FatBloggers.net A little push to lose the tush.

first of all, i know it’s been a while. as you can imagine, the cruise set me back big time. i’m working on a great post that will talk all about the cruise, the food they have, and what it looks like. look for that in a few days.

also, as a lot of you know, i have been working pretty closely in the past doing some freelance work with a guy named pete thomas. for those keen individuals, you may remember pete thomas as the guy who won $100,000 on the second season of the biggest loser for losing the most weight while at home. he lost 183 pounds, and has kept it off. he’s been quite an inspiration to me.

i wanted to let you guys and gals know, that if you live in, around, or even in the general vicinity of detroit, michigan… pete thomas is now working with nbc and bl4 productions to help cast a team for the upcoming sixth season of the biggest loser. it’s going to be a couples season again, and a casting call will be held at gardner white furniture, 45300 Hayes Rd. Macomb, MI 48044 on saturday, march 22nd from 10am - 4pm.

if you are interested, check out the flier attached here for more information.

{cross-blogged on …loveisgreaterthan[dot]com}

in less than 24 hours i’ll be on a carnival cruise ship. poor me, right?

i’ve decided to look at the trip as a challenge. can i do well, in the worst of places when it comes to eating right? we’ll see. i’ve got faith though.

while i’m on the trip, i will be documenting everything i eat, both by picture and words. so be looking forward to a lengthly, in-depth post when i get back.

also, for those of you interested, on my personal blog i have a special guest blogger, pete thomas, who won $100,000 on season two of nbc’s hit reality show “the biggest loser” for losing the most overall weight. he will be doing a two part series on my website that, believe me… i’ve read it already, is absolutely incredible. so please stop by and show pete some love.

see you all in a week!

Note: As promised earlier, we have an exclusive interview with Marty Wolff, a contestant in season 3 of The Biggest Loser. This is actually a promotional event from Wrigley’s gum, who is a sponsor of the show. Hopefully I haven’t sold our independent soul too much for this, but it’s been fun putting it together. If you had a question featured here, and you’d like some free stuff from Wrigley’s, send me your email address so I can forward it on to the Wrigley’s people. Also, if you’re a regular contributor on here, I’d like to include you in that as well. We have like 10 exercise kits that they’re making available to us, so let me know. So without further ado, here is the FatBloggers interview:

1. Marty, are there any tools you found on the Internet that were helpful in maintaining your weight-loss?

I have used the internet for calorie information and to look up calories of various foods. I do know of many web sites that aid in maintenance and aim to reward people for positive lifestyle changes. My web site, realitywellnessinc.com, has a password protected area that allows an online community to communicate with me through messaging and an online food journal. Gumisgood.com is a site developed by Wrigley Co. and it aims to reward people for making two small changes to their daily routine; taking more steps and cutting calories. The project is called Wrigley’s Walk and Chew Gum Challenge and is collectively challenging Americans to cut 10 million calories and walk 100,000 miles. It is really easy to be apart of the challenge! All you do is log on to gumisgood.com and sign up for the challenge. You will receive a starter package in the mail complete with a pedometer, water bottle and some Extra gum samples. You then use the site to log the miles you walk and the calories you save from chewing Extra gum instead of a high calorie snack like a brownie. This challenge is a terrific maintenance tool to use on the internet and is a reminder that small changes can go a long way!

2. What kind of medical exams did all participants go through? How often?

We went through extensive medical exams before the show and for the first 6 weeks they drew blood every week to make sure our levels were healthy and to see any signs of improvement in our health. The medical side of the show is relatively hidden, but The Biggest Loser has some of the best doctors in the world watching our progress on the show and even after the show. In fact, all contestants on the show are a part of a larger obesity study with the doctors on the show and the results that are sent out every 6 months are really fascinating. We were watched closely on the show, and I am grateful to the medical team on the show takes their role so seriously.

3. Marty, congratulations on your engagement. What kind of things do you and your fiance do to encourage and support each other to keep in shape and keep the weight off?

We are each others accountability partners! I know what Amy is capable of and she does me. I have seen her at her worst and best and she has me. We understand each other and know how hard it was to lose the weight. Once in a while one of us will want some popcorn at the movies when we shouldn’t have it, and it is nice to have someone remind me of my goals and recommend something simple like chewing a stick of Extra sugar-free gum instead of the popcorn. This accountability system is great!

4. How much time passed from the time you left the show to the time you went back for the Season Finale? During that time were your health and progress monitored by the show or were you on your own

I spent a little more than 5 months on my own after I was eliminated from the show. The medical staff did keep an eye on us and was a great resource for us to ask questions of any kind at any point. To this day the medical staff is interested in us and our weight loss journey!

5. Marty, after you lost the weight, you received a lot of positive feedback from friends and family. It is encouraging to know that people will be impressed with your perseverance. What was the most poignant comment or reaction made by one of your loved ones that sticks out the most in your mind?

The best feedback I have been given didn’t come in the form of words, but action. It was from my brother who supported me when I came home from the show and he put his money where his mouth is and lost 80 lbs along with me. It is terriffic to have others complement, but when they are willing to change who they are to make you better; that is positive feedback to me!

Technorati Tags: weight loss, dieting, fitness, exercise, The Biggest Loser, Marty Wolff, fatblogging

We’ve been asked to participate in a promotional event.  We will be doing an interview with Marty Wolff, who was a recent participant in the show The Biggest Loser.  Dude lost a boat load of weight a couple of years ago, and it looks like he’s been able to keep it off since then.  I was recently contacted by the PR firm that is doing a fitness tie-in with Wrigley’s Walk and Chew Gum program, so I thought I’d see what we can do with it.

All of you are certainly better at coming up with questions for this kind of thing than I am, so here’s the catch:  In the comment box below, just ask a question that you would like to see answered in an interview with him.  I’ll pick the best ones and organize them in a Q&A format to be posted here in a couple of weeks.  There’s free stuff involved (YOU get the free stuff), so post away. If you’re looking for some question ideas, here’s an interview that was already done.