Written by Dan Ekblad, IAWP CWC

One of the biggest problems we face today is the “I want it now” mentality and wanting to take the easiest and quickest way to get there. “Let's take things to the extreme so it happens fast, because I want it right now!”
 
With TV shows like ABC's Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition and NBC’s The Biggest Loser, people think they can easily drop a lot of weight in a short amount of time.

I always find it fascinating talking with people who are having issues with losing weight or who have lost a lot of weight but have put all or most of it back on. So many have the same attitude and reasoning about why they gained the weight back—I got hurt; I got sick; the diet I was on got too expensive; I got tired of eating like that and exercising; or, I hit my goal and just went back to the way things were. And for many of us who have been or are currently overweight or obese, there’s something that you’re just going to have to do before you’re ever going to truly keep the weight off—you are going to have to admit that you have an addiction.

With tomorrow being the official start of this year's Slim Down Challenge, I am here to share with you 5 ways to kickstart your weight loss without going in a "diet."

In the last post, we mentioned the appeal of the “quick fix,” especially when you are at your wit’s end with weight loss. For a number of years now, pyramid marketing, or as it’s commonly referred to now as multi-level marketing (MLM), has been used with many weight loss products. Companies marketing these products tend to coerce, intimidate and pray upon those who are looking for the “quick fix” to lose weight. To make it even more appealing, some companies offer incentives to sell the product as well. 

We can't tell you how many times over the last 4-5 years we've been approached by “associates” of these different products. We refuse to use our influence to make money off of the same people we are trying to help live a healthy lifestyle.

Recently, we have noticed one company in particular that has become very aggressive in their marketing and recruiting efforts and we feel it needs to be addressed.

We've all been given blessings and gifts in our lives. For many of us it's our children, family and friends, great jobs and hopefully good health.

Here's something you all need to remember—you are never too far gone, never too good and never above asking for or needing help.

Hello Challengers, this is Dan. Please, use your Chippewa Valley Challenge Fitness & Nutrition Journals! There is a reason we want you log your steps, log your exercise and log your meal. It's to teach you the habits that will help you change your lifestyle and lose weight. If you don't know how many calories you're eating or how many calories you're burning each day, then don't complain if you're not losing any weight! People who have been successful at changing their lifestyle use a journal to keep track of planning and progress. We are trying to give you the tools (pedometer, journal, access to personal trainers, a private MyFitnessPal group and incentives) to lose weight and change your life. But tools are only helpful if you actually use them. So take 5 minutes and make sure your pedometers are programmed or if you're using a fitness tracker, make sure to go online and complete your profile. Then take a minute or two a couple of times a day to log your food and exercise. Start good, healthy habits today and take control of your life! The Challenge is here to help guide, inform and encourage you to get healthy, but we won't do the work for you. Losing weight is hard, but learning how to keep it off and stay healthy is even harder. Develop those healthy habits now and learn how to use them going forward. Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to the Challenge and made the choice to change their life one step at a time.

So you've joined the Challenge. What now?

Tips, tricks and benefits of being healthy and in shape in your fifties

I recently attended a get together of former classmates. We’ve been getting together prior to the holidays for the last few years. A former classmate of mine and I were talking and wondering, “who are these old people?” Quite honestly I think we were both looking round at the crowd noticing just how many of our former classmates looked so much older they are. Most all of us graduated between 1980 and 1983, so we are all in our early 50s. What’s really disturbing is the frightening number of classmates (class of 1981) who have died since our graduation, many due to health related issues.

Why is this? 

from ACE Pro Source

Good news for all you picky eaters (and, especially, parents of picky eaters): A new study suggests it may be possible to train the brain to prefer healthy low-calorie foods over unhealthy higher-calorie foods.

According to new research by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts University and at Massachusetts General Hospital, a brain scan study in adult men and women suggests that it is possible to reverse the addictive power of unhealthy food while also increasing the preference for healthy foods.

“We don't start out in life loving French fries and hating, for example, whole-wheat pasta,”

Now that the 2014 Chippewa Valley Challenge is in the books, we would like to take a moment to reflect on how amazing this year was for us and for many of our Participants.

We are almost three months in to 2014...so...how’s that New Year’s Resolution coming along?

For many of us who want to lose weight in the new year, this is the time we start falling off the wagon and lose interest in our goals we set back in December. It’s at this time most health clubs start seeing a decline in people coming to the gyms. This is why many clubs will run another sale in March.

So why do we give up so quickly on something we wanted so badly at one point in time? Why can’t we see past these first few months as being just the beginning of the healthier lifestyle we were trying to get live?

A BIG "thank you" to everyone who attended last week's Health Seminar! We had just over 60 people attend. Our guest speakers were excellent and really hit home their messages. Thank you to our speakers -- Craig Monson (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin, MaryAnne Erickson, Certified Intrinsic® Health and Wellness Coach, Jennifer Joswiak and last but not least Lisa Rambo (The Biggest LoserSeason 14 Contestant and founder of Losing it with Lisa). Also, a shout out to the night's sponsors -- Gordy's County Market, GNC Live Well, Subway, Eau Claire Children's Theater and I AM AN OVER EATER!! Blog.

Click on "Read More" to view notes from the seminar.

According to the USDA, people who are most successful at losing weight and keeping it off track their intake regularly.

Are you getting ready for the new year? Start planning now!

The New Year is approaching quickly and many of you are thinking about your New Year's resolution to start losing weight, get in shape and change your life. With the New Year just around the corner, that can mean only one thing--it's Challenge time!

Chippewa Valley Challenge starts January 6 and now is the best time for you to plan your eating and figure out how you're going to start exercising. If you wait until after the first of the year you may already be too late.

"HELP!" "I lost the weight I wanted to lose, but now I am gaining it all back!" Aahhhh!

Has this happened to you? You were on a diet, exercising regularly and the weight came off. After a few weeks, maybe even months, you finally hit your goal weight.

NOW WHAT?