Hi all! :wave:

I've been waiting for this challenge to start for weeks! :D I look forward to getting to know you all. And I'm ready to kick some butt! :kickbutt:

Count me in for the exercise challenge. Heck, I'll even go for the veggie challenge too. For that do we just choose our new veggie each week or are we going to have one "assigned" to us? Just checking. I don't want to mess this up before I even start!!!

I'll check back in later today. (You know - the Mr and the Mrs are here today. Both will be gone tomorrow so I'll be on here lots more!!)

my bf has realized that the healthy food is good... he even tried drinking my fresca's when i got him coke... i was like NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO drink the coke... but now i have only 1 left in the fridge (my roommates have been going for them too i guess) and i really need to stop drinking sodas anyway so i'm going back to my tea drinking

i also work out at night... well not at "night" but after work... the gym is simply not open before i get here enough time for me to get in my workout and get showered and to work on time (opens at 5, i like to do at least an hour in the gym, and i have to be at work at 630 and i work about 15 miles from the gym)

ohh i'm in.... it will motivate me to get my butt back to the gym... i can window shop online for what i want :D


thanks hun!! ya i am def taking it slow...


and yay guys i have already had 45g of protein today :D:carrot:

The exercise challenge sounds good, I'm in! I am sitting at my desk going back and forth about what I should do tonight. I normally go to a class at my gym right after work at 5:30. But we finally have a dry day and my lawn needs mowed desperately, like I think the neighbors are going to want to kick us out of the neighborhood. If I go to the gym it will be getting dark when I get home plus I will still need to eat dinner. Gym, mow, gym, mow...I need to make a decision! I guess I could mow then after dinner get a mini-trampoline work out in while watching tv. Decisions decisions.

Okay, some of you may find this gross, but I figure some of you will find it funny....

Every time I utter the phrase "I need more protein in my diet" DH is quick to note that he could help me with that.... hee hee!

Thanks, purplefirefly! (is that firefly as in Serenity?) I'm trying to not make it a choice but there's always that feeling it's not fair I have to get up so early and exercise so much -- and it's only going to get worse (my husband's a teacher and the girls are still in elementary school so in a month, I'm going to be the only person in the house who's got to get up and go anywhere at all).

Julia, love your goals in your sig line. Have to think about that...

Sounds just like DBF!!! I'm so glad I'm not the only one!!

Hi all,

I am not even going to try to keep up with everything so don't anyone feel ignored or too intimated to jump in here. Like others said, just gotta jump in.

I saw Ceegee's exercise challenge thread. Thank you very much for starting that. That is the motivation I need when I feel like being a slacker.

I'm also up for the veggie challenge. Is someone going to spearhead it?

How do you want to approach it? I have heard others suggest picking a veggie each week - perhaps the rest of us can chime in with recipes and ways to serve it up. I hate to start another thread but we'd almost have to. We might get some push back on threads but hey - the blue team already started a food based thread with their bikini thing so I would think we could also do a food challenge thread too.

Several people mentioned eggplant. Ok with me for that as the first choice - I've only eaten eggplant parmesan - would eat it more if I knew what to do with it. Don't even know how to prepare it.

I'm off for my post-lunch walk.

:cp: sxulcmnky for passing up on the Five Guys restaurant and sticking with the planned meal. I got meatloaf and salad from the cafeteria and promptly divided it in half. Half now, half for either dinner or lunch tomorrow.

GOOD MORNING Team Black!!!


I read thru all these but will have to come back to comment later! Thinking up some veggie challenge ideas! :carrot: One veggie per week? One every 2 weeks? How you fixed it? Who you ate it with? Your rating?

Definitely we can share recipes...I liked Smurf's low fat taco meat with carrots! Great idea!

I have LOTS of recipes for eggplant and for okra and even for YUMMY (not overcooked) sauteed spinach! I can't wait to try some of your new veggie ideas too!

Here's a couple "teaser" recipes for eggplant....

I saw that Good Eats show on Eggplant too, I printed off 3 of the recipes. We are definitely going to try eggplant "steak" at our house though I will control the oil amount used. Eggplant is a sponge for oil! Also you can reduce the amount of Parmesan cheese called for here!

To use this recipe he wants you to slice your eggplant in rounds and salt both sides and let it drain on a rack for awhile about 30 minutes. Then rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry. The salt pulls some of the bitter juices out of the eggplant as these "steaks" are not over cooked. Alternate method: Place eggplant in large colander and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat evenly. Let stand 30 minutes. Using paper towels or large kitchen towel, wipe salt off and pat excess moisture from eggplant. These would be great as a side dish or in a sandwich or wrap I am sure!

Eggplant Steaks
Recipe: Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup thick steak sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
8 (1/2-inch) eggplant slices
1 cup grated Parmesan
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional

In a small bowl whisk together the Worcestershire, steak sauce, olive oil, honey, and apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

Pat your eggplant dry with paper towels. With a pastry brush apply the sauce to both sides of the eggplant. Place eggplant rounds onto a sheet tray fitted with a rack. Place the tray under the broiler for until eggplant is nicely browned, approximately 2 minutes. Turn slices over and place back under broiler to brown the other side. Generously sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan over all of the slices. Place back under the broiler for 1 minute to nicely brown the cheese. Serve plain or sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs.

Here is another one...I keep this on hand (lasts about 5 days) and put a few tablespoons in sandwiches as an alternative to mayonnaise!! Its great on whole wheat pasta with red sauce, or just plain as a side dish at dinner.

Sautéed Eggplant

1 large eggplant (about 1-1/2 pounds), ends trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or alternatively spray oil on pan and use chicken broth instead of oil for lower fat!
Ground black pepper
1 medium garlic clove, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
2 to 4 tablespoons minced parsley or finely shredded fresh basil

1. Place eggplant in large colander and sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat evenly. Let stand 30 minutes. Using paper towels or large kitchen towel, wipe salt off and pat excess moisture from eggplant.

2. Heat oil over medium-high heat in heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet until it shimmers and becomes fragrant. Add eggplant cubes and sauté until they begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is fully tender and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in pepper to taste and add garlic. Cook to blend flavors, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in herbs, adjust seasonings, and serve.

If anyone is interested, I will try to use the WW recipe creator to figure out the points values for any of the submitted recipes. Just ask...

I shouldn't encourage it, but I couldn't help but look up that information for you ceegee:

"A tablespoon of semen contains approximately six calories. Semen does contain protein, but it also contains all kinds of chemicals and minerals, including water, sugar, calcium, chlorine, magnesium, nitrogen, vitamin B12, and zinc. But it does not contain enough of any of these things to be considered nutritious."

:rofl:

I'm willing to start a thread... that's what I was thinking too...
It would be fun if it was jam packed with recipes for each veggie of the week!

I think I should check in with our team captain? Maybe we can have a list veggies and vote for what comes next in the challenge? They don't all have to be weird...a nice summer "corn" week would be great too!

Happy2beme, I LOVE your avatar...too funny!

ROFL!!! Oh man....

ohh a girlfriend of mine gave me a recipe for eggplant lasagna... i'll have to get it from her again

Well I used to be quite good at finding things on the net. Don't try this at work (too many porn hits). The actual answer came from a teen questions site. Kind of figures though, doesn't it?

I'm sure I have a recipe for an eggplant/white bean mixture that was good on it's own or in a wrap. I'll have to go look for it. I went through an eggplant phase for a while.