Happy Monday, guys!

Today marks the day that Jen and I were to give our final challenge recaps and reflections.  Since it just doesn’t feel right to relish the culmination of this 2-month journey while my partner is in mourning, I am foregoing the recap.  Thank you so much to everyone who supported Jen and me as we worked through our final 10 pounds and thanks and kudos to everyone who made their own challenges and struggled alongside us. You guys seriously ROCK!

Two months ago, when I asked you guys here and Jen asked here who was joining us in the challenge, we learned that many of you had health goals much different from our own, but all leading back to the quest for a healthy and happy quality of life.  And, of course, we offered up the scrumptious incentive of Holey Donuts!  We have chosen 2 winners each via random numbers generated from Random.org — first place for the Holey Donuts and second place gets an assortment of hand-made greeting cards made by Jen’s sister Heidi.

Winners of mine – 1st place Holey Donuts winner is Charley, 2nd place cards winner is Jenny from the Block
Winners of Jen’s – 1st place Holey Donuts winner is Jen, 2nd place cards winner is Diet Girl Mel

Congrats!  I will be e-mailing all of you!

News

• New Scientist’s, “Why Food is About More than Nutrition” (8/3/09) here — In response to the UK study arguing organic foods offered no additional health benefits to their counterparts.
• Science Daily’s, “Risk Factors Of Self-induced Vomiting And Other Disordered Eating Behaviors In Overweight Youth” (8/3/09) here — Excerpt: “Overweight youth with certain socio-environmental, psychological, and behavioral tendencies, such as reading magazine articles about dieting, reporting a lack of family connectedness, placing a high importance on weight, and reporting having participated in unhealthy weight control behaviors, are more likely to suffer from eating disorders.”
• Calorie Lab’s, “Consumers Confused by Health Info. on Packages” (8/2/09) here — Research looks at how consumers use health information such as the nutrition labels, ingredients lists and health claims on packages, as well as more general health guidelines such as the food pyramid.
• Time Magazine’s, “Swiss Chocolate Invention: The No-Melt, Low-Fat Volcano” (7/22/09) here — Excerpt: “By coming up with a chocolate that doesn’t liquefy between your fingers (or in your pocket), Barry Callebaut has managed to create something that many chocolate makers have tried before but never accomplished. Former attempts at melt-free chocolate — including one by U.S. manufacturer Hershey — resulted in rock-hard bars that were a struggle to break, let alone eat. And the quest for a low-calorie bar has long been stymied by the tricky issues of flavor and texture. According to Tschofen, Vulcano — which gets its name from the little air bubbles it contains that conjure up images of volcanic lava — has a crispy, crunchy texture rather than creamy but tastes as good as regular chocolate.” Likely 2 years before it hits markets.
• Check out Imagine Today’s Self Esteem Month here
  
• New Product at Costco — Bear Naked Grain-ola Bars

Give-Away Round-Up

• Win a beautiful white, paisley apron here
• Win a copy of David Kessler’s The End of Overeating here
• Win a copy of “So You Think You Can Dance” fitness DVDs here

So how did all of you guys end up doing on your challenges?  Are you all challenged out? Joining new challenges?

Check back in tomorrow for a healthier version of macaroni and cheese that you always dreamed about but never knew existed.

<3,

The Cranky One

Tags: Bear Naked, Costco, Holey Donuts, The End of Overeating, weight loss challenge