Steve Charges to The Lead

In week 4, Steve takes the lead in this 16-week battle. Steve, who came to the United States at age 14 by way of Jamaica, weighed in today at 197.5 lbs bringing his total weight loss to 7.5 lbs. Each week Steve posts a modest number, but today the consistent effort paid off with a first place ribbon.

Tom is not far behind with a total weight loss of 6.5 lbs. He started the competition at 198 and has managed to get down to 191.5 over the four-week period. Tom's star burned bright in weeks 1 and 2 when he lost 8 lbs, but he hasn't lost a pound since the competition’s second week.

I gained a half pound this week but am fairly certain it was all muscle and had nothing to do with the three or four cheeseburgers I consumed. Overall, I've shed 5 pounds.

At the bottom we have Frank and Noah battling for the title of Mr. Irrelevant. They both started the competition as our light weight competitors weighing in at 180 and 182. To date Noah has shed 2.4 lbs and Frank 2 lbs.

Collectively, we didn’t lose any weight, so it wasn’t a great group effort this week. Despite this less-than-stellar showing, no one competitor has distanced himself from the pack, so competition is still strong. 12 remain until we crown the first Fat Is Wack Champion so tighten those belts.

How do they evaluate fitness in the Army?

I like old fashioned Phys Ed style exercises. The balls and bands of modern exercise confuse me and generally cause me to look like an uncoordinated moron. So last week I tried the Army 's Physical Fitness Test which consists of 2 minutes of push ups, 2 minutes of sit ups, and a 2-mile run. Each exercise is worth a maximum of 100 points, for a total score of up to 300 points. Army officers are expected to complete 67 push ups, 73 sit ups and run the 2 miles in 16:30 seconds. My results—which will not be disclosed to the competition for fear of mockery—prove I should stick to my neighborhood watch committee.

Weight loss the wrong way!

Everyone knows I am a work out junkie. I love to hit the gym and sweat. Well today at 3 in the afternoon, I went to the convenience store at work to get a diet coke. While I was checking out the beverages, I happened to glance at the candy section. That was my first mistake. Then I saw a little package of jelly beans which had a big label screaming at me "SUGAR FREE". I then, like any good "Fat is Wack"er, checked the nutritional label. I was overcome with joy when I saw that the entire package was only 160 calories. Now I was feeling even better. 160 calories is a decent snack and it would definitely feed a craving for sugar that I was having. I then thought, "let's reward yourself for working so hard this week."

So I went back to my desk and enjoyed that package of jelly beans. They were delicious and I didn't look back. As I was throwing away the package I read a disclaimer that I happened to miss on the front of the package which read:

"WARNING: Consumption may cause stomach discomfort and/or a laxative effect. Individual tolerance will vary; we suggest starting with 8 beans or less."

I read it and didn't even care, in my mind those labels are for people who are much older and really have to watch what they eat. That was another mistake. 2 hours later, in the comfort of my own home, I ran to the bathroom and had some of the worst diarrhea. Not once but twice. So my fellow "Fat is Wack" competitors please read the labels and don't lose weight the wrong way!!

Letter to El Cubano Gordo - What Gives with Partial Hydrowhat?

..but, here's the skinny on trans fat

trans fat = partially hydrogenated oils (soybean, coconut, corn, etc)

and, lots of companies list 0 trans fat in the nutrition information, but if you look at ingredients, you'll see partially hydrogenated oils - such animal crackers!, which i had today - lists 0 trans fat but it contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil - what gives!?

-Dea

What is Trans Fat?

I had a rotten food day yesterday. It started with a morning croissant and ended with a cheeseburger from The Outback Steakhouse. I don't know what drove me to self destruction yesterday or worse, why I was drawn to the Outback in a city filled with the world's best independent cheeseburgers.

After my Australian-style splurge I kept thinking about the trans fats in my croissant and cheeseburger. I felt confused and angry about Bloomberg's recent campaign against trans fats. Confused because I was now worried about my trans fat consumption and angry because I don't even know what they are! So for those Fat is Wackers who, like me, need some fat clarity and a good laugh I introduce you to the latest in fat learning technology: the Bad Fat Brothers website. If you're not feeling the Sat and Trans Fat brothers you can bypass the toons and go direct to the American Heart Association's website where you can get the facts as published by the AHA.

