Salmon Burger Recipe

I am going to post a few different recipe's from the Biggest Loser Resort for all you out there that are looking for some healthy options.

SALMON BURGER:
Servings: 6
Serving size: 1/2 cup scoop

1 pound salmon, approx 2 cups
1/2 cup roasted peppers, diced small
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1 TBSP mustard
6 TBSP Vegenaise
6 TBSP Nasoya Nayonaise
3 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 Lrg egg
Orowheat sandwich thins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake Salmon for about 18 minutes or until cooked.  Place cooked salmon in mixing bowl and shred with fork. Fold in ingredients and mix well.  Make 1/2 cup size patties with the mixture.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until hot in the middle.  Serve on Orrowheat thin with sliced tomato, onion, and lettuce leaves.

473 Calories
12g Fat
38g Protein
57g Carbs
11g fiber

Kicking the butt of obesity!

Who says "fat people" aren't athletic! I am here to tell you they are and in fact, some may be in better shape than the thin people out there! I am a witness to this every day here at Biggest Loser Resort! Me and my new friends are not fooling around... we have a purpose, we have a reason, we are here to kick the butt of Obesity!

We are enduring many very difficult obstacles. We are climbing mountains, the same mountains, whether we are 130 lbs (yes there are some here that are quite small) or whether we are 400+ lbs. We all go on the hikes, we all make it to the top. We all high five and take pictures...that is what we do! If one of us doesn't succeed, we aren't happy! It's a group/team effort and we are cheering each other on!

Some days are a little more difficult than other days. Today was a difficult day for me (however I never gave up and I kept going). My calves are as tight as I have ever felt them. They feel like there is a permanent charlie horse in them. It was fate today that Josh, the Yoga and stretch instructor, was on my hike with me. He was with me the whole way. He stopped me and kept doing stretches with me and really made the big, uneven terrain, hilly hike seem like a breeze. I was huffing and puffing up those hills but my body rarely hurt. Josh helped me to stay right on the backs of the strongest hikers (even though my limitation today didn't make me feel as strong). He had me talking, was asking me questions and answering mine. It was what got me through today's hike and made me PROUD of all that I accomplished. And even through my horrendous tight calves, I wasn't even in the last few to finish, although if I finished last, I still would have been proud.

I love all the water workouts here at the resort. However after having such calves trouble I attended ANOTHER stretch class right after the hike and gave up my morning H2O class to hopefully help gain more fluidity in my calve muscle. Josh is an excellent instructor and I a can tell that he cares about us as people not clients...stretch was a help today.

For lunch it was one of my favorite soups. Beet soup and then we had Meatloaf with a wild rice and veggies. all around an AMAZING lunch.

I got to attend a Grocery class with our dietitian here Jessica. It was a small class for people who have been here before and she gave me some good suggestion on VOLUME food to help in those week moments. Things that you can get a lot of but have less guilt about. For example better choices for time where you feel "mindless eating coming on". She actually spotlighted some of my favorite things like Plum Tots (baby snacks) cereal and dried strawberries and Pop Chips. We talked about these things would be better to eat when you aren't really paying attention to what you are eating for example at the movie theatre in the dark. Also I found a couple new things I am going to add to my pantry. Wasa crackers. They actually taste pretty good and are low in calories. The other for all the people with Trader Joe's around is Egg White salad with chives (like a egg salad) it is only 110 calories for the WHOLE container and is packed with protein. I think one of the most important things to do when you are trying to change and keep up a healthy lifestyle (especially for a foodie like me) is have things that actually appeal to your appetite...not just that they are low in calories, high in protein!

Did you know:

• Your SALT intake for the entire day should not be over 1500mg?
• Your SUGAR intake for the entire day shouldn't be over 25g for females 37g for males (not fair!)?
• Your taste buds can change and adapt in less than 2 weeks. Things that you think are nasty you can change your taste buds to like by changing your habits?!
• Close to 80% of the American Population have an insufficient ability to digest the sugar in milk products?
• There is more protein in an 8oz Greek Yogurt than there is in 3oz of steak?

I thought I'd share those things with you that I learned today in the Grocery class. One more thing that I am pretty sure most of you know already. Never go grocery shopping hungry and always shop the perimeter of the store. The perimeter carries nearly EVERYTHING that you would need to live a healthy, less processed food lifestyle.

