Posts Tagged ‘win’

Oh my gosh.

I'm so full.

Even though I'm (usually) sticking to the super-healthy Bikini Boot Camp Six-Week Menu, I must confess that sometimes I may be eating way too much.

I may be eating so much that after some meals, I emit a series of sighs. I have to undo my pants. And all I can think about is napping.

I know I’m not the only one. So why do we eat so much, even when we're trying our hardest to be on our best behaviour?

In his new book, The End of Overeating: Taking control of the insatiable North American appetite, Dr. David A. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat and salt. He says that food manufactures create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a culture of overeaters.

The book seeks to explain why it's so difficult to resist certain foods and why it's so easy to overindulge.

For a chance to WIN a copy of The End of Overeating, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about the food you're most likely to binge on. Maybe you set out to have just a few chips and end up emptying the bag every time. Perhaps you serve yourself a slice of pizza one minute, and the next minute, you discover that half the pizza is gone. (This happens to me all the time.)

You have until Friday, June 12 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Saturday, June 13.

Villamere. That's my last name. It's French, but apparently I'm not. If I was, maybe I wouldn't be such a chub-o.

We've all heard that French women don't get fat. But is it true? And why? (And if it is, I'm adding it to my list of reasons to move to France, right below 'Gilles Marini'.)

To find out the answer, I did a little Q&A with Laura Calder, host of the Food Network's 'French Food at Home', member of Chef Network Inc., and author of the cookbooks French Taste - Elegant everyday eating and French Food at Home. She's lived in France for the better part of the past decade, so I tasked her with confirming or dispelling the rumour that France has no fatties.

Q: We've all heard that French women don't get fat. Surely, that's not true. I mean, during your time in France, you must have come across a hefty French lady or two, non?

A: "One or two, yes. But it's not a blanket phenomenon like it is in North America today. The reason is, I suppose, that they are still eating the way we did two generations ago, to some degree:  good quality ingredients (nothing fancy, just meat and potatoes, apples and cheese, etc.), cooked in homey ways (stews, roasts, sautés, etc.) and eaten at meal times sitting down. The French are not snackers.

Really, there's no secret. It's just good eating. And it's guilt-free eating.  Our downfall is that we eat too much packaged food or food that's pumped full of chemicals and hormones, we snack like crazy on junk, and we don't move around enough."

Q: How do you keep your figure? You must be forever tasting things as you cook.

A: "How do I keep my figure? I eat like a farmer from the 1920s. No, seriously, I eat meals and don't snack and I eat really good food: organic meats from a butcher I know and trust, a lot of vegetables. I eat sweet things, too, but all homemade so I know exactly what's in them.  I also walk everywhere I go and I do a lot of yoga.

I think if we put pleasure first, we're healthier. Pleasure equals the best-tasting (and therefore healthiest) ingredients, plus taking the time to enjoy eating with people we love. That's the best healthy-eating program I can think of for anyone."

Q: Oh my gosh, can it be true? Guilt-free eating? Tell me about some of your favourite recipes from your new book, French Taste.

A: "I love the savoury swiss chard tart in the first-courses chapter. I love the craggy chocolate cake in desserts, and all the apple tarts. I love the beef and carrot stew. See . . . all the granny food. That's my bag."

***

None of that stuff sounds like diet fare. All of that stuff sounds delicious. Can it be true - can we eat deliciously decadent foods and stay healthy and slim?

I don't know, but this is definitely worth investigating. I've got a copy of French Taste and I'm going to start cooking. Maybe I am French after all . . .

If you're ready to eat like a French lady and see what happens, just enter for a chance to WIN a copy of Laura Calder's latest book, French Taste.  To qualify, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about a weight loss myth you've debunked or found to be true. Do you eat quality, homemade meat, potatoes and pies like a French person and still stay slim and trim? Does green tea really help you to lose weight? Did you lose weight when you started eating breakfast? Is cabbage soup really the answer? What about detox diets? Or grapefruits?

You have until Thursday, June 18 to let us know about your weight loss myth trials and tribulations. I'll announce the winner here on Friday, June 19.

