Friday, May 28, 2010

Lose 90 lbs in 90 days

Lose 90 lbs in 90 days.

We are ready to help you help yourself... If you are ready that is.

Simply send us $1 (check, money order or cash) and a self addressed stamped envelope and we'll send you the whole plan. No extra costs or fees we just want to help the world be a little healthier.

Couples Diet
10712 Alexander Falls Ave
Bakersfield, Ca. 93312

The $1 covers the materials fees. We hope you'll share your success stories along the way with us! Everyone being a little healthier is what this is all about.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Climbing Jacob's Ladder To H-E Double Hockey Sticks


This week we decided to finally attempt climbing "Jacob's Ladder". For months now we have gone to the gym and seen it in the corner. We were so very fearful that it would get the better of us. When went to the gym on Friday May 21st, 2010 in the evening there were very few people so it was time to give it a try.

  • Friday 21st --We each did a 2 minute session and a 3 minute session = 6 minutes total. 
  • Saturday 22nd -- 3 minutes + 4 minutes = 7 minutes total.
  • Monday 24th -- 5 minutes + 5 minutes = 10 minutes total.
This machine really gets that heart rate up in a hurry and seems to make the rest of the workout more intense and more meaningful.

We are glad we took the challenge and are looking fw to getting up to 30 minutes a day on that BEAST. Once again the Bakersfield Loser has really changed our lives for the better. We are 90 lbs thinner as a couple and a whole lot fitter!

For more couples weight loss tips click here.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Favorite Low Cal Snack

What is your favorite low calorie snack?

Since we begin this weight loss adventure low calorie snacks have become a staple in our home. We have increase the number of times a day we eat! Yes I said INCREASED. We have just changed what we put in our bodies.

Some of our favorites include:

  • Sugar Free Jello (10 calories)
  • Light Yogurt (50-100 calories depending on brand)
  • Sugar Free Jello Pudding (60-100 calories flavor pending)
  • Fudgesicles (40-100 calories size pending)
  • Granola Bars (90-190 calories pending on brand)
Well I think you get the idea. You can have a pretty fun snack without breaking the calorie bank account.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Serving Size(s) -- Really???


Am I the only one who wonders what adult human being can be satisfied with 3/4 cup of cereal as a serving size?

The biggest change that we made in our diets was really measuring our servings / portions of food out. At first it was a struggle.



  • 1/2 cup of ice cream is a serving (that used to be a BITE).

  • A can of soda is 1 1/2 servings (really, really??? who drinks 3/4 of a can and puts the other 4 oz back).

  • All beverages are measured as 8 oz (don't recall seeing the 8 oz on any menu).

  • Microwave popcorn is 2.5 servings per bag.

  • Chips -- you get 10 of them for a serving.

  • Chicken should be eaten in 4 oz breast sizes.

After about a week we were used to it and the portions did not seem so unreasonable.


What makes even more sense is eating good foods:



  • Whole wheat pasta full cup is a serving.

  • GRAVY -- 1/3 cup goes VERY far!

  • Veggies -- steamed w/ pepper are a real treat.

  • Salad w/ the right dressing (low-fat Italian by Newman's Own) can be yummy.

Tell us about your favorite low cal / high quantity (serving size) meals.


Sunday, May 9, 2010

Tale Of The Tape: May 9th, 2010











Accountability: Means responsibility to someone or for some activity.




We will be accountable to everyone on the World-Wide Web and ourselves for our bodies.

While celebrating how far we have come (photos show 90 days of progress) we also realize just how far I have to go.

Today May 9th, 2010:

Weight: 189 lbs (M) -- 171.8 lbs (J)
Waist: 36.5 (M) -- 35.0 (J)
Chest: 40.5 (M) -- 39.5 (J)
Thigh: 23.5 (M) -- 25.0 (J)
Neck: 17.0 (M) -- 13.0 (J)
Wrist: 7.0 (M) -- 6.0 (J)
Arm: 15.75 (M) -- 11.75 (J)
Calf: 15.0 (M) -- 16.0 (J)

Each Saturday will be a tale of the tape day. We will use that day to look back at the past week with numbers that simply cannot lie. Durring the week we will report on dieting, exercise and other challenges.





Flash Forward To April 1st 2010 -- 90 Days







What a difference 90 Days and some hard work can make...

It's now April 1st and we are a bit thinner and a whole lot healthier...

Michael is 189 lbs and wearing size 36 pants.

Jessica is 171 lbs and has lost over 10 inches off her body.

We are still working towards our goals weights and desired body fitness but combined we lost over 90 lbs together since December 2009.

This blog is really about sharing how we did it in hopes of keeping ourselves accountable and helping some other through the same adventure.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Day 1 Of The Rest Of Our Lives







The 1st day of "The Bakersfield Loser Contest" was officially here. It was January 2ND, 2010 and we were headed for our 1st weigh-in.

Since admitting we needed help and deciding to join the contest we had already made a few changes...

Michael had been tracking his calories and noticed he was always over 5000 a day.

Jessica had purchased a food journal and was ready to write everything down.

We had both been walking now 2-4 miles a day for a week.

We were ready for the "SCALE" and to begin our adventure.

Day 1 Mike: Weight 233.8 and was wearing size 42'" pants.

Day 1 Jessica: Weight 213.8 and in a Woman's size 20 pants.

We were ashamed of ourselves... What was sad is we had made some progress already.

The Contest

On Christmas Eve 2009 we finally committed to each other that we would join the contest.

We were going to join "The Bakersfield Loser" contest at the local Body Exchange Fitness.

We were going to trade in our overweight and unhealthy frames for new ones. We were hoping to get healthy, get fit and maybe even WIN some serious cash.

That night we started going on 2 mile walks.

Michael decided to stop eating 3 "Big Macs" a day.

Jessica was going to reduce her icecream intake.

Facing The Facts -- Joining The Bakersfield Loser Contest




Late December 2009 we (Michael & Jessica Owen) realized that we were not going to be able to "wish" the weight away.

Michael was 245 lbs and 5'8".

Jessica was 213 lbs and 5'1".

We were both on a path of destruction eating calories like crazy and doing little to no exercise.

We needed someone to help hold us accountable because we could no longer be trusted to do it ourselves.

Then we saw an advertisement for "The Bakersfield Loser" contest. It was set to start January 1st and run 90 days. The GRAND Prize was $15k in cash and many would WIN consolation prize of a better and healthier body.

We talked about joining the contest as we pulled through a drive-thru window to order cheeseburgers and fries.

Michael had been a High School Wrestler many year back and was certain shedding pounds was still in his blood.

Jessica just wanted to get healthy and if $15k fell in the lap of her family -- well, why not!

Friday, May 7, 2010

Before The Diet


December 2009 we were an overweight husband and wife in their 30's. We had tried several diet plans and at home exercise programs with very limited results...