Man On the Run!

First to explain - I'm not doing any running. Rather, with the influx of visitors and an outflux of travel, I feel like my exercise and diet suffers. I ask you, my venerable readers, to advise on ways to counteract the effects. Otherwise, I may have to adopt a travel policy similar to North Korea's.

Picadillo is Love

Several weeks ago we had a few friends over for dinner and cooked up a gut-busting classic Cuban dish called Picadillo. Picadillo is clearly not a healthy choice. Each serving is loaded with fat and a scale-tipping 600 calories. The meal we made (pictured here) has about 5,600 calories, but it serves a good number of people and still leaves you with plenty of leftovers. Regardless of its nutritional content a good homecooked meal shared with friends and family is a great addition to any diet.

FIW Contest Rules

We have a 13 weeks left until the competition ends on August 4 with a live weigh-in of all the participants. As a reminder below are the contest rules:

Winner: The contestant who loses the largest % of their starting body weight takes the 1st place prize of $500 dollars.

Tracking: Weekly home weigh-ins occur every Monday morning.

Journaling: Blog as frequently as you desire.

102 Days Left in the Fat Is Wack Contest

What Happens When A Republican Joins the FIW

I have finally learned how to use this internets thing. After some thought, I have sent my check to Albert and have committed myself to winning the FIW contest and losing at least 20 lbs by the first week of August.

More importantly I would like add a charity component to the August weigh in day. I think that Noah and I should in fact box each other when we conduct the final weigh in on August 4th. I propose that spectators pay $20.00 to watch us box. The winner will have the privilege of designating a charity of choice for the money collected. Clearly, in NYC my conservative leanings and charity of choice will likely make Noah the crowd favorite. I also have messages for two of my competitors:

Steve -I kicked your butt in Volleyball when we faced off in our high school Alumni Tourny. Sadly, you can expect more of that during the FIW contest.

Albert "the blog communist" - I hope you don't censor this post. I think your going to finish dead last. I know you canceled your Time Warner Cable subscription because you were addicted to The Hills and Road Rules. Given your slow weight loss I suggest you also throw away your bread maker.

Until the next post
Frankie P.Publish

Yoyo Dieting Man!

I've been an on-and-off member of Weight Watchers online for about 4 years. I learned today that they catalogue your records for life. Interested in getting some history on my weight, I took a look at my records. Here is a quick snapshot of my weight tracking over the past 4 years. Clearly there is a see-saw effect occurring between 220 and 250 that I have got to stop.

2/10/03 - 230
3/03/03 - 228
3/31/03 - 224
4/21/03 - 220
3/21/04 - 236
8/16/04 - 240
1/06/05 - 248

And yes - this is an amazing YoYo video.

Say Adios to Corn Syrup

We all know that drinks loaded with sugar are here to stay. However, for those of us trying to reduce our sugar intake I found a bottled low calorie iced tea called Honest Tea that uses real tea leaves and a much smaller amount of real sugar. They are also creating a pouched kids version that I think might be a good substitute for parents that want to get rid of the Capri Sun.

Interval Training

Well I decided to post my favorite cardio work out. This information and program comes from Men's Health. This work out for me is great because it really pushes me and gets my heart pumping. Here is the work out:

Interval Variation III: Sports Conditioning

Sports are unpredictable. This interval simulates some of that unpredictability by having you doing different times and different intensities. You can mix and match the orders and repetitions as much as you want. Rest longer after the periods in which you use the most energy.

1. 3 - 5 minutes warmup
2. 2 minutes moderate or high intensity followed by 2 minutes low intensity (repeat once
3. 30 seconds high intensity followed by 30 seconds low intensity (repeat four times)
4. 60-yard sprints (or 10 seconds if not running) followed by 90 seconds rest (repeat 6 - 10 times)
5. 3 - 5 minutes cooldown

For other interval work outs please click this link.

Week 3 Update - Noah Takes the Lead!

