and the winner is....

DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad
DADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdadDADdad

Congratulations to our very fit and very skinny Daddio!

ps, if anyone is interested in going in on a modified second round of competition, let me know.

Week 16 (14-21 September)

this week's winner...
* * DAD * *

weekly totals...
1... Dad - 49
2... Mom - 42
3... Kristen and Jeremy - 41
5... Andi - 40
8... Nicci, Zeke, and Izzy - nada

total rankings...
1... Dad - 712
2... Mom - 652
3... Andi - 644
4... Kristen - 609
5... Jeremy - 587
6... Izzy - 461
7... Zeke - 460
8... Nicci - 115

Week 15 (7-13 Sept)

this week's winner...
* * DAD * *

weekly totals...
1... Dad - 64
2... Mom - 53
3... Andi - 38
4... Jeremy, Kristen, Zeke, Kristen - 16
8... Nicci - nada

total rankings...
1... Dad - 663
2... Mom - 610
3... Andi - 604
4... Kristen - 568
5... Jeremy - 546
6... Izzy - 461
7... Zeke - 460
8... Nicci - 115

Week 14 (31 Aug - 6 Sept)

happy labor day... now go work out. looks like this is going to be a battle. even NICCI is getting into the mix... welcome back to our prodical sister!

winners of the week
** MOM - KRISTEN - ANDI **

weekly rankings...
1... Mom, Kristen, Andi - 48
4... Jeremy - 47
5... Dad - 42
6... Zeke and Izzy - 35
8... NICCI!!! - 32

total standings...
1... Dad - 596
2... Andi - 566
3... Mom - 557
4... Kristen - 552
5... Jeremy - 530
6... Izzy - 445
7... Zeke - 444
8... Nicci - 115

only 4 weeks left - make them count. i'm proud of us.

Week 13 (24-30 August)

weekly winner...
*** DAD ***

weekly standings...
1... Dad - 46
2... Andi - 39
3... Kristen - 31
4... Jeremy, Zeke, Izzy - 30
7... Mom - 14
8... Nicci - 0

total rankings...
1... Dad - 554
2... Andi - 518
3... Mom - 509
4... Kristen - 504
5... Jeremy - 483
6... Izzy - 410
7... Zeke - 409
8... Nicci - 83

My new exercise.....it really makes you feel so strong!

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.

With a 5-lb potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute and then relax.

Each day you will find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb sacks.

Then try 50-lb sacks and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb sack in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (This is where I am at right now)

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks!! :)

Week 12 (17-23 August)

weekly winners...
***kristen and jeremy***

weekly standings...
1... kristen and jeremy - 30
3... andi - 29
4... zeke and izzy - 24
6... mom and dad - 11
8... nicci - did not report

total standings...
1... dad - 508
2... mom - 495
3... andi - 479
4... kristen - 473
5... jeremy - 453
6... izzy - 380
7... zeke - 379
8... nicci - 83

WEEK 11

weekly winner...
*** MOM ***

weekly rankings...
1... mom - 57
2... andi - 51
3... dad - 47
4... kristen and jeremy - 37
6... zeke and izzy - 29
8... nicci - NEVER reports

total standings...
1... dad - 497
2... mom - 484
3... andi - 450
4... kristen - 443
5... jeremy - 423
6... izzy - 356
7... zeke - 355
8... nicci - 83

this week's assignment... harass nicci. we need her to start sending in numbers.

Week Ten

week 10 winner
** DAD **

weekly totals...
1... dad - 59
2... mom - 49
3... kristen and jeremy - 42
5... andi - 41
6... zeke and izzy - 34
8... nicci - did not report

total standings...
1... dad - 450
2... mom - 427
3... kristen - 406
4... andi - 399
5... jeremy - 386
6... izzy - 327
7... zeke - 326
8... nicci - 83