Bon chance!

Remember these things? Legs. The time has come to slowly re-introduce them to sunlight.

Monday is June 1. And you know what that means: shorts weather is coming.

Sometime between now and Labour Day, you are going to have to show some leg. Even if you're unwaveringly devoted to full-length jeans, knee socks and long-sleeve turtlenecks, there will inevitably be a day this season where you will have to dawn capris. A skirt. Or shorts. And yes, maybe even a bathing suit.

Shorts weather is coming. Best to make peace with it now and get ready.

This is your time to moisturize, perfect your fake tanning technique and most importantly, shave.

Oh Lord. Shaving. What a colossal pain in the rear. Seriously, am I expected to balance on one leg in the shower like a chunky flamingo and run a razor-sharp . . . razor . . . all over my legs every frigging day? Look. At the size. Of my thighs. Do you have any idea how much area I have to cover with that tiny razor? The whole prospect is absolutely ridiculous.

I refuse.

This summer, I'm opting for non-razor hair removal. And you can, too, because I have a prize pack from Nair available for one lucky blog subscriber. It includes:

• Nair pretty glitter hair removal wax strips for legs & body with cherry scent
• Nair pretty glitter hair removal wax strips for face & bikini with chamomile and apple scent
• Nair shower power hair removal cream for legs & body, sensitive formula
• Nair 'cire divine' no strip wax for legs and body in sensual berries scent.

Hmm. Whoever wins this prize will have to report back to us about what 'sensual berries' smell like.

For your chance to WIN, just Subscribe To This Blog (it’s free, you know) and post a reply with your shaving horror story. Have you sustained a serious (or seriously embarrassing) nick or cut? Have you forgotten to shave for a special occasion? Have you ever done the classic 'I accidentally only shaved one armpit' maneuver?

You have until June 5 to tell us your hair removal horror story. I'll announce the winner here on Saturday, June 6.

Congratulations to jentam, who has won our Day 6 contest by telling us about her  favourite non-workout way to get exercise.

jentam says:
"This may sound strange but I enjoy cleaning the house and getting exercise doing so. I move quickly when I clean and I try and stretch as I reach to clean windows or sweep under the bed. It feels great to have a clean house *and* feel like I’ve been working out."

Ooh, extra points for multitasking! Nice work. Your prize is a copy of Move a Little, Lose a Lot: New NEAT science reveals how to be thinner, happier and smarter by James A. Levine, MD, PhD.

In other news, today is World Hypertension Day. Who knew? Not I. But to help . . . celebrate . . . wait, I don't know if we're meant to 'celebrate' World Hypertension Day, but anyway, to help 'mark the occasion', we're giving away a great prize pack from Mrs. Dash. It contains all 12 flavours of Canada's favourite salt-free, flavour-full seasoning plus a step counter and a jump rope. The folks at Mrs. Dash say that using Mrs. Dash instead of salt is a great way to cut down on your sodium intake.

Mmm. Sodium. I confess that I put salt on everything. It's a habit I really have to break. Is there something that you put salt on even when you know you really shouldn't? Do you add salt to your food before you even taste it? Do you ever add a visible layer of salt to your food? If someone served you a bowl of salt, would you proceed to put salt on it? For a chance to WIN this fab Mrs. Dash prize, just Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about your bad salt habit.

You have until Sunday, May 31 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on June 1.

I have a Turtle in my desk drawer.

That's right, a Turtle. A delicious, chocolaty pecan treat.

It has been in my desk drawer since last Thursday, making it the longest surviving Turtle ever. Usually such a sweet snack would be devoured on its first day at the office. (Although, now that my colleagues know it's in there, its days are probably numbered.)

Turtles and other such tasty treats are forever in danger of extinction because of my rampant love of snacking. It's a real testament to my commitment to Bikini Boot Camp that this Turtle has survived so long.

(I just took it out of my drawer and smelled its wrapper. Mmm. Then I slid it back in my drawer. That is willpower.)

Anyway, turns out that snacking is not such a bad thing. Just look at the Bikini Boot Camp Menu — it's littered with snacks. The trick is to snack well.

