
less than 200 calories and only a couple grams of fat.

Tangerines. I never ate citrus before I started losing weight, but
now that I have, these are great. The "Clementines" that are
available at our local grocery stores are easy to peel, not too
messy and have no seeds. These are a great snack.

3. Exercise every day:
Look, exercise will make you HAPPY!!! I PROMISE!. We are not talking
about a big production either. Forget the putting on gym clothes,
driving to the gym, working out for 2 hours. That just does not work
for me. I am talking about 20-30 minutes briskly walking around your
neighborhood either in the morning or when you get home from work.
If you cannot walk that long now, do what you can! When I was at my
heaviest point I weighed 350 pounds, and I could not walk for more
than 10 minutes without having to sit down. (And believe me, I was
not walking briskly). Now, I try and walk for 30 minutes everyday,
and I LOVE IT. Last night I got back from my walk and not only did I
not have to sit down to catch my breath or rest my back, I was able
to do a little dance as one of my favorite songs was blaring on my
iPod. I promise that it may seem unsurmountable at first but just
stick to it. It has only been 7 months since I started my journey.
When I started I felt powerless against my weight, and my future.
Since then I have lost 50 pounds and may not be in the best shape of
my life, but definitely in better shape than I was in June.

Anyway, back to work for me. Keep up the good work.

I am still trying to get a hold of the shelter in Las Vegas, If I
cannot get any interest from them, I will schedule a food donation
for the first week in Feb.

More to come.

Dan