Wednesday around this part of woods is HUMP DAY! We are all so proud that we made it to the half way through mark. It is also PROVE YOURSELF day! Our classes are gruelling! We had LOTS of ways to show that we are here to change our lives, we are here to KICK THE BUTT OF OBESITY! Our afternoon schedule today was Kick Boxing with Carol and Mountain with John and then Water Aerobics with John then Dinner. Kick boxing and Mountain are the two hardest classes here, in my opinion! Having them back to back was quite the feat...in fact it almost had me, I nearly lost my lunch in mountain.
Here is Proof:

Kick boxing is self explanatory. It is hard core punch, punch, punch...kick, kick, kick! Our instructor Carol is amazing and she is in some serious shape! She teaches the moves and isn't breathing hard at all. This class it self is very challenging, but fun. When you add to a gym that is way too hot, you can sweat GALLONS of fat off right?! I hope so! This class was like hot yoga kick boxing style! Carol was very encouraging to me and came and helped me in the combination parts (I lack coordination) and was so encouraging to me throughout the whole class and that is just what I needed, THANK YOU CAROL, loved your class!

Now Mountain.. I don't even have words to explain this to it's full capacity but this class isn't for wimps.. it is for people on a mission. Basically this class is similar to Cardio Intervals but with a different twist. You are on the SAME machine for the full class. You start at a certain level and then every 3 minutes you but up the intensity and you do this 12 times! By the 12th change in intensity you push yourself harder than you have for the last 3 minutes. It hurts SOOO good and yes, sometimes you may puke! (but of course that isn't the intention!)

In H2O today I think they were having a little sympathy for us after those two hard classes cause it wasn't as challenging. One of the relays we did was a team relay and we did a set of three different things and the last part we were supposed to get back to our side and get our teams to all be at the other side with their hands raised to win...but there was a twist, they could choose to go to the opposing sides team and detain them from reaching their walls. So who does the "other" team go after? Season 7 Biggest Loser Contestant and 66 yr woman Estella Hayes. They honestly looked like they were ripping here arms off.. tugging back and forth. I couldn't believe that they would do that to her! I was right there yelling at them to stop pulling her like that (could be the granny nanny in me). I eventually told her to grab me around my neck and I would pull her to the other side.. it was a water game gone wrong, in my opinion. Most of the games they play are great..just ripping apart an older woman, not classy!

Dinner tonight was one of my favorites! Cafe Chicken Salad. For those of you that are familiar with Cafe Rio, it would be a good substitution for one of their salads on a healthy side! I will share the recipe with you, that is a promise!

Following dinner I took a couple people to target to get deodorant, laundry soap etc. We ended up going WAY FAR and ended up at a Simi Valley Target, my bad!

I came back in time for a session of reflexology hoping that it would help loosen the calves so I could have a full and productive day tomorrow. BIG SHOUT OUT to Rosa in the Spa Department of the Biggest Loser Resort! She used Essential oils and rubbed those calves, pressure pointed those calves and made me feel like a new woman tonight! 60 minutes with her, is like HEAVEN! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Thank you to all my readers and friends who have sent personal messages about how my journey is inspiring you to get up and move. That really helps me even more want to continue, get out of my bed at 5:30am every morning and kick the butt of obesity! THANK YOU!

No Pain, No Gain.. or Weight Loss! Day TWO

Day TWO I have a love hate relationship with you!  Why does something so good for you have to feel so bad at times?  Today I have had a lot on my mind about the process by which many of us becomes overweight.  For each of us it is a different story, a different pain, a different lack of love for yourself.  It may have started from childhood fears or trauma, you may have started to use food to hide from things that were really troubling your heart.  It may have started from just pure laziness.  I don't know your story and I am still trying to figure out my own. But what I do know is eventually we all must come to a tipping point when we have had ENOUGH of the fat on our bodies, ENOUGH of the added stresses applied to them because of it and the inner turmoil, and ENOUGH guilt and pain that are connected with it! 