The Snack Factor Diet: The secret to losing weight by eating more, by Keri Glassman, M.S., R.D, has more than 100 ideas and recipes for crunchy, sweet, salty and creamy snacks to enjoy. Best of all, these waistline-friendly snacks promise to help keep your energy high, your metabolism up and your mood positive.

I have two copies of The Snack Factor Diet to give away. For a chance to WIN, just Subscribe to This Blog and post a reply telling us about your favourite snack. No — no Turtles allowed. These have to be healthy snacks!

You have until Monday, May 18 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Tuesday May 19.

Happy snacking!

"Oh Lord. Is it only Day 4? Will it ever end? Am I thin yet?"

It's Day 4 of Bikini Boot Camp and the healthy groceries I so enthusiastically purchased on Day 1 are dwindling. The weekend — and its promise of easy, breezy, fattening beverages on a patio — is looming. My muscles are sore. My gym clothes are in the wash. The couch is calling. The odds are stacked against me.

It's days like today when a story of inspiration and success goes a long way.

Enter Chantel Hobbs, who took control of her life, changed her thought process, lost 200 pounds and became a personal trainer. Her story is one of enormous transformation — both physical and psychological. Chantel says it started when she learned to change the way she thinks — after years of failed diets, she discovered the power of the 'brain change'.

Chantel's book, Never Say Diet: Make five decisions and break the fat habit for good, tells her incredible story and also includes quick tips, a strength training plan and some jaw-dropping before-and-after photos.

It also helps to put Bikini Boot Camp in perspective. If she can lose 200 pounds, surely I can lose six pounds in six weeks. If she can become a personal trainer, then I bet I can continue to lose a pound a week until I reach my goal. If she can change the way she looks and feels without yo-yo dieting, so can I!

Chantel's story has already inspired me to make some changes today. My to-do list now includes doing laundry, taking Advil, getting groceries and gearing up for Day 5 and beyond.

Need to feel inspired? I have a copy of Chantel's book to give away. For your chance to WIN Never Say Diet: Make five decisions and break the fat habit for good, Subscribe To This Blog and post a reply telling us about what inspires you.

You have until Thursday, May 14 to let us know. I'll announce the winner here on Friday, May 15. Good luck!

Part of Bikini Boot Camp is learning to reward yourself for working hard to establish a healthier lifestyle.

And while I used to reward myself for a job well done with a beer (or two . . . while waiting for a pizza), a better way is to enjoy a treat that will leave you looking, feeling and even smelling better!

You have a chance to WIN such a reward, thanks to Fruits & Passion! This great prize pack includes all of the products in their new, eco-friendly 'Imagine' collection in the alluring ‘Apple Illusion’ scent.

You'll get:

• eau de toilette
• foaming bath
• hand soap
• hand cream
• shower gel
• quenching butter
• a sample eau de toilette Imagine fragrance box

It's a total value of $116.50, plus it's all packaged in a super-cute reusable shopping bag!

For a chance to WIN, just Subscribe To This Blog and leave a reply telling us about your favourite way to pamper yourself.

You have until Wednesday, May 27 to enter. I'll announce the winner here on Thursday, May 28. Good luck!

As I mentioned last week, our  Bikini Boot Camp program will launch May 4.

Bikini Boot Camp is a super-fab, free and fun way to shed the flab and get ready for summer. The six-week program includes daily e-newsletters, expert advice, online fitness videos, daily blog posts, fabulous contests, a Boot Camp menu and more.

Wait — did I mention fabulous contests? Sign up for the Bikini Boot Camp e-newsletter now and you'll be eligible to WIN a summer beauty gift basket from L'Oreal!

You won't believe how much great stuff is packed into this prize basket! It's got: Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer, Sublime Bronze Gradual Self-tanning Lotion, Sublime Glow Face with SPF 15, Advanced Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Day, Advanced Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Night, Advanced Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate, Advanced Revitalift Double Eye Lift, Revitalift Cream Cleanser, Revitalift Wet Cleansing Towelettes, EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System - Moisture Shampoo, EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System - Moisture Conditioner, Voluminous Mascara Carbon Black, Wear Infinité eye shadow quad, Colour Riche Lipcolour, Colour Riche Lipgloss . . . and it's worth a whopping $250!

