The 2007 National Body Challenge has begun over at Discovery Health. They offer customized meal plans, expert fitness and weight loss information, chances to win $1,000,000 (cough. there’s some motivation!) and a free health club pass. They also have assessments available, if you just want to see where you are from last year.

I signed up last year and there’s a ton of really great info there - plus the before & after pics are pretty motivating!

I’m just curious what everyone is currently doing to get in shape and lose weight?  What are your plans and where are in you int?

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Do you find yourself eating the same old meals over and over because you can’t figure out what else to make — quickly? Or ordering takeout more often than you (or your wallet) would like? Shopping for the right foods can get you out of this rut. Check out our list of pantry staples, then try the 13 quick meal ideas that follow. The most you’ll have to do is boil water!

Smart Shopping List

• Whole-grain breads and whole-wheat pita; whole grains (including whole-wheat couscous), whole-wheat tortillas; prepared pizza crust (e.g., Boboli).
• Canned beans and chickpeas.
• Canned tomatoes; jarred tomato sauce.
• Vegetables (fresh, canned, jarred): red and green lettuce, tomatoes, celery, bell peppers, watercress, red onion, garlic, shredded coleslaw mix, jarred beets, roasted red peppers, pickled jalapeños and canned water chestnuts.
• Fruit (fresh or frozen/canned in its own juice), including lemons and limes.

Did you know there’s a hidden sweetener lurking in many foods that’s bad for your waistline?

No, I don’t mean sugar, although that’s a good guess. It’s a food additive called high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS. Several decades ago, manufacturers discovered that HFCS was cheaper to use than natural sugar, so they started using it to sweeten foods including frozen meals, juices, even bread! Unfortunately unlike real sugar, HFCS interferes with hormones that would normally regulate our appetites and blood sugar. In the long run, HFCS converts to fat in our bodies more quickly, and it causes us to store more fat. Many doctors believe that eating large amounts of HFCS is directly linked to our rising rates of diabetes and obesity. How can you avoid this syrupy trap? Look for organic foods, all natural foods, and sugar-free foods whenever possible. Regular soda is one of the highest sources of HFCS, so if you drink water or calorie-free beverages, you’ll be ahead of the game. Be sure to read the food labels when you shop. If HFCS is listed first or second on the label, this is bad news because it’s considered one of the food’s main ingredients.

I found this article about the ChangeOne Diet on Reader’s Digest site this morning.  It looks sensible and realistic for anyone searching for a “plan” to follow.   Just FYI.

Grocery shopping is really difficult when you’re looking for the healthy stuff. I’ve spent hours reading labels and trying to pick the most healthy things that don’t take hours of prep time and will help me lose weight. I thought I’d post some of the things that I reach for automatically at the grocery store now, maybe that will help the next time you go shopping!

First, though, you might want to purge your cabinets. The less you have of the bad stuff, the better choices you’re forced to make during those munchy binges.

(Some of you have already done this, some of you haven’t. I’ll stick this one up at the top sporadically so everyone new can do it, too. If you’ve already done it, post your Body Type again please? I wiped the comments by mistake. Thanks!)