I had enough starting back in the Spring of 2009.  I started to change my life then and I am still continuing that path 2 years later.  It isn't an easy process, but it is a valuable process...it is a life or death process if you think about it.  I chose to live and live for a long time!  I love living!  It feels good and even when the hard times come, there is always something worth living for.. YOURSELF! I still have my struggles, but I keep going.  I have my set backs, my gains and losses, but I keep going.  I have my days that working out is the furthest away from my thoughts, but I keep going.  Being here at the Biggest Loser Resort, I have found others just like me.  Other people who are fighting for their life.  Fighting to find their definition of FIT!  Fighting every day, 12 hours a day (with classes) to figure out how they can tweak the way they are living just a little and get BIG results.  That is one of the greatest blessings of this place.  It is a place to find YOU again, or even  to discover the person you never knew was waiting to come out!

Already in day TWO I have seen awakenings (that I felt my first time ever here, and hope to find even deeper parts of it on this stay) in other newly found friends. It has been so neat to hear how this program is affecting them, and how they plan to incorporate that into their lives and BELIEVE in themselves again!  My new friend Danielle (I talked about her and her Sister a few posts ago) posted this last night and I think she said it beautifully, made me shed tears as I read her words:

"I have never been pushed mentally or physically like this in my entire life. There are no words to describe how life changing this has been and it's only day 1...IF I ever go back to an unhealthy lifestyle....SHOOT ME DIRECTLY BETWEEN MY EYES WITH A LARGE GUN. There is no pain in eating healthy, but the pain felt today has changed my entire outlook on the rest of my life. Worth every cent, second of time, and ounce of sweat and vomit, but HOLY CRAP...I surrender. No more."

I couldn't agree with her more! The amount of work we are doing 8 hrs a day to get this weight off is not worth all the food on the planet!  Every ounce of unhealthy living is beaten off us in the gym or pool ounce by ounce, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. The emotion of awakening to such a realization that you are the one that did this to yourself is quite a hefty load to bear.  But knowing that choices now can change the way your future is lived is what gets us to our classes all day. 

Biggest Loser Resort isn't naive enough to act as though we are going to do this amount of workout every day for the rest of our lives, and that is why they hammer it into us why we are here.  Not only are we being worked out, we are being taught ways, products and plans that we can incorporate into our everyday life so that we still don't have to be deprived, we still can live lives, attend and eat at social events and still keep working toward our goals to live a healthy lifestyle. It isn't an all or nothing, it is finding a balance.

My calves are so tight right now that I feel they may break apart.  My arms are heavy and if I tried to lift them above my head, I may tip over. But, my heart is happy.  My spirit is rejuvenated.  My self love and determination is still in check and even stronger each day that I make it through these challenging workouts.  I CAN DO HARD THINGS!  I know this.  I feel it every day I fight through a challenging workout, walk with very tight calves, hike a long steep hill, run a sprint on a treadmill for 2 minutes, or hold 8 lbs weights above my head. I am a fighter for things that are right.  Taking care of my body is right and I will fight and see it through to the end! For the first time in my life, I am learning to put MY NEEDS first and not feeling guilty about it!  I AM WORTH IT!

So today, I gave it my all. I went to my classes and enjoyed them.  Fought through the pain and exceeded my expectations. Here is a run down of DAY 2:

Breakfast today was Banana Muffins and fruit.  The muffins were delicious but I didn't even finish all of them cause they were so heavy and filling, it was a great way to power up my body for my hike.

Hike was today lighter than yesterday!  The weather was warm and BEAUTIFUL!! My hike buddies were AWESOME!

Yes, we are ALL still smiling after the hike!

These are my new found friends! Danielle, Cara and Kelly!

After returning home from the hike I hit the water H2O class! It was quite the workout, never a doubt!

For lunch today we had a simple turkey sandwich on orowheat thins with a green salad with a very light dressing and fruit.

After lunch is when the beatings began. 

Total Tone Class was KILLER.  We had 6 stations set up using weights, medicine balls and squats.  Let's just say there was lots of grunting and near tears today, but we ALL pushed our bodies through what we thought we couldn't do!

Cardio Intervals is a class ANYONE can do with ANY equipment that they have! You warm up for about 5 minutes on a machine of your choice.  Then you bump up the level on the machine one up every 30 seconds till you do that 8 times.  Once you have done that 8 times you stay at the highest level you got to for 1 minute. Then you start to go down one level a time, 30 seconds apart.  You do that over and over for 45 minutes.  It is amazing how doing that little makes you sweat A LOT!