Week 3 ended today with Noah earning Fat Is Wacker of the Week after losing a hefty 3 pounds. He also leads the all around with 6.8 pounds lost. Steve wasn't far behind posting a solid 2.8 pound weight loss for the week and is trailing Noah by only .2 pounds in the overall. I myself lost a respectable 2.0 pounds. Sadly, Tom attended a wedding this weekend in New Orleans that added 1.5 pounds to his gut, and Frank once again refuses to divulge his progress or lack there of. Together we have lost a total of 23.4 pounds bringing our group weight to 984 pounds. While this is an individual competition I think 975 is a realistic group goal for next week.

Frank vs. Noah

Today I was wondering who would win a good old-fashioned fist fight between Fat Is Wackers Noah and Frank. They both carry the same physical stats at 5ft 10in tall and 180-ish pounds. Frank is a die hard conservative molded by his love for Alex P. Keaton. Noah is a neurotic liberal and devoted Chomsky fan. I would have definitely said Frank, but after playing basketball with Noah last week I'm not so sure: Noah planted his elbow square in my face and it hurt. Bad. I'm not even sure it was an accident.

Get Off My Bike

I've stayed away from spinning classes at the gym. I'd like to say I fear them because my sister's defibrilator went off accidentally while she was on the bike at a New York Sports Club spinning class. A hospital visit and a few "wow, did it really feel like a horse kicking you?" jokes later, she's fine. I told Annie I didn't want to try a spinning class because of what happened to Kristie and she politely asked if that same fear also kept me away from the gym for the last 3 years. A few seconds later and I was on my way to my first spinning class. Continued

White man can almost dunk!

Today I woke up and felt great. I have really been watching what I eat and hitting the gym hard. So at lunch I decided to go play some basketball. I felt fast and explosive out there. In the first game, I started off with some electrifying reverse layups and some great offensive rebounds. I was pumped. As I thought about it, my muscles reacted to it. That is some of the benefits of getting into that awesome shape I was trying for when I decided to join this competition.

So after we were done playing the first game, I decided lets go for it. When I mean go for it, I mean lets see if I can do one of the most electrifying movements in sports, the slam dunk. Now I must warn you that I am only 6'0" and I do weigh around 200 lbs. This would be no easy accomplishment. So I took off down the lane, balancing the ball in my right hand. As I got closer to the rim, I left the ground. Like Vince Carter (or maybe more like a 31 year old weekend warrior), I could see my hand and the ball go above the rim. I thought this would be the day. CLANK... off the back of the rim. I was closer than I had been in a long time. I am sure with a volleyball I could have done it. The basketball is still just a little to big for me. Today was not a failure, but a success in my mind. I know that during the next couple of months my day will come and I will be glad to come on to the blog and announce when I, Steven Lee dunked a basketball.

Good Old Fashioned Push Ups

I knew when I began my weight loss efforts that tracking pounds lost wouldn't paint the whole picture. There were other fitness metrics I wanted to track over time, but I didn't know specifics so I completed a free general fitness assessment at my gym. The service is available to all new members, and the assessment measured push-up capacity, VO2, body fat, weight girth. I completed a reassessment last Friday and saw some positive results.

1. Push Up Capacity: Increased by 100% from 10 to 20 (I know, please no jokes)
2. VO2: 35 (volume of oxygen you can consumer while exercising at your maximum capacity)
3. Body Fat: Decreased by 11% to 23%
4 Girth: Reduced girth in quad, waist and hip
5. lbs Lost: Gym scale tracked 10 pound weight lost between Feb. 1 2007 and April 13, 2007

Overall, having fitness goals beyond losing weight have really helped me get to they gym on a regular basis.

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Did bread make me fat?

I'm still fat, but when I was fatter several well intentioned people blamed certain foods for my fatness. My uncles told me, “You're eating too much bread." My mom suggested, “Too many sweets!" But I rarely heard the truth: I was eating too much food. Period. With the exception of my grandfather, who would often remind me that if he was able to quit smoking, I should be able to quit eating. So I'm done blaming the carbs or villifying red meat. No one food is the enemy. As long as I diversify my diet and maintain a solid balance between carbohydrates, protein, and, fat (in the appropriate portions), I should have no problem losing the next 8 pounds and getting to 230.

