Cathy's Push Ups

Steve's Push Ups

Chris's Push Ups

El Cubano Gordo Party, 4/25/09

Note: you must RSVP to this invitation.

We dieted, we worked out.

Then we stopped dieting and stopped working out.

Let's celebrate the El Cubano Gordo competition* anyway! Please join us for a dinner celebration Saturday, April 25 at 8pm at

ESTANCIA
460 Greenwich Street near Watts Street

The menu is a prix fixe (menu below) and includes dinner, beer and wine, tax and tip for $50 a person.

Bring your appetite, your party hats, and your excuse for not losing weight. For those of you who did not participate in this weight-loss competition, bring your best sympathetic faces and nods for us losers. PLEASE RSVP to Annie (anniemuza@yahoo.com).

*The final day of the El Cubano Gordo challenge was supposed to include a weigh-in and push-up challenge. This still might happen depending on amount of beer/wine consumed (don't worry non-participants, you will not have to do these things.)

MENU:
PARA EMPEZAR family style

Terracotta shrimp sizzling in olive oil and garlic

Assorted grilled pizzas


ENTRADAS choose one

Rigatoni Bolognese with plum tomato sauce and aged Manchego cheese

Linguini with baby cockles, parsley, garlic, olive oil and white wine

Chicken Milanese lightly breaded and fried with tomato bruschetta and mashed potatoes

Bistecca Sandwich with melted mozzarella and chimichurri on baguette with side of fries


CHEF’S CHOICE SELECTION OF DESSERTS family style

Week 11.5 Update - Shame On Me!

Eleven weeks have passed since the start of El Cubano Gordo, and together the 17 contestants have lost 68 pounds.

Four weeks remain and the field is still wide open. Steve commands a strong lead but his weight loss is grinding to a hault. Annie and Chris have taken a slow and steady approach, and could chip away at Steve's lead. Niza and Angelique round out the top five with a combined 9 pounds of weight loss.

C'mon. There are four weeks left and if you are really motivated you could lose 12 pounds.

I for one am finally motivated. What has me so inspired?

Shame and fear. The idea of organizing a weight-loss competition and then showing up at the celebratory party weighing exactly what I did when I started it, or worse a pound more, is just too pathetic.

El Cubano Gordo Tracker - March 22, 2009

Fat Is Wack Tracker - March 15, 2009

Return Of The King

Hello Al and my fellow El Cubano Gordos –

Over the past several weeks I’ve been inundated – yes, inundated – by emails, phone calls, text messages, Twitter tweets and Facebook posts all asking the same question: “Pete, since you’re the reigning El Cubano Gordo Champion who so illustriously defeated – nay – thrashed the competition last year, how is it that you are currently near the bottom in current polls?”

Well, it is time to respond to my friends, competitors, former and future losers, and followers with a very simple answer: strategy.

That’s right. For the past 2 months I’ve been doing all I can to not pull too far ahead (i.e., “Pulling A Steve”) under the guise of friendly competition that seems open to all. Well the time has come to say enough. I hereby serve notice to all that my daily workout regimen has officially begun. This consists of 140 morning finger tip pushups (the final 75 which include a hand clap between reps), 5 mile run over my lunch break followed by a hearty lunch of 3 almonds wrapped in organic lettuce, and then a brisk walk with my wife and very short dachshund, Maude, whom just found out she has tapeworms (don’t worry, she’s fine and still does “the scooter” all over our carpet.)

So consider this your official notice. If there is anyone in the ranks who would like double up their personal wager, count me in. My pushup form is unstoppable and my bicep curls have already generated massive results.

Yours,

Pete

Recipe of the Week, From Men's Health
Caprese Pasta Salad Using Shirataki
From: Michael White, Convivio Restaurant, NYC

Ingredients
1 lb of asparagus thinly sliced
8 oz shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup green peas, cooked
1 cup diced fresh mozzarella
1/2 cup of basil
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cook asparagus in boiling salted water for 3-5 minutes. Remove the slides with a slotted spoon, drop them into the ice water and thend rain.

2. Place the noodles in the pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to warm them. Then drain the noodles and put them in a large bowl. Add the asparagus and the remaining ingredients - the tomatoes, green peas, mozzarella, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper - and toss together.

Per Serving: 386 calories, 15 grams of protein, 12 g carbs, 31 g fat, 7 g fiber.

Boo, Sadly, Sigh, Wow

Boo, Sadly, Sigh, Wow are all adjectives we used to describe our weight gains last week.