Sign up for the Bikini Boot Camp e-newsletter now for your chance to WIN!

Congratulations to Susan, who is the winner of our March 20 contest. Susan has won a whole whack of books, including:

1. The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A delicious alternative for lifelong health, by Nancy Harmon Jenkings
2. The Diet Detective’s Count Down: 7500 of your favorite food counts with their exercise equivalents for walking, running, biking, swimming, yoga and dance, by Charles Stuart Platkin
3. Fat Proof Your Family: God’s way to forming healthy habits for life, by J. Ron Eaker, MD
4. Happiness: How to find it and keep it, by Joan Duncan Oliver
5. The Source: Beat fatigue, power up your health and feel 10 years younger, by Woodson Merrell, M.D
6. Jaime Brenkus’ Get Lean in 15 — 15 ways in 15 days to shape up and slim down . . .  fast!
7. The Instinct Diet: Use your five food instincts to lose weight and keep it off, by Susan B. Roberts, Ph.D.

For our March 20 contest, I asked you to share your sports clutz story with us.

Susan told us:
"The idea of taking gym in high school terrified me (and we needed one credit in Phys Ed to graduate). Every year it conflicted with another course and I would put it off until finally, in Grade 12, I had no other choice but to take Phys. Ed. And it was awful! We had to learn “social dance” (which is not great if you are self-conscious, have two left feet and are forced to dance with guys you don’t know!)and aerobics (she forced us to do Susan Powder videos), which also are not a great idea if you aren’t coordinated. My redemption came from my realization that everyone in my class was having a horrible time! After one session of aerobics (during which I fell over), I started talking about how much I hated the class…and found out that EVERYONE hated it as much as me! After that, with a shared comradery, the class actually became fun! I still have a Far Side “Aerobics in Hell” card one of the girls gave me! The experience made me realize that I would never be a Solid Gold dancer but that sharing common experiences with people can help you form real bonds (even if it is in Gym class)!"

Congratulations, Susan!

Is it me, or is everyone coming down with something these days? A cough, a cold, a weird bronchial thing, a sinus situation - it seems everyone is a bit under the weather in March.

The worst part about getting sick is that it makes it easier than ever to succumb to temptation, skip your workout and retreat under the blankets with a box of Kleenex and a bag of cheezies.

But no more - now it's time to take charge of your health and be proactive about fighting coughs and colds!

To help you win your fight, we've got four fabulous Cold Survival Kits to GIVE AWAY,  brought to you by the new zinc-based cold remedy, ZICAM. Each kit is valued at $100 and includes a hot water bottle with cover and blanket, a branded mug, green tea, chicken noodle soup, essential oils and a holder, bathtub salts, a $25 Chapters gift certificate and a selection of crossword and sudoku puzzles. Just the
stuff you need to get over a cold quick and get back to your healthy lifestyle!

But wait . . . there's more!

We also have a super-charged GRAND PRIZE from ZICAM that's valued at $500 (!) and includes a Honeywell 'Quiet Care' humidifier and a light therapy lamp. That's some serious cold-fighting ammunition!

For a chance to WIN, just Subscribe to This Blog and leave a reply telling us how you nurse yourself back to health when you're under the weather. Maybe your prescription is chicken soup and game shows. Maybe
you enlist your spouse to pamper you. Maybe you just soldier through it.

Let us know by Tuesday, March 31. I'll announce the four winners and the one grand prize winner here on Wednesday, April 1 (no foolin').

And: you'll also want to visit ZICAM's website at www.zicam.ca to nominate your favourite nurse in the first-ever No Nonsense Nurse Awards. Our great Canadian nurses are on the frontlines of the healthcare system helping us overcome illness and dispensing crucial health care advice. It's time to recognize your favourite nurse by nominating him or her for the No Nonsense Nurse Awards!