Week 9

the winner of the week...
***DAD***

weekly totals...
1... Dad - 49
2... Andi - 40
3... Mom - 24
4... Kristen, Zeke, Izzy - 34
7... Jeremy - 32
8... Nicci

total standings...
1... Dad - 391
2... Mom - 378
3... Kristen - 364
4... Andi - 358
5... Jeremy - 344
6... Izzy - 293
7... Zeke - 292
8... Nicci - 83

it's a contest!
***updated from dubai, uae***

week eight

Recently, in large French city, a poster featuring a
young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym.
It said:
THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?¨

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the
woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always
surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious
humans). They have an active sex life, they get
pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a
wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with
shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing
wonderful places like Patagonia,
the Barren Sea and the coral reefs
of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have
even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and
virtually have no predators other than humans. They are
loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don’t exist. If they did exist,
they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean
psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or
human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill
men who get close to them not to mention how could they have
sex? Therefore they do not have kids either. Not to
mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a
fish store?
The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when
media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people
are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my
kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a
coffee with my friends. With time we gain weight
because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our
heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to
the rest of our bodies. So we aren’t heavy, we are
enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning
today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will
think, “Good gosh, look how smart I am.”

Winner of the week again...
**DAD**

weekly totals...
1... Dad - 53
2... Kristen and Jeremy - 51
4... Mom - 46
5... Andi, Zeke, and Izzy - 45
8... Nicci - 0

total rankings...
1... Mom - 354
2... Dad - 342
3... Kristen - 330
4... Andi - 318
5... Jeremy - 312
6... Izzy - 259
7... Zeke - 258
8... Nicci - 83

WEEK 7

winner of the week...
*** MOM ***

weekly totals...
1... mom - 57
2... dad - 53
3... kristen - 51
4... andi - 45
5... jeremy - 41
6... zeke and izzy - 39
8... nicci - 0

totals overall...
1... mom - 308
2... dad - 289
3... kristen - 279
4... andi - 273
5... jeremy - 261
6... izzy - 214
7... zeke - 213
8... nicci - 83

WEAK 6

i'm calling this one WEAK 6, because, let's face it... this week i was weak. but, you better come to play from here on out, because i am. but, let's give credit where credit is due.... for the fourth consecutive week in a row, our MOTHER is the top point-getter and she has overtaken top of the overall leader board. Way to go MOM! and the rest of you people... get it together. and nicci... pretty please send us your points. if not, next week we may be dedicating a little Saturday's Warrior to you... "nicci, oh nicci, don't listen to them. how can they say they're your friends? if they tear you away from your family and gym, they'll leave you alone in the end"

this week's winner...
** MOM **

weekly totals...
1... mom - 52
2... kristen and jeremy - 46
4... dad - 40
5... zeke and izzy - 38
7... andi - 29
8... nicci - ZERO, did not report, AGAIN

overall standings...
1... mom - 251
2... dad - 236
3... kristen and andi - 228
5... jeremy - 220
6... izzy - 175
7... zeke - 174
8... nicci - 83

week five

the winner of the week...
**mom**
even with a broken toe

weekly totals...
1... mom - 50
2... dad - 47
3... kristen - 43
4... jeremy - 41
5... zeke and izzy - 39
7... andi - 34
8... nicci, did not report

total standings...
1... mom and andi - 199
3... dad - 196
4... kristen - 182
5... jeremy - 174
6... izzy - 137
7... zeke -136
8... nicci - 83

Who is trying to jinx me??

I was on such a roll these past 2 weeks - exercising everyday....
'til I walked into a chair at work! I think I broke
my baby toe. I couldn't put my foot in a shoe to exercise yesterday but
today I was determined. I shoved on my tennis shoe and
did one hour on the treadmill! :) This program has really got me going!
Thought I would share :) mom
ps - that is not dirt on the top of my foot....that is my boo boo!