After all, the truth can hurt, but our performance last week may be the kick in the pants we need to create fitness and diet plans that generate long lasting weight loss.

Good luck to everyone as we try to put together a solid 7 weeks of dieting before our meeting in NYC.

Falling off the Wagon - Trying to find Motivation

I've been hoping that no one has been paying much attention to my weigh ins. I started strong, but at a very specific point in time, I completely fell off the wagon and haven't been able to get back since. I can tell you the exact day and time it happened. A group from work was taking my brother out for lunch on his birthday and invited me to come along (1/30/09). They went to a pizza joint. Sure there were salads on the menu but they were pricey (that's my excuse) and I just couldn't say no to a $4.99 lunch special for 2 slices of pizza AND a drink! What a deal! Literally, after that day of "cheating" whatever had gone "click" in my brain to get me motivated, just as quickly "clicked" off and I haven't been able to figure out how to turn it back on ever since.

Which brings me to the question that I've been trying to figure out - what can motivate me to lose weight? In November I had my 20 year elementary school reunion. I knew about it for months. Was it enough motivation to make me want to give up pancakes and start working out? No. I only fit in about 25% of the clothes in my closet. You would think that would motivate me. In February, my nephew got married and everyone wanted to look fantastic for the wedding. Was that enough? Nope. I'm part of this awesome competition and my husband is the most competitive person ever and expects me to do well. Enough? No. I have five kids and want to be a healthy (and attractive) super mom who can keep up with them and not feel all jiggly when we dance around the room. Sounds motivating, right?

Well, I thought for sure when Lent started that if nothing else could motivate me, perhaps a promise to GOD would get me out of this carb-loving, couch potato mode. I told Steve on Tuesday, "it's FAT TUESDAY, hon! I can eat whatever I want so please don't lecture me because tomorrow, I am taking this weight loss thing seriously. I am making a promise to GOD." Surely this would be my motivation to 'behave'.

I didn't even make it to lunch. (I was having a stressful day at work and resorted to my ultimate "comfort" lunch - a grilled cheese, fries and sunkist.)

So here I am on Sunday. Still trying to find my motivation. Perhaps a new month will mean a new beginning for me. (But why start on a Sunday, I'll wait until tomorrow. haha)

Tour De Pants

We all know Jared as the pitch man who lost 245 lbs eating six inch subs. He is an inspiration to overweight people all over the globe. Because of Jared, the six inch turkey sub without cheese and mayo is to dieters what Communion is to Catholics...a daily staple for the devout.

Every time his face appears on an ad sales spike. Since Subway first contracted Jared, sales have doubled to $8.2 billion dollars a year. For the Jared Lovers in the El Cubano Gordo contest I present the Pants Game.

Tom is Rope-a-Doping, Is Steve the Dope?

Re: I'm mad at you
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:29 From:"Hughes, Thomas J"

Annie, take it easy, haven't you heard of the rope-a-dope strategy? I'm confident I speak for al and chris when saying that we've taken steve's best punches, now he's tired and we're going to work. You don't win a marathon in the first 13 miles. Now that it's ash wed, I say its time to begin the serious physical deprivation, 40 days in a desert. With no dessert. Then we'll get our just deserts.

From: Annie Muzaurieta To: Al Muzaurieta ; Christopher O Bell ; Hughes, Thomas J (NYC) Sent: Tue Feb 24 12:02:06 2009Subject: I'm mad at you

Seriously--all three of you should be ashamed. Steve has 5 kids and has lost 17 pounds. ANgelique started at 119 (!!!!!) and has lost 4 pounds. HELLO, people?!

If the President can find the time...

Steve has five kids and has lost 17 pounds, Mary is the mother of that brood and has dropped 6, and Angelique has four children and is near the top of the weight-loss list. Not having time to work out can no longer be an excuse for the rest of us.

Seriously, guys. I don't want to name any names (self, Al), especially since I know some of you are crazy busy at work (Chris), but our President, the leader of the free world, who is dealing with issues like the economic crisis and Rush Limbaugh, finds the time to work out every morning. Let's make like the Pres and get fit (but don't smoke).

How about 20 minutes? You don't have 20 minutes in a given day? If you cut out a coffee break or one beer after work, you'd save some calories and fit in a workout.

The New York Sports Club has machines set up so that you can squeeze in a full-body workout that takes 22 minutes to complete.

I should've just addressed this to myself.