Last class of the night was H2O intervals. We all got in that pool completely sore, fatigued, and feeling like we couldn't do ANY MORE.  But as always, we pulled it out!  Our shaking arms, did more weights, more push ups (using a metal bar around the pool and pulling our bodies out of the water), jumping jacks, running around the pool, and more.  Even when you think you have nothing more, they show you YOU DO!

Dinner tonight was delicious as always.  We had Veggie Lasagna with steamed broccoli and cauliflower and key lime (tofu) pie for dessert.

Now I am sitting on my bed, in my Biggest Loser sweatshirt watching the current seasons make over show. I am feeling proud of the calories I burnt today, the steps I took and the attitude I have!  This journey is up to me!  I have to put in the work and determination!  No one else can do it for me!

Today's Calories Burned (minus those in the pool): 4,544

Steps taken: 18,478

Very sore but happy Meg!

DAY ONE JITTERS AT BIGGEST LOSER RESORT MALIBU

When you're talking about the Biggest Loser Resort experience a case of the jitters isn't nervousness, it is actually your body jittering!  Today I had ALL sorts of jitters.  After the hike when I sat down, my legs were shaking by themselves, I didn't know how to stop them.  During "Liquid Moves" class my calves decided to jitter by getting the hardest charlie horse I have ever experienced in my life. Following our circuit class, my whole body seemed to have a jitter in it and was ready to loose my carrot soup we had at lunch time. I am not the only one getting the "jitters", the charlie horses and jittering bodies are all around me!

Monday at the resort is full of firsts for people!  Many go on their first hike of their lives. Some people have never run on a treadmill.  For others, its their first time being pushed to a breaking point.   The people who come to the resort are quality!  I enjoy meeting them and hearing their stories.  Some rip your heart out and others inspire you to try even a lil' harder.  Anyone looking for a change of lifestyle should look into how they can make the Biggest Loser Resort work for them.  It is well worth anything to find a program that helps you get your health back!

Many of you have asked about the ins and outs of the program.  So today I am going to give you the play by play of what takes place on day at The Biggest Loser Resort.

6am: WAKE UP
6:30: Stretch Class
7:00: Breakfast. Today's breakfast was Waffles with a blueberry puree and some fruit.

8:00: Leave for Hike.  Today we went to Newton Canyon.  We did a really long version and went all the way today (Apparently they don't usually go that long but we were all doing so good they did a bonus one..lucky us! LOL)
11:15: Liquid Moves (water aerobics on steroids)
12:35: Lunch. Today we had Carrot Soup, A delicious fruit green salad and A bean and rice burrito ( I will be posting this recipe..stay tuned)

1:15: Lecture on Budget (How to know how many calories you need to burn to get to your goals)

2:30: Circuit Class.  In this class we get to try out a lot of the machines that are commonly found in gyms.  The trainer has us start with Cardio and we push AS HARD AS WE CAN for 2 minutes.  Then we switch to weight training machines and work 45 seconds, rest for 30 seconds and then work 45 more seconds.  We go back and forth for the hour.  Tonia (the trainer who is the closest thing to Jillian you will find here) was pushing us all to the breaking point...we were fighting HARD for those 2 min each time.  A couple went out to throw up.. I almost joined them.
3:30: Core Training. Can I just say MAIN IN THE BUTT!  Yeah, cause that is where it hurt! I had sweat dripping down my body. I was shaking while holding my core pose...I was ready for this class to be over!
4:30: H2O Intervals.  This class is a high intensity water aerobics style class where we focus on getting our heart rate to spike and then we recover then we spike and recover for the whole hour class.  We did things like shooting our bodies out of the water, squatting and rolling our hands in front of us as quickly as possible, boxing style moves as quickly possible etc. all while your body is immersed under water (not your head).  I LOVE the water classes, they are my favorite!
5:45: Dinner.  Tonight was Salmon Burger and 3 spears of grilled zucchini. With a cranberry sorbet that was only 20 calories. I am NOT a fan of Salmon, but our Chef here is AMAZING!

6:15: Lecture tonight was spending your Calories Wisely.  Here they introduce the 90/10 plan.  They teach that if you eat on plan 90% of the time then 10% of the time (if you eat 21 meals a week that would be two meals.. . unfortunately not two DAYS...that you could eat what you were craving or want. This takes away guilt for those splurge moments).  They also talk about the plating method (1/2 your plate vegetables, 1/4 meat, 1/4 Grain).