WEEK FOUR

New plan... let's take the weekly weigh in points away and do a weigh in at the very end. That way, it's easier to keep track and it'll be a big surprise bonus at the end. Okay?

this week's winner...
* * MOM * *

1... Mom - 55
2... Andi - 47
3... Kristen - 46
4... Dad - 42
5... Jeremy 39
6... Izzy - 35
7... Zeke - 33
8... Nicci - 16

total standings...
1... Andi - 165
2... Mom and Dad - 149
4... Kristen - 139
5... Jeremy - 133
6... Izzy - 98
7... Zeke - 97
8... Nicci - 83

Week No. Three

better late than never, here are the results from week three. just had to wait on a few late reporters.

top score for the week...
**MOM**

weekly totals...
1... Mom - 55
2... Dad - 48
3... Andi - 40
4... Jeremy - 29
5... Kristen - 27
6... Zeke and Izzy - 18
8... Nicci - 10

total rankings...
1... Andi - 118
2... Dad - 107
3... Jeremy and Mom - 94
5... Kristen - 93
6... Nicci - 67
7... Zeke - 64
8... Izzy - 63

Week Number TWO

top point getter this week...
* DAD *
weekly totals...
1... Dad - 31
2... Jeremy, Nicci, Andi - 29
5... Mom - 21
6... Kristen - 17
7... Zeke, Izzy - 14

overall standings...
1... Andi - 78
2... Kristen - 66
3... Jeremy - 65
4... Dad - 59
5... Nicci - 57
6... Zeke - 46
7... Izzy - 45
8... Mom - 39

What’s the big fat deal?

Article by...
Nia Vardalos
Actress/Writer/Director

"It’s just weight. Just 40 pounds of fat now gone from my body, but wow, it’s pretty much all I get asked about..."

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/12/whats-the-big-ass-deal/

Week Numero Uno

this week we kicked off our family fitness challenge. some started out in a sprint, others are keeping us guessing. this week we were just getting the feel for things and acclimating our bodies to more activity, water, fruits, and veggies. let's make week 2 even better. the farrars really represented this week, come on abbotts, let's do this thing.

here are the results for week one...
1. kristen and andi... 49
3. jeremy... 36
4. zeke... 32
5. izzy... 31
6. nicci and dad... 28
8. mom... 18

The Contestants

The Rules

THE GREAT 8 WEIGHT DEBATE
-An 18 week family fitness challenge-

Objective: To inspire life changing habits of exercise and healthy eating through a system of family support focusing on a common goal.

Time period:
Start Date: 1 June 2009
End Date: 4 October 2009

Point System:
1 point for every pound lost
1 point for every ½ hour of exercise you do each day
3 points for an hour of exercise you do each day
2 points for eating 3 servings of veggies/fruits a day
2 points for drinking 64 ounces of water each day

Bonus Workout Points:
4 points for working out 3 days in a week
5 points for working out 4 days in a week
6 points for working out 5 days in a week
8 points for working out 6 days in a week
10 points for working out 7 days in a week

Working Out:
Workout time is the time you spend actually DOING the exercise, not prep time, not driving time, not changing your clothes time, not resting some in the middle of the workout. Please plan your workouts ahead of time and track your points each day.

The minimum amount of working out for this challenge is 30 minutes of continuous walking. Anything less strenuous than that does NOT count, i.e. washing clothes, dishes, working around the house, fixing your car, etc. This is actual exercise that you make time for each day.

No estimating, no rounding up, no guessing, or trying to go back and remember. Remember to plan workouts ahead of time and keep track of them. No cheating, write this stuff down folks. If you work out for 22 minutes, you receive zero points. If you workout for 45 minutes, that’s half an hour. No rounding, no fudging, you’re really only cheating yourself.

Veggies/Fruits:
A serving of veggies or fruits is 1 cup of clean fruits and veggies. No butter, nothing extra. Potatoes are not a vegetable.

Weight:
Weight will be measured once a week, by Monday morning, to track our progress. The amount of weight lost that week will be added to your total points. 1 point per pound. You can count each pound once if you gain it back and re-lose it.

Prize:
The overall winner will win a 300 dollar money pot.

Partnerships:
Partners will come up with an overall prize the loser will grant the winner. Partners can also choose to come up with periodic prizes by the week or month.

Dad and Mom
Andi and Nicci
Kristen and Jeremy
Zeke and Izzy