Adult Juice Boxes

I was picking up some odds and ends today at Whole Foods and got stuck in a very long checkout line where the store stocks a spread of healthy juices. I always stay away from these last-minute purchases because I don't like the idea of being manipulated into buying something I don't need. Today I couldn't resist the display. I was thirsty and wanted something for the walk home. Overwhelmed by the large array of choices promising me energy and good health I purchased several bottles. Now I've got 5 "healthy" juices in my fridge that I've got to suck down before their expiration dates arrive. I guess its better than getting suckered into buying a National Enquirer and a Snickers.

Stay on the edges

I got home on Sunday after our bi-weekly trip to the grocery store and thought it might be a good idea to take a look at my purchases outside of the Whole Foods retail experience. So I laid everything out on the dining room table to analyze the goods. Before heading out, I decided I was going to stick to the outer aisles of the store where you have fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meats, and I would stay away from the inner aisles where they stock the processed and packaged foods. The net result was a bag of healthier groceries that I'm proud to report didn't contain a single chocolate-sandwich or goldfish-shaped product. Notice the sprouty things by the milk. Not sure how those are going to taste.

Week 2 in the El Cubano Gordo Challenge

Noah ignited some controversy last week when he challenged the truth of Tom H.'s 4-pound weight loss. In 100 days, the pig will be roasting in Central Park and we will each have to make peace with the Fat Is Wack scale.

This week we lost a collective 6.8 pounds. Frank and Tom canceled each other out, with Tom losing 4 pounds and Frank gaining 4 while on vacation last week. Noah and I both tightened our belts by erasing 2.5 lbs. Steve came very close to breaking the 200 mark, weighing in at 201.2 and registering a 1.8-pound weight loss for the week. Keep up the good work, team.

Diet Plans - What the Studies Say

What the studies say

No need to wonder about losing weight on these diets; they’ve all been tested in clinical trials published in scientific journals. Plans are listed in rank order of overall score. Even the highest-rated diets generally produced less than a 10 percent weight loss after a year and had dropout rates of more than one in five participants. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Slim-Fast scores were very close together.

VOLUMETRICS
What it is Based on research at Penn State, diet aims to maximize the amount of food available per calorie, mainly by use of reduced-fat products, liberal addition of vegetables, and low-fat cooking techniques. Encourages first course of brothbased soup or low-calorie salad to take the edge off appetite. Pros and cons Recent clinical trials show best overall weight loss of any diet evaluated. We judged the recipes appetizing but somewhat time-consuming to prepare.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 23 Saturated fat................. 7 Carbohydrates............. 55 Protein.......................... 22 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 20 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 14 Average daily calories..... 1,500

WEIGHT WATCHERS
What it is Venerable program uses weekly meetings and weigh-ins for motivation and behavioral support for diet and exercise changes, or you can sign up for similar support online. Dieters either earn or spend “points” with food and exercise or consume specified foods with “Core” plan. Vegetarian menu available. Pros and cons Behavioral support is proven to increase adherence to any diet. Scored average on weight loss in this group but first in long-term adherence. We judged recipes to be appetizing and fairly easy to prepare.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 24 Saturated fat................. 7 Carbohydrates............. 56 Protein.......................... 20 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 20 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 11 Average daily calories..... 1,450

JENNY CRAIG
What it is Dieters sign up for individual counseling and meal plans at company outlets, by phone, or online. Centerpiece of diet is eating Jenny Craig prepared foods of single-serving entrées and snacks, supplemented by dairy, salads, and other vegetables you prepare yourself. Vegetarian menu available. Pros and cons Diet requires minimal food preparation and meets dietary guidelines. Published study of actual client histories revealed high dropout rate, though those who stuck with plan lost considerable weight. Clinical trial had better adherence.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 18 Saturated fat................. 7 Carbohydrates............. 62 Protein.......................... 20 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 16 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 6 Average daily calories..... 1,520