7:00pm FINALLY retire to your rooms.  Take a shower, get in your pajamas and do whatever you need to in "real life" (this makes a 12 and half hour day till you get to go back to your room...other than for swim wear changes)

At the end of the first day my stats are:

5, 296 Calories Burned (this doesn't include any of the water aerobics exercises)

21,878 Steps

ONE TIRED GIRL

This is a WHOLE lot of information, I know.  I just wanted to give a sample of what a FIRST day pparticipant at The Biggest Loser Resort experiences.

One last mention before closing today's post.  I would be an ungrateful person if I didn't mention that not only am I thankful to my bosses who allowed me to be away from the precious twin babies for two weeks while I am slaving away closer to reaching my goals and becoming more healthy.  I am thankful for Grandma Janice who came in to take care of those two cute babies for me.  I am thankful for ALL the staff and owners here at The Biggest Loser Resort that made this trip a reality for me.  I am thankful to ALL of you who support me, love me, and are excited for all the positive things that are now coming to my life.  I know from whom they came and I am thankful to a loving Father in Heaven who is involved in the details of life!

Sleep is the next important part of this process, so off to wonderland I go!

Biggest Loser Resort Malibu, Are you ready for me?! CHECK- IN TIME

Today is the day!  I get the opportunity to return to the Biggest Loser Resort for PART II of my journey towards a more healthy and fit me! 

The morning started very early.  I loaded up my friend Rae's car (THANK YOU Rae for your willingness to take your sweet ride with me all over without a second thought) and headed on my long journey from my family home in Utah to the Malibu, California which is supposed to take 10 hours.

I was cruising along until Vegas.. and this time what happened in Vegas is not staying there I am going to tell you!  Once I hit Vegas I hit traffic, horrible stop and go and stall traffic.  In fact, it took me 3 hours to get from Vegas to Prim, Nevada (which is usually about a 40 min drive!).

But there were billboards to entertain me and make me chuckle (even though they weren't meant too) as I sat in non moving traffic...I know potty talk, but it was quite a fun chuckle!

After much effort, I made it to the happiest healthy living resort in the country, The Biggest Loser Resort to recommit and continue myself with the journey I started a couple years ago.

I was greeted by staff like a long last friend.  I was helped with ALL my luggage (we won't talk about my travel hoarding ways) and I was given my work book, name tag and my private room to retire with for the night.

I didn't get a chance to be at dinner or orientation which is where you get to meet a lot of the other guests here by one thing I know for sure, this week I am blessed enough to be side by side with many great people, here are a few of their bio's:

Jerry and Estella Hayes Season 7 of the Biggest Loser. They are the oldest couple to be on the Biggest Loser, but they showed America that you are NEVER too old to get in shape and loose the fat.  Collectively, they lost 262 pounds! They are here with cousin Jim and his cute Wife.

Sharlene.  She is from this area and a movie producer. She went all the way through season 13 casting and was cut at the last minute. She is my neighbor across the grass from me here at the Ridge. She also runs an AMAZING non profit organization which I will share with you at a later time cause I think it is AWESOME!

Cara and Danielle are sister's who also tried out for season 13 of The Biggest Loser and weren't cast.  Cara was turning 30 and really wanted to redefine her life in her 30's year and shared that with her husband.  When they missed out on the opportunity to be on the show he sprang into action and booked them a 2 week stay.  You can read about their journey's here.  http://www.phatchances.blogspot.com/

One that haven't got to meet but know she is here and can't wait to meet her is the current season 12 Courtney Rainville's sister Kelly is here the 2 weeks with me as well.  For you avid Loser watchers, Courtney won a challenge on the show which allowed her the chance to give a gift of Biggest Loser Resort to a family member for a 2 week stay, she chose her sister, and she is here!

I am now officially excited, unpacked and anticipating the hard, grueling, life changing work tomorrow!  Nothing says you love yourself than letting someone kick you into healthy living, and the best person to do that is YOU!
Ready to start this time's week ONE! It is going to be hard work and amazing..  I do have one thing on my side, EXPERIENCE. I have been here one week before and look at me, I came prepared this time!

Now, the best thing I can do for myself tonight is to get a GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP I will be up at 5:30am for a shower with stretch class at 6am!  

Good Night!