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
13 Quick Dishes
Now that you have your pantry stocked, here are just a few of the delicious dishes you can toss together — no recipe required!
Chicken Salad: Combine pre-cooked chicken breast, diced roasted red peppers, fat-free mayonnaise and gourmet mustard; spoon mixture into a whole-wheat pita.
Hummus: Purée together chickpeas, tahini, garlic and lemon juice; serve with baked corn chips or whole-wheat pita wedges.
Tomato Pie: Top prepared pizza crust with garden-style pasta sauce, reduced-fat Parmesan cheese and oregano.
Royal Rueben: Make coleslaw (combine shredded cabbage/carrot mix and fat-free mayo); place slaw on whole-grain bread; top with lean roast beef and reduced-fat Swiss cheese.
Spicy Salmon: Combine canned salmon, diced pickled jalapeños, gourmet mustard and fat-free mayo.
Asian Chicken: Coat cubed, pre-cooked chicken breast with hoisin sauce; toss with water chestnuts and chopped celery.
Chicken Fajitas: Top whole-wheat tortillas with slices of pre-cooked chicken breast, green bell peppers and red onion; serve with fat-free sour cream and salsa.
Moroccan Couscous: Add boiling water to whole-wheat couscous; let stand 5 minutes. Add chopped mixed dried fruit, ground cumin and sliced almonds.
Turkey Wrap: Spread gourmet mustard on a whole-wheat tortilla; top with smoked turkey breast, reduced-fat cheese, shredded lettuce and sliced tomato; roll up.
Mexican Beans: Combine three-bean varieties (black, white, pink), canned tomatoes, diced yellow bell pepper, chopped fresh cilantro and chili powder.
Chicken-Chutney Sandwich: Spread chutney on whole-grain bread; top with slices of pre-cooked chicken breast and red lettuce.
Thai Fruit: Combine fresh and/or canned fruit (such as pineapple, mango, melon, grapes, papaya), sliced almonds and light coconut milk.
Barbecued Pulled Pork: Combine shredded, cooked pork and barbecue sauce; serve on whole-grain bread.
credit: Weight Watchers Online
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.
Stay vigilant about what you put into your body and your efforts will pay off!
credit: Jorge Cruise
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.
These are the main staples in our house now, and I am really finding out that if I’m going to be cooking, I want to know exactly what I can have and have 5-6 meals that I know I like, and I will keep eating those until I tire of any of them and I’ll find something new to replace one or two of my selections.
What’s on your list? (The good stuff.) 
(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!)
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