SLIM-FAST
What it is Brand line of controlled-calorie shakes and bars, widely available in drugstores and supermarkets. Company Web site provides weekly menus. On standard meal plan, a bar or shake for breakfast and lunch, with additional food. For dinner, a low-calorie meal you fix yourself. Pros and cons Menu we analyzed meets dietary guidelines. Convenient for people with little time or inclination to cook. Clinical studies show above-average long-term weight loss but high long-term dropout rate.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 22 Saturated fat................. 6 Carbohydrates............. 57 Protein.......................... 21 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 21 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 12 Average daily calories..... 1,540

eDIETS
What it is Well-established online subscription diet site offers 24 meal plans customized for various eating preferences and desired weight loss. Membership includes access to support groups, experts, menu plans, recipes. The standard eDiets.com weekly menu we analyzed met dietary guidelines and delivered the number of calories promised. Pros and cons Customizable plans are appealing, especially for those with wheat or lactose intolerances, but clinical studies find average adherence and below-average weight loss.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 23 Saturated fat................. 5 Carbohydrates............. 53 Protein.......................... 24 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 19 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 12 Average daily calories..... 1,450

THE ZONE DIET (men's menu)
What it is The “Zone,” as conceived by Barry Sears, is a the ideal balance of foods to keep your blood sugar and hormones ready to fight obesity and diseases. To stay in the Zone, every meal must consist of 30% fat calories, 30% protein, and 40% carbs. Diet allows many fruits, practically no grains except oatmeal. Pros and cons We judged the recipes simple to prepare and the meal plan to have a good nutritional profile, but figuring out the diet without a meal plan involves a lot of math. Weight loss below average.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 27 Saturated fat................. 7 Carbohydrates............. 42 Protein.......................... 30 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 21 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 17 Average daily calories..... 1,660

ORNISH DIET
What it is Ultralow- fat vegetarian regimen bans all meat, fish, oils, alcohol, sugar, and white flour. Ornish’s clinical studies have shown that strictly following the diet can prevent or reverse disease. He believes it’s easier to make drastic changes in diet than small ones. Pros and cons Provides the most food per calorie of any diet evaluated. Lower in fat than guidelines recommend. Studies show average long-term weight loss and below-average longterm adherence.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 6 Saturated fat................. 1 Carbohydrates............. 77 Protein.......................... 16 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 31 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 17 Average daily calories..... 1,520

ATKINS DIET
What it is This granddaddy of low-carb diets starts with a two-week induction period that bans practically all carbs. The longer “ongoing weight loss” phase is only slightly less restrictive, gradually adding more vegetables, fruit, and wine. Pros and cons There’s growing evidence that dieters aren’t as hungry on Atkins as on some other diets. But many find it too restrictive, so long-term adherence is below average; long-term weight loss is average. Its nutritional profile is far outside dietary guidelines.
	Rating Overall score............... Study results Short term Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. 1 year Weight loss............... Dropout rate............. Nutrition analysis.............	Percent of calories Fat................................ 60 Saturated fat................. 20 Carbohydrates............. 11 Protein.......................... 29 Fiber, g/1,000 cal. .......... 12 Fruits & veg., daily serv.. 6 Average daily calories..... 1,520

One study used was a longitudinal study of all enrollees in Jenny Craig’s premium plan for a one-year period, published in the February 2007 International Journal of Obesity.

Guide to the Ratings

Overall score is based on adherence to nutritional guidelines and the results of published randomized clinical studies (exception noted in footnote) that reported three- to six-month short-term and one-year long-term results and together studied at least 40 subjects per diet. Study results, including short- and long-term weight-loss and dropout rates, were derived from published studies of each diet. Nutrition analysis, done in 2005, was based on a week of menus from each book or program, using The Food Processor software from ESHA Research. For diets that had a short introductory phase and a longer weight-loss phase, we evaluated the latter. Higher scores went to menus that conformed most closely to the recommendations of the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans: 20 to 35 percent of calories from fat, with less than 10 percent from saturated fat; 45 to 65 percent from carbohydrates; 10 to 35 percent from protein; more than 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories. Average daily calories and servings of fruits and vegetables are listed for information only and are not part of the overall nutrition score. Guidelines call for 6 to 9 servings in a 1,400- to 1,900-calorie diet.