10 Reasons to work your body

10 reasons to work your body

The numbers are shocking. Just three out 10 American adults are active enough to stay healthy and fit. Nearly four out of 10 admit they aren’t active at all, despite reams of research proving that exercise is a powerful preventive, and sometimes an antidote, for disability and illness. Which side of this divide are you standing on—and why?

Regular physical activity makes an enormous difference to the quality and length of your life, a fact underscored by hundreds of solid studies. In a nutshell, exercise does the following:

Lessens the likelihood of getting heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans. How? Exercising regularly may bump up the number of blood vessels feeding the heart, help prevent plaque buildup by striking a healthier balance of blood lipids (HDL, LDL, and triglycerides), and help arteries retain resilience despite the effects of aging. Even if you already have heart disease, exercise lowers your chances of dying from it.

Lowers blood pressure, a boon for many body systems. Long-term hypertension (high blood pressure) doubles or triples the odds of developing heart failure and helps pave the path to other kinds of heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm, and kidney disease or failure.

Helps prevent diabetes by paring off excess weight, modestly lowering blood sugar levels, and boosting sensitivity to insulin so that your body needs less of it. If you have diabetes, exercise helps control blood sugar.

Reduces risk for developing cancers of the colon, breast, endometrium (uterine lining), and prostate. By helping you attain a healthy weight, exercise also lessens your risk for other cancers in which obesity is a factor.

Helps shore up bones, which reach peak density and strength during the first three decades of life. Over time, bones become lacier and weaker as density slips away. When combined with calcium, vitamin D, and bone-saving medications if necessary, weight-bearing exercise like walking, running, and strength training helps ward off bone loss. And balance-enhancing activities, including tai chi and yoga, help prevent falls that may end in fractures.

Helps protect joints by easing swelling, pain, and fatigue and by keeping cartilage healthy. Strong muscles support joints and lighten the load upon them. Activities that boost flexibility, such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi, extend range of motion.

May limit and even reverse knee problems by helping to control weight—a big deal, since for every step taken, each additional pound of body weight translates to four additional pounds of load on the knee, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

Lifts spirits by releasing mood-elevating hormones, relieving stress, and promoting a sense of well-being. In some studies, exercising regularly has helped ease mild to moderate depression as effectively as medications; combining exercise with medications, therapy, and social engagement is even better.

May boost your ability to fend off infection, as shown in three randomized trials of women who walked briskly 35 to 45 minutes a day, five days a week for 12 to 15 weeks, and experienced half the cold symptoms of a sedentary group. Additional research shows exercise prompts a modest, short-term upswing in natural killer cells and white blood cells, which help squelch infection.

Adds years to your life. In the long-running Framingham Heart Study, moderate activity tacked on 1.3 years of life for men and 1.5 years of life for women versus low activity. Raising the bar to high activity added 3.7 years for men and 3.5 years for women. Even current couch potatoes can’t wiggle out of this. A separate long-term study of 10,000 men ages 20 to 82, who were examined and given two fitness tests at five-year intervals, found those who made the effort to shift status from unfit to fit cut their likelihood of dying by 44% compared with those who stayed sedentary.

Reprinted from Workout Workbook: 9 complete workouts to help you get fit and healthy, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School, Copyright © 2009 by Harvard University. All rights reserved.

Fat Is Wack Tracker - Week 7

Two Fitness Websites

Two Helpful Fitness Websites for Fat Is Wackers to Check Out

1. American Council on Exercise
www.acefitness.org

Health and fitness section offers illustrated exercise directions, answers to common fitness questions and healthy recipes

2. Fitness Online
www.fitnessonline.com
Allows you to calculate your BMI, ideal weight, caloried burned and more at this fitness site.

New App for iphone enabled FIWers

The Loseit iphone App allows you to set goals and establish a daily calorie budget that enables you to meet them. Stay on track each day by recording your food and exercise and staying within your budget.

Enter food and exercise easily using a searchable database. Quickly re-enter foods and meals you've had in the past.

Lose It! is the most complete and streamlined weight loss application available for the iPhone.

Now available at the app store...

5 Week Weight Loss Update

Steve and Mary continue to occupy the top spots but their lead shrinkes each week as they slow down. Competitors like Angelique and Chris Brand made strong moves this week losing 3 pounds each. Hopefully, with the Super Bowl behind us and some Spring weather approaching we can kick our weight loss efforts into gear for the last 2 months.

A-FRAUD

Didn't Alex Rodriguez go to Columbus for a year?  How can we be sure that all ECG participants are on the up and up?  I propose random drug testing (for diet aids and steroids only...).