A Slow Start...

Me & my son on New Year's Eve

When I woke up this morning the first thing that crossed my mind was, “oh crap! I’m supposed to weigh in today.” I know this is the last thing that my team wants to hear and I am so sorry, guys! For whatever reason, even though I weighed in last Sunday and my husband sent our weights into Annie, it was sometime mid-week when it really hit me that it was “go-time”. And for whatever other reason(s) (client visit, stressful work week, class cocktail party, plain ol’ lack of motivation), I just did not get my rear in gear this week.

But now I am freaked out. The nice (and not so nice) aspect of this format for El Cubano Gordo is that when you have a bad week, there are 3 other people you are letting down. And I am definitely feeling the peer pressure this morning. It’s sort of like when you were in college and had a big paper to write and kept procrastinating until the day the paper was due… then you freaked out a bit, but got to work and ended up creating the best work of your college career. That’s the effect I am going for.

So since I didn’t lose anything this week, I am putting this commitment out there (so I will be 100% held accountable by the ECG competitors)… next week, my weigh in will make up 2 weeks worth of weight loss. (I have a number in mind but don’t want to give the competition too much info.)

So how did everyone else do this week???

p.s. I've already been almost fired for my poor charting skills, so I promise to try to do better next week and make the info legible.

El Cubano Gordo V is officially underway!

Good luck, teams!

January Weight Loss Update

First, an apology to all competitors for taking so long to update the weight chart. When your mother-in-law finally asks you what's going on with that weight loss competition, it's time to get going.

What a difference a month makes. Just four weeks ago we started our yearly El Cubano challenge. At the beginning of the month, the group weighed 2,746 pounds. Since then, we've lost a respectable 58 pounds which is the equivalent of 2 Rosies. (Rosie Photo Below). YES, two little humans.


















Now let the games begin. Steve owns the top position with a commanding 10 pound weight loss. Chris Bell's 8.6 pound loss gives him a second place ranking. The third position is held by Rosemary Bell (Rosie's Nana).

Could somebody please tell me?

Where to find out the weights for the participants? On a lark, I came to elcubanogordo.com but they are not here. My fault I guess for not knowing.

I'm in the dark here people. Show me the light.

Like the premiere on Feb. 2, I am LOST!

T.
(not a loser last week, unfortunately)

Starting Weights for El Cubano Gordo IV

We've got 16 contestants in the 2010 El Cubano Gordo which makes the starting pot $1,600. This year features former champs Steve Lee and Pete Meyers, who are back with plans to regain their former glory and physique.

Several competitors have a partner to work with: Husband-and-wife teams Steve and Mary Lee, Dea and Tom Hughes, and Chris and Kristi Brand will work together to shed the extra pounds.

Returning New Yorkers this year include Chris Bell, Colleen Soriano and Cathy Salazar, and they're joined by first-timer Rory O'Connor.

Ever-present contestants Al Muzaurieta and Frank Pena will once again throw their hats in the ring with hopes of coming out on top.

Rounding out our list of competitors are two women from Florida and Connecticut, who might have the work-out advantage due to climate and space.

The next three months will fly by, so let's get off to a good start. Good luck, everyone!

Open Invitation for El Cubano Gordo IV

Hey Everyone, (please pass along to any friends who may want to participate)

As a former participant / observer, you are cordially invited to participate in the Fourth Annual El Cubano Gordo Championship. This year's contest features a new format. In addition to the weight loss competition, there will be a running challenge as a test of fitness, and a buy back feature that will allow all participants to earn back a percentage of their entry fee.

What is it?
A three-month-long weight loss and fitness contest to help you lose some of the extra weight you might have put on in 2009

When is it?
Start Date: January 1, 2010
End Date: April 3, 2010

Entry Fee:
$100.00

Rules of the El Cubano Gordo Contest:
1. Contestants report initial weight on January 1, 2009.
2. Contestants must report weight via email or text every Sunday.
3. Winner is determined by the following formula:

Percentage of Body Weight Lost + 3 points if a contestant completes a 1/2 marathon during the three month period.

Winner's Circle Gala and Weigh-In
This year's winner will be announced at a dinner celebration on April 3rd at 8pm

Buy Back
Contestants will receive 25% ($25) of their entry fee back for every 5% of body weight lost.

Prizes
1st Prize receives 75% of the purse
2nd Prize receives 25% of the purse

Please let me know if you will be participating.

Current Particpants
Steve Lee
Mary Lee
Al Muzaurieta
Millie Tonarely
Kristie Brand

Link to past winners
Year 3
http://elcubanogordo.blogspot.com/2009/04/and-winner-is.html

Year 2
http://elcubanogordo.blogspot.com/2008/05/who-is-new-el-cuban-gordo-pete-meyers.html

Year 1
http://elcubanogordo.blogspot.com/2007/08/el-cubano-gordo-winner.html

Joined Weight Watchers Online For Men

This weekend Annie encouraged me to join Weight Watchers (again). I'm hopeful that tracking my consumption will help reduce the waist size and encourage activity. I weighed in today at 244 pounds.

Final El Cubano Gordo #s - Click to Enlarge

And the winner is...

Steve Lee has regained his title as the El Cubano Gordo champ.


After 120 days of working out (and running around with 5 kids) Steve pumped out 38 to-the-floor push ups and lost 20 pounds, generating 15.34 El Cubano Gordo points. His perseverance is a guide post and inspiration to all aspiring losers like us.


We should also raise our glasses to the other participants who lost a few and trained to push up perfection. Chris Brand lost 7 pounds and pumped out an amazing 58 push ups for a combined 12.77 El Cubano Gordo points. Angelique edged out Annie and came in third place, showing that even skinny people can place in the El Cubano Gordo contest. Angelique lost 3.2% of her body weight and completed 53 push ups. You can view her awesome effort by clicking here


Annie came in fourth after losing 6 pounds and completing 42 push ups. Pete Meyers, last year's winner, rounded out the top 5 with a 2 pound weight loss and 57 push ups (although we lack video evidence to support the feat).


Honorable mentions go out to Niza who lost 6 pounds and cranked out 12 push ups and to the other 8 contestants who didn't gain weight. While we didn't hit our goal numbers, the contest helped those of us on the pudgier side to avoid gaining even more.

I myself am already nostalgic for ECG3 and am ramping up my efforts to get fit. Until ECG4, stay healthy and congrats to everyone.

A Sample of Annie's Push Ups

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.